Just a couple more thoughts about the Nero idea: After his time in the World of Darkness, it's not hard to believe that he's different than he was before. He might even be possessed and merely be a carrier for the spirit of something he picked up while trapped there...
And then there was his "Primal energy scout meter" thing, that mysteriously started beeping after he discarded it....must have been picking up something...hmmm

I'm not super in love with the whole idea, but it is fun to speculate...