Together, the pair return to Boulder to report the destruction of Las Vegas. In the 1994 miniseries, Cullen is portrayed by Bill Fagerbakke. In the 2020 miniseries he is portrayed by Brad William Henke. Underwood is a young, narcissistic singer-songwriter who, at the beginning of the novel, is starting to achieve significant success with his debut single, "Baby, Can You Dig Your Man?" He tallies a debt with a drug dealer while living in Los Angeles and travels to New York City to hide, on the pretext of visiting his loving, but deeply disapproving, mother. When pressed, his mother points out his greatest character flaw to him directly, "You're a taker...you came home to me because you knew that I have to give." As the plague and anarchy destroy New York, Underwood attempts to care for his dying mother, but he is unable to prevent her death from the superflu. Not long after, Underwood finds that he is one of the few living people remaining in New York City. He meets a troubled middle-aged woman named Rita Blakemoor and the two decide to leave New York together. They experience a frightening trek through the Lincoln Tunnel while leaving the island, an incident that Underwood is often haunted by in the remainder of the narrative. Blakemoor eventually dies from a drug overdose that Underwood describes as "70% accident and 30% suicide." He feels guilty over his relief that he does not have to deal with Rita anymore, a confirmation of his mother's assessment of him. Haunted by his dreams of Flagg and of Rita, Underwood is in a semi-catatonic state of self reflection for several days until he finally collapses from exhaustion in New Hampshire. This event is the beginning of a turning point in Larry's life; a change of soul, from that of a "taker" to something more. Recovering after a night's sleep, Underwood travels to Maine, where he plans to spend the summer; until he meets Nadine Cross and the young Leo Rockway (known then only as "Joe" and behaving like a feral creature). The three travel together to Ogunquit, where they find Lauder's painted sign and the directions that it displays. Deciding to follow the directions, Underwood leads Cross and Joe to Stovington, Vermont, meeting Lucy Swann along the way. In Stovington, they find only Lauder's directions to Nebraska. Underwood, who gradually finds himself in the unexpected role of a trusted group leader, brings a growing party of people across the country to Nebraska, and finally to Boulder.