While working as an officer in The City, Murphy received orders to protect Axel after being attacked by corrupt officers one night. Watching over him in City Hospital, Murphy consoled Blaze over Axel's state and the capture of Max by Hawk, but angered her when he refused to quit the force and join her. Keeping his cool, Murphy handed over a police tracer that, when pressed, would allow Murphy to locate Blaze and come "all guns blazing" with support and weaponry. Not long later, Murphy was confronted by ninjas sent to decapitate Axel. Murphy attempted to defend his friend but was quickly knocked out. He later recovered after Axel had presumably already escaped (or went with him to the foundry later). It would be Max that finds the tracer and activates it and Murphy's team arrives at the war