FAN FICTION
Deus Ex Story: Training
A narrative series of JC Denton’s missions in Deus Ex.
The training segment for UN active duty was a straightforward exercise.
JC Denton had been highly prepared for a nonlethal, thorough and successful approach. The exercise shall be the last preparation before the fresh-out nano-augmented agent becomes the finest deployable United Nations peacekeeper.
Before he could kick-off the basic training level, JC was waiting in a spacious atrium with concrete columns and wide roof openings. In front of him in the distance, he could perceive an UNATCO star logo on the gate right above. The area of the training facility began in the next room.
The 23-years-old officer is wearing a blue-grey trench coat jacket with buckles, a shady tactical pair of trousers braced with handy supply pockets, a pair of sunglasses to conceal an albino side-effect due to his augmentations, a pair of high combat boots, tactical vest and a coalition belt.
JC is 1.81 m tall. He exhibits solid expression features, an almost square shaped head with brown to dark hair and no facial hair. He is a Class Denton clone agent. Hence, he cannot hide his augmented condition. Indeed, one can easily notice the light iridescent brain connections around his ears and his neck. At least, the new nano-augmented operative is far less eye-catching than the former mechamod agent’s generation. An extensive effort to mimic a human individual was carried out in order to help blending the agent with natural beings.
The exercise commences when JC HUD displays a string of information. It consists of a white text focused on his hair cross and reads “UNATCO Training Facilities Continental United States”.
JC moves ahead to the gate. After a few steps, the newbie receives an Infolink communication directly exhibited on his HUD.
Jaime Reyes, the central UNATCO physician, hints the agent for the start of the exercise.
“I figured you’d be sick of drills by now. Hopefully our training exercises will be more interesting than what they’ve had you doing at the Academy.”
Denton comes close to the gate and receives a second incoming transmission from Jaime.
JC raised an eyebrow in silent objection then he smiled inwardly. This first communication was ironic and a gentle taste of agency humor. “Open the door by clicking the right mouse button. The right mouse button uses items in the world.”
Due to the total visual immersion given by nano-augmentation, an agent could deem himself as the mobile core of a super-computer. In a certain sense, JC’s arms were the extrapolation of an old point & click system.
The operative unlocks the door and enters the first local.
The room is a square area enclosed by grey cinderblock walls enlighten by neon’s. The floor consists of a red-carpet fabric and a large window bay on the upper right grants the UN training staff a great scrutiny over the agent progress. At the agent left, a new door hints the next direction of the exercise. The physician stands at the middle of the bay. Next to him, there is an unidentified character in a black trench coat. Before the bay, JC notices a desk with a lamp and a blue radiant device.
Reyes figures out JC perplexity and provides him a short explanation.
“The key on the desk opens encryption-based nanotech locks. When you pick it up, it will automatically be added to your key ring. Use the key ring to unlock the door and proceed to the next area.”
Denton seizes the key. A new update popups on his HUD and reads “Trainer Door added to the Nano Key Ring”.
JC points the key ring like a pistol and heads directly to the closed door. At a few centimeters from the door, the key automatically screens the doors and a green light on the key nose indicated that the door is unlocked. In an additional validation, the agent HUD crosshair checked and confirmed forthwith that the door status is unlocked.
Denton opens the second gate and moves into the brown marble level of a corridor illuminated by horizontal stripes of neon’s aligned along the concrete walls. The white light shed by the neon’s lines shows that the corridor elbowed to the right.
JC reaches the end of the corridor and accesses a new room. This new local is almost identical to the precedent except it is somber and the next door stands in front of the agent. On his left, there is a corner section from which a red spotlight shines up a large part of the perimeter.
The physician provides the assignment.
“You are going to get a lot of equipment during these exercises. Press F1 at any time to access the Inventory Screen, which will let you add and remove items from the Toolbelt. Press F2 to view your current goals and any notes you may decide to take. On a typical mission, a UNATCO agent’s objectives are logged electronically so that he can stay on-task at all times.”
JC only has to think the first hotkey to crosshair-display his empty inventory dashboard and a suite of menus. He also has a view of his current digital wallet; this one accounts up to 500 credits.
Jaimes continues his education efforts.
“Now pick up a weapon and try to break open those crates. One of them’s indestructible, but the others contain things you might find useful.”
The officer grabs a red crowbar and a sharp knife on the desk.
As a litmus test, JC makes use of the crowbar to break a dark green volumetric metal crate in the corner section. However, as explained by Jaimes, the crate frame resists all the agent attempts to fracture it.
At the metal crate left, JC notices a stack of brown carboard boxes. The HUD indicates that these are general supply crates and JC manages to break them up with a few crowbar strikes. The boxes splintered around the floor and from the scattered cuttings, Denton uncovers two similar metallic screwdriver-like tools with a grip and a stout screw head like in a penknife.
The physician continues his pedagogical intimations.
“Now pick up the lockpick and use it to open the door. Lock-picking takes time and expends the self-assembling resources of modern lockpicks. Just be patient and remember your training. At higher skill levels, you won’t need as much time or lockpicking resources to pick a lock.”
JC grabs the two lockpicks and proceeds to the door. The door status is locked with a lock strength of 5% or 1 pick necessary for unlocking. The door strength is also marked as INF (infinite) thus it is not even appropriate to blast this gate with explosives. The fledgling Denton inserts the pick into the lock and commences the long process of pin tumbler lock picking.
Quite thorough, the tool possesses all the traditional pickset pins. In spite of centuries of technological progress, most of the locks around the globe are still to be manually handled. This is also the case for terrorists who keep relying on strong gate locks. Whether it was to open a typical bump key or a master lock technology, the versatile lockpicks issued by UNATCO were considered capable enough to tackle any kind of classic door locks furtively.
Jaime delivers general intel about the lockpicking in the world.
“Doors have two strength values. The door strength tells you how much damage a door takes before being destroyed. The lock strength tells you how many lockpicks will be required to pick the lock. Some doors have an infinite strength and an infinite lock strength. That means you have to look for the key.”
“Or you can look for an alternative.” JC ponders.
In this example, the pin lock was of a widespread model. All of what JC had to accomplish was to find the correct set of picks with the appropriate cut and array of peaks. The peaks had to be equal in number to the lock dips and cut to the top of the key groove. After a few attempts, Denton finds the correct combination and release a measured torsion move to unlock the pick.
His datavault mentions the success of the lockpicking and JC opens the door.
Just as before, JC passes a new marble corridor and penetrates in another room.
The local is similar to the first room only this time there is a keypad plastered next to the gate exit. A four-digit code must be entered to open the door.
“The code to the door has been stored in that datacube. Right-click on the datacube to read the contents, then type the code into the keypad. You activate the keypad with the right mouse button, just like you activate a datacube or any object in the world.” Reyes inserts in a new humorous way to puzzle the young Denton.
JC mused. For the physician, this whole training exercise was a good justification to leave his prosthetic labs. To play the overseer of a UNATCO augmented agent was more like relax time for Reyes. Although Jaime kept the same professional composure, he was keen to apply his wittiness alongside his poise.
Anew, Denton reads the content of the datacube. The touch pad was really a classified cube of data. A flat blue lucent screen with a UNATCO logo condensed in a grey silica shell. The text displayed is crystal clear.
We will make this one easy for you. To open the door, use the code: 0012
Got it?
Jaime
The note is also logged in JC’s datavault. The agent approaches the security keypad and remarks that there is of course a possibility to bypass it with certain tools. JC types in the code and the door granted the access to a new room as a result. Same local with a large spot bay but Jaime is not here yet. Two scientists are observing the scene instead while Reyes slowly joins his colleagues.
“Use the disposable multitools on the table to hack the keypad up ahead. A multitool’s resources are finite. When a tool is depleted, it becomes useless. The manual describes other uses for the multitool. At higher skill levels, you’ll need less time and multitool resources to hack a given device.”
There are three multitools, sorts of black and yellow vintage mobile devices, laying on the desk with an open guidebook and a datacube. Denton collected the multitools then gazes at the UNATCO Training Manual, section 3C.
A “multitool” is not really a tool at all — not in the usual sense of the word — but a disposable electronic device that utilizes electromagnetic resonance detection and frequency modulation to dynamically alter the flow of current through almost any non-hardened circuitry. Skilled agents can use the multitool to manipulate code locks, cameras, autogun turrets, alarms, or other security elements.
Note that multitools CANNOT be used for computer information extraction (see Section 5A: Hacking).
Jaime also give more explanation on the datacube.
Almost done, but one quick note: I’m not exactly the expert on this osrt of thing — for that you-ll have to check in with Sam Carter when you get to Liberty Island — but remember that there’s any number of other ways to open a door, including explosives or finding a security computer.
This time, JC is forced to use the multitool because, for the sake of the demo, there are no key output visible to enter a code on the keypad. He fixed the electronic security panel with his gadget and tweaks the multitool keys. A ray of red beams escapes the devise and bypass the keypad. In the straightforward corridor in front of him, JC meets up a UN troop behind an enclosed office. The private has to recover JC’s equipment. “I’m here to pick up all munitions and equipment. Thanks for the cooperation, Agent.”
There was no munition in the previous exercise but the soldier seems to repeat the same instruction. JC hands in the material and moves to the following area.
“You aren’t done yet…agent”
JC crosses the next door and reaches a larger room and with a big difference. The corpse of a UNATCO soldier lays on the middle of the floor. The physician meddles in again to instruct the agent.
“Lying in front of you is a brave cadet who volunteered to be rendered unconscious for this next training exercise. Highlight and search him to find the key for the medical room. Afterward, pick up his body and place it on the medical table so that one of my aides can revive him once the exercise is over.”
Denton looks for the nano key on the unconscious body and carefully extract it from the cadet. He then heads to the medical local, opens the door that reveals a clinical table with examination screens. Afterwards, JC carries the inert private and puts him down on the table.
“Good work. I’ll get someone down there immediately to revive Private Winslow. Move on to the next area.”
The exit door opens automatically and the agent walks to the following exercise at a fast pace. The new local is an opaque room.
“You can bet this won’t be the last time we send you into a dark room. Turn on your light augmentation and find the exit on the other side. Just press F12, by default.”
The agent activates his torch light and runs across a pile of crates scattered around the room. His light augmentation contains a limited energy supply so Denton must hurry to pinpoint the exit or the light switch. After he gets blocked on the left of the room, JC finds a passage on the right and gets at the exit. Close to the door, he presses the switch and turns on the light. The door opens on a broader corridor with a metallic ascending ramp at the end. At the beginning of the passage, an intriguing orange robot with a mounted articulated arm stands stationary in a thin compartment. JC’s crosshair pinpoints the bot and Reyes elaborates on the machine purpose.
“You’re not a mech, but you’re enough of a machine to need repair bots now and then. If you used up some bioelectric energy getting through the dark area, for example, this contraption can charge you back up.”
The agent comes closer to the repair bot and the arm bot raises close to JC’s head. A menu interface spreads out on his display and indicates that his Bio Energy level positions at 96%. The repair bot is ready and a commentary notifies that the mech can recharge up to 75 % of Bio Electric Energy every 60 seconds. The agent reloads his bio energy to the maximum and receives a short drain of electric current in the eyes.
Once the robot returns to its standby status, Denton steps on the upstairs platform. At the corner of the ceiling, a round security camera has been placed on the upper left. The scrutiny device rotates and gazes at the scene below with a green light beam and a scanning noise.
“Congratulations, you complete Phase I. Move over the ramp into the next rooms to begin learning movement skills. We’ll be watching you through the cameras, like the one you can see up in the corner. In the field, remember that terrorists sometimes use cameras like this in their security-grids to set off alarms and alert guards to your location.
JC follows the passageway turning on the left and gets to a new long, rectangular room with the same ramp going through the room and barred three times by horizontal pipes. Furthermore, the ramp is splitted in three platforms. A staircase gives access to the floor and a camera watches the room, as Reyes hinted.
“Jump across the platforms. You’ll have to crouch to get under those pipes. If you fall use the stairs to begin again.”
The young officer stoops and passes the first tubes. He later hops over the first ramp gap and manages to repeat the same action to land on the last platform. JC pushes the new door and proceeds into a squared local with some metallic crates randomly dispersed. The exit is hampered by a stack of crates.
Jaime distills the current objective. “You need to go through the door up ahead, but it’s blocked. Those wooden crates are too big to jump and too heavy to lift, so use the metal crates near the wall to build steps. To pick up a crate, walk up to it so that it highlights, then click the right mouse button. To drop something you’re holding, you can press the Tab key by default.”
Dear Jaime, always good for a cheap laugh. More seriously, JC grabs a metal crate and drops it on a larger wooden crate. With that setup, the agent creates a made-up staircase and cross the stack barrier. He lands before the exit and unlocks the access to the upcoming room.
The UN operative runs in an elongated passage that ends with a ladder. A staircase goes down to the chamber floor.
“Now go up the ladder at the other end of the room. By default, you look up and use the arrow keys to climb.”
When he finished climbing the ladder, Denton turns to a basin area signed as radioactive. A prominent hazardous outfit is showcased on his right.
The UN physician intervenes. “We get some complaints about this swimming obstacle because the water’s contaminated. Recruits forget to grab the HazMat suit and end up in my office. Not pretty. Or they forget that they have to put the suit on by selecting it and pressing the left mouse button. Remember that the HazMat is disposable; you can wear it only once, and it operates only for a fixed duration. Use the ramp on the other side of the pool to climb out.”
The agent equips the HazMat. In his inventory, a legend sums up the properties of the anti- radioactive material. The HazMat protects against a vast array of environmental risks including radiation, fire, biochemical toxins, electricity and electromag grenades. The standard hazardous materials accommodate an integrate bacterial oxygen scrubber that degrades over time and thus should not be reused.
JC dives into the contaminated pool and despite the protective role of the Hazmat, the radiation affects him directly. Denton swiftly attain the other side and leaves the pool. A white bot with a red cross is standing at the vicinity of the ladder.
In a new incoming transmission, Jaime gives a new comment. “These medical bots, normally used for quick-healing, are of particular interest to you, JC, because you need a bot’s help to install new augmentations. If you took any damage during the swim, now’s a good time to get patched up.”
Like the repair bot system, JC comes closer to the medical bot. Again, the mech raises an arm that opens a MedBot Interface and displays the Health status of the agent. Indeed, the crossing of the radioactive basin hurts the torso and left leg of JC’s body. Fortunately, the Medbot is capable to heal up all of the damaged tissues. Denton mentally selects the Heal All choice. The medical arm sweeps through the injured parts. After a few seconds, the health status of the damaged regions improved outstandingly.
The newbie officer leaves the area and must again hands over the equipment to the local UNATCO quartermaster.
“Hand in your equipment. That’s right : no cheating.”
JC moves along to the end of the corridor and receives again an Infolink from a new UN supervisor. This person traits are close to the hideous mask of a monster. Red eyes lodged in dark orbits, metallic forehead, tough stance and robotic skull. Plus, the voice that accompanies that character is hoarse and merciless. The displayed name of this agent is Gunther Hermann and he is archetypal of the older mechamod class of UNATCO operatives.
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“Welcome to the combat training area. I am Gunther Hermann and I will be monitoring your progress here. We will start with weapon familiarization.”
Now comes the sharpshooter part of the training. One that most of the newcomers tend to enjoy the most. The door before Denton glides open. A similar local with his own feature on the left. Notably a long gun zone to exercise shooting.
Gunther edicts the instruction. “Your first exercise will be to learn a little about aiming and targeting. Step up to the shooting range to the west.”
There, Denton stops at a counter and finds a transparent pistol locker excavated into the adjacent wall. Agent Hermann continues “The targets are released by using the buttons on the counter. Release the first target and take a few shots with one of the pistols until it is destroyed. Notice the targeting reticle appears when you aim at a target.”
The locker window slides vertically and exposes three pistols with their ammunition boxes. JC takes one pistol and loads it with some 10mm Ammo. Afterwards, he steps at the first counter. The button has been liberated to start the training. JC activates the switch. Consequently, a suspended target slowly tumbles in his direction. JC points his pistol and a reticle appears in his cone of fire. When the agent moves, the cone of fire cannot stabilize and JC focus to control his aim. The longer he stands still though, the tighter his cone of fire gets. His first shot strikes the middle of the target. An easy shot since the mark hangs motionless at 10 meters from the counter. After a few more shots, the target fragments into shards.
The scary peacekeeper recalls the shooting logic JC just experienced. “Good. If you hold your aim for a few seconds before firing you will notice the reticle starts out wide and tightens as you hold. The longer you aim at the target without moving the greater your accuracy will become. Release the second target and aim before shooting this time.”
The unexperienced Denton steps to the second counter. He reloads his pistol to start the firing with a full clip and releases the second switch. The target approaches as the precedent but not as close. Despite the greater distance, JC takes all the time to perfectly align and tighten his reticle on the target. Three shots at the middle destroys the picture altogether.
The voice of the brutish mech slightly softens. “Good work. Now proceed to the next area.”
JC leaves the room and surrender his equipment to the next trooper in the office corridor.
“Thanks for the cooperation, Agent.”
The second room is identical to the precedent.
Gunther explains the task. “This is the rifle range. Here you will learn one of the ways skill level makes a difference in your accuracy. Step up to the shooting range.”
In front of the rifle locker, JC receives the instructions. “The targets are released by using the buttons on the counter. Release the first target and destroy it with the rifle. Use the rifle’s scope by pressing the left bracket to turn the scope on.”
The officer grabs the first sniper rifle and fills it with 30.06 Ammo. The bullets occupy a charger so this rifle is designed for automatic or semi-automatic purpose. A lock charging mechanism would have been a better taste for precise long shot but one could then forget the rapid rate of fire. UNATCO picks a sniper system that offers a correct aiming capability combined with great firepower.
JC points the rifle above the counter and decides to release the target without using the scope. The picture arrives swiftly. It is kind of shaky to use a sniper for close range shooting. One shoot only splinters the target.
“Excellent. Now we are going to raise your skill with rifles to Master level. Release the second target and destroy it.”
For this exercise, JC makes good use of the telescopic sight and shots down the target. Although the reticule tends to moves on its own, this is a perfect shoot. At least, on this one, agent Hermann shall be please that Denton uses the scope.
“Good work. As you can see, higher skills give you better range, accuracy, and effectiveness. Proceed to the next area when you are ready.”
The next area is a local with a MedBot and an explosive exercise field. A window in front of a counter exposes an alley with a grenade clamped on a nearby black and red wall ahead. The grenade is activated and twinkles swiftly a red shade.
“This is the demolitions training area. First you will learn to use a LAM as a proximity mine. Approach the bay window and you will see a LAM placed on the target board on the black and red wall.”
The LAM term means Lightweight Attack Munition. The agent learns the basics of explosives during the Academy but didn’t get to see a real grenade. UNATCO Weapon Guide depicted the LAM as “a multi-functional explosive with electronic priming system that can either be thrown or attached to any surface with its polyhesive backing and used as a proximity mine. “
JC comes close to the window bay. “Press the first button next to the window and a security bot will be released. Watch as he nears the LAM. LAMs placed on walls are proximity triggered.”
Denton switches on the button. From the left corner of the alley, a first robot fitted with an auto-turret below his head and two large mechanic legs heads to the opposite side. Doing so, the mech passes in the LAM range. This triggered a grenade sequence of short hisses and a powerful explosion afterward. In an instant, the robot is wiped out and turned into a scattered pieces of heated metal fragments. In the other hand, the board target is barely darkened by the explosion. Basic yet convincing!
Gunther orders JC with a new proximity mine exercise. “This time you will place your own LAM. Take a LAM from the munitions bay and proceed to the red and black wall below.” A locker containing up to height grenades opens at the left of the bay.
“Now they give me access to explosives.” JC picks up a couple of them and descends to the red and black wall. “OK. They want me to place one myself.”
Hermann explains how to make the grenade adhere to the target. “Get as close to the wall as possible when you place the LAM. If you aren’t close enough, the LAM will fall to the ground and detonate.”
The agent feels that the LAM wants to magnetically glue to the wall when he is nearby enough. The grenade pastes on the target and automatically activated its detection mode. A strident series of bips confirmed the LAM is correctly installed. The device has been smartly designed to recognize the heat pattern that clamped it on the wall. Otherwise, the agent would already be a messy mass of hot meats. Quite convenient!
Denton returns to the window bay. A second button has been revealed. JC presses the switch and the same scene repeats before his eyes. The latter bot is smashed as the precedent and the alley commences to be cluttered by this havoc.
Gunther is delighted now. “Very good, Agent Denton. You may proceed to the next area for more demolition training.”
JC didn’t have to use the MedBot in case of mishandling a LAM. So, he heads to the next room. This time, a trooper sits in the corridor to supply the agent with new grenades. “You’ll need a few extra LAMs for the demolitions area. Here, catch!”
“I still had some on me but thank you.” the agent replies to the private.
A demolitions sign itched in the concrete indicates the next training area. In fact, it is a one-way trail since the drill start so it truly doesn’t serve well to describe the next exercise.
Denton enters a hallway on his right with a wooden front door and two metal and barred doors on the adjacent walls. Gunther meddles in. “Next you will need to breech the doors in the hallway. Throw a LAM down to the end of the hall. Once it blows proceed down the corridor.”
JC holsters one LAM and backs off somehow. “Weird that this comes only now while they made me use the grenade as a proximity boobytrap first.” He throws one grenade at the base of the door before and steps aside from the hallway. The explosion effectually blasts the front door.
Hermann gives his comment. “Notice how the wooden door was destroyed and the metal and barred doors remained. Remember this for the future reference. Beyond the destroyed door you can see a damaged piece of wall you can also breech with a LAM. Try that now.”
Indeed, a cracked wall stands in front of the hallway ahead. After five seconds, JC shapes a large hole in this wall with a second grenade.
Gunther approves the result. “Excellent! Notice that the wall is opened. Look for other weakened walls such as this and your LAM and other explosives will allow you to breech them. Continue through that breech and onto the next section.”
The agent goes through the breech and runs into a new corridor. Again, a trooper awaits him to recover the weapons. “You’ve got to start the next section without arms or tools. Rules are rules.”
JC approaches the next gate while Hermann hints the new exercise. “The area beyond the door is the grenade defusing facility. Here you will learn how to remove planted explosive devices.”
The gate opens on a corridor illuminated by isolated red ceiling beacons. The corridor splits into two hallways.
“At each of the corners of this area you will find a LAM planted on the wall. You must disarm and remove all 4 LAM’s before you can proceed to the next section of training. You will need to move up to the LAM quickly and defuse it by right clicking. A second right click will remove the LAM from the wall.”
Any non-UN security agents would be shocked by the level of realism of the UN training. From now on, no possibilities for retreats or giving up are permitted and mistakes are unforgiving. “Cool down JC, first defuse cautiously the grenade, then detach it and repeat this maneuver three other times. “
JC races to the first LAM on his left. At the vincinity of the LAM acquisition system, the grenade begins to hiss but JC disarms the LAM at the same time and remove it without difficulties. The agent excels to reproduce the same approach and defuse the remaining others walled explosives.
That’s when he learns from agent Hermann that the LAMs used here where fake grenades. “A word of warning, Agent Denton. This was a simulated experience: real LAMs will not be so forgiving. You may proceed to the next area.”
Thus, the drill authorities made it intentional so that the future operative experiences real situation stress. Denton relinquishes the LAMS to the next UN private before he continues the preparation. JC pivots the following door. At the sight of the corridor, the agent figured out he just entered a different training section. The floor and walls are light brown and yellow horizontal strips signal the way. A mark inscribed on the wall reads COVERT. JC walks a stair up to a door on the left with a button.
A new Infolink buzzes his system. A sophisticated, reptilian female voice crack buzzed in his head while the face of a white lady with an amplified red eye exhibits on his HUD. She has an elongated visage with a short dark haircut and strict features. Her name is Anna Navarre.
“Now you will learn to move quietly and conceal yourself, so that you will be able to avoid a confrontation altogether.”
JC engages the switch and access the room. This is a situation room with control panels and a desk with a night tech goggles and a datacube. At the other side, a window bay is inclined outward and gives view to a chamber beneath. A button lays on a desk before the bay.
Agent Navarre provides the instruction for the covert exercise. “The test is simple. Get to the far north door without being spotted by the guards below. If one of them sees you, he will sound an alarm and lock the door.”
JC pinpoints two guards wearing green fatigues on routine patrol. A couple of crates along the hallways below can be of good use for cover when the guards are on sight. From where he stands, the agent cannot see the door to exit the test so he will have to hide and search the door with haste.
Denton takes a long look at the datacube UN stealth guidelines. The overview implies that successful furtiveness product the best ratio soldier-civilian versus enemy losses. Tactical appreciation of the immediate environment is crucial to exploit the situation opportunities with the optimal equipment. The tech googles are a tool used to progress in low-light surroundings. Binoculars allow an agent to prepare the appropriate way to eliminate or avoid hostiles. Weapons with silent modifications and scope can be employ to suppress targets at long range un — discriminated. Beyond an operative equipment, improving an agent general skill will favor his progression. In the end, a tactful and enhanced fighter has the possibility to disable security cameras, disrupt autoguns, reprogram robots, etc
The agent begins the test and crosses the door. He walks down the stairs to the chamber and razes the wall before the area. Navarre delivers one other advise. “Remember: don’t let the guards see you. Use the crates for cover and crouch when you move.”
JC spots a guard who just turns a corner and passes an alarm. The agent trails the soldier silently and covers in the shadow along the walls and the crates.
“Always remember the four basic tactics to avoid detection: crouch behind concealment, stay behind enemies, move slowly to avoid making noise, and use shadows to conceal yourself. Be alert to every possibility.” Anna whispers again.
The guard footsteps are the only noise heard in the hallway. Denton remains behind him until the regular swings to the left to pass into another corridor.
Navarre induces an extra subtle advice. “The guards can be distracted. Pick up and throw an object near them, and they will go investigate the noise. Bottles, plants, flasks — many things will work.”
Denton sneers at the guidance. “Thank you, agent, I will keep that in mind but it won’t be essential now.”
In front of JC, the exit door is illuminated by a green sign. The agent walks slowly to the exit and when the guard is off-sight, rushes to the leave the area.
JC didn’t have to use the Light amplification to see through the corridors. He also spotted a thermoptic camo to turn invisible for a limited amount of time but he preferred to make good use of the situation to pass in one shot.
Agent Navarre congratulated JC for this achievement. “Very good. I hope you remember this lesson, Agent. They have assigned us to be partners, and I will not stop to hold your hand and repeat myself when we are facing a real enemy.”
The communication cut and a new Infolink twinkles when JC reaches a gate after a long corridor. Jaime Reyes announces the last test of the day.
“Now for the last test. You have to find a way across the river to the exit on the other side. There’s more than one way to get there, depending on your approach and the skills you want to sue. It’s up to you… Make use of the IFF system to identify enemies. The crosshairs will highlight red over enemies, green over allies, and white over neutrals.”
The agent enters a large in-door building with extensive floor area, typically for hangar or warehouse purpose. The zone is widely illuminated and an artificial waterway separated the area in length. A military grade robot patrols the same side where JC stands. A couple of explosive crates, barrels are stacked at key points on the way next to the river. A sideway recess in the shadow grants the opportunity to hide from the bot.
While he moves to conceal out o the main path, JC notices the window bay at the other side of the river where Jaime oversees the final test. Behind the physician, there is a unlike person with a stylized suit and a self-important stance. Yet from the distance, JC cannot really discern much more.
The bot get closer to his position and JC covers up completely behind barrels. Inside the stack, he got lucky. Jaime lets down a datacube with the code to lower the bridge and cross the river in a dry outfit. The code is 0089. He also collects a multitool in a box next to him.
The bot blinks a red crosshair IFF indeed but Denton doubts that the mech is loaded with full ammunition. Denton waits for the bot to move away near his former position and he made his way to a console on a pedestal near the river. He must still hold patiently for the bot to pass a second time in its infinite patrol round. Afterwards, JC types the code on the security pad and the bridge pushes down fast enough for the agent to cross the canal and proceed to the exit.
Jaime smiles at JC while the agent rushes to complete the test. Finally, the young agent reaches a new gate and unlocks it to pass inside a majestuous type of atrium. Six wall included holograms showcased human models and machines along the walls. There are three holograms per walls assembled in a parallel layout.
“Step up to each hologram for more info. When you’re through, go out the opposite door.” Reyes infolinked.
JC gets close to the Infolink on his right. The character displayed wears a grey and brown paramilitary suit with a mask. Jaime gives a short comment on the hologram. “The NSF: the biggest terrorist threat in the U. S. This national militia group thinks it is fighting the Second American Revolution.”
Denton comes to the second hologram. This one is a robot of the same type as the one he destroyed with LAMs. “This Page Industries walking turret, marketed to governments worldwide, is the workhorse of most national military forces. Due to the heavy armor, they take a little damage from ordinary bullets. If you come up against a bot, you should use an EMP grenade, scrambler grenade, or some kind of explosive.”
Opposite to the PI robot, Reyes introduced another kind of robot. “An inexpensive security bot, a favorite of Third World countries and corporate security divisions. Not so mobile, but don’t be fooled: we’ve lost plenty of agents to its well-armored assault gun. Like other bots, it’s difficult to damage with ordinary bullets.”
The agent omitted to check the first hologram on his left and steps back to it. Perhaps because it showcases a UN private model. Something JC is already well aware of but the drill demands a thorough knowledge review. The physician Denton succinctly. “A deployment of UNATCO troopers is the central component of all UN peacekeeping occupations.”
Denton moves to the next hologram. A realistic display of agent Navarre. “This is the old augmentation technology, hopefully about to be phased out. Notice the reliance on electronics and servomechanics. A maintenance nightmare. If I had two credits for every repair manual they’ve made me file in my office in the Med Lab…”
JC ponders a moment about the mechamod exhibition. “Thanks for your instrumental dedication and persistence dear Jaime.”
The newbie heads towards the last hologram. The model is …JC? No! it is Paul. JC’s elder brother. Reyes makes the definitive comment. “The Coalition’s new nano-augmented agents are nearly indistinguishable from the general population, except that you and your brother don’t know how to smile, even for a picture.”
Before he moves along to the final exit, JC spots a stone that stands out of the wall. Puzzled, the agent observes the brick and figured out it must trigger some hidden door mechanism. Indeed, Denton can move the brick inside the wall and he hears a noise behind him. A portion of the opposite wall swings out and reveals a hidden room.
Denton enters the area. A holographic terminal setup has been installed in the place. JC presses the switch and a three-dimensional construction of Jaime Reyes shaped out of light.
The scientist left a message for JC. “Manderley likes to hear which agents find this area. They’re usually the ones who take terrorists by surprise in the field. Your brother, Paul, for instance. All right, carry on. Don’t let it go to your head.”
JC leaves the atrium and accesses a squared room with a shielded holographic terminal. A holographic display of a man stands waiting for the agent. Denton recognizes the previous mysterious person behind Jaime during the final test. Now that he may have a better look at him, JC is surprised to see that this man seems to carry conspicuous facial nano-augmentations. The physician just said that the Denton’s brothers where the unique representative of nano-augmented persons. JC moves close to the holograph.
The man declares his obvious satisfaction for the exercise. “Sufficiently impressive. An early success for the whole organization.”
Intrigued, JC replies with fortitude. “Thanks. You from the United Nations?”
But the secretive man continues imperturbably. “Your augmentations are a-go. The real test comes next: active duty.”
JC comprehends he is facing a top-notch VIP and answers positively.
“I’m ready, sir.”
Finally, the man pays attention to JC words and concluded. “Yes. Yes, you are.”
The agent quits the training area.
His datavault updates on his HUD: “Objective completed”
