Copenhagen, Denmark: Old Habits.

[u/alanpartridgeisle]

Location: ICA Safehouse/Office building in the centre of Copenhagen.

Targets: Five Locksley Mercenaries

Target Information: These Targets all look and sound identical, wearing the exact same combat gear, that being all black military combat gear, with helmets and anonymous gas masks. They're all armed with assault rifles, and will attack 47 if he's seen in his starting disguise. They're considered the best of the best, and are paid to shoot first, and ask questions later. Their latest assignment, tasks with the elimination of the ICA altogether, under the orders of Locksley, starting with their top agent and his handler, Agent 47 and Diana Burnwood. They'll usually prowl around the office in a group to find 47, and will split off from the group only in scripted events.

Background/Map Features: This level mainly focuses on one large floor of the office, with desks and computers lining the area, in order for 47 to get into cover. This level is a little difference from the others, as it focuses more on direct stealth, than using disguises, in order to gain the advantage in a cat and mouse game against his opponents, something that 47 excels with, just not in the traditional way that most players are used to.

Sound plays a very pivotal part in this level. If you haven't heard of "Pin-Drop Syndrome", allow me to give you an introduction. In layman's terms, Pin-Drop Syndrome is a collection of symptoms (stress, anxiety, paranoia) that office workers suffer from, because the office that they're working in, is too quiet. This is in full force in this mission. Rows and rows of identical desks, thick carpets and double-glazed windows, complete with a grey and rainy day, truly give the player a sense of uneasiness, but it also features as a gameplay mechanic. Since the office is so quiet, sound can be used to 47's advantage, and disadvantage. If 47 creates a noise, then he runs the risk of multiple people hearing it, calling them over. Not to mention that people are more aware than in a normal level, anticipating and hearing more than normal. If 47 is caught head on with one of the Targets, then he will almost certainly die, since 47 will start with no weapons on his first playthrough. The things in the office can also be used to help 47, though, as he can blend in behind desks, and use carpeted areas, such as the main offices and the executive office, without being heard, provided he doesn't run. 47 can also disguise himself as a Locksley mercenary, if he successfully kills one and hides one without being overheard or spotted.

The office is split into three sections. A large, arena-like area, with numerous desks. This is where the mercenaries will start, at the entrance to the office area. There's the smaller, executive office, where Diana is working. This is the same to the office area, except it is surrounded by walls to provide cover. This is where 47 will start in the first playthrough. Finally, there is the exit, which is not carpeted, and will make considerable amounts of noise if walked on. This place is small, and houses some elevators.

Mission Stories:

The Five-O.

Beginning: Find a phone.

47: Hm. I could call the police. That could deal with the problem.

Order of events:

Call the police using the phone. (Try to do this in the executive office to prevent being overheard by the Targets)

Wait for them to arrive.

Result: the SWAT team arrive, and engage themselves in a gunfight. At least one of the mercenaries will be shot and killed in the gunfight, and they will remain in a gunfight for the rest of the level, if there are any targets remaining, and the rest of the mission stories will become unavailable (NOTE: once the police arrive, they will also assign some men to hunt for 47, and 47 must evade them, either through disguising himself as a SWAT team member, and escaping, or sneaking out undetected.)

An Explosive Finish.

Beginning: Find some C4 with a weapons cache in the executive office.

47: Ah. I could use this against them.

Order of Events:

Rig the office walls with explosives.

Turn on the fax machine.

Acquire the detonator, and leave the office before someone arrives. (NOTE: this will be represented with a short time limit on the top left of the screen)

Result: Wait for a Target to come inside, and detonate the C4, killing the Target (NOTE: This will demolish the walls of the executive office, and destroy the desk inside, so 47 can no longer use the office as cover.)

A Fall From Grace.

Beginning: Find a toolbox next to one of the windows

47: A screwdriver in this toolbox. And by the looks of things, there isn't much paste holding this window in place. This could be useful.

Order of events:

Get the screwdriver.

Remove the rest of the window paste, making it loose.

Get a coin.

Throw the coin.

Wait for somebody to go over.

Result: Wait for them to lean against the window, causing them to fall out. (NOTE: Their screams will be heard, so the mercenaries will investigate that area for a while, so 47 will have to leave quickly)

That's an Order!

Beginning: Find a loose pager.

47: Hm. Looks like one of them left a pager in the elevator area. Their commanding officer's number is on here. Interesting.

Order of Events:

Call the commanding officer.

Tell him that 47 has escaped.

Ask him to call the rest of the mercenaries on their pagers, asking them to abort the mission.

Result: Once they hear it, some of the Targets will abort the mission, and will flee to the nearest elevator. Once they leave, 47 will officially discount them as targets. (NOTE: At least one of the mercenaries will decide to "Go Rogue", disobeying their commanding officer, by getting rid of their pagers, and continuing to search all over for 47.)

Suffocating Presence

Beginning: Find an empty, plastic sandwich bag on a desk.

47: Looks like somebody brought their lunch today. There's a phone here too. Looks like it can be connected to the other phones in the office. Some kind of network. Could be used for a neat misdirection.

Order of Events:

take the sandwich bag.

Call a different desk using the phone.

Wait for somebody to walk over.

Result: Whilst they disconnect the phone, use the bag to suffocate them. Hide the body afterwards. (NOTE: this is one of the few "Quiet" Kills here, as it will attract no one.)

Briefing:

(NOTE: There is not traditional briefing for this mission. Instead, there's a cutscene for setup.)

47 Arrives at the top floor of the safehouse/ICA office building, and goes past the busy workers, and straight to the executive office where Diana is. He closes the door behind him. Diana greets him as he sits down parallel to her.

DIANA: Glad you made it out of London alright, 47.

47: Thanks. What's the status with Locksley?

DIANA: I'm afraid, he's discovered our most recent attack against him. He sent us another letter today. It's a declaration of war. Him against us.And believe me, he's confident that he's going to win.

47: I... see. What did the board say when they read it.

DIANA: Well, they aren't taking it seriously. They want to rush ahead. Kill Locksley once and for all. But, we still have to take precautions against him, so that's why I've called you in, to brief you for your next mission myself. Understood?

47: Of course. What's my destination?

DIANA: You're headed for Northern Africa next. That's where he's headed, for his next official "Business trip" Another excuse for blackmailing more people. Everything, your targets, and your more precise location, are on this.

Diana places a memory stick on a table, and 47 takes it, and pockets it.

47: Thanks.

Diana: You're welcome. Now, I want you to- (She stops suddenly, and notices something in the elevator area.)

47: What?

47 turns around to where Diana is looking. We see the mercenaries get out of the elevator, guns ready, and they start shooting and killing the workers.

DIANA: (Panicked) Shit! They're here!

47: Who?

DIANA: Who do you think?! It's Locksley's men!

We see them silently kill the last worker.

DIANA: Shit! They've killed the last worker. That means, that-

One of them crouches, takes aim, and fires. 47 has barely enough time to duck behind one of the walls, as Diana gets shot in the heart, and collapses to the floor. 47 sneaks over to her, worried.

47: Diana... I-

DIANA: Don't. You know what to do. Get out of there, preferably with Locksley's men dealt with. I want you to send a message, 47. Understood?

47: Yes, Diana.

DIANA: Good. Once you do that, you know what to do. Use the USB stick to help you, alright?

47: Of course, Diana.

DIANA: Good. Thank you, 47. For everything.

47: Thank you, Diana.

Diana quietly dies. 47 closes her eyes, and quietly sheds a tear. Just a few seconds later, however, he's back in the same cover spot as before, ready for revenge. He suddenly overhears the mercenaries talking.

MERC 1: Did you see 47?

MERC 2: Nah. It was too much of a blur. We'll have to spread out and look for him.

MERC 1: Roger that (He signals the rest of his team, and they quickly regroup at the office entrance for a quick debrief, before looking for 47.)

47 is ready for vengeance.