Melvin and the Mysterious Malta Group

Rescue Indigo's anonymous contact

Crimson and I need your help with something important. Our 'Friends' have kidnapped someone, a contact of ours though he didn't know it. Our contact's abduction caught us by surprise, which is bad enough, but if our 'Friends' figure out that he's associated with us, well, it could get bad. We think our contact is still alive, but if Crimson or I were to make a move to save this someone, it could tip off our 'Friends' to how much he might actually know. In which case, he wouldn't be alive for much longer. Now, like a lot of these kinds of things, I can't tell you much about who this person is, why he was taken, or what he might know. It's safer that way. I can tell you that if you can't rescue this particular someone, he won't survive for very long in our 'Friends' care.

When events like this start, the usually carry through to a potentially nasty end. This could be the start of a chain of events with a very tragic ending unless you can save that man.

Thank you, Red Tomax. The first thing to do is go and meet with Crimson in person. He's been following the situation closely, and has been working on cover fictions.

I know we ask for a lot of trust from you, Red Tomax, and I'm very glad you've been willing to give us that trust. This is one of those situations where the less we tell you, the better for everyone. Of course, if you pay attention and learn to read between the lines a bit, you could learn a lot about what's going on here.

Maybe even a bit too much.

No one would ever think that this simple warehouse is actually a hotbed of intrigue.

Objective: You found Melvin Langley's laptop.

Melvin Lanley's laptop

Though you didn't find Melvin langley himself, you did find what appears to be his personal laptop. There are notes about what he was working on when he was abducted. It appears he was researching the Might for Right act of the 1950's and 60's.

'Might for Right Act - Passed 1956, declared unconstitutional 1967. The act was written as a special case draft for meta-human American civilians. Intelligence community feared 'Meta-Gap' betwen Eastern/Western powers. Wierd thing though. Records show lots of people drafted, but I can't find many service records in the military Intelligence community?'

'Records show lot of agents MIA or KIA years 1948-56. Right before Might for Right. Then, major intelligence turn-around. Might for Right at work?'

Mission Complete: Though you confronted his abductors and found some of his notes, you were unable to find Melvin Langley himself.

They moved Melvin before you even got there. There was nothing you could do, Red Tomax, so you shouldn't blame yourself.

Melvin may still have a chance. It's likely that they don't really know what he knows, or how many people he's shared it with. They'll keep him alive while they try to 'clean up' the situation. That still gives us a chance to stop them before Melvin or other people get hurt. I'll try to find out who they're planning to target next.

And yes, by 'clean up', I do mean they're going to kill a lot of people. That's why we have to stop them.

Save Jim Bartlett

I don't have any new leads on where Melvin Langley could be, but I did find out that he interviewed a man named Jim Bartlett right before he was abducted. As I understand it, Jim Bartlett used to be a hero back during the second World War, code-named Thunderhead. Mr. Bartlett's granddaughter filed a police report that her grandfather has gone missing. I don't think this is a coincidence. Particularly since I know where Mr. Bartlett is being held at the moment. Remember how I mentioned that our 'Friends' might try to clean up any loose ends? Unless you can save Jim Bartlett, he may not have much longer to live in the hands of his captors.

Jim Bartlett's safety is your only objective. I'm sure you'll be able to save him.

Jim 'Thunderhead' Bartlett was a famous hero from the second World War. You have to wonder what Melvin langley talked with him about, and why the Malta Group would be willing to kill him because of it.

Mission Complete: Your quick actions were able to save the life of Jim 'Thunderhead' Bartlett.

Bartlett's story

After you rescued him from Malta Group commandos, Jim 'Thunderhead' Bartlett told you:

'Those guys hit me with somethin' fierce, Red Tomax. Even in my younger days, I probably couldn't have taken that. They kept askin' me about some kid from the CIA I talked to a bit back, name of Melvin Langley. Of course, I didn't tell them anything. I dealt with enough jack-booted thugs in my younger days.'

'I did talk to melvin langley. He seemed like a bright fellow. he asked me about the Might for Right act, from way back in '56. I remember it pretty well. It let the government draft any US citizen with meta-human powers of paranormal abilities. I argued against it every chance I got, but everyone was afraid of the reds back then, so a little trampling on civil rights was considered a fair trade, I guess.'

'Thing is, it was passed in '56, but the idea of a special meta-human draft had been floating around through the military for years before. Back in the war, and I mean World War II, I knew this OSS spook named Roger Vrabel. He was always going on about how the country need to be able to 'mobilize every super-human asset' and stuff. After the war, most folks were worried about the Russians having the bomb, he was worried about Russian supers. We'd kinda been friends, but when I left the army back in '48, he got real angry. Called me a traitor to my country, and worse if you can believe it. I figure he was under a lot of stress. Never did find out what happened to Vrabel. We didn't really keep in touch.'

I'm glad you were able to save Mr. Bartlett, Red Tomax. These people are ruthless, you have to understand that. Jim Bartlett was a war hero and a good person, and they were more then willing to kill him because they thought he might have known something. Just the fact that he talked to Melvin Langley was enough to put his life in danger.

Stop the Malta group from wiping out Melvin's office

Our 'Friends' are doing a little clean-up work at Melvin Langley's office, the kind of clean-up work that makes a lot of people very dead. They're going to go into that office, steal anything Melvin worked on, assassinate anyone who worked with Melvin directly, and then set fire to the place. Very thorough and very brutal. I want you to stop them from wiping out Melvin's office.

You have two main objectives to accomplish: protect Melvin's co-workers and stop the bombings.

I'm a little surprised that our 'Friends' would be willing to do something this overt. They would have to be pretty upset to do something like that, wouldn't they?

The seal on the doors of this nondescript office make syou pause. melvin Langley's old place of work was a CIA office.

Mission Complete: You saved the CIA office from an attack by agents of the mysterious Malta Group.

A word about Melvin Langley

After being rescued from Malta agents, Melvin Langley's office-mate told you:

'I don't know what they were after Melvin. He was a really nice guy. really efficient and a wizard at searching through old paperwork. He'd started researching through the old Might for Right act, I think as a favour for someone he knew, and he really started to get into it. He was pouring through old documents, talking to people, working late nights. he was kind of obsessed. He told me that he thought he'd found something big right before he disappeared.'

'I hope you're looking into what happened to him, Red Tomax. Melvin Langley was a really nice guy, and after running into those commando guys, I'm kind of worried about him.'

Fast work, Red Tomax. That bombing would have cost the lives of a lot of innocents. Unfortunately, we're not a lot closer to findng Melvin Langley. We'd better stay on his trail.

Speak with Crimson about the latest developments in the Melvin langley case

I had something for you, but there's been a change to it. Crimson has the latest details but I can tell you that it has something to so with the whole Langley situation. If you're interested, then you should go and speak with Crimson in person.

Crimson's information could be urgent; you should talk to him as soon as possible.

Bullet holes in the walls testify that ths old office has seen its share of battles.

Mission Complete: You rescued Langley's proof reader from the Knives of Artemis. She gave you a portion of Melvin's last report that the Knives had also taken.

A proofread piece of Langley's work

These papers are part of a larger report written by Melvin Langley. they're covered with numerous red marks denoting corrections to his spelling and grammar. For the most part, they cover the end Might for Right act in 1967. In that year three drafted African-American heroes working in Paragon City protested when they were selected by the Might for Right act. They argued that the act had been used particularly to target poor minority meta-humans, as they wouldn't have the resources to fight it in court, and that the act also infringed on their civil rights by targeting them because of their meta-human status. In the end, the Supreme Court overturned the Might for Right Act in a tense 4-3 judgment with 2 abstentions.

Most interesting is the section afterwards, which discusses the impact of this judgment. This section deals almost exclusively with the angry reaction of Roger Vrabel. Vrabel was the head of the CIA's Project: Titan, which controlled covert meta-human operations. Melvin reconstructs the afternoon after the judgment was handed down in detail, as Project: Titan was destroyed with a single legislative decision. This section of Langley's paper ends just as Vrabel contacts Neil McIntosh, the head of England's MI6 at the time.

Crimson

Did you read this, Red Tomax? I didn't ask you to. If you did, you probably shouldn't have. There's names in here that could be a lot of trouble for a person to even know. If you didn't, then you're not going to have a chance to. This piece of a report has places to go, and people who need to see it.

Now that the proofreader is safe and unharmed, the next step is to convince our mutual friends that they had no reason to go after her in the first place. So I'm going to giv eyou an edited version of this paper, and have you place it in her office. Like I told you before, that's the only important part. If there are enemy operatives on site, they aren't your concern unless you decide to make them so. Are we clear?

If you have been curious, Red Tomax, you might be starting to learn a lot by now. If not, well, that works too. When Indigo tapped you as a resource, she tolf you that we might never be able to explain why we ask you to do some things. That doesn't necessarily mean that all the clues aren't there. It's just safer if you put them together yourself, or ignore them.

An edited piece of Langley's work

These papers are part of a larger report written by Melvin Langley. They're covered with numerous red marks denoting corrections to his spelling and grammar. For the most part, they cover the end Might for Right act in 1967. in that year three drafted African-American heroes working in Paragon City protested when they were selected by the Might for Right act. They argued that the act had been used particularly to target poor minority meta-humans, as the wouldn't have the resources to fight it in court, and that the act also infringed on their civil rights by targeting them because of their meta-human status. In the end, the Supreme Court overturned the Might for Right Act in a tense 4-3 judgment with 2 abstentions.

You did really well, Red Tomax! I have it from excellent sources that our 'Friends' are starting to get nicely confused about what Melvin Langley may or may not have found out. Through the same aources, I also know that Melvin's still alive. Things might be looking up. We just have to keep them disoriented.

Rescue Lester Chesterford

A man was recently kidnapped from the British consulate here in Paragon City. His name is Lester Chesterford, and he recently arrived in the city on a diplomatic errand. Mr. Chesterford is a career diplomat with many powerful friends he's developed in his long career. He's also remarkably amicable, even giving candid interviews about historical people like, say, MI6 director Neil McIntosh to young CIA historians and/or file clerks who politely request them. Lester Chesterford's abduction has thrown the British consulate into chaos. Mr. Chesterford needs to be rescued from his captors before he comes to further harm.

I'll give you the place where some mutual 'friends' of ours are holding Mr. Chesterford. You're objective will be to rescue Mr. Chesterford, and to defeat his interrogator, and operative code-named Paradox Black Gamma. You'll also need to take out Gamma's support team to make sure no information gets back to their bosses.

When you rescue Mr. Chesterford, you'll need to give him this file. He'll understand. It's sealed, but I think I can trust you not to open it.

A sealed file

This manila envelope has Lester Chesterford's name on it and is held closed with a black wax seal showing a bird of prey. From the weight, it contains only a few papers.

Indigo gave you no indication of how she knew the Malta Group would be holding Lester Chesterford in this cave, but she's a woman of many secrets. As long as those secrets help you fight the bad guys, it shouldn't be a problem.

Mission Complete: You rescued Mr. Chesterford!

Lester Chesterford's rescue

After you rescued Lester Chesterford from agents of the Malta Group, he took the sealed papers you had for him and read them on the spot. Afterward he told you:

'Well, well. If it weren't for your reputation, Red Tomax, I wouldn't know if I should believe these papers of not. Crimson indeed! That's a name that's left a long and bloody shadow on several decades of recent history. But I'll make certain that I tell the proper story to the right people. Keep me out of danger, indeed. No worry! I'll ensure that in the official version of events, the records will show that Mr. Langley asked me about Mr. McIntosh, but that I didn't tell him anything about the intelligence conference on Malta, nor about the reaction in our spy community when your Might for Right act was overturned. Changes in records can change history as people know it, I'll make sure that the changes outlined here are made. And thank you again.'

The British Embassy is very happy to have Mr. Chesterford back, Red Tomax. I don't know if you were listening to him and I don't know it he told you anything of interest, but for your safety and mine, I don't think that's something we should really talk about. The important thing is that everyone's safe. And that same people are a step closer to being safer.

Evict the Malta agents from an abandoned building

While you were rescuing Lester Chesterford from the Malta Group, another cell of Malta agents occupied an abandoned building. Their exact intentions are unknown, but I'm sure they're up to no good. Red Tomax, I think it would be a good idea to evict the Malta agents from that building, and maybe find out what they were doing there.

I suspect that whatever they're doing in there involves the continuing clean-up operation around Melvin Langley, but I can't say for sure. All you really need to do is defeat all of the Malta agents there, but if you look around you might find some interesting information.

This office has been left unused for some time. Its decorations were once expensive and sumptuous, but have fallen into disrepair.

Objective: You found an old painting.

A painting entitled 'Gentlemen of Malta'

This largish painting depicts a group of 17 serious looking older men around a conference table in a darkened room. A seal of a black bird of prey is visible on the table. You recognize the face of Roger Vrabel, the head of the CIA's Titan program, as well as Neil McIntosh, the head of England's 60's era MI6 meta-human program. Other men in the painting appear to be members of western intelligence agencies from most of the NATO countries of the era.

The artist did not sign the painting, but it has been dated in May of 1967.

Mission Complete: You defeated the Malta agents in the old office. Afterwards, you found several files on defeated agents that they hadn't had time to destroy.

A paper trail

You found these documents in an old office that had been taken over by Malta troops. The Malta Group agents were in the process of destroying them when you broke in. Though yellowed with age, water stained, scattered, crumpled, and torn, these documents look like business ledgers. Your examination reveals that these papers might trace the illegal movement of vast sums of money, as it was siphoned off from several major governments during the latter part of the 1960s. Where this money might have gone, the papers do not say.

You found some very interesting things, I can see why Malta would want to make sure they were all destroyed. it would almost seem like they were embezzling funds from a dozen different intelligence agencies. Maybe they still are.

I know, I know, I'm being mysterious again. Sorry. You'll just have to trust me. I can't promise that this will all be clear in the end, but it might be less obscure.

Rescue Melvin langley before the Malta Group can move him

I've asked you to do a lot of obscure things lately, Red Tomax, but we may be on the verge of a big pay-off. Our 'Friends' are about to transfer a prisoner. I think it might be Melvin langley. I want you to go in and rescue him before they can move Mr. Langley out of the city. This could be his last chance, and our 'Friends' will be well prepared. I suggest you get yourself ready, too.

After all of the misdirection, rescuing Melvin alive and well would be a great end to this. Our 'Friends' are holding their prisoner in an old warehouse before they move him out. Your objective is to find that prisoner and free him from his captors.

It only takes you a moment to spot that all of the boxes in here are empty. This warehouse is probably just a front for the Malta Group.

Mission Complete: Though Melvin langley was not the prisoner being moved, you did rescue Art Returio, a captive of the Malta Group. He was able to confirm that Melvin Langley was still alive.

Art Returio's story

After you rescued him from agents of the Malta Group, Art Returio told you:

'Wow, Red Tomax, it's so great to meet you. I'm actually a big fan of yours. Look, these guys have been after me for a while. You see, I got a power. it's nothing really big, I mean, all I can do is make somebody forget the last 5 minutes. I always figured that really wasn't any use to anybody. But I told my doctor about it, and suddenly these strange guys were contacting me. They were all nice at first, promising to help me with money and stuff, but I got a bad feel off of them,so I told them no. Then they stopped being nice. I fgiured I had to stand strong against them, but these guys are viciuos. They took everything from me, then when I still said no they said it would be easier to 're-educate' me. I'm glad you got me in time.'

'I think I met that langley guy you mentioned. They were giving him the third degree pretty badly. They made me watch some, to show me what could happen if I didn't cooperate. The guys working him over kept asking who'd been feeding him information, but I never saw him talk. I wish I could help you more, Red Tomax, but that's all I know.'

Well, that wasn't Melvin, but I'm sure Art Returio is happy to be free. I'll make certain that he's contacted by someone who can protect him from our 'Friends'. Just because we didn't find Melvin this time doesn't mean that it's over. According to Mr. Arturio, Melvin's still alive, and they're still trying to figure out what he knows. I really wasn't expecting him to hold out this long. He's been a very brave man. I just hope he can hold out a little bit longer.

Talk to Crimson about changing strategy in the hunt for Melvin Langley

We know that Melvin langley is still alive, and that our 'Friends' aren't sure exactly what he knows. You've done a lot of good and saved a lot of people from nasty ends, but we're still no closer to finding Melvin. However, that's what Crimson wants to see you about. I'm not you, of course, but I think you should talk to Crimson about a change in strategy so we can try get Melvin back safely. When you're ready, I'll tell him.

Crimson should be waiting to talk to you. This kind of thing, he'll insist on talking to you in person.

Crimson's information is right on target. This office is being used by the Malta Group's agents.

Objective: You found Melvin's notes on his trip to island of Malta.

Melvin's travel notes

You recovered these notes from Malta Group agents. They were stolen from Melvin Langley, and cover his investigations during his trip to the island of Malta. There are notes from several interviews with local people who were around when the CIA's Roger Vrabel, MI6's Neil McIntosh, and 15 other intelligence agents in charge of Western meta-human intelligence divisions secretly met on the island of Malta in 1967. Unfortunately, Melvin wasn't able to find anyone still alive on the island who might have known exactly was was talked about, but his notes are full of conjectures about the meeting being the birthplace of an illegal intelligence conspiracy called the 'Malta Group'.

On the back of one page, there's a small doodled sketch of a woman's face. The subject of the sketch's name is written inside a little cartoon heart off to the side. The name of the subject is 'Indigo'. Though Melvin was no artist, it's a pretty good likeness. You can almost see his daydreams in each penciled line.

Mission Complete: You found Melvin's travel notes.

Good job on the notes, Red Tomax. I've already scouted out the next operation, and I'll have it ready for you shortly. With a bit of luck, this will all work out.

Crimson chewed me out about that sketch in Melvin's papers. yes, it might have given me away, but it's not like I did anything. Okay, maybe I did lead Melvin on a little. I didn't mean to. We were trying to recruit him to our side. 'Cultivate him as a resource' as Crimson would put it. A friend in the right place we could tap for information. So we fed him a few clues about the Malta Group here and there, and I did my woman-of-mystery bit and Crimson scared the hell out of him just by being Crimson. But maybe I was a bit too friendly.

I feel responsible. He might not have goen so far or gotten into so much trouble if I hadn't played it up so much. But he was nice and funny and sweet. I think I liked being his woman-of-mystery too much. You know how it is, Red Tomax. In this kind of life, sometimes it's nice to just find someone really good to talk to who isn't a half-alien mutant, or the son of a god, or who becomes a programmed killer whenever he hears a train whistle. Just a nice guy.

Nothing really happened. I guess I just enjoyed being his mysterious muse so much I forgot that Melvin could be in so much danger.

I'm sorry, Red Tomax, here I am, a deadly and mysterious super spy, and I'm unloading all this on you. Tell you what? How about we just say that i'm only trying to manipulate you or something? Okay? So if Crimson ever asks, i was only pretending to open up to appeal you your heric nature? Get you to fight the good fight and all?

I hope this works. Melvin never deserved any of this.

Rescue Mavra Varvarinsky and find out where the Malta Group were going to take her

Our mutual 'friends' have abducted an older Russian woman they're been looking for since, oh, about 1989. She currently goes by the name Mavra Varvarinsky, but that's just the latest one she's used in her long career. rescuing her from them would probably count as a good thing, but what's almost as important is finding the transfer orders about where they were planing to stash her. Those orders could help pinpoint where our friend's are holding Melvin langley. So, will you rescue Mavra Varvarinsky and find out where they were going to take her?

We know enough about Ms. Varvarinsky to know that she doesn't deserve an ugly death at the Malta Group's hands.

Indigo's information has led you down to this section of the sewer network where Malta agents are holding Mavra Varvavinsky until they can ship her off shore.

Mission Complete: You rescued Mavra Varvarinsky and defeated her captors. After the battle, you found some orders on one of the defeated Malta operatives.

Mavra Varvarinsky's story

After her rescue from agents of the Malta Group, Mavra Varvarinsky told you:

'These men, these people, I have known of them for some time. You call them Malta, yes? We had no name for them when we fought them in the Cold War. After your government eliminated the Might for Right act, we made great strides in the intelligence community. But then, within a year, we lost all that we had gained and more. hundreds dead, spy cells destroyed, facilities wiped out no matter the guard. All done by a shadowy enemy that we could not directly link to any one Western government. We fought them for years and learned little except that they were powerful, and that they were brutal. They were more brutal than we thought any Western government would allow. We learned in time that we could not match the ferocity of this secret enemy. They were like wolves in search of blood. I had wondered what would become of them when the Cold War ended. It is unfortunate that they did not return to the shadows they came from.'

'It is unlikely that we will meet again, Red Tomax. Now I must disappear once more.'

Malta Group detention centers

You found this list on one of the Malta Group soldiers you defeated while rescuing Mavra Varvarinsky. The list consists of dozens of partial coordinates for the locations of detention centers where the Malta Group can hold captives indefinitely.

My own sources tell me that madame Varvarinsky has disappeared again, but this time of her own accord. Anyone who served with the KGB for 25 years can usually take care of themselves. Now, the real prize is that list you found. The locations are partial at best., and most of them are probably false leads, but it's a start. Even more important than getting the list, though, is making sure our 'friends' know we have it, and making them think we're close to deciphering it. That should beek them nervous, and unsure about what to do with Melvin. bu now they think he either knows nothing and you're just crusading, or that he knows way more than they think. Either way, they'll keep him alive. Now all we need to do is keep the pressure on and find him before it's too late.

Attack the Malta computer lab for information on Melvin Langley's location

Crimson really sets me off sometimes. Now that we have a list of possible sites where our 'Friends' could be keeping Melvin langley, he tells me about a government computer research lab that our 'Freinds' have taken over and have been using illegally to move information and money around. He's known about this place for months and only now does he even mention this to me. it makes me so mad. The important thing, though, is that the information stored there could be the key to figuring out which of the detention facilities you located Melvin is being held in. Just tell me when you're ready and I'll tell you where the computer lab is. Keep on your toes, though, this probably won't be easy.

I've marked the spot for you. the place should be full of computers with all kinds of interesting information and bad huys guarding them, but your goal is to find information on Melvin. Any other work you do won't be wasted, but isn't necessary. I'm sure you'll be able to handle this, but try to stay safe. Our 'Friends' are sure to have some heavy firepower around to proect the place.

This extensive computer lab has been completely taken over by Malta Group operatives. You shudder to think about what happened to the men and woman who might once have worked here.

Objective: You found some interesting information on Malta operations. You burn it to CD for Indigo.

Malta data disk

This disk contains partial records of Malta Group activities for the past year. not enough detail is given to make absolute connections, but the sheer volume of files is inimaginable. From all around the world, the records list atrocity after atrocity commited in the interests of unethical governments and corporations, or for the Malta Group's own ends. There are records of assassinations of protestors in developing nations, of small governments toppled and larger governments intimidated, of hundreds of people illegally detained. Real democracies destroyed by blackmail and murderm no-cooperative businesses destroyed for competing with the Malta Group's corporate sponsors, and record after record of young meta-humans taken by threat, blackmail, or mind control and forced to work in Malta Group. All of this, this nightmarish tangle of illegal spying, blackmail, and assassinations, all of it carried out in the name of 'freedom' by people who've forgotten what that word means.

Objective: You found some interesting information on Malta operations. You burn it to CD for Indigo.

Controlled heroes

This disc contains partial records of Malta Group activities. There are many names of meta-humans who have been persuaded or forced to work for Malta. The listed methods of persuasion range from bribery to blackmail to all-out mind control. The list of names from around the world numbers in the hundreds, and you know that it is only a partial list.

Objective: You found some interesting information on Malta operations. You burn it to CD for Indigo.

A report on Meta-human Assets

You found this report on a computer in a Malta Group data center. It's a primer of sorts, for new agents who are assigned to handle meta-human assets. In other words, to help people who are in charge of super-humans under the Malta Group's ruthless control. It encourages handlers to use any tactic necessary, from bribes and threats, to brainwashing, mind control, and kidnapping loved ones. The techniques described are brutal and inhuman, but the rationale is even more chilling. Since these people are citizens of their governments, so the thinking goes, it is their duty to use their extraordinary abilities to defend those governments. Therefore, since it is their duty anyway, those powers rightfuly belong to those governments, and should be used to the best interest of those governments. And it falls to the Malta Group to com ein and take control of those abilities when a government fails to do so. All in the interests of freedom, of course.

The implications of this twisted logic are chilling.

Objective: You found a clue to Melvin's location!

Paragon personnel transfers

The data you found here lists transfers of Malta Group oersonnel and prisoners. Though all are identified only by code names or numbers, someone with a sufficient knowledge of Malta activities could probably figure out who was sent where and when.

Mission Complete: You located solid information on the Malta Group's activities and gained more information about Melvin Langley's possible location.

I'll take all the data you've collected, Red Tomax. This is certain to be very interesting.

Hmmm...

This doens't quite give us an exact lock on Melvin, but it's more than I hoped for. I'm going to consult with Crimson and see if we can find a way to decipher this. We're finally close to freeing poor Melvin Langley, Red Tomax, and it's all thanks to you.

Infiltrate the lab where Crey and Malta are negotiating and break it up

The information you found about our 'Friends' operations almost puts Melvin langley's rescue in our reach, but we still have to decipher and confirm the information before we can act on it. The next mission Crimson and I have worked out for you should do just that. Our 'Friends' have worked with Crey industries many times in the past, cleaning up Crey's messes and eliminating the Countess' opponents and competitors in a deniable fashion, all in the name of capitalism. Well, with Crey on the ropes, they've been asking our 'Friends' to exert all of their considerable covert influence to get them out of trouble. As you could probably guess, this involves a lot of negotiations, one of which is about to start in a Crey lab. Crimson and I found out about it, and we want to infiltrate the lab where they're holding this round of negotiation and break it up.

All right, the trick here is that we're not askin you to do this just for the sake of doing a good deed. Crimson and I think we understand the data you recovered, but we had to make some guesses. If we guessed right, then that fits with what we know, and we can find Melvin Langley. So, if our guesses were correct, then Malta's negotiator should be an operative called 'Silhouette Azure Alpha'. You'll need to defeat him to confirm his identity. If we can confirm that he's the guy, then we know what base he came form and who he was reporting to. From there, we can fill in enough to know which prisoner code in the data you found is actually Melvin and where they're keeping him. Easy!

This Crey facility had a foreclosure sign outside. Crey's really fallen on some hard times.

Mission Complete: In the aftermath of the battle, you were able to confirm the identity of Malta's negotiator as Silhouette Azure Alpha.

Silhouette's identity confirmed

Acting on the information you already had, you captured Silhouette Azure Alpha, confirming that Indigo and Crimson's interpretation of the information you gathered was correct.

That confirms it. If Silhouette Azure Alpha was there, then we know where he came from and where he was going. Combine that with what my own sources have, and we should have Melvin's exact location in no time.

Thank you, Red Tomax. I know that Crimson and I aren't exactly the easiest people to work with, but you've alrady really pused through. not just for us, not just against those Malta Group scum, but for Melvin and everyone else. So, thanks.

it's almost time for the grand finale. I'll tell you when we're ready, and then you can do what you do best.

Rescue Melvin Langley from the Malta Group

Well, we've found him. With all of your work and my own resources, Crimson was able to pin down where our 'Friends' in the Malta Group have been holding Melvin Langley. All that's left now is for you to go in there and get him out.

Crimson wanred to brief you first, before he sent you in. He wouldn't tell me why; he told me I didn't need to know. Turn about is fair play, I guess. So the first thing to do is go to and see him. He'll give you the exact location, and you can proceed from there.

This old Council base seems to suit the Malta Group's needs perfectly.

Mission Complete: You were able to free Melvin Langley and defeat his captors.

Freedom for Melvin Langley

After you rescued him, Melvin Langley told you:

'They told me that I'd been abandoned, that I'd been betrayed. But I knew they were lying. I knew that Indigo wouldn't leave me to rot. I never expected they'd get someone of your stature to help, but, I've learned not to complain!'

'Listen, Red Tomax, I don't know how much you've learned, but these Malta guys, they're worse than I ever feared. They think that they know what's wrong without question, ao anybody who crosses them is in the wrong and deserves whatever they get. I stumbled onto it all bit by bit, but even after being their prisoner, the enormity of the conspiracy is overwhelming. These are the people who kill presidents, Red Tomax. Presidents and heroes and whoever else gets in the way of what they think is best.'

'Malta are going to be concentrating on you for a while, so I can make it out on my own now, Red Tomax. I'm not as helpless as I used to be. Indigo and Crimson have some afe locations I can use. Once I'm set up, I should be able to continue to help the fight. I'm not giving up now, Red Tomax. Not after all I've been through. Malta will learn to drea the name of Melvin Langley!'

Oh. Hi, Red Tomax.

Crimson told me everything.

I really can't be mad at him, though. I can understand why he went through all of this to make sure I hadn't been subverted. After I left the Knives, I never figured anyone would ever trust me again. You did, though, and so did Melvin. Because of you, Melvin's safe now, and more determined to fight the Malta Group than ever. You came through for Melvin, and for me, better than I could have hoped. So, thanks. Thanks for working with me, thanks for trusting me, and thanks for, well, everything.

The fight against Malta's not over yet, Red Tomax, but even if it never ends, I know we can never lose with heroes like you on our side.