Part 11: Episode 11: Meet The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss

Nope, not insta-death, just very painful. I can only think of one boss off the top of my head with an instant death attack, and that's not for a long while yet.

By the way, sorry for the delay. I don't really have an excuse for this beyond laziness. Also, I've been dreading doing the shooting range, so I've been dragging my feet on that. Sorry


So, last time, we did technically wrap up that whole Akropolis Tower incident... sort of. Well, close enough, anyway. Now it's time to report in with HQ.


Establishing shot


Establishing Shot 2: Son of Establishing Shot


Here we find Aya and Rupert informing Director Baldwin about their clusterfuck of a mission.


Haha, what? Need I remind you that this secret clandestine mission ended like THIS:






And also the perpetrator responsible for dozens of deaths and millions of dollars in damage got away. But, apparently...


"Good Work". MIST is the chillest secret government monster hunting organization ever, goddamn.


Aya is very upset about this for some reason. Seems like a sweet gig to me.


By the way, this is the first time we actually meet "Hal" face to face. Dude looks exactly like Colonel Campbell.




Baldwin produces a newspaper from under his desk.



: Cattle mutilation?

By the way, I didn't edit that screenshot in any way. Just lettin' you know how much this game owns.




Aya is rolling her eyes so hard right now, you guys.



: Autopsies of those cow carcasses showed cell degeneration...



: It means I'm going to bum-fuck nowhere, doesn't it?



: We know they have a vast appetite due to an unusually high metabolic rate...









That's clearly a clipboard, but okay.


These four items are added to our Key inventory, but we have to examine them now to progress the scene. Aya always prepares before a job, after all. Er...except for the last one.


First up is our search warrant. Always handy. Remember that MIST is, "officially", just a division of the FBI.


Here we have a photo of a... thingy. Guess we know what to look for now?


I think Baldwin gives us a copy of the MIST operations manual as a passive-aggressive way of telling us we fucked up that Akropolis job. It got cut off, but it says that current investigation is officially a manhunt for a serial killer.


And finally, a map. Looks like we're headed for the Mojave. Better back some Rad-X and bug spray.



?



: This is no time for inter-company cameos!





: I wouldn't want you two to find some way to blow up the rubble.



: Wait, aren't I the male lead? Don't you need me around?

: No, I'm sorry, Rupert. We already had rough and tumble black sidekick in the first game, so the higher ups decided to go another direction.

: What? But I have this kick-ass suit and this massive revolver!

: Sorry, Rup. I'm afraid you're side-lined here with me for the duration.






: That will be all.


LATER...


Aya scowls into the trunk of her car. A cup of yogurt fell out of a grocery bag a week ago, and it's just starting to smell.


So the game takes Rupert away and immediately shoves us into another scene with Pierce. Just twisting the knife at this point.


At least Aya shares our disgust!



: Wouldn't you be?

: Patrolling the Mojave almost makes me wish for a nuclear winter!




Aya whips around at the mention of that mysterious gizmo.





: Those shape-changing creatures... Somebody was controlling them, Aya!



: Like livestock or something? Come to think of it...


They were? I guess I didn't get a very good look at them while I was kicking their asses



: PfffftHAHAHAAHAHAHA! Oh man, I'm so damn funny! Hahaha, 'Night of the Living Cows'! Could...could you imagine?

: I miss Rupert already.



: And for what purpose?





: Speaking of which...


This conversation would be really weird for anyone who walked in just now.

: Sand...?

: Get this -- when I analyzed it, it matched samples from the Mojave.



: Wait, why do we have samples of sand to crosscheck that with?

: I don't know!



: ...except arid regions. We thought they couldn't take the heat. But the sand in that implant may prove otherwise.

: Is that so?



: Most likely!





: ...you smell like patchouli.




Are we finally done talking? Good, because I need to pick up some more ammo for my Grenade Launcher from Jodie, and...


Hey, what the shit? Where's all my stuff?




Goddammit!