Cradle Program

The Cradle Program is the name of a development program by the Advanced Technologies and Applications, under the Pantheon Special Activities Division of the Central Intelligence Agency which led to the creation of the Cradle bioweapon.
==Background==
In an effort to create an elite super-soldier program through performance-enhancing drugs and other psychedelic substances, before it was repurposed as a biological weapons project, the CIA became interested in developing a hallucinogenic virological weapon that could be used against America's enemies. At some point, the Biotechnology Department was established under the Advanced Technologies and Applications. Eventually, the department succeeded in creating one: The Cradle around 1976. 
The Cradle was only tested on William Calderon, who volunteered as a test subject and was named "Case One". However, Case One exhibited resistance against the Cradle. Initially, scientists attempted to manipulate and indoctrinate Case One into becoming a loyal super soldier, but his violent tendencies under the effects of the agent made this endeavor a failure. 
Under unknown circumstances, the virus became uncontrollable, inducing mass madness. It was implied that either Pantheon or Case caused it by unknown means, though the voice in Case's mind heard throughout Emergence implies that Case, under the effects of Cradle, sabotaged the facility. As the pathogen spread, it infected the Advanced Technologies and Applications building, resulting in massive contamination and leading to the closure of the Advanced Technologies and Applications program and the disavowing of the Pantheon. 
Despite being disavowed from CIA rank, Pantheon scientists were somehow able to infiltrate the rehabilitation program run by the CIA, which was designed to rehabilitate surviving victims, including William "Case" Calderon, threatening or brainwashing them into forgetting as so not to disclose anything about Pantheon and Project Cradle. Jane Harrow was the only CIA agent who was privy to Pantheon's full scheme. 
Years later, Pantheon, led by Jane Harrow, obtained the remaining Cradle virus batch and attempted to use it to ignite chaos. With the remaining batch, Matvey Gusev eventually found a way to rejuvenate the virus stock for culturing and improving the strain. 
==Effects==
Cradle virus affects the brain and nervous system, resulting in delusional hallucinations in the form of demonic-like manifestations in anyone who is infected. In its original state, Cradle induces uncontrollable rage, agitation, and hysterical mania. However, the improved version developed by Matvey Gusev resulted in uncontrollable, murderous urges, enhanced aggression, and even greater tendencies toward violence, and eventually even compelled those infected with it into cannibalism.
Even individuals who did not fall into insanity, such as Case, experienced intense hallucinations, both auditory and visual in nature, as Case, under the effects of the remaining Cradle in the Kentucky facility, hallucinated that the facility was filled with zombies and other monstrous creatures. Case in particular was not completely immune, having eventually developed violent tendencies.
==Trivia==
*Despite being (mistakenly) mentioned as a biochemical weapon by many characters, Cradle is not a biochemical weapon but a biological one. Several hints assert the Cradle is a virological agent, not a biochemical compound. 
**Canisters are used to carry the Cradle carrying the Biohazard symbol.
**Pantheon recruited Matvey Gusev, a former USSR Biopreparat scientist, to improve the Cradle. Biopreparat was widely known as the most extensive and sophisticated offensive biological warfare research and development agency known to produce various lethal bacteriological and virological agents.
*According to the report filed by an unnamed Pantheon scientist to the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), the first batch of Cradle was produced on 19 January 1976.
**The official project title of Project Cradle was Specialized Secure Wing for the Research and Development of Novel Pathogens [Redacted] aka "CRADLE". 
Category:Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Projects