Lotus Towers/Transcript

==Safehouse==
Player: Kane - about what happened. What you said...
Kane: Can't focus on that now. I was wrong. I had a moment of doubt. I just...
Player: The infection - the thing inside of Taylor, inside of Hendricks, inside of me... how do we stop it?
Kane: All we can do is hope to contain it. If we can stop Taylor, you may have a chance - if we get you to the proper facilities. We just have to keep Hendricks on track.
Player: It may not be official, but we have an understanding. He knows I'm the one calling the shots now.
Kane: His heart's in the right place. I think he'll do the right thing.
== Opening Cutscene ==
A close up of John Taylor, sitting in a chair made out building in front of the Lotus Towers can be seen as the camera zooms out.
Player: Hendricks was right - Taylor cut a deal with the NRC. Right now he's under their protection in their Cairo stronghold - Lotus Towers.
The camera zooms away from the Lotus Towers.
Hendricks: If what you told me is true - the two of us are hours away from going as bat-shit crazy as he is.
The camera then zooms onto Taylor, who is standing in a desert.
Player: The people of the city haven't given up - we have the Egyptian military and the civilian militia fighting by our side.
The camera begins to head into the frozen forest.
Kane: A sudden uprise would catch the NRC off guard - weaken their grip on the reign.
Player: Just like their attack on Ramses - we use it as a distraction to get our man.
The camera keeps going deeper into the frozen forest.
Player: Once Taylor is dealt with - we find a way to get this thing out of our heads.
The camera reaches the heart of the frozen forest.
Player: Whatever it takes...
The screen then fades white.
== Level Briefing ==
Encryption# 61-63-68-75. Protocol: Yankee
Final target Taylor has been tracked to Lotus Towers
The weapons and equipment for the uprising have been transported to Egypt, Cairo
Active Mission - Day 7
== Gameplay ==
Khalil, Hendricks, and the Player are in a small room within the Lotus Towers, with Khalil looking out a window.
Khalil: Once Hakim is dead, we get to the security station, then we drop the D.E.A.D. system.
Khalil walks to the two.
Khalil: Then... the uprising will truly begin.
Hendricks lashes out to Khalil.
Hendricks: I don't give a shit about your uprising!
Behind the door, the NRC then begin to break down the door, alerting the three.
Player: Save it.
The Player and Hendricks get on each sides of the doors.
Hendricks: These amateurs better not get in our way.
The Player and Hendricks get ready as the NRC break down the door with Riot Shields, who surround a "surrendering" Khalil.
Khalil: Please, please don't kill me!
Hendricks then punches an NRC member with Khalil and the Player following. The scene switches to the Player in first person as he then kicks an NRC member towards a window.
The team then leaves the room and proceeds down the hallway. Further down the hallway, the civilian militia can be seen struggling with NRC forces with Riot Shields.
Kane: Okay. Nearest security station's on the 25th floor. That's our target, once your there, I'll overheat the NRC D.E.A.D. Network.
Khalil: Once the NRC realize what they are dealing with, they will bring reinforcements from other parts of the city. We will face heavy resistance every step of the way.
The team navigates down more hallways, with the civilian militia managing to beat up several NRC members.
Khalil: General Hakim is giving his speech on the balcony. Remember - the attack must be brutal. It needs to be a statement - a symbol of strength.
The team engages NRC forces.
Khalil: Cairo waits to attack on the death of General Hakim. Cut the head from the serpent... and let its body destroy itself.
Khalil then opens a door and the Player's DNI optics begins to see crows around the room in black and white, as well as hearing a distorted voice.
Khalil: Do what must be done.
The Player goes up a small staircase and opens a door. Upon opening, the color of the world is restored. On the other side, General Hakim is giving his speech before turning around and seeing the Player.
Hakim: What? How the hell did you...
The Player grabs Hakim's head and smashes his head against a glass panel, killing him. The Player then lifts up Hakim over him/her. Khalil then throws a Molotov Cocktail below them, killing several guards. Rebels around the towers then begin firing around the towers in joy as the Player hold Hakim like a trophy before throwing him off the balcony and into the abyss of the tower.
Khalil: Citizens of Cairo! NOW IS YOUR TIME! TAKE BACK YOUR CITY!
Khalil, Hendricks, and the Player then jump onto the floor below and begin to head to the security station.
Khalil: The NRC are in disarray, but they will soon regroup. Brothers, let us take back our city!
The Player, Hendricks, Khalil, and their allies engage the NRC Forces.
Khalil: Drive the NRC out of Cairo!
The NRC brought in troops with riot shields. Once the area is clear, everyone moves up, and Khalil warns the Player:
Khalil: Watch your fire! There are civilians in the area!
The team saw some civilians killed by the NRC Soldiers, which are dealt with. Everyone reaches to the middle of the Lotus Towers, where there are some mobile shops across, as well as the NRC Forces.
Kane: There - the mobile shop ahead of you. It'll take you right up to the 25th floor.
Player: Copy that, moving!
Khalil: Here they come! Cut them down!
Everyone pushes through the NRC and the Player, Hendricks, and Khalil reaches and climbs up the roof of a mobile shop.
Khalil: Stay on the roof - it'll take you all the way.
Khalil opens the hatch and heads inside the mobile shop to use it.
Khalil: Taking us up. NRC Reinforcements are flooding the lower levels. Your mission will fail if we do not hold them back.
Player: You got a suggestion?
The Player's DNI optics glitches for the second time as he/she sees some crows on the mobile shop, hears them & the distorted voice, and sees everything black and white for the second time. The DNI optics returns to normal as Khalil tells the Player and Hendricks:
Khalil: I will fight alongside my people. Deactivate the Mobile shops below this level. That will buy you the time you need to capture Taylor.
Hendricks: Go for it, boy scout.
The mobile shop stops at the 25th floor, where the Player and Hendricks leave from the roof with NRC Robots and Soldiers waiting for the two, while Khalil heads off to support his men.
Kane: Civilians ahead - watch your fire.
As the two move up:
Hendricks: More NRC moving in!
Kane: They're locking down the floor. I'm scanning for options.
More NRC Forces and R.A.P.S. arrived, along with civilians trying to run away from them and some being killed after failing to hold off the NRC riot shield soldiers. After two eliminate all hostiles, they move up and the wall exploded ahead of them, with more Robots and R.A.P.S. emerging. Once the area is cleared:
Hendricks: Moving to breach point. Find us a path, Kane!
Kane: That air duct leads into the Security Station.
The Player's DNI optics glitches for the third time as he/she sees some crows near the air duct, hears them & the distorted voice, and sees everything black and white for the third time. The DNI optics returns to normal again as Hendricks reaches the air duct.
Hendricks: Really? That's the best you've got?! [Sighs] Son of a bitch...
Hendricks shoots the air duct open.
Player: Take it easy, Hendricks. This isn't you. It's the thing inside your head.
The two head in the air vents and follow the path towards another air vent.
Kane: There - that vent dead ahead.
Player: At least we got the drop on them.
The Player kicks the vent open, as it falls onto and kill an NRC Soldier. The two head down and engage the NRC.
Hendricks: Enemies on both floors, spread out.
The two eliminate all NRC Forces in the Security Station.
Kane: Interface with that console and get me in the system.
== Cutscene ==
The Player interface with the console. However, his/her DNI optics glitches for the fourth time as he/she sees snow in the Security Station.
Kane: Khalil, I'm in. System overload in three minutes.
Hendricks: Hey, Kane. How about you stop showing off for Khalil and start looking for Taylor, huh?
Player: Stay focused, Hendricks.
After some time...
Kane: Got him. Taylor's being held in Detention Block 7. 90th Floor.
The Player looks up at screen as the scene fades to white and shows footage of Taylor sitting down and speaking with no audio.
Player: He could tear his way out of there, no problem. Why doesn't he? What's the play?
The camara changes and shows Taylor standing in front, looking at it, and speaking directly at the camara with no audio as it glitches.
Hendricks: ...the fuck? Can he... can it see us?
Player: I don't know how much of the real Taylor is left. I think his brain is fried.
The camara changes again and suddenly, the scene changes. It shows the frozen forest with a negative filter of a crow; a view of the large trees with some crows flying as they can be heard; a close up of a human DNI eye; more trees are seen as well as crows flying with flames coming out behind them; the screen cracking with some blood spilling & shows Corvus' eyes at the bottom right as his influence grows; and a crow cawing in a flame as the scene cuts to black.
== Gameplay Two ==
The scene returns to the Player, with his/her DNI optics returning to normal once again, and Hendricks still at the Security Station when...
Hendricks: BREACH!
The NRC Robots breached the wall on the left side, uses smoke grenades to block the view, and deployed the R.A.P.S. as it can be heard coming for the two.
Player: Kane, I hope those D.E.A.D. systems are coming down!
Kane: Thirty seconds, hold your ground!
After dealing with the NRC Robots and R.A.P.S:
Kane: Lieutenant Khalil! D.E.A.D. Network has been destroyed. You are a go.
Khalil: Confirmed! Air support moving in.
The Player's DNI optics glitches for the fifth time as he/she sees the crows, hears them & the distorted voice, and sees everything black and white for the fourth time when leaving the Security Station. The Egyptian Army VTOLs are seen flying outside the Lotus Tower and the Player's DNI optics returns to normal once again as he/she reaches outside, where the door is closed.
Hendricks: Watch your fire. Egyptian forces repelling in.
The Egyptian Army repel from the VTOL and the NRC fire at them, Hendricks, and the Player, as the door opens. Another Egyptian Army VTOL flies in and provides air support by taking out all the NRC Forces in the room and flies away. More NRC Robots come in the room and are destroyed. Everyone moves up, where more NRC are engaging the Egyptian Army. Once the area is cleared, the Player and Hendricks move up into another mobile shop.
Hendricks: Okay, Kane. Back to business. What's our quickest route to Taylor?
Kane: Take that shop up to the 90th floor. It's routed to the detention center.
Kane: [To the Player] Watch Hendricks. He's way over the line.
Player: [To Kane] Copy that.
The Player's DNI optics glitches for the sixth time as he/she sees the crows, hears them & the distorted voice, and sees everything black and white for the fifth time as the mobile shop door closes.
Hendricks: These poor bastards... up against the whole fucking NRC. It's like they really think they have a chance or something.
The Player's DNI optics returns to normal for the sixth time.<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: There's always a chance.
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: There's always a chance, Hendricks.
</tabber>Hendricks: Six months from now, they'll be under a whole new wave of oppression. Mark my words.
The mobile shop suddenly stops as the hatch opens from the roof.
Player: Looks like this is our stop. Where are we?
Kane: You're just shy of the 88th floor. Use that roof access to get outta there.
The Player and Hendricks exit the mobile shop.
Kane: Follow the marker, it'll lead you right to the Detention Block. Taylor should be there.
Hendricks: Got it. We're on our way.
The two push through more NRC Soldiers and Talons as they follow the Marker to Taylor.
Hendricks: RAPS coming in hot!
The two eliminate the NRC R.A.P.S, Robots, and Soldiers in the next area and keep moving. The two see more NRC Soldiers and R.A.P.S. engaging an Egyptian Army Team and they help them with the NRC. As everyone moves up, more NRC Soldiers arrived, as well as an NRC P.A.W.W.S., and some Riot Shields and Snipers are firing above the stairs. Once the area is clear, the two move forward.
Kane: Entrance is ahead on your right. Reinforcements have already moved in.
Hendricks: Trust me, we know.
The two destroy more NRC Robots and move into another area, where more NRC Forces, as well as their turrets and Hounds, are waiting for them. As they get closer to Taylor:
Kane: Taylor's secured the room and shut down door access. Attempting to run a bypass...
Kane: Hang tight, few more seconds...
Kane: Access restored.
Player: Copy that, Kane, we're almost there.
Once all hostiles are neutralized, the two head to the doors.
Kane: Taylor's through the door! Go!
== Cutscene Two ==
The Player kicks the doors open. He/She & Hendricks head in and found Taylor, not looking at the two.
Player: Taylor!
Taylor turns around and looks at the two.<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: Taylor, stand down.
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: Stand down, Taylor.
</tabber>Hendricks: Give it up, John. It's over.
More NRC Robots enter the room, but Taylor takes control of them, have them drop their weapons, and moves them behind him.
Hendricks: Come on, man. You know me.
Taylor faces Hendricks, with his eyes returning to normal.
Taylor: Hendricks...
Hendricks: Yeah. That's right, brother. You still in there, John? Do you hear me?
Taylor: You don't understand. I'm taking us home. We'll be safe. We'll all be safe.
Hendricks: Safe? What, what the f, what the fuck is safe?
Taylor's eyes show the DNI rings again and he walks away.
Hendricks: What do you mean safe - John! John don't go! What is the frozen forest?!
Kane: Robot's compromised, Taylor's controlling them!
The Three Robot's systems began to overload.
Hendricks: They're about to detonate!
Two of the Robots are self-destructed by Taylor.
== Gameplay Three ==
The Third Robot survives, and Hendricks takes it down.
Kane: NRC Robotics have gone rogue. Taylor's connected to their collective hive and taken control.<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: That thing inside him. It's burning out his brain.
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: That thing inside of him. It's burning out his brain.
</tabber>The two eliminate the NRC Soldiers & Taylor's Robots and move up.
Hendricks: Where the hell does he think he's going?
Taylor: You have to know where we're going.
Player: Where? Where are we going?
As the two keep moving and deal with Taylor's Robots, the Player's DNI optics glitches for the seventh time as he/she sees snow again with the crows.
Taylor: Imagine yourself... in a frozen forest...<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: Taylor - this isn't you. What's in your head's not you. You can fight it. Our minds are connected. I know what's happening. Taylor, you there? Taylor?!
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: Taylor - this isn't you. What's in your head's not you. You can fight it, our minds are connected, I know what's happening. Taylor, you there? Taylor?!
</tabber>After destroying Taylor's Robots and moving up, the Player's DNI optics returns back to normal for the seventh time.
Player: Kane, where is he?
Kane shows a live footage on the top left of Taylor walking across the Sky Bridge.
Kane: Target spotted, crossing the sky bridge to Tower Two.
The two move up, with nowhere left to go.
Hendricks: Hey, Kane, any bright ideas?
Hendricks stomps and shoots at a Robot that's laying down and still active.
Kane: That door should get you up.
However, a Robot breaches through a wall above the door.
Hendricks: That'll work too. Let's move!
The Robot is destroyed and the two climb up.
Kane: You better hustle. We're tracking a storm front moving in. Sandstorm's likely to hit in less than ten minutes.
The two go through more of Taylor's Robots to pursue Taylor.
Kane: Taylor entered Tower Two. The NRC has converted to an Armory and installed landing pads on the roof.
Player: He's headed to the roof. He's getting out of here.
Hendricks: Help me clear the debris.
The two push the mobile shop to create a gap and head outside, where there's more of Taylor's Robots waiting for them, as well as another mobile shop & a few VTOLs going down and crashing into the Lotus Towers and a Sky Bridge.
VTOL Pilot: Air support coming into position.
Khalil: Central! I need reinforcements at my location, heavy NRC Forces have surrounded us-!
Kane: Lieutenant Khalil, respond!
Kane: We've lost comms, too much interference.
Egyptian Army Command: Lieutenant Khalil's AO is compromised, we lost comms and visuals. He's been captured by the NRC, we're trying to locate.<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: Kane, we have to help Khalil - we wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't for him.
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: Kane, what about Khalil?...
</tabber>Kane: I know... but we need to stop Taylor. I'll monitor NRC comms - find out where he is. Once we achieve our objectives - we'll go get him. I promise.
The two go through the Robots and as they cross the two damaged Sky Bridges:
Player: Kane, how long until that Sandstorm hits?
Kane: Few minutes, tops. Keep moving.
As they keep moving...
Kane: It won't be long now.
The two reach Tower Two.
Hendricks: Taylor! It's just you and me now, you hear me? This isn't you.
While Hendricks speaks, a Wraith crashes into Tower Two, knocking a mobile shop off the Tower.
Hendricks: It's the thing inside your head, something in your DNI is fucking your mind! What is it, John? What is the Frozen Forest?! What the fuck is it?!?
The two go inside Tower Two and move up. Suddenly...
Player: Kane! Something's wrong! My systems are shutting down!
The Player's DNI shows statics and cuts to black.
== Cutscene Three ==
The scene shows blood going down a deep water, before it changes into Taylor's body; a close up a human eye as it opens, with the face covered in blood; Taylor having & spread his wings on his back; and a crow & its spreading influence throughout the area.
Kane: It's the infection.
The scene then shows Diaz plugged in with the servers inside the pod.
Kane: Taylor's mind is overloading.
The scene then shows some large trees and a crow cawing with branches coming out & growing from its mouth.
Kane: I think it's causing bleed through into its other hosts!
The scene shows the human eye again with a large tree and a lot of crows reflecting from the Eye's Iris.
Kane: Don't give into it!
The scene goes black before it shows a burning skull.
Kane: You have to fight it!
The burning skull's flame grows and shows a large pair of wings; it then shows some large floating pieces of the ground with some trees & the head of a crow beneath one of the pieces as it caws.
Kane: Stay with me!
The first scene shows some large trees & Kane simultaneously; the second scene shows a large tree & Hendricks simultaneously; and the last scene shows more large trees & Taylor simultaneously and it cuts to black.
== Gameplay Four ==
Hendricks: Hey.
Hendricks checks on the Player.
Hendricks: We need to move on.
Hendricks motions his head to go and the two resume their pursuit on Taylor.
(Male Only) M. Player: Hendricks - you still with me? You still in there?
Hendricks: I'm still here. What about Taylor?
More R.A.P.S. and Robots head for the two.
(Male Only) M. Player: Where is he, Kane?
Kane shows a live footage on the top left of Taylor running to a mobile shop, ascending.
Kane: Got him - in a mobile shop - ascending.
The two head to the center of Tower Two, which has a lot of destruction and flames as the Player questions:
Player: Where we going, Kane?
Taylor: ...Up.
Hendricks: John, listen to me. You can stop this.
Taylor: It can't be stopped... it's already happened. It's over.
Hendricks: You go down this path, you leave me no choice... I'll pull the trigger myself.
Taylor: You don't want to do that though, do you Jacob? It's okay, you just have to relax. Close your eyes, visualize the frozen forest.... I can see you there now.
Player: Don't listen to him, Hendricks. That's not Taylor talking to you!<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: It's. Not. Him!
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: It's not him!
</tabber>Hendricks: You've destroyed CIA operations worldwide. You've put the entire Winslow Accord alliance in jeopardy, and for what? Do you even know? Do you even have a fucking clue? You're being used.
Taylor: We're all being used! Don't you see that?! Once we put this shit inside our heads, we handed over our souls to whoever holds the keys. We're puppets... Actors playing out our roles...
Taylor: This time around... I'm the bad guy.
The two push through more of Taylor's Robots and they reach to a console near a mobile shop. The Player hacks the console.
== Cutscene Four ==
The mobile shop doors open as the two head inside. Hendricks hacks the mobile shop to close the doors and ascend.
Kane: What the hell happened?
Hendricks: Taylor's fucking with our comms.
Kane: He's moving on the roof. Looks like he's commandeering a ship remotely.
The mobile shop reaches the top floor, opens the doors, and the two exit & move up to find Taylor.
Player: We can't let him get off the tower.
A large swarm of Taylor's Robots arrived behind the two.
Player: Oh, shit...
Hendricks fires his gun at the Robots and then stops.
Hendricks: Dammit. There's too many!
Player: You gotta hold them, Hendricks. I'm going after Taylor.
Hendricks fires again and he runs out of ammo. He drops his KN-44 and uses his cybernetic arms to punch & takedown the Robots. Meanwhile, the Player heads to the roof and he/she locates Taylor.
Player: Taylor! Don't do this! We can stop this, we can get this thing out of our heads!
A Mothership is seen flying in the Sandstorm as it reveals and shoots two missiles at the Player, who manages to get out of the way.
== Gameplay Five ==
Kane: Taylor's controlling an NRC Mothership. I'm sending you mobile armories your way, the minigun should help level the playing field.
A few mobile armories arrived for the Player.
Kane: Get that minigun from the mobile armory.
As the Mothership attacks:
Kane: Grab cover, incoming missiles! (When the Mothership uses Missiles for the first time)
Kane: Incoming RAPS! (When the Mothership deploys R.A.P.S. for the first time)
Kane: Mothership sending Hounds your way! (When the Mothership deploys Hounds for the first time)
As the Player tries to destroy the Mothership's thrusters, along with its R.A.P.S. and/or Hounds, with his/her weapon, an XM-53, or the Minigun:
Taylor: Welcome back.
Player: Taylor, you need to listen to me! You can end this now!
Taylor: Yeah. Do you know what's happening to you?
Player: I know you can hear me, I know you can fight this!
Taylor: And you've got a long way to go.
Player: What's happening to you right now - it's in your DNI!
Taylor: Your DNI might show you all the options. But only you can decide what you are willing to sacrifice.
Player: You don't have to be a bad guy, Taylor. It's not too late.
Taylor: You were with Sarah Hall when she died. I know what you saw because I was there too...
Taylor: You have to know where we are going.
Player: You're right. I was with Hall when she died. I know what she saw. I also know it wasn't real. None of it was.
Taylor: Clock's ticking, newblood. Only one thing left to do.
Player: You know me! You can trust me!
Player: It's not too late to stop it.
Taylor: Sometimes... you have to let it go.
The Player eventually destroys the Mothership's four thrusters.
== Cutscene Five ==
The Mothership is going down as the Player realizes he/she is about to be crushed.
Kane: Get the hell out of there!
The Player runs and drops his/her weapon to try to get a safe distance as the Mothership lands on the roof. The Player screams in pain as his/her cybernetic arm has been impaled by a steel rod.
Player: Kane! I'm pinned.
Player: Kane?! Hendricks!
Taylor walks to the Player as he takes out his knife.
Player: Taylor... you're not yourself. There's something inside of you - it's controlling you!
Taylor: I know. It must grow. It wants... everybody.
Player: You can fight it, Taylor. 
Taylor: I...
Player: You can fight it!
Taylor: ...must... get it... out...
Taylor stabs himself in the back of the neck. The Player then watches and hears him scream as he pulls out his DNI from himself and Taylor falls down next to him/her, severely wounded. 
Player: It's okay... it's okay... You did it. It's gone. We're safe.
Taylor: Not safe. Still... here... you... Hendricks-
John Taylor is then executed.<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: NO!!!
Hendricks is seen shooting, reloading, and rearming his MR6.
M. Player: Hendricks, what the fuck are you doing?!
Hendricks: Diaz, Maretti, Hall - and now Taylor... they're all dead.
Kane: Sitrep! Is Taylor secure?
M. Player: He's dead... Hendricks killed him.
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: No!!
Hendricks is seen shooting, reloading, and rearming his MR6.
F. Player: Hendricks? What the fuck are you doing?!
Hendricks: Diaz, Maretti, Hall - and now Taylor... they're all dead.
Kane: Sitrep! Is Taylor secure?
F. Player: He's dead! Hendricks killed him!
</tabber>Hendricks boards on another Mothership.
Hendricks: You won. You got what you wanted.
Player: Hendricks... where are you going?!
Hendricks: Imagine yourself in a frozen forest.
Hendricks leaves while the scene switches and zooms out from the wounded Player & a deceased Taylor.
Kane: Hang in there, I'm on my way. Just hold on, we'll get you out of there.
The screen fades to black.<tabber> Male Player= 
M. Player: Hendricks is gone... I'm hurt bad...
M. Player: You have to fix me, Kane. Get me back in the fight. I need to stop Hendricks. Whatever it takes.
|-|
Female Player= 
F. Player: Hendricks is gone, I'm hurt bad...
F. Player: You have to fix me, Kane. Get me back in the fight. I need to stop Hendricks... whatever it takes.
</tabber>The Player awakens in the hospital, with Kane right next to him/her.
Kane: If you go through with this... I can't be with you.
Player: This is the only way.
Kane: It's going to change you... and quicker than you think.
Player: I don't have a choice. I have to do this.
Kane: But your old life will... fade away.
Player: This is who I am, Rachel.
Kane: Just... don't forget me.
Kane takes off her Black Ops Bandana and leaves it on a nearby table.
Kane: Don't forget the person that you were...
Kane walks away as the screen fades to black and the mission ends.
Category:Call of Duty: Black Ops III Transcripts