Deus Ex Diaries Part Ten

This is my ongoing exploration of the Deus Ex Universe, in preparation for when Mankind Divided arrives later this year. Whether you’re a newcomer or an old-goer, I hope to make this something you can read along with and enjoy. We continue on with Deus Ex.

The killswitch deactivated, and now brandishing a laser sword, I had now been sent to steal a way to build more of the Dragon’s Tooth Swords. The MJ12 facility masquerading as VersaLife held the key, so I had been sent in to grab it for the Triads to be at peace, by Tracer Tong.

It turned out that the scientists I walked in on were just bitching at one another for petty reasons of bureaucracy, so I left them to it. I went back into the ventilation system and headed to where it diverged, to gain entry to the labs. It was a twist and a turn, but I found myself on top of the elevated room I needed when I fell out of a vent.

Hacking the computer, I gained the key and transmitted it to Tracer, who sent it on to both Triad leaders. I then had the task of finding a way out without being detected. However, as soon as I activated the lift to go down and resume sneaking, someone heard or sensed me, seeing me just as I cut him down with my laser sword.

Then all hell broke loose.

I ran for it as the alarm rang out, stumbling into a room full of guards. As I’d already seen a Man in Black, as well as the kind of ordinance the normal guys had, I turned and ran down another hallway. As I entered a room with five gun-happy guys on my tail, I saw a Woman in Black - deciding this was entirely out of my weight class, I continued running, now in a third direction. I had plenty of health packs, but with assault rifles, handguns and flamethrowers after me, I wasn’t sure I had enough!

Tactical retreat...

I opened a grate just as I was set on fire. I ducked inside and went away from the opening as I toggled to my fire extinguisher and put myself out. I could hear them milling about, trying to locate me, but I was hidden from sight. I made my way through the shafts and found my way back in the office above the hand-hallway. I waited in case the MiB I’d seen before was still wandering about.

Deciding I was safe, I made a move - and was told to halt by a robotic voice. I smashed the nearby window and leapt out, slaughtering the only non-combatant in the hall before opening the lift doors. I took a few breaths as I went back upstairs. Stepping out of the lift, I made eye contact with one of the security personnel. I slowly went through the offices and past the guy I spoke to before. Then I ran as the alarms went off.

I went down to the next level, only seeing one person, before deciding to repeat my earlier tactic and jump. On the bottom level, I killed the one security guard and tried to call the lift. I hit the wrong button, and three more security guards came -- falling to my blade. Finally pressing the right button, I returned to the market.

Not a secret meeting

When I transmitted the information, Tracer told me to meet the Triad leaders Max Chen and Gordon Quick in the temple, so I headed there. They agreed to work as one, like two sides of the same sword, then told me to meet them at the Lucky Money club for a drink, after I’d seen Tracer Tong.

Around the corner and back into the Luminous Path’s compound, I was surprised that the Triad had left the hidden door-to-the hidden door open, but went right down to see Tracer. He told me that I’d done well, but now I had to go back inside VersaLife to find out about the Grey Death and its ‘cure’ Ambrosia. Before I could ask why he didn’t tell me to find that stuff out the last time I was in there, he told me that I would have to go via Canal Road, which had kind of flooded recently.

Before going there, I decided to join Chen and Quick for that drink. I went through the market and decided on a whim to save just outside the club, near a shop that had several police officers walking past it. Seconds later, one of the prostitutes from the club came running out and told me that she couldn’t do that -- whatever it was, because she’s the one who came up to speak to me… I noticed she was bleeding, and heard the smash of a window. Looking over, the police had broken the shop window and set the alarm off. Whilst I stood there confused, the police spotted me and opened fire!

The police are window shopping?

Not wanting to be accused, and curious about what the hell happened, I reloaded. I stood on the other side of them as they once again gathered in front of the window, broke it, and then opened fire at me - killing the prostitute in the process.

Because that broken glass over there was OBVIOUSLY her fault AND my fault...

I reloaded once more and ran inside the club, deciding to be nowhere near the shop. I met up with the two Triad leaders at the bar and they gave me wine. Four bottles of it, as I spoke to them each a few times… Including an apparently excellent vintage from 2015!

I left, to head down to Canal Road, and checked the shop window - smashed. The cops were all at the end of the walkway, and tried to kill me once again as I ran past. Through the market unmolested, I was soon in Canal Road, and to the secret door that Tracer had told me about.

I put the code in, and picked the lock on the sewer grate, before dropping into the water. Once I climbed out, I was underneath VersaLife. As I went further inside, Daedalus, the AI who aided me earlier, asked me to destroy the Universal Constructor device that was creating the Grey Death. He even gave me the code to do it -- which I had already lifted from a datapad on my last visit. So I was probably going to do it anyway…

However, first I had to head up a level, using a nearby grate. But there was someone up there...