Misfortune in Morocco

"Misfortune in Morocco" is the second level and the first mission in the The Operative: No One Lives Forever. It follows UNITY operative Cate Archer, accompanied by her mentor Bruno Lawrie, on an important mission to Marrakech, Morocco where they must protect an American Ambassador from hired assassins. The level consists of four scenes and is followed by the briefing/training level Requiem for a Spy.

Briefing
''Intelligence has discovered that the American Ambassador to West Germany, Morris Monroe, is marked for execution by an organization calling itself H...A...R...M... or H.A.R.M. The assassination attempt is expected to come on the last day of Monroe's upcoming holiday in Morocco as he is leaving his hotel. There will likely be multiple assailants.''

''It is imperative that Monroe survive the attack. Be warned though, that the ambassador is extremely nearsighted and almost deaf, so you won't be able to rely on him to realize that he's in danger.''

''You will be positioned in a residential building across the street from the hotel. Your job is to pick off the assassins before they liquidate Monroe.''

Scene 1

 * 4:00 pm. September 16
 * In view of "Le Chameau Heureux" Hotel
 * Marrakech, Morocco

From an apartment overlooking the hotel, Archer communicates with Lawrie via microphone and earpiece. She asks him what he makes of the possibility of a traitor and is shocked to hear that UNITY has had its members turn on them before. Lawrie recalls the time when several undercover agents were killed in Istanbul after they were sold out by the chief's administrative assistant "for a measly fifty quid." Following a brief fuss between Ambassador Monroe and another hotel guest, Archer protects Monroe from assassins who appear on surrounding rooftops and balconies. Lawrie offers to call out their locations to Archer, which gives the player three choices which correspond to a difficulty level:


 * "That would be lovely" (Easy - Lawrie tells her where the assassins will appear),
 * "I can handle this on my own thank you" (Medium - Lawrie does not tell her where the assassins will appear)
 * "Where's the challenge in that? I just hope there are enough to keep me busy" (Hard - Two assassins will appear at all locations simultaneously).

NOTE: Choosing the hard difficulty is required to obtain the two extra intelligence items that are inside the two mailboxes near the end of the level. Lawrie will mention that he left some letters for Archer before leaving.

Once the first area is cleared, Lawrie tells Archer to proceed to Apartment 12 while he covers Monroe until she gets there. After successfully protecting Monroe from Apartment 12, Lawrie informs Archer that she's been spotted and a group of six thugs is headed her way. After "taking care of some evil-doers", Archer leaves the apartment complex to meet her partner at the Rendezvous point.

Scene 2

 * NOLF1 GrandCaravanHotel.pngOne hour later...
 * Grand Caravan Hotel

Volkov tells one of his minions to keep his men out of sight so as not to spoil their trap.

Meanwhile, Archer arrives at the hotel and proceeds to meet Lawrie in the lobby, where they discuss the possibility of having been betrayed. They must make their way to the coast in time for their safe extraction from Morocco aboard a ship called the 'Abigail.' Unbeknownst to them, Volkov was lying in wait and ambushes them from above. Lawrie pushes Archer aside and is shot several times. As Lawrie lies dying in Archer's arms, he tells her to go after Volkov and confesses that "while I've always had plenty to die for, you've given me something to live for."

Meanwhile, Volkov orders his men to kill Archer. When asked why he didn't kill her, Volkov responds that his "hunger for revenge distracted him". He also orders his men to kill everyone in sight and destroy the hotel. Archer's next objective is clear: disarm the explosive devices and rescue the hotel guests.

Scene 3
Archer chases Volkov through the city, but loses sight of him after he jumps into a dark-blue car at the city gates. As one of Volkov's men has been left behind and is seemingly incapacitated, the player is given the option of interrogating him before heading for the coast. If the player opts for interrogation, the scene cuts to a safe house in Fez where the Volkov's "lackey" is given three chances to reveal Volkov's location either through polite questioning or under torture. Whatever method is used, the thug discloses that he doesn't know where Volkov is but knows something else Archer would be interested in.

The scene cuts to a car driving en route to the airport. Ambassador Monroe misinterprets the driver's comments as deliberate badmouthing and gets out claiming that he would "rather walk to the airport than listen to this filth." Volkov's car pulls up in front of the now stranded Ambassador and shoots him at point blank range, leaving a lily next to Monroe's body. (Note: Interrogating Volkov's lackey will give the player an intelligence item. If the player chooses to head directly to the coast without first interrogating the thug, the scene will cut straight to Monroe's assassination and no intelligence item is awarded).

Scene 4
Volkov and his men lie in wait for Archer at the smugglers' den from where the Abigail is due to set sail. Volkov warns his men that "if she gets way, I will kill any man she leaves alive..."

In the cover of night, Archer makes her way through the outskirts towards the coast. Volkov's men are lying in wait at the smugglers' den and attempt to apprehend her. After she successfully boards the ship, Volkov makes good on his promise to his men. Looking out after the ship he makes another promise: "We will meet again, Miss Archer..."

Scene 1
(With regards to the traitor) Bruno Lawrie: "Spies are rarely well compensated for their treason. I wouldn't be surprised if this new mole is equally underpaid."

Archer: "Well I hope when they catch the bastard they'll put a bullet right through his eyes and a boot up his arse for good measure!" Lawrie: "You sound ready to volunteer..." Archer: "I'm dangerous when I'm upset!"

(A tourist approaches Ambassador Monroe) Man: "Pardon me, do you have the time?" Monroe: "No sir, I do not have a dime and I don't have much use for beggars!" Man: "Not a dime, the time." Monroe: "Don't get snippy me or I'll have you arrested." Man: "Are you deaf?!?" Monroe: "HOW DARE YOU THREATEN ME!!!" Man: "Oh never mind. (walks away)" Monroe: "COWARD!" (Conversation between two residents at the apartment block courtyard in Scene 1)

"I heard he plans to marry the American girl." "You mean the girl who refuses to wear shoes?' "Yes, her." "''I wonder if all American girls despise shoes. It seems very strange, but America is a strange country." "She may be crazy, but she is attractive." "Ah, but you're invariably attracted to crazy women." "All women are crazy." "Shhh, not so loud!''"

(Monroe walks along the streets, taking his dead assassins to be beggars) Monroe: ''"Riff-raff!" "Hooligans!" "Rabble!" "Sleep it off somewhere else drunkard!''" (dropping coin) - "Dag burn it! Where's that dime? I better find it quickly before the thieves swoop in like vultures!"

(An American tourist complains to his wife that Morocco is so "foreign") Woman: "Well it is a foreign country..." Man: "I know, but Canada's a foreign country too and it isn't this foreign!"

Scene 2
(Volkov to one of his agents) Volkov: "Keep your men out of sight. We don't want to spoil our trap, do we?" Agent: "Yes sir! I mean, no sir! I mean, yes to the first part and no to the second part. Sir!" Volkov: "Shut up! Just do as I say, you idiot." (A street merchant offering to a HARM agent) Street Merchant: "You look like you need a monkey." Agent: "Excuse me?" Street Merchant: "I have a very fine monkey for you. Only twenty dollars American." Agent: "Sorry, I don't want a monkey." Street Merchant: "What do you mean?" Agent: "I don't want a monkey." Street Merchant: "Why not?" Agent: "Because I don't like monkeys. Now get that filthy beast away from me." Street Merchant: "Are you insulting my monkey?" Agent: "I'm sure it's a perfectly excellent monkey, but I don't want it. Now please leave. I'm very busy." Street Merchant: "Ten dollars." Agent: "No! I wouldn't want the dreadful thing even it were free." Street Merchant: "Free?! You want my children to starve?" Agent: "If they're hungry, I suggest you feed them the monkey." Street Merchant: "This is a valuable monkey! My wife would kill me if she knew I was offering it to you so cheap." Agent: "You don't seem to understand- I DON'T WANT A MONKEY!" Street Merchant: "Infidel."

(Two thugs discuss the morning meeting and Volkov's threat to remove people's eyes)

"Mr. Volkov said the girl will be here soon." "How will we recognize her?" "You didn't see the photograph on the bulletin board?" "What photograph?" "Mon dieu!" "I'm sorry! Nobody told me." "Mr. Volkov was very specific at the meeting this morning. He said ... Be sure to study the photograph on the bulletin board. If you fail to recognize her, I'll assume something is wrong with your eyes and remove them for you." "I missed the meeting. I had to drop my daughter at school. I don't want him to scoop out my eyes!" "I have no sympathy for you. You knew this was an important mission. You should have made other arrangements for your daughter." "Can you describe the girl for me? What color is her hair?" "Why should I tell you? It would serve you right to have your eyes gouged out with a rusty spoon. You need to learn to prioritize." "Please! I beg you! Is she young or old? How does she dress?" "She's 50 years old and wears a suit of armor." "I don't believe you!" "She just turned 14 and she runs around in a bath towel." "Curse you! May all your sons marry camels." "If you must curse someone, curse yourself. There are a lot of people who would kill to have this job. You should take your work more seriously." "Please, just tell me what color her eyes are! Blue? I'll kill every woman with blue eyes that I see. Brown? Green?" "I have to get back to my post. See you later. If you have eyes." "(Cry of despair.)"

(One thug needs to go number one...)

"Any sign of her yet?" "Nope" "Damn! I got to pee!" "Well go then!" "What if she shows up while I'm in the restroom?" "Good point. Can you hold it?" "I guess so..."

Scene 3
(A tourist couple have an argument with the street merchant) Man: "I wouldn't give you a rotten fig for that disgusting animal!" Merchant: "Are you insulting my monkey?" Man: "I spit upon your monkey!" Merchant: "You are a horrible person!" Woman: "I think the monkey's kinda cute..."

(Interrogating Volkov's "lackey")

Archer: (After torturing him the first time) "Did you enjoy that?" Lackey: "No!" Archer: "Spare yourself the suffering. Tell me where I can find Volkov and you might walk out of here with clean underpants!" Lackey: "Too late for that..." Archer: "That's disgusting!" Lackey. "Sorry..."

Scene 4
(A guard is furious with another for having left his post) "''What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be watching the front gate?"  "I ran out of cigarettes.''" "You ran out of cigarettes? You mean to tell me you left your post because you needed a cigarette?" "I was only gone for a few minutes." "It only takes a few seconds for someone to sneak in here." "I'm sorry." "You will be sorry if that girl got in here while you were messing around." "Relax. She didn't get in." "How do you know?" "Hassan would have radioed us if he saw her" "What if she sneaked past him?" "That's Hassan's fault, not mine!" "Idiot! I think Mr. Volkov would disagree with you. Would you like me to tell him?" (shoots the other guard) "Tell it to the worms instead!"

Trivia

 * In Scene 1, opening the door of Apartment 25 from the inside (access using the Belt Buckle), will prompt the man in the corridor to say, "Thank you for your help". This is one of the few occasions in the game in which a civilian expresses their gratitude when not being rescued from enemy attack. A glitch causes the NPC to repeat his line each time the door is opened or closed.
 * There are several references to Morocco's recent history as a protectorate of France (which lasted from 1912-1956). Some of these allusions include signs in the French language, French hotel names (e.g. "Le Chameau Heureux" = "The Happy Camel") and a French maid who complains about the hotel guests with a thick French accent: "Mon Dieu (My God), what pigs zese people are!"
 * If Civilians are killed by the player, the failure status reads: "You Killed a Civilian" or "Unacceptable Civilian Casualties". If the monkey from Scene 2 is killed, the status humorously reads: "Unacceptable Simian Casualties". The term "Simian" is a scientific classification of primates that includes monkeys and apes. Interestingly enough, if the monkey from Scene 3 is killed, the failure status reverts to "Unacceptable civilian casualties".
 * Several gadgets that have not been introduced yet are needed to retrieve intelligence items, such as the belt buckle and Spy-Glasses. A note from Bruno which explains that Archer "may have to return" to the mission with the "right equipment" breaks the fourth wall.
 * Because the PS2 version lacks Equipment select screen, the two "locked" Intelligence Items are removed in this version.
 * Several intelligence items contain interesting background information on Archer's past and certain parts of the CT-180 device (later revealed to be the Utility Launcher from the sequel).
 * H.A.R.M's assassins carry Geldmacher SVD in this mission. If players glitch out of bound and pick them up, they can notice one pickup has an insane amount of ammo, enough to fill up the max capacity. If the mission is completed with this gun collected, it'll become unlocked and usable from then on, despite not being formally introduced yet.
 * An intelligence item found in Scene 2 is a letter written by "Clark" to his wife Martha in which he confesses to her that he is in fact a Russian spy and must now leave her for his "real wife" back home. Martha and Clark can be found in the canteen area of the Grand Caravan Hotel. In the bonus chapter Rest and Relaxation, the player can find the return letters from Martha's friend. This little sub-plot is revisited in the game's sequel in Chapter 12: Undersea, where two letters can be found that continue Clark and Martha's story.
 * This is the first mission where Archer has to "prevent civilian casualties", a recurring objective that is given in several missions.
 * A blueprint found under the bridge leading to city gates in Scene 3 is marked "Property of Dumas Industrial Enterprises", foreshadowing the company's and its executives future involvement in later missions.
 * While it marks Volkov's first appearance with dialogue, he does not reappear until a much later level (H.A.R.M.'s Promise).
 * There seems to be a slight mistake with one of the intelligence items in Scene 1: An envelope detailing Monroe's schedule states that he is to depart on September 18th, even though he leaves for the airport on the very day that the mission takes place (the 16th).
 * With a grand total of 41, this mission contains the largest amount of intelligence items in any mission of the game.