View source for Missions:Melvin and the Mysterious Malta Group - Talk to Crimson about changing strategy in the hunt for Melvin Langley

==== {{UL|Talk to Crimson about changing strategy in the hunt for Melvin Langley}} ====

'''Briefing'''

We know that Melvin Langley is still alive, and that our 'friends' aren't sure exactly what he knows. You've done a lot of good and saved a lot of people from nasty ends, but we're still no closer to finding Melvin. However, that's what [[Crimson]] wants to see you about. {{green|I'm not you, of course, but I think you should talk to Crimson about a change in strategy so we can try to get Melvin back safely.}} When you're ready, I'll tell him.

* {{green|Talk to Crimson about changing strategy in the hunt for Melvin Langley}}

[[Crimson]] should be waiting to talk to you. This kind of thing, he'll insist on talking to you in person.

===== {{UL|Meet with Crimson}} =====

'''Unnecessary Solicitation'''

[[Crimson]] should be waiting to talk to you. This kind of thing, he'll insist on talking to you in person.

{{Mission Objective|Entrance=|Primary=Meet with Crimson|Secondary=|Additional=|Completion=}}

{{Mission Briefing|Type=Briefing|Contact=Crimson|Text=I've come to a decision, {{Character}}. We still don't have Melvin Langley, and every day he stays in Malta's hands is another day he could be in danger or put Indigo or myself in danger. Our strategy has not worked up up to this point despite all of your hard work, so we now need to change that strategy. Part of the reason we've had a hard time getting Melvin back is because we've been trying to handle this too carefully. The idea was that when this was all over, Melvin Langley could walk right back into his office and have a normal life again.

Now, don't think that's because we're all nice and charitable, {{Character}}. It comes down to utility. Langley would be a much better source of information if no one suspected him of being anything but an everyday file clerk. Well, you can't always get what you want. Even with all of your help, even if we get him away from Malta today, Melvin Langley would never have a normal life again. So it's time to stop pretending he will and start concentrating on getting him out of danger.

There's one last piece of information I want you to get. It's some notes Mr. Langley made during a trip to the island of Malta on his last vacation. This time, I do care about what happens to the Malta agents on the scene. I want you to get those notes and I want you to defeat every Malta agent on the scene when you do it. It's time to show those paranoid commando nutjobs just what they should be afraid of. When you've done that, bring them to me in person.}}

===== {{UL|Defeat all Malta agents in building, get notes}} =====
'''Unnecessary Solicitation'''

Crimson doesn't like to play around, {{Character}}. This is all about sending a message to Malta that they can't ignore.

{{Mission Objective|Entrance=Crimson's information is right on target.  This office is being used by the Malta Group's agents.|Primary=Defeat all Malta agents, get notes|Secondary=Find Melvin's travel notes|Additional=|Completion=You found Melvin's travel notes.}}

'''Enemies'''

{{Enemy Malta Operatives}}

'''Notable NPCs'''
* Paradox Dancer {{Named|Faction=Malta Operatives|Type=Gunslinger 2|Text=Gunslinger}}

{{NPC Text|type=villain|title=Malta Operatives dialogue|text=
'''Before Combat:'''
:'''[[Malta Operatives#Minions|Malta Operative 1]]:''' Everyone prepare for a serious MHI! {{Character}} is headed our way!
:'''[[Malta Operatives#Minions|Malta Operative 2]]:''' Ready up, everyone!
'''Combat Start:'''
:'''[[Malta Operatives#Minions|Malta Operative 1]]:''' I was kinda hoping this was just gonna be a drill. Take {{Character}} down!}}
{{NPC Text|type=villain|title=Paradox Dancer dialogue|text=
'''Before Combat:''' 
:Nothing exciting ever happens around here.
'''Combat Start:''' 
:Whoa, MHI! Get it in gear, fellows!}}

{{Mission Clue|Name=Melvin's travel notes|Text=You recovered these notes from Malta Group agents.  They were stolen from Melvin Langley, and cover his investigations during his trip to the island of Malta.  There are notes from several interviews with local people who were around when the CIA's Roger Vrabel, MI6's Neil McIntosh, and 15 other intelligence agents in charge of Western meta-human intelligence divisions secretly met on the island of Malta in 1967.  Unfortunately, Melvin wasn't able to find anyone still alive on the island who might have know exactly what was talked about, but his notes are full of conjectures about the meeting being the birthplace of an illegal intelligence conspiracy called the 'Malta Group.'

On the back of one page, there's a small doodled sketch of a woman's face.  The subject of the sketch's name is written inside a little cartoon heart off to the side.  The name of the subject is 'Indigo.'  Though Melvin was no artist, it's a pretty good likeness.  You can almost see his daydreams in each penciled line.}}

===== {{UL|Take notes to Crimson}} =====
'''Unnecessary Solicitation'''

Crimson would probably like to get those notes you recovered in person.

{{Mission Objective|Entrance=|Primary=Take notes to Crimson|Secondary=|Additional=|Completion=}}

{{Mission Briefing|Type=Debriefing|Contact=Crimson|Text=Signed, sealed, and delivered. Malta should start to get the message, {{Character}}. You've done enough, you've earned the right to know how this plan's supposed to play out. Now, as I'm sure you probably guessed, this wasn't so much about the notes themselves. Nothing big in there that Malta didn't already think Melvin knew. What this was really about was making sure that our 'Friends' in the Malta Group don't know what to think.  

We've done a lot more to make them think that Melvin doesn't know anything, but because Indigo and I weren't able to find his actual location fast enough, by now all the things done to make them think that are only making them more paranoid about what Melvin knows and how you know about the situation. Now we've just sent a big message saying that he knows something, and it was probably in those notes, but hidden in a way they couldn't find. This should get them nice and confused, and as long as they're confused, Melvin stays alive. While you were doing all of that, Indigo scouted out the next few phases of this operation. She'll have them for you when you're ready.}}

'''Debriefing'''

Good job on the notes, {{Character}}. I've already scouted out the next operation, and I'll have it ready for you shortly. With a bit of luck, this will all work out.

Crimson chewed me out about that sketch in Melvin's papers. Yes, it might have given me away, but it's not like I did anything.  Okay, maybe I did lead Melvin on a little.  I didn't mean to. We were trying to recruit him on to our side. 'Cultivate him as a resource' as Crimson would put it. A friend in the right place we could tap for information. So we fed him a few clues about the Malta Group here and there, and I did my woman-of-mystery bit and Crimson scared the hell out of him just by being Crimson. But maybe I was a bit too friendly.

I feel responsible. He might not have gone so far or gotten into so much trouble if I hadn't played it up so much. But he was nice and funny and sweet. I think I liked being his woman-of-mystery too much. You know how it is, {{Character}}. In this kind of life, sometimes it's nice just to find someone really good to talk to who isn't a half-alien mutant, or the son of a god, or who becomes a programmed killer whenever he hears a train whistle. Just a nice guy.

Nothing really happened. I guess I just enjoyed being his mysterious muse so much I forgot that Melvin could be in so much danger.

I'm sorry, {{Character}}, here I am, a deadly and mysterious super spy, and I'm unloading all this on you. Tell you what? How about we just say that I'm only trying to manipulate you or something? Okay? So if Crimson ever asks, I was only pretending to open up to appeal to your heroic nature? Get you to fight the good fight and all?

I hope this works. Melvin never deserved any of this.<noinclude>[[Category:Indigo Missions]]</noinclude>