Another Life is the fifth mission in HITMAN™ 2. Agent 47 enters the quiet suburbia of Whittleton Creek, Vermont, USA, in order to ascertain clues to tracking down The Constant in his predecessor Janus' home and surrounding neighbourhood. He must also cover his tracks by eliminating Janus and the head of his security detail, Nolan Cassidy.
Diana Burnwood (VO): "Gentlemen. Let's go over the plan. The first Constant is none other than Janus; the legendary cold war spy master. A KGB senior officer and head of the Sixth Column special branch at Lubyanka, Janus is a certified genius and expert of counter-intelligence.
He retired from the KGB in 1988, when he fell out of favor with the Kremlin and defected to the US. Shortly after, the Soviet Union collapsed. Now, it is unclear when Janus stepped down as the Constant, but since 2004 he has been a resident of a quiet community in suburban Vermont. Mr. Grey?"
Lucas Grey (VO): "Right, so here's the catch. As an elite KGB agent, Janus was trained to withstand interrogation and torture. No amount of pressure will force him to disclose information he doesn't want to. Instead, we will need to search his home for clues. But... If Providence learns of our presence, the game is up."
Agent 47 (VO): "So we frame Janus. Make Providence think he was the real shadow client."
Diana (VO): "Correct. I will file a false ICA report, claiming to have traced a number of calls from Janus's house to the Institute in Romania. The case will seem clear: Mr. Grey was only a figurehead. Janus was pulling the strings all along. And by eliminating him, we will have neutralized the militia once and for all."
Grey (VO): "However, for this subterfuge to work, you'll also need to deal with Janus's security detail; a Providence herald and former Secret Service agent by the name of Nolan Cassidy. Intel describes him as diligent and inquisitive and we cannot risk that he contradicts our story to his employer."
Agent 47 (VO): "Seems workable."
Diana (VO): "I certainly hope so. Everything depends on this next move, 47. You made this our fight. Now let's even the playing field."
After confronting Lucas Grey and learning the truth of how Providence has impacted both of their pasts, 47 and Diana agree to join forces with Grey in order to take down Providence once and for all. However, in order to locate the Providence Partners, the executive heads of the organization, they must first locate The Constant, the organization's enigmatic controller.
Their best lead lies with Janus, a legendary Cold War spymaster who served as Providence's first Constant before retiring to live in suburban Vermont, and is likely to still be in contact with his successor.
Diana's plan is to provide falsified evidence implicating Janus as the true Shadow Client instead of Grey. By targeting him for elimination, not only will the ICA fulfill their contract by eliminating the 'head' of the militia, but it will also give 47 an opportunity to search Janus' home for clues to The Constant's location.
In order to ensure their story is not contradicted, 47 must also eliminate Nolan Cassidy, a former Secret Service agent turned Providence Herald, and head of Janus' security detail.
Mission Stories[]
Charbroiled
Dish best served cold.
The Wilsons are throwing a BBQ and everyone's invited. It sounds like Nolan Cassidy has some interest in the party as well but for some reason he's unwilling to go inside. Maybe you can help fix whatever's wrong in there, 47?
Pest Control
Sleep tight.
Apparently there is a fumigator in town. He's working on a house belonging to a "James Batty" and has previously been working on Cassidy's house. The fumigator has stored some of his chemicals, a strong sedative, in a container in a vacant lot near the creek. Sounds like this could be useful, 47.
House for Sale
Everything must go.
A realtor with a taste for the sweet things in life is in Whittleton Creek to show a house to Nolan Cassidy. It looks like he's stuck at a local muffin stand at the moment. It would be a shame to keep Cassidy waiting, wouldn't it?
Breadcrumb Trail
Follow the leads.
Hm, a lawsuit between Janus and another resident? Might be a good place to start your investigation into Janus' life, 47. I suggest you look closer at this James Batty fellow.
An Apple a Day
Weekly visits for the health.
Janus has an appointment with a male nurse every Saturday. He's down feeding the birds by the creek at the moment. Sounds like a good way inside Janus' house.
Whack-A-Mole
Secret underground network.
One of Janus' gardeners has decided to clear a series of mole tunnels using explosives. I applaud his enthusiasm, but sadly local police have confiscated his equipment. If you were to find it, 47, it might be the perfect way to rid the world of Janus.
No Smoking Area
Smoking kills.
So, Janus smokes despite being dependent on an oxygen tank and his bodyguards' insistence on hiding his cigarettes. I wonder what might happen if he combined the two?
Intelligence[]
A Distant Memory
"Janus likes to tell stories from his past. Maybe you can trigger some of the more interesting ones?"
A Handwritten Letter
"A draft letter written by Janus. It is full of explicit descriptions of how unhappy he is with someone called Zoe and her sister having been appointed Chair Persons of "The Ark Society"."
A Lawsuit?
"A lawsuit between Janus and one of the other residents in Whittleton Creek? Sounds promising."
A Quick Read
"One of Janus' guards is browsing a diary belonging to Janus. What insight might that hold?"
A Robe
"Helen West, neighbor to Janus, has been repairing an old robe of his. A note attached to it indicates that Janus has a great need for the robe soon as he's going to some sort of event where the robe is required."
An Old Diary
"One of Janus' many diaries. It's a long-winded tale about his later years as the chairman of "The Ark Society" for years. The diary details how Janus stepped down very recently and had to give up the seat of chairman to someone else. According to the diary, he's still attached to the Society."
Batty's Door Note
""I'm in the garden. Ring the doorbell if you need me, then I'll be right out. James Batty.""
Batty's House Key
"A key. Opens all the doors on Batty's property."
Buried Secrets
"One of Janus' security guards buried something in the frog habitat behind Cassidy's house. Why?"
Cassidy's House Key
"A key. Opens all the doors on Cassidy's property."
Construction Van Key
"A key. Unlocks the van exit in the Construction Area."
Find Clues
"We need to locate the Constant and Janus is our only lead. We have reason to believe the two are still in contact but we need more information to achieve our goal. Confirm an existing connection between Janus and The Constant. Reveal a date they would meet."
Follow the Leads
"Hm, a lawsuit between Janus and another resident? Might be a good place to start your investigation into Janus' life, 47. I suggest you look closer at this James Batty fellow."
Frank Schmidt's Bedroom Key
"A key. Opens Frank Schmidt's master bedroom doors."
Frank Schmidt's House Key
"A key. Opens all the doors on the For Sale property."
Free Burgers
"One of the newly arrived families in Whittleton Creek is throwing a lawn party. Everyone is invited, though it seems there's a problem with the grill. Nolan Cassidy has been observed skulking around the house several times already."
Hanson's House Key
"A key. Opens all the doors on the Hanson's property."
Hidden Microfilm
"This microfilm was found in Janus' house and could contain interesting information."
Hidden Tapes
"A surveillance tape, which could hold interesting information."
In Honor of West
"This monument is raised in honor of Jonathan West, who braved the elements and brought lumber from near and far during the worst winter ever in Whittleton Creek. He kept many families warm and saved the entire community through his valiant efforts. We, the people, honor you - Forever."
Janus' Cigarettes
"One of Janus' guards has apparently tossed his cigarettes over the fence into another back yard. Janus is using an oxygen apparatus to help him breathe better and the guard is trying to keep Janus alive."
Janus' House Key
"A key. Opens all the doors on Janus' property."
Janus' Memory
"Playing a piece of music in Janus' house triggered a recent memory of himself and the Constant. Apparently, he handed over the role as Constant one evening in an empty concert hall. The two still meet up and are scheduled to see each other soon."
Janus' Microfilm
"If Janus has any microfilm in his house, it's bound to contain something interesting..."
Janus' Old Photograph
"Evidence found in his basement indicates that Janus attends an annual gathering of "The Ark Society"."
Lawsuit Documents
"Janus and a local resident, James Batty, are engaged in a lawsuit. Batty is unhappy with Janus landing a helicopter near a local bird nesting area once per year around the same date."
Microfilm
"A microfilm containing an extensive set of minutes from some sort of recurring meeting gives a strong indication of when Janus might leave Whittleton Creek."
Note for Real Estate Company
""I cleaned the place as requested. I was told the real estate agent would pick up the key, so I put it in the flower pot next to the door.""
Pack of Cigarettes
"A pack of cigarettes."
Political Flyer
"This flyer outlines the political platform of local politician-wannabe Charles Blake III. Reading through the various points, it seems Blake is intent on using higher office as a way of transforming rules set forth by the local homeowners' association into actual law."
Public Shed Key
"A key. Opens all public sheds in Whittleton Creek."
Return to Sender
"Cassidy keeps all of Janus' outgoing mail in his house. Maybe sneak a peak?"
Roadwork Gate Key
"A key. Unlocks the gate exit in the Roadwork Area."
Robe
"Helen West is working on a robe for Janus? What could he need that for?"
Surveillance Tape [Intel]
"A recording confirms that Janus and the Constant are planning on meeting soon."
Surveillance Tape [Item]
"A Mini DV Tape with "Cassidy" written on it. A note on the label indicates that the audio was recorded just a few days ago using equipment in house 429. which is just across the street from Cassidy's headquarters."
The Fumigator
"A local fumigator is working on the Batty house after having finished work on Cassidy's house. Apparently, he's storing his chemicals in a construction container nearby."
The Lost Photograph
"Janus is having trouble locating an important photograph. Who's on it?"
The Nurse
"It seems Janus has a male nurse who comes by to perform a health check on him every Saturday. The nurse has a fondness for the local birds and can be found near the creek, feeding the animals."
The Salesman
"A local realtor is in town to show a house to Nolan Cassidy who, apparently, is aiming to move. The realtor has a sweet tooth and is now stuck eating muffins by the local muffin stand."
Uninvited Guests
"Janus has uninvited guests in the form of several moles that have been digging tunnels around his back yard. A gardener is there to help fix the problem but his explosives, which he intended to use to collapse the tunnels with, have been confiscated by the local police."
Vault Keycard
"A keycard. Opens the security door in the Schmidt basement."
West's House Key
"A key. Opens all the doors on West's property."
Whittleton Creek Pikes
""Join us for the start of the new season, when the Pikes head out for their first game. This season, we are proud to be sponsored by our very own local Helen's Muffin Kitchen. Helen has promised mid-game muffins at every game, so her home must be stuffed with muffins in anticipation of the big turnout we are expecting.""
Wilsons' House Key
"A key. Opens all the doors on the Wilsons' property."
Challenges[]
There are 81 challenges in total: 23 "Assassination", 17 "Discovery", 33 "Feats", 2 "Targets", 5 "The Classics" and 1 "Cloud Nine", worth 154000XP and containing 3 unlocks.
Type Key: A=Assassination; D=Discovery; F=Feats; T=Targets; TC=The Classics; MM=Muffin Man; BAE=Breaking and Entering; CN=Cloud Nine
A container of pills. Dissolvable. Contains enough for a single lethal dose. Will immediately eliminate the target. May be administered via food or drink.
8
Agency Pickup
Park Shed
The ICA can smuggle a briefcase containing a large item into the shed in the park.
9
Starting Location
Garbage Removal
47 has infiltrated Whittleton Creek disguised as a Garbage Worker.
Hidden Stash
Helen's Garage
The ICA can conceal a small item inside the garbage can in Helen's garage.
A block of Composition 10 plastic explosive. Packaged for use in remote explosive applications. Highly suspicious. High risk of collateral damage. It also has the signature Mk II look.
Agency Pickup
Treehouse
The ICA can smuggle a briefcase containing a large item into the treehouse in the garden of the house for sale.
14
Hidden Stash
Janus' Kitchen
The ICA can conceal a small item inside a milk jug in Janus' kitchen.
A medium explosive device designed to resemble a rubber duck. Detonated remotely. Exercise caution when placing. Will attract casual attention if spotted. It also has the signature Mk II look [Mastery Level 15 in HITMAN™ 2].
During the target lockdown stage for Janus, his security team will either escort him to his shed in the backyard of his property, his basement, or his garage. On rare occasions, he will go to Helen's house with Gunther.
Cassidy will be escorted either to his garage or his gun room.
Trivia[]
This level is similar in both title and setting as A New Life, a level from Hitman: Blood Money. In addition, the Suburban Suit greatly resembles the suit from Blood Money in the way it's buttoned and it has a striped tie.
An excerpt from the Wikipedia article for 8 mm film was used in the mission briefing.
Loosening the oxygen tank in Janus' bedroom, then going to the kitchen and starting the stove will make the oxygen tank upstairs explode, without affecting the kitchen.
A glitch can occur when knocking out Sheriff Masterson after he talks to the exterminator. Using a rake to knock out the Sheriff will prevent the CX Demo Block from being dropped and it will teleport to the security stash near the restricted roadworks.
The Dagger Acquisition Note for Janus’s wake in the next mission is dated 8/9, suggesting that the events of this mission specifically take place somewhere within the first eight days of September. Dale Anderson’s comment to his wife on a phone call places the events of the mission on a Saturday, which would likely make the specific date September 5th, on Agent 47’s fifty-sixth birthday.
If you open the Schmidt Property's vault door and garage, then ring their doorbell 3 times, the vault will open to reveal an uunerving statue with a small wall-attached spotlight shining on it, and a Battle Axe, the only one on the map.
If you let the song in the Griswold Property's rehearsal space completely play uninterrupted, a Beak Staff will spawn, the only one on the map.
Completing the Elderly Assistance challenge will cause Janus' walk cycle to be changed to a happy stride.
