The Author is the second mission of the Patient Zero bonus campaign, featured in HITMAN™ - Game of the Year Edition.
Targets[]
Eliminate Craig Black | |
Eliminate Brother Akram |
Objectives[]
Retrieve the virus sample |
Exfiltrate[]
Locate the exit |
The Author[]
A jet streaks through the clouds.
PATIENT ZERO
Agent 47 sits alone in the private jet.
Diana Burnwood (VO): "47, Diana here. Listen closely. We've got an emergency on our hands. I'll have to brief you en route."
Agent 47: "Improvisation is part of the craft. Go on."
Diana (VO): "When we eliminated the targets in Bangkok, it appears we misjudged what the cult was capable of. I misjudged it."
Oybek Nabazov, Sister Yulduz, and other intel appears on his computer screen.
Agent 47: "This should be interesting."
Diana (VO): "Yes well...I'm afraid eliminating Nabazov activated a ring of sleeper agents. My current theory is that the network signal spike in Bangkok was a go-signal. Something automated."
Agent 47: "A kill-switch...Who are the targets?"
Diana (VO): "So far we've identified two cult members meeting in Sapienza to exchange a viral weapon. Something, and I quote, 'apocalyptic'. The client asks us to eliminate them both and extract the weapon."
The jet banks a hard left.
Agent 47 (VO): "Very well. Give me the details."
Diana (VO): "Your first target is Craig Black, renowned author of the Cassandra Snow franchise. He is hosting a late-night book reading in the Sapienza church. A VIP event, invitation only. His publisher has spared no expense, so expect on site security.
The second target is Brother Akram. Intercepts indicate that they will meet at the stroke of midnight to hand over the viral weapon. It is highly likely that Craig Black will leave Sapienza once he has the weapon. Plan accordingly.
The client requires that you retrieve the weapon. Intel indicates it's small and easily moved, but be careful with it. A pickup team will be ready when you extract. I've uploaded the rest of the information.
MISSION ACTIVE
Diana (CONT'D): "Let me know what you need. I'll make sure it's ready when you arrive."
Description[]
Shortly after the assassination of Oybek Nabazov, Diana discovers that Nabazov's death triggered an automated signal which was sent to several sleeper agents around the world, activating them and ordering them to continue the Liberation cult's plans. It now falls to 47 and Diana to track these agents down and eliminate them before they can further their goals.
Their first target is Craig Black, the author of the popular Cassandra Snow series of supernatural books. Having been indoctrinated into the cult, Black is plotting to kill several of his fans at his next convention. Black is holding a book reading event in Sapienza, where he plans to meet another member of Liberation, Brother Akram, to exchange a biological weapon.
47 must eliminate both targets, and retrieve the weapon before it can leave Sapienza.
Mission Stories[]
No Mission Stories are available in this mission.
Intelligence[]
- Ambiance
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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Craig Black will attend a promotional photoshoot in the Sapienza church crypt, once the lights are working again. |
- Akram's Apartment Key
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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This key opens a marina-facing apartment currently used by Brother Akram. |
- Book Reading Invitation
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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This invitation will grant access to the private book reading taking place in the Sapienza church. |
- Church Key
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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A key. Grants access to the church. |
- Note
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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"To whoever reads this: I am a coward and I do not deserve to live anymore. I had a chance to follow the love of my life but instead I am going to jump off a cliff. Here, in the beautiful city that we always wanted to visit together. Rebecka... I love you. And I will see you soon on the other side. / Jeff " |
- Safe Combination
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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A safe combination. Grants access to Silvio's safe. [Meant to say Salvatore Bravuomo's safe, but this text was copied from World of Tomorrow and not edited.] |
- The Renowned Critic
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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Renowned literature critic Mike Vogt has an invitation to the private book reading taking place in the Sapienza church. |
- Town Hall Key
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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A key. Opens the Sapienza Town Hall. |
- Viral Weapon
The following information may contain spoilers. |
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A canister of the weaponized Nabazov virus. Designed to aerosolize and disperse the virus very efficiently. Appears to be a custom design for this purpose. |
Challenges[]
There are 18 challenges in total: 10 "Assassination", 2 "Discovery", 2 "Feats" & 4 "The Classics", worth 43000XP and contain 1 unlock.
Name | Type | Description | Rewards |
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Purify the Spirits | A | Drown both targets as the Ghostly Fan. | +4000XP |
Boom Beats Blah* | A |
|
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The Pen Is Mightier than the Sword | A | [REDACTED]
Assassinate Craig Black by impaling him with a pen.
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+2000XP |
The Gravedigger | A |
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+4000XP |
Versatile Assassin | A | Complete all the Versatile challenges in Sapienza:
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+4000XP |
Tasteless, Traceless | A | Assassinate a target with lethal poison in Sapienza. | +1000XP |
Hold My Hair | A | Assassinate a target by drowning them in Sapienza. | +1000XP |
Someone Could Hurt Themselves | A | Assassinate a target in an accident in Sapienza. | +1000XP |
Piano Man | A | Assassinate a target with the fiber wire in Sapienza. | +1000XP |
Straight Shot | A | Assassinate a target with a headshot in Sapienza. | +1000XP |
... Will Be the Last To Reach Your Dying Ear | D | Become Craig Black and attend the meeting. | +2000XP |
And the Footsteps You Hear... | D | Become Brother Akram and attend the meeting. | +2000XP |
Papers, Please? | F | Get an invitation to the reading from the critic Mike Vogt. | +1000XP |
Chameleon | F | Find and equip all disguises in Sapienza. | +4000XP |
Sniper Assassin | TC |
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+4000XP |
Silent Assassin | TC |
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+4000XP |
Silent Assassin, Suit Only | TC |
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+4000XP |
Suit Only | TC |
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+1000XP |
*Added in HITMAN™ III Patch 3.150.1.
Cut Challenges[]
Name | Type | Description | Rewards |
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No Evidence (Cut in HITMAN™ III) | TC |
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+1000XP |
Mastery[]
Mastery Level | Type | Unlock | Description |
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1 | Starting Location | Portico | 47 arrives in Sapienza via the Pier and begins the mission in the portico overlooking the beach. |
Agency Pickup | Sewers | The ICA can smuggle a briefcase containing a large item into the Sapienza sewers below the marina. |
Disguises[]
Items[]
Firearms | ||||
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Bartoli 75R | ||||
Melee | ||||
Baseball Bat | Brick | Bust | Crowbar | Fire Axe |
Kitchen Knife | Pool Ball | Scissors | Screwdriver | Shovel |
Soda Can | Toy Tank | Wrench | ||
Explosives | Distractions | |||
Explosive Golf Ball | Fire Extinguisher | Propane Flask | Coin | |
Poisons | ||||
Emetic Rat Poison | Insecticide |
Other NPCs[]
Trivia[]
- It is possible to initiate the meeting between Craig Black and Brother Akram by making the church bell ring by activating the bell or shooting it.
- If the bell is destroyed before it is rung, the meeting will never occur.
- Once the meeting is over, Craig Black will enter the "Target is leaving the area" state. If he is not eliminated soon enough, the mission fails. Destroying the bell will cause some momentary disruption, but Black's book reading event will go on, and a church worker will even walk into the ruins of the fallen bell and dust some now non-existent furniture.
- Subduing Brother Akram and stealing the virus will result in him sulking on the balcony.
- If 47 disguises himself as Salvatore Bravuomo, acquires the invitation and attempts to get inside the book reading event, the guard watching the church entrance will claim that the name Salvatore Bravuomo is not in the guest list and will therefore refuse to let 47 inside.
- The virus sample uses the same model as the Virus Prototype item from World of Tomorrow.
- A security camera server is located in the room that was, in World of Tomorrow, Rocco's apartment. Oddly, the bodyguard uniform is considered trespassing here, Rocco's Hitman game is still on the computer screen, and there is someone sleeping on the bed. It is possible that this was originally intended to be the security center for Brother Akram's guard detail, which occupies this building, but this was either overlooked or left uncompleted.
- If Jeff wasn't killed in The Source, he can be seen crying on a bench in the main square, with a suicide note next to him explaining that Rebecka died with the cult. After a while he will run off a cliff near the town's exit. If subdued or killed, Jeff will drop a Folding Knife.
- Jeff will not spawn if he is killed in the latest playthrough of The Source.
- Jeff must be subdued (but not tranquilized) while still sitting at the bench otherwise he will not appear in the next mission.