STORYLINE AND LORE

The plot and lore of this story remains open, unsaid, unfinished. This allows both the developers and the community to develop the world, doing their missions without hard limits. Here the main plot of the story campaign will be retold at the time of writing, as well as revealing the game world with additional paragraphs.

Chronology

Phase Zero: The Pre-Epidemic Period — a time that, while preceding the outbreak, had a direct impact on the events that followed:

• December 19, 1989: Operation "Just Cause";
    A U.S. military operation in the Republic of Panama. Panamanian forces surrendered, and the U.S. secured a valuable cargo.
  
  

• 1990–1993: The Panamanian Crisis;
    A wave of mass emigration brought Panamanian refugees to the U.S., triggering local job market issues and the rise of illegal enterprises and militant groups.
  
  

• January 20, 1993: Robert Clifford becomes President of the United States;
    Robert Clifford narrowly defeated Bill Clinton in the final round of voting, becoming the 42nd President of the United States.
  
  

• October 10, 1993: Discovery of landowners' bodies;
    During an FBI investigation, the bodies of property owners were discovered on land being used as a base by a clandestine Panamanian cell.
  
  

• October 18, 1993: First raid fails;
    The FBI and NYPD launched an initial operation to apprehend the illegal group. The raid turned into a bloodbath, forcing law enforcement to retreat.
  
  

• October 20, 1993: Raid;
    A second operation followed just two days later. This time, the FBI's HRT team joined the effort, initiating a full-scale assault.
  
  

• October 28, 1993: Revenge;
    Regrouped and armed, Panamanian terrorists launched a coordinated assault on a Gentek facility in the heart of New York City. It was the spark that triggered the catastrophe.

Initial Phase: The military and National Guard attempt to enter major cities and organize evacuations. Police forces gather survivors in camps. These events unfold during the early days of the outbreak:

• November 1, 1993: Outbreak Day;
    The official start of the epidemic. The epicenter was New York City, home to over 7 million people at the time.
  
  

• November 1, 1993: Brookside Lockdown;
    In Washington, D.C., the local MPD responded to a report of gunfire in the Brooksides residential complex. What happened there changed everything.
  
  

• November 1, 1993: U.S. Government Refuses U.N. Aid;
    The Department of State and the White House released a joint statement acknowledging the outbreak, but rejected any foreign aid from the U.N. or NATO.
  
  

• November 2, 1993: Ruined Vacation;
    Chaos erupts on the streets of New York. Police begin mobilizing, forming cordons and evacuation camps while holding off waves of infected.
  
  

• November 2, 1993: Presidential Evacuation by Helicopter;
    As infection spreads through Washington, D.C., the Secret Service extracts the President and his family, transferring them onto Air Force One.
  
  

• November 2, 1993: In the Middle of Hell;
    NYPD sets up dozens of defensive positions across the city in an attempt to slow the spread, but their efforts prove futile.
  
  

• November 2, 1993: National Guard Deployed to the Red Zone;
    National Guard units from multiple East Coast states are mobilized to launch containment operations in the most heavily infected regions.
  
  

• November 2, 1993: U.S. Army Enters the Red Zone;
    Following the Guard’s deployment, regular Army units begin establishing forward operating bases to assist police and support evacuations.
  
  

• November 4, 1993: Black Monday;
    The U.S. Army establishes an emergency evacuation hub in Times Square, building three layers of defense. They face overwhelming infected numbers.
  
  

• November 5, 1993: Construction of the "Great Wall" Begins;
    Under President Robert Clifford’s direct order, military engineers begin building the “Great Wall” — a containment barrier stretching from Ohio to Mississippi.
  
  

• November 10, 1993: National Guard Suffers Heavy Losses;
    National Guard command loses contact with multiple units stationed in the Red Zone. The remaining forces suffer devastating casualties.
  
  

• November 11, 1993: Costly Army Engagements;
    Despite better training and equipment, regular Army units also begin withdrawing under the unrelenting pressure of the infected.
  
  

• November 12, 1993: Martial Law Declared;
    The federal government declares martial law in over 15 East Coast states. The situation rapidly spirals out of control.
  
  

• November 13, 1993: Highway Checkpoint;
    Infection spreads deeper into the Yellow Zone. Soldiers stationed at a checkpoint near the Great Wall are suddenly overrun while screening civilians.
  
  

• November 20, 1993: Washington Declared a Combat Zone;
    Upon entering Washington, D.C., regular Army forces encounter massive infected hordes. Intense urban combat begins in the nation's capital.
  
  

• November 22, 1993: Command Point Alpha;
    The Army quickly sets up an evacuation hub at the White House. Armored vehicles and air support are used to buy critical time.
  
  

• November 22, 1993: Government Evacuation by Helicopter;
    Amid heavy fighting near the White House, remaining members of the federal government are evacuated by air.
  
  

• November 22, 1993: Failed Containment;
    While defending the White House, scattered military units spread through the city in search of civilian survivors, losing cohesion in the process.
  
  

• November 23, 1993: Monument;
    Simultaneously, troops establish an evacuation site near the Washington Monument. Outnumbered and under constant attack, they fight to hold position.
  
  

• November 23, 1993: Stadium Outpost;
    As evacuation continues near the monument, scattered units are still searching for survivors in the city, holding out in isolated pockets.
  
  

• November 23–30, 1993: Withdrawal from the Red Zone;
    With most evacuation zones cleared early, both the Army and National Guard begin a phased withdrawal from the Red Zone.
  
  

• November 30, 1993: U.S. Air Force Destroys Bridges;
    Air assets support retreating troops by systematically destroying bridges behind them, buying time and cutting off infected pursuit.

Mid Phase: Forward positions are dismantled as military forces partially or fully withdraw from the Red Zone in an effort to hold the line near the under-construction "Great Wall." Many survivors who failed to evacuate are now left entirely on their own:

• December 1, 1993: Bridge;
    Rearguard units remained stationed near the few remaining intact bridges, hoping to extract any stragglers—both soldiers and civilians.
  
  

• December 3, 1993: BlackWatch Rescue;
    BlackWatch command received an SOS from a field team of researchers caught in a trap. A tactical team was dispatched to extract them.
  
  

• December 4, 1993: Silent Base;
    A group of survivors arrived at an airport previously designated as an evacuation point, only to find the military had already pulled out. They were on their own.
  
  

• December 6, 1993: Presidential Address;
    President Robert Clifford delivered a national address, briefing the public on the deteriorating situation across the Eastern Seaboard.
  
  

• December 16, 1993: Arrival of the 7th Infantry Division;
    Elements of the 7th Infantry Division, previously deployed in Operation "Just Cause," arrived to reinforce the garrisons near the Great Wall.
  
  

• December 20, 1993: Withdrawal Orders Issued;
    Regular Army units stationed at the border of the Red and Yellow Zones began receiving formal orders to fall back behind the Wall.
  
  

• December 21, 1993: Operation "Sibertooth";
    Faced with the risk of encirclement, U.S. Command launched Operation "Sibertooth" to create secure withdrawal corridors for isolated forces.
  
  

• December 22–24, 1993: Infected Flood the Yellow Zone;
    As U.S. forces retreated, infected breached the Yellow Zone, attacking rear lines and cutting off withdrawal routes.
  
  

• December 25, 1993: Lifeline;
    A rear supply post was overrun during the surge. Troops fought desperately to keep evacuation routes open for trapped civilians.
  
  

• December 26–29, 1993: Final Army Withdrawal;
    By December 29th, the last surviving U.S. military units in the Yellow Zone successfully retreated behind the Wall to reinforce its defenses.
  
  

• December 29, 1993: FEMA Declares Evacuation Complete;
    The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a report declaring the evacuation of all remaining civilians in the Yellow Zone complete.
  
  

• January 2, 1994: Construction of the Great Wall Completed;
    As the final military units withdrew, the President received confirmation: the Great Wall was fully operational and sealed.

ATTENTION! SPOILERS!
ATTENTION! A LOT OF TEXT!

1989, REPUBLIC OF PANAMA

Operation Just Cause

On December 19, 1989, U.S. President George H. W. Bush announced the launch of Operation "Just Cause," justifying the invasion as necessary to protect 35,000 American citizens and to restore democracy in Panama. U.S. Armed Forces launched a large-scale offensive: the Air Force quickly established total air superiority, striking rebel strongholds and Panamanian Army positions, while airborne units, supported by armored vehicles, advanced deeper into the country, crushing resistance along the way.

In parallel with the main offensive, a detachment of SFOD-D (Delta Force) was deployed into the combat zone. Their mission was to locate and extract a key CIA informant — Panamanian General Carlos Barrer — who, according to intelligence, possessed critical information about a shipment of biological weapons intended for sale on the black market and transport to Angola. The objective was clear: intercept the cargo and ensure its safe transfer to the United States.

General Sean Davis, commander of U.S. forces in the sector, personally briefed Delta Team leader Major Theodore Stewart, informing him that the target was likely located at an airfield — most likely in the control tower of Tocumen International Airport. After resupplying and receiving the green light, the unit deployed toward the objective.

Upon arrival in the airport area, the lead vehicle in the Delta convoy came under fire from a checkpoint at the entrance. A firefight broke out, and the U.S. operatives were forced to battle their way through. Panamanian forces had heavily fortified the control tower, blocking all access routes with infantry and keeping vehicles, including a truck and an armored car, in reserve. The Delta operatives managed to suppress the defenders, and an A-10 strike group eliminated the armored threat with a low-altitude, precision attack.

Pushing through the runways and parking zones, the team reached the tower, cleared the building, and located General Barrer. A counterattack by Panamanian troops was repelled, after which the team secured the landing zone, extracted the general by helicopter, and awaited further orders.

The interrogation began immediately. According to Barrer, the cargo in question was stored in the port area and prepared for shipment aboard a container vessel. A new mission was issued: reach the site, breach the outer and inner security cordons, locate the high-value cargo, and extract it. Due to the risk of detonation, the use of heavy firepower near the target was strictly prohibited. Two Humvees equipped with six-barrel miniguns were dispatched to support the operation.

Fighting their way through enemy resistance and clearing hangar after hangar, the Delta team eventually located the shipment and secured it. In order to allow a helicopter to land safely, the surrounding area had to be fully cleared. Once the landing zone was secured, the team boarded the aircraft and was finally airlifted out for debriefing and rest.

Debriefing Info
[ Debriefing Screen: Victory ]

At dawn, strikes were made on rebel concentration areas in the suburbs of Rio Hato and David, as well as in the department of Chiriqui. At the same time, airmobile operations began to suppress cells of resistance in these areas. Airborne assault forces (detachments) from the 82nd Airborne Division and 7th Airborne Division, operating on helicopters, during operation blocked formations from the "dignity battalions" in the western provinces of the country, after that they disarmed or destroyed them. 

According to the American command, such tactics of action brought the desired results by December 23rd. In almost all areas of Panama, militia units ceased resistance and surrendered. 

January 3, General M. Noriega surrendered to the American command. The withdrawal of American troops deployed from the United States to participate in the operation, as reported by the foreign press, was practically completed on February 14, 1990. 

The operation associated with the search for stolen biological weapons went to the Pentagon under the heading "top secret". The losses of the American armed forces during the fight, according to Western sources, were amount to 23 killed and about 330 wounded. The National Defense Forces and the Dignity Battalions lost 314 killed and 124 wounded.

Mission completed.

1990-1993. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Panama Crisis

Following the conclusion of the military operation in Panama and the arrest of Manuel Noriega, the U.S. Supreme Court convicted him along with a number of high-ranking officers from the Panamanian Defense Forces. Most received lenient sentences — short terms, suspended rulings, or plea bargains. But the court’s mercy did little to soften their hatred toward the United States. On the contrary, in the confines of their cells, that hatred sharpened. Many of them, still in prison uniforms, were already laying the groundwork for revenge. And when released — they wasted no time putting their plan into motion.

Several former Panamanian soldiers and officers immigrated legally or semi-legally to the United States. They quietly settled in the New York area and began operating covertly and systematically. Their objective was simple: track down and recover the biological shipment taken from them during the 1989 raid, and then release the virus as retribution. But executing such a plan required time. They needed intelligence: the container’s location, its handlers, its protection protocols. To that end, they began gathering information on Gentek Corporation — its logistics, its security, its ties to the government, and its interactions with the NYPD.

They knew they couldn't confront the system head-on. So they started building an infrastructure: acquiring weapons, recruiting personnel, establishing safe houses, obtaining vehicles, crafting identities. Soon, they secured suburban properties around New York City under the names of proxies. As later revealed in FBI reports, these transactions were carried out using clean identities and flawless credit histories. The funding came from personal accounts belonging to former Panamanian officers, much of it quietly moved abroad during their years of service.

U.S. intelligence agencies grew suspicious of the former military personnel and began surveillance as early as 1992. Direct contact proved impossible; the operation required caution. The focus shifted to locating and interrogating the intermediaries who had signed the property documents. But by the time investigators closed in, all such individuals were found dead. The Panamanians had covered their tracks — but failed to anticipate that the bodies would be found, and the trail would remain.

This gave federal agencies legal grounds to inspect the properties. The initial approach was procedural — no weapons drawn, no accusations. Inspection teams included IRS agents alongside FBI investigators. It was an attempt to operate within the law. But the terrorists knew the facade had cracked. Their cover was blown, and secrecy was no longer an option. When government teams arrived at the compounds, they weren’t met with lawyers or caretakers — they were met with gunfire. Every delegation was wiped out. The Panamanians made their move.

MID-OCTOBER 1993. OUTSKIRTS 

NEW YORK, USA

Raid

In mid-October 1993, the FBI received authorization to raid several suspected locations, eliminate hostile elements, and apprehend the leader of the Panamanian terrorist cell. Days later, the FBI, supported by the NYPD, launched the first assault on a rural farm compound. It quickly became clear the site had been fortified into a full-scale stronghold. The FBI withdrew. Within 24 hours, the agency brought in its elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), specialized in breaching and high-risk entries. Though there were no hostages, operational command had emphasized the need to capture the group's leader — Juan Martinez — alive.

The second operation began at 3:00 a.m. The assault team’s objective was to locate and arrest Martinez, while neutralizing resistance both in the residential sector of the farm and in the hangar zone beyond. Intelligence from NYPD indicated the suspects were armed with shotguns, submachine guns, and rifles. A police helicopter circled overhead, its spotlight cutting through the darkness to help locate concealed targets.

The team approached from the old scrapyard area. Terrorists had entrenched themselves at key intersections, shadows, and blind spots, waiting with weapons ready. The pitch-black environment posed a major challenge, but the assault team's experience and cohesion paid off. They managed to break through the outer perimeter and clear the scrapyard section. Next came the residential area — the likely hideout of the priority target — and defenders were clearly prepared.

The team advanced from two directions simultaneously. As casualties mounted among the defenders, Martinez ordered several groups to fall back to the hangars and delay the police in the tight alleyways between buildings. Despite fierce resistance, the assault teams broke through, secured the courtyard, and began clearing the main structure. Shotguns and shield bearers proved especially effective in the confined interior. The terrorists were dug in behind every corner, refusing to surrender. These were not mercenaries — they were ideologues, men who had come to die, not bargain. There was no fear in them, or at least none they lived long enough to show.

With his last bodyguard down, Martinez realized it was over. He shouted that the Americans would get nothing from him, then took his own life. Field command reported the incident and received immediate orders to proceed with the assault on the hangars behind the farm. After regrouping, the operatives pushed forward. The remaining terrorists greeted them with suppressive fire, attempting to hold off the advance in a maze of narrow corridors filled with rubble and construction debris. These choke points became deadly firing positions, but the FBI team pressed on. The death of Martinez and the collapse of central command had shaken the defenders’ morale. Panic began to spread.

Forcing their way through the alleys, the assault team emerged into an open field. Resistance was now limited to scattered fighters holding positions at hangar entrances and within the structures themselves. The assault was swift. Inside the main hangar, agents encountered the last of the resistance, guarding a truck yard packed with weapons and explosives. Tire tracks indicated that at least one vehicle had escaped the perimeter. The FBI dispatcher immediately issued alerts to highway patrol units.

Soon after, NYPD unit Charlie-343 identified several speeding minivans on a nearby highway. An attempted stop led to a high-speed pursuit through busy traffic. Multiple accidents and civilian injuries followed, but the suspects were eventually stopped. Upon identifying the drivers as heavily armed terrorists, officers called for backup. The area was surrounded, and the remaining cell members were neutralized.

The operation was over, but the full picture remained elusive. As the raid began, terrorists had scrambled to destroy all sensitive documents. With Martinez dead, there was no one left to reveal their intentions. The FBI had dismantled a dangerous cell and confiscated a large cache of weapons, explosives, and vehicles — but the deeper truth had slipped through their fingers. Until the day it would no longer remain hidden, neither law enforcement nor the government would truly understand how close they had come to disaster.

Debriefing Info
[ Debriefing Screen: Victory ]

"Good morning, America. We are with the CNB news channel, let's start with breaking news: This morning around 5 AM, on a highway leading to New-York, a small traffic jam appeared. According to police reports, this was caused by a heated pursuit between police and multiple armed suspects. As our on scene crew reports, they were heavily armed and transporting explosives, but, The local police department says that all terrorists has been neutrlized, with numerous heavy weapons and explosive ordinance being confiscated. The investigation process has been transfered to FBI... 

Moving on to other news: today's local weather forecast concludes that today will be rainy day, 17 degrees and high density, we recommend to get your fancy jackets and take a walk in our park!......

Mission completed.

LATE OCTOBER 1993. NEW YORK CITY AREA, USA

Countdown

After the raid on the farm compound and the death of Juan Martinez, panic spread through the remaining cells of the Panamanian network. Its leaders quickly realized that American intelligence wasn’t just closing in — it was systematically dismantling their operations. Every known link was being hunted down, and the organization’s structure was rapidly collapsing. With time running out, the surviving groups came to a grim consensus: the main operation had to be launched ahead of schedule.

Meanwhile, law enforcement efforts intensified. Across New York City, the NYPD and FBI implemented broad security measures. Police patrols were increased, access control tightened around key facilities, and random searches of pedestrians and vehicles became routine. Joint task forces began raiding storage yards, garages, abandoned industrial sites, and rural properties. The atmosphere in the city was growing tense, heavy with the weight of something approaching — though no one yet knew what.

For the terrorists, this was a phase of urgent withdrawal and relocation. Any safehouse that had even briefly appeared on law enforcement’s radar was immediately abandoned. Movements were made in haste, often at great risk. During one such relocation, a patrol unit stopped a suspicious van. A brief but violent shootout ensued. The terrorists were killed on the spot, and inside the vehicle, officers discovered a cache of weapons and equipment — evidently intended for use in the cell’s final plan. It was the first tangible sign that something much larger was imminent.

Despite the losses, the remaining cells still possessed ample firepower, carefully stockpiled in advance. Communications resumed in secret. The groups pooled the final pieces of their operation and, working with absolute discretion, established a time and location for a final rendezvous — the moment everything they had prepared would be set in motion. Everything before had been setup.

OCTOBER 1993. DOWNTOWN NEW YORK, USA

Revenge

The day had come — the one Panamanian operatives had been preparing for over the past several months. The last two surviving groups moved to execute the final phase of their campaign: an assault on a key target in the center of New York City — the Gentek Corporation research complex.

Information about the target was obtained during the interrogation of a missing Gentek employee. Under questioning, he confirmed the existence of a secured underground laboratory beneath the facility, where research and storage of biological weapons were being carried out. According to him, a virus known as "Blacklight" was kept there. The plan was clear: the first group would infiltrate the complex, secure the perimeter, and open the way for the second group, which would be responsible for clearing the internal sections. After that, both teams would proceed to storm the laboratory itself.

The first group arrived on-site disguised as cleaning staff. Once inside, they opened fire and secured the courtyard. Explosives were planted along the perimeter. The second group was still en route. 911 calls began almost immediately. The first NYPD patrol to arrive was wiped out but managed to report the attack before being killed.

There was little time left. One member of the second group, wearing body armor and carrying a machine gun, was transferred to the first group to reinforce their position. The rest entered the main building. Their task was to clear the facility and reach the laboratory. Police and SWAT units were already beginning to arrive.

After a brief but intense firefight with the initial police responders, the officers were forced to retreat and began forming a perimeter around the complex. Meanwhile, the attackers executed the staff and reached the laboratory sector. The virus was located and released. What happened to the operatives afterward is unknown. Most likely, they died inside the facility.

Several hours later, a helicopter landed at the site. Onboard was a BlackWatch PMC unit. They had been deployed to clean up and eliminate all data related to the project. During the mission, they encountered infected individuals and engaged them in close-quarters combat within the facility. The unit managed to reach the laboratory, destroy the stored data, and evacuate. From that point forward, the situation was no longer under control.

Debriefing Info
[ Debriefing Screen: Victory ]

Incident log at Gentek headquarters:

Access: Classified

Status: Neutralised

Aftermath: Localised

Corporation loss: Colossal

Facility: Conservated

We managed to save our development and cover all traces. But this time, the incident will not be hushed up. Too many witnesses and civilian deaths. In the morning the whole country will know about it. We need to know more about the attackers. I recommend to convene a meeting of directors in the near future and discuss further actions...

Mission completed.

EARLY NOVEMBER 1993. NEW YORK CITY CENTER, USA

Ruined Vacation

At the start of the outbreak, NYPD Captain Sam Walker was holding a bottle and completely disconnected from reality. Family issues, exhaustion, the world falling apart — it all blurred together. Only a phone call from his division chief on November 2 snapped him out of his apathy. The order was clear: report to the precinct immediately.

At the station, the chief briefed him on the current situation: multiple terror attacks, reports of infection, street battles — chaos. Walker was assigned to one of the civilian evacuation points and placed in charge of local defense. He was given six officers. Before he even had a chance to learn their names, the camp was hit by another wave of infected. The group held the line long enough for the last truck with survivors to escape.

The next objective was the city hospital. A constant SOS signal was coming from the area. On the way, Walker’s group was attacked every few hundred meters. Every advance was a fight. Halfway there, a new order came in: secure a major intersection and hold it until a convoy of civilian buses passed through. A V-100 armored vehicle arrived just in time to reinforce the position, as it had done back at the camp. Once the buses made it through, the team pushed forward.

Near the hospital bridge, they encountered a police cordon. Officers were barely holding back the infected and trying to keep the route open. Even with reinforcements, losses mounted. The line was falling back — closer and closer to the hospital entrance.
By the time the bridge position was completely overrun, the hospital perimeter had already collapsed. The police were holding their ground with what little strength they had left. Walker's group couldn't turn the tide. Together with the remaining officers, they made the call to retreat toward the nearest subway station. Only Walker's team and a handful of others managed to pull back in an organized way. The rest were likely overrun and killed.

The metro station wasn’t a refuge — it was another trap. The platform was already infected. After clearing the area, the squad continued through the tunnels. A few stations later, after crossing under the Hudson River, they emerged on the surface. On the highway nearby, they found the wreckage of a National Guard convoy — the same one the police had been waiting for since the first day. But there was no help. The convoy had never reached the Bronx. A traffic jam had trapped them, and then the infected struck. No survivors.

One of the vehicles still had an active military radio. Walker listened. The army had lost an entire battalion at the George Washington Bridge. The attempt to contain New York had failed. Command had issued a full withdrawal — both the red and yellow zones were being abandoned. The conclusion was simple - the city was no longer under control. The survivors were on their own.

Debriefing Info
[ Debriefing Screen: Victory ]

The infection was spreading so fast, in just a few weeks almost the entire East Coast was infected. The Containment Operation has been accompanied with bombing various major citys and infrastructure - destryoing all river river crossings and closing off any ferry's. A massive evacuation of the citizens to the west of the country has caused huge traffic jams on most of main highways, many military units are finding it difficult to get to the Containment Operation Zone. 

The Government has declared martial law in more than 15 states to the east and closed their borders, with further restrictions to movement for all non military personnel. 

Military forces have began to build a new border, thereby forming a major defence line from the state of Ohio to the Mississippi. The US President has made a speech to the enitre country, that from this point on the nation will be divided are divided into 2 parts the first is from central to western, where the virus didn't spread to, and the other right after the military checkpoint on the east, according to scientists, more than half of the population is infected. 

Only after those tough measures did they managed to halt the spreading of the infection.

Mission over.