October 5th - 06:00:00, while the disavowed Task Force 141 and RL PMC were working on Sierra Leone, Baseplate has been hard at work conducting investigations and analyzing data ever since Ridley and Red Coat gave him the intel. Everyone around him in Hereford has never seen him push himself so hard since his prime.

The first main focus is the members of TF 141's chain of command that Makarov can and cannot control. The former are Shepherd himself, and colonels and generals from the various special forces branches that the unit sourced its manpower from, with the list of names redacted, while the latter is a much shorter list, also redacted.

The second is the organizations with branches around the world that the Ultranationalists have full control over. These include Fregata Industries, a Russian international shipping company, and Charity Worldwide, a supposed Russian N.G.O.

Needing an extra set of eyes and a different perspective about all this, he calls in an old friend and one of Task Force 141's "salvageable assets" when it got disolved/disavowed.

Baseplate: Cypher?

Cypher: Mac— I mean, Baseplate? This must be serious.

There are few people in TF 141 who were not present in either Russia or Afghanistan back then, the second in command of Shepherd, Lieutenant Colonel Victor 'Cypher' Lyall (voiced and played by Sean Bean), was one of them. And just like the others, he was "salvaged" by his CO: Baseplate.

Baseplate: What do you think of these?

Cypher: Now that you've brought up Fregata Industries and Charity Worldwide, I can see if they have branches here. *searches* Right, a joint branch, in London.

Baseplate: Getting real uneasy with them around. What about the leaders of 141?

Cypher: I knew I should have copied some of those files while I still could. Because I bet Shepherd's people in Ft. Riley already redacted or destroyed them by now. But about me, I say I'm not that controllable by Makarov. The general always talked to the captains more than me, so it seemed like I was just second in command on paper.

Baseplate: Sorry to hear that.

Cypher: It's fine. Being with the operators in and out of the field is where I belong.

Baseplate: Right. But have you figured out the motive behind sending you to do office politics ever since you came back?

Cypher: To go after a possible sponsor of 141?

Baseplate: Exactly. With that, nothing in UKSF goes through without the general's go ahead.

Cypher: General Archibald Crowley.

Baseplate: How's his security as of now?

Cypher: Strong, but predictable. Half of them I can sneak past, the other I'll need anesthesia. But the general seems to have been making shady calls in the darkest corners of the building since I got back.

Baseplate: Not his office?

Cypher: Negative. I guess even that place has cameras.

Baseplate: Alright. I'll need you to find out what he knows. Maybe get rid of his security and he'll feel more vulnerable.

Cypher: This seems way above our pay grade, Baseplate.

Baseplate: I know. But if this could be some deep state shite, who's gonna stop them?

Cypher: True. Well, time to flush out some rats.

Baseplate: Take tranq darts and needles. Make him talk by any means necessary. You have my authority. Just clean the scene and yourself up after.

Cypher: Roger that.

Later that day, 14:11:45, Northwood HQ, London, Cypher gets to work in finding General Crowley. As expected, he is on another one of his shady FaceTime's in a soundproof conference room, likely ordered or bribed the surveillance team to kill the cameras there.

Inside, he is wearing his black combat uniform and gear, consisting of his plate carrier, combat pants, plain black t-shirt, ballistic helmet with comms, black balaclava, black tinted shooter goggles, Glock 17 Gen 5 with tranq rounds, and Taran Tactical TR-1 Ultra Light. It is normal around key personnel of the British Military's chain of command as they assign 21 and 23 S.A.S. as their security detail, and Cypher is acting as the bodyguard of Baseplate.

Even though the guns are not for show, Cypher knew he did not need to use all of them. As getting past General Crowley's security guarding the conference room is easy.

Cypher: You look tired today, troops.

S.A.S. Guard 1: And you sound too old to wear that uniform, sir.

Cypher: I suppose the general gave you two permission to talk to superiors like that?

S.A.S. Guard 2: Only the best boss. Unlike you, he knows how sleazy your kind are.

Cypher: Maybe he and I have something in common. Has he's got nothing important going on there?

S.A.S. Guard 1: Oh, no. He's just there beating it to porn. Now go on and beat it, eh?

Cypher gets behind the guards and acts like a friend before making his quiet move.

Cypher: Alright then. Sorry to bother.

shoots with tranq darts*

Cypher: Whoa, easy there! Seems the general's overworked you two. Take a break, I'll cover for you.

With no one looking, Cypher sneaks up and eavesdrops on General Crowley.

General Crowley: I am Shepherd's most trusted associate. I have access to all your cuts right here. It would be a shame if I forgot.

Canadian Spec Ops: No need to be rash here.

Australian Spec Ops: You better not.

General Crowley: Ha! I'm just mucking about. Relax.

U.S. Spec Ops: Hilarious.

General Crowley: Your money will be in your accounts before the day here is done. Thank you all for your service.

Australian Spec Ops: You too. Keep in touch.

Canadian Spec Ops: Likewise. Can't wait for the next one.

U.S. Spec Ops: You too, General. I look forward to working with you all on another project like this.

General Crowley: To a fruitful future. Crowley, out.

Cypher then introduces himself.

Cypher: General.

General Crowley: You can't sneak up on me like that! You almost gave me a heart attack! *sighs* Anyway, let's go. We should all be square now.

Cypher: You're pathetic.

General Crowley: Who the hell do you think you are?! I am a general and the commander of UKSF.

Cypher: Never say specifics ever, general. You carelessly gave up your involvement in the 141 fiasco and the names of your accomplices. *points at laptop*

General Crowley: Oh, Lord. You're one of them, aren't you? *stutters* What I did, I did for my country. The West. We need new ways to combat terrorists and nation level threats.

Cypher: In the process, you ended up becoming another one of the West's enemies. You used your position to justify acts of treason. Guess they've come back to haunt you now.

General Crowley: Listen, if you have the slightest idea of what I've sacrificed for our home, you'd piss yourself!

Cypher: Oh, I respect your rank. But I don't have to respect you. Now, if you really care about our country and the West, you would not stop me. Because this game needs to end, now. Am I making myself clear?

General Crowley: *nods*

Cypher: Good. *takes laptop*

General Crowley: Password is your motto. No spaces, no caps.

Cypher tries it just to be sure. And it works.

Cypher: Thank you. Stay out of trouble now. Because I would hate to come back here. Wouldn't be pleasant for both of us. And one more thing, give your guards a day off. They work too hard.

Four hours later back in Hereford, Baseplate gets even more fixated with Cypher's find and is already making plans to send him to the U.S., Canada and Australia for intel gathering on General Crowley's accomplices.