Chapter Fifty Five
January 11th, 2097
New Athens, The Commonwealth
Lake House, Laguna Bend
Blackwatch has remained the backbone of the Commonwealth military for decades, dating back to its founding upon the plains of Maracay. Their forces have fought across every battlefield, against every foe, seizing the exaltation of conquest and enduring the stain of defeat.
Blackwatch may no longer represent the bulk of the United Commonwealth's armed forces, but it remains the most capable and storied military branch in its possession.
Blackwatch soldiers, sailors, and airmen paid the ultimate price for the Commonwealth's foundation, hoping that their death might mean something more than a corporate checkmark.
The thousands upon thousands of black markers that litter the slopes of North Oak National Cemetery are a testament to the sacrifice Blackwatch made in the name of the United Commonwealth.
Only those who served in the early days of Blackwatch are buried in this hallowed ground so that even in death, their duty to the Commonwealth continues into the long night.
However, at its heart is a solitary tomb dedicated to those who could not or would not be identified.
Etched into its black marble base is the oath of enlistment every initiate recites before joining the ranks of the Commonwealth Military.
I, as a citizen of the United Commonwealth, joining the ranks of its armed forces, do solemnly swear that I will serve my country faithfully and, to my best ability, seek to pursue its enlightenment and future. To be obedient to the law and execute the orders of the senate and the officers appointed over me. To stand firm in guarding the rights of my fellow citizens and to defend the honor of the Commonwealth.
This oath has been spoken in a hundred languages because the Commonwealth recognizes none above any other. It has been sworn upon the pages of Bibles, Qurans, Torahs, every sacred scripture, or none at all. Because to mitigate the sacrifice of millions to a singular culture or race was to betray the ideals the Commonwealth is founded on.
Blackwatch will forever be the spark that ignited a nation, and it has operated across every spectrum of the globe to perform the duty bestowed upon them by its founder, but sometimes their obligations tread into territories some might consider immoral.
A single black mark upon Blackwatch's history has drawn the attention of those who have sought to denounce the Commonwealth's elite military arm as no better than the corporations they replaced.
In its early days, Blackwatch conducted an operation in the mysterious district of Pacifica that remains forever locked behind a wall of black ink. However, scratched into the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a date and four distinct marks that Amanda can vividly recall.
September 18th 2077
That date has forever been shrouded by second-hand information and deliberate deceit that transformed this date into a hotbed of conspiracies and internal investigation.
It was well known that Cypher's hands were dipped into this intrigue, and this duplicity consistently marred Amanda's journey into the shadowy veil covering his mythology.
The soldiers from Warlock Battalion revere him like a god that can do no wrong in their rose-tinted eyes. She would have pegged them as indoctrinated if they were anyone else, but there is a fanatical belief in the eyes of soldiers like Sergeant Morrison that doesn't contain the madness religious zealots possess.
They would die for him in an instant, and even decades after the fact, they continue to cover for their enigmatic leader.
Amanda knew the difference between extremists and believers, even if they both tend to walk a fine line together.
Sergeant Morrison was a tremendous interview.
His knowledge of Sicario's internal dynamics before they converted into Blackwatch was crucial in understanding the nature of Cypher's motivations during the early stages of his campaign.
However, there is a gap of information between the San Lucas operation and Blackwatch's next encounter with Cypher. Amanda was ready to draw this up as a lost timeframe that no one on the planet would be able to decipher when the most unexpected of individuals walked into the café.
He was a giant of a man, his height barely clearing the café entrance, and a hardened expression seemed to be etched into his visage. His very presence seemed to halt any hushed conversations amongst the other patrons, and as one, the entire café stood to their feet and saluted the giant.
Mere seconds later, he would take Morrison's seat across from Amanda, allowing the Sergeant a few moments to himself while he personally entertained the reporter.
Only then did he officially introduce himself, and Amanda was left momentarily dumbstruck at the true nature of her newest guest.
The giant was Captain James Dragov, a retired field commander of the elite Cerberus Corps. There is little public information regarding Cypher's personal guard, but its composition and designation are known among Amanda's colleagues and the general public.
Cerberus Corps consists of three elite companies: Shadow Company, Disciple Company, and Guardian Company. Captain Dragov commands the former, while the latter pair were led by Colonel Iwasaki Tsukasa and Captain Vivian Conley, respectively.
Cerberus directed all Operations in Night City, paving the way for the City's eventual invasion by the full complement of Blackwatch's venerable SOT-Special Operations and Tactics-Corps.
This was a golden opportunity for Amanda to break open the lost days of Cypher's movements after the siege of NCPD HQ. Whispers suggested that he made inroads against the Valentinos and Voodoo boys, but the full spectrum of his actions was shrouded in mystery.
Now, if only she could get Dragov to come clean and stop playing with his food.
"Cypher?" The giant retrieved a cigar and lighter from his breast pocket, making a show of lighting the tobacco and filling the air with its smoky scent. "Yeah, I know him, it's a long story, and it's going to take a while. "
"I have the time." And the patience, god willing.
"So I've been told," Dragov remarked with an amused snort. "What are you doing all this for, girl? Money? Fame? Are you just like the rest of the vultures seeking to carve their name into the history books at Cypher's expense?"
"No." Amanda was frequently questioned about the reasons for her interest, and her response was always the same. "I would never do that to Cypher. I owe him far too much to leach off him now."
"Did you know him?"
A flood of memories raced to the forefront of her mind, and her eyes glowed with a familiar light that Dragov had seen time and again. Amanda Wilson was just as captivated with Cypher as any other soldier of Blackwatch.
Dragov doused his cigar into an ashtray cordially provided by the café and leaned forward. His towering frame completely engulfed Amanda's vision, and she instinctively shied back from his impervious presence.
"Does anyone really know Cypher?" The reporter retorted, earning a snort of amusement from Dragov.
"Some more than others…." He whispered, leaning away from Amanda and allowing her a moment of rectitude. "… Others more than some. What do you wanna know?"
The retired Captain piqued Amanda's curiosity, such an open invitation to divulge what could be considered classified information was unheard of considering the enigmatic nature of Blackwatch.
Reporters are by doctrine curious individuals who lust after information as if it was their lifeblood.
And for the last few decades, correspondents from all walks of life had been scavenging the smallest lead in hopes of unraveling the mystery of the Custodians.
What did Amanda want to know?
"A date." She would not be denied her thirst for knowledge, and her lips parched with anticipation. "September 18th 2077. I want to know what happened in Pacifica."
With a long, calming exhale, Dragov eased his own anxieties with the smallest of grins. He didn't agree with giving Amanda's full access, but President Peralez and the Commonwealth Senate's continued pressure ignored his objections.
Secrets had defined Blackwatch for decades, but now it was time for some obscurities to step into the light.
And there was no greater beginning than to unravel the subjugation of an entire district Pacifica with an iron fist.
The Voodoo boys.
A remnant of a bygone era that no longer functioned as an immovable object that prompted the NCPD to swear off patrolling the entire district out of greed or fear. Dragov knew the political and military reasons for subjugating the Voodoo Boys, but the prosecution inflicted upon them was… necessary even if the deeds Blackwatch committed on that day would forever hang over them like an unwanted shadow.
Tension and fear drove the operation against the Voodoo Boys, and it all began with Chamber. There was no other recourse to be taken, and despite the tragedies of that night, Dragov and those Blackwatch Veterans who took part in Operation Cemetery Wind would never regret their actions.
But that didn't mean it could remain hidden forever.
"September 16th, 2077." Amanda's ears perked at his words. "It was my second operation alongside Cypher. We were prosecuting targets against a Valentino distribution center when an… incident occurred."
"What incident?" Dragov shuffled in his seat, searching for the right words to quantify the Mercenary that managed to find her way into Cypher's good graces.
"One of our… assets." He settled with that designation out of respect for the Merc's privacy. "Was working for the Voodoo Boys when she found herself caught up in a conspiracy that threatened to destroy the precarious balance keeping the world together in a single swoop…."
Dragov paused, the cigar dimmed with a bright light that exposed the weariness in his eyes. A sentiment reflected in the eyes of those Blackwatch Veterans quietly observing from the sidelines. He shared a passing glance with Sergeant Morrison, and the former NON-COMM sent a stern but hesitant nod towards the Shadow Company officer.
"… Officially…." Dragov began after a lengthy silence. "… There never was a Blackwatch Operation on September 18th, 2077… Unofficially, approximately six months before Operation Nightfall. A special detachment from Sicario's Warlock Battalion was dispatched to Pacifica with orders to eradicate a threat to humanity…."
His gaze hardened with a severe glint in those chocolate orbs. "… The Voodoo Boys decided that the Blackwall was no longer a necessity, and they sought to tear down the firewall and allow thousands of daemons to infect 'the Net' regardless of the consequences. This could not be allowed, so Cypher called in an entire company from Warlock Battalion to eradicate every inch of their psychotic order."
Dragov went silent, bringing in his cigar for one last smoke-filled breath. His vision was encompassed by the haunting sight of a Haitian child whose features were blank of all emotion as she pressed an Ajax to his head.
"… But we were already too late."
Semper Vigiles Update
So as you all know my updates the last few weeks have been rather poor. They've either been rescheduled or delayed and that's just not acceptable to my standard.
One reason is that the Semper Vigiles Arc for the Voodoo Boys is taking far longer to write than normal due to major writer's block.
This combined with my senior year in college and other miscellaneous issues has caused a backlog.
However, I have recently drawn a vast amount of inspiration that has resulted in a rough outline that in my opinion can lead the Voodoo Boy arc to a far more appealing story.
As a result, I will be removing the recent chapters and rewriting them. The first chapter of the Voodoo Boy arc will be released tomorrow night for everyone to see. From there I will map out a communicated update schedule.
I hope you all have a great rest of the month and hopefully March will be better for everyone.
This chapter goes a different route than the previous and the next one will mostly be the same with some minor differences but the direction will encompass all of Pacifica instead of a relatively minor conflict that was overblown by Cyrus's actions.
Next Chapter: February 28th