Helix

Overview

Helix
Geneticist
Zone	Underground Neutropolis
Coordinates	(301, -1200, -1492)
Level Range	14-20
Introduced By	== Level 14 == Crow
Introduces	== Level 14 == Calvin Scott
Enemy Groups	Neuron's Clockwork Ghouls

Helix is a Praetorian contact in Underground Neutropolis at coordinates (301, -1200, -1492) . Her level range is 14-20.

Introductions

Contact Introduced By

• Crow

Contact Introduces

• Calvin Scott

I think I've got everything handled from here on out, Character. Calvin Scott wanted to see you personally. Sounds like he's got something big lining up and he needs your help.

Information

Geneticist

A senior geneticist and the former assistant of Dr. Hetzfeld. Dr. Helix was abandoned in the tunnels by her colleague and left for dead, but she managed to escape to the Resistance thanks to her enviromental suit's cloaking field. Now she continues her research for the good of the Resistance, hoping one day to find a way to rehabilitate the Ghouls and turn them against the mad man responsible for turning them into monsters.

Prior to Introduction

I think you're talking to the wrong person. I'm very busy and unless I've been given specific orders to work with you, I don't have the time. Sorry.

Initial Contact

Look around you and you'll see the beauty of Praetoria. Neuron has been doing a wonderful job of filling the tunnels with his garbage, and I've dedicated my career to finding a way to give those people back a shred of humanity. From what Crow has told me, Neuron has found a way, and if he can find a way, then we can steal it from him.

Greeting

• Feeling ok?
• Character.

Too Busy

I'm going to need all of your attention for the upcoming task. You'll need to clear your agenda before I can offer it to you.

Too Low Level

None

No More Missions

I'm still rehabilitating a good number of these, what do they call them again, cupcakes?

Once they're ready, we'll have a new weapon to use against Cole.

Store

• Inspirations

Story Arc

The Surge

Merit Rewards: This activity awards 9 Reward Merits.

Souvenir

Candace's Necklace

Candace Meyers, one of the people who had been enslaved by the Ghouls, gave you her necklace as a memento. It's a simple little thing, but it reminds you of the bizarre series of events that changed the Resistance's war against Cole forever. The discovery of a cure to the genetic affliction affecting the Ghouls resulting in the Resistance recruiting a lot of:

Fresh Faces

When Dr. Helix heard that Crow's former unit, all subjected to Neuron's insane genetic testing, had somehow retained their minds, she jumped at the chance to steal the data. Recruiting Crow, yourself, and a pair of Heavy Barrels by the names of Gasoline and Drummer, you stormed the facility, creating a major distraction while Helix slipped into the lab unseen.

Helix was busy analyzing the data from the earlier raid, so she sent you down into the tunnels to gather up some Ghoul test subjects. Specifically she pointed out that of the Ghouls the Painted Ones appeared to be in possession of the most reasoning power. While you were hunting for Ghouls you came across a man being attacked. After rescuing him you learned that he was an escaped slave of the Ghouls and that the others had been dragged back to their 'city' still alive.

Adam Meyers, the man you rescued from the Ghouls, told you that his sister and dozens of other people were enslaved by a group of Ghouls who appeared to be trying to build a sort of society. Helix was intrigued by this, as was Calvin Scott. Helix believed that if an alliance could be formed then she could administer the cure she was working on to all the Ghouls, thus swelling the ranks of the Resistance significantly. You headed down into the tunnels to search for a Ghoul willing to negotiate and eventually found one after proving to them how bad of an idea it was to try attacking you.

After having the cure administered the Ghoul remembered his name, Carlos Gomez. Gomez informed you that there was a clear leader of the Ghouls down in the tunnels, and he had been steadily bringing the other packs under his leadership. He suggested that he would be able to help negotiate with this 'Ghoul King' who seemed to be of above normal intelligence. Scott didn't want to take any chances, so he sent a pair of Resistance snipers with you; Headshot and Griefer. Their job was to stay in the shadows and keep overwatch on you to make sure you got out of there alive if things went wrong. With Gomez at your side the Ghouls seemed reluctant to attack you. You approached the Ghoul King and negotiated with him, informing him that you had a cure to the affliction of him and his people. Eagerly the king demanded the cure used on himself, recognizing that Gomez was proof positive that it worked. As the cure raced through the king's system he weakened. Sensing this weakness the Man Slayers who served as his personal guard turned on their leader to rend him limb from limb, but your quick actions as well as the keen aim from Headshot and Griefer kept the king safe. Thankful for the protection, the king vowed to join forces with the Resistance in exchange for the cure for all his people.

The Ghoul King, as it turns out, was one of Neuron's old collegues, a man by the name of Doctor Demetrios Vasilikos, one of the researchers who had originally worked on Neuron's super soldier program. He has grown frustrated with his inability to keep up with Neuron's research and so, when he thought he had a breakthrough, he used it upon himself, thus cursing himself with the fate of being the first ghoul.

The Resistance ranks were swelling and morale was becoming a major concern. Most of the Resistance soldiers knew someone who had been killed by a Ghoul, and the fact that the Ghouls had once been people didn't seem to matter. Calvin Scott ordered a combined arms unit to be formed and sent on a raid so that word of the value of the new recruits would spread through the ranks. The mission was to raid Demetrios Vasilikos' old genetics laboratory, which Neuron claimed ownership of after Vasilikos' disappearance. The mission went well, but the resentment from the Resistance didn't seem to abait. As Calvin Scott had told Helix, 'Veterans always complain about the fresh faced recruits... even if they aren't so fresh faced.'

Part One: The Cure

Talk to Crow

Crow's former corpsmen are alive. Somehow Neuron has done what Dr. Hetzfeld and I sought to accomplish for months. If the chemical imbalances in the subjects brains can be stabilized then cognitive functions should return to within normal parameters.

Character, to put it plainly, if we can figure out Neuron's proceedure to cure the Ghouls then the Resistance will have found all the troops we need to overthrow Cole and his tyrannical regime!

The first thing we need to do is find that data.

Find data

I survived in the tunnels for days after Hetzfeld abandoned me. During my time down here I was able to observe Ghoul society, thanks to the stealth properties of my environmental suit.

Unfortunately the cloaking device ran out of juice. If Crow and a squad of Resistance commandos hadn't happened by at that exact moment I would have been ripped apart. I owe them my life, and Crow's quest for vengeance is one I will gladly share if it means stopping that madman Neuron.

My suit's cloaking device will enable me to get to the secured archives, but I'm going to need one heck of a distraction. Crow will accompany you, talk to him about the mission specifics.

Unnecessary Solicitation

Crow has the mind for strategy and tactics, my job is to slip through undetected, navigate through the computer system, and steal that data.

Mission Objective(s)

• Talk to Crow

Crow

Briefing

Character, I'm glad to be working with you again. I'm still shaken by the revelation that my former corpsmen have somehow been returned to duty despite the atrocities inflicted upon them by Neuron. It is my goal to see to it that Helix gets everything she needs to restore the minds to the hundreds of people who have been experimented upon by that butcher, Neuron.

Every day must be a living nightmare for them, alive, but barely in control of their own bodies. If we can give them back their lives then I imagine they will seek vengeance as well. The river of revenge will swell and wash the evil of Praetoria away once and for all.

But enough of my preaching, we have work to do. Helix needs a distraction, and we're going to provide one.

Let's go.

Explosives

Crow handed you a satchet of these cheap, home made bundles of explosives. They're easy to set up, do some damage and are almost certainly bobby trapped to go off if anyone but an explosives specialist messes with them.

Assault on Neuron Lab

Unnecessary Solicitation

We've got to buy Helix enough time to get into the data archives, get what she needs, and get out safe. Then we'll pull back.

Mission Objective(s)

Crow and a small contingent of Resistance troops accompany you to the facility while Helix vanishes and gains entry through other way

• Assault on Neuron Lab
  • Destroy the Security Power Generator
  • Buy Helix 2 Minutes
  • 8 bombs to plant
  • Find Mission Exit

Helix got the data, pull out!

Gasoline, Crow and Drummer

Enemies

Neuron's Clockwork

Notable NPCs

• Crow (Ally)
• Gasoline (The Resistance Heavy Barrel) (Ally)
• Drummer (The Resistance Heavy Hands) (Ally)
• Security Power Generator (Object)

Ambush! Clockwork will attack in waves after destroying the generator.

(After destroying the generator)

(Gain two minutes for her)

Resistance Squad Dialogue

At the mission entrance:

Gasoline: Hey, slammer.

Drummer: What's fryin', slackjack?

Crow: Let's rock and roll!

After receiving Helix' first transmission

Crow: You heard the lady, let's make some noise.

Once Generator is Destroyed:

Gasoline: I got my beatstick, it's slam time!

Drummer: I'm gonna need some more whammy-pow-pows.

Debriefing

That could have gone real bad, Character. Neuron was real crafty when he put in that Freezer. It restored the ICE that I'd disabled earlier and waited until I was working on a critical piece of the security code. If I hadn't detected it in time either the entire database would have locked down or I would have gotten a 100000 volt lobotomy.

But that's part of the job, no? We aren't playing a game here, this is for all the marbles. We either sink, or we swim and with this data, I think we can win this thing!

I appreciate your help. Here's my number so that we can stay in touch. We're going to be very busy in the days to come.

Part Two: Survival of the Fittest

It's going to take me some time to both analyze this data and set up the necessary equipment for the procedure required. What we need now is to locate acceptable test subjects and that means heading down into the tunnels and actually looking for Ghouls.

Scott doesn't want us to tip the PPD off that we're up to anything new, so he's not reorganizing our forces in the slightest. That means it's up to you to find the test subjects.

Find test subjects

When I was cloaked in the tunnels I noticed that the Ghouls have a very animalistic societal structure. The biggest ones appear to be the leaders, but they lead only because of brute force, it's actually the ones we call Painted Ones who retain the majority of their reasoning and problem solving abilities. But there's more to it than that, Character.

The Painted Ones... they seem to have their own heirarchy between themselves, and not only within their individual packs, but intra-pack relations as well.

I have a theory that the stories aren't all that far fetched. The stories that somewhere there is a leader of the Ghouls who is guiding them. If we could find him and convince him to join us, many lives could be saved.

I want you to look for any signs of this mysterious leader of the Ghouls while you're down there.

Unnecessary Solicitation

Remember, your primary mission is to secure test subjects for us to use this cure on. A sweeper team will follow you to collect the fallen. But remember, look for any sign of a leader amongst the Ghouls.

Mission Objective(s)

You hear a scream of terror echo up from some distant passageway, and then it is cut gruesomely short.

• Search for Test Subjects
  • Find a Test Subject
  • Talk to the Wounded Man
  • Escape with the Wounded Man

You saved a man from being beaten to death by Ghouls, then discovered that he was one of a handful of escaped slaves!

Enemies

Ghouls

Notable NPCs

• Wounded Man (NPC Hostage, must be escorted to exit)

Wounded Man

Briefing

The half-starved man before you is dressed in grubby, torn, and blood stained clothes. He is badly beaten, but still alive.

I'm here to help

The man manages to only let out a groan. His attempt to push himself up off the ground is feeble at best.

They... they took Candace... and the others...

Who did, Ghouls?

Yes... we... we escaped.

Escaped?

Yes... captured... enslaved. No idea... how long...

Enslaved? They didn't eat you?

Some do... they're... they're building... a city down there...

A city? Is there a leader?

The man gives you a questioning look.'

How did you know?

There are rumors, and it apears they are true.

I... I'm not strong enough... to save Candace... or the others... will you help me?

I will, but first I need to get you out of here.

Ghouls Dialogue

Before combat:

Ghoul: Rrrrrrawr!

Painted One: You... punish!

Wounded Man: ...

Combat start:

Painted One: Kill!

Wounded Man: ...h... help...

Once saved: Please... I need... to tell you...

At the mission exit: See ya.

Survivors

You found a wounded man left behind by the Ghouls. The others who were with him weren't torn apart, they were dragged off, kicking and struggling. They took them alive!

Debriefing

Slaves?

You imagine that there is a perplexed look on Helix's face under her helmet.

Well, this is proof that there is some sort of society at work amongst the Ghouls, but I'm not sure they will be people we can negotiate with. Keeping slaves is a savage practice. Though, I suppose slightly more civilized than simply eating them.

I'll need to question this man more about what he's seen and experienced. And Character, you did right by bringing him back. If you'd charged after his friends, we may have lost both of you.

Part Three: Gunpoint Diplomacy

I talked to our survivor, his name is Adam Meyers. As near as I can tell, he and his wife, Candace, disappeared seven months ago. From what he's told me, the Ghouls are being gathered enforce into a single massive pack, all ruled by a single leader. He only saw the creature once, and it displayed a more human mannerism to it, but still had to remind the others of his dominance through savage displays of strength.

We know where their leader lives, Character, and if he really does have some intelligence then it would be in our best interest to at least try diplomacy first. Scott is a big proponent of gunpoint diplomacy and he's pretty sure it's the only way we're going to convince this Ghoul king that it would be best to negotiate with us.

Try diplomacy

Adam insisted that he accompany you back down there. He's malnurished, but he could do it. Scott told me not to let him go. You'd think he'd understand but he had a point, this mission is too important to let personal feelings jeopardize it.

Remember, these are Ghouls you are dealing with. They don't know fear. Somehow you're going to have to convince them to stop fighting and realize that not every situation is a life or death decision.

Every Ghoul you kill is one less person we can save and turn against Neuron and Tyrant.

Unnecessary Solicitation

You need to get that thing taken care off we talked about earlier.

Mission Objective(s)

You back track to where you found Adam Meyers and then track the Ghouls and their captives to this sub-section.

• Try to Communicate with the Ghouls
  • Find Ghoul Leader
  • Drive Ghouls Back

You successfully forced the Ghouls into negotiation, and one of them has returned with you to be given the cure.

Ghoul Negotiation Team

Enemies

Ghouls

Neutrals

Ghouls

Notable NPCs

• Painted One Leader (NPC)

Ambush! Incoming Ghoul hordes occur frequently throughout the mission.

Hunt! Prey!

Slaughter!

Rrrr!

Editor's Note:

This can be a very difficult mission due to the sheer number of Ghouls present, and never-ending waves of incoming Ghouls. You can complete this mission by defeating enough Ghouls so that "Find Ghoul Leader" is the only mission goal remaining, then moving quickly ahead until you find the Ghoul Leader. At that point all Ghouls become non-aggresive and will flee.

The other way is to simply ignore the waves and progress through the mission. At a certain point, the ghouls will flee and even the spawning ones will be neutral. You don't need to kill a single ghoul, if you don't want to.

Painted One Leader

Briefing

Behind the snarling visage of this cannibalistic creature you can see the faintest glimmer of reason. It asks you a question.

What want?

Tell him about peace.

The creature makes a choking noise, you think it could be a laugh.

No peace.

Tell him about the cure

The creature looks between its companions and they all grunt and growl.

What want cure?

Explain him the alliance and revenge.

The Painted One grunts and gurgles at you.

We want.

You tell him to send one to prove cure is real

The Ghouls snarl and grunt

No, we want now, all.

Explain that testing on one is better

The Painted One leader seems to understand, and he steps forward to go with you.

Leave

You Got a Smart One

This ghoul is one of the called 'Painted Ones'. According to Dr. Helix they show the most intelligence out of the ghouls, and your own experience shows you that they have some semblance of humanity left in them.

Debriefing

Communication with the Ghouls and now a cure! Character, this is an historic moment, this is the moment where everything changed, where the evils of Tyrant's empire finally caught up to them.

The procedure should only take a few hours to have a noticeable effect. Hopefully our Ghoulish friend here will be able to accelerate negotiations with his old packmates.

Many hours pass when suddenly Dr. Helix arrives with good news.

The cure! It worked! Carlos Gomez may not win any beauty contests for the remainder of his life, but his body still retains most of the benefits of the genetic resequencing that Neuron conducted on it. But most importantly, his mind is his once more... and all the terrible memories that come with it.

Gomez is recovering at the moment, but I reported the success to Scott and he's convinced that we can sway the Ghouls to our cause with Mr. Gomez as our liaison. He just wants to make absolutely sure that this cure doesn't retrograde.

I'll have to do a few more tests, but as far as I can tell, Mr. Gomez is in pretty much the best shape of his entire life.

Part Four: Talk Softly But Carry A Big Stick

Mr. Gomez has been in debriefings with Scott all morning. They're trying to pull every scrap of data they can about the Ghouls and their leader. If things get violent, knowing that information will be life saving.

Scott has told me that due to your past performance he wants to send you down with Mr. Gomez to conduct the negotiations.

Negotiate with Ghouls

You're going straight into Ghoul Central. Gomez assures me that he can keep you safe from attack. Get an audience with the leader of the Ghouls and give him a dose of the cure so that he can see for himself that our offer is legitimate.

We're sending a pair of sharp shooters to follow you and give you covering fire if you need to retreat.

Unnecessary Solicitation

Remember, if things get violent you've got some back up.

Mission Objective(s)

• Negotiate with Ghouls
  • Talk to the Ghoul King
  • Defend the Ghoul King
  • Talk to the Ghoul King again

You saved Demetrios Vasilikos and gained the Ghouls as allies to the Resistance!

The Ghoul King

Enemies

Ghouls

Neutral

Ghouls

Notable NPCs

• Gomez (Ghouls Painted One) (Ally)
• Ghoul King (NPC)
• (Ghouls Manslayer) x4 (Boss)

Ghoul King

Briefing

The Ghoul who stands before you is different than all the others. He seems intelligent and far stronger than he looks. This is definitely the leader that Adam Meyers and Carlos Gomez spoke of. He looks between you and Gomez and speaks.'

How is... this?

He sweeps his hand toward Gomez.

Found g... gene...ti-ti-tic... s-s-seque...? Found c-c-cure?

Tell him about Gomez and the Cure.

The Ghoul King's eyes widen and he looks rapidly between you and Gomez. His mouth hangs agape, in wonder.

Truth? Can be true? So... So long. F-f-finaly.

Give, need...

Please.

Give him the cure.

The Ghoul King takes the hypospray and examines it briefly, then, as if recalling how it works, he presses it against his neck and with a soft hiss the device administers the genetic resequencing agent into his body.

He takes a step back and seems to relax a bit, closing his eyes as the agent courses through his body. Already he must be feeling some effect. He drops the hypospray on the ground and slumps, obviously weakened.

Are you okay?

The Man Slayers smell weakness and attack.

Defend the Ghoul King

• Defend the Ghoul King
• Talk to the Ghoul King again

Ghoul King

Briefing

The Ghoul King bows his head to you slightly, already you can see his strength returning to him and a sharper glimmer in his eyes.

You have saved me, for that my life is yours. The others will have to make their own choices once they too are themselves.

Thank you.

Who are you?

The Ghoul King, becoming less of a Ghoul with each passing moment, hangs his head momentarily and then looks you in the eye.

I am the father of these poor souls. I am the man, no, the doctor, who created the serum that now drives these people mad. I am Demetrios Vasilikos, and my legacy is also my curse.

(Near the mission entrance)

(Once the King takes the cure and the Manslayers turn hostile)

Gomez Dialogue

At the mission entrance: It's just up ahead, if you take the lead then they'll see you as superior to me and won't seek to challenge you.
When the Manslayers turn hostile: Defend the King!

Regicide Averted

After administrating the cure to the apparent king of the Ghouls, he weakened. At this moment the hulking Man Slayers to either side of him could sense their opportunity and lept to the attack. Luckily you were there to stop them, along with some help from the two Resistance snipers, Headshot and Griefer. By defending the King of the Ghouls you earned his trust. The rest of the ghouls have grown to fear you.

Debriefing

Demetrios Vasilikos is the famous geneticist who disappeared over a year ago! He was working with Neuron and had apparently grown embittered by Neuron's superior capabilities and so he quit, at least, that's how the story went.

Vasilikos has a slightly different story. He had indeed become embittered, but it didn't lead him to quit, it lead him to use the genetic resequencing serum on himself.

He was so certain he had perfected the formula before Neuron did that he wanted to prove it. Unfortunately he was wrong and he mutated into the first of the Ghouls.

He's been trying to keep a grasp on his former life this entire time, thus explaining the attempt to rebuild a semblance of society down here in the tunnels.

Unfortunately for Vasilikos, with the treatment we currently have, the damage to his body is permanent. His mind, however, is once more his own, with all the knowledge, and memories that come with it.

It will take him some time to cope with the nightmare that he unleashed unintentionally upon both himself, but one thing is certain. He did this to himself, but it was Neuron who used the serum and its later iterations upon countless innocent people. That injustice must be avenged.

You know, I was wrong about you. Singlehandedly, you've been able to build something close to an army of ghouls. With just a couple hundred more, we'll be able to march on Cole's Tower. Thank you, Character.

Finale: New Recruits

Treatment is going well, but there is a bit of resentment and anger in our ranks over bringing the Ghouls into our ranks. A lot of our comrades have lost friends or loved ones down here to those creatures, and they want revenge.

This is how blood feuds get started, Character, and Scott wants us to nip this in the bud before people start winding up dead. He asked me to tap you for this mission. We're going to Demetrios Vasilikos' old lab.

Raid Demetrios Vasilikos' Lab

After Demetrios disappeared, Neuron took over ownership of the lab and its cloning facilities. Demetrios says with the rate at which Ghouls were flooding the tunnels, Neuron must have been putting the lab into full production.

The plan is to steal all the medical supplies we can carry and then blow the facility sky high. For this mission you will be accompanied by Scissors, one of our commandos, and Carlos Gomez, the rehabilitated Ghoul who lead you to Demetrios Vasilikos. As an aside, the soldiers gave him a nickname, it's Chompie.

Unnecessary Solicitation

Remember, the point of this mission is as much to hit the objectives as it is to reassure our soldiers that this surge of Ghoul recruits is a good thing. Make sure Chompie carries his weight.

Mission Objective(s)

Chompie's been pretty quiet, which Scissors seems to appreciate. You can already feel the tension between your team members and hope that combat will wash away their differences.

• Raid Demetrios Vasilikos' Lab
  • 8 bombs to plant
  • 10 crates of medical supplies

You planted the bombs and stole the medical supplies! You exchanged your bombs for medical supplies and got back down into the safety of the tunnels just as a series of explosions ripple above you, engulfing you in a cloud of smoke and dust. Mission accomplished!

New friends

Enemies

Neuron's Clockwork

Notable NPCs

• Scissors (The Resistance Commando) (Ally)
• Chompie (Ally)

Scissors and Chompie Dialogue

At the mission entrance:

Scissors: Hey, Chompie, try not to step in my lane of fire.

Chompie: Ok.

(They won't say a single word more to each other during the rest of the mission)

Debriefing

Scissors and Chompie were debriefed separately. Chompie thought the mission was successful, while all Scissors had were complaints. Still, the mission was a success and from what I've been told by Scott, veterans always complain about the fresh faced recruits... even if they aren't so fresh faced.

I think I've got everything handled from here on out, Character. Calvin Scott wanted to see you personally. Sounds like he's got something big lining up and he needs your help.