The backstory of the CDC and CIA agents

[anonymous]

I wonder if anyone every seriously thought about them: the CIA and CDC, characters in a couple of Black Ops II maps that I would like call my favourite ones. Despite I am certain of them being canon, we are still unfamiliar with their actual backstory. I guess it is time to theorieze, yes? So, the maps we encounter them in are the Green Run survival maps, both in Survival and in Grief mode, as well as  in Nuketown Zombies and lastly, Buried's 'Borough'. Now what is their exact purpose in those locations?

 

First of all we are sure that the events occur at least in 2027, as Richthofen is in control already (excluding Nuketown pre-round 25). Concerning their pressence in Hanford and Angola we know nothing, however we do have some intelligence about Nuketown:

 

"(...) After receiving a distress signal, the base in Nevada sends in CIA and CDC agents to investigate. Upon arrival in Nuketown the agents lose communication with Hangar 18 and become stranded…setting the stage for Nuketown Zombies."

 

So it appears that the CIA and CDC had contact with Hangar 18. Hangar 18 the site in Area 51 that is believed to contain Roswell's crashed U.F.O.. Next to this, it is also the location Moon's 'No Man's Land' takes place, as well as a fundamental Broken Arrow HQ. So not only the CIA, but also the CDC is connected with Broken Arrow? Not that weird actually, after we've heard this recent radio quote in Alpha Omega:

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Russman: Ehh, probably nothin'. I always wondered if Pernell kept a piece for himself. Anywho, what's this I hear about you leaving us for the CDC?

Barkely: (chuckles) You heard right. I'll be out at the end of the month for a new opening.

Russman: Well, we've got a long drive back. Can't wait to hear all about it.

So I guess that at least a part of the CDC might be involved with Broken Arrow's work as well, constantly investigating and controlling potential pathogens and infections in their experiments. The presence of CIA and CDC agents in Nuketown can therefore be explained. As Hanford is a Broken Arrow station as well, the agents might have been send to investigate what is going on after failed neurobiological experiments at the Hanford Sanatorium. After their death, they were revived by Richthofen and heard that this time, only one team could make it out alive. Believing him, each team follows their human instinct and desperately tries to survive, setting the stage for Grief. They are unaware of them being merely puppets in Richthofen's sadist games, as well as them being revived every time again simply to amuse him. They constantly got a Stuhlinger-like "have we been here before" mentality.

 

Now for their pressence in the Angolan mine, we have to keep in mind that Russman knew of the existence and location of the Rift. He must've learned about this during his Broken Arrow days, and as the CIA and CDC are possibly servants of that organisation too....well....I assume they are in Angola for investigating that. During the Buried intro cutscene, one can see a crashed plane in the background, still burning. I always assumed that it had crashed only recently before Victis arrived at the location. And remember, Russman says the Rift (and thus Buried) is only one day walking away from their campfire site. It could very well be that Broken Arrow's agents went there prior. If I recall correctly, RIchthofen even mentions survivors trying to execute Richthofen's orders at Buried prior to Victis. Which brings me to my final point.

 

Have you ever actually realized what it means that the CIA and CDC agents are able to hear Richthofen?

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George Barkley: "Attention all on this channel, this is George Barkley, former assistant director of the CDC facility in Druid Hills, Georgia. Prior to the destruction of our headquarters, our research found evidence that contaminates are now infecting the very air we breathe. As such, exposure of some sort appears inevitable for all survivors. Symptoms are variable, but most subjects display short term memory loss, psychosis, delusion, and paranoia. Short term memory loss has also been reported, but as of yet, I have been unable to confirm this. We advise all individuals to monitor their fellow survivors, for signs of the above symptoms. Paranoia in particular! Ask yourself, are those closest to you really who you think they are? Are they following a secret agenda? Are they, perhaps, plotting against you? The dangers presented by such symptoms cannot be overstated. It is with deep sadness that I myself was forced to euthanize fourteen members of my own team. My condolences to their families. I hope this message serves as a warning to all survivors. We must all do whatever it takes, to ensure our future as a species. Thank you."

They are infected. They have consumed zombie flesh, possibly in a desperate attempt to not starve. Now they are no longer servants of Broken Arrow, the organisation that created the undead, but of the aethereal entity controlling them....

 

"Accept your fate, begin anew!"

[RadZakpak]

Regarding Angola, we know now that Group 935 excavated the site and returned with Jeb Brown's work in 1942. It seems likely to me that its location was handed off to the Americans after Operation Stapler. The map in Alpha Omega does not have the location listed as a Broken Arrow site, however, I believe this is because Broken Arrow did not start trying to excavate the site until around 2025, when we know they got desperate for more Element 115:

 

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September 1st, 2025

In desperate need to more Element 115, Broken Arrow uses an excavator to drill near the Nuclear Testing Facility known as Nuketown.

Since they were desperate, they must have searched everywhere for more possible 115 deposits, including Angola, setting up the infrastructure we see above the town. The reason it's not on the map is because Camp Edward was taken over by A.D.A.M.S. sometime after 1968 and it was abandoned.

 

To add further detail:

 

On October 13th, 2025, 

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The Earth fracturing triggers further Temporal Rifts, teleporting an 1800s American Western Town underneath a Mining Facility in Angola. Arthur is pulled through the rift from 1318, arriving in the now buried town.

This sentence can be kind of hard to interpret given the wording and possible retconning, but we know Purgatory Point teleported to Angola at least before 1942 when Group 935 found Jeb's work. It's possible it simply went there in 1885, due to the events of Moon where the Earth is fractured. Though, it's implied Jeb's unspeakable acts with the Pack-a-Punch caused the teleportation, but that's a discussion for another day. The point is, what also happens on Oct 13th, 2025, is Arthur is teleported into the town from 1318. So it was already there, and Arthur was put into it on October 13th.

 

In Buried Grief, Arthur is noticeably absent from the map. You also can't go up to the surface and see the rift. That says to me that Buried Grief must take place sometime between Richtofen taking power, and the Moon rockets hitting Earth. So post-round 25 Nuketown. Richtofen is in control, but we can't see the rift nor Arthur, so the rockets have not hit yet to create said rift.

 

It seems a bit convoluted, but would be the only time it could happen and still make some semblance of sense. October 13th, 2025.

[anonymous]

Sharp analysis! I guess I cannot say anything else on this because it seems you are right! You just got the exact date of Borough, at the same time as Moon and Nuketown (post Richthofen in MPD). 

 

I eould also like to add discussion about the CDC and CIS's motive for being there in Angola. I think it starts in 1975 with the beginning of the Angolan Civil War. Similar to Vietnam and Afghanistan was this a proxy war between the Cold War rivals the United States and Soviet Union, both being countries acquired Group 935 knowledge and involved in a Space Race to Griffin Station. As both nations knew about Purgatory Point (Soviets via the Siberian Outpost), I could see why Angola was important enough to fight for. For us it seemed like a battle between Communism and Capitalism, but the driving factor might've been the buried Purgatory Point. Special respect for the one who can tie this with Mason's pressence in the country during the BO2 campaign. 

 

Now Buried's second name is Resolution 1295, a UN resolution in the year 2000 that involved among others the boycot of weapon and Earth mineral trade with Angola. Broken Arrow might have simply bought 115 from Angolan organisations previously, but now they might had to set up private secret operations to research the site, thus the CIA and CDC at the site. 

 

I never knew if the Rift always was there or if it was created by the missles. The latter could certainly be true, as Russman is still working for Broken Arrow for about a month after the missles impact, plenty of time to learn about the existence of the Rift. I find Arthurs pressence in the map aways a bit absurd, as Maxis calls him a "soul already bound to this realm", almost like he is something op paranormal eternally trapoed there

[RadZakpak]

That Resolution 1295 name finally makes sense to me now, very good points!