End Game (adventure)

"We've got a lot better support than a thousand screaming fanboys this time, and the stakes are a lot higher this time. A lot higher. Tonight Arasaka Tower falls, for the last time."

- Johnny Silverhand

End Game is a mini adventure featured in the Cyberpunk 2020 sourcebook, Firestorm Shockwave and is the culmination of the Fourth Corporate War. Its forms the second major chapter in what is considered to be the Cyberpunk story.

The Governments move in
In June 2022 the war between OTEC and CINO escalates when megacorps Arasaka and Militech joined the Frey. Due to a series of pre-existing issues, the rival corporations began conflicts around the globe, crippling nations and minor corporations. On October 12th 2022, US President Kress drafted the Militech CEO Donald Lundee back into the Marine Corps, ordered his forces to stand down and began the nationalization of all Militech holdings. Whilst initially reluctant, General Lundee cooperated fully with the aim of ending the war and taking down Arasaka. Similarly the EEC announced nationalization measures with both corporations following a staged raid in Milan. Wrecked with guilt over his part in the conflict, Lundee consolidates power to ensure the corporation stands true to the orders of the president. However many board-members are displeased and units in the field reportedly desert their posts.

Within weeks the Arasaka forces are either defeated or have retreated back to their final stronghold in Night City, informally known as 'Arasakaville '. CEO Kei Arasaka enters negotiations with President Kress and the NorCal governor De La Vega, however is rebuffed when Kress demands the total subjugation of Arasaka. Militech, US Army and the NorCal guard hold a tight perimeter around the city, whilst several heavy gunships patrol the skies.

Arsaka is not one to hold an unfavorable position however, it is reported that they have managed to recreate the Soulkiller program with the intention of using it as a bargaining chip with Kress. Although Arasaka deny the rumors, a new virus that surfaced on the Net that is said to have fried the brains of several senators, congressmen and Militech shareholders.

Night City In Twilight
In July of 2022, Militech quietly retreated from Night City as Arasaka began to turn the populace against them. Mayor Mbole Ebunike is forced to step down due to speaking out of line whilst his deputy Garven Haakensen takes his place and places the city under martial law. Several major corporations pull out of the city as Arasaka expands and takes full control.

Part I: A Gathering of Hosts: 2020
Commanding all US and Militech forces, General Patrick Eddington places Morgan Blackhand in charge of covert operations against Arasaka and recruits a team of edgerunners to launch an assault against the corporation in Night City. Among them is famed Rockerboy Johnny Silverhand as he is reunited with the Media Thompson and the Solo Rogue, almost ten years after their attack on Arasaka to rescue Alt Cunningham. Due to the issues caused by the conflict, the Nomad Santiago forgoes the operation, instead joining his clan in the rebuilding efforts. In his stead, the Fixer Izzy Lobo joins the team alongside the 'borg Shaitan, and the netrunner Spider Murphy.

Eddington briefs the team and informs them that Arasaka have used the digital ghost of Alt Cunningham to create Soulkiller v3.0. Their objective is to infiltrate the Arasaka Tower in the heart of Night City and destroy Soulkiller before Kei can cause more damage with it.

Part II: Everyone Needs a Plan
Three teams are created for the operation. Strike Team Alpha, lead by Johnny Silverhand, Strike Team Omega, consisting of Blackhand and his team of elite Solos, and Strike Team Beta made up of various Solos and Militech troops (Team Beta is made up of the player characters, which are considered non-canon). Although unaware, Silverhand's team is a diversion, and the objective to destroy Soulkiller and rescue Alt is secondary to the main objective. Eddington's true target is the Arasaka Intelligence databases, a vast store of information used by Saburo Arasaka to blackmail and manipulate his opponents. Team Beta is charged with heading to the underground mainframe, whilst Alpha draws the attention in the upper floors of the building. Blackhand and his team know the true nature of the operation, and are there to support with heavy firepower. Unbeknownst to all but a suspecting Morgan, Eddington also plans to destroy the whole tower once the operation is complete. He arms Team Beta with a small yield tactical nuke designed to wipe out the subterranean data stores, however the device is far more powerful than informed.

Part III: The Attack
The assault begins on multiple fronts across the city. US Army heavy units along with the NorCal guard position themselves on the outskirts of the city with the intention of occupying the Arasaka border forces. USAF Gunships and fighters provide over-watch high in the skies above the city whilst cyborg forces strike the Arasaka units downtown, to halt their retreat to the tower. The three teams are split up, with Team Beta utilizing stealth to infiltrate the facility on the ground, as Teams Alpha and Omega assault the tower in a massive host of aerial vehicles.

Part IV: The Tower
Deep in the hear of the tower, Kei Arasaka relays orders to send a retaliatory force of Adam Smasher to head off Team Alpha at the Soulkiller labs as well as readying an up-link to Japan to transmit a backup of the information database. Realizing this could mean the end for Arasaka in Night City, Kei also readies his AV and submersible for a quick getaway. Morgan informs Strike Team Alpha that they have been made, and Arasaka forces are converging on the tower. He plans on leading Strike Team Omega in knocking out the up-link on the roof, and informs the teams that they should expect fierce opposition from here on out.

Johnny and his team reach Kei's apartment that houses the Soulkiller lab. Spider hacks the door and Shaitan is first to go in, destroying a turret gun in the process. Thompson and Rogue guard the entrance as Spider jacks into the mainframe and meets with Alt, who is surprised that Rache Bartmoss isn't heading up the rescue. A mournful Spider informs Alt of Rache's demise at the hands of Arasaka before being interrupted by an agitated Johnny Silverhand. Spider then transfers alt to a suitcase sized storage drive, wipes Soulkiller and downloads the development logs with the intention of tracking down the creators.

As the team start to head out, they are interrupted by a heavily armored Arasaka strike force lead by Adam Smasher who cuts down several of the Militech troops. The rest of the team take cover and return fire with everything they have. Shaitan is knocked back by a burst from an autogun and Thompson is quickly downed. Spider ditches the heavy storage device with alt and frees her onto the Net. Not wanting to make the same mistake of leaving Alt behind again, Johnny makes an heroic attempt to kill Smasher. However it is in vein as the heavily armored 'borg cuts him down with ease; a surprised Johnny falls to the floor, dead.

Shaitain sees an opening and grapples with the 'borg, as Rogue and Spider unload their weapons on the remaining Arasaka troopers. Hearing the approaching footsteps of more soldiers, Shaitan tells Rogue and Spider to flee with the injured Thompson as he takes on Adam alone. A Tearful spider goes to grab Johnny's lifeless body before Rogue pulls her away, helping an injured Thompson to the elevators.

Strike Team Beta successfully infiltrate the sub-basement but are met by Haruko Kanawa, the leader of Arasaka's covert operations team. After an intense firefight, Kanawa falls and the team make their way into the command center whey they find the storage core for Soulkiller as well as an imprisoned Yorinobu Arasaka; the first victim of Soulkiller v3.0. They find the database has been corrupted and opt to save Yorinobu in hopes of being in a position of control of the post war Arasaka.

Elsewhere on the rooftop, Morgan and Strike Team Omega are successful in their operation to knock out the up-link. However before he can make his escape, Adam Smasher emerges with the heavily injured Shaitan. He orders his AV to leave and rescue with Rogue, Spider and Thompson. The two engage in a fierce battle, Morgan hoping to save Shaitan's biopod, and Adam hoping to finally kill his rival. However before either of them are successful the tactical nuke planted by Strike Team Beta goes off somewhere far below them. The tower falls, bringing down half of Night City with it. Shaitan's biopod is recovered in the wreckage alongside a barely alive Adam Smasher. The bodies of Morgan Blackhand and Johnny Silverhand are never recovered.

Epilogue
As the tower falls, Kei Arasaka escapes to his submersible, The Sea Viper, however before he is able to reach the safety of Japan, Rogue, Spider and a recovered Shaitan infiltrate the sub and incapacitate the crew whilst Kei sleeps. He is awoken by the sudden stop of the vessel and is greeted by Spider who has already removed the ammunition from Kei's sidearm. Wanting revenge for the deaths of Rache and Johnny, she forces Kei to commit digital seppuku, by plugging himself into the Soulkiller program. He reluctantly agrees to the 'honorable' death, that of which his ancestral samurai practiced in years past. He says a poem as he meets his fate - ''The ocean waves swell, Stare into Death's eyes, laughing. The Seagulls cry above''. A mournful Spider joins the other two on the deck as they await pickup.

Characters

 * Johnny Silverhand
 * Morgan Blackhand
 * Thompson
 * Rogue
 * Shaitan
 * Spider Murphy
 * Alt Cunningham
 * Donald Lundee
 * Patrick Eddington
 * Adam Smasher
 * Kei Arasaka
 * Yorinobu Arasaka
 * Haruko Kanawa

Trivia

 * Firestorm Shockwave was originally intended to be the second in a three part series detailing the Fourth Corporate War and its aftermath, however the third book, Firestorm Aftershock was cancelled and its contents merged into Cyberpunk V3.0.
 * Cyberpunk Red and Cyberpunk 2077 are direct continuations of End Game and any post-war information from Cyberpunk V3.0 is considered non-canon.
 * The Adventure is actually broken up into three stages. Endgame, The Guns...silenced and the Epilogue.
 * As this adventure is intended for players to run through, the book offers various ways to go through each scenario. However the canon outcome is listed as the narrative portion of the adventure.
 * The aerial assault on the tower is a direct reference to the Flight of the Valkyries scene from Apocalypse now, where a massive helicopter assault is launched on a vietcong village while Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries plays on loudspeakers.