Kate Laswell

Name : Kate Laswell Aliases: Laswell, Watcher-1 Nationality: American Languages: English, Birth: september 22nd, 1987, Annapolis, Maryland Rank: station chief, case officer. Occupation: CIA, Armistice (disbanded), TaskForce 141, Black Mous, Operation Deadbolt, SpecGru Height: 5'8 /173cm Hair colour: dirty blonde/light brown brunette Eye colour: blue Habits: smoking

Biography

CIA Career

Kate Laswell was born in Annapolis, Maryland. Laswell believes that past is prologue, witnessing both diplomatic and military failures in the war on terror, her tradecraft is largely dedicated to breaking this repetitive cycle. Laswell has a master's degree in strategic intelligence analysis and studied Near East linguistics at the American University of Beirut. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cornell University with a BA in International Affairs.

Laswell began her career as a communications analyst. Her earliest evaluation showed an advanced aptitude for strategic analysis. Kate's acumen was quickly recognized by the Islamabad Station Chief, and she was relocated to Pakistan, where she served as a “targeter” – a critical support role in the early days of the lethal drone strike program.

On the fast track, Laswell was transferred to U.S. Africa Command at Camp Lemonnier. Shortly thereafter, the base was ground zero for a shocking attack by a suicide bomber. She considered her survival a calling to serve the greater good and has devoted her career to global security.[1]

As she climbed the CIA ranks, Laswell looked for a female mentor who could show her how to retain her personal life and still be respected for her operational judgment. Not finding that role model, Laswell worked with unapologetic obligation to her mission. Laswell has always been hard to manage but brings reliable maneuvers to the table. A retired colleague said, “when it comes to unconventional information warfare, Kate Laswell rewrote the book.”

In 2008, the historically paternal agency broke its glass ceiling, calling on Laswell to supervise a Special Activities Division (SAD) “black site” program in Europe, Asia and South America, a post with no official commission. Laswell's leadership post with the SAD was considered controversial, after she refused to testify in open hearing, on the use of rendition. Often polarizing but always respected, over her tenure, Laswell developed detainee information that saved tens of thousands of lives. Evaluation reports credit Laswell's success with not being risk averse.

Laswell currently reports directly to the CIA Inspector General, through an elite category of Top Secret called “Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented” or TS/SCI. This clearance authorizes select special agents, largely unconstrained latitude in responding to critical terrorist activity, at home and abroad. To execute her missions, Kate works closely with the special activities paramilitary ground branch officers under her command (notably Alex Keller), and has a close professional relationship with Captain John Price.[1]

Hunt for Barkov and War against Al-Qatala

In October 2019, Laswell oversaw a mission in Verdansk, Kastovia, where Alex teamed up with the 1st Marine Raiders to retrieve a shipment of lethal chemical gas from a depot under the control of General Roman Barkov. The operation was a failure, however, as unidentified forces neutralized the Raiders and incapacitated Alex, and escaped with the gas. Laswell assumed control of the operation, and requested Price's assistance in retrieving the gas. She also dispatched Alex to Urzikstan to make contact with their rebel leader, Farah Karim, in order to search for the stolen chemicals. Recovered intel eventually led them to capturing Omar "The Wolf" Sulaman, leader of the Al-Qatala terrorist group, though he later managed to escape when AQ forces raided the embassy where he was held.

It was later revealed that Farah's brother, Hadir, was the one responsible for stealing the chemical shipment from the Verdansk depot, and that he had made contact with AQ. Laswell provided the team with plans to infiltrate the Wolf's stronghold, where Alex and Farah managed to kill him. However, higher command at the CIA deemed Farah's forces a hostile threat, barring Laswell from providing them with further support. The news angered the team, prompting Alex to desert his position and join up with Farah's army. Later, Laswell and Price discussed plans to stop Hadir, as he intended to make moves in Russia. Price and Garrick made contact with the former's friend, Nikolai, who helped them capture the Wolf's right hand man, Jamal "The Butcher" Rahar, for interrogation. Afterwards, the two of them traveled to Barkov's estate in Moldova and confronted Hadir, before capturing him. However, Laswell arrived on site and informed them that the Russian government demanded Hadir be handed to them. Price begrudgingly complied, in exchange for intel on Barkov's gas factory. Later, Price and Garrick joined with Farah, Alex, and the ULF as they assaulted the factory, with air support from Laswell and explosives provided by Nikolai. The mission was a success, as Barkov was ultimately killed and the factory was destroyed, though Alex was thought to have sacrificed himself in the process, until several months later.

In the aftermath, Laswell and Price discussed their next move, involving rumors that arms dealer Victor Zakhaev was interested in freeing Hadir from prison. Price received dossiers from Laswell, containing information on potential recruits for a multi-national special ops unit, dubbed Task Force 141.

Operations in Verdansk

Shortly after Barkov's death, Al-Qatala made a return in Verdansk under new leadership. Laswell, alongside General Lyons, Kamarov, and Price, started a new military alliance, named Armistice, deploying operators from Eastern and Western countries into Verdansk to tackle AQ forces in numerous operations. The operation, however, was short-lived, as AQ's new commander, Khaled Al-Asad, would later unleash chemical gas attacks across Verdansk, causing chaos and infighting among the operators. Though the alliance was considered disbanded, the Armistice leaders continued to work together to resolve the situation in Verdansk. Eventually, Task Force 141 were able to track down Zakhaev and stop him from launching a nuclear missile that would decimate Verdansk.

Operation Deadbolt

Several months after the events in Verdansk, Zakhaev, who managed to survive his encounter with Task Force 141, turned up in Zaravan, Urzikstan, where he unleashed a zombie incursion after breaking open a vial of Aetherium. Laswell was tasked with assembling a task force to handle the outbreak, working alongside SSO Selma Greene. During this process, higher-ups at the CIA insisted that the team needed to include former Spetsnaz operative Sergei Ravenov as a specialist. Greene handed in a request to replace Ravenov, due to the secrecy of his background, but Laswell sent back a response denying the request, saying that due to the unique nature of the mission, Ravenov was not replaceable. Laswell faced similar opposition from Task Force 141 operative Johnny "Soap" MacTavish, who voiced the same concern about Ravenov's records being heavily redacted. She ultimately compromised by allowing Soap to take action, should Ravenov turn out to be a liability.

After the team was formed, Laswell, Soap, and Ravenov personally briefed a strike team of elite Operators on the mission, while escorting them to the outbreak zone. Afterwards, Laswell played no further role in the operation, as she left all matters to Greene to deal with.

Hunt for Hassan Zyani

In July 2022, Laswell oversaw the assassination of Iranian general Ghorbrani, a joint operation between Task Force 141 and Shadow Company. Several months later, she reported to General Shepherd of Ghorbrani's second-in-command, Major Hassan Zyani, who announced his intention to start a war with the United States in retaliation for Ghorbrani's death. Together, Shepherd and Laswell greenlit a new operation to find and detain or eliminate Hassan in Al Mazrah, spearheaded by the United States Marine Corps, with Task Force 141 members Soap and Simon "Ghost" Riley joining. Hassan was not found, however Soap and Ghost discovered American ballistic missiles stored at one of the Al-Qatala warehouses where Hassan was last seen. Shepherd ordered for the missiles to be destroyed, despite Laswell begging for a chance to investigate the missiles and find the persons responsible. However, she then suggested contacting Price and Gaz, who were investigating an AQ cell in Amsterdam at the time.

Upon learning that the Las Almas Cartel was involved in transporting Hassan across borders, Laswell joined Price and Gaz in the field for the first time, working together to detain a cartel member during a meeting between the cartel and AQ. She later contacted Mexican Special Forces Colonel Alejandro Vargas and requested his assistance in capturing Hassan before he makes it across the border. They were too late to stop him from crossing over to Mexico, so Laswell sent Soap and Ghost to work together with Alejandro and his Los Vaqueros squad. The team, with assistance from Phillip Graves and Shadow Company, managed to apprehend Hassan. However, they were forced to let him go due to potential political fallout. Nevertheless, they were able to plant a tracker in Hassan's phone, leading them to his next destination: a hatchery in the Coast of Spain.

Price and Gaz went to the hatchery, with Laswell providing recon support on site. AQ forces, however, spotted her boat and captured her. Price and Gaz requested Shepherd for authorization of a rescue mission, but they were officially denied, leaving them with only one option: to contact Farah and Nikolai for assistance, as AQ was transporting Laswell through Urzikstan. After being rescued, Laswell revealed to Price that the missiles were not in Spain, but rather their guidance systems, and that only one person besides Hassan knew their location: El Sin Nombre, the leader of the Las Almas Cartel. Afterwards, Soap, Ghost, Alejandro and Graves were briefed on the mission and successfully captured El Sin Nombre, revealed to be Alejandro's former comrade Valeria Garza. She divulged the location of the first missile, in exchange for her freedom and for Task Force 141 to move out of Las Almas.

After locating the oil rig where the first missile was contained and destroying it, Soap, Ghost and Alejandro were betrayed by Graves, who seized control of the Los Vaqueros base under Shepherd's orders. Soap and Ghost escaped and later made contact with Alejandro's second-in-command, Rodolfo Parra, who together commenced a rescue operation to release Alejandro and the rest of the Vaqueros. They were assisted by Laswell, Price, and Gaz. Upon discussing Graves and Shepherd's betrayal, Laswell revealed to the team that she learned of the truth behind the missiles: they were stolen during an off-book Shadow Company transportation by an unidentified Russian threat (later revealed to be the Konni Group), forcing Shepherd and Graves to bury the operation to avoid implications. Task Force 141 and Los Vaqueros would later conduct a joint operation to retake the Vaqueros base and eliminate Shadow Company forces, also freeing Valeria in the process. She revealed to them that the last missile was in Chicago.

Task Force 141 infiltrated the building where the missile was located, while Laswell was on the grounds monitoring the situation. The last missile managed to launch, but was remote-detonated before it could reach Washington, while Hassan was ultimately killed. Some time later, Laswell met Task Force 141 at a bar, informing them that Ultranationalists were the ones responsible for stealing the missiles from Shadow Company. She handed Price a photo of their leader, whom he identified as Vladimir Makarov.

Operations in Al Mazrah

Shortly after Hassan's death, Laswell established a new covert ops unit, Jawbreaker, who she deployed in various missions around Al Mazrah to undermine Al-Qatala activities. Some of these missions include recovering missile parts from AQ territory in night time, disabling S.A.M. sites, and defending Zaya Observatory from invading AQ forces.

Atomgrad

In December 2022, Laswell learned of a nuclear shelter bunker located in Urzikstan. She requested the assistance of the Urzikstan Liberation Forces, who sent Alex and several other ULF fighters to investigate. Afterwards, she lost contact with Alex. Later, she asked Farah, Price and Gaz to infiltrate the bunker and investigate Alex's disappearance, as well as the nature of the bunker. They learned that the bunker housed Soviet-era thermonuclear missiles, and that AQ forces were already on site trying to recover the warhead. After finding Alex, Gaz returned to the surface to inform Laswell of their situation, while the other three moved further inside, where they encountered Hadir, who had escaped prison and became an AQ commander. Hadir imprisoned Farah and the others, but they escaped and pursued him, and finally killed him by disabling the elevator that he was in while trying to escape the bunker.

Making New Allies

In April 2023, Valeria escaped captivity and rallied the cartel to Al Mazrah, prompting Laswell to reach out to Alejandro and requesting his assistance. She reported to him cartel activity brewing at Hafid Port.

In June 2023, a terrorist attack occurred in the city of Vondel, Netherlands. Its citizens were evacuated while a special forces group calling themselves the Peacekeepers moved in and seized control of the city. Laswell established a new mercenary group, codenamed Phalanx, and reached out to another PMC, Black Mous, to cooperate and investigate the Peacekeepers. They eventually learned that the Peacekeepers were actually Konni Group, who orchestrated the attack.