A Face of Leather

Storymode | Mission

A Face of Leather is the third mission in The Custodian. After being given his new orders from The Custodian, Carl Johnson heads to The Panopticon to launch his investigation, where he stumbles across Leatherface.

Prerequisites
Summary
Transcript
1. Opening
2. Meeting with The Custodian
Outcome

Prerequisites

Completion of Meeting The Custodian

Summary

The mission begins when CJ gets sufficiently close to The Panopticon, at which point the title card is displayed.

As instructed by The Custodian, CJ begins to search the area for any signs of anomalous activity. He starts by investigating some decrepit wooden cabins on the upper level of The Panopticon, and upon venturing inside each one, he notes that their floors are covered in a thick layer of fresh blood. The sight - and indeed the smell - is both unsettling and unnerving, but he finds the strength to continue onwards.

After concluding his search of the upper section and finding nothing else significant, he begins to walk into the lower areas. However, as he does, he notices Leatherface outside of a cabin, holding a young couple hostages on their knees, pointing a chainsaw at them. CJ runs to try and help, but before he gets anywhere close, Leatherface brutalises the couple as CJ watches on in horror.

A fight erupts between CJ and Leatherface that turns into a length battle. Whilst Leatherface is considerably weaker than the Yeti before him, he still possesses a supernatural resilience that makes him hard to kill. He also possesses a healing ability that allows him to become invulnerable for a short time and heal some wounds, resulting in a lengthy fight with many close calls.

CJ eventually manages to get the upper hand by weakening Leatherface severely, and is able to knock him to the floor using the butt of his pistol. He stands over Leatherface prepared to take the execution shot with his pistol, however he does not get the chance. Whilst paralysed over pulling the trigger, a sniper round tears through Leatherface's head, killing him instantly and removing the choice from CJ's hands. The shot staggers CJ, and he looks around in surprise as he attempts to spot the shooter.

CJ runs into cover behind a nearby log pile, spotting the shooter as a silhouette on the upper level as he does, but it turns out he has nothing to fear. A woman - Eve Matthews - shouts down to him that she means him no harm, and that if she did then CJ would have never made it off Mount Chiliad. Though CJ does not know Eve's identity yet, he now knows that she is young and female. CJ moves out of cover to try and get a look at her appearance, however she is nowhere to be seen, and his attempt to run after her is in vain as she's already fled the scene.

CJ then attends another meeting with The Custodian, who congratulates him on a successful mission. The fact that The Custodian seemed to know something would happen at The Panopticon doesn't play right with CJ, and so he quizzes him on the subject. The Custodian deflects plausibly by saying that he sent many agents to over a dozen locations; CJ just happened to be the one that found something. This answer satisfies CJ for the moment due to it's plausibility.

The Custodian then directs the conversation towards Eve and her persistent interruptions. CJ reveals what he knows, that she is young, female, and good with a rifle, which is at least a start in figuring out her identity. The Custodian fears that she could be working to sabotage their operations on the behalf of a rival organisation, though CJ disagrees as she stated she means him no harm; and has had multiple opportunities to kill him, yet did not. Nonetheless, The Custodian is not prepared to put up with her interventions, and wants her eliminated to remove the threat. He tasks CJ to do this, and though CJ is reluctant, his loyalty to Prospero and desire to impress The Custodian wins out. He then leaves the office in preparation for his return to The Panopticon.

Transcript

Opening

The mission begins when CJ gets sufficiently close to The Panopticon, at which point the mission title is displayed.

CJ: Damn this place is creepy. Better take a look around I guess.

The player is now given the objective of "Search the upper level of The Panopticon.", and must find the clues in the various cabins. Upon finding one clue:

CJ: That's a LOT of blood on the ground.

Upon finding a second clue:

CJ: Blood here too?!

Upon finding the final clue:

CJ: Seriously, what's with the blood? Shit's not right.

A cutscene now plays with CJ walking down the slope of The Panopticon. As he walks down he spots Leatherface in a nearby cabin, who begins to brutally murder two civilians. CJ then opens fire on Leatherface, and the player is plunged into the fight. When Leatherface reaches a low amount of health, a cutscene begins where CJ shoots Leatherface to the ground using a Desert Eagle. As CJ lines up the finishing shot, a sniper bullet goes through Leatherface's head. CJ then runs and takes cover behind a nearby log pile.

???: Relax. If I wanted to kill you I'd have shot you on that mountain.

CJ waits a moment before stepping out into the open, only there is no-one to be seen.

CJ: Hey! Who are you? Where'd you go?

CJ then starts to run up the hill as the screen fades to black.

Meeting with The Custodian

CJ is now in The Custodian's office, speaking with him.

The Custodian: Outstanding work at The Panopticon, CJ. Your report was extremely thorough.

CJ: How did you know there was going to be something at the Panopticon?

The Custodian: I didn't; I merely suspected. So far the entities we've seen are, interestingly enough, perfectly in line with long rumored myths of San Andreas. Investigating The Panopticon was simply the next step in confirming this pattern.

If the player chooses 'How did you know?':

CJ: So how did you know to send me to The Panopticon and not anywhere else?

The Custodian: I didn’t, not specifically. I dispatched numerous agents, even The Truth, to various locations. You just happened to be the one that found something.

If the player chooses 'What now?':

CJ: So what now?

The Custodian: I’m interested - frankly concerned - about this individual that appears to be following you. You said in your report that their intentions were apparently non-hostile, but we have no way to be sure of that.

CJ: I’m alive now aren’t I? Besides, I’m not even sure I’m actually being followed. Maybe they’ve just sussed some kind of pattern to this like you did?

The Custodian: It’s possible, but unlikely. The bigger questions now are what are their motivations, are they acting alone, and do they pose any threat to our agents?

If the player chooses 'What about the myths?':

CJ: What about the myths though? Surely that’s more important right now.

The Custodian: Other agents will handle the myths. I want you dealing with this as a priority.

If the player chooses 'What do you want?':

CJ: What do you want me to do?

The Custodian: I want you to head back to The Panopticon and find anything that’ll lead you on the trail of this individual.

CJ: And if I find them?

The Custodian: Eliminate the threat. We have enough on our plate with the myths, we don’t need any complications.

CJ: Understood.

CJ then walks out of the office as the screen fades to black, and the mission is complete.

Outcome

Leatherface is found and killed.
Eve reveals to CJ that her intentions are non-hostile.
The Custodian orders CJ to track down and kill Eve, believing her to be a threat.

Preceded by

Meeting The Custodian

Followed by

On The Trail