Golden Handshake is the seventh and penultimate mission of HITMAN™ 2.
After the Constant discloses the Partners' identities, Agent 47 and Lucas Grey rush to finally topple the ivory towers. However, before too long, Olivia Hall discovers that all three Partners have faked their deaths and have switched identities to throw the assassins off their scent. To discover their new identities, 47 must inflitrate the New York branch of the international savings & investment firm Milton-Fitzpatrick, a major Providence asset, in order to steal its records and discover where the money leads to, before any possible traces are wiped in a matter of hours. He must also eliminate the bank's CEO and Director, and sole connection to Providence, Athena Savalas, to ensure the Partners do not catch wind of what they are doing, and go into hiding once again.
Golden Handshake[]
Agent 47 and Lucas Grey sail away from the team’s freighter in a speedboat. Arthur Edwards remains tied up in the ship’s brig in an abridged excerpt from A Bad Hand.
Arthur Edwards: "Three families. That’s all it took. The Ingrams. The Carlisles. The Stuyvesants."
Diana Burnwood emerges from the shadows.
Diana: "Tell us everything about them."
Grey: "The ivory towers are about to fall."
Agent 47: "And when we’re done?"
Grey: "Let’s cross that bridge when we get to it."
Grey twists open a fuel tank.
Grey (CONT’D): "For now, the Partners are all that matter."
Grey takes a call on his earpiece; it’s Diana back on the freighter.
Diana: "There’s an issue."
Grey (COM): "Of course there is."
Olivia Hall commands a makeshift workstation on the ship.
Diana (VO): "Olivia’s tracked the names mentioned by the Constant…And they’re dead ends."
Agent 47 (VO): "How dead?"
Stylized obituaries for Marcus Stuyvesant, Carl Ingram, and Alexa Carlisle are seen as Diana narrates.
Diana (VO): "Obituaries for all three have appeared online. Accidental death, heart failure, lung cancer."
Grey and 47 are now walking towards a waiting jet at a pastoral airfield.
Grey: "They’re covering their tracks. Faster than I thought."
Diana guards Edwards back on the ship.
Diana: "A contingency plan of sorts. The Constant wasn’t aware of it."
47 and Grey ascend the steps into the jet.
Grey: "Seems they didn’t tell him everything after all..."
Agent 47: "Something this big will leave traces behind."
Minutes later, now in the air, the men listen to Diana via an encrypted phone call as 47 assembles a pistol.
Diana (COM): "The Constant says to follow the money."
Grey: "Milton-Fitzpatrick - the investment bank. It’s a key Providence asset."
Agent 47: "Which you worked for..."
Grey: "The director of the New York branch is a Providence operative. It’s our best bet as a way in."
Agent 47: "I’ll tell the pilot to turn the plane around."
47 gets up from his seat. The jet banks a hard right.
Diana (VO): "Right, gentlemen. Here's what we've come up with. The Partners are transitioning between identities, but everything is so recent the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank records will still be intact. We've confirmed that the Partners have active accounts there.
However, the bank's records are remotely updated on a frequent basis. We may only have hours before any leads that could get us the new identities of the Partners are gone forever.
The data we need can be obtained in two ways. The bank's data core can be accessed through the basement vault but getting inside the vault could be challenging. Alternatively, Bank Director Athena Savalas, Head of Security Mateo Pérez, and Head of Accounts Fabian Mann each carry a partial backup drive with the data. We'll need all three drives to get the full data.
Now, we cannot risk the Partners discovering the data breach. Eliminating the Bank's Director, Athena Savalas, would sever the last remaining Providence tie to the bank and keep our activities hidden."
47 and Grey come to a stop on a drizzly New York sidewalk.
Grey: "Okay, one more time. We break into the vault, extract the hard drive rack and eliminate the director on the way out."
Agent 47: "We?"
Grey: "You. Good luck, 47."
Grey disappears into the rain as 47 crosses the street, halting traffic on his way up to the domineering pillars at the bank’s entrance.
MISSION ACTIVE
Cinematic[]
Lucas Grey: “Olivia has found something interesting. I’ll tell you on the way..."
Agent 47: “Where are we going?"
Grey: “To paradise, 47."
47 follows Grey as a jet streaks across the night sky over the city.
Description[]
After successfully interrogating The Constant, Diana has uncovered the names of The Partners. However, the three Partners have already gone into hiding, faking their deaths and assuming new identities. A clue from The Constant points them to a potential lead: The New York branch of Milton-Fitzpatrick, a bank used by Providence and run by its tyrannical manager, Athena Savalas.
The Partners hold accounts in the bank, and in their haste to get away, have yet to remove any records of using their accounts. If 47 and his allies can obtain these records before the bank automatically erases them, they have a chance of locating The Partner's locations.
47 must retrieve the bank's records via two ways: either by breaking into the bank's underground vault to steal the data drives within, or by obtaining three back up drives held by the bank's senior staff: Head of security Mateo Pérez, head of accounts Fabian Mann and Athena Savalas herself. Finally, to ensure their activities go unnoticed by Providence, 47 must eliminate Savalas.
Mission Stories[]
The Job Interview
On and Off Again
The Heist
The Exposé
Hostile Termination
Intelligence[]
| Air-Conditioning System |
|---|
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"Someone has installed an air-conditioning unit in the basement garage but it draws in the fumes from any running cars in the garage. As a result, the guards in the vault security hub have shut the air-conditioning off." |
| Athena's Backup Data Disk |
|---|
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"Backup data disk belonging to Director Athena Savalas. It holds a partial image of the backed up data also found in the vault of the bank." |
| CEO Exit Keycard |
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"Keycard for Athena's private exit." |
| CEO Key |
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"Key for Athena Savalas' personal room." |
| Cronkite Report |
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"A pile of papers containing a slew of incriminating evidence, suggesting that Director Savalas and head of accounts Fabian Mann have been acting recklessly with the bank's money. The information could severely damage the bank's reputation if released into the wild." |
| Data Core |
|---|
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"This is a hard drive rack retrieved from the vault in the basement of Milton-Fitzpatrick. It should contain encrypted information useful for locating the Providence Partners." |
| Deposit Box 237 Key |
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"You're scared of deposit box 237, ain't ya?" |
| Deposit Box 429 Key |
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"Key for deposit box 429." |
| Deposit Box 577 Key |
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"Key for deposit box 577." |
| Deposit Box 664 Key |
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"Key for deposit box 664." |
| Deposit Master Key |
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"Master Key for deposit boxes. Can be used to open any deposit box." |
| Fabian's Backup Data Disk |
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"Backup data disk belonging to Fabian Mann. It holds a partial image of the backed up data also found in the vault of the bank." |
| Haven Pamphlet |
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"A pamphlet detailing activities on a private island retreat in the Maldives owned by a company called "Haven". "Haven" seems to be a company specializing in "reputation management" and "identity realignment". Sounds like a place for people wanting to hide from the law..." |
| Hired: Accountant |
|---|
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"Congratulations! You've been hired as part of the accounting department in the New York branch of Milton-Fitzpatrick. Your dry wit and get-to-it attitude is perfect for the bank's needs." |
| Hired: Investment Banker |
|---|
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"Passing the personality test with flying colors, 47 has been employed as an investment banker in the New York branch of Milton-Fitzpatrick. Congratulations! Your willingness to bend the rules and killer instinct is just what the bank needs." |
| Hired: Teller |
|---|
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"Congratulations! You've been hired as a teller in the New York branch of Milton-Fitzpatrick. Your to-the-point attitude and no-nonsense approach to the job is just what the bank is looking for." |
| IT Note |
|---|
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"A notice from the bank's head of security. It mentions that the recent issues with the building's wireless internet have gotten Director Savalas so high strung that fixing the Wi-Fi in her office always takes priority. If the Wi-Fi in the Director's office breaks down, IT is allowed full and immediate access to the area. No questions asked." |
| Janitor Key |
|---|
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"The janitor's key." |
| Letter of Termination |
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"A letter of termination noting that the recipient should go to the top floor reception and report for a final talk with Director Savalas." |
| Magazine Interview |
|---|
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"A financial interview with director Athena Savalas. A key paragraph reads: "Miss Savalas grabs the newly arrived award with the strength of a mountain lion. It looks heavy, the pointed tip as deadly as her gaze at her competitors at last night's award ceremony. It's been said that Savalas is akin to a Greek statue, majestic, yet emotionally distant, but here, for a few moments, her eyes glaze over with pride as she speaks. 'It does mean the world to be recognized for all the hard work you've gone through over the years", she says and puts the award back in its new place in her office."" |
| Milton-Fitzpatrick Vault |
|---|
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"The Milton-Fitzpatrick vault is located in the basement of the bank and looks to be very heavily secured. In order to access the vault, a keycard is needed and only high-tier security looks to have access at the moment." |
| Money Transport Key |
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"Key for the money transport vehicle. Could be useful for a quick getaway!" |
| Pérez' Backup Data Disk |
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"Backup data disk belonging to Mateo Pérez. It holds a partial image of the backed up data also found in the vault of the bank." |
| Security Keycard |
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"Should give access to most high security areas of the bank." |
| The Director's Calendar |
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"Scanning through Director Savalas' daily calendar, it becomes clear she has a meeting planned with Fabian Mann and Mateo Perez. It's scheduled around end of business but should be possible to advance it, if needed." |
| The Director's Laptop |
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"Director Savalas' laptop is apparently acting up. She's asked for her assistant to get someone from IT to come up and have a look at it. This would be an excellent way to get close to the director." |
| The Exposé |
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"Ruby Red, a famous investigative reporter, is hanging out in the bank, waiting for someone to deliver documents that could apparently cause great harm to Milton-Fitzpatrick and, in particular, Director Athena Savalas." |
| The Termination |
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"One of the bankers at Milton-Fitzpatrick is facing termination. Apparently, his choice of attire isn't in line with the standards of the bank and the Director has decided he must go." |
| The Vault |
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"It appears the vault of the bank is only accessible by high security guards holding a corresponding keycard. The security hub on the second floor might provide some of the items needed to get close to the vault." |
| The Whistleblower |
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"There's apparently a whistleblower trying to get access to revelatory documents in the bank's deposit area. But there's added security in the basement and she's getting cold feet. The key for her deposit box is somewhere on her desk. Wonder what might happen if someone leaked those documents." |
| Vault Keycard |
|---|
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"Keycard for the vault." |
| Vodka Bottle |
|---|
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"A bottle of vodka reserved for Frank, a retiring guard." |
Challenges[]
There are 55 challenges in total: 11 "Assassination", 18 "Discovery", 20 "Feats", 1 "Targets" & 5 "The Classics", worth 96000XP & containing 1 unlock.
| Name | Type | Description | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time's Up | A |
Assassinate Director Savalas by making her fall through the clock. | +2000XP |
| The Great Thief† | A |
Eliminate Athena Savalas with the Golden Sawed-Off Bartoli 12G. |
|
| Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall | A |
Assassinate Director Savalas by shooting her through the conference room mirror. | +2000XP |
| A Drink to Die For | A |
Assassinate Director Savalas by poisoning her vodka. | +2000XP |
| Pride Goeth Before Destruction | A |
Assassinate Director Savalas with her award. | +2000XP |
| Someone Could Hurt Themselves | A |
Assassinate a target in an accident in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. | +2000XP |
| Tasteless, Traceless | A |
Assassinate a target with lethal poison in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. | +2000XP |
| Hold My Hair | A |
Assassinate a target by drowning them in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. | +2000XP |
| Piano Man | A |
Assassinate a target with the fiber wire in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. | +2000XP |
| Versatile Assassin | A |
Complete the following Versatile challenges in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank:
|
+4000XP |
| Straight Shot | A |
Assassinate a target with a headshot in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. | +2000XP |
| Behind Closed Doors | D |
Enter Director Savalas' inner sanctum. | +2000XP |
| Sensitive Files | D |
Obtain the Cronkite files. | +1000XP |
| Access Granted | D |
Obtain the high-security keycard. | +1000XP |
| Discover Milton-Fitzpatrick | D |
Reveal all undiscovered areas in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. | +1000XP |
| Where Did it Go? | D |
Dump something into the ventilation. | +1000XP |
| Maintenance Man | D |
Obtain the janitor's key. | +1000XP |
| The Applicant | D |
Disguise yourself as the Job Applicant. | +1000XP |
| The IT Individual | D |
Disguise yourself as IT. | +1000XP |
| Heavy Exfiltration | D |
Escape the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank using the armored car in the basement. | +1000XP |
| Peeping Tom | D |
Be a creep. | +1000XP |
| Seven Figures | D |
Open an account in the bank. | +1000XP |
| Chameleon | D |
Find and equip all disguises in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. | +4000XP |
| Executive Exfiltration | D |
Escape the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank using the director's exit. | +1000XP |
| Open Sesame! | D |
Open a deposit box. | +1000XP |
| You're Hired! | D |
Answer all questions correctly during your interview. | +2000XP |
| The Sweater | D |
Disguise yourself as the Fired Banker. | +1000XP |
| Superintendent Exfiltration | D |
Escape the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank using the maintenance exit. | +1000XP |
| The Other Frank | D |
[REDACTED]
Disguise yourself as the Bank Robber.
|
+1000XP |
| Mission Story - Hostile Termination | F |
Complete the mission story "Hostile Termination". | +2000XP |
| Brute Force | F |
Break open the vault button with a crowbar. | +1000XP |
| Mission Story - The Heist | F |
Complete the mission story "The Heist". | +2000XP |
| You've Been Served | F |
Throw the data core at someone and knock them out. | +1000XP |
| Where is My Stapler? | F |
Get fired. | +1000XP |
| Mission Story - The Job Interview* | F |
One final test? | +1000XP |
| Whistleblower | F |
Hand over the Cronkite files to the investigator. | +1000XP |
| Injury to Insult | F |
Poison the drink of the recently unemployed banker. | +1000XP |
| Expediter 47 | F |
Reschedule a meeting. | +1000XP |
| Triple Core | F |
Obtain the three backup data disks. | +2000XP |
| Mission Story - On and Off Again* | F |
Faulty network wiring. | +1000XP |
| Hard Core | F |
Obtain the data core. | +2000XP |
| Ocean's 47 | F |
Open the vault door. | +1000XP |
| Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again? | F |
Make it so IT is allowed on the third floor. | +1000XP |
| Mission Story - The Exposé | F |
Complete the mission story "The Exposé". | +2000XP |
| Insider Trading | F |
Crash the Stock Market. | +1000XP |
| I'm Getting Too Old for This... | F |
Ruin Frank's day. | +1000XP |
| Due You Even Care | F |
[REDACTED]
Shoot the pigeon in the Teller Hall.
|
+1000XP |
| Breath of Bad Air | F |
Poison the basement security room's ventilation. | +1000XP |
| Show Me the Money | F |
[REDACTED]
Knock someone out with a goldbar.
|
+1000XP |
| The CEO | T |
Assassinate Athena Savalas. | +4000XP |
| The Classics | TC |
Complete all the Classic challenges on "Golden Handshake":
|
+4000XP |
| Suit Only | TC |
|
+4000XP |
| Silent Assassin, Suit Only | TC |
|
+4000XP |
| Silent Assassin | TC |
|
+4000XP |
| Sniper Assassin | TC |
|
+4000XP |
* Added in HITMAN™ III.
† Added in HITMAN™ III Patch 3.180.
Cut Challenges[]
| Name | Type | Description | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mission Stories - The Milton-Fitzpatrick Bank | F |
Complete all [then] 3 mission story challenges in the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank. |
|
| No Evidence | TC |
|
+1000XP |
Both of these were cut in HITMAN™ III.
Mastery[]
| Mastery Level | Type | Unlock | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starting Location |
Main Entrance | Start by walking in casually in through the bank's main entrance. |
| 2 | Melee |
Small Goldbar | A small goldbar that can be thrown as a distraction. If anyone finds this they will most likely take it. |
| 3 | Starting Location |
First Floor Mezzanine | 47 has secured an undercover job as a Janitor and starts on the first floor mezzanine. |
| 4 | Hidden Stash |
Waiting Area Bathroom | Grey's informant can conceal a small item inside the bathroom near the waiting area. |
| 5 | Explosive |
ICA Remote Flash Device | A device that explodes in a flash, blinding anyone nearby. Activated via a remote trigger. |
| 6 | Agency Pickup |
First Floor Janitor Room | Grey's informant can smuggle a briefcase containing a large item into the first floor janitor room. |
| 7 | Starting Location |
Audit Hall | 47 has assumed the identity of a Bank Teller and starts on the first floor in the audit hall in disguise. |
| 8 | Hidden Stash |
Second Floor Bathroom | Grey's informant can conceal a small item in the second floor bathroom [Mastery Level 7 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 10 | Hidden Stash |
Deposit Box | Grey's informant can conceal a small item in the Deposit Box Room [Mastery Level 8 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 12 | Starting Location |
Deposit Box Room | 47 has infiltrated the bank and starts near the deposit boxes as a Security Guard [Mastery Level 9 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 13 | Shotgun |
Sawed Off Bartoli 12G | Sawed off version of the U.S. produced pump-action shotgun. Lower accuracy, but small enough to hide in your pockets [Mastery Level 10 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 14 | Starting Location |
Investment Floor | 47 has infiltrated the Milton-Fitzpatrick bank and starts on the investment floor [Mastery Level 11 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 16 | Agency Pickup |
Executive Floor | Grey's informant can smuggle a briefcase containing a large item into the assistant's back room on the Executive Floor [Mastery Level 12 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 17 | Starting Location |
Garage | 47 has gained access to the bank's garage area and starts there as a Bank Robber [Mastery Level 13 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 18 | Agency Pickup |
Vault Loading Bay | Grey's informant can smuggle a briefcase containing a large item into the basement garage [Mastery Level 14 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
| 20 | Suit |
The New Yorker with Gloves | A true classic, this double breasted trench coat is the ideal fit for the demanding big city assassin. Stylish, timeless and practical, this gloved version fits every situation [Mastery Level 15 in HITMAN™ 2]. |
Disguises[]
Items[]
Gallery[]
Mission Map[]
The full interactive map for this mission can be viewed via HITMAPS by clicking the image or clicking here.
Escalation Contracts[]
There is currently one escalation contract available in New York:
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Target Lockdown[]
Savalas and 4-5 guards will go to the security office on the floor below if her office is compromised.
If the alarm is triggered in the area but not in the office, she will go to her observation room with multiple guards.
Trivia[]
- Golden Handshake was the first mission available as part of HITMAN™ 2's Expansion Pass content, released on June 25th, 2019. It is only available in the World of Assassination Deluxe Edition, or sold seperately as part of the Deluxe Pack or Hitman 3 Access Pass: Hitman 2 Expansion.
- Golden Handshake is the one of the four main story missions in the trilogy with only a single target to eliminate.
- There is a pamphlet for Haven Island, the final location of Hitman 2, on a desk in the glass room in the teller hall, it is a piece of intel. (Haven Island features in the mission The Last Resort)
- Several ticker symbols for companies seen throughout the series can be found on the stock marquee, including Kronstadt Industries, Kowoon, Aeon, Thwack, Quantum Leap, Siren, and Io-Interactive as an Easter egg.
- If Athena's corpse is hidden in a chest/closet after her death, the high level security staff will at first begin panicking and looking for her in somewhat of a worried but mildly annoyed matter. The guards will be going back to their normal state after a few minutes.
- If the security room near the vault is poisoned, it remains poisoned as long as the climate control system is on; if the ventilation is turned off and the atmosphere disperses, the room will return to a poisoned state again when the ventilation reactivated. This is in contrast to most other poisoned rooms in the series, in which the poison dissipates after a few minutes.
- Curiously, the laptop in one of the private booths displays a date of 08/08/2019.
- There is a secret Easter Egg exit: if you have completed the mission and crashed the stock market, then whilst you are disguised as an Investment Banker or the Fired Banker you will be able to exit via the window by the main stairway to the top floor, which will result in 47 casually stepping off the ledge, with a cartoony whistling sound indicating his fall. This is a reference to the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which was a major contributor to the Great Depression, and supposedly led to dozens of investors and stockbrokers leaping from high-rising buildings to their deaths, although this was proven later to be just a myth.
- If you take all the goldbars in the vault whilst disguised as the Bank Robber, then the bunny mask on the disguise will turn gold, and a golden spotlight will shine on a pile of goldbars appearing in a flash of gold smoke, with a Golden Sawed Off Bartoli 12G lying on top.
- In the hallway between the interview room and the stairway to level 2, there are portraits of former Milton-Fitzpatrick CEOs. If you shoot out the lights above all of the portraits except Mette P. Anderson, the key for deposit box 577 will appear on Anderson's portrait. Unlocking the box with this key will reveal a gold idol. Place the idol on the pedestal next to the empty crate in the corner of the storage room, next to the IT room, then, whilst in The New Yorker or The New Yorker with Gloves, hide in the crate and then exit it. A black and white filter will be applied, 47 will be sporting a fedora, and a musical sting will indicate the easter egg has worked. This only works as long as you have the suit on, This is a reference to the classic-era (1940s & 1950s) of Film Noir.
- Upon completing the job interview by answering all the cards correctly, skip the final conversation and pick up the key to deposit box 237 in the top-left corner of the room. Upon opening the box, a torrent of blood will wash out, revealing a fire axe stored inside it. Along with the number of the deposit box and the key's description ("You're scared of deposit box 237, ain't ya?"), the wave of blood and the fire axe are all references to the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining.