The Franchise is the primary antagonistic organization of Hitman: Blood Money. It is an organization that operates by organizing and performing assassinations on behalf of the Alpha Zerox.
Description[]
The Franchise works similarly to the Agency - it employs a wide variety of differently skilled assassins to orchestrate and execute assassinations around the globe. The main difference is that led by Alexander Leland Cayne - a former FBI director - the Franchise operates primarily by his and his Alpha Zerox associates' personal goals. The Franchise has roots in many governmental and world intelligence and enforcement organizations like the CIA, FBI, GIGN, and INTERPOL to help achieve their assignments. Like the Agency, the Franchise also uses assassins made with human cloning technologies, which they seem to possess.
History[]
Background[]
The Franchise's history prior to 2004 is relatively unknown. Originally it was head of the Alpha Zerox - a cloning operation within the organization. In time, the Alpha Zerox became more than a cloning program, gaining influence and transforming into a powerful shadow group with the utmost interest in human cloning and politics.(speculation) The Franchise presumably took the armed wing role.
Hunt After Agent 47[]
The Alpha Zerox, including Alexander Cayne, decided to use the Franchise to acquire "the perfect clone" - Agent 47, to utilize his DNA, to improve their human cloning program and become not only the leader in human cloning but a monopoly. All that meant war with the Agency, which the Alpha Zerox was ready for. Alexander Cayne first attempted to get 47 in Paris, France - he lured him there on a contract. The French police, led by Albert Fournier, had to acquire the clone. The plan ultimately failed as Albert Fournier was assassinated by Agent 47, who left the country afterward.
Political Conspiracy[]
Leading the Franchise, Alexander Cayne killed many of the Agency's operatives. Eventually, he used politics to reach Alpha Zerox's goals. The Franchise assassinated Vice President of the US Spaulding Burke, and the Alpha Zerox blackmailed the US Congress to install Daniel Morris as his successor, the politician in the group. Alexander Cayne further tried to increase the Alpha Zerox's political influence by sending the Crows to kill US Secretary of the Interior, Jimmy Cilley, probably for them to install another puppet. This ploy was unsuccessful, as Agent 47 assassinated the Crows on his contract.
The White House Attack[]
Following this, the Franchise sent numerous assassins, including unnamed female assassin, Eve and Maynard John, after Agent 47, but they were killed. Nevertheless, Alexander Cayne presumably succeeded in destroying the Agency, with only 47 and Diana Burnwood left alive. On September 22, 2005, the Alpha Zerox and the Franchise went to assassinate US President Tom Stewart so Daniel Morris, being the Vice President, could succeed him, due to the Twenty-fifth Amendment of the US Constitution. Agent 47 prevented this by killing Mark Parchezzi III, the Franchise's highest-ranking assassin, and Daniel Morris.
Downfall[]
Eventually, Diana devised a plan to destroy the organization from the top. Without notifying Agent 47 about the plan nor telling him that she was a double agent for the Franchise, she implemented it using the fake-death serum on him. The Franchise acquired a "dead" clone, got what they wanted with him, and arranged his cremation, which Alexander Cayne attended personally, to keep anyone from getting to his "body." Saying the last goodbye, Diana kisses 47 on the lips with the serum antidote, which leads to him waking up and killing everyone on the premises, ending the Franchise once and for all.
Aftermath[]
With the Franchise's demise, the Agency acquired what was left of the organization's resources, connections, and personnel to use for themselves, including human cloning technology. The Agency's presumed eradication was only a hoax for the Franchise, which helped to destroy the latter.
Members[]
Leader(s)[]
| Name | Role(s) | Weapon(s) | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alexander Cayne | Head | Custom 1911 | Deceased |
|
Mark Parchezzi III | Top assassin |
Operatives[]
| Name | Role(s) | Weapon(s) | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Crows | Assassin group | Various | Disbanded |
|
Mark Purayah II | Crows leader | Desert Eagle | Deceased |
|
Angelina Mason | Crows assassins | SLP .40 S | |
|
Raymond Kulinsky | Desert Eagle | ||
|
Eve | Assassins | Desert Eagle | |
|
Maynard John | H&K MP5 | ||
|
Unnamed female assassin | Nail File
SLP .40 |
Determinant | |
|
|
Carl Wagner (presumably) | Unknown | N/A | Deceased |
Assets[]
| Name | Role(s) | Weapon(s) | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Albert Fournier | Fixer | Glock 17 | Deceased |
|
Diana Burnwood | Spy in the ICA, Alexander Cayne's personal nurse (impostrous) | N/A | Alive |
Trivia[]
- The Franchise is first mentioned in the opening cutscene of A Dance With The Devil, despite being the primary antagonistic organization of Hitman: Blood Money.
- Alexander Cayne, the founder of the Franchise, also seemed to be its last member alive.