Soren Philippe Masson was the Primary leader of the ALA; he was also an elite sniper of the French Army.
Plot
Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain
"Let's see how many rabbits the Hawk can kill, eh?"
- Masson to his fellow soldiers in the Carthage Mall
Soren Philippe Masson was an elite French sniper known by the nickname "The Hawk." He studied with France's Armed Forces and earned a reputation as the best sniper ever known, rating a marksman, but authorities uncovered links between him and the Anarchiste Libertaire Armee based in areas such as his home, the French-owned island of Martinique. The Armed Forces subsequently awarded him a dishonourable discharge.
Frowning upon the presence of foreign corporations on Martinique for their refusal to share assets with its citizens, Masson experienced difficulties in persuading the ALA to focus on his struggle. He in turn established his own branch on Martinique called the Rising Hand, and cooperated with other rebels in dispersed regions of the world. Despite his implication in a drugs-for-weapons trade, Masson escaped custody and hired fellow sniper Jean Fornier to be the second-in-command of his new organization. Andre Proust would also serve as one of Masson's top leaders.
The corrupt Carthage Health Authority director, Dr. Broussard, accepted bribes from Masson to allow ALA soldiers into the United States of America, and Masson agreed to purchase the Omega Strain virus from him. Broussard backed out from the deal when he became horrified of its effects after a leak caused numerous casualties, with Masson re-acquiring the bio-weapon and orchestrating a terrorist attack on Carthage. He killed Broussard in revenge for calling off the deal and ordered Fournier to release the virus into the water system. IPCA agents led by Imani Grey stopped the outbreak, and terminated Fournier following an operation that left Proust dead.
Infuriated and out of options, Masson seized a shopping center where his forces planned a second release of the Omega Strain. While valiant SWAT attempts to re-acquire the infrastructure resulted in substantial casualties for the law enforcement, a commander vetoed his subordinate's protests that they had to pull out because of the presence of an excellent sniper and police efforts persisted. The Agency squad was again involved and rendered assistance to the cops to stop the ALA. The operatives succeeded in identifying and killing Masson. His shuffling off the mortal coil presumably led to a breakdown of the ALA organisation when the government made numerous crackdowns in the terrorist consortium, leaving many other terrorist commanders apprehended or killed.
Strategy
Masson is armed with a sniper rifle and magically spawns on the mall's 3rd level, which, interestingly enough, you cannot access. Should you have grenades, flood his little alcove with Sarin nerve gas to kill him fast. Otherwise, you can use the AUG 300 with an infrared sight to snipe his head. The infinite snipers spawning on the second storey can be a double-edged sword, for they will all be armed with this weapon and also pose as a threat.
Personality and traits
"Innocents die for just causes every day my friend. I cannot change that now."
-Masson to Fournier
Masson seems to be ruthless, killing whoever stands in his way and intending to take Carthage with him in deploying the bombs within the mall. He is also cunning, with a scoped weapon that cuts through dense smoke, allowing him to nail SWAT officers who attempt to storm the shopping complex.
Appearances
Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain
- Carthage, Michigan: Quarantine Zone (voice)
- Carthage, Michigan: Warehouse District (cutscene)
- Carthage, Michigan: Carthage Mall