Chupathingy - Project Freelancer

Project Freelancer

The mysterious Freelancer program is mentioned numerous times throughout Red vs. Blue. Not much is known about the program, and its often questionable actions. It was one of the many programs trying to create the 'magic bullet' to win the Great War. At its conception, the program was designed to create a unit of exemplary soldiers, hiring 49 participant members. These members were all given codenames after the states of the USA (this excludes Florida who turns out to be Butch Flowers of Blue Team). Not all agents have appeared in the series, but the ones who have are predominantly referred to by their codenames. Each member was also given an armor enhancement to give them more advantages in the field. The unit was also split into smaller divisions, with the first being assigned a partner AI for each member.

According to Delta and Washington, the program was largely experimental, and they experimented in copying several AIs from the original AI, Alpha, since they were only given one AI. They eventually discovered this couldn't be done, so they repeatedly tortured Alpha until it was forced to separate itself into fragments, in order to protect itself. These fragments were then converted into the current Freelancer AIs. Each AI had unique traits, as the fragment represented different parts of the human mind the Alpha was based on; for example, Epsilon being the Alpha's memory, and Omega being its anger. The program then put its agents under various other experiments with their AIs to see how they performed; for example, the siblings North and South Dakota were partnered, and North received an AI while South did not. The operative known as Carolina, received two AIs. The AI fragments began to regard their benefactor, Alpha, as a messianic figure and eventually some of the AIs attempted to break into the lab where it was being held. As a result, Washington states that the Alpha (who is later revealed to be Church) was sent to Sidewinder, and, after Tex killed the Blue team there, Blood Gulch, the most remote locations that Project Freelancer could think of.

In Revelation, it is revealed that Red and Blue armies and outposts were created by Project Freelancer for the sole purpose of training Freelancers in live combat situations as well as test experimental weaponry. As a result, the Red and Blue armies consist only of incompetent or unwanted soldiers who would not be missed by the regular armed forces.

After several disasters, including the breakdown of the Epsilon AI and the rampancy of the Omega AI, the program was forced to cancel the AI part of the program. The other divisions did not receive partner AIs, and most of the AIs in the first division were removed and apparently destroyed, in the Recovery One mini-series, it is revealed that they were in fact recovered and stored. Some time later, the program has underwent more changes. While still known as Project Freelancer, operatives working for the unit are now referred to as Recovery agents and it is unknown how many members of the original project remain. One member of the original project, York, is shown to be unemployed, while agents Wyoming and Tex operate as private mercenaries. Other agents, such as Washington, North, and South, still work for the program, and North and York both retain their AIs. In Reconstruction The Meta is searching for all the AI units and killing the other freelancers. Washington is sent to recovery beacons to retrieve AI before The Meta can. He is selected due to his refusal to allow himself to be implanted with an AI. His refusal is originally explained to be due to his trauma from previous AI experience, when in reality he is trying to keep AI away from his mind to hide the fact that he gained many of Epsilon's memories, memories of the torture done to Alpha.

The project is overseen by the Director, who Washington claims is responsible for everything that happened to the Alpha and all the events that followed. At present, the Director is the subject of a criminal investigation. This is the result from an investigation which discovered the torture of Alpha. The investigation was launched by another unseen character known as the Chairman.