Obscuring the truth about a deed, an object, or a person might be preparation for a job (often alongside Social Engineering), the whole point of an operation, or an aspect of the cleanup after clandestine criminal, espionage, or military activity.

The most important kind of deception on an actual operation is cleaning up behind the squad. These tasks are the cleaner's department.

Disposing of Corpses: Corpses can be burned using Arson; carried off-site and surreptitiously buried or tossed in the river with a Stealth roll; dissolved in acid (perhaps conveniently available due to Serendipity) with a Chemistry roll; fed to pigs or dogs, if you have access to them, with a suitable Animal Handling roll; handed over to criminal Contacts; or stashed using Camouflage outdoors or Smuggling indoors. Failure means that something linking corpse and killer remains. Critical failure means being caught in the act!

I Don't Do Windows: Housekeeping, of all skills, is most valuable. It covers getting stains out, picking up clutter, and removing smudges – like bloodstains, spent cartridges, and fingerprints! If the squad is undetected, these are free actions; the cleaner works as the group moves. If they did something noisy, though, they'll have to use Stealth to hide if anybody comes to check out the scene while they're cleaning it – and if there was any bloodshed, industrial cleanser is required. Afterward, rivals who try Physical Searches must win a Quick Contest vs. the cleaner's Housekeeping to find useful clues.

Planting False Evidence: To leave a false clue requires suitable materials (cartridges, blood, whatever) and the Forensics skill. When rivals use Physical Searches to seek clues, the Forensics roll to analyze evidence becomes a Quick Contest. The other party must win or be deceived. See Lifts and Pulls to learn how to leave evidence on people or in plain sight.

“Clandestine” doesn't always mean “subtle.” When 23 suspected terrorists turn up dead or the Mona Lisa goes missing, it's hard to keep it secret for long. But a cover-up can divert suspicion.

Orchestrating a cover-up requires extensive media access – usually via an Assistance Roll – and a Propaganda roll. Apply BAD to reflect counter-propaganda; this is nearly always -10 against a sovereign state or a national agency. Electronics Operation (Media) (for doctored media), Public Speaking (for speeches), and Writing (for speechwriting and written articles) are all complementary. This is collectively a long action that takes days or weeks,as suits the plot.

If those doing the cover-up or their agents are trying to convince the world that they didn't commit the clandestine act of which they're accused, success casts enough doubt that enemy fact-finding efforts are at -2, or -4 on a critical success. Failure has no effect. Critical failure spills the beans; PCs will face Rank loss or termination.

Those working for victims of high-profile skullduggery can also spin what they know, where they're looking, whom they suspect, etc. Success or critical success here erases -2 or -4, respectively, of the BAD that investigators face on the case, as the opposition won't be as wary. Failure has no effect. Critical failure gives the investigators an extra -4!

False identity is incredibly useful to infiltrators and social engineers. It eliminates the need to use Fast-Talk, Stealth, and so on to sneak into secure areas. Just show your pass and walk in!

There are two steps to establishing a false identity. Both are subject to the BAD one would face trying to infiltrate the locale or organization involved. The GM always rolls secretly. Any failure means the identity token won't pass, which may get you detained temporarily. Any critical failure means it will provoke arrest, attack, or another serious response.

Faking Tokens: Creating fake cards or badges requires a counterfeiting/forgery kit and a computer – although when faking old or low-security tokens, or altering purloined ones, the contents of a typical office desk will do, albeit at -5 to skill. These tasks call for a Forgery roll. Certain tokens can't be faked without special materials, which must be procured through an Assistance Roll, social engineering, or burglary.

Validating Tokens: To ensure that the token corresponds to a real person on the right lists, databases, etc., use Falsifying Records (below) for physical records and Hacking for digital ones.

Fake records are useful whenever the opposition is relying on reports, tapes, and so forth instead of direct observation. The GM rolls secretly for these tasks. Success yields a convincing sham. Failure means the attempt is obvious. Critical failure also gives the opposition a clue about the forger!

These tasks aren't subject to BAD. That modifier does affect any social engineering or theft needed to gain access to the records or sneak in with fakes, though. Somebody will have to do this – doctored surveillance tapes aren't useful unless they're where the real ones should be.

Electrons: Doctoring electronic media calls for a digital recorder, a computer, and an Electronics Operation (Media) roll. Success can completely fool anyone relying solely on surveillance systems, or produce “disturbing evidence” that lets the skill roll count as complementary to a social engineering attempt.

Paper: Altering documents requires a counterfeiting/forgery kit, a computer, and a Forgery roll – or a Counterfeiting roll, for bonds, stocks, etc. In some cases the roll is against the lower of the above skill or another: Accounting for ledgers, Administration for other complex forms, or Law (Police) for crime scene reports. Possible benefits of success include membership in an organization, drawing police suspicion, and averting police suspicion.

There are tricks for this – and these seem to work in action movies! When subjected to a polygraph test (see Making Them Talk), you may substitute a HT-based Fast-Talk roll for Will in the Quick Contest. This doesn't represent talking, but your ability to control involuntary responses that accompany lying; as such, Smooth Operator helps, but Voice doesn't. If you have Compulsive Lying, your interrogators automatically suffer -5 to machine-aided Interrogation. If you're Unfazeable, you simply win!

Impersonation can be as potent as false ID for bypassing security. These tasks can also complement social engineering; e.g., a spy posing as a cop to interview people. The rolls below don't suffer BAD, but most become Quick Contests against an effective Perception or Observation skill of 10 + absolute value of BAD when attempting to deceive guards, infiltrate organized crime, etc.

Hiding Your Face: Looking like nobody in particular, but not yourself, can keep you from being recognized when the heat is on – or on a surveillance tape. Roll vs. Disguise, at +1 with a disguise kit. This becomes a Quick Contest if the observer knows what you look like. Success (victory) means you aren't recognizable: -2 to investigations of deeds you perform while disguised.

Generic Impersonation: To pose as a general class of person, all you absolutely need is the ability to come up with convincing lies; roll against Fast-Talk. To impersonate a uniformed individual – chef, cop, etc. – you need only the uniform, although you must use Fast-Talk if spoken to, or Acting or a suitable Savoir-Faire specialty (see Fitting In) to walk through a high-security checkpoint, crowded locker room full of your supposed peers, or other risky area without slipping up. Such attempts become Quick Contests when actively watched or directly challenged. Success (victory) lets you go wherever someone you look like could go, and attempt the things they normally do.

Specific Impersonation: To pose as someone specific, roll vs. the lower of Disguise or Acting, at -5 if you have no disguise kit. This becomes a Quick Contest when dealing with anyone who knows that person. Success (victory) lets you live that person's life – to a point. If you must give a password you don't know, strip naked, etc., roll again at -5 to fabricate a convincing ruse!

Psychological warfare is mostly too cerebral for action games, but some movie heroes exploit doubt as a weapon, so the players may wish to do the same. Roll a Quick Contest against the mooks' Will. Use Brainwashing to give a prisoner erroneous ideas about the squad to carry back to his mates when released; Propaganda when delivering confusing radio broadcasts, text messages, or what have you; and Psychology to use voices, timing, and so on to mislead the enemy about team strength and tactics. Victory by 0-4 erodes BAD by -1 when dealing with those mooks; victory by 5+ removes -2. Loss stiffens their resolve: Add -1 to BAD – or -2 for loss by 5+.