
 Crossfire isn't limited to changing the gameplay; it adds lore to the game too!



────────── ■ │ "LORE" BITS │ ■ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

 If you enable the "Custom SMS Messages" option, some of the career's SMS messages will include small lore
 bits and tips regarding Crossfire. However, not everything can be there, which is why this section exists.

 This section contains "spoilers" (if you can even call them spoilers) about what the SMS messages contain.


────────── • HEAT 05: The Crossfire Division • ────────────────────

 Some years before the events of Most Wanted, street racing was so widespread that many cities decided to fund
 anti-racing units in their police departments, which became the Street Racing Units (SRUs, Heat 3 & 4 cops).
 However, some cities, like Rockport and Palmont, were so dominated by organized racing crews that these units
 were not enough to protect the citizens. As a result, those cities created their own overspecialized forces
 that had ultimate authority over pursuits; Rockport's became the Crossfire Division, led by Sgt. Cross, and
 Palmont's became the Sage Battalion, a more decentralized unit. They consider almost any officer who isn't
 part of their forces to be dead weight, as they would have worse cars and less experience; only the best in
 the department are allowed to join them in a priority pursuit.

 Soon, the CFD became highly controversial due to their methods. Many of their agents were former racers, and 
 they did not care for public safety; they'd use anything at their disposal to bring down a target. Some years
 after the events of NFS Carbon, street racing had relatively calmed down. This, coupled with the public
 outrage towards the CFD's methods and their failure to arrest Rockport's most wanted racer, led to the force
 being disbanded. The Sage Battalion followed not long after.



────────── • HEAT 06: The FBI's VRT unit • ───────────────────────────

 The Crossfire Division wasn't the only overspecialized anti-racing police force. In fact, it was created as a
 not-so-extreme solution, with the FBI's special unit, the Vehicle Response Team (VRT), acting as a final, 
 absolute measure against street racers. They only exist to completely lock down a city's streets and
 arrest every single racer in the area. As such, they are only deployed in times of extreme chaos. These
 agents are even more ruthless and skilled than the CFD and, therefore, just as controversial - however,
 they don't suffer as much backlash. This is because a city must be SO chaotic when they're called that the
 public actually wants them to act, and to act fast - and they do.

 As the Rockport situation escalated, with the player taking down the Blacklist one by one, the FBI began to
 consider stepping in. They finally did a few days before the race against Razor; however, they remained
 unseen by the racers. Their plan, crafted in conjunction with Mia, Cross and the RPD, was to wait until
 the race came to an end, as all Blacklist members would be in the same place. While the VRT was effective in
 pursuits, this was a much better option. However, one racer, the player, escaped the area. Outraged, Cross
 ordered every single one of his CFD agents to chase after the player. The FBI also joined the pursuit, and
 the result was an extremely aggressive chase in which both the FBI and the CFD attempted to take down one
 single racer at all costs, who managed to escape. This pursuit was covered by news agencies all around the
 world, and other street racing crews treated the elusive player and his silver BMW as legendary.

 Years later, the VRT was given better cars, state-of-the-art pursuit equipment, and they weren't restricted
 to unmarked vehicles anymore. During NFS Rivals, the situation at Redview County was absolutely chaotic. As 
 a result, the VRT was called in, and an extremely controversial war between racers and the FBI broke out.
 In the end, they restored order and managed to arrest most racers, with the exception of F-8 and Zephyr.



────────── • Sergeant Cross • ────────────────────────────────────────

 Cross is a sergeant of the RPD and leader of its anti-racing police force, the Crossfire Division (CFD). He
 is a prominent figure in the RPD with a special carelessness regarding public safety, which made his division
 quite controversial. A former racer with ties to Darius, he saw his job as a great opportunity to chase the
 bounties of notorious racers. He's a narcissist - his car's paint and his unit's name are both after himself.
 His skills, however, are feared by racers and praised by other officers. After the Rockport fiasco, in which
 the most wanted street racer on the country escaped both the CFD and the VRT, the disgraced sergeant was 
 expelled from the force and went back to being a bounty hunter, now in Palmont city.

 PS: The "former racer" part is made up by me - I'm not sure if he was actually a racer or not.



