Protecting the Future

M17: Protecting the Future is the 17th main mission in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and one of the two final missions (depending if M16: Stopping Marchenko was done first). Adam Jensen must save Nathaniel Brown and the UN delegates if he wants to stop the Illuminati conspirators' plans, but at the risk of costing hundreds of others their lives.

Achievements

 * He's [Not] Dead, Jim
 * Spokes in Two Wheels

Tablet Collector

 * Santeau - Rise of a Corpo-Nation

Starting the Mission
This mission initiates after completing M15: Securing the Convention Centre by meeting Jim Miller in the catering area. If you did M12: The Heist and got the Orchid Neutralizing Enzyme (the Orchid antidote), you can use it to save Jim Miller or, if you do not think you will make it to the delegates in time, save it for them. Alternatively, if you had triggered an alarm in the convention hall, this mission initiates when you then find Miller in the catering area or after defeating Marchenko. You may complete this mission or M16: Stopping Marchenko in either order.

Time Constraints
Despite what Marchenko says, he will not detonate the bombs right away. Similarly, the delegates will not be poisoned right away, even though the Orchid is said to be in play. The time constraint rules for the two final missions are as follows:
 * If you save the delegates first, you will have 10 minutes to reach the exhibition hall to fight Marchenko to avoid detonation of the bombs. This 10 minute period is extended if you possess certain special items (see walkthrough for M16: Stopping Marchenko for details).
 * If you head to fight Marchenko first, you will have normally 10 minutes to reach the delegates once you have defeated Marchenko.
 * If you do not have the Orchid Neutralizing Enzyme, the delegates will be poisoned by the Orchid after the 10 minute period has elapsed.
 * If you do have the Enzyme, you will have an additional period of time (beyond the standard 10 minutes) during which the antidote can be administered. After expiration of this additional period of time, you can no longer save the delegates.


 * If you head to fight Marchenko first, but escape from the exhibition hall prior to defeating Marchenko and Marchenko sees you escaping (see walkthrough for M16: Stopping Marchenko for details), then the 10 minute time limit for reaching the delegates is triggered when Marchenko calls you a coward. If this period lapses, you can still save the delegates if you have the Enzyme. Due to what may be an oversight, the Enzyme grants an unlimited amount of additional time for reaching the delegates under this situation.

Therefore, except in the unusual situation of prematurely exiting the Marchenko fight, you have unlimited time to complete the first one of the two finals missions, without risking either the bomb detonation or the delegates. That is, only when you have completed one of the two missions does the timer for the remaining mission start.

Find and Protect the Delegates
There are two approaches to getting to the delegates.

The first approach is to head to the delegates directly through the meeting room. The second approach is to confront Marchenko in the exhibition hall and take a shortcut to the delegates room. Once in, a cutscene plays out and, if you were quick enough, Jensen will stop the delegates from taking a sip. Otherwise, if you have the cure, you can save them with that. If you were too slow, they will be dead.If you did this mission last, then it will cut to the ending and you can see how your choices play out in your conversation with Alex and on the news.
 * Having a lot of biocells, Icarus Landing, Leg Silencers, and maxed out Glass-Shield Cloaking will greatly help if you decide to use this approach as the area will have a lot of guards and a couple of turrets. You can either slip past them (remember to use the leg silencers if you walk/run) or use the vents to get close enough. The key thing is to move quickly as you can. Do NOT call the elevator to the floor if you are trying to act stealthily as it will attract the nearby guards’ attention. Instead, go through the nearby door with your keycard and fall down to the elevator below to the VIP room.
 * If you previously gave Rucker's Evidence to Alex, she will contact you here to give you a code. Take the elevator to the VIP rooms and run to the door at the end to save the delegates and use the code to enter (2202).
 * Go confront Marchenko in the exhibition hall first, bypassing the guards in the first option. After the fight starts (or ends if you use his killswitch) head up the stairs where the turret is. There is a switch underneath the table (near the mines) that will open a back entrance to the delegates.
 * You can use the shortcut path at any time during the Marchenko fight. However, leaving during the fight makes no difference as to the end result, because the timer for the delegates' poisoning does not initiate until after Marchenko has been defeated. If you did decide to leave during the fight, you can then head back through the hidden door (it is part of the green monitors behind the mounted camera) to deal with Marchenko.