Ford Schick

"There are an awful lot of scientists and inventors out in there world, and the lucky ones work for high-powered business and live in interesting places. Ford Schick isn't lucky. He doesn't have enough common sense to know that you shouldn't hang out in Hell's Kitchen or get in black sedans driven by strangers. Next thing he knows he's making designer drugs for the cartels... using his genius in bioengineering and nanotechnology to create fashionable, and profitable, addictions. He's not an evil scientist. He's a laid-back kind of guy, and gives his friendship freely to anyone who hands him a cold beer on a hot afternoon. A fellow like that gets taken for a stooge by the nasties and the weirdos of the world. The good thing about Ford is that you can count on him to take care of himself... just as long as it's clear who the bad guys are."

- description of Ford Schick to the player

Ford Schick is a scientist and friend of Smuggler who lives in Hell's Kitchen. He is kidnapped by Majestic 12 and is forced to do research related to the Gray Death.

Background
If JC Denton visits Smuggler's hideout on his first visit to Hell's Kitchen, Smuggler will ask JC to rescue Ford, who he says has likely been kidnapped by the government. Smuggler suspects that he is being held in a secret bunker in the city's sewers. The base in the sewers is heavily fortified and guarded by Majestic 12 soldiers. If JC reaches Schick he will reveal that a "biotech" company (MJ12) is forcing him to "knock out antibodies" (for the Gray Death). If Ford makes it out of the base alive, Smuggler will thank JC and give him a discount on his products. Regardless of whether Schick is rescued on this first visit to Hell's Kitchen, he is not seen again.

Cut content
Two additional conversations between Ford Schick and JC Denton can be found in the game files. They were meant to occur on the second and third visits to Hell's Kitchen. Whether intentional or not, Schick is recognised by the game as having died after the third mission so these exchanges never take place.

The conversations can still be heard if Ford is spawned in Smuggler's hideout using cheats; however, the augmentation upgrade canister that he offers as a reward cannot be acquired. Schick has a considerable amount of inside knowledge on the Gray Death and claims that JC has had the plague "for years", and is simply immune to its effects. He states that he worked with tissue culture's labelled "JCD" - or JC Denton - while working for Majestic 12.

Trivia

 * Ford Schick is modeled to resemble Warren Spector. Spector makes cameo appearances in many of the games he works on.