It was weird, walking down the Skyranger's ramp to meet an actual human welcome party. In Vex's experience concentrated plasma fire was a far more common greeting, and while they occasionally encountered human forces in the field it was usually either those bastard traitors Exalt or local security forces in way over their heads.
The black clad troops waiting for her at the ramp's end weren't Exalt. They weren't wearing enough ugly bandanas, for one, although their complex gasmasks were ridiculous enough in their own right. The in-flight briefing had them pegged as some American black-ops group, big on secrecy and not at all used to working nicely with others.
No these guys weren't Exalt. If even a quarter of the rumors about them were true, though, they might just be worse.
There were a good dozen of the soldiers on the landing pad, fanned out across it with rifles raised. Not to mention the four heavy sentry turrets on nearby structures pointing her way as well.
Definitely not trusting types, Vex thought, pointedly leaving her own weapon lowered as she came to a stop at the ramp's bottom. They could posture if it made them feel better, just so long as they kept their bullets to themselves.
The heavy clank of metal on metal behind her, though, that got their attention. Weapons shifted targets, and a few shook faintly from more than just residual vibrations as her squad leader cleared the ramp. Vex didn't need to look, it was clear from their reactions that Nova had made her usual impression; huge, heavily armed, and generally terrifying.
The skull decal on her helmet was still tacky as hell, though.
The MEC came to a halt one step past Vex, the rest of the squad stopping beside her. Nova took a look at the arrayed weaponry, carefully lowered the metal cylinder in her arms to the concrete below, and then straightened up to her full impressive height.
"Lower your weapons," she said, voice a vaguely feminine monotone, emotionless and clearly synthesized. Knowing Nova, though, she was probably annoyed as hell under the filter. "This is XCOM Strike-4, here by order of the Council of Nations for retrieval of Package AX-0013 from Blackwatch custody. I would ask to speak to Lieutenant James Russell. Your cooperation will be appreciated."
The soldiers remained as they were, but from behind them another man stepped forward. Unlike the others there was some white on this one's uniform, which along with various other cosmetic differences and the way he calmly made his way to the front of the group added up to officer in Vex's mind. Definitely Russell.
He gave the squad a look up and down, gaze lingering on the faintly glowing weapons at their sides before turning his attention fully to Nova.
"So this is XCOM," he said, "Or so you claim. Impressive, but unless you've got proof of identity I can't allow you to come any closer. We've had some, irregularities with security lately so forgive me if I don't take your word for it."
Vex rolled her eyes, glad for the helmet hiding the expression. Yes, because just anyone could get ahold of laser weapons, an XCOM branded Skyranger, and a MEC suit. She had the feeling this was going to be one of those missions.
Nova responded, moving one metal hand to rest on the cylinder.
"Lieutenant James Russell, you received a call confirming our identity from your superiors as we landed. Attached to this transport unit is a copy of the original transfer request and confirmation from your organization that the request was received and approved. Examine them if you like, then order your men to stand down. This is not a request."
Yep, definitely mad. She really liked playing up the passive aggressive robot angle when she was mad.
Masked face as emotionless as Nova's voice, the officer waved another soldier forward who reluctantly lowered his weapon and approached the squad. Quickly he tore the attached paperwork off the cylinder and retreated, handing it off to his boss. Russel spent a minute skimming the document, the flipping pages loud against the tense silence, before finally he relented. He said something to the com at his wrist, and all around them weapons lowered.
"Everything appears to be in order," he said, handing the papers off to the soldier beside him, "There are a few other security measures before we can allow you to enter, but your package is secure inside. Let's get this over with. Welcome to Fort Detrick."
'A few other security measures', as it turned out, was a serious understatement.
After slowly filing past the fifth checkpoint complete with even more armed guards, nasty looking turrets, and mysterious blinking devices, Vex was beginning to think these Blackwatch types might be just a touch paranoid.
They didn't go towards any of the main structures, either. As they'd been informed in the pre-mission briefing, Blackwatch was mostly based in a separate complex, which of course was located under the main fort and accessible only by a single stairwell and attached set of elevators.
Probably a fire hazard waiting to happen, and definitely paranoid.
At least Russell didn't try to make them take the steps. Instead he led them straight to a small freight elevator, just barely large enough to squeeze in one MEC and five normal sized people. Once they'd passed the final checkpoint the numerous soldiers tailing them had returned to their posts, leaving only the Lieutenant and a single guard to escort Strike-4.
The elevator was horrifically slow, and when it finally ground to a halt the doors opened with a far too cheery 'ding' noise.
A maze of dull grey concrete greeted them, and Russel led on through its halls.
Acting as rear guard of their little group, Vex had more than a few chances to look around as they traversed the numerous identical corridors. It wasn't very busy, with far fewer people than the Ant Farm back home, but black clad soldiers passed their group frequently.
The soldiers travelled in pairs, each walking the unhurried pace of a long patrol. They weren't the only security either, as at most intersections there were sentry guns and more of those strange sensors embedded in the ceiling.
They obviously got regular maintenance as well. At the fifth intersection they passed there was a pair of technicians with a ladder, one arm deep in the guts of the turret while the other passed them parts from below.
The second technician, a woman with short blond hair and large glasses, glanced at them as they passed, unknowingly meeting eyes with Vex behind her helmet. They were a light blue color, like a cloudless sky on a summer day, and Vex tore her gaze away before she could think up anymore cheesy metaphors about them. This was not the time.
The door of their destination was just as blank and featureless as the rest of the place, marked with little more than a three digit number and a yellow stripe. It was only even identifiable as such because Lt. Russel, rather than walking past as he had every other door, turned and entered. The other trooper stopped beside it instead, clearing waiting for Strike-4 to go in first.
Nova, who'd remained near the front of the group, went through the familiar motions necessary for a MEC to fit through a normal sized door without breaking it. With the enormous railgun on her back and the transport unit in her arms it was a bit more complex than usual, but she managed.
Jackson and Musa went next, and as Vex brought up the rear the Blackwatch trooper stepped into place behind her.
The room inside was somewhat more interesting than the grey hallways, its interior littered with workstations and scientific equipment. Vex wasn't an expert, but blinking machines and mysterious tubes seemed to fit the profile.
At the back wall were a number of metal doors, each covered in colorful biohazard signs and identifying numbers. Russel went straight for the one at the very end, metal placards slightly discolored with age, and started opening it. It took an ID card, a long string of numbers at a keypad, and the removal of a glove for what might have been a blood test, but finally it was complete.
With a slight hiss of changing pressure the compartment slid open, and from its depths slowly a cylinder emerged suspended. Almost the size of a man and dripping with condensation, the metal was featureless save for a single seam up its length and a dark string of characters.
Glove returned to its rightful place, Russel gestured to it with a hand.
"Sample AX-0013," he said, "Safe and ready for transport."
Offhandedly he touched a point at the seam, and with one small movement metal slid aside to reveal the transparent surface beneath. Immediately he started to close it again, but with a glance at the contents stopped as if frozen.
Vex gave it a look as well. Inside the container was a liquid, or at least something that appeared liquid, largely a dull uniform red with brighter veins of color seeming to pulse across its surface. It shifted strangely as well, ropy globs almost climbing atop each other in the cylinder's confines.
It was creepy as hell, but it matched the description they'd been given. Or at least it would have if the container wasn't half empty.
"Fuck," said Russel, before going to the com at his wrist, "This is Lieutenant Russel reporting Code Sierra Five, I repeat, Sierra Five. We have a missing sample in room Six Nine Three, threat level Delta. Shut it all down. Sample is likely still in the facility, last confirmed in storage thirty two minutes ago. No one is to enter or exit the facility until this thing is found."