This is a little story I'm making, based off of a play through of X-COM I'm doing. I was inspired by, AllForFire who's writing something similar, in 'An Odd Bunch Of Soldiers'. Rated M for swearing and violence.

This is my first story, so don't be too mean, but I will appreciate any constructive criticism you can offer.


"Aw yeah, MVP" Maxim shouted at his T.V after finishes top of the leaderboard in yet another game of Call Of Duty. They all accused him of hacking, but he never needed hacks, he just relied on his natural skill. All the other players left the game room.

"Aw man, not again" he turned off his Playstation, and went into his kitchen, a walk of about 4 steps in his tiny apartment "No food. Damnit" he grabbed his keys, and jacket, and left the apartment. Only to turn around and walk back in, and grab his wallet, before walking back out again.

Maxim was on his way back from the supermarket, a bag of food on each arm, and happened to glance at a news report from a store window, he saw reports of an alien incursion, these were playing a lot lately, London today, damn, they were getting close, apparently some group called X-COM was started to stop them, he hoped they worked, he didn't fancy meeting these aliens. Then he noticed something else, and began watching intently, they were holding 'tryouts' for X-COM, wait what, seriously, he thought you had to be specifically chosen for it, now you could apply, damn. Wait, they want a sniper... this might be something he could do.

Maxim walked into the community center "Name" a man sitting a desk asked him

"Maxim Popov"

"Just wait over there, you will be called in when the person before you is finished"

"Oh, alright"


A few minutes later.

"Maxim Popov" was called over a speaker in the corner

Wow, he was really doing this, a gamer was going to apply for a comabt group, he'd probably flunk it, but... why was he here, he wasn't going to be the person chosen for this, and, if he was, was he really going to be a good soldier, he had the patience for it, he knew, he had waited long times in games to get off the perfect shot, but, a real combat scenario, he should probably just leave now, but, he couldn't make himself leave, and found himself walking through the door.

"Hello sir" A man with short blonde hair said "Just step over there"

"Uh, hi, what exactly am i going to be doing here?" Maxim asked

"You are going to be run through a simulation combat scenario"

"Woah, really, i didn't know we had simulation tech"

"Cutting edge tech i know, it doesn't officially exist"

"Awesome"

The man got a helmet, gloves, and boots from the counter beside him, and put them on Maxim "Now, this is going to be very realistic, but nothing will kill you, this is to test out how you can handle the stress of a combat situation. You will feel like you are running around, but don't worry, you will still be standing right there"

"What, how does that work"

"The Gloves and boots intercept nerve transmissions before they make the body parts move, so you move in the simulation, but not in real life"

"So cool"

"However, they will release an electircal shock if you are injured by anything, so being shot will hurt"

"Oh, thats great"

"Good luck" the man called, a pressed a button on the coutner

Immediatly Maxim saw an entirely different landscape around him, it was lightly forested, he was on a hill, and a sniper rifle was laying agaisnt a rock beside him, there was also a pistol and a grenade. Maxim picked up the pistol, and put it into a holster on his hip, hooked the grenade onto a clip on his waist, and picked up the sniper rifle. He heard a shot, and turned to see a man run up the hill, he was heavily wounded, and was running like the devil was chasing him. Maxim's gaming instincts kicked in, and he dropped to one knee, brought the rifle to his shoulder, and called out to the man "Who are you" the only responce came in a scream as the man fell forward, revealing a short, grey-skinned humanoid with a strange device in its wrist, it's head was massive, and it had huge eyes. Immediatly, Maxim put his eye to the scope, and fired, the bullet slamming right between the creatures huge eyes. It dropped to the ground, a neat hole pumped through its head. He heard a strange skreech from behind the creature, and knew re-enforcments were coming, he looked around for cover, and saw an outcrop of rocks behind him. He ran over, and jumped over them, taking cover on the other side. He popped his head up, rifle already aimed down the slope, and saw more of the aliens coming, spread out, too far apart for a grenade, and scater for cover, he quickyl gaged the distance, adjusted him aim, and shot, drilling another one in its giant head. The rest, 3 more, hid behind trees. Maxim ducked back down, a checked the rifle, it held 4 shots, and he didn't have any extra clips. He popped back up, and saw the aliens behind the trees, he couldn't get a clear shot, so he kept his eyes out, making sure he could see all of them, he saw a flash of grey, and quickly swivled, bringing up the rifle, and firing, the grey creature fell back, a hole in it's chest where a heart would be for a person (Hopefully he hit somthing important). The others screeched again, and they both began sprinting out of the cover, firing green beams from the devices on their wrist. Maxim ducked down behind the rock, putting the rifle on the ground, and getting out the pistol, it was a revolver, it had to be re-cocked after each shot, and he had 6 of them. He jumped up, firing a round into one of the aliens, it struck it in the chest, and it dropped, but the other wasn't idle, he felt a burning in his side, and quickly turned his arm, pulling back the trigger on his pistol as he did so, and pumped another bullet into the other alien. He then dropped back down behind the rock, and looked at his side, it was red and bubbling, and it stung like a bitch, he lightly touched the area, and his side screamed in pain, he gritted his teeth to prevent himself from crying out. He heard a lout growl, and glanced over the rock, he saw a strange creature, it looked like a reptilian lion, running at him, he fired a shot, but his side threw his aim, and he missed, realizing his aim would not be good enough for this with his wound, he dropped the pistol, took out the grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it a few feet in front of the rock, then dropped to the ground behind his rock. He heard the boom, followed by a howl of pain, he picked up the pistol, and looked over his rock. The creature was on it's side, bleeding green from multiple cuts all over it. He raised his pistol in a shakey grip, and, holding it in 2 hands, fired a shot into it's head, killing it. He dropped back down, leaning agaisnt the rock in a sitting position, keeping his arm away from his side. He took a deep breath, and checked his pockets, he found what looked like a vial in a breast pocket, and looked around the side, he found a red cross on the top, he pulled the cork-like thing out of the top, and poured a small drop onto a finger, no burning, so he then took that small bit on his finger, and put his finger to the wound, where he put it he immediatly felt it cool, so he took the rest of the vial, and poured it onto the wound, it cooled straight away, and he sighed in pleasure, then looked at his side. It was fully healed, no sign of the wound. He stood back up, and came face-to-face with another of the grey-skined creatures, without him realizing what was happening, a fist collided with the neck of the creature, and it fell back, he grabed the pistol off the ground, and fired a shot into its face.

"Simulation End" a robotic voice said in his ear. The scene before him dissapeared, and he was back in the room

"Wow, that was intense" He saw the man by the counter looking at him, with a shocked look on his face "What" he said, taking the helmet off

"That... It was made to be virtually unbeatable"

"Seriously?!"

"Take those off then follow me"


10 minutes later.

Maxim was sitting in a car, the man, who had revealed himself to be called Keith. "So, whats happening again"

"I'm taking you to X-COM HQ. You need to talk to the Commander"

"Seriously... Where is this HQ, i just bought food this morning"

"You'll be back at your house in a few hours"

"I think i forgot to put the milk away"

Keith smiled "We can re-pay you for the milk"


An hour later.

"Come in" a voice called from behind the door. Keith opened the door and walked in, followed closely behind by Maxim. The room was fairly small, a screen showing a map of the world on one side of the room, a desk covered in papers on the other, and a man standing beside the screen. 'The Commander', was not what you imagine from everything he'd heard of him, the man chosen to lead X-COM, earth's first and last line of defence against the alien threat, chosen specifically for his skills, the best tactician in the world today, he was about average height, with buzz-cut brown hair, and slightly baby-faced, altogether a rather unasuming man, if he'd met him on the street, he wouldn't have glanced at him twice. But, meeting him here, in X-COM HQ, in front of a tactical map of the world... Maxim still didn't think he seemed all that impressive "Yes, kind of a let down isn't it"

"Pardon" Maxim replied, broken out of his thoughts by the commanders words

"You hear all the legends about the mysterious 'Commander', i'm sure most people imagine a tall, muscled, scarred, military general looking man, then you see me. I appreciate the irony of it" The Commander laughed

"Uh, yeah, that's actually exactly what i was thinking. How'd you know"

"It's what everyone thinks when they see me. Anyway, Keith here tells me you were the recruit that aced that simulation. Lets see, 7 shots, and 1 grenade, and 7 kills, a slight burn from an alien. Still room for improvment then"

"Sir, i designed that simualtion to be virtually impossible, the fact that he managed to complete it is amazing"

"Of course, of course. But we need only the best here. Maxim. It says here that you are a.. Profession gamer?"

"Uh, yeah"

"How does that pay?"

"I'm sorry"

"What are you sorry for" The Commander smiled

"Uh"

"I'm just trying to unnerve you, don't worry, i'm only joking"

"A Proffessional game though, how did you do so well in a simulation that trained soldiers would struggle with"

Maxim hesitated "Well, a simulation is just a realistic game... and games are what i am good at"

The Commander smiled "I too use game tactics for my work. Games are great training. But real-life experience is needed as well"

"I guess"

"Well, Maxim, i would like to offer you a place at X-COM"

"Wait... What"

"I would like to offer you a place at X-COM"

"Yeah, i heard, i just mean... Why"

"Well... I quite like you, and i am becoming quite know for my strange decisons. Did you know i have a diagnosed psychopathic criminal on the group?"

"Wait what"

"Don't worry, she's calm"

"Uhhh"

"And i also happen to quite like you, and i think you will do well here... With a bit of training of course"

"I, uh, i don't know what to say"

"Well, theres, Yes, No, and May i have some time to think about it"

"I, uh, i guess i'll go with the 3rd option"

"Wonderful. I like it when they think about it. Keith will give you a lfit back home, and then we'll comtact you in a few days, and we'll ask you again then. I would give you more time, but we need a sniper, and we can't wait forever"

"Oh, uh, thank you"


A few days later.

A rining woke Maxim up, he glanced at the clock, 3:30 AM "Uhhh" he groaned as he dragged himself out of bed. As soon as his feet touched the floor he shot up, remembering who it would that could be calling him, and sprinted into his 'living room' (a difficult feat when moving less than 10 steps), and grabbing his phone "Were you charged for PPI you didn't want", Maxim growled and was about to slam the phone down before heard laughing from the other end "Sorry, i couldn't help it, just imagining your reaction"

"That wan't funny, i was 2 inches away from hanging up"

"Oh, it was very funny, trust me. Anyway, have you made up your mind about joining X-COM"

"Woah, that was straight forward"

"I'm a straight forward guy. So, have you decided"

Before Maxim could even think, he said "Yes"

"Excelent, pack up everything you want to bring, you'll be picked up outside your apartment complex at 7:30"

"What can i pack"

"You'll be getting a room quite similar to your apartment. So, clothes, games, any personal items you want to make sure don't vanish"