XCOM: We The People
Chapter 1: "Mr. Spaceman"
Long before the destruction of The United States, and her reconstruction into something devout to Advent's purposes, the state of Texas seceded from the rest of the doomed U.S. Ian, Mick, Maria, and Katy fought against the invading alien threat. From city to city with what was left of the Marshals, a military group used to replace the American armed forces, these four battled the invaders. Rising through the ranks, they seen Xcom die off and revive from mere ash and rubble, until Texas itself was brought to its knees and forced to change just as so many before it. Before long, the Marshals permanently disbanded and were seemingly forgotten, some remnants were rounded up and executed, others chose to bend the knee, but then there were those who were forced to roam…
Maria and Ian sat in the skeleton of a bombed house, upon its second floor, awaiting some friends who sought signs of Xcom's flying fortress. Sitting in one corner of the room, Ian looked at the prominent grassy field lit by the full moon wondering just how long they had to wait. He also hoped this new plan of his would work out well for his People.
"Could you stare any harder at that wall?" Maria, asks, calling the man's attention, yet she could tell she didn't have it, and if she did, it was not all of it, for he chuckled lightly as he gently rocked himself back and forth, holding his rifle as though it was Maria's hand.
Watching as the night crawled it's way into the early morning Ian, Maria, and a few others lie in wait as the townsfolk went about their daily lives, seemingly oblivious to the juxtaposed armed forces hiding in the skeleton of a lone house just off the main road.
Unbeknownst to the towns people, their day would take a violent turn.
Wheels rattled the rocks of the withered old street, and cold red and black boots followed. The Advent Captain, accompanied by two Advent troopers, made their way to a humble, yet well-dressed man who shook the Captain's hand with an easy smile.
"Well good morning, Captain." The bearded man spoke easily, ending the well-practiced handshake. "Welcome to the town of Cedar. I'm it's mayor, Gustavo, but please, call me Gus" The man added, looking straight into the visor of the Advent officer.
"That it is, sir…" The officer began with a strong, deep voice. "For today, Advent calls to you and your town to lend yourselves to it's military." He called, looking past Gus to the people who looked nervously in his direction. Boldly grabbing the quiet mayor's hand, the officer began some sort of sales pitch, explaining that when they gave their city and lives to Advent they'd live happier and receive certain benefits, and so much more rambling that the mayor had to halt him a moment, yet he continued to talk, promise, and preach.
Finally getting a chance to speak, Gus politely refused the offer.
"Well, I'm sorry, but the people here just aren't going to be so easily persuaded." The mayor adds with a guilty smirk, after noticing that his refusal removed the politesse from the officer, who began tightening the grip on his hand.
Pulling Mayor Gustavo closer to him, he spoke quietly and bluntly to get his point across. "You'll have no choice. Submit to Advent or face prosecution and certain death."
"You misunderstand me, Captain…" The mayor began, narrowing his vision, focusing solely on the officer.
Feeling a shooting pain dig just past his ribcage, the officer gasped, looking away from the man's face and to his hands.
"THE PEOPLE…will…NOT…allow…that." The mayor said slowly before removing the poisoned knife from the soldier's body, acquiring a sick smile as he collapsed into the street.
The sound of gunshots ripped through the dull mumble of the typical, lonely town's day, and as the officer lay on the ground, his men getting rained on by little bits of metal from thin air, his vision began to blur and darken as his hearing followed them into unconsciousness.
The last thing the frightened officer saw was Gus firing his small pistol as he moved to cover declaring "Power to The People" …
Music played indistinctly in the background as Ian, Mick, and a few others sat in a modern-day speakeasy rejoicing over the latest victory as they made plans for another. Someone would make a proposal that would be grumbled over by the listeners, then scrutinized and playfully tossed out the window. They also made a toast to Mayor Gus who was secretly Mick in disguise. These men kept at it for a while until one of them checked their watch and, between drunken belches, made note of the time.
Having finished their whiskey and beer, they dispersed. All but Ian and Mick lingered in town saying their goodbyes to some of the townsfolk, the real mayor was among them.
"Thanks again for your participation, Sam." Mick called, shaking the mayor's hand.
The short man promised to give his assistance whenever and wherever it was needed, before he asked why Mick had chosen the name Gustavo.
With a smirk Mick claimed it was just something he "came up with", hiding Gustavo's real identity as he turned around to leave.
The truth Mick hid from the mayor was that Gustavo was an old friend and part of their renegade group, or The People, as Ian dubbed them. Gus died somewhere in Bellville, Texas. His mission was to go with Mick, Kate and a few others to Austin, Texas to see how bad it had gotten since the occupation, destroying as many comms towers power supplies as they could while they progressed into Austin. From the group of ten, only Mick, Kate, and some nameless rookie made it home. They never made it to Austin, and ultimately failed the mission, only demolishing two of the enemy's buildings…seven men and women, seven friends, for only two small buildings.
Baker Street played from their jeep as Mick, Maria, and Ian traveled to their F.O.B. remembering, the people like Gus, and remembering home.
All seemed well for the trio, until Maria took notice of the stillness of the roadsides, for, typically, she'd see tons of wild animals roaming free among the free, unkempt, woodwork of the land, however this time seemed to be different.
With a curse, she reached into the front half of the jeep, fiercely tugging at the wheel, causing the vehicle to swerve from the road just in time for a bullet to wedge itself into the cold side of the truck, damaging nothing more than the jeep.
"Hey! What-the-fuck!?" Mick called, angrily pushing Maria back to her side of the vehicle, to which her only rebut was to command them from the jeep and into cover.
Helping Mick into cover, Ian assumed, "You saw something, didn't you?" Knowing of her PCS, Ian became accustomed to trusting Maria's gut feelings, due to the chip that increased her perception. All too often she could tell whenever a situation didn't seem "right", to Ian this meant he'd do well to prepare himself for the unexpected.
"Looks like those chips actually work." Maria chuckled, staying hidden.
With very little effort, Maria exposed the sniper and showed Mick hoping he'd counter-snipe him, luckily for them Mick hit his mark. The other two just sighed in relief.
Rolling his eyes, Mick stowed away his rifle sarcastically asking "So, are there any other augments you have?"
"Nope!" Ian interrupts, wrapping his arm around Maria. "I've checked."
Ignoring his girlfriend's playful jab to his shoulder, Ian had himself a good laugh as they returned to their seats and rode away, inbound to their forward operating base.
After the day came to a close, Ian lay in a thin shirt with long basketball shorts, staring into the emptiness of the roof above his head. They had no casualties today, and they had ripped the Advent a new one, however his People planned to migrate yet again, perhaps into what used to be Louisiana, or maybe further north with hopes of thwarting whoever had been tracking them.
Ian kept letting his mind wonder until he began to worry himself with what-ifs and pointless details. Feeling he'd thought too hard for far too long on the irrelevant, he sat up in bed and poured himself a shot. He felt a familiar grasp as Maria gently wrapped her arms around him, lending him solace.
"We did it, Boss" Maria declares with a sigh of relief, only letting go to grab herself a shot glass. Ian poured them both a shot. Raising a glass Maria quoted a part of an old song they used to enjoy, "Power. Power. The law of the land…"
With a grim grin of what only people like them would know of as agreeance, Ian recites, "Those living for death will die by their own hand."