X-COM is the acronym for the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit. This organization is beyond super secret. If I were so inclined, and around the age of ten, I might say 'Super-Duper Secret', but I'm not, so I won't.

For anyone that's never been through any kind of military training, it's impossible to describe how completely miserable it makes you. I know before I started, I had no idea exactly how much life could really, really suck. Growing up in America, we get used to certain things, like food when we want, running water when we want, TV, games, free time. Things like that. The other three guys in my class were all prior military and had been through the ringer before. Evan was a huge Navy Seabee from Ohio. Kurt was about my size, Marine infantry lieutenant from Maryland. James was also Marine corps, but he was an artilleryman, from Savannah.

We were spared the 'Hell Week' type training guys like the SEALS had to go through. They said any fighting we would do would be localized and short. No extended trips into hostile territory. We were all in pretty good shape, the other three from being Seabees and Marines, me from running track. There wasn't a definitive rank structure. Although Kurt was in charge of us for any group exercises, he mostly served as a spokesman. The first few weeks were classroom stuff. Learning about the history of the alien conflict and the aliens the guys out in the field had encountered already.

So far, we'd seen three kinds of aliens, with who knows how many yet to be discovered. The first ones the X-COM operators had seen were called Sectoids. They looked like they were straight out of some kook's abduction story; emaciated bodies with huge craniums and oversize, oval, black eyes. They were short, about as tall as an average 11 year old. The research teams figured they evolved in some kind of subterranean environment, explaining the need for smaller bodies and larger eyes. These guys were actually the reason I was even in X-COM. Apparently, some of the operators encountering them at one of the larger crash sites had reported very strange feelings and behavior. They would see flashes of their worst nightmares during battle, some even felt extremities trying to act against their will. After this report, the researchers started looking deep into the gray's brain. They found one organ near the base of the skull that, when stimulated, caused the same organ in other specimens to react at the same time in the same way. This faded over time. About 36 hours after death, the brains no longer started mutually reacting. They felt this was evidence of some telepathic ability, probably evolved to help communication in the dark twisting caves of their home world.

The second type were called Floaters. Now, I know the concept of aliens in general is weird, but these guys are crazy. All the specimens killed or captured so far had been completely surgically altered. Their legs, if they ever had legs, were removed, along with the majority of their torso to make room for a vial shaped apparatus that allowed them to glide through the air. The 'stem' of the device extended from the bottom of the torso almost up to the neck. There were several points surgically grafted from the rib cage and spine to the stem for structural support.

The third were the Snakemen. Despite their intimidating appearance, these guys were considered cake by the agents. They were assessed to be primarily engineers, which would explain their lack of combat skills. They looked like, well, Snakemen. They were about eight feet long overall, although the front four feet were usually held upright. This is where the scientists think some heavy duty genetic engineering came in to play. They actually had 2 forward facing eyes and two arms, forming a kind of pseudo-torso on the part of the body held upright. Super creepy.

We learned how to operate some of the new toys the research teams attached to X-COM had been developing. Laser pistols and rifles, med-kits, and motion scanners. I had to learn the basics of marksmanship and how to do things like operate a grenade the other guys took for granted.

I learned all the things the military guys already knew, like yes your body can be sore for weeks at a time and you can keep going. Things like food and rack time became more precious than mounds of gold. You can get tons of stuff done between five in the... shit, 0500 and 2300.

We learned about interrogation resistance. We practiced shooting weapons of all shapes and sizes. The shooting days were my favorite. I loved watching military movies as a kid. You know, Ahnold and Stallone shooting guys up. I was going to get to do it for real. I learned to operate a US Standard M4 Rifle, a Glock .40, a huge SAW, and, my favorite, an RPG. We studied and practiced advanced infantry tactics, a lot. I quickly learned the only reason I was in this thing was that single line about Psionics I saw in my dossier, because Kurt, James, and Evan were all freaking pros. Luckily, we were all in this crazy thing together, and the guys helped me out, often at the expense of rack time. I went to bed bruised and sore every night, especially the ones James 'tutored' me in Marine Corps Martial Arts.

We all graduated, with no ceremony. We got a red "COMPLETE" stamp in our jacket on the "Agent training" line. I was assigned to the North American Base, while the other three guys were detailed to the American-run base in Vietnam. They had been hurting for operators after a bad mission involving a panicked and suicidal floater, and needed immediate reinforcements to field a full squad.

Yves was there occasionally. I would catch him watching us during random training events, classroom topics, always in some threadbare suit. He was also there at our 'graduation'. I ask him about my phone call home.

"You sure you want to call your aunt?" He asks.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure. She's all I've got left. Amber doesn't even answer my calls anymore."

Auntie Sharon is my Dad's sister. She lived right down the street from my old house back home. Mom was an only child. Amber is my sister. Yves told us one of the main criteria for choosing new agents was a dearth of close familial ties. I promise Yves I'd help allay any suspicions she may be having.

"All right." He says, and hands me the phone on his desk at the training facility.

I dial the number, the phone begins to ring. I hear a click, then my aunt's voice. "Hello?"

"Hi Auntie!" I say, more excited than I thought I would be at the sound of her familiar voice.

"Ian! What do you think you're doing running away! I haven't heard from you in months! Justin said some weird guys came by and just packed up all your stuff. Said they had a letter from you to just put it all in storage."

"Yeah, it's all true Auntie. I was afraid I wouldn't go through with it, so that last night, instead of going to work, I got on a plane to Ukraine to meet some Telepathy researchers."

"You can't be serious! Your scholarship..."

"It was all to help me learn what I'm learning here Auntie! I'm great, don't worry!" I hope I sound like me and not some liar that's lying with his liar face. My poor auntie doesn't deserve this.

"I can't believe you actually did that." I hear her sigh. "Well I guess if that's your dream, not enough of us chase our dreams..."

"Yeah, I'm really enjoying myself, plus there's tons of hot babes in town. Good motivation to learn Ukrainian."

She laughed. "Haha! OK Ian. Well don't be a stranger!"

Yves shakes his head and taps on his watch. "Sorry Auntie, I have to get going. The calling cards are really expensive, and I don't exactly make a lot of extra money out here. Stay safe OK?"

"OK, you too."

"Bye Auntie."

"Bye Ian."

I hang up the phone. "Thanks Yves. I needed that."

He grunts. "Whatever, a promise is a promise. Better if she's not asking a ton of questions."

The next day, I was in the back of a black Plymouth Town and Country, on my way to join my first squad.