Act III: Consolidation

Luc was tempted to board the dropship that Ana was on. But a part of him told himself that getting on a ship with a whole bunch of aliens that hastily joined there side, wasn't exactly a good idea. He climbed the Avenger's ramp, the last to do so.

Except for the engineers, who had hastily repaired the damaged Skyranger. Them and Firebrand had managed to repair the engine to operable levels. It hovered (as well as being pushed by the lot of them) slightly off the ground, landing in the hanger bay with a loud bang. The ramp closed, and they took off.

The Avenger had a small zone that stretched over a kilometre around the ship. The alien gunships remained undetected. ADVENT couldn't track them as long as they stayed close, and couldn't see them of course.

But almost every alien was anxious, the human vessel was alien in design, a former transporter ship for ADVENT. They had no idea if XCOM had attached guns on it, or kept it unarmed. There gunships also were unarmed, but had windows for the heavy Muton rifles to fire out of. But no weapon could penetrate the human vessel, it was too thick. Ana wondered how such a thing could even be captured by a bunch of rebels.

The Commander shut off the GREMLIN, no longer would she talk through it, she had to speak to the newfound allies face to face. She was sure a robot being the leader would make a bad impression the longer it was used. She got ready for a first meeting, Central stood outside the door to her room.

"Commander." he said through the door. "Are you sure about this? I'll follow you to the end, but are we really this desperate?"

She could hear the doubt in his voice. She couldn't blame him, no sane person would.

"We can't recruit like we used to Central, we need help." She opened the door. "It feels like I've been doing this for years already. But we can't do this with so few of us."

Central didn't look at her, his eyes were on the globe of the world down below.

"What about the Underworld?" he asked.

"The what?"

"The black market. Surely we can get more people willing to fight there. It's like the old grey market. But built beneath the ground."

She walked down the stairs from her quarters, now next to the globe, a highlighted portion of northern America lit up like a candle, indicating the 'Black Market's' location.

"I'll think about it, for now, I got to have a diplomatic meeting with these aliens."

"Count me out Commander." Central sighed. "I'm no diplomat."

"You would make a fine speaker soon enough." She joked.

"I don't know how you're going to pull this one off Commander…" One of the technicians said with respect, doubtful, but respectful.

She whispered so no one could hear. "Nor do I…"

-XXX-

They had landed on a long stretch of sand on the west coast of America. A great flat beach greeted the landing gears of the ships. The alien ships had landed behind the Avenger, lined up like three points of a triangle. The ramp lowered once more, revealing the humans representatives. The dropships opened, revealing their own.

Both were groups of four, backed up by several soldiers of all kinds. Specialists, Rangers, Sharpshooters, Mutons, Vipers…

The eight main figures slowly walked, stomped and slithered towards each other, the sand crumpled under them. They met each other halfway.

The Commander wore a black skin tight suit with wavy midnight hair and had tanned skin, she was slightly taller than most, not to mention her extraordinary beauty she radiated. She lead Luc, Kurt and Phoebe.

Ana, her sunset scales in almost fully clad Elite armour. Lead Xida, Thalia and Neska.

Once again the air was filled with tension like a gas leak in a small room.

Luc nodded to the group respectfully, Ana returned it, which the Commander returned, which Xida returned, which Kurt did. But the other females didn't move at all, for some reason.

Neska was staring at Luc, he looked back, it was the one from the facility, the one with James. He decided not to say anything, and looked away from her.

"So, the XCOM leader steps out from her robotic shadow." said Thalia.

Keeping her voice neutral, the Commander responded. "It's just a safety precaution."

Luc noticed the Commander had a slightly British accent.

"Then you should put it back on if you want to save your bones." Thalia placed one foot ahead of her.

Xida nudged her shoulder. "Step away Thalia, this is no fight."

She looked as if about to punch something, but stayed still none the less.

"To whom do I address?" The Commander asked.

Ana spoke up this time. "I am called 'Ana' (She glanced at Luc for a split second) this is Xida, Thalia and Neska."

"Thalia…I like your attitude, you're a fierce warrior, you fought well back at the compound." The Commander said cleverly. Thalia grunted, in either amusement or anger, no one knew.

"This is my group, Pheebs, Nox, and Lance. I give codenames to hide their identities, it's their choice if they choose to share them, not mine. I do not expect you to join our forces willingly. Name your price. We will help each other, this is a good place to start, if I say so myself."

There was one thing Ana had in mind, they had discussed it on the way here.

"We must find the Queen, our Queen. She is my species last hope of survival."

A fair deal, but not an easy one. The last hope?

"We will help you search, you have any idea were to start?"

Ana didn't, she would no doubt be gone from the blood isles, it was no place to search, they must look elsewhere, anywhere.

"I thank you for your help in leading ADVENT away from us. We will comply to our best ability, but we cannot be controlled. Even our debt to you has limits." Ana said.

"I know what you mean, I hope our species can learn to get along on the way to your Queen." The Commander held out her hand, this time with her own flesh.

Ana accepted it. "As do I."

-XXX-

If there was any place to find a lead, the Black Market was it. (As Central put it) They had arrived half a day later. To an empty field, half of it was covered in snow, the other was a dull grey layer of dirt. And it was as cold. To cold even for the aliens, the sun was warm, but its heat had died on its trip to the surface.

"Commander…" Phoebe yelled over the small blizzard they were all stood in. "How much farther!?"

"Not two steps ahead!" Central yelled instead. The Commander was as new to this as they were. Central was the temporary leader now.

Phoebe fell face first into the deep snow, she lay on a weird angle, as if laying on a set of downward steps. Her small yelp was muffled in the snow.

At once all the snow covering the hidden steps fell, it was accompanied by a small whirl of some hidden machine. The snow filtered into unseen chutes two meters apart from the walkway into the abyss below. The nine of them walk down the steps. (The aliens insisted on coming with them all)

One lone lamp lit the small room down below, almost like a bunker. They had trouble fitting into the room. Nothing else could be seen. They squeezed into the small room rather awkwardly.

"Who's that?" Kurt called, pawing at Luc's face.

"Get out of it!." Luc pushed him back lightly.

"Your stepping on my tail 'Commander'…." Neska whispered.

"Sorry."

"I hope that's just your arm Xida…"

"COMMANDER!" An unknown high pitched voice yelled over some sort of loudspeaker. "Whoops, heh, volume was up…Commander! Let me get the lights…"

The room lit up so bright Luc had to squint for a moment. The far wall moved downwards, revealing a long black hall, and a figure who held open arms towards them.

"Oh, am I glad to see you not some lumbering corpse Commander! It's been way (he dragged the word out) to long! Twenty years? Jeez…" The man had a black robe that covered his entire body, it was bundled atop his head, revealing two devilish red and black eyes.

"Jack, Jack, Jack, never left the business do you?" She asked, giving him a light hug, which surprised some of the group.

"You know me, I love it, always have, always will." Jack patted her back, now looking to the others. He let go and strode over, not in the least worried about anything.

"These your XCOM buddies? Little on the downside if you ask me, compared to the old guys." Jack examined Kurt, then Phoebe, finally Luc.

"At least you still got a mind guy! I'm Jack." Luc shakes his extended hand.

"Luc."

"L-U-K-E?" Jack spelt out loud.

"No. It's.."

"We have this problem a lot, back in the day." Kurt smirked.

"Yeah, well that's because you're an idiot 'Nox'." Luc said his nickname with some sarcasm.

"Jack. We need some information." The Commander had butt in, she whispered "Enough." On the fly as well when she passed them.

"Oh, by all means ask away. I'm sure we can help humanity's last hope by any means. But first…" He walked over to the four aliens who had stayed silent in the back of the room. He looked them over one by one. Thalia growled at him when he approached, he skirted around her to look at the others. Not making a single comment as he went.

"New friends Commander?" Jack asked, walking back to his original spot in the doorway.

"Jack…"

"Alright, alright. What is it you need to know?"

"We need to find the Viper Queen. (She noticed Jack didn't flinch) Leader of the whole species, she…Is important. Do you know anything about her? Or any ADVENT leaders? Or where to find them?"

"Hmm…Never took you of all people to help the aliens, but as for your Queen…I know nothing, can't help you."

All but one person felt regretful, unfulfilled or angry. Luc may have heard him say he knew nothing. But his mind said otherwise.

"But you know someone who can. Don't you?" Luc asked.

"Oh..(He half laughed, half exhaled) Your good, I'm glad some things don't change. Yeah, I know someone who could. Two leads, one high, one low, I wouldn't go as one if I were you, they won't stay around forever. Not to mention they will spook at the slightest trouble.. But before you come into my little slice of the world. Your weapons." He points to a door behind him. "All of them."

They had all been armed, their guns were holstered on their backs. In the door was no room, but a closet, with several racks to hold any kind of weapon, even trays for small objects, probably grenades or something.. As Luc was the last to place his amplifier and rifle into the racks. The door shut on its own. Some cogs whirled, then it was silent. He opens the door again. But the guns were gone.

"You'll all get them back on your way out. Trust me."

Luc felt his honesty, but still didn't trust him, he was just too sleazy.

Down the hall, a light shown through, like the end of a long tunnel. Luc could hear a million voices drowning each other out. A part of him was excited to see what lay beyond, in the Black Market.

"Everyone! Fall in." The Commander called out to all, Jack had walked to the light and waited, his form cast a long shadow across the floor towards them, he was out of earshot.

"Let's huddle in." Kurt placed his arms around Central and Phoebe. All looked to him, they were in a circle, but no one except Kurt had his arms outstretched. He rather awkwardly lowered them.

"OK, the Angelko and Mutons will take one, we humans take the other." The Commander said.

"I don't take orders from humans." Thalia growled.

Xida nodded. "We get a say in what we do."

Ana called out to the man named Jack. "Where are these leads?"

"One in a bar, one in a hotel." he answered.

"We take the…what's a bar?" Neska finally spoke up.

"It's a place you get drunk." Luc answered.

"It's not just that." Kurt interrupted. "Depends on what kind of bar it is."

"How many types are there?" Neska asked with some curiosity.

"My favourite are the ones in clubs.."

"Shut up!" Central said. "…Lounge bars are better…"

"What's a lounge bar?"

"Don't encourage him Central! Here is what we are gonna do." She points to Luc. "You. The bar. The rest come to the hotel."

"How come he gets to go?" Phoebe asked.

"Because I said so and that's that. You four, (The aliens) do as you please. We all meet back here when I give the order on the comms."

"We will not sit back and watch." Ana said. "I will go with Luc. Thalia, Xida, Kurt, and Phoebe go to the hotel. Neska, Central and the Commander will look elsewhere and find information on anything you can find."

Despite her sudden interruption, Ana had a straightforward plan. Not even Central complained. Neska was a bit hesitant, but after a few kind thoughts from Ana. She calmed down.

"No way. We get to decide." Phoebe half whispered.

"Are we about done!" Jack yelled.

"Sure." The Commander said, now walking towards Jack. The group followed. (With Phoebe groaning in some annoyance)

"Gentleman, ladies…aliens…Welcome, to the Underworld."

It was as if someone had carved a giant fist into the ground that stretched on for miles. They were currently just below the surface. But a whole living and breathing city was below them, accessed by many twisting paths of stairs. It reminded Luc of the city in the rock but without all the bugs. This whole city had its fair share of neon lights, with plenty of odd symbols from all different languages everywhere he looked. It was as if it was daytime in this underground place. The 'roof' was a large hole above the Underworld. It could be seen through, yet at this size it should have been seem from the surface. Glass. He thought. And we walked right over it.

How it worked, how you could see out but not in, was anyone's guess. The snow should have blocked out the light, but didn't.

"So whose going where?" Jack asked. Luc and Ana stepped forward.

"We take the bar." Luc said.

"Ah yes, you could read the minds without asking, but you might have trouble doing so here, it's called 'Roofeys'. The owner likes your kind, he will know a thing or two." He pointed to Ana. "We have our small share of alien visitors, don't be to alarmed."

Weird…

"It's down that way, can't miss it." Jack pointed to a far corner. Sure enough the word 'Roofeys' was lit up with a great red light.

"As for you guys…" Jack walks to the other group.

But Luc and Ana had set off without listening to Jack any longer. They descended into the Underworld.

-XXX-

Imagine a world so far under the ground, but yet as bright as if the sun could pierce the earth's crust. Luc though it would be hard to see so far under the earth. Yet many sources of light were all around them. Be it the glassy roof, the neon signs on the crooked houses, or the windows that showed bright interiors. So bright it was, Luc and Ana squinted for much of the walk to Roofeys. The houses looked somewhat like those old cartoons Luc loved to watch, he couldn't remember the names of them, but still the buildings seemed to lean ever inwards to the walking paths. Almost acting like roofs across the paths they walked. It would be fascinating to see how one would stand inside them, they were at odd angles, perhaps they crawl instead of walk inside them.

The man named Jack was right about one thing. Aliens were no surprise for anyone they passed by. The humans mostly wore black cloaks or grey coats. Some were hunched like weird monsters, but most either walked, or crawled.

But what surprised Luc the most was the aliens that didn't even glance at them. A Muton here, a Sectoid there, even a thing that looked somewhat like a god, but had no legs, replaced by small engines that made odd blue trails of flame. But he decided not to stare, this place felt eerie already.

It wasn't just this that made him stop. A peculiar Sectoid had walked straight up to them, eyes locked on Luc. It had a discoloured left eye, and it clutched its right arm with its left. Its mind was almost reaching out to him.

It waved at him, even though its stood hunched slightly in front of him, it waved as if they were old friends.

"Hey." Luc sad with an awkward smile.

It smiled (more like snarled) back. It turned and went back the way it came.

"Friend of yours?" Ana asked somewhat confused.

"He's from Isa, don't know how he got here."

They walked on.

-XXX-

They came up to the main door of Roofeys. A shoddy joint if they ever saw one, it lacked the finesse of the ones in New Isa, even standing in its shadow made Ana and Luc feel unwanted.

But that changed when they entered, the many patrons sat at almost all the tables. Laughing endlessly at each other, no one glanced at the duo when they sat at the bar. Luc waved the tender over.

"Can we speak to Roofey?" Luc asked, slightly yelling over the moderate noise.

"He comes when he wants. Wait." The young man said rudely, he walked off to serve others. Luc glanced back at Ana, who was standing.

He waves to the stool next to him. They were all rotten and looked about ready to break, but he left that one in particular, it looked less likely to collapse. She sits down and crosses her arms across the bar in front of her.

"Luc?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me everything."

So he did. All that he could. The moment he left the city, to the moment he saw her at the compound. It could have been hours, and still they went on uninterrupted.

Ana payed full attention, never intervening with questions, only widening her eyes at some of the details. In particular when he had passed out in front of the haven gates, holding a weird device he called an 'Amplifier'. And when he told her of his own discovery of his changes to his eyes and hair (and his psionic gift) she had to stop him there.

"You can read thoughts?"

"As if it were natural to do so." He smiled.

She thought about if he was doing it now, and tried remembering if she thought anything not worth thinking about when he was around.

"Don't worry I'm not…Well, now I am, but I wasn't. I swear." Luc said, somewhat truthfully, but he couldn't help it, he was only human.

"Can you, send messages? Receive thoughts and give answers to them?"

"Well, I can get information about someone, even influence them, but I haven't tried communicating like I would with words."

"Then let us try." She closed her eyes to begin. Luc had asked what she meant, but she paid no attention to the physical world for a moment. She thought a sentence like she would to one of her own kind, and sent it to him. She made a few attempts, just recognising the human mind next to her.

What's your name?

Luc could just about hear the voice of Ana in his head. He thought about his name, the letters, the pronunciation. As if the word were a physical thing.

Look.

"Not quite." Ana remarked.

Luc half laughed at this. "I guess I need some practice. How can you do that though?"

Ana took a deep breath before replying, this had been a secret only her own kind knew, not to mention the Elders, but it was her kinds best kept secret. The biggest strength they had. And she told a human without even thinking of the possible consequences.

"My kind all have what you have, you call it 'Psionics', it's a good word for it. The Surn-tal have it, but they use it much more effectively than we do. We can speak through thoughts, to one another, rather than use the High speech. For our own matters we need not share with other races."

"We have learned that ADVENT uses a psionic network to command its troops, through little chips, does your kind have this?" Luc whispered, though no one could hear them anyway.

"No, those are only for the human soldiers, I think the High Ones have them, but they are programmed all the same."

"High Ones?"

"The ones with no legs."

"What about the Surn-tal?"

"The pink one that waved at you is one."

"Right."

Luc continued with his story, after he boarded the Avenger, he got to the point about the vision, the one of her on the beach, killing a General.

"Then I collapsed, and I saw through your eyes, you killed a General, did you?"

She nodded, asking how he knew that. But the answer was surprising. Visions. What was it that the Queen told her? Only Angelko's gain the effects. The medallion…

She told her story. But he interrupted when the she left the Queen.

"What can that mean then? This thing is what's giving me these nightmares? But how, you said it only affects your kind." Luc stated the obvious.

"I have no idea Luc. No human has ever worn one of those, perhaps it works for you as well, you do have the gift."

So this thing is alive then. He thought, now holding it out with one hand, he always knew those eyes look to much alive. But to hear the Queen say it is for Angelko's only. That was slightly terrifying.

Ana went on, to the point of her arrival in India, now it was Luc's turn to ask her one vital question.

"What made you kill the General? It could have been a lot worse for you."

"I don't know, just seeing those children…It reminded me of when I…" But Ana stopped talking. Now staring at the wooden bar without attention.

"I'm sorry Ana, you have your reasons, I will not pry." Luc could've just searched her head for the reason, but stayed true to his word. Hopefully she would tell him when she wanted to, and he wouldn't sneak into her head before then.

Ana could swear she could feel Luc's small presence withdraw from her head. This made her feel comfortable somewhat.

"You know, this reminds me of our talks in that 'Muton' place we met up in, (he let out a slight chuckle) feels like so long ago now."

"I wonder how that place is doing." Ana asked more so to herself.

"Well," Luc said after a moment of silence passed between them. "I told you about that pink thing that changes into different people? What's there true name?"

"K'yul, they speak in old English, they prefer it. Don't know why."

Luc didn't mention the part with the 'Chyssalids' (as the Commander named them) in the city of rock. He didn't want to tell her of the many familiar faces he killed, one such being herself.

After that, another young and skinny man walked over from behind the bar. His brown hair looked like the side of a triangle from the front. He had a very tight face, as if a peg was latched into the skin behind his head.

His voice was slightly squeaky. "What do you want?" Luc assumed 'Roofey' asked.

"You the owner?" Luc said.

"Spit it out already." Roofey squeaked. "Never mind." He turned to Ana. "What do you want?"

"Information."

"About what?"

"A leader of my kind. You know what I speak of." Ana said.

"Your well informed snake. Maybe you and your dumb human can do something to earn that kind of info."

Luc had enough, he decided to search his mind instead, it would be a lot quicker. But he failed, his mind was as if it was never there. Roofey didn't even flinch when Luc pressed harder, but to no avail.

"We can do that. What is it you want done?" Ana asked without noticing Luc's failing psionic attempts.

"I need something delivered to an old friend of mine." He held up a briefcase they hadn't noticed he was holding beneath the bar. "Wants to meet in an hour, you get to 'Fill's Fries' before he shows up. If he asks why a snake is there, tell him that you're his." He points to Luc. "Bodyguard, tell him you're my reps. Come back afterwards, then you get what you want." He puts the case on the bar, and leaves through a back door, presumably his office. He pokes his head out a moment later. "Don't open it! I'll know if you do! Let him do it for you." He disappears again.

"That it?" Luc asks.

Ana put her 'ear' to the case top.

"Silent." She says.

Without further delay. Luc picks the case up carefully, and they leave. They were guided by an unnamed gentleman wearing a white suit who had a bald head.

Both Luc and Ana could feel many eyes upon them, clearly Roofey had them watched in such little time. Ana noticed a few who definitely didn't belong. One man talking on some odd phone, his eyes were almost to focused for someone on the phone. An old lady walked in front of them. Turning to look at them every now and again. There were many others like this, one wrong move and she was sure they would have many guns pointed at them.

Out of all the buildings they've seen, Fills Fries was one of the more elegant ones. It had glass walls out front. And a sort of queuing system, it was surprising this place hadn't been robbed, it didn't look like it ever was.

The French man who controlled the queue ushered them to the front, passing the long line as they went. The whole interior was made of glass. The tables, chairs, cutlery, everything. It was like a royal dining room for the many people stuck in this underground city.

"Monsieur will be ere' any minute, good luck." And the French man left them, no order taken or anything. They sat at a four seated round table, in the corner the furthest from the exit.

"What an odd place." Ana remarked, though she wasn't complaining.

Luc examined the case he placed on the table. It had a simple flip lock on the front, it was made entirely from leather, and wasn't heavy in the slightest. Through the middle of the top of the case was a thin metal line. It ran around the whole case.

"Two lids." he said out loud. "At least, I think so." But it only had one lock, maybe it was just for aesthetics.

Ana tugged his arm, eyes looking behind him. He turned and saw three suited man, two of them wore black, one wore red. He knew this was Roofeys 'old friend' he mentioned.

The man in red sat down with them without asking, his two guards stood either side of him, almost touching his shoulders. These body guards looked so thin, Luc might miss them if he looked side on. Not to mention they had strange greyish skin, and eyes hidden behind golden frames.

"Roofey?" The man in red asked.

"We are his reps." Luc replied.

"Shouldn't be more than one." He looked to Ana. "Who is this?"

"My bodyguard, you have your own, I have mine, fair?"

"Fine. This it?" The man in red pointed to the case.

"Of course." Luc said honestly.

Nothing could prepare them for what happened when he flipped the lock on the case.

-XXX-

Ana could only 'think' to her own kind, with Luc as an exception. His medallion probably helped him in that regard. But these three she could faintly sense. Not much, but faintly.

But she forgot about this when the red suited man flipped the lock. Half the lid opened towards them, the other half opened the other way. She saw several pistols inside the case. The other half must have been a bomb. As a thousand small needles flew out on the three men's side. The needles jammed into them like thumbtacks to a board. Pinning the two guards into the glassy wall, and the red man collapsed along with his chair.

About five more similar figures jumped out there seats and pulled out small green pistols. Ana flipped the table for cover, while Luc dashed behind a large pot plant made of glass.

Chaos erupted, the men with pistols shoved humans out of the way in attempt to fire at Ana or Luc. Giving them some much needed time.

"Luc!" Ana said, tossing one of the pistols from the case to him. She took one as well, they were all loaded.

"OK, I'll get these ones, you…"

The ones he pointed towards had crouched, now hidden in the mass of the crowded that rushed out the door.

"They can hear us! Use another method." She hissed.

"Alright…"

I got the right side. He thought.

I got the left. She replied.

At least she could understand him. His actual message was: "I, Right," But she knew what he meant, and of course, he did as well.

Comparing their weapons to their own. The thin figures had fired green blobs of energy rather than bullets. They had .45's, the suited men had energy blasters. Not a fair fight.

Ana went over to behind a glass pillar, it wouldn't help, the whole room was glass, however when the blasters connected with the pillar, the projectile slowed down rather than pierce the whole pillar. Ana was glad she fired six bullets rather than six beams at the men.

It only took less than that to kill one of them, perhaps there body mass reflected there general weakness.

Luc had vaulted behind the bar. The bottles and glasses on top shattered into a thousand pieces from the crossfire. Slightly cutting the top of his shoulders, but nothing serious.

He and Ana returned fire. Indeed they had fallen with little to no effort. The glass tables and walls provided cover, but everyone could be seen clearly, they all crouched and stood behind unseen barriers.

The fight ended quickly as the last of the black suits had fallen. Shot in several spots on his chest. Luc walked over and crouched to examine the thin man. His limbs looked like spaghetti, he lay strewn across the fall with his knees bent. As if he died giving birth.

"This is one ugly…thing. If its human, its one alien lookin' guy." Luc said as Ana came over to him, she tossed the gun aside when she came up to him.

"They look so…like us." Ana whispered.

"What do you mean?" Luc turned his hunkered form to her.

"My kind, long ago. We used to look like that."

Luc examined the man again. ….Huh?...

"Well, you certainly look much better."

Ana went wide eyed at that. She took this as an odd complement, had he just complemented her? Or was it just an observation not about her

Luc could hear these thoughts from her, his cheeks went slightly red. He did his best to hide it, pretending he had simply said nothing. She does look better though…

He looked over to the doorway, the French man was waving him over. "Oh, look! Let's get going." And with that, he almost ran off to the exit.

Ana followed, she had a weird felling in her gut. She caught up to him. He had already bid the French man farewell (who was in on the whole deal) not even bothering to ask about who those suited men where.

No one even looked at them as they exited the now shattered glass building. As if this kind of thing was normal.

-XXX-

"Care to explain what that whole thing was about?" Luc asked angrily. They had returned to Roofeys. They both stood behind the bar again. Roofey chuckled a high laugh.

"Didn't like that freak, knew he would probably kill me, so I made him a little present."

"How about us? There were a bunch of them hiding out there."

"If you couldn't handle them, you couldn't handle the information I'm about to give you. So quit whining."Roofey slid a small folder across the bench, inside was a map of America, a large black 'X' was slightly to the left of the middle of the border between Canada and the USA. (This area, according to ADVENT, was now simply called 'Western US.')

"What's this? The Queen is there?" Ana said as she took the folder from Luc's hands.

"Reports of massive snakes like you are around there. I sent people out, no one returned. Your leader is in there. I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, I guess…"

"Go now, don't waste Roofeys time!" And Roofey ushered them out with the sweeping of his hands. As if saying 'shoo, begone! '

They stood out on the street once more. Ana had the folder in hand, Luc was rubbing his hands together.

"Well, that went…well, I guess."

"A question if you will." Ana lowered the folder to her side.

"Yeah?."

"What's a snake?"

"Oh..I'll explain on the way back."

They retraced there steps back to the entrance., talking about earthen reptiles on the way.

-XXX-

"As for you guys…" Jack walks towards Xida and the others. Xida felt the urge to step away from this fowl city, it stank of death, not to mention the more vile smells.

"The woman at the hotel. 'Stelia' She knows what goes down in most of eastern Europe."

"How does she do that?" The girl called 'Pheebs' asked.

"Ties." Is all Jack said.

"Which 'Hotel' is hers?" Xida questioned.

"The only one in town, the biggest one in the centre, can't miss it, run along. But be careful, not even a Muton scares her.

"We shall see…" He barely heard Thalia say.

So Jack walked off, back to the entrance, the man should not be trusted, his legs would snap like twigs if Xida found out if he lied.

"OK, we shall listen around, can you guys be discrete?" The human Commander said after Jack left.

She got four answers: Yeah, No, a growl, and a curt nod. Xida was the one to nod. He didn't bother guessing who said what. He had already walked down the steps in the hotels direction.

What crazy designs the humans down here had. The houses twisted and turned towards the surface. The house doors were too small for him or Thalia to fit through. The interiors were probably smaller. He tried nodding to any passing Muton , only to receive a growl in return. He wondered why so many of his kind (not to mention many other races) had come here of all places.

One male Muton stopped however, not to speak to Xida, but to Thalia. She stopped in her tracks, he knew this male would be in for a world of pain.

She started towards him, who only stood motionless, examining her (in his mind) beautiful form.

"What's going on?" The dark man 'Nox' said, tapping his shoulder lightly.

"Thalia hates men." he stated as if it were a well known fact. And to prove his point. Thalia head butted the male Muton. Knocking it out cold. She turned back to them, a look of pure rage could be seen, he had been through this before. He was lucky he learned his lesson a slightly less painful way.

"What?" She asked them both.

She was just out of hearing range when Xida whispered 'Not a word'. Neither one of them looked away, only shook their heads in almost synchronisation.

"Let's hurry this up then." She stormed off.

Both of them sighed in relief. Pheebs watched all the while, tagging along without a word.

They had come to the unusually large doors of the hotel. They were big enough for the Mutons to fit in, the was no lobby to great them, only a hall filled with countless doors, it was more like a prison than a hotel.

A small clunk could be heard coming from the end of the hall. It sounded again after a few seconds. Then in rapid succession.

Clunk, clunk, clunk

It could have been someone head being smashed in, or an even larger Muton pacing behind the door. Whatever it was, it was alien even to Xida.

But Xida wasn't afraid of some strange noise, he couldn't speak for the others. They stood still at the start of the now dreary hall, as if the sound made the hall that much more sinister.

"S-Stelia?" Nox called out.

No answer.

"Stelia?!"

Clunk, clunk

"Don't call out. Just go." Thalia said. "Don't be a coward."

"Oi! You go then. Think you're so good."

"Because I am."

"Then go on." Nox raised his voice slightly in pitch. "Show us what your made of."

"I already lead us here safely."

"Safely? You knocked out one dude because he looked at you funny. Not surprising…"

He should not have said that.

Xida didn't have the reflexes to try and stop Thalia's charge. Nox side stepped, appearing back in her position. They had switched places in two seconds.

Thalia made a loud roar of rage. Charging once more. Nox turned and ran, not fearing the clunk coming from the hall anymore, with Thalia hot on his tail, he ran straight towards the source, the door at the end.

Nox tried the handle, it didn't budge. He wasted valuable time trying to budge a locked door, Thalia collided with him, sending them both through the door as if it were made of wood, small amounts of dust soon blowed over them, shrouding them on the other side of the door in a small fog.

Xida and Pheebs stood at the entrance, they slowly looked to each other.

"She do this often?"

"Not quite like this, but…yes. Somewhat often."

The ominous sounding clunks had stopped, no noise apart from the heavy breaths of Xida could be heard.

"Shall we?" he asked.

"Let's."

-XXX-

Kurt thought he would be killed from the impact, it hurt like hell. But he was still breathing. Barely.

"Jee-" He tried to wheeze. But Thalia was crushing him, she looked about ready to start smashing. She was pressing her metric tonne body on his chest. It was surprising for him to still being able to breath, if ever so slightly.

He barely saw her fly off of him a moment later from some source in the cloud of dust.

"Jeez, woman. It was just a…" He just realized how she had been shoved off of him. A massive figure had the slightly smaller Muton pinned with two massive arms.

Kurt stood up, brushing the dust off of him. He walked over.

"Hey, thanks for-" The figure kicked him back with one equally large leg. He tumbled back to the ground, now in much more pain than before.

He lay almost in his original spot when Phoebe and Xida had walked in through the hole in the door. He gave a thumbs up rather than talk.

Xida walked to the figure while Phoebe crouched next to him.

"Nox, Nox you alright?"

"Oh…" He couldn't speak. She helped him up, not five minutes in and he was beaten up by two people, not the best day in a hotel.

The dust soon cleared, the massive figure was a human. One so large it could be mistaken for the Muton it had pinned. The man..no, woman. Was the biggest human he had ever seen. Even body builders couldn't compare to this.

Her hair was short, face was rigid, arms like canons. It had Thalia locked in place on the ground, ready to snap her arm in a moment's notice.

"You want room?" She asked. What kind of accent was that?

She stared at Thalia, who grew restless in her struggle against the ever tightening hold.

"I need an answer." She held her firm. No one budged.

"Now."

"Yeah, yes we do." It was Phoebe who said it. Kurt knew the accent, Turkish? Possibly.

"Very good." She pronounced it 'Goot' and released Thalia's arm. Thalia sat up straight, clutching her sore arm.

"We need information." Xida said bluntly.

"I know room. I know price. For you? Hmmm, sixty, one night."

"We want to know what you know about ADVENT in Europe."

"I know not of no Europe." Yeroop.

"It's important." Phoebe said. "Super important."

"Room and board are important." She said back.

Thalia grunts. "Change your mind now, next time won't be so easy."

At this, the strong woman smiled a great white smile. The teeth were so pristine, but sharp and deadly, as if she were a tiger.

"Alright, you win. We talk." She clasps her hands. "Follow me." She goes through the hole were the door was, and out to the street.

Into what most locals call The Under-Pit.

-XXX-

Neska, Central and the Commander were already waiting at the entrance. They hadn't found out much, however they did get a few plans for a few proving ground projects (as Shen had requested a number of times) that could be useful. They spied Luc and Ana walking up the steps to them.

"Back already?" The Commander asked.

Ana held out the folder. She scanned it before handing it over to Central.

"Hmm…Nothing out there last we checked. How did you get this?" Central looked up at them.

"Nothing we couldn't handle." Luc replied. "Only had to shoot up a glass restaurant to get it."

"Thought I heard some gunshots before. I thought I said to be discre…" But the Commander was cut off by Kurt, who was on the comms talking in a rush.

"Commander! Come in please."

"Go ahead."

"We got a…situation here."

"Don't tell me you pissed off the Muton's."

"Well…Not me….OK maybe a little."

"Where are you?"

-XXX-

"Oh…Bollocks."

It was similar to one of those old Roman Colosseum's. Hundreds of people sat around a big pit in a wide circle. Screaming and yelling at nothing. Dozens of bookies took bets from almost everyone in the crowd, they held trays filled with endless strips of paper, not to mention old world money notes.

"Is it really worth it?" Central said. They all stood above the crowd on the stadiums edge. Kurt had just finished explaining what happened. Phoebe and Xida had been sitting on a few chairs nearby, watching contently.

"We have what we need. Just get Thalia to come out, were leaving."

"That will be difficult to do." Xida said. "Once in a fight, no Muton would dare back away."

"I somewhat regret letting you guys come out here with us." The Commander sighs, as if talking to children. "Come on, let's see what happens." She takes a seat next to Xida, who had to take two for himself alone due to his size.

They all joined them, sitting in the furthest row from the arena. Two doors stood on opposite sides of the fighting pit. The pit itself was littered with blood, most was red, but even yellow blood could be seen as well. All of it was splattered randomly as if a child had painted it.

"Maybe this is why you don't hand out many alliances, Commander." Central said, nudging the Commanders left shoulder.

"I would say I prefer the old days, but I don't."

Suddenly an announcer called out. He walked across the pit with a microphone. He had announced the two fighters be 'Stelia the Strong' and 'Thalia the Tough'.

"Huh, already got herself a nickname." Luc said in amusement.

After the announcer vaulted into the crowd over a small barrier. The two bared doors swung open. Revealing the contenders. Thalia wasted no time in charging the fifty or so meter gap between her and Stelia.

Just when she was about to collide, Stelia took one step to the right, and brought her fist down onto the back of Thalia's head. She collapsed to the ground, shaking the floor somewhat.

The crowd threw themselves upwards, cheering and howling many insults and cries.

"Well, she didn't last very long." Phoebe said with a mouthful of food. She had ordered something from one of the bookies. She munched away happily, no one noticed her order anything.

"Nope." Central snatched the food away from her, reaching across Xida to do so. It looked like popcorn, suspicious popcorn. "Commander?" he offered.

"No way."

It was then that Thalia had picked herself up from her fall. The crowd stopped yelling as she swiped Stelia's knees from underneath her with her own legs. Stelia regained her footing quickly, but this gave Thalia a few critical moments to act.

Thalia grabbed hold of Stelia's arm, and pulled it at an angle that shouldn't be possible. Her arm was twisted the wrong way, and it bent halfway down between her elbow and wrist. Folded up like a piece of paper.

Click

A fair few of 'ohhh' and 'ahhh's could be heard from the crowd. Even the Commander got a weird feeling in her own right arm from witnessing that.

Stelia stumbled backwards, pulling her lips back across her teeth, she was laughing. She grabbed her folded arm, and twisted it back into its original position. The many cracks that rang out of her arm sounded a lot like a machine gun.

Criketa-dikeretta-crack

Thalia again threw herself at her. Throwing punches in quick succession with both arms. Yet against all doubt, Stelia dodged and blocked with just her one arm, even hitting Thalia a few times in the face. Even with one arm down, Stelia was still winning the fight.

"Luc…" The Commander started.

"Yeah?"

"Rig the fight."

"What?"

"She's not going to get this, and we're wasting time. Just rig it, now."

"How am I gonna do that?"

They all now looked at him.

"Oh…"

He stood up, and walked down to the front rows, passing by many other spectators. An old Asian man stopped him, extending his arm out to block Luc's path. His face was slightly chubby, but his blue eyes told him he was not one to be messed with. The man also wore a bright yellow jacket, he looked familiar…But not quite.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'd ask you the same thing. But I've got something to do first."

Suspecting a fight, Luc readied himself. But the man dropped his arm. Luc walked to the front row without further delay, the Asian man didn't take his eyes off of him.

Luc pushed and nudged his way passed the piling crowd at the pit barrier. He influenced people's minds to move out of his way, clearing a fine path to the barrier. He could see Thalia getting hammered. Quite literally, someone had thrown a hammer into the fight and Stelia had picked it up.

Luc didn't have his amplifier on him, but he didn't need it. He could influence his victims without it. He focused on the two fighters, he could do a number of things, help or hinder either one.

No one knew how what happened next was possible. Just like Luc had done to Phoebe, he had now done it to Thalia, she had stood up without using her hands. And proceeded to pummel Stelia with brutal force. Her hands went bloody within moments, but Stelia stood strong, her hands soaked in yellow more than Thalia's red ones.

It wouldn't be enough. He had a small vision of his mind merge. He could see Thalia laying limp in a few minutes time.

He pushed himself farther, straining his mind further than he had ever done in the Psi Lab. He weakened Stelia's arms, while maintaining Thalia's own. His head grew in immense pain. As if someone had stabbed his skull in with a boiling knife.

Just a little longer.

He shared the pain of Thalia, and Stelia's. Not of his own will, he felt every punch, every scrap of skin, every drop of blood as if it were his own. He grew faint, but persisted, he felt like screaming, but never did. Stelia's mind began to become disoriented.

Stelia began to stumble.

Thalia gained the advantage.

The crowd was getting restless.

Clunk, crack, crikketa

Then nothing, Luc closed his eyes, which had begun to bleed.

He had not noticed that Thalia was victorious. He blocked out all thought, all noise. Contempt to sit in his mind forever, even the slightest of movements would cause him pain.

He did not notice Ana was tapping his shoulder. Calling his name as if she was a mile away.

"Luc?"

He was hunkered next to the barrier, the crowd had dispersed, running up to the bookies to take their winnings.

She coiled herself down into a small pile, coming down to his level, he was bleeding from his nose an eyes, the small red lines trickled down to his neck.

"Luc? You alright?" she said with concern in her voice.

He took a moment before responding. "I would be lying…" he coughed. "..If I said yes."

He wiped his face. Drenching his hand slightly in the red blood. His headache had started to ease away. He felt like he had the biggest hangover.

He could swear his mine felt slightly better when Ana helped him up using her arms, her slightly cold scales pressed against his right side, it was chilling, but he didn't mind the contact.

"Let's get out of here…She won right?"

"Yes…you mind is quite alight isn't it? I'll remind her to thank you later. She's celebrating."

Indeed, Thalia was throwing up her arms in celebration, towering over her newfound fans. Perhaps he should've bet on her, but he was definitely not going to do that again. Stelia lay on the ground, and was still smiling and laughing. "Good fight!" She called out, even though she looked like she would die at the slightest touch.

Ana was impressed with his efforts. She could only imagine the pain that must have caused. She clutched him slightly tighter as she helped him up the stairs.

-XXX-

It turned out the Asian man from before was named 'Dan' and he was on old operative from XCOM twenty years back. The thirty eight year old didn't even think twice when the Commander asked him If he wanted to rejoin. He said that he 'found the Psi Op fascinating' and he 'couldn't wait to get back into the swing of things'. The old grenadier was a good man, he treated the aliens with as much respect as he did to the Commander.

Luc had stayed in his room (more like cell) in the newfound Psi Lab, he stayed here to train his abilities, now he stayed here to recover from his wounds he himself inflicted.

The purple tendrils of the void flowed through him like water on a river bed. It came from a small thing on the roof of his room, he lay on his bed, staring aimlessly into the source of the void energy, it was somewhat like a small black hole you would see in outer space.

No aliens were allowed onto the Avenger, so he couldn't speak or think to Ana. Only when they land would the aliens be allowed into the hanger bay only. But they would land soon enough. Ready for whatever Roofey had gave intel on.

He dreamt his usual strange dreams again. He knew it was the medallion at fault, but still he could not take it off. Maybe if Ana did…

He slept.

-XXX-

"Commander," Central had entered her quarters, holding a small data pad in his hand. "you're not going to believe this…the intel we got from Luc and Ana lead us to a small signal. An emergency beacon. It's one of ours..from the original invasion."

"Not possible, are you saying…"

"I know it sounds crazy, but if there's a chance some of our people are still…"

"Do it Central, we cannot delay."

"Roger that." And Central left.

A few days passed, they later learned of the beacons origin.

It lead them to the only other Skyranger they ever had. The one flown by none other than Big Sky. Apparently it was in use rather recently. She had this investigated as soon as possible.

But somewhere nearby the Skyranger's crash site, a deadly predator lay in waiting in its new home. It sensed the XCOM personnel and there alien allies the moment they touched down some distance away. It stood up to its full height in anticipation.

The hunt had begun.