The pitter-patter of the shower calmed down the senses. The sound soothed the echoing gunshots littering the mind. The confused and terrified screams replayed, only to be drowned out by the turn of a nob and push of a button. The steam formed a warm blanket that allowed him to ease back into his normal life; whether or not the life of an XCOM soldier should be considered normal.
Wade let himself drift into the moment. A sudden knock behind him distracted him. He stopped the stream of water and grabbed a towel to cover his legs.
"Yeah?" he asked, peering through the door that he easily opened.
"You forgot to lock the door," the man pointed out.
"Oh. Sor– I mean thanks," Wade replied.
"I see you're adapting well," the man remarked.
"Pardon?"
"You're hitting the showers after the rush! That means you've observed the trends. It also means you're the type who enjoys showers! Time to unwind, eh?"
"Uh, yeah," Wade confirmed with a chuckle.
He looked at the man, trying to identify him. He looked like the average person; dark brown hair and eyes with a modest muscular build. He was not tall according to standards. The presence of uniforms had always helped him. Now, he was reduced to identifying using skin.
"Forgive me, but I recognise your voice. I'm new here and don't really know names as much. You are?"
"Promise me not to panic, will you?" the man requested.
"Sure," Wade replied, unsure.
"I'm Commander Henry Avant. You know the guy at the top, top!"
Wade went into a rigid posture and gave a hasty salute.
"Forgive me, Commander!" he pleaded.
"Easy there. It's fine," Henry replied and let out a laugh. "Hope I did not bother your shower time much?"
"No! No. I was just going to leave. I usually lose track of time while. . . taking a. . . shower," Wade replied, slightly embarrassed.
Henry gave the most radiant smile he could.
"All right, then. Meet me at my quarters when you're done unwinding," he ordered. "It's on the first floor. . . and your personal device has a map built into it, by the way."
"Yes, Commander!" Wade replied with a lack of composure.
"I'll see you then."
Henry left to the changing room. He grabbed the small basket on the shelf with his uniform. He went into a cabin to put his uniform on. What an odd fellow, he thought.
Wade looked down at his device and up again. The plaque above the armoured door validated his ability to navigate his new environment, but doubt still plagued him. He shook out all of his anxiety and rang the bell to the door. A small monotone tune played and faded out. He waited for a couple of seconds and a crackle came.
"State your credentials, please," a prerecorded female voice demanded.
"Uh. . . Specialist Cairo Wade!"
The door unlocked with a loud snap and slid open. He was greeted by a small office with a low table and wooden chairs above a round carpet. A man walked in from the adjacent room. Wade would not make the same mistake twice. He held his body straight and brought his arm up for a salute.
"At ease," the Commander replied.
"Sir, you asked me to come, back at the showers," Wade reminded.
"Yes. Take a seat," Henry responded, pointing at the chairs. "I just wanted to have a chat; get to know you more, you see?"
Wade stared at Henry, confused, as he picked a chair and sat down.
"How have you been feeling since you arrived, Wade?"
"Excited. Some part, anxious. We're. . . fighting aliens after all."
"And you have all the reasons to be, Specialist. But, I do hope you get more comfortable over time."
"Thank you, Commander. Forgive me if this sounds weird, but I did not expect you to be so involved– I mean caring. Caring sounds more appropriate."
"Wade, XCOM is meant to be your second home! You're lucky, you know? Most of us have spent months away from home, constantly at work. That might not be that long compared to many deployments in the past. Worst is that most predict the war could last years."
"Years. . ." Wade mumbled.
"Yeah. We're all stuck down here on the same boat. It is my job to ensure the well being of my staff. That includes my soldiers too. Discipline is one thing, but comfort is another. I don't expect my soldiers to endure years of fighting without the proper support behind it."
Wade let out a contained smile as Henry ended his explanation.
"So that's why there are so many services, and everyone seems so relaxed."
"Precisely, Wade. This isn't the army. This is XCOM. We're not patriotic, overly disciplined or whatnot. All of our staff are the best of the best. You all understand what is at stake here. Knowing that, you've all sacrificed some things to come here."
Wade looked down at the floor, conjuring some thought in silence.
"Yeah. I guess we all have," he said.
Henry noticed Wade's somewhat low-spirited expression. He opted not to pry at the matter.
"Talk to some people. You'll soon get the gist of how things go. People are highly sociable in XCOM. It might be overwhelming at first. Have you gotten to know some people?"
"Alpha-1 is very welcoming. There are a few goofballs here and there. I've had conversations in the cafeteria and the barracks."
"Good. Has anything been bothering you?" the Commander asked.
"I wouldn't say so. I would say the lack of activity kind of leaves me idle. Usually, we would do chores and stuff outside of combat. Now, I kinda feel like I'm just slacking off. I have done chores only once so far, accompanied by LCpl Stone."
"I'm guessing he hasn't explained the system that much. In the barracks, there is a notice board full of tasks. Pick one out and apply. They're posted by the staff requesting help all around the base. Soldiers are encouraged to take on a few when idle. A reward is planned for helping around of course. I can't promise much about it yet."
Henry looked to his watch to look at the time. He went through his schedule and to-do list in his head.
"If you don't mind, Wade. I'd like to ask you one more thing before I let you go."
"Yes, Commander?"
"How do feel. . . about fighting the aliens?"
Wade looked to his side and stared at the ground, buying time to formulate an answer.
"Speak your mind, Wade. I'll listen," the Commander reassured.
"As I said, I was anxious. To be honest, I did not think much about it until I first saw one on my first mission. They're real; that much was a fact. I somehow did not think I'd actually have to deal with one face to face, even while being part of XCOM. It was kinda stupid, now that I think about it."
"Everyone was sceptical, even I. I won't criticise you for that."
"I know, but when I first saw them, it was strange. They're so distant. Whenever someone fights, they do it for a reason. The aliens just seem to be. . . mindless. I find that disturbing."
"I see. I'll say this much, you're not the only one who wants to understand them. It's one of XCOM's main goals, aside from fighting them. Though, I do wonder if we can understand them while killing them at the same time."
Wade gave a laugh.
"They attacked first, no? I think they're the ones who should try and understand," he retorted.
"Well, this is what happens."
"They planted a bomb underneath a hospital!" Wade exclaimed in distaste.
"Yeah. . . That as a first," Henry mumbled.
"I've fought in some nasty engagements, Commander, but I don't know about this. Plasma sizzling and alien hissing are not what I'm used to. Seeing aliens with weird mind filaments, impersonators and those bloody jetpack things! Walking up to every townsfolk, grabbing them by the neck and shooting whoever has spots. Never thought I'd witness such a thing in my life."
Henry gave an empathetic smile. As much as he wanted to, he could not predict the course of the war. It was as if every day, things got worse. Just how much more can humanity bend under the pressure? Wars were atrocious, but one fought with a foreign enemy who showed no remorse or empathy was bound to bring out a lot more ugliness than expected; both from the aliens and humanity.
It was unnerving fighting an opponent that knew how to fight, especially in very dirty ways. Warfare revolved around one side finding ways to beat the other until the other side adapted and the opponent had to change their initial strategy. The cycle went on and on until the fighting was over. At least, that was how warfare was when it came to humans. The aliens showed to be no different, though.
It was only a matter of time. The aliens eventually realised that the Thin Men were ineffective. They were making progress on making them the perfect infiltrator. They managed to get the skin tone, height and, in general, look of a human. It was unclear how they managed. They were known for being able to alter DNA as Vahlen noted throughout her constant autopsies and other observations. It was a step for the aliens. Although, they still had work to do. They needed more time to perfect the hair, eyes and most revealing of all, the scaly spots on their necks. Despite that, the Thin Men became a much more formidable foe.
Henry got up from his seat and Wade followed. The Specialist gave a salute before the Commander escorted him out of the door. He pressed the button and the soldier walked off into the hallway. Wade pulled out his personal device to view the map of the base. Henry let out an amused snort but soon plunged back into thought. He went back into his quarters to tackle his reports; the Council wanted answers.
The aliens had a clear goal, learn about their enemy's tech and their biology; abductions and reconnaissance missions. They were much simpler and direct. Sadly, the war started to shift. It was the bomb that worried everyone. The bomb was built where nobody could see it and meant to target a hospital. It was no doubt progress on the aliens' end.
Why? Why target a hospital? Logic would state that they placed explosives to destroy important enemy infrastructure. Did the aliens even grasp the concept of a hospital? Even if they did, how would they react to it? Bomb it? Either way, doing so had to have a strategic purpose for them.
What was it that hospitals had that made them a target? Perhaps the strategic value was not direct. Hospitals were important to humans; that was a fact. They probably wanted to eliminate the building that healed their enemies. It was plausible, but it seemed like an odd approach and somewhat insignificant considering the supposed alien master plan. Whatever the hell that plan is.
The other reason for a bombing could be terrorism; to instil fear amongst your enemies' ranks. That could have been the other link in the chain. Even so, terrorists had motives for using fear. They had a reason, a purpose. What is that purpose for the aliens?
There had to be some detail that proved crucial in understanding them. Perhaps, that was where Vahlen and Shen came in. The Arc Throwers were no doubt effective. It was time to use them against the aliens. Vahlen wanted to house them and observe them before she pried into their heads. It was about time that she got what she wanted and the Commander got his. The containment facilities were functional despite being incomplete. That much was enough. Time, the Commander did not have; not when the foe kept changing. XCOM had to match the pace.
Henry snapped out of his reflection and transcribed out what he could. A "first-impressions" would satisfy the Council for a while. If he wanted to complete such a report, an expert opinion was more suited. Henry made the note to talk to Shen and Vahlen about their thoughts on the bomb. For now, he had written what he could. Henry could resume his task after dinner curfew. He planned on checking up on the scientists and engineers anyways. He could knock two birds with one stone.
That left him with some more free time.
The bar was mostly quiet except for the distant chattering from other tables. Only the soldiers who were on their day-off had the time to idle around. Alpha-1 was one of them. The troops were mostly split up all around the base. The Commander was lucky enough to encounter Gail and Haidar. They could be his yes into Alpha-1's morale for a while, aside from Wade.
A loud clang was heard accompanied by multiple glass objects being hit by the shockwave. Henry looked at the source. An exasperated yet calm Gail slammed his mug on the table. Henry was reminded of the half-full cup of ale resting near his hand. He realised he left it sitting for too long since the last sip.
"You doing well, Gail?" Henry asked.
His question piqued the interest of a quiet and concerned Haidar slowly sipping her tea.
"It's the life of a soldier, Commander. Every day goes by as usual until you finally realise that every single step you take and every bullet you fire doesn't matter much until the world suddenly changes around you!"
"Why the sudden philosophy?" Haidar asked.
"Don't know," McGrath replied.
Every soldier had to come to terms with their life. It seems that Gail was hit by that feeling again. He took another sip before pursuing his philosophical rant.
"You know, you never realise how much you change. At first, it was all good and well, but now, I'm starting to wonder if I'm okay. And if not, what should I try changing."
"You're speaking gibberish," Haidar said, failing to interpret his words.
Gail exhaled loudly.
"Why have you become soldiers?! Don't answer yet! When I was a kid, I was always the talkative type. No surprise, huh? People called me many things, sociable, cool, a good guy. . . but some called me a bully and a complete and utter asshole! What can I say, both are correct!"
Henry and Haidar raised an eyebrow at the revelation.
"It's all a matter of who I am to you, parasite or friend. Chances are, I was most likely a parasite," Gail continued. "I was never good with my words and hell I still am not. But one day, I was at a pub. . . outside, staring at the window of the pub. It was a rainy day and I was all drenched in the rain. So I asked myself, should I enter the pub? The people inside looked like real men! I didn't know what I was. Back then, I was already an adult and wanted to pursue my studies. I just didn't know what. It was then, it dawned on me. What the hell is going to happen to me? I wasn't happy at all. I felt completely useless and had nothing to do! I had no purpose."
Gail stayed in silence for a bit to drink more of his ale. Haidar seemed keen to wait for her comrade to continue.
"So I looked into the window again, but that time, I saw my own reflection! I hated it so I stopped looking at it. It was then that my eyes focused on a man inside the pub. He was looking at me and was inviting me in for a drink. I declined at first, but he kept insisting. He looked very welcoming so I thought, why not? And so, the day went on and we drank, and drank! Until eventually, I asked, who exactly are you people? The man who invited me said, 'that guy over there, he's a plumber! He's a policeman! And I am useless and a complete and utter asshole!' He then got off of his chair, grabbed his cane and showed me the world's skinniest leg. I realised soon that it was a prosthesis. He then said, 'I was a soldier!' The guy's from the navy which practically made him a pirate!"
He took another pause. This time Haidar decided to comment, "So you became a soldier because you were dragged into a pub by one?"
"Not exactly. I became a soldier so I could have a purpose. Maybe one day, I can be like that man and whistle at some poor sod walking down the streets aimlessly. And then, I can tell him that I'm a soldier and show him my scars. The point is, I wanted to be a soldier so I could have a sense of purpose and I want to give back to the world I was brought in. The only question is, what will be left of us after this war. . . this invasion is over?"
Everyone remained silent, taking in the last bit. Gail did not seem to mind the doubtful faces that the others were giving him. His story was odd. It felt like something out of a comedy. Plus, his face had a slight pink tint to it. There was no particular reason for him to lie about his motivation and the story behind it. It seemed too. . . unique to be made up. Either way, it was a look into his world.
"So what about you, Haidar? Are you patriotic or what?" Gail asked.
"If you're asking if I joined because of my patriotism, you're far from the truth. I hate patriotism; the world would be better without it," she replied.
"Oh. Well, why then?", Gail replied.
"I just wanted to prove to the world I'm strong. It was mainly to prove to my parents I could go without them, that my own life was in my hands. I guess as a soldier, my life is as in my hands as it gets. It's something that I've always wanted; to be in control. Yes, I'm aware I'm not always in control, but that's what forces me to regain control. It reminds me of when my life is slipping away from my fingers. Kind of like a morning slap to the face."
Being a soldier had many requirements and risks, but it had its advantages. The sense of purpose and the sense of control; Gail and Haidar knew them all too well. Some sought experiences and others just wanted to do good for their country. Is this really the best way of doing things? Henry was not an exception either. Even he had his reasons to join. Everyone made sacrifices to join the band, expecting to gain something out of it.
"What about you, Commander? I know you should have quite the career!" Gail asked.
Henry let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
"Nah. It's not as big as you're making it to be," he replied. "Let's just say, I joined the army to. . . be somewhere. To be with people who I can trust. Throughout my childhood, I've never felt comfortable in my own home. It was mainly because I was juggled around by the system for a bit."
Henry realised he might have said a little too much. Everyone came out clean, why should I not as well? Haidar and Gail seemed not to know how to react so they just stayed quiet. Only curiosity occupied them. Henry indulged.
"I barely remember my parents. My eight or so years of childhood were spent at my grandparents'. Eventually, they got ill and I had to go into foster care. I'm grateful to the people who helped me, but I couldn't rely on them as much as I wanted to. I was studying thanks to them and wanted to become a scientist. I was about to enter the job market too until I decided to enrol in the army. I was able to connect with people in a way that I've never felt before. One could say I was forced to or my life would be on the line. In the end, it's all worth it."
"How did you become the Commander, though?" Gail inquired.
"Well, it wasn't as special as you might think. To be honest, I wasn't that high in the military," Henry acknowledged. "They could've gone for some high ranking general with tons of experience and years under his belt. What they needed was someone who could adapt, think rapidly, make use of all of his resources, and think logically. A lot of people fit that category. Then they conducted the tests and some people emerged eligible. The next step was to eliminate by age. The UN and Council needed someone young and healthy since they didn't know how long such a large scale war would last. We were talking about an alien threat that has technology capable of interstellar travel. They came here somehow so it was logical to conclude they could wipe us out in a war of attrition alone, without even shedding a drop of blood. After that, the final test. They did a psychological evaluation of all the candidates and did another test determining our strategic capabilities. In the end, I was chosen amongst my competitors."
The two stared at Henry in amazement.
"Must be a shame for the other candidates," Haidar commented.
"Not really. It's not like they didn't have a use. They were sent back to their original posts and were used as recommended by the survey. Some of them gained privileges by their army and were used to lead operations against the aliens. Others are part of XCOM today."
"Wait, really?" Gail reacted.
"Some of my competitors showed a lot of potential so I hired them into XCOM. The Colonels were part of the long list of thousands that passed the tests. Bradford was also on the list. Throughout the tests, I never knew about my competition. All of us went through the trials blind. When I saw their names, I had to get them into XCOM. The Council and UN had no problems with it since they were ideal candidates. I knew them too so we would have a good synergy. It didn't matter if it seemed nepotistic. Afterwards, I chose the head of the other branches and reviewed the list of soldiers every nation gave me."
"And that's how we got here! I must say you are very close to Bradford. Colonel Jacquemin, though, is there something between you two?" Gail asked.
"No, as I said, we just knew each other prior and she had a lot of combat and leadership experience."
Gail waved his arms up in the realisation that he may have said something out of order.
"I didn't mean anything by it, Commander. I just meant that you two are close."
Henry did not take offence, but he had a point. He and Natalia were close. It was the reason why he chose her after all. Fighting off a foreign threat was taxing. It was helpful if he could have people he could rely on. Without the others, Henry would have struggled to keep up with the invasion. It was like a team effort but even larger in scale. Currently, it was a planetary effort.
The invasion made countless victims including the Commander. Unlike the civilians who lost their homes, he was in a better position. He took the responsibility to defend Earth and was ready for it, even if it meant spending the entire war in an underground bunker with only his sleep schedule that allowed him to get some rest. His free time depended on whether or not the aliens decided to attack. Still, it was not like he could lose his entire livelihood to an extraterrestrial threat. Everything that mattered to him was sheltered inside XCOM. Anything he would need afterwards would be accommodated. The Council showed little care for his humility.
"By the way, how have you found the new guys?" the Commander inquired.
McGrath looked to the ceiling, emitting a faint hum as he thought.
"Well, Wade is a cool guy. I've talked to him a lot and I like him. He's not too talkative at the moment, but he'll open up soon."
Henry looked to Haidar for her answer.
"Wade's the trustworthy type, but everyone is. He is just very genuine from the get-go."
"I see. I hope you help around. XCOM is a tricky place to get used to," the Commander requested.
Henry looked at his empty cup and got halfway up to give it back to the bartender. Haidar stopped him and insisted on taking it as well as Gail's. Both conveyed their appreciation and relaxed after a small drink. Haidar came back to slouch with her comrades.
Henry felt a sudden surge of vibrations in his device. He reached into his pocket and lifted it to his face. UFO alerts. The aliens must be at it again, he thought. They were all around the globe too. A new wave must have hit. He trusted Bradford and the other Executive Officers to keep tabs on the situation. For now, Henry could enjoy some peace and quiet before resuming his busy schedule.
He looked at the large television screen in the corner of the bar. The soldiers were busy watching an old sports game. Professional sports were temporarily suspended due to grave circumstances. The troops seemed slightly bored. Colonel Archer was amongst them. Henry could recall him being an avid soccer fan. He probably knew how the game would end anyways, having seen it before. All of a sudden, his mind remembered something. He looked at the time.
"Guys, watch the TV," he ordered his companions.
Gail and Haidar turned their heads in curiosity.
"Any second now," the Commander wound up.
The screen suddenly transitioned from the match to a multicoloured "Please Stand By" screen, The UN logo appeared and faded into the background to make way for the XCOM emblem. The soldiers erupted into cheers from the sight of their battle flag.
"Commander, what's going on?" Haidar asked.
"Public announcements," he explained.
Henry had ordered multiple versions of the video to be made so that everyone in the world could understand. The one in XCOM HQ was oriented to anglophone Canadians but still had French subtitles.
The message started with a few words from the United Nations Secretary-General reaching out to those affected by the invasion. He gave his final words and the video transitioned to the familiar face of the Commander. Henry could not help but feel slightly off about seeing himself on the widescreen. It was even more thought-provoking given how every person who could touch Earth's soil would see him. His face would now be known to the entire globe. It is the intent, Henry reminded himself through the unease.
"Dear brothers and sisters, I am Commander Henry Avant of the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit or XCOM. We are an international military and scientific organisation tasked with defending you against the alien threat, backed by the Council of Nations, backed by the United Nations, supported by your government. This is truly a time for us to be put on trial. The aliens are a force like we have never fought before, but we, alongside your country's army, stand strong against them. I pray that you keep yourselves safe against this menace and cooperate with your government officials and their representatives. I pray that you have confidence in your vigilance over you. This fight will be long and hard. This fight will test every inch of courage in us. This . . . war, we have to win it. Together we will win it. Together, we will struggle. And together, we will survive. We will push back. We will win. After all, people of mankind, humanity has its rightful place . . . amongst the stars."
Henry felt the message to be somewhat lacking, even after a few revisions. His doubts were soon overthrown by the cheering erupting throughout the base. Henry's immediate audience was much larger than he thought. The distant echo of cheering entered the bar through opening and closing doors.
The message soon faded to a local broadcast by the Canadian federal government. The troops did not seem to give it much attention, cheering on the short speech.
Suddenly, Archer got up on a chair and cleared his throat.
"This message isn't just for those who had their homes destroyed, folks. This message is to us too. Our Commander said it! We will struggle. We will fight. We will push back. We will survive. We will win!"
Archer took a deep breath and began a chant.
"We will fight. We will push back. We will survive. We will win. Ladies and gentlemen, I declare these words to be our guide!"
The soldier followed as Archer repeated the slogan.
"We will fight! We will push back! We will survive! We will win!" the soldiers cried.
The war cry took over every sound of the bar. Nothing could penetrate the atmosphere. The television had gone back to normal, but nobody paid attention. Nothing could be heard from the speakers anyways.
Henry let out a grin but was brought back by a vibration from his device. This time, it was a call from Bradford.
"Commander, the aliens are attacking! They are attacking multiple cities around the world!" he reported.
"Prepare for the wave as we have done before," Henry yelled into the device over the chanting.
The Commander covered his free ear to concentrate on the sound from his phone. The chanting conveniently died down in total silence. Only the distant clink of glass could be heard. Bradford had gone completely silent too.
Henry looked around. The troops were staring at something with their mouths wide open; a face of horror and shock. Henry followed their gaze and realised that his entourage was fixated on the wall where the television was. He looked at the screen displaying the global news.
Fire . . . rubble . . . bodies. People ran around, not knowing what to do. It was chaos at its worst. One by one, the people captured on-screen dropped as explosions went off in the background. Objects could be seen slamming into the streets and buildings. The army could be seen in the background. They were not of much use against the wickedness unfolding.
Everything burnt to the ground around the innocent civilians captured by a wild news reporter. The buildings were all destroyed and the people stared, not knowing where to go. Their homes were lost, businesses destroyed and livelihoods ruined. Plasma charring was everywhere. Multiple UFOs could be seen in the background, dropping green orbs into the city. Landing parties roamed the streets. It was a slaughter.
The aliens, they were not simply abducting anymore; they were committing mass genocide. They bombarded everything in sight without a single care. Entire streets carpet-bombed. Some abduction pods could be seen, but it seemed so redundant. The aliens still wanted some people to bring back alive despite creating Hell on Earth. A sick joke.
The spectators were petrified; even Henry and Bradford on the line in Mission Control. The soldiers of XCOM were as powerless as the people who lost all hope in the middle of the slaughterhouse. Just when things seemed bright, the aliens threw another punch.
Henry's legs felt heavy all of a sudden. He could not move. He did not want to move; only watched the chaos unfold as he hid in his bunker. He was frozen in place and forced to look at the scenes unfolding in front of him.
Why? What is the point in all of this? What brought this on? There is no need for this scourge. Henry could have just talked it out with the aliens and given them what they wanted if it meant preventing all of this. There was no reason to fight. The cost was far greater than anything humanity could gain from this war.
Why is humanity at war with them in the first place? No, it's them. Humanity did nothing wrong. The aliens came and they wanted this to happen. They were expecting humanity to put up a fight. They were the ones who rejected all negotiations in the days before the invasion officially began. They did not care about all the bloodshed they would cause and endure.
Humanity's losses were as insignificant as their own. The aliens experimented and altered themselves into foot soldiers. Every alien was sent to Earth to die, but they would take their foes down with them. Either that or they would complete the mission and let their comrades waiting in orbit take on their task. There were no longer any rescue operations to save the aliens' stranded soldiers. More importantly, there was not a single drop of mercy shown by the aliens against their human foe. They simply did not care about all the lives taken and lost.
Henry focused on the news reporter who, somehow, managed to keep his calm whilst informing of the events.
"Reports from around the globe indicate a shift in the alien phenomena, now affecting cities worldwide. We're now receiving word of outright attacks against mankind, attacking densely populated areas," the news reporter said, visibly forcing himself to keep talking. "The videos show them bombarding the cities below them. Some of you may find this footage disturbing."
He was as shocked as the people watching were. Despite that, he kept his cool and did his job. He wanted to warn the world about what was happening. The people who took the videos did not care anymore about themselves. The distant explosions of plasma got closer to them, but they kept filming and streaming for everyone to see. Why wouldn't they; they're practically dead?
Henry could not stand there anymore. He had to act. If the news reporters and victims could stay strong, then he could too. He had to; he was the Commander.
Henry sharply turned towards the doors of the bar. He ran through all the hallways until he eventually reached the main elevators. He pressed the button to the first floor repeatedly, even if that would not make it faster. It came down to a stop, Henry went up and ran towards Mission Control whilst dodging people walking by.
Past the doors, he saw Bradford, Vahlen and Shen watching the news unfold. Shen gulped. Someone had to say something and he decided to break the silence.
"Looks like they've changed their tactics," he said in revulsion. "But why? Why do this?"
Vahlen wanted to say something, but she clearly had nothing good to say. She probably thought of a smart way to reply as she usually did, but this was not the time for such scientific comments. Bradford fixed his posture to compose himself.
"It's a message . . . to the entire world . . . that nothing can stop them," he replied.
Henry snapped back to the situation at hand. He opened his mouth to give out his orders.
"Bradford, I want all soldiers on standby! I want all pilots on stand by! I want all interceptor craft on stand by! I want the staff to stock up the armoury! I want everything on stand by!"
"Commander, such a situation requires a code red. We should trigger Sentinel Protocol!" Bradford proposed.
"Sentinel. Sentinel, yes. . . yes," Henry mumbled.
He dashed over to his station and selected to make a voice command.
"Commander Henry Avant! Trigger an emergency. 0-0-1 Code Sentinel!" he barked into the microphone.
The base's emergency red lights came on and gave it a universal red hue. The AI's voice came online.
"Attention all XCOM personnel. Emergency protocol 0-0-1, Sentinel, has been activated. This is an emergency level combat situation. All staff are required to immediately report to their officials and follow strict orders. All officials must rally their staff and report to the central authority for proper maximal combat readiness."
Vahlen and Shen ran back to their posts as fast as they could. All of their staff would be waiting for their orders. Bradford walked up to the Commander for orders.
"Bradford get me a guy to send a message to the Council that we're responding to the situation. Notify all the other bases to trigger Sentinel Protocol! I want you to distribute your officers to fill up every work station you've got in Mission Control and Mission Overview! Coordinate with your appointed leaders to fill up every post for at least 72 hours. Get to it, now!"
"Yes, Commander!" Bradford replied and dashed off.
Henry went back to activate the microphone to broadcast his other orders.
"Attention, this is Commander Henry Avant!"
His voice echoed throughout the base.
"I want all combat personnel to report to the armoury. All staff responsible for maintenance of combat gear are to report to the armoury, now! I want all aircraft on standby. I want all senior officers to report to Mission Control."
Henry tapped the button to turn off the microphone and looked around for an officer.
"Officers, what's the status?" the Commander demanded.
Someone rose up to give an answer.
"Sir, we've got multiple cities hit around the globe; the others are mobilising to respond to the threat. Locally, we've got Kingston, Iqaluit, Edmonton, Anchorage, Carson City, Albuquerque, Myrtle Beach and Cancun."
"They're attacking the entire fucking continent!" Henry exclaimed.
Bradford ran back to the Commander after finishing his tasks.
"Got a specific plan?" he asked.
"Okay, take 4th Company and give them the first air transport to Edmonton and Alaska, in that order. 3rd Company will go down to Mexico and Carson City with their own transport. Archer will get one transport towards Albuquerque and Myrtle Beach. 1st Company will deal with Kingston and Nunavut."
"Copt that, Commander!"
"The extra air transports will be distributed to more demanding zones. Since we've got two, we'll have one covering Canada and the northern United States, and the other in the south of the United-States and Mexico."
"Okay, Commander," the XO replied and dashed off.
The Commander looked at the Hologlobe. His continent was almost littered with UFOs. There too many to count in a single glance. At least, all of the aliens' forces were concentrated on the targeted cities. There was no alien activity outside of the focused regions. It at least restored some simplicity to the current strategic map.
Battles were being fought all around by local forces. Henry would have to establish solid lines of communication with the militaries around North America. He had the Council and perhaps the United Nations to help with that. The Commander went into the Situation room to deal with that problem first. There was no chance that he could deal with the situation alone. An effort to coordinate military interventions would be the best course of action.
Just when things started to look good the aliens dropped another figurative bomb. Henry did not want to ask "What more can you throw at us?". The answer always seemed to be "We've got more than that came from!" Henry let out a silent laugh at himself having a conversation with his imaginary alien counterpart.
When I meet the alien commander, I swear I'll shoot him myself.