X-Com – The Unknown Menace
Chapter Fourteen – Misty Evening
July 29th, 1999
Area 51, Nevada, US
As the C-130H Hercules transport plane finished its landing back at Groom Lake after the mission in Russia, Johnson wondered what other surprises might be forthcoming back home. They had boarded the plane at the Japanese X-Com base, after flying there from the Russian base. The Super Valkyrie had also landed there and had waited for them per Johnson's instructions, which didn't want to risk the plane by flying it again to Area 51 yet. Instead the flying beast had been ordered to fly back and land at Tonopah Test Range, an high security military base situated also in Nevada, some 65 miles northwest of Groom, until the whole matter of General Smith's attempt to sabotage their mission was resolved.
When the plane stopped completely, the cargo doors suddenly opened and the North American West team deployed, although most of them were in a rugged condition after the vicious fighting at Azamas 36. They escorted the C-130H while it was taxiing to the front of his designated hangar There they were greeted by Major Prescott and a group of X-Com security personnel. Their sight was a relief for Johnson's eyes. As the rest of the team deployed and secured the location around the experimental craft Prescott come up to Johnson and asked, in complete puzzlement:
"Colonel, what is going on here? We have found the body of General Smith after your departure where you indicated, as you indicated together with your order to keep an eye on the USAF's facilities and their personnel, with the full authorization of President Winston".
"Have you entered the facilities?" Johnson kept looking around searching for possible Xenos coming out of the darkness, still shocked by their abilities. Many good men had been lost to them.
"No. I kept an eye on their activities but in complete discretion, as ordered".
"Good. Gather your security force and follow us. We have orders to take control of the whole base".
Prescott's eyes opened wide. "What? You mean the Groom Lake installation? You can't just take over a government facility! That would be considered an act of aggression. We have no authority to do so!"
"Major, I have the order of President Winston himself. It's a long story, but it appears that we have been nesting the aliens right next to us. We don't know what we will find inside, but we are to take control of it and secure all personnel".
"Holy shit!"
"Yeah. General Smith was working for the aliens. I don't know what else he kept in there but we are sure going to find out". Then he started heading for the command section of the facility, the remaining of the team following him.
They found the ground floors to be only occupied with humans, mostly security personnel, test pilots, scientists and technicians. After some hot incidents on which two guards were injured by X-Com fire while resisting arrest, all of the upper floors were cleared. When they arrived at operations center they found the doors locked.
"I guess they must be inside trying to talk to their masters, whenever those are the Pentagon or the Starspawn". Johnson commented while testing the strength of the metal doors. "Some one come over here and blow up this door," he ordered and afterwards when to get some cover. A X-Com trooper come up to the door and removed a package from his backpack. Looking at the door he took some seconds analyzing it and, afterwards unwrapped the explosives out of their plastic cover and started attaching them to well thought places in the door. He then got some detonators, and the red pins were placed on the C-4 explosive around the entrance. Giving his work a final look of approval he when for cover and removed a device from his belt. Opening the safety he shouted: "All clear! Going in Three... Two…. One!" When he pressed the trigger the detonator sent a radio signal in a very specific and unused frequently and gave the order for the chip inside the pins to explode the C-4.
The reinforced steel blew out of its metal hinges slamming against the floor of the corridor with a large metallic sound. The first X-Com trooper that reached it immediately brought out a concussion grenade and pushed the pin, throwing it inside. It made a loud bang two seconds later, and Johnson immediately jumped inside the room after it went off.
The control room was a mess, the smoke for the explosion still present in the air despite of the air conditioning that was pulling it up. The bodies of the military men made unconscious by the grenade rested on the floor, some of them still clutching weapons on their hands. Johnson saw Colonel Billings, the second on command and approached him. The man had his service revolver drawn and was pointing it to the X-Com Colonel.
"Billings, drop that weapon now and tell the rest of your men to surrender! We are taking over this base!"
"The General was damned right about you!" He shouted back and looked as if ready to press the trigger. Sensing the response of his men he raised an arm to stop them.
"Billings, your pistol can't kill me unless you hit me right between the eyes because of the armour I'm wearing and you know that. The President ordered this base to be surrendered to X-Com because of confirmed alien infiltration. If you're not involved on it, drop the weapon. Otherwise, I will have to kill my second traitor on the war, General Smith being the first".
"The General is dead?" He looked deeply shocked.
"Yes. Drop the weapon now!"
He lowered the pistol and, after a second placed it on the ground. "Surrender your weapons men. The President just ordered X-Com to take over, whatever we like it or not". Johnson took a deep breath and thanked whoever had created humans with a safeguard called reason.
After securing the control center, Billings ordered in the intercom for the entire Groom military inhabitants to gather on one huge, unoccupied hangar. The process of rounding them up took some time, since the facility had more than two thousand people. They were all rounded up and after confirmation that every name present on the rooster was there. When the process was done, he turned to Billings and asked: "Is that it?"
The USAF officer closed his eyes, as if he was taking a grave decision. Opening them again, he spoke: "No. There's another facility close by that you know nothing about. There's few men based there, but it also falls into Area 51's command".
"Take us there".
"I can't do that Colonel. Those are classified installations!" Johnson pointed his laser rifle at his head and calmly said: "General Smith just tried to kill me before we went off on our mission. I don't know why he did it, but I've just been fighting the most vicious things that I've ever seen on my life and I'm still pissed at this whole thing. I have a presidential order that gives me access to every corner of this base and if you try to stop me, I'll have to assume that you are also under the alien's influence and have to kill you."
The other officer kept his stare at him and replied: "Don't try to bluff me Colonel, I know you won't kill me".
"Maybe not, but consider this. Everyone on this base is under suspicion of collaboration with the enemy. In case you don't know, the penalty for treason is death. You can either show it to me or wait in the brig for the federals to take you in custody. Your choice".
Billings swallowed hard and said after a minute. "Very well. The place is some miles from here. We shall need transportation".
"Patterson!" The Major limped to Johnson's side. "Get us some Humvees to carry a full platoon plus me and the Colonel".
Thirty minutes later the motorized column had already left Groom Lake. At the junction where the road intersected the gravel path to Papoose, Billings said that they should continue going straight into the West. "Where are we going?" Johnson inquired.
"Area 19. Have you ever heard of it? It's still in the Nevada Test Range but is ran by the Department of Energy". Johnson reminded seeing some references to it on the maps but gave up trying to remember after a while. The whole US military occupied more than one forth of Nevada's State area and it was close to impossible to know all about it, especially since many of those areas were classified and under heavy surveillance.
They kept going through paved roads until finally Billings told them to turn into a gravel and dirt road heading northwest. Finally he said them to stop in the middle of a plain. The only structure visible was a power line that ended on a substation up to the north.
Looking around and checking on the map, Johnson saw that they were in the middle of Dead Horse Flat but there was nothing here to see. "Where have you taken us Billings?"
"Wait and you will see. Come with me". He looked around, moved over to a location on the basin and dropped on his knees. Johnson immediately started to react but he then saw that the man had started to remove some camouflage tarps. At the distance they were undistinguishable from the terrain. And underneath them Johnson saw sand painted metal doors, buried on the ground.
"Now Colonel. Please let me go in front. There are men down there that be surprised at your appearance. Once I tell them that there's no problem they will follow your instructions, but until then they might overreact to your presence".
"Go right ahead. That way you will be the one shot at if they fire back at us".
"I wish to prevent that Colonel, that's why I'm taking the lead". He opened both doors and started to come inside using a metal ladder that ended on a corridor, with the X-Com troopers quickly following him but taking a look first. The passageway ended on another door.
With the help of Billings they cleared out the facility from all the upper level occupants, found to be only manned by technicians and security personnel. Johnson couldn't tell what they were doing down here, but he knew that he would have to find out later about it. Right now they needed to clear out the whole installation. He took one squad to check the lower levels, together with Colonel Billings and left the other two squads to guard the prisoners.
When they reached the elevator for the subterranean floors Billings stopped and said: "You are unauthorized to see this Colonel". Johnson tapped his laser rifle and said: "This is all the authorization I need".
"Very well". He passed his card on a magnetic reader on the wall and tapped in a code in a numeric pad on the device. A light suddenly turned green on the reader and the elevator doors opened. It was small and gray with some buttons pressed on it. "Colonel, the elevator won't take all of your men and I'm the only one here with an authorization. I would prefer if it were only you to come down to keep this restricted to as few people as possible. You have my word that nothing will happen to you down there".
Crossett immediately become stiff and Johnson was almost ordering Billings to override the security system when he saw something on his eyes. An impression that told him that the man has saying the truth.
"All of you hold over here and pay attention to the radio. If I don't say anything in fifteen minutes blow this door and storm the place". Crossett turn to him and said: "Are you nuts sir? You know I have to go with you!"
"Crossett stay here. You have already proven your worth but I feel that there might be something down there that's best if few people know it". The ex Secret Service agent begun to protest, but Billings spoke: "I offer that your bodyguard can come also down but he will have to wait by the lift. Under no circumstance may he leave that area".
Johnson looked at the soldier. He didn't seem too happy with the idea but shrugged. He nodded then to Billings who looked on his eyes before they all entered the lift. He chose the bottom level button and pressed it. Johnson asked:
"What's on the others?"
"Research laboratories and machine shops but presently unused. We can stop by those later if you like but I think what you want to see is on that level". Sensing still no threat, Johnson kept trying to relax a bit. After some never ending seconds, the elevator stopped and the doors opened showing three corridors: one in front and the others on the sides of the lift.
"Your bodyguard stays here".
"I trust him completely".
"This is not about trust Colonel. What you are going to see is something that was kept hidden for many years. If some people knew that you have that information they would stop at nothing to hunt you down".
"OK then. Let's get this over with. But be warned that you won't leave the sight of my weapon".
"This way please, Colonel". He pointed ahead "I will show you how all of this begun". He then proceeded in front and Johnson followed, keeping his rifle ready. Crossett waited reluctantly by the lift giving Johnson the hand sign to keep his head down. The corridor ended up on a massive dark hangar where few things could be seen. "Let me get the lights Colonel. Billing hit a button on the wall and the ceiling projectors immediately started going on. The bright white pointed to a location on the middle of a hangar. And a saucer shaped UFO was on the middle of it. Johnson immediately started to react to the threat but Billings cut in:
"We recovered it on a crash a long time ago! There are no aliens around!" Johnson then noticed that one of the sides of it was smashed. Finding no threats he lowered the laser and asked:
"When? Why weren't we informed?"
"It's a long story and we haven't finished the introduction yet. There's still something else for you to see". He led Johnson back the corridor and turned into the left hallway, passing Crossett on the way who looked in anxiety but Johnson told him that everything was OK. They led to a door and when the turned on the lights of that room Johnson was amazed.
Sectoids. With their big bulgy black eyes staring back at him with the same gaze they have when they are alive. Four dead Sectoids rested on huge glass cylinders, with half of them wrecked by the crash, others pretty much intact. And the machinery. It was new but at the same time it looked old.
"For how long do you keep all of this down here?" He kept his eyes on the dead Sectoids.
"That's where our story begins. There's an office on the end of the other corridor. I suggest you tell your men that everything is OK when we reach it and sit down there to have a talk". They went back, all sorts of questions coming through Johnson's mind.
After the remaining corridor turned out OK he told his men to stand down and sat on an office chair in front of a desk. Billings sat directly opposite him.
"I wondered for how much they would keep the secrecy".
"Who? The Pentagon?"
"Doesn't matter yet. Tell me Johnson, have you ever heard of a place called Roswell, in New Mexico?" Seeing his negative answer he continued.
"Well, back on 1947 there were reports that a flying disk had crashed over there on the desert and that the Army Air Force had retrieved it. The newspapers of the day made a big fuss about it but by the end of the day the military had denied it saying it was a weather balloon. But actually it was true, although there were two craft that crashed, after a midday collision between both".
"You knew about the aliens since 1947 and didn't warn the world even when they started attacking us?"
"No one on his base knows why it was done or the whole truth. I doubt even General Smith knew. We knew parts and were warned not to discuss them with anyone or even ask for information we weren't supposed to know. The penalty for it would be instant death".
"Who told you that? From whom do you receive your orders?"
"From Smith. From upwards on I have no idea of who gave him the orders. I always thought I had to be someone on the top hierarchy but I never knew. I was waiting for their orders when you burst into the command center, but they never came. Something serious must have happened".
Johnson couldn't believe the man's words. He felt completely hopeless.
"Continuing with our story, one was an unoccupied Apollo-type UFO and was unmanned. That was the one the press talked about and that was brought to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio by the Army personnel. The other craft is the one you have just seen. And one of the four aliens who were inside managed to survive the crash. I doubt if the number of people that know what come out of his interrogation but whatever he told them before dying, those same persons took immediate efforts to hide their existence at every level and to contact them".
"That's treason to the human race you are talking about. The responsibles are worse than Hitler or Stalin!"
"Colonel, besides them and the aliens no one knows whatever they agreed on when they eventually established contact. I'm not trying to justify their actions, but think what would have happened if things had leaked out and the government was caught in the open, not knowing how to explain it".
"How come we haven't prepared since then for their invasion?"
"Probably they were deceived by the aliens, who knows? Something that is missing on this whole story is the truth. Many of us on this base who knew the secret thought that we were doing something to help the world. This is our planet also. Only when we heard of the formation of X-Com was that we started wondering what had been going on, but we could never say anything against it".
"You are not humans anymore! Have you considered what you might have done? You sold us all to the aliens!"
"You are right on that part, Colonel, although a bit incorrect. We are not totally humans but we still prefer mankind over the aliens".
"What are you talking about?"
"This. The last part of my story". And he brought his head down and raised his hands to his eyes. They moved around a bit and Johnson couldn't understand what the man was doing. Then he raised his head and looked at the X-Com Colonel. Violet, cat like eyes almost mirrored Johnson's face. His first reaction was to get his rifle, which he had laid against the chair. His arm hit the rifle and dropped it to the floor. Thinking fast he took his laser pistol out of his holster while Billings was shouting and raising his hands in a hurry: "I'm unarmed Colonel and I kept my promise I made up there!"
Johnson stopped and saw that the hybrid had taken cover under the table, his arms covering his head. "OK. You can get back up but really slowly". Getting his rifle back while keeping the pistol pointed at him he said: "Now keep talking but with your hands on the top of the table".
"Try to relax Colonel. You will understand when I finished. The aliens gave to certain men knowledge on cloning technology and they decided to try to combine alien and human DNA to create a hybrid. After some initial failures they eventually succeeded. I'm the result of that experimentation, being the first hybrid ever created on Earth. My alien father is one of the bodies you saw in there. They took DNA from it and combined it with human ova, artificially inserting it afterwards on my human mother's womb. I don't think she ever knew she was pregnant since she most likely was abducted and I never met her".
"You are the first? Where are the others?"
"Most of us were assigned to this base as we were conceived, receiving a human identity. Besides the ones here at Area 19 there's still some at Groom Lake. The others I never asked, knowing what the penalty would be like to pose too many questions. Eventually, through the death of the humans who knew this secret or their reassignment to other places we become the only ones on the base who knew of the existence of all this, besides General Smith. We become also the ones who had access to the underground facilities. Other US secret projects, like the Aurora and the Super Valkyrie, were more like a cover. We originally occupied Papoose but we had to move to here when X-Com was assigned to that place. And we could never tell it also to anyone else, because if we revealed our existence we would be hunt down and imprisoned as aberrations".
"You most likely would be plainly sentenced to death or life-imprisonment by any court on Earth".
"Yes. And while we are hybrids, we inherited from mankind some of its distinctive traits, including human feelings and a desire for freedom. We don't support the aliens Colonel, we have seen that our fate will be similar to yours if they take over Earth".
"But if you stay here you will most likely die. At least with them you have a chance of living".
"Yes, but at what price? We also have, like humans and aliens, psionic ability, although we are naturally born to be more conscious of ours. We have heard the voice of the Starspawn, their collective mind or whatever it is, giving its commands. That's slavery for us also, Colonel. And we instinctively fight it the same way you do".
"You have psionic abilities?!" Johnson tightened his grip again on the pistol.
"And humans also. You are just not trained to use them and so aren't we. Not that surprisingly we where never trained on them, otherwise the puppeteers might end up being the puppets. But we don't need them to be free now".
"What do you mean? I have to put you into custody! I can't just let you wonder around"
"You and me, Colonel, we both know what will happen if this comes out. Your troops up there would more likely kill me on sight if they knew about it. And the rest of the world would have the same reaction. But what have we done to deserve such punishment? We were slaves, Colonel, with no control over our lives. We are not directly responsible for our actions, because we done them at gunpoint. I saw many of my companions get punished for questioning even the slightest order".
"That doesn't justify or make up for what you have done!"
"You are right. And to show you that we just want to be able to live without ever harming the human race again we will give Earth something it desperately needs now to survive".
"What could that be?"
"Helping on how to use the alien technology to build UFOs. That was our mission down here to service such craft. We understand their secrets".
"That's a gift too good to accept. What do you want in return?"
"That only you, Colonel, know about our existence here at the base. And if Earth wins, that we are allowed by you to leave and live the rest of our lives in a remote place, but free".
"How do you expect me to trust you? It would be like carrying a scorpion close to my body, knowing that one day it would strike".
"Colonel Johnson, have you ever wondered why General Smith wasn't right away informed of the President's orders when they came and only had time to do a desperate action when he arrived? Could you imagine what he would have done if he had been informed on time by his Executive officer?" Billings kept looking and Johnson suddenly understood that the hybrid had already helped X-Com once. But he kept questioning.
"Even then, how do you know I will keep my part of the deal? How do I know about you?"
"You will have both answers when I start talking to your scientific personnel and working with them on UFO construction. One way or the other we will reveal what we know for mankind. It's called choosing the lesser evil out of two ones. And if mankind wins, it's up to you then to decide what will mankind do about us Colonel. If you want I will give you the names of all one hundred and sixty-three hybrids here, including myself. I just asked for your discretion meanwhile".
Damn! Johnson cursed everyone and everything.
August 4th, 1999
Geneva, Switzerland
Number Three realized that he needed a lot of maneuvering in order to maintain his status on the group. General Smith's death had been a terrible blow to his plans and the meeting had been specifically called to discuss the results of the Siberian attack. The defeat of the aliens when the nuclear reactor had meltdown and exploded was irrelevant for the whole matter, but the fact that one of his agents had been killed and possibly exposed put a grim future on his horizon.
"Seems that things didn't went exactly as planned. Yes, we have managed to inflict terrible casualties on X-Com and Russia's military capabilities, giving us also move leverage as you planned, but other things weren't taken into account". Number One was still a trained hunter. He knew when his prey was injured and loosing blood. "However, your actions have compromised the security of the group. X-Com have searched Area 51 and found out our little toys. Further if we had been informed on time of this situation we might have been able to prevent it or minor its damage".
The ten other men in the room waited for him to speak. He knew that this was more than his position on the group. If negative judgment was passed his own life was at stake.
"What they found there is of no significance. General Smith was the link that connected it to us and now he's gone and took all the secrets he knew to the grave".
Number Two added quickly: "But how will they explain the presence of the artifacts? Worse yet, what if they detect our collaborators? That would make them ask a lot of questions".
"A major confrontation erupted right after X-Com took control of our facilities. Some of base personnel resisted imprisonment and in the middle of the confusion about thirty of our agents got killed. The others know that they can only run and try to join us again or keep themselves quiet. If X-Com or any nation ever learned of their presence they would be immediately killed".
"How can you be sure of that?"
"They are half-humans, their instinct to survive will surpass anything else".
"But there's still the actions of General Smith to justify for! There will be investigations to find with who he was conspiring with!"
Number Three knew that he had managed to get the challenge set so that he could play his trump card: "And that's the beauty of it". One and Two both looked at each other suddenly realizing that there were other factors in motion. The leader of them all asked: "Explain".
"My plan involves a deeper destabilization of the Earth's nations. The attack on Russia was the first step. Not only it has brought the Russian to an extremely weak condition but it also drove a wedge between them and X-Com. The failure of Smith to prevent X-Com from retrieving the plasma data was unexpected but it gives us a window of opportunity to exploit".
Pushing one button in the table in front of him, a map of the United States appeared on the wall behind him. "We already had long-time plans concerning the US and those are still in operation. There's time though to make use of rumors concerning a general feeling going through the military high ranks concerning the priority being given to X-Com when dealing with the aliens, something that the late General Smith helped to reinforce. Every X-Com officer of the North American Command is aware of this and quite frankly, if the US President hadn't personally endorsed collaboration with the unit, things would be much different".
"We all know about this before".
"Yes and X-Com also. Remember Eisenhower's words in 1960 when on his farewell speech from the Presidency he warned about the dangers of the military-industrial complex? What X-Com has uncovered is that the presence of the aliens was known before to people on Earth and one general was keeping the secret. He couldn't possibly do it for himself so were are the rest of his associates?"
"In the military". One spoke and Three could see that the rest of the group suddenly realized where he was getting at. Good, Three thought, but not sufficient. He added:
"X-Com will start to have their own suspicions about the loyalty of the high-ranking hierarchies of the US. Worse yet, they will have trouble whom to trust in the US government about it. If you want to hunt, you do not warn your prey in advance. And while they are looking inside the Pentagon we do our own bidding". The trump card was played, it was now time for Number Three to eliminate any further resistance.
"How? General Smith's death was a major disaster for our intelligence!" One replied.
Three smiled to himself. "He wasn't the only one inside their North American operation". With that sentence and the reaction it provoked on the room, he knew he was again riding the wave. That his value and position had suddenly rose almost back to where it was before the whole fiasco as they paused to consider this new information.
"But by your previous statements at the meetings, their access to the technological information is a major disaster". Still, One kept trying, the old fool.
"That technology has its own limitations as they will find out about. Yes, I would prefer that they didn't have access to it, but they eventually would. Let them have it. It won't do anything than slowing down the aliens' forces. And it will keep the aliens dealing with a lot of other things than us".
"All the previsions about X-Com have turned wrong. By now the whole project should have been terminated on financial basis. Instead, from what is reported, the Russian base will soon be operational again with new recruitment and more purchases of war material". "That money can only be coming in through unofficial ways. If the Council of Funding Nations knew about it they will quickly launch an investigation. All we have to do is find out from where it's coming and let the proof reach the Council".
"And what if they find another way to expand their activities? Pretty soon their actions could be close to disestablishing the whole plan and making the aliens unpredictable".
"In that case, we tell exactly the aliens how to crush them. There's one rule in warfare: destroy the enemy's ability to wage a war and you will win the war".
August 6th, 1999
Area 51, Nevada, US
"I take it that you read the official report?" Johnson swiveled on his chair, while looking at Williams. The NSC member had flown to Nevada as soon as he had received the briefing describing the whole operation and the treachery committed by General Smith. He came forward and replied: "Yes. A whole bunch of crap, if you ask me but the President bought it and I pretended to also".
"Why pretended?" Johnson wanted to put him just in the right position before the strike. Williams looked shocked and countered: "There's more to it than the words you have chosen for the report. One high-ranking US officer doesn't suddenly went nuts and tries to assassinate someone, for Christ's sake!"
"Dr. Mantell did a full autopsy on him and found abduction marks. We have deduced that he must be under alien influence when he did that, although we have no idea of how".
After he was done talking, Williams took a deep look at him and replied: "Something stinks here Johnson and you better tell me what it is. A lot of people down at Langley and the Pentagon find the whole concept unbelievable. A high-ranking US military officer running his own operation and dealing with aliens? Nonsense! I feel that you or someone must be hiding something!"
"Really? Maybe they should think about their own skeletons in the closet before starting to point accusations at us". Johnson barked back in anger. Williams stopped, feeling a great fear. "What do you mean? Tell me the truth Colonel and I will do the same. I told you before that there were things that you better not know about but you might have come with the same conclusions that I did".
"If I told you what really happened here you would do the same? About the hybrids, the laser technology, etc.?" Johnson waited patiently for an answer.
Williams shook his head. "No, I couldn't tell you everything. But I could confirm or deny what you think that goes around us, 'unseen'".
God damn it, Johnson cursed. The idiot knew about this right along! He tried to contain his anger. "Well Mr. Williams, what if I tell you that General Smith had his own operation right here on his side of Nevada? And that he had kept a crashed UFO and four dead Sectoids hidden in a secret basement?"
"What?"
"And that he didn't do it for himself for sure. You might have heard about the confrontation that occurred while we were investigating for alien presence. We suspect that it was done by his own agents".
"I read about it. Thirty or something people killed".
"It was self-defense. When we stormed into Smith's little secret in the middle of the desert, they refused to listen to our calls to disarm themselves and resisted. In the middle of the confrontation they all got killed, along with Billings. The official history is different, of course. But so is the part stating that Smith acted on his own. I know that he had help on the outside".
Two persons already know about the terrible secret I carry, Williams thought. Is it time to bring a third one into it? "Colonel, you are right. I have thought about the events you told before and come up with the conclusion that there is a major conspiracy going on for years to hide the alien presence. I don't know why or who they are but I'm definitely sure that there is one and I'm trying to unravel it".
"Is X-Com infiltrated?"
"I don't know".
"You don't know or you don't want to tell me the answer?"
"Believe me Colonel, there are things that I will only tell you on a need-to-know basis, but in this case I haven't ascertained for sure that possibility"
"Very well". He paused for a minute. Williams broke through the silence.
"Now what's this story about the confrontation? Weren't there any survivors? We need to make a full interrogation into them".
"Go and dig up their bones then Williams. We have sent you the official report done by the Branch. Your team can interrogate the rest of the USAF personnel at Groom if you want but I doubt you will ever get any answer. That Davies character you sent to us sure can be intimidating in interrogations, let me tell you".
Williams shook his head. "Remember when you asked me if I was holding information? It appears you are doing the same, Johnson. Maybe Davis should use all his talents on you Colonel". A dry grin appeared on the X-Com Colonel's face. "It might be. Remember what you told me about need to know basis? It works both ways. If you need to worry about it I will tell you".
The nerve of the man! Williams was about to complain but decided to keep his mouth shut. "Touché Colonel. Let's just hope that both of us know what we are doing".
After the conversation was finished and Williams had left his office, Johnson was doing some paperwork when there was a knock on the door. "Come in", he said.
Billings entered the room but instead of wearing his Air Force uniform he was dressed in civilian clothes, wearing a fake beard and glasses, and behind him came Dr. Mantell.
"Good afternoon Colonel".
"The same to you Dr. Young". Both of them had decided to fake Billings's death, along with some of the other hybrids and hide their presence inside Papoose Lake complex as X-Com technicians or scientists. All of the other military personnel and the research planes were being transferred up north to the Tonopah Test Range and X-Com would take control of the entire base, both Papoose and Groom Lakes.
"Dr. Mantell and I have just gone over the research you have already done. I must say I am impressed".
"Well, I must add that we are the ones impressed with you, Dr. Young. For someone out of this project, you seemed to be a quick learner about the basic concepts behind the alien technology". Dr. Mantell added, smiling.
"Dr. Young will be of help then, Dr. Mantell?"
"Colonel, do you remember I had discussed with you before the problems that the X-Com scientific community was having with understanding the navigational systems behind the UFOs?"
"Sorry doctor, but I sometimes get lost in the middle of the technical terms".
"Well, from what I've heard of Mr. Young's ideas, I believe we are about to reach a breakthrough in our research". The scientist was completely smiling.
"Recruiting him was a good idea then?" Johnson looked at Billings, who looked back but said nothing.
"You bet Colonel, this men is worth his weight in gold to our research. I don't know where you found him, but we couldn't be more pleased with him".
"Very well Dr., I'm glad to hear that. Now if you could excuse us, we still need to take care of some things about his transfer to X-Com".
"Very well, I will be at the main lab if you need me". The scientist gave a long handshake to Billings and left. After that, the hybrid turned to Johnson and asked:
"Is the bargain still up?" He raised an eyelid.
"Yeah, don't worry about it, your identity is still a secret. I won't say anything to anyone else right now".
"Good. Will we be transferred to Germany?"
"I don't know yet. It would be better, so that none of the men at Groom recognizes you, but I need to fabricate solid background checks on you first".
"And on the other hand you still don't know for sure if you can trust us".
Johnson frowned. The hybrid seemed to be exactly what he was thinking. "It's logical Colonel and I don't have any bad feelings about it. I would do the same in your shoes".
"Scientists and military personnel usually don't mix here. Keep it that way. I've already had a chat with all my soldiers who went to Area 19 and told them to keep their mouths shut".
"Was having enough of military life already. Thank you Colonel".
"Just try to get out of sight from anyone that might recognize you. And remember I'm watching you".
August 7th, 1999
Kremlin, Moscow, Russian Federation
On this way to see President Larianov, Illyuschenko had noticed the preparations being put into place by the Russian government to prepare for war. He was accompanied with Colonel Boronin and both men had flown from Stalingrad base in the Caucasus to Moscow using a military flight. The Commander noticed how under the disguise of an escalation of the conflict in Chechnya and the radioactive cloud released by the reactor in Siberia, Moscow and all major cities had been put into almost martial law, with the authorities claiming it to be due to possible "terrorist attacks from fanatics". The radiation released had spread itself largely in unpopulated areas, but those would still need years of cleansing. It was a major ecological disaster but at least the aliens had been contained although few people back at X-Com liked to discuss the matter. Even Dr. Chevereux had privately expressed to him his doubts about if the retrieval of the information had really been worth the disaster they had caused over Siberia.
The X-Com Commander had before heard of such actions, specially the ones dealing with press censorship but now on the way from the airport to the Kremlin he finally saw a nation preparing itself for war although his citizens didn't knew it yet. There seemed to be roadblocks everywhere and he had seen columns of mechanized vehicles and antiaircraft missiles posted close to the highway. His grandfather had participated on the defense of Moscow from the Fascists hordes and he thought if it was the same, back then and now. Every soldier they passed acted as if there was an under siege mentality although he could see that many seem to care less at the order and a few even scowled at it. However some looked seriously worried and Illyuschenko wondered what rumors might be coming out from the survivors of the Red Army units that had fought the aliens at Azamas 36. Larianov is a fool if he thinks he can keep the lid on that one through press censorship, Illyuschenko said to himself, not even the Communist Party managed to control gossip.
Idiots, haven't they learned that they cannot defeat the aliens this way, that even with all the tanks and guns we are outnumbered? He said to himself while going through the Kremlin's reinforced security checkpoints. When he reached the outside of the President's office he looked over at this uniform. For concealment reasons he could never hear his X-Com's dress uniform, so he had dug up his old Russian Army clothes and put them on. It had been a strange experience at that moment back on Mother One, he remembered as he looked himself at the mirror before boarding the flight to Moscow. What seemed to be an entire lifetime had pasted before his eyes, from the moment he had been chosen to the Kiev Academy and later when he had finally received the General's star. A whole lifetime! Was it worth it? Is it worth right now? Clearing his thoughts he entered the room. He was curious to know the reason of such a request from the Russian President to have a meeting personally.
When he and Boronin entered the room he saw Larianov, together with several other government officials. Oddly he saw that there had been some changes in the Russian Cabinet lately. Irinov, the Defense Minister, was no longer among them so he considered that the man had been dismissed from his job due to the Siberian fiasco. Something strange was also present and Illyuschenko noticed why in a flash. Now there was a huge Russian flag unwrapped on the wall behind the standing-up men, where before it was standing on a pole. Are there men trying to impose patriotism on me? He asked himself and started noticing other subtle hints. The fact that they had invited him to the Kremlin, making him to have to leave his X-Com uniform behind and wear his Russian one. And where's that master spy Verchenko? Dismissed or hiding behind the scenes, manipulating? He decided to not let them have an advantage on him.
He didn't bother to give a salute and spoke out "Commander Dmitri S. Illyuschenko presenting, sirs!". Boronin seemed was puzzled at the General's presentation and saluted afterwards, apparently not noticing the emotional trap laid by the other men.
President Larianov seemed a little frustrated but greeted them back and told them to take places at the meeting table. After everyone was seated, with the Russian government facing both X-Com officers he spoke again: "Thank you for your short time in granting us with a meeting, General. I want to clarify some things out after the shameful incident at Azamas 36".
Trying to act as normal as possible Illyuschenko threw a disguised barb. "Our country was extremely lucky that the reactor had gone critical at that point, sir. Of course we will have to deal with the radiation released for decades but the aliens left the area".
Larianov stiffed. Stupid General. I don't need to be reminded of my failures. "Yes, extremely lucky. Of course we were sure that our next counterattack would be successful".
"Of course sir. But this conversation is meaningless. What do you wanted to discuss about, sir?". Boronin caught the meaning behind the tone and his eyes turned briefly to the General's attention.
"I…we…this whole matter made us rethink of our recent rifts with X-Com. After all your are Russia's prime fighting force when facing the aliens and the help you provided during this month's confrontation although unable to stop the destruction of the research facility showed your resolve and courage". He wants something, Illyuschenko immediately considered, but what?
"It was our duty sir"
"Yes and you have done it to the best of your capabilities while we have not try to do so in our duty, which was to assist you".
"Sir, you have your duties and rights stated in the X-Com Charter. There seen to be a certain latitude on every nation to interpret what says there".
"Well General, in this case we want to go a bit further than that. One thing that the attack has shown us was the fallacy of keeping away technology from X-Com. Let's face it, the Americans are willing to lease their latest Stealth fighters. Why don't we do the same? After all none of Earth's technology seem to be able to throw a major punch at the aliens. And only X-Com can develop weapons that will benefit us all one day". Illyuschenko had to keep himself from jumping at the man.
You mean, now that the perspective is so great that the council will dissolve X-Com due to its financial problems, you bastard. If the project were terminated, all of you vultures would quickly land to pick its pieces. Well, I know two things that you don't. First, our money situation is not getting worse, at least and it might even get better. Second, my people have recovered the laser technology that would have been lost because of your jealousy. It would give me no more pleasure than to tell you the truth but I would be putting X-Com's and Earth's future at stake. "Thank you very much for your cooperation, sir". He replied, trying to put as much enthusiasm in his voice as possible.
The meeting ended after two hours of discussing several matters regarding coordination with Russia's military and the cajoling almost drove him nuts meanwhile. He and Boronin then left the Kremlin and boarded two different VIP cars that had brought him there from the airport. The vehicle carrying Illyuschenko then proceeded to one hotel in the center of Moscow while the other returned to the airport.
The official reason for his prolonged stay in the Russian capital was the excuse of visiting his sister and some old-time military friends. But the real motive that had brought him here appeared as he reached the hotel and was about to enter his room.
When he spotted the two men coming down the corridor he stopped the motion of inserting his bedroom key into the hole and looked at them. They were the latest Western suits but they physique told him that they were no businessman. When they approached him one of them spoke: "General Illyuschenko?"
"Yes, who are you?"
"We are here to escort you to the meeting you requested". He looked at the door. "Are you alone?"
"All by myself".
"Very well, this way please then, sir"
"I've met your type before and they weren't this polite usually. How do I know you are who you claim to be?"
"Sir, even out of the Red Army I will always respect you as an officer".
Illyuschenko blinked and realization came to him right afterwards. "Where?"
"Afghanistan, a whole lifetime ago. You went to retrieve my company after the guerrillas had trapped us. To the dead and to the living".
Illyuschenko kept a hard face and nodded. "To the dead and to the living. Please lead the way gentlemen". They took him to a hotel suite in the last floor. Three other men were waiting inside, two of them more henchmen. But the third one was different, having a more casual look, with his fingers full of gold rings and a well-trimmed beard. When Illyuschenko entered he turned the swiveling chair he was seated at and said: "General, it's been a long time. You disappeared without a trace last year".
"Yes indeed, Mr. Arbatov. And business keeps to prosper I see".
The man shrugged. "What can I say? It's a shame that people keep fighting one another, but if I don't supply them with what they need somebody else will. Even NATO's involvement in Kosovo didn't change anything. We just had to change into supplying the other side".
"Business as always, indeed".
"And the way the government is acting, pretty soon they will be starting to buy things from me also. What is going on, General? Russia's looks as if it is getting ready to go to war".
"Before we go on, is this room secure?" The man nodded. "I can't tell you anything about it. However, I can tell you of some interesting surplus war material I've got".
"I see. The same type of material that was 'destroyed' in Chechnya?"
"Even more advanced". The phrase drew a look of interest into the arms dealer's face. "I can arrange for a demonstration and them we can discuss prices. But no one else besides us in this room knows about its precedence". He looked at the security men.
"I trust these men with my life and pay well for it. And if they ever spilled their guts they know that they would die shortly and very, very slowly. The same restrictions as with the other batches?"
"You will find that this sort of material demands a different customer". Illyuschenko basically didn't care of where the alien weapons would end up. A few plasma weapons all over the world wouldn't make much difference, especially due to their reliance upon Elerium for fuel. Tests at various research facilities had proven the impracticability of artificially manufacturing it and it was not a natural element on the planet. That reduced the military use that could be given to the weapons. Most likely they would end up in other organized crime bands all over the world and be used into special actions. In either case the appearance of a plasma weapon in the black market could always be attributed someone stepping into a crashed UFO.
"There are all sorts of weird stories in the street about what's going on. That material wouldn't have anything to do with it, would they?"
"Draw your own conclusions Mr. Arbatov. But I would say that is some knowledge that would be best kept silent". He tapped his belt where his sidearm would be if he was carrying and the guards nearly jumped at the threat.
"Relax! All of you! The problem is that they are young heh? They don't go as far as I and haven't seen before how you deal business General. But that's what I like about you: straight to the point. Don't worry. You know that I'm loyal to both costumers and suppliers". He pointed at the ex-soldier that knew worked for him. "After seeing him I got convinced that if I ever killed you I would be hunted down by your men when they found out".
Illyuschenko took the hand off his belt. Exactly you low-bunch criminal. Interesting how even scum can be important in times of need. Our financial situation has gotten a lot better in the past months but even still the expenses are still increasing. If the whole Swiss deal goes off we would be even worse than before it. And Chechnya told me that black market deals can be sometimes the most reliable source of money, to hell with the law or moral. You are about to become a safeguard to X-Com, Mr. Arbatov. Looking at the arms dealer he didn't felt too assured but many more would be willing to step into his place, if the man needed to be replaced.
August 26th, 1999
Mother One, Black Forest, Germany
When the door of his office suddenly opened, Dr. Chevereux raised his head from the paperwork he was working on and looked in anger at the intruder.
"Qu'est-ce passe?" He grimaced as he recognized the person in front of him. "Dr. Johannes, what's the meaning of this?!"
The scientist took deep gulfs of air and tried to calm herself before speaking: "Dr. Chevereux. It works!" The Frenchman looked at her in puzzlement until realization came to him. "The test engine?!"
"Yes! The first results have just come out. It's amazing! Come and see!" Both of them headed out for the test facility on a run. When they reached the armored room they entered and saw that the blast windows in the control area that opened into the experimentation chamber were opened, with an orange light coming out of them. Dr. Chevereux immediately stopped and shouted while pointing at the windows: "What is that? Do you want us all to die?"
Johannes grabbed his arm and pushed: "There's no problem anymore, we have the reaction perfectly controlled". She led him into a computer and pointed at the numbers that were scrolling at the monitor. Chevereux looked into them and started enunciating: "Elerium decaying at a consistent rate. Electron release also, wait! These values can't be right! Mon Dieu! Particle flux going into the reactor at two hundred percent over the safety levels!" He turned to the scientist in charge of the experiment. "Electromagnetic field status?"
The man seated grinned: "Reactor giving more than enough energy output to maintain the containment field. We are actually powering this portion of the base with the remaining energy since we don't have way to store it. The trick was to coordinate between raising the particle accelerator's output and increasing the power of the electromagnetic containment filled, but we have already come out with an equation. Watch the monitor Dr. Chevereux".
The scientist did and saw that the amount of particles bombarding the Elerium increased, corresponding also to a high emission of energy from the matter-antimatter reaction. The particles were hitting the Elerium and making it release antimatter. The antimatter annihilated with contact with matter and energy was created. But this time they were controlling the reaction and the energy so that the Elerium wouldn't detonate out of a sudden.
A thousand technical words came to his mind about what he was just seeing but he settled with a single one: "Amazing". His mind was already racing and trying to picture what applications this source of power would allow, besides being able to understand the alien's weapons.
The chief scientist turned to him and said: "And it looks that the outcoming energy flux needs no further suppy of power to electromagnetic containment, which could make even more power available. I suspect it has to do with the creation of the gravity field.
Dr. Chevereux frowned in surprise. The scientist noticed and then realized what was happening: "She didn't told you about the rest?"
"What rest?"
"Watch the reactor Dr. Chevereux. I couldn't believe it myself the first time I noticed it in the camera, so I had to lift the blaster windows to see it with my own eyes". He slowly increased the test reactor's level. Then, slowly, but in a constant ascent the almost two meters high started to lift from the ground as if it was being suspended by the cables still attached to it. Chevereux went livid at the sight.
"Anti-gravity….?"
"We will have confirmation in about a week, as the measure equipment I've just required will take about that long to arrive and to be installed. But the visual results are there to prove it".
Dr. Chevereux stood speechless, looking at the first man made Elerium reactor. This would earn a Nobel Prize in Physics for everyone on the team. Hell, they were about to rewrite physics as it was. But even something more important would come up from this discovery. He took a breath and spoke: "All of you mark this day. Mankind is about to conquer the stars".
August 30th, 1999
Unknown location, Earth
The Sectoid Commander finished transmitting his last report. Everything was going according to the plan so far although they hadn't expected that the Terrans would be able to fight so well the Starspawn's forces. Still, they had managed to fulfill every major part of the plan until now and his superiors were pleased, although a bit concerned about the losses of troops and equipment.
There were still some things to explain though. Although the atomic weapons used by the Terrans had been destroyed before they reached the spaceships, one of them must was able to penetrate their defenses and release lethal doses of radiation in the area. His ships were shielded against such explosions but the forces on the ground were not and they had been caught on the open, without any protection as they were about to press their attack. The only option had been to retreat the remaining assets but it didn't matter. They had already fulfilled their objective, the destruction of the Terran weapon.
But by now they had another foothold on the planet. The ancient base set up by the exploratory teams a long time ago had been found intact, with no signs of Terran interference, like planned. The Starspawn had by now extended the original facilities and it was ready to be used in the next steps. Due to its location, they would most likely never find it. And if they did…
André Galvão, 2001