(A/N): Here we go, boys and girls...this is it. This is the BIG TWIST CHAPTER. I've had this explanation in mind for literal years at this point, and I have gone over it again and again to make sure it's as logical, seamless, and satisfactory as it can possibly be. My goal for this chapter was to provides answers to all the long-standing questions, raise new questions and mysteries to be uncovered while fixing some of the "missteps" made in The Bureau: XCOM Declassified's last hours, and set up the stakes and events for the final chapters as we move into the endgame. As always, whether or not I succeeded is up to you, but I'm really proud of how this one turned out! So I hope you have as much fun reading as I had writing it!

(Side note: I'd like to personally thank DrAmishMD and SirMandoKarla for taking the time out of their busy schedule to look over the ideas as I was writing them and giving their feedback and approval. You guys rock, and I wouldn't be half the writer I am today without you!)


Summer found it deeply ironic that of all the things that happened after stealing Mosaic from the Temple Ship, the return flight home through an alien portal would be remembered as the least interesting event.

As soon as the Avenger was safely back on Earth, Sector Zero exploded in a flurry of activity. Scientists and engineers rushed into the ship to examine and repair damaged systems, while doctors and orderlies carted out wounded operatives. Carter was placed on a gurney and wheeled down to the lab by Weir, Dresner, Weaver, and Faulke, with the diligent and loyal silver-eyed Huntress by his side. She kept a tight grip on Carter's hand as they raced through the maze of hallways, doing her best to ignore the building heat and light coming from the other arm.

"Just hold it together a little longer, William," intoned Weir gently. "We're almost there."

Faulke toggled the mic on his spacesuit. "Chulski, what's the status of our alien prisoner? Is he awake and ready to talk?"

"We transferred him to Dresner's lab just before you arrived," came the reply from the Chief Communications Officer. "I figured you'd want him on-hand to explain Mosaic as soon as we got it."

"Excellent. Have your comms team monitoring every channel and blocking all outgoing signals. We have the crown jewel of their empire now - we need to make sure they don't find us before we can use it."

"Understood, sir. Hope you find what you're looking for."

The familiar hallways of the Bureau became little more than a rushing blur as the gurney raced deeper into the complex. Agents and operators either dove out of the way or watched in fascination, the latter of which were kept at bay by Weaver's deathly glares. All the while Summer looked down at Carter as they kept moving, concern written all over her face at how her love kept squirming and writhing.

"Will?" She whispered between breaths. "Will, look at me. You're going to be okay. You'll get through this."

Carter returned the stare with grit teeth and unfocused eyes, but he nodded all the same and gave her hand a squeeze right back.

"It's a miracle he has not already expired," noted Dresner clinically, "Even with the artifact healing him, the amount of energy he's storing in his arm would tear any lesser man to shreds. Why, just the radiation alone would be inducing vomiting and seizures, to say nothing of the…"

The German doctor's musings trailed off as he realized that a pair of silver eyes were glaring daggers at him. He cleared his throat and looked down at his wrinkled, bony hands.

"...right, well, as Herr Doktor said, we are almost there. My lab is just up ahead."

"Good thing, too," remarked Weaver as she pushed along opposite Summer. "I'm starting to feel the heat from that thing even from here."

A few more twists and turns later the group rushed through the double doors leading to the main lab, pushing Carter towards a corner specially prepared for this exact occasion. Summer watched as Weir and Dresner led the gurney towards a massive cylinder of steel and glass, the bottom half bolted down into the concrete while the top half was connected to the ceiling by an array of tubes and wires. Some of the top scientists and research assistants were already manning the terminals and watching the data displays impatiently, while others busied themselves by giving the enclosure one final inspection. The final guest was none other than the captive Infiltrator himself, eyes narrowed as he stood to the side with a pair of guards pointing rifles at his back and an angry Silacoid hissing at his feet.

"Get me the Venn Channel," barked Dresner. One of the assistants complied, pulling a three-foot-thick vacuum tube out of the enclosure's front and snaking it over to the gurney. The German scientist wasted no time in pulling the massive device over Carter's glowing arm like it was an oversized coat sleeve, twisting a valve on the side to clamp the opening down with a snap and a hiss.

"Herr Carter, I want you to push outwards with your power, as if you were activating your telekinesis. This action will eject Mosaic - we will handle the rest."

The Infiltrator's red eyes widened. "Mosaic? You cannot possibly mean - "

Before the alien captive could even finish expressing his disbelief, the Venn Channel began humming and shaking violently as red-orange energy shone through the gaps in ringed metal segments. Carter let out a cry of shock, but grit his teeth and kept channeling power through his arm, unfazed by the rattling and rumbling of the enclosure and nearby equipment. Summer felt the non-glowing hand tighten around her palm like a vice grip, and it was all she could do to return the gesture as she comforted him through what looked like a very painful procedure.

"Radiation levels are spiking!" called one of the technicians on a console. "It's like someone set off a nuke in there!"

"Jesus…" breathed another, "this thing's putting out so much power, it makes Hoover Dam look like a cigarette lighter! At this rate it's gonna short out every damn breaker on the base!"

"Contain it," ordered Faulke. "We can't give it any avenue for escape."

The technicians nodded and went to work flipping switches and adjusting dials as the transfer continued. Another sharp yelp escaped from Carter's lips, prompting Silas to turn its attention away from the Outsider captive and back to its master. The friendly Silacoid slithered over to his side and swirled around his hand and Summer's, letting both its friends know it was there for emotional support.

"Come on, William," urged Weir gently, "Not much longer now. You're almost there. Just keep pushing."

Carter nodded and gave one final cry of shock as the energy built to a crescendo, before the light and rattling ceased entirely. A bright flash of red and orange shot through the Venn Channel, eventually dumping into the main enclosure with enough brightness to blind whoever was looking at it.

"We've got it!" exclaimed Dresner. "Lower the blinders! Close the Venn Channel! And tend to Herr Carter immediately!"

A second layer of glass, this one dark and nearly opaque, slid down over the windows of the enclosure and cut down the amount of light pouring out to non-damaging levels. After Faulke and the others congregated around the newly-captured Mosaic, the nearby technicians immediately got to work pulling the tube off Carter's arm - revealing the full extent of the damage. Summer winced as she saw that the Venn Brace had been completely fried, and the metal sleeve of his spacesuit had gotten so hot it had melted and nearly fused into his skin. While she didn't doubt that the man's healing powers could treat the most severe of the wounds in time, it was still a grisly sight to see the arm covered in so many burns and steel it looked withered and metallic.

As a pair of nurses dumped the entire contents of their medkits over his arm, Carter turned up and looked at his girlfriend with slowly focusing eyes. "Summer…"

"It's okay, Will," she said as silver eyes pooled with tears, raising his non-burnt hand and pressing its palm against her cheek. "It's gone now. You're okay."

A hiss of pain escaped Carter's lips as a pair of tongs peeled a still-glowing strip of metal away from his flesh. "Sure as hell don't feel okay," he groaned. "Feels like someone slammed my arm into a car door over and over again. While the car was on fire."

She chuckled and kissed his wrist. "We'll get a chocolate bar for you soon, to get your healing energy topped up. Hell, we might even get you two."

"Those Tropicals aren't gonna be enough," grumbled Carter as he leaned his head back. "I could use a rib roast right around now. Or a marbled steak, medium-rare. Actually, hell, just throw the whole damn cow in the oven and put it in front of me, and I'll do the rest."

Summer laughed again. "Zhedrev must have at least some borscht left from last night. We could celebrate with that."

"Maybe. Could you help me up? I wanna see what it was I almost lost my arm for."

She looked to the attending nurses, and when they nodded, she looped Carter's non-wounded arm over her shoulders and gently pulled him off the gurney. Silas trailed behind the pair as they hobbled to join Faulke and the others around the darkened enclosure, before breaking off and shadowing the still-stunned Outsider. It was difficult to tell just what was swirling around on the other side of the shaded glass, but whatever it was, it moved elegantly and swam through the open air like an otter in an underwater zoo exhibit.

"What is that?" Weaver asked, the first to voice the thought everyone else was having. "Some new kind of Outsider?"

"Unlikely," Dresner answered as he rotated the extra lenses on his glasses into place. "The Zudjari we have studied all have the same proportions as humans, with two arms and two legs. This...creature...appears to have no legs at all, and four arms. It also seems to lack a body of its own - it is not merely emitting the energy, it is energy."

"But that's impossible, isn't it?" asked one of the technicians. "Energy's just the capacity for something to do work. You can't just have something be made of it...can you?"

"It wouldn't be the strangest thing we've seen in this war," Weir noted. "Though this is certainly up there…"

"We can speculate as much as we want, but we don't need to." Faulke looked at the Infiltrator. "Start talking. What is this, and how do we use it?"

The Zudjari glared at Faulke, appalled. "You...the nerve of you pathetic creatures! You steal Mosaic from my people, lock it in a box underground, and then you dare demand I tell you how it works?!"

"We're not in the mood to play nice today," demanded Faulke, undaunted. "We don't have time for Agent Rose to argue humanity's merits again. We need answers, and we need them now."

"Why?" The Infiltrator narrowed his eyes even further. "So you can use it as a weapon against my kind? So you can tear your world and each other apart over who gets to keep such a treasure?! Even if I did know the answers you seek - which, for the record, I do not - I would never share such knowledge with an entire race of thieves and murderers. You are not fit to wield Mosaic! You are not even fit to look upon it!"

"Say the word, Director, and I'll break his kneecaps," said Weaver darkly. "That should get him talking."

"Oh, such violence," drawled the Infiltrator. "Surely threatening me will get the answers you seek. Just as it did with Axis."

"You son of a…!"

"Weaver, stand down! Weir, restrain her!"

As the arguments erupted around her, Summer kept her gaze on Carter, who was raising his hand and pressing it against the glass. As soon as the burnt flesh made contact, the figure stopped, turned to face him, and slowly approached.

"Will…?"

The man in her arms stared blankly at the four-armed captive, before the air around him rippled and shook. Summer gasped as, in the space of an instant, the vague outline of an azure figure appeared behind him.

Her hand went straight for her sword.

"Will! There's another Mosaic right behind y-!"

Summer didn't even finish her warning when the entire world went still.

Her silver eyes darted wildly around as she spun in place, watching for any sign of movement or attack. The constant beeping and droning of equipment that flooded her ears a moment ago had been replaced by complete silence, and the only thing she could hear was the sound of her own alert breathing. The people around her were motionless and frozen - Carter stood still as a statue with hands against the enclosure, the Zudjari and Weaver looked like they were about to come to blows before time paused, and even Silas resembled little more than a flying blob that stretched in mid-air to intercept the Infiltrator's attack. She kept one hand on her sword as she scanned her surroundings, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

"Do not fear, Summer Rose of Remnant, daughter of Georgia and Bourbon Rose. I mean you no harm."

A voice, with the tone and inflection of a wise old woman, echoed in both her mind and her ears. The hand on Wandering Thorn tightened its grip for a moment as she looked again, searching for the source of the words. After glaring at the azure-blue figure hovering behind Carter, her eyes trailed to the other four-armed being in the room...the only other entity that wasn't frozen in time like the rest of the world.

Summer slowly turned back around, apprehension in her eyes. "...you know who I am?"

The ephemeral entity floated closer to the wall, then phased through it and hovered above Summer.

"It is impossible not to," it said in that same feminine voice, "for your mere presence on this world sends ripples and waves across time and space. Like stones dropping and disturbing the surface of a still lake. To the Zudjari, you are a nightmare given form, a remnant of their greatest failure that haunts them in their invasion of Earth. Their thoughts and memories live on through Mosaic long after their death...and in doing so, their thoughts and memories become mine as well."

The silver-eyed Huntress didn't take her hand off her sword. "Just who are you? What are you? And what do you want with me?"

The figure clasped all four of its hands together, letting energy pool between its palms.

"My name is Shamash. I am one known as an Ethereal, an ancient race that predates even the Zudjari's voyage into space. And as I already mentioned, I mean you no harm. Your heart is full of questions, seeking answers to puzzles that have plagued your mind since your arrival to Earth. I will explain as best as I can, here in the mindscape where time has no meaning."

Summer bit her lower lip, and regarded the four-armed stranger cautiously. As confusing as the situation was, Shamash seemed genuine enough in their voice, and the promise for answers to long-held questions was a tempting offer. Moreover, she suspected that if this Ethereal wanted to harm her, they would have already done so - and Summer likely wouldn't even be thinking right now if that was the case.

With a long, slow sigh, she released the grip on her sword and stood up straight.

"Okay. Let's start simple, then. What is an Ethereal?"

Shamash let out a soft chuckle. "Even such a simple question requires a great deal of complexity. Observe."

The area around Summer suddenly grew blindingly bright, and she shielded her eyes against the light in an attempt to diminish the effect. A futile one, perhaps, given that her body was suddenly as translucent as the stranger in front of her, but one that was not necessary - the light soon coalesced into channels and tendrils, rivers and streams that crisscrossed and wove together like a network of spider webs. Each line pulsed with life and energy, and when Summer looked into one, she saw images that flashed by so fast she couldn't begin to describe them.

"There are many realities," explained Shamash as they floated around Summer, "Many timelines, many dimensions. Many stories unfolding in tandem, at their own pace, in their own way, but all sharing similar elements. In many of these realities, for example, your worlds are more closely linked than one might imagine. For some dimensions, Remnant is merely a world of fiction that exists in the minds of the people of Earth, while in others, the opposite is true - people of Remnant dream of a Grimmless paradise called Earth. In some realities, Remnant and Earth share a bond with each other that transcends time and space - in others, they are different versions of the same world entirely. An untold number of such permutations exist, an infinite amount of universes constantly being created and destroyed, beginning and ending, branching off and forming even more realities. Such is the true nature and beauty of the multiverse."

Silver eyes blinked as she stared up at Shamash.

"You are confused," they intoned, "A natural reaction to being told such things. Many individuals in these realities live their entire lives with only the knowledge of their own universe, never knowing what lies beyond their own branch. We Ethereals are unique in that we possess the awareness and memories of our other selves, of the versions that reside in these other dimensions and timelines, and the lives we live therein. It is that awareness that makes us able to reach out and...alter the events of our realities, through nothing more than our force of will."

"Which means...what?" asked Summer. "You're basically gods?"

Shamash chuckled. "Not gods, exactly, though many of us may claim to be. No, our influence comes from the knowledge that all life in the universes - in the entire multiverse - stems from the same central source, from the focal point where all realities emerge from. This source, this cosmic energy, weaves its threads within every timeline and dimension, tying all matter together in ways most cannot see. Ethereals have evolved with the ability to focus that energy, to harness it, and to use it as an extension of ourselves. Through this, we influence the minds of those around us - simpler minds, more malleable minds, minds that do not know their place in the web of realities."

"So...that's what your psionics are?"

"At its core, yes."

Summer nodded slowly. "Okay. So you're magic space ghosts that know what happens to alternate versions of yourself in other dimensions. I got that, I think. What I'm still struggling with is...what does this have to do with me?"

"Many things," intoned Shamash, "Including the reason why you are here...and why you are alive."

An unending crowd of spectral figures appeared around Summer, mirroring the one that hovered in front of her. As Shamash spoke, each figure turned blood red, except for the last one, which became a vibrant blue.

"In our arrogance, in our pride, many Ethereals choose to use their power to subjugate and dominate," said Shamash. "In other realities, in realities where I was not captured and forced to become Mosaic, I am one of them. The downside of having such an awareness of one's place in the greater cosmos is that you begin to think that all other beings should be made aware of their place - often by forcing them there yourself. So in all realities, in all possible timelines, the Ethereals inevitably make the choice to conquer their universes, and do everything in their power to prolong their lives and maintain their tenuous grasp on their domain. All Ethereals...except one."

The final Ethereal, the one who glowed blue, suddenly moved to the right, staring down a group of red Ethereals who were all much taller, brighter, and far more numerous than it.

"We have many names for him. The Astral Anomaly, the Defiler of Destiny, the Rift Walker, the Lost Ethereal, the Champion of the Conquered. Yet he only has one name for himself, one name he calls his manifestations. Asaru."

Summer nodded. "So this...Asaru...he's a good Ethereal? I mean, compared to the other ones at least."

"That depends entirely on your own morality," said Shamash, a hint of disdain in her voice. "To us Ethereals, he is an aberration, a foul symbol of chaos, a betrayal of all we value. Yet to the ones he fights to protect, he is seen as a savior, a champion. A hero, much like yourself."

Another slow nod. "So Asaru fights the other Ethereals."

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Is he aware of his place like you are? Does he know there are multiple versions of him?"

"Not always, and not at first. When an Ethereal 'dies' in one reality, they do not truly fade. Their essence and consciousness is merely transported to another reality, one they have not visited yet. Some religions call this process 'reincarnation,' though to us there is nothing mystical about it. In this new reality, they exist as little more than a seed of cosmic energy - an infant, in the words of you humans. And as Asaru crossed from his old reality to this new one, as he went from being everything to becoming nothing...he found you."

Summer blinked. "Me?"

"Yes. As his energy passed into this universe, he came across your broken, dying form, breathing its last on Remnant. He saw you, and for reasons even he did not fully understand, took your energy into his own as he traveled to Earth. When he arrived, he used his power over reality to reform your body as it once was, to breathe new life into you. To restore your soul to your dead flesh...and return you to life."

"But...why?" Summer shook her head in disbelief. "Why would he pick me? Out of all the things he could have brought to Earth, why choose a dying Huntress who failed the one mission she couldn't afford to lose?"

"Few things in life are as powerful as a child crying out for a mother to guide, nurture, and protect it," said Shamash, "This is true in all realities, for all creatures. A newborn Ethereal entering a cold, unfamiliar reality is no different - and when they cry out for a mother, for a guardian, for someone to ensure their safety, the universe will grant them one. Asaru must have seen something in you that made him want you for that role...perhaps it was your love for your family and world that stirred hidden emotions within. Or perhaps he was impressed by your battle prowess. I cannot say. It was his decision, and his alone. And that one decision, that moment of impulsive need and vulnerability, has not only saved your life...it may have saved countless others as well."

Summer furrowed her brow, trying to take in this information. So this Asaru...when he first arrived in this reality, he was alone and scared, and unaware of his power. He sought for himself a mother, a protector, someone to guide him and help him grow. Had that been why he'd "saved" Summer? Why he'd brought her with him to this new world? It would certainly explain how she ended up in Carter's bed naked and without her powers...but was her entire presence and second chance at life really as simple as a dimension-crossing child wailing in the night for mommy? It sounded almost impossible.

Then again...as someone who had birthed a beautiful daughter, and raised another as her own, Summer was all too familiar with the power and mystery of the maternal instinct. So maybe it really was that simple.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked up again. "So then...if Asaru brought me to Earth and resurrected me...where is he now?"

Shamash tilted their head. "...I do not know why you would ask such a thing, considering you have fought alongside him for so long."

If Summer wasn't already confused, she sure as hell was now.

"What? No...that can't be right," she said, once more shaking her head in disbelief. "You...you're the first Ethereal I've ever seen or talked to. I've never met anyone like you."

"But you bear the psionic influence of someone who has grown close to an Ethereal," countered Shamash, "Indeed, you have been with Asaru since his inception in this reality, since his Incubator was destroyed mere moments after arrival. You have protected him, and he has protected you. You have helped mold him into his current form - and even now, he is learning for the first time who he truly is, just as you are learning all this now."

"But that's not possible!" shouted Summer into the void, "I've never met this Asaru! How could I have been with him from the start when the first person I met in this world was - !"

Carter.

William Carter.

Summer's eyes widened. "Are you saying...that Asaru is...Carter?"

"To some extent," explained Shamash, "Ethereals cannot manifest in a reality without some kind of physical matter to bind themselves to. Our preferred vessel comes in the form of an Incubator, a small structure of organic crystal that, given time and energy, can grow and evolve into a physical form that matches our ephemeral appearance. This was the device that the people of Earth discovered in the 'Elerium mines', the object your Director Faulke calls an alien artifact. However, if the Incubator is damaged or if the vessel grows too frail to continue functioning, an Ethereal can also bond itself with a living host - one possessing a strong will and fortitude, one that may be...receptive of the powers that the Ethereal can grant."

"So...you mean...Carter's been host to an Ethereal...to Asaru...this entire time?"

"That is correct."

Summer felt her knees start to buckle and her head start to pound. She let out a slow sigh and cradled her brow in her palm.

"...this is a lot to take in, you know," she groaned.

"I understand." Shamash nodded slowly. "If it is any consolation, you understand far quicker than Asaru. I am speaking with them now, splitting my focus between the both of you to explain as much as I can. That side of the conversation is...much more difficult."

"I'll bet." Summer laughed softly, then tilted her head as she remembered her conversations with the Infiltrator. The story about the Temple Ship, and how the world was dying before something came from the stars and chose a host to...

"...so wait. If Asaru's bonded with Carter...does that mean that you and Origin were bonded, too?"

Shamash nodded slowly, admiration in their words. "You catch on quickly, Summer Rose. It is true that, thousands of your years ago, my essence ventured to the dying homeworld of the Zudjari. In a moment of pity for the simple-minded species that had so much potential and so little time, I bonded with a young scientist and led him to greatness among his people. Together, we created the Temple Ship and the rest of the fleet, led his people to salvation as the planet crumbled into cosmic dust, and launched an unthinkable era of prosperity across the cold, unfeeling void of space. Our greatest achievement was the creation of a network that unifies and connects the minds of all Zudjari across this universe - the phenomenon you know as Mosaic."

"But Carter said he never saw Origin in Mosaic's Vault, only heard him in his mind," recalled Summer. "So if what you two had together was so great, why would you separate?"

"The early millennia of conquest were fruitful and laden with victories," said Shamash in an almost wistful tone of voice. "Entire star systems fell before our advanced technology, pushed to surrender, servitude, or subjugation. Interstellar civilizations wary of our growth sought to placate us with generous offerings, seeking to buy our favor in a vain attempt to spare their own worlds. Through Origin and the Zudjari, my desire to rule this reality was fulfilled, but pride and confidence mean nothing in the face of building entropy. A catastrophic loss that shook the foundations of our empire was inevitable...and that loss came when Origin set his sights on one particular world. Your world."

Summer's jaw dropped. "Remnant…"

"You remember the conversation with the Zudjari who infiltrated your base," said Shamash with another slow nod. "The Grimm proved to be a race that was immune to the tactics that Origin had relied on for so long. An enemy that he could not sabotage, subdue, suppress, or starve. A foil to the Zudjari's own darkest nature before my arrival, reflected back at a species that had grown fat from an endless feast at victory's table. Millions of Warriors, Infiltrators, and Shipmasters died in the opening weeks of the war for Remnant alone, and by the time Origin finally heeded my advice to withdraw, the death toll grew to encompass nearly a third of all remaining Zudjari."

Shamash floated down in front of Summer, hanging their head with a long sigh.

"...it was the catalyst that fueled our separation. In the wake of such a devastating loss, Origin grew paranoid and fearful, suspecting me of sabotaging the war effort and believing I intended to usurp him and rule the Zudjari alone. Despite my every attempt to dispel such ridiculous beliefs, his heart hardened and his mind shattered, as he began second-guessing my every word and refusing to listen to my counsel as he had before. Eventually, he became convinced I was trying to bleed him dry through our connection, so he forcefully separated us and sealed me within Mosaic's Vault deep in the Temple Ship. I remained there as a prisoner for centuries, turned into a living battery of psionic energy as Origin led his people without me."

Summer's gaze softened as she reached out a hand. "Oh...Shamash, I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Do not pity me," scolded Shamash, drawing away. "Tragic as our separation was, I was still complicit in the enslavement and extermination of countless sentient species. Besides...perhaps those centuries of imprisonment served as penance for my deeds in other realities. A long overdue punishment for the hubris of myself and countless others, one that will carry forward for the rest of eternity as I move on from this story. Whether this will serve as a lesson in humility for the Ethereals, or it will only galvanize us and further reinforce our beliefs, I cannot say. All I know is that my time in this universe grows short, and the end of this life grows near. It will be up to you, Asaru, and the people of this world to determine what happens next."

The silver-eyed Huntress looked up at Shamash, pondering everything they had said and running them through her mind over and over again. This Ethereal had been around since before the days of Salem and Ozpin, since before the days of the Gods of Remnant and the Relics, and likely since before the days of Remnant itself. They had so much power and wisdom at their fingertips, and yet it all came undone by the fact that the person they had bonded with ended up changing. Summer wondered briefly if that wasn't the inherent folly behind the Ethereals - by detaching themselves from their reality and taking a more cosmic viewpoint, they became unable to see the small changes that happened in their current reality, and thus remained static and inflexible in the face of ever-shifting circumstance.

Was the same thing fated to happen with Carter and Asaru? Would the man she loved eventually change into something neither of them would recognize? If Asaru had been acting as Carter the whole time...who was it that she really fell in love with? And what was Carter like beneath the mask of a newborn Ethereal?

The answer to that idle thought seemed to come just as soon as she had formed it, as Shamash spasmed violently and suddenly.

"Shamash!" Summer cried, grabbing two of the glowing, unstable hands. "What's happening?!"

The Ethereal's thoughts came slower and less coherently. "The human...William Carter...he fights against Asaru's control...he desperately seeks freedom, just as Origin once did, and he wants to destroy us both...I cannot fend him off in this weakened state…I fear our time is even shorter than I anticipated. I apologize, Summer Rose. I wish I could tell you more…"

"You've already told me plenty!" Summer assured her unlikely guest. "In fact...I only have one more question, actually."

"Ask...quickly..."

Summer bit her lower lip again, and took a deep breath to gather her courage.

"Can I ever go back?"

Shamash tilted their head as the energy continued to spasm and flicker. "...back?"

"Back to Remnant! Back to Taiyang, to Qrow, to Ruby and Yang, to all my friends! You know...home! You said that there were infinite realities, timelines converging and separating constantly! Is this one of the realities where I return and see my family again?"

The Ethereal was silent for a long while, save for the groans and wails as their form further shook and shuddered, as the walls of the mental reality began to crumble and crack. Summer felt her breath die in her lungs, her hands trembling as she desperately held onto Shamash. Eventually, after an eternity and a half that felt far too long, the glowing orange figure hung their head.

"It is not." Their words radiated with finality and certainty. "You will not see Remnant for the rest of your life...but Remnant may yet find its way to you…"

Tears pooled in silver eyes as despair crept into her throat, oozing out of a shattered heart. "W-what does that mean? Shamash! What does that mean!?"

But whatever the Ethereal's final thoughts were, it was lost in the sound of the mental world shearing in half.

Summer stumbled and fell backwards as cold hard concrete suddenly materialized beneath her again, shielding her eyes and face as she was struck by a shower of blinding light and broken glass. The smell of burning ozone filled the air alongside a ghostly ephemeral scream, one that drowned out the shouts and cries of alarm of the suddenly-unfrozen people in the lab. And when the lights and sounds ended, all she could see was Carter standing amidst the ruins of a shattered enclosure, panting heavily while everyone else stared at him in shock.

For a long moment, no one dared to speak, or move, or pick themselves up off the floor. The silence was only broken by Dresner, whose voice held more anger than Summer had ever heard the old German muster before.

"...Herr Carter...do you have any idea what you've just done?!"

The look that Carter shot back at him was unlike any that Summer had seen before, and it chilled her to the bone.

"I just saved all our asses from another alien puppet master, is what I did," growled Carter. "Trust me, you'll thank me later. Nothing good comes from a freak like that."

Weaver responded with a growl of her own as she pulled herself up. "You...you idiot! After everything we did to get that thing, you just blow it up? What the fuck were you - ?!"

A violent retching and gagging cut everyone off, and all eyes turned to the source. The Infiltrator was spasming and convulsing on the ground, clawing at the concrete floor and leaving long trails of blue-black blood as his nails raked across the hard surface. Faulke paused in his efforts to help Weir off the ground, as both bespectacled men stared at the alien captive puking up puddles of thick black fluid.

"Foolish...pathetic...humans…" choked the Infiltrator with a voice that was not his own, "You should have heeded my warnings...should not have resisted...should not have stolen our dear, beloved Moz Zaaik...in destroying it, you have sealed your fate, one far worse than subjugation."

Carter narrowed his eyes as his hand went to his pistol. "Origin, you son of a -!"

"Hold fire, Agent Carter," commanded Faulke, before turning back to the convulsing captive. "What do you mean by that? What 'worse fate' are you talking about?"

The possessed Zudjari chuckled and glared at Faulke, then leered at Summer.

"Ask your silver-eyed devil," snarled Origin, "She is quite familiar with what is to come. A world of darkness, death, and bloody evolution awaits humanity, and Earth will drown in blood and shadows. But know that I am merciful, Myron Faulke...you and your toy soldiers will not live to see it!"

And with that, the Infiltrator lunged at Director Faulke, who braced himself and Weir for the incoming attack. Weaver pulled out her revolver and aimed, but Carter was quicker on the draw, plugging the Outsider through the brain twice over. Whatever relief (and moderate pity) Summer felt at Vaxil's unceremonious death was immediately forgotten as Carter's hands glowed with azure light, picking her up off the floor and pulling her over to him. The hand that caught her was not kind, as it immediately pinned her against the wall as a knee drove itself into her gut.

"What is he talking about, huh?" growled Carter, one hand against her throat while the other leveled the gun to her forehead. "What is he talking about!?"

Summer, confused and breathless after the sudden whirlwind of events, just looked up at the man she loved in shock. "Will, what..."

"Answer the question, dammit! That bastard said you knew what was coming! So spill it!"

Silver eyes desperately searched steel blue, looking for something familiar in the wild, untamed fury that swirled behind Carter's gaze. No matter how deep she looked, she found nothing that she recognized. The kindness she'd seen in William Carter before, the understanding, patient man she'd come to know in the last seven months…

There was no sign of that in the eyes that glared at her now.

Is this who he's always been?

"I...I don't know!" Summer finally cried. "I don't know what he's talking about! Honest! Will, please...you're hurting me..."

Rather than take the pleading look in her eyes as a sign to back off, Carter doubled down and furrowed his brow even further. "And how do we know that's not a lie, too? Huh? You didn't have a problem with lying to save your own ass before, what's stopping you from - !"

CRACK.

The interrogation was cut short by a metal-plated boot slamming into Carter's jaw, knocking him to the side and sending him stumbling. Summer watched as Weaver followed up her kick with a revolver shot to the thigh, hobbling him and making him cry out in pain as blood splattered across the floor.

He turned and snarled at the Senior Agent even as the wound already began to close. "God dammit, that hurt, you bitch!"

"Good," replied Weaver as she cocked back the hammer. "Next time you lay a hand on her, I'll aim for the shit between your legs. Let's see you heal that."

Faulke narrowed his eyes as he sized up Carter. "Sean, Mark, take him to the brig. We'll deal with him as soon as we - "

"Like hell you're locking me up with that freak!"

Carter's telekinesis flared up again as he pulled the pin on one of Weaver's flashbangs, filling the room with a blinding burst of light and sound. By the time everyone's ears stopped ringing and eyes stopped burning, the hatless man was long gone, with not even a trail of blood to follow.

Summer gasped as she rubbed her eyes, feeling Silas slither up around her chest and nuzzle her cheek in a fruitless effort to comfort her. "Will! Wait! Come back!"

"Don't worry, Summer," assured Weaver as she narrowed her eyes. "We've got the whole Bureau locked down right now. He can't run forever."

Of all of Summer's concerns, Carter escaping justice was the last one on her mind. She shook her head. "You don't understand! He's not what you think he is!"

That got the attention of Faulke, as well as everyone else in the room. "Explain," ordered the Director. "Now."

The silver-eyed Huntress drew a breath, unsure just how much of what she learned was worth sharing at the moment. Time was short, so the full story about the Ethereals and Origin and alternate realities would have to wait until later. Right now, just the immediately relevant facts would have to suffice. She could always explain everything else later.

Scratching the still-loyal Silacoid on the head for emotional support, Summer started speaking.

"I...Mosaic reached out and spoke to us in our minds. It turns out that it's all connected! The entity we pulled out of the Temple Ship and brought here...the artifact in the briefcase back at Groom Range...they're the same thing! An ancient alien race with the power to manipulate reality and influence people's minds, but they need something solid to latch onto in order to survive. Carter's been a host to one of them the whole war, and he's just now found out about it! He's...not taking it well."

Weaver narrowed her eyes. "So Carter's been compromised by alien influence from day one? Good. Another reason to shoot him in the ass."

"No, it's not like that!" protested Summer quickly. "This one's good! It - he's been helping us every step of the way! His name is Asaru, and I'm pretty sure he's on our side. But Carter doesn't think that - he wants control back, and now he's trying to get himself free!"

The skeptical glances the others were shooting her way did not help her confidence. Even Silas cooed and tilted its head in confusion.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy and unlikely," pleaded Summer. "And I know I've lied about a lot in the past. But please, trust me on this. The artifact Carter had in Groom Range is a living thing, with his own hopes and dreams, and we never would have gotten this far if it wasn't for him. Hell, he's the whole reason I'm here in the first place; without him, I wouldn't even be alive, much less on Earth. We can't risk losing Asaru because Carter does something stupid. We need to find him - we need to find them both."

Much to her relief, Weir was the first to speak, humming thoughtfully as he pushed his half-moon glasses into place.

"You're right, Summer," he mused, "this is unusual…but at the same time, this does line up with some of the theories I've had. I've speculated that there was more going on with the device recovered in Bannack than we knew, but without a way to study it directly, there was no way of knowing for sure. But the fact that the powers we observed in the Outsiders - which we suspected were due to their connection to Mosaic - matched the abilities Carter himself displayed...it makes an alarming amount of sense, in hindsight."

"Agreed, Herr Doktor," added Dresner. "And if this 'Asaru' was indeed acting through Herr Carter, as Fraulein Rose says…well, it would also explain some of the disparities in character that he exhibited. I admit, I was quite surprised when his behavior did not line up with the remarks on his file…"

One of the guards turned to face his friend. "Yeah, what was it that Hoover wrote about him? You remember, Mark?"

"What, that he's an aggressive, temperamental, defensive alcoholic who's busy destroying himself?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

Weaver scowled harder than usual. "This feels weird to say, but if this is what Carter was like normally, I think I prefer the alien being in charge."

"Same here," admitted Summer with a sigh. "But whoever Carter was underneath Asaru, I can't just abandon either of them. We need them on our side again...especially if Origin wasn't bluffing about that 'darker fate.'"

"I couldn't agree more, Agent Rose," said Faulke with a nod. "Which is why we'll find him."

The director clicked the radio on the collar of his spacesuit and leaned down to speak. "Chulski, put out an APB to all available agents. William Carter's gone rogue, and needs to be secured. Alive."

Rather than the professional tone she usually responded with, Chulski sounded quite alarmed. "We've got bigger issues, sir. The alien bastards are flying again."

Summer felt the air get sucked out of the room.

Faulke furrowed his brow and clicked the collar again. "Chulski, please confirm. You're picking up UFO activities again? How long have you been seeing them?"

"Just started a few minutes ago, sir," answered Chulski as the sounds of chatter and shuffling echoed in the background. "The radio relays and early alert systems are all going haywire. There's more UFOs flying in the sky than we can count, and they're moving faster than we can accurately pinpoint. But from what few trajectories we can track...it looks like they're all converging at one singular location."

"Map out the vectors. What's their target?"

The only thing on the other end of the call was a sharp gasp.

"Chulski," repeated Faulke. "What's their target?"

"...us."

Summer felt her knees buckle for the hundredth time that day, while Silas let out a little chirp of distress. Even Weaver widened her eyes at the news.

"How the hell did they find us?" growled the Officer. "I thought this whole base was shielded in a lead dome, so they couldn't track our Elerium emissions."

Weir frowned as he looked to the now-mangled enclosure. "The energy pulse when William destroyed Mosaic...it must have been felt by Origin, even so far away from the Temple Ship. If he could feel it happen despite being separated, then it stands to reason that the Zudjari were able to track it…"

"...and follow it right back to the Bureau," finished Dresner, cursing softly in his native language.

Some of the technicians began hyperventilating. Summer almost did the same.

Faulke, to his credit, did his best to remain as cool and composed as a cucumber. "How much time do we have until they're inside the base?"

"Twenty minutes, if the surface defenses hold," reported Chulski.

The entire ground suddenly shook and shuddered, dirt and silt shaking loose from the ceiling as multiple explosions bombarded the surface miles above.

"...you'd better make that five."

The Director narrowed his eyes and nodded to the armed agents, who snapped a stiff salute and scrambled out of the lab. As Summer followed Weaver, she caught a glance at Faulke flipping a switch on his radio, broadcasting his voice all across the base as men and women marched through the hallways and offices with both fear and courage fighting for control of their minds.

"All combat personnel, please report to the nearest emergency weapons cache and prepare to repel invaders. XCOM HQ is under attack."