ADVENT: Organizations

ADVENT Intelligence

"You think the Peacekeepers are scary? Then you clearly haven't spent enough time with ADVENT Intelligence. The Peacekeepers can destroy your life. ADVENT Intelligence can make you, and everyone you care about, disappear as if they never existed."

- Anonymous comment on an online article about the ADVENT Peacekeepers

Subject: Jonas Culbert

Occupation: "Former" online conspiracy theorist (Not much has changed)

Video Title: Orwellian Nightmare

"Does anyone miss the good old days of the KGB? No? Well people, guess what? ADVENT is bringing them back!"

Brief pause. "Now, of course there are going to be some people saying something like "What are you talking about? That isn't happening." To which I'll say open your eyes and use your brain! Look around and just see what's happening. "But Jonas, there's nothing wrong.""

Overly dramatic pause. "Exactly, that's the point! Why, exactly, do you think that is? Just think about it for a minute, just a minute. Look at how badly things are going; America has suffered a hostile takeover at the hands of a traitor, is proceeding to lose the war they've used as an excuse to do it, and there isn't anyone rising up to call them out."

"Cowards, you might say, or there just isn't enough support. Maybe, and this is a scary possibility, people might just not care. But given what I know now, I have a different theory to propose. Oh, there are definitely people brave enough to stand up to ADVENT. Shout-out to Canada for putting the bitch Saudia in her place, but the thing is that ADVENT isn't run by idiots. And that's scary."

Shuffles yet another stack of paper. "Everyone thinks they use the Peacekeepers to do their dirty work. Well, they do, but for the really shady stuff they use ADVENT Intelligence. They have them watching everything you do; they hate the truth and hate freedom. I'd even bet they're watching this video now, terrified that I'm still around to tell people the truth about what they are!" [Observer Note: Oh yes, 'terrified']

Subject takes a breath. "Think back, just on people you've interacted with over the past few weeks. Coworkers, friends, family. Notice if any of them have just...disappeared? Like they just stopped coming in, or answering your phone calls and texts? Oh, you might shrug it off as them just leaving or having better things to do, but in all likelihood, they've been taken by ADVENT."

"Because that's what they do. They find the people most opposed to them. Patriots, skeptics, thinkers, and they fear them, and then they get rid of them before they can threaten their precious establishment. They don't need warrants, only permission from the higher-ups to do it. Your entire life can be destroyed if you piss off one spook. And it doesn't matter if you're guilty or innocent, they can just make up evidence and no one will question it."

Subject is extremely agitated. "Folks, I'm not going to lie. Right now people who watch this video might be at risk. But we can't live in fear, because if we do, then they win. They talk about the 'alien threat' and how we'll all be slaves if they win. Maybe that's true, but all the people here are being slowly and insidiously enslaved right now through this tyrannical government, and unless we act now, not just Americans, but every human that loves freedom will be trapped in a glass box from which there is no escape."

Subject sets paper down. "This is an open call for resistance. Disrupt the ADVENT machine. Do what you can. Connect with like-minded citizens and always strive to ensure that freedom shines bright!"

End video.

Analysis: As we suspected, he's escalated his rhetoric to call for open resistance. While the quality of this video was roughly the same as previous ones, I don't think he can expect to maintain the same level of quality now that he's technically on the run. The fact that we have had difficulty tracking him down raises many concerns about who exactly is helping him.

Whoever it is clearly has an agenda against us, and I am not ruling out alien involvement, or perhaps Chinese as well (They could do it just as easily). His message seemed to be more focused here, and was purposefully designed to instill paranoia and distrust into his gullible audience. He once more demonstrates no need for facts or honesty, as he cited no sources for his ridiculous claims, and spoke everything as if it were fact.

I think it might be an effective tactic to engage in direct propaganda against him. Many of his claims are easily refuted, and while his more fanatic viewers will no doubt call us fake, the average viewer who has only been exposed to him recently will be more inclined to believe rational discourse than the factless rants this man puts out. Blocking his IP addresses is ineffective, as he simply uses new ones when that happens.

The only way to silence this man is to capture him. As of this point, he is a mouthpiece for someone, and thus an intelligence resource. If there is someone besides the aliens that wants to actively ensure we fail, I shouldn't have to say we need to find out who that is.

Interrogation Transcript HS094

[Information Extraction Officer Angelo Lopez]: "Please state your name for the record."

[Phoebe Tyrell]: "Fuck off. Where's my lawyer."

[AL]: "You are not entitled to one, Mrs. Tyrell. This is a matter of state security and your guilt has been established beyond all doubt."

[PT]: "Do tell. Do you think a court will buy that?"

[AL]: "Courts are only needed for the unknown. If you wish I can provide the video evidence, chat logs, and personal information we recovered from your computer and phone if you want proof as to how we were able to determine your guilt without wasting time in a courtroom. ADVENT doesn't work like the inefficient former American system, Mrs. Tyrell. The only way to help yourself is to cooperate."

[PT]: "All I literally did was show up in front of the White House! I didn't even step foot on it before I was arrested!"

[AL]: "I'm sure you couldn't fail to notice the "Do not enter" signs posted everywhere?"

[PT]: "It was a peaceful protest! I assumed that was for regular traffic!"

[AL]: "Curious. If that was truly your motivation, then you have nothing to worry about. I don't suppose you know of the fact that the ones who organized this were planning to forcefully enter the premises?"

Subject is silent.

[AL]: "Based on the evidence we recovered, you appear to be a good, if misguided, citizen. You believed you were doing the right thing, even if it was out of ignorance of the new laws in place. Your social media indicates you are not a violent person, so I do not necessarily believe you intended to purposefully turn into an anarchist. Yet I also suspect that had you been given the opportunity to…vent…your frustrations, you might have very well done it."

[PT]: "I didn't know that was the plan…"

[AL]: "Yes, I believe you. We recovered no evidence suggesting you knew about, or planned to make it a reality. If that were the case, you would be at a sentencing hearing, not having a chat with me."

[PT]: "So what's the point of all this? I doubt you're just going to let me go."

[AL]: "That ultimately depends on if you cooperate. If you do, your record will remain clean and your life will go on as normal. If you do not, you will be charged with obstruction of justice and will be handled by agents who specialize in extracting information from troublesome suspects. I believe you can infer what that means."

[PT]: "Torture?"

[AL]: "Unlikely in your case. I suspect your boyfriend would be used as leverage."

[PT]: "You can't-"

[AL]: "Yes, we can. We exist to protect ADVENT from threats inside and out. The sooner you understand that, the better. Besides, I do not ask much here."

Subject sighs.

[PT]: "What do you want from me?"

[AL]: "Information. We arrested all but one of the orchestrators of this little anarchist attempt. We suspect he has extensive experience with computers, and is now very aware of how we have operated. Simply put, we can't use our traditional methods to identify him and he's gone dark. No one has attempted to contact him since, so in addition to providing us with testimony to put the ones we have arrested away, I will also need you to contact him through the same means you did previously in the same chatroom. Say whatever you want, all we need is a response and we will at least be able to determine his general location. Is this something you can do?"

[PT]: "Do I even have a choice?"

[AL]: "If we're talking about the literal definition of the word 'choice', of course you do. If you mean if you have options to take where both are relatively risk free, then no…you have no choice here."

[PT]: "Alright. What do you want me to say?"

[AL]: "Excellent! Now, the first thing is for you to identify if the following transcripts are genuine."

Recording continues for several hours, with subject confirming or denying information gathered via ADVENT Intelligence agents.

"I know ADVENT hates to use words like 'fear' and 'terror' to describe their tactics, but like it or not, that's what they accomplished. And I'm not really sure they actually care. For all I know, that's exactly the point of their tactics. Maybe they think that a population too scared to do anything is the only one that's secure."

"Maybe."

"All I know is that even if people don't say anything, they certainly notice. Much as ADVENT probably thinks the general population is stupid…well, depends on the definition of the word. They certainly aren't blind. You really think people are suddenly not going to wonder what happened to their boss or friend who just seemed to vanish one day?"

"Then when they connect that to all the other similar cases…most people don't exist in a bubble. They talk to each other. One is usually smarter than the rest and makes the "Oh, [Censored]" realization as to what's happening. The result is that people are now afraid of ADVENT and try to do anything possible to make sure they aren't noticed."

"On the flip side, you have the idiots who want to fight back. I'm not sure how sustaining that is. Bad enough that people are terrified from the aliens, and now they have to worry that they'll be dragged off to God knows where if they insinuate that ADVENT isn't exactly doing a good job. Now, I know that's an exaggeration. ADVENT isn't just arresting people who post some meme making fun of some ADVENT official, but the thing is that there are a large number of people who actually think that.

"For better or worse, ADVENT isn't exactly subtle sometimes. They make public arrests in the middle of the day to make a point, or they'll conduct a midnight raid with Intelligence agents with no one the wiser. Believe it or not, that actually does have an effect on how people perceive the government."

"Yes, that was sarcasm. The point is, from what I can tell, ADVENT isn't exactly taking steps to address this."

"Did I bring it up with them? Well no, because quite frankly, ADVENT really doesn't care about the population right now. I don't exactly mean that in a deriding way, but as far as they're concerned, the fact that a [Censored] alien wielding a sword wiped out Vegas is a bit more concerning than a docile, if afraid, population."

"I'm just saying that they can only rely on that so far before something snaps. It's going to be slow, but someone is going to take advantage one day, and it won't be too hard to convince some people that the government is more of a threat than the aliens invading our world."

"And that is a problem."

- Anonymous ADVENT Intelligence Agent to Independent Journalist Jessica Wong

Operation: Watch and Listen

Division: Reconnaissance and Observation

Report Author: Zar'harila'hessa

Authorization: Zar'Chon

Zar'Chon,

I have finished compiling enough information on the new ADVENT Intelligence to make a sufficient report. Direct infiltration is unfortunately not possible any longer as ADVENT immediately established blood tests for their entire personnel, thus making it nearly impossible for infiltration that way. I am looking into some ways to subvert this system, but nonetheless, a general overview can be provided.

With the establishment of ADVENT, this is the largest intelligence service that the humans currently possess, and that makes it the most dangerous to us. While their activities are limited to the planet, they certainly have the capability to disrupt our own efforts on this world. We suspect there is definitely intervention on their part in the Oceanic nations, and they are no doubt attempting to gather information on our American bases.

However, oddly enough, it seems as though ADVENT Intelligence is being primarily used against nations opposed to ADVENT, or more generally, any human that is deemed as a risk, including the civilian population. They are heavily involved in the current Middle East conflict, though exact details are unknown. We also have evidence linking them to operations in China, Canada, and several other European nations.

As far as we have been able to determine, they have a large degree of freedom with how to act on these threats. They are one of the most ruthless and efficient organizations the humans have, and have a degree of subtlety that makes them all the more dangerous. They don't toy with their targets; they either take them out, or bring them in for interrogation. ADVENT Intelligence doesn't seem to like wasting time on frivolous warrants and documents. It seems all that is needed is direct evidence of a crime, and they can pursue it however they like.

This is partially why the civilian outcry, especially in America, has not materialized as we hoped. ADVENT knew this was a problem, and took steps to mitigate it. They are systematically stamping out all opposition, even through the Internet, as well as getting rid of troublesome extremist groups at the same time. Most of this is not, and will not be, known to the civilian population.

This also indicates that if we wish to pursue a propaganda response, it will need to be far different from the convention, or we need some way of bypassing current ADVENT policy. They have no qualms about not only blocking propaganda, but going after the people that keep posting it. Or they will simply dispute it, and fabricate evidence to support their own side.

In short, traditional propaganda methods are unlikely to be as successful within ADVENT nations.

What you will likely find interesting is that Elizabeth Falka, formerly of EXALT, is in charge of this organization. I suspect Saudia put her there because she managed to run an intelligence organization of her own which managed to subvert all known intelligence organizations of various countries. The woman is extremely smart and competent, and I believe that the effectiveness of ADVENT Intelligence can be traced to her leadership.

Also, as we suspected, ADVENT Intelligence has an established working relationship with XCOM Intelligence, and they appear to frequently share information relating to our attacks. While we have not managed to establish a reliable means of intercepting messages, the ones we have are…disconcerting.

ADVENT Intelligence knows a lot more about the Collective than they have any right to, even with several of our agents captured. They are using methods of encryption that are unknown even to us, which means that they have not only broken the code of Ethereal Script, they have mastered it and are incorporating it into their own systems.

How much of this they learned from XCOM is unknown, and recently, they have been exchanging a much higher amount of information than we have recorded before. I am concerned the Battlemaster was almost too effective, because the only reason XCOM has not helped ADVENT more is likely because they didn't appear to fully trust them. That appears to no longer be the case.

It is only a matter of time before they learn how to use the Gateways, and then ADVENT Intelligence will be a much larger threat. Steps should be taken to mitigate this, which are outlined in a separate document.