Chapter 15: Operation Tom, Dick and Harry

"I'm telling you, I think the plans are off" Corporal Sarah Knight protested.

"What are you talking about?" Corporal Jack Stone responded, yelling to be heard over the sound of the splintering rock and the whirr of industrial engines. "We followed the plans exactly"

"That's what I mean" Knight responded, leaning in closer to be heard over the relentless noise. "We haven't dug nearly far enough to have reached these supposed tunnels yet"

Rumours had been circulating about tunnels hidden not far from the XCOM base. Built during the Cold War, a series of abandoned service tunnels crisscrossed much of eastern Europe, some evening reaching across the border into the former western territories. They were built to serve as combined shelters, communication and transportation routes in the event of a nuclear conflict. The intention was to allow the movement of troops and supplies even if the above ground was little more than radioactive ash.

As the Wall began to collapse, and the prospect of nuclear war seemed less of a possibility, those in power decided to use the long-forgotten tunnels to stockpile weapons, supplies and valuables to be recovered later. In the end, the Wall fell far quicker than any of them had expected, allowing all those who knew of the tunnels to be caught in the collapse.

This left a veritable treasure trove of riches untouched for decades. While most of what there was to find would undoubtedly be outdated or defunct by now it could still have its uses. XCOM could receive the arms and equipment to help fund the project while those who made the find might be free to keep some of the less military oriented finds. Particularly the small, shiny ones.

The discovery of documents containing geological surveys going back to even before XCOM was initiated confirmed their suspicions. Having 'requisitioned' a few pieces of equipment from engineering, Knight, Stone and a few other likeminded individuals set about their work hammer and tongs. Or high-powered laser and industrial movers to be precise.

"I'm telling you, they're off" Knight persisted. "My dad worked down the pit and he always said-"

"Just because your dad was a miner doesn't mean you know any more about tunnelling than I do" Stone retorted.

"I said he worked down the pit" Knight clarified. "He was a surveyor"

"So, he was a miner" Stone replied. "What's the difference?"

"It's better than being a miner" Knight chided. "He taught me a lot of what he did and I'm telling you, it's far too early for us to have dug this far outside the base even with this kind of equipment"

"Gold bars discovered by Knight, zero" Stone retorted. "Gold bars discovered by Stone? Well let's just see" they watched as the S.H.I.V. mounted laser continued to bore through the rock. It wouldn't be long now.

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"Commander" Bradford stood at commander's right hand as they watched the live readout on the Situation Room display. "I'm not sure I agree with this plan"

"It will be fine" the Commander said. "Once work started circulating about some mythical secret tunnel we knew it was only a matter of time before someone tried it. Better this way such that it will cause minimal disruption. How far are they now?"

Bradford checked the readout on his tablet. "Assuming they're keeping to the projected estimates they should be emerging into the cavern within the hour"

"And the security detail is prepared?" the Commander asked.

"Yes, Commander" Bradford replied. "I'm expecting an update from Major Stanton any min-"

A tremendous roar tore through the situation room, followed by an earthly rumbling which seemed to threaten to tear the entire facility asunder. Fearing an alien attack Bradford instinctively reached for the pistol he kept nearby for such eventualities.

A beam of bright red light suddenly erupted from beneath the floor of the situation room, fading away as a section of the floor collapsed away in a thick plume of displaced dust. Out of the thick film they could see the outline of two faces emerging through the hole. The Commander and Bradford soon found themselves staring down at Knight and Stone, each of them covered in varying layers of upturned dust.

Knight was the first to break the lingering silence between them. "Gold bars discovered by Stone?"

XCOM Rule 906: Stop digging tunnels under the base!