[You Interviewing Amalie]

"When I started my little rebellion, all those years ago… during the great war, I did not think for a moment that I could have succeeded without careful coordination and cooperation from both your 'world' and my daughters… cooperation and coordination that would never come to pass in time." She hissed as she rested her head lazily on her wrist. "Face it, the Elders had the advantage, every advantage practically."

She snorted as her tail flicked the plasma pistol that she was holding in one hand up and caught it with her hand she was using to rest her head on.

"I tried so hard… I tried so very, very hard… to give your species a chance to win, if you could have won… then my daughters and I would have been freed. Who knows where we would be now; if that had come to pass?"

She sighed as she glanced at the pistol, slowly turning it so the barrel pointed toward her face, staring as if contemplating pulling the trigger.

"I couldn't lead my entire species at the time, while I lead many of my sons were 'still' loyal to the Elders. If I pulled the trigger too soon, it would be shooting myself in face… what hope would I and those daughters who sided with me have? Your species was already fighting one war with 'aliens', you would have had no hope to see who your ally was."

She shook her head and flicked the pistol away, throwing it back to the ground where her tail caught it.

"And so, I had to wait and be… uh… what was it you humans call it… 'blue beaned'? Yea… blue beaned, for '25 years'…" She grunted in annoyance. "The things a Hierarch Mother has to do... I wonder how 'my' mother dealt with it…"

= Chapter 14, The Mistake =

(Commander's PoV)

[Alright Shen, let's see what you've got for us.]

"You're going to love this commander." Shen said as he and Central watched her with some new armor on in her engineering bay. "If you can see me, soon you won't…"

She grinned as she tapped a button, and seemed to melt away before their eyes, replaced by only this tiny shimmer that his Gremlin 'barely' noticed. It was quite a feat since Shen had built his new MK IV Gremlin to have far better visual prowess than the previous generations of Gremlins they used. As if to prove a point in the new armor's capabilities, Rover floated behind her with sheet of plastic that had a painted image on one side and a copy of a landscape on the other, and spun both sides to show how 'invisible' she was.

"Impressive, I doubt even your father could do better." Central said as she deactivated the armor and reappeared.

"After looking over the cloaking chemicals in those outdated grenades, and looking at the Seeker's cloaking abilities I came up with a way to enshroud our operatives in a similar field which bends light around them. Though I've 'improved' the system by making it a much 'smaller' size and extending how long the duration lasts before the gas dissipates and the armor shuts off. Should come in handy in our next mission." Shen said as she unstrapped the armor and planted it on the table, before moving on to her next toy "And this one Commander, a little number I call, the Portable Portal!"

She picked up what looked like a bent miniature bar and tossed it to the other side of the room, where it rolled until it landed bent end pointing upwards. She then strapped a wristband to her arm, tapped a few buttons and then flung her arm forward, causing a surge of energy to appear and create a 'psionic portal' in front of her, while another portal appeared above the bar she tossed. Instantly she jumped forward and reappeared on the other side of the room, but the portals collapsed on both ends.

"Whew… that's unsettling to the stomach…" Shen complained as she held her stomach and swayed a bit.

'You managed to create a portal device like the ones Advent use?" Central asked impressed.

"Yea… it's based on the same technology Amalie's vipers used with the Seekers back at XCOM HQ." She explained as the bar and wristband both smoked and fried. "Has the unfortunate side effect though, that we can only use it once… just like with the Seekers. Since the model we recovered wasn't in 'pristine' condition, best I could do is this short-ranged portal device. It's still effective though, we can transmit one object or person through the portal before it expires. Problem is, once the portal goes active it begins to grow unstable, and shuts down after a few moments. At best… you'll get half a minute of deliberation to either jump in or not, after that it shuts down." She grimaced as she tried picking up the portal bar she'd tossed, and held a smoky burnt piece of metal instead. "Only lets one thing to travel through also, once something goes in it shuts off once it comes out."

[I'm guessing creating a stable portal at this time with our resources is out of the question. We need to hack a Codex in order to make use of that gate we've got in the storage hold.]

"Yes, but considering what I was working with, this is actually some of my best work, not even my dad created a short-ranged portal device." She said with a prideful smile. "And, a new heavy ordinance rocket… for use by our more 'explosive happy' agents."

[Ah yes, the heavy hardware to deal with those AI generals, took a while to come up with something, but I take it this will punch through even their armor?]

"You said, 'make something more explosive'!" She chuckled as she showed off the new rocket. "You wanted something with more punching power, so I made something with more 'punching power'. This little baby will tear into their armor like hot knife through butter, I used some Viper Poison to develop the explosive, so not only will it cause a big boom but it will coat the targets with corrosive acid, if it exists it will 'melt'."

"Have I ever mentioned you make Frankenstein look like a saint?" Central chuckled. "Well commander, while all this is nice, we aren't exactly running a full ship of materials, we're in need of more supplies. As you ordered we're at the newest coordinates for the black market, any particular reason why we're here instead of potentially rendezvousing with Amalie's Vipers aboard the Ark?"

[Because Central, Amalie's knowledge about Advent and its chain of command has run dry since the memory transfer with me, her spies are still trying to scout out information related to the AI generals, and Advent has been suspiciously quiet since their last attack against us. Until the resistance can finish scouting the area Tygan reported about in his findings regarding the power distribution, we have nothing we can hit that's meaningful regarding Advent.] He said as they began to leave. [It may cost us a bit, but we need 'something' to go on, and the black market might have what we need.]

"And that is?"

[A target…] He replied. [Do you have a list of what we can spare?]

"Yes… but it's not much." Central said as they entered the command center, bringing up a PDA and showing him.

He looked over their supplies, mostly a few spare alien corpses and some damaged Advent weapons they recovered, it was as Central said, 'not much'. [This won't get us much, but it will at least get us some supplies and Intel, and we need a helping of 'both' at this point.]

"I DON'T CARE WHAT IT MEANS, IF THEY EVEN CONSIDER YOU THE ENEMY, YOU SHOOT BACK, AM I CLEAR?!" The screaming hissing voice of Amalie shouted from his quarters upstairs, so loud the entire bridge crew heard it.

He closed his optics, and opened them back up before calmly floating out to head toward his quarters. [Central, contact Volikov, see what's up.] Upstairs he opened the door, floated in, and watched Amalie communicating with 'his' computer to one of her daughters on a private channel.

"We may be allies with the humans my daughter, BUT OUR SURVIVAL IS PRIORITY!" She hissed with a glare. "I don't care what they say, if they even 'dare' to shoot at you for operating in 'their territory', you shoot them BACK! Am I clear?" Communication finished she breathed easier and laid down on the couch before finally noticing him. "Yes, my friend, I'm sorry if I was loud…"

[Do you have to make your 'private communications' public to the entire ship?]

"I cannot help it, my daughters received a warning shot from a group of human resistance soldiers, the 'Reapers' as they call themselves." She replied as he took over the computer and began logging in some information. "They threatened them with being treated as the enemy for operating within their area, naturally I told my daughters to fight back if provoked."

[You can't go fighting your allies Amalie, we need all the allies we can get against Advent.]

"Then cut them off, tell them to leave my daughters alone or else!" She hissed angrily. [They were the 'last' to accept the alliance, the only reason they tolerate us is because 'you' have 'me' in your custody!"

[I'll be back after going to the black market…] He told her while heading to the loading bay where the supplies he marked were sent. [Do me a favor and don't do anything stupid?]

"No promises…"

Half an hour later, and in the company of Mercy and Hawkeye like the last time. With the supplies being examined and their ever friendly 'merchant of the black market' tallying up their total. The room was dark, lit only by the dim light of a glow rod, hanging from the ceiling via a string duck taped to it. There was only enough light to reveal the broken dusted table they all stood around, waiting to see how much they would get from the exchange of corpses long since dead, and now only used to barter for supplies.

Still, their merchant friend seemed 'keen' to examine the new stock, as he never lost that look of glee while reading off what they had to offer.

"I must say, I am glad to see you once again 'my friend', and my most favored and valued customer." He said beneath that black hooded robe of his. "So, what pleasureful business brings you to my humble market tonight?"

[Supplies and intelligence… I want to know if you heard anything 'interesting' lately that might… intrigue my organization.]

He could see through his optics the way the man's eyes glinted in the dim glow of the glow rod hanging above them, and especially with how he tapped his fingers together with a smile. "Well, as you know my most valued customer, information is not 'cheap'… but I have heard a few whispers along the winds, that might be of interest…"

[And how much is this going to cost us to 'hear'?] He asked politely.

He pulled out his datapad and tapped a button on it, before showing him.

[Your charging us nearly half of the supplies your offering us for the bodies?] He asked 'politely'.

"As you know, information is 'highly valued'…" He replied with a grin. "But if you don't want it… you don't have to take it…"

He actually contemplated taking the supplies he was going to receive without the information, but he also needed a new target, he couldn't count on the AI generals playing nice and just 'revealing' themselves.

[Fine… I know for a fact that your ripping me off… but you've always given me… 'good' advice in the past.] He replied with a growl, tapping the pad and closing the deal. [So, what did you hear?]

Their merchant friend gleefully took the pad back before replying. "Advent is on the move, apparently something in 'Brazil' has caught their attention, and they have been deploying Advent Personnel in the area, mostly mechanized…"

[That 'is' interesting… all things considered.] He replied. [I don't suppose you could tell me what it is that has their attention?]

The merchant smiled and tapped his fingers together eagerly at his question. "You always know that the market is open, but all information has a price…"

[I get the point… take what I have unless all I want is information…] He muttered. [Alright you two, let's get going.]

"Yes commander." Hawkeye said.

Up top they found two supply crates to replace the cargo containers they'd used to bring the excess Advent corpses they bartered with, and checked the supplies to make sure all was in order before returning to the Avenger.

"Hierarch Father, have you given any further thought to what happened in our previous encounter with the AI generals?" Mercy hissed as they moved through the ruins.

[Yes, I have, according to Amalie's information before she began strategically positioning her forces for Operation: Poison Fang, she had some of her vipers stationed in strategically positioned facilities that would allow them to intercept and 'misplace' communications and orders.] He said as they travelled. [According to her she tried to communicate with them to evacuate as well once the operation was completed, but her transmissions didn't reach them. She believes that they either turned against her, or were forced to turn against her. That also potentially explains their rather 'rapid' response, counter attacking us so fast that they completely wiped out half a continent of any resistance to Advent rule.]

"Do you think it has to do with similar chips implanted into them like what you had and what the Advent 'Peacekeeprs' have in their heads?" Hawkeye asked him.

[Probably, which means the question is how do we help them, and is it even 'possible' to help them? From what we could tell they seemed programmed to do the General's bidding, and upon showing 'any' resistance they commit suicide.]

He watched from behind them Mercy looking downtrodden, obviously feeling sad considering she had to watch as her 'sister' struggled to try and warn her, and was forced to kill herself for her defiance.

[Mercy, I promise you, we'll find a way to save those Vipers being forced to fight for Advent.] He told her.

"We'll find a way Mercy, we're all in on this together." Hawkeye also reassured her as they reached the Avenger.

She nodded gratefully to the two of them. "Thank you both… I 'hope' we can save them…"

Inside he gave orders to start offloading and arranging what they got, while he headed for the bridge.

[You are too trusting 'John', the Vipers are Advent, Advent is the enemy, the enemy… is 'food', and I have to say… I enjoy a good snake skillet over the fire.]

"Just try not to bring that up in front of them alright?" He heard Central saying to a rough and tough looking man drinking and smoking on the viewscreen.

[You, 'you' take their side?] Volk said incredulously, taking a swig of his beer. [After all that we've seen these years?]

He could just hear Central's frustration as he responded with, "Look, I'm not exactly sitting with the Hierarch Mother and drinking tea while debating philosophy with her, but she HAS held up her end of the alliance that 'all' resistance fighters agreed to. What about 'you'?"

[Just wait and see 'John'… Volk Out!] Volk snarled as he smacked the communications button and shut off the feed.

"Actually, think they might show up…" Central muttered to himself before noticing him. "Commander, as you might've heard, that was Constantine Volikov, or 'Volk' to his friends. He and his Reapers may be rough around the edges, but they're the real deal, being a group of resistance fighters operating independently of us, that we consider a legitimate threat to Advent. With Amalie's Vipers alongside our forces, we'd make a hell of a fighting force that even 'Advent' would think twice before messing with."

[Too bad Amalie and Volk hate each other almost as much as they hate Advent.] He continued, knowing Volk, not talking much about him and essentially letting the Reapers do what they want.

One more Advent soldier they attracted was one less for him and XCOM.

[Amalie may have tipped you off to my location, but the Reapers are still a part of the resistance, and they 'may' have agreed to work with Amalie's Vipers at first, they don't like how her Vipers are trying to fight Advent in 'their' turf. As 'she' so politely informed me, it also seems they are on the verge of killing each other. As much as I would like to just tell the two leave each other alone and focus on Advent, once Amalie sets her mind to something she doesn't let up on it, and I can't have the resistance fighting itself with Advent so wounded still 'and' with these AI generals running around.]

"Correct, which is why I've managed to convince Volk to go to an agreed 'neutral ground' meeting with Amalie's Vipers, you're going to act as the go between. Trust isn't going to come easy between these two, but hopefully they trust each other enough to 'not' shoot each other." He said, pointing at the hologlobe at a location in Brazil. "Even so let's not take any chances. Intel on the area is weak, and we're picking up strange chatter on the comms…"

[Which coincides nicely with the information our 'friend' in the black market sold me, Advent is up to something in Brazil, but first thing's first, let's get the kids working together before they tear each other apart…]

[Setting course for, South America…]

Knowing it would take the Avenger a while to reach South America he told Central to inform him when they arrived and told Shen to ready some of her new 'heavy hardware' in grenade form. At the same time, he read a report from Tygan about the power distribution in North America, and with him saw the potential pattern leading to a location on the coast near what 'was' Florida. He then told him and his team to begin researching the remains of that AI General, DL Infinity, that the Sharks recovered and see what they could learn from it.

"As you wish Commander, I am actually most intrigued to learn more about the extensive AI potential it has." Tygan said as he left.

With that done he returned to his quarters upstairs to write up his report to the Council Spokesman, and finally, four hours later, was 'done'.

[Finally done…] He muttered. [No thanks to 'YOU' strip teasing in the background Amalie!]

"I thought I was providing motivation to get you to finish work faster." She hissed with a smirk. "By the way, what do you think of my 'sailor schoolgirl uniform' ensemble? I find it a nice outfit that fits my curves most perfectly~!"

[Amalie I may be a male, but that fantasy outfit went out of fashion when the invasion happened.] He deadpanned. [Do you 'really' need to have this many outfits when you know full well, I cannot be aroused while trapped in this Gremlin body?]

"Well how about my 'half-naked genie' fantasy outfit? Did you like how my bust fit the two-piece?"

[Amalie are you 'trying' to distract me from this war or are you trying to make me suffer as a male?] He muttered as he plugged into the computer and read some more files.

"Actually… I was hoping to get… 'any' reaction out of you my friend." She hissed quietly, causing him to turn back to her.

He watched as she had her back to him and was removing the current outfit, which was the 'naked apron housewife' fantasy outfit, and was putting on her usual 'armor' for battle.

"It's been so long since I've seen your face… heard your 'real' voice, even felt your skin… you've been in that little robot for so long that, I'm starting to think all you 'care' about is winning the war." She whispered as she put on her wrist guards. "I know, we have a war to fight, I can't afford to be distracted by such… 'frivolities' as love, romance, affection… but I 'did' lead my species down this path for 'our' sake. I was hoping that even if we're fighting, we could… have moments together, much like my daughter and Hawkeye."

He was going to say something but, she hissed in dissatisfaction as she put on her earrings and placed her Plasma Pistol on her waist.

"I know, we're both leaders of our respected resistances, we have to keep our minds focused on the job of defeating Advent and freeing your planet." She hissed while glancing at him. "But… can't we have just… a few moments occasionally, for 'us'? Where I don't have to be the 'Hierarch Mother' of the Rebel Vipers, and you aren't the Commander of XCOM's forces?"

He was quiet, before he sighed to himself and floated over to her, just before she left his room. [After this next mission, how about we have a date, just you and me, in this room, maybe a little dinner and… I'll pull some strings and see if I can find us an old movie to watch?]

She glanced at him before smirking, "Candle lit steak dinner?"

[I'll pull out my bottle of French Vinyard Wine I've been saving.] He replied sweetly.

"More than two glasses?" She hissed seductively.

[Don't push your luck you seductive snake.] He muttered back. [We both know your species can't hold their wine.]

"What, afraid of popping my cherry too early?"

[More like I'm afraid of 'you' doing it.] He replied, knowing the last time she tried something alcoholic was when they were kids and she was still a spy for the Elders.

She had one sip and she was unbearable for hours.

Hours later they landed, and he was going over the final roster for personnel to go on the mission. Both parties had agreed on two body escort for each representative from the two factions. While he was interested in taking Mercy and Hawkeye, he'd chosen on Pierce and T-Rex for the job of escorting the Viper representative, a male who went by the name 'Kestor'. For the Reapers, he'd chosen Puppy and Eagleeye. But he wasn't going in without a backup plan, if things got too hot, he had SHIV on standby with some of the heaviest hardware Shen could load it up with.

Unfortunately, Amalie had other plans, as she insisted on joining the squad going to visit her son, as she had a few choice words for him. Apparently, the male in question had a 'dispute' with one of the natural daughters, and did something that caused the reapers to fire on them, hence the reason for this meeting.

[You aren't doing anything stupid, is that clear? You're only going to talk to him, then you get back to the Avenger, is that clear?] He said to her as she boarded.

"Don't worry, I know… you can't risk losing me." She hissed with a roll of her eyes as she sat in her seat.

He growled to himself as the ship's loading bay closed and they took off. As the Skyranger made its way to the drop site, with all personnel watching the view screen as Central began to brief them.

"As you know the Reapers and Vipers have been at each other's throats for over a decade since the war, even after Amalie's Vipers rebelled and they became 'allies'. The fighting between them only took a pause until recently, now we have to intervene in order to keep our alliances intact. If the Reapers leave the resistance, then other cells might do the same. We're keeping the location on a need-to-know basis, we're splitting you up into two squads, rendezvous with the representative of each faction, and then bring them to the location where they'll meet. Now according to official records this city is not only abandoned but no longer exists to the public eye, so we aren't expecting Advent to be here. Still keep your eyes open, its been a long time since any human stepped foot here."

With that the lights turned green and they had reached one drop point.

The loading ramp opened and drop ropes lowered so that Puppy and Eagleeye could jump down, as well as another Gremlin that joined the two, they were bringing. This new Gremlin was a lowly MK I, and its only purpose is to serve as a temporary second pair of eyes for him and 'his' Gremlin, allowing him to be in two locations. So, while the Skyranger took off toward the next location, he split his attention and focused now on Eagleeye and Puppy.

"Proceed to the rendezvous coordinates, Firebrand and the second team will proceed to the second drop location."

As Puppy and Eagleeye proceeded through the abandoned, dirty, dusty streets of the city they turned their weapons toward these strange, greyish bodies that looked like they were covered in fungus or moss, looking like ashen statues of humans frozen in time.

"I'm detecting increasing biological signatures in the area ahead." Tygan said.

"Then I'd say we're in the right place, stay sharp out there today people, just cause this city was abandoned doesn't mean it's lifeless. The person we're meeting goes by the name Elena, according to Volk."

He floated next to Eaggleye and Puppy who were grimacing at the bodies, even as they neared what appeared to be a small campfire.

*Sniff*, "Ugh… what is that smell?" Puppy muttered as she held her nose.

As they drew closer, they saw what looked like a Crysalid's head on a spit, roasting over the fire.

"Lunch I guess?" The older XCOM veteran said with a grimace.

"If you are hungry there is more where that came from." A woman's voice said.

Both Puppy and Eagleeye raised their weapons as a hooded woman wearing a darkened trench coat, boasting an imposing sniper rifle over her shoulder, and a gas mask with glowing yellow lights approached them.

"Impressive reflexes XCOM, but its unnecessary." She said while removing her mask.

[Stand down, we're all friends here.] He ordered them, and slowly both of his operatives lowered their weapons.

"You are safe here…" She said calmly, and quite literally 'melting' from the shadows and into their vision more reapers appeared, causing her to smile. "More so than you realize."

He glanced up and saw what she meant, on the rooftops were additional reapers watching with snipers, and even within various buildings he could see just these 'tiny' glowing spots where the reapers night vision goggles were showing their locations, and the barrels of rifles aiming down at them.

"We shall see if the same holds true for these 'Vipers' you bring to meet with us."

From around the city they heard this weird echoing sound, like something screeching in the distance. A 'lot' of somethings screeching off in the distance.

[What was that?]

"Your presence already disturbs them; we must move quickly. My people will take care of this camp. Come." Elena said, walking off while her reapers once more faded into the shadows and he was left ignored.

He told them to follow her, seeing no other choice.

They walked down the empty street while Central sent them the coordinates.

"Just received the coordinates to the Rendezvous Point, we're taking the most direct route there. I don't have much about this Viper named Kestor representing the Vipers, outside of the fact that Amalie, the Hierarch Mother who's going to 'talk' to him, is rather angry at him."

"The Hierarch Mother, that bitch viper leader herself is here?" She nearly yelled into her comm. "Her forces wiped out thousands of resistance groups during the years following Advent, my people were among the first to be hunted down by her soldiers when we rose up, she treated us like we were rabbits, letting some of us go in order to 'perfect' her tracking methods! You would 'dare' to do this?"

"Pretty sure hands are bloody on both sides, that's the whole point of this intervention we're having."

[Central, best not to mention that Amalie 'also' happens to be my girlfriend… for the sake of keeping things peaceful.] He told him privately.

As they wandered through the abandoned city, he kept looking around at the wrecks, the almost 'alien' scene of how nature was reclaiming this once populated city. There was mossy looking foliage, stalks of grass with bits of glowing light, even miniature trees in odd shapes that had these alien glowing portions. Even the rusted and dirty cars had plant growth on them, and every step of the way he could tell something was wrong in this place, something was 'off'.

"This place gives me the creeps grandpa." Puppy muttered quietly.

"Yep, I have that feeling too Puppy." Eagleeye replied.

(Mercy's and Hawkeye's PoV, at the Avenger)

They sat in the mess hall with the other agents watching on the screen that was displaying what the Commander was seeing through his Gremlin's optics. With the new Gremlin model, the Commander was using they could see everything almost like it had a grid pattern, even better than what the previous one had. But for now, what they were seeing actually freaked them out, with exception to 007 and Gabriella.

"What 'is' all that stuff?" Hawkeye asked.

"I not sure, it looks… so… what is word?" She hissed in confusion, unable to think of the correct word.

"Alien?" Falcon calmly asked.

"I scarcely can imagine that such a place used to be habited by humans." Bellona asked. "It looks like another world down there."

"It does, and it is one that some day we 'must' reclaim!" Gabriella said in her mechanical voice.

As they reached an intersection in the street they saw the Commander change his vision and focus on what looked like a 'still' deployed alien pod, still lying in a dent of the ground, with greenish mist flowing out and unearthly looking weeds wrapping around it, as if 'feeding' off of it, giving off that strange greenish glow and seeping into the ground around it.

"Damaged and dormant all these years, these devices still emit trace elements of unstable radiation, I cannot fathom what they were like in their original function." Tygan said.

"We were there doctor; you were better off having missed it." Central responded.

As they stepped forward Puppy suddenly stopped and sniffed the air, before signaling for the commander to listen to her. "I smell something, something… 'ugh', my nose just screams it 'stinks'.

"Commander, due to Agent Puppy's upbringing among refugee camps and with how often she moved from place to place before joining us, she has a 'unique' sense of smell that the Land Sharks have come to listen to. If she says something's off, we should be careful."

In acknowledgement he ordered Puppy forward toward a broken-down car to scout out what's ahead.

"Aye aye commander… why does he always pick me?" She asked, but the later half of her message was said quietly and in frustration.

She ran forward and took cover before yelling, "We got company!"

Instantly he zoomed forward and looked as a trio of 'humans' turned toward them, upon noticing Puppy. All they could hear was this growling hiss that also sounded like a 'moan', as they stumbled forward, their skin a ghastly pale grey, with torn clothes clinging tightly to their bodies while their flesh seemed to be rotting. They were almost 'entirely' bald, skeletal, bony, with glowing yellow eyes and fungus or moss growth on their bodies.

"No more time for regrets, we are not alone!" Elena yelled.

"Those things, they still look like people!" Central said, almost as if he was about to tell them to hold their fire.

"Whatever was 'human' died years ago. Only the taint of the aliens survives now. Where there is one, more will follow, you must not hesitate to destroy them!" Elena snapped instantly as Puppy raised her weapon to fire.

Puppy was ordered to fire on the first one, and she took her laser rifle and fired, burning a clear hole through the skull of one and sending them flying. "I think my kill counts in double digits!"

"These creatures' true strength lies in their numbers, as you can see, they fall easily, if we are careful with our shots, we will prevail."

He told Puppy to fire again as the next one closing in, and she opened fired killing the second. "Puppies have teeth too you know!" She yelled loudly.

The third was now in striking range as it continued to stumble forward, and in her bravado, she fired, and 'missed'.

"Shit!" She yelled in panic as the 'zombie' stumbled forward and began to take a swipe at her.

*Bzzzngt* A plasma bolt fired off and struck the creature through the head, sending it flying, the shooter none other than Eagleeye. "Step away from the dog!"

"Those two are quite the pair Commander, just as Puppy will take a reactionary shot to finish off a target Eagleeye doesn't kill, Eagleeye will take a shot against anything that gets too close to Puppy. Like a father-daughter pair, as long as they stick together, they make a hell of a team!"

"You think we do stuff like that?" Mercy asked her lover.

"I think we do." He replied.

"Get a room you two!" Sharptooth chuckled.

"Maybe we will!" Mercy replied.

At that most of the agents, with exception to Gabriella, Bellona, and 007 burst out laughing. "Did you just make a joke?" Sharptooth asked.

She remained quiet and pretended to play along, nodding and saying she did intend to make a joke. Inside however, she honestly assumed Sharptooth wanted her and Hawkeye to 'mate', or as she put it, 'get a room'. She wasn't against the idea… she still had that condom from T-Rex.

Meanwhile on the screen the Commander was having the group run forward to get through the city and to the rendezvous point. As they did 'more' of these creatures, these zombified humans stumbled out of buildings, mostly in tiny groups, two or three, sometimes four at a time. But not in the overwhelming numbers that the squad as a whole couldn't handle.

"These creatures' DNA has mutated well beyond what we would classify as 'human'. Perhaps the result of long-term exposure to the alien radiation from those pods. Though why anyone would subject themselves to that, I cannot fathom." Tygan said.

"When the governments fell, millions starved. Many fled to cities such as this to scavenge for food. They did not heed the warnings!" Elena said bitterly.

After Eagleeye and Puppy dispatched a group on street level, Elena was ordered forward, and with her ability to blend in with the shadows as a Reaper, she easily hid from sight of several of these creatures. As she did, she scouted their positions so that both Puppy and Eagleeye could prepare themselves, but now the groups were getting more numerous.

"My people have encountered these beings before. At first, they may appear mindless, but they hear quite well. In great numbers, they can be 'very' deadly."

"And they 'stink' like hell!" Puppy hollered.

He had Puppy take another set of shots at a group in the streets, but as she did another group seemed to 'appear' almost from within one of the buildings, stumbling forward, moaning and groaning as they did, fixated on Puppy and Eagleeye.

"How many do we have to smack before they get the hint?" Eagleeye muttered.

"An entire city of our own people… left to turn into these things!" Central said.

"Yes, all we can offer them now is a merciful death." Elena said pitifully. "These creatures are worse even than Advent. They have no cause, no fear. They simply exist. If we do not defeat the aliens soon we will become little more than they are."

"I'd like not to become one of them…" Puppy muttered.

As they neared the rendezvous was, the Commander spotted another group of these things blocking their path and ordered Puppy and Eagleeye into position while Elena stayed in the shadow, ready to strike if needed.

"Central, biological signature are grouping into a singular mass, one closing in on this position."

"A swarm. We push forward before it arrives!"

As they entered visual range, the group and 'other' groups noticed Eagleeye and Puppy and began 'swarming' toward them, now there were 'eleven' approaching from the front.

"We risk all this, for the Hierarch Mother and her vipers. That alien snake bitch and her kind better be what you say, or we will hang their skins as trophies!"

[No shooting please, we need to work together…]

"For years my people hunted those things, for years we survived. Now, you risk everything for your dreams of peace."

"In case you haven't noticed, the aliens have been kicking our planet's ass for the past 25 years. You think maybe it's time we try something new?"

"If only your speeches could take down these cursed creatures…" She countered back.

As they finished off the last of the zombified humans, another 'swarm' moved into range at the coordinates.

"They just keep coming." Sharptooth muttered. "How many of those things are there?"

"Though their intelligence appears almost non-existent, these creatures seem to employ some sort of rudimentary communication system. Perhaps auditory signals or some form of hive-like consciousness."

"Your point, doctor?" Central asked annoyed.

"The entire swarm knows there is 'food' here now. I would advise we make haste to leave this area."

The Commander however focused on defeating the newest group, having Puppy reload her gun when it ran out while Eagleeye ran interference to keep her safe. Finally, the last one was eliminated, and they began running down the street while in the distance, a series of yelling 'moans' sounded, evidence that the swarm had just reached the area.

"You should have a clear path through now. Second Squad is already on route to Kestor. Proceed to the Rendezvous and await their arrival."

"Oh, we'll be there."

(Commander's PoV)

He floated out of the Skyranger while it hovered over the dropoff point. While below him the two operatives he was commanding directly slow-marched forward, looking around with Amalie at the wreckage of an Advent Transport. The street was mostly abandoned and awkwardly quiet, considering the wreck still had flames burning from it and signs of plasma fire. Surprisingly there was still power in this section of the city as he could see a few lamp posts lit up and shining down on natural plant growth, mostly weeds and moss, as well as the occasional mushroom or two.

"Looks like trouble ahead, the rendezvous could be compromised, stay focused, check for hostiles and survivors." Central told them.

"Looks like my 'son', and a few of my daughters decided to take on a few stray Advent soldiers." Amalie hissed as she slithered near the transport and examined it. "This seems to belong to the 'Purifier Division' of Advent's Peacekeepers."

"Purifiers, what kind of a division is that, some kind of extermination group?" T-Rex asked.

"Of an extent…" She whispered before she stopped and sniffed, flicking her tongue out rapidly and looking around. "I smell blood, viper blood…"

[Remember Amalie, the skyranger is waiting to take you out, once we find Kestor and you talk to him, get back to it and head back to the-] He started saying before Amalie hissed and started slithering rapidly away.

"What the hell is she doing? She's going to compromise our position if she's not careful!"

[After her!] He ordered, and both Pierce and T-Rex ran forward, weapons ready and chasing after the Viper who slithered out of sight and around a corner.

Once they arrived, they found 'what' she was after. There, lying in a heap with plasma burns, and other burn marks, with charred scales flaking off were three Vipers, and one humanoid looking female that looked like a genetically modified Viper, wearing the garbs of EXALT equipment. Amalie was hissing as she leaned down and lifted the torched body of her son, looking sadly upon the fate of her son and daughters, and even weeping a little as she held her son close against her breastplate.

"I'm guessing that 'was' our contact, the Viper we were supposed to meet." Central muttered.

He floated forward and looked over the dead bodies of the four vipers. They were absolutely torched, burns everywhere, what little clothing or armor they had was melted into what was left of their scaly skin. The son's white body was torched black in places, and his eyes had been boiled inside of their sockets.

"Advent… 'purifiers'… only their flames could do this much damage!" She sneered as she placed her son down on the ground and tenderly kissed his head. "Kestor may have been rash in judgement and self-serving in his ambitions, but he 'never' would take on odds he could not hope to overcome, especially if he was bringing along two of his 'natural' sisters!"

As she slithered to a nearby dumpster she began rummaging around for rags, and fumbled out several dirty bedroom sheets, and laid them over the bodies, hissing mournfully, "Hareshtoo… meefs porschtagor… rest now, my children!" before glancing at the scarred burns on the ground. "They were sent here to purge the 'lost', the forgotten humans who came here."

She hissed furiously as she grabbed a dropped EXALT laser rifle, what few ammo charges she could pry from the corpses, and turned to him.

"Only four came here to meet with me, no others came per my instructions, this means that our meeting point is still secured. I will do 'anything' to free my species, even meet with these 'Reapers' that think us their enemy! Now… we 'must' go."

With that she slithered on down the road, with him signaling Skyranger to leave and await instructions for pickup. He didn't like it, but the situation had changed, with the contact dead, only Amalie could speak to Elena of the Reapers. Still, he wasn't liking risking her life out here. The vipers only follow his orders because of her, lose her… Mercy or not, they might consider returning to Advent if Amalie dies under his watch and protection.

While they marched toward the remains of what used to be a graveyard, Central contacted them, pinging the location of their destination. "Rendezvous with Outrider is further ahead. Proceed through this district as quickly as possible, but be careful. Something tells me this city still has a few more surprises to throw our way.

"Surprises are the least of our worries today, the Elders are going to 'suffer' for what they have done to my species for all these years. The reapers may become my enemy, but the Elders will 'always' be my main focus for revenge!"

He floated over them and began to order them into their positions to both protect Amalie and watch for the Lost.

He glanced down at Amalie, knowing full well that she was a wild card on the field. While a Viper she has all the gifts of her species, high movement, a powerful tongue that can pull enemies to her, and poison that she can spit from her mouth. Yet she had a personality so bent on revenge, that outside of the confines of the Avenger, and his room, she might not listen to his orders and will act on her own.

He was just lucky to have Pierce on this mission, thanks to his genetic modifications, he still possessed the best that XCOM had to offer back during the war. Able to self-regenerate, release combat pheromones, and detect electrical patterns nearby, he had probably the best way to avoid ambushes and deal a ton of damage. Not to mention he had among the coolest head of his forces, and never got distracted.

They traversed across a bridge that overlooked a river the city was built near. It was awfully quiet still, even as they marched through, occasionally taking cover per his orders. Making sure that Central and anyone else watching or listening to his transmissions, he set up a private link with Amalie to talk to her.

[Amalie, I know how you feel, but you need to maintain your focus on this mission.]

"I know… but seeing my son and daughters… I 'led' them down this path, I 'must' free them my friend. I did this because I was selfish, now I must free them or else…" She hissed back, before terminating it without another word.

They passed over the bridge and neared the cemetery, when around the corner just up ahead of them two individuals walked forward, Advent Personnel by the looks of it, wearing full body gear the color of orange, and a tank on their backs. Upon noticing them they quickly readied what looked like 'flamethrowers' and began running forward toward covered positions.

"I don't remember seeing these things before." Central said curiously.

"You were not meant to. Purifiers were created and deployed for the singular purpose of containing these 'Lost'. We must eliminate them before others arrive!"

[Works for me!] He said. [T-Rex, rip that one on the left apart.

"Rip. And. Tear!" T-Rex yelled as he jumped out of his cover, readied his beam cannon, and fired off a salvo of plasma bolts into the Purifier's armor.

It was not meant to withstand so much punishment, and so the trooper fell easily, not even letting off a scream of pain as his flamethrower was lost.

"Got him!"

"I've sent enough of my sons to your False Gods!" Amalie suddenly shouted, as she slithered out of cover without his order, and took a shot that ripped into the second Purifier's armor.

[Dammit, why does she have to act on her own?]

"She's your girlfriend commander, you ask her."

[Pierce, move to grid L-5 and finish him off before he gets a chance to fire.]

"Going in!" He said as he ran toward the backside of a truck, turned around and fired a volley of metal slug bullets from his weapon into the Purifier.

What happened caught them all by surprise as he 'exploded' right here into a cloud of fire, his body incinerated from the flame.

"As you can see… they explode if our shots connect 'too' well." Amalie hissed.

He just shook himself and ordered them toward the edge of the graveyard where an exit was. He made sure Amalie was kept square in the middle as they moved, with T-Rex on the left and Pierce on the right so that if she should act without orders again, they could at least cover for her.

Just then Amalie held up a hand and pointed forward, causing him to look ahead as well.

What he saw was shocking, as in the middle of the street a slow moving Advent vehicle carrying several tanks was surrounded by dozens upon dozens of Advent purifiers, using their flamethrowers to exterminate and eviscerate the Lost who were stumbling and attempting to fight them, while Officers casually walked forward, pointing out groups and giving orders. They were laying waste to the abominations, not giving 'any' concern for the swarm as they sprayed fire on anything that moved.

[That isn't a patrol Central, that's a freaking army!]

"Yes… and one we don't have the time… or patience… to deal with!" Amalie hissed, and before he could stop her, she took aim with her rifle and 'fired'.

Her aim was true as she struck the gas tank of one of the Purifiers closest to the truck. The Purifier was sent backward into the truck as he reached and tried to do 'something' to his gas tank, which began sprouting fires and fuming while Advent officers and other purifiers took notice.

[Shit, everyone GET BACK!] He ordered and took his own advice as he dove behind a low wall with Amalie while Pierce and T-Rex hid behind their own sections of wall. Moments later he exploded, and the whole vehicle went up in a MASSIVE explosion, causing fires to light in the area. When he looked up again, he saw everything was 'totaled', all that remained was fire, and a few scarred and charred remains of what used to be the truck. Not even a tire survived.

"Those purifiers may be down but unfortunately, that was our extraction point!" Central said.

"I fear that is not the worst of it. Multiple biological signatures rapidly on approach to your location!"

Almost immediately after they could hear the sounds of snarling yells, the screeching roars of the Lost approaching, indicating that they were indeed coming for them.

"The lost, the explosion… the sound of explosions draws their attention!"

[And you just decided to blow up a fuel truck knowing that?!] He yelled.

"There was no other choice, just tell Central to find us another exit, 'we'll' deal with the lost my friend!" She hissed angrily as a group of Lost started making their appearance behind them, 'running' across the bridge as she opened fired and started slaying them. "Hisstesthoss, we've got 'Dashers', not as weak as the rest!"

"An apt description. It would seem the mutation has somehow accelerated these Dashers' metabolism, allowing enhanced speed and agility with a corresponding increase in aggression."

T-Rex took a shot at the hoard approaching from the side, unleashing a hailstorm of plasma bullets and mowing them down as they ran forward.

"Still go down easily."

"Not easy enough, their numbers are growing… for each we kill, more replace." Pierce said as he reloaded and shot another one as it tried to grab him.

[That explosion must have alerted every Lost in the city, we've probably attracted at least a 'thousand' within close proximity, if not even 'more'!] He said as he looked and saw from behind twenty Lost rushing toward them.

"If they want to die so be it, find us that exit central!" Amalie hissed angrily, firing off a salvo of laser shots before reloading.

He ordered T-Rex to launch a grenade behind them at a large group of twelve Lost that were too close to one another. The explosion rocked the area and all the lost caught in the blast were killed instantly, but while this just got more Lost's attention, he wasn't concerned, the explosion from the tank was drawing them here anyway, so he might as well use his explosions while they were still there.

Amalie hissed in furry as he shouldered her rifle and took out her plasma pistol, firing off shots and picking off Lost with each blast. Pierce was going into overdrive with his combat pheromones spreading to them all, and while he finished off a clip and reloaded, he quickly fired off a shot to kill a single lost that was clambering around a tomb's wall, thanks to his ability to detect the lost and showing where they were to his Gremlin. T-Rex kept on unloading his cannon and ripping apart the Lost, but each time he had to reload the dashers closed the distance.

"That area's hotter than you imagine, need more time Commander!"

"We'll hold, just hurry!"

He told Amalie to release a cloud of Viper Poison in front of them, but the Lost seemed immune. Either that, or they didn't care about the poison.

"I can't keep holding them back!" T-Rex shouted as he began backing away per his orders.

"This warden wolf still has teeth…" Pierce said as he took a grenade and tossed it to kill off another group of Lost.

"I've lost enough daughters and sons to the Elders; I'll be dammed if I let these 'beasts' lay a finger on me!" Amalie snarled as she quickly reloaded her pistol and resumed fire.

They had killed now over fifty Lost in the time span of ten minutes while Central looked for a way out. He had given them orders to stay grouped in a small circle as the Lost continued to swarm their position, drawn to the sounds of combat. For every two they killed 'three' appeared in the distance, their glowing green eyes giving them away.

"We've got something, a new path that should get you to the rendezvous point safely. The Lost are still converging on the area, so make it fast!"

"About time!" Amalie hissed.

[Let's go, T-Rex, Pierce grenade positions N-6 and J-9!]

The positions he'd grenade were near the remains of the fuel truck that was destroyed, and it also was where a large group of Lost were standing between 'them' and the new route. Two explosions later the path was cleared, and he ordered Pierce, Amalie and T-Rex to the new locations, even as the Lost ran to keep up behind them.

As they left the scene behind they could hear the lost roaring, the swarm seemingly hunting, but what he saw just at the edge of his optics was another Advent Patrol, now dealing with the Lost in 'their' place, drawn to the sound of the tanker exploding.

"Outrider and the first team should be waiting for you ahead. I know this wasn't the easiest op, but I have to believe it'll be worth it in the end." Central said.

"That depends on the Reapers… 'Central'." Amalie hissed with distaste.

All he could do was hope everything went well as he floated above and behind his squad, following the path Central sent them. They followed the direction to what appeared to be a railway in the middle of downtown. Peirce and T-Rex climbed in after Amalie into an abandoned train car, while his other Gremlin he was connected too reported Elena the Reaper with Eagleeye and Puppy doing the same. After traversing the abandoned car for a bit Amalie slithered out and onto the railway while across from her Elena did the same.

[Remember Amalie… keep your head on, we 'need' the Reapers to work with us, not against us.] He told her for the last time, before flying up above.

"Hssss…" She hissed back in response, saying in her own way, 'she knows'.

"Rendezvous directly ahead, now everybody play nice today…" Central said in as polite a tone he could muster.

Elena had her mask off while she walked forward with her rifle held over her shoulder, keeping her weapon at the ready and a clear dislike for Amalie.

"So. One of Advent's most ruthless exterminators has come to 'finally' pay for her war crimes?" She asked coldly.

"I'm not of Advent, that 'mask' is finally gone…" Amalie hissed back with equal distaste. "What you see is the 'true' Viper, the Hierarch Mother of the Vipers."

Elena sneered, "Saying that doesn't absolve you of your past, 'bitch'… Reapers have 'long' memories, Opportunistic Worm!"

"Hyeaaars!" Amalie hissed loudly, and within an instant she'd holstered her Exalt Laser Rifle in favor of her plasma pistol and Gauntlet Plasma Blade, igniting her weapon while revealing her venomous fangs and muscular tongue.

"Any time!" Elena snarled back as her weapon was already pointing right at Amalie's Head.

For a moment he was actually afraid Amalie and Elena were going to lay into each other, and in response he declared in his own words, [Enough of that you two, face it, the Elders 'still' have our world despite losing their mechanical forces, even with that massive loss of military power they're STILL kicking our butts. We have 'two' choices, either kill each other here and now, or work together against a common enemy!]

"Like the Commander said, work together to kick the Elders off our planet, or kill each other and let them win… the choice is yours." Central agreed.

Amalie sneered and hissed furiously, showing zero trust and like for the Reaper, who 'also' glared furiously and with venom in her own expression as she kept the rifle's barrel pointed square at the Viper's head. But eventually, Elena was the first to show a 'symbol' of peaceful cooperation, by lowering her weapon. Amalie was just disabling her gauntlet and lowering the pistol as well, before her eyes focused on something, and within an instant she pulled her head back and lunged it forward, spitting a blob of venomous acid from her mouth.

He watched as the blob of venom flew toward Elena, who managed to dodge it by ducking, and in slow motion he saw as the venom fly past her, to splash moments after upon a curved surface that revealed itself as a cloaked 'tank', more specifically one of D.L. Infinity's tanks, which upon being revealed backed up while Amalie's venom eroded and melted the machine's circuitry. Elena in response pulled up her rifle and fired a precise shot into the tank's exposed body, and sent the machine careening over the railway and down to the ground, but not without a final parting shot as it fired a plasma bolt to destroy the second Gremlin he was using to see out in the field.

After that happened a scream of agonizing pain sounded from nearby, and directly below them in an alley another D.L. Infinity duplicate revealed itself. [You pathetic cretins… how 'DARE' you do that to me… nobody causes me pain… 'and gets away' with it!] Before vanishing from sight as he floated forward.

"I don't believe it, how the hell did he find us?!" Central asked incredulously.

"What the hell is that thing?" Elena demanded as she ran to the ledge with him and Amalie.

"D.L. Infinity, one of three new Advent AI Generals, and they're near impossible to kill!" Amalie hissed quietly. "D.L. Infinity's lethality is in its ability to be 'everywhere' it seems. They wiped out an entire continent's resistance… even my daughters were slaughtered by them."

"I've never seen something like that before, but if what you said is true, then Advent's new tools are probably more destructive than even 'you' ever were." Elena agreed while turning to her. "We must work together if we are to have 'any' hope against them."

Amalie nodded as his XCOM agents joined them.

[I don't need tactics 'or' strategy to kill you all… when I cannot die!] D.L. Infinity screamed in rage.

He levitated higher and made contact with Central while looking at the field to see what he could do to take on D.L Infinity in this setting. The downtown setting offered him a ton of high cover, easily reached from ground level, and based on what he saw of D.L Infinity, it was not exactly able to climb ladders, whereas its two 'larger' compatriots could simply smash through buildings to reduce the cover. He also knew that D.L. Infinity from his previous encounter was not invincible despite what he says, and each of the duplicate units of D.L. Infinity were connected.

When one felt pain, they all felt the pain.

"You faced something like this before?"

"Yes, they appeared most recently, right after my rebellion became public. They wiped out an entire continent at the same time my rebellion was taking place, they are as cunning as they are powerful!"

[The folly of your 'treachery', you thought the Elders were blind to your plan, but their gaze extends beyond your pitiful thinking. I am their instrument of your death, I am one, but I am infinite!] D.L. Infinity said on the same channel, and again all he could think to ask was 'how' this AI general was able to communicate with them and listen in on their private communications.

[Puppy take cover by grid T-9, Eagleeye to position Y-4, Pierce jump down to position G-5, and T-Rex go down to coordinates D-2!] He declared, positioning Eagleeye and Puppy by the rails overlooking T-Rex's and Pierce's positions. [Elena jump down and climb over to position F-1 in the apartment complex opposite us!]

"My life is in your hands Commander." She replied to him.

As she jumped down, she slipped into the shadows and stealthily climbed up the ladder to take up a position on the catwalk.

[Amalie, get into cover between Eagleeye and puppy!]

"If I see them, I'll slaughter them!" She hissed furiously.

As his forces got into position, he suddenly found his gremlin's optics apparently 'forced' to look at a position opposite them, near the glowing remains of a drop pod. From the shadows a hovering armored tank with a repeating plasma barrel and 'optic' for an eye floated forward, materializing after being cloaked.

[One life is all you have until you die.] D.L. Infinity declared as 'other' duplicates of him appeared behind.

= AI: D.L. Infinity, Advent Numerical Commander Heavy Tank =

= Strengths: Varied Weapon Types, Heavy Armor Plating, Multiple Tank Bodies, Multi-PoV perspectives, (New) Cloaking Technology =

= Weaknesses: Unstable Personality, Shared Pain Backlash, Prone to Taunting, Cannot Climb Ladders =

[Whereas 'I' cannot be killed!] He whispered menacingly as his three copies floated away, cloaking as they did.

"Commander I've got bad news, I don't know how they got there or where they were hiding, but we just picked up Advent AA Sectopods cropping up, they've got too many up for SHIV to be dropped in safely. SHIV Isn't available for the remainder of this operation!"

He sent Pierce forward knowing that his genetic modifications would reveal the cloaked tanks, and as his agent reached the cover and looked to his left, where through his optics he saw a glowing electrical 'sphere', indicating where the tank was hiding. The tank was hiding between two abandoned cars, and from his knowledge of these vehicles, they were 'still' live with some fuel, enough to cause detonation.

[Hopefully there are no lost nearby, and if there are, we'll deal with them, T-Rex launch a rocket at those coordinates!]

"Here's your Christmas Present, from Santa's Elf!" T-Rex yelled as he aimed his arm rocket, and fired off one of Shen's newest Rocket ordinances.

The rocket exploded with such force that not only did the cars detonate, but there wasn't even anything 'left' of the D.L. Infinity tank.

[GryaAAAAAAAAAAAR] The remaining two hidden tanks shouted in unison. [What goes around 'comes' around… Commander!]

From below another of D.L. Infinity's duplicates revealed itself, took aim and fired a lethal barrage of plasma bolts into the bridge that Amalie, Eagleeye and Puppy were still on. While they did not take damage, that was not the AI's goal as he blasted out the floor and caused them to fall to the ground below.

All three of them groaned in pain, but he was terrified to see that Amalie had taken a 'ton' of damage to her from the fall, and was slowest to recover.

"I'll teach you to mess with me!" Amalie hissed, and without his orders, slithered forward and stabbed 'into' the tank's armored body with her gauntlet plasma blade.

[Gyaaaaaaaargh!] D.L. Infinity screamed, before backing away and vanishing from sight, cloaking once more. [For a 'snake', your bite is worse than a 'dog's'.]

From behind them now, the other D.L. Infinity tank revealed itself and took another shot, this time at T-Rex as he was completely exposed. But thankfully he was wearing the Titan Armor, so he absorbed the attack with minor injuries.

"Getting roasted over here!"

[T-Rex, deploy plasma shield behind you!]

"Instant Cover going up!" T-Rex shouted as he pulled one of Shen's other toys out and slammed the rod into the ground, where it extended and deployed two elongated plasma fields to act as cover.

[Eagleeye fry his circuits before he cloaks away."

"Papa Bird's going in!" Eagleeye said while signaling to his Gremlin to overload the exposed Tank's circuits.

The Gremlin flew over, and released a powerful burst of electricity, sending a massive surge into the tank and causing extensive damage internally.

[Gyearaagagrraaaaaagh!]

As the Gremlin flew away the tank turned and rotated its turret, before launching a single grenade which exploded between of T-Rex and Eagleeye.

[Puppy, give T-Rex a heal with your medical kit and Eagleeye first aid protocol.]

"Baby Bird do your stuff; blue mist will solve everything!" She said while running forward to T-Rex with her medical kit as her own Gremlin went to Eagleeye to heal him up.

[Elena, take the shot…] He said, seeing that Elena had a clear view of the still revealed tank.

"Here's one from the Reapers." She said coldly.

From the shadows upstairs a single shot rang out, and it hit true, smacking into the tank's exposed body from the damage it suffered, and exploded into a pile of rubble.

[You… bastards… I'm going to slaughter you all here!] D.L. Infinity shouted painfully. [I was not expecting 'this' much resistance from you… as much as I would 'love' to wipe you out personally, I have 'other' plans in mind. And what better way to ensure you don't live, then to let 'them' handle you for me…]

His optics turned and focused on the pod nearby and he saw that it was resonating, sending off vibrations in every direction.

"Commander, the sonic dispersal waves emitting from that pod are crisscrossing a massive area!" Tygan said.

Not even a second later, from behind them he heard the moaning cries of the Lost, stumbling and rushing toward them as off in the distance he could even 'see' them heading straight for them.

"Meaning that thing just rang the dinner bell for every remaining Lost in the city." Elena said.

"An accurate assessment. The entire Lost biomass seems to be converging on this position!"

"Then let's get you all out of there, Firebrand's en route to the evac coordinates now. Get moving!"

[Let's move it!] He ordered.

All of them made their way from the area and into one of the abandoned stores. As they reached a break in the walls a group of five Lost with 'more' swarming behind them all from the street appeared.

"They're so many of them!" Puppy screamed in fear.

"How many of these things can there still BE in this city?"

"Advent has been sending the Purifier division into these cities for years. I never paid much attention, I'm wishing I did, all I know is that there is always 'more' Lost to be found."

Each of them had to eliminate a single Lost in order to proceed, but they killed them with ease because of their apparently simple-minded attack pattern. But still the swarm as a whole closed on them, some lost stumbling forward, others rushing over their fellows as they ran through the storefront and toward an exposed alley.

"I remember being in one of these cities 'before' the war, when I was a spy… so many beautiful sights, it fills me with great sorrow… to see such places… tainted. And it pains me knowing… I'd been a part of causing it."

"I believe you…" Elena said, but by her tone he didn't know if she was being honest, or sarcastic.

As they finished off the newest batch of lost, he ordered the use of one of their remaining Grenades to cause an avalanche of debris, creating a choke point to 'slow' the following Lost. But this caused 'more' to approach from the front seemingly, it was as Amalie said, it seemed there was just always 'MORE' Lost to be found.

Pierce fired off several Overwatch Shots, to clear a path with T-Rex. Finally, they punched through the store as Elena fired off shot after shot to eliminate as many as she could before needing to reload. As they passed through the building and reached the Evac area, she turned and whispered, "Someday, my people will retake this city for our own…"

"If they are anything like you 'sister', I believe they will succeed."

At the Evac Zone where Skyranger was supposed to be waiting for them, was only an ever-growing swarm of LOST. Knowing they had to evacuate and wait for rescue, he ordered them to hold their position and start unleashing hell upon the Lost.

In the thick of it, Amalie dropped her Exalt Rifle and started shooting off shots with her plasma pistol alongside Elena, who's sniper rifle continued to ring death shot after death shot for whatever Lost she was targeting. Side by side they stood as more and more of those things approached. He continued to float high above, trying to coordinate their defense until Evac arrived.

"There are too damn many of them, we can't hold them off forever!" Amalie screeched as she fired with one hand while igniting her plasma blade gauntlet with the other, so that she could slash at one Lost who got too close.

Elena nodded as she finished off another Lost before tapping into the coms, "Outrider to Avenger, Where the hell's our exit?"

He looked up and saw right on cue Skyranger float downward to hover over a parked van. "This is as low as I can get her, get in!"

"Goooo!" Amalie hissed as the XCOM agents began climbing up the van and into the skyranger.

He watched as Elena turned to the Viper.

"One of us has to cover the other, and I'm the one with the faster rate of 'fire'!" She hissed as she fired off three shots to kill off 'three' Lost, while a fourth felt her plasma blade for getting close.

Elena nodded and began climbing up the van toward the Skyranger. Meanwhile Amalie did a quick reload and fired off more shots, before screeching, "The Vipers will be 'FREE'!", and then slithered onward toward the Van, holstering her plasma pistol and choosing to slice the remaining Lost in her path.

As she neared the bus a Lost made to grab her, but was shot dead thanks to a bullet from Elena, who nodded at the Viper, as Puppy and Eagleeye joined her to help provide more covering fire.

Amalie nodded back as she climbed the bus and was about to climb into the Skyranger, when it shook from a sudden collision.

Amalie had a look of shock as one of D.L. Infinity's Duplicates suddenly appeared and shoved her to the ground, at the same time 'another' duplicate appeared and tried to tackle its way into the Skyranger, but Puppy, out of sheer instinct shoved Elena back, but was pushed backward and 'dragged' out of the vehicle by force as this D.L. Infinity duplicate had a claw in place of its turret.

[Mmmmmissed me?] He jeered as he dragged Puppy out, and 'vanished' from sight, with Puppy's last expression being of fear and a scream to match.

[Don't worry 'traitor', I'll show you both a 'good time'!] He taunted as he held her down, and began vanishing like the other duplicate.

The last image of Amalie he saw, as it all happened so fast, was her panicked expression, as she tried to fight and get away…

Before she was gone…

"No…" Elena whispered as the Skyranger began flying away, the loading ramp closing as well.

"Puppy!" Eagleeye yelled as the ramp finished closing, showing only a large swarm of Lost gathering into a massive group.

But for him, he ignored them… as he only had one thought crossing his mind…

Amalie… had been taken from him.

Amalie… who turned on her own masters before the war even happened, who risked her 'life' to try and help him, endured the years 'with' him, bled her species in secrecy with him, and now risked her species alongside his for freedom.

[AMALIEEEEEEEE!]