Crisp air and cool rain. A steady downpour of rain pitter pattered against the ground and foliage. It blanketed the area, dark clouds stretching for miles. And Zhang was enjoying it. Top side, leaning on a railing in one of the hidden alcoves of XCOM mountain base.

His eyes scanned the landscape, taking in the sights. Gray and pale brown rocks, many trees, and the remains of a few crashed UFOs covered in vines. Though fog covered almost all of it. Heavy fog of two kinds. The one caused by the rain and the other was from that psionic haze that permeated the area. Their security blanket thanks to the sacrifices of a few of their psions when the base was attacked years ago.

Zhang drummed his fingers against the railing as he continued to look on. He took in a deep breath and sharply exhaled. Refreshing. The fresh air was a needed change from being inside the underground complex. Especially the explosives workshop that was practically his quarters at this point. He needed some time away from it. Give his hands, and back, a break from constructing IEDS. He also wasn't in the mood to train anyone. Whether it be weapons training or psionic training.

"Miles…" He grumbled under his breath as he wrinkled his nose. Still had the smell of smoldering wires stuck in there. Had them to thank. An old XCOM operative that found them a week ago. They showed some promising skill in constructing IEDS. If only their work ethic matched. Zhang was about ready to beat them with his cane if they blew up another supply of Elerium. That stuff was scarce and a pain to get from ADVENT.

"Argh…" A grunt slipped from his lips. He had another reason to be topside. His right knee. Always felt terrible when it was rainy weather and somehow being underground made it worse. A hand went down and gave the twitching muscles a rub, in-between the open spots of the leg brace he wore. The injury that finally took him off of active duty.

"Tch." He hated thinking about it. But it was only a matter of time before an injury took him out of the game or he got killed. Or his age. Didn't like thinking about that one too. At least they had enough MELD to repair it, but not enough to bring it back to 100%. Could have been much worse if they didn't have any of that miracle substance.

"All those who could do surgery were busy that day. And really… could have lost my leg entirely with how badly the muscles tore and the shots I took."

He wouldn't forget that day. Especially the searing pain and how badly mangled his leg looked. He sighed.

"Wonder if we get our hands on any more of that Meld… can they fully fix my leg?" A thought that occasionally crossed his mind. Even if the others still barred him from active duty, he would love not having to use a cane or wear a leg brace. Something to dream about.

He let his eyes wander as he enjoyed the rain.

"Hm?"

Until he felt a presence by him. Something near his face. Who was it? He didn't hear the door open. And didn't have his psionics active to detect who it was. He liked to give people their privacy since most of the blocking collars were busted or harvested for parts. And he didn't care to wear one. Annoying things.

He turned his head slightly to see what was there. A hand. But not human. Though partially obscured by a sleeve, there were scales on their wrist. They probably continuing up their arms. But the hand was holding something. A pack of cigarettes. A silver and white box with gold lettering. Though the fingers obscured the letters so he could make out the branding.

Which Thin Man is this?

Thin Man. Thin Men and Vipers. The newest additions to join their remnant. Such an unlikely addition to their resistance group, especially with how fiercely loyal they were. But the one leading this group of defectors no longer trusted the Elders and wanted to give the resistance a hand. And they sure did when they saved him and his scavenging group when a black market was ambushed by ADVENT. They made quick work of those soldiers and got them out of there before the second wave came. Ever since, they had been slowly integrating into the remnants of the Asian branch of XCOM with mixed results. Some just didn't trust them. He was somewhere in the middle.

He turned his head further to see who it was. It was the elder of that group of defectors. A former ADVENT ambassador, still dressed in those regal clothes. Though any symbol of the Elders had been torn out. Den mother is what the others in her group called her. Her. Still something he and the rest were wrapping their heads around. Even with the den mother answering some of those questions. Just led to more questions. Why did the Elders modified your kind to look more human? Better yet… Why did the Elders restrict your species to just females? He still heard some asking those questions.

So what was she doing here? Offering him cigarettes? Oddly specific… and he had been craving a good smoke. Had been ages since he last lit one.

He just looked at her with a brow raised. Studying that scowl fixed on her face and icy stare. She always wore a serious face. He learned that was her resting face. She wasn't always angry, though some in her group, especially her children, liked to test her patience as they tried to integrate. And then some of XCOM liked to test her. Heard she broke a few arms of a few antagonizers. Served them right.

Her expression never changed as she shook her hand, moving her fingers to reveal a second pack of cigarettes. The second was a pale yellow box. And the brands. Zhang eyed them. Zhongnanhai and Jin Ling. Oddly specific. Just the two brands he had been craving. Had he heard his conversations with his friends?

"A bribe?" He let out a huffed chuckle. But he couldn't help but eye the packs. Temptation.

"A thank you." She answered, shaking her hand again. "One of my daughters overheard you've been craving these two brands for a long time. So she's been hunting for them when she helps your people scavenge."

A thank you? That got another huffed chuckle out of him. Really? He wondered why for a moment, but quickly remembered he somewhat vouched for her and her group when they made it back to the base. Barely stopped a fight from breaking out right then and there. He took the packs from her.

They were still wrapped in plastic. How fresh were they? How good would they taste? He shook his head and chuckled. Why think about that? Probably been years since the manufacturing date, unless these were freshly produced contraband for the black markets. Such a lucrative business with the amount of 'contraband' ADVENT banned.

But that taste…. He could deal with it if they were stale. He just wanted to satisfy that taste. Which one to open? He fiddled with each pack, studying them. His eyes fell onto the silver and white pack. That familiar writing of his homeland long destroyed.

Zhongnanhai for now. He nodded as he slipped the other into his pocket. Memories from the old days. And old life. Tinker's favorite and his too. Had the old man to blame, and he missed him. He'd try the Jin Ling's later. Had someone to blame for those too; Old Eastern European contacts for weapons smuggling. Hopefully, they were the higher quality kind.

He unwrapped the pack and popped it open. The familiar smell of tobacco and herbs tickled his nose. Smooth. So far, so good. He plucked one out and popped it in his mouth. Tasted fine so far. Now he just needed a lighter and… he didn't have a ligh—

KLK… KLK… KLK, FWOOSH!

He looked back over at her, and now that hand of hers held a lit lighter. Looked like this Thin Man planned for everything. He leaned over and lit the cigarette. A few puffs and a blow. Smooth taste, a little stale. A few seconds later, he coughed. Coughed a few times to be exact. It had been awhile since he felt that particular stinging burn bite at his throat and lungs… But he didn't care as he took another drag. It satisfied that craving.

He turned his attention back to the rain and his cigarette. Minutes passed by. And the thunder finally rolled in. But… she was still there. He could sense her presence. Maybe she wanted to talk? A high possibility. He was one of the least hostile people in the base towards her and the others, and only could count a few others on one hand that would chat with them.

"I think I should be thanking you." He broke the silence as he looked over at her. She was leaning on the railing, watching the rain. "If you and your people were a few minutes late to that ambush, well…" He stopped, took a drag, and exhaled. "My group and I would be in some ADVENT prison being interrogated… or dead."

"I think our mutual 'friend' set that up so it would happen like that." She shook her head. "Prove my den and I's disloyalty to the Elders. Not exactly how I wanted to find you XCOM people…"

"Right. Him." He shook his head and chuckled. A contact inside of ADVENT. Good man. But he — and a few others — chewed his ear off as soon as he got the chance. A good way to quickly build trust, he said. Bullshit. What the hell was he thinking?

"Hopefully, he doesn't plan on sending more defectors to your XCOM like that again." She said. He nodded.

"Knowing him… he just may." He had a few doubts.

The silence came back for a bit.

"So… what's your name?" He asked. Better to ask now than never. "Didn't quite catch it during that mess… and still haven't caught it."

"You may call me Faruk. Faruk Vosk." She looked at him. Though there was a slight sneer as she repeated her name. Like she hated it. "And what shall I call you? Your people mostly use your 'callsigns' when us aliens move about." And it would be a long time before that dropped. "But I've heard three names associated with you." Her nails clacked against the railing. "Chilong. Zhang. Shaojie. Which is it?"

"Hm…" What to tell her? Be as secretive as the others or more open? "Call me, Shaojie." More open. She did save his life.

"Mhm." She nodded. She looked back at the rain. "So… Shaojie…. What are your thoughts about me and my den?"

Ah, that. "Truthfully? Mixed."

"Mhm." Seemed as if she was expecting that. "Doubt our defection? Change of allegiance?"

"Partially." He still his suspicions, even with what their contact shared. But he couldn't judge too harshly. He defected from the Triad. "From what you've told us, and from what our contact on the inside has said, you Vipers are some of the most loyal servants of the Elders." And he had ripped the information from a few leftover Thin Men and Vipers they had captured.

"We are." She couldn't deny that. "Had ever right to be." Had. That caught his attention.

"Something made you change your mind, didn't it?"

"Various… invasions… I have taken part in during my lifetime. Then the subjugation of your species. The lies told of how the war started and more lies once 'peace' was obtained." She explained. "And things that have happened to me and my den… my children." There was a crack in her voice. But that face of hers never changed; even as tears formed. Was that mask starting to crack?

"Hm."

He tapped his cigarette against the railing. Letting the ashes be swept away by the wind. What to say? Perhaps she wanted to talk about that. Why she was here. Sought him out and made a 'thank you' offering.

"Hmpf." Crafty. That infiltrator side of her was still at work. And the offering was working, as he was now in the mood to listen.

"I take it," he turned around, resting his back against the railing, "even the most loyal are not free from the Elders' cruelty?"

"We… we were not." A few tears had fallen.

"Talk." He was a bit blunt, but it was time to cut to the chase. A few subdued chuckles escaped her lips.

"Where do I even start?"

Faruk decided she would tell him about her transformation. Possibly the beginning of all her doubts. Something she had volunteered. And the Elders saw that her old age and wisdom would be a boon for infiltration. It was a bargain, if not a strong hope that would save her den, her children, from such a fate. But it did not. Oh, it did not. Such a cruel twist of fate for her and a few of them. Changed just like her. Goaded into volunteering when they did not have to. That day broke her. She no longer viewed the Elders in the same golden light.

And her work only furthered a growing distaste. Elevated to the role of an ambassador once her job as an infiltrator was done. Lies. Just constant lies. Though that was the norm for the Elders. And the humans ate it up, wanting to live in a blissful ignorance the Elders were saving them from themselves. If only they knew the truth. Every single last human was a potential test subject. Humanity held something the Elders were after.

A few hours passed as she kept talking and the rain kept pouring. Zhang noticed that her posture relaxed and face softened as she went on and on. Seemed like she needed to talk. And somehow she kept her composure as she told him what she was comfortable sharing.

"That's why… that's why I've defected and taken my den with me." She wrapped up her story. "I can no longer trust the Elders. They are no longer the same ones I knew ages ago."

"Hm." A lot to digest, but it was all believable. Several things matched up with what their contact had shared and then from what he and the other psions pulled from the minds of the captured. He'd probably hear more of these stories in the future.

"Hm." He tapped the ash off of his latest cigarette. He already had gone through five. He'd save the rest for another day.

"Hm." More stories. He contemplated something. An idea to toy with. An idea inspired by an old friend. Akemi. He missed her and the others. "If you need to talk again, sometime in the future, you know where to find me."

"Mhm. That workshop." She nodded. She looked at him, in a way still surprised he stayed and listened to her. "Thank you for listening to an old snake ramble."

"We all need to ramble time from time." Though he still liked to keep to himself, he had a few he had grown close to and freely talked about his past with them. "And I can relate with defection."

"You do?"

"Let's just say, my old bosses, before XCOM, got their hands on an alien artifact." He shook his head. Still wondered where they got the thing. "The Elders weren't too happy about that. And I didn't like how my bosses were taking a variety of bidders for such a dangerous item, especially with an invasion happening above our heads." The things people would do for money.

"Oh?" That had her interested. Something about those details faintly tickled an old memory. "Do tell."

He closed his eyes and chuckled. Then told her his story of defection and integration into XCOM. What a hell of a time that was.