A Wave of Red

The Citadel, Mess Hall

If there was one element of XCOM that Herman could find absolutely no fault with, it was without a doubt the food. Whatever faults the Commander had, he had to commend him for actually getting an actual cook. Sure, it wasn't the best food he'd ever had in his life, but compared to traditional military food, it was excellent.

As he walked inside though, he was initially surprised at the number of soldiers seated, in their own groups, discussing amongst themselves in quieter tones. Herman frowned, true, it wasn't a large amount of soldiers, but he generally came at less busy times to avoid causing issues.

The atmosphere also felt more somber, and Herman suddenly got the distinct impression that he's accidentally stumbled into an unofficial memorial ceremony. His eyes scanned the tables and he blinked as he saw Van Doorn sitting alone, a cup filled with a dark liquid inside it.

Hmm. Peter wasn't a stranger to alcohol, but he reserved it for very specific instances, usually after a major achievement or victory. Or in remembrance of someone, and judging from the general mood, he suspected it was the latter. Something had clearly happened, and he suspected it was probably a mission gone wrong.

Abandoning his current plan for dinner, he walked over to where Van Doorn was sitting. The General noticed him approaching and nodded in greeting. "Hey," he said neutrally as Herman sat down beside him. "How are you doing?"

Herman raised an eyebrow and indicated the drink with his eyes. "I think I should really ask you that."

Van Doorn sighed and looked ahead. "Just…reminiscing. Taking a short break," he paused and then continued after a couple seconds. "Friendly's dead."

"Ah," Herman understood now; then no wonder Van Doorn was taking it a little worse than normal. He'd only met Friendly a few times, but he'd seemed a good man, and had served with Van Doorn for…well, a long time. "I'm sorry," he finished, inclining his head.

"Appreciated," Van Doorn acknowledged. "It's just…well, I always thought that it would be…different. If one of us was to die, I'd always thought it would be both of us, or at least that I'd be there when it happened. Not…" he paused. "Just watching it happen on a screen."

He could understand that. "I know," Herman agreed. "But that's just one of the realities of being in command. We can't always be on the front lines."

"Yeah, I get that," Van Doorn muttered. "I guess I just don't have a very high opinion of that strategy at the moment, even if I do understand its importance."

Herman nodded and decided to let that subject drop. It was neither the time nor place to have this debate, especially since Van Doorn wasn't thinking as objectively and both of them knew it. "So what happened?" He asked.

Van Doorn took a sip. "We detected a UFO, a large one. As usual, we prepared to send out a skyranger and this time sent Myra along as well. We all thought that would be enough to storm the UFO, or at best would be overkill," he sighed.

"But no, the aliens were prepared for us and had a small army waiting. The squad was eventually overwhelmed by sheer numbers, and once Friendly died, the squad overseer made the wise decision to pull out. They made it and killed a bunch of aliens, but some were injured and the MEC was severely damaged."

Herman pursed his lips. As much as he hated to think it, he was surprised that the outcome hadn't been worse. If they'd only lost Friendly, it was much better than it could have been. But this did seem to highlight an issue he'd noticed during his own inspection of XCOM's military forces.

From what he knew, been told, and figured out for himself, XCOM was primarily designed as a strike force, dealing a lethal amount of damage over a short period of time against small groups. Perfect for the smaller UFO's and even larger ones if XCOM could dictated the engagements.

But their greatest weaknesses was that they were not an army. They couldn't hold out in sustained battles, because once the aliens held against the initial engagement, they could call for reinforcements and overwhelm XCOM. As the defeat to EXALT had showed, it didn't matter how advanced they were, their limited numbers would always work against them.

Now against an enemy that was as, or more advanced, than them? It would almost never turn out in XCOM's favor. Now that the aliens knew for sure they could exploit that weakness, he could only see similar missions in the future unless XCOM began the transition for a strike force into…well, an army was not feasible, but at least invested in equipment and tech that would allow them to survive prolonged engagements.

The MEC was an excellent step towards this, but even that wouldn't save XCOM if they were faced with overwhelming odds, as the previous mission had clearly shown. He felt he should say something, but it, simply put, wasn't his place, and he wasn't sure how the Commander would take actual military suggestion. It might be better if it came from Van Doorn.

"Do you mind if I make a suggestion?" He asked. "Not as a representative, but as someone with military experience?"

Van Doorn snorted. "Herman, you're a Major General. You don't need to ask that even if you weren't someone with that rank."

"Right," Herman cleared his throat. "I think that this highlights a weakness within XCOM. Your squads aren't designed for prolonged combat, but instead engagements with only a few enemies that are eliminated quickly. In these instances, XCOM succeeds with flying colors, but if the aliens or EXALT manage to survive the initial attack, then they just call for reinforcements and quickly overwhelm XCOM."

Herman paused for a second. "XCOM doesn't have the firepower or soldiers to survive large groups, and with every soldier killed, only exarcerbates the problem. If just one or two soldiers are taken out or killed, then that pretty much dooms the entire mission."

Van Doorn appraised him with surprise. "You've thought about this."

"I just looked at the footage," Herman shrugged. "In every instance XCOM has been forced to retreat, they've always been outnumbered, outgunned and the engagements were usually longer than usual."

"You make a good point," Van Doorn nodded. "So do you have a solution?"

Herman hesitated. "I'm not sure what the Commander is planning for XCOM, but if he wants to turn it into an army against the aliens, he needs to invest in tech for longer battles. Portable turrets, deployable cover, vehicles, equipment that would make up for the soldier deficit. Which should also be fixed; more soldiers are going to be needed if XCOM ever wants to stand on even ground with the larger alien forces, because I don't think they're going to forget about this."

"Hmm," Van Doorn took another sip. "I agree. The MEC is a formidable force, but it can only do so much. But we are looking to increase the soldiers deployed, along with some other advances that level the playing field. You should really talk to the Commander about this."

"It would probably be better coming from you," Herman shook his head. "I doubt the Commander would want me to be making suggestions like these, and he would be right, it's not my place."

"Nonsense," Van Doorn snorted in disbelief. "He might not like why you're here, but if you have a legitimate suggestion for him, he will take it into consideration. This one you have now is definitely that."

Hmm. Now that he thought about it some, he had to somewhat agree. The Commander didn't seem like one to reject a decent idea over something as petty as because he disliked him. If he didn't like it, it was either because it was a bad idea or the Commander had come up with a better one.

"Still," Herman said. "It would probably be better if it was brought up by you."

"Perhaps," Van Doorn conceded. "But I am not taking credit for your idea. Do you have some idea for what we could do?"

Herman looked up, then nodded. "Yes, I have some ideas."

Van Doorn gave a grim smile. "Good. If you want, I'd like you to work with Engineering to see if you could begin implementing them. If you want that, of course."

Herman blinked. Well, that was unexpected, at best he'd expected Van Doorn to just bring it up with the Commander. But if he could actually work on it…he was getting cautiously excited about the prospect of actually doing something. "I'd definitely want to work on it," he agreed with a quick nod. "Are you sure it won't cause problems?"

"I'm sure," Van Doorn assured him. "If someone does have questions, then you can direct them to me. You might be a little more supervised than others, but they won't interfere."

Herman smiled. "It'll be nice to be doing something productive. Thanks, Peter."

Now Van Doorn gave a genuine smile. "Don't mention it. If this will help keep our soldiers safe and kill more aliens, I'm happy to support it."

"I'll do my best," Herman promised.

"Good," Van Doorn stated firmly. "Because I will avenge Friendly's death, one way or another."

Scotland, Cerian's Residence

Cerian stood in front of the room containing their temporary guest. The man had been utterly silent during his moments of consciousness, but he wasn't interested in asking questions until they were in a more appropriate setting. However, before that could be done, he wanted Patrick here.

Not only would it keep the Council happy, but it was the right thing to do. They had a right to be up to speed on all the latest developments, and this was a situation that warranted some kind of presence. Luckily Patrick had responded quickly and had arrived a short while ago and now stood beside him.

"Has he said anything?" Patrick asked as he looked through the one-way glass.

"No," Cerian answered. "But then again, I haven't asked him anything yet. I wanted to wait until the Council was fully appraised of the situation."

Patrick gave him a brief nod. "Something that the Council, and I, appreciate." Now Patrick turned to face him. "I also assume that you actually have some evidence that this man is actually an XCOM operative and we haven't abducted a perfectly normal Israeli soldier?"

Cerian smirked and motioned for Mary to hand him a tablet. "Please, Patrick. I'm a professional," he said as he tapped the screen. "I can assure you I wouldn't have taken him prisoner if I wasn't absolutely sure." Once he'd found the images he needed, he handed the tablet to Patrick.

"We spotted known XCOM personnel Abigail Gertrude and Ruth Shira enter the premises illegally," he began as Patrick flipped through the images. "We followed them to a building where our man had entered a short while earlier. They went in for a few minutes and then emerged wearing the new Israeli prototype armor."

"Do you know who he is?" Patrick asked, looked up.

"According to his file, he is Eldad Levi," Cerian answered. "Oddly enough, his profile does check out pretty well. However, Mary has assured me that file creation this genuine is possible, just difficult. Considering his contact with XCOM, I'm fairly certain that this is not his real name."

"Makes sense," Patrick muttered, then looked up and handed the tablet back to Cerian. "Well done, the Council will be extremely pleased with this."

Cerian hesitated. He wasn't sure he really should say anything here, but he'd feel he wasn't doing his job if he just dropped it. "May I ask what the Council is planning to do with this?"

"I would imagine they will demand an explanation for this," Patrick answered, his voice deliberately neutral, which his expressionless face reflected well. "How they go about it, I don't know."

Which was exactly what he was afraid of. "May I offer a suggestion?" He asked.

Patrick cocked his head. "You were the one who got us this, I will convey any suggestion to the Council."

"Thank you," Cerian answered, relieved. "In that case, I would suggest that the Council think very carefully before using anything I've recovered. I know that the Council will want to reveal this, but I think we should consider the circumstances of why XCOM was here in the first place. Namely, why are they investigating Israel?"

"Maybe they're concerned?" Patrick suggested.

"Exactly," Cerian agreed. "We now know that Israel is preparing for something, and whatever it is, XCOM is concerned about it. Which the Commander may actually use if this evidence is brought before him, and a reason why the Council should refrain from using this against him now."

Patrick frowned. "Explain."

"Israel is not going to listen to the United Nations," Cerian stated bluntly. "And short of using NATO, they will not do anything if Israel attacks a nearby country. They have no hold over them, there is only one entity that holds some kind of influence over Nowinski."

Patrick got it. "XCOM."

"XCOM," Cerian repeated. "If you present this evidence to Israel with the intention of breaking their alliance, it will likely work, but the result is that you remove the only chance for XCOM to talk Israel out of doing something catastrophic."

Cerian took a breath. "But the bigger concern here is that by showing this, the Council will effectively be declaring war on the Commander, justified or not. If they release this, he'll know that the Council is spying on his operations, and then he won't just be your unofficial enemy, he will be your enemy."

Patrick's lips twitched as he followed along. Cerian continued. "What's worse is that the Commander could justify this is a number of completely plausible ways, which you will not be able to disprove unless our guest talks. He could simply say that they were conducting an exercise with Israel, or that they were in some kind of talks. It doesn't matter, since we can't prove intent. Best case that comes out of this is that the Council looks like fools, worst they make an enemy out of the Commander, and by extension, XCOM."

Patrick took a breath. "It's a good thing I'm recording this," he commented wryly. "The Council needs to hear this."

"Going back to Israel," Cerian added. "Even if the Council decides it worth risking an unchecked Israel, it will likely have the same effect as showing him the evidence itself. Because if you submit it anonymously, the Commander can state the images as fake. If you submit it officially, you're essentially telling him who was behind the leak; the Council."

"So what you're saying is that we shouldn't use this." Patrick stated.

Cerian thought about it for a few seconds. "Yes, I suppose I am."

Patrick let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "The Council is not going to like that."

"No," Cerian agreed. "They won't. But I would suggest that you keep this and include in your final case against the Commander."

"In addition to all those points you mention, you failed to discount others within the Council itself," Patrick added grimly. "This might also have the effect of splitting the Council permanently, since the pro-Commander bloc will use this as evidence of the Commander thinking about the safety of the world by keeping tabs on Israel."

"And since Israel isn't exactly popular with the UN, it might sway the moderates over to that side," Cerian finished.

"Exactly," Patrick confirmed, resignation in his eyes. "So unless Eldad here talks, we're left with a final play that might not work."

"Well, a benefit is that my team will still be able to operate fairly openly," Cerian reminded him. "I'm fairly certain XCOM has no idea we're watching them, and should the Council remain silent, they will likely assume Eldad was taken by either the aliens or EXALT."

Patrick looked back over into the room. "Yes, I suppose that is the silver lining. So I assume you have a plan for him?"

"I'll see if I can entice him with the threat of turning him over to the Israelis," Cerian said, eyeing the man. "Failing that, I might just resort to reason. Sadly, I doubt we'll get much out of him. Agents like him are stubborn."

"Well, I guess we should get this over with," Patrick sighed and reached for the door.

"Wait," Cerian interrupted. "I want to speak to him before you go in. I'd prefer he not know the Council is involved yet."

Patrick stepped back and motioned towards the door. "You're the expert here. I'll watch and record."

Cerian opened the door and stepped into the small room. Eldad was securely tied to the chair, his eyes closed, though Cerian doubted he was actually asleep. Sure enough, once he sat down across from him, Eldad opened his eyes and glared at him suspiciously.

"Eldad Levi," he greeted. "I trust my medic patched you up alright?"

Eldad gave the ghost of a smile. "He didn't do a bad job," he answered, his Israeli accent pronounced. "Tell him thanks."

"Glad to hear it," Cerian nodded. "I did my best not to hit anything vital."

Eldad's eyes narrowed. "You shot me?"

Cerian smirked. "I should be hurt by that, but I will admit it is unusual. Suffice to say I've been doing this kind of work a lot longer than you."

"If that was the case you should have just killed me," Eldad stated calmly. "You know the standard speech. I'm not telling you anything."

"Right, and since we both know the standard response I'll get right to the point," Cerian answered, lacing his fingers together and placing his arms on the table. "We have photo evidence of you meeting with confirmed XCOM operatives for reasons unknown. Should IDF command acquire these, I'd imagine your punishment wouldn't be pleasant. That is in addition to charging you with espionage against a sovereign country. At the very least you're looking at life in prison."

Cerian paused. "Or you could cooperate with us, answer a few simple questions and we can work from there."

Eldad eyed him suspiciously. "Is that right? You are aware that evidence can be doctored, correct? You cannot prove intent, regardless of whatever 'evidence' you have."

"I cannot prove intent, true," Cerian conceded as he placed a file on the table, showing the images of him, the XCOM agents, and their meeting place. "But you entered a building during your shift carrying two cases of something, and a few minutes later, XCOM agents Abigail Gertrude and Ruth Shira entered that same building. A few minutes later they emerged wearing the Israeli armor," Eldad's face had dropped its amused look, as he realized he was dealing with an actual professional. Cerian continued.

"We followed these agents to the Israeli central command, and while we don't know what they took, if anything, I doubt that the IDF would like knowing that XCOM now likely knows what they are doing." Cerian looked Eldad in the eye. "So go ahead and tell me that you would not be prosecuted if you were turned over to Israel."

Eldad was silent for a few moments, then pursed his lips. "They might, but I suppose all I could do is wait to see what their verdict is."

It wasn't an unexpected response, though Cerian was still disappointed. "Then you couldn't tell me what XCOM was doing there?"

"You see, that would imply that I am affiliated with them," Eldad pointed out. "I can certainly speculate, but it would be the thoughts of an unimportant soldier."

Cerian leaned back in his chair. "Then go ahead."

"You were there," Eldad noted, the corners of his lips twitching. "A technologically advanced Israel might be a cause for concern for some parties, especially those concerned with global stability."

"I can see that very much so," Cerian nodded. "So, as a soldier in the IDF, do you know what they are planning?"

"No," Eldad stated firmly. "I do not."

Cerian appraised the calm man before him. He was inclined to believe the spy was telling the truth in this case, otherwise the XCOM agents would have left immediately after meeting him, unless of course he knew what was going on, but didn't have evidence, which was what XCOM would really be after.

"Who are you?" Eldad interrupted. "I'd at least like to know that much."

"My name isn't important," Cerian answered, to an exasperated sigh. "But I lead a neutral party intent on ensuring global stability, and as of this moment, the Commander of XCOM is a potential issue to that stability."

Eldad snorted. "Right. I don't know where you got this information, but from what little I know, the Commander of XCOM is not the problem. You're after the wrong guy, not that I'd know much about that, of course."

"Right," Cerian answered sarcastically. "Well, then I'll just drop everything just because a self-proclaimed soldier said so. But in all seriousness, I believe you're unaware of the Commander's true identity."

"And I'm certain you're going to enlighten me," Eldad commented dryly.

Cerian smiled. "It might help explain my position some. You are aware of the so-called "Commander" from the War on Terror, yes?"

Eldad nodded. "Yes."

"He and the Commander of XCOM are the same person."

Eldad blinked several times, the clearest betrayal of surprise Cerian had seen yet. His eyes were filled with confusion for a few seconds as he spoke. "What?"

"You heard me," Cerian said. "And if you want proof, then I'll introduce you to someone you may or may not know." He went to the door and opened it, gesturing Patrick inside. Eldad's mouth parted slightly once he saw the United Nations Liaison walk into the room. He knew who this was alright.

"Patrick Rush," Patrick introduced with a smile. "United Nations Liaison to the Council."

"Despite what you were likely told, there are reasons for certain councilors to be worried about XCOM," Cerian continued as he sat down again. "For obvious reasons, his identity had to be kept secret, but that is the major reason why we are keeping an eye on XCOM."

Eldad finally seemed to compose himself. "And you think this will get me to admit to something? Telling me that the man in charge of everything is the one who won the War on Terror? Is that supposed to compel me to say something? Because I can tell you that Israel has a much more favorable opinion on the Commander than the rest of the world,"

His words were growing angrier as he continued speaking. "We are under an alien invasion, and yet not only is your Council attempting to impede the greatest force stopping them, but are actively working against them! You had the gall to capture me on the assumption that I was with them. I'll state again for the record that I am not, but I certainly know actual threats you should be focusing on instead of the only ones who are actually doing something!"

Well, that was what he'd been afraid of. The Commander's identity was going to be less impactful than he or the Council had hoped. True, Eldad was Israeli, and that might have colored him before working with XCOM, but he suspected that the soldiers might not care as much either because he was admittedly working to destroy the aliens.

He held up a hand to placate Eldad. "I suppose you are referring to EXALT? Or the aliens themselves? Yes, we are well aware of those threats. We know about Solaris Industries, and that is going to be investigated. I do not want to see XCOM fall, but I would also prefer it not be abused at the hands of a proven war criminal. Even if you disagree, you must admit some concern in warranted."

Eldad pursed his lips as he glared at them unflinchingly. "You know nothing. Your rationalization is based on propaganda and UN lies. XCOM is not a threat to the world, even I can see that. EXALT, the aliens, those are the ones who will destroy the world," he paused for a second. "If I were you, I'd follow the Solaris lead, you might learn something."

Cerian fixed him with a hard stare. Those words had a finality to them, and he didn't feel like he was going to get much more. One last chance. "You understand that by refusing to cooperate, you will likely be spending the rest of your life in a cell?"

Eldad met his stare. "There are worse fates."

Cerian gave him a short nod. "I understand."

He did. Were he in the same position it was unlikely that he'd be convinced either. It was frustrating to deal with, but he could understand why it was. But he'd done all he could and saw no reason to prolong it further.

With that he turned and exited the room, Patrick behind him. Once the door was closed Patrick let out a long sigh. "Well, that was a waste of time."

"Not entirely," Cerian corrected. "He did sort of direct us toward Solaris Industries, and that might mean that XCOM is also looking to begin operations there. If so, I'll likely run into them."

"Well, we don't have any more XCOM incidents," Patrick agreed. "I suppose you and your team should pack for the States. Transport will be prepared."

Cerian smiled and inclined his head towards Patrick. "Appreciated. I'm very interested to see what they're hiding."

"What do you suggest we do with him?" Patrick asked, nodding towards Eldad.

Cerian glanced over and shrugged. "He refused to cooperate and I have no reason to be lenient. Do what you will, but remember what I said."

Patrick nodded gravely. "I will take everything to the Council."

"Good," Cerian answered as he began walking away. "Good luck with that. Now I need to prepare to investigate one of the largest weapons manufacturers in the world."

Armenia, Yerevan

It had taken Bradford and Van Doorn some time to actually set up meetings with Armenia and Ukraine, but they'd done it and now he was finally going to confirm their alliance with XCOM. Escorted by four Armenian soldiers, the Commander walked towards the Government House, though entering through a means other than through the front door.

The number of people who knew he was actually here was extremely limited, President Arsen Levon and his defense minister and chief were the only governmental officials who knew, and only the Internal Council for XCOM. He didn't intend to publicize any alliance, but he didn't have an issue if Armenia decided to announce it.

Still, he would prefer few knew about it until it was confirmed one way or another. In the meantime, he was enjoying his short stroll through the city itself. The Commander hadn't really known what to expect for Yerevan, but it was unquestionably much larger and industrialized than he'd expected.

There were also some impressive buildings, parks and architecture that he hadn't expected. He wasn't sure if they'd taken him on the scenic route, but he wasn't complaining. He did have to wonder how Russia was going to work through them once an alliance was established. They'd assured him not to worry about the details, but he was curious nonetheless.

They reached a door in the side of the Government House and one of the soldiers opened it up and motioned him inside. The hallway the greeted him wasn't that unusual for state buildings, glossy marble floors, high ceilings and overly ornate furniture dotted the hallway. Chandeliers hung down from the ceiling, casting a soft white light everywhere.

"This way," one of the soldiers told him, motioning down the left. The Commander nodded and began walking that way. Their boots clacked on the floor, sounding unnaturally loud as they proceeded. He wasn't sure if the emptiness was normal or if it had been cleared out ahead of time. He wouldn't be that surprised either way.

After a series of turns and a couple flights of stairs, they finally stopped in front of an unmarked door. "The President awaits," one soldier told him stepping aside. "Enter."

The Commander nodded. "Your escort is appreciated," he thanked. That said, he opened the door and walked inside.

It was definitely not the Kremlin. It was certainly not the official office of the President, since that would likely contain some additional furniture as well as a few details such as paraphernalia or bookshelves. As it was now, the walls were bare though painted a neutral brown. The room was well maintained and lit, but surprisingly empty, with only a large table with several chairs in the room.

The President himself was leaning against the wall, reading something from a tablet. Upon hearing the door open, he immediately looked up and set the tablet on the table. Despite being almost seventy, the man still looked the part of a President, his face showing few wrinkles and his silver hair still robust. But what did catch the Commander's attention was the hardened glint in his eye.

"Commander," he greeted as he walked over to extend a hand which the Commander took. "A pleasure to finally meet you."

"You as well, Mr. President," the Commander returned, with an inclination of his head. "Your city is impressive."

"That it is," Arsen agreed, with a slight smile. "It might not compare to the cities in the United States, but I am glad you appreciate it for what it is."

"Your country has done well," the Commander complimented. "Especially considering recent history."

Arwen gave a short nod at that. "I tend to think so, but neither of us are here today to discuss my country's history."

"Agreed," the Commander stated, getting down to business. "I presume that you've received everything Central sent over to you?"

"I did," Arsen confirmed slowly. "I must admit, I was surprised to receive the call in the first place. Armenia is a great country, but I am under no illusions as to its importance on the global stage. To hear from the Commander of XCOM himself was surprising, especially since there are other, larger, nations who could also help you."

"There are," the Commander admitted. "But I see no reason to exclude Armenia simply because of its size. This invasion concerns the entire human race, and I think it would be foolish to ignore allies, wherever they may be."

"An intelligent outlook," Arsen complimented. "Though I'm not sure how much we can provide for XCOM. I assume you are also allied with the larger countries, correct? If so I must warn you that it will likely not match the likes of China or the United States."

"Funding doesn't have to be purely monetary," the Commander said. "You have soldiers, natural resources, scientists and engineers. Those are arguably just as, if not more, valuable. But my ulterior motive beyond the invasion itself ultimately benefits you. Tell me, what now represents the greatest threat to the world today?"

"The aliens, no doubt." Arsen stated immediately, interest in his eyes as he appraised the Commander.

Exactly the answer he wanted. "Correct. Unfortunately, there are certain countries who are not ready to drop the grudges and conflicts of the past. It's a reason I've refrained from sending advanced technology over to the superpowers of the world. Too many would see an opportunity to settle old scores. I think we can both agree this benefits no one."

"Correct," Arsen nodded. "But perhaps you can explain how this pertains to me and my country?"

"Simple," the Commander smiled. "The aliens haven't begun a conquest. Not yet, but it will be coming and when it does, there will need to be countries ready to defend. I believe Armenia had the soldiers, equipment and responsibility to be one of those countries, one that won't just defend humanity when the time comes, but one that will also serve as a check to more ambitious countries in this chaotic time."

Arsen looked away, resting his chin on his hand, clearly thinking hard. "I'm flattered," he finally said after a few minutes. "But perhaps you overestimate our capabilities if you would think we can serve as an effective check on the major powers of the world. Russia in particular might feel threatened."

The Commander gave a small smile, since the exact opposite would be true. "You will have nothing to fear from another country, because this alliance isn't just an exchange of resources and money. Should another country decide to step in, you will receive military support from XCOM."

He blinked at that. "Truly? Correct me I am wrong, but I was under the impression that you were under the United Nations, stated publically or not."

"Officially, yes," the Commander admitted. "But their relationship with XCOM is less…influential than they would like to believe. I don't answer to the United Nations, and am not bound by their rules and regulations."

"Risky," Arsen commented. "But I must admit I'm impressed. Few non-superpowers will not submit to their directives."

"The United Nations does not have the personnel, funding, motive or cohesion to function as it's supposed to," the Commander stated. "They are a toothless entity, which should ultimately concern neither of us."

"I agree," Arsen nodded, now openly smiling. "I think this alliance will be beneficial for both of us."

"As do I," the Commander agreed. "In that case, I suppose we should begin working out details."

The President motioned to the table. "Then let's begin, Commander."

Ukraine

Well, the Ukrainian government had planned a much different reception than the Armenians. Once he'd been dropped off by Big Sky, they'd waited with a noticeable military escort. He'd been escorted into an armored car with no windows or outside communication. He could feel the car turning left, right, and left again, and was fairly certain they'd gone in a big circle at one point just to throw him off in case he was somehow memorizing this.

At the moment, he felt no need to. Israel had done it and he wasn't concerned the Ukrainians were going to abduct or kill him. Realistically, they were likely paranoid and secretive, especially when it involved the Commander of the XCOM project. If he had to guess a location, he suspected they were within, or outside Ukraine's capital, Kiev.

At least the long ride did give him some time to reflect. The meeting with Armenia had gone better than he could have hoped, they would fully support XCOM in a number of ways, which would also help cut back on maintenance costs, allowing funds to be diverted elsewhere. President Arsen had also promised to send Armenia's very best scientists and engineers to XCOM, which both Vahlen and Shen would be thrilled by.

Well, he'd done his part and had gained a very useful ally in the process. Now it was up to Russia to actually work…however they decided. Once Ukraine was on board as well, that would be enough for Russia to work with. One more country would be better, but this was enough to get them started.

The past week or so in XCOM hadn't exactly been quiet either, well, aside from the alien abduction, but it was a smaller encounter, without much alien presence to begin with. Shen and his team were hard at work and Shen had assured him that they'd have some major developments in the next day or so.

Vahlen was also preparing to show him something, and he had a decent idea as to what that was. Hopefully she'd managed to overcome the kinks in the genetic modification program so they could begin investing in their soldiers. He really should do something for her as well. In fact, all of them had been working almost non-stop for…well, a long time.

But aside from the abduction, the aliens had been rather quiet as predicted. But the Commander knew it was only a matter of time before they struck again, or EXALT for that matter. EXALT had also been suspiciously quiet, but Zhang told him it was expected. They were likely trying to focus on stopping XCOM Intelligence for the moment.

Well, actually, EXALT hadn't been completely quiet. Soon after the Israeli op, one of Zhang's people had suddenly disappeared. Since the Israelis clearly didn't know where he was, the only other possibilities were EXALT or the aliens, with the former being the most likely suspect.

Zhang has assured him that EXALT wouldn't get anything from him, but was very…irritated at the loss of such a useful informant. Not angry, since it was a reality of intelligence work, but it was extremely inconvenient. Though the Commander did find it a bit odd that he'd been taken right after uncovering some of the most damning documents in recent memory.

And boy, what interesting reading that had been. Pretty much all of Zhang's team had spent the past week translating the Israeli documents. Advent. How symbolic and fitting. He had to give Nowinski credit, the man had ambition and a plan, and should events go his way, he would take full advantage.

Now…what to do with this information was still up for discussion. He could go directly to Nowinski and shut down his ambitions immediately, or wait to see how events played out. Right now there wasn't a threat of Israeli attacks, since it had been made very clear in the recovered documents that Operations Advent would only begin under a very strict set of circumstances.

Quite honestly, he wasn't exactly opposed to the unification of the Middle East. The problem was that since Israel lacked the manpower to effectively capture the various countries, they'd be forced to use more damaging methods. Water, power, assassination, poisoning of food, nothing was off the table, mostly because they had no choice.

Normally, he wouldn't have a problem with that, especially in a war. But the problem was that he did believe Israel genuinely did want to unite the Middle East under one banner, flag, or nation. But with the methods currently in place, they'd not be looked upon as unifiers, but the warmongering conquerors the world claimed they were.

Which would eventually lead to civil unrest, mutiny, starvation, most of which would be Israel's own fault. Best case was that they somehow managed to hold together a coalition of hostile countries using any mean necessary. Worst case was that they lost control and the Middle East returned to a warzone as the newly freed nations fought over for control of the land.

All in the middle of an alien invasion.

He did like the name though. Advent. A new beginning, should everything go perfectly.

Unfortunately, it rarely did.

The car stopped abruptly and the Commander looked toward the door. About time. He blinked as the door opened and bright sunlight poured into the car. Pushing himself off the seat, he stepped out onto the worn pavement. Once his eyes adjusted a few seconds later, he was somewhat surprised to see he wasn't anywhere near a city.

He appeared to be on some kind of military base, judging from the walled perimeter, patrolling soldiers and assortment of planes and tanks parked around the area. In the rough center was a large concrete square with windows alongside what he assumed were the multiple floors.

"Follow us," one of the soldiers ordered in a thick accent. Two soldiers behind him, the Commander followed him into the building which was surprisingly straightforward. They just took an elevator to the third floor and began walking left. Unlike the Government House in Armenia, this place was definitely busy, with officer and soldiers walking through the hallways.

They finally stopped in front of a room marked with Ukrainian writing, which he couldn't pronounce. But he suspected the President of Ukraine was waiting inside. How many presidents was this now? Three? Four? Enough that he wished that they'd change it up a bit.

The soldier motioned toward the door and he opened it to reveal some sort of planning room. A TV hung up on the far wall, and a large ornate table was in the middle of the room, behind it were several file cabinets. A projector hung from the ceiling and a trio of flags were also displayed in the middle of the room by the wall, the Ukrainian flag and two others he assumed displayed the symbol of some branch of government.

Damian Taras, President of Ukraine stood looking out a window. Again contrasting his visit to Armenia, Darian was much younger. In fact he was only a year younger than the Commander himself, which was unusually young for politicians holding his position. He immediately turned and regarded the Commander with his one good eye.

The patch covering up the empty socket didn't quite hide the scars around it. The Commander knew he'd formerly been a soldier, and then turned towards politics after losing his eye in an IED explosion. From the profile he'd been given, he'd developed some respect for him, even if he wasn't as familiar with his policies.

But politics weren't the sole reason for his visit, and he was glad to have a military conversation with someone experience. "Commander," Damian greeted, opting to salute instead of shake his hand, which he was somewhat surprised by. "A pleasure to meet you."

The Commander returned the salute with his own. "You as well, Mr. President."

"Drop the titles for the moment," Damian shook his head with a grim smile. "As far as I'm concerned, we're of equal rank, you maybe more so."

"I'm flattered," the Commander responded, and he was. Rare was the politician that acknowledged they were more or less on equal ground. Probably influenced by his military background.

"Don't mention it," Damian waved off. "I will admit I was skeptical when your Central Officer contacted us, but I was glad to see it was genuine."

"You certainly do have an elaborate way of getting me here," the Commander noted. "A precaution, I suppose?"

"Yes," Damian confirmed. "While the amount of people who know we are speaking is admittedly small, I didn't want to take chances with your safety. I would also prefer that the exact position of this base remain secret, at least for the moment."

The Commander raised an eyebrow. "May I ask why?"

Damian gave a toothless smile. "That is part of the reason an alliance would be beneficial for both of us." He picked up a remote on the table and turned on the TV. Four screens appeared, each one a camera to a cell with a thin man inhabitant. All the aliens were different in facial structure, hair and eye color, but all retained the unusual thinness and reptilian eyes.

Well, this was certainly interesting. "You captured them," the Commander acknowledged. "I'm impressed."

"Unfortunately, we can do little more short of killing them," Damian admitted, his face tightening. "We aren't sure what sedatives we can give without killing them, and I've almost lost several scientists just trying to examine them. Attempts to communicate have failed, despite extensive prompting."

"We're familiar with the species," the Commander told him. "I could send you our notes."

"Appreciated, but that's not why I bring this up," Damian answered with an appreciative nod. "We don't have the facilities or equipment to house aliens, and unless I demand funds from parliament for alien holding facilities, that won't happen for some time. In the meantime, there will likely soon be an incident where someone gets killed. You have the means to hold these aliens, I do not."

"We would certainly appreciate it," the Commander agreed. "You'll be compensated in addition to what is already included."

"Unneeded," Damian dismissed. "Consider it a strategic use of resources. You'll be doing a lot more with them than we can. All I want from this is their tech so we can root out these aliens within my country," he pursed his lips. "There are more out there, and I want to find every last one."

"A worthy goal," the Commander agreed. "But this is only the beginning. The aliens won't hide behind doppelgangers forever, and when the time comes you'll need to be ready to defend your country. XCOM cannot be everywhere, much as I wish it were otherwise."

"Well, that is why you're supplying us with alien tech, yes?" Damian noted wryly. "I will ensure XCOM receives sufficient funding and soldiers in return, along with any aliens we capture."

"A fair deal," the Commander agreed. "We'll need to finalize some details, but otherwise I believe that covers everything important."

"Essentially," Damian agreed. "But I sincerely do appreciate you making this offer in the first place. It's a pleasant change to be recognized for a reason other than that we border Russia. Otherwise we're more or less ignored."

"A mistake," the Commander stated. "The world is comprised of more than just the UK, United States, China and Russia. Perhaps someday the United Nations will realize that."

Damian snorted. "Considering those countries hold the power there, I highly doubt it."

"For now," the Commander responded evenly. "But the world will change after this war, and when the lesser known nations emerge as the vanguards of humanity, they will be forced to acknowledge it."

"You have an optimistic view of the future," Damien commented wryly, shooting him a small smile. "Judging by human history, very little will change."

The Commander just smiled. Were he not in a position to do something about it, he would likely agree. But he was, and by his actions or no, the world would change one way or another when all was said and done.

The Citadel, Hanger

The Commander descended down the ramp into the mostly empty hanger, feeling pretty good about where they stood. Armenia and Ukraine were firmly allied with them, and Russia could begin working through them to acquire alien tech, further increasing their unofficial alliance.

To his surprise, Bradford was waiting at the far end. Huh, he wondered if something had happened since he'd expected all of them to be continuing on as usual, since this trip wasn't unexpected. He saluted as the Commander approached. "Commander. I assume your visits were productive?"

"Very much so," the Commander agreed as they both walked out of the hanger. "Both countries will make good allies, and Russia will have the openings they need. Anything happened here?"

Bradford pursed his lips and the Commander immediately had a bad feeling. "We do have a situation," Bradford answered slowly. "A video was recently released showing XCOM soldiers executing civilians."

The Commander's head swung sharply over to Bradford. "XCOM soldiers?" He demanded incredulously.

"Wearing the armor and everything," Bradford confirmed as they strode to the elevator. "We're trying to keep track of the spread, but it was dispersed well. The media is already pouncing on it."

"We need to put out a statement," the Commander muttered. "This needs to be killed before it gets out of hand."

"Van Doorn has prepared some preliminary drafts," Bradford said, handing him a tablet as they walked. "Though you should probably see the video yourself first."

"Agreed," the Commander nodded grimly as he scanned the short statements. A little two long and wordy. Not what was needed now. "How long ago was it released?"

"About four hours," Bradford answered. "It hit social media first, and within a few hours the news outlets were picking it up, though since it usually takes around six hours for something like this to get reported everywhere, we suspect that this was sent directly to the media itself."

"I assume we don't know where it originated from," the Commander commented dryly as he thought. "By that I mean the person responsible, since there's only one organization who could pull this off."

"Jackson tracked the initial leak to a well-known Russian information leaker, утечка," Bradford explained as they approached Mission Control. "We used them ourselves when we released that video of our soldiers to the public to increase support. I doubt EXALT is controlling them directly, but they're definitely sending them the videos."

The doors to Mission Control hissed open and they stepped into a whirlwind of activity. Screens with various news outlets dominated the visible area, the massive hologlobe was various shades of orange and yellow and analysts and technicians were scurrying around, talking frantically with each other.

Organized chaos was a good description, and the Commander tried to avoid getting in the way as he and Bradford made their way towards Jackson who was talking with another analyst in front of a screen showing Fox News.

Both of them turned as they approached, snapping into quick salutes. "At ease," he told them automatically and they relaxed.

"Status update?" Bradford asked Jackson.

"Going to get worse the longer we're silent," she answered grimly. "Commander, this is Gav Cumar, social analyst for XCOM."

"A pleasure to meet you, Commander," he added, inclining his head. "I'm in charge of monitoring the current public mood towards XCOM, the aliens, United Nations, anything that relates to the war against the aliens."

"You work is appreciated," the Commander thanked. "So I need to know: how bad is it?"

Gav hesitated and glanced towards Jackson who nodded encouragingly. Clearing his throat, he continued. "It's going to get worse before it gets better at this point. The damage is done, and whatever you decide to do to handle this will not reach all those who are already outraged about it. Even if you conclusively prove this is fake, this will never go away."

"Any good news?" Bradford asked.

"The general public fortunately has a very short attention span," Gav answered quickly. "Should this story be killed within the next few hours, it will likely fade from people's minds after a few weeks until the next crisis begins. But I must stress that this cannot get repeated coverage if we want panic levels to stabilize."

"People certainly don't waste time," the Commander commented grimly. "Just how much is this spreading beyond the media?"

"There are several United States congress members speaking about it," Gav informed with a sigh. "In fact, there are at least a few figures in every major government expressing "concern" about the footage."

Jackson snorted. "This is just way too much of a coincidence that all of them found out about it and had statements prepared so fast."

The Commander was inclined to agree. Maybe a few would jump on it this fast, but if it was as many as Gav was saying…either EXALT has also sent them this video themselves, or they were EXALT members themselves. "Do we have names?"

"Yes," Jackson confirmed, handing him a tablet. "It's still being updated, but this is everyone of import we've seen comment on it. Organized by media, governmental figures and prominent social figures or celebrities."

"Excellent work," the Commander handed the list back to her after taking a cursory look. "Bradford, let's see this video."

"Putting it on screen now," Bradford confirmed and the screen immediately changed to the familiar view of an XCOM helmet HUD. It was in high-quality, exactly how the actual armor suits captured video. What was shown was a row of people dressed in ordinary civilian clothing kneeling on the floor, hands on their heads.

There was a range of ethnicities among them as well, no doubt a strategic choice. The area this video allegedly took place in seemed to be some kind of warehouse, but the Commander didn't think that was overly important. What was important were the three other "XCOM" soldiers on the screen.

EXALT had apparently been able to at least replicate their armor, since it looked almost identical to the same thing. It also appeared they'd been able to replicate their laser weapons since that's what the fake XCOM soldiers were holding.

The sound of footsteps became audible and the figure recording turned to show another fake XCOM soldier walking in, his armor black. "Orders from command," he stated, his synthesized voice surprisingly not altered. "We can't afford to have them leak our location."

"Do we know who's speaking?" The Commander briefly asked.

"We're working on it," Bradford answered. The Commander turned his attention back to the screen.

"So what do we do, sir?" Another fake XCOM soldier asked, as she twitched in place.

"We either leave them to get captured by the aliens, or we kill them," the leader stated grimly. "We have no alternative."

They must have been speaking helmet-to-helmet, since none of the "captives" responded. Intentional or an oversight? "Make it quick," the leader said as the soldiers raised their weapons toward the now-terrified "civilians."

He watched as they shot burning beams of light into their head and within a few seconds all were dead, their faces frozen in terror and pain as the fake XCOM soldiers stood over their corpses. "Good work," the leader said. "Let's get out of here."

The video then cut out.

Bradford shut off the screen and turned to the Commander. No wonder it was taking off so quickly. It was about as damning as you could make it. "Not bad," he admitted. "EXALT doesn't do things halfway, it seems."

"Which makes it difficult for us," Jackson sighed. "So, ideas on how to best counter this?"

"Actually, yes," the Commander answered, smiling. "Their best and worst move was actually using footage as if captured from an armor cam. They must not have been able to perfectly recreate it since they made two errors. One of which being that XCOM suits are synced to our database and display a name above the heads of other XCOM soldiers. That was missing here."

"The minimap as well," Bradford suddenly recalled. "Isn't that the same one from the Mexico mission?"

The Commander turned on the screen and looked at the minimap. "I don't quite recall, but the larger issue is that it didn't rotate when whoever recorded this moved their head. It always does for the real thing."

"Ok," Jackson nodded, perking up. "That's great!"

"Now how best to use it," Gav said, looking thoughtfully at the screen, then back to the Commander. "A statement combined with video evidence would definitely be enough to stop this in its tracks. However, that would mean you'd have to release some video to the public."

"Look at the date this allegedly took place," the Commander pointed out, nodding towards the screen. "Bradford, did any missions take place that day?"

"Looking now," Bradford answered as he began scrolling through his tablet. "And…yes, one of the recent abductions. The time doesn't quite match up with the video shown, but it should be enough."

"Excellent," the Commander stated, his lips pursing as he ordered his plan. "This is what we'll do. Bradford, have your team go through that mission and censor names and locations mentioned in it. Do the same with the after-action report. I'll write up a statement and we'll send this all in a nice package to everyone we can. To be specific, everyone on that list, Jackson."

She smiled. "I'll get right on that, Commander."

Bradford was already talking on his headset, so the Commander turned directly to Jackson. "Follow the coverage closely after we release our response," he told her carefully. "If anyone is still reporting on it a day or so later, mark them for investigation. EXALT may have unintentionally shown their hand with this attempt."

She gave one brief nod. "It will be done, Commander."

She and Gav walked away, leaving the Commander alone for the time being. He sincerely hoped that Zhang's investigation didn't turn up anything on Jackson, since she'd proven to be a valuable part of XCOM. But for the meantime, he'd have to rely on her to do her job.

He turned on his heel and began walking to his office. Time to draft up something suitably condemning for this attempt to tarnish XCOM's name. EXALT was going to wish they hadn't played that card, because he had a pretty good idea how he was going to respond.

The Citadel, Barracks

Soran always performed a simple morning routine, provided that he wasn't woken up to be sent on a mission. This routine largely consisted of largely getting ready for the day, getting some food and then spending at least a half hour looking up a various collection of news websites, entertainment and profiles of people whose viewpoints he found interesting.

Normally, there wasn't really anything important, per-se, but he did find it amusing to sometimes read and watch people react to various events without the perspective of being in XCOM. The only consistently entertaining thing recently was the upcoming American election, which he wasn't sure was a word that should be ascribed to such an important event. Well, he wasn't American so he didn't have to worry about that.

But today certainly qualified as interesting and important. He'd blinked in surprise when he first read the headline, but seeing it repeated virtually everywhere had granted it the seriousness it deserved. Since he knew XCOM hadn't been performing executions on civilians, he was curious as to what exactly was being shown.

The video was a surprisingly high-quality production. Usually "leaked" videos like this tended to either be in poor resolution, grainy, or was a still image or video with someone talking over it. But here it actually looked legitimate…to anyone not in XCOM, which was admittedly not that many people.

Hmm…who could, or would, devote so many resources to such a convincing forgery? EXALT made sense, but the sheer quality made him wonder if the aliens themselves were also the culprits.

He shook his head immediately. Why had he thought that?

That was something to sort out later, since this took priority for the moment. But he suspected that XCOM would put it to rest, since he could already tell that the HUD used wasn't identical to the actual XCOM HUD, which pretty much every soldier could attest to. He suspected the Commander knew this already and was anticipating this valiant attempt at demonizing XCOM to fade within a week or so.

The reaction itself had been almost just as interesting to observe. It really was amazing just how emotional humans in general were, the amount of people leaping to conclusions and assuming it was real was disturbingly high, not helped that every news station was reporting this, granting a legitimacy to their belief.

But they were civilians, and weren't exactly familiar with usage of propaganda or counterintelligence. But what he did find inexcusable were the actual elected leaders who were already jumping on this to capitalize on the new public outrage. That was how you got on a list, and Soran suspected that every single government official denouncing XCOM was now on now.

This threw a wrench into his plan to speak with the Commander, but he figured he might as well go in anyway, in the event that the Commander somehow hadn't noticed that the HUD was different.

"Are you seeing this?" Samuel demanded, storming over, eyes blazing with anger.

Soran raised an eyebrow. "The video? Yes, I saw it."

Samuel's eyes widened. "And that's it? That's all you have to say about it?"

Soran put down his tablet. "It's fake. What more needs to be said?"

Samuel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we know it's fake, obviously. But every idiot commentator is getting the most out of this and destroying our image at the same time!"

"I imagine it'll be cleared up in a few hours," Soran said, shrugging. "I wouldn't go into full panic mode yet."

Samuel's nostrils flared. "You know, I really wish I was as calm as you now. But this just makes me mad."

"Look on the bright side," Soran suggested. "There are going to be a lot of people who look like idiots when they're proven wrong."

Samuel seemed to calm down some and let out a sigh. "I really hope so, but the more likely scenario is that everyone is going to conveniently forget they acted like idiots and move on before they get criticized."

Soran shrugged. "Nothing you can do about that."

"Maybe," Samuel growled. "But I might punch one of our so-called senators if I ever see him. He should have known better."

"Because that will solve the problem," Soran commented sarcastically. "But I'll back you up in this case. That man would probably change his tune if his state was attacked by aliens."

"Yeah, that's how it usually is," Samuel said bitterly. "They denounce us until they realize they need us. Cops, military, XCOM, it'll never go away."

"So ignore them," Soran suggested. "Give them as much attention and respect as they deserve, if you have none for them, don't give it to them. No one is entitled to respect simply because of existing, it has to be earned."

Samuel gave him a wan smile. "Yeah, that doesn't really work to well in the military. You might hate the guy in charge, but he's still your boss and as I've learned from experience, sometimes actually knows what he's doing."

"You can still dislike someone and respect them," Soran pointed out. "But that's for you to sort out." He stood up. "In the meantime, I might as well make sure the Commander is aware that the video can be proven to be fake."

Samuel smirked. "You're just going to walk up there?"

"He didn't have a problem last time," Soran reminded him. "And as long as I come with a good reason, I think this time will be no different."

"Well, tell him I said hello," Samuel said jokingly and walked away.

Soran shook his head, amused by that for some reason. By now he'd memorized the Citadel, so he knew the quickest way to the Commander's office. There were several XCOM personnel wandering through the hallways, and it did remind him of an interesting fact that no one really acknowledged.

The Citadel had to be one of the most complex structures on the planet, which would require an equally talented maintenance crew, which he never really saw but had to exist. He wondered if it was a subsection of the Engineering team since that might account for why he'd never seen a dedicated maintenance crew.

In the grand scheme of things, it likely wasn't important, but it was something he'd noticed. Perhaps it was that way intentionally to confuse anyone who would try and sabotage the Citadel? Security reasons would make sense, but it was all speculation at this point.

He finally stopped in front of the Commander's office and waited. The previous time it had opened after a few seconds, so he assumed the Commander either had a video feed or motion sensor that told him when someone was outside. Sure enough, the door hissed open and he walked through.

The Commander was seated as he'd been the last time he'd shown up, looking at a computer screen to his right. As Soran walked up, he turned his attention to him, greeting him with a nod. Soran saluted and the Commander motioned for him to sit down, all the while appraising him…almost cautiously.

"Soran," he said, placing his hands on the table. "What can I do for you?"

He wasn't sure if the Commander's friendly attitude was an act or not. Everything seemed to indicate he was being genuine, but Soran had never encountered a superior who was as accessible and open as the Commander without it being some kind of act to increase loyalty or cooperation. He was usually able to spot a fake, but he hadn't been able to do that with the Commander. Yet, anyway.

"I assume you saw the video?" Soran asked.

His lips curled into a humorless smile. "Oh yes I did. We've just sent a little package to the media containing sufficient evidence to refute what that video showed."

That was actually a faster response time than Soran had anticipated. He was genuinely impressed with that, but was careful not to show it on his face. "Well, then I guess my primary reason for coming is unneeded."

"Maybe," the Commander nodded. "But I'm curious what you noticed."

"The HUD on the video was different," Soran answered. "True, you likely already knew that but in the event you hadn't noticed, better safe than sorry."

"Even if it was unneeded, I appreciate it," the Commander thanked, inclining his head. "Your initiative is not going unnoticed."

Well, that was good. Then he could move onto the actual reason he wanted to speak to the Commander. "I'm glad to hear it. Though there was also another matter I wanted to bring to your attention."

"Go ahead," the Commander prompted.

"Is someone called Shaojie Zhang part of XCOM?" Soran asked. "Possibly in the Intelligence branch?"

The Commander cocked his head. "Intelligence Director, actually. Though he, and I, prefer to keep that low profile. Why do you ask?"

As he'd thought. "You know Specialist Shun Anwei?"

"The MSS agent," the Commander recalled. "Yes, I know her."

No surprise there. A Chinese agent, soldier or not, was likely to draw attention, whether it was warranted or not. "Are you familiar with her history?"

The Commander frowned. "I am, but is this going somewhere?"

"Yes," Soran just decided to get to the heart of it. "From speaking with her, she's told me her job primarily involved operations against the Triad, and she had a high…distaste for them, to put it lightly. I'm unfamiliar with Zhang, but if he was part of the Triad, then Shun might have an issue with that. As far as I know, she is unaware he is even part of XCOM, but if she knew I doubt she'd take it rationally."

The Commander pursed his lips. "I see. That will have to be resolved before she finds out on her own. Thank you for telling me this, you might have averted a diplomatic incident."

Now for his own curiosity. "What are you going to do?"

"Tell her," the Commander stated simply. "We can't afford secrets like this right now, and if Shun has an issue sharing a base with a former Triad member, then she's welcome to go back to China. But she doesn't strike me as unreasonable, so she might be convinced to overcome her understandable prejudice."

Huh. That was not the answer he'd really expected. It seemed very…reasonable. Oddly reasonable, in fact. Well then, that certainly answered that question and raised several new questions for him. "Glad to hear it," he finally said. "I'll let you get back to work now, Commander."

"Anytime, Soran," the Commander said as Soran stood and saluted once more. "Again, I appreciate this."

With that Soran walked out the room, very curious now as to how Shun would react when told one of her lifetime enemies was under the same roof. It would likely be entertaining, but he was certain he'd hear about the aftermath, one way or another.