XCOM: The Atlas Protocol

by Xabiar

After the destruction of the dreadnought, tensions between XCOM and the Council are higher than ever. Despite growing opposition and oversight, the Commander doesn't hesitate to push humanity further into uncharted territory, as well as dealing with an ancient global conspiracy, and a growing number of countries looking to take advantage of an invasion that is only just beginning.

28. EXALT Base Assault: Mercado Estate

EXALT Base Assault: Mercado Estate

---

The Citadel, Situation Room

"So you're saying that it…spoke to you?" Bradford confirmed slowly. "Again?"

"I doubt he would have brought it up otherwise," Shen muttered. "Your alien friend is being unusually…helpful."

The Commander scowled as he looked down. "I know. And it worries me."

"To his credit, the alien cipher he gave you is still relevant," Zhang reminded him, as he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "We have yet to detect or discover any issues."

"It still doesn't make any more sense," Van Doorn said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are the aliens trying to lose?"

"No," the Commander sighed as he wandered to the currently shut down holotable and looked down at it. "This time it might actually benefit them."

"Explain?" Bradford said, picking up his tablet.

"The deal the aliens and EXALT have is currently benefiting EXALT more than the aliens," the Commander began. "And EXALT clearly intends to betray them at some point, probably when we've been defeated or even sooner. The aliens aren't exactly fans of that, but EXALT is an additional tool against us now."

"But an independent one," Van Doorn recalled, scratching his chin. "And the aliens want to control it directly, but couldn't really do that because EXALT would also start fighting them and they'd have two dangerous organizations against them."

"Unless, of course, EXALT started to perform worse against XCOM," the Commander continued, seeing them start to get it. "A few losses are expected, of course, but the aliens will be able to justify a more direct takeover if, say, several major bases were to be attacked."

"Such as the Mercado Estate," Bradford said grimly.

"Exactly," the Commander grimaced. "The aliens set up a perfect proxy war using EXALT. No matter who wins, they only become stronger. With every EXALT defeat, they use it to exert more control until it's simply a puppet. With every XCOM defeat, their greatest opponent is weakened. This isn't mentioning the resources we're both using against each other. Resources that should be used against the aliens."

"I have to give them credit," Zhang said, actually sounding impressed. "It is a masterful move, and one EXALT will not learn of until it's too late."

"Unless it were stopped," Shen said, looking around the room. "The aliens clearly engineered this war between us. Perhaps…continuing the fight isn't the answer."

There was silence around the room. "Quite honestly, I would prefer that," the Commander finally said. "But that isn't an option anymore. If EXALT doesn't recognize the aliens are playing them, they never will. And they were against us before the aliens became involved. Remember the cyber-attack? Germany? Aside from that I can't ignore a global organization manipulating events for their own gain."

Zhang nodded. "We can't ignore the threat they pose, alien allied or not."

"Imagine if those resources were turned on the aliens though," Bradford mused. "Provided they could ignore their whole goal of controlling the world."

"But this has to change something," Shen pressed, stepping forward. "Would EXALT still wish war with us if they knew that the aliens were using them?"

"I don't know," the Commander shrugged. "Even if it did, I have no way to prove it. What? You think they take what I say seriously? As the Commander of XCOM or because I had a dream?"

"Aside from that, there is simply no way we can co-exist regardless," Zhang pointed out. "Everything I've learned about EXALT shows me that everything is a means to one end: control of the world. In the hypothetical situation where we both agreed to a simple truce, the instant the aliens were gone, they'd turn on us to continue that goal."

The Commander blinked as a new thought struck him. A simple one; but one that cast a new light on an idea he had.

What if they already controlled the world?

Excluding the current impossibility of that, in theory that would lessen the possibility of betrayal. Of course that would also involve EXALT achieving their dream, and he didn't think that would be a smart idea.

"This discussion is mostly pointless anyway," Van Doorn muttered. "We have the location of the Mercado Estate, provided that this…Aegis…wasn't lying. It's going to be attacked. We have no choice here."

"But we might be able to contact the Director of EXALT directly," Bradford recalled. "This is a major hub by all accounts. It's important to EXALT, which means we might be able to take advantage of its connectivity."

"In the event that is an option, I will speak with the Director," the Commander said, looking at Van Doorn. "Even if it's unlikely, it might cause internal issues if I mention that the aliens are aware of their 'subterfuge.' I'll give a short speech on how the aliens are using both of us and the whole spiel. They won't listen, but I do want to gauge reactions."

"Fair enough," Van Doorn agreed. "Though what if they do want a truce?"

The Commander raised an eyebrow. "Then it's probably a trap and we should proceed very carefully. But I think losing a major base will cause them to rethink certain actions against us."

"In that case, we should move on to the direct aftermath," Zhang said as he turned on the holotable and a map of China appeared. "First decision: Are we going to let China know we're attacking?"

"EXALT probably has people in the government," the Commander shook his head. "Not a good idea."

"Of course it's not a good idea," Zhang agreed, crossing his arms as he looking at the map intently. "But perhaps I should have rephrased that: How angry do you want the Chinese to be at you?"

"If they're smart they'll understand why we couldn't tell them," the Commander insisted.

"I'm sure they'll understand," Van Doorn said with a sigh. "But I can guarantee they won't like it. It'll set a very exploitable precedent if they let it slide too; because then any covert unit can perform operations in China without informing them, then claim it's because the government is 'compromised.'"

"Which we have no proof of," Bradford noted with a pointed look.

"So what will the ramifications be?" The Commander asked, looking at Van Doorn. "I suppose they'll cut their funding? Denounce us publically?"

"Probably both," Van Doorn shrugged. "They might leave the Council, worst case."

Zhang shook his head. "And leave Russia and the United States alone in the Council? Unlikely. Not to mention antagonizing us isn't a wise move."

"This could be considering antagonizing as well," Shen pointed out. "Regardless of the possibility of the mission being compromised, it is official protocol."

"Say we go and find the whole Mercado Estate abandoned?" The Commander asked wearily, looking over to Shen. "Is that going to be any better? At best we'll look incompetent and at worst like we deliberately wasted their time."

"There's advantages and disadvantages to both," Bradford said, setting his tablet down. "But I'm not sure antagonizing the Chinese any more is a good idea. We really made them mad with our Dreadnought stunt."

"Vahlen, you've been oddly quiet," the Commander said, looking over at her where she was looking aimlessly into the distance. "Thoughts?"

She blinking once, and shook her head and focused her attention on him. "I think it's self-explanatory. Who is the greater enemy here? EXALT or China? If EXALT, we should take every advantage possible and deal with the Chinese afterwards. We can justify this; its China's acceptance that will cause problems."

"If we get a handle on this early, it might also negate some of the negative effects," Bradford noted thoughtfully. "Van Doorn might be able to hold his press conference immediately after the attack."

"Oh, wonderful," Van Doorn commented sarcastically. "It's been too long since I've been grilled by the media. Is setting it right after a controversial mission really the best time?"

"If we want to control the narrative, yes," Zhang agreed. "Public opinion can be easily swayed in the first few hours; after that it's much harder. Besides, I think we could possibly cast some doubt on the competence of the Chinese government at the same time."

"How?" The Commander asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Vahlen's test subjects," Zhang revealed, nodding towards Vahlen who pushed herself up and walked by the holotable. "I'd originally planned for an anonymous release, but I think this would suit our needs better."

Vahlen's eyes lit up at that. "Yes! I still have the bodies of the failed test subjects in storage we can use. It would be easy to say they were found at the Mercado Estate."

"And would expose the heinous deeds of EXALT for all to see," Zhang continued, his voice sounding almost smug even if his expression remained neutral. "It would prove that EXALT is not worth defending, and that we were justified in our attack."

"And that all of this happened under the watchful eye of the Chinese won't go unnoticed," Bradford commented. "That actually might make them pull back on public comment."

The Commander smiled. "Perfect. Well done, Zhang."

"The genius is that it can't be refuted," Van Doorn noted, nodding at Zhang with respect. "Not really. It's not as if EXALT can come out and denounce the footage."

"Although we should be prepared for some kind of retaliation," Shen warned, his voice subdued. The Commander was thankful that he'd refrained from any comment on using test subjects to begin with. "They collapsed Brazil. That theoretically means any country could be at risk."

A good point. But it was worth the risk here. "Perhaps," the Commander admitted, looking to Shen. "But we can't be afraid of acting because of what might happen. At best we might be able to make them rethink their strategy. Once they are exposed, people will begin connecting the dots."

"As long as we're aware of that," Shen agreed with a sharp nod. "But I do agree in this case. While questionable, the plan here is sound."

The Commander looked around the room. "Excellent, so here is a rough timeframe," he motioned to China. "I'll lead an assault on the Mercado Estate and secure it-"

"You're leading the assault?" Vahlen interrupted, blinking several times.

"Yes," the Commander nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's past time I took part in an operation. I'm expecting a small army to be waiting, so two skyrangers, including Myra, will accompany me in storming the Estate."

"They'll be in for a surprise," Van Doorn muttered.

"After we secure the Estate, Van Doorn will have his press conference later," the Commander continued. "He'll end it with something along the lines of "We have evidence of the evil deeds of EXALT," and so on, which will lead to us releasing the footage and test subject corpses."

He looked around. "Sound good?"

There were nods across the room. "I suppose I'll have to prepare," Van Doorn sighed. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Should this go well, we'll celebrate," the Commander said wryly. "Drinks are on me."

Van Doorn rolled his eyes. "Do you even drink?"

"No," the Commander chuckled. "But you and Bradford do, and this is one time I'll allow it on duty."

"As long as it's not the cheap stuff," Bradford amended. "If we're going to celebrate, we're doing it proper."

"Just make a list and forward it to me," the Commander suggested. "But everyone do your jobs before getting too excited. We haven't won yet."

"True," Van Doorn chuckled. "But the incentive of a small break is enough incentive."

It actually was. The Commander really did want to allow a short break, even if for a few hours. They all deserved it after literal months dealing with the threats of EXALT and the aliens nonstop. But, first things first.

"Dismissed," he ordered. They saluted and quickly filed out, minus Vahlen who stayed in place absentmindedly.

"Are you alright?" The Commander asked, concerned as he walked up. "You were oddly quiet."

"Sorry," she sighed, looking up. "I was just thinking about what the alien told you. Beyond where the Mercado Estate is."

"Ah," the Commander nodded. It would make sense she was fixated on the other interesting bits. "You mean about what Aegis said about the aliens themselves."

"He called it a collective," Vahlen muttered. "More than that, there are more aliens out there, just as powerful if he's to be believed. The implications…it's made me really think about how insignificant we really are here. This is only one conflict on one planet, not even a speck in the wider galaxy."

"It does make you think," the Commander agreed. "But we should probably focus on the aliens here and now, before worrying about the rest out there."

"True, true," Vahlen agreed, a slight sigh escaping her lips. "But I can't help but wonder what these aliens are, what they're like. Even this Aegis; I'm curious about his species, what drove them to their conquest of other worlds?"

"I think he made that clear," the Commander said. "Because we have 'potential,' whatever that means, and they need an army for when they move the more advanced species."

"Maybe," Vahlen shook her head. "But something still doesn't add up. I think we're missing something and the missing piece is driving me crazy."

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry too much about it. We'll catch one of these aliens one day and you can ask it all the questions you want."

Vahlen smiled at him, a full and genuine one. He knew her serious persona did initially put people off, but she really did have a beautiful smile. It was enough for him to ignore the other signs of stress on her face, the various specks of substances from the lab on it, the faint circles under her eyes and unruly strands of hair out of place. Stuff he'd not have notice before being enhanced.

But he'd never really nitpicked much around women he cared about. "Maybe as a Christmas present?" Vahlen suggested lightly. "I'd like that."

The Commander gave her a smile of his own. "I'll look into that. Hopefully the stores won't be out of stock."

She chuckled lightly. "Hopefully not, but I won't hold it against you." She reached up and gently grasped his hand in her lithe one and lowered it. "I know you're enhanced now," she continued quietly. "But you're not invincible. I sadly wasn't able to make that happen. But you surviving to Christmas would be good enough for me."

He was tempted to make a smart comment about that, but ultimately didn't. It would ruin the moment. "I'll be fine, Moira," he assured her, looking into her eyes. "And this time it'll be because of you."

"Mhmm," she looked up and down his body. "I hope I did a good enough job."

He gave her hand a slight squeeze, not too hard to avoid hurting her. "Trust me," he said lightly. "You did."

"Well then," she let go of his hand reluctantly. "Let's see you prove it."

The Commander inclined his head. "With pleasure."

---

The Citadel, Mission Control

"The police have essentially decided any non-government building will be abandoned," Jackson updated as she pointed to a screen of Brazil. "They've pulled back severely."

"Fatalities?" The Commander asked as he observed the screen. While Bradford, Zhang and Van Doorn were preparing for the Mercado Estate Assault, he figured it would be good to get an update on Brazil. Fortunately Jackson had been more than willing to update him on everything that had happened.

She was still under investigation, but initial reports by Zhang were indicating she was clean. A relief, really. She was proving to be an invaluable part of the team and he'd have hated to execute her for treason. Still, she wasn't cleared yet, but the Commander felt it safe enough to accept information she had and consider her suggestions.

"Varies on which part of the city," Jackson sighed and shook her head. "I've split the protesters into several categories now. Violent, non-violent and confrontational."

"Give me the rundown on sizes and ramifications for each," the Commander ordered.

She nodded and began tapping on her tablet. Several parts of Brazil were highlighted in green, predominately close to the cities. "The non-violent ones are the largest and most coordinated," Jackson began, looking at him. "Predicative, as you've probably guessed. They're trying to strategically protest where it'll have the most effect, which is now at the capital. The primary method of communication is social media, which we're monitoring for signs of extremism."

"Are you forwarding them to the government?" The Commander asked.

"No," Jackson bit her lower lip. "Bradford didn't think it would be wise to rely on them and I agree. Any potential threats are forwarded to the acting military, which at the moment is split from the government."

"Smart," the Commander nodded approvingly. "But I can see these movements being hijacked by people looking to start a war."

"Which is why we're considering the confrontational group the most dangerous," she agreed. "It's not so much an organized group as it is a few individuals just waiting for any excuse to fight. All it takes is one gunshot, one cop or protestor down and everything gets much worse."

Yes, it would. Which was why the police were probably tolerating these protestors for now. Because one wrong move would likely turn the city into a warzone and what would follow after that were mass arrests and detentions, something that neither the police, nor military had the resources for.

"So the violent protesters are outside the cities?" The Commander asked, looking back at the screen.

"Sort of," Ariel tapped on her tablet again and red sections of the country appeared, much more scattered than the big green pockets. "They're operating close to cells, and have attempted several coups in much smaller local cities and neighborhoods. The military is currently putting them down and I suspect they'll be gone by the end of the day."

"What of the government?" The Commander looked back to her. "Still radio silence?"

"Ever since the military took control of the Federal District, there's been no word," she answered, shaking her head. "I think we're looking at a coup."

Hmm. That might actually be beneficial since the military would be able to secure the country much quicker than if they were scattered. Of course it mattered who was in charge of the coup. "Who's the acting head?"

"One sec," Jackson raised a finger and the image of an older light-skinned Hispanic woman with graying cropped black hair appeared. She wore the dark forest green uniform of an officer with the accompanying medals and rank badge. If he had to guess, she was probably about his age, maybe a bit older. Her face was devoid of wrinkles, but was clearly worn and aged.

"Luana Russo," Jackson continued, lowering her tablet. "Current Marshal of the Brazilian Army. Formerly Army General."

"I suppose she gave herself a promotion?" The Commander guessed rhetorically. "So is she clean, or just taking advantage of the chaos?"

"Both, I believe," Jackson answered slowly. "She wasn't implicated, but I have no doubt that she's taking full advantage of this, justified or not. She's been a large proponent of increasing Brazil's military power, which has made her very popular with the soldiers. It's not a surprise she was able to rally them so quickly."

"And the Navy and Air Force? Are they going along?"

"It's not confirmed," Jackson warned, her lips twitching. "But if either branch was firmly against it, they would have acted by now. But if this is a coup, things are probably going to get restricted very fast, especially with her in charge."

The Commander raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because she appointed herself Marshal," Jackson explained grimly. "And that title is only used during wartime. Should Russo announce that the military is taking control, the country is going to be systematically purged of any and all dissenters. At the very least we're looking at a full lockdown of the country."

The Commander frowned as he looked at the image of the woman. "Any other nations tried to make contact?"

"America, Mexico, Argentina and the United Nations have tried to establish contact," Jackson informed. "No response."

"Unsurprising," the Commander said. "This mess will take months to sort out."

"I'm more worried for the surrounding countries," Jackson muttered. "Brazil is a major part of South America. If they suffer, everyone will. No matter who wins, the people are going to lose."

She said it with such sadness and resignation the Commander looked at her again. The resignation was clear on her face, but not in an indifferent way. It was personal. "Do you know people there?"

"Hmm?" She looked up questioningly. "Ah, yes. My grandparents live in Argentina. Close to the border, actually. It's hard enough for them there without Brazil collapsing."

Huh. Jackson had never really mentioned that, and he'd never taken the time to look at her file. "You're from Argentina?"

"No, no," she shook her head, smiling. "Born and raised American. My parents immigrated years before I was born, but I've been there quite a few times. Most of my extended family is still there, in fact."

"Well, I hope that everything turns out alright for them," the Commander said, inclining his head. "But I'm not sure the situation will be resolved for some time."

"I know," Jackson sighed. "But I'll still try, I want to do that much, not just for them, but everyone in the continent."

"Do you have suggestions?" The Commander asked.

"Only one feasible one at the moment," she answered. "We, or rather, you, meet with the new Marshal. She'll respect XCOM more than another government, and we might be able to get a hold in the country before it goes too far."

"Look into that," he ordered. "And prepare for a surge in talk about XCOM."

"Bradford warned me," Jackson chuckled. "Definitely making our public debut as large as possible. Van Doorn's press conference and an attack in China. It'll be definitely interesting to monitor."

The Commander looked up to see Bradford waving him over. "Looks like we're starting," he told her, preparing to move. "Get ready."

"Always, Commander." She nodded. "Good luck."

---

The Citadel, XCOM Intelligence Control

The Commander pulled on his gauntlets and flexed his hands, ensuring they were snug and ready. Satisfied, his stood, grabbed his helmet and walked over to the mirror, his boots causing loud clanks to echo across the room as he moved. He took a good look at himself, encased in his silver armor, complete with the multiple marrings and scrapes from earlier battles.

Everything looked in place. Everything felt tight and snug, and the weight that normally slowed him down seemed to be non-existent. He could feel the additional padding, but it wouldn't hamper him thanks to his modification. He was still fascinated that the rims of his irises were a faint gold, the color of MELD. It was a subtle, yet noticeable change of the modification that he rather liked.

But now it was time to form an assault plan with Zhang and Patricia. He felt it was time to involve her a bit more in the planning stages now so they could take full advantage of her abilities. She'd proven herself to be an excellent field commander, which was why she was going to be his second-in-command this mission.

Seventeen soldiers was far larger than any previous assault unit. But EXALT was no doubt expecting them, and he wanted to send a message of overwhelming force they wouldn't forget. With Patricia's psionics, his and Carmelita's gene mods and Myra, he figured that this time, XCOM had the clear advantage.

He turned on his heel and began making his way towards his locker. Time to get to work. He grabbed the gauss assault rifle and laser sniper rifle mounted inside it and placed them on the slots on his back. The gauss sniper rifle would have been more powerful, but he didn't believe they'd be in a situation where that extra power would be needed. Aside from the low clip size, the laser weapons could still cut entrances and that might be more useful this time.

A gauss pistol, med-kit and smoke grenade. All good, time to head to Zhang.

He'd also let Van Doorn bring Herman up to speed on what was going to happen, minus the fabricated evidence, so he wouldn't be completely unprepared. He could imagine the protests when he learned that China wasn't going to be told ahead of time. A shame, but Bradford would deal with him if he became too disruptive, and the Commander honestly didn't think he'd be a problem.

Herman was proving to be much less of a problem than he'd anticipated. If he kept up his unusually proactive attitude, he might even be inclined to bring him in further. It was clear by now he was no Council puppet. He was still a UN loyalist, but one who could think for himself and even admitted that the organization wasn't perfect.

He still got the impression that Herman didn't exactly like him, but was without a doubt someone he could work with. However, he did wonder if the Council was pleased with his performance. He'd clearly not shared anything damaging, and the faction of the Council that was against him couldn't have been pleased at that.

But until Herman gave him a reason not to, the Commander no longer considered him a dangerous threat. EXALT and the aliens had that pegged for now, and it was time to deal with them. He soon arrived at XCOM Intelligence Control, his helmet tucked under his arm as he entered the room.

Patricia was already there and armored up as well, her red armor just as marred as his, only even more noticeable since any disruption showed up much clearer on color. Both she and Zhang were looking at a hologram of a skyscraper, both stopped talking as he entered. Patricia immediately snapped into a salute and Zhang just nodded.

"At ease," the Commander nodded towards Patricia as he put his helmet beside hers on a nearby table. "Zhang, I assume you've briefed her?"

"Yes, Commander," Zhang confirmed and Patricia nodded as well.

"Good," the Commander said, then looked at Patricia. "Any questions so far?"

"No, Commander," she answered. "Though I will if any come up."

The Commander motioned for Zhang to continue. He nodded and cleared his throat. "We've confirmed the location of the Mercado Estate. Officially it's unused, but the owners of the property are being paid substantially every six months for the usage."

"They're renting it?" Patricia asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "Why?"

"Probably as an additional measure," the Commander guessed. "EXALT doesn't lack money. If they ever get investigated by the Chinese, they'll go to them first and give them time to either erase all evidence or leave."

"Probable," Zhang agreed. "But there's more. All the entrances are barred or trapped. The cyber defenses are equivalent to the Pentagon and the amount of energy the building draws is substantially more than the surrounding block, much less an 'empty' building."

"So our best chance is the roof," the Commander noted, pointing to the roof of the building. "Safest, at any rate."

"I would advise that," Zhang nodded. "We weren't able to detect any AA defenses, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. And I would still expect ambushes to be prepared."

Patricia snorted. "I doubt they could mount anything substantial without anyone noticing."

"AA defenses yes," the Commander answered, drumming his fingers on the holotable. "But I'm sure they have traps prepared. And that will be where you come in handy."

"I can't sense inanimate objects," Patricia warned him.

"I'm not talking about that," the Commander shook his head. "People. Can you pinpoint nearby soldiers and their number?"

She closed her eyes. "I should be able to. But we'll be in a heavily populated area so…I'm not sure I'll be as accurate with so many people around me."

"Well, then this will be a good test," the Commander said. "You won't be working with small groups all the time."

"I know," she sighed. "It might be easier than I think. Soldiers have noticeably different minds, XCOM and EXALT even more so."

"I also want to try using your powers offensively," the Commander suggested, looking into her eyes. "How you do so is up to you, but limiting yourself to just sensing them is a waste."

"What do you suggest?" Patricia asked, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Whatever you think will work," the Commander waved dismissively. "Wipe their minds, force them to commit suicide, control them or terrify them. If I've understood you correctly, you're only limited by your imagination."

"But that takes time," Patricia pointed out. "A few minutes at least."

The Commander pursed his lips. "Then I would say this is either a good opportunity to get faster, or a chance to develop a new way of using your power."

"If that's the case, I might require cover," Patricia said slowly. "It will require my full concentration."

"You'll have sixteen soldiers alongside you," the Commander assured her. "You'll have it."

"In that case, what kind of defenses should we expect?" Patricia asked, turning back towards the holotable.

"We're expecting the soldiers themselves to be 'Venator,'" Zhang answered. "It appears to be a family name, but has also been used to refer to the elite soldiers of EXALT. They're identified by orange bandannas, body armor and a ceremonial shoulder cape."

"We fought them in Mexico, didn't we?" Patricia recalled.

"Yes," the Commander confirmed. "We didn't know it at the time, but it did explain why those soldiers were more skilled than the EXALT guards we've fought previously."

"Expect a hard fight," Zhang continued. "Especially if they've got laser weapons. By now they might have also incorporated alien alloys into their armor, but that isn't confirmed."

"And once we're inside?" Patricia asked.

"Unknown," the Commander admitted. "Unless you've learned something, Zhang?"

He shook his head. "No. But expect traps, ambushes and choke points."

"Right," Patricia grimaced. "One grenade and boom."

"Which is when you'll be essential," the Commander reminded her. "Myra will also be restricted."

"Good point," Zhang scowled. "Let's hope the floors are weak inside."

"Maybe you should have Shen design a smaller MEC," Patricia suggested. "Maybe one that acts more like an exoskeleton instead of a walking tank. Bigger isn't always better in this case."

The Commander and Zhang exchanged a look, and Zhang shrugged. Well, she did have a point. "I'll bring that up next time," he said. "I appreciate the suggestion."

"Of course, Commander."

That was probably the most relevant information they needed. Time to actually make a plan. "Now let's get a plan together. Zhang, did you get my soldier list…"

---

The Citadel, Hanger Bay

"How do you do it?" Patricia asked as they walked to the hanger. "Stay so composed all the time? I've not felt you waver at all."

The Commander thought for a moment. "Probably because I don't see a reason to. Should I feel nervous, surprised?"

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Patricia noted, her voice somewhat subdued.

"I know," the Commander sighed. "But I've fought and seen so much that it's not quite as frightening or disturbing as the first few times. Very little can surprise me."

"Ah," she said. "Yes, you probably would have."

He wondered if she would make a comment on his past, but the moment for that soon passed. "Yes, to answer your question, I am."

He raised an eyebrow and looked to the side as she walked up. "Sorry?"

"You had a flash of curiosity," she shrugged. "Yes, I'm still a bit nervous before entering a firefight. A bit more so now that there's additional pressure."

"As long as you control it, that's all that matters," the Commander encouraged. "And you're perfectly capable of what I ask. I know it."

"You really do," she said quietly. "Thanks, Commander."

He smiled to himself as they kept walking. Both of them approached the hangar door and the Commander flipped his helmet in his hands and placed it on his head, the hiss of the air seeming loud as the helmet sealed and clicked into place. Patricia performed likewise and he nodded at her. "Showtime,"

She saluted and inclined her head. "Let's get'em, Commander."

He waved the door open and strode in, his hands clasped behind his back with Patricia flanking his right side. The fifteen soldiers and two pilots waiting for them quickly formed into two lines and snapped into salutes.

The Commander gave them a second to form up, feeling a surge of pride as he looked at the group of his soldiers. Most had grey, white, tan or black armor, but some had put some color in it, like Patricia but not to an obscene extent, but enough to identify a specific soldier by the armor alone.

This was everything humanity could be; soldiers of different branches, countries, ethnicities and ideologies coming together for the common good. Each individual soldier contributing to the greater good, not matter their past. If only the rest of the world could do the same.

Fortunately, that day might come sooner than later.

"At ease," he ordered, letting his gaze sweep over them, his HUD identifying the soldiers before him, but most he knew by sight. Even the newer soldiers he knew their names and histories, and after this he wouldn't forget them for sure. There was a bond forged in combat that could never be broken after.

"We have located a major command center for EXALT," he revealed. "Our mission will be to storm it and secure it and in turn deal a major blow to the organization and expose their illegal activities not just against us, but the world."

He paused for a moment. "This will be the largest operation undertaken so far; it will not be an easy fight, but you were all selected because you were the best. Now you will prove it to EXALT and the world. Our plan of attack will be discussed en route to the LZ."

He stepped to the side and motioned Patricia to step forward. "Specialists Soran, Samuel, Shun, Veronika, Sarah, Marten and Lesedi, come with me. The rest will be with Patricia," he motioned to the skyrangers. "Load up!"

"Yes, Commander!" They shouted in response and eagerly jogged into the skyrangers. Myra also trudged over to her MEC and began suiting up. The Commander took a seat in the skyranger and watched the door lower and the ramp be raised. He flexed his hands, eager to test his new limits.

"This is Big Sky to Citadel Commander," Big Sky said. "We're departing now. Burning Sky, Gray Sky, you copy?"

"Copy," Burning Sky answered.

"Loading MEC now," Gray Sky answered. "We'll be airborne in one."

"Copy," Big Sky affirmed, his tone on the edge between cocky and serious. "We'll be waiting. Let's go kill some traitors."

---

Skyranger, En route to Mercado Estate

The Commander set a box in the middle of the skyranger floor, pressed the side button and a blue light flickered and finally displayed a crude hologram of the Mercado Estate. He paused for a second for Patricia to set up her own hologram.

"This is the 'Mercado Estate,'" the Commander said. "We're unsure if this is the proper name for their base, but several EXALT captives have referred to it as such. Officially an abandoned building in Beijing, EXALT operates from here in secrecy."

"Are the Chinese aware that EXALT is operating in China?" Soran asked.

"Likely," the Commander said. "However, there's been no indication that they're taking it seriously. This may also be due to EXALT infiltration within the Chinese government."

"Are we working with the Chinese on this?" Shun asked curiously, fiddling with her gauss rifle. "They won't take kindly to XCOM-"

"We can't risk the EXALT learning of an attack in advance from Chinese agents," the Commander interrupted firmly, making it clear he was shutting this line of talk down. "No. XCOM is performing this independently. The Chinese government will be handled after the mission is completed."

Shun gave a quick nod. "Understood, Commander."

"Now," the Commander motioned to the hologram. "We'll be deploying on the roof and beginning a systematic sweep from there."

"What should we expect?" The voice of Creed asked.

"EXALT's elite soldiers," the Commander answered. "They're referred to as "Venators," some of you fought them in Mexico, so we're likely in for a hard fight. Do not underestimate them. This is their turf."

"Which likely means traps," the CT agent Veronika noted.

"Probably," the Commander agreed. "But we're not pressed for time here. We'll clear floor-by-floor if needed. We've also got Patricia to warn us of any possible ambushes."

"I'll sense for hidden groups," Patricia said. "They won't be able to hide behind walls."

"They'll probably let us make the first move," the Commander said. "So we'll have time to set up. That's best case though. Once we're in position on the roof, Myra will be dropped and we'll proceed inward."

"Will Myra be able to fit inside?" Marten asked, looking around the skyranger. "I'm, uh, not sure she'll fit in the elevator."

"Worst case, she cuts a hole in the floor," the Commander answered. "We'll have a better idea once we land. We don't know the layout, so we're going in blind beyond the first floor."

"There'll probably be a lot of hallways," Samuel observed. "Perfect for grenades."

"Which we'll have to be careful of," the Commander agreed. "We're not sure what we'll find here, so capturing prisoners is not a priority. They'll be useful, but if given the chance, shoot to kill. I don't want to lose anyone today."

"Here, here," Shun agreed.

"Then prepare yourselves," the Commander advised, leaning back. "Our victory here will cripple EXALT's operations in Asia. Let's make it happen."

There was a chorus of affirmation and they lapsed into a subdued silence as they sat anxiously in preparation for the final deployment. A short while later, the lights turned a hard red and all the soldiers instantly sat up. "Commander, this is Big Sky," he said. "One minute till arrival. Prepare to deploy."

"Got it," he confirmed. "Specialist Trask, you ready?"

"And waiting, Commander."

The Commander stood and made his way near the exit and the rest of the soldiers stood and unhooked their weapons with a variety of clicks and hisses. Some still used laser weapons, the rest gauss. Soran stood beside him, holding the gauss rifle calmly. "This is it," he muttered, seemingly more to himself than anyone else.

The Commander didn't feel that warranted a response, so let the comment fade into silence. His gauss rifle felt unusually light, but no less solid. Time to see what he could do with it. The skyranger gradually slowed to a stop and the ramp lowered with a hiss and a cool wave of air hit him as they hovered over the skyscrapers.

It looked so tiny, surrounded on all sides by concrete and steel behemoths. Thousands of people unaware of what was about to happen. The Commander looked down; past the skyscraper to the far ground below. No way would his modification save him from this height. One misstep and he'd plunge to a rather undignified death.

But life was always full of risks, and all he had to do was land on one specific skyscraper.

Easy enough.

He looked to the side to see Burning Sky's skyranger hovering alongside his own, Patricia already ordering her team to deploy as ropes deployed from the sides. A few seconds later ropes fell from his own skyranger.

No response so far, excellent.

"Deploy!" He roared and charged off the ramp and onto the roof below.

---

Beijing, Mercado Estate

The Commander hit the ground with a soft thud and took a moment to observe his surroundings as the rest of the soldiers landed behind him. Immediately to his right was an elevated helipad. Empty, but it might provide some cover should they be attacked out here. There were also six AC units on the rightmost side, which would also be essential.

Still, there was precious little cover everywhere else. But probably twenty feet in front was the entrance to the Estate itself. Two wide glass doors were the only visible entrances he could see. Concrete walls extended from the doors to almost the edge of the roof itself, and they lacked any sort of windows or openings that he could see, and the walls were devoid of any sort of paint or covering. It had clearly been designed to be as inconspicuous as possible.

But just from here he could see just into the initial room. A strange black pyramid caught his attention as it was the centerpiece in the entrance. A couple portraits hung up on the wall of unknown people and he could see a couple red rugs that led into opposite rooms to the right and left of the entrance. It looked rather luxurious, with the two lush oak chairs and ornate table with a vase of healthy roses, which he supposed wasn't a surprise for an organization as old and powerful as EXALT.

The rest of the soldiers grouped up behind him, weapons at the ready. "Get into cover," her ordered as he began moving towards one of the AC units for cover. "Patricia, you're with me."

"Got it," she answered, raising her gauss autorifle and taking her place beside him. The soldiers with longer range weapons went behind the helipad ramps and railings and raised their weapons at the entrance. The rest of them took positions behind the AC units, the ones with the new gauss variant of the shotgun, the 'Alloy Cannon,' taking a more forward position.

Myra landed soon after and took a place near the center, her own weapon trained on the entrance as they waited. "We're in position," Creed affirmed from the helipad, looking over to visually confirm with a nod.

"Acknowledged, don't move until I give the order," the Commander looked over to Patricia beside him. "Do your part."

She nodded and let the tip of her weapon hit the ground as her free hand closed into a fist. The Commander kept his attention focused on the entrance, looking for some sign of EXALT, but occasionally glanced back to Patricia. At first everything seemed normal, but now there was a very clear distortion around her, almost like a heat wave where the air rippled around her.

"There are twenty, maybe thirty in the room beyond," she said, her voice doubled and sounding uncomfortably like Aegis. "They know we're here. They're coming."

"Good job," the Commander nodded. "They're coming!" He called to the rest. "Get ready!"

A sense of calm suddenly fell upon him, the world instantly seemed to become crisper, clear, even though that shouldn't have been possible. The sounds of the night faded away except for the sounds of their breathing and the movements of the soldiers. He felt a hand touch his shoulder pad and grip it, and he turned to see Patricia doing it, faint wisps of purple energy sparking off her.

He blinked as odd thoughts began entering. Two groups of four soldiers running now. Coming up the stairs. Coordinated. Prepared. He knew more than should be possible; he knew where they were now.

Which meant he didn't have much time. "Leonid! Fakhr! Prepare rockets to fire on my command. Aim for the entrance!"

He looked over to see both soldiers already beginning to load their rocket launchers, as if they'd started before he'd even finished the command. Leonid finished first and aimed his rocket at the entrance from on the helipad. Fakhr finished a few seconds later and knelt down in the gap between AC units and aimed her rocket at the opposite side of the entrance.

Just a few seconds more. The soldiers were just stepping into the adjoining rooms…now.

"Fire!"

Both soldiers fired even before the first letter was out of his mouth. Both rockets sped towards the entrance and shattered the glass doors as they hit and finally crashed into the hard wall. Or at least, would have, had a group of EXALT soldiers not charged through first.

The night lit up with a tremendous explosion that rocked the roof. The odd sculpture that had been in the middle of the opening room was gone and the Commander saw the area splattered with shrapnel, fire and blood. It also broke whatever trance Patricia had put them in and the world resumed it's normal noises and distractions.

There must have been more EXALT soldiers directly behind the first wave, because they immediately took up positions behind the ruined walls and began firing their laser weapons. XCOM returned fire instantly, barrels flashing red as they spat out deadly projectiles. The Commander peeked out from cover and got a first real look at them.

Yep, they were definitely Venator. At least six armored men and women were methodically aiming and shooting, seemingly nonplussed by the death of their comrades. They were well trained too, they were dodging gauss and laser fire from all sides while managing to fire off some shots of their own.

The Commander lined up a shot with his rifle and fired. The EXALT soldiers he aimed at fell back, his head virtually gone. It hadn't even been a difficult shot thanks to his enhanced eyesight.

"Look to the walls!" Veronika called out and the Commander noted suddenly that some of the bare concrete walls on both sides of the burning entrance he'd noted earlier slid up to reveal twin turrets per wall, each one manned by an EXALT soldier, though these wore red bandannas. Well, it seemed like they held something interesting after all.

The turrets themselves were single-barreled, though massive in size, about twice as large as an XCOM autolaser and were built behind the wall so the more delicate machinery of the turret was protected. The gaps in between the turret and wall, which allowed them to swivel and aim were apparently unprotected, but he did note that there was some kind of glass or plastic that covered the gunner's heads, which he assumed was bulletproof at the very least.

It might stand up against bullets, but gauss powered projectiles might be a different story. He began lining up a shot but before he could do so the turrets began firing simultaneously, red bursts of light spitting out at an incredible rate, eating into the AC units most were hiding behind and already the cover on the helipad was behind reduced as the lasers tore into it.

The entire front line of XCOM was forced into cover as the lasers raked over the initial area, scorching the metal which also sparked with each laser pulse. "Myra! Take care of the entrance!" The Commander ordered as he heard a lull in the fire. "Everyone else concentrate fire on the turrets."

"Copy, Commander," Myra affirmed and charged toward the entrance, her flamethrowers clicking into place as she stomped toward the five EXALT soldiers who frantically fired beams of fire in a vain effort to stop her.

Carmelita peeked out and took a look where the turrets on the left side were, leaned back and turned on her heel. Taking a step back, she jumped up into the air, over the AC unit towards the far wall, landing in a perfect place between the two turrets that couldn't swivel to aim at her. James took her spot, and he, Veronika, Patricia and Carmelita began firing on the turrets.

On the other side, entrenched on the helipad, Samuel, Tayla, Marten and Shun were all focus-firing the turrets on the right side of the entrance. Lesedi and Soran were taking longer shots at the opposite one from the back. The protective glass did manage to sustain an impressive amount of fire, but it proved to not be as strong under a hail of gauss fire.

A scream rang out and the Commander looked to see the ruins of the turret closest to the left side of the building, the barrel shattered and blood splattering the broken glass of the head protection. He couldn't see directly into the building, but he assumed that the person manning the turret had died.

Carmelita reloaded and cocked her alloy cannon and begin repeating the procedure with the second turret, sending shards of metal at the likely-terrified soldier. "Flushing them out," Myra informed at the building's entrance and cones of flame burst from her wrists, engulfing two soldiers instantly and forcing the remaining ones into a complete retreat.

Another shout from the right side indicated that another turret had been neutralized. "Hold position!" He called to Myra. He didn't want to split them up yet.

"Snipers!" Soran called and the Commander looked to the roof to see six more EXALT soldiers taking positions in well-made and defended snipers nests which had clearly been erected after the fighting started. They were barriers similar to the deployable cover he'd seen EXALT use before, but these were a dark gray and had narrow slits just big enough for a sniper rifle and a sharpshooter to look out of.

"Take them out!" The Commander ordered as he began aiming at the snipers who began raining sizzling beams of energy down on the XCOM soldiers on the helipad. He tried lining up a shot but scowled and put it away. He needed a sniper rifle if he wanted to land a shot and quickly switched to it.

"Ah!" Marten grunted as a laser beam hit his shoulder, forcing him back. The remaining turret was still firing at them, making a retreat suicide. The Commander suddenly noticed one of the snipers put down her rifle and raise a very familiar weapon in its place while aiming towards the helipad.

"Rocket! Clear the helipad!" The Commander yelled and tossed his smoke grenade into the area to give them some cover. The five XCOM soldiers began running back as the rocket struck the ground near them a second later. Shun, Samuel and Lesedi were thrown to the ground by the ensuing shockwave, but seemed otherwise fine. Soran tossed another smoke grenade as sniper fire continued raining down, some striking the armor.

Marten and Tayla weren't so lucky. Marten was torn apart by the proximity of the rocket striking him, and Tayla suffered the same fate, albeit that she didn't die instantly. Missing several fingers and covered in blood from her wounds, she tried raising her hand for help, but several precise sniper shots ended her life before the Commander could even think of rushing over to help.

"Two down!" Lesedi called furiously as she returned sniper fire with her own weapon. Still behind the far back of the helipad, she'd avoided being caught anywhere near the blast.

"Status!" The Commander called as he and Patricia rained suppressive fire on the snipers.

"Got my arm and leg," he heard Samuel answered. "I'll be fine. Get Blake for Shun, the shrapnel got her bad."

Ok, maybe they'd all not gotten out ok. He risked a glance back to Samuel, then scowled as he realized that they were behind the back AC unit and he couldn't see. He quickly adjusted his helmet feed to Samuels and he hadn't exaggerated.

It looked like the armor had absorbed most of the blast, but the shrapnel had embedded itself in her joints and gaps in the armor. He could see her chest rising and falling rapidly; not a good sign. "Blake! Get back and help her!"

"Copy!" Blake yelled from his left and began running back.

"More are coming," Myra informed, taking a step back as a new barrage of lasers hit her, leaving her armor more scorched than ever.

Options. Right, the snipers had to be eliminated, the turrets had to be eliminated. The snipers had the advantage here, and they would definitely make another rocket attack difficult due to sheer number of them. But he had a much better idea for how to deal with them now.

"James! Switch weapons!" He called pulling out his gauss rifle by the barrel. James didn't question him and tossed his alloy cannon towards the Commander and he tossed his weapon in return. The Commander caught the square-barreled weapon, easily. Like all the gauss weapons, it was a solid weapon, it's barrel plated with alien alloys and the core glowing a soft gold. He cocked the weapon and looked at Carmelita.

"We'll take them on the roof!" he yelled, then looked at Patricia. "Patricia, lead the ground attack. Carmelita and I will clear the roof!"

"Got it!" She confirmed. "Covering fire on the snipers now!"

As they were forced into cover by the barrage of magnetically propelled projectiles, the Commander rushed up to the wall by Carmelita and looked up. Yes, he could make the jump. He bent his knees and pushed up. He overshot the guard wall by a few feet, but was easily able to position himself to land on the roof with ease.

Carmelita landed beside him, falling to one knee and quickly rose. The Commander took the opportunity to look around the roof. Ventilations shafts ran across it in an apparent random order. They might provide cover in a tight situation, but the Commander didn't exactly think they'd hold up well against lasers.

A concrete wall about waist high ran around the perimeter, and the side facing the current warzone had several snipers nests set up, the EXALT snipers focusing fully on the much larger squad down below. The Commander also noted some skylights, two roughly placed in the middle, and two in the back of the roof. They appeared to be glass and seemed to lead down inside the building itself. The skylights themselves were angled up, almost structured like a mini-roof of it's own.

Interesting. He'd have to make use of that once the snipers were dealt with.

He and Carmelita both exchanged a look and then focused on the team of snipers methodically shooting at XCOM. One of them looked up, noticed them and shouted, eyes widening as he saw the new threat.

The Commander smiled, took a running start and jumped again towards them. All of them stumbled back in surprise, their red and orange bandannas whipping in the wind as they struggled to switch weapons. The Commander landed directly in front of one at the end and fired point-blank into the first lightly armored sniper, caving in her chest and blowing her body back several feet.

Realizing that he wouldn't reach his weapon in time, the second woman charged him from the side, brandishing a serrated knife. The Commander smiled and stepped to the side as she swiped at his neck. The Commander easily caught her arm and twisted it with no more effort than snapping a branch. She screamed as the joint almost completely turned around as a result of his new strength.

In one fluid motion he kicked her to the ground and pinned her with his boot while following up with another blast from the alloy cannon into her head which turned it into a red splat on the concrete. This weapon was now in the running for his favorite. Remembering the others, he quickly spun around but needn't have worried.

Two EXALT soldiers laid on the ground, their chests and limbs ripped apart from Carmelita's alloy cannon. One body was sprawled against a skylight, his blood coloring the glass a dark red and the other was hung over a now-dented ventilation shaft, most of his head gone and leaking blood onto the concrete.

The final two were retreating across the roof, leaping over the ventilation shafts and running over the skylights, firing frantically with laser pistols while Carmelita stormed toward them, basking in their terror.

And they were terrified. He could see it in their eyes. Their red bandannas meant they weren't part of the Venator EXALT soldiers, these were probably just guards realizing their lives were about to end. Carmelita seemed in no rush to finish the job either, as he saw her maneuvering them into the far left corner of the roof. Panic made their laser beams go far to the right and left, even making the rare hit was barely noticed by Carmelita.

The Commander decided to save some time and leapt over the skylights and ventilation shafts and landed on the left side of the roof, a short way across from her and the terrified EXALT soldiers, essentially ensuring that they wouldn't keep retreating.

Once the rightmost soldier backed into the concrete barrier, Carmelita made her move and charged with blinding speed towards him, grabbed him by the throat and raised him a few inches off the ground. The Commander also charged the final sniper closest to the corner and fired the alloy cannon at his upper chest.

His body turned red as his throat was shredded, along with his jaw and shoulders. The body was thrown back by the force into the barrier where the corpse went still. The Commander looked over to see Carmelita slit the man's throat and then toss him off the building, blood spilling from his neck as he fell to his death.

The Commander snorted as he walked over to her. "That might have been a little excessive."

She looked over, her helmet and armor splattered with blood. "It worked."

Well, he couldn't exactly argue that. "Fair point," he conceded. "Patricia! We've cleared the roof. Status?"

"Both turrets are destroyed and we're moving inside," she answered. "Shun is stabilized and I've left Soran to watch her. We're currently holding outside the deep interior."

The Commander turned his attention to the skylights, taking the opportunity to look inside them. He couldn't see much from the limited view, but it seemed to be as well-furnished as the entrance, although he couldn't see any soldiers inside from this angle. But it was definitely a weakness they would exploit.

He indicated them to Carmelita with a nod. "Look,"

"Ah," she noted, walking cautiously up to them. "This will be useful."

"Agreed," the Commander said with a smile. "Patricia, there's skylights on the roof. Once you begin your second attack we'll come through them for a flank."

"Understood," she acknowledged. "I'm sensing at least a dozen inside. I'm going to try something, stand by for my attack."

The Commander waited a few minutes, both he and Carmelita ready to break the skylight and drop inside. "Attack in three," Patricia finally said. "One, two, three!"

Both the Commander and Carmelita fired their alloy cannons into the skylight and it shattered after a few volleys. Carmelita pulled out her laser pistol and quickly cut the beams impeding their way as the shattered glass fell to the floor. Their way clear, both jumped into the room and landed in the back of it, large floor-to-ceiling windows behind them.

His first impressions had been correct; this was one of the most ornamented rooms he'd ever seen. Red rungs lined the floors and skins of rare animals were displayed prominently throughout. Portraits and paintings hung upon the walls and every piece of furniture was a rich, expensive oak.

There was also something like a second floor over the whole room. At each side he noted a stairway the lead up to it, which then extended to something like a balcony almost up to the entrances that let to this room on the left and right. These two apparent balconies, which were lined with wooden railings and red rugs on the floors, were connected by one overarching bridge which overlooked the entire room.

The room also had a small u-shaped depression in it, starting from near the entrances, and then wrapping around the elevated centerpiece of the room. The Commander noted two more sets of stairs that led down right from their own position, leading into the depression that seemed primarily devoted to housing expensive pictures and items.

But what really caught his attention was the centerpiece of the room. A massive red hologlobe was displayed in the center of the room, elevated above the depression. The Commander didn't know if this was a coincidence or not, but Carmelita summed up his feelings pretty clearly.

"You've got to be kidding me," she stated in disbelief.

The Commander then swept the room for enemies. Two sets of four were positioned facing Patricia's oncoming attack from both sides, some in the depression, some out of it. They were more entrenched than outside, which would have worked well, had he and Carmelita not been behind them. The two balconies on either side also held two soldiers, more snipers using the sniper's nest equipment from the roof, who began firing at XCOM, who were taking cover behind the nearby walls.

"Let's go," the Commander said.

"Wait," Patricia interrupted. "Let me try something."

The Commander held up a hand signaling for Carmelita to hold for a minute. He saw Patricia stand up and extend a hand towards the mass of EXALT soldiers. "Mahakam!" She shouted and finished with a twist of her wrist.

The Commander had no clue what she'd said, but the results became clear soon enough. One of the EXALT soldiers suddenly turned to the man she was entrenched behind and opened fire. "Die, traitor!" She yelled and began firing at the other shocked EXALT soldiers.

"She actually did it," the Commander muttered in amazement.

"Let's help her out," Carmelita said, raising her weapon. "Left or right?"

"Left," the Commander answered. "I'll clear that balcony."

She nodded and they both charged into the ornate room. The Commander leapt up on the bridge connecting the balconies, easily clearing the wooden railing and began approaching the oblivious soldiers too preoccupied with XCOM to notice him behind them. The Commander noted with interest that crossed flagstaffs with spear tips hung on the wall, one with the flag of China, the other Russia.

Interesting.

But not relevant at the moment. He fired at the first soldier, the alloy cannon shredding his back and he fell forward with a scream of surprise. The other turned around with a shout as the Commander grabbed one of the flags hanging up and quickly jabbed the end into the man's throat with lightning speed.

He choked and using the spear tip as a means of control, the Commander forced him to the side, then back, the spear tip still buried in his throat until he was pushed off the edge. The Commander heard the thud, discarded the bloodied flag and leapt over the balcony to ensure he was dead. Once he landed, one look was enough to confirm it. If the fall hadn't killed him, he'd have bled out soon anyway.

He looked up just in time to observe Myra immolate several more EXALT soldiers as they tried to run away. Not that it did them much good, since the advancing XCOM soldiers shot them in the back with ease. Carmelita had also cleared her balcony, and leapt down to regroup with the rest of them.

Silence fell over the room and the Commander rushed over to join Patricia. "Good work," he congratulated, noting the corpse of the woman who'd betrayed EXALT. "How did you do it?"

She took a shuddering breath. "I set a trigger. A word that when she heard, she would suddenly realize that her soldiers were traitors and should be killed. I'm not sure how long it would have lasted, but enough for a distraction."

"Good work, regardless," the Commander agreed. "Now-whoa!"

Patricia suddenly fell forward and the Commander quickly moved forward to catch her. Creed and Blake also rushed forward and helped steady her. "Take off her helmet," Blake instructed as they lowered her to the ground.

"I'm fine," Patricia protested weakly as she lifted her helmet off her. She looked exhausted, her face was flushed and sweaty, the irises were much bigger than they should have been and her breath ragged.

"No, you're not," Creed answered. "You pushed yourself too far."

Which was a going to be a problem. They still have the rest of the building to clear and he was by no means convinced that EXALT was defeated. They were winning, but there was still much to do.

"I agree," Blake nodded. "Your psionics took a toll. You need a break at the very least."

"No!" She scowled, and forced herself up. "You need me now!"

"We do," the Commander nodded. "But preferably alive. And conscious."

"Wait," Patricia raised a hand. "Are there any left alive."

The Commander looked around. "No."

"Damn it," Patricia muttered. "Listen, I have an idea," he waved her hand aimlessly. "Maybe I can….I don't know, siphon energy from one of them. Just enough to keep me awake."

Everyone looked at her. "You can do that?" The Commander asked cautiously.

"I don't know," she growled, her exhaustion clearly cutting through. "But I'm doing a lot of stuff I didn't know I could do today. Maybe this won't work, but I want to try and it's better than me sitting out."

"Fine," the Commander turned to the rest of the soldiers. "We're going to keep moving down. Lesedi, James and Samuel. Stay with Myra until I give the word. Upon it Myra will cut her way to the next floor. Everyone else, with me! Creed, stay with Patricia. Keep her safe."

"Understood, Commander," he nodded and Patricia put her helmet back on and put her arm around Creed for support. The Commander nodded and began moving towards the door marked as a stairway. He and Carmelita set up on each side of the door and opened it, weapons at the ready.

Nothing yet.

They cautiously made their way down the drab concrete stairs, weapons raised for any traps or soldiers. They descended for what seemed like a long ways until they found a door. The Commander and Carmelita once again took positions, but this time the Commander looked at Patricia who seemed a bit more stable now.

"Can you sense anything?" He asked.

"One sec," she murmured and they waited anxiously for a couple minutes until Patricia slumped forward, forcing Creed to fall to one knee to keep her from keeling over. "Wait for it," she muttered. "You'll know when to go in."

A muffled explosion rocked the floor and the Commander didn't have time to argue. "Stay with her!" He ordered Creed and kicked open the doors to reveal a wide white lab room. Tables, sensors, glass containers and pods were set up in an organized way and it extended throughout the entire floor.

"Myra, now!" He said and they charged in. The bodies of several EXALT soldiers were thrown against some overturned tables, their bodies ripped as though by a grenade. There were still eight more soldiers who immediately began firing at the approaching XCOM soldiers.

The white room was instantly filled with deadly lasers and projectiles. The Commander found himself by Fakhr who helped him turn over a table for cover. "You still have a rocket left?" He asked as he switched to his laser sniper rifle.

"Yes," she confirmed as she laid down fire against two Venator EXALT soldiers. "But only one."

"Take out the right group!" He ordered. "Suppress them!" He yelled as the rest of them. "Rocket towards the right!"

"Understood!" They all yelled and began a barrage of suppressive fire that forced all the soldiers into cover while Fakhr loaded up the rocket and aimed. She stood and aimed. "Firing rocket!" she yelled. "Take cover!"

The Commander knelt back into cover as the weapon roared to life and sped away. He felt and heard the explosion than followed and looked up to see the obliterated bodies of most of the EXALT force. Two had managed to survive; one was gravely wounded, his leg amputated at the knee and the other had managed to get into cover, but was clutching his ears as the concussive blast hit him.

XCOM gear provided protection from aftereffects like that, unfortunate that EXALT didn't have that luxury. At that same time, a chunk of the ceiling fell in and Myra fell down with a thundering thud. She quickly executed the wounded soldier, but the Commander quickly raised a hand before she could administer justice to the remaining one. "Wait! We want him alive."

She nodded and walked over to him, even as he managed a pitiful attack with his pistol. She reached with her hand and grasped the body, pinning it in place. The Commander nodded to Fakhr. "Get Patricia in here." She gave a brief nod and rushed off.

The Commander walked over to the pinned man, who was recovering and looking at him hatefully, fury in his brown eyes. "Save your energy," the Commander advised with a smile. "You'll need it."

He just glared at him. The Commander had to respect his courage while being held by a giant humanoid machine. Patricia soon walked in, supported by Creed. She said something to him and he reluctantly let her go and she took a moment to right herself. "This might take a second," she warned and pulled off her gauntlet and placed her bare hand on the man's throat.

Now he started to look worried. "What is she doing?" He hissed, his voice betraying his Russian origins.

"Shh," Patricia murmured. "Quiet."

At that the air around her rippled and the man began thrashing as the distortion began to affect him as well. The Commander didn't know how long it lasted, all of them were entranced and concerned by the spectacle in front of them. After what he could only assume was minutes, the man's eyes rolled up into his head and he went completely limp.

Patricia let go of his throat and stepped back. "Done," she said quietly, her voice much stronger. "I guess it worked."

The Commander looked at the man. "Did you kill him?"

"I don't think so," Patricia answered as she pulled on her gauntlet. "He's unconscious now, I think. But I didn't try to kill him. But I did learn something interesting, there's only one more floor with EXALT soldiers."

"Just one?" Creed asked, the frown apparent in his voice.

"Yes," Patricia confirmed. "They sent most of their soldiers to the first floor. They thought that would be more than enough. The remaining ones are making a last stand below."

"Excellent," the Commander nodded. "Myra, return to the roof and prepare for Artifact recovery and any Chinese patrols that come by. Everyone else with me!"

There was a chorus of affirmations and they all rushed to the stairway before raising their weapons again and descending down the final set of stairs. The Commander and Creed took positions on the sides of the door and Patricia stepped in front of it and put her hand on it. Her head bowed, the Commander allowed her time to work.

"There are rooms here," she said in a trance. "Four groups of three set to ambush us. I can take care of one. Then one lone person in another."

"Do it," the Commander ordered. "Be ready!"

Patricia stepped back and a faint explosion reached their ears. The Commander and Creed threw open the doors to reveal an empty hallway. Blake joined his side as they walked forward, weapons raised. A turret suddenly dropped down from the ceiling, but was instantly eradicated by a hail of gauss fire.

The hallways than branched two separate ways, left and right. Commander took the left and Carmelita took the right. The soldiers evenly split up with no words since they just stuck with the side they were already on. Patricia at his side, the Commander slowly kept advancing down the hall. Patricia thrust out an arm, stopping him immediately. "In here, waiting."

The Commander nodded and he and Creed set up another door breach and with a nod the Commander kicked in the door and unloaded several blasts of the alloy cannon into one surprised soldier. Creed executed the other with several shots to the head while Patricia killed the last one by unloading a sustained barrage into the woman's chest, ripping it apart.

"Clear!" The Commander called, then stepped back into the hallway.

"There's someone up in this room," Patricia murmured as they approached a wooden double door. They repeated the door set-up and kicked in the door to reveal one lone man, sitting alone in an almost empty, bare room that lacked furniture or coverings.

He looked decidedly unimpressed with them. He was older, probably fifty or sixty, wore glasses and a suit with a red tie. Chinese for sure, but his English was impeccable. "So, you made it here," he inclined his head. "I suppose congratulations are in order."

The Commander motioned the rest of the soldiers to form a semi-circle as he took a closer look around the room. A bit to the right was an interesting setup, glowing posts of some kind, as well as a hanging projector, not dissimilar to the hologram displays in the Citadel. Hmm.

"Who are you?" The Commander asked warily.

"Diguon Mercado," the man answered. "You've earned the right to know that, for what little good it will do you."

"You'll do perfectly fine," the Commander said. "Cooperate and you may not be executed."

Diguon smirked. "Really, Commander. Your warning, while appreciated, is unnecessary. I will not tell you anything."

The Commander also smiled under his helmet. He'd heard that one before, and back then it might have been an issue. But now…"Not willingly, no," the Commander agreed. "Fortunately, we don't need you to."

"Will you use her instead?" Diguon asked, standing as he nodded to Patricia. "I've watched your assault. And I will not let your soldier exercise her power over me!"

"Back!" Patricia yelled as she raised her weapon. "He has a grenade!"

His body shuddered as dozens of bullets ripped into it and then fell to the floor with a thud. Samuel walked over to the body and knelt down, and gingerly lifted up a hand grenade Diguon had strapped to his belt.

"I'm sorry," Patricia murmured, letting her arms fall to her sides. "I should have sensed his intentions. I could have stopped him."

"Not your fault," the Commander assured her. "We should have guessed he'd rather die than go with us. Come on, we might as well see what this setup here is. And don't worry, Patricia, he won't be the only EXALT leader we'll catch."

The soldiers began looking at the setup connected to a computer and after a few minutes, Fakhr them waved him over. "I think this is a holographic communications system,"

"Huh," the Commander said, looking over her shoulder. "I didn't know that was a thing."

"I don't think it is," Fakhr shook her head. "But EXALT seems to have something like it. What's interesting is that there's a list of outgoing calls. No names or locations, but we might be able to call one of them."

The Commander smiled. "Set it up. Let's see who we get."

---

The Bastion, Communications Center

Saudia and Ethan stood waiting. Ethan was pacing, Saudia was more controlled, though no less concerned. They'd received the signal indicating the Mercado Estate was under attack several hours ago, which had come as a surprise to all of them. That meant that XCOM had bypassed the Chinese and attacked directly.

A risky move that she didn't think that the Commander of XCOM would have taken. Even if they lost the element of surprise, they wouldn't have to risk political fallout from the Chinese. But apparently this Commander either didn't care or had already anticipated it and had a plan to mitigate it. Each one was worrying and she was fortunate she'd elected to remove the critical staff and projects from the Estate early, else this would be much worse.

She'd miscalculated here, not just her either. Diguon had been certain they would hear of an XCOM attack beforehand, and then have a few precious minutes to prepare. But now all they could do was wait and see. Given how much time had passed, Saudia was beginning to suspect that the Estate had fallen. Diguon might be captured or dead, which was the biggest blow since it would take time to find a replacement.

Unfortunately, the Mercado family was probably the worst one to have a sudden vacancy. Their size and split between the Russian and Chinese sides was going to have both of them vying to place their own candidates in place. It unfortunately wasn't a simple matter of succession either, the inner circle of Mercado advisors ultimately decided after much deliberation.

But they didn't have time for that now. XCOM had solidified itself into a legitimate threat with this attack, and they couldn't afford the power plays that would normally follow the death of a family head. In a more peaceful time, she'd have let them sort it out, but now it might be best to demand that she appoint Diguon's successor.

"The Estate must be lost," Ethan muttered as he kept pacing. "Not that it really matters. It would have been lost even if they'd won. The Chinese would take it over regardless, but we should have heard something now."

"I agree," Saudia sighed. "But-"

The tablet on Ethan's table began beeping, indicating an incoming message. He rushed over and picked it up. She let him study it a few seconds before asking. "What is it?"

"Security footage," he answered distractedly as she walked over. "Of the attack. No word from him."

Saudia looked over his shoulder at the footage and blinked. "What is that?"

"It's….a robot," Ethan answered, just as confused as her. "I think."

A robot that towered over the rest of the XCOM soldiers and shrugged off laser and ballistic fire like water. Saudia kept watching as the machine charged toward the front entrance of the Estate and shot cones of flame into the soldiers.

"I suppose this explains the charred bodies we recovered," Saudia muttered in realization. "This-"

Another beep from the communications computer caught her attention and she rushed over to it and pursed her lips as she read the screen. "Call incoming from the Mercado Estate."

Ethan put down his tablet and walked over. "I would like to assume the best…"

"But it probably isn't him," Saudia finished grimly as she pressed several buttons on the interface. "I'm scrambling our frequency so no one can track this. Step back, I'll speak to whoever this is alone."

"It could be the Chinese," Ethan warned.

"Unlikely," Saudia answered with a shake of her head. "If XCOM didn't want to warn the Chinese they were attacking, they'll definitely not let them test out the communications array. Besides, victors want to gloat."

"I guess the silver lining is that we'll get to meet someone high up in XCOM," Ethan muttered. "Something, at least."

Saudia initialized the holographic array and a few seconds later the image converged into the figure of an XCOM soldier. He was in a wide stance, his hands clasped behind his back. He was clearly accustomed to being in charge by the looks of it. The armor was silver and thicker than typical XCOM armor, with the emblem in the center chest.

Two weapons were attached to his back, what looked like a sniper rifle and a shotgun variant. She did find it somewhat amusing that even with his armor, she was still taller than him, although just by a hair. His helmet completely hid his face and was armored fully minus the darkened visor where the eyes would be. Both armor and helmet were splattered with drying blood, which didn't exactly bode well for her soldiers stationed there.

"Greetings," he said, inclining his head towards her. His voice was deep, even before the synthesization from his helmet and holographic array. "I presume you are Director Saudia Vyandar?"

They'd speculated that the XCOM might learn her name, and it seemed they had. No point denying it, and she doubted it would help them regardless. "I am. Who are you?"

"I am the Commander of XCOM," he stated. "The Mercado Estate is under our control now. Your leader is dead along with your army."

Well then, the Commander of XCOM himself had fought. That was interesting. "I don't suppose you would share more?" she pressed. "Your name, for instance."

"I am under no obligation to divulge that to you, Director," he stated dispassionately. "You would not recognize it. Our titles will suffice."

Her lips curled up. This Commander had a spine, which she had to respect even if it was mildly irritating at the moment. "If you insist, Commander. I suppose you have called to gloat; as if this proves your superiority. We anticipated your attack days in advance. You will find nothing of use."

"Interesting," the Commander mused, sounding oddly amused. "Perhaps that would explain how we were able to decimate your soldiers so easily."

She could practically envision Ethan stiffening at that. It was fortunate Zara wasn't here, otherwise things would have gotten heated. "But I digress," the Commander continued. "We might not learn anything about you, but the rest of the world will and it won't be pretty. Enjoy your last moments of anonymity."

Saudia shook her head. "You cannot prove anything. This conversation will not be recorded by a legitimate source; your armor cams can be manipulated and it will become clear you're only pushing your agenda."

"Do you really think because you collapsed Brazil that you control the world?" The Commander asked, cocking his head, not even sounding angry; just inquisitive. "You know how to use information well. But to use it, you must have it first. To answer your original question, I decided to call for two reasons. One: Because I felt it was time we spoke face to face, no barriers between us. Second: To give you a warning."

"I wouldn't exactly call this face-to-face," Saudia commented wryly. "One of us doesn't hide behind a helmet."

He chuckled. "I suppose it's only fair," he said. "I've seen your face. You've earned the right to see mine. Not that you'll recognize me."

He reached up and lifted it off his head with an audible hiss and click. He lowered it to his side and placed it on a nearby table. He was much younger than she'd assumed for the Commander of XCOM. Maybe a little older, but even then she wasn't sure. Even through the hologram she could feel the intensity of his gaze, his brown eyes were cold and his face hard. He was definitely a born commander, one who could actually command respect.

She heard Ethan sharply hiss and she glanced over to see him seemingly stunned. His face was whiter than she'd ever seen and his mouth hung partially open. Did he know him? No, she'd worry about that later and returned her attention to the Commander. He'd been right, she didn't recognize him, but after Elizabeth ran his face through the database, they'd probably find something.

"You said you also had a warning," Saudia continued, crossing her arms. "Please, enlighten me."

"With pleasure," he said with an unsettling smile. "The aliens are well aware of the game you're playing. Did you really think you could use them and they wouldn't notice?"

Scare tactics. Did he really think she would fall for them? "I doubt that, Commander. If the aliens suspected we were using them, I doubt they'd be so courteous as to allow us access to their tech."

"You really are arrogant if you actually believe that," the Commander stated with absolute finality. "Do you really think that a species that has mastered interstellar travel is fooled by your blatant attempt to advance yourselves? You think they lack the intelligence of the lowest intelligence operative? They are using you, plain and simple. By denying it you are playing right into their hand."

"These are aliens, not humans," Saudia corrected dismissively. "They don't understand us like you do. Yes, this would be blatant to a human group, but as we both know, the aliens aren't human."

"But they do have brains," the Commander rejected, jabbing a gauntleted finger at her. "Something that certain humans at this moment appear to lack. Director, I've fought these aliens since the beginning. They are more intelligent than you believe."

"Insults will not persuade me," Saudia responded. "I don't suppose you have proof of this?"

"None that you would accept," he answered, pursing his lips. "But I'm curious, Director, just what your 'plan' is. Do you intend to betray the aliens once we're defeated? How will you possibly gather an army to fight the aliens after destroying the world in the process?"

Saudia raised an eyebrow. "Do you believe I will tell you that?"

The Commander lowered his arm and fixed his cold gaze on her. "No, I do not. But there is enough instability in the world without you adding to it. If I wanted to, I could ensure that your organization is destroyed and forgotten forever."

"Now who's the arrogant one?" Saudia chided. "No, you could not."

The Commander gave a humorless smile. "I've just taken one of your continental bases, Director. It may take time, but it will happen. You will not be the first organization I've destroyed, only one of the largest."

"Be very careful how you proceed," she warned. "Brazil is only a portion of what we can do. Thanks to your…bold attack, I would not be surprised if more nations withdrew from your Council."

"A risk," the Commander acknowledged with a nod. "But one I feel was worth it. But returning to my original point, as much as I would like to dismantle your organization, I have more important issues to deal with, quite frankly. This current war between us serves no one but the aliens. You clearly plan on betraying the aliens later, so we should not be enemies in this instance."

Saudia blinked. "You want a truce?" She asked incredulously.

"A temporary one, until the aliens are dealt with," the Commander answered. "I would be wrong not to at least provide the opportunity. In any other circumstance I would hunt your people to extinction, but as it stands I can overlook this as long as you refrain from interfering in XCOM operations."

"You may have taken the Mercado Estate," Saudia said. "But don't think that you've dealt us a serious blow."

"Fine," the Commander growled, stepping toward her, his eyes blazing with anger. "Then here is what will happen to EXALT, Director. I will dismantle every cell you control, piece by piece, country by country. Everything will be shown to the world, and they will soon be on the hunt for your agents. Will they find everyone? Probably not, but they will eventually."

He paused, his eyes never leaving hers. "Your people will break; first we will start at Solaris Industries and move from there. I will ensure that your world falls around you and at the end, I will find your family and execute them, with you soon after. It will take time, but if you decide to make yourself my enemy, that is what will happen."

That speech should have made her laugh, but it was…unsettling. He didn't speak in a grandstanding way, it didn't feel like a speech prepared to appeal to her emotions. It instead felt exactly like this was exactly what he was planning to do, punctuated by the pure finality and conviction in his voice. This wasn't a speech from him, it was a statement of what he was going to do.

And she wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "I assume this is a threat?" She finally said. Not her best moment but she wanted his reaction.

"A statement," he said. "A warning if you'd prefer it. I'm giving you an opportunity to not only survive, but actually make something out of your decades of meddling. Think it over, Director. Cease your operations against us and we will do the same. Think very carefully about your choice, because after this, there is no turning back for either of us."

"You've made your point clear," she answered. "But I think you're vastly overestimating your influence in the world, much less power to fulfill half the so-called warnings you just gave."

"I've done my part," the Commander stated coldly, stepping back and picking up his helmet. "What happens next is up to you, Director. Until next time." He walked away and the transmission cut off soon afterward.

Saudia pursed her lips. "Admittedly not what I expected," she muttered. "I can definitely imagine him causing problems with the UN. Perhaps-"

"I think we should think about what he said," Ethan interrupted in an emotionless voice. "Very carefully."

She turned in amazement to him. He still looked shaken. Had the conversation upset him that much? "What? You actually believe he can do that?"

"I believe he will do everything he can to cause it," Ethan said quietly. "And based on past experience, there is a good chance he will succeed."

"Why?" Saudia demanded, now actually becoming concerned for him. He never talked like this. "Do you know him?"

He gave a sharp nod. "Yes, yes I do. He's the Commander. My Commander."

Saudia's eyes widened as the implications of that dawned on her in disturbing detail. "You mean…"

"Yes," Ethan whispered. "He's alive, and we've been fighting him this whole time."

---

After-Action Report

Operation: Humbling River

Personnel

Maverick 1 (Squad Overseer): The Commander

Status: Active

Kills: 9

Maverick 1 (Squad Overseer): Specialist Patricia Trask

Status: Active

Kills: 7

Maverick 2: Specialist Patricia Trask

Status: Active

Kills: 7

Maverick 3: Specialist Carmelita Alba

Status: Active

Kills: 6

Maverick 4: Specialist Anius Creed

Status: Active

Kills: 3

Maverick 5: Specialist Samuel Roche

Status: Active

Kills: 2

Maverick 6: Specialist Marten El-Amin

Status: Deceased

Kills: 1

Maverick 7: Specialist Tayla Rayla

Status: Deceased

Kills: 0

Maverick 8: Specialist Soran Kakusa

Status: Active

Kills: 2

Maverick 9: Specialist Sarah Liber

Status: Active

Kills: 7

Maverick 10: Specialist Shun Anwei

Status: Wounded (Estimated 10 Days)

Kills: 1

Maverick 11: Specialist Blake Harkin

Status: Active

Kills: 0

Maverick 12: Specialist James Nolan

Status: Active

Kills: 2

Maverick 13: Specialist Leonid Naum

Status: Active

Kills: 5

Maverick 14: Specialist Veronika Slava

Status: Active

Kills: 3

Maverick 15: Specialist Lesedi Iminathi

Status: Active

Kills: 2

Maverick 16: Specialist Fakhr al Din

Status: Active

Kills: 4

Maverick 17: MEC Soldier Myra Rodriguez

Status: Active

Kills: 12

Mission Director: The Commander

Pilot 1: Jason Olgard – Call sign: "Big Sky"

Pilot 2: Riley Ignis – Call sign: "Burning Sky"

Pilot 2: Barney Kimon – Call sign: "Gray Sky"

Artifacts Recovered:

-10x EXALT Computers (Wiped)

-40x EXALT Laser Weapons (Moderate Condition)

-10x Crates of Assorted Luxury Items

-1x EXALT captive

-1x EXALT Holographic Communications Array

-1x Cheap EXALT Hologlobe Knockoff