Kingmaker

The Bastion, Control Center

"We didn't achieve our primary directive," Zara said slowly, clearly not sure how Saudia would respond. "But given that XCOM was involved, and seeing what they could do, fighting them was probably not a good idea."

Saudia looked down onto the holomap, trying to think of where to go from here. Zara seemed to have essentially wrapped up her report of the attack, which Saudia wasn't sure if she could call a success or failure. XCOM showing up unannounced had understandably thrown a wrench into their plans, and Zara was right, especially given what she'd described.

If Zara had tried to take the Furies by force, they would have likely been killed.

No. They would have been killed.

Zara didn't exaggerate when it came to description. One psion had essentially neutralized an entire room of soldiers, the Commander was also a psion now, and they had confirmation of the massive robotic suit that was probably the most mobile and destructive piece of equipment she'd even heard described.

EXALT may have had the numbers advantage, but that really didn't mean anything to XCOM. Only overwhelming numbers had a chance, and depending on how many aliens assaulted the Citadel, maybe not even then.

"No," she finally answered, looking at Zara. "You did the right thing. Attacking XCOM is a bad idea for…multiple reasons."

"Especially now that we have a truce with them," Zara added, pursing her lips. "To his credit, the Commander definitely worked well with me and my soldiers. Though he did make it very clear who was in charge."

"Unsurprising," Saudia muttered. "The minute he saw you fighting, he knew he had another tool to wield against the aliens. That's just how he thinks."

"It wasn't a total loss," Zara noted. "We do have the Fury base, as well as the alloys within it."

"While XCOM took everything else of value," Saudia finished grimly. "We don't need the alloys, we need the corpses, elerium and captives."

"Which is exactly why the Commander took them," Zara nodded. "He doesn't trust us."

"Not without reason, I suppose," Saudia sighed. "This sets us back, now that the Furies are lost for good."

"I also think that the Commander has plans of his own for us," Zara added, crossing her arms. "He said he would be coming to speak to you within a few days."

Saudia's eyebrows furrowed. "Here? The Bastion?"

"He didn't say the name," Zara admitted. "But he wouldn't have said it unless he was certain. And no, I don't know how he could have possibly learned that."

Saudia rubbed her forehead. Wonderful. That either indicated that XCOM had a much larger reach than even they expected, or there was a leak…wait, no. Saudia sighed. "I think I might have an idea, actually."

"Please tell," Zara said.

"Subject Four," Saudia reminded her. "She knew we were in Antarctica, and now that they have the other Furies, it wouldn't be a stretch to figure out where our base is. It's not like we're hidden here if they know where to look."

Zara scowled. "Damn it."

"Perhaps it's for the best," Saudia said after a few seconds, turning to walk to a window looking out into the vast frozen wasteland. "The tensions between EXALT and XCOM should be resolved sooner than later. Will he be coming alone?"

"He said so," Zara answered, walking up beside her. "But I think there's a bigger problem here. The Commander is a psion, so he might be able to tell if you lie to him."

Saudia pursed her lips. "I've thought about that. You said that it was his other psion that performed the more powerful feats. What did he do, exactly?"

"Telekinesis," she answered. "But he implied that he would be able to tell if I was lying or not. I almost managed to hide the existence of the Furies until his other psion sensed something was off."

"So he might not be as skilled in reading minds," Saudia nodded. "But still being able to sense…emotions. I can work with that well enough, provided my theory is correct."

"And how exactly will you do that?" Zara demanded. "If he learns we revealed their base, as well as starting these wars…"

"I know," Saudia answered firmly. "Which means this will be handled very delicately. I'll have to be careful to tell the truth, but not necessarily the whole truth."

"Do you really think that will work?" Zara asked, looking away from her.

"I don't know," Saudia admitted. "But we've got no other choice. The Commander may forgive certain things, but our work on this scale…he will likely deem us to risky and move to remove us."

"I doubt he would start a fight if he was alone," Zara speculated. "But afterwards…"

"I'm more concerned what he wants from us," Saudia interrupted, her lips forming a thin line. "He has plans. None of the possibilities are good for us."

"Suspect anything in particular?"

"The most obvious is dissolution," Saudia said. "I can see him wanting to rid us for good. Which will never happen, but it will disrupt us for decades."

"But we will survive," Zara assured her. "All things considered, it could be worse, even with the aliens. We can still do work against them."

"That is probably the ideal request," Saudia nodded. "I'm more concerned that he will keep EXALT intact, but instead appoint overseers to ensure we follow XCOM directives."

"We do have contingencies in that event," Zara reminded her. "Never used…but it's not irreparable. You are our Director, and that is something XCOM will never be able to change. EXALT has been lucky to avoid splinter groups, but I suppose even we couldn't last forever."

"Except we can't afford to fight a civil war now," Saudia muttered. "We already have the aliens to worry about, and adding XCOM isn't a good idea. We have to prioritize, and in this case, I agree with the Commander. The aliens need to be dealt with, and when the war is over…we look to the future."

"So cooperate now, save humanity, then move forward," Zara nodded. "As much as I hate either situation, that is the most practical thing to do. Not really worth fighting if there's no world to control afterward."

Saudia turned around, and leaned against the window. "Practically, yes. But I will be remembered as the Director to lose to an outside power. Despite what you said, I don't think I'll retain much respect after the Commander makes his demands."

Zara snorted. "See, here's the thing. EXALT is not filled with easily swayed idiots who don't see the big picture. We can critically think, that's kind of a big part of our childhood. All for the mission and greater good. That is what you're doing. They will know that between most of us being killed, or working with some XCOM oversight to fight the aliens…this is the best decisions in your situation. They won't like it, none of us do, but they will understand."

Saudia gave her a humorless smile. "Even if I don't completely buy that…I appreciate it Zara, thank you."

"Don't mention it," Zara dismissed with a wave of her hand. "You'll always have my respect, even if we don't agree. Whatever happens, you will always do what's in the best interests of EXALT. You don't have to worry about my family causing problems."

Saudia sniffed. "Yes, because that was a major concern for me."

"That's the spirit," Zara chuckled, patting her on the back. "We can't change what XCOM knows and what they'll do, but let's focus on what we can do."

"Good advice," Saudia nodded, pushing herself off the wall. "In that case, I suppose we should prepare for the arrival of the Commander…and see how the state of the world is since our intervention."

The Citadel, Mission Control

"That didn't take long," the Commander commented, a hand scratching his chin as he watched the screens display the latest breaking news in all caps.

UNITED NATIONS CONDEMNS ARAB STATE AGGRESSION AND ISRAELI RESPONSE; CALLS FOR PEACE

"It does say something that they have yet to address Brazil," Jackson agreed, tapping on her tablet. "Speaking of which, the war around Brazil is in full swing. From the looks of it, it's not going to take long."

"Depending on how the other South American countries tolerate it," the Commander muttered. "Encroaching on Argentina is pushing it awfully close, although I suspect they'll be smart enough to avoid the countries allied with us."

"Argentina is a Council nation," Jackson pointed out. "But I see your point. They aren't as intrinsically bound to us like Columbia and Venezuela."

"We need to make a statement to reassure them," the Commander nodded. "The response for this was overkill, and I'm not convinced it wasn't fabricated. But we need to work with it now."

"I can write a draft of something," Jackson promised, brushing her hair back. "I just need to know what our official stance is."

"I will," the Commander answered. "But I'd like to know your own thoughts, you know that area much better than me. I never really ran many operations in South America."

Jackson sighed. "I'm worried this is going to get out of control really fast. The cartels are going to see the response and panic. And they have people everywhere, in every country. Brazil is going to notice a mass exodus of suspected cartel members and…I'm not convinced they won't use that as an excuse to continue pushing forward. And the more they push, the more countries like Argentina and Peru will start pushing back…."

She trailed off for a moment. "I don't know if Brazil wants to start a war with the entirety of South America, but unless they exercise some self-control, that is just what might happen. Since restraint doesn't appear to be in the vocabulary of Marshal Luana, unless we want that, we need to make it clear that further aggression will not be tolerated."

The Commander agreed with that analysis. The Marshal was likely someone who would be useful in a military crisis, but she could be easily manipulated, which might become a problem when ADVENT was finally established. There were guidelines for ADVENT representatives and heads of state, and she was not doing well at the moment. But that might work to their advantage. "I agree," he told her. "Which is why ADVENT needs to be established soon to officially bring Brazil under it. That is ideally the best way to bring her in line, since if she doesn't abide by the guidelines, she will be removed from office."

"And if that doesn't convince her, losing the support of XCOM will," Jackson finished. "So does that sound good? Any aggression outside of Bolivia and Paraguay will not be tolerated?"

"That's the message we need to send," the Commander confirmed. "Another press conference is probably in order. We can also address the Israeli conflict at the same time. Speaking of which…"

"Yeah," she sighed wearily. "Several updates. As we expected, Nowinski has declared war after confirmation of a coordinated strike by Saudi Arabian, Iranian, Iraqi and Yemen operatives. All the countries insist their being set up, but this level of coordination is too high to be a coincidence, especially after the Mossad found documents detailing correspondences between those nations."

The Commander also sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Idiots. None of the bodies were alien, so it actually does seem like they actually thought they could try this. I assume Israel has responded in a more concrete fashion?"

"Of course," Jackson said dryly. "Jordan and Lebanon are under Israeli attack, and more reinforcements from America will be arriving within days. Afterwards all signs point to a full attack on Syria. Russia has also started deploying soldiers to take Iraq, and from the string of suspicious deaths of high-ranking military personnel in Saudia Arabia and Iran, it appears that the Mossad is hard at work weakening the opposition."

"So our official stance will be that we're staying out of it," the Commander said. "This wasn't exactly how I wanted the Middle East to be united, but Israel is probably the best to take it over. Emphasize that we won't be taking part in either conflict."

"Goes without saying," Jackson muttered, making that note. "So who's going to actually face the press?"

"I will," the Commander answered, somewhat resigned. "It's time the world sees the Commander of XCOM. No need to really hide anymore, it's not like we're a secret."

"Good luck with that," Jackson said, giving a mock salute. "We all respect your sacrifice."

"Quiet," he muttered. "It's not that bad. If I can handle the Council and the Ethereals, I can certainly handle a few questions from journalists. They're like politicians, except have a louder voice. Unfortunate that I don't really care about their opinion."

"Still though," Jackson cautioned. "You should pick your words carefully."

"Trust me, I will," the Commander promised. "But I don't think what I say will be what they want to hear."

"I might tune in for that," Jackson chuckled. "It'll be interesting to watch."

"Moving on from entertainment," the Commander said, turning fully to her. "Are the Vitakara captives almost finished processing?"

"Almost," Jackson said. "Before we begin interrogations, we've divided them into skill sets. The majority are scientists and analysts, which Vahlen, Zhang and myself will be able to use. Several others are soldiers, who also have experience with Vitakara and other alien weaponry. The final decision will be up to you, but I do think the majority will serve better alive than as test subjects."

"This is where the Manchurian Program would be perfect," the Commander mused. "We need to get that completed. There are too many usages for it at this stage, and we can't hold them indefinitely."

"The majority do seem to be non-combative," Jackson noted. "I honestly don't think we have to worry about an uprising, especially after they are analyzed by Patricia."

"Patricia is going to be our best resource here," the Commander agreed. "In the meantime, while they're processing, I want to deal with EXALT once and for all."

"The means you have yet to really share," Jackson noted wryly. "Time to reveal your master plan?"

"Yes," he stated, turning on his heel. "Call a meeting. This is something everyone needs to hear."

The Citadel, Office of the Commander

"The skyranger is prepped and ready," Jackson confirmed to the Commander as they gathered around his office, waiting for him to continue.

"The skyranger can work in temperatures like that, right?" Patricia asked, glancing to Shen.

"Yes," he confirmed. "It was designed to operate anywhere, though it will be a larger drain on power and fuel than normal to keep it hot."

"Irrelevant," the Commander dismissed. "I won't be there long enough for that to be a concern."

"So you should probably tell us what you're hoping to accomplish," Zhang stated, crossing his arms. They were all curious and ready for him to explain, though it was going to be…interesting to see what they had to say.

"Of course," the Commander answered, inclining his head to him. "First and foremost, I plan to have EXALT transfer their personnel into ADVENT."

Patricia and Zhang didn't seem entirely surprised, since that was a logical usage of the shadow organization. Everyone else on the other hand…"Commander…" Jackson asked hesitantly. "Are you…sure…that's a good idea."

"EXALT has managed to survive in secrecy for decades at the least," the Commander explained. "Had they not decided to interfere so dramatically with us, I suspect we would have never known they existed. That kind of ability is what humanity and ADVENT need right now, and they need to be able to operate without looking over their shoulder."

"Tactically, it makes sense," Zhang agreed with a nod. "They have their own elite soldiers, intelligence network, scientists and engineers. They would fit well into the established branches for ADVENT and would jumpstart the organization by months."

"And months are what we need," Patricia said. "ADVENT needs to be established as soon as possible, and filling them with EXALT is probably the best idea."

Vahlen crossed her arms. "Aside, of course, for the small fact that we can't trust them."

"The people we can unconditionally trust is very small," the Commander pointed out. "EXALT wants control of the world, and for now, the aliens stand in their way, and that makes them a larger threat than us."

"So basically you want to convert them to a time bomb instead of an inconsistent sniper," Jackson muttered, using an odd analogy. "Fine, but assuming we somehow win, or even just drive the Ethereals off Earth…do you really think that EXALT isn't going to try and take control? Especially so close to a legitimate world government?"

"Not entirely," the Commander answered with a smile, raising a finger. "I don't want to just use EXALT, I want to ensure it never appears again. The moment every EXALT person transfers to ADVENT, EXALT will cease to exist forever, never to rise again."

Now all of them were skeptical, and this was where it was going to get tricky. "You're going to have to explain that," Shen said slowly, eyeing him skeptically. "If history has…allegedly…proven one thing, it's that EXALT can never be completely destroyed. It will go into hiding or just exist under a different name."

"Oh, it will exist under a different name," the Commander said. "ADVENT. And unlike the previous times, it will be an organization in the spotlight. They will not be able to operate in complete secrecy anymore."

"Officially, perhaps," Shen insisted. "But-"

"Oh." Patricia suddenly said, her eyes widening as she looked at the Commander, seemingly becoming paler as she seemed to get what he was implying.

The Commander's lips curled up. "I think you have the right idea, Patricia. EXALT will only go into hiding if it feels that they are threatened or have not achieved their goal. Remove that…and they won't have any reason to go against us."

Zhang decided to get to the heart of the matter. "What exactly are you going to tell Director Vyandar to convince her to not only dissolve EXALT, but also prevent her from setting things in place for their return? She strikes me as the woman who will bide her time until the time is right to strike."

So he told them.

Shock shot through them like lightning bolts. Even Zhang's eyes widened as he explained what he planned to use to convince Saudia to follow his plan. Jackson, Shen and even Vahlen were looking at him in disbelief, while Patricia was still processing it since she had guessed before. Vahlen seemed more surprised that he had even considered it, rather than the idea itself.

Jackson seemed to speak for them. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"No."

"Still…" Jackson leaned against the wall heavily. "After everything…you're really going to do it?"

The Commander sighed. "Unless you can provide a better solution, this is the best way to use EXALT, as well as ADVENT. The alternative is a long, drawn out shadow war that neither of us has time to deal with. Since we don't have the luxury of stamping out shadow organizations, we might as well use them."

"But to this extent?" Shen demanded. "You're-"

"I know," he insisted, scowling. "Believe me, I do. If things were different, this wouldn't even be a consideration. But we need to be practical here and look at the bigger picture. Executing everyone in EXALT is not in the best interests of either XCOM or humanity."

"And what if they were behind leaking our location to the aliens?" Jackson demanded. "Are you just going to ignore that?"

"No," the Commander promised. "But it won't change anything in the short term. The only difference is that after the war is over and EXALT is fully exposed, the leadership will face justice for treason. But until then…we need to use them."

"What about the countries in ADVENT?" Patricia asked. "Nowinski, Savvin, Treduant…what exactly are you going to tell them? They are going to have questions, not to mention everyone else when ADVENT is officially established."

"I will tell some of them," the Commander said. "It will be necessary so she doesn't get too comfortable, but the rest…telling them would serve no purpose other than to divide ADVENT, and division is the last thing we need."

He paused for a moment, clasping his hands behind his back. "I'm well aware of what I'm doing. But remember that we have one thing they don't; Psions. If they have any traitorous intentions…then we will take appropriate action, even if it's at the highest levels. But this is the only way we can eliminate EXALT from the world forever."

They were all silent, even Vahlen.

"Objections?" He asked, looking around.

No one said anything. None of them were thrilled with the idea, but like him, they realized that out of all the options…it was unfortunately the best one they had. It was an extreme risk, but times like these called for such risks, and he was confident that they could be mitigated enough to not pose and issue.

And if they did…then there was always Plan B.

"Then wish me luck," he said, moving to change into his armor. "Let's hope that EXALT reacts the way we want them to."

"With what you're offering…" Jackson shook her head. "They'd be idiots to refuse."

"They did ally with the aliens at one point," Patricia reminded them, and that bit of humor seemed to lift their spirits a bit as he prepared to meet Director Saudia Vyandar.

The Bastion, Control Center

"Estimated time of arrival?" Saudia asked one of the people monitoring the Antarctic skies.

"Thanks to the schematics Elizabeth's source provided, I would assume no longer than a half-hour," he answered, pointing at one of the screens which made little sense to her. "Provided of course, that the skyranger is adapted for the cold. It is apparently workable in all weather conditions, but Antarctic cold is something a little harsher."

"I doubt they would come if the skyranger couldn't handle the weather," Saudia muttered. "Keep watching and let me know when it lands."

"Yes, Director."

She turned away and walked towards Ethan reading his tablet on the other side of the room, talking to one of Zara's soldiers. Catching her gaze, he muttered something to the soldier who then walked away quickly. "You're sure it's him?"

"It's a skyranger," Saudia answered. "So yes, he's on his way."

Ethan pursed his lips, setting his tablet down as he looked up at her. "Showtime. I wondered how long it would take him to pay us a visit."

"Are you ready?" She asked. "Handling it alright?"

"I'm fine," he reassured her, giving a small smile. "It's going to be…different, seeing him in person again, but compared to some other things I've seen, this isn't hard."

"Good," Saudia said. "Because if this doesn't go well…"

"We'll take care of him," Ethan promised, a shadow falling over his face. "I told you, our loyalty is with EXALT and you."

"It's a worst-case scenario," Saudia reminded him as she turned and walked out the door, Ethan close beside her. "If the Commander really is coming alone, not even he would start a fight here."

"No, he wouldn't," Ethan agreed grimly. "But knowing him, that is a contingency he's well aware of and will have a plan for. I assume his plan in that case is that if he figures this isn't going to work, he'll send a signal back to the Citadel and they'll send several skyrangers worth of XCOM soldiers here."

"But if that happens, we'll be able to monitor that," Saudia noted.

"Maybe," Ethan grunted. "We're able to intercept human tech. XCOM primarily uses alien now. But I do agree. The Commander won't do anything unless he believes it's absolutely necessary."

"I'll do my part to make sure it goes well," Saudia promised. "Do you think he'll be happy to see you?"

"The Commander?" Ethan smirked. "Not right now. You're his priority and until EXALT is…figured out for him…he won't focus on me. The mission comes first."

"Good to know," Saudia nodded. "Any final words of wisdom that might help?"

"We went over this," Ethan chided lightly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were nervous."

"The future of EXALT will be decided by the end of the day," Saudia said wearily, the weight of that knowledge coming to the forefront of her mind again. "So yes…I'm…concerned."

"The Commander is not complicated," Ethan reassured her. "Intelligent, but not complicated. Be as direct as possible, and if you disagree…hold to that. He'll respect you more. But never lie or try to trick him. Tell a version of the truth to get around his apparent psionic ability to tell the truth."

"Which makes him very complicated," Saudia muttered as they stepped into the elevator which took them to the Hangar. "Military types are notoriously difficult to deal with, and intelligent ones even more so. They unfortunately aren't usually fooled by speeches and flattery."

"I can attest to that," Ethan confirmed humorously. "Although the Commander will appreciate a good speech."

Saudia stared at the steel doors as the elevator came to a stop. "I'll keep that in mind."

They stepped out and began walking towards the hangar while they waited for the Commander to arrive. Several of Ethan and Zara's soldiers were ready and armed, in preparation for his arrival. Zara herself was armored up as well, her plasma rifle in hand was she waited.

"How soon?" She demanded, walking up to them.

"A few minutes, probably," Saudia answered, eyeing the soldiers Ethan was going to check on. "I assume you're ready."

"Ready to make an impression," Zara shrugged. "The Commander won't be intimidated, but it'll be enough to let him know we're watching him." Her eyes scanned Saudia. "You really should have worn some armor, not your dress uniform."

"Maybe," Saudia answered, as they walked toward the entrance to the hangar. "But this is a meeting, not a battle. The Commander will respect a professional approach, even if it isn't the safest. Besides, wearing armor might give him the implication that we're expecting a fight."

"Suit yourself," Zara said. "Playing mind games isn't my specialty."

"Director, the skyranger is on approach within two minutes. Stand by for hangar opening."

"Acknowledged," she answered. "Thank you," she turned to Zara. "He's arriving, get your people into position."

"Understood," Zara confirmed, turning around and shouting orders as they walked to the middle of the hangar. The massive door opened and a snow-battered skyranger drove through, then turned around presumably to allow the Commander to disembark.

Ethan stood at her right, Zara on the opposite side and the soldiers spread out and facing the skyranger ramp, they waited for it to open. A few seconds later the ramp opened with a hiss and lowered to the ground with a loud clang.

The EXALT soldiers didn't raise their weapons, but they were definitely tense as the Commander slowly strode down the ramp, also without a weapon in his hand. But as opposed to her, the Commander had come prepared for the worst. Clad in the silver armor Zara described, minus the helmet, he also had a kind of sniper rifle and laser weapon also attached to his back. He was definitely one who commanded attention, as his eyes bored into hers as he approached.

Ignoring the soldiers, he instead walked straight up to her. "Director Vyandar, good to final meet you in person." He glanced beside her and nodded toward them. "Ethan, Zara, same to you." A nod from each of them was their only acknowledgement before he returned his attention back to her.

"You as well, Commander," she finally answered. "I didn't expect you to be prepared for a fight."

The Commander's lips curled into a humorless smile as he glanced at the soldiers. "Not that long ago, your soldiers would have shot me on sight. Considering that you also feel the need to show off your own soldiers, I think preparing isn't a bad idea. This is not neutral territory, Director, and I don't take unnecessary risks."

She smiled. "Duly noted, Commander. But I don't have intentions of starting a fight today. We have bigger issues to discuss."

"That we do," he agreed, looking at Ethan and Zara. "Alone."

Saudia nodded toward Ethan and without a word, he and Zara backed off a good distance away. "You have a unique base of operations," the Commander commented, stepping by her side as they began walking away. "I'm impressed."

"This is the main hub of EXALT operations," Saudia said. "We need the best possible."

"I'd imagine so," the Commander agreed. "And if the descriptions I've heard were correct, it is rather ornate."

Saudia raised an eyebrow. "And just where did you hear that?"

"Annette Durand," he answered neutrally, as they stepped into a hallway. "She was a major reason we were able to identify your base in the first place."

As they'd suspected. "But I assume you'd rather see for yourself," she said knowingly. "You're curious."

"And I think you want to show off your base," he responded evenly. "But you're also correct. Give me the tour."

The Bastion

The Commander didn't seem overly impressed with the ornate architecture around him, but Saudia hadn't really expected him to in the first place. His practicality likely extended to design, and in that instance she believed they were similar. Still, she could at least appreciate it even if she didn't think it was necessary.

"How long has this been here?" He asked as they stepped into another hallway. "Construction in conditions like this couldn't have been easy."

"Initial construction began in the late fifties," Saudia answered. "Because you're right. We didn't have the necessary equipment to construct in these conditions before that. But from there it was a simple matter of continuously modernizing it."

"It was a smart position," the Commander nodded. "No one would think to look out here, although it makes it rather…conspicuous for anyone stumbling on it accidentally."

Saudia gave him a humorless smile. "People don't stumble into Antarctica, Commander. Trust me, the few research stations here are heavily monitored."

"I'd imagine so," he said neutrally. "EXALT does have a tendency to keep tabs on everything."

Saudia took the jab in stride, mostly because it was true. "For what we do, that is a necessity."

"What you do…" he repeated slowly. "So tell me director, what exactly is the purpose of EXALT?"

"To eventually unite the world under one united government, prioritizing the advancement and protection of humanity, without the constraints of current administrations or the downsides. This will be accomplished using whatever we deem is necessary." Saudia explained.

"Interesting," the Commander mused, stopping and turning to look at one of the paintings on the wall. Ah, they were in this hallway, where portraits of events in EXALT history were preserved. "It lines up with what I've seen. You have people infiltrate various agencies, and slowly introduce more measures to bring the world closer."

"Essentially, yes," Saudia nodded. "The truth is that the majority of humanity is unable to make rational, informed decisions. Too many people are unreliable, yet smart and are able to manipulate the general populace to use for their own ends. That system has never worked out before, and it never will. Democracy failed in the past, and it will fail again because people are just not smart enough."

"To be perfectly honest, I don't entirely disagree with that," the Commander admitted. "But there is a fine line to walk. So under this hypothetical EXALT-controlled government, the people wouldn't have a choice?"

"Unlikely for any position of importance," Saudia confirmed. "Positions of leadership would be chosen by qualified individuals, not whoever had the most money or who was more charismatic."

The Commander looked away from the painting directly to her. "That is a solution, yes. But that is unnecessarily risky and also ignores history."

Saudia raised an eyebrow. "You should clarify that."

"Civilians need to feel they have some kind of impact," the Commander explained, continuing to walk forward. "They need the illusion of freedom, but it needs to be restrained, controlled. If you simply remove them from the process completely, they will resent that, and it will open the door for others to take advantage and mobilize them into an angry mob. People will always focus on the negative more than the positive, so no matter how great your utopia is, there will always be problems."

His tone turned thoughtful. "It doesn't have to be all or nothing. The best way to placate the public isn't to take their options away, but control which options they can choose from. So no matter who 'wins' it will be someone who you are comfortable with."

He did have a point, but she wasn't entirely sure that was the right answer. Still, it showed a surprising amount of knowledge about the subject and human psychology. "I see you've thought about this."

"Quite a bit, actually," he answered, stopping in front of another painting. "It's become something of a necessity."

Hmm. She wondered why that was. He pointed at the picture. "These are important moments from your history, I presume?"

She walked up beside him and looked upon the painting herself. "Yes, in particular that one was done during World War II."

That seemed to interest him, even though his reaction was just a raised eyebrow. "So what moment was this, then? I assume this was when EXALT decided to intervene?"

The picture simply depicted the heads of the families around a table, one member pointing at a map showing Allied and Axis territory. "When EXALT decided to ensure that the Allies won the war."

"Ah," he said knowingly. "So every major event in history is only because of your intervention?"

She ignored his sarcasm. "At least in part."

"From the other paintings, it seems like EXALT isn't the original name of this organization," the Commander noted, as they continued forward. "Am I wrong?"

"No," Saudia answered. "The name is only a variable that will be changed when the time is right. EXALT is the latest incarnation, and when we see it's unusable, we will simply change it to something else. The Illuminati, Free Masons, Templars, all were aliases at one point or another for us. When people began making too many connections, we simply discredited the names and moved on, while building up the legends you hear today."

"Although I assume first you attempt to discredit those digging into you first," the Commander presumed. "At the beginning, it was interesting following the trail of EXALT. You managed to successfully turn it into an urban legend, something that had been discredited again and again. It was impressive to follow, especially reading how accurate some of the descriptions were."

"Anonymity is our strength," Saudia shrugged. "We do whatever it takes to protect it. A known conspiracy is a useless one."

"Anonymity is useful," the Commander agreed as they exited that hall and stepped into an elevator. "But it's also your only defense and greatest weakness. As you've figured out, the more you are exposed, the weaker you become."

Saudia deliberately kept her face neutral. "Just because you claim we're EXALT does not make us the actual conspiracy to the public. It can be spun to work for us, despite how much of a setback it is."

"You're not an idiot, Director," the Commander snorted. "The only reason that the governments are not hunting you down is because there are much bigger things to worry about. EXALT is exposed, maybe not to the public, but definitely to the people who matter. EXALT will die, Director, it's only a matter of time now."

"Unlikely," Saudia stated flatly. "It will be difficult, but you simply can't wipe us out like a hostile army. That's not how we work, and we still have influence where it matters."

"I'm well aware of that," the Commander smiled. "You can't be completely killed. But you can be set back decades, if not more. Besides, you lack influence in one major organization."

"XCOM."

"XCOM," he nodded. "And at this point, that is all that matters. We know you exist, and we're not going away."

Saudia just stared him directly into his yellow-rimmed eyes. "Should I consider that a threat?"

"A warning," he answered simply. "Despite what contingencies you have, you'll never be able to fade into the obscurity you had before the aliens."

The elevator door slid open and he followed her until they arrived at her office. She held a hand before it, indicating he could enter. "After you, Commander."

"Of course," he walked inside and she followed, though not before turning and locking the door.

"Let's get to what you wanted to talk to me about," Saudia stated. "You wouldn't come here to make insinuations or ask about our history."

"Correct," he confirmed, turning to face her. "Despite our truce at the moment, both of us know it's temporary. Instead of both of us keeping tabs on each other, waiting to see who backstabs first, I'd rather solve this issue now before the invasion happens."

"And are you certain an invasion is coming?" She asked, even though hearing it mostly confirmed their own speculations.

"Certain," the Commander confirmed. "The death of the Ethereal that attacked us warrants nothing less. From what we've learned, these incursions have been nothing more than tests, which we have clearly passed. For what, we're not completely sure, but the Ethereals have already invested too much not to come and collect now."

"I agree," Saudia nodded. "Now that we've betrayed them, it's probably only a matter of time before they retaliate against us."

"And you will lose," the Commander stated firmly. "Here, at least. But I assume you know that."

"There are plans."

"Returning to the point," the Commander continued. "I think we're both in agreement that a continued war between us is pointless."

"Yes."

"But in the event that we win against the aliens, the question will be what happens next," he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "I will not allow the world to be controlled by a shadow government, and as such will do everything in my power to remove organizations like yours from the world. That is an outcome I doubt you want."

Saudia pursed her lips. "And doing that will ensure that the world devolves into chaos. That is an outcome I doubt you want."

He gave a lopsided smirk. "Clever. And no, I don't. Humanity is going to be weakened after the war, and needs a strong and firm leadership. More war will not help that, though the outcome would certainly be worse for EXALT than XCOM."

"So what alternative do you propose, exactly?" She demanded.

"A simple one," he answered, raising a finger. "But before that, I want to return to your goal. To put it bluntly, what you hope to achieve is impossible with the methods you use."

"Not impossible," she clarified. "But difficult, yes. It will take-"

"No. Impossible," he repeated flatly. "You will never be able to control the world by manipulation alone. Tell me if my understanding is wrong: EXALT doesn't act directly, but through proxies and plants for the people in charge. You don't technically control anything, to preserve your anonymity and deniability."

"Correct," Saudia nodded. "People in direct positions of power are too closely scrutinized to be useful. It's a subtle art in positions not entirely at the top. Congressmen, intelligence analysts, people in positions to make an impact, but always place the blame on someone else if it goes bad. We've never had a direct agent in a leadership position and never will."

"And that is why you'll fail," the Commander concluded. "You can't hide in the shadows forever. Not if you actually want to make a difference. You can't maintain anonymity and control the world. Too much influence and manipulation and you get people's attention, too little and any progress you make is limited at best, or subject to failure."

"I'm thoroughly impressed with your knowledge of our success or lack thereof," Saudia bit out. "I don't know if you've realized it, but a goal this scale takes time and patience. It's not something that be done in a few years."

"The most complex plans are more likely to fail," the Commander continued, not fazed by what she'd said. "You are always at risk of failing to successfully convince your proxy, or one bad election to see all your progress in a country gone. And that's just democratic nations. Your methods would be useless in a place like North Korea or Israel."

Saudia sighed. "Do you really think setbacks don't happen? They do, but we expect them. Our objective is not impossible to accomplish."

"Let's move to your best case," the Commander said. "You somehow win and establish your government via proxies. The truth is that it won't last. Eventually someone is going to discover you, and as it is now, once your anonymity is gone, you won't be able to hide again."

"Then I'm curious," Saudia said coldly. "What exactly do you propose to do? Control it directly?"

"Exactly," the Commander nodded. "Otherwise you've put your plan in jeopardy for unnecessary anonymity. A world you control by manipulation isn't one that will last, but one directly controlled has a much better chance of survival."

"That may be what you do," Saudia said. "But there are just as many risks in what you propose."

"There always will be," the Commander acknowledged, beginning to pace. "But there is a point to this. But first I need to know some things, and I would suggest you be honest."

"And if you don't like the answer?"

"We'll see," he answered, face expressionless. "You have people within the Council correct?"

There wasn't a point lying about that. "Of course we do, as well as the United Nations itself."

"A good start," he nodded. "Were you aware of the location of our base?"

She saw where this was going, and had fortunately prepared her answers ahead of time. "We were, and before you ask, yes we were the ones to give it to the aliens."

The Commander's only reaction was his facial features hardening. "Why?"

"Because we were allied with them," Saudia answered firmly. "As you supply your own allies with alien tech, we supplied ours with information. Remember that we were technically your enemy."

The Commander was silent for a few moments, as he appraised her unflinchingly. "I see. And questionable as the entire alliance in the first place was, there was reason for your decision and had no reason to withhold it. That being said…" he pulled out his pistol and held it loosely by his side. "Understand, Director, that if the circumstance were different that I would execute you and everyone in your organization for treason."

She wasn't intimidated now. She'd passed a test with him and he was only doing this to make a point. "But you're not."

"No," he answered, relaxing and holstering the pistol. "I'm not. This time, at least. The only reason for that is that the aliens are a bigger problem, and I cannot afford to lose resources that can help us win. In this case, that is EXALT."

"Then perhaps you should get to the point," Saudia said. "What do you want?"

He reached behind him and pulled out a stack of papers…no, a document of some kind. She couldn't read the title, but now she was extremely curious as to what it was. "Have you ever heard of ADVENT?" The Commander asked.

"Only that XCOM is connected to it," Saudia answered. "No details, unfortunately. Other than that it seems to involve quite a few major world leaders."

"Wonder no longer," the Commander said, handing her the document. "This is the Advent Directive. I think you'll find it interesting." She grasped it, raising an eyebrow at the multiple official seals attached to the cover page. America, Russia, Israel, Brazil…this was much bigger than she'd even thought.

Taking the document, she went over to her chair, sat down, and began reading.

The document was actually shorter than she expected for something this grand in scope.

She'd underestimated the Commander. This document would change the world, and did it in his image. Everything she could think of was being covered, government, judicial, economic, regulations, military. The Commander had designed his ideal government, and had somehow convinced others that it was the correct path.

It was…incredible to read. Even if EXALT hadn't been in charge of writing it…there were so many things that she agreed with. When it came down to it, the Commander really wasn't that different from EXALT is his beliefs, but the difference was that he'd accomplished what they'd dreamed of in just a little over a year. It wouldn't cover the entire world, of course, not at first. But considering that it was the Commander who was putting this together, she had no doubt that it soon would.

This was definitely not something she'd have expected from an American.

Shaking her head in disbelief, she set the document gently on the table. "How did you convince so many to…join you? The United States? North Korea?"

"People are a lot more cooperative when the future of our species is at stake," the Commander said, clearly amused. "I knew that the only way to survive would be to unite, and unification cannot just be alliances between countries. The world needs a true United Nations. One with actual power and authority. We need to stop thinking of ourselves in terms of country, and instead as a species. All human."

He nodded towards the document. "And since a new governmental authority was needed, I took the opportunity to improve it."

"Significantly," Saudia added. "I'm impressed. It seems we may be more alike than you think."

"With the difference being that I do what's best for humanity," the Commander amended. "You do what's best for EXALT."

"EXALT's mission is the ultimate betterment of humanity," Saudia corrected. "So yes, I do. When EXALT benefits, the world will as well."

"Highly debatable," the Commander said dryly. "But that isn't what's important right now. But I take it you approve of the structure?"

"Surprisingly, yes," Saudia admitted. "I didn't expect that."

"Good," the Commander nodded. "When ADVENT is official established, it will need people. EXALT is comprised of soldiers, analysts and intelligence agents. I want them working in ADVENT."

This changed everything. Even if the Commander wanted EXALT disbanded, putting her people into the new United Nations was essentially giving them more influence than ever before. Maybe because he felt he had no choice, but EXALT was not gone yet. Even if they had to work within the system with oversight, it was far better than what she'd anticipated.

"You do understand what you're doing, yes?" Saudia asked, just to be sure. "This seems…odd."

"Practical," the Commander supplied. "And there is only one requirement your people must adhere to. EXALT must die. It will never be reborn again. Not under that name, not under any other. I will have records of your personnel, and my psions will ensure their loyalty is not to an obscure shadow government, but to ADVENT and humanity."

Alright, so he was definitely being careful about this, and smart as well. Still, she was confident she could think of something. No matter where she ended up, there was still plenty of options. "Not all of my people may agree."

"I think they will, actually," the Commander said, with a knowing smile.

"There's only one thing that isn't clear," Saudia said. "The leader. The Chancellor. I assume you've decided on someone?"

"I have," the Commander confirmed.

"You?"

He snorted. "No. I have no desire to run the world. My place is as the Commander of XCOM, and holding higher positions would be…problematic…on a number of levels. Besides, I am not the right person for the job. Organizations that large aren't my specialty."

"Then who?" Saudia asked. "Although before you answer that, I assume you have a position for me? Or am I too much of a risk?"

The Commander chucked. "You are a risk, but I need someone with your experience. You managed to keep an organization of thousands of people hidden for years, as well as manipulated countless world events. You even managed to fight us successfully for a time, and had you not allied with the aliens, I suspect I never would have learned of you. More importantly, I believe that you want to improve humanity, even if our methods differ. But like it or not, I need someone like that. I may not like you, but I can respect and work with you, despite what you've done."

"And what does this translate to?" Saudia asked. "An advisor in ADVENT?"

It would be a demotion, but at least she'd have some form of influence that she could grow.

"Incorrect," the Commander said, raising a hand. "I don't want you to work with ADVENT."

Oh. She frowned, trying to figure what he was doing. If that was the case, then what the-

The Commander finished. "I want you to lead it."

Saudia blinked, not sure if she'd heard correctly. She paused for a few seconds, shock and surprise coursing through her in equal measure. She had to have misheard. "Did you just-"

"Yes, Director, I did," the Commander repeated just as calmly. "Saudia Vyandar, I want you to be Chancellor of ADVENT."