XCOM: Resist

Chapter 22-Legacy

Chailux and Bradford walk the corridors of the Avenger, discussing their next move when everything shifts and the lights flicker. "Shen," Bradford calls through the radio then looks to the Commander after not getting a response.

The two run down to engineering to find Lily staring at the bank of screens. "Shen," Chailux said cautiously as he approaches her, "what are you..."

Bradford goes over and his jaw goes slack. "It's from dad," Lily said and glides her hand over the image of her father, "someone managed to access ROV-R's systems and do this. I can trace the signal," she goes over to a console and start working, "but I want to take a squad." Bradford and Chailux look at each other then back to her with a worried expression, "I know my father's systems. If they managed to access these systems, they must be using the same kind. I'm the best chance we've got."

"Your call Commander," Bradford said and Chailux thinks it over. He looks to the image of Raymond then to Lily. He sighs and nods to Bradford with a smile. "That's settled. Firebrand, prep the Skyranger and inform the team."

"No can do sir," Firebrand responds and a small pop goes off in the background, "the Skyranger took a heavy beating on our last encounter with Advent. But BigSky's got some news."

In the next half an hour, Bradford, Chailux, Rose, and Lily were on the original Skyranger with BigSky piloting. "Central, this is BigSky," he calls through the radio like old time, "approaching the LZ."

"Set us down there," Chailux calls out, pointing out to a landing zone near the roof. The team off loads as BigSky stays with the Skyranger. "Keep in radio touch. If anything goes sideways, you can handle it."

The place was more or less an abandoned Advent MEC facility. The metallic exterior was rusted and had vines growing out the sides. The team enters the facility and the lights suddenly come on. "After so many years," a voice echoes over the intercom system, "I knew you would receive my message and wouldn't hesitate to see where it originated from."

"Central," Lily asked worriedly to Bradford who gave a shrug as they move across the assembly floor, "who are you and how did you access our systems?"

"Isn't it obvious," the voice continues to taunt and Chailux had a feeling, like an itch at the back of his mind, "poor father. His greatest achievement cut short because of XCOM. Thankfully, Advent saw the potential I had. While you and him worked on your precious Avenger, I was left here to develop these shells."

"I didn't know you had a psychotic brother," Chailux said as a camera tracks his movements.

"I don't," Lily responds and looks over a console. Trying to find out where the voice was coming from, "looks like whoever brought us here is further up," an elevator appears nearby and she looks it over, "these elevators were designed to take the MECs. We can only go one at a time."

"Then I suggest you go first," the voice calls out and more elevators carry active MECs appear, "because the rest of you won't be joining her!" The MECs open fire and Rose creates a shield of psionic energy for the other to get to cover.

"Go," Chailux yells out to Lily as he orders his Gremlin to hack one of the MECs, "we'll follow after!" Lily nods and jumps onto the elevator, heading straight up. It came back down then Bradford went. It came back down again much longer than the last time. "Go Rose," Chailux calls out and she drops the shield, running for it and goes up.

"So this is the infamous Commander," the voice calls again, this time through one of the MECs. It swats Chailux across the room and he groans, "father has talked about you so much. If only he was still around."

The elevator returns and Chailux makes a dash only to see the MEC start to spark. "See you very soon," Chailux said and the elevator starts to ascend just as the MEC explodes.

The elevator moves faster and faster as the explosion rips up the shaft. It shakes it around and Chailux looses his grip only to be caught by Bradford. "Not on my watch," he said with a smile and pulls the Commander up to safety.