XCOM: Long War (On Hold)

Chapter 7-Old Old War

Unknown Location, 1964
Myron Faulke, Director of the XCOM initiative, watches from his office as people dismantle, burn, and destroy all traces of their existence. He lights a cigar, turning around to a file on his desk mark 'CLASSIFIED' in big red text. "What is going on here?" Jordan Arlington, a former CIA Agent who was preselected for XCOM, enters carrying papers and tossing them over the Director's desk. "They're shutting us down? Why?"

"It's over." Faulke explained, sitting down in his seat. "From what I've been told, the infected Sleepwalkers have either died or have no memory of what happened, the Outsiders are gone, and any traces of what happened 2 years ago never happened. We are no longer needed."

"With all due respect sir, that's bullshit!" Jordan slams a fist onto the table in frustration. "The world needs XCOM. Not just the United States. Those things have a master who will come for us all!"

"It isn't my decision to make." Faulke calmly said. "These orders come directly from the White House."

Jordan looks off to the side to see a group of scientist moving a stasis pod. "What about all we have here?" Faulke looks up and towards where he was looking. "Our guns, our tech?"

"The world cannot know of what we did." Faulke stands, pouring out two glasses of scotch. "All of it will go to a new facility." He hands the glass to Jordan. "Dubbing it Area 51. Right were the Groom Range facility was."

Present Day
A patrol of Neo Exalt Operatives stop when one of them finds blood on the ground. "Call it in." One said, looking back to see their comrades gone. "Where the hell is..." Turning to the others, they find them also gone. Standing and drawing their gun, they frantically look around. "Show yourself!"

"Behind you." A static voice said and they quickly turn to find a Reaper and a knife. Dragging the body away and hiding it with the rest, more Reapers appear with nods. "All clear." Doors open with a few XCOM Operatives lead by Elizabeth along with Charlotte. "This level is secure but there are more below."

"Secure our exit." Charlotte charges her Shadow Lance before one of the other Reapers hands her a cover for her helmet. "Stick to the shadows."

"Strike without fear." The Reaper nods, motioning to the others to find hiding spots. XCOM moves further into the facility.

"I didn't get a good look." Elizabeth comments as they step onto a cargo lift. "Seems like you two are close."

"Stick to the plan." Charlotte pulls out a claymore and primes it. "And my personal life is my business." The lifts comes to a rest and she tosses it out to a group of unsuspecting Exalt Operatives. Elizabeth quick draws a pistol causing an explosion. Gunfire emerges from the survivors and the corridors become a war zone.

Lower down in a lab, Exalt scientist and medical staff working on a stasis pod look up to see a females hooded Exalt Operative enter. "Have you completed the task?" She asked the head of the team in a warped voice.

"We have barely begun." They tell her, looking back to the pod. "This pod has been here for just over 70 years. No human nor alien has been here in decades." The Exalt Operative looks up to reveal a pair of glowing yellow eyes. "Lady Camilla, we are doing all we can."

She glides a reptilian hand over the pod. "XCOM mustn't know." The scientist watches as she goes for a pistol at her hip and fires. Everyone in the room panics and shields themselves. The light from the pod fades and she places it back on her hip. "Destroy the data." She turns away and leaves through a secondary exit.

XCOM and Charlotte burst their way into the labs to find it empty. "Looking like they were studying this." Elizabeth said, looking over the damaged pod. "Search the computers."

"Don't bother." Charlotte pulls an alien device from the side of one. "ADVENT uses these to wipe digital data." She tosses it to Elizabeth. "I'll have the Reapers secure the rest of the facility."

"Ma'am! You need to see this!" An operative yells and Elizabeth quickly goes over to them. "You might want to see this." They point to a broken wooden crate branded with the XCOM symbol. "It's one of ours."