Part 37: The Path of Zinchenko

Part 37: The Path of Zinchenko



Just one more day till the big plasma rifles are finished.



Some people say that learning how to shoot shit is the only important part of being a soldier, but what do you do when you get shot yourself? PHYSICAL THERAPY! We’re going to upgrade our whole recovery program. You’ll be able to take a bullet in the gut on Monday and be fit for duty on Thursday!
I can already do that. Regeneration, remember?
SHUT YOUR TRAP, WATKINS! Even YOU can have better recovery time! Even if it means learning how to dig out the buckshot by yourself barehanded!
Oh, god, I shouldn’t have said anything!



Distress call from Zinchenko! Team, get ready for an emergency evacuation!
Oh thank GOD. Saved by the bell.
You’re not going, Cam, the doctor still has you under observation for the next 24 hours.



I wanted to send Annette, but she’s still shook up after what happened in the terror mission, and these guys are still looking for her. Leroy, you’re support.
This doesn’t mean you’re off the hook, Cam! When we get back from kicking EXALT’s ass I’m gonna drill you!
Heh. Good. Don’t ease up on Cam for my sake, Peter.
I’ve calibrated my cybernetics to help aim for vital points, it should increase my damage output beyond what we even Bar-Lev is capable of.



…don… its’… can you read me? … yo… eed to…
They’re jamming his transmissions.



No time to lose, then! Go!
Doc’s really gotten into being a massive cyborg, huh?
I kinda like her like this. She seems happier.
It’s a train yard! I’ll vanish and scout ahead!



(oh shit! three of ‘em!)
Can’t sniff him out, there’s too many different scents here because of the cars and the train.
It’s fine. We’ve got a whole perimeter set up, he’s not getting out of here.
And when XCOM shows up to save him… heh heh…



Heads up, boys, they’re already here!
Shit, we’re blown!



I see two by the truck! Haha, this one’s flanked! Say goodnight, suck— *click!*
*click* *click*
What the FUCK?!



My friends! I tried to warn you, it’s a trap! They’re using our own trick against us, jamming our guns’ IFF codes!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! How does it feel, fools, to have a taste of your own medicine?!
What? Oh shit!



If I switch off the comm relays I can turn the tables on them. To survive until then, you must do as I do!
Spend all friggin’ day jogging next to Cam?
You must use your non-hackable weapons against them! Sidearms, grenades, explosives, other items!



Hey, that’s actually a good plan. Grenade out, fuckers!
Oh SHIT!





Ha ha! Not such a good idea to take cover next to a big gasoline tank of a truck, was it?



Fuck! Why couldn’t I hit the giant yellow thing on top of a train?!
You’re just a radicalized office worker, aren’t you? Not a professional soldier at all.
…shit! She knows! How?!



She’s a shrink, she’s good at reading people. Doesn’t matter.
I’m popping smoke! Have fun trying to hit us in here with those dinky pistols of yours!



Reinforcements here! Aaaah, ZIN! There you are! You beat the shit out of me with a pool cue! Time for my revenge!



Here! One down, one to go!



I have LOTS of explosives! Eat this, you filthy brutes!



OWWW! SHIT!
Who the hell is this chick?
It’s the white-helmet-wearing-cowardly-one, I think.



Correction, she’s the amazingly-brave-and-sweet-one!



Ha ha ha ha ha! Don’t fuck with desperate Russians, my friends!



Fuck! You people are crazy! Stay back!
Damn, I can’t quite reach him, and your needle grenade doesn’t go through cover!



(Leroy, keep ‘em distracted with that blue hair of yours. I’ll sprint around back and shoot ‘em with my pistol.)
(With my what?)



Hi!
Where the hell did—?!



Blub! gugghh…



Targeting system’s still jammed, but if I set the gun to overload it’ll blast everything in your general direction.
HIT THE DIRT!
OWWW! These were new pants, you bitch!



Here, I’ll clear the second comm tower for you, Zin!





Thank you, Queen!



Come on, man, pull yourself together! Fight through the pain. We’re superior to these government-sector jokers!



Really?



GAAAAH!
I JUST HEALED THAT, YOU BLUE ASSHOLE! OWWW!



Excellent work, Leroy! Allow me to finish the job.
NO, NO, NOT AGAIN—



Yes. Again. ALWAYS! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!



The Comm Towers are off! Your guns should work again.
Great, now we can extract you. Get to the Skyranger.
Before you are done? I can help!
Zin, you’ve only got a pistol.
BAH! There is no “only” when you have a pistol!



FOOOOOOOLS! Reinforcements, deploy!
Hey! What the hell’s this I’m hearing about you assholes losing our total tactical advantage?!
It’s not MY fault! This isn’t Watch_Dogs, they don’t have microchips in their grenades that make us able to hack them!



Which to shoot… oh, why bother. Grenade out!



Ha! Zin was right, this is more fun!



See? Now, let me finish your fine work.



He’s down.
Ha ha, and I just blew up the guy hiding by the cars!



Oh, god, it’s coming right for me!
Not to worry. My gun’s still cooling down. I promise I won’t shoot you.
Oh, thank god…



BLAUGH!
Ha ha! I hope that never, ever gets old. Oh, I’m a terrible person…



Is that it? No more EXALT to shoot? Time to pack it in, Zin.
*sigh* If you insist…
Time to go back to boring ol’ using our NORMAL guns all the time…



Great job, team! Miraculously, not a scratch on anyone.
My eardrums are a bit sore…



And good job, Zinchenko! You’re promoted.
Request my code name be changed to “No-Scope” sir!
Uh… sure! So, what’s your intel?
They are most definitely not operating in Mexico. I know this because they were planning on blowing it up! They found the location of a hidden Mayan city of gold housing an ancient super weapon that focused the rays of the sun into a laser beam.
Really!
Really. The city was destroyed, but I secured a little of the gold, so we can spend it on XCOM!
Okay… so… what the fuck does that have to do with what you were doing in France?!
Well, that’s where the story gets complicated…

*** To Be Continued!***