Part 54: The Final Terror

XCOM 54: The Final Terror



How is this even possible? We have coverage over every continent on Earth, and we can detect cloaked UFOs. We can see and shoot down everything they send to earth.
They can beam down guys directly from the mothership, remember? Probably a one-way suicide mission. “Destroy everything you can.”
Bastards! I’ll send them all to hell!



Well, don’t get cocky!
God willing, this will be the last time we ever need to fight on Earth.



Everybody set up?



Right. I can turn invisible. I’ll run ahead and flatten myself against that truck.



The FUCK! It is just like my dream! Team, we have armored floaters here! They look REAL tough!
How tough?
“More armored than a muton” tough. It’ll take more than one shot to kill them. Get set up, fast!



Two more in the office to the northeast! We have to hurry, they’re killing people!



You monsters! I won’t let you get away with this!
No, wait!



Great. They’re alerted to us.
Rrraaah!



I’ll soften them up!



I got the one in the air.



Ha! He didn’t see that one coming.



One more!



Got ‘im! Cam, flank and get the last one!
I’ll save the civilian!



Identical to my dream… am I really that psychic now?
Cam, shoot it!
I got it, I got it!



That’s… three floaters down. Two more past the office building.



They’re shooting at me! Good.
Good?
I can take a hit, the people can’t!



No! Shoot ME! Don’t—
Blarrgh…
You BASTARDS!



Two regular mutons and a berserker in the warehouse to the east. Look out!



Damn. Torso shot.
I’ll finish him.



These ones are really tough! I only wounded him with the particle cannon!



Damn it, they’re fast, too! He just flew up in the air and flanked me! Help!



Shit! More civvies down.
At least they’re not turning people into zombies.



Hey, lady! Get the hell out of here! The Skyranger’s in the back!



One more megafloater down. Someone get this Berserker off me before she turns me into paste!



Don’t worry, Mom, I got it!



SHIT! I didn’t kill it! It’s charging!



I got it!
I got it!
No, I got it!



Jesus. Well, one of us fucking got it.



Don’t worry, Hilda! I’ve got the one behind you!



Jesus, you took out the wall! Thanks for the save, but we’re trying not to level the entire neighborhood.
This gun is a little powerful.



Haaaahhh… haaaah… I’m feeling that combat rush again!
Oh, no. Breathe slowly.



Near as I can tell, we’ve got two mutons and the last floater behind the truck trailer somewhere.



You! Get out of here! Watkins, I found the last floater!



Those weren’t the last mutons!
Shit!



OWWW!



YEEEK! Stop it!



I’m charging into the warehouse.



I’ve got a fair shot on one of them… Please hit!



Got him!
Great shot, lil’ sis. I got one too.



GARRRRR! ENOUGH! YOU GO SQUISH NOW!



Berserker down.



Right, two left. Mom, we need to trade places. I’ll sprint ahead and kill the far muton with a double-blast, you wound the floater with your mind powers and get ready to hit him with your stun gun. Okay?
Haha. You read my mind.
Is that a telepath joke?



Hey, asshole! Heads up!







Oooh, you didn’t like that, huh? They bolted a bunch of plates to the outside, but their brains are still weak.



Annette! You okay?
Y…yeah! Armor took the hit.



Out of range? Aaah, fuck it.



There.
MOM! We could have used the samples!
Yeah, and Annette could use less aliens shooting at her. Don’t sweat it, there will always be more aliens.



All aliens dead! Mission complete.
Um… it hasn’t really come up lately, but… who is in charge? We’re all colonels now.
Me. I’m the oldest.
Not anymore, you’re not.
You know what I mean!



Hey, I’ve got previous military experience too. As far as XCOM goes, Cam has seniority. She’s been with us the longest, AND has the best kill record. And a super-tough body.
Well, if we’re talking battlefield experience, I was killing Yetis in Nepal when Cam was grade school!
Wait, that’s why you missed my birthday?



*sigh*
What?
I dunno, it’s just… like I got a bad feeling. We’re taking on that mothership next. It might be the last time we see the earth from up here like this.
Awww. It’ll be okay.



Is my head bigger? My head feels bigger.
Uh, yeah. I noticed that too. Take some Motrin, it’ll pass.



Interesting! The bodies of the “Heavy Floaters” were full of meld… much of it raw! We can extract it for use on our own soldiers almost immediately.
Great. Let’s give our final team brain spikes and get everybody trained up on the simulators.



Nine more days… then the world will either be saved or ended…
Ugh…
…okay! From now on, every day is casual day! Wear whatever clothing you want!
Already on it, Commander!

To be continued!