X-Com's Finest (An X-Com 2 play through)

X-COM 2: Reaper Rendevouz

Into the light strode the image of an ADVENT officer. Her weapon was tossed confidently over her shoulder as she walked up to the pair. This could be nothing other than Wartenbach. The mutations from ADVENT were obvious, but it was rare that the company actually saw the standard grunts without their helmets. This officer was something different altogether. The fact that she'd been out here this long spoke something to her ability to survive.

"Well, you must be the rookies escorting me to our destination. By all means, don't let me stop you!" The trio just started walking when an explosion from down the street stopped them short. Wartenbach looked around briefly before spotting what she needed, "I'll be right back."

From her wrist sprouted a grappling hook that went sailing across the street attaching itself to a third story ledge. With a running jump, Wartenbach went sailing up the side of the building to land on the second floor. A quick flick of her wrist and the clamp detached, giving the Skirmisher a clear view of the action. What she saw didn't surprise her.

The Ranger looked over at his sister then back at the Skirmisher. "I have GOT to get me one of those!"

"I bet Shen would help you out there. If you weren't such a jerk."

"I'm not a jerk!"

A streak of fire came pouring out from up the street. An ADVENT grunt wielding a flamethrower slowly made his way down the street, clearing out anything that remotely looked like the lost. Wartenbach fired from her position clearing the head from the ADVENT grunt's torso.

The pair ran up the street to match them when they came face to face with another grunt. Clearly the grunt was not expecting armed resistance and was trying to figure out what to do against two clearly armed opponents. He did the best he could and took cover next to the building.

The Ranger took cover next to an abandoned truck while his sister hid behind the wall of the building. As the Ranger took aim to take out his opponent, the Skirmisher looked down, her smile fading as she figured out the consequences of the proposed shot. As she scrambled for a safe place, she called out in panic, "WAIT! STOP!"

The Ranger fired.

And the ADVENT purifier exploded taking out most of the building Gunner and Wartenbach had been taking cover behind. Very little remained. As the Skirmisher looked down, she noted that less than a foot of solid ground remained between her and empty space. She looked down at the Ranger, "Did you know that was going to happen?"

The Ranger looked shocked at the question, "Of course I did!"

Both the Gunner and the Skirmisher looked at the defensive Ranger, "JERK!"

Gunner had recovered her bearings and waited as Wartenbach descended, a disbelieving scowl on her face. When the Skirmisher had descended, Gunner came up, "Soo... who were they, and why are they here?" She nodded towards the grizzly remains of the destroyed grunt.

The Skirmisher began leading the two down the street, "They are called purifiers. They come to these abandoned cities and destroy the lost."

Gunner and the Ranger just looked at each other as the Skirmisher continued, "There are dozens of cities like this one, abandoned, and the Lost are lesser life forms, so teams are sent to clear them out."

The Ranger just looked irritated at this point, "What are the..."

His question was interrupted by a growing howl that started towards one side, then soon spread to all around them. The Skirmisher yawned and looked over at Gunner. "How long before our ride is here?"

Gunner looked down, her timer counting down quickly, but not quickly enough for her taste. "We still have a few minutes..."

Wartenbach stood back up and planted herself in the middle of the small courtyard, an assault rifle loaded, with another one loaded on her right hip. "Well rookies, it looks like I lucked out, I'm going to get dirty after all." She looked over at the pair who looked at her as if she'd just grown a second head.