Scaled Mind Games

First, ADVENT. Now, Rogue Humans?

The intensity of the cold weather was causing Scott to shiver even in his kevlar armor. His body almost hunched over to embrace the breeze, his hands shaking while holding an assault rifle. "W-What are we doing out here again, colonel?" Scott mutters.

"The three of us are sent on a mission to find any trails left by that unusual viper which is held hostage in the Avenger. Where did she find all that stored food in this winter is what concerns Central. Scanner reports shows no building or resistance base on the local area she was living in before we captured her, the food she obtains may come from a base that is somehow hidden." Mike stated, he was crouching on the snowy ground, trying to pick up a trail. 

"Man, why do I have to tag along in this mission? I'm still injured and my arms hurt, I should be spending time in the infirmary right now." A female soldier said behind Scott, she was wearing the same armor as Scott, kevlar material with a XCOM symbol at the chest, she has a scarf that wraps from her neck to her nose and wears a ski visor. Her entire face was covered to endure the unforgiving cold. She has the higher rank badge than Scott, which is the rank lieutenant. Her weapon was a shotgun at her hands by the moment and a sword sheathed on her back.

"Because, Anna. You are the only soldier in the Avenger who got the highest tracking potential, and this mission is critical because we needed to find this secret base fast before they realize the viper is captured." Mike said as he tries to find a trail at other places.

"She is not working for the aliens, and she has been living alone for as long as she can remember." Scott said out of the blue which made Mike jolt his head towards Scott with an intense gaze of his lifeless helmet. "How did you know that?" Mike said in a dead monotone voice. Scott's face was struck with a panic before he says. "O-Ohh, I meant to put a 'maybe' at the start of that sentence." Scott said and chuckles nervously. Mike let out a serious exhale before turning his attention back to the ground.

Anna nudges Scott's shoulder with her own shoulder when Mike isn't watching them. "Careful there corporal, you know, colonel Mike is like the terminator." 

Scott just stares at the ground which made Anna think that he is doing the objective of the mission. "Ohh right, lets start tracking a trail then." Anna said before leaving Scott alone. Scott was not actually finding a trail. Instead, he was remembering something. 

(=======================)

The automated door opens with a hiss, that made the sleeping viper sit up straight from her coiling position and blink multiple times to hide the fact that she was sleeping. The viper expected to hear a heavy metal clanking against the floor as she thought it was the colonel coming in. Except, a light footstep comes in instead. It was Scott, the young soldier waits patiently for the door before behind him to close before stepping forward to sit at the chair to face the viper. The viper just stared at the human's face, expecting for him to ask questions. Scott looked nervous, he looks at the viper, the table, the walls, the light bulb at the ceiling, the viper's cuffed hands on the table, then looks at the viper again.

"I'm....actually not suppose to be here." Scott scratches at the back of his head and leans in to whisper at the viper. The viper remain silent and continues to give Scott an intimidating stare. At least, that is what Scott feels like even though she was actually staring normally. It is hard for someone to read the face of a viper, even their normal face looks intimidating. After what felt like an eternity of silence, Scott ask the first question. "Does it still hurt?" Scott's tone and voice while asking a question, made the viper soften her eyes. Scott's voice sounds like he was apologizing, and that made the viper look at Scott differently since all the questions her interrogator asked this far is forcefully except for Scott. Not only that, she didn't understand what Scott meant.