XCOM 2 - Part 16

XCOM 2: Operation Hammer Walk
Starring Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Joe Jukic, Kristin Kreuk (First Mission), and John Travolta
Objective: Raid ADVENT Train, Recover Data Vault
Location: Toronto Deadzone, Canadian Resistance Corridor
Time: 03:17 Local
Difficulty: Commander
Mission Code Name: Hammer Walk

COMMANDER’S LOG:
Central Officer Bradford:
"Commander, we've located an ADVENT data vault on a high-speed train moving through the outskirts of Toronto. Intelligence suggests it's carrying top-tier encryption keys for their new global surveillance grid. We've inserted a top squad, but this is rookie Kristin Kreuk’s first deployment. Keep her safe."

THE SQUAD:
Colonel Harrison Ford – Codename “Blaster”
Class: Grenadier
Traits: Battle-hardened, slow-moving, bad knees, hates authority
Loadout: Heavy Cannon, Plasma Grenade, War Suit
Quote: “I’m too old for this alien crap.”

Sergeant Tom Cruise – Codename “Stuntman”
Class: Ranger
Traits: Adrenaline junkie, fast flanker, never breaks character
Loadout: Shotgun, Plasma Blade, Mimic Beacon
Quote: “Running on rooftops is cardio.”

Lieutenant Joe Jukic – Codename “Glitch”
Class: Specialist
Traits: Hacker savant, sarcastic, wears shades at night
Loadout: Skulljack, GREMLIN Mk II, EMP Grenade
Quote: “If it’s got code, I can crack it.”

Rookie Kristin Kreuk – Codename “Phantom”
Class: Sharpshooter (Provisional)
Traits: Calm under pressure, precise, philosophical
Loadout: Magnetic Sniper Rifle, Pistol, Flashbang
Quote: “Guess it’s judgment day.”

Corporal John Travolta – Codename “Disco”
Class: Psi Operative
Traits: Moves like lightning, fights like a storm, prefers disco beats in combat
Loadout: Psi Amp, Mind Shield
Quote: “This battlefield needs more groove.”

MISSION START:
The squad drops onto the outskirts of the old Toronto railyard. A long, black ADVENT train glides quietly along the magnetic rails. A low fog blankets the steel jungle.

Joe: “Vault’s two cars from the front. Firewalls are layered like an onion.”
Tom: “Then let’s peel fast. I’ve got point.”

Tom sprints ahead, vaulting crates like a parkour god. Kristin kneels on overwatch, eyes scanning through her scope. Her heart pounds—first kill could be any second.

FIRST ENGAGEMENT:
Three ADVENT Troopers and a Stun Lancer emerge from the shadows.

Kristin (whispering): “I see them.”
BANG!
Her first shot. Clean. Drops a Trooper instantly.

Harrison: “Not bad, new girl.”
Joe (impressed): “Welcome to the rebellion.”

Travolta sends a Stasis wave to freeze the Lancer mid-charge.

Travolta: “Nobody touches Kristin on her first day but me—and only with consent.”

Ford lobs a plasma grenade, turning the remaining two Troopers into sparks.

THE VAULT:
Joe reaches the train’s data car and jacks in.

Joe: “Firewall’s got counter-hack routines. I trigger the wrong sequence and half of Ontario gets a ping.”
Kristin (calm): “Then don’t miss.”

He smiles. The GREMLIN glows as Joe dances through digital defenses. He finds something buried beneath the encryption:

PROJECT: LUCID CLONE
Human minds uploaded to alien quantum drives. Simulated consciousness. Tactical immortality.
Joe: “This isn’t just data. It’s proof they’re backing up humans like hard drives.”

Vault secured. ADVENT knows.

EXTRACTION:
Reinforcements descend: an Archon, two MECs, and a Viper.

Tom: “I got this.”
He throws the Mimic Beacon and flanks wide. With parkour leaps, he lands on top of the train, shotgun at the ready.

Tom: “Smile for the camera!”
BLAM!—Viper’s head vaporized.
SLASH!—He eviscerates the Archon mid-air.
Central (over comms): “That move just got you a promotion, Lieutenant Cruise. Don’t get cocky.”
Tom: “Too late!”

Meanwhile, Kristin holds off a MEC with her pistol, slow-motion sparks flying around her.

Ford lumbers into position.
Ford: “Time to end this.”
He launches a high-explosive shell into the second MEC, which topples backward and crushes two ADVENT Troopers in its fall.

Travolta (psi-charging): “Mind control dance party!”
He hijacks the last enemy soldier, who turns and guns down his own commander in confusion.

EVAC:
The squad hustles toward the Skyranger. Kristin is the last one up the rope. She looks back at the wrecked train, the glowing vault, and the chaos they survived.

Kristin: “Is every mission like this?”
Joe: “No. Sometimes it’s worse.”

MISSION COMPLETE:
OPERATION HAMMER WALK — SUCCESS
Vault Recovered: +1 Intel Cache
ADVENT Clone Project Discovered: Project Lucid Clone
Tom Cruise PROMOTED to Lieutenant
Kristin Kreuk PROMOTED to Squaddie – Class: Sharpshooter
John Travolta gained Psi ability: Domination

POST-MISSION DEBRIEF:
Central: “That was a hell of a first run for Kreuk. Cruise keeps pushing the limits. And whatever Jukic found... we’ll need to act fast.”

Commander:
“Prep the team. The clone project is just the beginning.”