Author's notes: Well… um… -Shy- … This is my first time uploading something to this site- I really hope its okay! ; I've been afraid my stories aren't good enough to put up on here, so I've been a bit hesitant, but… Well, here goes! X3
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Be Adequate!
"Sheckly."
"…"
"Sheckly!"
"What?"
"SHECKLY!"
"WHAT?!"
Griggs flinched as he found his partner's nose just inches away from his own, and stepped back, looking affronted.
"Oh fine! Forget about it, then." He huffed, looking sulky.
Sheckly grunted nonchalantly, shifting the heavy sub-machine gun to rest against his shoulder, and continued his watch of one of the lengthy, underground tunnels, winding down to God-Knows-Where.
Griggs, paranoid as ever, kept his eyes on a series of dull, unlit red lights, occasionally throwing discontented looks at Sheckly and tugging absently at his vest.
Several minutes of silence passed between the two. Several long, uneventful minutes.
"… Sooooo…"
No response.
"… How long d'ya think they'll keep us waiting here…?"
Shecky sighed, smacking his head and causing his dark green beanie to slip a little down his face, and ruffling his pitch-black hair.
"For the last time, Griggs, as long as it takes. You do realise we're the only ones left down here, right?"
"Yeah, I know, but… They could always send some people, couldn't they?" Griggs continued, stubbornly, "Just because the others died horribly doesn't mean-"
"Oh, I dunno! Maybe because there's a war going on?!" Sheckly replied sarcastically, "Damnit, Griggs, they can't afford to send anymore men down here!"
Griggs blinked, "So, you're saying we're expendable, then?"
Sheckly sighed, rubbing his eyes, "Yes, Griggs. We're expendable. Happy now?!"
The medic paused briefly, than frowned, "No, actually, that's pretty upsetting."
"Ugh!"
Several more silent minutes ticked by.
"Wanna play a game?"
The resistance soldier rolled his eyes, "No, I do not want to play a game."
"Awww, come on!" Griggs whined pleadingly, "Just something simple like… Oh, I dunno… I spy!"
His partner gave him a glare that would've frozen fire.
"I… I'll go first shall I?" The medic whimpered, and continued on- either out of bravery or stupidity.
"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…"
Griggs paused and glanced around. There wasn't anything particularly interesting in the blue-hued cavern.
"… You can't find anything can you?" The rebel asked, showing no sign of surprise.
"No, no… I'm just… thinking, yeah…" He coughed, and glanced behind him, "T! Yeah, something starting with T!"
Sheckly glanced at him vacantly, "Is it 'Turret'?"
"What?! No fair!" His companion jumped up from his half-slouch, fuming, "You're not supposed to get it in one go like that! What gave it away?"
Another sigh, "Maybe the bright yellow stripes you spray-painted on it?" He answered, lazily gesturing towards the offending object.
Blatant yellow, spray-painted- stripes zigzagged around a silver, run-down turret, standing out dramatically against the inky darkness. It leaned against the railing behind them, presence obvious and looking more then a little dilapidated.
Griggs blinked again, "Oh."
"That's probably a hazard, you know," Sheckly continued, practical as always, "I'd be surprised if the Antlions couldn't see it from miles away. A lot of good it'd do us then."
"Oh, it's not that obvious!" The medic replied, looking hurt.
He was about to place his own weapon down (an SMG, same as Sheckly), and mope for a bit at the other end of the cavern, away from his "partner", when a loud noise shattered the stiff silence, causing the two Rebels to jump in surprise- a continuous wailing noise that's pitch warble between high and low. It was quickly accompanied by one of the red lights next to the tunnel opening in front of the pair lighting up brilliantly.
"Antlions!!"
Griggs cried out and fluttered about in alarm, reaching immediately for the old turret behind him, and nearly dropping it.
"Hey, calm down, will ya?! There can't be that many!" Sheckly shouted over the top of him, "And don't use that one, for God's sake- use one of the other ones!"
After much shouting, stumbling and general mayhem, the two were set up at either side of the tunnel entrance, weapons at the ready and with a newer, unmarked turret between them.
"Oh god, what if it brings more of them? What if the turrets don't work? What if-"
"Shut up so I can listen!"
To the pair's surprise, the form that appeared from the shadows of the tunnel did not resemble an Antlion at all- in fact, it was almost humanoid, though admittedly a very hunch-backed human, if that's indeed what it was- and it appeared to be carrying someone in its arms.
"Hey, it's a Vortigaunt!" Sheckly cried out, far more relieved then he was letting on, and lowering his machine gun.
"Oh, yeah, I knew that. I was just testing you." Griggs called back, with a not-so-confident, shaky-laugh, hands still tightly clapped on his.
The Vortigaunt approached them hurriedly; it's almost hoof-like feet pounding on the cave floor. Many bulbous, crimson eyes, radiant in the dark and mottled, brown skin helped it stand out quite clearly.
In its clawed, twisted, talon-like hands it held what was indeed a human- a young girl around the age of twenty, with short, jet-black hair. She was lifeless and limp, her face deathly pale.
It stopped just before them and gazed at them piercingly with the largest of its eyes, set in the very centre of its face.
"Ah, humans of the Resistance!" The Vortigaunt called eagerly in its croaky, sage-like voice. It raised the girl in its arms up higher, "We apologise for the intrusion, but we must seek help- we bring with us the Alyx Vance…"
It spoke the name with a great deal of respect and reverence, waving the third arm protruding from its chest courteously.
For the third time today, Griggs blinked. Glancing at the troubled expression on Sheckly's face, he felt as though he was being left out of one hell of a loop.
"Uh, yeah… Who's she?"
Sheckly gaped at him, and Griggs wouldn't have been surprised if his mouth had dropped off.
"Oh, she's only Eli Vance's daughter- you know, the Leader of the whole Resistance!" Sheckly snapped, exasperated, "Honestly, Griggs, sometimes I wonder if your brain of yours still works! Did an Antlion beat you one too many times, or something?"
"Hey, hey, no need for insults!" Griggs muttered, frowning, "I just had a memory blank that's all! 'Corse I know who she is!"
"Yeah right…"
The Vortigaunt interrupted their bickering with a loud, throaty cough, and stared at both of them prudently, "The Alyx Vance has been gravely injured," It stated calmly, gesturing to two stab-wounds in the woman's back. Blood was steadily spreading across her jacket, staining it dark red, "A Hunter struck her without warning. I have called my kin here for their assistance in stabilising her, for we cannot delay. The Alyx Vance requires treatment – a larval extract from the nest of the Antlion guard that roams these caves is needed. However, we need assistance in acquiring it."
It paused, crimson eyes never leaving the Rebel's faces, "Your part will be to guard us from the Antlions. They are restless, for many of their young have been slain. My kin and I will need protection from them while we hold the Vance daughter clinging to this world."
Griggs and Sheckly nodded.
The Vortigaunt continued, "The extract, however will be retrieved by the Freeman, who will arrive here shortly."
Sheckly gasped, and this time Griggs could share in his enthusiasm.
"Freeman- Gordan Freeman?!" The soldier cried, astonished, "He's coming here?! Now?!"
Griggs laughed joyously, "Alright! Best news I've heard all day! Or… all week, for that matter."
The Vortigaunt gazed, amusement and curiosity sparkling in its bulbous eyes, "We require an adequate place to rest the Alyx Vance, while my kin and I sustain her." It stated bluntly, acting as though it was oblivious to the pair's delight.
Griggs chuckled, "A no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point type, huh? I think you and Sheckly'd get along great."
"Shut up, Griggs. You can use that table over there- there's a bunch of supplies, too, if you need 'em." Sheckly answered, pointing to a metallic table in shelter near the edge of the cavern. He hastily brushed a collection of crates, boxes, med-kits and ammo onto the floor. The Vortigaunt thanked him, and gently laid the limp woman on the smooth surface, bright, green light flowing from its gnarled hands.
"Remember, the Freeman will be here shortly, no doubt followed by hostile Antlions. In the unlikely event that an Antlion Guard attacks, do not harm it. If it is killed, the extract will be ruined, and any hope of curing the Alyx Vance dies with it."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" Griggs answered distractedly- the talk of approaching angry Antlions had done little to calm him, and he was now watching the unlit red lights again with a kind of feverish paranoia.
The medic turned to glance at the alien briefly, a grin plastered on his face, "Oh and good luck- Be adequate, or whatever it is you Vorts say!"
Sheckly groaned.
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Authior's Notes: I always loved Griggs and Sheckly- probably because they're some of the only minor characters to have personalities. XD
For those of you who've forgotten who they are, they're the two rebels who help you kill the invading Antlions in the second Chapter- This Vortal Core- y'know the one- right after Alyx is stabbed by the Hunter?
They were a little difficult to write, since I usually don't write characters like them, and to make matters worse, I threw in a Vortigaunt (Even more difficult, but I love 'em so much w;; ), so excuse any OOC-ness. D:
I hope I got them right. xD;
Err... Credit to Combine Over-Wiki, for the information on the two, and for the names of their weapons... I'm terrible with guns. xD
I really hope this was good enough…