(Disclaimer: Half Life belongs to Valve, but my characters are mine, unless they want them too.)

Half-Life: Elsewhere Resistance

Chapter 1: On the run

Raid!

The word flashed through Tom's mind as he rushed into the corner of his room, hoping that he wouldn't be found. It was another raid on his home building by Civil Protection, to "find" possible dissenters among the regular citizens. In reality, it was just another excuse for the Civil Protection to beat a few more innocents.

Sweat beaded down his roughly cut, straggly brown hair as he tried to be as quiet as possible, hoping that nobody would come into his room. They had no reason to come to him, but that had never stopped them before. He heard a pained scream from below, and the pounding of feet coming up the stairs.

He waited, heart beating furiously, as he heard his neighbour and best friend Jack's door break open. His heart almost stopped as his own door burst open, a Metrocop walking into the room, stun baton raised. A rush of static greeted his voiced, as it was garbled into an almost mechanical sound.

"Citizen is suspected of crimes of dissent against the combine."

Tom burst out his reply, filled with fear, "But I haven't done any-"

"The suspect will be silent!" The Metrocop cut in, giving Tom a hit with the baton. Tom cried out in pain, falling to the floor. He heard crashing noises coming from the other room, the same thing likely happening to Jack.

"Get up, Suspect." The Metrocop said, dragging him roughly to his feet. Tom closed his eyes as he prepared for the beating he was about to receive. A static filled laugh came from the Metrocop, as the stun baton sparked into life, as he began to-

A sickening crunch rang out, followed by a loud thumping sound. Tom opened his eyes, and saw his friend Jack standing behind the fallen Metrocop, holding a broken off metal pipe.

Tom gaped for several seconds, before snapping back into reality as he realised what his friend had just done.

"What have you done? Don't you know that they'll-"

"Sorry Tom, but I couldn't just let them beat us again this time!" Determination ran through Jack's eyes, the look of someone who had been broken one to many times.

"Look, it's too late now, but we have to get out of here, before they realise what happened here!" The impact of these words broke Tom out of his stupor, as he stood up. He looked down at the Civil Protection officer's body. Its neck was turned at an unnatural angle, and there was a small red stain where the blood had started seeping into the mask. Jack started talking again, turning the body over.

"Look, I heard from a friend of mine that some of the rebels had some bases in the old underground metro tunnels. If we can find some rebels, we should be able to hide there." He pulled the standard USP Match out of the holster on the body of the Metrocop, handing it to Tom, along with two spare magazines he found from scavenging through the pockets of the body.

"Don't worry; I've got a weapon from the other guy." Jack said. Tom still hadn't gotten over what Jack had started, almost yelling at him, "Don't you know what you've done! You've just killed two CP officers! If they find us, we'll be worse that dead!"

Slight doubt flickered over Jack's face, quickly replaced by determination. "Well then we'll just have to not let them catch us then, won't we?" Tom almost started up again, but realised that wouldn't change anything. He'd just have to go along with what had happened, and hope to make it out alive.

"Alright, alright. Let's just get out of here!" He said, stuffing the pistol into the pockets of his blue regulation citizen uniform pants, hoping it wouldn't make much of an indent to be seen. Jack dropped his pipe, as they ran out of the room, hurrying downstairs. They forced themselves to slow down, as to not be noticed. They crept past a door, while a woman was being beaten by another Metrocop. Briefly, Tom stopped worrying about himself, as anger surged through him. Jack was right. This had to stop, and if he made it to the rebels, he was going to make it stop himself. They waved their identification past the scanners as they walked outside, as Tom looked around.

It was City 12, formerly London, in all its glory. Old and worn buildings, covered in makeshift repairs and brides, scattered the landscape, as the city's Combine Spire rose far above the clouds. A screen played another one of Doctor Breen's messages around the square, as Tom tuned it out, having heard these hundreds of times. Other people and Civil Protection units walked about, as Tom tried to look ordinary. He would have shivered in the cold weather, that his uniform failed to keep him warm enough to ignore, had he not been far too nervous to even do that simple action. He and Jack came to the entrance to an alcove leading to the Underground metro system, guarded by one lone Metrocop. His heart pounding, he and Jack walked across, passing by the guard, as he heard a clatter.

"You. Citizen." His heard froze, missing several beats, as he suppressed the urge to jump, and then run as fast as he could, turning around. The Metrocop pointing at a can on the ground, that he had obviously thrown onto the ground.

"You. Citizen," He repeated. "Pick up that can." Heart still pounding, he walked over to it.

"Good. Now put it in the trash can." Tom walked over to the bin the guard was standing next to, dropping it in. A pained second passed, as Tom's tension grew.

"Alright, you can go." A garbled laugh rang out from the Metrocop, as Tom suppressed a sigh of relief. He and Jack passed by, heading through the tunnel.

"You know, that isn't the first time he's done that." Jack quietly said to him.

"I swear to god it's his stupid idea of a joke. I just can't see why." Tom nodded in agreement, before realising the insanity of it all. Here he was, fleeing for his life, as he exchanged small talk with Jack over a guard making him pick up a can. He was the old metro tracks of the Underground, as he heard talk behind him. There were two other officers talking to the guard from before, as the guard pointed down the tunnel.

They saw him, and began to ran towards them.

"Halt, Citizen!" Was the order yelled at them, as Jack looked at him.

"Run!"

They both sprinted down the hallway, jumping down onto the tracks, Civil Protection in hot pursuit.

"Where do we go!" Tom said between breaths, as Jack turned his head and replied,

"I don't know! Just keep running!"

A bang and a metallic ping rang out, as they looked back, to see the officers running after them, opening fire!

Tom let out a curse as he reached for his pistol, firing wildly in their direction. None of them hit a target, and he heard a click as they turned a corner. He fumbled with the gun, trying to figure out how to eject the magazine, the task made even harder in the dim light of the Underground. He managed to eject the magazine, ramming the second clip in, trying to maintain his balance as he finished the task. He and Jack gasped from their exertions as they rounded another corner. Even with the adrenaline rush, they were running out energy, and they knew it.

He turned around to see the officers about to turn the corner, as he crashed into someone who grabbed him roughly, pulling him down a hidden hatch, with Jack similarly handled by a second figure. A gloved hand smothered his cry, as a voice hissed at him,

"Keep quiet!"

His gasps muffled, he heard the footsteps of the Metrocops get louder, then slowly fade out, As he was released by his saviours. A light suddenly shined out, revealing the faces of the two people who had saved him. The dirty faces of a man and a woman were shown to him, as the woman began to talk.

"Alright, you're safe now. Now, who are you, and why were they chasing you?"

Tom glanced at what they were wearing, a combination of a dark green jumper and jeans each, both adorned with straps, belts and pouches holding various items, and holsters for pistols. Strapped to one of each of their arms was a pad, with a lambda symbol on it, concreting that they were in the resistance.

Jack was still panting from the run, so Tom hurried out with "Back in our home, there was a raid by Civil Protection, and we killed two of them, so we ran to the tunnels looking for you, but then they chased us, and-"

"Ok, ok, that's enough, you're good." The man said, holding up his hand.

"If you've killed a couple of them, then it looks like you'll be staying with us for a while. We could always have a few more hands around here."

"That's right." The woman said. "If you're on the run, then you're perfect rebel material. If you choose to, you can join up with us, and help us fight the Combine."

"Yeah, but you'll be doing my dishes for us helping you, ok?" The man joked, while the woman glared at him.

"Oh lighten up Tess. It's just a joke, geez." The woman, apparently Tess, sighed, and started walking down the tunnel.

The man turned back to them. "Seriously though, I think you should join up. After all, you did kind of kill two of them. Not really anywhere to go after that kind of thing. I think you'll need to give me that gun though. Don't want to make anyone 'round here nervous."

Tom looked down, and found he was still clenching his Match. He handed it and his spare magazine over to the rebel man, while Jack got his out and did the same.

"Alright, you'd better follow me now." The man started walking, before calling out again, "Oh, by the way, I'm Dave, she's Tess. Come on, I'll show you 'round the place."

Tom and Jack glanced at each other, before jogging lightly to catch up with Dave. After a few minutes of walking silently, they grew closer and closer to the light at the end of the tunnel, as Jack had jokingly put it.

Walking through revealed a large, well lit cavern, with workers moving supplies, citizens moving around, and guards all over a large complex of buildings and area.

Jack let out a grin, as he turned to them and said, "Welcome to the Underground, boys, home to City 12's Finest."

(A/N)

(Well, this is my first shot at this, so sorry if it's a little slow. I wasn't quite sure how to write the metrocop at the start, so he might seem a little awkward. Dialogue isn't my strong point either, but it and some characterisation should pick up next chapter. Please review, I need feedback and constructive criticism on this.)