APERTURE APOCOLYPSE
6 Days Prior: Aperture and Chell
"Hiya, Chell," said a blond man with blue eyes as he sat down next to her in the cafeteria. The eight-year-oldgirl didn't move out of her slouched position. The only sign of recognition that she gave was to raise the corners of her mouth. Slightly.
"How was testing today?" He asked, purposely not giving a 'yes or no' question.
She wouldn't if she didn't have to. He would have blamed it on her mother's passing, but this silence had started before that, when she had been brought to Aperture Facilities. It wasn't that she was too distracted to form words but too… focused to bother. She always seemed to be waiting for the next challenge.
"Fine," she briefly answered his question. That was a lie. Chell was fantastic at her tests. He had seen her files. He had watched once. It was the most relaxed that he had ever seen her.
The man grimaced. She had been more relaxed while testing than she had ever been around him…
Dr. Piron, you are needed in the biology lab. Dr. Piron, please report to the biology lab.
Chell raised an eyebrow at her father, Dr. Piron, who was not a biologist, but an engineer.
He smiled at her incredulous look. "The biologists are working with the engineers to help with 'you-know-who-."
Chell gave a brief nod, acknowledging that she understood his message.
Four other men in lab coats approached their table. Chell easily recognized them. They were other engineers in Chell's lunch period. They always sat at the same table, in the same seats, eating the same food, never talking, always taking notes.
"Ready for the big day, Dr. Piron? They finally think that they have the Core Project complete," one commented, showing no facial expressions. The others gave haphazard smiles, as if they weren't really sure how to do it anymore.
Chell was suppressing laughter. It was easy for Dr. Piron to see why. They all looked like robots, sharing the same brain. Knowing Aperture, they very well could be.
He turned to wink at Chell. "Yup, let's knock 'em dead." The other four winced at his less than eloquent wording.
"See you tomorrow?" he asked quickly.
Nod.
"Well, wish me luck."
Shake, but with a smile. She was telling him that he didn't need it.
"Goodbye, Chell," he said, adding a hug to the message. She didn't say anything in response. Internally sighing, he turned to walk away.
"Goodbye, Dad."
He turned back and grinned at her. Maybe things were going to be easier now…
AN: I don't own Portal.
My friends keep telling me that I should do something with this. We'll see if I can make this work out. I don't know if this has been done before or not…