"Ungh!"

"Subject is conscious, sir."

"Oh. Is he prep'd? Good."

Footsteps approach the blindfolded man.

"Remember..." the voice says with authority, then whispers in the man's ear placing a firm hand on the his shoulder, "There's always a journey... there's always a girl... there's always destruction... and there's always... you. Now go and do what you do."

Despite the blindfold, there a blinding flash then the man's eyes are able to focus.

"Are you okay? Come on! We need to move!" a woman shouts at him.

"I..." he begins, his mind a scramble, trying to remember if he knows this girl, "Katheryn?"

"Who? I think you got a bump on the head that last assault."

"Uhhh... Elizabeth?"

"Are you just saying random names now? You're being weird."

"Alyx?"

"Alyx? Now you think I'm Alyx? Jeez, Gordon, I'm Chell, remember? From the facility? Man, I knew I was best on my own. Oh. Gordon?"

"What?"

"Your nose. It's bleeding. You really did take a knock back there. Let me take a look, head injuries can be bad. You might have brain damage." Chell laughs.

"Why is that funny?"

"Never mind, let me just take a look at you."

Chell checks over Gordon's head for lumps, bumps or wounds, then checks his vision for focus.

"Have I been here before?" he asks.

"How would I know where you've been? I've only known you for a few days."

"No. I don't mean the location."

"Well what do you mean then?"

"Umm... I'm not sure. I was hoping you'd just know what I mean."

"Well I've never been here with you before, I can tell you that."

"Can you? Are you sure?"

"Isn't there enough weird shit going on? Multi-dimensional beings not doing it for you? Are you purposefully trying to put more on top?"

"Multi-dimensional beings..." he repeats.

"What now?" she responds impatiently.

"I don't know but... I don't think I've been here before but... I don't think I'm supposed to be here either."

"Gordon? Gordon?" Chell now panics.

"What?"

"You're... shifting..."

He barely looks at his dissipating hand before the painful flash that brought him here returns him, still blindfolded.

"What the hell happened? You said he was prep'd!" the authoritative voice shouts.