Half-Life: Classified

Chapter 3: Awoken Dangers

Anomalous Materials Viewing Station

Nuclear Strike in 07:00hours

Time: 10:20am

Sam wheezed heavily as dark smoke swirled horrifically like a murderous storm overhead, it was thick and black as it entered his raw lungs, instantly drying his month and irritating his lungs. The room was a disaster area where fiery, deadly, red flames licked up the computer panels as other vicious flames engulfed every piece of flammable furniture in the small room. He opened his smoke-clogged eyes to the horrible scene that awaited him he rubbed his blackened hands over his grubby face, a large lump was forming on his forehead and his lean body was covered in light scratches and red bruises. A green lightening bolt flashed through the room ploughing into the wall panels from the dysfunctional laser, it showered down green sparks onto the concrete laser room floor. Sam pushed himself up rubble, dust and fragments of walls and ceiling rained down off his clothes onto the red and white tiled floor. The other scientists were eminently dead, red thick blood was seeping from their mangled burnt bodies. Sam started to gasp, he was starting to get dizzy and his vision clouded but a loud BANG cleared his vision and awoke him. He scanned the room and instinctively wrenched at the door handle that would let him breath fresh air and release him from his fiery prison. The bulbous red light was buzzing loudly signifying a resonance cascade had happened. "DAMN!" he bawled out above the jumble of shocking, and weird, noises and sounds. Sam bent down and scooped up a shard of rock and hurled it at the Perspex glass door. The rubble lightly bounced off the door and weakly fell back down to the floor. The flames were licking at him, waiting to strike him, as clear sweat was pouring off in small beads. He clawed around desperately throwing things items at the door. As a stapler, which had no effect on the door, clattered to the ground Sam picked up a flaming office chair and launched it at the door as hard as he could at the door. It blasted through the door causing shards of glass everywhere. Cool, inviting, refreshing air wafted in letting the smoke billow out into the long corridor, slowly, he regulated his breath again. He quickly climbed through the shattered door frame into the corridor where chaos had, apparently, rocked the whole facility lights were shattered and cracked, littering the floor with clear glass. The corridor was trashed multi-coloured wires hanging down like streamers and a laser channel was severed causing the laser to slice erratically through items in the corridor and ceiling. He looked around terrified as he glanced a guard was climbing slowly over what had once been a sturdy wall "Wretch…is that you?" he coughed astonished

"Holy Hell, Tom is that you?" he paused, taking in the appalling scene "What the hell happened?"

"I was hoping you would tell me," he replied exasperatedly. Suddenly, a high-pitched squeal erupted behind him in a pile of rubble, a small chicken-like thing with claws and a gaping jaw in its underbelly. "Get down it's a headcrab" Tom said quickly s he fired his pistol at the headcrab, it fell to the ground with a sickening thwack, green pus seeping from its dead body. Sam looked around bemused "What the hell is that? And what the hell are we going to do now?" he asked. "That is a headcrab, little bastards that latch themselves onto your face and turn you into that," he pointed at a pane of Perspex glass where a creature wearing a white lab coat was pounding against it, a bead of sweat rolled down Sam's face "And the way out, I think, is up" he replied, informed. "That's in the emergency pack for escape but I bet you didn't read that did you?" Tom smiled as he gave a faked disapproving stare "No." Sam answered, he pointed down past the Perspex glass to a severed laser connecter that was refracting the berserk at odd angles all across the corridor, tearing it to shreds. "I don't think we can get out that way," Sam said rationally. Tom and Sam exchanged a worried look as the electronic alarm system droned metallically "Major Resonance Cascade Detected, please evacuate the premises immediately and remember do not use the elevators or tram systems at this present time." Tom walked towards the viewing chamber when he came back out he was a whiter shade of pale "Bloody Hell!" he shouted "How did you manage to survive that?" he bent down a picked up a twisted piece of metal and threw it at Sam. He caught it and gripped it in his hands; it was still warm to the touch. "How did you get here?" Sam asked.

"I was patrolling the area to guard against unauthorized personnel, when suddenly, a deep rumbling erupted and I got knocked over by a falling vending machine, luckily, I could manage to get it off me and I came round here, saw you, and here we are now" he answered "How about you?" Sam then began to retell the series of events that led up to the situation Sam was in "He did you survive?" he asked incredulously.

"I was lucky" Sam replied as they started to climb up to the rubble remains "What happened here?"

Tom shrugged "I just know I didn't want to be standing by here when it blew up." They turned into, another, war-torn corridor. Sadly, bodies littered the floor, some charred and beaten, "Tragic," Tom said meaningfully. Sam saw a gun lying beside a security guard who had lots of blood seeping from his chest Sam gazed at the gun "Are you going to pick it up or not?" Tom asked. Sam went near the body, feeling extremely repulsed as he reached for the disowned weapon. The gun was cheap and heavy in Sam's hands probably more for looks than actual use. Tom looked at Sam "Take the safety off," he ordered "I don't want another dead body on my conscience." Sam latched off the Safety and scanned the area, a small movement behind them made them jump and turn around. A horrifying sight awaited them was the body of a security guard but the head was now the back of a headcrab. The zombie's chest had burst open it was green with white ribs punching through the skin. Sam started to tremble; Tom looked across before firing two shots. Both shots ripped into the back of the attached headcrab. The zombie swiped his large bloody fingered hands into the air and screamed in terrible pain. It fell to the ground green pus and blood seeping from it. Tom stayed silent as they moved through the close woven web of corridors. Tom and Sam moved through a cramped doorway which led to a compact office. The office consisted of a desk with an old clunky windows 98 computer and equipment strewn across it. Stationary was sporadically placed all over the office and a green filing cabinet was on its side spewing its diet of papers. Suddenly, the automatic voice that seemed to be a calm snippet of the disaster started as the lights flickered and died like a candle burning out "Pressure in Hydroelectric Turbine B critical, Repeat high pressure in Hydroelectric Turbine B." Tom looked at Sam confused "What does that mean?"

Sam answered tentatively "The electric for floor 3 is powered by a hydroelectric plant and seeing the electricity is severed and blowing up fuses but the turbines haven't been turned off so they are going to overload."

"What happens when they overload?" Tom asked in the bleak darkness. Am answered scared of the answer "They explode."

Main Lobby B

Nuclear Strike in 7:20hours

Time: 10:00am

Jane, screaming, rolled out of the way of the headcrab, picked up a large chunk of fallen concrete and threw it at. The concrete hit the head crab with a sickening squelch and splintered on the ground. Jane felt mild satisfaction, before a wave of realisation set in. Dim light on gave out vague shapes in the enormous lobby. Jane slowly clamber to her feet and started to scan the area in her strict fashion. Crimson blood was dripping from her nose but otherwise she was relatively unscathed, however, groans and moans told that the others in the crowded lobby weren't so well off. She slowly scaled the uneven hills of rubble, furious sparks showering down. She wondered, out of place in the chaos, through the rubble when a hideous high-pitched squeal erupted behind her making her scream and jump. A picture of horror was in front of her, it had the vague shape of a dog but halfway through it cut off and just had a large round brown 'eye' it sprinted round a blue aura surrounding it. Jane's eyes widened, she froze with fear, the dog-like thing approached her and slowly the squeal got louder and higher. Alarmingly, the squeal dissipated and a blue blast billowed from the eye. Jane dived out of the way. The blue charge hit the rubble behind her spraying it across the lobby and digging into the remains of the laser. Jane got back up as quickly as the 'dog' jumped about freakishly, she grabbed the nearest thing to her in panic the blue Apple Mac monitor that normally sat on the security desk rose up in it and threw it with all the strength she could muster. The Mac monitor slammed into the dog's devilish eye and crushed it instantly; it gave out a howl of distinguished pain. "Wow Mac's are good for something" she thought as a slow sombre ring came from her pocket. She reached into her torn pocket and, to her astonishment; her sleek Motorola phone was still in working order. She slowly put to her ear but still spoke in her brisk tone "Hello?" she questioned bemused to who would be ringing her. "It's Breen," he replied.

"What the hell have you done?" she spoke furiously in a rush of anger.

"Calm down Jane, I hope I haven't made a mistake in taking you on board," he replied with no emotion. Jane's personal emotions were suppressed immediately as she answered slowly and curtly "No, I'm sure you haven't, but what is going to happen to me? What are you doing? What are these things?" Breen answered immediately

"Not so many questions, Jane, all you need to do is escape like me, I can fend for myself so I am sure you can do to but, seeing as you asked so nicely, I will inform you on those 'things' as you called them. They are creatures from Xen they are harmful so watch out." And with that bit of swift advice the line cut off. Jane looked confused those small tit-bits of information muddling her brain but then another 'dog' appeared. This time, she didn't feel she would win so she turned and started to run in the direction of the open alcove that led into the corridor. The blue vicious energy smashed into the strobe light, which also showered down sparks, above her as she continued to run from the beast. Jane screeched and burst into an office, she quickly shut the door be but jumped in horror at what awaited her. The disfigured zombie in front of her swung at her try to disembowel her. She shoulder-barged the imitation wood door she just locked and smashed it off its hinges and she continued to run down the corridor. Panic set into her brain as the zombie staggered behind her. Jane dashed down the corridor, on her way she saw a grey skinned gaunt man a crisp blue suit clutching a black, leather briefcase seemingly oblivious to the ensuing chaos around them. Jane continued down the corridor to a gleaming metal door. She slammed against it but it wouldn't budge as if wanting to seal her fate. Two abominable wrecks of once humans joined the first and they advanced in horrifying accompaniment. Jane wrenched at the door handle with a whimper of despair they closed ready to devour her… She searched herself desperately for something to save her, she could see behind the zombies the man in the suit stalked off. She suddenly grabbed her swipe card and prayed she had clearance as she swiped it. A small beep signalled salvation, she flung herself through the door and slammed the door behind herself. She found herself in the wrecked remains of Anomalous Research Lab, it was a horrific disaster zone, blood sprayed up the walls like abstract art, the sturdy metal platform had collapsed under itself, the viewing station was a smoking burning wreck and the laser was hanging by slim electrical wires and metal brackets. Jane walked through the rubble her mental resilience was crumbling a body was mutilated on the floor, battered and bruised, a tear rolled down her cheek full of sadness but she wiped it away, smoke billowed out of the viewing station choking the air. Jane dashed over to the air lock door; it was broken and locked a couple of feet above the ground. Jane slowly ducked under it and found another rampant trail of destruction. Bodies, rubble and limbs littered the cracked and blood-splattered floor. Sick climbed to the back of her throat but she, reluctantly, swallowed it back down leaving the acidic taste in her mouth. Suddenly, a sharp click echoed from her high heel, it had snapped in two, she took off the other shoe and bashed it until they were equal height. She slipped her heels and walked nervously down the corridor. The automatic voice cut in above her rambling about the Resonance Cascade. Jane automatically knew what had happened, the power had overloaded the laser and caused this disaster. She continued round the corner and choked there, in front of her, was the body of Seline's boyfriend spread-eagled across the corridor a shard of metal piercing his stomach thick blood pouring across the corridor. Seline was hunched over him sobbing her hand running through his lifeless hair. She looked around her black mascara making tarry rivers down her face before running into her lipstick. "Jane!" she squealed running up to her before hugging her tightly and sobbing into her shoulder, Jane stood firm and patted her awkwardly. "How did you survive?" Jane asked tensely.

"I just ran anywhere I could and then I found," a tear rolled down her cheek "and then I found." She wailed out tears running down her cheeks. Jane's suit was getting soaking with the amount of tears pouring on it "I think we better move," Jane said firmly

"But but…" Seline tried to fight back but Jane gave a look of pure cool and calm and said "Do you want to end up like him? Do you? If Not we better move before anything comes to maul us." Then the corridor was cast into darkness and Jane had never felt so scared in her life…

Sewage Treatment And Recycling Facility

Nuclear Strike In 6:50hours

Time 10:40am

Above them the disfigured zombie swung down it's large curled talons, Nathan rolled out of the way desperately as the talons smashed into the pile of rubble. Dave whipped out his H&K and fired three 45.ACP bullets into the chest of the zombie which had ripped open and at the open heart. The heart exploded from the impact releasing green pus over Nathan and Dave. Dave wiped down his bullet-proof vest with a look of disgust as the zombie gave a defiant roar before collapsing on a pile of debris. Nathan spat and smeared the pus off his face and continued to clean the rest of his tattered clothing. "Nice shot but please don't try and get me covered in this shit again," Nathan said disgruntled. Dave gave a look of incredulously before saying "Oh sorry I will not save you because of your dry cleaning," sternly. Dave then gripped Nathan's grubby hand and wrenched him to his feet. The lights flickered off, letting the darkness surround them and making their eyes acclimatise quickly. Everything that had been so clear to them minutes ago had disappeared into the eerie darkness. Nathan dived into his pocket and retrieved his small black flashlight and flicked it on. A thin golden beam of light shone out, depicting the things that had been crystal clear minutes ago. A few feet in front of them was a pile of rubble that had been the ceiling and office space little less than an hour ago. The corridor was long and compact with three doors available to them before corridor was blocked off by a solid wall of debris. The lights flickered back on restoring everything to full view. The pair edged over to the first door on their right marked 'Turbine Room' in big white letters. The room was a high ceiling, grey walled room that would make anybody sick from the colour. They walked along the high steel platform which clanged deeply with their footsteps. They stared down at the whirring turbine, which sounded like a purring yet angry cat, "I think we better check this out," Dave muttered as they rounded the corner to a grubby ladder. Nathan swivelled round and started to slowly descend the ladder. Its rusty nails creaked heavily as he surveyed the dilapidated room. He jumped the last few rungs and scanned the room with his pistol drawn as Dave clumsily clambered after him. A tall zombie appeared from the behind the turbine with a flash of green behind it "I'm sure I checked there…" Nathan thought as it edged towards Dave. Nathan span the gun round at the zombie and with three muzzle flashes and a series of bangs the zombie was writhing wreck on the ground. Dave hurriedly said "Thanks bro'" before going over to the now whining turbine. Nathan joined Dave and looked at the incomprehensible amount of knobs, dials and switches that populated the side of the turbine. Suddenly, a gauge rose alarming fast in front of them. It passed through white, green, yellow, orange… "What should we do?" Nathan urged flicked random switches and turning different dials that made the turbine whine louder or higher pitched. "I don't know what to do I'm no bloody mechanic!" Dave said agitated as the needle dangerously taunted them by wandering in between dark orange and crimson red. "We have to do something!" Nathan said as he furiously got out his H&K pistol and fired a clip into the turbine. Glass showered down as bullets hit vital wires and ricocheted inside the machine and the pipe carrying superheated steam burst making the room boiling in seconds. The black needle rocketed into the red and a claxon sounded above the hisses of steam wailing an emergency call at them "Pressure increase in Turbine B would all engineers please report immediately to Turbine room B for information!" The siren pulsed down red bursts of light that illuminated the hot steam and turned it into a red mist that made the room a chamber of horrors. "What the fuck have you done?!" Dave ranted "We need to get of here now, fast!" The turbine gave a defiant roar as a flame burst through the tough casing; the flame did a triumphant dance as it grew and spread. Dave grabbed Nathan's arm and sprinted for the nearest door which was marked 'Maintenance Stairwell.' He flung the metal door open, dragging Nathan behind him. The grey stairwell was cramped and dingy with no light. As they started to pound up the stairs the door swung shut and the feeble dingy light disappeared forming complete darkness. They rounded the top in blind fear knocking a dying plant over with one of their failing feet, spraying hard mud everywhere. They reached the top of the next flight of steps breathless as a bang indicated the door below them had burst open. They choose the door on their left immediately and burst through it. They entered a massive room that stank of putrid sewage and both of their noses wrinkled immediately. Three big vats battled each other in the space with each having it's own silver arm churning round. Suddenly a beast rounded around from behind the largest vat. The 'thing' had two legs and was about four foot in height. It's skin was mottled green and had two eyes set on stalks that swivelled around scanning. It's head was disfigured and had three slimy tentacles and a gaping hole of a mouth. It spat and a wad of green phlegm hit a body that lay dead beside it. The toxic phlegm hit the body and a hissing noise began; the body began to rot slowly where the phlegm hit. Suddenly, a deafening roar rose through the building petrifying the walls and shocking the ceilings. The explosion rocked the facility again; a massive crack filled the air as a chunk of ceiling detached itself and fell thunderously through the air. The ceiling smashed the beast, the vat and the metal arm through the floor. The metal arm jutted out of the pit in the floor like a sword, the sewage dripping down blood. The sewage poured into the pit and a gigantic flame burst out raising the room temperature instantly as the lights disappeared leaving everything in the clumsy shadows of the dancing flame. "Oh great all you had to do was keep your fucking cool but noooooo you had to shoot the turbine didn't you? Thought that would help?" Dave roared above the crackling of the flames. Nathan wiped his brow as he beamed his flashlight around "Look I'm sorry but we need to get out of here or we'll be toast," Nathan retorted annoyed. The lights flickered and bloomed back on as the inhuman tannoy erupted "Emergency electricity generators online and active at 100 percent." A large crumbling noise echoed round the huge room before a chunk of floor fell into the hole. Nathan looked down as Dave rubbed his leg, as he raised his hand blood trickled and formed rivers down his fingers. Nathan ripped a part of his shirt off and fashioned a tourniquet round the wound. Dave winced but said nothing. They started to move slowly past the vats. The hole had gone down smashing into the water supply, a battle was waging down there, and neither of them wanted any part of it. Another vat gave way and cracked, sewage dribbled along the floor like mucus, Nathan and Dave strode across it, nose's wrinkled. They edged tentatively around the pit. Strangely, it hypnotically tempted them to get even closer…get in. They shook their heads to regain focus. Dave couldn't help but wonder "Why did that happen." His brain wielded no answer just shook in confusion. A slow bubbling above them, they looked up, concerned. Suddenly, a brown, black and green sludge poured out of a tube from the dismantled ceiling. Dave rolled out of the way wincing in pain as he went. Nathan easily dodged it and snickered at Dave sprawled on the ground as the goo filtered down. It thudded to the ground and a ghastly smell erupted, signalling it was fresh sewage. Dave smiled thinking "Who the hell could still be using the toilet now?" He imagined a scientist using a toilet before being 'surprised' by a zombie and burst out laughing. Nathan looked across "I don't want to know what happens up in your head but we got to move," he said slightly amused. They carried on to the other side of the bland room. A rusted door awaited them, Nathan gave it a short hard kick and it fell down as the hinges gave way. They entered and wandered looking for anything that would hint a way out, just the thought of freedom spurred them on. They thrust open a random door and were surprised to be in a room that look way out of place. Alienware PC's were orderly placed on desks flashing blue screens casting the room a ghostly blue glow. A small precise comment was left on the screens "Hard Drive empty please re-insert start disk," this was repeated several times in white letters. They didn't speak but continued in. Filing Cabinets were tipped over, one was still smouldering, and papers littered the floor. Flat screen Televisions were pinned to the wall most of them were blue with a white square in the middle saying 'No Feed.' In the apparent rush some had been smashed. Along another wall was a cabinet filled with Spas-12 shotguns, M-16 rifles and yellow and black stun guns as they viewed their mouths hung open. "To be honest I don't think we were told the truth," Nathan growled as he rifled through papers. "Stating the obvious again Nathan? How lovely," Dave retorted. "Shut up and look or I punch that wound of yours!"

"But what exactly are looking for?"

"Anything that gives us a bloody clue to what is going on! Now get to it." They searched in silence wondering what all of this was about. Something caught Dave's attention he read and he whispered shakily to Nathan "Come here now," he looked fearful "This is the document that tells us we are going to die…"