When I had first arrived in City 17, the Combine kept every street spotless and every crucial function of the city somewhat intact. As we drove past the burning homes and crumbled overpasses, it was obvious that the Combine were losing the fight, at least for the moment. Despite the empty streets, Howard still watched the rooftops through the sights of his rifle.

"Here's the hospital," Louie said as he released the gas pedal.

"Omega's inside a courtyard across the street. Stop there." Howard pointed to an apartment complex entrance facing the hospital. Louie ran into the wall as lightly as he could, and we stepped out. A makeshift bridge stretched from the third floor of the hospital to the third floor of the apartments. Louie explained that the rebels at Point Omega would often raid the hospital for medical supplies the Combine might have missed.

The entrance to the complex was unlocked, so we were easily able to access the inner courtyard. "Look for a sturdy door." Howard instructed.

In the corner of the courtyard was a metal door with a peephole. "That must be it," I said. Howard approached the door and gave it three solid knocks.

"Anyone in there?" he yelled. "Hello?"

I scanned the courtyard and figured out why there was no answer. "Oh no. Look there." I pointed halfway up the building Omega was situated in. There was a gaping hole in the wall.

"They got shelled. Those shits got shelled. Well, that's fucking terrific." Howard muttered. He kicked the door angrily. Suddenly, the slat covering the peephole on the door slid open. A frightened pair of eyes stared out at us. Before we could identify ourselves, the slat slid shut and the door flew open. A scared looking rebel stared at us.

"Thank god, someone is in here. Where are the others?" I asked the rebel. He opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. "You okay?"

He shook his head and suddenly fell backwards. As he hit the ground, a wooden stick stabbed through his stomach.

"Holy- Louie, get a medkit from the car!" I yelled. I bent down and gently flipped the man over.

"What the hell..." Howard was as stunned as I was. Someone, or rather something had skewered the man with a chair leg.

"He's...he's dead already, just... just get him out of here." I stuttered. Howard nodded and dragged the dead rebel out into the courtyard. Louie returned, taking labored breaths.

"I got the- oh." Louie put the medkit back into his coat upon seeing the body.

"Come on, we don't have time. Omega is on the top floor of this building, let's go." We cautiously stepped over the dead rebel and flipped on the light on the ground floor. Considering the scene we had just observed, the building was oddly silent.

We made our way to the darkened stairwell. I felt around for a light switch, but found nothing. Forced to push on in the darkness, we cautiously ascended. Each step we took made the stairs creak. As we arrived at the first floor, the silence was nearly deafening. We pushed past the fear that gnawed at our brains and came to the top floor. A metal door similar to the entrance door was illuminated by a skylight.

"Stand back and keep your rifles ready," I commanded Louie and Howard. I approached the door and knocked cautiously.

The slat on the door flew open and I found myself staring down the barrel of a pistol. A gruff voice bellowed, "I WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN FIVE SECONDS OR I'LL PUMP YOU FULLA LEAD!"

I stumbled over my words as I said, "Uh, Barney Calhoun. And I have two friends with me."

There was a pause. "You...you guys are rebels?"

"Yeah, now let us in!" Howard commanded.

"What's the password?" The man didn't sound very reassured after our identification.

I panicked and turned to the two men. "What password?" I whispered frantically.

Louie started muttering to himself. "Since when did they start using passwords? There is no password! I mean, I never heard-"

Suddenly, the door unlocked and opened. A muscular man nearly as built as Louie grinned back at us.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding. The password is 'there is no password'?" Howard was visibly peeved.

"Let's get inside and then we can exchange pleasantries. We still have no clue what's on the other levels of this building," I urged the men.

Once we were all inside the safe house, the man slammed the door, slid three deadbolts into place, and placed a chair beneath the doorknob.

An awkward moment of silence followed until I offered my hand. "Barney Calhoun. I came here to organize a way for rebels to get on a train out of the city."

"Huh. That's quite an introduction you've got there. The name's Duke." He shook my hand and nearly crushed it in the process.

"What do you do here?"

"Well, we used to raid the hospital 'cross the street for supplies until the risk outweighed the reward and 'til 'we' turned into 'me'."

"Yeah, what happened here?" Howard asked.

"Long story short...ah, screw it, there is no long story. The rest of the guys at Point Omega were exploring the other floors here when the Combine shelled us. They didn't come back."

"Well, whatever you were doing now, you have a new objective. Dr. Kleiner is going to direct all rebels who are able to come here to this point once I radio him the coordinates. I want you to find some more people to help keep this place well guarded. It's likely we'll have some high-value targets passing through here to get to the trains. Eli, Doc Kleiner, you know. I want this place locked up tighter than Fort Knox."

"Fort huh?"

"Never mind. Just get out there and help us out. I'm gonna contact the doc. Howard, Louie, go help him." None of the three men protested as I barked out commands. They left and descended the stairs. I shut the door behind them and examined the amenities of our new home. A small briefing area with chairs and a map of the city was situated in one corner, while a large kitchen sat in the other. There was a seemingly functioning radio on a table as well. However, the most noticeable aspect of this safe house was a drawbridge that connected two parts of the apartment complex. It was currently up, held in place with a crowbar. Once I was done surveying the area, I began to scan radio frequencies for Dr. Kleiner. As soon as he responded, I didn't let him finish saying, "This is Dr. Kleiner, please identify yourself."

"Doc! We found a place to hole up, it's point Omega, across from the children's hospital!"

"Barney, lower your voice. I can hear you perfectly."

"We found a place to hole up. It's-"

"Yes, yes, I heard you the first time. And your choice couldn't be more perfect; the best train route from the city originates from the hospital's emergency response train station. If the voyage is successful, the train will arrive in an abandoned station about twenty miles from White Forest Base."

"What's-"

"What is White Forest? Before the war it served as a rocket silo for the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia."

"What is it now?"

"Now it is simply a rocket silo for whoever takes control of it. We believe it has lain abandoned yet secure for decades. Eli, myself, and one of my colleagues whom you have not yet met have been discussing a way to end the Combine's grip on the Earth for good. The Russian military left some very valuable technology locked inside White Forest's depths before the war. When the Citadel's core collapses, and mark my words, it will, a giant portal will open and allow the Combine to once again assault the Earth in larger numbers. Eli put it quite aptly when he said, 'It will be like the Seven Hour War all over again. Except this time we won't last seven minutes.'"

"Didn't Alyx and Gordon get to the core and stabilize it?"

"They did, Barney, but it is only a temporary solution. Think of it as sealing a leaking pipe with scotch tape."

"So our plan still stands. Get the fuck out as soon as possible."

"There are better ways to phrase it, but yes, you are correct. I will notify the others of this new safehouse. But please, Barney, make sure it remains a safe safehouse. We cannot afford any snafus now."

"Understood, Doc. I'll plot a route to the trains and make sure you get there in one piece." I ended the conversation by switching off the radio.

It was barely an hour until I heard frantic knocking on the door. "It's Duke!"

I slid open the peephole. "What's wrong?"

"EVERYTHING! The Combine, they- they're on the street outside the complex!"

"Shit. Do they know we're here?" I remembered Dr. Kleiner's warning of mistakes.

"No, they're just passing through and they found us three. We radioed for backup from the other points and bases, and they should be here soon!"

"How many are there?"

"Around twenty, but who knows how many they called in for their own backup."

"Do NOT let them find us here. Concentrate in a different area so they think we're based out of some other building. I'll stay here and wait for any rebels that hear the doc's directions. Get back out there, dammit, or we're all done for!"

"Yes, sir!" Duke rushed back out of the safe house and I slammed the door behind him. I could do nothing more than listen to the gunfire and hope for the best.