Care and Combine
As they found themselves in the discreet place, Gordon became much more emotional all the sudden. Despite pains and overall soreness, still not completely eliminated by morphine. He took smaller dosage than he wanted originally.
Alyx felt a bit flabbergasted, seeing him walking forth and back. She thought of armed rebels that were acompaning her and it seemed that they could be useful for more than just formal protection. What was he up to this time?
"We have a problem here, Alyx." He looked at her as they just met. "Well, I-I..." He muffled for a few seconds.
"What?" She raised her voice, pretty much impatient.
"Gah!"
"Any more details?"
"How much do you know about this post? Do you contact these people often?" He gave her a look full of resignation. He'd abandon this place immediatelly, if his conscience let him. She saw that but pretended to think deeply.
"Hmm... Not really. We were having very intense operations at the north-eastern area lately. You know it, you have kinda... Mixed up our plans."
"Oh, don't remind me! I've almost died! Again!" He sat down and coverd his eyes.
"They don't have much force or preparation anyways." She cointinued, slowly walking around Gordon and zooming her eyesight onto him as if he was a bomb. "This is a spare base, really... With good fortifications though."
"And they saved me but this very rebel base is corrupted. I could not tell you much on the radio."
"What?"
"That! My unexpected *visit* and my morphine need made some of the young rebels a bit too talkative."
"Oh, yes. Morphine." She reached to the inner pocket of her jacket and took out a small container. "Here, I know how much you may be suffering right now."
Freeman accepted yet another drug dosage, with a feeling of sheer irritation. He squeezed his palm on the box. Alyx stepped back immediatelly.
"Damn, Gordon! I kept this especially for you! We don't have much but... Now you know there is always a special supply of anything you'd need."
"Oh Jesus..." He closed his eyes and sighted. "This is what I'm talking about! The commander and medic keep their huge supplies secret. I got to know about some stuff, but even rebels don't know everything."
"What?!"
"Well, yeah... While all good people save morphine for junkie Freeman, these guys here are sitting on a gold mine. You've seen Jack."
"Yes." She nodded her head with eyebrows wrinkled.
"He brought me a pretty nice supply of morphine already. I've done some investigating. But I got a feeling they're observing me... They did everything to mask the trails. Somewhat they even confused Combine." He shook his head with disbelief to what he just said.
He had been in depression because of lack of the drug and now everything was going towards anger. His brain went nuts. Close to furious. And they had taken away the crowbar!
"We got to talk to the commander." Said Alyx, not totally convinced of her own idea.
"We gotta talk to the medic who saved my life."
***
Alice welcomed Alyx and her "body-guards". There was some general "war with Combine" chat and some remarks about overwhelming lack of supplies. The commander was temporarily staying outside the base, and to Freeman's surprise, doctor Smith was the deputy.
"I'd like to thank you one more time for saving him. We were away and unable to act..."
"Oh, that's everyone's obliagtion to help each other." The medic said that with quite rough tone. She gave Gordon a longish look and he could only try to give an impression of feeling stronger than he was. He still felt piercing waves of overal weakness.
It wasn't just a drug hunger to fix...
"Not mentioning saving a man like doctor Freeman." Sha paused and both of her guests got a notion of discomfort on their skin. "Although I can't say I always support methods you use to fight our mutual enemy..." Doctor Alice stopped again.
A sudden, total silence made them even more mute.
Alyx woke up first and took a quiet gasp. She looked straight into doctor's eyes, with her typical ease that Gordon was kinda jealous of.
"We are all people and we have already developed methods to reach an agreemant among rebels." She directed her eyes onto Freeman for a moment. "I think this is not a place or time to discuss the tactics, we need the post commander for that. There is a matter that is more urgentand -"
BAAAM!
There was a huge noise ouside close. Gordon's knees didn't make it. Ground shook not that much but the terrible pain in his back forgot about morphine.
"Combine! Incoooming! Shouted someone and a general rush started. A chaotic choir of voices preparing to a battle.
"Now!" Alice gave an order.
He managed to turn his head in the same second. Everything started happening so fast. Alyx screamed when someone kicked his back much stronger than needed. He just landed on the ground, close to puking.
He could barely see. Someone grabbed his rebel friend. He heard sounds of a short fight.
"Headcrabs people! This are not exercises!" Someone else run so close but no one would help!
"What..." Gordon whispered the only word before medic's face appeared so close.
"You've been leading us towards pointless mutiny and death for twenty fucking years! and you've been absent then!" She grumbled with voice saturated with pure hate. "And I'm gonna make it stay this way!"
He glimpsed at a side and saw Alyx unconscious on the ground. No! He thought and then noticed a huge guy standing behind Alice. He clenched his teeth and raised his head only to see...a Combine gas mask.
"No..." How could he be so stupid? So irresponsible?!
"I didn't kill you while operating only becuse it would look pretty much suspicious. Too many witnesses of me working on your back, you see. And this freaking suit is really kind of a magic... But now you're defensless... Where is your crowbar, doctor?" She was just standing there, gloating over her great words of wisdom.
BAM!
Another sheer attack on the base but he only blinked. War battle seemed to ommit this place.
He focused on his enemy. Gordon knew this type of people... Like Dr Breen. Lots of talking, little action. Little direct action. And there was only one Combine soldier here. Maybe one... He took another heavy breath, trying to make it not too deep, to cease the spine from cracking apart.
He tensed all avilable muslces.
"Doctor, Alyx! We have to-" one of her men just went down. The soldier shot him immediatelly.
Gordon sprung off his knees. He grabbed Alice and even overally sore, he was still stronger. The medic moaned with hatred. She tried to jerk off his hands but she was already his human shield. This was that another moment when Gordon though he already experienced the most awful pain he could. And there was always a new pain awaiting!
Blank stare of Comine's servant didn't reveal any emotions, nor his body. The gun was pointed in the same direction that made the rebel very unlucky.
Gorodn just kept on breathing heavily, one hand holding Alice's wrists and the other very thight on her neck. He could murder anyone now! Damn! He had killed so many people! Never done it with bare hands though...
He though it was stupid, because outside there are headcrabs and probably a few dozens of Combine.
"You think you're gonna achieve anything, Freeman?" Whispered his hostage visciously. He could feel her body shaking with fear. Good. "The Combine came back to take their supplies." She made an effort to sound happy, although her laugh was very vauge.
"I am Gordon Freeman. And I'm holding my hand ready to break your neck, or strangle, you choose."
The soldier did not move. Apparently his simplified brain could not handle this situation well. Or he knew there was no need to rush...
"Shoot him!" She shouted. "What are you waiting for!" Freeman squeezed her neck just a bit tighter. Now he felt so scared. This was just a sheer luck, that he was stil standing.
Then he felt someone's presence behind him.
"Friend or foe?" Asked Gordon, pretty much getting mad. Alice treid another insuffcient attack to free herself.
"It's me." Said faint female voice with very thick eastern-european accent. And she fired.
The soldier moaned and collapsed with this characteristic growl and radio squeak that always made him feel pleasure. Like a Pavlov's dog.
The medic took her chance. She stepped on Gordon's foot with all her weight. A moment of disruptance and his hands went soft and knees jelly. He tumbled down trying to still hold the hostage within the reach.
She slipped away.
"No!" Exclaimed Sarah. She was aiming into Alice now, but she looked very unsure. Her face was ready to cry. "You stay here!" She added looking at the medic slowly backing off.
"You're not gonna shoot me, girl! I saved your brother! You remeber that." Her voice went high pitched.
"Get up Freeman!" Sarah commanded.
Freeman was fighting for air. His vision blurred completely. Only girls strongly pronaounced "r" made his mind not run away into safe half-sleep.
"Get up! Take Alyx!" She demnded.
You take Alyx, I'm barely conscious, though Gorodn.
And then a blade of fear gave him adrenaline rush. His vision went crystal clear and he noticed the woman!
"Alyx!" He jumped to the figure lying on the floor.
"Bye bye, suckers!" Doctor Smith flew away and Grodon didn't care. He didn't care to grab dead soldier's gun. And he loved their efficient guns. He didn't care that Sarah didn't shoot and lowered the pistol and started crying.
Alyx was alive. At least, unconscious she was a bad material for a hostage.
"Aaaahhh..." He tried to say that he can't even sit now.
Please someone take care of Alyx, please...
And then he heard more people entering the room. And Sarah shouting something but he was going straight back to his coma.
