In a void, there was a woman. Light brown skin, freckles, black hair... she was stopped. Time didn't pass for her.
Time did, however, pass for the individual that had suspended her. He kept her in that void, under his control. He would soon bring her to her new assignment- one that had been decided before he'd ever picked her up.
But first it was time for conference. Other individuals came. They saw her, and they seemed curious. Her supervisor presumed this was first time they'd seen a human. There is no way to describe those individuals, for they had no physical appearance. They simply were. There is no way to describe how they were different, for they did not even have a hierarchy. They simply were.
The supervisor waited until they were done inspecting her, then the first spoke. "This one. She is unremarkable. Your insistence on her use is puzzling."
the second said, "Most puzzling."
The supervisor replied, "She is... the right woman for the job."
The was a pause. Then the first said, "Perhaps. But we are uneasy with this."
The supervisor understood. Earth had been a troubling situation. Much had changed in a very short space of time. "Earth is primitive. It is a battleground, nothing more."
The second said, "And yet, the humans have defeated a far more powerful enemy. They are resourceful. You know this, or you would not choose them as your agents."
The supervisor bristled. "They are my agents only on matters pertaining to their world."
The others stayed silent for a moment, knowing how empty that sounded.
After, the supervisor replied, "You have made a decision." He stated it as a matter of fact. He knew their tendencies extremely well.
The first said, "We wish to disengage with Earth. We are concerned. You yourself have found yourself... restricted. Events have not entirely been in your control."
The supervisor considered disagreeing, but knew it would be no use. All he could do was limit the damage. He still hoped he could use this agent.
"The humans were not the limiting factor."
The second responded, "Their fate is intertwined. You cannot deny that things will grow increasingly complicated the longer we engage. And your first agent may be especially troublesome."
The supervisor was unhappy with being outnumbered like this. He considered potential responses, then discarded them all. There was no argument that would assuage their concerns.
The supervisor relented. It was clear that they were correct, but it would be a shame for all that work to go to waste. The manipulations had been delicate, perhaps more than any before.
But it was time.
Gordon Freeman woke on a beach. He could tell, because he could hear waves lapping at the shore not far away, and could feel sand on the back of his head.
He opened his eyes and sat up. The last thing he remembered, he was on the Borealis. Alyx was taken away, and then... Vortigaunts. They seemed to be making a habit out of saving his life.
There was a house just down the shore from him. It didn't look like much, but it was better than nothing. He started trudging towards it. Perhaps he'd be able to find the resistance. But as for whether he'd see Alyx again... well, he'd find a way. The Vorts could help. Whoever the man in the blue suit was, he was going to-
Gordon heard a sound behind him. A groan. He turned around, and found Alyx, sitting up in the sand, where Gordon had been lying.
"What... what happened? We were on the Borealis, and then..."
Her face lit up. "We did it, didn't we? We actually destroyed their staging area, and the Borealis. Dad would be so happy."
She stood up, with some effort. "I think we should go find somewhere nice and quiet. I've had enough fighting for a while."
Gordon said nothing. Would it help to tell her about what the man in the blue suit had said? That he'd taken her, and apparently let her go?
He decided, as he often did, on silence. Better to leave it alone.