Chapter Eleven: Reaper

The darkness vanished from in front of Michael's eyes. Light formed around the figure in the doorway searing the imprisoned man's eyes. He waited as his blurred vision slowly corrected and watched the Combine soldier on his approach. The Overwatch soldier shut the door behind him and sat down across from the man offering a sigh. Michael, trapped here for days, beaten and left in a lightless world, wasn't sure what to make of this. He thought, for a moment, that begging for mercy would have been a good idea or perhaps an attempt at escape, even if they killed him he could go down fighting.

A loud clap brought him out of his contemplation and brought his eyes back up to the enigmatic soldier. In front of him was a tray and on the tray was food. Michael eyed the soldier once more skeptical of the act of kindness as he nudged the food with the plastic utensil left on the tray. Michael had refused to eat their slop when they fed him before but it'd been five days of imprisonment and there was little strength left within him. Besides, he reminded himself as he took a tentative nibble of what appeared to be mashed potatoes, the last time they'd tried to feed him they'd slid the meal through a slot in the door.

"Don't worry friend," The Combine soldier said softly, "It's not poisoned."

"Why?" Michael asked though his voice sounded alien - it had been so long since he'd spoken!

"Not everyone in the Combine is heartless," the soldier promised, "Some of us are friends to the Resistance. I must warn you that they are planning on killing you and there is nothing I can do to stop them without blowing my cover. There is an exit, down the hall to the left, it leads to an emergency tunnel."

The soldier slipped a scrap of paper to Michael, the man's trembling hands lifted it and read the seven digit code inscribed in ink upon it. Michael didn't know how to thank the soldier or even who the soldier was or why he would help him. He didn't have a chance to ask. Before the words could form on his lips the mysterious soldier had gone. Michael returned to his meal and felt the flames of hope rekindled.

Julian watched the road closely more concerned about Hunters than Striders or soldiers. The sly speedy synths would prove far more dangerous to their little band than any other enemy the Combine could produce. Even well armed and heavily armored the assassin wouldn't have an easy time of it taking down a Hunter, and taking down two or three in one fight would be a feat he wasn't sure he wanted to attempt. Coldwind produced far more than three hunters. The factory likely housed hundreds of the predatory droids. Julian hoped most of them would be at the fight against Clear Water getting their synthetic rears handed to them by General Cartwright's rocket brigade.

Yuki waited a short distance away moving only when she received the all clear from the spry assassin. She admired the man greatly now. The assassin in action as they wove their way down the road past convoys and patrols was truly a sight to behold. They hadn't yet been spotted and Coldwind was just ahead. Her heart brimmed with nervous excitement and a thirst for Combine blood, a thirst for revenge. As much as she wanted to believe her current path was one of sacrifice she knew at its core this was a quest for vengeance. She didn't have anything vested in saving Julian's friend Michael though she did honestly feel sympathy toward the assassin's plight.

Outwardly the assassin was as stoic as a statue but his internal turmoil was beginning to boil over. He knew that he couldn't afford to let it show or to cause him to slip in his vigilance. They'd been the perfect picture of stealth thus far, nothing more than a shadow and a breeze to the eyes of the Combine but any mistake could be their last. Julian had to wonder if Michael might even still be alive. The Combine likely caught the man in search of Julian and the assassin felt pangs of guilt. Julian knew that Michael had spent decades evading the Combine, setting traps and fighting off attacks - it was only AFTER Julian had befriended the man that Hell came to carry him off. The assassin took a deep breath and fell inward finding a place of eternal calm. This was his chosen path and he would need focus to complete this task, the way was set and there was no going back. He slipped across the street and into the tall glass with silent footfalls waving Yuki across as he did. The Silo was almost in sight, the way was set.

Theta's pale features drew up into an expression of demonic anger as she considered the sluggish creature on the computer monitor. She found herself wondering if this otherworldly demon could read her thoughts or guess at her displeasure.

"Is there a reason why you will not let me fight!" Theta exclaimed, doing her best to stifle her anger and maintain the favor of the Combine.

"You have failed us in the past," the translation clicked across the screen followed by a wave of foul thoughts in the dark assassin's mind, "But we have a way for you to redeem yourself."

"Show me," the wicked woman bid.

"There is an item of great importance," the alien slug relayed, "We will send you its coordinates. Get it for us and you shall have free reign to fight in what battles you will."

"I live to serve, I live because of you," the assassin said offering a sarcastic bow.

The screen went dark then and the dark assassin grew impatient. She paced her room with an angry glower over her unusually beautiful face. Her skin was similar to what it had been before, within Theta's body, but now Theta was within Lambda and she felt all the more seductive. She wondered to herself if her reproductive system was even intact. Had the Combine bred her to be sterile or did they seek a self-replenishing army of super-assassins? She put the thoughts from her mind as the coordinates and details of her assignment flashed across the computer screen. All disappointment fled from her when she saw where the Combine would send her - replaced by a wicked smile.

Desmond watched the troops regroup from his perch atop the tower. He knew that the Second Wave would hit soon, already some twenty thousand Combine were gathering in the woods ready to attack. The experienced Resistance leader was busy coordinating their defenses hoping that the Combine might walk into the second trap twice. Even if they did wise up he had Shephard nearly a mile back from where the first ambush had been set. Colonel Shephard had a portal open and ready near where the Combine were likely to send their main forces.

"That was too easy," Amber Cartwright called entering the tower, "Combine bitches didn't stand a chance."

"Speaking of bitches," Desmond joked as he turned to greet her, "How is your group holding out?"

"Well aside from Shephard's men we had the least casualties," Amber reported her demeanor suddenly serious, "Of all of our combined forces we only lost maybe twenty-two hundred to those S-O-Bs."

"That's still a lot," Desmond lamented, "I should have just had us retreat."

"There aren't enough vehicles for fourteen thousand some troops to all get out," Cartwright reminded.

"Where have the Templar's gotten to?"

"As far as I know they joined Shephard's group. I still can't believe those fuckers managed to infiltrate the Combine Overwatch. Imagine the balls that takes."

"Sir," a scout yelled, "they're on the way!"

Desmond watched the horizon as an endless line of black forms swarmed his way. The General was confused and he turned to an equally befuddled Amber but it soon became clear what they were dealing with.

"The fucking Combine cavalry," Amber yelped, "There must be five hundred dropships."

"Not to mention whatever they managed to teleport in," Desmond said feeling a bit light-headed, "This is going to be rough."

"Good," Amber added with a comforting pat on his shoulder, "that's just how I like it."

Julian saw the three synths snaking through the tall grass and turned to warn Yuki. He stopped for a moment to consider the woman. Her face riddled with tiny nicks and scars and her eye covered by a patch. She'd managed to survive a fight with more than an ordinary Combine soldier, with the first in an emerging line of Combine assassin's. Yuki gestured her understanding of the immediate threat the three Hunters posed. The Vortigaunts immediately volunteered their services but Yuki and Julian waved them away and waded into the grass toward the stealthy synthetics. The Hunter's saw them coming across the open plain and attempted to circle them. Against any ordinary soldiers the maneuver would have worked to perfection but the keen eyed assassin and wary female warrior were far from perplexed by the simple ruse. One Hunter was out in the middle pretending to be slow, stupid and slightly injured, it limped about thinking it was distracting its opponents.

Julian pretended that the Hunter's technique was working. The assassin wanted surprise on their side and he moved in on the decoy Hunter all the while watching the others move in thinking their motions went undetected. The one on the right moved first and the assassin was ready launching three throwing knives before the spry synth could fire off its Flechette barbs. Only one knife managed to lodge itself into the Hunter but it hit at the junction between leg and torso severing one third of the tripod. The Hunter on the left had been smart enough to stay back but still believed itself unseen by the assassin as it slowly crept its way toward him. Yuki moved in on the third one now forcing the stumbling injured Hunter to go her way. Julian opened fire now openly attacking the Hunters.

The first Hunter, the one that had served as a decoy, sprung into action firing off its barbs. Three of them lodged into Julian's HEV suit just below the knee and exploded their plasma shrapnel leaving the orange surface of the HEV suit charred black but doing no real damage to Julian. The assassin was firing his wrist gun, shells poured out as round after round split the air in their journey toward the Hunter. The assassin cursed his luck as the speedy creature avoided all but superficial damage. A few grazes and wounds to non-vital areas left the synth essentially intact.

Yuki moved as quickly as she could in serpentine fashion wanting to avoid being skewered by the Hunter's Flechette bolts. She turned every now and then to fire off an orange bolt from her crossbow but those that did hit did very little to deter the coming Hunter. She pulled a grenade from her belt as one of the bolts buried into her back and exploded. She felt forward feeling her back burning hot. She cried out using her pained scream to muffle the sound of pulling the grenade pin as the Hunter raced toward her. She waited playing dead until the synth arrived and then bolted away tossing the cooked grenade behind her and leaping out of danger as it detonated powerfully. She looked back watching the half-crippled synth attempt to walk and loading in a bolt to her crossbow. She took aim leveling the crossbow bolt with the red eye of her manufactured enemy. She let fly and the Hunter sank to the ground beneath. Yuki knew she was injured but she had no time to consider that, she had to get back to the battle.

Julian swiped his arm against the Hunter's synthetic flesh breaking off the barbs as he passed by to let them erupt against the Hunter itself. The droid protested the action but took little damage as it chased after the assassin. Julian felt sluggish in his current state. Wearing undergarments, the under armor of Combine soldiers, a breastplate, chain mail over certain areas and his HEV suit he was more than a little slower than his typical break-neck pace. Still quicker than most the assassin stayed ahead of his opponents deadly attacks and attempted to get some damage done in the process. He used the Flechette of one Hunter to finish the second. The formerly two-legged Hunter fell lifelessly to the grass below. Now it was just Julian and his final foe, the assassin spun and ducked his head as a group of Flechette just behind him exploded. He raced toward his synthetic enemy as it dodged out of the way he opened fire with both his gauntlet gun and his XM-8. The act would have probably led to his death had Yuki not arrived just a moment before to distract the Hunter from behind. The Hunter, a victim of its own ruse, collapsed into a puddle of its own synthetic life blood.

The group had little time to celebrate though as Combine soldiers raced from the Silo to face them. Yuki offered Julian a playful wink with her good eye as the assassin reloaded his weapons. He had to admire the woman's courage in the face of insurmountable odds though something told him her knew attitude was brought on by a lust for vengeance and not the carefully calculated decision making she seemed to favor back at Black Mesa. Julian shrugged in acceptance of her newfound audacity and took aim at the nearest Combine soldier.

Out came Yuki's smoke grenade and in came the Vorts making quick work of the two dozen or so Overwatch who had arrived to thwart their entry. Soon enough the group was descending into the tunnels beneath Coldwind. The Combine hive was stirring quickly now with soldiers arriving from side-tunnels and secret passages in an attempt to end the lives of the invaders. Yuki set aside her fear and opened fire, the image of her Father an eternally burning flame within her mind.

Theta Dark was in the process of readying her things for her mission. Her pale eyes lit up when she heard the alarm blaring in the facility. A wicked smile one again slipped onto her face and she found her hand going to her sword instinctively. She went to the computer terminal punching up the surveillance system to see what had set the alarm and praying with baited breath for blood to spill. Her smile only widened when she saw the familiar figures fighting their way down the halls toward the detention area.

"A bit of fun before the real work begins," she cooed wickedly.

Colonel Adrian Shephard sat silently. His muscles ached but the adrenaline coursing through him wouldn't allow him even a moment of rest. His mind was racing ahead to the coming fight, to the continuation of the battle for Clear Water. All around him, stalking in the shadows of the late September sun, were his troops. He knew that they too could have used rest but the pressing threat of thousands of Combine would not have allowed it. They knew that battle was coming soon, the sound of Combine dropships in the distance had alerted them only a few hours before and now they waited with weapons drawn. Shephard had placed a portal near the main road hoping the Combine would make the same mistake twice and try to use the ruined Striders and corpses of their fallen allies as cover.

The Colonel turned to regard the Combine soldiers who had defected to the side of the Resistance. He knew that they were Templars though the moniker meant very little to a man of his limited education. Desmond had spoken of them only a little, mentioning a shadowy cabal of sinister men but Shephard had seen them fight and in his mind any enemy of the Combine was a potential ally for him and his men. They were competent soldiers and every bit as loyal as any of his men.

Shephard spun suddenly, his ears picking up a faint sound toward the perimeter of their hidden camp. He sent scouts in that direction taking up position beyond the group and inching their way as silently as they could toward the epicenter of the noise. Sticks were snapping in the distance and Shephard could make out dodging figures in the trees. The Colonel's eyes went wide as he watched a spinning blade leap toward one of his men and burrow itself into the unfortunate soldier's temple. The soldier lurched to the side and fell dead.

The Colonel rallied his men as the sun that spied through the forest canopy was darkened by flying forms. Tiny spiraling blades programmed to tear at flesh, man-hacks. Shephard ordered his men to focus their fire on the man-hacks with only silenced weaponry while rallying the Combine-Templars to his aid in searching out the true threat. The Colonel was no idiot. He knew that man-hacks were more often a distraction meant to flush out the enemies of the Combine.

The threat revealed itself before he could even get beyond the perimeter of the camp. A stealthy shadow slipped into the ranks of his regiment and began to make quick work of them. Several more followed. Shephard could hardly make out the insignia on their uniforms, each of them female and each of them bearing a Greek letter. The Colonel turned his weapon on one only to watch in horror as the witch weaved her way out of being hit once by his Pulse Rifle. The next thing Shephard felt was cold steel against his throat.

Yuki swept the feet out from under the Elite and quickly ended his life before returning to the terminal. Julian had managed to hold most of them off as she frantically searched the Combine computer system for schematics of the building they were in. They would need to know where Michael was being held and how to get there and get out if this rescue operation were to work out. The Vorts had managed to create an almost impenetrable defense by focusing their beams together to form a sort of energy shield that would zap any overzealous Overwatch. The Elite soldiers, however, had no problem phasing through the field. Once through to the other side Julian made quick work of most of them with his gauntlet gun. Those who managed to make it nearer to the assassin were met by the razor barbs of his hidden blade dislodging chunks of flesh and spilling gore left and right.

"Got it," Yuki called back to Julian, "One building over, we need to take this tunnel over and then find an elevator up. That entire structure is a prison, damn big one too."

Julian nodded his approval and the Vortigaunts dropped their defenses, bullets quickly crowded the air and cut down several of the Vorts in the escape. Now down to only half of their original number Julian had to wonder if it was worth the losses. He felt selfish for bringing them into this personal battle.

They rushed down the tunnel knocking back soldiers with lightning bolts and bullets and doing their best to avoid injury. Another Vort fell as they passed by the guard post for entering the prison building. The halls swarmed with at least a hundred soldiers now and Julian and Yuki had to wonder if they would make it out of this one alive.

"Go," one of the Vortigaunts offered, "we will sacrifice ourselves for the one that you seek."

"I can't ask you to do that," Yuki protested.

"There is no veil between us, even in death," another Vort chimed, "Go."

"You cannot deny us this honor," another Vort confirmed.

Yuki was torn but the bullets whizzing by her head spoke volumes and she sprinted toward Julian. The assassin felt a pang of guilt as they reached the elevator unscathed and ascended into the facility. He promised himself that their deaths would not be in vain. Yuki burned within, her own guilt replaced by anger, thirst for blood. Vengeance, she decided, would help her friends to rest in peace, only vengeance. Yuki reached down to hold the hilt of her katana, the blade had once belonged to her Father. She hoped that with it she could kill Theta Dark and bring honor to her family name by avenging her Father.

Desmond watched the chaos from his control room and felt his heart sinking. The base was nearly overrun and the troops had fallen back behind the perimeter. The Combine had come from all sides as if tying a noose around the Resistance. It took the efforts of nearly every available soldier to keep the escapes routes clear. Even with fifteen hundred Templar amongst those Overwatch who attacked they were outnumbered 2 to 1. The General tightened his fist and bit his lip mulling over his next course of action. He knew what had to be done but he wasn't sure he had to will to do it. Clear Water had stood a testament to the strength of the Resistance for more than a decade, it served as the hub for Resistance activities and the source of leadership. It was Clear Water that had led the charge to free City 12, the City that would need to offer Desmond and his remaining soldiers a safe haven.

"What are you waiting for Desmond?" General Cartwright asked, her eyes begging the question, "We've lost, now let's do what we can to get the fuck out of here!"

"How can I just abandon this place?" Desmond asked slumping into his seat despondently.

"Like this," Amber replied slapping the evacuation button and smiling as the alarms sounded, "Let's get to the convoy before they decide to leave without us."

"No, we can stay Amber, we can fight!" Desmond proclaimed but the fire in his voice died off when he felt the ground trembling and saw the building burst to flame.

With sadness in his heart the General who had led so many to salvation from the Combine turned like a coward and ran. He had sent so many to their deaths this day, barely two thousand would be carried to the safety of City 12 by the convoy. Those that remained had to stay and fight, had to bleed and die in order to allow the others to escape. Desmond's heart couldn't have gone lower; his hope was left decimated and all but dead. The Combine had finally brought their wrath down upon them and like ants from a magnifying glass they scurried from the hill afraid to face the fire. Desmond had always believed that there cause was just and their purpose the highest but now, seeing the Resistance capital broken, having to flee for his very life and leave so many men and women to die on his behalf, he wondered who the true monsters were.

Yuki lifted two AR2 Pulse Rifles and fired into the crowd of oncoming soldiers with impunity. Pulse rounds piled into them tearing flesh and sending blood racing across the polished hallways of the Coldwind Detention Facility. Julian stood besides her trying to keep the soldiers off to her sides and rear at bay using a combination of speed and pistol fire. The assassin did his best to help her but he was afraid they were losing valuable time stopping for her own personal vengeance. What was worse was that she'd been grazed by several bullets and had nearly been killed by a Dark Energy grenade. Yuki seemed not to notice, she seemed not to care. She had been suddenly and utterly consumed in the fires of hatred and the desire for revenge.

The halls were splattered crimson as she pressed on tearing through the Combine ranks. Julian could hardly believe the woman wasn't dead but amazingly her efforts were proving effective in moving them forward. Julian had to keep pressing her on it though and he had to lift a hand every time she needed to reload her weapons. The assassin took a hit too - a graze to his left leg slowed him down considerably serving to make him an easier target for the swarms of soldiers. The assassin took it in stride using Dark Energy grenades fired from a Pulse Rifle he picked up to clear ten or twenty soldiers at a time.

Yuki stopped firing for a moment turning to consider the area. The assassin too was frozen in place left puzzled by the sudden emptiness of the hallway. All that remained was a hundred and fifty or so corpses of Combine soldiers. All the living soldiers had either been killed or had turned tail and run. Julian knew that their display had been impressive but he also knew the Combine had them beat in numbers and that the Combine knew they were injured and slowing. They could not endure forever and yet here they were progressing quickly down the corridor unimpeded.

The piece of the puzzle fell into place as they stepped into a large room littered with computer terminals and came face to face with a phantasm. Julian felt himself bleach white at the sight of her almost becoming as pale as the dark assassin herself though when he turned to Yuki he saw only anger in her expression. Theta Dark paced back and forth at the far exit of the room, her footsteps all but silent across the floor. Julian knew that the super-assassin could have silenced them completely, it was her choice whether to be heard or not.

"Well well," Theta cooed with a wicked grin, "If it isn't my two favorite Resistance pawns. I must say I am not surprised you made it this far, the Overwatch are rather stupid and slow."

"We don't have time for this Dark," Julian insisted strutting forward as if he was going to step past her. Dark's cold stare froze him in place though he showed no fear.

"Gordon Freeman," Theta said spitting, "You wish you were as great a man as him, Julian Miles. There are few in the Resistance who are as worshipped as the Freeman, he is their Messiah. Even now he is in Europe wreaking Hell upon the Combine. That is how we knew you were not him."

"But if he is Messiah how do you know that I am not he, in two places at once?" Julian joked but Theta's cold pale eyes stole the laughter from his throat.

"You have come for Michael Cameron," Theta said calmly, "And I will give him to you IF you give me the Piece of Eden."

"I don't have it," Julian admitted openly.

"You have lied to me before," Theta warned.

"I don't have it, it was taken from me by a man in a blue suit," Julian explained.

"Then perhaps you will give me her," Theta said whispering and glancing over at Yuki, "I have business to settle with that one, give her over to me and I will let you walk from this place without being attacked."

Julian looked over his shoulder at Yuki and felt that part of the creed coming back to him. Nothing is true, everything is permitted. He put it out of his mind though knowing that he could not betray Yuki, or the Resistance, in order to get Michael back. The assassin was truly stuck.

"So what do you say?" Theta asked loudly making sure that Yuki could here, "Hand over the bitch and we have a deal."

"You want me?" Yuki asked pulling her katana from its sheath, "You got me."

"Yuki no," Julian insisted but Theta had already pushed past him to face Yuki.

"Yuki," the assassin whispered coolly, "Ah yes, the late General's daughter. I remember what you did to me, it makes sense that Yakamoto's daughter wouldn't go down without a fight."

"You'll pay for whatever you've done to my Father," Yuki growled. Her good eye went cold and her voice was devoid of mercy.

"Would you like to know the details?" Dark chuckled wickedly.

Yuki's rage boiled over, her enmity devoured her, and she ran forward swinging her blade down. She seemed almost surprised when Theta blocked the blade sending it sliding away from the dark assassin. Yuki spun defensively her sword resounding against the steel of Theta's katana.

"I promise I will make your death quicker than that of your Father," Theta spat.

Julian watched the two locked in their deadly dance neither woman seemed to be making any progress against the other. Each aggressive move Yuki made was blocked beautifully by the deadly Theta Dark. The assassin took out his pistol and ran his hands over it wondering if he should intervene. He knew that Yuki was angry, that her revenge was important to her but he also knew that such anger could be her undoing if she wasn't careful. Something else was becoming clear to him as the fight before him unfolded. Although they seemed on the surface to be evenly matched Yuki was the only one on the offensive. Even when the opportunity presented itself Theta seemed intent on blocking only and never in attacking.

"She's toying with you!" Julian yelled watching another of Yuki's attacks fail.

Yuki had been suspecting exactly what Julian had just realized. She stepped back from her opponent and offered Julian a wink as she pulled the pin on one of her smoke grenades and let it fall to the floor hissing as it released a great plume of gray smoke. Yuki knew she had to act fast to maintain the advantage against the quick witted assassin. She went for the legs only to have the dark assassin leap over her attack and spin away while swinging toward her. Theta's katana cut a light line in the flesh of her arm. Only then did Yuki truly feel the extent of her wounds, only then did the adrenaline crash from her veins like a plane without fuel from the sky. Only then did she realize her folly as the blade pierced her abdomen and Theta Dark drew close.

"My new eyes see the heat of your body," Theta stated coldly, "You pitiful fool."

Yuki spat her blood filled spit into the assassin's face satisfied as it splattered across her deceptively beautiful façade. The woman looked over, as she slipped from the blade to the floor, to see Julian coming to her. She faded in and out watching as he bent to her and seemed to grab something from her belt. The assassin had to act quickly. Already Theta Dark eyed him with malicious thoughts brewing beneath her initial reaction. Julian lifted the Flash-Bang grenade and threw it as the dark assassin lifted her blade to finish the job on Yuki. Theta, still seeing in the thermal spectrum, was blinded. Julian leveled his gauntlet gun at her and let off round after round filling the super-assassin with holes, tearing flesh and cutting through sinew like paper. He rushed toward her then plunging his barbed blade deep into her eye and pulling out vein and tissue. Theta fell to the floor bleeding from half a hundred wounds.

Julian rushed to Yuki kneeling beside the woman as Combine soldiers filled the room around him.

"You got her?" Yuki asked wiping the blood from her lips.

"One of her at least," Julian said, "but we have bigger problems."

"Don't," Yuki said gesturing for him to leave, "Just go Julian, I'm a lost cause anyhow… I've already lost too much blood. Just, just go and find Michael and get him out of here and if you see… if you see my Father, tell him I'm-"

Julian was not usually one for emotions but as she slipped from life, as he felt the fire leave her body, tears found his eyes. The assassin stood and faced the crowded room of soldiers with an unyielding glare. The Combine which had sown so much destruction into the world would now reap that bloodshed tenfold.