Disclaimer: I don't own Half Life.

The Black Mesa Incident

Chapter Two: Black Mesa Inbound

The alarm clock shattered any peaceful slumber that once held Gordon. He grumbled something uncomplimentary as he fumbled for the button to turn it off. Coming up empty, he resolved to hit the snooze button instead.

With a grunt of effort, he levered himself up into a sitting position, trying to ignore the slightly bitter early morning taste in his mouth. He swung his legs out from under the bed, rubbing his eyes. A frown creased his brow as he looked at the clock with blurry vision. While the numbers were distorted, it looked like it said…

He shook his head and grabbed his glasses from beside the alarm clock. Green eyes widened as his vision cleared and he actually saw the time. A silent curse on his lips, he sprinted to the bathroom, aiming to quickly brush his teeth and leave. He would have to forego a shower for now; it's not like the experiment should take too long, after all. He could always come back afterwards.

As he looked at himself in the mirror, he took a (very brief) moment to look at his goatee beard, remembering how he had thought about shaving it off. While Barney had joked it was the only way he could tell Gordon apart from the other scientists, Gordon himself had never been too fond of it. It had seemed like an interesting idea at the time (a year or so ago, he couldn't quite remember), and he simply hadn't gotten around to removing it once it started irritating him.

He sighed and got to brushing his teeth, resolving to add it to the list of things he would do when he returned from the experiment.

A few short minutes later, Gordon was sprinting out into the train station, which was, as usual, empty. At this time of day, everybody was either hard at work or taking the day off for some reason or another.

They weren't being absent minded MIT graduates who couldn't even use an alarm clock right.

Another sigh escaped his lips as he readjusted his tie, which was entirely too tight around his neck. He heard the sound of a train approaching and went to the edge of the platform, hoping that, for once, they were running early. By his watch, he would already be half an hour late by the time his train got him to the Sector C test labs.

A voice coming from the train shattered his hopes.

"Hey, Gordon!"

Barney grinned and waved from inside the train.

"Late again? I'm shocked, Gordon! Shocked!"

Gordon very much wanted to flip him the bird, but settled for a sarcastic smile and a very small wave. The security guard laughed, shook his head, and turned forward to look to his destination.

Fortunately, Gordon's train was immediately after, and all too slowly came to a halt in front of the platform and opened its door.

Gordon wasn't sure why they were called trains; if anything, they were a single automated train carriage. Not to mention the fact that they ran on thing magnetic tracks that were suspended above the train as well as below. While that had made Gordon rather wary of them when he had first arrived at Black Mesa, he had soon realised that they were perfectly safe to use.

Barney, on the other hand, still stayed well away from the windows, which had no glass in them to this day.

In the distance, Gordon saw Barney disembark from his train, and when it began moving of its' own accord, so did Gordons'.

Slowly, he came up behind Barneys' platform, the aforementioned security guard impatiently slamming his fist on the unopened door there. He looked back at Gordon in a very annoyed manner.

Gordon just smiled. "I'm shocked, Barney. Shocked," he mouthed, prompting a 'ha ha' look from Barney before he returned to his knocking.

The automated voiceover for the train began to speak, although Gordon really wished it wouldn't. He, and all the other employees of the Black Mesa Research facility, had heard it every time they went to work, and every time they came back. The only difference was towards the end when current events of the day were being listed off. Gordon seemed to remember there being a decathlon tonight, but he couldn't remember what time. He made a mental note to listen for it.

"Good morning, and welcome to the Black Mesa Transit System. This automated train is provided for the security and convenience of the Black Mesa Research Facility personnel. The time is eight-forty seven A.M. Current topside temperature is ninety-three degrees with an estimated high of one hundred and five. The Black Mesa compound is maintained at a pleasant sixty-eight degrees at all times…"

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"…A reminder to all Black Mesa personnel: Regular radiation and biohazard screenings are a requirement of continued employment in the Black Mesa Research Facility. Missing a scheduled urinalysis or radiation check-up is grounds for immediate termination."

The train stopped at an unscheduled point, and Gordon looked about, slightly nervous at the delay. He was already close to being half an hour late. Gordon looked down at his watch.

Scratch that, he was half and hour late.

There had been a spill of toxic waste below him. A large yellow carrier robot was blocking the path of the train as it attempted to move some of the toxic waste containers out of the way. Its' insect-like appearance reflected the luminescent green of the toxic liquid, giving it an almost polished shine.

A strange feeling travelled up the back of Gordon's neck, and he looked around, feeling as though he were being watched.

Green eyes scanned the large chamber and settled on another train that was suspended next to his, heading in the opposite direction and stuck just as he was. There were two people inside. One was a non-descript scientist, who was in the process of irritably battling some kind of stain on his lab coat.On the scientists' right was a man who… who…

"If you feel you have been exposed to radioactive or other hazardous materials in the course of your duties, contact your radiation safety officer immediately. Work safe. Work smart. Your future depends…"

The voice faded away as Gordon saw him. His skin was deathly pale and sunken in, the bags under his eyes given an almost exaggerated effect from the combination of shadows and bright green light playing across his face. He didn't seem to notice Gordon, remaining deathly still as he stared blankly forward. A well tailored navy suit clashed with the purple tie neatly knotted around his neck, but he didn't seem to care in the least. Idly, he brushed something from his jacket.

The train began to move again, the yellow robot having moved the hazardous waste out of the way.

But Gordon still couldn't take his eyes off the ghostly apparition of a man. His train continued down into a tunnel until Gordon lost all sight of him. He slowly sat back down, his ears tuning back in to what the neutral and brainless voice was telling him.

"Now arriving at Sector C Test Labs and Control Facilities."

Gordon sighed in relief as the train slowly came to a halt next to the platform. A part of him hoped that no-one would notice that he was half an hour late, and as such had postponed a highly important experiment, if not the most important experiment he had taken part in so far.

"Please stand back from the automated door and wait for the security officer to verify your identity. Before exiting the train, be sure to check your area for personal belongings. Thank you, and have a very safe and productive day."

The security officer, who Gordon remembered from the duty roster as Simon Bennet, made his way over to the train and stopped at the door.

"Mornin', Mr Freeman. Looks like you're runnin' late."

Gordon bit back his rude (and at this point, instinctive) response, and simply waited for the security guard to punch in his security code and open the door. He did so, and the door slid open. Gordon tried not to seem too rude as he made his way past the guard and across the platform to the reinforced metal door that led to the Anomalous Materials Lab.

Looking more than a little dissatisfied with the lack of conversation on Gordon's part (Gordon was usually one of the more friendly scientists), Bennet made his way over to the control panel next to the door and punched in his code.

The two thick metal bars at the top and bottom of the door slid aside with a loud series of clanging and grinding noises. The door quietly opened shortly after, splitting in the middle and sending the two halves up and down, respectively.

Gordon gave Bennet a courteous nod and an apologetic smile, heading into the airlock-esque corridor before him.

The door closed behind him, and Gordon prepared to enter the Sector C test labs.

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(A/N: Not much to say, except… review! Or review it with the next chapter, it doesn't really matter.)