I'm back with another one~

Also watched the new HL: Alyx trailer, definitely using some of the stuff there.

Six Combine dropships went inside the main point of entrance for the Citadel's air forces. The inside of the Citadel had a red color instead of the normal blue color. Once they landed, Union's NPCs were greeted with the sight of a squad of soldiers and engineers.

The soldiers had armor that were detachable pieces on them, their helmet was sleek, white on the front and black on the back, and had a wide T-shaped opening which exposed their face. In their hands were Combine MP7s and USP matches, except painted to fit the place they were in.

The engineers seemed to be the replacements for the stalkers, as they had their laser tools on the side. They were wearing a black jumpsuit with a tool belt around their hip, they had a helmet which had a visor that can be pulled up and down.

One peculiar part of the soldiers and engineers stood out, the fact that they were using the models of the people Union or his NPCs killed.

As soon as Union's NPCs exited the dropships, the engineers walked up to them. One of them seemed to be the head of the group, looking at two pairs of Combine Elites as each pair carried a box. The assumed head engineer, who had a brown beard and blue eyes, walked up to the Specialist leader.

"These are your men?" He asked.

The specialist nodded. "We're just unloading the packages so we can transport it to the core."

The engineer raised his brow. "Packages? I don't think I know what you're talking about."

"It's a little something that can help us."

"What is it?"

"We'll open it at the core."

"Sorry, but the checkpoints leading to the core won't let you in unless they know what's inside."

The specialist nodded. "That won't be a problem."

The engineer sighed. "Well, it's not my place to ask, anyways I was sent to fix you and your men. Your models are acting up."

The elite perked up. "That won't be needed."

"Look, we can't exactly let you out in those models. It's...old."

The specialist tilted his head. "Are you calling me old?"

The engineer shook his head furiously. "No no no. Just... It's not allowed alright?"

The elite looked back at his second-in-command, who shrugged. He turned back to the engineer. "Okay, fix it."

Minutes later, Union's NPCs were remodeled. The Elites' helmet had a round and sleek design, with one red eye on the center. Their armor looked like they weren't expecting bullets but lasers, it still does protect themselves from bullets. Basically, they look like they were COD Infinite Warfare.

The soldiers had the same look, except much less advanced than the Elites. With some metal parts on their arms, and legs, while their torso was covered with a bulletproof vest. Their helmet had a sharp design, while still not going overboard. They also have alternating colors if they are a shotgunner or a regular soldier.

The dropships were still in their normal form, the head engineer explained that they would have to be in a different place if they want them to change out.

There was one strange part though, the NPCs had certain parts, like their eyes, colored cyan instead of the red the Citadel's inhabitants had. Also, they still retained their color scheme.

"That's strange." The head engineer narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Is the color broken or something?"

He sighed. "Well. Whatever it is, it'll fix itself once you get closer to the core. You're free to go."

The specialist nodded and walked away, the large group following him as they went deeper. After going through some bridges, they reached the first checkpoint. A pair of soldiers greeted them there, a small guardhouse next to them.

The first soldier looked them up, then motioned to the pair of elites holding a box. "You two, set it down infront of me."

The specialist leader looked at them, then jerked his head towards the soldier. They set it down infront of him, the soldier placed his fingers on the lid and lifted it up. The soldier was greeted by the sight of Union, who stared back at him with an awkward look.

"What th-" The soldier couldn't finish his sentence as he got a rifle stock to the head.

His partner fell the same way by a shotgunner.

Union sat up from his box. "Are we good?"

The specialist nodded. The other members of the group had hid the bodies in the guardhouse, making sure they were easily going to be missed. Then the group continued on to the core. When they were on their way, another pair of guards passed by them, possibly going to the checkpoint they just passed.

"Just keep going." The specialist leader whispered to the group's shared comms.

They did, and they reached a large hallway. They exited out of the side of it and opposite of the exit was another checkpoint. Down the hallway was a tripod mech that had a platform on top of it with another soldier, a squad of the latter was below it. The tripod had a large cannon under it, and a Gatling gun on the front. It was colored black with red lines and symbols.

The group reached the checkpoint, another pair of soldiers greeted them.

Before one of the soldiers from the pair could let them go on their way, they received a radio call from one of their buddies.

"What happened?" The soldier asked.

"We're checking the cameras now, hold tight." He heard the soldier said through the radio.

Meanwhile, Union's NPCs got ready for battle. The soldier on the radio listened in again and after a while had stared at the group, before glancing at his gun. Suddenly, he pointed his weapon on the group, but didn't get halfway through as he got a shotgun burst to the chest. His partner got shot in the face with a burst from an AR2.

The squad on the far end on the hallway noticed the conflict and started shooting at the new enemies, the tripod mech's gun started whirring and a long burst of suppressing fire was delivered. Union's group separated and was on opposite sides of the hallway, the box near the specialist leader opened and Union got out of it.

"What's the situation?" He asked as he took cover behind the checkpoint's entrance with the rest of his NPCs.

"That tripod is preventing the other half of our group from going over to us." The specialist leader answered. The other half's box was already opened and Celeste was out of it.

"I got the solution." He got out his RPG and peeked over cover.

He shot the rocket high before pointing the laser at the Tripod's 'head'. The tripod took notice of this and ducked as the rocket passed overhead, but Union was quick to change course and aimed the laser down. The rocket suddenly turned around and hit the tripod straight at the back, its friend on the platform hat fell face first on the floor before getting squished by the tripod's dead body.

The squad accompanying the now dead tripod was gunned down. The last tried fleeing, but was shot on the knee by Celeste. One of Union's NPCs noticed the wounded enemy and ended his suffering with a burst from its SMG. Celeste winced and looked down, as if ashamed. Union looked at his surroundings before facing the specialist leader.

"Since we've been compromised. Does that mean we can just run to the core?" He asked.

The leader nodded, before motioning the group to move forward and they ran through the next hallway. They stopped before the exit and one of the elites peeked out. They reached another hallway. There was a bridge opposite of where they were and it lead to another hallway with an entrance to the next straight hallway.

"That looks dangerous." Union remarked at the bridge and as if on cue, a VTOL gunship passed over it. "Very dangerous."

"We'll have to pass by the bridge, it is the shortest way to the elevator that'll lead us into the path to the core." A specialist said.

"You have got to be joking."

"I'm not."

Union sighed. "Great."

"This'll be quick." The leader said.

"I hope they don't destroy the bridge while we're on it." Celeste prayed.

"Please don't jinx it." Union whined.

She didn't, atleast on the given situation.

~~~END~~~

Sorry for the short chapter.

I'm kind of catching a cold and I just want to put this chapter out.

What you're going to expect next chapter: Celeste gets her traumatizing first 'human' kill, then Union and a NPC helps her cope. You know, the normal stuff.

So...hopefully I'll see you guys and gals(?) next?