The vast dark void of G-man's pockets was all Shephard had known for God knows how long. Lying face first on the metal floor of the osprey with his arms and legs spread out he only knew the feeling of boredom. Ever since G-man left, he had been here with just himself and his imagination.

The soldier could feel himself going deaf due to the blaring music inside the osprey. It was some sort of foreign music, sounded kind of Japanese. It also didn't help that there were rainbow strobe lights that kept flashing with the music. It was dulled by the tint of his gas mask lenses but only by so much.

He lifted his head up and looked at his hands, the dried blood from both humans and aliens mixed into a putrid orange color. Putting his hands on the floor and pushing himself into one of the seats, he leant back and prepared to try and sleep again until the music and lights from inside the osprey cut off. Shephard was almost startled out of his seat and looked around for anything that could have caused it.

Adrian moved his head to look to the osprey door and froze, his palms started to sweat, and his eyes widened. Standing before him was the same man from before, all neat and tidy and with a posture only befitting a businessman.

The man fixed his tie and wiped something Shephard couldn't see off his suit. Before Adrian could say anything, the man had already begun talking.

"Corporal Shephard. I'm sorry to arrive on such short notice. I do realize it has been quite an extended absence on my part." He pauses before continuing

'Extended absence? How long have I been here? Days? Months? Years? Oh god what if it's been years? Did the aliens win or did we stop the invasion?'

"I do however require your services at the moment. My primary is otherwise occupied and… well you have the skills and experience necessary for this..." He takes another breath. "Assignment anyways."

"Unlike with my primary I have full control of where I send you Mr. Shephard, so this assignment was handpicked by myself" The man gestures to himself in an exaggerated way.

"Think of yourself as a hammer Corporal, build up heroes and break down the villains, and do remember to use 1-A nails."

1-A nails? The hell does that mean. What does any of that sentence mean?

Before he could ask the man, his whole-body began to fade into the now present cityscape behind him. Damn, he always cuts me off or leaves before I can ever say anything, what a coward.

It was at his time that Adrian looked down and saw that he was clad in some sort of suit. His camo uniform had been replaced by an urban camo metal suit that seemed to have merged with his PCV. His military gloves had been replaced by the gloves of the suit which were made out of some material he didn't recognize. He could also no longer feel air on the back of his neck. Reaching around his dead he found that his military helmet and gas mask were combined together and modified to be a fully-fledged helmet covering his whole head. His boots were still there but they were being worn over the suit. While the suit looked bulky it was actually quite light, almost as if it wasn't even there. 'What the shit? Did he make this for me or something?' He noticed a button on the underside of his left arm. Pressing it, the HUD in his gas mask activated and began to relay information to him in the lenses.

Hazardous Environmental Powered Combat Suit Activated

Power: 200%

Oxygen: 100% capacity

Auxiliary power: 100%

Flashlight: Online

Night vision: Online

Long Jump Module: Online

Long Fall Boot Module: Operational

Boot Flippers: Operational

Boot blades: Operational

Rebreather: Online

Filters: Online

Cloak: Online

Painkiller Systems: Online

Antitoxin Systems: Online

Life support: Online

Geiger Counter: Online

Infrared Vision: Online

Motion Tracker: Online

Weapon Enhancement Systems: Online

Sustenance Systems: Online

Hammer Space Weapon Storage: Online

Munitions Duplication: Online

Running Diagnostics on: Adrian Shephard

Health: 100%

Age: 22

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 230 lbs.

Retrieving Assignment Details

Assignment: Protect Subject Group: UA High School Class 1-A

Adrian took a few minutes to process all of the information that was just thrown at him. First there was the suit itself, it looked just like his original suit and PCV, but it was made fully of metal. It reminded him a lot of the HEV suits he saw the scientists wearing in Xen.

In the corner of his HUD, he could see the health and power counters. He looked his suit up and down for the features the suit had just shown him. He spotted the flashlight button on his shoulder and pressed it, the light then illuminated a large area of the rooftop in front of him, turning it off he reached for the night vision button on his mask. The night vision worked just as it did back in Black Mesa, the roof was light up with the green tint over it. He then pressed the button on the other side of his helmet which turned on the infrared. The entire city turned dark blue with the lights appearing green, he looked down below at all of the people that just looked like red dots.

After turning it off, he then looked down at his boots, his boots had visible metal pieces that bent from the back of the boot to the underside. He shifted his feet and saw how the metal acted almost like a spring as he set a foot down. On the sides of his boots, he noticed two bits of rubber, they had no clear use, but Adrian assumed they were the flippers the suit had mentioned. On the front of his boots there were 2 blades and when Adrian flexed his toes the blades retracted, he flexed them again and the blades shot forward into position. 'These will be useful in a fight.'

Hearing a car horn, he looked up at the city around him. He could hear the people down below enjoying the nightlife, going on dates, shopping, and enjoying parties. It was calming for Adrian to know that he did stop the invasion of earth and that everyone he knew was safe. Once this mission was over, he couldn't wait to see his family, friends, and girlfriend.

Adrian nearly fell off the roof when a flash of green light and a crack of energy came from behind him. Turning around he was greeted with the sight of 3 crates. Lying next to them was a crowbar, he picked it up and pried off the lid of the first crate. He looked inside and he saw all of the weapons he had in black mesa. He dropped the crowbar behind him and noticed that he didn't hear it hit the ground. Then looking to the top of his HUD he saw the icon of a crowbar. He selected it with his mind, and it appeared in his hand. 'Woah, that's new.' He then put it back and brought it back out multiple times just to make sure what he was seeing is real.

Bringing his attention back to the crate he reached in and grabbed the pipe wrench and began to swap between the crowbar and the wrench multiple times. Reaching back into the crate he pulled out the combat knife and slid his finger across the edge. He could feel the sharpness of the edge even through the armored glove, he then took the knife and put it into his inventory. He also pulled out some sort of stick, flipping the switch on the side an arc of electricity shot out of it. 'Huh, some sort of taser stick?' He then reached back inside and pulled out 5 pistols: a Glock 17, Beretta 92FS, a USP Match, his Desert Eagle, and a Colt Python. 'Wow he really gave me three 9mm pistols.' Adrian checked all of the guns and deposited them in his inventory. He then pulled his MP5 that had grenade launcher attached along with a modified MP7 out of the crate. Adrian inspected the MP7, there was a holo-sight on top and a folding grip on the bottom, there was also a second barrel underneath the first one. He placed them both in his inventory while reaching for the M4 Carbine that also had a undermounted grenade launcher.

After doing a weapon check he pulled the Spas-12 from out of the crate. He unfolded the stock and checked it over before depositing it in his inventory. Next, he pulled out his M249 SAW with a bipod attached, the heavy weapon felt like a handgun in his grasp. The next weapon he pulled out was his Sniper rifle, he pulled the bolt back before pushing it into place and cleaned off the scope. The next couple of weapons he pulled out were his explosives. Grenades, satchel charges, and his trip mines were now in his arsenal, he rubbed the lens of a trip mine before putting it in his inventory.

The next weapon he pulled out was a crossbow, the bow had a large top part that was way too big to be used for bolts while there was a smaller barrel on the bottom. There was a magazine on the bottom that appeared to be holding some sort of dart. Adrian took one of the darts out and examined it, it was a black dart with a glass window on the side with a green liquid visible through it. There was a warning above the glass that read "WARNING NEUROTOXIN." 'Shit, neurotoxin darts, these things are potent enough to kill a rhino.' With some hesitation, Adrian put the crossbow into his inventory, and it disappeared from his hand.

Moving back to the crate the next weapon he pulled out was the laser guided rocket launcher. Adrian folded out the targeting system and calibrated it to the right setting, and then activated the laser sight before putting it away.

The weapon Adrian pulled out of the box next looked like some sort of assault rifle. There was a magazine on the side for the ammo; being little pods that were circulated like a revolver. Underneath the main barrel there appeared to be a tube connected to a large box magazine. Adrian test fired the weapon and a black projectile with a white aura shot out of it and into the ground leaving a burn mark. Adrian then pressed the second trigger to use the barrel underneath. The gun made a noise as it shaked before firing a ball of energy. The ball bounced from the ground and then flew into off of the roof, into the air and then exploded. 'Holy shit! What the hell was that?! Some kind of energy ball?' Adrian stared at the space where the ball had blown up before looking back at the weapon in his hands. He put the weapon away, eager to see what the next weapon would be.

The weapon that Adrian eagerly pulled out was one he recognized. In his hands held the Displacer Cannon he acquired from Black Mesa. Depositing it in his inventory he pulled out a new weapon. The weapon looked like it was made in someone's garage, with gas canisters and exposed metal prevalent on the weapon. Alongside it there was a weapon that looked like a proton pack from Ghostbusters. It was a backpack with a tube coming out of it that ended as some sort of gun. He held onto it by 2 handles, one at the top and one on the left. He put that one away and grabbed the next weapon.

This weapon glowed bright orange and had 3 prongs on the front, he held onto it like a regular gun but with another handle on the side. Deciding to test it he tried to shoot a box on the roof but the gun didn't fire. Pressing the trigger below the first the box suddenly flew into the guns grasp. The box was suspended in midair in some sort of field in front of the gun, Adrian then used the first trigger and the gun, with a shot of orange energy, sent the box flying off the roof and into the alley below.

Adrian looked back at the now empty weapons crate and kicked it away to make room for whatever was in the second crate. Opening the crate with his crowbar, Adrian was greeted with ammo for all his weapons. Adrian took out all of the boxes of ammo, along with some capsules of uranium-235, there was one other box in the crate that was filled with stacks of yen. 'Well guess that confirms where in the world I am. Glad he at least gave me the means to survive in a domestic setting.'

Moving on to the last crate, Adrian was surprised when a shock roach jumped out of the crate and attached to his arm. The suit opened up for the creature as its legs fused to Adrians skin. He barely even felt it and just sighed and gave it a pat on the thorax, it appeared to like it, but Adrian couldn't tell.

Adrian always had a thing for animals, he had a lot of pets growing up and didn't shy away from insects and amphibians that many would say are gross. Hell, he and his friends used to put worms on sticks and chase the girls with them during recess in the 1st grade, the principal didn't like that though.

He moved back to the crate and saw all of his… pets? He didn't know if he could call them pets, but it was the only thing, he could think of calling them. Well, the next "Pet" he brought out were the snarks, they were inside of a huge nest that was like a living creature itself. He picked one up and flipped it over, using his finger to pet its stomach. The snark made some squeaking noises like laughter and its legs flailed around, Adrian flipped it back over and pet it behind the eye, the thing made a cooing noise and its eye closed like it was happy. As Adrian began to pull his hand away it reached out as if it wanted him to keep petting. Adrian reluctantly put the snark away with the others and went back to the crate before falling backwards as a head crab jumped out of it.

The creature screeched at him and backed away like an injured animal. Shephard noticed the fangs on the front appeared to be missing and guessed that it must not have the ability to attack him now. He cautiously approached it in a non-threatening way, crouched down, and offered his head to it. 'Damn it Adrian what are you doing, this is one of those things that killed your friends, why do you feel sorry for it?' The critter looked confused for a moment before leaping onto Adrians head. He couldn't feel it trying to hurt him and it just sat there on his helmet. Its legs just dangled off his helmet as it nestled itself into place.

'So, if you take the fangs away or something they become tame? I should try that with some other ones if I see them.'

Moving back to the box, Adrian was overjoyed when he took out his favorite pet. The spore launcher looked up at him and squealed with excitement when it recognized his mask. It crawled up his arm and onto his shoulder with it nuzzled against his helmet and cooed softly. It then shrieked when it noticed the head crab resting on his helmet and tried to attack it, Adrian stopped it and noted its concern for his safety. "Hey, hey, it's ok, it's ok, this one is a friend, okay?" It tilted its head at him and looked apologetic before coming closer. The head crab didn't seem to care as the Spore launcher crawled back up to his shoulder and settled.

Adrian ignored what had transpired and pulled out the Barnacle Grapple, the chunky creature didn't react to being picked up and Adrian just put in in his inventory for later use. He reached back into the crate and pulled out a frog. It looked like a regular earth frog, but its skin was purple, and it had one big eye on its head, not asking any questions he put the frog in his inventory.

The next thing he pulled out looked like some sort of larva. It was mainly orange / purple and has six orange eyes in between 8 black spines. It had what looked to be 3 large fingers on the front, it had a mouth with no teeth and had a large… hole on the other end. Shephard had seen these being used by the alien grunts and remembered the name a scientist gave them, "Hive hand." He knew how to use it and he figured it would be just like the barnacle. He decided not to put it on now and stuck it in his inventory

The last creature Adrian pulled out looked like a grub, it had a brown head and a circular mouth, with a slimy white body that glowed yellow at the end. It squirmed a little in his grasp and Adrian had to take care not to crush it. He stored it in his inventory and kicked the last crate away from him. 'Ok that's done, now what?'

He then remembered that the suit said something about his assignment. Seeing a small screen on the underside of his left arm he tapped it. The screen lit up and was on a file selector screen, he tapped the one that said "assignment". The screen switched to a page which described his assignment in detail. Adrian read that his assignment was to 'The hell? Protect a group of high school kids?' Had Adrian not had his mask on the confusion on his face would be clearly visible. 'That's what I was assigned to?! Protect a group of teenagers from what? Bullies? Are they in a gang or something?'

Seeing a button for pictures he pressed it and was met with a picture of the supposed school they went to. 'Woah, never seen a school like that before. These kids must be rich or something' Adrian thought as he examined the picture showing the front of the school. The building looked like a giant skyscraper surrounded by high metal walls. There were 4 glass towers that made up the bulk of the building with large connector hallways in between them. Swiping to the left he was shown a picture of what appeared to be the door to the class with the giant red lettering on the massive door reading "1-A" with a window in the A.

He swiped left again and was treated with a picture of one of the students. The kid had heavily styled blond hair that swooped over to one side. The kid had an unreadable smile on his face and Adrian already didn't like him. The girl in the next picture shocked him, she had pink hair and pink skin, black eyes with gold rings in them. On her head were 2 small horns that curved into square hooks. 'What the actual hell is that?! Why does she look like that?!' Adrian swiped though many more photos of the kids in this class and eventually came to photos of what looked like superheroes. People saving others and fighting what he could only guess were villains. Adrians mind raced with questions and couldn't stop scrolling through the pictures. "WHERE THE FUCK DID G-MAN SEND ME?!"

Here it is, the second chapter. I have decided to give Adrian all of the half-life weapons in canon so he can be a powerhouse. I feel that if I made him just as he is in canon, he would be very underpowered and wouldn't stand much of a chance against the hero's or the villains.

This is also why I gave him a HEV suit on steroids so that he can survive and be able to take blows.

I also plan to give Adrian a lot of alien pets and possibly even a Vortigaunt ally, so he won't be alone in his battle. I want to make it apparent that Adrian gets along better with animals than with other people.