Chapter Two: Insecurity
LOCATION: Area Nine Security Facilities, Black Mesa Research Facilities
TIMESCALE: December 2nd 1998. 0847am EVENT TIME MINUS THIRTY THREE MINUTES
The tram doors slid open and Barney stepped onto the cool platform. He walked up to the entry door, as the tram automatically pulled away. Barney held his security badge up to the scanner, but it let off a nasty noise, the door staying shut. He tried it again to no avail. He banged on the door just as the tram carrying the bearded scientist passed him. A muffled voice came through the door.
"Hold on a minute, the doors not accepting your pass I.D. , let me try this"
Barney heard the computerised sound of keys being pressed and the door slid open. A tired looking security officer greeted him and walked to let him into the offices.
"Sorry about that Calhoun, we've been having problems with the system all morning, it's a wonder the whole thing hasn't gone down"
Barney smiled and walked through the doors to the security area. He headed down the mass of corridors, exchanging smiles with other security officers. Finally he reached open reception area. He walked up to the desk to talk to chief security officer Barney Travers. Travers was fixed on his computer but spoke in a somewhat sarcastic monotone.
"Nice of you to show up Calhoun, why don't you go get suited up and armed and I'm sure I can find a job for you"
Calhoun walked past Travers desk and into the locker rooms. Another officer was there, tying his shoelaces, smoking. Barney exchanged a glance and then went to his locker. He pulled his heavy security vest on and put on his ridiculous helmet. In his locker was radio, which he clipped to the vest, and his collection of books based on conspiracy theories. He gazed at the picture of his ex girlfriend, and then slammed the locker shut.
Barney then walked down to the shooting range. The weapon receiving area was akin to that of a bank, with a bullet-proof glass visor protecting a guard. In the weapon offices were racks of shotguns and handguns. Barney tapped on the glass to draw the attention of the guard behind the glass, who was absorbed in the latest issue of PCGAMER magazine. The guard looked up, and reached under the desk, handing Barney his standard issue 9mm Handgun.
"There you go Calhoun, I know you're not booked for another week but if you fancy a go on the shooting range there's a couple of booths open"
Barney nodded and he walked into the range. One other guard was practising, missing every shot. Barney walked into the opposite booth, raised his weapon and rapidly emptied the clip. He pressed the button to bring him the target. All of the seventeen bullet had hit the subject in the head and neck.
"Job done" said Barney, who walked out and back into the reception area. He was just about to head for the recreation room when Travers called out.
"Hey Calhoun, why don't you make yourself useful and go and help some scientists trapped in an elevator in Sector G?" "Okay sir" said Barney.
Barney headed to the platform that would take him the short distance to the Sector G elevator. But there was nothing there, except a lone scientist reading a newspaper. The scientist looked up and said.
"If you're waiting for a tram you might as well not bother, I hear there are problems all along the line" He returned to his paper.
Barney knew another route, however. He climbed down a ladder underneath the platform and through a maintenance area. The corridor was darkened, but he pulled a lever on the wall and slowly but surely, the light lit up one by one. He followed the corridor until he reached a canal crossing. The bridge was up. Barney punched the button but there was no response. A tram passed along the line. Barney only saw the passenger for a split second, and he was sure it was the guy who had offered him the security job back in October. The bridge then lowered down and Barney crossed it.
He arrived in the sector G hub to meet the two scientists. They looked tired and angry. One spoke up.
"Well it's about time, we don't pay you people to mosey around at your convenience, now get this thing working so we can carry on with this miserable day"
Barney nodded, he was used to the almost second-class treatment the scientists gave to the guards. He looked at the panel, which seemed all right. He smacked it hard and before he could do anything, the lift reactivated and the doors sealed.
"Oh, guess I'll be riding with you guys then" he said
The lift began its slow descent down to the Sector G freight area. The light's flickered and Barney stood silently as the scientists talked amongst themselves. Then the next second, the lights went out and the lift stopped with a jolt. The scientist who had spoken to Barney sighed.
"Oh, I expect it's those Anomalous Materials people again, always pushing their equipment too hard, I doubt if there's one good brain among them"
Barney glanced at his watch, which read "9:20 a.m." He talked into his radio.
"This is Calhoun, the powers just gone in Sector G, anyone know what's going on up there?"
He got no response, but the lift began to move again. It descended a few feet into an area overlooking a rail intersection, and then the power went completely. One of the scientists screamed, causing Barney to look left. A horrific creature was stood on the floor to their left, chasing a terrified scientist. As Barney was about to reach for his handgun the panel on the elevator wall broke out, striking one scientist in the head and knocking him out. Barney reached for his radio.
"This is Calhoun, what the hell is going on?!!!"
"Cal..there's.*bang*.go to the..surface..must..*bang*.argh!" The radio cut out again.
Barney looked up again to see a train career off the tracks and smash into the wall. Before he could react there was a terrifying snapping sound and the elevator screamed down the shaft. Barney knew the cable had broken, and these old elevators had no emergency locks. He braced himself for death, screaming into his radio.
"This is Calhoun, if anyone can hear me I'm in Sector G access elevator, we're going down, I say again, we're GOING DOWN!"
The elevator smacked into the ground, flinging Barney up into the top of the elevator, and then back onto the metallic floor. He blacked out.
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In the control room, Travers had heard Barney's message and was crouched behind his desk. His weapon lay empty, the lights flickering on and off. He whispered into his own radio.
"Calhoun, we'll get someone down"
He then clicked on the universal band.
"All units get to Area Nine Security, pinned down by."
Travers paused, a dark shadow passing over him followed by a growling noise. He dropped the radio and screamed. The noise of his screaming and the spattering of his blood echoed down the empty security corridors. No- one could save him now, and no-one would be coming to help Barney. The nightmare had begun.
LOCATION: Area Nine Security Facilities, Black Mesa Research Facilities
TIMESCALE: December 2nd 1998. 0847am EVENT TIME MINUS THIRTY THREE MINUTES
The tram doors slid open and Barney stepped onto the cool platform. He walked up to the entry door, as the tram automatically pulled away. Barney held his security badge up to the scanner, but it let off a nasty noise, the door staying shut. He tried it again to no avail. He banged on the door just as the tram carrying the bearded scientist passed him. A muffled voice came through the door.
"Hold on a minute, the doors not accepting your pass I.D. , let me try this"
Barney heard the computerised sound of keys being pressed and the door slid open. A tired looking security officer greeted him and walked to let him into the offices.
"Sorry about that Calhoun, we've been having problems with the system all morning, it's a wonder the whole thing hasn't gone down"
Barney smiled and walked through the doors to the security area. He headed down the mass of corridors, exchanging smiles with other security officers. Finally he reached open reception area. He walked up to the desk to talk to chief security officer Barney Travers. Travers was fixed on his computer but spoke in a somewhat sarcastic monotone.
"Nice of you to show up Calhoun, why don't you go get suited up and armed and I'm sure I can find a job for you"
Calhoun walked past Travers desk and into the locker rooms. Another officer was there, tying his shoelaces, smoking. Barney exchanged a glance and then went to his locker. He pulled his heavy security vest on and put on his ridiculous helmet. In his locker was radio, which he clipped to the vest, and his collection of books based on conspiracy theories. He gazed at the picture of his ex girlfriend, and then slammed the locker shut.
Barney then walked down to the shooting range. The weapon receiving area was akin to that of a bank, with a bullet-proof glass visor protecting a guard. In the weapon offices were racks of shotguns and handguns. Barney tapped on the glass to draw the attention of the guard behind the glass, who was absorbed in the latest issue of PCGAMER magazine. The guard looked up, and reached under the desk, handing Barney his standard issue 9mm Handgun.
"There you go Calhoun, I know you're not booked for another week but if you fancy a go on the shooting range there's a couple of booths open"
Barney nodded and he walked into the range. One other guard was practising, missing every shot. Barney walked into the opposite booth, raised his weapon and rapidly emptied the clip. He pressed the button to bring him the target. All of the seventeen bullet had hit the subject in the head and neck.
"Job done" said Barney, who walked out and back into the reception area. He was just about to head for the recreation room when Travers called out.
"Hey Calhoun, why don't you make yourself useful and go and help some scientists trapped in an elevator in Sector G?" "Okay sir" said Barney.
Barney headed to the platform that would take him the short distance to the Sector G elevator. But there was nothing there, except a lone scientist reading a newspaper. The scientist looked up and said.
"If you're waiting for a tram you might as well not bother, I hear there are problems all along the line" He returned to his paper.
Barney knew another route, however. He climbed down a ladder underneath the platform and through a maintenance area. The corridor was darkened, but he pulled a lever on the wall and slowly but surely, the light lit up one by one. He followed the corridor until he reached a canal crossing. The bridge was up. Barney punched the button but there was no response. A tram passed along the line. Barney only saw the passenger for a split second, and he was sure it was the guy who had offered him the security job back in October. The bridge then lowered down and Barney crossed it.
He arrived in the sector G hub to meet the two scientists. They looked tired and angry. One spoke up.
"Well it's about time, we don't pay you people to mosey around at your convenience, now get this thing working so we can carry on with this miserable day"
Barney nodded, he was used to the almost second-class treatment the scientists gave to the guards. He looked at the panel, which seemed all right. He smacked it hard and before he could do anything, the lift reactivated and the doors sealed.
"Oh, guess I'll be riding with you guys then" he said
The lift began its slow descent down to the Sector G freight area. The light's flickered and Barney stood silently as the scientists talked amongst themselves. Then the next second, the lights went out and the lift stopped with a jolt. The scientist who had spoken to Barney sighed.
"Oh, I expect it's those Anomalous Materials people again, always pushing their equipment too hard, I doubt if there's one good brain among them"
Barney glanced at his watch, which read "9:20 a.m." He talked into his radio.
"This is Calhoun, the powers just gone in Sector G, anyone know what's going on up there?"
He got no response, but the lift began to move again. It descended a few feet into an area overlooking a rail intersection, and then the power went completely. One of the scientists screamed, causing Barney to look left. A horrific creature was stood on the floor to their left, chasing a terrified scientist. As Barney was about to reach for his handgun the panel on the elevator wall broke out, striking one scientist in the head and knocking him out. Barney reached for his radio.
"This is Calhoun, what the hell is going on?!!!"
"Cal..there's.*bang*.go to the..surface..must..*bang*.argh!" The radio cut out again.
Barney looked up again to see a train career off the tracks and smash into the wall. Before he could react there was a terrifying snapping sound and the elevator screamed down the shaft. Barney knew the cable had broken, and these old elevators had no emergency locks. He braced himself for death, screaming into his radio.
"This is Calhoun, if anyone can hear me I'm in Sector G access elevator, we're going down, I say again, we're GOING DOWN!"
The elevator smacked into the ground, flinging Barney up into the top of the elevator, and then back onto the metallic floor. He blacked out.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
In the control room, Travers had heard Barney's message and was crouched behind his desk. His weapon lay empty, the lights flickering on and off. He whispered into his own radio.
"Calhoun, we'll get someone down"
He then clicked on the universal band.
"All units get to Area Nine Security, pinned down by."
Travers paused, a dark shadow passing over him followed by a growling noise. He dropped the radio and screamed. The noise of his screaming and the spattering of his blood echoed down the empty security corridors. No- one could save him now, and no-one would be coming to help Barney. The nightmare had begun.