(Well after a while, I actually got this chapter done. I would have gotten it done earlier, but I had to go camping for a week. Bummer. Well, let's check out the reviews.

zUg mAh oAtaX: Sorry I forgot your review in the last chapter! I had already uploaded the chapter when you sent the review! I thanked the headcrab for you, and he replied by trying to chew my brains. This is why I always have a 1000-page dictionary nearby, so I can bash headcrabs.

Blizrun: Thanks once again! I'll have to fix the G-Man's lisp some time. But I just can't be bothered right now. And yes, in fact I just began Opposing Force yesterday. My friend borrowed it from his friend, but he doesn't have a computer, so we played it at my place. We got all the way to Crush Depth! Damn those Black Ops are tricky.

Jason Storm: Thanks man!

Sonicfish (Jon): Yeah, I lied. But you gotta admit it wouldn't have been nearly as fun if you knew it was coming, right? Ah well, thanks for the support!

Björn: Thanks man, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter.

Okay, so let's get on. Just to make the story more easier to read, Dylan's, Adam's and Gordon's tank will be referred to as the Panzer, and the aliens' tank will be the Abrams. I at least think the big green tanks in the game are Abrams. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)

Chapter 8: Tank War

The slave leader walked alongside one of the mountains with his small group. His other followers were spread out among Black Mesa. He traveled along with his group of bodyguards that he had assembled. In truth, he had only picked out those who had found a military helmet to join him, thinking that they'd survive head shots better.

The leader's eyes turned to a sniper rifle aiming from a building. Before the sniper could act, the leader launched a grenade in the building, instantly killing him. He turned to follow his group, when he heard a voice. "Come. come."

Curiously the leader walked through a doorway into the building, following the voice. He came to a hallway, and at the end, the speaker floated, awaiting the leader.

"I should have known the Nihilanth would send his controller minions to stop me at some point," the leader hissed at the alien controller, the Nihilanth's closest servants. The small humanoid figure sat in the air, the eyes of it's massive heads fixing onto the slave.

"You've put on quite a show here. Lord Nihilanth would be proud of you, but he does not tolerate your behavior against him," the controller spoke.

"I no longer praise your defiler lord. This world is ripe for a new beginning. Tell me, is it truly so bad here that your kind has been sent to battle?" the slave said, lowering his rifle down.

"No, such a situation has never appeared, not before lord Nihilanth or the one lord before him. My kind has been sent to stop your mad campaign. I ask you once, and only once, to return back to the lord's side," the controller smirked. As he said this, his hands started to glow a worm orange.

The leader raised an eyebrow for a moment. A ruler before the Nihilanth? Did this mean that his old lord had not been the creator of the alien world Xen? But it didn't matter anymore now that he was free on Earth. "I am sorry, but you cannot stop me. This is the dawn of a new era for my brethren, and I swear, not you or all your drones can stop my crusade," the leader angrily waved his hand.

"A pity. Lord Nihilanth won't be pleased with this."

"DAMN THE NIHILANTH!" the leader yelled, enraged. "Damn you all! You cause no good for my kind, and I will cause no good for you!"

"Your choice is made, slave. It's time to pay for it," the controller shook his head and started floating higher. The orange glow started to grow greater, and a pair of fireballs appeared in his hands.

"As the humans say," the leader said lifting his rifle, "bring it."

-----

"Jesus! This thing must be 50 years older than that!" Dylan screamed down as the alien tank drove towards them. "We'll never stand up against it!"

"Then we better get outta here and fast!" Adam screamed back and started pushing on the levers. The Panzer tank started to move away from the Abrams one, which closely followed. The turret on the Abrams swiveled to aim at the Panzer.

"Hey, go for that alley! It leads to open ground! We might live longer there," Dylan pointed at the familiar alley. It lead to the battleground with the tentacles, and it would serve as a battleground again. The Panzer squeezed into the tight corridor, just as the Abrams fired a shot into one of the buildings. Dylan ducked inside as rubble fell down behind their tank. Through this concrete the Abrams coolly waded through, the slaves inside loading another missile.

"Gordon, if we're gonna live, you have GOT to figure out how that cannon works!" Dylan said to the scientist and then climbed back up to stare at their chaser. They appeared into the courtyard with the radio mast. The Panzer started to circle around the yard with the Abrams close behind, driving over both pavement and the rubble of the collapsed rail system.

"All right, I'll try and figure how to fire," Gordon nodded and started pressing the buttons. The tank didn't react at first, then came to a full halt.

"NO! NOT THE BRAKES!!!" Dylan exclaimed in horror as the Abrams crashed into the Panzer. Dylan leaned backwards as the cannon was merely inches away from his face.

"Sorry!" Gordon yelled back as Adam pushed on the switches with all his might. The Abrams fired just as the Panzer turned away and started to continue circling the courtyard. The two tanks spun around the courtyard for a while. The turret accidentally turned to point to the center.

"Whoops, that's the cannon's turn button," Gordon called. "No... wait... god, how could I have been an idiot! The fire button is between the directional buttons!" Just to test it out, he pressed the button, and the cannon fired... into the radio mast. Both tanks stopped to stare as the huge tower twisted and toppled down between them. Now safe from the Abrams' cannon, the Panzer started to drive away while the more modern tank started to detour around the fallen tower.

Before the Abrams could take a good shot, the Panzer drove through the wall into a building. This new house was some kind of recreational place, with stairs leading to the second floor.

"Adam, I think we can fit up the stairs. It's risky, but we'll be safe from those aliens," Dylan said. Adam swallowed hard and started slowly driving the tank up the stairs.

-----

The three aliens inside the Abrams all climbed out to watch, one of them ready to dive for the controls. They stared quietly at the building, waiting for the tank to come out, when their attention was drawn to a mad scream. A nearby building's window shattered to pieces as the slave leader crashed through, beating the body of the controller. The two crashed on the ground, and the leader twisted the huge head of the controller until his neck broke.

"Sir!" one of the aliens in the Abrams called. "Do you need help?"

"No, I'm fine," the leader said. "What are you doing here with that goliath?" he asked pointing at the tank.

"We're hunting some humans. The fools have a goliath of their own, but don't know how to properly operate it."

"Really?" the leader asked, interested. "Then I will join you. Just a moment." He then pulled the radio he had tied around his waist and called the leader of his bodyguard. "Hello? Yes, I'm alive, and fine. Look, you head for that huge construction that keeps the water at bay. I will join you later. I have other business."

-----

The second floor had a bar and a snooker table. This was one of the places for off-suty personnel to rest after a hard day. Dylan used the opportunity to take a drink of beer to calm his nerves down. He didn't normally drink, but with a crazed Abrams tank chasing you, you'd probably need something harder too.

"Look... Dylan," Gordon fought to remember the name, "you're in the army. You have more experience in warfare than I do. What are we going to do? Driving down and out is suicide, but there's no other way out."

"Gordon, I only joined the army a little while ago. I haven't dealt with any real situation yet," Dylan shrugged. "Gordon, remember when Dimitri mentioned someone called the Administrator? Who's he?" he asked, trying to change the subject from their predicament.

"The Administrator's the one who funded the research project. I've seen him walking around with a suitcase. He keeps appearing and leaving to a place where there's no exit. I think he's been watching me, and that gives me the creeps," Gordon shivered.

This new fact made things even more confusing. The same person who had funded the project which lead the aliens to Earth had once made a deal with the Soviet Union? How could someone do such a thing? And was he truly watching Gordon? Dylan gave up thinking and decided to concentrate on getting out.

"Hey, I think there is one way out..." Dylan said as his eyes stared at the wall overlooking the courtyard. The whole wall was one large window.

"Great," Gordon shook his head, "more ways to do suicide."

-----

The leader fitted himself into the hatch and stopped to stare at the building.

"I can hear engines running in there," he said to the slaves in the tank. "Get ready to fire..!" He was interupted with a glass shard flying from the second floor and landing in his back. He hissed in pain, but looked up. For one moment, he thought the Nihilanth himself had come to pay back.

"HOOOOOLYYYYYY SHIIIIIIIITTT!" Dylan screamed as he stood in the tank, which smashed through the window and plummeted down. The slave leader yelped and dived into the Abrams as the Panzer literally fell on top of the other tank. Dylan bounced out of the tank as it crashed and fell onto the Abrams. The leader peeked out of the hatch after pulling the shard out, and Dylan smashed his fist into the alien's face. The leader withdrew again, and Dylan climbed back in the Panzer. The Nazi tank started backing up and driving off.

"There!" Dylan pointed. "There's a tunnel in the mountainside! Head for it!" Adam nodded and the tank drove towards it, smashing through the gate and into the cliff. The Abrams came to it's senses and drove after the older tank, but it's cannon was twisted out of use due to fallen Panzer, and the tank itself was heavily dented, a feat hard to do to a tank.

-----

A Russian sniper watched as the two tanks drove at the mountain. He chuckled as he lifted a ransacked crossbow with explosive bolts. He'd fire the treads to shreds and move in on the kill. He deftly lifted the crossbow and took aim...

"AAAARGH!!!"

The sniper turned in surprise to stare at the cry. He only saw one blue, massive hand, then his vision and life were obscured by flames.

-----

Dylan couldn't see where they were going. The tunnel was pitch black. The lights had probably gone out, but it was only an advantage. The chasing Abrams couldn't see where to attack in the dark, so they were temporarily safe. He could only feel that the path was heavily sloping upwards.

Just to check things out, Dylan fired with his rifle a few times behind them. At first he could hear them hitting something, but soon it quieted. He wondered what was wrong.

Meanwhile the leader used his radio to call one of the few Apaches they had stolen. "We are nearing the flat ground where the humans' metal birds rise from. The first tank to appear through the mountain is your target."

"We will take care of it," the answer rang. The leader smiled slightly, but then gaped in horror as they climbed out. The two tanks had switched positions as they had driven, and now HIS tank was at the front.

Dylan stared at this too, then turned to look as an Apache flew over the mountain and let loose it's payload of missiles. Both tanks started to veer to the side as the road was blasted to pieces. "NONONO! Correction! The second tank to come out is the target!" The leader hastily screamed, and the Apache started to turn towards the Panzer.

Dylan coughed in the dust that spread from the explosions, but as the dust went away, he saw the huge Greek letter 'lambda' in the building.

"Gordon! It's the lambda complex! That's where you tried to get to! Get out and save yourself!" Dylan yelled into the tank.

"But you can't hope to beat them! Come with me, we'll stop this together!" Gordon yelled back.

"Nah," Dylan said as he pulled out the scientist, "I've got my team to catch. Besides, I'm the one who's been bad today. If one of us has to live, it's you. Now go!"

Gordon stared in horror at Dylan's madness, then nodded. "All right. But I think you've already paid for what you did to those scientists by helping me. But, I can't make you change your mind. Good luck, Dylan. Remember to try to do good."

"Will do, Gordon. Good luck in there," Dylan nodded. The scientist climbed out and ran for the lambda complex. Dylan sighed heavily and climbed into the tank to replace Gordon, maneuvering around the operation table. He then stared through the small window as the Apache and tank drove at them.

All of a sudden, the helicopter veered to the side. Dylan stared in surprise, then saw a squadron of bombers fly over the area, bombing the place.

"Oh my god, Dylan!" Adam yelled. "They've begun the air strikes! We're sitting ducks here!" Just as he said this, a bomb fell in front of the Panzer, pushing it backwards.

"We've got to get outta here! Move!" Dylan ordered. The tank started to move away , air strikes falling all around it. Dylan turned the cannon, searching for the Abrams tank. The Panzer finally came out of the haze of dust and onto a heliport. A huge group of marines were making a stand there, firing at drones that were coming from a passageway underground.

"Dylan, look!" Adam called. "It's staff sergeant Beckinghill! It's Rail Team! We have to help them out-"

"Adam, back!" Dylan screamed. As a reflex, Adam pulled backwards, just as the whole heliport was bombed. Adam gaped in horror. Marines ran around in flames while some laid dead. Some dived into the rail system, but the passageway collapsed, entombing everyone inside.

"No... no... NO!!!" Adam screamed. "All my friends from Rail Team! All OF Rail Team! Those bastards!" he yelled climbing out and shaking his fist at the flying bombers.

"Adam, get down, dammit! You'll kill us all!" Dylan yelled, trying to pull him back. As the dust from the previous road begun to clear, the silhouette of the Abrams appeared.

"What do you mean us all, Dylan? We're the only ones left! Those were my friends! You hear me?!" he turned back to the sky. "You come down here and fight like a man, you wimps! I'll make you all pay!"

"Adam, I'm only doing this for your own good," Dylan said, then knocked out Adam with his fist. He then grabbed the controls and began to drive through the mangled heliport with the Abrams close by. The two tanks drove through the heliport and into a small street between a few buildings. The Panzer drove up onto a ramp going next to the right building while the Abrams continued driving on the street.

Dylan thought he was safe above the Abrams, but the aliens began to spin the turret. The cannon, though twisted beyond usage, easily battered the treads of the older tank. Dylan veered into the building, and the Panzer crashed through the wall.

A bunch of scientists fighting Russians stared in surprise as the tank drove through the wall. The Russians were just as surprised and both groups began to comically scurry. Dylan would have laughed at how silly they all looked, but his attention was drawn as the roof collapsed nearby from another air strike. He began to drive through the few walls and appeared on the other side.

Immediately Dylan slammed on the brakes as the Panzer nearly fell over the cliff-side and to the bottom of the dried river. The dam was far to the right of the tank, and Dylan realized there were marines on top of it. He climbed out and pulled out his binoculars. Almost immediately his eyes set on none other than good old lieutenant Manners.

"Yes!" Dylan cheered. He only had to find a way to drive to the dam and he'd be home free. Now refreshed with the thought of victory, he backed the Panzer up and started to drive along the cliff. But he had hardly gone a few yards when the bomber came over the few rocks and flew straight at the Panzer, dropping it's payload all the way. Dylan swallowed hard: there was no way he could dodge the oncoming bomber. Then the alien Apache flew over the building and the bomber had to fly to the side.

Dylan took the opportunity to drive at full speed towards a mountain blocking his drive. He turned the turret towards a sealed gate in the side and fired at it. The gate shattered to pieces, just as an explosion appeared behind the Panzer. The Abrams drove through the building and continued it's relentless pursuit. Both tanks dived into the gate and drove along the subterranean road. The winding road went through the cliff, and both tanks met little resistance. There were lots of slaves and drones along the path, but whatever got in the Panzer's way regretted it.

A new danger appeared as the roof began to cave in from the air strikes. Dylan watched as slabs of granite fell from the roof and around the tanks. A few rocks hit both steel giants, but both tanks withstood the damage. Finally the Panzer drover into sunlight with the Abrams close behind just as the tunnel collapsed on itself. Dylan sighed with relief, but not for long. The slaves just wouldn't give up!

The panzer crashed through a chain link fence into a parking lot. Once this place had been filled with employee vehicles, but now the military's trucks had taken over the spaces. Yet again a bomber came over the sky and begun to drop it's shipment. A few trucks blew up into pieces or flipped in the air. Some marines, still living, ran out of a fallen truck ablaze. Dylan began to hate the bombers more and more after this vile act. This hate grew greater as an explosion by the side blew another truck into the air. The huge vehicle's parts fell on the Panzer, knocking the cannon to pieces. Now both tanks were unarmed.

Except the slave leader still had an ace in his sleeve: his Apache, or rather Apaches. He had found three more of the metallic birds, and although only one was in the area, it's missiles were enough to stop the Panzer. As if it knew it was needed, the Apache flew over a concrete wall to the side and began to fire missiles down at Dylan's tank.

Dylan drove through the parking lot and down the road, dodging the missile fire. He appeared at what he assumed was the front door of Black Mesa. This was a good sign; the dam was only a short drive away. But would he survive to the dam amidst the bombings, Apaches, and crazed Abrams? Shrugging, he started to drive down a road to the side of the front door. The Panzer drove into a bunch of sandbag barricades, guarded by an encampment of Russians.

The mercenaries yelled in horror as two tanks and a helicopter came towards them, and began to scurry away. Dylan mercilessly drove through the ranks of mercs; after all, like lieutenant Manners had said, mercy wasn't an option. The Panzer winded from side to side as it dodged the Apaches missile, and finally, after all that Dylan had endured, he came to the dam. He pulled the tank to a full halt and climbed out to stare at the oncoming aliens.

The Abrams, seeing it's prey had stopped, eagerly came on forwards. The Apache tried to join the tank, but the marines' Apache intercepted it. The two began a deadly dogfight above the lake, but Dylan didn't have time to watch as he waited for the Abrams. The leader climbed out and sneered at Dylan.

"You fool, human," he said in his bad English skill. Dylan only grinned.

"No, you fool." Saying this, he dived inside and pressed on reverse. The slave watched in surprise, then screamed in horror as he realized what Dylan was planning. Before he could do anything, the Panzer crashed into the Abrams and pushed it against the dam railing. Dylan cursed as his plan failed: the railing was incredibly sturdy and didn't break when the two tanks crashed into it. Now his only hope was to keep pressing on reverse and hope the Abrams would eventually fall over the side and into it's doom. A tank can take an amazing amount of damage, but not even the Abrams could hope to survive that fall.

Dylan wished he had some extra push, and his pleads were answered to, though he soon regretted it. Both tanks' drivers stared as, after taking an incredible amount of punishment, yet still alive, the gargantuan limped down the road. Dylan couldn't believe it was still alive. It no longer looked as menacing as before. A huge hole went through it's battered body, and one of it's hands barely hung on a strand of flesh. The gargantuan, in it's rage, smashed into the tanks, and began pushing. The tanks began to slowly move backwards and the railing began to twist.

"Aw damn!" Dylan said. Now he too was in danger off falling over the dam. Thinking fast, he left a grenade (pin still on) on the reverse switch to keep it going and began slapping Adam awake. "Wake up, please!"

"Hunh?" Adam asked as he came to consciousness. "What now?"

"Come on, help me lift Greshwald. We're bailing out," Dylan explained and began loosening the straps keeping Greshwald on the table. Adam nodded and the two climbed out with Greshwald just as the railing gave in. All three fighters, the marines, the slaves, and the gargantuan yelped as they suddenly moved rapidly over the edge. Dylan and Adam ran in a hurry along their Panzer and leaped off it just as it went over the edge. Although they had a hard landing on the dam, anything would have been better than dropping 300 feet.

Wearily they watched as the two tanks and the gargantuan plummeted downwards. For such huge objects they seemed to fall rather slowly. The slave leader frantically yelled into his radio, and the Apache responded. In a mad dive, the Apache began a free fall towards the falling objects. Right over the Abrams, it veered towards the cliff and lowered a rope. The leader leaped forwards and clutched the rope just as the tanks smashed onto the rocks and blew up into a deadly inferno. Not so luckily for the screaming gargantuan, it landed straight into the fiery wrecks of the tanks.

The two marines panted heavily, but felt relieved. They had rescued their friend and made it back to their team. Even now lieutenant Manners, eyes wide open in astonishment, ran towards them.

"Hey you two!" he called. "That was one heck of a stunt! Fetch those two some medication, they earned it! You didn't happen to see Freeman on your way, did you?" he asked.

"Nope," Dylan shrugged, "no sign of him. The sucker either died or got away." He really had to fight not to burst in laughter.

-----

Dimitri stirred up from the ground after the Panzer had gone a good distance away. Those American fools had thought they had been able to kill him when they stole the Panzer, yet they were wrong. Dimitri didn't wear a fur coat just to keep himself warm. No, Black Mesa was hot enough already. The coat had a bulletproof vest sowed inside it, along with pouches of fake blood. Dimitri could easily fake his death, and climb up later in almost full health.

He wiped the dust from his sleeve when his mobile phone rang. This time it was a different ringtone, the one he had assigned for this very special caller. The Imperial March from Star Wars. Dimitri thought this tone fit the caller quite well. He hastily pulled the phone out and answered it.

"Good day, sir!" he answered.

"Good day, Dimitri. How is the operation going?" a voice asked in Russian.

"Very well, sir. We've been supposedly collecting weapons of mass destruction the whole day."

"Good, keep it up. Arkadi does not suspect you of your allegiance?"

"Not once has he doubted, sir. He truly believes we will collect the weapons and send them to him."

"Most excellent, Dimitri. Will you begin the broadcast soon?"

"The broadcast will begin shortly, though after some... minor setbacks, it'll take me a while to get to the 'studio'."

"Good. I will make sure Arkadi is arrested soon. Do not worry about him any longer. Just send the broadcast and I promise you the largest paycheck you have seen, Dimitri."

"Yes, of course... Mr. President," he said and cackled maniacally as he began to walk the long walk to Black Mesa's front lobby.

(Well, that's probably the last chapter full of action in a short while. I'm going to try and pick up the pace on writing this sucker, since I want to finish it by August the 9th, so expect chapters to appear more often!)