(Yessir, chapter 9 is done. I thought I had too little Russians in my story
after I introduced them, so let's give them one more round before we wrap
this story up, eh? Ah well, let's see the reviews.
Björn Fallqvist: Thanks man!
Blizrun: Thanks. Don't worry, Gordon's still vital to the plot.
Jason Storm: Thanks again!
Your-under-arrest: Thanks, good to see my fic's had some kind of an effect. I guess I was wrong about the tanks, then. I just looked up a picture of an Abrams, and it looked like the green tanks. Ah well, the aliens were still using an Abrams, even if it was a pinch smaller than earlier.
Kamon: Shock collar? Are you referring to the electric sweatbands they got on their wrists and neck? Are you sure it can be used to shock them? I'm pretty sure they're just used as weaponry. As for them using the marines' stuff, well, it's all about experimenting, you know. Ah well, sorry it was unrealistic. I hope you've otherwise enjoyed my fic.
Well, that's it for now. This once again ties in in one part with Raider's Half-Life fic, and I pray he doesn't mind.)
Chapter 9: Russian Roulette
"Hey, Dylan," Adam called as the two sat, resting and partially drowsy from the medicines.
"Yeah?" Dylan asked.
"Thanks for knocking me out back there. I would have probably gotten us killed. But you must know how I felt when my old team was blasted."
"Yeah, don't sweat about it." Of course he knew what the loss of friends felt like.
"So, looks like you found Greshwald," Manners said as he walked towards them. "We got worried you'd get killed. We got report about something really big and nasty coming to get you."
"Yeah, well, that big and nasty just dropped along with those tanks," Dylan pointed behind him at the burning wrecks. "But what about you, sir? I thought you were left at the nuclear silo."
"Well, we got a call to return to the dam. Turns out things are going so bad that the Black Mesa guys and us started to fight together, and we assembled on the dam. Well, we fought this HUGE battle, but then these two security guards showed up in a tank and helped us in beating the aliens. They then left with everyone else to get some hi-tech gizmos to fight the aliens with. We decided to stay here in case you two turn up. Looks like we didn't miss on re-supplying for nothing."
Dylan smirked, though he doubted that was the main reason he had stayed. Manners had been a bit paranoid about the scientists. He probably didn't want to be working with the scientists.
"Sir! Bomber alert!" a marine called running down the road, being followed by a plane which began dropping it's salvo. "It's gonna blow the frickin' dam out!" All the marines began screaming in horror and running for the gates out. Manners tried to create some order, but he finally said "Screw it!" and joined the others in running.
Right before the dam sustained too much damage, the bomber suddenly blew up and began falling. Just then a nearby radio began working.
"Dam Team! Dam Team! Do you copy?" a voice called.
"This is lieutenant Manners of Dam Team, sir, I read you," Manners answered.
"Lieutenant, where is major Hickory?"
"He's. on another assignment. My squad's the only one here, sir."
"Well shit. Look lieutenant, we have to cancel the bombings because of the Russians' howitzers. Our teams are being sent back to take out the howitzers so the air strikes can continue. Your assignment, lieutenant, is to clear the nearby howitzers. We've located two of them: one by the front door to the research facility, and one firing through a hole in the roof of the front lobby."
"Why the Hell should we take them out, sir? No offence, but I don't like the idea of helping you out just to have your bombers blow me to kingdom come."
"Very well, if it'll make you feel more assured, lieutenant, our Ospreys will stay for 20 minutes on the ground for still downed marines to board them after howitzers have been dealt with. Now, move it! Your country depends you!"
Dylan doubted that the country even cared what was happening in Black Mesa. Heck, the country didn't even know Black Mesa existed. But, the thought of getting out made him agree with the others and go stop those Russians.
"Alright, if we're gonna get the Hell outta here, we're gonna go break those cannons!" Manners called, and his group cheered. Greshwald was placed on a canvas which two marines began carrying and the group set off towards Black Mesa's lobby."
-----
The Apache flew over the mountains after the marines had left and landed on the dam. The other Apache started to fly towards it, but quickly fell as a formation of six more Apaches came over the mountains and shot it down. Some of the Apaches landed on the dam while the others stayed in the sky. The slave leader stepped out of the first Apache just as his group of bodyguards ran from the dam gates.
"How is the situation?" the leader asked the Apache pilots and his bodyguards.
"We've amassed a great number of these flying machines and even more of the fast ones on wheels. I'm sure most of us could fit in these contraptions while those left behind could follow us out," one of the pilots explained. The leader smiled, well, as well as a thing without a jaw could smile.
"Good. Brothers, I believe it is time we left this place and begin our conquest. Good riddance to the Nihilanth and his cronies. I've been called that some of our brothers have found a flying thing differing from what we have right now. This will be my flagship on our conquest. Now onwards!" Saying this, he climbed into his Apache while his bodyguards squeezed into the other Apaches. The choppers lifted off and the slave leader began the long process of calling his followers.
-----
"Look out!" Manners called as a projectile arched into the air and plummeted at them. The marines dived to the side as the howitzer shot hit the ground and erupted. Dylan stood back up. What Russians had survived after he had driven through them in the tank were now making a stand behind the sandbags. The howitzer was somewhere farther too, firing down on them. Dylan ran forwards with the others, ducking as they were met with a hail of sub-machinegun fire.
Dylan rolled behind a sandbag to take cover from the fire and a marine joined him. The two stood up to come face to face with a mercenary. Dylan knocked him backwards and the other marine shot him dead. The two then ducked once more behind the bags as they were fired at. They continued peeking up and firing for a while until the next line of sandbags gave in and the marines pushed onwards. The two stood up and raced forwards, but then Dylan heard a whistling noise.
Instinctively, he leaped to the left as another howitzer shot crashed nearby. He turned to see his companion had been blown to bits, pieces of smoking flesh across the field. Standing up, he once again began shooting at the Russians. Finally the mercenaries gave in and retreated. The marines ran on, firing at the Russians, until the enemy retreated behind a large door. Manners immediately went to punch the opening codes.
As soon as the door opened, a truck came at them. All marines dived to the side as the vehicle came, some being run over by the massive tires. The truck went on and smashed into the rocks, but the marines went on after the Russians. After rounding a bend the group came to the front doors of the research facility, dominated by the shadow of the howitzer. The massive cannon was raised to aim into the sky, and began to lower to fire at the marines.
Dylan began to run to the side as the howitzer fired. The shot flew straight where they had been standing, and some of the slower marines were blown away. Dylan began to circle around to the side of the living Russians who were huddling into the center by the cannon, but he dived towards the mercenaries as he heard a car engine behind him. A truck came down the road behind him and parked by the front doors. A few marines who had followed him were mowed down by the 18-wheeler.
"Dimitri!" Dylan yelled as the leader leaped out of the truck with his crew. So, Dimitri had survived the massacre from earlier. For some strange reason, his crew came out carrying a set of lights and movie cameras, as if they were going to film something. Dimitri ran in a haste into the research facility, his group on his trail. Dylan didn't have time to concentrate on Baba Yaga's leader as the Russians began shooting at him.
Dylan rolled onto the ground as he was fired on and then launched a grenade into the pack of Russians. They yelled horribly and flipped out of the group as the grenade blew up. Dylan saw as Manners, Adam, and the others ran into the group and began massacring them. Dylan joined them and began to fire on the mercenaries. What Russians survived, ran for cover into the building. The marines began to restock on their ammunition from some nearby crates after the Russians had left.
"All right!" Adam called to Dylan. "We secured the first howitzer!"
"Don't party yet," Dylan said. "Guess who I saw run in there? Dimitri."
"Dimitri?" Manners asked, overhearing the conversation. "You mean their leader? Well hey, if we can take him out, we'll be able to stop the Russians once and for all! Then we can get the Hell out of here!" The tired marines began to cheer and lead by Manners, charged through the revolving doors and into the lobby.
Immediately the dropped their weapons, Dylan and Adam with them. The lobby was full of Russians, greatly overpowering Manners' team. The howitzer was there too, and a Panzer tank had it's turret pointed at the doorway. Dimitri himself stood in the center inside a makeshift studio. He was clearly trying to film himself, but why?
"Ah, the cavalry has arrived. Your too late, Americans, I have you beaten 2 to 1 and the broadcast will begin momentarily," the leader snickered.
"Broadcast? What broadcast?" Manners asked.
"You will soon see, my." he was interrupted by his mobile phone ringing. "One moment. Dimitri Eshtelkov, dobryi denj."
"Dimitri! How is it going there?" Arkadi's voice asked.
"Ah, hello Arkadi. I'm sorry to say, the deal's off."
"Wha. WHAT?! The deal's off?! Dimitri, what are you doing?!"
"Arkadi you fool, do you think I'd work for the money of some retired communist when I have much better paying clients?"
"What are you talking about, Dimitri?!"
"You've been set up from the beginning, Arkadi. I was paid to find evidence of your crimes and finish a few errand in Black Mesa. How easy it was to fake myself to your employment. After all, what you're doing right now is enough to get you arrested," Dimitri cackled, and Dylan found himself listening intently.
"Who was it, Dimitri? WHO?!" Arkadi demanded.
"None other than Mr. Vladimir Putin," Dimitri dropped the bomb, and most marines gasped. What the Hell was going on?
"The President? Dimitri, what is going on?!"
"Mr. Putin was approached by the Administrator in a plead to lend sufficient funding to pay for the building of Black Mesa. In return, he would be given enough money to pay for our country's predicament. As you can almost guess, the traitorous American hounds never paid."
"Enraged, he decided to have revenge. After the facility had been built and the first few experiments done, he decided to publicly film what was going on here. He enlisted me to do this filming, but there was a problem. He didn't wish to pay for our trip here, which is why we decided to enlist with you, since you funded our trip and weaponry here. Fool."
"But this situation with aliens is interesting. Mr. Putin's revenge will be much greater when the whole world will be told of the dark secret behind Black Mesa. America will be shunned upon, and no nations will ever trust the United States again. Two birds killed in one blow: payback and the end of the one huge parasite sucking up this planet."
"Dimitri! When I get my hands on you." Arkadi cursed.
"Don't worry 'boss', you'll soon find the police outside your house. They'll treat you to a better place, don't worry." Saying this, he closed his phone. "It's time to begin the broadcast! Are you sure this will play on every channel in the world?"
"We're sure of it, Dimitri. No worries," a nearby Russian said.
"Good. Please take a seat, Americans," Dimitri gestured to the ground, "and enjoy the show."
The camera's began playing and Dimitri cleared his throat. "Ahem. Good day, I'm positive when I say you probably haven't met me. Allow me to introduce myself, Dimitri Eshtelkov."
Dylan and the marines watched helplessly as their whole mission was turning into a failure. How they wished to stop Dimitri from broadcasting his speech, but they didn't dare against such odds. "I am sorry to say that a terrible situation has."
Dimitri's words were cut short when the camera in front of him was smashed out of commission. "What are you doing?!" Dimitri yelled at the filmer, only to see that he had been mauled by an alien drone. The monster bellowed loudly and the room began to fill with teleporting drones.
"Quick, now's our chance!" Manners called leaping up and knocking out one of the Russians with his rifle. The marines stood up as the whole room filled with commotion. Hornets whizzed through the room, taking out the helpless Russians. The mercenaries began to fire at the large group of drones, and in the chaos, the Russians didn't notice they were slowly being butchered by the marines.
"Get me another camera!" Dimitri called and one of the Russians began digging into a chest. He soon pulled out a camera and began filming again, despite the air being filled with bullets and. "As I was saying, there is a terrible situation in New." a hornet flew straight into the lens, smashing through the camera, and embedded into the head of the person filming.
Dylan waded through the mass of enemies, firing at them as he went past. Manners was heading to stop the howitzer, while the others were just taking out the Russians. Dylan fired and another mercenary fell. Another one appeared to his right side, taking aim with his sub-machinegun. Dylan kicked him in the stomach and fired at his head, then leaped over the body. Another Russian accidentally backed up into him as he fired at an oncoming drone. Dylan didn't waste time putting a bullet into the back of his head.
Then he noticed Dimitri was once again trying to broadcast his message, this time holding the camera himself to his face. Quickly, Dylan began to run towards the center, firing to his sides on the way. A drone leaped in front of him, but Dylan rolled to the side and kept running.
"Let me get to the point," Dimitri spoke fast, ducking as bullets and hornets flew by. "Your American scientists have accidentally."
"It's all a publicity stunt!" Dylan yelled into the video camera. "He's trying to advertise a movie called. er. Half-Life! Yeah, Half-Life!" He then kicked the camera out of Dimitri's hands. The camera fell on the ground.
"NO!" Dimitri reached for the camera, but the dead body of a drone fell on it, smashing it. Enraged, the Russian leader grabbed one of the tripods holding up the lights and began to use it as a sort of club, swinging at Dylan in an arc.
"You just wrecked the paycheck of a lifetime!" he yelled, spit flying from his mouth. Dylan leaped backwards to dodge the light, and lifted his M4 up.
"Don't get any closer!" Dylan called, pointing Dimitri with his rifle.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not coming closer. I can reach you just fine from here!" Dimitri yelled, obviously losing it, and lifted the tripod behind his back. Then both fighters heard a smash. Dimitri turned to see that he had broken the light on the head of a drone that had sneaked up on him. The light cracked off the tripod and the drone collapsed unconscious.
"Umm. right." Dimitri chuckled nervously. "It was nice to meet you, American. Goodbye!" With a quick kick, Dimitri dropped Dylan on the ground and ran into the crowd of terrified Russians. Dylan climbed up and looked into the crowd. He could see Dimitri's fur coat pass through the crowd towards a door marked 'Laboratories'. Dimitri passed right by Adam on the way.
"Adam! He's heading for the labs! Stop him!" Dylan called. Adam turned to look at what Dylan was pointing at, then saw Dimitri jump through the glass door. Adam nodded and ran through the glass door after Baba Yaga's leader.
Dylan watched Adam go, then suddenly felt like he was being watched. He slowly turned to his left. "Eep."
Dylan ducked down just as the Panzer tank fired right where his head had been. The shot went through the group, blasting whatever got in it's way down. Dylan stood up with a grenade ready in his hand, but decided a quick retreat was better as the tank began to drive at him. Dylan jumped to the side and once again got the grenade ready, only to have the tank spin it's cannon at him. Dylan once more ducked and got up, but the relentless tank only swung the cannon back.
"Ok, that's it!" Dylan screamed and as the cannon came again, he grabbed on to the pipe and pulled himself up on it. He crawled forwards and pulled the pin off the grenade. Then he stuck the thing into the cannon. Dylan jumped off and ran at high speed into the group of people as the grenade blew up in the tank, killing everyone inside. Now he just concentrated on killing the Russians and drones, both of which were now losing.
-----
"I know you're there!" Adam called running down the few corridors. He could hear Dimitri's panting as he ran in his hot fur coat. After a few corners he saw the tails of the Russian's coat disappear around a corner.
"Just give up and I won't kill you!" Adam called again and rounded the corner, only to see Dimitri disappear into another room. "Knock knock!" Adam called kicking the door down, then gasped and stopped.
Dimitri stood on the other side of the room, breathing heavily, with a rocket launcher aiming straight at the door. The room seemed to be some kind of surgical operation room, with some tables and blades in the center that would normally spin and strike together, except that it had been turned off.
"You Americans shouldn't leave your crates just lying around in rooms," Dimitri hissed, pointing to the side at a box which had obviously stored the rocket launcher before Dimitri had come in.
"Care to try out which weapon's got a faster rate of fire?" Adam laughed back, knowing he could kill Dimitri with his rifle and easily dodge Dimitri's rocket. Not waiting for an answer, Adam pulled on his rifle's trigger.
Click. Adam froze. He tried again. Click. He had emptied his clip in the lobby and now was unarmed in a sense.
"Hah! Now who has who outgunned?!" Dimitri laughed, readying his rocket launcher.
Adam looked around for a weapon, then laughed. "I've got you." Before Dimitri could ponder what he was talking about, Adam slammed his fist on the surgical blades' operational panel. The blades slowly began to move towards each other, and Dimitri stood right between them.
"Nyet!" Dimitri screamed and tried to jump, but it was too late. The blades struck together, slicing Dimitri's legs clean off from the knees as he jumped in the air.
"You can hide, but you can't run!" Adam laughed and turned to go away. Dimitri didn't answer as he passed out.
-----
"We got 'em now! After them!" Manners yelled as the Russians began to move out in one large mass through the door. Dylan stayed for a second to clear the room of the drones while the others ran after the mercenaries. He saw that Adam came running back.
"Hey! Did you stop Dimitri?" Dylan asked.
"Yeah, I cut him off," Adam laughed, though Dylan didn't get the pun. "You got any spare clips?"
"Sure," Dylan said handing two clips. Adam immediately stuck one on. "Come on, the Russians are retreating. We've beaten one of our enemies." The two ran outside of the lobby to see the Russians had all piled in the one truck, which started driving for the dam.
"Their heading for the outer gate! We can't let 'em escape!" Manners called. If those Russians got into the public, the mission would be a failure. The marines began to fire at the escaping truck, but they were too late, the truck was already gaining distance.
Then, out of the blue, a massive assortment of drones and slaves teleported in. The truck smashed into the group and started to loose control. The truck bounced over the bodies of aliens before finally veering to the side and toppling onto the ground. It soon caught up flames and blew up, killing every last Russian there was.
"What the Hell was that?" Dylan asked. "Why'd those aliens just show up?"
Then it began. A few marines heard it: a small humming noise. But the noise began to grow until it boomed above all noises. There was no mistaking about it. It was that same screeching noise, the noise that spelled out doom. The sound of a teleporting alien.
-----
Far away on the border world Xen, code-named by scientists as X-699, where the aliens had originated, a duel to the death was going on. Gordon Freeman had finally reached the twisted ruler of aliens, the horrific Nihilanth, a gigantic pale copy of it's smaller controller minions. Gordon had knocked out the Nihilanth's psychic beacons, beautiful gems that let the Nihilanth keep it's head together. Now, without that protection, the alien overlord's head opened and closed like a flower, showing of the strange glowing brain inside. Gordon leaped on the jump-pads and landed on the top ledge. The Nihilanth, enraged by this one human who had overcome all obstacles he had set, floated upwards to face Freeman.
Gordon leaped forwards straight at the Nihilanth's head. Before landing, he just grabbed a stalactite hanging from the roof. Hanging there, he pulled out his shotgun. The Nihilanth realized the danger it was in and tried to slow down, but the shotgun spoke, and the Nihilanth's psychic brainwas destroyed.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" the Nihilanth's yell rang through Gordon's head, though in reality it was a normal howl. The Nihilanth began to wince and tumble downwards, but even as Gordon leaped onto the ledge, the Nihilanth's psychic message rang.
"I know you can hear me, human. How? How did you defeat me? I've been unmatched for millenniums, yet you defeat me with simple Earth weapons. But know this: by killing me, you've begun the destruction of your planet."
"What are you talking about?" Gordon yelled down at the howling Nihilanth. The monster's reply was chilling.
"I am. the one thing keeping this world in piece. Without my presence, this world crumbles and the pieces spread out into infinity. But I do not control my minions. Well, yes, actually I do, but not like this world. When I am killed, they will automatically leave to the closest place accessible. In theory, once I am gone with the world, my minions will be set free into another world. Now, being one of the smarter of your kind, you must understand what the closest accessible world is, especially after today's events."
"No, you don't mean." Gordon began, but stopped. They both knew the answer.
"Yes, I mean it. They're all going to Earth, all billion of them," the Nihilanth looked up at Gordon as his last dying act. He smiled cruelly as Freeman's eyes were wide and mouth gaping, then he lost the strength to keep up his physical manifestation and was destroyed, gone forever.
Gordon disappeared from the Nihilanth's chamber and reappeared in front of the mysterious Administrator.
"Greetings, Mr. Freeman," the Administrator said and pulled out a small remote control from his briefcase. He pressed the button and began to converse with Gordon. Though they were still in the Xen, which was slowly crumbling away, the remote still reached the missile silo in Arizona. The silo hatches began opening and the fading sun's lights reached the Tomahawks.
-----
The horrible noise finally began fading, though it still loomed in the background. Almost immediately Manners' radio started to act up.
"Lieutenant, what the Hell is going on down there?!"
"I have no idea, sir," Manners answered.
"We're getting reports that there's aliens appearing all over southwest U.S.!"
"What?! No! Don't worry, sir, we'll start clearing them out!"
"Forget it, lieutenant. The mission has failed, the aliens have reached the public. You can all just start evacuating, along with the scientists."
"But sir, the aliens have to be stopped."
"I know, lieutenant. The military's done there for now. We're taking extreme measures to counter the threat."
"Sir, you don't mean to."
"We do. You've got 40 minutes to get your asses out of there. I suggest you move. Remember, the Ospreys are down for 20 minutes, so you'll be hiking out if you don't reach them."
"Yes, sir," Manners swallowed, closing the radio, and for the first time that day, he had true fear on his face.
"What? What are they doing?" Dylan asked, although he should have been expecting Manners' answer.
"They're launching a nuke."
( I know, I know, you're thinking, "What about the G-Man's missiles?" Don't worry, they will fit in. For now, just wait it out till the next chapter. We're nearing the end, folks.)
Björn Fallqvist: Thanks man!
Blizrun: Thanks. Don't worry, Gordon's still vital to the plot.
Jason Storm: Thanks again!
Your-under-arrest: Thanks, good to see my fic's had some kind of an effect. I guess I was wrong about the tanks, then. I just looked up a picture of an Abrams, and it looked like the green tanks. Ah well, the aliens were still using an Abrams, even if it was a pinch smaller than earlier.
Kamon: Shock collar? Are you referring to the electric sweatbands they got on their wrists and neck? Are you sure it can be used to shock them? I'm pretty sure they're just used as weaponry. As for them using the marines' stuff, well, it's all about experimenting, you know. Ah well, sorry it was unrealistic. I hope you've otherwise enjoyed my fic.
Well, that's it for now. This once again ties in in one part with Raider's Half-Life fic, and I pray he doesn't mind.)
Chapter 9: Russian Roulette
"Hey, Dylan," Adam called as the two sat, resting and partially drowsy from the medicines.
"Yeah?" Dylan asked.
"Thanks for knocking me out back there. I would have probably gotten us killed. But you must know how I felt when my old team was blasted."
"Yeah, don't sweat about it." Of course he knew what the loss of friends felt like.
"So, looks like you found Greshwald," Manners said as he walked towards them. "We got worried you'd get killed. We got report about something really big and nasty coming to get you."
"Yeah, well, that big and nasty just dropped along with those tanks," Dylan pointed behind him at the burning wrecks. "But what about you, sir? I thought you were left at the nuclear silo."
"Well, we got a call to return to the dam. Turns out things are going so bad that the Black Mesa guys and us started to fight together, and we assembled on the dam. Well, we fought this HUGE battle, but then these two security guards showed up in a tank and helped us in beating the aliens. They then left with everyone else to get some hi-tech gizmos to fight the aliens with. We decided to stay here in case you two turn up. Looks like we didn't miss on re-supplying for nothing."
Dylan smirked, though he doubted that was the main reason he had stayed. Manners had been a bit paranoid about the scientists. He probably didn't want to be working with the scientists.
"Sir! Bomber alert!" a marine called running down the road, being followed by a plane which began dropping it's salvo. "It's gonna blow the frickin' dam out!" All the marines began screaming in horror and running for the gates out. Manners tried to create some order, but he finally said "Screw it!" and joined the others in running.
Right before the dam sustained too much damage, the bomber suddenly blew up and began falling. Just then a nearby radio began working.
"Dam Team! Dam Team! Do you copy?" a voice called.
"This is lieutenant Manners of Dam Team, sir, I read you," Manners answered.
"Lieutenant, where is major Hickory?"
"He's. on another assignment. My squad's the only one here, sir."
"Well shit. Look lieutenant, we have to cancel the bombings because of the Russians' howitzers. Our teams are being sent back to take out the howitzers so the air strikes can continue. Your assignment, lieutenant, is to clear the nearby howitzers. We've located two of them: one by the front door to the research facility, and one firing through a hole in the roof of the front lobby."
"Why the Hell should we take them out, sir? No offence, but I don't like the idea of helping you out just to have your bombers blow me to kingdom come."
"Very well, if it'll make you feel more assured, lieutenant, our Ospreys will stay for 20 minutes on the ground for still downed marines to board them after howitzers have been dealt with. Now, move it! Your country depends you!"
Dylan doubted that the country even cared what was happening in Black Mesa. Heck, the country didn't even know Black Mesa existed. But, the thought of getting out made him agree with the others and go stop those Russians.
"Alright, if we're gonna get the Hell outta here, we're gonna go break those cannons!" Manners called, and his group cheered. Greshwald was placed on a canvas which two marines began carrying and the group set off towards Black Mesa's lobby."
-----
The Apache flew over the mountains after the marines had left and landed on the dam. The other Apache started to fly towards it, but quickly fell as a formation of six more Apaches came over the mountains and shot it down. Some of the Apaches landed on the dam while the others stayed in the sky. The slave leader stepped out of the first Apache just as his group of bodyguards ran from the dam gates.
"How is the situation?" the leader asked the Apache pilots and his bodyguards.
"We've amassed a great number of these flying machines and even more of the fast ones on wheels. I'm sure most of us could fit in these contraptions while those left behind could follow us out," one of the pilots explained. The leader smiled, well, as well as a thing without a jaw could smile.
"Good. Brothers, I believe it is time we left this place and begin our conquest. Good riddance to the Nihilanth and his cronies. I've been called that some of our brothers have found a flying thing differing from what we have right now. This will be my flagship on our conquest. Now onwards!" Saying this, he climbed into his Apache while his bodyguards squeezed into the other Apaches. The choppers lifted off and the slave leader began the long process of calling his followers.
-----
"Look out!" Manners called as a projectile arched into the air and plummeted at them. The marines dived to the side as the howitzer shot hit the ground and erupted. Dylan stood back up. What Russians had survived after he had driven through them in the tank were now making a stand behind the sandbags. The howitzer was somewhere farther too, firing down on them. Dylan ran forwards with the others, ducking as they were met with a hail of sub-machinegun fire.
Dylan rolled behind a sandbag to take cover from the fire and a marine joined him. The two stood up to come face to face with a mercenary. Dylan knocked him backwards and the other marine shot him dead. The two then ducked once more behind the bags as they were fired at. They continued peeking up and firing for a while until the next line of sandbags gave in and the marines pushed onwards. The two stood up and raced forwards, but then Dylan heard a whistling noise.
Instinctively, he leaped to the left as another howitzer shot crashed nearby. He turned to see his companion had been blown to bits, pieces of smoking flesh across the field. Standing up, he once again began shooting at the Russians. Finally the mercenaries gave in and retreated. The marines ran on, firing at the Russians, until the enemy retreated behind a large door. Manners immediately went to punch the opening codes.
As soon as the door opened, a truck came at them. All marines dived to the side as the vehicle came, some being run over by the massive tires. The truck went on and smashed into the rocks, but the marines went on after the Russians. After rounding a bend the group came to the front doors of the research facility, dominated by the shadow of the howitzer. The massive cannon was raised to aim into the sky, and began to lower to fire at the marines.
Dylan began to run to the side as the howitzer fired. The shot flew straight where they had been standing, and some of the slower marines were blown away. Dylan began to circle around to the side of the living Russians who were huddling into the center by the cannon, but he dived towards the mercenaries as he heard a car engine behind him. A truck came down the road behind him and parked by the front doors. A few marines who had followed him were mowed down by the 18-wheeler.
"Dimitri!" Dylan yelled as the leader leaped out of the truck with his crew. So, Dimitri had survived the massacre from earlier. For some strange reason, his crew came out carrying a set of lights and movie cameras, as if they were going to film something. Dimitri ran in a haste into the research facility, his group on his trail. Dylan didn't have time to concentrate on Baba Yaga's leader as the Russians began shooting at him.
Dylan rolled onto the ground as he was fired on and then launched a grenade into the pack of Russians. They yelled horribly and flipped out of the group as the grenade blew up. Dylan saw as Manners, Adam, and the others ran into the group and began massacring them. Dylan joined them and began to fire on the mercenaries. What Russians survived, ran for cover into the building. The marines began to restock on their ammunition from some nearby crates after the Russians had left.
"All right!" Adam called to Dylan. "We secured the first howitzer!"
"Don't party yet," Dylan said. "Guess who I saw run in there? Dimitri."
"Dimitri?" Manners asked, overhearing the conversation. "You mean their leader? Well hey, if we can take him out, we'll be able to stop the Russians once and for all! Then we can get the Hell out of here!" The tired marines began to cheer and lead by Manners, charged through the revolving doors and into the lobby.
Immediately the dropped their weapons, Dylan and Adam with them. The lobby was full of Russians, greatly overpowering Manners' team. The howitzer was there too, and a Panzer tank had it's turret pointed at the doorway. Dimitri himself stood in the center inside a makeshift studio. He was clearly trying to film himself, but why?
"Ah, the cavalry has arrived. Your too late, Americans, I have you beaten 2 to 1 and the broadcast will begin momentarily," the leader snickered.
"Broadcast? What broadcast?" Manners asked.
"You will soon see, my." he was interrupted by his mobile phone ringing. "One moment. Dimitri Eshtelkov, dobryi denj."
"Dimitri! How is it going there?" Arkadi's voice asked.
"Ah, hello Arkadi. I'm sorry to say, the deal's off."
"Wha. WHAT?! The deal's off?! Dimitri, what are you doing?!"
"Arkadi you fool, do you think I'd work for the money of some retired communist when I have much better paying clients?"
"What are you talking about, Dimitri?!"
"You've been set up from the beginning, Arkadi. I was paid to find evidence of your crimes and finish a few errand in Black Mesa. How easy it was to fake myself to your employment. After all, what you're doing right now is enough to get you arrested," Dimitri cackled, and Dylan found himself listening intently.
"Who was it, Dimitri? WHO?!" Arkadi demanded.
"None other than Mr. Vladimir Putin," Dimitri dropped the bomb, and most marines gasped. What the Hell was going on?
"The President? Dimitri, what is going on?!"
"Mr. Putin was approached by the Administrator in a plead to lend sufficient funding to pay for the building of Black Mesa. In return, he would be given enough money to pay for our country's predicament. As you can almost guess, the traitorous American hounds never paid."
"Enraged, he decided to have revenge. After the facility had been built and the first few experiments done, he decided to publicly film what was going on here. He enlisted me to do this filming, but there was a problem. He didn't wish to pay for our trip here, which is why we decided to enlist with you, since you funded our trip and weaponry here. Fool."
"But this situation with aliens is interesting. Mr. Putin's revenge will be much greater when the whole world will be told of the dark secret behind Black Mesa. America will be shunned upon, and no nations will ever trust the United States again. Two birds killed in one blow: payback and the end of the one huge parasite sucking up this planet."
"Dimitri! When I get my hands on you." Arkadi cursed.
"Don't worry 'boss', you'll soon find the police outside your house. They'll treat you to a better place, don't worry." Saying this, he closed his phone. "It's time to begin the broadcast! Are you sure this will play on every channel in the world?"
"We're sure of it, Dimitri. No worries," a nearby Russian said.
"Good. Please take a seat, Americans," Dimitri gestured to the ground, "and enjoy the show."
The camera's began playing and Dimitri cleared his throat. "Ahem. Good day, I'm positive when I say you probably haven't met me. Allow me to introduce myself, Dimitri Eshtelkov."
Dylan and the marines watched helplessly as their whole mission was turning into a failure. How they wished to stop Dimitri from broadcasting his speech, but they didn't dare against such odds. "I am sorry to say that a terrible situation has."
Dimitri's words were cut short when the camera in front of him was smashed out of commission. "What are you doing?!" Dimitri yelled at the filmer, only to see that he had been mauled by an alien drone. The monster bellowed loudly and the room began to fill with teleporting drones.
"Quick, now's our chance!" Manners called leaping up and knocking out one of the Russians with his rifle. The marines stood up as the whole room filled with commotion. Hornets whizzed through the room, taking out the helpless Russians. The mercenaries began to fire at the large group of drones, and in the chaos, the Russians didn't notice they were slowly being butchered by the marines.
"Get me another camera!" Dimitri called and one of the Russians began digging into a chest. He soon pulled out a camera and began filming again, despite the air being filled with bullets and. "As I was saying, there is a terrible situation in New." a hornet flew straight into the lens, smashing through the camera, and embedded into the head of the person filming.
Dylan waded through the mass of enemies, firing at them as he went past. Manners was heading to stop the howitzer, while the others were just taking out the Russians. Dylan fired and another mercenary fell. Another one appeared to his right side, taking aim with his sub-machinegun. Dylan kicked him in the stomach and fired at his head, then leaped over the body. Another Russian accidentally backed up into him as he fired at an oncoming drone. Dylan didn't waste time putting a bullet into the back of his head.
Then he noticed Dimitri was once again trying to broadcast his message, this time holding the camera himself to his face. Quickly, Dylan began to run towards the center, firing to his sides on the way. A drone leaped in front of him, but Dylan rolled to the side and kept running.
"Let me get to the point," Dimitri spoke fast, ducking as bullets and hornets flew by. "Your American scientists have accidentally."
"It's all a publicity stunt!" Dylan yelled into the video camera. "He's trying to advertise a movie called. er. Half-Life! Yeah, Half-Life!" He then kicked the camera out of Dimitri's hands. The camera fell on the ground.
"NO!" Dimitri reached for the camera, but the dead body of a drone fell on it, smashing it. Enraged, the Russian leader grabbed one of the tripods holding up the lights and began to use it as a sort of club, swinging at Dylan in an arc.
"You just wrecked the paycheck of a lifetime!" he yelled, spit flying from his mouth. Dylan leaped backwards to dodge the light, and lifted his M4 up.
"Don't get any closer!" Dylan called, pointing Dimitri with his rifle.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not coming closer. I can reach you just fine from here!" Dimitri yelled, obviously losing it, and lifted the tripod behind his back. Then both fighters heard a smash. Dimitri turned to see that he had broken the light on the head of a drone that had sneaked up on him. The light cracked off the tripod and the drone collapsed unconscious.
"Umm. right." Dimitri chuckled nervously. "It was nice to meet you, American. Goodbye!" With a quick kick, Dimitri dropped Dylan on the ground and ran into the crowd of terrified Russians. Dylan climbed up and looked into the crowd. He could see Dimitri's fur coat pass through the crowd towards a door marked 'Laboratories'. Dimitri passed right by Adam on the way.
"Adam! He's heading for the labs! Stop him!" Dylan called. Adam turned to look at what Dylan was pointing at, then saw Dimitri jump through the glass door. Adam nodded and ran through the glass door after Baba Yaga's leader.
Dylan watched Adam go, then suddenly felt like he was being watched. He slowly turned to his left. "Eep."
Dylan ducked down just as the Panzer tank fired right where his head had been. The shot went through the group, blasting whatever got in it's way down. Dylan stood up with a grenade ready in his hand, but decided a quick retreat was better as the tank began to drive at him. Dylan jumped to the side and once again got the grenade ready, only to have the tank spin it's cannon at him. Dylan once more ducked and got up, but the relentless tank only swung the cannon back.
"Ok, that's it!" Dylan screamed and as the cannon came again, he grabbed on to the pipe and pulled himself up on it. He crawled forwards and pulled the pin off the grenade. Then he stuck the thing into the cannon. Dylan jumped off and ran at high speed into the group of people as the grenade blew up in the tank, killing everyone inside. Now he just concentrated on killing the Russians and drones, both of which were now losing.
-----
"I know you're there!" Adam called running down the few corridors. He could hear Dimitri's panting as he ran in his hot fur coat. After a few corners he saw the tails of the Russian's coat disappear around a corner.
"Just give up and I won't kill you!" Adam called again and rounded the corner, only to see Dimitri disappear into another room. "Knock knock!" Adam called kicking the door down, then gasped and stopped.
Dimitri stood on the other side of the room, breathing heavily, with a rocket launcher aiming straight at the door. The room seemed to be some kind of surgical operation room, with some tables and blades in the center that would normally spin and strike together, except that it had been turned off.
"You Americans shouldn't leave your crates just lying around in rooms," Dimitri hissed, pointing to the side at a box which had obviously stored the rocket launcher before Dimitri had come in.
"Care to try out which weapon's got a faster rate of fire?" Adam laughed back, knowing he could kill Dimitri with his rifle and easily dodge Dimitri's rocket. Not waiting for an answer, Adam pulled on his rifle's trigger.
Click. Adam froze. He tried again. Click. He had emptied his clip in the lobby and now was unarmed in a sense.
"Hah! Now who has who outgunned?!" Dimitri laughed, readying his rocket launcher.
Adam looked around for a weapon, then laughed. "I've got you." Before Dimitri could ponder what he was talking about, Adam slammed his fist on the surgical blades' operational panel. The blades slowly began to move towards each other, and Dimitri stood right between them.
"Nyet!" Dimitri screamed and tried to jump, but it was too late. The blades struck together, slicing Dimitri's legs clean off from the knees as he jumped in the air.
"You can hide, but you can't run!" Adam laughed and turned to go away. Dimitri didn't answer as he passed out.
-----
"We got 'em now! After them!" Manners yelled as the Russians began to move out in one large mass through the door. Dylan stayed for a second to clear the room of the drones while the others ran after the mercenaries. He saw that Adam came running back.
"Hey! Did you stop Dimitri?" Dylan asked.
"Yeah, I cut him off," Adam laughed, though Dylan didn't get the pun. "You got any spare clips?"
"Sure," Dylan said handing two clips. Adam immediately stuck one on. "Come on, the Russians are retreating. We've beaten one of our enemies." The two ran outside of the lobby to see the Russians had all piled in the one truck, which started driving for the dam.
"Their heading for the outer gate! We can't let 'em escape!" Manners called. If those Russians got into the public, the mission would be a failure. The marines began to fire at the escaping truck, but they were too late, the truck was already gaining distance.
Then, out of the blue, a massive assortment of drones and slaves teleported in. The truck smashed into the group and started to loose control. The truck bounced over the bodies of aliens before finally veering to the side and toppling onto the ground. It soon caught up flames and blew up, killing every last Russian there was.
"What the Hell was that?" Dylan asked. "Why'd those aliens just show up?"
Then it began. A few marines heard it: a small humming noise. But the noise began to grow until it boomed above all noises. There was no mistaking about it. It was that same screeching noise, the noise that spelled out doom. The sound of a teleporting alien.
-----
Far away on the border world Xen, code-named by scientists as X-699, where the aliens had originated, a duel to the death was going on. Gordon Freeman had finally reached the twisted ruler of aliens, the horrific Nihilanth, a gigantic pale copy of it's smaller controller minions. Gordon had knocked out the Nihilanth's psychic beacons, beautiful gems that let the Nihilanth keep it's head together. Now, without that protection, the alien overlord's head opened and closed like a flower, showing of the strange glowing brain inside. Gordon leaped on the jump-pads and landed on the top ledge. The Nihilanth, enraged by this one human who had overcome all obstacles he had set, floated upwards to face Freeman.
Gordon leaped forwards straight at the Nihilanth's head. Before landing, he just grabbed a stalactite hanging from the roof. Hanging there, he pulled out his shotgun. The Nihilanth realized the danger it was in and tried to slow down, but the shotgun spoke, and the Nihilanth's psychic brainwas destroyed.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" the Nihilanth's yell rang through Gordon's head, though in reality it was a normal howl. The Nihilanth began to wince and tumble downwards, but even as Gordon leaped onto the ledge, the Nihilanth's psychic message rang.
"I know you can hear me, human. How? How did you defeat me? I've been unmatched for millenniums, yet you defeat me with simple Earth weapons. But know this: by killing me, you've begun the destruction of your planet."
"What are you talking about?" Gordon yelled down at the howling Nihilanth. The monster's reply was chilling.
"I am. the one thing keeping this world in piece. Without my presence, this world crumbles and the pieces spread out into infinity. But I do not control my minions. Well, yes, actually I do, but not like this world. When I am killed, they will automatically leave to the closest place accessible. In theory, once I am gone with the world, my minions will be set free into another world. Now, being one of the smarter of your kind, you must understand what the closest accessible world is, especially after today's events."
"No, you don't mean." Gordon began, but stopped. They both knew the answer.
"Yes, I mean it. They're all going to Earth, all billion of them," the Nihilanth looked up at Gordon as his last dying act. He smiled cruelly as Freeman's eyes were wide and mouth gaping, then he lost the strength to keep up his physical manifestation and was destroyed, gone forever.
Gordon disappeared from the Nihilanth's chamber and reappeared in front of the mysterious Administrator.
"Greetings, Mr. Freeman," the Administrator said and pulled out a small remote control from his briefcase. He pressed the button and began to converse with Gordon. Though they were still in the Xen, which was slowly crumbling away, the remote still reached the missile silo in Arizona. The silo hatches began opening and the fading sun's lights reached the Tomahawks.
-----
The horrible noise finally began fading, though it still loomed in the background. Almost immediately Manners' radio started to act up.
"Lieutenant, what the Hell is going on down there?!"
"I have no idea, sir," Manners answered.
"We're getting reports that there's aliens appearing all over southwest U.S.!"
"What?! No! Don't worry, sir, we'll start clearing them out!"
"Forget it, lieutenant. The mission has failed, the aliens have reached the public. You can all just start evacuating, along with the scientists."
"But sir, the aliens have to be stopped."
"I know, lieutenant. The military's done there for now. We're taking extreme measures to counter the threat."
"Sir, you don't mean to."
"We do. You've got 40 minutes to get your asses out of there. I suggest you move. Remember, the Ospreys are down for 20 minutes, so you'll be hiking out if you don't reach them."
"Yes, sir," Manners swallowed, closing the radio, and for the first time that day, he had true fear on his face.
"What? What are they doing?" Dylan asked, although he should have been expecting Manners' answer.
"They're launching a nuke."
( I know, I know, you're thinking, "What about the G-Man's missiles?" Don't worry, they will fit in. For now, just wait it out till the next chapter. We're nearing the end, folks.)
