Sorry for the wait everyone who's reading, I've been really busy.
"All right Sir, the portal is ready!" Officer Ellis called, ushering Doctor Wallace Breen through the door. He entered a large room, with a vast ceiling and far walls. A series of pillars and rods lifted a platform in the very center of the room, encircling a large, green portal. Doctor Richard Keller stood near it, typing something into a control booth.
All three men wore Mark IV Hazard Suits, large, bulky helmets atop their heads. Breen heard Ellis mumble some complaint about them, and silently agreed.
"Into the elevator everyone!" Keller called from above, stepping up near the portal, "The portal goes in thirty seconds!"
Ellis and Breen rushed onto the elevator, rising up to the catwalks. They got out, and joined Keller at the railing. Breen could feel the heat emanating from the throbbing portal, could see tiny bolts of electricity zapping around it. He gulped.
"Officer Ellis, you go first," He said nervously.
"Nonsense," Keller replied, "The portal is completely safe. See?" And to emphasize his point, he stepped over the rail, and into the portal. With a buzz, he disappeared. The lights in the room dimmed for a moment, before returning to normal.
Ellis went next, closing his eyes before stepping in. As with Keller, he disappeared, and the lights dimmed. Breen stepped over the rail.
"I'm sorry," He said, and then fell forward, plunging in. Everything went green for a moment, and he appeared on a rocky platform, hovering in the air. He looked around, and saw Ellis and Keller several platforms away.
Knowing full well the limitations of this world, he leapt into the air, landing solidly on the next platform. Off in the distance, he could see a massive floating island, cliffs towering above the rest.
He leapt his way to his colleagues, landing lightly next to Ellis. The man looked at him, a mix of awe and confusion visible through the helmet visor.
"Didn't you read the report? Lower gravity," Breen said. Ellis grinned.
They hurried over to the island, landing under a cluster of coarse vines. Keller brushed one away.
The three heard a distant howl, and Ellis' fingers instantly reached down to his revolver. They looked around nervously.
"Hello there…Doctor Breen…" A voice said. They whirled around, to see the G-man striding up, alone.
"Who are you?" Keller demanded, stepping forward.
"I am one of…your clients…" The G-man purred.
"One?" Ellis asked. As if on cue, a green portal buzzed to life several feet away. A tall creature, covered in green armor stepped out. A small, third arm protruded from its chest.
Ellis drew his revolver, shakily pointing it at the creature as it walked forward, not seeming to care.
"Relax!" Breen yelled. Keller had moved behind the security guard. The creature stopped before them.
"This one is of the vortigaunts, representing the master, the Ninilah."
"Good…we are almost…ready to…begin, then," the G-man said, checking his watch. Ellis slowly lowered his pistol, taking several steps back.
They heard the familiar buzz, as a green portal materialized. Two figures, clad almost all in white armor, stepped through. Breen saw a single red ocular device on their faces, and futuristic rifles strapped to their backs. Nervously, he brushed off the thigh of his suit, clearing his throat.
"We represent the Benefactors," One of the figures said, his voice scrambled, probably through a filter on his radio.
"Then we…can begin…" The G-man said. Breen closed his eyes, knowing full well what was to happen next.
Gordon leaned back against a counter, sipping a coffee. At the table before him, sat doctors Kleiner, Vance, Rosenberg, as well as several other senior members of the Science Team.
"What about the Blue Shift?" Eli asked, "Without Captain Patterson and Officer Russell, we have some openings."
"I nominate Otis Manning for captain," Rosenberg said, "He's been with us for the minimum four years, and has performed his duties far exceeding those of most others." Rosenberg was rather partial to the guard, having taken a liking to him early on.
"What about Calhoun?" Gordon asked, "He's been on the security team for four years as well, and isn't even in the Blue Shift yet. He has done far more than any other security officer on the team, and deserves a promotion."
"Calhoun is insane," One of the scientists said, "He should have been fired years ago. And he would've been, if not for you and Doctor Vance!"
"Barney is not insane," Eli said. Kleiner sighed, putting his head in his hands.
"He's a conspiracy theorist, convinced that the entire government is out to get him!"
"He is simply paranoid, as harmless as a fly." Gordon interjected, "I'm not saying you should give him captainship yet, just put him on the Blue Shift. He deserves it."
"You want to give the man a live firearm? Are you even listening to yourself?"
"Barney isn't going to shoot anyone," Gordon said, "He may feel uncomfortable with many of the people here, but he doesn't hate really any of you."
"How sure of that are you?" Doctor West asked.
"One hundred percent." Eli stated.
"Very well then. Because of the praise Doctors Freeman and Vance have given him, Barney Calhoun will be promoted to the Blue Shift. However, Otis Manning will become captain. Anything else?"
Breen stood opposite the G-man, Ellis and Keller behind him. The Vortigaunt was perched awkwardly off to the side, while the elites stood poised nearby.
"Why are we here?" Keller asked.
"Evolution…" The G-man said, "The human race has…lived past its…prime…other things must take…control…"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ellis demanded, his hand once again on his revolver.
"Simple," An elite barked, "Humans will end soon, my people taking their place as dominant rulers of your planet. This meeting is to ensure that this happens with little bloodshed."
"No fucking way!" Ellis yelled, drawing his revolver and pointing it at the elites. They leveled their rifles.
"Enough!" Breen cried, "Ellis, holster your weapon! Now!" Ellis did, "Good. Now, the two of you need to understand that this is going to happen, no matter what we say or do here. And our might, however it may be, cannot withstand the power of the Combine, or the Ninilah. If we do not cooperate, we are all going to die."
"Good…very good…it seems that…Doctor Breen…understands…completely…"
"So we're going to be…invaded…?" Keller asked.
"Yes," The Vortigaunt muttered, "But we can do this with heavy casualties, or we can not. It is your choice."
"How would we cooperate?" Breen asked, "Just let you invade? You should know that I'm in no position to-"
"This is understood…of course…" The G-man said.
"We enter your world at your facility, the Black Mesa," growled the Vortigaunt, "Where you will devise an excuse to create what you would call a 'resonance cascade'."
"If you cooperate fully," The elite said, "The only casualties will be those at Black Mesa. I am afraid that no one there can survive the incident, with the exception of you three."
"And then what?" Ellis asked, gritting his teeth, "We just resume our normal lives while you conquer our fucking world?"
"Of course not…you three will go…into hiding…for a while…while the invasion…commences…when all hope of…victory appears to…be…lost…step up…negotiate…become representatives of…Earth…inside…the Combine…"
"Where does this…Combine…come in anyway?" Keller asked.
"After Black Mesa is destroyed, and the portal storm occurs," The elite replied, "Your people will fall victim to the Ninilah, and his creatures. After a brief period of war, my people will arrive, and feign a quick defeat of them. The humans will stand no chance against the alliance we have formed."
"I thought you said the only casualties would be at Black Mesa," Ellis said, trying to contain himself.
"This is…war…" The G-man said, "Collateral damage is…unavoidable…"
"Bullshit!" Ellis yelled.
"Ellis. Shut up!" Breen said, "Are there any chances that this invasion will fail, even if we live up to our part completely?"
"Chances of…failure are…slim…" The G-man replied, "But failure is…possible…only at the hands of…someone at Black…Mesa…"
"I see."
"So…will you cooperate?" The G-man asked.
"I will!" Hundreds of thousands of miles away, a promising young private, by the name of Adrian Shepard, cried out. Odessa Cubbage, now a sergeant, stood in front of him.
"Good! Now move soldier!" Shepard ran off, headed for the obstacle course. After his encounter with the "spook" Odessa had began drinking. After coming to work drunk, he had been busted down severely, and placed at a boot camp in Nevada, alongside a Drill Sergeant Barnes.
Odessa turned, and began to walk across the grass, headed for his office. Walking through the corridors of the building, he felt a vibrating in his pocket. Taking out his cell phone, he answered it.
"Yeah?" He said.
"Cubbage? It's Barnes. Get to my office now, it's important."
Before Odessa could respond, the line went dead. He pocketed the phone again, and wheeled around, in the direction of Barnes' office. Going inside, he cursed loudly.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He cried, his hand going to his gun.
"Cubbage! Calm down!" Barnes barked, getting to his feet.
"What is he doing here!" Cubbage demanded.
For standing there, in the office, was the G-man.