I heard another sound. something tapping against metal—like small legs. It seemed to be coming from the ceiling.

I looked up, my weapon raised.

Then the noise stopped.

I paused for a second, then I saw it fall right in front of me. A creature I had never seen before. It was a small creature that emitted a loud cry. It displayed four legs, each ending in a sharp point. It lunged towards me, leaping into the air and aiming for my head. I fired a shot at it and it fell.

As that… thing fell to the ground, I got a glimpse of its underside. It looked like a large mouth. On the front and sides were rows of what I could only assume were teeth. It was aiming for my head. I shutter to think what would happen if I were any slower to react.

All I needed to do was get back to the LZ. If I could get back, Adams had said they would extract me, and whatever this nightmare was would finally end. At least that was what I wanted to think. All I had to do was find a way out.

I made my way back to the vent and glanced inside. As I started to step in, I heard another one of those sounds, the clamoring of small pointed feet against metal, the high-pitched cry. I reached for my sidearm just in time to see another one of those things appearing around the corner of the vent. I fired two shots into it, and took it out quickly.

Still, this left me feeling unsure about using the vents again, not if these creatures were going to be in them. But it was the only route I knew.

I crouched in the vent, my sidearm ready as I listened intently for more sounds.

As I approached the grate, I started to hear the noise of gunfire. I looked down just in time to watch the marines gun down a strange creature. It was a two-legged creature, sort of green with orange spots, and a mouth surrounded by tentacles. I watched as it spat a green fluid that quickly took down one of the marines before falling.

"What is this thing?"

"I don't know, but this mission is way beyond FUBAR."

"And now we're stuck here. Those bastards left us behind."

"Wasn't there a whole thing about 'leave no man behind,'"

"Look, whatever rules you thought you knew, they went out the window the moment we were given this mission. We're getting rescued. That's what matters"

"You think we'll at least get a shot at Freeman before we leave?"

One of the marines laughed.

"Probably not, but I'll buy you a beer if you do."

Suddenly a nearby door opened. I saw two of the black-clad soldiers stepping in. One of the marines approached them.

"Oh man," one of the marines said. "You are a sight for sore eye-."

Suddenly they began firing on the marines. In immediate succession they fell to the ground. The black-clad soldiers then began inspecting the bodies. One by one, they fired an additional shot into each.

"What should we do with these?" one of them asked, motioning to the bodies.

"Just leave them. They'll be gone soon anyway."

I'd seen enough. I continued to move forward. When I reached the end of the vent, I saw another marine run past. The shots started again, as the marine ducked behind a crate.

"FRIENDLY!" He attempted to yell. "DON'T SHOOT! I'M HECU!"

The shooting stopped. The marine stepped out from behind the crate, only to take a bullet to the chest.

I finally made my way back outside. The osprey was waiting. Its rotors were spinning up.

Soon, I thought, I would be far away from here. I may have wanted a mission, but this was more than I asked for.

Adams was standing next the chopper, smoking a cigarette as he turned toward me. He approached, taking a moment to discard his cigarette.

That was when I noticed some of his operators had been busy while I was navigating Black Mesa. They had dug a hole just outside the loading area, and two of them were holding a body of a marine—and throwing him inside.

As I approached, I started to get a clearer view of the hole, and I could see that there were more bodies inside. It seemed to be a mix of different people. Some were marines, others were dressed in labcoats, and others were dressed in blue uniforms with ballistic vests and steel helmets. As far as I could tell, they were all dead. And even worse, I also picked out an operator in one of the same black uniforms the rest of us were wearing.

That should have been my first clue to what came next.

"BISHOP!" I heard a voice yelling towards me. I turned around to see Adams.

"Did you find the drive?" Adams yelled over the rotors.

"Yes, I got it!"

I handed it to him.

"Good, that's one less loose end."

I paused, as I let the words sink in.

I was a "loose end?" What was going on?

Adams drew his pistol and aimed it at my head.

"Nothing personal," Adams yelled. "I have orders not to leave witnesses."

"He was about to pull the trigger when I heard a WHOOSH. Suddenly the osprey exploded, I was knocked backward.

Next thing I knew I was on my side, my ears ringing and barely able to see. A pair of blurred figures approached, one of whom was carrying a long grey thing—I'm guessing a rocket launcher. The other one was pointing and probably yelling, but the ringing kept me from hearing what.

I tried to sit up, but all I managed to do was roll onto my back. My head swung to my side, and I saw something I would never have expected, even in my confused state.

It was a man, dressed in a blue suit, standing over me. He had pale skin. In one hand was a briefcase, the other hand was adjusting his red tie.

It was the same man from the base. What was he doing here?

Weirder still, while I couldn't hear anything, and could only vaguely make out shapes, this man appeared crystal clear. He was looking at me.

He looked at me. Then he spoke, in a voice that was alarmingly clear, given my condition.

"I'm afraid you are not finished yet. You still have a job to do."

Suddenly I turned my head to see an extremely blurred face staring right at me. I felt a pair of arms grabbing each shoulder. I looked over to where I'd seen the man in the blue suit, but he was gone. I must have passed out because that is the last thing I remember.