When the Elite first pulled her to her feet, Alyx had fainted as the blood rushed to her head. The slamming of the bulkhead door brought her back, and she squirmed under his grip, biting uselessly into the thick glove over her mouth. The soldier dragged her down several corridors, a flight of stairs, and finally into what had once been the ship's infirmary. The hand was removed from her face, and she redoubled her efforts, but before she could get in a punch or a kick the soldier had thrown her down onto a sick bed and stepped back out of striking range.
Panting, she put her back to the wall and stared up at the Elite. "Well? Go on. You've got a gun. I'm helpless, I can't fight back. Finish me off. Do the Combine a service."
The Elite did not fire, but the gun remained levelled at her as the soldier drew up a chair and sat facing her. By the light of the Combine spotlight that still shone in one corner of the room, Alyx got her first proper look at her attacker. His armour was scuffed and battered, with a dried up river of purple fluid running down his left side.
D-9 looked down, and saw a patch of blood slowly spreading out on the floor under the bed. He stood, and tore off his Elite insignia patch, fashioning it into a makeshift tourniquet which he wrapped around Alyx's leg, all the while keeping his pistol pointed at her bemused face. What was he doing? Keeping her alive for something, like a more satisfying execution on the Overworld?
The soldier looked away, then made a small coughing noise. Clearing it's throat, she realised.
"You are Sub-Prime Vance, Resistance member, and stand charged with criminal malcompliance and non-cooperation. Sentenced to death in absentia. Sentence to be carried out herewith."
The Elite pointed to himself.
"Unit D-9, batch three, City 13 Overwatch. Unit is charged with desertion and betrayal of authority. Sentenced to death automatically. Sentence to be carried out herewith."
The soldier fell silent. Alyx let the words sink in. Desertion? Betrayal of authority? This Combine was some kind of rouge.
"You're not...with them anymore?"
"Affirmative."
Alyx gave a derisive laugh. "Forgive me if I don't believe you."
The Elite shrugged. "Unit has provided medical assistance. Unit has not used deadly force on Sub-prime or other malefactors."
He pointed to his helmet. "Unit is no longer under the influence of Stim."
Alyx had heard of Stim. Captured Combine soldiers usually died within a few days from a lack of this drug, a purple fluid very much like...the stuff splattered on his body armour.
"So why are you still alive?"
The transhuman shrugged.