Alrighty! Here's your update! Enjoy, and FINALLY! EXAMS ARE DONEEEEE!
As usual, I own nothing.
There she was. Just as Chell remembered.
The goddess of Aperture rotated her chassis around to stare down at Chell.
"Well, here we are again. It's always such a pleasure…"
The drawl in her voice wasn't quite hostile, but certainly wasn't friendly.
Ignoring that, Chell pointed at the companion cube accusingly, giving GLaDOS a meaningful glare.
You spied on me.
"Oh don't give me that look. Do you have any idea how long you've been in cyro-sleep? The world is a VERY different place, so just to be safe I gave you some protection. Can you really blame me for that?"
Chell crossed her arms skeptically.
GLaDOS sighed.
"Alright, look, I'm very new to this whole 'being-nice-to-you-thing', so give me a break, at least I tried…"
Chell didn't move for another few seconds, then shrugged and sat down.
She looked up at GLaDOS expectantly.
Well, what now?
The AI let out a sigh.
"WHAT am I going to do with you…?"
Silence took back over, the AI and the human staring at each other.
However, despite their past, there was no malice in their looks. Merely calm.
It was short-lived however.
A low rumble shook the facility, the both of them looked up in surprise.
"That…does not sound good…"
Chell got to her feet, grabbing the cube and wielding it as best she could.
GLaDOS shot her a glance, then said in an amused tone, "Would you like the portal gun back?"
Chell nodded enthusiastically.
A panel on the ceiling moved and a clawed arm descended, portal gun in its clutches, but stopped just out of Chell's reach.
"NO DESTROYING THE FACILITY OR KILLING ME. Okay?" GLaDOS asked firmly.
Chell couldn't help but smile as she nodded.
The gun was lowered into her hands and the pincer retracted into the ceiling.
Across the room, a panel pulled back out of the wall, revealing a screen.
The picture shifted from camera to camera until the view showed the outside of the shed.
GLaDOS shifted her chassis closer, trying to get a better look at what was disturbing her facility.
Chell also crept closer, her notorious curiosity getting the better of her, and noticed some men in strange outfits snooping around outside the shed.
"Oh no…" GLaDOS half moaned, half snarled.
Then, in reply to Chells questioning look:
"Black Mesa."
The AI's words were said with venom dripping from her voice, and Chell couldn't help but feel slight animosity toward Aperture's rival company, despite never having contact with them.
GLaDOS turned her attention to the screen.
"Very well. You want to come in here? You have to get past the Neurotoxin."
Chell winced slightly at the word, eyes locked on the screen as a pipe descended into view and the oddly dressed men all began shouting and pointing at it.
As an all-too-familiar green smoke began pouring from the pipe Chell watched the scientists.
They panicked for a moment, fiddling with the head-pieces of their outfits, but then continued walking calmly through the chamber.
GLaDOS let out a small, enraged noise.
"MASKS! They have MASKS on so my Neurotoxin can't HURT THEM!"
She watched as they tacked explosives to the door, blasting it open, before proceeding deeper into Aperture. "Alright, fine then. Turrets."
GLaDOS began lining the next test chamber with turrets, but she had only managed to get about a half dozen placed before there was another explosion and the Black Mesa employees flooded the room.
"I SEE YOU." The turrets seemed to chirp as one, the lasers making a criss-cross pattern across the room.
The Black Mesa personnel all scattered, trying to shield themselves as best they could.
Chell winced as the sound of firing machine guns filled the room and bullets began to fly.
But there was no blood.
To her (and GLaDOS') shock, the Black Mesa Scientists, after taking a second to collect themselves, continued walking toward the main chamber, unfazed by the **deadly bullets flying around the room.
She watched with a mix of awe and horror as bullet after bullet embedded itself in their chests, but none of them died, or even seemed to be in pain.
A snarl came from GLaDOS as the men proceeded to knock over the turrets and blast open the next door. "Bullet proof outfits…"
She then angled her head slightly, looking down at Chell.
"Well, the turrets didn't work…but then again, you've managed to escape them numerous times… maybe I need some new defenses around here…" GLaDOS mused.
Then an alarm went off.
The AI looked up sharply, her optic widening.
"They're close! Oh God they're close! We have to do something! I can open a fire pit to hold them off, but it's only so long until they get past that and get in here and find us!"
Chell got to her feet, the AI's panicked voice enough to set her on edge.
"I have to get out of here! If they get a hold of me, Aperture is finished!"
The AI swung around to face Chell.
"Hurry!" GLaDOS ordered, "Find me something to upload my consciousness into!"
Then, an afterthought as Chell ran out of the room:
"AND IF YOU BRING BACK A POTATO, SO HELP ME, I WILL THROW YOU IN THE INCINERATOR!"
Despite the dire circumstances, Chell's mouth twitched into a smile.
How typical…
Drat you, Black Mesa! Avoiding the Aperture defenses!
What will hapen to GLaDOS and Chell if they can't escape? Find out next week on 'For Apereture!'
(I sound like a freaking TV commercial...)
Anyway, hope you enjoyed, please review, and have a great holiday!
See you next week~
