Woo! 4th Chapter. I'm sure that's a landmark of some sort. Anyways, thanks for the reviews. If anyone's noticed, the chapters have shorted as I've hit a bit of writer's block. The next chapter, though, should be good and long, and you Alyx/Gordon fans will like it, I'm sure.

Also, don't be dissapointed when I don't upload 4 chapters every couple days. :P

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I slowly walked to the back of the ship, careful not to disturb any of the bodies. I hoped whoever was in charge of the rebels was there. It was obvious these were not the same people who had liberated City 17. Their clothes were less ragged, and when they fought they were formidable, but wild and unruly. I noticed a few were wearing patches of green, with a yellow harp in the center, though I didn't know the significance of the symbol.

At the back of the ship, the rebels were celebrating, dancing around and yelling and shouting, in stark contrast to the Rebels I had fought with, who took the idea of breaking the bonds of a galaxy-spanning empire a bit more seriously. There voices were higher-pitched too, and they had accents. They weren't American, at least.

I tried to avoid their attention and find out who was in charge, but there I was recognized by one, and a crowd gathered around me, trapping me. They all threw questions at me as if I was a celebrity, and just when I thought I might collapse, a small, soft hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me through- it was Dr. Mossman. She looked ecstatic, just as she had when we first met, even with the pale bandage wrapped around her forehead.

"Gordon- I mean, Dr. Freeman! Thank god you're here, I need your help. I've been trying to open a channel with White Forest, but I don't know the frequency." She said, ushering me even further in the back of the ship.

There were two small tables set up here a few feet from each other. Seated at one was a rebel, receiving orders from someone on the other end of a radio. the other table had a pile of electronic equipment and a blank screen.

"I've got everything set up, but my communications officers was killed, and she was the only one who knew White Forest's channel."

She fiddled with the instruments a bit, then gestured for me to do the same. I turned the tuning dial to White Forest's frequency, and saw Dr. Kleiner's office. Lamarr was hopping about, and I couldn't help but grin as she knocked some pictures off a small cupboard next to the door.

Dr. Mossman looked worried, as if something had gone wrong. Her expression lightened when Dr. Kleiner's body appeared on screen. He had a disorganized mess of folders and papers in his arms, and looked to be in a hurry. He scanned the desk under the screen, and almost didn't notice us.

"Come on, Lamarr! We need to- Gordon! Judith! Oh, it's a good thing you caught me. The combine are attacking the base here en masse, and we're retreating. Almost everyone has already evacuated to the other outposts, as were we-" he began, shuffling the papers, when Judith interrupted him.

"The Borealis is safe, Doctor Kleiner. You can just come here now." She said, an air of triumph in her voice.

"Already? Gordon, wh- oh, I have to go! I'll see you two soon! Stay safe!" he said. Judith turned away, deep in thought, and I watched Doctor Kleiner attempt to coax Lamarr into her carrier, his arms still full of documents. Sighing in exasperation, he set down a good portion of the papers he was carrying and produced a small melon from his desk. Lamarr jumped on his head, and he took the opportunity to leave the room clumsily, closing the door behind him with his foot.

Judith turned off the screen and sat down in the chair with a yawn. I saw the discussion between the rebels on the radio on the other table was becoming heated, and their accents were amplified.

Then the shouting stopped. The celebrating stopped. The entire world stopped as a man in a blue business suit, carrying a briefcase at his side, walk towards me slowly. When he saw me look at him he stood still and a malevolent grin spread across his lips.

"A nice night isn't it, Mi-ster Freeman? A perrrrfect night for a… rest. As I said be-fore, I did not want… to imply that you've been sssleeping on- the job, so, for now… let's just say your job is com-plete." he said.

His eyebrows jumped up when he saw my look of anguish. "Of course, we could just… cal it e-ven now. I can't make… you do a thing, Mi-ster Freeman. My o-ffer still stands of a battle you can't poss-ibly hope… to win. That would be de-trimental to us both, though, and as a man… of sci-ence, I trust you have your… wits a-bout you. So shut your eyes, Mi-ster Freeman. Time… to sleep."

I didn't. I had had enough of being controlled and manipulated by the suited man. I glared holes in him, I held my heavy eyelids up against my subconscious, I even tried to get up and walk away from him, though I realized that he had rendered me immobile.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his eyebrows slanting inwards. "I can de-story you, Mr. Freeman. There are even… worse things than death. You've seen some of them your-self."

His threats wouldn't work on my. I held my eyelids up with my fingers and focused on the minute details in the wrinkles of his forehead to keep the sleep he forced on me from setting in.

"Alyx… Vance."

My eyes shot open of their own accord. I wanted to rip his tongue out for even saying her name, but I was nevertheless intrigued.

"If you will-not for your-self… then for her safe-ty I mussssst… urge you, Mi-ster Freeman, to close your eyes."

I knew if she was here she would have told me to keep my eyes open. To fight him for every inch. I could see, though, that he would do it. He would let me go and take her from me, and seal her away until everyone she had ever known was long dead, maybe just leave her in that state of arrested consciousness until the universe collapsed in on itself.

So I let them close. It was as if they sealed themselves shut, and even my best efforts couldn't get them to open again.

"Very good, Mi-ster Freeman."