I feel more comfortable with first person. Definitely. So we will see this chapter through Gordon's eyes. Where did I leave him? Oh, right, the helicopter.

I knew my luck. I knew that any mean of transport or scientific apparatus simply blew in my presence. So when Alyx said we had to land, I was already expecting a long, painful fall while losing all of my weapons.

Instead, we were simply running out of fuel. She had already tracked a combine station, where we hopefully could find some more energy cells, or at least a vehicle to continue to the Borealis.

We weren't far. Snow already covered most of the ground below us and the station we were heading to was the last Combine presence before the cold north.

"We're almost there, Gordon. Just a couple of minutes."

"Are you sure we'll find something down there?"

"I dunno. But probably they have something. They're quite insulated up here."
"Another thing.... how do you plan to get out of the helicopter?"
"What do you mean?"
"You don't have any warm clothes. You're going to freeze if you come out of the cockpit."
"What...oh.... oh.... damn! How could I forget this?! I... I just... didn't think of.... fuck!"
"Calm down. You were so.. pained... you couldn't.... think of all. It's my fault."
"No, it's mine. How could I not think of this? If only this stupid helicopter wasn't air conditioned, i'd have felt it before.... damn!"

"Don't worry, i'll go in and find something. A combine armour will do, I think."
"Really?" she asked, as we got above the outpost. "Would you do that for me??"

"Sure."

"Oh, thank you!" she hugged me. Now, if you've ever been hugged by someone who's fucking driving an helicopter you'll know that the vehicle doesn't take kind on being abandoned. I managed to retrieve the flight asset one second before we crushed on the ground.

"Oh.., sorry, I...... can't do a thing right, today."
"Don't worry. Just stay here and shoot to any combine."

"Right.... oh, I think we can communicate through your suit's radio. So we'll keep in touch."
"Good. Now, time to go."
I grabbed the Gravity Gun, the crowbar and the pulse rifle, no need to carry around all the heavy gear and jumped out, closing the door behind be.

The outpost was a short, small building with a wide and empty parking area before it. The only vehicle that was in there was a battered and half destroyed armoured car. I walked to the door.

And I started to figure out what was going to happen. I'd have entered, found either Combine or zombines, fought them, found some clothes for Alyx after a long search and some gravity-based puzzles and returned only to find that she had been kidnapped.

Mathematical.

No combine behind the door. No turrets. No zombies.

That place was too calm to be real. There was a lit stove, medical supplies and a recharger. Too simple this way.

I moved some careful steps to the next door.

I opened it suddenly, jumping in with the rifle risen.

No one.

And then it was there. That old, familiar feeling of someone sneaking behind me. My reflexes had been slower than usual, I couldn't turn around in time. I felt the cold plastic of a combine glove on my cheek, while a gun barrel touched my temple.

"Who are you?" asked a woman's voice in my ear.

A bullet in the head at that distance was more than enough to kill me, suit or not suit. If only I had an helmet.....

"Answer me!" the woman yelled.

Then she shivered, a gloved hand entered my visual field touching the Lambda symbol on my chest.

"Black Mesa...." she murmured.

She le me go. I turned around to see her. She was tall, black haired, with big grey eyes. She was wearing a combine armour covered with ragged clothes, the contrast between the mechanical look and the patchwork was almost grotesque.

"You come from Black Mesa?" she asked.

"Who are you?"

"I have asked you first!"

"Well, in case my fame has not reached you, yes, i'm Gordon Freeman and I come from Black Mesa. I assume you're not with the rebels if you don't...."

"They all spoke of the Freeman as a messiah. A true one wouldn't let himself be caught so easily."

"Well, you got me off guard, and i'm grateful that you didn't shoot me immediately. But who are you?"

As an answer she shown the combine badge on which were written five letters.

"Chell? What does that mean?"

"Nothing. It has no meaning. No purpose."

"And then...."

"And then you do have a purpose. You're seeking the ship."
"How could you know of...."

"The helicopter flying north bearing the Combine's demise. The speeches of that stupid scientist. It doesn't take much brain to understand what are you up to."

"And if we did?"

"Then I must come with you. There's something of the utmost importance for me in there."

"There's something important for everyone."

"Nevertheless, I have to go there."

"But why?"

"Because I have to." for an instant a shade of sadness crossed her serious expression.

"Okay, if you have to...."

"Good. I assume you need some energy cells, and I have an almost filled one. And you should go tell your companion that you're alright before they start to worry about it."

"Oh... yes, this is true. But I also need to take her some clothes fit for cold... she doesn't have any."

"So you come here, looking for an icebreaker, in the arctic, and you don't even have decent clothes?"

"Listen I know it sounds stupid, but...."

"There are clothes in this building. Go in that room. And be quick about it, we can't lose too much time."
I went where she had said me, not even thinking about it. She seemed rather bothered, but like she was expecting all f this to happen.

But thinking about it,