Alyx's eyes were finally drying. The tears had stopped, but the sadness was still lingering in the five-year-old's spirit. She jumped as the car hit a small bump on the road, almost making her cry again. Eli Vance was sitting in the back seat staring at nothing, clutching a picture of his wife, Alyx and himself. Alyx leaned over the passenger seat to see her father. His lab coat was filthy, covered in mud and blood. His pants were torn in multiple places and the left leg was replaced by bloody gauss. Eli had lost his left leg in saving Dr. Kliener escape from bullsquids. Dr. Kliener was the one driving the car, trying to stay on the road and wipe the wetness away from his eyes. Alyx then looked through the back window towards the place they had just escaped: Black Mesa. The mountains hiding the secret facility looked like they were on fire. A nuke was detonated within the facility, destroying the base within the earth's caves. Thankfully, much of the blast was underground, leaving the now far away escaping vehicle and its contents intact. Above the former base, though, was a large black cloud swirling with an evil purpose.
Dr. Kliener gathered up the strength to talk. "Eli, we need to stop at the next town and clean up your wound."
Eli stayed silent, still grieving over his wife's death. Eli was only able to save his daughter and watched as his wife burned within their apartment back at the station. Dr. Kliener ignored the silence from his friend. Alyx spoke up.
"Where are we going, Uncle Izzy?"
Dr. Kliener looked at the small, frightened little girl. "I don't know, honey. I don't know." Dr. Kliener brought his eyes on the road, trying to fight back the rising tears again. It took them twenty minutes to find the next town.
The "town" consisted of a dentist office, gas station and a bunch of small trailers. Kliener pulls into the gas station, exits the car and walks over to Eli's door. Dr. Kliener pulls his friend out and wrapsthe wounded man's shoulder around his.
"Alyx, honey, come on." Dr. Kliener calls.
Alyx exits the car and follows the men into the gas station. Once inside, Dr. Kliener looks around. The building holds lines of racks containing magazines, assorted canned foods and drinks.
However, the station is empty.
"Hello? Is anyone here?"
No answer.
"Oh, fie.", he curses. He then spots a med-kit lying next to a candy dispencer. "Alyx, can you go over there and hand me that medical kit?"
Alyx obeys, grabbing the kit. Dr. Kliener softly props Eli on the Gas station counter and lays him down. He then grabs the kit from Alyx and begins removing the blood stained gauss from Eli's leg. Eli winces as the last bandages are removed. Dr. Kliener looks at the stump, which was covered in blood and loose skin tissue.
"Alyx, honey, would you be a dear and play over there?" Dr. Kliener asks, pointing to the small toy section at the far end of the building. Alyx nods and moves towards her objective. She sits down and finds a small ball on one of the racks. She proceeds to bounce the ball on the tile floor, ignoring the surgery emitting behind her. She also does not spot the headcrab creeping up beside her.