Alyx helped the rebels lug the long wooden planks to the rails of the ship. Once the boat hit the beach, they would lower the boards down to the sand and hopefully get everybody off the ship as fast as possible. However, with hundreds of people on board, this would prove to be a challenge.
Rebel commanders barked out orders as the planks were rested into place, lying flat on the deck. After completing this talk, every soldier pointed their weapons at the sky, ready for the attackers. The low hum of the Combine gunships grew louder with each moment. Alyx checked her pistol a few times before convincing herself that it had bullets. The shore was only two miles away, but it would take them five minutes to reach the beach. The ship's many stationary megaphones clicked on.
"Here they come! Five gunships, Bow!"
Everyone pointed his or her guns towards the front of the ship, gazing up at the sky. Sure enough, five enemy aircraft hovered high in the sky. All five gunships dived towards the Slumbering whale; sending pulse bolts down to the rebels below. The rebels retaliated, firing both SMGs and Pulse rifles, which had no effect against the heavily armored aircraft. They just had to hold on until they reached land.
Alyx ducked as lasers impacted the wall behind her, melting the metal. She rolled out of harms way, firing her gun at the enemy. The gunships were circling the boat now, each one moving in their own direction. The rebels tried to concentrate their fire on one Combine at a time, but to no avail. The flying craft mowed down the panicking soldiers on deck easily. Alyx hugged a crate as more pulse fire strafed the deck. She looked out towards the coast.
They still had one mile to go.
---
Eli pushed the boat to the limit, ordering the ship to go full throttle. The land was growing closer in the window. The window erupted as gunfire pierced the thin glass. Eli fell to the floor as a gunship fired upon the command deck. It moved on towards another part of the ship.
"Can you make this thing go faster?" he shouted at the 'helmsman'. The rebel shook his head.
Eli rose from the floor and looked out towards the land. It was still half a mile away. That would have to do. He grabbed the microphone off of one of the panels.
"Lower the planks!"
---
Alyx heard the order from her father and obeyed. She was the first to reach the plank and started to push the board towards the ship's edge. More rebels followed suit, helping Alyx with the heavy bridge. As they were pushing the plank, the other civilian's below were herded onto the deck, under the cover of friendly fire.
After a few heaves, the plank slid down the side of the boat, bouncing off of the hull. The rebels quickly fastened the board to the side of the ship, allowing it to dangle. Once accomplishing this, Alyx then resumed firing on the Combine. As another gunship flew over her head, she spotted the coast, which was only a few feet away . . .. and approaching way too fast.
"Brace yourselves!"
The ship hit the sand, causing everyone on deck to stumble. Alyx regained her footing and turned to the refugees.
"Come on! Down the plank!"
The rebels positioned the boards so that they would angle comfortably to the ground. Men, woman and children ran down the plank, towards the land below. Pulse fire from the gunships did not make this easy for the civilians, though. As soon as they hit the beach, they all ran for cover in the nearby forest. Alyx was helping a little girl onto the plank, when Eli ran up behind her.
"Lets go!" He shouted, pulling her down the plank. The gunships directed their fire onto the people moving down the boards. All around Alyx, civilians and soldiers fell off of the planks and into the water below.
Alyx was relieved to be on solid ground again. They followed the crowd into the forest, gaining some cover against the Combine. The gunships followed, firing blindly into the trees. All around Alyx, leaves and branches exploded, sending debris flying everywhere. She tripped onto a root and stumbled to the ground. Eli picked his daughter off of the ground.
"We need to keep going!"
To their dismay, three Combine dropships hovered over the treetops, carrying enemy troops. They landed a few feet ahead, attempting to cut the refugees off. Fifty Combine soldiers piled out of the bug-like craft and started moving between the trees, looking for their prey. Alyx and Eli immediately dropped into the nearby brush, hiding. They watched as the Overwatch jogged past their position, calling out orders with their dark radio chatter. After a few moments of waiting, they moved out of the bush and ran deeper into the woods. The sound of gunfire and explosions still rang out behind them. However, there was nothing they could do, but to keep moving and hope to regroup with their comrades somewhere up ahead.
---
Alyx rubbed the back of her neck. "We managed to catch up with Barney, Dr. Kliener, Judith and a bunch of other rebels. After escaping the Combine, we found a couple of abandoned bunkers outside of City 17 and used them for bases. For the next six years, the rebellion spread across the countryside, growing with each year. During this time, the fighting between the Combine and the rebels grew more violent with each year. I was mostly in charge of smuggling people in and out of the city and helping uncle Izzy with the teleporters."
She smiled at Gordon.
"There's really nothing to report about those six years. Nothin really special happened. That was until, a few days ago."
---
"Whew," Eli called out loud. "I think it's done. What do you think?" Eli turned to his Vortigaunt partner, who just grunted in agreement. They had been working at Black Mesa East, tweaking the last teleporter all that day, and it was now finished and ready for testing. Eli was about to call Kliener about the great news when Alyx walked in through one of the double doors into the lab.
She smiled at her father. "Hey, dad. I'm heading out to Kliener's lab."
"Okay, baby." Eli turned and picked up a small device that looked like a thick disk. He then handed the teleport part to his daughter. "This should be the last one."
Alyx relieved her father of the disk.
"Alright. I should be back before dark." She started towards the door again, but Eli spoke up.
"Oh, Alyx? I was just curious. How's Scott doing?"
Alyx rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"I told him to back off."
Eli chuckled to himself.
"Already? How many guys is that so far?"
"I've lost count."
"Well," Eli sighed, "It's your life. If you want to stay single, that's your decision."
Alyx cocked her head to the side playfully. "Why, thank you daddy, for letting me make my own decisions."
Eli laughed as he embraced Alyx.
"Fair enough. Be careful out there."
"Will do."
Alyx left the lab, ready to bring the disk to Dr. Kliener's lab in City 17.