Chapter 2:…Unforeseen Consequences
[Dr. Green checked inside. She quickly yanked it out as it moved down, then all the way up.]
[Dr. Cross talked to her from the floor above.]
Dr. Cross: What's up with the crowbars? Construction team getting sloppy?
Dr. Green: Oh, well. I like souvenirs.
Intercom (Dr. Keller): Good. We'd like you to bring the Anti-Mass Spectrometer online and take it to 80%.
[Dr. Cross walked over to the controls and pulled the big red lever. A loud whine erupted, follow by beams of energy emitting from the Anti-Mass Spectrometer. ]
Meanwhile…..
[Dr. Freeman reached the lower level control room. 3 Scientists were chatting.]
Scientist #4: Ah, there are you are, Dr. Freeman.
Scientist #5: We just had the sample sent down the test chamber.
Scientist #6: The administrator wants a thorough report on this specimen. He went to considerable lengths to obtain it.
Scientist #4: They're waiting in the test chamber.
[Scientist #6 walked over to the far end of the room, and looked into a retinal scanner. 5 Seconds later, the door opened up. As he walked down the hall, a computer bank overloaded, causing a panel to explode, showering debris everywhere. Dr. Kleiner and Dr. Vance quickly ran over to the bank and shut it down.]
Dr. Vance: What the hell is going on with our equipment? It wasn't meant to do this in the first place.
[Gordon ignored it, and entered a corkscrew elevator to the test labs.]
[Two scientists were waiting for him.]
Scientist #7: Ah, yes. Dr. Freeman. I'm afraid to tell you that we'll be deviating from standard protocol.
Scientist #8: Yes, but for good reason. This is a rare opportunity for us, the purest sample we've seen yet.
Scientist #7: Also, the most potentially unstable.
Scientist #8: We've assured the Administrator that *nothing will go wrong*.
Scientist #7: How you can say that, I will never know. Although I will admit, the possibility of a resonance cascade scenario is highly unlikely.
Dr. Freeman: Resonance Cascade?
Scientist #7: You've never heard? Basically, forced alien visitation and the blood and the…..
Scientist #8: Enough of that. Gordon is a highly trained professional, remember?
Scientist #7: Ah, yes. Gordon, we have complete confidence in you.
Scientist #8: Time to let him in.
[The scientists used their separate retinal scanners, and the bulkhead doors slid open, opening into an orange room. In the center of the room was the Anti-Mass Spectrometer, a massive device holding the sample: A large yellow crystal. A ladder led up to some basic controls.]
Intercom (Scientist): Alright, Gordon. The system is ready. We can begin the experiment. Simply climb up, and start the rotors. We will take care of the rest.
[Dr. Freeman went up the ladder, and pulled the power switch for the rotors.]
[The machine began to spin. Attached to it were 3 pods attached by metal wires.]
Intercom (Scientist): Good. We'll take it from here. Power to Stage 1 Emitters in 3, 2, 1.
[A yellow ray shot out of the main device, splashing on the sample in the room's center.]
Intercom (Scientist): Hmm. Standard phazer rays. Secondary Emitters in 3, 2, 1.
[The pods orbiting the Anti-Mass Spectrometer fired more yellow beams at the crystal.]
Intercom (Scientist): Power at 105%. We don't know how long the system will hold, or how long it'll take. Please work as quickly as you can. It would appear the sample is ready, Gordon. It should come up any second now. Look to the delivery system for your specimen.
[A cart carrying another yellow crystal rose up.]
Intercom (Scientist): Good. Simply roll the cart into the analysis port.
[Dr. Freeman began to roll the cart towards the beam.]
Meanwhile…
[Dr. Cross and Dr. Green monitored the stress levels.]
[Crack]
Intercom (Scientist): Gordon! Get away from the beam!
Intercom (Keller): Shut it down, now!
[Dr. Cross quickly set the dial to 0 and pulled the power lever. Nothing happened.]
Dr. Green: Any time, Gina!
Dr. Cross: I'm trying. It's not responding!
Scientist (Intercom): Attempting shutdown…It's not shutting down!
[The machine began to explode, the concussion knocking Dr. Cross, Dr. Green, and Dr. Freeman unconscious.]
Meanwhile…
[Barney finally arrives at the sector G lift.]
Scientist #9: It's about time! We don't pay you people to lollygag at your own convenience. Make this work, so we can get on with this miserable day.
[Barney examined the wires. He pulled a red wire, and jammed it into the main calibrator, then pushed the transfer button. It started with a jolt.]
Barney : (Angrily) Why couldn't you have done that?
Scientist #10: We hadn't grounded ourselves yet.
Barney: For crying out loud. You're not installing a computer part.
[The tram descended 2 levels before stopping for a second.]
Scientist #9: Probably those Anomalous Materials people again. Look at them. Performing experiments on god knows what, handling creatures, nitpicking. I'd be surprised if there's one good brain amongst them.
Calhoun: As a matter of fact….
[The tram descended to the bottom, then stopped abruptly. The fuse box exploded, killing Scientist #10.]
[Barney cautiously drew his Beretta M9, and watched helplessly. Alien creatures began to feast on the personnel in the base. He saw strange, ham-shaped creatures, and scaly brown-skinned creatures that shot lightning bolts.]
[Suddenly, the elevator cable snapped, sending Barney and the Scientist to crash at the bottom of the shaft, the crash crushing the scientist under a pile of debris. The last thing Barney saw before passing out was a ham-shaped alien gnawing at a nearby Security Guard.]
Meanwhile…..
[Dr. Cross slowly got up and surveyed her surroundings. The Anti-Mass Spectrometer was busted beyond easy repair. Most of the facility was in the same condition. She quickly ran over to Dr. Green. Her ears were dripping blood.]
Suit (Dr. Green): Warning: Moderate Concussion Detected. Automatic Medical System Malfunction: Unable to properly treat. Emergency Medical Assistance Required.
[Dr. Cross quickly took out some Morphine and a general stimulant, and began to apply first aid.]
Intercom (Dr. Rosenburg): Dr. Keller! All you alright? Everyone's dead!
Intercom (Keller): Never mind that. We've got ourselves a resonance cascade!
Intercom (Rosenburg) : We have to get everyone out of here. Clean the base. Call for help. Something!
Intercom (Keller): I know. We have to deal with the problem. With any luck, Dr. Cross and Dr. Green may have survived. I'll see if I can reach them from here.
Intercom (Rosenburg): No! Don't touch that!
[Dr. Cross finished treating Dr. Green. A minute later, she slowly came to her senses.]
Dr. Green: Mind telling me what happened?
Dr. Cross: Well, we caused the first-ever resonance cascade scenario. Pretty much screwed up today, haven't we?
[Dr. Green got up to her feet, still a bit groggy.]
Dr. Green: How….Who….Why did this happen?
Dr. Cross: Whoever gave us the sample was really full of shit.
Dr. Green: We won't get any closer to solving this dilemma if we don't get moving.
Dr. Cross: I don't know if you should move in that condition.
Dr. Green: Don't worry. I'll manage the suit. It figures that the prototype would falter now, of all times.
[A bulkhead exploded, and lowered slightly. Dr. Cross and Dr. Green crawled underneath it to reach the hallway. Staring right at them was an alien. A small, crab-like 4-legged alien.]
[It made a clicking growling noise, and then leaped at Dr. Cross's head. She ducked, and her hair was grazed by the alien's fangs. Dr. Green quickly ducked and crushed the alien with her heel. It oozed yellow blood. Two more crabs crawled down the hallway towards them.]
[Dr. Green pulled out her crowbar. Dr. Cross quickly followed suit.]
Dr. Green: What do we call these things?
Dr. Cross: Dead meat.
Elsewhere…
[Dr. Freeman slowly came to, looking around the test chamber. The chamber was in ruins. Electric wires openly spouting electricity, the machine's parts were all over the chamber, and the sample was buried under a pile of rubble.]
[He quickly stepped out into the main hallway. A scientist resurrected a Security Guard with CPR. Gordon ignored their plight, and walked up into the elevator. The plasma cells had burst, with more of the crab creatures inside, held back by the cracked glass. Dr. Vance was tending to an injured Dr. Kleiner.]
[Gordon quickly ran over to assist.]
Dr. Freeman: Kleiner! Are you alright?
Dr. Kleiner: I'm fine. But, I never would believe this.
Dr. Vance: Why wouldn't the administrator listen to me?
Dr. Kleiner: I can't believe I'd *see* a resonance cascade, let alone create one.
[Dr. Vance turned to face Gordon.]
Dr. Vance: Gordon! Thank God that you're alright. Those suits are well designed. I need you to help us. I'm too afraid to move, and all the phones are dead. Get to the surface as soon as you can. If there are any remaining personnel, I'm sure they'll help you.
Dr. Freeman: What are these crab creatures?
[Dr. Vance walked over to the rent plasma cells.]
[From what I've seen, they can latch onto a human's head, and directly control their nervous system using a long beak of some sort. I've decided to call them Head crabs. What do you think?]
Dr. Freeman: Sounds good to me. Maybe we should get a blood sample, or find a biological weakness?
Dr. Vance: Don't bother. They die easily enough, but they're sneaky, and usually travel in packs. I'll open the door for you.
[Dr. Vance guided Gordon to the control room door. He quickly went back to tend to Dr. Kleiner. Beams of energy erupted from the busted machine, breaking the computer banks behind the wall, and destroying the door. Dodging the beams, Gordon jumped through the hole in the door. Dr. Freeman walks down the hall, until a Head crab crawls out of a pipe, and attempts to connect with his head.]
[Dr. Freeman immediately pulls the bugger off and throws it into a wall. It flipped over, screamed and died.]
[Dr. Freeman temporarily lost hold of his senses when it attempted to tap into his nervous system. He flailed around into the next room, and stopped right before wandering into the path of a laser.]
[The pipes along the wall had broken, and were emitting ultra-hot lasers. Dr. Freeman carefully ducked the lasers, as one cut a dead security guard in half. Next to a locked door was a crowbar, jammed in the glass. He pulled it out with a swift tug, breaking the glass.]
[All of a sudden, he noticed a message on his communication interface. It was Dr. Cross and Dr. Green.]
Dr. Green (Radio): This is Dr. Colette Green, operating on all open HEV frequencies. Is anyone there?
Dr. Freeman: This is Dr. Freeman. Are you okay?
Dr. Green (Radio): For the time being, yes. Dr. Cross is fine, also.
Dr. Freeman: What about Black Mesa Security personnel?
Dr. Cross (Radio): Only a few left in the entire facility. Most of them are dead. Not all the guards have suit radios.
Dr. Freeman: Damn it! One of my best friends was a security guard.
Dr. Cross (Radio): You're not the only one. We all lost friends and colleagues. Right now, we need to worry about the current situation. There are two problems: One, we're trapped in this facility. Two, there's the possibility of this invasion spreading.
Dr. Freeman: If there are any living staff members, I'm sure they're already making a push to call in the Marines for assistance. That just leaves getting out of here.
Dr. Freeman: Right. We'll stay in contact. Let me know if Barney is transmitting anything radio-based.
Dr. Green (Radio): We will, but don't get your hopes up.
Dr. Freeman: Right. See you later.
[Dr. Freeman crawled through the hole in the door, and walked over to the elevator. The elevator dropped to the bottom of shaft, showering debris everywhere. Dr. Freeman let fly a string of curses, then took the maintenance ladder up. ]
[A security guard was waiting at the top of the ladder, and yanked Gordon off the ladder, sending him spinning into the wall.]
Security 9: You! I can tell that this is all your fault! You were in the chamber when it happened! I know what you did. You thought you could get away with sabotaging the Spectrometer, huh?
Dr. Freeman: It wasn't my fault! The sample spawned this!
Security 9: You're lying. There's no way out of this.
Dr. Freeman: I really wish I didn't have to do this….
[The guard pulled out his Beretta M9 and aimed it directly at Gordon. With a flick of his wrist, Gordon knocked the pistol right out of his hand, and gave him a good jab in the kidneys, sending the guard staggering across the room. He quickly regained his senses, and floored Dr. Freeman, rolling him right next to the open elevator shaft.]
[Feeling a rush of adrenaline, Dr. Freeman grabs the guard by his vest, and pulls him to the ground, face-first. He goes over and picks up his pistol.]
Security #9: Go ahead. Finish it.
[Dr. Freeman put his foot on the guard's back.]
Dr. Freeman: No. You're losing your mind. This will happen two ways. One is I take your pistol, and leave you for the aliens. Second, you accept my offer, and you get to help me get out of this place. I hope I'm perfectly clear. What'll it be?
Security #9: Not like I have a choice in the matter. #2.
Dr. Freeman: Good. You're learning.
[He pulled the guard back up to his feet and gave him back the pistol.]
[Two scientists lumbered towards Dr. Freeman. They had Head crabs where their faces should have been. Their arms were thin strands of flesh attached to sharp claws, and had a massive maw for a chest.]
Dr. Freeman: Ahem. You might want to shoot them.
Security #9: Now, you want me to kill, as well?
Dr. Freeman: That Head crab on their heads, it's controlling them. Are you stupid or something?
[One of the scientists clawed the guard, leaving bloody scars on the guard's face. In retaliation, he pulled out his pistol and fired a few shots, which hit the creature in the midsection. It shrugged the shots off. It raised its claws again. Suddenly, Dr. Freeman jabs his crowbar into the creature's Head crab. It flops for a bit, then slumps over, dead.]
Dr. Freeman: Only head shots count. Just like zombies.
[The guard fired off another shot, directed at Gordon, this time. He ducked, just in time, to blast the other zombie.]
[Dr. Freeman looked behind him and noticed. ]
Dr. Freeman: Next time, warn me. You could have blown my head off.
Security #9: Apology accepted.
[They went down the hallways. They popped out two more zombies, before examining the personnel area. Dr. Freeman picked out two power modules for the HEV suit hastily stuffed into his locker. The readout read 30% power status. The guard found two 9mm clips in Guthrie's locker. He threw one of them to Dr. Freeman. ]
Security #9: Keep it. It might come in handy if you find a pistol.
Dr. Freeman: Right. I'll manage it from here. See you around.
[He left and headed towards the exit.]
Elsewhere….
[Dr. Cross and Dr. Green finished off the Head crabs. ]
Dr. Green: At least they don't have acid blood, or I'd be dead.
Dr. Cross: Maybe the security checkpoint has something useful.
[Dr. Cross smashed the cracked windows in with her foot. Inside were a dead security guard, 2 Beretta M9s, 4 clips, and two power modules. ]
[As if to punish success, 3 ham-shaped aliens teleported out of thin air. They made whines similar to dogs. All of a sudden, they made a series of high-pitched whines that reached sonic decibel. Their screeching calls rip across Dr. Cross and Dr. Green's ears. Dr. Cross frantically tried to ignore the noise annihilating her eardrums, while Dr. Green screamed out in pain.]
[Dr. Cross leaped out of the booth, firing both pistols at the creatures. Within seconds, they fell over dead, with a eye-lid like material over their fronts.]
Dr. Green: Thanks. What are those things?
Dr. Cross: Dr. Cross's creature nickname center suggests Hound eyes.
Dr. Green: I won't ask. Hound eyes they are.
Dr. Cross: Hold on. I've got a message from Gordon.
Dr. Freeman (Radio): How goes the escaping?
Dr. Green: Rough going. You know, someone's going to have to rescue the remaining survivors. And stop the invasion.
Dr. Freeman (Radio): They're still coming through?
Dr. Cross: Yeah, in small resonating warp gates. They're only small enough to accommodate small to medium-size creatures. Of course, there could be larger species….
Dr. Freeman (Radio): That's enough. Geez. I'm guessing you already met the Head crabs? You know 4 legs, controls people's nervous systems and turns them into zombies.
Dr. Green: I'd say so. Watch for Hound eyes.
Dr. Freeman (Radio): Those would be…?
Dr. Cross: Three-legged ham shaped dogs. With no heads. They have a sonic blast attack. And an array of eyes, much like a mosquito.
Dr. Freeman (Radio): Too much information. Anyways, it looks like the normal way out is busted. The tram system is down. The rails are busted to pieces, along with the catwalk. You have any other ideas on how to get out of here?
Dr. Green: If I remember correctly, the way out would be to go through the sewer system to the office complexes, and through a series of old storage bunkers from the Cold War. Then there's a... [Static]
Dr. Freeman (Radio): [Static] Hello? Are you… [Static] The transmission's breaking… [Static] Forget it. I'll ask later.
[Dr. Cross handed Dr. Green one of the pistols and some ammo. Together, they shoot their way through a mass of Head crabs and Zombies. Heavy music plays in the background.]
[Eventually, they reach Dr. Keller and Dr. Rosenburg. They seem somewhat startled at first.]
Dr. Keller: Ah! [Sigh] You startled me for a moment. Thank goodness you're both still alive. Those suits of yours are very well designed, Dr. Cross.
Dr. Cross: Though not as well as I would like. I'd be dead if it wasn't for Dr. Green.
Dr. Green: Flatterer. Although it's true.
Dr. Keller: Right. Doctors, we've formulated a plan. You two are to escort Dr. Rosenburg to the surface, so that we can call the military for assistance. I couldn't possibly make it in my chair. I'll stay behind and assess the damage to our equipment and the extent of the cascade.
Dr. Rosenburg: I don't like the idea of leaving you here, but it seems we don't have a choice in the matter. Let's go.
[Dr. Cross, Dr. Green and Dr. Rosenburg stepped into the elevator, and transferred.]
Elsewhere…..
[Dr. Freeman approached a dying security guard near the airlock. He turned to face Gordon.]
Security 10: Listen to me…..You…You have to leave this place, they'll kill all of us….
[The guard made a feeble attempt to reach the wall-mounted medical station, before expiring. Dr. Freeman frowned, and then grabbed the Beretta M9 off the guard's corpse. He crawled through the scattered airlock fragments, and into maintenance.]
[Dr. Freeman switched out the empty clip in the pistol for the fresh one the guard had given him.]
[A scientist ran into the corner, running from two Hound eyes. Dr. Freeman quickly drew his pistol and scattered the creatures with bullets, killing one.]
Scientist #9: Thank you, Dr. Freeman. I was trying to get to the surface, when I got caught by those creatures. I believe the best way out is through the old storage rooms. Just head down that way, through the old pipe and down the cargo lift.
Dr. Freeman: Alright. You should stay here. It's not safe.
Scientist #9: Very well. Good luck.
[Dr. Freeman looked up to see the MIDB stare at him for a minute before walking away. Two more Hound eyes appeared, plus the other one from earlier. Dr. Freeman lured them over to a corner, where he kicked two of them in the eyes and shot one down. They let out a sonic whine attack. The combined force of their attacks brought Dr. Freeman to his knees. Bent over in pain, he popped all three of them down with the pistol. He slowly walked down the hallway, while taking an ammo count. 5 bullets left. There were two sewer grates separated by a steel crisscrossing wall, a dumpster to the left and a steel door. When Dr. Freeman approached the sewer grates, he heard a noise behind the door. Suddenly, it started to bend outwards. Finally, a long scaly arm burst through the door, bending the steel easily. The creature broke the door off the hinges. It had brown, smooth skin, long sharp claws like rocks. It had strange shackles around its neck, wrists, and feet. It had a humanoid figure, no jaw and one big red eye surrounded by smaller red eyes. It spoke in a strange language.]
[As if compelled to attempt to make contact with this obviously more intelligent species, he stretched out his hand in a sign of non-aggression.]
Dr. Freeman: Hello? Do you talk? Me human. Friend.
[The creature shook its head in confusion, then grabbed Gordon by the arm and thrust him across the room, knocking over several barrels.]
[Dr. Freeman struggled to his feet.]
Dr. Freeman: I guess not.
[He pulled out his pistol and fired at the creature. 2 shots missed completely, 1 shot tore some skin off the creature's back, and two shots pierced the creature's chest. ]
[Dr. Freeman realized he was out of ammo.]
[The creature hissed at Dr. Freeman, and arced its claws. Massive amounts of electricity gathered in the claws. It quickly released the green-ish electricity and fired it at Gordon. He managed to duck it. The creature then picked Dr. Freeman up by the arm, and put one of its claws up to Gordon's throat, threatening to kill. It raised its arm, looking to finish it, just the moment Gordon was waiting for. He took out his crowbar and jammed it in the creature's mouth hole. In pain, it dropped Dr. Freeman and staggered, attempting to pull the metal bar out of the roof of its mouth, bleeding rapidly. ]
[Inside the cave it came from, Gordon picked up two spare clips. He quickly loaded the clips in, and dropped the beast with a shot in the eye.]
[It was starting to give up the fight. Gordon went over, and yanked out the crowbar, the tip coated in yellow blood.]
[It spit out what blood was left inside its mouth. Gordon put his foot on the creature's chest to keep it from getting up.]
[It made it clearly evident it could speak English.]
Alien: You….You are stronger than the rest. Makes….No Difference, though. We will destroy you in the end.
Dr. Freeman: Whatever. Why are you doing this? You appear to be a bit more intelligent than the other species.
Creature: Fellow Vortigaunts will kill under control…..
[The Vortigaunt expired.]
[Dr. Freeman took his foot off the dead alien's chest, and dropped down into the vent.]
Elsewhere….
[Dr. Rosenburg, Dr. Cross, and Dr. Green reached the surface.]
Dr. Rosenburg: If any of us are to get out of here alive, then we'll have to use this old communication array to call in the military. Before we go, take these.
[Dr. Rosenburg handed Dr. Cross and Dr. Green two SPAS-12 Shotguns, complete with 12 shells.]
Dr. Cross: This is definitely to my expectations.
Dr. Green: (With a chuckle) Let's not get too excited.
[Dr. Rosenburg took a crowbar, and pried the gate to the comm. facility open. They quickly dashed through the sand, watchful for aliens. None appeared. ]
[The door to the control center swwung open loosely.]
[They quickly dashed over to the main controls.]
Dr. Rosenburg: It seems that the dish is not alligned properly. Go over to the building next to it and rotate the alignment wheel until the light turns green.
Dr. Cross: I guess I'll do it. We'll stay in touch using the suit radio.
[Dr. Cross left and went over to the other comm building. She found the wheel and turned it until it glowed with a flourescent green light.]
Dr. Green(Radio): Good, the dish is alligned. Come on back here.
[Suddenly, 3 Vortigaunts appeared out of nowhere. ]
Dr. Cross: I could use some help over here.
Dr. Green(Radio): Hang on. I'll be there as soon as I can.
[Dr. Cross took a bolt to the chest, as she ducked for cover. The aliens were waiting behind the cover. The first one delivered a damaging swat, knocking the shotgun out of her hands. Two of the vortigaunts grabbed her arms, and held her still.]
[Dr. Cross fruitlessly struggled. ]
Dr. Cross: Goddamn it! Let me go, you stinky piles of crap!
[The third one let loose a happy snarl, and began to tear at Dr. Cross's suit.]
Suit(Dr. Cross): Warning: Structural damage detected. Deploying emergency measures.
[A small prod popped out of the shoulder and delivered a painful shock in the Vortigaunt's large eye. It thrashed around, ripping a chunk of wiring and electronics out of the keypad in the center of the suit, before Dr. Green blasted the poor creature with her shotgun. The shock of it all caused the other two to flee, dropping Dr. Cross quickly.]
Dr. Green: Are you okay, Dr. Cross?
Dr. Cross: I'm fine, but my suit will need repairs.
Dr. Green: I think there's a toolbox in the comm facility. You can use that to fix your suit. But first, let's activate the communications network.
Dr. Cross: Right. Let's go.
[Inside the communication facility, Dr. Rosenberg activated the network.]
Dr. Rosenberg: Now to activate the systems.
Communications: Test. Test. Testing.
Dr. Rosenberg: Excellent. Now we can call in the military for assistance.
Dr. Keller(Radio): Dr. Rosenberg, send down Dr. Cross and Dr. Green immediately. The dampening locks have gone critical and must be reset.
Dr. Rosenberg: Alright. I'll stay here and contact the military. I'm positive once they hear from us, they'll send in marines to rescue us.
[Dr. Cross and Dr. Green leave and head back into the facility.]
End Chapter 2
That finishes this chapter. I'll post once I have some free time. Also, I would like to apologize for the long period of not posting anything. decided to hate me and not accept any articles. Hazardous Course was skipped due to it screwing up the plot line.