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09

A pair of binoculars stared into the wheat field, held by Colonel Olson Cusack, a man in his late thirties with cold blue eyes, a profound deep brow and neatly combed brown hair. He donned black body armor that had a red printed Black Mesa symbol on the chest. Everything about him spoke volumes of a man who would - and often did - go through any means to get results that he needed. Having been enlisted with Black Mesa's new military force, he was more than willing to prove that he had what it took.

And he had seen it.

The satellite that was owned by Aperture Science had moved from its position in space deep into the more remote areas of Upper Michigan. The scientists working alongside his team had isolated the fall to this area.

He was determined to find the facility at any cost.

"Olson?"

The man snorted gruffly, impatient by the interruption of his thoughts before turning to face a small, scrawny scientist standing there. Behind him were various other egg-heads busy at work near their vehicles and makeshift laboratories, working to triangulating the precise location of the fallen satellite.

"What is it?" Olson demanded.

"Well...we've found it." the scientist said. "Underground. It goes on for miles."

Olson's features pulled into a grin. "Really? Where?"

"A mile from our current position."

"Excellent. We're moving out."

Olson looked beyond the scientist to a woman donned in similar body armor as his own; Lieutenant Kendra Stokes, a younger officer whom he had the greatest admiration for given her rapid rise in the ranks and unwavering sense of duty.

She seemed distracted, however, as she watched the moon hanging overhead. Olson walked up to her with a friendly chuckle.

"Kendra, you look like you're a bit distracted," he said.

She stared at him worriedly. "Are we sure that Cave Johnson's even still alive?"

"He's probably kept himself under lock and key with the rest of those experiments he talked about," Olson told her, "When we find him, we'll have Aperture by the balls. That shithole will be ours soon enough as well as every bit of tech that Johnson stole from us."

"Aperture may be on the lower end of government contracts, but they're not amateurs." Kendra reminded him.

Olson agreed with a murmur. "Yeah, I know. Which is why we got these."

He reached into a side holster and held up a Desert Eagle to prove his point.

Kendra smiled somewhat. "Yeah...boys with their toys get this company far, I guess." she remarked. Then, her smile disappeared and she stared out through the field with concern. "I just don't know what we can expect when we head down there."

O

Chell snored.

That horrible little monster snored like a grizzly bear, GLaDOS thought, watching her test subject with disgust as she slept in her makeshift bed. Then again, it wasn't a poor comparison; fat, loud, and quite destructive.

But the AI had an important question to approach her test subject with and sleeping would not answer them. So she bent down and poked Chell's cheek with one finger. The action stirred a grumble from the test subject and she tried to turn away, but GLaDOS grabbed her arm and shook it.

"Get up!" she ordered, "End Sleep Mode. Come on, wake up!"

Chell made an annoyed sound and opened her eyes halfway, glaring up at the AI with discontent. "What?" she asked.

GLaDOS sat down in front of her and looked dead serious. "I need to ask you something and it's of the gravest importance that I have your full, undivided attention."

Now, Chell looked concerned and she straightened up, propping her head up on her elbow. "What is it?" she asked, rubbing her eye with the other hand.

GLaDOS frowned down at her, considering the memory file she had viewed and how to properly question the human about it. "I want to know if you recall us ever encountering one another before your...well...episode," she said, "Maybe when you were much younger perhaps?"

Chell's features clouded in deep thought and her eyes wandered upward for a long time. GLaDOS watched her impatiently, not really wanting to see how many ridiculous faces the test subject could make. But Chell simply shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

"No, I don't," she replied, "Why?"

Hmm, so it is true after all. She wouldn't remember it, GLaDOS thought. Those sneaky little-

"Why?" Chell asked again, sitting up completely now.

GLaDOS met her gaze for a moment, contemplative before she sighed and closed her eyes. "I've just recently made a few interesting discoveries as of late," she explained, "My corrupted memory files seem to play back to me while in Sleep Mode and I saw you in one of them; a miniature version of you anyway."

Chell smiled somewhat, amused. "You were dreaming about me?"

GLaDOS glared at her indignantly. "That is a baseless accusation," she snapped. "Considering the fact that mechanical constructs do not dream."

Chell was still smiling and shook her head. "Whatever you say."

GLaDOS made a sound of disgust before rolling her eyes. "I think I preferred it when you didn't talk at all..."

Meanwhile, Wheatley was alone in the main chamber, struggling to get himself free from the manipulation claw that held him. "Oh, it's like being on my management rail all over again!" he groaned. He started swinging himself a bit, laughing nervously. "Oh, I can't do this, I can't -" His legs almost reached the other side of the chamber and he grinned, realizing he could reach one of the panels opened up on the wall. " - oh, this is good, this is very good, I - okay, one...two..."

He reached up with his feet, but the panel closed up and he was swung back like a fish on a hook. "Ahh! For the love of..." Wheatley growled. Once he stopped swinging enough, he groaned with anguish. "Oh, it can't get any worse, can it?"

But sure enough, one of the computer monitors flashed a WARNING across the screen and displayed a security video feed where Black Mesa was making their way into the facility. Wheatley's eyes widened and he made frantic sounds. "Okay, um...obviously it can. Just my luck, I can - "

Suddenly, the entire room was bathed in darkness and the claw holding Wheatley opened, sending the humanoid construct falling to the floor face-first with a groan of pain.

"Ow." he murmured, against the floor, "Ow..."

He slowly got to his feet and looked around warily. "That's...not supposed to happen, right?"

It wasn't.

GLaDOS and Chell looked up, just as the announcer spoke up over the darkness that bathed the room. "Attention, security defense protocols have been compromised."

Chell looked at the AI who seemed absolutely furious. "If that little moron managed to escape somehow, I'm going to violently disassemble him with my own two hands!" She stood up and Chell copied her move, but the AI gestured for her to stay. "No, you stay here."

Chell stared at her in disbelief and started forward, but GLaDOS pressed a stern finger into her shoulder and spoke to her as if she was an impudent pet who refused to obey her master's command. "No, stay. STAY."

The human looked annoyed and did remain as GLaDOS rushed from the room. She paced around it a bit, but the itch to remain wasn't as strong as the one that told her to follow. So she rolled her eyes and grumbled, leaving the room to follow the AI.

Meanwhile, GLaDOS was running down the hallways and rounded the corner, only to come face-to-face with blinding lights owned by Black Mesa military. They shouted "get down" when a taser fired two darts into her chest. The charge was barely enough to make her circuits twitch and GLaDOS stood there, glaring at them with annoyance before ripping the taser wires from her body.

"It's a fucking machine!" one of the men cried, "Get it!"

GLaDOS barely had time to react before wires were shot in her direction from a cannon and encircled her legs. She was sent tumbling to the floor in a heap and swarmed upon by the humans. Their filthy hand grabbed and restrained her. She struggled against the multitude of hands that held her, feeling a sense that they were reminiscent of those things that would have easily dismantled her core had she been in her chassis body.

"Take your hands off me!" she shouted, "No! Stop!"

"Wow, it talks like a human," Kendra murmured, looking up at Olson.

Olson curled his lips in a sneer. "Yeah, I bet Johnson built this thing. Aperture's full of freaks and perverts..."

GLaDOS clenched her teeth with fury. "You take your hands off of me before I - "

"Before you what?" Olson sneered, leaning down to her. "You think you're in charge of this place?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," GLaDOS snapped, struggling against the human's groping, monkey grips - she hated their touch and how it reminded her of those horrible days of her experimentation. "I am the Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System and you - "

One of the soldiers looked confused. "Wait, that GLaDOS thing Aperture got a boner over?"

"That is a very vulgar comparison..." GLaDOS curled her lips in a sneer.

Olson smiled and nodded to his soldiers. "We'll figure it out. Even if we have to pull it apart."

GLaDOS' eyes widened in horror. The idea of having anything dig through her circuits in an unwanted manner sent a shiver through her back.

Just then, Chell rounded the corner, just in time to see the situation. Her eyes widened and the soldiers whirled on her. GLaDOS glared at her in horrified fury before she was swarmed upon by them. the AI was amazed with how much Chell fought back; a human grabbed her from behind and she kicked out her legs when another attempted to subdue her - only to get a face-full of her Long Fall boots. He cried out in pain and gripped his face with two hands. Chell didn't have a moment to revel in the victory because she was overcome and had cuffs slapped onto her wrists and legs.

"So what the hell do we have here?" Olson purred, walking up to Chell and taking her jaw in a rough grip, forcing her to look up at him.

Chell glared down at his hand and made a move to bite it, but he recoiled with a grunt. Olson glared at her murderously before punching her swiftly in the stomach. Chell's eyes widened and she let out a gasp of pain before slipping into unconsciousness. She went limp in the soldier's arms and GLaDOS snarled, struggling in the grips of her captors.

"Crazy bitch..." Olson snapped.

"What do we do, sir?" Kendra asked cautiously.

Olson gestured to the men holding Chell. "Take that one somewhere and try to get some info out of her. I'll deal with the machine."

GLaDOS squirmed, watching the men drag Chell away. "Where are you doing with... No, stop!" she shouted, "Where are you taking her?"

Olson smirked and knelt down in front of her. "The way you're carrying on, I'm inclined to believe you got a little thing for that girl back there," he sneered, "What is she supposed to be, like, a pet of yours or something?"

"She is Aperture property and will NOT be handled by anything or anyone other than such!"

A chuckle was the response she received from the humans. Olson shared in their amusement and shook his head. "Well that's cute," he said, "But that don't mean dick to me, sweetheart. You should really be worried about you right now and what we're gonna do to you."

However, Black Mesa didn't realize that they were being watched by Wheatley and the rest of the cores from high above in the walls.

"What do we do?" Rick whispered, "They've got our girls!"

Wheatley shook his head fiercely. "We need to get out of here, that's what!"

"And go where?" Rick snapped, glaring at him, "When last I looked, we don't leave a man behind."

Wheatley laughed scathingly. "Well, when last I looked, we don't help sadistic computers who spend hours of their time torturing you!"

Rick grabbed his hand before he could turn around. "But we do help the ladies," he argued sternly, "That's what guys are supposed to do. But most importantly, that's what a friend should do. You're her friend and I think you owe her one for being a douchebag."

"Douche - Are you serious?" Wheatley exclaimed angrily, "Are you seriously going to call me that just now? After what she did to me? After that maniac of a machine put me through hell? I should just run around and risk my life for her? Is that what you're telling me?"

Rick's top optic shutter lowered with dismay. "I'm saying you should take your head outta your ass once in a while and think about those who need your help."

Wheatley groaned and covered his face with two hands. "Nope. Nopenopenopenope, not listening. Not letting your attempt at bringing me guilt sink in. Nope. No, I won't." He gritted his teeth and tugged at his synthetic cheeks. "Oh there it is. Oh no. It's there. Guilt swimming in. Guilt is swimming in. Oh God, I hate you. I really, really do."

Rick chuckled before imitating John Wayne. "Well all right, Gunny! We're goin' to war!"

"I still hate you though..." Wheatley growled as they continued crawling through the wall.

O

Chell felt sick to her stomach.

Oh that's right. Because she'd just been punched to the point that she passed out. Her vision was unfocused, bleary and she could barely make out two shapes in the room with her - a man and a woman in Black Mesa military body armor. When her vision focused, she could see that the man was young with a typical boyish rookie way about him that screamed for attention. The woman looked older, possibly in her late thirties with greying brown hair and a few facial scars.

"Well, looks who's waking up," the man said, smiling, "It's about time."

"Thomas, make sure she talks soon," the woman ordered. She folded her arms across her chest and looked around with a glint of fear in her eyes. "This place gives me the creeps."

This place? Where were they? Chell looked around, realizing they were in an old cafeteria that looked like it had been made into one of "The Rat's" dens. The walls were covered in paintings and various other artworks he'd drawn and several cans littered the place. It also gave Chell a moment to realize that she had been cuffed to a chair with her arms behind her back, giving her very little space to move about.

"Yeah, yeah. Take it easy..." Thomas muttered.

He knelt down in front of Chell, who glared murderously at him. "Hey, I know this place ain't for a pretty thing like you. So what say you come work for us? You can swap some trade secrets and tell us everything we need to know. Like where is Johnson hiding? What do you say?"

Chell smiled coldly. "Yeah...that sounds nice," she sneered. "Do I get to wear a cute little outfit like yours?"

Thomas' smile disappeared. He sighed and rubbed his face with one hand. "Okay, you don't know me, so I probably should tell you that I really have this problem with jokes," he said, dropping his voice to a darker register, "So I suggest you cooperate and things won't have to get a little physical."

Chell simply stared back, unflinching. Thomas could see that this one would be more difficult to crack, so he simply rolled his eyes and stood up, reaching into a pouch on his belt and removing a pair of knuckles. Chell eyed the gleaming object warily before lifting her defiant gaze to Thomas.

"Last chance, lady," he said, smirking. "No? Ah, that's too bad. It's quite a shame that I have to mess up such a pretty face here."

Meanwhile, GLaDOS was restrained in a similar manner, but had her arms and legs tied up with wires and connected to a device that Olson and Kendra assured would "produce results". Olson was holding a small, hand-held controller and smiled down at the AI.

"So...GLaDOS..." he said, "Are you going to tell me where Cave Johnson is?"

GLaDOS smirked up at him. "You're wasting your time."

Olson chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I am, aren't I?" With that, he turned up a dial on the control device.

GLaDOS body was suddenly riddled with agony as an electrical current surged through her. She let out a scream of pain, jerking uncontrollably in her restraints. Kendra winced at the horrible sound before GLaDOS slumped forward, sounding rather breathless for a machine without lungs.

Olson chuckled and tilted his head. "Nah, you're right. How about we talk about your little friend back there? Is she some kind of little pet to you? I saw a lot of those test chambers back there. Do you need her to jump through hoops or something to get you off?"

That elicited a wide-eyed look from the AI. "Leave her alone..." she grunted, "She has nothing to do with this."

"Ahhh...but I think she does," Olson argued, "Because you've obviously got a soft spot for her, otherwise you wouldn't mind my boy Thomas grilling her for information. God only knows what kind of mess she's in now."

Oh God, she's more trouble than she's worth...the AI thought bitterly.

"Sir..." Kendra began, warily.

Olson laughed and straightened. "Oh don't worry, Kendra," he said, "It's just a machine. It ain't got feelings or anything like that." He turned and started to leave. "I'm going to check up on the progress with our egg-heads. Watch this room and make sure no one comes in."

Kendra nodded an affirmative and left the room with him. The door closed behind the two humans, leaving GLaDOS alone in the dark.

They were all disgusting. Every single last human down to their pathetic hearts. They had the audacity to come into HER facility and make demands, not to mention they were probably ruining her test subject.

Oh, there was that, wasn't there?

So long as she was being sincere with herself, she DID worry about the human.

And the reasons why made her think there was something serious wrong with her.

Stupid humans...GLaDOS thought bitingly, They always find a way to get under your circuits.

She didn't know how long they'd be here, but once she was free, the humans would learn a vital lesson in neurotoxin.

Maybe even more.