Half-Life: Cache Grab

by Muthsaurus

A group of ragtag Resistance fighters race to secure an old Soviet cache before the Combine can get to it first.

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cdf187806fac1ca4c9736f98bfd07512"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Dr. Freeman! Since you shut off the suppressor and opened the gate, we can really move people through now! The Combine's gonna feel the squeeze! We dropped a crate of rockets, coming across the plaza. If you can make it there, you should have everything you need to take down these striders." /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6e644e70a9fe3145c88b5b6261af5754"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b3c4eedcb5cbe63ed33f8d3baaca72f3"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"It is three days before the u style="box-sizing: border-box;"uprising./u/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="369176f711683be8aeecffdd7043522a"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"City 17 /uoutskirts, three klicks north of the u style="box-sizing: border-box;"QZ/u. Abandoned railway depot. u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Resistance/u style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Vanno"/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7f78cb9af870f92b9b4c7f51d24695f9"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"5:49 AM/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a55d2a039d32b341733f22cab9a21da6"John Becker wiped the sweat off his brow, and slowly slid back the bolt of his rifle. He'd done the very same action countless times before, of course, but in spite of that fact, he was afraid of what he'd see. The bolt bit back on the receiver, and John peered into the chamber. To his glee, not even the brownest hint of rust stained the weapon. He let out a smile, but stifled himself. A quick glance simply wasn't good enough, even if it had promising results. He inspected closer, taking in every detail, and noticed the grumpled texture of corrosion scars lining the chamber. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8efb8639cfd0fd96b3033b750eb1da06"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Nothing I can do about that/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c9ca3c765ce89320fa2dc8e90aff7108"John sighed and let go of the bolt, watching it swiftly slide back and fall into place with a satisfying click. He took a moment to crack his knuckles, and inspected the rest of the weapon. The copper desk light glinted off the blackened metal receiver, which elicited a mild panic from John as he grabbed some steel wool and moved to clean off what he thought was a mote of rust that he had missed. He breathed a sigh of relief as he realized the trick, and slapped the steel wool down on the messy table, which was littered with empty cartridge casings and old tools, battered by years of use./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0b6b610fb4cfc5b00b072b3414380a4c"The reaction was well within reason for John, of course. For in the very center of that table, held up by a chipped turquoise vise and illuminated with the heavenly copper gradient of a sodium light, was his magnum opus - the AK-47. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e0e386100a15bb17b0b48e3bfd887582"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"The great equalizer./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c1c1d5738fde8b56b0ad043bcc4373e1"Okay, that may have been a lie. Everyone had called it the AK-47, but he knew right away from the stamped receiver and the relatively light weight that it was in fact an AKM, not a 47. It's not like it mattered to anybody except for John, though. He was always very particular about his firearms./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0fba6de1cea60c8e6f3ed02ff853d8d5"After the final phase of inspection was complete, John took a step back and admired it. He had spent a good week or two cleaning it, replacing broken parts, and ensuring the quality of the rifle. He was still yet to fire any live ammunition from it, but it was clear even from a glance that it was ready. John steadily grabbed a box of 7.62x39, and slid a single cartridge into the iconic banana-shaped magazine. He inserted the mag, flipped the fire selector down by two, and chambered the round with the most satisfying em style="box-sizing: border-box;"cha-ching/em he'd ever heard. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e7fbf641c9cc0f787093e05b5d8e79da"John had held big guns before - hell, he'd even gotten the chance to co-opt one of the Combine's infamous pulse rifles before - but something about a Kalashnikov was just so... human. It was real, tangible, and it reeked of power. John savored that power. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5e4f8fbfaee94023e674c19f69787090"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"* BANG * BANG * BANG */em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c0a6181aa69c12fd1b302b6d89c06076"John flinched, and almost ripped the AK out of the vise when he heard the trio of loud metallic knocks upon his door. He had almost mistaken them for gunshots, but he knew that was unlikely. They'd gone under the radar in this old rail depot for almost a year now. And unless the Combine had suddenly changed their patrol patterns.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="abf8575bcf1405d0b178d1cf1751ac15""John! Get out here!" Came a woman's voice, muffled by the walls. It didn't sound entirely urgent (Cass was always one to be over-dramatic, anyway), so John didn't feel the need to hurry. He shook his head and stood up from his chair, making a point to crack his back as he walked to the door. It was almost invisible across the corrugated steel walls, but to those who knew where to look, the little indent between the cutout and the rest of the container was clear as day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3d10acf41f90a06d76311c61a596a8d9"He unlatched the panel and watched it swing open, almost hitting the brown-skinned woman standing on the other side. Her stance was that of a disappointed mother ready to scold her child, although it hardly seemed to faze John, who leaned against the crate almost mockingly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e60622204836bfa593b0d536129dbdba""Finally finished that pet project of yours, did you? Good. Now you can finally do some damn work around here," /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="926bdffbdefdea87b09ea1ffbfe133ed""Good morning to you too, Cass. Now can you tell me why you were banging my crate at em style="box-sizing: border-box;"five in the fucking morning?"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5fab3074848671050852c3504ce25523""Oh, quit complaining. I know you've been up all night working on the '47,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1bc1a93dc6fb7c8092ba831f6ae8df28""It's an AKM," John corrected, "Besides, I just finished up. I was just about to go back to bed before you started knocking,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="840f0d9192f76943dbeef32fd9cad652""Bullshit. I know you were gonna test it out. I heard the bolt cycle as I walked by,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cf5cf773cb5b2c88ad9ad48ab93af8da""Are our walls really em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that/em thin?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="62170130e824e5d25eb2e00acc939568""Hey, you chose this spot. I still say we should've gone closer to the coast,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b8a25c88a48e40c5abfc7b87979ee7b9""And have to report to em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Colonel/em em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Cubbage/em? No thanks. Just tell me what the hell it is you want,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="794b4ca576fd11cb1315cd29d1c2abac""Roman's finally back," She revealed, "With news, too. Overwatch has shifted the patrol patterns, or something, I don't know. Talk to him about it, he's on the couch. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6626dd3e01ffcb6896132b10d5992e79"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You've gotta be kidding me./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="84c2d5fda7b516bccd3ea4cb50c2207a""Shit..." John said, slowly stepping away from his crate," I hope their new route doesn't cut through Vanno. Remember what happened when they found our last spot?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="641aec7862ee87b5e5f70afeffa32dad""City scanner picked us up and Civil Protection killed my boyfriend. How the fuck am I supposed to forget?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b2b311cf0cb50200e81c07a7030e3496"John stood silent for a moment, before finally answering: "By drinking the water,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8d945e4e4575e3531af560fcf7181eaf""Not funny, asshole,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6fa0691fad0a1928661703f78f253b47"John suppressed a smirk, and instead he let out a weak apology and walked over to Roman, who was lying half-asleep on the shredded sofa they had dragged into the depot. There was also a wooden folding-chair and an overturned wood crate that they used as a makeshift table. When times were good, they'd have coffee and tell stories around it. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a8ca3de68ea261bfefc3deea25ef4f3d""Roman," John greeted, curtly nodding his head. Roman was a slender man, with curly hair tousled by sleep and a few days stubble on his pointed chin. He smiled wryly as he woke up, and spoke with a thick Russian accent./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c556e923131291e1a17928051a1d2ec0""Hey, nach. I suppose you want to hear the news?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c5333a567a3e679a236a125cd381622""Is it bad?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4624b01eaba9b5f9b2e582b696dbbfa0""It's em style="box-sizing: border-box;"concerning/em." He yawned vigorously, "Their routes have changed, as I'm sure Cass has told you,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d891441342c11bb44186793796bfb0b4""But where are they going? Are we in danger? Can we still scavenge our usual spots?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3ff27226416e48c13006e0ed760ac1a7""We should be fine here. They haven't paid attention to this depot since the QZ cut the tracks. Our spots, though? Not so much. We'll have to give the old industrial areas a wide berth, and keep away from Ivan's hideout. It's been radio silent for a few days, and Leon thinks they've been hit,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2559784b50264aa955f20cc82bde6043""Jesus Christ..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="551206ed824dab02f245615dadc580fa""That's not the worst thing. Civil protection is cracking down hard on the underground railroad. There's somebody that they're after that keeps evading them. Citadel's on full alert, too. I told Gregor to keep an eye on it,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="157bed50a749082240893c6291e1403b""Gregor? He's too green for any assignments,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="342ae2e0ccbe75ba411456925b2c8638""Calm down," Cass interrupted, nonchalantly jumping onto the sofa and almost crashing into Roman, "He's sitting on the roof looking at the citadel through some binoculars. If you think he can't handle that, then you have issues,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="32e62be5da0fd6d43263699f3ed64563"John sighed, "As long as he stays close. He's not ready for anything real yet. Now who are the Combine after that warrants putting the Citadel on full alert?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7fe728466c9ed354ad0e50e3ebb4a5ed""Erm... I don't know. It started with a G... Oh! Gertrude Freemont!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="41f5ebbae8ef559bf81067231f14b29c""Gordon Freeman!?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="86241d09d72667d72b023426864b7329""Yes! That's the one,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2a54bba301ecc8aa4eb71a2c74fa75ad""You're fucking with me. He hasn't been seen in 20 years!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3e3d820e591e6e316f2bfd385ad5e937""I would never fuck you, John. That's just who Eli said was coming. I don't know why you Americans love him so much. He killed some Aliens in a research lab. So what? I've killed plenty of aliens out here,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6083402513828de069e54a094749fa00""That's not the- Whatever. If Gordon Freeman is involved, then we know something big is about to go down,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5c9967bc4475dcd1b64a416c1833ec4""Do we?" Cass said, "I mean, all that's happened since he arrived has been pretty shitty for us, all things considered,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0ec994f1a5f68cb3e18066aeb0a71ba4""Actually," Roman interrupted, "There is something big about to happen. For us, I mean. Not for the Resistance. New orders,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5e080147fb5a8dd2097c1e0654343edf""Let me guess," Cass rolled her eyes, " em style="box-sizing: border-box;"'We found the location of an old Soviet stash that's probably completely empty and a waste of your fucking time'/em "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="281daa396855fe69369882ca532fb8bd""Yes, it is precisely that. Although they seem confident that this one isn't empty like most of the others,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7711d217f5a50985d4a5afa70d987c38""Why? How can they tell?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6a4567cc66ea7397a5289a4a6bdd53d9""Because," Roman answered, "The Combine are also looking for it,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="26478db11a74b3c8675f463fee30cba7" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8937e89d0e0bcad80afc1feaaa4b35d6"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9820bdc9a77872b17b45ca5c97c9de05"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"6:00 AM/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ad78b8b8e7d1b58a272fe927b0594395"It was a mid-sized group, by Resistance standards. Six fighters, all from varying backgrounds and skill levels. You had John Becker, who fashioned himself as the leader, Cassidy Lowenbrau, their chief mechanic and the only other person in the group who knew how to restore firearms (which, as you can imagine, has led to much bickering over who got to repair the biggest gun), Roman Volkov, who was their runner and sniper, Gregor Kolinski, who was the green lad who had only arrived the day before, Mikhail Petrov, who was ex-Civil Protection and an expert on all things technology, and finally Elena Henderson, Their medic. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fd6aa37a2778921ef683a9d8b3ba8b55""So," John Began, pacing back and forth along a decrepit old boxcar in the center of the depot. The others were all either huddled on the sofa, or, like Gregor, sitting criss-cross on the floor, "New orders have come in. Command's found the location of a possible stash, in a bunker by the Volga production center. I'm talking rockets, launchers, and other explosives. The problem is that the Combine are in the area. We don't know for sure if they are attempting to locate it themselves, but considering there's nothing else of value in the area, we believe that they are,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="186c9576c419ef36532b3373d6fb8773""That sounds tough," Elena interrupted, "How are we supposed to take on Civil Protection?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f7aa4b0b7aa1fc503687613f672e204f""I was getting to that," John replied, "You see, we not only have the benefit of knowing exactly where the stash is, but we also have the element of surprise. The Combine don't know we're coming,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3acfaa134169dd56def3587f18c9f139""So you want us to ambush them? Civil Protection is well-trained. Better trained than us, at any rate. What makes you think we'd win?" Mikhail added, adjusting his combat vest. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d389560c4092db89ff007cc8cab6757c""I em style="box-sizing: border-box;"don't /emthink we'd win. That's why we aren'tem style="box-sizing: border-box;" /emambushing them. We're distracting them. The bunker is located half a klick west of Volga, which is where they are stationed. We need to lure them east, and then take the supplies while they're distracted"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="28f33359692adf32178e9ced7e274419"Roman leaned forward, "What kind of distraction are we talking about?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dbff48b4d8ac340aab436f95b962bd62""We're talking about you. You're the only one of us who can actually hit things with the Mosin, so you'll be sniping. Pick a spot on the East ridge and stay out of their range. If you can kill any, that would be ideal, but all you need to do is shoot and lure them to you. Once they get too close, start running,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="92a1b0d414f4e2766af164c4690ce3cf""Understood, nach. I'll meet with you guys back at Vanno,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3bb6d1ac64e6c1df608940a5e0dc8ebd""Good," John replied, tossing him a handheld radio transceiver, "And take this. I have the other. We'll signal each other when we're in position. Cass, Mikhail, and Elena, you're all with me. We'll be the ones grabbing the stash,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0df8f596798dfa5197a522aa2f4c3056""No reinforcements?" Elena questioned. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="efe82fb0ead5254483b0efbfe8d264e1""None. We're going solo on this," /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4d949dd6373290960d30e5af41438898""What about me?" Gregor asked, taking a worried look around. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="31b85459d6eac53b4a4ff94752eb6d58""You've only been in the Resistance for three days. Frankly I don't know what they were thinking sending someone who's never even held a gun out to a wasteland posting, but I assume it's some kind of joke. You'll stay here, and make sure nobody comes poking around our hideout,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c7bd01563edcff2faaa463fe92b0a8f3""Oh, come on, John! Give the kid a break. He's not gonna get any experience by staying at base every time," Cass pleaded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a29afff55844da4027f17d5fe0782ced""Yeah! And besides, what good do you think I'll do if the Combine find this place? I can't take them all on myself!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cbe42a6614bf624dac422ff1ec4d084e""Cass, shut up. And you - I'm not worried about the Combine finding this place. I'm worried about scavengers who don't know it's occupied. Just tell anyone you see to fuck off, and you've done your job. I expect you to run if you see Combine,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="45c338829fad9c460f94c3b94502492b"Gregor rolled his eyes, and leaned back on his hands. His gaze shifted to the AKM that John had propped against the boxcar. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2f579ece35baa59a4e65f7afa0c73596""How are we supposed to transport these rockets? I don't suppose we have a functional car lying around," Mikhail commented, fiddling with the charging handle on his MP7. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="19b55e7a26fdc8e2845a373f746716a0""Cass?" John gestured. Cass rolled her eyes and stood up, taking John's place on the boxcar./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2213da9db6dc1d9a1eeda8c7b5e5e8b3""Remember a few months back when we were looting that old train station to the north?" She said, eliciting a few nods from the senior members of the group, "There was an old handcar there, and I think it still works. The stash right along the same tracks. If we load the munitions onto the handcar we can get most of the way there and back and make relatively good time. It needs two people to operate, though, so I wholly expect Elena to be preforming miracles,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4eede0b666affdb9d8aefc76842c94a4""Oh screw you, Cass! I only have enough supplies to resurrect one of you!" Elena said. Cass couldn't tell if she was joking about being able to 'resurrect' them. Considering nobody had died in Elena's care since she joined the Resistance, she probably really em style="box-sizing: border-box;"was/em capable of performing miracles./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="af3de39a968f9ee37ac0b2917b73db19""Dibs on the resurrection," Called Mikhail./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7fead1de6ab8f15563a00f74b710e4d6""You're gonna be the last one I save, CP bastard,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="59a5ee0653bf3d032a98d0509a58947f""Hey! The information I gave the Resistance after defecting more than made up for what I did as a cop,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="92849fdcbe6546b6a867228ff0fe08d5""Ooh, hit a soft spot, didn't I?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c0d1aeacd87a692dee6d0eae91915d31""Both of you, quiet," John commanded, "Assuming we stick to the plan, nobody's gonna need Elena to save them. Now, does everyone understand what they're doing? Or do I need to go over the plan again?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9cf54c12c475806ff794b2456457c79c"Nobody said a word./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f868b0e19c0705cde8ff8f4d80ffb731"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c026671080d72ec9b3df1dbca69e04b4"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Wasteland - Abandoned train station. Five klicks south of target. /span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="371eecd7785eb155bf61f833eaafd299"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"7:02 AM/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cfe201de5943405c840233fec4378a45" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d9240c4b5ce397c8b1739beadaa89d12"John shuddered slightly as the charred skeleton of what was, at one point in time, a train station, came into view. Weeds and overgrowth had reclaimed much of the land, winding their way through cracked concrete and clogged gutters. Rusted tracks sprawled across the ground like exposed ribs. Broken windows and burnt out holes in the wall gave them a glimpse into the ruined interior of the station, where motes of dust and ash danced in the morning breeze. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="272b58a22a9afe4240e95ef5105094d6""Do you see it, Mikhail?" John questioned, his eyes scanning the station. Despite a clear fire having burned, the abandoned box cars and outlying infrastructure remained seemingly unharmed. At least, as unharmed as something can remain after 20 years of no mantainence./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dc155c765611454a2edfc3476dc99d54""Not yet," Mikhail replied, peering through the irons on his MP7, "Where's Cass? She was the one who saw it last,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="985333903af5e5423dd418f1bb40a2c9"John sighed. "She stopped to pee. C'mon, it should be on the other side of the building."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4bb70fd859f96541858c827471547680"They moved cautiously around the derelict station, their boots crunching softly on the gravel. . As they rounded the corner, the handcar came into view, partially hidden by a collapsed pillar./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="506c001d85a1b8d847b4c6d4ada62801""There it is," John said, pointing to the old handcar. It was rusted and worn, but still recognizable. "Looks like it needs some work, but it'll do."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9414b78f75e701ad4d5b729bbc98d7c9"Mikhail nodded, setting his gun down and moving to inspect it more closely. "Something's cracked. Look,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bc682ef171bcc63ae5f52cff922d8852""Dammit..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="13d36b573756ec570c3c9f5ea5f041a3"John set down the AKM, now fully loaded, and joined Mikhail. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d9b720346f8fdb80e49d0fcf7d6f2a7e""Cass is back!" Elena called from the far side of the station, one hand in the air and the other on her trusty PM. Her face turned sour as she looked back over. "Umm- Boss? You might not like this,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7942b1389c8da2a83ccb3ca58f3908d0""What?" John looked back, grabbing the AKM and rushing over to Elena. He saw it too - Gregor was with her. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ff624d77eb0f3c1532a46b5935d1cce6""Gregor! What the hell! I told you to stay at the hideout!" John yelled, causing Gregor to wince. His face was flushed and it was clear he was already anxious out of his mind before his superior started scolding him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="46294cf6947e3560b5b723639781ee8e""He thought we could use the help. He wasn't doing any good staying at base anyway," Cass retorted. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9e7af8678a3b75af348cc6fff1643cd5""That doesn't matter. My orders were to stay!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ff3341accff530aea1eae1b865f70ccd""Have a heart, John. He's not going to get any better at this if you only let him guard the hideout every time we go somewhere,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b8043a1e085ba3b3698f4336e18de0b7""He's not ready. Especially not for this! There are going to be CP and OTA units in the area, and we can't afford him screwing up and getting us killed,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="07124421b597571f3a5ee7e7b7a19f6d""Oh cut him a break, John!" Elena piped up, "Why are you always so hard on him?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8d95ecb52ae7118141ff6393f67e6a79""Because I don't want to watch my squad get killed in front of me again!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6caf11a2da5ae690caaef4eabcc1f73e""Don't make the mistake of thinking you're the only one here who's lost someone to the Combine," Cass scolded, "They've taken something from all of us. Gregor's coming. That's final,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="852cad2d93ab486125cd22378bac13c0""Fine," John conceded, "But it's on you when he screws up,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7708aa3dbcffdfee481ce79646ff97e6""Fine,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4cc4830c65eac158483f7fa7800e4e1c""Are you two finally done?" Called Mikhail from across the station, "I need your help, Cass,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2e94b217bb42d0a62fcb329e75ec69db""Coming,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c4eb85387e394639243f41c5e1ba442"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a984c7f965adae67221e4c0696dd04d1""Now you see the problem is that the crankshaft is rusted," Cass explained. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7817a9051296f37ddc84e2c38d2d7c12""Is there anything we can do about that?" Gregor asked. John side-eyed him with disdain./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="042a9633ce8eb90679c82cef5de21975""Not without steel wool and a lot of rust remover," replied Cass, "It should still work, but we can't push it too hard without risking structural integrity,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5fabe5d7a0013172f695b5a502d9a6ce""How hard is too hard?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7dcd314bc3c84c2b61373b86cc0290c4""If you feel the metal buckle, you've gone too hard,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="57ac52509643b9b36e48847c9dbba33d""Very helpful," Mikhail muttered./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c86be6e31def33f6ff73cb34cd80db00""If it works, then let's go. I don't want to leave Roman waiting too long," John commanded, prompting the rest of them to hop on. Mikhail wordlessly handed his MP7 to Elena, who had to holster her Makarov to make room for it. John refused to let go of his AKM, though, and awkwardly slung it over his shoulder with a retrofitted seatbelt strap that looked like it would rip at any moment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a42185c546814e237c22466129e7c26c"The handcar creaked as the five of them applied their weight. Mikhail and John took the handles, while the others sat on the sides, guns at the ready in case they were ambushed by zombies or a pack of antlions. They pumped haphazardly at first, but it became almost rhythmic once they got clear of the debris lining the tracks. There were still weeds and vines, of course, but they'd gotten past the worst of it by the time Gregor spoke up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1704ddaebea3fb62498476ae789b257d""Cass," He said quietly, "Thanks for sticking up for me back there. I know I didn't say much, but-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="27fb5d9514a0ae1d03eab5d463d48876""Don't thank me for anything. We were all in your shoes once. Even John,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c06671abd3c675de756edad8452eb865""I heard that," John muttered. They both pretended not to hear. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3cbddcb693e21450abfdc58726b56786""Well, I mean it. Thanks,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="97de5cc7f9532be22062dc568b695d17""You're welcome. I know the boss can be a hardass sometimes, but his heart's in the right place,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="803629133918f6cd39d14ab09b2e8926""Hold up," Elena pipped, "I think I hear something,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="45d47ba0a1b2d72cc12229ea2cf1c7e5"It was a faint groan, barely audible to anyone who wasn't paying close attention. Elena raised the SMG to the treeline and scanned for a target, while the others frantically looked onward to find the source./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ef725954fcad09071e31fa9dff2f9691"Another groan rang out, bouncing off the thin mist. Something humanoid stumbled out of the treeline, it's mangled feet scrambling for purchase on the gravel mound. Even with the mist obscuring it's color, you could tell that blood stained almost the entirety of it's upper body, and that it's head was completely deformed, like some sort of escaped lab experiment. It was a headcrab zombie. What else could it be? Nothing could mask the stench of it. It was walking right onto the rail, oblivious to the incoming car. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="186232aac951ecca4fa617d954cc2913""Shit... Shitshitshitshit... Do we shoot it? What if they hear?" Gregor began to panic, but forced himself to settle down after John shot him a glare./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="05df4ae3be49be79138bb1b019e94df7""Nobody's shooting it," Answered John, "Do we have enough speed to run it over?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e680cc7ec667d70eb91e740f0b1af767""Maybe," Cass replied, "It might derail us, though. We can't risk it,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6fcba89f815123a1740c725d735fa782""So what do we do?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5b963017d6a70939b9d86134745e3a23""I have a knife," Mikhail said, gradually slowing down his pumping, "Any volunteers?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e27881d257d8023a571d8dd8a7486019""I'll do it," John said, steeling his gaze on the shambling zombie. It had noticed them, and began limping its way over to the group. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="539ec81d1df5ddfba53d3b12819b2170""John, no. I'll do it," Cass replied./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="636751bedd2a0094233ddfb43be86154""Let the kid do it," Mikhail joked, "He needs the experience,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c4e6ff431b17a0edf696b57d3e63782d""No!" John and Gregor both said in unison. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="27cccef15f62f2eccd8be192619c4927""Don't argue with me about this. I'm good with a knife, I can take it out quietly," John explained. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3e3bf1b048e7d5c5efe57cc62ca0066a""Fine," Cass conceded, knowing better than to argue with John when it came to matters of personal sacrifice and severe risk. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d5218a5820f4683f1dbb93f6b47bbfed""I'm going to give Gregor my Mak," Elena said, "Just in case you get eaten and he needs to defend himself,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="da736ca75f198529feeb459351b48e85""Oh fuck off, I'm not going to get eaten. Mik, gimme the knife," /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="642f05cfe38720ad3f4edd087a6625da"Mikhail grabbed the knife by the blade and gently tossed it down to John, who had vaulted down the cart. It was a classic Bowie knife with what appeared to be an engraving, although it could very well have been corrosion scars. John flaired it between his fingers a moment before turning to face the walking corpse. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c777204d1b439986bf21549f91e90d2d""Alright, now what you gotta do is..." He began to explain./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0315a542589305321434b4debf834f7d""Oh here he goes with another tutorial..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="03de6d089a3c38af63bb37cda30507ca""Wait for it to get close. Never make the first move. Zombies are stupid, and it's easier to capitalize on their mistakes than to-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3cc9835a9d6e25ce28ed8a7fd4593e68""We know how to kill zombies, dipshit,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8e74fda4871cafe609cdbbd02e4bae6d""No other commander in the entire Resistance tolerates bullshit like that from their subordinates. You know that they make fun of me for that, right?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1f045a01130de9dfa6fdccc185a57481""Oh my god, Look out!" Elena yelled, just as the Zombie got within striking distance. It lunged awkwardly at John, who sidestepped last second as if he knew exactly when it would attack. He kicked his leg out in an attempt to trip it, but the husk found purchase on a depression in the gravel and quickly regained its stepping. John had the knife out already, but hadn't counted on that development. He leapt a few steps backward, keeping the zombie out of range, and tried again. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ce8cb67017471ced570f3aae3bbeec7a"Of course, zombies being zombies, it made the same mistake again, this time faceplanting into the jagged stones beneath when John tripped it. He plunged the knife into the zombie's neck, fighting for stability as the corpse bucked and shook in its final moments. With a quick twist of the knife, the beast was dead. John stood back up, a drop of sweat dripping off his face. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dee211732d95efcd23395b1e328488fa""And that's how you kill a zombie quietly. Take notes,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b1769f80ba263fb4b4f6bfae6252b9a9""You forgot to kill the-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a5f88d7fa8c6f791522d6f962f169873""SHIT!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c1ab98c96507c11341c8cb3945a7e3ad"The headcrab let out a terrible squeal, and leapt forward at an incredible speed, narrowly missing John's head and landing right in front of Gregor. He yelped and kicked it away, aiming the Makarov and squeezing the trigger in panic./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5cd2b34be49cf1b2c392d8c1715ee13"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"*click*/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="278e8ad2d55e4529794b6fc46e98e5a4"He dubiously looked down at his malfunctioning gun, while Elena grappled the weapon from his hands. "Don't shoot!" She scolded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="509089b468970c3e5d58c881e262134d"Mikhail whipped out the USP Match he had holstered, just in case he needed to shoot as a last resort. Instead he rushed over to the dazed headcrab and kicked it in the mouth just as it was about to make a second leap for John's head. John wordlessly thanked him, and removed his rifle from his back, running over to the poor headcrab and bashing it in with the wooden stock. It took a few bashes before it was well and truly dead, but John gave it a few extra, just in case. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8e8b054a66c1972a578c9d187cafd2b1""And that..." John panted, "...Is how you deal with theem style="box-sizing: border-box;" headcrab /emsilently. Just in case you were too goddamn stupid to kill it the first time,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b029f78e9103f730c8825a390632860e""Don't be so self-aware. You just robbed me of some great ammo to mock you in the future," Cass scoffed, "Now sit down, before you die of exhaustion,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="128e50d3dc609444f095a18118ba5eb1""I ain't gonna die," John rolled his eyes, still eagerly taking the invitation to sit down and rest. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="eb9e5358f52bdbedc889b7eae1a5fc97""Let's just get back on track," Elena interrupted, "And Gregor... Good shooting,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="62d59526f15996eff3aabae0cb06b813"Gregor groaned, and inspected the Makarov in his hands. Finally realizing the issue, he racked the slide, chambering a round./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="03245864457b9967d2ff51ce81e7263a"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="82ba4ea64d7ed6485e5a6b8da0a2b3e8"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Wasteland - pine forest ridge. One klick east of target./span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6940dbd2bd8bf48d6ce18b781dd1ef68"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"7:30 AM/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e928e25cfa8db8bdbdebe4918bd0f6ec"The land was stretched with darkness. The sun may have been well into the sky, but the dense foliage cast shadows so deep that Roman could hardly see his own hands in front of him. Still, he knew where he was. He'd been out this way plenty of times before. Not much else to do in the wasteland but scout and scavenge, and, in this particular instance, kill. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e41f3aa6e6911230dbc9a988c2b2040d"Roman approached the ridge, nearly losing his footing as the shadows obscured the edge. It was a steep drop of about thirty meters, although the slope smoothed out at his peripherals. In the center of the gorge he could just make out the spires and smokestacks of a small industrial complex. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7c0be33dbbd9654b7d8c81584c2794bb"He set down his Mosin, which he had been cradling in his arms since he set off from Vanno, and pulled out a cracked pocket compass. Sure enough, he was on the eastern ridge. His compatriots would be to the west of the complex, and in between them a cohort of Combine. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c8c6bdde4a6d245d8cbd976c08b99a1d"He grabbed his rifle, and lied prone on the very edge of the ridge. He'd debated getting ghillied up, but decided he didn't need it. The shadows would hide him well enough. On the stock of the Mosin was a quintuplet of tally marks, one for each kill he'd made with it. He unlatched his knife, from his belt. If everything went to plan, he'd be adding several more./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3936523aa8e4fd9c4982731dd17097db"Zeroing in the PU scope, he got sight of the complex. The Combine had turned it into some sort of checkpoint or substation. A base from which they could project power in the region, and likely where they coordinated their search for the stash. There were several modules and structures added on, which resembled tumors in their seemingly sporadic and infectious placement. Sure enough, there were also plenty of Combine. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3018457731b95e03ae4ab4bd9dad6fcc"Roman's breath steadied as he focused onto the scene below, setting his crossheirs on a vulnerable civil protection unit manning a watchtower. He'd have aimed for one of the OTA soldiers, but could never get a clear shot./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="58257e2ba9804672ec4b19e800a704fd""John, This is Roman," He murmured into his radio, barely above a whisper, "I'm in position. Have you located the target? Over,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="67665d7fd9cfe79fa34cf7a6d3249224"John's voice came through with crackles and stutters, but it was still legible, "em style="box-sizing: border-box;"This is John, we're here. You're cleared to engage. Good hunting. out."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7fad139fd1cec245a8642355c1d32727"A smirk settled onto Roman's face as he reacquired his target, and squeezed the trigger. The crack of his rifle rang out through the gorge, and the Civil Protection officer dropped dead./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="36fbfbb1d8711c6a8eabdc22df0fa0a1"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="73391dda4d595e70d9a30196c039dd85"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"*CRACK*/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c0b6ab1f9f7d82edce41bf49b6b809ab"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Rip-chord! Rip-chord! Overwatch, protection unit deservice. Possible anti-citizen incursion."/span/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="755ec0d361cb4bafe35bbe325df480cf"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"*CRACK*/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5e6c01744fd481d16795a43975f1902f"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Overwatch, we have loud contaminants. Razor-2 prosecuti-"/span/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="30d9664c5f9b52dd354e6dba5bb2eb07"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"*CRACK*/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4eecf666798ede60c5eef634a8c69797"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Overwatch, multiple protection units flatline. Viscon on a 10-94 at grid 9-7. Ready for code."/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1f4c06be7ed3e293d252ef5d6fd66b80"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"*CRACK*/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="43c38ec631f991591ed4909f2da98d4e"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"OW:span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;" /span"Attention ground protection team, anti-citizen incursion reported. Hold for override code."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1d922ace7069337f88721ff7df16cb43"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"*CRACK*/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0cf8de9a50bfb622491a094e9b491154"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"OW:"Individual. You have been charged with multiple level five anti-civil violations. Co-operate with ground protection team. Ground protection team, Response code: Clamp, Cauterize, Inoculate."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7d1ce4c861a5d1acbe13e6680f17fc2e"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Target lost at grid 9-7. Go active intercept. Check radials. /em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="240ab9961d0b6448a4e811e365030e88"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Close sightlines, keep sound on,"/em/spanspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="43768ec003e88b879e9bf2ba3db08c40"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"*CRACK*/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1e0dd47ba56200752a10522c4156d9e6"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Viscon, Viscon. Contact confirmed. Range two-hundred, bearing twelve. Razor-niner engaging."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b7d02b64f9e47354bf0b62bf4c2cd954" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f42610034ed22a790399f822e2199834"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="71a8c6a0f28961dfe29bc9ec2e719923"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Wasteland - abandoned bunker. 200 meters west of Volga Production./span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3e37babce7b2ca86256027c530e251df"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"7:31 AM/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="00e2a4ed8e0a856c3a92ee6141848485"John crouched behind a crumbling wall, his heart pounding in sync with the distant gunfire. The loud cracks of Roman's mosin signaled that the distraction was in full swing. "That's our cue," he muttered, glancing at the rest of the squad, "Let's go,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="26b91c7bed55f5341c644cb496555995"The three of them slipped into the entrance of the bunker, which was concealed by a thick overgrowth of vines and several varieties of weed. They cut through the foliage and moved inside, the darkness swallowing them whole. The entrance in front of them was moderately sized, with the most striking feature being the two ways in: A locked and rusted security door, and a much larger entrance with no door, presumably for transferring supplies quickly between the bunker and the outside world. Both of them had a long hallway sloped downward, reaching into a large back room where they both met up. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f0a8d3099382de66d215997ca13e0067"Mikhail flicked on his flashlight, the narrow beam cutting through the pitch-black darkness, revealing cold and sterile concrete walls. The air was thick with the scent of mildew and rust, but they pressed onward. Mikhail went in first with his flashlight and pistol, while John stood behind him with his AK at the ready. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e2b592f4a75ae733a4cdacd6153cddea""Stick close," John whispered, motioning to Gregor as they made their way through the labyrinthine corridors. The bunker was a maze of intersecting passageways, each turn disorienting, claustrophobic, and oftentimes the complete wrong direction. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9c0fb0868615a6398ee2524355be4e3b""How far in is this stash supposed to be?" Gregor asked, his voice trembling slightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ca370d054a62d1461fa02846be415d13""Not far now," John replied, trying to keep his tone steady. He knew they were running on borrowed time. Roman's distraction wouldn't hold the Combine forever. "Just stay focused."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="42153c3f0991de03d118d3d6f4972499"They pressed on, the flashlight's beam darting across rusted doors and faded signage in Cyrillic. The bunker seemed to stretch endlessly, like a concrete maze designed to confuse intruders./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="aa667ded21a1618dbe79ae7b00839383"Finally, they reached a heavy metal door, slightly ajar. John went to the front and pushed it open, revealing a large dark room. Mikhail swept the flashlight across the space, and his heart soared. Stacked against the walls were crates of rocket launchers and ammunition, their dull metal gleaming faintly in the beam./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="565e15e1a2808299031ca3e67546c8e9""Holy shit..." Cass breathed, "I was honestly expecting this to be a waste of time,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a048447d0b812d0aa5fa51507d20d05e""So was I," Mikhail muttered, setting down his flashlight to inspect one of the crates. They were full of rockets, tipped with orange and almost glowing when compared to the rest of the room, "These aren't in bad condition, too. I think we may have hit the jackpot,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2c912f179c4936ef7ef826c0fa52c616""We don't have much time," John reminded, "Let's get these things out of here. Cass, get to the handcar and help us load. Gregor, Elena, take that crate. Me and Mik will take this one. Let's go,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5c081ce013db1efe7d18a5bb634e5ebe"Cass nodded as John silently handed her his radio, and sprinted back toward the entrance while the rest grabbed the crates. Their faces strained as they cooperated to lift the heavy containers. John and Mikhail went out first, bumping into walls several times as they struggled to navigate the shadowy corridors. Cass helped them lift the crate onto the handcar once they got out, and kept a steady watch for any Combine soldiers. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="56e352f74cecd0d723121817706b91cd"They stayed at that pace for several minutes, loading several boxes of ammunition and a few launchers onto the handcar until it seemed it couldn't hold any more. Panting, John leaned against a concrete pillar near the entrance and kept lookout as Elena, Mikhail, and Gregor went inside to grab the final crate of ammunition./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="75f67219b7ae5a3ed61527bfb53aae77""Gonna help them, John?" Cass prodded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d2e4ece3e5f8ea68a5e479dc513e1f31""Just gimme a sec, I'm out of breath,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f7ed08c92cee8b36ab3820a927b1cc9b""You asthmatic or something? Even Gregor has more stamina then you,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="060d4cc2683098530f4c2a3e4c38c822""I'm not asthmatic, I'm just old," John sighed, slowing his speech, "It's been 20 years, Cass. You're starting to show your age, too,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5fd08ff5fb0cf79f6b54ec45c1466dd"Cass scratched the back of her head, "At least my hair isn't starting to gray. I suspect I'll maintain my luscious locks for the rest of my life,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="89651089fee9cef7f1c5e21920110c0b""Considering our line of work, I believe you,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1ca8bd3677e0cabe97d946a1c893d018"Cass let out a chortle, and relaxed herself against one of the crates. "Y'know, I've been thinking. When this is all over we should-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="62b9c051eec12754670866fad95cd8e1""Cass! Behind you!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3fd4e8901b7c95795786ce2cf483abb4"The indescribable moan of a zombie shrieked out, and Cass turned toward it just in time to be slammed in the face by a chunk of loose concrete, hurled by the zombie at terrifying speed. Her head seemed to inhumanly fall limp, followed shortly by the rest of her body as she rolled off of the handcar and onto the gravel mound. John was speechless, and raised his weapon. He held himself back from firing, as he knew it would draw the Combine's attention, but his options were running short, and his time even shorter. The zombie shambled towards the incapacitated woman, and practically ignored the gun aimed at it's face as it crouched down to begin feeding. John couldn't wait any longer. He squeezed the trigger./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1e0db48765bee0b676c2b7a49a7e1335"Three deafening shots rang out into the air. Three bullets lodged themselves in the zombie. Two in the torso, killing the body, and a third to eliminate the parasite on its head. John's hands trembled as the gravity of his choice weighed down on him. The Combine will have heard those shots. The Combine wouldn't ignore those shots./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="98de3c026986015f32782dae6183f8ff"Mikhail came running out first, his pistol drawn and ready to fire, "What the hell was that!?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3e1852bc9ff316ceb4dca51ecd4a3a16""No time! Get Elena over here now, and get that goddamn ammo loaded! We're leaving!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="12af11c4972b26a6c1b22d3088ebccac"Mikhail nodded urgently, and sprinted back into the bunker, followed closely by John. Mikhail grabbed Elena and brought her outside to help, while John took over and helped Gregor get the crate outside. Despite being the exact same dimensions as every other crate, and presumably containing the exact same quantity of rockets, this one felt infinitely heavier to John. He strained to keep it up, and practically staggered his way through the dark corridors./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3038c8982dd886dfea3ad7064237e6a0"Cass was in rough condition. She was bleeding badly, blood oozing down her forehead and staining her hair a deep shade of crimson. Elena pulled out some gauze and some disinfectant to clean the wound. Her hands scrambled as she realized how little time she truly had. Over on the handcar the radio crackled to life, as Roman's voice pierced through the quiet./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dbe26195b5c39ee5f2d6292c3fec1536"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""John? John come in! There's a squad of Combine headed for the bunker! I count at least five. What the hell happened?"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="69c006b95a3376d33fb9190f87db1aa9"Mikhail rushed to answer the radio, almost tripping over a piece of loose rebar. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="212927b7a9384773a476bef7fb9743b3""This is Mik, Cass has been injured. How much time do we have?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b33e031b87101d880d15e1038c460984"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Not enough- They're almost on you! I have to fall back, but I'll circle around and try to help- Just get inside and hold your ground,"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5075ddb920a8a5a4567b44b70bf63a11""Fuck." Mikhail muttered, turning around to Cass and Elena, "Get inside the bunker now! We've got company!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3058d774f73cd4c46a6832ae23f3ca33"Elena's expression turned worrisome, and with Mikhail's help she dragged Cass back into the bunker, just in time to see John and Gregor fumbling with the final crate of ammo in the loading hall./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8907982d8bf06509ff0f063c331af8b2""What's going on out there?" Gregor bellowed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4d83cbce35782c640a2afb5c55e627a4""John, we've got combine. Roman wants us to hold the bunker until he arrives," Mikhail stated, his seemingly calm demeanor betraying the panic behind his words. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a70bf427a60116f063d3f44712865a0b""Fuck no! We're getting that cart loaded! We're almost there-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c27fc00204f6478a35be985caa95108""John! We don't have the fucking time! Drop the crate!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="55010668a3e06451b18ab4e1a73dcb9b""But we-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6184a99713ff8b3704a2a93d762128af"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Drop the fucking crate!"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2db829b4dab6d631bd8ac8dc61e9909a"John grimaced, and let go. Not one to be ordered around by his own subordinates, he immediately got a plan into action. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8f89db29d96353d5c2343741cb4d6582""Alright, I'll watch the big door. Mikhail, Gregor, you two watch the small door. Turn it into a meat grinder. Elena, bring Cass to the back and get her ready to fight. Go!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f90f42beb5f004d4681979e38a7e240b"At once, the group dissipated and got into their positions. Elena and Mikhail traded weapons, and John trained his rifle on the loading door. There was a small slit of crumbling concrete between the two hallways, in which John could see into the adjacent corridor. He kicked the discarded crate of rockets into the back room, as to not cause an explosion in the ensuing gunfight. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9986ff6fdfb954edc6abe425e1a9655f"Elena and Cass were in the back. Elena dabbed Cass' wound with a piece of cloth soaked in antiseptic from their sparse supplies. After a moment, Cass groaned softly as she regained consciousness. Elena glanced over her shoulder at the shadowy passage back, and then turned to Cass./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="149631d035a55bf4fe6d01d7b0deb818""Shit... Is this what hell looks like? It's darker than I imagined," Cass said. Elena couldn't tell if she was being genuine or not./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="830d96e87b0aefba076866b6d5c9f90b""You're not dead. We're in the bunker. Combine are onto us,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="94008259734ad38e20746d3e91c41022""Damn... What happened?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e630b4afc7e8e868ccd3a21775c459f3""A zombie chucked a piece of concrete at you," Elena answered, brief and blunt, "You got hit pretty bad. I've stopped the bleeding but you might have a concussion. Can you stand?" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="42ccc102c3eb7cc2370692f07caa9dc8""I- I think so," Cass replied, wobbling to her feet. "Jesus, that hurts..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ceb541a5e639a7d168f6bc16e0ec3261""I picked up your gun," She said, handing Cass her Colt M1911, "Get to the front. They're almost here,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4a19654cac22d95a01850a4a6a7fd79b"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1d822ff6931941ad0bfd947bf65a3019"John crouched silently, gun trained on the loading doors. He could hear distant footsteps. They were getting closer... Wait, they were behind him?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c1d0ec743f6d8cb35aff72c083246901"He flinched as Cass came over, and nestled up beside him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="85665e2dc579bca48e91a14d505e2e66""You good?" He questioned, brief and to-the-point. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ca53eabf458a57321926eb40c7fb650f""Concussion," She answered, matching his tone. John nodded in understanding and kept his gun at the door. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3054e66f318a93e95dee76145cfa1474"They watched the doors for what felt like hours (but in reality was only thirty seconds). There came a point where John debated stepping outside to see if there was any danger./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2168da7dbdff86df84a1a36a87c2284d"Suddenly his breathing stopped, involuntarily held in, as his heart pounded in his ears. He had heard it. Looking over at Cass, she had heard it too. That unmistakable, clinical jargon that could only manifest from the vocoded mouth of an OTA soldier. The chatter was growing louder, as was the beating of his heart./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4e030702c12cf005cb2eb91092ebc625"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Motion check, all radials."/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d5c7e1ab992fa6a44cd26853b707e66d"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""No viscon. Razor-3, check shadow,"/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="442a79dd315d8bbaf03d9e6fab2ad7a1"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Containment proceeding."/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="121b63b1d9d07c09cdb00ffd581276f3"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Shit.../em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="05843691f14a91357fcc12fd644e1873"John knew this was it. That soldier was coming for them. And if by some miracle he took it down, the rest of his squad will swiftly come in to avenge him. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I'm dead/em. He thought. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I'm already dead, and if I'm already dead then they can't kill me./em /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="62198db5ee9e2b42c99e2c11315dc1c9"The footsteps grew louder. The radio chatter outside was unintelligible now, although whether that was from the Combine actively scrambling their voices, or just from all his synapses firing at once, was anyone's guess. This was it. At the top of the hallway, the silhouette of a soldier manifested itself, its two glowing eyes cutting a deep gash into the darkness. John didn't think. He didn't even have time to flinch, or recoil in fear, or even feel anything. He just squeezed the trigger, and listened in horror as the flatline echoed through the hall./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="abdf2fde3d03312909af1b00af8d5ab5"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""One down! Overwatch, confirm sector not sterile. Protection unit deservice."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e12b8fd2c131fe89174b5322ea550624"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Razor-5, displace and activate viscerator. Sweep directive."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="563c3426ed466beb09ee9814ab9366c2"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Copy. Going sharp."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="93a1585803b8bc0730e1dc180c05d146"An infernal buzzing and whirring noise erupted from the end of the hall. Again, the sound was unmistakable, and made everyone nearby clench in fear. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a7163b7cc712f4b67f88cab53629760d""Manhack!" Mikhail yelled. From the other hallway, John could hear two gunshots from an MP7, and the whirring stopped. He could only assume that Mikhail had it taken care of it. A manhack was the least of his worries, he soon realized, as a cold pellet of dark energy buried itself in the wall adjacent to him. At the end of the hall, he could vaguely make out the muzzle flash of their pulse rifles. He ducked behind cover and shot three rounds down the hall for suppression. The noise of the AKM was deafening, but permanent ear damage wasn't exactly a massive concern for him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="46560fd3c2aea05fce09cc76fb14b783"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Overwatch, confirm three hostiles. Holding for advanced directive... ...Copy. Go Nomad-Kilo three."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2f9b78a9ab048c6146b202c229b82741"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;" "Sound off."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3f5163673efdd34c20b9a4bd5a8684ac"Suddenly all chatter from the enemy soldiers ceased, and an uncomfortable silence permeated the air as the suppressive fire being levied at the group came to a halt. John could hear them, though; The heavy footsteps crunching on the gravel, and clinking of cumbersome gear... They wouldn't give up that easily. In fact, they were only getting started. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="87bf46d8fe7a544b614d925472a0907f"John's heart pounded, but even in his adrenaline-fueled panic he knew that the next assault would be far more deadly, and more than likely involve grenades. They needed to fall back. He exchanged a quick glance with Cass, and spoke to his team. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="48b0e8747ee1738eb8bc7fc45d6f7ec8""Fall back," He said, barely above a whisper, "They're gonna throw grenades. This is our chance to get to a better position./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="82bfef1e01bcfe3c33ca2d0f2302cfdb"The others, too terrified to offer any objections, fell back. They found better defensive positions in the back room, and waited for the enemy to come. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9d509916cc9a9f5fa4d80c1e3aa694f9"And sure enough, they came. It started with a grenade being tossed down the large hall, settling in the spot where John had been just a moment prior. Luckily, they were all well behind cover. It exploded violently, thrashing loose furniture and excavating a small crater into the concrete. A film of char-black powder emblazoned itself on all nearby surfaces. And almost as quick as the explosion happened, a squad of Combine had rushed in, moving through the room with a tactical lethality./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="81c5d5c6f7b3cf093561bcbf36d94060"The gunfight that followed was chaotic and brutal. John had unloaded a burst of 7.62 into the first thing that came down the hallway, but only managed to injure it in the blindfire. The Combine brought a wallhammer unit to take point, and it was able to block most of their rounds with its energy shield. The others were stacked up behind him, taking suppressive shots at anything that moved. John ducked behind cover as his position was carpeted with gunfire, while Elena and Gregor were forced to fall back to another room. John could see Mikhail, standing his ground, out of the corner of his eye. He was shooting desperate bursts of his MP7, and a spike of adrenaline shot through him as he heard the lethal *click* of the gun running out of ammo. Mikhail turned to run, just barely making it to the door. John let out the air he had been holding in, as he realized his friend would be safe./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0778fb3bcc187dea61c22841bf0c5205"He had made his assumption too soon. Before Mikhail had the chance to get in cover, a pellet of dark energy hit him in the back, piercing his meager body armor and leaving a trail of melted lung as it found its exit through one of his ribs. He fell to the floor in agony, and John screamed as a soldier ran up and popped a second round into Mikhail's head, ending his life. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e64fe284234d25664c07d87695622075""No!" He screamed, as he got up from his cover and unleashed the rest of his magazine on the soldier. He fell limp to the floor, gurgling on his own blood for a few seconds as it relayed the last of its combat data to Overwatch, and then promptly flatlined. John came under fire again, but managed to duck behind cover before any of the pellets hit. Seemingly impatient, the soldier that had fired rushed over to John's cover and peered his gun over, but Cass was able to fire a few rounds from the adjacent room, giving John enough cover to slip into a nearby corridor. The shots weren't able to effectively penetrate the soldiers armor, and it fired several rounds in Cass' general direction before falling back behind the Wallhammer unit to receive medical attention. The soldiers all seemed to be communicating the entire time, yet none of them heard a sound./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f4c3ccb6e6636af91fed568a8462084f"John regrouped with Cass and Elena in one of the storage rooms, panting as he reloaded his gun. Gregor was nowhere to be seen. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c2b8f5ce13e3d6e41bf0a357c6cf8f7d""Where's Mikhail?" Elena questioned, aiming the USP Match that the metrocop had given her at the door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3647a018e5cfe384da4e26d231be32f8"John stuttered, an involuntary tear coming to his eye. He didn't really know how to answer that. I mean, what was he supposed to say?em style="box-sizing: border-box;" "Oh, I just watched him get his lung blown out by some fucking cyborgs. So, y'know, probably not doing too well,"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e3e3442333d96fb4325ca5e909294303""Dead," John stated, barely stopping his voice from cracking. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9fbb1c0389def2613a72c59a2bc77696""Are you sure?" Elena questioned, "I'm sure I can do something to-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="808f1f7c06ed13a939e4387f1a0171e4"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""He's dead, Elena,"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c412a827cf8d8dfe30cdd555ba8e4652"From his tone, Elena could tell he was serious. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f494a3a9f3759639121db06399ec6cf6""Where's Gregor?" Cass questioned./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3fcc40dbda4cacd2778056029e9ee2f7""I saw him running further down the hall when I stopped here," Elena answered. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e37f04f5e4886f5f1c445b4656c0e5c6""That bastard ran away... I knew we shouldn't've taken him..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f38fb0bb7fcd6543a944ffec1318e984""Relax, Maybe he'll come back?" Cass said. She didn't quite believe it would happen./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5bbef2c34ac3e22b6781a0e5915beb6a""So it's just the three of us? Against a squad of Combine?" Elena said./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4eae9fa5a43b4be98a69d0b1afa38e81""We've taken down a few already. And..." John hesitated a moment, and his face grew ponderous, "I think I have a plan,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="863295858cd6ea4271ee47a9dfaae9c5""Which is...?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="85730aac9b1ed0f93e0d311f5432117e""Remember the crate of rockets we left in the back room? I'll lure the combine there, and detonate it,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="deb6e82c1f9eae1e99870f9bc456167e""Are you fucking kidding?" Cass yelled, "You'll die!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="280d7acdd76676bbb4a4c18a6e811ffe""But you guys won't. I'll be distracting them, giving you two time to escape. And we have enough ammo on the cart to last the Resistance a while. We can't afford to let it go to waste,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4e158d63d39614abd862d25ec150bb2a""We also can't afford to lose you, John!" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f8ffe1068d4c1fab664956fe9ca43e80""I don't think we can talk him out of this, Cass," Elena said. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="85ac6ce7fab783fcab19dbfee41b82c1"Cass knew that Elena was right. She saw the fire in his eye. But still, a tear came to her, and she put her hand on John's chest./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b506747da8e6645780f6ade2962df8ab""Fine then. Go be a hero. See you in hell, John,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="623cd165c305e03089dbe1dca845e810"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3f905c2ec0aefb9435e3b5865b8bc343"It wasn't very long ago that John lamented the maze-like qualities of the bunker. It came to no-one's surprise that, upon being forced deep inside by a cohort of elite soldiers, this stopped being the case. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e2cca87b127d4eca26b8dee8aab2421c"While he hadn't fully explored the place or memorized the layout, he had learned enough from his multiple runs in-and-out to effectively outmaneuver the combine on his tail. He had displaced to the leftmost side of the bunker, trying to get the Combine as far from Cass and Elena's exit route as possible. He shot a round into the black abyss, and quickly vacated deeper into the bunker in order to dodge the soldiers who were inevitably converging on the noise. It wasn't the greatest plan in the world, but it was alright considering he was basically making things up as he went along. The long-term effectiveness didn't matter, anyway. As long as he could keep them away from Cass long enough to.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5ff2769df14d1e980649c73be9ad6e2"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Sound on."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e8bcbeb7bb02699a1892fd7b06b0c1b9"A shiver ran down John's spine, and he involuntarily froze in place. He couldn't help it. Something about that mix of impractically loud volume, vocoded speech, and clinical jargon was deeply disturbing to him. The entire concept of transhumanity was disturbing to him, for the matter./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="afd09ea646095393358c99e9b6365d37"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Razor-5, go for friend game."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="63f2a2f878055866e6a754bb65434110"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""...Attention hostile target: You can come out now. It is safe."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="58c505a88b9e1ee57b84f4506b2c468e"John knew better than to fall for that. If it wasn't so disturbingly inhuman, it might have even been humorous to him. Instead it just elicited a feeling of dread. Maybe that was the intention. John can't have imagined that the Combine actually thought it a practical strategy./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fe9864da5f585e8a70034e15bd591473"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Overwatch, friend game ineffective."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="43a170772d7ab8b565b37faa76ca13aa"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Target ghost one, go active intercept."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="01a5892d69a16f29782185be488c8d42"He took that as his cue to begin running. He sprinted through the halls, keeping to the left side and avoiding dead-ends. The edges of the hall seemed to close in around him as he got closer to his target. A left turn here, dodge a soldier there.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7dd4b8e63edddc3db0e217c08f388819"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Active interloper. Hold for code... ...27015."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="084b039312db083498d5d6c47355d349"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Overwatch, scanner picks up uhh, unidentified... contact. Uhh, bearing 400, and closing. Please advise."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="56d588eac7c78a53b5153c8ec2298e93"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Razor-5, recall and recycle. All units close for final prosecution."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0251f37009abd69408c865fe128cc3f0"John couldn't tell how far they were. Even with the adrenaline enhancing his senses, the combination of garbled vocoders bouncing through a maze of resonant corridors were able to keep the actual distance and bearing of the voices ambiguous. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c0ef46831d3235bcbfcce63d593e216"Still, John could tell they were closing in on him, and fast. He rounded a corner, reflexes taking over as he vaulted over a toppled locker and slid through a collapsed section of the wall. A gunshot rang out from someplace distant. Worry flickered in his mind for a moment, but decided that his current situation was more pressing. Despite the obstacles slowing them down, the Combine's approach was still relentless and rapid. John found himself overcome with exhaustion as the final stretch came into view. His breath was ragged and his muscles burned. A flash of his squad shot through his mind. He didn't care if he died, he just needed to make sure Cass and Elena - hell, even Gregor - were safe. The thought spurred him on, and with a desperate final push he leapt into the chamber. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fb769959912aedbd68d51042174099f4"He skidded to a halt in front of the crate of warheads, dropping his weapon on the cold concrete floor. His fingers scrabbled to unlatch the dull metal lid. But before he could open it, a shadow enveloped him. He whipped his head around only to find himself staring at the business end of an AR1. And above it, the two chillingly clinical blue eyes of a Combine soldier. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="63a3ffe8dcb317849d8a5e3a463bf957"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Do not resist." /spanIt said, voice spurred on only by mechanical aids and detached servos. span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Overwatch, anti-citizen contained. Holding for co-" *BANG*/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f7a103bccedd0842cdcd9ee9bbbc8db1"John was frozen, and he stayed frozen. Even after he heard the shot ring out through the halls. Even after the glowing blue eyes became splattered by a crimson red. And even after the body fell limp and its flatline reverberated throughout the chamber. Standing behind the soldier, eyes plastered with fear and body frozen in equal proportion, was Gregor. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="50572dd1eef1ca5859c2ad389da6a0fc""H- Hi boss,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3a0ceb8ec15eb951e7744bbd92ef0a6f""Thanks for the save..." John stated, staring dubiously at the fallen soldier, "Shit... you should get the hell out of here,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c7260498ce4b3149d15bf09b83c569ff""Were you gonna blow the-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f8d9c9b4ad0b039c5eb3a1289da2b1f6""Yes. Now leave. His friends are almost here,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1a7c7a6d07fce30c090f525780e1bf63""He has a grenade," Gregor pointed out. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ac8aa0874892394d96f013596b32ece7""What?" John shook his head in confusion. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5bf16677bfd8e9d23206fdabe0796965""The guy I just- he has a grenade. Use that, and we can both get out,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6184a99713ff8b3704a2a93d762128af" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="559fd3f64fc9591edc1e604f7cee2caf""No, I... ...Ah, fuck it,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2d50a99d70dc32cdcc48ae1b5a232c64"John crawled to the dead soldier, and pried a grenade loose from its belt. It was one of the older models, operated by a button and resembling a tape-measure. Gregor pulled the lid off of the crate of rockets, and John primed the grenade, watching its shell pop off as he squeezed the button and dropped it into the crate. It bounced between the warheads before eventually settling in a nook, ready to explode./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fc9f94645b35b920ed425aa9cef6f217"They sprinted for the exit, but a look of realization and regret washed over John's face, and he stopped in the middle of the hall./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5c629098f46f6de988b34f07d296982e""My AKM!" He yelled, turning back to grab it. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="21580d9a2c7defe21d48bbfb9acea4c2""That's not important! Come on!" Gregor retorted, pulling him by the sleeve. The decision was harder than John would ever care to admit, but he ultimately kept with Gregor and rushed to the surface, barely making it out before the grenade went off./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e2059df6c127b4047bf0b3612823aaed"A low rumbling emanated from beneath them, like a thousand fireworks going off at once. The light from the explosion shot out through the open doors, like a flashlight illuminating a dark swathe of forest. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="377ed97fe5c1591540e22470d1653c15"Cass and Elena were standing over a dead CP, guns drawn but not raised. They looked a mix of relieved, upset, scared, and tired. To her credit, Cass was much better at hiding it than Elena. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f81c528afdcc71f70d267cc819d57c29"John looked at them, then the dead CP, and then back to them, giving a confused gesticulation./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f95ec7780ee1b780b1c7318f88966b9""He was watching the door to catch any stragglers. Guess he didn't expect OTA to let anyone slip through, 'cuz he was too busy shit-talking Roman over the radio to see us coming," Cass explained nonchalantly, as if killing an unaltered human wasn't an extremely mentally taxing experience, "I see you found Gregor. I told you he didn't run away!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fbce6fcebdfd30719b0867915ff839cb""More like he found me," John said, "Are you two okay?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ece0aab7aad948171fe50d7379f46fe0""Yeah, we're fine..." Elena replied, "But Mikhail... Are you sure that he-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="93730968faecfe7f254de5466d8514ee""I'm sure, Elena. Nobody could have survived that em style="box-sizing: border-box;"and/em an explosion,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d09e3964b49a399c06fae61ee6d82a4e"Elena looked saddened, but resolved to stay on task. "Alright. We should move this stuff out before the Combine send reinforcements,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0cd866a0bceacead643fe82f6d689374""My thoughts exactly. Cass, Gregor, you two on the levers. I'll keep watch with Elena,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a191572f66141077662fac7368f48234""And what about Roman? He should be here soon,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="92fc723caf8ec040086fd674586dd968"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Overwatch..." /spanCame a vocoded voice from the bunker. Elena and Cass raised their guns in shock. It was heaving and choking as it relayed the situation to Overwatch, span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;""Sector... is not... secure... ...Protection units... flatline. Wallhammer is... solo active..."/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="20b605e07fd8b11740b3fb94d39e4c79"It arose from the ruins like a phoenix, if a phoenix was covered in debris, blood, bodypacks, and soot, and instead of rising it was limping with a mangled leg and multiple bullet wounds. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bc3eb0dbc1ceddc603edbabcfac5a532"Finally, the crack of a rifle echoed through the trees, and a new wound appeared on the center of its forehead. It fell limp, and promptly flatlined. The squad turned to the source of the shot, and saw Roman descending from a small hill, cycling the bolt on his Mosin-Nagant. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2c9e5477528c184115e030935a3f4c04""Good, you're all safe... And I see you killed that asshole that kept calling me slurs over the radio,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4943e9ce6346186677ac182c4cfb3fc3""Guilty!" Cass exclaimed, prompting Elena to punch her in the arm. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a06e309783d532cf962ccdfcc0b944cd""Roman," John said, weariness creeping into his voice, "You are so goddamn lucky you weren't here. Now hop on the cart and let's get out of here,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="714e797025a55e6b0e4a0fb86b5af67a" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9add4032d67cc1cea0de1b44b4ed5f0"* * */p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f38f085c1b938f2edbdd66de2f73e709" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8636ac9fa47be074349b926c12ce495e"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Epilogue - Vanno. /span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c2d2ffc9877bbac2aacc61825c1620b0"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"3:08 PM/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1f7cdf788f714778039f9e6c4f71a6a1" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="153c7908f9780100d756928eb4be80ec""...And in spite of everything, all he did to help us succeed, and all he sacrificed so that we could keep fighting, he was still the worst goddamn Metrocop in city 17. Goodbye, Mik."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3e9c1c47e2ea120d314db87eb8ebbba2"John walked off the makeshift podium, a tear finding its way down his cheek. The rest of the squad clapped, and the funeral was adjourned. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5eab39fc456378bb00aa09029eac3f02"It was small and unceremonious compared to the pre-Combine standard, but it was the best they could do considering their resources. They buried him just outside the hideout, under a tall pine tree. While everyone else returned to Vanno, John took a walk on the tracks, finding his way to an old bridge crossing a dried-up creek. Cass had followed him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ec5e047fbb64e298980410070f662ed8""Y'know, we're gonna have to find a way to smuggle that stuff into the city," She said. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d0e1fdd10699a463150a24867d203eb1""I was planning on keeping it here, or maybe moving it to White Forest," John said, gazing out at a bed of mud and shale./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="64d8617e46434a74b16a258ae0294d3c""The city's gonna need it more. Haven't you heard? Resistance has been planning a mass uprising. All they need is a catalyst,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ce49c95a0c6e32447c0f9ee4424fbe14""Damn... After all that time talking about it, I never thought they'd have the balls to actually start making plans. What, do you think this is because of Freeman?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8d3ba62b12143147bf7b4d25bf00de8c""You said it, not me,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="224a38eb3026dcc9d1a5d76b5eb3d12b""Actually... Yeah... I can see that. Know what? I'll start making a plan to get these rockets into City 17. I have a few old friends I can contact, and they might be able to help,"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fd28fa46e51d32fdcf8be80b3f7acb6b" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="478d7e049151244c2cbe05d03fcb5a27"_/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4f9ff4c89a6eca04f73b2005a1fc61d7"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Author's notes:/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d762103dc52423edbd35f89a6e8c3973"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"I hope you enjoyed! 9100 words was a little more than I was planning to do, but you know how it is. Things like these always end up longer than expected./span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2d66d07fe4997207013f1ae0de26154d"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"I'm trying to set up a possible sequel with that ending, although if I ever do more of this it's likely going to be prequels. Ultimately whether I do more depends on how much people like this one. Considering I haven't found any Half-Life content on this entire website yet, I think chances are decently high that I might get SOME attention. /span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6f2fd22c2153c0481687f41677f58ce4"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"I've tried to keep things lore-accurate, but I have made some creative embellishments (like soldiers having a flatline and including AR1s and Chargers in a game set during Half-Life 2). Hopefully it doesn't bother you. I'm a stickler for lore-accuracy in my other fandoms, but I definitely played fast and loose with this one. I've also kept the firearms as realistic as I can. I'm no gun nut, but I know enough about them to accurately portray them, I think. In case the gun names confused you, the USP Match is the real-life name for the 9mm pistol in hl2, and the MP7 is the name for the submachine gun. The rest of the names should be iconic enough to not have to explain. (The most realistic part of this franchise is that Heckler and Koch immediately sold out to the Combine to secure a weapons contract)./span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ede5a2b286e3284218474daa2dff080"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Quote at the beginning is from the game. The first time I did that strider part, I wasn't paying attention to dialog and did the ENTIRE thing without even touching the crate. That was probably one of the toughest gaming experiences I've ever had. After I realized that there was a crate, I started to wonder "Wow, whoever found that crate and dragged it all the way there must have a story," and that's about when I got the idea for this fic./span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4328189a91895ed3ebba7829aae277e2"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"That's all, folks. /span/p
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