This is F.E.A.R. 3 as it should have been, at least in my opinion of course. Obviously being in story format, it isn't as action oriented as a first person shooter game would be, but action is there alright. I wrote this story because I owe it to the great series that was once F.E.A.R. It was a big part of my life growing up... I love it and the expansions for it to this day. Although F.E.A.R. 2 wasn't as good gameplay, atmosphere and horror wise, the story was fairly solid, immersive and had seemed to be leading somewhere interesting for the franchise, only further hinted at with the expansion pack Reborn, a hell of a conclusion awaiting us in a third game. And then the third game came along, and sadly it destroyed everything, all the potential of the series. Now it's one more of the many dead franchises that I loved. I figured it was time to set things right in a small way, the pieces came together, and I owed the series that much.

The canon for this story includes the first game, many of the elements and story beats from Extraction Point, the entirety of Perseus Mandate, all of the second game, all of Reborn and some elements from F.E.A.R. Online. There is also supplemental material I incorporated... with only a few slight changes here and there, for the sake of the story and characters. I put together what I feel worked, picked and chose elements that interested me, and take them to their natural conclusion. There will even be a few elements from F.E.A.R. 3 in there, but obviously nothing major, this story going in quite a different direction for the most part. There may be some of my own ideas, additions and alterations, but I did my best to be faithful to the universe.

The story consists of several POV's, though obviously primarily the Point Man, his relationship with his family and friends, who he is as a silent character. I had the challenge of writing him in his post F.E.A.R. state... therefore he had already underdone some internal character evolution and serious revelations by the time this story starts. He saw a great deal over the course of the game. I had to figure out for myself how he developed in that span, over the course of the original story, which I will reference. I would have loved to write an adaptation of the original F.E.A.R from his perspective, but that would have just been a retread of a game you have all played with some minor expansions and alterations. Though I will say that first game is in serious need of a reboot to do just that. It was fun getting into all the characters heads and really figuring them out... some of them came more natural than others, it was harder with others but in the end I really got who they were and what they were about, enjoyed writing each character. Even the ones who don't get POV chapters. It really all took on a life of its own, as it went on, and it was fun to incorporate all the elements, fit them together and add some of my own that I felt worked. The F.E.A.R. Wiki was a big help for sure, so kudos to them.

I've been working on this story periodically for about six and a half or so years. Funny I should finally finish the first draft in the same year this story is set. I am in the process of making additions, edits, and filling out more details of the story, currently, but the story is ready to go forward. I don't expect this to garner many, if any views or reviews, given F.E.A.R. is a small and mostly dead fandom, but I'm doing this for the story and personal reasons, not for recognition, as appreciated as it would be. I will also make edits along the way through the story, come back to chapters, as I tend to do.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this work of mine as much as I did writing it.

"Speak."

"What's this? The illustrious Senator Hoyle, answering his own calls? Keeping late hours?"

"Spare me the sarcasm. And stop using that name. I haven't slept since your call about Fettel. Me and my connections have been working overtime containing the fallout of your fuck up with the Vault. We all have the military brass breathing down our necks, Director McCullough and Commissioner Betters, Congress as well. Keeping them as much as I can out of Fairport has not been simple, even with my resources. I can only delay them for so long. I have been informed they will be attempting to insert small special forces teams into the city, with or without Congress's approval. What the hell is happening in there? What's taking so long? Your report. Now."

"Of course, no time for the usual pleasantries. Thankfully I have mostly good news to report for you."

"Here's me holding my breath. Get on with it."

"Harbinger is a complete success. There is good reason to believe we'll be able to wrap this up within the next twenty four hours and get out. Origin has been reacquired and contained again, Harlan's mess cleaned up just as I planned, at Still Island... and Dark Signal has been silenced. Halford as well, regrettably, but it proved necessary. There is one survivor on the island I was unable to eliminate, but his threat is negligible, he is but a driver, and was not even part of Harbinger. The Board will see to him for us. I only just made it off the island and am in hiding now, will move from safe house to safe house just to be sure. Still, Colonel Vanek and his Black Ops detachment have been eliminated by Dark Signal, so Armacham's most immediate threat to me is gone. I have time on my side."

"Only for the moment."

"Time enough, at least. The Board's forces will have stormed and taken the island by now, but will be preoccupied keeping Origin contained and dealing with the Replica of Fairport, to say nothing of witnesses... with luck, their eyes will be off of me for a time. For long enough to complete the rest of the mission. Delta Force survivors of their company are scattered across Fairport, lost in the fighting between Armacham and the rogue Replicas of the Second Battalion, the Variant VII's that were activated after Fettel's elimination. They will be no threat to us either. The remnants of the First Battalion, the Variant VI's, remain deactivated."

"I see. Further ahead than behind. Thank God."

"No need to give others the credit I deserve."

"You'll get it when you've cleaned up the rest of your mess."

"Harlan's mess. This wasn't my creation. I inherited it and was left to fix it."

"You reopened the Vault to boost company finances, this is the consequence. I'm not going to keep debating this with you. What of your remaining objective?"

"My special forces team and a portion of my remaining security forces are en route to intercept and recover the First Prototype and his surviving unit now. It wasn't easy, but we believe we have found the location of his crashed helicopter, at the edge of Auburn, with the help of an ATC security eye witness. Apparently Alma climbed aboard and brought it down, before she was contained."

"How do we know she hasn't killed everyone aboard?"

"We don't yet... I do not know about the others aboard that helicopter, but it unlikely the First Prototype is dead. Between Harbinger distracting her off him, and his psionic resistance to her, their relation, he stands a great chance of surviving. In the event he is dead, there is nothing to salvage, and we will be able to evacuate immediately. If the First Prototype is alive, we will continue with the mission and accomplish it. Rest assured. I have the situation well in hand. Trust me."

"You damn well better. And what of the Board of Directors?"

"I am currently in contact with the Board, and am presenting my case and negotiating to keep my position. To keep my head firmly where it is, with Origin contained. I will wrest back control of Armacham from Carson soon enough. Before you know it, this will all be over. Once it is, the military can move in and clean up the remaining Replica forces in conjunction with Armacham. Armacham's image could be significantly bolstered when all this is over, with as much evidence the Vault's destruction has buried, and working with the military to contain the situation. Any remaining loose ends can be contained by us before the military arrives in force."

"You're more optimistic about all this than I am."

"I have good reason to be. I am down here at ground level, you are not."

"I intend to keep it that way. And what of the evidence F.E.A.R. and Delta Force uncovered before the Vault's destruction?"

"We can pin most of it on Harlan where it belongs, along with other rogue employees. Habegger, Hives, Mapes... you name it. They aren't in any position to contradict us. Not all of it can be pinned on them... but enough of it can be. Admittedly what they do have could prove the worst threat to us... but it is not as if we haven't planned for that possibility. We have options. Rather final options... but we have them."

"Yes. We do."

"All that being said... on the other hand, that clandestine mercenary army of yours would make this process infinitely easier and safer for everyone. Speed it up significantly. I have only so many resources remaining at my disposal down here. Not nearly enough to directly take on the Board's forces or the Replica."

"You're asking a great deal. Pushing your luck. They sustained a good many casualties already against the Second F.E.A.R. Team... giving one of the Subject Scions to Betters has proven a major setback to my plans. We should have contented ourselves with only giving him the First Prototype to make use of for field testing. Regardless... their new Commander has assured me they have recovered the Source, and are preparing for another incursion into Fairport to carry out the second half of their mission."

"Another incursion? Will they not have evacuated by now? Recover what they are after back at the F.E.A.R. Compound? It would be simpler than another mission into Fairport as it is."

"The Second F.E.A.R. Team remains in Fairport. It would seem they altered their course and returned to aid the Delta Force survivors."

"Raynes. I should have figured. Stubborn, persistent son of a bitch... but nerves of steel. Not the first time that loose cannon has hindered me."

"My assets current mission takes priority over accomplishing yours for you or babysitting you. Your special forces team and security forces will have to be sufficient for now. Proceed with your objectives. You'll have my answer later. I have a Congressional meeting to attend in the meantime."

"Of course. Have to put on a brave, caring face for the world, with this catastrophe. Especially once the death toll comes in. I'd best start practicing mine. Thank you, David. You have been invaluable in this containment process. I could not have done this without your support. The strings you pulled with the First Prototype and Project Harbinger. Do give my best to Catherine and the kids."

"Just finish your work, Genevieve. Recover the First Prototype, smooth things over with the Board, and get the hell out of the city. I can't keep bailing you out from your piss poor decisions. Don't make me regret this little arrangement of ours any more than I'm starting to."

"You won't. Now if you'll excuse me, I have history to make."

Short, but only a beginning set up. Stick around.