For all you Half-life 2 fans...

[S. Leone]

This is my story that revolves around the Half-Life 2 storyline

 

One Week. One Week is all it took for the human uprising. After the blow that was struck at Nova Prospekt, it was taken as a signal to trigger the uprising. But what happened during that one week? With Alyx and Gordon in the slow time warp, anything could have happened. This story is about the survival of several citizens-turned-soldiers during the week of the uprising.

 

This story will...

 

¤Stretch from Nova Prospekt, To City 17, and The Wastelands

¤Include Characters and Enemies cut form Half-life 2, that were originally planned in the storyline

¤Weaponary and Locations cut from Half-life 2, such as the OICW and The Air Exchange

¤Accounts from several different citizens, whom all share a connection to be revealed throughout the story

 

Chapter 1: Welcome to your final hours

 

Day 0, Nova Prospekt, 12:22 PM, Mess Hall, Block E

 

David mindlessly stares at his plate. Full of some genetically mutated mush that he does not want to put in his mouth, he spins his spoon through the deep brown lake of what smells like oats. Instead, he actually munches on something that’s not half bad. Some Bacon. He knows it’s not real, but hell, it’s better than the stuff he got back in City 17. He would trade some things to get more bacon from other inmates each day. It wasn’t hard at all to find things lying around the complex. When the Combine dragged people by their feet, not caring about the trail of blood they left or the trail of goods they left, David would quickly make his way over to acquire these new possessions. Half the time it’s jewelry, were not talking Diamonds and Gold and sh*t, just metal and copper, sometimes a shred of silver, but every so often would he come across that, but when he did, it was more bacon for him.

David made a sandwich of what he had, bacon and 2 pieces of bread. While he munched on that, his 2 friends came over from the lunch line and sat down. There was Luther, he was an African man who was captured during a raid in City 17. He was one of the main Generals of the City 17 resistance, and word has it, he gave one hell of a fight before they captured him. Some people say he used an un used bullet, and stabbed a metro cop in the eye with it. Others say he grabbed a man hack in mid air, and sliced through them like nothing. He can’t tell us, because he was “In too deep of a rage to remember a thing”.

Then there was David’s friend, Victor, or “Vic” For short. He was a silent loner, silent only to strangers and the combine. The first time David met Vic he thought he was god himself. This man was the only man to get hit by a stun baton. Twice. In the head. And still get up to kill his enemies. This man was a beast in humans flesh. The combine won’t even mess with him, they let him be, but Vic is smart enough to know there is no way out of Nova Prospekt except if you’ve been altered and ready to be taking commands from a talking helmet. Vic was the only reason David and Luther haven’t been thrown into any other cell block. If it wasn’t for him, David and Luther would each be in a drop ship somewhere, getting ready to pin down the “Enemies” that were most likely his friends at some time.

Cell Block E. It’s the only surviving cell block that actually works. It’s strange, Old Nova Prospekt stops at Cell Block B7, New Nova Prospekt starts at C1 and ends at D8, but cellblock E is rite in between the ending and starting point of those 2 places. Well, not really. It’s more off to the side, takes about 10 minutes to get there if you’re going to walk. Cell Block E isn’t so bad, well, they’re treated as if this was a normal prison. Yes, people are still pulled out to be changed into combine soldiers, but still, it’s not so bad. David is here for 3 more years, he shot and killed a metro cop, and broke into an Overwatch Precincts supply room, looking for food. Luther, 4 more years, and Vic….Let’s just say not anytime soon.

The group raved on about the combine. There brutal methods of killing, why they’re here, and why the f*ck a human was their pawn. Luther told the group about the plan that his resistance group put together. It wasn’t half bad, Luther wants to get his plan heard, because Vic and David approve of it so highly. A large crash was heard, as everyone looked over to see 2 dumb guards chasing a head crab with their stun batons, only to hit everything but it. They just looked back at their plates, and ate their food.

 

Luther: I heard, from the new guy that came in, he heard from the network that some guy they call the “Free Man” is coming soon.

Vic: I heard of him. He’s supposed to be the one. The one who will free the whole race.

Luther: Yea, my ass. The only thing that could take those combine down are a couple thousand nuclear warheads.

David: If you ask me! That girl…Alyx Vance or what ever….She could do it all by herself.

Vic: No doubt in my mind she couldn’t man, no doubt.

Luther: (Sits and rubs chin for a minute) Now that I think about it….Dr. Kliener used to talk about “Freeman” all the time. If it wasn’t for him, the Xen portals would still be open today. This guy was like a one man army.

David: Then what the f*ck happened to this “One Man Army”?

Luther: No one knows. He simply disappeared. But now he’s coming back. If you ask me, it was all becau-

*ALL PRISONERS RETURN TO THEIR CELLS!*

 

Nova Prospekt, 12:48 PM, Cell Block E

 

The group looked around, and grabbed their trays. They all stood up, to mosey their way to the return shelf, then make their way to the cells. As they entered the block, they weren’t locked down in their cells, it was just a block lock down, so they were free to roam. Luther and Vic walked over to the middle of the block, for a regular card game. It was about this time the fresh prisoners would come in, showered down, stripped of there previous rebel clothing, and given the rules. David’s cell was nearest to the entry door, where they would drag the new prisoners by there feet, across the block, into the main office. David sat on his bed, and reached under to grab a locket. He slowly lied his head back on the ratty mattress, and opened the heart shaped locket, to reveal the vintage picture of a woman. The picture was surrounded by a golden frame. Engraved into the gold, beneath the picture, read “Maria”. David’s wife, the only important person he left when he came here. Every night he dreamed about her, and dreamed how wonderful it would be, to hold her in his arms again.

*SHHHHKKKKKKKTTTTTT BOOOOM!* The weights which held the main entry door shut, dropped to the ground, unlocking the door, and opening it. 2 Combine Elites dragged their new found prey across the pavement, as David watched from his cell. The rebel opened his blood shot eyes, to give David a look of concern. The rebel slowly reached in his pocket, and dropped a small wooden box behind him. David rushed over, grabbed the box, and slowly walked back to his cell. He examined the wooden box, and examined that it had hinges on it. He flipped it around to see where the box locked, and noticed it was already unlocked. David ran his fingers across the bottom, and felt that something was engraved. When he did turn the box to read it, the engraftment read “Welcome to your final hours. We shall rise”.

Edited February 24, 2007 by S. Leone

[Greene]

It wasn't bad.

I suggest that you change your font as it makes it painful to read.

[S. Leone]

 

Chapter 2: Nobody turned somebody.

 

Day 0,City 17, 8:22 PM, The Plaza

 

The cremator was the only one that roamed the streets at this time of night. Unless you were a citizen returning from their job to their apartment, or going to get some rations. Which was exactly what she was doing. She came out of the train station with her share of rations, and was now returning to her apartment to cook them up. The cremator burnt up the dead head crabs and any other fleshy carnage he came across. She just minded her own business, though the cremators statue frightened her, she buried her nose into her rations package and pretended as if he wasn’t there when he walked by. Around the corner, and she was home free. The night scared her so much. You could her the howling of bull squids from the canals, because the streets were so quite.

Her feet started to move faster, as she heard the clutter of garbage cans behind her, scaring 7 shades of sh*t out of her. Suddenly, a fast movement, the swinging of haggard wood flew in front of her, and the tight grasp of some ones fist was on her collar. At this point, she was thinking why did someone have to steal her rations, then she wouldn’t be in this god forsaken mess. Then she thought, what if it was a random citizen screening, and she was to be taken to Nova Prospekt? She flew into a beaten up leather chair, and the only light was from the street lights outside, which illuminated the outline of the shadowed figure which threw her into the chair. But those lights were soon gone, as he slammed the door shut. Now it was complete darkness…Uncomfortable silence filled the air, then a deep, raspy voice broke the uncomfortable silence. A man of British decent began to speak, making her more comfortable that it wasn’t a CP.

 

Man: Were not here….To hurt you. But more of…well, to help you if you must. Were going to turn the lights on, but you must promise, to not try to run, or hurt us….Is that clear? Do you understand?

Girl: Y- Yes….

Man: (His identity is revealed after the burning florescent lights flicker on. A tall, rugged man. A short cut beard ran from ear to ear, and a short scar ran from his lower forehead, to the bottom right corner of his left eye. He was dressed in standard blue jump suit, yet with a black jacket over it.) Your name….Is Maria, am I right?

Maria: Y- Yes.

Man: Maria, have you heard of this, “Free Man”?

Maria: Yes.

Man: Obviously, you know his cause. To let you know, he is real. As we speak, he’s at Nova Prospekt, fighting to get Dr. Eli Vance.

Maria: W- What happened to Dr. Vance?

Man: Captured. During a raid in Black Mesa East. We need to get to the point, so I’m going to cut the sh*t. You work at Prescient 12, downtown am I right?

Maria: Yea.

Man: Well, this is where you come into play, we need you to give clearance to a certain Civil Protection Officer into the artillery room.

Maria: Why!? Do you have any idea what will happen if they find out what I was doing? I would go straight to Nova Prospekt!

Man: They won’t find out.

Maria: (Gives him a stubborn look) So, what’s your “plan” with the artillery that you’re gonna get from me?

Man: Tomorrow, this CP will take 4 crates worth of CUU issued C4 Explosives. He will deliver that to us by 9 AM. By 10 AM, we will have those explosives rigged with remote sensors, and the works. By 11 AM, we will have one Combine APC, missing 1 wheel and almost all of it‘s in dash wiring and engine capabilities, and will be loaded with explosives. When CP officers find that APC, they will load it onto a truck, to take it back to the City 17 Loading and Un loading bay for Combine transport. This bay is where they do quick fixes on lightly damaged vehicles. But with what we are going to do to this APC, they will have to send it down Route C

Maria: Route C?

Man: Route C is a 2 mile underground tunnel that leads from the bay, to the citadel. It’s where all of their ground transport comes from. With such a damaged APC, they’ll send it back to the citadel, for all of it’s missing parts to be replaced. At a certain point, we will blow the charges in that truck, destroying the tunnel, backing up the combines ground forces, which gives us an advantage. With such a blow, it will back them up by 2 hours, for APCs to drive directly out of the citadel into the city, it would take them hours to get around such high security check points, down such long tunnels and paths. Route C is a straight path. Any other path, is made into zig zags, to slow down anyone’s advance on the citadel. A 6 lane tunnel, you can see why we need so much C4. Well, 1 crate equals 10 charges of C4, 3 charges of C4 could blow that tunnel, but as you can see…We want to slow them down as much as possible.

Maria: Don’t you think they’ll search the APC before they put it in that tunnel? They’ll find the C4 and confiscate it.

Man: We have that planned out. The C4 is loaded into that APC. The APC leaves, and stops for the CP to take a piss. While he’s doing that, we take the C4, and leave. He gets in, drives, parks the APC, we do the dirty work. He waits, once the APC is ready to go, he calls the bay, saying he was knocked out, and his APC was shredded apart. They do what they do, and boom.

Maria: Isn’t this C4 supposed to be going somewhere? I know how it works, if the shipments more than 15 minutes late, they track down the position of the APC, and go look for it.

Man: We have a man at another prescient working for us. He logged a shipment to be received from Prescient 12 to be sent to Prescient 17. Prescient 12 knows they’re sending it, but Prescient 17 doesn’t know they’re getting it. It’s all very simple, it’s nearly flawless.

Speaker: Attention Residents. 10 Minutes until Lockdown. Please return to your complexes immediately.

Man: (looks at watch) Ok, well it’s time for you to go.

 

A man grabs Maria by the arm and takes her to the door. He opens the door, pops his head out, and throws her out of the room.

 

Maria: WAIT! What’s your name?

Man: (Snickers) Just call me Bane. O, and here’s the paper with the CP’s information. (Hands her the paper, than slams the door, followed by several locks)

 

Maria looks around, and continues to her complex. Tomorrow was for sure a big day. She must do what she was asked. It’s everything her Husband taught her to do. If you have a good advantage over them, take it. This certainly will mean something.

 

 

 

 

[Red_Jacks&Purple_Nines]

I kinda like this S. Leone. I am an avid fan of the game. Hope you continue man.

[S. Leone]

 

Chapter 3: Look beyond these walls

 

Day 0, Nova Prospekt, 12:51 PM, David’s cell

 

David tinkered around with the box until it finally opened. On top of what ever it covered, was a folded up piece of paper, splattered with dried up blood. David moved the box aside, and un folded the piece of paper. The handwriting looked like it took place in a time of struggle, as it looked as the note was written fast. David slowly began to read the note….

 

“Seeing as I don’t have much time now, and they’ve found our position, I leave this to who ever finds it. There’s nowhere for me to go, I know I’ll be caught, because it was my dimwitted move to go into the bathroom without windows. Seeing as I’ll be sent to the Prospekt, I would like to help out who ever finds this. This is a bomb I created not to long ago. It’s made with 2 chemicals, when laced together, create an extremely deadly explosive. Use the remote to detonate it. Make sure you’re a good length away from the explosion site, because if you’re to close, don’t expect to live. Use it at the rite time though. You’ll know when. The soldiers are on my level now, they’re starting to raid every room. I’m gonna have to cut this message short. Good luck to anyone who finds this. Hopefully I’m still alive in the Prospekt, and I can help you bust out. For now, it’s good bye. “

 

David looked back at the box, to find to glass vials sitting next to each other. One filled with a purple liquid, the other with a light blue, aqua like liquid. They both had small tubes running of them into a bigger tube, connected to that tube was a sparking device, that seemed to activate when the 3rd tube reached a certain fullness. David fed his fingers into a crack in the box, and dug out a thin steel rod. It stretched from each end of his palm, but extended to where it was a little longer than his hand in width. David grabbed some loose string from his mattress, and flipped his sleeve down. He looked around, and pulled a sharpened shard of metal, it wasn’t hard to find these in the Prospekt. He cut 3 tiny holes in his inner sleeve, a bit smaller than the detonator, but not to much. He slipped the detonator into these holes, and it fit perfectly. He tied the string around the holes, to keep it in there even tighter.

 

David was carrying the box behind his back, as he made his way to the cell blocks power box, on the back of the wall. Next to the power box, was a window, that lead to the beach. So he knew, when this wall was blown, it would lead them straight outside. David had the box set up, right next to the power box, but hidden by shadows, so you couldn’t see it. David made his way to where Luther and Vic were playing cards, and sat at the table.

 

Vic: (Picks up new hand) What were you doing over there?

David: Guys, you have to swear you wont tell anyone, ok?

Vic & Luther: (Together) Of course.

David: Over there, is a bomb that I got off of one of the rebels that came in, it’s powerful enough to blow that wall.

Luther: (Gives a stunned look) Well, f*cking use it!

Vic: (Smacks Luther in the back of the head) Keep your god damn voice down! David, when do you plan to use this?

David: Tomorrow. Sometime tomorrow. I’ll talk to you guys later, I have a massive headache.

Vic: Ok, we’ll see you later.

 

David returned to his cell, but did not change his clothes to sleep. He slept facing the wall, so his arm didn’t flop over, risking the detonator to drop.

 

Day 1, Nova Prospekt, 7:22 AM, David’s cell

 

Soldier; (Taps David with stun baton) Get up. (David didn’t wake up, so he punches his in the shoulder) GET UP!

David: (Wakes up form a rude awakening) MAN WHAT DO YOU WANT!?

Soldier: Get to the front office, the Overwatch guard would like to have a word with you.

David: H-…How long have I been out?

Soldier: Since 1:30 PM yesterday.

David: Damn….What time is it now?

Soldier: 7:30 AM, now MOVE!

 

David got up, and gathered himself. He stretched for a second, slowly made his way out of the cell, but the soldier gave him a push. Luther and Vic watched him go towards the office, their arms crossed, with worried looks on their faces. David just looked straight ahead. Through the windows, in the distance, there were flashes of gunfire. Obviously something was happening. David got into the haggard office, where lied a table, a reverse mirror that looked over the complex, and a leather seat, like a barbers chair, that David was forced to sit in. A combine elite stepped over, after looking at images on the console.

 

Elite: Yesterday, after playing back the surveillance of the mess hall, you, Luther, and Victor were discussing a…Freeman. “Free man” if you must. What do you know about him.

David: (Ponders for a minute) I have no idea what you’re talking about…

Elite: (turns for a second, then quickly turns, to sock David in the jaw) You’re going to tell me what I want to know. NOW!

David: (Spits blood on the elites pearly suit) f*ck you, you god damn sac of fluid

Elite: (Hits David 2 more times, once in the chest, and another in the face) Fine, make this harder for yourself

Monitor: INCOMING MESSAGE

 

The elite walked over to the monitor to check the message. He stood solid for a few seconds, than continued to reply to the message. He waved a soldier over. David listened closely, and the Elite said “Send all of our guards to cell block D2”. The soldier walked out, walked down the stair case, and went to the room beneath them, where all the soldiers stayed. The gates opened, over 30 soldiers marched out of the room beneath them, but 2 soldiers remained in the room with the Elite and David. David felt his sleeve, and noticed the detonator was still there. He took a tiny grip on the string, and quickly pulled, to release the detonator, and it slowly slid into his hand. David waited till the gates closed, and the soldiers were a good length away from the cell block until he blew the bomb.

 

Elite: Obviously, you don’t want to play it my way, so I’ll help you play my way.

David: (Holds up detonator) You know what? f*ck you. (Presses button)

 

The left rear wall of the cell block blew wide open. A few prisoners were near when it happened, so they got blown back a few feet. Quickly, the lights went out, only to be followed by emergency power lights. The Elite looked outside, to notice what David did, and quickly charged towards him. Then the door suddenly swung open.

 

Vic: OVER HERE YOU f*ckING fa**otS!

 

The 2 guards zapped on their batons, and charged at Vic. The first one came, swung at Vic, but Vic gripped his arm, twisted and punched the soldier in the head, when he was on the ground, Vic still had a grip on his arm, and he was on the ground. Vic pounded on the guards shoulder until it completely snapped, then kicked him in the helmet. Another one charged at Vic, but he punched him in the helmet, flipped him over his back, and stepped on his head twice. The elite looked over, but Luther threw a shank at him, going rite through his eye sight, into his head. David got up, and Vic and Luther just looked at him, seeing his condition, but David said he’d be fine. They all walked over to the gun rack on the wall, they each grabbed a pulse rifle, some extra clips, and a few orb shells. They were the only ones that remained in the prison, everyone else was outside, running to the coast, hoping for salvation. David, Luther, and Vic did the same, but they were armed, and had a better chance. Gun fire rose from miles away, it seemed rebels were making an attack on the Prospekt, hoping to save others. Smoke rose from buildings in the distance, cell blocks, watch towers. Luther simply, and quietly said….”The Free Man Is here”