(no subject)

[acts_of_gord]

The toxic waters underfoot in the tunnel had been no better going out than coming in, but the medkits in the Vortigaunt's cave had given Gordon all the edge he needed to cross them and come out in one piece. There'd been a pair of dispensers on the wall in the building where the CPs had hidden, too, along with enough ammo to make him wonder why they hadn't tried to charge him earlier. Not that he minded. The more mistakes his enemies made, the happier it made him. He stocked up with what he could and continued on his way.

The sun was inching on towards evening when one slanting orange streak of light through clouds lit up a well-concealed lambda painted on the wall of what might very well be a former hydro plant. Good; the airboat's condition was starting to get a little precarious. He pulled up to the rudimentary dock, cut the engines, and clambered out to look for the door. There wasn't much searching to do, really; around the cart, up the inclined patch of concrete beside the building, past the mutilated propaganda posters on the wall, and... there. A fenced alcove with danger signs and barrels ringing the door. No sign of anyone on the premises, though, and no guards or surveillance cameras that he could see. That was odd. Dr. Kleiner's lab hadn't had any visible security, either, but at least it had windows. Frowning, he slid his crowbar loose from his belt and eased the door open.

No response. The lights were on, but nobody seemed to be home- was he too late after all? He stepped through-

WHAM.

The door slammed shut, the lights went out, and for half a second he was absolutely totally completely oh dear God no NOT AGAIN NO sure he could hear the breathing of Marines-

Comments

[acts_of_gord]

"There was an airboat involved," Gordon says, and looks guiltily at Eli. "I couldn't find any cover for it, or I'd've hidden it before I opened the door."

Still, he smiles a little; it's good to see Alyx again.

[vance_prime]

"Even with a vehicle, that was a fast getaway." Eli smirks at his daughter. "I believe he broke your record, honey."

"Well, he earned it," says Alyx, eyeing Gordon's blood-splattered armor and the guns duct-taped to it. "I guess you proved you can handle yourself out there."

[acts_of_gord]

"I had help," Gordon says. "If it hadn't been for the rebels who added the gun to that boat I'd've never made it past the helicopter patrols. There's one less gunbird out there now."

[vance_prime]

"There's nothing Gordon can't handle--" Eli wraps an arm around Alyx's shoulders-- "with the possible exception of you."

Alyx pulls away, looking embarrassed. "Dad, please..."

[acts_of_gord]

... yeeeah, Gordon's not touching that one with a ten foot pole. Just giving Alyx an apologetic I didn't say anything, honest! sort of look.

[vance_prime]

Alyx gives him a good-natured You see what I have to put up with? smirk in return.

Aloud, she says, "Well, as long as I'm here, I might as well get to work on fixing the teleporter... Gordon, could you give me a hand with the ladder here? It tends to stick."

[acts_of_gord]

"Sure," says Gordon, who's pretty sure Eli's going to start smirking shortly himself. Actually doing something, no matter how small, is all the excuse he needs not to pay attention to an expression like that.

... okay, as long as he doesn't actually, like, look up when Alyx is climbing or anything. Concentrating on holding the ladder in place is probably a safer bet. He can do that.

[vance_prime]

If Alyx is concerned about where Gordon is looking, she certainly doesn't show it as she braces one foot on the ladder and the other on the piece of equipment she's working on.

...eyes front, Freeman.

[acts_of_gord]

.... he can do that. Really.

"Can't wait to see the rest of this place," he says, finding a thoroughly fascinating piece of wall and keeping a good firm eye on it.

[smelltheashes]

One distraction coming right up, in the form of Judith returning to the lab.

"Alyx? I thought you were on watch!"

[vance_prime]

"The Vortigaunts relieved me so I could come see Gordon," says Alyx without looking away from her work. "Anyway, I should be in here working on the portal."

[smelltheashes]

"I have the repairs well in hand. Someone misjudged the capacity of the Combine thyristor."

[vance_prime]

That gets Alyx's attention. She drops down from her perch to look Judith straight in the eye. "Are you blaming me??"

[smelltheashes]

"No, not at all!" says Judith, taken aback. "It was a calculation error, not a mechanical problem."

[vance_prime]

Alyx's frown deepens. "Then maybe you should let me do the calculations next time as well as installing it."

[smelltheashes]

"Alyx, really! Sometimes I think you deliberately misunderstand me..."

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon can't help but cough at that. "Not to interrupt," he says mildly, "but I could've sworn I saw a kitchen on the way down here. Any chance I could get a drink? I'm running a pint or two low."

[smelltheashes]

"Of course you can," says Eli, a little too quickly. "Alyx, why don't you take Gordon up to the mess hall? You can give him a tour of the base while you're at it."

[vance_prime]

Alyx quirks an eyebrow at her dad, but declines to comment on his obvious distraction tactic.

"C'mon, Gordon, let's get out of here."

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon's not really good at social maneuvering, so when he gets one right it's grounds for a small smile and a wave. Then he follows Alyx out of the room without another word.

[vance_prime]

Outside the double doors is a narrow hallway leading to a flight of stairs, which Alyx promptly heads for.

"So I see you've met Dr. Mossman," she says, her voice dripping with smarm.

[acts_of_gord]

"She was the one who let me in here," Gordon says. "Not a fan, huh?"

[vance_prime]

"She's one of the main reasons I spend so much time outside. You should hear her drone on about how it should've been her in the Black Mesa test chamber that day..." Alyx sighs. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking about her behind her back. It just gets a bit... claustrophobic down here."

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon thinks of Dr. Magnusson for a moment; it's enough to trigger a rush of sympathy. He doesn't say anything, though- just reaches over and rests a hand on her shoulder.

[vance_prime]

She flinches a little at the touch. "Could you at least put the crowbar away before you do that? I feel like you're waiting for the right moment to bash my skull in."