Assault on City 17: Team Dunkirk

[acts_of_gord]

The group of fighters tasked with getting civilians out of the line of fire opens on an unremarkable side door of a thoroughly unremarkable building. The walls here are largely grey brick, scribbled here and there with graffiti in a mingle of languages- English, Spanish, something that might be Russian or Ukrainian. A tattered poster of a white-bearded man in a business suit hangs limply from the wall next to a roll-up garage door.

Barney leans forward to rap swiftly on the smaller door, as there's no handle to open it from the outside. The first thing anyone sees of what lies beyond is the muzzle of a shotgun. Before any hostile reaction can happen, the wielder leans forward: a bald, bespectacled, lab-coated figure, blinking in the light of day. "Barney?" he says. "Alyx? My God, when did you get here? And who are these people?"

Comments

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

The faceless smiles under the mask. There is something that reminds Charlie of Prof. Rodor in the man. "I'm called the Question. Or Charlie."

[smelltheashes]

"Very good to meet you, I'm sure," says Dr. Kleiner. "As much as I hate to say it, Miss Vance is right- we haven't got much time. I believe we're headed for a transportation depot on the outskirts of the city, well away from the Citadel?"

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

"Then I guess someone should lead the way." He reaches under his jacket to make sure that the unwanted but unavoidable gun is secure in its shoulder holster. (If he has to carry, at least he can hide it.)

[vance_prime]

Before Charlie can take a step, there's a dull, echoing CLANG from somewhere on the far side of the door.

Alyx freezes. "What was that?"

[subject-lj-here.livejournal.com]

Chell stands up from adjusting her shoes to make sure everything was okay.

"I don't know but it didn't--"

[smelltheashes]

"Hmm?" says Dr. Kleiner, who doesn't appear to have noticed the sound, busy as he is with slinging a few bundles and bags over his shoulders. "What was what?"

CLANG.

"Oh. Er. That. Ah..."

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

Charlie doesn't quite tense up. He's good at keeping calm. But a noise like that is not good. "Should we be moving quicker?"

[vance_prime]

Alyx gives Dr. Kleiner a look. "What. Is. It."

[subject-lj-here.livejournal.com]

Chell's beginning to get a little afraid... they don't have anything to kill something this big.

"What do we do if...?"

[smelltheashes]

"Well, we-"

There's another CLANG and a terrible noise of squealing metal as the garage door starts to roll up from the inside.

Certain parties present may recognize the wide metallic 'fingers' heaving the door forcibly open.

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

Charlie watches. "I don't remember Gordon saying much about robots," He suspects that neither bullets or fists will do much good now. But he takes a fighting stance anyway.

[vance_prime]

Alyx's face lights up. "D0G! You made it back!" She runs into the room, meeting the metal behemoth halfway and getting swept up into an enormous bear hug.

[subject-lj-here.livejournal.com]

"Is this the... pet you spoke of, Alyx?"

She certainly didn't picture this.

[smelltheashes]

The robot makes a happy mwoop! noise, wriggling about like some cross between a dog and a gorilla. Dr. Kleiner offers a small smile and looks to the rest of the escort party. "We did intend to have him bringing up the rear," he notes, "but I suppose he wanted to see you first. Shall we go?"

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

Charlie watches this strange but charming reunion, falls into what passes for formation, and is glad that the robot in on their side.

[smelltheashes]

"Too bad he hasn't got saddlebags," observes Sonia as she and two other civilians emerge from Kleiner's lab. "We could use the extra cargo capacity. Let's head for the alley, Dr. Kleiner. There's gonna be scanners if we keep standing around here."

[vance_prime]

"Go on, D0G, get in back and cover us."

Bwoop, says the robot, and obediently lumbers to the back of the group. Alyx remains in front, gun drawn and ready for whatever challenges might be ahead of them.

[subject-lj-here.livejournal.com]

"Alyx, should I put a portal here to cover the entry point?"

She's got her gun cocked.

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

Charlie pulls his gun from its holster, and feels like he should be quoting something dark and somber at the occasion. It feels wrong in his hand, but he's sure he can handle it.

[vance_prime]

"Can't hurt," says Alyx. "But keep making new entrances when you can. We don't want to have to bring the wounded all the way back to the lab."

[smelltheashes]

"I do hope you've got your galoshes on," says Kleiner as the column starts moving. "We may have to take to the canals- assuming Civil Protection hasn't locked them down, of course."

"Let's stay out of the wet as long as we can," says one of his other companions, a short, round-faced rebel whose voice is the only thing about her that betrays her gender. "It's only going to slow us down."

"The old city light rail tunnels might be viable," says the last human member of the party. In better days he probably played college football, if his build is anything to go by. He's been given the largest load to haul. "Anybody here afraid of the dark?"

[subject-lj-here.livejournal.com]

Chell shakes her head in response. "I'll wait until we're past these canals then, Alyx."

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

"I've played in the sewers and subway tunnels from time to time." He tries to sound cheerful, but he's getting the feeling that even Hub City was a safer place than where they are.

[vance_prime]

"I can handle it," says Alyx with confidence. "Come on."

[smelltheashes]

Most of the Combine's trains run aboveground, some of them utilizing the old light rail network. Before the light rail, though, there was the city subway- narrow tunnels just barely wide enough to keep two trains running in opposite directions. The nearest passage into such a place lies directly in front of what used to be a respectable business building, a bakery by the look of things. It's mostly wrecked now.

It's also guarded by a couple of Civil Protection officers. They're masked, of course, but their postures suggest a general desire to be somewhere else- anywhere else.