Emerald City Blues

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon's unvoiced fears about his suit's weight to the contrary, the Aperture Science Emergency Vehicular Evacuation Vehicle neither punctured nor sank when he got in. The small inflatable may be the single safest and most reliable non-lethal device Aperture has ever produced, which of course probably means it was originally intended for something else.

He's trying not to think about that, though. They're quietly puttering closer to the shore, and very soon they'll have to get out. Unfortunately, right now Gordon is remembering one of the History Channel specials his father was so fond of in those rare times when Bill Freeman was actually at home. It was, he recalls, the life of Douglas MacArthur.

He's not going to say 'I have returned' when he gets out of the boat. He's not.

Comments

[smelltheashes]

"What's that got to do with ow!"

That would be the sound of Chen getting elbowed in the ribs by Donna.

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon offers Donna a wry smile; she, at least, understands. "It doesn't matter," he says aloud. "They're just assuming that being me comes with privileges or perks, is the important thing."

[smelltheashes]

Donna shrugs. "It makes people willing to follow you? Maybe?"

[acts_of_gord]

"Maybe." Gordon shrugs. "Damn. Alyx is going to be mad if this whole thing causes trouble..."

[smelltheashes]

The door behind them creaks open. "You can come back in," says a curly-haired Latina woman.

[acts_of_gord]

"Thank you," says Gordon, and does so. He's not sure what to expect at this point, but hopefully it shouldn't be too much longer. Right?

[smelltheashes]

When they enter, the old man is standing on the far side of the map table, the blond girl and a chubby bearded man on either side of him. "Okay, here's the deal," he says. "We're going to let you bring one medkit--one--to your wounded corporal. We can't spare any more right now."

"If there's antivenom in it, that should be all we need," says Donna. "Is... there a catch?"

"There is, in fact," says the old man. "You're going with an escort, and he--" he nods to Gordon-- "has to stay here. If my men come back to base by dawn, you're free to do what you like. If not..." He trails off meaningfully.

[acts_of_gord]

"All right," says Gordon immediately. "Tell Alyx what's happened when you get there. Shephard doesn't have time for arguing," he adds in an undertone.

The Marine owes him big-time for this.

[smelltheashes]

"Jackson? You, Sinclair, and Ramirez will be their escorts," says the old man. "See if you can't talk to this 'Alyx' person and find out what the hell's goin' on in my city."

"Yes, sir." Jackson and his posse lead Donna and Chen back out of the room and down what passes for a hallway.

The old man sags into a nearby chair the instant the door is closed. "Glad that's over... my knees are killin' me."

[acts_of_gord]

"Sorry," says Gordon, who's not really sure what else to say. Seems like as good a time as any to fall back on his default no-talking policies, at this point.

[smelltheashes]

The old man takes a deep breath and straightens in his seat. "Alright. I've got some questions I'd like to ask you, but based on past experience I'm not about to trust the answers, so we might as well skip over all that," he says. "Now, I'm not an unkind man, so I'm not gonna keep you locked up, but you're not gonna have free reign, either. You stay on this level of the base, you go nowhere without an escort, and you don't talk to anybody except that escort. We've got enough rumors flyin' around as it is without you stirrin' up new ones. Oh, and one more thing..." He nods toward the gravity gun and the crowbar. "If you wanna leave this room, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave your toys behind."

[acts_of_gord]

"Actually," says Gordon, who's more reluctant than he'd like to be parted from the crowbar, "right now I'd be happy if I could get someplace to lie down for a bit. Or somewhere quiet to sit and close my eyes, if that's not possible. Either way."

[smelltheashes]

"We should have a bunk or two that's not full up yet," offers the Latina woman. "In the east barracks?"

The old man nods and turns to the blond girl. "Eleanor, you're his escort for the time being. Keep an eye on him."

[acts_of_gord]

"All right," says Gordon. Somewhat reluctantly he extracts the gravity gun and hands it over. Somewhat more so, he turns over the crowbar. "That one was a gift, by the way," he notes. "I'm going to want them both back, but."

Then he'll be more than happy to follow the blond girl to wherever the east barracks is.

[smelltheashes]

"You'll get 'em back when we hear back from Jackson," says the old man, unmoved. "Now get the hell out of my office."

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon nods and gets up straightaway.

Here's hoping they all navigate the beach safely.