Chapter one.
8:47 AM
Black Mesa Research Facility
Black Mesa, New Mexico
(Tram line)
The young man on the tram glanced at his watch, a look of worry on his face. Late again. The Administrator would have his head if just one more experiment was delayed on his account. The tram, leaving the stop at the sector B coolant reserve launched into its automated welcome speech. Like anyone else was on the tram line this late.
?Good morning, and welcome to the Black Mesa transit system. This automated train is provided for the security and convenience of the Black Mesa research facility personnel??
?It?s gonna be a long day? he thought.8:47 AM
Black Mesa Research Facility
Black Mesa, New Mexico
(Area 7 Security)
Sgt. Henry Pierce stared at the monitor of his computer, scratching his beard. A blue error screen stared back. He looked at the computer users manual.
?There?s no reference to this error in here. What the hell? Is this OS version newer than the manual, or what?? As if to answer his question, a knock on the door.
?Come in.? A greasy haired member of the science team, in casual clothes, walked in.
?I?m sorry to bother you, Sergeant, but I was browsing the web on one of the computers in the caf?, and all of a sudden it crashed. Every computer crashed! The others have been trying to reboot them, but they?re refusing to work!?
?Every computer? Must be a server-wide crash.? Pierce motioned towards his own computer. ?It?s out of my hands, I can?t get this one to work, but if I do, I?ll send down the solution to you guys.?
?But Professor Baker?s becoming a tad violent, yelling something about making it to the? citadel on hard?? Pierce sighed.
?Alright, alright.? He peeled himself out of his chair and grabbed his nightstick. ?Let?s go.?
9:07 AMBlack Mesa Research Facility
Black Mesa, New Mexico
(Sector C)
The young man walked into the Sector C control room and was greeted by three of the four science personnel in charge of the experiment.
?Ah, Gordon. Here you are. We just sent the sample down to the test chamber.? Said a bald man of science with glasses.
?We?ve boosted the anti-mass spectrometer 105%. Bit of a gamble, but we need the extra resolution.? Explained a scientist with a moustache.
?The? Administrator is very concerned that we get a conclusive analysis of today?s sample. I gather they went to some lengths to get it.? Finished a dark skinned science team member with greying hair. The first scientist piped up again.
?They?re waiting for you Gordon. In the test chamber.? The man, Gordon Freeman, looked instantly relived. The sample was late too.
9:11 AMBlack Mesa Research Facility
Black Mesa, New Mexico
(Area 7 Security)
?Good job on stopping Professor Baker from crushing that guy with the monitor, Henry. Real quick thinking.?
?Shut up, Frank.?
?No, I mean it. Would be a lot of paperwork.?
?Good-bye, Frank.? Pierce closed the door on his colleagues face and put a chair in front of it. ?Jesus. Can?t go one day without being a clown.? He muttered to himself. Pierce sat down on his own chair, pulled out his mp3 player, and set the volume on max.
?I can?t remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride, but something touched me deep inside, the day the music died. So bye-bye, miss American pie. Drove my Chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. And them good old boys were drinking? whiskey and rye, Singing?, ?this?ll be the day that I die. This?ll be the day that I die.?? The coffee in Pierce?s cup started to vibrate, then the entire office shook. ?What the hell?? Pierce exclaimed as he pulled his earbuds out of his ears and leapt to his feet. His coffee cup fell off his desk and smashed on the floor. Unholstering his pistol, Pierce kicked the chair out of the way and ran out of the door and into the hallway. Ceiling tiles dropped to the floor and dust shook from the walls, and for a split second, a flash of green light came from around the corner. The Shaking stopped.
?Okay?What the hell was that?? a loud metallic clang responded. ?Hello?? Pierce walked around the corner and into the men?s locker room, gun at the ready. ?Frank? That you?? A panting noise. ?Frank??
[i]?Ruff.?[/i]
?Frank, this isn?t funny. Come out before I accidentally shoot you.? More panting. Pierce approached a locker that was slightly out of its nook. ?Come on, Frank. I know you?re behind that locker.? A high-pitched harmonic squeal. ?Dammit, Frank. Don?t make me do this.? The locker fell to the ground, spilling its contents half a second before crushing them. A three-legged yellow creature with a single eye jumped out from behind it and howled. Pierce screamed while unloading a full ammunition clip into the creature. The creature dropped to the ground with a whine, its single eye still open.
?That is [i]not[/i] a dog. Whatever the hell that is, that is not a dog. That is not [i]normal[/i].? Another locker behind Pierce opened, and he wheeled around and pulled the trigger, hearing clicks instead of gunfire. The scientist he almost shot fainted and fell back into the locker.
[End of chapter one]EDIT: Well, that held up okay, exept for the paragraph intents being gone.