Chapter 3: On a Rail
A walkway fell down. Konrad jumped on it. He ran to a door, but it was locked. Suddenly he saw a man in a suit behind a window where the controls where.
He opened the Door for them. Konrad stepped in. Apple Bloom was still crying.
“Shh, it’s over. We made it.” He patted her mane.
“Re- really?” She stopped crying and looked around. “WE MADE IT!” She exclaimed relieved.
“A man in a suit opened the door for us. Let’s thank him, shall we?”
“Yes, Sir!” Apple Bloom saluted.
However, the man disappeared. “Where did he go?”
“I don’t know. But we need to keep moving.” Konrad was trained for many situations, but training never prepared him for something like this. Wasn't that the same guy I saw in boot camp once? He thought.
While they moved, the Announcement System had a message.
"Alert. Military personnel, authorized to prosecute Gordon Freeman with extreme force. Alert. Military personnel, you are authorized to shoot the renegade on sight."
"You heard it, orders are to shoot on sight!" A marine said on the radio channel.
"Why would they do that?" AB asked scared.
"Well, as I told you, we should kill everyone connected to the project, and Freeman is one of them. Also killed a lot of my buddies."
"Do you hate him?"
"No. He acts only in self defence, that's what I suspect given our orders. I never agreed with this order as I have honor and want to keep my hands clean of any innocent blood. Apart of my squad, I don't know any of the others. But I will defend myself against him If I have too."
"Oh look, a tram. With that we should make it to the surface." Apple Bloom pointed to it.
"Indeed."
Suddently AB shouted, "Behind you!"
She saw how a man in an armored suit fired an MP5 at Konrad. He pushed her behind a create to cover. She heard a loud metallic "clang."
Peeking around the corner, she saw how Konrad just flinched for a second, but that was enough for the other man to tackle him to the ground and tried to stab him with a crowbar, while the marine struggled against it.
Ah must help him! But how? Then she had an idea.
"You won't hurt mah friend!" She delievered a powerful karate to the attackers head, throwing him off the marine.
In response, Konrad got up and drew his sidearm. "Stay where you are!"
"Alright, you got me!" The attacker said defeated but looked dumbfounded at the filly.
"Konrad, you're alright?" Apple Bloom asked worried as he was holding his head with his left hand while holding his attacker at gunpoint with the Eagle in the other hand.
"Didn't feel a thing." He replied while he thought, Son of a-that hurt! "You're Freeman, right?" Freeman nodded.
"I could kill you, but I won't. Get up."
While Freeman was one of the scientists connected to the project, the young soldier didn't want to kill him in front of the filly to maintain her innocence.
"Why?"
"Because, you're no use to me dead."
"Please, spare him!" AB pleaded.
"I do. But one wrong move, and you will regret it."
Apple Bloom grabbed his crowbar while Ford holstered his pistol and picked his MP5 up.
"Sorry about that. It’s just after so many marines tried to kill me, I shoot on sight." Gordon felt sorry for scaring the filly as he saw how she cowered her ears before she attacked him.
“I was about to use the tram to get to the surface.”
“Me too. I just want to get her out of here to safety. And I don't blame you. You're only defending yourself. Apart from my squad who also disagreed with their orders, I don't know any of the others.” Konrad helped Apple Bloom on the tram as he started it.
A Security guard informed Gordon about a rocket that was important to launch to “clean up this mess” as the guard told him.
While the tram continued, Apple Bloom told Gordon her Story, he told her his Story, how all this happened and Konrad told him how he was separated from his Squad.
Konrad spotted many dead marines, which was a sign that they were losing.
They had to duck under an electrical wire. Konrad killed some Houndeyes with the shotgun. As a crane was blocking the path, they had to find the switch to use it.
At an interception, they killed a Bullsquid that guarded the switch. After the switch was used, Gordon shot the sign to go past the crane.
They arrived at an elevator, where they were ambushed by marines. Fortunately, Gordon managed to take them out, before they noticed Apple Bloom or Konrad.
He felt a little unsafe about fighting his own men. But to get Apple Bloom out of here alive, he was ready to take that risk.
After the elevator got up, they heard how marines where fighting against Vortigaunts.
“You two stay at the tram, I will take care of this.” Gordon hoped off to take care of the survivors and raised the barrier arms.
The journey continued to a dead end where 3 marines opened fire but Gordon threw a grenade killing all 3 of them.
Konrad and Gordon took the ammo from them. As they were about to enter the entrance, marines were fighting with Vortigaunts. The marines lost this battle.
Gordon took care of the Vortigaunt. After they walked through the corridor, a gunner behind sandbags spotted Freeman. Konrad just made it to get himself and Apple Bloom out of the turret's fire line. Gordon fired a grenade of his MP5 to kill the gunner.
“Man, my buddies seem really to hate you,” Konrad commented after he saw the graffiti.
Apple Bloom walked to the blast door. Konrad stopped her as he saw the laser Trip mine. Gordon destroyed it with a shot of his Glock 17.
Another tram waited for them. Before they could use it, they had to kill two Bullsquids.
“Don’t touch those red lasers or turrets will activate.” Gordon said to Apple Bloom as he ducked under them. At first she was confused, but got it after she saw the deactivated turrets.
They came to a curve. “Jump!” Konrad grabbed Apple Bloom and jumped down as rockets were fired at them.
Gordon also jumped off but let the rail car still driving. It activated a trip mine, killing the marine wielding the rocket launcher. “That was close.” Gordon took a breath of relief.
The rail car stopped at a barrier arm. This time, Konrad waited with Apple Bloom at the car.
Wanna see a magical trick?"
"Magic? Ah thought humans can't use magic."
"Just watch." The marine drew his Desert Eagle.
"Amazing! How did you do that?" the girl exclaimed.
"That's my secret. While the Desert Eagle uses expensive 357 Magnum ammunition, and the size makes it impracticality for most military units, I must admit that seven bullets are enough to kill everything that moves." He spinned it before holstering it.
"Guess they gave it us for a reason. I actually prefer rifles but the German MP5 is also a good weapon, If I say so myself.
Back home, I do regulary target practice with my AKM, Makarov and SVD. I scored once 8 of 10 points on the shooting range in boot camp, and no one could beat me so far." Apple Bloom's stomach growled.
"Sorry. Ah had only breakfast before this happened." She blushed in embarrassment.
"None taken. I got some pop tarts. Calmes the nerves, at least for me." He reached for his pocket. Her gave her a square shaped object with a shortbread with a frosting in the center with sprinkles covering it.
"It isn't homemade, but I'm sure you will like it. Even on duty, I carry some with me."
She took a bite. At first it tasted odd but it changed into a very delicious taste very fast. Tastes like Apples!
She enjoyed it so much, that she could swear that Konrad had a rather surprised look. That was what she thought as the mask covered his face.
"What's wrong?"
"Never saw anyone eating that so fast before. Another one?"
"AND HOW! Sorry, it just tastes so good." She replied blushing.
"That's okay. There you go."
The pop tarts reminded her of Duke pony, a video game character.
"Reminds me of Duke pony. As he would say: It's time to kick butt and chew pop tarts, and Ah'm all out of pop tarts."
But Konrad didn't respond. She saw that he was lost in thought.
She whistled, "Equestria to Corporal Ford." That seemed to work as he blinked.
"Oh sorry, this place is a lot bigger than I thought. Also, I wonder if those boys could have made a bigger mess." He sounded scared.
"Are you scared, Konrad?"
"Maybe I am. I feel like we're in a cheap slasher or a scifi movie. But this also reminds me of my time in training and before this.
In boot camp, I was shown in the Test Firing Chamber how the PCV protects me from bullets. The Marine who should shoot me, had so bad aim with his M249 that he sprayed bullets all over the place, and not one bullet hit me.
Or sometime before this mission, I can't remember exactly, I was part of a convoy that transported M2A3 Bradleys to another base. We couldn't unload them as the Master Sergeant had the keys for the locks and his car's engine got broken. Good thing that Jackson managed to open the hatches together with the locks or we had to wait for hours."
"What's a Bradley?"
"A military vehicle. I spare you with the details. Now that you mention it, this reminds me also when I got my driver license. A friend of mine picked me up and I asked if I could drive. He said no, as he thought I never drove before. I told him him that I was almost driving the whole time in boot camp and that I drove a Humvee."
"What the hay's a Humvee?" Apple Bloom was confused.
"It's a...never mind. You remind me of that filly I dreamed once. Ruby was her name and I dreamed I was her father. She had a grey coat, a light blonde mane with lighter orange highlights. I found her lost outside my house and adopted her. Was a very nice dream." He smiled.
"Also, I dreamed once that she was a grown up mare and was kidnapped by a guy who wanted to marry her. Crushed his wedding and saved her. Just as she was about to kiss me, the alarm clock tore me out my dream."
"Ah dreamed once that Ah got mah Cutie Mark, but before Ah got a closer look, mah alarm clock also tore me out of it. Why do we always have to wake up the dream reaches it's climax?" She complained. "By the way, why're you wearing a gas mask?"
"Uhh...looks cool? And apart from the HUD, it filters smoke and gas as it's name suggests."
"We have also gas masks in Equestria, Ah was just wondering why're you wearing it when there's no gas or smoke around here. Also, Ah think you earened yourself a promotion."
He laughed, "Promotion? Tanner and I knew each other so well, that we communicate sometimes just with expressions. He's one of the oldest members of the HECU and said once, that I should take his post once he retires, which was supposed to be tomorrow. But that's never gonna happen. There were also rumors that we should be replaced by robots.
But as I am a soldier whose job is to protect the civilians, you got my word as marine, I protect and get you out of here. Semper fi!"
"Semper-what?"
"That means 'always faithful.' Its the motto of the US Marine Corps. So..." He flipped a switch on his weapon with his left hand then curled it up. "...Semper fi?"
"SEMPER FI!" Apple Bloom made a bro hoof with him.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Konrad said before both were having the same thought.
Why does that feel like a Déjà-vu?
Then the marine pulled his right glove back, revealing a watch. "Why is this taking so long?"
Suddently Apple Bloom's expression became one of fear. She pointed to something behind him.
"Zo-Zo-Zom-Zomb-Zom-ZOMBIE!"
"Holy Shit!"
A Zombie somehow surprised them and swinged his claws at Konrad. He dodged it but dropped his MP5. It landed next to Apple Bloom. She watched in horror as Konrad struggled with the zombie who was a marine by grabbing both of his claws. Looking at his weapon, she knew what she had to do...
Konrad struggled against his former buddy with all his strengh but the Zombie was stronger. Suddently he heard the firing sound of an MP5 and the Zombie fell dead to the ground as bullets landed in his "Head" and torso.
Turning around, he saw that Apple Bloom was the one who had fired it. She was shaking, eyes closed. She had fired the entire mag, proved by a clicking sound.
Did she just... "DID YOU JUST FIRE AT ME WITH CLOSED EYES?!" She collasped and cried. Now look what you have done!
Apple Bloom felt something warm running through her mane. opening her eyes, the marine was patting her with his right hand while hugging her. "Sorry for my outburst, just don't do that again." He spoke in a guilty, repentant and comforting tone dispite the robotic sound his mask gave him.
"There was no other way to help you." She replied as her shaking subsided, Konrad then walked over the dead Zombie, checked the pockets for ammo, and picked a rectangular object up and closed his hand. "Mertz..."
"A friend of yours?"
"Not directly. He was just a recruit from Texas. May you rest in peace, comrade." He did a gesture that looked like a cross. Apple Bloom knew that this was a sign of respect.
"I heard shots, is everything ok?" Gordon had sprinted back after he heard shots. The scientist knew instantly what happened. "Sorry for your loss."
After that, Konrad used another rail car while Gordon used the old one. “Our paths diverge here. Good luck, Corporal.” He smiled at Apple Bloom before he used the other way. "Pull the lever, Apple Bloom."
"Yes, Sir!" She saluted and pulled it as Konrad reloaded his SMG.
The car came to a barrier arm but marines opened it for Konrad. They didn’t spotted Apple Bloom, but Konrad could saw how eager they were to get Freeman.
At another elevator, they had to duck to avoid electricity and damage from trip mines.
Two marines opened another barrier arm for them. A rocket launcher wielding marine was about to shoot, but he didn’t as he saw that it wasn’t Freeman on the car.
After avoiding electricity again, Konrad shot a sign to head forward. The next elevator was broken, so they had to go on foot. Konrad saw a ladder but trip mines with turrets were down there so he threw a grenade down.
After helping Apple Bloom climbing the ladder down without activating the turrets, two Zombies attacked them but they were no threat as the young man kicked one Zombie before killing him with a headshot, while killing the other with the shotgun. Konrad reloaded his MP5 as the ammo counter showed that he had only 5 bullets in the magazine left.
After a short walk, they rejoined with the rest of Konrad’s Squad and the Johnsons.
“Konrad! Man, I am glad that you did make it.”
“Where are David and Jackson?”
“We lost them on our way to the surface as a Vortigaunt hit Jackson’s fuel tank, killing him and David,” Tanner explained.
Apple Bloom yawned. “I think we should rest. I will stay guard,” Konrad suggested as it was night and Apple Bloom tired.
“Okay, I will take the second shift later.” Michael built up a tent for the night.
As Jacob and Mia went to sleep, Apple Bloom asked, “Can Ah sleep with you? You remind me of mah sister and brother.”
“Of course sweetheart. We like Children and we’re would like that you are sleeping us.” Mia smiled at her.
Before Apple Bloom was asleep, she let out a tired, “Thank you.”
Konrad smiled as Mia hugged Apple Bloom in her sleep. Konrad had closed Apple Bloom in his heart, his squad as well. Before Michael went to sleep, he told Konrad that Mia and Jacob wanted to have a Child after Jacobs shift was over.
Don’t worry; I will protect you with my life. No harm will come to any of you. None of you deserve to die here. You have nothing to do with the experiment. Why have so many to be that serious to kill anyone they see even if they haven’t any knowledge of this? This… sucks!
Two marines had a conversation on their radio.
“So, who is this guy, Freeman?”
“They say he was at Ground Zero.”
“Science Team? You think he was responsible, sabotage, maybe?”
“Yeah, maybe. But one thing for sure is he's been killing my buddies.”
“Oh yeah, he'll pay. He will definitely pay.”
He looked up into the beautiful full moon and began to think in what he got himself into it.
I didn't sign on for this shit. Monsters, sure, but civilians? Who ordered this operation anyway? I should have taken the job as airman. On the other hand, Apple Bloom and the Johnsons hadn’t survived and came this far. My buddies think Freeman caused this on purpose. He is responsible for this mess, yes, but it was an accident. He’s innocent of any crimes; I’m a soldier not a cold-blooded murderer.
He checked his weapons.
As Corporal Shephard said once to me, you can never have too much ammo. Guess he was right. Too bad he didn’t make it.
He and Adrian were in boot camp together and deployed a good comrade- and friendship to each other and Konrad’s teammates.
Despite trying to stay awake, exhaustion took over him and he fell asleep.
They all were sleeping so tight, that even a certain rocket launch couldn’t wake them.