Chapter 3: Route Canal
“What are you doing here?” Gordon was confused.
“It’s a long story. How about you? Jacob said he hadn’t seen you for years.”
“It’s also a long story. Here, let me remove your cuffs.” Gordon used his crowbar after he brought Apple Bloom out of the water.
“Thanks.” Gordon helped her into a metal carrier crate. A citizen and a Vortigaunt were inside.
The citizen startled, “Good god! Guess those sirens are for you, huh? Good thing you found us. You're not the first to come through here by a---“
“This is the Freeman; the Combine's reckoning has come.” The voice of the Vortigaunt scared Apple Bloom cause of her experience with them in Black Mesa. The citizen noticed her.
“Don’t be scared, little one. He maybe looks scary, but he’s friendly.” As time was short, he didn’t care if she was real or not and turned to Gordon.
“Look, we’re just the lookout for the underground railroad. Main station is right around the corner. They’ll get you started on the right foot. Meanwhile, let my vortigaunt friend here give you a little jolt to get you going.”
The vortigaunt charged Gordons suit to 60%. “Done.”
“Be careful now.” The citizen looked outside. “We really can’t afford to get noticed. Civil Protection catches you down here, its bad news for the whole railroad.”
“We serve the same mystery.”
“Get outta here.” While Apple Bloom leaved with Gordon, a Female voice spoke,
“Attention, community. Unrest procedure code is now in effect. Inoculate, shield, pacify. Code: pressure, sword, sterilize."
“Any idea what’s that means?”
“No idea, Apple Bloom.” They came to a wooden barrier. “Stay back, I don’t want that you get crushed.” Gordon destroyed the planks with his crowbar. The barrier fell down, but a small gap remained. Gordon crawled through followed by Apple Bloom.
“Attention protection team, status evasion in progress in this community. Respond, isolate, inquire."
Gordon stopped Apple Bloom with his left hand and pointed to something with his right hand. “A barnacle.” Apple Bloom had a flashback when she was almost eaten by one. A crow was caught by its tongue and eaten. Gordon used his USP Match to kill the barnacle.
“Jacob and Mia saved me from getting eaten by one of those back in Black Mesa.” She trembled at the memory.
“Still, Apple Bloom, I’m glad to hear that they and you made it out alive of Black Mesa.”
Gordon smiled and corrected his glasses. “We don’t… what are you… don’t shoot… what are you doing… please, don’t hurt me… please don’t shoot… Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” Several citizens begged panicked for mercy as an emplacement Gun manned by an officer executed them. Apple Bloom gasped in horror and shock.
“Who would do such a horrible thing?!”
“CP’s with the permission to do it.”
“Hey, over here! Help!” a refugee called out to Gordon. He was killed by two CP’s. They fired at Gordon, but overlooked Apple Bloom. Still, a few bullets flew past her. She stayed in cover, letting Gordon do the work.
Peeking around the corner, he saw a Cop on the Gun and another next to him. Staying in cover, Gordon killed the gunner, then his buddy from the distance with the built-in zoom function. “Clear, you can come out now.”
Apple Bloom identified the dead bodies of the officers. “Jacob would never do such a horrible thing!” she cried out.
“You’re mean, Jacob is a cop?”
“Yeah, but only to feed and protect his wife. Ah just hope he wasn’t one of them.”
“Apple Bloom, you saw that those officers shot on sight. As Jacob is a friend of mine, he would probably hesitate to shoot me. And I’m sure we will recognize him when we see him. I doubt that he will open fire when he sees you.”
“You have a point. Rumors say you’re a mute, is that correct?” she asked curious, fully recovered from her shock.
Gordon chuckled, “To be honest no. I don’t talk much, only when I have to. ‘Cause of this, many people think that I am mute. I had a telephone conversation with Doctor Kleiner back in Black Mesa. If his pet Lamarr hadn’t interrupted the teleport, I hadn’t landed here. On the other hand, you would have drowned.”
“Teleport?” Apple Bloom's ears picked up. “Some kind of teleport saved me from Civil Protection as they took me away from mommy, causing me to land into the water.”
“You’re very lucky. I am on my way to Black Mesa East, a resistance base. You’ll be safe there. And I promise I will protect you from all harm until we get there.”
“Okay, Ah just hope that mommy isn’t too worried about me.”
Gordon moved in first, killing a single CP. Apple Bloom noticed that his radio emitted a prolonged tone similar to that of a flat lining ECG, followed by the female voice declaring the unit down, along with his last known location and orders to nearby units to respond.
After this was done, Gordon took some ammo and Medkits. A radio message came through. “Station 12, come in. Station 12, do you read?”
“This is Station 8! We heard Station 12 go down and out. Surgical strike units are targeting railway stations. Repeat, Civil Protection is coming down on underground stations. We’re already getting refugees from 9 and outlying! Looks like we’re---“
Static then a, “Station 8, do you copy? Station 8, are you there? We have confirmed reports of manhacks! Repeat, they’re filling the underground with manhacks!”
“Looks like Civil Protection, is successful in taking the Stations down. Any Idea what a manhack is?”
“No Idea Apple Bloom, but it doesn’t sound friendly. Let’s move.”
Climbing the ladder, more Metro Cops closed in with scanners. Gordon manned the Emplacement Gun while Apple Bloom stayed in cover covering her ears.
A squad of officers was on a wooden bridge. Gordon shot it, causing it to collapse and sending the officers to their death. Some others were stupid enough to use explosive barrels as cover. Gordon shot the barrels setting them on fire. The explosion killed the CP’s.
Guess the Hazard Course was a good Idea after all. Gordon thought after it was over. “Apple Bloom, it’s over.” She was still covering her ears.
“It’s just, Ah’m not used to something horrible like this. My home is peaceful.”
Gordon patted her. “I know this feeling. Before all this, I was a scientist with no combat experience at all. I had only cursory training at the Black Mesa Research Facility's Hazard Course. Aside from the butane-powered tennis ball cannon I constructed at age 6.” He smiled at the memory.
“I was trained in the use of the MP5 but had no combat experience at all back then. I only killed to defend myself; I don’t like this violence either. In Black Mesa, I had to fight creatures I never thought I would defeat. And still, I managed to do it.”
“Guess we aren’t so different. Wait, do you hear that?” an APC was driving by. He fired rockets at Gordon. He quickly grabbed Apple Bloom to get her to the wall where the rockets couldn’t hit him or her. Setting a barrel on fire, to destroy a bridge for them to continue, they walked into the blocked canal.
"Protection team alert, evidence of anticivil activity in this community. Code: assemble, plan, contain."
Gordon killed two barnacles. “Attention, community. Unrest procedure code is now in effect. Inoculate, shield, pacify. Code: pressure, sword, sterilize."
Two APC’s were driving by on a bridge but didn’t notice the two.
“Over here!” a woman called out. She was hiding in a cement cylinder. Gordon knelled down to her. “Keep going, friend! That station was raided, but there's others, up ahead. I'm gonna stay here in case any others come through. Gotta keep the railway alive.” Apple Bloom had calmed down as she felt save in Gordon's arms. She knew he could trust him. The woman saw Apple Bloom but thought, “Must've been my imagination.”
"Individual, you are charged with socio-endangerment level one. Protection unit’s prosecution code: duty, sword, midnight."
In the sewer two CP’s were above them. “Anyone else picking up a 647-E reading?”
“Check for miscount. Still getting that 647-E from local surveillance.”
“Clear, no 647, 10-107.” Gordon managed to surprise them by killing one with a headshot.
The other one fled while shouting, “We have a 10-108! Look out!”
The sewer next to them was filled with water. Apple Bloom had learned to swim but grabbed a wooden platform. The opening was blown up. Explosive barrels were thrown in. “Dive!” Gordon shouted. At the bottom of the water, they evaded the blast. It opened the gate. Gordon evaded bullets and grabbed Apple Bloom's hoof.
At the exit, Gordon told Apple Bloom to hide until he said it was clear. He fought several officers; some were next to explosive barrels.
"Individual, you are now charged with socio-endangerment level five, cease evasion immediately. Receive your verdict."
A squad was on a wooden bridge with explosive barrels under it. Gordon shot 2 bullets on one of them. The explosion destroyed the entire bridge, killing every officer.
After killing two more that jumped down into the canal, Apple Bloom came out of hiding. She was disgusted by the many dead bodies but also impressed that Gordon took care of them all.
After crawling through a small opening, Gordon saw 10 Barnacles. Apple Bloom slipped but Gordon grabbed her. She pointed to an explosive barrel.
“Are you thinking, what Ah am thinking?” Gordon just nodded. The explosive barrel took out all barnacles. Gordon carried Apple Bloom to the end of it. Again, he took care of all the CP’s. Then he helped Apple Bloom through the water.
“Ah have an idea!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. She used cinder blocks to build a teeter-totter.
“Smart,” Gordon commented. Almost outside, they heard loud noise.
A Hunter-Chopper flew by but didn’t saw them.
However, he turned around as they moved on. The chopper fired at Gordon, ignoring the filly. As the pulse cannon, wasn’t very accurate, the chopper missed. They both ran to a blue door.
Gordon climbed a ladder down to get some supplies. Barnacles blocked their path. Lucky for them, two explosive barrels were near. Apple Bloom enjoyed it as she rolled one down. Gordon fired one shot at it to make it explode. Before the barnacles were dead, they all tried to fight for it.
Gordon lifted Apple Bloom up, as he tried not to slip into the next line of Barnacles. The Chopper waited for him but missed again.
Repeating the tactic, they got to a couple of stairs, were the chopper couldn’t follow them.
Letting Apple Bloom walk again, Gordon took the lead. Wood blocked the way, followed by explosive barrels. He detonated the barrels from a safe distance.
A barrier of wood blocked the way. Gordon took the pleasure to take it down with his trusty crowbar.
A citizen greeted them in the next room. “Get in there! Hurry!” he jumped down from a perch. “Civil Protection is on to us. We’re tearing up the railroad, covering our tracks. Looks like you're gonna be the last one through. Be glad you’re not the guy they’re looking for. Poor bastard doesn’t stand a chance. Sounds like they're calling every CP unit in City 17. They’re flooding areas up ahead with manhacks.” He looked through the door not noticing Apple Bloom at all.
“You’d better get going before they sweep through here.” On the other side was a high-pitched whirring sound. “Too late!” He grabbed a pipe.
4 manhacks crashed through the door. Gordon managed to hit one of them. The red lights went orange and with a high-pitched warning signal he attempted to crash into Gordon but he finished it off. The man destroyed the other two. The last one went flying right into Apple Bloom's right hind leg. Gordon destroyed it.
Tears leaved Apple Bloom's eyes as she cried in pain, holding her wound. The manhack had caused a deep cut. Gordon took a medkit and spoke to Apple Bloom in a calming tone, “Allow me to treat that injury.” As every other scientist in Black Mesa, he was trained in first aid. He injected the green liquid into Apple Bloom's wound. She squealed, but instantly was in a bliss of relief. The pain was gone. Her wound filled up with the green liquid that felt very pleasing. Then, Gordon placed a bandage around her leg.
“Thanks doc. But now Ah would only slow you down.” Her ears lowered.
“Not at all, Apple Bloom. I can still carry you.”
“That was a close call. Thanks for your help! Look, it isn't safe here, I'll give you some supplies to keep you going, then you really gotta go." He sat down. “Good luck you two.”
But after Gordon leaved with Apple Bloom they heard a scream. Gordon sprinted back. A manhack had killed the man, Gordon avenged his death.
Some manhacks tried to break through a door without success. Gordon smiled as they were no threat and destroyed them with a few shots from the pistol. A few more manhacks attacked him but hit an explosive barrel, resulting in destroying themselves.
Apple Bloom was glad to see light. Being careful of her wound, Gordon sat her down to secure the area.
After this was done, he picked her up again. After getting some supplies, they decided to rest a bit. As Gordon sat down Apple Bloom asked, “How old are you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ah mean, when we’re first meet in Black Mesa.”
“Oh, I was 27 back then. Why are you asking?”
“When Ah first saw Daddy again, he was older. You look like you haven’t aged a bit.”
“Well, after I destroyed the creature that kept the portal open, a man in a suit offered me a job. If I would refuse, he would put me into a fight where I had no chance of winning. He looked like a businessman.” Gordon checked his glasses. “I was put in stasis for who knows how long, and I suddenly am waking up on a train, almost to board the train to Nova Prospekt, whatever that is.”
“If Daddy wasn’t here when I came here, I had ended in Nova Prospekt as well. It was only 2 months since I returned home. Daddy told me that 20 years passed since Black Mesa. And that man you’re ‘working’ for, saved mah and Konrad’s live once and helped me to get home.”
“Interesting. When I was in stasis, I felt like I was sleeping. How did you even show up in City 17?”
“Ah was sleeping and woke up here.”
“Guess that Kleiner's teleporter caused somehow a Resonance Cascade, causing you to teleport to City 17 without noticing it. Barney said to me, that they were testing the teleporter with a cat and…it ended not well.”
“This Kleiner is a friend of yours?”
“Yes. He was the one who gave me the job at Black Mesa. His pet is a de-beaked headcrab named Lamarr. She has no teeth meaning she can’t control a horst. Or as Kleiner said to me: ’Never fear, Gordon, she’s de-beaked and completely harmless. The worst she might attempt is to couple with your head. Fruitlessly!”’
This reminded Apple Bloom when she was almost turned into a Zombie. “Ah also have a pet. A dog called Winona. Still, Ah can’t understand why your friend has a parasite as pet.”
“Me either.” Then Gordon had an idea. "You wanna hear something funny?”
“Yes.”
“I had a dream once where I was everyone’s problem solver. My answer: ‘See, this is why I’m such a good theoretical physicist. I solve problems that shouldn't even exist to begin with.’” At that point, Apple Bloom forgot the world around her. She fell on her back and laughed.
“This is a good joke! Ah need to remember this!” she said between laughs.
“I know, Apple Bloom, that this is impossible.” Gordon smiled back.
“Daddy said once to me: ‘Sometimes, I dream about cheese.’"
“Jacob has some strange dreams. Let’s go.”
He carried the filly to a large, u-shaped canal. Gordon sat Apple Bloom down, as a metro cop rappelled down. He was armed with an MP7. He saw only Gordon as threat. As the cop was near a barrel, Gordon detonated it killing the cop. Two other cops rappelled down from the other end.
They missed him as they fired from the hip. Gordon however fired from the shoulder as he took both down. He took their ammo and checked his new equipped weapon.
“MP7. 45 round magazine and a grenade launcher. Almost like the MP5 at Black Mesa.”
“Daddy told me, they use MP7’s in more critical circumstances.” Gordon picked her up.
“Well, it seems that CP’s are inexperienced in firefights against tougher, more competent opponents, since they fire from the hip. I wonder what kind of training they have. I am just a scientist and even I was trained to fire from the shoulder. As Jacob was trained like me, he will be probably the only metro cop in City 17 who will fire from the shoulder.”
Around the corner was large pool with a rusty turbine. “We have to swim again. I hope the bandage holds I gave you.”
He waited for the turbine to pass then made his way through an underwater passageway with Apple Bloom safe in his arms.
After swimming trough, protecting her from Cops and manhacks, Gordon had made it out of the canals. “What’s this?” Apple Bloom pointed to a green and yellow sludge.
“Radioactive waste. The smallest touch and you are dead; trust me, I had to avoid this before in the Lambda complex.”
“This must be the next Station; why else would there be very thin wood boards to cross?”
“A good theory.”
It was the next Station, confirmed by an armed citizen and supplies in the distance.
“Headcrabs!” He yelled and fired his MP7 at them. Apple Bloom began to tremble as she had deployed a fear of them but Gordon patted her to calm her down.
“Hey! You’re Freeman, aren’t you?” Gordon nodded at the citizen. “We got word you were coming. You got here at a bad time.”
The radio came to life. “Black Mesa East to Station 6. Do you read? Doctor Freeman is on his way down river. Lend him the airboat and give him all the help you can. Repeat, Gordon Freeman has returned! It is critical he reaches Black Mesa East."
Gordon took some ammo for his MP7 from a crate. “You’d better get going now. And watch her. Civil Protection is interested in her.” The man pointed at Apple Bloom while Gordon nodded.
At the end of the passageway a woman shouted “Incoming!”
“They’re shelling us!”
A black artillery shell smashed into the ground, killing all rebels.
Headcrabs climbed out of the shell. “Keep them away from me!” Apple Bloom shouted in fear.
Gordon sat her down. “Don’t worry, I got this.”
He killed one Headcrab with his pistol. The second tried to attack him but Gordon responded with a hit of his crowbar, killing the headcrab instantly.
A second shell smashed into the ground. Gordon killed all headcrabs with his pistol and crowbar. He returned to Apple Bloom. “I thought the manhacks were inhuman but this is crossing the line,” He commented.
Inside a small living enclosure, a headcrab attacked a man. He tried to get the headcrab off, smashing against a barrel. He lost consciousness and smashed through a table and laid dead on the floor as the headcrab humped his head.
“We must help him!”
“Yes we have to.” Gordon putted a bullet into the headcrab, killing him and the man.
“No one deserves a fate like this. I am sorry, Apple Bloom. Trying to shoot the headcrab on a horst will kill both. When I saved you, I smashed the headcrab off with a strong whack of my crowbar.”
“It’s okay Gordon, you did what you could.”
In the next section, they were ambushed by headcrabs that had buried themselves into the ground, but one hit from the crowbar was enough for them.
Another shell crashed into the ground. Gordon took care of them with the pistol. Two Zombies were on the ground. “Are they asleep?”
“I think so.” With a growl the Zombies stood up but Gordon had a plan. He sat Apple Bloom down. “Watch this.”
As pistol ammo was low, he hit the Zombie with his crowbar and backed up to avoid their attack. After both Zombies were dead, they moved on. “Poor souls. They’re still alive calling out for help. Good that you saved me from this fate back in Black Mesa.”
Apple Bloom felt sorry for them. “I feel sorry for them every time I have to kill a Zombie.”
As they avoided an electrified wire, another Zombie ambushed them by smashing the wall. Gordon fell to the ground. Apple Bloom crawled backwards against the wall.
The Zombie however, was more focused on Gordon. Gordon used all his strength in a single punch of his crowbar. It removed the crab revealing that the host's head was bent abnormally upwards, his hair was matted with blood, and his face is pale, with his eyes shut and mouth open in a frozen scream.
Apple Bloom couldn’t hold it any longer. She threw up her breakfast. “Ah-Ah, just wanna go home.”
“Apple Bloom, look at me,” She looked Gordon into his eyes. “I know how disgusting that is, but we have to move. Besides, when we have reached Black Mesa East, we can find a way to get you home.” He wished a tear out of her eye.
“You’re right.”
Getting some pistol ammo and walking through an electrified container, two shells came down. Gordon used his sprint function to get past, ignoring the headcrabs.
Gordon did his best to not fall into the river of highly toxic, boiling acid. He would survive a fall in, but Apple Bloom would suffer a painful death.
They proceeded to the dock where the airboat was. A woman was filling it up.
The woman waved. “Hey, Dr. Freeman, I've been hoping you'd show up. Got this Airboat all gassed up and ready to go. It's gonna be tough dodging Civil Protection out there in the open, but drive hard and you'll make it. You'll find more help at Station 7, just up a few bends up the river. It's the old red barn. Climb on it, fire her up.”
“Gordon, how should Ah get in?” Gordon had no answer to Apple Bloom's question realizing that the boat had only one seat.
