Chapter Text
1.
Black Mesa
The room is permeated with the scent of soot, dust, and strange alien gusts, amalgamating clouds of smoke from the lingering discharge of firearms.
Things just keep getting weirder and weirder. If the sight of death and unexplained phenomena weren’t enough, the image of his colleagues (or former colleagues, given the current lack of a job) loudly sipping drinks around a toppled vending machine, courtesy of Doctor Coomer, is particularly unsettling. After dealing with the soldiers in the lounge room, he and Tommy clear the corpses and set up a makeshift rest area.
Benrey's absence is noted, and Gordon thinks about how he's probably dead. He’d been shot in the face, multiple times. A man doesn’t; shouldn’t come back from that.
The skeleton remains a peculiar presence, unnoticed by all except him, but Gordon is convinced of its existence. It sits on the counter of the kitchenette, facing forward. Despite the chaos, he’s tried to maintain his composure, but he’s still uncertain about the reality of the situation.
“Gordon, I’m tired,” says Coomer, his face still stained with blood and cola, creating a surreal sight.
“Yeah, man, me too. I think that was the last of the bodies,” Gordon wipes his hands on the HEV suit, attempting to rid it of the dirt and blood, “Was that it, Tommy?”
“Uh, I think so. I didn’t see any more,” Tommy responds, lowering himself to the ground.
“I’ll take a second look; I can’t trust any of your judgments in this.” Bubby declares, already heading to inspect the area.
“Fair. I guess. I guess that’s fair.” Gordon sighs, lying down as best as he can in the uncomfortable suit. Metal shifts and clangs in awkward positions as he slumps. Dr. Coomer and Tommy share a lab coat as a makeshift blanket, positioning themselves back to back to sleep. As Gordon drifts off, he hears Bubby settling down by the doorway.
He becomes aware of a soft, faint hum, as if still in a dream.
The room is pitch black, illuminated only by a faint blue light from the outside of the doorframe. Gordon grabs his gun, opting not to use the suit's flashlight to avoid drawing attention.
As he shifts, the sound of metal against metal accompanies him. The low, constant hum, reminiscent of a cat purring or an old motor running, sends shivers down his spine. Uncertain of what new threat may be lurking, he moves cautiously, intending to wake up Bubby. However, the noise grows louder, and he senses the creature approaching, the light drawing closer and closer. Without hesitation, he jumps into action, firing shots into the darkness.
He stands there, gun shaking, fingers shaking.
His ears ring as he lowers his gun, there was no sound of a body dropping, no scream, human or not. Fuck.
He stands there in the dark for some time, trying to train his ears to hear something, anything, even the hum. But it’s not there. All he hears is his own heartbeat in his neck and his straining breath.
“ok. uncalled for.”
Jesus Christ.
The lights flicker on and off, revealing Benery in front of him. For a brief moment, Gordon swears he saw a skeleton in Benrey's place, but it’s for one frame before the lights turn on permanently, the security guard standing in front of him.
He hears the others stirring awake as he stands in the hallway, Benrey mere inches from him.
“What the fuck was that?” He hears Bubby yell, and Tommy is already coming out the door. Just him, Tommy, and Benrey.
And Gordon... Gordon is maybe having a moment. He thinks it’s deserved. His finger twitches on the trigger of his gun, containing everything in not to deck Benrey in his stupid, fucking face.
“Oh, it’s just Benrey!” Tommy beams, lowering his gun.
“yeah, sorry i had to go home. i was bored.” Benrey lies. Gordon knows he’s lying. How the fuck do you get shot to oblivion and “go home”.
Gordon now makes one last controlled breath, shoulders tense.
“Wish it had been a peeper puppy," Gordon mumbles bitterly. He drops his gun, clanging to the ground, and strides back to his spot on the ground of the lounge. It’s his new favourite place.
He closes his eyes as he falls down, with a lot less grace than before, knocking his knee crudely on the inside of the metal suit.
Coomer and Bubby and outside the room to see Benrey now, greeting him and asking him questions about his “home”.
“Are you okay? You looked pretty fucked up the last time we saw you. Did Gordon shoot you? It sounded like gunshots.” Gordon can hear Tommy faintly ask from where he sits.
“yeah, ’m fine. better than ever.” Benrey says. “he missed.”