Ground Zero
Like there was any other choice?
You slide in next to Marina who guns the engine and screeches off. Considering Harry's hatred of you and the fact that this is considering going AWOL and stealing Combine equipment, you aren't just going to get away with this.
You don't get far when you're soon pursued by other vehicles. You tell Marina to concentrate on driving, while you attempt to do some road warrior shit. Luckily you're still an excellent marksman, and you manage to either shoot the tires or the drivers of the cars and motorcycles in pursuit of you. Eventually you escape.
After a few days of driving you and Marina start wondering where you're going to go. You can't drive forever, you'll run out gas eventually and you don't relish the idea of walking.
However, once again luck is with you and you find a small place called Ashtown where you stop. Fortunately the people seem to be friendly. You immediately make yourself useful by helping with eliminating some bandits and raiders (A bit like the old days actually). You and Marina decide to stay and make a new life here, though in the back of your mind you're always expecting some sort of arrival of the Combine, maybe not coming to look for you specifically, but you know they're probably still expanding.
About a year passes and nothing unusual happens, until a wandering traveler passing through decides to talk to you for some reason while you're sitting in the local café.
"Hey friend." The traveler says.
"Hmn." You reply still reading a book.
"This place is a pretty well organized town. Pleasant too. Glad I found it."
"It's better than most places." You say still without looking up.
"Hey, I know what you mean. It's a crazy fucking world out there. What with the Cybernetic Evolution and all."
"Cybernetic Evolution?" you ask finally looking up.
"Yeah! You never heard of them? Well I guess I should warn you then. It's this group of killer cyborgs that want to remake humanity or exterminate them if they don't comply. They're supposedly from some sort of secret military base that was doing high tech experiments. There are robots too, but mostly cyborgs. I'm surprised they haven't headed this way, but then again, they've been pretty busy trying to combat the Combine. Never thought I'd be glad that the Combine exists, but I gotta say if it weren't for them, the CE would've probably expanded all over the fuckin' place by now and I guarantee we wouldn't be sitting here having this pleasant conversation."
"Hmm, so the Combine is winning?" you ask.
"Well, I wouldn't say that, it's more like a stalemate. Kind of a good thing too, since I don't really want them winning either. Those Combine bastards are a bunch of bullying fascists. Especially with that fucker Damon in charge."
"Damon? Who's that?"
"Damon, is the newest leader of the Combine. Thinks he's some sort of military genius, but all he is, is a common desert thug who's a little more intelligent than his buddies, probably still more competent than the last leader Harry who Damon killed to get the job."
A smile forms across your face when you hear that news, while the traveler continues his story
"Anyway that's partly one of the reasons I'm traveling. I don't want to be around when the war finally ends, either way the people who live nearby are going to lose speaking of which I gotta get going, nice talking to you."
After the traveler leaves you do likewise and tell Marina what you just heard. She asks you if you think if it would be a good idea to leave as well. Perhaps you haven't made all the right decisions in this new harsh world, but if nothing else you've at least been able to make good decisions concerning your own survival and you're about to make another one.
You and Marina pack your belongings. Its time to move on again, you figure you should get out now while you can.
You say goodbye to the few acquaintances you've had since your time here and warn them about the CE-Combine War before leaving. It's up to them what they're going to do.
And once again, you and Marina are off, with the unknown future ahead of you.
You slide in next to Marina who guns the engine and screeches off. Considering Harry's hatred of you and the fact that this is considering going AWOL and stealing Combine equipment, you aren't just going to get away with this.
You don't get far when you're soon pursued by other vehicles. You tell Marina to concentrate on driving, while you attempt to do some road warrior shit. Luckily you're still an excellent marksman, and you manage to either shoot the tires or the drivers of the cars and motorcycles in pursuit of you. Eventually you escape.
After a few days of driving you and Marina start wondering where you're going to go. You can't drive forever, you'll run out gas eventually and you don't relish the idea of walking.
However, once again luck is with you and you find a small place called Ashtown where you stop. Fortunately the people seem to be friendly. You immediately make yourself useful by helping with eliminating some bandits and raiders (A bit like the old days actually). You and Marina decide to stay and make a new life here, though in the back of your mind you're always expecting some sort of arrival of the Combine, maybe not coming to look for you specifically, but you know they're probably still expanding.
About a year passes and nothing unusual happens, until a wandering traveler passing through decides to talk to you for some reason while you're sitting in the local café.
"Hey friend." The traveler says.
"Hmn." You reply still reading a book.
"This place is a pretty well organized town. Pleasant too. Glad I found it."
"It's better than most places." You say still without looking up.
"Hey, I know what you mean. It's a crazy fucking world out there. What with the Cybernetic Evolution and all."
"Cybernetic Evolution?" you ask finally looking up.
"Yeah! You never heard of them? Well I guess I should warn you then. It's this group of killer cyborgs that want to remake humanity or exterminate them if they don't comply. They're supposedly from some sort of secret military base that was doing high tech experiments. There are robots too, but mostly cyborgs. I'm surprised they haven't headed this way, but then again, they've been pretty busy trying to combat the Combine. Never thought I'd be glad that the Combine exists, but I gotta say if it weren't for them, the CE would've probably expanded all over the fuckin' place by now and I guarantee we wouldn't be sitting here having this pleasant conversation."
"Hmm, so the Combine is winning?" you ask.
"Well, I wouldn't say that, it's more like a stalemate. Kind of a good thing too, since I don't really want them winning either. Those Combine bastards are a bunch of bullying fascists. Especially with that fucker Damon in charge."
"Damon? Who's that?"
"Damon, is the newest leader of the Combine. Thinks he's some sort of military genius, but all he is, is a common desert thug who's a little more intelligent than his buddies, probably still more competent than the last leader Harry who Damon killed to get the job."
A smile forms across your face when you hear that news, while the traveler continues his story
"Anyway that's partly one of the reasons I'm traveling. I don't want to be around when the war finally ends, either way the people who live nearby are going to lose speaking of which I gotta get going, nice talking to you."
After the traveler leaves you do likewise and tell Marina what you just heard. She asks you if you think if it would be a good idea to leave as well. Perhaps you haven't made all the right decisions in this new harsh world, but if nothing else you've at least been able to make good decisions concerning your own survival and you're about to make another one.
You and Marina pack your belongings. Its time to move on again, you figure you should get out now while you can.
You say goodbye to the few acquaintances you've had since your time here and warn them about the CE-Combine War before leaving. It's up to them what they're going to do.
And once again, you and Marina are off, with the unknown future ahead of you.
