CH1V3:"Red Letter Day"

As the Androids began to clamor for the damaged section of the laboratory,the sound of gunfire began to fill the room.

And by the time Grayson came through with a squad,the oilbath had started.

The two factions were competing for a partially damaged test chamber close to the surface. As Grayson eventually found himself on the front line,he found their adversaries well armed.

Before he could get a shot off,he suddenly takes a blast from a shotgun. Thankfully the armor wasn't compromised,but it forced Grayson to retreat some and return fire to the onslaught.

Another explosion rumbled the laboratory.

//WARNING:MULTIPLE EXPLOSIONS DETECTED IN TEST CHAMBERS 04,08,AND 16. ALL AVAILABLE PERSONNEL REPORT TO DAMAGE SITES.\\

*White we have trouble. Two more subsurface chambers have been breached!*

"Working on 04 right now! Could you send some more squads to cover my leave?" Grayson asked,as he hid from focused surpression fire.

*It seems our adversaries are already starting to cut into our numbers. Youll have to make due with leaving now.*

Peeking around the corner he downs a couple of soldiers,and starts running for chamber 08.

Upon arrival,the scene before Grayson was something of a nightmare...

The culprit to the explosion was missing,but a mess of bodies and spilled oil indicated they werent far.

Grayson began to track the carnage,finding that it was starting to lead to Glados.

"Glados come in!" Grayson asked.

*fzzzzzzz*

Nothing...Just the sound of his internal radio searching for a signal,emitting static as it did.

The lights suddenly power down,and come back on in a red hue.

[WARNING:Facility AI disconnected. Emergency Management Online.]

He began to run as fast as he could manage,bursting through the entrance to see a large,bulky automata using it's hands to hold Glados in place. She had been disconnected,and many errors filled the wall of compter screens.

A bulkhead slams shut behind him.

The muzzle of an assault rifle pressed against the back of his head. "Make one wrong move,and ill be sweeping up brains and paperclips. Are we clear?"

Grayson drops his weapon,and was guided to the elevator.

For the time being it was used as a prison cell.

The soldier that imprisoned him turns to Glados. "Where is Remi?" They asked.

"Who is this 'Remi' You are referring to?" Glados asked. In reality she was playing dumb,she knew where and who Remi was.

"I swear to the very Scientific practices if you hurt her ill fucking BREAK YOU!!" Grayson growls.

"Ohhh Im so scared. I just shit a brick." They said with a sarcasic voice.

Glados remained silent.

The soldier hums.

"What if ....I 'Convince' you that we're here to save a life?" He asked as he grabs the AI's chin.

"Id tell you you're wasting your time and resources on a single unit that could barely handle themselves." Glados spat.

"D.O.A.G.,show her what we do to Synths like her."

It rips a panel from the floor,bending it around her tightly and lumbering out of the chamber.

"He'll restrain me?" Glados guessed with a smal chuckle.

"Wait for it..."

D.O.A.G. returns with a doppleganger of Glados,holding it by the head and presenting it to the 'audience'. In a swift motion,as if crushing a can,the machine crushed the doppleganger's head with a gentle,metallic crunch. As the body was dropped,oil dribbled from the hand it used.

"Threats get you nowhere." Glados said.

"Oh. You think this is an empty threat?"

D.O.A.G. growls as it places it's hand on her head,it's palm centered for a fast and easy kill.

*thump*

*THUMP!* *Crack*

"Where is Remi?" The marine asked,ignoring the test subject's escape attempt.

"Ill tell you in approximately 30 seconds."

*THUMP*

*THUMP*

*SHATTER!!!!*

Right as the sound occured,Grayson snaps the neck of the marine,getting D.O.A.G.'s attention.

It cast Glados off to the side,growling as it charged him. In a swift motion he jumps over the charging machine,grabbing it's scanner-like head and ripping it off,grabbing the ledge of its collar.

The body of the D.O.A.G. aimlessly grabs at Grayson,attempting to throw him off. Grayson ducks under a few narrow grabs. "Glados! I need a plan here!" He yelps between grabs

"Grayson! bring him this way!" Glados called out,as a floor panel opens.

Grayson leaps off the front,indicating it to charge.

Blindly it did so,crasing into the hole and clattering into a furnace.

Manipulation claws open her restraint.

"Grayson we cannot stay. Their equipment is stronger than our own. I am issuing a Red Letter Warning to all remaining drones,and abandoning the laboratory. I can go with you,but we also risk losing all control of Aperture Science."

He hesitated.

"This is a lot to think about,i know. But I don't want to imagine what this world would do to you OR me if we seperated right now.." She admits.

After a few minutes,the bulkhead booms loudly.

"Fine. Pull what you can. We're both getting out of here.." Grayson demanded.

"Good." She said.

She pulls over as many files as she can,summoning their armored vehicle,now upgraded with boosts and offroading shocks.

"It's unarmed until we can reach a military outpost i deployed in the heat of the intrusion. Its a 45 kilometer run through Black Mesa infested territory. I highly doubt we will make the journey with the extra weight."

"Your enthusiasm is noted.." Grayson drones.

They get in,Grayson taking the wheel.

A runway to the surface opens,and Grayson guns it.

In the rush it even passed through enemy infested test chambers..

"So many....HOW THE HELL DID THEY MULTIPLY LIKE THIS?!" Glados asked in a panic as missed shots turned to missed rocket launchers and chaos.

They launch from a tunnel,with a less than graceful landing as several military forces attempted to intercept,until eventually they got clear,and the drive stabilized...

They eventually came to rest at an abandoned housing complex.

"Grayson? Grayson are you with me..?" Glados asked as he sat there....frozen...

"Our home...gone...." Grayson said.

"I understand. But we have long road ahead,and I refuse to let you think like that. Am I Alive?" She asked.

"Yeah..."

"Are you alive?" She asked.

"Yes.."

"Then laugh that you're still alive. I did. You should too."

Grayson nods,seeming to sober from the situation. They began to drive again.