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Finally defeating the open-headed-baby-thing, Gordon lifted his Miami Mint Geekbar to his lips, taking a fat hit. He breathed in the vapor before blowing it out of his nose with a content sigh. The morphine in his system helped calm him, along with his cart, though that was drained now, the journey through Xen proving to be quite the stressor.
Before he could process what was going on, his vision was flashed with the now all too familiar neon green, he winced trying to shut his eyes. When he finally came to, his field of view was taken over by an elderly man in a blue suit. Gordon thought he had seen him somewhere- though that didn't feel important right now. His concern was really about how they were both here on this floating rock in the middle of Xen.
"Gordon Freeman in the flesh," the man croaked, his voice raspy and dry, "or rather, in the Hazard Suit."
"I took the liberty of relieving you of your weapons...aaand your...Miami...Mint. Geekbar."
Gordon felt his chest cave in.
No...Not my Geekbar.
He wanted to protest, so he raised his hands to start to sign, only to be interrupted by the...Government man.
"Most of them were government property," he took a deep breath, "As for the suit...I think you've earned it."
Gordon was flashed with another neon green, taking both of them elsewhere. It was extremely disorienting, was his cart laced? He know he didn't take the DMT cart, at least he hoped he didn't.
The man continued on as if nothing had happened, "The border world...Xen, is in our control. Quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there! I am impresssssed."
Before they could go anywhere else, Gordon threw his hands up and signed, "What about my vape? I need it."
The man did not acknowledge his expression, maybe not even knowing how to read sign. Many such cases. He prepared himself for the green flash this time, only wobbling slightly when they were back to the first place.
"That's...why I'm here...Mr. Freeman. I have recommended your...services to my...e-e-e...employers," another raspy breath, Gordon was concerned that this guy needed an inhaler or something, "and they have authorized me to offer you a job! They agree with me that you have limitlessssss...potential."
With another, and hopefully a final green flash, they were transported to a Black Mesa tram that seemed to float with the stars- Gordon could breathe at least. Oxygen was nice. But his Geekbar was most important.
"You've proved yourself a decisive man-"
Gordon interrupted him with a hand on the shoulder, signing once again, "My vape."
The elderly man frowned at that, waving Gordon's hand off of his cold shoulder.
"You've proved yourself a decisive man," he continued on, "so I don't think you'll have any trouble deciding what to do!"
Hopefully that meant he could buy another vape.
"If you're interested, juuust step into the portal and I will take that as a yesss."
"If I go into the portal will I get a new vape?" he put his hands up again, only to be ignored.
"Otherwise, well, I can offer you a battle you have no chance of winning. Rather an anticlimax after what you've just survived."
The tram door opened with a deafening whir, a bright green portal ball floating just outside the bottomless exit.
"Time to chooose," the mystery man said somewhat gleefully.
Gordon stood there frozen in place, weighing the options. He didn't think the unwinnable battle was too bad, but without his vape...maybe it was. If he was being offered employment he could get another Miami Mint, maybe a Muha too if he was lucky.
"Before I go, one last hit off the Geek," he signed.
The other man frowned but pulled the white vape out of his coat pocket, flicking it on and holding it out for Gordon to take his final hit. He leaned forward, wrapping his lips around the lip and inhaling. Gordon's shoulders relaxed and he breathed the vapor out of his nose for the last time.
He pulled away and walked into the glowing portal orb without another thought, his vision assaulted by the light for the last time.
Gordon Freeman will return in Avengers: Doomsday.