#a.shephard

[ID: Portrait of Gordon Freeman, done in black and white. He looks determined.]

Gordon throws some bait behind him to distract the antlions, and readies his gun. There could be a lot of things around this corner, and there was only one way to find out which it was.

He steps around the corner.

There are at least five dead Combine guards splayed across the floor, and in the center is one more. Unlike the rest, this one isn’t wearing a helmet, and when they turn to look, gun in hand, Gordon recognizes them instantly.

[ID: Portrait of Gordon Freeman, done in black and white. He looks scared.]

“Adrian?”

The guard doesn’t react for a moment, gun leveled on Gordon. 

And then they blink.

[ID: Portrait of Adrian Shephard, done in black and white. He looks scared.]

“G… Gordon?” Their voice crackles through a vocoder, sounding like every other Combine guard Gordon’s ever met. Still, Gordon smiles.

And Adrian drops the gun, sprinting towards Gordon at fun speed. Despite not expecting this, the HEV suit keeps him steady as Adrian slams into him, wrapping their arms around his neck in a hug. 

[An image drawn entirely in black and white linework. Adrian is nearly tackling Gordon in a hug, feet not touching the ground and arms around Gordon’s neck. Gordon is off balance. Adrian is a small person in a Combine uniform- including boots, armored over the thighs, an armored vest, and an arm band with a triangle on it. Most of their hair is pulled back into a pony tail, though a chunk of it is out and covering their face. What isn’t covered is buried in their arm or Gordon’s shoulder. Gordon has short hair and is armored in the HEV suit. Most of his face is hidden behind Adrian’s head.]

[ID: An image drawn entirely in black and white linework. A person with chin length hair lies, shirtless, on an operating table. They have scars on their chest, arm, and a large one covering half their face and the entirety of their other arm. Something round is attached to the front of their throat, and their abdomen is covered. The pants they wear are baggy, with armor covering their thighs, and are tucked into dark boots. All this is displayed on a square screen.]

[ID: An image drawn entirely in black and white linework. Gordon Freeman, a middle aged man with short hair, glasses, and a goatee, looks on in horror. His eyebrows are furrowed, eyes wide, and mouth slightly agape. The background shows a table, two barrels, a wall littered with bullet holes, and a checkerboard floor. There are wires on the ceiling.]

Gordon Freeman had been hoping to see his friend since he was first freed from stasis- this is not what he was hoping for.

[Portrait of Barney Calhoun, done in black and white. He looks unhappy.]

“Would tell ya to be sitting down for this, but I guess ya already are.” Barney laughs humorlessly. “Resonance Cascade was almost 20 years ago. The anniversary’s two weeks from now.”

[Portrait of Adrian Shephard, done in black and white. They look scared.]

[Portrait of Barney Calhoun, done in black and white. He looks confused.]

Barney grabs a gun from the table nearby- just in case, and goes to open the door.

Standing there is just about the smallest Combine officer Barney’s ever seen, covered in blood and with their arms held behind their back by a nervous looking resistance member. They’re hunched forward, seemingly only held up by the grip on their arms.

[ID: A drawing done entirely in black and white linework. A person wearing a dark jumpsuit stands in a doorway, holding a hand gun off to the side. In front of them is Adrian, head hung and arms behind their back. Their face isn’t visible behind their hair at this angle. A city street is visible in the background, with a tree and apartment buildings on the right.]

[Portrait of Barney Calhoun, done in black and white. He looks stern.]

“What’s all this?”

[Portrait of an unnamed resistance member, done in black and white. They look nervous.]

“I woulda killed them sir, but they said they knew Gordon and asked for you by name. And they aren’t attacking us, or letting their… antlion do it for them.”

The aforementioned antlion, just visible behind the resistance member, trills angrily but makes no move to attack.

[Portrait of Barney Calhoun, done in black and white. He looks stern.]

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself.”

[Portrait of Adrian Shephard, done in black and white. They’re bleeding from the nose and forehead, and had blood splattered across their cheek. They look scared.] 

They jolt up to look at Barney. All they manage is a wheeze, trying to pull their arms free, but only resulting in a tightened grip and a sharp stab of pain.

Barney is stricken, not by the amount of blood on their face, but by how young they look.

[Portrait of Barney Calhoun, done in black and white. He looks stern]

“Let them go, I’ll take care of it from here.”

The resistance member gives a nod, and releases the Combine officer none too gently. They fall to their knees, and don’t get back up. The antlion crowds up next to them, nudging their shoulder.

[Portrait of Barney Calhoun, done in black and white. He looks stern]

...

[Portrait of Barney Calhoun, done in black and white. He’s sighing]

[Portrait of Adrian Shephard, done in black and white. They look tired.]

“How much do you know about how transhumans eat?”

[Portrait of Isaac Kleiner. He looks confused.]

“Well, I’ve always eaten just the same way as any cis person I’d assume, is this some sort of set up to a joke?”

[Adrian looks confused.]

“Wha- you’re transhuman? What do you mean-“ Adrian’s eyes widen, and they let out a laugh as the realization of their misunderstanding sets in. “Transhuman, not transgender. I found that one out a while ago.”

[Kleiner looks surprised.]

“Oh! The Combine’s transhuman force! That is a question that makes a lot more sense! Though I still have to wonder why you ask.”

[Adrian looks unimpressed.]

“Does the vocoder not translate over video call?” They gesture at their throat.

[Kleiner looks surprised.]

“Oh, I suppose it didn’t! Or I’m just not paying much attention! Well, I certainly am not expert on transhumans, but I can contact some of the other scientists and see what we can figure out!”

[Adrian gives a tired smile.]

“Thanks… Doctor Kleiner, right?”

[Kleiner smiles.]

“Indeed! And you are?”

[Adrian gives a tired smile.]

“Cor-“ they cut themself off. “Adrian Shephard.”

[Kleiner smiles.]

“Well, it’s been lovely meeting you young Adrian! I’ll be sure to keep you updated on my progress!”

[ID: Portrait of Alyx Vance, done in black and white. She looks determined.]

“If you follow the tracks that way, you’ll get to City 17. Just keep your head low and ask for Barney.”

[ID: Portrait of Gordon Freeman, done in black and white. He looks scared.]

“Wait-” The look Alyx gives him manages to shut him up.

[ID: Portrait of Gordon Freeman, done in black and white. He looks concerned.]

“... just take this, at least. You’ll be heading back into antlion territory.” 

Gordon reaches up to give him the bugbait. Adrian takes it with the same baffled and vaguely scared expression they’ve had throughout this whole encounter. 

[Adrian looks surprised.]

[Barney grins]

"Hell yeah we did! Ya wouldn't believe it lookin' at him, but Gordon used to be one hell of a prankster! Coverin' peoples computers with sticky notes, stealing their pens, unscrewing the bolts from their office chairs, you name it, he probably did it. Not that they could ever successfully pin it on him. Think it was his way of getting back at them for lookin' down on him," Barney chuckles, "And trust me, I helped him out whenever I could. Covered his ass a fair amount of times too."

[Adrian smiles smugly.]

"And the vent races?"

[Barney smiles.]