Half-life: Resonance

Chapter 1: Bridge Guard

Subject: Dagfinn, Icarus

Status: Employed

Occupation: Black Mesa Security 

Icarus stood at his desk located at the gate to sector G. The entrance was accessed by the transit system. The cold air smelled of paper and oil. There were sounds of trams moving in the vague distance.

Since sector G was a key point and he was the first person you see before entering the facility, he had a higher security clearance than other guards. His shift had started and he checked the roster, letting staff through after the first tram arrived.

A few guards came from the tram. He recognized most of them.

Officer Sato, Officer Ramirez, Security Monitor Ruiz, Staff Officer McCoy, and Comms Officer Bachenbauer.

"Morning Dagfinn." Officer Sato greeted, tipping his helmet slightly

"Mornin'." Icarus responded.

"Another day another dollar, huh?" Icarus said, mainly out of anxiety.

"Used up all my sick leave." Sato lamented.

Icarus had just found his name on the roster and checked it.

"Alright, you can go on ahead sir."

He proceeded through the door.

Sato was the last guard on the train. A group of the marines based in the facility moved in front of the desk.

"Mornin' sir." Icarus greeted one.

The soldier looked him up and down as if inspecting his uniform.

"Too weak to join the military, huh?" The soldier asked.

"No sir. It just pays better to be a guard."

"Only in it for the money I see. I joined to serve my country! What do you do here? Eat donuts and coffee all day?"

"We can do this the entire day sir, do you wanna give me your name? Your buddies seem a bit impatient and I'm trying to get my job done so you can serve your country, like ya said." Icarus stated, a bit passive-aggressively.

"Lieutenant Grachmann." The soldier wasn't bright enough to catch wind, much less the air of sarcasm in Icarus' voice.

"Go on through."

He went through the door and the other soldiers got checked off.

"That soldier boy's always given me a headache..." He groaned.

He was going to do what he always knew he would. From the day he met Grachmann...

He pulled the detainment report clipboard from Its shelf under the desk. He wrote on the first space of the first page:

'NAME: LT. Grachmann. ID: 20041998. REASON: Harrassing Security Staff. SECTOR: G.'

He put it away.

He took an Ibuprofen from its plastic blister in his pocket. He swallowed it with coffee despite the code forbidding drugs and alcohol in any form. Never once in his career had he even pulled that board out. He smirked. By the end of the day it would be reviewed. He'd never done it, but every staff member knew that reason always worked. It was even exploited at times, but that generally got you fired. It was best to abuse in moderation, like many things.

The second tram pulled up and let out a large group of scientists. Rin was among the first few.

"Heya Rin. Don't worry, I already got your name down. You never seem to take any leave so go on ahead sir."