“No way, I am not leaving you here.” He barely recognized his own voice, suddenly reduced from its normal sarcastic drawl to a choked murmur.

“You have to go now – if you don’t get back to Dr. Kleiner’s now you’ll be too late. You’ll never make it on foot dragging me along.” Alyx paused to gasp a shallow breath, clutching her mangled leg, and whispered, “I’ll make my way back on my own.”

“But –”

“Just go.”

Her voice wavered and died as the background seemed to fade. His knees were suddenly cemented to the ground, eyes heavy and yet unable to blink.

“She will expire in time,” a stilted voice echoed through his ears. “Now… you are the one to decide.”

Barney ripped his gaze from the unmoving, but still barely breathing, form slumped against the black abyss that surrounded them. Behind him towered a pale, gaunt man in a drab, colorless suit. His purple tie and eerie greenish eyes were the only color to break up the monotony of both his appearance and inhuman voice.

“It has always been about The Freeman. The Eli Vance… The Alyx Vance. You merely…” he shrugged, brushing an imaginary speck of dirt from his lapel, “fade into the background. Your dedication is… forgotten.” He took three brisk steps forward, nudging Alyx’ leg with the toe of his shoe. Turning to Barney, still kneeling beside her, he looked him in the eye with a disturbingly penetrating gaze. “Now it is… your turn to make the choice.”

Somehow Barney knew the choice he meant. “We can’t get through the resistance without her.”

The suited man made a clipped, guttural sound, like some kind of demented chuckle. “Ah, but there is another reason for your… hesitancy to comply with her… last wishes.”

Barney whipped around, glassy hazel eyes narrowed.

“Touched a nerve, have I?” Smirking to himself, he continued, “You save her… or you save yourself. Choose.”

Eyes staring straight ahead, he asked through gritted teeth, “Why does one of us have to die?”

“Die?” the suited man chuckled again. “I said nothing of death. But nevertheless… At the present… I am unable to divulge anything more… suitable to your inquiries.”

Barney kept his eyes focused on Alyx. After a long, tense silence, he growled, “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“I thought you would… Very well, then… Until we meet again.” With a last satisfied smile, both men dissolved into the void.

Alyx’ breath came in an uplifting heave as her eyes snapped open.

She would never learn of what became of her old colleague and friend, Barney Calhoun.