Somewhere in New Mexico, USA.

	Gordon Freeman walked down a narrow passageway, through a set of
titanium reinforced doors, to arrive at the entrance of the Black Mesa
Test Chamber.  Waiting for him was Professor Smith and Professor
Donaldson.  

" Ah Freeman, there you are." Smith started.  "We've sent the sample down
to the loading system and are waiting for it to arrive in the test
chamber."

"I'm afraid we'll be deviating from standard analysis procedures today,
Freeman."  Donaldson spoke.

Smith then quickly added, "Yes, but with good reason, this is the purest
sample we've acquired yet.  We have assured the Administrator that
nothing will go wrong."

Freeman tried to speak, but Donaldson interrupted, "I wouldn't say that,
though I will admit that the possibility of a Resonance Cascade scenario
is highly unlikely, however, I remain uncomfortable with the
situation..."

"Freeman doesn't need to hear this," Smith stepped in, "he is a highly
trained professional and the most qualified for this assignment."

"Ah yes, it was foolish of me to worry, Freeman our confidence lies with
you."

"Thanks for the compliment, I'm sure I'll be fine."  Freeman said.

"Glad to hear it," Smith said with a smile.

"Well, let's let him in now."  Donaldson said as he walked over to an eye
scanner, as did Smith.  Both of them had to scan their eye patterns at
the same time in order to open the test chamber doors.

The doors opened an Freeman walked in to the large spacious room.  In the
center of the room was a large cylindrical piece.  That was were all
samples were placed, so that they could be scanned.  Above the cylinder
was a series of four different types of scanners, each one for a
different purpose.  As soon as the test chamber doors closed behind
Freeman, the scanners started to hum with power, as the system was
brought on-line.  The room had only one window, and that was where all
the other scientists observed the whole operation.

Then Donaldson's voice came over the PA system, "Alright Freeman, your
hazard suit should keep you comfortable through all this, but we can't
predict how long the system can operate at 105% nor how long the scan
will take.  Please, work as quickly as you can."  There was a pause, then
Donaldson spoke again, "System will be at 105% in 3...2...1...mark."

Freeman stood in the chamber waiting for the time when he could get to
work.  
"It's taking them too long." he thought to himself.

"Ah, it may not a problem," came Smith's voice, "maybe, but I'm detecting
a small discrepancy in the phase variance regulator"

"Is this going to cause problems with today's tests?"  Freeman asked.

"No...never mind it's well within acceptable limits again, continuing
with the test."  Smith replied.

Freeman let out a breath of relief, something didn't seem right with this
test.  But, he didn't see any reason to stop the operation.  He just
hoped that this feeling of dread would go away.  Then four red lights
started to blink.  The red lights formed a small rectangle in the floor.
"I've just been informed that the sample is on its way, please look to
the carrier system."  Donaldson instructed.  

A hatchway then opened up in the floor where the red lights were.  The
hatch opened to allow a small elevator to come up.  The elevator had a
small piece of black/greenish rock on it. 

"Isn't that the sample that was dropped off by that helicopter today?" 
Freeman asked himself, as he picked the sample up in his arms.

Again Donaldson spoke over the PA system, "Standard insertion, for a
non-standard specimen.  Go ahead Freeman drop the sample on the scanning
table."  Freeman did just that, but as he placed the black/greenish rock
on the cylindrical scanning table, it started to give off a weird green
glow as soon as the scanner touched it. Blasts of green energy shot out
of the rock and blew a hole, about 5 feet wide, in the wall.

"OH DEAR!" Smith shouted over the comm.

"Freeman, get away from the beam."  Donaldson warned.  Needless to say,
it didn't take a scientist to figure out that something was going
terribly wrong.

"Shutting down." Smith panicked. "It's not...It's not shutting
down...AAAAAAAAHHH."  Smith screamed as another blast of green energy
shot out and blew the observation window to pieces, killing anyone who
was on the other side.  The device continued to go out of control. 
Unhindered, it shot out multiple beams, blowing bigger and bigger holes
with each discharge.

"Damn it, I knew something was wrong."  Freeman shouted as an energy wave
struck him in the chest portion of his hazard suit and everything went
black.

Freeman woke up to his own heavy breathing.  "Crap, I'm going to be
late."  He sprung to his feet, then noticed he had his hazard suit on. 
All of the events that had transpired came rushing back to him in a
painful wave of memory.
"But, where am I now?"  He said aloud to no one in particular.  He was
standing in a narrow alleyway, inside some city.  He could see a large,
red, and metallic tower the distance, he then knew where he was. There
was only one city that he knew of that had such a tower; "I must be in
Tokyo."