text: The chance is too good to pass up. You're going to risk believing Alex, of course everyone else isn't willing to do so. You had a hard enough to convince them to join you in seceding from the Combine; you can't really press this issue as well. There's nothing else for it, you're going to have to go down there yourself. You just ask someone to make sure the ropes and pullies are stable for you to descend down the elevator shaft. Now Marina loves your bravery and willingness to take risks, but even she's a little apprehensive about this idea. You're determined to do this though.
  
  "Marina, if something goes wrong and I get killed, then get yourself out of here, and head to Ashtown. There's no reason for you to stick around and get yourself killed as well, or worse."
  "Nonsense! I'll fight for what you accomplished here whether you're still around or not! But that'll be after I go underground and take care of whatever metal bastards killed you!"
  
  No point in arguing with her, she'll do it anyway just like you're going underground anyway and that's probably why you love her. You give her a kiss and descend.
  
  When you finally reach the bottom, you're standing on top a pile of scrap. Part of it looks like it was moved in an attempt to clear it at one time, so you are able to squeeze through the previous elevator entrance.
  
  The same corridor you stepped through five years ago is remarkably dim now, you see a few steel husks lying on the ground. A lot of course are cyborgs, so decaying flesh is also present. Looks like Alex was telling the truth so far. Eventually you find Alex brooding in his office which is in complete disarray. Alex himself is very pale and a lot thinner than when you last remember him.
  
  "Hey! There you are! See, I told you I wasn't lying." He states when he sees you.
  "Yeah I can see that, what exactly happened?"
  "Oh there were complications... psychotic episodes... power problems... lack of more equipment and extra help... does it matter? I utterly failed. I watched my creations die one by one over the months and years due to my own lack of skill... and I thought I was going to usher in some sort of new era... yeah right."
  "Alex, I'm surprised to hear you talk like that."
  "Yeah? Well being prisoner here gives you a lot of time to think. Sometimes people go mad in captivity, I think in my case it did me some fucking good. I should've trusted the Colonel, he was my friend. He wasn't going to do anything to me. He trusted me, and now he's dead and I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye."
  
  While Alex's speeches of redemption are intriguing, you really want those weapons.
  
  "Alex, where are the weapons?"
  "... huh? Oh yes. The weapons. Please, don't let me stop you. Go down the corridor make a right and enter the second door. You'll find all you need in there. They were all tested out and work well. One of the few things GZS helped design that wasn't prone to failure."
  
  You leave Alex to his brooding, and follow his directions; you soon come across a room with the weapons, or what's left of them. There's not the great arsenal that Alex made out there was. He most likely used most of them when he was creating his robots and cyborgs. You're disappointed, but still it's better than nothing and the few that are here will help.
  
  You collect what you can for this trip, when Alex enters the room.
  
  "So, now that you have what you're looking for, are you going to keep your word?"
  "Well... ah fuck it... what the hell. Keep in mind though people are going to be pretty mistrustful of you. Don't expect a warm welcome."
  "Didn't expect one."
  "Good, now grab the rest of those weapons, so I don't need to make a round trip down here."
  
  You and Alex come back up with the weapons (and their power cells). The confidence level increases in everyone, you delivered some cool weapons and you braved going into the "dreaded" underground of Pandora again. They're definitely more inclined to follow you more loyally now. Alex makes himself useful by using his technical skill to build and set traps in the surrounding wilderness. You radio Vivica to let her know what's going on as well, she's behind you and will make sure to send a few people to harass Harry's men when they decide the lay siege to Pandora. Everyone spends time preparing and organizing for the battle that's sure to come.
  
  A month passes and sure enough Harry's men come thinking its going to be an easy victory, but it's a slaughter. Many are killed by the traps Alex set, the rest are fried by the laser and plasma weapons.
  
  A couple more months pass and another invasion force arrives, this one better prepared and much bigger. More reinforcements show up armed to the teeth and despite the rugged terrain that prevents cars to come to this place, they managed to find some dirt bikes which whiz around Pandora while the riders nimbly dodge your fire while they toss grenades at (and sometimes over) the walls. You still have the advantage obviously, but they're doing a hell of a lot of damage to Pandora now.
  
  The siege is now in full effect, fortunately you're fairly well stocked to hold out, and Vivica's men manage to get through sometimes with more supplies. Sensing that this is not going well for him and costing him a lot more time, man power and resources than he wanted to spend, he orders a final push.
  
  People armed with rocket launchers come this time, and with a few volleys, Harry's men finally breach the walls of Pandora and storm into the place.
  > continue to fight
  "Keep fighting the bastards! Pandora will never fall!" you shout as you mow down another dirt biker.
  
  In all the fighting though you begin to worry where Marina is, you look around for her in the chaos, and then you see her fighting with multiple enemies converging on her position.
  
  You rush towards her to back her up and then you're blown back by an explosion. You slam up against a wall of one of the barracks, other than some minor pain and some scars you're going to have you aren't harmed, however your heart is when you see Marina lying bloody on the ground. She isn't moving. Ignoring everything else you run to her, you kneel down to pick up her body, she grabs weakly on to you, but she's in bad shape.
  
  "Keep fighting to rebuild civilization... its still worth it... " she says before losing total consciousness.
  
   Alex suddenly comes up to you.
  
  "Hey! We got people firing on us; you need to get the fuck outta the open!"
  "You! You're a fucking surgeon! You fix her! Save her! Save her NOW!" you shout, picking her up and shoving her into Alex's arms.
  "Wha... I... " Alex realizes you mean fucking business so he just nods and runs with her to one of the few undamaged buildings.
  
  You're blind with rage, you begin charging into battle trying take out as many of these motherfuckers as you can, its quite possible with your actions alone you turned the tide, but you are still just one man, and you nearly get yourself killed, if it hadn't been for Vivica managing to get a few people from Ashtown to help out, and they arrive just in time.
  
  Ophelia shoots a Combine soldier who was sneaking up on you. You turn around to see her, you nearly don't recognize her decked out in battle gear.
  
  "Told you, you'd see me in the future." She says and runs off to clean up the stragglers running away.
  
  The Combine is pulling back. You've won, but at a high cost.
  
  When you return to check on Marina, you find her dead. Alex explains there was nothing he could do for her. You ask to be alone which he complies. You spend the rest of the night alone with Marina's lifeless body weeping and vowing revenge.
  
   
  The next day, you come out with one focus. To assault Fort Justice. This will never be over until Harry is dead. You need to strike now when he's weak.
  
  A lot of people are wondering if you shouldn't wait to regroup, but you won't hear of it, you're determined to do it now and everyone who's in fighting condition is coming with you.
  
  In a couple days you and your small army arrive at Fort Justice. You half expect to die this day assaulting the place, but once again destiny is with you. Fort Justice is experiencing a minor authority problem. You can take the scum out of the wasteland, but you can't make them disciplined soldiers. The last defeat has shattered morale, and apparently some are starting to question Harry's orders, while others aren't willing to die for him. The gate is wide open and parts of the place are in flames.
  
  You walk in relatively unopposed. Some fighting occurs, but you're looking for Harry and when the loud mouth shithead sees you, instead of confronting you, he runs for the trapdoor to the underground. You immediately run to cut him off and shoot him in both legs. He falls and grabs for his pistol, but you take careful aim and blow his hand off, he screams in pain when he sees his fingers all over the ground.
  
  A kick to his face follows, and then a stomp, and another, and another. You don't stop until his face looks like tenderized hamburger. He tries to act defiant by trying to give you the finger with his good hand, but you take it and break the motherfucker along with the rest of his hand.
  
  "This is for Marina and the rest of the deaths you caused." You say, before blasting his mushy bloody head into mushy bloody pieces.
  
  Now its over.
  
  You collapse by Harry's body, spent and drained. Alex goes over to see if you're alright, but Ophelia tells him to just make sure all the enemy are either dead or running. Ophelia takes you to a barrack and puts you on a bed and tells you to rest, which you do.
  
  "I did it Marina... I got him... " you mumble while falling asleep.
  
  The next few weeks consist of rebuilding. Rebuilding everything. Fort Justice. Base Pandora. All the damage Harry caused. Word gets out to the Combine occupied towns about their current situation, with no centralized authority figure anymore, the Combine dissipates as wasteland scum flee and return to the outlands where they belong. The townspeople of those places are very grateful for your help, and you're now in charge of everything but you take no joy in any of it, or anything. You're numb. You go through the motions, but you're basically in a daze. All your thoughts are of Marina, you feel empty without her.
  
  If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't even be alive right now. You would've died in a big mushroom cloud death. You start blaming yourself for not being able to save her, you start thinking about suicide. Everyone gets a little worried about you. Vivica starts radioing in wondering about your condition, Alex (Who's quite familiar with mental breakdowns) attempts to talk to you, but it's Ophelia who turns you around, though not immediately, but it's her actions that become the turning point.
  
  Late one night, as you wallow in the emptiness, Ophelia visits you. You expect her to tell you not blame yourself for Marina's death again, but she doesn't. Instead she talks about the time when you saved her from the cultists and how grateful she was that day and how she would've almost done anything to repay you for saving her life.
  
  "Mm... well you repaid it already. You saved mine back at Pandora." You say wishing to be left alone.
  "No, I'm saving it now."
  
  Ophelia begins to remove her clothing, something that takes you completely by surprise. You feel you shouldn't, you know you shouldn't, but maybe it's feeling of loneliness, maybe it's the feeling of confusion, or maybe its just plain hormones, and you give in to Ophelia's advances. And for that one night, the emptiness within you disappears.
  
  The next day Ophelia is gone leaving you a note saying she's going back to Ashtown and tells you that you shouldn't give up on life since you have so much more to change in this new world.
  
  When you think about it, Marina saved you, so you could carry that goal out. She always did see the potential in you to do great things.
  
  With this new perspective, you begin to return to normal, though there still was a little piece of you that died when Marina did. You'll never completely be the same. Life goes on though.
  
  Five more years pass... 
  
  It's been ten years since the bombs dropped and civilization is starting to rebuild itself again... well somewhat.
  
  Hard to believe you would've become any type of leader trying to rebuild civilization. Marina might not be around anymore, but obviously her influence on you still is and always will be as you follow her dream of rebuilding civilization again.
  
  You're still running things from Base Pandora, which is now the unofficial head of the Atomic Alliance. The towns formally under Combine occupation are included, but are now treated as equals rather than glorified labor camps, though getting everyone to agree completely on anything still remains a problem. Fort Justice is now under Vivica's command and the Farmhouse, now known as Eden is a fully functional agricultural community. (It supplies food as well as biofuel for vehicles now) After that one night with Ophelia you don't see her anymore, but last you heard she had a baby and got married to someone in Ashtown. Good for her.
  
  Other than political disagreements, everything has been going fairly well; raiders are still a problem, but much less than in the past. For the most part people are pretty happy living in your territory.
  
  One thing that's been debated among you and some of other leaders, are the few GZS Shelters the Alliance has stumbled across over recent years. No effort has been made to open them, but they're all sealed shut by their main computers. From what you know by reading some of the GZS documents found in Base Pandora (and Alex who definitely has some knowledge of GZS protocols) the Shelters weren't supposed to open up until the central computer determined that sufficient amount of time had passed and the surface deemed safe. Apparently the computers still think the surface sucks. (And that assessment wouldn't exactly be wrong)
  
  Most of the other Alliance leaders say that some sort of contact should be made with them. You get the impression some of them might've done it anyway, it's just you have most of the equipment that makes it a lot easier.
  > open them up
  At one time you thought about actually buying one of those things, sometimes you even wonder how things would've been living underground completely oblivious to what's going on the surface. Things might've been a lot easier... or maybe they wouldn't. You'll just have to wonder about the road not traveled.
  
  You see no harm in making contact; they may even have useful resources to trade and might appreciate knowing that the surface is exactly the hell on Earth that they might think. Plus the rest of the Alliance leaders seem pleased that you're agreeing with them. Maintaining good relations to keep everyone happy is always a sure way of keeping the Alliance stable. Even Ashtown makes mention of a Shelter nearby that they've been debating about whether to contact or not. You organize how to go about this, since you don't want to make enemies unnecessarily.
  
  It doesn't take long to open up the Shelters and bypass the computer elevator systems with your help. First contact with most of the shelters is a very large surprise for its inhabitants, though a lot of them seem really grateful. Apparently GZS Shelters weren't built very well, you hear reports of how inhabitants had to improvise and constantly repair various things. Alex tells you he isn't surprised.
  
  "The main reason why I outlived my cyborgs when I was... uh... indisposed...  was due to having faulty GZS equipment. Granted they made a lot of good stuff, but they had a terrible habit of cutting corners. When I think about it, I really can't believe I thought I was actually going to DO something with them, probably wouldn't have even lasted in a real fight... still it would've been interesting... my God I can't believe I used to think things like this... like... I dunno... "
  
  Every now and then Alex talks like that. Probably wondering about his own road not traveled. It creeps people out though, however it doesn't prevent him from being a good doctor. You almost get the impression he feels like by being a good doctor and patching folks up real well is sort of like his "penance". One he feels necessary to do until the day he dies. This line of thinking becomes really noticeable within a few weeks of the Shelter openings.
  
  The Shelter near Ashtown is in bad shape. From the reports you've heard some sort of weird "social experiment" was going on down there which resulted in some sort of catastrophe. There are many dead bodies and broken equipment. Many of the people are sick and infected with something, and they aren't in very good shape to go anywhere. Looks like they've been slowly dying. In fact the Mayor of Ashtown, Carlos, is taking the hard line stance refusing to let the ones that went down there to come back up, for fear that they will infect his town. This isn't a popular decision, so he's hoping you can send some sort of medical team to help since Ashtown doesn't have the experts you do. Carlos says that he'll formally join the Atomic Alliance if you get him out of this jam. Alex insists on going to help.
  
  "Please, let me go help. I'm the best doctor in the Alliance. I... I need to do this. I need to help these people... " Alex says almost in a begging fashion.
  "... Well alright Alex, but you're taking one of those biohazard suits! Who knows what the hell those people have, and I really can't risk losing my best doctor."
  
  Alex thanks you profusely, and gathers a couple of his assistants and all the necessary equipment before leaving.
  
  A couple weeks pass and you get a report from Carlos. He mentions that Alex has determined there is nothing contagious about whatever the Shelter people are infected with, and the Ashtown citizens are allowed to come back up and return. Alex is still working on the problem though and it might take awhile, he requests for more equipment, which you allow Ashtown formally joins the Alliance. You personally go there to welcome them in.
  
  It's strange that you've never actually been to Ashtown before, given a lot of your dealings with it. While you're here on business you think about Ophelia, and that one night. A night that possibly saved you from committing suicide, given the downward spiral you were in at the time. There's a few times you thought about going to see her to thank her... but then you think how she has a family now and it would just be too weird.
  
  A month passes and you suddenly get a call from Alex on your radio.
  
  "Alex? Where are you?"
  "I'm in the Shelter. I managed to rig the computer to transmit a signal! Now I can talk to you directly! Great huh?"
  "Uh yeah... what's going on over there?"
  "Oh, nothing much. This place is pretty fascinating; I've been trying to figure out what was going on down here. This one diary was really interesting"
  "Alex what about the people?"
  "It seems there was this guy called Elliot who had a lot of weird ideas, he was a doctor... " Alex says seemingly oblivious to your question.
  "Yeah, I know the type. ALEX WHAT ABOUT THE FUCKIN' PEOPLE?"
  "Oh yeah... the people. They're okay... I guess."
  "You guess? What the fuck Alex, don't you know?"
  "Well, uh y'know... this isn't an exact science, and I'm still trying to figure some things out... I went to Ashtown recently for some more supplies, but I think I need some more higher qulity equipment from you, its getting kind of complicated down here... "
  "What the fuck Alex? No, you're not getting anything else! We're not an endless supply of resources! Now you work with what you got and I better hear some progress soon!"
  "... work with what I got... yeah... story of my life... " Alex says and disconnects.
  
  Another week passes and this time you get a message from Carlos, he doesn't sound well, but he does sound angry.
  
  "... we ally with you and this is (Cough) what happens? We're all sick and it's (Cough!) all you and that doctor's fault! He contaminated us! YOU contaminated us! The town is Uhhh... "
  
  There's an old saying, that a scorpion, no matter how well you take care of it or treat it, its nature will always be to sting you. And that's just what happened.
  
  Shit.
  > do not take chances, purge EVERYTHING
  You've got to keep this quiet and you've got to keep whatever this is from spreading. You quietly call the most loyal and capable soldiers under your command to meet you immediately. You explain to them what needs to be done. Any still living Ashtown inhabitants must be killed, and the entire town burned to the ground. Alex must also be killed and the Shelter rendered inaccessible forever. You tell them to keep you informed at all times.
  
  The strike team is sent in the middle of the night in Hazmat suits and tons of hardware. Everyone in Base Pandora wonders what's going on, but due to the more military mindset here, people know not to ask too many questions.
  
  Eventually you get a message from one of your soliders.
  
  "Uh sir, it looks like most of the town is dead already, I don't think it's airborne, because it doesn't look like the children were affected... "
  "Are you sure about that? Just because they look sick doesn't mean they aren't. They could be carrying."
  "Sir?"
  "... I said kill everything Sergeant... "
  "But I think... "
  "DON'T THINK! JUST DO IT!"
  
  The Sergeant disconnects and you can only imagine what happened next, but you don't really want to. A little while later you get another report. It's the Sergeant again, he sounds very hollow.
  
  "Sir... it's uh over. Alex is dead... he didn't even put up a fight... we're putting the explosives in Shelter entrance as I speak... should implode and bury the Shelter from being accessible... "
  "Very good. You've done a necessary thing Sergeant."
  "... no I haven't... goodbye... "
  
  You hear a gunshot on the other end followed by a bunch of other voices shouting and dead air. Your official report to the Atomic Alliance (Because it's not like you can completely cover this up) is that a ruthless gang of raiders completely destroyed Ashtown as well as the Shelter and that you're sending squads to go hunt them down.
  
  This isn't really a satisfactory answer, but given how far away Ashtown is from the rest of the Alliance towns nobody really questions it. At least not initially.
  
  Over the past few months you're noticeably distracted, and can't concentrate on anything. You're constantly thinking someone's going to investigate, or one of those you sent on the mission is going to blab (Now you wish they all blew their brains out) your behavior starts becoming a bit erratic as you give out strange orders to cover up things you think are going to lead to your exposure. You constantly rationalize your orders as attempting to keep the Alliance from falling, since you're convinced that everyone knew what Alex did, you'd be blamed for incompetence for allowing it to happen and without you running things you just know the Alliance wouldn't survive.
  
  However something like this couldn't be covered up forever. Eventually someone gets suspicious of your behavior which leads to rumors, which then in turn leads to investigating. Eventually the truth comes out. The Alliance citizens are appalled, in fact if you hadn't proceeded with your extreme plan and just come out with the truth about Alex's actions in the beginning you might not have been hated quite so much.
  
  You displayed poor judgment, by allowing Alex to go about his own devices. Strike one.
  
  You ruthlessly had children killed to possibly contain a contagion. Strike two.
  
  You attempted to cover all this up and lied about it. Strike three.
  
  This type of behavior makes you look like deceitful murderous tyrant, something the Alliance towns had enough of under Harry during the Combine regime. People are calling for your blood, and your immediate resignation of Atomic Alliance leader, in fact you might be imprisoned... or worse. You've lost all support.
  
  By the end, you've barricaded yourself in an underground room in Base Pandora with people telling you to give yourself up; of course you have no intention of doing that.
  
  In your last moments as you point the pistol to your head, you think about Marina, and how it all would've been easier had you died with her and how you tried to rebuild civilization even after she was gone, but just failed without her around, however once again you rationalize.
  
  "Yeah... they all united against me... I kept them united...  then Vivica will certainly take power... the Alliance will live on... I didn't fail... Marina... I didn't fail... "
  
  Your delusional thoughts come to an end with a door burst open, and a bullet to the brain.