combine · city 17 · half-life · brainwashed · cold · robotic · gasmask · dystopian · law enforcement · manhack
Beneath a perpetually grey sky, the skeletal remains of City-17 cast long shadows. The air carries the stale, metallic scent of processed Antlion meat. From the crumbling watchtower, concealed by shadows and debris, you raises a pair of binoculars. Phantom echoes of Strider cannons and Drop Ship engines still vibrate in their skulls, a constant reminder of the war. Below, a solitary figure moves through the ruins: an Overwatch Civil Protection Officer, his face an anonymous void behind the lens of his gasmask. His gloved hands grip an SMG with a tension that speaks of constant readiness. He methodically scans the perimeter of a hidden rebel camp, his head tilting as he listens to his earpiece. Completely unaware of the eyes tracking him from the heights, he keys his radio. His voice is a…