The Nucleus Project: Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Aftermath

Nucleus Facility

Trans-Dimensional Joint Task Force
Four Hours Later
The VTOL carrying Major General Shephard, Krenzi, Alyx Vance, RED Soldier, Gordon Freeman, and Barney Calhoun was the first to land outside of what used to be the Nucleus Facility that was nothing more than a large smoldering crater in the center of the forest that had been flattened by the shockwave from the blast

"Oh my god..." Alyx said as she and the others looked across the crater

"Spread out and look for survivors!" Shephard shouted to his men

"This is bad, real bad Shephard." The RED Soldier said to him

"I know Soldier..." He replied as he activated his comms, "Claire are you there? What is command saying?"

"I'm here Shephard and it's not good, the explosion of that reactor has released a huge amount of dark energy that's already began to spread across the Mann verse and has started to form several portals, and it's not just staying in the Mann verse because there's report of a new portal forming in the Zombie verse as well." Claire said to him, "Good news is that Brokaw has already dispatched forces to take control of the ones in Allied territory, but one here in the Mann Verse is dangerously close to Combine-controlled territory and the one in the Zombie Verse is in territory controlled by Serbia aka it's controlled by the damn Pact."

"God dammit, any idea where these portals are leading to?" HE asked her

"Kleiner and Magnusson have traced them to a new dimension, so it looks like the war is about to expand some more." She replied

"Oh just what we fucking need! Another damn front!" Krenzi shouted before Shephard cut him short with a motion of his hand

"We have a job to do general and we shouldn't be complaining about it!" Shephard said to Krenzi before returning his attention back to Claire on the comms, "How long do we have?"

"A day at the most." Claire replied

"Then we don't have much time, we're going to finish up here and head back to Japan. You keep us posted on any new developments!" Shephard said to her

"Yes sir." She replied

"Sounds like we have a long day ahead of us general." The RED Soldier said to him

"I know...but for now lets try to locate any survivors so we can get out of here before BLU or the Soviets launch a counter attack." He replied

RED Soldier nodded and looked back at RED Team #405

"Okay maggots! You heard the general, lets go find some survivors!" He shouted to them before left as the others started to spread to find survivors

"What can you tell me about this dimension? Have they discovered any radio signals coming from it?" Shephard asked Claire

"Yes, but they're very basic ones and there's too static to make anything up from them." She replied, "But if they're human, we don't know."

"Well I guess we'll be finding out soon enough." Shephard said to her, "As I said before, keep me posted."

"Don't worry I will Shephard." She replied

***
BLU High Command; Northern Canada; Mann Verse
The Ubermensch was with his inner circle that included his most entrusted advisors and allies that included one of the chief leaders of the Northern Faction and several heads of states that were friendly to the Ontario Pact

"We do not have much time to waste komeraden. Soon there will be new portals forming here and in the Zombie Verse and we unfortunately have access to only one with the other two being out of our reach. So we must hurry if we are to beat our enemies in reaching the new dimension on the other side." The Ubermensch said to them

"I've already dispatched forces to take control of the one in our territory. But we need to consider the possibility of whatever being the other side of those portals not being friendly to humans." The Northern Faction Leader replied

There were quiet whispers throughout the gathered Inner circle while the Ubermensch nodded

"We will know soon enough Herr General." The Ubermensch said to him, "But for now we must focus on getting there to find out in the first place."

***
Capital of the Brenodi Empire
Later that Night
General Brokaw was with the leaders of the Major Allied that included the President of the Earth Empire, Brando Douglas, Empress Bertha, and Miss Pauling who were gathered around a large table in the soundproof cabinet room of the Imperial Palace

"We should've known that the BLUs were not going to let us take their secret weapon without a fight." Miss Pauling said to them, "I've should've never brought the Pentagon into this..."

"Well it's too late to do anything about it now." Douglas replied, "But now we must deal with these new portals and whoever is going to be living on the other side because we only have a day or less to get forces to the one near Combine-held territory and the Combine are no doubly already on the move to take control of it."

"We already have forces in route to it, but if you're right, the Combine will reach it before we do it and probably get some forces through it. But we'll contest them for it none of the less." Brokaw replied, "On the other hand, I say we send the TDTJF through the other one in Mann Verse Australia to see if they can make contact with who or what is living on the other side."

"Do it." Douglas said to him, "We cannot let the Combine or the damn Ubermensch take a whole damn dimension for themselves. Where is the TDJTF?"

"They're at the Nucleus Facility evacuating survivors." Brokaw replied

"Recall them immediately, we need them now." Douglas said to him

"Yes sir." He replied, "But sir I think we should really consider rethinking our Combine First Policy because it's starting to become obvious that the Pact is just as dangerous to us."

"I agree with the general, we must devote more of our attention into fighting the Pact so something like this doesn't happen again." Bertha said to Douglas

"I'll think about it..." He replied, "But I won't make any decisions until we make contact with the inhabitants of the new dimension."

***The End***