Corruption

Part 9 - Control

Red had had enough of that pesky Chell. She'd ruined his plans one too many times, now he was pissed. It started the second she'd woken up in his arms and punched him in the face. There was a slight dent in his already crooked nose and Chell was nursing her probably-broken hand. The pair had stayed like that- Red holding his nose as it leaked oil whilst glaring at Chell who was curled up in the corner regretting her choices- for about 5 minutes before Red stalked over to Chell, picked her up and threw heron his back as it was very likely she wouldn't move otherwise

After a few minutes of navigating the catwalks, (a damn sight better than Wheatley, might I add) Red dropped Chell on the ground and pointed towards a hatch. "Go in there, do some science shit and don't try to escape. Or your precious facility gets blown to smithereens with you in it." Chell got the message and stood up before entering the enternal, dull loop of testing.

It only took a few tests before Red was bored. Sure, it was his primary function to test, but there was no screaming or fun. She got through Every. Bloody. One. Without saying a word! She said nothing when he picked her up and brought her to him, she only glared. He had a plan. He brought down the lift. If she fell for it once, what's to say she won't again? Chell was sceptical but stepped inside the lift. Red let her get her hopes up before cutting the cable and sending her to the depths of Old Aperture.

The fall was long, sickening and rather quiet. She couldn't see anything, couldn't move and couldn't brace for the surprise landing as she smashed through some pallets and wood before falling further. She blacked out momentarily as she hit the floor. Everything hurt. She stood up slowly, trying to fix her vision. To no avail. She continued anyway, stumbling occasionally. She followed the numerous signs but couldn't see what they said. Until she got very close to them, like a few inches away. Not being an optometrist, she wasn't sure but she had a feeling she might need glasses. Her vision had been screwy since she first woke up, the fall just made it worse.

After a while of walking around, she found a portal surface high up. She shot a portal above the door and another on a nearby wall. She went through and got a good look of the area. The place was a mess of large hunks of metal, really tall walls, pipes and fire. Lots of fire. She scanned around for another surface. She got what she was looking for: a portal surface the other side of the wall. Bingo. She placed a portal there, turned around and was faced with a blank wall. She mentally hit herself for being so stupid, placed a portal on the wall and walked through.(A/N: I have done this before, it's really annoying)

Woo, more walking, just how big was this place? She finally came to a door wedged open with rubble but not enough to get through. She shuddered as she thought back to the last time she'd been in this situation. She could see a portal surface and did the logical thing, shot a portal and went through. She reached a metal door and went through. A pre recorded message blared from hidden speakers. "Welcome, gentlemen to Aperture Science. You're here because we want the best! And you are it. So: Who is ready to make some science?" She looked up with a look of fear as another, familiar voice chimed "I am!" The man chuckled "Now, you already met one another on the limo ride over so let me introduce myself. I'm Cave Johnson. I own the place. That eager voice you heard is the lovely Caroline, my assistant. Rest assured , she has transferred your honorarium to the charitable organisation of your choice. Isn't that right, Caroline?" "Yes sir Mister Johnson" Caroline said, sounding scarily happy for someone who works at Aperture. "She's the backbone of this facility. Pretty as a postcard too. Sorry fellas, she's married. To science!"

During this rather dull monologue, Chell had flung herself over a gap to the test waiting room. She walked in to be greeted with another message." There are a thousand tests performed every day here in our enrichment spheres. I can't personally oversee every one of them, so these pre recorded messages'll cover any questions you might have, and respond to any incidents that may occur in the course of your science adventure. Your test assignment will vary, depending on the manner in which you bent the world to your will." Chell questioned his choice of words but continued. She had nearly reached a door when she stopped to listen to the messages. "Those of you helping us test the repulsion gel, just follow the blue line on the floor. Those of you who volunteered to be injected with praying mantis DNA, I've got some good news and some bad news."...