The hum of a Combine Dropship was a deafening thing to most, the constant sputter of engines and natural noises of the synth itself.

However, to the soldiers of Overwatch, there is no sound more welcome. Within the pod, a group of Elite soldiers waited patiently and near silently, red optics looking forward as gear was checked. Slight scuffs could be seen over their armors, noting their immediate dispatch from another operation, another chain in what seemed like an endless gauntlet for the soldiers.

The uprising of the civilians within City 17 was proving far more successful than it reasonably should. Countless outposts, checkpoints, and even the central Nexus had fallen to Rebel control. Thus, the Elite were on full deployment.

Civil Protection often referred to them as "Deathwatch". The most augmented and well-equipped soldiers the transhuman arm had to offer, the skull imprinted onto their insignia proof of their lethality.

"Overwatch Team Six-Four-Zero, approaching destination in one minute." came the cold, cool voice of Overwatch's AI system. "Repeating mission objective. Malignant forces have intercepted an important transport train. Recovering prisoner aboard said train is of high priority. Malignant forces are to be dealt with as you see fit, subject, however, must be kept alive." the AI explained.

"Code reminder: Deploy, expunge, extricate." they finished.

A moment of silence passed before the Elite in the back spoke up over comms.

"Forty-Zero, requesting final gear check." they spoke, voice modulated a little further than most transhuman soldiers.

"Forty-One, gear ready."

"Forty-Two, gear ready."

Forty-Three, gear ready."

The sounds of the dropship's main pulse gun began to go off before the others spoke, indicating the closeness of the landing zone.

"Forty-Four, gear ready."

Forty-Five, gear ready."

"Forty Zero, gear ready." the apparent leader spoke once more. "We're behind enemy lines, we have minimal Overwatch support, and minimal access to supplies. Do not underestimate the enemy." Zero spoke, AR2 in hand. "Displace as soon as possible, then fan out. Get ready for Bouncer use."

A silent show of small green glows from each helmet indicated readiness as the sounds of landing began, the door beginning to open.

"Fan out, move, move, move!" Zero continued, and the soldiers obeyed. They'd been dropped less than a block to the train station, one of the last above ground stations before it connected to the Citadel's own, the tower itself looming high over them.

The closeness of forces to the Citadel concerned the leader of the squad, even if they didn't show it. They couldn't tell how Overwatch had lost so much ground so fast. Likely to do with the return of Anticitizen One, they assumed. They pushed the thoughts to the side as the coast seemed clear, for now. They made a silent gesture to the rest of the team to push forward, moving around a dilapidated building.

Forty-Three scanned the streets ahead, their enhanced optical displays making them perfect for scouting duty.

"They've taken an emplacement gun, it's aimed in our direction. Movement is minimal, chances of ambush ahead very high." Three relayed.

"Cover?" Zero asked.

"Plentiful. Cars on the road, higher walls when approaching the station and shorter ones surrounding a courtyard." Three replied.

Zero looked through the visual data Three sent, figuring a strategy for approach. A road sat in front of them, before a small park-like courtyard before the stairs ahead lead up to the station itself.

"Two, Four, Five, head with me through the alley, be ready for an ambush. One, Three, head up to the building beside us, set up and fire when the trap is sprung. Try to keep quiet to mask position." Zero ordered.

Green lights lit up all around, and the team split into two. Three and One headed to the second floor, staying low to avoid detection from the shattered wall as Three readied their sniper rifle, switching off the laser as they took aim.

As the second group got to the cars, an alarm sounded. They were assuredly spotted. The unmanned emplacement was near immediately manned, and a stream of pulse fire rained onto the cars.

Three more rebels came up from cover, and four emerged from the station themselves. Their armaments were varied as Three relayed data, featuring MP7s, AR2s and SPAS-12s.

Three's laser lit up, and before the turret-manned rebel could realize, their head now had a clean hole through it.

A series of quick bursts from the team's AR2s quickly stopped any advance the Rebels could make. Zero and Two pushed forward to an outlying brick wall, Four and Five laying down suppressing fire as Two armed a grenade.

Zero gave an orange light, designating a order to hold, waiting a few seconds until it flashed green. Internal calculations ran as Two pulled the pin, cooking it for just the right time so after they threw it, it detonated right into a piece of Rebel cover, two bodies being blown to smithereens and allowing both to push forward as the covering fire behind them moved in as well.

They moved through the small park and it's lone withered tree, coming up to the other side's wall, partially blown apart by the grenade.

They rounded it through the new opening, Two firing out a shot towards a hiding Rebel before two barrels of buckshot retaliated. An instant kill as Two's body flew backwards, Zero knew as much as soon as the boom of the SPAS went off. But they also knew the opportunity it gave, firing a burst to kill the rebel before they could pump the shotgun.

Zero pressed up against the wall below the emplacement, adjacent to the stairs up. They saw Three get another kill via their visual link, leaving the number of rebels above reduced to three.

"Two down, requesting Bouncers on targets above." Zero relayed, reloading the AR2 effortlessly as they held position.

"Affirmative." Four responded, cooking a grenade slightly before launching it over the emplacement.

A scream of "Grenade!" was all the team needed to hear before the three remaining pushed up the stairs. As Rebels fled for their lives, pulse rounds slammed into their backs, three bodies soon falling to the floor.

"Malignants dead or scattered." Zero affirmed as they checked for movement. "Three, One, move forward."

"Affirmiti-" A gunshot was heard through the radio before a slightly panicked Three started again with "Reinforcemen-"

Another couple of shots rang out before the squad overview read out with another flatline. Zero grimaced under the helmet before looking to the two beside them. "Four, get on the emplacement, watch for a sniper. Five, cover left and stairs."

Green lights flashed as a slight sense of worry was sent through Zero's systems before being replaced at annoyance at themselves for not expecting another part to the ambush. Their spotter was down, thus they had to rely on their own optics.

At least eight rebels were moving out of the alley towards them, wielding a wide assortment of weapons. This was the real trap.

Four fired out with the emplacement gun, wounding a couple of rebels before they hit cover, their lighter armor allowing them to move faster than they could. Regardless, they approached from multiple angles, forcing the other two to supplement fire. Zero did internal calculations in their head at their odds. It wasn't good, especially due to their already taxed ammo supplies.

Then the distinctive blue laser came back from the building, and the team knew it wasn't theirs this time. Four switched to the laser point, forcing them back down but also allowing an opening for Rebels to push forward. Zero got one who got greedy with their movement, catching them in the leg before finishing off with a headshot. Their AR2's reserves were beginning to get on the lower end of the spectrum though, forcing them to use rounds sparingly.

As Five continued laying down suppressing fire, a shot caught him dead center, a huge piece of heated rebar from a makeshift crossbow that tore through their helmet's protection, leaving them dead on the spot.

Two versus seven. These odds were looking less and less favorable. Zero saw another pair of rebels as they took cover, and primed a grenade, tossing it over and flushing them out, making quick work for Four as the emplacement ripped them apart in a single spurt.

Then the laser came back, and Four wasn't quick enough this time. A shot rang out, hitting them square in the chest.

"Armor punctured." Four spoke in a calm tone, despite the gaping hole in their armor. "Retreat, commander?"

Zero thought to the options before they thought of a plan.

"Use your reserve vial. Should hold you for a time. Get on the gun, I have an idea. If it doesn't work, retreat."

Four shot back a green light as they pulled out their emergency medical vial. The green liquid was fast acting, but it still wasn't as good as proper medical treatment, plus the now large damage to their chest-piece didn't help with that.

As Four laid down a bit more suppressing fire, Zero dropped down from the upper wall, pushing forward in a low crouch as they rounded the park's wall.

They noted a dead rebel's location, and more specifically, the crossbow that ended their comrade's life.

They kept low and grabbed it as more suppressing fire went out overhead, grabbing two pieces of rebar while they were at it.

It was no Sniper, but it would do. They rushed back to the park wall, diving as a laser targeted them.

They looked to the crossbow in their hands. They knew vaguely of the design, something they'd seen in a couple of raids in their earlier years. The battery superheated rebar, which was then launched at high speeds. One needed to account for projectile drop, but it was a lethal weapon, one that has ended many a CP or Overwatch Soldier.

They slotted in a piece of rebar, watching as it glowed to high temperature.

"Four, lure the laser." Zero commanded. Thus, Four turned up their suppression, laying down further fire.

Then, they waited. The laser finally appeared, revealing the sniper's position. The Elite quickly aimed and fired, accounting for drop over the long distance. Then, the laser clattered off target as their enhanced vision revealed the rebel to be pinned to the back wall with the shot.

"Sniper down." Zero relayed, slotting on another piece of metal. They snuck around the park before another Rebel tried the same maneuver from the other side. Unluckily for them, the Elite was faster, a piece of rebar being inserted into and through their neck in an incredibly messy manner. Considering their lack of rebar, they tossed the crossbow to the side, bringing back out the AR2.

Three Rebels remained. Despite their numbers, the trio decided to try and rush the emplacement after chucking a grenade towards Four's position. Four was forced to be flushed out, a hail of fire peppering their damaged armor. Four collapsed, but they didn't flatline yet. The Rebels seemingly calmed.

This was interrupted by a grenade that blew the now clumped group apart.

Zero spared no time, however, rushing past the scattered corpses and up the stairs to their last teammate.

Bullets and residual burns from pulse fire coated the armor, including the already punctured area.

"Are you still active, Four?" Zero spoke.

"Bl...bleeding heavily. Can't move legs. M...might've gotten spine." Four spoke, coughing somewhat.

Zero silently cursed. The healing salve they had could work well, but they didn't have a large enough dose to help such an injury.

"Requesting… euthanization." Four sputtered out. Zero breathed in deeply, holstering the AR2.

Silence passed for a couple of seconds before Zero pulled out their USP. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Not your… fault." Four reaffirmed, coughing again. "I wasn't expecting... this heavy a response either."

A couple more seconds of silence passed before Zero pressed the barrel under Four's neck. "I'm sorry."

A single shot made the Elite into a corpse, leaving Zero alone, the only sounds being those of distant battles still being fought.

"God dammit." they allowed themselves before standing up. They took the AR2 ammo from the bodies before bringing the weapon itself back up. This entire scenario was a shitshow. Men and women, his former teammates, ripped apart in one encounter. They felt guilt, despite Four's words, but they remembered the mission.

Their guard was back up as they headed towards the door, ready to finish up this mission and get back to the Citadel.

Author's Notes

Well, that's a start, I guess. This crossover and story's been an idea in my head for a long, long time. There was an original, but like most of my early works, I despise them, but I usually lack the attention span or will to rewrite them.

Especially Teufort Debacle. If you want to see my old shitty writing, it's one of the few pieces i'm leaving up.

Regardless, Half-Life is something I hold near and dear to my heart, and i've always wanted to use my extensive knowledge of the universe for something.

Honestly, i'd prefer doing something like an RP, but such things these days have seemingly vanished. This story will have to do instead. Tell me what you think.