Beyond BordersEpisode 2

Mark regains consciousness on the ground, staring up at the rooftops he fell from. He notes to himself he was lucky to survive that fall. As he thinks of his friend Morgan, he overhears the telltale noises of Civil Protection radio and gets on his knees in a hurry. He sneaks by behind some cardboard boxes as two Civil Protection patrols walk by looking for him. One of the officers tells the other he's sure he fell down there; the other officer asks for their orders and his colleague tells him the suspect has been deemed rogue and their orders are to kill him. Mark hides behind a downbeat car as the officers sweep the area. One of them suddenly declares they have a visual as he spots a foot behind the vehicle. They both rush to flank the vehicle.

The metro cops realize it was just an abandoned boot behind the van. Meanwhile, without them noticing, Mark is escaping up a wall. The officers decide to search the apartments again, as one notes they shouldn't put this on their report. Deeper into City 17, a man is hanging around watching Civil Protection as Mark, from cover, calls out to him. The man approaches and, seeing his getup, asks in surprise if Mark is with the Resistance. Mark tells him not exactly and that he just found the clothes. Mark asks the man if he knows of a way out and he mentions the underpass not far from there as the quickest way out, only it collapsed. As Mark curses his luck, the man tells him he can still get into the sewer entrance, which is a straight shot out, although Mark might have to swim his way out. Mark asks him how he knows so much about the sewers and the man introduces himself as Manning, saying he's part of a bigger network within the city doing anything and everything against the Combine. Mark tells him his name and thanks him, with Manning replying perhaps they'll find each other again. Mark says maybe and leaves, Manning shouting good luck behind him. As Manning makes his way back to the streets, an officer recognizes him and tells him he's coming with them.

Manning asks the officer what this is about and he replies the Captain wants to talk to him personally, noting if Manning really expected them not to recognize him. Meanwhile, Mark reaches the underpass and finds an old pipe to use as a weapon. He knocks a metro cop down by falling onto him, but then realizes there's an armored personnel carrier nearby which starts shooting at him. Mark runs for cover and finds the sewer entrance, then makes his way into the water. Back at the city, Manning is being taken for interrogation. The officers tell him to sit down in an interrogation chair.

As they sit him down into the interrogation chair, Manning complains he has a right to know what they want with him this time, and tells them he stopped printing fake relocation cards after they caught him last. An unmasked officer, Conrad, hands his Captain a clipboard. The Captain tells Manning this has nothing to do with relocation cards and that they are watching everyone. He describes Manning as a a full-time criminal and anti-Combine activist, which sounds like a rebel to him. Manning asks what the hell is this as the Captain notes that their scanners caught him talking to the Rogue Unit and asks what they talked about. Manning lies that he has no idea what they are talking about. In response, the Captain punches him in the face and shouts that they don't have time for this and repeats the question. Manning answers by kicking the Captain down, which knocks off his helmet. Conrad turns to him and asks if he is alright. The Captain, now maskless, tells him he's fine. Manning recognizes the Captain as Barney Calhoun and calls him a goddamn traitor. Barney tells his officers to tie Manning down and restrain him, then turns to Manning and says he just made things a lot worse for himself and he'll give him rough. Meanwhile, at the trainyard, Mark exits the sewer and looks around.

Mark leaps over a fence and starts looking for a train to take him out of the city. Mark then says holy shit as he notices a huge swarm of Combine scanners flying in the sky. While he's distracted, a female citizen in a train car nearby spots him and calls out to him. The woman asks Mark what the hell he is doing in the open dressed like a rebel. He tells her he's been running from the Combine all day and wants to hitch a ride out of the city. She asks him if he is with the Resistance and he tells her no, he just found the outfit. He asks her what she is doing there and she reluctantly tells him they are a supply train smuggling weapons and supplies for the Resistance. Mark asks her if they go out of the city and she replies they go all the way to the coast. She tells him she knows what he's going to ask and yes, he can hitch a ride with him, as long as he wasn't followed. He tells her they lost track of him in the sewers. He starts to climb into the train as he thanks her.

The woman just turns her back on Mark and goes back inside, as he grumbles whatever and gets in. Mark sits down next to some weapons as the woman checks the radio, then tells him to close the door as they are leaving in a few minutes. As he closes the door, Mark thanks her again, saying he knows how she could have just told him to keep walking. She tells him to get comfortable and says that yes, she would have. Mark stares at another female refugee, who glares at him then looks away. He looks away from her and starts laughing to himself. The woman who brought him onboard asks him what's so funny and he tells her he can't believe he's finally on his way out of the city. Meanwhile, Barney is supervising Manning's torture with a grim smile. He tells his officers to stop before they beat him to death, then tells Manning he can make all of it stop, just tell him what he said.

As Manning hesitates, Barney tells him he is a man of his word and asks again where the Rogue Unit is headed. Manning tells him to fuck off and that he isn't telling the Combine shit. Barney replies that he's a stubborn son of a bitch and stands up, then heads towards some tools. Barney makes a speech about how he doesn't get Manning, that Manning owes the Rogue Unit nothing and that it is pathetically human. Barney then grabs some wire cutters as he tells his officers to untie Manning. Barney tells Manning he is asking him one last time before he fucks him up with the wire cutters and asks where the Rogue Unit is going. Manning hesitates for one last moment and begs him to stop. He then tells them the Rogue Unit was headed towards the trainyard and that he told him to take the underpass. Barney laughs and tells him that was a smart strategy, then congratulates him for his selfishness, saying it's over for him, good job. Barney turns to his cops and tells them to take Manning to the express train to Nova Prospekt. Conrad asks what to do about the Rogue Unit and Barney tells him to start grabbing some volunteers and gear up, they have a train to catch. End of episode 2.

Next comic:

Episode 3

1 thought on “Episode 2”

M1A1 TUSK II

March 1, 2024

erm, they would be sent to nova prospekt too because erm, i don’t think they are aloud to take off there helmets, and it would be nearly impossible to just “kick” a helmet off when its screwed on

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