[ EU ] It is the year 2288 . As you wander the Wastelands , you find Vault 74 . Inside the vault is a team of video game designers from the pre-war company known as Valve Corporation , who have just finished working on a video game known as Half Life 3 .

I take a sip from my trusty vault canteen. My supply was getting dangerously low, I needed to find water. Trouble is, it's hard to find water that is n't irradiated or claimed. This canteen was given to me when I was 13, and thrown out of my vault into the wastes. When they said the wastes were wastelands they were understating it. It's surprising how much *nothingness* there is out here. The sun beats down on my body in the day and the nights chill me to the bone. I come across other people every now and again, or signs of others, but always stayed away unless I needed to. I realise most people were like me trying to eke out a living but you could n't trust someone to not stab you in the back when you are asleep. I met this one guy who swore he was ambushed by this girl looking for special bottle caps. Crazy. 
 
 I pulled out my map, no pipboy for me - they did n't have my size. and laid it on a rusted truck's bonnet. I looked at the dated map with names of places that did n't exist anymore. Washington DC, that was a hive of mutants, raiders and death traps. I had been in there once, barely twenty five feet into the ruins before a automated turret started firing at me. I ran to cover, the bullets pinged off the floor and kicked up a cloud of dust. I inhaled the cloud accidentally, heaving from the sudden burst of movement. Coughing it from my lungs I picked up a rock and threw it to my left. The stone was pummeled into pieces by the turret's gunfire. I decided it was best to stay put, for a while at least. It took three days for that turret to run out of ammo, three days of random objects, people, things being shot at until finally it went click. I decided enough was enough and scavenged it. Now I had my own personal turret, which was good. Shame I did n't have any ammo for it. 
 
 I shook myself from the fog of memories and brought myself back to the map. As far as I could tell, I was heading towards Vault 74. I had heard of it off of a few merchants and even a raider! Old world tech was being developed there by immortal scientists, something important. I had sold what I did n't need and stocked up on food as much as possible before setting out. It was on the opposite side of the wasteland, a four day walk. Even a walk that lasted half a day could be dangerous - anyone, anything could kill you off. The first day I came across a shack overseeing a quarry, with two bugs in a cage. I slept on the mattress which was a luxury compared to the floor. A roof over my head, a mattress as a bed, this was the life. I was half-tempted to stay there and forget about 74 entirely, but something told me it was n't safe. 
 
 On the second day I did not get that lucky. I spent most of the day hiding in a sewer tunnel from a band of slavers. They had two slaves with them, a man and woman. The man tried to overpower one of the smaller ones and take his gun. Instead he was punched in the face and a collar on his neck detonated and left him, headless. I kind of like my head, not that it's the best head in the world but it's a damn sight better than one that is pulp. 
 
 The third day, the third day was weird. I came across this small town - Dale I think it was. Everyone seemed nice but there was something off about them, like they were hiding something from me. I did n't stay the night there or have any of their food - I left at midnight. When I reached the hill crest I turned around to get one last look at the town and saw three torches heading towards the home they set up for me. I got out there before they came looking. 
 
 Today is the fourth day. I think I'm close, the map shows me that a company base is near here. Valve... I would have thought they were a part company, not program development. Before I was jettisoned from my vault I learned about prewar companies - Valve was to do with radiation if I recall right. I move my tanned finger over the crinkled map. I have five miles to go in a north-east direction, I think, before I get there. As for getting into the vault.. I'll solve that when I get to it. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I think someone is behind me. I grab the pistol from beneath my cloak, hopefully who ever is behind me does n't see my hand moving, and take it out of the holster. Thank god I loaded it this morning. I spin around suddenly my arm raised at the person. 
 
 It's a tumbleweed. I chuckle at myself awkwardly. If I start jumping at plants then I'll never survive. I turn back around and holster my gun. I wipe my brow, my hand shaking. This is embarrassing. I hear a snap before a blunt object swings into vision. 
 
 -- - 
 
 I wake up in a gurney. Leather restraints hold me down, and I ca n't get out of them. I jerk around on the gurney, too hard apparently as I fall on the side. Great, now I ca n't even move or see past this immaculate floor. The door opens, and a shadow blocks the door. 
 
'Hello. We've been expecting you. This is Vault 74, otherwise known as ValveTec.' The voice said, it sounded like a mans. 
 
'What? Let me out of this thing now!' I do n't care about the tech now, I want to be able to go back to my shack. 
 
'I'm sorry Mr... Gordon. We ca n't do that. We need you.' 
 
'How do you know my name? Need me for what?!' 
 
'We looked at your.. files. We need you for testing a project we have just finished.' The voice sounded odd at the word `` files'' as if it was new to it. It's monotone voice was distorted slightly. 
 
'What project?' I questioned. Being a science experiment was n't my idea of fun. 
 
'We call it H-L-3. Otherwise known as Half Life 3. Confirmed' The voice paused as if expecting something. 
 
'So..? There's not a lot of people out there anymore.' Why does it want me to care? Should I know? 
 
'Really? Our memory banks, that is to say memory is faulty. Thank you for the information Mr Gordon. I hope you enjoy your testing.' The voice started to close the wooden door. Actual wood, that was rare. 
 
'Wait what? At least let me up? Please! Let me go! Let me go!' I shook side to side again, but stayed stuck on the ground. A sharp prick comes from my thigh and I start to feel drowsy. My vision goes black before I slip into darkness...
