The Combine feature again as the primary antagonist in the VR-exclusive prequel, "", which takes place between the events of "Half-Life" and "Half-Life 2". The game focuses on the efforts of Alyx Vance, her father Eli, and fellow resistance member Russell, as they attempt to infiltrate a massive Combine vault, believing it possesses a weapon that they could use to weaken the Combine occupation on Earth. After navigating through various quarantined zones of City 17 and rescuing Eli following his capture by the Combine, they discover that the vault is constructed not to hold a weapon, but as a prison, which they believe is holding Gordon Freeman. Alyx manages to infiltrate the vault and discovers that it is not being used to imprison Gordon Freeman, but is instead harboring the mysterious G-Man, who shows Alyx a glimpse of Eli's death in the future and offers her a chance to prevent it, which she accepts, before placing her in stasis.