Aleksandr Neil

**Aleksandr Nikola Neil** is one of the first few remaining members of the 7 Hour War within Bulgaria. He was also one of the first to relocate into City 24. Within the 19 to 20 years he lives in the city, he ends up joining the main rebellion of the city, dubbed as the "Xen Restoration Project". As an honorary member of the group, he befriended a Vortigaunt named, "Gahan". He also became one of the leading members of the resistance group.

## Biography

Born in Burgus, Bulgaria, he lived a relatively average life near the end of the Soviet Union. His father's side was of Jewish and Middle Eastern descent and his mother was a native Bulgarian. About four to five years before the Black Mesa Incident, he became a member of a transhumanisitic ideology group within his high school. For obvious reasons, he keeps his belief to himself. Within this group, he had the chance to meet several Bulgarian soldiers with different types of limbs and devices to keep them living. Despite the fear, he took it upon himself to enlist in the Bulgarian army as a civilian radio operator a year before the Black Mesa Incident.

During the days that followed the Black Mesa Incident, Aleksandr was stationed only a couple hundred miles south of modern day City 17. Fortunately he was able to be relocated only a month before the 7 Hour War nearby modern day City 24, potentially saving his life. Throughout the 7 Hour War, it became apparent that Aleksandr was one of the last remaining operators in the country, having to take liberties into his own hands and having to take up arms and actually fight. Before the final hours, he was able to be saved and brought out of the city into hiding.

Only a couple days later, he had received the word that the Combine had successfully invaded Earth, and a man by the name of, "Wallace Breen" organized and issued the surrender of the human race in the nearby City 17. He felt hopeless, trying to keep himself into hiding, hoping that something would happen. He remained in hiding for only a year, essentially being forced to apply to City 24 citizenship.

Upon becoming a member of City 24, he had been searching for careers. He had radio, military, and aircraft mechanical engineering experience, however he had not considered the idea of becoming a transhuman solider, despite his beliefs. For the first few months of being without a job, nor much of a life to reflect on, Aleksandr had fallen into a deep depression, as many of the first citizens would've. All that changed, however, when he was approached with the random selection to become apart of the City 24 Lower Workers' Union, it brought him time to reflect on who he wanted to be.

Without revealing his militaristic past, he was able to take a job as a simple mechanic throughout the apartments and work his way up to a Mechanical and Architectural Engineer/ Designer. He had worked on big projects, such as establishing some parts of the city's administrative buildings, making a name for himself among the Workers' Union. But eventually he took it upon himself to turn to freelance, after years of back breaking work within the union.

He had a strong interest in music and art. Sometimes he is considered a hobbyist freelancer, taking odd jobs out of what he found interest in, and of course being an engineer. He had registered for radio control with the alias, "Makarov Dimitri" for reasons unknown. However, what is clear, that the radio business would eventually not be completely for music, but for something more.

Years and years have past since the 7 Hour War, but yet his feelings for humanity's resurgence stayed within him. For those reasons, he was able to take up arms into the Xen Restoration Project. Although it is unclear how he made contact with the group and became such a valuable member, he was able to become a radio operator in the shadows for them. He had established a general code set for Xen Restoration Project members within the city and some surrounding areas.

Finally, up until recently, he had found a Vortigaunt, nicknamed "Gahan", within the Xen Restoration Project. He was not able to completely hide the fact that he had befriended a previous janitoral slave to the Combine, as he began to be given additional taxes for the "ownership" of a potentially deadly lifeform. Usually Gahan spends all of his time within Aleksandr's home and the occasional visits around the city.

## Other Information

As well as being depicted with a Vortigaunt nicknamed "Gahan" he is also seen baring a set of thick, black rimmed glasses. He is also sometimes seen with a gas mask to wear within the industrial outer areas of the city.

He is an actor. Within his era of hobby jobs, he had taken acting roles within theater and movies. He starred as himself in a 7 Hour War documentary entitled, "The Footsteps to Victory" by a fellow companion named "Preslav Topolovsky". However, it was not an entirely true depiction of the war, and was very biased and is considered a partial propaganda film.

Music is one of his other main interests. He had also taken part in a local jazz band, giving himself experience to be exposed to playing the drums and guitar. Before then, he jokingly said he played the cowbell and the triangle only.