Dead End Again
Nothing.
Stuck back where we began.
I hate how John got the easy job of destroying a ship, and we're chasing dead ends, and wasting time.
This sucks.
Not wanting to sit around we plant grenades in places to destroy the base. The source really only took out the power.
"Any suggestions?" I ask.
Silence.
"Back to the marines then" I sigh. At a jogging speed we make our way back using the normal route to ensure it's really clear.
The marines are more jovial when we return.
"Great job spartans!"
"Finally a little peace around here. Haven't slept for days."
Quietly I walk off towards the war tent.
The people are talking when I step in, and I stand near the holograms. There really isn't anything else here.
"Pelicans will be here within the hour, and your going to Utgard, Harvest's capital, to evacuate civillans. I'd enjoy that hour" he says to me, and I leave.
Hm leaving already.
We're kind of fighting a war Creature.
I am aware. Just can't even sit down for a minute or so.
We have an hour. Don't you pay attention?
"We're leaving soon, so enjoy the peace" I advise sitting down against a tree.
Wish we could find out more about the base.
In our small gathering we sit quietly. There isn't much else to do, so we just wait. For reason I find calamity in reloading then unreloading my weapon.
I'm not sure why, but it just feels relaxing.
Anna is asleep, and I can't blame her. It's only been a couple days, but I'm worn. I've haven't slept at all.
The realization of being killed in my sleep terrifies me. How do Marines sleep with all that noise anyway?
"Rides here" Sgt. Adams calls, and we get up. Grabbing our gear we board the pelican. I choose to stand because I have a lot to think about.
What if I fail?
Sergeant said people die everyday. Friends. Family. People you've never even knew existed.
I don't want to lose one of my teammates.
The base is peaceful when we leave, but it's nothing compared to the city. Buildings are scorched, and some of them in ruins. Windows shattered, and massive holes in the center.
The sky is Grey from all the smoke, and ashes. I almost want to bet that the body count is huge.
We get dropped in a courtyard, and immediately retreat to the cover of a building. I don't know what to do. Adams just said that we were being moved. He didn't say what we were doing.
He said civilians.
Sorry. I forgot.
How do we evacuate civilians?
I don't know what to do, but we need to do something.
"Keep an eye on the radio" I spoke moving behind the back of the building. We need to make it to some sort of civillan area.
The area is clear for now, but we keep moving. We have to been sent here to evacuate, and I intend to complete my mission.
To be honest I haven't seen anyone. How can we evacuate them if they are hiding?
-_-
We reach an area with plants, and benches. Most of them are dead, and the benches on fire. However, I do start to pick up some movement.
The dots are yellow which could be civies, or aliens.
No, aliens are red.
We follow the dots, and reach a set of stairs heading below ground. It looks barricaded from the inside. It's possible that Marines are holding out with civillans.
It looks the the enemy has moved on, but I don't want to be too loose about it. We've learned already that they have the numbers.
"Should we knock?" Mathew questions as I scan the buildings.
"We should split. Could be snipers in those towers. Maybe one team make a perimeter, and other will make contact with the people." Eddie puts in stepping in between.
"Kilo make contact. Tango with me."
"I'm takin' point boss" Hailey spoke up, and I just shrug. I'm not too fond of everyone else making my decisions, but we're a team.
Mathew takes the rear, and we jog in a diamond formation back to the safety of the buildings. It's much better cover. With our armor being black we're harder to spot.
Jogging, we follow a road until it reaches a main road then make a right. It's clear until we reach the second corner.
I can hear a humming noise approaching from the left, and I don't recognize it.
"Ours?" Sophie wonders, and I shake my head.
"We need to move the people Dylan. They came back for a reason. They'll be sitting ducks."
I motion for us to retreat, and we make a break for the enterence. I knock twice before entering, and immediately headed to Kaleb.
"There's five Marines for thirty civies. Transports are waiting, and we can take the tunnels. They go below main street, and into a library. It's where they've been getting access to supplies." he explains.
"Teams. Fifthteen a piece. Marines can divide, and conquer. Anna, and Ian make sure our route is safe." I instruct.
The highest ranking soldier address the civillans, and tells them to gather their things. We're moving now.
Sylvia with bring the rear this time as I join Kilo this time.
Most of the civillans are mid-aged with children hiding among them. It'll take time, but we can move building by building.
I follow behind Tango leading my group, and we only stop to wait for the 'all clear. '
Waiting patiently I look over everyone until Ian pokes down to wave at me. We move three minutes behind the other team.
"Dropship behind us." Anna tells, and I climb out of the hole into the library. Anna is up on the second level with a DMR.
Ian leaves to rejoin Sophie, who is leading Tango, to help them progress. Anna waves her hand, and motions to the door below the balcony.
I wave back at the group, and let them pass me before I walk next to Sylvia.
"Take no chances. If we have to we'll divert them away."
"I'm quick for a Spartan boss. I can do it. I'll be safe" she promises.
Leaving the library we enter the main area of a mall. Anna directs us to a store where we leave through the back door. Stopping to check the radar I do a head count.
Good so far.
"Left" I whisper motioning with my fingers then pause behind a doorway. I follow beside a civillan, and watch the street.
Anna stops us before we leave the library to cross the main road. She drops down from the second level.
"Sylvia is dealing with a sniper. We might have to find them cover in the event that the sniper called in our location" she explains.
"Take cover. Now!" I order them, and we move furniture to make our own places to hide.
My rifle is pointed towards the street, and my finger inches. I'm ready, and eager too.
There's a small sort of thrill in killing. The power, and strength. It makes one feel unstoppable. Kind of how I feel now.
"Their coming!" Anna yells finding cover as she knocks a shelf over.
"How many?" I question shifting.
"Two elite battle groups with a grunt squad."
"Ian, Anna. Go long range, and buy us some time. Mathew get them out!" I yell, and move to the opening. I use my DMR to take out a couple Grunts with a headshot. The rest of them scatter.
I duck down to get a better view, and break the shields of an elite. It jumps to the side, but I have to reload. It's shields return, and I can hear them communicating.
Behind me the room is clear, but I hold my position firing upon the group. I fall back when my helmet starts beeping. My forearm has some purple crystal impaled.
"I think we have a sniper. Where are we on reaching the transports?" I ask poking out with more caution.
I finish off an elite after a sniper round broke it's shields.
"We moving through a apartment building, and we still have over one hundred meters before the hangar."
"I got the sniper boss. Make sure you get tended to" Ian calls.
"Boss got injured?" Destiny interupts, and I shake my head while shaking my wrist to sooth the pain.
"Yeah. Just my wrist. It's fine. Move up snipers" I grumple moving towards them.
The civilians are resting, and I look around. Some of my spartans are missing.
Destiny grabs my arm, and looks at it. She throws the crystals away, and puts pressure on the wound.
"I don't have a bandage, or I'd bandage it for you." she says turning my arm. I shrug, and wave the pain off by shaking it.
"See if you can get in to contact with an UNSC forces using a pelican. Maybe we don't have to walk them all the way" I ask Destiny.
I join the snipers by the window. Staring at the streets below I sigh mentally. I'm already drained.
"Most coms are down, and the ones left are distress calls. We have a group of marines barricaded, and under attack from a Phantom." Destiny says joining us.
"They'll be pinned until enemy forces can reach them." I murmer.
Time for a split op then?
Yes. I'm worried, but we can't leave them stranded until the predator strikes.
Is Mathew ready to command?
He has to be.
"Tango. Gear up. Civilians need to get movie before those transports leave. Kilo with me we'll rescue the trapped Marines" I explain waving Ian to remain with them.
"I'm counting on you Mat" I finish before we pause at a hole in the wall.
I motion with two fingers to move forward as I watch for snipers.
"Stay low, move fast" Sylvia urges pausing behind a car for a millisecond.
I follow behind at a quicker pace then join them behind a building. We make a formation, and double time towards the objective.
As we get closer I can hear the Phantom's main weapon firing over, and over.
The Marines are ducked in the basement of a destroyed building, and there's a hole in the wall where they are shooting from.
We slip inside by what's left of a door, and move to the hole to return fire. I get a headshot on the Grunt, but pull back when the cannon directs its fire on me.
"Supposedly we were getting an evac, but haven't been able to reach anyone, and that was over an hour ago" a women spoke to me, "Corporal Clarissa, but I go by Lisa."
"What's the deal here?" Destiny questions.
"We evacuated civilians, and then command told us to meet up with Bravo company from the Infantry Division, but they're across the courtyard taking refuge in a power plant" she explains as the Phantom retreats.
We can't leave them Creature
No, but what about the others. We need to rejoin them.
The Marines gathered their things, and Tiff grabs my arm.
"We'll escorts them won't we?" she asks, and I shrug.
"Don't know. We can't save everyone in a war" I whisper.
She stars, but I can't see her expression behind her visor.
"No, but we shouldn't abandon the ones that we can" She replies, and I sigh. I can't argue with that, but I've never been separated from my team.
I knew it was going to happen, but the thought brings pain to me.
"We'll make it quick" I tell her, and we let them lead the way.
The courtyard is mostly on fire, and the ground is cracked. There aren't any trees anymore, but there was corpses.
Civilians, and Marines.
We jog behind them, and reach the building, but there's no company.
"They were here. Fresh tracks in the rubble. Heading down towards the ONI building there." a male Marine deciphers pointing to a structure.
"We better go. Now" Destiny says looking at me, and I nod.
We're going farther, and farther.
I get a sick feeling in my gut, but we push on.
They move slower, but cautious. Taking cover behind buildings before moving up. We trail behind, and locate gunfire nearby.
Well this time it's close enough to hopefully mean something.
"Mathew to Dylan"
I freeze immediately, and stop in my tracks.
"What's wrong?" I ask motioning for them to continue.
"We've reached the site, and the transports are all gone except one." Mat explains.
I relax a bit, and breathe a little.
I rejoin the others to take down the Covie party. Mostly elites, but we have to take cover to avoid possible sniper fire.
"Flare! Flare! I can see a flare!" shouted a man pointing away from the fight. I pull him under cover, and return fire at our attackers. They were shooting at someone.
More than likely UNSC soldiers.
"Move. We'll finish here" I order Lisa, and her men. It takes a nudge, and a little covering fire to get them going.
"Kilo! Move up!" I shout taking out the easier targets.
Just elites. 5 of them.
"One elite per spartan. Make it count" I add, and vanished behind a building to sprint around the side of the building then down to street. I made it behind the group. I stop, and put my rifle on my back.
Elite on my radar. Assassination.
I grab my knife, and move silently. For some reason I sneak better on my tippy toes.
I pause at a corner, and Sylvia tapped me.
"Mine" I mouthed pointing, and she slips around the other side of the dumpster. I look at the elite again, and he's moving from side to side to avoid fire.
I move behind him, and I realize how big elites are. I have to jump just to climb onto his back. Finding a place to plant my feet in his armor.
I have to hold two hands while he turns, and swings his sword backwards to knock me off. I slam my fist down on his helmet to gain enough opening to stab the elite in the neck.
Landing back on the ground, and roll back behind cover.
I can feel the rush of adrenaline in my body, and I stand up to move back. I want to kill another.
Where's Ian?
I wonder peeking around the corner, but to my disappointment there aren't anymore.
"Boss I see our strays. Three Marines, and a bunch of civies. Four to be exact." Tiffany says waving in my direction. The group emerges, and we return to join the other half of Kilo.
"Double time. Keep your heads down" I order as we take a shortcut.
"Spartan 116 to Lisa. We're on the way to the LZ. Has the pelican arrived?" I ask bringing up the rear to make sure we don't have stragglers.
"Affirmative, but you need to hurry."
"We're almost there." I answer.
The LZ is a street, and I can see the soldiers waiting by the pelican. I gently give an urging push on the people in the back.
"As fast as you can! Go!" I urge keeping up with them easily. I've got the energy to run, but I can't.
It's a mixture of fear, and excitement. I assassinated my first elite, and I'm still aching to hear from Mathew.
I hope he's okay.