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Echoes of the Past by Omega 505
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Echoes of the Past: Chapter 1: Echoes of the Past
Date: 26 January 2009, 9:20 pm
Chapter 1
Echoes of the Past
Prologue:
2 years after the Halo Event
Susan burst through the barracks doors and slammed into Kurtz. "Whoa, what's the rush?"
"They…they… they're coming," she gasped.
"What? Who's coming?" Kurtz stared at here quizzically.
"The... flood, they found them, in the ruins. Damn things came out of the ground." Gunfire erupted from outside the camp. "They're faster then I thought, come on, wake the others, the CO started the Halo Protocol. Make sure someone knows we're here."
Kurtz started toward the door, but stopped, "So what should I send?"
"I don't know, improvise," She continued through the barracks into the armory.
"Improvise?" Kurtz moved into the communications center. "Improvise, what does that…" he paused, and then started programming the message.
UNSC End of the Road
1.5 weeks later
"Captain, our probe's got a message," the crewmen reported. "Shall I play it sir?"
"Yes, put it on the main speakers." The captain leaned forward eagerly. A sharp six note signal filled the bridge. "What the hell?"
The bridge doors opened and the Spartan ran in.
___________________________
Location CLASSIFIED LVL 3
19:03
"So, you're a Spartan?"
'Unfortunately, yes I am.' Spartan 115 shrugged the obvious question off and stared out at the forest as it screamed by. The pelican drop ship slowed as they approached the LZ.
"All right Marines, we got work to do." The young Staff Sergeant turned to the Spartan. "You had better watch it. First thing I notice gets you court marshaled, you understand?" 115 nodded and cocked his rifle. "Good, 'cause from now on, you aren't my problem." The Sergeant turned and started a 'prep-talk' to the other Marines. 115 turned of his external mike and concentrated on his weapon. The heavily modified MA5B rifle had an extended stock and external scope that links to his HUD. He synced it and checked the aim.
115's com click on, "Alright Marines, get ready for drop. ETA to LZ, fifteen seconds." 115 unhooked his harness and leapt from the pelican's bay. He ducked and rolled when he hit the ground. Quickly, he jumped up and watched as the pelican landed half a klick away. 'Alright, where are you.' He turned into the forest as he whistled a melody. 'So, olly, olly, oxen free?'
___________________________
19:30
115 moved into a clearing under some large canopy trees. Bits of metal and gnarled bone hung low from its branches. "Well what do we have here?" He reached in and pulled out a marine's helmet, and then some spent MA5B rounds. Emotionlessly he dropped the helmet and brought his rifle to bear. He spun and checked the clearing. Something snapped behind him. Turning slowly, he listened for another sound.
A voice suddenly called, as though from far away. "Child of my enemy, why have you come?" 115 froze and scanned the trees. "You search for forgiveness... but I offer none." 115 grabbed at his helmet as and agonizing shriek cried through the radio. "You expect ME to forgive what time had turned sour and rotten?" It cried out, ripping through the frequencies. "Yet you wonder why it is? Why you must suffer? A father's sin passes to their children. Now it is you who shall suffer for long eternity, you who shall be smitten. YOU SHALL FALL." 115 ripped the helmet from his head, but the voice sustained. "I have long waited to see my enemy fail, and I shall not be deprived of that satisfaction."
The sound continued as tiny voices yelled from the discarded helmet. "What is that, what are those things? Oh my god, they killed Alpha Squad! Fall back, fall back!"
"See what you have wrought? I am a god, I WILL CONTROL ALL THAT I SEE."
115 twisted as another screech played at his eardrums. Suddenly, five forms burst from the forest. The Spartan aimed at the first form and froze as it moved forward. The limited light shone off the plates of Mjolnir armor. Spartan 145, it was Susan. Her pale face was warped and bent back at an odd angle. Growths extended from her wrists and gaps in her armor. Her helmet was missing, and she made an indistinguishable gurgling sound.
"No," 115 spun and looked at the other forms. 126, 148, 109, they were all here, all of gamma squad. All dead. He sobbed silently, and raised his M6D. "I'm sorry." The shots hung in the air for what seemed like forever.
___________________________
Two weeks earlier
19:30
"So, you think they're coming for us?" Kurtz 126 asked, turning to his squad mates.
"I don't know, now shut-up and listen," Susan 145 replied, "We don't know where it could come from."
"You really think there's some left?" Rex 148 shifted uneasily in his suit, "Those weren't small nukes."
"I said shut up," Susan snapped, "They're still following us, keep moving. You too Ward, get up." Susan grabbed Ward by the arm and hoisted him up.
"Uhg, thanks. That sucker got me good aye?" Ward 109 rubbed his leg where the infected marine got a hold of him. "Kinda itches, ya know?"
"Sure," Kurtz said, "Cause we all know how it feels to be bitten by…"
"I said shut it! That's about enough of…" Susan pleaded, unsuccessfully.
The fifth stirred in the corner. "And why don't you all shut up." Mark 187 grumbled and rose to his feet. "Just deal with it, no one's coming. The UNSC doesn't give a damn what happens to us. We're just more 'expendable assets'"
Susan jumped at the chance, "Why the hell do you always have to be so negative! We can't give up hope yet, they will come, they will find us, and when they do I'll have the pleasure of blowing that over sized ego of yours."
"Ooooh, so sharp, they teach you that in school?" Mark smirked and sat back down. "We're all doomed, just fucking doomed."
Rex jumped up, "Any of you hear that? Sounds like… gunfire."
"Dammit, they're here. Everyone gear up, get ready for a fight." Susan yelled as she mounted an M41. The machine gun spun and shook the wreaked warthog underneath. "Fire everything we got. We can't lose! We are Spartans, we will not fall. Fight to the end!"
___________________________
Two weeks earlier
19:45
"Gah, I'm hit" Rex fell hard as the round torn through his shoulder.
"You alright, Can you fight?" Ward snapped the portable med kit from his belt and limped to Rex.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Rex grunted, "Pass the can of biofoam and hand me a gun." He looked up and smirked at Ward.
Ward chuckled. "Yeah, and then nothing'll stop you." He sprayed some disinfectant and sealed the wound. "There ya go, good as new.
"Thanks Ward," Rex propped himself up on his good elbow and turned to him. "How's the leg?"
"Fine," Ward laughed, "But its not me you should be worrying about, now get back out there and fight."
"Yessir, right on that," He leaned up and pulled himself to his feet. "Thanks again doc, feeling better already." He jogged over to the barricade just as the rocket hit. Ward watched as time slowed. He saw the impact, the shrapnel, the blood… slow enough to see the details. The look on Rex's face as he fell, twisted in fear and pain as shrapnel torn through the missing pieces of armor.
"NO!" Ward tried to run to him, but fell over before he could get far. "Susan, we got a man down! It's Rex!"
Susan turned the machine gun over to Kurtz and ran to Rex. "Hey Rex, don't you die on us now. Come-on Rex, hang in there. Ward, get your ass over here and help him!"
Ward sat frozen where he fell. The usually hardened soldier was paralyzed with fear at the sight of his friend dieing before his eyes. "WARD, NOW!" Susan gave up, Ward was mentally gone. "Stay with us Rex, you can pull through this. Not as bad a 'wash-out day' right?"
Rex turned to her, his face paler then usual. "Yeah," He smirked as best he could, "I guess it is." He coughed, His face hardened, "You guys go on without me, and I'll hold them off here."
"But Rex…"
"GO, this is my fight now. If those bastards want to get to you guys now, then they'll have to get through me." He smirked and cocked his rifle. "I said go, give a dieing man a break already." Susan tried to sit down next to him, but he pushed her away. "I said go, dammit, I can't see you guys dead."
Susan stood and turned away to hide the tears, but the others all knew. "Alright," she sobbed, "You heard him. Get moving." The Spartans froze, surprised at the sudden choice.
Kurtz took a few shots off and turned to Susan, "We can't leave him here."
"You heard me, pack up, we're moving" Susan turned and tried to hide her emotions. She lifted a pack and moved into the trees.
"Susan… dammit." Kurtz turned to Rex and tried to grin, "Good luck Rex. See ya when we get back?"
Rex let out a small laugh, "Yeah, I guess so, good luck guys." Kurtz braced Ward and started to leave.
Ward turned as best he could, "Don't you give up, doctor's orders."
"Ha, thanks Ward, I'll miss you too." Rex watched them leave and sighted his rife at the opening in the wall. "You gonna leave without saying goodbye?" Mark froze and just stared at him. "It's all right, I under stand." He stared after Mark as he moved into the forest. "All right, let's get this over with, shall we?" Slowly he turned his rifle to the hole and pulled the trigger.
The Spartans moved grimly into the forest. Moments later, gunfire filled the air, moments after that, it ended.
___________________________
Present Day
19:53
115 removed the log from his armor. He sighed and looked at the one he'd been able to take down. Rex's deformed face stared back, emotionless… empty. Something was wrong. 115 turned and moved the same way gamma squad did two weeks earlier. He shook his head, 'two weeks as a flood?' he couldn't think of worse torture.
5 minutes later
115 moved toward the clearing. Wreckage lay strewn across the field, and weapons lay everywhere. Dead in the center lay the Pelican. 115 climbed the tail into the crumpled cargo hold. No one survived. Bodies were collapsed against the sides and blood was splattered on the walls. Anyone else would have said they all died in the crash, but 115 wasn't anyone else. Empty cartridges lay on the floor of the hold. Blood trailed into the clearing and stopped abruptly. The flood got them.
He moved toward the front of the ship. Stenciled in bold black letters was Bravo 236, the pelican he rode in on. He scanned the bodies. Every one of them was a marine he saw less then an hour earlier. Suddenly something grunted from behind the wreck. 115 leveled his rifle and moved around a pile of debris, wishing he hadn't.
"Hey, dumbass, you mind putting that gun down and helping me up?" The staff sergeant smirked and looked 115 over. "Well?"
115 let out a small laugh, "I thought I wasn't you're problem?"
"Well, you are now. Get this damn thing off me." He cringed as he tried to pull himself out. 115 hesitated, but moved to lift the pile. The sergeant sighed as he lifted himself up. "Well, looks like we're in the same boat Spartan. You know I don't trust your kind, but looks to me like I have no… are you even listening to me?"
In fact, 115 was listening, and listening very carefully. It came from the right, the flood Spartan charged the field, exposing itself. 115 raised his rifle only to be answered by another flood breaking the tree line. "Dammit, you get behind me. Cover our asses, got it?" The sergeant smirk was replaced by the stern look of a soldier. He didn't answer, but moved behind 115. "Alright, let's finish this…"
___________________________
Two weeks earlier
19:57
Kurtz shrugged Ward off and sat down. "Gah, you're heavier then you look. Hey Sus, I need a break, you mind?" Susan paused, but said nothing, her eyes still red. "Only five minutes, I swear." She nodded slowly and sat across from them.
Kurtz looked around where they stopped. The open clearing shown in the low sunlight. The grass was low and waved in the wind. Everyone froze as the com sparked to life. "I said cover our asses, not shoot them, dammit. One on the left, no my left! Shoot the damn thing already!"
Kurtz looked at Susan and she nodded. "Uh… hello, anyone there?" The radio died and sparks flew from the side of his helmet. "Hey, damn thing singed my hair off."
Ward laughed, "Better you then me." He cocked his head and smirked.
"Yeah, well guess who has to carry you back to base. You gotta live with me." They both laughed. Kurtz looked and noticed something wrong. "Hey, where's Mark?"
All three soldiers turned and stared down the path they came. Suddenly Mark burst through the trees and continued to run past the Spartans. "Hey, I highly suggest you run?" Flood followed behind.
"Dammit, alright, get up and move!" The other two only took a second to be surprised at Susan. Kurtz lifted Ward and helped him hobble back into the forest after Mark, with Susan close behind.
___________________________
Present Day
20:03
"Uh… hello, anyone there?" 115 played the message on external so the Sergeant could hear it. "What do you think?"
The two men stood in a field of "dead" bodies. "Don't know, could be a trap, or it could really be them."
"But I just saw them, they're flood, it can't be." 115 sighed and stared at the carnage. "Can't believe we survived that, no thanks to you."
"Hey, don't blame me. Just because I shot you don't mean I wanted to kill you. You got bullet proof armor anyway, what's the big deal?"
"That's not the point, you…" He froze as his com chirped. "Hello?"
"Ah, good, you're not dead." The voice sounded tired, and far away. "Do you plan on returning to the ship anytime soon?"
"I told you Alph, it might be a while." 115 imagined the AI crossing his holographic arms.
"And I told you to check in so we know if you're dead. It would be unfortunate if you were the cause of the capture of this ship, would it not?" Alpha-Epsilon, one thing 115 thought he could live without. The AI was all that was running the frigate in orbit, the skeleton crew was most likely resting.
115 sighed, "Alright Alph, I'll remember to call in. Anyway, I need you to check something for me. Could you find the source of this signal?"
"Fine, but don't you forget who runs life support while you're asleep."
115 laughed, "Alright, alright, I promise I won't forget, okay?" A nav marker suddenly appeared on 115's HUD. "Thank you Alph."
"Hmm, I haven't done anything."
"What? You're joking."
"Unfortunately I don't have a sense of humor." 115 grumbled and turned the com off.
115 reported his conversation with Alph to the Sergeant. "So, do we follow?"
"Why not, walking into a trap's the least of our worries. So, which way?" 115 pointed into the forest, roughly to the east. "Okay, after you." They turned and headed off.
___________________________
Two weeks earlier
20:18
"Wait, I…need…a…break." Ward gasped as he collapsed to the ground and rolled himself over. "Why are we in such a hurry? We lost them hours ago," He gasped and collapsed into the grass.
Kurtz gave Susan a worried glance, "You okay Sus, you don't look too good."
"I'm fine," she shrugged off the question and stared at Mark. He leaned back and planted himself next to a tree. "Why did this happen, how could they forget about us?" she started sobbing. "It's my fault he's dead."
Kurtz stood up and put his arm around her. "Hey, it's not your fault Sus, no one could have seen that coming. We all knew what we were getting into, Alph made sure of that. Come here." He led her to a tree and they both sat down. "Take a break, we all need you at your best." He grinned at her, "You know how we are without you."
She smiled and nodded. "Good, you rest. Me and Mark 'll keep watch." She gave him a concerning glance, "It'll be fine. You don't trust us anymore?" They both laughed. Finally, she lay down, slowly falling asleep.
Mark turned to him, "You really believe that?"
"Right now, I don't know what to believe," he replied, "anything could happen now, anything, and I think I'd believe it."
The radio cracked to life, "This is captain… Vestal of the frigate End of the Road, is anybody there?"
Mark sighed, "Do you believe now?"
___________________________
Present Day
20:19
"Cover that door, seal it off" 115 yelled as he leapt through the opening.
"I got it, I got it. I know how to close the damn door," The sergeant screamed back. He slammed himself into the heavy steal door, grinding it closed. "How many of those things followed us?"
The nav point hovered another thirty feet underground. "I don't know, could be other entrances. This place isn't even supposed to be here." They had followed the point into an underground bunker. "Reinforced concrete, archaic, but strong, I doubt they'll get through anytime soon." He sighed and motioned the sergeant to follow him. "Hey, you got a name?"
"Don't see why not. Sergeant Daemon Hails, first division. I got transferred to the Road not more then a week ago. Kind of wishing I hadn't." They turned left and headed through a fire door. "So how about you, you Spartans have a name don't you?" 115 grunted and kept moving. "Ah, that kind of person huh? Well then, I'll just keep talking. It was the summer of 2530, and war was…"
The sound of rifle fire filled the hall, coming from a floor down. 115 turned to him, "We have to keep moving, come on. It's not too far now." They reached the blast door, the nav marker floating just on the other side. "You ready?" Hails nodded. "Alright, stand back."
He leveled his rifle and blew away the control panel. The doors slid silently apart, revealing the chamber beyond. "What the hell?" Hails muttered as an eerie orange glow filled the hall.
"I don't know, but I got the signal…" A simple, six note signal.
___________________________
Two weeks earlier
20:19
"I repeat, this is Spartan 126 of Gamma squad, do you come in? Captain Vestal, please respond." Kurtz spoke useless into the burnt out comm equipment. "Dammit, I can't get anything else."
Susan leaned over, "Well what did you get?" She rolled and rested on her elbow.
"Just a set of coordinates, nothing big. They're about a mile from here, if you want the check."
Ward sat up, "I vote we check it," he stood up, and for about two seconds looked brave. Then he wobbled and tumbled over.
"It's just another trap, they can do that now, mimic our voices. They lure you in and turn you. That's how Bravo went down, it copied their CO." Mark sagged against a tree and sighed. "We'll never know if it's real."
"Only one way to find out, pack up Spartans, we're going." Susan stood and grabbed he gear. Everyone else did the same.
45 Minutes Later
"Fall back, fall back. Get inside the bunker, now!" Susan rolled and let out a stream of fire on the oncoming line. "Seal the damn door!" She lobbed a grenade out of the hatch, causing bits of flesh to fly in.
"Got it!" Kurtz mashed buttons on a console and the door slid closed, a ragged arm sticking out the side. "Whoa," he ginned, "A little close, I love this job."
"Come one," Susan waved the Spartans forward. "It's not much farther, just a few floors down." They moved deeper into the complex.
"What is this place?" Ward asked, "Is it one of ours? We never were told about a bunker, what the hell were they doing down…"
"Stop asking question you know we can't answer," Susan interrupted, "Keep moving." After another minute they reached a large steal blast door. "Kurtz, open this up."
"Oh, uh, sure, I think I can get this open, just give me a sec." He moved to the control panel. Suddenly, the doors parted, grinding across the floor. "Wait, I… didn't do that." A brilliant orange light filled the hall. "What is that?"
The Spartans moved into the chamber toward a wall of orange, flowing liquid that split the room in two. A voice resounded in the hall, "What the hell?"
Susan paused, "Hey Kurtz, could you send a signal into that thing?"
"Uh, yeah, I'll send one now…" Kurtz opened the signal he'd sent earlier. "There, it should go through." Everyone held there breathe and waited. "Got something," he smirked, "Come on through, should we?"
Susan bit her lip and thought. Then, without saying anything, walked into the wall. Lights flew past here as she passed into another room. Two men stood there. One, short and dressed in green fatigues, the other standing seven feet tall clad in Mjolnir. She gasped, "Lucas?"
End of chapter 1
Echoes of the Past: Chapter 2: Old Alliances
Date: 15 February 2009, 4:41 am
Chapter 2
Old Alliances
Prologue:
Three weeks earlier
"And we, to this day, support the full and continued operation of this archeological site. Thank you all for coming, and enjoy your day exploring the ruins." The CO stepped down from the high podium and bowed to his audience. He turned to a corporal and whispered, "Is the infection secure?"
"Uh, we don't know sir. We think we have it contained on the lower levels. As long as we keep guests away from there, it should be fine." The corporal seemed shaken, a sign of his long station here.
The CO sighed, "Good, as long as we keep this contain…" Sudden screams erupted from the ruins. "What the hell is that?" People scrambled from the entrance as gunfire spilled from the access. "Get those warthogs over here, cover that door. Let any inhuman bastard die the instant they see light. The warthog opened fire into the opening. Shots rang out, bullets and rockets flew from the ruins.
It all ended there. Flood sprung from the darkness, ripping the drivers from the cars. Bulbous forms scurried over and covered the survivors. No one was left standing.
The flood had begun.
_________________________
Present Day
20:24
"Lucas? But…but how?" Susan blinked and stared at the other Spartan.
"Ha, so you do have a name," Sergeant Hails laughed, "Not so tough now, are you."
Lucas 115 ignored him and moved closer to Susan. "Susan… I don't know how to say this but, you're dead…" His mind flicked back to the horror he saw earlier. "I saw you, you were one of them." He stared her up and down. "I don't know what to believe anymore." He laughed stared at the wall behind her. "Where are the others?"
She stared at him blankly, still trying to get over the shock. "They…they should be right behind me."
"Well they better hurry, I don't know how many holes there are in this place, but the Flood are getting in here one way or another."
_________________________
Two weeks earlier
20:27
"You think we should follow her?" Kurtz stared nervously at the wall of energy.
"She didn't say anything," Ward shook, "She just disappeared, into the wall."
"I'm telling you she's probably dead." Mark barley had time to say it before Kurtz slammed him into a wall.
"Look here," He hissed," That is the last thing I want to hear from you, you understand? She's coming back, now stop being so negative and think." He pulled Mark away from the wall and shoved him deeper into the chamber.
"You know what, I'm sick of taking orders from you. I'm the same rank as any of you idiots, and none of you can really do anything to me, so…" Kurtz slammed his fist into Marks face. Blood splashed from the broken nose and torn cheek. Mark stumbled back and fell through the energy wall.
Kurtz turned to Ward and shrugged. "The bastard deserved it. Someone needed to cut him down." Ward grinned wickedly. "Alright, come on. We got nothing to lose now, over the breach?"
"Why not," Ward laughed, "Everyone else has." Kurtz hefted Ward and the stumbled into the wall, and into the breach once more.
_________________________
Present Day
20:28
Lucas sighed, "You sure they're coming?"
"I'm certain," Susan glanced worriedly at the wall. "They've got to."
Suddenly Mark came rolling through the wall. Blood gushed from his open wounds. Hails ran over and unclipped the med kit from his belt. "You were saying?" He popped the can of biofoam and closed the gap on Mark's cheek.
"He….he….he" Mark stuttered, trying to regain control. "He fucking punched me."
Susan leaned closer, "Wait, who punched you?"
Kurtz and Ward stumbled out of the wall. "Hey, I told you he'd be alright." Kurtz ginned at Susan. "Hey Sus, you mind telling us before you do something like that?" He froze and stared at Lucas. "Oh, so you found… him? Great, another hothead who can't seem to work with a team."
"Hey, what's happened has happened. I was willing to let the past rest, but you feel it necessary to open those wounds…" Lucas started, anger building up in his face.
"I feel it necessary that everyone remembers what you did. We thought you were dead. Ten years, you've been dead to us. We can't just drop what happened." Kurtz started toward Lucas, anger focused on one objective. "You moved in, left us to die, you didn't even say anything, and you just expect us to forget?"
Hails sat down next to Ward. "Hey, should I be making popcorn or something? This is getting heated." Ward just continued to stare at the warring Spartans.
"I did what I had to. Now if you want be to blame the success of the mission…"
"The mission, the mission? That's all you're about. Mission this, mission that, what about us? You just can't leave like that."
"Alright, both of you knock it off. The past is dead." Susan cut in between the two, glaring them down. She turned to Kurtz, "You can't keep living in the past. It's done. If any of us had been in his position, we would have done the same thing."
She spun and faced Lucas, "And you, you fuel his anger and get angry at him for the results? You're going to split this team apart. Let's just leave this be and figure it out some other time, because we have people to save. Ward, Mark, the sergeant, they need us, and we can't have you two fighting the entire way."
The two continued to stare each other down, but silently moved away. "Alright, let's pull this together. Mark, can you walk?" He nodded weakly and stood. "Good, Kurtz you keep helping Ward. Alright Spartans, lets move out."
_________________________
10 years ago
Lucas's story
ONI interrogative facility
"So, what happened, where's your squad?" The ONI officer stared Lucas down from across the table. "How do we know you didn't betray us?"
Lucas shook his head, "You can't, that's why you'll follow protocol and question me to see. Then you'll cross reference that with reports from the field and..."
"Look, I don't need to know my job, just tell me what happened and we can all be on our way." The officer sat down and crossed his arms
"Alright, but I'll have to start from the beginning..."
_________________________
Present Day
23:11
A strange man stood obscured in the darkness. Susan ran for him, calling out his name. Every time she ran closer, he got farther away. Voices rang out in the darkness, cries of pain, death. The man turned to her, and she cried out.
"…I love you." She gasped, missing the words as they came out of her own mouth, wanting them back already. The man smiled something wrong. Another voice added to the sounds, this one clear, and harsh.
"Erh, you are weak. Emotions run your lives as you press on toward your own demise. Your kind is weak, but they will make us stronger…" A shape lurched out of the shadows, beating the man down. Susan cried, tears streaming down her face. The shape turned and moved towered her. The Mjolnir armor sat bent and twisted on the shape's body. Its face mangled, she recognized herself…
"Susan," it called, "Come with us Susan, join us in the peace of death…"
Susan lurched up, sweat streaming down her face. Kurtz ran over to her, "Hey Sus, you okay? " She nodded weakly. "You get some rest, our brilliant seems to think we still have some time left to sleep. I'll wake you when we need to move, okay?" She nodded again, and then laid back. Slowly, she fell into a fretful sleep.
Kurtz walked over to Lucas. Lucas turned to him, "She going to be alright?"
Kurtz sighed, "I think so. She's been like this since the attack." He leaned against a wall and sighed again. "I don't trust you, but it seems like old alliances are the best we've got against these things."
Lucas shrugged, "Who knows what we have. All I know is that there's a ship up there that we've got to get to. Past or not, we're Spartans, we've got a job to do." He got up and checked the others. "How's the front Hails?"
"Not good, those things are getting smarter." Hails looked out deeper into the woods, listening to the sounds of death. "Those things aren't going to give up. We have to get out of here. You know what protocol is. We don't get out soon, then there's not going to be anything left to rescue."
Lucas nodded, "We'll find a way. We've got nothing to lose."
"You strive to greet every passing moment, but fail to see the truth. All things must come to an end, but death is not it. Death is not the end of thought. As I have shown you, it will all be clear soon enough." Susan cried, long and hard as the voice pressed inward. "Your friends will all die, and you shall join me. I am the past, I create the present, and I control the future!" The shape limped over to the man's dark figure. It lifted him, pulling him to his feet.
"No…" she tried to yell, but her voice failed her.
"Yes, it shall all come to be as I have foreseen. Fate can not be denied!" The shape plunged an arm through the man. He gasped for air as he fell back to the floor. Susan sobbed, watching the man she once knew becoming one of them.
"Susan?" Lucas shook Susan's arm, trying to wake her up. "Hey Susan, wake up. We have to get moving." Susan jumped up gasping. She stared at Lucas and embraced him. "Whoa, what's with the sudden affection?" She continued to sob, gasping into Lucas's armor.
She looked up to him, "I… I thought I lost you."
Lucas frowned, "Why? I never left. We were right here the whole time." He squeezed her hand. "Come on, we have to get moving." She nodded and got up, grabbing a rifle. "Are you going to be okay?"
She nodded again, "I… I'm fine. Let's get moving." They turned and headed off with the group, deeper into the forest.
_________________________
Present Day
01:24
Kurtz slowed and paced himself with Susan. "Hey Sus, you alright?" He saw Lucas turn away.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that…" She blushed and looked away. "I thought he was dead again."
"You're back on that? He never loved you, don't beat yourself up for it. You're too good for him any way."
She smiled, "Thanks, but I still love him, I think I always will." She sighed and sped up so she was next to Lucas.
Ward moved next to Kurtz. "So, how is she?"
Kurtz shook his head, "She still loves him. She's too damn stubborn to see that he isn't interested."
"Is he really? All he used to talk about was her. Damn near inseparable they were. Why don't you just let it be?"
"Because, I'm her brother, that's what I'm supposed to do. I can't see her hurt again." He stared at his feet, "I know he'll let her down."
Ward slapped him on his back, "Don't worry about it, you'll be there to pick her back up. She'll be fine, trust her," Ward grinned.
"I guess, but I can't shake the feeling. I don't think it's right to let it be. She started having those dreams again, the ones about him. I told him they were nightmares about the attack."
"You lied? What if she tells him?"
"I'll burn that bridge when I come to it. Let's get moving before hot-head notices." They jogged back up towered the group.
Ward turned to Lucas, "You think we lost them yet?"
Lucas laughed, "No, we'll never lose these buggers. Damn things are persistent, I'll give'em that."
"You tried the radio yet?" Mark asked.
"No, we're just walking it for fun. Of course I tried the radio, trees block the transmission." Lucas sighed, "Even if we could get a signal through, command wouldn't send a pick-up, with protocol and all. They might not even know the flood is even here."
Suddenly a roar filled the forest. Three Pelican drop ships screamed over the treetops. Mark started jumping, "Call them, get out the damned radio."
"We can't get a signal through the damn trees. They couldn't hear us even if we tried." Lucas shook his head, "They're doomed…"
_________________________
10 Years ago
ONI interrogative facility
"Wouldn't want it any other way," The man leaned back in the chair, "So, are you going to start or are we just going to stare at each other from across the table."
"Look, this isn't a joke… I lied to them to finish the mission. They still think I'm dead, and your spooks won't let me see them." Lucas slammed his fist into the metal table, leaving a sizable dent. "Are we finished, or are you going to keep me here?"
"Alright, but it's not my call. If they don't want you to see your squad then trust me, you aren't going to see them. We have a few propositions for you. Then, maybe, you would be returned to active duty."
"Dammit, I don't have time for more of ONI's games. I have a duty to uphold, a promise I made to them, and I can't let them down."
"Or you can't let her down…"
"What did you say?"
"Oh, nothing, but I'd watch who you go talking back to. Some may not take well to threats." The man placed a piece of paper on the desk, then stood up and moved toward the door. Before opening it he turned back to Lucas, "And by the way, I don't work for ONI," with that he opened the door and walked out.
Lucas sighed and rubbed his temples. He reached out and grabbed the paper the man left and looked over it. In the top corner blazed a silver sphere with the letters URF shining under a deep grey eye.
_________________________
Present Day
01:28
Dark clouds rolled across the night sky, blocking out the stars. Not more than a few seconds passed when rain suddenly blanketed the group of marines as they trudged on toward where they believed the pelicans headed. They marched solemnly deeper into the forest when a light shone on the edge of the trees.
Lucas stopped and looked out into the darkness. Inhuman sounds echoed back, quietly moving parallel to the group. He shivered at the thought of the creatures and kept moving forward, toward the light.
The trees dropped back from the forest into scattered groups. Shadows danced in the Spartan's flashlights, giving the open space an eerie sensation. Large shapes lunged across the clearing toward large towers in the distance. The skyscrapers reached up into the storm, challenging it as they stood tall and majestic against the windswept terrain.
Susan moved next to Lucas and whispered, staring out at the structure. "What is it? I don't remember it here before."
Lucas shook his head, "I… I don't know. There aren't any colonies here, but it sure as hell looks like a city." Lights flashed from above the closest tower. "Look, running lights. That's where the pelicans went."
Hails looked out, fear showing in his face, but his voice was strong. "So we have to go in there? Fine, just point me in the right direction." He cocked his rifle and charged a clip into the chamber with a loud click. The noise echoed into the darkness.
They didn't see them coming. Inhuman arms reached out and grabbed Hails, dragging him into the night. "Hails!" Ward yelled out as he limped toward where the sergeant had been seconds before. "Dammit, where did they come from?" He swept the dark with his rifle, and then lowered it.
Lucas shook his head, frustration clear on his face. "Anywhere out here there could be armies of Flood, but it's too damn dark to see them. I don't know where they came from, but I know here they're going." He pointed toward the city and then turned to the other Spartans. "We have two options, go into the city and go down fighting, or die out here being picked off like cowards. We have to find Hails and get to those pelicans before the Flood. Let's move Spartans, we have work to do."
Without another word, the group headed toward the city, toward their friend, toward salvation, and unknowingly toward the truth.
End of Chapter 2
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