No Such Thing As K.I.A
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CHAPTER 1: A Terrible Change of Plans
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The sky was at the fringe of dusk and the team of freelancers moved gracefully and undetected. The original objective of the mission was to do recon on suspected insurrectionist activity in a city in the outer colonies. However, as the team was en route, a distress signal had been transmitted from the same city. A stealth team of Covenant had landed, and it seemed intent on flattening the place. Now, as they had been quickly briefed by the Director over comms., the freelancers were on a new objective: help a squad of Odst defend the city of Regnabar, while eliminating all alien hostiles.
The west side of Regnabar had begun to be evacuated, but that didn't mean enemies weren't present. Agent Carolina silently led her team to the rendezvous point with the Odst squad. On her right, New York and North Dakota fanned out, while to her 9:30, Washington and Maine kept an eye on their left. Roughly 50 yards behind them Wyoming, Hawaii, and Florida watched their six. Approaching their destination, Carolina blipped her tracker green, the all clear signal that would show up on each team member's HUD, as comms. were currently off. There was a pause, then the seven blips on her motion tracker blinked green in response. Nodding, Carolina ducked into a vacant building, a moment later York, North, Wash, and Maine filed in. When Hawa, Florida, and Wyoming joined up with them, Carolina opened their comms. and was immediately bombarded with Wyoming's complaining.
"Good grief!" he huffed. "We're supposed to rendezvous with the Odst and they aren't even here!"
"Wyoming!" Carolina snapped. "This is a STEALTH mission. Do I need to have Maine teach you the meaning?"
"Hrmph."
Though Wyoming was just goofing off, Carolina hated to admit: he was right. Where the hell was the Odst squad?
"Hey Boss?"
The teal freelancer looked at Wash. The rookie was standing next to North, and both had their attention focused out the window.
"I think we spotted something across the street, roughly at 11:00," said North.
Frowning, Carolina stepped to the window, Wash backing off to give her room. At first she saw nothing, the entrance to a parking garage was dark, but suddenly there was a flicker of movement. Unsure, Carolina turned to North.
"Take you rifle and head to the third floor. Try to see if you can find out what that was. Wash, Hawa; go with him. Watch his six. You're Beta Team. In case things get hairy, head up to the roof and call for extraction. Sync?"
"Sync!" came the chorused reply.
Carolina waited for a few minutes after the footsteps of team Beta faded away before speaking through comms.
"Beta Team; report."
"Status clear," North replied. "I'm setting up a sniper position now. Wash and Hawa are setting perimeters as we speak."
Carolina nodded in approval. Though the smaller team had two of the newest members, she had confidence in them. Besides, they had Hawaii to watch over them. Although the lithe black and green armored agent was a better follower than leader, her skills as an assassin were impossibly good, and it was more than once that Carolina suffered more than a bruise from the seasoned warrior during practice, even if she won in the end.
North was obviously on that team for his sniper skills. Although he could easily take on a team of insurrectionists in CQC, the guy normally left that for his twin, whereas he took out enemies from a distance, though he was a pretty good no-scoper.
Wash was on the team mostly because he was the rookie; the innocent little brother. Carolina, of course, knew that he wasn't innocent, none of them were if the Director had chosen them for the project, but still; if he was on Beta Team, he was less likely to get hurt. He'd only ever been on two missions with them, and this was his third. Wash had the heart of a kid stuck inside a trained soldier's body. Still, that didn't mean he was incompetent. He had killer accuracy, and Carolina was sure it passed South's, Maine's, and even York's, who was number three on the board.
Carolina remembered one time, she, York, and Wash were at Valhalla on a sim-trooper training exercise, bored out of their skulls when York had decided to have a bet with Wash.
"So," he had said slyly. "Betcha 50 bucks that you can't hit that Red that's aimlessly standing around, with your pistol."
To be honest Carolina hadn't been sure if she or York could hit the Red. It was a moving target far away, and the pistol wasn't exactly the greatest weapon for that distance. A sniper rifle would've been better. Carolina had fully expected Wash to decline the bet.
But, to her surprise, the new agent lifted his magnum, took aim on the Red, and squeezed the trigger.
York lost $50 that day, when the stun round slammed into the Red, sending him falling to the ground as his armor locked up and a faint: FUCK! could be heard across the distance.
"In position."
Carolina blinked out of the memory as North reported in.
"Anything?" she asked.
"Yeah. There's definitely something in there, but they're too far back in the shadows. Wait…One's coming out."
Alarmed, Carolina quickly motioned to Wyoming and York to get into position, while she sent a quick message over comms. to tell Maine and Florida that something was happening, as they had left to check and see if the building was clear. Their dots flashed green, and Carolina focused her attention out the window once more.
To her astonishment, an Odst stepped out. He quickly looked left and right before rapidly limping across the street. A heartbeat later, another two Odst stepped out and began running in the same direction. When they got 3/4 of the way to Alpha Team's position, all hell broke loose.
The loud Trcch of a Covenant needle rifle rang out, and the wounded Odst fell with a cry of pain. Green bursts of plasma rained down and the further of the two remaining Odst screamed as it made contact, and the srsss of burning metal could be heard through the open window. The last of the trio hardly glanced back as he raced forward, only to be caught in the arm. However, he kept moving to Alpha Team's position.
"Return covering fire!" barked Carolina. Not a moment later, the crack of North's sniper rifle rang out, and Wyoming quickly joined him; slinging his gun over his back.
The last Odst burst into the building, heaving for breath.
"Your team?" came a short growl, and Carolina looked at Maine. She hadn't noticed that he and Florida returned in all the chaos.
"Good as dead," came the reply.
Carolina narrowed her eyes in anger. How dare the Odst abandon his squad when they needed his help!
"How many Covenant are there?" asked York, while Wyoming squeezed his rifle's trigger again.
"More than we thought. Shortly after we radioed in about the stealth Covies, two drop ships, four phantoms, and a couple of banshees came. We got caught up in a firefight and lost our comm. signal. That's why couldn't radio in and tell you guys where we were."
"We'll need extraction. There's no way we can fight all of them, especially if this guy's squad was wiped out," said Hawa. She'd been listening to the conversation as Carolina had it transmitting to Beta Team. "Hey Odst! Where'd you say extraction was?"
The soldier started at the new voice. "I didn't," he replied.
"So say it!" grunted Hawa. "North and Wash don't exactly have unlimited ammo. What are you? Braindead?"
Carolina smirked. She loved Hawaii. Kind woman with the tongue of a cobra.
Flinching, the Odst spoke. "Roof of a white building, roughly two blocks away. I've got a red flare."
"Ok, Carolina take Alpha Team and head to extraction. We'll cover you. Don't cross the street, you'll be out in the open. Sync?" ordered Hawa.
"I'm the one leading the mission!" growled Carolina.
"Yes," Hawa impatiently answered. "And I wish it would stay that way. However, from where North, Wash, and I are, we'll be able to cover you and tell you when hell's coming down the street; and let me tell you: it's fucking coming. So, I'll ask again. SYNC?"
Carolina snarled. She was the leader of the mission! She was number one on the board!
But… She also wasn't stupid. If Hawa decided to step out of her comfort zone to give Carolina an order on a real mission, then it was best to listen to the older freelancer.
Turning to her team, Carolina began to give them orders.
"I've got point. York, you're on the right, Wyoming you're on our left. Maine, keep the Odst safe. Florida, watch our six. Sync?"
"SYNC!"
"Beta Team, give us covering fire. When we reach the E.P, head on over, we'll return the favor. Hawaii, you're on point. Sync?"
They acknowledged her orders.
"Ok team, MOVE OUT!"
As one, Alpha team slipped out of the building. It was now twilight, which helped hide them from prying eyes. It had gotten quiet as Carolina had given her orders, but she knew better. The Covenant were probably just getting a squad together to check the building they were just in. If that was the case, then Alpha Team needed to move. There was a chance Beata Team would get stuck. Cursing herself for not leaving Maine or Florida with them, Carolina decided to speed things up. Making a loose fist with her left hand, she brought it up then down; the hand signal for hurry. Four green blips appeared on her HUD, and they moved forward.
Move forward. Pause. Move forward. Pause.
Alpha Team continued the pattern, Carolina occasionally asking Hawa for a status report. ON their last communication, Beta Team told them to gun it. Apparently, a swarm of Covies were coming in their direction and they had to leave soon. Alpha was at the extraction building and were heading to the top.
"Status report," demanded Carolina as her team reached the final floor.
No-one answered.
Carolina was about to ask again when three dots blinked red, signaling that Beta Team was compromised. It was too dangerous for them to speak. Carolina sent them a blue blip, showing that she understood.
"We're at E.P," she whispered over comms. Three blue blips.
As they went out onto the roof, Carolina quickly ran to the side where she could get a visual on Beta Team's position.
Her heart nearly stopped.
Hawa was right. A massive swarm of Covenant were moving up the road. It was hard to tell exactly how many with the faded light, so Carolina switched on her night vision.
"Beta Team, you need to move now!" she barked.
Half a second later, rapid gunfire was heard.
"Boss, you've got Covies inbound!" Wash shouted. "Some branched past us and are headed your way. Better call in 479er!"
"We'll meet you there!" added North.
Both freelancers were panting as if they were running. Carolina motioned to Wyoming to call in extraction. He nodded.
"How's Hawaii?" asked Florida. There was a short rasp of strained laughter.
"She's doing what she does best," replied North. "She's- WASH LOOK OUT!"
There was the boom of an explosion and Carolina saw a bright flash of blue and white light on the fourth floor of the other building.
"We're gonna have to-SHIT- call you back later- DUCK! - "another explosion. "-Boss!" Wash shouted, before cutting the transmission.
"Just don't die!" answered York.
"Covenant," growled Maine.
Carolina looked to where he was pointing. Sure enough, on another rooftop, some Jackals and Grunts were racing around, weapons in hand.
"Find cover!" she shot out.
Alpha Team complied. It was now dark out, and though there were street and city lights, it didn't do much. That didn't stop the Covies as they began to open fire.
"Return fire," Number One ordered her team. "If you can't spot them, follow the plasma trails to their point of origin. Do NOT spray and pray. We don't know how long it'll take for extraction or Beat Team to get here. Should any Covenant make it to our location, Maine and I will take them out. All right boys, let's give 'em hell!"
And the battle began.
Only a short moment after the firefight started, the door leading to the rooftop banged open. Carolina turned, hoping it to be Beta Team, expecting it to be Covenant.
Sometimes she wished she wasn't so right.
Grunts, Jackals, and one Elite burst out. Shooting into motion, Carolina raced forward, drawing her pistol she fired at the Grunts. Blue blood splattered across the ground as their heads were split open with red hot metal. The orange clad Elite stormed towards Carolina, who steeled herself for a fight.
Bellowing, the Elite lunged forward. Swiftly dodging to the left, Carolina drew her knife and slashed at the armor.
She drew blood.
Snarling, the Elite pivoted with blinding speed and snatched Carolina around the throat. With a growl, he lifted her and slammed her into the ground.
Carolina gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of her on impact. Gritting her teeth, she lifted her leg in between their bodies and rammed her knee into the alien's stomach. It didn't do much, as the Sangheili's grip tightened. Black dots began to dance across Carolina's vision. All at once it stopped as the side of the Elite exploded in a flash of blue blood and smoldering flesh from a shotgun round.
Air swept into Carolina's lungs as she turned to see York offering to help her up.
He had a grin on, she was sure of it.
"Need some help, undefeatable Number One?" he teased.
"Focus on the task, York!" she hissed. "Has Beta Team radioed in yet?" she added while blasting a round down a Jackal's throat.
"Hawa said she's on her way up right now."
Carolina snarled as a Grunt jumped on her back, screeching. She elbowed it in the jaw and as its grip loosened, she spun around, flinging it off her. Before the Covenant's body hit the ground, Carolina kicked it and sent the thing flying.
She looked around.
Maine was finishing off the last of the Jackals, while Florida, Wyoming, and the Odst continued with their firefight across the rooftops.
"What about North and Wash?" she asked York.
He shrugged. "I didn't hear anything from them. They're probably with Hawa."
Before Carolina could respond, a deep vicious bellow made her freeze. There was a thud and the door to the roof exploded outward in a burst of green.
'Oh no' she thought.
The massive lurking figure of a Hunter stepped into the night air.
"Son of a bitch," muttered York.
"Run!" yelled Carolina.
As she, Maine, and York sprinted across the roof, drawing the attention of the Hunter away from the other three, her comms. crackled and 479er's voice rang in her helmet.
"Good evening, freelancers. I'm currently in my beautiful Pelican watching an amazing firework show. Any way I can assist?"
"GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HERE!" screamed Carolina, as a ball of green plasma rocketed from the Hunter's arm.
"…Well if you say it like that, then- "
"9er, would you be so kind as to head on over as quickly as possible? If not, then all that'll be left of us is a couple of piles of steamy red juice, and red punch is not what the Director wants."
How the hell did Florida come up with this stuff in the middle of a battle?
It worked.
"Well, I'd LOVE to help you, Agent Florida. Thank you for asking nicely," replied 479er sweetly. Or as sweet as it could be when she was trying to piss off Carolina, who was trying not to punch the closest thing to her, which was York. He probably wouldn't take it too well.
"Listen 7, we're on a rooftop, but we're under heavy fire. There's a Hunter up here, care to escort him out of the party?"
"Now you're speaking my language," came the enthused reply. "Did you say there was only just one?"
"Yes! Just hurry up!" shouted Carolina. The alien was getting angry, and an angry Hunter is a fucking scary Hunter; even to Number One.
As the creature began to bear down on the three running freelancers, the hum of a Pelican's engines drew near. A moment later, it came into view and bullets rained down from the turrets on the last of the Covenant, including the Hunter. When the debris cleared, 479er hovered the Pelican just above the roof.
"Don't leave without me," Hawa spoke as someone crawled out onto the roof.
"Wouldn't dream of it," said Carolina. Then she asked: "Where's North and Wash?" as the freelancers boarded the back of the Pelican.
"What they're not here?"
"They were in your squad!"
"We had to split up! Shit, did they radio in?"
"Hey guys? There's a fuckload of Covies inbound, so if we're gonna leave, it has to be now," 9er snipped.
"Not without North and Wash," objected York. Maine growled in agreement.
"Glad to hear that you all care about us," North's voice spoke over comms.
"Where in the HELL HAVE YOU TWO BEEN!?" growled Carolina.
"Relax Boss, we just had to take a different route, no biggie," Wash commented.
"Why didn't you radio in?" asked Hawa.
"We were kinda busy."
"Carolina, we need to go NOW!" shouted 9er. "Motion sensors are going haywire!"
"Wash, North, MOVE IT!" ordered Lina.
"Keep your head on," joked North. "We're here." As he spoke, the two freelancers climbed up over the side of the far end of the roof.
"Jeez," Wash began, as he and North jogged across to the waiting Pelican. "You'd think someone was- "
He never finished that sentence.
From where the door to the roof had been, a massive blast of green plasma exploded outward. It ripped through the air and slammed into the ground next to Wash's feet, sending blood, rubble, and the bodies of two freelancers into the air.
"NO!" cried Carolina, as a second Hunter, and a swarm of Elites and Brutes swept out in between the two teams.
"I knew there was a second fucking Hunter!" yelled 479er. "There's ALWAYS a second fucking Hunter!" Alarms were blaring from the cockpit. "We have to go!"
The Pelican began to lift into the air.
"STOP! STOP IT! WE CAN'T LEAVE THEM!" Carolina's voice cracked.
"There's no way we'd make it," Wyoming said.
As if to accent his words, the scream of banshees tore by them. The new Covenant on the roof opened fire at the Pelican.
"Sorry Number One," 9er spoke. "We can't stay. Otherwise, there'd be more than two casualties."
York and Florida had to hold back a screaming Carolina as the rear doors closed. The last sight they saw, was a purple clad Elite walking to the crumpled forms of North and Wash
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Thanks for reading! Please review, so I know whether to continue this story!
Many thanks,
WolvesoftheBlueMist
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