"Sir, this is squad two," said LT. Hanson, "we are in position and awaiting orders."

"Your orders are to kill any covenant moron stupid enough to walk down that street" said Colonel Hopkins, "you copy?"

"Yes, sir. Orders received and confirmed."

Hanson and his squad were part of a sniper company stationed on the roof of the building next the Cornel. The U.N.S.C. still owned this piece of land, and as long as he had a breath in his body it would stay that way. Ever since the Covenant landed assault forces in Des Moines he had been told to defend this street at all cost. One of its major military purposes was that is linked up to Camp Dodge. If this street was lost then the camp would be too.

The camp was easily defendable from the air, but on the ground it would be a loosing battle. That was why this battle was so important to the Cornel. He had lots of options to defend this street. He had 50cal. Anti aircraft guns on the roofs, and entire company of snipers on the roof tops, a company of explosives techs, a dozen scorpion MBTs, a dozen warthogs, and best of all a Spartan. Nothing was getting past them in one piece. But they said that about the Orbital Defense Grid too, and now look.

This street was virtually impenetrable. If any thing even walked so much as an inch on the street it would be dead within milliseconds. There was the occasional patrol of banshees, which were immediately silenced.

"Sir, banshees incoming," said Captain Grenz, "Damn, too late they already scanned us."

"How much time do we have before their friends show up?" questioned the Cornel.

"Well, they just scrambled their phantoms. There is about twenty of them fully loaded with covenant soldiers, and ghosts and wraiths. It will be about twenty minuets."

"I want everyone hidden. Hide the tanks and hogs in the firing pits. Get rubble out on

the street. When those bastards get to the barricade let all hell break loose."

"Yes, sir." replied everyone on the com channel.

The fight for the street had just begun. If all else failed, they would detonate a nuke inside the city. Turning it in to a smoking crater.