Chapter 2:
Striking Back
The Colonel led the way though the alley to the building's door. It was welded shut allowing no one to get in or out. Private Freeman stood at a farther away spot to provide cover fire.
"We need to use one of the C-7 cans." The Colonel said.
"Yes sir." Private Harding replied and opened the case.
The door exploded and the marines entered with their rifles ready. No Covenant were in the room. The marines swept the room quickly for hostiles. The Colonel went back out and motioned for Freeman to come in. The private stood and began running toward the door. He made it about halfway before a thin purple plasma string cut through his shoulder. It jerked back and he dropped his sniper rifle. Another plasma blast then hit the ground next to his feet as he left the gun and kept running. No doubt, a Covenant sniper had spotted him and was trying to take him out.
Freeman dodged another shot just before he came running into the building. He slowed and stopped. One marine came to his side.
"Medic." The marine called.
The medic, Private Sanders rushed over and began by stopping the bleeding. Freeman stayed still and didn't let out a whimper as Sanders went to work. After Sanders was done, Private Freeman pulled out his M6C Magnum and loaded the chamber.
"Status report." The Colonel said.
"The elevator has been disabled sir. We'll have to take the stairs." Private Oakland replied.
"Not a problem, but the Covenant probably have a few surprises waiting for us so be careful. You hear me marines?"
"We hear you sir!"
"Okay then up the stairs we go, follow me." Spartan 013 said.
The Spartan held his BR55 at the ready as he began up the stairs. The marines followed close behind. The Colonel turned and climbed up the next flight. When he turned again he found a Grunt station on a plasma turret with an Elite behind it. The Grunt fired and the Colonel back around the corner.
"Frag and clear!" The Spartan yelled.
"Yes sir!" Said Private Valdez.
Valdez moved ahead of the Spartan and took out a M9 HE-DP Fragmentation Grenade. He pulled the pin and threw it up the stairs. The Grunt's screams could be heard followed by the explosion.
"Go, go, go!" The Colonel ordered.
Valdez went first and began firing his Battle Rifle at the Elite letting out a series of automatic three round bursts. The Spartan came up behind him and fired as well. The Elite fired back hitting Spartan 013's shields. The Elite's shields went down and the bullets tore its body down.
Above them hard footsteps could be heard coming down.
"Prepare for more contacts." The Colonel said.
Pulled out a flash bang grenade and waited. The footsteps came closer until they were about to come around from the next flight of stairs. The Colonel threw the grenade and all the marine covered their eyes. The grenade detonated and a blinding flash filled the stairwell.
"Go, go." The Spartan said running up the stairs.
An Elite and two Jackals stood temporarily blinded. The marines open fire and took out the Elite. Though blind the Jackals raised their shields. The Colonel ran up to one and knocked its shield aside. He then grabbed its neck and squeezed until he felt a crunch. He dropped it and went for the second one. He grabbed the shield and moved it away. He then took his Battle Rifle and put an automatic three round burst into its head. The body fell limp and fell down the stairs.
The marines moved around the bodies and continued to follow the Spartan up to the top. At the last flight was another turret with a Grunt stationed at it. The Colonel pointed the barrel of his rifle just around the corner and made himself a headshot. Two more Jackals were behind and fired their plasma pistols at him. He backed around for cover and let them fire. The green blobs hit the floor and wall splashing upon impact.
"Smoke and clear." The Spartan ordered.
"Right away sir." Said Private Valdez.
He took a smoke grenade and tossed it up the stairs. Within seconds the firing had stopped and the stairwell was filled with smoke. The Spartan ran up the stairs, fired twice, and watched the bodies fall. The Spartan and ODSTs' helmets allowed them to see through such pollutions.
The Colonel stopped at the door leading out side on the roof.
"This is it marines." The Colonel said. "Prepare for massive resistance. The Covenant didn't likely leave this turret lightly guarded."
He then raised a fist. His index finger came up indicating one. Then his middle finger followed shortly after by his ring finger. His foot then went out and kicked the door off its hinges. It flew from the doorway and hit an Elite that was standing too close. The smoke in the stairway spread out of the doorway as the Spartan and Marines filed out as well. The Elite stood back up and picked up its plasma rifle. The Spartan and marines fired they're BR55 Rifles taking out its shields and killing it before it could fire.
The turret was at the other side of the roof. Five Jackals, ten Grunts, and three Elites stood between them. One grunt was stationed at a plasma turret. The Spartan butted the rifle against his shoulder and looked down the scope. The crosshair moved over the Grunt's head and he pulled the trigger. The three round bursts sounded and the Grunt fell over dead. The rest of the marines opened up and formed a line of fire. The Covenant group fired back. A few bolts hit the Colonel damaging his shields. A Jackal fired a charged up shot and hit Private Cox square in the chest. He screamed and fell over backward still firing his weapon into the sky.
Private Valdez took out a frag grenade and threw it into the group. The Elites jumped to the side and the Jackals ran. The grenade exploded, killing three Grunts and two Jackals. Two more Grunts few from the marines' continuous fire. Private Freeman dropped the empty clip in his M6C and reloaded a new one. The Elites quickly stood and continued firing.
The Colonel took a plasma grenade and threw it at one of the Elites. The grenade stuck to the Elite's leg. It screamed and began to run toward the group of humans, but the grenade exploded before it got very far, taking another Jackal in the blast. The Colonel fired again killing another Grunt. Sanders threw another Frag grenade. In exploded killing two Grunts and an Elite. Then the last Elite threw a Plasma Grenade. It landed at the Colonel's feet. He, and the marines around him jumped to the side. It exploded killing none of them. The Spartan and the marines stood again and continued to shoot. The last two Grunts then fell to the ground.
The Spartan then shot down one of the two remaining Jackals. The Elite fired back and hit Private Harding in the leg. He fell forward onto his stomach with a scream. The last Jackal went down and the marines all adjusted their fire on the Elite. In a matter of seconds the Elite was lying on the ground full of lead.
"Hey uh, aliens, how 'bout you turn down the suck." Valdez taunted.
Sanders then knelt down beside Harding and tended to his wounds. The Colonel stepped toward the turret which was now unmanned.
"C-7?" The Spartan asked.
Private Lockwood picked up the case and began toward the Colonel. Then a Phantom came swooping down and hovered above the roof. Its turret fired and killed the marine. The case dropped to the floor with his body. Two Hunters dropped down from the Phantom and then it took off. Private Hiroyuki fired at one hitting it directly. It groaned and shook it off. Hiroyuki fired again. The blast hit at its feet sending it up in the air. It landed on its back and slid. It hit the edge of the roof and stopped.
"Get it off the roof now!" The Colonel yelled.
"Sir!" Valdez said and threw frag grenade in front of it as it rose to its feet.
The grenade exploded and it stumbled backward off the roof. The other Hunter began to charge up its Fuel Rod Cannon. The Colonel knew what he had to do. If he stayed where he was the Hunter would fire its weapon and kill possibly him and the marines. But if he charged, the Hunter would stop the charging and begin to use melee attacks.
The Colonel ran toward the Hunter. The green aura growing on the barrel of its weapon stopped and the Hunter started forward as well. It swung back its gigantic shielded arm and then flung it forward. The Colonel ducked and ended up behind the Hunter. He got the BR55 in a ready position and fired into the Hunter's back. It swung back around bringing its arm back over the Spartan's head. He stepped to the side as its arm smashed into the floor.
The Colonel aimed carefully and fired into the Hunter's stomach. It grunted in pain. The other marines then joined in and fired into the Hunter's back. It groaned and fell over onto its stomach.
"Yeah, we showed them!" Yelled Sanders.
"Now lets blow this turret to hell." The Colonel said smiling inside his helmet.