Okay people this is chapter 3, I have to say I was surprised at how many hits this story had received but even more surprised that despite that there were no new reviews. Please write reviews people I need to know how to improve.


NEW JERUSALEM, SERAPHIM VII

TTERRAB INDUSTRIES OFFICE

JUNE 7 2552

2345 HOURS

Grayson and Jones had come within 3 blocks of the Tterrab Industries office when they saw a company sized group of covenant guarding a large, sleek, purple structure.

"There's the jammer, Jones." Grayson said, "I'll take up a sniper position so I can cover you."

"That's great and all but I'd prefer it if we did this quietly and your DMR doesn't exactly fit into that category." Jones responded. Grayson looked down at his M392, it was his baby, he had made a number of otherwise illegal modifications to it himself such as a double zoom scope with a laser dot, a widened barrel to fire higher caliber shots, and high capacity magazines for less reloads. The high caliber bullets made for more of a bang and that's what Jones was talking about, Grayson had made a design for a suppressor but hadn't yet begun to work on it.

"Well what did you have in mind then?" He asked

"I was thinking I could sneak around them, my suppressed M7 and M6 can take care of those that come too close without making too much noise."

"Then what about me, huh?" Grayson said, obviously annoyed with him. "You're just gonna go at it alone? Were a team, man! No lone wolf moves! No heroics! You know Noble team lost a member two months ago, because he decided to be a hero! You're not going in there without my cover!"

"Easy there, Al, I'm not stupid besides you will be covering me." Jones said in his usual calm voice. "Here, I got something for ya, happy fucking birthday." Jones tossed him a small metal box, inside Jones found a suppressor built to the exact specifications of his DMR design.

"How the hell did you get this?" said Grayson, not even taking his eyes of the suppressor.

"I read your diary pretty boy."

"So you looked at my design, nice. But my Birthday is 3 months from now and I'll still expect a present, buddy." Grayson said as he fixed the suppressor onto his rifle.

"In your dreams, that alone cost me 2300 credits." Jones joked back to him. "Now lets get to work, you get up on that terrace and watch my back, I'll move in once you're in position."

Grayson entered the building next to him, ran through the lobby and up 2 flights of stairs before reaching the terrace. From his perch he had a perfect view of the covenant as they walked across pavement and around plant placements. Grayson saw Jones's indicator on his HUD as he waited for Grayson's signal.

"I'm in position Mike, there's an Elite directly on the other side of your cover but he's walking away." Grayson said staring through his scope. "Give it a moment, three… two… one… okay, flank right, now."

Jones silently moved from cover to cover, always sticking to shadows, he came within ten feet of the jammer when he spotted an Elite Minor approaching it. He looked around and estimated he would be out of the rest of the groups line of sight when he took him down.

"Al, there's a minor in my path and from the looks of things he's gonna be standing by the jammer for a while I'm going to take him out silently."

"Hang on, it looks as though there's a small covenant patrol coming around the corner of the building." Grayson warned. "If you take him out first they'll see you. On my go I'm going to take out the patrol, but you need to take out your target at the same time otherwise he'll see he might alert the rest to our presence."

"Gotcha, ready when you are."

"Three… two… one…Go!" Grayson pulled the trigger to his DMR 3 times and each elite in the patrol went down, the high caliber bullets making their shields seem nonexistent. In the corner of his eye he could already see Jones plowing his combat knife into the neck of the earlier spotted elite minor. Grayson scanned the group of Covenant checking to see if they had been noticed, luckily the suppressor kept the engagement quiet as the aliens stood in the courtyard blissfully unaware that just thirty feet away four of their companions were leaking their brains onto the pavement.

"Beautiful, like a symphony." Said Jones as he pulled his knife out of the Elites neck. "Give me a moment to set the charges, make sure to take care of anyone who gets curious."

Grayson monitored the courtyard for a minute until Jones's marker made its way back towards him, Jones entered the building and within two minutes he was next to Grayson on the terrace.

"Alright, I gave those charges an extra kick to take out those bastards in the courtyard as well." Jones said with glee. "Now let's watch the fireworks and call for evac."

Jones retrieved the detonator from his pocket and pushed the button, fire erupted from the Tterrab building's courtyard incinerating everything in its path.


PLANETARY ORBIT, SERAPHIM VII

UNSC ARMY CRUISER NAZARETH

JUNE 8 2552

0000 HOUR

Colonel Urban Holland anxiously paced about the bridge, he had dropped a group of DELTA-FORCE commandos into New Jerusalem in order to retrieve data from a Covenant carrier. The team was to radio command after regrouping on the surface, however, it has been six hours since the drop and there has been no contact from any ground forces in the city. Every thirty minutes for the past four hours Holland had been repeating the same message over the teams secure channel.

Delta Team this is Delta Actual, if you are reading this respond and give a sitrep, over. I repeat Delta Team…

Holland looked down at his watch "0000Hr" time for another attempt to hail the team. Holland approached the radio terminal put his hand on the broadcast button and spoke.

"Delta Team this is Delta Actual, if you are reading this give me a sitrep, over." He paused for a moment. "I repeat, this is-"

"Delta Actual this is Delta-1, I read you, sir." The radio crackled back to him. Holland let out a breathe of relief as he heard Anderson's voice through the radio.

"Delta-1 I need an update, what is the status of your mission?" Holland asked

"Sir, my squad is split as two of them are currently MIA, the rest of us have taken defensive positions around the Planetary History Museum to give support to the Rangers already here until reinforcements arrive." Anderson reported.

"Say again Captain, Army Rangers?" Holland asked, surprised.

"Yes, Colonel, 5th Ranger Battalion, Bravo Company." Anderson replied.

Rangers being assigned to the defensive of a museum was unusual. The Rangers were the Army's equivalent of ODSTs, they would be inserted by high altitude drops from the stratosphere in freefall wearing ballistic armor and jetpacks. Holland had originally requested the use of Rangers but was denied due to all units currently on active deployments to other sectors, with that he deployed Delta Force whom are already under his command as part of Special Warfare Group Three. He preferred to keep from using such resources when there were other possibly more urgent missions that they could be taking.

"Delta-1 reinforcements are coming to assist the Rangers, when they arrive you are to board one of the falcons and proceed to your primary objective. Do you copy?" Holland Radioed back.

"I copy sir. What about the missing members of my squad?"

"I'll have any forces in the area keep an eye out for them we'll find them if we can but you need to focus on your objective, Holland out." Holland sat down in his chair the Rangers puzzled him, why would HIGHCOM keep him out of the loop and what did the was it that the Covenant wanted in that museum?


NEW JERUSALEM, SERAPHIM VII

PLANETARY HISTORY MUSEUM

JUNE 8 2552

0215 HOURS

Even though Holland had promised reinforcements it had taken over two hours for them to show up. Three D77-TC Pelican drop-ships arrived carrying a large number of Army personnel it was also accompanied by a lone UH-144 Falcon. As the pelican dropped their occupants off Captain Anderson saw the Falcon Land and out stepped Alex and Mike sporting ash on their armor.

"How ya doin' there, captain?" Mike said. "We miss anything interesting?"

"From the looks of things, it was you guys who had an adventure." Anderson said. "Communications are back up you have anything to do with that?"

"Yes sir, that was us." this time it was Alex who spoke. "We took out a Covenant jammer in front of the Tterrab Industries building. This ash on us is from Mike here setting the charges to high, destroyed the entire block and nearly brought a building down on us."

"It was just some extra kick to take out the nearby Covenant." Mike said. His visor was polarized but both Alex and Anderson could tell he was smiling.

"Jones you need to watch how high you set charges especially when its danger close." Anderson lectured him. "One of these days your overpowered explosive are going to get you or someone else on the team killed."

"Alright sir, but hey we have a carrier to infiltrate." Mike said still retaining his calm upbeat attitude. "Look that Carrier is nearly 70 kilometers away lets get in our ride and head out."

"Okay Master Sergeant, I just need to notify Holland." Anderson said. He turned and walked a few paces before calling over his radio. "Delta Actual this is Delta-1 the team has regrouped and is Oscar Mike towards the Covenant carrier, Over."

"Delta-1 this is Delta Actual, I copy." Holland responded over the radio. "Good luck Deltas Holland out."

"Hey come on lets go captain!" Yelled Ryan as he and the rest of the squad were already aboard the falcon. Anderson Jogged over and hopped into a seat, he watched as the falcon took of leaving the museum behind disappearing in the sea of buildings.


Hey guys I hoped that you enjoyed this one as well remember to review, its encouraging and it helps me get better, also post some ideas I may use them!