The Combine Outpost was planted firmly on the edge of a rocky gully, the train tracks running well protected beneath it. The light from it's watch tower pierced like a knife into the night sky, visible for miles around. A silent reminder that they were always watching.
There were two walls to the base. The outer one rose a good twenty feet, its stone riddled with traces of bullets and shells. A guard tower perched on the far right corner, overlooking the yard, while the second and smaller wall enclosed the main complex, ensuring its safety. A siren blared, echoing throughout the compound, signaling the time to rotate patrols.
A lone Combine soldier paced the a section of the outer wall, guarding the walkway to the guard tower, frost collecting on the edges of the standard issue gas mask. It was a cold, quiet night. If the Combine had any independent thoughts in its head, it might of been bored. Either way, it stared off into the yard, surveying the vehicles as they roared through the gate, parking for the night. The air wavered behind it, the cacophony of the engines muffling the noise if its snapping neck. The new corpse fell to the ground, where it was dragged up and thrown over the wall, completely unnoticed. The air moved again, darting into the shadows of the tower's doorway.
Six uncloaked, waiting for it to recharge. The kill was quiet and clean, the work of a professional. It gave him a small sense of satisfaction. "Entering the guard tower now. Stay low till I give the signal." he breathed into the comm.
"Roger that." The Master Chief's gritty voice answered him as he creaked open the door and vanished.
This was it. He was in his element. Now it was no one but him and his targets. Here, he was at his best.
Despite his invisibility, he took great care moving up the metal staircase. He paused at the top, observing the monitors that filled the circular room, and the combine that watched them. He reached for his knife, his empty fingers reminding him that it was still stuck in that giant floating slug thing. Who knew where it was, now. He would have to improvise. Good, it would be more challenging that way.
He spotted a weapons rack leaning against the wall closest to the stairs. He couldn't help the small smile that played on his lips when he saw the shotgun. Images of a certain skull-faced spartan flitted through his mind, but he hastily shoved them back down. He wouldn't allow himself to think about it. He had blood to spill. That is, if these things actually bled, whatever they were. One way to find out...
The masked soldiers simultaneously turned their heads at the sound of a gun being cocked.
BANG!
The first one was blown out of its seat, crimson splattering across the screen. Six shrugged, looks like they bleed after all. He opened fired. Shoving twin barrels into the face of the next one that tried to get out of its seat. Fabric and brain matter sprayed across his armor.
By now the other seven had connect the dots and realized they were under attack. They raised their pulse rifles and opened fire. The spartan's shields sparked and pulsed, his cloak dying. He rolled behind a table for a brief respite, then jumped into the fray.
He charged into their midst, tackling two combine. One barrel went into the stomach of the left one, the second barrel blew open the chest of the other. Bullets pinged off his back as he grabbed the third, punching its neck then bashing in its head. Spinning around he met the fourth by bringing the butt of his weapon into its skull. The fifth crumpled to the ground, its leg bent backward by an armored kick to the knee. The sixth pulled the trigger, shooting out a whirring orb that bounced around the room. It hit Six in the side, causing him to stagger, the breath knocked out of him. The Combine brought down its pulse rifle, intent on smashing the spartan's visor. Six blocked it with one arm, the other pulling the shotgun's trigger. It died in its own pool of blood.
The spartan straightened up, feeling the adrenaline course through him. It felt good. This was something he could understand, which was a rare occurrence considering all the unexplainable events that had happened to him.
"Tower secure-" Wait, wasn't there seven of them? He turned to see a soldier heave itself off the floor and stagger towards the big red alert button.
"I don't think so." He snarled, pinching the trigger. Empty. Giving an irritated grunt he heaved the shotgun at the combine. It was a dead hit to the back of the skull. It went stiff...then toppled over onto the alert button.
His scowl deepened as the alarm pierced his ear drums.
" I thought you said you'd keep it quiet." Chief's exasperated voice reprimanded him.
"Change of plans." Six barked, unwilling to admit his slip up. Soldiers were sprinting towards the tower. He grabbed extra ammo. "I'll divert them."
"We'll take the yard." He turned to the Rookie who was hunkered next to him. "Show time."
Outside, one of the Combine ACP's shuddered. A soldier paused next to it, noticing the disturbance. Bad idea. The door blew open, instant kill. Master Chief jumped out, the ODST in tow.
The green-clad spartan grabbed an enemy, hurtling it into the next one. Taking out the SMG he obtained from those rebels, he opened fire, cutting into their backsides as they raced to the tower, while Rookie manned the turret on the vehicle, strafing anything that dared pop out of cover.
Two combine charged at the Chief. He punched the first one, the impact sending his fist through the fabric and into its flesh. The second one's legs were kicked out from under it. Bullet's ripped apart its gas mask even before it hit the ground. Luckily they chose to raid a small outpost. There weren't too many they had to deal with. Easy.
That's when the Combine Chopper roared onto the scene, wailing its eerie battle cry. Its gun opened fire, sending the spartan rolling away, the bursts frying his shields. Whatever that thing was, it packed a punch.
He changed his battle strategy, rolling behind the vehicle for cover. He needed a bigger weapon. "Rookie, cover fire." He looked around. There was to be something.
The chopper's blades spun, slowly turning it around for another assault. Its gun peppered the side of the vehicle. Metal clanged and dented, warning lights flashed on the driver's console. The ODST looked down, he knew that wasn't a good sign.
He jumped out right when it was beginning to smoke. He hit the ground as it burst into flames, a melting tire flying inches past his head. Picking himself back up he grabbed a pulse rifle from a dead Combine and proceeded to cover the Master Chief.
It seemed pleased with the destruction. Spinning around, it came in for another dive, passing the watch tower. That was when the windows shattered. Glass cascaded down like thousands of falling stars as Six hurtled himself over the edge, latching onto the chopper. It deployed evasive maneuvers, trying to dislodge him, but that only made him hold on harder.
Working his way along its back, he located the thinnest of panels stationed right before its head-like gun. Giving a war cry, he ripped it off, pulling out a recently confiscated grenade.
"Burn." He grunted, shoving it deep within its organic wires and circuits. Pushing off, he plummeted to the ground, landing on his feet with a loud thud. He stood there calmly, embers swirling around him. Behind him the chopper crashed to earth, then blew up.
Rookie clapped his hands, while the Master Chief merely nodded. "Watch our six, we're heading in."
They made their way past the burning vehicles and the bloodied corpses, ahead of them lay the gate to the complex. Once inside, maybe they could find a way to get into the city the rebels mentioned and find Cortana.
"I got this." Six moved ahead, ready to hack the control systems for the gate, but suddenly it opened on its own. A lone rocket streaked out, catching the spartan by surprise. The impact hurtled him back, where he landed in a heap.
"Six!' Master Chief braced himself as another rocket blazed towards them. He side stepped it, smoke trailing around him, SMG raised.
From the smoke a white figure emerged, armored boots stomping slowly through the dirt. It loaded another rocket into its weapon, then let fire.
TO
BE
CONTINUED!
Uh-Oh, boss fight! Dun Dun Dun! I hoped you like the update. Another update will come soon, since this is a two parter.( But first I' going to add a little to my more popular story, A very Noble Christmas Vacation) I'm going to try and make both parts action packed, so I hope you like. Please review/critique, thanks! :)