Chapter 9: Ms. ONI
We had been on the move trying to reach UNSC lines ever since the destruction of the Covenant spire which was almost an hour ago now, however, we had to keep stopping in order to avoid the patrols searching for human survivors. It was because of that we didn't make as much progress as I would have liked but we have to make do with what we got. Plus, we were still alive so honestly, I'd rather be alive and take forever to reach the UNSC line rather than be dead and lost in the once great city we were currently walking through.
"Joe?" Hudson asked, bring me out of the deep thought I had been in ever since we left the covenant outpost.
"Hmm?" I replied.
"Are we there yet?"
"Hudson I swear, if we are going to have to listen to you repeatedly ask 'Are we there yet?' I will shoot you in the foot."
"Sheez, alright just trying to lighten the mood. I mean ever since you busted us out of there we've all been really quiet. It's very… weird, and that's coming from me!"
"Speaking of weird, does anyone else hear that?" popped in Smith.
"Hear what?" asked Matilda.
"I don't know it sounds almost like a fan."
"Wait I hear it too…" responded Hudson. "No it sounds like a thruster."
"Well, I hear a fan."
"And I hear a thruster."
"Would both of you stop arguing," Matilda replied while hitting Hudson in the back of the head earning her a groan of pain from him.
"Guys I think I might know what it is," I said, worried and relieved at the same time.
"Well? What is it?" asked Smith.
"A drone."
"What kinda drone?" he replied.
"No idea, quick into the building," I ordered, and with that, we ran into the building which really shouldn't even be called a building anymore since it only had three and a half walls and a ceiling that in all honesty should have collapsed. "Now we wait."
It took twenty minutes but eventually, the drone was hearable again, and this time we all could hear it. Which meant it was really close now.
"Where is it?" Whispered Chatterbox.
"It's probably a UNSC drone as the Covenant would already be on us by now. However, that also means it's tracking us and might be in our comm system. Everyone use call signs, if this thing is tracking us then it'll know we have UNSC gear we shouldn't and I prefer to avoid going to court after a-" I was interrupted by a boom and a crash.
"Chatterbox!" I exclaimed recognizing his sniper rifle boom.
"I saw something move!" He exclaimed, "I hit it, I think it's the drone!"
"Let me see," I replied, walking over to his position, turning on the flashlights on my helmet. When I reached the remains of the drone, I saw the symbol that was embedded on all of our armors. "We are so screwed."
"Why what's wrong?" asked Stinger.
"Look at this I replied." Holding up the armored plate which had the symbol printed on it.
"ONI…" She replied, however, her voice was nothing but a whisper.
"Wait, THE ONI, as in the one that made the Spartan's?" asked Chatterbox.
"There's only one ONI Chatterbox," replied SawDust.
"Hey I'm just saying those guys are basically the boogie man, I mean you all have heard the rumors about what they do to people."
"And we are using stolen ONI armor and weapons AND we just shot down one of their drones." SawDust added. "What do you think's going to happen to US?!"
"The drone probably had a direct feed to a ONI computer meaning, that this has all been recorded and probably sent to someone who's going to fly out here and grab us and make us disappear." I added in.
"So we wait here and die or we try to reach UNSC lines and go to straight into ONI's hands." Stinger said reviewing our options.
"Actually that last part isn't true…" I responded.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if ONI told the UNSC that some random teens managed to steal their equipment and use it. The UNSC would begin to question ONI and possibly start an investigation, which is the last thing ONI would want."
"Let me get this straight." Chatterbox replied. "If we get to the UNSC we'll be able to walk off, scot free?"
"No, ONI has eyes and ears everywhere. We'd have time to ditch the gear and run into the refugee shelters and pray ONI doesn't know who we are. It's a slim chance but it's better than disappearing." I clarified.
"I mean… that sounds like our best option." replied Stinger after what felt like an eternity of silence.
"We are at least two miles out of the nearest UNSC forces." Replied SawDust.
"Let's run for it then." answered Chatterbox.
"Alright everyone, prepare for the runs of your lives." I responded as we all began running out of the building.
It took us almost an hour, thanks to all the gear we had strapped to our backs and the occasional hide and seek games with Covenant forces but we managed to make it to UNSC forces. By the time we got there we were exhausted and we were desperate to put all of this behind us.
"You there! The ODST's!" yelled what looked like a young lieutenant over the thundering of a nearby Jeep while pointing in our direction.
We all froze, we didn't know what to do either, Option 1: We go over had risk this being an ONI trap. Option 2: We ignore him and get out of there. Before we had a chance to respond, the lieutenant walked over to us.
"Can we help you Lieutenant?" I asked, trying to sound older and tougher.
"Yes you can, all special forces are suppose to be in a briefing right now. Why aren't you there?" He replied.
"We just got back from no man's land and lost communications with base, we probably missed the memo."
"I see, in that case they are meeting in the (only) intact building just behind me. I suggest you go in there now before they finish."
"Thanks Lieutenant, we'll head there now." I responded, and with a simple nod, the lieutenant walked back into the crowd of soldiers.
"We need to make a run for it now." Whispered Sawdust over the comms.
"If we leave now someone's going to get suspicious, especially if that Lieutenant is in ONI's pocket." I replied.
"True…"
"Let's just go ahead attend the briefing, that way we look like we fit in and when we disburse, we leave. Agreed?"
"Agreed." They all replied.
"Alright, follow my lead." I replied as we walked into the building.
I was the first one in the doors, the doors were made out of steel probably put there when the UNSC showed up. Fortunately they were sliding doors so I didn't need to open them, but as the doors opened and as I walked in I noticed it was unusually dark in there. Once everyone was in the building I decided to ask the question that was burning in the back of all our heads.
"Is it just me or is a bit too dark in here for a briefing?" I asked, and sure enough the second I uttered the final word the doors slammed shut and sealed themselves which sealed us in turn. "It's a trap."
"Of course it's a trap we are dealing with ONI here!" Replied Chatterbox.
"Chatterbox cut the chatter." I replied, worried about was about to unfold.
"There's no need for code names here." replied a voice in the darkness. The middle of the room started to move, since it was dark we only saw the shadow but it was big like a table. The table had colored buttons and displays flashing all sorts of color, but the center of the table started to glow blue along with what appeared to be a light over the table. Then a figure appeared in between the two blue lights, however, because the display color blue so it was hard to make out any details but we could all tell it was a female. "Of course, Joe... you and the rest of your team: Smith, Hudson, Matilda. Have always loved your war games."
"Who are you?" replied Smith
"I am ONI and that all you need to know."
"I take it you're the head then?" I asked
"Seems you do catch on quick, for a bunch of teens."
"Hey, you don't know what-" Started Hudson.
"I know exactly what you've been through… all of you." She replied focusing her eyes on me.
"Then why haven't you killed us yet?" I replied, I knew all too well the fact that ONI does things quickly and quietly. She was taunting us, she wanted something.
"You four have confiscated ONI gear which is a very big crime." She started letting her words sink in. "But we can't afford the UNSC to know about this incident of course we could just make you all disappear…"
"But?" I replied trying to figure out where this lady was going.
"You four were able to simply take and use the gear without encountering any of the countermeasures we have in place on those suits and we calculated the odds of your survival from the very first moment you out on that armor Joe. Let's just say the odds were never in any of your guy's favors but none the less you came out alive."
"So? That's what we excel in." Replied Hudson, a bit too confidently.
"You four have spent a lot of time 'training' together whether it's on those video games you all play or those sports and simulation events. You all have already developed a trust it takes military units years to develop, so you all have the potential to be a part of something bigger. I want you all to join ONI."
"I'll die before I-" Smith started to reply before Matilda put her hand on his shoulder signalling for him to cool off.
"What's the catch?" I replied, knowing that ONI basically wrote the book on catches and loopholes.
"If you accept my offer you will be put into immediate service and due to the nature of our situation you will be Black Ops, no one will know you exist nor will you reach out to anyone showing your alive or explaining what has transpired here and or in the field."
"And if we don't?" I asked, fearing I already knew the answer.
"I think you already know what will happen if you don't." She replied.
"Joe we are dealing with the Devil here, we can't trust ONI." Smith spoke once she had finished.
"But at the same time we'll all die here." respond Hudson.
"We are dead either way." answered Matilda.
"But we'll die fighting if we take her up on her offer." Hudson replied.
While they began to argue I couldn't help but stare at the ONI woman, she was hiding something… there was something she wasn't telling us. You don't just give 18 year olds a job in Black Ops just because they stole your gear and survived a few engagements. There was something else in the works here, but she had poker face that would rival even the best in Vegas.
"Guys, we need to take the offer. It's the only way we'll ever even think about surviving another day." I spoke up.
"But Joe-" Started Smith.
"Do you guys trust me?"
"Well ya…"
"Then I need you too trust me now." I replied still looking into Ms. ONI's projection.
"Joe I swear if we die because of you, I'm going to haunt you."
"Relax Smith, I got this." I replied. "We'll take your offer Ms. ONI."
"I knew you'd make the smart decision, now we need to edit your files." She answered. "Your squad designation is Tiger Squad correct?"
"Correct."
"You all 'happy' with your code names?"
I looked around and everyone nodded showing their approval with the code names.
"Now what is your code name Joe."
"Call me… Blade."
"Blade it is then. Now normally this is determined by rank and such but I'm making an exception here, what's the chain of command in your squad?"
I looked around and saw the rest of the squad was doing the same, we never had a true leader in all the times we've played game before. We always sorta switched up based on the scenario. I was the strategist so I typical lead more, but Smith was the kinda guy you could get behind, Matilda was the kinda person who preferred more of a direct approach, and Hudson was the trolling expert.
"No offense Joe, but I say Smith." answered Hudson after a long period of silence and staring at one another.
"I say Joe." Matilda replied.
"I also say Joe." Smith said.
"Well in that case I change my vote to Joe." replied Hudson.
"Guys you sure about this?" I answered, surprised at the fact they choose me.
"Come on dude, your like the smartest one here." replied Hudson.
"You got the strategy." answered Matilda.
"I trust you." Smith replied.
"Alright, I'll do my best." I replied with a nod at not just my friends but now my fellow brothers and sister in arms.
"Now that we've settled that, I'd like to speak to Joe… alone." Ms. ONI replied, while the doors reopened. "Leave us, go and requip yourselves."
"Joe?" asked Matilda, obviously worried about leaving me here alone with Ms. ONI.
"I'll be fine, don't worry about me." I replied, keeping my gaze locked on the hologram of our new boss as they walked out of the building causing the doors too once again close.
"Quite the bunch." She spoke once the doors had resealed.
"That they are, now you didn't just hold me back so we could talk about them. What do you want?"
"Straight to the point… good, now since you are now under ONI jurisdiction lets clear things up. You will address me as Admiral or ma'am, you will also follow your orders without question, and you are responsible for the actions of your squad."
"Fair enough… Admiral."
"When you arrive at the base you and your team will be tested and evaluated, but until then, do you think your team is ready for this?"
"Admiral with all due respect, you have our files. You said it yourself, we have a lot of trust in each other and I know my friends. We are ready for anything."
"Heroics will not get you far in this world... alive at least, remember that. With that said, the Covenant are about to launch an attack on the base you are currently standing in. I am tasking you and your squad with defending that base until you are ordered otherwise."
"Noted, we will hold the line Admiral. Whether you believe it or not we are ready for this."
"Gear up and brief your team." With that the Admiral disappeared, causing the doors behind me to opened allowing me to leave.
"We'll hold the line… right?" I whispered to myself as I turned around heading out the doors, wondering how we got into this mess.
It didn't take long to find the munitions depot as pretty much every soldier was heading there to grab weapons and ammo. Once I got there, I started looking around for my squad. Since I was dressed in my ODST gear, people naturally steered clear of me allowing me to look around for my team easier.
As I was looking around for my team I felt someone tapping on my shoulder and to my surprise I found Matilda there pointing in the direction of the rest of the squad. Which just happened to be in the corner of the depot so it wasn't all that busy there. As Matilda and I approached they noticed us and waved us over. As we approached I noticed that Smith and Hudson had taken off their helmets and had laid them on a crate between the two of them, with Matilda joining them. Not wanting to be an oddball I also took off my helmet but I tucked it under my arm, instead of putting it on the crate.
"What's the word… Blade. Man that's going to take some getting use too." asked Hudson.
"We are being tasked with defending this base until we are told otherwise. After that we are being shipped off some ONI black site to be evaluated and trained."
"That explains why everyone here is either packing ammo or packing supplies." Smith replied.
"Hold on a ONI Black Site? Dude that is a death trap. They'll kill us the second we arrive!" exclaimed Hudson.
"If we disobey we die, look she wants us alive for some reason. She could have killed us countless times now and no one would have known . But here we are with an actual mission." I answered. Just in time for the sirens to go off, signaling that it was time to head to war. "It's showtime ladies!" I shouted as I put on helmet and went over to a supply crate loaded with BR and pistol ammo along with a few grenades. As I helped myself, as my team did the same. Once we were fully loaded we started running to the front of the base.
"Tiger Squad come in." Ordered a graveled voice on our comms.
"Tiger Squad here, what's the situation?" I replied trying to sound older and tougher, however, I don't think it worked.
"You are being assigned to the 3rd and final line of defense within the base walls where you will cover the retreat of the other two lines, you got that?
"Got it." I replied, switching over to the team comm channel. "You heard him everyone. Chatterbox, I want you in a good sniper position so you can target high value targets and mark hostiles using the spotter function. Sawdust and Stinger I want you guys to find cover on the ground since you guys are more close range and kill anything that isn't human that gets within firing range. I'll be up on the wall providing covering fire and helping pick off anyone Chatterbox marks. Everyone know the plan?"
"Yes." They replied in union.
"Good, let's give these alien scumbags a warm welcome."
"Horrah!"
With that we broke up and headed to our respective positions and prepared ourselves for what was probably going to be a dragged out battle, but we had orders and we were going to follow them. After all we did just sign a deal with the devil and if you break a deal with the devil, the devil will break you.
"I'm in position, give me a sitrep." I asked, once I managed to make it to the top of the wall and get situated.
"Stinger and Sawdust in position and ready to kill." Replied Stinger.
"Blade, I'm in position and I have a visual on the first line. I also have eyes on the hostiles." Answered Chatter.
"What are they packin, Chatter?" I asked.
"Let's see here… they have what looks like a dozen wraiths, at least two dozen ghosts, a couple of hunters, and a battalion of ugly, angry aliens."
"So… the usual?"
"Pretty much."
"Except we don't have any cars around this time." Added Stinger.
"Hey we got an army with us this time." Retorted Sawdust. "I'd much rather have an army with plenty of weapons and ammo over some abandoned cars."
"Hey, did anyone read the weather forecast for today?" Chatterbox brought up.
"Sorry, I wasn't able to because we were fighting for our lives!" Responded Sawdust.
"Well I think there's a storm inbound."
'What makes you saw that?"
Then before Chatterbox could respond, BOOM, the sound of thunder was unmistakable.
"Looks like we got two upcoming storms, everyone bunker down." I responded, as I looked down the sights at the oncoming storms.
Editor's Note: YAY! More chapters! PARTY! I am still alive my loyal followers! I am terribly sorry for the lack of uploads but life got busy, I hope this longer chapter makes up for it. I revived ONE submission for the OC drafting so congrats! I hope to include him soon but I'm currently outta town and am posting this on my tablet rather than my computer so this has been very complicated lol. Thank you so much everyone for ready my story and I hope I can keep this story alive for a long time. As always feel free to PM me with questions, comments, concerns and or leave a review! I love reading all those, and you know what? Heck you could even share this story with friends and family that you know might enjoy this story. Anyways that's everything I wanted to talk about so have a good day everyone!
~BattleFrontline signing off
