Time: 1930 hours
Date: March 12, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,050 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
The storm swept in without warning, and I was forced to find shelter in the sanctuary of fallen trees. I set up a temporary camp here and built a small fire to warm the place up a bit. I looked at my watch, and it read 1930 hours. Time was ticking, and I needed to find those last five. Taking one of the maps Kitty had provided from piecing together and finding duplicates, I spread it out and marked where I was. I had run along the edge of the forest for the past four hours, and had marked so on the map. I remember that I had crossed a frozen creek, which put me really close to the edge of the map, about fifty kilometers from the cave. I scratched my head and looked out, only to fire my second flare. At least they would know I was ok, and if the remaining five saw it, they would at least know someone was looking for them.
After eating a handful of the rations, as well as taking a sip of water, I fed the fire and crept out, staying low to the ground as I took a burning torch and used it as a way of marking a black path in the white snow. I continued for another estimated five hundred meters when I noticed a tiny glow bouncing off the trees. At first I thought it was an illusion, but as I got close, I noticed that it was several glow sticks tied together, being battered and whipped by the fierce wind. This only meant one thing.
"HELLO!" I shouted, hoping that my voice would be carried by the wind to the missing ones. "IS ANYONE THERE?"
I strained my ear and crept closer, using the logs as walls to keep the wind from sinking its icy teeth into my face. I managed to climb a snow bank and looked down, only to see five dark shapes lying in the snow.
"No!"
I tumbled down and picked them up, feeling for their pulse on their wrist and neck. It was very faint, but it was there. I had to get them out of here quickly. Making steps run up against the bank I came down on, the only problem was that I had nothing to grab on to and always slid back down, causing bruises to cover my arms and legs while scratches marked my face. I took fallen branches and broke them in such a way that it created spear-like tips, which I dug into the wall to create a makeshift ladder. Harnessing one body over my shoulder and making sure the branches could support the weight, I slowly made my way up, almost slipping on several occasions, as the storm grew worse. I placed the body ten meters away from the edge, sheltered in a hollowed out tree trunk, and jumped back down to retrieve the remaining four. Again, I hid them in places where the wind wouldn't get them while I checked the surrounding area for anything I missed. Then I saw how close to death they were. Had they moved north another fifty meters, then they all would've fallen off the cliff and died.
A chill colder than the storm itself ran up my spine as I climbed out. I looked at the stiff bodies and grabbed the last one, making my first of run of five. When I came back for the second one, I noticed that someone had been here while I was gone as the bodies had been shifted slightly, and there were deep prints in the snow. I ran my hand into these crevices, only to find they were not of the other kids or animals. They looked like adult-sized combat boots, but they had a strange edging around it. I pulled out my pistol and circled the area for a bit before grabbing the second and taking off. The ice stung my lungs as the wind whipped again, causing me to lose my footing. My flare pistol had slipped out from my other pocket and fell over the edge before I could grab them. Great. Now no one knew if I was alive or not. Either way, if that was the case, I would have to be the one to lead these five on my own while the others led the ninety-four to the extraction point.
Again, I went back for the third, and again, I had a feeling that someone was stalking me. I didn't like the feeling, but someone was watching my every move: how I worked, how I controlled the situation, how I was resourceful. I took the third body, but this time, backpedaled with my pistol in the open so that I was at least armed and ready to fire. I may have never fired a weapon with live rounds before, but what difference was it between rubber and live bullets? They both came out the same way; just that one could kill at any range while the other only killed at point blank.
By the time I had gotten all five of them into my wooden bunker, I was extremely exhausted from fighting against the ice and wind. Never had I worked so hard before, not even in the obstacle challenges or sparring sessions. I had taken off their wet clothes and laid them out to dry while stroking the fire to a larger blaze. I needed to stay awake and make sure that they were ok, but fatigue had overcome me, and I collapsed into a dreamless sleep.
Time: 2250 hours
Date: March 12, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,000 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
Back at the cave, Anthony came down from the mouth of the cave after two hours of sitting there, ready to report in. As he stepped into the cavern, he saw that Tommy was chasing Kitty around again while Charlie, Pei, Carl, Isis, and Harper were assembling the groups. Harper had pointed out that having ninety-five kids traveling together was a big risk, especially when it came to the tricks that Mendez always had up his sleeve, like sabotaging some of their weaponry so that it would jam up more than often during practice times. With a big training mission like this, there would no doubt be some sort of opposition that wouldn't make this easy. Carl had thought that perhaps Mendez had ordered the local Marine base, the Husky Company, to assist him with this polar mission as the Husky Company were known for their arctic challenges. Anthony stepped up and gave his report.
"It's been two hours, but no flare has gone up…"
Kitty stopped and whined a little.
"Are you sure?" Isis asked. "She said she would shoot every two hours, unless…"
A hushed silence befell them as they thought of all the possibilities that could've happened, from being frozen to death to the fact that the Husky Company were indeed in on this and had captured her, along with the five. This worried them greatly, and without Neala, they didn't know how to approach this. They counted on her for leadership, but Charlie stood up.
"Neala is counting on us," he said in a stern voice. "She wouldn't choose us to be the leaders when she is not here if she didn't have a reason to, but she did because she saw that we are capable of doing so."
"He's right," Isis chimed in. "Neala may be a leader, but because she is not here, she has chosen us to make sure that we carry on our duties and get everyone back to base safely."
Kitty bucked Tommy in the face for giving her a scare and sat next to Charlie to show them the map that she had pieced together, as well as all possible routes. The only problem was that all of them walked straight into the forest, where they knew Mendez would have something waiting for them. They needed to break into smaller groups.
"Pei, take your team, and assemble nine other teams of three that are considered to be the fastest," Carl pointed out. "You will need to be our scouts and make sure that the path is clear before anyone else engages. Charlie, Harper, Isis, Tobias, Kayla, and I will be splitting the remaining sixty-four amongst us. Charlie, you take your team and Neala's with you. Harper, you will take yours and another. Same thing with you three. I'll pick up any of the stragglers. We'll be moving out within an hour, so make sure that everything is good to go, ok? Report back in fifteen."
"Yes, sir."
The seven scattered, dividing the group into teams and preparing for the worst to come.
Time: 0113 hours
Date: March 13, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,050 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"Neala, sweetie? Wake up…"
"Who… Mommy…?"
"Yes, now wake up and get ready for school."
"Wait… This isn't right… How… No… This isn't my home… You are not my mother…"
"Don't be silly, honey. Now get dressed."
"I do not belong on this planet, but on Reach-II…"
"Enough playing around, and please do get ready. We're going to see your dad at work today."
"But my dad is dead… And so are you… No, get away from me… Get away from me!"
I woke up, covered in cold sweat. I quickly looked around and stared outside. It was dark, and the storm had subsided a bit, but I didn't know for how long. I turned to look at the bodies, which were now living teenagers who were just waking up and moving around a bit. They were quite surprised to find themselves in a small bunker with a fire. I looked at my watch. I had been out for at least six hours, enough rest, but was there enough time for me to make it back to the cave? No, I gave them orders that if I did not send any more flares into the air, they were to head to the extraction point without me. Knowing Pei and Carl, they would listen and follow through with the command. As for Charlie, he seemed like the type who knew what he was doing. Kitty and Tommy would aid him the best they could.
I took off my jacket to wipe off the sweat and popped in another handful or two of rations before taking a drink and checking the others. It seemed that they had taken a few battered bruises here and there, but other than the one with a broken leg, we would have to somehow make time to makeup for those that we lost. I splinted the broken leg with straight branches and strips of bandana that one of the others had graciously let me borrow as I had used up the roll of gauze to patch another, who had managed to get a large gash on his forehead from falling headfirst over the snow bank. They put on the now-dry clothes and ate parts of their rations while I went out to scout around, only to come back when I found that everything was clear. In the light of Harsco, Reach-II's moon, we proceeded at a slow, but steady pace, the two able ones in the back while the other two was supporting the one with a broken leg. I had the lead, but I turned around every so often with my pistol in hand, afraid that something would attack from behind.
We had journeyed for three hours straight when we sat down to rest. While doing so, Antoine and Max, the two able-bodied ones, set up a small camp while I stood guard. I was still edgy and flinched at every movement my eyes could detect that did not belong to any of the five. We needed a faster way to get around, but without the necessary tools and supplies, it was a little hard for us to fashion a sled for our wounded. I dug through the pouch and found a ball of twine. Tugging it a few times, I found that it was very strong despite its diameter, and called Tyler to help me pull off a large piece of bark. Within a few minutes, we had a makeshift sled for Leon. Not wanting to lose any more time, the five of us each tied the cord around our waist and ran, dragging the board behind us.
We ran for a good five kilometers when I slowed down and looked around, checking my map to estimate our location.
"Neala, something wrong?" Max grunted as he caught his breath.
"No, we're heading in the right direction, but there's a weird feeling I'm getting…"
"What do you mean? I don't feel anything…"
"Exactly… Doesn't this seem too easy to be one of Mendez's usual missions?"
"I say it's your paranoia that's getting the best of you," Antoine laughed. "Now, c'mon before they leave without us."
I just had a bad feeling of what was to go on if we were not careful. This just seemed way too easy to just find our way back without having a good challenge…
Time: 0500 hours
Date: March 13, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,050 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"THERE'S ANOTHER! DUCK AND FIRE!"
Snowballs with stones flew and stuck the targets hard as the Husky Company was being overwhelmed by two groups of teens. They had fallen for the bait and were retreating as Charlie and Tommy picked up the rifles loaded with stun shots and Kitty picked up the pistols and flash grenades. So far so good. Charlie had led his team with such power that they had surprised the Huskies and was now securing a zone for the others to gather at before continuing on. Harper was scanning the perimeter while the others bunked into the trees. The other teams, especially the one Randy was on, did not fare so well and ended up with at least three wounded. Isis stared hard at the boy.
"And just what in the name of the Greek gods did you think you were doing!" she shouted as they made their way towards where Charlie was. "You almost had us killed!"
"I did not!" the freckled boy whined. "Besides, you weren't doing anything except sitting there!"
"Only because I was waiting for them to take the bait!" she retorted. "Tim was the rabbit and we were waiting for him to draw fire, but no… You had to go and mess it up, Mr. Bigshot!"
"At least we're out of there, ok? If I hadn't gotten him square in the eyes, you would've died!"
"For the last time, it was Eric who got that hit on his back, not you!"
"At least we got out alive…"
"No thanks to you…" she growled. "All right, men! Let's quickly move! We can't afford any more lost time!"
Isis' team emerged from the woods and met up with Charlie's while the last of her team appeared with the suppression weapons: more rifles and stun grenades.
"Any sign of the other teams?" Neala's temporary team leader asked in a hushed voice.
"Yeah," she panted as they ran and perched themselves in the trees for cover. "Tobias and Harper were only a few hundred meters from my position. We were ambushed by the Huskies a few minutes ago because SOMEONE had decided to ruin the plan Tim and I had…"
"For the last time, you weren't doing anything!" Randy hissed.
"Silence, private!" Charlie barked. "In the chain of command, you are not to speak to a team leader as so unless spoken to! You may be a team leader for your little group, but you were not appointed to be one of the leaders for the whole squad. You will follow out with the chain of command as we were taught to do so. Is that clear?"
Randy grumbled and grunted towards his two teammates, only to disappear out of sight with them when Charlie turned back to firing. Pei, Carl, and Kayla had just arrived on the scene, all of them armed with pilfered weapons as they approached the area where Charlie was. Everyone jumped into the nearby trees after covering their tracks and hid deep in the needles. Kitty made her way across the branches to check on those who had been injured. So far, all seemed to be all right, just some minor bruising from the shots and maybe some cuts and scrapes from tripping and tumbling. They could see the men roaming around, muttering to one another. Tommy held out his fist to silence the whispers and sent the message along to the others in the other trees. Pei listened carefully on the conversation.
"These kids are smarter than we had thought…" one muttered. "Not as dumb as the last group, that's for sure."
"Yeah, but that's because they were younger," another pointed out. "These guys are older and know how to fend for themselves as well as their teammates."
"But you heard the report Mendez gave us," a female replied. "These guys know what they are doing, and shouldn't be taken lightly."
"Don't you go turning soft on me, lieutenant…" the first one warned. "They may be kids, but we are doing this for their own benefit."
"Yeah, but let's not turn this into one of Tango Company's 'live round' mission, ok?" a fourth voice yipped. "After all, it is a training mission to see how they will react, as well as how well they can work in the snow. But I do have to wonder if Mendez will also be asking us to do a CTF round with them…"
"Who knows what that old chief is thinking about," the oldest of the group grunted. "With all due respect, he may be too old to stay in active duty, but that man sure knows what he's doing to train these kids."
"To Chief Petty Officer Mendez!"
"HOO-HAH!"
They whooped from below and continued to sniff out the tracks and trails like the dogs they were. Charlie held up a fist and motioned for everyone to be quiet. Within half an hour, the company had disappeared and Pei sent out the scouting groups to make sure things were in the clear. As soon as they were given the ok, everyone fell out gently, and Charlie had given Kitty the task of head counting. Two minutes later, Kitty came back, panting.
"We're missing three others…"
Charlie looked at Kitty in disbelief.
"What?"
"Everyone else is accounted for, but Randy and his team are not here…"
"Damn that boy…" Carl growled, punching his fist into a nearby tree. "And we don't really have time now…"
"Guys, make sure that everyone is armed somehow with stones or whatever," Pei ordered as she came running in. "I just sent our fastest team to where the extraction point is, and from his description, that place is heavily guarded… We'll need to find ways of whittling down the guards and securing the place for at least two days…"
"I say we do the divide-and-conquer method," Harper suggested. "That way, we'll also able to pilfer their weapons."
"Good idea," Isis commented. "We'll also need to make some sort of bunker there to keep the others who are injured safe."
"But what about Randy?" Kayla asked.
"We can forget about Mr. God for now," Charlie growled. "He and his goons are not worthy to be called Spartans… Always talking bad about the others when he can't even do a simple weapons cleanup without causing a ruckus."
"But he is still one of us," Isis replied. "We'll let the Chief deal with him after this exercise is done, ok?"
Everyone nodded in agreement and split into their teams again, this time, mixing it up a little bit as they now saw what they were capable of doing. Charlie still had his and Neala's, which was fine with him as he rather fancied having her well-behaved team working with his. It was almost as if nothing would go wrong. Kitty was always doing what she was told to do while Tommy's work, although a little on the awkward side, was complimenting Kitty's, helping her from the back while also watching his own. How they moved was almost perfect. If their leader were here, he would admit that this mission would've been a piece of cake for them, doing what needed to be done with simple hand movements, all without any vocal communication. He had to learn how to do that more efficiently.
The ten scouting teams dispersed into the forest, staying low as they surrounded the Huskies that were stationed on the perimeter. Charlie's team was the first to move out as they were the only ones whose team was complete armed. Isis' team followed Charlie's at a safe distance, all of them armed with snowballs that were covering stones. Kitty gave her weapons to Tommy and played the 'kitten,' hoping to lure the group of 'puppies' away from their posts little by little.
Their plan was that they would divide the group little by little, taking them out bit by bit and taking their weapons. These weapons they gave to the others that were not armed and as soon as they were armed, they would take another scouting and unarmed group, only to repeat the same process. As soon as most of them were out of the way, they would jump into the trees and wait for the Pelicans to arrive, defending their positions from the natural cover.
Kitty made herself look very battered thanks to Tommy's knack of uncleanness and stepped out, limping along the way. One of the younger Huskies looked up and chuckled.
"Hey, boss…" he murmured in a low voice. "Check out what just crawled in."
"Go take her out…" he replied. "Just don't kill her…"
"I won't…"
The girl looked around cluelessly, as though she was lost.
"Hey, kid, you lost or something?" the gunner grunted.
Kitty looked up and ran the other way.
"Hey! Get back here! Sir!"
"Don't just stand there! Go get her! What child is this much trouble?"
Without hesitation, the trooper jumped in. Gunfire echoed through the trees, only for the girl to jump out again, this time panting breathlessly.
"There are wolves in there!" she cried out, pointing into the brush. "Please! He's being ripped up by them!"
The leader looked at his team and they all chased the girl, only for her to disappear into the brush again. They approached the place carefully, poking their rifles through the bushes to make sure that it was not a sabotage. One of them stepped over, aiming his laser sights here and there, only for it to land on his fallen teammate.
"Chet!" he shouted. "Sir, Chet's down, and his weapons are missing!"
The tall man stood up and turned on his flashlight, sweeping the entire area.
"They're here…" he breathed. "…She's one of them… Keep up your guard, men… These kids mean business…"
Kitty sat out in the open again, huddled like the tiny ball she was. The light fell on her, and she sprinted. The men whooped and barked as they fired stun round after stun round, but after a few hundred meters, they noticed that something was wrong. They were no longer in the forest, but rather in a clearing away from their guard posts, no cover around them. Kitty stepped out again, only this time, the rest of her team accompanied her. Without warning, everyone launched the snowballs, causing a big distraction while she and Tommy went about to the back, taking their weapons to the back of the head. Six bodies went down with a soft thump.
"Target neutralized and incapacitated," Kitty reported as Tommy went on to pilfer their weapons. "That took a little longer, but I think that should give us some edge."
"Good job, Tommy and Kitty," Charlie commended. "Neala would be proud of you."
The two looked at each other and smiled as all weapons had been stripped from their owners. As soon as everyone had at least one weapon, Charlie took the rest of the weapons and stuffed them into his pockets while Tommy and Kitty had the rest.
"C'mon…" he ordered. "We'll take the extras back while the other team goes out and retrieves the rest. Once everyone is armed, we'll lead an assault and bunk in the trees. Once the Pelicans show up, sprint as fast as you can while those with assault rifles give cover, ok?"
Everyone nodded and backtracked to where the others were. Again, they did this several times until they had made sure that most of the Husky Company was put to sleep, so to say. By 1000 hours, everyone was in the treetops, taking shifts for sleeping, watching for the ships, and standing guard. They had done a job well done in the eyes of all the assigned leaders, all except three team members…
Time: 1030 hours
Date: March 13, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,010 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"There they are! Don't let them out of your sight!"
I was limping painful as we worked our way up the tree-covered hills. I was correct in saying that this was no easy task, and was also right that Mendez would not let this challenge go without a hitch. We had been running through the forest when we were caught be surprise.
We had tripped a hidden alarm going over a frozen river, alerting a whole group of spec-ops. They jumped out of nowhere, pelting us with their weapons. The Huskies were hot on our tail, and already, I had fired all the flare pistols the others had given me. Several shots had found their way on to my leg. Rubber they were, but they still held a lot of pain as we ran. I had already promised myself that I wouldn't leave anyone behind, save myself in times of great need, and this was one of those times when I considered it. I slashed through the twine with a stolen dagger and looked at the others.
"Head to the hill!" I shouted. "I'll hold them off!"
The others nodded and ran as I gathered stones and threw them with extreme accuracy, able to hit them on specific points on the body, such as the fingers, face, shoulders, and knees. I was a vicious fighter, and when I saw that they were not letting up, I pulled out the pistol. I was being threatened, and I needed to neutralize them fast. The first bullet bit into the Kevlar vest of one of the troopers, knocking the wind out of him. The others stopped and stared at me while I still held the weapon, ready to fire if needed. They began to back down and took a few steps back. I heard a whistle from above and ran up to meet with the others, only to continue on our journey.
As we went over another hill, I noticed a very large mound of snow, something very unnatural for a flat terrain such as this. I halted the others and walked towards it, only to grin from ear to ear. I quickly motioned for them to come over and revealed my finding. They all gasped.
"Is that…?"
"You're kidding…"
"Nope, it's a Warthog…"
We quickly scrambled in while I jumped into the driver's seat. The keys were not there, but upon one of our nightly runs, Tommy and I had managed to cross certain wires with others that it jump started, causing much distraction while we ran back to the barracks with Kitty and our reward of sweets. I ducked under and took off the panel, revealing the wires. Carefully using the knife, I cut through two wires and sliced off the sheaths, reconnecting them to the other. The engines purred to life and I quickly sat up. Antoine, Max, Leon, Tyler, and Tony were sitting in various locations of the Warthog. Sitting Shotgun with me was Leon while Max was sitting on the outer edge. Tony, Antoine, and Tyler squeezed into the gunner seat in the back. I looked over my shoulder at the other Warthogs.
Grinning, I jumped out and leapt into another, pulling off the panel in the same area and picking off the wires. However, unlike the 'Hog I had commandeered, I dug deeply into the mess and tangle, carefully snapping the twines and burying them deep into the heap. I did this until the four 'Hogs had all been messed with and returned to my comrades.
"You guys ready?" I shouted as I revved the engines.
"You sure you know how to drive this thing?" Tyler whimpered. "I mean, Mendez didn't teach us how to handle the Warthogs yet, let alone how to sit in one correctly!"
"Don't worry, guys! As long as we don't go flying off a cliff, we'll be fine!" I shouted over the engines, shifting the gears from parking to gear one. "Now, hang on!"
The boys gripped on to the frame of the vehicle as snow blew into their faces. I noticed that there were three others that were with this one. That's when I figured out that these belonged to the ones that were chasing us. I put the pedal down to the floor, more snow blowing past us as Leon looked at the dashboard.
"Hey, that's the area where we're supposed to be!" Leon exclaimed, pointing to the flashing black and green screen.
I didn't let go of the pedal, but looked down for a brief moment. Those in the 'hog's turret also looked over, all of them whooping.
"Well, looks like we're going to make it in time then!" I shouted over the roaring engines, watching as the others smiled. "We only have about thirty kilometers to go now!"
Time: 1045 hours
Date: March 13, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: CPO Mendez' Office, UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"Chief Petty Officer Mendez, come in, sir!" a voice barked. "This is Husky Company Team Red! We have a situation here!"
The chief swiveled around in his chair and faced the monitor with his caller. The man had not slept for at least two nights now, starting at the screen intently as he watched each little yellow make their way from the cave to the extraction point. It was a wonder that the man was still alive despite his sleeping habits. Some say that he wasn't even human to begin with. He poured himself a shot of whiskey and downed it before taking the call.
"Report, Red Leader."
The man on the screen, no more than in his mid-20's, looked very haggled and bushed, not to mention that he seemed to be out of breath or was running with his team while making the call.
"Sir, one of the trainees has a weapon with live rounds!"
Mendez raised a brow and tilted his head to one side.
"No one is supposed to be armed with a gun of any sort save the flare guns I equipped them with, or whatever weapons they pilfer from your men."
"I know, sir, but she has live rounds on her."
"What? Which one?"
"Don't know who she is, sir, but she caught Crum by surprise and knocked the wind out of him."
"She didn't get it from one of your men, did she?" the chief demanded, pointing at the others behind the red leader. "You know very well that I gave you strict orders to not bring any weapon with live rounds."
"With all due respect, sir, none of us have disobeyed your orders and have not brought any live ammunition with us. We followed your orders down to every last word."
"Then how in the world?"
"This is Spartan-087 reporting in," came another voice from another monitor. "I'm following Neala carefully, and she has been armed since she left the cave for the missing five. I'm tracking them from a distance now. Seems that there is one they are towing on a sled while she and the other four are pulling it as fast as they can. For what I gathered, the one on the sled has a broken leg. The others seem to be all right, save for several bandaged wounds."
"Kelly? But how did she get her hands on it, that's what I want to know."
"I think that can be explained," came another voice from another monitor. "This is Spartan-003 reporting in, sir."
"What is it, Kale?"
"Upon their arrival in the polar zones, one of the kids being chased by the wolves had managed to find one in an abandoned camp. I didn't believe that it was loaded when he handed it over to another, who in turn, handed it over to Neala when she left."
"This certainly puts an interesting twist to things…" Mendez murmurs. "Very well then. Red Leader, I want you to end your chase and head to the extraction point as soon as possible. The others have already arrived and made quick work of the others. From what I see on the map, they are guarding the perimeter of the zone with weapons they had managed to pick off your own men."
"What? Are you saying the Blue and Green teams are also down?" Red Leader stammered in disbelief. "B-but…"
"Them and Yellow and Black teams…" Kale added. "These kids are better than you think, Red Leader."
"Looks like we'll have to step it up a notch… We'll be taking the Warthogs to the extraction point."
"But be careful, ok?" Kelly warned. "You never know what they are capable of."
"Indeed," Kale added. "They are armed with all your weapons, so you're going to need to watch your back."
"Don't worry, Mendez. We won't dent your 'hogs, nor will we harm the kiddies."
"I expect you to be a man of your word then, Red Leader."
"Yes, sir. Red Leader out."
The chief turned to Kelly and Kale's screens.
"I need to guys to keep an eye on the others, Kelly, you especially with Neala," he ordered. "If what they and Kale say is true, and Neala is indeed armed with live rounds, you will need to keep your distance. Also, when we pick them up tomorrow in the morning, I want Neala isolated from the rest. I will need to speak with her privately…"
"Yes, sir," both Spartans replied in unison before turning off the visual feed. "We'll rendezvous with red team before engaging the teens."
Mendez took a sip of his coffee and rubbed his temples a bit. He looked at Neala's records carefully then pulled up Satoshi's. They had the exact same thing going on. Satoshi had managed to get his hands on a 'live round' armament when he was training in the minefields, but he had never fired it. The only difference with Neala was that she had fired her, risking the possibility of killing one of the Husky Company's men. She was very dangerous, but this was also what he was looking for: someone who was able to turn and fight back without questions for the safety of her comrades.
As he was about to stand up, Red Leader appeared on the screen again.
"Uh, sir…?"
"Yes?"
"One of the Warthogs has been commandeered, sir, and none of others are starting up… We're checking for any damage, but we don't see any. The guys are checking the engines. We believe that it was that girl with the group of guys."
"So, they know how to hotwire the 'hogs, huh? Well, this is a most unexpected turn of events. Might I suggest that you work fast then, Aaron. Looking at the map, she has a good ten-kilometer lead. Within the hour, she'll arrive with the others, and that's when things will be troubling for you, especially if she finds out how to use that turret."
"Yes, sir. We'll be on our way right as soon as we find out what's wrong."
He killed the video feed and stepped out into the mess hall, where the late night pilots had just arrived from the flying, taking a nice long and relaxing coffee break before heading out to extraction point. He pointed out four pilots and waited until they had their fill of the caffeine-loaded beverage. He was escorted by these pilots and entered the first Pelican. They lifted off and, once airborne, cleared the forest and were in the air, heading for the location where they would pick up everyone.
Time: 1350 hours
Date: March 13, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,050 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
Kitty was playing lookout in the tallest tree, looking through a pair of binoculars Tommy had found while digging through the pockets of the black team's leader. She found them really useful, as she was the early warning signal in case someone was coming over the horizon. Just then, she spotted a large plume of white billowing far away. She strained her eyes, only to throw one of her ready-made snowballs at a sleeping Tommy below her.
"Tommy!" she squealed, hanging on to her branch but hanging upside-down.
"What…?" he murmured, opening an eye and brushing the snow off his dark face. "What's going on? Are we under attack?"
"No, but we better get ready!" she whimpered. "I saw something kicking up clouds in the distance, much like the Warthogs kicking up sand when we were in that Desert Storm operation against the Stallion Company."
"Oh boy…" he murmured, sitting up and stretching his muscles. "You remember what happened then, right?"
"Yeah, it was really bad. They had us cornered with their Scorpions but Neala came in time with flash grenades and bailed us out of there, and not to mention that we returned to base with their flag!"
"Yep! Now, we better tell the others that we have company."
Tommy slid down the tree and waited at the bottom as Kitty climbed down and jumped into Tommy's waiting arms. They both fell with a soft thump, but then dusted off and searched for Charlie in another tree. They told him and the others what was going on. This kept them on high alert. Harper and Tobias quickly ordered those with assault rifles to take point in the trees facing the incoming vehicle while the two equipped with sniper rifles were stationed in the high trees. The ammunition the snipers were carrying were not those of stun rounds, as the power yield would instantly turn any rubber bullet into a deadly live round. Instead, these were equipped with tranquilizer darts that were strong enough to put any ODST out for a good portion of the day. The only problem was that no one was able to fire these with complete accuracy yet. The only weapons they were taught to deal with were the MA5B Assault Rifle and for some of the other trainees, the M12C Pistol. All had to be versed in using the grenades, both flash and the M9 HE-DP, but other than that, their weapon choices were highly limited.
Within an hour, the vehicle loomed into view, and the teens peered over the snow bank while Kitty was up in the tree with Tommy again. They fired a few warning shots from the pistol, but when they saw that they were not slowing down, Kitty tried to get a better look.
"What do you see?" Tommy asked as he squinted into the bright landscape.
"It's… IT'S NEALA!" Kitty shouted. "NEALA! SHE'S ALIVE!"
"What!"
The young girl jumped into the snow back, giving a fright to the gunners positioned below as she scrambled towards the slowing Warthog. The vehicle came to a full stop as Charlie and the other leaders came out to see what the commotion was about, only to also beam when they saw that their leader had returned from had first been thought as an unsuccessful mission.
I saw everyone gathering as I leapt out of the 'hog, only to be embraced by my very first friend, Kitty. The others came out as soon as they had gotten the clear from my little scout, and proceeded to take the wounded in behind our makeshift barracks. I pulled the vehicle behind our lines and climbed out to get a better look of the whole vehicle. The side had the UNSC logo, an eagle with its wings spread out, its talons holding Earth. I rounded it a few times and got into the turret. There were no live rounds, but we did find barrels of rubber bullets. Isis came out and looked at it.
"So you managed to commandeer one of these things?" she asked. "How did you do that?"
"Well…"
I spent a good portion of my return retelling my adventure, of running to the area where the five were stranded, of the mysterious stalker, of meeting with the Husky Company, and of taking/sabotaging the LRV. I was extremely tired, and was grateful that I was back amongst friends, or at least, that's what I thought. I noticed that I did not hear the boisterous and rude laugh of Randy, and asked where he was.
"He just disappeared during one of our routine head counts," Carl replied. "He and Isis got into a fight about not sticking to the plan and how she was not doing anything when she was actually waiting for the Huskies to take the bait before we moved in on the attack."
"Why am I not surprised…?" I murmured, trying to stifle a yawn. "I'll find and talk to him later…"
Tommy looked at me with his great hazel eyes, lines of worry etched about his face.
"Neala, you really need to rest," he suggested, Kitty and the others all nodding in agreement. "It's like you haven't slept at all since we last saw you."
"I did get some sleep though."
"But not enough to get your whole functionality back," Charlie pointed out as he ushered me to where the wounded were. "Just get some sleep, ok? Tobias and I will keep guard around the perimeter. We're switching off every two hours so that we won't overdo ourselves. Knowing the Husky Company, they'll probably send in fresh reinforcements to take us out. We'll need you when that happens, Neala. No one has been able to stay calm in such a storm as that."
I smiled and looked at the leaders I had appointed, as well as my team.
"Thank you, Charlie, and I think I will get some rest. I only got a total of six hours, and that was after pulling our lost team into safety."
The others nodded and I had retired in a small bunk hole that Tommy had dug. It was small, like the little arctic fox dens, but they were just as cozy as our barracks back in Camp Recluse. Promptly, I closed my eyes and drifted into slumber, not worrying as much as my team, my family, was now together again.
Time: 2350 hours
Date: March 13, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,050 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"Neala! Wake up!"
I turned in my sleep, only to be dragged out by the feet. I growled and hissed as a bright light shined into my face. I opened one eye, only to see that it was Charlie, who was using the light that was mounted on the assault rifle.
"We have a situation here!"
"What's going on…?" I murmured, sitting up and using the snow to wash my face a bit and wake up.
"It's Randy! He and his goons are back, and they're shooting everyone with the Warthog turret!"
"Damn him…" I growled as anger began to build up inside me. "Get everyone out of firing range and get me a weapon with stun rounds. The pistol I have won't do me any good unless I want to be held on account for killing my own, even if he is a threat."
"Ashley has one of the sniper rifles, and it is still fully loaded," Charlie explained as we ducked from tree to tree to avoid the shots. "Arty has the other, but he already shot two of them, both of them missing. Neither of them are shooters yet, but we were hoping that maybe you had a luckier shot at them."
I looked down and picked up a fragment of glass that had fallen from the Warthog's windshield and looked into it for a reflection. There was Randy, shooting maniacally, shouting that he was the rightful leader and should be the only one everyone was obeying. I grunted in disgust.
"And just how did he manage to get to the 'hog?" I asked as we made our way to where Ashley was, who was now tending to several wounded.
"We had Rick, Ben, Chase, and Neal watching the vehicle, but they came out of nowhere and butt these four into unconsciousness," Isis replied. "We fired several warning shots, but he fired at will against us, forcing us to find cover here and other nearby areas."
"Mendez will certainly hear of this roguish behavior…" I murmured, watching Isis wrap a bleeding leg. "What happened here?"
"Several of us were trying to get away, but Randy did well to aim at our legs, so we fumbled and got scratched up pretty badly. Most of the medical field kits have been used up, so we're running low on resources."
I glared at my watch.
"It's midnight now…" I reported. "We just need to defend this territory for another five hours, and then we'll be back in our barracks recuperating."
However, I knew at least one person would not be recuperating the correct way. Taking Ashley's sniper rifle, I dove behind a boulder before he saw me and loaded the first dart. I had seen the war movies that CPO Mendez showed us when we spoke of tactics, and how most snipers did better when on their stomachs rather than kneeling or standing. I laid out on my stomach and aimed for Randy's thigh. The shot was sure and true, and the boy fell out of the turret seat, groaning and yelling as the two others came out from the driver's seat and shotgun.
"Who goes there?" I heard Kurt shout. "You know better than to shoot your own men!"
I didn't say anything and pointed to Kitty, who was well hidden in the branches above me. I cupped my hand and then opened it suddenly. Kitty nodded and held a flash grenade in her little hands. I looked over again, this time, Paul was in the turret, but he wasn't shooting. Kurt was at Randy's side and pulled out the dart I had fired. He would be out for a good while, but I watched as he pulled out a small bottle, only for it to shake the sleeping boy up. I growled and brought my hand from the back to the front in a large overhand arc with my hand still cupped. Kitty pulled the pin and threw the grenade on my mark, as well as three others. The dark spot lit up like day, and we charged in. I could hear fistfights and yelling as the three had been blinded, rendered helpless against the strongest three of all of us. When the light had died down, there they were, lying on their stomachs, battered and beaten. Tommy had taken control of the Warthog's turret and was pointing it at the three below.
The teams made a pathway for me to step through. Everyone stood at attention and saluted while I nodded at them to stand down. They looked up at me, the sleek, matte-black sniper rifle hanging from my back while I still had the 'live round' pistol tucked into my belt. I squatted to their eye level and stared at them.
"You understand why I did what I did, yes…?" I asked in a very calm voice.
"Can it, girlie…" Randy spat, a trail of blood leaving his mouth and landing on my face. "Mendez will surely have your head for this… Attacking me like that…"
Everyone gasped as I stood up and wiped the blood off, only to stare at him, then at Kurt, then at Paul.
"You had endangered everyone here…" I continued. "You had deliberately disobeyed orders from those whom I had set up as leaders in my stead. You had not only endangered everyone, but even yourself! What's more? You left everyone, decided to wander off on your own business while everyone was securing the zone!"
"Girl, this ain't no real war, you know that?" Randy muttered. "We'll get a second chance… Just you wait and see…"
"Don't you get it?" Isis rebuked as she stepped out. "There is no second chance in the real world… Once you're dead, you're done… You can forget about fighting off the Covenant and saving humanity."
"Who says this is about saving humanity?" Paul laughed. "This is for the glory!"
A wave of murmur went through the group surrounding us, all muttering in disgust at their selfish behavior.
"There is no glory if there are no lives that will thank you for your deeds," Charlie growled in disappointment. "We were chosen to save humanity, not to become celebrities."
"Think all you want, but just you watch! Once you taste fame, you'll want more and more!" Kurt laughed. "Admit it, Neala! That is why you are here!"
"Enough…"
Everyone turned to look at me as I held up my pistol and pointed it at the three. They all became quiet, the hammer locked in place as my finger was ready to pull the trigger.
"Neala, stop…" Tommy murmured, getting down from the turret.
My eyes did not move, but I gave him my reply.
"No… I have had enough…"
"Neala, be more reasonable…" Kitty whimpered. "Let the Chief deal with them…"
"No… This is the end of the line for them…"
The rounds were fired and everyone closed their eyes, but when they opened them, the boys were still alive. Three bullet holes in the snow had appeared, each within one inch of each head. I could hear their heart beating furiously; I could smell their fear. I looked at Charlie.
"Make sure that they are secured and don't let them leave your sight," I ordered in a very stern tone. "Have at least six others switch off every hour so that they do not get away. I will let Mendez deal with them as I have promised. In the meantime, give me the sit-rep, guys…"
Time: 0100 hours
Date: March 14, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,049 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"Sir, we've found our missing 'hog…"
"Really? Is it with that girl?"
"No, but she is there. There seems to be a small camp of them there though."
Red Team, along with Kelly and Kale, were watching the teens from a nearby cliff. Both of the Spartans had seen what had just happened, along with the Red Team scout.
"You know, we should approach them with caution…" Kelly warned. "There's no telling what Neala will do, especially if she was that close to killing three of her own men…"
"No way I am going near her again!" the leader snorted. "She already knocked the wind out of Crum, scaring the hell out of all of us!"
Just then, the Pelicans arrived and landed fifty meters away from the small group, only for Mendez to jump out as the engines died.
"What's going on?" he barked, his grizzled gray hair catching snowflakes and building up into a beard of snow. "I miss anything?"
"Yeah, your girl in question was about to execute three of the other teammates, but didn't," Kale responded, still looking through his scope after saluting.
"I wonder if she can kill on her own will, or if she needs to be commanded to do so in order to follow through with it…" he murmured, remembering the actions 117 took against the trio of Helljumpers.
"Whatever the case, sir, they are holding the other teams as POWs," Aaron pointed out. "No torturing, but they are stripped of their armor and weapons. They did a mighty fine job of that, mind you. Even getting the hidden daggers in their sleeves and boots."
"And the weapons?"
"All dispersed amongst everyone according to their abilities. The only one who has been able to use a sniper successfully is Neala," Kelly replied. "The others still miss, even with stationary targets. The rest are armed with the modified MA5B Assault Rifles while the others are equipped with flash grenades and the M12C pistols."
"Aaron, take your men and cause as much distraction as you can," the chief ordered. "You have three Warthogs, all loaded with their training fire, as well as enough skills to drive them a little on the edgy side. See if you can break their concentration. At 0450 hours, I want you and the others to begin opening fire, see if they can get into the Pelican while under fire. Knowing Stallion Company, they will perform something similar to this the next time I give them an unexpected CTF call."
"To teach the kids, no doubt," Kale sighed.
"What was that, sergeant…?"
"Nothing, sir!"
Kelly smirked behind her visor and mounted her snowmobile while Kale jumped on.
"I want you two to continue monitoring the kids," the chief ordered. "I know some of them are injured, but I have a feeling that several of them won't be making it."
"Why is that, sir?" Kelly asked as the engines started.
"These harsh terrains were meant to test the body, and I see that some have not been able to endure it as well. Checking their biorhythms, some have already dropped into the danger zones."
"You mean…"
"Yes… I'm afraid some of them will not survive the way home…"
Everyone was quiet as they let the words sink into their minds. Yes, this was one of many reasons why Mendez and Halsey were reluctant to continue this project one final time. Lives would be lost, just as lives were lost on the field.
"But you have your orders. Kelly, Kale. Once all the children are in the Pelicans, I want you to get aboard the one Neala is in and take the pistol away, as well as guarding her. When we arrive, please escort her to my office while I debrief the others and send them along their way for recuperation."
"Yes, sir."
The two Spartans headed down the opposite way and disappeared under the thick fog, leaving Red Team and Mendez. The chief turned to the Husky.
"Tell your general that it was a fine time to work with him and his men," he commended. "This operation was very successful and has allowed me more insight about the missions to come."
"Thank you, sir, that you allowed us to engage on your students," he replied. "It was a very interesting exercise for both sides. We greatly underestimated them, but next time, we'll be ready for them!"
"Very good. We shall do this again when the snow season arrives again. In the meantime, who would you suggest would be the best for an underwater excursion?"
"Underwater? I'd have to say the Namibia Bay Stingrays. They're known for their stealthy ways of the deep."
"Thank you, Red Leader. Now, I will let you go about your plans. Remember, I want heavy fire, but don't shoot the Pelicans."
"We won't. Oh yeah, sir?"
"Yes?"
"The general wants to know how he will be compensated for the missing weapons and his wounded."
"Tell him that he will be able to keep the four Warthogs you guys are using, as well as four more I will be sending later in the day. As for the weapons, I will make sure that every last one that was used by any of my students will be retributed with a new battle rifle, and if that does not appease him, we will also send him a crate of our speed grenades and Jackhammer rockets."
"I think that will be more than enough to appease him, chief, but we do want to thank you for allowing us to get out and train with your kids. They are very challenging in the way they move and do things."
"Indeed, I could've never been more proud with any other group than this… Now, I will be on my way, Aaron. Good luck in this final stretch."
"Thank you, sir."
Time: 0450 hours
Date: March 14, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Tragedian Polar Zones, 1,050 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"WE'RE UNDER FIRE! RETREAT TO THE PELICANS!"
All was in chaos as I was returning fire upon fire at the assaulting Huskies. The leaders and I were doing a sweep while Tommy, Kitty, and several of Pei's scouting teams were picking up the wounded. The Pelicans had arrived, but they were still in the air. They were not going to touch down until 0500 hours, which meant we had to defend our territory. The Husky Company had surprised us with their Warthogs, shooting into the trees to flush us out. Some of us were on the ground already, shouting for everyone to get down, but we were already too tired to hear anything else. Even the ever-alert Kitty had fallen asleep on her post, as well as the other scouts.
"Everyone, fall back!" she shouted, the rubber bullets bouncing off the Kevlar vests we had taken from the POWs. "Vann, get Randy and his team over here now! We can't afford to have anyone left behind, traitors or not!"
"Yes, ma'am!" she shouted, being covered by three others while dragging the team behind the lines.
"And get the wounded and detained to be the first ones in!"
I checked the time again. Five minutes. I looked up and saw that the Pelicans were hovering right above us, waiting for the exact time to drop. I fired several more rounds and ducked behind Charlie as he gave me cover and I switched magazines. I dropped to my stomach and fired at those who were in the trees, hitting square between the eyes. Kitty had her pistol and was hitting one person per round. When she needed to change, she threw a flash grenade and ducked into the snow, only to pop back out like a snow leopard and fire another salvo at the oncoming attackers.
Three minutes…
We were losing the battle, but we kept on fighting. We were trained to be soldiers, no longer on our own, but together with our sibling in arms.
Two minutes…
I could see that we were low on ammunition and those behind us were using the snow as weapons, throwing snow-covered rocks.
One minute…
I motioned for everyone to get into small groups and get ready to board the Pelicans, once they were on the ground.
Zero…
"EVERYONE GET IN!" Isis shouted, pointing to Pei to jump in first.
Pei nodded and leapt into the ship with her team, followed by the other seven other scouting teams while pulling in the injured. The remaining two leapt into another Pelican while several others also jumped in, the leaders on the ground giving cover fire. One by one, the dropships were being filled. The Husky Company howled and blitzed in for the kill, only for us to return fire. Kitty and Tommy had jumped into the last ship, leaving Charlie and I to be the last ones. Both of us ran backwards, keeping up the fire while being grabbed by the back by Antoine and Jimmy. Three others grabbed Charlie and I stared at the pilot.
"Let's go!" I shouted, only for two people in white armor to jump in unexpectedly.
The whole ship rocked as the weight pulled down a little from the extra two passengers. Everyone gasped as they cleared the way, and I watched as these towering figures stood before me.
"Neala-468?" one asked.
I didn't know who they were, but from their armor, I knew they were Spartans, and I stood up in fear and respect of them.
"Yes?" I replied.
They held out their hand. I knew what this meant and stripped off all the weapons and armor, turning them into the waiting pair of hands. As soon as that was over, they stood next to me, each on my opposite flanks. I could feel Randy's eyes, jeering at me, but I could also tell that he was coming down with something. Good riddance…
As we rode back, I began to feel sick in my stomach and leaned into the armored suit. As cold as it was, I did not care. I was tired… I was sick…
And I needed help, fast…
Time: 0530 hours
Date: March 14, 2562 (Military Calendar)
Location: Enroute to Camp Recluse, 1,025 km from UNSC Training/Research Facility, planet Reach-II, system Unknown
"Chief, all children have been accounted for, but many of them are sick, some with hypothermia and other sub-zero related illnesses," Kale reported. "All of them will need to be sent into the medical ward for a physical, the ones that have been battered especially."
"All right, Kale," a voice replied over his headset. "What about Neala?"
"I'm afraid she's not doing so well," Kelly replied. "Her temperature is running at 103 degrees and climbing, sir."
"I was afraid this would happen… What about the others?"
Kale answered this one as he transferred the information of those on his Pelican to the chief officer's palm unit.
"Sir, they are all in need of attention, minor or not."
"I've already alerted the medical ward, and they are waiting for our arrival. Just make sure that Neala is among the living when we arrive, got it?"
"Yes, sir. We understand."
"Good… In the meantime, when you arrive, have all the weapons and armor removed from all of them. Huskies want their play toys back."
"We will, sir. As soon as we drop off the kids, we'll send a few of the uninjured kids to deliver the cra-"
"No," Mendez stopped Kale mid-syllable. "I will deliver them myself tomorrow as I do have to speak with their general."
"Very well, sir. We'll see to it that these kids are treated and on their way to training tomorrow."
"Very good, but give them a day's rest…"
"Yes, sir…"
"Mendez out…"
Kelly checked all the biorhythms of each kid in their Pelican, as well as getting information from those on the other ships. Many were in severe health danger zones. She banged a fist against the cockpit door, sending a low vibration through the entire hull. Everyone looked at her in fear, but stayed quiet.
"How long until we land?" her external speakers barked.
"About fifteen minutes, ma'am," the pilot replied. "These Pelicans are going as fast as they can, and adding headwind to it, it's just not our day."
"Just keep at it, soldier. We're counting on you to get these kids in."
"Yes, ma'am."
Kitty crawled over, limping slightly as she had taken a heavy blow to her leg when one of the Huskies managed to fire at her while she scrambled on. The pain was dulled a bit, but the skin had been slightly torn, a flesh wound. She whimpered a bit, touching Neala's knee.
"Will she be ok?" she whispered, forgetting about her own pain, but thinking of her leader's.
Kelly looked down at the girl. She reminded her of when she was little, worried about her comrades more than herself, but she was also able to contain herself and worried about her own well-being when needed. She held out an arm and brought Kitty on to her lap, a gesture that struck Kale as very odd, but he stayed quiet as he continued to monitor those who were in dire need of attention.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Mind you, this was written during the wee hours of when I should be sleeping. However, insomnia has a way with me, so I barely sleep. This chapter, along with a few of the future ones that are this long, are results of me not betting enough sleep. So, many apologies to those who are reading this and are used to shorter chapters. I wish I can cut these into seperate chapters, but that would make them too short. The shooting scenes did take place during a game on Halo: Custom Edition, where we actually did act this out on the maps Coldsnap and Arctic Wasteland V2, although I wish I had the original script that was posted during the game via in-game chat instead of recording them on XFire.
Regardless, sorry for the multiple OOCs, but I am seriously out of it when I write these... Half the time, I'm like, "WTF was I on while writing?" which usually ends up being nothing but me being way too tired... College can have a major toll on you...