THE SECOND GROUP

(Disclaimer: I don't own Halo)

James sat in silent pain in the passenger seat of the Warthog, the wooded countryside flying past as Donald drove recklessly through it. Tyler did his best to hang on to the gun in the back and Menendez held on to the roll bar for dear life while the trio of Marines in the second vehicle did their best to keep up.

James was the only one without a H.U.D. and constantly bugged Donald about what was going on. The ground battle had intensified only thirty miles east of their present position and they could hear the occasional explosion and fighter plane.

"We're getting our asses kicked," Donald grumbled, "Like always, it's legions of Covenant troops against our measly brigade. They have better weapons and more support units."

"Stop bitchin' Donald," James told him, "I want to know how it's going not how it's going to end." James was always as pessimistic as Donald when it came to the end of the battle.

"They're pulling back to defend a city about twenty miles east of here," Donald relayed, "A fresh brigade has shown up in a new boat and is currently dropping in to fortify the city while the first brigade we came with pulls around behind the city to organize the evacuation before we leave this place to be glassed. I still don't know why we don't just get the hell out of here."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch, that's all you do," James said giving him a smile, "Must be making up for Johns since he's gone now."

"I'd rather not talk about people being gone, thank you very much," Donald said. James was about to reply when he ramped off the top of a hill and landed them hard into a small stream which they crossed.

"How much farther till we get there?" James asked.

"At this pace," Donald said musing, "Maybe ten minutes."

James shrugged off the impatience he was feeling and continued to fight off the pain of his ribs. He was sure only one or two were broke they were all bruised to hell and gone."

"Just think," he said to Donald, "Some officer is going to claim that hammer we sent back and make up some story about how he killed the Chieftain and claimed it." He gave a chuckle, "Poor bastard will probably never see one up close."

"Yeah well," Donald said, "You know you just made legend status. Taking down a Brute by yourself is hard enough, but you took down a Chieftain and with a knife."

"He was already dying," James pointed out, "And he was blind."

"Still," Donald insisted, "It's gonna spread and you're gonna be famous."

James shrugged uncomfortably and sat silent for the remainder of the ride, they turned to follow a ridge and Donald suddenly stopped a few feet short of a gap. He leaned forward to try and see better but several trees blocked the way.

"The navpoint is showing it to be in this valley," he told James, "And satellite shows this to be the only way in. Should we truck it or sneak in?"

James studied on it for a moment and then shrugged, "Fuck it."

Donald nodded and gunned the Warthog forward whipping it around the trees and into the opening. James propped himself up in his seat, his feet pushing hard against the dash in front of him to hold himself high in the seat. He rested the barrel of his sniper rifle on the windshield and scanned the area as best he could with the wind tearing into his eyes. Donald gunned the vehicle over a small dip in the ground and they were suddenly on flat ground with dozens of enemy troops surrounding them.

Donald let out a surprised yelp as he began to whip the Warthog back and forth running over as many as he could reach. Tyler tore into them with the Machine gun and Menendez opened fire as best he could then gave up to throw grenades. James took down a grunt and then Donald whipped to the right and an Elite was right in front of his scope. He fired and Donald whipped left this time putting a Jackal in the line of sight. Quickly finding the gap in the shield James fired before being whipped left again where he caught a pair of Grunts just standing there stupidly.

The second Warthog was in on the action now and they tried to mimic Donald's actions, but a plasma grenade blew off a tire and the vehicle tore into the ground before falling over. The driver was thrown from the Warthog during the blast and was crushed by it when it rolled. The remaining two Marines were thrown from their positions and found themselves at the mercy of the enemy. Donald shielded them with his vehicle while they ran for cover into a cave in the ridge wall. A pair of Marines beckoned them to hurry up. Donald was firing from the driver's seat while James fired over his head.

"Menendez!" James yelled, "Get in the cave." He watched out of the corner of his eye as Menendez dismounted and ran for it. When they were clear Donald began whipping the Warthog again, which was now smoking from the engine.

"I don't think our ride's gonna last much longer," he yelled to James, who nodded before yelling back.

"Drive it into the cave!" he yelled and Donald turned towards the cave. They almost made it before a Banshee came screaming overhead and fired at them. The blast took out the back two tires of the Warthog and Tyler screamed as the plasma splash extended to his legs.

At a halt now James hopped out, his ribs and head screaming in protest, grabbed Tyler and helped him hobble into the cave. Donald ran backward covering them as they went. James stumbled from the concussion of a blast and then again as a bolt of plasma ripped through his suit and burned his arm. Cursing his luck as he ran he managed to make it without getting hit again.

Dragging Tyler deep into the cave James deposited him in a safe spot in the back to be treated by a medic. Stumbling back to the entrance he snatched his sniper rifle off his back he sought to cover Donald but found it weirdly quiet. He watched for a moment before turning to see who he was with now. A Lieutenant still in his blue flight suit approached James.

"Lieutenant Walker, Corporal," he said offering a smile. "I have to say I'm glad to see you, but I do wish you weren't in this predicament with us."

James laughed, "Me too sir. I wish I had stayed home and never gone near the military."

"You're wounded," he said it more of a statement then as a question, but James answered anyways.

"Plasma burns, one or two broken ribs, and a split head that hurts like hell," he commented with a wry smile. "Is there a back way out of here?"

"I haven't had a chance to look. I've got three sailors and four Marines," Lieutenant Walker said, "Exploring this cave was on the bottom of my priority list."

"Yes sir, but I'd like to send a man to look to the back if it's ok with you," James said.

Lieutenant Walker shrugged, "I might be an officer, but I think this is more your area of expertise then mine."

"Yes sir," James chuckled, "I reckon it would be."

"Holy fuck!" was all James heard his head pounding painfully as he turned to the front of the cave. A sailor on watch was standing there shaking in fear.

"What is it?" James demanded. It took a moment for the sailor to turn to meet his eyes.

"Tanks, Corporal. Great bloody tanks, coming right up our ass," he struggled to remain calm and James replaced him on watch with Donald.

"Use that laser you've been carrying all day," James told him, "Keep Menendez here to watch too."

He turned to find a pair of Marines, a Private First Class and a Lance Corporal, and sent them to explore the back of the cave.

He gave Lieutenant Walker a look and said, "I think our day just got worse, sir."