Figured I better upload the next chapter before I start moving to my College. I'll get the next chapter posted hopefully after I get settled in at my Dorm.
(CHAPTER 14) COLD RAIN CRIES SOFTLY
The pouring rain pelted down on SPARTAN-45 and Yuki as they fled the building they had been taking shelter in. Using his own body he shielded the small girl from the downpour of cold rain the best he could. Taking the Phantom was the main thought in his mind but having a small child with him made it to risky. There only option was to get themselves as far away from the building as possible and find another safe place to hide.
It was getting to be late afternoon and it would be getting darker soon, and the thick heavy storm clouds weren't doing him any good on lighting either. "Are you picking up any movement Yuna?" Eric asked as he ran down the city street trying to stay as out of sight as possible. "No, I don't think they heard us leave the building but, when that Brute finds those dead Grunts there going to be hunting the area." Eric kept running. "I'm not worried about that, Brutes are stupid we can get out of range of them easy."
Eric ducked down a smaller street and moved a few blocks over just to get a nice gap between himself and the Covenant. He was doing his best to avoid any and all conflicts to keep Yuki safe. Eric heard a loud hum. "Get down!" Yuna yelled. Eric ducked in a small maintenance doorway on the side of the building. It led partially underground so it gave a nice roof for cover. Eric crouched. Yuki asked nervously. "What's going on?" Eric said calmly. "It's ok, just be really still." The hum grew louder. Eric looked up and saw a Phantom fly overhead. "There scouting for you." Yuna said. Eric replied, "That's all right, I can sneak around scouting parties." Eric checked to make sure it was clear. The Phantom had passed and the city went quiet again. Eric headed back out into the rain. "Keep close to the buildings incase you need to duck for cover again." Yuna told him. Eric crept along the structures keeping himself and Yuki as out of sight as possible. "Don't have to tell me twice." He answered.
Eric heard another Phantom. He looked around and couldn't spot it. "Yuna, track it." He said as he ducked down. "It's flying two blocks south of out location. You're fine, keep moving." Eric checked around just to make sure his path was clear. He cautiously started moving. "We're going to be ok, right?" Yuki asked quietly. "Don't worry, as long as I'm with you, nothing will happen to you. I won't let anyone hurt you." Eric told her reassuringly. She nodded quietly to herself and rested her head against his chest plate.
Minus the sound of the constant fall of rain, the city was eerily quiet. The only sound that echoed through the streets was the dull thump of Eric's boots hitting the sidewalk. It had been quiet for almost five minutes and no more Phantoms seemed to be patrolling the area. "Are you tracking anything Yuna?" He asked. "Nothing, I think where in the clear for now." Eric stopped and knelt down. "What is it?" Yuna asked. Eric found a spent shell casing from an MA5C. "Marines went through here." Eric said. "Yeah but we don't know how long ago that was, it could have been hours ago." Yuna replied. Eric looked around. On the sidewalk he found several more spent rounds. He followed them and saw a boot print in a wad of trash on the sidewalk. The print matched the sole of an ODST's boot. It was heading to the left of the direction he was going. He changed course and ran down the street hoping to find a friendly contact. "Are you sure this wont just be another crazy side mission?" Yuna asked. "Not sure, but we're going to find out." The Spartan replied.
Several blocks down he saw several bodies of dead grunts. He walked up to them and knelt down. "How long ago were they killed?" he asked. "Seventeen point six hours ago." Eric signed. "They were killed before The Arch fell." He stood back up and kept going. "What now?" Yuna asked. "You do know that the odds of finding friendlies down here now are highly unlikely." Eric replied, "Yeah but who knows, we might run into something that we can use."
A few blocks down Eric found himself in a large open public square. The large flat stone area was at least a square mile of open air park and food stands, most of which were all abandoned or broken from the attacks. He slowly walked in and looked around. No sign of any temporary bases set up so stocking up on extra ammo was out of the question for this location. However there was one thing that both he and Yuki could use. He walked up to one of the abandoned food stands and found a drink cooler. He tried to open the case only to find it to be locked. He set Yuki down and gripped the edges of the coolers lid. He easily pried open the cooler like it was made of tin foil. He pulled out two bottles of juice. "You thirsty?" He asked Yuki. She nodded silently. He knelt down and handed her one of the bottles of juice. He took his helmet off and drank down the cool liquid.
Out of the silence there was an ear deafening boom. Eric and Yuki both turned to look for the source of the sound. About three miles to the north of there location, the two saw a large building erupt in a massive fire ball. The roof of the building immediately collapsed and the two watched the massive structure crumble to the ground. Yuki grabbed onto Eric and held on in fear. "What in the hell!?" Eric said to himself. "Is the Covenant attacking again?" He asked. Yuna answered back. "No, there was no large scale plasma fire, I would have detected it." Eric quickly put his helmet back on and tossed his empty bottle aside. He picked Yuki up and started to move again. Being out in the open like this wasn't the best idea, especially when a large explosion just occurred.
He headed parallel to the explosion. Ahead of him lying lifeless on the side of the road was a dead Brute. Good, he was still headed in the right direction. He quickly searched the Brute for any weapons. He found its Brute Shot but only two rounds were left for it. There was no point in even taking it. He did manage to find two Incinerarie Grenades. He took the two and kept moving.
A few minutes later Yuki quietly asked. "What's that?" Eric stopped and looked to where she was pointing. In a pile of rubble was an overturned Warthog. Eric quickly ran over to it. He set Yuki down and said, "Yuki, you just found us a way out of here!" "I'm just glad I could help you." She said quietly as she smiled. Eric said, "Wait right there, I'm gonna get this flipped back over and we can get out of here." Eric ran around the other side. Laying lifeless on the ground next to the overturned vehicle were the bodies of three dead Marines. Eric quickly gathered there dog tags and scavenged for ammo. He managed to max out his ammo count for his MA5C and he found a Battle Rifle with one hundred and eight rounds.
He walked over to the vehicle and gripped the alloy. He said, "Stand back Yuki." He flexed his legs and lifted the vehicle. It tipped back over and bounced back onto its wheels. It had some minor damage, caused by a Covenant Anti Vehicle Mine most likely. Yuki walked over to the passenger side. "Are we leaving the city now?" She asked quietly. Eric picked her up and set her in the passenger seat. "We sure are and you're going to go somewhere safe." Eric buckled her in and hopped in the driver's seat.
Eric hit the ignition. The engine sputtered and coughed. He tapped the gas pedal and tried again. "Come on, Start!" He said. The engine staggered then roared to life. He hit the accelerator and headed down the street. "Yuna, update the GPS and get me a location to the outskirts." A green arrow appeared on the navigation screen. "There you go." She said happily.
The Warthog sped down the city streets. Eric wanted to get to the outskirts as fast as possible. Several minor setbacks held him up, mostly driving down roads that were impassible due to rubble blocking the road. However for the most part he was making good time. "If we keep this steady pace, we should make it to the outskirts in roughly forty minutes." Yuna reported. "Wait," She continued. "I'm picking up movement from behind us." Eric looked in the rear view mirror. He saw two Phantoms giving chase. "You've got to be kidding me!" He yelled. He stomped on the gas and the Warthog took off. Yuki nervously looked in the side view mirror. She started to panic in fear. "There after us!" she yelled. "The monsters are after us!" "It's alright, I'll loose them." Eric told her reassuringly.
The lead Phantom shot off several bursts from its plasma cannon. Eric swerved back and forth trying to dodge the shots. He came to an intersection. He quickly pulled the E brake and slid around the corner. The Phantoms quickly changed course. The second ship was too late and crashed into the side of a building. The ship exploded in a large blue burst of plasma and fire. "One down!" Eric said to himself.
Eric tried the same trick again at the next intersection. The Phantom easily changed its course and kept in pursuit. "There's only one way out of this one," Yuna yelled, "you're gonna have to disappear from sight." The Spartan replied, "Well, are there any tunnels coming up?" Yuna answered back. "None." Eric rolled his eyes, "That's not helping!" Several bursts of neon pink plasma impacted the pavement next to the Warthog. Yuki yelled out in fear. Eric swerved back and forth trying to dodge shots.
Up ahead the street was partially flooded from the heavy rainfall. The Warthog hit the patch of flooded roadway and hydroplaned. The Spartan fought for control. The vehicle was sent broadside. The Phantom shot a beam of plasma at the rear tire and sent the Warthog tumbling on its side and did several barrel rolls and violently tumbled along the pavement. Eric quickly put his hand over Yuki's small body and held her down on the seat. Several seconds later the Warthog slid to a stop on its roof. The Phantom flew over head and went around a building several blocks down to double back for another pass.
Eric quickly got out and ran around to the passenger side. He knelt down and saw Yuki. She was shaken up and had a cut on her forehead. He quickly undid her belt and carefully pulled her out. He asked nervously looking over her body for any sever wounds. "Are you ok!?" She whimpered, "My head…, it hurts real bad!" Eric quickly picked her up. "It's ok, you're going to be alright." Eric quickly ran down the street. "Yuna, scan her vitals!" A few seconds later she reported, "Aside from the cut on her forehead, she has some minor bruising, and that's it." "Good." He said.
Ahead of him the Phantom came around the building and hovered. Eric quickly ground to a halt. He turned to head back the other way and saw another Phantom blocking his way. The Spartan froze. He held Yuki close to him and said, "Yuna, any ideas?" The grav lift on the first Phantom descended. Eric quickly pulled out his Assault Rifle and held it at firing position with one hand while cradling Yuki in the other. Two Brutes in low rank armor descended. Eric held his gun at the ready. Both Brutes held there Brute Shots at firing position. The one said, "Drop you weapons and surrender now Demon!" In any other situation he wouldn't hesitate to fire but he had a child with him and he wasn't taking chances. Then again, he remembered that the Covenant rarely took prisoners.
He whispered, "Yuna, did the second Phantom drop its grav lift?" She replied, "No, its just hovering with a careful aim on you." Eric replied not moving a muscle. "Well, that's comforting to know." He had one shot at this, if he didn't take action now, both he and Yuki would be killed. He quietly whispered to Yuki. "Hold your ears honey." She held her tiny hands over her ears and buried her face in Eric's chest plate. Eric slowly clipped his Assault Rifle back to the back of his suit. The Brute roared, "I said drop your weapons!" Eric quickly pulled out an Incinerarie Grenade and whipped it at the one Brute. The device impacted in the Brutes face and burst into flame. The Brute yelled out and was instantly killed. Eric quickly pulled his Assault Rifle back out and shot at the remaining Brute. The sudden loud popping of the Rifle made Yuki jump. The Brute collapsed to the ground and died.
Reinforcements dropped down and shot at the Spartan. He quickly dodged and popped off several rounds into the Grunts and Jackals that wildly shot at him. Reloading while holding Yuki posed a problem, it slowed him down far too much for his liking. He quickly took aim and killed the remaining troops. As more descended down Yuki panicked. Hearing weapons fire brought back memories of her parent's death. She yelled out in fear, "Mommy! Help!" She wiggled loose from Eric's grip and ran off towards one of the buildings. "Yuki no!" Eric yelled. He ran off after her firing at the troops descending down from the Phantom. Elites wielding Carbines and plasma Rifles shot at him. The continuous impacts quickly drained his shields and his suits alarms screamed. As he ran for Yuki he felt a Carbine round strike him in the lower back. He grunted in pain and staggered. He saw Yuki frantically trying to get the door of a building open. He quickly ran up to her and shielded her with his body. He felt several more rounds strike him and Plasma Rifle rounds splashed off the alloy of his fusion pack. Another Carbine round struck him in the back. He yelled in pain and buckled over. Yuna yelled. "Grab her and get out of here!" Eric staggered. He forced his training to kick in and he pushed the pain aside. He quickly picked up Yuki. She screamed and flailed around violently. He managed to get her held back in place. Eric sprinted off and shot at the Elites. An Elite primed a Plasma Grenade and readied itself to throw it. Eric quickly sighted on it and fired. The Elite staggered and dropped the Grenade at its feet. Several seconds later it detonated killing the Elite and draining the others shields. Eric quickly popped off sever rounds at the Elite and killed it.
The Phantoms shot there Plasma Cannons at his feet as he ran. He vaulted himself backwards and crashed through the window of a building. He landed on his back cradling Yuki to his chest and shielding her from the raining glass. Eric quickly sat up. Yuki looked at him and said with tear filled eyes. "I'm so sorry! I ran off and you got hurt by the monsters because of me!" She began to cry out loudly. "Yuki its ok, I only care that you're safe. Yuki looked at Eric with her bright tear filled purple eyes.
What happened next seemed like slow motion. Eric heard Yuna yell, "NOOO!!" Time seemed to crawl as Eric looked up. He heard the bang of a Carbine and saw blood splatter on the front of his armor and helmet. Yuki's expression changed. Her eyes stared blankly out into space and blood seeped down from a hole in her forehead. Her tiny body went limp in the Spartans arms. Eric sat in shock. He couldn't move. He only sat and stared at Yuki's lifeless body as she lay limp and bleeding in his arms.
Eric's adrenaline began to pump. He began to breath heavy and almost began to hyperventilate from the sudden shock. He yelled out in anger and frustration. He heard a Brute say, "How easily a human life is taken. If only the same went for you Demon." Eric set Yuki's body down. He stood up and gripped his Assault Rifle. He quietly uttered out. "You killed her. You killed her you sick bastard. …And now," Eric gripped the Assault Rifle so hard the alloy began to bend. He threw the weapon down and charged. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" In a blind rage filled by adrenaline and hate, the Spartan dove on the Brute knocking them both onto the ground. He gripped down on the Brutes throat with his left hand while punching with the other. He yelled out as he pounded the aliens face, "You killed her you sick fuck! You killed an innocent child! You bastards already took it all away from her and then you fuckers go and do this!" Eric felt the Brutes bone crush under the force of his punches. Thick blood spurted out with every punch and within seconds the Brute was dead. Eric stood up and yelled out in a blind fury.
From up above he could hear the roar of a Longsword Fighter. Two Longswords flew down and bombarded the two Phantoms with heavy weapons fire. Both Phantoms sustained heavy damage and flew off after the Longswords. He could care less at the moment. Right now, the only thought running through his mind was till kill every last Covenant on Aurora. Over his COM channel he heard, "We have SPARTAN-45's location! Repeat, we have a location on SPARTAN-45!" Reinforcements had come. He would be able to go to the base and meet back up with Kalder if he was even still alive. His adrenaline level wouldn't allow him to process any of this. Eric's blind rage had left him out of tune with reality. Yuna yelled, "Eric, snap out of it!" Eric continued to kick the body of the Brute he had just beat to death. Yuna scanned his vitals. His heart rate was dangerously high and his nervous system was going wild. She quickly re routed his suits energy system and sent a stun wave through his body. Eric yelled out and fell to the ground. Yuna quickly put his suit in lockdown and he was left immobile. Yuna said sternly. "Eric you need to calm down! Yuki's dead and there's nothing you can do to change it! You protected her the best you could and you can't blame yourself for what that bastard Brute did!" Eric fought to move in his suit and he yelled out in frustration. Yuna sent another stun burst through his body. The Spartan yelled in pain and went limp. "It's ok Soldier Boy, reinforcements are here and where getting out of here." "What about Yuki!" He yelled. "I was supposed to get her out of here! That fucker killed her!" "There was nothing you could do!" Yuna argued back. Eric quietly said in frustration, "I failed. I failed my mission to keep her safe."
Eric calmed himself down and he felt his adrenaline level returning to normal. He winced in pain. The drop of his adrenaline also brought back the pain from his wounds. "Here, let me help you." Yuna said softly. She had his suit inject Bio-Foam into his wound. Eric winced in pain as the foam filled his wound. The all too familiar feeling of sandpaper on raw flesh that always came with Bio-Foam that every soldier loved to feel. Yuna deactivated his suits lock down. Eric slowly sat up and gathered himself. He turned and saw Yuki's tiny body lying with a pool of blood at her head. He slowly got up and walked over to her. Sorrow filled him. The little girl that he fought so hard to protect and who became his friend for a short time lay dead before him. He slowly picked up her tiny body and found a sofa in the lobby of the building he was in to lay her down on. He closed her bright purple eyes and folded her hands elegantly over her waist. He pulled out the wallet that he found with her dead father and pulled out the picture of her with her family. He looked at it and saw how happy she looked. He placed the picture on her chest. He slowly stood and fought off his emotions. He turned and headed for the door and didn't look back.
"Three, Two, One, Mark!" A drop pod went sailing out from the drop bay of the UNSC Capitol Ship, The Raven. Its passenger sat motionless inside as he sailed towards the planets surface. Inside the voice of an A.I. spoke. "I'll guide us down as close to his location as possible. I can't guarantee an exact landing site but it will be close." He replied, "Thank you Dokuro."
Eric walked silently down the city street holding the Battle Rifle he had found. He left his Assault Rifle behind. It was now bent and unusable because of his grip bending the weapon. Eric heard a rumble. He looked up and a few streets down he saw a streak of flame heading towards the surface. His first thought was a piece of debris from the space battle above him. He looked closer and said, "Wait a minute. That's a…" He was cut off be the sound of a familiar female voice. She said, "It's been a long time Yuna." Yuna gasped. "Dokuro!?" The name Dokuro spiked the memory. He heard the Drop Pod land a few streets down. Eric took off running. Dokuro was another Smart A.I. that possessed the same abilities as Yuna and Mitsuki did, and there was only one other person that Eric knew was her carrier.
Eric saw the drop pod sitting in a small smoking crater it had made in the middle of the street. The hatch popped off and a Spartan in cobalt and white armor stepped out. It was Chief Petty Officer Devon Sheesley, age 21, SPARTAN-69. He said to Eric, "Thought you could use some assistance." Eric said out loud, "Took you long enough!" Devon smirked, and looked at how damaged Eric's armor was and said, "Nice to see you too…, you look like shit by the way." Eric shook his head. "Don't even get me started." Devon continued, "General Smith lead in a large fleet of ships and god knows how many more Marines to kick the asses of what's left of the Covenant here. Air support is just getting back into the city and they'll be busy taking care of remaining Banshee's and Phantom's so we'll have to drive the rest of the way. Don't worry thought, I called in for an equipment drop, they'll be here soon." Devon grabbed his Sniper Rifle out of the Drop Pod. He pulled the bolt and fed a fresh round in. "I heard Kalder was down here with you, where is he?" "Your guess is as good as mine, we got separated when we landed and then lost communication with each other early this morning." "If he's smart and listened to Mitsuki, he'll be heading to the Outskirts to the new base that's been established." Dokuro said.
Two Pelican's flew over head. For the first time in hours Eric heard the sound of a Marines voice. "Good to see your ok Sir. We were all worried sick about you." "I'm fine." Eric replied. The two Pelican's hovered above the street and dropped two Warthogs loaded with ammo and supplies. Devon tossed his Sniper in the passenger seat and said, "Check the storage of your Warthog." Eric walked over and opened up the compartment and saw a new visor for his helmet. "How did you know I needed one?" He asked as he picked up the new visor. "Dr. Halsey got a message from Yuna with a list of replacement parts that your suit needed. I figured you would need this one the most so I had them bring it here, the rest is waiting at the base at the outskirts." Devon replied as he checked through his own equipment. Yuna said, "When you were resting in the glass fields I sent out a message to Dr. Halsey. I didn't think it would get there this fast." Eric took off his helmet and popped out the frame of what was left of his old visor. He picked up the new golden replacement and fitted it in. He put his helmet back on and his HUD flashed back to life. "Man how I missed that thing." He said to himself. Devon hopped in the driver's seat of his Warthog and said, "Mount up!"