Lone Wolf
Mombasa Streets, New Mombasa
October 20 2552, 21:25
Jack patrols the streets, moving through the same area that he went through an hour ago. He hears a familiar noise, and looks up, an ODST falls a great height from a building, the Spartan catching him. "So you're the Rookie? Been looking for you. We've gotta find Captain Dare. Hope you got you're as good as your profile says you are." Jack announces, but notices that the Helljumper doesn't say a word. "Curious. He's a mute. Interesting. I'll run background checks on him for you Jack." Alice interjects, searching info on him using the Battle-Net. "He's contracted post-traumatic vocal dis articulation. Doesn't say when. Still, monitoring all sub wave and normal wave radio freq's." Alice continues. "Can anyone hear me? This is Captain Veronica Dare! My beacon is active, I need immediate assistance! Someone, please respond!" the Captains voice booming through the Spartan's helmet, and the Rookies. Jack turns to the Rookie, and nods. He nods back. "Captain Dare, this is Spartan 260. Hang tight. Where are you?" Jack exclaims over the radio, waiting for the reply. They head for the way point indicated by Alice on their HUD's, and reach an elevator shaft. They fast rope down, and reach the bottom. "They've got me cornered! I'm low on ammo! If you reach me, I'm on sub-level nine, near station t-" her transmission cuts out from static interference. Jack looks at the wall at the Rookie's right, which says SUB LEVEL 07, accompanied by the cities AI. After piling through small amounts of Covenant resistance, they reach a survivor, about to be killed. Jack and the Rookie destroy the enemy, and get to the NMPD officer, sweating profusely. "Thanks guys, they almost had me. I'm trying to get down to the next level to check on my team, but...this stack is locked down tight." he announces. Jack walks towards the stack, and it activates.
"Hold up a sec. I got to tech on a..personnel issue." the officer exclaims, walking up to a door on the left side of a frozen room. He enters, and the Spartan, curious, follows him. "What kind of personnel issue?" the Spartan replies, activating his white hot settings in his visor. "What are you, stupid? I told you to wait outside!" the officer yells, the Spartan getting up in his face. "What the fuck is this." the Spartan yells back, pointing at the body. "Kinsler gave me real specific instructions: Make sure the Doc's dead, and make double sure no one knows about it." the officer continues. The Rookie enters the room as well, and sees the body. He begins to raise his M6 SOCOM at the officer. "Sorry, you know way to much." the officer exclaims, raising his shotgun at the spartan. Jack raises his hands, and moves the shotgun in the air, the officer firing. The Rookie aims his SOCOM at the officer and fires, sending a round right through his skull. He drops, and falls to the ground, motionless. "Thanks bud." Jack whispers, giving the Rookie the thumbs up. Jack moves towards the body, and checks for a pulse. Nothing. He takes the persons identification, and stores it in his side pouch. "Let's go Corporal." Jack announces.
"Buck? Who knows if he can hear me but... I'm sorry. I should have told you more about this mission, more... about everything." Dare announces over the network. The Rookie and Jack moving closer and closer to her beacon. They eliminate a lance squad, and reach the location. The spartan approaches the doorway, and knocks six times. The door opens and Dare pulls the lever on her pistol. Seeing the Spartan there, and the Rookie, she seems surprised. "Thank you Spartan. You too.. What was your name again?" she muttered. A strange gurgle like sound is heard, and she motions for them to get inside. "Some idiots blew the building at the top of the shaft. Woke the whole hive." she continues, shaking her head. "Orders are orders 'mam. We did what was necessary." Jack responds, removing his helmet. She looks to him as if she was to slap him, but decides not to. "Down there? That's the Superintendent. The AI that runs every system in the city. Our mission is to secure the Superintendent's data. Problem is, there's only one way in from here... Right through the hive. It would've been suicide to go alone, and I was hoping for more backup. A Spartan and an ODST, surprised me." "He surprised me too 'mam. We should get moving." Jack interjects, placing his helmet back on his head.
The three of them enter the Data Center, weapons at the ready. At the end of the room is the data core. As the Spartan moves closer to look at it, a spark lights off in it and there is a strange noise. The door closes, and they turn on their lights. The screen in front of them shuts off, and they walk to the core. Suddenly, a small tentacle appears through the hole. Dare raises her pistol, but Jack stops her. "Wait." he whispers, and motions for the Rookie to come forward. He whistles, and a Huragok comes forward. "Ho-ly shit." Dare announces, watching the Engineer move closer to Jack. He removes his helmet, and places it at his side. "This what you were looking for Captain?" he responds, looking at her. "Yes. ONI calls them Engineers, believes they're some sort of biological supercomputer. If I'm right, this one's taken the Superintendents data and combined it with it's own. Everything we need to know about the Covenant, what they're looking for underneath the city is right in there." she points to the head of it. Jack moves towards the screen and inserts Alice into the mainframe. A black figure appears on screen, another ODST. "Buck!" Dare yells through her radio, hoping that he hears her. "Veronica? Where the hell are you?" he responds. "Data Center, but we're coming out."
"We?"