Author's Notes: Alright! Next chapter! Sorry it took so long...I had it almost ready, but the end of the semester has arrived, and I've got more projects and papers to do than I can count (yeah, I thought I had a lot during midterms...and I was WRONG). Still, I got this one finished, and I really hope to have a pair out to add to it soon. Sorry, and please let me know if I have any readers left! lol. But, FIRST:

WARNING I have bad news. This was supposed to be posted with the last chapter, but I failed to remember. My favorite author, Michael Crichton, passed away a few weeks ago, on November 4th, 2008. This is my small tribute to a great author, and to the greatest book of all-time (my oh-so-humble opinion): Jurassic Park. He had some other excellent works, and will be missed greatly. If you agree with this tribute...feel free to say so. If you do not...you should probably leave that fact to be noted at a later time, as I'm still quite upset and emotionally unstable. /WARNING

This one...also short. Seems to be a trend for this segment. But that's okay, 'cause I get them out faster. And they're still 4000 words or so. I'm cutting them off for content, I assure you, and no other reason. Now, for this one...I do a little bit more with Nova. Nothing major. It's gonna take time, and I want kind of a gradual integration. That being said, I'm skipping straight to reviews, so that I can get to the chapter!

REVIEWS:

Samson00: Hola! I agree entirely...it has come quite a ways. They went from a bunch of puzzled kids to the next movie I wanna see! Grrrrr. lol. This segment is gonna be awesome though! I can't wait to actually get it done...if college ever gives me a break.

killerman83ca: Hey! Yeah...things are heating up once again, finally. I've got this segment planned out though, so no worries. Thanks for reviewing!

Taylor114: Glad you like the introduction of Nova. And I promise you two things: Yes, they will have similar traits and (maybe) similar augments (haven't entirely decided yet), but NO, they will not "just be clones" of Zulu. I have characters I like. I don't need more of the exact same. lol. Thanks for the review, and I hope you like what's on the way!

WolfyWolf: Hey! I'm happy that everyone has taken such a liking to Nova and the new personalities that I'm (slowly) introducing. I'm deciding the details on their augments still, but I'll seriously take your idea into consideration. ;) Thanks for the compliments and your review, and I look forward to your input on this next one!

i-kill-jackals: Why thank you! And thanks for reviewing as well!

Bashbro: lol, thanks very much. I'm hoping this only gets better...

Mhop12: Sorry...they're gonna be kind of short occasionally, especially since I'm splitting the team and I'll try to do them in pairs after this one. But, still, things should work out for the best, I think. Also...sorry to hear about your X-Box...hope it's working by now. Thanks for your review!

Eternity of Night: lol...Flood ftw huh? I guess we'll just have to see. Thanks!

Redflame101: Yep, lol, a few new ones. And no, as of right now...there are no plans for them to ever personally meet the Master Chief. Sorry...again, my reason is a simple one: I don't think I could accurately do his personality, and I'd rather not stain a very well-crafted character. Thanks for your review though!

If I was the Master Chief: lol, sorry...guess I should have specified: they're from a different program, so the numbers are different. Also, that particular number would be N043, for Nova Company, so it is different. Thanks though!

Woodzy14: Glad you like Nova too. Everyone seems to have taken to them well (which I'm very happy about). And as for Vic...well, it's coming up. Thanks for reviewing!

vernox: lol, yeah...Zeke and Daniel would have mild issues if paired. Not to mention, I tossed around having Blaine on the ground, wreaking havoc, but my space plot is especially specific, and I need exactly who I have. Trust me...it'll be good. That I promise you. Thank you, as always!

JadeJin-Obi1: lol, in regards to the website and the changes...heck if I know. Also, on the Elites: it is neither the Arbiter or Rtas, because they're both major plot characters that have very defined personalities (like the Master Chief), and I don't want to risk messing them up. In this story, every other Sangheili craft besides this one Assault Carrier have returned home, as they did at the end of Halo 3. Thanks for your review!

FireWolfFred: No kidding! lol. I can barely keep 7 or 8 of them running good airtime. I'd never make it with over a dozen. But, like I said, I needed a few extra hands (and guns!) on this one, so I decided to pull them in a little earlier than I had originally anticipated. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you like what's coming!

superultramario: I have plans for a couple (but not all) of the deleted species. I won't reveal which ones quite yet, but you'll see in the future, I promise. Also, the Sentinels...if I use them, it'll be a while. I have no really good place to put them right now, as they're Forerunner defense mechanisms, and I have no plans to put Zulu on a Halo or Installation anytime in the immediate future. Thanks for your input though!

armoured-blade: lol, sorry I couldn't stick the two together. Another time, perhaps? (Hint.) As for what drives the Spartans...I'd like to think a few are kind of like Steph's, in that they're fairly obvious. But the rest of them...I plan to really reveal somewhat in this segment, though their individual drives will be absolutely vital in the sequel. And yes, I'm doing split POVs for this segment after this chapter. I'll try to get chapters up in pairs, one on the ground, and one in space (although, there might be one or two more in space...if so, I'll let everyone know). And yeah, Zeke's stuck for now. Samuel put his (gigantic) foot down, and all else is second to that. But don't worry: there will be plenty of fighting for everyone. As for your question on the parallel programs...lol, you know my standard response. ;)

Samus 117: lol, some new Spartans, but I wouldn't say "two Zekes" by any means. Daniel's similar, both in traits and in the sniping potential, but everyone will see some major differences before this is all said and done. I promise you that. Also, as for how long Nova is hanging around: they'll be around 'til the end of this book. After that, I tell you this: you'll see them again, but in time. Thanks for your review!

hellhound cerberus: A lot of your questions I can't answer just yet (sorry...plot elements, lol, and I'm an evil, secretive writer...). Also, Zeke and Daniel will be in the same group eventually, but not in this book. For now, neither leader could stand double the attitude in a single mission. hehe. Thanks for your compliment, and enjoy!

Lecter42: Hey, sorry you didn't like the idea of a new character or set of them, lol, but as you said...review came in after the next one was already up. haha. Still, they will be in the background, as you said, until the sequel, so I'm hoping I make it work alright. Thanks for the compliments on the "emotional" chapter...it's really not my strongsuit, lol. Also, about Samuel not mentioning which team Vic is on...well, that was on purpose. Not really foreshadowing, but I wanted to let people wonder a little. Thanks for the compliments and your reviews, and I hope you like what's coming up!

the-super-saiyan-jedi-again: Hey! Thanks! It's always great to have new readers (and of course I love getting new reviewers, lol). And yep, Vic's return will be addressed in this chapter. Also...when can you expect a new chapter? Well...this one, right now, lol. And the next one...I'm really hoping soon. But, I'm reluctant to make promises anymore. College is killing me.

Thanks all, and sorry again for the delay! Enjoy, and please review!


Chapter 52:

Arrival –

1700 Hours - March 20, 2553

Birmingham Military Base - Birmingham Armory

Blaine stood with a stone-cold expression as the Spartans filed into the Armory, looking for their chosen weapons. They all knew that enemies were going be a little more numerous than ever before, so arms with large magazine-capacities were the mainstream choices.

As they all spread out over the room, Blaine immediately moved toward the back, grabbing a fully-charged Gravity Hammer from a rack on the far wall. He attached it magnetically to his back, and moved on.

"You're still gonna use that thing?" Stephanie asked from behind him. He turned to see her putting a pair of Brute Maulers on her thighs.

"Never leave home without it," he answered plainly, "especially not this time." He reached into a crate and grabbed as many grenades as his armor would hold.

As soon as he was stocked, Blaine moved to the other side of the room, with the more traditional heavy weapons, and grabbed a Rocket Launcher from a cabinet. He got as much ammunition as he could hold, and moved to go find a couple of light weapons.

When he got to the stands full of M6G Pistols, Assault Rifles, SMG's, Plasma Rifles, and other various weapons, Ezekiel was already there, loading a pair of Pistols.

"You, wielding a light weapon?" he said. "I don't see it."

Blaine shrugged inside his armor. "We need as much ammo as we can carry. What better way than to have more guns?" He reached over and took a Brute Mauler from one stand.

Ezekiel scoffed, putting the two Pistols on his thighs. "Simple," he said, "take more ammo." He reached over and took half-a-dozen magazines for the Pistols, then magnetically attached them to various points on his armor.

"Where's your sword gonna go?" Blaine asked, detached. Zeke twisted sideways, and Blaine saw the hilt attached magnetically to the underside of his left arm, just below the elbow. "Ah," he said, "I see."

He looked around to see what the others were taking with them. Samuel, of course, already had what he wanted and was standing in the doorway to the Armory, waiting for Zulu Company to file out and meet Nova, who had already gotten their weapons. Sam had a pair of Shotguns strapped to the tree-trunks he called his legs, a Battle Rifle on his back, and a Spartan Laser right beside it. He had two devices on his lower forearms that Blaine had come to recognize as the prototype Sentinel Beams from ONI. And, in his hands, was the standard-issue Assault Rifle.

Blaine glanced to the other side of the room. Magnus had a Shotgun and a Battle Rifle on his thighs, and what looked like a Heavy Machine Gun on his back. No other Spartans except him and Samuel could probably attach something so large effectively, but Magnus made it look easy. Between that, the guns on his legs and what was in his arms he was probably holding enough ammunition and Fuel Rods to wage a small war.

Landon had a Shotgun, an M6G, and a Rocket Launcher. Jason had favored a Covenant Carbine, Brute Shot, and a Mauler.

Stephanie had what Blaine had expected: two Maulers on her legs, a Fuel Rod Cannon on her back, and an Assault Rifle in her hands. She wouldn't need much else.

"Ready to go?" Samuel's voice echoed in their heads. Each of the Spartans nodded, walking toward the door. Before he followed suit, Blaine reached over and grabbed a Flare from the equipment crate.

Here we go, he thought.


Stephanie sat in silence in the back of one Troop-Transport Warthog as a trio of them headed south, to a nearby ONI complex. There, she and the other six Spartans that were staying on the ground were to board a Pelican and go straight to France.

Jason was in the passenger seat in front of her. Landon was driving.

"So," the gold-armored Spartan said, "what do you guys think of Nova Company?" He paused. "Personally, I just wonder why we haven't heard about them sooner."

"I like that girl, Jade." Landon said. Stephanie rolled her eyes. "She can talk and talk and talk. Did you hear her in the mess hall? A real chatterbox."

"Much like someone we know," Stephanie interjected. "I just want to know what they're about. I mean, did they go through the same augmentations we did? Similar ones? I mean, they could all be Magnus-style, for all we know."

"I doubt it." Jason said. "That's some expensive shit, to outfit him like that. And besides, only someone who had the growth hormones used on them would be big enough to put cannons directly into their arms like that. So that one girl…oh, shit, what's her name?"

"Alexandra," Landon said.

"You just know all the girls' names, don't you?" Stephanie said.

"Damn right," he laughed.

"Anyway," Jason continued, "she'd be the only one who could potentially hold something like that, and from what I could tell, she's not a biomech like we are."

Landon swerved hard to make a left turn that he nearly missed, and Stephanie nearly fell into the bars that made up the cage around her.

"Hey!" she shouted. "Where did you learn to drive, the racetrack?"

"Who says I learned?" he shouted, swerving hard to the right.

"Just close your eyes!" Jason shouted to Stephanie. "We're almost to the base, so this should all be over soon!"

"Oh," she said, putting her head down as Landon swerved again, "that's what I'm afraid of."

"There it is!" Landon shouted. "Land ho!"


"Why exactly are we taking a Phantom?" Zeke growled with obvious disdain, stepping into the alien craft after Magnus.

"No choice," Samuel said. "The Elites left it here. The Ares is just outside Earth's atmosphere, and this is the fastest way to take us up to it."

"And remind me again, why do we have to hit the Ares?"

"We're meeting Victoria there."

"Oh," he said, taking a seat in one corner, "right."

"Remind me again," Blaine said, "why aren't we just bombing the ship? I mean, why aren't we just taking a bomb with us and blasting the whole damn thing?"

"Can't," Samuel answered, "We apparently don't have any of the Covenant's Antimatter bombs to use, and HIGHCOM doesn't want to risk a smaller explosive for fear that infected pieces of the ship might be caught in the atmosphere and either release Flood spores or worse - fall to the planet's surface."

"There's no damned way any rotting corpse is going to survive that kind of fall," Zeke growled. "Bunch of freakin' idiots."

"You're just bitter," Blaine said. "Don't worry though, we'll be meeting Victoria soon."

"Who is Victoria?" The member of Nova Company, Nathan, asked, sitting next to the white-armored Spartan. His armor was olive-green, much like the Master Chief's had been when he was last seen, but without the scars.

"She's one of our teammates." Magnus said. "Her armor is a lot like Zeke's, but she's a little more agile than he is." He added with a tinge of mockery.

"Bite me," the black-armored soldier snapped.

"And where is she?" Nathan continued as the door to the Phantom closed and the AI-controlled craft lifted from the ground.

"She was at ONI." Magnus answered, "but thankfully, not anymore."

The younger Spartan nodded. "They never bothered us very much," he said with an air of detachment. "Don't know why…"

Magnus shrugged. "Damned if I know," he said. "But they took a lot of pleasure in separating this team. Between my augmentations, their little "torture-games" to see if I could withstand the pains of war, the week-long missions with next to nothing in the way of weaponry or even food…" he paused, taking a deep breath. "I hate those bastards."

"Finally," Zeke said bitterly, "something we agree on."

"Let it go," Samuel said suddenly, looking at the smaller Spartan. "If, when all this is over, you still want to take your little vacation, you're more than welcome to. But, for now, focus on the Flood, alright?"

"Oh, trust me," Zeke growled. "I really don't give a damn what we're fighting. You put something in front me, I'll make sure it's dead when I leave." After a pause, he added, "for good."

"Fair enough," the brown-armored soldier said.

They sat in silence after that. Magnus could only wonder how Victoria would have changed in the week she'd spent with ONI. Granted, it wasn't a full week…but it hadn't taken them even that long to break him of a few things that they deemed were "unhealthy."

He scoffed. The only thing "unhealthy" that he'd done was to allow himself to be taken from Zulu Company in the first place.

"So," Nathan started, snapping Magnus from his thoughts. "How long is this trip supposed to take?"

"The Ares is just outside the atmosphere." Samuel said. "Should be about an hour."

Nathan nodded.

"Alright," Blaine said, "it doesn't really matter, but I am curious: what kind of augmentations are you and your team bringing to the battlefield?"

Nathan shrugged. "There are a few similar to your own, but also a couple that differ greatly."

"Excellent," Zeke answered sarcastically. "A wise-guy; say everything and nothing, all at the same time."

"Sorry," Nathan said. "Basically, a couple of us were given cybernetic implants-"

"Sounds familiar," Blaine said lowly.

"Alexandra got the growth hormones." He continued. "A few of us always thought it was because she showed the most leader-potential, and that augmentation had the greatest success rate."

"Trust me," Samuel said, "when they told you that it had the best rate…it wasn't by very much. Magnus and I were the only two to survive ours."

Nathan nodded slowly. "I never really questioned it," he said. "The six of us that survived…we just counted our blessings and forgot about the procedures."

Magnus was puzzled. "You guys never mentioned a sixth member." He said. Nathan shook his head.

"It was our third mission," he said, "the last one before we came back for the Second Battle of Earth." A pause, and then, "none of us really like to talk about it."

Magnus sighed. He'd heard about Christopher's death at the hands of the Brutes and their sneak-attack on Zulu Company, but he'd never been able to truly relate to the others in that regard.

Now, however, with Victoria's life on the line at ONI, he worried that he would soon be able to.


At the same time, the ground-team was seated inside Tango 257, one of the newer, D77H-TCI Pelican dropships, and flying over the Atlantic Ocean toward Paris, France. Barely anyone had spoken since they arrived at the ONI complex.

Some tension was still present between the two companies, and Landon had expected that. It wasn't the kind of tension that Zeke and Daniel had shown, however, but a kind more focused on the idea that both teams were being forced to trust their lives to soldiers that they had never fought with before.

It was no different than when the Elites had first appeared on the scene. Neither side wanted to be the first to rely on the other.

Even the green-armored chatterbox, Jade, had been completely soundless.

But now, however, Landon was unable to bear that terrible silence any longer.

"What do you think their chances are?" he asked, focusing only on the fellow Zulu Company soldiers.

"I don't know." Jason admitted, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"They'll be fine." Stephanie spoke up, but she sounded really shaken. It was uncharacteristic for the biomechanical Spartan. "I mean, look who it is. Blaine? Magnus? Samuel? Zeke?" she paused. "And Vic will be with them."

Landon looked down at the weapons on his armor, suddenly wishing more than anything that he could be with the rest of his team. "You're right." He said, all but forcing a smile onto his face. "And if I know Blaine and Magnus, all that will be left of the Flood when they're done will be a big crater, and a bad smell."


Ezekiel could feel the knot in his stomach as the Phantom docked inside the UNSC Ares. Assuming that they all survived this new threat, the next five minutes – spent inside the Ares – would likely determine the rest of his life. If Victoria was alive, well, and had indeed made her own choice to stay at ONI…there was no reason for a war with the spooks. They would have kept to their word, for the most part.

But, if not…

He shook the thought out. There were more pressing things to focus on right now, like the Flood.

The Phantom slowed to a stop inside one of the docking bays, and Samuel led the way out as the door opened automatically. Ezekiel took a deep breath and stood up, following the rest of the group out.

"You gonna be okay for this?" Demon asked from somewhere within his head. Zeke scowled.

"You worry about you, and let me worry about me." He snapped.

"Fine," the AI said. "But remember: my life is tied to yours, so no stunts while I'm in here."

"First," Zeke said, "you're not living. You're an AI. Second: as long as my life is at stake, I'll make all the decisions as to what counts as a stunt. And trust me, I value my own life, so you're in good company."

"That why you brought that gift Vic gave you last time we were on the Carrier?"

Ezekiel gritted his teeth. "I brought it to give it back." He said. "Now drop it."

The AI said nothing.

"Hey!" Samuel shouted, his voice shattering the black-armored soldier's conversational attitude. "Let's go." Zeke saw that the other Spartan was at the other side of the docking bay, with the others…and that he himself was still less than ten steps from the Phantom.

"Damn," he growled, walking to catch up with the others.

"You sure you're alright?" Blaine's voice was next.

"Fine," Zeke answered. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

The white-armored Spartan just shrugged.

Ezekiel was about to say something when a shape rounded the corner in the hallway ahead of them, and the entire group stopped.

She was clad in the same indigo-colored armor that she had departed in. An Energy Sword was strapped to her waist with an M6G Pistol on the other side. A Battle Rifle was attached to her back, and Deployable Cover equipment as well.

"Hey," she said, rather awkwardly.

"Victoria!" Magnus, as usual, was the first to respond. He walked right up to her and Zeke almost wanted to vomit when he thought that the giant Spartan was going to hug her. Thankfully, neither event took place.

"It's good to see you back safe," Blaine said, walking up to her behind Samuel, who was unusually quiet. "We were worried."

"I'm fine," she said, tilting her head slightly downward and still sounding slightly uncomfortable. But the voice was the same. It was Victoria, no doubt about it. "Really," she added, "no worries."

"Blaine's right." Sam said. "If you weren't okay, I'm afraid this whole team was on the edge of collapse." He glanced back in Ezekiel's direction.

The black-armored Spartan said nothing.

"Well," Samuel said, and Zeke knew that they were on a private channel.

He simply gave the other Spartan a look that, if translated, would basically mean "what?" Sam couldn't see it through his visor…but somehow, he knew.

A second later, he added, "after the destruction you've threatened to bring down on the Office of Naval Intelligence, after training more than you slept for the last week, and most importantly: after making me want to kill you…you've got nothing to say?"

"Can we just skip the idiotic sentiment?" He said defensively. "We have somewhere to be." With that, he turned and began to walk back to the Phantom.

"What the Hell was that?" Demon's voice echoed inside his head.

Ezekiel didn't answer. He honestly didn't know. After all the Hell that ONI had put the whole team through and all the training and torment he'd willingly subjected himself to, she was back. And she was fine. He should be thrilled.

And, for some inexplicable reason, he couldn't escape the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Something about the Flood and the power he'd only heard stories about inspired a feeling that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It created a black hole in the back of his consciousness that was eating away at his composure. What could possibly do that? Was it hatred? Curiosity?

Fear?


"ETA: five minutes, Spartans!" Tango 257's pilot shouted from the front of the craft. "You guys ready to go?"

"Born ready!" Landon shouted back.

"Great," he said, "Because I sure as Hell wouldn't be goin' down there after what I heard about the Flood. You're some hard-ass individuals."

"Thank you, sir!" Jade shouted. She turned her head to face Nova's white and blue-armored leader, Alexandra. "Here we go!"

"Yeah," the other Spartan said. Then, she surprised everyone by turning her head to the three members of Zulu Company. "It really is an honor to get to work with you guys," she said. "I know that, if you're anything like us, you're having a hard time reconciling the fact that we're here instead of your team…" she paused, "but I can assure you, we've made our bones kicking the Covenant to the curb. And we've got your backs."

Jason let a ghost of a smile appear as the Pelican began to descend. "Thank you for that," he said. "But the fact is this: you're Spartans, just like us. As far as I'm concerned, we're as good as family."

"And no one here questions what you're capable of," Stephanie added. "Hell, knowing that our team had to be split, I can tell you: there's no other team on the planet we'd rather be paired with."

"Spartans!" the pilot shouted. "ETA: sixty seconds."

"Everybody ready?" Jason asked, checking the grenades in his Brute Shot and the ammunition in his Covenant Carbine.

"Damn right!" Daniel from Nova Company shouted, cocking the Sniper Rifle in his hands.

"Why the Hell did you even bring that?" Jade asked with a laugh. "You know that the Flood are virtually invulnerable to sniper-rounds."

"Don't start," Daniel warned half-heartedly. "These might be for you."

The female Spartan only shook her head.

Just like home, Jason thought as the Pelican slowed its decent and the rear hatch opened to reveal the roof of a skyscraper. A dozen decorated officers were staring up at them, waving the Pelican down.

When it was only a couple of meters from the ground, the pilot gave a hand-signal to the Spartans and each one stood up and jumped casually onto the titanium roof.

The moment they were clear, Tango 257 lifted into the air and immediately soared in the direction from which they'd come.

"Welcome, Spartans," one of the officers stated as they gathered nearby. He was Caucasian and looked to be in his late fifties. He had a slight Irish accent. "I'm Major General O'Donnell."

"Sir!" in an instant, seven Spartans were at rigid attention. Another officer, this one much younger, stepped up beside him.

"At ease," O'Donnell said. "This here is Lieutenant Roberts, within the Office of Naval Intelligence. He'll have your updates regarding the Flood's progress within the city-boundaries. If you need anything, however, you're to report directly to me. Now, get your asses in gear! The Flood have already sent their first wave in our direction."

"Yes sir," Alexandra said, stepping forward. "Thank you, sir." She turned to face the Spartans. "This is it! I want everyone set up and ready to go in two minutes!"


"We're preparing to dock." Samuel said, watching the monitors that showed the view outside the Phantom as it approached one side of the Assault Carrier. "Breka," he said over the intercom, trying to get the Elite's attention within the ship.

"Yes, Demon," the Sangheili answered. "Say the word, and the shields will fall."

Samuel waited a moment, trying to gauge the distance to the docking bay. "Eight seconds," he said, "then drop the shields."

"Of course."

He continued to watch the monitors as the AI inside the Phantom guided it toward the ship. Seconds later, the outline of the shield vanished as the dropship passed through and into the docking bay.

It hadn't even landed before the Flood in the ship's systems had restored the shield to full power.

Samuel took a deep breath as the Phantom finally touched down. The monitor showed nothing but almost pitch-dark space outside, with nothing but the smallest backup-lighting to give the area an eerie, purple glow.

"Open the door." He said, and the entrance to the Phantom slid open. "Zeke, Vic: you're first. Go."

The two Spartans immediately activated the cloaking technology on their MJOLNIR armor and disappeared from the Phantom. After an excruciatingly long seven seconds, two green lights flashed in the corner of the giant Spartan's HUD.

"Alright," he turned to the others. "Blaine first, then Nathan, then I'll go. Magnus, you're in the rear. Have the AI disable every vital system on the ship. Cripple it. Then remove the AI on your way out. The Flood do not get off this Carrier."

"Got it," Magnus answered.

Samuel watched as Blaine walked cautiously out, Gravity Hammer drawn. Nathan followed with a Shotgun in his hands. Sam was right behind him. He felt oddly responsible for this new soldier, as if he were his own.

"Area's clear, Sam." Zeke said. "Radar shows nothing."

"Doesn't mean shit," Blaine growled.

"I'm with him." Sam said. "Eyes up."

As he said it, Magnus emerged from the now-completely dark Phantom dropship. "It's toast," he said. "It won't run again unless I say so."

"Good," Samuel said.

"Got a contact," Blaine said calmly, "right on the edge of radar."

"I got it." Nathan said, putting the Shotgun on his back and pulling an Assault Rifle to bear. As he did it, Samuel saw a group of small, strange-looking creatures that appeared to waddle and jump toward them on plant-looking tentacles. They looked almost like small, creepy-looking balloons.

Before he could get a really good look at them, however, Nathan opened fire from the back of the group with the Assault Rifle. After only a handful of bullets, however, each and every one of the odd-looking creatures popped just like a balloon, leaving nothing but a hint of green gas in the air and stains on the ground.

"Nice job," Blaine said sarcastically. "You just took out a group of balloons." He clapped his hands mockingly.

"Hey," Nathan protested, "I don't take chances with-"

BANG!

Samuel put the Shotgun in front of him, right over Nathan's shoulder, and opened fire, all but obliterating the upper-half of the strange form that had come charging from behind him. The green-armored Spartan ducked low and shouted something foul, but then turned around and saw the creature lying on the ground behind him.

"Holy shit," he said. "Is that-"

"The remains of an Elite," Zeke muttered, looking down at the zombie-like creature that was basically in pieces above the waist.

Samuel shook his head, staring at this new enemy. It looked vaguely like a blue-armored Elite, but the body was mangled and torn. Horrid, rotting tentacles shot out from the shoulder where the left arm should have been.

"So, this is the Flood." Magnus said bitterly.

Samuel was about to respond, but stopped cold. He could see red images slowly creeping in from the edges of his radar. First only a couple, but soon, his HUD showed a red circle, outlining the radar entirely.

"We're surrounded," he said, glancing around.

"I can't see them." Nathan said, looking frantically in all directions.

"They're there." Zeke growled. "I can smell them." He pulled the hilt of his sword from its resting place on his forearm and it burst into life, casting wicked shadows all over the darkened chamber.

At the edge of his vision in the darkness, Samuel could just barely make out the edges of their tentacles. There had to be dozens of them.

"Breka," he said into the intercom. "Open the doors. Now." He focused on his teammates. "When we go," he said, "Zeke: you take point. I'll be right behind you. Nathan and Blaine are behind me, with Magnus following. Victoria: you've got the rear."

"Samuel-" Zeke started to protest, but was cut short as Magnus began to shout.

"Incoming!" he roared, and Samuel saw the red outline on his radar begin to move toward the middle. But it wasn't just an outline anymore. He could only watch as his radar literally began to fill up with red color. They weren't even appearing as dots anymore. They were appearing as exactly what they were: a flood.

"Let's go!" he shouted. "Move for the doors, now!"


Author's Notes: And so this one ends. Again, I'm working on the next one, but I can't make any promises. I have a website I'm working on for my Political Rhetoric class (it's actually a Writing Tutorial for aspiring writers, based on Halo FanFiction...so I'm thrilled about it), a paper due Tuesday, Spanish homework that's just decimating my time (AND my GPA, for that matter), along with finals next week. So...wish me luck, 'cause if I die, you don't get to read the end. ;) Talk to you all later! Leave me a comment, if you would! Thanks all!

- Raptor