Author's Note: Okay, I really hope that everyone is enjoying this so far. When the next chapter is uploaded however, I will be upping the rating to 'M', just so you know where to find it.
Chapter 2: Earning Their Pay
Nathan immediately began to study the map, but he couldn't make sense of it. There was writing, but all in a language he had never seen before. The language of the Forerunners. Nathan stroked his jaw, feeling the coarse stubble that had grown there for the past few days.
"Sgt., we have to get Danny out of here, he's not doing too well," Gary called from the doorway. Nathan looked back over his shoulder to see Amy applying biofoam to the wounds, but it wouldn't be enough. Danny was not a Spartan.
He pulled a data transmitter from his pocket, and walked up to the console that sat before the hologram of Halo. He inserted the transmitter where one would place an AI chip. The transmitter would send the information showed by the hologram directly to IN AMBER CLAD. Nathan keyed his radio.
"IN AMBER CLAD this is Sgt. Little of Platoon 6. The transmitter is in place, and sending the information your way. Requesting pick-up," Nathan said.
"Nathan, this is IN AMBER CLAD. We're receiving the information, and our computers have already located the Library. We're sending you a pelican so you can meet us there. IN AMBER CLAD out," a voice said over the radio, Nathan wasn't sure who it was, he turned to his marines.
"Okay guys, it looks like we'll be getting into the thick of it yet again. I'll see if I can get you out of here Danny, but you'll need to hang on for just a little while longer," Nathan said, reaching for the data transmitter.
"Leave it," Wesley said, putting his hand over Nathan's preventing the Sgt. from removing the transmitter.
"Lt. we need to take this out. If any Covenant come in here after they can access IN AMBER CLAD's databanks," Nathan said.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take. They already know everything about us. Weapons, tactics, Earth. But we don't know much about Halo or the Forerunners, this is our chance. Think of the knowledge we could gain from this, we could use it to win this war," Nathan said, a dreamy look in his eyes.
"I'm not willing to take that risk Lt., there's too much at stake to be fucking around," Nathan said, and pulled the transmitter out, even though Wesley put all his strength into preventing it.
"Very well Sgt. but don't think I'll forget this," Wesley said with a hateful glare. Nathan matched that stare with equal intensity and loathing.
The marines were once again marching through the halls, now stained with Covenant blood. Amy and Mike supported Danny's weight between the two of them, and they made good speed.
"Hank, how's the landing look?" Nathan asked over the radio.
"Clear," the sniper responded simply, quietly.
Nathan nodded, though he knew Hank couldn't see him. Wesley fumed, staring at Nathan's back, wanting to put a bullet through his head. This man could cost him everything.
They had just passed the room with the chasm when the radio flickered to life, and Hank's voice came through it.
"Sir, Covenant dropship just dropped off a pair of Hunters on the ridge. Be ready for them," the sniper reported, speaking even more quietly than before, Nathan had to listen carefully just to here.
"Okay, two Hunters on the ridge guys. Lets be ready for them," Nathan said to his troops, and behind him, Wesley smiled.
They made it to the entrance. Amy and Mike propped Danny against a wall, and left Jim and Wesley to look after him. Nathan and the others crawled out of the complex, and hid behind short walls that came up to a man's chest. The Hunters didn't know that the marines were there. Not yet anyway.
"Okay, you guys know the drill, lets do it," Nathan said, and the marines present grinned.
In the complex, Wesley scratched his neck as he looked out into the sunlight.
"They are in position," he said quietly.
"I don't want any commentary, just make sure that Danny boy doesn't die on me," Jim said, checking the wounded marine's pulse.
"Of course," Wesley said with that smile that Jim hated so much.
Outside, the marines were about to move when the Hunters both fired at the same time. Their fuel rod cannons hit the stone wall, and destroyed a piece of it. Gary went flying backwards and smashed against the complex wall.
He coughed, and signified he was alright, by moving to a safer location, but his rocket launcher had been ruined by the explosion, the firing tube had been crumpled.
"Fuck," he said, and threw the ruined weapon over the short wall.
"Alright, we go to plan two. Who volunteers?" Nathan asked.
Amy and Mike immediately nodded. Nathan sucked on his bottom lip thinking how he was going to do this, when he remember Hank.
"Hank, take a shot at the Hunters," Nathan said, knowing full well that the shot wouldn't be able to kill the leviathans, but it would distract them.
Hank responded by firing. Nathan pointed for Mike and Amy to move, which they did, quietly, and quickly, and made their way to circle around the hunters, hiding behind shrubs and ancient debris.
The Hunters fired into the jungle where they assumed the sniper was hiding, when Sara, Nathan, and Gary popped up behind them, and fired a few bursts into their backs. They saw some bright orange blood spray out in front of the monsters, but they seemed to just get angrier.
They turned, and Sara flipped them the finger, before all three ducked as the Hunters fired their massive lasers at them again. The green bolts of death smashed into the wall of the complex, raining chunks of rock on the marines, who tried to cover themselves with their hands, and by curling into a ball.
The dust cleared, and Nathan shook his head, ignoring the cut across the back of his hand caused by a larger piece of stone. Most of it had bounced off his armor and helmet though, same with the others, so they were fine save some cuts and bruises.
"Hurry up guys," Nathan said over his radio.
Amy and Mike both managed to sneak up behind the Hunters. Amy readied her shotgun, and Mike primed a grenade. The came up right behind the Hunters, and they both acted at the same time.
Mike plunged his hand, holding the live grenade, through the hive of worms that made up a Hunter's flesh. He left the grenade inside the alien, and he ran backwards. The Hunter roared and began to turn, to kill the annoying human.
Amy just pressed her shotgun against the exposed flesh of the Hunter's back, and fired. The Hunter stumbled forward, but wasn't dead yet, so Amy pumped her weapon, stepped up, and fired again. The Hunter fell forward, dead, its blood splattered across the ground.
The remaining Hunter roared when it saw it's comrade fall. It pointed it's fuel rod cannon at Amy, and was about to fire when Mike's grenade detonated. Pieces of flesh, and blood flew everywhere, and the hunter fell, as just a pile of armor and a puddle of blood.
Amy wiped some of the orange fluid from her face, and flicked her hand to get the horribly smelling gunk off of her. Mike crawled back onto the ridge and offered an apologetic shrug, still totally calm.
"You son of a bitch," Amy muttered.
The marines all gathered on the small plateau, and waited for the pelican to arrive. They sat around for about ten minutes, keeping Danny alive. Then the pelican arrived. It came in over the trees of the jungle, and landed on the plateau. The back hatch opened and the squad piled in. Nathan walked into the cockpit, to talk with the pilot.
"We have a wounded marine back here who needs to be taken back to IN AMBER CLAD," he said, leaning on the door frame.
"Sorry sir, we have to bring you guys to the Library first. Apparently the shit has really hit the fan and they need reinforcements badly. We can take the WIA back to the ship after we drop you guys off," the pilot responded.
Nathan nodded, and walked back to the troop compartment to tell Danny that he would have to wait for a little bit. The marine managed to smile.
"Back into the thick of it. I wouldn't have it any other way," Sara said with her evil grin.
"I would like to make myself a hero today anyway, let's kick some more alien ass," Jim said, causing Gary to chuckle to himself.
"You're already heroes, let's just try to get back in one piece to save our families the grief," Nathan said.
"Except for Jimmy, who manages to get a new girlfriend every time we go on leave, and get dumped before we have to go back on duty, I'm sure there'll be a celebration when you bite it," Gary said, getting the other marines to laugh.
"Fuck you man," Jim said, extending the middle finger thank-you note.
When the laughter died down, Nathan could hear a sudden beeping noise. He looked to the cockpit, where the pilot was tapping the console.
"What the fuck, this area is supposed to be clear of Covenant. Shit, I've got a missile lock on me," the pilot said.
Suddenly there was an explosion, and it ripped the back hatch off of the pelican. Nathan looked out to see the hatch fall away behind them, with one of the engines.
"Fuck, we're going down," the pilot screamed.
Another explosion rocked the dropship, and Nathan saw the right wing fly past the opened hatch. He looked out the cockpit window, and could the mist shrouded trees of the swamp rushing towards them.
He started breathing heavily, then he could hear tearing metal, and screaming. Then there was only silent blackness.
