A/N: Hey guys, time for chapter number 24 of Agent Reach, which is one chapter away from a major milestone. I have thought of what I will do in regards to the smut possibility, and after what seemed to be an eternity, I have decided to give it a go. So, expect this fanfic to be rated M after that chapter. Also, the reason you will hate me is very clear lol.

*Chapter 24*

South looked around, only to see the dark forest surrounding her. A cold wind blew, sending shivers through her as it nipped and bit at her exposed skin. "Too cold…"

"South…your crimes will not go unnoticed…" a soft voice spoke. The lavender Freelancer whirled around, drawing a Magnum. "Who's there!?" The voice laughed coldly, and a group of red eyes appeared in front of her, making her gulp. "This isn't good…"

"We have seen all of your crimes, Natalie. There is no escaping us. We are forever in your heart, in your mind. Darkness will flock to you, always." The red eyes then formed into a single figure, and South nearly fell to her knees as she saw who it looked like. "N-no…please, no!"

It looked a bit like Reach, but his brown eyes were crimson, his hair was jet black, and his blue armor was stained red with the blood of her friends. Surrounding him were the bodies of Maine, North, Wash, York, and Reach himself. "We will build a monument to commemorate all of your sins. I hope red is your favorite color, because you're going to be seeing a lot of it."

This wasn't someone she knew. No one was this cold and heartless, apart from maybe the Meta. But this person, whoever it was, had no qualms about what he was doing.

The dark figure laughed, the cold tone sending shivers up South's spine. "North was your own twin brother. And yet, despite the blood that flows through your veins, you used him as bait for the Meta to save your own pathetic skin. What a pity. I wish I could have seen him as he cursed you. Not even death will he forgive you."

He turned away, sending a cold sneer towards South before disappearing from her view. "You will always be swallowed by the darkness in your own heart. You can never escape it. It will always speak to you…"

-0-

South woke up with a start, panting hard and in a cold sweat. She looked up, and began to panic as she saw someone standing over her, his eyebrows furrowed. "South? Are you alright?" Upon closer look, it was Reach. His eyes and hair were their normal brown, and his armor was its usual red and black. 'Just a dream…it was just a dream.' Her face felt wet, and she realized that she must have been crying in her sleep.

"You were talking and crying in your sleep," Reach said, flexing his arms. "Are you feeling any better?" South sat up, still shaken by the dream she just had. "M-mmhm…" 'What the hell was that about? Does that mean something bad is going to happen to us in the future?' Seeing that person standing over Reach's corpse and torment her about the ugly necessity of using her brother to get away from the Meta had shaken her to her core, and South didn't want to tell Reach what she saw just yet.

The red/black Freelancer stood up, running a hand through his hair. "You've been out for nearly three hours since you arrived here. Sigma and Delta told me what happened." South began to panic again, her breathing speeding up. 'No…no, please. Don't remind me of what I did…' "I…I—"

"Don't worry. Those wounds won't take too long to recover from. As for your illness, I think it'll be a few days before you're back at full strength," Reach said quietly, picking up a Battle Rifle. "The medication we gave you must have made you experience a really unusual nightmare…I'm sorry about that. But we had no other choice." He didn't know what happened during the fight with the Meta, and about the guilt that filled her heart every time she closed her eyes. 'Thank God…I couldn't face either of them if they knew the truth. Nathan…I'm so sorry…'

The lavender Freelancer tried to stand up when Reach put his hand up, shaking his head. "It's best if you don't move for the time being." He turned his head, placing his weapon across his back. "Maine, I'll take my leave. I'll think carefully about what we discussed, and then inform Tex." He then left, and South turned to see Maine standing over her, arms folded. "M-maine…" 'Tex has won, again. Though this time…I'm not mad. I was a fool to think I could ever be more than just friends with Reach. I know now where my heart lies.'

The massive white Freelancer crouched down, letting out a soft growl. Sigma flashed up, the fiery red AI looking at South. "Ah, you're awake. We were genuinely concerned if you would make it for awhile."

South felt her silver-blonde hair, surprised to feel it sticky with sweat. "Thank you…" Sigma laughed, giving Maine a sly grin. "Don't thank me. It was all thanks to Agent Maine that you're alive." The massive Freelancer's face flushed red and he looked away, hissing softly at the red AI, as though he was embarrassed by something.

"Thank you, Maine," South murmured, looking down and realizing her armor was completely gone. Her side was taped up by heavy bandages, and it was slightly chilly inside the base. 'Could Maine have…?' The big man wasn't known for giving medical help, but he appeared to have done quite a job. "Where's my armor? And Delta?" 'He wasn't damaged in the crash, was he?'

"I'm afraid it's been damaged beyond repair," Sigma admitted, sighing. "But, don't worry. We have a spare suit picked out for you when you've recovered, and Delta is trying to repair your Drop Shield." South sat up, holding her shoulder as she looked around the Blue Base. 'Desert canyon in the middle of nowhere…great. The Meta won't be able to find us here.' She peered outside, surprised to see a ruined Scorpion-class tank outside. "Why's that there?"

Maine shook his head, letting a deep and possibly frustrated growl as he looked at the destroyed tank. He brandished a fist at it, and in annoyance, he grabbed his Brute Shot and fired at it. Sigma coughed, trying not to snicker. "Maine, the tank is already ruined. There's no need to go around shooting it."

"You haven't been able to fix it?" South asked, surprised. 'Wait…Maine never was good with mechanics. I haven't forgotten the time when he accidently hooked up a Warthog's brakes to its horn. York got so pissed off and blamed Wash.' (A/N: Just did that to my buddy Alex XD. Totally worth it)

Maine shook his head, growling in annoyance. An aqua blue soldier walked in, holding his head as though in immense pain. "What the fuck is going on here? Who the hell is this chick? And why is there a bunch of glowing people? I didn't know we were in a trippy nightclub." Before South could open her mouth to say a good comeback, Maine had already grabbed the man and threw him back into the room he came from, slamming it shut with a hiss. The silver-blonde Freelancer winced at the incredibly loud crash she heard, along with a weak (and very pained) protest of, "No fair…"

South tried to stand up when her vision swam, making her stumble uncontrollably. "W-wha…?" 'What the hell did Reach give me, acid? Or am I really that sick?' The red/black Freelancer seemed like the last person who would pull a stunt like that, and South dismissed that thought immediately. 'No. He wouldn't even think of doing something that idiotic…I guess I have something nasty.'

She then coughed, hacking a ball of phlegm up from her lungs. "Ugh…that's disgusting." 'There goes any image I had left.' To make matters worse, it was covered in sticky black stuff that looked like tar. 'I don't even want to know what I have…' "Real pretty. Looks like I just hacked up a smoker's lung." South coughed again, bringing more of the sticky mucus up. "Ugh…" 'Now that's really awful.'

"You should be fine in a few days, South," Sigma reassured. The silver-blonde Freelancer tried not to wince at her code name, for she had thrown it away following the events with the Meta. But at the same time, she didn't want to tell Maine what had happened just yet, especially after she had that vision of everyone she knew being murdered by that man who looked so similar to Reach. 'How do I tell him the truth? That my own brother is dead because of me?'

'Nathan…tell me what I should do!'

-0-

A few days later

"And stop!" Reach ordered, getting off the dusty ground. The Reds got up, holding their shoulders in some discomfort. "Jesus Christ…what the fuck do we have to work out in this ungodly heat for?" The former Spartan had started up a training program with Sarge, which included everything from basic knowledge to physical exercises and target practice. Simmons was excelling in the knowledge department, doing decently in the physical, and his shot was getting better every time.

Grif, not surprisingly, hated anything physical unless it was masturbation. And even though he complained to no end, he at least was making some progress. Though that may have had something to do with the fact that Sarge or Texas always kept a Sniper Rifle pointed at his crotch during the workouts. Threatening to kill someone along with their future children always works when you want them to get off their fucking ass and be productive. Even if their dick is already ruined beyond repair, like in Grif's case.

Sarge actually liked doing workouts, along with the target practice. Reach suspected, however, that the reason for that one was because the Red Sergeant could picture Grif's face on every target, and he could shoot it with his Shotgun. His accuracy with the close-range weapon was incredible, but he was still lacking in the knowledge section that (for some fucking reason Reach didn't want to know) Texas decided would be the bit she took over.

Donut was decent in everything, but his main prowess (as the entire Red Team found out) was grenades and saying how he would blow them…away. Unfortunately, the pink soldier was also in a cast due to Texas not being amused by some colorblind idiot trying to, 'Move on her territory.' And as a result, Donut wasn't able to move his left hand at all for at least another month and a half, and he wasn't exactly ambidextrous. His attempt to throw a grenade with his right hand resulted in a slightly damaged Warthog, ending up in another broken wrist, though this time it was Lopez. Even though it couldn't speak English, the brown robot didn't take too kindly to the damage, despite that it was minor and was repaired in about thirty minutes.

"Because your asses are out of shape?" Sarge returned dryly, glaring at the slightly less chubby orange soldier who complained. "You heard what the LT said. We can't call ourselves soldiers if we're like this, can we? Goddammit…this brings back good memories."

Reach wiped his armor off when a message from Sigma flashed across his HUD, and he turned the Red Sergeant. "Can you manage the target practice for a bit? This message is of high priority." 'It's been a few days, and there hasn't been a sign of Wyoming since he murdered Florida. South must have regained her strength.'

He had thought of a plan to break Washington out of his cell, but there was still a hard decision he had to alert Texas to. 'I've thought it over, and there's no other option but this. She's not going to like it, but I can't bring her with me for this.' The plan involved Maine, South, and himself to sneak in, try to avoid running into resistance, and busting Washington out before flying back to Blood Gulch.

"Yes, sir," Sarge replied, pumping his Shotgun and facing the Reds. "Listen up, ladies! The LT has some important business to take care of, which means I'm the one directing the target practice today. If you complain, you will be shot. If your ass survives, then I'll just shoot you again. Is that clear!?" Not wishing to disobey the trigger-happy Sergeant, the Reds nodded in unison. "Yes, sir!"

Reach walked out of earshot before opening the message, letting it play through. "Reach, South Dakota says she is recovered. Now, did you tell Texas of our plans to get Washington?" The red/black leader shook his head, flexing his arms. "No, not yet. She isn't going to like being left behind. She'll think I'm doing it to protect her, when that isn't the case."

There were a few reasons why Reach wasn't going to bring Texas along with him. For one, he and Maine could keep an eye on South to make sure she didn't try anything funny. Secondly, he needed someone he could trust to keep an eye on Alpha, the Reds, the Blues, and keep an eye out for either Wyoming or the Meta. And something told him if he left Maine or South there, then both teams would end up six feet under.

"Texas will understand if you tell her the real reasons. It's because you still don't trust South, isn't it?" Sigma asked. Reach snorted, folding his arms. "That's exactly it. I want to be able to keep an eye on her. Something still feels a bit fishy about all of this." He didn't want to accuse the silver-blonde Freelancer of anything without significant proof, but something about North's death seemed like it involved some tampering. 'I can't see South purposely killing her own brother. But, sometimes, the ugly necessity of survival means getting your hands dirty. I know that all too well…'

Back before he joined Noble Team, one of his assassinations involved an old friend from training, Rita. She had betrayed the UNSC after she found out about the illegal cloning experiments the UNSC performed and went rogue, prompting ONI to send out their best assassin. Reach didn't like doing it as he knew Rita was standing in shallower shit, but he had learned from CPO Mendez and Colonel Ackerson that war isn't always clear cut. It can be morally dirty, like the way ONI and the UNSC purposely kidnapped colonial six-year olds to train them to kill other colonists. But, sometimes, the ends do justify the means. 'Killed thousands to save millions…shit, I'll still burn in Hell for it.'

"I agree. However, I believe South will tell us what happened when she's ready to," Sigma reassured. "For now, just treat her as if nothing's out of the ordinary. If she thinks we're trying to pressure her into revealing something, she'll get on the defensive, and we won't learn anything. Best to let it run its course." Reach nodded, ending the call and marching back to the Red Base. 'Let it run, huh? I suppose that might be for the best, not just for our sakes, either. South suffered through Hell to even find us.'

He spotted Texas on the top of the base, a Battle Rifle in her hands. "Ah, you're here. There's something I need to tell you…" 'There's no fucking way she's going to take this shit well. If I don't end up slapped, I'll honestly be surprised.'

The blonde Freelancer turned to face him, lowering the weapon. "What?" Reach sighed, leaning against the base sideguards. "Maine and I talked about this, and we've decided that we're going to break Washington out of his shithole. Unfortunately…we can't bring you." 'When she's pissed, she becomes some sort of half woman, half shark. Except the shark half has been given cybernetic powers and the woman half is also three quarter jaguar.'

Texas's blue eyes flashed indignantly, and she put her hands on her hips in annoyance. "What!? Why!?" She stalked closer to him, her eyes slits. "You better not be fucking do this in an attempt to protect me. You know damn well I can take care of myself."

Even though he fully expected her to be incredibly cross about not being able to come, Reach still felt the sting from her tone. 'Saw this coming…but still, it can't be helped.' "Of course not. I know full well that you are a fighter. But, you are also the only person I can trust to keep an eye on Alpha, make sure the Meta or Wyoming don't catch us napping, or kill the Reds and Blues in the time we're gone. I still don't trust South, and I'll bet twenty credits that Maine would end up murdering all of the morons." 'I know it hurts her pride…but there's no other choice.'

The fire in Texas's dimmed, and she sighed. "…Alright. I'm not happy about it, but I can see your point. I don't trust South, either. As for Maine, I'd put money on him killing the Reds and Blues, too." Reach put a hand on her shoulder, meeting her gaze. "While I'm gone, you and Sarge are running the training. And don't worry; I'll come back in one piece."

Texas leaned forward to kiss him gently, her hand entwining with his. "You better. If it's anything more than a broken finger, I'm going to hit you. Hard, too." Reach broke apart, sliding his helmet back on. "Nice to know you'll be concerned. I'll call you when we have Washington and are en route to Blood Gulch." 'This went a bit smoother than expected. But if I do manage to get injured…I know how hard she hits when she wants to.'

"Right. I'll be waiting for you," Texas kissed his visor, tossing him the Sniper Rifle. Reach caught it before jumping down from the Red Base, heading out to meet Maine and South in the center of the Blue Team's territory. 'We might have to commit a little 'Grand Theft Pelican' to get him…once we can find where the hell the UNSC is keeping him.' "Eta, search all UNSC databases. I want to find out where the hell Washington is being held before we go on a wild goose chase."

"I'm on it, Reach." Eta scrolled through the UNSC databases, frowning ever so slightly. "Hmm…it seems as though a high value prisoner is being held at a UNSC Maximum Security Prison on Haven. No other details. Interesting…I think we've just found him."

Reach continued walking through the canyon, the hills revealing the Blue Base in the distance. "Haven? How far is that?" 'I do hope it's not on the other side of the galaxy. Otherwise, this will be a hell of a lot more difficult.' Eta pulled up a star chart on his HUD, where it showed a planet covered in green forests, with only a few small oceans. "Checking…we're in luck. It's in this system. Good. We don't have to go far at all."

"We're in luck, indeed. We don't have to hijack a damn Longsword to get there," Reach murmured, placing the rifle across his back. 'I already owe the UNSC one ship after we sort of crashed our Longsword to get here. Those damn things are far too expensive.'

Eta chuckled, and Reach met up with Maine and South, who had a new set of armor. It was another Hayabusa set, save for the Mark VI helmet, and it was dark blue with light green shoulders. "You sure you're up for this?" 'I don't see any point in bringing someone along who won't be able to fight their best, especially considering what we're about to do.'

South nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yes. Sigma told me everything. I'm ready." Reach nodded, making sure his weapons were loaded. "Good. Eta has discovered a new high value prisoner is being held in a UNSC maximum security prison on Haven. We have reason to believe it's Washington. It's in this system, but the problem is we'll have to nick a Pelican to get there." 'We have to get our hands a little dirty in order to do what is right. Still, it's for the best.'

Maine growled, folding his arms. South's shoulders slumped, and she let out a sigh. "Great. So we just leave the UNSC a note apologizing for stealing their ship? Ah well. It can't be helped." She loaded a clip into her Assault Rifle, hefting it over her shoulder. "Delta, I think this is your time to shine. Alert Blue Team Command that we need a ship ASAP."

"Got it. Blue Team Command, this is Blood Gulch Blue Base. Do you copy?" Delta asked. The COMs crackled before the same guy who answered the Red Team's communications returned the call. "This is Blue Team Command. What's going on, dude?" Reach and Maine both face-palmed, the massive white Freelancer growling in annoyance at the carefree attitude of the man.

"We need a Pelican, ASAP," Delta explained. "We need to talk to Command about a possible addition to the Blue Team." It was clearly a lie, but the man on the COM seemed to have bought it. "Copy that, Blue Team. A Pelican will be arriving to your location within five minutes. Blue Team Command out."

'Well, the idiot actually bought that lie.' Reach checked his sidearm, spinning it in his fingers. "Right, who wants to fly the Pelican?" To his surprise, South put her hand up, even though she seemed a little nervous. "I'll give it a try. Delta can help if he needs to."

"Are you sure?" Reach asked carefully. He knew that she had flown to Blood Gulch, but most of the trip was in Slipspace, which didn't require much training. It was the high-speed maneuvering of getting pursued that had him concerned. "If someone finds us, we'll need someone who's an ace." 'Shit…perhaps I should go? I specialized in the Sabres, Longswords, and Falcons. I haven't flown a Pelican, but how hard can it be?'

"You're right…" South sighed. "Maine? Are you any good as a pilot?" The massive Freelancer shook his head, growling softly. They heard the unmistakable sound of a Pelican's engines, and the three Freelancers looked up to see the dropship landing. 'No more time for chit-chat. Time to go.'

The ramp lowered, and Reach activated his camouflage to slip around the unaware man. 'No need to kill. Just knock him out for a few hours.' He drew his pistol and slammed it into the back of the man's head, knocking him out. "Sorry, but we need this bird for a different matter entirely." Maine grabbed a sedative and injected it into the unconscious man's arm, which would help him keep out for at least a day or so.

Reach strapped himself into the pilot's seat, the other two Freelancers boarding as well. "Let's do this." He engaged the thrusters, and the Pelican lifted off the ground before rocketing away. Maine and South sat down in the passenger seats, and once they exited the atmosphere, Reach relaxed in his seat. "Eta, take charge of it from here. Alert me if anything shows up." 'Damn thing doesn't have the weapons that'll be any real threat.'

"On it. Autopilot engaged." Eta took control of the ship, and Reach walked into the passenger section of the dropship, facing the other two. "Right. Here's our plan. We'll have to presume they'll have snipers watching the prison, in case of unexpected visitors. That's where I come in. I'll take them out and take up a position to keep an eye out for any other hostiles." 'Sniping again…heh. Jun, you would love this kind of shit.'

"South, you and Maine will keep low until I give the 'all-clear' signal. Once I do, you two can slip in by any means possible, but try to keep it quiet. We don't want to alert the entire base of our presence," Reach continued. "Once we get the blueprints of the prison, we can see if there are underground tunnels or passages that you can use." 'Jailbreaks are harder than I thought to plan. So much information is needed, and if one little bit is inaccurate, then it goes up in smoke.'

"Delta and I will search them," Sigma said, flickering up. "Once we have the blueprints, they'll be sent to your HUD's GPS. If there are any security passwords blocking our progress, we'll try to hack into it." Maine slid a series of rounds into his Brute Shot before running a hand over its blade, growling softly. On his side was a standard Magnum, in case things got desperate or he needed a bit more precision.

"Reach, we are currently entering Haven's airspace. They are curious as to why there's a Pelican inbound, but they're not questioning our authority. As far as they're concerned, we're a black-ops unit," Eta whispered. Reach nodded, doing a quick check of his weapons before cracking his neck. "Understood. Sig, have you and Delta found the blueprints?" 'Once we have them, we can find out everything we need to know about the prison's interior passages.'

"Indeed we have. We're uploading them to your HUDs now," the red AI said with a smirk. A map of the prison appeared on Reach's HUD, and he narrowed his eyes as he searched it. 'Hmm…it seems the only way in is through a gate to the southeast. They'll have snipers watching that position, which is where I come in.' "Okay. Our only ticket in is via the gate to the southeast. The front gate to the north is heavily defended, and nearly the rest of it is guarded by mountains. But, that break in the mountains, where the southeast gate is located, is a good place to try."

"You think they'll have snipers?" South asked, a hint of nervousness in her tone. Reach nodded, raising his rifle. "I do. I'll take them out and take up a position to watch your backs. I'll alert you if anything happens to pop up." 'I wouldn't put it past the Director to have some mercenaries hunting us down.'

Maine put a hand on South's shoulder, letting out what seemed to be a comforting growl. The silver-blonde Freelancer took a deep breath, pulling the bolt back. "I'm okay. Let's do this." The Pelican approached Haven's surface, landing about half a mile away from the hidden prison. The ramp of the Pelican lowered, and the three Freelancers stepped out of the dropship, weapons in hand.

"Remember; wait for my signal," Reach reminded. South rested her rifle against her shoulder, and judging by her movements, she was still a little sore, even though she wouldn't admit it. "We know. Just make sure we can see the fireworks." Maine let out a slow hiss, flexing his shoulders. The big man was itching for a good fight to liven up. And if he was honest with himself, Reach was, too. 'The last fight I had was against Tex. But that didn't involve any actual risk.'

Leaving South and Maine behind, Reach quickly sprinted towards the prison, keeping an eye out for any surprise scouts. 'Nothing coming up on my radar…it looks like no one ever goes here. Comforting, yet also worrying. The defenses on the other side could be more than capable of defeating a pair of ODST platoons.' His Sniper Rifle could easily pierce any kind of body armor, but it would take a good amount of shots before it would do any sort of damage to a Scorpion or Falcon. 'I'll figure that out once I take up a position. Unless…' "Eta, can you hack into any security cameras that may be stationed around the perimeter? I'd like to see what defenses they have set up."

"Let's see…defenses include two heavy machinegun positions, a pair of M12-LRV Warthogs, a trio of Falcons, and a single Scorpion located in the hangar to the north. Resistance at our position should be minor," Eta informed. Reach placed his rifle across his back before scaling the mountain wall, his hands gripping the rock. "Sounds fun. Disable the cameras. We don't want to attract any unnecessary attention for as long as possible."

"Exterior perimeter cameras have been disabled. Security code replaced. They won't know what hit them," the orange AI grinned. The former Spartan found a good spot to keep an eye on the prison, and he drew his rifle, searching for snipers keeping watch. 'There's one right there. I see you, you sneaky little bastard.' Reach lined up the sights before firing, the rifle jerking against his shoulder.

He was rewarded by a splash of blood in the distance, and the sniper fell to the ground, dead. 'One down. There'll be more.' Reach spotted another sniper, this time on top of one of the prison's towers. 'Found you.' He fired again, and a second sharpshooter fell dead.

"Warning! Some of the soldiers inside have noticed us. But they're not sounding the alarm…curious," Eta whispered. Reach narrowed his eyes, and he moved his position to a few meters to the left. "They don't want to cause a panic." 'The only other snipers I can see are over there, by the northeast wall.' Reach squatted down, looking through the Sniper Rifle's scope to find the third sniper.

He found him, and he squeezed the trigger for a third time. The sniper, minus his head, slumped down to the ground, dead. 'Three down. One more to go.' Before he fired, Reach took notice of a small opening in the mountain wall. 'Hmm…a secret tunnel, maybe?' He squeezed the trigger for a fourth time, and the final sniper was dead.

The former Spartan called up the blueprints of the prison to his HUD, and he reloaded the long-range weapon, the empty clip falling on the ground. 'Leads right under to that bunker, where the high security prisoners are. Perfect.' "Send this to Maine and South. It's the best way in." 'The two gunners are looking for the person who just killed their snipers. I'll have to take them out, and fast.'

After he made sure he could switch from gunner to gunner quickly, he rested his rifle against his shoulder before lining up the sights again. 'My window for these shots isn't big. A second at most.' Reach fired his rifle, the first gunner falling down in a heap of scarlet. The second gunner didn't have the time to swivel his machinegun before he too was killed by the former Spartan's sharpshooting. "Maine, you and South are clear to move. I repeat; you are clear to move."

"Understood. We're going in now," Sigma replied, answering for the mute Freelancer. Reach began to slip back towards his original position as both Maine and South appeared from the hidden tunnel. 'Still nothing. I'm surprised no one's spotted our intrusion.' He looked through the scope, not seeing any signs that they had been spotted. The Scorpion tank still sat motionless in the hangar, and the only person in sight was a lone mechanic, working on a Mongoose. 'I could take him out, right here and now. But, he isn't a threat.'

Maine and South made their way into the prison's high security section, closing the heavy steel door quietly. As they entered, Sigma flashed up. "We're in, Reach. We'll alert you when we have our hands on Washington."

"Understood. If I see things are going to hell, I'll give the order to bang out," Reach returned, keeping an eye on things through his rifle. The two unseen Freelancers made their way deeper within the complex, and the former Spartan narrowed his eyes as he caught a glimpse of red in the darkness of the tunnel Maine and South used. 'What the hell is that?'

He then caught more flashes of red, and Reach turned his heat-seeking feature on, where he saw them. 'Shit. It's a goddamn ambush!' There were at least twenty of them, and Reach didn't feel like finding out if they were friendly. The red flashes were a group of soldiers, with strange armor on. Most of it was black, save for red visors and a strange decoration on the chest. 'It looks like the fang of some kind of creature. Mercenaries?'

Reach placed a hand on the side of his helmet, opening a COM channel. "Maine, South! We've got trouble! Abort mission; I repeat, abort now!" 'Dammit! We just walked right into a trap! The Director knew we would try and break Washington out, and he hired a group of mercenaries to be waiting for us.'

"What!? Why!?" South asked incredulously. "We're nearly all the way inside now!" Reach narrowed his eyes as the mysterious men rapidly made their way around the prison, some equipped with unusual weapons. "It's a fucking ambush! We've got at least twenty unidentified contacts, wearing black armor with red visors. They must have set this up, for they knew we would try to get Washington free."

He heard the sounds of gunfire over the COMs, along with the sounds of cursing from South. "Shit! It's the Basilisk's Fang!" Before Reach could ask what the hell that was, he heard someone right behind him. "Well, hello there, Agent Reach."

He turned around to see a man wearing blue armor, with an Energy Sword hilt in his hand. "So…I guess you're being paid by the Director." 'That sword can cut through anything, even this high-tech Hayabusa armor.' The man laughed mockingly, igniting the weapon in his hand. The blade was red, instead of the usual blue type. "My lips are closed tight on that matter, for sure. But, they aren't sealed on Agent North Dakota's fate."

He swung the weapon, and Reach ducked, the sword missing him by inches. Static washed over his HUD from the tremendous heat energy. "What do you mean? North was killed by the Meta!" He fired at the unknown man, only for him to raise a portable energy shield. The high velocity round bounced off of it harmlessly, ricocheting into the mountain wall. 'What the hell is that? It's not a Covenant shield. And what does he mean by that?'

"Really, how do you think South Dakota managed to escape when her twin brother didn't?" the man asked, swinging the Energy Sword again. "She killed him to save her own pathetic skin." The twin blades sliced Reach's Sniper Rifle in half, forcing him to discard the useless weapon. "Even if she did, there was a reason for it. There are always two sides to any story." 'That's why she came here. South can't face the fact that her brother's blood is on her hands, even if it was for a definite purpose.'

The man hissed in annoyance, his Energy Sword narrowly missing Reach again. The former Spartan grabbed the man's wrist, using his free hand to punch him in the jaw before kicking him away. 'Damn. No weapons, save for my knife and fists. And I'm fighting against someone who has some skill with an Energy Sword.' The odds didn't look good on paper, but in a real fight, things were all down to chance.

Reach's foot slipped on the rocky mountain surface, and while off-balance, he drew his knife and threw it, hoping to hit the man in a fatal position. The blade spun, and the man sliced Reach's blade in the air, splintered shards of metal falling on the ground. Before he could fully regain his composure, the man's Energy Sword slashed, and Reach felt a searing pain in his arm. Only it wasn't there.

His right arm lay on the rocky ground, separated from the rest of his body. A quick look told him that it was completely cut off, from the shoulder down. But, surprisingly, it wasn't bleeding like he imagined it was. 'It should hurt. Why doesn't it?'

The man laughed softly, picking up the severed limb and kicking the wounded Freelancer down. "Goodbye, Agent Reach. The Basilisk's Fang always gets their targets, even if they were a member of Project Freelancer." With a flick of his wrist, the energy blade went out, and Reach struggled to get back onto his feet. 'I can't die. Not yet. It isn't my time.'

His vision swam, and as the man faded from his view, the world went dark. Reach could hear someone screaming his name as he fell. Not his Freelancer name, but his real one. The one no one alive knew. "Adam!"

-0-

Maine growled in irritation as members of the Basilisk Fang stormed inside, guns blazing. 'There's no end to the bastards! Reach was right to call this off.' He spun his Brute Shot, deflecting the bullets from the mercenaries' Assault Rifles as South picked them off, ducking behind a crate for cover. "There's too many of them! Where the hell is Reach!?" Maine hissed, firing his Brute Shot at a gas tank. The tank exploded, killing most of the mercenaries. 'I don't know. But the fact he hasn't contacted us since things went to hell is worrying.'

Suddenly, a message from Eta flashed across his HUD. "Maine, South! Reach has been severely wounded!" The massive white Freelancer's dark eyes widened under his domed helmet in surprise. 'What!? This must be some sort of joke!' In the time he had known the red/black Freelancer, he would have never expected for him to be seriously injured in a fight.

"How the hell did that happen!?" South demanded, reloading her Assault Rifle as fast as she could before firing again. Eta shook his head, concern in his eyes. "He lost his right arm due to a Covenant Energy Sword, and is currently unconscious. If we don't hurry, it won't just be his arm he loses. He will die if we don't get the hell out of here!"

Maine hissed in annoyance, firing another two rounds from his Brute Shot before charging. A single bullet impacted on his heavy armor, barely piercing it. The mercenaries were lying on the ground, dead from his and South's firepower. 'We're getting you, Reach. Hang on.'

Maine sprinted outside, his radar picking up Reach's bio-readings. His armor was in critical condition, the Active-Camouflage unit was malfunctioning, and his biometrics were beginning to spike dangerously. 'Shit. Even a hardcore Freelancer like him is going into shock. I can't blame him. He did just lose a limb..'

He stumbled as he climbed the rocky wall where Reach's body was, nearly tripping over the ruined remains of his Sniper Rifle. 'Eta wasn't kidding. He really is in terrible shape.' Maine saw Reach's unmoving body, and he could see the red/black Freelancer's heart rate going up. 'Sigma, you're flying the Pelican. I don't care if the engines go into the redline. We have no other option.'

"Understood. Let's get out here, ASAP." Maine picked up Reach's body, hefting it over his broad shoulders before jerking his head to South. 'Let's go.' The two Freelancers broke into a run, Reach's remaining arm limp. 'Even if he lives…how can he fight with just one arm? He can't shoot anything bigger than an SMG…'

The Pelican loomed into view, and Maine picked up the pace, even as something in his left leg tore. He gritted his teeth, pain shooting up his leg with every step. 'Goddammit. Tendon injury. Good thing we have that stupid shit for helping heal this. But for a severed arm…' There was the possibility of giving Reach a robotic arm, which would enable him to fight, but no one he knew was skilled enough with mechanics to pull that miracle.

He put Reach in the Pelican's rear seat, motioning for South to throw down a Drop Shield around him. 'I know these damn things save one from dying and have slight healing abilities. Let's see if it works.' The blue/green Freelancer nodded, slamming her fist down and creating a shield around Reach's body. "There! Let's get the fuck out, now!"

"Thrusters engaged! Hang on!" Sigma called back. The dropship rocketed upwards, heading straight back to Blood Gulch. The Pelican's engines screamed in stress as it continued to accelerate just under Mach 1 speed. Maine gripped onto the safety harness, forcing himself to keep awake despite the G-Forces. 'His biometrics are still spiking. We need to go faster.'

"Safety protocol override. Thruster turbos engaged," Delta said calmly, the green AI helping Sigma fly the ship. "Secondary boost increasing by 50%." The Pelican's engines howled in protest, speeding into the redline and accelerating to nearly Mach 2. Maine gritted his teeth, watching as the Pelican sped towards Blood Gulch. 'Damn gees are trying to take me out. Come on…'

Reach's biometrics were starting to return to normal levels, though he had still lost a lot of blood and in danger of dying from blood loss. 'Red Base has to have some sort of facility, and his team will know what to do better than I will. Tex is going to fucking pissed…'

The Drop Shield died, and South began to pant heavily, unable to sustain it any longer. "B-best I can do…" She leaned back in her seat, removing her helmet and coughing. Blood splattered onto her hand, and she grimaced. "Ugh. Disgusting."

Maine looked outside, and he saw the familiar sands of Blood Gulch, along with the bases. 'We're fucking here. Good. You still there Eta?' The orange AI flashed up, trying to get in contact with Tex. "Texas, Reach has been seriously wounded! Prepare the medical bay, now!"

"Are you serious!? Is he still conscious!?" Texas demanded, a hint of panic in her tone. Eta took a glance at his host, still out due to his injury. "No. His right arm has been completely severed by a Covenant Energy Sword, and appears to have been taken. Even if he survives…" The orange AI was unconsciously echoing Maine's own worries, although he didn't know it.

"I'll have the bay ready as soon as I can! Whatever you do, don't let him die," Texas ordered. Maine growled as the Pelican came to a screeching halt outside of the Red Base, and he stood up, picking Reach's body up. 'We're not letting you die, you bastard. You will make it through this.'

The ramp lowered, and the massive white Freelancer ran towards the Red Base, even though he too was hampered by a leg injury. Texas met him, her dark blue eyes frantic as she saw the state Reach was in. "No…you son of a bitch. Don't you fucking dare die!" South hobbled next to Maine, and the three Freelancers rushed Reach into the Red Base's medical bay, placing him on the operating table.

Texas knelt down, grabbing Reach's remaining hand, closing her eyes. "R-reach…don't die. Please…" The door burst open, and Maine and South whirled around to see one of the Reds, surprised to see his leader in the state he was. "Shit, what the hell happened!? His damn arm is missing!"

"Tell us something we don't already fucking know!" Texas hissed. Maine growled, jabbing the red/black Freelancer with biofoam to keep him from dying of shock. 'I don't know what the hell to do. I'm not sure how to treat a severed arm.' The Red soldier didn't seem fazed by the blonde Freelancer's distressed fury, and he crouched down to take a look at the wound. "I have an idea. But, I don't think the LT is going to like it."

Texas stood up, wiping her eyes and staring at Reach's golden visor, still out. "Do it."

"Yes, ma'am."

A/N: Heh… I told you that you were going to fucking hate my ass and maybe want to put me six feet under. But, this was something I've been fucking around with for a LONG time. Plus, if you do kill me, you'll never get the smut that WILL be in the next chapter (Good God will it feel awkward writing it lol), so no matter how you look at it, I win. I get to slice Reach's arm off, or you don't get ReachxTexas smut. Maybe I ought to have a few shots of Jager and then write the smut…