Chapter 10 -Shots Fired and Unusual feelings
I viewed the town in the dulled color and watched as the men that I am to cover from afar moved along the three streets. I noticed that there was what appeared to have been camouflaged Brute on the building in the second district closest to my position. I moved my barrel to point directly at the Brute. I felt the weight of my weapon in my arms, the sturdy connection between my shoulder and the butt of the gun that fit securely and familiar. The smell of the gun oil wafted into my nostrils as I placed my finger onto the trigger and let the breath out slowly. Then squeezing my forefinger, I pulled the trigger back and felt the ignition of the gunpowder to launch the bullet out of the chamber, down the barrel, through the air, and into the Bute's head. I swept my view over to the other streets and saw that there were four orange brute sized spots on the rooftops. In a rapid motion of less than three seconds I pulled the trigger three times and each bullet hit its mark. The mark was always a headshot. I watched through my enhanced eyesight and scope of all three falling with their previous fallen brethren.
"Good job Val." John said over the communication circuit and I heard marine silently shout out over the communications circuit with an expression of excitement of the Brute's death. I smiled as best as I could as I moved my view over to the inner district. I noticed more orange dots on the rooftops. I sighed cause this will not be easy for any of us.
"Group one has reached the edge of the inner city." I moved the barrel down to find where group one was. I saw that it consisted of Eton and two of his own warriors. I felt my heartbeat faster as watching him move swiftly and elegantly. It made me think of how he might use those attributes for everyday life. I pulled away from the scope and shook my head lightly. I had to get those unusual thoughts from my mind. I am not use to them and they are new. The feeling in my chest keeps pulling me to look at Eton and make sure he is safe. I kept pushing that feeling down. I turned to see the men around me looking a bit antsy and I knew they wanted to be in the front lines.
"Arbiter," I called out. He looked back at me. "some of them could head on down and help them out. I notice a lot of camouflaged covenant on the rooftops. There will be more throughout the lower levels of the buildings." I looked back into my scope and continued looking out for the men on the ground.
"They have sufficient men on the ground and if there is an issue. They will call out for back-up." Arbiter stated as I continued to view the group of orange, yellow, or red dots moving forward. I breathed and fired off more rounds taking the hidden covenant from the rooftops. I heard gunfire down below in the inner district. I kept watching out and straining my eyes to see as much as I could through the scope. I had to back away and used my eyes without the scope. I felt my eyes zoom in and focus on the orange brute sized dots. I saw that they were about halfway through the inner district when I noticed a couple of odd shapes in the center of the city itself. The center had an open field with some things on it. I allowed my eyes to adjust to keep zoomed eyesight and added more of the x-ray vision. I kept the heat sensor portion to keep an eye on the covenant that I could not get from this position.
"Your eyes are now a forth pink and three fourths yellow and red." Orion responded to my change of my eyesight. I kept looking at the very center and focused hard. I told Orion to try to get a read on what is in the center of the city. "Val, there are two wraths and one phantom located in the center of the city and seems to be locking on to the three groups." I sucked in my breath and took the magazine that I had in my sniper rifle out and opened a compartment on my left thigh. I pulled out the magazine with a red colored end and placed the fourth used magazine in its place. I placed the red ended magazine into the rifle. I pulled the bolt back, changed the switch to the third position of the five positions the switch can change to. The change made the gun be used for anti-tank ammunition and put more gunpowder into the ignition.
"Groups this is sniper one," I called over the communications circuit. I got a go ahead from John. "There are two wraths and a phantom in the center of the town completely. I can shoot through the buildings to get to the targets. Over." I waited for a response as I changed my position into a lower centered stance to balance out the kick back of the gun.
"Sniper One this is Group two." John called out. "Do what ever you need to do to get rid of the tanks. We are running low on ammunition. There is a bit more covenant than we thought. Over." I sighed. I knew this was going to happen. Why do people not think of bringing more ammunition to a mission with unknown amount of enemy.
"Group two this is Sniper One," I moved my barrel to the closest tank and started to lock on. "Roger that. Out." I told Orion to update me on the three groups location when they get closer to the center. "Arbiter, you all need to move away from me by at least two feet and get ready for some fire power being sent out way." I called out as I found the target that I am going to start with.
"Copy that, Val." The Arbiter and the rest of the men moved more than two feet away from me and gave me uneasy looks. I let out a small giggle at the looks. I breathed in and smelt the gun oil, gun powder, and the smell of the fresh air that is being filtrated into my suit. I placed my finger on the trigger, breathed out and pulled it. A huge bang could be heard from my gun and I sled back from my original place by four inches. I watched as the bullet hit the building destroying the side completely and hitting the side of the wrath. I fired twice in a row to follow the first bullet. I watched through my scope of the first wrath blowing up and the other two tanks being completely confused of where the bullets were coming from. I locked my sights onto the second tank and did not hesitate as I fired away. I watched at the first bullet that I fired hit the wrath briefly. The second hit the phantom beside it. The third took out the building top that was obstructing my view. I really hope that no one underneath that. I was pushed back by twenty inches and my feet have dug into the ground until I found a solid object stopping my backwards motion. I locked onto the wrath again, breathed, pulled the trigger, and watched as it hit the wrath. I watched at the covenant that was on the ground were running around trying to put out the fire of the second wrath. I moved my focus back to the group of men quickly to see where they are. They have almost reached the center of the city. I became a bit fearful now. I gathered my breath and moved the barrel and scope back to the wrath and phantom. I breathed out and started to pull the trigger after locking onto the wrath. I watch as the two bullets that I sent hit their target and the wrath went up in an explosion of fire and metal. I moved the barrel over to the phantom. I fired two shots and hit the phantom. Though it was being a bit difficult to take down. I then shot in a rapid fire of three bullets and the phantom went up in flames and the expansion of metal that sent shrapnel around the flat area and hitting many of the covenant.
I blinked and made my eyesight return to the three equal parts of x-ray, heat sensor, and zoom vision again as I watch the three teams meet up at the center and take the rest out. I let out a happy sigh as I pulled my visor away from the scope of the gun and change the switch to safety. I looked around and noticed that the Arbiter and his warriors looked at me with astonished and slightly fearful expressions on their faces. Their mandibles were slacked and slightly curled in on themselves. I knew this was going to happen. I got out of my stance and brought my gun down and relaxed as I waited to hear from the Master Chief.
"City is secured." John said over the communication circuit. I saw the Sangheili warriors relax and show a smile at each other. "Regroup at the rendezvous point." I watched as the Arbiter nodded his head to the Master Chief's words. He informed us that we were moving out to the location. I took my assault rifle from my back and placed it on the ground as I kneeled to take the barrel off the sniper. I placed the separated sniper rifle onto my back and picked up the assault rifle. I followed the Sangheili that already headed to the specific coordinates. We moved over the land swiftly and arrived at the rendezvous point to see the that the other group has not arrived yet.
"Val," I turned to look at the Arbiter. "That was a spectacle to see. With a weapon that powerful, why hasn't it been reproduced to be able to use throughout the fleet?" An inquisitor expression was displayed across his face and I sighed as I got ready to tell the reason.
"The reason why it was not reproduced to be used throughout the fleet." I looked over the horizon looking out for the other unit. "Is because it is too powerful for anyone that is not enhance and the UNSC and ONI are not creating anymore enhanced personnel." I turned to look back at him and it seemed like he understood the reasoning behind their decision. I understood too. The training is tough, but the medical procedure is not a hundred percent accurate and there are many loses through the process.
I noticed there were some moving objects to my left that seemed to be getting closer. I raised my assault rifle to my chest and aimed the barrel towards the objects. I saw the rest of the warriors that I was with do the same. My vision took in that it was the unit that we were waiting for. However, I did not lower my weapon until the Sangheili did. They did not know about the exact enhancements besides what I told John, Thel, and Eton during dinner the night previous night.
A few minutes later the rest of my group lowered their weapons and the unit that was approaching came into further focus. I closed my eyes and slowly started to turn off the enhancements that I turned on for this mission. It was a slow progress and my headache was coming forth like being hit through four solid walls by a large hammer. I heard their footsteps approaching and once I heard everyone stop and just shuffle around as they talked. I opened my eyes to notice that Eton was standing in front of me with a worried look on his face. He was trying to say something, but I held my hand up to indicate that he should give me a minute. I put down my hands and tried pushing the headache away until we reached the station again.
"Eton," I started as I looked him over more thoroughly. "What were you trying to tell me a few seconds ago?" I felt my heartbeat faster at his proximity to me. I felt like I wanted to reach out and pull him even closer than he was. It was an unusual feeling to have the need to touch his body. I restrained myself from touching him.
"I was wondering if you were alright." He said as he seemed to investigate my armor to see if there was any injury. "Thank you for taking care of the cloaked covenant on the rooftops. I did not notice them. It would have been too late if I had." He scratched the back of his neck with an embarrassed expression on his face.
"I am glad that I could help out." I started as I heard a static noise coming over the communications circuit and quieted down as I waited to hear what will be said.
"Master Chief we will be there in ten seconds." The voice said and everyone heaved a much-needed sigh. "Titan, you are joining us on this flight." I saw many confused looks from the soldiers and Sangheili around me. I am glad that I do not have to wait here until they got the weight bearing pelican to pick me up. Usually it takes a few hours to be picked up. I looked up into the sky and saw the pelican coming in and lowering its ramp as it landed. The men and Sangheili walked into the pelican with a slight slope to their shoulders from exhaustion and taking the seats on either side of the pelican. I shook my head at this notion. I walked up the ramp and settled again the side of the pelican nearest the ramp to wait take off. The pilot confirmed everyone was onboard and then closed the ramp. The view as the ramp closed was of the magnificent. The sun had risen further, and it was when we landed and brought out the reds in the ground and it shone against the trees to silhouette them again the ground. That was the last view of the planet as we took off and headed to the station. I closed my eyes to stave off this headache and I felt the bruise starting to form on my shoulder from the repeated firing of the sniper rifle.