Perez kicked the wall. He was stuck in the building, without even a puny pistol to protect himself. Covenant bastards. He tried to think of a way to get a weapon, when he heard stocky footsteps and high-pitched chatter.
"Grunts," one of the marines said, grinning as he set the heavy machine gun down at the top of the stairs. "They don't have any idea that we've got this, so they've sent in Grunts!" He started laughing.
"Shut up!" Mckenzie growled. "They will know if you keep laughing like that!"
The first Grunt came around the corner, stopped, stared, and started shaking as it saw the gun.
"Hehehe…" The marine giggled at the paralyzed grunt. "Hehe… hahaha…"
He started firing, the loud noise and smoke obscuring the stairwell.
"Muhahaha… AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Perez covered his ears. "MARINE!?! ARE YOU BRAIN DAMAGED OR SOMETHING!?! HOLD YOUR FIRE!!!"
The marine stopped. The smoke was thick, and everyone started to choke.
Mckenzie hacked. "COUGH Marine, CHOKE off that turret… now…"
The marine stepped back and let out a sad sigh. "Did I get 'im?"
Perez looked out as the smoke cleared. The needler that the grunt had been carrying had fallen on the ground, but the grunt itself was gone.
"Marine, that was pitiful! You didn't even get close!" Mckenzie roared. "Get your tail back to the top deck and report to Sergeant Banks. He could find a use for you!"
"Hey! Mckenzie, could I grab that needler? I lost my gun."
Mckenzie turned. "Hmm… They could be waiting by the entrance. I'll bounce a grenade in there to confuse 'em. You get the needler then."
"But I've still got a grenade left!"
"Yeah, and the first one went HOW? Just hold. That needler is only stop gap. We've got a supply drop coming in about 1830 hours."
He chucked the grenade down and took cover. The blast, however, didn't come.
Perez looked over. A blue Elite had come around the corner, and had just then caught the grenade and held the safety lever. Its mandibles twisted into a remote likeness of an evil grin.
Perez knew what was coming, so he took his chance. He dashed out and tackled the Elite with all of his strength. It hadn't expected such a move, so it toppled to the bottom of the stairs with him.
Perez grabbed the grenade in one hand, the needler in the other, and jabbed the glistening purple spikes into the creature's chest, then hurling the grenade into the other room.
He stood and ran up the stairs as the grenade detonated, spitting fire and razor-sharp metal into the bottom of the stairs.
Mckenzie gaped at the rash maneuver and struggled to get a word out.
"Wha-… how… did you do that!?! Are you Master Chief or something!?!"
Perez shrugged. "I needed a gun."