A/N: Sorry for the delay. And I'm sorry if this chapter is not good. I'm headed off to boot camp on Monday, and I couldn't quite reread this chapter. But thanks for taking the time for reading my piece. Oorah!!!

The Cabin…

Corporal Harper was propped on the living room couch. Clenched in his hand were the identity tags of his fallen squad mates.

His face was covered in soot from the not-so-long ago ambush. His eyes were bloodshot from all the emotions built up inside.

SSgt White was also in the main room of the cabin. Armed with the Mulcher chain gun, White observed the forest from a window. He was completely oblivious to the Alpha sobbing on the sofa.

SSgt White could hear the creaking of the stairs. He turned to see Major Dixon enter the room. He gave a salute, which Dixon returned one.

"Statue report, Staff Sergeant," the Major requested.

"Well, sir, I haven't seen movement since we got here." White replied. "I'm hoping to get some action before we leave."

"That's what I like to hear. What about the Alpha?" Dixon asked, looking over his shoulders at the man sitting on the couch.

"He hasn't said a word, sir," White said. "Frankly, I'm concerned that he'll be a Section 8."

Section 8's were men and women in the military who has broken down under pressure and emptying their rifle magazines on whomever they saw.

"Don't worry, Staff Sergeant," Dixon said. "Just keep up the great work."

White gave a thumbs up as he walk away.

The Major wanted to create a comfortable environment for his team. He crouched in front of Corporal Harper.

"Listen, boy, crying ain't gonna bring your dead buddies back," he spat out. "So it's time to grow a pair of balls and cowboy the fuck-up! You got me?"

Harper looked in to the Major's eyes. "Yes, sir."

"Good," Dixon stood straight. "Now, be useful and cover the entrance."

Without another word, he headed for the kitchen, leaving White and the Alpha in the main room.

The Major was greeted with a salute with a salute by both Gunnery Sergeant Cruise and Corpsman Turner.

"At ease," he ordered.

The two eased up and continued to watch their post. Cruise stared out of a dirt cover window above the sink. The Corpsman crouch a meter in front of the back door.

"How you guys holding up here?"

"We're eh-okay, Maja," said Cruise. "If any Locust ugliest try and fuck with us, we'll make 'em pay dearly, sir. Any luck with the radio?"

"The El-Tee is still upstairs working on it." Dixon assured. "Keep strong, Gunny."

"Aye aye, sir!" Cruise bellowed out.

"Where's the Corporal?"

The Corpsman gestured to a narrow door half open. "He's counting the food supply."

"Food supply?" Dixon muttered.

He walked into a large pantry room with three shelves lining all walls. Corporal Colton was in the center, organizing each canned food. He turned and held up a can already in his hand.

"Canned beef. Have you ever heard of such a thing, sir?"

"No, I haven't, Corporal," he lied.

"There's food to last us three weeks!"

"Well, Corporal, I don't plan on staying that long. Distribute a few out to the team."

"Aye aye, sir," Colton gathered as much as he could in his arm and exited the pantry.

Dixon grabbed the canned beef, and remembered the days during the Pendulum wars.

Lieutenant Jacobs was stooped on the damaged radio pack.

"Piece of shit!" he said and nudged it with his foot. The radio tipped over a bit and fell hard against the floor. That caused Jacobs to jump up and check what more damage it had received.

"Damn it!" he smacked the side and decided to relax on the master bed. He closed his eyes and embraced the silence, which was shortly lived.

A knocked on the door caused the Lieutenant to rise. He then snapped to attention and gave a salute to the Major.

Dixon gave a salute back. "So, how's the radio coming along, Lieutenant?"

Jacobs sighed. "Well sir, the radio is fried. I'm afraid I can't fix it. It must have gotten damaged when we jumped off the rig."

"Yeah," Dixon said. "I figured that much. Do you know where we are?"

"No. I'd ask the Gunny, sir," Jacobs admitted. "He specializes in coordination and survival."

The Major was about to speak until a terrible crash interrupted him, followed by a cry of his name.

The two leapt up and raced downstairs. There, they saw the Alpha at the entrance, his rifle trained on the man blocking the door- Lieutenant Colonel Kinsley. At that moment, Jacobs leveled his own rifle at the Alpha.

"Corporal Harper!" Dixon shouted. "What his your malfunction!?"

As he took step by step down the staircase, Dixon spotted four of his troops training their rifles on the Alpha.

"I'm doing what you told me to do, sir," Harper answered. "I'm cowboying the fuck up! I'm gonna kill as many of those Grub bastards as I can!"

"And how does this concern the Lieutenant Colonel, boy!?" Dixon asked, as he drew out his Snub pistol and aiming directly at the back of Harper's head.

"He's only an obstacle, sir," Harper replied. "He won't step outta my path!"

Tension began to rise, Dixon could feel it. A bloodbath would soon erupt.

"Corporal Harper," Kinsley said. "Don't be so stupid! Throwing your life away for revenge is foolish! Is that what your friends would want you to do? Is this what your family expect of you?"

"My mind is made up," Harper said. "Now get outta my way, Lieutenant Colonel."

Kinsley stood firm.

"No? Then I'm sorry, sir." Harper swiftly hit the butt of his rifle against Kinsley's head, knocking him to the floor.

Harper then forced the door open. It swung wide, the hinges squeaking, the door slammed hard against the wall.

He took a step out, ready to engage the enemy. Suddenly, there was a crackle in the air and Corporal Harper fell back into the cabin. His hands clenched his throat, a pool of blood formed under his head.

In reflex, Cruise and White fired off controlled burst in the direction of the sniper. Cruise then slammed the door shut.

Despite his actions earlier, everyone gathered around the Alpha and tried comforting him. The young soldier's eye darted frantically at the people around him. He coughed out blood, tears quickly formed in his eyes. His grip tightened around his throat, the liquid life oozed from the large fleshy hole in his neck. He struggled to speak but only gurgled out more blood.

"Don't talk," Kinsley bade the young man.

Corpsman Turner searched through his utility bet for adhesive bandages to stop the bleeding.

Boots came crashing down the stairway. Dixon turned to see Captain Sheppard and PFC Alyssa staring at the thrashing Alpha.

"Sheppard, guard the kitchen," Dixon ordered, then turned to Cruise and Colton. "You two, go with him!"

They nodded and followed the Captain.

"Jacobs, White, you two take position in the main room. Alyssa, hold here. Whatever comes through that door, put two in its chest and one in its head. You got that?"

"Yes, sir!" she said and knelt beside the stairwell.

Dixon knew the boy would not survive. He patted the Corpsman on the shoulder, and said, "Don't." He then proceeded upstairs.

Harper's kicking feet began to lessen, his eyelids fluttered and his breathing shallow. At that moment, Turner had ceased his attempts in saving the Alpha.

"What are you doing?" Kinsley asked, confusion displaying clear on his face.

"I can't save him." was the answer Turner gave. "He's lost to much blood."

Kinsley looked down to the dying Harper. For a few more seconds, he continued to breathe. Then, finally, Harper's chest ceased to move. He was dead.

Kinsley tore his gaze from the lifeless body to the blood covered hands that were now trembling. What do I do now? he asked himself. The enemy is now waiting on the doorstep!

Solemn loaded in a second projectile into his long range Boomstick. He grinned at the successful shot he had made. Then decided to relocate.

He climbed up a tall tree with thick branches and nestled there, waiting for another opportunity.

A/N: Thanks again for reading.