Chapter 3

The Numb3rs started running up the stairs and began kicking Covenant a- "0ne!" Tw0 called out. FINE! INTERRUPT ME! 0ne turned to face Tw0. "Cover me! I need to reload!" 0ne ran up to Tw0 and slid to a stop before shooting a Grunt in the head.

"Nice shot!" Se7en shouted out.

An Elite snuck up behind Se7en before Thr33 shouted out, "Se7en! Behind you!"

Se7en turned around to face the giant alien before sighing. The Elite lifted its massive fist before widening his eyes. Se7en raised an eyebrow. It dropped to the ground with F0ur standing on the alien. "You owe me," he said while gasping.

Se7en chuckled. "Thanks."

F0ur smiled, but Se7en couldn't see it past his visor. "SAM!" Thr33 yelled out. Se7en and F0ur turned to see an Elite spearing an energy sword through Tw0's chest. "NOOOOOOO!" Thr33 ran at the Elite, pulled out his knife, and pounced on the Elite's back. The Elite screeched in pain as the knife dug into his its back.

F0ur and Se7en ran to Sam's side with Thr33. Thr33's eyes started to water. Sam took his helmet off and gasped for air before looking into the visor of his little brother. "Hey, bro," he wheezed. "So, what are you up to?"

Thr33 chuckled. "You're dying, and yet you're still cracking jokes."

"Yeah," Sam said with a smile, "I am pretty amazing." This time, F0ur couldn't help but join in on the laughter. Sam spat up some blood. "Oh," he said, "I think that's my que." Sam smiled. "Hope to see you soon."

Thr33 glared at him. "That's a terrible thing to say."

"Well, it's out there now."

Thr33 smiled. "You always were the-" Thr33 stopped when Sam's heart stopped. Thr33 clenched his fists. He spun around to face 0ne. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE COVERING HIM!"

Thr33 got up and walked up to 0ne. "I didn't see him, okay?" 0ne asked.

Thr33 ground his teeth. "NO! NOT OKAY!" Thr33 said before punching 0ne. A piece of glass from 0ne's EVA helmet got knocked out. "YOU"RE HELMET LOOKS LIKE A GOLDFISH BOWL!"

0ne looked up at Thr33. You could now see his bright red eye through the slot where the sliver of glass was. "Wrong move," 0ne said before kicking Thr33 in the chest, blowing him into a wall.

Se7en jumped back just as Thr33 flew past. "Alright, that's enough." Thr33 pulled himself out of the wall and charged for 0ne. Se7en clotheslined Thr33 before picking him back up and throwing him at 0ne. 0ne tried to dodge but wasn't fast enough. Thr33 slammed into 0ne, forcing the two Spartans to fall onto the ground. Se7en walked up to the two sprawling on the floor. "Tw0 was a very good man and a great soldier. We'll all miss him, but blaming each other will get us nowhere." Thr33 and 0ne looked at each other. "You can beat each other up when we get out of here."

Thr33 glared at 0ne. "Alright," he said, "but I'm not going to like him."

Twenty-one years earlier…

Sam was standing in line for his porridge when Luke walked up to him and said, "Frontsies!"

He slid in front of Sam. "No," Sam said simply before shoving Luke out of the way.

"Yes!"

Luke tried to slide back, but Sam shoved him out again. "No!" Luke glared at Sam. He screamed and pounced on him. Sam yelped in shock before kneeing him in the face. Luke fell back and wiped the blood that wasn't there from his nose. He jumped for Sam before a Marine pulled Luke back. "Thanks for holding him back," Sam said before kicking Luke in the crotch. Another Marine held Sam back.

Dr. Halsey walked up to them. She turned to her side to see James standing next to her. "What are we going to do with them?" he asked.