Halo 5.1 Guardians of Sera chapter 26
"Gears. You're the last people we expected to see" said the stranded as everyone got inside.
"Hey-are you feeling okay?" asked Sam.
"Fine, so far. But he's not lookin' too good" said the stranded.
Then everyone turned to another stranded lying down coughing.
"Is this how it starts?" asked Dom.
"Yeah. You've seen this before? 'Cause this ain't just rustlung" said the stranded as then a former leaped into a window killing him.
"More of those formers!" said Locke taking aim.
"Come on, we gotta get to that fuel pump!" said Marcus as everyone quickly cleared the room.
"They're coming from the walls" added Kelly killing more with her shotgun.
"We need to clear the courtyard!" added Chief fighting off more formers.
"Over the wall!" shouted Tanaka picking off more formers with her DMR.
Just then the sound of a barricaded door was breaking down.
"Next wave coming in" added Locke.
"Push through to the cementary!" ordered Chief.
After finishing off the last of the formers, the team were in the clear...for now.
"Okay we're clear for now" said Marcus
"Looks likethey re-routed the pipepline through the church. Let's go!" added Dom.
"I am not gonna end up like them. I bloody well am not" said Sam to herself.
"You won't Sam. I've got your back" assured Dom.
"The grubs are gonna be here soon Marcus. We're running out of time to fuel up!" said Anya.
"If the Locust are on their way, so will the Covenant" added Chief.
"What about the Prometheans Chief?" asked Kelly.
"We'll know when we find them" answered Chief
"Alright let's find that pump and get the fuel flowing" added Marcus.
The team then finally found the pump but also a grave.
"Ok, that's it. Dom, we'll deal with the pump" assured Marcus.
"Thanks. But don't wait for me if anything goes wrong" added Dom.
"Just make it fast" said Marcus.
As Marcus, Anya, Sam, Locke, Tanaka and Kelly were going to activate the pump, Chief stayed behind with Dom. He wanted to know who's grave Dom was going up to.
Dom went up to the statue, got on his knees and said:
"Maria...Baby I'm sorry I couldn't bring you home. But you're with the kids now. That's home yeah? I'll see you all again one day. Look, Marcus is busy saving the world again, so I gotta be there for him. Sleep tight sweetheart".
As Chief stood there and heard Dom talking to his late wife Maria, he couldn't help relate with the relationship he had with Cortana. Sure she's an A.I and sure her agenda has changed with bringing peace through the galaxy with violence but before all that, way back since the Pillar of Autum, Chief and Cortana were inseperable.
As Dom put his COG tags on the statue Chief walked up to Dom and placed his hand on his shoulder and asked,
"You ready to go?"
"Yeah. Let's catch up with Marcus" answered Dom.
Back at the fuel pump, Marcus was having trouble pulling the lever to start the pump. Dom came up to Marcus with his knife to see if it'll help but it was still unable to move. Chief then pulled out the knife and pulled down the lever like it was nothing. Like a lightswitch so to speak. Chief then gave the knife back to Marcus which then Marcus tried to give it back to Dom. But Dom already left.
"Dizzy, the fuel's online. Stand by" said Marcus.
Then as the team looked towards the barricade door of the Church, more formers were inbound trying to break the barricade down.
"Somehow, I don't think that's the choir" said Dom.
"Get ready" ordered Chief as everyone took aim.
"We finish this bunch and then we get the hell out of here, okay?" said Marcus.
"You think the old guy laid enough explosives to blow the town? asked Dom.
"No but it'll put a big hole in it" said Sam.
"Then we'll have to settle for slowin' 'em down" said Marcus.
Delta and the Spartans quickly cleared the area of the formers as they began to work their way back to Dizzy and Jace.
"Dizzy we're done here. We're on our way. Dom, what's the fastest way back to the fuel station?" asked Marcus.
"Just cut through the vaults under the church. It used to be an air raid shelter in the Pendulum Wars" explained Dom.
"Better hope we cleared out the Lambent" added Sam.
Marcus then chainsawed an opened to under the church with his Lancer.
"Ugh, smell those Imulsion fumes. Never used to be like this" said Dom as the undergrond passage was filled with Imulsion.
"Hey, Marcus-your father thinks it's Imulsion killing Sera, right?" asked Sam.
"Yeah. We killed to get the stuff. And now it's killing us" added Marcus.
"It won't kill the people of Earth or the rest of the galaxy. Not like The Flood" added Locke.
"Yo, Marcus, we got grubs coming up the highway!" said Jace.
"Is the tanker ready to roll?" asked Marcus.
"She's still spewin' fuel Marcus! I can't plug all the leaks. She ain't going nowhere!" added Dizzy.
"Ah, shit! Alright, leave the damn thing-get to the pickup" ordered Marcus.
"Roger that, we'll be locked and ready to go" assured Jace.
The team then took a lift down right where the pickup is and rushed as fast as possible.
"Marcus! Come on, we're good to go!" shouted Dizzy.
Just then a large explosion was heard as Locust came in rushing to attack.
"We're cut off" said Anya.
"Everyone take cover and prepare to engage!" ordered Locke.
Just as everyone took down the first wave of Drones and Boomers, Covenant Phantoms were inbound dropping reinforcements.
"Covies inbound!" shouted Tanaka.
"Watch the sides! Grapplers coming up" warned Marcus.
Just then the Phantom's plasma cannon underneath it was taking out the grapplers.
"Watch it, that Phantom is firing like crazy!" added Sam.
"Half of 'em are taking out the Locust. Take advantage Delta!" shouted Marcus taking out more Locust.
"Elites coming from behind!" added Kelly.
"Grunts inbound too!" added Tanaka.
Anya and Marcus then turned their attention the the Covenant flanking.
"Look out formers behind us!" warned Sam.
"Oh great!" complained Tanaka.
"Just hold them off!" ordered Locke
"Shit we got glowies too!" added Dom.
"Hold 'em off! We've gotta get to the pickup!" ordered Marcus.
"They're everywhere!" shouted Kelly.
Master Chief then remebered about the Warthogs.
"Locke! We need Kelly and Tanaka to get to the Warthogs. The turrets can help us out.
"Im running low on ammo!" said Kelly counting her last few shotgun shells.
"Same here! Last mag!" added Tanaka loading her last DMR mag.
"Kelly, Tanaka, get back to the Warthogs and man those turrets!" said Locke as he and Chief gave their magnums to the girls.
Kelly and Tanaka quickly ran towards the Hogs and drove them to a more secure position to man the turrets.
"117! watch your six!" warned Locke as he killed some flanking Lambent and Covenant.
As more stalks rose an explosion dropped a platform for everyone to cross.
"Run! Get to the other side!" ordered Marcus.
But as Dom was trying to cross, a stalk cut him off.
"We're surrounded!" shouted Sam
Dom was firing his Lancer and ran out of ammo while switching to his Gnasher shotgun and said:
"There's too many! We're not gonna make it!"
"Hold 'em off! Just hold 'em off!" added Marcus.
Chief and Locke were being pushed back. As more hostiles were moving in, Locke took a hit causing him to get on one knee.
"I'm hit!" shouted Locke.
Chief then quickly helped Locke back to his feet.
"You're not dying on me today Spartan. We still have a mission to complete" said Chief as he and Lock were back-to-back.
"If it's our day to die, it's been an honor 117" said Locke.
"Likewise Locke" said Chief took out more hostiles.
Dom fired three shots from his Gnasher before running out and tossing it to the side. He then saw his friends valiantly fighting what he thought was a losing fight. Dom knew no one was gonna make it out alive so he knew he had to make a choice.
Dom saw the fuel tanker and a COG truck right behind it so Dom jumped down to get to the truck.
"Dom!" shouted Marcus.
"Get out of there! Jump!" said Dom picking up a Hammerburst and firing it.
Just then Marcus took some enemy fire and returned focus on them.
Dom got in the truck and started to drive away.
Dom! Dom where are you going?" asked Marcus.
Dom didn't answer.
Dom then drove all the way to the end of the tunnel and turned back around back to the direction Marcus was. He stopped and took a deep breath.
"Dom what the fuck are you doing?" asked Marcus.
"Pullin' the plug on 'em Marcus! JUMP, WILL YOU? DO IT!" shouted Dom as he floored the gas petal driving at full speed.
Marcus then heard truck horns as he saw Dom come back. Meanwhile Sam, Anya, Chief and Locke ran to the pickup with Marcus still wondering what Dom was doing.
"Never though it would end like this huh? Huh, Maria?" asked Dom as he was closing in on the fuel tanker.
"DOM! NO!" shouted Marcus.
Dom knew his time was up. He closed his eyes as he heroically sacrificed himself by blowing up the tanker with him along with it.
As everything exploded, Marcus jumped off and landed covering his head as did Sam, Anya, Jace, Dizzy Chief, and Locke.
The explosion killed the Locust, Covenant, and Lambent in the area as with the Covenant Phantoms fleeing.
Then Master Chief and Anya quickly ran to Marcus. Chief deployed a bubble shield protecting the three and Marcus got up and ran towards the wreckage trying to save Dom. Which then Chief and Anya restrained Marcus.
"Marcus! He's gone! He's gone there's nothing you can do! Stop it! Stop it!" pleaded Anya.
"Get off me! Goddamn it let me get him out of there!" said Marcus convinced he can still save his best friend.
"MARCUS!" said Chief finally restraining Marcus as the wreck exploded again.
"It's okay Marcus. It's okay. Come on, we gotta go now-your father still needs us" said Anya.
Marcus then finally let the moment sink in.
"Dom" added Marcus.
Master Chief then let him go and placed his hand on his shoulder and said:
"Marcus...it's okay".
Delta and the Spartans began to mourn the loss of Dominic Santiago. For Marcus and Dom were brothers to the end.