Prologue
Mike was having the time of his life. Here he was a ten year old child, yet still having fun playing duck, duck, goose. "Who cares what the others say," his mother had said, "just have fun!" The new kid was circling the others. "Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck..." Mike was wondering when it would stop when suddenly, "Goose!" Mike whirled around and tried to catch the kid with his hand but he was too late. He got up and circled as fast as he possibly could, but he was too slow. The new kid was awfully fast. Mike sighed. Knowing that whining would just ruin the game, he started to pat each kid on the head. "Duck, duck, duck, duck…"
Mike continued this game for several more rounds before deciding to return home. He ran as fast as he could as soon as his house was in site. His dad was coming home in a few minutes and Mike didn't want to miss a second. Just as he reached the front porch he caught a twinkle in the sky. He assumed it was just another transport from Earth and continued inside. Nothing. That's strange, he thought. He expected his aunt and mother to be excitedly talking, awaiting his dad's arrival, but it was quiet.
He slowly walked down the hall and turned into the kitchen. He looked curiously at his mother, but her blank face gave him no sign as to what the problem was. She stared at the TV on the other side of the room. Uhhhh….. The News. But even the news didn't provoke such silence as this.
"Mom?" Mike asked, "Is everything okay?"
No answer
"Mom?" Mike tried again.
"Mike," she said.
Relieved that she could still speak, he answered "yea-" but the door slammed open before Mike could finish. Mike turned to see his father filling in the doorway. Mike ran too him to give him a hug, but he slowed to a halt half way. His dad wasn't smiling as he thought he would be, but instead his face was stricken with fear.
"Honey, get Mike and get in the car," he said.
"Ken, what's wrong-" his mom started.
"Just do it!" Mike reeled back in shock. His father never yelled, especially not at his mother. Without warning Mike felt his body being pushed outside from behind.
"Let's go Mike," his mom said. "Hurry."
"What's wrong?" Mike asked, but there was dead silenced.
Quite again? Mike was getting sick of this lack of speech. He hoisted himself into the back seat of the car as his mom started to shut the door. "I can do it," Mike inquired, but the door had all ready shut.
The drive there consisted of even less talking than at home. "Where are we going?" Mike had asked several times. All that he got for an answer was "On a little trip." After about thirty minutes into the ride Mike was just starting to sleep when the car leached forward and ground to a halt. We must be here. Standing before Mike was two giant towers with spinning lights at the top of each. There was a large building in front of them and behind it was a giant paved area. Like a big black top from school, Mike thought. His mom held his hand as they moved from place to place in the building. Finally they came to what looked like a long tunnel.
"I'm afraid I'm not allowed to let you go any further," the guard told Mike's parents. "Only he can go past this gate."
"Mike, don't worry," his mother insisted.
"We'll see you soon again," his father assured.
"Where am I going?" Mike had not been told anything for the whole trip.
"Have you ever seen a rocket ship?" his mom asked. "You're going to ride a space ship! Just like a real astronaut."
"Really?" Mike asked, now very excited.
"Yes," his father said. "You're going to a planet called Reach.
Reach? Mike thought to himself. I've never heard of Reach. Mike had lived all of his life on Chi Ceti IV.
"Go on now," his mother said, "we'll see you in a few days."
Days? Mike was nervous. He had never been apart from his parents for more than a few hours. Now he wasn't going to see them for days?
"Don't worry. You'll be perfectly safe," his father assured. "Now get to the ship before it takes off without you."
"All……right…" Mike wasn't so sure. He took the guards hand and hesitantly walked down the tunnel. He watched his parents as long as he could before he had to turn. Little did he know, he was never going to see them again.
Chapter I
Mike ducked his head, plasma fire scorching the barrier in front of him. He clutched his Battle Rifle and prepared to lay down counter fire when a bright blue flash appeared next to him. Plasma Grenade! Mike dove to his right, under the cover of his warthog. When the explosion came the entire warthog tipped to the right. No! We can't lose the warthog! Thankfully the giant beast fell back and came to a rest. Mike flew out from under the hog and thundered down the hallway into the building. He plowed his rifle into the chest of the elite in front of him and quickly fell back behind a nearby wall.
"You all right?" called Zane, second in command in Delta Force and Mikes best friend for the past two years.
"Yah," Mike called back.
"Good, last thing we need is a ton of hungry elites smelling your fried corpse!"
Mike sighed. Always making light of even the most deadly situations. "Thanks!" he replied, "I'm glad I'm still breathing too."
Mike had joined the UNSC in the war against the Covenant at the age of sixteen, four years ago, by faking his age. After arriving at Reach, Mike spent six years in foster care, awaiting his parents' arrival. They never came, like so many colonized planets before; Chi Ceti IV was bombarded with plasma until its surface was black and shiny, the beautiful lakes, forests and even the atmosphere just burned away in a process now called Glassing. Mike's sorrow quickly turned to rage. He vowed revenge on this new alien threat and joined the cause. Within two years of his enlisting his passion had lead him to Delta Force, the UNSC special operations squad. Delta Force was revered even by the ODST's, (Orbital Drop Shock Troops). Not even Helljumpers could stand up to someone who qualified for Delta Force.
Mike was huddled up against the wall. He had strict orders to eliminate all information stored inside the bank's computer system and retrieve the AI that was held inside the structure that was once used as a UNSC HQ before it was overrun. He was in the city of Kali, a major business center. Though normally packed to the brim, it was now deserted and felt like a ghost town.
Mike rounded the corner and burst into a large, open lobby. He caught three grunts huddled around a methane tank by surprise and dispatched them silently with his magnum. A clash of growls and murmurs came from a nearby doorway. Mike climbed behind the front desk and awaited his prey.
Sure enough, two eight-foot-tall elites entered the lobby on patrol. Upon seeing the pile of grunts, the red armored elite raised his plasma rifle. Mike ducked down. I could take them out with a single grenade... but it will be sure to raise alarm. Better to take them out silently. Mike reached into his pack and withdrew a silencer. He attached the short barrel to his battle rifle and inserted a fresh clip. Take your time, aim over speed. Cross hairs lined up, Mike squeezed down on the trigger. There was a quick splash of purple blood as the red elite's head vanished. That's one. His companion turned just in time to hear a bullet ring past his head. Now for the other. The elite raised his rifle, but had no time to do any damage before it was peppered with two bursts form his rifle.
Chapter II
Mike dropped his Battle Rifle and grabbed his new MA3 Assault Rifle he then secured his pistol in the holster on his leg. The next phase will require a bit more punch. Zane's voice erupted in Mike's ear. "Report."
"Two elites and three grunts down. Lobby is clear. No alarms have been raised." Mike replied. "Good, then they should have no reason to suspect that we are here."
"I still don't know why we just don't nuke these things."
"You know that we need to be sure that the AI does not fall into their hands." "Right." Mike sighed. "I'll continue to clear out the first level." Mike had barely finished his sentence when a grunt waddled in. It made it to the northern doorway before shrieking. The grunt quickly sped out yelling. Man those things run fast. Mike got up and ran after him.
The hallway jutted into a corner and Mike stopped before turning. Peeking around the corner he saw that two jackals were holding the grunt. Mike swung his head back behind the corner. Great just perfect. He heard one of the jackals growl as the grunt babbled on. Mike pulled a grenade off of his belt. He yanked out the pin and rolled it down the hall. One of the jackals looked down. Hope you like hell. I hear it's kinda warm this time of the year.
The entire structure shuddered as the immense explosion thundered through the hall. "What the heck was that?" screamed Zane.
"The welcoming committee." Mike flipped a switch on his helmet and the radio shut off. I'd better work fast.
Mike came around the corner to see two more grunts running around with their arms flailing above their heads. They both fell as Mike fired bursts of lead from his assault rifle. Well, at least I won't have to worry much about grunts. He grabbed the large metal door at the end of the hallway labeled 'stairs' and pulled as hard as he could. Locked. Mike looked down at his small package of C4 on his belt. No, I may need that later. Maybe there's a key in the lobby.
Mike rushed to the front desk. Key, key, where are the keys. He started to rummage through compartments. No luck. As he was walking back to the stairway, he noticed a glimmer of light from the red elite's body. No way, Mike thought, but sure enough, a small keychain was dangling from the red armor. Without hesitation, Mike grabbed the keys and ran down the hall.
The first four keys were too large, but the fifth key fit perfectly. Mike pushed on the door and it opened up to a small stair case. He quickly climbed the first set and turned around to face the second set when a green flash almost melted his face. Oh Crap, A jackal charged its plasma pistol at the top of the stairway growling. There was no way he could get out of range before the blast hit him and it would take several shots to bring down its shield. Nowhere to run, Mike thought.
Suddenly the jackal fell, face first. "Man these things are ugly; Oh hey Mike!" It was Zane.
Chapter III
"Well, what are you waiting for?" The voice came from behind Mike. It was Taylor, the demolitions expert for his squad. Taylor may be a girl, but she was one of the roughest marines he'd ever met. On Mikes first day in Delta Force, he went up to meet her, but instead he got a boot between the legs. "Let that be a lesson. I'm a girl, but that doesn't mean that I can't make you eat dirt for breakfast," was her reply. Mike was sure to stay out of her way.
"Right" Mike trudged up the stairway.
At the top he could make out what looked like a large purple crate. It was very smooth, but tougher than any material he had seen. It was wedged against the door to keep intruders out. "It looks like we're going to need some big bombs to get around this one."
"I'm on it." Taylor immediately went to work. She set two yellow packages in the center of the crate. She then went down the stairs, to the safety of the hall below. Knowing it wouldn't be wise to stay in the stairway either, Zane and Mike followed in close pursuit.
Mike watched as Taylor pulled out a small device that resembled a COM pad. This was the modern version of a plunger. "Fire in the hole."
The trio marched up the stairs to find that not only had the crate been moved, but so had some of the walls. The entire doorway was scorched and smelt of fresh gunpowder. Zane smiled, "We're really good at this element of surprise thing aren't we?"
Mike grinned. While the situation didn't call for jokes, it felt good to put his mind on something other than the war.
The upper level was very hot. The end of the hall jutted in two directions. Mike took the lead, assault rifle drawn. At the end of the hall he took the left while Zane and Taylor took the right.
Mike opened the door and looked around the new room. There was a large assortment of bulky machines all along the walls. Crimson wires hung everywhere. In the center of the room there was a hologram projector and two large computers. This is it.
Before he could alert his two comrades, he heard gunfire behind him. Mike pivoted around and caught a glimpse of Zane firing his BR55 Battle Rifle across the room. Suddenly he felt his gut drop as a giant stream of plasma scorched the wall above Zane's head as he ducked.
Mike raced to the room, gun in hand. The first thing he noticed upon entering the room was the desk at the far wall. It was littered with papers, as was the floor. File cabinets lined the walls around the desk. But then he saw it; a gigantic creature was charging Taylor, who was behind the desk, using all the cover she could get. It appeared to have a large serrated shield on one arm and the other seemed to glow bright green with a plasma charge.
Bullets bounced off of its massive armor with no effect. Mike could make out what looked like orange muscle between the gaps in the armor. It was a Hunter, the strongest infantry unit in the vast Covenant army. With a wipe of its arm, it shoved the desk aside, leaving Taylor exposed. Raising up it's massive arm, it let out a stream of green plasma at Taylor's leg, much like the plasma that barely missed Zane. She screamed in agony as the plasma seared her leg, when the smoke cleared nothing was left of the once long limb.
The alien, apparently satisfied with this, turned towards Mike and Zane. It crept forward, bullets bouncing off of its armor having no effect whatsoever. Suddenly the massive beast crashed to the floor with a thunderous boom. Behind the creature Taylor held her smoking M6 pistol in her hand. She had shot the beast in the break of its armor behind its head.
Zane was silent as Mike radioed in to the rest of Delta Force. "We need a medic now!"
Taylor's head fell to the floor as she went into shock. Mike left the room, unable to see her there, but Zane stood frozen in place staring at the scorched stub of a leg.
MA5B....$50,
10,000,000 Bullets....$500(with military discount),
Saving Earth's Ass AGAIN!!!......PRICELESS