(David Pov)
"Last Apartment complex clear. Proceed to Monroe Plaza," I spoke through my comms as I jumped off a second-story balcony onto the ground, landing beside Jorge.
Beside Jorge was a small crowd of roughly ten or twelve people. They were of mixed backgrounds, races, ages, etc. They looked on in awe, watching Jorge, but seeing me leap from a height that would easily break a normal human's legs and land without any sign of struggle only served to startle them.
I landed on my two feet, my knees barely bending to compensate for the shock of the fall's force. Jorge looked forward through the opening of the side street they were staying on. Flood lights glowed, marking the paths on the main street as night had fallen upon the city.
"We will be proceeding to Monroe Plaza," My voice came through his helmet, clear to the crowd. They listened unblinkingly, hanging on to every single word that came out of the statue-like appearance.
"From there, we will be escorted to the UNSC Hush Hush, the last transport off-world," I said informatively, letting them know what they needed to know. "This is the last chance for anyone to get off this world," I said, noticing the downtrodden faces of the men and the sorrowful glances of the women. The few children looked at their parents, confused, "Do not wander off or slow down. No one will be looking for you," I spoke matter-of-factly.
"Are there any questions?" I asked finally. Most kept quiet, all except for a single young girl holding a dirty teddy bear in one hand. From her appearance, she almost reminded me of Daisy.
"Will we get to go back home?" she asked
I turned my head quickly, snapping down to look at her. She shrank back to the safety of her parents' legs from my sudden action, "No," I answered quickly without need for embellishment or change in emotion. My response only seemed to dim the already dark mood more.
"Wh-What the Captain means to say is not right now," Jorge interjected with a hint of warmth in his voice that I lacked, as he seemed to take a step back while turning slightly so he could look at the kid, "And that's why we're here. We gotta beat back the scary aliens so you can get back to your home, right?"
"R-right," the girl agreed timidly and no longer appeared as frightened.
I watched the exchange quietly from the side. Jorge and Kurt had always been the most compassionate in the program. At times like last night, it helped balance the team out, and yet I wasn't sure if it was a weakness or not.
"Found a couple of survivors hiding out by some wreckage near a department store. We are only a few blocks down, will rendezvous with you and Jorge at the RV," Daisy's voice came through my helmet. I'd sent her along with Cal and Sheila to search another spot that came up with life form readings on the scanner.
"Solid Copy, we are Oscar Mike,"
I turned and looked over my shoulder as I raised my rifle, "We are going to move slowly, but keep up."
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(3rd Pov)
In one of the various city squares in the city, all was quiet in the darkness.
Traffic lights hung swaying gently in the breeze as they flashed the colors of green, red, and yellow in sequence, as if ghost vehicles were still passing through the intersection. Cars leading up to the four-way intersection were abandoned, their occupants left them where they stood, trying to flee to safety. Doors of some were left open, whilst all had become deactivated either by lack of ignition keys or by running out of hydrogen fuel.
On a street corner, a single Jackal separated from the rest of the Covenant forces moved slowly along the sidewalk. It slunk forward, stalking as its avian eyes watched the surroundings cautiously. As its name suggested, it sniffed the air using its advanced sense of smell as it tightly held its beam rifle.
In front of a ruined store, it stopped as it smelt the distinct smell of humans. It paused as it looked around, trying to find the source. Upon seeing an open car door, it approached a beam rifle raised at the windows, but after inspecting the cabin found no occupants, just the smell of humans.
With a snort, it exhaled its breath, returning to the sidewalk. Slowly, it began to move again, taking a single step in front of a large window of the store.
CRASH
A gauntleted hand shot out, shattering the window with its fingers as they wrapped around the neck of the Jackal.
With a swift jerk, it was yanked into the shop, the beam rifle falling onto the concrete as it reached up to the hand that had clamped around its windpipe like a vise grip.
The Jackal was quickly thrown to the ground by the hand it becoming disoriented as its head slammed into the floor. Through the spinning vision caused by a sudden concussion, it could vaguely make out two large green humanoid shapes. Behind them were humans much smaller, looking at it with fear in their body language.
"Daddy, what's that!" a small boy asked, staring at the restrained Jackal with discomfort.
"It's a-uh a- hey, why don't we get another piece of candy!" the father faltered, trying to explain what the creature was in a way that would not lead to more questions that would inevitably startle the child. Instead, he opted to change the subject and lead his son away from the next scene.
The Spartan, Cal, who had the Jackal pinned beneath her, readjusted her grip quickly. Now, her left hand held its throat as if she was wringing out a chicken, while the other latched around its beak. With a sharp twist of her hands, the Jackal's neck twirled around until it was now facing Cal's visor behind him. A sickening pop rang out in the store as it confirmed the Jackal's neck being broken.
Hearing the sound, Cal let go of the Jackal, standing back up, re-equipping her DMR.
"Why'd you snatch that one?" Sheila asked discretely through the comms, "You let a couple others pass, won't they now be alerted when this one doesn't check in?"
"It had a sniper rifle," Cal responded, looking at Sheila.
"Ah, yeah, that could have given us some trouble," Sheila nodded slightly.
"Eyes on," Daisy interrupted from across the store. She remained watching through another large pane of glass, "Movement across the square-"
"Alpha One and Alpha Five coming in from Eastridge street," David's voice came across their helmets' speakers clearly. The three visibly relaxed.
Across from them, moving quickly but slouched was David, along with his group of civilians following after him as if they were a group of baby ducks, and Jorge holding up the rear from attacks. They weaved through the abandoned vehicles until they reached the door that was being held open by Daisy with her rifle raised.
The group immediately moved, filling in the store, "This is Sierra Zero-Zero-Three, Alpha team is at the RV ready for pick-up, over," David requested as he stayed watching through the window of the shop. He glanced down, seeing the body of the Jackal by his feet, but didn't comment on it.
"Well, if it isn't the big mean boss of the Spartans," a voice came over the radio from the pilot who'd dropped them into this mess to begin with, "Just so you know, you guys have become a bit of a legend up here. Everyone's talking about the big green machines that are the only ones capable of knocking the heads off of the Covenant."
"What is your ETA, over?" David didn't care what others were saying about him and his team. This was their job; just because they were good at it doesn't mean they should get an extra pat on the back. If anything, the only ones worth honoring were the dead; they'd paid the ultimate price after all.
"All business still, huh?" A half chuckle came over the line, "Well, if you must know, I am two mikes out, been having to take it slow and easy. Covenant owns the skies now, and I'd much rather take the long way rather than get shot down."
"Solid Copy, over," David said before turning to his team and the crowd, "2 minutes until pick up." A wave of relief flowed over as the prospect of getting away from this nightmare became real.
Not long after the Pelican arrived in the middle of the intersection, hovering just above the cars. The Spartans secured the area as Jorge began lifting the civilians up into the Pelican, one after another. After the civics was next Sheila, then Daisy, Cal, Jorge, and lastly David.
As David reached to grab Jorge's hand to help him up a distant static transmission washed over the comms, "Corbulo-####-Academy-####-Cadets-############-help-##########-over-run-##############-please-" the voice of a male cadet broken up by static seemed to be calling for help.
David retracted his hand, "Pilot, where is Corbulo Academy?" he asked as he readied himself to do something reckless.
"Not far, about 12 clicks dead east, why?"
'Close enough,' David confirmed to himself before turning around and looking at Cal as he spoke to the pilot and the rest of his team, "Pilot, get the civilians out of here. I am going to go dig out some cadets."
"And I am going to do it alone," his words finished with a solemn sense of finality before the air was filled with the sound of the Pelican's thrusters.
Daisy snapped toward him. "Negative. That wasn't the plan."
"Plans change," David said, pulling his rifle from his back but keeping it low.
Sheila shook her head, visor flashing. "That's not how teams are supposed to work."
David met her gaze. "Our team has never worked the way it was supposed to. Besides, the risks outweigh the potential gain if anyone besides me goes ."
Cal inched closer to the bay door, her voice low. "You're assuming the worst-case scenario."
"I always do," David replied. "That's why you're still alive."
Silence followed for a brief instant before Jorge spoke.
Jorge turned slowly, his massive shoulders tense beneath his armor. "What about you, Captain? What if you are trapped along with the cadets?"
David looked east, where the city disappeared into darkness. He didn't reply to Jorge, but his silence was an answer in and of itself. The grim reality that even the Spartans were unmatched at times was uncomfortable in the atmosphere.
Daisy exhaled sharply. "You don't get to make this a habit."
"I won't," David said before pausing and correcting himself, "Not unless I have to."
The pilot's voice cut in. "Alpha lead, we're green to lift and burning fuel. I need a decision, Captain."
David keyed his comm. "Civilians take priority. Alpha Team RTB." he paused one more time before adding, "Cal's in charge until I get back. Cal, make sure no one does anything stupid," though she didn't say anything, the green checkmark that lit up on the HUD betrayed her reluctant acknowledgement
Slowly, the Pelican began to rise into the air. The thrusters were glowing brightly as they produced lift. Finally, as the ramp rose, Daisy's voice came over a private channel, "Don't make us come back for you."
"Focus on the evac," David said. "I'll handle the rest."
He gave a glance to the ammo counter in the top right of his HUD, 'Low but should be enough to make do,' he told himself, tucking his rifle onto his back.
With David effectively the last man alive in the city, he turned east and began to run. He ran in the darkness to shine a little light in a deeper part of the abyss.