Spartan 118 (Halo Based)

Chapter 28

Steele's POV

I carried the woman as carefully and fast as I could to a medic tent. She had gotten her leg caught between some rocks and had been shot multiple times in the back with a needler. Luckily the needles had not been enough to cause an explosion and none had punctured her organs too badly. I had my hand on her back between two needles, using only my fingertips so I wouldn't jostle them.

I came in through the flap and a medic came up to me. "What should I do with her?" I asked. "Place her on her side over on this bed. We don't want those needles to move anymore than they have already." He pointed to a cot. I laid her on her side and she groaned, but said, "thank you." I nodded. Just then a little girl rushed in, looked around, looked at the woman, and ran over. "Mom!" She yelled and hugged the front of the woman, being careful of the needles. Tears streamed down both of their faces and the girl buried her face in the woman's neck, crying. Medics came over to assist the woman and I looked away and walked out, partially for their privacy but also because it reminded me sharply of my failure to save Team Prime's soldiers. I walked out into the sunlight, going back to my section and scouting again.

I had brought one last person and gone out before I called in to my team. "White team, report." There was some static and I looked around the vast field, scattered with vehicle remains and covenant. "Selina reporting, all remaining survivors picked up, area clear." I walked towards the base. "Good, report back to base." There was an acknowledgement light. "Scott reporting in. No more survivors, area clear, all covenant dead. Wait..." There was the sound of a gunshot. "Now all covenant dead." A few more gunshots sounded.

Selina tuned in, "A little overkill?" There was a short laugh from Scott, "Can't be too careful right?" There was a humorous tone in his voice. I smiled, "Report back to base." He also flashed his acknowledgement light. "Kade reporting in, no more survivors, area clear." Kade said shortly.

"Report back to base."

He flashed his light.
"Alright, we will meet up and prep for evac. Senior Chief out." I said and jogged out of the clearing through the trees. I jumped over a warthog, it felt good to run again. I came out of the trees after a few miles into the half empty refugee camp and found the team gathered near the middle, looking around for me. They spotted me as I approached and Selina pointed me out to them. I came up to them, "Ok, let's join up with Fireteam prime, grab Kyle, and go." They nodded. I turned on the COMs. "Fireteam Prime come in, this is Senior Chief of White team. Over." We waited for a moment. When they didn't reply I repeated, "Fireteam Prime come in, this is Sierra one-one-eight of White team. Over." We waited. Still no response.

"That's odd." Selina commented. "Do you think they turned off their COMs accidentally?" I shook my head. "Not all of them. Maybe something's jamming them. Let's grab Kyle and figure it out then." I said. They nodded and we walked towards the tent. The medics had said they would keep him until White team specifically arrived to take him to the pelican. I pushed the tent flap aside and walked in, my team following. I looked for the medic "We are here to pic..." I trailed off. Something wasn't right. I walked into the section Kyle had been in and walked straight towards his cot, immediately noticing the torn curtain. The team came in and Selina gasped. The tables near the cot were overturned and one crumpled against a wall. The cot had tipped to one side and there were scratch marks from armor scraping against the wall and floor. A few stray bullet shots had hit the ground and one in the ceiling. An empty syringe was broken in the floor, it's fluids mostly dried. Another empty one was nearby. There were two deep scratches leading to the back , presumably from someone being dragged.

I looked around and saw the medic to one side near the entrance. He had been thrown and knocked unconscious. I first felt for a pulse, and, finding one, shook him. When he didn't wake up I asked Selina, "Grab some smelling salts on that tray over there." I pointed to the other room. She grabbed them and hurried over. I waved the vial underneath the medic's nose and gave them back as the medic started coughing. I let him cough a bit and when he stopped I helped him sit up. "What happened here? Where's Kyle?" I asked. He looked up at me, "I don't know. All I know is that he was resting after we put his armor back on and patched his under suit. Some Spartans dressed like you, I think three of them, came in. I told them they couldn't come in. They insisted and when I said no again, one of them that seemed to be the leader picked me up by my coat and threw me against the wall. I started to reach for the alarm but the girl punched me, and it went black. Last thing I saw was the other two talking to Kyle and Kyle seemed alarmed. That's it." He said, shrugging. I nodded, "Thank you." I helped him stand up. I walked back to my team who had been listening intently. Selina stepped forward, "Think it was them? Fireteam Prime?" I nodded, "All the clues add up, I'm guessing they gave him a chance to come quietly and he resisted so they tried to drug him with the syringes on the floor. I'm guessing they tried to drag him off the bed and there was a bit of a fight including him trying to shoot them but his shots were re-directed. Then they probably finally drugged him, dragging him away. Recently too by the state if the liquid on the floor." I shouldered my rifle, "Let's see if those tracks lead anywhere." I said.