Halo: Heroes Awakening

4. Oh Shit

Malia

"That's the plan, do you understand?" Sina asked the two men with serious eyes.

Jack, the district blacksmith and Sud, the heir to a business that just closed due to foreign occupation. Malia's mind was blown with how carefully Sina chose their allies.

Sud had a horrified look on his face. "This plan is insane. Who came up with this?"

"I did," Malia said proudly.

"And I fool-proofed it," Sina grinned.

"Why am I not surprised?" Sud groaned, looking between them like they were mad. "I've never heard anything this crazy in my life."

"Look, are you two in or not?" Malia asked annoyedly. "We need to be there in less than an hour."

"You've got my participation," Jack said, crossing his muscular arms. Malia watched the bulge of his biceps slyly. "Just know I'm not taking the fall for anything if we get caught."

"We won't get caught. Like I said I fool-proofed it," Sina assured.

"And if we do get caught, just run like Hell." Malia grinned.

"What a foolproof plan," Sud said and rolled his eyes.

Malia started putting the potions inside the belt around her waist, carefully strapping them closed. She handed Sud, Jack and Sina black bags and each of them tucked them into smaller bags.

"Remember, no swords. They shouldn't think we're there to cause trouble. And we're not fighting them," Sina reminded them.

"Tell your friend that. She's the one who always chooses violence first," Sud muttered. Malia gave him a sharp look.

"I already gave her the 'no violence' talk. It is your turn to hear it."

"Alright, let's get out of here." Malia led the way out of her room, walking into her now spotless living room. She and Sina had spent all day cleaning it up and replacing all the Kaua broke.

"Where are you going at this hour?" Malia's mother Lucia, asked and looked up from her book. Malia and everyone froze in their tracks at her voice.

"Mother, you're supposed to be asleep by now," Malia chuckled nervously. "What are you doing up?"

Her mother readjusted her spectacles to give them a closer look. "You didn't answer my question."

"We're... going on a date!" Sina said, laughing and suddenly grabbing Sud's arm. He straightened awkwardly and nodded. "Uh, yes, Auntie Lucia. We just came to pick the girls up."

"Why didn't I hear you come in?" Lucia narrowed her eyes. "You're going to get in trouble again, aren't you? I already got a warning from Aira Lin, Malia. One more inconvenience in Kiribati because of you and she's going to take drastic measures against you."

"We're just going on a date, it's no big deal," Malia said with a frown. "She really said that?"

"Yes. She had to have people clean up General Faatu's statue after the Police left. You need to think of others before you do these things, Malia. It doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone."

Malia didn't know what to say. She was tired of seeing everyone getting their hopes shattered because of the King and doing nothing about it.

Sud's parents had to close up their business after the King allowed foreigners to unfairly buy their land.

Jack was suffering exploitation by the Royal Guard to make lots of weapons while getting little pay.

Her mother's veteran grant had not increased in two years since King Vaea was inaugurated. They were just barely making ends meet with the awful taxes.