Halo: The paladin

Ch3. Forceful Thinking

Time seemed to slow down watching this person or thing run closer and closer, before I knew it I flew to the wall. a jab of its fist to my gut had me almost off my feet, not expecting this or the strength it has. Still on its attack at me again this time I'm ready. catching it's left hand using my body wait I turn to snap it's elbow. The break of its bone pops out, Me still being in motion I turn fully. I push back off its body jumping back into the air with a swift round kick knocking it's head hard against the wall. The crack of its skull spit blood painting the wall.

"I didn't think I had to use actual force and I wasn't about to let him get any closer kicking him in this small space figured the wall would do the trick". Staring down at the body, it's jaw snapped and head cracked at the tempo this thing wasn't getting up ever again. I lean down examining the Body noticing the blood is oddly thick and bubbly like mud sliding down the wall red streaks drip down. "There isn't any way blood can look like this".

Turning I take a knee and search the body. A standards Issue M6D Magnum, 2Ammo clips, yellow clearance pass and a ID "Dr. hank smitt of bio labs... What were you doing that turned you into this?" Taking the the card and weapon I hear something..

The scream of another women rings in the hall of this metal hell hole. "I hate this place already" rushing quickly to reach this person I run as fast as my military legs were trained to move the burn of numbing muscle's still not used to being unfrozen. "I have to reach and help her maybe she can help me understand on what's actually happening here". Gun shots go off blasting in the hall, turning the corner it's a open room much bigger than before like the one I was in. All the pods empty with nothing but a blood stained mess. "This doesn't look to good". Before my thoughts finish shots go off again there is a door shut I rush over to open it. It's locked and I can see the girl shooting in one detection her back against the wall. She falls to the floor exhausted. " hey! Open the door I can help you".

She looks at me and instinctively raising the gun to the small glass hole. "Get away from the door!"

I raise my hands and back away, knowing full well that the gun won't Pierce through that Laboratory glass. " woah woah . Ok take it easy I'm here to help..".

"Who are you!?" She asked me looking confused.

"Wait what happened to what you were shooting at?"

She turns her head to the left staring off to whatever she unloaded her gun on. " I took care of Those THINGS I won't be dying today." She moves towards the glass peeking at me.

"Is she analyzing me?" A curios look on her face like she's puzzled and has never seen me before. "Listen I don't know what's happening here.. My name is Jacob and I just woke up from cryo-Sleep. So whatever is going on I em not apart of I need your help and you need my protection." Stepping closer to the door I put my hands down to take my gun out and show her. " look I'm not here to harm you"

Putting my gun down slowly she opens the door pointing the gun directly at my face. "How do I know what you just told me is true? And why do you think I need your protection when I can take care of myself." She steps closer. closing the door behind her it slams shut n locks.

" well.. From the looks of it you don't have any clips left. I counted 12 shots and that's a M6C none scope magnum You wasted all the ammo on whatever you were shooting at in that room" I gesture over to the locked door. " I'm guessing you were trapped sense that's a laboratory hiding out didn't work so well huh?"

She stops and thinks for a second not answering me but lowering her weapon. "Ok maybe I'm out of ammo but-"

I cut her off "Look I'm not saying you aren't strong but if that thing or whatever they are can knock me against a wall... They're nothing but trouble.I can help you... If you promise to help me?"

"I don't know who you are but if I help you then you're going to help me get off this death trap and back home." Raising her hand up to shake mine "private first class Jean Suarez of the 124th mechanized infantry brigade at you'r service."

"Spartan Knight #115 of the 104th Ghost Ops." I shook her hand relived I wasn't alone anymore. But Feeling the weight of my situation I didn't lighten up at all I had to ask " I know we just meet but I need to know what's going on"

Letting go of my hand She sat back tired and exhausted against the wall lighting a cigarette. Taking a deep breath of the gray smoke scratching her head tiredly " I don't know.. All I know is something in the labs happened. An infection broke Here in one of these rooms something happened I wasn't aware of it at first. Me and my friend Alex were in the dinning hall when it happened all I remember are the alarms ringing" she took a pause like she was afraid to say what happened next. Another inhale of the cigarette an exhaling it out again. "It's like hell broke lose in our ship there wasn't anything we could do one minute we were eating the next.. Everyone was suited up to fight an enemy on our own ship everyone was shooting dead bodies everywhere at first we didn't know what we were shooting at.. Then we were hitting our own men, women all kinds of personnel were getting attacked and attacking each other?! Like a horror movie"

I leaned down listening to her story hearing the pain in her voice. "It must've been hell. What happened though?" I had to ask and get the info as fast as I could so I could prepare myself for the next situation.

She just laughed a small laugh, one that you would do if someone guessed wrong on a question only you got right. "At first it was scientist. We shot them but nothing worked they brutally killed soldiers with there bare hands.. Dragged them away little by little we were dying off and what made it worse was when the ones that were dragged away started coming back running towards you but not for safety.. No.. they were coming back for blood whatever happened to the scientist whatever! Infected them they spread it like wild fire killing everything for no reason they attacked outta rage." She seemed angry telling that story I could tell she held back tears. "They don't die easy we had to find that out the hard way. A shot to the head can take them down but they are fast and stronger than anything before."

I sighed and stood up looking back at the long dark hallway I ran from. "Yeah... I ran into one, I broke his neck he stood back up like he felt no pain?"

"They don't feel a thing or pain nothing but rage angry yellow eyes and the strength to match" finishing her cigarette putting it out on the ground.

"So these things are people on this ship infected by something. I don't know how that's possible but I'm going to find. Out who's responsible"

"Don't waste your time the power is out through out the whole place only some generators are working" she laughed but sounded like she was annoyed.

"But.. If That's the case who turned on the power in my room and let me out. those pods don't open up unless someone outside releases them?" I leaned down closer to Jean

"But sir.. That isn't possible to get to the generators you'd have to be insane!?" Jean sat up fast almost screaming. "Whoever went down there must've died helping you because down that far in the ship lurks something far more dangerous than what we have to deal with up here."

I was confused and unsteady hearing this "What are you talking about? There is something more deadly than the infected?"

"I haven't seen it.. But I've heard there is only one. It's stronger then anything we've ever fought it killed more than 200 men by itself. The captain was worried on containing the infected and that thing he, sent a spartan down there. At first he was holding his own and doing well... But that thing over powered the Spartan and I heard he died in protecting us locked him down in the generators."

This shook me to my core "killing a spartan is no easy task!?" Hearing this only made worry I couldn't protect her if I couldn't protect myself. " Jane who was the Spartan that went down an fought this thing?"

She sighed and looked down for a second "master Spartan #291 smith."