UNSC File#29145: Overwatch

~What It Means To Be A Spartan~

~Theta~

The rumbling of the Warthog rumbled down the road as the squad tried to find anything, a clue to their missing leader. Kelly glanced out as she watched the buildings pass by, chucks of concrete and destroy buildings littered the desolate streets. On occasion, they would pass by corpses, either plunged in the chest with Energy Swords or burned from plasma scorching. She glanced behind her to see Josh, Mitsugi, and Echo glancing away from the carnage. Kelly was used to this kind of thing, hell, this is what she was made to unleash onto the Covenant. The anger, the sadness, the grief of all the human colonists who died at the hands of these genocidal beasts.

"They haven't seen the brutality of the Covenant had on humanity, they've been mostly assigned on ships instead of out in the action." Riley said, gaining Kelly's attention.

"This is the first time seeing human casualties." Riley continued as the SPARTAN-II nodded. She looked back again to see Echo removing her helmet and vomiting over the side as they passed the corpses again.

"Why the brutality?" Josh wondered. "Sometimes, you can't reason with things beyond our reach." Kelly replied as the Warthog came to a stop.

"Why'd we stop sir?" Mitsugi asked. "Got at least a ton of debris in the way, we're on foot from here." Riley said turning off the vehicle and hopped out as he walked to the back and grabbed his DMR and placing it on his back. The rest piled out as they grabbed their weapons and turned to the debris in their way.

"Let's get to it Theta." Riley said as he climbed over the debris and turned as he held his hand opened. Mitsugi placed one foot on a sturdy piece of roofing and jumped as she grabbed his hand. He pulled up as she knelt next to him and held her hand out as they both brought the other Spartans over. Kelly back up and ran as her foot rest on one piece of debris as she used her other foot to launcher herself up as she nodded to Riley and jumped down.

"You could have said you didn't need help." Riley muttered as he turned and jumped down next to Mitsugi and sighed as he stood up and grabbed his rifle off his back and trudged forward.

"Hera, do you know where Jason's IFF tag is?" He asked as the walked over the ruins of a destroyed building.

"It's at least 4.5 miles out." Hera replied. Riley nodded as they walked down the desolate streets, weaving past crumbling buildings, and a stray Covenant patrol before dispatching them quickly.

"Damn, being a Spartan can be dull at times. I remember being a marine and the stories of a Spartan gave me hope. Now that we reproduce them, I guess that hope has began to diminish." Mitsugi said. Kelly glanced at her and slowed down as she walked next to her.

"Being a Spartan is not just about the limelight or anything like that. Being a Spartan is meant to give hope to those who can't help themselves." Kelly said. Mitsugi looked at her before glancing back at the ground as she kicked a chunk of rock.

"Look at the Chief, he saved the galaxy twice and he continues to fight without stopping for questions or anything. He leads like one of our Earth president's old sayings, speak quietly and carry a big stick. That is what John does, and we are expected to follow his lead." Kelly continued. Mitsugi looked at Kelly and nodded as the SPARTAN-II continued her path as Riley held a hand up. Kelly and Mitsugi jogged over as the Spartan team knelt behind rubble as a large group of Covenant stood in their way.

"I thought all the Covenant had left." Josh said as he watched Elites walked back and forth as Grunts fell asleep, Brutes had stayed in their packs before shooting glares at the Elites.

"Huh, I guess these ones didn't get the memo." Echo said as she held her Assault Rifle. "Maybe, but let's do this smart and not do anything rash. We may be Spartans but even Spartans can't hold their own against a horde of Covenant. We'll sneak past them through the buildings. Let's move." Riley said as they made their way to the building. Riley hid behind a pillar and glanced over to see a pack of Brutes walking near the window. He held his hand up as he placed his rifle on his back and motioned for the group to crawl as he laid on his stomach and began to crawl on the ground as the group followed.

"Easy kiddo, they're right on top of us." Hera warned as Riley held his hand up. The squad halted as the thumping of the Brutes sounded near the window.

"Wait, I smell humans." One Brute said. "That's just your stomach talking." Another said. The first one growled before the foots steps receded. Riley sighed before glancing at his motion sensor to see one red dot near them.

"There is one, near us." Riley whispered into the comms before he glanced up to see a Brute looking through the broken window. The Brute leaned in as Riley got to his knees silently before shooting up and grabbed the hairy monster and dragged him in before grabbing his combat knife and slamming the blade into the Brute's skull, it's blood trickling down the hair as Riley dragged the corpse near the side as he ushered the Spartans onto their feet as they made their way out the building. Riley looked over to see a few aliens break off the regular patrol and walked in front of the Spartan's exit. He counted three Grunts and two Elites as he ushered the squad forward. They filled out one by one as Kelly brought up the rear. Riley turned and sighed before looking over as he motioned for the rest to follow. Kelly looked up and nodded.

"Me and Kelly will take the Elites, you have the Grunts. Remember, this is still a stealth operation." Riley whispered as the SPARTAN-IVs nodded. Riley and Kelly ran to each side of the patrol as Riley whistled for one Elite while Kelly got the others.

"You check that, I go this. Grunts, spread out." One Elite said as the Unggoy nodded. The Elite walked over to Riley's position, Plasma Rifle at the ready as he sniffed the air. Riley pulled out his combat knife and sighed before the Sangheili looked over, only to receive a knife through it's skull as the purple blood splashed onto Riley's armor. One Grunt looked to see the corpse of it's leader before turning to see Mitsugi grabbed it's head and twisting, cracking it's little neck as Josh shoved his combat knife into the others. Echo slammed the back of it's neck with the butt of her weapon and turned to see the Elite stumble back with it's Energy Sword through it's stomach. Kelly turned and nodded as the Spartans left.

"Hera, how close?" Riley asked as he wiped the blood from the Elite onto his shoulder. "One mile, we're close." Hera said. Kelly looked out at the distance and sighed in relief.

'One more mile, hold tight Jason.' She thought before walking down a pile of rubble.

~Talon Base~

Jason sighed as he was able to regain the ability to keep awake as he scanned his surroundings. He could see Human technology and Covenant integrated as cameras appeared to show the battlefield. One Elite barked to Vadam as the leader thumped over to see the camera picking up the five Spartans.

"Hmm, seems as if your underlings won't give up on you. I admire that." Vadam said as he turned to see four people dangling from chains, beaten and battered. Sombra's outfit was ripped on her leggings, her jacket lost a few pieces of fabric. Widowmaker was missing her venom gas launcher as one shoe was missing. The abdomen of her body suit was sliced by an Energy Sword as blood trickled down her mouth. Doomfist's holster for his gauntlet was in shambles as his tunic remained in tatters. One eye was swollen shut as his breathing was labored. Jason glared at Vadam as the Elite turned and snorted.

"I'm glad you're awake, just so you can see your underlings perish." He said as Jason turned his head to see Sombra looking at him, a small smile on her face.

"Heh, I guess it's too late to apologize senor." Sombra said lightly. "Ease yourself, I'll think of something." Jason said before glancing at the cameras.

'Hurry guys.' He pleaded quietly.

A/N: Oh boy, another chapter bites the dust. Done and done, soon more shall follow I do hope for the short chapter thought. But I hope you guys and gals have enjoyed this chapter. Until next time, tata for now!