Halo: The Search

Chapter 10

September 6th, 2551
(Commander Huff) Commanders are supposed to be pillars of hope for their soldiers. They needed to be an inspiration, someone that people would look up to and obey...

I didn't feel like one at the moment. I was sprawled out in my bedroom, laying on my bed. White sheets were thrown off the bed and were sprawled across the floor. A half-empty bottle of whiskey sat on the beds right side on a spruce night stand, illuminated by a dull lamp that let off a feint, yellow glow.

I sighed, staring at the ground, which had become a common acquaintance of mine. I had shown Victor that I was here and ready to save him.

Then I lost him again...

'Knock knock." My eyes glanced at the door and then back at the floor. "Sir... We'll get him, I promise. We'll be more prepared next time. We need a plan though and..." the voice stopped and then more knocking occurred.

"Can you let me in?" I swung my legs off the bed and walked slowly to the door. Right when I unlocked it, the door opened revealing Orange; they had told me about the names Victor gave them. I stared at her with an emotionless expression for a few seconds before beginning to close the door.

"You need to get back to the medical room and let them work on you." She jammed her foot between the door and wall, pushing it back open.

"I'm fine. Look, you know I'm not good with words but... we need you. We want to save your son. Red says he thinks he could find out where he is, sooner rather than later. We can go back out there and get him sir."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, inhaling deeply. "...We're not going out there right when we find him. Take off your suit and rest up-"

Orange slammed her fist into the wall and my gaze snapped towards her. She was staring at the ground, seemingly angry with me.
"He's out there Huff. You can't give up, we should be out there, not wasting time! He was abducted again by a high class elite and we might have a lead on where they are according to Red! We-"

"Take off your armor and rest up. You're getting heated up and aren't thinking clearly." My aggravated tone just seem to push her further, giving her the thought that she was convincing me to do something that was utterly stupid.

"Says the one with half a downed bottle of whiskey! We can get him this time and bring back your son. Let us-"

"Enough!" I held my hand up and I could feel her staring spartan lasers at me through that silver visor.

"I understand that you want to save my son but there's more to this whole situation. You also want to go just to have another swing at that Elite who defeated you in combat, which is not a good idea..." I held up my hand, halting her voice that begged for a chance to interrupt me.

"I want to save Victor, I really want to, but we can't go charging blindly in there. It could be what they want. I want him back so badly but I'm not expending you guys right at this moment. We need to wait a bit and pray that Victor can keep holding on, which I'm sure he can. When you're better, you need to train more. We'll discuss more of this later and that means this conversation is done."

I sighed, rubbing my temples as a powerful migraine was sneaking up on me. "Please just rest up for at least a flipping hour before you go training to death."

I turned around and walked over to the night stand, putting my hands on it and looking down at the lamp light. Oranges presence was still there but she said nothing as my words hung in the air.

"As you wish Commander." She turned around and dismissed herself, her footsteps becoming more and more distant.

I wanted to go out there and find Victor as soon as possible but I needed to wait for the right moment. I had no idea how long I'd have to wait but I was willing to if it meant safely getting Victor and no one else killed.

If things did take forever, I'd end up as impatient as Orange...

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

(Victor Huff) The journey back had taken a long time and the sun was saying its goodbyes as it disappeared over the horizon, illuminating the sky in a mix of pink and orange.

We arrived at a peaceful looking settlement. Around the rim of this place were cozy looking teepees. Most of them were dark but a few were lit up on the inside. Looking further into the heart of this place, there seemed to be craftier buildings the further in you went.

"Let's go." I followed Vex, swallowing my anxiety. I saw many Elites speaking to each other in a language I didn't understand.

"Don't try anything, got it?" I rolled my eyes and continued to walk with Vex, wherever we were heading. He had been coercing me the whole trip here to not run away kill something if the chance slipped by or I felt the need to try.
He also told me I'd die if I tried any of this but I'm pretty sure he was just trying to scare me into not trying at all. I earned many looks from the 'wonderful' citizens that roamed the streets but none of them interacted with me, too busied with their own lives.

Standing out from all the buildings was a round, stone building that had torches around its walls, providing light for anyone wandering around during nighttime.

We walked up a dirt staircase to this building and walked in. All my plans of escaping felt a bit harder and I gained the feeling that I was trapped. Vex put his hand behind my back, pushing me forward as we continued into the heart of the building.

There, in a king-worthy chair, was a powerful looking elite. He was arguing with a minor looking one, who seemed to be horribly losing the argument. The minor threw its hands up in the air and turned to walk out, shoulder bumping Vex along the way who ignored him.

When the Elite in the chair saw Vex, his gaze travelled to me and formed something along the form of a malicious smile, which I looked away from.

"General, the mission is done." I looked at Vex who kneeled and bowed his head down like some sort of towns person would to a king.

"Hand me the boy." I looked up at Vex with a look of plea. I received nothing but a blank gaze from him and he pushed me forward. I quickly caught myself and stepped back into Vex's hand, which pushed me forward again. My eyebrows furrowed and I backed away from both of them into the wall.

"Vic-...tor." The anger in Vex's tone scared me and he began walking towards me. When he reached out for me I felt panic set in. I dashed away towards the exit. The light the torches illuminated outside looked so inviting; a gateway to possible freedom. A shot rang out across the room and I felt intense pain flood across my arm.

I wailed out and fell to my knees. My left hand clasped around the back of my shoulder blade but I quickly stopped touching the area, feeling an agonizing sting from touching the wound.

"You need him alive if you're gonna hold him for ransom!" Vex was shocked that the general had shot me with a round from a plasma rifle. I curled up, trying to not focus on the pain as I stared down the exit where I could escape. Vex was kneeling by me, his hands hovering around the bleeding wound, unsure how to help.

"He'll be fine. We don't need him long anyways. Take him to the barracks and restrain him." Vex hesitated for a split second before throwing me over his shoulder and walking out.

The smell of semi-cooked flesh hit my nose and when I glanced at where the shot hit me, I blacked out.