Flesh Wounds

Chapter Seventeen "Luck"

Nick Pov

“Think I can hit two lucky shots consecutively?” I try to strike up as I take up the splaser from Sparky.

“You feeling that lucky right now?” Sparky asks me in return.

“I bet I could hit one right no-” I start up the splaser but while I’m talking 5000 cuts me off quickly.

“Wait a moment were going back into a tunnel,” He says while driving, making me let my finger off the trigger and the splaser to discharge. Then we get engulfed into a dark driving tunnel with just some small lights all along the walls.

“Good thing this warthog is faster than that wraith,” Sparky says sitting back down next to 34.

“It’s not going to outrun a flying spaceship though,” I said, pointing out the obvious problem, “Luckily if you blow up a spaceship it stops the flying part.”

We come out of the other side of the tunnel in such a speed that a gust of dirt and dust surrounds us as all complete roads, dirt nor concrete, disappears. “Drive carefully!” Sparky yelled out as it immediately became bumpier.

“No joke!” 5000 shouted back and drifted to the side, “How are we supposed to take out two?!”

The two phantoms fly over the hill range and start firing at us, the only reason they don’t hit us is because of how fast the warthog can dodge the plasma.

“Just keep it steady so I can shoot straight,” I charge up a blast and crouch to stand still with my left hand on the front grip.

Just as I’m about to fire 5000 yells out, “Space ostrich!?”

As the splaser fires a blast, the warthog hits something up front and knocks the whole thing off balance. I catch myself but let go of the grip, causing the laser to barely skim the phantom.

I can’t help but to curse to myself as I waste a shot on nothing, “What the hell was that?!”

“Space ostrich!” 5000 yells back at me, “I don’t think there’s anymore, take the shot!” he said curving around a boulder and bringing us back into view.

“Luck has always been on my side!” I screamed into the scope of the spartan laser as I held the trigger once more and readied the deadly blast.

“Take her down!” Sparky added to our warcry as the red laser goes from harmless to harmful in a fraction of a second.

“Yes!” I yell out as the phantom lights up bright blue then, with a beautiful blast, explodes into multiple pieces that spread out into the sky.

“Now kill the other one!” 5000 drove steadily now in a pattern of some sort.

I start charging up the last shot in the electrical chamber, “No ostriches right?” I sarcastically ask 5000.

“Very funny, oh shit!” 5000 swerves out of the way of a falling piece of ship and barely dodges, for me I fall off the back.

In mid air, I concentrate everything on aiming. Feel the moment the hot energy comes out of the barrel and watch as it strikes the side of the phantom, burning open a hole in the side of the ship and hitting something on the inside. I see something green laser out of the bottom of the ship and to the ground, before I do the same and get the air knocked out of me.

I quickly come to and catch my breath, getting up from the brutally rough soil.

“Oof..” I whined to myself and stood up straight. “Lady Luck is a mysterious figure..” I scanned my situation and cracked my back.

The other phantom is sadly still up and running.

But lucky shots make lucky mistakes, the side of the phantom’s landing gear had been blown off, leaving the inside exposed. The drop beam had activated and is hitting the ground.

My Chance! I thought and sprinted off towards the phantom. The warthog was being shot at earlier and I thought those were barely missing, now I’m being blasted. But I move out of the way at the last second I possibly can.

One more second and the warthog flies back into view, and into the side of the pelican. They had the same idea, kind of.

I slide into the blue beam and let myself be lifted by the artificial gravity.

The moment I get up inside is the same time hell breaks loose, Sparky is one handed pistol whipping grunts with their own plasma blasters while 5000 is gut punching a elite against the wall of the ship. I float up and immediately grab a grunt by the cone, I swipe a grenade off them and then kick them off the ship.

With the newfound plasma grenade I hit the trigger and wind up a throw to the cockpit of the phantom.

There’s a grunt of surprise followed by a elite yelling out loud, then an explosion.

“Alright that’s taken care of! Let’s get off!” I yell to the two as 5000 stabs the elite the side and then turns to the warthog, stuck in the side of the ship.

“I got it, I got it!” He said and put his front foot forward, kicking the warthog on the nose of the hood and releasing it from the side.

“Now go!” Sparky shouted and slid out the side of the ship.

“Hurry!” 5000 jumped out of the falling ship the same place Sparky did.

As 5000 jumps the ship lurches to the side, throwing me against a console and knocking my head against the wall. I push off shaking my head and quickly jump the same way the others went.

I land on the ground with a roll this time. I turn to the falling ship after 5000 helps me up.

“Good thinking, with the grenade,” Sparky says as the ship explodes on impact with the solid ground.

“It was nothing,” I humbly said and turned to 5000, “Can you flip the warthog again?”

“Yeah, should be easy,” He replied and almost as easy as ever, lifted it back on its tires.

“Let’s go get 34!” Sparky says and hops into the side as 5000 gets in the driver seat. I clamber onto the back and sit down.

We drive over to where they say 34 is and hop off.

I expected to have to carry a sleeping man but as we get closer I hear, “Shhh.. Shhh. go to sleep,” Followed by a loud snap.

From behind a rock 34 rises up and turns to us with a plasma pistol in hand.

5000 is the first to react and runs towards 34, “You’re still alive!”

I feel my own wave of relief and walk towards him, “What happened to you guys?” He asked, “You look like shit.”