Halo: Noble Freelancer

Part Seven: Voices In My Head

"Berlin, you will be dropped inside the city limits at the same time the building will be destroyed. Tex, you are going to plant the targeting system on the rooftop of the building after the others get the package. Then the both of you will go after a commanding officer of the insurrectionists. When the building is destroyed, your target will be on route to the subway. He'll have men waiting, and will be prepared for an assault. Do not let the others know why your there, but don't let them fail their mission either." the Director explains. "Yes sir." Agent Texas replies while I nod my head. "We move out in ten." Agent Texas says while we walk to weapons storage.

There, a group of ODSTs wait for orders just outside the door. When we enter the weapons storage I load up. There's a locker designated to me by the Director, I place two swords on my back and two magnums on my sides. Grenades, both of UNSC and Covenant making, are placed on my belt. I put a pair of SMG's on my thighs.

Agent Texas looks at me strangely as she grabs the targeting system to blow the building. "What's that in your locker?" she asks pointing to a helmet that's been cracked and burned. I take out a chain I got from the loading bay and an AR. Then I close the locker. She looks at my locker and then at me. Slipping my arm and head through the loop of chain I walk out to the drop pods.

Passing the soldiers, I walk into the hall just before the launching bay where they drop ODSTs. Agent Washington, Carolina, New York, and Maine are all walking together. They converse about their mission and what the package might be. I start walking slowly until they move up a little bit more. My intention is to avoid them. I turn into the launching bay and prep a pod. As the drop pod comes around FILSS begins to announce that the mission is a go and that we are commencing. The pod opens up and I hop in.

Standing in the pod with my AR in the pod's holster, I wait for FILSS to launch me down into the city. I listen in on the others conversations over the radio. It sounds like they are having trouble with the size of the package. Agent Texas calls for her pod and I watch the hatch open under my pod. Looking down at the planet and how far I'm going to fall. I grab the bars beside me and lock my knees. As I look out the windows I feel FILSS release the pod.

The outside walls become red with fire and my pod begins to shake when I enter orbit. As I pass through clouds my grip on the bars tighten. Buildings look as if they rise out of the ground and surround me. I see Agent Texas appear on my map for a split second as I pass Four-Seven-Niner. When I strike the ground I watch the package get carried off in Four-Seven-Niner's pelican. Getting out I grab my AR and watch Agent Texas descend to my location using a jet pack.

Before Agent Texas arrives, Agent New York gets on the comms and says, "Four-Seven-Niner has retrieved the package and is headed out. But we're huh... Having some trouble obtaining the brief case." Agent Texas lands as hornets fly by with troops equipped with rocket launchers. She looks over at me. "They won't get that brief case... And you know it." I sit there silently. "I know it seems like I'm abandoning our mission, but they won't get that brief case with all those troops moving to their location." she adds.

I walk around to the back of my pod where there is an extension. Opening the back, half a mongoose folds out sideways and turns up right. Black armor covers the top and I get on. I sit there and access my memory data base. Agent Texas watches me not knowing what I'm doing in my HUD. I always record mission debriefs and keep them until the mission is over. Pulling out the missions file on my HUD, I play back the Director saying, "Don't let the others know why your there, but don't let them fail their mission either." Agent Texas turns the other way and simply says, "Thanks." Then her pod crashes before her and I drive off.

I follow the trail given to me by the Director. Quickly trying to reach the designated location. As I drive to the point of intersection, I notice the leader in a vehicle below me on a different highway. He's right where the Director said he'd be. Speeding up I drive next to the small wall on the right side of the highway. I stand on my left leg and raise my right. When the driver of the vehicle turns away down a small street, I slam my leg down and throw myself over the edge of the highway.