Hell Jumpers (Halo Fan-Fic)

A Day at the Beach

Millan's POV:

I decided to move on towards the Anti-Aircraft Battery, being cautious as to not get caught off guard by any Covenant stragglers that might be in the area.

With a quick glance behind my back, I reached up and keyed my Com-Link in an attempt to reach any squad members. "Fifth squad, this is Millan. Do you copy? Over." I said over the radio, getting only static as a response.

Deciding it was best to keep moving, I followed a concrete wall until I got a better view of the Battery. Around it were two sniper towers with Jackal Snipers holding Carbines. I then spotted one Elite and three Grunts walking around the perimeter.

With a quick glance to my right, I saw a destroyed Warthog near the waters edge. "That Hog would provide good cover," I muttered to myself as I got prone on the floor and began to scuttle forwards, sand and dirt covering up my visor as I slowly made my way to the Warthog. Getting up on my feet, I stayed in a low crouch as I raised my SMG and activated the smart link scope.

Everything became became bigger as I aimed at the Elite, considering him the biggest threat. With a pull of the trigger, ten bullets shot down the barrel. I watched in surprise as the bullets tore through the armor and flesh, the alien going down in a spray of blood.

"Lucky me," I muttered as I headed back into the cover of the Warthog. "That bastard did not have his shields up."

I knew that during combat, Elites used powerful personal energy shields that provided them with extra protection. The higher their rank was, the better their shield strength. It really tended to become a pain in the ass when shooting them, bullets would literally bounce off them.

I watched as the Grunts dropped their weapons and began to run around wildly. Deciding it was best to down the two snipers, I peeked up the Warthog but recoiled back as a shot from a Beam Rifle passed inches from my head.

"Fuck," I muttered before reaching up to my Com-Link. "Fifth squad, do you read? Niki, Jeffries, Jervo please respond." I listened as static came back but slowly I began to make out what sounded like a voice coming back at me. With a hurry, I tuned in to the voice until it all  became clear.

"Millan, this is Jeffries. I've got a clear view of you, behind the overturned Hog." Those words made me want to jump with joy. At least now I knew that somebody had survived the drop. But my joy quickly went down in a sea of fire as the two Jackals shot their Beam Rifles right above my head.

"Uh, Jeffries. I could use some cover now." Two more shots landed on the destroyed Warthog, and I could hear the Grunts beginning to fire their Plasma Pistols at my cover, slowly melting the metal away with the superheated blobs of green plasma.

My head snapped up as I heard the crack of a sniper echo across the beach, followed by the screeching of one of the Jackals. I could hear the Grunts freaking out once more, only one keeping his cool as he kept shooting at my cover. "I got your back, you take the Grunts," said Jeffries over my Com-Link, surprisingly being able to keep calm during such a situation.

Using the distraction, I snapped up and let out a burst of bullets that tore through the Grunt's weak armor and destroyed its flesh. I watched with a smirk as a second sniper bullet impacted against the skull of the second Jackal Sniper. I followed the small trial that the bullet left until I saw Jeffries crouching down inside a container farther up ahead from the Anti-Aircraft Battery.

Regaining my focus, I turned back to the last two remaining Grunts and quickly let out a burst of bullets, downing the two tangos within seconds. I made a quick sweep of the area before keying in to my team Com-Link. "All tangos down. We are clear."