During the Human Covenant War, humanity fought for their life, some planets were saved, salvaged or evacuated in time, others weren't as lucky, On Reach; the small city of Alexo Beta was a good example.
160 marines and ODST's from tier 1 teams and 2 Spartan Fireteams were sent to face a force of 700 Covenant soliders. Their Objective; to force the enemy back from a civilian hospital, and keep its occupants alive.
For three days they held their ground, but the enemies numbers were too great. The 160 were cut down to 23 soliders and 5 Spartans, they wouldn't last another night and the enemy knew it. Under the cover of Darkness they evacuated the hospital; sending all the remaining marines and ODST to protect them, and sending one Spartan to lead the way. the remaining 4 returned to the lines and took up positions beneath the bodies of their fallen brothers and sisters.
As they lay in wait the blood from the dead pored over them, the sand and dirt stuck to them like a shroud...... Changing them....... Anointing them. When the enemy drew near, the remaining 4 rose, they were like hunters that couldn't be seen, using stealth their enemies couldn't defend against. When the Spartans ran dry of ammunition they used their blades, and when the blades ran dull they used their hands.
When the dust and sand had settled, only a single Elite Zealot had survived. He was captured by some remaining UNSC forces in the desert; wandering aimlessly. Traumatized. He expressed warnings to other of a force so menacing and unbeatable, it could only be described as supernatural. He called them...
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GHOSTS.
A ragtag gang of teens teams up with a neighboring girl gang when a major cartel moves into town, threatening their families, their turf, and the community they've worked so hard to protect.
*****
Cash West formed the Seven 20s - a gang of six overzealous teens with guns - to keep his tiny, crime-infested town in nowhere California safe. His methods are unorthodox and frankly illegal, but the town loves his Robin Hood heroics. However, the gang gets more than they bargained for when the Mendoza cartel rolls into town, determined to knock them off the map. As the threat hits closer to home, Cash has no choice but to team up with his ex-girlfriend Tiana's neighboring girl gang, the Hearts of Spades. Soon allies become enemies, families get trapped in the crossfire, and romance brews as Cash fights to unravel a massive conspiracy that puts everyone that matters to him at risk. When the stakes are life and death, will the gangs be able to overcome an enemy more powerful than any of them could have predicted?
Book One of The Seven Twenties Series
Content and Trigger Warning: contains violence, drug use, mentions of domestic abuse, and mature themes.