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  • Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Part.5 Shock and Awe!)
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Part.5 Shock and Awe!)
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

I have decided to take a break from Rise of Harvest. (If you didn't know, part 23 is out) I just kinda got burnt out on it, so I feel like toying around with a new one.


Prolague


Haley lay in bed. The darkness of her room enveloping her. The letters KIA were etched into her mind. Her father, a Marine, had been killed in an ambush. They never got his body back. It was most likely devoured by Jackals.

Why did this happen to her? Why couldn't it have been somebody else? Haley didn't know, and nobody ever would. Her mother had resorted to alcohol, and was in a completely different world.

Haley only had one person by her side, hatred. It held her hand tightly, urging her to do something insane. Hatred was winning her over, and he knew it. He knew he would have his victory, and soon.

That day, Haley snapped. She jumped out of bed, got dressed, and went down the stairs. Her mother didn't say a word as she walked out of the door.

Haley didn't care anymore. In fact, she hated her mother. The woman had abandoned her in a selfish attempt to shield herself. She was a coward.

The recruitment center wasn't very far down the road. It was only a five minute walk, Haley liked the fresh air of Reach anyway. Today, she didn't feel it. She was numb, a stone cold figure.

When Haley arrived at the recruitment center, she was exhausted. Haley hadn't gotten out of bed for three days straight, and her muscle had already begun to deteriorate.

Haley wearily moved to the line leading to a table. It took a while, but it was eventually her turn. She stood in front of a man. His face was blank, and emotionless. Haley looked at the form in front of her.

The thought of never being able to turn back didn't cross her mind. She wanted revenge. Haley wanted to kill every last one of those Covenant bastards. She leaned forward, and began to enlist for the ODSTs.

Haley knew that they spilt the most Covenant blood out of every division in the military.

The recruiter laughed silently. "A pretty little girl like you will get torn apart out there. Then again, those boys could use a moral boost."

Haley was disgusted by the Officers suggestion. After she killed enough Covenant, she might just have to come back and kill him.

While this thought filled Haley's mind, she forgot to fake her age. She signed sixteen. It was over. She winced as she snapped out of her thoughts, "Damn it!"

The recruitment Officer laughed. "Nice try kid."

"Shut it!" Haley shouted, momentarily causing the room to go dead quiet, "They killed my father, I want to fight."

Once the room's chatter continued, the Officer looked around, as if making sure nobody was listening. "Come here." Haley leaned closer, and the Officer continued in a more quiet voice, "You really want to fight?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I can't get you into the ODSTs, or the Marines, but I can point you in a different direction. "

Haley interrupted. "I don't want-"

"Just listen. You are too young for the military, but you aren't too young to be a private contractor." Haley adapted a confused face, "A mercenary."

"Oh."

"As long as you can shoot, and you don't run away in combat, they'll take you. Do you have any experience with a firearm?"

Haley crossed her arms. "I use to target shoot with my dad before he went to war, so I have a pretty good shot with a rifle."

The recruitment Officer rubbed his eyes. "Alright, that should do. You have the right build for fighting, but you don't really look like you're in good shape," Haley frowned, and the Officer continued, "But I can throw a suggestion in there. I know the head of the corporation. That should get you in."

"Thank you." Haley said.

"You're welcome. Now, you can find them here." The recruitment Officer wrote something down on a piece of paper, and handed it to Haley.

Haley narrowed her eyes. There was something he wasn't telling her. No matter. She had the man's suggestion, and that would be enoughor would it? There was only one way to find out. Haley turned, and walked out of the door.


[Edited on 12.31.2009 3:09 PM PST]

  • 12.20.2009 2:43 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Prolague)

Honor Light Your Way, Our Blood Shall Forge A Thousand Generations!.

Now or Never comes to mind.

Major, I've known you for awhile now, and I have to say... you sucked ass when you first started writing, but this?

This is brilliant! I love it, man. Please, keep it up.

Thread saved. :)

Edit: I really like the idea of a mercenary who fights for revenge than a soldier. It's a very unique and promising idea. Thanks for the epicness, Major.

[Edited on 12.20.2009 3:20 PM PST]

  • 12.20.2009 3:16 PM PDT
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

Posted by: LIL Smurf DOGG
Now or Never comes to mind.

Major, I've known you for awhile now, and I have to say... you sucked ass when you first started writing, but this?

This is brilliant! I love it, man. Please, keep it up.

Thread saved. :)

Edit: I really like the idea of a mercenary who fights for revenge than a soldier. It's a very unique and promising idea. Thanks for the epicness, Major.



Thanks bro :D I guess it's cuz now or never has a girl named Haley, but i don't think that ones a mercinary ;)

  • 12.20.2009 3:21 PM PDT
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T.O.A.S.T stands for: Totally. Over. Analyzing. Short. Trailers.

I'm guessing this Mecenary company, isn't entirely trustworthy.....

anyway, really good, looking forward to the next chapter. :D

  • 12.20.2009 3:21 PM PDT

Honor Light Your Way, Our Blood Shall Forge A Thousand Generations!.

Lol.

If Haley from NoN was a Merc, then she did a damn good job on hiding it... watch out, John!

  • 12.20.2009 3:24 PM PDT

Pretty darn good Major. Some parts seem cheesy though. I'll stick by my guns in saying that, if you're a guy, it's really not the best idea to have a girl as your protagonist in a story. And vice versa.

And wow, looks like I'm a dead writer. Maybe I should try something new.

[Edited on 12.20.2009 3:53 PM PST]

  • 12.20.2009 3:50 PM PDT
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

Wich parts sounded cheesy? I made a girl the main character because I haven't seen it done yet. I figured an entire different personality would be interesting. And trust me, you are NOT a dead writer :)

[Edited on 12.20.2009 3:58 PM PST]

  • 12.20.2009 3:55 PM PDT

mercenaries fight for whoever pays the most money. It would be a good plot twist to make her fight FOR the covenant rather than against them, so its about how she has to avoid combat and break free or what.

  • 12.21.2009 4:19 AM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Posted by: roraj 196
mercenaries fight for whoever pays the most money. It would be a good plot twist to make her fight FOR the covenant rather than against them, so its about how she has to avoid combat and break free or what.


Yes, but even Mercs have a sense of what's right and wrong.

  • 12.21.2009 7:29 AM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Part.5 Shock and Awe!)
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

Just couldn't wait :)


Part. 1 The Right of Passage

In what felt like an hour, Haley was walked into a building. It was dead quiet, but she sensed the presence of others. After a short stroll through the hallway, the bag was pulled off of her head.

Haley was in a small room with three men. Two were standing beside her with their arms crossed. The third was cuffed, and on his knees at the back of the room.

A pistol lay on the table in front of Haley. This wasn't the standard Marine pistol. It was black, and much lighter. One of the men beside her smiled. "Welcome to the CU. Kill him." The man said, nodding to the cuffed man.

Haley let out a nervous laugh. "This is a joke, right?" She looked around the room, and saw that none of them were laughing, "No way! I just got here, and he-"

"He tried to steal money from our company. He is a criminal, shoot him."

Haley picked up the pistol, cocked it, and pointed it at the cuffed man's head.

Tears were streaming down the prisoner's eyes. "Pleaseno. I just wanted to feed my fam-"

"He's lying! He's a rich bastard. Kill him. This is the only way to make sure you are committed."

"I...I can't."

"You wan't to fight, don't you? You want to get revenge, right kid? Or are you going to let those Covie bastards get away with killing your precious little daddy?" The man grinned, "Kill him, or you are out of here." Haley's hand shook as she applied pressure to the trigger. This was the only way, but was this what her father would want her to do? No, this was murder. How did they even know about her father? The antagonize spoke again. "Fine, be a cowardjust-like-your-moth-"

Haley bared her teeth. "No! I'm not her!"

"Well then, prove it."

Haley winced at the man before her, on his knees, pleading for mercy, but she was sold. The girl swallowed, and pulled. Blood spattered the wall behind the cuffed body, and it dropped do the floor with a heart crushing thud.

Haley dropped the gun, and stumbled back into the wall.
The man in charge smiled. "Very good, your room number is 122." The door automatically slid open, and Haley draged herself out. The hallway was silent as she made her way to her quarters.

There were other mercenaries around, but they said nothing. They knew what she had just done, and they knew her pain. Everyone's face was stone cold, except for one. A young man sat on top of a crate, and gave her a weak smile as she passed by. Haley didn't even notice. She just moved on.

When Haley reached her room, she shut the door, turned off the lights, and slipped under the covers of her bed. Her attempts to fall asleep were futile. The image of the blood spattered wall, and the corpse on the ground was branded into her mind.

The girl buried her face in a pillow. What have I done? Hours passed, and her state hadn't changed. Haley's door slowly opened. A beam of light slipped into the room, but the intruder quickly closed the door behind him. Haley didn't care what these people did to her. She felt like she was already dead.

The man was concealed by the dark as he pulled a chair up to the side of her bed. A small sphere of light was created as he turned the bedside lamp on.

The young man sat by her side. His lips formed a faint smile. "They did it to all of us, you know. It's to make sure you really want in. Before they show you anything, they want to know if you can kill."

Haley burst into tears. "I killed him! I don't even know if he was actually stealing, but I sh-shot him."
The girl's sobs caused the boy to reach over, and hold her hand. "I know, I know. "

"D-did you?"

The stranger looked down at the floor. "Yes, I did."

"But I...I." Haley squeaked. The young man could see that this girl was about to break. She wouldn't make it through the night alone. He took off his shoes, socks, and shirt. A tattoo of a dragon ran from his ribs, across his chest, and spiraled down his bicep, ending on his forearm.

The young man climbed onto the bed, and pulled the covers over him. Haley squirmed over to him, and rested her head on his chest.

The man's slow, deep breaths cleared Haley's mind. The last of her tears dropped from her eye, and fell onto the red dragon. It slid across the creature's scales, and hit the bed beneath it.

Haley felt a pair of arms wrap around her, creating a barrier between her, and the world. Finally, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.







[Edited on 12.31.2009 3:10 PM PST]

  • 12.22.2009 12:17 AM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Part.1 Right of Passage!)

Posted by: ajw34307
Posted by: roraj 196
mercenaries fight for whoever pays the most money. It would be a good plot twist to make her fight FOR the covenant rather than against them, so its about how she has to avoid combat and break free or what.


Yes, but even Mercs have a sense of what's right and wrong.

yea but look at the insurrectionists - if the mercs were like them? perhaps it would work, but I can't imagine covenant liking working with humans, so perhaps there could be a covenant betrayal of the mercs


Really good major BTW!

[Edited on 12.22.2009 2:13 AM PST]

  • 12.22.2009 2:09 AM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Prolague)
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T.O.A.S.T stands for: Totally. Over. Analyzing. Short. Trailers.

oooo murders, she's gonna regret that..... i think.

Boy with a cool dragon tatoo, goes a long way with me.

Good chapter :) looking forward to the next one :)

  • 12.22.2009 2:10 AM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Part.2 The Course!)
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

Part.2 The Course


When Haley awoke, she felt the body head of another coursing through her veins. She felt safe, until she realized it was a complete stranger. At that point, she jumped out of the bed as if it had been set on fire.

The boy immediately jumped out of the bed after her, and pulled out a pistol. Haley backed up against the wall, and the young man lowered his weapon. "Oh, it's you."

Haley looked around the room. "Wh-where am I?" In an instant, it all came back to her. She fell to her knees, and burst into tears.

The boy knelt beside her. "Come on, let's get something to eat." He put his hand under her arm, and lifted her up. The hallways were extremely busy. People were running with their cell phones pressed tightly against their ears, and others were planning out strategies for their missions.

As Haley and the boy walked past a relatively empty section, a knife flew past the girls face, and stuck into the wall next to her. The blade buzzed as it vibrated back and forth, and three men burst into laughter.

Sympathy was only a factor during the first day. Now there would be no mercy. The mess hall was gigantic, but there wasn't much of a line by the time Haley and the boy got there.

The two took trays, picked out food, and sat. "So, today's gonna be a rough day." The boy said.

Haley picked up her fork, and swirled the food on her plate around. "Okay..."

"You're going to go through the course, and it isn't easy. There's going to be turrets, mercenaries, and-"

"I really really don't care."

The boy frowned. "Sorry. I just figured that you would want to know. My name's Damien, by the way. I go by Dame though, easier to say."

Haley exhaled. "Can you just...stop talking?"

"Sure."

A man in a suit of armor stopped as he strolled by their table. "This your girl Dame?" He laughed in a deep tone that made him sound like an idiot.

"Nah, she's just a newcomer. I'm helping her out."

"We haven't had a chick around here in a while. I think the last one stepped on a trip mine or something. Real shame, she was a good fighter." The man grinned, and walked away.

Damien leaned his head against his hand. "What a prick."

After an hour of picking at her food without a word, Haley finally broke her silence. "What is everyone wearing?"

Damien leaned back in his chair. "Custom armor. They made it themselves. The UC will give you a standard issue, but it's really just crap. It's a Kevlar vest and a black suit. The thing is barely even worth wearing, better than nothing I guess. Well, it's time to get you to the course." The two walked through the UC building until they came to a room filled with sand. A large wooden construct stood on top of it.

A man wearing olive drab approached Haley and Damien. He was covered in weapons and ammunition. "So you're Haley?"

Haley looked at the ground. "Yeah."

"Well, you ready? This here is my baby," He motioned to the obstacle course, "I made her myself. I've got pretty much everything you'll see in the field, except plasma of course. I wouldn't want to incinerate the trainees would I?" The man grinned, as he handed Haley a rifle, and a protective mask, "You'll be using stun rounds. They're rubber, but it'll hurt like hell if you get hit."

Haley nodded, and approached the course. It was huge. A buzzer rang off, and Haley dashed forward. In the first three seconds, the sand around her began to kick up.

Turrets were positioned on two towers, one on each side. Haley grunted as a stun round skimmed her, and she dived behind two wooden walls. The stun rounds began to punch through the wood, it was a trick.

Haley continued to run forward across the sand, and jumped onto a ramp that lead towards the elevated wooden construct. When she reached the top of the ramp, she was caught off guard by two UC mercenaries. A stun round hit her leg, and she fell backwards.

Haley managed to launch a rubber bullet into one of the men's neck. He let out a loud gag, and grabbed his throat. The other ran to his side to drag him to cover, but Haley had re-positioned herself on the ground, and opened up on the second man.

Rubber rounds bounced off of the man as he cried out in pain, and fell off of the wooden construct. The elevated structure hid Haley from the turrets, so she was safe for now, but there was a bridge ahead, and she would be wide open.

Haley carefully approached it, and stopped. She saw two claymores positioned on opposite walls right in front of the bridge. It only took her a few moments to think of an idea. She took a gun off of one of the writhing UC mercenaries, and tossed it in between the claymores.

The claymores went off, causing small rubber pellets to ricochet all over the walled in area. Haley hit the floor, but was still hit by a few of them.

The girl got up, and sprinted across the bridge. The turrets fired, sending splinters off wood from the bridge into the air behind her.

Another mercenary appeared at the entrance to the next walled in section. Haley fired off three shots into the man's groin, causing him to fall backwards in extreme pain. He set off to more claymores, and was pelted by at least two hundred rubber pellets.

Haley couldn't help but laugh as she jumped into the walled section. Unfortunately, two more UC mercenaries were waiting for her. They each spent at least half of their clip on the girl, and she dropped to the floor, her face pale in pain.

Haley took three pain killers, and reclined on her bed. The course had taken her mind off of everything. She was itching to do it again. Her door opened, and Damien walked in. "That was damn impressive Haley."

Haley smiled. "Thanks."

"You wrecked that one guy!"

"I know! I think he's mad at me though."

Damien grinned. "Nah, he's just a little upset because you turned him black and blue."

Haley laughed. "I think I'm gonna go to bed. I'm really tired."

"Yeah, sure. Sweet dreams Tex. Damien winked at her, and left.

Haley turned off the lights, and burrowed herself into the sheets. Thoughts began to swim through her head, the death of her father, her cowardly mother, the man she had murdered. She was becoming numb to all of it. Haley's pain was fading. She led a new life now, and was leaving her old one behind. All her past memories were slipping away. She wasn't the sixteen year old girl she was two days ago anymore, she was a killer, a mercenary.



[Edited on 12.23.2009 8:37 PM PST]

  • 12.23.2009 12:52 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Part.4 Saved and Betrayed!)
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

Part.3 Back to the Pit


Haley woke up bright and early the next day. She wanted to run the course again, but this time, be prepared. She went to the firing range, grabbed a rifle, and practiced on the moving targets.

Haley hit five out of ten the first time, then eight, then all of them. She continued doing this until she could wiped them out as soon as they popped out.

Haley turned up the number of targets, and continued. In two hours, she had improved tremendously. Then she took stun round grenades, and practiced throwing them. She wasn't very good, but she got lucky once in a while, and hit the target dead on.

Next, Haley practiced firing a sidearm on a still target. This, however, she couldn't get a hold of. After twenty minutes of horrible accuracy, she decided that she would fire one last clip, then quit.

Haley raised her weapon, and fired off three shots. Every one of them missed. she was about to fire again when to arms moved in front of her from behind, and placed their hands over Haley's.

A long dragon wound around one of the person's limbs, Damien. "You're holding it wrong. Wrap your thumb around here." Haley moved her fingers, "No, not like that. The slide will blow your finger off."

Haley winced. "That's...frightening."

"Like this." Damien moved Haley's hands into the correct position, "Now, bend your elbows a little, and relax."
Haley did so, and Damien released her.

Haley fired off a shot, and hit the target directly in its head. "Thanks. Can you help me with the grenades?"

Damien smiled. "Sure." It took Haley a good half an hour to get a hang of throwing the explosives, but when she did, she was adept in it, "I don't think I've ever seen someone learn that fast."

"Yea well, I guess with the right motivation one does."

"I'm guessing you're up to do the course again?" Haley grinned.

The course instructor sat on a steel crate, sharpening his knife. He smiled as Haley and Damien entered the large room. "Hey you two!"

Damien waved, "Hey Mike."

"So girl, here for the course again?"

Haley nodded. "Yeah." She grabbed her gear, and positioned herself at the start line. The buzzer sounded off, and she sprinted forward.

The turrets locked on, and fired. The sand behind Haley kicked up into the air as she sprinted past the wooden barriers.

Haley fired three rounds off into a UC mercenary's chest, and he fell backwards. When she reached the walled in area, she eliminated the rest of the guards, and set off the claymores with her weapon.

Haley once again sprinted across the open area, and lit up another mercenary. This time the man was sure to position himself so that he wouldn't fall into the claymores, but after Haley eliminated the Mercenaries in the second walled in section, she shot him in the groin for entertainment.

The girl set off the second set of claymores, and headed for the ramp. She stopped in her tracks. Haley had a bad feeling about this. Something wasn't right. The turrets couldn't hit her this time, she was obscured by the structure, so there had to be something else. That's when she saw it.

Camouflaged into the sand were trip mines. Haley had an idea. She fired off one round into the top of each mine. The pressure caused them to detonate, sending chunks of rubber through the air.

Haley moved forward, satisfied with her quick thinking. Her victory was short lived. When she made it half way across the open, a tank appeared from behind a wall. You have got to be kidding me

The tank fired off a wall of rubber bullets that barely missed Haley. She rolled into what she expected to be another safe zone, but the tank had made her forget about the claymores. They both went off, spraying her with pellets. Haley did her best to shrug off the extreme pain, and crawled forward. I'm going to make you proud dad

Unfortunately, there were no walls around this platform, and she was completely voulnerable. The tank fired again, but Haley hit the floor. One of the rounds hit her in the rib cage, and she cried out in pain. That's when she got an idea.

Haley pulled out one of her grenades, primed it, and lobbed it towards the tank. The throw was perfect. It fell directly in between the metal grating of the tank's cockpit.

Haley heard a loud. "Son of a bi-!" And an explosion. The tank was still. Haley ran down the next ramp into the sand. This time she wasn't in the open. There were columns in rows all the way up to the next ramp. This was bad; it was a perfect place for an ambush.

Haley proceeded carefully. A rubber bullet hit her in the knee cap. She yelped in pain, and fell into the sand. The girl had dropped her rifle, and it was too far away to grab. She pulled out her side arm as a man came into view. It was Mike.

The girl bent her elbows, relaxed, and pulled the trigger. Her round hit Mike right in his throat. He gagged, and fell down. She ran up the next ramp, and froze in the middle of the walled room.

Twelve mercenaries stood around her, guns aimed at her torso. "Oh...shi-" There was pain, and blackness.

When Haley awoke, she was in her bed. Everything hurt. "That was pretty funny." A voice said, coming from beside her bed.

Haley turned to see Damien. "Were you watching me sleep?"
"No...I was just worried about you. You passed out after being shot like, eighty times."

"Sure Damien. Wait a minute, why was that funny?"

"Because you were crazy pumped and confident, then you ran into a circle of people and got lit up." Damien laughed.

"Yeah, well maybe from the outside it was laughable."

"Can you stand?"

Haley winced as she sat up on the side of the bed. "I think so." She jumped onto the floor, and whimpered.

Damien picked her up in his arms, and looked into her eyes. "I want to show you something."

The two exited the building into an open grassy plain. Damien carried Haley up on top of a hill, and set her down in the grass. Below them was a vast field of tall grass that swayed in the wind. Haley ghasped. "It's beautiful."

"I always wanted to show somebody this, but I knew that the other UC guys would just give me a bunch of crap for liking it."

"I knew you were a teddy bear from the moment I saw you."

"What? I'm not a teddy bear."

"Deny it all you want Damien, but you are."

Damien lay down next to Haley. "I kill people for a living..."

Haley laughed. "Say what you want."

"I'm not a stuffed animal." Damien leaned over, and tickled her ribs.

Haley burst into laughter. "S-stop! My ribs are sore!"

Damien grinned. "Am I a teddy bear?"

"N-no!"

Damien stopped. "That's what I thought."

"You are such a teddy bear."

"God damn it..."

Haley turned on her side, and propped her head up on her arm. "Why did you become a mercenary? A handsome guy like you could do better than this."

Damien shook his head. "Nah. I dropped out of high school."
"Why?"

"I was tired of people telling me what to do, you know? I wanted to walk my own path. Not one somebody set up for me."
Haley nodded. "Yeah."

"What about you?" Damien asked.

"Have you ever lost someone, and got so angry that you couldn't stand by and watch as other fell to the same fate as you?"

"Yes. That's another reason. As a mercenary I can kill whatever I want as long as I get my job done."

Haley smiled. "You're a real charmer, you know that?"

Damien looked surprised. "Really?"

"No, not at all."

"Oh come on, you've known me for two days."

Haley ran her fingers through the grass. "Two days that felt like a lifetime." Damien was quiet. He moved his hand forward, and stroked Haley's neck. The boy ran his thumb across Haley's soft lips, but she quickly grabbed his hand, and moved it away. "Stop, Damien."

"Sorry...I just-"

"It's okay."

A short awkward silence followed, but it was soon broken by Damien. "You're going on your first mission tomorrow."

Haley sat up. "Just when were they planning to tell me?!"

"Like, five minutes prior. Rieker likes to keep us on our toes."

"Rieker?"

Damien looked up into the darkening sky. "James Rieker, the head of the UC."

"Oh. Who's going with me?"

"Yours truly."

Haley laughed. "Great." She dug herself into the grass and closed her eyes. Letting the warm summer air of reach envelop her. In only a few moments, she drifted off into sleep.

Damien smiled down at her as he picked the girl up. Half way back to the building, his face grew cold. "Stupid girl, you have no idea what you just got yourself into."


[Edited on 12.29.2009 6:30 PM PST]

  • 12.26.2009 11:14 PM PDT
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

Please forgive any errors you spot. I am far away form home, and using my sisters MAC, which I have little if any skill in. Yea her T button is pretty messed up too.


Ch. 4 Saved and Betrayed


Haley woke up early. Today would be her first mission, and she was itching to fight. The girl exited her room to find Damien leaning against the hallway's wall. "About time you woke up."

Haley raised an eyebrow. "I thought this was pretty early."

"Not around here beautiful. Follow me, I've got something for you." Haley followed Damien to the armory, where he pressed a panel, and part of the wall rotated, revealing a black suit of armor."

Haley smiled. "Is that for-"

"You? Yes. it's no custom armor, but it's better than the standard issue."

Haley took it off of the wall, and looked at Damien. He turned around, and Haley put the suit on. "Okay, you can look." Damien turned around, and Haley shifted her weight onto one leg, "What do you think?"

Damien grinned. "Looking good."

Haley giggled, and turned serious. "How about he weapons?"

The girl's friend picked a rifle off of the wall, and handed it to her. "It's far better than the junk he UNSC uses."

Haley nodded. "It feels pretty good. Can we go fight now?"

Damien patted her shoulder. "Yes, in fact, we're late." The two rushed to the hangar, and headed towards a modified pelican with the letters UC written on the side of it in white paint. Damien patted the aircraft's titanium hull as he jumped in. Haley followed suit, and they took off towards their destination.

The pelican pilot swerved right and left as he avoided enemy anti-aircraft fire. Two missiles from the pelican blew the turrets to shreds, and it touched down into the walled base.

Haley and Damien charged out, and opened fire. There was little cover, but the two mercenaries managed to get inside the main building relatively unscathed. On entry, they were fired upon.

Damien jumped in front of Haley, his heavy armor shielding the both of them. Three shots from his rifle made three bodies. The young man placed a charge on the building's door. The next person to enter wouldn't receive a warm welcome.

The Mercenaries continued, forcing their may deeper into the building. Damien kicked open a door, and shot an unarmed man sitting at a desk. He ran to the computer, and stuck and inserted a flash drive. It automatically hacked into the computer's files, and began to steal data. A loud bang echoed through the building. Haley cursed under her breath. "Damien, we've got company."

Haley's fellow mercenary nodded. "Keep em busy while I monitor this things progress."

"Got it." Insurrectionists poured into the hallway, running at Haley's bullets. She cut them down with ease, but eventually one managed to skim her shoulder. The girl grunted in pain. "Damien, we have to go now!"

Damien tapped nervously on the desk as the flash
drive stole the last of the files. "Come on come on come on got it!" Damien ran to Haley's side, "Do you have any idea how much bank we just pulled in?"

Haley exhaled. "You can tell me when we get the hell out of here." The two fought there way back outside, and winced as they stepped into the sunlight.

A squad of ODSTs stood before them. Their commander approached Damien. "You must be the mercs that the HQ Insisted on hiring. Well I'll tell you something. We sure as hell don't need your help, so stay out of our god damn way."

Damien smiled behind his visor. "Don't worry bud. We took care of all this. If you still want to do something you can clean up our mess."

"Listen you little prick, I'll-"

Haley interrupted the ODST with a laugh. "I know you two are just exploding with testosterone, but we should really-" The girl yelped as a bullet lodged itself in her inner thigh. She fell to the ground, and grabbed her wound. Warm blood oozed through her fingers. "Damien, help!"

Damien was by Haley's side in an instant. He picked her up, and covered her the best he could. Bullets pinged off of his bulky armor as he ran back indoors. Damien set her down, and took off his helmet. "Where are you hit?" Haley pointed at her wound, triggering a worried expression on Damien's face, "I think it hit an artery. I don't have any bio-foam, so you'll just have to keep pressure on it."

"Okay. Haley's face was pale in agony, "This hurts a lot more than rubber bullets."

Damien let out a short laugh. "Yeah, it does."

"Damien, what now?"

"Well, it sounds like they got the last of our ODST friends, so they are just waiting for one of us to stick our head out."

Haley frowned. "Where are they?"

"They're hiding in the walls around the facility. We were sitting ducks." Damien rubbed his temples. "I think I can get inside the walls from here."

"Why don't we call for backup?"

Damien tapped on a large dent on the side of his helmet. "They busted my COM system."

Haley grabbed Damien's arm as he stood. "Just...be careful, okay?"

The girl's fellow mercenary nodded. "Can I kiss you now?"

"No, get going." Haley shoved him, and he ran towards battle. The girl groaned in pain as she bent her leg backwards to slow the circulation. Somehow, she knew that Damien would be alright. Even when the firefight within the walls started, she still wasn't worried.

Maybe it was because Haley knew Damien could fight, or maybe it was because Haley couldn't bare the thought of losing the only person who she had left, even if she had only known him for three days.

Haley began to feel dizzy and tired. Her vision began to blur, and soon, there was only black. When the girl awoke, she was in a medical cot, wires running along the floor, and tubes in various places. "Morning sunshine." Damien grinned as Haley turned her head towards him.

"Hi Damien." Haley said weakly, "I guess I didn't do so well on my first mission huh?"

Damien laughed. "Actually, most of us got shot on our first run." He pulled his white shirt down, revealing two circular scars. "They got me twice, on my dragon."

Haley smiled. "I guess the got it for that."

"Once m partner jammed an adrenaline needle into my heart, I got vengeance."

"Damien?"

"Damien leaned forward, getting closer to Haley. "Yeah?"

"Why do you care about me?"

"Well..." The young man fell silent in thought.

"Why did you come into my room the first night I got here, why did you show me the meadow, why are you here now?"

"You uhm..." Damien looked into Haley's dark blue eyes, "You remind me of a girl I use to know."

Haley frowned. "Oh."

Damien instantly realized his mistake. "And I think you're really cool."

"I'm kind of tired Damien."

"Yeah, you should get some rest." Damien turned, and headed for the door with sadness in his eyes.

Haley noticed this, and had a change of heart. "Actually, why don't you stay?"

Damien smiled, and sat back down. "So, are you enjoying being a mercenary?"

"I can't say I'm hating the thirty thousand dollars I just made."

Haley's friend cuckled. "So what are you gonna do with it?"

"I don't know, get myself a better suit of armor?."

Damien grinned. "Yeah, maybe then I wont have to save your ass...you know, once we were in the pelican, I didn't take my eyes off of you for a second. I thought you weren't going to make it. For the first time in a while, I was actually scared."

Haley smiled as her friend looked down at the floor, trying to hide his suddenly eager eyes. Her current state of health slipped her mind, and was replaced by something else. "Do you think you can sneak me out of here?"

Damien swallowed. "Probably." He picked Haley up out of her bed, and stole her away to his room. The young man looked down at the girl in his arms, and she nodded. Damien gently set her down on his bed, his heart beat becoming faster and faster.

Haley closed her eyes as Damien removed her clothes, and soon, she was beside her body. The girl's sole bound to Damien's in a wave of emotion like nothing she had felt before. Over and over Damien brought this to her, until finally, they settled down.

Haley rested her head on Damien's arm, and ran her fingers along his tattoo. "Dame?"

Damien brushed the hair out of Haley's eyes. "Yeah?"

"When we are done with being in the UC, can you stay with me? We could go to Earth, far away from all of this. We could buy a house somewhere nice, and be happy...together."

Damien frowned. "Haley, I...I didn't know this was like that."

Haley wearily placed her palms on Damien's chest, and propped herself up. "What do you mean?"

"Well, this was so sudden, and you never showed any interest in me before. I thought this was for, well, fun."

Haley's jaw dropped as she jumped off of the bed, clenching her teeth as her stitches stretched. "You pig!"

Damien stood. "Haley, wait!"

"I can't believe I fell for your stupid act!"

"Haley I-"

"Shut it!" Haley yelled, "I never want to see you again!"

Damien rubbed his eyes. "She's dead, Haley."

Haley froze. "Wh-what?"

"The girl i said you reminded me of, she's dead." Damien paused. "She was my wife. Hell maybe it was a mistake marrying so young, but it felt so...right. Then she got sick, really sick. We didn't have the money for her treatment, so I joined the UC hoping that I could get some fast. She died before m first mission."

Haley sat down on the edge of the bed. "Okay...well, I really need someone right now, and so do you. So could you just...pretend?"

Damien hesitantly stepped forward, placed his hands on Haley's shoulders, and kissed her.










[Edited on 12.31.2009 3:07 PM PST]

  • 12.29.2009 6:22 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Prolague)

"Find The Bomb?!
Find The Bomb?!
I'm Looking For The Flag!
What The Heck Is Assualt!?"

I'll get around to reading it... A bit strapped for time these days though.

  • 12.29.2009 6:37 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Part.5 Shock and Awe!)
  • gamertag: [none]
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

Part. 5 Shock and Awe


In the morning, Haley and Damien climbed out of bed, dressed, and went to the forge. A man in a sweat-drenched tank top was hammering away at a piece of red hot steel. Damien walked up to his side. "What have you got there Mac?"

The smith turned to Damien, and let out a puff of smoke from his cigar. "Making a rifle. If all goes well, it should be able to punch threw an Elites personal shields with no problem."

"Sounds good. I need your help with making a suit of armor for this little lady here."

The blacksmith grinned, his rough beard spreading wide as his mouth stretched. "Sure thing Dame. I suggest light or medium. I don't think she's strong enough to handle heavy." The man turned to Haley, "Now, you're gonna want to make your own armor eventually, so this is a good time for me to teach-"

An explosion sounded off, causing Haley to draw her sidearm. "What the hell was that?"

"Dame, get your armor on, and girl, grab a vest."

Damien bared his teeth. "God damn traitors."

Haley looked at her friend "What's going on?"

"The UC is the head of a web of private contracting companies. Obviously, we are worth the most money. Now some of the lesser companies have decided they don't like how we run the show." Damien began to put on his armor, "They've been planning on overthrowing us for a while. Basically, this is a civil war."

Haley turned to Damien as she strapped a Kevlar vest on to her torso. "How do you know it's them? It could be an accidental detonation."

Damien shook his head. "We don't keep explosives in this building." The forge's door began to shake. Haley leveled her pistol, and waited.

The first enemy to come through the broken entrance received a bullet to his head from Haley's pistol. The second took one to the throat, but the third managed to skim Haley's shoulder before his death.

Haley felt dizzy. It was only yesterday that she had been shot, and now she was pushed into yet another combat situation.

Damien put on his helmet, triggering a satisfying hiss as it pressureied. The windows to his right shattered as ten enemy mercenaries swung through.

Damien shot three as they repelled down, but the rest took cover behind crates and stacks of metal. "Mac, they are gonna overrun this place. We have to get to the hangar!"

The smith was in the progress of grabbing his most valuable items, but he was taking too long. "One sec Dame!" He shouted over the deafening cracks of gunfire.

Haley fought her way to the other door, and was waiting for the two men. The girl was holding her own, until a pair of arms came around her from behind, and got her in a hold. "What's a pretty little girl like you doing in a place like this?" The attacker said, mockery in his voice.

Haley bared her teeth. "Kicking your ass!" She thrust her head back, breaking her enemy's nose. The girl spun around, pulled out her knife, and sliced his neck open.

Blood spattered Haley's face as the enemy mercenary fell to the ground, gagging and choking on the red fluid forming a puddle below him.

The girl turned around to see another mercenary leveling his pistol. Haley threw her knife, and out of sheer luck, it lodged itself in the man's heart.

The blacksmith finished gathering his possessions, picked up a shotgun, and pumped it. He ran at an approaching mercenary, and caved his skull in with the butt of his weapon. He then pulled the trigger, and sent a wall of lead into the face of an enemy behind him.

Mackenzie grabbed another contractor, and threw him into one of his forges with a grunt. The man smiled. "I've always wanted to do that."

More enemies entered the large room. Damien cursed under his breath. "Mac, we have to go, now!" Just when the three thought they were doomed, a chunk of the roof exploded.

Down repelled twenty ODSTs, guns blazing. They quickly eliminated the remaining enemy forces, and took up positions around the room.

The ODST commander approached Damien. "Who is this squad's CO?"

Damien slung his rifle over his shoulder. "None of us. We're just a rag tag band of heroes." Sarcasm filled his voice.

"Set aside your damn ego and hate for us real soldiers so that you can explain the situation here." The commander growled.

"Just shoot the guys in green, and help the guys in black."

"Why the UNSC wants us to save your asses is beyond me. Just stay out of our way."

Haley approached the fued, and grinned. "I guess we are staying?"

The ODSTs whistled, bringing a laugh out of Damien. "Yeah, we're staying."

A squad of marines entered the forge. "There everywhere!"

Mackenzie grunted. "Looks like more of the web betrayed us then we thought."

The ODST Commander activated a direct COM beam. "This is Delta to HQ, we need Spartans.

[Edited on 01.01.2010 4:33 AM PST]

  • 12.31.2009 3:07 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Walking the Path (Prolague)
  • gamertag: vrbtny
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T.O.A.S.T stands for: Totally. Over. Analyzing. Short. Trailers.

Nice chappie, i spotted a typo *Clears Throat* A explosion wounded out. I think that's meant to be Sounded out.... but it's your story, and it's awesome. Keep up the good work.

  • 01.01.2010 4:24 AM PDT

"Find The Bomb?!
Find The Bomb?!
I'm Looking For The Flag!
What The Heck Is Assualt!?"

Posted by: vrbtny
A explosion wounded out. I think that's meant to be Sounded out.


Was that supposed to ryhme?

  • 01.01.2010 11:16 AM PDT
  • gamertag: vrbtny
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T.O.A.S.T stands for: Totally. Over. Analyzing. Short. Trailers.

Posted by: Buggy Virus
Posted by: vrbtny
A explosion wounded out. I think that's meant to be Sounded out.


Was that supposed to ryhme?


No, i was just pointing out a flaw...

  • 01.01.2010 1:20 PM PDT