Run for Your Life (Novel)

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
==Plot Summary==
Sanghelios is at peace, the Remnant is reduced to a small band of troops, and Josh 'Konar is now apart of the Sangheili Alliance. With Kyle Craig out of the picture, he leaves the Sanghelios Police Department. But new danger emerges from the darkness, a deadly human assassin, bent on killing Josh 'Konar by any means necessary. With his family in danger and his life on the line, Josh 'Konar has no choice but to flee Sanghelios and look for answers on Earth. He finds out about his assassin, but he is running out of time as he is chased by the Russian Criminal Sydicate, to Los Angeles' Cortez Cartel. He must run for his life to kill his suspect and bring peace to himself and his family.
Meanwhile, Ryan Wilson and his partner, Mark Frost, investigate the bombing of Washington D.C's famous Metrolink station. While the case points to an innocent Sangheili and a not-so-innocent human, he begins to enlist the help of an outsider. Tension rises and they find clues taking them into the Russian Criminal Syndicates territory. With dangerous foes emerging and time drawing to a close, Ryan must find the person responsible for the bombings as well as track down Josh's assassin.
==List of Characters==
===Main Characters===
Major_Josh_Konaree.png|Josh 'Konar
Ryan_Wilson.jpg|Ryan Wilson (UEG Police Detective)
Walter_Richardson_Vladimir_Gorbachevs_Son.jpg|Walter Richardson
===Major Characters===
Mark_Frost.jpg|Mark Frost (UEG Police Agent and Ryan Wilson's best friend)
421px-Imperial_Megalopod.jpg|Andromeda Vadum
*Lex 'Norsan (Sangheili Field Master)
*Zuka 'Soram (Sangheili Field Master, and Josh Konaree's friend)
*Fal 'Konar (Josh Konaree's uncle.)
===Minor Characters===
Alicia_Kennedy.jpg|Alicia Kennedy (UNSC Hacker Specialist and Pilot)
Matt_Simmons.png|Matt Simmons (UNSC Special Forces Soldier)
Dimitri_Khrushchev.jpg|Dimitri Khrushchev
Daniel_Evans_Halo_Fanon.jpg|Daniel Evans
Zephyr_'Rorke_Neo-Remnant.png|Zephyr 'Rorke
File:Zuka_'Chavam.jpg|Zuka 'Chavam
ONI_Security_and_Reconnaissance.jpg|ONI Security and Reconnaissance Agency
*Sangheili Police Department (All branches)
**Captains and Commanders
**Police Officers
**Investigators
**Crime Scene Techs and Analysts
*United Earth Government Police Department
**Captains and Commanders
**Police Officers
**Investigators
**Crime Scene Techs and Analysts
*Russian Criminal Syndicate Soldiers
*UNSC Soldiers
*Covenant Separatist Elites
*Sangheili Alliance Elites
*Crimson Circle Elites
== Prologue ==
A Satellite tracks a car traveling down R Street NW and makes a left on 13th Street NW in Washington D.C.
"Car is inbound...Continue tracking..." The lead ONI SARA agent said.
They track the cars information, scan the license plate and a database of vehicle information comes up. A 2551 Blue Überchassis with license code D5-713. It makes a left and continues down G Street and parks in the Metro Transit Center parking lot.
A businessman gets out of the car carrying a briefcase, Walter Richardson.
----
Walter Richardson continued across 12 Street NW and went inside Macy's.
"Okay. He just went inside Macy's. What now." The ONI SARA agent said.
"We wait." The lead ONI SARA agent replied.
At a cafe inside the Metro Station two elites were talking to each other, a Crimson Circle Sangheili Minor, and a Crimson Circle Sangheili Commander. The ambiance of the cafe was quite noisy, seeing that it was on the ground level of a two story shopping center. Some elites lived on Earth for the purpose of exploration, others for research purposes, but that would not stop a few Remnant elites lurking within to annihilate the humans. This was risky business, seeing that a few were considered KIA by the UNSC forces, this led the remaining Remnant elites to become covert units. 
Below the shopping center was the Metro Station itself, built for a futuristic high speed train, a MagLev. Which composed a population of 760,000 riders a day. But that wasn't the intended target, due to the fact that they couldn't smuggle enough explosives without getting caught by transit security and UNSC Police agents.
"When do we strike?" The Crimson Circle Sangheili Commander said.
The Crimson Circle Sangheili Minor held up a hand, took a look at the Chatter, and stared at the screen vacantly.
"Any second now." The Crimson Circle Sangheili Minor said to himself. He tapped on the screen a few times. "Thing must be broken. Our comms are better than this human technology."
"Use the BattleNet." The Crimson Circle Sangheili Commander said impatiently.
"Zephyr, when do we strike?" The Crimson Sangheili Minor whispered.
"Create a diversion, then send them a message." Zephyr replied.
"It will be done." The Crimson Circle Sangheili Minor said as he disconnected. "On your mark."
The commander nodded, they got up and left the Metro station and made a left toward G Street NW, the Crimson Circle Sangheili Minor pushed a button using a device on his arm. An explosion with a medium blast radius destroyed the cafe and part of mall, all rail transportation were delayed, and security began directing people to the emergency exits.
"You watching this, sir?" The ONI SARA agent said in a shocked tone. "We have a --"
"Set the threat level to guarded. Keep watching Walter Richardson." The lead ONI SARA agent immediately interrupted in, his voice calm.
Walter Richardson exited the store and had a change of clothing, a gray suit, white dress shirt with the collar open at the throat, grey slacks, and black dress shoes. He noticed the crowd running toward him in a panic. This wasn't part of the plan. He then began to join the crowd as they raced in different directions. 
"Don't focus on the devastation. Focus on Walter." The lead ONI SARA agent said in frustration.
"He's gone. I cant find him." The ONI SARA agent said.
== Chapter 1 ==
Josh 'Konar looked at his wife asleep. After the attack at their home, they had been moved to a hotel in the State of Konar, built by Sangheili for Sangheili, and a place to call home from all the distress of war. He couldn’t help think that not only having humans here on the planet would bring trouble, but also that he was a constant target of all enemies foreign and domestic, as some humans referred it to. Things would change for the better.
His comm rang, the caller ID was Andromeda 'Vadum. He removed his Sanghelios PD Badge and looked at it for a few seconds, remembering everything he went through, before setting it on the table softly, careful not to wake anyone up. He then proceeded to answer the comm.
"Yes." Josh said.
"We have a mission for you, come over to HQ, Field Master Zuka 'Soram will brief you on your way to your location." Andromeda said.
At the HQ, troops were boarding the Phantom Gunboat. With only one, he couldn’t think of how small a mission this was going to be.
"Only one?" Josh said.
"Nope." Zuka 'Soram said, "Two more." Then he nodded towards the other gunboats taking off. "Let’s go!"
As soon as they took off and out of orbit, they were briefed on a minor flood infestation on an unknown planet. As time passed they made it to the planet and landed in a safe zone, leaves and trees blowing from the phantom gunboat’s gusts. They all exited through the vehicles gravity lift and got into a defensive formation as the gunboat left the area.
"We are at the drop zone. Moving to secure the campgrounds." Zuka 'Soram said.
"Agreed." Sangheili Alliance HQ responded.
"Wort! Wort! Wort!" Zuka 'Soram said.
Nightfall was approaching and they had a good campfire set up and food. While eating they shared stories.
"What’s your story Konaree?” Zuka 'Chavam said. “And why do you have a human name for a Sangheili?"
"I will get to that in a second.” Josh said, followed by a chuckle. “I was a minor elite in the Separatists, after I got kicked out for disobeying my superiors I decided to stay with my uncle. Then after, I took up a career in Law Enforcement –"
"Law Enforcement?"
"Yes, where I was tasked with upholding the laws of Sanghelios and enforcing the Arbiters orders. The Sangheili Police Departments were created in some states because they thought it was good to have a protective force, with humans working as a forensic team." Josh said.
"I heard that they were going to disband the Sanghelios PD and create Enforcers."
"Maybe. Anyway, I killed a demonic human, and then I was recruited on to the Sangheili Alliance afterword’s and promoted to major for my courage and skills."
"And the human name?" Zuka 'Chavam said with interest. Screams from the flood were heard from the distance.
"Everyone in positions! Now!" Zuka 'Soram said. 
They all formed a circular formation, back to back, and pulled out their plasma rifles. The flood was approaching closer and closer. Zuka 'Soram pulled out his energy sword, its blade piercing through the darkness. 
== Chapter 2 ==
Ryan Wilson was the father of one boy, Daniel, and a girl, Sarah, and had a loving wife, Desiree. She was a professional surgeon with MedStar Washington Hospital Center. They lived in a nice home in a Suburban neighborhood. He was an agent for the UEG Police Department’s Washington D.C. branch and loved the job he did, and most days were worse than others, but he managed to get through them. It was a quiet night and the sound of tree leaves softly rattling in the wind, spring was here after all.
"Beautiful night tonight." Desiree said.
"Sure is." Ryan said, peacefully.
He was on the balcony watching the beautiful city of D.C. in the distance, He didn’t like the idea that its history was diminished by the futuristic aspect of the tall buildings, highways and monorails that stood in the distance. D.C.’s layout changed over the course of the years, but the history’s greatest monuments have not changed, just improved.
His Chatter rang and he looked at the caller ID, It was Chris Logan, the UEG Chief of Police. What was the situation now? He pressed the call button and held the phone to his ear. He usually had a funny personality until it came to police business.
"Let me guess, another dead body?" Ryan said.
"No. Worse. The Metro Station was attacked by terrorists, this one is different Ryan. Real different."
"Okay. I’ll check it out.” Ryan said. Then hung up. “Looks like I’ve got to go again. Are the kids asleep?"
"Yeah, just be safe okay?" Desiree said.
"Will do. Love you." He kissed her on the cheek and headed for his car, an Electra XS.
He raced to the scene. When he arrived, he was greeted by Mark Frost. He and Mark grew up together and became friends along the way. After doing time as ODST’s for ONI, they both got honorably discharged and after, studied criminal justice and earned their Bachelor degrees. Mark Frost was funny and sarcastic, but when it came to police business he was clever and straight to the point, making him Ryan’s second hand man for investigations and interrogations.
"It’s night time so you’re going to need a head light." Mark said as he slapped the light against Ryan’s chest softly.
"Ouch!" Ryan said. "You know what I don’t get?"
Ryan fastened the light to his head and flicked it on. They proceeded to the barricade and flashed their ID’s to the cops and were let in the crime scene.
"What." Mark said, carefully studying the outside perimeter first. He squatted down, examined the pavement and noticed Sangheili footprints on the ground.
"Why don’t we have any suits or armor?" Ryan said as he looked around the outside perimeter trying to construct a theory of what happened.
"We do have suits." Mark said, tugging on his gray suit, then showing off his ballistic proof vest. "And we do have armor."
"No I mean like ODST armor or police armor." Ryan said before proceeding to take off his head light and tossing it towards an officer, who caught it with one hand. "Like them."
"Ah. Cause we would look ridiculous." Mark said with humor. Then stood up and pointed to the footprints. "Looks like we got some Sangheili in the mix of things. Looks like they ran westbound."
Ryan flicked on his LED compact flashlight and aimed it towards the footprints following the trail. "Yep there is also a mix of human footprints to." He aimed the beam towards the ground and looked in all directions. "Looks like we got a panic run, there’s a mix of footprints everywhere. And dust. Let’s take a look inside, shall we."
The crime scene analysts were inside taking pictures of any evidence that would be useful to them. And were rapping up.
"Find anything good." Ryan asked.
"Yeah. The explosives were made of ammonium nitrate and are obtained through insurrectionists and the black market." The crime scene analyst said.
"Okay, so far it could still be anyone." Ryan said, then he proceeded to look over the ledge of the cafeteria. "Can you get me down there?"
As soon as he was on the ground of the cafeteria he aimed the beam around the room, examining anything that might be useful to him.
"Mark! Check for evidence on the second level will you?" His voice echoed. He proceeded towards the tables. Human and Sangheili blood everywhere. He couldn’t tell what happened. Everything was at random and anyone could be a suspect at this time. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Ryan! All we got is the explosive material and pictures of the scene!" Mark said, he voice echoing off the walls.
"Wait." Ryan said, then moved towards the wall. "The wall is melted, so that means that the suspect used a thermite bomb. With a secondary explosive to trigger it."
"Mark! Get the crime scene people down here, we need to test some of this melted wall see if we can get something!" Ryan’s voice echoed. He took pictures around the room using the Chatter, a few close ups, then a few further back before hooking back up and heading out.
It was 1:00 a.m. and Ryan and Mark ate breakfast at a dinner across the street. They ordered BLT sandwiches and talked about the scene and their next plan of action.
"So what?" Mark said.
"The walls are melted, so that means it is either a thermite or an incendiary device a secondary explosive to trigger the thermite." Ryan said.
Mark took a bite of his sandwich then wiped the crumbs off his face with a napkin. "So that means our guy is military. And is an explosive genius–" He snapped his fingers, "Kyle Craig."
"He is in prison." Ryan added.
Mark took a sip of his Coca Cola and pondered for a second, "What if this guy is an insurrectionist. Targeting the Metro to cut off transportation or supplies?"
"Could be." Ryan said. "But we shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves, let’s wait till the results get in. Then we can start eliminating suspects."
== Chapter 3 ==
Josh 'Konar was home. He felt safe and secure once more, until he got another call from an unknown caller. He was nervous to answer it, but decided against it and answered anyway. A hologram popped up, but he couldn’t make out its appearance, it was too dark to tell who he/she was.
"Who is this?" Josh said, careful not to wake his wife up.
"Josh. Your friend Zuka 'Soram, has been stabbed. We found him just outside of the war college. I was thinking that maybe you could investigate since you’re an enforcer and all." He felt someone shameful to be even talking to a Sangheili Police officer, so he used the term enforcer.
"Right. Thank you." Josh said before disconnecting the hologram. He got his armor on, clipped his badge to his belt and holstered his plasma rifle. What did he mean by enforcer? He stroked his wife’s cheek before leaving the hotel, and headed down for his Type 32 Rapid Assault Vehicle.
As soon as he arrived on scene, he parked the ghost and ran towards Zuka Soram lying on the street. He knelt by him and held his head in his hands.
"No. No. This cannot happen." Josh said, tear streaks rolling down his face.
"Josh. Josh." Soram said trying to stay focused, but slipped into unconsciousness.
Josh was afraid in the deepest part of him that he was dead. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. A hand was placed on Josh 'Konar’s shoulder. He stood and turned to see that it was Zuka 'Chavam, his best friend since training.
"He's still alive." Josh said, more to himself than to anyone. "Get him to a safe place. Make sure he heals."
Josh pushed past him and walked towards his Type 32 Rapid Assault Vehicle.
"The Covenant Remnant are coming after you. Be careful Josh!" Chavam said.
Josh raced to the hotel, the Remnant following closely behind. He rushed into his room, his wife and father looked at him like he was crazy.
"The Remnant are coming! You need to hide now." Josh said.
His uncle listened and hid in the closet in his room, but his wife hesitated, nearly crying. 
“Josh wait…”
“Move!” Josh said. She then ran to the closet and hid, Josh was waiting for the worst. The Remnant elites kicked the door down, stormed into the room, knocked Josh Konaree unconscious, and dragged out of the room.
== Chapter 4 ==
Josh woke up in a drop pod, unaware of his surroundings or how he even got there, he controlled his breathing and started to realize that he was still alive and whatever vehicle he was in was moving at a considerable speed. Maybe a Phantom, he thought? Yep definitely a Phantom, but where was he heading? Maybe to his death? Were the Covenant Remnant going to execute him in some barren wasteland and hang his corpse in the desert heat? Forgotten, Alone, An outcast. To him, those things were far worse than being paraded through the streets of Sanghelios…
He blinked a few times, then pushed out in front of him only to find that he was in a drop pod, and the ship was not a Phantom, but a small covenant cruiser. He could here other Sangheili talking amongst themselves, the average crew talk and strategic planning. No way that a Phantom can launch drop pods, maybe in the near future they will.
As soon as the covenant cruiser slowed and launched the drop pod, Josh was scared, with the drop pod moving at a fast rate of speed, he was certain that the drop pod would take the impact of whatever it would encounter. What would happen if he landed in an ocean, a desert, or worse, a mountain side? A few kilometers and he would brace for impact, or his death, which he was not ready for.
The drop pod landed with a rough impact. Concrete? As soon as the door exploded open, he was greeted with a blinding light, he shielded his eyes from the light trying to make sense of his surroundings. Four soldiers stormed toward the drop pod armed to the teeth with MA-AK’s, they wore black armor, and looked like the combination of ODST and the SWAT team. They grabbed the elite forcefully.
"Thanks, but I can get myself out of my own drop pod." Josh said with compassion. That didn’t seem to stop the armed men, as they threw him to the ground.
Two shadows of men hopped out the vehicle. The vehicle equipped with the spotlight and a minigun attached to the top of the vehicle.
"Do not move or we will kill you." The leader said. He wore a commander’s hat with oak leaves and a Spetnaz star, hammer and sickle embedded on the star; and a black leather trench coat with narrow braided red and grey shoulderboards, and Spetnaz star logos on the collar. The rest of his uniform was black BDU clothes, and a battle belt, also with a Spetnaz star with a hammer and sickle embedded on the star.
"Where am I?" Josh 'Konar demanded to know. But the leader wasn’t amused and kicked Josh in the face with his steal toed boots. Josh spat out purple blood and turned on his side.
"Told you not to move." The leader said, then turned to his partner, who was dressed in expensive attire. A tan suit with a blue dress shirt, collar open at the throat. They spoke in Russian, but Josh didn’t know what either of them were saying. The leader gestured, "bring me that" and a soldier tossed him a lead pipe.
Josh spat out more blood, before saying, "Wait. Spare my life." Then was knocked out unconscious.
It was 3 a.m. when Ryan’s Chatter rang. He checked the caller ID and found it was his friend Matt Frost calling. He punched the answer key.
"Hello?" He said in a low tone, careful not to wake his wife. 
"Ryan, guess what the results came in." Mark said.
Ryan was already finishing getting dressed when he asked, "And?"
"We found DNA evidence that it was an elite and the explosive device was indeed a thermite, but the explosion used to trigger the device was extremely hot, over two-hundred degrees Fahrenheit." Mark said.
"Plasma grenades?" Ryan said.
"Precisely. So that means it could have been Sangheili, Insurrectionist, or UNSC." Mark added.
"Why would it be UNSC, unless it was someone recently discharged and later became involved in criminal activities? Let’s rule them out. Besides, the UNSC are careful in selecting recruits." Ryan said.
"I don’t know…many criminal activities came from the UNSC and ONI." Mark said.
"Fine, do some research and you can call me back." Ryan said.
"We’ll do." Mark said, then punched off.
Ryan holstered his M6 Pistol on his shoulder rig, grabbed his coat, and headed for the door.
== Chapter 5 ==
Josh woke up in a confined room. He shook his head and blinked a few times before his vision returned. The room was rather small. Not an interrogation room. It had dirty tiled walling like the ones seen in physiological horror thrillers. A rack with surgical instruments was right next to him. His fear rose immediately and he felt himself choke up and unable to breath. I am truly dead, he thought. The door opened with a squeaking sound and Josh faked his unconsciousness. He heard footsteps walking towards him and was slapped awake, not hard, but soft slapping. Josh shot back to consciousness and tried to bite the business man’s hand off. The business man drew his hand away and took a few steps back then punched Josh hard in the face more blood flew to the floor and Josh felt his teeth coming loose, he quickly drew his attention to the business man.
"Now. Are you going to behave?" The business man said in a cold tone. Five soldiers came into the room and two stood by the entrance and the other three at the businessman’s side. 
Josh nodded, and noticed he was restrained by cuffs, although these cuffs were thicker and tighter.
"My name is Ivan Gorbachev. The gentleman you encountered was Dimitri Khrushchev." Ivan said. "Although Dimitri should be dead."
"What happened?" Josh said.
"He got in a scuffle with LEGION’s top agents, and was found cryogenically frozen." Ivan said, as he put on a pair of surgical gloves, continuing. "Twenty years later. He was released, yet the agent was still trapped inside. And Khrushchev escaped, but the agent got out, somehow, someway."
"Why am I here? What do you want?" Josh said.
"You have something I want, something very valuable and could help with this, this pathetic war between the Innies and the UNSC once and for all." Ivan walked towards the elite and picked up a pair of pliers. "You notice your armor is gone, I should have known better to put you on a surgical table, yet I didn’t because this is going to be torcher, not operation."
Josh gulped and said. "I will never give you anything. On the blood of my fathers…"
Ivan grabbed Josh forcefully on the neck and reached into his mouth with the pliers and began pulling out Josh’s canine teeth, the pain was intense and Josh sputtered, “Wait! Wait!” More purple blood began trickling down his mouth as he talked.
"Now you understand the importance of the situation." Ivan said coldly. "What is your name, elite? Where are you from? And how did you get here?"
Josh gulped harder and was paralyzed with fear. He feared doctors, but this was just the beginning. He knew he had to tell him everything but at the same time stall as best as he could and be careful not letting any vital information out. He would be a traitor to his own kind, an outcast…this information couldn’t hurt him.
"Josh 'Konar. My homeworld is Sanghelios, State of Konar. I was captured by the Covenant Remnant, and dropped here from orbit --"
"I see." Ivan said. "We are running tests on your armor right now, and have employed top covert scientists to do so. We have the resources and the will to carry out anything we please."
"What is your plan?" Josh said.
"Unification. You should already know this from you peers. Now then." Ivan said before picking up the pliers, "Souls of his past, you have no soul, nor are you capable of earning one."
Russian language is blasted from the soldier’s radios. The wall breaks open and debris flies everywhere as a Russian soldier fly’s across the room. Soldiers run into position and fire as two Covenant Remnant elites move in and start killing two soldiers. Ivan Gorbachev runs out of the room screaming orders in Russian.
"Coward!" Josh yells.
Two Russian soldiers tackle a Remnant elite sending him to the ground, his energy dagger cutting Josh’s chains free. He then makes a run for it and exits into the city. He sees a plane heading in the opposite direction, just about to land. He runs towards the airport, five kilometers from where he’s at.
When he arrives the airport, he runs inside. Citizens running away from him, screaming and crying for mercy. Josh keeps on pushing though. As security tries to stop him, he runs past them and knocks one over and heads for the nearest terminal. He boards a plane with civilians on board. The civilians raise their hands slowly and communicate in Russian.
Josh makes his way to the cockpit and orders the pilots to get the plane started, they do just that. A Russian Criminal Syndicate soldier or RCS soldier charges towards Josh with a combat knife in his hand, but Josh overpowers him and turns the knife on his chest, killing him. He grabs the knife and brandishes it to the pilot.
"Start this thing, or I will kill you. Understand." Josh said in the calmest tone he could come up with. He looked out his window and saw Russian Criminal Syndicate forces storming the tarmac in Warthogs.
The plane started up its engines and begin ascension. As soon as they exited Russian territory they headed for Dubai.
== Chapter 6 ==
They were traveling at a safe distance now and were nearing the Dubai airport.
"Anything else we can do for you, elite." The Russian pilot said.
"Clothes would be good." Josh said.
The co-pilot flicked on the intercom and said, "If anyone has extra-large clothes for this elite, he would be very thankful."
The Russian co-pilot turned off the intercom then said, "Now please. Go. Once you have clothes you can give me further orders." He was a little embarrassed now.
Josh exited and was greeted by a chunky businessman. "I sell clothes to Americans. Follow." He said in his best English he could come up with.
They reached the cargo bay and he opened a package with filled with different clothes.
"They are all extra-large. Take what you need." The chunky Russian businessman said.
Josh took a short sleeved shirt and shorts and put them on, he was surprised that they fit well, though they were a little tight.
"Thanks." Josh said sincerely.
"Da, no problem." The chunk Russian businessman said.
They made their way back to the cabin when a bleeping noise sounded. Josh raced to the cockpit and opened the door.
"What is it?" Josh demanded.
"SAM Missile! Russian grade!" The Russian co-pilot said.
"Counter strike it!" Josh said.
"This is a commercial airplane! Not military!" The Russian pilot said.
The SAM missile was closing in fast and they made a hard left, but the missile hit the right wing. They all braced for impact; oxygen masks shot out for the passengers. Passengers were screaming and panicking at the event that just happened. Moments later Josh raced out of the cabin and ran towards the end of the cabin and dived to prone when the plane crash landed on the tarmac at the Dubai airport.
Josh woke up slowly to a jolt of pain in his back and his vision blurred, he couldn’t make out anything yet. He slowly lowered his head back down to the floor and closed his eyes, slipping into unconsciousness. What felt like hours only lasted half an hour and he woke up again, this time he sat up slowly. He put his hand on his helmet as his head ached with pain. His vision blurred, slowly focusing in and out.
"Still alive." He managed to say, until his jaw shot out and immense amount of pain.
With his vision still blurred he shook his head slowly side to side, fighting off the pain, his vision slowly gained focus as he took in his surroundings and what he heard from the distance. He looked throughout the cabin only to see debris, sparks flying from the ceiling, passengers in their seats were dead and a few critically injured. He could already hear the sirens in the distance and he wanted to desperately to get out. He feared that he was going to go through more questioning, torture, and maybe even killed. Out of fear, he quickly got up, only to have his legs buckle from underneath him and falling to the floor. This time he got up slowly and held onto the seats for support. Several exits were compromised by fire or jagged with metal and one slide was inoperable. He slowly made his way to cockpit that was torn apart during the crash.
Already UEG Law Enforcement and Dubai EMT’s were stationed outside, along with embassy forces. With MA5’s in hand, they slowly moved forward towards the crashed plane.
"Walk out slowly elite!" A UEG agent exclaimed over the intercom.
He did just that, as he walked out slowly he saw the cockpit was thrown and turned on its side with shards of metal thrown all over the airstrip. He collapsed to the ground and slipped into unconsciousness.
Awakening from his nightmare, Josh slowly began to regain consciousness. The first thing he noted was a white ceiling and lights above him that forced him to squint and sly his head away before blocking the lights beams with his right hand.
As two heads came into view, Josh saw that they were wearing surgical caps and masks.
"Well, he’s awake." One of them said in a calm and soft voice.
Josh’s eyes shot wide open and he began to panic as he violently knocked over the tool tray and equipment.
"Who are you humans? What have you done to me?" Josh yelled out in fear.
A human with brown hair, and brown eyes came into view dressed in business attire. He held a pipe in a batting position, ready to swing.
"Back up!" The violent looking human yelled out.
The surgeons moved out of the way as he took a swing, knocking Josh unconscious.
Moments later Josh woke up again he noted the business man was pacing back and forth in a nervous manner, one of the surgeons was leaning against the counter shaking his head side to side.
"I don’t think I can take it anymore." The surgeon said.
"I knew I should have put cuffs on him." The business man said calmly.
Josh made a grown and the businessman came over to him with a device that was rather scary to him.
“Don’t move or I will shock you." The businessman threatened the elite.
Josh, wide eyed, raised his hands in a surrendering gesture.
== Chapter 7 ==
Today was the day of that President John Charet would give a speech on Human-Sangheili relations. Crowds have gathered to witness a moment that would change history. For The Assassin, this was not of importance, but a matter that would change the way the earth would live. And, in is opinion, it was heading south. And slowly but surely it would lead to the destruction of the human race.
The Assassin dropped his duffel bag by his side and began to unpack on the skyline. He didn’t need a high-rise or a skyscraper. Just something close to the presentation that can provide a quick shot and an easy escape.
He pulled out his favorite sniper, a sniper that all top assassins use when they want a one shot one kill objective, especially when killing an elite. He fitted his Sniper Rifle System 99-S5 Anti-Matériel with a silencer and took his time to adjust the scope till he got a clear picture of his target.
The target came outside and walked to the podium. All major new networks were listening and capturing live footage.
"I am happy to announce…" John Charet opened up.
As he finally got to the climax of the speech, the crowd opened up with cheering and clapping.
The Assassin, squeezed the trigger. The bullet exited the chamber and flew with grace as it impaled the targets head, splattering brain matter from behind. It was a sight to be seen. From fifty yards away the targets brain exploded from the powerful sniper rifle. The crowd was panicking and dispersed in all directions as The Assassin collected his things and quickly rappelled down the seven story building.
In the alleyway two UEG Law Enforcement Vans pulled up to the building. The UEG agents got out of their vehicles and brushed past The Assassin, not even paying attention to him as if he was a ghost. The Assassin walked out of the alleyway and a sedan pulled up. He opened the door and gave one hundred credits to the driver.
The UEG agents made it to the roof tops and saw the sniper sitting on its tripod. However, The Assassin was nowhere to be found.
== Chapter 8 ==
The detective pulled up Josh’s report on the holographic table in the interrogation room. The Pelican ride back to D.C was uncomfortable for Josh 'Konar, he didn’t know what would happen to him with everything going on lately. He was scared, uneasy, and he wanted to go back home.
The interrogation room was quiet with polished, sterilized, white walls and tiled floors that provided a futuristic feel to it. Behind the detective was a one way bulletproof window.
Josh 'Konar took a knee on the floor and was shackled with restraints that were tied to the leg of the table. The steel table itself was bolted down with a built in holographic keyboard.
As the other detective came in Josh knew instantly that it was the same man that knocked him unconscious with that pipe back in the emergency room.
"Sorry about the chair." He said as he closed the door behind him. "Can’t have you breaking UEG property now." The businessman said.
He took a seat next to his partner and flashed his badge. He was a UEG Law Enforcement agent.
"Agent Ryan Wilson." Ryan said. Then nodded to his partner, "And this is Mark Frost. My partner."
Josh just bowed his head in shame and said nothing.
"You want some water or something. I don’t think you can drink coffee or tea or anything –" Ryan said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Tea is fine." Josh spoke up, but still kept his head down.
Ryan turned towards the one way window and mouthed "WTF? Go get something." Then turned back and clasped his hands together. Moments later a UNSC soldier walked in and sat a plastic cup of cold tea on the table for the elite. The elite gave him an unpleasant look, he was going to kill him for being a traitor to his kind.
As Ryan cleared his throat, Josh focused on the two and the UNSC soldier rushed out of the room in a hurry. He opened a file and laid digital photos for Josh to see.
"What’s your name, elite. First and last." Ryan said.
"Josh 'Konar of the Konar state." Josh said.
Ryan gave a weird expression on his face and looked at Mark, who just shrugged.
"Recognize the place, Josh?" Ryan said.
"No." Josh replied.
Ryan enhanced the picture. It was the Washington D.C. metro station.
"This place is the Washington D.C. Metrolink station in the United States. Lots of people were killed here a few days ago. Want to know what happened?" Ryan said.
"Was it your kind? Seeing that your kind only kills each other." Josh growled.
Ryan slammed the palm of his hand onto the table, rattling the tea and Josh’s chains. Mark held his arm out, preventing Ryan from attacking the elite.
"Sorry, sorry. My bad." Ryan leaned back and relaxed. Gaining back his composure.
"The place was attacked with a thermite bomb. The source that triggered it? Plasma grenades." Mark said.
Josh 'Konar smirked, then had to cover his mouth to prevent him from laughing out loud.
"What’s so funny?" Ryan said. His look both stern and angry.
Josh took a deep breath and let it out fast before saying, "Anyone can have plasma grenades. Brutes, Sangheili, Grunts, even Humans." Josh took a sip of his tea.
"Told you." Mark said. But Ryan refused to take the bait. He tapped a few keys on the hologram and brought up the photo of the Sangheili footprints and footage about the incident in Moscow.
"What were you doing in Moscow?" Ryan said, his voice strict.
"I was dropped there by the Covenant Remnant. I landed in Moscow and captured by some humans…" Josh said.
"What did they look like?" Ryan said.
"I – I don’t remember." Josh said. "All I remember is that I was captured in what you call Moscow, then I ended up here somehow."
Ryan wanted to kill Josh 'Konar, he was of no use to them and he felt like they were back to square one. Mark read off of Josh’s report, determined to gain anything from him.
"Says here that your part of the Sanghelios Police Department. Never knew you had one." Mark said. "What do you do?"
"We worked with the Humans on investigations, conducted patrols, made sure civilians were safe, carried out duties of the Enforcers. We just did more than that of the Enforcers." Josh said. He looked down again in shame. "Now they’re going to take that away from us."
"Who?" Mark said with sympathy. Josh looked back up in surprise.
"Our superiors of course. Tensions are arising and they fear that more members may join the Remnants than the Swords of Sanghelios. Seems to be heading that way anyway. Some Sangheili do not like their culture changed, but for others change is good. The Remnant killed my friend and now they’ve sent an assassin to kill me."
Ryan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then looked at Josh in a concerned way. Josh was scared and once again bowed his head in shame.
"Can I speak to you in private?" Ryan said to Mark.
"Sure." Mark said.
They got up and left the room and walked towards the one way window.
"I don’t mean to be hard on him. I just, I don’t know." Ryan said as he began to pace in a circle.
"You want to find the elites that were responsible for the attack and you think he did it." Mark said. "Look at him. Does that look like a terrorist to you?"
Through the window they saw Josh 'Konar drink a sip of tea, then fiddle with his fingers in a playful manner. Ryan shrugged at the thought.
"I guess not." Ryan said. Although he had some doubt in his voice.
"Then let’s go back inside and help him out. He’s being more than cooperative." Mark said.
Ryan and Mark go back inside the interrogation room with Ryan closing the door firmly behind him. They both take a seat. Ryan places his hand on Josh’s.
"Josh." Ryan said with sympathy. Josh looks up.
"Yes, human."
"We will find your assassin. And bring him to justice. But in return you have to help us with something."
"Anything!" Josh said enthusiastically.
"I’ll think of something." Ryan said. They got up and Mark Frost unshackled Josh from the table and removed the cuffs.
"They were hurting my wrists." Josh said rubbing his wrists from the cuffs being tight.
"Do you have any enemies that may have hired an assassin?" Mark Frost said.
"Kyle Craig. Other than that, I don’t think so?" Josh said.
They exited the interrogation room. And walked down a few corridors before leaving the lobby, and exiting the building. They met up with Chris Logan.
"Sir." Ryan and Mark said in unison.
Chris Logan was the Chief of Police, and was responsible for all UEG Law Enforcement branches, with the UEG President being the Commander in Chief.
"You’re going to tag along with them, but I don’t want you running off into any trouble than you’re worth. Anytime Agent Wilson or Agent Frost go out on surveillance, or do some detective work you’ll have to remain at the station." Chris said.
"What about transportation and accommodations?" Josh said. "What about my armor? My equipment?"
"Transportation will be arranged by the UNSC. As for accommodation, that would be depending on what is needed or the severity of the situation." Chris said. "As for your armor, we’ll have that for you tomorrow. As well as all your equipment."
Josh only nodded before being guided back to the station by a UEG police officer with Chris Logan trailing behind.
"So what now?" Mark asked.
"Now. We head over to the UNSC Maximum Security and Detention Center and interrogate Kyle Craig." Ryan said.
"Politely." Mark said. "Otherwise the chief will have our badges."
"And we’ll be back to square one." Ryan said. "And I don’t like square one."
== Chapter 9 ==
The UNSC Maximum Security and Detention Center was located in the deep parts of Sigma Octanus IV, in forest area. It was a huge circle, and housed the most violent and dangerous criminals. As Ryan pulled up towards the gate, they flashed their badges at the guards at the guardhouse. The guards at the gate and outside perimeter wore standard clothing: BDU uniform with tactical vests and military caps, equipped with police duty gear and MA5D assault rifles with M6 pistols holstered. The guard nodded and asked for identification.
"Okay, now I need to see some Identification." The guard said.
They pulled their ID’s out and were scanned into the computer systems. Then proceeded with fingerprinting and electronic signatures. The titanium gate opened and they drove through and parked in police parking. They got out and walked toward the entrance. When they entered, they went through metal detectors, x-ray scanners, and surprisingly had their weapons relinquished.
"You will earn them back when you’re finished." The guard said without a care in the world.
The guards on the inside were different from the ones on the outside. They wore helmets that covered their faces and armor similar to the ODST, some were equipped with M90’s and MA5D’s, others with stun rifles. As Ryan and Mark passed the security check point they were greeted by a man in business attire.
"Timothy Roberts, head of prison security." He said.
"So you run the place?" Ryan said as he looked around the area.
"Yes sir." Timothy said.
"Can you explain to me why your personnel took out weapons and cuffs?" Ryan said.
"For your protection. We don’t want the inmates to get a hold of your weapons." Timothy said.
"We also need to see a prisoner. Kyle Craig." Mark said.
"Sure! Follow me." Timothy said.
They left the screening area and proceeded to an elevator that led down to the housing levels.
"Don’t worry. Twenty-four hour monitoring by cameras protected by bullet proof domes." Timothy said.
As the elevator doors opened. The inmates were housed not in jail cells but in glass cells that were sound proof and bullet proof. Some inmates were banging on the windows, but the sound barely registered on the outside. Others were in fetal positions and sat on the floor.
"Hear their screams. Oh, wait, you can’t." Timothy said with sarcasm.
"Remind you of anyone?" Matt muttered.
"Yep." Ryan said with an uneasy feeling.
Matt had a point. An attitude like that will not get you far, if anything, it might get you killed. Ryan was never the friendly type; playing hardball when it came to interrogating criminals. They always came up with cruel and sinister jokes that pushed you over the edge like they were playing some sort of game, having their fun. You could never get anything out of them if you showed sympathy, unless they were innocent.
They continued down the hallway and into another room, an interrogation room. This one was similar to the interrogation room back at their headquarters, except it was larger and had a polygraph machine, although they wouldn’t need it. This would be an easy questioning and not interrogation.
"I’ll send the guards to go get Kyle Craig. We’ll bring him in, secure him and then you guy can ask your questions." Timothy said before blabbering into his earpiece.
Kyle Craig laid uncomfortably on his cot staring at the ceiling with his hands folded behind his head on Cell Level 5. Only he and a few others were stored here. This level was where the bad of the bad were placed. Those who committed genocide, and unspeakable acts of crime that would shock the world. There would be no doubt that Adolf Hitler would be placed here if he was around in 2600. 
Kyle reminisced about the events on Sanghelios. Killing every last one of those Sangheili provided him with a sense of pleasure that only a saddest can understand. After his confrontation with the Unified Earth Government he was sentenced to death in prison, but that was overturned when his lawyer declared Kyle criminally insane. So he was housed here with the few other monsters like him. Although he could of cared less.
He touched the gash on his face that started from his cheek and ended at his chin and winced from the pain. He could still remember the events that happened. It was like a dream, only yesterday. He got into a violent fight with a ruthless criminal on Cell Level 3, an African American drug leader. A few racial slurs tossed back and forth and then what began as a profanity competition grew to a full on blood battle. After a few punches here and there, he tackled the drug leader and punched him on the ground, only to have his face gashed by the makeshift knife that was hidden his attacker. As he stood, trying to regain his balance and composure, he managed to disarm the drug lord, breaking his arm. When the drug leader dropped the knife, he grabbed the knife and shanked the drug lord in the abdomen before slitting his throat.
EMT’s and guards sprang into the room and separated Kyle from the victim, disarming him. Kyle tried to lash out at them with the makeshift knife, but was disarmed and knocked to the ground. Afterwards he was taken to the Cryochamber and put to Cryosleep. He would never forget that day, the day he almost had his freedom.
"Time to go Kyle." The guard said.
The guard entered a code in the system and the glass door sprang open with a hiss. Three guards stepped in with stun batons and two more stepped in with the handcuffs and shackles.
"Up!" One of the guards ordered. 
Kyle obeyed and held his hands out as his cuffs were secured to his wrists. No way in putting up a fight as there were too many guards in the room, somebody was expecting him. Why else would he be moving from place to place this fast. The guards secured the arm, waist and leg chains.
"Number 013. Bad luck for you Prisoner-013, you’re nothing more than just a number." One of the guards barked before shoving him out of the cell.
They escorted him to the interrogation room and roughly sat him down in a metal chair before the UEG agents came in.
"We’ll take it from here boys. Thanks." Ryan said.
Ryan and Mark sat down opposite of Kyle as the guards left the room, closing the door behind him. No doubt that the supervisor was watching from behind the one way window, along with the camera that had been equipped with video surveillance and audio.
"This is Mark Frost and –" Ryan began before he was interrupted.
"I know very well who you are. You are those police agents helping that vile, disgusting, degenerate." Kyle said firmly.
"Look we need your help." Matt said.
"My help?" Kyle said, then laughed a squeaky laugh. "You need my help."
Kyle then laughed a little harder, but not too hard that it would embarrass everyone. Ryan just gave a stern look towards Mark.
"Your way Jose." Mark muttered to Ryan.
"Look. I need to know who it is you hired to take out Josh 'Konar." Ryan said, trying to keep control of himself.
"That bastard elite wouldn’t know how to find his way in an apartment if he had one!" Kyle slammed his fists on the table, his chains rattled. The guard came over and pulled him back, Kyle shrugged him off hard.
"Look." Matt began, "Josh is being targeted by an assassin. He said you hired the assassin."
"Me? No. I would never harm my buddy Josh." Kyle said sarcastically.
"Tell us your history with him? Why do you hate him so much?" Ryan said.
Kyle leaned forward slowly, his smile crooked on one end.
"I killed some worthless reptiles and then he came in to the picture and screwed everything up. I had to do something." Kyle said. "You want to know what I did, detective?"
Ryan took a hard swallow then leaned forward.
"What?" he said, although it was more a statement than a question.
"I killed his friends and I almost got away with killing his family." Kyle said with no emotion. "Oh well. I guess there’s always next time."
"There won’t be a next time." Ryan said.
Kyle leaned back slowly in his chair. Taking in all the glory, as if he was enjoying himself. "Won’t be long now. It is only a matter of time."
"You can rot in here. You’re no help to us, you murderer. There’s no doubt that you hired the assassin to finish the job since you couldn’t kill him yourself." Ryan said. His partner and him then got up and opened the door.
"I didn’t hire the assassin!" Kyle yelled out, still enjoying himself. Just as they were about to leave they stopped and looked back.
"What do you know?" Mark said.
"In New Las Vegas there’s a high end club, Transcendence and Dreams, owned by a man named Walter Richardson. He’s seen a guy in the bar that does contract killing." Kyle said, it was neither a confession nor a tip, but it was a start.
"Thanks for the info, Kyle. We appreciate your cooperation." Ryan said.
"I hope your friend rots in hell!" Kyle spat out. "When I get out, I’ll kill you and your friend! Your family! His family!"
They exited the interrogation room. Ignoring Kyle's words along the way as the closed the door behind them.
"What’s next?" Matt said.
"Next we find Walter Richardson, and take him down." Ryan said.
"For what?" Mark said.
"Stalking. Contract Killing. I’m sure I’ll think of more along the way." Ryan said.
They were led back to the lobby, went through screening again, and collected their items. They headed back to their patrol car and drove off site. The drive to New Mombasa airport was a long drive, several hours, in which they had to take turns driving if they wanted to catch the next flight back to D.C.
== Chapter 10 ==
They returned to Washington D.C. at 9 p.m. the next day. Ryan returned home and was struck at how quiet the house was. Everyone must have went to bed. He hung his suit on the coat rack, set his keys on the kitchen table, and got a beer from the kitchen. He made his way to the living room and sat down on the couch and flicked on the television; scrolling through the channels till he found the news station.
The anchorman was known as Tom Moore. A popular anchorman who started off as an intern for UNRA Today.
The broadcasting was covering the assassination of John Charet. John Charet was killed by an unknown sniper in the D.C. area, and it was going on day three today. Police found his body and an investigation was underway but nobody found anything important except the sniper and a few bullet casings.
Ryan turned off the T.V. and headed to bed, looking forward to what would come tomorrow.
The next day Ryan got up and got dressed for work. He made it down to the station early and was greeted by Josh 'Konar in the lobby. He was wearing his armor and had his plasma rifle holstered at the waist along with his badge that read, "Sanghelios Police Department". Ryan couldn’t help but think about how far the Sangheili had come to an idea like this.
"You’re going to get yourself killed wearing that thing." Ryan said.
Josh just took a deep breath and let it out slowly before saying, "Well. If you want me to get rid of it. Then let me join your department."
Ryan turned around with his back at Josh. He took a breath and let it out fast, and placed his hand on his forehead, thinking about the idea. How great of an asset can an elite have for this police department. A global police department at that. Would he get himself killed? Will he get others killed? It was possible, but then again he never seen his skills in combat. He turned around and just when he was about to speak, Chris Logan popped into the room.
"That is a great idea. We could use some muscle on the force." Chris Logan said.
Ryan Wilson’s confidence diminished. He placed his hands on his hips and said, "Sir, this elite isn’t even a marksman. He can’t even handle a human weapon."
On the range, Josh was hitting center mass with a battle rifle. Ryan stood there wide eyed and amazed at how skilled the elite was with a battle rifle.
"No. No. No. Impossible." Ryan said, shaking his head.
Chris Logan looked at his charts and shook his head. "Not near a perfect score. But it will do. And he seems to be in good physical and mental condition, considering his past records."
"He’s an elite, sir!" Ryan said. "Of course he can pass our academy with flying colors."
"Ryan, you have a short temper. Are you on the verge of becoming emotionally compromised?" Chris said.
"No sir." Ryan said. Then he threw his hands in the air and muttered to himself. "Whatever."
Mark Frost came in and shook hands with Chris, Ryan, and Josh. "Glad to see the trainee is doing well."
"He’s just afraid I’ll outrank him." Josh teased.
"Good. I think he’s more than ready." Mark said.
“Okay. Josh ‘Konar. You’ll be paired up with Ryan and Mark. I want you to assist them on special assignments. Ryan get him his equipment.” Chris Logan said. He then left the range, leaving all three of them alone.
"Follow me." Ryan said.
They headed to the storage locker and Josh suited up his new equipment. Two leg holsters with M6 pistols, and a pair of handcuffs and a handcuff holster that was specially designed for Sangheili personnel. Along with his new badge that read "UEG Law Enforcement Sangheili".
"Okay. Your armor is designed by elites to hold some human gear to, of course all you need in this case is your plasma rifle, M6 pistols, and handcuffs. No need for a baton since you can punch like one. And no need for pepper spray since your strong enough to restrain even the strongest of humans. You following." Ryan explained.
"Yes sir." Josh said with excitement.
Since some elites lived on the planet, they worked hand in hand with the humans. They would not share technology, but would share some ideas to make things work out.
They continued towards the hanger. It was huge and lined with pelicans, armored vehicles and warthogs. They picked out a Pelican and met with their pilot. When they all got inside, the pilot took off and exited the hanger like a professional, setting a course to New Las Vegas.
The Pelican arrived at a UNSC Military base in New Las Vegas.
"Sorry sir. No big UEG PD here, only your local PD." The pilot said.
The Military base stood off in the desert not far from the strip of New Las Vegas. It was huge and covered a lot of ground. It had four guard towers on all four sides surrounded by a barbed wire electrical fence line.
As the doors to the hanger opened they landed smooth and safe. When they got off the Pelican, they exited the hanger and were greeted by a Warthog driver. Ryan was handed the keys and took the driver’s side, while Mark took the passenger and Josh took the turret.
"Well, this is nice." Josh said swinging the turret gun back and forth, testing it out.
"Watch it!" The UNSC soldier exclaimed. "Don’t touch that!"
Josh took his hands off immediately, "Well what else can I hold on to, to keep my balance?"
He jumped off and looked at Ryan for his orders.
"Sorry Josh. You’re going to have to stay here --" Ryan said, but got cut off.
"But I want to help!" Josh exclaimed.
"No, you’ll just startle all the party people." Ryan said as he started up the warthog. "Besides, I’m sure the UNSC soldier will have something fun for you to do."
They headed off towards the exit. Josh looked at the UNSC soldier who just shrugged.
"You’ve better have something fun for me to do, human." Josh growled.
As they entered the strip of New Las Vegas they entered the coordinates of Walter Richardson’s club, Transcendence and Dreams, using the built in GPS on the warthog, and it turned out that it was on the outside of the strip, they made a U-turn and headed down the street, making a turn here and a turn there till they found what they were looking for.
"Show time!" Mark said with excitement.
They entered the club, or should I say strip club, and it was filled with hot strippers and lots of people. The DJ was blasting music so loud that the walls would vibrate. They were greeted by the host, Andrea.
"What can I do for you gentlemen?" Andrea said. They flashed their badges.
"We’re looking for Walter Richardson, do you know where he is?" Ryan said.
Andrea touched a few buttons on the pedestal’s top, where a built in holographic computer was, security came into the room. A Sangheili in black armor with the clubs logo on the left breastplate. He was equipped with an energy sword.
"We should have brought Josh." Ryan said. Now regretting the situation.
"Follow." The elite said in perfect English.
They followed past the crowd of dancing people, the elite was shoving some aside clearing a path to the office.
"I don’t like this one bit." Ryan muttered to his partner.
"Oh now you show your true colors." Matt said.
"Yeah." Ryan said.
They made it to the office. The elite tapped a finger on the glass window and gestured at the humans. Walter looked at them and then nodded. The buzzer sounded and he came into the office.
"Walter, you have guests who wish to speak to you." The elite said.
"Thank you, Fal ‘Telcam. Dismissed." Walter said. The elite bowed in respect. "Please come in."
The two UEG agents entered the office and looked around taking in the scene of everything. His was organized, but at the same time busy. The office was small, but efficient with filing cabinets and pictures.
"Sorry about Fal, he was a part of the Crimson Circle. But now he works for me, he didn’t want anything to do with his leader after the incident." Walter said.
“What incident?” Ryan said.
"Rather not say myself."
"Why?" Matt said.
"That is something an elite will have to ask isn’t it. I already tried to get as much info out of him as I could. For employment purposes that is. Turns out he makes a great bodyguard." Walter said.
Ryan looked back at the elite, who was guarding the entrance to the office. He sat down with Walter and pulled out his badge. Mark just leaned against the wall, listening in on the conversation.
"I need some info. One of your sources said that you have a contract killer after my friend, Josh 'Konar? Is that true?" Ryan said.
"A source? Kyle Craig?" Walter said.
"When was the last time you spoke with him?" Ryan said.
"In prison we spoke together. Talked about starting a partnership in the clubbing business, he was never really interested." Walter said, then he let out a breath, "He wanted to kill an elite, so he hired a contract killer to do it."
"And who was that?" Ryan said. Ryan knew where this was heading.
Walter leaned back in his chair and smiled, "I think we are done here Agent Ryan. Fal, please escort these two gentlemen out of the office."
The elite, whose name was Fal, opened the door and gestured for them to leave. Ryan sat up and leaned forward, placing both his hands on the desk. He spoke soft enough that nobody could hear him except for Walter.
"Listen. If you so much as run away, or move a muscle. I’ll arrest your ass for conspiracy and withholding information." Ryan whispered.
Walter waved him goodbye before the elite grabbed Ryan by the underarm. Ryan shrugged him off.
"I can escort myself out." Ryan said.
They were more than escorted off the property. Ryan was thrown out of the exit, landing in a pile of trash. Mark was just shoved off the property, lost his footing, and face planted into the cement. They both got up and brushed themselves off. The elite just laughed.
"Pitiful humans." The elite growled. Then closed the door behind him.
"Well, that went well." Mark said. "What now?"
"Now I know better. Next time we’re bringing Josh." Ryan said. "Let’s go get that warrant and check the office."
"What for. He seems clear to me?" Mark said, as they headed back to the warthog.
"Not to me. Something about the location, the story of it all, seems like he was more than there to talk to Kyle about some partnership deal. Seems to me that he is the hitman." Ryan said.
They went to the courthouse and explained their story to the Judge, who had dismissed the warrant request on the fact that they needed more evidence to get a good conviction and arrest. They returned to the UNSC base and told Josh 'Konar about everything that had happened.
"So, I can help out now?" Josh said with eagerness in his voice.
"Yes you can." Ryan said.
"You guys can sleep here tonight. We’ll have that Pelican of yours fueled and prepped for your leave the next day." A UNSC soldier said.
"Thanks." Matt said, "We really appreciate it."
They did just that. Josh was excited to be on his first mission with the human police agents, waiting to see what the next mission will be.
== Chapter 11 ==
It was early in the morning, 5am. Walter exited his vehicle, a silver Turbo Charger, and strolled through the parking lot and into his club. The employees were gathered at the bar, talking amongst themselves and exchanging laughs. Walter paced up the stairs and into his office, shutting the door behind him and securing the deadbolt. Walter sat in his chair and leaned back for a moment to think about yesterday’s situation.
They were close now, he knew as soon as they got their hands on his sniper rifle. They would check its manufacturing origin, go to the dealer, and work their magic. He had to leave this place, get out of town, he could always start a new business down the road under a new name.
He shook the thoughts off and picked up the phone. He punched in Ivan Gorbachev’s number, any international calls would be charged to his account in Russia. Ivan answered on the second ring.
"Yes?" he said.
"We have a problem. The cops are picking up my trail and I’m going to have to leave town." Walter said. "Also, I’m going to need a hideout with massive protection because they have an elite with them."
"And you know this for sure?" Ivan said.
"Yes." Walter replied. "One of the agents said something about their friend, Josh 'Konar."
There was silence on the other end for a moment.
"Okay. I’ll supply you with the renting agencies location and some bodyguards. You will be living in an estate overlooking the city." Ivan said.
"Nice." Walter said.
"Just don’t screw up." Ivan said.
The other end disconnected. Walter got up and left the office, heading back downstairs. He met with his friend, Jack Forester, who was cleaning out shot glasses at the bar.
"Hey Jack!" Walter said.
"Walter buddy! What can I do for you?" Jack said. They both fist bumped.
"Look. I’m going to leave town, my brother is sick. Can you run the club till I get back?" Walter said.
"Sure!" Jack said with excitement.
Walter tapped the top of the bar with both palms of his hands. "You’re the man Jack!" He raced outside and got into his car.
He sped out of the parking lot and onto the main strip, heading for the freeway. He had plenty of time to think of his next move. What to do next and how to do it? He knew he would have to kill a cop, one of Ryan’s friends perhaps? It didn’t matter. Only thing that mattered now was to drive to New Phoenix, Arizona and get to a private airport where his ride to Washington D.C. was waiting.
== Chapter 12 ==
"Ryan, we’re sending you the details now." A female on the other end had said. Her name was Sarah Baker, and she worked ten years for the UEG Police agency, providing information to detectives and agents alike.
It had taken almost a week before they had their evidence from the weapon. A Sniper Rifle System 99-S5 Anti-Matériel. The assassin, had left the weapon at the scene of the crime, but it was not the weapon itself that had the evidence gathered; it was the bullet. The assassin had left his fingerprints all over the bullets, probably during an illegal firearms deal or something of the sorts.
"Thanks Sarah." Ryan said. He punched the end call button on his phone.
He walked up to Mark to fill him in on the details. Mark was looking tired and was drinking his second cup of coffee, watching various aircraft take off.
"So. What’s up?" Mark said with interest.
"Evidence came in for the sniper rifle. It’s military grade. Turns out that the weapon was used in various criminal encounters: assaults, robberies, hits, assassinations." Ryan said.
"Pretty sure a hit and assassination are the same thing." Mark said, a sheepish smile showing on his face. "Where’s Josh? Sangheili Josh? Shouldn’t we fill him in to? He’s a part of the force to you know."
Ryan shrugged the thought away, "Ehh, I guess."
They walked back to the military dorms and continued down the corridor searching for Josh. They kept on walking till they heard music, it sounded like heavy metal music. They followed the sound until they made it to Josh’s room and the music was loud, but not too loud that it made the walls vibrate, but loud enough that you could hear it from the other side of the door.
Ryan’s brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at his partner, who shrugged. He banged on the door and yelled, "Josh you in there?!"
Seconds later there was some shuffling around and then a UNSC marine with a buzz cut opened the door. He was in his twenties and had a cup of beer in his hand.
"What’s up?" The marine said. Ryan shoved him aside and entered the room, "Hey you can’t do that! You have no jurisdiction here!" Ryan ignored him.
"Josh!" Mark yelled.
"Turn it off! OFF! OFF! OFF! IT’S KILLING ME!" Josh exclaimed. He was the corner of the room, sitting down with his hands over his head, rocking back and forth.
Matt looked at the marine like he was insane. The marine spoke up over the loud music, "He wanted to hear some music!"
"Jesus Christ on the cross! Ryan said before yanking the cord from its socket killing the music completely. Josh was relieved and growled in satisfaction. "Josh, put your armor on, we’re going to fill you in on the details of what we got, and I am not speaking to…" He peeked over and saw that he was naked on the floor. Then he turned around and scratched his head. "Never mind, just put your armor on."
Josh sat on the floor and put his lower armor on first. Then stood up, putting on the rest of his armor. A sergeant entered the room and the marine stood at attention.
"I heard yelling. What’s going on?" The sergeant said.
"Sir. Just having fun, sir." The marine said.
"In an elite’s room?"
"Yes sir!"
"This room is for our guest for now. We’re you invited?"
"But it’s my room—"
"Out. Now."
The marine marched out of the room, pouting.
"Sorry for the trouble, can I be of any help? You guys need anything?" The sergeant said.
"No. No. We were just going to brief our friend here on what we found and our next course of action." Ryan said, getting himself back together again.
Josh placed his helmet on his head, then equipped his energy sword to his hip, holstered his plasma rifle on his opposite hip, and his two M6 pistols to his leg holsters.
"What happened?" Mark said sympathetically.
Josh brushed passed him, and began searching the room quickly and efficiently.
"Okay?" Mark muttered to himself as if nobody would hear him.
Josh continued searching, first the drawers, which were stuffed with clothes and no items of importance. They he searched under the bed; in the mattress.
"What are you looking for?" Ryan said.
"That human comes barging into my quarters while I’m asleep, then he wakes me up with that infernal music? Is that what you call music?" Josh said, searching frantically through the bathroom now.
"Yes. That is called heavy metal." Ryan said, his concern growing.
"Well your metal music is what you humans would call ‘crap’." Josh finally found what he was looking for in the bathroom, a device. He latched it to his arm. The device strapping itself and fitting with ease.
"I’m sorry –"
"I accept your apology human." He reached in a drawer and pulled out some reading material. A novel. "By the way. I find your novels very interesting."
They made their way back to the hanger where their pelican and its pilot was waiting. Ryan filled in Josh on the details.
"So I can help finally?" Josh said eagerly.
Ryan knew that the elite would bounce around in excitement when he would say yes. But I guess this elite was different than the others. Funny and energetic. These kind of creatures could help boost morale in times of depression or even warfare.
"Okay. But after we get that search warrant you can do whatever you want. Just don’t get in the way." Ryan said.
Fal ‘Telcam was asleep, until he had heard a noise from upstairs on the main floor. He sat upright on his cot, which it had been big enough to fit two human lovers. Not only that, but it was a love cot for couples, nevertheless he didn’t care. His employer had provided him everything he needed when he arrived on Earth and took up a job as the clubs bouncer, as the average human would call it.
He stretched his arms and legs before getting up to stretch some more, followed by doing some breathing exercises. Then more footsteps were heard, followed by talking. But it wasn’t serious interrogation or anything like that. Not yet of course. It was the new manager and his crew joking around again for the hundredth something time. He had lost count, but it didn’t matter.
He got dressed in his black armor, but stopped short, holding his helmet in his hands. Listening. The chatter had stopped.
Ryan, Mark, and the Sangheili by the name of Josh, entered the lobby of Walter’s club, or Jacks club as it was now owned by him. There had been a under new management sign outside and Ryan knew that Walter had booked it. He shouldn’t have pressed the issue, instead he should have been more reasonable.
"Fal, get over here!" Jack called out to him, but he wasn’t showing up anytime soon.
"You have a Sangheili as a guard. Very resourceful, but dangerous." Josh said. "Where you keeping him. In the basement? Like a dog? Scared he’s going to kill your customers?"
Ryan gestured for him to check the basement and he obeyed. Ryan began walking up the stairs while Mark questioned the owner and his so called friends.
He entered Walters’s office. He had heard the manager scream out something about a search warrant, but he suppressed the comment. Mark would take care of that.
He began searching the computer first. It had been built into the desk and was holographic, like most computer’s nowadays; a holo-computer. He booted it up and it jumped to the loading screen, followed by the desktop. No password. Good. He ran a search on various topics: guns, assassination, killing, contract-killing, military. It was the contract-killing and military background that gave him away the most. He had been a sniper for the ODST’s during the Remnant War; that war was still raging. Although other snipers of better quality had been manufactured, his sniper, the SRS99 series had been his favorite. He had the obsession to use it in a homicidal way and counted his kills.
Enough on that info, which was all he needed. He emailed the info to investigative teams and to Sarah Baker. Now all he needed was an address. He searched on his computer for addresses, but he couldn’t find anything.
He shut down the computer and proceeded to the filing cabinets. He found them empty. Damn bastard must have cleaned everything out before heading out. Where was he heading and why?
He headed for the door and took a last look around the room. Scanning for anything that could be of any use. Nothing. He closed the door behind him and proceeded back down the stairs where the rest of the gang was hanging.
Fal stared at his helmet, remembering everything up to this day. He had forged the wrong path and he was regretting every choice he made now. Why were the police here? Was he working for a criminal? Was he going to go to prison? Would he get to see his family and friends again back on his home world? He doubted any of it. That’s when he heard him, and he could see his enemy’s reflection through the helmet. A Sangheili major, with armor similar to that of the Covenant during the Human-Covenant War. The armor he had worn was different though, more unique. Was this Sangheili apart of the Swords of Sanghelios or the Sangheili Alliance? Maybe. But now was not the time to dwell on such a topic.
"Stop right there!" Josh commanded.
Fal reached out for his energy sword on the table, but stopped short at the command he was given.
"Turn around slowly."
Fal equipped his black helmet on over his face and turned to face the Sangheili before him.
"What brings you here, Josh? I thought you died in the Norma Arm. The Guardian of Norma? That was an intense sacrifice." Fal said.
"It matters little. What matters is that I will personally escort you to Sanghelios where you will –"
That’s when it happened. Fal had thrown the table at Josh’s face, knocking him to the ground. Fal then made a run for it.
Josh should have seen it coming, but was too slow. The table flew in the air and crashed on Josh, knocking him to the ground. Fal leaped past him and continued running up the stairs to the main floor. Josh threw the table out of the way. It was surprisingly light, but it had hurt like a motherfucker. He sprang up and entered the main lobby. Jack, his crew, Matt, and Ryan all had confused faces.
"Where did he go?!" Josh exclaimed.
The manager, Jack, pointed towards the exit. Josh followed and took the exit to the back. He saw the elite on the other side of the street, dodging traffic and shoving citizens aside. He followed in a sprint and chased after Fal.
Fal turned left into an alleyway and leaped over the chain linked fence with Josh tailing behind. Unlike Fal, Josh had training from the Sangheili Alliance and with the Sanghelios PD and vaulted the fence like it was nothing. He was cornered, and Josh almost felt sorry for him. To have to end it this way.
"You’ll never take me alive." Fal said with rage building inside of him, but also with fear. He would not have his lineage shamed by going to prison.
"Shame, you dishonor your lineage by working for a human, and you’re a commander." Josh said, shaking his head back and forth.
"Shut up!!!" Fal yelled in anger, igniting his energy sword and charging at Josh with immense rage.
Josh was taken aback, a Sangheili using human curse vocabulary. But if that was what this lost soul had become, then so be it.
Fal took a swing, almost decapitating Josh’s head off, but he had missed. Josh had ducked and punched Fal in the diaphragm. He choked, and couldn’t breathe, staggering back.
"You can redeem yourself, Fal. The Alliance has a place for you at their side. Don’t be consumed by Zephyr’s interests."
Fal had stopped choking, and lowered his head in shame. "I can’t…I can’t go on…" He grabbed his energy sword and was about to slit his own throat.
Josh saw Fal raise his own sword to his throat. "NO!" He then withdrew his M6 pistol from his leg holster and shot the hilt out of Fal’s hands. The energy sword deactivated when it fell to the ground. Josh rushed over to his side and cuffed Fal with plasma restraints. Fal weeping as he felt the restraints being placed on his wrists.
"I…I don’t want to go…" Fal sobbed.
"You don’t have to. Not unless you make the right decision."
Police sirens could be heard in the distance. And were getting closer and closer. "Make your choice. Do what is honorable."
Fal nodded, and stood up. And Josh took the plasma restraints off. They then made their way back to the club, Fal telling Josh everything on Zephyr and the Crimson Circle. Josh then promised that he would get Fal into the Sangheili Alliance anyway he could.
Ryan and Mark were finished with their interrogation. They had managed to find Walter location, an apartment complex in the west of New Las Vegas.
Josh told everything he had on Fal and they determined that he was clean, but he would be escorted back to Sanghelios for the safety of himself, and so that he could get a shot at joining the Sangheili Alliance.
== Chapter 13 ==
The drive to Walters’s apartment had taken a while to get to, especially when you counted the morning traffic that seemed to linger, but that was a problem that was solved quickly. You wouldn’t want to be smashed by a huge Warthog, so you’d better get out of the way. When they arrived, they parked across the street and exited the Warthog. It wasn’t a poor ghetto apartment complex, but it wasn’t wealthy rich either. It seemed to have that homey look to it, a townhouse. They made their way to the apartment manager’s office and entered inside.
The office was a medium sized room, filled with various things an office would have: desk, holo computer, a phone, bookshelves, filing cabinets, you name it.
They approached the apartment manager, who had been talking on the phone and made a just a minute gesture with her finger. Ryan didn’t have a minute and flashed his badge at the manager.
"We need to know where Walter Richardson lives." Ryan said mildly.
"Why? Did he do something wrong?"
"Yes. We need to get in his apartment to make an arrest." Ryan held up an arrest warrant. "We have a warrant to do so."
The manager kindly nodded and gave them a spare key to Walters’s apartment.
They exited the office and proceeded to Walter’s apartment, apartment B-08. Ryan knocked on the door and announced himself. He listened in for a while and heard nothing. He shook his head. "We have no time for this."
"Could be sleeping?" Mark suggested.
Ryan shook his head, "Then we’ll have to wake him up and arrest him on the spot." He gestured for Josh to kick the door in.
Ryan and Mark withdrew their weapons as Josh gave the door a good kick. It was enough that the door swung open, breaking the dead bolt and slamming into the wall.
"POLICE!" Ryan called out as he entered the apartment with Mark following behind, checking his surroundings.
The apartment was clean. Everything looked as it had been emptied and wiped.
"Damn it. He’s good." Mark said.
They searched the entire apartment, not a single speck in sight. Ryan and Mark had handled numerous cases similar to this, but not as thorough. Walter Richardson was gone for good.
== Chapter 14 ==
The Crimson circle had waited long enough to plan their move. Attacking the Order of Assassin’s Leader. It was a major step to begin recruiting more loyalists to follow their cause.
Zephyr stood proudly, energy sword in hand, as he looked beyond the mountains into the organized keep ahead. The keep itself had been a fortress, a huge Japanese like structure that was built into the mountains, like an evil lair. Well now that evil lair was about to be his.
There was no need to bring Loku along with him. No terrorist activities will be plotted today. And Fal, he had been a coward, a traitor to the cause. Keep the children alive so that they can become adults and kill more of their kind. It was an endless cycle that had to be broken, and nobody had the balls to do it except for Loku and Zephyr.
Zephyr zoomed into the fortress using his HUD. The place was heavily guarded. Sangheili assassins in black armor with energy staves across their backs. Not only that, but humans to! The humans dressed in some type of black armor plating with black balaclavas across their faces. Ninja’s, Zephyr knew. Trailing behind had been some Unggoy and Kig-yar, those can be easily dispatched.
Zephyr gave the order to move forward. With him taking the lead, the team of Sangheili quickly and quietly walked down the hill and through the brush, remaining alert if something were to attack them.
No enemies on the ground level, good. When they approach a pathway of stairs that would eventually lead to the fortress they engaged their active camo and slowly made their way to the main gate. Foolish of them to have their gates made of metal.
His compatriots brought forth a backpack that they had stolen from a UNSC camp. The backpack had been filled with C-12 explosive charges. They placed the charges on the gate in an organized manner. Then they all stood back, withdrawing their plasma rifles.
"Take cover if you must. This place is heavily guarded, we must be swift and stealthy." Zephyr spoke to them in Sangheili.
The team had nodded and activated their active camo. 
Zephyr stood back, then pulled the trigger on the detonator. The blast was loud and deafening, but it had done the job. There was now a hole in the gate and they all poured through, a team of twenty elites with Zephyr taking the lead.
Five Sangheili assassins came from different directions, withdrawing their energy staves. Zephyr dispatched the first one with ease, then engaged in battle with the second one. Their energy swords colliding, sparks flying, and energy crackling. 
The team had managed to kill the rest of the squad with ease before their camo disengaged and they were caught in a firefight with the humans, Kig-Yar, and Unggoy.
After a brief moment of firefighting, Zephyr rushed passed his comrades, trying to locate their leader. He threw a plasma grenade into the front entrance. The blast killing the honor guards who died before they could grab their swords.
Zephyr kicked the double doors open. He looked back and smiled, seeing that the battle was still waging, but his team was losing. He needed reinforcements.
He turned back, only to engage in battle with another Sangheili assassin. Zephyr parried his attacks, then drove his energy sword into his stomach, before pushing him off. The Sangheili slumped to the ground and Zephyr had anger and hatred in his eyes now.
"This is all your fault Vadam. You will pay for your betrayal to your own kind. You did this." Zephyr could now see the room filling up with more human ninja troops, their weapons trained on him. Zephyr didn’t hesitate, he quickly threw a couple grenades here and there, and attacked with relentlessness.
Next he proceeded up the gravity lift and was engaged with another Sangheili assassin. They just won’t give up. This is a small organization and these troops are relentless like they are protecting a Kaidon.
The Sangheili assassin shoved Zephyr back. Zephyr was caught off guard as another Sangheili assassin had jumped down and grabbed Zephyr’s throat, choking him and pulling him backwards. They both fell down to the lobby floor.
Zephyr managed to shake off the pain and got back up, but was tackled by yet another Sangheili assassin.
The Sangheili assassin brought up his energy sword, and lunged down at Zephyr. "This is the end for you, traitor. May your death mark the end of your genocides."
Then blood sprayed in Zephyr face and what he saw next was stunning and lifesaving. Loku ‘Moram had impaled the elite from behind. He got back up.
"Thank you. Time to kill a leader." Zephyr said.
Many cycles have passed since he’d been at his safe house, his temporary home once again. He now dawned the rank of Strategic Operation Sangheili and took pride in taking down enemies in a tactical and stealthy manner alongside his comrades. Josh 'Konar had heard the news that the Order of Assassins HQ was under attack. He quickly put his armor on and equipped his weapons and raced to the scene.
At the fortress he could already see the battle going on right in front of his eyes. He quickly took cover and saw his Field Master beside him.
He was quickly filled in on what had happened. Zephyr was going to kill the Order of Assassin’s leader and he had to be stopped.
Josh quickly activated his energy sword and charged at his enemies, killing them one by one.
He made it through the courtyard. His allies had provided good cover fire and a good distraction. He signaled for two minors to follow him, he knew he wouldn’t be able to do this alone.
Inside had almost been as bad as the outside. He made his way through the main floor, fighting past Crimson circle troops that had been skilled and relentless, making his way up stairs, through the hallways and corridor's, and what seemed like an endless battle, he finally made it to the leader’s quarters.
The door had been kicked in, so he had to enter cautiously. What he saw, he almost couldn’t comprehend. Two elites were on the floor dead, their blood splattered on the walls, and the Crimson circle’s terrorist leader was scarred up, holding the Order of Assassins leader hostage.
"Where’s Zephyr." Josh asked, anger rising in his voice. He began to clench his fists together, tightening the grip on his energy sword.
Loku took a breath in through his gas mask, then exhaled. "Look around you. Is this what you’ve wanted? How long will this war keep up?"
"It ends now." Josh spat out venomously.
Loku only laughed at this. "Your right. It does." Then he slit the leader’s throat with his energy dagger and shoved him to his knees. The life fading away from his eyes, he craned his head back, grabbing his throat as blood seeped out.
Josh sprinted at him, but was stopped short when Zephyr came inside and impaled the two elites beside him. Josh turned around and took a lunge, but Zephyr sidestepped him and punched him hard in the mandibles, knocking him to the floor.
"Leave us." Zephyr said.
Loku nodded and stepped over the assassin leader’s lifeless body, his face staring into Josh’s. He left the room.
Zephyr deactivated the energy swords and tossed the hilts aside. He didn’t need them anymore. He gave Josh a final kick in the abdomen.
Josh gasped for air as he had flashbacks of his battle with Kyle. How Kyle had kicked him in the same spot. The pain swelled up in him, making him numb inside.
"Look at you. Pathetic. You’re a lost cause." Zephyr grabbed an incendiary grenade from a Crimson circle minor elite and threw it at the wall. It exploded, sending the entire wall in flames. Zephyr left the room, turning to look at Josh one last time, "Goodbye, friend." Then he left the room with the minor elite following behind.
Josh took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, by now he could really feel the heat coming closer. He had to get out of here and fast.
He sat up and grabbed ahold of the desk for balance. The pain had been so immense he began to vomit on the floor. I hope I never have to encounter another painful experience after this war is over, he thought.
He managed to walk off the pain as he exited the quarters and heard the sound of debris falling, he looked up and saw the roof caving in on him. He leaped out of the way, dodging the debris that had now caught the rest of the upper section on fire. His exit had been blocked off, and he couldn’t jump down seeing that the main lobby was now covered in flames.
What kind of Sangheili has wood for a house! Then he thought of the answer. A Sangheili who still cared a lot about his/her culture, a lot about traditional values. Only a few of these Sangheili had remained and were looked upon as masters of skill and teaching. He missed those days. Now, like his wise uncle had said many times; things were changing. For the better or worse.
"Are you alive Josh?" Lex 'Norsan said through his comm link.
"Yes. And I have no exit. Wait..." Josh then thought of the only idea he had. "Catch me."
"What!" Lex 'Norsan exclaimed. Josh had jumped out of the window, he and a few other Sangheili S.O.U’s had caught him and gently landed him on his feet.
Josh began looking around suspiciously. "Where did Zephyr and Loku run off to?"
Lex pointed towards the other side of the building at the mountain. "They fled inside the mountain caves."
Behind the fortress there was a cave that had a series of passageways dug into the mountain as both a safe place to hide, or as a way to navigate to the other side of the mountain. Nobody knew what was beyond the mountain, and who knew how far Zephyr, Loku, and their team had made it.
Lex Norsan had reported everything to Andromeda 'Vadum, including the damage of the building. Both sides have suffered both death and heavy casualties. This had been a short victory for them and they were all proud of their accomplishments. The building would be restored and a new Kaidon would take its place, but for the time being it was in ruins.
Josh 'Konar had returned back to the State of Konar. He and his family were relocated to a safe house. He proceeded to his study and sat in his gravity chair, thinking about all the events that had happened to him. He still pondered about whether he would be able to find his assassin, if there even was an assassin following him.
He started with the Crimson circle faction. How did they even find him at the hotel? Were there sources on the outside that were tracking him? He didn’t really want to know. The safety of his family was his primary concern.
Next he knew that he landed on Russia based on what Ryan Wilson and Mark Frost said. After a long interrogation and new evidence they had dropped suspicions against him. Why would the Russians hurt him though? What did he have or do that made them attack in a violent way? He thought about this for a moment, then he had remembered something, something important to the whole case.
After the torcher, two elites sprang into the room and attacked the Russians along with him. It must have been either a terrorist faction or outcasts.
== Chapter 15 ==
The Unified Mail man tucked the package under his arm and closed the driver door. He walked across the street and then took a right, walking towards a luxury apartment condo.
He checked the address once more to make sure everything was right. It was. Then proceeded forward when out of nowhere he was grabbed from behind and pulled into a back alley. He had no time to think because a few seconds later his neck had been snapped and he barely made an audible cry.
Quickly Walter dragged him into the darkness, “How much do you weigh?” He muttered under his breath, and stopped dragging when he was satisfied he could not be seen.
He quickly changed clothes and pulled the cap over his head. It all was pretty big on him, but it wouldn’t matter. He would be in and out in no time. 
He stepped out of the alleyway, then picked up the package, reading the address. Perfect, he thought, scanning the address of his target. He threw the package aside and picked up his own package. The timing had been just right.
He made his way to the entrance of the luxury apartment and entered the lobby.
The receptionist was busy typing away on a holo computer, but then looked up and smiled. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, I got a package for Mark Frost?"
"Sure. He is in Apartment twenty-eight."
"Thanks."
Walter continued toward the elevator and stepped inside. He pressed the fourth floor button. After a few moments of silence the elevator stopped and the doors parted. He continued down the hallway, looking at the other apartment numbers till he found the one he was looking for. Number twenty-eight.
Show time.
Mark Frost sat in the living room watching the news, as most police probably did. There was almost always something going on, and when there wasn’t, he would flip it to another channel. Boxing or sports.
He lived alone and he liked it that way. The quietness and comfort of your own home. A place to get away from all the screaming and commotion. The only other friend he had in his residence was a grey tabby cat named Patrick.
Then a knock came from the door and he got up. He walked up to the door and looked through the peephole. The mailman and my package.
He began unlocking the dead bolt and the doorknob lock.
Walter heard the locks unlocking from the other end. He was ready. A middle aged man in pretty good shape came was standing in front of him.
"You got my package?" He said.
"Yes sir, just need you to sign the manifest and we’ll be good to go." Walter pulled out a holographic clip board with an electronic pen attached.
The other man signed it off and Walter handed him the package.
"Thank you!"
"Your welcome!"
Just when he was about to close the door, Walter kicked it in, sending the man stumbling down to the ground.
He stepped inside as if he owned the place and kicked the box a few feet out of the way. He then stuck his head out the doorframe and looked both ways. Hallway was clear. He closed the door quickly and quietly before turning back to the cop on the floor, he knew who he was and who he worked with.
"My business. My life. Wrecked because of you." Walter said through gritted teeth. He then kicked Mark hard in the ribs.
Mark rolled on the floor, clenching his side in pain.
Walter bent over and took a knee. He pulled out a box cutter with a heated laser type razor. "I would kill you with this, but then I would have wasted a couple dozen on this thing." He cut the box open and pulled out a metallic looking rope. "It won’t slice your neck up, but it will strangle you."
He walks over to Mark, takes a knee and wraps the rope around his neck, tying a vicious knot. "Comfy?"
Mark tackles Walter and the two go at it for a few seconds. Walter gains the upper hand and punches Mark twice in the jaw.
Mark has no energy to fight and Walter pulls out a combat knife, making a small incision on Mark’s finger. 
Walter then drags Mark from the other end of the rope, over to the window.
 
Mark struggles as Walter lifts him up and ties the end of the rope to the ceiling fan.
Mark gets up and Walter, now behind Mark, writes a message on the window using Marks finger as a marker.
Mark head butts Walter and he stumbles back, but Walter delivers a hard kick, sending Mark out the window. The rope snapping his neck and killing him.
Then it all finally made sense.
== Chapter 16 ==
Ryan woke up at 8am and instinctively punched the snooze button before letting his arm drop to the side of the bed and hang there. He didn’t want to do anything on his weekends and fifteen minutes later the alarm blared its infamous beep, beep, beep.
He punched the alarms off button, groaned, and pushed the covers away from him. As he sat in his bed he looked to the spot where his wife had slept. No wife. She must be making breakfast for the kids. She really was amazing.
He went to the bathroom, emptied his bladder, and took a nice warm shower. After the shower he proceeded to put on his clothes; a blue polo shirt, blue levy’s, socks, and shoes that had a similar style to hiking shoes, only he wouldn’t be doing any hiking today.
When he came into the kitchen he kissed his beautiful wife, then the kids on the forehead. He loved his family and didn’t want anything happen to them. He took a seat at the island countertop and began to eat his breakfast; eggs, bacon, hash browns, what more could he ask for.
Okay so his life wasn’t 100% perfect, but he was wealthy. Desiree’s parents were wealthy and they had handed down the fortune to her after their deaths. Ryan Wilson had investigated the crime and captured the killer, putting him behind bars. That’s when they met and after going on several dates, they fell in love and even got married. Now they were living the dream. Until something unfortunate happened…
His phone rang and he looked at the screen. It was Chris Logan. What had to happen to get the chiefs attention on his day off? Not that it mattered anyway, he was used to it.
He answered it, "Hello. Special Agent Wilson speaking."
"We have a problem Ryan. It’s your friend."
"Is he stealing all the donuts for himself again?"
"He’s been murdered Ryan."
That’s when Ryan’s heart had sank. They have been buddies for a long time, years even. He couldn’t believe the news. He didn’t want to believe it, but it had happened.
"I’ll be right there…" He clicked off, still in shock and eye’s wide with fear.
Desiree made the kids play out in the back with their dog, Max, a healthy German Shepard.
"What’s wrong?" She said sympathetically.
 
He told her the details, after almost an hour of trying to calm down, he managed to get back on his feet and pull himself together.
A knock had come from the door, a loud knock. Followed by a voice that sounded like an angry bear. It had said 'Ryan' with a growl added to it. The kids came rushing back inside, eager to see what was going on.
Ryan gestured for them to stay back as he gripped the butt of his M6 service pistol. They obeyed. Their dog, Max, however growled at the door as if it was going to attack.
Ryan opened the door calmly and peered out, seeing Josh 'Konar standing at the doorway, admiring the outdoor decorations in the front.
"Ryan!" He said in excitement. "I have amazing news for you!"
"It’s just a friend." Ryan said, he opened the door for him to come in, but he had forgotten about the dog.
The dog went in attack mode and charged towards the elite. It leaped and tackled Josh, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Don’t punch him, he’s friendly, he’s just not used to you." Ryan said.
"I’m well aware." He said calmly and threw the dog to the side. The dog tossed and turned before charging at him again; however, Josh managed to beat him inside. Ryan closing the door behind him.
The dog continued to bark on the outside, then cry, then barking some more.
"Come on Max, he’s friendly! Go to the backyard!" Ryan yelled. The dog obeyed, barking as he went to the backyard.
As Ryan faced his family, he could see they were in quite a shock. This had been the first time in twenty years that they had seen an elite up close. Although earth had been a living place for Sangheili and Human’s, a few had left to live on another planet known as Pandora. That was their choice wasn’t it?
"Josh 'Konar, family. Family, Josh 'Konar." Ryan informally introduced.
Josh held out his hand for Desiree first and they shook hands, though she still couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Next his son shook hands with the elite. He was amazed at the elite’s skin texture and wanted to learn more, a lot more.
"So, you’re a Sangheili? I heard stories about your kind. You guys are amazing with the honor and all." Daniel said.
"Thank you, human." Josh said. He then shook hands with Ryan’s daughter, who was only nine years old.
"I heard you are helping dad? Is that true? Why is your name Josh? Isn’t that a human’s name?" she said.
 
"Indeed. Your dad is a great warrior. We can talk about the human name later, human."
"He’s a police officer." Daniel said.
"Okay guys, we need to get to business before my boss kills me." Ryan spoke up. The kids raced to the room and his wife went to the living room, while he and Josh took up the office area.
Ryan took a seat. Josh preferred to stand.
"Okay, my friend had been murdered and I need to investigate so I can find out who did it. Understand?"
"Yes." Josh nodded. "Explain please?"
"Okay, he was murdered at his apartment by an assassin of some sort. I need your help."
"Very well, I will come with you."
"Okay. Thanks."
They got up and went to the garage. It was a nice garage and everything was organized neatly, including the workstation.
They walked towards a large vehicle covered with a tarp. Ryan removed the tarp, uncovering a civilian warthog.
"I still use it for off road in the desert, you know, fooling around?" Ryan said.
Josh shook his head with a smile on his face, "Of course, what else would you use it for? I mean it’s not like you use it for military use or anything." He said sarcastically and he could see that there was an empty spot where a turret would’ve been.
"Get inside, splitjaw." Ryan said amusingly, then hopped in the driver’s seat.
Josh took the passenger seat and was surprised at how much leg room the vehicle had.
Ryan got the garage remote and clicked the button. The garage doors slid open with ease and he gassed it out. Josh flew back in his seat, then entered in the coordinates to Marks apartment.
They skidded to a halt and exited the warthog. Police had the area cordoned off as a crowd was gathering, marveling at the horror that had been hanging outside the window.
"Help the officers perform crowd control." Ryan said, then proceeded towards the police to gather information on what was happening.
Josh nodded and met up with other police officers who had been trying to keep the civilians and the pain staking media at bay.
Ryan jogged over to the nearest police officer.
"Ryan Wilson, UEG Police Department, I need access to the scene." He said as he flashed his badge to the officer.
"Sergeant’s over there." The cop nodded.
He jogged towards the sergeant. "UEG Police. I need access to the scene."
"This is under local jurisdiction." The sergeant ordered. "No feds, no ONI, no UNSC, no Unified Earth Government. Period. The last thing we want is the government involved."
"I work with the D.C. branch –" Ryan said defensively.
"Did you hear me? Nobody is getting through! We got it covered!"
"It’s okay Joe, let him through." A man said.
Ryan turned to see that it was a local police detective. 
"Alex. Alex Mason. And this is my partner, Henry Jackson." Alex said as they exchanged handshakes with each other. 
"Nice to meet you." He said.
Henry had glanced over his shoulder to see a Sangheili performing crowd control and was doing exceptionally well. The crowd had mellowed down, but the media had been asking questions.
"Who’s that?" Henry asked.
Ryan turned to see his friend had been handling things, but was unaware of detective protocol. He jogged over to his direction and mouthed, "Get over here."
Josh walked over to where Ryan was, "Did I do something wrong?"
"You are not supposed to talk about the case. You could hurt our department, Josh. Leave that to the lieutenants, captains, and chiefs. Okay?"
"Okay."
Josh then followed Ryan to where the two detectives were standing.
"Nice to see that we have some muscle on our side." Alex said.
"Josh 'Konar." He said, shaking hands.
"Alright, let’s get down to business."
Alex and Henry stayed, and exchanged the information they had with their officers. Ryan and Josh entered the apartment and took the stairs to Marks room, room twenty-eight. Inside the room, crime scene crews had been gathering evidence and taking pictures from various angles.
Josh stood guard, while Ryan ducked under the crime scene tape that stretched across the doorway. Ryan examined the living room first. There were no items that had been thrown around like the place had been ransacked. He slipped on his blue latex gloves and carefully examined the objects on the shelf: various books, CD’s, and photos, including a family photo. He felt something brush up against him. It was a grey tabby cat. He looked down and gently shewed it to the side. It meowed before strolling outside the door. 
Careful not to step in the bloody trail, he walked over to the patio. He saw the lifeless body of what had been his best friend; now had been a lifeless corpse staring right at him as it was hoisted up and over the concrete balcony. Ryan carefully dug in the back pocket and found Marks wallet. He opened it up and reviewed the contents inside: a credit card, ID, and various business cards.
A CSI crewmember walked over beside him. Ryan’s eyes started to water and a tear fell down his cheek as he stared at the picture of Mark and his family that he had kept in his wallet.
"It’s going to be okay. We’ll get him." The CSI crewmember assured him.
Ryan just shook his head softly, "I didn’t even get to say goodbye."
He tucked the picture of Mark in his pocket, "Be sure to tell his family. Gather as much evidence as you can." He tucked his hands in his pants pockets and strolled out the door.
Josh caught up with him, "Something wrong?"
"Yes. When we find this assassin, I want you to take him out."
"Why me?"
"Because, even though I want to strangle him with my own hands I can’t. I would lose my career." Ryan looked at the cat that Josh had been petting in his arms. "You can’t take care of that animal."
"Your right, it would be much better in your care." He held it out for Ryan to take, but he didn’t.
"No way. The dog would chew that thing like a toy."
They exited the apartment complex.
It was 10pm when Ryan and Josh decided to have few drinks at a local bar and share some ideas on the case. Ryan got himself a pint of amber light and Josh chose to drink water, although there had been alcoholic beverages for Sangheili to choose from.
"So, about that human name?" Ryan said after taking a sip of his beer.
Josh sighed, he had told this information dozens of times and gotten a lot of negative reactions, which was why he preferred to keep it a secret; although, he never told a human before.
"Fine," Josh said.
"My parents were held prisoner during the Human-Covenant war on a human carrier. When I was born. The humans named their prisoners with human names. Either the Sangheili had refused to give them their real names, or they had been too hard for your kind to pronounce."
"So you were given a human name of Josh by a UNSC marine." Ryan said.
Josh lowered his head in shame; nevertheless, he continued with the story, "My parents died on that carrier when the parasite attacked. Never knew my mother or my father, but we weren’t supposed to anyway."
Ryan took a sip of his beer, then nodded solemnly. "And after fifty years you’re still bound by tradition."
"Indeed. But things are changing little by little. Maybe someday laws will change and we will get to know our fathers, I guess some Sangheili can’t overcome their lustful desires." Josh said. He then took another sip of his water.
"How did you escape?"
Josh thought hard about the question he had been asked. "I escaped with another Sangheili. He managed to make it back to our home world and I was placed under the care of my uncle. As, for the name, I kept it as a way to remember my parents and to this day I neither removed nor changed it since."
Ryan lifted his glass for a cheers, "Here’s to making Earth a better place for the humans and elites. Best decision our race had come up with. To the improvement of technology and friendship."
Josh did the same thing, "And to the interspecies alliance that grows stronger every day. To change. And to the hope that maybe all races can work together peacefully."
They clinked their glasses together and finished their drinks.
== Chapter 17 ==
Walter exited the plane and was walking through the vast airport that was the newly designed L.A.X. The place was so huge it could almost rival Minnesota’s Mall of America.
He made his way through the security checkpoint and passed with ease. He could always buy a new gun in Los Angeles from a local gun store. He had lots of time on his hands and knew that the UEG police agents may have had the wrong leads, so what did he care.
He was an assassin god damn it. He was supposed to be careful, plan every step. Why wasn’t he cautious about every detail? Maybe because he had been one step ahead of them for so long now? How long had it been? Two months? He didn’t give a shit, and neither did the cops. He was home free.
A grey sedan had been waiting for him outside of the airports entrance at one of the pickup spots. The limousine driver helped him with his bags, setting them in the trunk, and helped Walter inside the car.
"Where to, sir?" The driver said.
"The realtor’s office in Downtown LA," He gave him a slip with an address printed on it, "Here’s the address."
The driver pulled out of the curb and out of the airport, making a right and following the signs to the freeway.
Walter looked out the window and marveled at LA’s vast and growing infrastructure. The futuristic buildings and palm tree’s made the place more beautiful than that of modern LA. Finally, pollutant free.
They made their way off interstate ten and followed the GPS coordinates to the Realtors office.
At the Realtors office Walter had bought a safe house, a moderate-sized luxury condo with a balcony overlooking the city of LA.
He arrived at the estate a little after 4pm. When he opened the door to his penthouse, he marveled at how clean and organized it was. Nice wood finish made up the living room floors, and luxuries amenities had already been in place.
He sat back on the luxurious couch and flipped on the huge flat screen that laid out in front of him. Now all he needed was some bodyguards. The first channel that popped on was about newly elected President Daniel Evans.
Daniel Evans had passed inauguration for new President of the UEG, he was not only talking about what he would do as future president, but he was mourning for the loss of John Charet. 
"I feel sorry for the loss of John Charet. He was a great president, always knew what was right. We will do everything in our power to keep our unified nation strong…"
"Bla Bla Bla…" Walter muttered to himself before turning off the television and calmly falling asleep. All he needed was some bodyguards.
== Chapter 18 ==
The next day, Ryan was working at his office in the UEG Police Department’s fourth floor. He had to keep himself busy to keep his mind off of yesterday’s events. He reviewed everything that he could find or think of. Sure he didn’t have a photographic memory like his best friend did or even his boss, Chris Logan, but he was smart enough to recall information and piece together evidence till it led to the capture of a suspect.
He took out his datapad and reviewed the metro bombing, he knew that the device was constructed of ammonium nitrate but that wasn’t something that had been found in plasma, but human explosives, so it was indeed a human. But then again, the explosion that had triggered a cataclysmic reaction was plasma grenades, which pointed to a Sangheili of sorts.
Next, the interrogation with Kyle Craig. The warden had transferred the conversation to his datapad. Nothing much they got out of it. It was still a possibility that Kyle had hired the assassin to take out Josh. But who was the assassin?
He opened a notepad on his datapad and typed up some notes:
*Kyle Craig and the assassin? Possible link to Josh 'Konar? Who is this assassin?
Next he reviewed the footage of his conversation with Walter Richardson, more notes:
*Walter Richardson talks about a business deal he made with Kyle Craig. NEED FOOTAGE!
*Walter Richardson shows signs of ignorance. Thinks he is above the law? Why did he leave? Where is he going?
*Apartment is vacated. Where is he going?
*Assassination of President of UEG. Evidence ties to Walter Richardson. Skilled Marksman and Assassin?
He hit the save button and closed the notepad. A knock came on the door.
"Yes?"
"It’s the elite, detective. Says it’s urgent." A voice came from behind the door.
"Let him in."
The agent opened the door and Josh 'Konar entered the office. The agent closed the door behind him.
Josh took in the surroundings of the office. It was small but comforting. A desk with a built in holo-computer with two chairs for visitors, bookshelves aligned with various encyclopedias and law books, a few potted plants and couches. He nodded in satisfaction.
"I know right? You should see the lieutenant’s office. Redwood everything with luxurious furniture. I want that." He gestured for Josh to take a seat.
He shook his head and preferred to stand once again.
Ryan shook his head back and forth, "Ah. You’re afraid you’ll break the chair." He entered a number into his holo-computer and dialed logistics. He spoke softly enough so that Josh wouldn’t hear him, then hung up.
A few moments later a logistics Sangheili, whose name was Rek, entered the office with a huge box. He sat down the box and opened it with an energy box cutter, revealing a Sangheili sized visitor’s chair.
Ryan got up from his seat and moved to the opposite end of the desk to move the other two chairs to more to the side to make room for the Sangheili visitor chair, in which Rek happily placed in the center. He then gestured for Josh to take a seat before moving back to his seat.
The logistics Sangheili, Rek, gave a slight bow before leaving the office.
"So. What is it you needed to talk about that is urgent?" Ryan asked.
"First –" Josh started off.
"The Sangheili? He is a part of our logistics division. A great deal of Sangheili will not work with the UNSC military, nor with ONI, do to culture conflictions. But the UEG Police Department will accommodate those cultural needs if we must. Which is why our department is made up of both human and Sangheili. And we are proud of it."
Josh stared at him with a stern expression. "That was not what I was going to say at all. Will you hear me out without interruption?"
"Sure."
"Back on Russia. I was captured by two humans, one in a black uniform, and one in a white uniform."
Ryan nodded, although he couldn’t make out anything yet, he opened up his notepad on the datapad, "Can you be more specific? Facial features and expressions?"
Josh nodded, "Of course. The soldiers threw me out of my drop pod and kicked me. Then their leader, who wore a human uniform of some kind. I don’t know how to describe it. It was black and he had a hat with some kind of star on it."
"Okay. What else?"
"There was another human, he wore a white robe with a blue undershirt."
"Hmm." Ryan had to think for a moment, then showed picture of a white robe to Josh, "Is this what it looked like?"
Josh shook his head, "No. It had triangles on the sides. That was it! Both the leader and his assistant had suits with triangles on the sides."
Ryan entered the word ‘suit’ in his datapad. Google images brought up pictures of suits. He showed them to Josh, "Like these."
"Exactly, only it was white, or tan, I can’t remember. With a blue undershirt."
"I know who you’re talking about." Ryan entered the contents into his holo-computer, and two figures that Josh described appeared in the air above the table with details displayed next to them, "This one on the left is Ivan Gorbachev. He is the current leader of the Russian Criminal Syndicate, RCS for short. The one on the right is his assistant and most trusted lieutenant, Dimitri Khrushchev."
"And why have they tortured me?"
"The RCS has tried to get their hands on some power armor to take down enemies with ease, as well as increase their military group’s strength. When you fell into their territory, they picked you and tortured you for information. You didn’t give them information on your family or technology did you?"
"I lied about it. The only info I provided with them was my state and I think that was it."
"Okay. So what else. What happened after?"
"A Remnant elite sprang into the room and accidentally set me free. I ran to the airport, desperate to escape that dreaded human territory."
Ryan nodded solemnly and clasped his hands in front of him. He leaned closer, "You didn’t harm anyone on that plane did you?"
"Not at all. A missile took down the plane’s wing and we crashed. I and a few others were the only ones that survived. Thank the gods for that."
Ryan nodded again, then took down the holographic projection. He sat back into his chair to do more thinking. It somewhat made sense. The RCS definitely had some part in this. Were they smuggling explosives into the United States somehow, creating terrorism? Highly unlikely, but possible.
He thought back to the club again. It was hard to run through the events. He had to remember, really hard.
"Just give me a moment." He said to Josh, although it was more to himself.
The link was there, but it was fuzzy. Walter said something about business dealings with Kyle. Could they have exchanged plans on the Metro D.C. bombings? Furthermore, could they have both collaborated to hire an assassin?
He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, "This guy was careful. I’m going to have to go to Russia first. See what I can dig up. Then we’ll go from there."
Josh nodded and stood up, pacing around the room, "What about the assassin?"
"We’ll see."
== Chapter 19 ==
The trip to Kazakhstan had taken almost ten hours. Even with a fast flying military cargo plane, he knew he had wasted a chunk of time. Should have taken a commercial jet.
Before the exhausting trip, he had met with a UNSC Special forces group known as Ghost Company. Accompanying him on his trip would be Matt Simmons, the team leader and skilled marksman; and Alicia Kennedy, a hacking specialist for the UNSC. Now, he was strapped in an uncomfortable seat and getting ready to hurl, again. Luckily, they had landed on a UNSC base in Kazakhstan, near the border of the Ural Mountains.
When the cargo planes gate dropped, the team exited the plane with Ryan trailing behind. Matt led them to the UNSC’s command center where they could discuss their next move.
"Alright, gather around people." Matt said.
The team: Ryan, Alicia, and a few UNSC marines; gathered around the command table, with Matt at its head. He brought out his datapad and pressed a few buttons. The hologram sprang to life as it revealed a penthouse villa that hung over the Appalachian Mountains.
 
Matt made circled motions on the datapad and then tapped it. The image spun ninety degrees then came into a birds eye view. He swiped the image and it zoomed in closer. You can see more detail of the mountains as well as the penthouse: its balcony aligned with railings; its windows, floor layout, even furnishings.
"Okay so this is Ivan Gorbachev’s penthouse. We know that it will be moderately guarded with armed troops, but they will remain alert." He tapped his datapad again and red pulsing circles came into view: SAM turrets, and small red dots: RCS troops, "Okay, so the troops will be patrolling the penthouse balcony, we can take them out easily with silenced snipers. My advice, we create a diversion. Kill a few troops, have the rest check out what’s going on, then kill the others."
"Okay, so what if the guards inside hear us, wont that attract attention?" Ryan said. The hologram showed red dots inside the penthouse, patrolling both upstairs and down stairs.
"It may. How about we rappel and stab." A UNSC marine commented.
Matt considered it for a moment, then dismissed the idea entirely, "We would. But we’ll only be using one Pelican."
"I have an idea, sir." Ryan said.
"Okay let’s hear it." Mark said. He was more than willing to gain any ideas from anyone.
Ryan recalled his police and military training.
"So how about we wingsuit fly onto the porch. Then we conduct a silent take down, stabbing the enemy into the neck, then throw them off the balcony."
"That could work." Matt said.
"But what about the inside guys? Won’t they be quick to kill us?" The UNSC marine said.
"Yes, look…" Ryan pointed at all eight red dots on the holographic map, "We have eight RCS troops. We can use an eight man team: You, Matt, five UNSC soldiers, and I. We can take all eight down with combat knives, just like I said. Then we move inside and take them out with silenced M7 subs."
Matt nodded in approval, "Very good, Agent Wilson. You prior military?"
"Once served in the ODST for UNSC Special forces."
"Alright. Alicia, what about the SAM turrets. Can you disable them?" Matt said.
"I could, but only temporarily. It will give you enough time to get in and out. I can also disable any alarms that will send out any distress signals."
"How long do we have?"
Alicia checked her own datapad before answering, "Twenty minutes tops."
"Then all hell breaks loose." The UNSC marine said.
"Alright team. It’s a go! Let’s gear up and move out!" Mark commanded.
"HOO-RAH!" They all said in unison.
Ryan was gearing up in the armory. He had never see so many weapons operated by the UNSC. Back at Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, he only had some assault rifles, subs, shotguns, pistols, and riot gear. This armory had a lot more equipment and gear.
He threw on his assault vest over his black BDU coveralls and equipped himself with a MA5D assault rifle, fitted with a silencer and laser. Next, he racked the pistols slide back to make sure it was in peak condition. It was. He holstered his m6 pistol, also fitted with a silencer and laser. Next he grabbed a few flash bangs and fitted them to his vest.
He wasn’t going to war with the infamous Cortez cartel, it was only a small-scale silent mission with a ruthless crime syndicate faction. Better safe than sorry was his motto though.
He exited the armory and the building itself and met up with the team – codenamed: ghost team – and entered the Pelican with his new comrades: five UNSC marines dressed in black BDU’s with ballistic helmets, comms, and night vision, carrying silenced M7 subs; Matt, the teams leader; and Alicia, who had been the Pelicans co-pilot.
The Pelican descended from the hanger and into the launch bay, ready for action. The Pelican fired its thrusters and zoomed out of the launch bay and into the sky.
A few moments later they had approached the target zone.
"I’m disabling the SAM turrets now." Alicia said, while working her magic from the Pelican’s controls.
With the SAM turrets disabled, they approached the drop zone. The Pelican ascended a couple meters above the target.
"Disabling alarm systems and sensors." Alicia said. Those were easily disabled, then she flicked a switch.
The Pelican’s ramp dropped down and locked in place. "You have twenty minutes to gather what you need, Agent Wilson. Then I’m coming for you and the squad."
"You got it." Ryan said, racking back the slide on his MA5D assault rifle before placing it on his back.
"Green light! GO GO GO!" Matt bellowed to his team.
They all dived out as one and engaged their HUD’s. They had displayed sensors that detected movement, and altitude.
The team engaged their wing suits as they slowly and skillfully glided towards their targets. Two UNSC marines covering the left, two more covering the right. Ryan and Matt were charging towards the front. The other two UNSC marines glided to the far left, carefully steering towards the back of the back of the villa.
"Looks like it’s not attached to the mountain itself, but a platform, sir." One of the marines said through the amplified speaker.
"Well, that makes this job a little easier then, does it?" Matt said.
Then right on cue, they all converged onto their targets, tackling the enemy troops to the floor.
As the RCS troop turned around to face his enemy, he was smashed hard onto the floor by Ryan. Ryan, didn’t hesitate. He took out his combat knife and stabbed the soldier into the carotid artery, cutting off his blood supply; and pressed his hand over the soldier’s balaclava so he couldn’t scream. Once that was over he looked at Matt and nodded.
They got up slowly and switched to their ground HUD: A simple health bar at the top screen, a motion sensor displayed on the bottom left hand corner, and their current equipped weapon with ammunition shown on the bottom right corner of the screen.
"They’re just security patrols. No armor or anything." Ryan said.
"Okay team. Aggressive stealth." Matt said in a low voice close to a whisper, then signaled for his team to move forward.
They approached the entrance, and the security panel went from red to green almost instantaneously. The team moved in quickly and quietly checking their surroundings as they entered the living room.
The place was huge, a giant square: with an interior balcony equipped with glass panel railings, and to their left was a glass stairs. In the middle was a fireplace with four couches on all sides. The place had a feel similar to that of a luxurious outdoorsman’s cabin in Alaska. Only this wasn’t Alaska. This was the Alps, dangerous terrain that bordered Russian and Asian territory.
A RCS security troop approached from the hallway and aimed his assault rifle, but was cut down swiftly by UNSC troops who laid two carefully placed shots in his head.
"Nice one!" One of them replied from behind.
"Alright fan out. Two by two. We need to find -" Matt was cut off before two more RCS security troops were taken down by Ryan and a UNSC marine, and the third on the upper walkway.
"We need to find that computer and download the data. Move!" Matt finished as he scanned his surroundings in front of him.
They all moved quickly and efficiently into groups of two, teams of two, searching throughout the expensive cabin. Matt and three UNSC soldiers checked the lower levels, while Ryan and three UNSC soldiers checked the upper floor. The whole cabin had taken ten minutes to clear. And there had been a total of ten more RCS security troops, all cleared out and killed just as quickly and efficiently.
Ryan made his way to the office and saw the holo-computer. "Stand guard, okay?"
"You got it!" The young UNSC marine replied. He stood outside, prepared and alert.
Ryan quickly moved to towards the desk and booted up the holo-computer. It had asked for a password.
"Damn it." He muttered under his breath. "Matt! It needs a password!"
Matt and a UNSC marine had ran up the stairway, while the other two stood guard. Matt shoved Ryan out of the way, studying the holo-computer. "We need to do this fast." He activated his comm unit, "Alicia we have a password, possibly a 256-bit encryption. Can you crack it?"
"Sure. But I need to know a little more about the computer first, commander."
He gave her a quick rundown of the specs and then they had access. "Quick. Give me the Remote Hacking Device."
 
The UNSC marine reached into a duffel bag and pulled out the Remote Hacking Device and tossed it to Matt. "Five minutes! How are we going to get all that info in five minutes?"
Matt entered a series of numbers and product info into the Remote Hacking Device and began the transfer.
"forget it! Move!" Ryan shoved him out of the way and began searching the files himself. "Tell your pilot we need extraction now!"
Matt was talking into the comm unit while Ryan searched through the files. It took him less than a minute to find what he’d been looking for. He uploaded it to his datapad. Then he took a few steps back and fired a couple shots into the holo-computer, sending sparks flying everywhere.
"WTF, Ryan!" A UNSC marine shouted as he shielded his face from the incoming sparks.
"No time! We need to move before the Russians are all over us!" Matt said. The team had a minute to get out of there before their only aircraft would be torn up by SAM missiles.
They all leaped over the edge and onto the cabins floor. Then they proceeded outside where their ride had been waiting for them. They all quickly jumped inside, the ramp fully extended out as they quickly started their ascent.
"Ryan! What the hell!" A UNSC marine scolded him.
"Doesn’t matter. All we need to do is get out of here alive so that we can -"
Too late. A SAM missile had locked onto them and was approaching at a rapid speed. Then the passenger compartment brace light began flashing.
"SAM Missile! Engaging flares!" the pilot said.
The Pelican had made a tight, missile-evading dodge while deploying its flares. The tactic had worked. The Pelican spun a quick one-eighty before it was targeted by a couple more SAM missiles.
Matt took position at the turret and opened fire on full auto, sweeping the machine gun’s barrel back and forth in front of the oncoming missiles. One exploding after the other. But that was not good enough as –
"Incoming!" The pilot shouted.
The SAM Missile had hit their left wing, causing the Pelican to spin out of control. Everyone was hanging onto anything they could get ahold of, while the pilot attempted to steer that Pelican in a straight and steady course, but it was almost impossible.
"Everyone hang on!"
The Pelican’s nose crashed first into the snowy terrain of Russia’s cold unknown territory, then glided in the blanket of snow, scraping its hull and underbelly as it skidded roughly across the surface. Next the right wing was ripped off almost as fast as the left wing. It continued to skid uncontrollably, moving from left to right, then slowly skidding to a stop.
== Chapter 20 ==
The kids were all put to bed and Desiree was home alone. It had been nearly ten hours since he called her. Ryan had always kept in touch with her and he would share his thoughts on the case and she would give him advice. Not today. For some reason her stomach churned with that feeling of uneasiness. Something was wrong today, and she was going to find out.
She muted the television and drew her cell phone out from the side table drawer, thumbing through the contacts list till she found what she was looking for. Ryan’s number. She pressed the answer key and waited through the endless ringing until it went to voicemail. She thumbed the end call button and proceeded towards the UEG Police Departments D.C. branch. A female receptionist picked up.
"UEG Police Department, D.C. Branch. This is Michelle." The receptionist said in a calm professional tone.
Desiree’s voice wasn’t so calm, she’d been nervous. Anything could’ve happened to her husband and she needed to know. "Hello, this is Desiree, i’m Ryan’s wife. Is he in the office?"
"No ma’am, he’s out on a field mission. Would you like to leave a message, I can transfer you to his voicemail?"
"No. No. It’s fine. Can I speak to his assistant please?"
"Yes. Hold on let me transfer you."
There was a shuffling sound followed by a beep. Then the other line was ringing.
Olivia Dunham worked for the UEG Police Department for five years as Ryan’s secretary and assistant in all things office related when he was out of town on official cop business. She was charismatic and thoughtful, and offered help whenever a difficult task presented itself. Today she was stationed next door from Ryan’s office. She had her own little space with a few family photos her and there to keep her stress free. Not only was she an office assistant, but she’d been a dispatcher for the local police department and did an exceptionally well job at it.
She was busy shuffling different papers around and was trying to establish connections, when her phone on the holo-computer was ringing. She pressed the answer button.
"Olivia Dunham. How can I help you?"
"Yes Olivia, this is Desiree. I haven’t heard from my husband for hours. Is he in?"
"No. He just left on a field mission yesterday."
"Well when he comes in can you tell him to call me?"
"Will do ma’am. Have a good night."
"Good night."
When she pressed the end call button, she got up from her seat, walked out, and went inside Ryan’s office. Now she would have normally knocked, but there was an elite inside apparently sleeping in the Sangheili visitor chair that had been brought to him earlier.
She exhaled slowly and quietly, and walked over to the elite. She took out a pen from her pocket and poked him in the mandible’s. "Hey wake up buddy."
Josh, the Sangheili, let out a few grumbled moans before cracking his eyes open.
"Blarg." He said in boredom. It actually sounded more like a human gagging.
"Ryan has gone missing for hours, and your sitting hear doing nothing."
"I’m not doing nothing. I was sleeping. Did you know that the average Sangheili needs twenty hours of sleep?" This was an apparent lie, and Josh knew it.
"Very funny comedian." She crossed her arms, then pointed a finger towards the door. "Go outside and meet with Chris Logan. I’m sure he can find something for you to do."
Josh got up and gave her a nod. "As you wish, human."
He proceeded out the door and through the cubicles of human office workers. He took the elevator to the top floor, it even had a button that was labeled “Executives”. When he exited the elevator, he continued down a few corridor’s each aligned with various executive offices until he found the office he’d been looking for. He entered without knocking and found Chris Logan speaking with a few human and Sangheili executives.
"Enforcement commander, you have requested me?" Josh said in utmost respect. Enforcement commander was the way he chose to address Chris Logan. All eyes turned to face Josh.
"Yes I have, but you should knock next time. Clear?" Chris said.
 
"Clear, Enforcement commander."
"You have permission to call me Chris. Or Logan. Or both the former and latter, whichever one suites you." He continued, "Alright. Josh, this is Mako ‘Thoram, the department’s current Sangheili team leader and Thade ‘Demal, the department’s current Sangheili commander."
Both Mako and Thade wore black Sangheili combat harnesses with the UEG Police Department’s logos embedded on the shoulders and chest. The only difference was their ranking, which was designed like the stipes on the Sangheili assault harness. Two silver stripes on each side for team leader and two gold stripes on each side for commander. Both carried the standard Plasma rifle and energy sword.
Thade approached Josh in a diplomatic fashion. His voice deep and powerful. There was no doubt that he had been a high ranking commander during the Human-Covenant war, or even the Post-Wars. "Josh. It is a pleasure to have you on the team. Please. Keep your Sangheili Strategic Operations armor, as we know of your current placement within the glorious Sangheili Alliance."
"Thanks Commander. It is truly an honor." Josh replied and bowed his head slightly, giving a chest solute.
Thade returned the solute. "Indeed. My subordinate, Mako, will give you a rundown of the operation."
Josh turned to face Mako.
"We will relay the information to our units as one." Mako said.
"Very well, brother. May the gods be with you on your quest."
Mako held the door open for Josh and Chris gave a weary smile.
"And Josh!" He shouted enough for him to be heard. "Make sure you bring back my lead investigator back alive."
"Of course, Enforcement commander."
"Chris."
He nodded as he exited the room with Mako, his new team leader, trailing behind.
Category:Mystery Thriller
Category:Vadumverse Stories