The Hunted (Wreck Fight)

**Location:**
Crash site of the *Arrow Flight*

**[ Sangheili Major ]** "We found you, demon."

Both sides brought their guns to bear.

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "You know, I feel insulted that only a major was sent to kill us. I would've assumed that we were more valuable."

**[ Sangheili Major ]** "You stay out of this. This is about the Demon, not you."

**[ Harald-077 ]** "Then *I* feel insulted."

Without hesitation, the major swung its rifle at the Spartan, smashing what passes as a stock on plasma weaponry into the Spartan's side. Harald almost instantaneously grabbed the rifle and spun it around, pointing it towards the major with a finger hovering over the trigger.

**[ Harald-077 ]** "Wrong move."

Thompson and the others backed off as the two Hunters smashed their shields into the ground, forming a wall between them and Harald. The Sangheili shouted something in his native tongue, with only a few words recognizable by Jet.

But that was all he needed.

He backed into cover to avoid the incoming plasma. If his whole left side didn't hurt like hell, he would've been able to dodge the spray and make a push towards Harald.

Zaytseva looked out of their cover, spotting another dropship dropping off its troops. She raised her rifle, taking a few shots at them.

**[ LCDR. Zaytseva ]** "More Covvies incoming. Seems they really want this wreck."

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "Well, let's not stick around to be the welcome party."

The trooper attempted to fire a few bursts at the Hunters to form an opening in their line, but they remained completely still.

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "Anyone got a grenade?"

The private ducked from the incoming fire. He tossed a frag grenade to Jet, who almost failed to catch it.

*Let's hope this works.*

Jet put his rifle down to free up both hands. He pulled the pin on the grenade, waited a second, and then tossed the grenade at one of the Hunters with the arm that hurt the least.

The Hunter smacked the grenade away, but in the process created an opening in their wall. Jet picked his rifle back up and started picking off grunts on the far side. The rest of the marines quickly copied him, using the new opening to their advantage, even if it was only temporary. The Hunter sidestepped back into place, sealing the gap again.

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "Well, it was worth a shot."

A few more moments of exchanging fire ticked by, followed by Harald using one of the Hunters as a stepping stool to get over their shield wall. The Spartan leaped off of the Hunter's head, landing in between Jet and the private. The Spartan had both his own rifle and that of the major's in his hands, which he immediately put to use by turning around towards the line and firing.

The Hunter, outraged that it was used as a ladder, charged up a fuel rod shot aimed at the Spartan. Harald ran towards Jet's cover, narrowly avoiding the splash damage that impacted the ground where he was just standing. The private wasn't so lucky, being thrown off of his feet and smashing into a hanging piece of metal before returning to the ground again with a big *thud*.

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "Ooo... that's gotta hurt."

**[ LCDR. Zaytseva ]** "We gotta move, now!"

Jet knew what she was talking about. Over the horizon, two wings worth of Spirits and Phantoms accelerated straight towards them.

**[ Harald-077 ]** "Thompson, I'll cover you."

Both the ODST and the Spartan emerged from their cover, with Jet using the Spartan's power armor as a shield. The Spartan fired off at the approaching Covenant as the team pulled back to the private's landing spot. Sasha was halfway through reaching down for the private when Jet interrupted.

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "I'll carry him, just cover me."

He put his rifle on his back and got down on his knee next to the badly-injured marine.

**[ LCDR. Zaytseva ]** "You're wounded. You'll never make it out of here carrying him!"

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "Would you rather the injured trooper be the one trying to provide covering fire?"

**[ LCDR. Zaytseva ]** "Suppose not. Just get moving."

She unslung her rifle again, taking out a few advancing grunts and providing some more covering fire. Jet pulled the private up and over his shoulder and started limping toward the treeline he was supposed to go to originally. The team quickly followed. Plasma flew over his head, but instead of panicking him it only made him more determined to get out of there.

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "Where'd you park?"

**[ LCDR. Zaytseva ]** "A few kilometers away. But we need to lose these guys before going back there. Just keep going straight, through the trees, for now."

The plasma fire slowed down, but was still far from dying out completely. Jet could hear explosions behind him, most likely from the fuel rod cannons mounted on the Hunters' arms.

**[ Harald-077 ]** "Where is everyone else? You the only ones who made it off the ship?"

**[ LCDR. Zaytseva ]** "Don't know. Comms got hit trying to get out of the hangar. *Anything else you feel would be a good thing to ask right now?*"

The ground shook slightly as a fuel rod impacted the dirt right in front of Jet. The trooper kept his balance and continued on towards the trees. The plasma fire at this point had almost completely stopped, but Jet didn't risk slowing down.

**[ LCPL. Thompson ]** "Uhh, yeah. Just one though. The wreckage is filled with Covvies and we're surrounded by large expanses of tall grass. Where are we possibly going to set up a base, if there are any survivors?