The Crossfire

[blackshot]

Private Jonah Hauser
ODST Trooper
153rd ODST Company
Kenosha, Tanais, Mars


Jonah Hauser stood with a puffed out chest as he and the other bunch of ODSTs are called inside the briefing room. A muscular man in a fatigue uniform was standing beside a hologram projector with a thin retractable stick at hand. One by one, the ODSTs occupied the blue chairs that were neatly aligned in a row.

"Good day, Troopers." The man began as he motioned for them to sit. "Today, we'll brief you about the situation in New Paris." He said as the room suddenly became dark. The projector lit into life, displaying the city and an image of a man beside it. "One of the Bus Stations in New Paris were blown up. The attackers, obviously, are the Insurrectionists. However, the Innies bear the flag of the Koslovics. Local police says that the commies has established base somewhere in the city." He says as he pointed his stick to the image. "Oleg Ilyushin, one of the key figures in the Koslovics were said to be coordinating the attacks. Now your mission is simple. Attack his base and kill him on sight." The room's light flickered back on. "Dismissed."

[blackshot]

New Paris, Mars

Jonah scanned their surroundings, searching for any threats that might come out any minute. Being the darkest part of the city has gave the ODST shivers down his spine. The state of paranoia seeps in his mind as he gaze from one corner to another but he immediately shook it off. He was an ODST for Pete's sake. Why would he be scared of the dark?

He jumped off from the gunner seat of the Warthog and activated the night vision features of his helmet. He pulled his Assault Rifle from his back. The night sky has kept this part of the place obscured. The western part of this city was somewhat abandoned; it was an eerie ghost town filled with burned down houses. All the walls are scorched and torn down. Who knows what could have happen here? There are no signs of conflict and it seems like this place was like this a long time ago, making it an ideal hideout for the Koslovics.

No one knows why ODSTs are included in this operation. It must be that serious that they were called here for this operation.

Jonah cleared his mind to think. He jogged towards a nearby crate and ducked. He glanced back and saw the others doing the same as they hid behind objects.

"Alright men, listen up." A voice says over the radio. "In front of you was an abandoned Cathedral." Jonah peeked over the crate to confirm it. And there it was, a very creepy razed Church. "Your mission is simple. Take down the Insurgents and their leader. Good luck." The voice says before a static.

Standing up, Jonah could hear footfalls from his comrades but he ignored it as he head towards the Church. He heaved a sigh as he prepared for the worse.

[blackshot]

Jonah scanned the clerestory above him. The windows are missing as if something has destroyed it. The wooden triforium that supports the clerestory is rotting. Just by looking at it, it looks like as if it was going to fall down any minute now. It was clear and evident that this church was burned down for some reason.

He stepped inside the Church along with the other ODSTs and Marines alike. The marble floor was stained with black charcoal of wood falling down from the burned roof. Jonah found himself standing on the nave. Most of the pews are missing and only a handful of them remained stacked up on the aisle, most are destroyed and broken. Jonah whirled to his right, towards the altar. He advanced towards it, coming across the transept where he genuflected before the cross just above the altar. Strange enough, the supposed figure of Jesus Christ is missing, only the wooden cross where he was previously "attached" only remains there. He crossed the chancel, walking past the altar. The pulpit and the lectern were flipped to the side. A hole can be seen, indicating that a blunt force has hit it. As he neared a door towards the back of the altar, an armed man showed up.

"What in the--" he yelled.

[blackshot]

The armed rebel was equipped with a UNSC Standard Issued Assault Rifle. He was wearing a black vest with a green camoflague panoflex battle shirt underneath it, elbows covered with black elbow protectors. The insignia of the Koslovics was imprinted on his left shoulder. His face was covern with green balaclava. Green eyes stared at the ODST, showing malicious intent at the soldier as the man inserted his finger inside the trigger guard. His legs was covered with a worn out camoflague cargo pants and combat boots. His knees were protected with steel kneeguards with the left one dented with a bullet.

"You--" The man yelled as he raised his Assault Rifle.

Jonah reacted quickly as he lifted his foot and kicked him down. He aimed his own rifle at the enemy and fired. The man shook as the bullets hit him. Blood sprayed everywhere. The UNSC Personnel with them glanced at their direction. They know that it was about to happen.

"Take cover!!" One of the Marines yelled as he hid behind a destroyed pew.

Shootings broke out. Jonah thought that if he didn't continue, the Koslovic Commander might escape so he continued. An ODST reached for his shoulder as a protest to his action but he shrugged him off and continued. He climbed up the spiral staircase, rifle aimed ahead. A Koslovic in the same attire revealed himself ahead. Putting his knee on the ground, Jonah aimed at his head and fired thrice. The man rolled down the staircase with a missing head. He continued and encountered another one. The Koslovic opened fire at the sight of him. The ODST slid his back against the wall as the Insurgent did so. Jonah returned fire, hitting him square in the chest. The Koslovic shook before falling down to his knees.

Finally reaching the second floor, the ODST didn't expect what was coming as a Koslovic appeared from the shadow-covered wall on his left and wrestled his gun from his grip. Jonah held his rifle tight.

"You want a gun?" He asked. "Go get yourself one!!" He yelled as he sent a headbutt to the Koslovic's face. Blood smeared his visor. The Insurgent fell down to his butt, hitting the wooden floor. His hands were raised as a sign of surrender but Jonah pulled the trigger on him.

The ODST made a turn to his right and swept the whole place with his gaze, examining the whole place. The night sky can be seen above; the upper roof was entirely missing and the clerestory around him was burned off just like when he first see it. He moved across the place. There, a duo of Koslovics appeared on either side with their rifles raised. Jonah dove to his left as he fired at the Insurgent on his right, hitting his chest four times. He directed his aim at the last one, who fired a shot at him but missed. He fired back, hitting his head once and his chest twice. The man fell backwards, down to the nave below in the first floor. Standing up, he reminded himself to be careful of his footings as he advances. A Koslovic ran in front of him. He stopped as he raised an M6D Pistol towards him.

Jonah put a knee on the ground as he opened fire at him, hitting his chest twice. He reloaded the clip and continued ahead. He made another quick sweep of the area, seeing nothing but destruction around him. A duo of Koslovics revealed themselves from the shadows. They closed the wooden double doors that will lead to the balcony. He noticed that the two was defending it. He fired at the first Koslovic, corsairs aimed at the chest. Three bullets sent the Koslovic to the ground. The other Insurgent opened fire, hitting him on the left shoulder twice. The impact made him lose his grip to his weapon. He drew his M6D pistol and fired thrice at his chest then once to the head. The Koslovic was thrown towards the double doors, sending it open. The ODST rushed towards the balcony where he saw rope tied to the metal grills. It ends down onto the pavement below.

"Damn it!" Jonah yelled as he hopped over the balcony and held onto the rope. He lowered himself down and landed with a thud. He found himself standing on the entrance of the Church. He glanced behind and saw gunfires flashing from inside and the noise of explosion is audible even in this distance.

He shifted his focus back at the man who've just escaped and made a full sprint ahead towards an abandoned house, where the man has headed.

"I am on pursuit, the fugitive looked like our target, Oleg Ilyushin. Requesting assistance, over!" Jonah yelled over his comms.

[blackshot]

As he entered the scorched house, the door fell to the side. Jonah ignored the fallen object as he gazed upwards towards the man he was chasing. He watched him frantically searching for any available exits but every path are blocked. To no avail, the man just simply turned to him with a disturbing grin and raised his fists. He must have accepted his fate that his luck sold out for the punishment of his sins.

The man was Caucasian, his head was shaved cleanly and his aged face indicates that he was doing stuff like these for quite some time. A tattoo can be seen on the back of his head; the insignia of the Koslovics. He wore a smile, his eyes showed hatred. He was wearing the same outfit as the Koslovics he encountered earlier wore.

"Oh, so you wanna do this?" Jonah asked with an annoyance in his voice. He discarded his pistol, tossing it to the side. He raised his fists and stood on his battle stance. "Come at me then."

The man sent a fist at him, causing Jonah to lean to his left, evading the attack. He sent a jab at his face then a hook, causing Oleg to take a step back. His nose was bleeding.

"You're good." The man says in a crisp Russian accent. "But not good enough." He says as he sent a high kick, hitting the ODST's helmeted face.

Jonah took a step back as he shook his head. Another kick was heading straight at him but the ODST sidestepped to the right. He clasped his right hand onto the man's foot; balling his left hand into a fist, he hit the kneecap of the man then finally a straight punch to the neck with the same hand.

Jonah released him, watching him fell down, which was a mistake as the man swept him off balance. Oleg dragged him across the floor and sent a kick down his chest. Jonah removed his headgear and hurled it at Oleg, sending him a few inches away as he nursed his bleeding forehead. He saw the ODST already in his feet. He threw a punch at Jonah but the ODST executed a Biyakid kick; spinning clockwise then sending a kick on Oleg's nape. This has caused Oleg to flip down and hit the ground with a loud thud. Pain was written all over his face as the man let out a grunt. Jonah placed a knee on his chest and sent punch after punch at him until his face was covered in blood.

"My brothers shall take revenge against all of you!" Oleg whispered with a cracked voice before laughing. Jonah put him on a headlock then snapped his head.

"Tell them I'll be waiting." Jonah replied as he stood up. He approached his headgear and wore the helmet. He also retrieved his M6D from the ground. He exited the house where he was greeted by a fellow ODST.

"Hey, you're alright?" He asked as he handed Jonah his very own rifle. Jonah accepted the rifle and nodded.

"It doesn't make sense. Why would a group dissolved more than 300 years ago would resurface again?" Jonah asked, not expecting a reply.

"I'm not really sure, buddy. But I guess there's something more beneath all of this. All we have to do is wait and stop that thing that will threat humanity's freedom."

Jonah shrugged his shoulder at the weird thing the ODST says. "Yeah, maybe."

[END]