Halo: Front Lines [BOOK ONE]

Chapter Fourteen - Escape

UNSC Colony World: Eridanus II,
Eridanus System,
0800 Hours July 26th, 2530

Blood dripped from the young Marine's fingertips as he tried in vain to keep them from shaking. Was it Alissa's? Brown's? Devonte's? He had no idea. All he knew was that if he and Anthony didn't make their escape soon, they were never going to.

"I can't do this anymore." Gray said, shaking his head as he stood.

"Do what?" Anthony questioned.

"Run. It's all we do. It's all we've ever done since this damned war started." Gray cynically remarked as he turned to face Anthony.

"Yeah? And what's wrong with sitting right where we are until we get to friendly lines?" Anthony responded. Extending his arms to either side, he added: "The only danger I see now is boredom."

Suddenly, a trio of Phantom's shot past the train car's window and maneuvered for an attack. Gray simply raised his eyebrows and maintained his deadpan look of annoyance.

"Still gonna go with that assumption?" Gray patronized. The Phantoms unleashed their primary weapon, an underslung plasma cannon beneath the cockpit. Gray and Anthony were thrown against the glass as the rear of their transportation went up in flames. The train swayed left and right as its weight attempted to equalize, but it was futile.

"We gotta get outta here. What's the plan?" Gray said as he struggled to regain his footing.

"I vote we stick with the original idea." Anthony growled. Before Gray could react, the Agent had already grabbed him by the combat vest and hurled himself through a now shattered window. The two free-fell into a valley as the train finally bucked and gave way to the Covenant's ruthless barrage. Detached train cars flew in every direction, some engulfed in flames and some melting apart as they plummeted into the valley below the two soldiers.

Instead of splattering across the dirt, or being impaled on a tree, Gray felt the wind get knocked out of him as he crashed into a vast river. He immediately began to sink, frantically ditching his gear until he was light enough to pull himself up to the surface. Just as Gray came up for a gasp of air, the first of many train cars smashed into the water beside him, forcing him back under as he fought the drag of the sinking object.

Another train car landed in the trees on the west bank of the river, practically falling apart as it annihilated every tree in its path. The young Marine came up for air again and clawed his way to the east bank with Anthony practically nipping at his heels. They laid parallel in silence, breathing heavily and coughing up water.

"Did you...know...about the river..." Gray gasped, laying flat on his stomach. Without warning, the train's caboose smashed into the ground just feet away from Gray. It teetered for a moment before falling on its side in the opposite direction. The two looked at each other in bewilderment for a long moment before breaking out into a maniacal, hysterical laugh.

. . .

UNSC Colony World: Eridanus II,
Eridanus System,
1915 Hours July 26th, 2530

Later That Evening...

Their day had been spent doing more of the same: trudging through the thick, unforgiving foliage of Eridanus II's unsettled forests. Now, huddled around a small fire with Anthony sitting opposite himself, Gray looked up to the stars in awe. Stars that seemingly danced across the night sky as the Covenant fleet reengaged the UNSC. He saw one twinkling dot of light after another shine bright for a moment before winking out of existence. It was a horrendously beautiful sight, one that he'd remember until the day he died.