The Director's Daughter: Part Two Of The Freelancer Saga

Chapter 6

Carolina's P.O.V.

Caves Of Chorus

I fired the last shot from my BR as I saw the troopers retreating under the Tanks bombardment. I then did a quick thermal scan looking for enemies as the dust cleared and the lights came back on. I ejected the spent mag and put in my last mag I had. 

"Carolina," Locus limped toward me and i stepped back still not entirely trusting. "I am not asking for your forgiveness, I am however coming with good news, I can get you onto Hargrove's ship." I kept running the solutions through my head but something didn't add up.

I pause trying to choose my words carefully, "Why would you do this? Not even 72 hours ago you were trying to kill us and the... my friends. What has changed and what is in it for you?"

"Maybe," Locus slipped his helmet off showing his face covered in scars as sweat dripped off his chin. I saw a midnight black hair that was cut into a close buzz cut and a scar that covered one of his eyes. "Maybe I now realize what being a soldier really is about, protecting the innocent and not just following orders. Agent Washington got to me. And now I am trying to repay my debt that I owe to the people of Chorus, or what is left of it anyway."

I feel anger building inside of me, "Well where was this when you slaughtered hundreds of innocents? And why do you feel worthy of carrying that sword? You are not worthy." I turned on my heel and walked back to help in the infirmary. I then send a ping on my radar to locate Wash and I head over to the barracks.

Adm_Omega P.O.V.

I head over to the pelican that is awaiting my arrival as I look at the crew to see a Spartan-II in the pilot's seat. The Spartan then stands up as the chair groans and I notice the reinforcements added on to the chair to support the 2 ton spartan. The spartan snaps a curt salute to me as he says "Admiral on deck." I couldn't help but being slightly amazed at the reflective golden visor and the battle worn armor with discolorations in the armor from scratches and charred parts now turned black.

"At ease Spartan," I say as the spartan's arm falls so fast it is just a blur. "What's your name son?" I ask wanting to try and get rid of the aura of mystery and absolute power that surrounded him.

"My designation is Sierra 092 sir, part of Spartan Red Team Omega, I was split from my team during the first encounters with the Covenant and the Flood while we were on-board the Spirit Of Fire with Sergeant Forge, Captain Cutter, and Professor Ellen Anders. However I do not know the current status of the team due to Halsey's orders along with ONI. Halsey once told my class of Spartans this, 'You have been called upon to serve. You will be trained - and you will become the best we can make of you. You will be the protectors of and all her colonies.', But then ONI directive of ONI Section Two Directive Nine-Three-Zero, stated when ONI went public with the SPARTAN-II program, it was decided that the reports of Spartan losses could cause a crippling loss of morale. Consequently, any Spartan casualties are listed as MIA or WIA, in order to maintain the illusion that Spartans do not die.' But I have a bad feeling. I am supposed to meet my team on-board the  UNSC Pillar of Ice."

"Glad to have met you Spartan Jerome, I looked at your CSV prior but I never thought they would actually give me a spartan let alone a team of Spartans." Jerome sat down as he looked back as he hesitated.

"Sir?" He then paused again, "Is it true that the so called Spartans or the Freelancers, the Reds, and Blues, on the planet of Chorus are not actual Spartans, that they just have armor without any enhancements?"

I sighed, "For the Reds and Blues that is true, but with the freelancers, we pushed them to train hard and then went through with the Augmentations from Dr. Halsey, The freelancers were the next gen of Spartan II's but we had crippling losses during augmentation of only 9 survivors. With Washington my son, poor David, all alone on Chorus, Carolina, the Dakotas, Connecticut, Florida, York, Maine, and Wyoming. I knew all of the freelancers by their names, not their designations. Wash was David, Carolina was special, Her name was Amber, North was Eric, South was Jenna, Ct was Connie ever since she was born, Florida was Butch Flowers, York was Edwin, and Maine was an orphan who didn't ever tell his name."

The pelican pulled into the Hanger as I stepped out to see the familiar hum of the ships engines warming up and the ship slowly started to move forward away from the red surface of Mars. A trooper then walked up to me and saluted as he then said, "Welcome to the Pillar of Ice sir, I can give you a tour if you wish."

I shook my head, "No, I already looked at the ship on mars, let's move out to heading 316, 45, 816, and go to slipspace, we need to get a move on if we are to stop Hargrove." He nodded and relayed the command as I walked by him, "Spartan 92 on me. I want to brief you on the mission."

Carolina's P.O.V.

I ran into the barracks to see 3 medics surrounding him with his helmet removed, "Wash!" I yelled feeling my heart leap into a rapid beat as I started to panic.

"Hey there Carolina," The medics backed away as Wash coughed up some blood and he grimaced in pain, "I'm alright, just took a shot to save a trooper," He grinned as I ripped off my helmet. With tears rapidly filling my eyes.

"What the Hell David," I feel tears welling up, "So help me god if you die because of this I will kill you damn it."

Wash smiles and takes my hand as he then laughs, " I can always count on you to wake the dead with that kind of threat, Good to see you are okay." Then his bio-signs flat-lined as his hand fell out of my grasp and the medics rushed back.

"Prep the iv for port 15b and get me a shot of adrenaline, get his heart pumping, someone get me the damned X-Ray now, he has internal bleeding," a doctor yelled as I just collapsed on the cot crying, worried I might lose my brother. A doctor then injected a needle into a port as he lied still with a smile on his face, his eyes not seeing anything as a doctor removed the chest plate off of Wash and he started giving him CPR, "We need to get the bullet out of him now!" A doctor then stuck a pair of red hot tweezers making the smell of burning flesh fill my senses.

A nurse then came in with a defibrillator and said Clear!" The medics all stepped back as Wash's body jolted but the Bio signs still had a flat line as the recovery alarm that I never took out of my armor went off signalling a freelancer at risk of death. "Clear" Wash then gasped as his heart started to beat again as a green glow from a portable healing unit enveloped Wash as the Medics put him under with sedatives and they started a plasma infusion as I took Wash's hand and squeezed it, silently pleading that he would survive this.