UNSCDF Chapter 26- Hunting the Hunter

Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

UNSC Relief Center

March 25, 2001

1515 Local Time

            Zyrok opened the garage door and walked inside. In the middle of the garage was a troop transport Warthog. Taylor jumped into the driver’s seat and smiled. Zyrok hopped into the passenger’s seat and placed his M16 beside him.

            “I guess we’re at the back.” Casey sighed.

            “Come on Casey, don’t be like that. We’ll switch later.” Taylor winked.

            Nevarez climbed to the back seats and sat next to Casey. Casey looked at the ammo box on the FM Mag and began to count the rounds left.

            “Let’s roll and find the other Titan.” Zyrok pointed at the gates.

           Taylor turned the Warthog on and drove out the garage. A zombie walked out in front of them and Taylor ran it over.

            “Nice!” Nevarez shouted excitedly.

            Taylor continued down the road and exited the Relief Center. He turned left at an intersection and continued to drive down the road until they saw a horde of zombies walking in front of them.

            “Splatter them.” Casey suggested.

            “Don’t. I have a feeling that every time we encounter a horde, the Titan is nearby.” Zyrok studied as the horde moved past them without noticing them on the stationary Warthog.

            “Alright, let’s go around the horde and see if the Titan is nearby.” Casey looked at the vacant streets.

            “You heard him.” Zyrok looked at Taylor.

            Taylor nodded and stepped on the gas pedal gently and slowly moved forward keeping his eyes open for nearby zombies. Zyrok turned his head to face Casey.

            “After this is done, we need to write a report about the new zombies we saw.” Zyrok said to Casey and Nevarez.

            “You mean that two-headed screamer?” Casey laughed.

            “Yeah, that one and another one with tentacles that Taylor and I saw back at the center.” Zyrok nodded.

            “Tentacles? Sounds more like aliens.” Nevarez joked.

            “It must be the mutation. The radiation has really changed the normal zombies. I wonder what else we’ll encounter along the way.” Zyrok wondered.

            “Contact.” Taylor called out and stopped the Warthog.

            Zyrok turned his head to see the Titan in the center of a horde and walking down into an alleyway.

            “We don’t have enough firepower.” Zyrok looked at this M16 and then looked at the horde.

            “Don’t forget, we still have a round for the HK69.” Taylor pulled out the grenade launcher from his backpack.

            “I have an idea.” Casey pitched in.

            “Do tell Casey.” Zyrok looked at the Titan.

            “I remembered that we took out a Titan with a Warthog and grenades back at Fort Calhoun.” Casey smiled.

            “How exactly did you do it?” Zyrok was amused.

           “Well, we had a belt of grenades stuck on the Titan and then rammed the Warthog and blew it up.” Taylor explained.

            “We got the Warthog, but only one grenade left.” Zyrok watched as the horde disappear from their view.

            “We’ll have to improvise with what we have.” Casey patted his FM Mag.

            “We need to flush out the Titan and lure it away from the horde so that we can take it out with ease.” Zyrok began to draft a plan.

            Zyrok looked around at the buildings nearby and looked at the weapons they had available. He took out his datapad and wrote some ideas down.    

            “Alright. Height is our advantage.” Zyrok pointed at an office building down the streets.

            “I understand. We learned that from killing that previous Titan.” Nevarez nodded.

            “We’ll have two men stationed on the high grounds. The other two will drive to lure the Titan to the building. We’ll engage when the Titan approaches the building to divert its attention so that it will attack a stationary target.” Zyrok drew some sketches on his datapad.

            “And where does the killing part come in?” Nevarez spoke with excitement.

            “Calm down, I’m getting there. Once the Titan is baited to attack the building, we’ll drive the Warthog back and ram it. Then we blow it up with the launcher.” Zyrok smiled at his plan.

            “Assuming nothing screws up halfway.” Taylor joked.

            “Pretty much. It’s all about timing and precision. The grenade must not miss its target.” Zyrok spoke seriously.

            “We’ll need someone with good aim.” Casey spoke and eyed Taylor.

            “Looks like Taylor. He’s a rifleman.” Nevarez laughed.

            “I have good aim, but I’m no explosives expert.” Taylor laughed nervously.

            “We don’t have a choice. You are our best shot.” Zyrok spoke and handed Taylor the HK69.

            “So we need a good driver now…” Nevarez looked at the steering wheel.

            “Either Nevarez or I can do it.” Casey offered.

            “Casey drive and Nevarez shoots with the FM Mag.” Zyrok directed.

            “Very well. Same teams, boss?” Casey offered.

            “Yeah, 1-2 for Taylor and I. 2-2 for you.” Zyrok looked at Casey and Nevarez.

            “Sounds like a plan.” Nevarez clapped his hands together.

            “Casey, drive us to that building over there for us to set up.” Zyrok commanded as Taylor exited the driver’s seat and swapped places with Casey.

            “On it sir.” Casey saluted and turned the Warthog around.

            Casey drove down the street and stopped at the tall building. Zyrok and Taylor got off and went inside the building while Casey and Nevarez drove off to hunt for the Titan.

            “Let’s go to the fifth floor.” Zyrok suggested.

            “Alright. Let’s go.” Taylor opened the doors to the stairwell for Zyrok.

            Zyrok and Taylor ran up the stairs and exited the stairwell. Zyrok saw two zombies walking in front of the windows and shoved them straight into the windows. The windows shattered and the zombies fell to their deaths. Taylor looked down to see the zombies splattered on the asphalt.

            “Echo 2-3, this is 1-2. We’re in position.” Zyrok spoke on the RaidCall and looked at the sky.

            “Echo 1-2, we read you. Commencing our run, over.” Casey replied back.

            “Copy 2-2, good luck. See you in a bit, 1-2 out.” Zyrok ended the communication.

            “This is going to be intense.” Taylor held on to the HK69 firmly.

            “It will be. Lock and load.” Zyrok spoke as he heard machine gun fire echoing the streets.        

            “I’m ready.” Taylor took a deep breath.

            Zyrok and Taylor stood next to the window and waited for quite some time. Zyrok began to become impatient as he heard the machine gun fire slowly die down.

            “Echo 2-2, what’s your status over?” Zyrok spoke on the RaidCall.

            “Sir, we’re running out of ammo. The Titan managed to hit the Warthog, but we’re fine. It’s coming, get ready 1-2.” Casey replied in distress.

            “Copy, we’re ready.” Zyrok assured.

            Zyrok looked at Taylor and nodded. Taylor looked out the window and saw the Warthog speeding towards them. Taylor took out his M21 and began to snipe at the Titan behind the Warthog. Zyrok aimed at the Titan and sprayed a light cover. The Warthog passed the building and quickly turned around the corner. The Titan paused for a moment to locate the Warthog, but couldn’t see it. It turned to face its new threat, Zyrok and Taylor.

            “Brace yourselves!” Zyrok crouched as the Titan smashed the wall of the building.

            Taylor fell to the ground as the windows beside him shattered to pieces from the vibration. Taylor grabbed his HK69 and looked outside.

            “Casey, get the Warthog ready to ram.” Taylor spoke on the RaidCall.

            “Solid copy, we’re on our way.” Casey replied.

            Casey and Nevarez watched as the Titan smashed the building violently and then accelerated the Warthog towards the Titan. Nevarez jumped out of his seat followed by Casey as the Warthog crashed into the Titan’s leg.

            “Now!” Zyrok shouted as the Titan wobbled.

            Taylor aimed the HK69 and fired.