"Okay! Well, I just ran everything again. All calculations are up to date, taking into account standard delays for communication and response time. Our window looks good! Oh, and uh, about that other thing regarding Arizona. Techs finished with his voice modulator, it'll be ready to go after the mission." 

"Thank you Alpha, and I agree that our window looks clear." The Director confirmed. 

"Well, you should...I'm sure you'd make the same calculations I did. Just, you know...more slowly." Alpha teased. 

"Arrogance is a rather unbecoming trait, Alpha." 

"Are you...seriously giving me a lecture on arrogance right now? Pfft. Heads up, you've got a visitor." 

"Director?" Carolina asks walking up behind him. 

"Log off." The Director says quietly. 

"Yeah, yeah. Way ahead of ya, bud." Alpha then shut down. 

The Director then turns to the auburn haired Freelancer. "Yes, Agent Carolina?" 

"The team is ready, sir." 

"Excellent. Let us begin." He and Carolina approach the holographic screen where the Freelancers and several soldiers are waiting. "Agents! Your mission today is by far the most important you have undertaken to date. As our Number One, Carolina will be leading from the field." 

Carolina takes her position at the front of the screen. She presses a few buttons that activates a holographic sphere onto the screen. "Okay, here's what we have. As you may have heard, there is suspected Insurrection activity in this area. Our intel says that members of the UNSC loyal to the Insurrection have acquired a high-level asset and are holding it in this secure location." 

Suddenly the table formed a display of buildings, one being taller than all the others. 

"It's a hundred and ten-story building in the middle of an urban environment." 

"What does security look like?" Wyoming asked. 

"They have enough troops to fill a hundred and ten story building." She answered. 

"So, that's a lot of security." The British Freelancer muttered. 

"We're up to it." Carolina says firmly. 

A red line cuts through the tallest building and forms a dot at a specific point inside. "Our job is to infiltrate the building, work our way up to the floor where the Sarcophagus is being held, and secure it." 

"The Sarcophagus?" North questions. 

"That is what we are calling the primary objective." The Director explains. 

"But since this is a high-level asset, we need to access a key code to open the Sarcophagus." 

"I'm guessing they don't keep that just taped to the side." Wash states sarcastically. 

"It's held by an official of the program who will be moving in a vehicle along the freeway between inspections. That's when we'll hit the facility." Holograms display a freeway and several moving vehicles. One of them flashes red and stops in the middle, and an image of the official's face appears above it. "We need to acquire targets within minutes of each other. We fail that, the remaining target will enter lockdown and we miss our window." 

"We will not have another chance at this." The Director says monotone. 

"So that means two teams." Wash guesses. 

"Two teams." Carolina confirms. "Team A will consist of me, Wash, York, and Maine. We will work infiltration on the Package's storage facility. Transport will be two lightly-equipped Pelican dropships." 

"We're rigged for fast running only, people. No heavy armaments." 479er tells the group. 

"Team B will be North, Wyoming, and C.T. You will act as recon for Team A, and once we enter the building, you will disengage to attack the target on the freeway. North will lead Team B." 

"Got it." North says affirmatively. 

"What about Agent South?" CT asks. 

"Agent South will not be accompanying you on this mission. Due to her actions regarding her last mission." The Director says to the brown and white Freelancer. 

"Hmm, guess the world's a tough place when you move down a rank. And what about Agents Arizona and Texas? Will they be joining us?" 

"That's enough questions, Connecticut." The Director commands. 

"Notice he didn't say no..." She whispers to Wash. 

"Team B should be simple. Stop the vehicle and grab the case. Team A? You have more of a challenge. Mainly if the Sarcophagus is an unknown." 

"How unknown are we talking?" Wash asks. 

"Unknown in that we don't know its size, or its weight, or its dimensions. We just know it will have these markings somewhere on the exterior." 

Carolina presses a few buttons and a large red insignia appears above the screen."I saw those same markings on the oil platform." North says remembering. 

"Correct. That facility created the primary objective." The Director affirmates. 

"Do we know what's inside it?" Wash asks once again being the questionare. 

"Yes, we know." 

"How do we know what's in it, but not how big it is?" CT says confused. The Director turns to C.T. silently.

"Sorry, sir." CT turns away. 

"We have a job to do, people. Let's do it right and come home safe."'Carolina orders. Suddenly the door opens and everyone looks to see Arizona with his sword and sniper on his back, two SMGs on his thighs, and his arms crossed. 

"Ah Arizona, you have arrived. Just so we are all clear Agent Arizona will be accompanying Team A, that is all! You are all dismissed!" 

All the Freelancers and soldiers snapped to attention. "Sir, yes sir!" 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Inside the Pelican, Zone was sharpening his sword on his lap when Maine came up and sat next him. Zone nodded hello as Maine did back. 

"Hey Zone, question?" Wash asked sitting on the other side. Zone looked at Wash. "Did you really help some crazy-giant wolf?" Zone nodded in response. 

"Why, just out of curiosity?" York asked getting involved in the conversation. Zone shrugged not really thinking much of it. 

"And then helping that alien thing?" Zone immediately struck his sword into the deck in anger. Maine slid a bit back as Wash and York held up there hands in defense. 

"Geez, what did I say?" York asked confused. Zone just glared before sheathing his sword on his back. Carolina then remembered how he smacked the medic for calling the Elite a thing. He must've had some history with the Sangheili. 

"Team A, you look clear. Window is open. Start your clocks. On my mark. Mark." North announced over comms. 

"Sync. Roger that. Team A is moving." Carolina confirmed. 

"Copy that Carolina. Good luck Team A." 

"Thanks. We won't need it." 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Team A enters the building. Washington, Zone, and Maine are on look out.

"We're in. York, get up here. How long to crack that lock?" Carolina asked. 

"Should take about 60 seconds. You can give me 15." York walks up to the lock and begins to do his magic. "Wow, it's a holographic. That's high-end." 

"Can you get through it?" 

"Of course I can. You didn't bring me along for my good looks, did you? Whoever designed this is a genius." Suddenly an alarm sounds. 

"You were saying?" 

"Ok, I take it back, whoever designed this is an complete moron." As York struggled with the lock, Zone the brought up his holo-screen while everyone was focused on York. He tapped a couple buttons before the doors open up. 

(FOR THOSE WHO ARE WONDERING WHERE I GOT THE HOLO-SCREEN IDEA AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, THINK OF IT LIKE THE ARTEMIS FROM HALO 5 THAT TEAM OSIRIS USES.) 

"There told ya I'd get it! Everybody in." York then stands up. Zone smirked before rolling his eyes. 

"Thanks York, but do something about that alarm system. We don't need anymore surprises." Carolina says. 

"Does saying sorry count as something?" Carolina gives York a glare.

"Hmm. Guess not." 

"We'll secure the package. Set some trackers, then find us a way out of this." Carolina and the rest of Team A then enter the vault. Zone was astonished at how the Insurrection was able to acquire so many Covenant weapons. Plasma rifles, needlers, beam rifles, fuel rod cannons. "Alright everyone, spread out. What we need is here somewhere. It's probably something small, easy to miss. Take as many scans as possible, there may be other things we can use." Maine picks up a Brute Shot and growls. 

Washington walks up to Maine. "That's a good look." Maine nods in agreement. Zone walks up to another table and picks up a Carbine. He whistles at Maine and poses with it. Maine nods in approval as does Zone while he replaces his sniper rifle. 

"Carolina, Motion Trackers indicate you got an enemy team outside the door." York says on comms. 

"Well, let's hope they're not as good at picking locks as you are, York. Alright team, we're about to have company." 

Wash the jogs up to her. "Boss, I've got good news and bad news." 

"Hit me." 

"We found the markings we're looking for. The bad news is...They're on that." Wash then gestures to a container that looks to be 4 feet tall with the markings described in the briefing room. 

"That?" Carolina questions at the size of the object. Zone walks up and kneels to it, and for a split second he thought he heard some type of clicking noise from inside. 

"Team A, I got us an exit up here. Straight up the stairwell, door to the roof, helipad." York says checking the roof to be clear. 

"Copy, I'll radio air support. Now, how are we going to get that thing up to the roof?" Maine shrugs his shoulders and growls. Zone then looks to the window and sees a window washer unit. Zone whistles at Carolina before looking at the washer making her follow his direction. 

"York, we got a window-washer unit here, can you find where it attaches to the building?" 

"I don't know, that's a tough one, 'lemme see what I can do." 

"What are you up to?" Wash asks unsurely. 

"Improvising. Come 'ere Maine." Carolina orders before Maine and Zone follow her. 

"Improvising? I hate it when we do that." Wash complains. Zone then hears a noise and looks to see the door being welded. Zone and Wash aim their weapons at the door as Carolina pushes the Sarcophagus on the lift of the window washer. 

"Better hurry!" Wash warns. 

"Maine, it should work fine. You're the only one heavy enough to counter-balance this thing." Carolina says reassuringly. 

"Too high." Maine says looking down. 

"Oh, don't be a baby." Carolina then kicks Maine out the window and shoots the wire holding up the window-washer platform. Maine free-falls down the building, past two Insurrection Soldiers.

"Hey, did you hear that noise?" One asks. 

"Probably the sound of you being an idiot." The other answers. 

"Oh, you're probably right...moron." 

Maine lands near the bottom of the tower and the Sarcophagus launches up to the roof where York is. "Package is here." York confirms. 

Maine lands at the bottom and pulls out his newly acquired Brute Shot on some Insurrection Soldiers.

"Stop right there or we'll...shoot? We-we're gonna' need bigger hand-cuffs. Is-is that a knife? Rifle? Kn-knifle? Ah!" 

Carolina, Zone, and Wash watch from above. "Well that oughta' buy us some time." She smirks. 

"I almost feel bad for the people down there." Wash says thoughtfully. 

"Don't." 

"What? I said "almost."" The Insurrection soldiers weld through the door and bust it open. Wash, Zone, and Carolina open fire and kill all of the soldiers except for one. The large soldier walks in dramatically, holding a flamethrower. "What the heck is with this guy?" He says turning to Zone and Carolina. The hulking ODST fires his flamethrower and Wash and Carolina immediately dive for cover. Except for Zone who activates two shields on his arms and crosses them just as the fire hits him, pushing him back towards the window. 

(THESE ARE THE SHIELDS ON HIS ARMS) 

He grunts in effort to stand his ground but kept inching towards the window. Wash and Carolina open fire at the soldier. The soldier, however, has bullet-proof armor and is unaffected by their gunfire and grenades. As he continues is attack, Wash throws a grenade toward him. Unfortunately, the soldier fires at the grenade, causing it to explode. Zone then using his teleportation, appears in midair and kicks the soldier in the face, making the soldier fire his flamethrower in all directions. 

"I've got this. What The-? Ahh!" The weapons on the table Carolina uses for cover overheat and explode, sending Carolina flying back. A fuel rod cannon lands in the middle of the floor in front of Wash. He dives for it and fires it at the soldier. However, the shot bounces off the floor and misses him.

"What the-? It bounces?! Who designs a gun that bounces? This is the worst gun ever... of all" Zone tackles him out of the way from the oncoming fire and they take cover. He then motions Wash to stay put. He then runs over tables and avoids oncoming heat blasts. Noticing the Banshees hanging from the ceiling, he teleports to one of them tossing a grenade inside. He jumps off and lands next Carolina as it explodes into the ODST. He then takes notice of a Gravity Hammer. As the ODST got up wearily he sees Zone holding the Hammer like a javelin before launching towards the flamethrowing Insurrectionist and sending back against the wall unconscious. Zone then proceeds to help Carolina put pushes him away. 

"I'm fine, I don't need your help. (Sighs) Come on let's get moving." The three then trot out of the Vault. 

"Hey Zone." He turns to Washington. "That bit with the purple plane, that was just showing off." Zone scoffs. They arrive at the roof where York is waiting.

"Come on, come on, hurry!" York smashes the control panel to the door, closing it shut. "There, that oughta hold 'em for awhile." Soldiers immediately begin to weld through the door. "Okay, maybe not. Hey, where's Maine?" 

"Downstairs, keeping our hosts occupied." Wash answers. 

"Man, I almost feel bad for them." 

"That's what I said!" 

"479er, this is Team Alpha! We need evac on the roof of the tower!" Carolina orders. 

"Roger that, I'm on it." 

"Come on, it's up... here." They stop when they the familiar black armored Freelancer setting up an unknown device. 

"You! What are you doing here? Is that a bomb? I knew it. It was you who blew up the oil platform!" Carolina accuses. 

"Wait that thing blew up?" Wash says shocked. 

"Somebody's been covering our tracks. You're on the roster too, but they hid your name. Why did they send you?" 

"Hey, hate to bust up your reunion here, but we've got a problem!" York says as the door bursts open and Insurrectionsists come running out. 

"Let's go, go, go, now! Get into position! Completely surround them!" Another ODST says as he and his men form a circle around the five Freelancers. Hornets and soldiers with jetpacks surround the area as well. "No one get behind me! Drop your weapons! You... silver guy, disarm the bomb!" 

"Uh buddy he can't-" York tries to say. 

"Shut it! I wasn't talkin' to you. You heard me disarm the bomb!" Zone puts his carbine on his back as he pick up the so-called bomb. He then inspects it and realizes that it isn't a bomb. He whistles towards the ODST and motions for him to come here. The ODST keeps his shotgun ready as he looks at the bomb. "Wait a sec, this ain't a bomb. It's a transmitter." He points his shotgun at Zone's head. "What's it transmitting?!" Zone then looks up at the sky as the ODST follows. 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"System online, Director. Awaiting your command." FILSS announces. 

"If I may Director, I think it would be wise if we-" 

"Shut up, Counselor." The Director interjects. 

"Of course, sir." 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

A laser homes in on the transmitter.

"What the heck? There were four of them here! What the freak is going on?!" Carolina deactivates her camouflage and starts pummeling some soldiers. Tex uses her invisibility to also take out some soldiers. "What did I say?! I said one thing! Keep them in front of me!" Zone then taps the ODST's shoulder before knocking his shotgun away and punching in the face. He then shoves the transmitter into the ODST's hands and runs off. A beeping is heard and the ODST looks up. 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"Target locked." FILSS affirmates. 

"Fire!" The Director commands. 

"Firing main cannon." The Mother of Invention fires its MAC cannon. 

"Oh, son of a..." The building gets hit by the blast, causing the Freelancers to all fly back from the explosion. The blast also creates a large gaping hole on the roof. Tex spots a Pelican in the sky. She grabs a jetpack from a dead soldier and uses it to kick the Sarcophagus off the building. She then flies off. York, Wash, Zone, and Carolina also see the Pelican hovering over them. The 4 begin to run towards the edge of the building as the hole crumbles down behind them.

"This must be karma for kicking Maine out the window!" Carolina says panting.

"I don't wanna DO THIIIIIIISSS!!!" York yells. 

"SON OF A GUUUUNNNN!" Wash yells after. The four jump off the building, with the Pelican rushing down behind them. The three Freelancers freefall down the building in diving position, avoiding oncoming debris and other falling soldiers. Carolina reaches for the Sarcophagus and rides on it. Pilot Four Seven Niner tries to get the Pelican in position with Carolina. Zone then taps something on his holo-screen making two holes open up underneath his boots. Suddenly fire erupts from them, allowing him to change his momentum. Rocket boots! 

"Line it up! Come on! Come on! Stay on target!" 479er says as she opens the Pelican's back hatch and begins to slow it down. Suddenly, two Hornets appear and begin to fire at them. Carolina hops off the Sarcophagus and Washington takes her place on it. He fires his rifle at a Hornet and manages to take it down in mid-air. Tex appears, flying on her jetpack. Zone then kicks the Sarcophagus to Tex with Wash still on it as she pushes it into the bay of the Pelican. 

"Hold on!" 479er balances the Pelican and flies off.

"Get the package back to Command, now!" Tex orders. 

"On it!" 

Carolina and York are still in free fall. "Well there goes our ride." 

"You think maybe we should've had a fallback plan?" Carolina jokes. 

"Hey, what happened to Zone and Maine?" Maine suddenly appears, rescuing the two in a Warthog.

"Whoa!! Are we in a car?!" The Warthog enters a tunnel. In the background, the 110 story building slowly crumbles down to the ground. The Warthog then exits the tunnel, with Maine quickly swerving through traffic, dodging oncoming cars. York is riding shotgun and Carolina is on the turret. Zone still using his jet boots flies alongside the Warthog. He salutes to the group. 

"You have freakin' rocket boots?!" Carolina says shocked. Zone just smirks. 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"Command, this is Four Seven Niner. The Sarcophagus is secure, I repeat, the Sarcophagus is secure. We are inbound. Two Agents Aboard, Team's Status Unknown." Wash and Tex are in the hangar where Tex's jetpack sparks.

"So, jetpacks huh?" Wash says. Tex places the damaged jetpack on top of the Sarcophagus and jumps out of the Pelican. "That was interesting." The Pelican closes its back hatch and flies away.

(LONGEST CHAPTER YET FOLKS! WAIT TILL THE HIGHWAY FIGHT!)