#fallofreach

Chapter One: I left my brain cells back there.

 New Alexandria, Reach.

It is a rainy afternoon in my home city. It’s not unusual for late summer to rain a lot. But even for New Alexandria it’s not common to rain two weeks straight.

Since days all I do is rolling around in my apartment. Living in penthouse near the clouds is all fun and games until the clouds are so thick, you can barely see anything anywhere. What’s truly worrying me, is the fact that I got a call from my father eight days ago. “Do not leave your apartment. Under no circumstances. Do not use your phone, your tab or any contact devices. It’s serious.” Those were his words. And that was the last time I had any contact with anyone. Eight days have passed since he said: “I’m sending the best people to get you to safety. Noble Team.”

I know that the Noble Team is an elite team of Spartans. They do the jobs, literally nobody ever would want to do. But does it really take them so long to bring someone to safety. I thought it’s serious. Does not feel so serious to me.

As it still continues to rain, and I clearly can’t use any media or contact devices, all that’s left for me now is to read or draw something. I could continue to study for my pararescue exam, but everything got cancelled. Maybe the whole city is in lockdown? Or even evacuation. I can’t say anything for sure, I would really like to read the news.

I can hear the heavy rain on the window, while I’m randomly drawing something in my sketchbook. The scratching of the pencil and the rain is all I can hear. But something doesn’t feel right. I have this feeling that something is going to happen. I jump of my couch and turn the lights off, as I turn towards the bathroom to hide, I can hear the elevator. Someone is coming. My apartment is the only at this floor. They are coming for me, but I can’t be sure if its Noble Team, or an Enemy.

Silently I’m making my way away from the entrance door towards the bathroom. If they would search for me, they will search in the bedroom first. Everybody hides under the bed. So I will hide in the bathroom and in the right moment I will leave the building over the elevator. It’s my only chance for survival.

Closing the door behind me, I can hear them, at the entrance door. But they are knocking?? Either it’s a trap or a very polite UNSC soldier. Anyway, I’m staying in the bathroom. I know this situation too well. My father had trained me for weeks. I know what to do and I have everything I need right here, above the towel shelf. A handy gun, some smoke grenades and an extendable pole. Colour me stoke, or better said, colour my father paranoid. But as daughter of a high ranked Major General of the UNSC, I could be in danger at any time. Packed with the gun and two smoke grenades, I stand against the wall, behind the door, gripping on the pole. It’s clear to hear that they are entering the apartment. They try to be as quite as possible, but I can hear the lock breaking. Then I can hear footsteps. I would say more than three people. I can hear them talking, quietly, but I can’t hear what they are saying.

After half a minute I can hear one pair of footsteps walking towards the bathroom. That was not as planned. My body tenses up, my heartbeat gets faster, I can feel the adrenaline rushing. My eyes are focused on the door, the pole above my head, ready to hit and run. The footsteps are stopping. Right in front of the bathroom door. I stopped breathing, when all I can hear is someone knocking at the door and obvious uncomfortable female voice: “Um Ma’am, sorry to bother you, we're here to pick you up. Miss l/n? Are you in there? We are the Noble Team. On behalf of your father."

They gotta be kidding me. I’m dying 100 deaths in here, and they have all nerves of the world to be so chilled?? All I feel is anger. Days, I have been waiting for anything. Starting to get crazy myself, not knowing what is going on or why I’m in danger. And they are so chilled?? I want to scream. Or destroy something. I feel so outrageous. But I must calm myself down. “Alright y/n, stay calm, let’s breath. You are professional. If they don’t say your first name, we don’t trust them.” Is all I can manage to whisper to myself. I can hear the women once more asking: “Are you in there? Ma’am?” She knocks again. 3 seconds later, she opens the door. Slowly the door swings towards me, I manage to stay calm and hold my breath. Hiding behind the door, all I hope that they think I’m not home.

She lights the room with a flashlight and yells: “Clear. No one in the bathroom.”

Now I can hear other voices yelling back. “Not in the bedroom.” “Guest room is empty as well.” “Nobody is hiding on the balcony.”

Then someone slams his hand on the table: “This is ridiculous. She must be somewhere!” The man clearly sounds angry.

While they continue discussing, the women closed the bathroom door finally completely. I let out a long breath. But quite of course. Let’s not make a sound. I don’t know why, but this whole situation smells. When they pretend to be Noble Team, and I end up in the wrong hands. They could use me against my father. Against the UNSC. So I need to stay put.

After 5 minutes of different voices talking so unclear, that I don’t know what they are talking, the footsteps are getting more quite. It sounds like they are leaving. And yes, the entrance door closes. The elevator gives its usual down sound. And it gets silent. So silent. All I can hear is my heartbeat. I wait 10 more minutes before I’m leaving my hiding spot. The pole tight in my hands, I’m making my way out of the bathroom, walking past the main door, to the living room. I need to contact my father. No matter if I’m allowed to or not. As I walk past my couch, suddenly: “And where are you off to?” A deep male voice shocks me so much that I almost throw my pole in the direction of the voice. But I’m not even sure from where the voice came. It’s pitch black in my apartment. I can’t even see my own hands. Then I can feel a hand on my right shoulder and someone takes the pole out of my hands.

“Let’s put this away for a moment, we don’t want you to hurt yourself. Even though, I couldn’t care less. You are already a pain in the ass. Now talking about your it, shove your ass on the couch and don’t do anything stupid. I’m not in the mood to dance.” He says, while he is pushing me towards my couch. Where he turns me around and pushes me by my shoulders down. I trained for months to become a pararescue. I know self-defence. I even trained weeks to survive a fight in my apartment. But all this men did, was to talk to me and I’m completely obeying? What is with his voice, or his aura, that I completely lost myself. I’m so lost on my thoughts that I almost didn’t realised that he squats down in front of me, he took a flashlight and pointed it towards the ceiling, then he turned it on, as if he would want to tell a horror story. But when I saw his visor, I got spooked enough. A full glassed visor, with a carved skull face on it. As he sees my shocked face, he giggles softly. And asks with a low voice: “What’s wrong tough guy? Scared of ghosts? Or do I have something on my fucking face?”

God is he pissing me off. Do I look like a guy? You better watch out. Don’t mess with a general’s daughter. I scooched a little closer to the edge of the couch, towards him and face him with my favourite death glare. With a light grin on my face, I give him something back: “Actually yeah, you got something on your face. A very ugly visor. Never seen such poor carving skills. Who made it, your cat?”

Got him right in the guts. He huffed angry and turned the flashlight off. Then I hear him walking away. He stopped by the entrance door. “Commander, this is Noble four. The brat was in her apartment and is already going on my nerves.” Short after his call follows a response from his contact device: “Noble four, watch your language against her. Get her ready to move. We’ll be at the buildings entrance in 5 minutes.”

The man in my apartment only responds with a short: “Affirmative.” Then he turns the lights of my living room on, what caused me to squeeze my eyes a little, to adjust them to the bright lights. The Spartan turned his attention towards me. “You heard the boss. Get ready.” With that he turns towards the entrance door, gripping his shotgun tight, ready for anything that could break through the door. It’s clear that they are the real Noble Team. I nodded and got up from the couch. Without a word, I walked into my bedroom. Changed into my most functional army clothes. Packed my bag with some change clothes, snacks, water and music player. Not sure if I will get the chance to listen to anything. I know I can’t take any contact or media devices with me, for the case we get tracked, but the music player should be not a problem. After I’ve put on my raincoat I grabbed my med-kit and put on my boots. “Ready to move.” I said, standing next to the man that was more than two meters tall. It is always fascinating to watch Spartans and hard to believe that they are actual humans.

He looked down to me and nodded before he turned the lights off, I followed him to the elevator. It was so silent. Too silent for my taste. He was so cocky at the beginning, and now he says nothing anymore. Why? I’m standing next to him looking at the floor sign above the elevator door. “So, you are Noble Team? Number four, hm. Must be fun?” Same time saying that I have the urge to punch myself in the face. What the hell was that? Did I leave my braincells in my apartment. Slowly shaking my head, I sigh. “I mean-“ I started but got cut off “You think you’re real funny, huh?” He turned his head to face me and tilted his head light to the right. He’s probably raising an eyebrow at me under the helmet. The elevator reached our floor, and before I could say anything more, the man with the callsign Noble four points to the blind corner next to the elevator. He moved to the left, and I moved to the right. The elevator opens the doors, as nobody steps out, Noble four makes his move to check. “All clear.” He said, leading the way in. The doors shut and we are making our way down. I’m not sure If I’m ready for what will come, but I know it’s going to be a nerve wrecking time. It started around 30 minutes ago already.

I need to say something. Just something. “I’m y/n. By the way.” I said with a tiny smile on my face. I looked up at him trying to read any reaction. And I got what I somehow expected. “Don’t give a damn.” He said, not even looking in my direction. Just focusing on the door. Of course, he is focused. It’s his mission to make sure I stay unharmed. But a little sympathy never harmed anyone. Or maybe he is pissed that I insulted his helmet. Funny to think a big guy like him would be mad about something like that. I let out a silent giggle. When he suddenly looked at me. My smile faded and I froze down to the core of my soul. He must be looking directly into my eyes, my soul. And he must be absolutely nobody to mess with. I turned my head away, trying to pretend that I don’t exist. I wish I could disappear. I’m somehow getting a little frightened by him.

The elevator stops and the door open. He goes first, shotgun aimed, ready to take the whole planet down. I’m curious what we are fighting against. Rebels? But I would not need escort from the Noble Team if it would only be some rebels.

I follow him quietly, my gun loaded and tight in my hands. We were walking towards the entrance of the building as I heard a helicopter landing. Stepping out of the Apartment complex, the heavy rain is making it almost impossible to see the UNSC marks on the helicopter. As a man in blue Spartan Armor signs us to move faster, I realised that New Alexandria isn’t what it was before the rain started. The streets are completely flooded, not a soul to see, but crashed cars and destroyed buildings. Never did rebels do that, I thought while hopping on board. The men with the skull visor, who was just in front of me is now checking the area once more before jumping on as well.

I looked at the man with the blue Armor who is reaching out his hand towards me. “I’m Noble Leader, Carter. Ma’am, you caused us quite some difficulties. But we are glad to see you are all right.” I took his hand, while nodding shortly. “Sir, what are we up against?” Carter froze at my question for a quick moment. Then he said with a serious tone. “The Covenant, Ma’am. I hope you are ready for a rough escort to your fathers hideout. Noble Team has the best of the best. But it won’t be a stroll through flower fields.” I chuckled light at his way to describe the situation, and said “I was born ready, sir. Though I’m not sure about the current Noble Team.” With my words, I looked at Noble four and narrowed my eyebrows.

Carter must have seen my face, he let out a light laugh and nudged Noble four against the shoulder. “I see. Noble four can be quite different sometimes. But he never means to harm anyone, right Emile. I’m sure you will get along just fine.” He lets out another laugh and turned to his P.A.D.

Emile on the other side only shakes his head. Emile. That’s a way to kind name for him. Maybe Carter is right. Maybe he is not as scary as he pretends to be. Only time will tell. I’m looking out of the helicopter, seeing how my home city is burning and flooding the same time. Farewell for now, I’ll come back to you one day. New Alexandria. I lower my head and a tear runs down my cheek. I can feel Emile looking at me. I look up to him, to see him looking away instantly. I hope we will get along.