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The Final Stand Sergeant Jackson scrutinized the battlefield. Chaos and destruction was all to be seen. He and his squad were the last surviving marines in the platoon. Their Lieutenant was infected by the Flood, so the Sergeant was left in command of this unit. The three others with him were less experienced in combat, but he believed they could pull through. There was Corporal Williams, the squad’s best Sniper. Private Bosworth, the new recruit to the UNSC. Finally there was Engineering Officer Bailey, an experienced engineer in the UNSC Engineering Corps. These four soldiers formed Charlie Squad. The flood had hit hard, it was an unexpected attack. They had high-jacked another Covenant ship and jumped to the Western region on New Mombasa, the area where Charlie Squad and the other marines in the Platoon were stationed to protect. They were expecting Covenant, and only Covenant. The Flood began to quickly multiply as soon as they hit Kenya. It all happened too fast. “Bailey! Any luck with that COM Tower?” the Sergeant barked. “Yes Sarge, just a few more minutes.” The Engineer replied. “Hey Williams, you see anything?” Jackson asked. “No Sergeant, not yet. I’m expecting another horde to be coming soon though.” The Corporal didn’t take his eye of the scope whilst replying. Sergeant Jackson walked over to the recruit, who was slowly reloading his Assault Rifle. “Private, how you doing?” The Sergeant asked in a calmer tone. “I’m good Sergeant, this was just…not something I was expecting to happen. I thought there may be a few Covenant drop ships, maybe a little more. I never thought the Flood would come. I had only heard things about these monsters, and now I’m fighting them.” Bosworth was almost shivering as he spoke. “Don’t worry kid, we’ll get through this. Just keep yourself together and stay strong." the Sergeant reassured him. “Thanks Sarge.” the Private replied. “Hey Sarge! I’ve got good news!” Bailey shouted from the COM Tower. “What is it?” “I managed to make contact with a Search and Rescue team, there’s a Pelican waiting for us a few miles South. We have to be there within thirty minutes. It shouldn’t take us long in the Troop Transport Hog…as long as there aren’t any interruptions.” “Nice work Bailey.” The sergeant was satisfied. “Come on boys! Pack up, we’re leaving. “Where to?” the confused Private responded. “We’re getting off this damn planet.” the Sergeant replied. Bosworth was waiting at the wheel, while the Sergeant sat next to him. Williams was sitting in the back, checking his sniper rifle. “Bailey! You got the rest of the ammo?” The Sergeant felt like they needed to move quicker. “Yeah Sarge, I’m just-” “Just what?” Loud gunshots go off, the squad snapped their neck toward the sound. Bailey was sprinting towards the Warthog whilst reloading his magnum. “Damn it!” the Sergeant yelled. “They’re here!” Bailey was nearing the Warthog, but it was too late. A Flood Combat form and leaped at him and hit him to the ground. Bailey fired at it as dozens of infection and combat forms began to swarm the area. “Just drive! I’ll hold them off!” the struggling Engineer shouted. “You’re a good man Bailey, you will be remembered. Private, get us out of here!” Jackson ordered. Bosworth slammed the acceleration pedal. The Warthog’s engine roared and they were off. “Williams! You good back there?” Jackson asked. “Yes Sergeant.” the Corporal replied. He wasn’t very talkative, compared to most other marines. They were escaping the Flood, but the Sergeant knew there would be more ahead. There was only fifteen minutes left until the Pelican had to leave. The Flood was spreading. “Sergeant! We’ve got a massive wall up ahead! Looks like it was used to hold off the flood!” The Private struggled to talk over the Warthog’s screaming engine. “Alright! Bring us to a stop!” the Sergeant replied. The Warthog screeched, then stopped. The wall was huge, there was no way to get the Warthog through. Jackson spotted some stairs on the left side of the wall that could easily take them over. The Pelican shouldn’t be too far from there, no more than 5 minutes running. “Come on, we’re heading up those stairs. Grab any ammo you need and move it.” The Sergeant was confident they could make it. They had just about reached the top of the wall when they heard the heavy footsteps of flood infection forms running towards them. Hundreds of infection forms followed. “Damn! Ok, we need to-” Jackson was cut off by the sound of Williams reloading his sniper. “Go ahead you two, it’s time I had a bit of fun.” The Corporal was eager to fire a few rounds and hold off the Flood, even if it cost him his life. “What are you still doing here? You’ve got less than ten minutes to reach that Pelican.” “Thanks Corporal, I wish you the best of luck.” The Sergeant was proud to have such soldiers fighting by his side. Jackson and Bosworth reached the bottom of the other side of the wall and sprinted through the woods. They could hear the gunshots behind them, then eventually there was silence. The two kept running, but they could hear the Flood gaining on them. They leaped out of the woods panting, and looked around expecting to see a Pelican. There was nothing there. “Sarge…they left us.” the Private said in shock. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this all under control. I’ve got a flare, let me just pull it out of my bag.” The Sergeant was panicking on the inside, but he wouldn’t let the marine know how he truly felt about the situation. He pulled of his bag and started rummaging through its contents. “They’re coming, hold them off until I can get this flare out and lit.” The Private didn’t say a word. He just turned to face the oncoming flood, and fired his Assault Rifle. “Sarge, I’m all out, they’re almost here.” the Private slowly said. “Ok, take this!” Jackson threw him his SMG without lifting his head up from his bag. Ah! Private I’ve got the-” The Sergeant dropped the flare. He watched as Bosworth, or what used to be Bosworth, grew an appendage and was quickly mutated by an infection form. Many more infection and combat forms surrounded Jackson. He looked down at the two fragmentation grenades attached to his belt, then looked back at the Flood. “Looks like there’s only one way for this to end…”