The Hollow: Chapter 42

The closer Garrus and I got to the defensive line, the louder it got. We entered an atrium, where a lot of wounded men and women laid on the ground. Medics were shouting over the cries of the Marines.
I scanned the room, hoping to find Ashley. Instead, I saw Liara, looking around.
“T’Soni!” I called out, making her turn in our direction.
She headed towards us, “Spartan, thank the Goddess you're here!”
She was now in front of me, her tone flustered, “I'm trying to find Ashley. She got hit.”
“I know, I heard it over the radio. How bad is she wounded?”
She let out a frustrated sigh, “I don't know, Joe! That's why I'm trying to find her!”
Garrus stepped forward, “Did you try raising Mickey or Tali on the comms?”
“Yes, but I couldn't reach them! I'm trying to see if they brought her here!”
I walked off. “Garrus, stay with Liara. I'll help at the frontline.”
On my way there, I brushed past an ODST Corporal who called out to me, “Good luck, Spartan. It's a nightmare out there.”
I continued walking, not responding to him. I started running, getting closer to the fight. I entered a large open area, and moved in.
“Move! Move! Move,” a Sergeant barked at his men. “Push them back!”
A mortar exploded, sending the Marines flying. I maneuvered around rubble, sandbags, and bodies. A sniper round whizzed past my head, creating a hole where I was less than a second ago.
“Spartan,” I heard Mickey yell at me, “Over here!”
I looked to my right to see him waving me over, blood on his chest piece. Just as I started to head over, he quickly aimed his Battle Rifle. “Behind you!”
What felt like a Warthog rammed me to the ground. I flipped over onto my back to gaze in the eyes of a Locust. It roared as its hands grabbed onto my helmet and pulled it off. I could now smell its putrid breath being blasted on my face.
I slugged the Grub in the jaw, but it didn't back off. It clawed the left side of my face, cutting deep. I let out a pained groan as I tried grabbing its throat, but the Grub kept maneuvering out of the way.
“Mickey,” I shouted, “shoot it!”
“I can't get a clear shot,” he yelled back.
I roared in rage as I used all my strength to launch the Grub off of me. I stood up and grabbed a hunk of concrete from the ground. I charged the Locust and slammed the piece of concrete into its head, making it stumble. I did it again, and again until it fell to the ground. I kneeled down and kept hitting it until the head exploded into a gory mess.
I turned to Mickey, now accompanied by Tali, stunned.
“Holy...” Mickey started,
“...Keelah.” Tali finished.
I found my helmet and picked it up. “Where's Williams?”
He motioned with his head. “Over here.”
Placing my Mark V helmet back on, I followed them. They led me to Ash, who was resting behind a pile of rock.
She looked to me and slightly smirked, “About time you got here.”
She was holding her leg, which had been wrapped up in a red stained piece of medical bandage.
“We've been trying to move her,” Tali explained, “however, there's too much fire. Mickey's been shooting any Grub that comes too close.”
Just as she finished that sentence, he fired a three round burst. “I'm running low on ammo,” he said calmly, “this is my last magazine.”
I handed over my shotgun. “Use this.”
He placed his Battle Rifle down and grabbed the shotgun. “Thanks.”
“I've been doing the best I can,” Tali continued, “but she needs a medic.”
“264, this is 344. Do you copy?”
I pulled out my SMG and joined Mickey in defending Tali and Ash. “Affirmative, what's your status?”
“Bloody complicated! Traynor’s been hit!”
I drilled a Grub in the chest. “Is she KIA?”
“Negative, but she's losing blood. I'm trying to put some bio-foam in her, except she won’t hold still! Ann’s cursing herself for not spotting the...”
I heard Shepard scream in the background, followed by Alenko yelling, “Soldier down!”
I barked into the comms, “344? 344, what just happened?”
“Shepard just got sniped!”
My heart skipped a beat, “Is she dead?”
“I don't think so. She's writhing in pain and... For the love of... I'm trying to help you!”
Bryn was trying to get Traynor patched up, but it wasn't working.
“Spartan...” Mickey trailed off, “the Locust are getting closer.”
I reloaded. “I’ll draw them away from you. Get Ashley out of here. Whatever you do, don't stop until she's safe.”
He nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Ash tried to stand. “What? No!”
I knelt down to her. “It's not negotiable, Ash.”
“Screw that,” she screamed at me, “I'm not letting you risk yourself to...”
I placed a hand on her shoulder and depolarized my visor. “Ash, we both know there's no stopping me. I’ll be back, just you wait.”
She looked into my eyes, then sighed. “Okay,” she whispered, “be careful.”
I repolarized my visor, “We’ll see.”
I contacted Garrus. “Vakarian, I need you and T’Soni over here. Mickey and Tali are going to carry Williams while I give them some covering fire. Help them out.”
“On our way,” he replied.
I turned to the trio. “On my mark.”
Mickey and Tali each wrapped an arm around one of Ash's shoulders.
“Go,” I barked and sprinted out of cover. I let loose with my SMG, dropping Grubs left and right.
Then came the whistling sound of an incoming mortar shell. I swore to myself and tried running, but it was no use.
I was launched into the air, my SMG being yanked out of my hands. I landed hard onto the ground, the interior of my visor was splashed with blood. I started to drift away, and the last thing I heard was Ash screaming my name.
Then, all I could see was blackness.