Halo_ First Strike - Eric S. Nylund [61]
Now it was perfectly balanced, far better than the standard-issue sidearm.
He secured the weapon and turned to see what Will had found.
Will examined a plastic-wrapped rifle. He removed the rifle from the locker, ripped off its sheathing, and shouldered it. He nodded with satisfaction.
Unlike the MA5B, this rifle had a longer barrel and stock, with a cutdown muzzle shroud. A scope was mounted on an optics railing along the top of the rifle. Will hefted a clip and inserted it into the receiver.
He shouldered the rifle again and peered through the scope. "Auto zoom, nice."
Will and Fred then traded and inspected the new weapons. Fred liked the feel of this new rifle, but wondered how much punch it had—enough, he hoped, to make the trade-off of having fewer rounds in the clip worth it.
They filled two sacks with the new pistols, rifles, and ammunition, then moved to the footlockers and lifted the lids.
Inside the first locker were satchel charges. Fred grabbed three and looped them over his neck. "I think we can find a use for these."
Will knelt next to the second footlocker. Within were plastic boxes marked MJOLNIR MARK V followed by a long list of serial numbers. "This must be what Doctor Halsey wanted," he said.
There was a flutter in the floor—which got Fred's full attention, because a "flutter" in a solid steel floor meant trouble.
The COM channel opened, and Dr. Halsey's voice crackled with static: "Get back to the lab ASAP. I might have a way out. Quickly!"
The vault room flexed, and thunder rumbled through the walls.
"Detonations," Will said. "They're coming."
"Secure those boxes," Fred ordered. He raced to the closed doors. "Open," he shouted to Kalmiya and waited as the door slowly eased apart. He scanned up and down the corridor and then ran back toward the lab.
When they got to the medical wing the lights were dead, and Fred saw Kelly's helmet lights cut through the velvet-rich, dust-filled darkness. She had Dr. Halsey draped over her shoulder. Blood ran from the doctor's nostrils.
"Her office collapsed," Kelly told them. "Support beam missed her by a centimeter." Dr. Halsey looked up and whispered, "I'm fine. Really." She pushed away from Kelly, stood, and teetered in place. Fred scooped her up and set her on the examination table. "With all due respect, ma'am, you're not."
Another detonation rippled through the earth—this one stronger than the previous explosion. Fissures snaked through the concrete walls.
Vinh and Isaac bounded into the room. "Enemy contacts at extreme range," Vinh reported.
"Down," Dr. Halsey said, and she held a palm-sized data pad for Fred to see. It had a map on its display . . . but not of this base. "We have to go lower."
Fred wondered if Dr. Halsey was delirious. "Down the elevator shaft in Section Sigma," she explained. "We'll seal it behind us. We can't let them follow." "Kelly, take point," Fred ordered. He grabbed two of the new
magnum pistols, loaded them, and then tossed them to Kelly, along with three extra clips. "I guess you get to test these."
Kelly gazed at the new weapons and gave a low whistle.
Fred opened the bags with die new rifles and handed them out to his team. "Will, you mule the extra parts and ammo." "Roger," Will replied and slung them over his shoulders. "Those satchels, over there," Dr. Halsey said and waved to
four duffel bags. "Medical supplies. Food and water. We'll need them, too."
Will grabbed them as well.
"Just a few more things," Dr. Halsey whispered. "We can't let them get into ONI's records." She tapped her pad once and then said to Kalmiya, "Begin Operation White Glove. Irradiate all computer memory crystal. Code file access