Halo: Indelible Past/Chapter Twenty-Six

Then

A dull, starless night hung over the Insurrectionist camp, casting a veil of silent darkness over the deserted village they had made their home. The UNSC had drones and foot patrols scanning for any sign of life that might justify a bombing run, so the encampment was in a full-blown blackout. No lights that might have given off the outline of a rocket launcher or stolen Warthog were allowed; even the lookouts concealed their rifles under cloaks and ponchos.

At the moment, the only visible gun in the area was the pistol that Redmond Venter was idly passing from hand to hand as he watched a shadow break away from a wall and approach him with a slow, uncertain trudge. He nodded in greeting as the boy he called Stray drew near.

"About time," he said with a smile. Not that anyone could see it. "I was starting to think you wouldn't come."

Stray didn't answer and Venter's eyes narrowed. This was it, the moment of truth. If the kid couldn't do this, he wouldn't be able to do half the things they'd need him to do in the fighting to come.

"You have to do this," he reminded Stray. "You know what she did."

Still no answer.

"Yuri and Lambert are dead because of her," Venter continued. "She told those Marines where they were making the bomb drop. You know that, because you told us we could trust her. Said there wasn't anyone you trusted more."

He shrugged. "But I understand. Shit happens out here. But we need to send a message. I'm not going for a public shooting, not with all the bad publicity that'll get. But there needs to be an execution."

Flipping the pistol around, he offered it to Stray grip first. "And you're going to pull the trigger."