<div align="center">(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o180/ashia_starstreak/NYCMall2.jpg)</div><br/>Getting to his feet, Smith rushed to the nearest wall and crouched down. He pointed his rifle to the ceiling allowing a few seconds to calm his nerves and heart beat before standing up. Smith aimed his weapon and took a quick look around the corner. Squeezing the trigger he let off a few rounds into the closest grunt ceasing only when the enemy began shooting back. Retreating back out of their view, the private waited for the firing to momentarily stop.<br/><br/>Jacobs rolled toward the center of covenant sighting. If it were not for Smith's firing, the sergeant was sure he would have been hit. He made a mad dash to the mirror image of the other staircase, plasma whistled past his head only to change its focus upon Smith. Jacobs slid into cover behind a rounded wall and aimed his battle rifle at an elite. His armor shimmered upon receiving his bullets, however, his actions only angered the creature. He whipped out a plasma sword and ran at Jacobs. Reloading, Jacobs gave the elite a couple more bullets but, he only growled at Jacobs as he came near.<br/><br/>"Fuck.." the sergeant mumbled and turned his back on the elite to run from him. The human hadn't a chance in outrunning an elite and before he had gotten a yard, the marine was cornered. Pulling out his M6D magnum, Jacobs faced the elite and rolled in between his legs as his sword was swung. Aiming up, the soldier pulled the trigger, but the elite was not going down that easy and as he turned to face Jacobs he swung at him again forcing the human back into the center of the battlefield stage.<br/><br/>A grunt waddled his way closer to the center, his gun had been aiming for Hunter when he noticed Jacobs return into better view for all covenant to see. As he turned to fire at the sergeant, Smith grabbed onto his pistol and yanked him closer. Startled, the grunt stumbled toward the private and was punched in the face.  Falling to the floor, his shell kept him from landing on his back, but did not save him from the marines knife sinking into the soft spot of his neck. He lifted his massive arms in defense, but his body went limp before it did him any good.<br/><br/>*****<br/><br/>Shana was slightly shocked to say the least. Baffled at most, she wasn't sure if the ODST was toying with her or if he really wanted her to cut him open with an unsterilized object.  With mouth ajar, she turned on her own flashlight on her helmet and held Sling's chin between an index finger and thumb.  Turning his head she peered into his ear. He had his helmet on, but that was not the point she was making. Blowing onto the helmet she released Sling and turning her eyes toward the elevator doors she said, "Hmm, just as I suspected, hollow."<br/><br/>His heavy boots hit the top of the elevator with a dull thud as he came down. Releasing the cable, O'Brian took a couple of steps around before turning on his flashlight on his helmet to see. As it clicked on the flooring beneath him creaked and cracked. The explosion from above released loose rubble and plummeted down the shaft. The private stood still a moment and the elevators roof began crumbling beneath his feet. His green eyes stared up at the objects coming at him and as he lifted his arms to cover his head he fell through the collapsing roof into the elevator cart. Dust and smaller debris fell atop his head, but nothing of any real damage touched the marine. Coughing out the dust he had inhaled he looked up from his seat on the floor into the hole in the ceiling, a beam had landed perfectly in place saving him from the larger rubble that could have fallen through.<br/><br/>"Phew.. that was close!" he said standing to his feet. O'Brian dusted himself off and walked into the med bay only to abruptly stop and hold his hands up in surrender. "Whoa.. friendly."<br/><br/>Shana lowered the rifle she had prepared in waiting to see the new arrival. Recognizing him, she was reluctant to put it upon her back again. Upon hearing Hunter's comm come into her ear piece, she placed the rifle in its place on her back and pushed the button to talk back to the Spartan. "This is Echo Private 1068689, elevator entrance is secure, over." The woman looked back to Sling.<br/>