Chapter 0

-Prologue-

0100 Hours, April 14. 2561 [Military Calendar]/

Theta Uradius System, Daniels Family Farm,

2543Planet Madilion

     "Jake Matthews!" A man screamed as he chased after the young man. With a shotgun in one hand and beer in the other, he was scarier than the covenant. They ran two acres before he gave up and let the kid go. "Stay away from my daughter," yelled the man. Jake ran for a good mile more before he stopped and took a rest. He hunched over, hands on his knees huffing. A rustling in the bush got his attention and he put his guard up. A girl about two inches shorter than him ran out and hugged him. He hugged her back feeling the warmth of her body; calm now, he lay on the grass and she next to him.

    "Damn," he sighed. "Your old man's something else."

    "I told you not to stay so late."

    "It's not my fault that I love you so much,"

    She kissed him and looked up at the stars, "I love you too Jake."

     "How many years has it been?"

     "Three years," she replied.

     "Kim...I have something important I need to tell you." He turned on his side and faced her, "I am going to join the Assassins."

     "What," she yells loud enough to be heard on the other side of the planet. "How could you?"

     "Kim," he says softly. "You know I want to be a Spartan, the original program was shut down years ago. After that, the assassin group was brought up. It's the only way...it's the easiest way."

     "You also forgot to mention it's the longest one too," she replied. She got up and sat crossed legged turned away from Jake. "Jake...it takes years of training. Think about your family, think about us."

     "My family doesn't care, in fact, they encouraged me to go."

     "What about us?"

     He sighs, trying to find an answer. "Kim, you are the most important thing to me, that's why I'm doing this. The Covenant threat has been around for decades now and I can help, I know I can.

     "Years of training, I know that. Three years training as a Marine, two years training as an ODST, and the last nine at the Assassin Academy. By the time I'm done I will be...thirty-two."

     "Yeah, and I'll be thirty-one," Kim gets up and turns to Jake. "Let me go with you."

     "No," he says bluntly. "I don't want you to go, besides the sign ups are done for the year; as of today."

     "So you're st-"

     "No, I signed up this morning."

     Kim started to leave, "Jake, I love you."

     "Kim, I love you too," he replies. He tries to go after her but she is too far ahead.

     "I know," she says under her breath. He looks at her as she walks away. Five-nine, long blonde hair, athletic figure. She is wearing black jeans, a white tank top and white tennis shoes. That is how he is going to remember her, he turned and left the field, back to his house.