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246
HALO: FIRST STRIKE
able to find a countermeasure for the Flood. Maybe. They would
have a slightly better chance, however, if you give them the sec-
ond report."
"Then I'll give them the second report." He picked up the
crystal.
"Which will murder Sergeant Johnson," she said with a chill
in her voice. "ONI will not be satisfied to take a sample of blood.
They will dissect him to find out how he resisted the Flood. It
will be a billion-to-one shot that they'll ever replicate his unique
medical conditions—but they'll do it anyway. They will kill him
because the trade-off is worth it to them."
The Master Chief picked up the other crystal and then stared
at them both lying in his gauntleted hand.
"Is it worth it to you, John?" she asked.
He curled his hand in a fist and held it close to his chest. "Why
do you want me to make this choice?"
"One last lesson. I'm trying to teach you something it's taken
me all my life to realize." She cleared her throat of the lump
thickening there. "I'm giving you the chance to make the deci-
sion that I thought I couldn't make."
She glanced at the clock on her display. "I'm sorry. Linda is
almost prepped for surgery, and I have several things I must ac-
complish before then. You should go."
The Master Chief obediently turned and strode toward the
exit, but halted in the doorway. "Doctor, don't let her die again."
He then left the room.
Dr. Halsey watched until he rounded the corridor and was
gone. She hoped she saw John again before she did what she had
to do, but she might not. Would the thought she had planted
within him take hold? The gesture might be the only thing
she could do to atone for what she'd done to him and the other
Spartans.
Such thoughts were luxuries when there were only three hours
before Ascendant Justice exited Slipspace. There was too much
to do before then.
She turned all the monitors to face her and typed in the com-
mand to unsquelch Cortana.
"Lock the door," Dr. Halsey ordered Cortana. "Boost
counter-intrusion measures to level seven."