[Naked Crook]

Meanwhile: Nighthawk followed behind the Scorpion Tank, matching its speed. As Nighthawk had his eyes forward, keeping his eyes on the road, Anaconda had spun the turret around, and knelt down, leaning over the driver's seat, letting his head hand down a bit as he spoke to Nighthawk. Anaconda: We should defiantly keep our eyes open for The Risk Takers. I have a feeling that if The Trust knows we are here...we can count on The Risk Takers showing up. Nighthawk: They will defiantly be there. However...I am feeling good about our odds. We have Tye, we have Cameron. If we get lucky...Xyrho and Dangerus will pop in to help us thin The Risk Takers even more. Anaconda: Perhaps. I just find that they are getting more organized every time we face them. They learn quickly. Nighthawk: That is what they are trained to do Big Guy. Nighthawk paused. Nighthawk: We just have to be smarter than they are. We have the potential of having a bigger bag of tricks than they do. We just have to know what to employ...and when. Anaconda gave a firm grunt. Nighthawk: Besides...we are still relatively unknown to them. We, on the other hand, have a shitload of intel on them. Remember...we are also building a profile on them. Anaconda: Hopefully we can start thinning their herd sooner rather than later. Anaconda grinned. Anaconda: I have not eaten anything substantial in quite some time. I am curious to see if those cans they fight in seal in the flavor. Nighthawk: Honestly...I dunno. I have never had the culinary experience of eating my own kind. I dunno how we taste - canned or fresh. Anaconda: Well...right now...I could eat just about anything. If I had my pick...I would kill for a Thorn Beast. Every part of that creature is just perfect. Nighthawk: You speak so highly of that creature. What am I missing by not eating it? What is so great about Thorn Beast? Anaconda: My species is very partial to it. It can be BOTH an appetizer and a desert. Nighthawk: It's both? Anaconda: Depends on which part you are eating. The entrails make a great dipping sauce if you grind it up. If you pull the thorns out...you tend to get large chunks of muscle attached to them. It tends to be very soft...very chewy. Nighthawk: Ok...now you are making me hungry. Anaconda: You have to try it. Nighthawk: Doubt I will ever be able to Big Guy. Humans are no good with "raw". Anaconda: Just try it once. I'll make sure you survive. Nighthawk: Cook it...then talk to me. Anaconda: I find cooking it too much can destroy the flavor. You still want some blood in it. Nighthawk began to laugh. Nighthawk: Tell ya what...if it means so much to you...find one, capture it, and bring it back to me...and we can split it. If you swear by how good this thing is...I think I can man up and try it ONCE. Anaconda grunted, as he reached down and slapped his hand against Nighthawk's arm. The Warthog swerved to the right as Anaconda hit his arm. Anaconda: There you go! Now you are living! Nighthawk: You are also disrupting my ability to drive. Nighthawk paused, as he looked forward. He could see headlights in the distance. Nighthawk: However...I think some good came from hitting me. There are vehicles ahead. Better get that gun ready Big Guy...just in case we are getting unwanted company. Anaconda began to growl, as he grabbed the gun, and spun it around to face forward. Nighthawk pulled out from behind The Scorpion Tank, as he accelerated a bit. He honked the horn on his Warthog, telling Marines to get out of his way, as he pulled the passenger side up next to Tye, who was on foot, running along side the Scorpion. Nighthawk looked to his right. Nighthawk: Tye...jump in. Tye looked to his left, and reached over, and grabbed onto the chassis of the hog, as he pulled himself up, into the moving vehicle. Nighthawk: Not bad Commander...pulling yourself into a moving Warthog this high off the ground. Tyber: Well...I have the physical endurance to do it. Tye paused. Tyber" What's up? Nighthawk: Headlights dead ahead. I am getting nothing from them. Do you see them? Tyber: Yeah...I see them. I think they are hostiles. They are not showing any sort of IFF. They defiantly don't belong to the UNSC or ONI. I was about to give the order to engage. Nighthawk: Please...give the order...