Halo: Blood Line Issue 3

Halo: Blood Line Issue 3 was released on February 24, 2010 and is the third of five in the Halo: Blood Line series of comics.

Plot synopsis
Issue #3 begins with a situation report by Iona, explaining the story so far. Team Black's Black-Three and Four have allied with a Covenant ground team led by Shipmaster Thon 'Talamee, and are now exploring the bowels of the sprawling Line Installation 1-4 in hopes of finding their captured compatriots. Despite the temporary ceasefire, there is tension between the two parties, particularly Three and Thon.

After proceeding down a shaft, they are attacked by Sentinels. Thon is slightly wounded, and the Spartans run out of ammo, but decide not to tell it to the Covenant. They then come across an intersection and decide to split up, with the Covenant and the Spartans going separate ways - despite Four suggesting that the Spartans lead a group of Unggoy, Thon does not allow Covenant forces to be commanded by "infidels". After Four retorts, Three interrupt the two by showing that he has discovered that they can use Sentinel Beams as weapons, also revealing that the Spartans are out of ammo. Thon, baffled as to why they didn't tell him, arms Four with a Type-51 Carbine, as he explains that he is duty-bound to arm an ally working towards a common goal.

Four then asks Thon about his brother and how he cares about him so much. Thon then explains their history together, how Reff was always weaker than him and how he always defended him because he saw Reff having "vision". Four then tells that their own upbringing was quite similar. As he reminiscences his training days, the flashback hints at a romantic relationship between him and Black-One. Four and Thon then shake hands, as a gesture of respect and peaceful intent, and part ways. After they split up, Thon expresses his disgust at allying with the humans.

Deeper inside the installation, where the prisoners are being held, Reff laments his fate. One reassures him that the Spartans will eventually come save them, when 686 Ebullient Prism returns from inspecting and cataloging the dissected Mgalekgolo specimen. The Monitor then decides to dissect Black-One, but Reff begs him to save her, stating that she is not ready to go because she does not believe in the Covenant religion. Prism listens with fascination, and proceeds to dissect the Unggoy Jubub instead, interested in the Sangheili's "rudimentary understanding of protocol". The Monitor then detects the rescue party in the facility, and leaves to deal with them.

Meanwhile, Three is mocking Four for fraternizing with the enemy, when Three is hit by a beam rifle shot. The two see the shooter - apparently Thon, on a ledge, and surmise he must have circled around to ambush them. Four proceeds to deal with the shooter as it keeps firing on Three. He eventually reaches a clear sight line and takes down the shooter. Back at Three's position, he is still lying on the ground. Thon and the Covenant arrive at the site, and unaware of the incident, assume he is sleeping. Three, still thinking the shooter was Thon, kills a Grunt and engages the rest of the Covenant.

Four reaches the shooter's lifeless body and is shocked to discover it is Black-Two instead of Thon. Meanwhile, Iona discovers another presence in her system - 686 Ebullient Prism, who has taken control of her secondary interface. The Monitor explains that he has manipulated the Spartans and the Covenant in the facility to turn against each other, and that he will dispose of Iona himself.

Trivia
The opening summary for this issue is not in the hardback or the Halo: Oversized Collection.