Halo: First Strike - Eric S. Nylund

BLADE... Named for the razor-sharp bowies that never left his side, he was unmatched in size and strength. In post-nuclear America, he was the last hope of what was left of the civilized world.
THE FREEDOM FORCE... Six men trained in the art of killing; each was a perfect instrument of death. In a ravaged world crawling with mutants and savages, their talents were much in demand.