Problems of a Dead World

Chapter 14: Taking Things Further

Footsteps rang throughout the hallways of the military facility at an intense pace. The scuffling of boots only accented by the heavy breathing coming from the mouth of their owner. A soldier sprinted down one of the various hallways of the facility. After witnessing the gruesome events outside of the armory, he decided it might be a good idea to inform their superior officer. As he neared the colonel's quarters, he stopped, caught his breath, and began pounding furiously on the door.

"Name and rank!" A voice sounded on the other side of the door.

"Private Tio Holtzman, sir!" The soldier shouted, his breathing more calm.

"Enter." The voice replied.

With a nod, the soldier threw the door open and stepped in.

"State your business, soldier." The Colonel said, his voice faltering slightly.

The soldier could easily tell Jackson was worried. He was sitting across the room tapping a foot on the ground as he sat in a slumped position. Various beads of sweat lined his forehead, and he appeared to be shivering slightly, along with a worn and wrinkled cigarette hanging loosely from his fingers. The soldier swallowed nervously and continued.

"We lost... Six... sir." The soldier said hesitantly.

Jackson sighed and stood up, taking another drag from his cigarette.

"I know..." He said as the small stick left his lips.

The Colonel reached down and pushed the cigarette against a small glass tray resting on his cluttered desk. After making sure it was out, he threw himself back down into the chair and rested his hand against his head, staring at the floor.

"Sergeant Percy radioed in a few minutes ago... Two more just went off the grid." Jackson said, a grim tone in his voice.

The soldier shifted nervously and frowned. Hearing his comrades were gone was discerning to say the least, but the colonel's tone made it all the more depressing. Suddenly, Jackson slammed his opposite hand down onto his desk, causing the various items on top to jump in the air for a brief second as the boom echoed throughout the small office. The soldier flinched slightly but remained standing in front of the colonel's desk.

"I'm done fucking around here, Private..." Colonel Jackson said, his voice growing even darker.

"What do you suggest, sir?" The private asked nervously.

With another sigh, the colonel stood up from his seat slowly and eyed the soldier in front of him.

"Get the toxin." He said, almost inaudibly.

The soldier was taken back for a moment and blinked in disbelief.

"Sir... Isn't that a bit... Extreme?" He asked hesitantly.

The colonel shifted his head and stared at the soldier, a mad look in his eyes.

"Yes. It is." He replied.

A shiver ran down the soldier's spine as the colonel inched away from his desk and closer to him.

"The best damn scientists in the world developed that toxin..." Jackson continued.

The soldier leaned back slightly to avoid contact with the colonel, but it was no use, Jackson reached forward and grabbed the shivering soldier by the shoulders and pulled him closer.

"That toxin..." The colonel said, pausing for a moment as a mad chuckle left his throat. "... Can infect anything on this planet."

"With all due respect sir... We've just finished dealing with the current infection, shouldn't we... take precaution?" The soldier asked in response.

The colonel chuckled again and pulled the nervous soldier under his arm.

"Think about it," He said, motioning his hand to the mental image he was seeing. "We get to watch those bastards... Eat eachother... and then we kill what comes afterwards.... It's... It's brilliant...."

The soldier pulled away from the colonel slightly and looked him in his insane eyes.

"Sir... I don't think this is the best course of action..."

The man stopped immediately however, when something began digging into his stomach. He looked downward and instantly snapped his head back up as he caught the sight of Jackson's handgun dug into his ribs, his finger on the trigger. The colonel leaned closer and began whispering in his ear.

"Get the toxin... Stick one of them... Shoot them." Jackson said quietly, an insane chuckle developing each time he paused.

The soldier instantly nodded, causing the weapon to withdraw from his stomach, allowing him to sigh in relief.

"Now go." The colonel said, pointing the metallic handgun to the door.

Without a second thought, the soldier hurriedly walked out of the room and shut the door behind him. Then continued down the nearest corridor, a sign reading "Laboratory" directing his path.

* * *

"Open it." Earl said quietly, the blade on his shotgun poking into the back of the soldier in front of him.

The soldier shivered in response but quickly complied, throwing open the double doors to a room labeled "Garage A". The light from various windows lined across the top of the walls in the room blinded the six humans for a moment, but all quickly recovered in a matter of seconds. Each of them began scanning the room, which was filled with various military vehicles. Most were in terrible condition, from Humvees to Jeeps and other assorted transport vehicles. Earl looked to their captive soldier and nudged him with the shotgun.

"Which one works?" He asked in a commanding tone as the worried soldier turned to face him.

The man pointed a finger to a nearby white van. Earl raised an eyebrow.

"A van? Really?" He asked.

Earl sighed and shook his head, then raised the shotgun into his shoulder and aimed it at the soldier.

"You're useless. Maybe we should just-"

"No! Please! We tested all of the vehicles and they... They fell apart!" The soldier replied frantically.

Earl scowled and lowered the shotgun from his shoulder.

"The only ones that still work are that van, and the two trucks you guys came in on... Honest." He continued.

After a moment of contemplation, the shotgun-wielding human nodded in the direction of the van.

"Keys?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah. They should be over... There!" The soldier said after searching for a moment.

He pointed to a large rack across the room, almost hundreds of keys lining it. Earl sighed and dropped his head for a moment.

"Nothings ever simple, is it?" He asked sarcastically.

"I... I don't know..." The soldier replied.

"That was rethoric- Just.... Shut up."

Earl turned back to the members of his group, who were eying the cars frantically, taking in the new technology.

"Guys. Let's get looking." The black-haired human said, nodding his head to the keys across the room.

The humanized-ponies nodded in return and carefully made their way across the room, avoiding the various piles of scrap and puddles of dried oil on the ground.

"What are we looking for?" Earl asked upon reaching the rack.

"I-It's a Kia... The only one here." The soldier replied, frantically searching the rack.

"Look for the letters K.I.A, everypony." Earl said, searching the keys as well.

After several minutes of finding nothing, Earl sighed and slowly aimed his shotgun again.

"They're not here..." He said, an annoyed tone creeping into his voice.

"N-No! There's another side!" The soldier said, pointing the other side of the rack.

He began to turn around and approach the other side of the rack, but was quickly stopped by Earl.

"HEY," He said, causing the soldier to stop instantly. "Shines. Check it out."

"On it." Shining replied, walking behind the row of shelves the rack was placed on.

After several minutes of searching in silence, the soldier began to eye Earl nervously.

"S-So... Where are you guys going?" The soldier asked.

Earl raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? I would tell you where we're going? I should rip out that stupid-ass brain of yours right now."

"N-No! I was just-"

"Shut up!"

Before another would could be said, a scream of pain was heard from the opposite side of the rack, followed by a gunshot that caused the humans on the other side to jump. Earl quickly raised the shotgun into his shoulder and motioned to Mac, who did the same.

"Shines?!" Earl shouted, terrified.

"Shining Armor?!" Twilight called out frantically.

There was no response.

"Stay here... Keep an eye on this one." Earl said, motioning to Macintosh once again.

The tall, blonde-haired man remained silent, but turned to the captive soldier and fixed the sights of his rifle on the man's head.

Earl cautiously made his way around the rack, shotgun at the ready.

"Shines!" He called out again.

No response. Again.

The nervous fire began in his stomach again as silence continued, save for Twilight, who was still calling his name as well. As Earl rounded the corner, he cringed and nearly fainted at the sight before him. Shining was laying on the ground, the key in his hand, blood pooling around him, a gunshot wound in his stomach, and...

A syringe in his neck.