Over the next few weeks, everyone trained harder than ever. Day in, day out. And it seemed like with each passing day things only got worse for Private Tardo. After the incident with the biscuit everyone held him down and beat him with bars of soap hidden in pillow cases. Finally, it was time for the recruits to be assigned to their squads. Sgt. Stone stood proudly in front of his recruits.
“Today, you people are no longer maggots. Today, you are marines. You are part of a brotherhood. From now on, until the day you die, wherever you are, every marine is your brother. Most of you will go to Afghanistan. Some of you will not come back. But always remember this: marines die, that is what we are here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever. And that means, you live forever.”
Sgt. Stone looked at a clipboard of all the privates' names he had brought with him.
“Pickett!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“0300, infantry. Toejam!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“0300, infantry. Adams!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“1800, engineers. You go out and find mines. Cowboy!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“0300, infantry. Taylor!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“0300, infantry. Joker!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“4-12, basic military journalism. You gotta be shitting me, Joker! You think you are Mickey Spillane? Do you think you are some kind of fucking writer?!”
“Sir, I wrote for my high school newspaper, Sir.”
“Jesus H. Christ, you are not a writer, you are a killer!”
“A killer, yes, Sir!”
“Ricky Retardo!”
Private Tardo didn't respond. Instead he stared on with a spaced out look on his face.
“Ricky Retardo!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“You forgot your own fucking name?! 0300, infantry. You made it. Perkins!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“0300, infantry.”
“Apple!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“0300, infantry. Nice work. Dash!”
“Sir, yes, Sir?”
“7-18, Air patrol. You're mission is to solely watch Provate Apple's back while the team does their job, and provide air support if necissary. Capiche?”
“Sir, yes, Sir!”
“Good. Outstanding work Marines! You came into this base nothing but worthless scumbags with no hope of making a name for themselves, but you came out as some of the finest soldiers the world has ever seen! I'm proud to have had the honor to train each of you! Now get some shut-eye. We've got a few days before you all get shipped out into the lions den. Goodnight ladies!”
Everyone responded in unison.
“Goodnight, Sir!”
“Private Joker! You're on night watch!”
“Sir, yes, Sir!”
Sgt. Stone walked out of the barracks into his own room. Private Joker shut off the lights as everyone got into their respective bunks. Within a couple of hours almost everyone was asleep. Applejack was still wide awake and was in the middle of writing a letter.
‘Dear girls, Ah realize this is the first letter Ah've written since Dash and ah arrived here at Fort Campbell. Things have jes' been a bit crazy. But guess what? We jes' graduated training! We're officially Marines! Well...Ah am at least. Dash is servin in the Air Force under th' command of Captian Spitfire. We ship off to Afghanistan in a few days. So Ah thought Ah'd write ya this letter in case we don't make it back...as somethin' ta remember us by. We really miss ya girls...Ah...we hope we get to see ya girls soon. Oh and Dash says 'Hi' and that she loves ya Fluttershy. Well...guess Ah better hit the sack...gotta be up n' early tomorrow...
Love, Applejack & Rainbow Dash'
Applejack finished her letter and placed them under her pillow before laying down and staring at the ceiling. Private Joker was still doing his rounds. After making sure everyone was asleep he made his way to the head...but something wasn't right. He slowly opened the door, rounding the corner only to find Private Tardo sitting on one of the toilets, a rifle leaning up against it. He also had a loaded magazine in his hands. Private Joker shined the flashlight at Private Tardo, causing him to look at Joker and smile deliriously.
“...hi Joker....”
Private Joker paused, looking down at the magazine in Tardo's hands.
“Is that...live ammo?...”
Tardo looked back up at Private Joker and smiled once again.
“Five-Five-Four millimeter...full...metal...jacket...”
Staring at the magazine, Private Joker said slowly.
"John...if Stone catches us in here...we'll both be in some deep shit...”
“I AM...in some deep SHIT!”
Private Tardo stood up quickly and grabbed his rifle.
“LEFT SHOULDER! HOAH!”
Tardo quickly spun the gun before placing it over his left shoulder.
“RIGHT SHOULDER!!!”
He spun the gun around once again before placing it over his right shoulder.
“LOCK AND LOAD!!”
Tardo bent down and picked up the magazine before inserting it into his gun, and pulled the locking mechanism, loading a round into the chamber.
“ORDER! HOAH!!”
Tardo grabbed the rifle with his right hand and placed it on the ground on his right side, butt first.
“THIS IS MY RIFLE!! THERE ARE MANY LIKE IT BUT THIS ONE IS MINE!! MY RIFLE IS MY BEST FRIEND!--”
The noises coming from the head caused the rest of the recruits to wake from their slumber. Some of them slowly walking toward the head. The door to Sgt. Stones door opened and he stormed out. Upon seeing his recruits out of bed he yelled.
“GET BACK IN YOUR BUNKS!!”
He then barged into the head to investigate the commotion.
“WHAT IS THIS HOLY DOG SHIT?! WHAT IN THE NAME OF JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH ARE YOU ANIMALS DOING IN MY HEAD?!! WHY IS PRIVATE TARDO OUT OF HIS BUNK AFTER LIGHTS OUT?! WHY IS PRIVATE TARDO HOLDING THAT WEAPON?! WHY ARE YOU NOT STOMPING PRIVATE TARDO'S GUTS OUT?!"
Private Joker immediately stood at attention.
“Sir, it is the Private's duty to inform the Senior Drill Instructor that Private Tardois in possession of a fully locked and loaded weapon, Sir!!”
Sgt. Stone slowly turned and walk toward Tardo, holding his hand out.
“Now you listen to me, Private Tardo, and you listen good. I want that weapon, and I want it now. You will place that rifle on the deck at your feet and step back away from it...”
Private Tardo just stared and grinned at Sgt. Stone, not acknowledging him at all. He then picked up his rifle and aimed it at Stone.
“WHAT IS YOUR FUCKING ISSUE, FATBODY?! DIDN'T MOMMY AND DADDY TAKE YOU TO DISNEY WORLD ENOUGH WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?!"
*BANG*
Private Tardo pulled the trigger, the bullet rocketing out of the barrel and slicing through Sgt. Stones chest and heart, killing him instantly. Sgt. Stones cold, lifeless body collapsed to the floor. Private Joker stared at the body in horror before looking back up at Private Tardo, who then aimed the gun at him.
“Easy, John...go easy, man...”
After a few seconds Private Tardo finally lowered his weapon and took a seat back on the toilet. Private Joker, stunned by fear, watches on unsure what to do. Private Tardo places the butt of the gun on the floor, leans forward and places the barrel in his mouth.
“NO!!!”
Too late, Private Tardo pulled the trigger, sending a second bullet out of the gun and through his head, killing him instantly and splattering his brains over the wall. Private Joker can only stare at both lifeless bodies in horror. Some of the recruits coming into the head to check out what happened. Rainbow Dash slowly peeked in and immediately felt sick to her stomach at the scene before her. Applejack placed a hand on her shoulder.
“C'mon, Dash. Nothin' we can do fer them now...”
“I-I think I'm gonna be sick, AJ...”
“Ah know Dash. C'mon. Let's jes' get ta bed...”