Titans of war

by Trigger_Finger

Chapter 4

The two, almost identical, brothers started hopping around and singing about business and success, among other things. Ivan grabbed one of them. “Okay, we get it! Now fix tank!” He ordered the brother with the mustache. They both gulped and took a step back before whipping out tool sets.

“It will only take a few hours.” The brother without the moustache stated. Ivan was about to get into an uproar about the time but Vlad placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder then nodded.

“That will be fine… thank you, gentlemen.” Vlad stated then walked over to the nearby tractor contraption that the brothers drove. Luna sat beside the Russian man and Vlad looked to her with curiosity in his stare. “How did you know where they were?” He asked and she shrugged.

“My sister and I have been keeping track of them ever since a little stunt that they pulled a while back.” Luna replied before a slight chuckle escaped her lips.

Elsewhere…

Deny sighed as both he and Jackson wiped sweat from their faces, resulting in slimy grease staining their faces. “Radiator’s pooched sir… probably another… 20 miles… if we’re lucky.” He informed his commander who was looking through a pair of binoculars.

“TRIXIE!” He yelled, the blue mare quickly racing up in attention. “Is there a water source nearby?” He asked. Trixie nodded and pointed to a small ramshackle village in the far out horizon. Alex looked through his binoculars and nodded. “We can make it, everyone, mount up!” He ordered.

“But sir!” Trixie replied and Alex gave her a cold glare. “Sir, that is a buffalo reserve… you can’t go there without their approval… and they don’t really like outsiders…” Trixie replied.

“I said… get in the tank.” Alex ordered in a devilishly cold voice. Trixie shivered as his voice made her feel chilled to the bone. She immediately lept up and into the tank before it pulled away.

The tank had been beaten up pretty badly in the firefight but the only major damage was the radiator which was now leaking and as a result the tank would constantly overheat. The tank treaded along through the dirt until they came to a fence gate where two large hulking buffalo stood with primitive spears, ready to defend their land.

Alex opened the hatch and looked to the duo. “Hi… we need water, for our tank… it would be most appreciated.” Alex stated. The two buffalo looked to each other then back to the tank commander.

“This is our land… you dare come across it and ask for our resources without an offering?” One of the buffalo replied. Alex’s eyes went narrow.

“I don’t know if there’s anything we can offer other than our thanks.” Alex said in a rather subtle voice. The two buffalo stepped forwards. The second one spoke.

“Then leave now, and never return.” He said in a stern voice. Alex gave a hearty smile.

“Now don’t be hasty… I’m sure there’s a way we can work out some sort of deal.” Alex offered. They both shook their heads.

“The deal is simple. You leave.” The first buffalo stated. Alex sighed to himself regretfully. In a flash of motion, he whipped out a Beretta M9 from his shoulder holster and blasted two rounds into the head of each buffalo before him.

Deny yelled out in shock. “HOLY SHIT!” He gasped. Alex sat back down into the driver seat.

“Driver… forwards, towards the town.” He ordered. Deny gulped before doing as he was asked.

In the town the gunshots hadn’t been heard. Young buffalo calves played in the dusty trails that connected the little huts that the buffalo used for homes. Mothers sat together and knitted while the bulls worked together, building new homes.

There was a whistling in the air and a few of the bulls looked out towards the origin of the sound but couldn’t see anything. One spoke, “What is tha…” Was all he managed before a 105mm HE shell erupted into the side of the building he was working on.

Buffalo all screamed in horror as they lept up to take cover but were struck in absolute horror as a tan coloured machine roared over a sand dune. The air was filled with the thunderous chattering of the turret mounted M2 machinegun.

Mothers raced for their children but only a few were successful as the massive .50 caliber rounds tore anything apart that stood in its way.

James tried to stomach the events that were unfolding in front of him. “GUNNER, THE BUILDING, 9 O’CLOCK!” Alex yelled as he continued to operate the machinegun. James took aim but his fingers trembled from the audacity of the slaughter. “GUNNER! FIRE GODDAMMIT!” Alex roared.

James clenched his eyes shut as he fired. The tank cannon thundered and the building erupted in a smoldering heap but buildings beside it were also destroyed, sending bodies flying through the air.

The tank continued into town but suddenly a group of brave and courageous female buffalo rushed forwards, tossing stones and hard objects at the tank but having no success in stopping the massacre.

“DRIVER, KEEP MOVING FORWARDS!” Alex yelled. Deny gulped and tried to avoid the female buffalo but Alex yelled in anger. “DAMMIT DRIVER, FORWARDS, NOT LEFT!” Alex yelled. Deny grimaced in guilt as he knowingly drove towards the females.

Some of the buffalo fled but a select few tried to stop it, only moments before getting pulled underneath the tank, getting crushed painfully. James swung the gun and Alex roared for him to destroy another building.

Minutes passed before the town was finally eradicated. Bodies lay strewn in the street as the tank rumbled to a stop before Deny killed the engine. “They’re… dead sir… all dead.” Deny whispered. Alex nodded before popping open the hatch and disembarking the tank. The others soon followed and began the search for water.

Jackson paced up beside Alex. “Jesus Christ sir! What the fuck was all that about?!” He yelled.

“They were terrorists.” Alex replied subtly. Jackson scrunched his nose in anger.

“YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT SIR! FOR ALL WE KNOW THEY COULD’VE BEEN JUST A GROUP OF BUFFALO FOR CHRIST SAKES! EVEN IF THEY WERE TERRORISTS, THAT DOESN’T GIVE US THE RIGHT TO DO THAT, SIR!” Jackson yelled but Alex simply chuckled.

“You know Jack… I respect you.” Alex stated and Jackson’s face immediately went from anger to absolute confusion. “Even through you’re angry, you still address me as sir. It means that you still have respect for me and won’t stab me in the back. Just trust me on my decisions Jackson. I’ve been in this game a lot longer than any of you.” Alex replied subtly.

“I FOUND THE WATER WELL!” James yelled. The group all rushed over to him and Alex looked to Deny.

“Go get the tank.” He ordered the young man, who nodded.

“Yes… sir.” He stammered, almost negligent to address him as ‘sir’. Deny quickly raced off while Jackson and James got water from the well, cheering to themselves and splashing water on each other.

Trixie couldn’t help but to smile from the two men playing like children but the thought of children instantly reminded her that they had just razed a town to the ground. Alex pulled Trixie up to her hindlegs before pulling her close and resting his left arm around her.

“You did good Trixie, you did good. I’m proud to call you one of us.” Alex said with a smile.

“I’m not exactly sure I’d want to be one of you… if this is what you do.” She replied, trying to keep her breakfast down. Alex smirked then pointed to the mountains further away, passed Appleloosa.

“Do you see those mountains?” He asked and Trixie turned to look to the mountains. She nodded. “Good… what is your fantasy, the thing you want most in this world?” Alex asked.

“Victory…” Trixie stated. Alex smiled. She wanted what he wanted.

“Picture yourself, atop those mountains… victorious.” Alex told her. She closed her eyes before imagining herself, triumphant over Twilight Sparkle. “Do you see it?” Alex asked as he unsheathed his combat knife. She nodded. “Good.” He said before driving his knife towards her shoulder.

As soon as Trixie felt the knife tip press onto her shoulder, she screamed and swung around. Jackson and James both looked up in shock to see Alex standing with his knife and Trixie standing in absolute horror.

Alex brought his knife up for her to see, revealing a squirming Emperor scorpion on the tip, which he had stabbed and removed from Trixie’s shoulder before it could sting her. Trixie sighed as she realized that Alex had just saved her life, not tried to take it. “Thank you.” She thanked him in a calm voice.

Alex smiled. “You’re welcome.” He replied just as the M1 pulled up beside them.

“Okay, James, Jackson: Fill the rad with water. That should keep it cold.” He ordered just as Deny hopped out.

“We can’t do that. The water would mess up the engine. We need coolant.” Deny stated. Alex turned to him.

“Well private, we don’t have coolant. Now unless you can pull a jug of coolant from your ass, than get to it!” Alex ordered.

“Yes Alex.” Deny replied before he proceeded to help Jackson and James fill the radiator with water, to help keep the engine cool. In less than a half hour they were finished.

Deny rested his M4 carbine across the back of the tank before beginning to disassemble it. “You admire them, don’t you?” He asked Deny, who looked up to him curiously. “The Russians.” Alex stated. Deny shrugged.

“Well… they probably don’t go rampaging across the world, killing innocent people… err I guess buffalo.” Deny replied as he looked up to his commander and adjusted his seeing glasses.

“Tell me Deny, you took university and got a bachelor’s degree… right?” Alex asked and Deny nodded. “What’s the penalty for mutiny?” Alex asked and Deny scratched his head.

“Death… why…” Deny realized how Alex was staring at him with a cold and squinted glare. His heart sank and he could literally hear its beat echoing in his ears. His M4 was disassembled in front of him, leaving it useless. He went for his pistol but Alex was faster.

In a blissful motion, Alex drew out his pistol and fired several rounds into Deny’s chest, which was only covered by a tank top. Blood splattered out the exit wounds as blood leaked from the holes in his chest. He staggered to stay up before Alex fired the remaining rounds into his chest. Alex pulled the trigger until the slide locked back, signalling that the pistol was empty.

Deny fell back into the sand, his blood beginning to stain the sand as he lay there and choked on his blood. The group looked in shock as Alex hopped off the tank, reloading his pistol as he approached the dying tanker.

“You know Deny… I liked you but… I just can’t have people staging mutinies against me and my crew…” Alex said as he leveled his pistol on Deny’s head. Alex thumbed the slide release and the pistol slide snapped shut. Deny coughed up some blood just before Alex fired and ended the young man’s life.

Alex turned to see the others all wide eyed and fearful of their now ruthless leader. “He was staging a mutiny behind my back… by god, if I find out that any of you were with him… I’ll kill you myself.”

Author's Note:

So anyway, sorry for the wait. My brother needed the computer for a school project for most of the week so I'll try and make it up today for the wait... but man, Alex is insane. One moment he's showing compassion for Trixie and saving her life so I'm like "Oh... so he does have a heart and isn't just a ruthless bastard." And the next scene he's killing Deny and I'm like "Holy Fuck..." anyway, onto the next chapter.

Comments

[Mogss]

Umm. why would he do that?