The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Chapter III

There was another outpost somewhere in the country. But this base was comparatively smaller than the Russian's. This base also had a German flag placed on the front on a castle-like fortress.

The German outpost have fewer soldiers training for the war, as some of the people in the base were more focused on engineering or building high-caliber bullets or bombs or other destructive weapons to ensure their victory in the war. The soldiers were there to test them. The wives and their children were placed on separated vault-like rooms. With much of the space were being used for the weapons building. A soldier of the highest rank was supervising the weapons building. Testing it outside, miles away from their base to ensure that it was functioning properly. If the weapon is a fail, the one managing is sent to their leader and is punished, but not killed, as their men gets fewer and fewer because of the war.

There was also a cell just opposite of the vaults of the fallout shelters. This is where the Germans used to keep their own "donkeys". Two German soldiers were pulling an older, almost middle-aged Korean man who was in agony due to the painful branding on the side of his torso. The soldiers opened his cell and tossed him back in there. They shut the door, leaving him in total darkness, save for a small shine of light shining through the cell's bars.

Their leader, Lukas, was obsessed in claiming the victory of this possibly never-ending war. He was sitting on top of his fortress. Looking at himself, shaving with a slightly rusted razor. He stopped shaving and stared at his reflection. His eyes were filled with hate, greed, and obsession. He even considered himself as his own enemy. Probably the cost of the ultimate high-price of this destructive war.

He resumed his shaving. He pressed the blade further down his cheek, slightly slicing it open. Blood began to drip down the side of the razor. But he did not show pain. He got used to the pain.

Hans, his second-in-command, came in walked up to him. "(Any update, Hans?)" said Lukas. "(Our men have managed to build 246 million bullets and 92 bombs, General, and are still building more as we speak.)" he said. "(Good.)" said Lukas, overly content that he will be the one who will finish the war victoriously. "(Are there any "minor setbacks" again?)" he asked, getting tired and frustrated of hearing those words. "(No sir.)" answered Hans in a straightforward note. This was not a lie to protect his men, but the weapons building was actually a success this time. Hans watched his leader shave for a moment "(Are you planning to send the men out now, sir?)" he asked.

Lukas slightly shook his head "(No, not yet. Be patient, Hans. Good things happen to those who wait.)" he said.

"(By the way, sir. Our Contingency plan is nearing completion as we speak.)"

Lukas made a wide evil smile "(Good. Very good.)"

He dropped the mirror and razor, took out a handkerchief and wiped his wound, then took out a bottle of wine on a cupboard and poured some in a wine glass. "(If I may ask, sir. After we claim victory over the Russians and the Afghans, what then?)" asked Hans. Lukas sat on a dirty, tore-up recliner placed by the window and took a sip of his wine "(Then we rebuild our country. Simple as that, Hans.)" he said confidently.

"(We will win this war.)" he said reassuringly. He raised his glass with a small grin on his face and emptied his drink.

The gates opened. A German patrol marched inside, between them were half a dozen survivors of different races tied with one another. The patrol and the arrested survivors stood by and line up in the middle of the base's open field, awaiting for Lukas or someone else of a higher rank. Lukas went out of his fortress, followed by Hans to personally observe the survivors. Most of the survivors had their head down, they dared not to look at him. Only one, an American woman, locked eyes with him in a furious glare, not afraid Lukas in any way. They had a stare-down for a moment. Then the woman spit on Lukas' face. He wiped his cheeks and chuckled.

His smile quickly faded "(Take them to the Pit.)" he said. He was ordering to execute all the survivors. Some of them soldiers fetched two cans of kerosene. The German patrol obeyed his command and they escorted the captured survivors out of the base. Lukas and Hans went back inside the fortress. "(We're not going to keep some?)" asked Hans. Lukas shook his head "(I'm in no mood to keep them. Besides, our cells are almost full.)" he said.