Destruction ||| Glenn Rhee x Reader (TWD X Reader)

Chapter 20) 30 Minutes

Archer, Y/N, Glenn, Rick, Shane and T-Dog run down to the basement to find the generators.

"Decontamination—what does that mean?" Glenn asks frantically.

"I don't know, but we don't wanna be here to find out." Archer replies.

"I don't like the way Jenner clammed up. The way he just wandered off like that." Shane says.

"What's wrong with him? Seriously, man. Is he nuts, medicated, what?" T-Dog asks.

Rick spots a map on a wall. "In there."

The group separates as they go looking for the generators.

The lights start flickering before going out. A moment passes and a different light comes on.

"Emergency lighting is on."

The group meets back up.

"Hey, you guys kill the lights?" Glenn asks.

Shane shakes his head. "Nah, it just went out."

Y/N looks at everyone. "Anything?"

T nods. "Yeah, a lot of dead generators and more empty fuel drums than I can count."

Archer groans. "It can't be down to just that one."

They run back up and find the rest of the group calling after Jenner who has a bottle in his hand. He goes back into the large room with the screens and the clock.

Rick calls out. "Jenner, what's happening?"

"The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark. Right on schedule." He points at the clock. Y/N tries to swallow but her mouth is dry. The clock is counting down from 30.

Jenner sits and takes a swig from the whiskey in his hand. He hands the bottle to Daryl who angrily snatches it. "It was the french."

Andrea cocks her head. "What?"

"They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. While our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs till the end. They thought they were close to a solution."

"What happened?" Jacqui asks.

"The same thing that's happening here. No power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel. I mean, how stupid is that?"

Shane starts walking up to the doctor. "Let me tell you something—"

"To hell with it, Shane. I don't even care. Lori, grab our things. Everybody, get your stuff. We're getting out of here now!" Rick shouts.

Everyone starts heading towards the large metal door when an alarm starts blaring.

"What's that?" Y/N asks loudly.

"30 minutes to decontamination."

Daryl shouts. "Doc! What's goin' on here?"

Jenner scans his badge and types in a code onto a keypad ignoring Daryl.

Shane shakes his head. "Y'all heard Rick! Get your stuff let's go!"

Everyone starts running towards the door when all of a sudden a security door goes up.

"What the hell?!" Y/N screams.

"No! Did you just lock us in?" Glenn shouts at Jenner. "He just locked us in!"

Jenner starts speaking to the only computer still on. "We've hit the 30-minute window. I'm recording."

Daryl starts running after Jenner holding the bottle like a weapon. Everyone is screaming and pulling Daryl away from the man.

Y/N walks forward. "Jenner. Open that door right now."

He sighs and rests his head in his hands. "There's no point. Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed."

"Then open the damn things!" Dale says.

"That's not something I control. The computers do. I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that. It's better this way."

"What is this?" Rick asks. "What happens in 28 minutes?"

No answer.

"What happens in 28 minutes?!"

Jenner suddenly stands up and starts screaming. "You know what this place is?! We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!"

He regains his composure and sits. "In the event of a catastrophic power failure—in a terrorist attack, for example—H.I.T.s are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out."

"H.I.T.s?" Lori questions.

"VI, define."

"H.I.T.s—high-impulse thermo baric fuel-air explosives consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive except nuclear. The vacuum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen at between 5,000 degrees and 6,000 degrees and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structures is desired."

Y/N gasps and covers her mouth. Glenn grabs her other hand and gives it a tight squeeze. Archer and a few other members of the group sit down in disbelief. Several people are crying.

"It sets the air on fire. No pain. An end to sorrow, grief...regret. Everything." Jenner says.

Daryl throws the empty bottle at the door. "Open this damn door!"

Shane runs at the door with a fire axe. Daryl grabs one too and the both begin hitting the door in any attempt to open it.

Jenner rubs his eyes. "You should've left well enough alone it would have been so much easier."

"Easier for who?" Lori asks angrily.

"All of you. You know what's out there. A short brutal life and an agonizing death. You know what this does. You've seen it." He looks at Rick. "Is that what you really want for your wife and son?"

Rick shouts. "I don't want this!"

Shane and Daryl are still struggling with the door.

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher."

Daryl whips around. "Well your head ain't!" He runs toward Jenner but gets held back.

Jenner looks back to Rick. "You do want this. Last night you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead."

Y/N's heart drops. She looks at Rick. "What?"

"What? You really said that? After all your big talk?" Shane says loudly.

Rick groans. "I had to keep hope alive, didn't I?"

Jenner shakes his head. "There is no hope. Never was."
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