The Manhatten Project (Chapter Four)

“Sir, it’s the only option.” General Marcus Peir said. He was a distinguished man, tall in stature. He had a small scar just under his left eye. He never told the story of how he got that scar.
“The hell it isn’t. Those are American people down there. They aren’t some whacked up A-Rab or some stupid Japs. Those are AMERICAN people, MY people.” President Anthony Ashton said, standing up. “That can’t be the only option.”
“Sir, listen to reason. We have the city surrounded, but we can’t draw any more attention to the city, and each day we lose more ground to them.”
“And why the media blackout? Why cant the people know what’s going on here?”
“It would cause hysteria sir, mass hysteria. Look at it this way. The dead are walking. Every god fearing man will run into the streets proclaiming Armageddon.” President Anthony slumped back down into his chair in the oval office and ran his hand through his long blonde hair. He looked at the general through the view screen. He was broadcasting live from the frontlines.
“Are we sure they’re dead? It couldn’t be rabies or something?”
“Sir, I have seen them up close, I’ve watched our troops fight them. They don’t respond to words, they don’t react to pain. I saw one filled with bullets, spine snapped in half, but it kept coming. It crawled on the ground towards the troops until we put a bullet in its head. There is no way those things are alive.”
“So you’re asking me to drop a nuke. A NUKE. On Atlanta, Georgia. On American soil. And then we hope to god that radiation kills those fuckers.”
“Yes sir. Our top think tanks have gone over the situation. It’s the only tactical option left at this point.”
“And the survivors? The ones that made it out alive?” The general shook his head.
“There wasn’t any survivors’ sir. We warned the populace that there was a virulent strain of rabies and to stay indoors.”
“So we killed them. We fucking signed their death warrants. And if they aren’t dead yet, we’ll kill them with the nuke...” the general stayed silent. There was a long pause before President Anthony continued. “Fuck” He said, stretching out the word. “Send word to your troops to pull out. I want you guys in the clear within two hours. We drop the nuke in two hours.” President Anthony buried his head in his hands. “God save us. God save us all.”

1:32 P.M.
The plane flew over a vacant suburbia towards the heart of the city. Every undead looked up and watched the metal bird that brought a terrible noise. They watched a small metal object fall out of the belly of the bird before it soared away.
Arthur followed the plane with glazed eyes, his daughters’ body at his feet.

1:33 and 42 seconds

Atlanta was no more.