South of Old Washington, DC
"Sergeant Franks, there's a runner's out here from the forward section" the Coalition Private said as he opened the flap to the command tent.
Franks set down the tin of coffee he was drinking and instructed the Private to let the man in. Moments later the runner walked in and gave his report.
"It worked Sergeant. It actually worked." The Corporal stated with enthusiasm "Captain Rice says to tear down camp and move everyone forward immediately. He wants to send out a recon element while Captain White and the others finish up."
Franks rubbed the stubble on his chin. "It worked?" he asked rhetorically "I thought I'd be long dead before anyone ever made it into that city". The statement was certainly ironic since today Franks would be joining the ranks of the dead.
"Sergeant" the Corporal said breaking in "Captain Rice was very particular with his orders. I don't think he's too keen on those ape-loving oddballs we're working with or the apes themselves for that matter. He wants us to move without delay."
Franks shook his head and stated "I'm sure he does, Trent. He has his priorities and we have ours. We're a combat support element not a recon platoon. We can't just pull up roots and move with a seconds notice. We have ammunition and supplies that need special consideration. Get yourself some coffee and we'll move as soon as we're able"
The sergeant called for a few of the soldiers who were just outside the tent. He relayed their orders and gave the command to break down camp and to prepare to move out in ninety minutes.
An hour later the camp was down and they were ready to move. The two squads of soldiers stood lined up as Franks gave them all their last minute instructions. He inspected some of the personal gear and equipment as he barked at the subordinates or slapped a few heads.
On a tree line about two hundred yards away the orangutan peered though a set of binoculars. He panned to his left where his gaze met another ape. He made a few signals with his paws and then panned to his right and did the same. Both soldiers acknowledged with gestures of their own and moved into place. The ape then glanced back at his chimpanzee superior and nodded. The chimp gave the go-ahead. With that the orangutan signaled the two teams one last time. The snipers raised their weapons and motioned for the others to get into position.
Back in the human camp several soldiers were loading the last of the equipment onto a wagon. Others were securing their personal gear or smoking. When the sniper fire came, Franks and his senior NCOs died before they ever realized they'd been attacked. The group was surrounded and the shots were fired in almost perfect harmony.
The other apes were just as meticulous as they selected key individuals to mark. They'd been shadowing the unit for days. The main leadership and the chain of command had been identified and specifically targeted. With their chief decision makers gone, the rest of the section fell into chaos. A few more random targets were chosen just to amplify the already alarmed soldiers. The corporal who'd carried the news had been shot in leg and was scratching at the ground in a mad attempt to make it to the wagon.
At just the right time, the apes rose from their concealment. Like a pack of wolves, they rushed the remaining soldiers. Anything that moved was besieged, shot or pummeled. The apes were few in number but their plan had executed flawlessly. Every person, except Trent, was dead and only one of the primates had been hit with any kind of return-fire.
Over the next several minutes Corporal Trent was questioned, under torture, until he told the simians exactly what they wanted to know. Once the chimpanzee leader was satisfied, the man was shot in the head. They took the information and equipment and headed towards the old capital.
Ape Territorial Command
"Here's my offer; you explain the functionality of these devices to me, in full, and I'll give you a horse, a weapon, and a months rations. You'll be free to go wherever you please. You have my word on that." Polk stated. "…And you'd best take it. I've reached my limit Prefect. My militia is spread thin, our armaments have been compromised, and every capable ape I could round up is out there getting this city back in order."
Sullen laughed to himself as he thought of Arum. Humans were the masters of destruction. That fact was clearly evident. Two of these loose animals had crippled a hundred years progress in mere weeks. His great nation was now …well who knew … a great mess, he presumed. It was nice watching them do it to someone else.
"A horse you say." The Prefect sneered "That's rather considerate of you since the alternative would be for me to hop out of here on one leg. …And I have your word, huh? Is that supposed to bring me some kind of comfort? How do I know that you won't kill me as soon as you get what you want?"
"Fair enough" Polk said. "I can understand your reservation. So, as an act of good faith I'm going to take the first step towards trust …no, why don't we call it mutual cooperation instead. Trust may come in time but let's be realists, shall we?"
The Territorial Commander finished his sentence and then called for a guard. The soldier walked in with a holstered pistol and leather belt. He also brought in a rifle. He laid it on Polk's desk and walked out. Sullen got a little tense wondering if he was about to be shot anyway. His knee throbbed as he entertained the unpleasant thought.
"Take it. They're cleaned and they're loaded" Polk said sliding the weapons towards him. "Our intelligence enforcement units carry these same rifles. They're state of the art. You could take out a human at three hundred yards with it."
"It's simple Prefect." He went on to say "With just a paw-full of those relics and the knowledge to use them, I can finally remove the human blight that has plagued us for hundreds of years. You're just one ape and believe me killing you would bring great pleasure but there are bigger game to bag than you. The enemy is man. You know it and so do I. If left unchecked they'll make a desert of this entire area."
Sullen scratched his forearm, where until recently, there had been a cast. He couldn't argue with that statement. In fact, he'd have gone even farther if the sentence had rolled off his lips. The Prefect studied Polk through a lens of mistrust. What's your angle this time, he thought as he slowly reached for the fire arm.
"Don't sit there groping like a scared female. Take it." Polk said with a wave of his paw. "Here, go out and enjoy yourself a little. Most of the south side of town was spared. The cantina is one of the few places that escaped destruction. We'll meet up after my staff meeting. Go fill your belly and then find yourself a sweet smelling female." he added tossing several large silver coins on the table.
Sullen toddled into the building looking for a place to sit. It was busy and loud. An ape took his rifle and put it in a rack with several others. He handed Sullen a slip and told him not to lose it. He mumbled something about his wound and thanked him for his service to the nation.
The area was full of simians. Apes bounced him from once side to the other as he tried to keep himself balanced. "Blasted crutches" he mumbled, struggling intensely to stay poised. HHhhe finally plopped himself down in the first open seat he saw. A young soldier sat there drinking some kind of alcoholic beverage. The ape looked up and in a semi comatose manner he said, "Sure thing Pops, have a seat."
The Prefect felt a little uneasy but he wasn't about to leave and face the river of moving bodies again. He nodded back with a half smile and thanked the soldier. Someone came by and put a loaf of bread on the table. Sullen instructed her to bring him something to eat. "I don't care what it is as long as the food is hot and the beverage is cold." When the simian barmaid informed him that cold drinks were expensive Sullen flipped a couple of the silver coins on her tray. By the expression on her face he could tell that it was more than sufficient. "You just make sure I stay happy." He added with a wink.
"What the heck, Pops." The soldier said "You'd better not flash that stuff around. You're liable to get your skull cracked." He took a sip of his ale and changed the topic. "Took one in the knee huh? Humans," he paused and spit at the floor "…weak and feeble but they sure can be resourceful. Not even out Capital city is safe. We lost a lot of apes trying to push into those old ruins."
"Yeah," the ape replied "Humans are definitely that. And it's Sullen, son, not Pops. Where I come from we have a word called; Respect."
"Hey no offense Pop… um Sullen" The chimp stated. "…You in the Forces? I mean the wound and all… But you're not wearing a uniform and you're throwing currency around like there's no tomorrow. …On temporary leave or something?"
"I was wounded during the riot." was all Sullen replied. He unlatched the bulky belt that was holding the pistol and set it on the table. "And this thing is pushing into my side." He said rubbing his hip.
"Hey, that's a 9mm; officer issue… Um I'm very sorry Sir. If I was…" The ape began to state in apology.
"Look, just finish your drink and drop it. I'm not an officer, more of a volunteer" Sullen interrupted.
He's TID shot through the young Private's head. How could I have been so stupid? No wonder he just sat his butt down without even asking!
The food came and Sullen had the young maid bring the soldier another round. The Private loosened up again and bored Sullen with stories of his family and lack of success with a certain female. When the drinks came the Private picked up the holstered weapon that was taking up room on the table. A certain 'clack' made him take pause.
"That's odd. Mind if I take a look, Sir?" The private had gone from Pops, to Sullen, but his fear of the TID caused him to eventually settle on, Sir. That was actually a title the Prefect was used to hearing, so he let the issue die there.
The ape field-stripped the weapon as if he'd built it himself. Within seconds he spoke up. "Odd, it's cleaned and oiled but there's something lodged in the barrel."
"Is there now?" Sullen said through grit teeth. "That blasted Polk. I knew he wasn't…"
"Polk?" the Private exclaimed in surprise "As in Major Polk?"
"Yes, we have sort of a partnership, so to speak" Sullen replied. That remark convinced everyone in ear-shot that Sullen was indeed TID.
The Prefect composed himself as he noticed several apes staring directly at him. How ironic, he thought. This half-drunk child has just exposed that buffoon of a Major. A hundred ideas went through his mind once but one thought floated to the top of his brain. He was tired of being on the wrong side of the plan. That was about to change. Polk was as dishonorable as a human and it was about time to treat him like one.
The ape soldier reached for a tool in his field-gear. He fumbled for a second until the piece popped out. "Geeze, it's almost like someone shoved it in there intentionally. If you'd engaged this thing, it would have misfired and taken your head off. There was even a round in the chamber."
"Yes, how fortunate you found the, um mistake." Sullen replied. "Here" he added putting a few pieces of the silver in the chimps paw. "Go find that female you fancy and see if you can't win her over with this. You've certainly earned it my friend"
The ape smiled, saying nothing. He just stared at the loot grinning away. Sullen tipped his head, said his good-bye. The barmaid surfaced again and made an attempt to return his money. She mentioned the owners name and something about being honored by the TID.
"If your boss doesn't want it, then you keep it." Sullen said as he pulled himself up. He retrieved the rifle and worked his way out of the building.
The bright sunlight made the Prefect squint as he exited the dark building. It was also very hot. Sullen felt the material of his clothes, taking note that it was much more comfortable than the leather apparel he'd grown up in. There was the smell of burnt ash in the air. He looked around as he jingled the last few silver coins in his paw. Repairs were going on everywhere. Supplies and horse drawn wagons were coming and going. He could hear the distant thud of axes as they chopped away at trees or broke up the burned timber of blackened structures. His eyes finally fixed on a building off in the distance.
"Perfect" the ape muttered to himself. He grasped the crutches and made his way down the road. He marveled at paved streets and amazing architecture. Was I wrong to hold so much back from my apes? he mused. Would I even be here now if I hadn't?
When he finally arrived at the destination he could hear two apes arguing. They hot- headed and shouting so loud Sullen picked up on it blocks away.
"This is legalized robbery, that's what it is." The gorilla shouted. "We had a deal. I have young ones, you small minded crook"
"That deal was made before the rioting burned half my supplies. You want it; it will now cost three ounces." The gorilla on the opposite side of the counter shouted back. "I'm not running a charity here! I have children too."
The bickering went on for fifteen minutes and almost evolved into a brawl. When the perspective buyer noticed Sullen, he stated a few censored remarks and stormed out. The shop owner shouted back a few comments of his own before turning his attention to Sullen. "I'm sorry about that but that bloody human raid has killed my business. What can I do for you?"
Sullen rattled off a list of items until the gorilla finally stopped him "Hey slow it down there, old-timer. You're asking for quite a bit. You do have currency, don't you?"
The Prefect tossed the rest of the coins on the table. He had no idea what their financial structure was like but he did know that gold and silver seemed to get you a lot. From what he'd witnessed, most of the city lived on copper.
The shop-keeper scratched his head and looked at Sullen with a hint of suspicion. "That's impressive but not enough to pay for everything. You're still asking for quite a bit."
Sullen paused for a second and the slung the rifle off his shoulder. "Here, what's this worth?" he said placing it in front of the ape.
"That's a military issue. You can't just…" The gorilla began to protest.
"I'm TID" Sullen stated in confidence. He'd noticed that TID had spooked the Private. More than once the young simian had asked him about it. There was something about this TID that these apes feared. The fact was reinforced by the change in expression on the ape's face.
Within minutes the two reached an agreement. Sullen gave the gorilla specific instructions and stressed that he was to discuss it with no one. Feeling lucky he concluded with "I don't suppose you can give an ape who was wounded in the line of duty a ride back to the Territorial Command building, could you?"
Old Washington, DC
Hayes looked around his former Capital with a splinter of grief. What had once been the greatest symbol for liberty and freedom was now miles and miles of wasteland. The vestiges of cooled molten rock and brick were staring him in the face. The Washington Monument, the White House, The Soviet Victory Memorial, the statues of the Founding Fathers, the Capital Building …all of it was gone. The base of the Lincoln Memorial was somewhat intact but only the stairs and the foundation of Lincoln's feet were recognizable. DC was dry and arid. The waterways that formerly surrounded the area had evaporated long ago. Despite that, strange vegetation littered the area.
"Excuse me, Sir" Marshall said as he nudged by Hayes with some equipment.
The Air Force Captain jumped back into reality and gazed around. As nostalgia began to fade optimism began to swell. "The pod" he said quietly. "It can't be more than a mile away."
He looked around for March but didn't see him. The Major was helping some of the others haul equipment. Hayes began to get antsy as he realized that for the first time in months there was a real chance of escaping this nightmare. He pushed a few buttons on the field-pad and began comparing data. GPS interfacing came on-line as the device sent out its encrypted authorization signals. He plugged in a few calculations and made a few mental notes. Hayes referenced a map he'd been given of the capital. Earlier he'd plotted the approximate location of the pod and was now attempting to synchronize it with his current position.
"Captain Rice is it safe to move about?" Hayes asked.
"You stay put." The man answered in a condescending tone. He'd never taken to Hayes and thought that his odd-ball ideas walked hand in hand with his mathematical brilliance. "White may still need your assistance and this is too important. Besides we're going to have to move once they've completed below. You're not on vacation, Soldier. You can sightsee soon enough."
For a slit second Hayes thought of telling the man to go pound sand but his commonsense trumped the idea. The man was twice his size and looked about twice as wide. Besides, If the DC defenses could be secured he'd have ample time to run down any hunches that were rattling around his head. He'd also have access to a load of data and equipment years beyond what the CIS Intel could reveal. Instead he turned to Rice and said "I'll go see if she needs anything"
Rice took a long look at the ruins as he thought about the untouched treasure the city held. Maybe that nut is right, he thought; Why not send someone out to look around. There was no longer a reason for the platoon to stay split. He looked at a few of the soldiers who were working with the gorillas and clearing rubble.
"Trent," Rice said sharply. "Grab your weapon and gear. Go to the base-camp and have Franks bring everyone forward. Get 'em up here, pronto. …And I mean pronto, you got me?"
"Yes sir, I'm on it." Trent replied. The Corporal grabbed all his military apparatus and headed out.
Minutes turned to hours and before long it was getting dark. The work itself wasn't the issue. It was clearing the huge piles of rubble and the digging that ate at the time. The men involved appreciated the apes. They could lift ten times what the humans could. Even Ogden, with his wounded wing, was out working the Coalition troops. Finally the lines had been run, parts replaced or Gerri-rigged, and the words "We're ready to move" were uttered.
Karen White glanced to her left as her peripheral vision sensed the movement. She turned for a better look and noticed a crouched figure in the distance. Her mind registered; chimp and her reflexes reached for the pistol at her side. The ape, realizing that he'd been spotted raised his rife. Before he could squeeze the trigger a huge chunk of concrete slammed into the primate. His entire upper body was instantly crushed.
General Grazot whisked the woman to the first piece of cover he could find. "I could smell him" he said as he noted the look of confusion on the woman's face. "And more are out there"
"How?" she asked rhetorically. "There are no ape settlements within a hundred an fifty miles from here."
Within seconds bullets ripped into the air. They ricocheted off building remains and dusty debris. Several of the soldiers who were hauling equipment were cut down before they knew what hit them. Captain Rice was one of them. Several shots punched into his midsection almost cutting him in two. Lieutenant Berger was trying to gain some control but he wasn't quite sure what was going on. He screamed out "Cover" and dove for the ground just as an ape fired at him.
The onslaught of bullets was accompanied by the familiar sound of a few mortars. They dropped both in front and behind the group but not directly on top of them. As quickly as it all started, it abruptly stopped. "I'm coming forward. You have two minutes to clear your dead and tend to the wounded. I'll signal with one shot before I approach." a voice shouted. Berger acknowledged. He gave a few orders but was interrupted by March as the men were attending to the dead.
"Listen to me Lieutenant." March said. "They are not going to let us out alive. They need prisoners. That's why they didn't finish us off. They shot our grunts and took out the man in command. They need White's knowledge. And they know what a prize this city is. We're a means to an end. I'd bet a hundred bucks on it."
Berger looked at March as his brain tried to process the sudden turn of events. "How do you…"
March just kept talking "We don't have time Lieutenant. Take White and haul yourself down there and undo what you just did. Get those fail-safes going again and let whatever it is that causes this city to defend itself to come back online. This is too important to screw with. These apes cannot have access to this power. Move it Lieutenant"
"You'll die too, Sir. But you're right. It's too important." Berger agreed. He shook March's hand, grabbed White, and headed towards the entrance.
The last thing March did was order Hayes to the pod. "Go find it and if by some miracle it's what you think it is, leave without me." Hayes wanted to argue but things were happening too quickly. The shot went off and a chimp accompanied by two orangutans began walking forward.
So this is how it all ends March thought. He casually unlatched the holster holding his pistol. His heart began to speed up a little as his mind settled on the only logical course of action.
"Major, is it?" The chimp said as he noted the rank insignia on March's uniform. "I'm General Voss." In the customary manner, as he'd seen before, Voss handed March a canteen. March reached out, grabbed the object, and took a drink.
"Nice to meet you, Sir" March replied. "I've heard a lot about you."
Voss tipped his head and held his paw out but March intentionally dropped the canteen as he handed it back. As it fell to the ground the apes eyes instinctively followed. March raised the pistol and fired.
