Chapter Four:

Dr. Nova was not happy, well not happy was putting it mildly. It took the calming influence of Dr. Zauis who was looking at the board with anger. They were trying to end the mutants once and for all, and Taylor they reasoned was the one that could help with that. Which was why they were not moving against Caesar the XXIII. A small group of apes lived under a king and had managed to take down the plan Taylor was in. They were going to use him to get to the mutants and do what exactly? The "special ops" group here seemed to think that this was the key to everything somehow.

"He is not an experiment!" Dr. Zauis said, "nor a beast or animal or anything you think he is, he is a man and, and my friend how could you do this?"

"I am his wife he my husband, we are bonded he has family, why?" Dr. Nova asked, "why would you do this?"

"We feel there is no choice, we lost so much time, and human and ape only woke up a few hundred years ago, we need to know why." A Doctor Maximus replied, "this is the best way to free the world."

"This is madness, human, ape are one people." Dr. Zauis said, "let the mutant alone, or we could all be doomed."

"Or not in this dimension." Dr. Nova replied, "if the time travel created a paradox or we are in a dimension that the paradox did not take place, regardless it is best to let the mutants alone, they caused the dreamtime!"

"We are not sure of that." Dr. Maximus replied.

"What do you mean?" Dr. Nova said, "what do you know we don't?"

"Taylor remembers the other timeline, you have glimpses, but he remembers fully as did Doctors Cornelus and Zira. The timeline is secure and Taylor can and will help us eliminate the mutant threat fully."

"I still cannot believe that you will allow this continue." Dr. Zauis replied.

"We could not have saved him even if we tried, this is the only way." Dr. Maximus replied.

Dr. Zauis glared at Dr. Maximus, he had allowed his friend to remain in the hands of the cult of Caesar and for what? What could he possibly do in the hands of them or the mutants? It was best to let things lay and not drag up things that were best buried. Oh some things should be dug up but not this, and Caesar and his band were headed right into the heart of the forbidden zone. There were answers there, but too many dangers and Dr. Zauis was not happy his friend was being used again like this!

A thousand miles away Taylor had woke a prisoner of apes who were hostel. He knew of them, the cult of Caesar and knew they lived separate and had for a long time. He sat up and winced as he felt his body was bruised and sore but he had no broken bones and was able to move. His flight suit was in tatters and he rose to his feet wincing as his head hurt. Two apes came up and threw something at him, and Taylor saw what it was, anger course through him. So he was to be humiliated once more, still he remained quiet, his years with Nova teaching him how to center himself. Besides he either wore the rags given about his hips or go without any covering at all. He knew this was to humiliate him but he refused to show his anger and rage at this.

"You will learn your place human scum." A ape who looked like a Gor said, "know that."

"Bring him to the king." One that looked like Chi said.

"You are in for it now." The Gor said binding him and putting a collar and leash on him.

He was drug from the cave where he had woke up and through a crowd of apes. He focused on breathing to remain calm as he was drug to a simple domed structure and into the chamber where he was forced to his knees before the Caesar. He looked up to see a Chi clad similarly to the others in green tunic and trousers. The only difference was the crown on his head and golden collar. He rose and walked up to Taylor forcing him to look up at him.

"This the human? So weak, if I had no use I would kill you." He said to Taylor.

"Then why don't you?" Taylor said, "why capture me?"

"You will take us to the Forbidden zone, you know the way." Caesar said, "or you will die a painful death, I will have you skinned alive!"

Taylor knew the way, he knew how to get in and knew it was no use to fight this. He knew that they were on the edge of the Forbidden zone as it was, no-one lived within an hundred miles of the zone. Yet he was not going to take Caesar there, no he would escape and go there on his own, to warn those there if that was possible. If they would listen to him. He bowed his head and nodded, the plan in his head, he knew now how to get out of the bonds, he had seen horses and would use that to get away. He winced as he was drug to his feet and taken out and thrown in a cage.

"Tomorrow we start." The Gor guard said.

"What is your name?" Taylor asked.

"You filth you do not deserve to know that beast!"

"And here I was trying to be friendly." Taylor said.

"Shut up!"

Taylor curled up and fell asleep, he would need the rest as he had a plan. In the dead of night the guard were asleep and clearly they were not aware of the dangers of leaving a human unguarded. Taylor got up and broke out of the cage and stole a rifle, a flagon of water, a pack and food. Then he lead all the horses out and rode off a gallop. The freed horses would go back to the camp but by that time Taylor would be long gone. He rode the rest of that night and slept in the heat of the day. It took him a week of searching before he found the way into the Forbidden zone and made his way across the desert to where he could enter the city.

What concerned him was the lack of any resistance of any kind. There was no mental probes, no pain, nothing. He let the horse go by a stream and then followed that to a small opening and to the city below. His bare feet were the only sounds and it seemed as if he had walked into a tomb. He came on the ruins of St. Patrick's cathedral where the bomb stood. Was Dr. Zauis right and it was no longer a nuclear bomb? He walked up and put a hand on it and felt a shock. He drew his hand back and saw worms running around the base and backed up.

"It is not wise to come where one is not wanted." A voice said in his head.

"I came to warn not hurt." Taylor said turning to see Mendez standing there, "I am not here to hurt."

"We know, we see we understand." Mendez said.

"You do not wear a mask." Taylor said.

"Masks hide the truth." Mendez said, "what have you done?"

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked.

"I remember different time, you set off the bomb, and then I am here waiting, why am I waiting?" Mendez asked.

"I don't know, I never asked for this, your illusions none of it!" Taylor replied.

"Your life is real, I did not create that. Dr. Nova is truly your wife, how did you sift us to here?" Mendez asked.

"I don't know, perhaps when I set off the bomb, you can't want to go back?"

"No, no but you will stay, stay and answer." Mendez said.

Taylor felt terrified, he backed off knowing he was going to die here. He saw the others here maskless watching him quietly. He felt Mendez in his mind and he fell to his knees, pain flowed through him and he clutched his head. His skin felt on fire, he was on fire then it was over. He was whole and Mendez was over him, Taylor lay on the cold cracked stones breathing heavily. There was one thing he could do, one thing to help.

"You can't fight them here." Taylor said.

"We must protect the bomb." Mendez said, "it sees all."
"It can save itself." Taylor said, "please you must find a safe space, not here."

"We must stay, you must stay." Mendez said.

"They will kill you all!" Taylor shouted, "you have to…"

What ever he was going to say was cut off, Mendez silenced him with a motion. Taylor staggered away from him and tried to run. It was no use, he found himself shoved against a crumbling pillar secure to it as if he were bound. He felt the cold marble and had a feeling if he struggled it would be on fire. All he could do was watch as Mendez went to the bomb and offered water to it. He wanted to scream and fight to get away but all he could do was watch. He had a feeling that his life was over and he would never see his wife and children again.