A/N: Now, this is where the drama happens.
Kong: Skull Island
Chapter 7: Crafting A Well-laid Trap
Hours later, the danger having passed for now, Hank called Packard out.
"Now, look, Colonel. You may outrank me, but I've been here a heck of a lot longer. And I'm telling you that thing that just shredded us was only the first of them. Now we're on their turf, and we need to turn back toot sweet!", Hank demanded.
"Not as long as Chapman's still out there.", Packard responded.
"I'm sorry, Colonel Packard. Chapman is dead.", Conrad apologized, showing Packard his dog tag.
"It came with his skull that the creature puked out of its mouth.", Martha added.
"Doesn't change a thing! We're still going to that crash site.", Packard said adamantly.
"What's at that crash site that you want so badly?",
"Weapons! Enough to kill it.", Packard responded.
"Weren't you listening? Kong wasn't the one who killed Chapman.", Margaret responded.
"But he did kill these men! MY men!", Packard responded, raising the dog tags of his fallen soldiers.
"He only did that because apparently, we all started picking a fight with him by dropping seismic bombs all over the island!", Martha retorted.
"Did you just talk back to me?", Packard asked.
"You can't kill Kong, Colonel. Kong is god on this island. He's the only thing keeping them lizard things in the ground.", Hank said worriedly.
"He's right, Colonel, we can't kill Kong. Now that other creature? That's the threat. And there are more of them down there. If you take away a species' natural competition they'll proliferate out of control!", Brooks agreed.
"Then we'll end them, too! After we bring this thing down.", Packard assured.
"Are you kidding me?! We barely survived that juvenile Skull Crawler and suddenly, you think you can take them on, let alone the big one?! And with what? More metal and lightning?", Martha asked.
"I can't let you do that, Colonel.", Hank discouraged as he drew his sword.
"Wait! Hold your fire!", Conrad shouted as the soldiers took aim, although holding fire, before Packard knocked the sword away and then knocked Hank to the ground.
"This is one war we are not gonna lose.", Packard declared.
"Nuts! You hear me? This is nuts!", Hank shouted.
"Please! You need to listen to us!", Lin pleaded.
"We're not at war. You're making a mistake.", Brooks warned.
"Your lies got my men killed!", Packard only snapped, aiming his gun at him.
"And you're gonna get us all killed!", Weaver retorted.
"Not our fight.", Conrad warned.
"No, Conrad. She's right! Even if you get your revenge, what then, Colonel? There might be more Skull Crawlers out there than even we could handle. For all we know, they'd kill us all before we could have the chance to kill THEM! And it'll be all because of YOU!", Martha shouted.
"We don't know that!", Packard snapped.
"Wake up and smell reality, Packard! This isn't war...! It's a nightmare! So, what do you care about more? Vengeance? Or making it off this island alive?!", Margaret shouted in retortion.
"You all can make it off the island if you want. But me? I'm not leaving until the ape is dead.", Packard said calmly.
"What...?!", Martha said in shock
However, that only stoked the rage in Margaret.
"You MONSTER!", Margaret shouted as she charged toward him, or rather, was about to, until Conrad stopped her.
"This is neither the time nor the place, Margaret.", Conrad warned.
"Whose side are you on, Captain?", Packard asked.
"Good question...!", Margaret said, glaring at Conrad.
After a moment, he spoke.
"Okay, Colonel. You'll find your Sea Stallion three klicks up that ridge. Now, I'm gonna take these civilians back to the boat, and we'll wait for you there. All right?", Conrad assured.
Then, Packard moved the gun up, away from aiming at the others.
"Saddle up! Let's go kill this thing! Steve, you running with the big dogs or staying on the porch?", Packard asked as he and his men started leaving.
"I don't wanna be on the porch.", Steve said as he started taking his leave as well.
As everyone else left, Conrad turned to Hank as Brooks, Lin, Weaver, Martha, and Margaret went over.
"Marlow, you okay?", Conrad asked.
"We need to stop him.", Hank said.
"You wanna talk with him about it again? He seemed to really go for it the first time.", Weaver retorted sarcastically.
"Go for it? There's no reasoning with him! Not anymore.", Margaret responded.
"He's losing his grip. Now, follow me, and we'll get off this rock alive.", Conrad said as Hank got his sword back in its scabbard.
"But what about Kong? We can't let Packard do this.", Martha said.
"I don't like this, either. But as of yet, I don't see how we can stop him when he's like this. I'm sorry.", Conrad said before walking away.
"No, you're not...!", Martha glared angrily, tightening her hands into fists.
Meanwhile, Mills, Cole, Packard, and Steve arrive at the site of Chapman's demise and notice a journal with a knife etched into the tree.
"Dear Billy... I'm just trying to get home to you and your mom. You be strong, now. Much love.", Chapman's words said before Packard took a look and turned to Mills.
"Make sure those get back to his family.", Packard stated before heading out.
"Dear Billy... your dad was one of the best to ever do it.", Mills said before taking the book and removing the knife from the tree.
Meanwhile, Conrad stopped near a branch with small mushrooms below.
"There's water close by.", Conrad said.
"Are you lost? Which way?", Brooks said.
"Hang on.", Conrad said before, after a few moments, a roar echoed from nearby.
"Kong...!", Martha said before heading out forward.
"Hey. Hey, hey, hey, Martha! Where are you going?", Conrad asked.
"I'm going to save Kong. Whether you want to or not.", Martha said adamantly before taking off.
"Martha!", Conrad shouted as he tried to stop her, but to no avail as she ran off, making him sigh a bit annoyedly.
"Wait here. I've got to get to higher ground to find the river, anyway.", Conrad said before heading out deeper.
"Hey! I'm coming, too.", Weaver said.
"That makes 3 of us.", Margaret responded as she went with Weaver.
"I'll be right here.", Hank assured before the group of 3 left to go after Martha.
"Keep your eyes open. Up in the trees, too.", Hank warned.
"Why?", Brooks asked.
"Ants. Big ones.", Hank said before a bird-like screech sounded.
"There's one. Sounds like a bird, but it's a freaking ant.", Hank stated as the bird-like screech sounded a bit repeatedly, though not too often.
Meanwhile, Packard and his men finally arrived at the crash site where Chapman's chopper is, all the stuff around it wrecked.
"Gather up everything you can, including those seismic charges. They got his attention the first time.", Packard advised before taking off a sort of scarf from on top of his head.
"This is a bad idea.", Mills said as he and Cole left the back of the plane.
"Let's just get on with it.", Cole responded.
Later, at night, preparations were being made.
"Mills, Cole, let's prep this ordinance. Make him a special gift out of that napalm.", Packard advised as Cole loaded up his gun, Mills prepped the seismic bombs, and Slivko prepared pits of flaming water thanks in part to napalm and fire.