Caesar's Pearl 2 Chapter 6
Immediately after the sun rose in the sky Caesar led an army of his apes down into an Francisco for the first time in a decade.
Until this point no ape had ever stepped foot in San Francisco since the revolution. Foraging parties had been sent out to scavenge useful materials in a few small isolated human towns, but that was it.
They were traveling the same road Caesar had taken the apes out of the city a decade ago. Stealth was needed for this mission so the apes were careful to keep noise to a minimum. The only sound being the horse's hooves on pavement.
After the apes passed through a tunnel they came a cross a sight no human or ape should exposed to. In an area closed off by iron fencing for quarantine there were skeletal remains of humans lying everywhere. Hanging on the fence of the enormous cage enveloped in plastic covers were pictures of thousands of missing people. In ten years the rain washed away most of what people had written down on these pictures, but it wasn't hard to speculate what they were. Families desperately looking for their loved ones during the virus outbreak. There were skulls that belonged to children. The plague certainly had no qualms of taking the lives of innocence.
On the outer wall of a building there was a drawing of an ape with the Simian Flu coming from its mouth, human's killings apes with guns, and depicted on monstrous forms painted with graffiti on buildings.
As he passed it on his stallion Caesar looked at the drawing painted by graffiti with an grim expression. Caesar sucked in a breath and returned his gaze forward.
Eventually the army reached the section of the city where Koba indicated the human settlement was. Suffice to say this was the tallest building in all San Francisco easily surpassing others in height. Craning her head all the way back Willow still couldn't see the top and the place wasn't even finished. It was still being constructed or had been in the process before the plague outbreak. Apes climbed onto cars, rooftops, and hung from vines on the sides of buildings for good vantage points, prepared for anything.
Not announcing themselves the apes quietly waited patiently in anticipations for a human to spot them outside the parapets of their walls.
They didn't have to wait long.
Perhaps a few minutes after they'd arrived a human appeared on top of the Colony gate to begin his sentry duty. When the sentry looked out he froze doing a major double take. He blinked his eyes hard twice making sure all of these apes were real. When the human realized these apes weren't a drowsy hallucination he freaked out. Shouting for help he kept his guns trained on the apes. Moments later a second human appeared over the wall. Unseen by the apes the sentry's switched on a blaring siren alarm alerting the humans in the vicinity to danger. The volume was set high it could've woken up an entire small town.
More and more humans revealed themselves carrying firearms all strangers to the ape's eyes.
Dreyfus was one of the first once he got wind of what was actually standing outside the gates. He was in total shock. Dreyfus had heard what Malcolm and the others had told him, but he hadn't wanted to believe it. Now the truth was staring at him in the face.
It didn't take long before Malcolm appeared on the platform beside Dreyfus. Now he too saw the army of apes outside their walls.
"That's a hell of a lot more than eighty," yelled Dreyfus, over the noise of the sirens.
After some convincing to Dreyfus on his part it was agreed that Malcolm would go down there to speak to the leader and see what he had come for. Malcolm had a gut feeling that the apes hadn't come down here to fight. If they had then the apes could've killed them all in their beds while they'd had the element of surprise on their side.
So the gates were opened and Malcolm tentatively came out into the open. Behind him were the inhabitants of the Colony. Watching, but remaining behind the walls out of fear. A line of humans holding assault rifles were there acting as a first line of defense should anything go airier.
Out walked Malcolm with the group of armed humans behind him preventing the crowd within from pouring out and protecting them the apes should they attack at the same time. While the rest of the humans stayed inside the building Malcolm continued walking toward the apes eyes on Caesar.
"Malcolm," said Dreyfus, concerned by how far Malcolm was distancing himself from the Colony's protective line.
Malcolm ignored the man his eyes refusing to be dislodged from Caesar's for even a moment. Halfway he stopped in the center of the ape lines and the group of humans. Caesar rode forward to meet Malcolm in the middle, leader to leader.
After surveying the gathered human with a critical eye, Caesar declared "Apes…do not…want war!" The reaction from the humans was expected. There were downright scared at hearing a chimpanzee speak and even more terrified at the prospect of how. "But will fight! If we must!"
Silence met his words. The humans were speechless having no clue how to handle this situation. Caesar's declaration had shaken them to the core, but he was ready for this.
Caesar turned glancing at Blue Eyes.
That was his cue. Blue Eyes needed to give the satchel back to the humans.
Blue Eyes swiftly dismounted from his horse carrying the bag Alex had dropped. He walked over to Malcolm stopping within six to eight feet of the guy. He then dropped the bag at Malcolm's feet.
Realizing what it was Ellie looked at Alex in outright shock. Judging by the dumbfounded expression on his face he shared in this with his stepmother.
Slowly Malcolm bent to pick up the looking up at Caesar in astonishment and disbelief.
There was a definite shift in the atmosphere after this little stunt. A significant level of uncertainty rose in the humans now completely baffled by the ape Alpha's actions.
Instead of waging war against them the apes had mustered an army and marched down the mountains and through the city in order to give them a bag the dam repair team had dropped. They couldn't understand it.
Blue Eyes then retracted his steps hastily remounting his horse.
Only when Blue Eyes was safely on board did Caesar continue to speak.
"Human home," shouted Caesar, pointing at the human colony and then at the woods in the opposite direction indicating the mountains. "Ape home."
Caesar was clearly telling the humans to stay in their own borders or there would be serious repercussions.
Lowering his arms, locking eyes with Malcolm, Caesar warned "Do not come back." He wasn't going to repeat himself.
The warning had been given. If the humans chose not to heed it they knew what would occur as consequence.
Malcolm didn't know about everyone else, but he had no intention of testing that theory.
The message had been firmly delivered. The apes had accomplished what they'd intended. It was time to go.
Just when Caesar was about to signal his subordinates to move out something completely unexpected occurred that halted this action.
Out of the legs of the onlookers came a border collie booking it out of the crowd and barking like mad. With little to no hesitation the excited dog made a beeline for Caesar.
This created much alarm and fear for what this dogs actions might cause should it attack this ape leader.
"Malcolm, stop him," shouted Dreyfus.
Malcolm attempted to grab the dog as it ran by him which ended up in failure.
The dog reached Caesar, but contrary to what everyone thought it would do the border collie did not attack him.
No, instead…it wanted to play with Caesar?
This fully grown border collie started acting like a puppy.
The mutt was barking like made prancing around Caesar's horse and rearing up on his hind legs in order to place its front paws on the stallion's legs. It kept doing its best to reach Caesar and ran around in tight circles. Bewildered murmurs from the humans broke out as word spread of what the dog was doing in bafflement.
The humans may have been confused, but Caesar wasn't. Before when he'd seen the dogs picture he had his doubts. Now that all went away once he got a good look at the canine.
Hardly able to believe it, Caesar breathed "Ranger?"
Ranger barked sticking his back end up, wagging his tail before chasing it erratically. Ranger managed to grab the end before taking it into his mouth and staring up at Caesar with big puppy dog eyes.
Taking a leap of faith Caesar leaned downwards. Eager for contact Ranger stood on his hind legs again, stretching out his neck as far as it could possibly go.
Caesar's fingers fondled Ranger's ears, rubbing under the chin in the way he loved. Ranger's eyes close with pleasure at his gentle and familiar touch. Ranger moaned in pleasure his tail wagging so hard it could make a miniature tornado.
Caesar felt a sudden heaviness in his heart.
Wait a minute, if Ranger was here then did that mean…?
"Caesar?"
Lightning fast all eyes became trained on a young woman as she appeared from the throng of humans. Spotting his mistress Ranger left Caesar to go back to her.
Margo appeared, eyes huge as she stared at Caesar in amazement.
"Caesar, is it really you," she said.
Margo's voice was barely above a whisper. It was so quiet at present that she could've spoken in how low a tone she wanted and others would've still heard her. The moment she had heard his voice again a shard of recognition had shot through Margo. She had to see if her ears were deceiving her and they weren't. Ranger figured it out a lot earlier than she did having caught Caesar's scent on the breeze that came upwind.
When Margo spoke Caesar's name a wave of unease had gone through the apes, not liking that this human from out of the blue knew Caesar's name.
Margo didn't pay any attention to them only Caesar. She presumed her eyes were deceiving her until she noticed two things. The first is the birthmark quite apparent on Caesar's chest. The 2nd is the locket she saw hanging from a chain on his wrist. Only one person possessed an exact replica like it.
That would be her.
Choking back on her tears, smiling, Margo said "It is you. Caesar, it's me. Margo!"
That name had a significant reaction from a majority of the apes. Maurice and Rocket immediately exchanged a shocked glance remembering Margo from their time at the San Bruno Primate Shelter and the kindness she showed them there while others were cruel.
Caesar went stock still not believing his eyes.
Margo went to move closer. Caesar tugged on his horses reins forcing it back a couple of steps.
"Caesar, don't be afraid. I just grew up, that's all," reassured Margo, softly.
Still Caesar didn't acknowledge her.
Margo and Ranger know it's him, but Caesar needs further confirmation besides the locket that she is who she says she is. In his minds eye she could very well only be someone pretending to be his long lost little sister. This is highly unlikely, but the stuff going through his head now is preventing him from accepting the whole reality of it.
Margo knew the perfect solution to this. Out of everything there was one thing above all that could confirm this. A lullaby that Caroline used to sing to her and Caesar in a time when they were both still so very young.
So Margo shut her eyes and sang from her heart and soul.
.
Do not ask me for a smile
Life is short but love is long
Let me not your heart beguile
Pray content you with a song
Do not ask me for a kiss
Life is short but love is long
You may never know that bliss
So I offer you this song
Do not ask me for my heart
Life is short but love is long
Knowing we are soon to part
Consolation be my song
.
By the end of the chorus Caesar's blank and unmovable façade had crumbled a little, enough for part of his emotions to break through, as it fully registered that she really is Margo.
"Sister," breathed Caesar, shakily.
Margo laughed softly nodding at him teary eyed, showing him her own locket as another piece of proof.
For a few moments it seemed like the rest of the world had disappeared leaving only Margo and Caesar remaining. They could've simply stood there basking in the others presence for eternity. Unfortunately, like always, reality had its feature of finding a way back in.
Rumbling softly to get Caesar's attention, hating to do this to his friend, Maurice signed "Caesar, we need to go."
Finally, with the deepest reluctance Caesar signaled to his apes and they all began to retreat in a steady procession one by one with him in the lead, retreating the way they came.
In that instant Ranger became overwrought with panic. He didn't want Caesar to leave them behind again. Ranger went to lunge to trail after Caesar. Margo prevented him from going kneeling on the ground, wrapping her arms around his torso to keep the canine there with her. She shushed and petted him in comfort, but Ranger just kept on barking and whining.
Caesar never looked back not once. He didn't, but another did.
While Margo longed too to follow Caesar her attention was focused on another ape lagging behind the others.
Koba glowered at the humans in pure hatred growling. He wanted badly to inflict some pain upon the humans. For a moment it seemed like he would glaring hatefully at Malcolm and then Dreyfus. The intensity of the incensed look in his eyes caused both men to take nervous steps back distancing themselves from him. Using every ounce of restraint he had left Koba fought his desire to kill every human in front of him instead leaving with the tribe.
As far as Koba was concerned this wasn't over. Margo didn't give a crap about that. After ten long and lonely years Margo has discovered her elder brother alive and thriving. And is she just gonna let him up and disappear again for another decade?
Hell no!
Authors Note:
Ah! There it is! The moment you've all been waiting for!
I got my inspiration for this scene from the movie Paulie. The ending was one of my top favorites in that movie and I just felt it would be perfect for this. In my opinion it suits the reunion of Caesar and Margo perfectly.
The song sung here by Margo is Love Is Long from the Poldark Series.