Caesar's Pearl 2 Chapter 24
Margo can't take Ranger with them this time. It's possible he might get in the way so she left him with Ellie and Alex back at the house. He'd be fine with them until this was all over and they could use the early alarm system should anything go amiss.
Time was of the utmost essence. The infiltration had to commence before daybreak or all would be lost. A sense of urgency came over the troop leaving no room for error.
Underground Malcolm led the apes through a BART tunnel connected to the station Malcolm had used previously to sneak into the human Colony through the basements in the tower.
The group ran without stopping on the tracks with Malcolm's flashlight the only source of light to guide their steps in the right direction. The apes were silent every step calculated to avoid detection.
Margo stayed glued to Caesar's side the entire time ready to catch her brother should he stumble. The constant nonstop running was putting an enormous strain on Caesar, taking a heavy toll. Having not yet fully healed the wound in his shoulder obviously hindered his movements, but he refused to show or let that stop him. He mustn't appear weak. That would ruin everything.
Margo isn't the only one concerned over Caesar's wellbeing. Repeatedly Malcolm would cast a glance back at Caesar to check on how he was faring, like now.
"Are you okay," asked Malcolm.
Caesar grunted lightly in reply.
"How much further, Malcolm," said Margo, impatient.
"We're getting close," informed Malcolm.
Then without warning shots were fired in the tunnel forcing them all to duck and cover off to the side.
At first they thought Koba's minions had found them, distinctly human voice was heard.
"Who's there? If you're human, you better say so!"
Malcolm recognized it at once.
"It's me! It's Malcolm! Don't shoot," shouted Malcolm. Bending down he spoke more quietly to the apes. "The stairs. Take the stairs." He was referring to the stairwell to their right. "They'll bring you around and up onto the street, okay? Go."
Caesar looked to his apes and they all nodded to show they understood the conveyed instructions.
Turning back to Malcolm, voice laced with gratitude, Caesar said "Thank you."
"Trust," said Malcolm, smiling, repeating the gesture Caesar gave him at the gas station a few nights ago.
Margo moves to go with Caesar and the others, but he stops here. Meeting her confused and mutinous glare Caesar shakes his head.
"This must be handled among apes. You cannot help," signed Caesar.
Meaning that if she got involved then it might turn more apes to Koba's side with her interference. So Margo reluctantly backs off.
A flashlight beaming this way and that in the area of the tunnel up ahead and the sound of approaching footsteps were the signs that whoever had fired the shots are coming to take a look.
"Go now," said Malcolm, waving them up the stairs.
Quietly the apes vanished up the stairs above ground.
As the apes were walking up, speaking to the person at the other end of the tunnel, Malcolm shouted "All right! I'm coming out! Don't shoot!"
Caesar and his apes made it out just in the nick of time. Whoever it was made their way to them at the same instance the last ape made the climb.
Turns out it's someone Malcolm knows. A man that goes by the name Finney. Pleased to see Malcolm he doesn't ask any questions as he leads them further into the tunnels until they reach the bottom of the tower.
From the shadows emerges another person. It's Dreyfus. A radio engineer, Werner is with him. Dreyfus moves to greet them as Werner continues to fiddle with some equipment. The radio included. The portable set was plugged in and running, using the steel frame of the skyscraper as an antenna.
"Hey! Look who I found," exclaimed Finney.
Grinning toothily Dreyfus rushes in to hug Malcolm.
Relieved, Dreyfus said "I didn't know if you'd made it out! Good to see you."
Pulling back Dreyfus now spots Margo standing behind him.
"What's she doing here," said Dreyfus.
"It's all right. When the apes attacked she hid me. Margo's all right," said Malcolm.
Well that's partially true.
"Right," said Dreyfus, warily. "Don't worry. We're gonna turn all this around."
"What do you mean? What's going on," said Malcolm.
Margo's eyes rove over all the crates of ammunition stashed in the makeshift bunker starting to get rattled.
"It's the apes. They're all over the tower," answered Finney.
"I lost the signal. It dropped out," said Werner, listening through his headset.
"Keep trying," said Dreyfus, shining his flashlight on bombs they have spread out everywhere. "Malcolm, look at this. C-4. Five pound blocks. We just started setting them. They're gonna take down the whole tower. Blast them all at once."
No! This can't happen. If those bombs go off every single one of the apes in the tower will perish. Caesar…Caesar doesn't know about them.
Margo's eyes go wide in horror, instantly snapping her head towards Malcolm. Although he's more discreet about it Margo can see this distress mirrored in his own gaze. They need to stall and provide Caesar the time needed to get the troop back under his control.
"We could use your help," said Dreyfus, proudly.
Malcolm and Margo will help all right, but not for Dreyfus's benefit.
Malcolm pretends to assist in setting up the bombs while Margo keeps to the background. She pretends to feign disinterest knowing if she makes any sudden moves it can ruin their chances. She knows these guys best so Margo's going to begrudgingly lets Malcolm run the lead on this one.
Werner keeps trying to make contact with someone over the radio. He keeps being met with static.
The time is now.
Malcolm and Margo exchange subtle nods.
Malcolm rises and casually walks over to Finney picking up the gun where he's left it unmanned.
Malcolm takes position with Margo standing a few inches at his shoulder. She tenses in anticipation.
Finney is frozen staring in disbelief at them.
"Dreyfus. Werner," said Malcolm.
Both men stop what they're going and see gun along with Malcolm's intention of not putting it down.
All goes silent.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you do this," said Malcolm, decisive and determined. "We need to give him a chance. We need to give him some time. He's up there right now."
"Who's up there," said Dreyfus, blinking in puzzlement.
Malcolm then spills all telling Dreyfus what's going on up top and how this all came about. It takes a couple of minutes, but he does it.
By the end of it Dreyfus, Finney, and Werner are surveying their comrade as if he's gone insane.
"Are you out of your fucking mind," breathed Dreyfus.
"No, I've seen things. I've seen the way they are," said Malcolm, cool headed and clear minded. "So has, Margo. She showed us how not so different we are from the apes. They want what we want to survive. They don't want a war."
"They're animals! They attacked us," shouts Dreyfus, angrily.
"That's because they thought you attacked them. One of the inner circle, Koba, stole and used one of your guns to set this up. He wanted them put in a crazed state so they'd follow him and attack. Now that they'll see their true leader is alive they'll pull out," assures Margo, being the Tribe's voice.
"Sit down, Finney," yells Malcolm, aiming the gun at Finney. "Sit down!"
Finney returns to his knees holding his hands up in order to show he's complying.
"You need to listen to her, Dreyfus," said Malcolm, beseeching his friend to reconsider and treat this rationally, not do anything impulsive. "Now I know how this must all sound."
"No, I don't think you have any idea-," said Dreyfus, taking a step.
Malcolm cocks the gun, prepared to fire, serious.
The heavy weight in the atmosphere gets tighter with this standoff.
"Do you think stopping me will matter? They're coming. We made contact with a military base up north. They're already on their way," proclaims Dreyfus, shrewd.
"What," whispered Margo.
"It's true," said Werner, having been the one to speak to the base personnel.
"No," said Margo, shaking her head, a flashback from the carnage on the Golden Gate Bridge flashing through her mind as she nearly reaches hysteria. That can't happen. Not again! "No, no, no, no!"
"It's going to be fine, Margo," said Malcolm, briefly taking his focus off Dreyfus.
Using this distraction Dreyfus makes a break for the detonator linked to the assembled bombs, brandishing it above his head.
"Dreyfus! What are you doing, man," demands Werner, stunned and scared to death.
"I'm saving the human race," said Dreyfus, resigned to his fate, acting like a self-proclaimed hero he is not.
Dreyfus presses the trigger.
"No," screamed Malcolm.
All the bombs go explode simultaneously.
Dreyfus, Finney, and Werner are engulfed in a ball of gas and flame.
To avoid dying by fire Malcolm and Margo took shelter on the tracks. The heat almost destroyed them, but made it through.
The destruction from the blast is devastating spreading all the way to the top. The tower nevertheless is mostly intact, but the damage is done judging the debris that fell all over the place.
The fact that Margo and Malcolm survived such a severe explosion with a few cuts and minimal burns cannot be described other than a miracle.
After extracting themselves from the piles of rubble the two then seek a way out.
A patrol of apes found them in the tunnels. Malcolm and Margo are dragged through a doorway by six apes threatening them with guns. Malcolm had calming hands raised to show he meant no harm while Margo was just nonresponsive. She's careful not to do anything to provoke them.
"Leave them," commanded Caesar.
Reluctantly those chimpanzees dispersed. After what they witnessed happen to Koba they weren't going to contest Caesar. So they retrained the animalistic tendency's Koba had unleashed.
With no one blocking the way the two leaders approached each other on the plaza meeting in the middle.
Margo and Caesar immediately hugged relieved to see each other alive and okay especially Margo. After Dreyfus activated those explosions she didn't know what to think.
Caesar could sense something was amiss. Caesar made an inquiry portrayed with his eyes.
"You're not safe here. They made contact. Other people are coming. Soldiers," explained Malcolm. "You have to leave now. Everyone."
Absorbing the news Caesar shook his head in silent refusal.
"Caesar, if you don't go," pressed Malcolm, his voice urgent, desperate to convince Caesar, "it'll be all out war."
"No," said Caesar, resigned, his expression filled with regret. "War…has already…begun. Ape started war. And human…Human will not forgive. You must go before fighting begins. I am sorry…my friend."
Tears in his eyes, smiling shakily, Malcolm said "I thought we had a chance."
Understandingly, nostalgic, Caesar said "I did, too." He then cupped a hand around the back of Malcolm's head pulling him closer until their foreheads were pressed together. Through this the two shared a rapport a significant moment shared in their friendship and a realization the chances were slim they'd ever meet again after this day. This was their version of farewell.
Finally they separated. Releasing Malcolm, Caesar stepped back turning to rejoin his kind.
Cornelia slowly made her way to the front holding the baby close to the chest. Then she spotted Caesar. Her eyes became nearly as big as an owl's in her disbelief.
To prove it was really him in the flesh and blood, Caesar held out an inviting hand to his wife smiling gently at Cornelia.
Cornelia took Caesar's hand and he pulled her close. Husband and wife embraced drinking in each other's presence never wanting to let go.
But they did and the family of four stood there exuding a united front for the tribe.
Caesar turned to look at where Malcolm had stood only to find he's gone. Only Margo remains. She smiles at him. That one gesture tells Caesar that she won't leave him to face this oncoming threat alone. Not this time.
Caesar nods waving his arm for her to come forward and join them there. Margo complies, their fingers intertwining as she takes her place at his side. Brother and sister united as one.
All of the apes dropped to their knees bowing to Caesar, extending hands to him in supplication.
Caesar was right. War had begun, but they would face it together with a single purpose guiding their future. Instead of peddling backwards they'd continue forwards. Either they all got to the peak together or they don't get there at all.
Authors Note:
And so we're at the end of the road. It's been a long time coming. Now it's only the epilogue left before this part of the saga is complete. And just as I promised right before the 1st Anniversary.
The epilogue holds a big surprise. Hope you enjoy it. Ha! Ha!
Also, got any song suggestions Margo can sing for the Epilogue?