Chapter Two: The End Of The World, Part Two
Cold War Era Monarch Bunker, Classified, 2019
A week had passed and not much had changed for the Soldier. Somewhat. Despite being a low rank and basically commiting a coup against command, he had been unanimously promoted to leader of Apex which they were now calling themselves. He had no idea why he picked the name but he would like to think that despite the world ending horrors outside the bunker, man was still THE apex.
But that was mostly him wanting to boost morale for his men.
As for the prisoners, Emma and Madison Russell, they had been… quiet around him. He never raised his voice, lifted a hand, or even threatened them but they were quietly compliant whenever he questioned or ordered them. And he did. He asked for any information regarding Shin Godzilla and Shin Mothra and they had given everything. When he presented his findings to his men, or the more high ranking officers, they were solemn. They all saw the writing on the wall.
This would be the end of the world.
Emma had confessed Shin Godzilla was adapting. Not just to survive against nature but them - man. Her last studies regarding it was the possible theory of it dissolving and turning into an… army of humanoid reptilian monsters… As for Shin Mothra, she revealed to him and her daughter, who wasn't even aware of this information, that Shin Mothra would do the same except it would not dissolve… It would be devoured from the inside out…
Once again, he shuddered at the thought.
But he needed a solution… and fast. City after city were being destroyed. If not by those two monstrosities then by other monstrosities. The giant three headed and winged dragon monster, Shin King Ghidora, was turning the skies above into terrifying thunderstorms completely destroying buildings. While the giant flying pterosaur, Shin Rodan, was turning cities into ashes with a monstrous hellfire that followed its wings during flight…
And there were more.
"I have an idea…"
Those were the first words Emma spoke to him in the past few days. He gave her a look from the chair he was sitting in facing their cells. She was still attractive… even with the bags under her eyes. But he didn't speak. He simply raised an eyebrow for her to continue and she stood while even the equally emotionally exhausted Madison seemed intrigued, sitting on her bed.
"When I was still with Monarch… There were rumors of an… island surrounded by storms… Uncharted… Or it was… But access to its locations are not only classified but extremely restricted to certain individuals… like Ishiro Serizawa… But if you could find the coordinates to it… Humanity might have a chance at survival… This bunker is old and you might be able to hold out… But we both know you won't… You need a new base of operations… You need supplies…" Madison said. He ignored the truthfulness to her last few words and asked what the name of this island was.
"Skull Island…" Emma said quietly.
Truthfully, he didn't like the idea of listening to her, even the thought of entertaining her gave him a bad feeling, but she was right. The bunker wouldn't last. Their supplies wouldn't last. But they needed to survive.
Humanity needed to survive.
He looked back at Emma and asked how he could trust her after everything's done. She closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"You're right…" Emma swallowed. "You can't trust me… You shouldn't trust me… But you know I'm right… Let me help you… But if you can't… Leave me behind… Take my daughter, find Skull Island, and go there… Take her there… Protect her… Please…" Emma said tearfully.
"Mom…" Madison stared at her mom with wide tearful eyes but he only grimaced.
His men wouldn't like the idea of her helping them… but he had little choice if they were going to survive… So he told her he would take them both, ignoring their wide eye reactions, and continued. He told her she realized they would have to infiltrate the same base her ex-husband and their former coworkers were for that information, that they would kill them, to get the location of Skull Island. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath… She opened her eyes and looked at him with quiet resolve…
"Yes… Jonah thought he could change the world and Monarch thinks they can still save the world. He couldn't and they won't. But you? You're not Jonah. Or Ishiro. Or Monarch. I trust you more than I trust them… But the only person who matters to me most is my daughter… Promise me you will protect her and I'll join you… I'll join Apex." Emma said firmly.
Madison only stared at her mother in shock.
But he simply nodded.
He walked to her cell door and unlocked it. He let the door open by itself. Slowly, Emma walked out. He moved to Madion's cell and did the same. Hesitantly, she passed him and ran to hug her mother while crying. He went back to his bedroom, leaving them to have their reunion alone in peace.
He had a plan. He had a mission. He couldn't change the course of the world like Jonah. He couldn't save the world like Monarch. All that was left was survival.
Nothing else.
I should clarify a few things. 1) The events of Shin Godzilla happened the same but in place of the 2014 Godzilla. Shin Godzilla appeared in San Francisco until it was frozen solid. It's still in its fourth form but Monarch determined its fifth form, the form at the very end of Shin Godzilla, will come soon. 2) Why would Emma believe Shin Godzilla to be good after what happened to her son and with the appearance of a more monstrous Godzilla? My idea was that Emma still dealt with the grief differently than her husband. To her, Shin Godzilla was still a misunderstood monster that could co-exist until New York City... And the idea was the same with Mothra. Monarch, or really Emma, helped to unfreeze Shin Godzilla and evolve Mothra except neither can be controlled and both are a lot more lovecraftian horrors... Which will become more clear as the story goes on. Anyway, that's all I really wanted to clarify for now but I'll try to include details like this more in the story. I just messed up and realized after the fact that this AU would be more confusing. But until then.