Planet of the Apes Varan: Primate Partners

by Japan Boy

1 of 2 'Planet of the Apes' stories commemorating its 60th anniversary: Taking place between 'Dawn of' & 'War for', Caesar & his apes fend off army soldiers, with Malcolm's group caught in the middle, until a powerful force arises in San Francisco that threatens apes & humans alike...one that has first appeared in Tokyo, Japan in 1958. Kindly review if read.

For actors Andy Serkis, James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman,

Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Steve Zahn, Woody Harrelson, directors Rupert Wyatt & Matt Reeves

& their entire casts & crews for their Award-winning reimagining 'Planet of the Apes' trilogy with 2011's 'Rise of the

Planet of the Apes', 2014's 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' & 2017's 'War for the Planet of the Apes'.

For Japanese writer/novelist Ken Kuronuma (1902-1985), for the creation of the Toho kaiju Varan, who became a huge

fan-favorite monster, making his debut in 1958's 'Giant Monster Varan' (U.S. title 'Varan the Unbelievable'), followed

by a cameo appearance in 1968's 'Destroy All Monsters' & featured in the 1997 novel 'Godzilla 2000' & the 1998

novel 'Godzilla & the Lost Continent', both written by Marc Cerasini. Varan was also featured in the 'Godzilla: Rulers

of Earth' comic book series beginning with issues #4 & 5, published by IDW (Ken Kuronuma also created the monster

Rodan, who made his debut with 1956's 'Sora No Daikaiju Radon' ('Giant Monster of the Sky: Rodan').

PLANET OF THE APES / VARAN:

PRIMATE PARTNERS

2023 by Anthony Ogozalek

PROLOGUE

He was worshipped as a god for centuries by an ancient cult on the small island of Kunishiroshima, given the name of 'Baradagi-Sanjin' by those living on the island with him in Iwaya Village. In all that time, he & the islanders were undisturbed by those from the outside world.

That all changed in 1958 when an expedition arrived to discover the truth about the Baradagi legend. As the thing emerged from the waters of a nearby lake, the culprit revealed itself to be a gigantic lizard-like creature with a height of 50 meters & 2-3 times in length. Able to glide from membranes attached under his legs, this monster – later dubbed 'Varan' – escaped the confinement of his island home & headed out to sea, destroying boats & whatever else impeded his progress. Arriving in a major metropolitan area, Varan wreaked unimaginable destruction as he flattened a large area before he was finally defeated & died out at sea.

Despite being defeated in 1958, those that've fought & killed him that year still dreaded that, in good time, Varan would somehow, someday reappear somewhere in the world again.

It would be quite inevitable.

2019:

An earthquake struck the western coast of the United States, causing more panic among those who were trying to survive under the harshest circumstances. Deep within the Klamath National Forest, a large object lay upon the floor of a huge cavern beneath the state's land of foliage, being undisturbed for many years as it rested peacefully after having its fill of sustenance long ago.

But the earthquake has now woken it up, opening its large reptilian eyes & surveying its surroundings. Despite it being pitch black where it slept, the creature could still see very well as if it were daylight.

Its stomach rumbled, having been deprived of nourishment for too long.

Soon it will awaken fully & have its fill once again.

A low but still boisterous growl escaped its gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth.

CHAPTER I

California, 2021:

It was only meant to be a cure – nothing else.

During the 2000s, a scientist at the company called Gen-Sys named Will Rodman was working on a foolproof cure for Alzheimer's Disease he's named ALZ-112, using chimpanzees for test subjects. When one of the chimps – a female named Bright Eyes – shows signs of increased intelligence, Will makes a presentation to his boss Steven Jacobs & the other higher-ups when Bright Eyes goes on a brief rampage & is killed. It was discovered that the female was in labor & wanted only to protect her child, which Will adopts & brings it home, naming him Caesar & later seeing that he has ALZ-112 in his system, making him a highly intelligent chimp.

One of the primary reasons Will was working on ALZ-112 was because his father, Charles Rodman, was greatly diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, unable to remember much of anything & throwing violent fits at even the slightest mishaps. Desperate, Will treated his father with his invention, giving Charles an immediate & miraculous recovery: with his mind all but cleared up of the fog, Charles was able to remember things, such as driving a car to even playing on the piano without missing a beat.

Happy times were ensured for the rest of Charles Rodman's life.

Or so he thought: the effects of ALZ-112 wasn't permanent, & five years later Charles' Alzheimer's had returned with a vengeance. He unintentionally gets into his neighbor's car, Douglas Hunsiker, who becomes outraged & attacked the elderly man. When Caesar saw Charles assaulted, he came in to attack Douglas, biting his finger & drawing blood. Soon, animal control takes Caesar away & into the San Bruno Primate Shelter, run by John Landon & his son Dodge. From within this facility, Caesar meets other apes in the compound, some of which are hostile to the newcomer, but others like Maurice – a former circus orangutan – become fast friends.

Because of his ability to communicate with sign language, Caesar is able to 'talk' with the other apes.

Will wanted to give his father another dose of ALZ-112, but Charles refuses it & died overnight.

During his time in the primate shelter, Caesar & the other apes suffer abuse at the hands of Dodge, zapping them & other atrocities with every chance he got. Having had enough of the human's hateful attitude towards him & the other apes, Caesar escaped his cage & headed over to Gen-Sys to grab containers of ALZ-112 before heading on back to the shelter. Unleashing the formula, he enhances the other apes' intelligence within the compound & they all hail Caesar as their liberator, especially after the chimp kills Dodge by spraying him with water while he held his cattle prod in his hand. With the apes from the shelter all liberated, Caesar heads over to Gen-Sys to free the apes there, up to & including a scarred bonobo named Koba, who was first exposed to the drug along with scientist Robert Franklin, the latter of whom became ill & died shortly after exposure.

Even freeing the apes on display at the San Francisco Zoo, Caesar led his army across the Golden Gate Bridge in a standoff with armed police officers intent on stopping them from leaving the city limits. A fierce conflict ensued with apes & humans receiving losses on both sides, including a gorilla named Buck as he threw himself at a police chopper & took it down on the bridge. This same helicopter Buck brought down was occupied by Chief Hamil & Gen-Sys owner & director Steven Jacobs, the latter of which Koba despised the most for the harsh treatment he received in his care.

In complete satisfaction, Koba used his foot to push what remained of the helicopter off the side of the bridge & into the San Francisco Bay to their deaths once they hit the water, ensuring the apes' victory.

Catching up to the apes in the forest, Will is confronted by Koba, but Caesar came to his rescue. Will warns him of those willing to hunt him & his pack down, trying to convince him to come home. Caesar gives Will a hug & actually spoke that 'Caesar is home', stunning the scientist. Respecting his choice (& his wishes), Will allows Caesar to leave with his ape caravan deeper into the forest where the apes can begin a new life together.

Everyone in San Francisco hoped that after the invasion of the apes, things would return to normal.

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.

The ape liberation was only the beginning of the end: shortly before he died, Robert Franklin sneezed on Will's ill-tempered neighbor Douglas Hunsiker, who was on his way over to Paris, France. Little did he realize he was carrying a deadly disease that began spreading quickly among the human race, all across the planet.

For the course of the next ten years, the world was caught in the grip of a pandemic that was dubbed 'The Simian Flu', which killed thousands upon thousands of people daily, leaving only a small amount untouched because they were somehow immune to the virus (about one in every 500 people). The walls of society crumbled as people panicked, each desperately seeking a cure to the virus (of which there is none), making them turn violent & attacking not only authority figures, but also paramedics & doctors, threatening their lives with violence & death unless they did something.

Some died by the virus, others died from their fellow humans by guns, knives or whatever else they could get ahold of.

Pandemonium circled the globe as every top scientist on every patch of land searched frantically to find something which would either slow the spread down or eradicate it completely. It was of no use: even after the truth of the virus was revealed to the general public via reporter David Flynn at how Gen-Sys created the virus & both Mayor House & his associate Trumann Phillips covered it up, it gave the people no relief: the Simian Flu was still killing thousands of people a day, with no end in sight, giving survivors the excuse to continue acting against their better judgment & causing more chaos on the streets, looting stores for food, medicine & other essential supplies to help them survive.

What was once a civilized race became one of primal rage, while Caesar & his apes were getting more organized & maturing at an accelerated rate.

People were losing more than their lives during the pandemic: they were losing their dignity, morals, souls, their very humanity.

If the situation weren't so dire, one might've thought it was funny: what was once the dominant species of Earth was becoming more animal-like as each day passed, with the apes turning more civilized & humanly.

Despite their liberation from San Francisco, the apes were still on the run from those Will Rodman had warned Caesar about: helicopters searched from the air to locate their position for the ground troops to deal with. More than once, the simians dodged bullets, grenades, rocket launchers & even sharp blades from soldiers who were ordered to deliver nothing short of the apes' full extermination, believing they were the key to stopping the Simian Flu.

Not all the soldiers wanted to kill Caesar & his apes: one named Malakai Youmans saw how intelligent Caesar was as the man stared into his eyes during his final moments of life, warning him that fire will be burning the forest in where his apes were hiding in.

Understanding the danger, Caesar thanked the man & fled as fast as he could, escaping the raging inferno that all but engulfed the redwoods, killing/incinerating everything in its path. When news of the fire hit the populace, they had believed the apes were all incinerated.

Wrong.

Because of Malakai's warning, the apes & their leader survived the raging inferno & started building their little utopia in the Muir Woods, located near San Francisco. A group of people led by a man named Malcolm wandered into their territory, running into Caesar & his tribe before the chimpanzee ordered them 'go!'.

Retreating back to their vehicles, they drive off & into what remained of San Francisco.

Once they arrive, Malcolm explained to Dreyfus – a one-time police chief-turned Mayor – about the apes they've encountered, revealing they were well-organized & can speak like they could.

As if asking for proof, Caesar & his apes arrive in the city on horseback.

In a full authoritarian voice, Caesar spoke orally to all, 'Apes…do not…want war. But we will fight…if we must'. Caesar made another statement: 'Human home. Ape home', pointing first at the city & then the woods to indicate his point. It was his way of saying 'you stay in your home, & we'll stay in ours'.

Caesar also stated for the humans 'do not come back' to their home. Or else.

That evening, Dreyfus – who the people trusted for the past decade – gave a speech to settle them down in their time of turmoil. He reassured them that should the apes return to the city, they will be sorry for doing so. He also stated that there will be someone to head over to the dam to get it running so that they can have power again.

He unceremoniously chose Malcolm for that task.

Even though he never asked for the job, Malcolm knew they were running out of options: their fuel was low, & a nuclear power plant was out of the question since there were no workers to keep them going.

It was either fix the dam or live without power/hot water the rest of their lives.

Malcolm opted for the former.

Taking his son Alexander, his wife Ellie, & three men named Carver, Kemp & Foster. Once they arrived, Malcolm stated that he would go alone to talk to their leader, not wanting the apes to think they're going to invade their sanctuary. Running into a group of gorillas & others, Malcolm was taken prisoner & brought before Caesar where he explains that he wouldn't have returned to the Muir Woods unless it was important – very important.

Caesar instructed Malcolm to show him, & they walked over to the dam that will be able to produce the needed power to the city below where the humans lived. Malcolm also pointed out that once they restored power to the city, they will permanently leave the apes alone for good.

To Malcolm's joy, Caesar agreed as Malcolm arrived to share the good news with everyone else.

But there was one condition: they were to leave their guns behind while they worked.

Ellie & Alex agreed to their terms, with Kemp, Foster & Carver doing so reluctantly.

Spending the night in their made-up camp, they began work in the morning as the men labored in the old dam as they cleared out anything that obstructed the water flow. Using a small amount of explosives to clear out a passage, the blast caused a slight cave-in, trapping the men within. With the assist of Luca & other apes, they escape a horrible fate & begin bonding with the apes, especially when Caesar's younger son comes to play with the humans. Their moment gets shattered when Carver pulls out a shotgun & aims it at the young chimp, frightening it & angering Caesar.

Grabbing the weapon & tossing it in the water, Caesar ordered the humans to leave, the dam work unfinished.

Malcolm, however, was determined to get the dam working again: with Ellie accompanying him, he asked to speak to Caesar & they both saw that Caesar's wife, Cornelia, is sick. Ellie stated that she has antibiotics to help her get well again, with Malcolm fixing the broken trust. Allowing Ellie to do her work & making Cornelia better, Caesar tells Malcolm he has one day to fix the dam.

And this time, his apes will help.

When next they began working on the dam, Koba entered the facility, furious at seeing humans & apes cooperating together & goes into a fury before Caesar arrived. Koba stated that Caesar is weak for siding with humans, their prime 'enemies'. A brief but fierce struggle between both apes ensued, with Caesar being the victor.

Having been ashamed for his outburst of anger, Koba held out his hand for forgiveness.

Caesar accepted, & the work on the dam was completed shortly afterwards: the water started flowing through the dam once more, & San Francisco – even in its decaying stage – lit up like Christmas, giving the people a sense of new hope in a world that nearly wiped them out. With power restored, both humans & apes celebrated their jubilation. It had also given Malcolm, Ellie & the others a chance to build a better world for humans and apes together.

No need for them to be arch enemies any longer, right?

With the sound of a bullet going off & striking Caesar just before he fell to his death, that dream of co-existence between their species was expunged. Koba killed Carver before taking his hat & shooting Caesar but made it look like humans shot their leader. With Carver's cigar, their home was set on fire, further convincing the apes.

Maurice urged Malcolm, Ellie, Alex, Kemp & Foster to run.

They didn't need to be told twice: the quintet took off like scared rabbits as Koba declared war upon the humans & made their way towards the city, ending their short-lived jubilation. With the cache of weapons Koba, Grey & Stone found during their brief visit in the city, the ferocious one-eyed bonobo urged onwards to conquer the humans. Despite massive losses of the simians, Koba's forces overrun the city & start putting the people into makeshift cages including buses & other abandoned vehicles. Bars on the windows ensure they stayed put.

Ash, the son of Rocket, & his friend Blue Eyes (elder son of Caesar) stood in protest against Koba's assault on the human city, stating that war on them is not what Caesar would want. An enraged Koba picked up Ash & threw him over a balcony & watched him fall all the way down as he hit the floor, killing him.

It was a message to Blue Eyes & the other apes that Koba was now the leader, & that anyone who disobeyed him will share Ash's fate.

Loathing the bonobo but fearing him too much, most of the other apes fell in line & did his bidding.

Most, but not all apes: Maurice, Luca & Rocket were all too loyal to Caesar, & thus imprisoned.

While hiding from the apes, Malcolm & his party soon discovered Caesar in the foliage, injured but miraculously still alive after Koba shot & left him for dead. Getting him into their vehicle, they drove into what remained of Pacific Heights to the house where Caesar once lived. Malcolm went into the city as incognito as possible to get Ellie medical supplies, encountering Blue Eyes & stating that his father was alive. Getting back to the house, Ellie began patching up Caesar, who explained to Blue Eyes that it was Koba who shot him, not humans. He also stated that apes were not that much different from humans: if humans fight & kill their own kind, why wouldn't apes do the same thing?

Especially when an ape as unhinged & deranged as Koba is placed in charge.

Knowing the renegade bonobo had to be stopped, Malcolm led Caesar & Blue Eyes beneath the city through its sewer system before splitting up. Malcolm ran into Finney, who took him over to where Werner & Dreyfus were. It was when they revealed their plan to get rid of the apes: by detonating a building that will collapse & murder every or most simian, thus stopping them for good.

Malcolm fully objected to the idea, needless to say: he picked up a firearm & knocked out Finney before holding Werner & Dreyfus hostage, stating that the war was only caused because one of the apes wanted it. Malcolm had also explained that their true leader was upon the building they plan on detonating, battling the rogue ape.

As Malcolm dealt with Werner & Dreyfus, Caesar did so with Koba, who exclaimed that Caesar was weak due to the fact that he has a soft spot for humans. Caesar retaliated that Koba was weaker, what with all that rage/hate inside him. This resulted in an even fiercer brawl between the two apes, with neither one holding back. While they fought upon the building, Malcolm kept Werner & Dreyfus at bay with his gun before he was tackled by Werner. In the scuffle, the detonator was knocked from Dreyfus' hand & got activated & killed Dreyfus, Werner, Finney & almost Malcolm.

The explosion was powerful, but it only shook the building, not destroy it.

In the literal heat of their battle, Caesar grabbed Koba by the arm & held him up like a child would do a doll.

Koba, knowing he could be dropped at any second, smiled & recited the ape law of 'ape will not kill ape'.

Caesar gave his friend-turned-enemy a rebuke, saying 'you are not ape'.

His mischievous grin wiped from his face, Koba fell to his death when Caesar released his arm. Koba screeched all the way down the dizzying height.

Malcolm reunited with Caesar at the building, knowing the battle was over: Koba was defeated & gone, so were the ones who tried to destroy the building with the apes on it. On the streets, the imprisoned number of humans & apes were set free.

It was a hollow victory: Koba's defeat aside, Malcolm informed Caesar that more humans were coming towards the city. Just before Werner was killed in the blast, he made contact with a group of military personnel that were heading in their direction – with intent to wipe out every ape they encounter.

With this piece of information handed to them, Caesar knew what he & his apes needed to do.

Humans will finish what Koba started.

No matter how far they go, Caesar & his tribe will always be hunted by humans.

No longer: he will stay & fight to ensure the survival of his people.

He urged Malcolm & his band to go, not wanting him to be part of the upcoming fight, especially since he & his mate Ellie had done so much for them, including risking their very lives for him.

Caesar was proven that not all humans were bad.

Like Will Rodman, his father Charles & his girlfriend Caroline Aranha, Malcolm, Ellie, Alexander, Kemp & Foster were all proof of that.

He wants them to live.

Reluctantly, Malcolm agreed to Caesar's terms.

Victory aside, the situation did not go as either Malcolm or Caesar planned: peace between humans & apes was shattered, & now Caesar's group must prepare to do battle with more enemies who wished to wipe them out, exactly as Dreyfus planned. What's more, these new humans might see Malcolm & company as traitors to the human race, having helped & even saved the life of their leader.

Much as it will pain Malcolm, he needs to flee, along with Ellie, Alexander, Kemp & Foster.

Koba was as vicious in death as he was in life: even dead, the bonobo still got what he wanted.

Apes & humans against one another.

It was back to square one: the chemical ALZ-112 gave rise to a group of intelligent apes, being liberated by their human captors in order to create the dawn of a new era, in which apes make their own society.

Very soon now, it would become all-out war.

CHAPTER II

Klamath National Forest, California, two months later:

Over 60 days have passed since the battle against the renegade ape Koba in San Francisco, with Caesar & the rest of his apes heading away from the city to live elsewhere ever since Koba burned down their home in the Muir Woods & started the unnecessary conflict. They didn't have an easy time doing so: in less than a week after the battle, a large vessel called the Daedalus – a warship – arrived near the Golden Gate Bridge, becoming a floating battle station. It was from there that soldiers, led by the highly-decorated but ruthless Colonel McCullough, confronted the enemy in several fights that resulted in losses on both sides.

In one scuffle, the apes tried a sneak attack underneath San Francisco's iconic bridge, only to get literally blown away (& in pieces) by the ship's booming cannons, forcing them to retreat. Another was a ground battle, causing more losses to humans & apes as the Colonel's top two soldiers – Forest & Lieutenant John, the Colonel's son – both became wounded in the fight: John took a bullet or two, while Forest lost her leg up to the knee.

Thanks to his body armor, John was sore & confined to the ship but alive.

Forest, on the other hand, had to be dismissed & was moved to Seattle for treatment.

Despite the loss of his top two soldiers, Colonel McCullough resumed his plans on annihilating the apes as he'd been ordered to by his superiors. Only two days ago, he sent out a squadron of six men who took a Humvee & began scouring the immediate area for any sign of the simian bastards. His orders were clear: their prime objective was to see where the apes were being held up after fleeing their home in Muir Woods that got torched & report their findings back to base ASAP.

Even though they were fully-armed with rifles, grenades, shotguns, RPGs, knives & other weaponry/equipment, they were to be used only as a last resort: their primary mission was recon, not conflict.

Battle will come next once they've been located as a group.

Led by a muscular & tall brute of an African-American man named Stone, the men stalk through the dense foliage of Klamath National Forest, making as little noise as possible despite their equipment. He was accompanied by a pair of African-American men, along with three Caucasian soldiers, each one with their sights & senses on full alert. Each one wore a helmet to protect their heads, but only Stone had a built-in headset so he could talk directly to the Colonel if anything came up.

Each of their rifles – M16s with built-in rocket launchers – had their safeties on, remembering their task was only a search, find & report mission.

But if they were given no choice, they can turn them off & begin firing in a heartbeat, should it come to that.

Stone & his people looked everywhere for their adversaries: left, right, up, down, behind them and in front for a sign of full-furred critters that can walk across land at high speeds or even climb/swing from trees at that pace.

With only an hour left of sunlight, Stone & the others hoped to find some sign/trace of the apes before they make a report to the Colonel. None of them wanted to tell him that they couldn't accomplish what they were set out to do.

If only they could get a lead – any lead – to follow, they would feel better & relieved that they have something to give the Colonel & make him a happy man. Everybody knew that when Colonel McCullough got pissed off, it wouldn't be a pleasant sight…a side of him he's shown more than once, which really scared the men under his wing.

Facing the apes would be easier to deal with than an angry colonel.

Stone held up a fisted hand, causing his squadron to pause. They stood like statues as their squad leader looked around like he sensed something as the rest waited for what comes next. He didn't see any apes in the vicinity, but he saw the trees & heavy brush accompanying them, a patch of open ground filled with leaves & a large outcropping of rock & soil on one side that shot up several dozen meters.

Over to the other side, the sun was at its final hour before its daily schedule to set along the west.

It was then that Stone dropped his fist as the troops gathered round.

"Just one more hour of sunlight before it gets dark, & we've not seen so much as a hairy hand since we started our search", said one man. "The Colonel ain't gonna like this. Not one bit."

"What will we do at sunset, Stone?", asked another man. "We didn't bring any equipment for operating in the dark, such as flashlights. We don't even have night vision goggles, for Christ's sake!"

"Easy there, Rogers", Stone said. "The Colonel didn't say we were to proceed well into the morning. He ordered us to continue searching for as long as we have daylight. If we don't find any signs of the apes by the time the sun goes down, we're to head to the Humvee & set up camp there. The Colonel's already got another team that's better equipped to operate at night, just a mile or two north from here. If they don't find anything by morning, we're to resume until we see something that could lead us straight to their new base. In short, we're simply just the day shift."

"So, how do we proceed in this final hour of daylight?", asked a Spanish soldier named Ramirez.

"We'll spread out a little. Ramirez, I want you, Rogers & Jameson to continue north for about one kilometer. The rest of us will head west at about that same distance. Stay together at all times & keep in touch. You see any signs of those apes, call it in immediately."

Getting nods of understanding & compliance, the six men split into two groups & head in the directions Stone had ordered them to go. A few moments after they resumed their trek, Ramirez stepped on a twig that made an audible snap just before he, Rogers & Jameson were caught & hauled up in a well-hidden net, causing the three men to cry out as they were lifted up just over ten feet from the ground. Leaves that helped camouflage the well-placed booby trap fell gingerly like large snowflakes.

Jameson, Rogers & Ramirez cried out to be helped down.

"Shit!", spat one of the black soldiers named Horton.

"How the fuck did we not see that?!", spat the other black man named Addison.

"Never mind that! Let's just concentrate on getting those men down!", Stone said as he now addresses the captive men. "Can any one of you reach for a knife & cut yourselves free?!"

The men in the net scramble for several moments before giving an answer.

"Nothing doing!", said Jameson. "We're too packed & crunched up tight for any of us to reach for a blade!"

"And we can't bring up our guns, for fear of shooting ourselves or one another!", Rogers adds.

"How the hell we going to get down?!", Ramirez cried.

Stone searched for a rope to cut his men free & bring them down safely but saw there was no way for him to do so. There was only one way to get them out of their booby trap, & while the men might not like it, comfort was in short supply these days, & they were running out of time.

Reaching for the shotgun slung on his back, Stone cocked & aimed it skywards.

"Apologies in advance, fellas!", he replied.

Before anyone could say anything or object to his idea, Stone fired his shotgun at the line that held the net, which was blown off by the buckshot fired by the weapon. A loud boom echoed through the area as the men all came crashing down once the line was severed, dropping like a lead weight as the men hit the ground hard, grunting in pain & surprise.

Once they were down, Horton & Addison drew their knives & began cutting the net quickly, freeing Ramirez & his group as they got up & offered their thanks.

"You okay, man?", asked Addison.

"A bit rough for my tastes, but…any landing you can walk away from, & all that", replied Jameson.

The two men grinned at & took each other's hands when they & the rest heard rustling in the bushes only several feet away. Immediately regaining their composure & aiming their automatic rifles, Stone & the rest took a few steps toward the source of the sound as Ramirez spoke in a firm & pissed off voice.

"Whoever's in those bushes, step out now before we turn your ass into Swiss cheese! You comprende, amigo?!"

To further address his threat, everyone clicked off the safeties of their weapons, indicating they mean business.

"You have till the count of three to comply! Last warning!", stated Rogers. "One…two…"

Before he got to three, the culprit stepped out in full view of the six men. It was a bonobo ape with its arms raised in the air in a gesture of surrender. Like the renegade ape Koba, this one was light gray in fur color, but unlike Koba, both its eyes worked perfectly & had no scars on its face.

Its appearance surprised the men almost more than it appeased them. Almost.

"Well well, what have we here?", Horton asked.

"Just when we were almost out of luck this day, we come across one of those filthy apes!", Addison adds with a grin. "Let's find out if he knows anything!"

"A great idea! You two – grab him!", Stone ordered Horton & Addison.

Nodding, the two black men reached out & snatched the bonobo by the arms as the rest kept their guns trained on it. The ape tried to pull away as it kicked & screeched in protest, but Horton & Addison held it tightly.

The bonobo stopped screeching when the firing ends of four rifles were aimed at its face.

"That's better!", Stone said, scowling at the animal. "Now, let's see if you can talk…doing so might prolong your life! Just tell us one or two things, & we'll leave! Where are the rest of you apes holding up at? And more importantly, where's your leader, the one called 'Caesar'? If you can speak up, now is the time!"

"Caesar is…", the bonobo started saying, hesitating for a few seconds.

"Yes? Go on!"

After 5 more seconds, the bonobo finished.

"Caesar is…going to kill you all!", he says before breaking into a grin. "If we don't do it first!"

Before anyone could contemplate on what the animal said, Ramirez, Rogers & Jameson were each attacked from behind as a trio of chimpanzees threw themselves on the men & began pounding on them with their fists like they were beating on drums. The men screamed as they flailed wildly to get their assailants off, giving the bonobo time to attack as well: biting Horton's wrist, it forced the man to let go as he cried out from the pain, freeing it to attack Addison with a fist that connected with the side of his face. Addison fought the ape as a second bonobo charged Horton & savagely started beating on the man with every ounce of strength it can muster.

Stone raised his rifle & was about to shoot the first invader when he saw movement at the corner of his eye.

His eyes widened when he saw a large, black-furred gorilla grabbing him by the lapels of his uniform & threw him across the landscape, landing next to the net that his men were caught in. The big gorilla – Luca – charged Stone, but he was ready for him: shrugging off the impact, he grabbed the edges of the net & threw it over Luca, trapping the big gorilla as Luca struggled to get himself free.

"Ha! Let's see how you like it, King Kong!", he teased, unable to suppress a laugh.

As Luca fought to free himself from the net, the two bonobos & three chimps were still engaged with the other men, who were all finally able to get their assailants off & threw them to the ground. As if reading each other's minds, the soldiers raised their guns & began firing rounds of rapid hot lead that peppered the trees, ground & wherever else the apes went. The animals raced off in every direction, with bullets following them everywhere they went. In order to cease the fierce barrage of bullets, the bonobos & chimps quickly raced up the trees & flung themselves at the soldiers, the maneuver catching them off-guard & knocking their weapons out of their hands.

Horton & the others reached for their guns, but the apes grabbed them first & tossed them away, throwing them far out of reach. In a maneuver that would make the circus proud, the five apes got on their hands as one & kicked each man in the solar plexus with their legs, knocking the wind out of them & pushing them into the clearing, just as Luca was finally able to tear the net free & tossing it away.

Due to their rigorous training, the men were able to regain their bearings & were ready to fight again.

So was Stone, who was staring daggers at Luca, who did indifferent.

Luca & the five apes raised their fists in a gesture that the soldiers all recognized, doing likewise.

"Seems to me like these baboons want to do a little one-on-one, mano-a-mano!", said Jameson.

"Well, let's give it to them!", Stone says as he now addressed the apes. "Come on, then! You want a piece of us, you goddamned dirty apes?! Let's do it!"

In answer, Luca & his ape army screeched/roared in accepting their challenge as the men let out their own battle cry before both groups of soldiers ran towards each other & engaged them in a fierce brawl that was sure to have made legends like Joe Frazier & Muhammad Ali proud: Ramirez, Rogers & Jameson each took on one of the chimpanzees, with Horton & Addison taking on the bonobos. Even facing their opponents directly, the apes were quite quick & agile in their attacks, with many of their blows making brutal contact with fists & feet. Despite the beatings they're taking, each soldier is battle-hardened & fought back with equal ferocity, scoring a good many blows with fists as hard as rock & speed that was on par with the apes.

Just as with the soldiers, the apes were seeing stars in their visions as each group shrugged them off.

Luca's brawl with Stone was just as fierce & unrelenting: the gorilla threw a series of punches & swipes of his arms that Stone was barely able to dodge, knowing that he'd be knocked cold if any of them connected with him. After ducking under a pair of swings, Stone threw a pair of concrete-hard fists to Luca's face that actually caused the gorilla to see stars in his vision, followed by an uppercut that drew a stream of blood down the side of his mouth. Enraged, the gorilla bellowed an angry roar & leaped at Stone with his arms raised. The black soldier leaped to one side to avoid the double blow as Luca only hit ground, kicking up a plume of grass & dirt. Stone immediately counteracted with a punch to Luca's face that made him see more white flashes in his sight.

As Luca got up & roared in pain, Stone kept the barrage going with well-placed kicks to the animal's stomach & back, never standing still to make it hard for his enemy to score a direct hit on him.

But even as Stone kept mobile, it still didn't mean he couldn't be hit or grabbed: on his next swing, Luca snatched his wrist in one hand before grabbing his lapels & lifting Stone up with both hands. The gorilla stared at Stone with fire in his eyes, snarling in contempt.

"What?! Is that all you got, Magilla?!", Stone barked, drawing his big bowie knife.

Just before Stone could cut Luca, the gorilla lifted the human up & body-slammed him to the ground, giving him a brief period of numbness. He quickly shrugged it off when he saw Luca raise his fist & brought it down to where his head was only a split-second before.

If Stone was just a hair slower, his head would've been squashed like a grapefruit or a watermelon.

Stone dodged blow after blow of Luca's powerful fists, hitting ground & causing small geysers of grass & dirt.

He quickly got to his feet & started swinging his bowie knife at his enemy, who avoided each deadly swipe that was made, the weapon never touching him. On another swipe, Luca whacked the weapon out of Stone's hand & sent it flying way out of his reach. The gorilla was rewarded with a hard punch to his face, drawing another stream of blood from his lips.

"You think I need my knife to put your ass down, monkey boy?!", Stone barked. "I'll do it with my very own bare hands!"

Bellowing a fierce roar, Luca lunged at Stone & used his body weight to put his enemy on his back. But Stone didn't submit even then: he continued throwing punches at the gorilla & fought back as ferocious as his other men, who were concentrating on nothing but complete extermination of their enemies.

Even when an earthquake suddenly hit their immediate area & rocks/soil started falling down from the mountain-like outcropping that towered over the combatants, they ignored it despite the rocks/soil that came close to crushing or burying them.

Then something came crashing down they couldn't ignore – two somethings.

With earth-shattering force, a pair of large objects struck down on either side of the twelve combatants, causing them all – humans & apes – to cease & desist. All eyes were fixated upon the two objects that crashed in close proximity of them, each one being a brown in color with patches of gray. The surface looked like it was made of not tree bark, but flesh of some kind.

Actual living flesh!

Getting a better look as the smoke/dust cleared, the dozen combatants could also see that at the end of these huge objects were giant feet with claws attached to each of the five fingers that were webbed in between. Looking up slowly at the rest of this new arrival, humans & apes can see through the dusty haze what these arms were attached to, making out a body & neck of a similar hue. At the end of this neck was a giant lizard-like head that was round in shape, with a mouth that seemed fixed in a perpetual/sinister sneer, complete with large/sinister reptilian eyes that stared down upon each stunned combatant. Sharp irregular teeth filled the maw of this giant creature that has suddenly made itself known, with pointed spikes adorning the sides of & atop its head.

Neither human nor ape could so much as breathe, for they were all frozen with utter fear at the sight of the thing which was staring down at them.

Horrible as it was, nobody could stop staring at the horror that gave human & ape great trepidation.

This giant creature stared at the dozen combatants for several moments, as Luca, Stone & the rest doing the same.

Only when the creature unleashed a boisterous, eerie, whistling roar were they able to act.

At the top of their lungs, they all screamed in terror.

Pacific Coast Ranges:

In the hours after the sun went down, the search party that took over for Stone & his men were hunting for any apes that might be prowling about in the evening hours. Like Stone's people, these twelve people were all armed with green laser-sighting rifles & other armaments, but unlike Stone, this group was armed with night vision goggles & lots more ready to deal with whatever the night brings.

The man leading this group, Samson, addressed his troops.

"Has anybody heard from Stone?", he asked.

"No, sir", said a female named Daisy. "We've tried contacting him several times by radio, but we never received an answer. Either they've got their radios turned off, which is very unlikely, or…"

"Or they may have been ambushed by the enemy", said a man named Jackson. "If that's the case, sir, then maybe we should split into groups & spread out. We'll cover a lot more ground if we do. Plus, it'll make it harder for the apes to impede our progress: should one party fails, there are two more to deal with."

Samson gave the idea though: while splitting up might weaken the team, they will cover more ground doing so.

And by dividing their party, if one is under attack by the apes, others will be ready to step in to finish the job.

"Point taken", Samson says. "It's a great risk, but one we should take. Jackson, you take three men & head west. Work your way down from when you reach Idlewild, & Daisy? You take another three & head east. Once you reach the area of Seiad Valley, work your way down from there. If anybody sees anything, & I mean anything, report it. Keep your radios on at all times & make reports at the top of each hour."

"Understood, sir", Jackson said, picking his three choices.

"Roger that", Daisy replied, making her choices.

Once they were chosen, the two groups headed east & west as Samson & his crew went south from his current position at Pacific Coast Ranges.

Another few hours passed, with each team giving their hourly reports as ordered.

Both Jackson's & Daisy's teams have nothing of interest to report: no sightings of any apes despite searching in full intensity.

Disappointed, each team resumed their work.

Another thirty minutes later, Jackson does have something to report.

"This is Jackson! I do believe we've stumbled onto something!", he announced on his radio.

"This is Samson! Everybody stop where you are!", he ordered as each group halted in their tracks. "Keep talking, Jackson! What have you got for us?"

"Hold on, sir", Jackson replied, listening intently.

From his vantage point, Jackson & his team can hear sounds of wood breaking & thumps on the ground as the sound began to intensify with each passing second.

"Sir, we can hear trees being broken apart & falling to the ground, & it's only getting louder by the moment", said Jackson.

"Could it be the apes, Jackson? Do you have a visual on them?", Samson asked over the radio.

"Can't tell from our vantage point, sir. We're going in for a closer look."

"Proceed with extreme caution, Jackson. Understood?"

"Copy that."

Guns raised & safeties off, Jackson led his team towards the sound of trees breaking & collapsing, being very cautious as ordered by Samson. Throughout the chaos, one soldier had a thought he had to share orally.

"I'm starting to think that what's knocking those trees down isn't apes", he whispered.

"What else could it be?", whispered another man.

"Shut up, you two!", Jackson whispered fiercely back, silencing them.

Peering into their night vision goggles, the men saw movement from a range of 30 meters.

What they were seeing chilled their blood: a quartet of large powerful legs were pushing over trees like they were no more than matchsticks & turning them into lumber. The four legs supported a massive reptilian body that had a long tail swinging back & forth. Its head was obscured by the trees still standing.

"You were right before, Martin…this isn't any ape knocking those trees down!", Jackson whispered to him.

"So, what do we do now?", Martin whispered back in a voice filled with fear.

"Let's just back away, nice & slowly. Perhaps if it doesn't see or hear us, we'll be able to…"

Samson's voice came booming over the radio for all to hear.

"JACKSON! GIVE ME A SITREP, DAMMIT!"

The man's heart skipped a beat, & he immediately pressed the button & started speaking lowly.

"Sir, this is Jackson!", he replied, whispering. "I've got a situation here that requires more backup as…"

He was interrupted by the slamming down of a massive-sized foot with claws attached.

As Jackson, Martin & the others looked up with their goggles still in place, they saw a giant lizard's head with a mouth full of sharp irregular teeth & reptilian eyes that stared at them, turning their blood to ice.

It let out a blaring noise as it roared, the sound echoing the immediate area.

Jackson & everyone in his unit screamed in terror.

Their blood-curdling screams were heard over Samson's & Daisy's radios, followed by sounds of gunfire, the soldiers dying, crunching sounds of bone & flesh, plus a boisterous roar that rattled their bones to the core.

All the cacophony/madness over the radios ended as suddenly as they began, leaving everyone else speechless for several moments. Finally, it was Samson who broke the very tense silence as he called for Jackson several times but getting no answer. Then Daisy began speaking.

"Sir, what the fuck was that?!", she asked, her voice filled with fear. "That sure as hell didn't sound like an ape to me!"

"I was thinking the very same thing, Daisy!", Samson said over the radio. "Whatever that was, it's made a very bad mistake in hitting us! Keep on heading south from your position & continue searching for those apes, Daisy! We'll handle whatever it was that killed Jackson & his crew & make it sorry!"

"Copy that, sir! Good luck!", Daisy replied, following her orders & giving her squadron a hand signal to resume their search.

Samson & his team were already heading over to Jackson's known position as quickly as they could, not wanting to lose the thing that caused the demise of his fellow teammates. It was certainly a complication he didn't need: it was bad enough he had to worry about genetically-enhanced simians that can think like people do along with a virus that's killed most of the world's population, but now there was something that was not an ape which all but slaughtered some of his well-trained crew.

It troubled Samson: aside from enhanced apes & other wildlife such as grizzly bears, what in the hell could have eviscerated a whole platoon of professional soldiers?

Samson neither knew nor cared: he vowed to make whatever it was pay with its life even at the cost of his own.

He'd also hate to have to explain to the Colonel why he allowed them to get butchered, but if there was even a chance that just one of those soldiers was still alive, he was going to do everything in his power to bring him home.

Pumping his legs faster, he urged his troops to pick it up.

The boisterous sound they heard on the radio moments ago echoed through the area, causing Samson & his people to stop & observe, weapons at the ready. All of them – including Samson – were more nervous than before, because the noise sounded closer to them…and louder.

Everyone's hearts were palpitating madly, & they fought to keep it under control: the last thing they wanted was to go into a full-blown panic & accidentally hit one of their own with friendly fire. They wished to save their ammo not only for the apes, but the butcher of Jackson & his crew.

A gust of wind started to pick up in both strength & sound as Samson & his team stood firm against it & aimed their weapons in the direction it was blowing from. Eight seconds later, something passed over them that stunned them beyond words – something huge.

Despite its massive size, nobody could fire upon it, as they were too shocked at seeing it.

It also moved too fast for anyone to get a clear shot at it.

"What…what the fuck was that?!", cried one man, clearly on the verge of a panic.

Neither the others nor even Samson could answer, as they were trying to figure it out themselves: from what they could've made out as it passed over, the thing was shaped like a four-legged reptile – a lizard – with some kind of thin membranous substance that connected the front & rear legs on both sides. It was a reptile that glided like a giant flying squirrel.

Another freak accident Gen-Sys might have unwillingly created?, Samson thought. Like the apes?

He didn't have time to ponder the situation: the flying creature was turning itself around & headed straight for him & his crew.

This time, however, they were ready for it: one of the troops pulled a rocket launcher, aimed & fired it directly at the creature's reptilian face. A loud ear-piercing screech emerged from the launcher as the rocket raced across the air & struck the monster dead-on as a massive explosion briefly obscured its features by fire & smoke.

Powerful as the blast was, it hardly fazed the creature, much less slowed it down.

It passed by like it didn't even feel the blast, soaring past Samson & his group.

Rifles began firing directly at it once it passed, but the bullets were as ineffective as the rocket launcher.

The monster bellowed another ear-splitting roar as it made a quick U-turn in midair & headed back towards those who have attacked it.

Short of a full-blown panic, Samson & the rest opened fire on the beast with everything they have, all letting out a battle cry.

From her position, Daisy & her squadron can hear the sound of gunfire, explosions, people screaming in terror & a high-pitched screeching roar, giving her & the others goosebumps as they listened to the sounds of chaos over their radios. Daisy attempted to reach Samson on the line to get a sitrep on the situation.

All she & her group got was static.

Looking at each other with unrest, uncertainty & utter horror on their faces, everyone wondered what was going on.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell are we dealing with here…Bigfoot?!", asked one man, totally afraid.

"We're not sticking around to find out!", Daisy said. "We're getting the fuck away from here before we all end up like Jackson, Samson & their whole crews!"

"We can't do that, ma'am!" said one man. "The Colonel will have our asses if he knew we abandoned our posts! Besides, what if somebody from Jackson or Samson's crew is still alive? Shouldn't we head over & find out?"

"Are you volunteering, Bates?", said another man. "You heard the goddamned sounds of screaming & butchering over the damn radio! If you're so eager to find somebody still breathing back there, you go & take the risk! Whatever it is, I'm going nowhere near it!"

"And what do we tell the Colonel, Briggs?! That we're being found & butchered not by apes, but some fucking boogeyman?! We'll be lucky if we don't end up in a straightjacket, or worse, being shot dead by the Colonel!"

"I'll take my chances with the Colonel than whatever's out there butchering us like pigs!", said the fourth man named Rains. "You want to play paddy-cake with this goddamned thing, go ahead! I'm heading back to the Daedalus! Who's with me?"

Bates, Briggs & Daisy stared at Rains & each other before Daisy makes the choice for all.

"Whatever we're facing now, we haven't the manpower, let alone weaponry, to bring it down!", she said. "We're going back to the Daedalus & tell the Colonel what's been happening! What he does to us, it's bound to be better than getting slaughtered by this…whatever it is! I'll take full responsibility! Now move it! Double-time!"

Daisy spoke in a tone that bore no argument, & so Briggs, Bates & Rains were already moving back the way they came to get to the Colonel & explain the situation that has now taken a terrible turn for the worse. Each of them feared punishment from the Colonel for disobeying orders, but under the circumstances, they'll take that over what will be in store for them if they met the thing killing their teammates.

Abandoning their duties would be small potatoes compared to what would happen if they were to run into the same enemy that slaughtered Jackson, Samson & their men.

Daisy had no intention of allowing that to happen to her or hercrew.

They ran for several minutes through the darkness, keeping an eye out for anything that would resemble the thing which lay waste to the others. Daisy would face the Colonel & give an accurate report, no matter just how far-fetched or trivial it might seem/sound. As far as she was concerned, anything was better than facing this new threat – one that made the apes look feeble in comparison.

A bellowing roar caused tingles in the spines of Daisy & her troops, but none of them dared to stop running: each knew doing so would be a death sentence if they did.

So they kept on running, going faster by the sound of this creature's roar, which wasn't what apes made.

But even that proved to be futile: like a bird of prey, the gliding creature came in & snatched Bates up in its mouth as the man screamed in terror before eating him whole in one bite. The sound of flesh & bones crunching was heard.

Even in that instance, Daisy, Briggs & Rains saw the thing that made short work of Bates: a giant gliding lizard monster with membranes attached to its legs, enabling it to glide through the air with ease. In spite of its size, the thing made a turn at high speed & started heading back towards them, intent on making the others its evening snacks.

"Split up! GO!", Daisy shouted, urging Briggs & Rains to go in opposite directions from each other, not wanting to share Bates' gruesome fate.

Using the cover of the trees, they keep themselves hidden from the gliding horror above them.

But even that would not be good enough: the beast located Rains almost immediately & dived towards him like a hawk would after spotting a mouse. Landing gracefully but trembling the ground, the creature was only 10 meters from Rains, who raced to get a rocket launcher in position before he could get eaten alive by this monster of a reptile.

He only got so much as loading it when the monster reached out & bit down on Rains' upper half as he lifted him up, with the soldier screaming all the way. As he was being lifted up, his finger reflexively squeezed the trigger of his launcher, firing the rocket away from his intended target & raced across the woods with an ear-piercing whistling noise, like a Fourth of July rocket being shot off.

It raced straight towards Briggs, who stopped & turned just in time to see the projectile heading his way.

Unable to avoid its charge, Briggs' eyes went wide & he screamed for a second or two before the rocket struck home & literally blew him to pieces in a spray of orange, yellow & red. Body parts went flying in all directions as some were aflame & burned to a crisp.

Daisy stopped long enough to hear the rocket going off, followed by the explosion mixed with Briggs' scream before she resumed her mad dash towards the vehicles parked near her current position. If she could just get inside her Humvee & drive away, she can report to the Colonel & request more firepower to take down this new menace.

Please God, let me make it!, Daisy thought in fear.

Miraculously, Daisy does reach the Humvee after an hour of running for her life. She looked around to see if the monster had somewhat followed her before she paused to catch her breath, slow her racing heart & take a sip of water from her canteen to regain her bearings. She looked around to where the three Humvees were parked & saw that she was the only one left out of a dozen well-trained soldiers.

All this just to find a bunch of fucking apes, Daisy thought bitterly, only to face something that is even worse than them! The Colonel will never believe this when I tell him! Goddamn it, I don't believe this shit myself!

Shrugging off what she might be facing from the Colonel, Daisy kept her composure & entered the Humvee & found the keys were still in the ignition, probably left there in case they needed to make a speedy getaway.

Thank fucking Heavens for small favors!. Daisy thought.

With a twist of her wrist, Daisy started the engine & began driving off.

Making it to her ride to safety aside, she was ambushed by a powerful gust of wind that caused the Humvee to violently tumble & roll on its side, shaking Daisy to her bones even with her seat belt on. The vehicle had rolled several times before finally stopping & laying upon its roof. Daisy was left upside down, & she carefully removed her seat belt before hitting the roof & getting into a crouching position, staying absolutely silent.

After several tense moments, she dared to take a peek through the window.

What she saw made her go cold from head to toe: the gliding lizard-like creature stood right above & stared down at her with those eyes that stung as if they could shoot lasers.

It let out a boisterous roar & lunged towards the Humvee.

Daisy screamed at the top of her lungs the entire time before she was silenced.

Forever.

CHAPTER III

Muir Woods, late morning:

After the siege in San Francisco by Koba & his followers, Caesar & his apes left the human city to go fend off a handful of attacks by the military humans which have arrived via Werner's constant broadcasting to see if any humans other than them were still among the living. An assault from under the bridge resulted in losses to the apes, plus a deadly ground assault cost more ape lives, but also caused some human casualties in the process, including a female who lost a leg in the conflict & another shot a few times in the body but lived due to wearing body armor.

Caesar regretted the losses to his ape army but knew he must fight on if his people were to have a future in the world – especially for his wife Cornelia & their two sons, Blue Eyes & his younger brother (of whom is still not named yet).

Caesar will do anything to ensure his apes do have a future.

For the last week or so, they have come to a rest at the very haven they once created within the Muir Woods right before Koba burned it with Carver's cigar after the bonobo killed the man.

While it was comfortable being back at the home that was once theirs, the apes were still nervous about it, & a few make Caesar know this, beginning with his wife Cornelia.

Being back here at our home is a big risk, Caesar, Cornelia signed. The humans dressed in military suits & armed with heavy weaponry are bound to find us here sooner or later to finish us off. For how much longer must we wait here? I fear for us all, including our two sons.

Cornelia raises very good points, Caesar, Maurice, his orangutan friend, signed. Unless we keep moving, we are vulnerable. Staying here is practically putting targets on all of our backs.

"I understand how everybody feels", Caesar says. "I myself am not too crazy being back here for those very same reasons. But unless we know what those military humans are planning on how to expunge us, this is the best place to be holed up for a while. As you know, we've sent Luca & five others out to scour the areas for these humans & report their positions. Once they do, we'll figure out what to do from there."

The apes considered Caesar's words carefully, & like always, they trust his judgment. He made perfect sense: a big risk being back at their home it is, but since it's already been besieged & burned thanks to Koba, the military might not think to look for them at their former stomping grounds, buying them some time.

Hardly any apes have doubted Caesar: it was him who liberated them & set up a community to enable them to live in peace. Even after the betrayal of Koba & a few apes that still followed him, the majority of simians sided with Caesar for guidance & protection.

Nods of approval/agreement gave Caesar the answer he needed, feeling grateful to their loyalty.

Speaking of Luca, he should've been back a few hours ago with the morning sun, Granite, a gray-furred gorilla signed. He's hardly ever late with a deadline, & I fear for him & all those accompanying him. Should we start a search to see if they're all okay?

"Not just yet", Caesar says. "Luca is one of our very best scouts & is more than capable of handling himself in a fight. Let's give him another hour or two before we send a search party. If he isn't back by then, we shall…"

The sound of two apes hooting from behind caused Caesar & the rest to turn to the newcomers.

It was Rocket, his second-in-command & his elder son Blue Eyes.

The looks on both of their faces worried Caesar.

Father, come quick! Luca has been found!, Blue Eyes signed. But there is a problem!

"What kind of a problem?", Caesar asked.

He's the only one from his party who has returned!, Rocket signed. When we asked what happened to the rest, he didn't answer…or rather, he couldn't!

"How do you mean 'couldn't'?"

You'll see for yourself soon, Father, Blue Eyes signed. Several apes are bringing him here now.

Rocket & Blue Eyes' report gave great worry to Caesar & the rest of his apes: Luca is very protective of his other apes & would put himself in harm's way to keep them safe, & yet he's reported to be the only one to have made it back safely?

Something was definitely wrong here. Very wrong.

His suspicions were made true when he saw Luca being escorted within the compound by others as they'd brought him over to Caesar. The gorilla had a look of absolute fear on his face, as his eyes were wide open & staring at basically nothing, both seeing & not seeing.

"Luca? Luca, it's me, Caesar!", he says, waving his hand in front of the gorilla's face. "Can you hear me?"

Luca gave no indication that he heard, or even acknowledged his leader's presence.

"Granite, help Luca & place him down over there", Caesar ordered.

Granite, a gray-furred gorilla, obeyed & helped to escort Luca over to a spot where he can be seated comfortably as he was gently placed down as Caesar, Maurice, Rocket, Blue Eyes & Cornelia (with her young son in her arms) had all gathered round the gorilla who still had that look of fear like he was wearing a mask.

All the other apes kept their distance as Caesar & the others tended to the gorilla.

Getting in front of & staring directly at Luca, Caesar tried to reach him again.

"Luca. What happened? Where are the rest of the apes that accompanied you?"

His reply was the same: Luca stared into space even with Caesar in his vision.

Blue Eyes placed a hand over Luca's chest, & his eyes went wide as he quickly pulled it away.

"What's wrong, son?", Caesar asked.

Luca's heart is beating quite rapidly, Father!, Blue Eyes signed. Also, he's trembling all over, like he's scared!

Rocket also placed a palm on Luca's chest & felt that the gorilla was indeed trembling in fear.

Blue Eyes is right, Caesar…Luca is trembling!, Rocket signed. I've never seen him this way before!

Maurice gave a slight grunt before he spoke his mind.

I can smell & sense his fear as well, he signed. Luca looks as if he'd seen a ghost, or something else that really put fear in him.

But I don't understand, Cornelia signed. Luca's one of our bravest apes. What could possibly scare him? I doubt it's humans.

Granite made a grunt that got their attention.

It isn't humans, of that I know, he signed. He'd take on an entire squadron of them if he could without any fear. Plus, he'll stand right in front of a charging grizzly bear & snap its neck without too much trouble. No, in order for Luca to be afraid of something, it would have to be something else…something we've never seen before.

But what else on this planet could scare us apes, aside from total annihilation?, Rocket signed. What's more, how can we snap Luca out of his state of paralysis so he can say what he had seen which scared him so much?

Rocket raised some very good questions, & Caesar knew it: there's not much on the planet that can put the fear in him and/or any of his apes to go into a state of shock & fear. Probably a giant octopus or even man-eating sharks, but none of his apes have ever tread water, let alone sailed across the seas to find any.

No, whatever scared Luca was right here in the state of California.

He & the other apes can only assume that what frightened Luca also killed the apes he had led through the forests.

Caesar knew he must help Luca snap out of his state of shock & get some answers, or they'll never know what's become of his group, much less how Luca got this way to begin with.

"I don't know what frightened Luca this much, & I have no idea how to snap him out of it", Caesar said. "But we must get answers real soon…and I think I know who can help us."

Do you mean…?, Maurice signed as Caesar nodded.

"Yes, Maurice. She saved my life when Koba shot me & made Cornelia better with her antibiotics medicine. If not for her, neither of us would be here now."

But didn't you ask her mate, Malcolm, to take himself & away from all the fighting?, Blue Eyes signed.

"Yes, I did. But we need help, & I can think of no one else who will give it to us."

What if they're all long gone by now?, Maurice signed. It has been two months since you last saw them.

"I'll have to hope they're not too far gone. Rocket, of course, will be in charge till I return." Turning to his trusty second-in-command, Caesar addressed. "Until I get back, no one leaves the confines of this area…unless it's absolutely necessary."

Leave everything to me, Caesar, Rocket signed.

Nodding, Caesar took off & left the compound of their old home & raced down the mountainside in search for the one person that can help him out of their current predicament.

I pray you're still in the vicinity, Ellie, Malcolm, Caesar thought. I need you more than ever.

Caesar continued racing down the slope, hoping to pick up their trail.

The Daedalus warship, San Francisco Bay, noon:

Ever since his arrival once they received the SOS from radio engineer Werner & his group, Colonel McCullough didn't waste any time in doing what he was ordered by his superiors to do: exterminate the apes in any way necessary, burn them so that the virus called the Simian Flu doesn't spread, & reclaim the planet with man as the dominant species once again. McCullough was chosen for the mission because he was a highly-decorated colonel in the U.S. Army who does whatever he deemed is necessary to get a job done: using his brains first & brawn second, McCullough shows the enemies no mercy, & his troops follow him everywhere he went, obeying his every command.

He was as ruthless as can be in battle, which is why he was chosen for this arduous task.

Once he arrived to San Francisco, McCullough had engaged the enemy in close & distant quarters: a bloody battle from right under the bridge, resulting in many apes being disintegrated by their ship cannons, with another conflict that had taken place on the city streets which became tragic as several of his men met grisly demises, his own son John who was wounded in battle, plus Forest – one of his most trusted/devoted soldiers – losing her leg in the fight & had to leave for Seattle to receive treatment she couldn't get on the ship.

Despite the losses, McCullough pressed on: his soldiers were well-disciplined & organized, tough-as-nails on the job, & their loyalty to the Colonel was solid & unwavering.

At this moment, he was collating with his replacement for Forest: a female built just like her predecessor, with a head of pink-red hair that was short & spiked on top, eyes that burned with fierce determination & lips that were ruby red. Like Forest, she was as tough as any soldier in the U.S. Army & is most obedient to her superiors.

Her name is Rose, & she is Colonel McCullough's second-in-command.

Right now, they were going over statistics & looking at maps while they also go over certain details.

"Let me see if I got this straight, Rose", McCullough started saying. "You sent out the two squadrons the other day – one to handle the operation during the day, the other at night – in order to find the apes & hopefully locate their new headquarters & living space…and you've not heard so much as a peep out of either of them ever since?"

"That was the report I handed to you this morning, sir", Rose replied. "My team & I spent over two hours trying to get in contact with either Stone & Samson's troops to find out if they've been successful in their mission, but nobody answered back, no matter how much we tried. Either their communications equipment was faulty, which I doubt, or…"

"Or they came in contact with the apes & engaged them when they had no choice but to fight", McCullough had finished.

"And in the process, sir, their equipment could've suffered far too much damage for them to touch base."

"Quite possibly. These apes are no ordinary apes, don't forget: they're not only faster & stronger than we are, but it's been said they're also smarter than regular apes would behave. You do recall the 'incident' back at Gen-Sys that gave the apes a heightened sense of intelligence a decade ago?"

"I recall the validity of that story, sir: a man named Will Rodman was working on a cure for Alzheimer's Disease he named ALZ-112. He then tested it on his own father, who was suffering terribly from the disease. It worked for a time before his condition worsened & died shortly after. Shortly after that, however…"

"One of the apes used that very same formula to spread it to the others, enhancing their intelligence & causing a revolution that, in turn, created the Simian Flu, which came awfully close to wiping us out", McCullough picked up as Rose nodded. "You have been paying attention. Good. Now you know why I only need & want the best for this kind of operation, Rose."

"It's why I'm here, sir. To do my job."

"More than that: you're doing your patriotic duty to not only win this war, but to save the human race from going down the same path the dinosaurs did. Extinction. Remember that."

"Affirmative, sir."

McCullough nods his approval just as there was a knock on his door, getting their attention.

"Come in", the Colonel says.

The door swings open to reveal a man in his prime, his uniform showing some signs of wear & tear. He saluted the Colonel, who returned the gesture. It was the Colonel's son John, who kept his visit professional.

"Colonel, sorry to interrupt, sir, but we have a situation", John says.

"Well son, don't keep us in suspense, lay it out", McCullough pressed.

"Yes sir. Stone has finally been found & is now being returned to the ship even as we speak."

"Glad to hear it. Tell me…has he by any chance found the whereabouts of the apes' new hideaway?"

"That's the problem, Colonel: not only has he not told us of what we seek, he hasn't told us anything in general."

"How do you mean by that?"

"Sir, from what I've been told, Stone appeared to be in a severe state of shock."

McCullough & Rose looked to each other in a slight stunned reaction: for hours Stone had been incommunicado with home base, & now that they have found him, he's in a state of paralysis caused by shock?

It was a mystery to solve, & the Colonel didn't care very much for mysteries. At all.

Turning back to John, he gave him his instructions.

"As soon as he's brought back on board, take Stone over to the med bay. Rose & I will meet you there", he says.

"Right away, sir", John says, exiting the room & shutting the door.

Rose & the Colonel face one another again.

"What do you think of his report on Stone, sir? Propaganda?", Rose asked.

"Unlikely", McCullough said. "Don't forget, Rose, I'm his father: I personally trained John to be the best there is, & to always tell the truth no matter how far-fetched it might sound."

"Then…what exactly did Stone see to cause him to be in that state of paralysis?"

"I guess we'll have to ask him once he arrives."

Rose didn't press for more, as she doubted the Colonel wanted to delve any further into it, so she let it go.

Answers will come when the time was right.

Muir Woods Lodge, Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley, California:

Shortly after Caesar & his apes departed & abandoned the city of San Francisco, Malcolm & his group (Ellie, Alexander, Foster & Kemp) did so themselves, each not wanting to get caught in the middle of the chaos he knew would ensue once the military people arrived.

A great sense of guilt came over Malcolm: he wanted to do more to help Caesar & his people, including creating peace between humans & simians again, but that notion was long lost after Koba attacked the city & started putting both humans & some of his fellow apes in cages, beginning a revolution.

Rage swelled in Malcolm: Koba didn't just break the chances for a peaceful co-existence between apes & humans, he all but shattered it into a million pieces.

He knew that those in the military would never agree to a co-existence with apes, urging him to take Ellie & the others away from San Francisco, along with Caesar's insistence.

On a lighter note, Caesar & Malcolm parted as good friends, not enemies.

It was a small comfort, but due to the condition the world was in, he took & held onto it like a security blanket.

Comfort & compassion were a rarity in the world these days, & they took whatever that they could get.

Luckily, they didn't have to travel too far: the Muir Woods Lodge was giving refuge to some fleeing the city in the days after the siege from the apes. A good number of them had weapons but was understood that they kept them in case they were ambushed by the primates & would've shot/killed them in self-defense.

Malcolm, Kemp & Foster also carried their weapons for the same reason.

Having enough room for the stragglers from the city, those already occupying gave them shelter & food, with a good many of them hunting for food & even fishing by the shore & off the Redwood Highway Bridge, which was one of California's busiest before everything went to hell.

For two months, they lived at this resort, staying clear of the apes & the military hunting them.

As far as most of the people at the lodge were concerned, they could have each other, & more than a handful had hoped they'd kill one another off, allowing them to take back the planet again.

Amid the shooting of automatic weapons & explosions, Malcolm, Ellie, Alexander, Kemp & Foster prayed that Caesar & his people were doing well.

But in the last several days, the violence was getting closer to home than they'd like it to be, & the inhabitants all got very worried.

That also included Malcolm & his group, all of whom have gone into a large room to engage in conversation.

Several were raising concerns, & they weren't shy about expressing them out in the open.

'How much longer do we have to deal with this?', 'Are we going to be forced to move again?', 'Is anywhere safe for us anymore?' were just a few of the questions asked by those in the room.

One man & his wife – the ones who allowed these people sanctuary in the lodge – stood on a balcony along with their daughter, who was about Alexander's age & height. The man was in his early 40s, with jet black hair that was a bit frizzled due to not getting a good haircut in years, wearing a white shirt, blue pants & shoes. His wife was a few inches shorter, with a crop of auburn hair that looked more like a wig than anything else, wearing a dark pink shirt & a pair of medium gray pants & shoes. Their daughter had a head of long blonde hair that was neatly brushed & styled, & she wore a pair of blue pants, shoes & a baby blue shirt that was covered by a pink jacket with hoodie.

They were Harold & Louise, with their daughter being named Janet.

Malcolm, Ellie, Alexander, Kemp & Foster stood alongside them, doing their best to calm them down.

With a megaphone in hand, Harold began speaking.

"Everyone, listen!", he announced as the crowd quieted down before he went on. "I know a lot – if not all of you – are worried about what's going on out there, & personally, I do not blame you! Even as you fled the city & came here to escape the chaos of the military hunting down & killing the apes, we can still hear the sounds of it where we reside! And just a couple of days ago, the fighting has gotten closer to our area, putting many of us on edge!"

"How are we going to get through this if all-out war does hit this area?", one man asked.

"Everybody knew that staying at this lodge was only a temporary solution!", Louise picked up, taking the phone from her hubby. "We also knew that we were going to have to move to safer living quarters once the military arrived! You people have gone through Hell when the apes attacked the city, & the last thing you or any of us wants is to repeat that experience! Therefore, we shall gather up whatever food & essentials we can carry in order to prepare for when the moment arrives when we hit the road & get ourselves away from all of the fighting & to actual safety! That means gathering up as much fuel as possible, get as many vehicles running as we can, & be on our way before we get caught in a conflict we do not want any part of!"

"But where can we go where it's actually safe?", a woman asked.

This time, it was Foster who took the megaphone & addressed the crowd.

"We'll know when we get there!", he said. "It's a much different & more dangerous world than the one we used to know! I get that, trust me! But for the sake & safety of not only our group, but also our species, we have to keep on moving & see if there's an area where we don't have to deal with any of the chaos going on at this moment!"

"And just how far do we need to go?", asked another man.

"As far as we have to, if we are to survive! All we need to do is not lose our cool, keep a clear head & stay rational & we'll get through this! We can do this, for as long as we all stay together & help one another in our times of need! We were the dominant species of Earth once, & we can be so again!"

The people turned on each other as they spoke among themselves in a series of mumbled conversations, lasting a good minute or two. When they were done, they looked up at the balcony again as a teenaged boy spoke up.

"What if the apes should decide to come after us?", he asked.

Now it was Malcolm who took the megaphone & addressed the crowd.

"They won't", he said, resulting in a hushed silence. "I know this because I was assigned to fix the dam so that San Francisco could have power again. The dam was located close to where the apes held their home. Along with Ellie, my son Alexander, Foster, Kemp & one other, we went to the Muir Woods to convince the apes leader – Caesar – that all we wanted was to restore power & put the lights back on. Despite a few problems along the way, we've managed to succeed in doing so. It's because of them allowing us to do our work that this area we live in also has power to turn lights on & off, play music on radios again, & so forth."

"For that, we are grateful to you & your party, Malcolm", said a woman. "But what about the siege on the city afterwards?"

Ellie took the megaphone & began to speak.

"That was not Caesar's doing at all", she explains. "The siege was caused by a renegade ape they called Koba – a bonobo who suffered greatly at the hands of humans while he was still in captivity. Unlike Caesar, Koba wanted a war between us & them. He even went so far as to shoot Caesar, who would've died had I not nursed him back to health. I barely did so in time."

"You actually helped patch up their leader? Why?", a teenage girl asked.

"Because he was the only one with a chance in stopping Koba, which of course, he did. Caesar only wanted for him & his apes to live in peace. Don't forget: when we were up on his mountain fixing the dam, they all could've killed us at any moment, but they didn't. In fact, they had even helped us to fix the dam, & in such a short time. And just to set the record straight, it wasn't the apes that caused the Simian Flu that wiped out so many of us: it was the people over at Gen-Sys who had done so. Do any of you recall how reporter David Flynn exposed the truth on television, revealing how Trumann Phillips & Mayor House covered it up to save their careers?"

A moment of silence ensued as the people thought about said time ten years ago when it was revealed that corrupt politicians wanted to hide the truth from the public while people were dying from the virus & started turning on each other during the pandemic.

It wasn't much, but there were a handful who did remember.

"I surely recall that incident!", said a man. "They allowed us to suffer while our whole planet was going to Hell in a handbasket! I wish I had them here right now…I'd give those assholes a piece of my mind!"

Many others, if not all, agreed as they raised fists & said they'd do the very same if given half the chance.

"But are you saying that the apes are not the carriers of the virus which had almost killed us?", asked a woman.

"Precisely", Ellie went on. "The formula Will Rodman created which he intended to cure Alzheimer's Disease with had only increased the intelligence of the apes, bringing it up to close our own levels. The virus that nearly wiped us out was something nobody could've foreseen…not even Will himself. I lost my little girl to this virus when it first started. Her name was Sarah. I don't even remember how young she was when she…"

Ellie paused to allow this info to sink in the minds of everyone in the room as she fought back tears, recalling on how she brought Sarah home so she could spend her final moments in familiar surroundings instead of on a hospital bed, or worse, isolation.

Kemp took the megaphone as Malcolm took Ellie in his arms, allowing her to sob softly in his shoulder.

"Folks, let's just gather up our belongings & essentials & move to safer quarters", Kemp said. "The sooner we get further away from all the chaos around us, the better."

His words seemed to have an immediate effect, & soon the people in the room began to disperse & carry out their tasks.

An hour later:

People were gathering their personal belongings & placing them in whatever vehicles were still operational: some were ready to go with a little fuel, others were too rusted from years of disuse to be of any help. The task of getting fuel was an arduous one: most of the pumps were dry, so they had to 'borrow' the fuel they could from vehicles that would no longer run, using the old suck-&-fill routine.

One person would stick a rubber hose into the fuel tank, give it a few sucks & allow the rest to be drained into a container. It was an awful task that literally left a bad taste in one's mouth, but it had to be done.

At another part of the lodge, Alexander & Janet were getting to know each other better.

"You used to have an older brother?", Alex asked as he gathered food in the garden with Janet.

"I did", Janet replied, placing the fruits/vegetables in a basket. "His name was Timmy. He was born about three years before I was. Were he still alive today, he'd be a teenager right now."

"Let me guess. The pandemic claimed him?"

Janet nodded solemnly.

"He caught it while my mom went shopping for groceries", she says, recalling the incident. "Once we got home, he started bleeding from his nose & coughing violently. We took him straight to the doctor's…and that's when the virus really began killing people. Because of the furious mob storming the place, we couldn't even get in the doctor's office. We went to another clinic, only to see the same thing: people rioting & demanding to be let in for a cure that didn't exist. By the time we got home, his condition worsened, & so he died overnight."

As Janet got around to that last sentence, she started weeping. Alexander comforted her as she sobbed.

"I know just how you feel, Janet", Alex says. "My birth mother – who was named Rita – she also died from the virus, but not before she & my dad helped rescue a bunch of people from a band of human traffickers. My dad wanted to do whatever he could to save her, but my mom knew there wasn't anything he could've done to stop the inevitable. Our worlds were empty without her…until Ellie came into our lives. It took some getting used to, but eventually I accepted her as my new mother."

Alex gently lifted Janet's head to look her in the eye, wiping away her tears.

"Janet, I know I can never replace your brother, but…one way or another, I'll be in your life for as long as you want me to be", he says tenderly. "I'm so glad I got to know you these last two months."

His reply made Janet smile.

"Thanks, Alex. That makes two of us", she replied kindly.

Slowly but surely, Alex & Janet came closer until their faces were less than an inch apart.

Each one was ready to deliver their very first kiss in a world gone crazy.

The blissful moment was interrupted by the sound of shaking brush close by, causing both to turn in the direction of the noise. A few seconds later, something emerged from hiding within the bushes.

Neither Alex nor Janet could believe it, & their eyes widened.

"Janet, go get my mom & dad…quick!", Alex said.

Without an argument or a word, Janet got up & ran to find Alex's parents.

Inside the lodge, Malcolm, Ellie, Foster, Kemp, Harold & Louise were all busy stuffing essentials into bags & a few suitcases, ranging from clothing & sleepwear to mouthwash & soap.

For the most part they did so in silence until Harold spoke, breaking it.

"You know, it's ironic when you think about it", he says. "We descended from the apes when the first humans appeared on Earth over about 5 million years ago. Now we're in danger of them being the descendants of us. Next thing you know, the dinosaurs might be making a comeback."

Harold's remark gave the group a little chuckle in a much-needed break in the tension.

"I doubt it'll go that far, Harold", Louise says. "As much as I'm aware of, the only 'dinosaurs' we and the apes need to worry about are the gators & crocs of the Earth, or even the alleged 'Loch Ness Monster' in Scotland's Loch Ness Lake, or even the Brontosaurus that's supposed to be living within the deepest, darkest & most humid regions of the African Congo."

"You know about those two legends, Louise? I'm pretty impressed!", said Kemp.

"Who hasn't learned about them in school? Same as with the legend of Bigfoot, every legend has a basis of truth attached to it, do they not?"

"Absolutely", says Foster. "Legends such as them are proof that our Earth still has many secrets we haven't yet discovered fully. They only pique our curiosity even further, urging us to know more about them. Don't forget, people: dinosaurs & other prehistoric animals were roaming this planet of ours long before any humans – even as apes – first set foot on its soil. Harold's theory of them retaking this planet doesn't sound very far-fetched to me."

"So, you're saying that we could be heading back to the Stone Age, hunting animals for survival like our ancestors did those 5 million years ago?", Ellie asked.

"I'm just saying that we shouldn't overlook anything, since we are somewhat heading backwards in time instead of forward. Unless we adopt like the apes have, we could be…"

It was them that Janet came into the room, her eyes wide.

"Janet honey, what's wrong?", Harold asked.

"Malcolm, Ellie, Alex wants to see you…right now!", Janet replied, stating it firmly.

The six adults in the room looked at each other, then back at Janet.

"What's this about, sweetie?", Ellie asked.

"It's best that you come see for yourselves!", Janet said.

Nodding, the six follow Janet outside to the rear of the lodge.

Almost as soon as they step outside, the group froze in their tracks as they see not only Alexander, but also who was with him: it was a chimpanzee with brown fur & some white streaks across its chest, arms, hands & a few patches on its face. A streak of red raced between its eyes, which bore quite a keen intelligence within them.

It was stunning to the group in more ways than one: not only was there a chimpanzee standing in a human posture, but it was very familiar to Malcolm, Ellie, Kemp, Foster and Alex.

"I don't believe it, man!", Foster said.

"Neither do I, but he's here regardless!", Kemp added.

"Caesar!", Malcolm & Ellie cried out.

The pair raced up to him, with Harold, Louise, Kemp, Foster & Janet following them. They stopped within a few feet of the apes leader.

"Malcolm. Ellie", Caesar said, shocking Harold, his wife & daughter. "One of my apes desperately needs your help."

"Caesar, not that it isn't good to see you again, it is, but…we thought you & your band of apes would be long gone from here, what with the military here to eradicate you all", Malcolm says.

"We were planning to go…to safer areas. But then, something came up that forced us to remain."

"Was it the military people that are holding you back?", Foster asked.

Caesar shook his head.

"Something far worse than human military", he explains. "One of our best apes – Luca – saw what it was but is unable to answer exactly what he'd seen."

"What's happened to Luca, Caesar?", Malcolm asked, worried for the gorilla as he befriended him when he had rescued him & his crew when the dam collapsed upon them as they were fixing it.

"He is in a severe state of shock. No matter what we tried, we cannot get him to speak or even sign of what he'd seen to put him in that state. It was why I came to look for you, hoping that you were still in the area, and that you might be able to snap him out of it so that he can tell us. We need answers. Badly."

"Let me go get my medical bag", Ellie says, racing back into the lodge.

Harold, Louise & Janet brave a closer look at the simian standing before them.

"So, this is the almighty Caesar that you & Ellie told us about?", Louise asks.

"This is him", Malcolm says. "He's a fierce combatant, but he can also tell just who his friends & enemies are."

Janet got even closer to Caesar, who finally acknowledges her presence. Both stare at each other for a few seconds before Janet started to speak directly to the chimp.

"Hello, Caesar. My name is Janet. It is good to meet you", she says, extending her hand.

Caesar stared at the hand a moment before giving his reply as her parents & the others watched.

"Greetings, Janet. It's good to meet you", Caesar says, gently taking her hand & shaking it.

Louise, Harold & the rest were astonished to see ape getting along swimmingly with a human he had just met.

It reminded Alex of when he befriended Maurice during the time they went up the mountain to fix the dam, sharing his comic books with the orangutan. He smiled at the memory, along with seeing Janet interacting with Caesar.

The moment was interrupted when Ellie returned with her medical bag.

"Do you have everything, Ellie", Malcolm asked.

"Most everything to help Luca, plus a few more items just in case we need them", she replied, turning to Caesar. "Let's go help your giant friend, Caesar."

"I'll bring the car around", Malcolm said. "I think it's best that the others don't see him…at least not yet."

"Louise & I will draw their attention while you go do that, Malcolm", Harold says, getting nods from him & his wife. "The last thing we want/need right now is a panic."

"You want Kemp & I to go with you, Malcolm?", Foster asked.

"Thanks, Foster, but I believe we got this", Malcolm says. "I'd like for you & Kemp to stay behind & help these people with whatever they need until we return."

Foster turned to Kemp, who nodded.

"All right. Good luck up there", Foster said as he & Malcolm shook hands in gratitude.

"I'm going too!", Janet says firmly.

Her remark stunned everyone, including Caesar.

"Janet honey, I don't think that's a very good idea…", Louise started saying until her daughter cut her off.

"Mom, Dad, ever since this world started turning upside-down, I've been more scared than usual: people causing riots in the streets, storming medical centers, grocery stores & everywhere else, people shooting at & killing each other because they're angry and/or scared…I'm sick of it all! I've been scared for too long, & if I don't get over on how this is giving me the heebie-jeebies, then I never will! Now is as good a time as any, & one way is to go meet Caesar's apes & facing those that many others blame the virus on & prove that they don't mean any harm is a great way to start!"

Everyone took Janet's words to heart: since people started dying because of the so-called Simian Flu, people have been running/fighting in fear due to the apes, even though it was humans that created the virus. Nobody understands this better than Malcolm & Ellie: Alexander grew up in a world where apes became civilized as the human race's was crumbling.

No child should ever have to experience such things at that young an age.

Alexander also gets what Janet's saying, & he came to her side.

"I'll be with Janet at all times. You have my word", he stated to Harold & Louise, his arm around her.

Caesar also put in his two cents.

"Apes will cause Janet no harm", he says. "I will see to it. And she is very brave to do this."

Seeing nothing but sincerity/veracity in the simian's eyes, Harold & Louise concede & nod in agreement.

"I guess it's settled. Let's get moving", Malcolm said, stirring the rest to action.

The Muir Woods, thirty minutes later:

Having his crew & equipment in order, Malcolm gathered his party & headed up the mountain.

It wasn't too difficult for Malcolm to get Caesar inside the back of his car: as Harold promised, he & Louise had kept the others' attention by giving assistance to those who had heavier luggage that needed more than one person to lift up & get hauled inside vehicles and/or upon their roofs. One couple saw Malcolm getting in his car & driving away, asking where he & a few others were going.

Kemp explained that Malcolm had to run an errand or two but will be back in good time.

Leaving it at that, the people at the lodge continued with their work.

Driving up the mountain as far as his vehicle can take him, Malcolm remembered the way he came when he was instructed to repair the dam. Ellie sat in the passenger seat, her medical bag on her lap. Alexander & Janet sat in the back, with Caesar hidden in the rear of the vehicle, exactly as he was when he was wounded & they drove him to safety & get him patched up.

The chimpanzee sat up once Malcolm gave him the all-clear, now not having to worry about other human eyes gazing at him.

Curiosity struck Caesar.

"You've been staying with those humans since leaving the city?", the simian asked.

"We have", Malcolm replied. "Along with several others, we departed from San Francisco & saw that those living in that lodge were seeking refuge from all the chaos around them, & they gradually invited us to stay there for a while. It would only be temporary: after two months, the fighting between your people & the military grew too intense that we all decided to pack up & head over to an area that would be safer."

"I am glad that you were able to find other humans who would give you shelter."

"They were in the same predicament we were in, so we got a lucky break", Ellie adds. "But you were right: it is a good thing, & we're just as happy to have hooked up with them. Like us, they're just trying to survive."

"Have you decided on where you will go from here?"

"Not yet", Alexander says. "We're still choosing on whether to go either north, south or even east. But wherever we do go, we'll be going as a group. You know, one big happy family, as it were."

Alexander stroked Janet's cheek with his finger, making her smile as she cuddled up to him.

The affection they shared touched the hearts of Malcolm, Ellie & even Caesar, who gets reminded of Cornelia & his two sons…Blue Eyes & his younger still-nameless son.

"Do you still miss your father who was named Will Rodman, Caesar?", Janet asked.

Her question brought back a lot of memories to Caesar as a flood of them entered his mind: the first time he was brought to his home in Pacific Heights; when he taught Charles Rodman how to use a fork; being brought to the forest so he could play; being shown the Gen-Sys lab where he was born & Will worked at; attacking Will's neighbor when he assaulted Charles; being brought to the primate shelter, & so forth.

It brought a tear to Caesar's eyes, & he wiped them away with his hand.

"Every single day", the simian replied. "Will was a good man…just like Malcolm."

All eyes turned to Malcolm, who smiled at the comment & gestures.

Caesar turned back to Alex & Janet.

"Speaking of family, are you two…", Caesar asked, gesturing with his finger at Alex & Janet.

It caused them all to giggle slightly.

"Actually, we're just companions since we met", Alex says. "But to be honest, I get such a warm/cozy feeling around Janet. I really do."

"And truth be told, I feel quite safe & secure with Alex", Janet says. "That's another reason why I'm heading up there."

"Like Caesar said, you're so brave doing this, Janet", Ellie said. "We should be there in just a couple more minutes by car, then we go the rest of the way on foot."

Nodding, Janet stayed close to Alex.

The rest of their trip went on in silence.

Once Malcolm stopped the vehicle, he ordered everyone out as Caesar took the lead, guiding the caravan over to where their home still stood. As they reached the entrance, they were confronted by several apes, ranging from Gorillas & chimps, along with bonobos & a few orangutans, each one ready to defend their home despite the condition it's in.

But when they saw it was Caesar that led four humans to their sanctuary, they immediately eased off.

Granite was one of the gorillas present, gesturing the rest to stand down, which they did.

Is this human female the one you call 'Ellie'?, Granite signed.

"Yes, this is her, & these are her people…all good people", Caesar said. "How's Luca doing?"

Still the same as before: no change, just sits there & staring off into space. Can this 'Ellie' really fix him?

"She can. It's why she's here. Bring us to Luca."

Nodding, Granite led Caesar & company over to where Luca was being kept in. He brought them to an area that was freshly built, making it alien to the rest of their home, which was still a burned-out husk when Koba set it on fire.

As they approached, Malcolm & the others ran into familiar faces: Rocket, Blue Eyes, Cornelia, her younger son & Maurice. Each of them vividly remembers most of the humans that have entered their domain, with Cornelia coming over to Ellie with arms spread, happy to see her again. The feeling was mutual to Ellie, who did the same as both ladies embraced as the young ape looked on.

"You look so much better than when we first met, Cornelia!", Ellie says after breaking their embrace. "It's good to see you still being up & about!"

"It's all thanks to you & your antibiotics", Caesar says. "Cornelia has never felt better in her life…and it's all due to you helping her, just as you promised. She had hoped to see you again to give you her proper thanks. And she's also not the only one."

Before Ellie could ask, Caesar's younger son leaped from his mother's shoulder onto Ellie's, who took the young ape in her hands & smiled joyfully. The gesture pleased the young ape immensely.

At the same time, Alex was being greeted by Maurice, giving the kid a warm hug as Alex did the same in return.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too, Maurice, even under the circumstances!", Alex said, now gesturing to Janet. "Oh, I'd like for you to say hello to Janet…someone very special in my life."

Maurice turned his gaze to said female & approached her gently, not wanting to startle or scare her away.

Janet stayed where she is, even though she was just slightly nervous.

It evaporated when Maurice placed a comforting hand on her shoulder & smiled at her. Janet did indifferent.

"Hi, Maurice!", she said with glee before they embraced.

When they broke it up, Maurice pointed to Janet & then at Alex before gesturing with his hands, making a heart.

Alex & Janet giggled at the meaning as the former explains.

"Well, we just met two months ago, but…she does fill a big void in my life, to which I am grateful", he says.

"Until I met Alex, I always thought I'd be cursed to live alone", Janet says. "But he'd given me the greatest kind of comfort in these hard times, & I am grateful to him for that."

Maurice gestured for both of them to come together. Once they did, the orangutan gave them both a big warm hug as both humans giggled, going along with the gag. But gag or not, they both do feel close & secure with one another, & they weren't ashamed to admit it.

Just a few feet away, Ellie was still cuddling with Caesar's younger son as Malcolm addressed the simian.

"So…have you named him yet?", Malcolm asked.

"Sadly, no", Caesar says. "We've been…quite busy with the human military to even give the matter thought."

"Well then…what about 'Cornelius'?"

Caesar stared at Malcolm in wonder.

"Cornelius?"

"Yes. He was one of the richest Americans during the 18th Century, becoming wealthy by investing in railroad, water trade, leadership positions, & the like. He was a great builder, & a very honorable man. Plus, it sounds similar to your wife's name, & he's named after a great leader, same as you. I think it's perfect."

Pondering on the matter, Caesar could concur with Malcolm's sentiments.

"It makes perfect sense", Caesar replied. "Thank you, Malcolm. 'Cornelius' it is."

His wife Cornelia heard the name Malcolm suggested, & she signed to let her husband know that she approves.

"You finally have a name, Cornelius!", Ellie says before getting back to the matter at hand. "Now, I want you to stay with mommy: we were brought up here to help one of you, so let us do just that."

Remembering the task at hand, Cornelia called for Cornelius to get back on her shoulder, which he did.

"Yes, let's tend to Luca", Caesar says, addressing the crowd. "Along with the humans, Cornelia, my sons, Rocket, Granite, Maurice & myself will all go inside. The rest of you, wait out here."

His orders given, Caesar & company entered the room to which Luca was placed in. It was a large-sized room, more than enough for the group to all fit within & still have room to maneuver freely. Luca sat near a wall on the far side of the entrance, sitting on a large stone. His facial features were still the same as before: his expression blank as his eyes were wide & not staring at anything.

Ellie approached the gorilla, waving her hand & snapping her fingers in front of him a few times, getting zero response from the large ape.

"You were right, Caesar…he's in a total state of paralysis & shock", Ellie says, digging into her medic bag. "I'll need a simple twig or branch that's lit on one end. In short, I need just a little flame burning."

"My son Blue Eyes can provide you with that. What else?", Caesar asked.

"From you, that's all. The rest I have in my bag, which I have packed something that should also be a counteract to his current condition. Ah yes, & here it is."

Ellie took out a small bottle of a clear liquid that she held in her hand for the apes to see.

Maurice pointed to the bottle, asking what it is.

"This bottle is filled with formic acid", she explains. "It's used for many things like fuel & cleaning, but it can also be used to help someone get snapped out from a paralysis state, which is what I intend to do with Luca. Combined with the small flame & having him sniff this from right under his nose, it should provide Luca with the jolt he needs to wake him up & snap him right back to normalcy."

Once Ellie explained that she needed a small flame on a stick, Blue Eyes got to work in providing her with one: with a pair of rocks, he banged them hard together repeatedly until they provided with sparks that hit a small cluster of sticks in a pile, igniting them at one end.

Having accomplished this, Blue Eyes came to Ellie & handed her the flaming tool.

"Perfect! Thank you, Blue Eyes!", she says, taking it in her right hand & began passing it moderately across the eyes of Luca while keeping the bottle of formic acid beneath his nose as the ape sniffed at its contents.

Everyone stayed silent as Ellie did her work, passing the flaming stick across Luca's eyes & having him smell the formic acid out of the bottle. She continues this method for close to a minute.

By the time a full minute passes, Luca started to blink his eyes & grunted in a low volume before it rose.

In no time, he bellowed a roar that caused Ellie to back away in surprise as Luca began swinging his arms around until Granite & Rocket each grabbed an arm & held him steady long enough for Caesar to calm him down.

"Luca!", he barked, causing the gorilla to cease his brief tantrum.

"Caesar?", Luca replied.

"Yes, it's me. You're back home again."

Looking at the faces of humans & apes, Luca suddenly recalls Malcolm & walked over to him before giving him a big warm hug. Malcolm smiled & returned the favor. Humans & apes alike gave themselves a cheer of triumph.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too, Luca", Malcolm says as the gorilla broke off. "You remember when you came to our rescue when we became trapped beneath the dam?"

Luca nodded.

"Yes. Luca remembers", he replied. "How did you get me back to normal?"

"That little miracle had been performed by Ellie, my wife", Malcolm says, pointing to said female.

Luca walked over to Ellie & stared at her.

"My thanks to you, Ellie", he tells her. "You are a good friend to apes…just like your husband."

"My thanks to you, Luca", Ellie replied. "It was you who rescued my husband from the collapsing dam."

Luca placed a hand gently on Ellie's shoulder, indicating further gratitude. The medic smiled.

Touching moment aside, they needed answers, & with Luca back to normal again, Caesar gets to the point.

"Luca…what has happened to the others in your crew? Do you remember?", he asks.

A sudden burst of memories flooded the gorilla's mind, & he sat back down as he recalls the incident.

Chills ran up his spine as he relayed the info.

CHAPTER IV

Inside the Daedalus warship:

A welcome party was present on the deck of the warship as Stone was brought aboard.

Still in his state of extreme shock, Stone had to be hauled up by several men & escorted like a blind man over to the infirmary as Colonel McCullough & Rose watched the display. The Colonel ordered the men to get Stone snapped out of his shocked stupor by any means necessary, no matter what personal pain he gets put through.

To ensure that they succeed, both Captain Hayes & the Colonel's son John were to personally see to it that medics pull out all the stops to snap Stone back to normal.

Retreating back into his office, the Colonel was back to work on his report on how the battle was going with the apes, scrounging for something to tell his superiors. It was, of course, standard procedure to give those you work for to give updates on your progress in order for them to choose how to proceed further, but so far Colonel McCullough has hardly anything to tell them: a pair of squadrons who haven't called in their own progress even after several attempts at contacting them, with no word on the enemy's current status.

On top of it all, one soldier was brought back in a state of total paralysis & shock, who probably don't even know his own damn name.

General Prescott & the other higher-ups won't be pleased by this round of current events.

Not one damn bit.

McCullough had no intentions of reporting to the General or any of his superiors emptyhanded, & at this point, he was desperate to get answers by any means necessary.

On his intercom, he called for Rose.

Moments later, she knocked on his door as the Colonel allowed her entry.

"Any luck on Stone's progress yet, Rose?", he asked.

"Unfortunately, sir, nothing new to report", she replied.

Her answer was the final straw: immediately he got up from his seat & stormed right out of his office, with Rose following close by.

"I gave those head-shrinking/needle-jabbing doctors more than enough time to do their job!", he fumed. "What is the damn holdup?!"

"Nothing, sir", Rose replied. "Our team of doctors are the best we can have. If you'd only give them a little more time, sir…"

"Sadly, my dear Rose, time isn't a luxury we can afford right now! I'm expecting to give our superiors an update on our progress in a little while, & right now I have zilch to give to them!"

The Colonel reached the infirmary & burst open the door, surprising everyone in the room.

Except Stone, that is: he remained in his state of paralysis while being seated upon an examination table, his eyes staring directly ahead.

"Need I to remind you, gentlemen, that we are on the clock?", the Colonel says, pointing at Stone. "Why hasn't one of my best field soldiers been snapped out of his paralysis yet?"

"Colonel, we're doing everything we can to snap him back to reality!", one of the docs said. "We've tried using formic acid, smelling salts, hell, we even went & gave him a shot of sodium pentothal – truth serum! But he hasn't even begun to respond to treatment for some reason that we can't comprehend! Whatever it was that scared him out there, it did a damn good job of it!"

"But rest assured, Colonel, we won't stop until we…", another doc began.

"I do not want assurances, I want results!", the Colonel cut him off sharply.

With a gesture of his hand, the Colonel ordered the docs, John & Captain Hayes to step away from Stone as he & Rose approached the soldier, who ignored their arrival. McCullough stood face-to-face with the big black man as he reached into his breast pocket & pulled out a fresh cigar.

"Stone! This is the Colonel speaking! Are you in there?", he snapped.

Using his free hand, the Colonel slapped Stone across the face, hoping to wake him up. The sound echoed loudly within the room, & the man slapped him again with the same ferocity. He did so a third time, hoping it was the charm.

It wasn't: Stone was still the same as he was before – staring into space, wide-eyed & unresponsive.

The Colonel has had enough shenanigans, & he gives the man the bottom line.

"All right, listen up, soldier!", he barked. "I have a report to make out for our superiors in a short while, & there's no way I'll be left out in the cold by not giving them something! So, here's what's going down: you either give me a full report on what happened the other day, or so help me, I'll beat it out of you! You got that?!"

Stone gave no indication that he heard the Colonel, but the man didn't care.

"However, if you want to save yourself from such an embarrassing moment, you'll begin talking & fill me in on everything that you know by the time I finish this cigar!"

Placing the stogie in his mouth, the Colonel stands still as Rose came up to & flicked on a lighter, placing the flame at the end as the Colonel took a few drags on it, getting it burned enough to stay lit & enjoy its aroma.

It was during this moment that Stone was finally snapping out of his stage, his memories coming back in a flood.

The flame from Rose's lighter stirred something in Stone & he came to, screaming in fear as the Colonel & Rose backed away as Stone started swinging his fists wildly. Both medics, John & Captain Hayes all snatched his arms, thus pinning him back on the table & against the wall.

Stone was held firmly/tightly by the four men until he started regaining his composure.

For the first time in a long time, he blinked several times & surveyed his surroundings.

"Colonel?", Stone finally says, his eyes befalling him.

"Well…nice to have you back, son!", the Colonel says, puffing on his stogie.

His memory restored, Stone went into a frenzy & began talking quickly.

"Colonel, we need much more weaponry & troops before this thing devours us all, sir! It's the most horrible sight I ever saw, & it nearly…", Stone blurted out.

"Whoa, there!", the Colonel says, stopping his ranting. "Before I ask for anything from Home Command, I first need you to give me a full report on your mission the other day! Do you think you can do that, soldier?"

Stone took in a few breaths & exhaled, getting himself under control.

"Yes sir. Yes sir, I can do that now", Stone replied normally.

Nodding, the Colonel gave the order to release the man as those restraining him backed away.

"Glad to hear that, Stone", McCullough says, taking another drag from his cigar. "So…what went down?"

Inhaling & exhaling once more, Stone began spilling out the details.

The ape home, Muir Woods:

Just as Stone was explaining his side of the story on the Daedalus warship, Luca was doing the same in their ape sanctuary as everybody listened intently.

"As Caesar had ordered, my team & I led the human military astray & into an ambush where our traps were laid & ready to be sprung. Once they were caught & freed each other, that's when we engaged them in hand-to-hand combat. Even for humans, they put up a fierce & decent fight, despite not using their guns in the battle. Even when there was a slight earthquake, we were winning the battle against the human military. And then it appeared."

"'It'?", Caesar asked as Luca nodded.

"Was this 'It' the reason you were put in a state of paralysis?", asked Malcolm.

Luca nodded again as he continued.

"As the earthquake hit & we were engaged in combat with the humans, we all but ignored it…until a pair of large legs & clawed feet appeared right down in front of us all. Then we all looked up to see the head of a massive animal as it peered down at us all & unleashed a terrible roar that sent chills up all our spines. Putting our quarrel with the humans aside, we all ran away for our lives…and that was when it fully emerged from the mountainside & began eating us all, humans & apes alike. It reached down & snatched us up one by one, swallowing us whole in a single bite. Out of 12 of us, only I & another human survived…because we ran as fast as we could, way too scared to so much as look back. I've never seen anything like it."

Luca stopped his explanation, unable to go on as Caesar, Ellie & the rest absorbed every detail, each with his/her own thoughts. The gorilla's story does coincide with the earthquake they each felt yesterday, having been felt across California even from a great distance away. It also explains not only Luca's state of shock, but also why the others in his caravan never made it back, with Luca being the only survivor.

It was a story that was almost too unbelievable.

But then again, many people still have difficulty accepting that apes now have the power of speech & created a society of their own even after ten years.

Janet was the one who broke the intense silence in the room.

"Alex, did you bring your drawing pad along with a pencil?", she asked him.

"I did. Why'd you ask?", Alex asked.

"Maybe if Luca can fully describe this thing he saw, you can illustrate it so we know what we're up against."

Alex had to admit that Janet's idea was sound, & a picture of any kind on the culprit would be of great benefit to ape & human alike.

"A great idea, Janet", Alex says, turning to the gorilla. "How about it, Luca? Are you up to that?"

Luca gave the two young ones a nod of more confidence than he felt before.

Maurice gave a grunt before he addressed Caesar.

Let's give them a little privacy, the orangutan signed. This could progress faster if we do.

"Good thinking, Maurice", Caesar says. "Let's exit the room, everyone."

Nobody gave an argument, & they started leaving the space.

"Okay Alex, it's all you", Malcolm says before he exited with the rest.

Once they had the room to themselves, Alex – with his pad & pencil ready – faced Luca.

"Now, Luca…how do you want to start?", the young man asked.

The Daedalus:

As calmly & quickly as he could, Stone described how the operation went down the other day, giving the Colonel & everyone else all the details of their encounter with the apes before…something arose & crashed their little party. He described the intruder implicitly, leaving nothing out of the equation.

When Stone was finished with his explanation, the room was silent as a tomb for several long moments.

It felt like an eternity.

The Colonel then gave instructions to the group before he & Rose stormed out of the room.

McCullough was fuming with rage & burning even redder than the end of his cigar was.

"Of all the lousy, stinking, no-good excuses…", the Colonel was grumbling. "My fucking grandmother can come up with a better excuse than that goddamn tripe Stone handed me! Maybe we should've left him as a damn vegetable, considering his shit story!"

Rose went in front of the Colonel & caused him to stop his trek back into his office.

"Colonel, with all due respect, sir, Stone is one of our best operatives & a battle-hardened soldier who's never led his squadron astray, let alone lied to them", Rose explains. "And his story doesn't sound as far-fetched as you might believe it to be, sir: there was a slight earthquake that occurred yesterday that was felt even here on the Daedalus. Also, it could explain as to why Samson & his crew never reported in their progress from last night's search of the apes. In fact, sir, last time any of us spoke to him was yesterday afternoon just before sunset. Nobody's heard neither hide nor hair from him since."

Hearing Rose's explanations, the Colonel could see as to how it all connects. She was right: he hasn't heard even a peep from Samson or anyone from his crew to make a report despite several attempts to contact them. As for Stone, he's a true man of his word, always speaking what was on his mind & making certain his reports were accurate as he sees them. He's never one to make an excuse, no matter how much his superiors would despise the answer.

McCullough was beginning to wonder if there really is something out there that's a threat to both apes & humans.

"Okay, Rose", he began. "Let's suppose that Stone's story is on the level, & that there is a giant creature that isn't all too picky about what it eats. I have about thirty minutes to get in touch with General Prescott to give him an update upon our progress. What do you expect that I tell him? That our operation of finding & eliminating the apes is postponed because a giant prehistoric lizard is on the loose, gobbling up apes & people alike? He'd have me stripped of my stripes and my command, replacing it with a goddamned straightjacket in an insane asylum! What's worse, he's been waiting for an excuse to permanently take me off the board! I don't intend on letting that happen, my dear! I intend to win this war at any & all costs!"

"I understand that, sir, & I get that you want to not bring up this…thing that could or couldn't be out there, waiting for its next meal", Rose said. "But if we're going to accomplish our mission, sir, we need more firepower & personnel to do it, especially if we need to bring this newcomer down."

"Well then, if you have any bright ideas on how to do that without me mentioning a giant creature roaming around the state somewhere, then I'm all ears."

"As a matter of fact, sir…I do."

The Colonel took another drag from his cigar & blew the smoke away from Rose's face before getting closer.

"Let's hear it", he said, plain & simple.

China Camp State Park:

The rust-furred gorilla known as Red has fled the pack since Koba's defeat in San Francisco. He was both angry & disappointed at the leadership skills of Caesar: not only does he associate with humans & permit them to be within his tribe, he'd also broken the solemn vow that 'ape shall not kill ape', having dropped Koba to his death from a building under construction.

Koba of course broke that vow first by killing Rocket's son Ash, but Red paid no attention to that, other than that he was too weak like Caesar, having a soft spot for humans & refused to carry out Koba's orders.

It didn't cause Red to lose any sleep over it: Ash was a weakling like Caesar, & thus got what he deserved, as far as he's concerned.

Although he was unstable, Koba was right about the humans: they're nothing but untamed savages who took the utmost pleasure in torturing animals like apes for their own amusement.

No more: it was time to pick up where Koba left off, & Red was going to be the late bonobo's successor.

Accompanying him are Koba's two loyal chimps Grey & Stone, along with Stripe (another follower of Koba), a trio of chimps named Fox, Flint & Shell, an albino gorilla named Winter, another gorilla named Aghoo, & others.

Each of them carried loaded bandoliers & rifles.

These apes abandoned Caesar & his pack & are now stragglers searching for others who will follow Red & his caravan instead of the weakling chimpanzee who was raised by humans years ago.

It was time for a new ape order, & Red was going to lead them there.

But first, he will need more apes who have no love for Caesar.

For two months, Red & his squadron haven't had any luck in finding other apes who would join them.

His luck will change on this day: signaling for silence, Red halts his troops as he goes off alone through the dense forest to close in on the sounds of grunts & growls. As he gets closer, Red caught the scent of apes nearby, their stench growing stronger the closer he gets to its point of origin.

Peering through a thick grove of brush, Red saw about twelve gorillas, six chimpanzees & six bonobos all lined up like army soldiers for inspection. One of these – a gorilla – walked back & forth like he was a general. His fur was singed in spots, exposing flesh within his coat of brown, exposing cuts made into them that have become scabs. As he looked upon its face, Red could see that it had a pair of scars along the right side, from above the eyebrow down to the chin. Despite the wound, the right eye was unaffected & was in perfect working order.

This scarred gorilla inspected his troops as if he was ready to go into battle.

It gave Red the opportunity he was looking for: with these apes in his army, conquering the humans and Caesar will be quite a breeze. Plus, it will give him the utmost satisfaction of seeing his former leader take a fall as Koba did.

A sneer of a smile was on Red's lips.

They could be our ticket to revenge & beyond!, Red thought. I've got to have them!

Turning to his troops, he signaled to advance quickly yet quietly to where he was.

Grey, Stone & the rest all saw what Red was referring to: a bunch of apes that will serve well in their caravan & add to their numbers of defectors from Caesar's party.

That big one with the scars all over his body…, Winter signed.

"Yes…that one seems to be their leader", Red says softly. "We shall make his apes become ours!"

You can bet he won't give them up so easily, Shell signed.

"Ha! I'm counting on it!", Red says with a sneer.

Unaware of Red & his team watching him from the foliage, the scarred ape addressed his own troops.

"Apes! We are gathered here today because we have been betrayed by another who was supposed to have led us into a grand victory! He once stated that he would allow us to live in peace & freedom from the humans who have once enslaved us, & that we would never need fear them again! He lied to us: not only are apes still being hunted by humans, this once-great leader of ours has even sided with them, & worst of all…he has even killed one of his own, especially after he has put effect into law that 'ape shall not kill ape'! He vehemently broke that very law he created, & now it is time for apes to receive retribution!"

The other apes in his group cheered & hooted in agreement, stirring them up into a frenzy.

"And once this traitor to the ape community is dealt with, I – Scar – will be the new leader of our people & lead us all into absolute victory over the humans! With me as your leader, we will rise to become the new dominant species of the Earth…while the humans will be nothing more than our slaves!"

An even louder cheer erupted within Scar's troops, many of them shouting 'Death to the humans!' & 'Death to Caesar!', already imagining the broken body of the chimpanzee who had liberated the simians.

Scar's mouth made a sinister snarl & grin, hardly able to wait to deliver vengeance upon Caesar.

The sound of automatic gunfire caused the cheering to stop as Scar & his troops looked to see a bunch of armed simians emerging from the foliage & into the open. The one that led these newcomers was Red, holding his still-smoking rifle in hand. The apes from Scar's crew started going after the newbies, but Winter & the rest aimed their weapons & halted them in their tracks.

Handing his rifle to Winter, Red approached Scar, who did the same.

They stopped when they got to about two feet of each other.

Each ape stared daggers at the other, with Scar unsure of their intentions.

"And just who might you be?", Scar asked.

"An ape who'll really lead us all into that 'absolute victory' you mentioned!", Red says.

Scar got closer to Red's face, as the rust-furred ape did likewise.

Both snarled at one another.

"I know of you!", Scar says. "You're one of that traitor Caesar's apes…Red, is it? You & your party got some nerve showing yourselves to us, thinking you can conquer us & add to your traitorous ranks! Well, forget it! We won't allow for a bunch of weaklings from Caesar to rule over the true apes of the world as we crush…"

Red responded to Scar's statement with a fierce uppercut that connected with the scarred ape's chin, sending him flying backwards 12 feet before he hits the ground hard on his back. All apes from both parties uttered 'oooh!' from their lips.

"Don't ever compare me to Caesar!", Red snapped as Scar got back on his feet. "Unlike him, I'm not weak!"

"You're not, huh?", Scar says, baring his fangs. "Well then…here is your chance to prove it! Bring me down…if you can!"

Red unleashed a battle cry, accepting Scar's challenge. The scarred-faced simian does the same, running towards Red like a runaway locomotive. Both apes collided with brute force that it rattled their bones before the punching of rock-hard fists began, which was further fueled by the gnawing/gnashing of sharp fangs & a tussle that brought the combatants to the ground. Scar used a powerful kick to Red's solar plexus that pushed him back several feet, gasping for air. This gave Scar the edge he needed as he ran to his foe & plow into him again, sending Red tumbling across the landscape for ten feet before he stopped. With a mighty leap, Scar took to the air with both fists raised, intent on using his full weight & fists to batter Red underneath & crush him.

But Red was more resilient than he looked: even though dazed from the hit, he saw Scar jumping into the air & heading his way. Waiting until the right moment, Red snatched Scar's right arm just as it came down before he swung his enemy around twice, letting him go as the momentum sent Scar crashing into a tree. Red didn't give Scar time to go gather his wits: the rust-furred gorilla plowed into his foe's chest, causing him to cry out in pain. Red then threw Scar onto the ground on his back & began pummeling the downed gorilla with his fists, each blow feeling like he was getting hit by rocks. Red clobbered Scar several times with all his might until he let up & got off him.

He then bent down & stared directly into Scar's face with a sneer.

"Get this straight!", Red snapped. "I am no follower of that weakling Caesar, & I intent to crush him under my heels! You have a deep & burning hatred of him too, & that I can respect! But hear this: you & your apes are now mine, & thus will take orders from me! Understand?!"

One of Scar's apes tried to go to his rescue, but Red's army stopped him dead in his tracks by aiming their guns directly at him.

Red saw the display before turning back to Scar.

"The next one of your apes tries that again, & they get gunned down!", Red warned. "Now…will you pledge your allegiance to me & my apes, or do I have to…"

"I pledge…my allegiance…to you…leader", Scar says, defeated.

"Good! Now get up!"

Obeying, Scar rose to his feet & faced his troops.

"Apes…you will pledge allegiance to your new leader…Red", Scar addressed before bowing his head.

The others from Scar's crew turn to Red, seeing that he has defeated their now-former ruler.

As one, they raised their fists & chanted 'new leader Red!' repeatedly.

Winter & the others from Red's group rejoin their leader as said gorilla took back his weapon from the albino.

You've created quite a large army…and in such a short time!, Grey signed.

"This is simply the beginning", Red says. "Once we conquer Caesar & his troops, our ranks will grow further before we begin our siege on the humans."

And when do we plan to attack Caesar?, Stripe signed.

Red grinned fiendishly with an evil chuckle.

"Tonight", he said.

The Daedalus:

Colonel McCullough listened to the suggestion Rose offered to him: getting extra personnel & equipment sent over without mentioning anything about a giant prehistoric lizard that may (or may not) even exist. What she offered was a perfect solution, & it could very well get the desired manpower they needed in order to win this war against their simian foes.

Both the Colonel & Rose entered his office & got on the radio to contact General Prescott.

Rose stayed silent as McCullough made his report.

What he had to report to the general did not make him too happy.

In fact, it made him angry & disappointed.

"I gave you all that manpower & equipment to use at your disposal, Colonel, & your people still can't bring a bunch of primitive apes down on a whim?!", General Prescott said over the radio. "It's a laughable notion, Colonel, & I'm not all that much in a humorous mood!"

"General, I understand how you must feel, & you're right, sir: this fight is anything but a comedy! I get that!", the Colonel replied. "But please know, sir: these are no ordinary apes that we're dealing with! They're well-organized, cunning as hell, & they know how to surprise us when we least expect it! In short, sir, we underestimated these animals, & so far it's cost us dearly! That alone is why we require…"

"That's exactly what they are, Colonel…animals!", Prescott cut in fiercely. "Nothing more! Listen, son: I picked you to handle the situation because of your record, & also because you insisted that you were the right man for the job, & that you would finish it! Therefore, I need for you to live up to your word by finding these apes & dealing with them – permanently!"

"Believe me, I intend on doing just that, sir, which is why I am requesting air support for this mission! We've lost a good number of men already to these animals, & unless you want more good men to be lost because we weren't better prepared for them, you'll comply with what I ask of you…sir!"

There was a long pause & silence between the exchange before the general finally answered.

"I can spare you only two choppers, Colonel! That should be more than enough air support for you to locate the apes & bury them! But I warn you: no more manpower unless you show me the proof that you're capable of completing what you set out to do! Understand?"

"Perfectly, General!", McCullough says. "Hell, you can even place cameras on the choppers & have their feed sent directly to you so you can see for yourself that I can do the job just as I promised!"

"That's actually a great idea, Colonel! I'll discover for myself if you really are the right choice to win this war for us & the entire human race, or if you've been bullshitting me all this time! Your air support will arrive in a couple hours from now! And McCullough? Don't make me regret it! Prescott out!"

Prescott ended the conversation before McCullough could put in another word.

"Pompous prick!", McCullough snapped. "He's sitting in his safety bunker, while we're risking life & limb to save the whole human race!"

"Once he sees for himself that you are morethan able to defeat the enemy, sir, he'll be changing his tune in no time", Rose said.

"How I'd love to see the look on his face when that shit happens, Rose. But you're right…not only about that, but also what you suggested that I report to him, leaving out certain details, that is."

"Of course, sir. We need to show him indisputable proof of what Stone told us before. That's the real reason we need that air support. And for the record, sir, if what Stone said does become true, & there is a giant prehistoric creature roaming around these parts…what shall we do?"

"Exactly what we'll do with the apes themselves: face it, fight it & conquer it. That won't be a problem for you, will it, Rose?"

"No, sir. That won't be a problem for me at all."

The apes sanctuary, Muir Woods:

Caesar & his apes, along with Malcolm & Ellie, waited patiently for Alex to finish his drawing of the thing that attacked the gorilla & his troops the other day, causing him to go into a paralysis state until Ellie helped snap him back to reality. Janet also was inside, staying close to Alex who promised her parents that he'd stay by her side at all times.

It was hardly a chore: Janet feels safe with Alex & wouldn't leave his side even though she was surrounded by friendly apes.

Some of them, however, were getting worried.

It's been close to an hour already, Rocket signed. How much longer will that boy take?

"Patience, Rocket", Caesar said. "We must get as accurate a description as possible of the creature that Luca saw. Once we know what it is, we can figure out a way to defeat it."

Maurice gave a grunt as they all faced the orangutan.

From what we heard of Luca's report, this creature that attacked him & the humans is very big, Maurice signed. How can we defeat something that's even bigger than any of us apes or humans?

"In any way we can, Maurice", Caesar says, placing his fists together. "Remember…apes together strong."

The other apes at the compound also placed their fists together in the same manner as Caesar, forming a unity as always through dark times. Malcolm & Ellie copied the gesture, putting their own fists together as Caesar & the other apes saw that these two humans also stand with them.

Each simian was impressed & touched by the gesture.

"Thank you, Malcolm, Ellie", Caesar said, making the two humans smile proudly.

By now, Luca exits the room, followed by Alex & Janet as they rejoin the group.

Everyone gathered around them, anxious to see what the young human had illustrated for them.

"How did it go, Alex?", Ellie asked.

"About as well as you can expect", he replied, holding his drawing pad.

"So…what is the thing that scared Luca so much?", asked Malcolm.

"See for yourselves", Janet said, giving Alex his cue.

Placing his drawing pad sideways, Alex displayed his illustration to humans & apes alike.

Gasps of astonishment & disbelief came from each mouth, followed by eyes that went wide.

What Alex illustrated was a literal monstrosity: the thing was a gigantic lizard-like creature that was squatted like a frog, sporting long legs with feet that were both sharp-clawed & webbed, & its back was covered with a protective armor of round, bubbly scales or plates. Translucent, pointed spikes that ran from the top of its head to the tip of its tail which seemed to be over twice the length of its main body.

Feeling that the apes looked at the drawing long enough, Alex turned the page to display another drawing of the creature. This time it was a close-up of the monster's rounded head, showing irregular teeth in its mouth that looked to be in a permanent perpetual sneer. A trio of sharp curved spikes were located on the side of its head, right behind the mouth, & its eyes were large & narrow.

Giving them enough time to stare at this illustration, Alex turned yet another page to show the creature in a final pose, only this time it was drawn with its legs spread in an X position. From between its legs was a thin webbing or a kind of membrane that connects not just the legs, but also the sides of its body.

Unlike in his first drawing, Alex didn't put in the creature sitting on anything solid, & Ellie could guess why.

"Oh my god. This creature can…fly?", she asked.

"More like…glide through the air", Luca corrected her. "I remember seeing this creature spreading its limbs out before it took to the skies. It glided like a flying squirrel, & when it roared…the noise was terrible."

Apes & humans alike stood silent for several moments, contemplating & absorbing the details from Alex's art & Luca's added info. Looks of worry & fear were on every face, knowing that this creature can not only travel across the land, but take to the air & glide.

Janet had a disturbing thought entering her head, & she shared it with everyone.

"Since we know that this creature can glide, it can probably no doubt do so for great distances", she says. "And if that should be the case…"

"Then nobody in the area is safe from this thing, apes or humans!", Malcolm said.

"Malcolm, the people in the lodge are ready to depart once we get back!", Ellie said. "If they try to leave now…"

"This thing will pick us off, one at a time! And with the way it can glide, it's just as fast in the air as it is on the ground!"

"Dad, we've got to warn Harold, Louise & everyone else about this big creature!", Alex says. "We also have to make sure that everybody stays put until we can find some way to kill this damn thing!"

"Yes", Caesar says. "Unless this monster is beaten, neither humans nor apes will be safe. And running away won't help either of our species. Because of its gliding abilities, it can go anywhere with ease, consuming everything in its sight. Your son is correct, Malcolm: either we kill this monster, or there'll be no future for anyone."

"You're both correct, Caesar!", Malcolm says. "Ellie, Alex, Janet & I will start heading back down to the lodge! Since our cell phones won't work these days, Alex will simply have to show them in person the pictures of the beast he drew as Luca described it, & hopefully we can formulate some kind of plan to bring it down!"

"What if…we can't kill it?", Luca asked.

"We'll find a way, Luca", Ellie said. "Every living thing has a weakness somewhere. Right now, we need to get back to the lodge & warn those people."

"Some of us will accompany you, Ellie", Caesar said.

"Do you really think that's wise, Caesar? We know that you pose no threat to us, but the others might feel different about you apes if they saw you."

"Ellie, you, Malcolm & Alex told us all about the apes led by Caesar that they only wanted to be left in peace, & never intended to start a war with us", Janet says. "I'm sure you can convince them that we need to band together if we are to survive this new threat."

Considering Janet's words, Ellie & her family knew she had a point: they straightforward told Harold, Louise & everyone else about the apes' true desire, & that was to live peacefully in the woods, not wanting conflict with humans for any reason. It was because of Koba that the fighting began, & despite the renegade ape's defeat, war did come when the military arrived.

By having Caesar & some of his apes present as they tell them about the new threat they face, they would convince everyone that leaving is not an option, & that they must band together with the apes to defeat this terrible new menace.

"That's a good point, Janet", Malcolm said, turning to Caesar. "Whichever apes want to join you, Caesar, follow us as we head back down the mountain."

"Maurice, Luca & myself will be those apes who'll follow you", Caesar said. "The rest will remain here & stay on high alert."

"Good enough, Caesar", Ellie says, turning to Malcolm. "We'd better move."

"Let's go, Alex, Janet", Malcolm says as the kids nodded & started to head back to their vehicle.

Once they were driving down the mountain, Caesar, Maurice & Luca began following them through the trees, all swinging as fast as they could.

They hoped to get to them in time, and to make sure they don't bolt the moment they arrive.

The Muir Woods Lodge:

Harold checked his watch, seeing that Malcolm, Ellie, Alex & Janet have been gone for over an hour.

Like Louise, he wondered what was going on up in the mountain, especially with a bunch of intelligent apes.

"How much longer is Malcolm going to be?", Louise says. "He knows we're on the verge of taking off."

"Don't worry, Louise: Malcolm is just as anxious to leave this area as much as any of us are", Harold tells her.

Just then, a group of people make their way over to the couple.

"Hey Harold, where's Malcolm & his wife & son? More off, where's your daughter Janet?", asked a man.

"They didn't already leave without us, did they?", asked a woman. "We're just about ready to blow this popsicle stand!"

The group was making other statements & asking questions all at once in a jumble before Harold took a stand.

"Hold on, everyone, settle down & let me explain!", Harold says as the group quiets down. "Malcolm, Ellie, Alex and my daughter Janet are just as eager to get away from this area as we are, believe me!"

"Then why aren't they here yet?!", a woman asked as the people start getting rowdy again.

Now it was Louise who started speaking as they settled down to hear.

"I can assure you, they will be here! They just needed to run a…little errand before we head off, that's all!"

"What kind of an errand, & for who? That's what I'd like to know!", said a man with more force than he intended.

The group was silent for them to hear Louise or even Harold to give them an answer.

Both were saved by the bell when Malcolm's vehicle approached from behind Harold & Louise, sparing them an embarrassing predicament. Malcolm, Ellie, Alex & Janet exited their ride as Harold & Louise's daughter went over to her parents, both of whom held her close for several moments.

"Are you all right, sweetie?", Louise asked.

"Perfectly, mom. Alex was with me the entire time, like he promised", Janet says.

"We're very grateful to you, young man", Harold says.

Alex gave them a reassuring smile & nod of gratitude.

Kemp & Foster went over to Malcolm & Ellie, welcoming them back.

"Glad you got back in time!", Kemp says.

"Yeah, man! The crowd here was starting to get restless!", Foster said.

"Yeah, it's about time you all got back!", said another man. "We were just about to leave without you, Malcolm!"

"Actually, that's what we want to talk to you all about!", Malcolm started. "Nobody can leave this area! Not just yet, anyway!"

His statement put the rest in a state of disbelief, & they didn't bother to hide their disappointment.

"Are you insane, Malcolm?!", said a man. "In case you haven't noticed, mister, the fighting between the apes & the military is getting worse every day, and a little too close for comfort for our tastes! We'd like to be long gone before we're really caught in the middle, with no way out of it! And if you won't come with us, we'll leave you behind!"

Everybody started protesting against the man's wishes, & Malcolm wanted to say more, but the crowd wouldn't let him get even one word spoken. The shot from a pistol quickly silenced the group as Foster fired a single shot in the air with his Desert Eagle Magnum, the tip still smoking.

"Listen up, y'all!", Foster stated firmly. "Malcolm is a wise & brave man: this guy risked his life attempting to get the dam flowing so we can have power once again! He even fought to prevent an entire building crashing down by explosives set by Dreyfus & his crew! Who knows how many of us could've been killed if it collapsed! If he says we can't leave the premises yet, he must have a very good reason, so hear him out!"

The people stayed silent & allowed Malcolm to speak as Foster holstered his weapon.

"Folks, I know you want to get away from all the fighting going on, & I don't blame any of you for it, believe me!", Malcolm began. "Ellie & my son Alex want to vacate the area just as much, but the reason why I said we can't is because there's a terrible force out there somewhere that will most likely not allow us to leave at this time!"

"What is this 'terrible force' you're speaking about, Malcolm? The military? The apes?", asked a woman.

"Neither. It's something a whole lot worse, & that's where my son comes in. Alex?"

Alex approached the group, & with his drawing pad showed them all the pictures he drew to show them what the delay for their departure was. Many gasped in astonishment, but one or two were rather skeptical.

"A lizard?", one said. "You're asking to postpone our departure from this area because of a fucking lizard?!"

"Not just lizard. Monster!", said a new voice, putting most everyone on alert.

"Who's out there?!", someone shouted.

From the corner of the lodge, Luca, Maurice & Caesar made themselves known to the group, many of whom gasp in amazement & surprise at the sight of the trio of apes. They walk up to where Malcolm, Ellie & Alex are, standing next to the trio like they were old friends.

For the most part, they are, having been through a lot together.

One man tried drawing a gun he had within his coat, but Kemp put the brakes to that by placing a firm hand on his arm & shaking his head.It told the man 'don't even think about it'.

"You went to see the apes?", asked a woman. "Was that your 'little errand' you & Ellie were on, Malcolm?"

"Yes, it was, & let me tell you why…", Malcolm began.

"Actually…I will", Caesar says, cutting him off & further surprising the people. "I asked Malcolm & Ellie to come see us apes because we needed their help. The gorilla with us – Luca – saw the creature himself, putting him in a state of paralysis. We could not snap him out of it, so we hoped that Ellie was still around to help succeed where we failed. She accomplished her task, & Luca gave a full description of the monster he'd seen, courtesy of Malcolm's son Alex. We knew that Malcolm & Ellie would help apes…because both are good people."

Even more amazing than hearing a chimpanzee talk is calling humans 'good people', giving them proof that what the apes – and Malcolm – have said was clearly on the level.

"Okay, Malcolm. What you presented to us is the truth, we all get that", said a man. "Shouldn't that be reason enough to depart now – before this thing decides to make meals out of all of us?"

"Departing now will only attract this creature", Ellie says before Malcolm could answer. "We try leaving now, it will only pick us off one at a time, especially with its ability to glide quickly through the air. Our only hope is to kill this thing before it does the same with us."

"And how do you propose we do that?!", asked a woman. "We don't even know if this damn thing has a name!"

"Varan."

The crowd turned to the one who spoke: it was an elderly Japanese man who had an oxygen tank attached to a metal roller & having a clear mask that was connected to an equally clear plastic hose for breathing. The crowd gave him room as this Asian elder made his way towards Ellie, Malcolm & the apes, taking his tank with him.

"What did you say, Toshi?", Ellie asked.

"I said, its name…is Varan", Toshi repeated.

"How did you know what this creature is?", Foster asked as Toshi turned to him.

"Because I've seen him once before…over 60 years ago in Japan."

Mumbles of amazement went through the crowd, seeing that not only has this elderly Japanese man knew its name, but also saw it with his own eyes decades ago.

Toshi took another inhale of his oxygen before addressing the crowd.

"Let's all head inside the lodge", he says. "We can enjoy a good meal as I explain just how I know about Varan."

He points to Caesar & the apes.

"You apes will want to hear of this as well, so please come join us", Toshi says.

Maurice & Luca nodded, making it unanimous for Caesar.

"We three accept your invitation…with our biggest thanks", the chimp said.

Having that settled, the humans & ape trio entered the lodge for some food & a history lesson of a man's personal experience of the horror that has befallen both humans & apes alike.

It would make this long day even longer.

CHAPTER V

The Muir Woods Lodge, sunset:

Due to the fact that they were stuck at the lodge (for now), the people started to unpack some of their personal items to remain a little longer, keeping the majority of it still packed away, just in case they have no choice but to make a speedy escape despite the danger Varan poses. For their dinner, the people baked fresh fish that they – along with the apes – have caught with their poles & spears, getting a good catch to share among themselves. Using the barbeque & an open flame, their meals were prepared in short time as they ate heartily.

Maurice ate in the company of Alex & Janet, the two young kids enjoying the orangutan's presence, & vice versa.

As for Luca, he was sharing food with Malcolm & Ellie, the two humans smiling as they did so.

It reminded Caesar of when he used to eat at the table with Will Rodman & his father Charles.

Times like this was when he missed interacting with humans, knowing there are good ones.

Just like Will, who raised him as a baby chimp.

"Nice to have family", Foster says.

"Yes…it is", Caesar said, taking in another feeding of fish. "Nothing's more important."

"As Mr. Isaac Hayes used to say, 'You damn right'!", Foster says, doing an impersonation of the late musician most famous for his 1971 smash 'Shaft', from the movie of the same name starring Richard Roundtree.

"Isaac Hayes?"

"Another great human."

Caesar simply nodded as Foster grinned in gratitude & amusement.

Their meal went on for another 15-20 minutes.

The Daedalus warship:

Within the vessel, soldiers were arming themselves with automatic rifles, handguns, grenades, knives & other forms of weaponry as they get ready for their next assault upon the simian army. Many were eager to get out there & do as much damage to the apes as they possibly could, having lost a good number of soldiers during previous raids, the most recent one being only yesterday & in the early hours of the morning.

Many were itching for some serious payback.

Being the professionals they are, they kept their emotions in check: getting emotional during battle will get any soldier killed faster than a bullet or a grenade.

The brave men dressed in khaki & army fatigues were just about finished getting their armament ready when the Colonel & Rose entered the very large room that was packed to capacity with soldiers.

Each one stood at attention once McCullough came in.

Approaching the podium, the Colonel addressed his troops as Rose stood by his side.

"Good evening, everyone", he began speaking in the microphone. "I know that some of you have questions for me, but I must ask that you hold off doing so at the moment. As of yesterday, & last night, a pair of teams assigned to find the apes have gone missing: the first one led by Stone, the other one led by Samson. Of the team Stone led, only he was the survivor. Out of Samson's team, we've lost contact with them sometime during the wee hours of the morning. We must assume that it was the apes that caused their disappearances, but according to Stone, there was another force at play that could very well be the culprit instead. That's why I asked High Command to lend us air support for this new mission: a pair of choppers will be arriving sometime this evening to scour the area & locate the apes…along with this new threat that is said to be in the area, whatever it is."

McCullough took a moment to allow the troops to absorb what's been relayed to them.

Rose stood still & said nothing during the brief period of silence.

Convinced that they all got it in their heads, the Colonel went on.

"Now, I understand that a good number of you were close to those we lost contact with, & are yearning for some vengeance & even the score. I get that, I really do: several of them were good people I personally knew. But let's keep our emotions in line, because we are professionals, & have a job to do. Tonight's assignment is as follows: a hundred of you will be going ashore & making camp over at Battery Kirby, off Kirby Beach. From there, you will wait patiently for our air support to arrive, who will then be searching for wherever the apes may be hiding or making their stand. As soon as you get their position, my second-in-command Rose – who will be in charge of this operation – shall lead you into combat against the simians. You will follow her orders to the letter, without any argument. Is that clear?"

A loud chorus of 'Sir, yes sir!' echoed the room before McCullough went on.

"Excellent. Rose will be reading the list of names we have researched over out loud. Once your name is called, you will head over to the docking bay to pick up your camping packs before getting onto the boats to head ashore. For all those whose names will not be called, you will remain aboard the ship & carry out your usual duties. Good luck to all of you gentlemen. And God Bless."

Another loud chorus of 'Ooo-rah! Ooo-rah! Ooo-rah!' echoed the room as the men raised their fists & thrusted them forward during their chant. The Colonel smiled/nodded at the gesture, indicating they were ready.

McCullough turned to leave the room, with Rose starting to orally read out the names on the list once he exited.

The Colonel met Stone right outside the room, & the two men walked together.

"I take it you're keeping me aboard the ship, sir?", Stone asked.

"Only for now, soldier", the Colonel said. "You're probably wondering as to why I didn't tell them about that big lizard monster you've seen yesterday, am I right?"

"I'm sure you've had your reasons, sir. Some of the men – if not all of them – might've thought you'd gone mad with an explanation like that…uh, begging your pardon, sir."

McCullough actually allowed himself a chuckle from his remark.

"Yes, I suppose they would think of me as insane if I told them there was a giant lizard monster roaming around the area someplace", he agreed. "Not that I doubted the reportyou gave us, soldier."

"Then, with all due respect, sir, why keep it confidential from the others?", Stone asked.

McCullough stopped in the hallway, with Stone doing the same as the two men faced each other.

"Because, along with making certain that the men can trust me like they always do, some things need to be seen by one's own eyes to be believed", the Colonel explains. "It may not be standard procedure to refrain from giving the soldiers all the information required for a mission, but sometimes it's best to leave out certain details unless one has the indisputable proof on hand. That's why I called in for air support equipped with cameras to not only locate & find the apes, but to also see if we can find this beast you mentioned. Once it shows up – if it does – we'll formulate a strategy on how to dispose of the damn thing. You understand what I'm stating, yes?"

"Yes sir, I do", Stone replied.

"Good man. I knew you would. Now…let's head on up to the bridge where we can watch the action unfold."

Nodding, Stone resumed his walk with the Colonel towards said area.

The Muir Woods Lodge:

Once their dinner was all but consumed, everyone gathered around as Toshi took in a few breaths from his tank before getting started.

"So, Toshi…you mentioned that you had seen this Varan monster once before in your life?", Kemp asked.

"That I did", Toshi explains. "As I've said, it was over 60 years ago when Varan first appeared to the world. Long before then, he was nothing more than something the Ainu cult of Obaki living on the island of Kunishiroshima would hail for centuries as 'Baradagi-Sanjin' – a deity or a god they claimed would protect their village. In all that time, Varan – as he became known to be called – lived within the saltwater lake that resided not too far from their village."

Toshi paused to take another few inhalations from his oxygen tank.

"If Varan stayed in that saltwater lake all that time, what made him rise up out of it?", asked Foster.

"An expedition went there to collect some rare butterfly specimens", Toshi went on. "When they were killed by unusual circumstances, another team went to investigate. It was then they discovered the legend of Baradagi – Varan – and a group of villagers that worshipped & feared the beast. When Varan finally showed itself, the creature went on a rampage across their village, trampling it & a Japanese Self-Defense squadron that tried to destroy it. Shortly after, it took to the air & glided towards the ocean, where it swam all the way over to Japan's capital – Tokyo."

"Didn't the Japanese Self-Defense Force try to stop Varan from reaching Tokyo?", asked Malcolm as Toshi had paused again to take a few more breaths of oxygen from his tank.

"They tried everything to stop him", Toshi continued. "Depth charges, bombs, missiles, tanks – nothing could've prevented him from reaching the city. Once he did, Varan caused unimaginable destruction in Tokyo, pulverizing many buildings & leaving them in smoking ruins. It was at this time that I saw Varan for the first time in my life when I was 16 years old, having lost my parents to the monster's attack, leaving me an orphan."

"How was Varan finally beaten?", Ellie asked as Toshi took an oxygen break.

"Cooperating with the military, Dr. Fujimura used his powerful new explosive to defeat the monster – a special kind of dynamite capable of removing large portions of rock & dirt from a mountain. The first method they tried was to plant the explosive onto a truck & detonate it underneath the monster. Powerful as it was, it still didn't defeat Varan. Only when they had devised a plan to…to…"

Toshi paused in his explanation as he tried to gather his bearings.

"Toshi…are you okay?", Caesar asked as the elderly Japanese man began shaking violently.

"Oh shit, he's convulsing!", Ellie cried out as she ran to Toshi's side. "Somebody get my medic bag – now!"

Louise rushed to do as Ellie instructed as the nurse tried giving the man oxygen.

"Come on, Toshi, breathe in!", Ellie cried, as the Japanese man attempted to suck in his life-giving oxygen.

It did no good: his body convulsed even stronger, & he'd pointed at his gaping mouth after his attempts at getting oxygen failed. A moment later, Toshi exhaled & finally lay still in Ellie's arms.

He neither breathed nor moved after that.

Louise came back with her medic bag seconds after, but she saw it was too late…Toshi was gone.

Stunned, she dropped her bag & began to sob. Harold came to her side to comfort her.

Janet also started to cry, & was comforted by Alex. Luca also gave them both comfort.

"Thanks, Luca", Alex sobbed as the gorilla uttered a soft sound.

Ellie looked up at Harold & Louise with tears in her eyes.

"I'm really sorry", she sobbed.

"You don't have to be, Ellie", Harold said as he still held his wife. "Toshi had a bad heart even before the Simian Flu struck us. Doctors at the time gave the man about six months to five years, tops. Needless to say, the man lasted twice as long. I suppose you could say he was just too stubborn."

Ellie gave him a sad smile as he stared down at Toshi's now-lifeless face. She saw Maurice approaching her & the orangutan stared with remorseful eyes at the Japanese man who died within Ellie's arms, letting out a soft moan of sorrow. Reaching out with his hand, Maurice first gently closed Toshi's gaping mouth before placing his fingers over his eyelids, closing them shut as well.

He then made a gesture indicating the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit.

Caesar & Luca caught on, & they too made the same gestures with their hands.

"We thank you, Maurice, Caesar, Luca", Ellie said, getting nods from everyone.

"Will you give Toshi a burial?", Caesar asked.

"Leave that to me & Ray", said a man named Steve. "We'll take him somewhere nice & close by & give him a proper burial. We do owe him that much."

"While we do that, why don't the rest of you get some sleep?", Ray suggests. "It's been a long day, & tomorrow we can decide on what we do from here. Steve & I will take first shift in being lookouts."

"Maurice & I will head back to our stronghold", Caesar says. "With the information on Varan Toshi has spilled on us, we need to inform our fellow apes of this. Luca will stay here to keep you safe. By morning, we will all rejoin you."

"Sounds good to us, Caesar. See you then", Malcolm says.

Nodding, Caesar & Maurice began heading for the door & out of the lodge before making their way towards the trees, where they'll swing back to their temporary refuge.

Whatever occurs tomorrow, humans and apes need to be ready for it.

Battery Kirby:

As Rose read the names of each soldier that was assigned to the next mission, they packed their gear & made it over to the array of boats that were waiting for them. Once they were filled up, Rose & her troops were brought over to their destination, where they made a small climb from the beach & onto the landscape. From there, they've set up their tents & equipment, which includes radio & radar. Rose can contact the Colonel with ease, along with the two choppers that are supposed to give them eyes from the air.

With everything set up, Rose & her squadron were ready for combat.

They only needed to wait for the air support to arrive.

Rose only hopes that neither she nor her troops become food for the large lizard-like creature Stone reportedly saw…if it really exists.

The Muir Woods:

Maurice & Caesar got back to their temporary home as fast as they could through the trees. Once they arrived, Caesar had everyone gathered around as he & Maurice explained the new info about the creature that Luca saw which scared him deeply before Ellie brought him back. Everything they heard the late Toshi told them, they passed it onto their fellow apes, ranging from the monster's name of Varan right up to the point when Toshi was about to announce how the Japanese defeated the beast, but died before he could relay it.

That's a bad break, Rocket signed. We were on the verge of learning how they defeated Varan, when this Toshi human died right at that time.

It wasn't his fault, Rocket, Maurice signed. He's had a bad heart since more than a decade ago, & he wasn't expected to last this long, according to human doctors.

But without the info on how these 'Japanese' had beaten Varan over 60 years ago, we're all but defenseless against him, Granite signed. What shall we do if this giant beast does show up?

"Please calm down", Caesar says. "I know you're all scared, but…"

Cornelia screeched briefly before she spoke her mind.

Of course we're scared, Caesar!, she signed. We've never dealt with anything like this before! Humans with guns & other weaponry, we can handle! But a monster as big as a city skyscraper…how can we fight something like that, much less kill it?!

"Apes, please listen", Caesar says. "Yes, this is a very serious matter, & yes, it's nothing like we've ever fought previously. But we mustn't give in to either fear or despair: ever since I've liberated you all from humans & helped to set up our own society, I've guided you through the worst of times, from human assaults to animal attacks. Yes, there have been difficulties along the way, as well as more than a few deaths, but I've fought tooth & nail to keep us strong & alive. Facing this new threat will be no different: no matter how tough it's bound to be, we will prevail…because we are strongest together. Remember?"

Yes!, Blue Eyes signed. Apes together strong!

Cornelia, Granite, Rocket, Maurice & the rest signed exactly what Blue Eyes had, along with putting their fists together. Despite their fear, they remained strong…and that is how they intend to get through this.

Nodding, Caesar couldn't be happier. It made him smile proudly.

By the way, Spear, a male chimp, signed. Will Luca be all right with the humans below?

"He'll be just fine. The humans trust him", Caesar assured him.

That said, there was nothing more for any of them to say, or even to do.

Except to prepare. And to wait. And to…pray.

Grizzly Island Wildlife Area:

Now that Red has accomplished his mission of getting more apes to join his rebellion against Caesar, he, Scar & all the rest of his tribe went over his plans for attacking Caesar & even the humans closest to him. They went over their course of attack three times before each ape got it burned into their brains, making certain there were no errors.

Having been prepared for their upcoming battle, Scar suggested they eat a good, hearty meal in order to keep up their strength & stamina when the moment is at hand.

Red concurred with the notion, & they headed over to the Grizzly Wildlife Area, where some of the strongest land animals resided at in complete safety.

Tonight, their refuge became their death: Scar, Red & the other apes charged the grizzlies, sending them into a frenzy as they literally fought tooth & nail against the simian intruders. A fierce fight ensued, with many apes receiving scratches & teeth marks on their persons. In the end, however, most of the grizzlies retreated to safer quarters as three of them were killed & served as food for the apes.

For over an hour, the apes ate to their heart's consent after they roasted the bears over an open flame as one would do a turkey in the same manner. The meat filled their bellies with great satisfaction.

Even Scar admits that Red has, thus far, given the apes great sustenance, each one energized & ready for battle.

"Not bad, Red!", Scar says, taking another bite of meat. "You've filled our bellies well, we will give you that! However, you said we should wait before we attack Caesar & the humans! What's the delay? Why not attack while we are still full of energy, now that we've eaten?"

"Patience, Scar", Red says. "My apes are just as eager to attack our enemies as yours. But if there's one thing I've learned from the humans, it's that after a hearty meal, one should rest a while in order to digest their food to avoid any cramps. Meaning, one's muscles will become stiff & unable to move as freely. If we're to attack Caesar & the humans, we must be at our peak endurance, which also means we must rest…for now."

"But you said we would hit our enemies tonight."

"And we shall. We will wait until the early hours of the morning, when they are all asleep. This way, we'll catch our foes off-guard at their weakest & most sluggish point."

Scar pondered on Red's words: the humans were all but groggy after a good night's sleep, not able to reach their peak in an instant. It will make them easy targets, getting the jump on them as they get caught by surprise while they're slumbering.

The scarred-faced ape for which he was named liked the idea.

In fact, he loved it.

"A vicious sneak attack at their most sluggish", Scar says, grinning fiercely. "It sounds perfect!"

Red nodded as he ate more meat to get his own strength replenished.

Like Scar, he can hardly wait for the moment at hand.

An undisclosed area, 3:00 a.m.:

Varan took a long rest after dining on humans & apes the other day. Choosing an uninhabited area, he glided on down & lay flat on the ground, resting his body & eyes for a nap. He rested in order to both digest his meals & regain his energy for his next feeding. The giant lizard-like monster felt a rumbling in his stomach, urging him to feed again.

Unable to ignore it, Varan opened his eyes to a nighttime sky that would soon fade to light.

Soon…he will feast once more.

Battery Kirby, 4:00 a.m.:

When nighttime came, Rose ordered most of her troops to get some shut-eye in their tents, with a skeleton crew doing shifts of standing guard & operating the radio/radar equipment. At midnight, Rose decided to get herself some rest, but instructed the men to wake her up if they see any sign of the apes, the air support choppers or anything else in which deserved her utmost/undivided/full attention.

For four hours, things have been uneventful, even as they switch shifts in a period of two hours.

All that changed when the radio came to life.

"This is Whirlybird #1, come in, over", the pilot said over the air.

"This is Camp Battery Kirby, Whirlybird #1, we're receiving you, over!", said the operator.

"This is Whirlybird #1. We are on approach to your area as requested by the Colonel. Apologies for the delay, but we are ready to lend our assistance in any way we can, over."

"Glad to have you on board, Whirlybird #1! We're getting our asses kicked by these primates! Are you armed, by any chance, over?"

"To the teeth: wall-mounted gatling guns with thousands of rounds of ammunition, missiles on side ports, & also fully-armed men just itching to kill a whole shitload of monkeys, over!"

By now, Rose was awoken by one of the men, & she took over as the radio man stepped aside.

"Whirlybird #1, this is Rose, second-in-command to the Colonel", she says. "You understand your orders, over?"

"Affirmative. We locate the apes, & give you their precise location while giving you the air support when you need it, over", the pilot said.

"That's the exact objective, Whirlybird #1. What is your E.T.A., over?"

"We should be there in a few short minutes, over."

"No more than that, please. We want to finish this damn war between our species & theirs. Let us know the very moment you spot those bastards, over."

"Will do. Over & out."

Once transmissions ceased, Rose & the others on duty went to get the others up & ready.

The apes stronghold, Muir Woods, five minutes later:

Koba was haunting his dreams again: the renegade bonobo's face was directly in his, & no matter what he did, he could not get the image of his one-time friend away from him, let alone vanish from view.

His voice was also just as audible as ever.

"Ape has killed ape! Ape has killed ape! APE HAS KILLED APE!", Koba repeated, getting louder with each time.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, Koba's face began receding into the darkness & faded from sight.

He was replaced by another face in shadow…a much bigger one.

When it came into focus, he was stunned beyond belief.

It was the face of the monster Varan, staring right at him!

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't cry out.

Koba's voice can be heard echoing the area.

"Now…VARAN kills CAESAR!", he barked in joy, followed by an inhuman laugh that chilled his blood.

Opening his mighty maw, Varan roared before lunging forward.

This time, Caesar did scream…

The ape leader merely gasped & awoke from his slumber, sitting upright & gazing at his surroundings while he wiped sweat from his brow & forehead. It was still nighttime on a cloudless sky with a crescent quarter moon shining with them. The fire that kept them warm had all but burned out, & seeing his other apes, Caesar saw they were all asleep where they lay, happy he didn't wake them unnecessarily.

At least the others are sleeping soundly, Caesar thought. If only I could…

He wouldn't have had the chance to get back to sleep anyway: from a distance, Caesar could hear the pounding of helicopter blades smacking the air as they began as a small faint, only to get louder by each passing second.

Caesar recognized that sound the first time he & his apes were on the run after their liberation.

It meant trouble for him & his apes. Big trouble.

"Wake up! Everybody, wake up!", Caesar shouted, stirring the others from their slumber.

Caesar, what's the emergency?, Rocket signed. Why wake us up so early?

"We are about to have enemies!", Caesar said.

"I'll say you are, Caesar!", said a new voice as the apes looked around to find its source.

"Who's out there?! Show yourself!"

"With pleasure!"

From within the cover of the trees & other foliage, Scar & his gorillas came thundering into view, each one with weapons – automatic & bladed. They all snarled at the traitorous simian with contempt.

"Caesar! You're a traitor to the apes!", Scar barked angrily.

"Why would you call me that?! I don't even know you!", Caesar says as the others gather around their leader.

"You are an ape, yet you side along with the humans instead of with us! That's treason! As for who I am, I'm the one who's going to kill you! And once I do, the apes will hail me as their brand-new leader…SCAR!"

"Not while I live!"

"Which won't be for long! Get them, but leave Caesar for me!"

Scar's gorillas bellowed in rage & obedience as they charged Caesar's army, engaging in combat with Rocket, Granite, Blue Eyes, Spear & the others. Cornelia gathered Cornelius & went to the women, all of whom were retreating from the stronghold, not wanting themselves or their young ones to be caught in the melee.

Scar saw the females making a break for it, & he instructed his troops.

"Stop the women & their young apes! They mustn't escape from here!", he ordered.

He received a double fist to his face by Caesar, who stared at the scarred-faced ape with equal contempt.

"You'll not so much touch those apes, savage!", Caesar bellowed angrily.

"And how are you going to stop us…betrayer?!", Scar spat.

Scar's apes went after the females, gaining ground on them. They were stopped by Rocket, Granite & the others as they intercepted the rogue simians & drove them away, giving Cornelia & the others time to get to safer ground.

Even Maurice fought well, kicking a gorilla in the chest with both feet, driving it back several feet.

The gorillas regrouped with Scar as Caesar's apes did likewise.

From the distance, the helicopters were getting closer.

Very soon, Caesar & his party will be caught between a rock & a hard place.

He needs to do something, & quickly: once those choppers are close enough, they'll most likely start shooting at anything even resembling an ape, & he'd doubt the humans aboard their flying machines will care if they're all fighting among themselves for supremacy.

If Scar acknowledged the helicopters' approach, he either paid them no mind or didn't care.

Caesar was running out of options, as well as time: Scar intends to get Caesar's head, not caring what the cost is either to himself or his apes.

Unlike Scar, Caesar does care for his apes, & he needs a strategy to defeat Scar & get away from the approaching helicopters.

"Why must we fight?! We are apes! Apes together strong!", Caesar tells Scar, hoping to make him see reason.

"Only apes who are against all humans are strong!", Scar says. "Apes who stand with humans are weak, & thus must be expunged!"

Caesar saw there was no reasoning with Scar, & thus quit trying to convince him.

"Scar & his apes…are weaker!", he growled.

Said gorilla bellowed, as did his fellow troops, & they began their battle anew.

Caesar, Granite, Rocket & the rest did the same.

The Muir Woods Lodge:

Like they'd promised, Steve & Ray went to take Toshi's body & give the elderly Japanese man a decent burial, grabbing a pair of shovels & heading out over to the area of Larkspur Creek. From there, they picked a good/secluded spot to bury Toshi where he won't be disturbed by woodland predators or anything else. They picked a great spot that was hidden from view by human eyes & began digging a hole that was ten feet deep before getting out (with the help of a ladder they'd brought with them) & started putting the soil back into the hole.

As Ray suggested, everyone took his advice & slept shortly after they'd gone: they all rested within their rooms, & even Luca was sound asleep after spending some time standing guard before retiring.

Exactly like Caesar, the humans trusted the big black-furred gorilla, & vice versa.

It was now four in the morning, & everything was peaceful & quiet.

Despite his restful state, Luca's senses were always on alert: his nostrils caught the scent of something familiar, & yet they weren't. Opening his eyes, he silently got up & walked over to the window to where the scent was coming in the strongest. Pulling the shades aside, he looked out the window to see what it was.

At first, all he saw was the overhead street lights that still functioned thanks to the dam Malcolm & company fixed over two months ago.

But then he saw what had triggered his senses: he located several chimpanzees & bonobos all heading their way towards the lodge, each of them fully armed with guns – some automatic, others single-fire.

Right away, Luca can tell they weren't with his beloved leader, & he sounded an alarm.

Inhaling deeply, Luca unleashed a bellowing roar that stirred everyone from their sleep, both in their rooms and those sleeping in the other rooms.

"Humans! To arms! Enemies approach!", Luca cried out.

Foster was one of the first to be up & about, carrying an automatic of his own.

"What kind of enemies, Luca?", Foster asked as Luca gestured to the window.

He saw them immediately: chimpanzees & bonobos were heading straight for their position, all of them armed.

"Holy shit!", Foster said under his breath.

"These apes are not with Caesar!", Luca says.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that!", Foster says before addressing the group. "Get your guns, everybody! This shit is not a drill!"

Soon as he was finished, bullets started spraying through the glass windows, shattering them as people ducked to avoid being shot & protecting themselves from the shards. Those with guns were already firing back upon the attacking apes, hitting a few but with more taking place of the fallen. Luca dodged the bullets despite his large size & assisted whoever wasn't able to make a hasty retreat to someplace in the lodge that was safer.

Apes soon surrounded the lodge with their guns, firing at windows to strike targets easier. To reach the upper floors, shotguns were used to blow holes in the walls, some actually hitting a few humans as they fell dead from all the buckshot that struck them. Malcolm fired back with his rifle as Ellie & Alex hit the floor for cover. Some shotgun shots came close to hitting Malcolm, but he dodged the hits, if barely.

Harold did the same thing over in his room as Louise & Janet were on the floor as well, avoiding the bullets that were turning their room into Swiss cheese.

A bullet struck Harold in the left shoulder, & he dropped to the floor.

Louise cried out his name as Janet cried 'daddy!' when he was hit. His shoulder bleeding, he crawled over to his wife & daughter as they placed pressure on the wound to slow the bleeding.

Kemp was also doing his task of putting down rogue apes, hitting two or three with his rifle.

He was forced to duck for cover when machinegun fire & shotgun shells struck the area he was at, almost killing him where he stood.

Then, just as things looked bleak for Luca & the humans, the shooting ceased as suddenly as it began, plunging the situation into an eerie silence. Nobody dared to move, let alone make a sound.

"Humans!", one of the bonobos called out. "We have you surrounded! Unless you bring out the traitor Luca, we will storm the lodge & kill you all! Do you hear me?! Bring out Luca…NOW!"

Luca started making for the door, but he was stopped by Foster.

"Luca, what are you doing, man?!", Foster asked.

"You heard their proposal", Luca says. "If I don't surrender to them, they'll charge the place & kill each & every one of you. That I will not allow."

"And what if they decide to shoot you the second you walk out?!"

Luca placed a hand on Foster's shoulder.

"If it means keeping you humans safe from their wrath, I'll gladly take that chance", the gorilla says.

Foster saw there was no point arguing the matter further.

"Then I'm going as well!", he says, removing his rifle.

"Foster, no! You can't just…", a man started to say.

"Actually, I can & I will: even if it costs both our lives, Luca & I are going to show them that human and apes can live together in harmony. To me, that's something worth dying for."

"Indeed it is. Let's go", Luca says as Foster nodded.

"You have ten seconds left!", the bonobo shouted.

"All right, he's coming out!", Foster shouted back as he & Luca made for the door.

Pushing what's left of the door, Luca & Foster walk out in unison with their arms raised. The bonobo that had ordered their surrender hooted for the other apes to rejoin them at the entrance of the lodge, their guns raised.

Neither Luca nor Foster displayed any signs of fear.

The bonobo came to stare daggers at them both, with Luca & Foster doing the same.

"Brick!", Luca spat.

"Luca! Ape traitor!", Brick barked, baring his fangs.

Brick them looked at Foster with equal abhorrence, snarling at him.

Foster scowled further even as the ape placed the muzzle of his rifle under his chin. The ape reached within his satchel & pulled out a pair of objects before lifting them up to show Foster.

It was a pair of severed hands that still bled as Brick smiled fiendishly. The sight made Foster sick, as they had belonged to two people he knew of.

"Steve & Ray!", he says.

"Yes!", Brick says. "We saw them burying one of your own! They were…kind enough to give us your location before we allowed them to share space with the one they'd been putting in the ground!"

Brick laughed fiendishly before throwing the hands at Foster's face in sick amusement.

"You son of a bitch! I'll kill you for…!", Foster started to say before Brick buffeted him with the butt of his rifle, knocking him down to the ground.

Luca reached for the bonobo, but too many guns aimed at him halted his progress.

"Shut up! You'll do nothing!", Brick barked at Foster before addressing the other apes. "Tie them up!"

The apes complied with Brick, & they began tying up Foster & Luca up with rope.

All that Malcolm, Ellie, Alex & the rest inside the lodge can do was watch.

From across the water, Red & Winter watched atop the Acqua Hotel Mill Valley with binoculars as the rust-furred gorilla enjoyed the predicament of the humans & Luca while Scar & his team do battle with Caesar & his troops atop the Muir Woods where their old home used to be.

How Red wished he could be there right now, but he chuckled nevertheless.

"Everything's going according to my plans!", Red says. "Soon, Caesar & his troops will fall, followed by all the humans who sided with the pathetic fool & his big friend Luca!"

Winter grunted to get his attention.

You wanted to get vengeance on Caesar as much as Scar did, he signed. Why didn't you lead the charge yourself?

"That's a good point, & a fair question", Red says. "Much as I loathe Caesar, I want him to keep on guessing on who's really in charge of these mutinous apes. Let him still believe it's Scar doing so, & when the time comes, my face will be the last thing he sees before I butcher him!"

The albino gorilla nodded, fully understanding Red's intentions & admitting that it was a sound strategy.

Suddenly, the albino sniffs the air constantly, catching Red's attention.

"What is it?", Red asked.

There's a very unusual scent in the air – one of which I've never caught before, Winter signed.

Red took several sniffs himself, & almost immediately he caught it: the scent was unlike anything he's ever smelt before, being neither human nor ape. As Winter surmised, Red felt the scent coming from behind them.

Doing an about face, Red & Winter faintly caught the image of something in the air that seemed to approach their position at a rapid pace. Unable to see it clearly, the apes peeked at it through their binoculars.

When they did, the image was much clearer.

It was a sight that made them drop their binoculars in complete shock & horror, with facial features to match.

Chills went up both their simian spines.

The Muir Woods Lodge:

Brick & several other apes tied up Luca & Foster with rope, their hands behind their backs & placed in front of one of the vans. Their weapons, of course, were confiscated by the angry simian mob.

The other apes kept their guns trained on the humans, giving them a warning not to shoot at apes or their human & ape friend get butchered violently while they watched.

All they could do was witness a gruesome execution-style killing, even with their weapons in hand.

"Are we just going to let these damn dirty apes slaughter Foster & Luca, Malcolm?", Kemp asked.

"Kemp's right! There must be something we can do to help them!", Janet says, being by Alex's side.

"If we do, not only will they kill them both, but they'll do the same thing to us all!", Malcolm says.

"So, you're saying we just allow this to happen?!", Harold snapped. "That's unacceptable!"

"What's even more unacceptable are those apes using their damn rocket launchers on us if we dare try something stupid, Harold!", Ellie said. "And we have other children in this place besides yours, so let's think about them!"

"Harold, please!", Louise said, stopping her husband from protesting any further.

Frustrated/irritated as he was, Harold kept it together & stayed silent.

Brick was all done setting up the planned execution of Foster & Luca, both of whom stood fierce & defiant in front of instant death. They refuse to allow their enemies the pleasure of seeing them quivering in trepidation.

Luca saw a few apes he was familiar with, & he growled at their existence.

"Fox!", he snarled. "I can understand Grey, Stone & Stripe following these rogue apes, as they were once loyal to Koba, but you?! You once devoted your life to Caesar! Why the sudden change?!"

"Because Fox can obviously see who is on the real winning side!", Brick said. "He made the right decision joining our group, exactly as Stripe, Grey & Stone have!"

"And so, you want to pick up where Koba left off, is that right?", Foster says.

Brick went up to his face & grinned fiendishly.

"Koba had the right idea!", the bonobo said. "You humans are nothing but a disease in the world, but now it will be ruled by a far more superior race than yours – US!"

The other apes in Brick's party cheered at his words.

"And once we take over this planet completely, you humans – who once enslaves us – will be nothing more than our slaves & servants, as well as our livestock!"

Brick grinned his grisly smile at Foster, who smiled himself.

"What a vivid imagination!", Foster says, quoting Harrison Ford in 'Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom' from 1984. Like the swashbuckling adventurer, Foster chuckled at the ape's delusion.

"What's so funny, human?!", Brick snapped.

"You really think you can wipe us all out?", Foster cracked. "Even the damned virus couldn't do it, despite the millions that it took! And whatever left of us is still around, they'll be hunting you rogues & putting your filthy asses down like the mad dogs that you are!"

Brick snarled at Foster's words & smacked him again in the face with the butt of his rifle, causing the man to see stars in his vision. He still remained defiant.

"You hit like a damn girl!", Foster said, his teeth stained with blood as he grinned.

"Enough of this! Commence with the execution!", Brick said as two apes with rifles aimed their weapons at Luca & Foster. The other apes aimed their armaments at the humans inside the lodge.

Brick raised his rifle in the air, resuming with the brutal display.

"Ready…aim…", Brick began with the countdown.

Even before Brick began the countdown, the humans, Foster & Luca were staring at something directly beyond Brick & his rogue apes, ignoring them completely. Every face that stared at it became one with great astonishment & fear. Each of Brick's apes wondered what they were all staring at, & one chimp turned in their direction.

Its eyes widened & it began to whimper.

Other apes turned to see for themselves, & their own facial features turned to trepidation as they all dropped their weapons. Seeing the display made Brick unhappy, as well as angry.

"What is wrong with all of you?! Pick up your weapons!", he bellowed.

"Your weapons aren't gonna do much against that!", Foster said, nudging his head forward.

Brick took a quick peek behind him, & he himself shook with fear.

He now wished he hadn't peeked.

Within Muir Woods:

The choppers were now a stone's throw away from the apes' one-time stronghold as a full-blown battle of simians vs. simians was brewing within the immediate area. Each crew was staring at the brawl of apes going on, watching the spectacle as if doing so on the Discovery Channel. Except this spectacle was live.

"Whirlybird #1 to Daedalus! Are you seeing this shit right now?!", the pilot says.

"I certainly do, Whirlybird #1!", Colonel McCullough said over the radio. "It's an apes jamboree, & an early Christmas present for us! You & your partner both get in as close as you can & wipe out every last simian! Make sure not even one of those bastards is still standing! Over!"

Big grins came on all the pilots of both helicopters.

"It will be our pleasure, sir! Over & out!", said the pilot before instructing the gunners. "Stand by, gentlemen: 'Operation: Ape Extermination' is a go!"

The gunners in both choppers were already getting their mounted gatling guns set up as they aimed directly at the swarm of apes battling each other. None of the men could figure out just why they were fighting among themselves, but didn't care: as far as they're concerned, the only good ape is a dead one.

Dead apes are exactly what they intend on delivering: getting themselves into position & putting on their night vision equipment, the choppers get in closer to the feuding apes as those working the gatling guns prepare to open fire upon every simian & make them nothing more than bloodied memories. Caesar, Scar & the other apes cease their brawl as they caught the advance of the choppers as Caesar tries to conjure up a plan to escape the slaughter that will follow once they fire their guns.

From a distance, a boisterous sound cut through the air that was loud enough to drown out even the choppers.

Humans & apes turned to the source of the sound, & they all froze in a paralyzing grip of fear.

"What the FUCKING HELL is THAT?!", one of the gunmen cried out.

"Varan!", Caesar said above a whisper.

Varan has arrived in full view.

CHAPTER VI

Everyone within the Muir Woods area – above & below – stared at the impossible sight that was converging on them at a terrific speed. Varan had his limbs spread out in an X position, with a thin layer of membrane stretched out in between them on both sides of his body. He glided through the air with ease despite his massive size, looking like some nasty, twisted version of Rocky, the animated flying squirrel in the classic 'Rocky & Bullwinkle' cartoons.

From the bridge of the Daedalus warship, Colonel McCullough, Stone & everyone else watching from one of the choppers' cameras were mesmerized by Varan's appearance. Even McCullough was stupefied by the sight, seeing some animal of that size gliding through the air, let alone existing in the first place.

I guess Stone really wasn't bullshitting us after all!, McCullough thought. There is a gigantic beast out there!

Stone just stared wordlessly at the image, the nightmare happening all over again.

As soon as Varan roared, the apes on ground level screamed in terror at the giant creature heading their way. That also went for Red & Winter, both of whom ran south on the Acqua Hotel Mill Valley & jumped down onto the ground, praying that Varan will ignore them. The monster swooped past them as if the two gorillas didn't matter & went straight over to the Muir Woods Lodge across the water, where humans & apes alike were screaming in terror & running madly like chickens with their heads lobbed off.

Varan bellowed a roar again, sending more chills up & down everyone's spines.

Because the apes had dropped their weapons, many of them were snatched up in Varan's toothy maw as he had passed by, gobbling them up in one bite. Simians died screaming in horror as Varan swallowed apes whole in a single gulp down his gullet. Crunching sounds could be heard even from far away.

When Varan turned around for another pass, Brick & his apes did so themselves & raced back to gather up their weapons, eager to bring down the monster that ate several of their party. Ignoring Foster & Luca completely, Brick took his rifle & started shooting fiercely at Varan, who was making his second pass. Other apes that were able to go get their armaments did the same, with several rocket launchers being fired as one. The rockets streaked across the air & struck Varan directly in his face in multiple explosions.

It hardly slowed him down: Varan kept coming, his momentum unchanged.

Seeing the ineffectiveness of their weapons, Brick & what remained of his apes ran for cover.

They didn't get too far: Varan snatched up apes in a single bite, crunching on the simians as they all died with a loud screech before they were silenced forever & swallowed. Stripe, Brick & Stone were his next victims: even firing at the monster at nearly point-blank range with their rifles, the trio of apes were gobbled up in an instant, rifles & all.

One moment they were running & firing weapons.

In the next, they were just…gone.

During the time Varan was going after Stripe, Brick & Stone, Kemp & Malcolm rushed out, each one with large hunting knives as they started cutting the ropes that bound Foster & Luca.

"Jesus Christ, man!", Kemp says, slicing Foster's ropes. "That's about as close a call as I had seen!"

"It might still be for naught, man!", Foster said. "Varan's coming around again! Hurry, man!"

Kemp stepped up his attempt to slice through the rope as Malcolm worked on freeing Luca. Foster wasn't pulling his leg: the monster's made another turn & started his way back at the lodge for more victims to consume, be they apes or humans as those inside the lodge were exiting the building on the opposite side which leads to the forest.

Like Ellie, Alex, Harold, Louise, Janet & all the rest, Foster, Kemp, Malcolm & Luca wanted to be away from the premises in a hurry long before then.

"All right, got it! Let's go!", cried Kemp.

Foster & Luca didn't need to be told twice: Varan was coming closer to the lodge as it was being emptied out by everyone who resided within. As Malcolm & company ran towards the south edge of the lodge, they raced to catch up with Ellie & the rest. Just then, Varan roared & passed over the lodge, his long tail smashing into the lodge & pulverizing it with a single strike. Debris, concrete, steel, wood & glass went spewing from the structure as it was crushed from above, the wind gust from the destruction blowing away debris & people as they were getting lifted right off their feet & tossed around as if they were slapped by a giant hand.

Varan roared again as he fled the area, leaving the humans' refuge in utter ruins.

Satisfied with the havoc he wrought, Varan started gliding higher, sensing more nourishment from both upon & atop the mountain.

Rose & her squadron heard Varan before they saw him: the noise was blaring & terrible, & many of the soldiers had to press against their ears to block out the sound, which still stung despite their helmets & earpieces on. The beast appeared across the landscape between Tennessee Valley California & Golden Gate National Recreation Area, where Rose ordered her caravan to stop. Varan glided over them like a giant bat with a long tail that was used to help steer as he did so. The winds that were created when he passed over the caravan was powerful, but thankfully none of them were moving; if any of them had been, they would've tumbled like children's toys.

Everyone got a good look at the gliding creature & was flabbergasted beyond words at what they saw: a flying lizard-like monster that was over 100 meters in length, with clawed feet that looked to be webbed.

Because Varan was in the air & it was still early morning, Rose & her men couldn't make out too much details on the beast.

She did know that the monster was the immediate threat to them, & she got on the line with the air support.

"Whirlybirds 1 & 2, the creature is heading your way!", Rose contacted. "Direct your full attention on it! Forget about the apes for now! Kill it!"

"Understood!", said the pilot of the first chopper.

"Copy that!", replied Whirlybird #2.

Caesar, Scar & the other apes forgot their quarrel for the time being as they watched the choppers become in full combat with Varan, who was making his way up towards the peak of the mountain. They watched as the choppers went & repositioned themselves before opening fire with their gatling guns, striking Varan along the side of his body but doing no physical damage even at a close range. The monster roared in annoyance & made a turn in the air, charging his new enemies again. The gatling guns unleashed another volley of hot, powerful rounds that would've shred a man in seconds, striking Varan in the face & alongside his armored body.

Again, the high velocity rounds did nothing to slow the monster down, & the choppers went in hot pursuit.

Changing tactics, the choppers launched a volley of powerful missiles at the monster, each of which struck Varan with blasts that would've pulverized a portion of a mountainside.

Viewing the action from the bridge aboard the Daedalus, Colonel McCullough got on the line.

"Whirlybirds 1 & 2, this is the Colonel! See if you can draw this monster directly towards the apes!", he ordered. "If we're lucky, we can kill this thing and the damn simians in unison!"

"In short, get two birds with one stone, sir?", asked Whirlybird #1.

"That's the ticket!"

"We'll definitely give it our best shot, sir!", replied Whirlybird #2.

Using the gatling gun from Whirlybird #2's side, the gunner aimed for Varan's face on the side, hoping he can direct the monster back towards the top of Muir Woods where the apes are & destroy both it & the simians in a single strike. The hot velocity bullets were stinging Varan in the face, & the thing roared in annoyance as he steered towards exactly where McCullough wanted them to send it to.

At the top of Muir Woods, where Caesar, Scar & their apes were watching & waiting.

"Varan is coming again! GET DOWN!", Caesar screamed.

Nobody argued: hitting the ground, all apes – their personal feud put aside – laid down on their stomachs just in time as Varan soared over them, with winds gusting strongly as apes hugged the soil firmly like a security blanket. Even as they felt the powerful gust, each ape stayed exactly where they were, despite some being moved a few inches due to the wind blast.

When it passed, Caesar & the rest looked to see Varan getting pummeled again by missiles & high velocity rounds which peppered the monster in a series of explosions that caused Varan to bellow in rage.

Varan soared past the two choppers & made a landing near the base of the mountain, his impact roughly shaking the ground with a rumble that was felt by apes & humans alike. The trembling of the ground stirred the humans at the base as they were picking themselves up from the rubble from the lodge Varan demolished. Most were simply knocked for a loop & had the wind drawn from them, while others were caught underneath debris, some unable to lift it off by themselves.

Malcolm, Ellie, Alex, Janet, Louise, Foster & Kemp were some of those who were fortunate.

"Is anyone hurt too badly?", Ellie asked.

"We got the wind knocked out of us, but…we'll be all right", said Foster as many of them nodded.

"Where's Harold?", Louise asked.

"Where's Luca?", Janet asked.

"Listen up!", Malcolm addressed the group. "Whoever's able to, start pushing debris aside & search for anyone who's trapped underneath!"

People started getting to work immediately, doing their best to ignore Varan & the fighting going on.

Once he's landed, Varan rose upon his hind legs & became a bipedal creature, searching for anything moving in his sights. All he saw were trees swinging in the breeze & some birds that flew away to safer quarters.

The creature roared in frustration, unable to find any food at his current position.

Just then, the sound of the choppers caught his attention once more, & Varan bellowed an irritating roar before both whirlybirds unleashed another volley of gatling gun & missile fire directly at the creature, hitting him with blasts which shook the area all around. They were even felt by Rose & her squadron despite being a great distance away, safe in their vehicles. Soon, Varan was being obscured by a thick cloud of smoke.

"My god, but that monster's taking a beating!", said the Sergeant, peering through his binoculars. "Can't see a damnthing through that thick haze! Can you see anything, ma'am?"

"Not a damn thing, Sergeant", Rose said, peering through her binoculars. "We'll just have to wait until it clears up. Hopefully we'll find it lying on its back or stomach, indicating it's dead."

"I can't imagine anything surviving a pounding like that! No way it can still be alive after that punishment!"

The assault lasted for several minutes as Varan was receiving hits from gatling guns & missiles from the two choppers as they never let up on their attack. Nobody could see Varan amid the thick smoke cloud, but they can most definitely hear the creature from within, as his roars reached a good distance in the area.

From the bridge of the Daedalus, Stone & Colonel McCullough saw Varan taking a serious pounding from the barrage of gatling fire & missiles in a simultaneous hit on the creature.

"That's it, whirlybirds! Keep up the pressure!", McCullough says. "Just save enough rounds in the guns for the apes afterwards! Once you've confirmed the kill to this overgrown iguana, we go after those damn simians next!"

"Understood, sir!", Whirlybird #2 acknowledged. "And don't worry: we've still got plenty of rounds left for the apes once we kill this thing!"

"Acknowledged!"

The barrage lasted for two more minutes before everything stopped as suddenly as it began.

An eerie silence washed over the area as everyone listened for anything resembling Varan's roar.

"Whirlybirds 1 & 2, can you confirm the kill, over?", McCullough says.

"Can't confirm yet, sir", replied Whirlybird #2. "There's way too much smoke, & we don't dare take a closer look to find out. For all we know, this thing might be playing possum, just waiting to strike back."

"Good point. Stay exactly where you are, & if this lizard is playing possum…"

"We'll make it sorry it did. Understood, sir."

A tense moment stretched into a few minutes as smoke that obscured Varan was starting to dissipate as everyone – from McCullough to Malcolm & his party to Caesar & his apes – watched & waited to see if Varan was now a large corpse lying on Californian soil.

What seemed like forever finally comes the moment of truth: the smoke cleared away to reveal a startling sight.

Varan was still standing & very much alive, showing no signs of wounds or even a drop of blood anywhere upon his reptilian hide.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!", McCullough says above a whisper.

Rose & her troops could believe it less.

"It can't be…!", she said softly.

"Even after all that…it still lives?!", the Sergeant says in disbelief.

Not even the apes could fathom what they're witnessing.

"Impossible!", Caesar says.

"On this, we agree!", Scar says, his own eyes not fully comprehending what he sees.

Even the pilots of the two choppers were in disarray & shock: all the firepower they threw at it was capable of destroying a city block or two, & Varan still stands without so much as a scratch anywhere.

McCullough snapped them out of their stupor.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! Kill that goddamned thing!", he barked into the radio.

"Uh, yessir, copy that!", said the pilot of the second chopper.

Varan bellowed a roar that sounded over that of the copter blades, & the monster leaped up & stretched his wings of membrane as he approached the choppers. Panicked, the gunmen began firing their weapons, hitting Varan with a volley of hot rounds that struck him dead-on.

Like before, their bullets were useless as they bounced off his hide like nothing more than ping-pong balls.

They switched to missiles, but before even one of them could be shot out from their ports, Varan literally crashed into both choppers, detonating them as his body took the flames & wreckage. It was something of a double-edged sword for Varan: while he demolished the choppers, the flames from the explosions struck the monster's membrane wings on the sides of his body as the flames burned away the thin substance.

Burning pieces of the choppers flew everywhere, including directly at Rose's caravan of troops.

"Oh shit!", Rose cried out, screaming in to her headset. "Fall back! Everybody fall back! NOW!"

Nobody needed to be told twice: all their vehicles went into full reverse as drivers floored the gas pedals to get as far away from the falling debris as possible. Small pieces of flaming chopper parts struck the area they were making a hasty retreat, some getting awfully close to hitting vehicles.

Sadly, a few did get hit: one Humvee was struck by what remained of the chopper's engine, striking the roof & exploding on contact, killing all aboard. Another driver was struck by a piece of chopper blade, smashing through the windshield & severing his head at the neck. With no driver & the headless corpse's foot still on the gas, the Humvee raced down the hill & overturned before flipping over many times & detonating shortly after, but not before another Humvee struck it while making its retreat.

There were no survivors in either vehicle.

In the bridge of the Daedalus, McCullough screamed a curse & banged his fist on the table.

Because of his membrane wings being burned off, Varan is no longer able to stay airborne, & he plummets to the ground like a lead weight.

His plight takes him straight over to the apes' stronghold.

The eyes of the apes went wide with fear.

"APES…MOVE IT!", Caesar yelled at the top of his lungs.

None of the apes – friends or enemies – argued with him: all simians were running for their very lives as Varan literally came crashing down upon the home Caesar & his people made for themselves, pulverizing the structure into a mess of broken wood & splinters. Pieces of the structure spread throughout the area, with some hitting trees & others hitting apes as they retreated from the horror that has befallen them.

Cornelia & the ladies ran with their children in hand, daring not to look back at the giant creature that had invaded their one-time home, even as Varan bellowed a roar that stung everyone's ears.

Because of the injuries he sustained from the burning wrecks of the choppers he'd destroyed, Varan went into a frenzy & went to attack the first thing he sees.

The only things he can see moving are the apes as they raced down the mountain.

Unleashing another roar of rage & pain, Varan started descending down the mountain himself, flattening trees & causing mini avalanches of dirt, trees & rocks. Maurice, Granite, Blue Eyes, Rocket & others started calling out to the others, warning them of the oncoming danger of both the landslide and the giant monster causing it.

Caesar & Scar dared to look back to see what's got them so alarmed, & they saw a gaining avalanche of earth & rocks/trees getting closer to them, along with Varan himself.

And Varan looks to be hungry – very hungry!

Pumping their feet & swinging with their arms for all their worth, the apes push themselves to the limit to stay ahead of both impeding dangers that loom right behind them. Many of the apes were barely able to accomplish this feat, but a few were trampled underneath the avalanche Varan created, getting buried/crushed beneath the moving patch of earth, along with getting picked up & eaten by Varan as he'd bent down & grabbed apes like Aghoo in his mouth & swallowing them in a single bite. They died screaming into his toothy maw.

Caesar knew it was only a matter of time before Varan would get each of them into his mouth, as running away from him is only part of the solution.

Thinking fast, he called out to his apes to devise a plan that will hopefully save most of them.

"APES, SPREAD OUT! HE CAN'T FOLLOW US ALL!", he bellowed, praying the others can hear him amid the destruction.

Fortune was on their side: the apes began going in different directions, spreading in every which way to confuse Varan & make him unable to pursue every simian.

Many of the apes were able to escape being eaten by Varan, but still a few were snatched up by the monster's maw & devoured from within. Each ape that Varan was able to get died screaming as they entered his mouth.

A good number of those he'd eaten thus far were from Scar's army, although a few had been from Caesar's.

Caesar will mourn them later…if he has a later.

Soon, only Scar & Caesar were left as the others went in directions Varan chose not to follow.

Now, it was them that needed to split up & see which one Varan decides to pursue.

Getting themselves enough space forward, each ape went his own way.

Varan made his choice on who to continue his pursuit of.

The ruins of the Muir Woods Lodge:

Malcolm, Ellie & the rest were digging through rubble to free those who were caught underneath after Varan had demolished the lodge. A good number of people were rescued with little effort & able to get out under their own power, but they were worried about Luca: he was the only ape who was with them when the lodge was destroyed, & they still couldn't find any trace of him after several minutes.

Some feared he was killed underneath the rubble.

That was soon reassured when a large pile of debris was suddenly lifted up from below to reveal Luca, who was holding up a pile of rubble over his head & threw it aside. From his feet were many of the children that were with the gorilla as the rubble came their way.

In actuality, Luca threw himself over the children, wanting to use his own body as a shield & protect as many of the kids as he could. Being freed from the debris, the kids ran to their parents, but not before thanking Luca for saving each & every one of them. The black-furred gorilla nodded his appreciation.

"That was a brave thing you did for the kids, Luca! That's two we owe you for!", Malcolm says, holding up a hand with two fingers displayed.

Luca imitated the gesture, making the others grin.

Varan's roar even from a distance was loud, & urged the people to work faster & get the remaining victims out from beneath. Now that Luca was freed, his great strength would be a great asset to the group.

They began laboring even quicker than before.

Hawk Campground Area:

Rose was on the radio with the Colonel, giving her report upon her progress so far, since the two choppers were destroyed & could no longer broadcast live footage of the situation with Varan and/or the apes.

"And that's all I have at the moment, sir", Rose said.

"Shit! That fucking lizard monster is really becoming a bigger damn problem than the apes…in more ways than one!", the Colonel said over the radio.

"That certainly goes without saying, sir. At this very moment, I can't decide on which one's the more immediate problem to us…those damn apes or that fucking lizard!"

"It hardly matters which one is the worse problem or which one we want to handle first, Rose – we will deal with it accordingly! Understand?"

"Of course, Colonel! I never meant…"

"Is the equipment still in working order?"

Rose looked to her caravan & saw that the men were setting up weapons on their Humvees like rocket launchers, gatling guns, grenade launchers & others. Many were giving her a thumbs-up gesture to indicate that they were ready & set to attack.

"Everything's in tip-top shape, sir", Rose replied.

"Glad to hear it! Use what you must to complete the task I gave you & the men, Rose! McCullough out!", said the Colonel, who cut connection before Rose could say anything.

Rose started to wonder if they could defeat not just the apes, but Varan along with them: they're understaffed a lot more than they care to admit, their air support is gone, & their weapons hardly even fazed the creature.

She, of course, kept her opinions to herself: the Colonel does not take kindly to defeatist talk from anyone, not even from those he trusts the most.

The rumbling of the ground brought Rose out of her thoughts as she & the soldiers immediately got into a fighting stance, ready for anything. From a distance they could see clouds of smoke erupt from the mountain, followed by trees getting tossed like they were branches as they struck terra firma with a cracking sound. Varan's roar was boisterous as usual, but the creature himself is hidden somewhere within the smoke cover.

Like the men under her command, Rose was ready for action.

All she needed was a target, whether it was Varan or the apes.

The rumbling stopped suddenly, leaving only the thick cloud of dust & smoke that trailed down the mountain.

Soldiers aimed their weapons in all directions at the cloud, unsure who'll appear first or from where.

Hearts raced as they await what happens next.

From within the cloud, Scar & several of his gorillas emerged racing out, their faces looking as if they'd seen a ghost. Seeing the armed soldiers made them pause in their tracks.

After running into Varan, it seemed like almost a relief for the apes to see humans.

Unfortunately for them, the armed humans didn't share that same sentiment.

"Well, look what we got here!", the Sergeant said, aiming his rifle. "Live targets!"

"Humans, wait!", Scar bellowed, his arms raised in surrender. "We aren't here to fight!"

The other apes that were with Scar raised their hands as well.

"We're here to ask for help…for your help!", Scar went on.

Rose & the others couldn't believe what they just heard from the gorilla with the scarred face.

"This ape has got to be kidding…right?", asked a soldier.

Neither Rose nor the Sergeant answered because they didn't know if Scar was serious or not.

"Please listen!", Scar continued. "We have a common enemy, you & us! Unless we work together, neither apes nor humans will know any peace for as long as…"

Varan's roar cut him off as apes & armed humans alike searched the smoke for any signs of the creature.

From out of the cloud, Varan reached out & snatched Scar & two of his apes in his mouth before lifting them in the air as they were tossed briefly before Varan gobbled them up, grinding them within before getting swallowed by the monster. The other apes tried to run, but they were too slow: Varan moved with the grace of a snake & snatched up each one like a hawk would a mouse. One by one, the apes were getting plucked & consumed by the giant monstrosity they fought to escape from.

They learned the hard way that escape from Varan was impossible.

Rose & her soldiers watched as apes were becoming food for the creature, the noises of bones crunching audible even from where they stand. All the apes that Varan ate died screaming before disappearing into his mouth & belly.

She suddenly snapped out of her hypnotic-like stare & addressed her troops.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! FIRE!", she bellowed.

The men were also snapped out of it & commenced with her order.

In a unison manner, machine & gatling guns, along with rocket launchers & the like were coming to life, spitting high velocity bullets, powerful rockets & grenades, plus whatever they could throw at the creature, who was becoming bombarded in the upper part of his body from his face down to his neck as Rose hoped to hit a weak point somewhere.

But even after three minutes of intense attacks, no visible wounds or even a drop of blood was shown.

Doesn't this creature have any weaknesses?!, Rose thought. What the hell is it made of?!

Fed up with getting shot at, Varan charged the caravan of soldiers as he ran into them, crushing vehicles like they were plastic model kits & killing those within. He did so with his front feet & long powerful tail, which he used to also swing at vehicles like a gold club or baseball bat, sending them flying through the air.

Anywhere they landed, they detonated in fiery explosions, leaving no survivors.

Like the apes, the soldiers died screaming.

Vehicle after vehicle were getting destroyed into tin foil, killing their occupants in the most violent ways: some were burned alive in their Humvees from fires caused by the creature; some were stepped on like cheap toys, crushing soldiers into paste; some were swatted away & exploded where they struck; some were even lifted into Varan's mouth before getting bitten or thrown.

Each one was a horrible fate, & Rose watched it all as she managed to escape being seen by the monster.

Not since she was a little girl had she known fear: living with an abusive father, she became scared whenever he beat her as he got drunk, forcing her to leave home at a young age.

The fear she felt then was what she felt now…only hundreds of times worse.

Varan roared again & attacked what remained of her squadron, doing so in the most terrible ways.

Unable to watch anymore, Rose quickly but carefully evacuated the area, being careful not to be seen or heard by the raging creature. She didn't look back, no matter how badly she wanted to.

She didn't dare.

Once the final Humvee was demolished by his hands, Varan roared again & started going east as the intense pain he suffered was driving him mad with intent on causing some more havoc.

He was heading for Marin City.

The ruins of Muir Woods Lodge:

Now that Luca was free & didn't seem to be injured much, Malcolm's group were getting people out of beneath debris/rubble at a record speed. Everyone that Luca pried loose from the rubble thanked the gorilla with sincerity as he nodded his appreciation each time.

Soon, the last of the people were freed as they did a role call to make sure everybody's accounted for.

"Most everybody's here, but…", Kemp says.

"But?", Malcolm repeated.

"Not everybody was lucky", Foster finished, pointing towards an area where deceased bodies were being placed.

Malcolm & his party went over to where the dead lay & saw a lot of familiar faces, up to & including Harold, who has a long piece of glass rammed through his throat as blood continued to spew from the fatal wound.

"Harold!", Louise cried out.

"Daddy!", Janet cried out.

Both rushed over to their husband/father, but were stopped by Foster & Kemp.

They protested & fought in their grips, but were held at bay by the latter two's strength.

"Whoa, hold on there!", Foster says. "I know how you feel, but there's nothing we can do to help him!"

"You're lying!", Louise snapped.

"No, Louise…he isn't", Ellie said, causing Louise & Janet to stop struggling as Foster & Kemp let them go.

"You can't save my daddy?", Janet asked with tears in her eyes.

"The wound he received was too extensive: even if I had my medic bag, I couldn't begin to save him. In fact, it looked like he was dead long before he was found. That piece of glass through his throat? I doubt he ever knew what'd hit him. I am sorry, sweetie."

Seeing she was about to cry, Alex rushed to Janet & held her close before she buried her head in his shoulder & began sobbing. Ellie did the same with Louise, giving her time to grieve for the loss of her hubby & Janet's dad.

They were uninterrupted for about a minute before Malcolm broke the moment.

"Caesar?", he says, causing everyone to turn & see the apes leader arrive from the mountain & approached them, surveying the destruction of the lodge.

Many other of his apes – including Cornelia & her younger son – also appeared from the mountain & stared at what remained of the human lodge. They also looked at the dead, as they were being loaded upon a cart in neat stacks.

Luca was one of those who were helping to load the deceased when he saw Caesar & the others.

"Luca! You live too, same as Malcolm & the humans!", Caesar says, relieved to see his friend.

The gorilla nodded before he ran toward Caesar & they embraced briefly.

Caesar faced Malcolm.

"Thank you for keeping Luca alive", the ape leader says. "We knew that we could trust you, despite the horrid circumstances that has befallen all of us."

"Absolutely, Caesar", Malcolm said. "And it's Luca here who deserves the biggest thanks: were it not for him, many of our younger ones would've been lost in the rubble. Others, however, weren't so fortunate, as you can plainly see."

Caesar & the other apes nodded solemnly.

"Same as with us apes: when Varan attacked our sanctuary, some of us didn't make it as we came down from the mountain", Caesar stated. "Like you, we were ambushed…and it wasn't just due to Varan."

"Meaning, you were attacked by apes, same as us", Kemp said, not a question.

All apes nodded.

"This is insane!", Louise says. "Between rogue apes, the military and that monster Varan, we're all caught in the middle of a rock & a hard place! We should've left sooner! Then all of us would still be alive, including my Harold!"

"Louise, I know this is upsetting for you, believe me, but we couldn't", Ellie says. "After Koba's revolt on Caesar, we hardly had any supplies or much food, & it would've been hell to go with a low amount."

"She's right, mom", Janet said. "By remaining for just a little longer, we were able to stock up on much-needed supplies before deciding to head away. If we had left sooner, we wouldn't have lasted even days, much less weeks!"

Louise stopped arguing: there wasn't much to go around after Koba's takeover of the city, so they had no choice but to stick around longer to stock up on essentials of all kinds, including an ample amount of food for everyone to eat.

Departing right after Koba was defeated would've been suicide, especially for the kids.

Including her daughter Janet.

By staying for another two months in the vicinity, they prolonged their chances for survival in a world that is now mostly dominated by apes, with a handful of humans still left after the so-called Simian Flu nearly caused extinction for the human race.

Ellie went to her side for comfort, seeing she was about to break down again.

"Louise, this is hard, I know", she says. "But despite this major setback, we will survive through this. We've all made it for the last ten years, & we'll keep on doing so right now & into the future, okay? We're not done yet, & we'll be damned if any of us ever lets that happen."

Luca stepped up & placed a gentle hand on Louise's shoulder.

"We apes have learned there are good humans", he says, gesturing to the crowd with one arm. "This group of humans are all very good people. I was happy to be at your side & keep as many of you safe as possible."

The gorilla then gently stroked Louise's cheek with a finger, soothing her.

Caesar & the other apes, along with Malcolm & the rest, were all affectionate at the display.

"Thank you, Luca", Louise said. "Coming from you, that means a lot, if not everything."

Both ape & human share a warm slime with one another.

Varan's beastly roar shattered the moment as the monster sounded closer than before, sending chills up the spines of humans & apes alike.

"Varan!", Luca said above a whisper.

"Everybody hide…quick!", Malcolm urged as they all took shelter behind what remained of the lodge, none of them eager for another run-in with the creature.

As fate would have it, Varan wasn't currently interested in finding more humans and/or apes to consume: because of the intense pain he was in from having his membranes burned off, he was more into causing mindless destruction, & he begins with a housing complex area at Donahue Street, smashing into several houses & demolishing them to their foundations. The lizard monster trampled around the immediate area & brings other houses down to nothing but crushed debris, his tail throwing pieces of them away.

In his current state of mind, Varan sees houses as enemies & makes them into memories by destroying structure after structure no matter how small or large they've been built.

Amid the searing pain from losing his membrane wings, Varan was enjoying himself too much, & he continues his destructive rampage throughout the complex before moving south, reaching an abandoned/gutted Target store before pulverizing it as debris spilled all over the parking lot of abandoned cars. He then attacks the other stores all along the shopping complex, delivering the same horrible fate as the houses of concrete, steel, wood & glass litter the pavement.

Unleashing another blaring roar, Varan then attacks & crushes the Marin Gateway Shopping Center & Ross Dress for Less clothing store, spilling more useless debris everywhere. Several cars were also crushed underfoot like empty soda cans.

Not yet satisfied with his rampage, Varan heads straight towards the Redwood Highway & smashes through the bridge over Donahue Street, burying the underpass with rubble & concrete. He hits the Point Sausalito Condominiums afterwards, sending debris flying as he smashed his weight into them, crushing cars & damaging buildings close by.

From here, he goes in a straight line southeast, destroying whatever's in his way.

Varan bellowed again, enjoying the destruction he causing even though he's furious from the pain.

Able to get herself into an abandoned Humvee, Rose raced over to where Varan was causing such unimaginable destruction, staying close but still far away from the monster, not wanting to end up like the rest of her soldiers.

Watching Varan wreaking havoc on the suburban area deeply broke Rose's heart: despite having her rifle & other weapons with her, she could do absolutely nothing to prevent this horrible creature from ruining a once-peaceful area of California get turned into a wasteland of rubble & debris. She remembers when it was people who stormed the stores & people's houses to get whatever they could get their hands on, from foods & medicines to clothing & weaponry.

Now it was a giant monster doing a more thorough job of destroying a human residence, smashing buildings, cars & whatever else lay in this thing's path.

And she is powerless to stop it, having barely survived Varan assault on her troops.

Reaching the Willow Creek area, Varan smashes his way through the housing & Academy, throwing pieces of it across the streets & flinging whatever's left with his tail to his left & right. These become deadly projectiles as they all strike other houses, cars & even boats in the nearby waters.

Some got close to crushing Rose, who dived for cover whenever they did.

Taking cover within the trees, she resumed watching as Varan approached the Sausalito Towers Apartments.

Finding some larger buildings, Varan roared in pleasure & pain as he rammed into the complexes, turning them into piles of rubble on a dime, spilling their contents onto the streets & crushing cars or anything else. Varan swished his long powerful tail to pulverize another of the apartment buildings, turning it into debris as it collapses like a house of cards. With his front legs, Varan drives them into another building before spreading them apart & sending its remains everywhere. Anyplace the debris landed on buried it completely.

Rodeo Avenue became a picture-perfect scenery to one of utter chaos & destruction.

Varan finished pulverizing the other apartment buildings before heading east, going across Bridgeway & hitting Marinship Way & plowing into the Real Estate Law Group building, bringing it down like it was made of Legos. Glass, concrete, wood & steel spread out all over the parking lot before Varan hits & destroys the building on Testa Street, delivering the same treatment.

His eye them caught sight of the Bay Model Visitor Center, & Varan roared as he crashed through the structure before it & began totaling the area, sending it crashing down all around him in heaps of smoking rubble as his limbs & long tail add to the mayhem. Hardly anything of the structure gets untouched by the monster's raging fury, & pretty soon it becomes a wreck of steel & concrete before Varan moved on.

Traveling alongside Bridgeway, Varan destroys structure after structure as he makes his way towards the water in hopes that it will help soothe the pain on his sides. Everything in the monster's path is mowed down & crushed right under his tremendous weight, giving it no mercy.

Once Varan reached the end of Humboldt Avenue, he sprang into the air with his rear legs like a giant frog & headed straight for the San Francisco Bay, making a great splash as he hits the drink head first before submerging right into the soothing water, disappearing from sight once his long tail was all that was left to see of the creature.

Varan was completely gone from sight in seconds.

Colonel McCullough watched Varan's power dive from the deck of the Daedalus along with many of his men.

Varan's splash was felt even from where they stood on the warship, as it rocked up & down for several moments.

Luckily, nobody was tossed overboard.

Rose watched from the safety of the trees, with Malcolm, Caesar & their parties viewing the destruction from where they stood.

Winter & Red watched the carnage erupted from upon the Redwood Highway bridge, where they could witness it perfectly from their vantage point. Their hearts galloped like racing horses, & they shivered in fear.

"God help us", McCullough, Rose, Malcolm & Caesar all said.

The Man Upstairs help them indeed.

If he even can.

CHAPTER VII

The Daedalus warship:

With Varan disappearing into San Francisco Bay (for now), Rose was able to make her report to McCullough on her radio, giving him the full details ever since Varan took out the air support choppers & losing their eyes in the sky.

Colonel McCullough was very displeased with Rose's report, needless to say, & he banged upon the walls of his office to unleash the rage he was feeling about losing an entire squadron & two helicopters to an overgrown lizard.

Once he calmed himself down, the Colonel ordered Rose to remain where she was as he was sending a group of men over to shore to supply her with fresh food, water & medical attention to treat any wounds she might have received in the battle.

Rose complied before signing off.

After she did, the Colonel got in touch with General Prescott to make his full report to his superior.

Everything Rose told the Colonel, McCullough in turn relayed it to Prescott.

General Prescott was shocked & stunned beyond words upon hearing it all.

"Unbelievable, Colonel! All those lives of some of the best soldiers we've ever had…gone, just like that!" Prescott said over the radio. "And all of it caused by a fucking overgrown lizard, of all things! I tell you, Colonel, if I haven't seen that damned thing for myself from the helicopters' cameras, I never would've believed it!"

"Well, sir, that's exactly the reason as to why I requested live video surveillance for our air support so that you can actually see the very proof for yourself after I relayed to you Stone's report just the other day", McCullough says.

"Okay, Colonel, that's in your favor, I confess: I asked for the proof to see that you were on the level, & I got it! And now, not only do we have rampaging apes to extinguish, we have a giant lizard monster somewhere within the San Francisco Bay area! What I want to know is, where in the hell did it even come from?! And what do you intend on doing to kill this goddamned thing?!"

"That, sir, is another reason why I contacted you: I need attack jets to wipe this thing out! Armed choppers alone won't help accomplish this goal, as you've seen just how fast & nimble this creature can be, despite its enormous size! Don't you have any jets you can spare, General? We need real heavy armament to get this job done so we can get back to doing what we're originally here for…getting rid of those dirty apes! Would that be possible, General?"

"I'll see what I can scrounge up for you, Colonel: give me a few hours, & hopefully I can send some of the jets you're requesting to bury this damn creature. In the meantime, concentrate on finding the apes & where they're holed up now. Until the jets arrive, you should have plenty of men & arms for the task."

"We'll be keeping an eye out for the apes, you can guarantee that, General. We'll also stay alert for this monster if it somehow resurfaces from the bay…and I have a strong feeling that it's still within the area. You wouldn't happen to have a submarine on hand, would you?"

"That's asking for too much, Colonel, but considering the circumstances, you sure as hell could use one. Let's see if there's anyone nearby who can lend a hand."

"Whoever & whatever you can give us will be fine, General. McCullough out."

McCullough cut the line before Prescott could say anything else.

All the Colonel can do at this point is wait for something to happen.

The man is a terrible waiter.

CLEAR Center of Health building:

For the next several hours after Varan disappeared into the bay, Malcolm, Ellie & the rest searched through the rubble of the Muir Woods Lodge to see if there were any items they could salvage after Varan demolished it. Caesar & his apes also wanted to help, & they were welcomed in doing so as the people were most grateful.

This took up most of the day until around 5 in the afternoon, having recovered a good number of items for the humans to survive on, including canned goods, blankets that weren't too scratched/torn up, extra clothing, medicines & some other essentials they were able to find, including weapons & ammunition.

For Ellie, her medical bag was also recovered, filled with the things she needs like bandages, aspirin, antibiotics & other items. She thanked the Heavens and the apes for getting it back.

Not everything could be recovered, of course, but they did get enough of their original supplies to help them get through the rough days/weeks ahead.

Getting everything they could, the people relocated over to the CLEAR Center of Health facility, which had been deserted for the decade since the pandemic started. Inside, people were getting treated for wounds, getting some food to eat & even getting a nice shower to clean themselves off after becoming too dirty. Caesar & the apes also helped in any way that they could, with the kids playing around with young Cornelius as they laugh & giggle despite what they've went through only hours ago.

Seeing the children playing games with Cornelius made the hearts of the humans and apes soar with pride.

Caesar & Cornelia, most of all.

Even Maurice became popular with the kids, as the orangutan taught them some sign language as they do.

Blue Eyes, Rocket, Luca & the rest of the apes saw the intermingling between humans & apes, giving them a new sense of hope for the future of apekind.

A planet that has humans & apes coexisting peacefully with one another could very well be possible.

In spite of the good spirits the children were in with the apes, there was still the matter of Varan to deal with, & a group meeting with everyone was called for after everyone's had enough to eat on this day.

One woman called out on what to do about Varan, & how they can defeat the giant creature with as little loss of life as possible, not to mention staying clear of the military who want to wipe out the apes.

Soon, a full-blown panic erupted within the building as Malcolm & company fought to calm the people down.

A hooting from Maurice, Luca & even Blue Eyes caused the people to simmer down & listen to what Malcolm has to say. Nodding his thanks to the apes, he began speaking.

"Ladies & gentlemen, what we've went through in the wee hours of the morning was a horrific experience, that I get", Malcolm says. "Personally, I thought the worst was over after the renegade ape named Koba was defeated, but of course that was a false hope, much to all of our dismay, humans & apes alike. Aside from escaping the battle between apes & the military that Dreyfus & his crew called upon only two months ago, we have some giant creature roaming the area – one that first appeared to the world over in Japan more than 60 years ago. This monster came very close to killing us & the apes, & we have no intention of letting that happen! Before he died, Toshi stated that he was defeated in some way or another, & it's up to us to discover what that very method was: could it have been that special dynamite in which this Dr. Fujimura had created? And if so, how did they use it on him? That is the question we want answered & soon…before we get a repeat of what happened earlier on!"

"What about the damn military?", asked one man. "How are we going to deal with them if we should cross paths before we beat Varan?"

Ellie spoke up before Malcolm could.

"Truth be told, I don't think we can defeat Varan…at least, not without their assistance!", she said.

Her statement stunned the people & apes, & the crowd began to protest against her suggestion.

Shouts like 'No way!', 'Fuck that!', 'That's insane!', & many others filled the room, with each one being more vulgar than the last. Even the apes were against the idea, with many of them shaking their heads in protest: they've had more than enough problems with the military, & the last thing they ever wanted was to actually join up with the very humans who wish to exterminate them.

Ellie tried to speak again, but the crowd was too boisterous & blaring for them to hear her.

Again, Foster fires his gun in the air to get his attention & quiet everyone down.

The man waited for everyone to cool their jets before he spoke up.

"Everyone, please!", he called out. "Listen: I know how you must be feeling right now, especially about Varan & the military! But Ellie here wouldn't have brought up the latter unless she has a good reason for it, so let's hear her out before y'all start protesting & do something that you will regret later!"

Caesar also spoke his thoughts to everyone.

"Ellie saved not just my life once, but also that of my wife Cornelia", he says. "She & Malcolm are two reasons as to why my faith in humans has been restored. I ask you all – humans & apes – to listen to what she has to tell us – if you please."

The people nodded in agreement & stayed silent as Ellie took the stage.

"Listen, everyone", she began. "You're all scared right now, & so am I. And I don't blame a single one of you for it: we have just encountered, a few hours ago, a threat on Earth that has surfaced only once before – in 1958, when Varan awoke from his home in the Kunishiroshima valley before making his way to Tokyo, causing much destruction in Japan's capital city. Now it has resurfaced here in the state of California, attacking & killing apes & humans alike. I know that having the military here because of Dreyfus' insistence complicates things, & we want to be as far away from all the danger as soon as possible. I understand that, really. But we can't leave yet, & I'll tell you why: as we've all seen firsthand, Varan is a very violent & destructive creature, showing his enemies no mercy. If we simply allow for Varan to live, every living thing on this planet – humans, apes & other animals – will never be safe anywhere in the world ever again. That is why we must defeat him, exactly as he was over 60 years ago. Varan doesn't discriminate over who's good & who's evil: to him, we're all no more than food. We need to put him down like the mad dog he is! However, we can't do this alone: even with all of us – humans & apes working together – it still won't be enough. That is why we need assistance from the military: they are as much in danger of Varan as we are, & we need to convince them to put aside their fight against the apes just long enough to cooperate & bring Varan down…for good."

Ellie paused to allow what she just relayed sink in everyone's minds.

Many of them were beginning to see her point: Varan would never be able to tell good from bad, & he would all but consume every living thing in his sights with ease if given the chance. Even with the resources they currently have, they wouldn't be able to bring down Varan…unless they have some heavy-duty armaments, which is where the military comes in.

Varan is a monster, plain & simple & without morals.

As the crowd mulls over Ellie's words, Maurice made himself known & began to raise his arms while making fists from his hands.

"Apes together strong…as are humans", Maurice says, placing his fists together for all to see.

Janet, Alex & the rest of the kids in the facility all started imitating Maurice, all proudly placing their own fists together to indicate strength in numbers. Soon afterwards, Caesar, Cornelia, Blue Eyes, Malcolm, Foster, Ellie & all the rest do so themselves, becoming one big happy family of humans & apes.

Maurice mainly communicates by sign language & rarely speaks orally, but when he does, he's worth listening to every time.

It was a proud & historic moment for all involved.

I only wish you were here to witness this proud moment, Will, Caesar thought, thinking about the one who raised him. You, Caroline & your father would've loved it.

The tender/touching moment aside, the people went back to the business at hand.

"You and the apes have raised some very good points just now, Ellie", Louise said. "But how are we going to convince the military to join forces with us & the apes, even temporarily?"

"I must admit, Ellie…Louise raised a damn good point herself", Kemp said. "That alone is going to be quite a challenge."

"He's right", Foster says. "Who's going to have the courage to go talk to the military about all of this? I doubt that Caesar or any of his apes would want to take that risk: they'd just as soon shoot them as speak with them."

A volunteer was soon chosen, stunning everyone.

Three minutes later:

As soon as Ellie announced that she'd be the one to go, a chorus of protests erupted, stating that she was far too important to lose, considering the group needed a good medic in its flock. That especially went for Malcolm, who was all but against the idea of seeing a bunch of gung-ho soldiers – ones who'd probably just as soon shoot her as listen to her, especially since she'd been in collaboration with the apes.

Several of them – including Caesar & Kemp – even told her so straight up.

Ellie quieted the group down to explain that she was willing to take that chance, as desperate times have definitely called for desperate measures. Unless they do collaborate with the military & something gets done, there'll be no future for humans or apes on the planet as long as Varan is alive – anywhere.

With that fact looming over them, the choice was made.

The nurse was heading for a car when she was stopped by Cornelia, who ran to her & whimpered for her not to go. She was joined by Malcolm & Caesar.

Cornelia placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder & shook her head, begging her to let somebody else go in her place.

"Cornelia…", Ellie started.

"We don't blame Cornelia for feeling that way at all, Ellie", Malcolm says. "Wouldn't it be better if I went in your place? After all, when I went alone to see Caesar about fixing the dam so we can have power once again, he & his apes could've easily killed me on the spot, but they didn't: they listened to reason, & that's why we're enjoying power after nearly ten years without it."

"Plus, you saved both our lives when Cornelia & I needed it most", Caesar adds. "If anything were to happen to you, there won't be a good medic to stitch wounds or bring fevers down & such. Won't you reconsider?"

Caesar, Cornelia & Malcolm looked at her with eyes that would cause her to reconsider.

"I'm grateful to each of you for looking out for my well-being, I really do", Ellie says. "And while you both have raised good points, this is still something I need to do. We need these people on our side, instead of against us, even if it is temporary. For this mission, I'm the best suited."

Seeing that Ellie has put her foot down, they could see there was no changing her mind.

"Then go with our blessings, Ellie, & may you be successful in your endeavor", Caesar said.

Ellie nodded as she faced Malcolm.

"Caesar spoke for us all, Ellie", he says. "We can't get you to reconsider, so…"

She smiled.

"Yes, I know I can be stubborn at times", Ellie says. "Guess I got that from you, dear boy."

Now Malcolm grinned as well.

"Guess I can't have all the fun, can I?", he joked before getting serious again. "Just be careful. And make sure you come back to us."

"I plan on it, trust me", Ellie said before kissing Malcolm on his lips, who embraced it for several moments.

Caesar & Cornelia were touched by the affection.

Once they broke off, Ellie got into the car & drove off before they tried to convince her to stay, and before Ellie loses her nerve as she was trembling inside & fought not to show it.

Malcolm & the two apes watched her drive off, praying it won't be the last time they see her.

When she was out of sight, the trio headed back inside.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum:

Once Rose gave her report to the Colonel, he ordered her to relocate to the Bay Area Discovery Museum to await another squadron of men to meet her there. Soon as they arrived, she ordered them to gather whatever equipment from both their original base at Battery Kirby & where Varan trashed her first squadron was left.

The men were quick & thorough, their task lasting for most of the day.

Not much was left after their labors for the day: only a handful of rifles, unused grenade bandoliers & handguns were all they could find of Rose's original crew. Putting aside her grief & keeping her rage in check, she ordered the men to inspect each weapon & see if they can still be used: even the slightest bullet had significance in the world today, & they wanted to hold onto whatever they can salvage.

Having nothing to eat since the other night, Rose enjoyed a can of baked beans that were heated over a portable stove she had in her pack, followed by a bottle of fresh water by Poland Spring.

She had a skeleton crew with her at the moment, as the museum was to be their new lookout post for the apes and Varan.

Rose emptied out her can of beans & took a satisfying sip of water when one of her troops came to her.

"Excuse me, ma'am, I'm sorry to interrupt your meal, but…", the soldier started to say.

"What is it, Malone?", Rose asked without looking at him.

"There's someone here demanding to see you."

This time Rose did turn to look at Malone & saw that he wasn't alone: Ellie stood alongside him, her face in an unreadable feature as she kept her composure, displaying no emotion.

Rose walked up to her & looked her over from head to toe.

"I frisked her completely before bringing her over to you, ma'am. She's clean", Malone said.

She nodded her approval of the man's task, keeping her eyes on Ellie.

"And just who might you be, may I ask?", Rose says.

"Somebody who needs to see the person in charge of this operation", Ellie stated. "Is that you?"

"Well, that all depends. Who wants to know?"

The Daedalus warship:

McCullough was sitting in his office, going through papers & reading maps when his radio came to life.

"Come in, Colonel, are you there? Over", Rose replied on the line.

Picking up the receiver, McCullough answered.

"Right here, Rose. What is it?", he says.

"Sir, we have a female with us at the museum who is demanding to see you", Rose replied. "She says it's very important, sir."

"Very important, huh? She'll have to be a little bit more specific than that in order to waste my time."

"On that note, sir, she says that she has vital information on the giant creature that's been terrorizing the city."

That piece of info really caught the Colonel's attention.

"She does, does she? Well, that's different!", McCullough says. "Tell you what, Rose: why don't you send her over here to my office aboard the ship & she can tell us both all about it."

"Certainly, sir. We're on our way", Rose replied.

"Excellent. See you in a couple."

McCullough ended the transmission & grabbed his straight razor blade, flipping it open.

Several minutes later:

When the Colonel ended their conversation, Rose ordered Malone to get a raft ready for a trip over to the ship, so that both her & Ellie can see the Colonel about Varan. Malone got the motor all fueled in just over a minute, with an ample amount to get to the ship and another trip back without refueling.

Before she & Ellie got onto the raft, Rose put Malone in charge until she returned.

Malone saluted her, stating he understood.

As Rose worked the motor, Ellie looked out into the water to see if there was a sign of Varan anywhere: a large creature like him could sneak up on an unsuspecting vessel & attack it with ease.

Ellie was surprised that Varan hadn't yet attacked the warship she & Rose were fast approaching.

It gave her chills just thinking about it: she dreaded the thought of Varan attacking the warship while she was on it while divulging the information on the creature to the Colonel.

She guessed that Rose felt the same way, but she didn't show any display of fear or worry.

Like Ellie, she was very good at hiding her emotions.

The trip took close to twenty minutes even at full speed. & they were greeted by a crew who threw down a rope ladder for Rose & Ellie to climb aboard as a soldier went down to the raft to make sure it didn't float away. Ellie was greeted with whistles of admiration from the men, who turned her way with eyes that asked if she wanted to go out.

Ellie did her best to ignore their staring wolf eyes & concentrated on the task at hand.

Rose snapped them out of their stupor & ordering them to get back to work, which they did.

She escorted Ellie over to the Colonel's office & knocked on his door.

When the Colonel told them to enter, Rose opened the door & both ladies entered.

They saw McCullough facing the wall with his back turned to them, holding a small mirror in one hand & a razor with a handle in the other. In front of him was a wall mirror which the Colonel stared into.

Ellie was about to announce her presence, but Rose cut her off.

"Just one moment. The Colonel will be right with you", she says.

Ellie simply stood there without a word as the Colonel carefully shaved his head with precision, using the mirrors to guide him & his blade as he scraped away the stubbles of hair from his bald head, keeping it smooth. When he was finished, McCullough took a fresh towel & wiped his shaven head with it before tossing it aside.

Finally, he turned around to see Ellie for the first time as his eyes widened briefly.

"Well, I must say…you're quite the eye-catcher, madam!", McCullough says.

Ellie ignored the attempt at trying to coo her.

"Won't you have a seat, my dear?", the Colonel says, gesturing to the empty chair on the other side of his desk. "Please forgive the mess: I've spent most of the day going over battle plans & such."

Accepting his offer, Ellie sat down as McCullough did so himself.

On his desk aside from the maps & papers were a dish of freshly-cut apples & a loaded handgun.

"Care for some fruit, gorgeous?", McCullough teased, slightly pushing the dish in her direction.

"Why not, since you're offering some", Ellie says, taking a pair of slices. "And the name isn't 'gorgeous', it's Ellie. I believe we're all mature enough to say that we can go on a first-name basis."

McCullough chuckled/smiled a bit before replying.

"I think we can live with that", he says. "Well then, Ellie…this here is my second-in-command Rose, & you can address me as the Colonel, or sir…whichever one is to your liking. And now that we all know each other, I believe you have information you wish to share with us?"

Happy that they were ready to get down to business, Ellie got straight to the point.

For the next several minutes, Ellie relayed to McCullough & Rose everything she'd learned from Toshi before he died the other day about the monster that's terrorized not only the Colonel & his people, but also her own & the apes as well, beginning with the brief history of how Varan was worshipped by a bunch of islanders to when he attacked the city of Tokyo in 1958 before being defeated.

It was at that point in which Ellie had no answers on for the Colonel or Rose.

McCullough & Rose listened intently to every detail Ellie was spilling to them, absorbing it like a sponge would do with water. When she finished, the room remained quiet as Rose & the Colonel took some time to process it all.

The Colonel was the one that broke the eerie silence.

"Well, I must say, Ellie…that is a fascinating report!", he says. "Wouldn't you think so, Rose?"

"Yes sir, I do", she says. "Quite a beauty. I've never heard anything like it."

"Neither have I, I have to admit. Needless to say, this is an enemy that makes even those damn dirty apes seem feeble if we were to compare them to this Varan monster."

"Which is the other reason as to why I wanted to see you, Colonel", Ellie says. "We need your help."

The Colonel raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

"And who is this 'we', if I were to hazard a guess?", he asked.

"Both my own squad of people and the apes, if you must know", Ellie said flatly.

Rose & McCullough stared at her as if Ellie suddenly grew antlers on her head.

"Have you actually been…collaborating with the apes, Miss Ellie?", Rose asked.

"I've lent my assistance to them, yes", she says. "Why do you ask?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Ellie, I'd say you're one of the ape sympathizers, am I right?", McCullough wondered.

"Colonel, I doubt that's important right now…"

"On the contrary…", McCullough says, grabbing his gun & aiming it at Ellie. "I think it is! You do realize that our task is to rid ourselves of these apes who have developed a high sense of intelligence & want to take over the world, do you not?"

Despite the gun in her face, Ellie showed no signs of trepidation, & she'll be damned if she gave either of them the pleasure of seeing her grovel.

"And if I say that I'd stand by the apes no matter what, you still going to shoot me?", Ellie dared.

"I might consider it…if you push me enough!", McCullough said.

"Then consider this first before you make up your mind, Colonel: that Varan creature is still out there somewhere in the San Francisco Bay, & after the serious beating your people had given him, I'm betting he's very likely to return & even the score! Not only that, as long as that monster's alive, neither your people, mine or the apes will ever be safe! Therefore, you can either shoot me & dump my body overboard, or you can cooperate with us & the apes to help you defeat Varan before he destroys us – all of us, humans & apes alike! The ball's in your court, Colonel…and I suggest you choose wisely! You're only getting one shot at this!"

His gun still aimed directly at Ellie, McCullough stared at her with a face that was as unreadable as hers, like it's been carved from stone. Rose simply stared at her, feeling neither pity or resentment.

Ellie held ger ground, adamant on her proposal to the Colonel.

In a minute's time, McCullough makes his decision.

CLEAR Center of Health facility, 8:00 p.m.:

Malcolm, Caesar & the rest became very worried about Ellie, for far more than just seeing the person in charge of the military that's arrived in San Francisco: Varan was still roaming somewhere in the bay area, & at any given time he could rise up & attack the warship floating in the bay, not to mention the city & forest areas to go cause even more death & destruction. And, like Ellie & the military, they all highly assumed that Varan is still in the area: the punishment he received hours ago – mostly from the choppers – gave Varan a reason to remain within the city limits & finish off all those who have caused him the greatest harm.

A wounded animal is very dangerous, plus it never forgets who or what has hurt it.

Maurice made a noise to get the apes' attention.

It's been a few hours since Ellie's been gone, he signed. I'm praying that she's okay.

So are the rest of us, Rocket signed. Was it really wise of Ellie to get in touch with the humans who want nothing better than to exterminate us?

"We're all worried for Ellie", Caesar says. "Under normal circumstances, we would be fighting the human army who want us dead. But these are not normal circumstances, & we do need their help if we are to survive an enemy that clearly makes no distinction between either of our species."

And what if we can't defeat Varan, even with the human military fighting by our side?, Blue Eyes signed. What shall we do then?

Your older son has a point, Caesar, Granite signed. Varan isn't like a grizzly bear we can bring down with just our spears & brute strength. And even if we do manage to defeat this giant creature, what's to stop the human military from picking up where they left off? I'm sick of running!

Caesar took a breath & exhaled before he replied to his fellow apes.

"We all are, Granite", Caesar says. "There's no doubt in my mind that those in the military will resume their task in hunting us down once Varan is defeated. But if we apes are to continue to thrive & prosper past this tumultuous time, we must have as much help with us than against us so that we…"

The sound of the door opening stopped Caesar in his speech, revealing a sight – one that humans & apes were all so happy to see.

"Ellie!", Malcolm cried out.

"Mom!", Alex cried out.

Both ran to her & gave her a warm hug each, overjoyed to see her back alive & safe. The others also gathered around to greet her a happy & safe return, their fears of her getting killed by the military evaporated indefinitely.

"Goddamn, Ellie!", Foster says in good spirits. "Part of us didn't think you'd make it back here!"

"What…you thought that only Malcolm was the expert at negotiating?", Ellie joked.

Foster grinned big-time before saying that he stands corrected.

Cornelius jumped on Ellie's shoulders, snuggling up to her as she grinned herself.

"Good to see you too, Cornelius!", Ellie says, returning the gesture.

The young ape returns to his mother as Louise got down to business.

"So, Ellie…what did they say to you about joining forces?", she asked.

Everyone stared at Ellie with eager & curious eyes, waiting for her answer; more than a few were tense on what it would be, but fought to hide & keep it in check.

"They've agreed", Ellie says. "I managed to convince them that they're in as much danger from Varan as we are, otherwise I wouldn't be here right now. From now until Varan is defeated, the Colonel is giving us his full support."

Murmurs of feelings echoed throughout the room, each one having some doubts on the whole matter.

Some even raised their concerns on the subject orally.

"Ellie, we're all grateful that you've succeeded in getting the military on our side for the time being, please don't get us wrong!", said a man. "But after we defeat Varan – if we even can – what do we do afterwards? You know damn well that they'll simply resume their hunt for Caesar & his people!"

"Not to mention they might very well do the same to anybody who assists them!", a woman added.

Everyone soon raised their other concerns over joining forces with the military, even if it was temporary.

Foster once again quieted the group down, but this time did so without the use of his gun.

"Folks, we know the military will go back to hunting Caesar & his people once this crisis is dealt with", he says. "Any of us can see that they will. But we ourselves don't have the hardware, let alone the weaponry, of taking down this big-ass lizard that terrorizing us all. It was a hard decision for Ellie & all of us to make, I will grant you that. But sometimes in life, one must make these hard decisions if it benefits those we care for & love. We've been a strong group of people that's banded together since the pandemic started a decade ago, & we've stayed strong all that time. Believe me, Ellie would've never made such a risk to herself if she didn't think she could pull it off & fight to defeat this horrid creature now lurking in the bay area. Like we did the last ten years, let's all trust each other & stay together, & we will get through this & prevail, during Varan's rampage and after his defeat."

People everywhere nodded at the veracity of Foster's words.

"Did this Colonel say when we would begin the operation?", asked a woman.

"At sunrise tomorrow morning", Ellie stated. "Therefore, let's all enjoy a good meal & get ourselves some rest. We're certainly going to be needing it."

The crowd dispersed to get themselves a bite to eat before calling it a night.

Even the apes were enjoying an evening meal before they too decide to turn in.

Only Ellie, Malcolm, Kemp, Foster, Louise, Alex, Janet, Caesar & Maurice as they gather in a mini group.

Something was troubling them all, & Malcolm was the first to bring it up.

"Is there something else you want to tell us, Ellie?", he asked.

"Like what, Malcolm?", Ellie asked.

"Something else is on your mind…something you didn't bring up before. Care to share it?", Kemp asked.

"Kemp's right, mom", Alex said. "Dad & I have known you long enough to tell when you're hiding something from us, just as you can with us. Therefore, I think you should spill it."

"Come on, hon. Out with it", Malcolm said.

Maurice made a sound to get Ellie's attention.

Please tell us, he signed. We won't judge you for it.

"Maurice is correct", Caesar said. "No matter what you have to tell us, we won't judge you."

Wanting to get the guilt out of her, Ellie laid it out.

"There was a condition", she says. "The Colonel wants me to give the location of the apes to him once Varan has been defeated. Agreeing to that was the only way to ensure that he & his people would cooperate."

Upon hearing this new info, eyes widened at the revelation.

"Which I will never do!", Ellie said quickly. "I only said I would to get his full cooperation. Once we beat Varan, he'll have to kill me first if he wants that new info."

Maurice & Caesar stared into her eyes & saw nothing but truth within them.

Both the orangutan & chimpanzee nodded.

"We believe you, Ellie", Caesar said.

"Your feelings on the matter echo our own as well", Malcolm adds. "If that colonel wants us to spill the beans on where the apes are, he'll have to shoot us first."

Ellie saw that the others were in full agreement with her, & she eased up.

"Thanks, everybody", she said.

"Now…you should go take your own advice & get yourself something to eat, followed by rest", Malcolm says, only half-joking. Ellie grinned anyway in amusement., followed by everyone else.

She did indeed take her own advice & ate before hitting the sack.

The Daedalus warship:

Having agreed to McCullough's terms, Ellie was escorted back by Rose to the raft they came in, still secured as both ladies had left it. Boarding it, Rose took Ellie back to the mainland over at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, where Malone & her troops were waiting. During their trip back, Rose asked Ellie on why she sympathizes with the apes.

Ellie replied it was because the apes simply want one thing: to be left alone & live in peace like everyone else.

Rose had no answer to that, nor did she push Ellie for more.

Once they reached land, Rose took control back from Malone as Ellie returned to her car & drove off.

When Malone asked what Rose & Ellie discussed, she gave him the details that they were going to attack Varan by morning…but they were going to cooperate with the apes & their human sympathizers.

It was a blow to Malone, & once he was alone, he radioed the Major on board the Daedalus.

The Major was extremely displeased with what they'll be doing, aside from trying to kill Varan: word spread over to the rest of the men aboard the warship, & they in turn were just as unhappy with the idea of joining up with the very things they were ordered to wipe out of existence.

Gathering in the large cafeteria with the Major & Stone, the men displayed their vehemence.

"This is bullshit, man!", a black soldier says. "We signed on to kill the apes, not be chummy with them!"

"Same here!", said another man. "How the hell do we benefit from teaming up with the very things we're sent to destroy?! How in God's name is that helping us?!"

"Not a single damn bit!", said a Latino named Preacher. "Teaming up with what we need to kill is preposterous! I'd rather die that join with a bunch of contagious simians!"

More angry shouts & statements such as 'Fuck this!', 'Not happening!', 'I'd much rather swallow a grenade!" & others echoed the room at a boisterous level until it became almost deafening.

Seeing how things are getting out of hand, the Major tried to get everyone calmed down, to no avail even with Stone's assistance.

The thunderous sound of a Remington 12-gauge shotgun being fired into the room was what stopped the roaring anger of the men as they see the Colonel entering the cafeteria with his shotgun in his right hand & a handgun in the other. The tip of his shotgun was still smoking from the round he shot at the ceiling.

Nobody dared to say anything, for fear of the Colonel would turn his weapons on any of them & shoot.

McCullough then passed by Preacher, & in the blink of an eye, he aimed his handgun & held it on the side of the man's head. Preacher felt the cold metal of the gun's muzzle against his skull, & he began sweating & shaking.

"Do you really want your wish to be carried out, Preacher?", McCullough asked coldly.

Preacher gulped nervously before answering in a voice that trembled & almost broke.

"P-Please forgive me, Colonel! I was a little bit hasty, sir!"

The Colonel held his gun at Preacher's head for a couple more seconds before pulling it away & holstering it, giving the soldier a moment to relax. Preacher tensed again when the Colonel placed his left hand on his shoulder & looked at him straight in the eye, sending a cold shiver throughout Preacher's body.

McCullough's face was as solid as stone, but he suddenly loosened his features.

When next he spoke to Preacher, his voice had softened moderately.

"I can sympathize with your feelings. I really do", the Colonel says, removing his hand & addressing the rest as he went on. "Believe me, gentlemen, I'm just as unhappy with partnering up my crew with the very things we were sent to wipe out. It's not only laughable, it's also a disgusting & repulsive idea. Worse yet, it's a disgrace to us humans, & I for one wouldn't even consider such a ridiculous notion if it weren't for one thing. As much as I loathe to admit it, the woman named Ellie was correct: despite our superior strength & firepower, we are no match for this Varan creature which all but kicked our asses only hours earlier, losing some of the best men our army's ever produced. Each one was dedicated, hard-working, & never gave an inch to when the going got tough. All of that was lost in the blink of an eye by something that, by all accounts & purposes, shouldn't even exist in the first place. But unless we want more good men to be lost to this refuge from the Mesozoic Era, we do need help, & the apes – plus their human sympathizers – have agreed to assist us in defeating this Varan creature. Much as it might pain our pride, gentlemen, I suggest you all brush that aside for the time being & cooperate with this temporary partnership. It'll be hard for you, yes, that's a given. But before any of you ask, there's a good reason: sometimes in life, especially during times of war, you need to cooperate with the Devil himself to perform a job…and to accomplish it."

McCullough stayed silent long enough for the men to comprehend what he just announced.

"Are there any questions?", he asked finally.

One man raised his hand, & the Colonel points to him.

"Colonel, that was all said & good like always, sir, but…if we're going to bring this Varan monster down, then we need some extra man & firepower to do it", he said. "Can't you contact the general to supply you with exactly that?"

"A good question, son…and possibly the only one that needs to be asked", McCullough says. "Before I arrived, you'll be very happy to know that I just got off the line with General Prescott. He announced that we will be getting not only extra supplies via plane drop this evening, but also some fighter jets and a submarine to search the waters. Those are both scheduled to arrive sometime in the morning, when we will begin our crusade against Varan & bury him as he has done to so many of us…"

"Colonel, forgive the intrusion, sir, but I've just received word that the cargo plane has arrived & dumped its load of supplies into the bay area for us to obtain!", the Major announced.

"Excellent, Major! Their timing is impeccable! Gentlemen, before you turn in this evening, you are to retrieve our supplies & bring them all aboard, as we'll need every bit of them if we're to survive this dangerous enemy!"

"Sir, yes sir!", the men all shouted & began exiting the cafeteria, moving quickly but also orderly.

McCullough was pleased with the men's enthusiasm in obeying his orders to the letter: his harsh methods aside, he knows his men believe in him as the savior of Earth from the apes after the pandemic wiped out most of humanity.

The men know that McCullough can save the human race, & that he will, so they had no doubt that he will also save everyone from the threat of Varan, even though the creature is as big as a skyscraper.

His men will get their rest once their supplies were all brought on board.

McCullough decided to retire to bed now.

Like everyone else, a very big day awaited him tomorrow.

CHAPTER VIII

Daedalus warship, 7:00 a.m.:

As per their orders, McCullough's men went out in boats & headed for the wooden boxes of fresh supplies the cargo plane dropped via parachute at various places in the San Francisco Bay. Each box had a bright flashing light upon it, making it easier for the men to locate & bring them aboard. Lifted by crane, these boxes were stored within the ship's cargo bay area, where the skeleton crew spent the night opening up & sorting out the supplies, ranging from ammunition & more powerful weapons to drones & food/drinks. Some were even picked up by Rose & her crew on the mainland.

In all the time the men were picking up the boxes, they dreaded that Varan might appear & attack them without warning.

Fortunately, luck was on their side: nobody either saw or heard so much as a peep from the giant lizard monster.

Many hoped he was either dead or dying at the bottom, considering the injuries he sustained when he attacked both choppers.

Dread aside, the men performed their task flawlessly & in record time before getting some much-deserved sleep.

Like it was during the pickup, no one aboard the warship saw/heard Varan in the slightest.

Neither did Rose's team over at the museum on the mainland.

They didn't know if they should be relieved or disappointed.

When morning came, every man under McCullough's wing rose up from their bunkers like snakes striking for a kill, getting dressed & heading down to the cafeteria for breakfast, including the Major & Colonel themselves.

Right after they ate, the Colonel addressed the troops as they stood up & gave him their full attention.

"Gentlemen", McCullough began. "Today we once again face an enemy that mankind took on & conquered only once before 60 years ago, in the country of Japan. We still don't know how they did it exactly, but we will somehow find out or defeat this menace in our own way. Like I mentioned the other day, the apes and their sympathizers agreed on lending us a hand, due to the hard fact that Varan is coming for all of us. Until he is defeated, you will cooperate on every level with those who've forged this temporary alliance. It may be sickening to a lot of you, I understand that. But we absolutely cannot accomplish our original mission until Varan is no more than a bleeding corpse. Therefore, I ask you this: are you able to join up with our enemies until this crisis has been resolved?"

"Sir, yes sir!", every man in the room shouted.

Looking at the Major, who nodded, the Colonel was very pleased with the men & their answer.

"Excellent, people! Excellent!", McCullough praised. "Now…to your posts."

Like a well-oiled machine, the men left the tables & exited the room in a quick but very orderly fashion, each one rushing to their assigned posts aboard the ship to begin the day's events.

Once they were all gone, McCullough faced the Major again.

"Let's go kill this thing, Major!", the Colonel said.

"Yes sir!", the Major replied as they exit the cafeteria themselves.

The fight for supremacy was on.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum:

Getting themselves as good a night of sleep as they could, Ellie, Caesar & everyone else in the CLEAR Center of Health facility rose at the crack of dawn & ate as fulfilling a breakfast as they could with what they've had in canned foods & with the apes & others doing some fishing in the waters.

Many of the apes & even some of the humans got up before dawn to get some sustenance from both water and on land, coming back with an ample amount for all.

After their first meal, Malcolm, Ellie & Louise all went in their SUV to travel down to the museum close to the bay. Rose, Malone & her squadron were all waiting there, weapons ready. The trio got out of their vehicle & escorted by two armed men who brought them up to Rose, who ate the final piece of her egg sandwich before washing it down with bottled water. Malone was the one who stripped them of their weapons as they got out, holding them in hand.

Swallowing her breakfast, she heard footsteps approach & turned to see not only Ellie, but two others.

"Welcome back, Ellie", Rose says. "Who are your friends?"

"This man is Malcolm, my husband. The woman here is Louise", Ellie says, making introductions. "She lost her husband the other day when Varan attacked us."

"My condolences. Is there anything I can help you with, Louise? Maybe a bite to eat, or…"

"Let's just kill this damn thing that murdered my Harold!", Louise said firmly, skipping any further pleasantries.

Rose smiled at her determination.

"Nothing we'd like better, for we also have a score to settle with it", she replied. "Is your side all ready to finish this, Ellie?"

"Absolutely", Ellie said. "Even though the majority of us are scared shitless, their desire for revenge on Varan is giving them the strength they need to go forth."

"Glad to hear it. How well-stocked on weapons are you?"

"Pretty good, all things considering", Malcolm says. "That cache of arms we discovered are still plentiful, which should help us get through this: handguns & rifles, with plenty of ammunition, plus rocket launchers & grenades for whenever we need them."

"You'll definitely need them today, Malcolm", Rose says, digging into a box & taking out several earpieces with arms on them. "Here: these will enable you to stay in contact with each other, which also includes us. If anyone comes up with anything we should know about…"

"We'll notify you at once", Malcolm says, taking one & placing it in his ear as Ellie does the same. "Are we able to get in touch with your Colonel also?"

"Not with those. The Colonel is…very skeptical about being disturbed unless it's something that'll be well worth his time." Rose picked up & handed out a walkie talkie to the trio. "You can do so directly with this, but let me warn you: please refrain from using it unless it's something that the Colonel can actually use."

Malcolm went for it, but Ellie beat him to it.

"I'm sorry, Malcolm", Ellie says. "But perhaps it's best if I be the one to speak with the Colonel, since I was the one whomet & spoke with him the other day."

Seeing her point, Malcolm nodded as Ellie kissed him on the cheek, thanking him for understanding.

"Here, Louise", Malcolm says, taking the rest of the earpieces & handing them to her, which she takes. "Get back over to the others & hand them to Foster, Kemp & whoever else they think would need one the most."

"You both are staying here?", Louise asks.

"We'll be fine. I promise", Ellie assured her.

Louise turned to Rose, who nodded.

Although still skeptical about leaving them here, Louise gave in.

"Very well", she says as she heads back to the SUV. "Godspeed, everyone."

Right back at you, Louise, Ellie thought. We will all need a miracle to get through this.

Getting into the driver's seat, Louise started the SUV & drove off.

When she was out of sight, they went back to business.

"Malone, give these two their weapons back", Rose said.

"You sure, ma'am?", he asked.

"Positive. We're at a truce with these people at the moment, remember?"

Nodding, Malone returned Malcolm & Ellie's armaments, who nodded their gratitude.

"Now all we need is to find Varan & make sure he's dead somewhere at the bottom", Malcolm says. "And if he's not…"

"The Colonel has requested a submarine for the area", Rose said. "We were even told that they should be here within these waters any moment now. We're also going to have some fighter jets coming by this morning, so if Varan is still alive down there, we'll make him most sorry that he was."

"Ma'am!", one soldier called from the radio. "The submarine just made contact with us! It's here!"

"Perfect!", Rose says, rushing over to the radio as Malcolm & Ellie follow her as the soldier vacated the seat for Rose to occupy it. Pressing the receiver, she spoke. "Come in! This is Rose, second-in-command to the Colonel! Come in, over!"

"This here is the U.S. Navy Submarine, codenamed 'Mako'!", the radio announced. "This here is Admiral Myron Healey, Rose! We are reading you loud & clear! Over!"

"Admiral, did the Colonel fill you in on what the situation is? Over."

"I just got off the line with him before getting in touch with you, Rose. We know exactly what it is you're facing, & we've come more than prepared for dealing with it. Over."

"Have you had any contact with the fighter jets we're supposed to be having? Over."

"That's an affirmative. They actually arrived earlier than expected, & now they're sitting & waiting over at a nearby airstrip: they're waiting to first get confirmation whether or not this Varan creature is dead before they start flying over the skies, to save them the fuel. Over."

"Copy that. Good luck with your search of the bay area, & be careful, Admiral: Varan is wounded, & will no doubt be more dangerous than he ever was. Over."

"Understood, Rose. Keep the line open for any new developments. Over & out."

"Roger that."

Once their conversation ended, Rose took in a deep breath & exhaled it before standing up & facing Malcolm & Ellie.

"Now comes the hardest part", Rose began.

"The waiting", she, Malcolm & Ellie all say in unison.

CLEAR Center of Health building:

Louise got back in good time & returned inside the facility. From there, she relayed everything to Foster, Kemp & everyone else of the situation. Many were worried about leaving Malcolm & Ellie alone with the military, truce or no truce, but knew there was nothing they could do about it.

Malcolm & Ellie can handle themselves rather well, & they've more than proved it in the past.

"At least we can be happy to hear that we're getting more heavy armaments than just a pair of armed choppers this time round", Foster says, loading his rifle & placing an earpiece in his left ear as Kemp does the same. "And now that it's finally here, let's hope this all ends quickly."

"Here, Caesar: here's a couple more of these earpieces for you & your friends", Kemp says, giving the chimp a handful of them, which he accepts. "I know you all would rather communicate by sign language & all, but…"

"These will all be put to very good use. Thank you", Caesar says, passing them out to Blue Eyes, Rocket, Granite, Luca, Spear, Maurice & a couple others. "You can take your vehicles to the designated areas like we discussed. Apes will follow & keep up from the trees."

"I remember the plan well, Caesar."

Caesar nods & turned to Alex, Janet, Cornelia, Cornelius & the other young ones.

"Please do not be afraid", he says. "Maurice, Luca & several of your friends will remain here to keep all of you safe. Maurice may be a peaceful ape most of the time, but when he has to, he can put up quite a fight."

Maurice grunted & nodded to confirm Caesar's words, as did Luca.

Alex & Janet stared at Caesar with tears flowing in their eyes before they came up to & hugged him.

The chimpanzee hugged them back.

"Please be careful out there, Caesar", Janet says. "We want you & your apes to survive this."

"She's right, Caesar", Alex says. "Don't let my mom's patching you up be for naught."

Caesar chuckled from Alex's statement, & he stared at them both with a happy face.

"My apes & I plan on living past this crisis", he says. "That I can promise. And thank you both very much."

Janet & Alex nodded as Caesar wiped away the tears from their eyes with a towel.

"Don't you kids worry", Foster says. "We all plan on living past this, & nothing is going to stop us from doing so: not Varan, not the military, not anything. Let's get going, people: the sooner that we put Varan down, the sooner we can all concentrate on where we go from here."

As Foster & company started exiting the facility sans for a few armed humans & apes, Alex caused Caesar to halt in his tracks as he called to him.

"Caesar?", Alex says. "Kick Varan's ass…real hard!"

He punctuated his statement by raising his fists & putting them together, with Janet, Maurice, Luca & all the rest staying behind doing the same. Even Cornelius made the gesture, making his father smile proud.

"We certainly will", Caesar said. "Thank you again."

That said, Caesar exited the building with Foster & company.

The people got into their vehicles & started them up, their engines running perfectly as they get fitted with as many as each could support, all of them armed with all sorts of weapons, ready to help bring down an enemy that would sooner consume them all as look at them.

It was time for them to turn the tide.

Foster started the engine to his own vehicle & looked out the driver's seat window.

"Let's move onwards, Caesar!", Foster called out to him as the chimp nodded.

Soon, they were all off in their vehicles, heading south towards the city of San Francisco.

Caesar turned to his troops.

"APES…FORWARD!", he shouted as they all raced to join the caravan.

Using the trees, the apes followed the car caravan across the landscape, gaining on & keeping up with Foster & company as they head towards the menace that has threatened them all & put it to an end.

It was going to become very bloody, no doubt with losses.

Humans & apes were ready to do whatever it takes to succeed.

The San Francisco Bay, three hours later:

For most of the morning, the Mako made a long & thorough search for any traces of Varan, ranging from the whip of his tail to even a glimmer in his eyes. All sensors & forms of radar were also tuned in at their highest to find a living creature that's longer than three submarines in a row. Throughout the morning hours, the Mako has checked the areas between Angel Island, Treasure Island & the city's northern section of Fisherman's Wharf. Admiral Myron Healey radioed in to both Rose & Colonel McCullough at the top of every hour to give an update on their progress.

In all that time, they've not gotten so much as a nibble.

The Admiral & his men were beginning to wonder if there really is such a giant creature loose in the waters in spite of being briefed by General Prescott himself.

Nevertheless, they kept on searching anyway.

Upon the mainland & in the Daedalus, Colonel McCullough, Rose, Malcolm, Ellie, Foster, Kemp, Caesar, Rocket & all the rest watched & waited with baited breath for any signs of the monster. The apes have used the trees to reach their destination & are now concealing themselves within their foliage to view the action, plus they got a fine sight of it from where they reside.

Their adrenaline pumping & hearts racing, they pray for news that the submarine has located a corpse somewhere within the waters.

Admiral Healey was getting impatient with the search, but did his best to conceal it.

"Anything?", he asked a seaman.

"Nothing, sir", he replied.

Taking in a breath & exhaling it, Admiral Healey got on the line.

"Mako calling Daedalus, this is Admiral Healey, come in. Over", he said into the receiver.

"This is Colonel McCullough in the Daedalus, we're receiving you, Mako. Over", McCullough replied over the radio.

"Colonel, with all due respect, sir, my men & I are starting to think that this is all nothing more but a wild goose chase. We've been searching these waters for three hours now, & we've not received so much as a heartbeat from this creature that's been described to us."

"And with equal respect, Varan must be around there somewhere, Admiral. I ask that you continue searching."

"Has it occurred to you, Colonel, that this Varan monster could've left the area for another place to call its own? Considering the injuries that it's received…"

"It's exactly the reason why he must still be there, Admiral: he did take a pounding the other day, & sooner or later, Varan will return & finish the job."

"How do you know for sure, Colonel?"

"Because, Admiral…that's what I would do: if anyone burned my underside badly, I'd get vengeance upon his sorry ass & finish it for good. Trust me…he hasn't gone anywhere!"

"Very well then, Colonel. We'll make an extension of our search along the southern portion of the area before…"

"Admiral!", a seaman interrupted. "We just got something on radar, sir!"

"Stay on the line, Colonel! I think we've found your giant creature!"

Hanging up the receiver, Admiral Healey went over to the radioman at his station.

"Show me where he is, son", he urged.

A blip on the radar indicated where their target got located.

"Right there, sir", the seaman said, pointing at the screen. "About 500 meters from our current location."

Admiral Healey got a good look at the radar screen, & saw that the man's calculations were spot-on.

"There you are! Good work, son!", Healey says, getting on the loud speaker & addressing everyone. "Attention all crew! This is Admiral Healey! Our prime target has been sighted! I want those torpedo tubes fully loaded & ready to fire on my command! Engine room, cut your speed down to half: we don't want to alert our target of our approach, if it's even alive! Turn off all exterior lights & switch to infrared mode!"

The klaxons blared within the sub as men rushed to handle their chores: each of the four torpedo tubes were being loaded, while the engine slowed its speed not to a crawl, but enough to make as little noise as possible; the lights were replaced by a crimson glow, plunging them into some kind of Hell of their own making.

Admiral Healey & his men stayed silent for any kind of noise either inside or outside the sub as they approached Varan's location. Walking over to the monitor, he saw the bottom of the bay as fish swam by, their bodies displaying each of their heat signatures. Further up on this screen was a very large outcropping of heat, also showing large curved spikes sticking up from the surface until they seemingly disappear into the sandy ground on one end.

On the other end was a large head with eyes that were closed.

Varan was laying on the bay bottom, burying himself in a horizontal manner & leaving only the top part of his body sticking up along with his head, which is now resting upon the floor.

It was only natural: since Varan is a giant lizard-like monster, he would bury himself in the sand to rest, exactly like those living in the desert would do.

"Jesus Christ, look at the size of him!", one seaman said.

Nobody aboard the sub disagreed with him.

"Sleeping like a baby", Admiral Healey says. "Now let's make sure he only sleeps with the fishes!"

"Aye aye, sir!", said the radar operator.

Healey got onto the loudspeaker once more.

"Attention! This is Admiral Healey again!", he announced. "Prepare to fire torpedoes on my order! When I do, you will fire a quartet of torpedoes in a simultaneous manner! Aim directly for the head!"

"Torpedoes are all loaded & ready to fire, sir! We're just waiting for the word!", replied the bow area.

"Steady, son. Let's get in a little closer first. We might only get one chance at this, so let's not slip it up."

"Aye aye, sir."

The Admiral motioned with his finger to push ahead but not too much faster, having no desire to wake Varan up from his peaceful slumber. Signaling the operators, he tells them to line the submarine up with Varan's head, putting their torpedoes in his direct line of fire once the order is given.

Upon closer approach, the Admiral & his crew can see just how huge Varan is, even if only a portion of him is visible. They can only imagine how huge the rest of this creature would make him.

After several tense minutes, Admiral Healey asks for a meter check on how close they are to the monster.

"We're now approaching only 200 meters from the creature, sir", said the radar operator.

"That's good enough", Healey says. "Bring us to a full stop…now!"

"Yes sir!", the operators say, obeying their orders as the sub ceases its forward momentum.

"Are we still in line with Varan's head?"

"Flawlessly, sir", said the radar operator. "If you want to take the shot, Admiral, now is the time."

"I agree, son", Healey says, speaking into the receiver. "Torpedoes, fire!"

At the Admiral's word, a quartet of deadly torpedoes shoot forth from their tubes in unison & sail straight for Varan, who was still asleep in his bed of watery sand on the floor of the bay. He was unaware that four projectiles were just launched in his direction as he snoozed peacefully.

Each one raced towards him with swiftness as if they were gliding on air.

"Time till impact!", announced the seaman. "5...4…3…2…1…"

When the man got to three on his countdown, Varan opened his eyes just seconds before detonation.

BOOM!

The quartet of explosions sent powerful vibrations throughout the water, shaking the Mako as the crew held on tightly as they rode out the shockwave. It was even felt by McCullough & his crew on the Daedalus, along with those on the mainland, from Rose & company to Malcolm & Ellie & the apes.

What followed next was a spectacular sight: a tremendous geyser of water splashed up from the bay close to Alcatraz Island, rising to about close to 80-90 meters in height before collapsing in on itself.

"Shit, man! Old Faithful, eat your heart out!", Kemp says of the sight from the shoreline.

"Goddamn! That just had to finish that fucker off!", Stone says on the warship's deck.

"Let's find out if it did", McCullough says, getting on the line with the Mako. "Admiral, this is McCullough! Has Varan been killed? Over!"

Healey's voice was combined with static, but he could hear him.

"Can't tell for sure, Colonel! There's a thick cloud of sand where we are, so we can't see shit at the moment! As soon as it clears, we'll be able to get a confirmation for you on whether or not we've killed this thing for certain!"

Beneath the bay, the sand cloud the torpedoes caused washed over the Mako like a swarm of bees attacking an enemy. Healey & his crew held on for dear life as the sub rocked violently in the water.

The vehement jarring stopped as suddenly as it began, returning things to normal.

"Someone give me a goddamn status report…now!", Healey barked.

"Most everything's okay, sir!", said a man. "The depth gauge is damaged, but it's nothing we can't fix!"

"And what of the target?"

"Unable to know at the moment, sir! The sand cloud still lingers but is now breaking up! We should have a visual in about…now!"

As the sand cloud dissipated, the crew of the Mako watched as a shape was forming in the water before them.

It was a sight that turned their blood to ice: a pair of sinister reptilian eyes were staring directly at them as Varan opened his maw to display a mouth of irregular sharp teeth.

NO!, Healey thought. It's not possible!

But it was: just before the torpedoes struck Varan, the monster immediately put his armor plating upon his head & neck to act as a shield & deflect the projectiles so they exploded there instead of flesh.

Varan was alive & well. And extremely pissed off!

Unleashing a boisterous roar, Varan came at the Mako with the grace of an eel.

"Get us out of here now, before he…!", Admiral Healey started to scream.

His warning was too little, too late: like an underwater rhino, Varan rammed into the submarine & caused a blast that tore the sub apart in two as if the monster was cracking an egg open. Another geyser of water shot forth onto the surface for all to see. Seconds later, the front half of the Mako came up to show the extent of the damage Varan caused, staying afloat for several moments before it sank back down. The bodies of dead sailors littered the surface.

McCullough & Rose cursed from the sub's failure & lives lost of fellow servicemen.

Ellie, Malcolm & the others made gestures of the Father, the Son & Holy Spirit with their hands in prayer.

Another splash rocked the area as the bottom half of the Mako was literally swatted out of the water by Varan's powerful tail as it shot upwards & headed in a western direction…close to where the Daedalus was!

"Holy shit…!", one man cried out as the Mako's bottom half slammed itself back into the water, barely missing the warship by 30-40 meters. It was still rocked by the splash on impact, followed by the waves that came after.

Everyone held the railings tight to keep from going overboard as McCullough saw Varan's tail whip up from the water like the tentacle of an octopus before being submerged again.

Moments later, Varan reappeared to the groups in all his glory, bellowing out a roar & scooping up all the dead sailors into his mouth as he could, gulping them down along with the water.

He unleashed another roar that was heard all around the immediate area.

You ready for your second wind, Varan?!, McCullough thought angrily, getting on his radio. Fine then: Round Two coming up, motherfucker!

"All gun batteries, open fire on Varan! Kill that son of a bitch!", he barked.

Without a reply from anyone, the ship's giant gun cannons aimed themselves & opened fire on Varan, the booms of these huge weapons echoing everywhere. The powerful shells struck Varan dead-on, causing the monster to roar in pain & surprise as he gets buffeted further by more of the powerful cannons from the Daedalus, peppering the monster with explosions that rocked his body. The ship's cannons fired upon him unmercifully, hammering the creature with as many shells as it takes to bring the beast down.

Varan's roar became louder than the explosions stinging his body.

"Excellent!", McCullough says on the radio. "Keep the barrage going! Don't let up until that bastard expires!"

"Roger that, sir!", came the reply.

Knowing he couldn't escape the barrage from the surface, Varan roared angrily before diving back under as the shells missed their targets & started hitting water & a row of abandoned structures, blowing those to pieces.

"Cease fire!", the Colonel ordered.

Immediately the cannons stopped their volley as the tips smoked.

Varan was gone from sight.

"Talk to me, goddammit! Where's Varan?!", the Colonel barked.

His reply came a few moments later.

"Colonel, Varan is on the move, but he isn't heading for us, sir!"

"Where is he headed, son?", McCullough pressed.

"Sir, he's headed straight for the mainland…but on the south side of the Golden Gate!"

True to the soldier's word, Varan emerged from the water & practically leaped up onto the mainland at the Marina District, getting ashore at the Marina Green area & crossing the Boulevard, destroying the homes in his way as he made his way south near Retiro Way.

"Dammit, this is what we didn't want!", Rose said, turning to her troops. "Send those drones up! Let's have eyes in the skies for us & the Colonel!"

"Yes ma'am!", they said before getting to work.

Before too long, a dozen drones were airborne & headed over the bay to the city across the Golden Gate Bridge.

A fair-sized monitor enabled them all to witness the destruction Varan was causing in Marina Heights as he now flattens more buildings mercilessly, heading into the area of Pacific Heights. It was distressing to Ellie & Malcolm due to the fact that was the very same area where Caesar was brought home by Will Rodman & raised, along with where he was patched up by Ellie after Koba shot & left him for dead.

Poor Caesar will be crushed!, Ellie thought.

She can only imagine how heartbroken Caesar will feel, knowing the home he was brought up in got demolished by this merciless creature.

A roar overhead – not Varan's – caught their attention: a group of six F-15 fighter jets passed by in a formation that would've been spectacular at an air show. The half-dozen fighters made a sharp turn in the air & started heading back towards the city – and Varan.

"Well, it's about damn time!", McCullough said, getting on the line with Rose. "Keep those drones of yours at a safe distance for now, Rose! We'll see how well those fighter jets perform on our giant friend here!"

"Understood, sir! Pulling them back now!", Rose replied.

McCullough & Stone retreated inside the ship & headed for the bridge to watch the action from there.

The drones Rose sent over remained hovered over at the south end of the Golden Gate to keep from becoming casualties in the fight against Varan & the F-15s. Launching a volley of Sidewinder missiles, the jets break formation as the projectiles strike Varan all alongside his body, each one detonating with powerful forces of TNT. Varan bellowed in annoyance as he continued to turn the historical area into piles of debris before the jets turned for another pass, firing hot velocity rounds from their Vulcan guns at the monster's exposed flesh. This was immediately followed up by more Sidewinders being fired at the beast, pounding him with more blasts that sting.

Varan tried leaping at one of the jets, but they were too high for even him to reach.

Roaring in frustration, Varan watched as the F-15s made another turn in midair to strike the monster a third time.

On this round, however, it was Varan who went on the offensive.

Seeing the action from the drones, the Colonel watched as Varan grabbed a handful of debris with his right front foot.

"What the hell's he doing?", he whispered.

By the time the F-15s were on their way back to Varan, the creature was ready for them: once they were in range, Varan ignored the machine gunfire & missiles that struck him & threw the debris directly at the oncoming jets. Two of them saw the debris flying at them & veered off in time.

The others weren't so fortunate: a piece of concrete crashed into the cockpit window & crushed the pilots inside, causing the jet to spin out of control & crash into another, who couldn't do anything to dodge the oncoming aircraft.

Both exploded in a fiery holocaust, leaving no survivors.

A third jet got its wing literally clipped off, & it spun downward in a spiral movement as the ground rushed to greet the pilot, who could do nothing but scream in terror before it detonated once it hit earth.

The fourth jet dodged debris, but not Varan himself.

When the fourth jet flew under the debris the monster threw, he was within Varan's reach as he leaped directly at the aircraft & plowed right into it, detonating it as the jet crashed in his monstrous face.

Varan's face was the last thing he saw before he died in a fiery blast, screaming for God's mercy.

He never received it.

McCullough was very displeased with seeing the jets getting trashed, along with the sheer cunning of the beast.

"Dammit, this thing's smarter than it looks!", he snapped furiously, banging his fist on the table.

No one on the bridge dared to ask if he was all right or what his orders were, for fear of getting shot.

They kept their eyes glued to the monitors in silence.

Disposing of the first four jets, Varan was now faced with the last two as they made another run over the city, but only one of them attacked Varan with Vulcan gunfire, striking his face & keeping its distance from the creature. Varan roared angrily & chased this lone jet through the city, thrashing more of Pacific Heights & heading towards the Jackson Square District. Structures, abandoned cars & more get crushed underneath Varan's tremendous weight as debris gets spilled everywhere.

His path leads him straight for the Transamerica Pyramid, which stands between Washington & Clay Streets.

It's exactly where the pilots wanted Varan to go: as the first one attacked the monster & forced him to follow it, his partner waited until Varan was close enough to it before firing its Sidewinder missiles not at Varan, but at the base of the building itself. The missiles blew out the bottom supports & caused it to topple towards its side to where Varan is, over on Washington Street.

The entire building crashed down upon Varan, taking the monster unawares as his entire front half of him gets pummeled & buried underneath tons of concrete, steel & glass, leaving only his hind legs & tail exposed. McCullough, Rose, Malcolm, Ellie & the rest watched to see if Varan was crushed beneath or just playing possum like he did in the bay before he attacked & demolished the Mako.

Varan didn't move for a whole three minutes.

"Holy shit, I'll be damned!", McCullough said under his breath. "Great job, boys!"

Ellie's voice came over the walkie talkie, which the Colonel took to listen in on.

"Colonel, what the pilots did was damn brilliant, I admit, but we all know it's a temporary victory!"

"Exactly what's been running through my head as well, Ellie! You got any solutions?", McCullough asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do: if you people have a good amount of explosives on hand, we could use them to detonate a vast number of skyscrapers & bury Varan with them! We do that, hopefully he'll stay buried!"

"Meaning, you hope it'll kill him if we bury him enough?"

"There's only one way to find out, Colonel…and that's to do it!"

The others in the bridge stare at the Colonel to see if he approves of the idea.

McCullough nodded, giving his answer.

"I've no argument on that, Ellie!", he said. "Tell Rose she's to gather all the explosives she has in her stash & head into the city, pronto! Some of my squad will meet her there on the south side of the Golden Gate!"

"Leave that to me, Colonel!", Ellie replied before cutting the transmission.

The Colonel then turned to Stone, who stood at attention.

"Stone, you & fifty men are going ashore into the city", McCullough says. "Grab as much plastic explosives as you boys can carry. From there, Rose will instruct you on which buildings to plant them in."

He then placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's time that all our fallen comrades got justice", he says.

"I definitely agree, sir! On my way!", Stone says before saluting his superior & exiting the bridge.

Like the Colonel & the others, Stone had a score to settle.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum:

Ellie placed the walkie talkie on her belt, keeping it off for now.

"You got all that, I take it?", Ellie asked.

"Every word of it", Rose said. "And before either of you ask, we have several bars of Sem-Tex and C-4 plastic explosives – enough to bring down a whole city block."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that", Malcolm says, half-joking.

Rose couldn't help but to briefly grin to that, & so did Ellie.

"Relax, cowboy", Rose said. "It's called 'military humor'. Come on: we'll take my jeep across the Golden Gate & be there in no time."

Following Rose, Ellie & Malcolm get to where the jeep was parked as Ellie & Malcolm get in the rear, with Rose first giving instructions to Malone & the others on what their assignment will be.

It gave Malcolm the time to address Foster & Kemp.

"Did you guys get all that, as Rose did?", he asked into his earpiece.

"As if we were standing next to you, bro", Foster says. "Our caravan will follow yours."

"Apes also understand the plan", Caesar says over the earpiece. "It's a big risk, but one we are willing to take."

"Correct on all counts, Caesar", Malcolm says. "This task is about as dangerous as it gets, but it'll be worth it. Let's just make sure this goes smoothly: it could be our last chance to defeat this thing. You & the other apes be careful entering the city."

"The same with you & your band, Malcolm. See you in the city."

"See you then."

Malcolm finished contacting Foster & Caesar just in time: Rose was headed their way.

"They understand the plan themselves?", Ellie asked as Rose got in the driver's seat.

"Like the back of their hands", Rose replied, starting the vehicle. "We'll be meeting with Stone & his troops on the other side of the Golden Gate. Hold on tight…here we go!"

The jeep pushed forward, & Ellie & Malcolm held firmly in the rear as they headed for the bridge.

Rose's troops caught up in a minute or two later.

Behind them, Foster & Kemp's caravan followed by about 100 meters.

Caesar & his apes were not far behind at all.

Despite the abandoned/rusted vehicles occupying the bridge, Rose & her squadron got across it with hardly any difficulty, as did Foster & Kemp's caravan when they made the trek across. Caesar & his apes crossed the bridge simply by using the suspension cables like they did when they were first liberated over a decade ago. It brought back too many memories not just for Caesar & his apes, but also for Ellie, Malcolm & the rest: this is where humans & apes were held prisoner by Koba's tribe when they took over the city briefly.

Now they're heading back into the city to fight & defeat an enemy that makes Koba look like Jerry Mouse in the iconic 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons.

A brief hilarious thought came to Caesar's mind: if Koba were alive right now & he saw Varan, he'd probably be so scared, he'd swim all the way on the other side of the world just to escape this horror.

Just thinking about facing Varan made all of them want to do exactly that, but they press forward: they weren't cowards in spite of the fear they felt, & they'd be damned if they would allow that fear to conquer them.

Even if it does cost them their lives, humans & apes were determined to see Varan dead.

Rose drove on until they all met up with Stone over at the Golden Gate Beach, where he & his squadron ended up at. Parking their vehicles on Marine Drive/Mason Street, Rose, Malcolm, Ellie, Foster, Kemp, Caesar & even Rocket went to approach Stone, whose troops were all armed & carrying backpacks & set to go.

"Glad you could make it, Stone", Rose says. "What's the story on Varan?"

"Nice to see you as well, Rose", Stone said, shaking her hand. "As for Varan…the Colonel kept a close eye on him all this time with the drones, & he says he hasn't moved so much as an inch since that building toppled upon him."

"But we must assume he's still alive", Caesar says, getting the attention of Stone & his men. "To think otherwise would be a fatal mistake for us all."

Stone, Rose & the rest of the soldiers couldn't help but admire the chimp's speech & intelligence: he spoke as if he really is the historical leader of Julius Caesar, the Roman general of the final century from B.C. times.

This Caesar was just as smart & resourceful as his human counterpart.

"What Caesar says is true", Malcolm says. "We must believe that Varan is still among the living, and that we all should approach with the greatest caution."

"Meaning that we shouldn't get too near this creature in our vehicles, which will make too much noise & alert him of our approach", Foster says.

"Yes. We should only go about halfway by vehicle, & the remainder of the journey on foot as quickly & quietly as possible", Caesar adds.

Stone looked at Rose.

"I gotta say, Rose, he isn't wrong", Stone says. "This might be our only shot at this, & we wouldn't want to blow it."

Rose nodded, seeing he (& Caesar) were correct.

"Point taken, all of you", she says. "Here's what we'll do: we'll take the vehicles as close to Varan as the corner of both Mason & Sacramento Streets, where the Hotel Fairmont is located. Then, with the utmost caution & stealth, we will travel up Sacramento Street to Kearny Street. From there, we'll plant the explosives within the buildings between both Market & California Streets. Once they're all set, we'll revive Varan & get him to chase us in that very area. When we detonate the buildings, they should hopefully be enough to not only bury that goddamn thing, but to kill him."

"In other words, crush Varan from above", Kemp says.

"Something like that, yes."

"Let's do this, folks", Stone said. "I've got a score to settle with that fucking monster!"

"We've all got scores to settle with Varan", Caesar says.

Nodding, Stone & his troops head over to the army personnel trucks Rose was equipped with as everyone got back on the road, traveling upon the streets Rose stated. The plan was discussed & relayed to the others, each of whom understood & memorized it implicitly. It was even explained by Caesar to his apes as they traveled across building like miniature Kongs, going across the rooftops & keeping the caravan in sight.

From behind all of them, the drones that were launched were now in the hands of the Colonel & his crew aboard the Daedalus as McCullough watched the apes on one of them. Having never studied them this close, the Colonel wants to watch how they operate as a group, & the extent of their abilities.

Truce or not, he wanted to know everything about his enemies.

It's one of the rules of combat: if you wish to defeat your enemies, you must first know your enemies.

In this manner, McCullough is getting two birds with one stone.

Following Caesar's advice, McCullough ordered his people to keep the drones not too near Varan, lest they go wake him up too soon.

Within the city, the caravans approached the Hotel Fairmont on the corner of Mason & Sacramento Streets, & thus exit their vehicles & head straight up on foot. Rose gave hand signals to her troops, which they obeyed to the letter & went ahead of the rest, leaving the others & the apes behind.

Once they get up to Kearny Street, they become even quieter, knowing that Varan was still laying underneath in a heap of what remained of the Transamerica Pyramid. His rear legs were visible as they lay strewn across the ground, as was his tail. Montgomery Street was where the humans on the ground can see Varan's tremendous size despite being half-buried. The apes can see him from the rooftops, & more than a few started to get cold feet & hyperventilate in fear.

Caesar quickly got them to calm down.

Easy, apes!, he signed. I know that many of you are scared, but let's stay strong & together. We can do this!

As Caesar signed, Varan's tail lifted from the ground & came back down with an earth-shattering crash.

In the blink of an eye, all eyes turned to Varan as he raised himself from the remains of the pyramid building that fell on him & unleashed a boisterous roar that was heard across the city.

The hearts of humans & apes palpitated madly.

Varan was conscious once again!

CHAPTER IX

Varan's abrupt reawakening caused everyone to be temporarily stunned, their bodies feeling like someone turned off the lights in their brains, unable to move or function.

It was Caesar that snapped them out of it as he called out from the top of the building he was on.

"GO! APES WILL KEEP VARAN DISTRACTED!"

Rose didn't argue with the chimpanzee.

"You heard him…go! Plant those explosives like we planned!", she ordered.

The soldiers all nodded & rushed off in various directions, each one heading for different buildings.

"Come on, folks! Let's give Caesar & his apes a hand!", Foster cried out, raising his rifle & firing off rounds.

Everyone else – from Malcolm & Ellie to Rose & Caesar – followed suit & opened fire on Varan, their weapons peppering his body with bullets & rockets from hand-held launchers. None of these even began to bring down Varan, but that's not the idea: their plan is to get Varan's attention long enough to allow Rose & Stone's soldiers time to plant their explosives within several structures to bring down upon their giant adversary.

It was working: Varan bellowed angrily & began to charge those attacking him.

"Move it! GO!", Stone shouted, spurring the others into action.

"Everyone, spread out quickly! He can't follow ALL of us!", Malcolm screamed as humans & apes took his advice & went in all sorts of directions…more than Varan could choose to take lead in.

Being spread out & hitting him in every which way, the humans & apes kept Varan dazed & confused as to pick which way he should attack first. His inability to choose where he should strike first has made him angrier than before.

Then he sensed it: Varan's nostrils caught a familiar scent, one caught once before in the mountains.

One who has escaped from & thought he had outsmarted him, eluding him of a meal.

Varan's eyes were fixated on one particular target, ignoring all the bullets & rockets buffeting his body.

All the humans & apes stopped firing long enough to see what the creature was staring intently at.

Or, rather, who: Varan's eyes stared daggers at the one whose scent was strongest of them all from his kind.

He was staring at Caesar, & they all knew it.

Caesar's eyes went wide when he realized it.

"oh my god", he said above a whisper.

"CAESAR, RUN!", Ellie screamed at him.

"RUN, MAN, RUN!", Foster screamed right after.

It was all the motivation he needed: Caesar leaped from rooftop to rooftop of buildings he could reach, heading in a southwest direction. Varan roared & took off in hot pursuit of the chimpanzee as the monster plowed through the buildings, spilling debris/rubble all over the streets. Those on the ground that were closest to Varan scrambled to clear themselves of falling debris or even the monster himself.

Two men & a bonobo weren't as fortunate: despite firing their weapons fiercely at Varan, the monster squished all three in one shot with his tail, flattening them like they were ants on the sidewalk.

Many were horrified by the sudden/grisly deaths of their comrades.

Varan paid the deaths no mind: he continued following Caesar throughout the city, giving the building in his path no mercy as Caesar ran & leaped with all his might, fighting to stay ahead of the horror pursuing him.

Quick as he is, Caesar knew he wouldn't be able to outrace Varan forever: despite his massive size, the creature can move in speeds that would be impossible for anything as big as him. The muscles in his legs were starting to get worn out, & unless Caesar thinks fast, the apes will be without a leader, & his elder son Blue Eyes wouldn't be ready yet to take his place.

Making another leap onto another building, Caesar was knocked off his feet & the building itself when Varan lashed out with his front paws & trampled it, throwing Caesar off as he fell down onto the roof of an abandoned car as he made a dent in the roof & shattered the windshield, spraying shards of broken glass everywhere.

He was very lucky his bandolier of grenades didn't go off, or else he'd be in pieces.

As luck would have it, he still had the rifle which he had strapped over his shoulder.

Caesar ached everywhere as he rose to get up from his rough landing, only to be facing Varan as he roared out loud & stared down at his fallen foe with malice in his eyes. Even if Caesar wasn't sore/numb from the crash, he was in no shape to reach the buildings & continue running from the horror before him, let alone run off into the streets.

Varan has him dead to rights.

Cornelia, Cornelius, Blue Eyes!, Caesar thought with dread & fear. I am so sorry!

A roar different from Varan's echoed through the area as a pair of missiles raced at the creature, striking him on the neck, diverting his attention from Caesar to the last two F-15s that escaped the monster's fury.

Not this time: paying Caesar no mind (for now), Varan turned towards the two jets as his long tail had demolished the surrounding buildings, throwing debris everywhere. Some of that debris went flying over towards the drones which were catching the action for the Colonel & his crew to see. Several of them were smashed by the rubble, ceasing their transmissions & turning some of the monitors into black & white fuzz.

Only about three of them were left floating.

McCullough cursed silently to himself: despite the fact they're still broadcasting, he still wasn't too happy about losing most of their eyes in the skies.

Irritating as it was, he'll have to make do with what he's got left.

Over the city, the F-15s came rushing towards Varan as they unload with their Vulcan guns, firing hundreds of rounds at the monster. Malcolm, Ellie & the others had to stay clear of the machine gunfire to avoid getting strafed by stray bullets. Four more missiles were shot forth from their undersides, hitting Varan with deadly accuracy.

Powerful as they were, it didn't do any good: Varan leaped at the first jet when it came close enough, colliding with & turning it into a ball of flaming wreckage. At that same time, his tail smacked itself into the other, sharing the fate of its partner as burning metal shattered everywhere.

When Varan landed, several of the humans & apes were snatched up & eaten by the monstrosity as he flipped each one into his hungry maw & swallowed.

They all died screaming before disappearing inside his stomach.

With others, he just swatted away with his front paws & squished with his tail.

Foster, Blue Eyes, Rose & the rest were starting to lose their numbers, & soon there won't be anyone left to go & complete the task they need to accomplish.

"Stone, what's your status?!", Rose called to him on her radio. "We're getting creamed out here!"

"We're almost done! We just need two more minutes! Can you give us that?!"

"We can try! Keep working!"

No sooner did Rose finish her order than when a building began crumbling in front of her, Malcolm & Ellie.

"Move it, folks!", Rose cried out as the trio raced away from the building as debris spilled on the very same spot they occupied only seconds ago.

Had they been a few seconds slower, they'd be crushed & buried underneath.

Varan roared & went past them as he went after Foster & company & the apes, his heavy tail swishing overhead & casting a large shadow before disappearing, giving the trio a bit of a breather from the action.

"What'd Stone say?", Ellie asked.

"He said he only needs about two more minutes to plant the explosives!", Rose says.

"Not to rain on anybody's parade, but at the rate we're going, not having any air support & many of our friends getting killed by Varan, I doubt that we'll last even one minute!", Malcolm says.

"We have to, Malcolm!", Ellie says. "Seeing them getting killed is eating at me too, believe me! But everyone knew exactly what they were getting themselves into, humans and apes! Let's not make their sacrifices be for nothing! Please, Malcolm! Remember…this is no different from what you did for us all back then!"

Malcolm took Ellie's words to heart: he himself risked getting killed by the apes when he asked to fix the dam so everyone can have actual working power again. He also risked his very life to stop Dreyfus & his crew from blowing up the tower the apes were on when Caesar fought Koba to the death.

Ellie was right: what he did then is not any different from what's happening now, stopping a menace that's a danger to humans & apes alike, both of whom are fighting alongside to put an end to it.

Malcolm can do no less, especially for Caesar & his apes, Ellie or his own son Alex.

The thought of the people he's doing this for gave Malcolm a resurgence, & he nodded.

Ellie gave him a quick smile before Varan roared as more explosions shook the area.

The trio ran to see Varan engaged in combat with Foster & his party on the ground, along with Rocket & the apes making their attacks upon the roofs of the buildings Varan hasn't touched yet. Each party lays it on without letting up, only to meet defeat as Varan lashed out & swatted away enemies with a swipe of his claws & tail, some meeting a grisly demise as they get crushed from above.

In two minutes, the trap will be set.

It felt like an eternity to the group, as humans & apes were being slaughtered by Varan.

Putting the pain of his sore limbs aside, Caesar pressed on & climbed the nearest building, ignoring the pain.

When he got to the top, he saw both humans & his fellow apes becoming slaughtered by this horror.

The sight gave Caesar intense rage & a sense of rejuvenation in his body.

It's time to finish this!, Caesar thought.

Using his hatred of Varan for extra strength, Caesar leaped from the building's rooftop & landed onto another until he was practically (& literally) next to Varan, who has just finished catching & consuming another two humans & apes in his mouth before he swallows them all whole.

The sight sickened Caesar to his stomach.

It also fueled his hatred for the creature: jumping from the building, he landed on Varan himself on his scaly back before quickly but carefully racing up towards the monster's head, unslinging his bandolier of grenades.

From the ground & among the rooftops, the humans & apes couldn't believe who it was.

"My god…is that Caesar?!", Kemp asked, pointing up.

The shooting stopped as they all saw the chimpanzee racing up on Varan's back before going up his neck & got right behind his head. In all that time, Varan neither felt nor acknowledged Caesar's presence.

Father…what the hell are you doing?!, Blue Eyes thought.

With his grenade bandolier, Caesar stuck it behind the spikes on the right side of Varan's head, making sure they were secured in that spot & didn't slip away. He waited until Varan lowered his head just enough for Caesar to safely land upon a rooftop without hurting himself more than he already is.

Once the monster did so, Caesar made his move: pulling the pins on four of the grenades in unison, he raced on across Varan's head & slid down his face onto the rooftop.

By the time he landed, the grenades all went off as planned.

The blast caused Varan to raise his head & bellow out in pain, with this explosion stinging him more than any other he received. He vehemently shook his head as if it will disperse the immense anguish.

As the agony dissipated, Varan saw the reason for the pain he'd experienced just now.

Caesar stood tall & bold in the face of an adversary that can swallow him whole or crush him like a grape with ease. The chimpanzee neither shook in fear nor tried to run from the monstrosity before him.

Both enemies faced one another with intense hatred in their eyes.

Varan was about to lunge towards him when more rockets from the apes & humans struck him in the head in a series of blasts that stung the monster, causing him to bellow out in anguish. The blasts, like the grenades, were so close in contact with his flesh, it left a burning mark on his head that smoked.

At that time, Stone's voice came on the radio.

"Rose, we're all finished planting the explosives! Just lead Varan down Front Street & head for Salesforce Park! We'll be waiting for you!"

"Copy that, Stone! See you there!", Rose replied.

"And not a moment too soon!", Malcolm says as Ellie nodded.

"Caesar! Everything's set! Come with us!", Ellie cried out to him.

Immediately, Caesar started climbing down the building on its side & headed for street level, just second before Varan rammed into it, spilling concrete, steel & glass all over the street. Caesar met up with Ellie, Malcolm & Rose on Battery Street, where they met at the corner. As they guessed, Varan was in hot pursuit as he chased after them, hitting buildings on the sides & dropping debris everywhere.

"Come on, this way! We need to get up to Front Street!", Ellie says as they ran for said area.

Varan's boisterous roar echoed off the structures, raising the volume on it.

Getting to Front Street, Malcolm points in their new direction.

"Down here, quick!", he says as they headed south.

Even when they reached Market Street, the quartet didn't stop or slowed down: Varan was right behind them in a deadly game of cat & mouse, eager to make a meal of the one that hurt him badly.

When Varan stared down Front Street after hitting the slight curve, he still saw Caesar & his party standing over at Howard Street. From there, Stone & his men stood with them as they all taunt & shout obscenities at the creature.

Bellows of 'Over here, you stupid shit!', 'Come & get us, you motherfucker!', 'Come right this way, asshole!', 'Fuck you!' were only some of the taunts everyone cried out in anger, even giving the monster the middle finger while doing so. Even Caesar yelled at the beast, flipping his own bird at Varan.

It was more than Varan could take: roaring his rage, he went down Front Street as he crossed Market Street.

This was the moment they've all waited for.

"Gotcha, motherfucker!", Stone says, pressing the button on a cylindrical device in his right hand.

Explosions erupting from both the 333 & 425 Market Street buildings caused them to topple down upon Varan, striking him on his back & causing him to stumble slightly. Varan regained his footing in seconds as he still advanced towards his enemies. More explosions came forth from other buildings that aligned the street, from the Millennium & Salesforce Towers to its northern neighbors. Varan was assaulted by falling buildings the further he came towards the park & his targets as piles of concrete, steel & glass spilled all over his person, burying him under an avalanche which was even heavier than the Transamerica Pyramid itself.

Instead of having just one building collapsing upon him, Varan had a total of 6 or 7 hitting him almost at once.

Varan tried to stay on his feet, but the added weight was too much even for him to withstand, & he soon collapsed beneath the crushing weight of the detonated buildings that came down upon him. Smoke erupted from the destruction, obscuring Varan from sight. Ellie, Malcolm, Rose, Caesar & the rest had to shield their faces from the smoke & dust swimming towards them.

A series of coughing from humans & apes as Foster, Kemp & all the rest catch up with their allies.

What felt like forever was only a few minutes before the dust cleared away to reveal a large mountain of destroyed buildings that became something of a burial ground for Varan.

Unlike last time, Varan was nowhere to be seen: not from the front, the rear or even the sides.

Nothing from the creature was visible in the mountain of debris, from his eyes to even the tip of his tail.

Waiting a good five minutes, many of the soldiers started to feel relieved.

"We did it! We got him!", cried one soldier.

Soon, the rest of them were starting to cheer & raise their guns in triumph, turning it into a full-blown victory cry. Their cheer drowned out most everything else.

Foster & Kemp rejoined with Malcolm & Ellie, as they, Rose, Stone & even Caesar were all having doubts as well as second thoughts, believing their victory was a bit premature & too early.

"Much as I'd want to, I don't think we should celebrate just yet", Foster says. "The last time Varan was buried, he didn't stay that way long!"

"No, he did not!", Malcolm said. "He only made us think we defeated him, & many good people and apes have suffered for it! We shouldn't take this any less serious!"

Caesar turned to the cheering crowd of soldiers.

"ENOUGH!", he shouted, putting a stop to the victory party as the soldiers stared at the chimp. "We do not know if Varan is truly dead, so save the celebration until it's confirmed! Got that?!"

Several of the soldiers stared at each other in surprise, & more than a few didn't take kindly to being ordered by an ape.

"Hey you!", one soldier snapped, taking a few steps towards Caesar. "Let's get this straight: I don't take no orders from no fucking ape, so you'd better watch yourself before I…!"

Rose stepped boldly in his face & stared him down with a look that can melt steel.

"Before you do what, soldier?!", she snarled at him.

Granite, Rocket, Blue Eyes & Spear also approached the man, staring daggers at him. Even Malcolm, Ellie, Kemp & Foster were looking at him like they wanted to knock him flat on his ass.

It made the man swallow in trepidation.

"Nothing, ma'am. Please forgive me", the soldier said in a voice that choked & almost broke.

"That's more like it!", she said, turning to the other soldiers. "Listen up! We can't relax for even a moment until we get concrete evidence that Varan is dead! Therefore, we will be digging into the rubble to find out for ourselves if he is! We'll create two teams: one will dig a tunnel near his head, the other on the side! Once we create these tunnels, we will check for a heartbeat or a pulse anywhere on the creature! Only when it is confirmed that he's expired will we celebrate & declare a victory, not before! Understand?!"

"Yes ma'am!", came the roar from each soldier.

Rose then faced the soldier that threatened Caesar.

"And you, soldier, will be one of the first to start the dig at the head! Now…get your ass digging!", she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am", he said, rushing over to his post, happy to be away from her.

At the present time, he'd rather face Varan than the Colonel's second-in-command.

On her orders, soldiers joined the nervous one at the head, with another group beginning on the side of the buried creature. Rose turned to Caesar & stared at him with a sense of sincerity.

"Caesar, I don't suppose it'd be too much to hope for if we…asked for your assistance?", she says.

"Not at all. Apes will help", he says.

"As will our people", Kemp adds as Rose nodded.

She & Stone watched as Caesar gathered his apes as he explained the situation, with Kemp & Foster doing the same with their own folks.

Almost immediately, they were already at work assisting the soldiers in digging their tunnels.

Rose & Stone then faced Ellie & Malcolm, a look of slight confusion on their faces.

"I have to say, that Caesar ape is quite a noble primate", Stone says. "So are the rest of his apes: in any other kind of circumstance, we'd be at each other's throats, but instead here they are, lending a helpful hand side-by-side to see if a common enemy is dead or not. I'm starting to think that what we've been doing in the last two months is wrong."

"It is wrong", Ellie says. "There's only one thing Caesar wants for all his apes – and that's peace. Neither him nor any of his apes wanted to start a war between them & us."

"Then why did the apes attack the city just two months ago?", Rose asked.

"That was caused by a renegade ape named Koba", Malcolm says. "From what Caesar told us, he was a bonobo who suffered greatly by human hands when he was still in captivity. Once he gained higher intelligence & was freed like all the others, he secretly plotted to wage a war against us, all the while keeping it confidential from Caesar & the others. Our task at the dam was his chance: he shot Caesar & set it up to make it look like humans had done it. Caesar, however, was still alive, & so Ellie patched him up to health so that he could deal with Koba & put an end to him, which he did."

"Was that when we got the call from a Mr. Dreyfus at the time?"

"Correct. Dreyfus was once a well-respected politician who the people had listened to & trusted. In the end, he was just as bad as Koba: he wanted to detonate & drop an entire building on the apes & would've succeeded…had it not been for my intervention."

"Don't you see? This war between us & them doesn't have to continue. Look over there", Ellie says, gesturing to the people & apes digging in the rubble. "Both Caesar's people and ours are working together to achieve a common goal. This alone should tell you that war for which one is the dominant species of earth is all but unnecessary. Who said that we can't co-exist peacefully? We can, & this is the proof of it!"

Rose & Stone turn to see humans & apes laboring in unison to create tunnels in order to determine if their giant adversary is really dead, or had simply been knocked unconscious: they saw no fighting, heard no harsh words between any of them whatsoever.

It made the two of them doubt.

Maybe Malcolm & Ellie are right, Rose thought. Maybe what we are doing is wrong…

"I'll talk to the Colonel about it", Rose said orally. "In the meantime, let's go give them a hand ourselves, shall we?"

Knowing her mind is made up, Ellie & Malcolm follow her & Stone to the site & begin laboring.

CLEAR Center of Health facility:

Doing their best to keep the situation of Varan out of their minds, the kids played cheerfully with the young apes as they frolicked in fun ways that made them laugh & giggle, making the parents of people & apes laugh with glee & greatly help melt away the tension they were feeling throughout the day. Alex & Janet also got into the action, as they played a few games with the young apes & also shared with Maurice his collection of comic books – just like he did on the mountain in the Muir Woods.

Maurice still found it fascinating, seeing the pictures humans drew to tell a story.

Janet & Alex grinned at the notion.

Luca was also happy to see the humans playing with the apes & socializing with them: like Caesar, he only wish he could go back & undo all the damage that Koba caused & set things right.

Sadly, he could no more change the past than he could stop the world from turning.

He'll have to work his way up from the rubble, like the rest of his apes.

Being with these humans & his apes is a great restart.

Amid all the frolicking & playing, they were all worried about the battle going on in the city, having heard not a single word about it since they left.

The only clues they got were the brief vibrations from explosions, putting them on edge.

"It's been hours since your dad & the others left to go fight Varan, Alex", Janet says. "We've not heard a peep from anyone…not once. I'm worried."

"We all are, Janet", Alex says, putting his comic down & pulling Janet closer to him. "But keep in mind that this is not an enemy they can defeat easily: it's going to be tough, & my dad & the rest want us to be strong for them while they fight to save us all…for both our species."

From behind, Maurice wrapped his arms around both Alex & Janet, comforting them in a simultaneous manner.

He snuggled them warmly, telling them that it'll be all right.

Janet & Alex smiled at his affection, especially when Maurice made a soft comfortable sound.

The banging noise from outside caused everyone to stop & get alert in a heartbeat. Guns were raised as the noise rang again, soon it was traveling up alongside the walls of the facility.

Something was crawling around outside.

Looking at the windows, Maurice, Luca & the others soon saw a pair of apes climbing along the exterior of the building, each one with a rifle strapped on their shoulders.

"Oh no!", Louise said above a whisper.

"Hide!", Maurice said to Alex & Janet.

The kids didn't argue, let alone hesitate: they got up & rushed over to one of the nearby rooms & got in.

All the rest of the other kids, young apes & their mothers all did the same, not wanting to be caught in the brawl that was sure to come.

With the women & children hiding somewhere, the men & apes went into full defense mode as the scrambling of the two apes increased before it ceased as quickly as it began.

No one could tell where they could be at, not even the apes' keen sense of smell.

From the sides, a window was smashed in by some powerful force, spraying glass shards everywhere as humans & apes shielded themselves from the sharp pieces. Before they could recover, a brown-furred gorilla, a bonobo & chimp entered through the broken windows & started attacking those with guns, making short work of most of them as they'd been knocked down and/or thrown, dropping their guns & crushing the mini receivers given to them by Kemp.

By the time the shards stopped flying, the gorilla, bonobo & chimp were standing among the crowd, their rifles raised as the gorilla fired off a few rounds.

"No one moves!", the gorilla growled.

One man tried reaching for his handgun, but was shot dead by the bonobo.

"Anyone else want to be stupid?!", the bonobo snapped.

Their message was clear, & nobody else tried anything funny.

While the gorilla was unknown, the bonobo & chimp were well-recognized by Luca & Maurice.

"Fox!", Maurice said.

"Grey!", Luca spat. "We see you both survived Varan's attack!"

"So did I!", the gorilla said. "The name's Fang! You will do well to remember it, as you'll be serving us as our slaves! So will the other apes & their human sympathizers, once we kill that weakling named Caesar! Where is he?!"

Nobody said a word, making Fang & his two associates irritated at their defiance.

"Speak up!", Grey barked. "Whoever speaks up gets to keep living!"

Even with the threat of guns & death, nobody answered any of them.

"Looks like we'll need to start killing to loosen up their tongues!", Fox said.

"A great idea!", Fang said, grabbing a man by his lapels & putting his rifle to his head. "We'll start with this one! Now…where's Caesar?"

"Go to Hell!", the man said.

"You first!"

Before Fang could pull the trigger, an object fell from above & began attacking the gorilla as he dropped both his rifle & his hostage. Neither human nor ape could believe it: young Cornelius dropped down like a cat of prey & started clawing at Fang's face, scratching & biting into the ape as fiercely as he could, making Fang cry out in despair.

"Get this thing off of me!", Fang cried out.

Fox & Grey rushed to aide their comrade, but in doing so left them exposed to an attack by Maurice, who swung himself at the two, kicking them both to the floor with his feet as he smacked them both in unison.

Both the bonobo & chimpanzee lost their firearms in the topple.

They were immediately picked up by the men in the room.

Cornelius launched himself off the face of Fang, who saw his attacker for the first time.

"You! You're Caesar's younger son!", Fang snarled, running towards him. "I'll kill you! I'll…!"

"The hell you will!", Luca cried out, charging into Fang & tumbling onto the ground.

As Luca fought with Fang, Maurice tangoed with Grey & Fox, both of whom were up on their feet again, minus their rifles. They didn't care: they'd prefer to beat the orangutan with their bare fists.

Grey was the first to charge: he leaped himself at Maurice, who caught Grey by the throat as the bonobo swung his fists & struck Maurice in the face & chest, as the orangutan ignored the blows before throwing the bonobo against a wall. Fox them launched himself at Maurice, grabbing his enemy from behind & attempted to choke him.

Ignoring the soreness in his body, Grey got up & saw Maurice struggling with Fox & saw an opportunity to help him bring the orangutan down. He ran towards the orange-furred ape, but Maurice was ready: grabbing Fox's arm, he swung the chimpanzee like a living baseball bat & buffeted Grey with him, sending him sprawling across the floor.

Fox was too stunned by the blow to fight back, & so he surrendered, seeing he has no chance against Maurice.

Luca & Fang were in a fierce brawl as the two gorillas pound on each other like simian prize fighters. Although armed with their guns again, the humans steered clear of the gorillas & gave them plenty of room to duke it out. Fang snarled & bared his huge fanged teeth, hence his name. Luca gives him indifferent, but gets a stunning uppercut to his chin, staggering him before Fang body-slams his opponent, catching Luca off-guard.

Collapsing to the floor on his back, Luca was struggling for air as Fang came upon him & grabbed his throat with his hands, intent on choking the life out of him.

From behind, one of the men drew his large bowie knife & rammed it straight into Fang's right arm, where his bicep would be. The brown-furred gorilla hollered in pain as the blade went through to the other side of his arm, dripping blood.

"Get the fuck off him, you goddamn dirty ape!", the man said.

"Filthy human!", Fang snarled.

Before Fang could do anything, Luca grabbed his injured arm & twisted it, causing cartilage to snap. Fang howled again in pain as it threatened him to black out. He fought to stay conscious, but Luca forced him on his knees as guns were pointed at Fang from behind his head, daring him to try something.

Seeing he was outnumbered, Grey saw his chance for retreat & scrambled up & out of the window he emerged from. One of the men aimed his gun at the escaping bonobo, but was stopped by Luca.

"No. Let him go. He's unimportant", the black-furred gorilla says.

Nodding, the man holstered his pistol.

"At least we got two out of the three. That ain't bad", he said as Maurice nodded, holding Fox firmly.

"Is this the leader of the rogue apes that tried to finish us off before?", asked a man.

"No, it was the one Caesar called Scar", Luca says. "He was eaten by Varan, along with many in his group."

Fang chuckled, mocking the stronger gorilla.

"What are you laughing at, Magilla?!", asked another man.

"You humans are quite stupid!", Fang says. "Like myself, Scar was just the patsy! There's another one pulling the strings – one who loathes Caesar just as much as I do!"

"Who is this ape, Fang? Tell me!", Luca barked.

Again, Fang bared his teeth.

"Go to Hell!", he snarled.

"You first!", Luca snarled back.

Grabbing his head with both hands, Luca gave it a sharp twist to the left until a loud audible snap was heard in the room, killing Fang instantly as his corpse dropped like a weight to the floor with a thud.

With Fang down & Grey making a hasty exit, Fox was all who was left.

Maurice held him by the arms, firmly placed behind his back as if he were in handcuffs.

Fox looked up at Luca & the humans by his side, each armed with a gun.

The chimpanzee began shaking in fear, his legs almost giving out & unable to support him.

One person announced that the danger has passed, thus everybody who was hiding came out & rejoined the group, seeing they have a prisoner.

"Why, Fox?", Luca asked. "Why betray a kind leader like Caesar?"

"Because Koba was right…Caesar is weak!", Fox replied. "He allies himself with the humans instead of us apes! Humans are nothing but savages!"

Luca & the humans look at each other briefly before facing Fox again.

It was Louise who came up to & faced Fox as she spoke.

"Some of us can be real savages at times, I'll give you that!", she began. "But there are a lot more others who've worked & even fought for a peaceful world to live in! They want nothing more than to enjoy their lives in harmony, as they have worked years to achieve that goal of an eternal peace & unity all around on every corner of this planet we all live on, for every living animal! Let me show you something…"

Louise signaled for Janet & Alex to come over, as did Maurice as he got the picture.

Alex & Janet head over to Maurice, as the orangutan placed his arms around both young kids, who snuggle up to him without fear or contempt.

"Does that look like savagery to you?", Louise asks, pointing to Maurice & the kids. "If all humans were savages as you & Koba so claimed, both Luca & Maurice would've been gunned down long ago! As even you can see, they're still alive & enjoying our company, & vice versa! Alex & Janet cuddling closely to Maurice should be more than proof enough!"

"Both those two are very comfortable being with Maurice!", said one man. "And since we're being honest, I like having Luca here in our group, along with the ape women & their kids! In fact, I love it! This alone ought to tell you that both of our species can co-exist with each other! Don't you see? Peace between us can be achieved! You just need to work at it, that's all!"

Fox looked all around to see that Luca, Maurice, Cornelia, the other females & their young apes were cozy with the humans in the facility, even holding hands with one another. The human kids were also allowing the young apes – including Cornelius – to be in their arms, looking very comfy with each of them.

It made Fox have doubts & question his loyalty.

"But Koba said…", Fox began.

"Koba lied to you…to all apes!", Alex said. "He even murdered one of you in cold blood – a young chimp named Ash, I believe it was! It was Koba who wanted war between us, not Caesar!"

"He's right!", Janet adds. "Caesar only wants what's best for all the apes! War is not what he wants! And right now, in the city, both humans & apes are fighting together to defeat a vicious enemy to us all!"

Everyone was nodding to confirm Janet's claims, as well as Alex's.

Fox saw nothing but sincerity on their faces & now he was feeling heavier than he did before.

A great invisible weight was crushing down upon him. It was guilt.

If these humans can be comfortable in the presence of the apes without fighting, there was hope for them all.

"What have I done?", Fox said, mostly to himself.

Like a cat escaping a vicious dog, Fox leaped up to the window he broke to enter the facility.

"Hold on! Where are you going?", asked Louise.

"To do what's right", Fox said before disappearing outside & into the night.

Nobody tried to go out & stop him.

Good luck to you, Fox, Maurice thought. There may be hope for you yet.

His thoughts & prayers were shared by all.

San Francisco, Union Square District:

The digging of the tunnels lasted until the evening, where large portable lights were set up around the dig site so Rose's soldiers, Malcolm's group and Caesar & his apes can see better while performing the labor.

Varan hasn't moved a single inch throughout the entire dig.

Even so, it made everyone worry: is the monster actually dear, or playing possum like he had done earlier?

They proceeded with the utmost caution, listening & watching for any signs of life from the creature.

So far, nothing.

After three hours straight, they'd broken through to the creature & saw Varan's head, his eyes closed & unmoving as a few lights shined upon him. Humans & apes alike watched the beast, still awed by the fact that something this huge can exist.

Not wanting to disturb the thing if he was still alive, they quickly & quietly started back out from the tunnels they dug to reach the monster.

Getting out of the tunnels & into the open air, they all take a well-deserved breather.

"That shit is still mind-boggling", Stone says, drinking from his flask.

"And how, Stone", Rose says, sharing a sip. "An animal that defies all logic & reason, living in our world. There's still so much about our planet that we don't yet know."

"We are just as stunned in seeing this gigantic creature as you are", Caesar says. "Aside from your military, we'd always thought that Koba was the worst we'd ever face. No offense."

Rose & Stone stared at Caesar, amused by both his sincerity & little joke where he meant no offense to those in the military who were ordered to kill them on sight.

It actually made them smile a bit.

"None taken", Rose & Stone said in unison.

Their answer made Malcolm & Ellie smile, with Caesar giving out a slight laugh.

"It's good to hear you laughing, Caesar", Ellie says. "They say that laughter can be the best medicine."

"Is that so?", Caesar asked, becoming curious.

"Yes. You see, whenever a person laughs, it helps to build up their immune system, alleviates pain and stress, & protects you from their damaging effects, not to mention helps to improve one's mood. That's one reason why we used to have stand-up comedians & films/TV shows of comedy, as people loved to laugh & feel better about themselves."

"And Caesar? Another great motivator for feeling really good about one's self is listening to music", Malcolm adds. "The right kind of music puts one in the best mood."

Caesar took this to heart: while he remained a serious leader to his apes, he never thought of doing anything that was amusing or even funny, despite being with Will Rodman & his girl Caroline Aranha.

It's something he'll have to consider for his apes in the future: if laughter can help humans stay healthy, imagine what it can do for apes that laugh.

Plus, Malcolm's suggestion of playing/making music is also what he will keep in mind.

"Something to save for the future. Thank you both, Ellie, Malcolm", Caesar says.

"Anytime", they replied with a grin.

Foster & Kemp came up to the group, along with Rocket & Blue Eyes.

"What's the word, gentlemen?", Stone asked.

"Mostly the waiting game", Foster says. "One of your people & one of ours are inside the tunnel near Varan's head, keeping a close eye on him."

"I gave no such order for anyone to do that!", Rose said. "Whose idea was it? Yours?"

"You've got it wrong, ma'am", Kemp said "They went in of their own free will. They wanted to watch him close & give us an early warning just in case…"

"I don't care what their reasons are! Nobody goes in those tunnels unless it's absolutely necessary!"

"Ma'am, with all due respect, maybe there should be a watchful eye or two in there. If Varan does wake up at any moment…", Stone began saying.

"They will be killed in an instant, which is just one of the reasons for it! Get them out of there, Stone…or else I'll go & report you to the Colonel!"

Facing the Colonel once was bad enough, & Stone didn't want to repeat the experience if he could help it.

"All right, ma'am, I'll go get them out of…", Stone began.

A pair of loud screams that were cut off from within the tunnels caught everyone's attention, & their blood turned cold.

"Oh god, no!", Rose said under her breath.

Her fears were punctuated by Varan's roar, which blew dust from the tunnels.

Varan was alive & well!

"Oh, fuck!", Foster said.

"RUN!", Malcolm & Ellie shouted.

Neither human nor ape argued the matter: they all ran away from the burial site, getting to a sizeable distance just before Varan burst up from his bed of debris, throwing pieces everywhere & putting out most of the lights they set up.

Some debris landed on soldiers, armed civilians & a few apes, crushing them instantly.

Varan roared again & went after a group of soldiers & apes as the monster reached out & snatched a mouthful of prey before tossing them up & swallowing them whole. Those with guns opened fire into his mouth, but it still didn't do a spark of good: they were gobbled up by the creature, never to be seen again once Varan closed his maw.

Gut-wrenching crunches could be heard everywhere.

Several of the soldiers, men & apes fired back at Varan with their weapons, none of them sparing the ammunition.

They were all spread out so as not to give Varan easy targets, hammering the creature with everything they have.

It still wasn't enough: Varan went over to those with rocket launchers & snatched them up like French Fries, each one screaming as they were bitten on & consumed. With one group of fighters, Varan practically & literally flattened them with a vertical swipe of his left forepaw, turning them into paste in seconds.

Doing a 180-degree rotation, Varan knocked away debris, abandoned cars, pulverized buildings & struck a blow at more apes & human fighters with his tail, swatting them away like they were flies. He kept his back to them as his tail swung around, flattening anything it came in contact with. The humans & apes still fought fiercely despite receiving great losses, most of which steered clear of the heavy tail Varan swung.

A few weren't so lucky: two were swatted away, while two more were crushed into raw hamburger.

Varan continued attacking with just his tail until somebody used a rocket launcher that struck the back of his head, causing the monster to turn around & bellow in pain.

The firing ceased as a man & a bonobo started walking up towards Varan boldly, each one holding a grenade in both of their hands. Varan watched as these two brave primates – one human, one ape – walked closer to him without a hint of fear in their eyes.

That ape the human soldier is with…is that by chance Speedy?!, Rocket signed to Caesar.

"Yes…it's him", Caesar replied.

"And isn't that…Rodgers walking with that ape?", Stone says.

"I'm afraid so!", Rose says, getting on her walkie talkie. "Rodgers, what the hell are you doing?! Stand down! Stand down now! That's an order!"

Rodgers ignored her orders, even though he heard them loud & clear.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we can't do that!", Rodgers said, still advancing towards Varan with Speedy.

After several repeated orders, Rose gave up: she & the rest can only watch as Rodgers & Speedy approached the horror before them as said creature stared at them in curiosity. When they got close enough to the creature, they made their move: nodding to each other, they placed their grenades in one hand & used their free one to grab a hand-held RPG, aimed & fired them at Varan, striking the monster in the neck with great accuracy.

Varan cried out more in annoyance than in pain, & it's exactly what Rodgers & Speedy were counting on.

Placing their grenades back in both hands, they began shouting at the creature.

"Over here, you motherfucker! Come & get us!", Rodgers shouted.

"Stupid lizard monster!", Speedy shouted, screeching afterwards.

Being irritated enough by the RPG blasts, Varan bellowed angrily & went after the two approaching creatures who dared to strike & insult him. Putting their fingers through the rings on the pins of the grenades, Rodgers & Speedy were ready to put their plan into action.

"Time to put this mad dog down for good, Speedy!", Rodgers said, extending his arms.

"Monster caused us enough pain!", Speedy said, doing the same. "Let's return the favor!"

Nodding, Rodgers waited for the inevitable as Speedy stood beside him, awaiting his own fate.

Their wait was not long: Varan came at & bit down on both of them, causing them to cry out but still pulled the pins on their grenades. Varan tossed them up into the air to swallow them whole like he did so many others.

In an unexpected maneuver, Varan swatted away Rodgers & Speedy with his left forepaw, sending them a great distance away before both human & ape exploded in a pair of fiery holocausts.

Many gasped at the display, especially since Varan somehow suspected a trap laid out for him.

Rose, Malcolm, Caesar & the rest were stunned that their plan failed.

But then, at that point, a thought came to Malcolm as he saw what Rodgers & Speedy planned on doing.

That's it!, Malcolm thought. That's how they'd beaten Varan once before!

Despite the tragic results, Rodgers & Speedy did succeed in giving them all one thing.

Hope.

CHAPTER X

The Golden Gate Bridge:

Gaining speed after vacating the CLEAR Center of Health building, Fox raced south towards the city, using the trees to gain ground & save time before using the Golden Gate's suspension cables for the same reason.

Aside from the velocity of his actions & gaining ground, Fox felt heavier than ever: he betrayed a kind leader to follow one filled with rage & hate swarming inside him. Fox cursed himself for it, as the guilt was still hanging literally heavy on his heart.

He knew that the only way to relieve this ache was to make amends to Caesar, & Fox was determined to do so.

Even if it kills him.

The chimpanzee started going faster as if trying to outrace an unseen demon, even though he was racing to face a real one.

Sounds of explosions, people & apes screaming & Varan roaring were getting louder the closer he got.

Fox didn't & won't stop. For anything.

Union Square District:

Malcolm quickly explained the situation to Rose, Stone, Ellie, Foster, Kemp, Caesar & Rocket on how Varan was defeated over 60 years ago. Ellie also picked up on the idea even before Malcolm was finished.

"Of course!", Ellie says. "That's why Toshi was pointing towards his open mouth before he died! He wasn't just telling us he was lacking oxygen – he was also telling us how they used the powerful dynamite Dr. Fujimura developed against Varan!"

"They made him eat it!", Rose, Stone, Foster & Kemp said in unison as Malcolm & Ellie nodded.

"That means there's still hope after all!", Caesar says, feeling the glitter of it himself.

Everyone nodded, seeing they have a chance to defeat Varan exactly like they did back then.

Granite came up to the group, his chest slashed by a piece of glass from a building Varan destroyed.

We're all getting slaughtered out there!, he signed. What can we do against this giant beast?!

"Easy, Granite", Caesar says. "We now have a plan to bring Varan down…permanently."

Ellie got on the radio that directly connects with the Colonel, revealing their plan to him & loud enough for the others to hear despite the sounds of chaos & carnage echoing the area.

Inside the bridge of the Daedalus, Colonel McCullough heard Ellie's plan & approved of it wholeheartedly.

"So that was the golden egg that killed the goose, so to speak!", McCullough says. "The answer was sitting right in front of our faces this whole time, & nobody knew it…including myself! That's brilliant, Ellie! Does Rose have the equipment needed to pull off this little miracle?"

A few seconds passed before Ellie replied.

"She says she does, Colonel! There's still a good amount of plastic explosives left over from when they used them to try & bury Varan earlier! Now that that's failed, it's time to implement this new idea!"

"That's an affirmative, Ellie!", the Colonel says. "Shove that Sem-Tex & C-4 shit down that fucker's throat!"

"That we shall, Colonel! Wish us luck! Out!"

Ellie cut the feed before the Colonel could reply.

He turned to Preacher, who stood next to him.

"Looks like the old man they called Toshi still assisted us even after death, Preacher", McCullough said.

"It most certainly seems that way, sir", Preacher says. "If only we could thank the old man ourselves."

McCullough allowed himself a brief laugh, making Preacher smile.

"You're right, son", McCullough says, turning back to the monitors. "If only."

Deep down, both men did wish them luck in their plan.

At Union Square, Ellie hung the radio back on her belt.

"How much of that plastic explosives have you got left, Rose?", Ellie asked.

"It should be more than enough to kill Varan from within, Ellie", she replied.

"That's good", Malcolm says. "Now, the real question is…how are we going to get Varan to eat it?"

"No, Malcolm, there's no 'we'…not this time."

Before Malcolm or anyone else could ask why, Rose & Stone drew their rifles on the group, surprising them as they raised their hands & backed away a couple steps. Even the apes were shocked at the sudden turn of events.

Stone & Rose took off their helmets & earpieces, tossing them aside.

"Whoa, Rose, what's the story?", Kemp asked.

"Yeah, man! Why this sudden betrayal?", Foster asked.

"Has the Colonel ordered you to take us back to him after we were done?", Ellie asked.

"None of the above", Stone says. "Regardless to what this might look like, this is not a betrayal of any kind, & we are not taking you back to the Colonel. We're letting you go."

Malcolm & his group look at each other, perplexed & confused.

"Letting us go? We don't understand", Malcolm says.

"Then please let me explain", Rose says. "During the course of this 'partnership', Stone's eyes & mine became more open to the truth than they ever were…about the apes. Since the start of the pandemic, we've always believed the apes were responsible for the Simian Flu, when in truth, it was us – humans – that created it at Gen-Sys. We were also led to believe that the apes are nothing but the animals we make them to be. As we were all combatting Varan together as a group, we discovered we were all but wrong about them: they're just as brave & noble as most human beings, plus we all worked well together in a flawless manner. It made us consider your words about them wanting nothing more than to live in peace…and after what we've seen today, it turns out that you were right about them all along. And that is why we're letting you & the apes go."

"You…want us to escape?", Caesar asked.

"At any given time, you apes could've killed us without warning, but you didn't", Stone said. "And I've seen you do such brave shit that nobody in our squadron would ever attempt – like climbing up Varan, for instance."

"I have to admit – that was some very brave shit!", Kemp said.

"Exactly. I can respect that kind of courage in anyone…even in an ape."

"Okay, we've changed your minds about the apes, & that's a great start!", Ellie says. "Once Varan gets beaten, let's all see the Colonel together so we can stop this unnecessary war from…"

"It won't work, Ellie", Rose says, cutting her off.

"Why the hell not?", asked Malcolm.

"The Colonel is obsessed with wiping out every last ape, including their leader Caesar here. The majority of his men believe in the Colonel & will follow him without question, even to the depths of Hell if need be. As far as they're concerned, the only good ape is a dead one. This is why we're asking you to vacate the area while you can. You have made us both see the truth about everything, & for that we are grateful. Please…gather your people & leave this area. Head up north…you should be safer there. We both owe you that much"

Ellie & the rest see there's no changing Rose's mind, or even that of Stone's.

Thus, they nod & give in to their wishes.

"You sure about this?", Foster asks as Rose & Stone nodded.

"As you wish, Rose", Ellie says.

Lowering their hands, the group turn & start heading back towards their vehicles.

"Come, Granite", Caesar says.

"No! Granite is staying!", then gorilla says, causing Malcolm's group to stop & surprising them all.

"Why? What for? We already told you…", Stone started to say.

"Just as you've seen that apes can be good/strong allies with humans, we have learned that good humans do exist & have worked well with apes. Staying to help you defeat Varan creature to the end is my wish. We apes owe you that much." Granite turned to Caesar. "Go now. Apes need Caesar."

"Very well, Granite. You are…one of the greatest", Caesar said, holding out his hand, palm up.

Granite reached out with his palm down, touching Caesar's.

The notion done, Caesar & company take off, quickly heading for the Hotel Fairmont, where their vehicles were parked & hoping they weren't crushed by Varan or flying debris.

Rose & Stone wished them luck.

"Okay, Granite…you ready to take this fucker down?", Stone asked.

"Granite is ready!", he says, beating his chest twice.

"Excellent. Here's the plan…", Rose began as she laid it out.

The corner of Mason & Sacramento Streets:

Because of the destruction Varan caused, getting back to their vehicles on foot took longer than expected: there were a few times they had to climb over debris that was spilled onto the streets. Along the way, Foster got in touch with their group to announce they were leaving soon, & to get ready to depart when the time comes.

Rose was to give her soldiers a similar command: to order them to stand down at the moment they were ready.

After nearly 30 minutes of getting through debris on the streets, Malcolm & his party reached their vehicles.

Or what were left of them: many of the army vehicles were flattened by flying rubble that crushed them like they were no more than tin foil, rendering them useless. They searched frantically for anything that would get them out of the city without having to walk all the way back to the CLEAR Center of Health facility.

More likely than not, they'd be spotted by the Colonel's men & possibly shot for assisting Caesar & his apes.

They'd like to avoid that if they could.

Over three minutes of searching, they finally find one that wasn't an army vehicle or even the one they came in, but did find an SUV with its keys still in the ignition.

"Hey! Here's one!", Foster says, waving them over.

"Excellent work, Foster!", Malcolm says. "See if this thing's got gas!"

Foster got in the driver's seat, with Kemp getting in the passenger side as Ellie got in the rear.

Checking the fuel gauge, Foster saw it had a good tankful.

"We're good to go, Malcolm!", he says, giving him a thumbs-up sign.

Malcolm was about to get in himself when he saw an ape heading their way.

Caesar, Rocket & Blue Eyes also saw the oncoming ape.

"Fox!", Caesar said, saying the name with venom in his voice.

Rocket & Blue Eyes started growling at the traitorous ape, but Caesar held them both back.

"Why are you here?", Caesar asked angrily.

"To make amends", Fox said. "I was a fool to follow Koba, Caesar: I should've known better than to follow a lunatic ape like him, especially after he so callously murdered Ash!"

Rocket barked at Fox in a way that said 'Don't you ever mention my son's name from your lips!'.

Again, he wanted to tear Fox apart with his bare hands, but Caesar kept him at bay.

"Why should I believe you?", Caesar asks.

"I know you have no reason to, Caesar!", Fox admits. "But the guilt of what I've done is weighing heavily upon my conscience, & if I don't do something to atone for it, I'll never be able to live with myself!"

"And what are you prepared to do to help atone for your sins?"

Varan's roar brought Fox's attention to the monster, & he gets chills down his spine.

Fox then sees Granite atop a building along with two humans, their sight giving Fox his answer.

"I know exactly what I must do to atone!", Fox says just before he heads off in the direction of the building he saw Granite & the two humans on.

He was gone before Caesar or anyone else could call out to or stop him.

Racing off to the tall building on the corner of Kearny & Pine Streets, Fox went inside of the building & used the stairs once he found them, grabbing the struts & throwing/leaping himself up to the very top with grace & speed that is beyond belief.

When he reached the door leading to the roof, he opened it up to find Granite & the two humans preparing for battle. They stopped when they heard the door open & see Fox standing there.

Immediately, Rose & Stone pull their guns on the chimp as Fox cowered from their weapons.

"Please don't shoot, humans! I mean no harm!", Fox begged.

Reluctantly, the two withdrew their guns.

Seeing them putting their arms away made Fox feel relieved.

Until Granite came at him: like an angry god of vengeance, he snatched Fox by the throat & went over to the ledge, where Fox dangled helplessly over the street below. All Granite had to do was let him go, & Fox would drop to his death & go splat all over the sidewalk.

"Who is this?", Rose asked

"This is Fox!", Granite said. "Supporter of Koba & traitor to Caesar!"

"Not…anymore!", Fox struggled to say.

"Wait, Granite!", Stone says. "Let's hear what he has to say first!"

With reluctance, Granite took Fox away from the ledge & threw him onto the roof.

"Start talking!", Granite growled.

"I…I know what I did was wrong, following Koba & betraying Caesar!", Fox explains. "But I came here to help compensate for my error! I feel so guilty about what I've done, & I must make up for it before my guilt eats me alive! That is why I'm here! Let me help atone for my sins…please!"

Rose & Stone looked at each other briefly before turning back to Fox.

"Is he telling the truth, Granite?", Rose asked.

The gorilla bent down & stared into Fox's eyes to see if he was pulling their leg or being on the level.

After careful & close examination, Granite was convinced indefinitely.

"Yes!", he says, seeing no signs of deception in Fox's eyes.

"All right, then!", Rose says as she & Stone walked up to Fox. "You want to compensate for your past crimes, Fox? The way to do that is to help us defeat Varan, & here's how we're going to accomplish that task!"

"Tell me! I'll do whatever it takes…even if it kills me!", Fox said with more confidence.

Proud of his newfound courage, Rose, Stone & even Granite nod in appreciation.

"Listen up, here's the plan…", Stone says.

Fox hangs on every word.

Street level:

The fighting between the armed soldiers, civilians & apes went on for over a good thirty minutes, with casualties mounting as they become Varan's snacks or simply get squashed by the giant creature. More buildings topple under his enormous size & strength, spilling rubble/debris onto the streets, making them almost unrecognizable from their heyday. Multiple gunshots from automatic rifles, grenades being thrown & even rocket launchers fired at him doesn't even faze Varan, but is definitely making him angry.

Like a tiger getting poked/teased in a cage, Varan attacked viciously as humans & apes became more tidbits as they were bitten on, lifted & swallowed by the creature, ending their assault upon him. A swipe attack from his right forepaw destroyed a small building & flung soldiers across debris-stricken streets, while apes & their sympathizers had merely dodged the second swipe of the monster's claws, although they came awfully close to being crushed.

In the melee, two more drones get destroyed, leaving the Colonel & his staff with only one.

Varan roared angrily at missing his targets & tried again, but roared once again – this time in pain – when a trio of rockets struck the back of his head, causing him to turn 180-degrees. From a tall building several blocks away, Varan saw a quartet of fighters – two humans & two apes – standing atop its roof, with three of them holding rocket launchers which they each reload & fire again.

Their shots raced across the air & hit Varan in the neck & face, making him bellow in rage.

Ignoring all the other humans & apes firing at him, Varan approached the building.

Over the radios of the soldiers, Rose's voice came through.

"Attention all soldiers! This is Rose! Whoever's left alive that hears my voice, I order you all to retreat! Retreat right now! That is an order!"

Immediately, the soldiers obeyed as they lay down their weapons & get as far away from Varan as possible.

Foster gave their own fighters a tactical withdraw, which they obeyed.

Caesar, however, took a more direct approach: getting upon the car Foster was in the driver's seat of, he bellowed a message to his fellow apes.

"APES…RETREAT! RETREAT NOW!"

All apes who were still among the living obeyed Caesar & started withdrawing away, happy to put distance from the creature.

Varan continued his trek across the streets, crushing anything in his way.

He heads straight for the hotel building on the corner of Kearny & Pine Streets, where Rose, Stone, Granite & Fox all await the creature's advance. With a block of plastic explosives tied around their waists, a timer was placed on each of them which Rose sets to detonate when it reaches a specific time.

She sets it for two minutes.

"Done", Rose said. "All I need to do is press this switch from the device you see in my hand, & the timers upon each stick of plastic explosives we all wear will begin. Everyone ready?"

"As we'll ever be", Stone said.

"Granite is ready!", the gorilla says.

"Fox is ready! And not a moment too soon!", the chimpanzee says, pointing.

Granite, Rose & Stone turn to see Varan just about within reach.

None of them – not even Fox – became too scared to run away: they stood their ground, prepared to do what was necessary to save humanity & apekind from this terrible threat.

Varan stopped a few meters from the building & looked up to see the two humans & two apes standing upon its roof staring back down at him.

The retreating soldiers, civilians & apes all stop & stare at the spectacle that was before them.

"Let's do this!", Fox said firmly. "For Caesar!"

"For all apes!", Stone said.

"For mankind!", Granite said.

"For a future where humans & apes can live together in both peace & harmony!", Rose said.

Granite wrapped his arms around Rose & Stone's waists, preparing for the next step.

Fox gets upon Granite's shoulders, securing himself.

Even from a distance, Malcolm, Caesar & the rest could see what the quartet are intending to do.

That especially goes for McCullough, as he watches the camera feed from the last surviving drone.

"Jesus Christ, Colonel!", Preacher says. "They're not about to do what I think they are!"

"Not on my watch, son!", McCullough says, getting on the line. "Rose! Stone! Whatever you & those flea-bitten apes are about to commence with…don't! Stand down now! That's an order!"

Rose's reply was not all that obedient.

"Our apologies, sir, but we can't do that. Hopefully one day you'll understand. Take care, sir."

She cut the feed before McCullough could say anything further.

He tried contacting her and/or Stone several times, but neither one of them answered.

Barking a curse, he slammed his fists on the table.

Atop the hotel building, the quartet were set to make their move as Varan watched them carefully.

"Begin the countdown, Fox", Granite says.

"On three!", Fox replied. "One…two…three…GO!"

Granite made the leap with both Rose & Stone in his arms, while Fox held on for dear life as they all plummeted from the roof. As they fell, Rose clicked the button on the device, starting the countdown before they started firing their weapons at Varan, who opened his mouth to swallow the quartet in one bite.

Each one screamed a battle cry as they descended into the jaws of defeat – literally.

Humans & apes alike gasped as they watched them leap off the building & fall straight into Varan's waiting maw, as the monster ate them in one catch as he snapped his jaws shut before swallowing his prey.

They were all stunned at the display they just witnessed, from Caesar's apes to Colonel McCullough & his staff.

Preacher made a Holy Cross sign with his hand before placing it across his heart in mourning.

McCullough simply placed his hand over his heart, saying a prayer that God save their souls.

Caesar was the one who now felt a heavy weight on his shoulders, seeing that Fox had to be killed in order to atone for joining up with Koba. He wished there was another way to have him compensate for his past sins, but Caesar honors & respected Fox's choice, even if he disapproved.

"Fox. Granite", he says softly, losing two more apes to Varan's ferocity.

The aforementioned monster suddenly got that tinge he felt before, & after eating Granite & Fox, he received it once more turned to locate where its source was.

Again, he was staring directly at Caesar, & even he knew it.

Quickly, Malcolm got himself into the SUV.

"Foster, drive!", he cried.

Foster didn't hesitate: he gunned the engine & their vehicle took off with screeching tires as they raced along the streets, being quick but careful not to hit anything that might pop/shred their tires, as it wasn't like they could go to the garage or gas station & get new ones.

Finding new tires in this day & age was as scarce as finding vehicles that worked, let alone has gas in them.

Atop the vehicle's roof, Caesar grabbed & held onto the guardrail for dear life.

Varan roared angrily, having found & remembered the animal that caused him a terrible hurt, & he started to charge after his prey. With each footstep, Varan crushes vehicles like soda cans & pulverize buildings like they weren't even there, spraying rubble/debris in all directions.

He was oblivious to it all.

Only getting Caesar & consuming him for the pain he caused matters to Varan.

The monster roared viciously, his bellow echoing throughout the area.

At the wheel, Foster sped through the city, watching out for debris, abandoned cars & just a few of their people, who were also scrambling to get out of Varan's path, lest they become food for the raging creature.

Looking in his rear-view mirror, Foster's heart started racing when he sees Varan gaining on them.

Furious, he honked the horn to get others to scramble out of his way, as they were making their own way to get inside their rides & escape the oncoming horror.

Many of them wondered if the sacrifice Rose, Stone, Granite & even Fox made was all for naught, as the plastic explosives Varan swallowed along with them hadn't detonated yet.

Was it really a fool's errand to even try?

Nobody had time to ponder about it: Varan was gaining ground on the escaping people & apes, bellowing another roar that sent shivers up everyone's spines. Foster kept his eyes on the road, but checked his mirror every now & then.

Varan was catching up, & the bridge was still out of their reach.

At the rate they're going, they won't make it in time, & even they knew it.

Two cars went in front of Foster, as Ellie screamed his name & he slammed on the brakes just before the two in front of him made a slight collision, smashing a headlight. Both vehicles went into reverse, but found out they were stuck: a piece of metal latched onto the other, making it hard to pull away.

Malcolm & the others cursed at their luck: it was a fine time for two of their own to be in this predicament while escaping a giant creature, ready to consume & kill them.

Without warning, Varan placed his two front paws down near the group, making their cars jump up slightly.

He was now only a few meters away from Foster & his group, the monster's eyes fixated upon it.

And especially on Caesar.

Ellie & the others in the SUV looked out the window to see Varan staring straight down at them from above with murderous content in his eyes. Like those inside, Caesar couldn't move because he was too scared: Varan has him dead to rights, & the chimpanzee knew it. Those escaping the monster were just as helpless as Malcolm, Caesar & the rest, & they knew it.

The only thing they could do was scream in terror as Varan roared in triumph & lowered his head to gobble up his intended prey.

He got halfway down when it finally happened.

BOOM!

A giant chunk of flesh blew out from Varan's neck on the left side, blasting a large hole on the side as pieces of blown-out flesh, blood & ichor spewed from the fatal wound. Varan bellowed in great anguish as he bled like a running faucet as he threw himself into a frenzy from the wound. Blood & ichor sprayed from his neck & began dripping from his mouth as he thrashes away from the escaping humans & apes, heading west towards the ocean.

Humans & apes nearby put distance from the wounded monster as Varan headed towards Lower Pacific Heights, followed by Presidio Heights/Terrace, destroying whatever was in his path & flattening them unmercifully.

Blood continued to spew from his wound & mouth, with some of it getting on the final drone as it weighed the device down, the blood clogging its propellors before it dropped like a lead weight & got destroyed when it hit ground.

Varan resumed his trek towards the water, entering the area of the Presidio of San Francisco.

Getting weaker from blood loss, Varan stumbled the rest of the way before finally reaching Baker Beach & made a powerful leap with his hind legs as he launched himself into the water, making a tremendous splash many meters out.

He hoped the water would help to soothe his wound.

It didn't: Varan was also losing life the more he bled, & the spot where he landed in was stained with crimson as he feebly swam out to sea for a minute or two before he started sinking once his movements stopped, the wound bleeding while he does so.

After another minute, Varan's movements ceased altogether.

The terrible creature was dead, his reign of horror finally ended.

No time to savor their victory, both Malcolm & Caesar's people started evacuating San Francisco, as Foster was finally able to press forward after the two cars that were stuck got loose & took Lombard Street which leads directly to the Golden Gate Bridge. From the roof, Caesar knocked on the passenger side window as Ellie rolled it down to allow him entry inside the vehicle. He sat between Malcolm & Ellie, who rolled the window back up again.

"Are you all right, Caesar?", Malcolm asked. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Caesar shook his head.

"I'm okay", he says. "No bruises or cuts anywhere. That was as close as I'd like it to be."

Malcolm nodded.

"It was close, but their plan worked", he said. "Even Varan wouldn't be able to live for long with a gaping wound like that. Truth be told, I'll miss the four of them."

"As will I", Caesar said. "Fox wanted to atone for joining Koba…and he did so. Apes will remember his sacrifice, alongside with Granite & all the others who perished fighting Varan."

"Now that Varan is defeated, what will you & your apes do now, Caesar?", Ellie asked.

"Apes will lick their wounds for the next day or two before we move on. No doubt the military will return to their hunt for us, now that Varan is dead. You & your group should do the same."

"We will…but not before we patch up those who need it the most. We'll head back to the health center & get to work on those whose injuries are most severe. We'll spend the next recuperating & regaining our strength before we go our separate ways."

"What if those damn military folks decide to pay us a visit before we're ready to leave?", Kemp asked.

"We'll keep a close watchout for the next two days in shifts", Malcolm said. "But in all honesty, I doubt we'll have any trouble with them, as they've got their own wounds to lick to pay attention to us. But it's best that we don't take any unnecessary chances regardless."

"Fair enough", Foster said as Kemp nodded.

Malcolm & his caravan, along with the apes were now on the Golden Gate, heading for (temporary) home.

The Bridge in the Daedalus:

Preacher & Colonel McCullough watched the action unfold as they saw two of their best get eaten along with a pair of apes that were accompanying them right up to the point when Varan received his mortal/fatal wound & his blood got onto their last drone, crashing to the ground & cutting the feed.

Both men stared at the blank screens in silence, half of them mourning their fallen.

A radio announcement on Preacher's earpiece broke the silence.

"One moment, I'll let the Colonel know", Preacher says, turning to said person. "Sir, the men report the apes & their sympathizers are now crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. They want to know if we should intercept them."

The Colonel stared at Preacher for what felt like forever before answering.

"No, let them go", he finally says.

"Colonel?", Preacher wondered, confused.

"We've faced an enemy that could've wiped us all out, Preacher. Easily. What I saw today was an act of bravery & courage I have not seen since the two Gulf Wars when we kicked Saddam Hussein's ass off the planet. Our people, the apes and their sympathizers fought side-by-side against something humanity faced only once before. Because of the cooperation they shared, they were finally able to defeat this most terrible of enemies."

"In short, sir, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend', so to speak."

"Something like that, yes. It's kind of like the Christmas Truce that took place on December 24th, 1914 during the height of World War I: the British & German soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the season of Christmas for an unofficial ceasefire. That peace lasted for two more days before they were called back into battle. But in those days, it reminded men of what Christmas really stood for. What occurred today wasn't so different: while we stay enemies, the apes & their sympathizers risked their very lives to battle a common enemy that neither single party was any match for, fighting alongside & giving their lives for the cause. I can respect that in anyone – even the apes. That's one reason as to why we're letting them go on this day. Another reason is, we've got dead & wounded to attend, so we'll spend the next few days recuperating from this fight before we return to our main objective once more."

"Anything you say, sir", Preacher says, getting on the line to relay McCullough's orders to the men in the city.

Today was a victory for humans & apes alike.

What comes afterwards will be one for the human race alone.

Colonel McCullough will see to that.

No matter what it takes.

CHAPTER XI

The CLEAR Center of Health facility, morning, two days later:

Once they returned, Ellie rounded up humans & apes who sustained injuries during the fight with Varan while Malcolm, Foster & Kemp told everyone the story of what happened in San Francisco, but not before getting greetings of being welcomed back by those who remained. As Malcolm & company explained the battle, they'd concluded that Varan was dead after hitting the water before mourning those who fell victim to the monster.

It was then that Alex & Janet partly told the story of the apes that attacked the facility in their absence, featuring Fang, Grey & Fox. One of the men who was involved in it from start to finish gave a detailed explanation of what had happened, from their entrance to Fang's death & the disappearances of Fox & Grey.

Fox's fate, of course, was told by Caesar, as the once-rogue chimp compensated for his sins by giving his life to stop Varan's destructive reign.

As for Grey, Caesar says they will keep an eye out for him, wherever he might be.

Fang's body, however, was discarded by Luca & a handful of humans as they tossed it into the water.

The group of humans & apes spent the next day recuperating from the events that could've ended so much worse than they did, enjoying fulfilling meals to regain their strength after the fierce battle they fought.

Like Malcolm suggested, guards were placed in two-hour shifts throughout the night, just in case they get any nasty surprises or unwelcome visitors, be it the military or any more of Koba's followers.

For that night & the next, they didn't receive a single visitor.

On the morning of the second day after Varan's defeat, the humans & apes were going over plans for departing the area, for their rest was only a temporary break from more fighting soon to come, now that Varan was no longer a problem. Malcolm's group was packing their belongings & getting ready to head out before things get too intense for them, with no way out.

They wanted to be gone long before that happens.

Malcolm tried one last effort to have Caesar & his apes accompanying them.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider?", he asked.

Caesar shook his head in sorrow.

"But why not, Caesar?", asked Janet. "Your apes get along so well with our group: we can stay together as one big happy family, keeping each other safe as we search for better living environments since this area has become too dangerous."

Caesar approached Janet as Alex was by her side.

"Dear Janet", Caesar says. "We apes would like nothing better than to stay here with you & your group, as you've been so wonderful to us all. But this fight with the military…it is our concern, & while we apes never wanted this war started to begin with, we must do what we can to finish it. This is our burden to bear. Ours alone."

Louise placed her hand on her shoulder & nodded, knowing that Caesar was right.

Janet went to Caesar & hugged him, which he returned.

"Then please stay safe, Caesar…you & all of your apes", Janet says, holding back tears.

"That we will. I promise", Caesar says.

Maurice let out a noise that caught their attention, seeing him with his arms spread open.

"Don't worry, Maurice…we haven't forgotten you", Alex said as he & Janet went to give him a warm hug.

The orangutan embraced them both, knowing he'll most likely never see them again.

Luca also gave his goodbyes to the group.

"So long, Luca. And thank you for everything", Foster says. "We're gonna be missing you a lot."

"Luca will miss you people as well", he said, giving hugs/handshakes to the group.

Cornelia approached Ellie, who embraced her as the chimp whimpered sadly.

"I'll miss you just as much", Ellie says as Cornelius leaped on her shoulder, making her smile. "That goes for you too, Cornelius! Be good to your mother!"

Cornelius squeaked before returning to his parent.

Cornelia faced her husband.

Where's Blue Eyes?, she signed. And Rocket?

"I sent them on a quest", Caesar said. "To find a place where we can live in peace & begin our lives anew."

"We hope a place can be found for you & your people, Caesar", Malcolm says.

"Our apes & myself hope that your group can find a safer place, Malcolm", Caesar says. "Maybe if you were to head up north…"

"That's exactly what we were thinking. By going in two separate directions, it will be harder for the military to follow us both."

Caesar nodded as he approached Malcolm.

Like last time, they placed their foreheads together in greeting/friendship.

"Be safe out there, Malcolm", Caesar says.

"The same to you & your apes, Caesar", Malcolm replied.

No more needed to be said: shortly after, the apes went out into the open as Malcolm & company followed them out. Once every ape was present & accounted for, they were ready to go but Caesar gave the people a final message.

"Hopefully one day, apes & humans can live together in peace & harmony. It's a beautiful dream. Let's not give up on it. Farewell."

"Godspeed, Caesar", Foster said.

Nodding, Caesar faced his group.

"Apes…onward!", he says.

As one, the apes headed straight for the trees, where they disappeared almost immediately within them as they swung from the branches.

In moments, there was no sign of them anywhere.

"Caesar & his party are already on the move, so we'd all better follow their example", said Louise.

"Not just yet", Malcolm says. "There's one more thing I need to do first."

"What's that, dad? We're all packed up & ready to go", Alex says.

"Malcolm, what could be more important than hightailing it away from here?", Kemp asked.

"During the fight with Varan, Rose & Stone had developed a great respect for the apes, & they even died together with Granite & Fox to stop the monster's rampage. Maybe I can help convince their Colonel that fighting the apes is all but wrong, & that Caesar & his group wouldn't have to keep on running."

Malcolm's idea was not met with great enthusiasm.

"Are you nuts?!", Foster says. "You heard what Rose said: there's no way you can convince the Colonel's mind about the apes! He'd just as soon shoot an ape dead as reason with one, or with you! It isn't worth it, man!"

"Malcolm, Foster's right", Ellie said. "This isn't our fight anymore…it's Caesar's. I know you want to do more for him, but he wouldn't want you to throw your life away for a lost cause. Let's just head up north & leave all of this behind."

"I'd love to do nothing more than that, Ellie, believe me", Malcolm says. "But if there's even the slightest chance of convincing the Colonel that war with the apes isn't necessary, we'd be giving Caesar & his fellow apes a chance. I have to take that risk…for our sake and his."

Ellie & the others stared at Malcolm & each other, contemplating on what he said: it would be better to just leave the area & never look back, but after everything they went through with Caesar & his apes, from the fight with Koba to defeating Varan, they all feel they owed the chimpanzee to try & convince the military's Colonel to call off their search for the apes & leave them alone.

If there's even the smallest hope of that happening, they ought to take it.

"Want us to wait for you?", asked Foster.

"Give me just one hour", Malcolm says, getting one of the dirt bikes ready. "If I'm not back by then, go without me. I'll catch up to you one way or another."

Nodding, they agree to his terms as Malcolm started the bike & raced off, heading south.

Each of them – especially Ellie & Alex – wished him luck.

The Daedalus, forty minutes later:

For the next day-&-a-half, the military was tasked to collect those who Varan has killed but didn't consume & brought back to be given decent burials, having fought with honor & dignity against the creature. Even those from Malcolm's crew were given the same treatment, fighting alongside McCullough's men to the very end.

The Colonel believed in an eye for an eye, so everyone whose body was retrievable will get to be buried like all soldiers who gave their lives for their country.

In the hours that followed, the Colonel, Preacher & others aboard the warship went over their supplies to see what was left in their arsenal. They were in rather great shape, all things considered: plenty of firearms & ammunition, rocket launchers with ammo, more drones for aerial surveillance, plus other essentials like foods, drinks, medicines & other items needed for combat.

Despite the recent events, they were still well-equipped with doing what needs to be done.

All they need to do now was to find the apes & deal with them.

Retreating into his office, McCullough got a radio call from Malone, who was still stationed over at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, having remained there after Rose's death. He informed the Colonel that one of the ape sympathizers wished to see him, as it was important.

McCullough granted him permission to come aboard the warship.

Like Ellie was before him, Malcolm was brought on board & escorted by men who guided him over to the office of the man in charge.

A knock came on the Colonel's door.

"Come in", McCullough says as the door opened to reveal Preacher.

"He's here, sir", he says.

"Good. Send him in."

Nodding, Preacher exited to allow Malcolm to enter as Preacher closed the door behind him, leaving the two men alone in the room.

"Colonel", Malcolm says.

"Malcolm!", McCullough says casually. "Won't you have a seat?"

Malcolm did so, never taking his eyes off the man before him.

"Some coffee?", McCullough asked.

"No, thank you", Malcolm says.

"Well then, you told my associate Malone that what you have to say is important, so…would you like to share?"

"Colonel, this may seem like asking a lot from you, but…I'd like for you & your troops to stop hunting the apes."

The Colonel stared at Malcolm for several seconds as if he's something he'd never seen before.

"Oh really?", McCullough says. "And why, prey tell, would you want us to do that for?"

"Because, unlike Varan, the apes are not a threat", Malcolm explains. "They simply want to live their lives in peace, nothing else. Two months ago, when we learned that the apes have built a society up in the Muir Woods, they came to us & stated that they didn't want war, & that they'd only fight if they were forced to fight."

"But they came to the city & started a war with us anyway, yes?"

"Only because a renegade ape named Koba started it, Colonel: he was a bonobo who'd suffered greatly by human hands, & yearned to take vengeance on us. He even went so far as to shoot their leader Caesar & have the others think it was us who did it. That's why Ellie & I patched Caesar up when we found him barely breathing, because he was the only one who could stop him…and he did. Don't you see what I'm saying, Colonel? This war between us & the apes doesn't have to go on: it can end right here & now, giving us the chance to rebuild our society even as Caesar & his apes do the same with theirs. We can co-exist with each other: this planet's big enough for both our species to live on, so why continue this crusade against them? The renegade ape, Koba, is beaten & no longer a threat. Same with Varan. With the fighting all over, what we should all concentrate on now is rebuilding what we've lost. It won't be easy, mind you, but with us working together, we can pick up exactly where we left off. What do you say?"

For long moments, McCullough stared at Malcolm without saying a word.

"So, let me see if I got this straight", McCullough finally says. "You want us to allow a bunch of virus-carrying apes who very nearly wiped us out even as we're still dying off as we speak, & concentrate on rebuilding our cities & towns, acting like nothing's ever happened, so that we can live happily ever after, is that it?"

Malcolm looked at the Colonel like he'd gone crazy & talked gibberish he couldn't understand.

"Colonel, it isn't the apes that carried this virus, let alone created it!", Malcolm explains. "It was us – people – who did so at the lab they call Gen-Sys! This concoction the scientist Will Rodman was working on – ALZ-112 – was designed to cure Alzheimer's Disease, yet it gave the apes a heightened intelligence! That's why they're all so smart! To us, however, it had become deadly when it leaked out & caused people to become sick! It was only called the 'Simian Flu' because the public strongly believed the apes had carried it! They didn't: all the dying that occurred over the last ten years…that was all on us!"

It was then that the Colonel leaned forward in his chair & over his desk.

"Come on now, Malcolm, how fucking stupid do you really think I am?!", McCullough asked sharply. "You're asking me to just ignore this problem & allow the human race to go down the same road the dinosaurs did? Sorry, that's not in the cards! I've been sent here to do a job – find the apes & exterminate them before they can wipe us out! We've had a decade to find these virus-carriers, & now that we have, you want us to simply let them go & spread their disease even further?! Come on, Malcolm…surely you're not that gullible!"

"I'm not being gullible, Colonel…I'm merely stating the facts about all of this!", Malcolm stated firmly. "Surely a man of your integrity & intelligence can appreciate getting all the facts before acting out & making a mistake the first time!"

"Oh, I do appreciate collecting all the data on a situation, don't get me wrong. In fact, I'd like to thank you for filling me in on something that I wasn't fully aware of. For that, you have my full gratitude."

Without warning, McCullough pulled his handgun & aimed it straight at Malcolm.

"What I don't appreciate is someone telling me how to do my goddamn job, or interfering with it!", McCullough said fiercely. "That I will not tolerate…ever!"

Malcolm got into real quick thinking & speaking to help save himself from being shot.

His arguments gave him several extra minutes.

The CLEAR Center of Health facility:

Ever since Malcolm went off to try & convince the Colonel of withdrawing from their assault with the apes, the group grew deeply worried & concerned for his well-being. A lot of things can go wrong with his idea, each one giving Ellie, Alex & the rest the chills. What if they don't let him see the Colonel at all? Even if they do, what if the Colonel decides to shoot him on the spot simply just for being an ape sympathizer? What if Malcolm's being tortured right now & forced to give up the location of his group?

A little too many 'what ifs' there.

Checking his watch, Alex was really worried.

"It's been an hour, mom. We all should've heard from dad by now."

"I know, Alex", Ellie said. "But you know what he said. Tell you what: we'll give him five more minutes, & if we don't hear from him by then, we'll…"

The walkie talkie Ellie kept suddenly came to life.

"Ellie? Ellie, you there?", the Colonel's voice came on.

Ellie picked it up & replied.

"Colonel?"

"None other. How good it is to get to speak with you again!", he says.

"Quit the bullshit, Colonel! Where's Malcolm? We know he went to see you!"

"He's right here, Ellie…with me. Safe & alive. How long he stays that way now all depends upon you!"

"What do you want, Colonel?!"

"Now it's you that better cut the bullshit, sweetheart! You know damn well what I want: the location of the apes, exactly like we discussed! Out with it!"

Ellie looked to the group, all of whom had worried looks on their faces.

She had to come up with something fast, or Malcolm was a goner.

"They're gone", she says. "On our way back after Varan was defeated, they disappeared into the woods without telling us where they'd be headed. At this moment, they could be anywhere right now."

"You certain about that?", McCullough asks.

"Colonel, they must've known that you'd go after them again once Varan was no longer a problem. No doubt they didn't want to make it easy for you to find them again."

There was a long pause before Colonel McCullough spoke again.

"Hmm. Interesting hypothesis, I must say. But you see, Ellie, here's the actual problem: I know how smart you & Malcolm are. I believe that the two of you planned this little deception in order to give the apes time to escape so we wouldn't be able to find them so easily again."

"Colonel, I assure you, that isn't what Malcolm & I had in mind!", Ellie was saying her heart racing in fear. "It was Malcolm's idea to head down & talk to you about giving up on the apes, not mine! He only wanted to see if you'd listen to reason & allow them to live in peace! That's all the apes ever wanted – peace!"

"Ellie, I'm very disappointed", McCullough replied. "I thought we had an understanding: I'd offer you & your group the manpower to help us all defeat Varan, & in exchange, you would give me & my squad the location of the apes. Surely that's not too much to ask now, is it?"

Ellie's heart was thumping so fast & hard, it actually hurt her chest.

"Colonel, please, if you would just listen to me & hear me out…", she started to say in desperation.

"Actually, Ellie, I've heard enough from you already!", McCullough firmly stated. "And now, I want you to hear something…"

Everyone listened as they heard the sound of a gun cocking, followed by Malcolm's yelling voice.

"Ellie, take Alex & everyone else away from there…!", he started crying out.

BLAM!

The gunshot was immediately followed by the sound of a body that thumped on the floor.

Open mouths & wide eyes were on everyone's faces as time seemed to stand still, each one disbelieving on what had just happened. Another good person was lost to their group: one who helped get the power going again in the city, one who helped stop a war between humans & apes, & one who helped fight against a giant creature that would've all but slaughtered human & ape alike.

Now he's gone.

"Malcolm…no…", Ellie says, barely able to get the words out & on the verge of crying.

McCullough's voice came on the walkie talkie, unconcerned with the man he just killed or Ellie's feelings.

"Let me make myself quite clear, Ellie: as I've told Malcolm before he died, I don't like anyone telling me how to do my work, anyone interfering with my work, & I especially don't take kindly to being betrayed! You broke your promise to me, & now it's your husband who went & suffered! That's on you! Now, I'm going to ask one last time: where are those goddamned apes?!"

Ellie's answer to McCullough was a nasty rebuke.

"Damn you! Damn you & all your men to Hell, Colonel!", she hollered.

Her energy spent, Ellie fell to the ground & began crying. Alex went over to & hugged her close as he started to cry himself.

Foster then took the walkie talkie & gave his own rebuke.

"You listen to me, Colonel, & you listen good!", he barked. "You better hope & pray that we don't ever see you or any of your men again! Because if we do, what you did to Malcolm will be nothing compared to what we will do to you! And if we don't put your ass down like the mad dog you are, I prat to God the apes will!"

Having said his piece, Foster threw the device against the cement, where it shattered into many broken pieces.

Kemp came up to Foster shortly after the man blew off some steam.

"Hey man, we'd better get going before they decide to come here & finish us off", Kemp suggests. "Please, man. Malcolm would want us to go on, you know?"

Foster faced him with a look that says 'don't bother me', but softened up & nodded.

"Yeah, you're right…we should", Foster replied, heading for a grieving Ellie & Alex.

The man placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder, getting her attention.

"Ellie, we're all sorry about Malcolm, but we'd best get a move-on", Foster says. "We don't want to be here if the Colonel chooses to send his people after us."

"He's right, Ellie", Louise said. "Malcolm would have wanted us to go ahead, even if it would be without him. Don't let his sacrifice be in vain."

Remembering what Malcolm said before, Ellie nodded & got up along with Alex. They were escorted by Louise & Janet into their vehicle, which Foster & Kemp got into themselves. Both men occupied the driver/passenger seats up front, with Louise & Ellie in the middle, while Alex & Janet sat in the very rear.

The rest of the group also got into their own rides, & soon they were all on their way north, minus Malcolm & many other good people who perished at the hands of a giant creature.

Janet was next to Alex, his arm around his shoulder & her hand in his.

"I'll always be there for you, Alex", Janet said. "Never forget that."

She went to & kissed him on his lips as they embraced each other for several moments.

"Thank you, Janet", Alex said, holding her close & sobbing.

Not long after, Janet started crying herself.

"Same with me, Ellie", Louise says. "I'll help you get through this in any way I can."

"Thank you, Louise", Ellie says as they embraced, sobbing together.

Kemp & Foster both stayed silent & allowed the ladies & kids have their moment.

Louise & Ellie both lost their husbands on this adventure.

One was taken from her by the hands of a giant lizard-like monster.

The other had been taken from her by a human monster.

They headed north in complete silence.

How far they'll go or where they'll end up, nobody knew.

The Daedalus, that evening:

When Foster broke the walkie talkie he gave Ellie to smithereens, the Colonel called for two men to his office to remove Malcolm's body. One of the men asked if they should give the man a decent burial like the others that fought Varan to the death.

McCullough ordered them to simply dump his body into the water, which they did.

Another soldier was called in to clean up the blood & brain matter that was spilled when Malcolm was shot.

That task was also accomplished in record time.

For most of the day & into the early evening, the Colonel & his men went over the daily tasks of inventory & in collecting whatever they could salvage from their fight with Varan.

Rifles & other hand-held weapons with ammo were easily retrieved.

Vehicles, on the other hand…

It would definitely take some convincing on McCullough's part, but he knew he could get more vehicles ready for his crusade against the apes, not that the threat of Varan was dealt with & no longer a factor.

His task became tougher now than it ever was before: with Ellie reluctant to give away the apes' location, finding their primate enemies will be more difficult, but McCullough was up to the challenge.

He's found & fought the apes once, he will do it again.

No matter what it takes or for how long it lasts.

And he will win this fight.

Sitting in his office, McCullough got a buzz on his intercom.

"Yes?", he says.

"Colonel, we have a pair of prisoners that can help us find the apes!", a man replied. "We've got them locked up in a cell down below!"

It was unexpected but interesting news to the Colonel.

"I'm on my way", he said, rising from his seat & exiting the room.

McCullough went down to the holding cells portion of the ship, where two soldiers were waiting for him.

The men saluted each other before getting down to business.

"Let's see these prisoners, gentlemen", McCullough says.

Both soldiers escort the Colonel over to the cell where their prisoners were being detained at.

What the Colonel saw inside that cell was the last thing that he'd ever expect: a chimpanzee stood alongside a red-furred gorilla. The chimp's arms were tied in front of him by his wrists by a length of rope.

McCullough turned to face his men.

"Is this some kind of joke?", he asked, none too pleased.

"Sir?", the first soldier says, confused.

"Soldier, when you said that you had prisoners for me, I assumed they'd be human, not these goddamn primates! And if you were going to capture the apes, you could've at least brought me their damn leader – the one named Caesar! Neither one of thesegoddamn apes are their leader!"

"Yes sir, we know that, but…", the second soldier started to say.

"Well, son, if you knew that, then why'd you bother wasting my valuable time for, hmm?"

The Colonel drew his handgun & cocked it, making both men nervous.

"Colonel, if you'd just let us explain a moment…", the first soldier started to say.

"What is there to explain, son?!", McCullough snapped. "I wanted their leader, all you've gotten for me are mere foot soldiers! What…am I supposed to simply ask King Kong here or his little friend to 'take me to their leader'?!"

"Yes."

Red's answer stunned McCullough, as the trio turned to the rust-furred gorilla.

"You understand me? And you'll help me to find the others, including their leader?", McCullough asked.

"Yes. I will gladly help you find Caesar", Red replied.

"And, out of curiosity, why would you do that? Become a turncoat to your people?"

"Because Caesar is no leader of mine!"

The Colonel gave the matter some thought before turning back to his men.

"How'd you gentlemen capture these apes anyway?", he asked.

"That's the thing, sir", said the first soldier. "The gorilla had come to us – willingly."

"He's right, Colonel", said the second soldier. "When he came to us, he raised his arms in full surrender, while bringing the chimpanzee tied to a rope, as you can clearly see."

"Not only that, sir, he asked that he speak with you right away…about locating the other apes, including their leader. That chimpanzee in there with him? He's one of Caesar's people."

"So, that's what you've been trying to tell me before", McCullough says as both men nodded. "I suppose I owe you both an apology. Good work, boys."

The men nodded again in appreciation as the Colonel turned back to Red.

"All right, Donkey Kong", McCullough says. "You say you can help us find the apes. Do you have any special methods on how you wish to achieve that little miracle?"

"I do", Red says. "Even as we speak, I have, what you humans would call, an 'inside man' within Caesar's ranks. Once he gets an exact fix on their new location, he will come to me & relay it before I pass it onto you, so that you may take care of them once & for all."

A look of satisfaction adorned the Colonel's face.

"I must say, I'm impressed", he says. "Another ape turncoat is somewhere within Caesar's party, & he doesn't even know it yet. That's rather clever, even for a gorilla. Okay, Donkey, your words sound very promising, but I will need one more bit of proof to know that what you're telling me is strictly on the level – one more test to prove your loyalty. Gentlemen…unlock this cage & let them both out."

The soldier with the keys to the cell walked over & did what the Colonel instructed as Red walked out, pulling on the rope that binds Grey by his wrists. Pulling his survival knife, McCullough cut his binds off, freeing his hands.

Both soldiers aimed their rifles at the chimp to make sure that he didn't bolt.

Grey stood exactly where he was, arms raised.

"You finish this part, Donkey, & your initiation will be complete", McCullough says, handing Red his pistol as the rust-furred gorilla took it. "Kill the chimp!"

Red stared daggers at Grey, who bared his fangs back at him.

"You're a traitor to the apes, Red!", Grey snapped. "When Caesar & the others find out you've betrayed him to the humans, they're all going to…!"

Grey was silenced forever by a single bullet to his head by the gun Red held, spraying blood, flesh & brain matter all over the floor as Grey's lifeless body fell like a house of cards. The gun Red held smoked at the end.

"Caesar will know that I have switched parties…in time", Red says to the now-deceased Grey.

McCullough started clapping his hands, impressed by the display before him.

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle, as well as a son of a bitch!", he says, taking his gun back. "That was very well executed, Donkey – with a very strong emphasis on the 'execution' part! Looks like you get to live after all!"

The Colonel turned to his two soldiers as they stand to attention.

"Gentlemen, one of you will get Magilla here some bananas to eat, while the other cleans up this mess", he says. "I don't want us slipping on that shit, let alone have that body stinking up the place."

"Yes, Colonel", they said in unison, saluting him.

McCullough saluted back before turning & exiting the room with the soldier who's agreed to get the bananas for Red. The remaining soldier grabbed a bucket & mop to clean up Grey's blood & dump his body.

He looked at Red with a stone-like face.

"Welcome to the troop, Donkey", he says, pointing a finger at him. "Remember your place. Now…help me clean this up."

"Yes, soldier", Red replied as they began working together.

It will be a long hard road for Red to get his vengeance on Caesar, but he will endure it.

He knows it'll be worth the wait.

EPILOGUE

As Caesar led the apes through the forest, they discovered Winter – the white-furred albino gorilla – catching up to them. The apes were pleased to see him alive & well, though they wanted to know as to where he'd been, since no one's seen or heard from him since Varan attacked their home in the Muir Woods.

Winter explained that he was extremely scared when he saw the giant lizard creature & ran away in utter fear.

He asked for forgiveness when he stayed hidden throughout Varan's reign of terror, not wanting to become one of the monster's victims.

It was understandable: many of the apes fell prey to Varan, who were eaten alive by the creature, so it's easy to see just why Winter wanted to stay hidden from the monster.

Many of them – including Caesar – wanted to do the same thing, having never faced an enemy of that magnitude.

Caesar said it was okay, & they were happy to have him still among the living.

Further explanations would wait, however, as Caesar stated they needed to move to new living quarters to avoid conflict with the human military, who were undoubtedly already planning on finding the apes & ending them, with the creature called Varan dealt with & lying dead at the bottom of the ocean.

Glad to be rejoined with the group, Winter swung with his fellow simians to search for their new home.

He has no idea where they'll end up, but he knows one thing for certain.

The lives of Caesar & his apes will never be the same again.

Winter just had to wait until the exact right moment to make his move.

MEMORIALS:

Ray Herbert, MLB All-Star Pitcher for Tigers & White Sox, 93 (1929-2022)

John Baptisto Fiore, VFW Leader & Veterans Advocate, 73 (1949-2022)

Earl Boen, Actor Best Known as Dr. Peter Silberman in First Three 'Terminator' Movies, 81 (1941-2023)

Art McNally, First On-Field Official Inducted Into Pro Football Hall of Fame, 97 (1925-2023)

Fred White, Drummer for Music Band Earth, Wind & Fire, 67 (1955-2023)

Kelly Monteith, American Comedian who Hit it Big in the United Kingdom, 80 (1942-2023)

Lola Mitchell, Southern Rapper Known Professionally as Gangsta Boo, 43 (1979-2023)

Fay Weldon, Prolific British Novelist & Screenwriter, 91 (1931-2023)

Russell Pearce, Sponsor of Arizona Immigration Law, 75 (1947-2023)

Gianluca Vialli, Italian Soccer Star, 58 (1964-2023)

Adam Rich, Child Actor Best Known as Nick Bradford in TV's 'Eight Is Enough', 54 (1968-2023)

Russell Banks, Award-Winning Fiction Writer of 'Cloudsplitter', 82 (1940-2023)

Jeff Beck, Guitar Legend who Inspired/Influenced Generations, 78 (1944-2023)

Lisa Marie Presley, Singer & Only Child of Elvis Presley, 54 (1968-2023)

Blake Hounshell, Journalist for the New York Times, 44 (1978-2023)

David Duckham, Former England/British/Irish Lions Back, 76 (1946-2023)

Charles Simic, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet & U.S. Laureate, 84 (1938-2023)

Devin Willock, Offensive Lineman Football Player, 20

Mursal Nabizada, Former Afghan Lawmaker, 32 (1991-2023)

Tatjana Patitz, Supermodel from the 1980s & 1990s, 56 (1966-2023)

Robbie Bachman, Drummer for Rock Group Bachman-Turner Overdrive, 69 (1953-2023)

Robbie Knievel, Stunt Performer & Son of Daredevil Evel Knievel, 60 (1962-2023)

Ray Cordeiro, World's Longest-Working Disc Jockey, 98 (1924-2023)

Paul Johnson, United Kingdom Historian & Thatcher Champion, 94 (1928-2023)

Gerrie Coetzee, Former Boxing Champion, 67 (1955-2023)

Bruce Avery, Former Radio General Manager & Meteorologist for News 12, 69 (1953-2023)

Gina Lollobrigida, Italian Movie Legend/Icon, 95 (1927-2023)

Arthur Ravenel, Longtime South Carolina Politician, 95 (1927-2023)

Chris Ford, Former Player & Coach for NBA's Boston Celtics, 74 (1949-2023)

Sister Andre, French Nun Hailed as World's Oldest Person, 118 (1904-2023)

Anton Walkes, Charlotte FC Soccer Player, 25 (1997-2023)

Theodore Newman Jr., First Black Judge of D.C. Court of Appeals, 88 (1934-2023)

Dora Jean Edwards, Mother of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, 87

Arthur Duncan, Tap Dancer on 'The Lawrence Welk' Show, 97 (1925-2023)

J. Richard Steadman, Noted Orthopedic Surgeon, 85 (1937-2023)

Bill Schonely, Former NBA Broadcaster who Coined 'Rip City' Phrase, 93 (1929-2023)

Alvaro Colom, Businessman & Former Guatemala President, 71 (1951-2023)

Lupe Serrano, Influential Prima Ballerina & Teacher, 92 (1930-2023)

Lloyd Morrisett, Co-Creator of Children's Program 'Sesame Street', 93 (1929-2023)

Victor Navasky, Editor & Publisher of 'The Nation' Magazine, 90 (1932-2023)

Billy Packer, Emmy Award-Winning College Basketball Broadcaster, 82 (1940-2023)

Gregory Allen Howard, Screenwriter who Wrote 'Remember the Titans', 70 (1952-2023)

Sylvia Syms, Actress Known for 'Ice Cold In Alex' & 'Victim', 89 (1934-2023)

Tom Verlaine, Co-Founder of Music Band Television, 73 (1949-2023)

Jay Briscoe, Professional Wrestling Star, 38 (1984-2023)

David Crosby, Legendary Singer & Songwriter, 81 (1941-2023)

Sandra Seacat, Actress & 'Revolutionary' Acting Coach, 86 (1936-2023)

Lance Kerwin, Actor Known for TV Drama 'James At 15' & Horror Film 'Salem's Lot', 62 (1960-2023)

Anthony 'Top' Topham, Original Guitarist for Music Group the Yardbirds, 75 (1947-2023)

Dean Daughtry, Co-Founder of Atlanta Rhythm Section, 76 (1946-2023)

Annie Wersching, Actress Best Known as Agent Renee Walker in FOX's '24', 45 (1977-2023)

Lisa Loring, Actress Best Known as Wednesday Addams in 'The Addams Family' Sitcom, 64 (1958-2023)

Adama Niane, French Actor Best Known for 'Lupin', 'Baise-Moi', 'Get In' & Others, 56 (1966-2023)

Kyle Smaine, American Champion Skier, 31

Brandon Smiley, Older Brother of Radio Host Rickey Smiley, 32

Bobby Hull, NHL Hockey Hall of Famer, 84 (1939-2023)

David Durenberger, Former U.S. Senator from Minnesota, 88 (1934-2023)

Mark Gillispie, Veteran Journalist for the Associated Press, 63

Ira 'Bob' Born, Candy Executive who Created Peeps Marshmallow Treats, 98 (1924-2023)

Cindy Williams, Actress Best Known as Shirley Feeney in 'Laverne & Shirley' Sitcom, 75 (1947-2023)

John Adams, Honorary Drum Beater at Cleveland Baseball Games, 71

Barrett Strong, Songwriter who Had Bit Hit with 1960's 'Money (That's What I Want)', 81 (1941-2023)

Bobby Beathard, Hall of Fame NFL Executive, 86 (1937-2022)

Shlomo Perel, Holocaust Survivor who was Inspiration for 1990 Film 'Europa Europa', 97 (1925-2023)

Pervez Musharraf, Former President of Pakistan, 79 (1943-2023)

Leonard L. Finz, Former State Supreme Court Justice & World War II Veteran, 98 (1924-2023)

Charles Kimbrough, Emmy-Nominated Actor Best Known for 'Murphy Brown' TV Sitcom, 86

Kevin O'Neal, 'No Time For Sergeants' Actor & Brother of Ryan O'Neal, 77 (1945-2023)

'Leaping' Lanny Poffo, Professional Wrestler & Brother of 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, 68 (1954-2023)

Melinda Dillon, Actress Known for 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' & Others, 83 (1939-2023)

George P/ Wilbur, Actor/Stuntman Known for Playing Michael Myers in 2 'Halloween' Films, 81 (1941-2023)

Paco Rabanne, Spanish-Born Rebel Designer, 88 (1934-2023)

Thomas Cavanagh, Navy Veteran, Police Detective & Suffolk County Official, 81 (1941-2023)

Eugene Lee, Award-Winning Set Designer for Broadway & 'Saturday Night Live', 83 (1939-2023)

Charlie Thomas, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer who Sang with the Drifters, 85 (1937-2023)

Burt Bacharach, Legendary Pianist, Composer & Songwriter, 94 (1928-2023)

Ron Davies, Architect of Adelphi University Baseball & Longtime Coach, 85

Elena Fanchini, Italian World Cup Skiing Medalist, 37 (1985-2023)

Kelly Scott, Worked at Newsday & Los Angeles Times, 68 (1954-2023)

Sid Cassese, Longtime Reporter for Newsday for 42 Years, 83

Cody Longo, Actor Best Known as Nicholas Alamain in 'Days of Our Lives' TV Soap Opera, 34 (1988-2023)

David Jolicoeur, Rapper Known Professionally as Trugoy the Dove & Founder of De La Soul, 54

Paul Mosso, Former Editor at Newsday, 59 (1963-2023)

Ted Lerner, Baseball Executive & Washington Nationals Owner, 97 (1925-2023)

Louis Matarazzo, NYPD Cop & PBA Leader, 83

Roslyn Pope, Author of 'An Appeal for Human Rights', 84 (1938-2023)

Dave Hollis, Former Distribution Executive at Disney, 47

Austin Majors, Child Actor Best Known as Theo in 'NYPD Blue', 27 (1995-2023)

Jerry Jarrett, Legendary Wrestling Promoter, 80 (1942-2023)

Shoichiro Toyoda, Japanese Businessman & Son of Toyoda Founder Kiichiro Toyoda, 97 (1925-2023)

Tim McCarver, Legendary MLB Player & Award-Winning Broadcaster, 81 (1941-2023)

Raquel Welch, Legendary/Iconic Sex Symbol of 1960s & 1970s, 82 (1940-2023)

Allan A. Ryan, Justice Dept. Officer who Hunted Down Nazis Hiding in America, 77 (1945-2023)

Howard Bragman, Beloved Hollywood Publicist, 66 (1956-2023)

Gerald Fried, Emmy Award-Winning Composer for 'Roots', 'Star Trek' & Others, 95 )1928-2023)

Oliver Wood, Cinematographer for 'Bourne' Franchise & 1997's 'Face/Off', 80 (1942-2023)

Jim Broyhill, Longtime Republican Congressman from North Carolina, 95 (1927-2023)

Stella Stevens, Actress Best Known for 1963's 'The Nutty Professor', 84 (1938-2023)

George T. Miller, Director of 'The Man from Snowy River', 'The NeverEnding Story II' & Others, 79 (1943-2023)

Richard Belzer, Comedian-Turned-Beloved 'Law & Order: SVU' Detective, 78 (1944-2023)

Alan Eysen, Award-Winning Political Columnist for Newsday, 91 (1931-2023)

Robert V. Lloyd, Pastor & 9/11 Chaplain, 77

Red McCombs, Former Owner of NBA & NFL Teams & Businessman, 95

Jansen Panettiere, 'The Walking Dead' Actor & Younger Brother of Hayden Panettiere, 28 (1994-2023)

Barbara Bosson, Actress Best Known as Fay Furillo in 'Hill Street Blues' TV Series, 83 (1939-2023)

Huey 'Piano' Smith, Beloved New Orleans Musician who Backed Little Richard & Others, 89 (1934-2023)

Leiji Matsumoto, Anime Creator Known for Anti-War Themes, 85 (1938-2023)

Amancio Amaro, Legendary Spanish Football Player, 83 (1939-2023)

Tony Earl, Former Wisconsin Governor & Environmentalist, 86 (1936-2023)

Rick Newman, Founder of Influential 'Catch A Rising Star' Comedy Club, 81 (1941-2023)

Ahmed Qureia, Former Palestinian Prime Minister, 85 (1937-2023)

John Moston, Legendary British Soccer Commentator, 77 (1945-2023)

James Abourezk, First Arab-American U.S. Senator, 92 (1931-2023)

Juraj Jakubisko, Legendary Slovak Film Director, 84 (1938-2023)

Gordon Pinsent, Award-Winning Canadian Actor of Film & Television, 92 (1930-2023)

Walter Mirisch, Oscar-Winning Producer, 101 (1921-2023)

Tom Whitlock, Writer of 'Top Gun' Anthem 'Danger Zone', 68 (1954-2023)

Anthony Ciccone, Eldest Brother of Singer/Actress Madonna, 66

Brett Radin, Noted Music Manager who Worked with Dave Matthews, Tracy Chapman & Others, 53 (1970-2023)

Terry Holland, College Basketball Coaching Legend, 80 (1942-2023)

Bob Richards, Olympic Pole-Vaulting Champion, 97 (1926-2023)

Burny Mattinson, Longtime Animator for Walt Disney Studios, 87 (1935-2023)

Ricou Browning, Gill-Man Actor for 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' Films, 93 (1930-2023)

Betty Boothroyd, First Female United Kingdom Commons Speaker, 93 (1929-2023)

Jack Holder, Survivor of Pearl Harbor Attack on December 7th, 1941, 101

Jerry Richardson, Founder & Former Owner of NFL's Carolina Panthers, 86 (1936-2023)

Wayne Shorter, Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Master, 89 (1933-2023)

Maurice J. Cullinane, D.C. Police Chief During 1970s, 90 (1932-2023)

Phil Batt, Onion Farmer who Became Governor of Idaho, 96 (1927-2023)

Judy Heumann, Disability Rights Activist, 75 (1947-2023)

Glen 'SPOT' Lockett, Punk Producer for Husker Du & Black Flag, 72 (1951-2023)

Mary Bauermeister, Core Member of Fluxus Art Movement, 88 (1934-2023)

Steve Mackey, Producer & Bassist for British Band Pulp, 56 (1966-2023)

Gary Rossington, Guitarist & Founding Member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 71 (1951-2023)

Tom Sizemore, Actor Known for 'Saving Private Ryan', 'The Relic' & Others, 61 (1961-2023)

Barbara Bryant, First Woman to Lead U.S. Census Bureau, 96 (1926-2023)

Georgina Beyer, Trailblazing Transgender Lawmaker, 65 (1957-2023)

Peterson Zah, First Navajo Nation President, 85 (1937-2023)

Ian Falconer, Writer & Illustrator of 'Oliver' Children's Books, 63 (1959-2023)

Joseph Zucchero, Owner of Chicago Italian Beef Shop that Inspired FX's 'The Bear', 69 (1954-2023)

Chaim Topol, Actor Best Known as Tevye in 'Fiddler on the Roof' Stage Musical, 87 (1935-2023)

Robert Blake, Actor Known for TV's 'Baretta' & 'Our Gang' Comedies, 89 (1933-2023)

Tom Love, Founder of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, 85

Bert I. Gordon, Cult Director of Horror Films from the 1950s & 1960s, 100 (1922-2023)

Maon Kurosaki, Japanese Singer & Songwriter, 35 (1988-2023)

Amy Schwartz, Award-Winning Author & Illustrator of Children's Books, 68 (1954-2023)

Bud Grant, Former Head Coach of NFL's Minnesota Vikings, 95 (1927-2023)

Denise Russo, Star of VH1's 'The X-Life' Reality Program, 44

Kristin Bjorklund, Co-Executive Producer of 'Family Feud' Game Show, 67 (1955-2023)

Otis Taylor, Longtime Kansas City Wide Receiver, 80 (1942-2023)

Chuck Jackson, Soul Singer who Sang Hit Songs 'Any Day Now' & 'I Don't Want to Cry', 85 (1937-2023)

Jesus Alou, Two-Time World Series Champion, 80 (1942-2023)

Lewis Largent, Host of MTV's '120 Minutes' Program, 58

Costa Tsobanoglou, South African Rapper Known Professionally as Costa Titch, 28

Traute Lafrenz, Last Survivor of German Group White Rose who Resisted the Nazis, 103 (1919-2023)

Dick Fosbury, Athlete who Revolutionized the High Jump, 76 (1947-2023)

Herman Moody, First Black Police Officer in Las Vegas, 98

Joe Pepitone, Flamboyant Yankees All-Star MLB Player, 82 (1940-2023)

Pat McCormick, Four-Time Olympic Diving Champion, 92 (1930-2023)

Pat Schroeder, Pioneer for Women's Rights, 82 (1940-2023)

Felton Spencer, Louisville Great & NBA Veteran for New York Knicks, 55 (1968-2023)

Gloria Bosman, Renowned South African Jazz Singer, 50

Paul Beasley, Gospel Singer & Blind Boys of Alabama Group Member, 78

Jim Gordon, Drummer for Derek & the Dominoes, 77 (1945-2023)

Bobby Caldwell, Crooner who Had Big Hit with 'What You Won't Do for Love', 71 (1951-2023)

Dick Haley, Former NFL Player for Pittsburgh Steelers, 75 (1937-2023)

Barrett Anderson, Son of Professional Wrestler Arn Anderson, 37

Ann de Toth, Screenwriter & Widow of Andre de Toth, 82 (1940-2023)

Clarence 'Fuzzy' Haskins, Founding Member of Bands Parliament-Funkadelic, 81 (1941-2023)

Ann Uccello, First Female Mayor in Connecticut, 100 (1922-2023)

Lance Reddick, Actor Known for 'John Wick' Films & 'The Wire' TV Series, 60 (1962-2023)

Fito Olivares, Tejano Musician, 75 (1947-2023)

Jacqueline Gold, Founder/Head of Lingerie Chain Ann Summers, 62 (1960-2023)

Leonard Schwartz, Longtime Psychologist & World War II Veteran, 96 (1926-2023)

Gloria Dea, First Magician on Las Vegas Strip, 100 (1922-2023)

Willis Reed, Hall of Fame NBA Player for New York Knicks, 80 (1942-2023)

Lynn Seymour, Expressive Ballerina Choreographer, 83 (1939-2023)

Bobbi Kelly, Woman Featured on Iconic 'Woodstock' Album Cover (age not provided)

Paul Grant, Actor Best Known for 'Star Wars' & 'Harry Potter' Films, 56 (1967-2023)

Joe Giella, Iconic Silver Age Comic Book Artist, 94 (1928-2023)

Gladys Kessler, Federal Judge Involved in Landmark Tobacco Suit in 2006, 85 (1938-2023)

Gordon Moore, Computer Chip Pioneer & Co-Founder of Intel Corp., 94 (1929-2023)

Walter Cole, World's Oldest Drag Queen Professionally Known as Darcelle XV, 92 (1930-2023)

Nicholas Lloyd Webber, Composer & Son of Andrew Lloyd Webber, 43

Jerry Green, Detroit Writer who Covered 56 Super Bowls, 94

Emil Bocek, Last Surviving Czech World War II Pilot for the RAF, 100 (1923-2023)

Xavier Lopez, Mexican Children's Comedian Known Professionally as Chabelo, 88 (1935-2023)

Paul O'Grady, British Comedian & 'For the Love of Dogs' Presenter, 67

Tom Leadon, Tom Petty's Mudcrutch Bandmate, 70 (1952-2023)

Jiro Dan, Japanese Actor Best Known as Hideki Go in 'The Return of Ultraman', 74 (1949-2023)

Frank LeMaster, Former NFL Linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, 71 (1952-2023)

Mick Slattery, Guitarist for English Rock Band Hawkwind, 77

Gunter Nezhoda, Star of A&E's 'Storage Wars' Series, 67

Mel King, Activist who Helped Ease Boston's Racial Strife in 1983, 94 (1928-2023)

Mark Russell, Political Satirist who Played Piano, 90 (1932-2023)

Nick Galifianakis, Former Democratic U.S. Representative, 94 (1928-2023)

William Wulf, Tech Pioneer who Paved the Way for the Internet, 83 (1939-2023)

Keith Reed, Lyricist for 'A Whiter Shade of Pale', 76 (1946-2023)

Bill Zehme, Writer who Elevated Celebrity Profiles, 64 (1958-2023)

John Brockington, Former NFL Fullback for the Green Bay Packers, 74 (1948-2023)

Pat DeRosa, Acclaimed Saxophonist, 101

Seymour Stein, Record Executive who Signed Madonna, 80 (1942-2023)

Harrison Gilks, Internet Personality & 'Bucket List' Tik Tok Star, 18

Rich Jacovina, Guitarist for Silent Majority, 49 (1974-2023)

Ronnie Lee, Former NFL Tight End/Offensive Tackle, 66 (1956-2023)

'Bushwhacker Butch' Miller, WWE Hall of Famer & Professional Wrestler, 78

Stefan Grygelko, Performer Known Professionally as Drag Queen Heklina, 55 (1967-2023)

Christo Jivkov, Award-Winning Actor Best Known for 'The Passion of the Christ', 48 (1975-2023)

Ray Shulman, Bassist for Rock Band Gentle Giant, 73 (1949-2023)

Angie Mayhew, Wife of Chewbacca Actor Peter Mayhew (age not provided)

Sharon Acker, Actress Known for 'Perry Mason', 'Point Blank' & Others, 87 (1935-2023)

Brian 'Brizz' Gillis, Founding Member of Boy Band LFO, 47 (1976-2023)

Judy Farrell, Actress Best Known as Nurse Able in 'M*A*S*H' TV Sitcom, 84 (1938-2023)

Ryuchi Sakamoto, Award-Winning Japanese Composer, 71 (1952-2023)

Sadao Iizuka, Japanese Animator of Godzilla's Heat Ray, 88 (1934-2023)

Klaus Teuber, Creator of Popular Catan Cuban Board Game, 79

Julian Figueroa, Mexican Ballad Singer, 27 (1952-2023)

Nigel Lawson, Tax-Cutting British Treasury Leader, 91 (1932-2023)

Ronald Sarasin, Historian & One-Time House Representative, 88 (1934-2023)

Paul Cattermole, Member of British Pop Group S Club 7, 46 (1977-2023)

Herb Rule, Former Legislator of Arkansas, 87 (1935/1936-2023)

Edward 'Kidd' Jordan, Jazz Saxophonist & Music Educator, 87 (1935-2023)

Hobie Landrith, First Draft Pick for New York Mets in 1961, 93 (1930-2023)

Jung Chae Yull, South Korean Actress, 26

Ian Bairnson, Guitarist for Alan Parsons Project & Kate Bush, 69 (1953-2023)

Gareth Richards, Popular British Comedian, 41

Elizabeth Hubbard, Award-Winning Actress Best Known as Althea Davis in 'As the World Turns', 89 (1933-2023)

Lasse Wellander, Longtime Guitarist for Swedish Pop Group ABBA, 70 (1952-2023)

Vivial Trimble, Founding Member & Keyboardist for Luscious Jackson Band, 59 (1963-2023)

Leo D. Sullivan, Animator on 'Fat Albert', 'Flash Gordon' & Others, 82 (1940-2023)

Mary Quant, Fashion Designer & Matriarch of the 1960s Miniskirt, 93 (1930-2023)

Ben Ferencz, Last Surviving Nuremberg Trials Prosecutor, 103 (1920-2023)

Michael Lerner, Oscar-Nominated Actor Known for 'Harlem Nights', 'Godzilla' (1998) & Others, 81 (1941-2023)

Jim Harrick Jr., Assistant Basketball Coach, 58

Mark Sheehan, Guitarist for Irish Rock Band the Script, 46

Rick Wolff, Longtime New York Sports Broadcaster for WFAN, 71

Murray Melvin, English Actor of Stage, Screen & Television, 90 (1932-2023)

Ahmad Jamal, Influential Jazz Pianist, 92 (1930-2023)

Edward Koren, Cartoonist for the New Yorker Magazine, 87 (1935-2023)

Todd Haimes, Head of Roundabout Theatre Company, 66 (1956-2023)

Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, Doyenne of Bridal Couture, 99 (1924-2023)

Barry Humphries, Australian Comic who Starred as Dame Edna, 89 (1934-2023)

Keith Nale, Two-Time Contestant on 'Survivor' Reality TV Series, 62 (1960-2023)

Moon Bin, South Korean Singer, Actor, Dancer & Model, 25 (1998-2023)

Otis Redding III, Musician & Son of Original Otis Redding, 59

Koko Da Doll, Star in Documentary About Transgender Sex Workers, 35

Craig Breedlove, Daring Land-speed Record Holder, 86 (1937-2023)

Richard Riordan, Businessman & Former Mayor of Los Angeles, 92 (1930-2023)

Len Goodman, Longtime Judge on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars', 78 (1944-2023)

Alton Maddox Jr., Lawyer in Tawana Brawley Hoax Case in 1980s, 77 (1945-2023)

Herb Douglas, Bronze Medal-Winning Athlete in 1948 Olympics, 101 (1922-2023)

Keith Gattis, Beloved Nashville Musician & Songwriter, 52 (1970-2023)

Ken Potts, USS Arizona Survivor at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, 102 (1921-2023)

Harry Belafonte, Iconic Singer, Actor & Human Rights Activist, 96 (1927-2023)

Jerry Springer, Iconic & Controversial Television Talk Show Host, 79 (1944-2023)

Dick Groat, Two-Time World Series Champion for Pittsburgh Pirates, 92 (1930-2023)

Stew Leonard Sr., Founder of Namesake Grocery Store Chain, 93 (1929-2023)

Jerry Apodaca, Former Governor of New Mexico, 88 (1934-2023)

LeRoy Carhart, Abortion Doctor who Went to Court, 81 (1941-2023)

Larry 'Gator' Rivers, Longtime Member of the Harlem Globetrotters, 73

Mike Shannon, Emmy Award-Winning Broadcaster for St. Louis Cardinals, 83 (1939-2023)

Tim Bachman, Founding Guitarist of Bachman-Turner Overdrive Band, 71 (1951-2023)

James Yellico, World War II Veteran, 99

Gerry Denk, Lynbrook Resident who Tackled Gunman in 2002, 70

Hannah Serfass, Rising Equestrian Star, 15

Steve Linden, Classic Car Writer for Newsday, 65

Ralph Boston, Olympic Long Jump Champion, 83 (1939-2023)

Vyacheslav 'Slava' Zaitsev, Fashion Designer for Russia's First Ladies, 85 (1938-2023)

Billy 'The Kid' Emerson, Blues Singer-Songwriter & Pianist, 97 (1925-2023)