Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Willow and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
Born To Lead Chapter 24
Koba at their head, without stopping, the apes pounded through the forest in full force on horseback onto the bridge breaching the city limits undetected. Those on foot easily kept pace with the apes on horses. A thirst for vengeance feeds the apes fueling their drive for human blood.
The humans stationed in Fort Point reviewing the inventory in the armory and double-checking the machinery for malfunctions on the firing range had no warning. The army was on them invading before they could be given the chance to defend themselves effectively. Screaming a few of the humans fired their guns at the apes so the others could get away only to be run down and bludgeoned to death. Some humans rushed to take cover under some vehicles, but a number weren't so lucky. For instance, one man tried to dive under a tank with his friends but was grabbed by a gorilla and dragged into the open. He didn't even have a chance to scream. The humans that remained alive were hidden out of reach, waiting for enough of the apes to leave before they made a run for the colony.
Inside the warehouse, crates were opened and dropped from the upper levels into the arms of gorillas so the weapons wouldn't get damaged when they were apprehended. As the different kinds of guns were being passed around to eager apes Koba saw the twins were standing on the sidelines not participating in the raid. Taking two rifles from a nearby crate he thrust one of them into Blue Eye's chest.
Blue Eyes tentatively took the gun, Koba nodding his approval thumping the juvenile's chest. He then held the other gun for Willow to take. To his annoyance, she wouldn't take it.
Shaking her head in refusal, Willow signed "No, Koba."
Grunting Koba tried to insist.
Once again she refused, firmly, Willow signed "No!"
Koba growled, eyes hard, baring his teeth in irritation to intimidate her into compliance demanding she take it.
Unrelenting, Willow signed "I will not touch a gun. Do as you will, Father disapproved of them and as his child, I will not dishonor his memory by using one." She then lifted Caesar's spear in her hands. "This is my weapon of choice. Nothing you can do or say will change my mind."
Koba snarled, but Willow's face was blank inscrutable. She was set on continuing her father's legacy.
Finally, Koba moved off his posture showing clear agitation. He replaced the rifle with a machine gun.
The twins exchanged a glance in which Willow gave her brother's gun a pointed look. Blue Eyes averted his gaze though Willow caught a glint of shame there. Willow took this as a good sign that even he was uncomfortable in this situation.
Soon enough the army had what they needed. At full breakneck speeds, they charged down California Street, the main road that led to the tower where the humans resided. They were roused by the pure energy of battle. Apes carrying loaded guns were in front while those carrying spears were behind. Willow was with the first group.
At present there was a fog, but the apes used this to their advantage as good cover. This would make it a lot harder for humans to accurately pinpoint their targets by sight alone in their scopes. The intense frenzied screeching from hundreds of apes and lit torches were the only things that told the humans on the parapet and on the ground they were about to be swamped.
When the large heavy metal gate came into view the apes immediately opened fire aiming for the parapet where they knew for certain humans would be stationed.
The humans returned fire with guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. The apes in the front ranks were hit first. When the grenades landed their explosions pummeled the closest horses. They collapsed skidding on the street causing their riders to go tumbling onto the pavement and those that were shot fell from their mounts on contact.
Blue Eyes, Koba, and Willow were among the first to go down. They were alive, but their horses weren't going to stand again. This tore Willow's heart when she saw her prized charger was dead. She raised this stallion since he was a foal as part of her training. It was a huge blow for her, but she wasn't given time to linger reminiscing.
In the chaos, Blue Eyes took shelter behind a car to protect himself. There he looked on with frightened eyes at the carnage surrounding him from all sides. The formation had been broken. Apes lay in the street either injured or dying slaughtered and those that weren't pressed the advance.
Blue Eyes watched Luca throw an immobilized chimp over his back and was currently dragging another by the arm trying desperately to get them to safety. Willow, also, was trying to help. Holding father's spear under her arm Willow displayed tremendous courage braving the danger was using both hands to do the same for a young gorilla. She deliberately put herself in terrible danger to save him.
Blue Eyes barely managed to dodge a grenade shot at his position covering his head with his arms as protection from the blast. Crisscrossing on the street he sought safety underneath the back of a pickup truck.
Luca sustained heavy damage from the humans. Collapsing he was unable to carry his charges any farther. Alone Willow didn't have the strength to help the wounded. Stepping into the crossfire Blue Eyes grabbed one of the apes Luca had been assisting while Luca took care of the other and Willow her own.
Suddenly Koba barreled passed on his horse stunning everyone as they watched him stampede towards the gate. Going down the parapet line he shot to guns at every human he could see. This onslaught caused the humans on the parapet to cease fire temporarily allowing the apes to press the attack as they ducked to avoid getting killed. Blue Eyes and Willow joined them.
The humans in a Jersey barrier outside the gates were frantically shooting keeping low to avoid the spears aimed at them.
Above Dreyfus pulled out a rocket launcher. He shot the weapon at a truck filled with canisters of oil. The whole thing exploded in a heap of flames. Apes that failed to get out of the way in time were killed instantly or set aflame the fire licking at their hair. The oil created an enormous wall of fire that halted the charge. Some found holes in the fire to get through, but other ways would have to be picked.
Assessing the scenario Koba spotted the power lines. He deducted those could be equip the apes to get over the fire. Dozens of apes climbed up poles leaping onto the wires. As they made their way across the humans on the parents, presented with more accurate targets, shot each one as they leaped onto the façade of the building. This did nothing. Other apes simply took their place. The humans couldn't handle such large numbers. They'd run out of ammunition before every ape was dead.
Luca tossed a flaming oil canister at the Jersey barrier. It burst in a massive fireball forcing the humans behind to hit the deck. The humans there scattered, nerves getting the best of them, retreating.
The apes were winning. They had the humans on the run.
That all changed when a military-grade tank came rolling down the street.
At the hatch, one of the humans the apes missed at Fort Point, a fire control officer, was firing off the 0.50 caliber machine gun. Inside another human was driving and firing ever more destructive artillery from the turret.
Apes were shooting bullets and throwing spears at the tank, but it couldn't be breached the armor was too strong.
Improvising Willow climbed up a streetlight swinging from one light to the next. The fire control officer was so preoccupied with what was in front of him that he completely forgot to focus on what could be above.
That was the last mistake this human would ever make in his life.
Screeching Willow threw the spear at the human. The spear hit home stabbing straight into the human's heart. Dead the human slumped forward onto the gun of the tank, but there was still one more inside the vehicle controlling the turret.
Koba had that one well in hand.
Charging the tank on his stallion Koba launched himself at the vehicle when he got close enough. Sliding inside Koba attacked the driver. The man tried to flee, but Koba tugged him back in. Against Koba, the human stood no chance.
After successfully hijacking the tank Koba used it to break down the gates. Luca and three other gorillas were trying to open the sealed gates to the human camp with a ram. When they saw Koba with the tank they cleared off. Under the pressure of the tank, the gates easily caved in not able to withstand such force.
Apes surged flooding inside without any sort of hindrance. Victory assured they screeched in triumph. Those gates were the single obstacles defending the humans. It guaranteed the humans protection from the apes. Now it was gone.
Screaming in terror the human citizens made a break for it men, women, the elderly, and children.
"Humans escaping! Capture them," commanded Koba.
Willow, Ash, and Blue Eyes entered. Blue Eyes pressed a hand to Ash's chest making him halt. The close-knit trio of friends stared with wide eyes flustered taken aback.
Horrified by all this graphic senseless violence, slowly shaking her head, Willow whispered "This isn't right."
Silently Blue Eyes and Ash agreed with her but didn't know what to do to stop this.
In the bright light of the early morning sunrise, the apes pursued the humans to City Hall seeking refuge in its stonewalls. Inside the humans scattered looking for sufficient hiding places evading capture.
In the main hall, Koba demanded a status report.
"Followed the humans here. Hiding everywhere," informed Grey.
Koba signed"We must catch them all!"
The apes searched every floor, narrow hall, room, and crevice. No stone was left unturned.
Willow, Ash, and Blue Eyes were part of one of the groups.
The search party was circling a banister to climb a stairwell when they got a surprise.
An old woman huddled on the steps was suffering from exhaustion fatigued beyond measure. The woman's husband was standing protectively over her. Valiantly the old man brandished a pole as a weapon to keep the apes away. He managed to hit one ape knocking his dazed to the floor. When the old human went for Blue Eyes he dodged the erratic swings. Willow was unconcerned. By the way, the human was staggering he would soon tire, not a threat to them.
Unfortunately, things were just about to go from bad to worst in a span of five seconds.
Seeing the commotion Koba dropped from the floor above behind the old couple on the staircase landing. Looming he snatched the pole from the old human huffing aggressively at him. The human cowered in fear his wife clinging to his arm trembling.
Koba tossed the metal pole to Ash and he caught it deftly in his hands.
Willow's eyes widened considerably catching onto what Koba planned before anyone else.
Pointing at the male, Koba ordered "Kill him."
Koba wanted Ash to kill this human to prove his loyalty.
"No, no, no," pleaded the old man, hands raised, whimpering piteously.
Alarmed, Willow signed "Don't do this! Armed humans are one thing, but these are decrepit, old, and weak. There is no honor in this."
Willow was on the mark exactly. Caesar never would've condoned assaulting defenseless life forms not even humans.
Disregarding Willow, Koba continued pressuring Ash signing "Go ahead, Ash. Make humans pay."
Koba looked at the wound on Ash's shoulder as he said this. He reminds Ash of what the humans did at the river, and the pain he faced when he got shot.
Ash slowly went up the steps eyes flicking back and forth from the humans and then back at Koba conflicted.
Quickly Willow inserted herself between Ash and the humans. Acquiring his attention, Willow signed "My Love, please. For Caesar."
That snapped Ash out of it. His path was clear.
"Caesar wouldn't want this," stated Ash, tepidly, letting the pole flip from his fingers with a clang.
Releasing a huge breath of relief turned to the old couple.
Waving at them to leave, Willow said "Go."
Grabbing his wife's hand the old man and woman found the energy to run. The couple didn't look back. A hiss emitted by Willow prevented any apes from following. Silence ensued in their wake.
There was silence as all waited to see how Koba would react to this serious lapse in his authority.
Not well.
Growling Koba snagged Ash by the scruff of his neck dragging the screeching and thrashing chimp up the staircase.
Willow ran after them, Blue Eyes and the other apes following.
Willow caught up just as Koba was preparing to dump Ash from the balcony.
"No," exclaimed Willow, lunging she locking hands with Ash. The beloveds desperately hung onto each other eyes filled with love.
"No, Koba, please let him go," begged Willow, trying to break Ash free to save him from a gruesome fate.
Koba savagely backhanded Willow sending her reeling and releasing Ash's hand. Willow spun disoriented. Two apes grabbed hold securely of her arms.
Koba lifted Ash high in the air throwing him over the granite railing of the balcony.
"Ash," screamed Willow.
A crash cutting off Ash's scared shrieks signaled his end.
A haunting silence came afterward.
Numb Willow went into shock staring blankly at the spot on the balcony Ash was thrown over, where he once stood. Heart shattered she dropped to her knees face void of emotion. The only thing keeping her up was the apes holding her there.
"He was not ape," grunted Koba, smirking.
That did it.
Willow broke free from the apes restraining her and tackled Koba. Screeching she pummeled him with her fists wanting to pulverize him to death. Whatever love she had remaining for Koba dissipated in a flash. This didn't last long. The loss of her beloved Ash and the grief of losing her father in less than a day weakened her blows. Grey and Stone pulled Willow off of Koba as she tried lashing out at the ape to tear him limb from limb. She strained to reach him, but the grips on her arms were too strong.
"Lock her up," ordered Koba to Grey and Stone, disdainful, grinning malevolently. Koba was enjoying this, openly taunting Willow and basking in pleasure at her agony. "Her punishment will be dealt with swiftly soon."
"Traitors," shrieked Willow, sobbing, voice breaking, struggling desperately to anchor her feet as Stone and Grey were dragging her away. Her eyes were moist with unshed tears that refused to fall. She locked eyes with Blue Eyes helpless to intervene, too stunned to stop this atrocity and heavily outnumbered. "Please! This isn't what father would want! Brother, don't let Koba corrupt you!"
Grey and Stone then managed to drag the frantic Willow around the corner pulling her out of sight, but they could still hear the sound of her struggles grow fainter and fainter as she was taken until it was gone.
Blue Eyes looked around at the other apes for aid, but, like what occurred with Koba at the dam, none would meet his gaze. But where the apes at the dam wouldn't meet Koba's eyes because he'd been a pariah losing to Willow now they bowed their heads out of fear of what Koba would do to them should they show any defiance like their Princess. They were submitting to Koba.
Blue Eyes looked back at Koba and found the bonobo staring right at him.
"Caesar gone," growled Koba, sneering, claiming Caesar's spear as his own solidifying his leadership. "Apes follow Koba now."
Caesar's reign of peace and prosperity for the apes had ended while Koba's era of war-filled tyranny had only just begun.
Blue Eyes felt an empty pit form at the bottom of his stomach deeply disturbed. Koba, the one ape he trusted and respected above all others, had just committed the most ultimate unforgivable, unspeakable crime.
Blue Eyes had taken his family for granted, now he was paying the price.
What had he done?
Authors Note:
(Sniffling) I know.