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 26
The apes wreaked havoc in the streets. They raided one building after the next searching for any humans hiding in the ruins.
Blue Eyes studiously stayed off the radar keeping a low profile. He went along with what the apes in his group were doing but basically hung back. Blue Eyes didn't participate unless he absolutely needed to.
During one of these searches, Blue Eyes noticed two apes signing together. When he saw Willow's name was mentioned he paid very close attention to their conversation.
The 1st ape signed "Do you think Koba is going to have Princess Willow put to death?"
"I don't doubt it," signed the 2nd ape."She attacked him. Koba has no choice, but to kill her. He can't tolerate any sign of insurrection now that he's alpha. I hear he's going to do it himself in a few days."
"But, Caesar-," stated the 1st ape.
"Shut up," signed the 2nd. "Do you want to end up like the others?"
"No," answered the 1st, sheepish.
Satisfied his companion was done contesting Koba's decision, the 2nd signed "Good."
Nauseous Blue Eyes gave the apes he was with the slip when they weren't looking. Blue Eyes went to the roof where no one would see him.
By the time he got there Blue Eyes was freaking out. It wasn't true. He wanted someone to tell him it wasn't true. That it was just a rumor someone got wrong. Koba wouldn't execute Willow, he just couldn't. But, then again, he did murder Ash in cold blood.
Ironic isn't it? Koba saved Willow's life from a bear four days ago from a grizzly bear and now he was going to be the one to take it.
What's happened to Koba? What kind of madness has overtaken him?
Blue Eyes buried his head in his hands. Peeking through the cracks in his fingers Blue Eyes gazed down into the city. Blue Eyes spotted a human below making a break for the tower thinking no ape was nearby to see. Eyes narrowed Blue Eyes realized who the human was.
It was Malcolm.
Malcolm was digging through cabinets, pulling out drawers for any medical supplies he could find in his home. He, Ellie, and Alex had found Caesar alive but severely wounded in the forest on their way to the jeeps.
Caesar was barely hanging on. He'd taken them to an old Victorian house where he used to live with his human family growing up in Pacific Heights, a high-class district. They were safe there, but Ellie needed to extract the bullet from Caesar's shoulder immediately, or else he wasn't going to survive. Only she didn't have the supplies she required on hand to perform such a delicate operation to extract the bullet lodged in his torso. Memorial Hospital was too far away. With so many apes scrambling around having the run of the city he would've been caught before he even got there. Instead, he resorted to returning to the converted apartment he shared with Ellie and Alex in the tower. It was a serious risk, but one he had to brave.
Hearing a commotion outside Malcolm looked out the dusty glass windows into the first floor. Some apes had found a couple of humans concealing themselves in a rundown shop riddled with bullets and hands-on vandalism. More apes came pouring into the tower through the main entrance…and into his section of the apartment complex built in the tower.
Malcolm had to go like now.
Malcolm dashed the way he came, soon found it blocked by apes. He tried another only to have that one no good either. Everywhere he turned there were apes. They were smashing anything they could find shooting in every direction. Malcolm used his familiarity with the building layout to avoid detection. Hiding in the kitchen he waited for the apes to pass concluding there weren't any humans there.
Eventually, when he thought the apes had left for another conquest Malcolm thought he initially was in the clear.
Needless to say he wasn't.
One ape stood further down the hallway looking right at him holding a rifle.
Stepping into the light Malcolm identified the chimpanzee as Blue Eyes.
Face hard as stone Blue Eyes stared at Malcolm in hatred. This was his entire fault. Caesar's death, his twin's upcoming execution, and the destruction of order with the tribe, he was to blame.
Aiming the gun at Malcolm, Blue Eyes was tempted to end his life right then and there. If Malcolm and his team hadn't journeyed into the mountains in the first place for their precious electricity none of this would've happened. Malcolm was frantically shaking his head begging Blue Eyes not to go through with it. Ignoring Malcolm's silent pleas Blue Eyes put his finger on the trigger. Just one squeeze of the finger…
There is no honor in this!
Please, this isn't what Father would want!
Just as Blue Eyes was about to pull the trigger he froze. His sister's words echoed in his head when she defended the humans against Koba side by side with Ash. He looked at Malcolm and saw he didn't carry a weapon just like that old man and woman Koba had ordered Ash to kill. He was defenseless at Blue Eye's mercy and thus couldn't fight back. Willow was right. There is absolutely no honor in this only shame.
Also, Blue Eyes relived how Ash died in his mind, the sacrifice he made after staying loyal to Caesar's ideals and not Koba's. He stood up for the humans after all they'd done to him and now he was dead. He still believed in Caesar even in the aftermath of the great leader's annihilation.
Neither had been afraid to stand up for what they truly believed in. How could Blue Eyes do anything different?
But what got to Blue Eyes was the knowledge that the most disappointed and ashamed of Caesar would be if he could see him now.
Blue Eyes lowered the gun.
Malcolm exhaled shakily a tear rolling down his cheek. For a moment he did think Blue Eyes was going to attack him. Blue Eyes turned to leave. Malcolm couldn't let him go. He had to know.
"Hey, wait," breathed Malcolm. "Your father." Blue Eyes froze mid-stride slowly turning to face Malcolm. "He's alive."
For an instant, in Blue Eye's posture and expression Malcolm could really tell he was Caesar's son.
Unreadable Blue Eyes stared hard at Malcolm trying to detect the slightest hint he was speaking a falsehood.
He did not.
Authors Note:
I hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D
For those of you just starting out with my stuff there are other works on my profile that may catch your interest. I highly recommend you take a look as soon as the opportunity presents itself to you. Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
Stay safe everyone. Especially with all of these crazy natural disasters occurring a lot lately due to global warming and climate change everywhere for sure. I swear it's like they're getting worse and worse all the time and it's like officials are simply just ignoring it or pretending it doesn't exist entirely just to go on with their daily lives. Especially those in multi-million dollar companies that rely on certain elements of our planet that we rely on to naturally keep us safe instead of adapting and finding new safer ways to keep in business. There are so many options out there where they can adapt, but they just refuse to see it because all they care about is money. Climate change is altering so much faster than anyone can really keep track of.
So, in light of all this, it is important to live life to the fullest as much as anyone can.
I know I am. ;) See you guys next time.