Our story pt2

Chapter 3: guilt and a close call

"they're headed straight for us" one of the orangutan's signed in fear Jordon Caesar and Rocket looked at each other almost as fearful as the orang after a moment one of the helicopters were hovering above them "you think they see us" Rocket asked Caesar shrugged and looked at the group surrounding him they were looking to him to keep them alive and safe "alright you guys get the hell outta here I'll keep them off your backs" Jordon said trying to place the symbol that was now staring him in the face

Caesar shook his head at once Mark was missing and he didn't want the uncertainty of Jordon's fate on his shoulders on top of everything else "not a chance" Caesar said aloud making Jordon cringe the sound of the apes voice really didn't sit right with him "you got a better idea I'm expendable you ain't and they need you now the lot of you get outta here" Jordon said firmly sweeping a finger over the heads of the surrounding apes Caesar hated it but in the back of his mind he knew Jordon was right he nodded and was about to signal the others to follow him when he spotted Koba barely restraining himself from going after Jordon

Before he could intervene Koba started signing at the human man venhemtly "how can we trust you humans always lie" before Jordon could answer Kobas accusation they were interrupted by a shout coming from the right of them Jordon held up a finger sarcastically and smiled as he looked Koba in the eye "hold that thought" he said and the apes watched as Jordon strutted over to a human who appeared to be part of a ground unit aimed a gun at his head knowing there was likely more of them Jordon calmly but swiftly winded him with a forceful knee to the gut before taking his gun various symbols and tattoos flashing up in the dimming light as the man dropped to the ground trying to reclaim his composure and breath Jordon stamped on his face breaking his nose and knocking him out Jordon kicked him again before turning back to the apes triumphantly "that answer your question" he chuckled

Caesar grinned and chuckled at Kobas crestfallen expression the chimp clearly didn't know how to react to the mans actions and he didn't get the chance before Jordon raised the gun to point just behind the group "get down their surrounding us" he shouted Caesar grasped the closest apes to him and pulled them to the ground as three loud gunshots echoed through the otherwise silent woods "where are they coming from" Rocket signed to Caesar as Jordon lowered the weapon and came to their side "how far away are the others I don't want to draw these guys to them by mistake" Jordon whispered Koba and the others regarded Jordon suspiciously what he was asking for was sensitive information Caesar however knew Jordon well enough to know that he only wanted to help

"Maurice is moving them deeper into the woods where it's denser brush" Caesar replied as the helicopter above them turned on a flood light "ok we need to move I'm willing to bet these guys aren't cops not with these weapons" Jordon said turning over the gun in his hands Caesar nodded in agreement and gestured for the others to stay close

Twenty five minutes later

Jordon swore as he took cover behind a tree and looked at the bullet box in the gun "shit I'm out of bullets" Jordon said looking at the apes who had taken shelter behind and to the side of him "these are not the humans we faced on the bridge" Rocket signed growing scared as a search light passed over them "yeah no shit these guys are good probably national guard or something" Jordon said as he cast away his gun "we need to get back to the others they're in danger" Caesar grunted as more ground units closed in around them finally Koba and two of the other chimps had lost their patience it was beginning to look like they weren't going to see the other side of this and they refused to go down with out a fight

Jordon Rocket and Caesar had started discussing last ditch attempts to give their pursuers the slip when Koba and Harris lunged head on at an unsuspecting gunman Caesar noticed them barely in time "no" he bellowed too late in the dark the chimps hadn't realised that the man was facing them Harris went down after two shots and Koba froze in fear at the sight of the other bleeding out he would of been killed next had Jordon not jumped in front of him and took the bullets round after round struck Jordon's vest as he pressed himself against the muzzle of the gun taking each round as he wrestled the weapon out of the mans hands

Jordon exclaimed in pain as the clip was emptied the vest barely able to take the rounds before he fell to the ground and smacked his head on a tree root he didn't hear the panicked cries of the apes as Caesar ordered the others to swarm their assailant while he and Koba dragged Jordon out of further harms way

Early hours next morning

Maurice called a halt when a scout signalled the arrival of their leader and what was left of his group relief washed over him until he saw the grim expression followed by the seemingly lifeless body Rocket had over his shoulder the rest of the apes parted to let him through as he swung down to meet the group on the ground in the midst of their wounded Caesar greeted him warmly but with a guilty edge about him that concerned him "what happened" he signed as Rocket rested the body on the ground and came to join them "we were ambushed by the humans lost one" Caesar informed Maurice's face dropped as he looked at the body strangely though the body was a human and still very much alive "whos the human" he asked warily

"Jordon he saved Kobas life took many rounds" Caesar said aloud gesturing to the chimp in question who was staring at Jordon's vest in shock "he still alive" Maurice asked in disbelief Caesar nodded and pointed out the vest covering Jordon's chest "bulletproof vest" he said aloud marvelling at the sound of his own voice Maurice sighed in relief

Over at the compound Mark huffed as he joined his captors for a coffee and a sandwich he was really not happy upon waking up in his prison tent he'd found himself joined by an older woman with sleek red hair brown freckles and bright blue eyes at first he'd taken her for a model but learned a few minutes ago that she was a trainee zoologist determined to return the apes to a life of cages and relentless torment since finding her asleep next to him he had made sure to keep his engagement ring the one tie he had to his future wife and baby in full view of everyone at all times "morning roomie ready for a day of hiking and tracking" she asked joyously Mark rolled his eyes and swigged his coffee wishing he could drown himself in it "no" he huffed irritably sometimes he wondered if this woman was really older than him

"Oh come on it'll be great fun who knows we might even find the apes" the woman gushed again Mark rolled his eyes and took a look around at the mercenaries that were otherwise engaged in conversation that Mark couldn't help but here was about him and the woman "I wonder how their adapting do you think they're able to find food do you think they've stayed together cause I know there was different species" Mark bit his tongue to stop himself from giving Away the fact he was involved in the escape as was his wife this woman was like a child who never stopped asking why "look miss I get your excited and that you chose to be here why you did that is beyond me but anyway your here and unfortunately so am I so I'd appreciate it if you stopped talking and let me drink this coffee in peace cause the last thing I want to be doing right now is think about my kids I mean the apes"

Mark corrected himself before internally beating himself up at the woman's taken aback puzzled expression that he had accidentally brought up his kids reminded him of his newborn daughter and the moment he found them slumped in this very car park surrounded by the apes the fact that Anvil had set up camp in the very spot his child was born felt like a kick in the teeth "I'm confused did you have a connection with the apes" the woman asked Mark choked on his drink it was bad enough the woman wouldn't shut up but now she was openly prying into his personal life with a dirty look he stormed off and went to sit with a pair of mercenaries at a table away from the woman he sat silently tears welling in his eyes as he ran a finger over his ring wishing he had his family close as Travis marched into the centre of the compound and called for attention

"Suite up we move out in two hours" Mark shook his head and focused on his drink

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Editors note: hello to everyone still reading this chapter was a lot of fun to write and I hope you enjoyed reading it more updates coming soon if your new here and haven't read pt 1 of our story it's on my profile so go check it out and let me know what you think see you guys soon 👍🏻❤️