Our story pt2

Chapter 10: Time is never your friend

"SFPD stop where you are" Caesar growled defensively as he jumped back avoiding a warning shot that had been fired perilously close to his feet "watch out" Becky called over the noise as more and more shots were fired It felt like years before they finally dived for cover on the other side of the police blockade "we gotta lose these cops or they'll follow us" Beth stated as they gathered close together to shelter each other "yeah no shit" Trish and Caesar said in unison as Trish banged her head on the side of the marked car that formed a section of the barricade "I'll cover you while you make it across the bridge when they stop to reload that's when you all need to run like a bat out of hell" Trish said as she pulled a handgun from the back waistband of her trousers

"What no we're not just going to leave you what about the baby" Becky protested as Trish cocked the gun and turned over to face their attackers "go ill stay with her we're running out of time" Caesar growled pushing Becky and the others toward the woods there was a second of hesitation before the shooting stopped and they realised how close the police had got "go before they get on top of us" Trish bellowed as shots began ringing out again with long hesitant looks back at Caesar and Trish the five apes and two human women made a desperate run across the bridge that was slowly being consumed by the evening fog "there's too many of them" Caesar signed as Trish ducked down to reload while more police arrived "I know" Trish agreed as she set her weapon down and checked on her baby the child had not stopped crying since they started running and her terrified eyes broke Trish's heart

Frowning Caesar rested his calloused hand on his adoptive mother's shoulder the cries of his human sister battering at his conscience "go ill hold them off she needs you" Caesar signed gently stroking the baby's soft head to their relief she stopped crying and shifted in the carrier curious eyes gazed blearily at the furry palm above her head "SFPD come out with your hands up" a voice called over the screaming of terrified bystanders "Caesar you have to take her take her and run I'll meet you on the other side of the bridge" Trish said as she began unclipping her daughter from her chest Caesar shook his head and grasped her hands in shock "I won't leave you" he grunted as Trish ran her thumb over his knuckles "if you don't they'll kill us both and then Sofia will have no one" Caesar wanted to protest but they were out of time shaking his head he took the human woman in his arms and embraced her tightly before wrapping the baby in his free arm while grabbing as many food bags as he could carry

"I'll buy you some time go" Trish said as she crouched and prepared to stand up throwing herself at the mercy of the police Caesar held her gaze and waited till the very last second before reluctantly running for his and his human sisters lives praying his mother would make it back unharmed "don't shoot I stand down" Trish pleaded as she rose her hands above her head stepping around the side of the car thinking of nothing but buying time for her children to escape "is there anyone else behind the car" the chief of police asked as an officer came forward with a pair of hand cuffs "no no I'm alone I don't know where the others are I lost them" Trish lied as she shot a desperate look back at her sons retreating back as he ran through the growing fog with her daughter a slight smile crept on her face as she realised they had made it to safety

Caesar and Sofia made it half way across the bridge when the guilt of leaving their mother behind caught up to them weighed down by four bags of stolen fruit and a three week old baby Caesar stood to his full height and gathered his options in front of him sat his friends and own kind who were depending on him to keep them alive and safe whereas behind him was the one woman who had never let him down the one woman who had stuck by him since the day he was born