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The Blood Apes were coming for their sacrifice! The grunts and slapping sounds grew louder. They would be here soon, and Bones had nowhere near enough bullets to take them all down. They had to get out of here.
The Noble Ape began to vocalize, but it was not the angry bellow of before. It carried a pleading tone. The ape beckoned him forward.
“We can’t leave him here,” Bones said.
Pepsy let out a low moan. “It will kill us, Mister Bone.”
“He let us go once before. I don’t think he means to hurt us.” Bones locked eyes with the gorilla. A bad idea in most cases, but he could see the intelligence in the giant ape’s eyes. Before he could change his mind, he headed for the cell.
“Are you sure about this?” Mack asked, falling in beside him.
“No, but if I were a betting man, and I am, this is the play I would make.”
“Me too,” she said. “I figure we’re probably going to die anyway, so a little added karma won’t go amiss.”
Pepsy began to whimper.
“If you don’t like it, the way out is that way.” Bones pointed to the corridor on the other side of the cavern. “At least I hope it’s the way out, or else we’re all really screwed.”
“I will stay,” Pepsy said. He held his machete out in front of him like a rapier and turned to face the passageway that led back to the temple.
They hurried over to the cell. The ape, seeming to sense their hesitation, backed away from the bars and let out a low grunt.
“Here goes nothing,” Bones said.
“I get the feeling you say that a lot,” Mack replied.
A thick beam of mahogany barred the cell door. At one end, beyond the reach of any prisoner, an iron pin fastened the beam to the stone wall. Bones removed the pin and he and Mack tried to work it free. It barely moved. The gorilla bellowed.
“We’re working on it!” Bones snapped. “We aren’t as strong as you guys.”
As if understanding, the ape came to the front of the cell. The entire scene was so surreal that neither Bones nor Mack flinched. The ape seized hold of the bar and pushed. Because of the narrow bars, he could only budge it an inch, but it made all the difference. Once the wooden beam, worn smooth with age, began sliding, Bones and Mack were able to remove it. Bones took a deep breath and opened the door.
The Noble Ape scrambled out of the cell on all fours and shot across the cavern. He stopped at the corridor that led out, turned, and bellowed.
“Was that a thank you?” Mack asked.
The gorilla bellowed again and pointed with his lips toward the exit.
“I think it’s an invitation. Let’s go.”
The trio took off, following the Noble Ape up the passageway. Behind them, the noise of the approaching Blood Apes grew louder. It wouldn’t be long before they discovered their sacrifice was missing. And there was only one direction they could run.
The tunnel twisted and turned, slowing their progress. The gorilla could move much faster than the humans, but the narrow corridor slowed him down enough for Bones to keep him in sight.
“It can’t be much farther, can it?” Mack said.
“I think we’re well beyond the walls of the crater, and we’ve been climbing for a while.”
More shrieks and howls rang out, seemingly right behind them. The Blood Apes were closing in. Pepsy yelped but kept running.
“Tell me we’re going to make it,” Mack said.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got your back,” Bones said. He was wondering how long it would be before he was forced to make a last stand.
Finally, he saw a glimmer of light up ahead, caught a whiff of fresh air. They were almost back to the surface!
They sprinted up a narrowing corridor and broke out into a steep-sided box canyon. The walls sloped in on all sides, and the jungle hung over the edges, leaving only a small circle of angry gray sky visible. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled.
“What are those?” Mack panted.
In alcoves high on the canyon walls were what looked like giant bird’s nests. Chimpanzees and other great apes built their dens, called “nests,” in the boughs of trees. There was only low growth in this canyon, so the Blood Apes had utilized rock overhangs.
“I think we’re trespassing in their neighborhood,” he said.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked, eyes wide with terror.
“I was just thinking how much this reminds me of the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings.”
“Why is that funny?”
“It’s a new species so it needs a new name. Like the Ape-nasazi.”
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”
They reached the opposite wall of the canyon. The Noble Ape stopped and pointed to handholds carved in the rock. Pepsy didn’t have to be told twice. He immediately began climbing.
Behind them, the high-pitched cries of the Blood Apes rang out. Bones whirled around. A half dozen emerged into the canyon. They paused for a moment, then the leader spotted Bones and the others. The creature let out a howl and pounded his chest. It grunted something to its companions. One of them plunged back into the tunnel while the rest took off in pursuit of the fleeing intruders.
“Well, damn,” Bones said, watching as they barreled toward him. He drew his Glock then patted his pocket to find the spare magazine. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Mack had begun to climb. But the apes were closing in fast. Too fast.
“Bonebrake! What are you doing?” Mack shouted.
“Remember Plan B?” he asked, his voice dull.
“You fight; we run? Dammit, Bonebrake. Don’t be a hero.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Bones said. “I’ll catch up.”