Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: The Official Movie Novelization

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Caesar’s offer was not without conditions, as it turned out. Number one was that Carver be removed.

“How about we just put him in the truck until we’re done?” Malcolm suggested. Caesar went along with this, as long as there was no way for Carver to take the truck back to San Francisco himself. This made sense to Malcolm. Who knew what stories Carver would spin if he made it back without the rest of them? He would have a hundred men with rifles marching up the valley within a day.

So when he came back to camp with Ellie and a dozen or so apes—including Luca the gorilla—he immediately addressed his top priority.

“Carver,” he said, “pack up your shit and get out of here. Foster, you mind helping him back to the truck?”

“What?” Carver was incredulous.

Foster picked up Carver’s toolbox and shoved it into his gut so Carver had to grab it.

“Malcolm’s trying to keep you alive, asshole. And he’s trying to get electricity back on in the Colony so we can take a hot shower for the first time in ten years.” Then he pointed. “Walk.”

Carver took in the hostile glares from the assembled apes. Malcolm had never considered the possibility that he would just refuse to go, but for a moment it looked like that was exactly what was going to happen. Then Carver started walking. He also started talking.

“This is bullshit!” he said as he got to the edge of the camp.

“You knew the deal,” Malcolm said. “You broke it. You’re lucky to be alive. Now shut up.”

“I don’t take orders from monkeys!” Carver screamed, but he kept going, limping away into the woods with Foster next to him carrying the rest of his gear.

Poor Foster, Malcolm thought. He’s going to get an earful all the way back. Then he turned to Caesar. “Okay?”

The chimpanzee leader nodded, and signaled to the assembled apes. They came forward and picked up all the gear and tools they could lay their hands on.

“Oh,” Malcolm said. He hadn’t expected this. “Okay. Thank you.”

Alexander was watching the apes work, awed by what he was seeing. The orangutan from the day before slowed down as it passed him with an armload of gear. Alexander started to back away, but Malcolm saw him figure out that the orangutan was looking at the comic book in Alexander’s hand. Boy and orangutan looked at each other. Then the orangutan moved on, getting back to work, and Alexander stood even more amazed.

Malcolm wondered if the orangutan was a comic-book fan. It wasn’t impossible. People gave apes all kinds of stuff in the shelters and sanctuaries, not to mention the labs. But it was a question for later. Right then, there was work to do, and fast. One day was a tight schedule, even with an ape labor force to count on.