## Chapter 1: The Briefing

Dr. Marcus Wei adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. The microphone feedback screeched through the auditorium, making several men in the front row wince. The room quieted down as a hundred pairs of eyes focused on the small Asian man in the lab coat.

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming today," he said, his voice carrying a slight accent. "I am Dr. Marcus Wei, lead researcher of Project Primate Confrontation."

He clicked a remote, and behind him, a large screen illuminated with the project logo - a stylized human silhouette facing off against a gorilla outline.

"You are about to participate in a groundbreaking scientific experiment," Dr. Wei continued. "One that will test the limits of human cooperation and strategy against raw natural power."

In the third row, Mike Donnelly shifted in his uncomfortable plastic chair. He'd answered an online ad promising $500 for participation in a "physical challenge study." Money was tight since the construction company laid him off last month. The ad hadn't mentioned anything about gorillas.

"The experiment is simple in concept," Dr. Wei explained, pacing across the stage. "One hundred unarmed men against a single adult silverback gorilla in a controlled environment."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Next to Mike, a skinny guy with patchy facial hair laughed nervously.

"He's joking, right?" the guy whispered.

Mike shrugged. "For five hundred bucks, I don't even care."

Dr. Wei raised his hands. "Please, I understand your concern. But rest assured, we have extensive safety protocols in place."

Mike noticed Dr. Wei's eyes darted to the side when he mentioned safety protocols. Something about that made his stomach tighten.

"Our facility is equipped with emergency medical teams and tranquilizer systems," Dr. Wei continued. "The experiment will be terminated at the first sign of serious danger."

A large man with a shaved head stood up in the back row. "This can't be legal. You can't make people fight a gorilla!"

Dr. Wei smiled. "Nobody is making anyone do anything, sir. You all volunteered, and you are free to leave at any time." He gestured toward the exit doors. "Though, of course, compensation is only provided to full participants."

The bald man looked around, then slowly sat back down.

Dr. Wei clicked to the next slide, showing a diverse group of men. "You were all carefully selected from various backgrounds and physical capabilities. We have former athletes, military personnel, martial artists, and ordinary civilians with different body types. This diversity is crucial for our research on group dynamics and strategy formation."

Mike knew this was bullshit. He'd just clicked on an ad and filled out a basic health questionnaire. Looking around the room, he saw mostly other working-class guys who probably needed the money just like him. There were a few buff dudes who might've played college sports, but nobody looked like special forces or professional fighters.

"Now, let me introduce you to your opponent," Dr. Wei said, his voice taking on a theatrical quality.

The screen changed to show video footage of an enormous silverback gorilla. The animal moved around a concrete enclosure, occasionally beating its chest. Its muscles rippled under thick black fur as it effortlessly climbed a metal structure.

"This is Kong," Dr. Wei announced. "An 800-pound male silverback, approximately 16 years old, in his physical prime. Though raised in captivity, Kong maintains his natural instincts and strength. He can lift over 1,800 pounds and has a bite force twice that of a lion."

Mike watched the gorilla on screen punch through what looked like a reinforced panel. Jesus Christ, that thing was a monster. What the hell had he signed up for?

"A fully grown silverback gorilla has the strength of roughly twenty adult human males," Dr. Wei continued. "But you have the advantage of numbers and, most importantly, strategic thinking. This experiment will determine if human coordination can overcome sheer animal power."

A man in a flannel shirt raised his hand. "What exactly are we supposed to do? Just tackle it?"

"The objective is to restrain the gorilla without causing serious harm to it or yourselves," Dr. Wei explained. "How you accomplish this is entirely up to you. That's part of what we're studying - human problem-solving and coordination in high-pressure situations."

Mike noticed a few guys exchanging skeptical glances. Some were whispering to each other, probably trying to figure out if this was some elaborate prank. He wondered that himself.

"I'll now play some additional footage of Kong to give you a better understanding of his capabilities," Dr. Wei said, clicking to a new video.

The footage showed Kong moving with surprising speed, charging across his enclosure and leaping several meters into the air. In another clip, he tore a tire in half like it was made of paper. The final clip showed him throwing what looked like a 200-pound dummy across the enclosure.

A heavy silence fell over the room. Mike felt sweat gathering on his forehead. Five hundred dollars suddenly didn't seem like nearly enough.

"Any questions before we move on to team formation?" Dr. Wei asked cheerfully.

At least twenty hands shot up.

A middle-aged man with a receding hairline spoke first. "What happens if someone gets hurt? What kind of medical coverage are you providing?"

"Excellent question," Dr. Wei nodded. "All participants are covered by our institutional insurance for any injuries sustained during the experiment. We have a medical team standing by with trauma specialists."

Another man stood up without waiting to be called on. He was tall with an athletic build and a military-style haircut. "I'm Jason Keller, former Army Ranger. I've got to say, this sounds like a suicide mission. Even with a hundred guys, taking down a healthy silverback without weapons is nearly impossible without casualties."

Several men nodded in agreement.

Dr. Wei's smile tightened. "Mr. Keller, your military experience is precisely why you were selected. This experiment is designed to be challenging, even dangerous to some degree. Otherwise, the data wouldn't be valuable. But I assure you, we can terminate the experiment instantly if things go wrong."

Jason didn't look convinced. "And how exactly do you plan to 'terminate' it when an 800-pound gorilla is ripping somebody's arm off?"

"Our facility is equipped with rapid-deployment tranquilizer systems and physical barriers that can be activated remotely," Dr. Wei replied smoothly. "Kong's safety is also paramount to our research, so these measures are designed to protect both the participants and the gorilla."

Mike watched Dr. Wei's face carefully. The scientist maintained his professional demeanor, but something felt off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he didn't fully believe what the guy was saying.

A younger man with thick glasses raised his hand. "What's the scientific purpose of this experiment? I mean, what are you hoping to learn?"

Dr. Wei seemed relieved by the change in topic. "We're studying several aspects of human behavior. First, how groups organize themselves in crisis situations. Second, how humans leverage their intellectual advantages against a physically superior opponent. And finally, we're examining the biological and psychological responses to extreme stress in a coordinated group effort."

He clicked to a new slide showing a graph. "There's extensive debate in evolutionary biology about how early humans might have handled confrontations with stronger predators. This experiment provides real data on that theoretical question."

Mike didn't buy that explanation either. Something else was going on here. But he kept his mouth shut. He needed that money.

"Alright, now I'd like to introduce a few key members of the research team who will be your coordinators," Dr. Wei said, gesturing to three people sitting in the front row.

They stood up and turned to face the crowd. There was a fit woman in her thirties with her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, an older man with a gray beard, and a younger guy who looked like he spent most of his time in a gym.

"This is Dr. Sarah Chen, our behavioral psychologist," Dr. Wei indicated the woman. "Dr. Robert Gaines, primatologist, and Mr. Tyler Beck, our physical training coordinator."

Dr. Chen stepped forward. "Hello everyone. My role is to observe how you organize yourselves and communicate under pressure. I'll be analyzing leadership emergence and group dynamics during the encounter."

She looked around the room with what seemed like genuine curiosity. Unlike Dr. Wei, she met people's eyes directly.

"I encourage you to begin thinking about how you might organize yourselves. Natural leaders should step forward, but remember that effective teamwork requires both leadership and followership."

Dr. Gaines spoke next, his voice gruff. "I've studied great apes for thirty years. Kong is exceptionally powerful, even for a silverback. His primary instinct will be to establish dominance. He'll target anyone he perceives as challenging him directly. Use that to your advantage."

Tyler Beck stepped up last, clapping his hands together enthusiastically. "Guys, I'm here to help you prepare physically. We've got about two hours before the encounter. We'll run through some basic coordination drills and practice a few restraint techniques. I can't make you strong enough to match a gorilla, but I can help you work together effectively."

Mike noticed several men perking up at this. At least they'd get some training before being thrown to the beast.

Dr. Wei took control of the presentation again. "Now, let's break into smaller groups to begin strategy discussions. I encourage you to share your backgrounds and any relevant skills. The successful restraint of Kong will require combining different approaches."

The room began to buzz as people turned to their neighbors. Mike found himself in a cluster with the skinny guy next to him and three others.

"So, uh, I'm Mike. Construction worker. Pretty strong, I guess, but nothing special."

The skinny guy nodded. "Dave. I work IT for a bank. Definitely not strong, but I'm fast. I ran track in high school."

A muscular Black man in his late twenties joined their circle. "Andre. Personal trainer. I've got some MMA experience, but nothing that prepared me for fighting a damn gorilla." He laughed, but it sounded strained.

"Rick. Firefighter," said a solid-looking guy with a red beard. "Used to wrestling heavy things and people who don't want to be moved."

The last guy in their group was older, maybe mid-fifties with salt and pepper hair. "Name's Paul. I was a veterinary technician for twenty years. Worked with some large animals, though nothing like a gorilla."

They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment.

"So, any ideas how to take down an 800-pound ape?" Andre finally asked.

Rick scratched his beard. "Numbers are our only advantage. We need to coordinate. Maybe form a circle and close in gradually? If we can grab all four limbs at once, we might have a chance."

Dave shook his head. "Did you see that video? That thing can throw a grown man like a ragdoll. We need something better than just rushing it."

Paul spoke up. "With large animals, going for the eyes is effective. Temporarily blind it, then restrain the limbs. But someone has to get close enough first, and that's suicide."

Mike looked around the room. Other groups were having similar discussions, some more animated than others. He spotted Jason Keller, the ex-Ranger, drawing something on a piece of paper while five or six guys watched intently.

A commotion near the front of the room caught Mike's attention. Dr. Wei was showing something on a tablet to a smaller group. Mike moved closer to hear what they were saying.

"Kong's enclosure is approximately forty by forty feet, with concrete walls fifteen feet high," Dr. Wei explained. "There are multiple angles of attack, but also limited space for maneuvering. You'll need to be efficient and coordinated."

A tall, lanky man in the group pointed at something on the screen. "What about these support columns? Can we use them somehow?"

Dr. Wei nodded. "Potentially. The environment can be utilized strategically, but remember that Kong knows his enclosure well. He may use vertical space more effectively than you."

Mike drifted back to his group, processing what he'd heard. The enclosure was smaller than he expected. That meant less room to run if things went bad.

After about twenty minutes of discussions, Dr. Wei called for everyone's attention again.

"I see some excellent strategizing happening. Now, we'd like to identify any natural leaders who've emerged. Would those who have taken charge of your planning please come to the front?"

About ten men made their way forward, including Jason Keller and a few other confident-looking guys. Mike stayed put with his group. Leadership wasn't his thing, especially not when it involved potentially being the first target for a rampaging gorilla.

Dr. Wei had the self-appointed leaders introduce themselves and briefly explain their backgrounds. Besides Keller, there was a former college football player, a bouncer, two guys with military experience, a rock climbing instructor, a construction foreman, and a few others with various physical jobs.

"Excellent," Dr. Wei said after they'd all spoken. "These individuals will serve as your team captains. We'll divide you into ten groups of ten, each led by one of these gentlemen. The groups will have specific roles during the encounter."

The division happened quickly. Mike ended up in Jason Keller's group, which he figured was probably a good thing. The ex-Ranger seemed to know what he was talking about.

Once the groups were formed, Tyler Beck took over to run them through some basic coordination exercises. They practiced moving in formation, creating human chains, and basic takedown techniques. It was clear from the start that some guys were taking this more seriously than others.

"Listen up!" Jason called to their group. "Our best chance is to be decoys. We distract the gorilla while other teams move in from behind. We need to be quick and not get caught. Anyone not comfortable with that can switch teams now."

Nobody moved. Whether from pride or resignation, they were all in.

After the training session, which Mike found woefully inadequate for the task ahead, Dr. Wei called them all back together.

"It's almost time, gentlemen. Before we proceed to the preparation area, I need you all to sign these final consent forms."

Assistants moved through the crowd distributing tablets with digital forms. Mike scrolled through his quickly, not really reading the dense legal text. It probably said they couldn't sue if they got killed. At this point, he just wanted to get it over with.

He signed and passed the tablet back, noticing that a few men were reading the forms more carefully, their faces growing increasingly concerned.

One of them, a middle-aged guy with glasses, raised his hand. "This waiver says you're not liable even in case of 'catastrophic injury or death resulting from equipment failure.' What equipment are you talking about? I thought this was just us versus the gorilla."

Dr. Wei waved dismissively. "Standard legal language. It refers to the safety systems I mentioned earlier. Nothing to be concerned about."

The man didn't look convinced but signed anyway.

As the last forms were collected, Dr. Wei directed them toward a set of double doors at the back of the room.

"Through these doors is the preparation area. You'll be provided with minimal protective gear - not enough to significantly impede your movement or Kong's ability to sense you, but enough to prevent minor injuries. From there, you'll proceed to the encounter arena."

The crowd moved slowly toward the doors. Mike felt his heart racing as he joined the flow of men. This was really happening. He was about to face off against a gorilla with ninety-nine other desperate guys for five hundred bucks.

As they filed through the doors, monitors mounted on the wall showed live feed from Kong's holding pen. The massive silverback was pacing back and forth, occasionally charging at the walls and beating his chest. He looked agitated, as if he sensed what was coming.

Mike stared at the screen, watching those massive arms that could tear a man in half, those powerful jaws that could crush bone. For the first time since arriving, he seriously considered walking out. No amount of money was worth getting killed.

But as he looked around at the determined faces of the men around him, some scared, some excited, some resigned, he kept moving forward with the crowd. They were all in this together now.

The double doors closed behind them with a heavy metallic thud. There was no going back.