# Chapter 2: The Encounter

The preparation area was a large, sterile room lined with metal lockers. The smell of disinfectant hung in the air. Tyler Beck stood at the center, flanked by assistants carrying boxes of equipment.

"Gather round, guys!" Tyler called out. "We've got protective gear for everyone."

Mike shuffled forward with the others. His palms were sweaty, and his heart wouldn't stop racing. The assistants began distributing what looked like lightweight sports padding—the kind football players wore under their uniforms.

"This is it?" Andre asked next to him. "This wouldn't protect us from an angry chihuahua, let alone a gorilla."

Tyler overheard and smiled tightly. "The padding is just for minor impacts. Nothing is going to save you from a direct hit from Kong. That's why you need to work as a team."

Mike pulled the padding over his clothes. It covered his chest, back, shoulders, and thighs, but felt distressingly thin. They also received padded gloves and what looked like bicycle helmets.

Jason Keller inspected his gear with obvious disapproval. "This is a joke," he muttered to his team. "Remember what I said—we're decoys. Don't try to be heroes. Quick movements, stay away from those hands."

A woman's voice came over the intercom. "Teams, please assemble at your designated entry points. The encounter will begin in five minutes."

Mike looked at the large digital clock on the wall: 3:55 PM. In five minutes, they'd be facing an 800-pound killing machine.

"Hey," said Dave, the skinny IT guy, adjusting his helmet. "If I don't make it, tell my World of Warcraft guild I died with honor."

Despite everything, Mike laughed. "Sure thing, buddy."

The teams organized themselves according to the plan they had hastily developed. Mike's group with Jason would enter from the east entrance and draw Kong's attention. Three teams would spread out as distractors, while the remaining six would attempt to surround and restrain the gorilla once it was engaged.

Dr. Wei appeared at a doorway, clipboard in hand. "Gentlemen, observation cameras will be monitoring your every move. Remember your training, work together, and you can succeed. The doors will open on my signal."

Easy for him to say, Mike thought. He wasn't about to face down an angry gorilla.

The final minutes ticked by in tense silence. Some men prayed quietly. Others did quick stretches or bounced on their toes. Mike just tried to keep his breakfast down.

"Doors opening in ten seconds," announced the female voice. "Nine... eight..."

Jason gathered their team closer. "Stay sharp. Move fast. Don't die."

"...three... two... one."

Heavy metal doors slid open with a hydraulic hiss. Bright lights flooded Mike's vision as he stepped forward with his team into what looked like a concrete arena.

The enclosure was smaller than Mike had imagined—maybe fifty feet across, with high walls topped by observation windows. He spotted researchers watching from behind the glass. The floor was covered in a layer of sand, with scattered rocks and a few artificial trees bolted to the ground. A large tire swing hung from one corner.

And there was Kong.

The silverback sat in the center of the arena, hunched over what looked like a pile of fruit. He was even larger in person than in the videos, his black fur gleaming under the bright lights, the distinctive silver patch across his broad back catching the light with each movement of his massive shoulders.

At first, Kong seemed uninterested in the humans entering his space. He continued eating, occasionally glancing toward the invasion with what looked almost like boredom.

"Spread out," Jason whispered to their team. "Slowly."

They began fanning out along their side of the enclosure. Mike could see the other teams entering from different points, creating a loose circle around the gorilla. Kong still hadn't moved, but his eyes were tracking them now, more alert.

"Hey!" shouted one of the men from another team, waving his arms. "Hey, over here!"

Mike winced. That wasn't part of the plan.

Kong's head snapped toward the shouter. The gorilla rose to his full height—easily six feet tall on his hind legs, but his enormous arms made him seem much larger. He sniffed the air and let out a low, rumbling growl that Mike felt in his chest.

"Stay calm," Jason said. "Keep moving to position."

The gorilla dropped back to all fours and began circling, mirroring the humans' movement. His knuckles left deep impressions in the sand. Everyone froze, creating a tense standoff.

Then one of the men stumbled backward, losing his balance.

Kong charged.

The gorilla moved with shocking speed, covering twenty feet in seconds. The man who had fallen scrambled backward, screaming. Two others broke formation and ran.

"Hold positions!" Jason shouted, but panic was already spreading.

Kong reached the fallen man, but instead of attacking, he reared up and beat his chest with a thunderous display. The sound echoed off the concrete walls. The message was clear: this was his territory.

When the display didn't scatter the intruders, Kong grabbed the frightened man by the leg. Mike heard a sickening crack followed by agonized screaming. The gorilla flung the injured man aside like a rag doll.

"Move in! Groups three and five, now!" shouted someone—probably one of the other team leaders.

About twenty men rushed forward, attempting to surround Kong while he was focused on his first victim. But the gorilla was faster than any of them predicted. He spun around, catching one man with a sweeping arm that sent him flying into three others.

Mike watched in horror as Kong bit down on another man's shoulder. The man's screams cut through the chaos, then abruptly stopped as he went into shock. Kong threw him aside and roared, charging at another group.

"This is madness," Dave whispered beside Mike. "We need to get out of here."

But there was nowhere to go. The entry doors had sealed behind them. They were trapped with the rampaging gorilla.

Jason grabbed Mike's shoulder. "Listen up. The original plan won't work. He's too aggressive. We need to use the trees. Get him to chase some of us while others drop on him from above."

Mike stared at Jason like he was insane. "Drop on him? From there?" He pointed at the artificial trees.

"Got a better idea?" Jason asked, already moving. "Spread the word to the others. I need ten volunteers to be climbers."

Mike hesitated, then began moving along the wall, trying to stay as far from Kong as possible. The gorilla was engaged with another group, swatting men aside with terrifying ease. Already there were at least a dozen injured on the ground, some moving, others frighteningly still.

"New plan," Mike told each person he passed. "We need climbers to drop on him from the trees."

Some nodded grimly. Others looked at him like he was crazy. But as Kong continued his rampage, desperation won out. Mike saw men beginning to position themselves near the artificial trees, waiting for their chance.

Kong seemed to be growing more agitated rather than tiring. He charged at random, sometimes stopping to beat his chest or vocalize. When he got hold of someone, the results were devastating. Mike saw one man's arm bent at an impossible angle, bone protruding through skin.

Then came a coordinated shout from across the arena.

"Hey! Over here!"

Three men were wildly waving and jumping near the far wall. Kong paused, then charged toward them with frightening speed. The men scattered at the last second, but one wasn't fast enough. Kong caught him by the waist and slammed him into the ground. The man went limp instantly.

But the distraction worked. While Kong was focused on his new victim, two men dropped from one of the artificial trees onto his back.

Kong roared in surprise, reaching back to grab at the men clinging to his fur. One managed to wrap his arms around the gorilla's neck while the other locked his legs around Kong's torso.

"Now!" Jason shouted. "Everyone in!"

A wave of men rushed forward, aiming for Kong's limbs. Some grabbed at his legs while others tried to control his arms. For a moment, it looked like it might work—there were at least fifteen men on the gorilla, weighing him down.

Then Kong went berserk.

With a roar that seemed to shake the entire enclosure, he thrashed violently, throwing off men in all directions. The man on his neck went flying into the wall with a sickening thud. Kong caught another by the head and squeezed. Mike looked away but couldn't block out the horrible sound.

"Regroup!" Jason commanded, somehow keeping his voice steady. "Formation three!"

Men scrambled to comply, but the cohesion they'd briefly achieved was shattered. Kong was moving too fast, attacking too fiercely. He seemed to be everywhere at once, a black blur of fur and muscle.

Mike pressed himself against the wall, trying to become invisible. Next to him, Dave was hyperventilating.

"We're all going to die," Dave whispered. "He's killing us one by one."

"Dr. Wei!" someone screamed from across the arena. "Stop this! Use the tranquilizers!"

But no tranquilizer darts came. The researchers continued to watch from behind their glass walls as Kong grabbed another man and hurled him bodily into a group of others.

Mike counted at least twenty men down, maybe more. Some weren't moving at all. Others were crawling toward the walls, leaving trails of blood in the sand. The screams and shouts created a cacophony that seemed to drive Kong into an even greater frenzy.

Then, from amid the chaos, came a new voice—calm, authoritative.

"Everyone freeze!"

It was a heavyset man Mike didn't recognize. He stood still in the center of the arena, making direct eye contact with Kong.

"Don't move, don't run, don't shout," the man said, his voice carrying across the enclosure. "Movement triggers his predator response."

Remarkably, many men complied, going still where they stood. Kong paused in his rampage, nostrils flaring as he studied this new development.

"I worked with great apes at San Diego," the man continued, never breaking eye contact with Kong. "Silverbacks respond to confidence and submission signals. Keep your eyes down, make yourself small."

Mike watched in disbelief as the man slowly crouched, lowering his gaze. Kong approached cautiously, circling the submissive human. The gorilla grunted and made short charges that stopped just short of the man, testing him.

For a tense minute, it seemed like it might work. Kong's aggression appeared to decrease slightly as more men followed the example, crouching and avoiding direct eye contact.

Then someone panicked.

A man near one of the trees made a break for it, running full speed toward the sealed door. Kong's head snapped toward the movement. In an instant, the gorilla was charging after him.

"No! Stay still!" the heavyset man shouted, but it was too late.

Kong caught the runner in three bounds, grabbing him by the torso and slamming him repeatedly into the ground. When he finished, the man lay motionless in a growing pool of red.

The momentary calm shattered. Men began running in all directions again. Kong returned to his rampage, seeminglyenergized by the renewed chaos.

"We need a new approach," Jason said, suddenly beside Mike. "The zoologist had the right idea, but we can't get everyone to cooperate."

Mike nodded numbly. "What do we do?"

Jason's eyes scanned the arena. "We need to tire him out. Gorillas have explosive strength but limited endurance. If we can keep him chasing without catching for long enough, we might have a chance."

He quickly gathered those nearby and explained the plan. They would take turns drawing Kong's attention with quick movements, always staying just out of reach and close to walls where they could dodge.

It was dangerous—suicidally so—but it made more sense than trying to overpower the beast directly.

"Three-minute shifts," Jason said. "Team one starts, then team two, and so on. The rest conserve energy and help the wounded when possible."

They put the plan into action immediately. Jason's team went first, spreading out and taking turns darting into Kong's field of vision, then retreating before the gorilla could close in.

Kong seemed confused by this new tactic. He would chase one man, only to have another draw his attention from a different direction. His charges became shorter, less committed, as if he was trying to understand the pattern.

After three grueling minutes, during which two more men went down despite their caution, the second team took over. Mike's team was third, and he spent his waiting time trying to control his terror.

"It's working," Dave whispered beside him. "Look, he's breathing harder."

Mike observed Kong closely. The gorilla was indeed showing signs of fatigue. His massive chest heaved more noticeably, and his charges lacked their initial explosive power.

When it was their team's turn, Mike found himself moving on autopilot. He darted forward, yelled to get Kong's attention, then scrambled away as the gorilla lumbered toward him. His heart threatened to burst from his chest each time those powerful arms came within feet of grabbing him.

One member of their team wasn't quick enough. Kong caught him by the arm and yanked. The man's scream was cut short as Kong flung him across the arena. Mike forced himself to keep moving, to stick to the plan even as his teammate lay unmoving.

By the time all teams had cycled through twice, Kong was visibly tiring. His movements were slower, his recovery time between charges longer. But the humans were exhausted too, and their numbers had dwindled alarmingly.

Mike did a quick count during a moment of relative calm. He spotted roughly sixty men still on their feet. The rest were either injured on the ground or... he didn't want to think about the others.

Jason gathered the remaining team leaders. "He's weakening. Time for the final phase. We go all at once, from all directions. Not to wrestle him down—that didn't work—but to exhaust him completely. Quick approaches, quick retreats, no one stays in range for more than a second."

It was their best chance. Kong was powerful but showing clear signs of fatigue. His legendary strength couldn't last forever.

The remaining men spread out in a wide circle. Jason raised his hand, then dropped it sharply.

They moved as one, darting toward Kong from all directions. The gorilla spun in confusion, unable to focus on a single threat. He lunged at one group, but they retreated before he could connect, while another group moved in from behind.

For five exhausting minutes, they kept up the pressure. Kong's movements grew increasingly sluggish. His charges became halfhearted. When he did catch someone, his grip lacked its earlier crushing power.

"He's almost done," Jason called out. "One more push!"

The men summoned their remaining energy for a final coordinated effort. From all sides they darted in and out, keeping Kong in constant motion, never giving him a moment to rest.

The gorilla sat down heavily, his massive chest heaving. He still swatted at anyone who came too close, but there was less force behind it.

"Now," Jason commanded. "Groups one through four, on my signal."

About twenty-five men positioned themselves, tensing for the command. Kong watched them warily, too exhausted to charge but still dangerous.

"Now!"

They rushed in together. Kong roared and swung his arms, catching two men and throwing them aside. But the others reached him, grabbing his limbs and pushing him backward.

Kong fought fiercely despite his exhaustion. He caught one man by the head and would have crushed it if three others hadn't pried his fingers loose. He bit deep into another's thigh, drawing a scream of agony.

But there were too many humans now, and the gorilla was too tired. For every man Kong threw off, two more took his place. They targeted his limbs specifically, avoiding the deadly hands and powerful jaw.

Slowly, inevitably, they forced Kong onto his back.

"Secure his arms!" Jason shouted. "Watch the legs!"

Men piled on, using their combined weight to pin the thrashing gorilla. Kong bucked and twisted, his strength still formidable even in exhaustion. Three men went flying as he made a desperate effort to free one arm.

Mike found himself grabbing one of Kong's wrists alongside Dave and two others. The gorilla's fur was coarse under his hands, the muscles beneath like steel cables. Even with four of them, they could barely control the limb as Kong fought to break free.

Slowly, agonizingly, they subdued him. Four men on each arm, six on each leg, and more across his torso. Kong continued to struggle, but with diminished strength.

"We've done it," someone said with disbelief. "We've actually done it."

As if in answer, Kong gave a mighty heave, throwing off three men from his chest. But others quickly took their place, piling on with desperate determination.

"Everyone hold!" Jason commanded. "Maintain positions!"

Mike's muscles screamed with effort as Kong strained against their hold. Sweat poured down his face, stinging his eyes. Next to him, Dave grunted with exertion, his skinny frame trembling with the effort of helping restrain the massive wrist.

For several minutes, they maintained this precarious control, Kong gradually weakening beneath them. The gorilla's chest heaved with exertion, his eyes rolling with fury and what Mike thought might be fear.

Then, finally, a hissing sound came from above as multiple darts shot into Kong's exposed shoulders and neck. Tranquilizer darts from the ceiling-mounted systems Dr. Wei had mentioned.

"About damn time," Jason muttered, still maintaining his grip on Kong's arm.

It took several minutes for the tranquilizers to take full effect. Kong's struggles gradually weakened, his massive body relaxing by degrees. Even after the gorilla's eyes closed, no one dared release their hold until Dr. Wei's voice came over the speakers.

"Well done, gentlemen. Kong is fully sedated. You may release him now."

Cautiously, exhausted men peeled themselves away from the unconscious gorilla. Mike let go of the wrist he'd been helping to control and collapsed backward onto the sand, his entire body trembling from adrenaline and exertion.

Only now did he fully register the carnage around them. The arena floor was scattered with injured men. Medical teams in white uniforms rushed in through newly opened doors, heading for the most severely wounded first.

Mike did another count. There were roughly fifty-six men still standing, many of them injured to some degree. The rest lay on the ground—some moving and groaning, others terrifyingly still.

Dr. Wei entered the arena flanked by security personnel. He looked around with an expression that Mike couldn't quite read—was it satisfaction? Concern? Scientific interest?

"Congratulations on your successful restraint of Kong," Dr. Wei announced, his voice echoing in the now-quiet arena. "This is a remarkable achievement that will advance our understanding of human cooperation under extreme conditions."

Jason Keller stormed up to him, blood streaming from a cut above his eye. "People are dead, you bastard! Where were the safety measures you promised?"

Dr. Wei stepped back, security moving between him and Jason. "The safety protocols worked exactly as designed. The tranquilizer system activated once Kong was successfully restrained, as per experimental parameters."

"You said it would activate if things went wrong!" someone shouted from the crowd.

Dr. Wei smiled thinly. "And they didn't go wrong. You succeeded. The objective was always to test if one hundred men could subdue a gorilla without weapons. You've proven that it's possible, albeit with significant casualties."

Mike staggered to his feet, looking around at the wounded and the dead. This had never been about safety or science. It had been about seeing what would happen, regardless of the human cost.

Dave appeared beside him, clutching his ribs. "This is insane. We need to get out of here."

Medical teams continued to work on the injured, loading the worst cases onto stretchers. The dead—Mike counted at least fifteen bodies that weren't moving at all—were being covered with white sheets.

"Gentlemen, if the uninjured would please proceed to the debriefing room," Dr. Wei called out, gesturing toward an open doorway. "We have some questions about your experience, and of course, your compensation is waiting."

Mike looked at the door, then at the men around him. Some were already moving toward the exit, apparently eager to collect their money and put this nightmare behind them. Others stood their ground, angry and traumatized.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Jason declared loudly. "This was criminal."

Dr. Wei's smile didn't waver. "As you wish, Mr. Keller. But I should remind everyone that you signed comprehensive waivers. This was a voluntary experiment with disclosed risks."

"Disclosed risks?" Andre shouted, his arm hanging at an unnatural angle. "You didn't disclose that people would die!"

"The consent form specifically mentioned the possibility of serious injury or death," Dr. Wei replied calmly. "Now, shall we proceed? Or would you prefer to forfeit your compensation?"

Mentioned it in the fine print, more like, Mike thought bitterly. But he found himself moving toward the door with the others. He needed that money, now more than ever after what he'd just been through.

As they filed out, Mike glanced back at Kong. The tranquilized gorilla lay surrounded by medical personnel who were checking his vital signs. They seemed more concerned about the animal's wellbeing than the human casualties.

Dr. Wei's voice followed them: "After a short break and medical treatment for minor injuries, we'll prepare for the second phase of the experiment."

Mike stopped dead in his tracks. "Second phase?"

Dr. Wei smiled. "Of course. We've established that fifty-six men can subdue one gorilla when it's fatigued. Now we need to determine if that same number can do it when the gorilla is fresh."

A stunned silence fell over the group. Then, surprisingly, Mike heard several men—including Jason Keller—laugh darkly.

"You know what? Bring it on," Jason said, wiping blood from his face. "We know what we're doing now. Round two will go differently."

Around him, the other survivors nodded grimly. They'd paid a terrible price for their knowledge, but they had learned how to fight a gorilla. And they weren't beaten yet.