Arctic Revenge:
By: Taralynn Wakelin
The cold wind blew the snow across the frozen landscape as he put his helmet on over his blue hat. After adjusting it and moving a few blond hairs out of his blue eyes, he put his visor down over his face. He put his blue gloves on as he got onto his snowmobile turning it on. Despite the freezing temperatures and blowing snow, he smiled, happy to finally have some free time to have fun after working non-stop since arriving in the Arctic three days earlier with his friends. He loved his job he really did, but he also loved the chance to have fun and unwind. His thoughts were interrupted by his best friend and younger brother joining him dressed for a day in the snow as well.
"Ready?" He asked over his engine.
"Just need to put my helmet on!" His brother answered smiling as he put his green hat on first over his short, brown hair. "This is going to be awesome!" He said with a smile that reached his brown eyes.
"Oh yeah!" He answered as his brother put on his helmet and got onto his own snowmobile turning it on. "Ready now?"
"All set! Let's go!" His brother said smiling as he put his visor down.
Later that afternoon they returned to their camp feeling relaxed and energized again. Being in nature always did that to them, they parked their snowmobiles and got off before they went inside.
"You're back! Have fun?" Their friend Jimmy asked.
"Oh yeah! Nothing like being out in the fresh air to make you feel better!" His brother answered smiling as they took off their outdoor gear.
"Double Trouble have returned!" Their friend Aviva said smiling as she came into the control room with their friend Koki.
"You guys should have come with us!" He said smiling.
"Being outside in the freezing cold and blowing snow isn't my idea of fun!" Jimmy said.
"Yeah, only the Kratt brothers would find that fun!" Koki agreed.
"You hear that Martin?" His brother asked.
"I do Chris!" Martin said smiling.
"I guess they wouldn't like our little surprise then?" Chris said smiling as he winked at him. "Maybe we shouldn't give it to them?"
"Maybe you're right bro!" Martin agreed returning the wink.
"Surprise? What surprise?" Aviva asked.
"Oh nothing! Come on Martin let's go make…"
"Wait! We want our surprise please!" Koki said cutting Chris off, Aviva and Jimmy agreed.
"You'll have to come outside in the freezing cold and blowing snow! Do you still want it?" Martin asked.
"Yes!" Aviva answered. "Come on let's get our gear on!"
10 minutes later all five were outside the brothers stood in front of them smiling as the others looked around for their surprise, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"So…where is it?" Jimmy asked.
"You really want it?" Chris asked.
"Yes we really want it!" Koki answered.
"Alright! Here it is!" Martin said as both brothers threw a snowball at them as they laughed. "You did say you wanted it!"
"Martin and Chris Kratt you know what this means?" Aviva asked as she made a snowball, Koki and Jimmy did too.
"Hey, we were only kidding guys!" Martin said as he backed up Chris doing the same.
"Yeah, it was just a joke!" Chris added.
"Too late! Its war now! FIRE!" Aviva yelled as they threw their snowballs hitting the brothers. "Do you surrender?"
"NEVER!" Both brothers said together as they threw snowballs back.
Meanwhile:
The large, grey jet landed on the frozen, barren landscape without a sound. He smiled as he looked out the window; he had been waiting for this moment for months. He went to his mini bar and made himself a drink before he returned to the window. He ran a hand through his short, black hair as he thought about his reason for being in the Arctic. After months of planning, he was finally putting his plan for revenge into action! His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening behind him; he didn't turn around as he spoke.
"Is everything ready to go?" He questioned.
"Yes sir!" The man answered.
"Good, very good!" He answered as he turned smiling.
"Sir, why are we in the damn Arctic? Couldn't we have…"
"Silence! Why is it you question everything I say and do? Is it because you've lost faith in me?" He demanded as he sat.
"Of course not sir! It's just…I don't understand why we had to come here?" The man said his voice thick with a British accent.
"We're here to do some hunting!"
"Hunting?" The man asked confused.
"We're hunting…Wild Kratts!"
"I get it now! Like I've said before sir, I love how your evil mind works!" The man said smiling.
"I'm glad you approve!"
"Do you want me to gather the crew to begin the hunt?"
"No, let's not forget I'm here to not only get rid of those damn tree huggers, but to also collect my animal specimens!"
"Very good sir, I'll start the radar search immediately!" The man said as he left the room.
Once alone he sat at the table he put his feet up and with his drink in hand he went over his plan again finding no flaws in it! The tree huggers had stopped him once before because he was sloppy, he could admit that now! Being a genius, he had no excuse for lowly insects ruining his plans, so he had spent the last year secluded in his mansion trying to come up with an unstoppable plan! He knew the Wild Ratts weakness was the bond the brothers shared, he needed to find a way to break it and doing that he'd break the Wild Kratts!
Days Later:
The wind picked up, as the snow began to fall heavily Chris took off his jacket grateful they had finished helping a research team tag animals before the storm hit. The research team had left the Arctic and the Wild Kratts team were going to stay in the Arctic another week to keep an eye on the tags. Chris headed into the control room and found Martin looking at Koki's computer, the others off doing their own things.
"Hey bro, how are the tags working?" Chris asked joining him at the computer.
"Looks like they're all working!" Martin answered.
"This calls for a celebratory hot chocolate!" Chris said smiling.
"With extra marshmallows!" Martin agreed as they went into the kitchen.
A half hour later, the brothers were on their way to the Adventure Room to look for their snowboards when Koki called to them from the control room.
"Martin, Chris you need to see this!"
"Can't it wait Koki? We…"
"No, it's important!" She said cutting Chris off.
"What is it?" Martin asked as they joined her at the computer.
"This!" She answered pointing at the monitor.
"What are we looking at?" Chris asked as they starred at the screen.
"Take a look at the polar bears, this was a couple of hours ago." She said typing something into the computer and the screen changed. "All of the 10 bears you tagged are accounted for."
"Okay, so what's the problem?" Martin questioned.
"This came in 15 minutes ago!" Koki said typing again the screen changed.
"There's four unaccounted for!" Chris said.
"That's not all guys! It gets worse!" Koki said.
"It gets worse?" Martin asked.
"It's the same with the wolverines!"
"How many out of the five are missing?" Chris asked.
"Two!" She answered.
"There's no sign of them anywhere?" Martin asked.
"No, it's like they just vanished!" Koki answered checking her maps.
"Okay, we're going to get ready you get us the co-ordinates for the last animal taken. We'll go see if there's any clues that can help us figure out who's taking them and why they want them!" Martin said as they left the room.
After they were done getting ready the brothers were on their way to the control room when Martin's Creature Pod went off, he answered it.
"Guys I have something!" Koki said quickly.
"What is it?" Chris asked.
"Well, I was about to search for the last animal taken when I noticed another tag just go out! I sent the co-ordinates to your pods!" She answered.
"Great! Thanks Koki!" Martin said.
"Be careful guys!" Koki said ending the call.
Later:
After leaving the Tortuga, the brothers drove 15 minutes on their snowmobiles to the location of the last animal taken. When they arrived the wind thankfully had picked up and covered the sound of their vehicles, they decided to go the rest of the way on foot so they parked their snowmobiles and walked to the spot. As they neared, they heard voices and hid behind a large snow pile and peeked around it to see a large cargo truck. The back was open and inside were cages holding the missing animals, they watched as men carried another cage containing a wolverine onto the truck, neither brother recognized the men. Suddenly they heard a voice they'd know anywhere yelling at the men to hurry up and load the cage, they looked at each other as he came into view. The man was tall, towering over his friends, he was muscular resembling a small mountain. There was no mistaking who it was…Carter! Seeing him again the memories rushed back to both brothers, Chris put a hand on Martin's shoulder and spoke.
"You okay?" Chris asked gently.
"I'm fine!" Martin answered his eyes never leaving Carter.
"Well, well, well! What do we have here?" A voice spoke from behind them.
"Carter said you'd come!" Another man said as the brothers turned around.
"Where did you come from?" Chris asked raising his hands in surrender, Martin did the same seeing both men had guns. "We…we never heard you sneak up on us!"
"That's the point of sneaking up on someone idiot! If you heard us it wouldn't have been sneaking!"
"Come on, Carter will want to see you!" One of the men said motioning with his gun for the brothers to start walking.
"Mr. Carter, you were right!" The other man said once they were near the truck. "The tree huggers did come!"
"If it isn't my old mates! How the hell are you boys?" Carter said smiling as he leaned against the truck arms crossed looking at them as he smiled.
"If it isn't the overgrown ape! Learn any new tricks since we last met?" Martin asked.
"Still the comedian huh? I see there was no lasting effects from the venom…shame! I was so hoping you would be suffering!" Carter mocked.
"Still working for Stone?" Chris asked. "Or did you grow up and decide to be a big boy and work alone?"
"Funny, you two lad's are real funny! You know this little reunion just made me realize I've missed having you around!" Carter said smiling as he got off the truck and stood in front of them.
"Why?" Martin questioned.
"This!" Carter said smiling as he punched Martin in the face. "Hold baby brother back now!" Carter ordered pointing at Chris as he walked towards Martin. "Big brother and I have catching up to do!"
"Leave him alone Carter!" Chris yelled as Carter stood in front of Martin.
"Aw, how sweet I see you're still letting your wittle brother do your fighting!" Carter taunted.
"I fight my own battles!" Martin said as he punched Carter in the face.
"Big mistake you little pissant!" Carter said as he rubbed his jaw before he charged Martin.
The fight only lasted 10 minutes, both gave and received hits it ended when Carter tripped Martin and he fell onto his back hard.
"We're done for now Wild Ratts, but it's far from over! Let the little puke go!" Carter ordered his men to release Chris. "See you boys real soon!" Carter said smiling as they got into their truck and left the brothers.
"Martin!" Chris said concerned as he knelt by his brother.
"It's fine Chris, I'm fine!" Martin said as Chris helped him stand.
"Come on let's get back to the Tortuga and get you cleaned up!" Chris said as they made their way back to their snowmobiles, Chris was worried about Carter and Stone's return, but he was more worried about his brother and hoped that Martin wouldn't do anything stupid!
TBC…