It doesn't take long to find the giant metal turtle. They were never any good at hiding it. Especially when its metal plates shone like a beacon in the midday sun. He crept up to the door, and was delighted to find it unguarded. In fact, the security computer on the door scanned him and opened without a hitch. This was going to be too easy. He still had to be careful though. He knew there was a good possibility of his brother being on board.

The control room was in standby mode, and all the lights were out. It was quiet except for the gentle hum on the computers. As he walked past the table, he could see documents and maps relating to India. There was even a few photographs mixed in. One was of Donita's mansion where he was staying. Chris had obviously filled them in to his whereabouts. He grinned, imagining them trying to storm the building. It was something he found himself looking forward to. Donita would crush them like ants.

A quick glance in his brother's room, and the medical bay for good measure, confirmed he wasn't here. Martin didn't realise he had been so tense up until then. He laughed to himself and ran a nervous hand through his hair. What was going on with him?

He descended the stairs to the lower section of the ship, where the labs and storage rooms were. If there was time, maybe he would raid them for supplies to fix his creature power suit later. He walked past them and in to the room where the power core was located. Again, completely unguarded. With no lights on, the room practically glowed from the power of the tellurium crystals.

There were currently 5 shards of crystal floating in the core. He had a faint memory try to surface… something about snakes? It was gone in the fog before he could think more on it. No matter. It was time to pull the plug. He reached forward and grabbed the largest crystal. As his fingers closed around it, the energy from the beam arced up his arm. Every muscle in his body went rigid and he was thrown back. He landed a few feet away and sat for a moment dazed and confused. He wouldn't be surprised if there was smoke coming out of his ears. "Well, that was stupid." Martin chided himself.

"I'd have to agree." Someone spoke from behind. When he pulled himself back up, he spied a figure in the doorway. It was Chris, of course, who had indeed been left behind. If it was to guard the Tortuga, he was doing a pretty average job, Martin thought as he gripped the tellurium crystal in his hand. Maybe he wasn't much of a guard, but twice now Chris had managed to sneak up on him.

Martin didn't feel ready to deal with his brother again, especially one-on-one. However, when he got a good look at him, he understood why he had been left behind. There was no sugar coating it, Chris looked like shit. He looked pale and weak, and he breathed in short, raspy breaths. He had to clutch the door frame to keep himself upright. It made it a little easier to face him.

"What's wrong with you?" Martin couldn't stop himself from asking.

"I think I have a cracked rib." Chris casually replied, as though there was no bad blood between them. He didn't look like he'd be able to cross the room, much less stand on his own. This was more than a cracked rib. He started to cough and looked as though he was in agony. Without thinking, Martin ran to him and held him up.

"You have an Infection. Why haven't you gotten help?" He felt himself get angry. When Chris pulled his hand away from his mouth and Martin saw blood, he felt slightly panicked. Angry and panicked. He didn't like this combination of emotions and he couldn't understand why he felt this way. He tried to shake it off but it wouldn't go away.

"I'll live. I needed to find you first." Chris leaned his forehead against Martins shoulder. "Besides, I'm 90% sure this is a dream."

Martin was confused. Chris, his enemy, would be willing to die trying to find him? What had happened between them that his brother would be so desperate to get him away from Donita that he would risk dying? And he certainly wasn't acting like he was trying to steal him away from Donita. Did she not give him the full truth? As he thought about it, the fuzziness in his head returned.

What was life like before Donita? He knew he had travelled around the world with his brother and the Wild Kratts before he met her and they ran away together. He couldn't really remember any details though, and the more he tried to pull the memories, the worse his head got. A migraine bloomed in his head and he let go of his brother. Chris slid down the wall, while Martin fell to his knees, grasping his head.

"Martin, what's wrong? What did she do to you..." He wheezed.

Inside Martins head was a lot of confusing memories. He saw himself on adventures with his brother, so happy. He saw himself with Donita, laughing over some animals they had just captured. Which was real and which wasn't?

With a sharp intake of breath, Chris pulled him in to an embrace. It obviously caused him a lot of pain to do it, but he held on tight. When Martin looked down at his brother, he saw all the fading bruises and the face laceration that was healing in to a scar. He recalled a Zachbot, and remembered screaming his brother's name…

"Chris… Oh God, Chris." He had a moment of clarity, even though his headache had become so bad he was pretty sure his head was going to explode. Chris had been attacked by Zach while he was forced to watch. And then Donita… she… Oh no, all the things he had he done... the animals, and Chris! He was broken and it was all Martin's fault. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

Chris tilted his head up and looked into Martins eyes. Was this some sort of fever dream? He had so many dreams like this lately, and every time he woke up to Martin being gone, his heart broke all over again. What was the point in getting up anymore? This Martin felt real though. His eyes were full of concern, and pain, but they were also full of warmth. Brainwashed Martin had a cold, empty stare.

Martin tilted his chin up and gave him a desperate kiss. It was as though he was trying to erase what he had done, like he was trying to take all the pain away. He was definitely real. But the moment didn't last long. As if Martin's brain short circuited, he let out a low groan and collapsed on to Chris. He did his best to not cry out from the weight on his torso, but he failed miserably.

Now what? Chris wondered. He didn't have to ponder long, however.

"What the hell is going on in here!?" Zach burst into the room with two Zachbots trailing behind him. Chris wasn't sure how he had found them, but he presumed that the rest of the Wild Kratts team weren't doing so well. "Get Martin away from him!"

"Don't touch him, Zach!" Chris cried as the robots advanced. One of the Zachbots pulled Martin from Chris, dragging him by the collar. It threw him at Zachs feet, who looked angry and panicked. Martin, meanwhile, was like a ragdoll and looked completely dazed.

"You idiot, you tricked me! You weren't ready to leave the mansion, and now you're stuck in between states. Oh God, Donita is going to kill me…" Zach rubbed his hands down his face.

"Between states? You mean he can actually go back to normal?" Chris tried to pull himself up but couldn't find the strength. He had just gotten Martin back, and now he was powerless to stop Zach from taking him away again.

"Yes. I mean no!" Zach automatically answered before realizing his mistake. "It doesn't matter. He'll be permanently brainwashed once we collar him."

"What are you talking about? You can't do this Zach!" Chris pleaded.

"Enough. There is nothing you can do now, Wild Rat. Next time you see your brother he'll be ours forever." Zach snapped his fingers and the Zachbots dragged Martin out of the room. Chris dragged himself along the floor, choking back screams of pain. Zach curled his lip in disgust at the display. "Just give up already. I'd rough you up again but I'm pretty sure it would kill you."

Zach hooked a foot under his shoulder and flipped him over. He crouched down, leaned over him and tsked. "Without your team, I imagine you'll probably die on your own anyways. I don't suppose you want to join the dark side? It's a pretty fun gig." He grinned. "No? I suppose not. Well, it was nice knowing you, Green Guy. Zachbots! Take care of the rest of those crystals!"

One of the Zachbots swiped an arm through the beam, seemingly unaffected by the surge of electricity. Chris watched in horror as the crystals flew from the beam and shattered on the floor. Zach laughed as the Tortuga powered down permanently and they were bathed in complete darkness. The Wild Kratts were officially grounded.

As soon as Zach was out of the door, Chris rolled over again and continued to drag himself. He made it to the door, but was completely out of energy. Zach hinted that the team weren't coming back. He also had Martin again. And without someone to help him, Chris wasn't sure he was going to make it either. The room was already darkening as he faded in to unconsciousness. He rested his hot forehead against the cool floor, and thanked the gods he was at least passing out in the Tortuga for once.