"What the hell!" exclaimed Burke, shaken. Deciding to follow Galen, he and Alan arrived in time to watch, disbelieving, as their chimpanzee friend revealed himself to Zaius and Urko.

"He's trying to save Pergis," Virdon said, grim-faced. He turned to face Burke. "I'm going after him."

Burke looked at Virdon. "I'll distract our buddies up front," he said after a moment. "Jesus, Al... we must be crazy."

"It's a long shot... " Alan agreed. "When isn't it?" He looked at Burke a moment. "Good luck."

"Yeah." said Pete. He smiled slightly and cleared his throat. "Show-time, folks." Alan clapped him on the back and turned to go.

Here and there spectators stared curiously, but none intervened as Virdon made his way boldly around the edge of the crowd to Galen. He was surprised at the ease of his progress. Within minutes he'd positioned himself mere yards away from Galen, out of the main crowd. Galen, absorbed in his exchange with Pergis, did not see Virdon.

Completely vulnerable to the surrounding apes, Virdon ignored the alarm bells going off in his head. He could not, however, stop the uneasy prickling at the back his neck as he waited for Burke's part in this insanity to unfold.

Virdon froze, sighting the soldiers converging upon Galen. In mere seconds he'd be seized by Urko's finest. Game over.

He released his breath as the familiar, caustic tone Burke used to address the ape leaders rose over the hubbub of the crowd. The gorillas moving towards Galen halted, craning their necks to see who spoke.

Virdon ducked reflexively at the unexpected boom of rifle fire. His eyes flew to Galen, widening in shock as his friend collapsed. Virdon shouted his name, pushing through the apes separating them. Reaching Galen's side, he knelt down next to him in the confusion and examined the chimpanzee hurriedly.

Thank God. Though Galen's scalp was deeply razed and bled copiously, it didn't appear life-threatening.

Galen opened his eyes. "Alan?" he murmured.

"Galen, you're wounded... but you'll be okay," Alan replied evenly, looking at the surrounding apes who picked themselves up from the ground. As they stood, they hid him from what he was sure was dozens of rifles pointed in their direction. "Can you move?"

Galen looked up at him, eyes dull. "Alan, you know I'll never make it out of here. You've got to go."

"I can't leave you here," Alan answered, blue eyes determined.

"It's the only way you'll ever get me out of this mess now. Pete needs your help planning my rescue, you know," he said with a weak attempt at humor.

Alan stared at him, torn. There was no time. "We'll get you out. Do you trust that?"

Galen opened his eyes again, trying to focus on Alan's face. He nodded, wincing.

"Count on it," said Alan. Galen grasped his hand for an instant. Alan looked a moment longer at the chimpanzee's pale face, his pained brown eyes. Blood ran from his scalp down over the plain leather shoulders of his tunic.

"Of course you will. Now go," Galen urged weakly. Alan didn't move. Galen touched his hand again. "Alan…"

Alan lifted his bowed head. Even amidst the confusion that Burke's challenge generated, several apes were now looking down at him and Galen with astonishment. He squeezed the chimp's hand one last time. With a deep breath he stood. He resisted the urge to look down again.

Virdon scanned the ring of suspicious faces. No gorillas menaced in the apes immediately surrounding him. Hands plucked at him as he pressed through the resistant bodies, and he raised his hands, open-palmed, and pushed them carefully from him. He feared any display of force would encourage the agitated, resentful city dwellers to resort to violence of their own. A chimpanzee hissed at him. Others hooted and growled. An old orangutan spit on him, cursing. Virdon ducked his head and wiped with his arm, reining in surging anger and fear, unable to stop himself from panting. Every second counted now.

Near the edge of the crowd, Virdon heard the deep voices of the soldiers' exclamations behind him as they surrounded Galen. He ducked his head again in sorrow. He had a wild impulse to turn back. He'd left him wounded and alone. His chest hitched as he took a deep breath, taming his emotions, staying with his objective: to get out in one piece.

A huge fist grabbed the back of his home-spun shirt. Virdon raised his right foot and slammed it back into the crotch of the unfortunate gorilla holding him captive. The gorilla's hand fell away, and he burst from the edge of crowd, sprinting. He feared the lack of surrounding ape bodies would allow the soldiers to use their weapons - a fear that proved correct as a shot was fired.

He cut through the covered promenade the next building over as more gorillas broke from the crowd on foot and pounded after him. Risking a look backwards, he saw still more gorillas on horseback free themselves from the confines of the crowd.

If he couldn't shake those damned gorillas soon, he was dead.