The next chapter is up! Enjoy :)
It's been about a couple months now.
So, far, the group didn't have much trouble. They still hit a couple settlements here and there. But they didn't always stay for very long. Usually no more than a few days or so.
It was long enough to restock on food and water. It was also nice to have a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in too while there.
Even better when Galen and Kristin were able to get their own room together. It was only a couple of these times they were able to be intimate again while on this journey.
Though it can be a little challenging at times keeping the noise down. But they somehow manage just so Alan and Pete or anyone else sharing the home doesn't hear their nightly activities.
With their friends, it really was no secret though. Pete would always knock them whenever they did get their own room. Joking with them and telling them don't have too much fun.
Galen's face would turn red, and Kristin would nearly bite his head off telling him to shut the hell up and mind his own business. Or better yet, get his head out of the gutter.
Even if it were all true.
The last village was only a few days prior. They have been trekking through the woods since then. Kristin has one regret though. She wishes she would've saw a doctor while in the last village.
Because for the last couple weeks now, she's been having these random on and off bouts of nausea, even throwing up a couple times. There were also times she felt out of it like she didn't get enough rest.
Galen and Pete were concerned she maybe sick and trying to fight off something.
But Alan had other ideas. Unlike Pete and Galen, he was married and had a child. He was more familiar with symptoms of pregnancy. His wife Sally struggled with on and off morning sickness in the early part of her pregnancy.
Throw in Kristin feeling lethargic at times and a little more moody than usual, and she pretty much already hit three symptoms right there.
He knew Galen and Kristin have been intimate. He was also aware that Galen had informed him that it was possible for apes and humans to procreate, according to Barlow. As crazy as it sounded.
When they had the time, Alan would like to talk to Kristin about the possibility. Perhaps the next village they stumble upon, she can go see a doctor.
If she is in fact pregnant, they will have to watch her more closely and really keep her safe. He is also worried what would happen to her and Galen if others found out and saw their hybrid child.
He feels they would definitely need double the protection then.
Pete shifted his gaze to his friend walking next to him.
"You alright, Al? Been pretty quiet." Pete inquired.
The blond man turned his attention to his friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just one of those days, I have more on my mind than usual." He replied.
"We certainly all have those days, Alan." Kristin added.
In truth, she had a lot on her mind too. Some of it she still has yet to share with Galen. But felt like she knew she must do so eventually.
Unbeknownst to her, Galen already was a little concerned. He knew something was off with her as of late. Like she was worried about something. He wanted to ask her what has been bothering her.
He opened his mouth to say something but froze.
That's when he saw Pete stop ahead of them and turn around. That's when he saw the gorilla troops riding down towards them and closing in fast. He quickly pointed them out and told everyone to run!
Galen grabbed Kristin's hand as usual, and they started running off.
Alan told everyone to split. The two men branched off while Galen and Kristin ran one way together. They all managed to make it to a small, wooded area and ducked down to hide.
All of them, except Pete.
The gorillas cornered him with nets and threw one at him. He fell to the ground but quickly got up when they started surrounding him. He lashed out and hit one of the closest gorillas.
But another came in and gave him a vicious punch to the head, which sent him sprawling back down to the ground in a daze. They quickly bound him his hands and hauled him up.
"Tie him up!" One ordered.
Alan, Galen, and Kristin watched on in horror as they captured their friend. But none of them could do anything at the moment, except continue to watch.
Alan was watching from beneath a large pile of brush. While Galen and Kristin silently observed from inside a very large, upturned, and hollowed out tree trunk.
"You two, ride to the nearest village. Tell them that Virdon, Galen, and Kristin got away and to send more troops out to find them. Move!" The lead gorilla ordered.
While a couple of the gorillas rode off, many stayed behind with Pete. The leaded knelt down next to the dazed man.
"This one, we'll take to Central City." He instructed.
They wasted no time in hauling Pete up then got him on a horse and they all took off with him, heading back to the city.
Meanwhile in Central City a young female chimp who was a scientist was in Zaius's office. She found a very detailed yet dated book back from the time of the humans.
She went over it excitedly with him tell him it was an amazing find and could prove very useful.
As they went over it, Urko came barging in. He asked Zaius if he heard the fantastic news. Then told him that Pete had been captured. Then Zaius asked about the other three.
Urko assured him they would be captured in due time. The gorilla chief was counting on them to come back and try to rescue their friend.
Then he told them when they try, that he and his troops will be ready for them. Afterwards, Zaius explained how this capure couldn't have come at a better time.
Then started to explain something about trying an experiment with him.
Of course, Urko was not very keen on the idea with experiments. He thought it would be a waste of time. He thought it was unnecessary to make something already so simple complicated.
Then stated they didn't need to experiment.
Urko then went on to explain how all of their problems stem from the two astronauts, the woman, and Galen. That once they were all destroyed, the world will go back to normal.
Zaius just started explaining how there could be no guarantees that any more astronauts may show up. Instead of two, there could be more next time, he cautioned.
But Urko shrugged it off stating, there is no guarantee that they will be more either in the future.
But the old councilman would not bend and told them they must always be prepared. That is when the female chimp with the glasses chimed in and started to talk.
She was introduced as Wanda. Then started going on about experiments and the book she had talked of a method called brainwashing.
Of course they looked at Urko like he was the biggest idiot in the world when he thought brainwashing meant they took the brain out of the skull and washed it in cool water.
That's when they had to break it down in layman's terms and explain it more thoroughly to him.
Then Zaius explained how Wanda has the backing of council and had been given the ok to proceed with this procedure as well as be the one to interrogate Pete.
Urko protested, stating all interrogations are run under him. That is when Zaius said he could be present to supervise for the interrogation. But Wanda was still left in charge of it.
The gorilla chief doesn't understand the need to go through all this trouble. He suggested to hand Pete over to the surgeons to do their own little operation.
That is when Wanda inquired the one where they remove the front lump in the frontal part of the brain. Otherwise, known as a lobotomy to most.
Urko claimed it would make him compliant and cooperative. But Zaius and Wanda argued the operation could either end up killing him or making him a vegetable.
Of course, Urko didn't see it as a problem. He figured at least Pete wouldn't be a problem to them anymore. Zaius declined though and made it clear that Wanda was in charge of this whole operation.
He then went on to explain that this is a new procedure they were trying to execute and that no one else should know about it except for the three of them and a small few of Urko's most trusted men.
Urko was still reluctant to agree to the whole thing. But apparently didn't have a choice. It the council ran this through and gave their permission, he cannot interfere in anyway.
Meanwhile several miles outside the city in the woods...
Alan, Galen, and Kristin were trekking through the woods.
They went across a shallow river. The whole way through Galen grumbled as he ran across a downed tree. He made sure to help Kristin across as well as they followed behind their friend.
The chimp was quite exhausted from all the running though. Kristin wasn't faring much better. The pair stopped and sat on the ground not far from the riverbank.
Alan turned around and saw that they were both sitting, trying to catch their breath.
Something Alan saw as odd for Kristin, because she usually had better stamina than that and could keep up. Whereas this was not so uncommon for Galen.
He walked back to his friends.
"Oh, Alan, I can't, I can't." Galen said between breaths.
"Yeah, we kind of need to sit for a moment. Plus...I'm also feeling a little queasy again." Kristin added.
At hearing this, Galen turned his attention to her and started to lightly rub her back.
"Still, having these on and off bouts?" He asked, concerned.
She nodded, "Yeah."
"I know, but we got to keep going." Alan informed them.
"Central City is nineteen hours away. Can you run all that distance?" Galen retorted.
"Galen, by now, Pete must be in Urko's hands." Alan countered.
"We will be too. If we keep running blindly. They'll be expecting us, they'll be setting traps." Galen reasoned.
"I know that. We avoid them." Alan suggested.
"Galen. We can't just leave Pete behind. We need to find a way in and get him." Kristin told him.
He nodded, "Stay off the main roads, it will take us two days to get there." He surmised.
"We'll take the shortest, fastest way. Whatever that is." Alan said.
Galen still sat there winded trying to catch his breath.
They all knew they had to think of a more effective and quicker means of getting there. The three of them rested a little longer. Thankfully, Kristin's bout of queasiness went away after she took a few sips of water.
Back in a holding cell in Central City...
Pete lifted his head from his crossed arms that were resting on his hiked-up legs and started to look around when he heard this strange sound around him.
Like someone hitting a drum followed by a tin bell of sorts. Not long after did a couple guards and a female chimp came into the holding cell area.
The gorillas opened his cage and hauled him out. Then held him by either arm in front of the female chimp with glasses.
She introduced herself as Wanda and stated that she was to be his interrogator. She then proceeded to inform him that this interrogation can go two ways. Either pleasant or unpleasant than told him it was completely up to him.
"Well, pleasant is better." He surmised.
"We're going to get along just fine. Good, good." She said, a little excited then gestured for the gorillas to back off then told Pete to sit down.
She sat down in front of him a few feet away from him with a notepad on her lap.
"Now, I'm going to ask you some questions. The first one is which humans on this planet helped you?" She asked.
"Almost all of them. And many apes." Was his reply.
Though she wasn't happy with his answer and believed him to be joking with her.
"Obviously, you're not taking this interrogation seriously. Let me warn you it's very important that you cooperate with me. If you fail, I fail. Totally. You die or you become a vegetable." She explained.
"I answered your question." He stated.
"You did not. I want names, places, times." She pressed.
He sighed, "Well, I'm sorry, but I can't remember that." He admitted.
"If you're counting on your friends, Burke, you can forget it. They'll never find this place. No one knows of its existence. Except for Zaius, Urko, myself, and a handful of guards.
There is no possibility of escape or rescue. So, when I ask a question, you will answer it. Fully, honestly, then you'll allowed to go. Which humans have helped you?" She repeated, while continually tapping her right hand against the inside of her chair.
The ring on her finger was the thing making the tapping sounds as it hit the wood.
Pete spotted it too.
"Say, that's uh, a really lovely ring you have there in your tapping finger." Was his reply.
Wanda didn't find any amusement in it at all.
She shot to her feet while glaring at him.
"A lot of contempt for apes, Burke! You'll change your mind before we're finished!" She snapped, irritated.
"I have no contempt for apes nor for any other thinking animal on this planet." He informed her.
She nodded, while continuing to hold up her notepad and pen.
"Then be sensible. Be sensible. Answer my question. Which humans have helped you?" She asks again.
He just smiles at her and lightly shrugs. Something she clearly didn't like. It was clear he was playing her and it just started to slowly piss her off.
She then gestured for the guards to come over.
They came, grabbed his arms and hauled him up out of the chair. Then with another gesture from Wanda, the gorillas took Pete back to his cage for the time being.
Wanda watched on; she was starting to ponder if this may be more challenging than she thought. He appears to be a stubborn one and is seemingly deflected her questions with jokes or sarcasm.
Back in the woods, near one of the main roads...
A horse drawn carriage being driven by a gorilla was riding through.
The gorilla spotted something up ahead in the middle of the road. As he drew closer, he realized it was an ape lying there. He stopped his horses then got out of his seat.
He approached the ape who was lying there in the road and noted it was a chimp.
As the gorilla leaned in closer, Alan came up behind him with one of the blankets, lifted it up and placed it over the gorilla's head from behind. Then turned him around.
Kristin came out shortly from behind a nearby tree. While Galen shot up from the ground with a stick and pressed it into the gorilla's back.
"Move and I'll shoot." Galen threatened.
"I won't move." The gorilla stated nervously.
"Turn around, real slow. Hands behind you." Alan instructed.
The gorilla did as he was told. While Galen and Kristin watched on.
"Ok, now, walk." Alan instructed.
They proceeded to walk him off the road.
When they got far enough away from the carriage, they backed off of him a little.
"Stay here, and don't move." Alan instructed one last time.
"Yes." The gorilla said.
Then the three of them headed back to the carriage.
Back in Interrogation...
They eventually pulled Pete back out of his cell and proceeded further with their interrogation.
Only they were trying something new now. They used One of the light signal beacons to flash bright light into Pete's eyes repeatedly. Their way of torturing him and driving him crazy.
At the same time, Wanda continued with her questions.
"Who are the humans that have helped you? I also want to know their names, where they could be found, and how you made contact. Simple question." She insisted.
Pete went to put up his hand to shield his eyes from the harsh light. But one of the gorillas standing off to the side, batted his hand down and away. This way he couldn't shield them from the blinding light and simply had to endure it.
"I can see your mouth moving but I can't hear a word you say. All those drums and bells are too loud. They're deafening me." He explained.
She explained if they are too loud now after four hours, imagine how loud they would be after eight hours.
"What? Can you talk louder?" He asked.
"After twenty-four hours." She countered.
Pete just sighed and looked down, not saying anything.
"Lieutenant, shoot." Wanda ordered.
Pete clearly heard that.
"Hold it, hold it. You gotta be kidding me." He said.
"I'm perfectly capable of it, Burke. Obviously, you can hear...when it suits you." She retorted with a sneer.
"There isn't any list of humans to contact. We never expected to land here, and we don't exactly want to be here now. In fact, all we want to do is just get out of here." He explained.
She explained that he would first have to get out of prison. First, she wanted names though of the humans that have helped him.
He still refused to answer though. But became annoyed when one of the guards batted his hand down once again when he tried to shield his eyes from the light.
Wanda repeated her last question again.
But Pete stated he couldn't answer that question. That they were just people.
They all continued to glare at him, their patience was growing rather thin with the stubborn human. But still, they weren't done with him yet.
Meanwhile in Urko's Office...
He was discussing with one of his men about possible routes Alan, Kristin, and Galen could try and take to sneak back into the city.
That's when he declared every single cart to be stopped and checked coming into the city. Rather it be human or ape carriages. Then he said inside the city, he wanted everyone on patrol available.
For mounted units to sweep the streets and individual troops on every corner. He was positive, he would be able to catch Galen.
Meanwhile, Galen was dressed in female clothing while driving the carriage. While Alan and Kristin hid beneath it, laying on the wooden beam bearings.
Earlier when he got ahold of the female articles of clothing which he stole off a clothesline and put them on, Kristin could barely contain her laughter.
She then proceeded with a joke. Saying, 'Excuse me ma'am, but have you seen a young male chimp by the name of Galen?' Afterwards she started calling him Galena.
Alan found the whole thing amusing too. Galen looked utterly ridiculous and hilarious in the get up.
Galen just grumbled and told them to shut up. Before he makes Alan squeeze into a dress next. Of course, that shut Alan up real quick. Though Kristin still couldn't wipe the amused grin off of her face.
As ridiculous as it looked though, they all still hoped and prayed they could pull this off.
Galen told them he already had a place in mind to go in the city. When Kristin inquired where that was, she was surprised when he told her his parents' house.
He seemed certain that they will be able to help them.
Until Next Time ;)