A patrol spots the fugitives and rides toward them. The trio splits up and Galen and Alan reach cover. The soldiers surround Pete and bring him down with a net, and the leader sends a messenger to ride to the local village and have the police come out, while they take Pete to Central City.
Zaius is meeting with a chimpanzee scientist, Wenda, when Urko brings in and tells Zaius that Pete has been captured. He figures that Alan and Galen will come and rescue him, and they will capture them as well. Zaius says that they have an experiment to perform. Urko doesn't see the point, but Zaius points out that there could more humans could arrive in the future. He wants to determine why the two astronauts are different, and Wanda promises that she will get the answers. Zaius explains that she's come up with an experiment, and shows them a human book from 1966 that they found in a time capsule. The subject is brainwashing: the psychological method of reprogramming a human. Wanda has the backing of the Council, and Zaius allows Urko to supervise per the law but Wanda is to control the experiment. Urko wants to perform brain surgery as usual, but Zaius and Wanda point out that the procedure is often lethal or turn the subject into a vegetable. Zaius insists that there is to be no public discussion and only the three of them and Urko's most trusted guards will know about it.
Alan and Galen reunite and run for Central City. Galen finally stops for breath and says that Urko will have set traps for them.
Guards take Pete to Wanda in chamber filled with bells and drums ringing out. She introduces herself and warns that his interrogation be pleasant or unpleasant. He says that pleasant is better and Wanda starts questioning him. She asks which humans have helped him, and Pete claims that all humans and many apes have helped them. Wanda doesn't believe him and warns that if he doesn't cooperate then he'll die or become a vegetable. She demands places and times, and when he refuses Wanda says that only a handful of apes know where he is. Once he answers her questions, Pete will be allowed again. Pete still refuses to answer and Wanda has the guards take him back to his cell.
An ape wagon driver comes to Galen lying on the road. When he stops and investigates, Alan tosses a bag over his head and Galen threatens to shoot him. They tie the driver up and lead him off the road.
Wanda continues her interrogation, using a mirror to shine lights into Pete's face while maintaining the noise barrage. When he still doesn't answer, she tells a guard to shoot and stops the noise. Pete says that they just want to leave, but Wanda repeats her questions.
Urko has his lieutenant confirm that guards cover every access to Central City.
Galen, disguised as a woman, takes the wagon into Central City.
Pete begins to crack and Wanda says that he can eat and sleep once he answers her question. He insists that he's telling the truth, and Wanda insists that only Galen has helped him. She asks which humans helped them, and Pete says that no humans helped them. He says that his mind is blank, and Wanda tells Urko's lieutenant Jason what to do. Jason has his men take Pete away.
The soldiers search the wagons at a checkpoint, and one of them questions Galen. They jab a pitchfork into the hay in the back, and Alan hides in a compartment beneath the wagon. The soldiers find nothing and they let Galen through. Once the wagon clears the checkpoint, Galen parks and lets Alan out. They then continue on foot to a house, A female chimpanzee, Ann, answers the door and she greets her son. She greets Alan civilly enough and says that her husband Yalu has been elected to the Council. Once she goes to get him, Galen warns that his mother is nice but Alan may need another word to describe Yalu.
Yalu comes in and Galen says that they need his help to rescue Pete. The elder chimpanzee says that Pete is an enemy, and Galen insists that Pete is his friend. Ann glares at Yalu, who says that he'll give them shelter but nothing else. He says that he'll be in the garden if Galen wants to see him, but only wants to see Galen, not Alan.
A soldier shows Urko the shawl that Galen used in his disguise, and explains that they found it with an abandoned hay cart. Urko realizes that Galen fooled his men and sends officers to search Yalu.
Galen meets with Yalu and his father is angry that Galen is running around with humans. His son insists that he and his friends are willing to leave in peace, and that Yula would respect them as well if not for his prejudices. Yula warns that Galen can't change the world, and Galen says that he's like to. In the other room, Ann suggests that Alan wait with her and insists that her husband can be reasonable.
Yula refuses to discuss helping Pete, and Galen says goodbye. The human on lookout, Loomis, signals that the police are coming. Galen's parents open a trapdoor and have Alan and Galen hide below. Once they cover the trapdoor with a rug, the commander that Urko gave him orders to search the house. They ignore Yula's protestations and Ann insists that they return everything the way it was. The officers find nothing and the commander apologizes.
Following the techniques in the book, Wanda has Pete strapped to a turntable and the gorillas spend it around to disorient him. They eventually stop and Wanda questions him, and Pete recites his name, rank, and serial number. She has the gorillas rotate Pete again.
Alan and Galen sneak up to a soldier at the jail and Galen approaches him. He distracts the gorilla long enough for Alan to grab him, and they have the gorilla let them into the jail and then take the other soldier captive. Alan searches the place and confirms that Pete isn't there.
At the secret prison, Wanda questions Pete again. Urko comes in and is furious that Wanda is getting nowhere. He beats Pete, telling Wanda that he was just trying to help. Wanda reads from the book, pointing out that results have been accomplished with a female presence. Urko doesn't believe it and prepares to beat Pete. Wanda warns that Zaius will hear of Urko's behavior, and Urko reluctantly leaves.
When they return to his parents' house, Galen asks why Yula didn't tell him that Pete was locked up elsewhere. Yula says that he didn't know, and Ann insists that her husband is telling the truth. They realize that Urko keeps records in his office and sneak in past the guards. The guards hear something and come in, and Alan and Galen quickly hide.
The gorillas keep spinning Pete while Wanda reads about how a prisoner must confuse a female for someone he knows. She sends the guards away, assuring them that she can handle Pete, and then talks like a human, saying that they're in love. Confused and disoriented, Pete hallucinates her as his girlfriend, Susan, They're back on Earth, and "Susan" says that she wants to know everything about him. Wanda plays along but Pete snaps out of it enough to realize who she is. She calls for Jason and the others, and tells Jason to inform Urko that the prisoner now belongs to him.
After the guards leave, Alan and Galen continue their search. Alan finally finds papers indicating the assignment of five special guards to the Crystal Caverns outside of the city. Urko returns and the fugitives get out the window before he comes in. The security chief notices the open mission but dismisses it.
The two fugitives go to the Crystal Caverns and spot a hospital wagon and soldiers at the only entrance. The soldiers load the unconscious Pete into the wagon and leave, and Galen figures that they can rescue Pete at the hospital.
At the hospital, Dr. Malthus warns Urko that he can't guarantee success, but Urko doesn't care. The soldiers bring Pete in, strapped to a cart, and Urko gives Malthus thirty minutes to prepare the operation.
Galen returns to his home and tells Ann what they've found. He wants to borrow their carriage, and says that he can't give her details for fear of Yula finding out. Alan finally says that they need the carriage to get away after rescuing Pete. Ann points out that they can't succeed with it, and that Urko will kill Galen if they fail. He says that they have to rescue their friend, and Ann says that she has no choice.
Soon, the carriage arrives at the hospital. Alan is working among the humans, and Ann is in the carriage. She calls Alan over and tells him to help Galen, feigning a head wound, into the hospital. The guard says that he can't allow in, but Ann says that she's a Councilwoman's wife and overrides him. Inside, Ann demands to speak to a doctor when Jason confronts her. She hams it up, saying that Galen could die. Jason gives in and they take Galen inside.
Malthus is reviewing sketches of the human brain when Ann comes in with Galen and Alan. She tells Malthus to take care of Galen, and feigns shock that a human patient is more important than an ape when she sees Pete. As she examines Pete, she secretly slips Alan a scalpel and demands a bed for him. Once Malthus goes, Ann tells the guards to summon Urko. When the soldiers go, Alan and Pete grab them and lock them in a closet. Ann feigns panic and runs to get help, while Alan and Galen barricade the door and finally knock out the gorillas. They then wheel Pete out, get him off the cart, and head to the cart.
Urko and his men break in just as the fugitives drive off in the carriage. The soldiers ride after the... unaware that the trio has stayed behind and sent the carriage off. Alan and Galen take Pete outside and meet up with Ann, and quickly leave.
Later, Urko goes to Yula's home and Ann says that the wounded ape wasn't Galen. The security chief insists that he's doing his job and asks why any other ape would help Pete. Ann points out that she called for help, and wouldn't risk her husband's career helping mere humans. Yula tells Urko to arrest them if he doesn't believe Ann, and Urko has no choice but to drop the charges. Ann invites Urko to have a drink, and Urko leave sin disgust.
Once the security chief is gone, Yula locks the door and Galen emerges from the next room. He thanks his parents and Yula gruffly claims that he was just defending Ann. All he says is that Galen is his son, and he understands friendship and principles. Yula admits that he's a little slow, but with Ann's help he realizes that Galen is principled. He says that he's proud of Galen and they hug.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 14, 2016