Hideout


"My 1st cry never ending
All life is to fear for life
You fool, you wanderer
You challenged the gods and lost"

- Planet Hell by Nightwish


The car ride went mostly silent, save for GIR humming Bingo all the way, which was starting to get to their last nerves. Finally, someone broke the silence as well as quieting the green dog.

"Dad! It's been half an hour and you still didn't say where we're going." Gaz complained from the back seat. "I didn't even have breakfast, this morning. I'm hungry!"

"Easy, honey." Membrane told Gaz. "We'll be there in over fifteen minutes."

"But where are we going?" Gaz asked again.

"To the laboratory, of course." Membrane replied, simply.

"Cool!" Dib cut in. "I've never got to see how it's like in there!"

"Well, now you're going." Membrane said as a building made itself visible on the horizon.

Membrane passed by the iron gates of the laboratory's limits after a soldier gave him access. He parked under the cool shade of a tree before opening the trunk and the Membrane siblings took their bags out of it. Dib couldn't help but stare at every little detail as they entered the lab, but something else he noticed was that every scientist they passed by in the hallways looked weird at them… Or was it…?

"Dad!" Dib whispered and Membrane bent down a little to listen to his son. "Why is everybody looking at you like that?"

"Remember when I told you that I was the responsible one for the creation of this virus, son?" Membrane asked rhetorically.

"But you're going to find a cure, right?" Dib asked worried.

"That's exactly what we're here for." Membrane explained.

Dib bowed his head. He couldn't believe that his father, who he and many others always looked up to, would end up on that delicate situation where he was the responsible for a horrible plague. The scientists who still remained on the lab were only there because that was their job, after all. That's what Dib thought.

"We're here." Membrane called, making Dib snap back to reality.

The teenagers looked up to the door before them as Professor Membrane unlocked it, revealing the small, clean room inside.

"This is where we will stay for the night." Membrane explained. "Gaz, you'll get a separate room. But I'll show it to you later. I bet you wanna go to the cafeteria, for now."

"Finally." Gaz said. "Where is it?"

"Right this way, honey." Membrane said as he started accompanying Gaz to the cafeteria.

"Wait a minute!" Zim called, making them stop on their tracks. "What do you mean 'we'?!"

"Me, you and Dib, of course." Membrane said simply.

"But I can't! I need a separate room!" Zim complained.

"Why?" Membrane asked, raising a brow.

"Because…" Zim trailed off, trying to come up with a good excuse. "I have some sleeping problems…"

"Ha! That's it?" Membrane laughed. "I bet it's nothing that me and Dib can't endure. Right, son?"

"Yeah!" Dib exclaimed for Zim's dismay. "I sleep like a rock! There's nothing that would wake me!"

Zim was glaring daggers at Dib by now.

"You see, son?" Membrane continued. "Nothing we can't handle. Now if you'll excuse me…"

Membrane left Zim and Dib alone as he walked Gaz up to the cafeteria. Zim glared at Dib before he walked passed Zim and entered the room, starting to set himself in.

"What is wrong with you, Dib-stink?!" Zim complained after Dib. "Why did you say that?!"

"Because it only makes easier for me to expose you." Dib said, turning to Zim with disdain.

"I can't believe you!" Zim exclaimed before he grabbed GIR and followed Professor Membrane and Gaz to the cafeteria. "Mister Membrane!" He called. "Wait!"

"What is it now, son?" Membrane asked in a warming tone as Zim panted after them.

"I… I-I need to tell you something." Zim stuttered.

"What?" Membrane looked at Zim curiously while Gaz looked worried.

"I'm… I'm an alien." Zim whispered slowly.

"I know that, son." Membrane said, rising a brow.

"No, I mean…" Zim was about to say something else, but Gaz called his attention, shaking her head negatively. "Nothing…" Zim sighed.

"Okay…" Membrane rose a brow, confused, resuming his walk to the cafeteria.

Zim stood in place for a few more moments before going after them, again.

Zim followed Gaz to the cafeteria, where she picked some things to eat while they talked.

"What has given into you back there?!" Gaz complained to Zim.

"I don't know, I just… Thought I could trust your father." Zim said.

"Maybe you can." Gaz replied. "But maybe not. He could have you on a dissection table in the blink of an eye, if he finds out. 'Better be careful."

"That's the thing!" Zim exclaimed. "He will find out if we share a room!"

"I know…" Gaz let out slowly.

"You see, Gaz?" Zim said. "I'm gonna get exposed no matter what! The only way of getting out of this is if I get a room of my own, but we all know that that's not happening!"

Gaz looked down, pondering.

"Maybe you should try." Gaz said slowly.

"What?" Zim asked, looking up at her.

"Show my dad." Gaz replied. "Maybe he won't have you dissected and will protect you from the other scientists. He really likes you, after all. And, if he doesn't, then I just need to start a tantrum to make him change his mind."

"And would that really work?" Zim asked.

"Of course!" Gaz replied. "He always gets my way!"

"Thank you, Gaz." Zim sighed relieved.

"Hey, what are friends for?" Gaz winked as she resumed eating.

Tell Mister Membrane… It could be a solution to that problem.


"Get out!" Dib screamed.

"No way! I got here first!" Zim yelled back.

"Can't you see my stuff there?! I got here first!" Dib shot back.

"What's going on in here?" Membrane asked as he opened the door to the room, where he found Dib trying to drag Zim out of one of the beds. "You boys fighting over a bed?"

"Uuuh… No." The boys said in unison.

"Then what is this that you're doing?" Membrane asked again and Dib released Zim instantly as they started whistling innocently. "Okay, I'm just here to tell you that I'm gonna be late for bed, today. 'Got a lot of work to do, so don't wait for me."

Membrane turned his back on the boys and made a move to leave the room, but was stopped by Zim.

"Mister Membrane, wait!" Zim called, making Membrane stop on his tracks.

"What is it, son?" Membrane asked, turning back to Zim.

"I… Want to show you something." Zim said slowly, as Dib started finding that situation more amusing by the moment.

"What is it?" Membrane rose a brow.

Zim sighed deeply.

"Can you close the door, first?" Zim asked.

Membrane was starting to find that situation stranger by the moment, but did as he was told to and closed the door behind him.

"Now, what is it that you want to show me?" Membrane asked again.

Zim took a long, deep breath. He was going to regret that later, he was sure of it but, for now, it was his only choice. He rose his hands and began working on his disguise.