Once again, I don't own Invader Zim okay?
"What do you want with me?" Professor Membrane yelled trembling at the smirk on Tak's face. He quickly gulped and contorted his face into a look of defiance to try and hide his fear. Don't let her know you are afraid…. Dib said they could sense fear.
Tak smirked at him and laughed. What a fool. His fear stank up the whole room; even a human could sense it. "You humans have a saying right? One used is some religious ceremonies. A saying to call upon mercy from your God? What was it?" Tak asked.
"Honestly I have no clue. God and things like that are things I don't believe in." Professor Membrane said.
"Oh yeah I know what it is…." Tak said not caring about Professor Membrane's lack of spirituality. "Kyrie Eleison and it is used in Catholic Mass. You should be crying that if not aloud to yourself. We Irkens lack mercy when it comes to our prisoners. When I'm done you'll think that your Guantanamo Bay is like the Four Seasons as you people say when you want to make something horrid sound good." She turned to her desk and looked for a card key. "Ah the key to my interrogation room! I think you will find the experience to be quite awesome."
"You wouldn't dare!" Professor Membrane gulped.
"Oh you don't know what I wouldn't dare to do." Tak smiled. "You were the second most wanted criminal on this planet and that is a big deal."
"So what do you want? I'll do anything!" Professor Membrane cracked pleading to Tak.
"Anything?" Tak asked raising an antenna.
"Anything." Professor Membrane repeated.
Tak put her hand on her chin. "You may be useful to us." She put the laser gun down on the table and turned back to Professor Membrane. "You see you're a human-"
"Of course I am!" Professor Membrane interrupted.
"Silence! Do not interrupt me!" Tak said smacking him. "As I was saying, you are the greatest living human scientist on Earth correct?"
"Yes of course!" Professor Membrane smiled at the chance to show off his title. Fear would not faze him from showing off. "I have many inventions, harnessed perpetual energy and I have my own show!" Had your own show you mean. You don't anymore. Tak thought as Professor Membrane kept on bragging. "I am well known for my invention of Super Toast…" Does this guy ever shut up? Tak thought as her rage grew inside her and she tapped her claws on her gun. "I was well renowned and I want to destroy Santa for giving me socks when I was 5 and-"
"ENOUGH!" Tak yelled. "Miyuki, listening to you is torture!" Tak noticed a smirk come across Professor Membrane's face. Geesh he's getting ideas. "And don't you try to torture me with your taking!"
"Why not?" Professor Membrane asked.
For being a genius he sure is an idiot. Tak thought as she rolled her eyes at him. She walked over to an impressive cabinet that had her symbol on it painted in deep purple. Professor Membrane looked from Tak to the outside.
Dib is out there, maybe I can bargain for Dib and Gaz's freedom. To think, my son being hunted like a dog and Gaz is Governor Zim's harlot. For the 6th time in the month a dark storm started to brew outside. The sun hardly shines anymore…. The meteorologists both human and Irken had just simply said it was just a rainy month and it would get better. In fact a pleasant day of sunshine light breeze and 55 degree weather was predicted for later in that month. Scientifically he knew the explanation to be true but he couldn't help but feel that the weather reflected the human situation. If only I had believed Dib; we wouldn't be in this mess right now. What a fool I was not to consider the paranormal real.
"Okay fool to answer your question this is why you shouldn't try to torture me." Tak said as she gripped Professor Membrane's neck and holding what looked to be like a hair dryer to it.
"What are you going to do? Dry my hair?" Professor Membrane laughed.
"You may be one of the smartest humans on the planet but your ignorance astounds me. This is an Irken Death Ray. Not very good for long distances but in situations like this, it is perfect for killing. If you do not cooperate, be stubborn, cause trouble or talk without permission, this little baby will release a sound wave that will ground your brainstem. Now tell me what happens then. You are a smart human." Tak said. "NOW TELL ME!"
"My heart and lung function will cease." Professor Membrane gulped.
"Exactly; and what do we call people who have no heart and lung function?" Tak smirked
"Dead."
Tak walked around some more to build the tension. She wanted him to fear her and from his look he did already. "Exactly. Now you don't want that do you?"
"No…" Professor Membrane said quietly.
"What did you say?" Tak smiled.
"NO! NO! Please no!" Professor Membrane pleaded grabbing Tak's dress and crying like a child that was just punished.
"Thought so. Now do as we say. From now on you will work for us." Tak said as she said as she sat down and poured herself a drink. Geesh I've been doing this a lot lately. "You will spare your life that way. It's the only thing you have left. It is a very wise move indeed."
"And if I do, what will you do about Dib and Gaz?" Professor Membrane asked with a tear.
"You know the name of your son. Wow. That's real new." Tak said genuinely startled. "When I last knew him he said you just called him son all the time and nothing else."
"Something I am not proud of." Professor Membrane sighed. "But I just hope he will be alright." He was making up for the lost time he had with his children. While he never paid attention to them before he would never wish for his son and heir to be hunted like an animal and his only daughter to be used by an alien conqueror on a nightly basis. He treasured them, even if he didn't show it.
"Okay. What about Gaz? Why is she with Zim like she is?" Professor Membrane asked trying to put everything into perspective.
"Rest assured it was her choice. Out of the Membrane family she is the smartest one of you lot. She is safe and secure with Governor Zim. And to set your new discovered fatherly instincts, she enjoys being used by him as you call it. She thinks it is her duty to eventually give Zim an heir." Tak said plainly at the news. "Now speaking of Zim, he would love to hear of this. I think the Tallest would too."
(Page break)
Dib had traveled for days in the cold rain and fickle weather of March and was starting to feel sick. He was developing a cold and was sure flu was soon to follow and he knew it would be hard to run with sickness. He was trying to find some old run down barn or building to hide in while his sickness passed. These types of buildings were just often seen by passing motorists on the highway and due to Irken regulations passed on driving by humans there were few of them. Because of that fact Irkens didn't think much of that either. "Make due with what you got Dib, it's all you can do." He said to himself as he walked along trying to find some suitable building to hide in. He looked up and noticed the clouds overhead look more and more ominous. I hope it doesn't rain yet again. Dib thought as he made his way among the trees trying to find a place he could stay. He was going slower and slower with each step due to his sickness and lack or rest while on the run.
His mouth felt bone dry and his stomach growled. Sooner or later I'm going to have to stop. Dib kept walking along in the mud worrying about the trail of footprints he was leaving behind. Yet as exhausted as he was he knew that eventually he would need to stop and rest. Either way, if he rested or not, he was near death anyway. After awhile he found an old abandoned barn just a few miles from the highway and woods. He opened the door and lay in an old hay rack to try and rest.
"She will find me sooner or later. I like Tak even sort of love her. So why am I running?" Dib said to the ceiling that night.
You're running because you know she'll kill you fool! Is your love worth your life? A voice in Dib's head said to him as he lay back trying to sleep. Yet sleep would not come.
Uto and Larkz were following the footprints that Dib had left behind. ""'Miyuki damn it; it rains so often on this planet." Larkz cursed as the rain began to fall and Uto and Larkz activated their paste suits.
"Yes I know sir. It's the way the weather functions on Earth. Yet it turns the ground to mud like I told you. This frequent rain can help us to find Dib Membrane. Remember, the Earth tells tales all around." Uto sighed.
"You're driving me nuts Uto." Larkz whispered as he rolled his eyes at Uto. He tapped his foot in annoyance waiting for him to finish his calculations. He was determined to make up for his mistake he made and to spare his life. No one was going to mess this up for him and he was going to earn his redemption. Tak was already on the edge ready to kill causing Larkz to be the same way. Anyone who even looked at him the wrong way was instilled with the fear of death. It had gotten around that Larkz had killed Floogoo for questioning the ethics of the conviction of Dib and Professor Membrane. "Uto please tell me what you are doing. And it had better be of some use to us."
"Relax Commander Larkz; how many times do I have to say that? I know what I am doing! Who was the one that found Skooge on Blorch?" Uto said as his temper rose.
"You." Larkz conceded.
"Exactly. And who was the one who cracked some of Meekrob's secrets and found one of their major rebels?" Uto added with a devious yet angered prideful smirk.
"You were." Larkz sighed.
"Exactly and if I can find a Meekrob rebel leader I think I can find a scared human! Now do you remember what Lady Gaz said about Dib?" Uto said writing some things in Irken down on a computerized notepad. "While I disapprove of Governor Zim's love interest being a human, she also holds some keys that make it easier for us to find Dib Membrane."
Uto you are making less sense to me each second. We need to find Dib Membrane not play Earth Boy Scouts. Larkz thought as he continued to tap his foot at Uto. "So what does that mean?"
"She can give us psychological insight into Dib's mind!"Uto sighed as he rolled his eyes at Larkz. "Like where he would think to go to hide things he likes his determination, how long he can last on his own, etcetera etcetera and so on."
"Brilliant Uto!" Larkz said hugging Uto who sighed once again at Larkz's attitude.
(Page break to Tak's Study)
Meanwhile in Tak's study Professor Membrane was breathing heavily on the floor. Tak just looked on with no sign of remorse and smiled at a job well done. The information that he had given her gave her more of a clue to direct the manhunt crew. Probing into what little he did with his kids pays off. I know a little more about Dib's slight obsessive fascinations with old barns and abandoned churches. They apparently have frequent mentions of ghosts and other paranormal stuff. Knowing this she rummaged through her desk to find the communicator she used with the Irkens on the hunt for Dib.
"Dib's family has given me a clue. Check old abandoned buildings such as barns and churches often seen by highways. Humans often believe these to be haunted and Dib Membrane has a fascination with ghosts and other paranormal research. Also because these buildings are often old and overlooked people will not suspect to look there and therefore most intelligence officers may not either. Check all run down buildings at once!"
Uto's communicator rang of the Irken National Anthem. The message Tak said played as Uto nodded at every sentence. Larkz took the communicator, "Yes Lady Tak! Uto just suggested it! As I knew you would too. You are a most excellent leader."
The communicator rang again with Tak annoyed, "Larkz stop being a kiss up! Being the Armada's Suck Up will not help you at all."
"You know Lady Tak is right there about being the Armada Suck Up!" Uto yelled from far away not caring about Larkz.
"Hey Uto you arrogant ass wait up!" Larkz ran up to him yelling and panting once he caught up to him.
"Mighty Irken muscle ain't what it used to be? Not used to Earth's conditions? Or are you enjoying the splendors too much?" Uto smirked. "Brawn not keeping up with Brain?"
"Miyuki shut the fuck you you turd." Larkz said
"Watch your vile language. Miyuki wouldn't like you using her name like that!" Uto said.
"Fuck what Miyuki would think!" Larkz said. "Are you finding Dib yet or not?!"
"As a matter of fact I have!" Uto said motioning to the lone sound of an Irken Tractor Trailer. "We found the highway and there is an old barn. See what's on the ground for about a mile?"
"Dib's foot prints." Larkz said
"We have him now." Uto said. "My fellow men follow me!"
"They're my men Uto." Larkz sighed. "Follow Uto like he said to."
A/N This chapter's idea of where to find Dib came while on the highway from Ohio to PA so that is that one. This chapter if for my friends Mike and Ria who liked this one a lot. Until the next one, and enjoy the cliffhanger. Remember to read (well you just did) and review.
Thanks
Realm.
