Against The Odds

by Save The Donuts

AU - Zim promised he wouldn't run away anymore. He would fight for everything important to him and he would return, even if things could never be the same. But, at his return, he will know time had passed too fast, not even to say Good Bye. ZADR.

4. Chapter III Calm Before the Storm

Warning: This is a ZADR fanfic = Zim and Dib romance. If you don't like, just don't read. I mean it.

Everything related to Invader Zim does not belong to me ;w;

Rated: T, because of some minor violent scenes xp

Genre: Alternative universe. Some angst but things will get better… somehow owo;;

Summary: Zim promised he wouldn't run away anymore. He would fight for everything important to him and he would return, even if things could never be the same. But, at his return, he will know time had passed too fast, not even to say Good Bye. Now, he will have to survive in an unrecognizable world in an uncertain universe, until he meet a person who will help him to keep his word.

**First of all, I need to make something clear. In this chapter, time will be measured mainly in irken years. Just to make the conversion easier make 1 irken year = 10 earth years, you will notice when to do it. Ok, that's it. Enjoy :p**

Chapter III

Calm Before the Storm

Sighing tiredly, Juna passed his arm over his face, taking away the thick sweat drops off his skin. Even under the shade, the summer heat was becoming irremediably unbearable. He looked at the irken who, just like him, was busy, sitting on the floor and focused in assembling the gigantic metallic puzzle they hope it would turn into a spaceship. Meanwhile, Juna's eyes felt heavy and he knew his dexterity had left the building without him.

He had been working since the previous morning on the assembly, taking not even a moment to rest. If he was hungry he could eat while joining cables, checking connections and graphs, welding here and there. Despite that, Zim kept pressing him constantly; Juna was allowed to take a rest once every some time. But if Zim didn't rest, he wouldn't. He wouldn't give him the opportunity to humiliate him for his "pitiful efficiency ".

After years of being overexploited in an endless number of underpaid and dangerous jobs, Juna had come to think he knew what was the real exhaustion. But to work beside the unpleasant irken had showed him how wrong he was. He had thought that to work with him would require only hacking some feeble security programs and let Zim have the audacity to get into those technological fortresses. The irken didn't lack the agility, trickery and confidence to obtain what he wanted and to return without a scratch. But, as soon as the irken noticed he could understand the complicated human control systems and instrumentation, but also to learn the basics of the irken technology, he had entrusted him an endless list of tasks that, virtually, consumed the little free time he had.

A month was almost gone over the same line, almost three days with no sleep and his eyes couldn't focus anymore, even with the lenses on. Zim barely showed any weariness, only once Juna had found him yawning. Every day, when he came back to Zim's place, GIR would babble all they had done while he was gone but he had never mentioned anything about Zim taking a rest, would it be that irkens didn't sleep?

He looked briefly at the alien and got back to his work. Even hidden in that abandoned building, Zim kept his holographic disguise on, disappointing the human. Juna couldn't suppress the curiosity he felt toward everything related to him. It was a mix of intimidation and fascination. Where did he come from? How had he gotten to Earth? How it felt like to be there, in outer space, seeing closely all those marvelous supernovas, galaxies, planets and solar systems of all shapes and sizes the humans had caught with telescopes and satellites in the last centuries? And, specially, how had he met Dib I? But the irken's aggressive, unforeseeable and volatile personality intimidated him against making any questions.

Maybe Zim would turn accessible enough to answer his questions, but at the moment it seemed to be as probable as to find the remaining pieces in the nearest public garbage dump.

"Then …" The human thought "If this red cable is common, then this blue one with the yellow one is for digital signals. The white one for feedback, the green one the repeater and the black one for the energy supply. Wait a sec, the red one is the feedback and the black for the energy supply … No, wait. Again. The blue one is the digital wire, or was it the yellow one?" Tremulous, Juna's hands stopped, he couldn't think right anymore and he struggle to keep his eyes open. Wisely, he weighed the situation: If he stopped, Zim would reproach him his "pathetic human weakness" if he didn't make porridge out of him, but if he continued he would connect something wrong for sure and the ship and its occupants would end up, at best, as a fireball in the stratosphere. Though he didn't like the irken much, Juna's conscience wouldn't let him live with that.

No, he couldn't do that any longer.

Before saying something, Zim turned around, busy with a gray metallic piece between his hands.

- Human beast. Continue with that, tomorrow. - The irken stretched his arm; his slender hand reached out a thin tool from the floor and inserted it in the piece.

Juna was speechless; incredulous. He didn't think Zim would let him go without shouts or humiliations. Suspiciously, the human nodded, stood up as quickly as possible, making his joints crack and took his backpack. He didn't want to anger Zim for his delay, he shouldn't push his luck.

- See ya tomorrow - Juna said before leaving the room, not expecting to receive a reply, but he smiled. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't deny that this was the most exciting and intellectually stimulant thing that he had ever done in his life. But he needed a bed urgently and a shower. - Ah! Zim, I am going to resign to my work at the messenger company. – He commented, timidly. – I still have to go three more days, because of the contract. - He added to avoid any misunderstanding. He knew Zim didn't care about his personal problems but he had to know about the extra time he would have the next few days. – But I will have more time to work on this.

The irken looked at him with no real interest and shrugged. If Juna waited for any poisonous comment on his behalf, he didn't receive it. Something strange was going on to him, but he didn't have the courage to ask.

- Then, you can come earlier. Get here at nine when you stop being a messenger drone. - Zim dismissed the boy and kept working.

Outside of the building, Juna didn't notice the irken's eyes upon him. Zim watched him sticking his head out of a collapsed section of the high wall surrounding the building's ground. Juna looked at both sides and, quickly, he was out of sight.

Zim yawned deeply and watched GIR briefly, who was playing with a small pile of garbage at the foot of the construction. It was distressing to know that that robot was the only existing being in the entire universe to which he could trust.

A transmitter came out of his pak.

- GIR - His voice came out tired but strong enough. The SIR looked at him and greeted him with a wide smile - I don't want you to come up here 'til I say so, understood? – Through the transmitter, GIR's sharp and excited voice answered "Yes, master!" echoing with the shout from below - If any foolish hobo comes in, warn me at once by the transmitter.

Zim walked towards the opposite wall and a meter away from it, the wall rose, exposing a small red room. Once inside, the wall closed behind him.

Screens and keyboards were placed on the wall, at the center there was a wide red armchair. All that was everything he could save from his old base, it didn't even have a basic control installed but with so little, it would be superfluous. He sat down on the armchair and, relaxing, he closed his eyes.

Zim could hide very well his weariness, out there it was a matter of survival and he wouldn't change that just for being on Earth.

He needed to rest as much as he hated it and it caused him to want to have the human away; actually, anyone should be far-away. He couldn't allow him to be nearby, much less to let him know about that secret place. His only shelter in the universe.

…

The access sliding door of his small box opened with a sharp shriek, just enough to let Juna come in, dragging his feet. He dropped his backpack after him, falling noisily on the circuit boards and old magazines. Knowing perfectly the order of the chaos inside the small space, he avoided boxes, cables and electronic bits without tripping in the darkness. At the back side, he fell down on the narrow bed, growling tiredly. He looked at the glowing red numbers of the alarm clock. Six of the evening. Lucky, that day he didn't have night shift at the bar so he had of the whole night to rest, that thought made him smile and he made himself comfortable on the sheets.

He wondered if the irken would let him stay at his hiding place, saving the trip time from one place to the other, the bar was nearby and, if he was to quit the messenger company, it would be convenient for him. But the better he knew Zim, more improbable it seemed he would agree; the alien was very jealous toward his place, but he had though the same one month ago when he asked him to work with him.

Juna had planned to quit both jobs but he didn't trust the irken's honesty. What would happen if, at the last moment, Zim decided to betray him? He should keep his job at the bar, it was less tiring to serve clients who only wanted drinks and as long as he did, they would be happy. If there was a fight, it wasn't his job to stop it.

He sighed on the pillow, closed the eyes and he fell asleep fast.

…

If he looked at the sky, he could clearly see the particular band of stars of the earthly sky. A soft breeze blew among the tree branches and, hidden up there were two people, sitting on the thickest and highest branches.

That was one of the many times Dib had taken the irken to one of his field researches. At the beginning, Dib didn't trust the irken enough to leave him alone for many days at home so Zim was, virtually, dragged into the car or airplane. Then Dib had to gather all his patience to stand him the rest of the trip or until the irken would get tired of complaining.

After a year of knowing each other, the irken had resigned to be taken and brought as a dead weight. It was against his nature to be a burden and, especially, to accept orders from a non-irken being and, therefore, inferior but in that case, if he could irritate the human, he would take any opportunity. Eventually, he had gotten bored of shouting and complaining. The human ignored him now and, without that, Zim didn't get any entertainment.

Zim watched the weak reflection of the computer screen on the human's glasses and tried to get comfortable on the branch he was sitting on. The human had been looking for a "sneefehr" for days. It was some kind of fox that, according to the stories, it only appeared at night and left behind a fire trace when startled but up until now they hadn't found a clue. There were cameras, microphones, movement and temperature sensors and scanners all over the place and not even a spark was found.

Though the irken rejected the human's exploration tactics, he couldn't deny that they worked somehow. The area Dib chose would find him whatever he was looking for, which happened to be a mystery to Zim. But he refused to ask or to show ignorance or curiosity about the primitive human methods.

They were both on the tree because, according to the human, they should keep their smells away from any inhabitant of that stinking organic rubbish dump Dib called forest. As far as he knew, the sniffer wasn't aggressive but there were some "behr" things he wanted to avoid at any cost. Zim had the impression Dib already had run into one of them before, ending in an unfortunate and urgent admission to the hospital.

Zim tried to sit again but the angle of the branch wouldn't let him without arching his back painfully to make room for his pak. He wouldn't complain, he was a proud member of the greatest and most powerful military force known in the universe ever, a decorated soldier, a brilliant elite, an acknowledged invader…! An irken who deserved death for turning his back to his most important mission of his existence: To give his life for the empire and to blindly obey the Tallest's commands. Even in those circumstances, he would never forgive himself and, being up there, he felt like paying for it. He could not even wear this dignifying military uniform any longer.

He tried to sit again but he could barely hold on to the branch to stay up. Frustrated, he scratched the bark, growling and cursing the insolent tree.

- Zim, let's get back to the camp. - Dib whispered from his spot, placing his computer on a support fixed in a close branch. He took off the lenses and massaged the bridge of his nose - It seems that today we didn't have luck, either.

Tired, Dib took a bag hung on a branch and put his belongings in it.

- Giving up, human? Ha! How predictable, pretentious earthling pig. Your lack of strength doesn't surprise me. - The irken mocked, feigning boredom and complete control of his precarious position on the tree.

Dib glanced at him outraged and kept picking up all he had placed on the branches like small power sources, maps, communication aerials and a cup holder.

Zim felt his partner's frustration; it was the first time he had gotten nothing over a week, not even a blurry photograph. But if Dib said they could go back, he wouldn't complain at all. His body felt sore, mainly his back.

Before Zim could get down the tree, he noticed the human unmoving, silent.

- Pig-monkey, let's go. I don't want to find a group of raccoons nesting in the camp again.

Dib sighed but resolutely, and surprising the irken, he took out all his belongings and put them back on their place.

- What … what are you doing?

- Zim, go ahead. I'm staying here a bit longer.

- W…what? Seriously, Human-monkey, you think that, just because you stay here 'til dawn that "sneefehr" silliness will appeared when it hasn't in seven days?

- Zim, I've told you, you can stay at the camp. At least, you won't have to worry about falling of a tree there. - The irken, infuriated, tried to seem oblivious about that comment, playing fool. Resigned, Dib told him – If it helps you somehow, if by tomorrow morning I don't find anything, we are getting back home. Alright?

- Good! - The irken said, he got back to his place on the branch and tried to get hold of it again.

- Aren't you going back? – Dib asked baffled, after an instant of silence.

- You dragged Zim to this landfill, you forgot his skitte and he has been for the last hundred sixty earthly hours squashed on this primitive vegetable structure. Zim won't let you rub any moment of weakness on his face. Understood? Never! - Zim nodded, emphasizing his words.

- Whatever. – He replied, not in the mood to argue.

Why had he found this conceited and irrational alien? Would they all be like that? Dib hoped not, but then it only showed how much the Universe enjoy making fun of him.

Half an hour went by, the computer hadn't detected anything. Growls could be heard from the forest and Zim was more bored than before. He looked at the human, focused on the equipment, then at the forest and back to the human.

It was too annoying.

- Why do you want to find this greasy beast? – The irken asked, casually. If he was to be there, at least he should know what for. The human could do something less uncomfortable with his life for sure. – You know you could do useful things for your planet than wasting your time looking for something it might not even exist?

- You have no idea how many times I have heard that. - The human answered, watching the screen. Back then, Zim couldn't sense any trace of sorrow in the words. He had been almost a year on Earth but still couldn't understand the subtleties of the human language and maybe he never would. Not that he was interested in that.

- Then why don't you take any notice? - Zim knew Dib was much more intelligent than anyone he'd had the disgrace of meeting. But he would be stupid not to see something so obvious. – Seriously, human, that large head of yours is a misuse of space.

- If you think that just …! - His words came out too loud and Dib shot his mouth. He should control his voice volume or he could fright any nearby sniffer.

It couldn't be, even Zim had done that question! Dib felt frustrated and tried to give an answer but, how could he explain his situation to Zim, not delving into his most private family issues and make him understand the humans' motivations? He knew Zim enough to know that he would not let that question go unsolved. He would push him and kick up a fuss over it until he got an answer. He didn't have any other choice than to give him one, even if it was partially the truth. He didn't owe him anything to let him look into his own personal insecurities.

Dib took a moment and answered.

- Because, otherwise, I don't feel free.

"'Free?' What was the pig meat talking about?" Zim thought, confused and slightly irritated. How was that related to this ridiculous research?

- Here, there is nothing that judges me, presses or tries of influence on my life and work.

"Oh! That. Yes, that's important." Even Zim had to admit how much he had enjoyed his wide leeway during his work in the research facilities at Vort, not long before all the mess began.

- And especially, I am sure that somewhere … - And Dib did a gesture, pointing at the forest. - …is something that nobody has been captured ever before. I want to know… no, I need to know what is it, where did it come from, why it evolved like that, why till now it has stayed hidden? I want to be the one who finds the answers. I'll show everyone that science has unexplored paths in front of it, so many unseen possibilities. Besides…- And Dib smiled, his resolute eyes fixed on the forest. -…here I get all the peace I need.

Zim looked at the forest too, chewing the human's words for several minutes and, slowly, the irken found a familiar concept to explain all that nonsense. Seeing it from his particular point of view, everything became clear. Dib was a hunter, his hunts didn't involve blood and death, like those Zim had taken part previously when he was in the irken army, but they required trickery and skills to get indisputable evidence, his trophies and the recognition that he was searching for.

Zim understood then that he had also been a prey Dib had hunted down. But this hunter had not exposed him to the world to show off his victory, he had kept him to himself, a priceless and unique trophy to give away. Even more, he had given him a shelter where to lick his wounds, time to recover and the patience to stand him.

The word "unique" did echo in his mind but, at the moment, it was too heavy and vain to stay afloat and it was gone into oblivion.

A hunter and their prey. The analogy hurt his already injured pride but, seeing the human's determination, he couldn't blame him. At the end, Zim was the one who had given up.

Weighing the situation, he could try to get involved in that. Just a little. He didn't have anything to lose and, while his spaceship was in those deplorable conditions, he couldn't leave either.

It seemed he had found something to pass the time while he was stuck on this stinking planet. Things didn't seem so bad anymore. The irken concluded then that that PA-RA-NOR-MAL thing could do something for him, except for a few details. Zim lied back and tried to get comfortable in his place, again.

- Zim! Look, I think there is som…

The cold of the morning disappeared as well as the hard branch, the leaves, the wind, and Dib's enthusiastic expression, waking up a confused Zim. He heard the human's words echoing in his mind.

He was laid on the armchair inside his secret room in the old and abandoned building, one hundred and fifty years ahead, where the sniffer and other legendary creatures had become exotic pets and Dib was dead.

Getting back to reality supposed to adjust his ideas temporally and, sometimes, to struggle against those re-lived thoughts and sensations and enclose them where they should be. He didn't dare to get up, he let the silence reign in that place for several minutes, diluting that voice and he tried to focus on his immediate reality.

There were no words to express how much hated to sleep.

…

- No! Don't leave! Do you have any idea all the extra work I'll have from now on? - Freed implored, clung to her friend's torso.

Juna had handed in his resignation three days ago and now he had to leave his post. Despite he gave them time enough, the job was still empty. The city was too big; the company needed someone who knew it like the palm of their hand.

Just before he came back to Capital City, he had memorized the city map and all the public transport routes. If he had to run away, he should know where to and how to flee. Fortunately, when he arrived, there was a place available at that messenger company and didn't think twice about it.

- You will be fine, Freed. Someone will take my place soon. - The boy tried to comfort her.

- You are an idiot, you know what I mean! - The girl's sorrow was obvious and his conscience troubled him. Juna felt a real fondness towards her; she was his best and only friend. He really did regret doing that to her.

- I have some family things I must attend to out of the city; I can't put them aside any longer. – Every lie made him feel ashamed, but still he couldn't change his mind, his new priority was his clandestine job in order to get the normal and quiet life he wanted. The boy hoped that, some day in the future, he could tell her the truth but now he should keep it secret.

- But, you'll be back soon, right? Why don't you take your free days in advance? Stay here.

- I'm sorry. I don't know how long I'll be away. But as soon as I come back, you will be the first one to know and we can go out, anywhere you like, alright? – His friend promised from the bottom of his heart. It was the least and only thing he could do for her.

- Very well, but we are going to a nice place and you will pay the bill, understood? - Freed said, holding her sad tears in, showing a forced looking smile.

- Good - The boy smiled too, trying to assure his words. Juna should have a better financial situation by then, with some luck. To use his money would be much safer if he didn't have to show a fake identity every time. He felt sad to be far from his friend. – Take care, Martin. – He said at the manager, who had seen the scene quietly.

- You too, kiddo. Good luck. Rest and eat well. - The manager answered, fatherly.

Martin knew how kind, responsible and polite Juna was. He had never received complain about his work or his treatment with the clients. Sadly, Martin couldn't guarantee his job once he was back, any minute now someone could take that place.

Martin and the young woman were silent while Juna, before leaving, removed some personal belongings from his wardrobe, at the end of the hall.

- Freed, he'll be back soon, you will see. We don't have much work today. You can get back home early. – The girl nodded sadly. Martin continued with his work, putting in the delivery orders, behind the counter and Juna was gone.

- Crap, you can't stop giving me more work. Right, kid? – She whispered to herself. She looked at the solitary entrance of the building, Martin was distracted and the hall was empty. No one could see her. – Ok, I'm done here. I'm leaving too.

Martin was busy, picking up some boxes from the floor when the service bell on the counter rang. When he turned around, he saw a corpulent man smiling at him. His hair was black and straight, wearing a modern version of the classic executive black suit, the latest fashion.

- Hello, is there something you need? - Martin asked, distrustful.

The man smiled. Martin couldn't help but notice the row of sharp teeth and, watching closer, his eyes were red, his ears slightly sharp-pointed, his skin had a strange grayish tone and his nails were long.

- I am sorry too, Martin. But there are things that I cannot leave behind. I promise you that if I must do a sending, I will use this service. - The man said, leaning on the counter.

When Dib I confirmed the existence of non-human groups and helped in their insertion in the human society, it was not weird that a stranger, as they were usually called, would wander around the streets. Fortunately, almost never they had caused problems, much less than humans themselves did. But the presence of this person made Martin feel anxious, especially those eyes.

Martin felt slight dizzy, but the sensation was gone suddenly. He looked around not finding anything or anybody. He was sure that someone was there just a second ago. What had happened? It should be his imagination and discarded his suspicions. He didn't have time for that; he had a lot of work to do.

He checked the orders chart and he couldn't believe what he saw. Many deliveries hadn't been assigned to anyone. Had the computer made a mistake? How? He had been in the jobs for years and nothing like had ever happened! It was like if two delivery boys had disappeared!

He plugged the tablet to the computer, looking for an answer. All the delivery boys had arrived that day but something was wrong, there were two vacant since a couple of year ago. How had they worked like that so far?

That was too strange.

…

At the top of a high building, there was a boy self-absorbed in what just had happened to him while he looked critically at the city. He still had pins and needles all over his body after the electrical shock he had received and his body would need a few more minutes to get his full mobility back.

Meanwhile, he had poor hopes to accomplish the mission there or anywhere else on that planet. In outer space, they hadn't found any characteristic traces of a fugitive from his world would left behind. But he was dealing with a particularly cunning person who has been hidden from the Empire expertly over the years. They didn't even know what they would have to face at the end.

According to his height, he had to adopt a teenager human appearance of short dark hair, brown skin and black eyes.

He turned around and looked at the reddish architecture of familiar structure nailed in the top of the building. The old military bases had to be installed directly on the planet's surface but the latest designs could be placed almost on any surface, as long as there was a nearby source of energy. Thanks to the technology of his planet, only he and his team were capable of seeing and accessing to it. But taking into account the earthlings' short intelligence, it was more than enough. They wouldn't notice it even if it was installed at the city downtown, decorated with neon lights.

He, as a member of the elite group of his world, had to fulfill the mission assigned by his leader, even if his subordinates' behavior had turned out to be so irritating. He should stay calm, to keep his mind collected. The outcome of the irken war and the future of the empire depended on that.

He heard steps, clearly from two people, coming at him from behind. It must be those two mad guys under his charge for sure and, obviously, they knew all about the transmission with the Tallest. Given the current situation, he had to take as many precautions as he could to avoid any intervention of the communication network from the enemy but these two guys always found a way to know everything and they refused to reveal their secrets.

Even if he deeply hated them, he couldn't deny that, to be a couple of mistakes in the reproduction system of his species, up to that moment they had showed to be too clever and capable. Just for nothing they had earned important victories for the Empire with just a small and despicable squadron of 9B type soldiers.

- What's up, commander Skoodge? Does the Tallest not pet you anymore? – One voice said, not too deep or sharp to guess its gender, a type of voice increasingly common among the irkens. For their society, such thing was pointless. The individuals' responsibilities and achievements were up to their effort and, mainly, to their height. Genetic gender was the leftover of what, thousands of years ago, had been the instinctive, uncontrolled and unsupervised form of the irken reproduction. Thank Irk, it was all over when it designed the finest cloning system in the entire Universe.

- I think this is the third time the Tallest sends you an electrical shock. Am I right, commander? – A deeper voice responded.

"Don't let those bastards provoke you." Skoodge held on to that thought each time he had to deal with them. How come he didn't get any normal and psychologically stable soldiers who respected his rank?

- We were more useful to the empire at the battle line than here, in this pigsty.

Reluctantly, Skoodge turned round. The first person who had spoken looked like a young human female with blonde, straight and short hair, of deep green eyes and flushed skin.

Skoodge knew that, under that deceitfully delicate appearance, existed a deadly collection of knives that the owner, Drainden, could use perfectly. Even under that disguise and hidden under the elite soldier's armor, he had weapons and ammunitions of large caliber, enough to unleash a riot all over Capital City and the surrounding towns.

The other irken, called Montroot, looked like a young human male with dark hair, wearing wide goggles over his eyes.

- I suppose you already know the new adjustments of the mission. - The leader said, ignoring their words.

- Every detail. - Drainden answered, not showing remorse for intervening in the private communication of the commander. - We informed Russ in the control room, your blue-eyed lap dog was waiting for orders.

Then, a teenager of blue eyes and dark brown hair came out of the base and saluted at Skoodge.

- Commander, they had informed me the Tallest had changed the mission conditions. Is that true?

Skoodge nodded, grateful that someone in the group respected him.

- It doesn't matter if we catch Zim dead or alive. Tallest Purple wants his pak at any cost, even if we have to sacrifice him.

They all agreed with the decision. To catch this fugitive alive had proved to be too difficult and risky, no one wanted to join to the long list of purple soldiers who had died in the attempt. For the first time since his pursuit had begun, Zim would face a team that wouldn't hold back to get what belonged to the empire.

Skoodge looked worried at the enormous extension of Capital City. The mission at hand was too delicate and vital, that would finish once and for all with the war that was tearing the Irken Empire apart, breaking up its power and progresses that, over millennia, it had reached.

- Go. – Skoodge ordered. - We must put this war to an end. There is no time to lose.

Drainden, Montroot and Russ were next to him and, after a gesture, the first two disappeared silently, sneaking away at the foot of the building. Briefly, Skoodge followed them but their speed let them blend in the native population just like a thread of smoke in a thick fog.

Russ stayed behind a second to bow respectfully and submissively at him, then he followed his comrades of mission. Russ liked to move under the shadows and alleys of the buildings, not calling any attention to himself, avoiding leaving behind any tracks of his presence.

When he lost them on sight, Skoodge joined to the search. Invisible by the hologram, a mask covered his mouth and a visor his eyes, in which he could follow their position and status. Montroot had moved towards the north, Drainden to the east and Russ to the west. So there was only one place left for him.

…

Montroot stretched his arm and hid, in a dark corner behind a building, a dark red sphere. He pressed a spot on his wrist and the sphere became activated and undetectable by any irken tracking. As soon as the order was given, several of those devices would scan the city, looking for a particular energy paks emitted. The equipment hadn't got it from the space, forcing them to land. If there was an irken outside the base when they were activated, they would not only be found but the trackers would send a stunning signal that would keep them paralyzed time enough to get them.

Before moving back to his task, Montroot checked the information he had just received through a secret subprogram in the computer of the base which existence only he and Drainden knew about.

He pressed a side of his goggles. A torrent of information spread out in his mind from his pak and just by thinking about it, he manipulated, filtered, rejected and classified the information. He smiled, pleased by the discovery.

He had almost finished installing the scanners on that zone, but it was safer to inform Drainden about the result of their little private research from his position than telling him at the base. The street and shops lights turned on as the sky became dark. Soon he would have to get back to the base, he had spent too much time away from Drainden and that could be dangerous for both.

- Drainden, are you done yet? - Montroot asked and leaned against the building wall, not needing to deploy the pak transmitter. With some mental adjustments in the pak he could transfer complete messages only to his partner. They were sure no one else, in the entire irken species, had the capacity to perform that kind of subtle and precise communication, without using any device for that. That capacity had allowed them to survive beyond the short life expectancy of soldiers like them.

- Just a few minutes ago. - His partner answered. - What's up? – On his side, Drainden was walking along a crowded avenue.

- Zim is here.

Taken aback, Drainden answered, ready to process the information Montroot had for him.

- Give me a brief report. - Montroot listened and put the hands in the pockets of his holographic sack.

- Just as we supposed. Zim has been stealing to technology companies in this city in the last fourteen terrestrial weeks. The list of stolen goods is quite a thing; it includes anti-gravitational stabilizers, propellants based on inert gases, just to mention a few. They're mostly supplies designed for a space ship. I'll send the rest of the list to you, the next possible missing pieces and the location of every earth company that owns them.

- Keep going. – It wasn't difficult to guess what was happening. It seemed like Zim was trying to fix his ship. The information invader Tak had left behind made clear Zim's ship had important malfunctions and it might not support the stress of the long trips he was forced to do any longer. They wouldn't waste the opportunity to catch him, now that he was stuck on that planet.

- The pattern I see in the latest thefts makes me think he is working with someone else but at the moment I can't determine if it is a human or not.

- Yes, I noticed that too. At least we know that if Zim keeps stealing with this frequency, he won't be able to leave in at least few more weeks. Mmm… Tak reported he was alone, right?

- But that report is more than three years old. According to witnesses, Zim took a dismantled SIR but it was not found in Tak's memories. Perhaps, one of these monkeys assist him, maybe Zim makes it work against its will.

Drainden thought deeply. Undoubtedly, it was an enormous advantage to know that Zim was in that city, they could focus their efforts on that single area of the planet. The scanners had been very useful during the war on Irk, many battles had been won thanks to that technological innovation, but he had his doubts if they could be that useful in that case. A fugitive like Zim should know by now how to avoid them, even more after running up with a soldier as strong as Tak.

- Montroot, we will proceed as we planned and I will take this information to the commander. - Montroot agreed, recalling the analysis they had done on Zim before arriving to the Earth. – We must make clear that we know his plan and, at the end, Zim will be so stressed that it will be easier to defeat him in a direct confrontation.

- It's the only advantage we can get. - They understood their limitations in that mission but that had never stopped them to end up victorious in the battlefield. If they wanted to be something more that 9B soldiers, they had to go back with that pak or die trying. Despite it all, they knew a cruel truth about the mission. - It was a serious mistake Tak had found Zim, before.

…

- Commander? - Russ called, getting into the control room of the base. – As soon as Drainden and Montroot get back, the scanning will begin.

Skoodge was absorbed in the information he had gathered since his arrival to Earth, displayed on several screens in the control room. The location of the missing irken soldier was on a corner, away from the base.

"It's not going to work" The leader thought.

- Complete the procedure, just like before. Then we will have to search on our own. – He answered indifferently.

- Sir, do you think it will fail?

- No, Russ. I am sure. The fact that Zim had run up with Tak puts us in disadvantage. It let him know the latest advances in the military technology and crucial information of our forces. Though three years have passed, our weapons have not changed substantially. He knows what we'll use to attack and he will be prepared to face us. - More information appeared on the screens but nothing useful.

- Then why bother with …?

- The Tallest is supervising the mission from Irk. He will notice if we don't carry out the search according to his criteria. The Tallest has ordered a scan and we will comply with him. – Skoodge looked at Russ' shinny and weird looking blue eyes and tightened his elite soldier uniform armband- Prepare yourself. The empire can't afford any delay. – He checked his weapons, everyone was ready. – You know? If we have some luck, Zim might have come back to this city. – And he looked at one spot on the main screen.

Russ found a very peculiar image on the screen. In it there were two people, one of them was easily identifiable if you happen to know the basics of human history: To the right, the greatest driving force of the Earth science and technology ever, Dib Membrane I and, at his side, wearing the most deplorable disguise he had seen in his life, was the irken they were looking for.

- Depending on the scanning, we will install some scanners Hasja on the zone.

The scanners Hasja had been used for decades before the war in the empire began and had become obsolete after the invention of the scanner-stunners. Russ understood Zim didn't expect to be pursued by such outdated tools and any defense he could have against the scanner-stunners would be useless.

The base communication was on and Drainden's voice resounded in the room:

- Hey, Skoodge! Do you hear me? We have found something; we'll be there in no time.

…

Double vanilla milk shake, berry jam sandwich, a couple of chocolate bars, a package of glazed cookies, a cold soda and, finally, chewing gum.

- I think I'm gonna throw up. - Juna whispered, on having seen the excessive quantity of sugar the irken could eat at lunch. Suppressing an over-sweet sensation in his mouth, he bit his own food.

- Did you say something? – The irken asked at his side. Juna shook his head energetically, still chewing. – Hurry up, it's about to arrive.

"He doesn't even let me eat at peace" Juna thought bitterly.

The human swallowed it whole and throw the wrapper into a nearby trash can just when the subway arrived. They got in and took seat.

The subway ran, shaking the users inside. It went through a dark tunnel for several minutes, went up a slope and, reaching the peak, the tunnel opened wide, showing a splendid view of the city. The highest and most modern skyscrapers at downtown, like stalagmites made of concrete and iron alloys surrounding the overwhelming central building of the Membrane Company: The biological, astrophysics and space research facilities. Lately the Membrane festival decorations had weaved through every street and people didn't talk about nothing else.

Suddenly, cold hued lights spread out in the sky and stayed there for a while. The irken watched the aurora spreading and fluctuating all over the sky, like long ghostly curtains, from north to south.

- When you first came here, auroras only existed at the Earth poles. Right, Zim? - Zim didn't answer but nodded, abstracted. – I have always liked to see them. The magnetic field energy generators were installed just before I was born. At school, teachers explained to us how they work. The theory behind it was developed by Dib I, it's really ingenious. Even some people had believed that he got some extraterrestrial help. It seems they aren't that wrong.

- What are you talking about? – The irken asked, paying attention to the human at last.

- You know. - Zim was puzzled, not understanding him.

There were a number of urban myths regarding the Membrane family and what happened inside the laboratories. He knew firsthand those were cheap gossips. Juna always ignored them but when he knew about Zim, an alien with a severe case of neurosis and narcissism, who had known the much-admired Dib I, now he had reasons to pay attention to the rumors.

- You helped Dib I to create that.

- For Irk's sake. - Zim rolled his eyes, irritated. – You know nothing, idiotic human. You wasted your useless time in those pitiful mind atrophying centers you call schools. - The irken ranted angry, looking at the city again. - For your information, scabby monkey, most of the planets known by my people have a very weak magnetic field. It would not even work to light a bulb, even the atmosphere and weather are supported artificially. It's the first time Zim sees this. – Then he glanced at him. Inside, Zim wished to kick his ass right there but it wasn't the place and time for that. – Dib did this alone, so don't underestimate him.

- I'm sorry, many things are said about the Membrane that I assumed… - The boy tried to apologize, but he knew he had screwed it up.

- Shut up! – The irken interrupted – Zim needs no apologizes from a stinky human-pig like you. Instead of thinking historical bilges, you should be preparing yourself for Saturday night. We have much work to do.

He would never mention his ancestor in front of the irken again. It was like a walk across a minefield.

- Idiot - They whispered simultaneously, not hearing the other.

They got off at the next station. Zim felt a shiver running up his spine. There should be a cold wind for sure, he thought. Through his pak, he adjusted the internal temperature of his uniform. He had a lot of things in his mind to pay any attention.

…

It was one hour before midnight and Zim was already crossing the corridors of a group of warehouses with the supply in his hands. It had been very simple, the security officers were distracted with the television transmission of the festival and the irken hoped they would stay like that until the end.

- Move forward – Skoodge said when every soldier took their spot around the circular warehouses. The stunner-scanners had failed, just as they had foreseen, but with the information Drainden and Mrot had gotten and the scanners Hasja, they had found the irken deserter.

Juna said "Wait" and Zim hid in a corner. He heard footsteps approaching, happy voices and they were gone seconds later. He listened "Forward" and moved on. "Right, in the third passageway." Zim turned right and entered to the corridor. "Through the ceiling. Get into the air duct at your left." Zim deployed the pak legs and its metallic surface shone with the outside lights. He moved on to the ceiling and got into the air duct. "At the bottom there is an exit, no one will be there." Zim nodded and moved furtively.

- To the northeast wing. – Russ pointed out.

Juna watched irken using the surveillance cameras as guide, hidden behind a dense shrub. The warehouses were enormous circular constructions next to the biggest park of the city, this one with dozens of hectares of extension. Juna was a hundred meters away from the principal access, guiding the irken's path with great care. The noise of the Membrane festival opening was increasingly strong from the other side of the park, fireworks exploited in the air in complex figures trying to compete with the brilliant lights of the city and reflectors. The mix of music and the chaotic shouting seemed to come to its highest peak.

Juna took a moment to stretch and see the enlightened towers around. Normally he would work on that day so he never had the chance to get involved in the event, except for once. He remembered having gone to the opening once when he was a seven year old child. One of his father's personal assistants had taken him to the principal building of the company where to enjoy the best sight of the city and the celebration.

He barely knew his temporary guardian; he was called Ryan… Something, one of the closest people to his father and the manager of the public image of the company and the Membrane family. So it wasn't a surprise that on having entered to the great events hall he was dragged between the most important guests to be introduced. Juna couldn't remember a single name or face he had in front that night but he did remember how uncomfortable and bad-tempered he felt after an hour of superfluous chats; it was too much for a child of that age. For a moment, his guardian got distracted and the child took advantage of it to slip away between the adults' legs, toward a wide balcony.

There were more people at the balcony rather than inside, still he could dodge the adults, he got to the hand railing and looked carefully at the outer activity. The streets were crowed by a confusing fusion of people, lights, sounds, confetti and allegoric cars.

The small Membrane kid would need several years to understand completely the sensation he had in that moment, but he didn't ignore it back then. The people below, without effort, joined one with the other into one single feeling, in which they were connected to or it got connected to them. Then he saw the grown up people behind him, wondering if they shared something, too.

The child found it. It wasn't as passionate or explosive as the one in the street and, even, he could feel something slightly bitter and cold in it, but they let themselves go by whatever that was. And he looked at himself: All alone against the railing, waiting not to be found by anyone, like he always did. And for the first time in his life, he felt deep loneliness: To be surrounded by people who knew every small detail about his life but nobody was actually interested in who he was. They knew that information to have some topic to talk with his father and to get some profit of it. And when the time would come, he would be surrounded by those hypocrite morons, too.

No, he wouldn't let that happen to him.

- Stop thinking nonsense. – He told off to himself.

The twenty-one-year-old Dib V focused on the computer screen, decided to take control of his life, even if he had to stand that selfish alien.

- Zim, follow the evacuation route signs from now on. When you get to the end, I'll give you the last instructions.

- He's heading to the emergency exit, fifteen meters north. - Drainden Reported.

- Drainden, go. Montroot, back him up. I don't want you apart longer than necessary.

Zim ran the halls furtively. His tuned senses gathered all the information about his surroundings. When walking, he could even feel every little detail he would normally miss: the walls material, the changing temperature, the echo of his steps, and every access point for the smallest bugs up to the largest machinery. Even so, his perception degree should improve, every detail could be a great difference the day he would have to break into the Membrane Company facilities and Juna would have to access that information too if they wish to have full control over the security network.

- Commander, there is a human outside in communication with Zim. He is guiding him towards the exit and deactivating the alarms before him. - Mrot took his position, hidden between the shadows

- Russ, create an interference to that signal and mess with the security system. We must distract the human guards.

Juna made a last adjustment to the security system and freed Zim's path to avoid any delay. But out of nowhere, four people appeared in the map. A glimpse later, Juna located all the police officers at their positions, therefore those four strangers must be thieves too and one of them was dangerously close to Zim. He had to warn him.

- Zim! Stop, there is… ! - The communication was interrupted, abruptly. The boy clanged to the remaining flow of information but, violently, the values went off and the computer got stuck. Juna couldn't help to feel astonished. It was the first time he had lost control of a system!

Zim felt the information variation like a thousand sparkles before his eyes and he staggered.

- Human-pig! What's going on?

He felt a shiver on this nape and, instinctively, he threw himself to the ground, avoiding a missile that got embedded in the wall. The object emitted a powerful wave that hit his body straight. Zim lost his strength, dropped the package and stayed still on the floor, numbed. He knew that attack; he couldn't believe what was happening.

Juna's computer lost the information of the network but he knew the counterattack hadn't come from the warehouses security. The people he had detected before must be the cause but, how had they entered the building without him knowing? What was going in there? Was Zim fine? He hoped that, somehow, GIR could help him.

Juna tried to income to the system but his computer didn't respond. Defeated, he decided to move to the meeting point they had agreed hours earlier, at the other end of the park, in case of emergency like that one.

On the floor, Zim struggled against his own body to get up, it fell heavy and insensitive, even his sight and balance were affected.

Of the lateral corridor, a figure appeared, hanging of the ceiling by his pak legs. The stranger came down and drew out two short knives from his forearm armors and, cautiously, he move toward him.

"Tallest Purple wants his pak." Drainden remembered and lifted the knives at Zim. A stab in the right place and the hunt would be over.

Startled, Zim forced his pak to act. The pak did emergency adjustments and got control of his body. With agility, he got up, evaded the attack and rapidly his own pak legs spread out to attack, surprising Drainden.

- Zim is on the move! – Drainden exclaimed, defending himself from Zim's fast moves.

- Impossible, only twelve seconds had passed! - Skoodge was sure no irken could recover that fast after the initial attack, the stunner must have failed. Someone was to blame for that mistake.

Zim used his gloves to block the knives' edge, blocking every blow or repelling them while his pak legs tried to stab his enemy. His body didn't receive any cuts but his arms suffered each impact, he felt a sharp pain in the wrist and he feared it was broken. His pak injected painkillers into his system, to diminish the pain without affecting his cognitive skills.

Two thick cables came out of his pak against Drainden; Drainden took a step backward to dodge them and deployed his own pak legs in defense. The pak legs crashed and the tension caused one of Zim's to bend. Propelled by the remaining metallic legs, Zim held the knives and kicked Drainden in the stomach, who let go of his weapons.

Zim felt his hands rigid and couldn't hold the knives. Quickly, his pak legs rolled up and hit Drainden.

When Drainden felt, Skoodge yelled:

- Montroot, get in! - But the soldier had already jumped to the battle.

Drainden felt Mrot's closeness, his armor covered him completely and he got prepared for his partner's offensive. Mrot's weapon didn't differentiate an ally from an enemy. Montroot took his place against Zim, dragging behind him a smoke trail. Fast, Mrot avoided the sharp metallic pak legs and placed his hand on Zim's face. Zim felt the spicy smoke getting in his mouth. When he moved back his pak legs twisted to push his assaulter away. Coughing, he went on the defensive.

Mrot frowned, something strange was happening to his opponent. He shook his arm and his wrist-strap threw thin darts at Zim. One of them reached his neck and some others draw thin scratches.

"Poison!" Zim thought surprised but relieved that his current condition would make him immune to any regular irken toxins.

Even with a dry and irritated throat, Zim kept attacking. Continuously, Mrot tried to poison him but Zim seemed only bothered by the gas smell and was unconcerned by the darts.

Zim's hands hurt so he had to use his pak to attack and defend himself. Annoyed, Montroot had to admit his tactic wasn't working, he didn't know what was wrong. Since the beginning Zim should have fell with his nerves destroyed by the neurotoxins.

- Mrot, both! - Drainden spoken across their private communication.

Behind Mrot, Drainden reappeared with two sets of long sharp blades and handed one over to Mrot. They synchronized their attack with surprising precision but Zim avoided them with notable agility and they were unable to penetrate his uniform. Even this way, the force of the blows was reaching Zim's body. If he didn't do something soon he would be defeated.

"Shit!" His pak legs spread totally, activating the force field around him. Increasing the power instantaneously, the shield opened wide strongly, throwing the other two irkens against the wall. The legs withdrew while Zim took the stolen package and ran for the escape route.

- Russ, now! - How was it possible that Montroot and Drainden, together, could not capture him?

Zim began to feel tired, his energy level had dropped drastically when he used the force field and he hoped he didn't have to use it again. He turned a corner and felt a sharp pain in the back. Another attacker was running at him, shooting blowing bullets. Again, his uniform protected him from wounds but he would have nice collection of bruises in the back.

Weaponless, Zim had to force attacker to fight face to face.

Russ faced Zim and then, two blurry shadows moved at him on every side of the corridor. Russ shot but they did not stop, unexpected a blow hit his face, throw him back. Zim had confused his vision and had moved in the middle of the silhouettes, a space Russ had not attacked.

The Russ's helmet was torn into pieces and Zim noticed his eyes color. An irken with blue eyes? But, who had been so stupid to take him there?

Surprised, Russ recovered the balance and took out another weapon from his waist. Zim's claws became red, aiming them at the soldier's abdomen. Russ's new weapon hit the fugitive's hand, getting worn to shreds at the contact. If that had touched Russ, it would have killed him in the blink of an eye. The blue-eyed warrior avoided the following assault and that one destroyed a wall. Again and again he avoided the claws, while they destroyed the walls around them. Then, the structure collapsed, forcing Russ to move back, giving Zim the opportunity to run away.

- Commander, Zim's headed to the emergency exit! - Russ reported.

- Regroup! - The leader ordered - I will block the exit. The four of us will attack there.

Several corridors later, Zim breathed heavily, holding the bundle between his arms. His body was trembling because of the fatigue, the dose of analgesic began to vanish and, if he didn't hurry, he would have to deal with the paralyzing pain. He coughed, trying to clear his sore throat.

- GIR, come to me immediately. We are going to need a distraction. - He whispered through his transmitter.

- With the corn pops! Yes, master! - The SIR answered, cheerful.

Zim could not assure the number of irken soldiers but the assault had been very small. Being a bigger group, they would have devastated the entire building in an instant. Growling, Zim stood up and moved on. Without Juna guiding him, he would have to run by his own means.

Hours earlier, Zim and the human boy had analyzed the best escape routes and the nearest emergency exit was the most viable one but the police officers must have detected the bustle for sure, he didn't need to be cautious any longer, he was free to choose the way out.

Skoodge had blocked the emergency exit; they had to corner Zim and attack in group.

At the end of the corridor Zim appeared, walking calmly.

- Hello! – Zim babbled, waving his hand happily.

- Emmm … - Skoodge didn't know how to answer that. He expected a frontal attack, not a friendly greeting. It had to be some strange tactic to distract him. - Invader Zim, by Tallest Purple's command, turn yourself in.

Zim chuckled, irritating Skoodge. "He's mocking me." The commander thought, ready for battle. At the other side of the hall, the three soldiers appeared, waiting for the order to attack.

Zim turned around surprised but he smiled again, he seemed happy to be in that precarious situation.

- Take your seats, the movie is about to start! – The hugged himself and laughed. Then, he jumped, opened out his arms and tiny discs felt on the floor from his chest.

Zim's image vanished, leaving GIR uncovered. Jubilant, he shouted "Good-bye" and the rockets in his legs propelled him cross the ceiling.

- Watch out! – Drainden yelled. And then, the discs exploded.

Juna saw over his shoulder, running behind Zim. A segment of the building fell into pieces after the explosion. He couldn't believe how wrong things had gone.

- Zim, are you sure GIR will be fine? – Juna asked, panting.

- Of course he will. GIR knows what to do. And you keep running; they are still alive. – Zim exclaimed.

- Wait, what? Didn't you see the explosion? - Juna asked, incredulously.

- Ha…! Naive human. We, the irken, are stronger than you think. GIR only bought us some time. - Zim's pak received four irken signals advancing rapidly towards him.

They reached the park border in seconds only to run up against the chaotic multitude absorbed in the festive environment. For a moment they felt caught against the human wall extended to all along the avenue.

Juna watched Zim extracting three small cylinders from his pak and, without warning, threw them over the spectators. In the air, the cylinders exploited into a cloud of smoke, which caused a violent confusion around them.

Zim got into the chaotic agglomeration, hoping the solders would get distracted with the multitude and Juna took an instant to detect the mistake provoked by the irken's desperation. If Zim got lost with no safe route among the crowd, he would be an easy target and in no time those guys would catch him.

Juna knew that zone of the city very well. Even with that exorbitant quantity of people in the festival, he would find a route where they could escape. He didn't think twice about it, he reached out to the irken and held his hand.

- Zim, over here! - Juna dragged him among the tight multitude that, driven to despair, was trying to flee of the gas. He pushed his way out, ignoring the collective fear around them, but he had a feeling of the pursuers approaching on the nape of his neck.

Zim couldn't see the attackers either but his pak informed him the irken signatures were nearby. But thanks to the slippery human, slowly, they gained distance.

Zim had problems to follow the human's pace. Just as the human opened a path among the crowd, it closed behind him; several times he was about to lose the hand but the human held on to him tightly.

In the crowd, many of the Membrane company guards were scattered around, ready for the slightest sign of disturbance. Zedec had worked in those squads for years before getting the chief rank of the worldwide recognized and famous Membrane Guard, the squadron in charge exclusively for the Membrane family and company security. Fortunately, during all his years of service, any grave disturbance had happened out of normal during the celebration of the Membrane festival, the historical day of the official introduction of the paranormal studies in what it was the Membrane Laboratories.

Zedec never trusted the volatile and unforeseeable human factor. At any time, any jerk would think about something stupid and he would have to face the problem, with all the available resources to let the festival conclude satisfactorily. He perfectly knew the dangers that supposed to have assembled half the city in the same place, every five minutes he received reports of his assistants, he listened attentively and gave brief orders. Everything was running smoothly.

Standing on the platform, in front of the Membrane Company building and central spot of the show, Zedec observed carefully at the public, alert on the annual gabble. Nothing could distract him nor disturb his composure. The hard training he had received and his years of experience had prepared him for that job and, proudly, he did his work day after day.

It was then when he received distress calls from his subordinates. Someone had dropped smoke bombs not too far away from his position. He saw a dense greyish cloud around the crowd, the people began to run in panic, interrupting the allegoric cars' course and infecting other spectators with hysteria. For some unknown reason, his sight was briefly on one single youngster among the crowd. Before giving the first order he watched, in that short space of time, the facial features of the boy and, especially, his distinctive hair.

It couldn't be, he couldn't believe his eyes. Was the young Dib in front of his eyes? And, for the first time in years, Zedec went mute.

Clumsily, he held his radio with tremulous hands for the commotion and his words came out hasty. At last, he got his posture back and ranted:

- Group 45 and 8, to the area U-18, now! Control to the multitude! Team TER, with me! - He jumped off the platform and got into the multitude, flanked by a handful of agents. He was 100% sure that boy was Dib, he shouldn't lost him. Zedec had full confidence that his forces would control the situation but he had a duty to attend. He had to find the boy at all cost.

Zim looked at his hand, taken aback, gripped by the human. Up to that moment he had not even come to think about the possibility someone would hold his hand again after finding out about Dib's death and his mind couldn't establish the degree of violence he would use to respond to that offense. But the overwhelming possibility to move away from his guide, to be discovered or to face those irken soldiers with any weapons, he obliged himself to ignore his confusion and disgust. He kept his sight on his hand and let the human drag him among the human mass around him.

Several blocks later, Juna and Zim ran brusquely into a narrow street. They left behind alleys and the farther they went, darker and solitary they became. When the human ran out of breath, they stopped at a solitary dark small square and hid under the shade of a porch. Juna let the irken go and leaned on his knees, with the heart painfully throbbing in his chest.

- If we continue a few … - And the human took a breath - … blocks further we'll be able to get … into the subway. – He looked around for any suspicious movement among the shadows; he couldn't trust the apparent stillness of the square.

It seemed that they had lost their persecutors and, slowly, Juna relaxed. He felt his eyes and throat lightly sored. During the chaos at the main avenue, he couldn't help to take a deep breath of gas. But he was sure that the gas was mostly inoffensive, though it didn't mean he agreed with the irken's actions. Someone back there had gotten injured in the confusion for sure.

Zim looked at the human wordlessly and then at his hand. The more he tried to settle his thoughts, a bothersome buzz kept him abstracted from the imminent danger and priorities.

- Zim, you overdid with the bombs! Do you know it can …?

Zim knew that the human was speaking, but the gears in his mind they were still clogged. Seeing at his hand, a thought arose like a stormy mountain, lessening any other ideas. The human had taken his hand, only his Holder could do it! The buzz became increasingly intense enough to make him explode.

Intrigued by the irken's silence, Juna turned around. The boy just got to see the irken's fist directly toward his face, having no time to react or to close his eyes. Then, another impact hit his other cheek and the contusion threw him at the ground.

- The fuck, Zim? - The human yelled on the floor.

- Shut up! Shut up! Stinking disgusting human! Never! Never take Zim's hand again! If you do that again I swear that I will skin you with a straw! Who gave you permission to touch Zim? Nobody can take my hand, much less a retard ape like you! Specially you! I am going to cut your hands the next time! I will make mutants rats eat you, starting with the eyes and I will allow GIR to play with your organs!

Juna remained still on the ground, confused by the sudden and violent display of rage. He certainly didn't know much about Zim, much less about his people but it seemed that he had broken some kind of sensitive issue regarding physical contact. Even with this feasible thought, his blood boiled in anger. Who did the irken think he was to treat him like that?

- Miserable moth! You should thank me, if you even know that word! They would have caught us if it wasn't for me! - And he got up with a jump. - No, they would have caught you and I would feel glad about that! I don't know who they are or what they want but I'm not risking my skin for you again!

- Insolent fetid slug! Do you think I need you to defend myself? Not even your grandparents were born when I was in the battlefields, devastating entire planets! Zim doesn't need anyone! No one!

- You are mad and, above all, you are an ass! You know something, Zim? Stick your pride where …!

A beep distracted Zim. Hurriedly, he pushed Juna at the back of the porch and covered his mouth. The human struggled but noticed the increasing anxiety of the irken, instinctively he sensed the danger and he remained silent, as Zim did.

The mobile panels of Zim's pak began to glow and, suddenly, the light of the lanterns became blinking with a strange change of colors.

At the other side of the square, a shadow appeared, it stayed still at its spot and then it walk furtively, exploring the surroundings. Juna knew the dark porch was not enough to hide them, but in several times the stranger passed his sight toward their direction without detecting them. Juna could only guess the irken's pak was doing something to cover them up.

Juna and Zim held their breath until the shadow left as sneaky as it appeared. Then, both boys sighed relieved. Zim pushed him away and the lights recovered their normal color.

Through his pak, Zim verified it was safe to leave their cover. The irken signatures had gone away 'til they were out of the perception range.

- Let's go. – He commanded and got out of there, forgetting about the previous incident and focused only on the immediate danger. Obediently, Juna followed him closely. - Were you saying something about a subway? – Juna nodded.

Then a tumultuous group approached from the other side of the square, startling the boys. Zedec lead the group. Juna and he saw each other an instant. Confused, Zim noticed Juna's sudden pallor and knew the pursuit had not finished.

- There he is! Go! – Zedec exclaimed, pointing at Juna and the guards around him obeyed.

- Run! - The boy shouted in panic and fleet, surprising Zim.

Zim followed the human closely, recognizing the uniforms: the Membrane body guard. For Zim, they were an annoyance more than a threat but, even so, he couldn't face them in his current condition.

The irken forgot about it, running along the human, convinced they would lose them and tried to focus on the most important issue there.

The war had reached the Earth.

…

*Rises from the deeps*

Thanks a lot for your comments and to those people who are following the story. It cheers me up and makes me happy to keep going.

In the last chapter I said I would have the chapter done by December and, actually, destiny showed me how wrong I was. December was one of the worst months I've ever had in a long time. But, at last I finish it. God, how long it is! Where did twenty eight pages come from?

'Til now, this has been my favorite chapter, now I start to reveal more information about the characters, add some more mystery, more questions than answers. I hope you like it and find yourself eager to read the next one :3

We are just two chapters away from Remembrances, now! Perversions here I go! XD I'm gonna hurry up with the forth chapter, I'll o my best to have it done by april at most. At least I have a good part already written so I just need some time and quietness for that TwT

Enjoy this spring and be nice!

Raga :p