Chapter 5
Zim took a nervous step back, looking at the angry faces around him.
"N-nonsense!" He stutters. "Lies! All lies! I am human! I'm NORMAL!" He begged as the sirens got closer.
"Cut the shit Zim!" Dib yelled, pointing a finger at Zim. "Show them what you are!"
"Your insulting slander INSULTS me!" Zim snapped at Dib, trying to find his courage. He grabbed a picture from a nearby locker. "This looks nothing like me!" He pointed at his Irken photo, making the same glare as in the picture. Dib lunged for Zim who fought to keep his disguise on. Dib managed to tackle Zim and pin him to the ground. He took a handful of Zim's wig and tore it away, revealing his antennae.
"Release me NOW!" Zim fought against him, the whole hallway of students gasped.
"Dib!" Gaz boomed, pushing him off of Zim. "What did you do?"
"I did what any sane human would do! I exposed him as the evil alien menace that he is!" Dib mocked, throwing Zim's wig away behind him. Zim scowled at Dib with a ferocious hate, then back at his peers. Zim shot up off the ground, trying to cover his head.
"No! It's not what it looks like! I'm NORMAL!" Zim panicked, backing up. Everyone still stared, not believing him.
There was no way out.
With a sigh he tore away his contacts and threw them to the ground as well, he was now full Irken in front of the whole skool. Everyone pointed and murmured to each other.
"He really IS an alien!"
"Look at that!"
"He looks like a big, green ant!"
The windows in the front doors began to flash with red and blue as the sirens got closer.
"This is the police. We have the place surrounded. We know the alien is inside, we ask that it comes quietly, with its hands up!" A police man shouted from a speaker phone out the doors. Gaz looked out the window, police cars were everywhere with at least 2 cops per car, all armed with pistols aimed for the front doors.
"Zim." She warned. "We need to leave!"
"We are." Zim said, dramatically. Suddenly, his spider legs shot out from his PAK, rising him off the ground and aimed at the swell of students in the hallway, who began to scream and panic at the terrifying sight. He used one of his legs to scoop Gaz onto his back and another to smack Dib out of his way. Dib was launched into one of the lockers to the side, knocking off a few of Zim's pictures which scattered on the ground around him.
Zim then began to charge straight through the students who screamed and scrambled to clear a path. Zim ran as fast as he could through the hallway, knocking anyone in his way to the side, full-force. Zim rounded a corner which sent more unexpecting students into mass panic as he barreled down on his sharp metal legs.
"Call GIR!" Gaz yelled, clinging on his neck for dear life. Almost immediately, his communicator unfolded out of his PAK.
"GIR! THE MISSION'S BEEN COMPROMISED! YOU-" Zim flinched back from the device as GIR began shrieking into it. Zim groaned and dove into the boy's bathroom. There's nobody inside. He put Gaz down and yelled into the mic again.
"GIR! STOP SCREAMING!" He screamed, GIR complied as if nothing had happened. "Gaz and I are stuck on the skool grounds so you need to grab Mini-moose and-"
"He's on my head!" GIR responded happily. Zim lost it.
"GIR YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO ME WITH EVERY FUNCTIONING PIECE OF YOUR BODY! GRAB MINI-MOOSE, TAKE THE VOOT RUNNER AND COME GET US! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
There was a short pause. "Nu-uh."
Zim began cursing wildly in what Gaz could only assume was his native language.
"Nyah!" Something squeaked into the mic, Zim stopped cursing and looked back at the communicator.
"Mini-moose! Did you hear what I said?"
"Nyah!" The moose squeaked. Zim looked a little more relieved.
"Hurry!"
"Nyah!" Then the communicator folded back into his PAK and Zim turned to Gaz.
"Mini-moose is on his way." He ran past her and peeked outside the bathroom door, the hallways were being emptied and patrolled by policemen. Zim quickly backed off the door and searched around the room for an exit.
"How are we going to get out of here?" Zim asked frantically bursting open stalls and looking at the closed concrete walls. There was a very small, short, window high off the ground, but neither of them would be able to fit through. Suddenly a small orange haired child in a large red sweatshirt burst through the bathroom door, quickly shutting it behind him. Zim dove for the child, opening his PAK legs and aiming it at his throat, and pinned him on the door.
"Keef." He hissed, flattening his antennae. Keef smiled and waved at Zim.
"Hey buddy! Hey Gaz." He greeted, slightly nervous.
"What do you want worm-boy?" Zim threatened, growling at the clingy human.
"I wanted to help!" He pushed one of the sharp legs away from his face. "I have a plan to get you guys out of here."
"Your lies infuriate me." Zim growled, pointing the leg back at him.
"Why would you want to help us?" Gaz questioned. Keef's eyes grew wide with hope.
"Zim's my bestest friend in the whole wide world!" He said seriously, clasping his hands together. "We've been through so much together! I'm not gonna let the police get him. No way!" He grinned dumbly. Zim raised an antenna in question. Gaz crossed her arms and scowled.
"Can we trust him?" Gaz asked, uncertain. Zim turned to look around the room, at Gaz, then back at Keef.
"We have no other choice." Zim sighed lowering his legs.
"Aw great!" Keef squeaked, clapping his hands. "You'll see Zim! We'll get you outta here in no time!"
"Zim and Gaz will escape." Zim threatened, pointing a leg at him again. Keef began nodding wildly.
"Sure thing buddy!" He began tearing off his sweatshirt and tossed it to Zim. "Here, put this on and cover your head. I'll stand guard!"
Zim groaned and began fighting to get his arms in the right holes while Keef peeked out the door again. The sweatshirt was a little big for Zim but it fit for the most part, he tossed the hood over his antennae and looked in the mirror.
"People are still gonna know who he is. How do we cover his face?" Gaz pointed out. Keef looked back at them, smiling.
"There some glasses in the pocket." Zim reached in the pocket and removed a pair of Groucho glasses. He put them on and looked in the mirror. His antennae dropped in disappointment as he glared at his reflection.
"I hate humans." He mumbled, itching his fake moustache.
"The coast is clear! Time to go!"
"Wait! This'll never work! A fake nose and a bushy moustache isn't going to fool anyone!" Gaz said pointing at Zim's horrible disguise.
"It'll be fine." Keef assured, waving them over to the open door. "We have to go now!" Then he ran out the door. Gaz and Zim shared a look before following him out of the bathroom.
The trio snuck down the empty hallway toward the teacher's lounge.
"We're gonna get into the air ducts and escape onto the roof."
"Brilliant." Zim grumbled, still upset about his ridiculous outfit.
"Hey! You there!" A man's voice bounced down the halls, they froze as he sped toward them.
"Yes Mr. Policeman Sir?" Keef asked innocently. "Act normal." He whispered to the side.
"Have you kids seen this alien?" The cop asked when he caught up with them.
"ALIEN? WHERE? I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT ALIEN BEFORE IN MY LIFE!" Zim shouted, whipping his head around obnoxiously looking for the 'alien'.
"Um… I haven't shown you the picture yet." The policeman raised an eyebrow and held up one of Zim's pictures.
"Eh, right." Zim laughed nervously and looked at his picture, holding his finger to his mouth observantly.
"Eh… Nope! Still haven't seen that alien. Oh, but when I do? I will most certainly-Mmph!" Gaz held her hand over Zim's mouth and smiled at the cop.
"Haven't seen him!" She grinned unsettlingly. The officer looked at Zim for a second and shrugged.
"You kids keep an eye out for him then." He nodded and leaned into them. "He could be anywhere." He whispered looking around the halls.
"Will do!" Gaz nodded, still holding Zim's mouth. Keef gave a thumbs-up. The cop began racing down a different hallway heroically. Gaz removed her hand and thumped Zim in the back of the head.
"You're gonna get us caught!" She snapped. Zim glared at her, about to speak.
"Come on guys! We're almost there." Keef began running down the hallway toward the teacher's lounge and peeked into the door. He gave a thumbs up and slipped in while Zim and Gaz followed. Seeing that the room was empty, Zim immediately tore off his disguise and threw it to the ground with a sneer.
"It's up there!" Keef pointed to an air duct on the wall above a snack machine and began pushing chairs over to climb on. Zim started climbing into the chairs and, using his PAK legs, he tore the duct open.
"Wow. You're so cool, Zim!" Keef praised as he climbed up the chairs behind him.
"Follow me!" Keef said climbing into the duct in front of Zim. Zim sighed and climbed in behind him. Gaz followed after moving a table in front of the door. The air duct was a tight squeeze but they were able to move forward easily.
"We just have to go right up here, and then straight up." Keef said, moving quickly through the vents.
"How do you know?" Gaz asked, behind Zim. Keef stopped and looked back. He thought for a second and shrugged.
"I don't know."
"Who cares how he knows!" Zim snapped, pushing on Keef's foot "Just move forward Keef-human! The smell is repulsive!"
"Oh yea! Sure thing buddy!" Keef smiled and began moving forward again.
"The sight is also unpleasant." Zim grumbled. Gaz hit his foot against the side of the vent.
"Be quiet dummy!" Gaz whispered. Zim scowled back at her.
"You be quiet!" He ordered quietly.
"Shhh!"
"You shhhh!"
"Guys! It's up here!" Keef called, getting up. The duct curved in front of a short ladder, light appeared to come out at the top. You could still hear the sirens outside the skool, Gaz thought she could hear a helicopter. "It's just out there!" Keef pointed up the ladder, standing in front of Zim and Gaz.
"Thanks Keef. We owe you." Gaz nodded.
"Yes, yes, yes we will think of you in the future!" Zim said, begrudgingly waving off Keef.
"Wow Zim! You look so cool as an alien!" Keef grinned, taking him in. "Are these your ears?" He asked, grabbing into one of Zim's antenna.
"Ow!" Zim cursed and immediately flinched back, slapping Keef's hand off.
"Sorry Zim." Keef frowned and stood back to let them pass. "I'll see you guys later! Okay?"
"Not likely." Zim denied dryly, beginning to climb the ladder up.
"Oh well… Good luck then!" Keef waved up, still grinning. Gaz followed Zim up the ladder, hearing Keef go back through the air duct. Zim opened the grate with his legs and they climbed through. The whole building was surrounded with flashing blue and red lights of police cars. Cops scrambled around the building like ants, in the distance Gaz could see three helicopters coming their way.
"Where's the moose?" Gaz asked, looking around in the sky. Zim pulled out his communicator.
"Mini-moose! We're on the roof! Where are you?"
"Nyah!"
"It's the skool! The big building that says 'Skool'! We're on the roof!" Zim yelled into the mic. Gaz looked back at the approaching helicopters.
"Nyaaahhh…"
"There he is!" Zim pointed into the sky as the Voot Runner shot through the clouds and into the building. The crashing Voot captured the attention of the cops on the ground, who started shooting at the ship. The windshield of the ship opened, GIR was still piloting the controls as if they were still flying and Mini-moose was still seated on top of GIR's head.
"Quickly!" Zim yelled, running for the Voot. Gaz followed, covering her head. They jumped in and Zim slammed the windshield shut, knocked GIR out of the way of the controls and began furiously typing in commands. Useless bullets continued to ricochet off the windshield when Zim finally managed to pull the slightly damaged ship off the roof. The helicopters finally arrived and also shot at them while surrounding them in a tight circle.
"Hold onto something!" Zim called, aiming the ship upward. GIR immediately latched himself onto Gaz's head. Zim raised a fist and slammed it on a flashing red panel. In a flash, the whole ship launched into the sky, through the clouds and into the atmosphere before any of the cops could bat an eye. The force of the launch forced Zim deep into his own chair while Gaz was knocked into the back of the ship, with a squealing GIR attached to her head. Soon, they passed into space and Zim pressed a nearby button, causing the ship to quickly slow. Without the momentum attaching her to the wall, Gaz fell onto the floor with a thump. GIR was still squealing manically on her head, Gaz shoved him off and climbed into the front of the ship.
"Well…" She laughed, "That was fun." Zim pried himself out of his chair and looked at his love-pig with a raised eyebrow.
"You have odd ideas of 'fun'." He looked back at his minions. "Everybody here?" GIR began looking around and panicking.
"DA MOOSE GOT LOST!" He shrieked, trying to find Mini-moose, who was still attached to the top of his head.
"Nyah!" Mini-moose consoled, GIR smiled happily and sat back down on the floor. Gaz smirked and looked at Zim, only to immediately lose her cool. She lashed out in a quick punch on Zim's arm.
"Ow!" He scowled at her, rubbing his arm. "What was tha-"
"DIB HAD PICTURES OF YOU?!" Gaz boomed, Zim jumped back, not expecting such rage. "WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?"
Zim put a hand behind his head, embarrassed. "It could have been when Tak captured us a week ago…"
"You KNEW he had pictures of you?" She yelled, punching him again. "And you didn't DO anything about it?"
"I didn't think he'd actually use them!" Zim yelled back, getting defensive. "Or that anyone would actually believe him!"
"Great Zim!" Gaz shot, sitting on the floor. "Now what are we going to do?"
Zim's scowl disappeared and he sat back in his seat in thought.
"Well…" He started. "I've been discovered, so the whole of Earth will most likely be notified of my presence. Which means I've failed my mission."
He slumped farther into his seat, dropping his antennae. "I will have to return home."
"What about me?" Gaz asked. Zim gave her a quick glance.
"That would be up to you. My Tallest already believe you to be my slave, my higher rank would allow me to keep you. However, your life on Earth has not been compromised. I could return you when night falls."
Gaz sat quietly and looked at the floor. Go to space, or go back to Earth. She didn't have anything on Earth, except Dib. But Dib was the reason this happened in the first place, then again so was Zim. She would either have to go back home and forget Zim ever existed, or go to an alien planet she knew nothing about. She would probably have to go back to living with Dib and be tormented at skool for being with Zim in the first place. That's the last thing she wanted. But to go back with Zim and live out her days on a foreign planet?
Zim squirmed in his seat.
"Of course…" He started. Gaz looked up at him. "I would prefer it if you came with me."
That's all she needed to hop off the fence. Gaz smiled and punched Zim again.
"You're not leaving without me."
"YAY! GAZZY'S GONNA GO TO SPACE!" GIR shrieked, breaking the touching moment. Zim scowled at GIR, rubbing his arm again.
"Yes GIR. Gaz will be coming with us."
Aww! Yea sorry, you guys were probably getting Redemption flashbacks XD. Don't worry Gaz'll be sticking around for while. I loved putting Keef in to save the day! Too bad Zim still doesn't like him. Thanks so much for reading! Don't forget to review!