Thunderstorm: Chapter Twelve

"Where did you last see them?" Dib asked turning to Red.

"I don't remember exactly, but I know they have to be in the city," she responded.

"To the city then," Zim shouted as he turned his ship in the direction of the metropolis and took off. They reached the city limits in a matter of seconds, being that Zim's house wasn't that far. He slowed down a little to allow Red to survey the area.

"We should check the apartment first," Red said.

"That's a good place to start, where's it at," the pale boy asked. She looked towards the city, which to everyone looked strangely unfamiliar, due to the tornado's rampage upon it the other night, and tried to pick out where her home would be.

"I guess head that way," she said pointing in an eastern direction. Zim quickly took the route that Red had instructed. They traveled for a little while, passing cluttered streets and remains of buildings along with construction equipment that must have been clearing the mess, but were now abandoned for the night.

"Stop, there it is," Red cried as she looked at a crumbling structure. The Vootrunner landed near the site, and its occupants exited out of the craft. Red was the first to reach the dilapidated doors of the apartment complex. Dib and Zim followed close behind. The girl stepped inside, maneuvering on broken glass and crumbled concrete. With each step, the shattering noise echoed through the halls of the main entrance. As all three of them made their way into the empty apartment building, eerie sounds filled their ears. The wind blew through, shaking loose glass like chimes and swirling up dust and debris. The sound of doors creaking and boards moaning over strain offered the idea that the whole place was going to fall.

"We'll have to take the stairs," Red said as she quietly made her way to a door on the right. She reached for the doorknob to open it up but found the door was jammed. She yanked and tugged on it trying to force it open. Dib and Zim quickly came over to help. They all gave one good pull and the door flew open with a plume of dust and bits on cement. When the debris settled they looked in at the stairs. To their surprise, they were untouched by the trash that riddled the rest of the building.

"What floor are you on," Dib said taking the lead on the stairs.

"On the fifth," Red said as she came up behind him followed by Zim.

"What are we looking for," Zim asked as he trailed behind the two up the flight of stairs.

"Anything, I hope," she said softly. As they climbed, their footsteps echoed through the stairwell along with their voices. When Dib reached the fifth level he swung open the door which filled the area with a resounding bang.

"Wow, its dark in here," Dib blurted as oddly the fifth floor was darker than the windowless stairwell. Then suddenly from the case above a soft noise grabbed everyone's attention.

"Meow. Mea."

"Max? Max! Is that you," Red shouted up to the creature that was sitting overhead. Upon hearing his master's voice the little, light brown tabby made his way down to her. Red picked him up and gave the cat a hug and kiss atop the head. "How did you get out here?" she asked almost as if the cat would answer.

"Meow, Meow," Max chirped as if scared or excited.

"Maybe we should...Ahh," Dib yelped as he stepped through the door onto a floorless fifth floor.

"Dib!" Both Zim and Red shouted as they ran to the door's edge. All they could hear was Dib screaming in terror and the sound of wood beams snapping and concrete rocks tumbling. But the noise that came after scared them, silence.

"Dib, Dib!" Red screamed in grave concern. Zim quickly enacted his jetpack and took off down Dib's crashing path. Red peered down trying to see further in as she could hear Zim zooming down, then it went silent again.

"Dib? Zim? Are you guys okay? She yelled down.

"I can't find him," she could hear Zim's voice echo up.

"What do you mean you can't find him," she stressed.

"I mean, I can't find him, he's not here...Dib? Dib? Stupid human, answer me for crying out loud," Zim yelled panic creeping into his voice.

"Meow. Grr," Max lept out of Red's arms and into the darkness.

"Max," Red gasped reaching out to grab the feline back, but it was too late. She, however, could hear Max leap from level to level. She knew that Max wouldn't have taken off if he didn't know what he was doing.

"Meow. Mea."

"Oww, what happened," Dib's voice came from the gaping hole "kitty?"

"He's over here, he's okay," Red shouted for joy. Zim quickly made his way over to where Dib's voice had come.

"Don't you ever do that again stinkbeast," Zim said half jokingly and half relieved as he lifted Dib and Max back to the open door.

"Don't worry I won't," Dib responded as he and the others landed. Dib looked over the edge and shuttered a little, he could have been killed.

"I'm glad you're alright...but," Red looked out at the nonexisting fifth floor sadly, "where's my family." Max, whom Zim was holding, suddenly jumped from his keeper's arms and down to the ground. He then began running down the stairs. He turned around though when he discovered no one was following. The cat ran up to Red, then ran back down the steps then back to her and to the stairs again.

"What's that animal doing," Zim asked with a curious look on his green face.

"He wants up to follow him," Red said trailing after her sand-colored tabby. Dib tried to follow suit, but when he placed weight on his right foot he stumbled a little. A flash of pain washed over his face, but he quickly tried to mask the pain. He glanced at Zim who was giving him an odd expression.

"Are you okay," Zim asked.

"Yeah, yeah come on let's go," Dib assured as he climbed down the stairs weakly. Zim rolled his eyes and followed.

"Fine, whatever you say." Meanwhile, back at the base, Gaz and Juelia had begun talking, due to the fact, there wasn't anything else to do.

"I don't really know where we got the term 'irk' that's just what we call it," Juelia answered one of Gaz's questions.

"Well here irk means to annoy, I know I wouldn't be hanging on a planet full of irkens, you see," Gaz stated as she sat down on the couch next to the tall irken.

"I see, well okay my turn to ask a question, um...Why is this place so blue; the planet I mean," Juelia asked.

"That's the water, it covers I don't know, 75% or something, anyway where is Irk," the gothic girl questioned.

"Oh its far from here, about six months out." Gaz yawned a little but recomposed herself. "You look tired, maybe you should rest. I read that humans have to sleep eight hours, of course, that is information from Zim."

"We don't have to, but it would be nice if we always could," Gaz said as she rested her head on the back of the couch.

"Can I ask one more question."

"Yeah sure, shoot."

"What's an um...what's the word...oh yeah . . . What's a dad?" Juelia asked turning towards the girl. Gaz took on a blank face. She wasn't expecting a question like that.

"It's hard to explain," Ga said softly.

"Oh, okay that's alright..."

"But I'll tell you anyway." Gaz illustrated the basic fundamentals of a father's role in society. The conversation rolled out not to just explain dads but an entire family. Opposed to the ideal family, she also described her less than decent family. Even though she had problems with her father's neglecting and her brother's annoyance, not to mention her mother's unexpected absents, she still loved her bizarre family. Then she explained the situation that she and Dib were in, now that both their parents were gone.

"I understand, you don't have anywhere else to go," Juelia asked.

"We might have relatives, but if we do I don't know about them."

"What's an orphanage then, a place for parentless human children."

"Pretty much, yeah," Gaz answered as she turned her eyes towards an odd looking clock, "Jeez, it's three o'clock, they should be back by now."

"Maybe you're right. Its been three hours already," Juelia said standing from her seat on the sofa. Gaz, too, stood up and stretched just a little.

"Can't we check on them or something," she asked. Juelia thought for a moment, then remembered it was standard Irken issue to have a tracker that could pinpoint the location of another irken anywhere. She opened her pod and pulled out a gray and purple helmet device. Gaz watched as the irken slipped the device over her head. Then additional wires sprang up from the pack and attached themselves to the helmet immediately activating it. As Juelia tried to find her allies, they were still trying to find Red's family. Max, who was now running down the polluted sidewalk, was being followed closely by Red, Zim and Dib.

"Where is he taking us," Zim asked as he stepped over knocked over garbage cans.

"I'm not sure, but it has to be important," Red answered as she ducked out of the way of a low hanging two by four. Dib grunted in pain as he attempted to keep up with the others quick pace without disturbing his ankle any further. Then suddenly Max stopped, momentarily answering Dib's prayer. The tiny cat began pacing in front of a building that was actually intact and not only that. There were lights on and noises coming from inside along with audible voices.

"Meow."

"It's a storm shelter," Dib said as he read the sign on the structure's door as their little group walked up. Red opened the door and was greeted with bright light. When her sight adjusted she was amazed. There were people everywhere doing an array of different tasks. Some were handing out food and water to those who had made makeshift beds along the halls. Those who seemed to be in the medical field were carrying different supplies from place to place helping the injured. A few people stood talking while most had gone to sleep, and still, others walked around a bit as if lost.

"Oh, you poor dears." Red, Dib, and Zim looked up to see a middle-aged woman in a nurse uniform looking down at them with concern. "Don't just stand there, come in, come in we'll get you fixed up," she said sweetly as she showed them in. Max tried to follow, however, there was a policy of no pets. Red took off her trenchcoat and wrapped the little cat up before setting him on the other side of the door.

"Now you stay here, okay," she said.

"Meow," Max smiled.

"Good." Red then rejoined the others in the facility. Almost as soon as she had walked in a voice from the far end of the hall shouted.

"Rosa?! Rosa down here honey, down here," a female voice yelled as a figure stood up. Red turned her head, along with everyone, to the sound of the yelling.

"MOM!" Red shouted as she took off running in that direction. Rosa's mom did the same and they met in the middle with an embrace.

"Awwwwwww," everyone in the room cooed in unison.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Red's mom said softly as she began to cry.

"I'm sorry for leaving so early," Red apologized.

"That's okay, next time we'll get ice cream instead," Red's mom smiled. Red smiled too remembering the reason she had left to begin with.

"Ice cream?" Dib questioned as he and Zim had caught up, along with the lady at the door.

"It's a long story," Red and her mom both said. They both laughed at Dib's confused expression. "It's okay, I'll tell you later, hey mom this is Dib and that's Zim over there," Red said stepping aside so her mom could get a good look.

"Oh, It's nice to finally meet you," the mother greeted warmly.

"Finally meet us?" Dib asked a little more than confused.

"Mom," Red whispered stressing her voice.

"Oh yeah, sorry, Hello, I'm Ms. Jordan Jackson."

Dib and Zim exchanged odd looks but shrugged it off.

"I better get back to your brother and sister, come on," Jordan said as she started walking.

"Wait, so this child here belongs to you right," the middle-aged women asked referring to Red.

"Oh, yes she is, do you need something," Jordan asked.

"No I just have to make sure minors have an adult, guardian, or parent to look after them," the women smiled, as she took out a clipboard "I can assume these two aren't yours?"

"Well no."

"Okay, boys you'll have to come with me so we can find your families," the women said. Dib and Zim grew a little nervous knowing that they had no parents there, and Dib knew if everyone knew he was Membrane's son it could get a little crazy and upsetting.

*~There we go another slower chapter. Hope you enjoy. And don't worry I'm not mad at the question about Zim and Gaz, no need to apologize.