A/N: If you thought that last chapter ending was intense you'll hate me for this one. Zim finally learns who is behind all the troubles on Irk. Also Zak learns a secret to. Leave Comments.

Also I felt like re-pointing out that I did mention at one point that Purple was top in his class in hand to hand combat. That's why he did so well in the last chapter and will do so well in this one. I bet you were all reading that last chapter squeeling in delight at how B-A the Tallest was. If you weren't, you will in this chapter!


Chapter 45 – Mastermind

"Zak! Get out of here!" Dib yelled shoving the tiny Irken back. He ran at their attacker but was defeated quickly with a punch to the stomach, much like Kark had been.

The poor smeet stood frozen with fear. This was too real for it to be any kind of test. But it wasn't even the red eyes of the robot in front of him that was the most terrifying. That first attack, which had taken out Kark, had also knocked out one of Dib's lenses. Zak realized he had not been following two Irkens. He had been tricked.

The smeet fled on his PAK legs.


"Finally the worm shows itself." Red stood straight, his arms folded in a smug 'I've Won' posture. "I don't know who you are, or how you've gone unnoticed as a taller for so long, but your game is over. You've lost."

Zim stood to his full height, raising his antennae slightly to appear even taller. "My Tallest." He gave a slight bow out of respect, hoping that by doing so he could subdue the Irken Leader's mentality.

"Hmf" Red looked over at Purple. "At least you pick a minion that knows proper respect." He turned back to the standing taller. "Tell me, what has this traitor offered you? Money? Fame?"

"Aren't you first going to ask who I am?" Zim inquired. He remained slightly bowed looking up at Tallest Red. Attempting to appear innocent when you were plotting the downfall of the one you were bowing to was proving to be extremely difficult.

Red folded his arms and leaned back on his hover disk. "I don't really care, but if it will make you think your name won't be forgotten when you die, then go ahead."

"My Tallest," Zim said straightening up, "I have come from very far away and…"

"No stalling." Red snapped, cutting him off. "Speak your name or if you'd rather we can just get the executions over with." He gestured to one of the STF Irkens, who gave Skoodge a hard kick to his squeedlyspooch.

Zim winced as he heard his friend cry out in pain. The clock was ticking. He bowed again. "Forgive me my Tallest. It is just that you will be shocked when you hear my name."

Red glared at Zim. "I highly doubt anything could surprise me anymore. Now do you plan to talk or shall we end this."

Zim took a deep breath then stood straight, glaring at his former leader. He lifted a hand in a mocking salute. "Invader Zim reporting for duty." The room was silent.

Red's eyes grew wide. "Zim…" he whispered. The moment of shock passed as those red eyes filled with rage. The red Tallest turned his back and moved behind the group of waiting STF soldiers. "Shoot them."

The STF Irkens raised their weapons.

"Hang on… Can't we talk or something?" Purple suggested.

"You had your time to talk." Red spoke coldly at his former friend. "Do it." He reinforced the command.

One STF member lowered his gun to point it at Skoodge's head. Zim watched in horror as the Irken began to pull the trigger.

"GAH!" The cry came not from the intended victims. It was Tallest Red that shouted as he fell to the floor, knocked down by a SIR robot with glowing red eyes. His hover disk shattered. The Tallest lay on the floor dazed as the STF Irkens opened fire on the robot. Purple took that moment to knock out the four nearest STFs and the one next to Skoodge. He grabbed the trembling Irken and the loose PAK and tossed them over toward Zim. He then went to take out the other remaining soldiers.

"Hang on Skoodge!" Zim grabbed the PAK and flipped over his friend. Skoodge moaned, as every movement caused his body to ignite in waves of pain. Zim brought the PAK close to the ports on his friends back. Two wires extended into his back. The result was immediate. Skoodge stopped convulsing. The pain had gone but it left him weak. He rolled onto his side and gave Zim a half-hearted smile before slipping into a forced hibernation mode.

A small explosion knocked the two to the side. Zim looked up in time to see Red and Purple crash into opposite walls and slump to the ground. The SIR robot stood in the middle of the room. One of its fists was bigger than the other, making it look all the more dangerous. Zim couldn't quite place where he had seen it before until that horrible laugh sounded.

"TAK! What are you doing here!?" Zim shouted.

Those familiar purple eyes appeared on the main screen in the room. "Hello Zim. It took you long enough to get here. Ever since you attempted to hack the smeet factory I was in charge of I've been waiting for this moment. I've been planning my revenge and you've done everything I expected."

"You're still after Revenge? What'd I do this time!?" Zim gave the screen a skeptical glare.

"Fool. You really think I gave up after you defeated me? No. You weren't the only one to ruin my life. But you are the one that will give me the most pleasure in your destruction." Tak's smile sent chills down Zim's spine. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. Tak was the mastermind behind all the problems they had encountered on Irk.

"Are you the one that caused the fight between the Tallests?"

Tak's antennae perked up. "No, but it was simple to manipulate them. Though I must say I didn't expect Red would go against my plan by coming to the Tower himself. Nor did I think that there were traitors that would release Purple, but ehh.." Tak shrugged. "The only change that makes is that Red will also die." She looked through the screen over at the Tallest and smirked.

"So you are the one that increased security?"

"I already said that you fool."

"Are you the one that alerted the fleet to the Vortian ship?"

Tak's eyes opened wide before turning into a smug grin. "Oh yes. The ship of the Resisty. Being as close to them as you are, you should be happy to know that the Vort Battle Ship managed to escape." Zim's antennae betrayed his feeling of relief. Tak laughed. "Yes they only escaped because they sent out a small escape pod using an alien signal to draw the attention of the fleet."

Zim looked up confused.

Tak continued, "and in fact thanks to that I was able to learn your whole reason for coming here."

It took a few seconds for Zim to realize what those words meant. "KAM! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER, TAK!?"

"Kam? Is that a name? If you mean that human-filth, she is currently in an escape pod on a crash course with a black hole."


If you didn't get the red-eyed robot that Zak saw as a reference to MiMi then I'll just put that out there now.

Tak's hostages include: Kam, Dib, Kark, Lard Nar, as well as Red, Purple and Skoodge now that Mimi is there with all her weapons. As for where they are? That you'll have to wait to find out. I have Fiber Arts homework to do so I won't be writing for the next few days.