I do not own Invader Zim okay? I haven't gotten to updating this like I have some of my other fics but between this and Journey to a New World, they've become like my pet IZ fics. But enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
Purple looked out the window as the desert landscape passed by them at an incredible speed. The nuclear power that Zim had adapted the run down old car to run off increased the speed and actually provided a smoother ride than he had expected with something like this. They were going over rough and rocky terrain. Amazingly Red hadn't been moved around too much as Zim took the vehicle over the desert, jumping over rocks and looking around making sure no one saw them. He turned to Purple and sighed. "Okay, hit that 'recalculate' button on the maps, I want to know how close we are to the Bonneville Salt flats."
"The what?" Purple asked.
"Bonneville Salt Flats. There is nearly no friction on there and humans use that area to race cars and break speed records. It isn't too far from the Nevada desert we are running around in and near that major interstate I told you about." Zim said.
"Are you sure there's no humans there if they have a use they seem to like?" Red moaned from the back.
"Most of the time no. It's marked for conservation. There's only one week a year called Speed Week where we run into a problem." Zim motioned.
"And when is that?" Purple asked.
"Sometime at the end of August I think. I don't remember it all. I just learned this from an old Utah Visitor's Guide I was left to read." Zim said.
Miyuki I hope you're right...Purple said as he looked down at the phone and noticed a date on it. August 11th...He read as he laid back and looked at the map. "So we are heading northeast judging by the compass on this thing."
"And here's an analog one," Zim said as a plastic compass rolled to his feet. He looked at the arrow and where it was pointing. "I can confirm you are correct."
"Where did you learn that?" Red moaned out.
"Another book I was left was a cub scout manual." Zim said. "I swear I don't know where Dib got the information he did give me, I swear he thought I was going to be bored to death but he's just handed me the best information I could ever hope for. I am an Invader after all. You learn the enemy's weakness and how to survive. It's easy when the enemy hands it all to you thinking he's just boring you to death."
"Sounds like that Dib has an ego issue." Purple noted.
"Indeed." Zim sighed as he heard a voice over the phone, "You have now crossed into the state of Utah. Please observe local ordinances."
Dib meanwhile was still in the hospital bay of the base watching the television as the local news came on. It was always the usual but with there being nothing else to watch, he sighed and laid back. This time of year was also monsoon season in the Mojave desert, so while the area didn't get a lot of rain, when they did, it was most all they would for the year came at once. Storms that dumped a few inches of rain that would cause a wet soaking and puddles back where he grew up, would cause flash floods here that could wipe away cars. Maybe just maybe they'll get caught up in one of those clusterfucks. God knows that would be justice. Tallest break out Zim, flee the scene and because they are weak against water get burned and drown to death. Throw a rattlesnake on me will you? Dib thought as the news played.
"And in a viewer video submitted to us, this 97 Pontiac Voyager has been seen nearly floating over the sand, seemingly breaking speed records and heading north east. Is it heading to Speed Week to make a big reveal? Is this a hoax video? We'll let you decide. Kent Youbetcha with Channel 8 KLAS signing off. Good evening and we'll see you again at 11pm."
"You have got to be shitting me!" Dib said as he called Gaz.
"What? I saw the news report too. I'm directing my crew to Utah as we speak. Looks like they may be heading for Devil's Tower. Now goodbye." Gaz said hanging up before Dib could say a word. He then pressed the communication button and called Lord Nar.
"Ah yes, Dib what do I owe the pleasure." Lord Nar said.
"Look towards where Utah is on the map. A video that someone captured and sent to the local news station showed the van I had mentioned going to the northeast if they mentioned Speed Week. Looks like they may use those salt flats in Utah to get a speed boost."
"Like they'll notice it. I have finally locked on to the trail of the old power core that the escape pod had. But pray tell Dib, what is this Speed Week you mentioned?" Lord Nar replied. "I should need to know if there will be a lot of humans there and if they will think me a band member like that disgruntled waitress in the diner did."
"It's a racing spot where humans race cars and try to break land speed records. The terrain is what really helps."
"Duly noted. Have you informed your sister?" he asked.
"She had the intuition as soon as she saw the report herself." Dib explained.
"Smart human girl." Lord Nar said. "Maybe smarter than you."
"HEY!" Dib yelled.
"Is she in sick bay with a rattlesnake bite on her ass?" Lord Nar taunted.
"Not fair." Dib sighed.
"Humans know aliens exist now. Between Gaz's people and us, we will have you your escapees and bring them back. Now rest. You'll need it when they are back in your care." Lord Nar said as he turned to the Resisty. "Navigation, head over these coordinates. It is a location on Earth where the wanted Irkens Tallests Red and Purple and Zim are believed to be heading to."
"Yes sir!" The navigation commander said. "What we will do then?"
"Activate the cloud disguise as we will need to enter Earth's atmosphere and once this as it is called, '97 Plymouth Voyager' as it was reported on the Earth News Broadcast that Dib had just watched is seen, activate the freeze ray, keep them in suspension and bring them back to Dib. He will have no choice but to assist us then."
"Are you sure that's fair?" Shloonktapooxis asked as they began the decent towards Earth and hovered over a crowd of humans who looked like they were getting ready for a race disguised as the only cloud in a desert landscape.
"Was it fair when Irk took our planets Shloonktapooxis?" Lord Nar asked. The cone shaped alien shook as if to say 'no' "Time to play dirty. Dib will be needed if we are to use him to free our worlds. We have to find a way to our freedom before our Irken masters are replaced by Meekrob masters.
Purple looked out the window again to see what he was concerned about, that Speed Week was indeed this week and humans would see them. He did not know that humans had already seen them and did not register what their car was and who was in it, but if the word had gotten to Dib and Gaz and their team, they were sure to be done for. "Uhhhh Zim!" Purple said.
"What?" Zim said as he noticed the humans and their cars. "Oh fuck me up the ass!" Zim yelled. "Well let's keep going. We can't do anything!" He sighed as he noticed the cameras and flashes of light focus on them. An old beat up minivan going as fast as it was was certain to be something they talked about. "The sooner we are out of there the better!" Zim said as he pushed the pedal to the floor to find the car frozen and slowly floating up."
"What the hell is going on?" Red said, having noticed the velocity of the car stop as he fell off the seat and onto the floor.
"I don't know!" Zim said as he saw the crowd of people under him turn their cameras to him and film what they thought was a cloud that had stopped this old minivan that was breaking speed records thought impossible by even their cars. It was floating in a blueish glow and heading southwest.
"We got them!" Lord Nar said as he turned to the Navigation team. "Now, to Area 51 where Dib is at. I have a call to make."
Dib rolled over, trying to get to sleep when his communicator watch that the Resisty had given him rung. "What the hell?" He moaned.
"Call your sister and summon her back to your base. We got those Irken scum and bringing them to you. Get ready!" Lord Nar said proudly.
"Already?" Dib asked.
"Already. You do not give us enough credit Dib. We are a superior alien race and my people did design a lot of Irk's military technology. I know what I am doing. What may be roughly 500 of your human miles is nothing. I mean nothing to us. Our neighbors are lightyears away." Lord Nar reminded. "You may be moving humanity onto the Universal stage so it is time to readjust your perceptions of distance."
"Yeah, maybe." Dib sighed as he called Gaz. "Gaz,"
"What?" She moaned. "I'm kind of rushing my team to the most boring state in the union here..."
"Head back." Dib said simply.
"WHAT THE FUCK? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME AND INSANE?" Gaz yelled into the phone, causing Dib to wince.
"Keep an eye out for a cloud that has the van floating in a ray on your way back. The Resisty got them." Dib said, ready for Gaz's next outburst.
"Are you sure?" She asked as she looked up. "Well I'll be damned."
"Most the population of Utah would have said the same to you too." Dib smirked. "Follow that cloud as it will bring us our captives."
"I will do that." Gaz said as she issued the same order to her team and they began the drive back through the desert, back to the base following a pillar of cloud, a disguised alien spaceship, floating an old minivan with their wanted Irkens in it.
Dib smiled to himself and imagined the sight. It's almost like the old Bible story of the Exodus in a way. He had studied all the tales of major religions and folk tales under the assumption that they were just old sightings of the paranormal that couldn't be explained at the time the religion's text was composed. He sat up and smiled. Soon his prisoners would be back and he would make them pay.
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. I know this chapter is shorter than some of the others I have here but not every chapter is going to be a long one. So remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,
otherrealmwriter
aka
Realm.