Hunted Chapter 3
BACK ON IRK:
Tallest Red came back to the Tallest's chambers to find Purple standing and holding a doughnut, staring at a black transmission screen. He sighed and walked over, lying a hand on his comrades shoulder.
"Zim?"
"Mnn..." Purple hadn't torn his eyes away from the screen, which Red suspected had been off for quite a while. He sighed, patting his back.
"What about this time?"
"I'm not sure...he was going on and on about some arrogant human female...I don't know exactly what he said..."
"Well, that would be Zim."
"Uh...My Tallest?"
Red turned around to find an irken with midnight blue eyes and wavy antennae standing at the door. He stood exactly 1 1 /2 feet shorter than Red and his 'brother', and had paler skin and some kind of cyber genetic implant on the back of his neck. Red had asked him once, and the screaming consequences of that had been pretty frightening.
"Yes, Larx?"
"We got a message from Ceberos. You know that assassin, Kai? The one I betrayed? Well...uh.."
Purple finally looked away from the screen.
"Well what?"
"She escaped. And by the looks of the place now, shes very...angry."
The doughnut that Purple was holding hit the floor. Red walked over to Larx, staring into his eyes.
"Well, go recapture her. Kill her if you want. But don't let her get here."
"But I..." Larx fell silent, remembering the look on her face. I don't want to... "Okay. Ill get rid of her."
"Great. Now go."
Larx spun around, walking down the halls towards his ship. He would find her, within the day with his ship, but he wouldn't be killing her. He'd be explaining and appologizing. Kai. Ill never forget the look in your eyes when I shot you. Rubbing the metal piece on his neck, he sighed. But the question was, would she kill him? She had every right to, but he hoped she wouldn't. He missed her. Hopping into his ship, he woke up the controls. He knew where she was. Earth, probably very angry. The interface on his neck was, after all, a direct link to hers. She must have forgotten. He jumped as his little SIR hopped into the ship beside him.
"Trea...you may want to-"
"I'm comin'."
"Okay. Fine." He shook his head, powering up the engines. "Why she gave you intelligence...I don't know."
Outside in my now darkened yard, I was going through fighting routines with the longer version of the blade in my hand. I barely noticed when Cypher walked up.
"Kai...you've been out here for 5 hours now."
strike, turn, slash, turn, strike.
"I know."
"Come inside."
flip, strike.
"No."
strike, strike, back step, flip, swing, block.
The little robot walked off and collapsed on the ground, as I retreated back into my own world. Id been forced to drink juice, which burned.
Jab, swing, turn, flip.
Id had water splashed on me. That also burned.
strike, strike, block, swing.
Id had a freaking muffin thrown at me.
flip, block, jab, strike, strike.
All because of that horrible Dib child.
Strike, flip, flip, strike, flip-
My footing lost hold, and I stumbled backwards, sure that I was going to crash into my fence. As I braced for the most likely painful impact, I was very startled when someone caught me. It took me a while to regain my wits, and I stood up, whirling around with my blade ready.
"Get the fuck away from...me..."
I completely froze. Id recognize those midnight blue eyes anywhere. Larx. He just stood staring sadly at me as I stumbled backwards. How...?Why?...
"Kai, I-"
"You." Thats all I could get out. Even just seeing him brought everything back from the past years. Absolutely everything Id felt, mostly pain. I narrowed my eyes, now full of fury, and raised my blade. "You..."
"Kai, wait-"
I swung, and not suprisingly, he blocked my blade with a staff of his own. I had, after all, practiced this with him for over five years. This time, however, as we went through the little routine, I wasn't practicing. I was definitely trying to sink my blade into his flesh. He blocked everything, talking when he got the chance.
"I didn't want to-...you would have died-...I've waited-...would you relax-..."
"You!" I broke off from the routine, striking out in pure fury. Just as my blade was about to hit home, I felt a sharp pain under my ribs. I whimpered slightly, and found that I could hardly breathe. Larx looked down in horror, and I knew what had happened.
"Thats twice now, Larx.."
"I didn't mean to..."
I had walked right into his blade. Nice, Kai. You should have known he wouldn't play fair. I heard a screech from over the fence, but I could hardly see anymore. I slumped down to my knees as Larx pulled out his bladed staff.
"This wasn't supposed to happen, Kai. Really." He bent down in front of me, and went to check my wounds. I knocked his hand away, hissing weakly. He wouldn't touch me while I was still breathing.
"Yes it was. You knew it." I coughed up a little blood, more of which I could feel soaking my uniform. Larx swore.
"Damn it, Kai! You weren't supposed to-"
"What? I wasn't supposed to try and kill you! I wasn't supposed to be hurt and mad! Tell me then, Larx, traitor. What was I supposed to feel?"
"Just don't say anything. Save your st-"
"Id rather kill myself than die at your hands." I gulped for air, swayed, and grabbed his shoulders for balance. I was horrified at this, because Larx now scooped me up into his arms. I tried pathetically to wriggle loose, but it hurt so much...I didn't expect to feel this much pain. I felt so weak...and I really was getting scared. So instead, I wrapped my arms around his neck to hold myself up. He would pay for this. I cursed myself for doing this, being so weak, but as much as I refused to admit it I really wanted to live, and if it meant relying on Larx, so be it. If I died, I'd be coming back and haunting him. Cypher padded up to Larx, snarling. Larx just looked weakly down, knowing he'd never be let into my labs while I was alive. The place would kill him. And that was the only place I knew of that could help me. Oh well...
"Kiddo...theres another Irken besides us here. Can you scan and find him?"
Another Irken...maybe...
"Never, you lying-"
"Cypher, if you don't, Kai is going to die."
"Uh...the green and purple house." She growled at Larx. "She dies, you suffer."
"I know." He began walking towards the odd house across the street, now becoming soaked in my blood. The world was fading, like ink running on a page, but I did see a human jump up and run over to me. I recognized it as that horrible Dib, and hissed weakly.
"You horrid, muffiny huma-"Larx put a hand over my mouth, and I sunk my antennae in shame. This was so degrading...The Dib child leaned over me.
"Shes pretty badly hurt..."
"Yes. And if she dies, I blame you."
"What? But you just met me?Why me-"
"Because I don't like you already." Larx hissed and brushed past, walking quickly in the dark across to the other Irkens door. I stuck my tounge out weakly at the defeated looking child.
"Assistant Tallest Larx. Invader Zim, open the door."
Nothing happened. My body was numbing, and I whimpered softly. I hated this feeling of being weak and helpless so much. Larx hissed.
"Open. Your. Goddamn. Door. NOW!"
The door swung open, and the green boy from school appeared in the line of my faded vision. I cursed under my fading breath, more blood filling my mouth. He said something, and Larx hissed something back. Their speech was all garbled to me.
"You...that'd why...all the...bowing...thing..." Larx looked down at the boy, who stood dumbstruck looking at us. I blinked, and took another shuddering breath. Larx looked down at me with mock concern. Thats it, play the part while I suffer. My body was so numb...I was so sleepy...Ill just close my eyes for a while...I curled up against him, sinking my sharp nails into his arm and shutting my eyes. He shook me, trying to wake me.
"Kai, look up at me. Kai. Kai, don't you dare..." His voice trailed off into a peaceful, quiet oblivion, as well as everything else.
Okay...I dont like this chapter for some reason. I may end up wrewriting it, so be warned that it might change.
