Dlbn: Hello, everyone, and welcome to another chapter! Might update more than once a week now that my son goes back to school starting tomorrow, but we'll see what the weeks bring us.

Nbld: Review Corner Thank you to Invader Johnny and Zim'sMostLoyalServant for reviewing! Cake for you both!

Invader Johnny: If there's anything he needs in this fucked up reality, its loyalty.

Zim'sMostLoyalServant: He's managed to find some pretty loyal people between his friends from back home, and his friends from Earth. After all he's been through, he kind of needs it. Zim's computer is one of my favorite things to write for. I love how sarcastic he is. As for Maddie, she's not afraid to tell him like it is.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OCs and plot. People and things canon to Invader Zim belong to Jhonen Vasquez.

Disclaimer 2: I don't know much about PTSD, I admit (though my husband does have it concerning fireworks). What Zim is suffering from here is the Irken version of it. This part was NOT written from facts regarding PTSD. Please don't take it seriously or in offense. Thank you.

Dedication: Speaking of the almighty Jhonen V, this chapter is dedicated to his birthday (September 1st). I know its three days late but oh well!

Dedication 2: Speaking of September 1st, that's also my brother Marshall's birthday! Happy birthday, bro!

000

Zim was only mildly surprised when Caleb cornered him in the hallway, shoving him roughly into the wall by the shoulder. Zim blinked at the gang leader in confusion, wondering where he'd gotten the balls to step to him, let alone lay a hand on him. He clicked his jaw and set it, cocking an eyebrow at the younger male as students began to crowd around. He spotted Corbin and Gabe standing together, arms folded over their chests with Daila and Aila at their sides, but he didn't see anyone else from his gang without having to look around and take his eye off his rival.

"What do you want, Caleb?" Zim asked. "You that eager for an ass beating?"

Caleb didn't say anything, just stared at him and sized him up.

"Tch." Zim scoffed, dropping his bag. "I don't have time for this; I'm going to be late."

"Like you care." Caleb glared.

"Oh, so you did remember how to speak." Zim blinked. "Good. I was worried I'd have to call the nurse about that broken voice box."

"Broken voice box?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah." Zim cracked his knuckles. "The one I'm about to break."

Caleb squared his shoulders, standing with his legs spread slightly as if he was ready to pounce the moment Zim took a swing.

"Bring it on." Caleb snorted.

"What? Not even going to tell me why you had the balls to lay a hand on me?" Zim asked. "How rude. Then again, without me around back home, it looks like you've forgotten your place."

It all happened in an instant. Caleb pounced, Zim swung. Someone pulled on Zim's arm, Gabe and Corbin struggled to pull Caleb away. The crowd broke and suddenly a hand was fisting Zim's collar, yanking him roughly from the rival he was about the pound into the floor. Caleb was suddenly at two arms' distance from him, fighting to get free of whoever had him to take a swing at Zim again. Corbin and Gabe were gone, the hand on his shoulder was missing. When Zim snapped back into reality, he heard Ense's voice break through the silence.

"I don't know what the hell you two think you're doing in the middle of the hallway, but this ends now." The elder brother growled. "This isn't the streets. You can't settle shit with your fists here. Caleb, quit your struggling."

It was then that Zim realized he wasn't fighting his brother's grip at all; just standing there and letting him do what he wanted. Though he hadn't known what was happening, his body instantly reacted to what was going on, as if it knew Ense even in his clouded mind. He knew that feeling well; he hated it. It was when his full soldier mode took over and he was led by instinct. Instincts that were hardened by the military to fight to kill status. He shuddered at the thought, rubbing at his arm as his collar was released. He could have killed Caleb. As much as he hated the bastard, he didn't want to be a murderer. If his friends and his brother weren't around, there was no telling what he could have done. No one would have known to stop them, to stop him. And if they'd tried, he wasn't certain his logic could break through his training for someone he barely knew. He wasn't aware of Sila's presence until she slugged him in the shoulder, yelling at him in rapid, angered Irken. He grabbed his backpack and pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring his friends trying to get his attention and Ense trying to call him back to confront his squirming, cursing rival on his brother's terms.

He slipped into the bathroom, quickly noting no one was there. He threw his bag off his shoulder, clattering it against the far wall as it slid across the tiled floor. Zim leaned the heels of his hands on the sink and stared at himself in the mirror.

"Get a hold of yourself soldier." He ordered himself. "You're on even ground now. Relax."

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and tried to save dignity when the bathroom door opened and caught him off guard.

"You okay?" Chase asked. "Ense is still waiting for you."

"No, I'm not alright, Chase; not at all." Zim cursed, giving his cousin a bit of side eye.

"What's the matter?"

Zim punched the sink. "Fuck!" He cursed.

"Hey, calm down, cuz." Chase grabbed his arm before he could swing at the sink again. "Talk to me. What's going on? What started this?"

"Caleb shoved me into a wall. Won't tell me what his problem with me is." Zim muttered. "We fought. I set him off, he lunged at me. Corbin and Gabe tried to pull him away from me, and someone grabbed me, but after that…next thing I remember is Ense yelling at us."

"Did you black out?" Chase took a casual stance, putting all his weight on one leg and folding his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, my soldier instincts took over." Zim plopped himself on the floor, hugging his knees to his chest. "I could have killed him, Chase. If they hadn't stepped in, I just might have." He tugged at his hair, almost slamming his head against the wall as he threw it back. "Fuck!"

"Hey, hey you're okay." Chase knelt in front of him, gently pulling his hands from his head. "Junior, you're scaring me, man. Are you okay? Do you need to go home?"

"If he starts with me again…" Zim looked at his cousin, seeing fear dance across his features as he saw something in the younger cousin's eyes. "I've scared myself, Chase…"

"Is everything okay?" Gabe asked as he and Corbin joined, coming to Chase's sides to kneel with them.

"You okay, man?" Corbin asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Not now." Chase ordered them. "Seriously, Junior, I think you need to go home and relax."

"Y-Yeah…maybe I should…" Zim pulled himself from Chase and slowly stood, legs shaking.

Corbin grabbed his bag. "Want me to get Sila and have her go home with you?"

"Yeah, cause that's not going to start rumors." Gabe rolled his eyes.

"I'm more concerned with getting him out of here and into fresh air." Chase snapped. "Junior, they never diagnosed you with PTSD or anything, did they?"

"No, my mind is fine." Zim laughed. "You know, as fine as the mind of a pill popping alcoholic can be."

"I think you're going to be okay." Chase gave a small smile. "But you blacking out isn't a good thing. I think you should go home. Call your grandmother. Do something."

"I'll go home, fine." Zim nodded. "I'll go to the nurse to be excused."

"Don't worry about that; I got it." Chase offered. "Just get home, drink a beer if you must. Just get some rest. You've run yourself ragged between all the bullshit and the party. Your mind is frazzled."

"Yeah I guess it is…" Zim sighed. "Don't send no one home with me, a'right? Focus on keeping everyone else out of the battleground, if you know what I mean."

"We got you, Zim. We'll hold down the fort." Gabe pat him on the shoulder.

"Ense is still looking for you." Sila popped her head into the bathroom to speak to them. "Should I tell him where you are?"

"Where's Caleb?" Chase asked.

"Ense sent him to class." Sila replied, opening the door more. "You okay, Jun? You look like shit."

"I'm fine." Zim replied. "I don't feel like dealing with Ense, though."

"I'll run interference." Chase responded. "But he's going to want to check up on you after school, so let him. Sila and Lahna can go home with him." He looked to Sila. "Caleb say anything about why he started it?"

"Blames Junior." Sila stated. "Something about him and Shraela."

Zim rolled his eyes. "Figures." He stated. "I'm out. Sorry for the trouble, man."

"No, it's fine." Chase replied. "Go home."

Zim pushed past even Sila, ignoring her calling after him to wait for her for a moment. He spotted Zayena and Samuel in the hall on his way out.

"Are you okay?" Zayena asked him. "You look awful, Junior."

He ignored her.

"Um, she asked a question…it's rude to ignore her." Samuel stated.

The glare Zim sent the boy over his shoulder would have sent even Caleb crawling into a hole. He saw his vision closing in, black ebbing across the side of his vision. He blinked it away, taking a few deep breaths.

"It's not your business, Zayena, but I'm fine. Thank you for asking." Zim replied quickly, before pushing past.

He ignored the rest of Dib's crew shouting jokes and insults after him, and his friends asking if he was okay and where he was going. Gaz stopped him by standing in front of him.

"This is rude, even for you." She stated, closing her game. "And that's something coming from me. What's your problem?"

"Caleb started shit. We fought." Zim replied. "I'm getting out of here before Ense can catch me. He broke it up."

Gaz cocked an eyebrow. "He knows where you live. You can't run forever."

"Just for now." His vision as clouding again. "Please, Gaz, I'm not doing good."

She cocked an eyebrow. "You gonna pass out?"

"Just let me go…I'll explain tomorrow the best I can. Just…please…"

She stepped to the side. "You better."

Ense was standing near the school doors when Zim finally broke free of everyone hounding him to get out.

"Ense, move." Zim muttered.

"I don't take orders from you, Zim." Ense stated. "What the hell is going on? You never run off on me like that."

"I needed to get away." Zim replied, running a hand through his hair as his eyes darted back and forth to find an escape. "Just let me go home, Ense. Chase can explain."

"Or you can." Ense folded his arms over his chest. "I'll tackle you to the floor if you try and run on me, you know this."

"Yeah, I just…" His vision as clouding.

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths like the military had taught him to. When he opened them, Ense was no longer blocking the door like a bodyguard and had his hands on his brother's shoulders.

"Zim, are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine…I just need air…" Zim replied. "I have to go home, Ense, I can't be here another minute longer. Please, Hermanino…Alia…xa vi?"

Ense's brow furrowed in concern. "I'm taking you home." He stated. "Give me one second."

He steered Zim to the office and made him sit in the waiting chairs outside while he spoke with the secretary. Zim lay his head back and closed his eyes. He could feel himself calming, his blood pressure decreasing, and sleep beginning to take over. He was almost asleep when the door opened and Ense came out, prompting him to startle into sitting up.

"Come on. I'm taking the day off. I'll take you home." Ense pulled him to stand by the bicep.

"I don't want you to get in trouble…"

"It's fine." Ense stated. "I made up some bullshit. We're both excused for the day. Are you hungover?"

"No."

"Drunk?"

"No."

"Pills?"

"Seriously?"

"Answer me."

"No, Ense. I'm sober."

"Then what the hell happened."

"I'm trained to kill, Ense. In close combat, I'm trained to be the one on top. Fight until you see the light drain from their eyes and then some. That's what Elite are taught." Zim rubbed the back of his neck as he slid into the front seat of Ense's car in the parking lot. "I blacked out, bro. I couldn't see or sense anything. I know someone tried to pull me away, but I don't know who. First thing I remember is Caleb swinging, and the last is after you grabbed us. I missed half of what you were saying."

"You were so blinded by rage that you blacked out?" Ense started the car and began to leave the lot.

"Something like that, yeah. When instinct takes over without you letting it, and you can't assume control back from it, that's when you hit your breaking point."

They were silent all the way back to the house. Ense sent Zim to bed with promises of a warm cup of tea and some pain relief pills. Zim obliged, slipping into pajamas and going under the covers. Ense brought in what he promised with a glass of the Irken version of water.

"Here. Take the pills."

Zim swallowed them whole before drinking water.

"Thanks…"

"You're welcome."

Ense snapped off Zim's holographic watch and turned it off, his brother's human form vanishing to reveal the soldier underneath. He ran his hand over his antennae and sighed.

"Get some rest, brother."

He stood and started to leave.

"Hey Ense?" Zim asked.

"Yeah, Zim?" Ense didn't even look at him.

"Are you pissed at me?"

"No."

"Okay…"

Ense turned the doorknob.

"Ense?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Zim."

"No, not that."

"What, then?" Ense turned over his shoulder.

"I'm thinking…maybe I'm not as alright as I say I am."

Ense said nothing, just fixed his brother with a sad smile and exited the room.

"You'll be alright, Zim. Just get some rest."

He closed the door and Zim closed his eyes. He wasn't sure if he fell asleep or passed out, but it was instant, and it was going to last a while.

000

When Zim woke up, his room was dark. No one had bothered to turn on a light after he fell asleep. He blinked a few times to filter a little bit of light into his eyes. Thank God Irkens had good nocturnal vision, and his was fine-tuned through his training. When he could tell where he was, he shakily climbed out of bed and made his way to the door, wincing when he opened it and the bright lights of the lab hallways assaulted his sensitive eyes. He made his way to the elevator and took it upstairs. He heard talking as the elevator opened. He was surprised when red hair brushed through his vision and arms wrapped tightly around his middle

"Zim! You're awake!" Keef's voice cried. "How did your stairs do that?"

Sila yanked him away. "Hey, you alright?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Zim slurred a little, shaking his head. "Still a little out of it, I guess."

"Sit." Gretchen pat the couch between her and Lahna. "We don't want you to faint on us."

"Where's Ense?"

"I made him go home." Lahna informed. "He sat in your room until we got here and ordered takeout." She motioned to takeout Chinese cartons on the coffee table.

"Want some?" Todd asked.

"No, I'll just throw it up like I did last time we ate from that place."

Gaz snickered. "My father's plants thank you for the nutrients you upchucked into them." She informed.

"I'm honored that they remember me, really." Zim flopped down between the two girls, rubbing and tugging at his temples.

"Here." Sila offered him a bottle of beer and a white pill in her hand. "For your head."

"Screw the beer." Zim took the pill and swallowed it dry.

"I really hope that's one more thing you won't actually screw, I really do."

Zim rolled his eyes.

"What happened?" Gabe asked. "You looked pretty freaked when we found you in the bathroom."

"I blacked out. Caleb swung and I just blacked out." Zim replied.

"I'll say." Sila sat on the arm of the couch. "You didn't even respond when Lahna tried to yank you away from him. Took Ense to tug sense back into you."

"How long were we fighting?"

"Long enough for you to bloody Caleb's lip." Corbin chuckled. "He said his jaw was hurting. I think you tried to dislocate it again."

"Figures. That's his signature move." Daila informed, taking a sip of a soda in her hands. "But you blacked out? For real? Did he shove you that hard?"

"No, it's…" Zim paused. How did he explain with the humans there? "My military training kicked in and all I could think of was to survive."

"And you blacked out from that?" Lahna cocked an eyebrow. "What did they do, turn you into a killing machine?"

"I can't see Zim killing anyone." Melvin shook his head.

"Me neither." Keef stated. "Though I think he'd like to kill Dib and Caleb sometimes."

"I'm sure he would like to." Aila added, smiling softly. "But a killing machine? I don't think I would go that far."

Zim gave her a look.

"Seriously?"

Zim shrugged.

"That's…that's terrible!" Keef complained. "You're just a kid."

"Sometimes I wonder." Iggins admit. "It feels like you're in your twenties, not your teens."

"God damn, am I that obvious about it?" Zim ran a hand through his false hair.

Shocked, he realized someone turned it on when they came home with the humans. He vaguely remembered Ense taking it off before he fell unconscious.

"I hope to god you're kidding." Gaz cocked an eyebrow.

"So do I." Lahna elbowed him.

"Yeah, I am." Zim laughed a little. "Sorry, guess sarcasm doesn't come across well when I don't feel good."

"Or you're just a dumbass." Sila commented.

He glared as his friends laughed. "Love you too, Sils."

"Fuck you."

"No thanks."

"Holy shit, Jun said no to sex. Someone call an ambulance."

"Oh ha-fucking-ha, Sila." He rolled his eyes. "Like you'd do that shit." He took the beer from her. "Virgin." He muttered.

"Fuck off."

"Why is that a bad thing?" Keef asked, scratching at his bangs.

"She's the only one that is." Lahna offered.

Zim gave her a look out of the corner of his eye.

"You know why." She glared back.

"Why?" Gretchen asked. "Oh…you're not…?"

Lahna slunk down into the couch. "I don't want to talk about it."

"We don't want to hear about it." Gaz muttered.

Both siblings glared.

"And that's enough of that." Sila offered, giving Zim a light tap on the head. "Alright, everyone out. We don't want to overwhelm death machine over here."

"We were worried." Keef stated as they all stood to leave. "You were suddenly gone, and no one would tell us why. We asked Mr. Sangre if he knew but he said he couldn't tell."

"He knew I left, but I don't think he knew Ense took me home."

"He found out." Lahna stated. "I believe his words were that bastard did not leave me alone here with these fucking kids."

Zim laughed. "Good to know he's one of us when we haven't seen him in god knows how long."

"Years." Sila stated. "Last I remember of him was when you and Ense broke his bedroom window with a rock."

"Zim!" Gretchen laughed.

"He wouldn't come outside and play, so we threw pebbles at his window to get his attention." Zim shrugged. "I forget who threw the rock, but they moved away right after that."

"They must have been really mad, huh?" Melvin chuckled.

"Yeah, you could say that. Not like I blame them, I guess. My family's all kinds of fucked up."

"That's one way to put it." Sila snickered. "It's an entire freaking mental hospital combined with a zoo on acid."

"Gee, thanks."

"Welcome."

"Now we know why Zim's so screwed up in the head." Gaz snorted, pulling open the door. "I'm not heading home. The gruesome six-some will be there and I'm not dealing with it. One of these days Zayena's getting decked. She kept asking me if you were okay today. Two faced little shit."

"Why don't you tell us how you really feel, Gaz?" Iggins laughed.

"If she did that, it might start world war three." Keef giggled.

"I might have a heart attack if she does." Todd muttered.

"What's so funny?" Iggins asked.

"Nothing." Gretchen giggled. "Oblivious."

"Oblivious to what?"

The humans argued amongst themselves as they left. Sila shut the door behind them and glared at Zim.

"What?" He asked.

"You almost outed our ages to them, asshole that's what."

"So, what if they know?" Zim snorted.

"If you and Torque or you and Dib get into it and you get in trouble, your friends would know you're over eighteen." Daila offered. "You'd go to jail so fast your head would spin."

"They wouldn't rat me out."

"Keef has no poker face." Aila informed. "You're kidding yourself if you think he'd keep his mouth shut."

"So, if I say anything, I just can't fight one of the brats." Zim offered. "Big deal."

"Speaking of kidding yourself." Sila rolled her eyes. "So, spill the details. What the fuck happened?"

"What she means is that we're concerned about you." Lahna stated. "You've been going through so much and now you're just blacking out in the middle of a fight?"

"Elite soldiers are trained to fight to the death in hand to hand combat, and win." Zim explained. "When Caleb swung at me, it triggered something in my PAK that shut my brain down and let my training take over."

"Basically, you literally turned into a fighting machine." Gabe offered.

Zim nodded. "Something like that. If Ense hadn't snapped me out of it by grabbing me like he did I might have killed him."

"Why didn't it snap you out of it when I tried?" Lahna asked.

"I'm not sure." Zim shrugged. "It's possible that since I'm used to Ense being the authority in my life, that snapped me into reality. Like an on/off switch that can only be activated with a certain passcode. Him grabbing me by the collar and pulling me off Caleb is something he's done for years. He gets in the middle of us half the time, whether we're packing heat or not. I guess it triggered something that you grabbing me didn't do. You're my sister and all, and I'd stop fighting if you asked me to, but when my mind shuts down like that, it doesn't have the same effect that Ense or Gram might."

"Because Lahna is your equal, and Gram and Ense are authority, like your drill sergeants or the Tallest." Aila offered.

"Basically." Zim stated. "Which means I have to be careful if I fight. Does anyone know what the hell he wanted with me, anyway? I didn't say a god damn thing to him before he shoved me to the wall."

"Some bullshit about his girl flirting with you or whatever." Sila shrugged. "Honestly, I don't get the issue. It's not the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last. She uses you to get to him; everyone knows this."

"Everyone but him, apparently." Gabe snorted. "And here, I thought it was obvious to him. Is he that oblivious? Or does he just hate you that much that he's convinced you're trying to bang his girl?"

"I'd rather fucking suck off the entire military then fuck anything that Caleb's gone and fucked." Zim shuddered.

"Apparently the sentiment isn't shared." Daila giggled. "Before he and Shraela were a thing, he'd bedded a few different broads you've slept with. Tried with me almost right after they got together. I told him to hit the road or I'd make sure his head did when his girl chucked him out."

"That's disturbing."

"No, that's a game of picking up the pieces Junior left behind so he looks like a prick and I look like a hero." Aila stated. "Fortunately, a lot of women don't fall for it. Once they've been left behind by the rock bottom, they don't dare to tread back there again."

"Except for certain repeat offenders we know you've been with more than once." Sila offered.

"Okay, okay, we get it. I get around." Zim rolled his eyes.

"Apparently Caleb does, too."

"Did. Once he got with her, he's been all up her ass." Corbin commented, folding his hands behind his head and leaning against the back of the couch. "Still doesn't explain why it's set his ass over the deep end."

"He knows my brother can get any broad he wants." Lahna informed. "And now that Zayena split with him on Caleb's orders, he knows Zim's out for blood. He probably thinks he'd use Shraela's kindness to get to her, and thus get to him. But we all know that kindness is a crock."

"Part of me thinks that Caleb's not smart enough to come up with something like that. The other part is concerned that he could."

Zim nodded, yawning as he did so. "Only time will tell. But when I strike back against Caleb, it's not going to be through Shraela, and it's going to be ten times worse."

000

No one at school spoke about what was going on with Zim and Caleb when the soldier decided to return two days later. Even Shraela kept her mouth shut, giving him a bit of cold shoulder that might have stung if he didn't know any better, as he sat in his seat in homeroom. It was eerily quiet, as if both sides of the field were wondering what was going to happen next, who would strike first, and who would be the first casualty. Even Ense and Chase seemed on edge for most of the day, keeping a close eye on Zim to make sure he didn't black out, and Caleb to make sure he didn't do anything overly stupid. Torque didn't say a word, Dib avoided his old friends, and Zayena and Samuel made sure to keep their affections towards another behind closed doors and away from any classroom Zim happened to be in. Lunch was eerily quiet as well, the two rival tables talking quietly among themselves. There was no boisterous, over the top laughter from Torque's table, or overly cheery enthusiasm from Zim's. It was as if the entire place was a ghost town, though the noise and hustle from the other unassociated students and staff made it clear that it wasn't. Zim was still on high alert when he went to work and punched in that night. Maddie was waiting for him in the break room. Her shift started two hours later, but she seemed to be there to wait for him to speak before his.

"Hey." Zim greeted as he slipped his card into the reader.

"Hey." She greeted slowly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Why?"

"I heard about the Caleb thing from my cousin."

"Oh."

"People are pretty freaked out, it seems. I picked her up today and it was beyond quiet there."

"Yeah, everyone's wondering what's going to happen next." He shrugged on his uniform vest. "I know this game well. Every time there was a fight back home or someone went to jail or the hospital, it was always like this for the next week at school."

"It's a stalemate?"

"Pretty much."

"You're going to gun after Caleb with all you've got after this all boils over, aren't you?"

"I could have killed him, Maddie." Zim stated. "My military instincts took over and I just lost it; I blacked out."

"That sounds scary as hell." Her gaze softened a bit more, if that were possible. "Are you okay? Should you even be working?"

"I'll be fine. My body just needed to relax and adjust. Sila's been staying in my room every night now so I'm not alone in case something happens."

"She's really concerned about you, isn't she?"

"I can't say that I blame her, I guess. But please don't make that out to be something it's not. We've been apart for so long; she doesn't want some stupid punk ass kid to screw things up and separate us again. And, frankly, neither do I." He shrugged. "And I don't just mean us. I mean everyone else too. My gang friends, my school friends. Leaving my school friends alone is like dangling them like meat in a lion's den. If Caleb is trying to get me expelled, I can't let myself be taken over by it. But I'm not going to just sit around and be a punching bag, like I told you. There may come a point where Caleb and I fight, and my brother isn't on time to stop it. I shudder to think of what I could have done if he hadn't stepped in when he did." He shook his head. "The school doesn't want teachers physically interfering, but I'm glad he did. Caleb might be on his way to the morgue, and I might be on my way to jail otherwise."

"What started all this?" Maddie asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"He shoved me into a wall. We mouthed off; he took a swing."

"No, I mean what made him do that?"

"Something about his girl. They've been having issues, I guess. She's always flirting with me to make him mad. I think he's just thinking I'm going to use her to get back at him for the whole Zayena thing. But when I decide to get my revenge about that, it's going to be directly at him, and he isn't going to see it coming."

"You're starting a war, Zim."

"Like Shraela said, we're already in one. Eventually, someone has to give in. And I'm both too stubborn and too well trained to let that be me." He grabbed a walkie talkie and hooked it to him, slipping the earpiece over his false ear. "But for now, I'll take a little calm. My gang is good at mentally manipulating people. If I want, I can take down Caleb with a whisper to Torque's girlfriend. Domino effect. But for now, I'll let him think he's won, that he's got one over on me. But when he least expects it, bam!" He slammed his locker shut with his keys and phone inside. "That is when I'll strike. Psychological warfare. That's how I roll."

She nodded once, slowly. "Just do me one favor, alright, Zim?"

"What is it?"

"Don't let yourself become worse than them. Always be the bigger man. War, psychological warfare, mental manipulation, revenge…that's all fine and dandy, but when it takes over, that's when you've finally lost all self-control. Don't let yourself be blinded by your own agenda."

"I won't." Zim shook his head. "I've been in deeper shit than this with less escape routes. I can handle it."

"You almost beat a man to death because you blacked out." Maddie called after him as he left. "I don't think you can handle it as well as you think you can, Zim!"

He shuddered to think she was right as he plastered a fake friendly smile on his face and left through the double doors to the grocery floor.