Disclaimer – I don't own Invader Zim…But Jack is mine. Yeah…it's kinda like that.

Dead Man Talking
By Sanoon

Chapter 4: Jack

The soft wind grazed the house that a small boy with a big head walked into. He walked past his sister, who was sitting on the couch, absorbed in her latest game while the TV was on. He noted that the power was back as the TV weatherman talked about a thunderstorm that would be raging the area in the middle of the night. The boy quickly walked up the stairs.

He entered his room and sat at his computer desk. With the press of a button, the computer began booting up. He swiveled around in his chair and picked up the screen he had moved over to his computer this morning since Zim had kicked it out of the way last night. The eyeball insignia displayed itself on the screen as Dib turned the monitor on.

"You have five new messages," a computerized voice announced. Dib turned to his computer and opened up his message box. Two of them were from agent Darkbooty, one from agent Swallowing Doppler, and another from agent Metal Blitz. These were most likely about the detailed report Dib had sent in to the SEN about the Irken social ladder. The fifth one was a message from agent Atomic Mind. Dib selected that one first.

The screen displayed the outline of agent Atomic Mind. "Agent Mothman, what happened?" His question was quick, and with concern. "Did you turn off the transmission?" He sighed. "Whatever the matter is, I want to finish what I was saying last night. I fear that the ghost in the park is my father. It was a tragic day. I…I just can't bear myself to go." There was a pause. "Agent Mothman…could you do an old man a favor and check out the park for me? Thanks. I'll try to get in touch with you later Dib." The screen returned to the SEN insignia.

"I wonder…" Dib said aloud as he rubbed his chin. "Could it be that-"

"Dib! One of your stupid friends is here!" Gaz yelled from the living room.

Never a moment of piece for a paranormal investigator. Dib jumped off of the chair and walked out of his room, and down into the living room.

"Hiya Dibby!" The disguised robot shouted as he ran into the living room from the kitchen holding a bag of popcorn.

"Gir!?" The boy said quickly. "Wha…what are you doing here?"

The robot snapped to attention, and his voice turned to his rare serious tone. "I am here to spy on you!"

"So…what did you find?" Gaz said from the couch, not really glancing at the robot or her brother.

"You're out of corn syrup!" Gir shouted, his voice back to normal, before eating the whole bag of popcorn.

"I'm sure Zim will be ecstatic about that new information," Gaz muttered. "Now go away so I can play in peace. That goes for you too, Dib."

"I'll be leaving then," Dib said calmly as he walked back to his room. Gir sneaked, or at least tried too, behind Dib.

The boy entered his room and grabbed a few supplies. Some snacks, some batteries, his cam…damn. He really wanted his camera back. He'd have to go out and get a new one as soon as possible, but he'd need to ask his dad for some cash next time he saw him.

"I'm spying on you!" Gir shouted from the doorway.

"That's getting annoying Gir," Dib said as he grabbed a book from his bookshelf. "Please stop it."

"Okay!" the little disguised robot said happily. Dib shook his head as he stared at the robot before putting the book he grabbed into his coat pocket. He headed out the door, picked up the heavy robot, and carried him downstairs. And out of the house. He dropped the machine on the pathway.

"Gir." The robot jumped up and snapped to attention. "I have to go to the park and meet someone. I want you to go-stop doing that!" Gir lowered his right arm to his side. "As I was saying, I want you to go home before Zim suspects anything. Ok?"

"I understand," Gir said sadly. His dog-ears slumped down to his head and he turned to walk away. Dib ignored the robots whimpering. If he didn't, then Gir would inevitably end up going to the park with him. The robot glanced back to see if Dib was falling for the ploy. Much to his dismay, however, Dib was already walking down the sidewalk. "AGHAAAA!" Gir cried as he ran away down the street.

He could hear the robot cry, but it was just that. A robot. Dib knew this, but he had to keep reminding himself that. It was almost like Gir was a child, capable of feeling emotions, much the opposite of his master.

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The park was filled with its average occupants. Kids, teens, adults, hobos, sideshow freaks and the like. Dib walked by all of these people as he made his way to an empty bench. Once a desirable location was found, he quickly made himself at home and pulled out the book he had put in his coat earlier. He had a few hours to kill, and he couldn't even remember the last time he read a book for the fun of it, mostly because of his hectic lifestyle.

-----

The sun had set, and the life forms that once inhabited the park like a virus now left for their warm homes…except for the hobos. They went back to the alleyways. Dib had put his book away due to the lack of light, and waited for Jack. "I hope Jack keeps his word," Dib muttered to himself.

There was a quick rustling in the bushes behind Dib. The boy quickly jumped up and shined a flashlight he had brought along on the bush. He sighed when he saw the creature hiding in the bush jump out.

"I'm a monster!" the disguised robot shouted happily. "Listen to me moo!"

"Not now, Gir," Dib spat out as he sat back down. "I have to wait here for someone. I just hope he shows up."

Gir giggled at the boy, while Dib just sighed. He sat back down on the bench, and waited with a scowl on his face.

"You look angry," Gir whispered as he stopped giggling.

"Why do you follow me, Gir?" Dib asked. "Did following Zim just get too boring?"

"Noooo," the robot hummed. "He doesn't give me candy."

The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a candy bar, tossing it onto the ground. "Act like a dog for a little bit, okay? And tell me when Jack comes along."

"Yes sir," the robot said seriously, saluting the boy. He bent down on all fours and walked over towards the candy bar, eating it as a dog would.

For twenty minutes, the green dog acted like a dog for one of the few times it ever has while on Earth. He sat there, mindlessly staring off into the dark distance. Dib couldn't help but notice this from the corner of his eye as he lay down on the bench. Every time Gir was with Zim, the robot would do something strange, goofy, silly, or just plain weird. He never acted like what his costume suggested: A dog.

Maybe Dib had done something Zim couldn't. Maybe Dib had managed to make Gir remotely successful. Or maybe Gir was just messing around in new ways at strangely convenient times. If it was the first two, then Dib had secured another victory over Zim. If not…then at least Zim didn't have his helper…or maybe that was a bad thing?

"Hope you weren't waiting long," came Jack's voice. Dib jumped up and glanced at the man standing on the pathway.

"Jack…" Dib muttered. He glanced over to Gir, who was now looking at Dib as though he were insane. Not like that's the first time he has ever received that look.

"Yeah, it's me," Jack said, pulling his cigarette away from his mouth. "I got something for ya." He pulled something out of his trench coat. "Here." He tossed the item onto the boys lap.

Dib picked it up and looked at it. It was the data chip from his camera that Zim took last night. But how did he manage to obtain the chip if it was in Dib's camera in Zim's labs?

"Where did you get this?" the boy asked.

"My own ways, kid. My own ways," Jack replied, taking another toke of the cigarette.

"But how did you get into Zim's house?" Dib asked, somewhat demanding to know.

"Somehow, I have a feeling you already know, Dib."

"I think I might, but I need to know one more thing." Dib put the data chip into his pocket. "Did you die 50 years ago in this very park?"

Jack chuckled, slightly shaking his head. "You're a bright one Dib. You really are." Jack removed the fag from his mouth and tossed it on the ground, stomping it out with his shoe. "Because of that, I never intended to keep this a secret for long."

"So I'm right," Dib said, smiling at another achievement.

"Who are you talking to, big-headed boy!" Gir shouted from the side of the bench.

"Jack," Dib mumbled to the robot, smiling happily.

"It all started 50 years ago…" Jack began...

Ooooo…freaky, eh? Thanks for reading, now review please.