Zim took the note to the military base and obtained his given items. He had also been pardoned from his service at Foodcourtia, although they didn't bother to re-program his PAK. He was grateful for what he got, so he didn't dare ask about it.
"SIR?" he asked the unit he had received as they walked back to his ship.
"Yes sir?" it looked up at him, awaiting orders. Zim sighed, knowing it wasn't GIR and never would be. He would just have to get used to it.
The invader tucked the house kit safely away in his ship and sat in the driver's seat awhile, mulling over his next move. The SIR sat silently next to him.
"SIR, stay here," he ordered after awhile, climbing out of the ship.
"Yes sir!" it snapped off a salute and sat motionless in the passenger seat. Zim locked up the ship and began making his way quickly to the servant center, not having a plan but hoping to make one up as he went along.
As he drew closer to the building, he saw several Irkens with weapons seemingly searching the grounds around the place. 0ne walked up to him.
"Two of our prisoners have escaped. Have you seen any aliens around?" he asked.
Zim raised a brow and shook his head. "No, when did they escape?"
"Just a half hour or so past. They were being transported into the building when one broke loose and attacked our guards while another ran. They were not of the same species."
"I will keep an eye out," Zim replied, wondering if it could possibly be that Dib was one of the escapees. He watched as the guard returned to a group of searchers. He glanced around, then turned and began moving back towards his ship, figuring Dib might show up there if he did escape.
The invader was passing a desolate part of town when something heavy fell across the back of his neck. He fell to the ground, stunned for several seconds. Someone kicked him onto his back and he saw Dib glaring down at him.
"Dib!" Zim mumbled when the pain subsided. He sat up and tried to get to his feet but stopped when he saw the Irken gun pointed in his face.
"Don't fucking move, you traitor," Dib growled.
Zim sat back on his arms and frowned.
"Dib.." he began, but had nothing to say. His antenna fell against his head in dread as he realized the position he was in.
Dib reached a hand down to him and for a moment he had hope. He took the boy's hand and got to his feet, but Dib then wrapped an arm around his throat and pressed the barrel of the gun against the side of his head.
"You are going to help me get out of here," Dib hissed in his ear. Zim swallowed and stumbled along as Dib pushed him down the sidewalk towards the landing station. He slid his jacket sleeve around the gun to hide it, but kept it in place against the alien's skull.
They moved along quickly and unnoticed for awhile, but as the two neared the station a guard took notice.
"It's the alien!" he alerted the others. "Stop him, quickly."
Dib shifted the sleeve back from the weapon and turned so that Zim was facing them.
"Stay back or I will kill him!" the human snapped at the guards. They stopped in their tracks and watched him as he backed towards the ship. Dib stopped when he was just in front of it and reached behind himself slowly to open the hatch.
When he did, the SIR looked out at him and jumped up from the seat, landing in front of the two.
"Danger to master! Prepare to be terminated!" it droned, weapons appearing from its head and shoulders.
"SIR, stand down!" Zim commanded, not wanting to see Dib killed and hoping that the human would release him if he saw he had no intent to harm him.
The SIR unit put away its weapons and stood motionless, watching, waiting for orders.
"Stop!" a guard called from where they stood. "We will fire!"
"You wouldn't kill one of your own," Dib called back at them. He released Zim and climbed into the ship, keeping low so as to keep himself hidden behind the invader.
Zim glanced over his shoulder at him.
"Dib, take me with you," he said quietly. Dib looked into his eyes a moment in contemplation, then held out a hand. Zim took his hand and started to climb into the ship but stopped when Dib raised the gun to his chest.
"Goodbye Zim." He pulled the trigger and released Zim's hand. Zim fell to the ground before the ship and Dib took off, closing the door in midair. He sped away, bullets bouncing off the ship as the guards shot at him.
Zim gasped for breath and clutched at his chest, but he was already fading. Darkness crept in from the edges of his vision and tears of pain blurred what he could see. Two guards ran over and crouched over him, their mouths moving as if in speech but no words befalling Zim's deaf ears. He closed his eyes and darkness enveloped him, overtaking his mind and snuffing him out of life.