A/N: Sorry this took longer than expected, I ended up doing a lot of work to it and kept getting carried away. I hope it was worth the wait :) Thanks so much for the reviews they always put a smile on my face! 3
Chapter 12
The shock was so intense that Zim momentarily forgot how to breathe. As his brain kicked back into action he scrambled to his feet, clawing uselessly at the door.
"No! NO!" He slammed his fists against the metal, even though he knew it was pointless and even if the doors did open it would be to the black emptiness of space. His plan had been going so well, how had this happened? It wasn't supposed to end this way.
Zim swallowed against the painful lump that had formed in his throat, gritting his teeth. He knew he had to get a grip. If he didn't do something soon he would be blasted out of the sky by the Massive. His body felt as though it were made from lead as he got up and turned to the control panel in the small space to begin working. He poured his focus into his task and began to pick up speed, promising himself that if he managed to get away there would still be a chance for him to save Dib. Without him the boy didn't stand a chance so he had to save himself first, the logical part of his brain argued. However as he sped ever further away from the human his heart screamed with guilt.
Zim swiftly managed to activate a cloaking device which would protect him from being seen or tracked, and then began working on increasing the shields should he take a hit. This technology was newer than his voot cruiser but he found it came to him quickly, and he was impressed by its capabilities. Soon he was out of range from being fired at – whatever he'd managed to complete whilst he was still on-board the Massive must have thrown them off just long enough to allow his escape.
He exhaled heavily, not realising he'd forgotten to breathe. It was like holding that breath in had been holding him up though, and as the air rushed from his lungs it was like a tidal wave of emotion knocking him to the floor. His body trembled as it was racked with sobs, his head spinning nauseatingly. This hurt like nothing he'd ever felt before. Worse than when he had seen Dib with that girl, worse than the Tallests condemning him, worse even than watching the Dib be dissected alive. This was so much worse he thought the pain was going to split him clean in half. He had promised Dib he would get him out, and he'd failed him. He hugged himself tightly as though it might keep him from falling to pieces.
A temptation arose then. He was free, he could turn his inhibitor back on if he wanted. It was an enticing thought, that he could be released from this agony in the flick of a switch. But no. He couldn't do that. While he was still alive he could still do something, he just had to master his emotions to motivate him rather than debilitate him. Besides he didn't deserve to be freed of this pain, it was his punishment and he deserved to suffer it as long as the Dib was suffering too.
His breathing calmed then as he turned his anguish to determination. Sobbing wasn't getting him anywhere, he had to make a decision on what he was going to do next. He tried to think about it logically. Would they have executed the Dib? They had certainly fired several lethal shots at them both as they'd tried to escape - perhaps they'd killed him on sight. The not knowing was going to drive him mad. However his head told him that no, it made more sense for them to use the boy in some way as it was their only leverage on Zim. He just hoped that wasn't wishful thinking.
Regardless until he knew for certain he had to act as though Dib were still alive, he couldn't take the risk. He'd sooner die pointlessly trying to save the boy than give him up for dead and have Dib think he'd abandoned him. That was never going to happen. He would spend his every last breath rescuing the boy.
Zim shakily picked himself up from the floor and sat down at the console, the window before him showing a vast expanse of empty space, the blackness littered with specks of light. He took a determined breath and swung the ship around, heading back towards the Massive. He intended to shadow them, flying as close as he could manage without being seen but hopefully close enough to intercept their transmissions. As soon as he came within range a button on the dashboard began flashing, causing him to jump. He froze for a moment thinking that he was being hailed and they had located him, but quickly realised it was an open transmission. The Tallests must be airing a message into the near vicinity in the hopes that Zim would pick it up and see it. His guts twisted into tight knots. Whatever this was, he was sure it wouldn't be good. Hesitantly he pressed the button, and a live feed of his Tallests appeared on his screen.
"-know you'll be nearby you little worm. We're not stupid." Red was talking sternly – boy did he look pissed. Purple paced agitatedly nearby. "We've seen it all remember, we know you wouldn't dream of going anywhere without your little pet." He stepped to one side then and revealed the human lying on the ground just behind him. Zim gasped at the sight, reaching a claw out to the screen futilely. The boy was covered in fresh wounds, blood spattered across his pale skin.
"So are you going to play nice and come get it or do we have to punish this thing further for your actions?" Red continued.
"D-don't… Zim…" Dib managed to splutter out, barely audible. It earned him a hard kick to the stomach which sent him rolling across the metal ground. When he came to a stop he convulsed, coughing blood from his mouth. Zim couldn't bear it. Even now the Dib was still fighting for him, close to death as he was. There was no way his poor, fragile body could take much more of this.
Red could clearly sense this too, but Purple suddenly lost his cool, his frustration overflowing. He flailed towards the human wildly but Red grabbed him and pulled him back firmly. Zim had never been so thankful to Red.
"Calm down, that thing is our only chance at getting Zim back." Red grimaced against Purples struggling.
"But it's not FAIR! How did he get away? HOW!" Purple kicked a fit like a small child. "Bring all the guards in! I'm going to kill them all!"
"Ugh, cut the transmission." Red called out, and the screen went blank.
Zim stared at the empty space, frozen in horror. It hadn't exactly been reassuring but at least now he knew Dib was still alive, though barely. And Red at least was intent on keeping him that way until they found Zim. But Zim had no intention of being caught, so what would they do if he couldn't rescue the boy before they gave up searching for him? He shook his head – it was too soon to be thinking like that.
He considered briefly if they would accept an exchange, freeing Dib in his place, but he knew the Tallests better than that. Heck he knew Irken-kind better than that. He would give himself up in a second if he thought it would work, but he knew that they would never release the Dib until Zim was in hand, but once Zim was in custody they would have no need to stick to their word. Irkens didn't really compromise, they just took what they wanted. Bargaining wasn't an option.
Zim began analysing the Massive and quickly discovered that their shields were on maximum and their weapons were all primed and ready to fire. The second he did anything to alert them to his presence he would be obliterated, he couldn't even send a transmission of his own. He had no choice but to sit this out. Until they let their guard down there was no way he was getting anywhere near the Dib. His heart sank.
He made a silent deal with the Dib. Just stay alive. He thought bitterly, wishing more than anything that Dib could hear him. Stay alive long enough and I will save you I promise. I'm sorry you have to endure this but there's no other way. It would surely be a test of his own endurance too. He had thought what he had already experienced was heart-wrenching but it turned out to be nothing compared to this. He wished he were the one receiving the physical pain instead.
So here he was, on the run. He tried to focus his mind on sensible things like surviving and being ready for the slightest opportunity, constantly analysing the Massive for any weaknesses. The first task he had was to acquire a better ship and supplies from a nearby planet. He knew the Tallest would begin scouring the galaxy immediately and soon he would not be able to dock anywhere, so it was best to stock up now and be ready. The only thing in his favour was the sheer scale of the universe of course. He was sure the Tallests had put a warrant out for him the second they heard about his escape, so all Irken owned planets would be on red alert. But he had a small window of opportunity for those that hadn't been conquered yet, though soon even those would be crawling with people searching for him as bounty hunters heard the news.
He selected a small trading planet not yet under Irken rule and approached cautiously. Using his human disguise he was in and out smoothly. Should he have chosen an Irken planet – and that was a considerable few – he would have been discovered as soon as he entered the planet's atmosphere due to the unique signature in his pak. It acted like an ID, and allowed the Tallests to identify any Irken instantly. It was quite vital given that Irken's were experts at disguising themselves, though it was incredibly rare for an Irken to go rogue considering the emotional inhibitor. Zim was just lucky they couldn't track him from it whilst he was out of range.
Deactivating his ID was his next task. Soon he probably wouldn't be able to go anywhere safely unless he did something about it and he sure as hell wouldn't be able to get anywhere near the Dib. He wasn't even positive that it was physically possible to change it, but he had to try. So this was how he occupied himself, the live stream from the Massive his only companion as he stalked the fleet across the galaxy.
He watched helplessly waiting for an opening as his leaders tormented his precious human in an attempt to lure him in. He could tell that each time they beat the boy close to death that they had fixed him up from the previous session, only so that he could endure more cruelty and not die. One of the worst sessions was when they had branded the boys skin with the Irken logo, indicating him a slave of the empire. They had pressed the mark against his chest over where his heart would be, and Zim had watched in distress as tears streamed down the boy's face from the searing pain. They had held the brander against him unnecessarily long and then ripped it away from his flesh brutally, leaving the messy shape red raw against his otherwise pale white skin. The sound of his screams still pierced Zim's memory. No matter what happened that mark would be with the boy forever, a permanent reminder of his torment.
Time wore on and still Zim worked, his mission the only thing keeping him sane until at last he finally achieved his goal and successfully gained access to change the ID signature in his pak. He was so enthused by his triumph that he very nearly stormed the Massive right there and then. He soon rationalised himself though, it would be foolish to attempt it. Even if they didn't recognise him as Zim they would never allow anyone to spirit the Dib away. He would be under the highest form of security available to them, with no exceptions. Zim forced himself to patience, waiting for the day that they slipped up.
As more time passed Zim identified uncountable traps that had been set for him, and even though he had more than a few near misses he remained undiscovered. He could see the boy growing ever paler and thinner though, his face turning gaunt and his bones jutting out under his skin. They had to be feeding him something, but it clearly wasn't much and he didn't like to think what. His glasses were long gone too and Zim could tell by the way he squinted and frowned that it was causing him constant discomfort. He was amazed that the human had survived so long and just prayed that it wasn't all in vain. He wondered if Dib thought that Zim had abandoned him or whether he had faith still. Perhaps there was little even left to his sanity, and if Zim ever saw him again he would just be an empty shell.
Eventually the day arrived when things changed. Zim had noticed that the Tallest's efforts had grown less frequent, and lately their attention was drawn instead to a fresh dispute with another species who had tried their luck whilst the Irkens appeared to be distracted. Dib grew forgotten, though not unguarded. Zim had hacked into their on-board surveillance by now and monitored their actions closely. He worried they would just let the boy die, but one day the Irken scientists plucked up the courage to come before their Tallests. They wanted the human for testing, as a new species he offered new information which they hungered for. They convinced their leaders that the boy was valuable as a unique sample and the Tallests agreed to send him to an Irken planet which was dedicated to scientific research.
Zim felt his pulse quicken as he witnessed the scene, excited that things were to finally progress. It seemed the Tallests had grown bored of waiting for him, and had decided he probably didn't care enough about the boy or that perhaps he had turned his inhibitor back on and no longer cared at all. Dib was still to be kept under a high level of security and was not permitted to be transferred anywhere without the Tallests permission, so it was still going to be tough. At least it meant that Zim might be able to get close to the Dib and see him with his own eyes.
Zim created himself an Irken disguise in preparation. He didn't change his appearance too drastically, but he made his skin a slightly different shade, his eye colour green and changed the shape of his head and antennae somewhat. He had also created a device which would slightly alter the sound of his voice which he tucked into his collar. He was glad of his height as it meant he would be questioned little and should be able to gain a reasonable status within the labs. Despite all this realistically he had no idea how he was going to get Dib out. It would be a gargantuan task with the Tallests demands for high security.
Zim tracked Dib's transfer closely, and infiltrated the lab the moment he discovered the boy's destination. His heart was in his mouth when he first set foot on the planet. He had been in isolation for so long, it was strange to face his own kind once again. He found his voice rasped the first time he had to talk to someone and he felt sure his nerves were going to give him away. He had to remember that his emotions set him apart from the other Irkens and it would give him away if he didn't act like the rest of them.
He had set his pak ID to tell that he was a head scientist called Vax. Many of the Irkens gave him curious looks and inquired as to why they hadn't heard of him before. Someone of his height would usually be quite well known and respected, but thankfully none were brave enough to question him. He was thankful for the time he had spent in the labs way back when, and found he could easily blag the role he faked.
Zim had to pull rank as he entered the lab where he knew the Dib was being held for the first time, demanding that as a head scientist he should be involved in the 'human-testing'. He panicked as he saw their alarmed expressions – of course, no one was supposed to know about this highly secret test subject. They were clearly suspicious of him, but after they checked his ID and saw his rank they gave him clearance to the 'project'. Zim had to focus hard to stop himself from trembling, he could only pray that they let it be and didn't check up on him any further. He had invented plenty of background on his fake character, but if they mentioned him to the Tallests he felt sure they would ask to see him.
His pulse beat ever harder as he made his way through the labs. The thought of seeing the boy face to face after all this time was both a terrifying and an exciting concept. Still, nothing could have prepared him for how he'd feel when his eyes finally fell on his poor human. There were so many details that he hadn't been able to see via the transmissions. The boy's eyes were sunken and bloodshot, his lips were dry and cracked, and threads of white hair mixed in with the tangle of black, the whole lot a matted mess. His skin was marbled with colours, though at least they had had the decency to fix up his wounds and clean him of his own blood. He still wore what was left of his clothes, which admittedly wasn't much. His torso was bare and his trousers were in tatters. The Irken symbol stood out angrily red against the boys pale chest.
Dib was being set down on a platform that was tilted at an angle to hold him mostly upright, and scientists buzzed about him excitedly as he was restrained. Zim hadn't realised he had frozen to the spot until the head scientist stomped over to him angrily.
"Who are you? You do realise I'm in charge of this test subject don't you?" Zim had to tear his eyes away from the sight of the Irkens strapping the boy down to face his accuser. The scientist looked nervous at questioning Zim due to his shorter height, but was clearly determined not to lose his position to a newcomer.
"Scientist Vax. Please don't worry, I only wanted to take part in the experiments. I'm not trying to tread on anyone's toes." Zim would have liked to be in charge but he supposed it was for the best. He'd never be able to do a convincing job because he'd always be too concerned for the boy's welfare, and the others would almost certainly find his behaviour suspicious. He didn't want to draw any attention to himself, so it would be better to let someone take the lead and manipulate the tests from the side lines. The Irken huffed and eyed him up and down, surprised that Zim didn't put up more of a fight. Zim tensed until the scientist caved, dismissing him with a shrug.
"Mek, lead scientist." He introduced himself brusquely, and Zim simply nodded politely. Mek turned his gaze back to the human. "Ugly looking thing isn't it."
"Quite." Zim said bluntly, hands balling into fists at his sides.
"Still, the others are quite excited about it. It's been a long time since we've had a new species to investigate." With that the Irken moved off to get to work, leaving Zim alone.
Zim stared at the Dib as his wrists and ankles were cuffed to the platform. His eyes grazed over the multitude of scars that littered the boy's skin, grimacing at their permanency. He knew it was only vanity and that he should just be grateful the boy was alive and not missing any limbs or something vital. It was a miracle he had survived this long.
His blood ran cold as his eyes lifted to the boy's face, and met with Dib's. His heart skipped a beat as their gaze locked. His beautiful golden eyes were bloodshot and tired, and seemed duller than before, but it was still his Dib on the inside.
The boy frowned at him in confusion, or perhaps he was just squinting to focus with his lack of glasses. Zim realised then how odd it was that he had just been staring, and probably pulling a face as he did so. He would have killed to know what Dib was thinking then, could he possibly see through his disguise? Zim shook his head and broke the stare, swallowing hard as he made to go about his business.
This was going to be tough.
Weeks passed and still the Irkens persisted with their trials. Some of the experiments were not as bad as others. These Irkens at least were only interested in learning, and cold as they may be were not particularly interested bloodshed just for sport. Zim worked hard every day, pulling long hours and never missing a test. He made sure the boy was fed sufficiently and ensured that experiments never got out of hand, steering their direction when he knew one would be fatal to the poor human. He had to pull rank a few times to stop something, but reassured his colleagues that it would not do to kill such a good a specimen when so much more could be learnt. However he worried more and more what would happen when they did run out of things to investigate.
He waited and waited for an opportunity but the Irkens were so enamoured by the boy that it just never came. Dib was hardly left alone and didn't get much sleep, and when he did it was usually because Zim demanded it. Besides, Zim had to sleep sometimes too. It was another thing that he demanded, that no experiments went ahead when he wasn't present. He could see how much it vexed Mek who was supposed to be in charge, but for the most part he let the Irken have his way to keep him quiet. Thankfully the Tallests never did check in.
Zim was surprised to discover that he was smarter than most of the other Irkens here, even though these scientists were some of the best and brightest Irk had to offer. He had previously thought the feeling of swiftness and ability he had been graced with since fixing his pak was just the result of being defective for so long, but it turned out Zim was genuinely an impressive specimen. The realisation of that and his healthy height made something twist in his gut. He really could have been something special within Irken-kind had he not been fitted with a faulty pak. It seemed so cruel and unfair that his future had been stolen from him, but then he thought of the Dib and realised they never would have met if it hadn't happened.
Perhaps it partly down to his emotions that allowed him to think of things differently and succeed where others failed, but it did set him apart from the rest. He felt so alone amongst these Irkens. They had no idea what they were missing, or how conditioned they all were to the Tallests will. They were drones with no real life of their own and no idea of the experiences they were being deprived of. It was hard to believe there had been a time when he couldn't see this.
There came an evening when Zim found himself alone with the Dib at long last. He was the last one there after a long shift and had said he would finish tidying up. It was unusual for there to be no one else in the lab, and Zim felt himself tense with nerves at the thought of them being alone together. He knew there was no chance of getting the boy out tonight though, and he clenched his jaw in frustration at how useless he felt.
Zim wearily approached Dib where he was still strapped to the platform, taking a moment to appraise him. He at least had put a little weight on since being here under Zim's care, but his ribs still showed through his skin and his cheekbones stuck out sharply. Zim's insides churned at seeing his human reduced to this.
"What are you staring at?" Dib muttered bitterly, and Zim couldn't help but give a weak smile. It was incredible to see that the boy still had some fight in him even now. Dib pulled an appalled face at Zim's amusement, not understanding what was so funny. "Sick fuck." He spat, turning his face away angrily.
Zim remembered then that the boy was in fact strapped to a table naked in front of him, and felt suddenly bashful. He brought a blanket over and tucked it around the boy's body carefully, gasping at how ice cold his skin was. Next he brought a cup of fluid to the boy's lips for him to sip from, but Dib ignored it stubbornly.
"You have to drink." Zim said firmly, trying to keep his voice void of emotion.
"So you can experiment on me some more? Why bother." Dib tried to sound tough but his resolve quickly crumbled as his throat rasped, and he allowed Zim to pour the soothing liquid into his mouth.
Zim gave Dib's body a quick looking over for anything he could help, reaching for some ointment to rub around his ankles, wrists and waist where the constant restraints were giving him sores. He wished more than anything that he could let the boy free for a time and just hold him, but there were surveillance cameras in this room. He couldn't afford to be seen caringtoomuch.
"Why are you different to the others?" Dib asked tentatively and Zim tensed. As much as Zim wished he could tell Dib who he really was he had decided it would be safer not to reveal himself. He didn't want Dib to guess it was him in case he gave Zim away in a moment of agony and disorientation. He worked so hard to try and act as cold as the other Irkens, but he just couldn't help tending to the boy. He had to watch his every word. All it would take was for the boy's name to slip from his mouth and it would give him away. No one else knew it or cared of course, Dib was just an 'it', 'the human' or 'the test subject' to the rest of them.
"I'm not." He replied simply. He knew he would be better off ignoring Dib completely, but the temptation to talk to him was too great. Just hearing his voice was music to his ears. The boy rarely spoke, mostly he just screamed.
"You are. You're gentle." Dib leant his head back and closed his eyes. "God I'm insane."
"I am cautious. Not gentle." Zim corrected him bluntly.
"You always stop them, right when they're about to do something awful." He gave a shudder.
"If you died there would be no more experiments, it's my job to keep you alive." Zim moved a bit away from the boy and began to potter about, feeling more and more self-conscious. Dib clearly suspected him.
"If I didn't know better I'd say you cared." Dib tested.
"But thankfully you do know better." Zim stopped now to glare at him, forcing himself to look fierce and praying it looked convincing. The boy finally sighed and gave up, admitting defeat.
"Just my imagination running away from me." He muttered under his breath. He stared up at the ceiling, lost in deep thought. Zim felt his gut knot as a tear escaped the boy's golden eye and rolled slowly down his pale cheek. He almost crumbled in that moment, wanting nothing more than to rush to the human and promise him everything would be okay. He wanted to stay longer but he didn't trust himself, and he'd run out of logical reasons to explain his extended stay. He had to let the boy get some sleep while he could, and get some rest himself.
As yet more time passed Zim began to notice Dib's decline. He was deteriorating in spirit and body – it seemed he just couldn't take much more. There was little Zim could do. Dib was kept so deeply within the labs and the security was still just as high as it had been the day he was brought here. He had examined every possibility he could imagine and still come up with nothing. It would take a miracle to break him out of here.
It was the end of a particularly brutal session that day, and Zim had had to call a halt to the experiment. The other scientists darted about, packing things away and recording their findings as Zim and Mek observed the human. Dib hung limply from his restraints, sweat beaded on his pallid skin as he gasped desperately for breath. He vomited what little his stomach held and Mek scowled in disgust.
"I do wonder how it is you are still alive you pathetic creature." Mek remarked callously. "Why don't you just give up and die? What are you holding out for?" Zim shot him a shocked look. "What? He's reaching the end of his usefulness now. There's only so many experiments we can run."
"What will happen to him then?" Zim asked carefully, trying to hold his voice steady. Mek shrugged indifferently.
"Dunno, that's for the Tallests to decide." He said as he walked off. Zim grimaced. Was all this waiting, all of Dib's agony going to be for naught? He looked at the boy and saw a different expression there now, one he had been dreading he would see for some time. It was defeat.
Zim couldn't help himself then. If the boy let himself die this would all be for nothing anyway. He would have to be swift and subtle as there were many other Irkens in the room, but thankfully they were all preoccupied with their own work for now. Zim moved over to the Dib and fiddled with one of the restraints that held his wrists, pretending to be adjusting it. He allowed his hand to brush the boy's skin ever so slightly as he toyed with the strap. Zim leaned his face in as closely to the Dib's ear as he dared without looking conspicuous.
"Don't give up Dib." He whispered quickly under his breath, allowing his voice to momentarily be his own. He felt Dib flinch but didn't wait for any kind of response, instead quickly darting away to busy himself with something else.
Dib quickly looked up to see which Irken had spoken his name but he was already gone, disappeared into the crowd. He felt sure he knew which it had been though, one of them had always stood apart from the rest. The one who showed him kindness. Could it really be him though? Or had he just been hallucinating again? It wouldn't be the first time. Surely if Zim actually was here he would have gotten him out by now?
Dib weighed it up his head, the voice repeating in his memory again and again. It would be so easy for him to let go now. He felt if he let himself slow he could easily just not wake again. It was almost unfair. He'd been holding out so long waiting for a miracle and just when he was at the end of his tether and ready to surrender to the peace of death he felt the fire of hope relit inside him.
He decided to take it as a sign. He couldn't stop fighting, couldn't stop hoping. He felt sure Zim would never give up on him, all he had to do was hold on.
And hold on he would.
Zim lay in the dim light, unable to find sleep. He stared at the blank ceiling above him, his mind turning over and over the same old things. He was stuck in a rut, treading water. Nothing was going to change unless he did something and soon. Right now he was basically waiting for the Dib to either die or be moved to yet another impossible prison. His only chance was to try and find out what the Tallests had planned for him next. He thought of how he had escaped the Massive - the security would be most vulnerable while Dib was in transit, so that would have to be when he struck.
Zim got up from his uncomfortable 'bed' in agitation, fed up of tossing and turning. He found he just couldn't get settled on these things anymore, and didn't know how he had ever slept soundly on one. His room was modest, just a standard living quarters for a scientist. It was small and simple with only the bare essentials required for efficient functionality. He could have claimed a better one with his status, but didn't feel he should keep such luxuries whilst his Dib slept strapped to a cold metal table. He would hardly have noticed anyway.
He threw on a fresh uniform and headed towards the labs. He was fairly early so he hoped they would be deserted, that way he could use the computers to hack into the Massive and see if the Tallests had made any new plans. He did this whenever he could but so far he had heard no mention of Dib. He worried that the Tallests might instruct the scientists to kill the boy if they had finished with him, as they seemed to have totally lost interest.
However he was surprised when he walked into the lab to find a bit of a commotion. He spotted Mek and approached him anxiously.
"Mek, what's going on here?" Zim's eyes darted about, searching for the boy. When his eyes landed on the empty table his stomach sank. Did he die in the night? The thought made him feel sick, that after all this the boy might die alone in a place like this. His pulse quickened.
"Oh Vax, I was hoping you would come in. They moved the boy this morning." Mek grinned a little snidely, knowing full well that Zim would be cross for not being informed. He liked to assert his leadership whenever he could.
"Moved… where?" Zim choked out, barely able to breath. The room was beginning to swim.
"It's highly classified. They came at the crack of dawn and took him. Woke me up in the middle of the night to come down and supervise." Mek grumbled smugly that it was him that had been called and not Zim. He wasn't prepared for Zim's response though.
"Why was I not informed this was happening?" Zim yelled enraged, roughly grabbing Mek by the collar. Mek was taken aback and had the decency to look afraid of the fuming taller Irken.
"No one was told. When I got here they were already moving him." Zim's grip loosened a little as he realised he was drawing far too much attention to himself. Everyone in the room had stopped to stare, but it was near impossible to hide his panic. How could he have missed this? This could have been his only chance!
"I have to know where he was sent." Zim growled darkly.
"He? Well no one can tell you, I already said. Only the Tallests know." Mek looked at him suspiciously. "Why does it matter?" Zim knew then he'd gone too far. He had to get off this planet and fast. He wasted no more time and bolted out of the lab without a second look back.
He didn't know if anyone was pursuing him or not but within minutes he was in his ship and speeding away from the planet. His own safety wasn't high on his priorities right now. He couldn't stop the shaking in his claws and his chest felt so constricted he thought might suffocate. How could he have let this happen? While he was sat there doing nothing the Dib had been taken from under his nose, and now he might never find him again.
It could be worse he tried to rationalise himself. The boy had been moved not killed, at least that was what he had been led to believe. The information would be there somewhere, he just had to find it. He hastily hacked into the Massive, scanning the ships surveillance cameras before locating the Tallests in their usual luxury room up at the front of the ship. The scene showed nothing out of the ordinary, they were just sat munching on snacks as per usual. A quick scan of the prisons showed that they hadn't had any new inmates in the last couple of days either.
So the boy wasn't on board the Massive he concluded. That only left the rest of the galaxy. His pulse increased further. He literally didn't have the first idea where to look next.
No. Don't panic. Panicking doesn't get results. Zim clenched his fists tightly, consciously trying to calm his breathing to stop his head from spinning. Someone had to know. The Tallests never did anything themselves, so it was just a matter of analysing everyone they had been in contact with in the last day. Zim rapidly hacked into the Massive's communications and brought up a list of all the contacts. His jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw how long the list was.
Investigating each one would take a very long time and he just wasn't sure how much longer the boy could hold out, especially seeing as he didn't know what they would be putting him through next. He had to stop himself from thinking that by the time he found him the human could be long dead. He gritted his serrated teeth against the feeling of overwhelming despair, forcing it back down. He would face that if and when it came to it. If this was the only way, then he was only wasting time. He'd spend the rest of his life searching for him if he had to.
He'd never give in.
Zim had to remind himself to breathe as he stepped out of his ship. Aliens in every shape and size bustled about down the narrow streets, and it was so noisy it made Zim's antennae ache. Many of them were inebriated in some way, and all of them seemed to be loving it. This was a planet where those who could afford it came to party and enjoy themselves in every way you could think of, and more than a few ways that you couldn't. It wasn't exactly a respectable planet to be found on, but at least it wasn't under Irken rule. Yet.
Zim felt his stern expression stood out a mile off, but he was far too stressed to pretend to be happy so he pulled his hood up to shadow his face and walked briskly on. This place probably didn't see too many Irkens, after all most of them were too busy trying to take over the universe for such frivolous activities.
Eventually Zim came to a stop before the doors to a large establishment, the tall building illuminated with gaudy signs and lights. Zim's pulse accelerated painfully and he had to grab the door frame to steady himself as a bout of dizziness knocked him off balance. For the most part he'd become quite adept to coping with his panic attacks, but this was always the hardest bit. That brief moment of possibility whilst hope still lingered, before it was crushed once again. He'd tried so many places already and each time the disappointment became harder to swallow. Every time the Dib wasn't there he died just that bit more inside.
He gulped his fear back down and stood up straight, regaining control. Better just to get it done with quickly rather than prolonging the agony. If the boy wasn't here he could be on his way instead of wasting precious time. It had already been so long, he mused as he passed through an extravagant reception area and climbed the stairs to one of the upper floors. Even if he did find Dib now he wasn't sure what would be left of him.
As he entered the main room of the venue he threw down his hood so that his eyes could scan the area rapidly. Deep thudding music rumbled in the background and the lights were dim but colourful. The décor was bizarre and lavish to Zim and he found it hard to define which race the style was inspired by, though it was most likely a combination of several. It was truly unlike anything he'd ever seen, he could see why this place was so renowned. Aliens of several species sat about at tables or hidden away in various nooks and crannies socialising, dining and drinking. His heart sank a little though as his first glance determined Dib wasn't in this room. He straightened up and strode towards a nearby bar determinedly. There was still a chance, this was only one room after all.
A few of the aliens glanced at him as he strode across the room. Irkens generally did evoke either a nervous or an aggressive response, it was only to be expected. Though the latter was less desirable it often made things quicker and easier to have people be afraid of him, which was why he kept his form Irken. Besides he had used so many different species as disguises by now that sometimes it was hard to remember which role he was supposed to stick to, it was just easier this way and gave him one less thing to worry about. He had only made subtle changes to his Irken disguise since being Vax the scientist but he knew it was still a necessary precaution. Even if the Tallests had given up searching for him he was sure there would still be a pretty hefty bounty on his head.
The bartender lingered nearby and regarded Zim as he approached. He was a repulsive looking creature, huge and fat with four slit like eyes and knobbly dark purple skin. His name tag read 'Bo'. Zim noted how his manner changed as Bo appraised him. He stood up taller and grinned confidently as he made his way over. He probably knew that a tall Irken usually meant a rich Irken - how wrong he was in Zim's case.
"What can I interest you in today sir? We have an exotic range of foods and drink, and an equally exotic range of servers." The alien winked at him deviously. Zim knew that this institution was famous on this planet for basically being a freak show. The owner obsessed over collecting rare and unusual aliens from the far reaches of the galaxy so that others could come and see them, and those who could afford it could use them however they wanted. Zim clenched his jaw and tried to act casual, leaning against the counter.
"What's your most exotic server?" He gazed at Bo challengingly. The alien beamed, clearly seeing an opportunity for a good sale here.
"We have Xia'Tsa, a stunning beauty from Kra'Li." Bo swiped a chubby finger across a screen on the counter, swiftly bringing up a photo of a slender blue lizard like creature with shining iridescent scales. Zim shook his head disinterestedly and Bo's confident smile slipped before he quickly replaced it and moved onto the next contender.
"There's Swarmmto, a Warrtom from the far-"
"No." Zim cut him off quickly. His nerves couldn't take this floundering, he decided to get straight to the point. "I heard that you have a human here. Is that true?" Zim held his breath as he awaited the answer, this was it.
"Ah, the one from Earth. Yes we still have that one. Are you sure? That's a strange request. No one else has ever heard of a human before coming here so far. We have better options than that one that I might be able to tempt you with sir." Zim barely heard him as his chest nearly exploded with emotions. For a moment the room swam and stars flickered across his vision.
He was here. He'd found him.
"Sir?" Bo prompted.
"Um, yes. That one. I'm sure." Zim's voice came out choked and he cleared it hurriedly.
"Very well." Bo was clearly disappointed at Zim's choice of a lower rate server. "What would you like to book it for? Will the human just be serving you today or would you like a private room?"
"A room please. Soon as possible." Zim realised his claws were trembling and quickly hid them down at his sides.
"Very good sir. I'll go and get everything ready." Bo traipsed off, his footsteps heavy as he plodded out of sight.
Zim gasped for air as the alien left, trying to calm himself. He looked around at the room again and observed the other servers. They all looked fairly miserable and a bit thin but none of them looked injured or ill. He could have found the boy somewhere worse, he tried to reassure himself. There had certainly been some places he'd been glad not to find the boy. At least in a place like this the 'servers' had to be in a sellable condition. It was clean and sheltered at the very least.
He scrutinised the wretched servants while he waited. They all wore similar clothing, simple black silky numbers with purple patterns that flowed elegantly about their bodies, revealing a tasteful amount of skin and flattering each ones unique shape quite well. But it wasn't that that Zim was interested in. His eyes focused in on the collars that they all wore – that would be what kept them here. The device was a slender metal band that was fixed tightly to the flesh of the neck (or the closest equivalent to a neck), a blinking light at the back showing they were active and each one inscribed with the species name in various alien languages. He looked to the doorway and perceived that the security system was indeed connected to the collars. It would probably kill any server that tried to step out of the building instantly. Zim was just grateful that that was all there seemed to be. The collar should be easy enough for him to remove with the aid of his pak.
"This way." Bo announced from a doorway, making Zim nearly jump out of his skin.
Zim followed the alien down a long corridor with many rooms of varying luxury, some open and others engaged. Zim's head raced with thoughts as he lurched along in a dream-like state behind Bo. What if it turned out not to be his human? He suddenly thought, before scolding himself for getting paranoid. There were no other humans to be found beyond Earth, that was why the owner would have wanted to buy the boy in the first place. The Tallests had probably got a healthy sum of monies for him.
"Your room sir." Bo gestured to a door, before bowing his head a little and lumbering off back down the corridor. Zim waited until the monstrous alien was out of sight. His pulse felt so loud he could feel his antennae bouncing along to the rhythm.
This was stupid. What was he waiting for? He tapped the panel to the side of the door and it slid open with a smooth woosh. The room was quite a generous size so he stepped in and quickly made sure the door was locked behind him. Light was filtering in from a window, the red sky of the planet's sunset casting an intense fiery glow into the room. The décor wasn't as opulent as the rest of the building Zim had seen so far, but it was still very pleasant. A figure sat amongst a pile of large, plush cushions by the window, leaning on the windowsill and gazing out at the planet below. Curtains billowed in the breeze obscuring the face, but it was clearly a human.
Zim gulped nervously. Two arms, two legs… he checked off the list of anxieties he had going around his head. Feeling minutely more confident he stepped forward. He could have sworn his pak stalled as the human pulled his head back from outside and turned to look at him, black hair rustling in the breeze. He squinted at Zim briefly before his eyes went wide.
"No… please no! Not an Irken, anything but an Irken!" The boy scrambled backwards against the wall hyperventilating, sending cushions scattering. Zim gawped at him dumbly before he realised he still had his disguise on. He was so stupid! He clicked it off quickly.
"No… Dib it's me! Calm down it's me!" He rushed over to where the boy was trying to press himself into a corner as far as he could. Dib had buried his face into a pillow and refused to look up. Zim knelt down before him amongst the cushions. "Look at me Dib!" Zim spoke more firmly and the boy's trembling finally stilled, and slowly he peeked out from behind the cushion he so fiercely clutched. He was silent for a few intense minutes, his golden eyes staring into Zim's. The tension was agony as Zim awaited some kind of response. Was the boy too far gone? Perhaps his wits had abandoned him.
"But… it can't be you. You're never real." Dib's voice was tiny and pathetic, muffled behind the fabric.
"It is me. I am real Dib." Zim managed a small shaky smile. He reached a claw out very slowly towards the boy and pushed it through his hair gently. Dib flinched and tensed, but as he realised the touch was kind he relaxed, the stroking of his head soothing.
"Zim?" Dib whispered, his voice thick and his eyes growing moist. Zim's smile grew bigger as he nodded.
Dib struggled to sit up, his arms shaking like crazy and tears beginning to roll down his cheeks. He reached a hand out to Zim's face, his pale fingers grazing the green cheek timidly. At last a smile crept across his lips.
"You are real!" He whispered. Zim's squeedily-spooch flipped with emotion as the fingers tickled his face. He gasped as Dib's eyes suddenly became unfocused and the boy went limp, falling against his chest and into his arms. Zim blushed lightly.
"Dib?" He asked softly, but the boy had just fainted. From shock or exhaustion Zim wasn't sure. Perhaps it was the sheer length of time the boy had been holding on for and he could finally feel safe and let go, unable to hold on for a second longer.
For a brief minute Zim allowed himself to indulge in that precious moment, hugging the boy tightly to him like a ragdoll. He couldn't believe how lucky he'd gotten. The Dib was alive, intact, and at least for the moment didn't seem to hate him. Zim buried his face into the messy black mop of hair on the top of the boys head, breathing his scent in deeply. He didn't smell the same anymore of course, not after all he'd been through, but somehow there was still a hint of that unique Dib aroma mixed in with the foreign smells. For the first time in months Zim felt happy, and it very nearly overwhelmed him.
Against all the odds Zim had found him. Dib was safe.
A/N: Eek, I just got meaner and meaner until I couldn't stop. I could have been cruel but I decided to not leave you on a cliffhanger for once! I sure put Dib through hell and back, sorry dib X3 There may not be a vast amount left to this story I am sad to say, I don't want to stretch it too thin and I've already taken it further than I initially intended. There's at least 2 more chapters I'd say but we'll see how I go, I will have a good think about it. Thanks so much for reading!