Episode 20- The Evil Girlfriend of Doom2 (Part 2)

(Back with the Renegades…)

[Time: 12:07 AM]

{Location: The Docks, just feet away from Pier 49}

How could this have happened?

Time felt as if it had slowed down to that of a snail's pace.

"Master I have the water scooter in the water just off the edge of the dock." Gir's words cut through the air like an icy cold wind.

Dib watched him run past him, pulling a shocked Zim along for the ride. His eyes blood red.

"We can make it there if we just keep running." Gir went on, as they took off in the direction of Pier 49.

He knew he was running, following Gir and the others down the dock towards the Pier; but his legs felt like led. And even though they had only been running for seconds it felt like eons had passed since they escaped the clutches of that dark warehouse. However, it had only been seconds, and he knew that if he turned around now the Warehouse would still be towering over him.

And the truth that it held would still be within, mocking his every belief.

Dib just couldn't wrap his mind around it! He thought he finally had it right, for once he had been obsessing over the right thing. For once it hadn't been about Zim, or Aliens, or the Earth's safety. For once it was all about Gaz, all about getting her back.

And how did the cruel hand of faith chose to repay him?

Bu making his sister, Gaz betrayed them!

Why?

Why was fate so cruel?

Why did Gaz suddenly feel the need to turn her back on everything when months ago she was begging for them to hurry up and save her so she could help them take the Irken scum down?!

What had changed her mind?

He soon got his answer.

"Going somewhere?"

Dib flinched as a familiar Irken Female blocked their path. "Tak?"

"You soled us out!" Mark screamed.

Tak laughed. "Well that's what you get for trusting an Irken."

That's all it took for Zim to snap out of it in the worse way possible.

"What did you do to her!" he hissed, his claws extended, and his fangs dripping with saliva.

"It's not what I did." Tak mused. "It's what you did. You started all this. You destroyed her world, and now she wants you to pay. It's that simple."

No, it couldn't be that simple. Zim knew her, he knew Gaz, and she loved him. She was the reason he had gone against everything he once believed in. He defended the Earth for her, he saw its beauty because of her!

And now she was gone, and replaced by a soulless monster…

"No, you did something to her!" Zim screamed. "You brain washed her or something!"

Tak laughed, doing her best to keep up the ruse, but it wasn't easy Zim's Amon state was demanding submission from her, and it was hard to look him in the eyes. She had tried to glare Dib down instead, but found his look of betrayal to be too much for her to bare.

Why was that?

Was she falling for this boy?

Did she have feelings for Dib?

Is this how it was for Zim when he thought of Gaz?

If so then his heart must be shattered by now, still it has to be done. Zim won't leave Earth if he and Gaz are still an item. They had to break it off sooner or later, so in the end this was for the best. After all his fellow Irkens needed him more, and soon he would realize just how much he needed them.

Yes, soon this one act of betrayal would prove its worth, but for now she would have to except the fact that he would not see things her way. It was for the best. 'Then why does this feel so wrong?' She thought.

The Irken female shook the thought away, she couldn't remember when she had grown so soft. Once upon a time betrayal had come easy to her, but now all it left was a sour taste in her mouth. Was this their doing? Had the Renegades infected her with their ideals already? Perhaps, after all in the beginning she cared nothing for Earth. No all she wanted was for the Tallest to pay for what they had done to the worthy ones.

But in order to do that she needed Zim on her side.

However, Zim wanted nothing to do with the Irken female before him; if anything, he wanted her dead.

Gir saw this and stepped protectively in between her, and his master.

"Gir get out of my way!" Zim ordered, eyes glowing red.

"No." Gir answered simply. "Master must not kill another Irken, master must stay blameless." The S.I.R unit said.

"Gir, get out of my way NOW!" Zim ordered.

"NO!" Gir repeated, his weapons dawned. "Master must stay blameless." He repeated.

The remaining Renegades watched as the robot faced off with his master.

Gir did not want to hurt Zim, but if his master were to try and kill Tak, then he may have no choice.

Luckily Zim never got a chance.

A pulse rifle was fired somewhere off to Tak's left, it hit her at full force.

Tak hissed as pain entered her side, the force of the blast sent her skidding across the dock, just inches from the water.

"Keef?" Dib spoke in shock as the orange haired rookie stepped out of the shadows.

"I know you told us to stay out of this, but I had a bad feeling when you guys didn't report in." Keef explained. "So, I came here to see if you were okay."

"You're the one who brought Gir." Rachel realized.

Keef nodded.

"Well it's a good thing you did." James said.

"Yeah, Tak almost-" Rachel didn't finish, she didn't need too.

"I should have never trusted her." Dib realized out loud. "You guys warned me and I didn't listen."

"No, it's not your fault." Mark said. "It's-"

"Mine right?" Zim asked suddenly. "After all none of this would have happened without me!"

"No this is her fault!" Mark said pointing at Tak's unconscious body. "She betrayed us not you!"

Zim was stunned, was Mark actually on his side?

"Look I know I usually give you a hard time, but I meant what I said back at the school, we are your friends. Besides that, one week without you was hell!" Mark admitted. "I thought we didn't need you, but I was wrong okay. I'm sorry."

"Mark I…" Zim was beyond words, it was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Mark had never actually apologized for how he treated him before now. "Do you mean it?" He asked.

Mark nodded. "I should have said it sooner, you messed up, you trusted your leaders, and got us all in this mess, but how was you suppose to know they'd turn on you?" Mark asked. "They did this, she did this."

"I helped." Zim admitted.

"Well at least you're trying to make it right." Mark said.

For a moment there was silence, finally Mark said. "So, are we good?"

Zim nodded. "Yeah we're good."

"Great, now I hate to ruin the moment, but we need to go!" Rachel insisted.

The Renegades nodded, and took off towards the water scooter at the edge of the dock once there they all climbed on.

Dib looked back at the docks, tears swelling in his eyes. "We can't just leave her."

"I'm sorry Dib, but whatever they did they have convinced Gaz that we are the enemy." Rachel pointed out the cruel truth.

"Which means Gaz is now the enemy." Zim added.

"Zim…" Dib was speechless, would this mean that his old foe would leave.

"We'll get her back." He promised. "But for now, we must leave her."

"It's for the best." James seemed to agree, as the force field surrounded them, and they descended into the water.

Dib could feel his body shaking as the warehouse disappeared from his sight. "Oh Gaz." He whispered. "What am I going to tell Dad?"

Zim could feel the dread flowing through him, threatening to take hold. If the Tallest decide to use Gaz against him like this again he wasn't sure if he could handle it. They almost had him this time, if it had not been for Gir, and…"Thank you Keef."

Keef smiled. "What are friends for?" He frowned then. "Sorry about Gaz though…I know she means a lot to you."

Zim sighed. "We'll get her back." He said, and in a small less confident voice he added. "…We just got to."

After that no one else spoke, but then again, there was really nothing else to say for today the Renegades had been cut, and they had been cut deep.

(Back with Tak…)

Tak groaned as she came too…

She wasn't surprised to see General Kazar standing over her, sounded by soldiers.

"What happened?" General Kazar said.

"They got way." Tak hissed, she touched her side, it was bleeding do to the blast from the pulse rifle.

A sly smile slipped across General Kazar's face. "How unfortunate…" He mused.

"Cadet Tak." A soldier to her left asked. "Can you stand?"

"Yes, I am fine." Tak answered, getting to her feet.

"Then come, we will get you looked at the moment we reach the capital." General Kazar said.

Tak nodded, and allowed herself to be guided aboard an awaiting ship.

Gaz was already there, and their eyes met the moment she boarded.

This was it; they were on their own now.

If they ran into trouble, the Renegades would not be there to help them, all they had was each other, and General Kazar, an Irken they weren't sure they could trust.

'This won't be easy.' Tak told her with her eyes.

Gaz understood what those eyes were telling her in an instant. 'No…' She thought. 'No, it won't.'

(Back with Taz Five Years Ago…)

[Location: Planet Irk!]

Freeze!" a voice demanded form behind him.

Taz obeyed eyes wide in terror, he turned around to see several soldiers standing at the door, guns aimed at him, eyes hidden by tinted goggles.

"M-Mia…they've found me." He whispered, his communicator still on, still transmitting everything he had just heard.

Mia is too stunned to respond, had she heard correctly? Was there nothing wrong with Taz? 'Did that mean there was nothing wrong with any of us?'

"Mia what do I do?" Taz whispered, again.

Before she could get a word in, Chen was cutting in. "We'll come get you, hold tight." He could almost picture the tiny Irken's set face, with her hands clenching tight to her weapon. Ready to defend him with her life, sure she gave him a hard time, but only to mask her own fear.

"You will do no such thing!" Mia shouted, the static increased. "You will go to base. Taz, I'm sorry."

Taz felt his Spooch quicken, he had often said he was ready for death, but now he was not so sure.

"Irk. Just stay calm, okay? We'll find a way out Vec should be arriving with the transport—No I lost track of him." Chen cried, trying to find out a way to help him.

Taz was shaking uncontrollably now as the muzzle of a weapon rested on the back of his head. Was this it? Was this how it was going to end? Now, when things had seemed so close?

"I can get you." Chen was still going on. "Forget Mia's orders I'll come for you."

"N-no…" Taz tried to argue, but his voice wouldn't work. He cleared his throat and tried again. "No. Go. They need you. You two have talent. They need that for the plan. They need that for this to work."

On the other end, Chen was cursing angrily, desperately. "Taz…they're breaking through. But you're going to be okay. Remember your training. Remember what we're doing this for, okay?"

Once again he nodded as If she could see him.

"It's all going to be—" BANG. A thump and the sound of static. Louder. As if she had fallen on top of the security's rooms control panel.

Silence on the end. Taz let out a shuddering breath. Dead. Chen was dead. Vec was probably dead too and Mia was in danger. "Mia get out if you can." Taz whispered. "Tell the others what we've learned."

"I will." Mia whispered, before her line went dead.

Leaving Taz all alone!

"Shut up and turn and face me!" The soldier behind him ordered.

Taz obeyed, and the first thing he saw was fourteen soldiers, who parted to reveal the general.

"Kazar!" Taz hissed, he didn't feel much of anything anymore. He was numb with shock. His friend was dead. And soon he would be too.

"That's General to you." The soldier holding him at gun point snapped.

"He's no General of Mine!" Taz hissed.

"You're much shorter than I had imagined." General Kazar mused, choosing to ignore the insult. "No matter, all of your accomplices are going to be decimated. Just like you. Your plan has failed. You have failed." The General smirked, speaking to his team. "Just like anybody who goes up against the Empire."

Taz gnashed his teeth, righteous anger finally making an appearance. This jerk, he was wrong. They may be about to die…but, they had died for something. They now knew the truth. And they would get that secret out of these four walls. They would make a difference. The Irken straightened his back, chin up and looked the general square in the eye.

"We have not failed," He hissed loud enough for anyone who might still be listening on the other end of his communicator. "We've already begun to destroy the Empire from within. Soon every Irken will know how corrupt our system is. If we die, ten more will take our place..." He could see the soldiers, shifting uncomfortably around him: Good after all they should be afraid! "We will tell them the truth!"

"No." Kazar said. "No, you won't."

The soldier holding him at gun point cocked his weapon and aimed for his chest.

Taz refuse to show fear. "The Empire WILL fall—"

BANG.

With a jerk, his body fell to the floor. The laser had shot right through his midsection, taking out the PAK and ending his life faster than he could comprehend it. Pink blood pooled and boiled from the PAK's internal wires. Normally anyone that was an enemy of the Empire was taken to the Control Brains, where they were judged and sentenced before every Irken eye. They should know what happened to their enemies. But this was different. They weren't common criminals…they had shut down the CB's and defied the Empire. And worse so they had discovered the most guarded secret of the Irken Empire. This was a spark that they had to extinguish before it got out of hand.

This would never make the press or be recorded in any kind of history texts. No one would know about this.

The general eyed the body with contempt. "You see. This is what happens to traitors." Turning on his heel he spoke directly to his soldiers, who immediately stood at attention. "You two, remove the body and take it to the Tallest along with the others outside. You, get a Vort prisoner to come fix the CBs. The rest of you come with me…we have one more to find before the day shift starts."

They all went to their tasks. The two soldiers kneeled down and lifted what used to be Taz up from the floor, grimacing as the blood continued to drip through the hole in his PAK. They stumbled out, stepping over the smear of pink and continued down the hallway after their general.

Mai made a run for it, bolting out of the sanctuary and towards the safety of the underground. It was up to her now, she was the last one left. The Empire's greatest secret now lied with her, and her alone. "There is nothing wrong with us." She whispered. And then even louder. "There is nothing wrong with us!"

And it was true, Tradition had said it himself.

There was nothing wrong with them, there was nothing wrong at all!

Episode 20- The Evil Girlfriend of Doom2 (Part 2) END!