Author's Notes: Thanks for all your support and reviews, it really helps!
Now. Please enjoy!
(Back at Zim's…)
It hadn't taken long for the Dib to walk him home.
"Well, this is it." Zim said as they stopped in the driveway.
"So, this is what a normal house looks like?" Dib joked.
Zim forced a laugh. "Very funny." He teased, trying to seem cool and collected, even though inside he was screaming.
The front door opens to his parents.
"Norman where have you been!" His mother ran up to him frantically.
"You had us worried son." His father said from the door.
"Sorry I lost track of time." Zim apologized, remembering that he was the child not the master, at least in this situation. "I went to hang out with my new friend, Dib these are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Dib."
"Dib?" Mr. Richards asked. "Now that's a unique name. Is it short for something?"
"Yeah, kind of." Dib answered.
"Would you like to come in for Dinner?" Mrs. Richards asked. "I'm making my special spaghetti and meatball recipe."
"Sounds great." Dib admitted. "But my dad is actually going to be home tonight, so I'll have to pass."
"Maybe next time." She offered.
"Okay sure." Dib promised, then he turned to Zim. "So, you want to hang out this weekend?"
"Sure, I got some killer video games." Zim stated.
"I think I'll be the judge of that." Dib joked. "See you tomorrow."
"Bye." Zim waved before entering his home.
Darkbootie breathed a sigh of relief as he watched his partner walk away from the new kid's house. The boy seemed normal enough. Besides, the council was eager to meet him since he had been the first human to see a living alien in 50 years. Still this kid showing up like this warrants some suspicion. Dib's school gets its first new student in ages, and that kid just happens to be into the same things as his young partner.
It could be a coincidence…
After all his paperwork from the school seemed to check out, he looked legit.
And yet…
"What are you waiting for?" a voice asked.
Darkbootie turned to see a cloaked figure standing in his doorway. He knew this figure well; it was Agent Disembody-Head. A member who chose to hide his face from most of his fellow Swollen Eyeballs, in fact only Darkbootie, and the head council woman knew who he really was.
"This boy I have a bad feeling about him." Darkbootie admitted.
Disembody-Head laughed. "You get a bad feeling about everyone." He pointed out. "Why I remember when you were sure I was an alien spy because I would never show my face."
"Can you blame me?" Darkbootie asked. "I mean it's not like you're hideous, or badly disfigured."
"I have a reputation to keep." Disembody-Head said. "If my colleagues knew that I was secretly protecting the world from aliens; they'd laugh at me for practicing fake science."
"Aliens are not fake." Darkbootie argued.
"Tell that to the public." Disembody-Head challenged. "Face it, it's all about real science now, no one is trying to make science fiction a reality anymore."
Darkbootie knew he was right, but still. "I think it's too soon to recruit him."
"The council said to have Dib recruit him." Disembody-Head pointed out.
"I know." Darkbootie said. "It's just-"
"Are you questioning the council?" Disembody-Head asked.
"No, I just want to be careful." Darkbootie snapped. "This child admitted to having an alien assassin on his tail."
"And think of all we could learn if we captured this beast." Disembody-Head exclaimed.
"And what about what we may lose?" Darkbootie pointed out. "What about what YOU could lose?"
For a moment Disembody-Head hesitates, as if worried, but before he can answer he is interrupted.
"The decision has been made." A voice snapped.
The two turned to see the head of the council. Elizabeth Bitters!
"Look I understand why you chose Dib." Darkbootie said. "When he was in your fifth-grade class, he showed potential. We watched him for years before we approached him." Darkbootie explained to her. "And we only approached him now because of this transmission."
"Which we've learned this boy had also picked up, only his did not go unnoticed like Dib's." Mrs. Bitters snapped. "We are recruiting him because his experience is a part of this puzzle, and we cannot wait to observe him further."
"And why not?" Darkbootie challenged.
"Because we do not even know for sure if Dib's interception of that transmission went unnoticed." Mrs. Bitters pointed out. "For all we know an alien hunter has set his sights on Dib already, and if it is the same race of aliens. Then this Miz is the only experienced protection he will have."
"She's right." Disembody-Head agreed. "You're too busy to have his back, Dib needs a partner who can stand by his side."
"You're reassigning me?" Darkbootie asked.
"No, you will continue to teach them both." Mrs. Bitters assured him. "This is just so Dib has someone when you are too busy."
Darkbootie wanted to argue, but he had been out maneuvered.
Elizabeth Bitters was the founder of the Swollen Eyeball, and her word was law! "Very well I will have Dib recruit him." He said, defeated.
"Good." Mrs. Bitters said. "It is important that we increase our numbers. War just might be closer than we think."
Darkbootie knew she was right, they needed all the recruits they could get for the impending war. Besides, he was always slightly suspicious of all the members of the organization. Even Dib made him think twice every now and then. The boy was smart beyond his years, but as far as being an alien, that was the only red flag.
Now this Miz on the other hand had several… He was the first new kid at Dib's school in years. Who just so happens to of come across a similar transmission as him? And encountered an alien assassin! One he happened to lose.
There were just too many circumstances for this all to be just one big coincidence! Right?
Darkbootie shook his head, it didn't matter what he thought. Bitters had made up her mind.
And when the Third Eye spoke, it was law!
So, without further delay he hacked into Dib's bedroom computer, and sent the message he had been given.
He just hoped to whoever was listening that he wasn't making a huge mistake.
(Back with Dib…)
He couldn't even begin to imagine it… A real live alien!
His new friend, his only friend, had seen a real live alien!
'I wonder if I will ever see one.' Dib thought as he walked up his own driveway. He also wondered if he really wanted to, after all the one Miz saw tried to kill him. Dib shook his head as he walked into the front door, his dad still wasn't home, and it was already late.
"He's not coming." Gaz said from the couch.
Dib rolled his eyes. "Should have known!" he snapped, storming up to his room. He was welcomed by a familiar beeping sound from his computer.
"Darkbootie!" Dib exclaimed and rushed into his chair to see a written message waiting for him.
Moth-Man,
The council believes your new friend Miz and his encounter is linked to our research. Our head council woman, The Third Eye has asked that you recruit him.
Signed, Darkbootie
"This is perfect!" Dib exclaimed.
Is it?
He watched the words type out in front of him.
"Sure, it means we have more members." Dib answered aloud.
What have I taught you Dib?
"What you've taught me is to question everything, and everyone!" Dib snapped, feeling defensive that his partner didn't trust his new friend.
He sounds too good to be true.
"Yeah well at least I've seen him!" Dib argued. "How do you expect me to trust you if I've never seen your face? I mean you watch my every move, you hack into my computer, and you show up as a robot to our training sessions! And I'm supposed to trust you over some normal kid?"
For a moment there was no answer, finally words began to type out again.
It's important for me to stay hidden, Miz's story has the council believing you are being watched.
Dib shivered; was he being watched? He looked over at his window and sighed in relief as he saw it was locked. He turns back to the screen and reads as a new message pops up.
I will stay hidden so when you need me, I can slip in and catch the enemy by surprise.
"Ok." Dib answered. "I trust you, now trust me."
I will try.
Dib sighed he was sure Darkbootie had a reason for questioning everyone, but the habit was getting annoying. "Fine, I'm going to bed."
Good night, Moth-Man. I am sorry for being a bother.
Dib found a smile slipping on his face. "It's okay I'm not mad at you. It's my dad; he's breaking promises again."
I am sure he had a good reason.
"He better!" Dib snapped removing his glasses. "Cause this is getting old." He added before slumping down onto his bed.
But sleep does not come easy for him…it never did.
(Back with Darkbootie…)
Darkbootie sighed.
"Did you, do it?" Disembody-Head asked.
Darkbootie nodded. "I really hope you know what you are doing." He added. "You are putting him in great danger."
"Dib can take care of himself." Disembody-Head said. "I've made sure of that."
"You know he's mad at you." Darkbootie informed him.
"When isn't he mad at me?" Disembody-Head scoffed.
"You could tell him the truth." Darkbootie offered.
"No, I did not want this for him!" Disembody-Head argued. "I told the head council woman to leave him out of this. Only to find out a month ago you had already recruited him without my say!"
"He has discovered the soundest evidence of the impending war!" Darkbootie yelled.
"I thought you discovered those transmissions months ago!" Disembody-Head yelled back.
It was true, Darkbootie's entire mission had started with those transmissions. He had picked them up about a year ago while listening in on the sounds in deep space at the local space station. Of course, all it sounded like was a bunch of hisses, and clicks. But he knew nothing in space should be making that sound, not in less it was organic in some nature. However even though he had discovered these transmissions there was one thing he lacked the know how to do, no matter how hard he tried..."I could never translate them into English like Dib had done." He admitted. "Besides, you're not exactly being successful in leading him onto the path of real science!"
"He's stubborn." Disembody-Head argued. "Just like his mother was."
Darkbootie couldn't help but hear the tremble in his voice. "She's the only reason why you are here isn't it?" he asked.
"She disappeared after she went on a mission you assigned her!" Disembody-Head snapped. "I told her to get out of this crusade before it got her in trouble. I told her that if there were aliens out there that we should consider ourselves lucky that we have remained untouched. But she wouldn't listen, she never did, and now she is gone, and her children think she's dead!" Disembody-Head's voice became horse, he was crying. "And I am left wondering what happened to her!"
"I wish I knew." Darkbootie admitted. "Her disappearance still haunts me to this day." It was true, what had happened to Annabel was always a complete mystery.
15 years ago, the first UFO sighting in ages popped up in the Amazon, pictures of orb like objects could be seen flying over the thick vegetation. Unfortunately, the pictures were blurry and unclear. So, she had volunteered to go investigate on her own.
Unfortunately, she never returned.
"I will find her." Disembody-Head vowed. "I will make our family whole again."
"I hope you do." Darkbootie said, and he meant it. "Just don't forget to remind your children how important they are." He warned.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Disembody-Head yelled, slamming his fist on the table before him.
"You are looking for her, a woman who has been missing for 15 years!" Darkbootie yelled.
"She was my wife!" Disembody-Head yelled again.
"And she is gone!" Darkbootie screamed. "But your children are still here."
"I must find her for them." Disembody-Head said. "Don't you see I am doing this for them, for us?"
"Yes, but if you keep putting them off then you will lose them too!" Darkbootie pointed out the obvious. "They are almost grown. Dib graduates this year, and he thinks that you are disappointed in him for chasing fake science. Meanwhile you search for his mother who disappeared after investigating an alien sighting!" Darkbootie cried. "Now tell me that does not sound hypocritical!"
Disembody-Head sighed, and sat down at the table, his head in his hands. "I know, I just didn't want them to know the truth." He said. "I thought if they did, they'd go looking for her, they'd disappear too. I can't lose them too."
"Then tell them the truth." Darkbootie advised. "Because your son's already in this world, her world; our world. And sooner or later he will find out that she is still alive out there somewhere, and he'll find out just how big of a hypocrite you really are."
Disembody-Head was quiet for a long time, finally he spoke. "Just promise me you'll keep him safe."
"You're leaving again!" Darkbootie said, it wasn't a question. His children thought he was working in his lab downtown everyday he was gone from them, but that was only half true. For you see half of the time he was out in the Amazon searching…searching for her.
"I have to go back." Disembody-Head reasoned. "Find more clues."
"You've been going back there for 15 years, there are no more clues to find." Darkbootie told him. "Your wife is gone, please she would want you with them, not looking for her."
"Just promise me you'll keep him safe!" Disembody-Head screamed.
Darkbootie sighed but nodded. "I will protect him with my life."
"Good, I will return soon." And with that agent Disembody-Head was gone. Leaving Darkbootie in the company of his own silence!
-To Be Continued