Double Crossed (Invader Zim)

Chapter 14

Something is wrong. Dib knows his father unit is a scientist. Why would he react like that? Unless... he's the one we're supposed to be scared of. Dib seemed to know something that I didn't, and judging by his reaction, this may be what he'd been hiding. But how? His father unit had been one of the humans who had repeatedly called Dib crazy. He didn't believe in aliens, or ghosts, or Bigfoot, or anything like that. Why now?

Below us, I hear papers shuffling, but I can't see through the hole that Dib is looking down, since the vent is only wide enough for one of us at a time. The only sounds coming from the room are breathing and, again, papers, but that's it. No talking, no moving around, nothing. He makes no indication that he knows we're here.

It takes awhile, but soon, he turns back to the door to leave. I hold my breath as he turns the door knob, and it looks like we're home free.

Until Dib's phone goes crazy.

---

(Dib's P.O.V)

As soon as dad steps out the door, my phone goes off, with the ringtone that I chose for none other than Zim.

The vibrations cause the phone to fall out of my pocket and through the hole in the vent, smashing into the ground below. Well, I guess I won't be using that any time soon. But, if dad hadn't noticed we were here before, he definitely knows now, as he turns around to grab the phone from the ground. Once he's right below us, with the phone in his hand, he looks up, staring directly at me. I haven't moved at all, because the shock has pretty much paralyzed me.

"Gah, um.... Uh, hi dad," I try lamely, but the look of disappointment is apparent, even though I can only see above his nose.

"Son, what are you doing here?" I just now realize that he always calls me "son", rather than "Dib". 

"I, uh, well, I guess it's, um, a long story, y'know?" I stutter, trying to simultaneously signal to Zim to leave. He doesn't seem to understand though, and instead he just backs up a few feet, causing the vent to bump around noisily.

"Who's up there with you?" Dad asks.

"No one," I answer quickly, but I'm aware that I sound very unconvincing.

Dad mumbles something, and suddenly, the vent drops out from under us. I slam onto the ground, and Zim falls on his back. Hard. He calls out in pain, and I can see when he gets up that his Pak is dented.

That can't be good.

"I knew it," Dad says, sounding very disappointed in me. "Son, you need to learn to stay away from these... things."

"He's not a thing," I growl, aware of how cheesy I sound. "He has feelings, just like us. Why is our life worth protecting and his isn't?" From behind me, I hear Zim suck in a sharp breath.

"Aliens are dangerous to Earth. Without knowing how they function, we could be letting a death machine into our society! We can't risk-"

Without warning, Zim starts screeching. I turn my head to see that he's noticed his busted Pak. He's panicking, batting at the air like some outside force is causing the malfunction, and defeating it would bring everything back to normal.

"What's going on?" Dad yells, clearly agitated by the interruption.

"My Pak! It's broken! I've got ten minutes before I completely stop functioning!" The panic in Zim's voice is disconcerting, because I've never heard him so distressed before. Of course he's not always perfectly composed, but nothing like this.

"Oh, is that all?" Dad sounds almost cheerful. To him, this is just one more problem being solved. Once Zim is gone we don't have to worry about him being a threat, right? Ugh, I've never been so upset at my dad in my entire life. I need to think quick, but the plan I come up with isn't my favourite idea. It's the only idea I have, though, so I'll have to explain to Zim later.

"What, you're just going to let him die?" I ask, lifting an eyebrow.

"Well, of course. Once he's gone we have nothing else to worry about."

"But don't you want to... uh... examine him?" It takes a bit of force to get the words out, and my throat almost closes up when Zim looks at me with a look of desperation.

"It'll be much easier to examine him once he's dead. Any screaming and squirming will "

"Once my ten minutes are up all of my insides will turn to goo," Zim screams, his hands balled up into fists. "Have fun examining my organs when they're all turned to the consistency of soup, you filthy worm!" Spit flies everywhere as Zim yells angrily. I feel horrible about having suggested the idea, but it's the only way that there's a chance of Zim being kept alive.

Dad snaps his fingers and two more scientists come into the room, grabbing Zim by either arm. He tries to fight, but after a few seconds he falls limp, and his face looks like that of a five year old about to throw a temper tantrum. It would be funny if I weren't so worried about him being so close to dying.

The scientists pull him out of the room and into the hallway. I start towards them so that I can see where they're bringing him, but I'm grabbed by the collar and tugged back into the room."And as for you," Dad says, using the same tone a parent would use to ground their child, "you're to be kept in a room to make sure you won't try anything."

"Fine," I mutter, not giving up any fight when I'm grabbed by both my shoulders and escorted- quite harshly, I might add- into the hall. I glance to the left and see the scientists and Zim turning a corner, Zim shouting something at them that I can't hear. Almost instinctively, I turn towards him, and and shoved harshly from behind in response.

"What, I'm not even allowed to look at him?" I growl, standing up and crossing my arms.

"Why would you want to?" Membrane rolls his eyes- I'd stopped wanting to think about him as 'Dad' by this point.

My cheeks heat up, but I stay quiet, keeping my glare directed at Membrane. That is, until he has a needle in his fingers, and my eyes widen. "What are you doing?" I ask, trying to sound normal.

"You can't be up and about, I see that now. This will just take care of you until we're finished."