Not a Monster Anymore (Double Crossed Book 2)

Chapter 2

(Zim's P.O.V)

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The coordinates I'd been given grow closer on the Voot Cruiser's radar. I look up, only to see the massive. Definitely not what I was expecting. I check the coordinates again. Maybe I'd made some mistake. But the coordinates match up, so I can only assume that the Tallest have tricked me into coming because they've learned that I abandoned my mission. Well, it will be much more enjoyable to say it to their faces, then.

Further confirming my suspicions, a hatch on the main ship opens, allowing me to land the Voot and enter into the central area, presumably where the Tallest are. Balling up my hands into fists, I walk in.

"Ah, Zim. We've been expecting you."

I can tell that the voice is trying to sound serious, maybe even menacing, but they fail miserably and start laughing. The voice is quite obviously Purple's, and he must be laughing with Red.

"As I have been looking forward to this meeting," I answer. They finally turn around, and, despite them being the Tallest, I'm not going to bow. "Red. Purple," I say instead. I will not greet them formally.

They don't seem to mind, or else they just ignored me. "I assume you know why we called you here?" Red asks, clasping his hands together, as he so often did when he spoke.

"I would guess that you're looking for an explanation of my betrayal of my mission." I cross my arms, trying to emphasize the informality of the meeting.

"Not quite," Purple says, drawing out the second word.

"We called you to tell you that, firstly, your mission was a fake," Red butts in.

The fact surprises me, but, ignoring it, I unfold my arms to place my hands on my hips. "As I said. I've already abandoned my mission." I lower my chin, trying to strengthen my glare, wanting the meeting to be over with. "I really don't care anymore whether or not you were honest in assigning me a position in Operation Impending Doom Two."

"Yes, but the thing is," Purple starts.

"We've begun to realize that Earth may prove useful," Red finishes. Great, they're doing that annoying thing where they alternate speaking.

"The Earth is to be left alone," I argue, though I keep my voice steady. "Is it not my responsibility?"

"We sent you there as an exile, Zim," Purple groans. "We've been over this."

"Exile or no," I argue again, fighting to keep my voice level, "you made it quite clear that I was meant to be there. I don't care if it wasn't a real mission, I was assigned to that planet, and I will not allow you to conquer it."

"Why do you care so much about the Earth anyways?" Red asks. "In your reports you seemed so set on the planet being the worst possible place in the universe."

My cheeks get hot, though I keep my face angry. "When I believed my mission to be real, and I was devoted to it, I'd thought it part of my job to hate the Earth and it's inhabitants. Isn't that necessary to conquer it? You can't become attached to something you mean to obliterate." I let my arms fall to my sides, hands still balled into fists, muscles tense. "Now, I know that those feelings were wrong. The Earth is beautiful. And it is way better than the collectivist community of the Irkens!" I stomp my foot, spitting the last word out in anger. "I know that I'm deemed defective to you all! But on Earth, everything I feel is normal! The humans get to experience life in an entirely different way, which is more beautiful than the way that Irkens are created," I growl.