Not a Monster Anymore (Double Crossed Book 2)

Chapter 27

Zeraf's hands clench into fists, and his Pak legs slowly emerge from their compartments. I start to bring out mine, but when they don't hit the ground in a few seconds, I remember what I'd done and I close the compartments back up, trying to be subtle. Zeraf notices though, of course.

"You got rid of your Pak legs?" he asks, a smile playing on his lips. "Surely you haven't been fighting with them while you tried to fit in on this planet."

"That's exactly why I got rid of them," I growl back at him, trying to keep my cool. "There's no reason to have them if I'm not here to conquer the planet."

"You're so weak," he grumbles, still smiling. "Maybe you're a lost cause anyways. We should just get someone else to take over this dirt ball."

I glare at Zeraf. "Why don't you back off? Last I checked, this was my dirt ball."

Zeraf laughs out loud, his eyes squeezing shut. My tensed muscles relax, and I raise an eyebrow. "What's so funny?" I ask, the edge in my voice gone.

"You've already told me that all the people who care about you are gone," he says, his smile wide across his face. "I don't know why you would want to save a planet that doesn't love you. You aren't even supposed to care about love at all." The words hurt, yes, but I don't move, not wanting to look vulnerable, or get caught with my guard down.

"It's not all about me," I say. "The other people on this planet have their own lives, and their own people that love them." Saying it out loud hurts me a bit. I do still care, and I wish Dib was here. But I can't think about that right now.

Instead of responding, Zeraf reaches out with his Pak legs and lifts me into the air. When he can't reach any higher, he brings me down, ramming me into the floor. For a minute, I think he's going to ask me to go with him again, but the Pak legs stay around my waist and his throws me against the wall.

"What will the Tallest do if you kill me?" I ask cockily, wiping blood off of my arm. "Don't they want me alive? If you're the Irken that ruins their plans, how do you think they'll dispose of you?"

For a moment, Zeraf's confident look wavers. But then he sets his glare on me again. "You aren't planning on coming anyways. I'm just making sure you don't interfere with the next invader that will take your place." Without waiting for a response, he throws me again. My wig falls to the floor, making me wince as it brushes against my severed antenna.

Without hesitation, Zeraf walks over to me, eyeing the ripped stalk. "Was this you?" he asks tauntingly. "Or was it the better, reprogrammed version that we created?" I growl up at him, refusing to answer. I don't want to know how he'll mock me if he finds out it was both. How weak will I sound?

Zeraf grabs the antenna, pulling at the ripped edge. A wave of pain ripples through my body, and I instinctively kick at him, sweeping his feet out from under him. He falls on his back, and his Pak legs retract quicker than I thought possible. His eyes snap open and he reaches behind him. His breath hitches and he glares at me.

"You little-"

"Shut up," I interrupt. "You were trying to kill me. I just thought I'd return the favour." I stand up, staring down at Zeraf, my antennae twitching. I put my wig back on and turn to leave, but just as I'm about to open the door, I turn back. I lean down and pull Zeraf's broken Pak partly off of his back, pulling one of the legs out.

"I think I'm going to keep this," I say, sounding disinterested. "Not like you'll be needing it anyways." I bring the sharp edge of the Pak leg down on the wires connecting his Pak to his body, and watch as he sits, helpless, minutes away from death. "See you never." I turn back towards the door.