Danem

No Way Out

Note: We now return you to your regularly scheduled stroll through hell.

....

DarkBooty sat in his chair, eyeing the screen in front of him. On it, that disgusting space insect was embracing the girl, spewing false assurances and lies.

Sickening.

Was this how it brainwashed the people around it? It projected the idea that it actually cared? His glare deepened. He'd seen enough Irkens to know there wasn't a drop of compassion in the entire species. They'd wiped it out of themselves, and if he had to break this creature's defenses down brick by brick, he'd have it out of him exactly how he brainwashed Dib.

And make him suffer. Oh the suffering he would endure.

He blinked for a moment, his brows lifting in bewilderment. But why did the alien hand himself over if he didn't actually care for the girl—

He blinked for a moment, eyeing the screen in front of him. On it, that disgusting space insect was embracing the girl, spewing false assurances and lies.

SICKENING.

With a growl, he punched a button, barking into a speaker, "I want the Irken subject escorted to the interrogation room. While he's out of the cell, prepare the girl. Have him in the room in five minutes." His eyes narrowed. A little taste of hope for the Irken would give him plenty of room to fall even further than he had before. There would be nothing left of his spirit to pick up after this.

What does this have to do with making him admit he's brainwash—

He blinked for a moment, eyeing the screen in front of him. On it, that disgusting space insect was embracing the girl, spewing false assurances and lies.

SICKENING.

...

Zim braced himself as he was half marched half dragged down the hall again. He attempted to keep up, but his legs kept giving out. Exhaustion from the first round of "testing" and fear of what would come next kept his steps unsteady. But focusing his thoughts on Tiana gave him a certain resolve.

They would be filming him again, no doubt. She'd keep her eyes closed, but it was up to him now not to scream. Whatever happened, he couldn't scream. He had to do that much for her.

They walked him into a small, dimly lit room with a chair in the middle of it. They pushed him into the chair, locking his wrists to the armrests and his ankles to the legs, and left.

He waited, antennae trembling slightly. He didn't see any tools, but that didn't mean they weren't preparing some other, insidious torture for him. Flirk, it had only been a few hours, how much were they going to put him through on just the first day?

He paused for a moment, considering his state of mind. He had, he realized, risen somewhat from his despair since finding Tiana in his cell. His last thought was resentful toward his captors, and vestiges of anger were returning to replace the creeping despondency. There was even, dare he name it, a spark of hope. Even if Tiana was never released, and he prayed to Irk she would be, if she could be there to support him and talk to him and give him the strength to endure, he would be able to face every day, if only for the sake of his sister.

A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, but it vanished as the door swung open, and DarkBooty walked in. The Agent stood in front of Zim, staring down at him in distaste. Zim's claws trembled slightly, but he raised his face to meet DarkBooty's stare, matching it with his own hateful scowl.