Everywhere I go I see your face through the crowd
Everywhere I go I hear your voice clear and loud
Everywhere I go you are the light that I see
Everywhere I go you've found me
(Everywhere I Go – Five Iron Frenzy)

Zim was awakened by something cold pressed against his right temple. Cold and circular. A loud clicking noise that sounded like an asteroid impacting a planet resounded near his hearing receptors. A single-action revolver. Odd; he would have thought someone working for the government would have had at least a semi-automatic.

He raised his head, cautious all the same, and turned a little to look at the gun’s wielder.

Dib smirked back at him, though he looked to be in pain.

“You should be resting,” Zim informed him, his voice calm. He’d had more powerful weapons than a human-made handgun pointed at him before—none quite as messy, though. He cursed himself for having been caught in a moment of vulnerability, but made no outward sign.

“How can I rest when someone like you is free to terrorize the planet?”

Zim didn’t acknowledge the melodramatic tone in the other’s voice. “You’re weak from pain and blood loss. You should go back to bed.”

“I don’t trust you, Zim.” It was stated bluntly, and Dib’s face turned serious.

/Maybe that should change./ He held out one hand. “May I see your gun?”

Dib raised an eyebrow at him. “What, do I look stupid?”

The Irken didn’t dignify that with a response. He sighed, and would have shaken his head if not for the mortal danger pressed up against it.

“Take five of the bullets out.”

The human seemed taken aback by that, and could only come up with, “Why?” in response.

“We’re going to play a game.” Zim looked up from where he was sitting, meeting the human’s eyes. “It is something those of your race with criminal tendencies seem to like. The rules are simple: you remove all but one bullet from the gun, spin the cylinder, hold it to another person’s head, pull the trigger and see if the person dies or not.”

“Russian roulette?” Dib’s eyes were wide. “You kidnapped me in order to play Russian roulette with me? You’ll have to forgive me for declining; you see, I’m not stupid.”

“If that’s what you think, your information is inaccurate. No, that isn’t the reason I kidnapped you. But it seems the fastest way of getting your trust.” He tilted his head to one side, one eye slightly narrowed. “I’ve heard it said that you humans will trust someone who trusts in you.”

When Dib just stared at him skeptically, he sighed in frustration and added, “I’ll let you go first.”

A slow smile cracked the human’s face. “Sounds good to me.”

Zim watched as Dib removed all but one bullet from the gun; he never took his eyes off of the Irken. /What have I gotten myself into?/ Dib snapped the cylinder back in place and spun it. The noise sent a strange coldness creeping throughout Zim’s body, and his squeedily-spooch felt like it was tied in knots.

He didn’t have long to reflect on this sudden foreboding; all too soon, the gun was back where it had started at his head.

“Are you ready, Zim?” Dib’s voice held none of the excitement Zim would have expected. The human sounded almost as nervous as Zim felt.

“Do it.” He didn’t let any of his nervousness show through in his response. As he’d told the human, the only way for Dib to trust him was for him to trust Dib.

This time, when the hammer was cocked, the noise didn’t seem to echo in his brain. It sounded dull and leaden, almost reluctant. He closed his eyes, resigning himself. His chances of survival were good, he reminded himself. It was only a one in six chance that he would die. /I’d feel better if it were a one in one thousand chance./

Dib pulled the trigger; the subsequent *click* sent a shock wave through Zim’s nervous system.

It took him a long time to realize that he wasn’t dead. He cracked one eye open, not willing to believe he’d been so lucky. When his gaze was met with nothing more than the computer console in front of him, he opened the other eye and turned, blinking, to look at Dib.

He had just an instant to see the expression of relief on the human’s face before it was gone. Dib met his eyes indifferently as he loaded a bullet into its chamber. Zim rose as he was handed the gun. It felt heavy in his gloved hand. He stared at it for a long moment, until Dib spoke.

“I’m ready.”