VINDICATION
Destruction
Chapter 24: Destruction
About an hour after returning to the base, Dib sat on the couch with his feet up as Zim rested with his head in Dib’s lap, dozing lightly. Smiling and idly stroking Zim’s antennae, he yawned. It had been a quick flight back from Colorado in the Voot Runner, but the whole task of getting down into the bowels of the missile silo had been tiring with all of that equipment on, not to mention moderately disturbing. He’d never seen so many dead bodies before. He smirked a little. He’d done a damned good job with that virus.
GIR was curled up on the floor in front of them, and Manos: The Hands of Fate was playing on the TV. Dib’s hand roamed gently over Zim’s head and neck, caressing his cheek and occasionally playing with his antennae, smiling when the Irken purred and stretched in his sleep.
Suddenly the movie cut out, and a news broadcast began.
MISSILE CRISIS…MISSILE CRISIS…MISSILE CRISIS…
Dib grinned and shook Zim gently. “Look!”
Zim yawned, opening his eyes and sitting up, leering sadistically.
“Reports are coming in of devastation in several of the world’s major cities…
London, Ottawa, Toronto, New York, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, Edinburgh, Rome…all have recently suffered an attack originating from what was thought to be a disabled missile silo in Colorado. President Man was not available for comment, having been evacuated to a safe location just after the missiles landed, although sources have said that he did not give any orders for the launch to take place.
Fortunately Canadian Prime Minister Man was not in Ottawa at the time of the attack; he is said to be meeting with President Man as we speak. Also, the United Countries is set to meet later this week to determine a solution and to send aid to the cities in distress.
The number of dead and injured continues to rise as the National Guard is being sent into the affected cities. In the city of Toronto alone, the death toll is estimated at over two million people.
It is unknown if Pope Man was injured or killed by the missile that hit the Vatican in Rome, and search and rescue teams are frantically combing the site for any traces of life.
Reports have also come in that one of the missiles landed in Hawaii, and a series of major volcanic eruptions have occurred since the impact, causing enormous waves to lash the west coast of North America.
In the north, the Saint Lawrence Seaway has suffered colossal damage from one of the missiles that landed in the Flight Locks of the Welland Canal. All of the bridges have collapsed and several of the locks have burst…also, a few of the tankers were washed out of the Canal and onto the city streets when the missile hit. The damage to shipping alone is estimated at about 4 billion dollars.
Further reports as follows…