"They are moving too quickly!" Hei shouted as they attempted to steady their aim on one of the attackers, but the assailants moved too quickly; all they could see was a blur, and that was it.
"Maintain your positions, Racheal, direct your flames toward the pipes above. Yoshi, replicate and target the opposite side. The rest of you, switch to your special bullets and aim for the center. If these Scrapers are anything like their kin, they should also be vulnerable to flames." Micheal instructed with a serious expression; even he, with his quick reflexes, was unable to achieve a steady aim on the Reapers.
"WHOOOSH" In a flash, commands were carried
out, and fire erupted from Yoshi and Racheal towards their hidden attackers.
"SCREECH!" In an instant, cries of agony reverberated as multiple figures surged toward the group, who now had a precise target.
"ENGAGE TARGET!" Micheal shouted, and in response, the only sounds that filled the air were the sharp cracks of gunfire, intertwined with the terrifying screams of the creatures. In mere moments, the screaming and gunfire ceased.
"That was close; I hope they're dead," Bai remarked, clutching his chest as his heart raced furiously.
"Three, just three," Henry remarked, glancing at the bodies visible on the ground; two were charred beyond recognition, while the last was riddled with bullets.
"It took nearly 50 bullets to bring down just one of these," Michael said, his face etched with concern as he analyzed the situation. The results were astonishingly unexpected; Yoshi and Racheal were responsible for the deaths of two, while the remaining fell to the hands of the rest of the group.
The most shocking aspect of this situation was that the bullets employed to carry out the killing were not just any standard ammunition. The group had previously utilized refined armor-piercing bullets, but the ones used now were crafted from refined tungsten, treated with special chemicals, resulting in significantly higher damage. It was quite shock that it took 50 bullets
to bring one of these down.
"If they were a group, then we would be de—" Before Yoshi could complete his speech, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed throughout the area.
"Awww, come on, you really had to say that, didn't you, buckethead?" Bai groaned, casting a fierce glare at Yoshi, who promptly turned to face the source of the commotion.
"More are coming, Henry. Grab the last body; the rest of you, on me," Michael instructed, his hand swiftly tossing a grenade toward the corner from which the footsteps were approaching. As soon as he did, he swiftly pivoted and took off with the group as the grenade detonated, bringing a huge part of the ceiling crashing down. The impact shook the walls of the sewer, making them appear as if they too were about to collapse.
"Wheww, that was way too close," Racheal exhaled, feeling a wave of relief wash over her as they distanced themselves.
"Wait, it seems we've strayed from the service tunnel path," Yoshi remarked, receiving a sharp glare from the twins in response.
"Let's focus on our survival first. Is anyone injured?" Micheal nodded at Yoshi's words, then turned to the rest and inquired. His question was met with a series of headshakes, indicating that everyone was okay.
"That's good to hear. Now, let's finally take a good look at this Scraper," Michael said with a sigh of relief. His teammates were also his priority, so he had to ensure that none of them got hurt.
"Are you okay? It hasn't been that long since you almost blew yourself up, and we've already faced two or three life-threatening situations; some of your injuries might have resurfaced." Hei, who always seemed to relish provoking Michael, remarked, earning him wary glances from the group.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Hei?" Micheal inquired with skepticism, unable to fathom that Hei genuinely cared about him.
"Did you get infected by the worm or something?" Even his own brother, Bai, was taken aback by the question.
"Screw all of you, I'm simply trying to be a good teammate; is that a crime?" Hei responded, rolling his eyes in disbelief; it seemed that every time he attempted to be a good person, he was met with suspicion.
"Wow, the skin density of this creature is truly fascinating. It possesses a superior version of the armadillo's bulletproof skin, which is why it took so many bullets to kill it," Yoshi said, his eyes fixed on the corpse, drawing attention to it.
"It appears completely spine-chilling, gruesome, ghastly, horrendous, eerie, and Hair-raising." Bai was in the process of unleashing a flurry of adjectives when Micheal cut in.
"Enough already, Merriam Webster; this isn't the moment for that." Micheal interrupted, then turned to observe the terrifying 'Scraper'. Truth be told, he had to agree with Bai's description; it was a total nightmare.
The Scraper stood at an impressive height of about 6-7 feet, its elongated form a complex blend of human and reptilian characteristics. Its skin was a tapestry of scales. The surface seemed nearly metallic, able to deflect even the deadliest projectiles. The Scraper's body was elegant and designed for swift movement, showcasing powerful leg muscles that undulated beneath its protective exterior. The Scraper's visage was a contorted horror. A lengthy, winding tongue adorned with tiny, sharp barbs swirling within its mouth, creating paths of thick saliva that appear to corrode the air surrounding it. The mouth, a lipless slit, lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth. Long, slender arms culminate in razor-sharp claws, ideal for ripping through flesh.
"What kind of monstrosity is this? Look at that tongue; I'm certain that's what shreds away flesh. Whoever designed this thing must have watched an abundance of horror films," Henry said, filled with horror and disgust. This creature was undeniably terrifying to behold.
"The total length of the tongue is 3 feet. Hmm, I can sense the worm within the body," Yoshi remarked after conducting some analysis, his eyes meticulously scanning the entire body.
"Did it just shift?" Micheal exclaimed, seizing his gun in a state of alarm.
"Woah there buddy, calm down and let's talk" Bai
swiftly retreated, believing that Micheal was simply experiencing his episode.
"Be quiet, Bai. I'm not losing my mind; I definitely just saw it move," Michael said, his anger evident as he kept his gun trained on the Scraper.
"Mike's right; I just saw it move too." Racheal swiftly grabbed her gun and aimed at the creature on the ground, which suddenly began twitching, prompting the entire squad to back off cautiously while keeping their aim trained on it.
"There's something in it, it's the worm...wait a minute," Yoshi reported after scanning, then he froze in shock, his eyes suddenly turning serious.
"What is it?" Henry asked upon observing the shift in Yoshi's expression. Without a word, Yoshi swiftly directed his palm at the creature and unleashed flames that erupted from his hand, incinerating it completely.
"Hey, what was that about?" In shock, Hei turned to Yoshi and asked.
"See for yourself," Yoshi replied as he approached the corpse and stomped on it, causing its head to burst open and revealing the contents for all to see. Connected to the brain of the Scraper were five worms, their suckers attached. They had been fried to a crisp, rendering them harmless, but their presence was shocking nonetheless.
"Five worms attached to the brain? I thought they only resided within the neck, to top it off, five of them," Bai remarked, bringing a moment of silence; his words struck a chord. Until now, the team had developed the understanding that only one worm existed within each of these creatures, and these worms were situated in the neck of their host, distinguishing them from their counterparts in films and tales that lived in the brain. Yet this creature had defied all conventions; not only were there multiple worms inhabiting a single host, but they also resided within its brain. This realization led them to understand that whatever they were facing had just become more complicated.
"Well, this just took a different direction," Michael remarked with a sigh. He grabbed his head, trying to wrap his mind around this whole situation, which always seemed to go in unexpected ways. At present, they had not only lost their original route to the service tunnel, but they had also uncovered something that shattered all their previous assumptions. His head throbbed as he struggled to devise a next step; he typically had a strategy for every circumstance, yet now he had to concede that he was devoid of inspiration.
"The noise originated from this direction." As the group contemplated their next move, a voice unexpectedly echoed from the far end.
"I sincerely hope it's not Scrapers." Another replied to the first, prompting the team to exchange glances with one another.
"More inmates?" Racheal inquired, readying herself to confront anyone who showed up.
"We do not know that yet; it could be survivors," Michael replied, causing Rachael to hesitate.
"Survivors? still alive down here, surrounded by Inmates and Scrapers?" Hei inquired with a hint of doubt. He was correct as well; the likelihood of finding survivors down here was quite low.
"You never know. If there is anything I've learned since we arrived here, it's to expect the unexpected, stay hidden, and wait for my signal to open fire. If it's inmates, we handle them; if not, we figure out how to move forward." Micheal chuckled and responded, giving orders that the team obeyed without hesitation. They remained concealed, their attention fixed on the advancing pair.
"I think I heard what sounded like gunshots coming from that direction. Do you think it could be the inmates?" The first voice inquired once more as the team noticed an armed male figure advancing toward them, dressed in jeans and a sweater marked by stains from the sewer. Behind him stood a female, also armed, gripping a torch tightly. She had her hair tied back in a ponytail, and her eyes were framed by a pair of eyeglasses that complemented her black tracksuit.
As their eyes followed the closing in figures, the team remained poised, ready to ambush the seemingly oblivious duo who had drawn near enough that a few more steps would reveal their presence. It was precisely at this moment that Micheal made his move.
"Freeze. Do not make another move, or my finger
might just slip and pull the trigger." Micheal moved forward alongside the others, their weapons directed at the astonished pair. They clearly did not anticipate this outcome.
"Damn Mike, that was cold, how long have you been planning to say that?" Bai inquired from the side, a grin on their face.
"I was thinking about it the whole time. I previously wanted to say, 'Don't move, or my finger will send a bullet ricocheting through your skull like a pinball,' but that sounded too long and a little too extreme," Michael remarked with a smirk, his words sending Bai into a fit of laughter.
"Cough, Mike, forgetting something?" Yoshi cleared his throat softly before speaking, causing Micheal to turn to their guests with a grave demeanor.
"Introduce yourselves. Are you inmates?" Micheal inquired, his weapon directed at the man who had one hand lifted to shield the woman, while the other was raised high above his head.
"We are not inmates here, and considering you're the ones holding the weapons, I think it's only fair that you introduce yourselves. Are you guys feds or something?" The man spoke with a calm demeanor, which surprised Micheal somewhat; most individuals would feel anxious with so many guns pointed at them.
"That's not the way this is going t--" As Micheal was speaking, he was abruptly interrupted by Hei.
"Greg….?" Hei called out, his voice tinged with
uncertainty, prompting the others to turn toward him in confusion, yet the man's facial expression shifted.
"How do you know my name? Who are you?" Greg, the man whose name had been called, inquired with a mix of surprise and confusion, certain that he had never encountered the man before, yet the stranger appeared to be familiar with his name.
"Yeah, Hei. How did you come to know his name?" Henry inquired, a hint of doubt flickering in his gaze.
"Don't you all recognize him? He was the one in the control room, the one who shot his captain after he turned into a zombie." Hei's expression brightened as his hunch was confirmed by the man himself. He turned to the others with enthusiasm, eager to share his discovery.
"Yeah, he's right, I failed to recognize him before due to his attire, but now I can see the resemblance. Lower your weapons." Micheal nodded after examining Greg more closely; his thoughts had been so consumed that he had overlooked such an important detail.
"Could someone please clarify the situation for me? Who are you all, and how do you know my name? How do you know what transpired in the control room?" Greg inquired once the team had lowered their weapons, as he found himself in a state of complete bewilderment.
"Apologies for the confusion, soldier. We didn't identify you initially. We are a special task force dispatched by the government to rescue survivors like you and investigate the cause of this situation," Michael said, offering a military salute to Greg, who returned the gesture with respect.
"I apologize for not recognizing you sooner; you don't exactly present yourselves as soldiers at first glance. So, what is the name of your taskforce?" Greg said with a smile as he asked.
"Taskforce Spongbob" Hei replied with a smile, then paused to glance at the others, who returned his gaze, each sharing the same thought in their minds.
"Is your taskforce really named Taskforce Spongbob?" The woman inquired, her voice unmistakably laced with disbelief.
"What on earth made me say yes to this?" Micheal felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he facepalmed.