Taskforce Spongbob

Zone 1 Outbreak

“I trust that everyone enjoyed a restful night.” Lionheart exclaimed with a hearty laugh as the squad gathered around the table, each member displaying a range of expressions on their faces.

“Why do we have to wake up so early? It’s just 5 am” Bai said, yawning and scratching his head.

“Yup, it’s not like we’re in a military drill camp,” Hei added in agreement, gazing at Lionheart, who smirked in response before turning to a scientist seated beside him.

“This is Dr. Ed, the leading scientist here, holding a rank just below mine in terms of clearance. He will guide us through the active threat we identified last night. However, before we proceed, I would like to introduce you to the final member of your team. Doc, you can

take it from here.” Lionheart smiled at the white coat seated beside him, who grinned and nodded before standing up to reveal himself to the curious onlookers. He was dressed in white scientist robes, and his eyeglasses occasionally glimmered with a faint hue as he picked up his tablet from the table.

“Thank you, Mr. Lionheart. It’s indeed a pleasure to meet all of you, you can call me Doc. Now, let me introduce you all to the final member of your team…” Doc smiled and pressed a button on his tablet, causing a section of the wall to open up and a shadow to emerge from within.

“Is that..?” Henry narrowed his eyes at the figure that stepped into the light, fully revealing its appearance.

“I present to you all, Yoshi,” Doc remarked just as everyone caught sight of the figure.

"It's a robot, what is this? I-Robot?" Bai furrowed his brow at the figure, which revealed itself to be a robot. The robot looked around with curiosity before examining its own body, its body was made of sleek silver metal, one feature that distinguished it from its remaining humanoid structures. Its eyes glowed a bright blue as it scanned its surroundings. It stood around six feet tall, exactly the same height as Michael. Its facial structure was angular and expressionless, lending it a somewhat intimidating appearance. Its hair resembled that of a human's yet possessed a more metallic sheen. Bai couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he watched the robot move with a fluidity that was almost human-like.

“Oh, stop whining and deal with it, he's your partner whether you want him to be or not,” Lionheart grunted at Bai, who let out a groan.

“But it’s a freaking robot, try to remember one movie about robots, where the robot doesn't go out of control, he's probably gonna spiral out of control and try to kill us in the end” Hai remarked with evident displeasure, clearly unhappy with his new teammate.

“I would please like to be referred to as him,” Yoshi replied, gazing at Hai, who chuckled softly.

“Oh, would you look at that? The robot has pronouns. What’s he going to say next? He wants a country full of robots.” Bai teased playfully as he high fived his brother, who smiled at the jest.

“Come on guys, quit it, you’re just upset because Yoshi is Japanese.” Micheal cast a smirk in the direction of the twins, who shot him a fierce glare.

“Didn’t that conflict happen a long time ago?” Henry glanced at Racheal, who merely shrugged in reply.

“Alright, that’s enough. We have more urgent issues to address than racial discrimination. Last night, you were shown the Zone 1 images, and now you understand the threat. Doc here will provide you with the full details,” Lionheart stated before settling back down and starting on the pack of instant noodles in front of him.

“Hehehe, is he eating instant noodles?” Bai turned to Micheal and asked with a stifled laugh. In response, Micheal facepalmed and shook his head at his father's quirky antics.

“Alright, these are the satellite images captured from Zone 1, reflecting today’s findings,” Doc explained, swiping three images onto a large screen that drew everyone’s attention.

“It is becoming more compact.” Racheal observed that the number of red dots had grown.

“If we don’t take action, it could turn into a significant issue,” Micheal remarked, his frown revealing his clear concern about the situation.

“Why not just use a nuke or something?” Bai proposed with a smile.

“There could be civilians still alive in there, possibly waiting to be rescued. Dropping a nuke would eliminate them all, and we still don’t know what caused this situation. Using a nuke would be far too risky,” Michael replied, shaking his head at the suggestion.

“Check out the red dots; do you believe anyone could endure this?” Hai inquired, gesturing towards the densely packed red dots.

“Micheal’s right, we can’t risk the lives of civilians, plus you have an extraction mission.” Lionheart finally finished his instant noodles and looked up at the screen with a serious expression.

“An extraction mission? Alright, let me just...I never consented to participate in any suicide squad activities like this; I only came here because you assured me you could provide what I desired." Bai stood up and glanced at Lionheart, who sipped his drink while calmly staring at Bai, seemingly indifferent to his whims.

“This concerns the lives of innocent scientists; don’t you care about them and their children?” Doc expressed disbelief at Bai’s indifferent attitude toward the lives of all the scientists.

“I understand that this may seem risky, and it certainly is. I wouldn’t take this on myself, which is why I selected you all for the task.” Lionheart, having finished his drink, took a deep breath and addressed Bai, who was on the verge of responding when Lionheart continued speaking.

“You guys are the best of the best, standing strong at Rank 8, each of you possess unique skills and abilities that are highly valued and rare. Because of this, you were selected as a team with the assurance of fulfilling your desires. That was the contract, and since you signed it, you are required to undertake any mission assigned to you without hesitation; that was the agreement we established,” Lionheart stated, glancing at the others who remained quiet despite their evident reluctance.

“Alright, please share all the details.” Hai patted his brother’s shoulders after a moment, then turned to the Doc, who nodded and swiped up on his tablet to display a new picture.

“This is Dr. Grey, the lead scientist responsible for Zone 1 and the Hooke Experiment when everything began,” Doc explained, gesturing to the image of a middle-aged man in a lab coat, flanked by a group of fellow scientists.

“Yes, I heard about that. They played a key role in advancing the research related to Robert Hooke’s discovery of the cell,” Michael interjected, receiving a nod of agreement from the Doc.

“Indeed, you are correct. They conducted further research into the V-Cell, which emerged years ago and was linked to the abrupt genetic mutations observed in plants, animals, and humans due to a gene known as the S-Gene. A team of five scientists was assigned the

task of investigating this cell, aiming to understand its differences compared to the cells discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665 and Leeuwenhoek in 1675...” Doc, seemingly lost in his explanation, was abruptly interrupted by Bai.

“I apologize, Doc, but therere lives on the line, so if you could kindly skip the biology and history lesson, it would be greatly appreciated.” Bai, already tired, spoke to Doc, who cleared his throat lightly before proceeding.

“Anyway, I was among those five scientists who were brought together, and in the end, we did find a vaccine for it and were later posted to different Zones, with Grey being assigned to Zone 1. Your mission is to extract Dr. Grey and any other live and uninfected civilians with him,” Doc explained, his tone becoming serious.

“It seems he holds significant value for your team; what’s his story?” Henry inquired, aligning his thoughts with those of the others.

“As you all know, Zone 1 is the closest area to the wastelands where the S-Gene is rampant. Consequently, Grey was assigned a secret mission to conduct further experiments on the gene. A few days before the first infection in Zone 1, we received a satellite transmission from him indicating that he had made a significant discovery regarding the V-Cell that could alter our world. Shortly after, the first infection began and spread at an unprecedented rate. What we are confronting is something only you can tackle, which is why you were chosen for this perilous mission.” The doctor articulated the situation, his words inviting a moment of silence for the taskforce members to fully comprehend his message.

“What is the projected likelihood of success?” Micheal inquired with interest.

“Typically, it would be about 30%, but considering it's you all, I would estimate a 50% chance of success,” Doc responded honestly.

“Are you aware that there’s a possibility we may not rescue Grey alive? He could even be dead by the time we arrive. What’s our plan in that case?” Racheal inquired.

“That’s why you also need to locate and obtain his research work,” Doc replied with a sigh.

“I suppose what’s done is done. We can’t afford to waste any more time; we need to start preparing to leave soon before the situation deteriorates,” Michael said, looking at the faces of his teammates, who nodded in agreement, knowing they had no other option.

“I believed it would require more effort to persuade you all, but this turned out to be simpler than anticipated. Doc, please share the plan outline with all the details,” Lionheart said with a hearty chuckle, directing his words to Doc, who nodded his head and swiped up on his pad once more, resulting in a hologram materializing on the table where they were seated.

“Assisting with the infiltration is an individual who possesses unparalleled knowledge of the location.” Doc stated before addressing the pad, “Come in.”

WHOOSH

The doors swung open to reveal a middle-aged man in military attire, his expression stern as he entered the room. With his hands clasped behind his back, he approached the table, pausing to survey the faces of the task force members with a sense of detachment.

“These are the soldiers assigned to this mission. they look like freaking chicks. We’re not entering a playground; we’re heading into a genuine battlefield. If you haven’t grasped the seriousness of the situation and the potential for loss of life, I recommend you prepare yourselves.” The man spoke firmly to the Taskforce, who looked at him with furrowed brows before erupting into laughter.

“Hahaha, Captain Jack, they may appear young and inexperienced, but their body count tells a different story. Please proceed with the strategy. This is Captain Jack; he’s a seasoned general who will oversee the strategy and other minor details,” Lionheart said to the man, who nodded and then turned to the taskforce to introduce him.

“Alright chicks, pay attention. This is the building outline of Zone 1. You will be dropped off here, as the other areas are nearly populated with enemies. You must remain extremely vigilant to avoid being overwhelmed. The location is approximately 20 km from

the main research base, so you need to navigate through the zone with care and caution on your way to the research base,” Captain Jack stated, zooming in on the streets of the zone where a holographic line traced the route.

“So, all these red dots signify enemies, potentially undead, correct?” Racheal inquired; her eyes fixed on the holographic map displaying numerous dots scattered throughout the entire area.

“Indeed, the only evident route is this way. According to my calculations, it would require two days to reach the center of the zone where the research base is situated, assuming that no unforeseen events occur,” Captain Jack responded.

“Alright, what’s the strategy moving forward?” How do we navigate through the hordes?" Henry inquired, casting a glance at Captain Jack.

“We’ll depart by jet during the day and likely arrive by night, which will be advantageous as the darkness can conceal your presence and enhance your stealth. Upon arrival, you will navigate through the city via the safest route, eliminating any enemies you encounter swiftly. By morning, you should have covered half the distance, allowing you to rest and strategize for the remainder of your journey based on your condition and observations. In total, you have precisely 120 hours before the situation in the zone escalates beyond our control, prompting the government to resort to a nuclear option.” Captain Jack proceeded, causing the 

“It seems we have no other option, so when shall we depart?” Hai inquired with a grin, leaving the others astonished, as they couldn't comprehend how he could smile even in the face of a potential life-threatening situation.

“Haha, I really like this one! I acknowledge your enthusiasm. We’ll be leaving tomorrow,” Captain Jack said with a laugh, looking at Hai, who also laughed in response.

“Tomorrow?” Henry inquired, astonished, he hadn't even had the chance to enjoy GTA 6 and he was already leaving.

“Today we'll will focus on training. Since you’ve just met, it’s important to take some time to adapt to one another. We’ll dedicate today to enhancing your teamwork and coordination, and then we’ll be departing tomorrow. Does anyone have any questions?” Lionheart inquired, prompting several members of the taskforce to raise their hands, indicating they had questions to ask.

“Alright, it appears there are no questions. Yoshi, did you capture everything?” Lionheart feigned ignorance of the hands and stood up, then turned to Yoshi, who gave a nod of acknowledgment.

“Are you certain, Buckethead? It appeared that you weren’t really focused just now.” Bai expressed a desire to create discord.

“Oh, I sure did, Shina,” Yoshi replied, prompting the others to erupt in laughter, while Bai and Hai shot him glares, and Yoshi responded with an odd, robotic chuckle.

“Hey, break it up! We have a lot to do today, but first, go tidy up and grab your breakfast. After that, we train,” Captain Jack said, rising to his feet. His expression shifted to a menacing scowl, as if he were concocting something wicked. He chuckled softly and departed, leaving the others to ponder the nature of his plans.

expressions of several individuals in the room to shift.

“Are you saying we have just five days there before the entire area is destroyed? What happens if we can’t escape in time?” Bai inquired after a moment of silence.

“If you don’t get out, everyone dies,” Captain Jack said, his expression grave.

“As I mentioned earlier, the mission is extremely perilous, but the lives of individuals are at risk. If we cannot determine the source of the infection, we risk sending the world into chaos once more, we cannot allow it to spread any further, so you have just five days,” Lionheart stated, easing the tense atmosphere.