Team Sloth Returns

     Galix stood motionless as cold air drifted from the darkened cells. They had entered immediately when the rear door had been breached and followed the corridor straight to the cells. Beside him, Morix swallowed nervously.

     “There is no turning back now, for either of us”, he said seriously.

     Galix didn't respond but instead kept his eyes fixed ahead. For several seconds, nothing moved from the cells.

     Then came the heavy footsteps.

     Slow.

     Measured.

     The first figure emerged from the largest containment chamber and he had to duck slightly beneath the cell doorway, slightly defusing the tension that had been building. Wrapped in an enormous white lab coat that was stretched tightly across his broad frame, the figure’s pale hands were covered in old chemical stains. Small data screens and instruments hung from belts across his body, they had been dark but now they began blinking softly in the darkness as he left the cell.

     His tiny eyes narrowed thoughtfully behind cracked lenses as he looked around.

     “Power interruption detected,” he rumbled calmly. “External assistance arrived significantly later than anticipated.”

     Morix stared upward nervously.

     “Uh…”

     Galix straightened immediately.

     “Analyst Glut.”

     The enormous scientist adjusted his glasses.

     “Correct.”

     Another cell door hissed open nearby.

     A second figure stepped elegantly into the corridor. As they walked they began brushing dust from the sleeves of an immaculate dark suit which looked well tailored despite the years of imprisonment.

     Golden rings glittered across his fingers.

     He glanced around the damaged prison corridor with visible disappointment.

     “This release has less ceremony than I deserve.” Treasurer Greed said as he began to smile faintly.

     From further down the corridor heels clicked softly against the metal floor and a third prisoner emerged with slow confidence.

     Director Envy wore a long silver coat that was draped perfectly across one shoulder, her expression entirely composed. Even under the horrid red lighting, she carried herself with effortless glamour.

     She examined Galix carefully.

     Galix lowered his head respectfully before saying “Supreme Commander Hax sent us.”

     At the mention of Hax, all three members of Dr Sloth’s former inner circle exchanged subtle glances.

     Director Envy smiled slightly. “Then Team Sloth survived after all.”

     Galix nodded and said “We never stopped.”

     Before anyone could speak further, Galix’s communicator crackled loudly.

     Hax’s distorted voice filled the corridor.

     “Status report.”

     “The Red Cells are open,” Galix replied immediately. “All priority detainees recovered.”

     “Good.”

     Static crackled across the transmission.

     “Security forces are converging on your position. Escort them to Docking Platform XYK7 immediately.”

     Hax continued coldly. “Professor Pride’s teams are already withdrawing from the station.”

     Envy tilted her head curiously.

     “So the professor succeeded.”

     “He exceeded my, admittedly somewhat low expectations,” Hax answered.

     Then the transmission ended.

     Galix gestured toward the dark maintenance corridors ahead.

     “This way ... ugh ... if you .. ugh please?”

     —

     Officer Alix burst through the transit doors moments later. He had taken the fastest route he knew and had entered into the detention level in what would have normally been a record time. He had passed through the ordinary low-security cells and move down the high security corridor to the entrance to the Red Cells.

     Almost as soon as he arrived he knew he was too late. The Red Cell corridor stood open before him with all of the containment doors unlocked.

     Every security system was disabled.

     At the sight of the empty cells his stomach dropped.

     “No…”

     He moved quickly between the chambers, checking each one desperately.

     Every priority detainee was gone.

     Commander Veln’s voice crackled through his communicator, startling him instantly.

     “Alix? Report!”

     He stared numbly into the empty cells.

     “They escaped, Sir. They all escaped.”

     Silence hung in the air before Veln chanced a question.

     “Which prisoners?”

     Alix swallowed hard.

     “All of them.”

     Even through the communicator, he could hear the shock that followed.

     The Red Cells housed names buried from public records. Criminals too dangerous to discuss openly. Former advisors, strategists, and scientists loyal to Dr Sloth himself.

     And now they were free. All of them, free.

     A sudden motion sensor alert flashed across Alix’s wrist display indicating that movement was detected in Maintenance Tunnel XK14, Sublevel Ninety Nine.

     Without hesitation, Alix sprinted toward it.

     —

     Galix led the group quickly through the forgotten maintenance sectors beneath Virtupets. Around them, station alarms continued echoing.

     Greed walked calmly despite the chaos.

     “I assume the financial systems remain vulnerable?” he asked casually.

     “Very,” Galix answered.

     Greed smiled with satisfaction, "“Excellent.”

     Ahead of them, Glut studied some exposed wiring along the corridor walls while muttering calculations to himself.

     “The station’s infrastructure is remarkably outdated,” he observed. “With the proper access, transportation grids could be remotely manipulated within hours. We could have shadow supply lines fully operational by the end of the week.”

     Envy glanced toward him.

     “A week?.”

     “The infrastructure is inefficient, that will delay our maximum productivity being reached,” Glut replied.

     Envy laughed softly.

     “Still obsessed with efficiency.”

     Suddenly a voice echoed from ahea of them, forcing the party to halt.

     “Stop right there!” Alix said as he emerged from a side corridor, blaster raised.

     Galix immediately moved protectively in front of the former prisoners while the Morix reached for his weapon.

     But Envy calmly placed a hand on Galix’s shoulder.

     “There is no need.”

     Alix’s eyes widened as he recognised the escapees.

     Analyst Glut.

     Treasurer Greed.

     Director Envy.

     Alix steadied his stun blaster.

     “You’re under arrest”, trying desperately to draw on every last part of his courage.

     Greed chuckled softly.

     “You know, this reminds of me a few years ago when ...”

     Alix fired instantly.

     But before the stun ring could connect, Glut slammed one enormous hand against a nearby maintenance conduit and the corridor lights exploded.

     Darkness swallowed everything around them and Alix stumbled backward as the intermittent illumination from the warning lights helped him gather his barings.

     He tried to rise when the floor beneath him suddenly shifted as the entire maintenance panels folded open beneath his feet.

     Revealing hidden service shafts.

     Alix fell hard onto a lower platform, his blaster skidding away into darkness.

     Above him, Galix peered over the edge briefly.

     “Sorry about that.”

     Then the panels slammed shut again.

     Alix groaned and climbed unsteadily to his feet.

     He had failed.

     Again.

     Turning over quickly, he saw the shaft continued in the direction of the corridor and Alix began to crawl.

     —

     Docking Platform XYK7 looked abandoned from the outside. Dust coated the old cargo rails and some of the overhead lights had failed years earlier.

     But hidden inside the sealed docking chamber, an enormous shuttle waited silently with engines already warming. Dozens of Team Sloth operatives moved quickly throughout the platform loading stolen supplies and equipment aboard.

     Professor Pride stood near the shuttle ramp, calmly overseeing the evacuation.

     When Galix and the others emerged from the tunnel entrance, Pride smiled faintly.

     “Welcome back,” he said as he raised his arms in greeting.

     Envy examined him carefully.

     “You survived longer than expected, Professor.”

     Pride inclined his head politely.

     “I appreciate the confidence.”

     The shuttle engines rumbled louder.

     From the shuttle a figure emerged from the shadows near the loading ramp.

     Supreme Commander Hax descended astride his hover chair.

     Galix and the other operatives immediately straightened.

     From the corner of the docking bay, Alix, who had just reached a small access vent on the wall froze in complete disbelief.

     Because he recognised the figure instantly.

     “Chief Engineer Rohax…?”

     As the figure descended the boading ramp, he slowly removed his helmet.

     Chief Engineer Rohax was one of the highest-ranking officials on Virtupets Station. He was trusted by Security Command and was responsible for maintaining large sections of the station infrastructure.

     And secretly…

     Supreme Commander Hax.

     Alix stared in horror.

     “No…”

     Everything suddenly made sense.

     The sabotaged systems.

     The hidden access routes.

     The disabled security networks.

     The precision of the attacks.

     They had been planned from within the station itself.

     Anger rose in Alix and blasted the vent, causing it to skate across the docking bay floor. He scrambled out and raised his blaster desperately.

     “Don’t move!”

     Dozens of Team Sloth operatives instantly aimed lazers back at him.

     He froze, realising he was hopelessly outnumbered.

     Again.

     Rohax simply tilted his head.

     “You did well today, Officer Alix, but I am sorry.”

     The words somehow felt worse than mockery.

     Rohax turned toward the gathered operatives.

     “All teams withdraw immediately.”

     Around the docking platform, Team Sloth members began boarding the shuttle in perfect coordination. As they turned, Alix began to recognise some of the faces. A merchant on the upper levels, a cleaner from the barracks.

     Horror dawned on him.

     Team Sloth were everywhere.

     Pride activated one final transmission through the station network.

     “All remaining cells disengage and evacuate. Mission successful.”

     Across Virtupets, hidden Team Sloth operatives vanished into maintenance corridors, transport shafts, and disguised escape routes.

     Their clever distractions and diversions had worked perfectly.

     Alix watched as the shuttle ramp began closing, feeling utterly helpless.

     “You can’t hide forever!” he shouted.

     Pride paused briefly near the entrance.

     “No, you're right” the professor agreed calmly. “We no longer need to hide.”

     The ramp sealed shut.

     The entire docking chamber trembled violently as the craft lifted upward and vanished into space.

     Silence followed.

     Only flashing emergency lights remained.

     Alix stood alone in the abandoned docking platform, trying desperately to process what had just happened.

     Team Sloth had returned.

     Stronger than ever.

     —

     Far from Virtupets Station, aboard the hidden shuttle, the leaders of Team Sloth gathered around a glowing strategy table. Maps and schematics rotated slowly through the dark chamber.

     Greed adjusted his cuffs neatly.

     “The station economy remains fragile,” he began smoothly. “Trade routes can be manipulated easily. Tariffs imposed. A few shortages, a few carefully placed rumours, and public confidence will collapse.”

     Envy smiled thoughtfully.

     “And frightened citizens are always eager for someone promising stability.”

     Glut activated several data screens simultaneously.

     “Virtupets infrastructure contains thousands of vulnerabilities. Communications. Transit systems. Energy grids. All exploitable.”

     Professor Pride folded his hands behind his back.

     “Virtupets no longer remembers who is in charge. Where the power really lies.”

     Rohax gazed at his comrades silently for several moments.

     Then he finally spoke.

     “We will remind them.”

     The shuttle continued deeper into space.

     The End?