THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY

(UNSSD headquarters, Sulawesi, May 2134)

Director Kovac and Secretary Li are seated in a small office, with the shades drawn, throwing the entire room into pitch black darkness.

The 2 leaders of UNSSD have called for an emergency intelligence debrief to discuss what has happened in the month, as well as planning what is to happen next.

Director Kovac absent-mindedly flicked his pen as he waited for the meeting to start. Secretary Li, on the other hand, is busy chatting away on his phone, responding to work messages.

Dr Allen, who is in the meeting representing the science departments, nervously fiddled with his tablet and practising his presentation for later. He is a nervous presenter.

The Commander of the UNSSD SOC, Major General Wilson Ling drank a sip from his Kopi-O, or black coffee.

Franz and Xiao Tian sat at the end of the meeting room. They are now dressed in ceremonial uniform as opposed to the camouflaged uniforms and tactical clothes that they wear normally.

The holographic projector in the room is switched on, illuminating the room with a blue tint.

"I will make this quick," said Grand Marshal Josef Romanov, the commander in charge of UNSSD's military forces, and the Chief of Staff.

"Analysis of the intel collected from Spain and Netherlands indicates that the Vanguard terrorists, the most major none-state threat to the world is planning something major involving biological weapons," he said. "While raids conducted by the SOC operators and by the authorities of each nation have managed to disrupt the main black market trade route of illegally procured medical equipment, their operations still remain intact, and have dug further underground."

"May I invite Dr Sheldon Allen to explain more?" he asked.

Dr Allen stood up, shakily going to the front of the room. "Hi..." he stammered. Calming himself down, he took a sip of water, readying himself.

"Based on the study by the labs of the microbe samples and other intel recovered. We believe that they are trying to create a perverted version of the Asclepius phage," began Dr Allen.

Director Kovac frowned. "You mean that Asclepius phage released by the WHO in 2121 to combat the Ebola outbreak in Africa?"

Dr Allen nodded. "As we all know, the Asclepius phage is the first life form created by men capable of having attacking designated genetic treads based on artificially inputted directives. . Such a technology is one of the 156 technological aid we received from GOMCA. Using the phage, we managed to make the Ebola virus extinct on Earth by using it to attack the Ebola virus like a precision weapon. The 2121 outbreak is the first time in human history where Ebola had a 0% mortality rate."

He showed them the analysis results of the samples.

"These Vanguard terrorists are trying to broaden the attack targets, from the DNA of simple viruses and bacteria to more complex targets like animal tissue and cells, turning them into precision bio-weapons. At the same time, they are also trying to find a way to remove the artificial DNA thread from these phages that allows them to be remotely terminated by WHO broadcasted signals."

"I have a question," an officer in the room raised his hand. "If I remember correctly, once the Asclepius phage finish its programmed role it will deactivate, then to be recycled by the WHO using drones. Only after an authorisation code is keyed into them will they be re-activated and able to take a new directive."

"So, where the hell did Vanguard get their hands on the samples?" asked the officer.

"Good question," replied Grand Marshal Romanov. "Intel we recovered from Mr T positioned the leak of the phages in the UK, but when UNSSD lodged a request for an investigation into the UK medical facilities that have used the phages, things didn't exactly go smoothly."

He played an audio file, it is the recorded conversation between the UNSSD representative, and the UK Home Secretary.

"Alright, so you admit that there may be a breach in the nation's most important medical facilities, but His Majesty's government refuse to allow UNSSD investigation into it, why?"

"There is a perfectly satisfactory explanation for everything, but security forbids its disclosure. This unfortunate lapse will be dealt with internal inquiries and disciplinary procedures," was the reply she got.

Director Kovac laughed out.

"I guess things are different when the current Minister for Health is their party's candidate for the next PM of UK?" laughed Grand Marshal Romanov.

"You can't check up on everything, you don't know what you might find!" laughed Director Kovac sarcastically.

"Jokes aside," said Director Kovac. "How are we going to get our inquiry done then?"

General Ling shrugged, lying back on his chair. "Well, if the British aren't being gentlemanly, we will help them become gentlemen," he grinned.

"See to it, Colonel?" he asked, directing his attention to Franz.

"Sir, I think perhaps we should consider other options?" asked Franz nervously. After all, he is the only Sellardraxian in this room.

"We don't have the time for that, unfortunately," replied General Ling. He then turned to Xiao Tian. "What do you think, Mr Zhou?"

Despite being the lowest ranked officer in the room, General Ling treated Xiao Tian with a lot of respect.

Xiao Tian stood up, saluting his superiors. "Promise to finish the mission."

Franz then too stood up, saluting.

"Alright then, Task Force Prime will carry out this operation, we will leave the details to you all," said General Ling.

Director Kovac nodded. "Now gentlemen," he said to the people in the room. "Remember that this conversation never happened," he said.

With that, they exited the meeting room, with a few officers remaining behind to tidy up the room and draw the shades back up.

Secretary Li went to the washroom, once he is sure that no one is around him, he entered a cubicle, and did a quick check for any radio bugs around him.

Ensuring that he is secure and alone, he removed the card from his phone, taking out another card hidden in his watch and slotted it into his phone. He opened a chat room in an encrypted channel, typing in a message.

"Spectre, this is Yan," he typed. His codename is named after the ruler of the underworld in Chinese folklore.

"Bonjour," replied the person he is chatting with.

"They have found UK," typed Secretary Li.

"Expected them to, any directives for me?" asked "Spectre".

"Negative, lay low for now. Let them carry out the operation," replied Secretary Li.

"Understood, I await your orders," replied "Spectre", going offline.

Secretary Li quickly changed his cards back, then flushing, pretending to be using the washroom.

On the other side of the world in Albania, a masked Sellardraxian of the Inari subspecies closed his phone, swapping out the cards.

Adjusting his body armour, he walked out of the building he is in, walking in the dark Albanian night towards a clearing, where several people have bags thrown over them. Flying above him is a black flag with a white eye emitting magic from it—the symbol of Vanguard.

The Vanguard terrorists immediately saluted "Spectre", recognising the Joker card velcro patch on his helmet that serves as this Vanguard operator's personal symbol.

"Spectre" crouched down beside a man, pulling his bag off. He looked into the man's eyes, pulling out his phone, and dialing a number.

"Tell him, what you told us," he smiled.

"The access code for the London fusion reactor is..." muttered the man, frightened.

"Thank you," said the person on the other side, speaking in a heavy British accent.

"Good boy,' smiled "Spectre" in French.

The man suddenly shuddered, and crimson red ice picks soon protruded and erupted from his body, turning his entire body into one giant, red, icy crystal, killing him instantly. The death is quick and painless, as "Spectre" had desired.

He then drew his MR-38 revolver, shooting the rest in the head, killing them.

He pushed out the spent 6 .357 magnum casings, reloading his revolver, then sliding it back to his holster.

"Boss," asked a Vanguard terrorist. "Should we head off to London too?"

"Wait for Lord Kronos' orders, we will be called upon if we are needed," smiled "Spectre".

(Tokyo)

Franz stretched, stepping out with Xiao Tian in the small utility plane that they had flown to Indonesia with.

"That was one heck of a business trip," mused Franz. Xiao Tian remained quiet.

Franz frowned. "You thinking of the mission plan?"

"No Sir," replied Xiao Tian. "Something more important."

"What?" asked Franz, only for Xiao Tian's next reply to almost cause him to faint on the spot.

"How many slices of cake I should eat at Corporal Louis Fletcher's birthday celebration later?"

(Dormitory canteen)

"Happy birthday!" exclaimed Nanami. All of the people in the canteen clapped, they are essentially almost everyone under Task Force Prime.

"Thanks guys!" exclaimed Louis in appreciation as he is led into the canteen by Sean and Phineas.

His jaws dropped at the fancy cake on the table. It's the kind that one would expect to find in fancy hotel buffets.

"Guys, there is really no need for this..." he said, at a loss of words.

"Relax," smiled Bryan. "Second Lieutenant Ariel Wagner made the cake. Really impressive, I must say," he chuckled.

"I wish she was the head chef in the canteen instead of the Team Zero breacher" quipped Maia.

"Heh, if she is the head chef, we all need to double down in PT to lose the extra weight!" commented Xiao Tian.

Everyone laughed.

Aya poked Xiao Tian playfully. She then leaned to his ear. "Will you still love me if I was fat?" she whispered.

"Without question," Xiao Tian whispered back with hesitation.

"Liar..." muttered a flustered Aya.

"Where is Ariel, by the way?" asked Phineas, looking around.

"No idea, probably still cleaning up in the kitchen," replied Santos.

Just as they are about to cut the cake, the doors on the other side burst open, and then to everyone's confusion, Ariel rolled in a cart, with an equally fanciful birthday cake on it, albeit in a different flavour.

"Sorry for the wait comrades," she laughed apologetically, stopping once she saw the cake on the table and the confused expressions of her comrades.

"Huh, what's this?" asked Ariel.

"Did you not make that?" asked Albert. Ariel shook her head profusely.

"Strange, then where did this cake come from?" asked Sean.

He asked around, finding out from Maia that the cake was already in the canteen when they entered to set up the place. They had thought that it was Ariel who put it there.

Perplexed, Sean checked with the robot receptionist, learning that the cake was in fact delivered in from outside the base. The robot saw that the cake was meant for Louis, hence opening the box and laying it down at the canteen table as it is aware that today is Louis' birthday celebration.

The robot then went over to the trash area, handing Sean the original box of the cake it had discarded.

"Is the order placed from Boston?" asked Louis from the table. "Could be from my parents." 

"No," said Sean. "Paris."

"Is there a sender name anywhere..." he muttered, flipping the box around. A note then slipped out of the box. Sean instantly grabbed it the moment he noticed it.

He looked at the slip of paper. The shade of the red ink used to print the note from an evidently hand-written sentence oddly resembled that of lipstick, and a very provocatively red one.

"There is a note in French Louis, can you read it?" he asked.

Louis frowned, walking over. Being an ex Spades International contractor made him fluent in the language.

Upon reading the note, Louis' eyes widened in horror, hurriedly crumpling and throwing the note into the trash. He returned back to the table, and immediately took a big slice out of Ariel's cake, eating it, ignoring the cake on the table.

(2 hours later)

Sean cleared the now empty base plates of the 2 cakes.

"Strange, Louis didn't eat a single slice from the Paris cake," he commented.

Frederica nodded, looking at the note she had recovered from the trash.

"What does it say?" asked Sean.

"Happy birthday, please come back to Paris some time. I can bring you to a nice restaurant with the best lobsters. Yours Truly, Charlotte," read Frederica.

"Charlotte...isn't she the feared Bethorian instructor of Spades International?" asked Albert, remembering the horror stories Louis shared with them during their time as cadets. Her methods are so brutal that Louis developed a phobia that is triggered whenever he hears the motto of the company.

"To be fair, according to Louis, she was more brutal than the King of Bast*rds ever was," mused Sean, ensuring that Franz is out of earshot.

"But if you ask me, it's kind of rude to ignore your ex-boss' goodwill to you nonetheless," he said.

"Which reminds me," said Xiao Tian. "I did call for the Spades' assistance in our next mission."

"What kind of mission?" asked Sean.

"You will love it!"

(One week later, on board submarine USS Trump)

"Oh, I f***ing love it..." muttered Sean sarcastically as he entered the small craft used for special forces infiltration, checking that his air tank in the specialised deep diving Exo-suit is full.

The 4 mission teams: Team Zero, Team Ion, Team Raptor and Team Phantom are currently deep under the territorial waters of the UK. Their mission, is to infiltrate into Dover, where intel suggests to house a medical facility that may had been the source of leak.

As the operation is not sanctioned by the British government, the UNSSD operators are essentially black-ops. If they were to be caught by the British authorities, they will not be treated as friendly troops.

Xiao Tian had arranged with the US navy to discreetly insert them via submarine into Dover. Captain Michael Miller of the USS Trump is a good friend of Xiao Tian's, thus given the task.

USS Trump broke off from the rest of its fleet discreetly on the annual US naval exercise in the area, sailing into Dover undetected.

Sean readied himself in the claustrophobic space of the infiltration craft.

"The only easy day was yesterday, huh," he mused. This is the first black-ops mission he had been sent on in his military career.