Chapter 3: Team Swap, Test 1
"I knew a surprise attack wouldn't work! And you all kept pestering me to do so," Shepard angrily said to the other Imps.
"Well, ye should've thought of a backup plan, lad," the Scallywag Imp next to him piped up.
"You didn't give me time! You all were hellbent on barging in and nabbing the first plant you saw. You're all lucky I managed to make off with some Weeds," Shepard continued, dragging three unconscious Weeds behind him.
Shepard then pulled out his walkie-talkie and contacted Zomboss to teleport him and the other Imps into his secret lab underneath Zomboss Estate.
"Ah, there you are. I sincerely hope that your so-called 'surprise' attack wasn't a complete failure," Zomboss said, his throne facing away from the Imps as he typed on a computer in front of him.
"Well, we weren't able to capture any effective plants, but we captured some Weeds for you to use," Shepard began.
"WEEDS?! AND HOW AM I, DR. ZOMBOSS, SUPPOSED TO TOPPLE THE PLANTS WITH ONLY THREE WEEDS?!" screeched Zomboss as he quickly rotated the throne with a fury that could even frighten a Giga Gargantuar.
"T-test subjects?" a frightened Shepard managed to say.
"Hmm… That will do. I mean, why set your plan into motion if you don't even know if it works, right?" Zomboss then activated the PA system to call down the Heroes, Prof. Brainstorm specifically, who entered the laboratory moments later.
"Sir, you're just in luck! I had only just come up with a procedure to indoctrinate, biologically modify, augment, and convert plants so they could fight for us! It's just what you asked!" an ecstatic Brainstorm said, handing over a folder occupied by several typed pages on the exact same topic.
"Brainstorm, I'm impressed by your work, but we'll have to put it to the test first before the fun really starts."
"Understood, sir. Shall we?"
"With only two scientists? Let's bring in some backup," replied Zomboss as he proceeded to teleport several Scientist zombies who looked competent enough to help. "Shepard! Give me one of those Weeds!"
"On it, sir," said Shepard as he dragged one of the Weeds over to Zomboss, while the other Imps just sat around or stared intently.
After several hours of careful work, it was done. The first Swapper since the renegade problem had been created.
To test it, Zomboss used the other two Weeds as training dummies wearing plant masks. Needless to say, Barth the Sanitation Worker had to work a little extra that night to clean out the room of any remains of the dummies, which could be accurately described as putting mulch in a lawnmower: everywhere.
"Brainstorm, perhaps I've underestimated your true intellect. You've truly done great work here tonight," Zomboss said.
"Well… Thank you, sir," the Professor nervously said.
"Yeah, yeah. Just don't let it go to your head. You won't be getting any special treatment from me anytime soon, Professor. Now go."
"Right away, sir," Brainstorm replied as he walked out.
"Same goes for you, Shepard. You're getting as much special attention as that browncoat down the hall there. Just because you sped up the progress of my work doesn't mean you become a hero of the zombies. Understood?" asked Zomboss as he turned to face Shepard and the other Imps.
"Understandable, have a great day," was all that Shepard could say before he was teleported back to his own secret lab.
Now alone, Dr. Zomboss slowly built up an evil laugh, knowing the hell he could unleash upon the plant armies across the world, and they would meet the end they deserved long ago...