A submarine dived into the South China Sea while several boats waited back at the surface. The sea was mostly calm and the sun was out. There were a few clouds in the sky that were distant from each other.
Onboard one of the ships were two spies, named Zhang and Jack, that managed to get themselves assigned to the investigation of what has been happening to the ships in the area. They observed monitors at the command center displaying live footage from the submarine. They bugged the system to transmit the video feed back to the headquarters of their organization. The two spies occasionally glanced at each other for they were seated beside each other.
Earlier they had a conversation back in their assigned living cabin before the ships arrived to the location.
"So, Zhang, what do you think we'll find?" Jack said as he laid on the top of the bunk bed while looking at the ceiling.
"I don't know which is why we are here, Jack. No doubt it's something terrible if ships just disappear. It doesn't help the distressed signals sent by one of the ships didn't say much." Zhang stated while he sat hunch over a small desk replacing the lens of a spy camera with tweezers, though it was somewhat difficult due to the ship rocking.
"Yeah... Hey, put that cam away. Wouldn't want anyone to walk in and see it."
"There's not much to do and I been meaning to fix it. Now seems like the best time." Zhang replied.
"Replacements are free." Jack said as he turned in his bed to look down at Zhang.
"I know but it be a waste."
"What if we get caught with it? I don't want to be imprisoned or dumped into the sea." Jack complained as he gotten off of the bunk bed. He crouched down to a duffel bag near the beds. He unzipped it and took out a small bag that contained saltine crackers. There was a long silence before Jack ended it with a more serious subject.
"I guess we should be more worried of us disappearing with the whole ship. I wonder if we would be forever lost or be found years later... Do you sometimes wonder if we really make a difference in the world? Even if we die?"
"I try not to think about, Jack. We'll be fine." Assured Zhang as he looked away from the spy camera to face Jack.
"I hope so. I really hoped to go see Japan next month. Yeah. Anyway, I'm going to the restroom, Zhang."
"Oh, well, okay." Zhang replied as he observed Jack leave the room. When Jack left, Zhang was left pondering on the potential danger they were in but he had a small bit of hope.
Back to the present, Zhang and Jack continued to look at each other at the command center before resuming their duties monitoring the submarine.
The submarine had various lights on it and slowly made its decent to the ocean floor. Two people were inside it.
Meanwhile, the humanoid being was within the tower at the center of the sunken city. The interior of the complex was industrial in appearance, filled with sound from moving mechanical parts, some of which were fused with organic material. Everything inside was devoid of any color, appearing gloomy.
The figure was standing in the middle of a large, dome-shaped room that projected holographic images of various planets and star systems. It was interrupted when the projections turned into the image of the submarine descending along side a warning message.
The humanoid was heading out of the tower through an airlock, which quickly filled with water. Soon it was outside and headed toward the submarine. Several massive creatures lifted their heads up from among the buildings of the city to observe their master leaving.
"Nothing on the sonar. Read me command?" One of the submarine pilots said to his headset microphone.
"We got you." Someone from command responded.
The submarine continued without incident down to the ocean, becoming deeper within the darkness of the sea. The lights aboard the submarine barely illuminated much.
Then, something passed one of the cameras.
"I think I'm seeing something, command."
"We saw it too. Temporarily cease descent."
The being watched the submarine from the darkness where it grew crustacean limbs and tentacles. It then rushed toward the side of submarine with immense speed. It grabbed and torn the metal of the vehicle apart. The cameras caught blurry glimpses of the creature's limbs before going offline. All that remained was the sound of rushing water and screams.
Zhang and Jack gave a grim look to each other back at the control center while personnel scrambled to reestablish contact with the submarine.
The pieces of the submarine along with the bodies of the two pilots slowly sunk to the bottom of the ocean. The humanoid swam upward toward the surface while growing longer tentacles lined with thick, organic armor plating.
The radar systems of the boats detected the presence of the being as it propelled itself. Zhang and Jack rose from their stations and moved toward the exits while everyone at the command center were too preoccupied with the situation at hand. Before they reached the door, the two were called out by someone at a monitor nearby the exit.
"Where are you two going?" A deep feminine voice said.
The two turned and saw a woman that wore a pair of glasses looking at them. She squinted her eyes and was going to say something else but she was interrupted by hearing the other ship over the speakers present.
"We are under attack!"
Everyone looked at the monitors except for Zhang and Jack.
The other ship was quickly being torn about by the humanoid who whipped its tentacles at the bottom of the ship before going inside. A section of the ship had also exploded, leading to more water going inside. The being got to a section of the ship that was not flooded but two men were closing a metal door which it grabbed and pulled back. The men on the other side looked in horror at the entity, particularly at its face.
It had no jawline which made its face blend with its neck. It's mouth was a lip-less, vertical slit with sharp needle-like teeth. The worst were the glowing, lifeless eyes it had.
The men were frozen with fear while water rushed by their ankles from the lower levels of the ship. Before they could attempt to move, their heads were quickly sliced off by a tentacle. The humanoid continued forward, tearing at the ship from the inside by rapidly flailing its powerful tentacles. Cameras aboard the ship captured its destructive path before getting destroyed.
A few members of the crew armed themselves with pistols and proceeded down to subdue the entity while the rest evacuated to the deck which had a helicopter landing pad. It was a group of five individuals and they met the entity at a corridor, continuing to rend the ship. It was at the end and it looked at them. The group immediately opened fired upon the creature that was before them and it rushed toward them while lashing out with its tentacles. The bullets had no effect and soon the men were torn apart.
Back at the other ship, Jack and Zhang retreated to their room to collect their possessions.
"Sea monster. Had to be a sea monster." Jack muttered to himself as he grabbed the duffel bag and wore it over his shoulder.
"It likely can be killed. Let's get out of here. HQ will definitely have seen the feed and they'll handle everything else." Zhang said to Jack as he opened a cabinet and took out extra ammunition for his gun hidden on his person.
The two spies proceeded to leave the room to get to the deck where there would be a helicopter landing pad as well. Meanwhile, the humanoid had completely destroyed the ship and it was quickly sinking. The ship was tilted to its side and unfortunately the helicopter on top rolled down into the sea before it could take off with some crew members.
It exited from the wrecked vessel, leaving those alive to drown or be food for its army down below. It quickly went toward the other vessel where Zhang and Jack were located. Other boats present, which were smaller, attempted to flee while they had time but it would be futile for the humanoid was faster than them and would catch up.
Like before, it lashed at the ship, creating large gashes on the side that led to water flooding in. It then moved toward the surface and used its tentacles to grab the railings on the side to lift itself onto the deck where many crew members were to get aboard the helicopter. It slaughtered everyone present, and Jack and Zhang arrived on time to watch it head to the helicopter and destroy it. They watched with dread.
"We're fucked." Jack exclaimed to Zhang as they both watched the bizarre being before them crawled toward the railing and drop itself into the water.
"Fuck it, I'm calling for assistance. I am not sure if HQ has an understanding of what's happening. Get the satellite phone from the bag, Jack!" Zhang ordered as he looked around wondering what they would do. Jack found the phone and handed it to Zhang. He quickly dialed the number of the nearest aerial aid that could come.
While the phone rang, a crew member exited from the ship to the deck and looked on in horror at the bodies.
"What the hell happened here?" Asked the crew member before Jack drew out a pistol from the bag and shot them. They didn't need any distractions at the moment.
Someone fortunately answered their call and Zhang eagerly asked for an emergency pick-up. He was assured by the operator that a helicopter was on its way.
Meanwhile, the ship was continuously being attacked and was sinking faster at a down angle. Zhang and Jack then proceeded to the bow of the ship and looked at each other with despair in their faces.
"So... Let's keep an optimistic attitude that rescue will come in time?" Jack said to Zhang.
"Whatever. Just get ready to shoot at the monster if we see it again. Also, be ready to hold onto the railing."
Pests. I hoped for a challenge with these humans but oh well. Perhaps we'll see what futile might mankind would present to us when we rise that may actually offer a challenge. A small part of me hopes for at least a small thrill before we clamp down our jaws upon our weak foes and snuff them out. What a pleasure that will be in the name of our Lord.
The figure watched on from the water as the two large ships sank. Crew members frantically swam towards nowhere, and they were devoured one by one by several large, mutated sharks summoned by the being to finish them off so it can go pursue the other ships. Although, it would have loved to watch every second of the terrified humans as they flailed in the water.
It approached one of the vessels underwater. At the hull, there were three windows and someone looked through one of them with a camera connected to a computer. They took multiple pictures and quickly looked at the computer nearby which was on a table. They immediately sent the images to various individuals before they heard a loud thud. They looked up and saw the face of the being at the window.
The humanoid reeled its head back and rammed it at the glass, leading to water rapidly flooding inside. It used its tentacles to widen the opening and proceeded to the next ship.
It rushed through the water and tore the hulls apart of all the other ships. It then had a thought.
Hmm. More material.
It then sent out a psychic communication to its brethren far below to prepare for disassembling the vessels. It didn't hurt to have extra material.
Zhang and Jack clutched at pieces of floating debris. They watched shark fins poke out from the surface of the water and moving about to feast on survivors.
"I-I don't think they'll come in time, man." Jack said to Zhang as he shivered.
"Uh, no, they'll make it. Hold on a while longer." Zhang replied as he looked around at the sky, hoping to see the helicopter.
"Hey, man... It's been a pleasure working with y-you."
"Shut up, Jack. Don't get all sentimental with me right now."
The two then turned their heads to see a shark fin slowly heading toward them.
"Fuck... Cyanide tablet?" Zhang said to Jack while he continued to watch the fin get closer.
"I-I g-got them in my pocket." Jack replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Me too. To the count of three, we swallow the pills."
"Alright..."
"And Jack... It was nice working with you too."
Jack and Zhang smiled to each other before they met their inevitable end.
Ed was in his office. He was looking at many new reports on his computer. He clicked on the newest report that was an update regarding the potential anomaly at the South China Sea.
He read through it. It detailed the lost of two operatives, the sinking of various ships, and recovered images of whatever was responsible which was at the bottom of the page.
Ed was looking at the photo of the sea creature when it was approaching the ship with the person that photographed it. He quietly stared at it until seeing there was more to the report. It stated that somehow the image appeared online and efforts were being done to discredit the image.
Ed sighed and closed the file.
The underwater city rumbled as ancient machines were being reactivated. Several hydrothermal vents opened up and the creatures that lurked in the city sang a horrid song with no meaning in twisted celebration for the ultimate feast to come.
The monstrous humanoid figure from earlier was back in the tower at the center of the city, sitting on a rectangular, elevated throne made of a dark colored stone. The room was like a dome and both sides of the chamber were symmetrical pedestal displays that had ancient artifacts from long forgotten places and times.
The being sat back in its throne and held up the side of its head with one of its hands. It was motionless and stayed that way for a while with only its thoughts for company. For it, things were going to be very interesting after all the years of waiting and preparing.