The sun rose over the bustling city of Bikini Bottom, casting a warm glow across the underwater landscape. The events of the past week still lingered in the collective memory—the close call with annihilation, the pursuit of a dangerous fugitive, and the subsequent curfews imposed by the mayor. But now, as the dawn painted the sky in hues of coral and gold, the city was slowly finding its footing once more.
The Krusty Krab, that iconic eatery known to every fish in the metropolitan area, stood at the heart of it all. Operated by the dynamic duo of SpongeBob SquarePants and Squidward Tentacles, the restaurant had seen a surge in popularity to the point where the two opened up another restaurant in New Kelp City, and planning on expanding their business as their fame continued to rise. Eugene Krabs, the shrewd businessman who had once helmed the establishment, had retired, leaving the kitchen in the capable hands of his protégés.
SpongeBob had settled down ever since his last major battle. Many news outlets and talk shows have discussed heavily on what the yellow sponge went through, from losing a very close friend, to tracking down his friend's killer with his wife, SpongeBob have received mixed views from his heroic good deeds, from people claiming that he was a hero, to politicians bashing him for being a wannabe vigilante who should have been arrested for interfering with a police investigation. One thing was for certain about SpongeBob, and that was despite his previous battles, he didn't let his dignity and bright smile and strong will fluctuate from the negative influence of other people. After all, he had a family to look after.
He had woken up that morning in his newly renovated pineapple home, which had acquired a few nifty gadgets thanks to his wife.
After getting up from the bed he shared with his wife, wearing his tan pajamas. He had gone over to the bathroom in order to get his teeth clean and his wife washed up for the day.
After having done so, plus absorbing some of the water into his wife on the account that he WAS a sponge, he walked over of the personalized bathroom, grabbing a voice-controlled remote with a red light on the top. The remote had the data of what was in his and his wife's shared closet.
"Okay, white shirt, red tie, brown short with belt, white socks with blue and red lines on the top, and... black shoes," he spoke into the remote. The remote retrieved the request, and the red light shot a laser into SpongeBob's chest. His request was granted as he was fully changed in an instant flash, he was ready for the day.
After setting the remote down, he walked out of his and down the hall into his son's room. Richard 'Ricky' SquarePants look like any rodent humans would find in their backyard, with buck teeth, a small brown nose, a long furry tail and everything. The main different were the holes all over his body, as he was part sponge which comes with being extremely absorbent and giving his skin a warm beige color.
Ricky yawned and moaned as his father turned the light on in his room. SpongeBob smirked and walked over to try and pick his son up from the bed.
"Okay, sleepy head. I got to get you ready for school."
Ricky poked his head out of the covers and grinned. Similar to his father's profound enthusiasm for going to work (despite having been working in a greasy environment for year), Ricky had always loved going to school. Despite the fact that he had made quite a number of friends, his teachers and some of the moodier students could not stand his overbearing bright perspective on life...not that Ricky could notice, anyway.
Ricky pushed his covers back and allowed his father to pick him up in his father. SpongeBob chuckled and laid a noisy kiss on his son's forehead. "Now, let's get some food! Oatmeal or... Sugar Frosted Kelp Flakes?"
His son just gave him an 'are you serious' look? Who would choose the former over the latter?
SpongeBob chuckled as he took his son out of the room and down the hall into the kitchen. "Kelp Flakes it is."
After fixing his son breakfast, SpongeBob sat it down on the table as he and Ricky took their seats.
As they ate, SpongeBob pulled out his phone and scrolled through the news.
Weather report...yawn. The Bikini Bottom Boilers are heading to the finals? Alright! Oo la la, Miss Bikini Bottom is pregnant...again? That's like her third child in the past two years. At this rate, she's giving the stork a run for its money! Sheesh!
He continued scrolling when his phone rang. The caller ID read 'unknown', which got SpongeBob to become curious. He answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello?" A voice responded. It sounded a bit unsettling. More of a distorted female chipmunk voice.
SpongeBob raised an eyebrow. "Who is this?" He asked.
"I do not know...who am I speaking with?"
"I think you have the wrong number." SpongeBob said politely.
"What's your name?" The voice beckoned.
SpongeBob was not going to give this person his name. He was already feeling nervous about who this person was. He couldn't even tell if it was a male or female, based on the voice alone.
"Whoever this is...I think you have the wrong number. Bye!"
"If you hang up me, you'll die! Just like you're stupid friend!"
SpongeBob's eyes widened as he listened to the distorted voice on the other end of the phone. It was like something out of a horror movie. He glanced around the room, half-expecting to see a ghostly figure materialize.
"What do you want?" he demanded, his voice trembling.
The caller laughed, a high-pitched, eerie sound that sent shivers down SpongeBob's spine. "You think you can just hang up on me?" SpongeBob's heart pounded. Who was this person? And how did they know about his friend? Well, it was widespread knowledge about Patrick's passing, but was this some sort of sick joke?
"Listen here," he said, trying to sound brave, especially since his voice and demeanor caught the attention of his son. "I don't know who you are, but do not call this number again!"
The voice on the other end grew louder, more frantic. "You should be afraid! You should be very afraid!"
SpongeBob's mind raced. Was this some kind of prank? Or was it something more sinister? He glanced at the clock. Ricky would be late for school if they didn't leave soon.
"Look," he said, his voice low and urgent. "I don't have time for this.
"What? Going for a walk?" The voice sneered.
SpongeBob's patience snapped. "Enough!" he shouted. "Whoever you are, leave us alone!" And with that, he hung up the phone. His hands were shaking as he set the phone down. What kind of sick person would threaten a father and his child? He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Ricky appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide.
"Dad, who was that?" he asked.
SpongeBob forced a smile. "Just a wrong number, buddy," he said. "Nothing to worry about. Let's just finish up with breakfast."
After which, the father and son had completed their meal. After getting himself and his son cleaned up and dressing Rocky up in a matching shirt, tie, and shorts. SpongeBob took the keys to the Patty Wagon Mr. Krabs had handed down to him as a gift. Ricky got his backpack ready as he and his father stood near the door.
"You ready?" SpongeBob asked. His son just grinned and nodded. For a moment, SpongeBob completely forgot about the threatening call from the clearly disturbed individual. SpongeBob laughed before leading his son out the house. After locking his door. SpongeBob followed his energetic son down the walkway toward the Patty Wagon, but he stopped halfway and took a glance at the spot where Patrick's old rock used to be. Now it was replaced by a newly constructed home that had still not been bought from the realtor.
SpongeBob gaze fell as the memories once again engulfed him mind.
If I had been there for him… No! SpongeBob, don't venture there! Let go of the 'what might've been' or 'I should've done' thoughts. You have a family. Focus on doing whatever you can to make your best friend proud.
"Daddy..." a squeaky voice snapped SpongeBob out of his stupor. He looked down and noticed his son tugging on his pant leg, looking worried. "Are you okay?"
SpongeBob just gave his son a sad smile. "I am okay, son." He knelt down to his son's level. "I just thought of something sad."
"Oh...Mommy told me that when she is sad, she thinks of things that make her happy, and that helps her. It helps me, too." Ricky said with a bright smile. "I think of eating ice cream and blowing bubbles when I am sad, and that always makes me feel better!
SpongeBob found himself overwhelmed by the purity in his son's voice and words. He burst into laughter, wiping away a few tears that had gathered in his eyes. The combination of his son's childlike innocence and SpongeBob's own grief was enough to move him deeply.
SpongeBob sniffled as he tried speaking between his laughs. "You...You are so funny..." he managed to calm down and spoke. "You always know how to make me laugh."
"Mommy also told me laughter is the best medicine too," Ricky exclaimed cheerfully.
"That it is...now let's get going. You don't want to be late."
As the two boarded the car, SpongeBob drove off. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong, especially after someone just threatened him. He vowed to protect his son, no matter what. Nothing could conquer him...right?
"DOCTOR SQUAREPANTS!"
The dimly lit lab buzzed with the hum of fluorescent lights, casting elongated shadows across the cluttered workbenches. Dr. Sandy Cheeks-SquarePants, a thin brown-colored, peeked up from her microscope as her enthusiastic intern, Bethany Fishkin, burst through the door. Beth, a young red catfish with an unusual fascination for all things oceanic, clutched a clipboard between her fins. Her nerdy reputation didn't faze Sandy; in fact, the doctor admired Beth's unwavering passion for scientific discovery.
Sandy had settled into a quieter rhythm over the past several years. Now married and raising a child, she reveled in the hard-won peace she'd achieved—especially after the battles she'd faced not long ago. Adjusting her white lab coat over her large baby bump, Sandy smiled at Bethany, shaking her head. "Beth, I haven't had my coffee yet. What's the urgency?"
Beth's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I've stumbled upon an innovative method for miniaturizing advanced technology!"
Sandy raised an eyebrow. "Bethany, I invented that years ago. Did I ever tell you about the time I shrunk a submarine—with my husband inside—to retrieve a clarinet reed from our friend's throat?"
Sandy's husband, SpongeBob SquarePants, now ran the Krusty Krab after Mr. Krabs's retirement. The restaurant had become even more popular under SpongeBob's management, leading him to open two additional locations—one in downtown Bikini Bottom and another in New Kelp, as a gesture of gratitude to their neighboring city.
Beth groaned. "Yes, like a thousand times! But this is different! Let me—"
Just then, Sandy's cell phone pinged. She sighed. "Apologies, Bethany. I'll look into your discovery soon, but I have to take this call." As she stepped away, Sandy couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia. Bethany's energy reminded her of a dear friend she'd lost years ago—a friend who had shared her love for adventure and scientific breakthroughs. Perhaps, in Beth, Sandy saw a chance to pass on that legacy.
Once Sandy was out of the room and in the narrow hallway, she pulled out her phone and found a message from her old friend.
Sandy, come to the lobby right now. It's important.
Just then, a sturdy voice rang from the intercom. "Doctor SquarePants, you are needed up front. Doctor SquarePants, report to the front desk."
Bewildered by the sudden tone of the message and the text, Sandy sought to figure out what the whole ordeal could be. She rushed down the stairs and into the main lobby of her institute.
She beckoned Kat, the old lumpy gray fish who worked as the receptionist of Cheeks Innovation Headquarters. "What's going on?"
Kat looked up tiredly at her. "There is someone here that wants to speak to you."
"Who?"
"Hi, Sandy." Another voice spoke. Sandy turned her head and was stunned to see one of her old friends standing up from her seat in the waiting room.
Sandy grinned. "Nancy!" She hurried over and hugged the blond officer.
Nancy Hooks was an old friend for many years. She worked for the Bikini Bottom police force with her fiancé for many years before the couple joined the SSBI (Seven Seas Bureau of Investigation). Sandy hadn't seen her in person for ages, but the Nancy and her partner Chris Jumper had been keeping in touch with the Bikini Bottom gang through e-mail, air mail, texts, calls, etc.
Nancy squeezed the squirrel tightly. "Oh, Sandy, you haven't changed a bit!"
Sandy pulled away, still holding Nancy's fins. "Neither have you," she happily said before cooing. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Nancy said, squeezing Sandy's hands.
"So, what brings you here?" Sandy said, scratching her neck.
Nancy bit her lip, her gaze falling to the ground. "It's very...gruesome, Sandy, to say the least."
Sandy frowned and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by gruesome?"
"Sandy...have you watched the news this morning?"
Sandy rolled her eyes. "Not at all...news is bullshit."
Nancy looked up at the squirrel's eyes, not knowing how Sandy would take the news she had in store for her, but Nancy knew she had to spill the beans.
"Sandy...Arthur is dead."
Sandy's eyes widened. From a distance, she could hear Kat gasping in shock as she was overhearing the conversation from her desk.
"What did you s-say," Sandy stammered with her words, not yet able to process the news.
"Both him and his son were found dead in their head. Multiple stab wounds."
"My goodness," Sandy was exasperated, her hand hovered over her mouth. "Do they know who did it?"
Nancy helplessly grunted. "It's completely clueless. Not a single trace of DNA left at the scene. No hair, no bodily fluids...nothing! it was like they were killed by a ghost or something. We can even tell the person cleaned up the entire scene before bolting off. It smelled liked bleach when the cops came in and investigated after someone called 911 and reported the noise of glass shattering and a young boy screaming."
Sandy was baffled, her eyes were growing damp. Arthur had always spoke of his son while he worked with her and SpongeBob through their grief. Sandy had high hopes for the kid, but now that would not be made possible thanks to Blake's sudden death.
But Sandy felt the most grief from Arthur. She remembered his contribution in helping her and SpongeBob tracking down their friend Patrick's murderer. He even went as far as to fund money in order to cover the costs of the funeral expenses, especially since Patrick's family were already going through financial struggles.
"But...why are you here? It's not that I'm not happy seeing you, but..."
Nancy sighed. "I am here because even though there wasn't any DNA evidence at the scene, there have been a note that was written with Arthur blood that referenced you, which makes you a material witness to the crime."
Sandy's eyes widened in shock. "You think I had something to do with this?" She questioned with a hint of hostility.
Nancy waved her fin defensively. "No, not at all! But it is obvious the perpetrator knows you...and from what I can guess, probably murdered Arthur and Blake to get under you and SpongeBob's skin. I do not know who is behind all of this, but it is evident that they are after you guys."
Sandy's blood went cold. She was mortified by the news. She didn't know what to do at that moment. Someone was out to get her and her family.
"I got to call SpongeBob," she then thought of her son. "Oh, dear lord, Ricky."
She turned and ran back into her lab to grab her belongings and car keys.
Beth walked in and looked bewildered. "Doctor SquarePants, what's the issue?"
"Beth, there's a family emergency. Could you manage the lab during my absence?" Sandy urgently asked, anxiety emanating from her voice.
Beth nodded. "Doctor SquarePants, I do not wish for you to go through this alone. Don't be mad, but I did stick my nose where it shouldn't have been and overheard your conversation with your friend over there."
Sandy's eyes widened, before shooting Beth with a cold glare.
Beth then spoke defensively. "However, if you need any assistance, this whole lab could come in handy in case you need some extreme forensic work to be done."
Sandy sighed. "Beth, the police found nothing that could be used to examination."
Beth nodded. "I understand, but the thing is...Arthur was a high ranking authority figure. And the last major thing he had done was helping you and SpongeBob. What if your friend Nancy is right? Whoever is behind this is lurking toward you."
Sandy thought for a moment. She realized Beth was right. The whole business was shifting the field of science to a whole new level. This could come into play in protecting Sandy's family, as well as stopping the killer.
"Thanks Beth," Sandy said with a grateful smile. "I'll let you know, but I got to go right now." She leaned against the door, but before she left, she gave one last quip to Beth. "Also, Beth, when I am off the clock, the name is Sandy. Alright?"
Beth giggled and gave the scientist a salute. Sandy rolled her eyes and chuckled.
The squirrel rushed out of the lab, eager to get home. Once she was outside, she was suddenly bombarded by several news reporters who previously wanted an insight of her latest creation, but now wanted her input on the recent double homicide of Bikini Bottom's top law enforcement officer and his son.
Sandy paid no heed to the barrage of incessant and overlapping questions hurled at her by the increasingly desperate reporters and their accompanying camera crew. With an eye roll, she made her way to her car and drove off without uttering a single word to the now irate media team.
She needed to get to the bottom of this before anyone else gets hurt. Or worse...
That's it for this chapter. Reviews? I need feedback!