A few days later, Ricky walked into the sewers with a team of government agents who were carrying flamethrowers, fly swatters, and were dressed in full body mesh and industrial face masks.
Looking at them, Ricky rolled his eyes.
Armed with the Thundering Destroyer, he was simply dressed in a set of sweats, water boots, and one of the little blue surgical masks he often wore for training.
'It's just getting rid of some flies," he thought.
Still the air was thick with humidity and despair.
The government officials kept glancing nervously at each other as they ventured deeper into the sewers.
Communication among the strike force was kept to a minimum to avoid stirring up the mutant swarm they heard buzzing faintly in the distance.
Yes, the strike force!
The day those two government officials came to see Ricky, they asked him to join the special strike force San Alvera City had put together to exterminate Emperor Filthius IX and his swarm for good.
Why reach out to Ricky instead of professional pest exterminators, or trained army officials?
They saw Tim's now-viral social media video titled 'Zap Daddy Holds Up the Sky!! – Secret Fly-Chi Techniques Unveiled!!' and decided to recruit him.
"You're the only man who's been able to take down so many of those mutant pests," the officials had said to him that day.
Remembering the conversation, Ricky let out a tired sigh. He only agreed to join their so-called strike force because just when he was about to refuse, the memory of old Mrs. Sweeney puking her guts out in the hospital flashed across his mind.
She was holed up at home, ducking in terror at buzzing noises and afraid to bake pies the last time he checked on her.
The world had changed since Mrs. Sweeney stopped feeling safe enough to bake her pies.
He had trained like a demon behind Grease King Burgers for this very reason!
Slowly and quietly, the strike force advanced, and as they did the tension in the air thickened.
His senses tingled. He could hear it. Thousands of wings beat in annoying discord up ahead.
Ricky gripped the Thundering Destroyer tighter.
A neon green glow lit up the darkness.
From the shadows emerged Emperor Filthius IX, towering, glistening, wearing tattered paisley drapes on his shoulders like a cape. His voice was like wet paper tearing, and his two huge red eyes glistened like radioactive orbs.
"Human! You dare to enter my kingdom of decay?!"
Just then, a bright light shone from behind the strike force, and Emperor Filthius IX sucked in a sharp breath as it hit him in the eyes.
"You all came back with more reporters?!" he roared as a voice that was annoyingly familiar to Ricky began chattering behind them.
Tim, AKA Minster-Mental was right behind them, camera pointed forward, cackling like a maniac.
"We're here with another Mental-Morning folks, where our hero ZAP DADDY faces off against the king of flies – EMPEROR FILTHIUS IX!" he began narrating crazily.
Ricky face-palmed in disappointment.
He stared at the glaring light and asked with his typical deadpan expression, "Why do you keep following me?"
The strike force was so shocked they simply stared; mouths open behind their gas masks.
'When did this guy get here?'
'I thought this was a classified mission.'
'How come no one heard him following us down here.'
These kinds of thoughts ran through the agents' minds.
"What dog fart Fly Emperor, he's seeking DEATH!" Tim roared. "The flies descended at our city festival, ruined everything, and now, led by our hero Zap Daddy the hunters have come! Hehehehehe…."
Giving a wink as he swung his camera briefly over the strike force, Tim retreated even further away, hiding behind an old refrigerator.
"Go get 'em Zap Daddy!" he hollered as he scampered off.
"Go back to your disgusting city!" Emperor Filthius IX thundered. "It reeks of disinfectant and righteousness!"
Ricky sighed heavily and raised The Thundering Destroyer. "I'm just here to clean up."
"Arrogant mammal. You swat one fly, a thousand more will feast on your corpse!" Emperor Filthius IX thundered.
"Then I'll just have to swat a thousand." Ricky replied.