Chapter 11

Mei's POV

I stepped on the train to the sounds of Marina and Pearl freaking out.

"What's going on?" I asked, confused.

"Quick, bucko!" The Cap'n shouted. "We need to check D08. Agent 9's gone missin'!"

"Missin'?!" My eyes widened. I quickly selected D08. Strangely, the test was marked as incomplete.

After a few minutes, we arrived. It seemed like a normal station, the testing area just ahead. I swiped the card and went through the gate. It was a very difficult test and I suffered more than a few failures, but overall, nothing out of the ordinary.

I left the station with mem cake in hand, confused as to what happened.

"Well?" The Cap'n asked. "Did ya find him?"

"No." I told him. "I couldn't find him anywhere."

"I can't find his CQ-80's signal anywhere." Marina said. "It's like he dropped off the face of the Earth."

"Man, this place is really givin' me the creeps." Pearl remarked.

"Well, for now, the only thing we can do is keep doing the tests for now and hope we find him." The Cap'n pointed out.

I couldn't believe it. I was mad at him for hours and when I just gave him a second chance, he disappeared. I felt awful.

"Hey now," The Cap'n wanted to cheer me up. "Don't worry, I swear we'll find him or my name isn't Craig Cuttlefish."

"We'll keep looking, Mei." Marina said.

"Shell yeah!" Pearl chimed in. "We've got both yo backs!"

That cheered me up a bit. Not by much, but it helped. I selected the next station.

Deapsea Metro…Nine's POV

"-and I have no doubt that the Octarians in the testing rooms were normal Octarians." I said, looking at Catherine on the floor. "Something in here turned them into those and-AH!"

"S-sorry!" Sloane apologized, rubbing a cotton swab over my eye. "I-I can't believe that. Why would the Kamabo Corporation do that?"

"Who knows?" I said. "I don't even know what these tests are for. What does Kamabo even do, anyway?"

"Well, they run the testing facility, the Metro, and many businesses down here?" Sloane explained.

"But what's the testing facility for?" I asked. "What are they trying to accomplish?"

"I'm not sure…" She responded. "Whenever I asked the phone, I was always told it was 'above my pay grade'."

"The Phone said something to you?" I asked. "Every time I talked to it, nothing happened. It only talked to us after we got the Thangs. Well, not so much talked to us as talked at us."

"Maybe it's because you're not an employee." She suggested.

"Well, maybe we should both go to the Central Station." I suggested. "Maybe with you around, I can get an answer."

"Good idea!" She said.

I selected Central Station.

…

I selected Central Station!

…

For some reason, it wasn't letting me select it.

The Train then came to a screeching halt. It started going in the other direction.

"Maaaybe we should do something about that." I suggested.

Sloane nodded and we rushed to the other train car. Sloane reached under the train and detached the two cars. Our train car started slowing down while the other kept speeding off, disappearing into the distance. We stepped off the train.

"Alright!" I looked around. "But we're still on a bridge…"

"And that's not the worst part." Sloane pointed to lights from the other train car coming back at full speed.

I quickly shifted into octopus form, grabbed Sloane, and jumped to the side, hanging on the ledge. The train cars smashed into each other, tumbling off the side.

"Well, there goes my job." Sloane lamented as I pulled her up. "Now what?"

"Now," I started. "We walk."

"You know the way?" She asked.

"We have a map." I took out my CQ-80. "This way."

We started walking.

Hours Later…Mei's POV

I kept going through the tests, still no sign of Nine. These tests went by a lot faster with him around. I couldn't help but feel awful. I said I never wanted to see him again, but I didn't think it would actually happen…

I had finished my in-train meal with the Cap'n a while ago and I was about ready for sleep. I lied down on the seat and did my best to fall asleep. After a while, I heard footsteps and a cane coming over. It was the Cap'n. I pretended to be asleep. I then felt his hand pat me on the head.

"Don't worry, everything'll be okay." He whispered, and then he walked back to his seat.

That must've helped as I could feel myself getting more tired. Eventually, I fell asleep.

You alright, Mei?

Yeah. The Sergeant was just in a bad mood today. Then again, when isn't she in a bad mood?

Well, there was that one time she showed up half-drunk, but that was just depressing.

Oh yeah, she got in trouble for that, didn't she?

Shell yeah, big time. I doubt it'll be the last time though. I mean she's…coming this way.

…

You two talkin' shit about me?

Dear Sergeant, whatever would make you think that?

You got that look about you.

And you've got the scent of aged Octarian ale about you. Doesn't mean anything though.

How about ya keep yer mouth shut and I won't curb-stomp you hang you upside down and naked in front of the barracks?

So you're saying if I tell people you've been drinking on the job, you'll show off what a fine specimen I am?

…

Just keep your mouth shut…

…

I think you're spending way too much time around her. You're picking up her devious tendencies.

Really? I haven't noticed.

You haven't noticed yourself purposefully making your words sound disingenuous and evil?

I mean, only around other people. You're different

How?

You know me too well. You can tell when I'm being serious or not.

What about your parents? You talk the same way to them.

I haven't been close to them since you moved in.

Why's that?

You haven't noticed? I mean, I like spending time with you, but…

Oh, Octo…were they were trying to…?

Yeah…Trust me, I love you, but not in that way…

…This got awkward…

Yeah, it did…How about we do some target practice to get our minds off it?

Okay, Guyver. Target practice it is.

Guyver…

His name was Guyver…