Judd and Sepius watched helplessly as Akkoro's house collapsed bit by bit while it burned.
"This is all my fault. I did this." Sepius said blankly.
"I'm as much to blame as you are." Judd comforted "You were forced and I didn't know any better. Neither of us could have known it would come to this."
"What do we do?" the Inkling asked hopelessly.
"We need time to think," Judd answered. "Let's get back to Inkopolis. The fire will attract onlookers."
On his way home Judd walked past an old building. Just as he was nearing the door it quickly opened and shut again as a pair of hands reached out and pulled him inside before he could react.
Judd gasped in horror when he realised he had been seized by the very same Octoling whose house he had a hand in destroying.
"I just wanted you to know I'm OK. And I'm not angry" he said. "At least, not very angry."
"I really am very sorr-" Judd began.
"Don't worry," Akkoro interrupted "I always knew I would eventually need to fake my death, given my allegiance."
"But… your house…" Judd stammered.
"My house was rigged to go up in flames at a mere tip of a table. I've had this escape plan at the ready for a while now. I knew I would eventually need to put it into motion." Akkoro explained.
"But what about your friends and family? Won't they be devastated if they think you've died?" Judd asked.
"No, I only have a son." The Octoling answered. "And he's known about the plan for as long as I've known I'd need it. When he finds out about the fire he'll know exactly what happened."
"Who are you?" Judd wanted to know.
"My name is Callum Akkoro. I do important work behind the scenes."
"Callum?!" Judd exclaimed, "I knew I recognized you! You travelled to the past when you were a boy! I saw you!"
"Time travel?" Akkoro scratched his head, "I've done no such thing. Are you sure it was me?"
"It looked like you, and the Octoling I saw had the same name."
"It's a family name," Akkoro interjected. "My grandfather was Callum Akkoro too. Maybe it was a distant descendent of mine? I'm afraid we're still ages from Time Travel. But never mind that. Things are about to get really bad really fast and if we don't do something about it there won't be a future to speculate about."
"What can we do?" Since Judd was instrumental in setting things wrong, he was more than eager to help set things right.
"I'm glad you asked," Akkoro said cheerfully, taking a cardboard folder from his bag and handing it to Judd. "This is everything I know about the Octarian Army. Strengths, weaknesses, design flaws and whatnot. You know the leader of the old Squidbeak Splatoon, do you not?"
"Yes, I do." Judd answered.
"Take it to him. If he can assemble a new Squidbeak Splatoon, this information should be enough to get them through Octo Valley so they can steal back my plans and destroy them."
"Destroy them?" Judd was confused.
"Yes. My superiors commissioned those plans with the intention to keep them in an archive so they could be used should Inklings and Octarians ever need to rise up against a common threat." Akkoro explained. "However, now that the Octarians have seen them I fear they could do more harm than good, and I'm certain the guys upstairs will agree."
"I understand. Steal them back, destroy them." Judd nodded. "What will you do?"
"This old building belongs to no one officially and it has been given to me," Akkoro said. "Some friends and I are going to dig into the foundation and start my new lab underneath it. It's not much but with a little love it could be quite charming." He jested.
Cap'n Cuttlefish flicked through the files while Judd caught him up with recent events.
"So that's it then?" the old Inkling responded. "Where is Sepius now?"
"He said he was going to take his family and settle somewhere else where the Octarians can't get to him as easily."
"I would recommend Calamari," the captain remarked. "You don't get much more peaceful than that."
"Won't we need him if we're getting the team back together?" Judd wondered.
"Nah, let the old codger go," Cuttlefish replied. "He's been through enough. And with Ammoni gone we have no hope of getting the old team right anyway. Sheldon knows a thing or two but he's not his grandpappy."
"So who DID you have in mind?" the curious feline wanted to know.
"I'm glad you asked…" Cuttlefish said with a twinkle in his eye.
"We're supposed to defend Inkopolis wearing these?" said a lime green Inkling girl with grey-white hair "I'm confused, Gramps: How's directing traffic in Octo Valley gonna make us accomplish that?"
"Directing traffic?" said a magenta Inkling girl with black hair, "I'm not even allowed to drive a car yet!"
"I was being sarcastic, Cal-"
"Don't forget, girls. When you're in these uniforms your names are agent One and Agent Two"
"Agent One and Agent Two. Got it," said the magenta Agent One. "Which one am I again?"
"You're Agent One", said the lime green Agent Two.
"And which one are you?" asked Agent One. Agent Two sighed.
"Now on to your weapons," said Cap'n Cuttlefish.
"That's the best thing you've said all day," said Agent Two as the suggestion of an adventurous grin played across her face and Agent One did an excited skipping dance behind her. "Please tell me mine's a charger..?"
"Yours is most definitely a charger," Cap'n Cuttlefish said with a smile. "And a roller for Agent One, of course."
"These look hardcore!" said the Magenta agent as she looked her roller up and down. "But there's something missing…"
"Wait a minute," Agent Two complained. "They have no special weapons!"
"These were made especially for missions for small groups or even solo missions," Cap'n Cuttlefish explained. "A charged special weapon draws a lot of attention, and they were made to minimize that."
"That's too bad," Agent One remarked. "I was hoping for a Bomb Rush or something."
"You and your bombs…" Agent two said, rolling her eyes. Agent One blushed with a grin almost as wide as her face.
Cap'n Cuttlefish handed each agent a communicator. "I've built myself a humble little shack right by the entrance. I will use the information Judd found and act as Mission Control from there."
"You're not coming with us?" Agent One asked with some disappointment in her voice.
"I'd love to," said the old captain, "But I can't fight like I could back in the day. This old ink sack ain't what it used to be. But not to worry. I'll be watching every step of the way. Now if you're both geared up and ready it's time to get moving!"
It was not long until they reached Cap'n Cuttlefish's shack. "If you need me I'll be right here," he assured. "Do what you need to do and come straight back to me, alright?"
"You can count on us, Gramps!" Agent Two said confidently. "OK, Agent One. You ready to show these Octarians how the Cuttlefish Clan does it?"