They didn't stay long in public, though. They hid behind a wall and jumped in the grate once they were sure nobody was looking, taking Sid with them.

Usually, they change clothes in a small area in the pathway between Octo Canyon and Inkopolis. Agent 2 left her public disguise there.

"How did they get through the Square?" Agent 3 asked.

"She has ways. She always does."

Once they arrived at Octo Canyon, though, they weren't there.

Agent 1 immediately took it to the communicator.

—

1

You guys okay?

4

Yeah, we're heading back now.

—

"We close enough yet?"

"Almost. Just a few more steps."

"Aha. I can feel it. We're here."

Rose took off her sunglasses. Marie took off the mask and lowered the hood.

They were close enough to jump straight back to the square.

—

"So, we have some time. What happened to those Octolings? You're okay, right?" Agent 3 asked Sid.

"Just fine, I might need a few days, though. The net was pretty weak. I used this." He pulled out a pocket knife.

"Sorry about that. They didn't see you?"

"No. It was also easy to knock them out. I punched one, then she seemed annoyed. Then those glasses fell off, and she fell. It was obvious what to do with the other one at that point."

"Are they close?"

"I think, Cap'n," Agent 1 said.

Agent 4 peeked out of the manhole. She waved.

"There they are," Agent 3 said flatly. "Where did you go on the belt?"

"Right." Agent 4 replied, hopping out and letting Agent 2 in.

"It led to the same area that the Eagle dropped me off to," Agent 2 continued. "We found more papers."

"Whoa, is that a Hero weapon?" Agent 1 noticed.

"It is. We found it there." Agent 4 explained.

They laid out the papers. The Salmonid Research Center and the document were the most interesting.

"That's where they conducted the research of the Salmonids. Looks like it's also the center of Grizzco." Agent 1 realised.

"It must be what that... thing is protecting," Agent 4 guessed.

"And the cooler," Agent 3 went on, "The same one we had to deal with? The thing carrying it looked like this drone on the blueprints."

"Do... you still need me?" Sid asked. "And what is that tapping?"

"It's probably Octavio." Agent 1 went to the globe and hit the button. "What do you want?"

"Where did you get that cloak?"

"Some guy that was probably Akash," Agent 3 told him.

"I think I've seen it before. Somebody volunteered to be part of an experiment. You know how Octarians are... born by cutting off a tentacle?"

"Ugh, what?" Agent 4 said.

"Yeah, it's true. But is isnt as simple as just cutting it off. It's a whole process, getting more complicated with more tentacles. There are two ways to get a Twintacle. Either cut off two tentacles or wait for another one to grow. There was never one with three. We tried to get one with three. It didn't work. Long story short, it was smarter than a twintacle, but completely out of control. It ran into the woods."

"Is that the thing we found in there?" Agent 2 asked.

"What thing?"

"Four and I found an Octarian with three tentacles."

"Probably. What's worse is that the three tentacles didn't grow back like they usually do. Rumors say that the volunteer wore a cloak exactly like that one to hide his shame."

"That it?" Agent 3 asked.

No response. He hit the button.

"How are we going to find exactly where the Research Center is?" Agent 4 asked.

"The thing getting the ships must be protecting that. Boats are too dangerous," Agent 2 deduced. "More flight."

"They'd notice the Eagle, though! Unless we find a way to build this tiny drone, we're stuck," Agent 4 countered.

"Who says we can't?" Agent 1 said. "I have some power eggs. Somebody just give these, the blueprints, and the Hero Splatling to Sheldon, and he'll know what to do."

"I'll do it," Agent 4 said. "I have something to test out."

"I'll put the rest of these papers back in the Cabin with the rest of them." said Cap'n Cuttlefish.

"Wait, can I read them?" Agent 3 asked. "I still need some updating."

"Each is in a different file, though. Eh, just take the box."

"Fine. I'll read them tonight. Also, where is this Eagle thing?"

"It's down that staircase." The Cap'n gestured over to the side, where a new locked metal door was. "Just hold the communicator up to it."

He did that, and the door opened. The other Agents followed him, curious as to what this was.

It was an entire extension to Tentakeel Outpost, housing the Eagle. The door was the only way to get down there.

"Whoa. We have a giant thing now?"

"Yep." Agent 2 responded. Problem is, it's hard to take it into a kettle."

"Okay. I'll head to Ammo Knights now."

—

"Sheldon?" Rose called.

"Hello, and- Oh, it's you. That's a lot of things you are holding."

"Yes, it is. How did you attach that rover as a sub weapon to the Hero Charger?"

"It's quite simple, really, All I had to do was-"

"Save me the explanation," she interrupted. "Can you do the same thing with these?"

"Hmm..." He studied the blueprints. "I think so. Do you have any parts for it?"

"No, but I was given some power eggs. I think it's a lot."

"Yes, this is enough. This will take a long time, though. Possibly a week."

"Whatever, just please. We need it to find something in the Restricted Zone."

"I know. The Cap'n has been updating me."

"Also, we can do things that are illegal in Turf Wars in the testing room, right?"

"Not just anyone. I'll leave it open to anything for the NSS members."

"Okay, thanks. I've been thinking about this for a while now, just I'm not sure it will work."

—

Rose placed a Squid Beakon with her Dapple Dualies, then switched to the Dark Tetra Dualies, which had a Splashdown charged.

She jumped to the Beakon, transformed back at the height of her jump, and used a dodge roll to shoot downwards. Right after, she activated the Splashdown.

The resulting radius was astronomically large, splatting all five of the balloons. She covered the entirety of the right side of the training area, with the left only spared because of the wall.

—

"Sheldon, take my power eggs and please attach the Splashdown to these Dualies."

"I assume it worked?"

"Better than I thought it would."

"What did you do?"

She explained what she did.

"That must have been impressive!"

"Yes. Very."

"This will be easier than the drone. It'll be done by tomorrow."

"Okay. Thanks."

—

"Has anyone discovered why anything we touch melts into us when we become squids? Like, I barely felt that box when swimming back," Simon said after hopping out of the grate.

"I don't know, Simon, we're focusing more on better ink weapons," Sid replied.

"I'll take the box back. Take care, okay?"

"You too."