Arc 3 Chapter 8
It was early in the morning in Octo Canyon, Melvin had been captured by the octo rebels and was separated from his teammates. Melvin was wounded and exhausted from the battle back at the Octoweapons factory between the two of them facing Obi and the rebels. He recanted what had happened and pounded the wall as he was sitting against it. "Selena, don't you worry, I'll get us out of this mess," he jeered holding his arm from the pain.
The evening prior he and Selena managed to get inside the octoweapons plant to find their commander, Sergeant Maxie but during their search, they stumbled across their other teammate Obi who was shocked to find out that he turned against them and defected to the rebels. They were pinned down by the rebel forces that stormed the room they were trapped in and surrendered once they came to the conclusion they would not escape. Obi punched Melvin knocking him out while Selna was cuffed and led away. Melvin was carried out with Selena as another figure appeared in the room to face Obi.
"Nice work squirt, you've proven yourself today by catching these traitors," said the towering octarian welding a giant ink roller.
"Thank you, Octo-Samurai," said Obi as he bowed to him.
"Move out and make your way back to the rebel base," commanded the Octo-Samurai as he and some octarians left the room with Melvin and Selena.
As Selena looked at an unconscious Melvin being carried away. She felt deep remorse about what had happened. "Poor Melvin," she said sadly continuing behind the group of rebels.
Back in the cell, Melvin gritted his teeth and buried his face in his knees, full of regret. Selena was in another cell lying on the bed until an octoling opened the door and commanded her to get up.
"you! come here!" the octoling barked.
Selena slowly got up in fear wondering what was about to happen to her. She was dragged away by two other octolings and taken to another room but as she was led she spotted an inkling with long black and magenta tentacles lying on a bed in another room through a large window in the wall. She noticed she was wearing some kind revealing outfit and had a pair of shades over her eyes. She appeared unresponsive and turned back to the front of her.
She was led through a pair of double doors into another large chamber. Inside were more octarians and octolings. She was dragged to a chair and strapped down. "What's going on! What are going to do to me!" she shouted in horror. "Shut up and pay attention!" shouted an octoling elite (not the major).
Selena gulped and stared at the elite. "Are the goggles ready?" the elite asked one of the octolings. "Yes ma'am. The red queen had supplied us with the new goggles that have been synchronized to our signal. Once she wears these, she won't resist our commands," said the octoling handing the new goggles over to the elite.
"Good, then lets put them to the test. We'll try them on our new recruit then," sneered the elite as she placed the googles on Selena.
"No! Stop! Don't put them on me! Please!" shouted Selena as she struggled in her chair as she was bound down.
The goggles were placed over her eyes and a red light came on where the left eye would be. Her struggling stopped and she sat still. "Well, recruit, what do you have to say for yourself," asked the elite.
"Reporting for duty ma'am," said Selena in an emotionless tone.
"Good, you are to report for further orders, make your way to the command center ASAP soldier," ordered the elite as Selena was released.
"Yes, ma'am," saluted Selena as she left with her mind under control by the octo rebels.
Cassie and Cuttlefish headed over to the apartments in Flounder Heights. Cassie had brought up to the captain that maybe they should get a little shut eye before heading to the cape. Cuttlefish was anxious about finding the deepsea metro but gave in to Cassie's request and decided to hold off on heading for the cape. "Aye lass, be best we do get some sleep before we head to the cape," said Cuttlefish as they entered into Flounder Heights.
The streets had soon turned out and the power to the apartment complexes shut down. Cassie and Cuttlefish entered the building and took the stairs since the elevator was not working. After a long climb up they finally made it to Cassie's housing and stepped inside. Cuttlefish had never been inside Cassie's apartment as he looked around while Cassie found a flashlight to light up the room.
"It's not much captain, but this is my home," she said.
"nice crib, home fry," he said with his hip hop dialect.
Cassie just shook her head and turned to the fridge. "You want something to eat captain?" she asked him.
"Oh, no thanks, lass. I'll just sit on the couch," he said sitting down. He soon looked over and spotted a bookshelf across the room. "What kind of books you got there?" he asked.
"All kinds, captain, I like reading especially poetry," she said walking over towards him. One book caught his eye as it was not in inkling or octoling language. "What book is that?" as he pointed at it.
"I'm not entirely sure, I can't read it, all I know that it must be human. I came across it sometime ago at the bookstore," she said as she walked over and pulled it out. It was an encyclopedia with different diagrams and pictures inside," said Cassie as she handed over to Cuttlefish. He looked through and examined the pictures of different human technology and humans themselves. He couldn't read the writing of the book and decided to close it after a few minutes.
"To think, humans once inhabited the earth years ago. It doesn't seem like we're too different from them. All the vast knowledge they had, I don't think we could even come close. It's shame they died out long ago," said Cuttlefish.
"They seem intriguing and intelligent, by what I've seen from Blake. I guess that's why I shouldn't worry Izzy," said Cassie.
"Yes but what does that tell us about the human made company Kamabo?" asked Cuttlefish. "We're not sure what to expect, so we'll have to stay vigilant and on our toes at all times agent 3," he said with concern.
"I know captain...but could this mean that...the humans may not be extinct after all. I mean Blake survived in that pod, who's to say that he isn't the last human left," said Cassie.
"We don't know, lass. That's why we need to keep a clear head about this," said Cuttlefish.
Cassie then turned her attention to the window seeing the Deca Tower at a near distance. "The great zapfish is gone again. I failed stopping Octavio from taking Callie and now I failed protect all the inklings. I made a vow to protect Inkopolis and everyone in it and now Callie and the great zapfish are gone. I'm a disgrace as a squidbeak agent," said Cassie as he buried her face in her hands.
"Lass, don't beat yourself up over this, your friend and Bucko will get my grandsquid back and the great zapfish," said Cuttlefish consoling Cassie.
"I wish Izzy wouldn't have been pressured to join the squidbeak squad. She couldn't even handle a turf battle. What if she gets captured or worse!" exclaimed Cassie fearing the worst.
"Agent 3, you need to calm down. I trust the lad will keep her safe. She's in good hands as well as Marie is covering for me. She's shone to be a great leader," said Cuttlefish.
"I guess you're right captain, I just wish I was down there with her. What do we do now that Inkopolis has no power? How are we going to get to the deepsea metro now?" asked Cassie with concern.
"Lass, we'll think of something, don't get your tentacles in a bunch," said Cuttlefish.
Cassie got up off the couch and walked across the room remembering when she fought the octarians and stopped Octavio over 2 years ago. She remembered how difficult it was and how the squid sisters helped her get through it. "Lass, get some sleep," said Cuttlefish. She turned toward seeing him give a reassure expression. Cassie's concernment resolved and she gave a yawn followed by a stretch.
"I guess you're right captain, I'll head to bed then," said Cassie as she headed for her bedroom.
Cuttlefish looked as she closed the door. "goodnight captain," she said behind the door. Cuttlefish laid over on the couch and stared at the ceiling until his eyes closed. He finally fell asleep as his snoring could wake up the whole complex.
Blake and Izzy finally made it inside the underground domes. The two of them dropped from the hatch and down below on a circular platform. The inside was a large chamber with screens lining the walls simulating the dark sky from outside. There were multiple pathways that lead to more tea kettles leading further down different areas underground.
"Where do we go now?" asked Izzy.
"I don't know, Marie wanted us to split up. I'll take the path to the right and can take the one to the left," said Blake as he started to walk off.
"Blake, I... don't know If I can do it without you," said Izzy wanting Blake to stick around.
"Izzy, I know it's hard that you'll have to face those octarians without me, but believe me. I know you can do it. Your one of the bravest people I know and Cassie would be proud," said Blake with confidence.
"You, really think I'm brave, but you defeated that octostriker and faced that giant metal fish back in the quarry," said Izzy.
"So did you, I couldn't have done it without your help, I know you can do it, I believe in you," said Blake.
She smiled back at Blake and gave him a hug. "Now, go find the great zapfish and I'll go find Callie," said Blake.
Izzy nodded and gave a chuckle as she headed to the tea kettle. She hopped in and the kettle steamed and shot her to the next destination.
Blake turned to the kettle on the right. He gave a deep sigh uneager to jump in the kettle. "Well here comes a nauseating trip, just hope I keep myself from throwing up," said Blake with irritation as he lifted the lid and hopped in. The kettle steamed and shot him to his next location.
Izzy made it to another dome out of the kettle she hopped out of. She looked around and saw much of the scenery covered in vegetation with floating platforms above. The air had a green haze limiting some visibility in the dome. The screens around the dome changed to an early morning sky and Izzy slowly made her way ahead still looking around at the dome.
In front of her, the path ended against a wall. She inked the surface of the wall and swam up in her going through a mesh fence at the top and jumping up. There, on top of the platform was a large opening with a few crates lying around. She walked over and studied the crates. A sticker on the crate read: DO NOT BREAK!. She wondered what was inside.
"Those crates are full of power eggs if you're wondering," said Sheldon who surprised Izzy.
"Sheldon? I mean...what are power eggs?" asked Izzy.
"They act as batteries for the octarian weaponry and gear they use. If you collect them I can make upgrades for your gear and weapons, Agent 4," said Sheldon. "Just bust those crates open with your hero shot," he continued.
"Ok," said Izzy as she shot the crate. When she did the wooden box busted open revealing the orange eggs inside. "Woah, so those are power eggs," she said walking up to them as she collected them.
"Good job agent, there's another crate over there, just keep collecting eggs and I'll have some upgrades available to you," said Sheldon.
Izzy busted another crate open collecting more eggs until she hopped over to another floating platform ahead of her. So far Izzy hadn't encountered any octo rebels so far but more crates ahead. The drone had a heard time spotting Izzy in the green fog that lingered in the dome she was in, not spotting any threats as well.
Meanwhile, Blake had been transported to another dome. The dome that housed the Octoweapons factory sergeant Maxie's recon team had went to. Blake looked around and scanned the scenery. Like the dome, Izzy was in the screens simulated a morning sky. Blake spotted the factory on a large floating air mass with smoking billowing from the stacks on the factory.
Blake made his way down to the town below the factory to explore. He finally made it inside and saw multiple buildings possibly stores and apartments for the workers at one time, but the town looked abandoned. He cautiously explored the area until he reached a large square with a statue of what looked like an octotrooper worker holding a tool. He continued on to the other side of the square until he saw some octotroopers patrolling the area.
He hid behind a dumpster near the street to avoid detection. He also spotted an Octosniper scanning the street down below. Blake knew he had to find some way around them without attracting more of them. He decided to head into what looked like a building where the workers got paid almost like a bank. Inside he looked around and saw a door leading out into an alleyway.
"Maybe I can get around them through here," said Blake as he continued down the alley. He spotted another approaching octotrooper and stopped behind the corner of the building until it left. He slowly made his way forward without seeing the octotrooper and walked into an apartment complex. He made his way to the third floor, through the old ran down apartment, and reached a room. It appeared to be a den with a bathroom, there was a picture of a family of octarians still hanging on the wall.
He walked down another staircase upward and into another room; a kitchen this time with a back door and a walkway leading outside. He looked around the corner of the walkway and saw a twintacle pacing the walkway with an octosniper on the other end still scanning the street below. Blake decided to lob a splat bomb on the walkway to hit both the twintacle and octosniper. When he did the bomb landed in between the twintacle and octosniper. The twintacle was splatted instantly while the octosniper was thrown off his platform and landed on the street below, splatting on the ground below.
"well, that was pretty easy," said Blake as he continued walking. "Can't be sure It'll stay that way though," he commented. He continued through the town until he would find a way into the large Octoweapons factory but on the way there as he was walking down the fire escapes leading to the street below. He heard a noise coming from his pocket. He pulled out an octopus-shaped device. It was the communicator that the octoling sergeant gave him. He remembered taking it with him but why was it coming on.
He pushed the button on it. "Hello?" asked Blake meekly.
"Blake, is that you?" asked a voice.
"Is this the octoling that I met back at the oil rig?" asked Blake.
"Yes, its, Sergeant Maxie of the neo octarian army. I have an urgent message for you and the inklings. I've just been informed that Octavio had been rescued by the rebels and have stolen the great zapfish. He plans on massing the rebels together to attack Inkopolis," said the sergeant.
"I'm well aware of that. I'm in Octo Canyon right now with another agent. They've also taken Callie. I was sent down to rescue her and the other agent was to track down the great zapfish. We plan on stopping Octavio and any plans he has in store for Inkopolis, I just don't know my way around Octo Canyon or where to find Callie and Octavio," said Blake.
"Oh, you know already. Callie? Is she the one that tried to smash me with her roller at the rig? The one that has a crush on you?" asked Maxie holding back her feelings.
"Yeah, Octavio captured her back at Octo Valley. I volunteered to rescue her. She let me know how much she loved me and I feel obligated to get her back, well I should say more like family," said Blake.
"That's...very noble of you," said Maxie hiding her envy. She remained quiet for a moment until she spoke up again. "Blake, speaking of rescuing, I've been captured myself. I can't get out of my cell. I was on a recon mission with my team and we got compromised. We split up and I got caught inside the Octoweapons factory," said Maxie.
"Octoweapons Factory? I think that's where I am, but I haven't made it inside yet," said Blake.
"Me and my team were sent there to spy on the rebels, I think they've started the factory back up to build more octoweapons for their army using the sardinium from the quarry. You need to disrupt their operations so they can't have any octoweapons built for the attack on inkopolis. I know you can do it human...I mean Blake," said Maxie.
"I will sergeant, I'll inform Agent 2 about what's going on and I'll see if I can rescue you too," said Blake.
"Thanks, Blake, I think I'm being held in the rebel's base deeper in the canyon, just be careful," said Maxie.
"Alright, I'll do what I can," said Blake.
"Good luck, Sergeant Maxie out," she said cutting off the transmission.
Blake put the communicator up and made his way down to the street finding a way inside the factory.
10 minutes before the octoling sergeant got in contact with Blake. She was lying on her bed in deep thought about what the entity had told her. She was bothered by it and it kept eating at her. "emotions...happiness...love...(sigh) I've never felt this way before. Not since my parents..." said the octoling as she threw her goggles down on the bed.
She sat up in her bed with her face buried in her palms. "Maybe, she was right...maybe I need to confront this but I don't know what to do," she said. Soon her attention was drawn to a conversation outside the door. She could make out two octolings talking about Octavio being in command of the octo rebels and stealing the great zapfish. She also overheard them talking about the planned attack on Inkopolis. Maxie heard the conversation for minutes until she thought to herself what to do.
"Wait Octavio is free, I need to get a hold of the inklings right away but how?" she asked herself. She then thought about the communicator she gave Blake. The octoling pulled out her communicator but hesitated if it was a good idea or not. She gave a deep breath and decided to chance it.
"Blake, come in Blake!" she said on the device but no luck.
"C'mon Blake, please answer," she said again.
After a moment of no response the device came on and Blake responded.
"Hello?" asked Blake on the other end.
"Blake, is that you?" she asked back.
Once she got a hold of him she informed him of everything she'd heard from the octolings outside her cell. She also asked to be rescued once she heard he was inside the canyon domes. He agreed to find her and rescue once he had dealt with the Octoweapons Factory. She thanked him before getting off the communicator. The octolings pounded on her cell door and opened it. Maxie panicked and threw the communicator under her bed before it was discovered. The door was swung open and the two octolings from outside confronted the sergeant.
"Who are you talking to!?" demanded one of the octolings.
The sergeant turned to the octolings who were glaring at her. "No one, you must have been hearing things. I guess you've been hanging around the major too much," sneered the sergeant.
"Don't get smart with us, we know we heard you talking with someone. You better not have some kind of communication device on you. Forget about someone rescuing your ass," said the other octoling.
"As I said, you must have been hearing things, I don't know how you two can here anyone else over your talking outside," said the sergeant snidely.
"Search her," said the one octoling to the other.
She stormed over to Maxie and ordered her to "spread em' ". "Sorry, you're not my type," said the sergeant sarcastically.
"I said spread em', octopus," the octoling barked turning her around. The octoling patted down Maxie but found nothing on her. The other octoling watched but something under the bed caught her eye. The pat-down was finished as the octoling bent over and grabbed the octopus-shaped communicator under the bed. "What do we have here," said the octoling as she had the communicator in her hand.
"So, you were talking to someone, WHO!?" the octoling commanded.
Maxie just stood at attention not responding to the octoling's commanding tone. "Silent, huh, let's see how silent you'll stay once your brought to the major, " sneered the octoling.
The other octoling walked beside the sergeant and clubbed her with her octoshot knocking her to the floor. "Get her up and bring her the major," ordered the octoling to the other.
They picked her up and guided her down a hallway deeper into the base. The three of them reached the command center and approached the major standing in the middle of the large chamber. "Ma'am, there's someone here to see you," said the octoling as she shoved the sergeant.
"She had this in her possession," she continued tossing the communicator to the scar-faced major.
"hmpf...calling for help? That's not like you Maxie. Who did you come in contact with?" ordered the major.
"bite me!" shouted the sergeant.
"I'll do more than that! Unless you tell me who you got a hold of and what you told them," said the elite glaring at her as the sergeant remained silent.
The elite smirked and gave a chuckle. "It was that human wasn't it," said the elite. Maxie's facial expression changed and the elite knew that it was the human. "I've done been informed about the squidbeak agents in the canyon. I know one of them is the human and I know they're here to rescue that inkling and the great zapfish. As a matter of fact, I may have use for you after all. Bring in our new recruit," commanded the major.
Soon a familiar octoling walked in, escorted by two other ones. Her tentacles were shorter and thinner than the typical octoling's. The sergeant stared at her as she approached her. "Selena? What...What did you do to her?!" commanded the sergeant as she was being held back.
"She's joined our army and is now loyal to Octavio," said the elite with a sinister grin.
"Selena! Answer me! What did they do to you?!" shouted the sergeant.
"Take her to Tentacle Towers and use her as bait for the human. Once that human attempts to rescue her, surround the area, and subdue him. He is still vital for Operation Teal Dawn. Now get her out of here!" commanded the elite to Selena and the octolings.
"Yes, Ma'am" responded Selena and the octolings with her. They grabbed the sergeant and took her away in an attempt to bait Blake into saving her and capturing him for their diabolical purposes.