Riding their new vehicles on the highway-like road path, Nathan, Diana, and Abigail headed for a location, but only Abby knew exactly where they were going. The vehicles handed very well, traveling at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. As they entered the tunnel, Nathan looked around. There were some splatters of Inkling ink that appeared every once in a while, meaning something must have happened in the tunnel.

"Hey, Octoling?" he yelled.

"Yeah?" Abby replied.

"What's with all this Inkling ink?"

"The Octarians transport the captured Inklings throughout the domes. I don't know what happened here, but I can only guess someone got careless and let an Inkling break free. But if that's the case, then that Inkling wouldn't have made it far before he...or she...was recaptured. Or worse..."

"What do you mean worse?!" Diana said.

"You should know. I feel like if I say what's happening to you here, we'll be in even bigger trouble. Besides, I think it would be best if I told the whole group so I don't have to repeat myself. To save time and energy, ya know."

"She's right," said Nathan, "We need to tell EVERYONE."

"Of course!" said Diana, "But still...I want to know! 12% of the population of Inkopolis is GONE. G! O! N! E! GONE!"

"It's horrific, I know!" said Abigail, "But I know this army, and I can help you get through 'em! Oh by the way, my name's Abigail."

"We know, we overheard your conversation with Edith. My name's Diana, and he's Nathan."

"I see. Well then, I guess we should-"

"What? What is it?"

"Octovehicles! Enemies incoming!" yelled Abigail.

"What?!" Diana looked behind her to see a squad of Octarian vehicles heading right for them. The pack mostly consisted of hummer-like vehicles, each equipped with a large Inkzooka-like weapon that would fire Blaster-like ink bullets that exploded upon impact with something. In the middle of the pack was a larger vehicle with an elite Octoling, the leader, inside. It had two of the Inkzooka-like weapons instead of one like the rest.

"They're approaching us fast!" Nathan yelled, "Maybe some ink will slow 'em down!"

"Those things were built to travel any terrain, but they go quite slow when over Inkling ink!" Abigail said. "I'll give 'em some!" The vehicles that Nathan, Diana, and Abigail rode had ink tanks inside that were connected to the smaller ink tanks on their backs. The tank refilled automatically and surprisingly quickly, so running out wasn't as much of a concern.

Abigail activated the roller on her vehicle, making an ink trail behind her. While Nathan and Diana were not affected, the Octovehicles in the path were slowed down considerably.

"Try firing something at 'em!" Abigail said.

"Got it!" Nathan yelled back as he tried to figure out the functions. One red button had a Splatling symbol on it, so Nathan pressed it, which activated the Splatlings.

Abigail contacted Nathan through a radio, which was included on each of the three vehicles. "Hey Nathan, do you read?"

"Huh?" Nathan responded.

"There's a radio in your vehicle. See the gray metal box with the speaker and handheld transceiver, or walkie-talkie, connected to it? That's what we use to communicate while in the vehicles! Just use the walkie-talkie!"

Nathan picked up the transceiver. "So this is basically how we communicate with each other on these vehicles?" he said into it.

"Yep! Press that orange button to switch the guns to backward position so you can fire behind you! Hold down the green button to charge the Splatlings, then release it to fire! It'll glow when the weapons are fully charged!"

"Thanks for the tutorial!" Nathan pressed the orange button, pointing the guns backwards. Holding the green button and releasing it when it glowed, he successfully took out one of the Octovehicles. "Booyah! Direct hit!" He contacted Diana, but with his headset this time. "Diana, you read?"

"Loud and clear!" Diana responded.

"Just so you know, you can use the transceiver to contact Abigail. How are you holding up?"

"I'm trying to figure out how to work this thing!"

"Diana, on your vehicle, the green button fires the front cannons," Abigail said through the radio, "The orange one toggles the back weapon between ink shooters and the Killer Wail, and the yellow one fires the back weapon."

"Thanks!" Diana fired the back weapons. "Nathan, try using that Inkstrike launcher of yours!"

"Will do!" Nathan said, "Abigail, what button is it?"

"The press the blue button to charge the Inkstrike launcher!" said Abigail, "Press it again when it glows to launch! It's homing, so it will seek its target on its own!"

"Got it!" Nathan pushed the blue button just as the group exited the tunnel into another dome. This one had nothing but road, yet it looked abandoned, as it was empty aside from the roads, the group, and the pack of Octovehicles chasing after it. The chase continued, multiple shots being fired as the road continued like a highway. "Inkstrike's almost charged!"

"It can fire three Inkstrikes per charge," Abigail said, "But it uses up all of the ink tank, so you'll have to wait a little bit before you can fire your guns again."

"That's fine by me!" Nathan looked behind him to see the Octovehicles quickly getting closer.

"Open fire!" ordered the elite Octoling leader, a tall male with spiky hair and skin that was very pale. The Octovehicles launched their blasters. Nathan realized that his Inkstrike was just seconds away from full charge. Diana quickly switched her back weapon to the Killer Wail and fired, taking out two vehicles.

Abigail narrowly dodged attacks while firing her motorcycle's blasters and using the roller to make an ink trail. She even fired from a her handheld weapon, the Aerospray XG that she herself had designed and built.

"Inkstrike charged!" yelled Nathan.

"Time for the fireworks!" Diana said.

"Yep!" Nathan pushed the blue button and the Inkstrike cannon launched an Inkstrike missile right at the pack of Octovehicles. It hit one, destroying it in the ink tornado the Inkstrike created. A second one luanched. It missed, but the tornado destroyed another Octovehicle. The final Inkstrike fired, but hit nothing. It managed to strip two Octovehicles of their weapons, however. There were now only four vehicles left, three Octovehicles and the vehicle carrying the leader.

"Great shots!" Diana said to Nathan.

"Thanks!" Nathan said. Suddenly, a Octovehicle blaster shot was fired at Diana. Just as Diana noticed it behind her, the ink bullet collided with her vehicle, somehow managing to launch her upwards fairly high into the air. Nathan immediately noticed. "DIANA!" He quickly maneuvered his vehicle and Diana landed on the roof, suffering only a few bruises.

"Oh that hurt a little..." she said, "Thanks, Nath!"

"No problem!" Nathan rushed forward, nearly flooring the gas pedal. "I'm charging another Inkstrike! Abigail, you and I are the only ones left with vehicles. I'm gonna keep Diana safe while my weapon charges, try to distract them for me!"

"On it!" Abigail replied. She fired her blasters, getting the pack to focus on her. But she didn't exactly think it through, because with all four of the remaining vehicles firing at her, dodging the ink bullets got very hard. She did what she could however, and did manage to successfully by enough time for the Inkstrike to charge.

"Inkstrike charged!" yelled Nathan, "Diana! Might wanna cover your ears up there!" The Inkstrike cannon aimed and ready, it aimed for the big vehicle the leader was in. It fired. The missile traveled high into the air before quickly descending back down. It made a direct hit with the target, splatting the elite Octoling inside the vehicle it just destroyed.

"Leader down!" said an Octoling soldier, "Retreat! Retreat!" The remaining Octovehicles turned around and rushed away.

"Yeah! We did it!" said Diana excitingly.

"Yeah! We-" Nathan started to say.

"Look out! Cliff!" yelled Abigail.

"Huh? WHOA!" Nathan slammed the brakes, but he was too late, and the vehicle flipped over as it went over the edge, launching Nathan and Diana downwards. "Well...this seems familiar!"

"Nathan!"

"Diana! Hold on to me!" Diana maneuvered her way towards Nathan and grabbed him. Once Nathan was sure she had a firm grip, he extended the Octoglider he had obtained earlier. He kept it and brought it with him in case of emergency or if he simply needed it. Diana brought one back from her mercy mission, but forgot to bring it with her to this mission.

So, knowing this, Nathan had Diana hang on to him. Because it was more weight, the glider descended notably faster, but it still slowed them down to a safe speed. Nathan couldn't control it very well, however. He and Diana eventually made it to solid ground at the bottom of the dome.

Nathan dropped Diana few inches above the ground, and she landed safely. But due to his loss of control, Nathan himself had a rather rough landing. As he retracted his glider to land, he tripped when he placed his feet on the ground, and landed with a thud, rolling across the ground.

"Nathan!" Diana yelled as she rushed over to him. Nathan brought himself up to his knees, wiping and shaking off the dirt and dust he had collected during his rough landing. "Nathan! Are you alright?!"

"Ah...Yeah, I'm good!" Nathan responded, "Just a bit of a rough landing, that's all."

"I'll be sure to bring my glider next time!" Diana helped Nathan up and helped him brush off some of the dirt on his arms. Nathan noticed that Diana was blushing yet again, but decided to say nothing. He didn't even notice that he himself was blushing a bit as well.

"There you are!" said Abigail was she descended down with her own Octoglider. "I just wanted to show you this place right here." She pointed to what seemed to be an aircraft crash. All around it were the big containers the New Squidbeak Splatoon had been seeing. Many where broken, but some where completely different containers with what looked with restrained in them with needles.

"This is an aircraft that crashed a while ago. See these yellow containers? They're what the Inklings go in after they're taken to the Tower. They're purpose is for something...I really don't want to take about right now."

"Then let's head back to base!" said Nathan, "You can explain there."

"I'll take a few pictures of one of 'em so Smith can make some observations," said Diana. After she did so, the group left for a nearby spawnpoint that lead the the second area's second kettle. It just so happened that the dome they were in was were the second kettle lead to. They immediately headed for HQ.