Splatoon Afterworld

by drz1990

Explained in the intro

13. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Sorry it's taken a little while. This chapter is a bit long, so it took a while to go back and proof and make corrections. I know my narration isn't the greatest, but I hope you enjoy it. I know the romantic scenes are getting old and overkilled a little but I'm gonna slow down on that with the next chapter and I'm trying to work on my grammar skills and make it to where I'm not including unnecessary narration and chatter between characters because it does take up space for the chapters. Bear with me readers I'm trying and I'm not savvy when it comes to words and phrases. Again, if you have questions or suggestions, it wouldn't offend me at all. If there are mistakes such as grammar or where something doesn't make since or something was unfinished, sorry about that but I was in a rush to go ahead and release this chapter so I can work on the next one.

The Battle between the defectors and the neo-octarian battalion for the cryo-facility raged with the octarian army gaining ground for the first couple of hours until the scales were tipped in favor of the defectors. A dramatic comeback for Mirage and her team with them suffering casualties with Maxine's unit. It seemed the defectors were bound to lose until the tentacle posse lead by the twintacle had taken a tank and used it to repel back the octarians enough for Kelly's group to finish the job. Donovan, the now octo-human, whose intentions were to aid the octarians so he could locate his girlfriend in the facility, who he believed was placed cryostasis like he was only to face defeat with his fight with Seth. He fled inside the facility before his plans to find his girl were foiled and with the octo-samurai battling Mirage, she was able to reason with him and decided to turn sides with the defectors. Now it was up to the octoling squad to search for Donovan and finish their battle with Scarlet's forces once and for all.

Donovan the octo-human was racing through the facility, managing to get around the octolings and inklings that were holding up the place. He looked, trying to get familiar with the layout of the place and remember how to get to the cryochamber. Standing down a corridor he heard voices coming from the end and before he was seen he rushed behind the corner and watched Emma, the little octoling come out and stretch from waking up. Donovan hid before she saw him. She scratched her head thinking she saw a figure poke their head out but assumed it was nothing and made her way toward the atrium.

Donovan gave a sigh and continued on, coming across the chamber holding the power supply for the facility. Starting to get lost he walked around and saw no directions or clues to reaching the cryo-chamber. "Gah, this is hopeless. I'm going in circles! Surely the area holding those giant freezers are here somewhere," he fussed as he continued to look.

On her way to the atrium though, Emma spotted Bill and Dexter. They were walking toward the medical bay, following Jazz and Lily who decided to help Flow regain her energy from nearly collapsing. A result from Sarah speaking through her to the inklings to ensure Seth's safety. They decided to take her there to get some rest and keep an eye on her, so Bill and Dexter followed the girls and Emma was curious as to what was going on.

As the two male inklings stood at the doorway and watched Jazz and Lily help Flow into bed. Craymond swam out of the sea hare's hat and laid on the nightstand, concerned over Flow as she seemed weak and frail. "I'm sure she'll be fine," said Jazz.

"That's easy for you to say squid. I've never seen her like this... seems like ever since that human came into the picture things have been chaotic," said the shrimp.

"Craymond you can't blame... what was his name?" Lily pondered.

"I think it was...Seth? But anyway, like Lily was about to imply, this isn't his fault. We all wanna go back to Inkopolis but we can't right now," said Jazz.

"I've always been there for Flow and she's always been there for me. This is hard right now," said the little shrimp with a gloomy expression.

"Craymond don't be so..."

"Just...leave me alone with Flow,"

"(sigh) whatever you wish, let's go Lily,"

"He doesn't have to be such a jerk,"

"He's going through a tough time right now, best we let him be. I'm sure Flow will be fine, you gotta understand, like us she's far away from home and this is probably putting a strain on her psyche,"

The two inklings hung out at the entrance of the small room and watched two girls try and assess the sea hare. Dexter felt a presence behind him, he turned and saw Emma staring at them curiously. "Well if isn't the little octo runt, what are you doing here?" he asked in a smug voice.

"Huh," replied Bill as he turned around and saw Emma. "Oh, hey there. I see you're up. I thought octarians got out of bed early or so I thought,"

"Well, I'm still young, so I still need more sleep than the grownups. Where's the others at?" she asked the two.

"Fighting the octarians,"

"Dexter, I wouldn't have told her that, what if she..."

"Oh no, SETH! VEE!... I'm coming!" the little octoling panicked as she started to bolt away.

"Hold up! Stop!... You can't go up there!" Bill grabbing her arm so she wouldn't attempt to leave the facility.

"Mmm, let go of me! My mommy and daddy need me!" she shouted at Bill as she struggled to get free.

"Mommy? Daddy? What are you going on about?"

"Let her go Bill,"

"I'm not doing that and letting her get splatted out there,"

"Why should we care, she's an octoling,"

"Don't be such an inkbag Dex. She's too little, it's a wonder she made it out there at that village. Probably scared out of her tentacles like we were,"

"I wasn't scared,"

"I said let me go of me! Gah-mmm" she shouted before biting Bill's arm.

"AGH!" Bill screamed as he quickly let go of Emma once she sank her fangs into Bill's arm and darted off for the elevator. "Gah, that smarts. She didn't have to bite me!" he exclaimed hysterically.

"That was kinda funny," said Dexter as he chuckled a little, annoying Bill as he waved his hand around.

"Shut up...little twirp, I remember when me and my little sister got into feuds and then she would bite me if she felt she was on the losing end. Folks split us up and made us hug each other," said Bill before he jeered and grabbed his hand from the bite she left on the inkling.

"Reminds me of when I got in fights with my brothers... before I ran away from home. It was hard, folks couldn't take care of us until my dad decided to ditch us. I don't ever know what happened to them and frankly don't give a damn," Dexter said as he crossed his arms and gave an indifferent expression.

"You don't care about your family? You wouldn't be born if it weren't for them, a hard life or not,"

"Don't try and patronize me, you weren't in my shoes, and you weren't brought up around them. We barely got by and did what we had to do... why should you care you upbeat squid," Dexter stayed callous, he turned and looked away, not wanting to look at Bill.

"Because I do, unlike you... just because you had a rough childhood doesn't mean you should treat others like you were treated, eventually when you need help, it won't come," said Bill, which baited Dexter's attention as he glared back at the inkling boy.

"Hey! It's every squid for themself... I learned the only person I should look out for is me, and the only person to rely on is me. You gotta treat life as if you were in a turf war match and everyone was on the opposing team,"

"There's no sense in thinking like that. Everyone needs help and friends to rely on,"

"Well, that's your philosophy isn't it. And here's some advice. Keeping your input to yourself. I run my life one way and you can run your life another,"

"What about Lily?"

"What about her?"

"You and her are day and night. Two opposing colors like during turf war matches. I know there's a thing between you two,"

"Why don't you mind your own business. I could say the same between you and Jazz,"

"Fair enough... but I'm not acting like an inconsiderate jerk,"

"Like I said, I only look out for myself,"

Bill decided to end the debate as Dexter decided to leave and head somewhere to clear his thoughts. Lily noticed Dexter had disappeared and looked at Bill, "Where'd Dexter go?" she asked.

"I think I got on a touchy subject," he answered to her.

"(Sigh) Let me talk to him," she said as she walked out of the room to go hunt for Dexter. Bill shook his head and stepped beside Jazz who was attending Flow. "I overheard everything between you and Dexter. Bill, you need not antagonize him," Jazz warned him.

"Well, he started in on me first and there's no reason for him to be so... paranoid,"

"He has his own reasons to feel that way. I don't approve of it either but the only thing we can do is stay civil to one another, there's enough going on as it is. We need to stick together even if we all don't see eye to eye,"

"You're right Jazz...I'm sorry, I... shouldn't have pried at him like that,"

"I think you owe him an apology,"

"Apology!?"

"And he owes you one,"

"(groan) If it'll make you feel better,"

"That's what I wanna hear," she said as she pulled him in closer and kissed him on the cheek. Turning pink and rubbing the side of his jaw, he gave her a smile as she smiled back. "You know when this is all over, would you consider...um," he started to say as he rubbed his arm.

"Going out...sure, I 'd love to,"

"You're not joking are you,"

"Oh, you'd know if I was joking or not," she said as she gave a smirk.

Before Emma could reach the atrium, she stumbled across Vee and the octo-samurai which caused the octoling child to freeze in place, seeing him and feeling scared of the towering octarian but then she noticed on his shoulder was Seth's body. "S... Seth? What did you do to him you big jerk face," shouted Emma as she tried punching the octarian's gut.

"Emma, settle down... he didn't do anything to Seth," Vee told as she pulled her away from the octo-samurai.

"Who is he then?" pointing at him, leery of the octarian, seeing Seth being carried by the hulking creature.

"A friend," Vee answered to the young octoling.

"Friend?" It was obvious Emma was confused.

"Emma I don't have time for questions, we gotta get Seth to the medical bay, you can come if you want,"

"We'll he's my daddy so of course I'm coming?" said Emma as the octo-samurai gave Vee an estranged look. "It's not what you think, you know how children can be," Vee told the octarian.

Octo-Samurai didn't dare reply and he followed Vee and Emma to the medical bay. There, Seth was placed on a bed, holding his arm and wincing in pain. "Seth what should I do? I'm not a medic," she asked him.

"At least give me some painkillers...they're in the cabinet beside the sink," Seth directed her, pointing toward the drawers near the washing station.

Vee walked over and looked around. She grabbed the closest bottle of pills and handed it to Seth. "Vee, you gotta open it for me,"

"Oh, right," she replied before she opened the cap and poured a couple of pills in Seth's hand. He swallowed them and laid back down. "What else can I do?" she asked him.

"Nothing for now... being human, even with medical expertise you wouldn't know what to do since octarians have no bones. I just hope an infection doesn't build up," he said as he grabbed his broken arm. "I don't wanna feel worthless. There's gotta be something I can do. I don't... wanna see you die," she told him.

"Vee... I'm sure I'll make it on a broken bone,"

"Daddy! You're hurt! Let me kiss your arm and make it feel better," The octoling jumped on the bed and tried to grab Seth's arm as he gave her a nervous expression.

"Emma! get down!" Vee scolded her as she grabbed Emma and put her back down on the floor. Seth was relieved that the private came to his rescue, fearing Emma would agrivate his wound and put him in more pain.

"Octo-Samurai, Emma, if you don't mind could you step out for a moment," Vee asked the two.

"Of course, come along young one," Octo-samurai told Emma as she shoved her out the door.

"Seth... this might not be a good time to talk about this but... what do you plan on doing after... you know, we reach the surface?"

"You know the answer to that Vee. Finding my son,"

"Mirage said she would help you... I know the lieutenant has strong feelings for you and I don't wanna intrude but... I have feelings for you too,"

"I thought someone said they just wanna stay friends,"

"I did..."

"So why are you pursuing this?"

"Because I want an honest answer. It's been eating away at me even though I said I just wanted to stay friends..."

"Vee, listen to me... I don't know what will happen between me and the lieutenant. I'm at a crossroads with that. I'm not sure if I'm going to start a relationship with her or not. It's hard to picture going out with an octoling or even the thought of starting a new family. I just don't see that happening,"

"Emma looks up to you as a father figure and she wants me and you to..."

"Emma is also a child. She wants someone to fill in the spot of her old parents and I'm not the one to do it. She can't take the place of Virgil and I can't the place of her father. Vee, you can't dwell on this and I can't make promises what will happen overtime, whether it's between you or Mirage,"

"So that means you can't give me a definite answer and that you're letting fate decide,"

"You can say that. Don't let it bother you so much,"

"But..."

"Vee... you can't expect me to say what you wanna hear, that goes for Mirage too. You need to get your mind off the what ifs and focus on the what ares, and that's you and the rest of the team, watching each other's backs and getting to the surface like you guys planned on doing,"

Vee looked down as her face darkened. She plopped down at the end of the bed. She couldn't come to terms with what Seth said even though he was being as reasonable as he could with the octoling. "Vee..." he called out. "I love you...as a friend and that goes for everyone in the squad, but my son comes first. Looking for him is top priority and I made a promise to Sarah that I would find him, with or without the lieutenant's help," he told her as he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I know you did," raising her head and looking into his eyes.

"Then why are you being tenacious abou... GAH!" Seth suddenly jerked and laid back. Crutching his broken arm in pain.

"Seth! What's wrong!? What's going on!?" Vee panicked as she loomed over the human.

"My arm...mmm...it's...what's going on?" Seth responded as steadily held his arm.

"What is it Seth!?"

"It's...healed? The bone's not broken anymore... that can't be. It takes weeks for a bone to mend itself," he told her as he flexed his unbroken arm.

"So your arm is fixed?"

"Yeah...that's strange...I mean it's not a bad thing but... it's not normal. Has it got something to do with Mirage's ink in my veins but before then..." he started to say. He remembered a previous wound miraculously healing quickly before he even got the ink transfusion from the elite.

"What does that mean? Are you...changing?"

"I don't know...I don't feel any different then I have been except for me being able to move my arm now," he replied, feeling the spot where it was broken but it wasn't anymore.

Then, Emma barged through the door when she heard Seth scream in pain. "I tried to restrain her but she slipped out of my arms," said the octo-samurai as he walked in. Emma stared at Seth, wondering what had happened. "I'm fine Emma, see my arm is better," Seth said as he flexed his arm.

"Better...so you're gonna be ok,"

"Yes, Emma... I'm not gonna die,"

"That's good to hear! So... did you and new mommy talk it over,"

"Talk over what?"

"Being my new parents,"

"Emma, you need to quit doing that and Seth, he... has his own child to find," said Vee, her tone sounding more serious.

"But... I want a new mommy and daddy. That's you two,"

"No Emma, it isn't,"

"What are you saying?"

"Just that Emma. I'm not your mommy and Seth's not your daddy," It was obvious that Vee was dissatisfied with her conversation with Seth and was directing a harsh tone toward the young octoling.

"But...I thought,"

"You thought wrong... We can't replace your parents. The sooner you get that through your head the better," said Vee as she left. Seth could tell she wasn't content with what Seth said to her. Vee departed somewhere to be alone, presumably the staff quarters where she had slept. Seth was beside himself; he didn't want to not be honest with the octoling that had a crush on him. Emma's feelings were hurt as Seth tried to say something, but her eyes started watering and her lip quivered before she sank her face into the octo-samurai's stomach. Feeling a little awkward by the situation, he patted the little octoling's back and looked toward Seth.

"So, what's your input?" Seth asked the octarian.

"I'm not sure what to say other than you have a rough journey ahead of you human,"

"Gee, thanks for lifting my spirits," said Seth sarcastically as he started to get up.

"I'm a warrior...I've never known what it is to be in love or be loved. My only existence was to serve the octarian army and lead my troops. I failed to do that and now I have turned my back against my people. I'm not sure what my purpose is anymore?"

"At times...I feel the same way. Out of place, life meaningless. Don't let it get to you... I hope you find a new calling or purpose," Seth said as he stood before the octo-samurai.

"I appreciate your optimism human,"

"It's Seth...so you and Mirage go back,"

"You must be referring to our history together I assume. Yes, me and Mirage trained together. She mentored me before she was appointed to be commander of the royal guards to protect DJ Octavio,"

"Has Mirage always been so constrained or does it have something to do with the behavior of octolings in the army. She told me how it was like and how difficult it was to try and adjust when she left,"

"You must understand... octarians have always held a place in society with a purpose. We're constantly reminded of our purpose and how the inklings drove us underground, dependent on the power down here and to never inhabit the surface again. In a sense it gives us hope that we exist for something and that's survival and taking back what rightfully belongs to us," he told Seth as bent his arm and formed a fist with a determined expression.

Emma pulled away from octo-samurai and wiped her face from the tears. She turned to Seth, looking at him with disappointment. Seth patted her on the head which in turn she grabbed his hand and rubbed her cheek with it. "You're so warm... I messed up didn't I. It's my fault that you and new, I mean Vee aren't together isn't it," she said as she let go of Seth's hand.

"No, Emma it's not... it's hard for you to understand," said Seth.

'Because you're a human, is that it?"

"Part of it, yes... me and Vee can't take your parents places," he told Emma, but she downed her head sulking as Seth patted her again. "There, there, it's not the end of the world. We can all be friends and maybe you'll come across your parents someday, hopefully soon,"

"I sometimes think to myself, I'm glad they're gone," she said as she crossed her arms.

"And why would you say something like that,"

"Because they left me alone!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Emma, they would still love you,"

"No, they don't," crossing her arms again and looking away.

"Yes, they would. Me and my son got separated and I'm trying to look for him. Your folks have probably been looking for you,"

"You think so," perking up as she looked back at Seth.

"I know so..."

Emma looked at him and sniffled as she smiled at him. Seth smiled back, seeing Emma return to energetic self as she hugged him by the neck. "I love you Seth,"

"I love you too," he returned.

Then joining on the hug, the octo-samurai grabbed Seth who had a hold a Emma and embraced them as well. "Woah, be careful, my arm is still a little sore," Seth said as he looked up at the octarian.

"I've never hugged anybody before... feels... strange, kinda tingly," the octo-samurai told him as he let go of the two.

"Not even your mother?"

"Mother? I'm not sure what that is," he said as Seth was confused as to why the octarian wouldn't know what a mother was but then again he is an octarian and a mother and father model probably didn't exist for him.

"I hope you find your child um...Seth," said the octo-samurai.

"I appreciate it. What do you plan on doing?" he asked the octarian. Turning around, the octo-samurai's only answer was "I don't plan on sticking around. Like you...I feel as I've lost something that needs to be found,"

"Do you have a child that went missing?"

"No... octarians or should I say non-octolings cannot bear children or mate for that matter. Mirage reminded me that honor is found in one's self but I have yet to seek it. It'll take time for me to adjust and that will require much solitude,"

"So you plan on leaving after joining us?... but I understand that you need time to think things over. Are you going to at least say goodbye to Mirage?"

"I will. I'm not leaving until I now Mirage is safe, and that abomination is extinguished. The one that fights without honor and broke your arm,"

"Donovan, he's inside the facility meaning everyone else could be in danger. He mentioned finding his girlfriend. He thinks she's in one of the cryopods, meaning he's deeper in the facility, probably making his way to the cryochamber as we speak. I'm not gonna let him get away this time, especially after selling out his people. He's gonna answer for what he's done after we tried aiding him when he woke up,"

"Who are you talking about?" Emma asked him.

"Emma, I want you to stay with octo-samurai until I get back,"

"Finish your mission. I will keep the young one safe," said the octarian.

Seth pulled out his pistol and racked a round from the magazine. "It's time I took care of this,"

Mirage, Luna, and Star were patrolling down a corridor toward the generators. They were on Donovan's trail and closing. Once they reached the power supply for the facility they looked around. "I stilll don't see any sign of that other human, or whatever he is now," said Luna.

"Keep looking, he couldn't have gotten far," said Mirage as she walked around.

"Hey, I got something. Someone's been through here," pointed out Star, seeing boot marks on the floor. Mirage walked over and wiped her finger on the marks before taking a sniff. "That's him, he was here a short time ago. C'mon, we'll try and corner that bastard," the elite said.

Traversing down another winding corridor lined with pipes heading deeper in the facility. The three kept their eyes peeled for Donovan but still saw no signs of him. Then the two stopped and heard a noise up ahead, the sound of metal clanging. "Push up and stay on your toes," said Mirage. Cautiously, the trio headed for the source of the noise. They opened the door up ahead and spotted Donovan down a stairwell. He spotted the octolings and bared his fangs at them before running through the exit. "After him!" commanded the elite.

They all octo formed and slid down the stairs to catch Donovan. Surprisingly he was keeping a distance from them with his enhanced agility. Once Donovan had made it to the cryochamber he smashed the door's control panel and caused the door to jam. The octoling's changed forms and saw the door was closed shut. "Damn!" jeered Mirage as she punched the door.

"Is there another way in?" asked Star.

"This place has a ventilation system, we can crawl through it to reach the room containing those other humans; this way," Mirage waved them to follow her to the closest air duct.

Inside the cryochamber, Donovan was hunting for the pod that might have contained his girlfriend. He searched and searched and had no luck. Getting agitated he kneeled to the floor and punched it as he growled. "She's gotta be here! I know she didn't perish like everyone else!" he said to himself. Getting up, confident that she was here and after a few more minutes he came across a pod. Inside it, he could make out a young female, her hair was little short, she was wearing uniform pants with a tank covering her torso. "Rebecca?...Rebecca! It is her!... shit! How do I open this F-ing thing. There's gotta be a button or switch. Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!" he shouted.

Donovan looked around and spotted the hatch release. The pod started making noise, followed by a hiss as fog bellowed out of the pod, the subject inside the pod started to defrost. Once the pod had opened, Donovan rushed up and pulled Rebecca out and sat her on the floor. "Rebecca, wake up...c'mon answer me," he said. Checking her pulse, he didn't feel one. "No...no, no, no. You...can't be dead. I've come too far," he said, holding in his anguish as he hugged her tight.

He heard something banging around the duct work above him, then all of a sudden, the vent was knocked off and fell on the floor as three small octopi landed down and changed back to their bipedal forms, aiming their octo shots at Donovan. "Give up! You're not hurting anyone else human!" Mirage shouted at him.

He glared at the octolings as he clutched his deceased girlfriend. "Give up?... I've come all this way to hunt for my girlfriend and now I find out she's... dead. This is those scientists fault... what happened to me... my deceased..." Donovan tried to get out as he was in mental and emotional pain, trying to hold back his anguish on the realization of the situation.

"I... came back for nothing... only to be reminded again of losing everything dear to me. My old life is gone... my girl is gone... I have nothing left to live for,"

"I can't say I'm sorry for you. You turned your back and sold your people out so you could help the octarians take this place and you nearly killed Seth. The irony you come back and realize your mate is dead... the pain and defeat you must feel right now could only be excruciating for you like Seth's broken arm you piece of shit," Mirage sneered at him, feeling no sympathy what so ever for the octo-human.

"Don't you dare tell me how I feel you freak," he growled at her.

"Freak! How about I shoot you in the face and end your suffering right now," said Luna angrily as she aimed her octoshot at him, ready to pull the trigger only for her weapon to be pushed down.

"Luna, at ease... don't play into his emotions," Mirage coaxed Luna before turning her gaze back at Donovan. "I suggest you surrender...the only sympathy I have right now is for your mate. I wonder how she would think of seeing you right now and knowing you traded out your own race to be with her,"

"Keep my girl out of this!... and if you think I'll come quietly then you got another coming. You might as well shoot me and get it over with. It's like being crammed back in that F-ing pod again if not worse... reliving this nightmare all over again, so go ahead and put me out of my misery. I'd rather be dead than live like this and be alone in this twisted world I've woken up too, knowing my girlfriend is gone forever,"

Surprisingly, Mirage didn't give into his whim but lowered her octo shot, seeing him as nothing but pathetic and unremorseful for what he did. "I should just finish you off...but why should I lower myself. You're a disgrace to your race, nothing more than a deserter... now that you've felt like there's no hope left after siding with the octarians. You can't handle the defeat... you accomplished nothing doing what you did,"

"A disgrace...(chuckle) I'll tell what a disgrace is... the same humans that placed in me and my girlfriend in cryostasis, the same humans that experimented on us like lab rats, causing me to become some kind of octo-freak, the same humans that destroyed the world, my home and my life... humans are destructive beings, they seek their own selfish desires and pursuits even if that means killing everyone in the process or holding power even when everything has been destroyed... but what good is it when everyone has been wiped off the face of the Earth. It's absolutely maddening!"

"I'm well aware of what happened to the human race but for someone to just blatantly degrade and disregard any good humans their could have been, you've degraded yourself in the process, your actions, your words prove to me you're right. Humans can be cruel and selfish...upon insight, Seth has shown me that not all humans are like that. He sets an example of what good exsist in humanity while you've shown me the dark side of it,"

"You lecture me about the good and bad between my race. Your species aren't much better... they seek war and eradication of the surface dwellers, these squid creatures and everyone else. We're not that different, my people and yours. Seems they may be headed down the same track as humans did. Fight and control," sneered Donovan with a maniacal smile, followed by laughing.

"This guy is asking for it," said Luna, who was ready to just end Donovan and his provoking rhetoric.

"What's the call Mirage, I don't think he's willing to give up," said Star.

"How about you quit debating whose race is worse than the other and you come peacefully," demanded Mirage as she stepped up and kept her weapon on Donovan.

BANG! BANG! BANG! Gunshots were heard coming from the other side of the main door which got the attention of the octoling squad and Donovan. Seth was on the other side shooting at the door's control panel since it was disabled from the other causing the metal sliding doors to jam from Donovan striking the panel. The doors managed to open enough for him to slide them apart and squeeze through. As he rushed ahead, he spotted the octoling trio and then Donovan as he pulled his pistol on him.

"Alright asshole... Give me a reason I shouldn't go ahead and blow your brains out," keeping his sidearm steady on the octo-human.

"Seth, don't... that's what he wants," Mirage told him.

"And he's gonna get it,"

"So, you're just gonna stoop to his level,"

"You executed that trooper a while back, it was unarmed and you splatted it anyway after I told you it wasn't right,"

"That was different,"

"How different,"

"Because I was looking out for my team, it's survival Seth. Letting it go, it would've warned the octarians about you and this place a lot sooner. What did you expect me to do...spare it so it could rat on us,"

"You just said it... survival... this piece of shit doesn't deserve to be around. This F-er is the reason the octarian army came here in the first place. He was willing to hand us over on a silver platter while he reaped the reward, his freedom and his girl for the other. I see no reason in keeping him around,"

"Seth, I'm ordering you to lower that weapon... killing him won't make things right," she said to him as she approached the distraught human.

"Maybe not...and back during my time it would be considered murder, but it was also a harsh world and he's a prime example of those scumbags that did whatever they had to do in order to survive or prosper out of a dire situation even if it meant innocent people had to suffer," he told the elite as she got closer, holding her hand up for him to decease his actions.

"Listen to me... You don't think I feel the same way. I want nothing more to shoot this guy in face but I won't. We take him in and settle things without anymore inkshed," Mirage walked over in front of him, getting Seth to see no reason in killing Donovan for his despicable actions.

Seth kept his gaze on Donovan, still holding his Glock 19 at him and keeping his finger on the trigger. "Seth... don't do this," pleaded Mirage. Her words were slowly subsiding his anger and started lowering his sidearm before he gave a deep breath. Behind him, Vee stood by and watched Seth's grudge falter.

He looked at Mirage who smiled at him before turning his attention back to Donovan who just glared hatefully at Seth. "As sergeant Seth Matthisson, you're coming with us. It's over Donovan and I'm sorry about your girlfriend but you have to answer for what you've done,"

"(chuckle)... Matthison was it. That's your last name,"

"What of it,"

"Hearing that name... I recognize you now, why didn't I see if before,"

"What are you talking about. I've never met you before we were placed in cryostasis,"

"Cryostasis has a knack of deteriorating our memories, whether it's names, people and so on. Your name was pulled for the program. You know why? Because it wasn't random... I'm the one that gave Blackwell your name. You were supposed to take my place. Your life for mine but that bastard stabbed me in the back and abducted me and my girl anyway. Blackwell asked if you had a family and I said a wife and baby. Perfect candidates,"

Seth's anger came back and quickly as he started seeing red. His hand shook as he clinched his teeth, remembering the day he was kidnapped as well as Sarah and Virgil. It wasn't only because of Blackwell that he, his wife and infant were taken to the cryo-facility, but Donovan played a part in it, obviously feeling no guilt for what he had done. Seth's hand tightly griped the pistol that was still in his hand. "So... you thought you could save your ass and give mine away along with my family," Seth said coldly.

"Survival as the octopus girl put it... you do what you must. You'd be dead if you weren't stuffed in that damn machine like everyone else... sort of a blessing really but why haven't you turned into this... a tentacle-headed monster like I have? What makes you different?" Donovan scoffed as Seth's anger was reaching a boiling point.

"S... Seth? Are you alright," asked Vee as she slowly approached him. He gave her a grave expression; he was definitely not level-headed like he was and backed away before Seth shot a glare of his own at Donovan.

"Blessing... no, punishment... abandonment... loss of my family. That's what I got," he replied. Mirage as well as the others, were worried that Seth was about to do something drastic.

"So you see my point of view and understand why I had to do it... I hope your family's dead," Donovan said bluntly, which caused Seth to snap. "What was their name's... oh, yes...Sarah and Virgil as I watched them get forced into that pod of theirs," he said as he stood up. A spiteful smile appearing on his face, watching Seth feel the same anguish he did from the loss of his girlfriend.

"You...SORRY BASTARD!" Seth roared and without warning he raised his pistol and shot Donovan in the throat. As blood poured out, Donovan gripped his neck and gargled. He fell on his knees struggling to stay alive but as he did, he watched Rebecca's eyes slowly blink. She wasn't dead as he believed and reached out to her with is blood-soaked hand. "Re-becca..." he called out but soon collapsed as blood came out of his mouth. Giving one last gasp, his eyes closed, and Donovan was finally no more.

Vee covered her mouth as she watched Donovan die by Seth's rage. Mirage dropped her octoshot and rushed over but it was too late. Donovan was motionless, sitting in a pool of blood from the fatal gunshot to his throat. "He's dead... Seth, you... killed him,"

Seth was breathing heavily, his face in a trance-like state, not realizing what just happened. As he came back to his senses, he saw Donovan was laying lifeless on the floor and then looking at the pistol in his hand. Seth then knew what he did and dropped the pistol and saw Luna and Star staring at him in shock.

"I... don't know came over me. All I could see was red and then I focused on Donovan... oh, God," he said feeling frail and weak at the knees caused by the overwhelming guilt he was feeling for killing Donovan. Then as he covered his mouth with his fist, he felt a hand grab his other and he looked down and saw Vee looking at him with compassion.

"There's...nothing we can do for him," said Mirage as she stood up. Then she noticed Rebecca. She was breathing weakly. "Huh, I think she's alive,"

Luna and Star came over and watched Rebecca's chest moving. "I think you're right," said Luna.

"What do we do?" asked Star.

"We'll get her to the medical bay," Mirage replied.

"I'll take her," said Seth. He approached them, hearing that Rebecca was starting to come around. He kneeled down and picked her up bridal style. "You think she'll make it?" asked Mirage.

"I'm not sure...she might,"

"You...gonna be, ok?"

"I need time to myself. Once I take her to one of the examination rooms, I'm gonna head back to my quarters," he told them before he left, carrying Rebecca away. Vee watched him as he walked past her and didn't dare say anything. It was apparent that he was traumatized from killing Donovan and needed time to clear is thoughts.

"Private," called out Mirage.

"Yes, lieutenant?"

"Let's head topside and see if the octarians have went into a full retreat,"

Vee nodded and looked back toward the exit Seth walked out of. "I'm really worried about Seth," she said.

"I am too... best to give him some space for the time being," she told Vee. Examining Donovan's body, she looked at his tentacles.

"What is it?" asked Vee.

"Turning into one of us might have drove him off the deep end. I wonder what caused this... and why Seth isn't going through the same changes?"

"Who knows, human or not, the guy was piece of work, even at the end. I can't grieve over him," said Luna.

Let's just get out of here and rendezvous with Maxine and Sigma. We'll inform them that the human has been dealt with," said Mirage.

Meanwhile...

Levi, the agents and the octolings were headed toward the training grounds, an octarian outpost where octarians were drafted and initiated into service. The octoling sergeant had a plan to entrap the human and inklings there once they could retrieve some weapons and contact octo base on their situation. The dome screens overhead were projecting a sunset sky and below was what appeared to be scattered landmasses and what also appeared to be another town below. As the V-22 flew over, a beeping emitted from the console panel as well as a flashing red light. Then the left rotor shut off, it took damage from the dogfight between their V-22 and the enemy from above the shantytown. The V-22 started to destabilize and slowly descended because soon the other rotor quite spinning as well.

"Hey! Why are we dropping!?" panicked Flash.

"It's the turbines! Both of them must've gotten hit as well as the fuel has depleted. We're going down! Everyone buckle up!" shouted Levi as the inkling agents as well as the octolings held onto their seats.

The V-22 fell toward the town below. Levi tried to keep the nose up on the aircraft as it descended before crashing into the street. The impact was enough to cause everyone to fly out of the seats and land on the bay floor. Flash hit is head on the targeting screen in the co-pilot's seat and was knocked out momentarily as Levi was shoved into the control panel. It would be an hour until everyone got up and recovered from the hard landing but the octolings were missing as the cargo bay ramp was wide open. Sam got up and rubbed her head, she looked around and saw Ash and Jet laying on the floor, slowly recuperating and shaking their heads. Beside her was little buddy, half-dazed before it shook it off and looked up at Sam. The two hugged briefly as she held it, licking her face and jumping inside her pack.

"Is everyone good?" she asked the two other agents.

"Never better," jeered Jet.

"Yeah," responded Ash.

"Levi! Flash!" Sam shouted toward the cockpit.

She heard groaning coming from the cockpit and saw the two of them starting to stir. Flash rubbed his face as Levi slowly got out of his seat and stumbled. "That could've went a lost worse. How's everyone?" Levi asked the inklings.

"So much for getting back to Inkopolis in this flying hunk of metal," complained Jet as he sat on the floor with his arms crossed.

"Jet, be grateful we made it. Levi's flying skills managed to save our butts," Ash told him.

"Whatever...looks like we're stranded...again," Jet growled.

"We'll get you guys back to inkling territory, we've just hit a snag," Levi insured them as he rubbed his head.

"You call this a snag! We're stuck down here! It's just a matter of time until the octarians find us or worse those humans come looking for us," Jet snapped at the human as he got up.

"Speaking of octarians, where's those three at?" Ash asked as she looked around.

"Huh..." Sam now noticing the octolings weren't present.

"I don't see them anywhere," Flash noticing as well as he was still rubbing his eye from getting smacked by the screen.

"They bailed...figures they would sneak off while everyone was knocked out. Just perfect," Jet commented.

"Listen here, I don't have the patience to deal with two grumbling squids. It's gotten dark, those three are gone and we need to stay focused on the mission," Sam got on to him.

"Screw the mission! And screw this agent crap! I'm leaving and finding my own way back to Inkopolis! You coming Ash?"

"Jet, think about what you're doing... you can't go out there by yourself. We need to stick together," Flash advised him.

"Well, I as shell ain't hanging around here to get bossed at by her," Jet turned around and started making his way toward the bay ramp.

"Jet!" Ash shouted at him as he squid formed and shot away.

"Let him go," Sam said.

"What... Sam you can't just,"

"No, if we want to head back by himself then let him. I'm not gonna force anyone to stay,"

"But what if gets caught or splatted,"

"He knows the risk... I'm only focused on finding Izzy and that's it. Once I do, agent 3 can take this uniform and cram it. I'm going back to Splatsville after that,"

"You shouldn't let him go venture out like that," Flash told Sam as she walked beside him.

"You heard him Levi... he's done. That inkhead wants to go back to Inkopolis that bad and I won't stop him,"

"Look, I understand when people lose it and can't go on anymore. I know that. Being in the resistance I've seen it. You can't just let him go Sam," Levi told her.

"I never chose to be an agent Levi! If it weren't for my sister, I'd probably do the same thing,"

"I shouldn't tell you what to do. This isn't my team, but I was just concerned is all, after all the shit we've been through. I was hoping to reach that hypocenter, the one you told me that other human came from,"

"Seth... yeah, I miss him,"

"Not to interrupt, but what's the plan now?" asked Flash.

"We keep going, that's what," Sam responded as she clutched her hero shot.

"That's it...Sam, we have no idea where we're at. What if more octarians show up or those humans. I seriously doubt we can put up another fight," said Flash as he folded his arms.

"How about we camp out for the night and come up with some initiatives before we just head out. As dark as it is, it wouldn't be wise to try and travel not knowing the layout of the area," Levi suggested to the agents.

"Fine," Sam complied as she turned away and crossed her arms.

With no way of starting a fire and nothing to burn. Sam, Flash, Ash and Levi scoured the downed V-22 for something to cover themselves to keep from freezing since the dome's heat source was shut off and the monitors displayed a simulated night sky over them. Being underground it was very cold for the four. Nearly an hour had passed, the inklings had a hard time trying to keep warm since their bodies didn't produce body heat like Levi did. Sam tossed and turned, unable to sleep due to staying cold. She sat up and hugged herself, shivering and seeing her breath coming out of her mouth. Beside her the salmonid was still asleep in the backpack, looking cozy unlike her.

She looked over and saw that Levi wasn't having a hard time sleeping as much as her and the other two agents were, as she saw Flash and Ash hurdled up together. She then remembered how warm Levi was, putting off heat unlike oceanic-based beings. She stood up, keeping herself covered as she walked over to Levi and watched him. Squid forming, she swam underneath his cover and laid next to him. The movement from her, caused Levi to stir as he blinked before feeling something cold and slimy under his covers. He looked and saw a little yellow squid curled up in his lap. He remembered from the camera feed at the station that the inklings could shapeshift into squids, which was the strangest thing he had ever seen.

Somewhat estranged but at the same time adorable. Sam opened one eye and saw Levi looking down at her with a smile, trying not to chuckle. Blushing and getting slightly flustered, she got out of his lap and changed back to her inkling self.

"W... what are smiling about?" she asked with a blush on her face.

"It's nothing," he said, trying not to smile.

"I was getting cold and you're, well...warm,"

"I understand, don't get bent out of shape about it. Being cephalopod based you don't emit body heat like I do. I'm sure you were getting cold, as well as your friends over there," which Levi and Sam could see them moving around, trying to get comfortable. "Look, I don't mind, though I'd feel better if someone would stay awake and take watch though. I'm already awake so,"

"I'm sure things will be fine...maybe Flash's snoring will keep the octarians away," Sam said.

"So, those three, octo-lings as you referred to them. Why do you and your species have a beef with them?" Levi asked the inkling girl.

"It's not so much us against them but the other way around. You see, a hundred years ago the inklings and octarians fought over territory and control. It was called the great turf war and the inklings won while the octarians were banished underground. They've held a grudge against us since," she explained to him.

"So why not establish peace, let them come back to the surface,"

"You don't understand. Yeah, we maybe both cephalopods but you're talking about an animosity between our races that's lingered for a hundred years or more. I doubt the octarians would just let by gones be by gones. They're too determined to just take the surface for themselves, they're not interested in peace. They're only interested in payback, they've already squidnapped inklings and swiped the zapfish from us,"

"It's war that caused humanity to nearly go extinct. I don't want either of you, inklings or the octarians to go down the same path we did. I think both races need to come to terms with diplomacy and settle each other's differences. I'm not saying what the octarians are doing is right but... there has to be an alternative,"

"I don't see how, sad part is, by what I understood from agent 3. The inkopolis government and the octarian new leader established peace but agent 3 and even me, think its nothing but a trick to catch Inkopolis off guard before the octarians invade,"

"I won't doubt it. I do hope relations between your people and the octarians eventually gets better,"

"In an odd way... I hope it does too but as natural enemies I see it unlikely,"

"Looks like you're shaking, you can lay up beside me,"

"I appreciate it...only because I'm chilly and nothing else ok,"

"Um, ok,"

Sam curled up beside Levi, staying in inkling form. She snuggled up beside him to keep warm and being that close to him, she felt more secure. As a few minutes pasted, not being able to sleep as comfortable as she gotten. Curiosity was eating at her about Levi and his people.

"So this resistance. How you described, it does sound a lot like the squidbeak squad. You talk about peace between the inklings and octarians why not you and the other humans?"

"That's a different circumstance,"

"How?"

"There's no reasoning with those soldiers. I would know, I used to be one of them. It took months for me to get cured and deprogrammed from the serum and Kamabo's protocols that were running through my head. I still have nightmares of what I've been through and what I did. The memories are vague but they still haunt me even to this day," he told the inkling girl as it leaned over, causing Sam to sit up.

"I remember you telling me that. To be held against your will and forced to fight against your own is just despicable. I just hope... Izzy isn't going through the same thing you went through. Just the thought makes my ink boil that the octarians would do that to her and other inklings,"

"I'm sure you'll find your sister, for now just get some rest,"

"Thanks... sweet dreams Levi,"

"You too Sam,"

Sam's eyes finally closed as Levi decided to stay awake as long as he could until he would fall asleep. A few more minutes later, Ash sat up and rubbed her eyes. She couldn't sleep with Flash smacking her while he was asleep and his obnoxious snoring. She spotted Sam laying against a now dozing Levi and decided to walk over and pull out her squid phone to take a picture. Smiling at the photo of the two, the phone slipped out of her hands as she tried to catch it but it fell inside Levi and Sam's emergency blanket. Ash squid formed and crawled underneath to obtain it and once she did she found out why Sam slept beside him. He was warm and it felt comforting for the inkling.

Ash decided to lay on the other side of Levi, opposite of Sam and try to keep warm herself. Eventually she feel asleep and left Flash by himself, in which the inkling boy noticed Ash went missing. He yawned and looked around, spotting both Ash and Sam laid against Levi. Feeling left out, he quickly got up and walked over to the three who were asleep. Doing the same thing as Ash did, he changed forms and crawled under the covers and perched in Levi's lap. "Oh, this is why they slept next to Levi, he's pretty warm," he said.

Thirty minutes passed, as the four of them laid together inside the crashed V-22 cargo bay. Levi started to slowly wake up, he heard a noise approaching, getting louder and louder until he recognized it. They were the sound of rotors flying overhead. Once he was fully awake, he moved the inklings over as to not disturb them and got up. He cautiously looked at of the cargo bay ramp and spotted a V-22 hovering over as sanitized soldiers rappelled down from ropes and dropped on the street below.

"Shit," he muttered before he ran over to the inklings, attempting to wake them up. "Hey, get up. We gotta hide and soon," he said. Sam swatted his hand away as she grumbled.

"I said get up!" he said louder, finally getting the agents' attentions.

The inklings finally woke up and looked at Levi. "We got company. We gotta find a place to lay low," he told them.

"What is it?" asked Ash, still half-asleep.

"It's Kamabo troops, the sanitized humans we dealt with back at that town. I think they're looking for us,"

"What! How did they..." Flash started to say before he was cut off.

"As long we don't draw attention, we'll be fine but hiding in this derelict isn't exactly safe. I'm sure they'll make their way over here and check the wreckage for our remains,"

The inklings got up and prepared to move out. Sam grabbed the backpack with lil' buddy still in it as well as the hero shot laying against the wall of the cargo bay.

The four of them cautiously stepped out of the crashed V-22. It seemed the soldiers were still a good distance away from them as they started patrolling the area up the street from where they were at. These soldiers were outfitted with NV capabilities, including IR targeting devices mounted on their weapons as well as synced communication systems. Being able to see in their dark environment, they could easily track down Levi and the inklings with what they were equipped with.

Levi took point and didn't want to catch their gaze as he only had one loaded mag left. He waited and once he saw an opportunity, he signaled the agents to follow him across the intersection and step inside a vacant building as he drew his gun to ensure the room was clear. The inklings changed back forms as the soldiers continued patrolling. narrowly avoiding their view and making it inside the vacant building with Levi.

"How long can we stay hidden?" asked Flash.

"As long as we can. We can find a way out of this town, or I guess it's a town," said Levi.

"There's gotta be a tea kettle nearby," said Sam.

"A... tea kettle?" questioned Levi on why Sam would be concerned about some tea kettle.

"It's a way octarians and even inklings can transport ourselves from one dome to another," Sam tried to explain as Levi was still confused. "Ugh, we'll show you but we need to locate one first,"

"Uh, guys, those soldiers are getting closer. May I suggest we hide or something," said Ash as she heard approaching footsteps.

The four of them started to worry and pressed further into the building. Levi huddled against a side exit as he watched a soldier walk past him and continue down a narrow alley. At the front door, a soldier stepped at the doorway and shined his light around the front room. The inklings stayed out of sight in their squid forms until the human soldier decided to leave, seeing the building was empty.

"No sign of them sir," said one of the soldiers behind his mask and NV goggles with a static voice.

"Keep searching, they couldn't have gotten far. We need to retrieve that drive ASAP. Keep scanning the area," the commander told the soldier.

The soldiers dispersed so they could cover more ground. Seeing they had gotten further out, Levi snuck out of the narrow alley with the inklings behind him in their squid forms. They spotted another building, a shop toward the end of the alley and hid inside it. It seemed for now, they were safe.

"So far so good," said Flash.

"Don't jinx us inkhead," Sam snapped at him before looking at Levi.

"I'm not sure where to go. It'll be a matter of time until they find us," he said.

"We gotta keep going. We've managed to avoid them this far... so long as someone keeps their mouth shut," said Sam before she scowled at Flash.

"What? We're like ninjas yo... those humans will never catch us," gloated Flash as he leaned against a shelf, causing it to fall over and crash on him as cans landed on his body, one konking him on the head.

"You idiot!" Sam screamed at him, which woke up the salmonid in her backpack. Looking around as the little seemed startled and confused.

"Oww...I'm sure they didn't hear that," said Flash, rubbing the top of his head.

"Hey! I heard a noise from this direction," shouted a soldier outside.

"Oops,"

"Shit, they know we're here. Split up before they see us," Levi told them.

"Search the building!" commanded the squad leader as the soldiers surrounded the shop Levi and the inklings were hiding inside. "Prepare to breach, on three, two, one!" Then a couple of shots from Levi's pistol went through the door, startling the soldiers and causing them to pull back before they stormed in. They returned fire, bullets ripping through the building as Levi and the agents got down. "Cease fire!" shouted one soldier.

"Anyone hit?" asked Levi, the inklings responding with shaking heads. "Good, I'm going to lead them away, find that tea kettle you were talking about. I'll link up once I lose them and if I don't make it back, go on without me," he told the agents.

"No inkling way! I'm not leaving you!" Sam protested.

"They want me!"

"I don't care...we escape together,"

"Not this time, sorry Sam," he said as he got up and jumped out of the window on the side of the building, getting the soldiers' attention and shooting one of them. "Apprehend him!" the commander ordered.

Levi ran off as the soldiers fired at him. "Levi!" she shouted out of the window before she was grabbed by Ash and Flash. "Sam he's gone. You heard what he said," said Flash.

"We gotta go after him," shoving their hands off her.

"What for! I'm sure he can handle himself. Why take the chance of getting splatted? What about your sister Izzy?" Flash reminded her.

"I..." she started as she downed her head.

"Sam... I'm sure Levi will be OK," Ash told her but Sam shoved her and turned to the two agents with a determined expression.

"Let's locate the kettle but we're waiting for Levi to come back,"

Leading the soldiers away from the squidbeak agents, Levi spotted what appeared to be an access to an underground metro. He ran down it and entered into a terminal area, looking around he heard the soldiers behind him. He bolted for another staircase leading down to the subway station below and hunted for a place to hide.

Deeper in the station, Levi noticed he had entered into the platform area and spotted some subway cars parked on the tracks. He pulled out a chem light and popped it so he could illuminate his surroundings since there was now power supplying the station. He cautiously stepped inside the subway car and looked around. At some point in time, it might have been used but for now it was abandoned. As Levi entered inside the car, he stepped on something. Picking his foot up he saw what appeared to be a small device, shaped like a flattened torpedo. On it read CQ-80, as he picked it up. Examining it, he could tell it was damaged but further inspection, something caught his eye. It was the Kamabo logo. "Kamabo? Wonder what this was used?" he asked but then he heard the soldiers echoing down the stairwell. "I better hold on to this for safe keeping," he said as he placed CQ-80 in his pocket.

He dropped the chem light and headed toward the front subway car where the conductor would be. The soldiers shined their weapon lights around as they reached the platform and scanned the area for any signs of Levi. "Spread out and search the area," one of them ordered. The soldiers separated, as Levi hid inside the front car, watching them.

One soldier approached the subway and looked inside. Turning off their weapon light and utilizing their NV goggles so they could be stealthy and ambush Levi. The soldier stepped in cautiously, aiming their weapon as the IR laser beamed off the weapon. The car appeared to be empty but then the soldier spotted the chem light laying on the floor, knowing that Levi had to be nearby.

As the soldier kneeled down to pick it up. Levi quietly slid the car door open and watched the soldier as his back was turned. Now was his chance to get the drop on the sanitized human as Levi cautiously snuck closer to the soldier. They stood up and heard something behind them but before they could react, the soldier turned around and was met with fist through his NV goggles and knocked to the floor.

Levi pulled the helmet with the NV goggles mounted on them, off the incapacitated soldier and relinquishing his rifle. Levi placed the helmet on his head and used the night vision to his advantage, looking out of the car before the soldiers noticed and bolted for one of the platform pillars for cover as he spotted a soldier approaching toward his direction.

Levi panted and clutched his weapon as the soldier stopped and activated his headset. "2-4 Actual, this is Liquid 3-1...I've lost contact with Liquid 3-3,"

"Rescan your sector Liquid 3-3, check for comms interference. Stay on guard, report back once you've come across the target,"

"Roger that 2-4 Actual, Liquid 3-1 out,"

The soldier heard something, it was the headset to the helmet Levi swiped, the echo of the conversation was bleeding through, and Levi panicked. Turning the heatset off, the sanitized soldier aimed his weapon toward the direction of Levi. "Liquid 3-3 reply!" shouted the soldier.

"Liquid 3-3 reply!"

The soldier was now leery, something wasn't right. They cautiously walked up closer toward the pillar Levi was hiding behind, so Levi quickly turned the corner and shot at the soldier before he was seen. The soldier fell back but the gunfire attracted the attention of the other soldiers.

The soldier moaned and started to sit up but before Levi could finish him off the other two appeared from down the platform and saw him. "Engage!" one shouted as he took aim and fired at Levi.

Taking cover, Levi returned fire as the other two soldiers took cover themselves. Levi only had one loaded mag for the rifle he swiped and couldn't continue the gunfight with them, he had to get away somehow. Once he had an opportunity, he rushed further down the platform and got behind another pillar. When the soldiers tried to move in he shot at them. Running low, Levi had to flee, taking the risk of getting hit he jumped down on the tracks and took off for the tunnel.

"After him!" shouted the squad leader. The soldier that was shot finally recovered and grabbed his rifle off the floor and pursued Levi along with the other two squad mates. Levi was gaining some distance from the soldiers as they shot at him.

Outside, scout drones were scanning the area for the inkling agents. Having the advantage of changing into squids and not putting off body heat they were able to hide from the drones easily. After the drones got out of range, the three of them rushed off for the edge of the town to hunt for the kettle. As five minutes passed, they finally saw the kettle and made their way to it. Sam and the other two agents changed back. Flash hopped inside and poked his head out. "Sam, Ash, c'mon," he told them.

"We still gotta wait for Levi," Sam insisted as Flash rolled his eyes.

"What if those drones see us. It won't do any good waiting for him. I'm sure he'll catch up," said Ash.

"If you're forgetting, he's a human...meaning he's gonna need one of us to ride on him for lubrication. I had to do that for Seth in order for him to shoot through the tube," Sam explained.

"I hope he makes it back,"

"I do too... if he doesn't get here. I'm going to go look for him and you two go ahead without me,"

"No way Sam! I like Levi but we got Izzy to find," argued Flash.

"Oh squid, we've been spotted," Ash shouted as she pointed at a drone that spotted the agents.

The drone locked on to the inklings and began firing it's gun mounted underneath it. The inklings squidformed away but Ash was hit as she tumbled in pain. "Ash!" yelled Sam as she pulled out her hero shot and began inking the drone. Once it was covered, it plummeted and fell to the ground as it exploded. Ash was holding her leg as it was bleeding purple ink. "C'mon Ash, you gotta get up," said Sam as she helped her to her feet.

"But my leg..." winced Ash.

I know it hurts but it'll heal soon," Sam told her as she picked her up with the help of Flash rushing over as they headed back over to the kettle. "You two get out of here. I'll hold them off,"

"But..."

"No butts! Just squid out of here already!"

Flash nodded as he helped Ash inside the kettle. She shot out with Flash behind her. Soon, two more drones flew over and attacked Sam. Lil' Buddy jumped out of her pack and swallowed one of the drones, only to spit it out and disable it. It landed on the ground sparking as the other drone locked onto the salmonid and Sam.

She grabbed the fish before the drone shot at it and threw lil' buddy back in her pack before she rushed off as the flying scout drone pursued her away from the kettle.

Back in the metro, Levi was being chased down the subway tunnel as bullets whizzed past him. Once Levi reached the end of the tunnel, he found himself at what appeared to be another station but the continuation of the tracks were barricaded off and not allowing entry but off the side at the platform was another station, compared to the other station this one was more ransacked and trashed with graffiti. Levi heard the soldiers coming down the tunnel. He spotted a utility access door off to his right, but it was locked. A window in the door showed another room on the other side. He tried desperately to get it opened, pushing up against it and banging on it but it was no use. He backed away but as he did an ink charge went off beside him and threw him back on the tracks off the platform. Now covered in purple ink, he couldn't move his body as the ink subdued his motor skills.

He turned and saw the soldiers aiming their rifles at him. Levi tried moving his arm to grab the weapon lying beside him, but he couldn't reach it. "Secure him and locate the drive!" ordered the commander. The two subordinates kept their weapons on him but before they could seize him, one soldier was shot and coated with ink. The other quickly turning to see a figure aiming what appeared to be a super soaker on him and splatted him before he could shoot. The two soldiers were incapacitated while the commander fired his weapon at the figure. They changed into an octopus and hoped down on the tracks, dodging the gunfire before they changed back and shot at the commander before he fell and dissolved into green goo.

Levi watched and was astounded if not fearful of what would happen to him now. The figure was an octoling in old octarian gear. Her goggles were covering her eyes and her facial expression was stoic as she approached Levi and held her octo shot on him. "Please, don't shoot me," Levi told her. Then another octoling came out from the metal locked door and stared at him as more came out and surrounded Levi with their weapons in their hands.

The first octoling squatted down and looked at him, examining the ink-coated human. "Who are you and what are you doing down here? talk!" she demanded.

Levi remembered the octarians were after him even though these octolings rescued him. He wasn't sure what to do at this point but stay on guard. He looked at the SIG Virtus laying on the ground near him that he took and used what energy he had to try and grab it but as has he did, the octoling kicked it out of his hand and held her octo shot against his face.

"Go ahead, I'll splat you like those other sanitized freaks," the elite sneered at him.

(Huh? How did this octoling know about them being sanitized?) Levi thought with a slightly stunned expression.

"I won't ask you again! Who are you and what are you doing down here!" she demanded.

Levi was between a rock and a hard place. There was no getting out of this so he might as well explain himself, none the less, he was screwed either way. "My name's Levi... I was being pursued by those soldiers you killed but why did you refer to them as sanitized?" he wondered.

"I'll be asking the questions. Why were they after you and who exactly were they? I've never seen gear like that before or those weapons they were carrying. I want some answers," grabbing Levi by his collar and pulling him in closer to her face as he bared her fangs.

"Very well... (deep breath) Seems I got no choice, you're gonna find out soon enough anyway," he told her.

"Find what out," she replied as she let go of him.

"That I'm a human and so were those soldiers,"

"Human!... don't play me. You better start telling me the truth, or you'll end up as a puddle like them,"

"I am a human," he told the octoling as he carefully grabbed his helmet and threw it off, feeling the ink effects slowly wearing off. The octolings were flabbergasted as the one that had her octo shot aimed at him, dropped the ink weapon and stepped away.

"H... How can this be... your species has been extinct for thousands of years,"

"Lucky, I guess,"

The octolings quickly kneeled down around him and placed their fist across their breastplates and bowed their heads. Levi was confused, what were they doing? He looked in front of him and saw the "lead" octoling doing the same pose before she raised her head and stared at Levi. "So... the rumors were correct. I didn't believe it but now...," she started to trail off. "How are you able to understand us? Surely humans spoke a different language," she told him.

"The device on my wrist allowed me to. I'll just leave it that. You don't appear hostile toward me. Before, a squad sized unit of octo-lings tried to subdue me,"

"Neo-octarian scum... Humans pose a vital significance to Scarlet's plans. You're of great importance to her. You see we've defected and formed the octo rebels. We plan on gathering up as much information as we can on the octarian army and try to influence as much of our people as we can to resist Scarlet and her initiatives without arousing suspicion and compromising our efforts. There's some that can't be swayed and are too far gone to even think about betraying their leadership," she explained to the human.

"That sounds just like the resistance... I didn't know there were different factions. I assumed the octarians as you call yourselves were bad according to the squidbeak and what I've ran across so far,"

"Squidbeak!? They're here?" The elite was surprised to find out that inkling agents were down here.

"You don't seem enthused,"

"It's not that...them being here could complicate things. So, you've come across the squidbeak agent,"

"Agents, actually. One of them I guess you can say has become somewhat of an ally. She's looking for her sister and she believes the octarians, not you guys obviously, kidnapped her and brought her down here," Levi explained to the elite.

"I see...yes, we're tracking that inklings have been abducted. They're being turned into sleeper cells before they can be "deployed" back on the surface. The octarians want to make their assault easier and with least resistance from the squids, catching them off guard by utilizing their own inkling agents to conduct insider attacks if need be and stir confusion. I've explained our little scenario... what about you?"

"I'd love to share my own story but this ink is making me noxious. I think it's effecting my nervous system,"

"You're gonna have to disrobe. That ink charge probably forced ink inside your clothes. You can come with us and do that inside our little hideaway and feel comfortable explaining why you're here, among other things," she told him as she helped him up. Levi stumbled, still lacking bodily function as the octoling and another grabbed a hold of him and helped him through the metal door they came out of. The remaining octolings covered their rear until they closed the door behind them to ensure no one else was around.

Sam managed to slip from the drone as she hid behind some debris, watching the drone fly off. "I hope Levi managed to get away like I did," she said as she laid there in her squid form with the salmonid beside her. Things got quiet and Sam was sure it was safe enough to venture out and continue her hunt for Levi. As she ran down the street to see any sign of the human, she heard something overhead as she looked and spotted another V-22 Osprey flying over until it stopped and landed down in the middle of the town.

She watched the cargo ramp come down and out came a squad of more sanitized soldiers. As they stepped on the ground. The commander looked around before removing his headgear, revealing it to be the sanitized soldier that looked like, "Seth!?" she shouted before covering her mouth.

It was the same one that watched them get away from the shantytown. "Sir, we've lost contact with Liquid," said a soldier that approached him.

"Set up a perimeter and search the area," the Seth-looking soldier commanded in a static-like dialect.

"Roger sir,"

More soldiers came out and started patrolling the area, looking for Liquid element and Levi. Searching for Levi just got a lot harder for the inkling girl. Deciding to turn squid and head across the street, she steadily watched the commander that looked like Seth. "That can't be Seth," she muttered to herself. Shaking her head, she had to get off the street and find a high vantage point so she could see.

She swam down an alleyway in her squid form as Lil' buddy followed her and spotted a ladder going up toward the roof. Sam decided to head up so she could get a better view and hopefully spot Levi if it wasn't too late. Down below, one soldier spotted a yellow ink trail going down an alley. He followed it and looked up, watching the inkling make it up on the roof.

"Phantom 5-7 to Phantom Actual,"

"Come in Phantom 5-7,"

"Sir, I spotted activity near my position,"

"Check it out and report back,"

"Roger that,"

Sam crouched down and looked over to see the activity below. The soldiers had set up a small camp and brought out communication equipment. What were they doing? She thought.

"Sir, last coordinates of liquid element was underground, we should assume there must be some kind tunnel network,"

"Locate an access, we cannot let the target get away,"

Back on the roof, Sam was steadily watching the soldiers but didn't see Levi anywhere. Not noticing, the soldier that watched her go up the roof, climbed up and snuck behind her, ready to apprehend the inkling. With her strong sense of hearing her ears twitched and as the soldier tried to grab her, she jumped out of his reach and shot him in the torso.

Though the ink was eating at him, he reached for his sidearm and shot at Sam. She squid formed and hopped on the next roof. The soldier got up and pursued her as she tried to get away. Not watching where she was going, she fell through a hole and crashed into the floor below. Dazed, she blinked her eyes and looked up, trying to reach for her hero shot but the soldier jumped down and kicked it away.

Aiming his pistol at her, he grabbed her and pulled her up, throwing her to the floor for shooting him. Lil' Buddy, who was lying on the floor from getting knocked out of the pack Sam was carrying saw it's inkling master was hurt with the sanitized soldier ready to apprehend or worse. It scurried over only for Sam to tell it to get away before it was caught to. Not listening the salmonid attempted to attack the soldier, only to be swatted away and knocked out as it hit the wall.

Sam watched, weakened and unable to go to the salmonid's aid as she was grabbed up by the human and escorted out of the building, leaving lil' buddy behind as she was taken to where the sanitized soldiers were stationing at. Once they approached the came she was pushed to the ground.

"Sir, this creature was spotted surveying the area. I think she was with the human," said the soldier that carried her over. The surrounding soldiers gathered around and studied the strange squid-like humanoid before the ir leader walked up to see what was gathering their attention.

The commander who had the appearance of Seth, narrowed his eyes and squatted down as Sam rolled over, looking at him. "Seth?" she weakly said.

Her speech was gargled, so the commander used his armlink device to scan the inkling. The biometrics read cephalopod-based DNA but also human. The translator on his device managed to program the inkling's language so he could understand her. "Can you understand me creature?" he asked her. She nodded and tried to get up.

As the soldier aimed their weapons at the agent, their commander waved them to stand down. "My armlink picked up cephalopod DNA but also human... what are you?" he asked her. Sam wouldn't reply but tried hiding her fear of the sanitized humans.

"You won't talk?... How about this then, you tell me where the human is and I let you go,"

"Ink off," she told him.

"My only objective is locating the one known as Levi. He has something valuable that we must obtain. Hand him over and I'll guarantee your safety,"

"He's my friend and why should I tell you anything," she told him, wiping the ink off of her mouth.

"I'm losing my patience. Give me the location of Levi right now or else. This is your last chance creature,"

Sam still refused to tell the sanitized human commander anything. "So, you're willing to put your life on the line for him...interesting. You're but a little curiosity, a by-product of Kamabo if not a failed attempt for humans to adapt to the new harsh world," he scoffed at her. "If she's not willing to comply, detain her so we can bring her back for study," he orders the soldiers.

The soldiers apprehended the inkling but she managed to slip out of the yellow jacket but was grabbed by her arms and cried out for help as she was picked up and taken into the aircraft. "No! Let go of me you creep! Levi!" she screamed out. Before she was stuffed in a small cage, something caught the attention of the soldiers outside. Three octoseekers flew over the camp along with an octostriker. It flailed and launched an ink missile toward the camp and splatted a few of the sanitized humans.

"What the... Get into fighting formations!" ordered the commander before he grabbed his rifle and started shooting at the octarians. As one V-22 approached the came to dismount more soldiers they were shot out of the sky and crashed into the street below by the octoseeker.

"Engage! Engage! shouted a soldier. The one of the octoseekers hovered above just in front of the camp as a squad of octolings octo jumped down and started shooting back at the sanitized soldiers. Onboard the grounded V-22, Sam kicked the human who had a hold of her and squided out of the aircraft seeing the humans had their hands full trying repel the octarian assault.

Another squad of sanitized soldiers rushed in and tried to fend off the octolings. Exchanging fire, surprisingly the octarians had the advantage, neutralizing the humans within minutes, not inept to deal with the cephalopod-based adversaries. Another soldier on a nearby rooftop tried sniping the octolings, managing to hit one of them but then a octoling appeared behind him after she had octo jumped at his location and splatted the human before he could pick off anymore of her people.

The octarians had them on the ropes. The sanitized forces were diminished and couldn't hold the octarians back an longer, having no other option but to retreat. The commander was struck and growled from the corrosive ink before he glared at the octarians and shot at them. He ran into the V-22 and ordered the pilot to depart. The rotors lifted up the aircraft as the ramp went up. The octolings and troopers shot at the V-22 as it took off but their attempts to bring it down was futile. One octoseeker tried to bring it down but the minigun mounted on the belly of the V-22 made the octoseeker pilot think twice and banked away before it was shot down.

"Lieutenant Torrent to octo command, dome 15 has been secured but one of the hostile aircraft managed to get away," the elite called in back to her base.

"Was it the defectors?"

"Negative...sanitized,"

"Sanitized? Impossible lieutenant,"

"They weren't octarian. The weapons they had were not ink-based and we managed to capture some equipment. Whatever they were, their technology is much more advanced than ours,"

"We can only assume it could one thing. Bring what you can back lieutenant,"

The octarians were sweeping the area, checking for survivors and anything they could collect. One octoling soldier picked up a rifle that was left by a slain soldier. Another going through military cases to see what was inside them. As they looked around, they spotted movement, a soldier covered in ink as he tried crawling away, the ink eating at his body. "Hey, we got a live one!" shouted a regular.

The elite came over and the octolings gathered around as the soldier tried rolling over to see the octopus-based humanoids looking at him. His headgear was missing, revealing his pale-sickly skin and green glowing eyes and black sclera. The elite knew then by his appearance he was indeed under the influence of sanitization. Lieutenant Torrent stepped over toward the human and looked at him.

"What are you and what are you doing in our territory?"

The human didn't understand the elite, only hearing loud gargling and growling. "I'm not sure if it understands you ma'am," said a regular.

"I'm sure it doesn't... it probably despises us after what we did to it's unit," the elite said before she pulled out her N-ZAP. "How I see it, they're a threat, an invader,"

"What should we do with it?"

"I know what should do," said the elite before she took her N-ZAP and shot the human in the face. Finishing him off as they watched him dissolve into a green puddle, leaving behind only his gear.

"You did you do that? Why not take it in," asked the regular.

"Looking at it. I've learned enough... Spectra is gonna need to know about this. The presence of sanitized is beyond alarming and not only that... they're human," the elite said as she holstered her N-ZAP and headed back toward the camp.

Sam managed to get away as the octarians touched down and defeated the soldiers. She was weak and ready to collapse. She lost her hero jacket and weapon and was shivering from the cold air. She had no luck finding Levi and the other two agents that were gone. As she started to walk away, she fainted and fell to the ground from exhaustion. As she passed out, she could hear approaching footsteps before she felt herself being picked up. She could only slowly open her eyes and see a figure carrying her to safety before the octarians would find her.

General Scarlet was asleep at the octarian royal palace. She departed octo base six hours after her conference with Spectra and the other officers. It seemed their operation to capture the cryo-facility which the defector's used as a base was a failure. Scarlet was most displeased with the outcome that Colonel Spectra had to try and calm her down as the general grabbed a paperweight and chunked at one of the officer's, hitting her as she hit the floor, rubbing her head.

"My general, calm down! Restrain your anger!" Spectra shouted at her. The general was cursing, using words she had learned from preserved human literature that her subordinates weren't sure meant. Her anger eventually resolved, and she glared at the octolings in the room. "We've lost the octoweapons factory and now we've failed to obtain that human facility the defectors have held up in. There has to be repercussions for failure. Who should answer for this!?" demanded Scarlet with a gargled growl.

"If it will make feel any better, the major is dead. She led the battalion into Dome 13 and the octo-samurai's status is unknown, we can assume he may have been killed too but we don't know," Spectra answered to Scarlet's raving.

Scarlet was breathing hard, trying to contain her displeasure with the outlook. She brushed away her front tentacle and glared toward the officers including Spectra. She squeezed her fist before she a deep breath and calmed herself. Closing her eyes and then opening before she looked back up. Spectra and rest of the elites were a little concerned, seeing her suddenly change her disposition. Was she contemplating a punishment for failure?

"Colonel..."

"Yes, general,"

"You better have a plan to fix this, or so help me I will,"

"What do you suggest colonel? Sending in a larger force, how about half of octo-base,"

"Don't you get smart with me Spectra!"

"I don't know what I can do at this point! My commandos are still missing. The major and her battalion have been defeated as well as the octo-samurai. With the help of that human and the weaponry they are sitting on, I'm not even sure if victory was assured for us my general. Might I, suggest we push our efforts into invading the surface with what personnel and resources we have left before our assault on Inkopolis ends like in did in dome 13,"

"I have tolerated failure for too long as it is. Be very fortunate I'm giving you another chance to make this right colonel. How about checking with those scientists to see if they even made any head way with their project," she instructed, making her way to the exit.

"Where are you going?" asked Spectra.

"I'm heading back to the royal palace...it's getting late,"

As Scarlet left the conference with her guards. The elites looked at each other. "What are we to do. You heard her, we're all on the chopping block," said one elite.

"We can't keep this up, it's just a matter of time until she figures out our little cloak-and-dagger game. I say we commence the coup first thing in the morning," said another officer.

"Negative! I say we bide more time. There are still the defector moles we have to worry about," Spectra informed them.

"You really believe the defectors are bold enough to dispatch spies to watch us,"

"I know for a fact they would. Seeing a coup happening, they would take advantage of that. We have to time this right and that's rooting out these moles and dealing a significant blow to the traitors,"

"What about an assassination and pin on the defectors,"

"That's too risky... if for any reason that would fail there would be an investigation,"

"Then what do we do colonel? since you're shooting down what options we have,"

"Don't get so worked up major. I'll check and see what those scientists have come up with, they better have some good results for their sakes. Scarlet is so determined about using humans, she's let that fixation of here's cloud her thinking. If it were me, I would've already crushed the defectors by now and taken Inkopolis by storm.

"You're making it sound like progress would get done if you were the general,"

"I'm putting priorities first and I'm not fantasizing over creating a human army as naive as the general thinks could happen. I say we give Scarlet enough rope to hang herself and let the octarians see how much a disapproving leader she really is. Much like her grandfather DJ Octavio,"

"I can honestly say Octavio was better leader. He was too ambitious and directive to let any pipe dreams to get in the way of ensuring the octarians would make a comeback and steal the zapfishs,"

"Octavio was also arrogant... stealing the zapfishs was enough for him but instead of going up to the surface and dealing with the inkling scourge while they had no power. Inkopolis could've been ripe for the picking, but he didn't, instead we had to deal with that squidbeak agent. That inkstain splatted our defenses and took out many of our soldiers in the process. We never expected the agent to come down here and take the zapfishs from us and then in the end she defeated Octavio only for us to free him and repeat the process all over again by a different agent. How embarrassing to be defeated again," said Spectra with pure irritation.

The elites looked at each and thought about what Spectra had told them. Octavio may not have been perfect, but it seemed he got things done unlike Spectra who used her charisma to charm her people and even the inkling government to reach a peaceful compromise for the zapfish.

"When Scarlet took over, we were sure we would get payback for what had happened to us but overtime, Scarlet had sought her own ambitions. The octo expansion incident brought about nothing more than fascination for her. Obtaining that knowledge that Tartar was withholding, this "promised land" fantasy and humans...the ones that created Tartar in the first place, sanitizing our kin and nearly destroying the world but have patience fellow octolings, her time is coming. We just have to wait until the right opportunity. If we do something right now, we might as well be splatted and kiss our plans goodbye," Spectra continued.

"Very well, colonel...what we've discussed doesn't leave this room and we'll keep holding our feet to the fire as long as we can. We're entrusting you to make the right calls," said the major.

"I am, major... this meeting adjourned. Return to your posts and don't speak of anything we've just talked about. Dismissed!" Spectra told them as they all left the conference room.

Inside the lab, Silas was at his office. He was restless and stressed to the point he wanted to bite his tentacle off. At times he nodded off, staring at his computer screen or looking down at his paperwork was making him tired, reminding him of the work he had to do and remembering when Marcus was escorted away. After a moment his eyes closed again as his head fell on his arms as he dozed off.

Outside of his office door, the running of footsteps approached the door as it was quickly pushed opened. "Silas! Silas! Wake up!" Eve shouted.

"HUH...W... WHA!" Silas jolted awake as a piece of paper stuck to his tentacle. Pulling it off and tossing it aside he stared at his associate.

"You need to come to the lab quickly! This is urgent!" Eve continued to rant.

"W...W... What is, can't you see I'm piled up with work. What's so damn important?" he snapped at her.

Eve gave him a disproving look as she placed her hands on her hips. "(deep sigh) Look I'm sorry...I'm just overwhelmed is all. It's only a matter of time until Spectra returns, and we've still haven't reached a freakin' breakthrough," he said as he flailed his arms.

"We just may have Silas," she told him as he raised an eyebrow.

Silas followed Eve as they rushed to the lab. What Silas made him rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things as groggy as he was, sitting in an examination chair was a human, a young male, shirtless but wearing worn camo cargo pants. "Is that a..."

"Human... yes, unlike the one he held in the glass cell that was nearly half-way to being an octoling. This is a pure human but..." Eve started to say.

"Buuuuut, what?" questioned Silas anxiously, as if he wanted to hear any bad news.

"He's very weak, a squad of octolings brought him in a few minutes ago. I thought they had roughed him up, but they said the human was pretty frail and didn't put up any resistance at all,"

She turned back to the human and then walked over toward a table, grabbing a document. "We ran quick tests and what we came up with was he's very deficient on nutrients and probably extremely dehydrated. I suggest we pump him with an IV or something to keep him alive,"

Silas walked over and studied the human. He grabbed his wrist and felt a very faint and slow heartbeat. The human male weakly opened his eyes and turned to Silas, revealing his glazed eyes. Far too weak to talk or move, the human kept staring at Silas, wondering who or what he was. Silas then looked and saw the human observing him. Silas let go of him and tried to smile but the human closed his eyes once again. "I... don't know if we can save him. I want a report on where he came from those octoling soldiers and all the details they can give me. This is quite a find... that's if we can keep this human alive," Silas told Eve.

"What can we do?"

"Do what you can Eve, see he's medically treated immediately. I'll run back to my office and file a report. Go ahead and draw an ink sample as well,"

"Yes, Silas,"

As the male scientists left. The other scientists, Eve, another female and one other male lab staff member tried treating the human, stabbing an IV in his arm and hooking up a heart monitor. They gave it few minutes to see if the human would recover at all before Eve drew a blood sample. She analyzed it but something caught her attention. Something she had seen before that startled her. "What's wrong Eve?" asked a male octoling.

"This human... he's carrying sanitized cells," she said.

"What... that can't be,"

Eve and the others noticed he had a discolored complexion but how could he be sanitized, much like the octarians that were collected from the octo expansion incident. Eve walked over and opened one of his eyes. The glassy eyes were slowly changing color and she had noticed he was hardly putting out any body heat if not at all compared to when he was brought in. "How could a human be sanitized?" a female octoling questioned.

"I don't know, go bring this to Silas's attention right away," Silas told them.

As Eve looked away, the human came awake again. The IV might have been working, just giving him a little bit of energy to see Eve standing in front of him. "Help...me," he muttered weakly. Eve heard this and jerked back, not expecting the human to be awake. "Please... kill me," he pleaded in pain.

Not knowing what he said, she cautiously stepped up and looked at him. "Kill...me..." he said again. As she studied him, she could tell he was in agony, perhaps a cry for help. She didn't understand him but could hear a distinct disruption in his speech, something that the sanitized octarians had whenever they spoke. "You're...scarred aren't you human. Confused," Eve said to him.

The human, like her didn't understand. She felt pity for him and got a little closer. "Eve what are doing?" asked the female who was concerned. "I think he's in pain," she replied.

"You said he was sanitized, there's no telling what he might do,"

Not taking heed, she looked at the human, her face only a few inches apart from his. She placed her hand on his forehead and caressed his hair. All of a sudden, his opened and then he started convulsing as Eve jumped back, terrified by what was going on with the human. "What's going on!?" Eve frantically said.

"Eve! His heart rate is accelerating! He's going into shock, we gotta do something," said the other female scientist as she watched his heart rate steadily climb to a dangerous level. The human jerked about as he sweated profusely and panted from his racing heart until he gave one gasp of breath before his head fell forward and his eyes finally closed.

"Eve he's flatlined!"

"I was afraid of this, quick! Go retrieve the AED stat!" Eve commanded the other octolings in lab coats.

"Eve, I don't think we'll be able to revive him,"

"I said do it Otto!" she yelled at him.

As the two scientists scrambled to get the AED. Eve then shook him in an attempt to get him to come back. She even hugged him. "Where's that inking AED at!" she yelled.

"We're coming! Hold on!" shouted one of the scientists.

They charged up the device and tried resituating him. After the third attempt it was clear they couldn't revive him. Eve dropped the paddles and felt saddened by the lost, not only their research but the fact she couldn't help the human. "There's nothing else we can do...get him to one of the stations so we can prepare him for... dissection,"

"Right away, Eve...you seem, pretty unnerved,"

"Not sure why,"

"You acted as if you've lost a friend. Why so empathetic for the human?"

"I... don't know, maybe seeing him making think about the emotional duress the sanitized octolings went through during de-sanitization,"

Soon, the lab entrance doors opened and in stormed Spectra and her escort. "You better have some good news, or you'll be joining your partner Marcus. Which I can solitary confinement hasn't been kind to him," said the elite.

"How could you do that to Marcus! We're doing our best colonel and you'd treat one of our own as if he was some political prisoner or a defector," Eve had become flustered to hear that her colleague was being treated in such a manner.

"And I expected results, but instead I get nothing but an octo-human mongrol to blatantly disrespect us at the meeting before the assault on Dome 13 because someone insisted, he try and negotiate a deal to help us if we dispatched him with the battalion to fight the defectors. I got a good chewing from Scarlet as well as the major strongly disapproving of the decision. I'm already in a bad mood as it is Eve and I don't think you wanna see me reach my breaking point," said Spectra, putting fear into the scientist who was standing before her.

"N...no colonel. Me and Silas didn't mean any disrespect from before. We just thought that it would be in your and Scarlet's best interest to talk with that human," she said in defense.

Spectra just growled and then turned to see another human sitting in the examination chair. "Who's this human?" the elite asked.

"He was brought in by a team of octolings. Silas requested they be brought in for an interview after he got done filling out a report paper in his office," she told Spectra, just has Silas stepped out, spotting Spectra with a grim expression.

"By your look, you don't seem happy to se me Silas. That better not mean nothing's been done,"

"I'm stacked with paperwork colonel, what do you think," he shot at as he approached, doing his best not to antagonize the colonel.

"Watch who you're talking to or you'll be picking your beak off the floor. I see you have a human sitting on that chair over there. Surely some progress has been made. Eve was telling me a team of octolings brought him in. Curious, I'd love to find out how they came across him too...and you referred to it as him,"

"Yes, colonel...he's a male. He was just brought in and we haven't had a chance to study him yet. He's malnourished and requires medical attention,"

"Is it alive?" Spectra asked.

"No," Eve answered.

"Huh?" Silas reeled, hearing what came out of Eve's mouth.

"He...passed away Silas, while you were in the office. We couldn't revive him," she gloomily said.

"Pity... I guess you could still use the body for something. If it were me, I'd have him stuffed and placed in my office," Spectra callously told the two.

"You're so heartless... he was a living being, a sentient creature of an intelligent race," Eve snapped off.

"A race that went extinct... not sure if they were as intelligent as everyone believes,"

"So, the human is dead,"

"Yes Silas...but something fascinating if not troubling has been discovered. The human is also... sanitized,"

"Sanitized!" Silas and Spectra both shouted together.

"How can that be?" Silas exclaimed.

"I don't know but it is... his ink or whatever that fluid is, contained sanitized cells, the same as in the sanitized octarians ink,"

"Interesting," remarked Spectra as she placed her hand on her chin. "Study it and then destroy it," she waved off as she turned around to leave the lab.

"Destroy it!" shouted Silas.

"If it's sanitized, we can't have it around. We barely managed to get some of the octarians back to normal, though they've still shown the everlasting effects of their sanitized state. I surely don't want a human going through the same stages and worrying about what risk it could pose. I wanna know where this human came from and report it back to me so we can do a sweep. If there's any more like him then we'll splat em' until there's no trace left,"

"You're acting as if sanitization is contagious which it isn't," said Silas.

"I'm not taking any chances. See to it that human is disposed of once you're done," the elite commanded harshly.

Spectra left along with her guards, leaving the scientists with a bitter taste in their mouth, especially Eve. "That octowinch... she has no right to tell us what to do,"

"Unfortunately, she does... I hate it the human didn't survive. In the back of mind, I wasn't sure he would with the state he was in. To know he was sanitized is most troubling and that their could me more. We need to speak with those octolings but first we'll move the human to one of the operating rooms,"

Later that night at the royal octarian palace. Scarlet had just gotten a shower and cleaned off, changing into her night garment, a red kimono with octopus decorating on it. A tradition appearance from the past octarian empire that once ruled the surface along with the inklings before the great turf war erupted. She walked down the royal hall and decided to visit her grandfather, DJ Octavio one last time before retiring. As she stepped into the throne room, she noticed Octavio was fast asleep and decided maybe it would be best not to disturb him. She stepped away but Octavio wasn't fast asleep as she thought. He opened one eye and watched Scarlet leave. "That hipster is gonna get what's coming to her, she doesn't realize there's a plot unfolding to remove her from power and then I'll once again be the jammin' slammin' DJ again and I'mma rockin' the house with my spicy beats. Those inkstains are about to get a B-side they won't forget. I'mma remix all their squid butts and take back what rightfully belongs to me and the octarian race. Mic drop... once I'm outta this globe," said DJ Octavio.

An hour had passed, and Scarlet was fast asleep in her bed. At the windows, silhouettes of masked figures hopped across the roof and used stealth to get past her guards. The figures were wearing what appeared to be ninja outfits. They finally made it to the top of the palace and octoformed through a window over the throne room to reach Octavio. They changed back and approached the giant snow globe where the DJ was resting. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a team of octoling ninjas, all males as they overcovered their heads. Another octopus dropped down before she had changed back, revealing a female elite wearing her neo-octarian goggles as the red eye glowed in the dark room.

"My liege," she said as she gave a bow.

"Took you long enough," grumbled Octavio.

"We had to wait for the right moment Octavio to come and release you,"

"What about that hipster granddaughter of mine,"

"There's other plans being made to deal with her. Right now, Spectra wants you out and relocated before the invasion,"

"If she sees this globe empty it will arouse suspicion. Why not deal with that squirt now,"

"Octavio, with all due respect. Spectra wanted to hold off another day or two before your release but with the defeat at Dome 13 and the reported presense of squidbeak in octarian territory, she's decided at the last minute to have you rescued so we can begin moving through the early stages of the coup,"

One of the octoling ninjas approached the globe and cut a hole in the glass as Octavio pushed it away and hopped out as he glared at the octolings. His eye caught something behind the elite's back. "Don't think I can just see through that hipster granddaughter. I'm old and I've been around long enough to sense treachery. You weren't here to bust me out. You were to take me out," DJ Octavio loomed over the group of octolings as he casted a shadow on the elite. The ninjas stepping back nervously.

"I don't know what you're talking about...Gah..." she said as Octavio grabbed her by the throat. She dropped the knife she had hidden behind her back as she struggled for air. Octavio narrowed his eyes with displeasure before throwing her against two ninjas. The other two dispersed and pulled out octo brushes to deal with the angry DJ.

"You honestly think you take me on. Bring it on! I'mma drop the beat down!" Octavio shouted, swing his arm out.

As the two ninjas charged at him with their octo brushes held up. He spun himself like a record and swung his arms out, knocking the two male octolings away. The elite finally got up and rubbed her head. She saw the knife and reached for it. As Octavio turned around, she attempted to stab him but instead his tentacle as he yelped in pain. He growled and slung the elite against the wall, before pulling the blade out of his arm.

The noise of the fighting caught the attention of the royal guards. They ran toward the throne room but before they could enter, the ninjas knew they had no choice but to flee before they were caught. One of them grabbed and picked up the elite that was in command of them. Using ink smoke to cover their escape they retreated, failing to assassinate Octavio but leaving him to deal with the guards.

"Cowards!" shouted Octavio as he shook his tentacle at them. Soon the sliding doors opened. Octavio turned to see the royal guards holding their octo shots on him. "Octavio's out!" shouted one of guards.

The other guard approached him as he kept his weapon on the hulking octopus. "Don't move! Stay where you are!"

"How dare you aim those weapons at me! I'm DJ Octavio! Your ruler!" he roared at them.

"Not anymore you're not! Don't even try to resist!"

Octavio scowled at the guards and attempted to attack them, only to get shot in the face. The ink only stunned him and blinded him momentarily. Then two more guards appeared with octobrushes. One of them flailed their brush and clobbered Octavio in the face as he regained his sight. Seeing they had the upper hand with numbers, he had to flee just like his attackers and made a break for the exit. "Don't let him get away!"

Octavio swam down the hall, much like the octolings did in their octo form but due to his size he was twice as slow, and the guards were slowly gaining on him. He busted through the main doors and tumbled down the steps leading out of the rotunda. Though he was dazed, he refused to give up and fled through the garden until he hid inside the tea house, cramming into it before the octoseeker overhead used its searchlights to spot him. Octavio waited until the guards left and hunted for him somewhere else.

Fifteen minutes, passed and Octavio was getting uncomfortable, feeling like a sardine packed in a can, he cautiously slid the door open and saw the coast was clear. He groaned and adjusted his helmet. "Those stinkin' hipsters! I can't believe they would turn their backs on me! he boomed.

Looking around, going through the main gate wouldn't be wise so instead he used a nearby drain on the other side of the garden and got inside it, barely fitting. As he squeezed through, he found himself on the outskirts of Octopolis, the octarian capital. Feeling betrayed and downgraded, he pulled himself together to locate a place to lay low for the time being. He would find an abandoned shack somewhere outside the city where he brooded and contemplated a plan to get even with Scarlet and take back the throne he rightly deserves.

He fell asleep and rolled over, distraught by being ran out of the palace. He thought about the times before the great turf war and after. His people being banished, dependent on the zapfish underground and getting defeated by the squidbeak agents. Much was running through his mind, causing him to have a hard time trying to sleep but it wouldn't be until much later he would act, even if that meant leaving the octarian territory and acquiring help from the least of expected people.

Back at the palace, just as Octavio managed to escape. Scarlet was awoken by her guards. "My general! Octavio has escaped!" One of them yelled, startling and waking the general up instantly as she covered herself.

"Do what! HOW!" she screamed back.

"We don't know! We heard a commotion coming from the throne room and he was out,"

"FIND HIM NOW YOU INK FOR BRAINS!" Scarlet screamed at him.

"Yes, right away!" the guard saluted as he quickly left.

Scarlet pulled her kimono to cover herself and sat on the side of the bed, feeling beyond agitated to hear her grandfather had escaped. "I can't believe this. Could things get any worse!?"

Stepping behind a ornate changing screen, Scarlet disrobed and looked at herself in the mirror. "(Sigh) I was having such a nice dream too... a human lover by my side to rule my new world. Like a king and queen... hopefully, that'll become a reality soon, once I obtain that human that's helping the defectors. Maybe we'll even bare a child together in the process," she said as she looked down and rubbed her stomach. Grabbing her uniform and boots to change in, she waltzes out of the room with the guards beside her.

She was greeted by the colonel as she headed in the throne room, where Octavio was and the commotion the guards had heard. "Care to explain what happened?" asked Scarlet to the elite with a look of irritation.

"Well Octavio managed to escape," replied Spectra.

"How?" she asked before walking over to look at the globe.

"We think he may have had accomplishes free him. Ink was left behind at the scene and he was caught escaping, managing to slip past the guards and get away, unfortunately,"

Scarlet picked up a piece of glass and then dropped it. "Who would free him?"

"Accusations are being thrown around that it could've been the defectors, my general,"

"The defectors? Why would they free him for?" she questioned as she looked back at the elite.

"Octavio poses a threat, they might use him to get information since you did imprison him. It would be rational to think he could've defected to get even with you and botch your plans,"

"We may have not gotten along and had different perceptions on things, but I can't see my grandfather doing something like this. He sees the defectors as nothing, but turncoats like me. I don't think he would stoop to something as aiding our enemies, keep investigating," she told Spectra as she started to leave.

"What else could be then?" the elite harped at her.

"Possibly a conspiracy... I don't know but if it was the defectors then this would be something else, they've taken from me. I want them dealt with once and for all, even if it means deploying the whole inking base," Scarlet departed and left the throne room out of sight.

"Colonel, the ink left behind, I don't think was made by the defectors," said one of the royal guards as he approached her.

"Is that so... I would advise you to say differently," narrowing her eyes at the guard.

"But..."

"I say it was the defectors, octopi have a knack around here of getting things wrong and then ending up a puddle of ink," threatening the guard to rethink his conclusion.

"Then I say was the defectors," the guard corrected himself.

Spectra stepped over toward the corner as she rubbed her head. Another elite in the room walked over to her and caught a glance of the ink left behind before she started talking to Spectra.

"Looks as if the ninjas and that lieutenant screwed things up. Now we have tried and cover our butts before anything surfaces," the other elite said quietly, so the others in the room couldn't hear.

"A setback, I agree but I'm not gonna let it concern me. Just ensure Octavio is found and that he's inked. Knowing he's out there, he'll reveal our plans since we've "cut him loose"," said Spectra.

"I'm not sure what killing Octavio would've accomplished," questioned the elite.

"He was gonna be a patsy for our plans, but I could sense he knew something was up and you know Octavio's never been the type to play ball. Stubborn octopus, I swear it runs in the family,"

"That's no lie,"

"Find that lieutenant," Spectra ordered the other elite. She left as the colonel stayed behind to go speak with Scarlet. The general had left for her quarters, frustrated with the situation with Octavio and the defeat at dome 13. She heard a knock at her door as she was looking at herself in the mirror. Still in uniform but she placed her red captain's hat on top of the desk. The door slowly opened and not even looking toward their direction she said, "What? More good news?" she asked sarcastically.

"General, we will find Octavio and the culprits who did this. Don't you worry," said Spectra as she stepped inside.

"I've heard too much that something will be done but no more!" she snapped as she pounded her fist on the desk, giving Spectra a displeased expression.

"I don't know what else you expect me to do. Enough ink has been shed to try and take that damn facility! I say we prioritize our efforts and focus on invading the surface while we still have a feasible force... unless you're willing to waste our resources on something as menial as that lowly defector base,"

Scarlet bit her tongue and paused at Spectra's advice. "General?" pried Spectra.

"What of the scientists? Have they made any progress at all?" Scarlet asked, not even looking in the direction of Spectra since she was disgusted with her.

Spectra hesitated, not wanting to inform Scarlet about the sanitized human. "I'm waiting for an answer colonel?" Scarlet prodded again.

"Negative,"

"Surely, they've come with something in that lab... are you not telling me something," shooting Spectra a gaze.

"No my general,"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" losing her cool with the colonel, who flinched at Scarlet who sensed rebuttal from the general.

"I don't know what you're insinuating general, I think you're losing it,"

"I know when you're keeping something from me! Out with it!" she demanded, pointing her finger at the elite and losing her patience.

"FINE! I didn't want to tell you that... a team of octolings came across a human while they were out on patrol I assume. They brought this human back into the lab for study but the scientists discovered he was sanitized," Spectra revealed.

"S... sanitized? Are you sure?"

"Positive...the scientists said so and another thing, the human has deceased...I ordered them to dispose of the body,"

"Why would you keep this from me Spectra?"

"Because I was thinking about the safety of this base, general!"

Tensions between the two had reached a breaking point as they grinded their fangs at each other. Scarlet sensing insubordination and Spectra, total incompetency by her commander.

"I'm most displeased that you withheld this intel from me. It seems my trust in you is dwindling,"

"The feeling's mutual,"

"What did you say,"

"I'm leaving and heading back to octo command,"

"Don't avoid me Spectra. You've only made this harder for yourself,"

"I'm solely focused on our mission... and our people. My duty won't be questioned. Good night, Scarlet,"

"We will talk about this later," said the general as Spectra ignored her and slammed the door behind her. With nothing else to do and having to rely on Spectra which was becoming a challenge, Scarlet didn't realize that a trap was being sprung for her by her own administration. She stretched and disrobed, not even bothering to put her kimono before climbing into bed, pained by disloyalty with her subordinate as she stared at the ceiling. "They'll soon understand that I'm doing what's of the best interest and survival of our species as much as they are in denial of it. The octarian empire will reign again and never fall once we've exceeded our evolutionary boundaries and go beyond our expectations. I've seen the promised land and what it holds. Our key to establishing it lies within Tartar's hard drive and that human who will help me plant the seed to cultivate this new and strong empire. To return to what we once were and start a new," she said to herself before she drifted off into sleep. A slight smile appeared on her face as gave a coo and sliding her hand down between her legs as the general fantasized about her "human lover".

Elsewhere, Nova was sitting against the wall of a small cave. Struggling to keep warm and having the company of the hallucination that often pestered her. "You should see yourself right now," the voice said in her head.

"Don't you ever take a break?" asked Nova with annoyance.

"At times," replied the other persona that manifested into Nova, appearing in front of the elite who was trying to get some shut eye.

"How about letting me get some sleep,"

"Gonna be hard as cold as it is,"

"Don't remind me, you're not the one freezing your tentacles off,"

"No, but it makes me shiver just looking at you shiver,"

"Just (yawn) leave me be,"

Soon Nova nodded off. As she snored, she woke up again and yelped as she jerked back, seeing the hallucination, staring her right in the face with a smug grin. "What the shell!" she shouted angrily.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist," before she started laughing.

"GO AWAY! SQUIDBAIT!" Nova screamed at the hallucination.

"Ooook...have your way then," she told Nova before she vanished.

"Thank you,"

Nova leaned over on her side and tried closing her eyes. As she attempted to try and sleep, she could swore she was hearing voices. They got louder, agitating Nova as she growled and sat up. "Didn't I say...!"

"Um, that's not me," the persona said in Nova's head.

"Huh... you're right, it's coming from outside," said Nova as she crawled toward the entrance of the cave. She peeked out and spotted a couple of figures at a near distance. 30 feet away. She didn't understand their language and she could tell; they definitely weren't octolings. "What in the squid are they?" asked Nova.

"Trouble... you better stay out of sight," said the hallucination. Nova turned back to the figures and watched them talking, though she didn't understand their conversation.

"We've lost contact with phantom element. We caught radio chatter about an attack at their last known location. Should we go support them?" asked one soldier who was dressed in military fatigues.

"Negative, it's nothing they can't handle. What intel we've obtained, suggests the underground domiciles are being inhabited by cephalopod-based humanoids. They don't pose a direct to us and if they did, they would easily be vanquished. Let's continue our recon," said one of the soldiers.

"Roger that," said the other as they separated. Nova watched them, holding weapons she had never seen before and gear that she wasn't familiar with. In a way they reminded her of soldiers like in the octarian army, like her. Curious, she decided to sneak around until she got close enough to one of the soldiers. He turned around but Nova octo formed and got behind a large rock. Staying in cover, the soldier looked around but carried on.

"I don't know what you plan on doing?" asked the hallucination.

"Getting a better view what these things are," she replied back. Nova quietly ran behind the soldier before he got further but this time instead of hiding, she kicked the soldier in the face as he looked behind him and was launched back on the ground. His goggles were knocked off as he quickly sat up and glared at Nova. Startled by his eyes and pale skin, she knew exactly what was wrong with the creature. He was sanitized much like the octarians that were recovered from the Deepsea metro.

She charged at him as he raised his rifle up. Octo forming and grabbing his head as she wrestled with the soldier. He fired his weapon indiscriminately, trying to shake the black octopus off of him, until she changed forms and was grabbed then thrown to the ground, though she easily recovered, the soldier aimed the rifle at her and began shooting. She evaded his gunfire but was struck in the tentacle, changing back and rolling on the ground, clutching her arm where she was shot.

As the human approached her to finish the job, she laid on the ground but as he got close enough the elite kicked the rifle out of his hand and then attempted another kick, but the soldier grinned and grabbed her boot and twirled her. Nova got up but the soldier charged at her with his knife drawn and swung it at her. Missing her until she grabbed his arm as he tried driving the knife toward Nova's face. She kicked him in the stomach, faltering his attack as she directed his arm to stab himself in the neck. It was a fatal blow as the human was bleeding out and fell to the ground before he dissolved, leaving ony his uniform and gear.

"W... what the... it dissolved?" she said in shock. Picking up the rifle and plate carrier he left behind. The elite heard voices approaching, the strange language she heard before and knew she had to vacate the seen, and quick.

"She fled with the soldier's stuff and got out of sight as two more soldiers approached the puddle left behind by the human. "Oxide 2-2 is down,"

"Apparently we're not alone, stay alert and watch your surroundings,"

"Where's his weapon and gear?"

"That's a good question. Let's rendezvous with the rest of the squad and inform them what we've come across,"

Before the two soldiers left, one of them spotted an ink trail leading away. Nova had managed to evade detection and needed to find a way out of the dome she was in and retrace her steps back toward the town where she got in a confrontation with Mirage at the bar. "That was a close call," said the hallucination. "So, what did you find out, you seemed pretty spooked back there," the voice said in her mind.

"Those eyes... it was sanitized,"

"Sanitized? What? Like those creepy looking brain-dead octarians you mentioned before,"

"I don't know why you're asking me these questions. You can read my thoughts can't you," said Nova, getting agitated with the persona's voice.

"Yes, I can... but I just like to see what your intake is,"

"Quit with the mind games, I need to stay focused on getting out of here. I'm sure those things will try to hunt for me since I splatted their teammate or whatever they were," said Nova as she pressed on to locate a way out of the dome.

"They seemed organized and well trained whatever they were,"

"Yeah, they were... but I'm not concerned about that right now,"

"That weapon he was carrying is strange. It doesn't seem like it shoots ink,"

"It's heavy too... heavier than an octo shot," she replied clutching the SIG Virtus SBR.

"Be careful holding that thing,"

"Why don't you do me a favor and shut up. Let me worry about me," she told the persona as she stopped.

Unknown to the elite, she was being watched by a figure above on a floating piece of debris. "Hey Zeke, come in Zeke!" shouted a voice on the communicator of their goggles.

"What is it?" they snapped back.

"I don't know how long you expect us to stick around. We still got those green-eyed creeps lingering around. We're gonna get caught if we don't go and I'm freezing up here."

"Quit whining Flak. We'll leave soon enough. I spotted an elite down here by herself, I watched her wipe the floor with one of those things," they said, stepping out and observing Nova. The figure was a male octoling packing a blaster. He wore a black inky rider with pilot goggles on his head. His tentacle was yellow with a mohawk pattern. He also wore tight black pants with a yellow stripe running down the side and punk black boots on his feet.

"An elite? Out here by herself?" questioned the voice over the communicator.

"Yeah, it's strange...maybe she decided to leave the army like we did. I like to ask her, maybe even get to know her. Seems she can handle herself, wonder if she could handle me?" he said with a smirk.

"There you go talking like that, every time you think you got a chance with those octoling females, only to get rejected,"

"She might be different, who knows," said the male octoling.

"C'mon Zeke... I'm getting tired and we've been out for too long, let's head back,"

"Just give me a moment will you. At least until I make sure she's gotten to safety,"

Zeke continued to watch Nova make her way toward a tea kettle. It was uncertain where it would send the elite but out of curiosity's sake, Zeke decided to get closer. He octo jumped down and landed behind some debris. He saw Nova examine the kettle and decide whether to take it or not.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" asked the persona.

"I don't know where this kettle is gonna shoot us. I'm debating whether or not to keep looking around for another one," Nova replied back as she tapped her foot.

"What difference would it make,"

"True... I guess I got no other choice then," she said as she waved her arms in defeat.

Before the elite hopped in she heard something and turned toward the direction of where Zeke was hiding. "Is someone there!?" she shouted as she held the SIG Virtus SBR up. After a couple of seconds, it remained quiet as Zeke kept still as to not draw the elite's suspicion. "Maybe I was just hearing things, "Nova said.

"You're hearing me...could that count as hearing things or are you really losing it?" teased the persona.

"I'm getting sick and tired of you!" Nova, snapping at herself, not knowing she was being studied by the octoling behind the pile of debris.

"What are you gonna do about it? I'm in your head," taunted her persona. Nova growled and punched herself in the head.

Zeke watched and was confused by her behavior. Talking to herself and even hitting herself. What was wrong with the octoling? Some adverse effects to breaking from the hypnowave influence or was she really mental, Zeke thought himself. "This octochick may not be bad looking but her personality though, I'm not so sure about," he said to himself.

Eventually her irritation subsided and she octoformed, hopping inside the kettle before it boiled and shot Nova to the other end. "I wish I could follow but... I'm sure she'll be fine. Not to mention I would catch flak from flak. I guess we better head back before those green-eyed creeps find us," he said to himself before octojumping away.

On the other side of the dome. An octosniper was perched on a platform, looking below as it watched the soldiers scan the area, fortunately they wouldn't see the octarian above, hopefully. The octosniper heard a sploosh and turned to look behind and saw a yellow octopus change back. "Finally, I hope we can go now," said the octarian as it took it's mouth off the ink blaster mounted on it's face.

"Yeah we can head back to the safehouse Flak," Zeke told the octosniper who was obviously relieved to hear to it.

"Good, I think my butt is sticking to the scooter. I'm freezing up here, I'm not wearing any clothes like you are," complained Flak as he shivered.

"You done whining?" asked Zeke with a tone which flustered the octosniper a little. He walked away as the octarian followed him. "So, what about the elite?" Flak asked, talking through his mouth blaster.

"She managed to reach a kettle and ink outta here,"

"You don't sound happy,"

"Maybe not... but she seemed well..."

"What?"

"It's nothing, let's get back to the safehouse,"

The octoling male and octosniper departed back to their safehouse before the sanitized soldiers would see them but Zeke pondered on who that elite was and why she was by herself, not mention her behavior. Maybe he would bump into her in the future but for now, their goal was to leave the dome undetected.

Inside the octo rebel metro safehouse, Levi was helped to a bench as the elite wiped the ink off his face. "Not exactly how I wanted to encounter a living human, but we've set up defenses and never banked on anyone coming down here, especially not a human of all things," she told him. The elite removed her goggles and revealed her purple and green eyes, a trait from being underground for so long.

Levi stared at her eyes; they were somewhat strange but at the same time mesmerizing. He focused back on pulling off his Kevlar vest and unbuckling his belt and holster. One of the octolings who grabbed the rifle walked over and presented it to the elite. "I assume this is a human weapon. It's nothing like our octo shots and it doesn't appear to shoot ink," she said as she laid it down on the bench.

"That's because it doesn't but your ink from when I watched those inklings fight off the soldiers, the same one's you reduced to splatter is much more effective on them than bullets. They regenerative abilities allow them to heal up from gunshot wounds unless they are hit in a vital area, be it the brain or heart. Unlike me, a normal human and unsanitized like them," he explained as he started to unbutton his ink-soaked shirt.

"Speaking of that, they were human, sanitized humans... how is that possible?" the elite questioned him as she sat on the bench beside him, moving the rifle over.

"What do you mean and how did you know they were sanitized?"

"I've witnessed what sanitization does. You see, not even a year ago. When our commander, Octavio which I don't like referring to, was defeated by the squidbeak agent, we became disorganized. Some left for the surface, others stayed and the ones that did stay were fearing the worse when the power to the domes would fail, seeing that the zapfishs were collected by the squidbeak agent. An expeditionary force was sent to locate a feasible power source or another location for us to set up. We tracked a signal of unknown origin to a place called the Deepsea metro, a network of stations...as a matter of fact we're in one right now,"

"Sam never explained a lot about your race other than you were threats to her kind. I didn't know about any of this, these different factions and the events that took place before we encountered each other," he told the octoling.

"It's fine...being an octoling, you can say our species don't get along too well but I'm willing to extend a hand of peace if it means our survival. So anyway, back to the narrative. You see an organization, company or whatever you wanna call it, ensnared the expeditionary force and experimented on them. They sanitized them for their own purposes and made them run tests throughout the stations. Once we lost contact with them, we sent specialized agents to see what had happened but again we lost contact and began worrying. It was then overtime we learned about one of our own and a squidbeak agent defeated the AI Tartar, the one that was committing these atrocities to our people and destroyed in the NILS statue. Come to find out this place was nothing more than some research facility operated by a corporation called Kamabo..."

"Wait a minute, Kamabo!" exclaimed Levi as he looked at the elite.

"By your expression you know what I'm talking about,"

"Yes, that's who those soldiers take orders from. They seek to wipe out what's left of humanity and sanitize every last one of us. They're expanding outside their zone and seeking more hypocenters and testing sights to regain control of the Earth and start a new,"

"So it's as I feared but much worse. What we caught was glimpse of what they are capable of from the octo expansion incident and humans at that. A long extinct and unfathomably intelligent species. It seems our nightmares have come to light, not just us but everyone else. Where is their home base, where these soldiers came from?" she asked with her tone more desperate to more about the soldiers and Kamabo.

"Fortunate for you guys. Across the sea at a place that was known as the United States before the flood and nukes killed off humanity or nearly all of it," Levi answered.

"My condolences to your species but right now. I'm concerned about Scarlet and what she plans on doing. If you and these sanitized soldiers that attacked, you are here that could mean Kamabo will come here as well. Not trying to blame you on any of this but I'm glad I got to meet a human. Your race is highly revered by us," she said with a slight smile.

"Not sure if you should praise my species after what we've done to ourselves," said Levi as he pulled his shirt off. The octolings stared and started to blush. The elite turned her head away as to not stare at Levi's bare chest. As Levi started to undo his cargo pants the elite grabbed his hands to stop him. "P... Please can you disrobe uh, somewhere more discrete. There are some rooms in the back you can use," she advised Levi.

"Oh sure, forgot you being females since you're not human," said Levi as he rubbed the back of his head. He grabbed his shirt and gear and hunted for an empty room out of sight.

As the elite go off the bench, her eyes caught the regulars looking over to where she was at as well as watching Levi walk away, tempted to go follow him. The elite knew keeping the human here might not have been a good idea as she knew what was on her troops' minds. Deciding to give Levi time to change before she left to go track him down and have a word with him before something would happen.

Moments later, Levi laid his ink covered clothes to the side. He was unclothed and bare but then he heard a knock at the door. "You decent?" asked a voice.

"Hold on," said Levi. His clothes still covered ink, an arm with a towel hanging from their hand stuck out from the doorway. Levi reached for it and wiped some of the ink off and then wrapped it around his waist. The door slowly opened revealing the elite from before. "Thanks," Levi told her.

"Listen... As much as I would like for you to stick around, being a human and with the octarian army looking for you. It's gonna be hard for you to stay here," she said to him in a serious manner.

"I understand. I'll find my way back and see if I can link up with Sam and the other agents," he said gripping the towel as the elite had to keep her mind focused and off of Levi.

"It's a challenge standing before you in this room alone. I'm having to restrain myself and ensure no one else comes back here and makes a move on you," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Your smell... pheromones. I'm fighting my instincts right now as everyone else is. I'm doing my best to hold myself back," she said as grabbed her hand. The smell was driving the elite crazy though she kept her professional conduct in front of the human.

"Pheromones? I didn't think octopi would be attracted to a human,"

"Yes, we are an octopus-based species, but we still have natural tendencies. As much as I want to screw your brains out right now, I could hurt you as fragile as humans are and I don't want that. If there was a way you could stay, I wish I knew what it was and that I could get more information on you and your kind," Levi could tell the octoling was getting a bit antsy as she couldn't keep still.

"I better get dressed. Guess there's no way of washing my clothes is there,"

"Sorry but no... just try to wipe as much of the ink off as you can, I'll be outside once you're ready," she told him as she left, closing the door behind her. Levi removed the towel and walked over to grab his stuff and noticed the ink was already dissolving which was a relief. As he got clothed, he heard a commotion outside the door. "Alright, Vera, we can't deal with this anticipation anymore. Is the human staying or leaving?" asked a regular to the elite.

"I prefer him to leave, why do you need to know?" Levi could the elite speaking with someone who was grilling her about him.

"Not sure if that's a good idea, Vera. He's a prime target for the octarians," The other replied, obviously another octoling.

Outside the room in a hallway, a small crowd of regulars gathered outside with Vera acting like a bouncer, not letting the regulars inside the room to rush Levi.

"I know that, but I feel he needs to go instead of putting a strain on us," Vera said to the group.

"We know what it is and you can't hide it," the regular kept confronting her as she stepped up toward the elite, but Vera kept firm, letting them know she was no push over.

"I don't know what you're getting at and I advise you to change your tone soldier," the regular backing away as the elite asserted her authority.

"Soldier? We're not in the army anymore. I don't care about this rank-and-file crap even if you are our leader. I think he should stay," objected the regular as the others nodded in agreeance.

"That's not your decision to make,"

"Oh, just come out with it already. We need a good inking... it's been so long," the regulars were getting desperate with the confrontational one rubbing her arms as if she needed a fix.

"Control your urges," the elite snapped at the group.

"Easy for you to say. How long's it been since you got..." said another one as she pointed at Vera.

"Enough! Show some restraint you octopi! We might not be in the army anymore, but we will uphold a dignified and orderly conduct. This is particularly why he needs to go as much as it pains me to see the human leave,"

Levi peered out the door and watched the four regulars talking with the elite. Was his scent giving the octoling females this much grief? The regulars then saw him and Vera turned to see Levi peeking out of the door. "Guess you heard all that," she said.

"Yeah, I did... if I'm that much trouble then I see no reason to stick around," he told them as he slowly opened the door.

"Sorry it's like this," said the elite as the regulars kept staring at him. Like predators toward their prey.

"I understand," he said as he finished button his shirt.

"We maybe octopus-based but that doesn't exclude you, octoling males are rare and you being a male, well..."

"I need to get going anyway and find those squidbeak agents. They're probably worrying to death that I got captured or something,"

"I hope we can meet again, Levi,"

"Maybe," he said as he stepped out, the regulars backing away before turning their focus back to Vera.

"I can't believe you're letting him go. What if he gets captured," one of the regulars told her.

"I trust the squidbeak will keep him safe," she replied

"Those rag tag squids," criticized another.

"The agents defeated Octavio twice didn't they, not to mention we faced agent 3 ourselves,"

"You got a point...but I still don't like it,"

"You don't have to...I don't,"

Levi was heading toward the door as the octolings slowly gathered around him, following him toward the exit. He was little nervous; it was if they wanted to either swamp him with questions or worse have their way with him. None the less, he was ready to leave and not dare figure out what they wanted. With a shut of the metal door, he was gone as the octolings grumbled and groaned. Heading back down the tunnel he went through, Levi would try to get back to surface to link back up with Sam and the crew, unaware about the battle above between the octarians and the soldiers that had taken place.

Seth was sitting beside the female human who was once Donovan's girlfriend, laying on a bed. How would he explain things to her, especially the existence of the octolings and inklings, the world they knew was gone forever and him killing her boyfriend Donovan who had turned into a octo-hybrid. A lot was racing through his mind so much he didn't notice Mirage and the squad stepping inside the room. "Seth," she called out, but he paid no mind, only staring at the young women. "Seth," she called again. This time Mirage grabbed his hand off his knee and looked at him to grab Seth's attention. He was deeply troubled, and Mirage could see it on his face. "Yeah, what is it?" he said a depressed tone.

"I know you didn't deliberately kill that other human. You were..." She started to tell him.

"YES, I DID! IT WAS MURDER! I killed him after what came out of his mouth! I... have to live with that for the rest of life. If Sarah were here, she'd..." he told as he went into an outburst, surprisingly not waking up the Rebecca.

"It was wrong what he did. He did it to anger you so you could kill him,"

"And it worked...He's dead because of me," he finished before he stood up and stormed out of the room.

"Seth!" Mirage yelled at him, but he ignored the elite and walked off. "I gotta reason with him...he's not thinking clearly,"

"Give him some space. We've all been through a lot," said Luna.

"I've never seen Seth like that. When he shot that guy... it was like he was a different person," said Star with concern.

"He's still the same Seth. Don't even compare him to Nova,"

"Huh, I didn't Mirage," she told Mirage before she headed out to track down Seth. Vee walked over on the other side of the bed and looked over the young female. "Vee what is it?" asked Star.

"I'm really worried about Seth, what if he does something drastic," she told the two other octolings.

"I'm sure he'll be fine private," commented Luna as she looked over at the female human. "Hmpf, she's well equipped," popped off the elite.

"What are talking about Luna?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. Why can't I have inksacs like that. Kinda jealous,"

Star and Vee fell to floor, astounded and embarrassed that Luna would bring up a topic at a time like this, especially after what had just happened. "Luna, seriously," Star told her.

"What? I am,"

"Lieutenant, Seth just killed that girl's mate and you're worried about her inksacs, He places the death on his hands and he's having a hard time dealing with it,"

"You're making it sound like it was bad thing. He tried to kill Seth and made a deal with those octo jerks. He got what he deserved," Luna told the private. Disregarding the death of Donovan.

"Seth shouldn't have shot him like that. He's changed... I've seen it,"

"Vee, think about it. He's still having to adjust to this world. He lost his family and he's having to fight out battles now. He's got so much on his mind right now," Star inputted.

Seth was in the room he slept in. He sat there, deep in thought, staring at his hands, seeing Donovan's blood on them. He closed them, clinching his fists and placing his face against them. He wanted to break down and cry. He wanted to escape, at this point nothing else mattered. Picking his head up as tears ran down his cheek, he couldn't bare the guilt of taking another person's life, killing them out of anger.

He turned his head and saw his gear sitting on the table and the holster containing his pistol. A thought appeared his head, a thought of ending everything once and for all. He slowly walked over and grabbed the Glock 19 out of it and racked the slide. Plopping back down on the bed, he held the gun in his hand. The same gun he slayed Donovan in cold blood with before a look of pure anguish appeared on his face as he raised the gun against his head. His lip quivered and his eyes quenched. This was it... he wanted to join his wife, join the rest of the humans that perished years ago. He was convinced he would never find Virgil, and this would torment him for days to come.

Then knocking at the door. Ignoring it he squeezed the trigger but with no response from the person on the other side of the door, they quickly opened it and spotted Seth with the gun against his head. "NOOOO!" she screamed as she rushed over and grabbed his hand. The gun went off as the bullet flew right beside Seth's head and landed in the ceiling. With the pistol knocked out of his hand, Seth was met with a fist flying at his face and now laying on the floor with a very disgruntled elite looming over him, reading to slug the human again.

But she didn't, her anger dissipating seeing Seth was in great distress and saddened by what he had done. His attempt at suicide was foiled and Mirage felt nothing but empathy for Seth as she kneeled down and grabbed him, embracing Seth as she cried on his shoulder of thinking what would've happened if she didn't decide to come check up on him.

"Why," she muttered. She sniffled and looked at him, still upset with him. "Why would you take your life. Wasn't taking that human's enough," she told him.

"I... can't do this anymore Mirage. I'm better off," he told as he started sobbing.

"You listen and you listen good. I love you and I'll protect you even if that means from yourself," she told him with watery eyes as she was trying to keep her stern composure. "You taught me about faith, and you were willing take your own life because you decided to give up," scolding Seth as if he was child.

Seth broke down as Mirage held him. Rubbing his head as she tried holding her own tears back. "As a soldier in the octarian army. I've never felt this way, these emotions, this sense of compassion for another. I never knew I had these feelings until I met you," she said as she smiled at him.

"And I wouldn't have made it in this world knowing my family could've been dead. I would've driven myself insane if you guys hadn't come along. You've been more help to me than you could imagine," he said to her as tried to smile himself.

"I say we need each other, wouldn't you agree," said the elite.

"Yeah... you're right lieutenant," he told her as he wiped the tears of his cheek. "I mean Mirage,"

"I'm not letting that one slide," she jokingly said to try and lift up his spirits.

"How many push-ups is that gonna cost me?"

"Push-ups, who said anything about push-ups," she told him before pulling him into a deep kiss. She slowly stood up, pulling him with her as their lips were still locked. Once she let go she shoved him into the bed. "I told you were gonna get a good inking after we won the battle," she said with a smirk.

"You... sure about this?" he said as he looked at her and sat up at the edge of the bed.

"Oh I'm sure," she said, followed by a promiscuous smirk.

"Do your worst," he smirked back at the elite.

"I plan on it,"

The elite pounced on Seth and pulled his shirt off before she bit into his neck. As Mirage was undoing his pants the two of them heard a knock at the door. "We're busy," she told them.

"It's that female human, she's waking up," the voice said behind the door. This caught Seth's attention as he sat up and started button back his pants. "Huh, Seth can't this..."

"No, if she's waking up then I need to be the first person she sees so I can tell her what's going. Seeing you guys first she'll panic if not collapse, not to mention she won't understand any of you like I can," he said as headed out of the room to go see Rebecca.

"Seth, can we...you know after you deal with that," she asked him as he stood at the doorway. He turned around and paused for a moment before turning his sight on Mirage.

"We'll see. Depends on how she'll handle the news," he answered to her.

Mirage crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks before she gave a sigh of annoyance. Following Seth back to the room before she was fully awake. The octolings gathered around as Seth walked between them and stood beside the bed, looking over Rebecca whose eyes slowly opened and tried adjusting to the light. She gave a murmur and turned her head, only seeing shapes of figures before her sight cleared up and then she saw Seth. "Hey there... good to see you're awake," he told her.

"Where...am I, what's going on?" she said as she sat up, holding her head.

"Take it easy. You just came out of cryostasis. The prolonged sleep has probably affected your cognitive skills,"

"Who are you and... oh my Gosh, what are those things!?" she started to fret as she pointed at the octolings.

"Don't panic... they don't mean you any harm," he told her, but it was too late, she fainted from the scare and Seth had to tell the octolings to leave the room before she woke up again. As they did, Mirage was a little indifferent about it but she complied if not a little jealous she was giving the woman attention because of her instincts, felt she was competition.

The four of them sat in a waiting room until Seth called them out to come back in after he told Rebecca what was going on and even informed her about the situation with Donovan. She didn't take it well and broke down after she had gotten over with from Seth telling her about the octolings and inklings now inhabiting the Earth. Rebecca was at a loss of words; she was in disbelief and could process what Seth had been through until she saw the octoling squad firsthand step back inside the room they were in. Wanting to faint again she recollected herself as the octolings waved at her. Seth introduced them but Mirage out of all of them snubbed her nose and acted the least friendly.

"So they're call octo...lings?" Rebecca asked as she looked at Seth and then wearily back at the octolings.

"That's right. They can turn into octopuses at will. I was freaked out at first but they're really nice when you get to know them,"

"Her heh heh," said Vee with a gurgled dialect. Rebecca couldn't understand and was really perplexed when Seth could communicate with the octopus-headed girl. Seth told Vee and the other octolings what he had explained to Rebecca, prior to them entering the room, though Mirage threw a quick spiteful glare at Rebecca.

"You can speak to them?" Rebecca questioned, not understanding their conversation between Seth and the octolings.

"Yeah, crazy I know, but I'm glad I can. Her name's Vee...Vee this is Rebecca," greeting the private to Rebecca as the young octoling smiled at her, revealing her fangs which startled the human female.

"Reh back ka," Vee tried to say.

"Hmm, hey there," Rebecca nervously chuckled followed by a weak wave of her hand.

"Don't be afraid, they weren't you," Seth said, seeing Rebecca was trying to back away from the octoling.

Mirage gave a growl as she kept a distance. "What's your problem. You haven't been hospitable even since you came back in the room," asked Seth, seeing her hostile disposition against Rebecca.

"Eup... Urp, Gwee ow ep urp," she replied to him in an upsetting fashion.

"Mirage, she needs tending to. Look we'll talk about this later," Seth replied sternly.

"Hmpf...Goo eepp," she protested as she turned her back.

"(deep sigh) I'm sorry Rebecca, I don't know why she's acting like this," he said as he folded his arms and gave the elite a critical look.

"I'm...sorry, this is too much to take in,"

"It was for me when I woke up...as hard as it is to believe they've helped me out,"

Rebecca had so many emotions running through her head as she grabbed onto Seth and pulled him into a hug. "Please don't leave alone," she cried out. Seth was stunned, after all he told her and that he had even admitted to killing Donovan. It seemed as if she got past that, seeing Seth as the only human she could connect with in a world that wasn't their own. The octolings watched and Mirage grew even more jealous as she bit her lip and clinched her fists. She walked off, not being able to handle the human girl showing the Seth affection which got under her skin, no matter the reasoning.

Vee noticed her walk out of the room and followed as Luna and Star decided to leave as well, giving the two humans some peace. "Mirage, wait up," said Vee.

"What private," turning to face Vee with a disgruntled demeanor.

"What's going on with you?"

"Don't worry about it," she replied as she looked away.

"It's that girl...you're thinking since she's human, she and Seth will..."

"Mate... Procreate for humanity... I guess that would be for the best wouldn't it,"

"Uh, someone's mad jealous," taunted Luna which earned her a dirty look from the elite. "Shutting up,"

"Who's to say they won't. Seth loves you doesn't he," said Star.

"What's it matter,"

"I think it does and you're letting it bother you. I wouldn't. She can't speak our language. She just woke up and Seth told her that he killed her mate. Right now, I think she needs him to get adjusted," reasoned Vee as she placed her hand on Mirage's shoulder, only for it to get shoved away.

"(deep breath) You're right Vee. It's nothing to get worked up about. It's only fair and I'll respect that...it's just. She's a female and felt like she was moving in on Seth. I let my emotions get the best of me,"

"You know Seth. He's just trying to help. I think for now while he's dealing with her we need to discuss things with Maxine and go back up to see if the octarians army has been defeated," suggested Vee.

"Hey, where's the big guy and the runt. I haven't seen them in a while," pointed out Luna.

"I think he's playing chaperone with her. For a big hulking octarian he's a gentle giant. Hard to believe he served as the commander of the non-octoling forces," said Vee.

"Yeah, he mentioned something about leaving once things were settled here. I'm gonna talk to him," said Mirage.

A time went by, Seth shared his story with Rebecca starting from the last days before he was placed in cryostasis, being abducted and his family taken from him to the current time. The battle with the octarians and the death of Donovan by his own hand. Rebecca was overwhelmed by what she had heard. She couldn't remember anything from before she was placed in prolonged suspension. Seth knew she was soldier by her attire and what Donovan had said.

As Seth went to leave, she grabbed his hand. "I wanted to thank you for everything instead of leaving me in that machine," she told him.

"You shouldn't thank for anything. It was Donovan that got you out and I wouldn't have left you like that being another human. I'm sorry what happened to Donovan, he lost his humanity at the end, but he died by my hand and shouldn't have," he told her, clearly feeling remorse from killing Donovan even if he posed a threat.

"You said he was my boyfriend. I... can't remember anything but what you've told me. I'm sorry for what happened to him, none the less... and I forgive you," she said, trying to smile at Seth as he turned and looked at her, feeling somewhat relieved.

"If you don't mind, could you stay close. I'm not sure about those octopus-headed creatures. You say their friendly, but it'll take time to get used to them, not to mention I can't understand them,"

"Sure, I'll stick around Rebecca,"

"Thanks...um, is there any way I could, wash myself off,"

"This place has showers; you could use them. I'll see if I can gather up some fresh clothes for you,"

Back in the cafeteria, Mirage found octo-samurai and Emma eating at one of the tables. The big octarian warrior was unsure about the MREs as he sniffed them. He looked and saw Emma showing down on her meal, so he decided to give it a try. It was somewhat good, but it didn't peak the octarians interest as he laid the ration down and turned his attention to Mirage who walked in.

"I see you guys are eating," she told them.

"Not exactly what I would call sustenance. What brings you here?" asked the octo-samurai.

"I wanted to talk to you...alone but I see Emma is sitting there beside you,"

"I'm sure the young wouldn't pay any mind. This is about my departure isn't it," giving Mirage a more serious look.

"It is...I wish you could reconsider staying but I'm not gonna force you to,"

"Huh? You're leaving?" Emma said as she stopped eating and looked up at the octarian warrior.

"Yes, young one... I have a lot to think about and I request that I go and seek solitude. Without my duty in the octarian army I feel as if I have no purpose,"

"You have a purpose, and that purpose is defeating Scarlet and averting the war between our people and the surface," Mirage told him as she stepped closer.

"You have come to terms with facing the octarians and found a goal. I haven't yet," the octo-samurai told the elite.

"It took me a while to adjust to my new life. With the help of the calamari inkatation I was able to break from Octavio's influence, but I was still left without meaning. It was Vee and the others that helped me along the way,"

"You have made friends Mirage. Devoted allies... I have always been seclusive, you know this..."

"Yes, octo-samurai which is why I won't push the issue. You can leave at any time, and I just wanted to come by and hope that I could reason with you but at least we got to say our goodbyes. I'll miss you, old friend," she said as she held her hand out.

"So will I... thank you from freeing me," he said, shaking her hand with a bow of respect.

"You freed yourself and I know you'll find your inner honor," said Mirage as she smiled and nodded. The octarian returning the expression back to her as she felt his belly being squeezed. He looked down and saw Emma hugging him. "Please, I don't wanna see you go," whining for the octarian to reconsider since she had gotten attached.

"I have to young one... I must walk my own path and find my true purpose," he said as she let go before, he had placed his hand on her head. "I hope to cross paths with you again..." looking back at Mirage.

"I hope to see one another again too. Good luck," she replied.

The octo-samurai left the cafeteria and looked back at a sad Emma and Mirage who was clearly gonna miss him. He turned away and made it toward the elevator and left the facility in hopes to finding his inner purpose and gain his honor back, deep inside of him somewhere.

She left the cafeteria, shortly after she did, watching Emma pick at the ration, depressed that the octo-samurai had left before looking back toward Mirage who just gave a sigh. She headed back down the hall and spotted Seth with a set of clothes in his hands. "What are doing? Where's that human girl?" she asked him.

"She needed to go wash off, I was gonna bring her some fresh clothes," he told her.

"N...no, let me do it," she demanded, not wanting Seth to take a glimpse of her possibly being nude.

"Hmm... why?"

"She's a female and I can't tolerate it. Just part of conduct... it wouldn't be right for you to deliver these to her," she told him as she grabbed the spare clothes out of his hands. Seth didn't dare question the motive as he watched her walk away.

After Rebecca had gotten done. She stepped out and spotted Mirage leaning against the wall, staring at her. Nervous by her presense, Rebecca grabbed the clothes and started getting dressed. Mirage kept her yellow eyes on Rebecca before brushing her tentacle and standing off the wall.

"S... Seth said you and him had become friends, he told me about how you met... even though you might not be able to understand me I hope to become friends too," she told Mirage, trying to be sincere and show the elite her gratitude.

Mirage just crossed her arms, not taking anything Rebecca said in consideration, other than hearing Seth's name come out of her mouth which made her mad, enough to want to punch her but the elite reframed from doing such a thing. She gave a gargled growl to Rebecca before she left out of the lavatory to let Rebecca finished getting dressed.

Dexter and Lily were hanging around inside the crews' quarters. Lily was trying to console Dexter after him and Bill got into a spat inside the room Flow was resting in. "Dexter, you need to let things go," Lily tried telling him.

"I shouldn't have come back. I should've taken my chances trying to get out of this inking place even if it meant getting caught by the octopi," Dexter told her.

"You came back because of me and the others. You know it hurt my feelings what you said about just looking out for yourself," Lily told him, clearly upset with what he told Bill.

"I was angry when I popped all of that off. I do care about you. You need to understand I was practically on my own since I was a squidlet. There was nobody else I could depend on. I left home and lived on the streets...unlike you and the rest of them,"

"I'm sorry for what you went through but that doesn't excuse you for how you treat others," repeating what Bill had told him.

"This coming from a once pompous squid who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth,"

"Ok, fine... I had a good upbringing. (deep sigh) Look I'm trying to reach out to you. We got each other now and I wish you would accept that and put aside your resentment," she told him as she tried to give him a hug, only for him to reject it as he held his hand out.

"Don't tell me how I should feel Lily, you're beginning to sound like Bill,"

"No, I'm not... you're being thick-headed. You push people away and keep this wall around you all the time. Remember that night me and you were alone," the inkling girl reminded him.

"Yeah,"

"You opened up and so did I. Why can't you be like now,"

"Because it was just you and me,"

"So,"

"Look I don't wanna talk about this anymore, just drop it and leave me alone,"

"Alright, Dexter... since I can't get through to you, I'll leave you to think about things. I'll head back to Bill and Jazz,"

"(sigh) Wait, Lily... ok, so I've been a jerk," he told as he grabbed her arm. "That doesn't mean I don't care about you and the others as much as Bill can get on my nerves. I'll...try and be nicer if that'll make you happy," he continued before he let go of her arm.

"You know what would make me happy," she said as she smiled at him, crossing her hands as she stared at the inkling. "This," she said as she moved in and kissed him before the two of them fell to the floor.

Back in the room where Flow was sleeping in. "Bill, I need you need to go patch things up with Dexter," Jazz confronted him.

"What for? You heard what he said,"

"That doesn't matter. We're all in this together. No one asked to get squidnapped and get brought here. We're going through enough as it is to be each other's throats," she told as he turned away with his arms crossed. Jazz grew disappointed with Bill's disposition and shook her head.

Flow fell asleep as Craymond was laying on her hat. She was worn out and frequently waking up every now and then, smiling at Jazz, though it seemed something was eating on the little shrimp. As quiet as it was, Flow knew something was bothering him so the shrimp decided to hide under Flow's hat so it could some alone time.

Bill was letting his pride get to him until he decided to take Jazz's advice. "I'll...go apologize," he said, turning toward the inkling girl. Jazz was glad to hear at as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "I think it'll smooth things over," she told him.

He gave a nod left and out of the room to go find Dexter but when he approached the door to the crews' quarters, he heard noises coming from the other side. As he listened, he could hear what was going on and blushed, quickly backing away and deciding now wasn't a good time to settle things between him and the maverick inkling.

As soon as he came back to examination room where Flow and Jazz were, the inkling girl looked at him with question, wondering why he is back so soon. "Did you find Dexter?"

"Um...yeah, I did. He and Lily are tied up at the moment," he told Jazz as he rubbed his head.

"Huh, they aren't fighting are they,"

"No, quite the opposite," he said hesitantly as he gave a slight blush.

"Wait...don't tell me they're..."

"Ye...yeah,"

Back topside, the defect tentacles made it back up the hill after they had figured out a way off the half-submerged tank. They watched the octoseeker being piloted by the octo-rebels whiz past them overhead. The pilot looking down at them and giving a quick salute. "Gotta give it to them, those tentacles made the octarian army think twice. Hope things stay that way for the time being," said the pilot.

"We might have achieved victory but expect retaliation once this goes back up to octo command," said Kelly. "Let's get down there and talk with the other octolings," standing up and approaching the cockpit.

The octoseeker landed down in the yard as the twintacle and his posse were coming up. The hatch opened and out stepped the trio of octolings. "Impressive, tentacles... how you learn to operate that thing?" asked the engineer octoling who piloted the octoseeker.

"Uh, well...we're fast learners," said the twintacle, lying through his breath.

"What, we had no idea what we were doing," blurted one of the troopers before the twintacle smacked him.

"Didn't think so... but still, I would commend you for a job well done. Now if you'll excuse us. we gotta head down and discuss matters with the other octoling squad, which would require you're attendance as well," Kelly told the tentacle posse as she and the other headed toward the elevator access.

"Wonder what's going on?" asked the second trooper.

"Who knows. I guess we better follow them too," said the twintacle as the posse followed the rebel octolings.

As the octoling trio stood in front of the elevator access, it was already coming up before they pressed the button. Once the elevator stopped, the octo-samurai stood before them. The octolings backed away and got into fighting stances as two clutched their octo shots and the engineer held her octo-brush.

"Relax...I was just leaving," the octo-samurai told him as he placed his hand up, seeing he was unarmed.

"Huh? You're not gonna attack us?" asked the engineer.

"Seems pointless wouldn't it octoling," he answered.

"I uh...just stand down," Kelly told her other two teammates. They were confused, wasn't the octo-samurai hostile? He was the commander of the octarians (non-octolings) wasn't he? Sergeant saw the hulking samurai was in no mood to fight them as he walked past them. Even the tentacles were bewildered at him as they watched him pick up the handle to his destroyed octo-roller. Dropping it, he continued to leave the yard and soon vanished out of sight.

Sergeant Kelly and her team along with the defective tentacles descended below to talk with Mirage and Maxine about their plans to leave the facility which they would urge them to do themselves. For the past half-hour, the octolings were congregated in the atrium. The inklings as well as Seth and Rebecca weren't present, and the tentacles just hung back listening in on the octolings plans.

"You're suggesting we leave and destroy the access roots on our way out," said Mirage who was not at all thrilled at Kelly's incentive.

"It's the only we can guarantee that the octarians and Scarlet herself don't get their tentacles on the humans. I'm sorry lieutenant but you know the octarian army will return with a larger force and more powerful weapons at their discretion. They'll level this place if it means dealing with us once and for all," said Kelly.

"There has to be another way. Leaving the humans behind is just... negligent and senseless," objected Mirage.

"I know you have a soft spot especially since you've became fast friends with that one human which also brings up another matter. He has to stay back,"

"NO! I'M NOT LEAVING HIM HERE TO DIE!" Mirage yelled at Kelly, which garnered everyone's attention.

"Get yourself together lieutenant! If the octarians as so much get a human in their possession it would cost all of our efforts and put Scarlet that much closer to achieving her goal of taking over the surface,"

"I'll make sure that never happens,"

"Can you really? I would rather not chance it... I know he's your friend but..."

"I love him! and I'm not forcing him stay down here and perish along with the rest of his race!" Hearing this troubled Kelly as her teammates looked at each, giving bewildered looks that Mirage would even have such a strong bond to the human.

"I could sense you had strong feelings for him when we first met... I thought at the time it was nothing more than an affectionate friendship, but I see it's much more than that,"

"Then you understand why I feel the way I do,"

"Yes, it does... and it worries me," commented Kelly, who looked sternly at Mirage as she crossed her arms. "It seems this has distracted you from your duties and has gotten your mind off what really matters and that's making sure Scarlet doesn't go through with her plans. Seems the better reason to leave him behind," she continued, which got her a critical look back from the elite.

"Seth taught me something the army couldn't and that's having faith. I think it's faith that got us through the battle with the octarians. I don't see how you can't comprehend that, Kelly. The octarians think they can beat us but I say their wrong. It doesn't matter if they are well-equipped and have vast numbers. We can and we will defeat them and that requires not only faith but the person who introduced it, Seth. We're gonna need him more than ever if we're truly gonna stop Scarlet and the rest of those inkbags. Wouldn't you agree," Mirage said as she looked around the crowd of octolings. Kelly's group, not giving a response as Luna and Star nodded in a agreement, siding with their leader.

"Lieutenant, I don't have time for another debate, time which is a valuable asset right now," Kelly argued.

"Do what you must but I'm not leaving Seth behind. He's a part of my squad," Mirage told the sergeant.

"Mirage is right, this is wrong Kelly, and you know it," said Luna with disapproval.

"Yeah, we don't leave an octopus behind...or human I should say," Star followed up before she looked around, wondering where the human was. "Speaking of which, where is Seth?"

"I think he's still keeping an eye on that human female. Better watch out Mirage, she might snare him up," Luna teased with a grin.

"Stow it! Luna! Seth is getting her situated and nothing more. I'm won't let my feelings get the best of me and I'm not gonna let some certain octopus get my tentacles in a twist over something so trivial as thinking Seth and that female start bonding," said Mirage.

Just as she said that both Seth and Rebecca stepped in the atrium, Rebecca's arms wrapped around Seth for comfort as he as his arm across her shoulder. "Yeah, she's getting situated alright," said Luna as Mirage shot her a glare.

"Oh, Seth you might have walked in at the right time and I'm sure you'd like to introduce the female to the rest of the crew," said Mirage as the others waved to her. Rebecca gripped Seth tighter which caused Mirage's eyebrow to twitch.

"So what's the verdict, what do we plan on doing?" asked Seth.

"You see Seth, sergeant Kelly thinks it would be best if... we leave," Mirage said, keeping her lip zipped about their true directives.

"you told me that before Mirage. You and the squad were gonna try and find your way to the surface. I know I'm a part of your squad but with Rebecca here. I don't think she's quite ready to venture out. You guys go if you need to and I'll meet up with you guys when I can,"

"Seth, I mean as in... leaving and closing off this dome permanently to make sure Scarlet can't retrieve your people. You can't stay behind... I need you to come as I tried to persuade Kelly for you not to get left behind like the others,"

"What do you me close off?"

"With the help of my engineer, we're gonna blow the access tunnel with charges once we get through in the octoseeker. Mirage and her team will shut down the kettle with a timed charged, once they shoot out and head toward the town. It's the only insurance we have to stopping the octarians from getting this technology and your race. I'm sorry it's come to this but we must take preemptive measures," Kelly explained, which caused Seth to become distraught that the octolings would do this.

"You're willing to leave everyone back to die," he told her, upset and rattled by their decision to make the dome inaccessible.

"Seth, please understand I don't wanna do this but we have no choice," Mirage told him as she tried reasoning with Seth.

"So you're vouching for her," his tone getting angrier.

"No! I... feel it's best if, I wanted you to come with us but Kelly suggested you stay back as well and I demanded you come along," Mirage was trying to defend her actions, getting Seth to see that this wasn't her intentions, but Seth felt Mirage didn't do enough to get Kelly to find another option.

"(deep sigh) If the octarians want humans that bad then maybe Kelly is right. I should stay behind then. Do what you must because me and the rest of those humans in the pods apparently don't have a say in this," He told them as he turned away.

Mirage was getting desperate. She grabbed Seth's hand as he flinched. "Seth No! I want you to come with me,"

He quickly shooed her away and gave her a look of disapproval. "What about Rebecca? The other humans trapped inside those damn pods?... what about them?"

"We can't take you all with us, that's the point... besides, if any of you get hurt, we can't treat you. Their chances of survival will just dwindle down as we traverse in the canyon and that's if we find our way to the surface," Kelly told him.

"S... Seth, what are they saying?" asked Rebecca. She watched their conversation, but she could Seth was getting more fired up and agitated with the octolings even though she didn't understand them.

"It's nothing... they were just leaving. We'll...do what we can to survive," he said as he grabbed her shoulders. Mirage was getting frantic and feared her relationship between her and the human was slipping away.

"Seth, please listen to reason,"

"I have Mirage... you have a job to do, and I intend to make sure we don't become dead weight for you, Kelly and everyone else. I'm sure now if I'll ever see Virgil again... that's something else you don't have to worry about either," he said to the elite, clearly snubbing her and grabbing Rebecca's hand. "Let's leave Rebecca," he said to her.

"Seth! Wait!" Mirage hollered at him, but he and Rebecca left and back to their quarters to see what they could do.

"Seems he's taken Mirage, probably for the better and now you can concentrate on getting your team out of the dome and disabling the kettle on your way out,"

"I'm...not leaving him behind, I don't give a carp what you think Kelly. I'm gonna have a word with him and convince him to come. There's gotta an alternative or something," Mirage headed off to catch up with Seth and smooth things over with him before he decided to dump her for Rebecca.

"Not to get off topic but I could for a cold bottle of kelp ale about now," said Kelly's engineer.

"Me too," said the medic octoling.

"We did kick the octarians butt...I say it calls for it, how about one last drink before we go," said Luna.

"Yeah!" cheered Star.

"Why not," said Kelly as she gave in.

Seth and Rebecca headed to the room where Seth slept at. Mirage, who was behind the door, listened in on the two humans talking, not understanding Rebecca of course since she couldn't speak octarian. Hesitantly, she decided to knock on the door as Seth quit talking and told the elite to come in.

"I didn't interrupt anything did I?" Mirage asked.

"No, we were just... discussing things like food supply and water after you left with the others," he said to the octoling.

"Seth, you don't have to stay. You know I'm gonna worry about you,"

"I'll be fine Mirage. I know you need to leave. Me and Rebecca will stay behind along with all the other humans,"

"Don't put a wedge between our relationship. If this is nothing more than a guilt trip because of you killing that other human and feeling sorry for yourself then don't. Seems like ever since she came out of that pod you been focused on her," she told Seth, brooding over Rebecca.

"Because she's a human like me lieutenant!" Seth scolded her.

Mirage bit her lip and downed her head. "Please... I don't hold you accountable for Kelly's decision. I know you want me to go with you and squad... and I can't do that," Seth said as calmed down and placed his hand on her shoulder. Rebecca gave them some space and knew something was going on between the two.

"You think I wanna leave these humans behind... I don't, especially not you. You know I love you and since that night Nova tried to... kill you. I promised myself I would never let anything happen to you again," she admitted to him as she raised her head. A tear rolled down her cheek, showing Seth the affection, she had for him.

"Seth... should I go?" asked Rebecca.

"No Rebecca, Mirage was just leaving,"

"I... see... if that's how it is then. I wish you two well," downing her head as her eyes started to water. She turned away and headed for the door, shutting it behind her and not saying anything else.

"Seth what was that about?" she asked him.

"It's... nothing,"

"She's in love with you, isn't she," Rebecca commented which caught Seth off guard. He looked at her, slightly stunned that she knew that. "Call it a woman's intuition... I'm guessing she wants you to go with them,"

"Yeah... I don't know if we..."

"Could be together... she may not be human, but she has feelings for you like any other human girl would. Yeah, it may seem weird but by what you've told me, nothing's normal anymore. You've had to get adjusted to this world... something... Donovan couldn't do. He accepts how things were even though he changed anyway... physically and mentally. Knowing what happened now... I couldn't be with Donovan... not after what he did to you and trading off our people. I don't condole what he did and I'm not sure if I can grieve over his death," she told Seth.

"He might have been bad at the end but that didn't give me the right to take his life,"

"And I don't hate you for it... it was anger that ended our world in the first place. Donovan became angry for what had happened to him and finding out he betrayed you and your family is what made you kill him. Holding onto bitterness, getting even is never the solution Seth. I think your better person then that and Donovan could've been, but he chose his path, and you see where it got him. Don't go down the same road he did and don't build up grief with your new friends that helped you because you feel as if they are abandoning us. I think you should go talk to that girl,"

"But...what about you and the others still in those pods,"

"We're make it... don't you worry about us," Rebecca moved in and grabbed Seth's hands before she pulled him into a hug. They embraced for a few seconds before letting go.

"You remind me so much of my wife Sarah. There's gotta a middle ground, even Mirage was looking for one. I think you're right. Maybe we met one another for a reason. It's hard to believe when we first encountered, she was distrusting of me, never meeting a human until now... Sarah may be gone but Mirage has been by my side, and she didn't have to be. I shouldn't have pushed her away," he said as he started to head out of the room. He turned and looked at Rebecca.

"Go on, Seth," she replied as he nodded and left.

It was late and the octolings and tentacles headed off for the town where the bar was at. Deciding to celebrate their victory, it seemed like another re-run of drunkenness for the defectors. Vee decided to hang back with Emma at the facility. A lot was running through the octolings mind, and she didn't want the company of some intoxicated octopi. At the counter, sitting on a stool was Mirage. She barely drank out of her bottle and had her head perched on her arms, drooped over after pouting over Seth wanting to stay back and feeling that he had pushed her away by him.

Luna stumbled over and proped herself beside Mirage, already buzzed from the alcohol. "What's eating you lieutenant," she slurred.

"It's Seth," the elite muttered.

"Seth huh... it's that human chick isn't it. He dumped you for her, is that it?" Luna continued as Mirage ignored her. "You shouldn't blame him... chick is packing bigger ballistics than you,"

"That's not it... Seth could care less if she's got bigger... bags than me. Seth made his decision, and I should...respect it," she replied as she took a sip of the ale.

"Yeah, you should forget about him... he's probably plowing her right now,"

Mirage started getting angry as she clinched her fist and quickly grabbed the bottle, slinging it against the wall, nearly hitting the drunk twintacle in the face as he stumbled and fell over. "That... Son of a sea slug!" she yelled before burying her head into the bar and weeping.

After a moment, the elite felt a tap on her shoulder. "Leave me alone Luna! Can't you see..." she turned but her eyes locked on something unexpected.

"Hey there little lady... you feel like company," Seth said with a smile.

"Y... You..." the elite stammered before she bared her beak at him and narrowing her eyes. "How about you take a hike. You got someone else now?"

"If you think Rebecca is taking your place then you thought wrong. I came here to say I'm sorry for pushing you away. I was just sickened that Kelly would suggest leaving all the humans behind but Rebecca, I guess you can say consoled the matters and I wasn't upset anymore. She reminded me of why I'm here and why me and you met,"

"Huh... so she's... not..."

"No... she can't replace Sarah, and neither could you but... you've been here for me and saved me. I wouldn't wanna be with anyone else than you. I love you lieu...Mirage,"

Mirage sniffed and a smile grew on her face as tears ran down her cheek before she latched to Seth. "Aw, they made up," said Star as she watched the two hug one another at the bar. "Get a room you two," slurred Luna as she chugged down another bottle.

Then the two pulled away and kissed one another and hugged again for a moment. Seth reached behind the bar and grabbed two bottles of ale. Giving one to Mirage and opening the other for himself. As they started drinking, Seth remembered seeing a guitar nearby from the previous night him and Mirage went on their first date. "What is it, Seth?"

"A remembered seeing that... there it is," Seth said as she spotted the instrument leaning against the wall at the edge of the bar. He got up and headed over to grab it.

"Huh, what's that?"

"A guitar... you've never seen one before. It was probably left over from a band. It's been a while since I played one, over 2,000 years. I had one before I joined the Defense Front. Let's see if I can still if I can even still play it,"

Seth started strumming the strings. He turned the knobs to get them tuned in until the strings were tight enough. After a minute his skills returned, and he got a rhythm going. "A bit rusty but it'll come back to me. There was one song I loved to play. I'm sure you've never heard of GNR. They were a human rock band and I love their song: Patience. I feel it's the right mood for that," he told Mirage as strummed the strings.

"Well, um, go ahead," said Mirage as she took a drink.

"Alright then, hope I don't mess up too badly," he said as he cleared his throat.

(Singing Begins) "Shed a tear 'cause I'm missin' you. I'm still alright to smile. And girl, I think about you every day now. Was a time when I wasn't sure. But you set my mind at ease. There is no doubt you're in my heart now,"

"Said "woman take it slow, and it'll work itself out fine". All we need is just a little patience. Said "sugar make it slow and we'll come together fine". All we need is just a little patience. Little patience,"

"I sit here on the stairs 'cause I'd rather be alone. If I can't have you right now, I'll wait dear. Sometimes I get so tense, but I can't speed up the time. And you know love there's one more thing to consider,"

"Said "woman take it slow and things will be just fine". You and I'll just use a little patience. Said "sugar take the time 'cause the lights are shining bright". You and I've got what it takes to make it,"

"We won't fake it. Hmm, I'll never break it. 'Cause I can't take it,"

"Just a little patience, yeah-yeah. Just a little patience, yeah-yeah,"

"I've been walking the streets at night. Just trying to get it right. It's hard to see with so many around. You know I don't like being stuck in the crowd. And the streets don't change but maybe the names. I ain't got time for the game 'cause I need you. Yeah, yeah, yeah I need you (I need you). Oh, I need you. I need you, I need you, I need you," (Singing Finished).

During his singing, Mirage was just wooed and perplexed, never hearing so beautiful besides the calamari inkantation, which broke her from the hypnowave influence but that couldn't compare to Seth's song. Something that touched her heart even deeper, coming from him as a compassion for her.

Not noticing during the song, Seth garnered the attention not only to Mirage but everyone else in the bar. He spotted the crowd as the cheered and applauded at the human. Luna and Star smacked their bottles together. "That was awesome Seth! I didn't know you had musical skills," said Star.

"Yeah, sing another!" slurred Luna, as she held on to Star before she fell over.

"Sorry guys, that's all I got," he told them before turning his attention to Mirage. "A special song for a special girl," he said as Mirage blushed and smiled at Seth. She jumped off the stool and rushed over to kiss, pulling away as she giggled.

"Aaaawww," the crowd groaned in disappointment. Luna threw her bottle on the floor, breaking it in frustration. "This sucks!" Being in a drunken state she looked at her hand and then the shards on the floor. "I need another bottle," she said as she looked over at Star.

"Sarah liked that song too... I'm glad you did," Seth told Mirage as she got off his lap.

"I enjoyed it Seth... you know I got something you'll enjoy. We never got around to... you know what," she told him, twiddling her tentacle as she turned a little pink. Seth looked at the elite as she looked up at him, with her yellow enamoring eyes as she placed on hand on his. He knew what the octoling wanted but he wasn't sure if he was ready to take it a step further in their relationship and the two being so different biologically.

"I... don't know Mirage," he said as he looked away, rubbing his neck nervously.

"You came all this way to be with me. You sang that song for me. I wanna return the favor for you and show how much you mean to me Seth," the elite urged him.

"Mirage, you've already shown how much mean to me by saving my life when that octoling stabbed me in the chest. You were willing to give your blood or ink to ensure I stayed alive and I would've done the same for you. Can't we enjoy each other's company for the time being,"

"I wanna enjoy our company together...alone... you heard what Luna said about getting a room. Remember what I said when the battle was over and all those times you called me lieutenant,"

"Yeah, I didn't forget,"

"So what about it,"

"Well should I at least be worried?"

"I'm not holding back...how's that for an answer,"

"Then...ladies first," he said. Mirage hopped off the stool and yanked Seth down with a mischievous look. She guided him up the stairs where Seth was led to the spare room. Once the two went in, Mirage pulled her goggles off and laid them on the doorknob before she closed it behind her. I gesture for, do not disturb before the octoling showed her affection for the human she loved dearly.

Half an hour had passed since the octarians assaulted the sanitized human unit that was hunting for Levi and the inklings in the abandoned town. Dome 15 was the home of the octoling nursery where young hatchlings were raised before joining the army at the required age. A large hospital stood in the town as well as a school where young octolings went to learn about their history, why to despise the inklings and to pledge their allegiance to their once great ruler, DJ Octavio. Shops were scattered about and housing for octoling families but inside the school were two figures, hunkering down and staying out of sight until the octarians left.

Sam was sitting against a wall, as a fire was going in front of her. She slowly woke up and came to her senses after she had fainted before. As she blinked, she spotted a figure sitting across from her, huddled near the fire they made. "L... Levi?" she muttered weakly.

"No... it's me...Jet, you're finally awake," said the inkling agent.

"Jet... I thought you left," said Sam as she rubbed the back of her head.

"I watched the octoseekers zoom by in one of the other domes and they looked like they headed for the town. I got worried... so I came to make sure they didn't catch you guys. I saw what those humans were doing to you, I wanted to do something but then those octarians beat me to the punch...and that's when I found you," he explained as he got up.

"Didn't figure you'd come back," she said as she leaned forward and stretched. She turned and saw little buddle curled up on the floor.

"Lil' Buddy?" she muttered before the fish woke up and saw Sam with a relieved expression. She picked it as the fish returned with a kind gesture by licking her as she held him and then turned her attention back to Jet.

"Well, I did... I couldn't leave you and Ash behind... and I guess I would've tried to save that blowhard Flash. Speaking of which, where are they?" he asked Sam.

"I told them to go. They went through the kettle at the edge of town. I stayed back to find Levi after those humans appeared,"

"You stayed back for that human? Why? He's the one that brought those creeps here in the first place. As far as I'm concerned, I hope he got captured, maybe then those other humans will leave us alone," Jet expressed, still untrusting of Levi, being a human and bringing trouble with him, as he saw it.

"I don't know how you could wish that on Levi after what he's done for us,"

"Easy..."

Sam walked over and punched him right in the shoulder. "Hey! I saved your squid butt, not to mention your pet smallfry and you're just gonna punch me," he exclaimed, rubbing his shoulder.

"For thinking you can just discard Levi like that," she said as she glared at Jet.

"Why should you care... unless you got a crush on him,"

"No I don't, why would you even think that!?"

"I've seen how you acted around him. It turns my stomach is what it does,"

"Shut up,"

"Or what!" he yelled. He watched Sam resolve, not retaliating or defending her stance on Levi and what had happened to them since the soldiers appeared. "That's what I thought. You're not the tough squid chick from splatsville are you," he repudiated the inkling girl.

"You don't know anything about me," she muttered, giving an uneasy stare at Jet.

"You're not sure if you'll ever find your sister... admit it. Agent 3 assigned you on the squad because of that reason. You got duped like the rest of us and know you're stuck," scoffed Jet. Hearing those words, Sam's hands curled up as she grabbed Jet by his tank top, holding her fist out as if she was ready to beat him.

"I've had enough of your mouth!" she snapped at the smug inkling boy.

"Go ahead and hit me squid... do it," he tempted her.

Sam was ready to give into his request but then she thought about Izzy and how she would think seeing her own sister acting on anger. She let go of Jet and relaxed her hand. "You're not worth my energy," she told Jet.

She walked away from him as lil' buddy stayed beside her, wanting distance from the antagonizing agent. Jet was now starting to feel remorseful for his behavior. He plopped down in front of the fire and gave a deep breath. Then her heard Sam start to whimper, overwhelmed with the situation. Not finding Izzy, nearly getting captured by the sanitized humans and Jet's words. The inkling boy gave a sad gurgle and then turned his attention toward Sam.

"I'm...sorry... I shouldn't have said all that crap about you and your sister," Jet apologized.

Sam slowly turned her head and looked at Jet. "It's pretty chilly, you might as well come back over to the fire to keep warm," Jet told her, his tone changing friendly toward the inkling girl.

Sam gave a deep breath and stepped back over to the fire, as cold as it was, especially since she lost her agent jacket. "How did you start a fire in the first place?" she asked him.

"Learned back at camp triggerfish when I was a squid scout. I used what was available, so I grabbed all these books and threw them into a pile. It's nothing but octarian junk," he said.

"Where are we?" she asked as she looked around the room.

"I think it's a school or at least that's what it looks like," Jet replied.

Sam noticed the room appeared to be an abandoned classroom. Desks were scattered about with octarian propaganda posters hanging on the walls, one poster warning about the squid scourge and another glamourizing DJ Octavio. Then Sam noticed on a chalkboard some octarian writing and at the bottom was a crude drawing of a squid with devil horns and next to it was an amusing drawing of an inkling girl with her mouth open and a stupid expression on her face. Above it read: Agent 3 stinks!

Sam read the message out loud as Jet chuckled. "So, what are the octarians saying, that they can smell her a mile away,"

"Yeah, not mention she's dressed up like a hobo or the scrap hunters back in the splatlands. Guess she wanted the get up to match her stench," said Sam as she started laughing.

"I resent those remarks," said a voice. Sam and Jet froze and turned to the source seeing a silhouette come out of the shadows, revealing it to be agent 3 herself. "Stink huh. Why are two so shocked? I thought you could smell me coming a mile away," Both Jet and Sam stared at her, seeing her arms crossed with a smirk on her face but soon Sam got angry seeing her, reminding of the hardship she put her through by forcing her to become an agent...well sort of.

"You...what do want now?" Sam critical asked the inkling wearing the captain's hat.

"You don't seem happy to see me,"

"Why should I! You got me in this predicament in the first place! I'm done being an agent and don't try and persuade me to..." Sam started as she approached the new captain aggressively before she was waved off.

"I won't... it seems I've put too much on you. I thought you were agent material, but I was wrong. Sorry I got you into this mess," Sam shook her head a little, not expecting agent 3 or captain 3. Whatever her title was to sound regretful for pushing Sam to be an agent.

"Huh? I uh... you're not gonna urge me to stay on the squidbeak,"

"No... it seems things have taken a turn for the worse. Sheldon filled me in on what happened after you finally met up with the agents. He mentioned humans, dressed in some strange uniforms. Care to fill in the details,"

"Me and Flash left the police station for a radio signal that was attracting the salmonids, but we encountered these humans. They nearly splatted me and Flash, but we managed to fight them off. The weirdest thing though was how out ink affected them and then they dissolved,"

"Dissolved?"

"There's something else that Sheldon might have not mentioned being his drone was damaged while we were hunting for the source of the radio signal and that was meeting Levi, another human unlike the ones me and Flash fought with. He said those humans were sanitized and working for some company called kamabo..."

"Did you say...sanitized?" Sam could see agent 3 was troubled by those words.

"Yeah," replied Sam but then she noticed Cassie holding the side of her head. Going through the flashbacks of Tartar's influence on her when she battled agent 8 at the NILS statue. "Cassie you alright?" asked Sam.

"Just fine... the upbringing of sanitized and the word Kamabo are surfacing bad memories. If any of this is true, then I fear the worst is yet to come. It was humans that created that phone, to hear that there's sanitized humans is beyond unsettling. Once captain cuttlefish returns, we're gonna have an emergency meeting, the Inkopolis government may need to get involved even if they were fooled into trusting the octarians. All of the inklings lives hang in the balance now and all I can hope is things don't get out of hand, we're already having to worry what the octarians are planning... and before I go. I want you two to meet agents 1 and 2," she told the two agents.

At the doorway of the classroom, the squid sisters appeared, donning their new uniforms. Callie in her back rompers and white leggings, donning a metallic bandolier around her torso while Marie was wearing a white coat with grey leggings as she held a closed umbrella in her hand. "Wait, I recognize them. You're Callie and Marie. You're squidbeak agents!?" exclaimed Jet who was in shock.

"We sure are," said Callie, leaning over with her stage pose.

"Unfortunately," replied Marie, an opposite stance of her cousin.

"Squid sisters? I've never heard of you," Sam told them as she scratched her noggin.

"Huh!" the two of them were stunned.

"For eel, you've never heard of us. You must be agent 4's sister," commented Marie in disbelief.

"Yeah, but why did you put it that way?" Sam asked.

"I got the same reaction from her before she became agent 4. Oh well, so anyway, you've met us, and we overheard everything,"

"So, you heard us talking about the sanitized humans,"

"Yes, we're very concerned about this because of what happened a couple of years ago. Cassie knows what we're referring to," Marie looked over at the veteran agent as she crossed her arms and downed her head for a moment.

"Its Tartar isn't it," hinted Sam.

"It is. you see, Tartar nearly destroyed Inkopolis with his weapon. If it weren't for agent 8 and Off the Hook, the city would've been covered in that green goo and everyone else would've been turned into zombies,"

"So, who is this tartar and why would he want to destroy Inkopolis,"

"What we've gathered from Pearl and Marina is that tartar tricked agent 8 and gramps into doing these tests. It collected data on us for years and despised us because of our lifestyle. It seeked eradication of the inklings and was determined to setup a new civilization that would be inhabited by "worthy" lifeforms as that phone put it,"

"Are you saying there's a connection between this tartar and the sanitized humans?" asked Sam. Jet who had been listening was even more suspicious of Levi now.

"Gramps told us about these creepy lifeless octarians that agent 8 had to face at the deepsea metro. To think now there are creepy lifeless humans appearing," said Callie with deep concern.

"Then what happened to this Tartar?" asked Jet.

"Not sure, I would think he was destroyed by Pearl's killer wail when they finished off the NILS statue. We were sure we wouldn't have to deal with a threat like this again but hearing about humans and sanitized it seems this nightmare isn't over," Marie answered him.

"That means not only Inkopolis but the whole world is in danger Marie," said Callie as she grabbed her cousin by the shoulders and started shaking her. Marie pulled Callie's hand off of her and placed her hand on Callie's shoulder to get her attention.

"I know Cal... let's go see if gramp's returned. Cassie, you coming?" Marie asked.

"Yeah, just a moment," the veteran agent said before she turned her sight back to Sam. "Look, as you've just heard. Our whole world is in danger. I know it seemed like I asked a lot from you, and I can't force you to stay an agent but I'm asking that you find it in your hearts to reconsider... the both of you," she told Sam, giving one last glimpse at Jet as he crossed his arms.

"You know how much trouble you've put me through, and you expect me to give it a second thought... I say... agent Sam reporting for duty," she told Cassie with a salute and a fake smile. "But I'm still ticked at you for holding Izzy over my head,"

Jet shook is head and couldn't believe Sam would even stay a squidbeak agent. "What about you Jet?" asked Sam.

"I'd say count me out... if you didn't go ahead and let captain rags talk you into doing this agent junk. I guess... for Ash's sake," Jet told them.

"Glad to hear it you two. Find agents Flash and Ash... and do stick together. I have no idea when Sheldon is going to send for another drone to watch your progress and help you, so good luck," Cassie told the two agents as she adjusted her cap.

"Luck hasn't exactly been on our side," said Sam. "Oh... and I'm weaponless!"

"I'll have Sheldon make sure he can supply with another weapon,"

"Way ahead of you agent 3 or should I say captain," said Marie as she pulled out an ink weapon. "When we left Sheldon's he ensured that I give this to the new agents," Marie presented to Sam.

"It looks like a charger," said Sam as she grabbed it from the squid sister.

"Sheldon said it had unique specifications, he didn't really give me the details but to just deliver it,"

The charger-based ink weapon was reminiscent of a high-powered air rifle. A tank was attached to the bottom of it as a scope was mounted top. The stock was consisted of a shock absorber with a brace at the end. It had a orange and black coloration with white wording, in inkling language with the word: Syringer.

"Knowing Sheldon, there's no telling what that thing does. Lately he's been building weapons for grizzco," said Callie.

"Mr. Grizz gave him a contract to construct weapons exclusively for the salmon runs. He's boosted pay for workers and what've I've been hearing he's went up to requiring as many as a hundred power eggs every salmon run," said Marie.

"A hundred eggs? Why does he need so many?" asked Jet.

"Don't know, that still remains a mysterious. Just like Mr. Grizz's identity. I find it all peculiar," said Marie as she grew suspicious of grizzco operations.

"Well at least it gives something for the turfers to do Marie, even if Mr. Grizz is a talking bear-shaped radio," said Callie.

"Well not get off topic but we do need to head back to Inkopolis if we're done here. You ready Captain Cassie?"

"Do you really need to call me captain... but sure, go ahead, I'll catch up," she told the two as they walked out of the room. "Like I said, you guys need to look out for each other. You're in enemy territory, you not only have the octarians to deal with but now the sanitized humans that have appeared," facing Sam and Jet with a serious expression.

"We'll keep that in mind. Wish Marie would've brought a jacket with the charger," said Sam as she shook from the cool air.

"You'll have to tough it out for now, but I'll see if Sheldon can air lift, you some more gear," said Cassie.

"A snack would be nice," suggested Sam as Cassie just looked at her and ignored the request.

"Well let me go agents, I gotta squid outta hear and see if Cuttlefish has returned from his vacation," Cassie squid formed and swam out of the classroom to catch up with the squid sisters so they could head back.

"So, what now, at least you got a weapon... why a charger of all things?" questioned Jet.

"I have no clue. I'm not gonna try and make since of Sheldon's logic. I don't know about you but I'm gonna get some rest," said Sam as she laid on the floor and rolled over, facing away from the fire and Jet. After a few minutes had passed, Jet's eyes were getting heavy and he soon laid down and fell asleep himself, watching Sam as he nodded off.

Almost an hour earlier, right after the octarians attacked the sanitized soldiers. Levi started making his way out of the subway access. He noticed smoke and soon fire as he spotted debris lying around and an enemy V-22 crashed into a building across the street. He knew something happened while he was down in the metro but who attacked the soldiers. He wandered around until he spotted a group of octolings interrogating a wounded soldier. After they couldn't get anything out of him, they executed him before he dissolved into green goo. Quickly getting out sight, Levi steadily watched, he knew he couldn't afford to get spotted, so he decided to sneak away. He spotted the octostriker hovering overhead and got behind a wall before the flying octarian craft saw him and flew out of sight.

"That was close. I gotta get out of here and fast," he said.

He ran up the street and was nearly at the edge of town but stopped in his tracks when he saw a team of octolings patrolling ahead of him, heading in his direction. Just as he thought he was seen, the octolings raised their weapons toward Levi's direction and shouted but not at him but a figure stumbling through some bushes. It was another soldier, his headgear missing, revealing his black and green eyes as he clutched his arm.

The human saw he was spotted and kneeled, holding his arm up, signifying he surrendered. The octolings approached them, one regular striking him with her weapon. On the ground, the soldier had a look of distress. Was this it for him, sadly it was, as another octoling shot him in the head, dissolving much like the first soldier he saw executed.

"I thought we were taking them captive?" asked one octoling.

"No... the lieutenant said they are to be splatted on sight. They're sanitized... you should know this, meaning we have no use for them. You saw what happened to our kin during the octo expansion incident. The only thing we're taking back is their weapons and whatever else they left behind that could be useful to us," replied another among the squad.

"I wonder how these humans ended up sanitized and where they came from,"

"Who cares. Our mission is to sweep the area and extinguish all threats. Let's keep moving,"

Levi stayed hidden. He waited for the octoling team to pass by and then he would sneak away. Once it was safe, he continued toward the edge of town, successfully not getting noticed and spotting what appeared to be a giant kettle, he assumed this must've been the kettle Sam was talking about but how on Earth would he be able to use it. The inklings were nowhere in sight. He started calling out Sam and Flash's name, hoping they were around somewhere, possibly hiding too.

"How's this thing work?" Levi said as he studied it. "I don't see any buttons or knobs. How's an over-sized tea kettle supposed to get me away from here?" Getting frustrated as he studied the over-sized kettle and laying his weapon on.

"Aww, need help," said a voce which made Levi turn and look. He saw the octoling patrol that executed that wounded soldier standing before him. The elite with her arms crossed and three other regulars aiming their octo shots at him. "You gotta octoform in order to operate that kettle and I doubt you can do that human," said the elite.

Levi could only freeze in place; he looked back over to the rifle leaning against the kettle as the octolings held their weapons firmly. In an attempt to quickly grab it, he was shot by one of the octolings and fell to the ground. They rushed over, one octoling grabbing the rifle so he couldn't obtain it. The elite stood over him, raising her googles up to get a better look. "You're not sanitized like the others we've come across. Care to explain yourself and why an extinct race shows up in octarian territory?"

"I'm... not telling you crap," Levi growled at them.

"Seems like our ink doesn't affect you as badly as it did to the others, we've had to splat... and you speak our language. You've piqued my interest and for that we'll spare you but that doesn't mean I'm gonna let you go. Get him up and bring him to the octoseeker," the elite ordered her team.

As the octolings approached him. Levi had no other option; he couldn't get captured and jeopardize his mission from the resistance. If they decided to search him and find the flash drive, he could chalk up trying to stop Kamabo. Before the octolings grabbed him, he used what energy he had to roll out of their reach. He tried standing up, looking at them and then back toward the ledge.

"Stop him!" demanded the elite. Levi had no choice, it was take his chances with the octolings or hope to survive the fall, which his chances were slim to none. As the octolings tried to pounce on him, he turned and jumped off the ledge. The octolings were stunned that the human would make such a brazen move. They walked up toward the ledge and looked down, but they didn't see Levi. The way down to the bottom was far, they doubt that the human made it unscaved, so they decided to leave and collect the gear left over by the sanitized soldiers before they headed back to octo base.

Unaware, to the octolings. Just as Levi fell, with a stroke of unbelievable luck an octostriker flew right into Levi's path as he descended and caught him with one of his arms. "Wha..." responded Levi not expecting the catch but why would the octarian save him from getting splatted below, then again, the octarians were also needing humans. Levi wasn't so sure if he was saved or not.

The octostriker got near a platform further away from the town and dropped Levi on it before it touched down. The human sat up and looked at the flabby octarian with the propeller attached to it's head. "Why'd you catch me. You plan on bringing me back to your base or something you bloated ink bag," said Levi.

"Vera sent me, to let you know human,"

"Vera, the one I met down in the metro with the black tentacles covering her head?" asked Levi as the octostriker nodded at him. "What for?"

"To keep an eye on you just in case you got trouble after they caught radio shatter about Scarlet's forces entering the dome. You should be thanking her human,"

"Give her my regards and sorry for offending you,"

The octostriker didn't say anything and just left. Levi was thankful but was curious as to why the rebels were concerned over his well-being to send the flying octarian to watch over him. As Levi watched the octostriker fly off, he noticed the monitors covering the walls of the dome were starting to display a dawn-lit sky. It seemed a new day was approaching but why did that octostriker just leave him stranded on the floating platform. Levi gave a agitated sigh but when he turned around, he spotted a tea kettle, much like the one he was trying to figure out how to use. He walked over to it and noticed the lid was opened. Looking inside he just saw an empty kettle; how would a kettle transport him somewhere else. Not daring to find the logic or mechanics behind it, he climbed inside of it. Feeling squinched up, the lid fell down on his head and then the kettle started boiling and making other noises.

"W... what's going on!?" he started to panic. Then he was suddenly sucked up through a tube where he screamed all the way down it to the other end where he would be spit out by the other kettle. The trip was scary, painful and nauseating for the human. He feared his limbs were going to be pulled off before he reached the end, but he managed to make it, getting shot out and colliding with the inner wall of the next kettle.

Levi was shivering and as soon as he had the energy to stand, he quickly throws the lid open and hurled on the side of the kettle before he nearly collapsed. As soon as he recollected himself, he looked around. He wasn't sure where he was. The path ahead seemed linear, and he noticed floating debris and chunks of land floating around as well. He stumbled out and stood up. He wondered where this path would take him. Sam and the inklings weren't with him, and he was practically unarmed, only carrying a pistol without any ammo. His multitool might have been useful but what he had been through it wouldn't be nowhere good enough. He gave a deep breath and pressed on down the trail, hoping he wouldn't stumble upon any threats along the way.