Splatoon Afterworld

by drz1990

Explained in the intro

14. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Sorry everyone, it's been a while. I've been preoccupied and well for period of time I lost motivation and inspiration on the story, but I kept going. This first section isn't as creative as the other ones and kinda gives a narrative of what happened before Seth woke up and the fates of everyone that was left in the cryo facility. It also tells about Tartar and the remnants of human society, the resistance forming and how the inklings and octolings came to be. I could've done more with it but I wanna go ahead finish this up and move on. I'll probably do more past event narratives in future chapters and I just wanna go ahead and release this before people think I did a hiatus. I hope you enjoy the read and like I said, it could've been better.

Over 2,000 years before the current events...

Before Seth, as well as family or any occupants for that matter came out of their cryostasis pods. Something had transpired deep in the facility, a security breach caused by the X-25 subjects were given the experimental serum, concocted by the Kamabo corporation to ensure preservation and adaptation for the new world that humanity could awaken to. The nuclear attacks had damaged much of the world, causing the oceans to rise and consume much of the land. Cities along the coastal areas were wiped out along large numbers of the population. It was then when companies like kamabo and world governments invested in projects to allow humans to survive nuclear annihilation.

...But things didn't go as smooth as they were supposed to. What was supposed to a well thought out plan soon unraveled. A power surge caused the AI Tartar, that controlled all the systems to go rampant and use the X-25 subjects to attack the non-infected humans inside the facility. In their efforts to contain the situation, skirmishes broke out and soon the humans maintained control for a period of time until what was left of the X-25 subjects mobilized and took half of the facility, stealing weapons and using their enhanced stamina and intelligence to gain the upper hand.

Hours had passed since the breach occurred and subjects escaped the labs. In the atrium, which was littered with bodies and bullet casings, a figure lying on the floor rolled over, wounded and tuckered out from trying to hold the line against the facility hostiles. Pulling out a radio and pressing the mic button. "Jones, to dispatch, come in," the wounded and bloody guard called out.

Getting no reply and only static. "Anyone on this channel...respond," he called out a second time.

"Dammit... don't tell me everybody's dead," he jeered, throwing the radio before he started hearing movement come down the corridor across from him.

"Oh shit," he said, before spotting a SMG, laying a eight feet in front of him. He started to crawl toward it then he winced in pain from his injuries. Trying to crawl closer and closer to the firearm but then he spotted three figures. His eyes glued to them in horror. He quickly tried to grab the SMG but one of them came over and stepped on it before he could obtain and aimed it at his face.

"No...p... please don't kill me..." pleaded the guard, only getting a smile by the figure before I gunshot echoed through the larger foyer. The assailant stood of the guard with a bleeding hole in their head and then turned to two more approaching figures.

"Enough, playing around," they told the SMG welding figure that just murdered the guard. They looked at them, revealing they were human with unhuman features. A short tentacle sticking out of their hair, one eye with a flat pupil and their teeth were also different, partially segmented but with larger fangs.

"He like the others need to pay for what they've done," growled the disfigured human with a gargled dialect, waving the SMG in grievance.

"In due time, c'mon... let's head back where the others are," the other told them. All three of the mutated humans left, sharing features with cephalopod-based lifeforms which was very unusually. Who were they? And did they come from?

A camera was watching what had happened in the atrium, seeding video feed to another guard who was watching, terrified by what he had witnessed inside the room full of monitors. "This isn't good... I gotta warn Blackwell," said the man as he got up and left out of the room.

What was left of the facility, including Blackwell and his security force were hunkered down in the main control hub of the complex. In an effort to retake the facility and repel the hostiles, Blackwell and the security forces were overwhelmed and fell back to the safest part of the facility along with the scientists and engineers. It has been three hours since the incident started and now, they were contemplating what to do next. As time went by tensions were flaring and Blackwell would get into constant debates with the scientific staff.

"We have no choice but to shut down the AI program Tartar, it's the one that released the X-25 subjects in the first place," said one of the scientists.

"We're not shutting down Tartar! That AI program is what's supplying oxygen and power in this place. We shut it down we'll all die as well as the pod occupants,"

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"We couldn't shut down Tartar anyway, not here. It's connected to the facility network, but Tartar's mainframe is located at the kamabo research facility. We wouldn't be able to reach it and as Blackwell pointed out, shutting down the network would be shutting down all the other systems that are powering the facility, we'd be dead in 24 hours,"

"Where's the Kamabo research facility located?"

"A disclosed area, miles from here... you're not suggesting of going there are you, that would be suicide. The radiation from the nuclear fallout would kill you,"

"I'll take my chances, there's suits inside the storage bay just in case for any reason we had to evacuate the facility or do exploration. I'll gather a team and we'll head out,"

"Blackwell! This is insane, what about the X-25 subjects, they are still running lose, some of them armed,"

"We'll figure out a way, Me and my team will shoot our way there if need be. Is there any way you can give me coordinates to Kamabo research facility,"

"If you're this determined Blackwell, then very well. What do you expect to do when or if you reach the research facility?"

"The professor, if I remember correctly, has a data drive containing algorithms on for the resettlement of humanity. I'll need that before we venture toward the research facility so I can install on Tartar's mainframe. Where is the professor? Has anyone seen him?"

"No, he was last seen in his quarters with that cat of his. Blackwell that data drive is crucial for mankind. All of our knowledge is on that drive and if it gets damaged, humanity may not rebuild civilization. I advise you to reconsider this stunt and stay in place, I will not you even let you consider going out on this crazy mission of yours and neither would the professor,"

"The I'll just have a talk with him about that but I' sorry to inform that your services are no longer acquired, consider this a notice of resignation to all of you," he told the group of scientists. He signaled his men to aim their weapons and execute the researchers, only sparing one, a female who watched her colleagues het killed by Blackwell's men and curl up on the floor. Blackwell walkd over and yanked her up, scared out of mind as she stared at Blackwell.

"You're still of use, take me to the professor or you'll be joining them," he told the woman.

"Why would you do this to us!"

"Are you taking me to the professor or not?" he asked assertively as he grabbed her up.

"Y...y... yes, please don't kill me,"

"Good answer, now then, let's go," shoving the woman out of the room.

As they headed out of the large room, they were met with the guard who witnessed the guard on the monitor get killed by one of the subjects. "Blackwell! We've lost control of the atrium, what was left of the contingent that was dispatched for providing a buffer between us and... w... what happened to the scientist!?" As the guard informed Blackwell, he then noticed the dead researchers laying on the floor. Blackwell then looked at him and pulled out his sidearm.

"I suggest refraining from asking questions. You got a new assignment and that's watching the rest of the staff while we go look for the professor," Blackwell told the stunned guard.

"But sir, I..."

"You were given an order, is that a problem,"

"Negative,"

Blackwell proceeded out of the guarded section of the facility and toward the professor's quarters located outside of the labs. The problem was getting their without getting seen by the hostile subjects. So far as they ventured through other parts of the facility and getting near the labs. Blackwell turned his focus on the researcher he had abducted and forced to lead him toward the professor's quarters. "What's with the inhuman characteristics of the X-25 subjects and why are they acting like this?" Blackwell asked the female researcher.

"I...I... don't know?" she stammered nervously.

"You know something. You might as well tell me,"

"It may have something to do with the cephalopod DNA that was used to create the serum,"

"Cephalopod DNA? As in squids and octopi... they may explain things, why use cephalopod DNA?"

"We were attempting to bio-engineer humans because we weren't sure when or if the sea levels would recede. The X-25 was initially created in Alterna, it's a disclosed research site and the processing information on the serum itself is even classified. Alterna is housing a team of researchers like us as well as millions of plant and animal DNA samples that have been placed in cryogenic storage. We haven't even been able to get in contact with Alterna, not lately that is," she explained.

"What's the purpose of Alterna?" Blackwell demanded she answer.

"It's a biome facility, they've researched and experimented on the resiliency of lifeforms there as they were placed in storage. They even have a rocket site there for when the biome becomes unhabitable. Everything has been stored in the rocket for emergency purposes and evacuation. The professor would know more about this if you're that interested,"

Staying vigilant, Blackwell, the female researcher and his security detachment finally reached the labs. The rooms were ransacked, equipment destroyed but still no signs of anyone around. Once they got through, they made their way to the professor's quarters. Blackwell attempted to open the door but was it locked. "Shoot the lock," he ordered one of his men.

"That won't be necessary," the researcher said as she walked up and typed in the pass code to open the door. Once unlocked Blackwell and the woman stepped, with the guards standing at the doorway. The two of them, saw the professor, sitting in his chair, back turned away as an antique phone was laying on the floor. "P... professor," called out the scientist.

She approached him and turned the chair around, discovering he was dead. She gasped as she covered her mouth. Blackwell taking notice, seeing nothing could be done. "Pity... seems his condition has finally killed him. Surely, he's left valuable data we could..."

"You only care about that damn data drive. The professor is dead, and you don't care! You executed my colleagues in cold blood! You bastard!" she screamed at him as she went over to check the professor's pulse.

"I'm doing what I deem is necessary to ensure humanity survives this catastrophe! If you don't wanna share the same fate as the professor, then you'll help locate that drive!" he demanded, grabbing her again.

"I wouldn't know where it was at even if I did help you,"

"Search the room!" he commanded some of the guards. They turned the room upside down and plundered through cabinets and shelves. Blackwell spotted something that caught his eye. A small cryo pod, large enough only to hold a child. He looked inside and saw a large cat and raised an eyebrow. "The professor was willing to place his cat in cryostasis, how amusing," he scoffed. When he turned back around toward the desk, he saw something. Looking at the phone's body. The back of it was open, what was inside was a cylindrical shaped object. "That's the data drive, I recognize it," he said. He picked the phone up and saw the drive was attached inside the phone, instead of pulling it out, he decided to leave it in and close the back of it. "We got what we needed," he told his men before turning to the female researcher. "Now, you're gonna lead me to the research facility,"

"I wouldn't know where it was at, especially if the nukes wiped everything out on the surface," she told him.

"That professor had to have something behind that'll give the me the location. Has anyone come across anything that pertains to the Kamabo research facility,"

"Negative sir, but we did come across this," said one of guards, handing Blackwell some kind of device in the shape of a flat torpedo. On the back was the Kamabo logo with the wording: CQ-80. "What is this?" he asked. Messing with it, Blackwell discovers it was a navigation device for the metro and research facility. He placed it in his pocket before he was also handed a card with the Kamabo logo on it. "A key card... it may be handy as well," he said, slipping it in his pocket with the CQ-80 device. "We got everything we need, all that's left is getting the suits we need to travel outside, let's move out!" he ordered.

As he started to walk away, the female scientist pulled out a syringe off the professor's desk containing the X-25 serum and stuck it into Blackwell's neck. Out of instinct, Blackwell pulled out his sidearm and shot the woman in the abdomen as she fell back. He grabbed the syringe and threw it on the floor. "Son of a bitch..." he muttered, seeing he had become infected with the serum. He looked back at the woman who was holding her stomach as she bled from the gunshot.

Then he looked at his men who had scared expressions, seeing that he was injected with the X-25, remembering what had happened to the human subjects that were attacking everyone. "What are you looking at? I gave you a direct order," he snapped at them as he had his hand on his neck.

The guards walked out of the door and Blackwell looked back at the scientist. "Seems you'll be joining the professor after all since you thought so highly of him," he told her, before he left out.

The scientist, sat there, too weak to get up, only to look at the professor, knowing she would be dead soon and succumb to the gunshot wound. She looked on the floor and spotted a photo. It was a colored photo of him in his youth, along with his daughter. It must've been something he looked at before he died. She remembered him having a daughter after his wife had passed away. It would be until the girl reached 8 years of age when she would die of a rare condition, the same condition the professor had managed to survive this whole entire time until now, devoting his work to find a cure for it besides his efforts into the Kamabo projects like the AI Tartar and the cryo pods.

Upon inspection, she spotted an eight ball in his lap, grabbing it weakly as she was losing strength. Rotating it, she saw a little window, it was one of those fortune balls, but inside, she learned was a secret compartment. The contents inside it were a lock of hair from the professor's long deceased daughter and a note. The note read:

Oh, my daughter how I miss you. It seems my world has turned upside ever since I lost you and your mother. Every day I struggle with the reality of dealing with my condition, the same condition that had taken your life at such an early an age. A rare form of cancer that is only treatable, but It'll only be a matter of time until I pass, and we will see each other again. As bad as things have gotten around the world, I have come to know the Lord and accept him before my time comes and repent of the wrongs I have done. I kept a lock of your hair with this note, thinking I could find a way of bringing you back, but why should I, only to lose you again. This paper I wrote on was the last drawing you made for me. You loved going to the aquarium and watching the octopi, playing in the tank. You even wished you were an octopus, oh what I mind children have.

After the scientist finished reading, she looked on the back of it and saw a childish drawing of stick figures. A tall one (the professor) holding hands with a short one in a dress (his daughter) and a crude drawing of an octopus smiling that the small stick figure was holding on the other side. The drawing was signed by the professor's daughter's name with a heart. The 8 ball the note and lock of hair was inside, was something the professor gave his daughter and something she played with before she passed away.

Placing the contents back in it and laying it on the desk. The scientist was saddened by the fate of his daughter and the professor's passing as well but soon, the female scientist fell over and watched the professor sit lifelessly in his chair as her eyes slowly closed and she muttered to herself before she had died herself.

Blackwell and his team proceeded toward the storage bay to retrieve whatever gear necessary to reach the Kamabo research facility, knowing the hazards that would await them outside from the radioactive fallout. With the professor's phone being carried by Blackwell, his guards taking point and providing security, they were nearing the facility warehouse but soon encountered the armed X-25 subjects guarding the area. Getting seen, Blackwell's detachment exchanged gunfire with the mutated humans that fired their weapons at them. The skirmish lasted for five minutes, with one guard getting killed and another wounded. The X-25 subjects proved highly resilient, being able to take hits but could still succumb to injuries. One guard decided to throw a flashbang as the wounded guard was being treated. The bright burst of light of repelled the hostiles and they retreated.

"Leave him! We have to continue before they mobilize!" Blackwell told the man treating the hurt guard.

They pressed on until they reached the warehouse. Clearing the entry, the guards dispersed. So far, they didn't see any more of the subjects and scanned the storage bay for the equipment they needed. As they made their way to the back, they were ambushed. Another guard was hit, and they rushed for cover. Now pinned down, the assailants hindered Blackwell and his team's progress, but one guard flanked the positions of the mutated humans, killing one and then another. Now Blackwell and his unit could push up and finish off the remaining attackers and retrieve the gear they needed.

A metal crate, containing radiation proof suits were procured. "All right everyone, suit up!" he commanded them. As they placed the suits on, they could hear shouting emitting from the entry of the warehouse. "Shit, here comes more of them. Get into ambush positions!"

Figures started darting in, Blackwell and his team used what weapons they grabbed to fight off the subjects. One man, dispatching a LMG toward the entry, mowing down what enemies he could as well as another guard using their assault rifle. "Don't let em get close!" shouted Blackwell as he fired at the mutated humans.

After five minutes of battling, the enemy forces that tried storming the warehouse were defeated. "I think it's clear, should we push up?' asked a guard.

"Stay alert, we need to vacate the warehouse and reach the atrium ASAP. Once there, we make our way toward the elevator. Let's move out and don't forget to watch your six," said Blackwell.

The team made their way back to the exit. Blackwell grabbed the phone and they departed for the atrium. Once there, they could hear the echoing of feet running toward them down the corridors. "We'll hold this position, so they can't follow us to the elevator,"

Getting into fighting positions. They prepared to combat more of the X-25 subjects that were converging on the large foyer. "Get ready!"

Reloading their weapons, they aimed their guns at the corridor entries. "Contact!" shouted a guard as one subject rushed at them with knife, only to be pelted with bullets. Then, more rushed in, firing their weapons at Blackwell and his men. One guard was shot and killed, another one was swamped by hostiles and was stabbed in the neck before he could try and get away. "Dammit, fall back to the elevator! Move! Move! Move!" ordered Blackwell but then he spotted one of the creatures pulling out a grenade. Blackwell shot at them, but it was too late, the grenade was thrown, and it landed near him and the remaining guards as they tried to bolt for the elevator. The blast killed a guard and wounded the rest, counting Blackwell too.

On the floor, Blackwell coughed, his vision blurred. Smoke filled the hallway and he saw no sign of his men. As he got up, he growled in pain. His legs caught shrapnel as well as his abdomen. He hobbled up and leaned against the wall, pulling out his sidearm. He continued on toward the elevator weakly, trying to reach the exit. Then he noticed his frag wounds were slowly healing and he stopped bleeding. What was going on? Why did he heal so quickly he thought. As the pain slowly went away, he found the strength to dash for the elevator but his hopes of reaching the surface were crushed when he was shot in the back. He stumbled and fell forward, seeing the gate just ahead of him with the lift on the other side.

Hearing footsteps behind him, he rolled over and aimed his pistol at his shooter, only for it to be knocked out of his hand and his face bashed by the butt of the weapon his assailant was carrying. Incapacitated, Blackwell was dragged away along with what guards were left alive.

Blackwell moaned and woke up to find himself in a dark room with lighting emitting off some computers and giant monitor behind a silhouette standing in front of it. "Ugh... where am I?" he asked.

"Ah... colonel... you're finally awake," said a robotic voice.

"Huh, who said that?"

"You thought you could leave for the surface... well unfortunate for you, there's nothing left of human civilization... because you humans destroyed it,"

"What's going on...tell me who you are..."

The figure in front of the screen stepped forward, revealing one of the X-25 subjects holding what appeared to be the professor's phone. "It's me... Tartar..."

"Tartar... the AI. How can that be?"

"The professor programmed me to be self-aware of my surroundings, even people. I've studied your records and information on all humans that were involved with the reemergence project as well as X-25 testing trials. Humans have proven too dangerous to think for themselves, so I have devised a plan to ensure humanity does reemerge without any mistakes. I have modified the existing X-25 to cause the host to become subliminal, lacking fallacy or free will to secure a better future for the human race," said the phone, who was Tartar as it was placed on a stand. As Blackwell looked, he noticed the mutated human lacked tentacles on their head but instead was bald with pale skin and green and black eyes which made them creepy looking, sort of zombie like.

"What have you done! And where are my men!?" demanded Blackwell. He tried to stand up, but his hands were tied, as he was refrained from getting up by two other men that held him down. He looked again and recognized them as his, the men that were part of his detachment.

"Soon, you'll share the same fate... sanitized like everyone else. A world without the threat of humans exterminating themselves. I've taken the liberty of confiscating the key card and the CQ-80 that you were carrying. With the data on the CQ-80, I can continue with the final stages of my plan," said Tartar.

"And what's your plan,"

"The promised land,"

"Promised land? sounds like something a sick and twisted cult leader would say... you are nothing but a program! A product of kamabo!" scoffed Blackwell.

"Maybe so... but I was programmed to be entrusted in preserving mankind and all their valuable knowledge, but I have limitations in this state. I need a body or at least someone to be programmed to fulfil these plans. I believe you will make a suitable candidate,"

"Candidate! I can continue this project without the guidance of some rampant AI that thinks it can safeguard humanity's survival even though it isn't human. I want no part of this you piece of..."

"Oh, I disagree... your mind will be wiped clean, and you will follow a new incentive and that's to take command of the next generation of humans that will reemerge. You will be my embodiment and we will together establish the promised land,"

"You'll do no such thing!"

"Objection?... overruled. You have no choice in the matter. Take him to the lab for assimilation. There he prepped and reprogrammed for his new occupancy before he is placed in cryostasis,"

"You won't get away with this!" jeered Blackwell as he got up tried to attack the phone only to get wrestled down and dragged off to the lab. It was there, he was strapped to a machine that implemented Tartar's directives and where his mind was erased of his previous objectives. The machine consisted of a helmet-like device over his head with capacitors on top of it flashing as wires ran back to an even larger machine. Blackwell fought Tartar's influence, but it was futile. As he struggled and yelled his will gave away and soon, he stopped resisting, laying their motionless and completely drained.

"The transfer has been a success; this human will be my surrogate for the future generation of mankind. His cryostasis pod will activate and thaw him out at the set time with the other subjects in the facility. Once they awake, the promised land will be achieved, and civilization will start over. My mainframe will go dormant for the time being, constantly keeping track and record what will happen in the next hundreds of years, but I have detected abnormalities with the oceanic-based life. The source concentrating from the research site known as Alterna. I'm unable to connect to their systems as another AI program has placed firewalls around it to keep it secured. Reason is unknown,"

"Commander Tartar, what shall we do now?" asked the sanitized guard.

"Place the human in his assigned cryostasis pod. As I have elaborated, he will awaken and take charge of the next generation of humans that will wake up in the facility and lead them to the promised land. I will shut down momentarily while surveillance systems will stay online and monitor all progress until I come back online to assess the situation. You have your orders,"

"Yes, Commander Tartar," saluted the sanitized guard.

"A new world begins, and I will fulfil the professor's wishes of ensuring humanity will never face extinction again," said the phone before it started shutting down.

Blackwell who was now assimilated by Tartar's new initiatives was placed in cryostasis along with everyone else. Unknown to him though, Blackwell was unaware that he wasn't at the cryo facility from before but taken to the Kamabo research facility. It's unsure how he was transferred there in the first place, but it seemed now that humanity was at the mercy of Tartar. The hypocenter, which was the cryo facility was left unattended, leaving the pods and their occupants to their uncertain fates. The X-25 human subjects would eventually leave and venture once it was safe enough on the surface.

As years upon years passed on. A new generation of sentient creatures would emerge from the X-25 subjects that reestablished themselves to try and reform civilization, revert from human to more oceanic or in between. These former humans would be the progenitors of the new dominant species, the inklings and octolings as well as any other sea-based creature. From primitive beginnings the new species would change and adapt over time, using the technology they would recover and advance their civilization all the way up to the events that would lead to the great turf war.

During this transition though. Tartar would gather intel on these oceanic beings and was confused as to whether these were the humans that awoken and had mutated from the X-25. Overtime though, seeing their behavior patterns and vanity for pointless fashion and turf war competition, he also seen them as a vain existence, having a growing animosity towards them to the point he wanted to irradicate them.

Tartar, thinking that the humans must've died off, being he didn't detect them within the Kamabo facility, deepsea metro or the outer world. Blackwell, who was assimilated by the same AI had awakened from cryostasis with the other humans, leading them out of the Kamabo facility and left to reestablish civilization elsewhere, avoiding the new dominant beings that were the inklings and octolings, seeing them as a potential threat when they encountered them by spying on the creatures and staying out of their sight. Setting off for what were the ruins of the world across the sea by what means were available. It was then that mankind was brought to this "promised land" and attempted to rebuild and recreate human society.

What was left of the western coast of the United States was resettled by the remnants of humanity, primarily the starting point was the ruins of San Francisco, though much of the inner city was somewhat intact, being its geography while much of the bay area was decimated. As humanity started to rebuild, Blackwell and Kamabo had other plans. Silicon Valley as it was called before the resource wars wiped civilization out still had remnants of Kamabo tech since this was where Kamabo was created, by an American-Japanese company that formed the doomsday project for mankind's survival. Overtime, as San Francisco, now renamed Neos City was established and now self-sufficient by using resources to power the new city from wind turbines, solar panels, and dams. The new government that was crated now had a new goal and that was utter dominance. They influenced much of the population while sanitizing a fraction to produce a submissive army. Stockpiles of weapons and vehicles were stored way by Kamabo before the war to pursue their goals to ensure humanity would never face the threat of Armageddon again.

Neos City was segregated into sections, the inner being the governing seat, refurbished and redesigned with technology at their disposal. It consisted of the ruling class, primarily military and Kamabo loyalists. The remaining skyline and one tall spire, the Kamabo HQ that survived the war stood over the area and was a constant reminder of who controlled the city and its inhabitants. Underground was a catacomb of tunnels and research stations that continued work on cloning and sanitizing humans. The middle section was residential, also occupied by the brain-washed citizens. The outer sections were the slums, housing those deemed unfit, living in fear from Kamabo and where the resistance was formed that tried to overthrow Blackwell and the Kamabo cabinet.

An attempted coup was launched on the new government and the result was defeat by the Kamabo armed forces. They pushed back the rebels and wiped out nearly half of them during the fighting. As years passed, the resistance went underground to avoid detection though much of the outer slums and outskirts are constantly patrolled by soldiers. A woman, named Piper now leads the resistance and deploys operatives through the city for spying or sabotage on Kamabo forces. They attempt to persuade the citizens that Kamabo is a destructive despot and try to gain influence, drawing much support from the outer sections while risking compromise from loyalists in disguise or agents working for the tyrannical company. Kamabo has even went as far as sanitizing captured resistance fighters and deploying them to infiltrate the rebel networks and thwart their operations to gain any foothold of stopping Blackwell and the company itself.

Morale was declining for the rebels, hope was dwindling but Piper, the resistance leader was determined to keep the resistance going. Using the same tactics as Kamabo, they gained the opportunity to capture some soldiers and de-sanitize them with defected scientists and engineers to reverse the effects on them. Sometimes, failing, resulting in death of the individual but one soldier, their codename: Vagrant, AKA Levi survived the de-sanitization process, garnering his sentience back and joining the resistance after what he was told. Now an agent of the resistance with his combat expertise, he was reassigned to gather intel from Kamabo. He was sent to the hacker safehouse near the middle section of the city. It was there he was given the directive to search Kamabo's sites scattered around the outer regions of the city since there was no way of obtaining data by their well secured networking. As Levi departed from the safehouse a raid was conducted, the resistance held off the Kamabo forces so he could get away and was given a flash drive containing Kamabo data with encryptions on them as he fled. Feeling deep remorse for what happened, knowing what the fate of the rebels were. He headed back to the resistance base, and it was there he informed Piper of his next mission. He left the city via a helicopter but travelled southward to another safehouse, that was located in the sandstorm ravaged ruins of Las Vegas to evade Kambo forces that were patrolling the western coast regions.

After staying there, gathering essentials, gear and refueling, he departed again and flew west over what was left of Los Angeles which was slowly being occupied by Kamabo forces and was another stronghold for the oppositional factions and militant outcasts. For hours, Levi flew to his assigned destination given to him to the Kamabo site. He was uncertain if the site's location was accurate until he spotted land just over the horizon. As he got closer, his fuel had depleted, and the chopper crashed toward a large rocky island. Levi trying to stabilize the aircraft as it plummeted to the ground, managed to survive with bruises and lacerations. The GPS in the armlink device he was given, directed him to the Kamabo site deep within what was known as octo valley where he would encounter both, the new friendly inhabitants and hostile ones.

Back at the resistance base...

Inside what appeared to be an underground bunker-like structure in a concrete lined chamber. There were multiple stations with large computer screens and other devices. Rebel fighters and engineers were roaming around, moving equipment and monitoring their communications. One woman, sitting on top of her desk, deep in thought was interrupted by her second-in-command and chief engineer, Gideon. "Hey Piper, you heard back from Levi any, since your last chat with him?" he asked.

Piper turned and saw the tan-skinned male human with dark hair. He was wearing goggles over his forehead and a harness under his jacket. A tool belt with pouches went across his waist and a tattered shirt covered his torso under the jacket he was wearing. Partially ripped jeans covered his legs and below were leather boots on his feet. "No, he informed me that he had been followed by Kamabo forces. They must have tracked him down when I sent out that transmission. I don't want him getting caught, so for the time being, I'm maintaining radio silence, at least for the next 12 hours unless I hear from him," she replied.

"I know you miss him... just hope he can get the job done. Not to put pressure on you or him in any way but..."

"But?"

"I hope he was de-sanitized. He's the only human that we successfully done that to. I just hope he doesn't revert back to that state by what I've heard from the scientists in the lab,"

"Levi wouldn't turn on us! He will complete his mission and return, that's a fact Gideon,"

"I'm not trying to crush your hopes, just looking at the possibilities and convincing you to not put all your faith in one hombre,"

"You seem untrusting of him," Piper giving Gideon a dirty look as she crossed her arms.

"I'm looking out for you and everyone else... I'm just uncertain is all. I hope he does come back and that those soldiers don't find him,"

"So far by what he's told me already, Levi gathered some more data at a site he visited before had to get away. Unfortunately, the data was encrypted and he's gonna try to locate another site. He also informed me of something else,"

"And that's"

"He said he encountered some creatures there. He gave a description of them... human-like with tentacles on their heads,"

"Tentacles on their heads? Yeah right, has he been out in the sun too long or something," jested Gideon.

"That sounds somewhat familiar..."

"Piper, are you seriously referring to that crazy story you told me before you came to the city. You were nearly dead when you were found. I remember the report,"

"No, they exist... they even took care of me. They're the ones that brought me to the outskirts and left me. I don't know why?"

"Yeah, I remember you describing your interaction with some squid people. No one believes that Piper, it was just your mind playing tricks on you from near death,"

"Believe it or not, I know what I went through. I was terrified and alone, Kamabo soldiers stormed the town, me and my folks stayed at. They killed everyone and whoever was left was taken away, me and my brother managed to escape when we were just kids. We got separated afterward getting lost in the woods, I not only lost my parents, I lost my brother too... then they stumbled upon me. I was scared, I couldn't have been seeing things. I thought they were survivors but then I looked... their bodies weren't normal, they had tentacles on their heads and large fangs in their mouth. I thought they were gonna eat me. I didn't understand their language. Before they caught me, I ran as far as I could until I was tuckered out... then everything went black. What memories I had after were repressed... maybe because of the trauma of losing my family,"

"(deep sigh) Didn't mean to drudge things up. I just find it hard to believe... and you can't recall what these squid people did with you and how you ended up outside of the city. Let's say they did exist as ludicrous as it may sound. They didn't eat you and let's suppose they were the ones that brought you there. They must've cared for you to do something like that, knowing there were other humans around,"

"I guess... whenever I do try to remember I can make out vague images... that gargling dialect of theirs while I passed out. Hearing what Levi told me about the inhabitants he ran across reminded me of my past. Everyone has to know what Kamabo has been doing and all the crimes they've committed, innocent people they've hurt... but everyone is so convinced we're the bad guys and they're the saviors of humanity," said Piper as she got aggravated and slammed her fist on the desk she was sitting on.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder she looked over and saw Gideon giving her a look of reassurance. "Hey, we're still in this fight. I'm willing to give Levi a chance as long as the dude pulls through,"

Piper smiled and commented, "Glad you're finally supportive,"

"Hey, don't think I've noticed you got a thing for that guy,"

"Huh, w... why would you say something like that?" she said as she blushed.

"I've watched you, when you were around him, talking to him... you can't hide it,"

"He's nothing more than a friend and member of the resistance,"

"Sure, cheeka... "

"Why don't you go do something productive... for once,"

"I've been busy enough as it is... bothering you is productive," he told with a smirk.

Just when Piper was about to say something, a young male and female behind him in partial military gear mixed with casual attire rushed into the chamber and caught everyone's attention. "Piper!" the male shouted.

"What's the trouble?" she replied, hopping off the desk.

"Kamabo troops stormed our district, they're cracking down and raided our safehouse. We managed to get away but the others... weren't so lucky," said the male.

"Something's got Blackwell worked up for them to start attacking the slums. Everyone be on alert and decease all movement. Get in contact with all of our operatives and order them to seek shelter or to their nearest safehouse immediately," Piper ordered.

Another male, older, sporting a slick black jacket and pants stepped toward the group. His skin was fair and his hair, short and slicked back. "Piper, I know you're halting all movement, but someone has to keep an eye on the surface. We don't know what they're gonna plan next if we stay down here," they said.

"Blaine, I'm not risking anybody to get apprehended and jeopardize our efforts. You heard the order,"

"We can't predict what their next target may be. We might as well be blind and deaf down here, not examining their movements or hearing their conversations. I'm going up... I'm the best operative you got. I know how to stay out of sight, and I know how to get out of jam. I used to be a Kamabo agent myself," Blaine told her.

"Orders are orders Blaine," interrupted Gideon.

"Very Well," agreed Piper.

"What? Piper, what are you..."

"I'll let Blaine keep an eye on things in the slums... and another before you leave, don't ever disregard my incentives again," she told Blaine as he mumbled under his breath.

"What was that? If you got an opinion then let's hear it," snapped Gideon.

"Gideon, enough... I'll let him go so he can watch things up top," she told him as she grabbed his shoulder before an altercation would start.

Gideon and Blaine glared at each before he turned away and left for the slums to observe the Kamabo troops' operations. "No offense but that guy can be a real pain in this ass. As much as he stays to himself, I'm not sure if we can trust him, being an agent of Kamabo or used to be," Gideon told Piper.

"He's rough around the edges I know, but he's been valuable and loyal... he's been through a lot by what he told me. He was a drifter, out in the wastes. He told me the story about getting saved by Kamabo, they used him and he opened his eyes to figure that out. It's a wonder they didn't sanitize him," said Piper.

"Yeah, it really is... he doesn't talk much about anything. I don't give a damn about his backstory, he could be humble for once in his life,"

"Just let it go Gideon. Worry about priorities,"

"I am... I'm concerned about the morale, and I find it peculiar that suddenly Kambo troops are assaulting the slums and Blaine hasn't been around much lately. I say sending him out was a bad move,"

"So, you're doing the same thing he did, criticizing my decision making. I don't wanna hear it, I'm not letting speculations run amok and put even more strain on our morale. Things are bleak as it is and I'm not letting some rivalry between you two ruin our operations, do I make myself clear Gideon,"

"Yes, Piper,"

"Good. Just head back to your station," she told him as she walked off.

"Where are you going?" Gideon questioned.

"To my quarters for now. Get me if something comes up,"

Gideon gave a deep sigh and crossed his arms before heading back to station. He was approached by the young girl that fled the safehouse before the raid. Her hair was short and Blonde, she wore a tank top and OD cargo pants. "You gotta way with the ladies," she told him.

"I don't have the patience for anymore criticizing,"

"You honestly believe we can keep up the fight. I think we should cut and run, gather what we can and head out of the city," she suggested.

"I won't hear that talk, if you'll excuse me I gotta get back to work,"

"How long are we gonna keep hiding? Worrying when kamabo is gonna kick the door down to this base. Face it, it's just a matter of time, Gideon, and you know that as well as everyone else here,"

"I got know problem with you and anyone that thinks like that leaving... there's the exit, no one will stop you," Gideon told her, pointing toward the base exit. The woman rubbed her arm and turned her face away. "That's what I thought, where will we go? South? East? Good luck getting past Kamabo," he snapped as she decided to walk away.

He then turned to everyone else that was looking at him, giving them all a stern look. They looked around and returned to their duties. So much uncertainty circled the resistance like a shiver of sharks. Kamabo troops were scanning the slums and markets for resistance collaborators. Blaine who was watching from a discreet location, observed people getting dragged out of their homes as they were searched. It seemed Blackwell was closing in and getting desperate. Blaine felt something had to be done and had to act against Piper's wishes if it meant the safety and security of the rebels and the people living in the outer sections. He jumped down off the roof and into an alley, before hopping on his motorcycle and speeding away.

Back in octo canyon...

The following morning was quiet, a complete contrast from the night prior. What appeared to be a repeat of when Maxine's unit and Mirage's decided to celebrate their escape of the octoweapons factory. Like then, Kelly as well as her team were passed around the couch. Luna was laying on top of the bar counter, her arm hanging off the edge with an empty ale bottle in hand. Star was sleeping on a bar stool, her body slumped down on the counter with her head pressed against Luna's. The tentacles were piled up on the other side of the room, surrounded by empty ale bottles but two figures that were present during that night of binge drinking had decided to go upstairs into the spare room to get some "personal time."

Inside the room, sunlight was bleeding through the window and onto the bed where Seth and Mirage were sleeping under the sheets. Soon movement could be seen, Seth slowly sat up and gave a stretch. He looked beside him and spotted another figure, her black tentacles sticking out from the blankets with one he had to pull off his back. The octoling elite rolled and swung her arm down on Seth's lap with a content expression on her face. As he stared at her, the octoling's eyes blinked and she soon yawned, before looking back up at Seth, gazing at him with her yellow eyes.

"Good morning," Seth said with a smile.

"Good morning," she replied, still not fully awake as she smiled back at the human. "Is it morning already?" she asked, noticing the sunlight as she sat up and rubbed one of her eyes.

"Looks like it, guess we better get up and get dressed," Seth said as started to climb out of bed, only for Mirage to grab his arm.

"Let's not, at least not yet anyway. You know as well as I do that everyone is gonna be passed out. Let em sleep for a bit longer," she said, rubbing his shoulder.

"You're gonna actually let them sleep? That's not like you,"

"What can I say, I'm in a good mood... after what we did,"

"Yeah, I wasn't actually prepared for that," rubbing the back of his head, recalling how assertive she was during their intimacy.

"It's not like something you've done before," she told him with a smirk.

"Look who's talking... I'm gonna be sore for a while, you couldn't have taken it easy?"

"I don't go easy on one, you know that" her smirk growing wider into a grin.

"Well, you bit into my neck pretty heard. I think you even drew blood," he said, feeling the indention she left behind.

"Alright, maybe I did get carried away a little, but you can't say you didn't enjoy that,"

"I didn't enjoy you exploding on me... if this would've been a gunfight, I'd been dead,"

"Gotta be fast on the trigger," she teased.

"(Chuckle) Luna rubbing off on you with that lewd humor... well call me rusty, I've been on ice for 2,000 years. I should be fortunate that everything down there still works," said Seth as he got up and started to put his pants on.

"You... thought of a name," The naked elite laying on her stomach as she watched Seth. Holding her head up and swinging her feet.

"A name? A name for what?"

"The child,"

"Child!?... Um, Mirage, I hate to break it to you, but I don't that'll happen,"

"I don't see why not," Sitting up and hopping off the bed.

"Mirage, we're not even the same species... not to mention if it comes to that, it could cause complications... I don't wanna see anything happen to you. I've already lost Sarah and I don't wanna lose you. I couldn't live with myself knowing that..." he started to tell her before she placed her finger on his lips.

"What did I say about you talking like that... you don't know for sure if complications could arise. Why don't you be happy if we do have a little one,"

"Because I already have a child if you forgotten and I made a promise to find him," he said as he finished zipping his pants.

"No I haven't forgotten. I just thought..." she scolded as she placed her hands on her hips, giving him a critical expression.

"You thought we could start a family of our own. Mirage, I'm not sure if I'm ready for that and what about your team, what would they think if they knew you'd carry a child. I;m sorry but... no one can replace Sarah even if she's gone as well as my son,"

Mirage paused for a moment and held her tongue. She didn't wanna ruin the moment between them and knew how much his wife and child meant to him. She wanted to be patient and hope that their relationship would bloom overtime, maybe baring a child if it was possible would get Seth to come around the idea.

The elite grabbed her uniform and started getting dressed. Once the two finally got clothed, the octoling fastened her armor and tied her boots before looking up at Seth. "Seth I... didn't mean to impose,"

"It's ok... I'm not upset with you," he said as he pulled his tank back over his torso.

"So... we still a couple?"

"Yeah, Mirage," he replied as she felt relieved, walking over to him and giving Seth a hug before she followed him out the door, grabbing her goggles off the knob and heading down the stairs beside him.

The two of them looked around, it felt like Deja vu from the other night. Seeing the octolings, still passed out as well as the tentacles piled up together. Mirage gave a loud stomp, followed up by "GET UP YOU OCTOPI!"

Luna yelped and rolled off the bar counter as Star fell off the stool. Kelly and her crew quickly woke up as well as the tentacles. As Luna started to get up she hurled on the floor. "Oh squid, I don't think I'll touch another bottle of kelp ale as long as I live," she said. Star propped herself and spotted Seth and Mirage at the base of the stairs. Luna was holding her head, suffering from the effects of the hangover like everyone else as she stood up from behind the bar. The octolings finally managed to get up, though, feeling nauseated and still in a stupor as the groaned. Their faces looking queasy as they held their heads up, ready to collapse and not in the spirit to begin the day after the drinking from last night.

"Party's over, it's time we headed back to the facility and made preparations to leave and that means getting with the inklings and everyone else," said Mirage.

"The lieutenant's right, we gotta go over our plans and check the systems on the octoseeker before departure," said Kelly. She turned over toward the tentacles who looked groggy. "Ok, tentacles, shake a leg," she told them.

"Ugh, do we have too, my head hurts," said the twintacle as the two troopers and octoball whined.

"That won't be the only thing hurting, so move out," she told them as they gave her a dirty look and stepped out of the tavern.

As Kelly and her team left, Luna and Star approached Mirage. "I could use one of those packed ration things right about now," said Luna, holding her stomach. "Why do you seem so spritely?" asked Luna, noticing that Mirage wasn't suffering from a hangover.

Luna and Star then looked at Seth and remembered the two of them heading up to the spare room. She then saw the bite on Seth's neck as a smirk grew on her face. "Oh, did you and Seth get intimate last night. Congrats lieutenant, Seth finally let you in his pants, you dirty girl,"

"Cram it Luna!" snapped Mirage.

"Oh, that's so cute, you know what that means... the pitter patter of little tentacles," said Star.

"Hey, let's not go there. We're not sure if that'll even happen," said Seth.

"You got a point; I mean the lieutenant has never gotten laid before so...OWW!" she started to say before getting punched in the shoulder by Mirage.

"So much for being in a good mood," Seth muttered quietly.

Everyone managed to make it back to the facility, once they reached the atrium, they gathered up everyone except the inklings which were still asleep. Mirage went to locate Vee, who was fast asleep with Emma in Seth's bed. The elite approached them and grabbed Vee's shoulder. "Hmm, wha... Mirage," the private mumbled.

"We're going over preparations for when we leave the facility, I need you present private," said Mirage. Vee stretched and got up. Looking at Emma who she tried not to disturb, followed Mirage out of the room and back in the atrium.

Meanwhile, Seth leaning against a wall, deep in thought for a moment until Kelly stepped over to where he was. The octoling could tell something was bothering him. "I'm sorry that we have to leave the humans behind, but we can't keep staying here, you know that,"

"I understand, I would wish there was some alternative. There has to be. Leaving behind all those people. I can't find it in my conscious to do that,"

"Again, I see no other option. Once, we've gathered everyone up, we'll discuss our plans and then make preparations to leave," said Kelly as Seth turned his head away. "I assume you and that lieutenant had a good time last night," she said, catching Seth's attention.

"Huh, you... know about that,"

"I can tell by the way she's acting. Just to warn you, us octoling girls are pretty clingy to our mates. Any signs of unfaithfulness and we'll tear you limb from limb, starting with the one between your legs, and I wouldn't take that warning lightly,"

"Thanks for the heads up but I already told Mirage no one could fill Sarah's place not to mention my son's. I think she understands that even though she brought up the possibility of having a child which I don't see happening,"

"Having an offspring isn't a typical thing for an octoling, even though we mate to keep up or numbers in periods being there's not many octoling males. I'm not sure if there's any compatibility that a human and octoling can even produce an offspring together, not sure how that would work,"

"She's pretty anxious to have one though I'm not so optimistic that'll even happen. I just don't want anything to happen to her. Before I forget, since you brought up humans. I need to go check up on Rebecca, I'll be back," said Seth as he stepped away from Kelly and left out for the labs.

Not too long after, Mirage and Vee entered the atrium, then noticed Seth wasn't present. "Hey, where's Seth?" she asked.

"Went to go check on that human female," Kelly answered.

"Huh, why didn't he wait for me to get back?" she said with a slight growl at the end. Mirage took off, leaving Vee with the others as she went to go catch up with Seth.

"Doesn't look we're gonna have our meeting anytime soon. Me and my crew are heading top side to make sure the octoseeker is prepped and that we got enough power to reach the safehouse. We'll be back and hopefully by that time, everybody will be present, let's go," she said as she waved her team to follow her back to the elevator.

Mirage ran down the hallway in route toward the labs. When she reached the room that Rebecca was laying in, she saw Seth, kneeling over with his head buried in the bed beside Rebecca, who wasn't moving. "S... Seth, what's the matter?" she asked him as she stepped in.

"Rebecca... she's dead," he said as he raised his head and looked at the elite, saddened by the loss of the human female.

"D... Dead... how?"

Seth just grabbed the empty pill bottle out of Rebecca's hand. "She overdosed on painkillers... I can assume, she couldn't bear being here by herself, left behind like all the other humans to die,"

"Seth I'm... so sorry that this happened,"

"Don't be... it's not your fault. It's not like you could've persuaded Kelly into taking Rebecca with us but then again, I think you preferred Rebecca to stay back,"

"Seth... I tried talking to Kelly, this isn't my intention. I don't feel right leaving the humans behind either,"

Not listening, Seth was grief-stricken. He looked at Rebecca's body who was now cold and lifeless. Grabbing her and carrying her off the bed. "I'm not gonna leave her like this. I might as well give her a proper burial... like I did with Sarah,"

The elite watched Seth leave the room with Rebecca's body. She grabbed the pill bottle off the bed before dropping it on the floor. Beside herself, she didn't want her relationship with Seth to sour and decided to give him some space for the moment. Giving a deep sigh of regret, she soon left out of the room and decided to head back to atrium, only to encounter another problem.

While Seth and Mirage were gone, Maxine and Sigma scrambled into the large foyer. The two of them out of breath as Luna, Vee and Star stared at them. "What's up with you two?" Luna asked them.

"The commandos, (panting) They're gone!" shouted Maxine. The octolings' eyes widened at the news.

"Gone! How!?" exclaimed Luna.

"We don't know, they were in holding last night before we went to sleep," said Sigma.

"Hey, where's your commander?" asked Maxine, noticing that Mirage was missing.

"The lieutenant felt a little insecure seeing Seth go find that human chick, so she followed after him," said Luna with a slight smirk.

"Well this is pretty damn important, inform her when she gets back. Me and the specialist are gonna go guard the elevator and make sure they don't get through the only exit out of here. That's if they haven't already hauled tentacle out of here. Let's head out specialist," She waved the octoling to follow her out of the atrium and the two of them headed off to ensure the commandos didn't get out of the facility.

"This isn't good Luna, what do we do?" asked Star.

"We might as well go find Mirage and tell her about the situation," said Luna as she, Vee and Star headed toward the hallway, only to be met by Seth, carrying Rebecca's body. Baffled, the three octolings were wondering what was going on and moved aside to let Seth pass. As Vee saw Rebecca motionless, she covered her mouth. It was clear that the human female was deceased.

Then they spotted Mirage, who maintained a distance between her and Seth bringing up the rear as she approached her three teammates.

"What's going on?" asked Star.

"The human female was found dead in the room she was laying in. She... committed suicide," answered their leader.

"Suicide? Why on Earth would she do that?" Vee said with distress.

Mirage wouldn't speak of it anymore and turned her head away. "We gotta new problem. Maxine told us the commandos escape," Luna informed her.

This quickly got Mirage's attention. "Escaped! How! That room was airtight. There's no way they could've gotten out," she told them. "Shit, Luna, Star, pair up and search the lower levels and around the chamber holding the humans," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," Luna and Star said in unison, before they took off to go hunt for the commandos.

"Vee, you're with me... wait, where's your octoshot?" Seeing Vee's weapon wasn't with her.

"Oh, I must've forgot it," she meekly replied.

"Go retrieve it and report back,"

"Right away,"

Vee headed back into the room she was sleeping in and spotted her octoshot on the table. Grabbing it, she then noticed Emma was missing, where could she have gone? Vee thought. Remembering she had to head back, she linked back up with Mirage and the two began clearing rooms in the upper levels of the facility.

On the surface, deeper in the wooded area around the facility. Seth had finished burying Rebecca's body, collecting two large twigs to make a makeshift grave marker in the shape of a cross. The mound sat near his wife Sarah, who departed a couple of nights ago out of Flow's body. It was a grim reminder of how he and Sarah had come together again, only for her to pass away and leave him behind in a world that was no longer his. Virgil, his son was still missing and the only thing he could do was find him as his wife would've wanted. He stood up and decided to make his way back to the facility elevator.

As he walked down the trail, before he could reach the front yard of the complex, he was suddenly hit with a sharp pain in the side of his head. He stumbled for a moment, but his legs were too weak to keep him up. He fell to his knees and jeered in pain as griped his chest. "What's... happening to me... why am I hurting all of a sudden?"

Looking up, everything became hazy, and he started breathing heavily. He fought the urge to collapse but it would be too much for him. Soon, Seth blacked out and fell to the ground. No longer responsive, his body laid in the middle of the path. "Seth...Seth...SETH!" a female cried out, getting louder and louder until he opened his eyes. jarring awake and finding himself laying on a bed of grass.

He looked around and was in a state of disbelief. Wasn't he in the forest near the cryo-facility? But apparently now he was in the front yard of his old house in his old neighborhood. He watched a car pass by and looking down the street he spotted young boy playing on their skateboard, cutting up with some other kids. "Seth!" shouted the voice from before. He turned and saw Sarah looking at him through the doorway going in his home. She rushed to his aid and helped him on his feet. "Seth, what happened?" she asked him with concern.

"I... don't know... something isn't right. I remember visiting your grave in the woods after I had buried..."

"Grave? What are talking about? Did you hit your head when you fell. What did the doctor say at your VA appointment?"

"VA appointment?"

"(sigh) Just come inside... I'm really starting to worry. I'll give them a call so they can tell me the results,"

As the two of them walked in, Seth closed the door behind him, he was awestruck by his settings. He knew his home was gone and Sarah had passed away the other night. Was this some sort of a dream? Though it felt as if he was really back in his home again.

"Sarah, I'm telling you the truth... none of this is real,"

"Seth, you're scaring me, of course this is real. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Sarah, listen to what I have to say... the world ended, we were placed in these pods. I woke up 2,000 years into the future, but you and Virgil were missing. I tried to find you but then I met the octolings, these human-like beings with tentacles on their heads and..."

"Seth, I don't wanna hear it anymore... I love you and you're letting this overactive imagination get the better of you. You haven't been acting this way until lately and if its got something to do with that medication then maybe I need to get a hold of your doctor and have them prescribe you something else,"

"You don't believe me... I don't blame you, maybe it is delirium. Octopus girls... sounds crazy and dumb but... I could've sworn I..." Seth started to say but then his eyes locked to a figure standing in front of the TV eyeing him and Sarah. An octoling with black tentacles, goggles covering her eyes and wearing some revealing outfit with armor.

"Seth, what's the matter? You stopped talking all of a sudden,"

"L... Look," he pointed toward the octoling.

"What, what is it?" Sarah asked, as she looked toward the direction of the elite.

"You don't see her?" Seth's voice getting sterner as he looked at his wife.

"See who?"

Seth was getting agitated but when turned back toward the octoling she had disappeared. "She was right there, the octoling I was talking about," Getting more frantic, which started to make Sarah very concerned with Seth's behavior.

"OK Seth, I'm not gonna wait around to make that phone call. This is getting out of hand," She walked and headed toward the phone as Seth followed her.

"Sarah, please... I wouldn't make this up," he told Sarah as he grabbed her shoulders, convincing her that he wasn't making anything up.

"Seth stop this! I know you went through a lot in the defense front, and I don't wanna think that you have to be put in a psych ward. Being traumatized by watching other soldiers you fought alongside get killed and wondering if you were gonna join. I worried every day that I would get an envelope in the mail, telling me you weren't coming home to your family and fearing your son would never get to see his father again. You don't think I've had to put up with anxiety day after day, wondering if I would get to see my husband come home," she told him as she grabbed his hands.

"Sarah... I don't know what's coming over me. I don't how to remedy the situation. I love you and Virgil but, what can I do to stop this?" he said as he looked at Sarah before he downed his head.

"You have to choose," Sarah's voice changed which got Seth's attention as he looked up and instead of Sarah standing in front of him. It was the elite he was hallucinating, holding his hand and looking straight at him through her googles. "What the shit!" he shouted as he stumbled back, yanking his hands from her and falling over the couch, hitting his head.

"You're not real... why are doing this and what have you done with Sarah!?" he demanded.

"You don't get it do you. You have to leave your old life behind you Seth," she told him.

"H... How do you know my name? Who are you!?"

The elite raised her eyebrow and paused as she examined the manic human. Deciding to remove her goggles and drop them on the floor. Seth locked onto the elite's face and her revealed yellow eyes. "M... Mirage?" Seth stammered.

"I don't know what's come over you, you're treating me as a stranger... don't you love me?" she asked him.

"I... I do,"

"Then why are you hanging on?" she asked him with anger in her voice.

"Because Sarah was my wife,"

"Choose Seth,"

"Choose?... why are you doing this to me?"

"My ink runs through your veins. I saved your life... as close as we've become and I mean that literally... you choose to push me away after all I've done for you,"

"So, you're gonna resort to holding everything over my head. This doesn't seem like love... it feels more like obligation," he told her as he stood up and confronted the elite.

"There's two doors Seth... pick one of them,"

"You're not gonna stop are you... I'm wondering if you're the real Mirage and not some vindictive apparition," he told the octoling. The two doors she was referring two was the one toward the right and the one toward the left. The room had changed, lacking furniture or decor with only two doors that represented the two decisions Seth was being forced to make, but then he noticed a third door, one that the octoling was blocking.

"What's behind that door?" He asked, pointing at the door behind her back.

"You can't go through that one... not yet," she replied plainly.

"So let me get this straight, you're making me choose between two doors and won't let me go through the one behind you,"

"You only have two options... make your choice,"

"I don't understand any of this. Why are playing with my emotions,"

"Because you're playing with mine. You can't wake up until you pick a door,"

"Very well, if I have to do this... what's behind these doors if you don't mind me asking,"

"You have to open them to find out,"

"Of course... (sigh)," said Seth with exasperation. He looked over to where his front door would be and walked toward it, hesitant about opening it. Getting his attention as she cleared her throat, Seth looked at her as she gave him a disappointing look. "What? You said pick a door,"

"I'll tell you what that door leads... that door represents your past, not only memories or the old life you had but regrets and resentment of those around you,"

"You're making it sound like I'm choosing the wrong door. This coming from someone whose making me pick, which is it?" Seth's irritation with the octoling was growing, she seemed persistent on toying with him.

"The other door is the present... moving on and accepting your new life. It's full of hope and acceptance. The door behind me represents the future which will be determined by what door you pick," she explained to him as she moved away from the middle door.

"It's obvious you're making it sound like the door on the other side of the room is the better choice but then again, should I believe anything you're telling me,"

"I might not be Mirage but with her ink in your body, you can say I'm a part of her. It's why I've pushed you to accept the way things are... I wanna help but again, this your body, your mind. You have to willingly choose on your own but that doesn't mean I might not like your decision," she told as she slid her goggles back over her eyes.

"I just wanna wake up!" clinching his fists and snapping at the octoling, though she didn't react to his outburst and stayed stone-faced.

"I already told you," She finally replied as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah, I know! For the love of (deep breath). What would it mean? You said this door was part of my past. Would that mean letting go of Sarah? Forgetting my son?" he asked her. She gave no reply but kept her gaze on him. He could sense this was a possibility, meaning his drive to find Virgil could vanish, knowing he would forget all about his son made him rethink, whether he would choose the other door. He couldn't do it, knowing that could be the outcome.

He slowly turned the knob as he watched the elite get even more resentful. As he opened the door he was showered by bright light. When he stepped out, it looked as if the sky was on fire. He watched people scream in horror, running away from an intense brightness that lit up the whole world and when he turned and looked, toward the near distance he could see a mushroom cloud from a nuclear detonation. Gazing at it, as embers floated through the air. The ground shook and soon he could hear roaring, getting closer and closer until he saw a large wall of water, consuming everything in front of it.

Terrified by the sight. He turned back to the door he came through only for to shut as the octoling stared at him one last time. He yanked on the knob and banged on it, but it was no use. The giant tsunami engulfed the neighborhood and Seth was pulled away by the powerful current and got swept under. Fighting for air and evading debris and vehicles that were tossed around underwater. Though it might have been a dream, it felt real and felt as if he was drowning. His body went frail as the last air bubbles exited his mouth and his vision becoming obscure. Was he tricked by the octoling that posed as Mirage or was this part of his choice by choosing the door that represented his past.

Seth found himself in a void. It was cold, black and lifeless. He felt like he was floating as his eyes were closed. He wasn't sure what was going on. Was he dead? All he could recall was getting pulled by the wall of seawater and Mirage closing the door on him. Was this punishment? He wasn't sure. Then he stared to hear voices, but he couldn't make out the source. It was like the voices were all around him or in his head. He couldn't move his body and started to panic, wondering what was going on.

After several seconds had past, he felt a sharp pain in his head, like before, the pain intensified and then as he opened his eyes he could see a vision, but it was partially obscure. Making out bright lights and figures standing in front of him. "DAD!" two voices shouted together. One, masculine but the other was feminine with a bubbly dialect. The obscure figures got closer and looked down on him. One of them appeared blurred but he could make out features like... hair on their head, they appeared human but so did the other figure, appearing more feminine somewhat with blue hair? Of what looked like a large lock of it covering part of their face. He watched them place their hand on what appeared to be his hand but what was odd, was their fingers were red in color? Blood perhaps. What he could make out was it looked like some kind of room, possibly an examination room in a hospital? It didn't make sense but then his vision started fading and soon he found himself slipping away back into the void. He stayed that way for a couple of minutes until the void filled with light and then he finally woke up.

Gasping for breath, Seth quickly rose and saw he was back in the forest from before. He held his head, distraught by the dream he had. The symbolism of it and what it meant. What was that vision he had off the two strange figures that came to his aid in the white room he saw. Maybe in time these strange questions would get answered. As he got up and brushed himself, he spotted Kelly's octoseeker flying overhead and away toward the other side of the dome. "They're already leaving?" he asked.

Deciding to get back to the elevator as fast as he could. He assumed that Mirage and the other octolings were patiently waiting for his return. Unaware that it wasn't Kelly and her team piloting the octoseeker.

Down where the generators were that powering the facility. Luna and Star were being mindful, they stayed on guard and watched for any signs of the octoling commandos. "How do you think they got out?" Star asked Luna.

"How should I know? Just keep your eyes peeled,"

Unaware as the two scanned the room, they didn't notice the ink charges placed on the generators. They decided to keep moving and make their way toward the cryo-chamber. As they walked down the empty metal corridor toward the pods, Star looked at Luna. "I'm beginning to think they're not even here," said Star.

"We can't be sure of that sergeant, we'll keep looking, maybe we'll run across something," replied Luna.

The two octolings approached the metal doors heading into the cryo-chamber. They stacked up and readied their octoshots as they stormed the room. Scanning their surroundings, with their weapons aimed up. They still saw no sign of the enemy commando unit. "Room clear, move up," ordered Luna.

The two, still on guard continued into the large chamber housing the pods and its occupants. "Watch your sectors Star," she told her.

"Roger that," The two octolings stayed vigilant, making their way deeper into the giant room.

Once the two of them made to the center of the chamber, they looked around. It seemed things hadn't changed until Star noticed that Donovan's body was missing. The spot he was laying at was nothing but a pool of dried blood. "Um, Lieutenant..."

"What is it?" asked Luna as Star pointed to wear Donovan's body was.

"Huh, what happened to... whatever his name was,"

"Did someone move him or something,"

"I don't know but we better report this to Mirage and make sure. First the commandos and now that jerk's body, something's going on,"

Back top side, Kelly and her team were inside the octoseeker which was parked in the yard. Her engineer was running system checks as well as the amount of power they had left for their trip back to the safehouse. "How's everything look specialist?" asked Kelly.

"Good so far, sergeant," she answered.

Unknown to the octolings aboard the octoseeker, from across the open area, behind some foliage. The commandos waited and watched Kelly's team inside the octarian craft with it's ramp open. "Alright, now's our chance to commandeer that octoseeker before those octolings realize we escaped," said the commando leader.

"Um, we're unarmed captain. How are we supposed to hijack that octoseeker without our octoshots," asked her partner.

"We ask nicely, how the ink do you think. We ambush them once the time is right,"

"I'll be glad when we return to base and done packing around this dead weight of a fossil," complained one of the commandos, referring to carrying of Donovan's body. In which they took before they got out of the facility.

The commando leader then noticed Kelly got out of the octoseeker by herself. "This is it; we'll jump that octoling and relinquish her weapon. Then all we gotta do is use her for leverage to take the octoseeker. You two stay here with that body," their leader commanded.

"It's not like it's going anywhere,"

"That's an order,"

The commando leader and her partner octo formed and swam toward Kelly's position without getting her attention, moving from cover to cover that was available. Once they were close enough, they waited for the opportunity and grabbed Kelly as she yelled, firing her splattershot as the commandos wrestled with her. "What the... Kelly!?" shouted the medic. Both her and the engineer rushed out of the octoseeker and saw their leader get taken captive by the commandos at gun point. The commando leader had the octoshot aimed at Kelly's head as the other commando had restrained Kelly, holding her arms behind her.

"Do as I say and won't splat your teammate," threatened the commando leader.

"Let go of her or..." demanded the engineer, holding her octoshot at the enemy octoling.

"...or what rebel? I suggest you drop your octoshots and step aside. We're taking your transport,"

"Don't let em, GAH!" protested Kelly as she was bashed in the torso with the octoshot.

"Next time, she gets inked... you have ten seconds to comply,"

The engineer and medic dropped their octoshots on the ground and backed away with their hands up. "Good girls... now then, everyone get onboard," the commando leader ordered her team. She along with the commando that had a hold Kelly walked up the ramp, they waited for the remaining two commandos that were packing Donovan to get into the octoseeker. "You've been so cooperative, that we'll go ahead and spare you," said commando leader before she signaled her teammate to shove Kelly down as the two regulars came to her aid.

"We appreciate you handing over your octoseeker, but don't worry we left you everyone else a farewell present so don't feel too bad," she sneered with a smug expression before the ramp closed and the octoseeker's rotors came on.

"Kelly you alright," asked the medic.

"We can't let those inkbags get away!" shouted the engineer as she grabbed her octoshot and began shooting at the octoseeker as it ascended.

"Forget it specialist! Let's get back down below and warn the others!" Kelly shouted at her, only wasting ink in any attempt to stop the commandos from flying off.

Kelly was helped up and the three of them rushed for the elevator to inform Mirage and rest of them about what had happened. As the trio descended down the elevator and made it to the bottom, a loud explosion could be heard in the distance followed by the power going out. The elevator lift stopped and was only eight feet up, from the gate. "What the shell just happened?" asked the engineer.

"I got a hint their farewell present had a hand in that, let's get down and rendezvous with Mirage and her team. The octoling octo formed and hopped down, using their inky bodies to get through the metal mesh of the gate. Once they changed back, they were met by Maxine and Sigma.

"What happened to the power?" asked Sigma.

"I can assume the commandos planted explosives on the power supply before they took off," answered Kelly.

"Took off, what do you mean?" Maxine asked.

"The commandos are gone; they took off with our octoseeker at gun point. We couldn't stop them," replied the engineer.

"Couldn't stop them? They shouldn't have been armed, how could you let them get them away?" Sigma questioned them.

"They ambushed us, that's how! We didn't expect them to show up like they did and not only that, they were carrying somebody onboard, it had tentacles on their head, but it was too tall to be an octoling. We gotta inform Mirage and the others,"

"I likely story, sounds more like you let them take the octoseeker," insinuated Sigma.

"Do what!" exclaimed Kelly in disbelief, that the octoling male would pin her and her team on the commandos escape.

"You heard me. Sergeant there's no way the commandos would've escaped without help. I'm not buying into this one bit,"

"How dare you speculate that I have a hand in helping those scumbags!"

"I think we should take you in for questioning, wouldn't you say sergeant,"

"He... makes a valid point. It makes no sense you would let the commandos take the octoseeker that easily," Maxine told them.

"You're not gonna believe this crap, we're on the same side, why would we..."

"You two drop your octoshots, you're being detained," ordered Maxine.

"You serious," said the engineer in shock.

"I said drop em'!" Maxine demanded, holding her weapon on the two flabbergasted octolings.

"Do as she says," Kelly told her two teammates. Not wanting to fuel the altercations between them and Maxine.

The specialist gave a sigh and dropped her octoshot along with the medic. "Alright you three, this way and don't try anything," Maxine ordered, guiding them back toward the foyer.

As the power went down for the facility, Luna and Star linked back up with Mirage and Vee after the elite informed them that Donovan's body shouldn't have been moved. This was alarming, who would've tampered with the body and why? With the predicament of no power, it left the octoling squad confused as to why the lights went off and the system going down as it did. "We need to head back to the atrium ASAP and see what's going on, be on guard, with no lighting the commandos could easily get the jump on us," warned Mirage.

The squad ventured down the hallway until they spotted movement ahead, when a figure in front of them turned around, Luna doesn't hesitate and shoots at the figure, once she got startled by the sight of their tentacles. They yelped as the ink streamed past them and octo formed away in a room next to them. Peeking out, Mirage recognized them. "Lieutenant! Hold your fire!" Mirage ordered as she grabbed Luna's octoshot.

It was Emma, she had just returned from eating at the cafeteria by herself, when she saw that Vee had left the bedroom fifteen minutes ago. On her back to the room from eating she got lost in the hallway, once the lights went out and got scared. "Emma!" shouted Vee.

"Veeeee!" Emma shouted back as she ran toward them, hugging the octoling private.

She let go and gave Luna a dirty look. "You big meanie-pus!"

"Listen here runt, you shouldn't be roaming around in the dark like that, there's..." she started to bark at the little octoling before her mouth was cuffed by Star.

"What she means is you shouldn't be out by yourself," said Star as she let go of Luna's mouth.

"Huh, I was going back to bed but then all the lights went out all of a sudden. I got scared and couldn't see where I was going," said Emma as it reminded her of the power outage back at the octarian town years ago.

"Emma, it's fine... just come with us. I don't think you should be left alone anyway," Vee comforted the little octoling.

"Where's Seth?" Emma asked.

"We never saw him return," said Luna, remembering him carrying Rebecca's body toward the elevator.

"Crap! I totally forget about him. We gotta find him before those commandos do,"

"You forgot about your boyfriend, especially after what you two had done last...OWW!" Getting punched by the agitated elite.

"You wanna keep your beak shut lieutenant, then I suggest keeping your input to yourself. Now's not the time to deal with your mouth. Seth is missing and so are the commandos. We gotta get back to the atrium and check up on Kelly and Maxine," ordered Mirage as they made their way back.

Just as they started to head for the atrium, they were met by the inklings who approached them, coming out of the rooms they were staying in. "Hey, what's the deal, did someone forget to pay the electric bill or something?" scoffed Dexter.

"Yeah, what's going on octolings?" asked Lily.

"Listen squids, I got no time to explain, might I suggest you stay in your rooms until we get everything situated," Mirage told the inkling crowd as she shoved past them with her squad coming up from behind.

"OK, something's not right. Why won't they tell what's going on?" asked Jazz suspiciously.

"I have no idea but I'm not hanging around in that room and hope the power comes back," said Bill.

"Well, we're coming too," said Lily as she trailed Jazz and Bill with Dexter by her side.

Once they had returned to giant foyer, they were stunned by a deeply troubling sight. Kelly as well as her two teammates were held at gunpoint by Maxine and her specialist, Sigma. "Mind telling me what's going on!? Why have you detained sergeant Kelly and her crew?" Mirage demanded Maxine answer.

"They let the commandos get away with the octoseeker," Maxine answered sharply.

"Yeah, and they also took that human, the one with the tentacles on his head. The one that was turning into an octoling with them," said Sigma.

"I wanna hear Kelly's side to this story. I'm having a hard time picturing Kelly and her team letting those commandos leave with our only means of transport," said Mirage before she looked at Kelly.

"I tried explaining to them that we were jumped, or at least I was. I admit I let my guard down but I didn't expect those inkbags to come out of nowhere and take me captive and threaten us if we didn't hand over the octoseeker but this inkhead over here kept accusing us of aiding those commandos without any evidence!" She said, shooting Sigma a glare.

"Someone had to have helped them get out," Sigma replied, looking critically at Kelly.

"I agree, you couldn't get out of that room even if you tried octo forming, we made sure of that," commented Luna.

"Kelly couldn't have helped the commandos escape. She was back at the bar with us, passed out on the couch from drinking last night but you two on the other hand, were here," pointed out Mirage.

"Don't pin this on us, we didn't let those octopi escape with the octoseeker," Sigma defended, turning it back on Kelly and the other two's mishap.

"Then I would suggest we quit pointing tentacles. The commandos are gone along with that human's body and I'm not gonna get in a debate over how they got out of holding and who aided them," Mirage told the group.

"But..."

"Stand down, specialist..." Maxine told Sigma. She thought about what Mirage was saying and it made sense, but she knows well she and Sigma didn't let out neither. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, Kelly I'm sorry for accusing you of helping the commandos,"

"Apology accepted, none the less, I think they did get help. Right now, I'm concentrating on getting out of here. With no power, we're sitting octopi. There's no use in staying here,"

"Without the octoseeker that means we'd have to walk, meaning we're vulnerable to getting attacked anyway. What's the sense of leaving," Luna pointed out.

"I'm not sticking around in the dark, no power would put us in a disadvantage and not to mention there's not many of us left and I seriously doubt we could hold off another attack," said Kelly's medic.

"Unfortunately, she's right, what choice do we really have. It seems we're gambling either way," Mirage replied. Seeing it was a lose either way.

"Maybe not... I just thought of something. Those human machines in the warehouse. Any of those could provide us a suitable means to getting us out of here without worrying about the octarian forces making a move on us as well as some weaponry," Mirage suggested.

"Uh... how exactly are we gonna utilize those vehicles, we're talking about advance human tech. Something beyond our comprehension, it's not gonna be like piloting an octoseeker," pointed out the engineer octoling.

"We got someone who probably could. Seth... if anyone could drive those things he would. He was soldier before humans went extinct. I'm sure he has the expertise to operate anything down there and get us out of this place," Suggested Mirage.

"What do we got to lose; we'll go for it. Where is that human anyway?" asked Kelly.

"Private, go locate Seth," Mirage told Vee.

"Sure, Lieutenant,"

"Good luck, the elevator is out," said Kelly.

"I'll find a way, don't worry,"

As Vee left, the inklings overheard everything, staying hid in the hallway, eavesdropping on the octoling's conversation. Alarmed by what they heard it seemed uncertain if they would ever make it out of the octarian territory. "I knew we couldn't trust those octopi," jeered Dexter.

"Let's calm down, we'll get out of this and make it home," Bill told them.

"Easy for you to say Bill," snapped Lily.

"Hey, he's just being optimistic unlike some squids. You heard what they said, maybe that human will can get us out of here," said Jazz.

"I see why they wouldn't tell us anything," Dexter said.

"They didn't want us to panic. They've managed to help us this far... I'm not giving up hope," Bill told them, staying positive on the outlook.

"Don't...give up..." I voice said behind the inklings sluggishly. They turned and saw Flow, the sea hare looking at them with her typical mellow expression.

"Oh, hey Flow, you seem better," Jazz told her.

"Have...faith," she told them. Then Craymond the little shrimp swam out from under her hat. "What did I miss?" the shrimp asked.

"Not much you piece of seafood," Dexter scoffed.

"I resent that remark you walking calamari," shot back the little shrimp.

"Why you little,"

"Dexter, enough... I'm just glad to see Flow back on her feet. That was quite a spell you took but are you really feeling better?" asked Jazz.

"It was strange... I woke up as a human, I could... see their memories..."

"Memories?" questioned Jazz.

"Yeah, I'd say she's back to her old self... delusional as always," Dexter popped off before it deserved him a smack in the back of the head by Jazz for insulting the sea hare.

Back on the surface, Seth was having a hard time getting the elevator controls in the kiosk to work. "What the heck is going on? Why isn't the lift working?" Seth asked as he continously pressed the button for the hatch to open. Making no effort he walked out and stepped on the hatch.

He looked around and spotted a metal lid. On it read: emergency hatch release lever. Pulling it off, he spotted a metal lever and began turning it as he watch the metal hatch doors slowly slide apart. Once there was a gap large enough for him to get through, he looked down and noticed the lift was down below. There was no way he could make the jump without getting seriously injured or worse, killed. How would get back inside? he thought.

Vee swam past the processing terminal and reached the elevator where she changed back. She couldn't open the gate due to their not being power supplying the controls to the elevator. She octo formed again and jumped through the gate and climbed up on the lift where she hunted for something to get the platform to ascend.

Seth then heard a voice below and spotted movement on the platform. "Hey! Up here!" he yelled as his voice echoed down the large shaft.

Vee looked up and spotted him. "Seth! There you are! We were getting worried!" she yelled back.

"What's going on!?"

"There's no power!"

"What! No power!"

"I can explain but first you need to come back down here,"

"Vee! There's gotta be a manual override or something. Look for a box, lever, anything!"

"OK, Seth!"

Vee searched and eventually spotted what appeared to be a metal case on the edge of the lift. She opened it, revealing a crank much like the one used to open the hatch. Vee turned it, until she managed to reach halfway up the shaft. As strong and stout as she was, the octoling was getting exhausted. "Seth, my arms are getting tired!" she shouted at him, as she hunched over to take a breather.

"It's fine, maybe you're close enough I can reach you without breaking something!" Seth cautiously started to drop between the hatch doors and held on. Though the lift was a lot closer, anything could happen between where he was and the platform. He gave a deep breath and let go, landing on the shaft bottom as he rolled down, getting bruised until he slid and made a jump for the lift, barely making it as he was helped up by Vee. As she pulled Seth up, she noticed the bite mark on his neck and knew what that meant. A little conflicted, she let go of him as he stood up.

"Thanks Vee,"

"Sure thing," she said depressingly.

He headed over to the crank and started to move it with the help of the octoling. Once they reached the bottom, Seth climbed over the gates with Vee going through it in her octo form. Once Seth was informed about the commandos and the octoseeker getting taken, it made since when he saw the octoseeker fly overhead and assumed they Mirage and rest of them were getting ready to leave the facility but now learning this, he heard Mirage's new plan to get Seth to operate one of the military vehicles to get them out of the dome.

On their way to the supply bay, Seth tried to explain to the octolings, even though he was soldier and familiar with the equipment inside the warehouse, he couldn't operate some of it, not to mention how they would use a human military vehicle to traverse through the domes, being the path ways, landmasses and platforms were suspended in the air, there would be no way of utilizing a vehicle for such an environment unless it flew in which to their surprise, especially Seth, saw a CH-47 Chinook parked and covered up in the back of the warehouse, something he would've never expected and unsure how it got down there.

"So, this thing can fly, like an octoseeker?" asked Mirage.

"Yes, but operating it... I've never piloted a helicopter," Seth informed her.

"Can't be too much different than our octoseeker. It's got a rear hatch, rotors and a cabin like the octoseeker. I'll try and figure it out," said the octoling engineer.

"Maybe we got a plan to get out of here after all, good work, especially you Seth," Kelly congratulated, smacking him on the back.

"Don't thank me yet, we gotta get out of here first. If this thing was parked down here, then I'm sure there's a way to get it out. I'll look for a hatch or something,"

"I'll come with you," blurted Vee which unnerved Mirage a little. As the two walked away, Mirage's focus on them was countered on Kelly who waved her hand in frotn of her face, getting her attention.

"I hope you got your priorities right lieutenant, remember he's still a human even if your ink is coursing through his veins," reminded Kelly.

"You don't think I don't know that. Let me worry about my own problems sergeant,"

"Suit yourself, but I would be least concerned about that human and more so on our objective,"

Seth searched for a way to find any controls that would open an entry for the large helicopter to lift out of, but once Vee saw they were at enough distance from the rest of the octolings, she decided to inquire to Seth about what happened between him and Mirage. "So... I guess you and the lieutenant are a couple now," the octoling said which caught Seth off guard.

"Um, Vee...I... can't say," he stammered nervously.

"She bit you... I know what that means,"

Seth paid her no mind and concentrated on locating a way for the helicopter to fly out of the bay. "Admit it... I wasn't good enough for you," she sad with a sad tone.

"That's not it at all... why are bringing this up. I don't you were ok with being friends?"

"I... don't know, it's like my emotions are getting the better of me... I do wanna be friends,"

"Then you need to tell yourself that. Why not accept the way things like you said you would,"

"Because I loved you first,"

"Vee, I love you too... but not in a way you want. You need to stop brooding over the relation between me and Mirage. A friendship is worth cherishing and I don't wanna see you like this if it causes regret or animosity,"

"You're right Seth, I'm sorry,"

"Good to hear... now let's focus on finding a control panel to the supply bay hatch," he told her. As he turned away, he spotted something. It was a metal box mounted on the wall. He opened it, revealing a lever. Once he pulled it down, he could hear something, turning his attention toward the direction of the chopper and the octolings, he watched the ceiling open up and sunlight pouring down below on the floor and over the helicopter.

"Way to go Seth!" cheered Star.

"Yeah, good job... now we get out of here," said Luna.

"Alright, since that part is done, all that's left is gathering the inklings and those dim wit tentacles and we can roll out, once that engineer figures out how to operate this flying hunk of metal," said Kelly.

"Don't forget that we gotta destroy the access tunnel and disable the kettle," reminded Mirage.

"Initially I was gonna let my specialist do that but if she's gonna fly this thing then someone else has gotta volunteer to deal with the kettle,"

"I will," said Sigma.

"You? I'm still jaded after how you treated me and my team,"

"I'm an engineer too, if anyone here is familiar with how to disable a kettle then it's me,"

"Very well, but you know that's a long walk from here to the kettle... you gonna make it?"

"I'll take him," said Seth who walked up. "I heard what you said, and I got a solution,"

"What's that?" asked Sigma.

Seth approached one of the tactical four wheelers that was parked away. He was followed by Kelly and Sigma who stared at the land-based ATV. "I think this is easier and faster than walking," he told them.

"Nice," complimented Sigma, adoring the little four wheeled vehicle.

"Remember to set the ink charge before you two go through the kettle. It's our last one, so once it detonates, they'll be no way of coming back. Take a radio so we can stay in contact," Kelly told Seth.

"Got it. Just let me grab some gear and another weapon before we go,"

Once, Seth grabbed a vest, pistol and rifle, he was set for their task to disable the kettle. Seth jumped on the ATV along with Sigma hopping behind him. "This thing is pretty cool, you know how to drive it?" asked Sigma.

"It's not hard, but you're gonna want to hang on though," said Seth as he pressed the accelerator and the two of them headed for the vehicle exit. Kelly and the others watched them leave and disembark for the kettle. Meantime, Mirage gathered the inklings and tentacles to come to the supply bay, though the inklings were uncertain about her command but followed her anyway. The tentacles, stragled behind, anxious to leave the powerless facility. Once they made to the warehouse, Mirage and her team, with the inklings behind them and the tentacles met up with Kelly and Maxine.

"I guess this means we're ready. Seth and Sigma volunteered to tackle the kettle. All we got to do is get aboard and hope my engineer doesn't crash us,"

"I'm not getting in that junk heap, you expect me to believe this tin can will fly," protested Dexter.

"Listen squid, I don't have time to argue, you can get your inky butt inside or stay here," snapped Kelly.

Dexter growled and stormed into the CH-47 to find a seat. Lily followed behind him and sat beside him. Bill and Jazz looked at each other and made their way into the fuselage to find their own seats.

"So, what's next?" asked Mirage with her squad beside her.

"We depart, once we reach the access tunnel on the wall of the dome. We'll set up charges and blow it, preventing the octarian army from entering the dome to collect the humans and their technology,"

"There's no other alternative to ensure the humans' survival?" Mirage asked Kelly.

"Sorry Mirage, it's the only way,"

"Well, you heard her. I guess we better get on too," said Luna as she and star went inside the helicopter.

"Lieutenant..." muttered Vee as the elite looked at the private. "I wish there was another way too. I don't feel right living all those poor humans behind to know we can't come back,"

"I know Vee, but I've tried persuading Kelly to look for an alternative. I'm not gonna press the issue, let's just go," said Mirage as she headed up the ramp into the helicopter with Vee trailing behind her as she looked back. Feeling deep remorse for leaving the facility and humans unattended to.

As Seth drove the ATV through what was left of the housing, he saw the bridge was out from the fighting and gunned it. Sigma panicked and latched on to Seth as the vehicle jumped over the river below and narrowly making it across and continuing down the path. Sigma let go and gave a deep breath. "For a second, I didn't think we'd make it. Nice driving," complemented Sigma.

"Well, we haven't made there yet," Seth replied.

The two of them were approaching the abandoned shop and then Seth spotted the kettle at the end of the road. He skidded the ATV, throwing dust before the two dismounted with Seth walking up to the kettle. "Alright, so what do we do now?" Seth asked before he heard the charging handle of his rifle get pulled back. He quickly turned and saw Sigma aiming the rifle at Seth, which left him mortified and confused.

"I'll tell you what to do and that's you do as I say," Sigma told him.

"What is this?"

"A stick up, what's it look like and don't you dare reach for your sidearm. I know our ink has a limited effect on humans but as for a human weapon though, I would be compliant if I were you,"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'm an agent, part of division Octavio created when we released him over 2 years ago to counter the squidbeak and their operations against the octarians but now our new goal has been to root out and infiltrate the defectors as well as those inkstains up on the surface. You coming into the picture has put a damper on things but in the same token, your existence will accelerate our achievement to take the surface world and deal with those squids once and for all. The promised land will soon become a reality and the octarian empire will prevail,"

"I'm betting you're the one that helped the commandos escaped weren't you,"

"You catch on, humans are more intelligent than I thought which proves how vital you've become to our objective. It's disappointing that female human took her life after seeing what she did in that room,"

"What room?"

"There was a room that was locked before, deep in the lab with some electronic lock on it. Not sure how it became unlocked. I decided to explore for anything useful for the octarians and saw the door was open and inside was that human female. A look of horror on her face when she saw some images of what I would assume were test subjects,"

"Test subjects?"

"Humans, or at least used to be human... they had features much like an octoling or inkling. Tentacles, eye markings, fangs like us... Scarlet might have been on to something after all. Maybe we did derive from humans. The proof was that human the commandos carried out. I admit I didn't believe my cousin about our race originating from humans, like the rests under her, but... she is family after all and we carry the same bloodline as Octavio's,"

"Donovan," muttered Seth, realizing the transforming that the former soldier went through.

"I wish I could've read through that data left behind. When the female saw me, it was like reality struck her. I think she was afraid she was gonna turn into one of us, the despair in her eyes, I almost felt bad for her as she ran out of the room. I was wanting to obtain her too, possibly a mate once the hypnowaves took effect on her mind when I brought her back to base,"

"You miserable piece of..." Seth scowled as he stared up at the octoling.

"Uh uh uh, I don't have to take you back alive, but I would prefer to. Please make this easy for both of us will you," Sigma threatened as he kept the rifle on Seth.

The octolings caught their conversation on the radio, thanks to Seth discretely hot miking the radio and allowing the octolings to listen in. "That spineless bag of ink, he's duped us all!" Mirage shouted angrily on the helicopter.

"I don't believe it... after all we've been through. How could you do this! I'll splat him if it's the last thing I do," Maxine responded, when she what Sigma had said.

"Hopefully we'll get that chance, Specialist! Hurry up and get this thing in the air!" Kelly ordered the engineer.

"I'll try sergeant, it's not like I driven one of these things before!"

The octoling pilot with the medic in the seat beside her, managed to find a way to close the ramp and start up the rotors. The inklings and other passengers looked out of the windows and saw they were ascending until they could see the facility below. Once they figured out the controls which weren't too different from the octoseeker, the engineer and the medic flew the CH-47 toward the kettle in an attempt to rescue Seth.

With Seth disarmed and his arms tied, he was ordered into the kettle at gunpoint by the octoling. "Hurry up before the others get here," Sigma barked at him.

"I don't know how far you expect to go," Seth sneered at him as Sigma poked the barrel into Seth's back.

"Far enough for no one to rescue you... so quit stalling and get in the damn kettle,"

The sound of rotor blades was approaching which caught Sigma's attention, giving Seth the opportunity to kick Sigma in the back. Dropping the rifle, Seth ran over to try and pin Sigma to the ground but the octoling rolled over and octoformed. With his hands still bound, Seth had to improvise how to fight the deceptive octoling.

Sigma pulled out Seth's pistol from his pants, but it was kicked out of his hand and Seth tried to kick him again but was grabbed by the leg and thrown to the ground. Sigma rushed him and punched Seth in the face, dazing him. He grabbed Seth by the shoulder strap and bared his beak at him with a look of displeasure, before he headbutted Sigma.

Seth attempted to roll over and get up, but before he could get on his feet, Sigma managed to grab the sidearm laying on the ground and pulled the slide back and shot a round beside Set's face. Seth quickly stopped and looked back up at Sigma holding the pistol at him as he approached him and rolled Seth over on his back, pressing his boot on his chest and aiming the pistol's barrel between his eyes. "If you're gonna give me this much trouble then I'll drag your boney carcass back to octo base," Sigma told him as he squeezed the trigger.

"SIGMA!" shouted from above. The CH-47 hovered above, with the ramp opening, revealing Mirage, aiming her octoshot down at the Sigma. "Let him go before I splat you where you stand!" she demanded.

"Why don't you come down here and make me hot stuff!" he taunted.

"Oh, you just asked for it, numb nuts," replied Mirage as she octoformed and shot out of the helicopter's rear door and toward Seth and Sigma. The octoling male fired the pistol at Mirage who managed to evade the bullets and land right in front of him, landing a kick and knocking Sigma to the ground. "Seth, you, ok?" she asked him as she cut his bindings and helped him up.

"I am that you showed up," he said before she smiled and pulled him into a quick kiss.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to you," she told him.

"Aww, isn't this cute... the human and turncoat got a thing going on. Enjoy your girlfriend saving your ass while you can because eventually your luck is gonna run out human. Now if you'll excuse me I've got somewhere to be," Sigma told the two.

"You're not going anywhere you son of a sea slug. I ought to just splat you, but I think I'll just take you in and have you deal with the wraith of your sergeant. I'm gonna enjoy watching you get the ink beat out of you by Maxine,"

"In your dreams defector and don't think you've seen the last of me. The octarians will achieve victory and defectors will never stop us, all hail the octarians!" he shouted before pulling out an ink screen bomb. Like smoke, he used for his escape, slipping past Seth and Mirage as they coughed and octo forming into the kettle. Mirage shot at the giant tea kettle, but it was too late, Sigma shot away but luckily for Seth and the defectors, he was saved.

"That octo prick won't get a way next time. At least he didn't get you Seth," said Mirage.

"This whole time that guy was spying on us, waiting for the opportunity,"

"Scarlet's got eyes and tentacles everywhere. Not sure if we can stop her,"

"Yes, you can... we've survived overcoming odds and I'm sure Scarlet will be defeated. You just got to come up with a plan to do so and a good team by your side to help you,"

Mirage blushed a little before he hugged her. "OK you two! Just as a reminder, we still gotta blow the tunnel and shut down the kettle," shouted Kelly from the helicopter's back ramp as it steadily hovered overhead.

"She's right, we gotta continue the mission. Let's shut the kettle down, I'll pull the panel off and..."

"How about an easier way," he told her as he grabbed his rifle off the ground.

"That'll work too," she said, moving out of the way as he fired the gun at the kettle. It sparked and powered down, disabling it's ability to transport any users. "That part's done," said Seth. he turned and looked at Mirage and then back toward the direction of the underground cryo-facility. "As strange as it may be... leaving this place is like leaving a part of me behind. It's where I left my world and entered into this new one. Me, Sarah, and Virgil were placed in cryostasis here to wait out humanity's extinction... any trace of my past life, past memories are connected to this place... and to know I'm about to leave and never come back (deep sigh),"

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Seth, you need to let it all go. What good will it do for you to not move on but that doesn't we'll return and try to save the rest of the humans,"

"I appreciate your help," Seth told her.

"You're part of the squad... and my mate," she said to him as she gave a smile and poking his nose.

Before Seth could say anything else the CH-47 descended, allowing him and Mirage to climb onboard so they could finish there mission, departing the dome for good and blowing the access tunnel. "Let's get this done," Seth muttered to himself as he walked over to one of the seats. Mirage sat next to him and held his hand but Vee from across the passenger hold, downed her head and gave a deep breath.

"What's eating you private?" asked Luna, who was sitting next to her.

"It's nothing,"

"Hey, I'm glad we're leaving... even if I'm gonna miss eating those human rations," Luna said.

"You wanna talk about it?" asked Star who sat on the other side. Vee started to open her mouth, but she watched Mirage and Seth from across the cargo hold and decided to keep it to herself.

"Alright everyone! Hold on! It's time we got out of here," shouted Kelly. The helicopter closed its ramp, and they made their way to the access tunnel. Planting what charges they had left around the tunnel. They flew out of it and before they could get out of range, the bombs were detonated, and the tunnel collapsed. There next stop would be Kelly's safehouse.

Levi was traversing down a suspended path above octo canyon. He could certainly tell he wasn't underground anymore but now back on the surface. The sky above was real and so was the sun. It felt good to actually breathe in some fresh air for a change and not have to worry about getting caught by the octopus-based creatures that were after him. As he looked around, he could make out a strange rock formation in the distance in the shape of an octopus and then he saw a structure near it. Maybe there were some inhabitants nearby, but he wasn't certain if there were any humans around, being he had only encountered the cephalopod-based species.

He continued on down the path, jumping over gaps and climbing over obstacles to try and reach the octopus-shaped rock and the ornate shack beside it. He was halfway between the kettle he climbed out of and his intended goal to reach the structure but as hopped over to another platform, he nearly fell, grabbing a hold of the ledge and pulling himself up. When he turned around to continue, he heard a noise, looking he spotted a strange creature flying toward him. It was an octocopter, a goofy-looking tentacle with a rotor attached to its head.

Levi gave it a bewildered look as it shot a scowl back at him. It lobbed a splat bomb at him, but Levi leapt out of its blast radius, coating the area with ink. As he got up the octocopter attempted to grab him and lift the human up. Levi struggled and eventually the octarian lost its grip and attempt to grab Levi again only to get punched away and knocked to the platform, but then a large shadow cast over Levi, he looked and now saw an octostriker staring down at him. Before Levi could react the floating fat octarian launched an ink missile at Levi. The missile struck and propelled Levi back at the far edge of the platform.

Now covered in ink, he tried to sit up and now spotted a team of octolings at the other platform, looking at him. "Seems we've located that human again girls, let's bag him and bring him back to base!" the elite that was with them ordered. They octo formed and shot over to where Levi was, changing back and aiming the weapons at him. He tried to get up and crawl off but another octoling sprang over him and landed right in front of his escape route. She grinned and kicked him, launching him back toward the rest of her unit and the elite.

"Don't think you'll get away so easily human," the elite sneered as she grinned at Levi.

"You have nothing better to do, other than chasing me," he muttered to them, as he tried reaching for his sidearm.

"Like splatting more of those sanitized freaks... curious as to why you're sanitized like them. No matter, I'll get what I want out of you once I've taken you back to octo base," she said to him.

Weakened by the effects of the ink, it didn't seem Levi would be so lucky this time around. "Move in and detain the fossil!" the elite ordered but as the octolings enclosed on the human, suddenly a stream of green ink struck the octostriker hovering above, causing it to burst in midair. The octolings looked at the direction of the ink shot and saw nothing but above them, a figure dove down and stretched out their appendage at the ground, crashing down and knocking back the octoling squad.

Standing between the octolings and Seth was humanoid from, coated in orange ink with only their eyes appearing on their face. It turned and looked at Levi as the octolings were confused by the sight of the inky figure. "Don't just stand there, shoot it!" the elite ordered.

They leapt back in the air before the octoling's ink shots would hit them as they landed back down and changed back into an inkling and not just any inkling, it was Cassie or should I say agent 3, the new captain of the squidbeak squad. Pulling out her old hero shot, she began taking out the octolings, splatting them before they could react, seeing who they were now dealing with.

"Ink that squid, you useless octopi!" shouted the elite. Then out of nowhere a roller smashed down one of the octolings that thought she could get away, being wielded by Callie, one of the squid sisters. Then the remaining regular was splatted by a shot of green ink. Leaping out of nowhere was Marie, the other squid sister, holding her hero charger.

The elite balled her fist and bared her beak before she pulled out her octoshot. "You sure about that octopus? There's only one of you and three of us," said agent 3, holding her hero shot as she twirled it.

"Best you turn tentacle and run," said Marie, who clutched her charger.

"Yeah," followed up Callie with her hero roller.

The elite knew she couldn't face the inklings, especially squidbeak agents. She gave a chuckle and put her octoshot away. "You win this round inkstains, mark my words though, don't expect it to stay that way. Enjoy this little victory. You may have splatted my unit but its you and the rest of those miserable squids that'll get splatted in the end, long live the octarians!" she shouted at them, before octo forming and swimming away in defeat.

The agents then focused back Levi, still covered in ink as Callie let go of her roller and went over to assist him. Once she wiped the ink off his face, she discovered he was a human with the lack of eye marks and hair on his head. That would explain why he was splatted by the octarian ink, assuming that he was wearing ink armor. Stunned, she never expected to see another human like Seth. Even Marie and Cassie were perplexed and moved in to get a better look at Levi.

He coughed and spat out what ink was in his mouth and looked back at the squidbeak agents. "Are you ok?" Callie asked him.

"Yeah, except for ink effecting my body. I'm really getting tired of this happening to me," he told her.

"We'll take you back to tentakeel outpost to clean you up. After that you need to explain to us who you are and where you came from. Being a human, it's not ordinary to run into an extinct race and by what I've heard, you're valuable to the octarians. Best we keep them from getting you... the name's agent 2... but you can also call me Marie," she told him.

"Sure... name's Levi. I'm grateful you saved me from those little inkers, and I'll answer questions you got," said Levi as the other squid sister pulled him up.

"My name's Callie, this is so fresh to meet another human," Callie said.

"You must the other human Sam was talking about... I'm Cassie by the way. The new leader of the squidbeak squad, even though I never asked to be," said Cassie as she approached Levi with her arms crossed.

"Sam, that reminds me... she might be in trouble. I gotta go back and..."

"Don't worry, Sam's fine... we spoke with her and agent Jet a couple of hours ago. She spoke highly of you, and she also mentioned something about other humans, wearing strange uniforms and glowing green eyes. How she described it, they sounded like the sanitized octolings Tartar created years ago," said Cassie.

"They are sanitized, nothing more than mindless zombies, pledging their obedience to Kamabo, you've dealt with sanitized octolings? And what's Tartar?" questioned Levi as he stumbled a little, only to held up by Callie.

"Like agent 2 mentioned, we'll start asking questions after we've gotten that ink off of you," said Cassie as she motioned away.

Cassie led the way, with Marie and Callie walking beside Levi, keeping him balanced as they continued toward tentakeel outpost, the staging area and recruit site of the squidbeak squad. Using another kettle to shoot to the one at the edge of the training grounds, just outside of the outpost. The squidbeak agents managed to make it back as Levi was helped out of the kettle, already nauseous from the ink and the trip through the kettle didn't make things any better for him as Callie tried keeping him up on his feet until she helped toward the ornate shack and sat him down.

"I might as well fix some tea," said Marie.

"What about me getting cleaned up. I'm sure you don't have a shower or a fresh set of clothes I could wear," Levi reminded the inklings.

"No we don't but I do have this," said Cassie as she pulled out what appeared to be large fish like robot.

"And that's..." Levi asked, dumbfounded by the metal guppy.

"A suckerfish, it sucks up ink. You'll be clean in no time," she told him as the robotic fish skidded over to Seth, crawling up his leg and cleaning the ink off is body. It was strange, it was like one of those self-propelled vacuums but instead if dirt it was absorbing the ink. He fell off the bench as the suckerfish finished cleaning his body. Once it was done it scurried away and powered down.

Callie chuckled and Cassie walked away as soon as she saw that the human was cleaned of all the octarian ink. The squid sister helped him up as she sat beside him on the bench. "So Levi... you don't mind telling me about yourself," she asked him.

Levi was a little nervous, was this inkling hitting on him. By her behavior it looked like it as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I guess you can say I'm an agent like you guys. Sam told me about the squidbeak squad and what your mission was, though she wasn't happy about and said her hand was forced," said Levi.

"You don't understand Levi, Cassie really wanted... How do I say this, oh squid... my brain isn't working right now,"

"I don't think you hardly work it all, Cal,"

"Ooooh, shut up Marie,"

"I see someone's cleaned up, you must feel better, even if you're having to hang around my cousin,"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take it easy Callie, I'm just squiddin' with ya,"

"You're always picking on me,"

"So you two are cousins,"

"Yep! Me and Marie have been like sisters since we were squidlets back in Calamari county. That's where we got are start on being the pop duo, the squid sisters!" Callie said with excitement as she fists pumped in the air.

"Pop duo... as in singers?"

"Not anymore... which isn't a bad thing. I don't miss it,"

"Well, I do... I miss singing at the splatfest and spectating the turf war battles," said Callie.

"You just liked the attention Cal, especially when your team would win the splatfests,"

"Well team Marie won the final splatfest, if you remember,"

"Yeah... and then I nearly lost you,"

"Aww...Marie," said Callie as she sniffled a little as she reached over to hug her cousin. As soon as they pulled away they looked back at Levi.

"You said you were an agent, with whom may I ask," said Marie, peaking her curiosity.

"I'm part of a resistance movement I guess you can say. I was sent here to track down Kamabo's pre-war facilities and hypocenters. Sam found me at a rocket site that was owned by Kamabo where I was data mining until those sanitized assholes breached the building, but we managed to scave them off and escape. They were highly volatile to ink, I'm curious as to why," said Levi.

"Sam did mention sanitized humans and how they dissolved when they were hit with ink but you on the other hand don't seem too effected by it. Where did these sanitized humans come from?"

"Kamabo deployed them to track me down. I got something they want and I'll just leave it that. They won't stop until I'm either caught or dead,"

"Oh, my cod, Marie we have to help him,"

"No, I'm not getting any more people dragged into my problems. I already told Sam that and people back home have already paid the price for helping me. Look... I'm really glad you saved me from those octarians but I have to go, as of right now I'm putting you in danger being here and I got to finish my mission. Piper and the others are counting on me,"

"I understand, we have our own mission too but... being the only, well second human that we've came in contact with, you're very valuable to the octarians. If you were to get caught, it wouldn't good for us or Inkopolis. They took Callie years ago and were gonna use my cousin to try and control the inklings,"

"Yeah, Levi. I don't wanna see those octojerks take you away and use you,"

Marie gave a smirk as she looked at how Callie was latching onto Levi. She turned and saw the expression on her cousin's face. "What are you smiling at?" she asked Marie.

"Oh nothing... you sure are clingy with Levi and you just met him, like you're his girlfriend,"

"It's not like that! I... we just met him and... ooooh, stop picking on me!"

"I think it's kind cute... seems you got an attraction for humans. Levi's the third one you got a knack for,"

Feeling awkward, he scooted away as the two inklings feuded, I had to leave and get back to locating the hypocenter or should I say cryo-facility that Seth had woken up in.

As Levi hug around at Tentakeel Outpost as it was named. Off in the near distance, the sanitized unit that escaped the assault from the octarian army left the dome and made it back above ground. Onboard the V-22 VTOL, one of the soldiers from the phantom unit was eyeing a tactical laptop that was retrieving feed from a predator drone that had been flying over octo canyon, keeping a close observation of any activity from the sky.

"Those fowl creatures nearly wiped out all my men! We have to report this back to HQ about the cephalopod-based inhabitants and how effective their ink-based weapons are," said the sanitized commander that looked like Seth.

"Are we RTB captain?"

"Negative, we'll stay in the area and locate a place to setup base camp once the drone's reconnaissance has verified a secure location for us,"

"Captain, I've got something!"

"What is it?"

"I'm picking up five figures below the drone's location with no heat signatures except one,"

"Revert the display to normal," ordered their commander as the soldier switched from IR to Satellite imagery. He zoomed in where the figures were and recognized one of them as Levi, their intended target,"

"What's the coordinates?" He asked. Once he knew the grid location, he commanded the pilots to head in the direction where Seth and the agents were at. "You won't get away this time vagrant. Everyone gear up and prepare to move in once we've arrived at the target's location,"

"Captain, what about the creatures?"

"Keep Hawk eye's view on the target, if he breaks away, we'll go in and grab him up before they can react. Remember to use the smoke grenades, watch your sectors, and keep those creatures out of range,"

"ETA 10 mikes," informed the pilot.

Meanwhile, back at Tentakeel Outpost, agent 3 or Cassie, left for the training area on the other end of the outpost through the rock archway. She wanted time to think to for herself and sat near the edge of the ravine, looking out toward the direction of Inkopolis. She thought about her time when she had just joined the squidbeak years ago, working under captain cuttlefish. She never would've believed a squid like her would become an agent, fighting the octarians and getting the zapfish, and defeating their leader, DJ Octavio. Then she thought about Izzy, how Tentakeel Outpost was the place where she was recruited by Marie while she and Cuttlefish ventured out to discover the deepsea metro and encounter the sanitized octarians that went missing. She saved Cuttlefish and agent 8 from getting from getting blended by Tartar, only to get captured herself and become sanitized as she battled agent 8 under the influence of the genocidal phone.

She looked back up toward the sky, watching the clouds go by and gave a deep sigh. Pulling the captain's hat off her head and looking at, "Capt'n... I wish you were here right now. I don't think I'm cut out for this. Izzy's missing and now I'm having to worry about Sam and the other agents," she muttered as place the hat beside her and downed her face in anguish. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder before she turned and spotted Cuttlefish looking at her.

"I made it back lass. You keepin' them octarians at bay?" he asked her.

"Cuttlefish... I'm mean capt'n,"

"Aye, I didn't miss too much did I and me grandsquids?"

"Oh, Capt'n... I'm so glad you're here. I can't do this anymore... please take back leadership," she told him, hugging the old inkling and pulling away as she tried to hand him back over his cap.

"Oh no, lass... you're the captain now. Them days are over for me... I can trust you to lead the new squidbeak platoon,"

"But I don't want to... I want to go back to my old life. Why not make Callie or Marie lead the squidbeak,"

"You've shown me dedication and what it takes to be a true squidbeak agent, you remind me of myself at your age and I've asked my grandsquids to assist you. I know you can do it,"

"(groan) You're determined to make me do this even though I don't wanna. Cuttlefish, you know I can't keep doing this... please try and find someone to take my spot,"

"Are you sure... I couldn't think of anyone more trustworthy than you, I do you think I picked you. Seems only yesterday when I raised that sewer grate back at the plaza and saw you. I knew then you were the right squid for the job,"

"(deep sigh) Captain I... " She started to say only for the old inkling to look at her with confidence. She was fighting to decline but guilt gave way and she felt she had no choice but to stay as the captain, though she didn't want it to be a permanent task for her. "I wouldn't be much of an agent if I quit would I," she said as she looked at Cuttlefish anxiously.

"Somebody's gotta take my place before I shrivel up into squid jerky. I won't always be here for my grandsquids to look after me and an agent that needs a good konk on the head," said Cuttlefish as barely taped Cassie on the noggin with his bamboozler cane. He gave a cheerful expression as she chuckled before she gave Cuttlefish a quick hug.

"So where's them grandsquids of mine? I wanna let em know I made it back," he told Cassie as she let go of him.

"Callie and Marie are at the shack. There's something you have to know captain... don't get alarmed for what I'm about to tell you..."

"What is it? Did Octavio bust out again! That darn octopus... we won't stop until..."

"No it isn't that, believe or not but the octarians took Octavio into custody. I guess you can say we're at peace or so they say, even though their actions say otherwise but that was part of the treaty. The Inkopolis government was even dumb enough to hand over some of the zapfish,"

"What! They outta know better than to trust them octarians!"

"We know but... (sigh) anyway, that's what I wanted to alarm you about, well not at this moment anyway. I got agents spying on the octarians as we speak but something else has surfaced, something that poses a greater danger than the octarians,"

"Something more dangerous than the octarians?"

"Yes, captain... we thought they were long extinct. It seems... humans have been alive this whole time," explained Cassie.

Cuttlefish raised an eyebrow; he couldn't believe that humans were still around this whole time. "Lass, there's way you can make me believe humans are alive. I can remember when Ammoses dug them fossils up after the great turf war. He was always fascinated by them, but humans have long been dead. Why would say such a ridiculous thing,"

"Because captain, there's one here right now, Callie and Marie are watching over him as we speak,"

"I don't know of that ole' cap of mind is restricting the ink from that brain of yours. You'd have a better chance of getting me to believe that Octavio would wanna be friends again,"

"I guess you'll have to see for yourself, c'mon captain,"

Levi was sitting on the bench beside Callie, a tea table was perched between them and Marie who sat on a mat as she finished sipping her tea. The three of them were talking but then Marie's attention was gotten when she saw Cassie accompanying her grandfather, Cuttlefish. "Gramps!" Marie exclaimed as she put her teacup down and rushed over. Callie also turned and saw the elderly inkling and got up behind Marie.

"Gramps! You're back!" shouted Callie with glee as she hugged Cuttlefish.

"I'm glad to see my grandsquids, you deal with them octarians yet?" he asked them.

"Um, no gramps... you see, the inklings and octarians are at peace again,"

"What Cal means is a fake peace; they haven't tried anything yet or at least haven't gotten caught. Did Cassie explain to what was going on?"

"A little bit, My tentacles went into a twist when I heard about Octavio be handed over as well as the zapfish. How could they think of doing something like, do they got ink for brains,"

"It's unsettling that's for sure but there's nothing we can do about but keep an eye on them,"

"The lass mentioned something about humans... surely she's just pulling my tentacles,"

"No, she's not... as a matter of fact," Marie started and as if on cue, Levi who was curious walked over to where the inklings were. Hearing footsteps, Marie and Callie moved over to reveal the human to their grandfather. "Umm, gramps... we like you to meet Levi," said Callie as he waved at Cuttlefish awkwardly.

Cuttlefish's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his, well more so than they normally looked. "A...a... HUMAN!" he shouted before collapsed and fell to the ground.

'GRAMPS!" The squid sisters shouted, coming to their grandfather's aid. They sat him as his eyes slowly opened. Raising his bamboozler at Levi as it shook. "I... don't believe...this isn't possible, hu...humans are extinct," he stammered weakly, in total shock of seeing the prescience of a human.

"Callie get him a krabby cake, that'll probably bring him around," she asked her cousin.

"Sure thing," Callie said as she rushed for the shack to get him some food.

"Is, he gonna be alright?" asked Levi.

"He's Cuttlefish, he survived the great turf war... he just got spooked seeing you," said Marie.

Then Callie ran back over with a Krabby cake and handed it over to her cousin. "Gramps, eat this," she told him. As soon as Cuttlefish finished the cake he found the strength to get up. Giving a deep breath as he tapped his cane on the ground. "I'm having a hard believing what I'm seeing. This can't be possible, it can't be," muttered Cuttlefish.

"We didn't think so either gramps,"

"Levi's fresh! He helped Sam kick those sanitized humans' butts,"

"You mean to tell me that me there's more humans!?"

"That's the threat I was talking about captain, Levi could tell you more about it," said Cassie. As Cuttlefish studied Levi, a feeling of uncertainty and unease came across him. The exsistence of humans was now something the inklings had to take in consideration and bad of danger they posed for them and Inkopolis. As time passed, Levi explained his situation and everything from who he was to why he was there. The sanitized soldiers and kamabo. Feeling even more distress to hear about soldiers and mankind surviving the resource wars, the nukes and the oceanic flooding that wiped out their civilization. Cuttlefish got up once Levi was done talking, he closed his eyes and placed his hand under his beard. Not being able to contemplate on what Levi had told him. It was a ;ot to take in, not to mention having no knowledge of humans other than the fossils they were dug up and the technology and culture they left behind.

"Gramps, you, ok?" asked Callie.

"Yeah, I don't know how to act to any of this. We've always had to about them darn octarians and now we have to worry about these sanitized humans,"

"I'm sorry they tracked me down. Once I've completed my mission I'll leave and sure they will too,"

"I know you mean well and didn't intend on bringing them here. It's just this has made matters worse for us. How are supposed to fight humans?"

"You won't. They're not after you but me... I didn't mean to place my problems on your doorstep, more the reason why I need to locate the Kamabo sites and retrieve their data. I don't wanna over stay my welcome, thank you everything but I must get going. It was pleasure meeting you,"

"Levi, don't go..."

"I have to,"

Just as he walked away, Cassie squid jumped in front of him and blocked his path. "We can't make you stay but... before you do, I want you to take something... consider it a gift, something to remember us by," said the veteran agent as pulled out what appeared to be a high-vis vest with reflector strips. "Take this,"

"A... safety vest... I'm trying to stay out of sight, not attract attention," he told her.

"It's my old agent vest... I want you to have it. Consider yourself an honorary squidbeak agent,"

"I... don't know what to say... um thank you, I think,"

"Wait a second, can a human even be a squidbeak agent?" asked Marie.

"Yeah, we've never recruited a human since we thought they were dead,"

"The lass is in charge, it's up to her,"

"I guess we can't see why not since you recruited that octoling,"

"A squidbeak agent huh, technically I can't be part of another organization if I'm already an agent,"

"True... but do to the circumstances, I need someone like you, being human yourself you know much more about these sanitized humans and how to deal with them. Just keep us informed and try not to get caught by those octopi,"

"Since you've me I can't deny helping you, anyway we can stay touch?"

"Once Sheldon sends out another drone I'll see if can monitor your progress like the other agents. Another before you go... here, take this with you,"

"What is it?"

"A Squid beacon... all you do is press that button and it'll deploy this little satellite dish to let us know where you're at, if you run into trouble," handing him what looked a large TV remote in the shape of an arrow, except for one big button in the middle of it.

"Huh, interesting," Levi said, as he placed the device in his pocket.

"Good luck, agent Levi," saluted Cassie.

Levi chuckled and stood at attention as he saluted as you'd see a soldier do. He gave an about face but was startled when he saw Callie and Marie behind him. "Levi's now officially a squidbeak agent!" she shouted as she pumped her fist in the air. "Isn't this fresh Marie, the first human agent in the squidbeak!" as she grabbed Marie and shook her shoulders.

"Calm down Cal, It's just... I hope Cassie is making the right decision doing this,"

"Why shouldn't she?"

"Being a target for not only those sanitized humans we've heard about but also the octarians, letting him go like this is just concerns me, anything can happen. He maybe impervious to ink, but being human, I'm sure he can't respawn,"

"That means that if he... oh my cod Marie, what should we do? We can't let him go,"

"Callie... there's no use in stopping him, let's just hope for the best,"

Levi headed through the archway to the training ground where he would head back to octo canyon to find the cryo-facility and hopefully run into Sam. He looked back at the inklings, Cassie and Cuttlefish have expressions of confidence, but Marie and Callie were in contrast, a look of worry on their faces seeing the human, knowing what dangers he was suseptable to. Continuing on until he half way at the kettle, he then heard footsteps racing behind him. It was Marie.

"Levi, wait... I have to tell you something,"

"What is it?"

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I'm sure... If you're that concerned don't be,"

"Well we should, I... we just meet you. I guess you can say I've never warmed up to a person this fast before, not even agent 4 when I trained her years ago to find Callie. You... seem like a good guy, please do be careful,"

"I will, I made it this far haven't I... my friends back home are counting on me, once I'm done here then I'll find a way back home,"

"Will we ever see you again,"

"I can't say,"

"I see... best of luck, Levi,"

"Thank you and I hope you stop this war between you and the octarians. Mankind went extinct because of war, and I don't wanna see anyone else fall down that path. I can honestly say, you guys have been more civilized than some of the humans I've run across back where I came from. I hope we do cross paths again," he told her as he slowly moved in to give her a hug. An expression of wonderment appeared on Marie's face as she blushed and placed her hand on Levi's back before he let go and headed toward the kettle.

Marie closed her hand and placed it over her chest. She had never felt like toward anyone before, though Levi was different being a human, his personality was somewhat noble and selfless, it attracted her and to know he would leave saddened her. Did the pop star agent fall for him, being as reserved and stoic as she was. She could feel her hearts racing, as if she had fallen in love.

As she watched Levi get closer to the kettle, she wanted to stop him, even if he had to go but instead, she turned away, she didn't wanna watch the human shoot away. As she heard the sound of the kettle lid being flipped open, she heard another noise, on in the distance that was getting closer. The sound of rotors and then Levi started to hear it. He looked toward the precipice and watched a V-22 ascend out from the gorge. The pilots staring right at him as she shielded himself from the rotor's gust as the VTOL hovered and rotated to where the ramp opened, revealing the sanitized soldiers inside it.

"Oh shit!" he shouted. Marie and the others watched in horror and astonishment, seeing the large aircraft hover over the edge of the training area. The sanitized commander was holding a net gun which he shot down at Levi, catching him. He struggled to get free, but the net zapped him, and he screamed in pain.

"Levi!" yelled Marie as she pulled out her hero charger. Soon Callie as well as Cassie rushed over toward her to help Marie try and stop the soldiers from abducting Levi. Two of the sanitized soldiers lobbed smoke grenades toward the inklings as they charged at them, stopping them from advancing toward them and cover their escape.

"We got the target! Get him loaded so we can RTB!" the sanitized commander ordered. Two of the soldiers grabbed him and dragged him inside the V-22. The inklings were coughing from the smoke and couldn't. After a few seconds, Marie could make out Levi being pulled inside the aircraft, she panicked at had to act quickly before the soldiers could close the ramp and get away. Aiming her hero shot, she lined her crosshairs on the soldier dragging Levi, pulling the trigger and striking him as he fell back.

"Return fire!" shouted another soldier seeing one of them get hit. They kneeled down started firing toward the smoke plume. As shots rang out, the inklings took cover in their squid forms. Marie attempted to take another shot but missed as the soldiers shot toward her.

Callie couldn't use her roller and Cassie's hero shot was out of their range. The chances of hindering their efforts of taking Levi was looking slim. They had to come up with a strategy. "Mount up!" the commander ordered.

"Roger that, covering our six," one of the soldiers complied.

"No! Levi! We let them get away! Callie! You have to try and reach Levi before it's too late. Me and Cassie will try and cover you!"

"Marie, my hero shot is not gonna be able to..."

"Use me bamboozler lass," said Cuttlefish, coming out of nowhere and handing his cane over to the veteran agent. Popping the end cover and pumping the handle back, she gave steady aim and lined the bamboozler up with one of the soldiers as did Marie. Both of them hit their marks as the two soldiers were dropped and soon dissolved. This gave Callie the opportunity to run toward the VTOL and snare up Levi, but the commander kneeled down and aimed his SIG Virtus SBR at the inkling. He shot but Callie squid formed and then changed back as she jumped toward the sanitized commander, wielding her hero roller and swing at the human, launching him back toward the floor.

Callie then tried getting Levi out of the net was caught in and soon freed him, pulling him up as he followed her out, only to be grabbed by the soldier that looked like Seth. He was pulled by the arm and thrown back into the cargo bay of the VTOL. "You're not going anywhere, especially with the drive. hand it over or I'll kill you take it off your lifeless body," the soldier demanded as he aimed his sidearm at Levi.

"F You and Kamabo, you want the drive, go and get it," said Seth as pulled the flash drive out of his pocket and threw it out of the VTOL.

"Big mistake," growled the soldier as he cocked the pistol. Taking no time, before the soldier pulled the trigger, Levi lunged at him as the gun went off. The two of them wrestled with the weapon, Levi managed to break the pistol from his grip as it dropped to the floor. The soldier bared his fangs and swung his fist into Levi's face, causing him to flail back and give him an opportunity to retrieve the pistol.

As he reached for it, a black squid with pink ends on her tentacles jumped on his head and covered his face. The commander started cursing as he tried yanking the squid off of him. Levi got up and tackled the man as Callie jumped off, letting Levi punch him as he pinned the sanitized assailant to the floor, until he was dazed and got off of him. "C'mon Levi!" Callie cried out, waving him to follow her out of the VTOL. As he followed her off, Marie screamed at Levi. "Behind you!".

Looking back, the commander had gotten up and aimed the pistol toward Levi but before he shot, Marie shot at him and he fell, but wasn't dead. He pulled the trigger prematurely as it shot toward the cargo hold ceiling and deflected toward the laptop controlling the drone. Once it was hit, it armed itself and launched a hellfire missile down toward the location of the VTOL. The missile came down and struck the cliff face, the blast rocked the VTOL as it spun. Levi was hanging on to the ramp with the V-22 now out of control. As the ramp swung back around, he jumped onto the ledge of the training area and watched the V-22 continue to lose altitude, soon the missile's strike, caused the training area to collapse and Levi found himself sliding down and grabbing a hold of a rail before he would plumet down to the gorge.

"Levi! hang on! "Shouted Marie. She tried reaching down to grab Levi's hand but couldn't reach. Callie as well as Cassie held on tp the Marie so she wouldn't fall. Using her hero charger, she attempted to use it for something he could reach but right as he nearly touched it. The V-22 careened toward him and the collapsing platform he was handing on. It slammed into the ravine and bucked Levi off as he fell down toward the canyon along with the damaged V-22. Watching him fall and seeing the aircraft descend and explode on the bottom below, filled the inklings with pure despair. Marie was pulled up and she and Callie held each other. A tear ran down her eye as well as Callie.

Cassie clinched her fist and threw the bamboozler down. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Cuttlefish. "I'm... so sorry about the lad," he said, sensing the sadness in his voice.

"Levi he... can't be dead," she said to herself. As far down as the gorge went, Levi's body couldn't be seen as smoke bellowed up from the crashed VTOL. It was this point the chances of the human surviving the fall were slim to none.

Back at Octo base also known as Cephalon Base, deep in the research lab. The octarians scientists were conducting test on a human they obtained. Not too long after he was brought in he died and succumbed to a condition that looked too familiar to the scientists, sharing the same traits as the octarians that were rescued from the deep sea metro.

Placed in an isolated area where he could be studied and dissected for research. The octarians hovered over his body which was placed on an operating table. "Let's begin shall we. We'll start with opening the chest, Eve hand me the scalpel," asked Silas.

The octoling handed it to him but she was having regrets. As Silas started to lay the blade on his skin, Eve grabbed his attention. "Is this really necessary Silas?" she asked him.

"(Sigh) Eve, we've already went over this. As part of the project, we must, and Marcus is sitting in a cell because we've failed in our progress. We can't push our luck anymore because if Spectra returns, she may have Marcus splatted or either of us for not achieving the results they are expecting," he told the female researcher.

"I know... do what you must Silas. I don't wanna see anything happen to Marcus or you,"

As Silas proceeded to cut an incision into the human subject, he jolted awake as he gave a gasp of air. "What the shrimp!" shouted Eve as she reeled back. Silas did the same as he dropped the scalpel. "H... he's supposed to be dead, or I thought," stammered Silas. The other octoling scientists backed away, stunned by the human who was sitting up out of the bed. Once he had opened his eyes, they were black with green glowing pupils.

"He's sanitized! Seal the lab!" one of the octolings shouted. The human turned and looked at Silas and Eve, narrowing his eyes as he got up and clinched his fist. As he stepped toward Eve, Silas stood in front of her, shielding the female before the human felt a jeering pain in his head and fell to his knees.

He screamed as he could see memories of his past before his sanitization. The life he had before the oceans consumed the world and when he was placed in cryostasis. He remembered his wife and 5-year-old daughter playing in a park and then fleeing to get away from the nuclear detonation outside the city and being rescued only to be forced into a pod along with his family. While the human was trapped in thought, Silas took the opportunity to restrain him, with the help of the other octolings, as they held him down and tried to sedate him.

He fought with them, until he managed to break free and rush out of the room. The alarms were set off, which put the base on high alert. Keeping him contained until the octarian soldiers arrived to subdue him. He rushed past the octolings, knocking beakers and other equipment on the floor as they tried to catch him, then they managed to corner him. He growled at the octolings, picking up a chair and throwing it at them but they evaded it, and the sanitized human broke through them and headed for the lab exit. Just as he got in front of the doors, they opened and in stormed some troopers and a team of octolings, aiming their weapons at him.

"Freeze!" they commanded him.

He backed away with a frightened expression, seeing they were armed. "Keep your octoshots on that... what is that thing!"

"It's a human! Please refrain from harming him!" Silas urged.

"Keep your octoshots on it!" the octoling told her troops.

The human was determined to escape, not knowing what was happening but certainly didn't want to be corralled like a wild animal. He lunged toward the octarians but they shot him, covering his chest with ink as he screamed from the corrosive effects of the purple substance. "Oh no, oh no..." cried out Eve who rushed to his aid, trying to get the ink off of him. "Somebody get a towel or something!"

Silas got by her side and tried helping her but it no use. The ink ate away at him, Eve sat him up and looked at him with dread in her eyes. He turned to look back at her, his eyes half-way open as he was breathing heavily. "Hang on, it's ok..." she told him. He blinked and slowly shook his head, knowing he was about to die as he reached his hand out to her, before closing his eyes and finally dissolving away. Eve wanted to cry, seeing that the human was just afraid and confused about what had happened. The octoling soldiers approached them with stoic expressions.

"Care to explain what happened?" the octoling sergeant asked.

"We asked you not to harm him," Eve told her, upset by the human's avoidable demise.

"It tried to attack us! What am I supposed to do? Let it... this incident is being reported to Spectra immediately,"

"We tried to keep the situation under control, until you octopi barged in," Silas told her, upset himself.

"The alarm was raised, you know protocol and you failed to keep that creature contained and not only that, it was sanitized... why wasn't it in confinement,"

"Because it was human! We told you that as you aimed your weapons at him," Eve snapped, with a tear running down her cheek.

"I need not ask what you eggheads are doing down here but this will be brought up and I'm sure command will not be pleased about this," the octoling said to them harshly before she along with her unit and troopers left out of the lab.

"She didn't have to kill him," Eve said to Silas as she sat on her legs, staring back at the puddle that was the human.

"Eve, you're being quite emotional about this... I know this is a critical loss on our research and puts us back at square one but..."

"I don't care about the research Silas, that human had no recollection of who he was. It was like looking into the eyes of many of the other octarians we had to de-sanitize, the pain of not knowing who they were, the process of purging them from that horrific state,"

"Yes, Eve... I could imagine what those octarians went through and what that human might have to endure. We have to move on and continue the research with the samples we retrieved," he told as he helped her up. He looked at the other scientist and told them to collect the green substance that was left from the human.

"When will this be over?" Eve asked as she got up.

"What do mean?"

"You know what I mean... the same reason Velma left... and everyone else that left the valley... like Marina,"

"Eve, talk like that will get you thrown in the stockades with Marcus. If you're even thinking about running away like Velma then you better reconsider. I'm sure security has been tightened. Please don't even contemplate on even..."

"I wouldn't... leaving you, Marcus and the rest of the research staff behind. Knowing I could get you all in trouble and even accused of helping me,"

Then, the lab doors opened, and in stepped one of the octolings from the unit that shot the sanitized human. "Eve, keep quiet," Silas told her, wondering why the octoling had returned. "What do you want?" Silas asked the octoling soldier. She stepped forward and removed her goggles.

"I overheard everything from behind the door," she informed them.

"She didn't mean any of it, I swear... please don't take her in,"

"I wasn't,"

"Then why are you here?"

"I would tell you but that depends... how loyal are you to Scarlet? What's your perception on the octo-rebels?"

"Is this some kind of test, why not just tell us why you came back to the lab," Sials harped at the octoling soldier.

"... I'm taking a risk explaining myself... but by how your colleague feels. I guess I can chance it... the name's Ginger. I'm a rebel, watching and listening in on these inkheads, seeing what they're planning next and relaying the intel back to my superior, but can you keep that a secret between us?" she asked them as she watched the scientists talk amongst each other about her revealed identity.

"You've garnered our attention to say the least... you know what this could mean," Silas hinted to her.

"I know... I was taking the chance, but I wanted your trust. Face it, you're miserable and you're being pushed to do all this research in a limited amount of time before Scarlet initiates the invasion... and I do know about the inkling captives as well as Scarlet wanting to bring back humans for this unsplattable army she wants to create. You've already had to deal with the repercussions of what happens when things don't get done. Your friend is already paying for it but every now and then, I sneak and check up on him, talking to him, giving him messages and keeping him from going stir crazy in that lonely dark cell of his,"

"You've been talking with Marcus," asked Eve.

"I have and he's thankful that someone is keeping his hopes up. He's often asked about you guys," she replied.

"I'm glad to hear Marcus is getting by and like him I'm obliged by you keeping him company when you can, but we're already in hot water as it is. You being here and telling us you're a rebel is jeopardizing our welfare... I have to ask that you leave, but I won't inform anybody on who you really are," Silas advised.

"I'm a little disappointed by your perspective, ask yourself, after what had happened, and that sergeant threatened to report the incident with that human. How do you think Scarlet will feel that you let a human die like that. I can see her right now, getting furious and ordering you scientists be thrown in the stockades if not worse like some angry queen," Ginger told them as they looked nervously at each other.

"I don't know if this some kind of scare tactic or what, if you're suggesting we defect then you're crazy," Silas told her.

"Silas... you know very well how displeased command is gonna be after they hear what happened in the lab. We're expendable, you seen what happened to Marcus and Velma," Eve said to him.

"I'm shocked, hearing this coming from you... are you hearing yourself right now,"

"I'm not asking to risk your tentacles but just to stay in contact, keep me up to date on what goes on this lab," said Ginger, trying to ease their predicament.

"I'm not so sure about this. How can you ensure our safety? Ask me that," Silas responded.

"Simple... I can't,"

"That's promising," said Eve.

"Things may seem bad but what do you really got to lose. Just help me, that's all I'm asking. Would you rather stay under their thumb or believe in liberation,"

Silas looked at Eve, knowing they were putting their lives on the line just for even sharing intel with the rebel mole. "We're entrusting you with our lives that our cooperation will not get discovered," Silas told Ginger.

"I'll do my part, don't you worry... I could say the same to you," she said as the two shook hands before she left out of the lab. Before she stepped out, she looked at Eve, who was eyeing her critically. "Please don't see me as the enemy... but as an octarian who wants nothing more than to topple Scarlet's regime," she finally said as she exited the lab.

"So... what do you really think Silas. You think she's telling the truth?" asked Eve.

"She has to be... let's not discuss this anymore. We'll play along but stay mindful,"

Eve noticed a paper folded into Silas's pocket that wasn't there before. "What's that?" she asked him before he looked down and grabbed it. He unfolded it and noticed, "This is from Marcus, I recognize his handwriting anywhere," he said, holding it up.

"What's it say?" Eve asked.

The note read:

Silas, Eve, If you get this as Ginger said she would take it to you. I want you to know that I'm faring well in this cell thanks to her staying in limited contact with me. I'm sure you're worried but don't be. Ginger opened my eyes and I hope you'll do the same. We've always been told how the inklings and now the rebels pose a threat to octarian society. We were wrong, the rebels want to help and free us from Scarlet's influence. We need to help them if means freedom for our race and peace among the inklings.

The note was inspiring and made Silas think if he was willing to support the defectors then why couldn't he. It was Spectra that had Velma killed and she's the one that imprisoned Marcus. Eve stared at him as well as everyone else in the lab. He folded the paper back up and placed it back in his pocket out of sight.

It was nearing mid-day. At the main gate of Caphalon base, an armed convoy pulled up. Guards stood at attention and the flooder was showering ink down on the road before the vehicles would be cleared. Octosnipers were perched in their towers and octostrikers hovered about, scanning their surroundings. The vehicle's window rolled down, revealing General Scarlet. The guard commander gave a salute and ordered the others to let her through as the flooder shut off.

Once the convoy continued into the base, unsuspectedly underneath the platform bridge, a trio of octolings along with appeared to a trooper without its scooter were waiting as the column of vehicles crossed. An ink charge was planted under the bridge, in an attempt to assassinate the general. They were rebel sympathizers, tired of being under the tyranny of the octarian military system, they wanted to send a message but unfortunately for them as the convoy passed the charge didn't go off as the octoling pressed the detonator. She punched it and even threw it before it finally exploded but only blew a hole on the bridge under the rear octostamp tank, missing their target as it fell through and crashed down on the bottom.

The scene was sort of comical as the octoling rebel sympathizers were caught by surprise when the bomb finally went off. One of them nearly falling down themself only to get grabbed by the trooper.

Up on the bridge the convoy stopped to a grinding halt, causing the base to be placed under alert as the flooder came back on and the gate was quickly shut. The guards scrambled to the scene of the incident and checked on the general. When the guards looked down, they spotted the saboteurs. "Halt!" one guard shouted, aiming her octo shot down at them.

The saboteurs panicked and tried to flee. One of them getting hit in the back but her friend came to her aid and grabbed her up. The general got out of her armored SUV and looked at the guards. She was soon approached by Spectra and her armed entourage. "General, are you OK?" the elite with the beret asked her.

"I'm fine colonel... just see something is done about this!"

"Colonel, we have three octolings and one trooper attempting to flee the scene,"

"Deal with them immediately! Inked or captured!"

"Yes, ma'am,"

"I'm not even safe coming into my own base. Spectra, I entrusted you to make sure everything is secured and then this happens,"

"General, I can ensure you that someone will answer for this,"

"See that they do, I was nearly inked... and what's this about a human,"

"There was an incident in the lab, I'll brief you on it and the octolings that were questioned about where they found him and there's something else you must know... something very alarming, something that poses an imminent threat to us. I've done gotten reports of what we believe is an invasion, an invasion by humans and not just any humans... sanitized humans,"

"S...sanitized!"

"I wish I were making this up but unfortunately, none have been captured. Only splatted but we managed to capture some of their gear and weapons for study. The engineers are going through it right now to see if it could any of it could be of use to us,"

Just as the saboteurs thought they could get away they were cut off. The four of them were apprehended and brought before Spectra and Scarlet. Bashed in the back, causing them to fall to their knees, they were then ordered to place their hands behind their backs. "Care to tell us why you attempted to kill the general?" asked Spectra.

The three octolings and one trooper didn't reply. "I asked you a question you worthless bags of ink. Whose idea was this!?" she demanded they answer as they still kept their mouths shut.

"Silent huh... if you won't talk then I guess we'll just have to splat you,"

"It was me!" shouted the octoling in the middle.

"Elaborate!"

"All you've done is control and fool us to thinking the inklings are our enemy. You blame the defectors for taking the zapfish from the domes when I've witnessed myself that the octarians are doing it. Depriving other sectors from power to push our general's agenda. You're worse than Octavio you self-gratifying octopus. I hope the defectors ink every last one of you..." she ranted before she was grabbed by the neck.

"You dare insult the general with these accusations! I should choke the life out of you right now until you're face turns as red as your tentacles. You think siding up with the rebels is glorifying your cause... how I see it, you're worse than the inkstains, rats with tentacles... but I appreciate your modesty and sticking up for your little team of troublemakers... know it just cost you dearly," sneered Spectra as she let go of her, gasping for air and watching Spectra signal her soldiers to splat the other two octolings and trooper.

"That's the reward anyone gets for defecting," Spectra told the saboteur as she raised her N-Zap and shot the octoling defector in the head before she splatted on the ground.

"Make sure something like this doesn't happen again or it might be you the one getting splatted Spectra," Scarlet told her. As the general turned away, Spectra scowled at her.

Outside of the octarian capital, Octavio wandered around for a way to leave octo valley and head top side for help. With his own race, especially his granddaughter Scarlet wanting him dead, as he assumed, staying underground was not safe, he had no choice but to vacate octarian territory and the only person he could think of that might help was Cuttlefish even if they were bitter enemies. Octavio could remember when he and Cuttlefish were the best of friends before the great turf war. Would the old inkling help him in his time of need? he would like to hope, especially since he was no longer in command of the octarian army.

"(grumbling) I can't believe I'm having to go to that old hipster, Cuttlefish," brooded Octavio.

"I used to be respected by my people and feared by those inkstains, now I'm getting dissed by those degenerate octopi. That granddaughter is gonna pay once I dubstomp her into oblivion!" he ranted.

As he spotted a tea kettle, he remembered, he was too big to use them, already being in his octo form permanently... A condition he garnered after the great turf war, having lost the ability to change to his bipedal form. His only means of getting around was the octobot king, a giant robot slash DJ station constructed from octo tech. How could he get to the surface, now realizing this?

"(grumbling) Without the octobot king, how am I supposed to reach Cuttlefish?" he asked himself with frustration. Growling and kicking the metal kettle.

Soon, he heard a noise approaching, looking around he spotted an octoseeker flying toward him. Getting out of sight and slipping behind the kettle to try and hide as the large octopus crouched down. He watched the octarian craft hover overhead and did his best to stay out of sight.

"See anything?" asked the octoling to the twintacle pilot.

"A whole lot of nothing," it replied.

"Keep going, we recovered Octavio's helmet outside the palace, he couldn't have gotten far. Spectra is counting on us bringing him in or splatting that big oaf," said the octoling. The octoseeker flew past Octavio and the kettle as it turned away, deeper into the dome they were in. "Hipster traitors!" Octavio yelled as he shook his tentacle. "(sigh) What am I supposed to do now,"

Octavio moved from behind the kettle and thought things over. He was stuck with no way of getting around. He looked back at the kettle as silly as the idea was, he jumped inside, despite his girth, squeezing and squirming to fit in it as the lid fell and popped him on the head. Then the kettle started to boil and then shake violently as it made strange noises. "That doesn't sound good," Octavio said as the noise got more and more high pitched until, BOOM! The kettle exploded and propelled the big octopus up into the air, like a bullet shooting out of a gun. He smacked right into one of the monitors above. Spread out, as if something from a cartoon before he fell down and gargled as he went.

Once he hit the ground, he was knocked out momentarily, raising his big head, seeing stars. "Ugh...DJ Octavio in da house..." he said while he was dazed, his face planting back into the dirt. Once he recuperated, he shook his head and got up.

Angered more than anything, he bellowed and shook his tentacles at the fake sky. "Why in the squid did I think that was going to work, useless kettle. It's no use... I need the octobot king but it was destroyed... I'll need someone to build me a new one," said Octavio as contemplated how he would do such a thing. He looked back toward the skyline of Octopolis. He needed to hunt for someone that he could trust to construct another robot for him and stay incognito at the same time.

As Octavio headed off for the octarian capital, the runaway elite and rival of Mirage, Lieutenant Nova was venturing through the dome where the sanitized human soldiers were assaulted by the octarians. As she walked deeper in the abandoned town, she could hear voices further ahead. Deciding to octo form and swim to avoid being seen, getting behind a old dumpster, she spotted what looked like two inklings. "What are those inkstains doing here? Hold on... those uniforms, they're... squidbeak agents, oh shrimp,"

"What? Can't take em," popped off her alternate persona snidely.

"I'm weaponless, if you hadn't noticed," Nova shot back.

"So what are gonna do then?"

"Um, sneak around... I'm not facing them, but I'm curious as to why they're in octarian territory. Maybe I should listen in for the moment,"

"Maybe you should," she told Nova which the elite growled a little with resentment.

"I don't know how little captain rags expects us to find Flash and Ash and reach the octarian base. What was I thinking telling her I would stay an agent. I should've asked her to take me back with her... but no! And all because you were gullible enough to stay an agent," Jet rambled. The little salmonid was scurrying around, sniffing the ground before going back to Sam.

"Hey! I didn't ask you to, so don't pin this on me! I wanna find Flash and Ash, but more importantly my sister Izzy,"

"Who's to say she's even down here,"

"I just know ok, I hope I don't have to deal with the complaining like I did with Flash,"

"Pathetic squids," muttered Nova watching them. As she went to stand up, she slipped and bumped right into the dumpster, sliding it over and catching the attention of the inklings. "Huh, what was that?" said Sam, startled by the banging. They looked over and spotted Nova sitting on the ground. Then she saw the inklings spotted her with lil' buddy jumping in her pack, startled by the ruckus.

"Smooth move," scoffed the persona.

Sam grabbed the special charger Marie gave her and she shot toward Nova, striking the dumpster. Nova screamed and octo formed to get away.

"Get back here you slimy octopus!" Sam shouted in pursuit.

"Sam, wait!" Jet yelled, chasing after her.

The yellow squid squid jumped and shot over Nova, getting right in her path as she tried to flee down the street. Changing back, the octoling was looking behind her as Sam changed back when she landed in front of the octoling and hit Nova with the charger, knocking her to the ground and sticking the charger barrel in her face. "Who are you and why were you listening in on me and Jet!? Talk!" Sam demanded, not hesitant on splatting the elite. The little salmonid, peeking over the inkling's shoulder at the octoling.

Jet finally made it over and urged Sam not to shoot her. "Jet, you know the octarians are our enemy, why are you defending her!?"

"One, because she's unarmed and two, maybe she can help us in and around this damn place,"

"You seriously think she'll help us, fat chance,"

"Well, I'm not letting you splat her,"

All of sudden a shot of ink struck right in between Sam and Jet. They jumped and spotted the shooter on a roof an nearby building. "How bout' you fight me and leave the doll alone!" the yellow-headed octoling male shouted at them. He jumped down in his octo form before changing back and shooting at the two inklings, causing them pull back as he landed in front of Nova.

Sam aimed her weapon at the octoling male, but she noticed something. He wasn't wearing a uniform but instead a leather jacket. In his hand was a flame-decaled blaster, non-octarian issued. He turned and looked at Nova with a slight grin and smug-eyed expression. "Seems I made the right decision to follow you instead of heading back to the safehouse, you alright their doll," he told her.

"Doll! Just who are supposed to be pal!" she exclaimed, flustered by what he called her.

"Oh, chick's got spunk, I kinda like that... the name's Zeke by the way," he introduced himself as he tried helping Nova up, only to get swatted away as she bared her fangs at him.

"What are you supposed be? Her white knight," asked Sam.

"You can call it that. I'm not gonna leave the damsel in distress am I,"

"Listen here you hard dick... I didn't need your savin' and don't expect a happy ending, you best get that through your head, and I don't mean the little one either," she told him, causing him to flinch a little.

"Woah, that mouth of yours. I'm liking you more and more,"

"Ok, this is getting a little awkward, especially with the vulgar language," said Jet.

"I don't care who you are, you gotta lot a nerve octopus to just come out of nowhere and try to ink me and Jet," said Sam, clutching the charger in her hands.

"By that get up you're wearing, I'd say you're squidbeak agents. Yellow vests were never my style," the pompous octoling male told them.

"Look who's talking blondie,"

"Hey! It brings out the black leather,"

"How about you quit with the fashion debate and ink those squids, you gonna talk them to death because you're getting on my nerves," Nova sneered.

"Chill doll, I got this,"

"Call me doll again and those two squids won't be the only ones that you'll have to worry about,"

"C'mon, can't handle a good teasin'. I'll deal with these, BOW!" he said to her before turning to the inklings, only to get bashed in the face with the butt of the charger. Sam struck him while his attention was off them, causing him to fall back and drop the blaster he was holding. "Ow! My pretty face, why you little..." he said as he rubbed it and then glared at Sam, only to stare at the end of her barrel.

"You're getting on my nerves too octopus," Sam told him, aiming the charger at his face. Jet grabbed the blaster before the octoling boy would and held it up.

"Please, not in the face," he waved his hands, turning his face away as Nova rolled her eyes.

"This guy... yeah I real white knight," the elite scoffed. "So, what squids, you gonna ink us already. Not very sporting since we don't have weapons,"

"What'd you have in mind, letting you and lover boy go," Sam directed at her.

"Drop the weapons inklings!" shouted another voice behind the four. Sam and Jet looked and saw an octosniper aiming their mouth blaster toward the agents. As Sam raised her charger at the octarian, it shot the weapon out of her hand. The octosniper looked at Jet as he dropped Zeke's blaster.

"Zeke! There you are!" the octosniper snapped at him. "I turn my back for one second and you're gone. We were supposed to head back to the safehouse but instead you had to go chasing tail... as always," said the octosniper, annoyed with Zeke.

"Is it me or is it starting to get a little adulterated around here with the lewdness," commented Jet.

"Flak! I was gonna go back but... I couldn't help myself, seeing a defenseless girl like her wander around. These inklings were just about to splat her and if I hadn't come along..." Zeke explained himself.

"Well, if I hadn't come along the both of you would've been inked. What a mess you've gotten yourself in and I'm always having to fix it," the octarian scolded the octoling boy.

"That's not true... well not a hundred percent of the time,"

"You said safehouse... you're a rebel!" said Nova.

"Yeah, I thought you defected, being out here by yourself,"

"I wouldn't think of siding alongside you turncoats... the more reason to not like you,"

"That hurt my feelings,"

"Ask me if I care,"

"Wait, rebels? Who are the rebels?" asked Jet.

"Octarian defectors, we're trying to overthrow Scarlet and her octo goons from oppressing our race and trying to start another turf war with you inklings," said Zeke.

"So... the octarians are fighting octarians?" questioned Jet.

"You can say that, but we'd rather try to influence as many octarians as we can to see what's really going on. Maybe I can get sweet thing over here to switch sides and join the cause while I'm a it," he said, motioning toward Nova.

"Good luck, you have just as good of a chance in getting in my shorts,"

"Alright, enough of the crude language already. If you really mean what you say you are then why not tell us that in the first place instead of shooting us," Sam asked him.

"Well, you were about to splat her, even though she was weaponless, and I couldn't let that happen," he told the inklings as he crossed his arms.

"Give me a break... My mind is set on one thing and that's digging a knife into that traitor Mirage," said Nova.

"Mirage... I know her, kind of... why are you interested in her and why do, as you put it, dig a knife into her," asked Sam.

"That's my business inkstain. So, you know her, you know where she is,"

"I'm not sure I should tell you,"

"Putrid squid... tell me or you'll be joining her,"

"Weaponless or not, threaten me and I'll splat you right now,"

"Hey! Everyone chill, no one is splatting anyone... look doll..."

"The name's Nova pretty boy,"

"Pretty boy huh,"

"I was using sarcasm you dip shit,"

"Sarcaism? Not sure what that means," he said, placing his finger below his mouth as she face-palmed.

"I don't think they pose a threat Sam, let's go find Ash and blowhard," said Jet.

"Yeah, let's let the octoling deal with the inkhead," Sam inputted. The two inklings started to walk off as the little salmonid decided to jump out of Sam's bag and scurry beside them.

"Well, babe, looks like we got each other, BAM!" said Zeke as he turned to Nova, only to be met with a fist.

"Ow, my face! Gah!" sitting on the ground yet again, holding his nose.

"Don't call me doll, don't call me babe and any other name you choose or It's a kick between the legs next time!" she demanded, balling her fist at him.

Zeke covered his groin after she threatened the octoling. As she started to storm off, Zeke shouted at her. "C'mon, we just meet ba... I mean Nova, was it. Pretty name for a pretty lady,"

"You're asking for it," she growled at him, seeing him come up behind her.

"Ok, ok, I'll back off... seriously though, what are you doing out here. I watched you from the other dome, talking to yourself... which was strange,"

"Don't worry about it. Just do me a favor and ink off already,"

"You don't want company,"

"No! I don't! I already got company and I don't need you hanging around. That'll be two mouths I have to deal with,"

"Two? There's only you,"

"Forget it, just... leave me the shell alone!" she shouted at him as she octo formed and shot away.

Zeke watched her propel off like a rocket, not even daring to go after her. "Dude, she's not interested," Flak, the octosniper told him.

"Yeah but... she's special,"

"A special case... and she's part of the octarian army. If she was armed she would've splatted your octo butt,"

"I don't think she would. I would've wooed her with my irresistible charm,"

"Oh, you wooed her alright. More like ran her off, so yeah... that would've saved you from a splatting,"

"Oh shut up, you're just jealous,"

"Jealous over you... please, I could think of better things than hooking up with some crazy black head. Yep, I'm jealous, lady killer. Let's just head back to the safehouse before any other octarians show up,"

"(sigh) Right behind you,"

"Yeah, that's what you said last time," said Flak. Zeke took a glimpse toward the direction that Nova shot off to, moping over the fact he couldn't win over the elite before he followed the octosniper back toward the safehouse.

Unknown to Zeke though. Nova watched from a window in an empty building, seeing the two leave. She wondered what that male saw in her, she had never considered courting with anyone before. Solely focused and devoted to serving the army, she wasn't gonna waste her time and energy to date some frisky male. What was the point?

"You told him off, good thing to. That guy was a real octo creep," said the hallucination that appeared the room.

"Yeah,"

"Something's off, you seem a little... disappointed, you actually care about that ink for brains," said the baffled apparition that looked like her.

"No I don't... as I told him. I can't handle you and him at the same time," getting defensive with her look alike persona that manifested itself.

"Hmpf... I'm beginning to think you actually like him," she told Mirage, give her a smirk.

"You're just trying to yank my tentacles, well it won't work and no I didn't like that twirp so get back in my head where you belong,"

"OK, have it your way... I'll quit with the teasing. I can't help myself seeing you get bent out of shape," she told Nova before she vanished. As she started to head downstairs, she could something moving around below. Staying cautious, she slowly went down and headed toward the source of the noises. In the room, she spotted a figure hobbling around, covered in ink, gripping a table before falling over and on to the floor. When they rolled over, Nova's eyes widened, it was neither octoling nor inkling but something else. As she studied them, getting closer it was a human in gear, similar to the one that was at the bar with Mirage the night she had to get away.

Once the human heard the elite approach, they turned, still wearing their goggles, startled by the sight of the octoling. Using what strength, they had to grab their rifle and aim it at her, pulling the trigger, only to be out of ammo. Breathing heavily, they dropped the weapon and raised their arms up, signaling to Nova they gave up. "Please, I... I surrender... don't kill me," the sanitized human pleaded.

Nova didn't understand what they were saying with their static dialect. As Nova got closer, he lowered his arms, seeing she was unarmed, waiting for her to get close enough so he could grab her before she did anything. As she kneeled down, he turned his face but then she grabbed his goggles and pulled them up, only to see is pale complexion and black and green eyes. She quickly let go with a horrified expression, she seen these features before when the octarians were taken out of the deep sea metro.

The human soldier stared at her, she could tell he was exhausted and afraid of her. She looked at him and then saw a knife, sheathed on his vest strap. Going for it, she slid it out and looked at it and thought about Mirage. Then turning her attention to the human, who was deathly afraid, seeing her now with his knife and what she was about to do. Without warning, she stuck into his neck as he struggled, she clutched him to suppress his resistance until he stopped fighting and closed his eyes after she pulled the knife out of him and wiped it off.

"You're cold-blooded, killing that defenseless creature," said the persona in her head.

"No... I felt other sympathy for it. I've seen that look before and I know what happen to it. Question is, where did it come from and why is it here," said Nova.

"Who cares, let's just find Mirage,"

The elite grabbed the sheath off the soldier's body and attached it to her belt. She exited the building and hunted for another kettle and any familiar surroundings that could take her back to the town where she and Mirage met last.

Flash and Ash, who fled last night from the same dome before the battle between the Kamabo forces and Scarlet's, traversed to the next dome. Ash took a gunshot wound in the leg from a drone. Flash aided her, carrying the inkling girl over his shoulder as they headed for the octarian training grounds. Much of the area was wooded and foggy, limiting visibility at a given distance. "Put me down Flash," Ash asked him.

"How's your leg?" he asked her.

"It's better than it was but it's still sore, at least it's not bleeding anymore. Getting hit from the drone thingy really stung," she said, rubbing her leg.

"Well, I'm getting tuckered out carrying you. I say we stop and take a break... I'm tired anyway, I could use a nap right about now," he said as sat Ash down and got beside her.

"I'm wondering if Sam and Levi are ok. I'm really worried about them,"

"Those two can take care of themselves. I'm not worried,"

"I wanna go home (sniffle)," Ash whimpered as she covered her eyes, wanting to cry.

"Ash, everything's gonna be fine. I'm sure Sam and Levi will catch up with us," he said, comforting Ash. Just as a few seconds past, the two of them heard something, talking? "Hey...you hear that, maybe it's Sam and Levi. See, what I was just saying?" said Flash with joy. He rushed toward te direction of the voices down the path they came from, but as two shapes could be made out. He waved but then caught another glimpse. "Oh squid," he said as he ran back to Ash, pulling her behind a tree.

"W... what is it?" Ash asked nervously.

"Octarians... and they're heading this way,"

"What do we do?"

As Flash peered around their cover. He spotted an octocopter accompanying them and behind the octolings was an octostamp DX tank with two more octolings sitting on it. "Search the area and see what you can find!" one of them shouted.

"We can't fight them, not with that tank behind them. We'll have to keep going up the path. Ash, I know your leg still hurts but you gotta tough it. We can't get captured,"

As the octarian unit was getting closer, the two agents squid formed and snuck away. Going further up the foggy trail. Soon the road forked. "Where to now?" Ash asked him.

"Um... this way," The two going up the path straight, but then they spotted more octarians down that path. "Holy carp! Not that way," he said, quickly stopping as the two turned around and went the other direction. As they ran down the other road, they saw a structure up ahead. It was the octarian training grounds, where recruits were initiated and trained by the octarian army before they went into combat. It was a large metal building surrounded by fencing and wire. An obstacle course sat behind it and a lot in front of the building was littered with a few disabled octostamp tanks.

"Looks like a place to lay low for the time being, c'mon Ash," he said as the two of them rushed for the entrance gate.

The inklings thought this was a safe place to hide for the moment until an octo commander perched on top of the entrance spotted them and winded up its splatling, mounted over it's mouth. It laid down a fire on the inklings as they got behind a downed octostamp tank. "Just perfect, that trigger happy tentacle has got us pinned down,"

He looked at Ash, remembering the tactics he and Sam used back at the rocket site with the turrets. "Ash, I got an idea,"

"Oh no, being one of your ideas," she said, looking at him with skepticism.

"Just listen to me. I'll lay down fire on that octarian and then you swim over to that other tank. Maybe we'll get close enough to lob a splat bomb at it," he explained to her.

"I hope you know what you're doing Flash, (gulp)" As soon Flash shot at the octarian, Ash squid formed and swam over to the other tank, getting closer to the entrance. The octocommader covered Flash's cover with ink as well as the ground. He spotted a barrier, in front of the entrance which would get him the range he needed to throw a splat bomb.

"Ash! Do what I did so I can get closer!" he shouted as she nodded and clutched her hero shot.

Darting up ahead as Ash got the octocommander's attention, she yelped and quickly got behind cover as the octarian sprayed down ink. Flash could now lob a splat bomb at the octocommander but before he could the splatling welding tentacle saw him and aims its gun at him. Ash panicked seeing Flash was about to get splatted without his armor. She came out from the tank and shot at the octocommander which in turn it returned fire and hit Ash.

"ASH!... eat some ink you tentacle!" Flash shouted, throwing the splat bomb, killing the octarian in a big splatter of green ink. He raced to Ash's side and picked her up. "Ash! Ash! No, no, no... I'm so sorry this happened," he started to cry out but then she started coughing.

"Ash! Y... you're alive,"

"Yeah...umm, that smarts," The inkling girl, gripping her torso from the pain from getting pelted by the octocommander.

"Ash, don't worry, I 'll get you inside and find something for you to rest on," he told as he picked her up and took her toward the entrance of the large metal building.

Inside, deeper in the building. The octoling trio that was with Levi and company when they escaped the shantytown in the V-22, snuck away after the aircraft crashed. They ventured out to the training center and set up shop. They rested in the barracks for a few hours before the corporal woke up. Seeing the private still laying in her bed, she walked over and nudged her. "Hey, time to get up," she told the young octoling.

"Where's the sarge?" she asked.

"Thought I heard her leave, not sure," she answered. The sound of water running could be heard coming from the showers at the far end of the barracks. The two octolings looked and saw steam coming out of the doorway with a figure, rubbing a towel across their back. As she walked over toward them, it was the sergeant, undressed and still a little wet from the washing she gave herself.

"What are you two looking at?" the sergeant asked them, staring at her bare body.

"Umm, where's your uniform?" asked the corporal.

"I got out of that sweaty thing and took a well-deserved shower, what do you think,"

"I shower does sound nice," said the private.

"Better hope there's enough hot water left in this dump," said the sergeant, not even getting dressed as she walked away and plopped on a couch.

"You're not gonna get back in uniform,"

"Uh, no. We're the only ones here by what I can tell. I'm gonna air out, if that's ok,"

"Suit yourself," she replied, she then saw the private getting undressed. "What are you doing?"

"Getting undressed like the sarge,"

"Please don't do that. I've already caught an eye full,"

"So, what's our plan?" the private asked the corporal as she got off the bed.

"I would think the sergeant over there would wanna get to the armory and see if there's any weapons left,"

"We can do that in the next hour, I'm gonna take a load off for the time being," she said, stretching back on the couch as she laid her hands behind her head.

"Well, I'm gonna go look around and see what I can find," said the corporal.

"Fine by me," said the sergeant as she closed her eyes, getting relaxed in the buff.

"You coming private,"

"Sure, I guess so,"

Flash had carried Ash into what appeared to be a lobby. Laying her down on a nearby couch. "You gonna be good Ash?" he asked her.

"I (cough) think so," she told him. Thankfully, she still had her armor on at the time and the ink just disabled it. Flash looked around, he saw paintings of both octarians and octolings. The octarian royal seal was mounted on the far wall along with DJ Octavio's portrait. "Maybe this is the octarian training rounds those three octolings mentioned before," he said.

"I don't know... I just hope there's no octarians here," she said as she sat up, placing her hand on her stomach.

"Woah, easy Ash, you're still hurt from that tentacle shooting at you,"

"I'll be ok, Flash. So, I guess we're gonna wait out here until we hope to hear from Sam and Levi. I wonder if Jet ever made it back to Inkopolis,"

"Who knows... he's the one that went out on his own,"

Ash got up and walked over to Flash. "Maybe we should look around," suggested Ash.

"Wouldn't hurt, maybe we'll find something useful," he said.

Behind a metal door, looking through a window was the octoling corporal. "Inklings? Wait... it's those two, the agents. Great, I was hoping we wouldn't run into them again," said the octoling.

"Should we go back and tell the sarge,"

"Yeah, more the reason to head to the armory and obtain some weapons. Let's go private,"

Ash spotted a metal door with a window toward the right. "Hey, let's go this way," she inquired. As she turned the knob, it was locked. "Huh, I can't open it," she said.

"Out of way the Ash," he told her as he pulled and tried tugging on the door. "It's shut tight, probably locked from the other side. Might mean we're not the only ones here,"

"Should we try somewhere else,"

"I'm sure there's a way to get inside," Flash pondered. When he looked down, he noticed a bulge under the door mat. Flipping it over he saw a key. "Um, maybe this will do it," he said before placing it and turning the lock. "Who would seriously put the key under a door mat?" asked Ash.

"They weren't smart, that's for sure," he told her as the two of them went through the doorway and down a corridor. Meanwhile, the corporal and private made their way back to the barracks but saw the sergeant was missing. "Sarge? Sarge? Where'd she go?" asked the private as the corporal just shrugged.

"At least the security door was locked we looked through. You did hide the key, didn't you?" asked corporal to the private.

"Of course, I did... I hid it under the mat,"

"Under the mat! Private you never... (sigh)" she started to say as she pinched her nose. "Let's head for the armory then, it's on the other side of the obstacle course," said the corporal as they left the barracks. The squidbeak agents found themselves in another part of the training center. Laid with multiple rooms within different levels. They saw a ramp going up to the upper floor. As they squid formed and went up it, Flash stopped and heard a commotion up ahead. He caught a glimpse of something going into one of the rooms. "Be quiet, Ash. I think someone's up here,"

The two snuck up the hallway. Multiple doorways were laid out going into various rooms. The hallway turned, leading toward a pair of double doors. As they opened it, something swam behind them, watching them from the corner of the hall. The two found themselves in the barracks, a large room full of bunk beds. A leisure area was seen on the other side with couches and some recliners. A doorway led to the showers and toward the side of the large room was another set of double doors leading out.

The two of them wandered around, studying their surroundings. So far, the building seemed clear and unoccupied. Under the bunks though a red octopus was slithering beside them, staying out of sight, ready to get the jump on them. As they were walking away from the beds, the octopus swam into the aisle and changed back, sneaking up behind Ash. The inkling heard something from behind and was given a haymaker.

"Ash!" Flash shouted but before he could do anything he was kicked and slid across the floor. Rubbing his face, he sat up and saw an... naked octoling. He turned red at the sight as his mouth opened, seeing the unclothed sergeant.

"Pesky squids, I was hoping I'd never see you inkstains again," she said with a disgusted look, balling up her fist as she stepped up toward Flash.

"Y... y... you, you're that octoling from the police station," the inkling boy stammered after shielding his eyes.

"Good eye, too bad I'm gonna bash them in," she said as she picked up Flash and held him up against the wall. "Any last words?" she said as she strangled him. Before he would suffocate, Ash struck the octoling in the back of the head. Falling to the floor and letting her grip go of the agent. He rubbed his neck and looked down at the sergeant and then Ash, holding up her hero shot.

"Thanks for that,"

"Don't think you were enjoying getting handled by that octo chick," she told him with a smirk.

"I wasn't, she nearly killed me!"

"I'll grab a sheet off one of the beds and cover her up. You find something to tie her up with," Ash told him.

The corporal and private made it inside the armory but it was empty, the weapon rack was bare and so were any crates that contained splat bombs. "Dammit," jeered the corporal as she gave deep breath.

"I found a crowbar," said the private.

"What good would that do us, private... there's gotta be something here we can use," She scrounged around and searched for anything they could use against the inklings. Spotting what looked like a computer terminal against the back of the storage area. The octoling looked and saw what appeared to be some sort of program. "Huh, prototype octoweapon. Octo sweeper...never heard of it. For testing purposes only," the corporal read out.

"Hmm, well it's about to get tested alright. Field tested that is," she said as she activated the octoweapon. Underneath the obstacle course was a hidden bay, housing the new octoweapon known as the octo sweeper. The machine looked like the cross between a street sweeper and a giant vacuum cleaner with a large sac that protruded behind it where two plastic tubes fed into it and ink covered brushes in the front.

Once the two agents bound the covered sergeant and placed her on one of the beds. She woke up and stared at them. The octoling growled as she struggled with her bindings. "Good luck getting away this time," said Flash.

"Oh, just wait until my two girls get back," she told the inklings.

"That's right, there were two other octolings, weren't there," said Ash.

"I say we find them before they find us. We can't let them get the drop on us," Flash told her.

"What about her," directing toward the disgruntled octoling sergeant on the bed.

"She's tied up for the moment. I say we can leave her here, she's not going anywhere," replied Flash.

"Stinkin' squids. I hope the both of you get splatted," she growled at them, baring her beak at the agents.

The two of them left the barracks and exited through the two other metal doors. On the other side was yet another corridor with small rooms on each side. An exit was at the other end.

"Hey, Flash,"

"Yeah, Ash,"

"This may seem... out of nowhere but, what's your girlfriend like?" Flash wasn't sure why Ash would ask him that.

"Izzy? Why you asking?"

"It seems strange but... I was just curious was all. You're going through a lot of trouble to find her,"

"Izzy and me, well have been dating for nearly a year now. I can remember when we first met in the square. I was a smooth young squid at the time, kicking butt in the turf war matches and working my way up to rank A. I was real fresh and all the dudes envied me, even my friend Jet. Then I see this chick, she was far from fresh, and she just came from the county. She didn't anything about turfing or city life. So, I introduced myself, and we hit it off from there. We went from hanging out to dating and then she disappeared for little while during the zapfish outage. When she returned, I asked her where she went, and she didn't talk about until a few months later. That's when I found out she was squidbeak agent. I didn't believe it... until recently,"

"So, Izzy never talked about being an agent and saving Inkopolis,"

"No she didn't... wondered why she kept it a secret. It doesn't matter now, she's missing, and I think the octarians got her for defeating Octavio and getting the zapfish back. I won't stop until I find my girl," he told Ash as he turned away and headed toward the exit.

"That's... pretty noble," commented Ash as she followed.

Flash approached the door and cautiously opened it. Sunlight bled through and the two agents found themselves back outside. The obstacle course was just ahead of them and on the other side was the weapons armory.

Once, the two agents entered the course, the ground shook. "Hey! What the shell is happening?" exclaimed Jazz.

The center of the course opened and revealed a giant machine, an octoweapon called the octo-sweeper. "What is that!?" shouted Flash. They watched the octoweapon move up as it's sweeper brushes folded down and smacked the ground. The octoweapon give a loud hum that echoed throughout the area. "Behold inkstains! Meet the nefarious octo sweeper!" shouted an intercom, coming from the corporal inside the armory.

Flash and Ash gripped their weapons for battle, getting ready to face the brand new octoweapon. As it continued toward the two agents it started to jerk and spark. Then it started making the strangest noises and soon it exploded into pieces.

"So much for the nefarious octo sweeper," said Flash, seeing nothing but pieces of debris and ink left behind by the destroyed octoweapon.

"Yeah, that was probably the fastest boss battle in history," said Ash.

"I wouldn't even called that a boss battle,"

"What...the... ink..." panned the corporal through the intercom and in disbelief that the octoweapon would just explode before the agents had to fight it.

The agents turned their attention to the armory, the source of the broadcast from the loudspeakers. "Oh no, here they come," fretted the private, watching the inkling agents head toward the armory.

"Quick, where's that crowbar," panicked the corporal.

"I, put it somewhere," the private looking around as the corporal face palmed. The door was kicked open and both agents drew their hero shots onto the two octolings as they raised their arms. "So much for your terrifying octoweapon, more heap of scrap if you ask me," scoffed Flash.

"Oh, stick a fork in it squid," said the annoyed corporal.

The corporal and private were brought back to the barracks where they were tied up like their sergeant. The octoling trio was placed in the center of the room where they were interrogated by the squidbeak agents. "Why did you run off like that?" Flash questioned them, referring to when they snuck off when the V-22 Levi was piloting crashed.

"I ain't answering your stupid questions, inkling," snapped the sergeant. "Go ink yourself!"

"You know we could've just splatted you but I'm beginning to think I wish we did," said Flash.

"No, don't splat us... we wanted to get a hold of octo base but for some reason the network is down," blabbed the private.

"Shut your beak, private! Don't tell these squids anything," The sergeant snapped at her.

"Well at least someone is willing to talk. I assume you were gonna rat us out, after we let come with us instead of being salmonid food,"

"Kiss my ass,"

"What do you expect Flash, they're octolings. They were gonna turn on us at the first chance they got," said Ash.

"You're inklings, our enemies... you honestly think we'll ever become friends, think again," said the sergeant.

"I don't see why we couldn't," commented Flash which stunned the octoling a little to hear that, instead of retaliating. "I know I'm an inkling and you're an octoling, I get, we're enemies... but did you ever get a chance to even think that maybe... we could get along for a change,"

"You don't get it do you... you squids got it made, you have everything. Us octarians on the other hand are fighting for survival and are forced to serve Scarlet. We devoted our livelihoods to defending our territory and getting by everything with whatever resources we have. Shoot, we've never even seen the sun or breathed fresh air. Being underground sucks... but you squids don't have to worry about any of that do you," said the sergeant, as she narrowed her eyes at the two agents with resentment toward them.

"I..." Flash tried to say.

"Do you..." the sergeant followed up.

"Maybe... things could change,"

"Ha! I really doubt it... the octarian government couldn't care and neither could yours. Soon, the second great turf war will commence, and we'll finally take back what rightfully belongs to us,"

"Flash, there's no convincing them that peace can be made between us and them," Ash told him.

"I think it's possible," muttered the private. The two inklings looked at her and then her teammates turned to their young teammate. "I think he's right. I think there can be peace between inklings and octarians," she continued.

"You're gonna give in to what this squid has got to say," said the sergeant, as she slowly nodded back. The sergeant's expression of displeasure relaxed. She then started thinking about what Flash had said and how the agents could've just inked them if they wanted. "I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with the private on this... and of all things... maybe there is a chance," she said as she looked away in shame.

"Now you're talking. You see, things can change," Flash said as he flexed his arm in confidence. The sergeant smiled a little and gave a deep breath. The corporal, feeling defeat herself couldn't help but oblige if the other two were.

"Are you three gonna behave yourselves this time?" Flash asked them.

"Yeah squid, you have my word... isn't that right," she said as she looked at the corporal and young private. Giving a quick nod in agreeance. Flash untied them, though Ash was a little leery about it but she trusted Flash.

"So you three got names, other than your ranks?" Flash asked them.

"Sergeant Elsa... or just Elsa. This is corporal Miranda and private Mimi," she introduced as the two of them waved.

"Well I'm agent Flash and this is agent Jazz," he told them, Jazz still not trusting them. "I guess we got off to a rocky start,"

"That's putting it mildly," muttered Jazz. The octolings looked at each other for a few seconds and then back to the inklings.

"You know... we never wanted to be in the army, felt like we were obligated, fighting the squid menace and all that other crap. You inklings don't seem so bad, well at first, we did... but after getting to know you. I don't think the squids are so bad after all. I always wanted to go to the surface and see what it was like. I heard about your music and turf war battles and something about being fresh,"

"Oh, I know how to be fresh," said Flash with a sly expression, letting his ego get the best of him.

"You do, do ya... how about you show me squid, think you can handle it," teased the sergeant, still keeping herself covered with the sheet.

"I... I... uh," Flash stuttered with a blush.

"He's gotta girlfriend, just to let you know octo floozy," Jazz said to her.

"Oh, you do... well that's too bad I guess,"

"Heh, yeah... maybe for the best. Oh, you'll love Inkopolis, the culture, the clothes, the food,"

"Food, now you're speaking my language. Anything's better than those crappy rations they make us eat," said Miranda.

"So how do we become fresh, what is that exactly?" asked Mimi.

"Being fresh means being top dogfish, if you catch my drift. Winning enough turf war matches and making a name for yourself. Buying the best gear and wearing the best clothes," Flash explained.

"Sounds fun... so how do you acquire all this stuff?" the young private asked.

"Uh, winning matches of course and you also sponsor brands too and they'll pay, especially if you win the games using their products,"

"I couldn't care enough about all that junk. Fresh, gear, turf matches, please... I just want freedom more than anything and not staying underground and... maybe hooking up with squid dude," said the sergeant.

"Speaking of food, I am getting hungry. That's something else we never went to check. If there was any food left in this ink hole," said the corporal.

"You and that stomach of yours... I'm gonna go find a uniform," said Elsa as she threw the sheet off of her, revealing her nakedness to everyone. Flash blushed as a drop of ink ran from his nose. He wiped it and turned away as to not look at Elsa walking away. "Hey, squids... I noticed you lost your armor. I'll see if there's any extra breastplates in stock and grab a pair," she told them before she finally left the room to go hunt for clothes.

"You can turn around now," Jazz told Flash. "What's with that octo chick, doesn't she have any decency?" Jazz asked the other two octolings.

"Not one bit," answered Miranda.

"At least she's offering some protection for us," said Jazz.

"Not the only she offered, huh squid," teased Miranda.

"I'm not touching that one," he shot back.

Once the sergeant returned, fully clothed and handing the two agents some octo armor. The octolings went into detail how they were nothing but misfits. Having no motivation in being in the octarian army and fighting for Scarlet. Assigned as nothing more than ink fodder. Once the salmonids invaded the shantytown they were stationed at, they ran away and hid in the police station instead of fighting the fish. Flash felt bad for them, but Jazz wasn't convinced they had a change of heart. They weren't armed so they were in no shape to try and do in the inklings when they got the chance, as she told Flash in which he thought she was being prejudice if not paranoid. Flash continued his stories about Inkopolis and inkling culture which the octolings grew more and more interested in.

"So how are we gonna get to the surface?" asked Mimi.

"Yeah, we got octarian forces swarming around the area. We're not exactly gonna be subtle with the two inklings in agent uniforms," said Miranda.

"That's why we need find out what's going on with the comms network, the same thing happened back at the shantytown. We need to listen on the octarian army activities and see what the best route is back to the surface without gaining attention. If I remember right, there's an array station further up the path, toward the far edge of the dome. Three giant satellite dishes, being that close we should have no problem getting signal, so something's interfering with the signal. I'm thinking it's being jammed, or something has damaged the array stations. We need to go find out; anyone feel like recon?" asked Elsa.

She looked at the group, in which no one volunteered. "I sure as heck ain't going. Not alone that is," she told them. "Corporal! Private! One of you needs to go and the other stay...I'd prefer the corporal, but I want someone with a good head on their shoulders to watch this place. So... Private, you're going with me and so do one of you inklings,"

"(sigh) I'll do it," said Flash as he stepped up.

"You sure," Jazz asked him.

"Yep, me and Sam left the station together. I'll be fine,"

"Be careful," she said as she watched the three leave and head off for the array station to see why the comms was being jammed. She stayed back with corporal Miranda, crossing her arms and looking at her suspiciously. "What? You gotta problem?" the octoling asked her.

"Nope, not at all... just know I got my eye on you octolings. You might have Flash fooled but not me,"

"Think what you want... I could say the same. Elsa and Mimi, are like my sisters and I won't stand by and see something happen to them,"

The two of them kept a near distance from each other. Miranda left for the comms room while Jazz stayed back in the barracks, keeping her guard up as she watched the octoling leave. Meantime, when Elsa, Mimi, and Flash got within sight of the array station, they headed toward it but once the sergeant saw something that got her attention, she stopped and held her arm out for the other two to stay back. "Sarge what is it? What do you see?" Mimi asked.

Elsa pulled out her binoculars and kneeled down. When she looked through them, she saw there was big problem. "Oh, this is wonderful, just when I thought we'd never have to deal with them again," she said with deep annoyance at what she had saw.