Chapter 14: The Right Call

"The hardest choices require the strongest wills."

They completed the mission. Akikta finally caught the criminal like he was supposed to. But it didn't sit right with him. Not one bit. He thought he'd be satisfied and put at ease once the favor was done, but instead, his spirit bubbled with immense shame.

All those inklings and octolings Akikta got killed weighed on his conscience. Thinking about it only made the boy curse himself to hell and back. The operation wasn't supposed to go the way it did. No one was supposed to die! Then there was the heartbreaking look on Callie's face. It tugged at his heartstrings.

What would Chaska think? Would he be proud or disgusted at his younger brother? The thought alone made Akikta want to cry, but alas, he had no tears left to shed.

As they sailed into the night, Akikta helped Nakji and Inka remove any electronics on Marie so she couldn't be tracked. Before he tossed Marie's squid-shaped phone away, it buzzed in his hand.

A call came through. He couldn't read the caller's name, not that he needed to; the picture told him everything. It was Callie, who, evidently, had been calling a lot. Akikta hesitated, but ultimately tossed the phone into the ocean.

After all essentials were taken from Marie, the trio looked for something to restrain her with. The ship was huge, so it took a while, especially since Akikta wanted to use something other than rope and chains. He still didn't know if inklings had something equivalent to an octoling's octopus form, but in case they did, he didn't want any chance of her escaping.

They ended up finding a large jar in the storage room of the Manta Maria. It was surprisingly big enough to fit two people. If Akikta weren't so tired, he would've questioned why a jar that big was made in the first place. The jar had a single micro-hole on its top. Too small for Marie to fit through, let alone notice, but big enough to provide her with oxygen.

After removing the immobilizer from her chest, they placed her inside the jar, then waited for her to wake up.

She didn't.

Fear took hold of Akikta. There was no way she died. She couldn't have! The device worked perfectly fine the last time he used it!

His panicked expression ceased after he noticed Marie's chest softly rising and falling. She was only unconscious, not dead. Akikta sighed in relief, only to wonder why she didn't wake up.

The effects wore off on Captain Claw immediately when Akikta removed the device from him. Though Claw was much bigger than and had a hard shell, opposite to Marie's shorter stature and soft-skinned body. Maybe it affected the squid much worse than it did the crab.

Regardless, Akikta kept an eye on her and informed Sal of their success. The man was overjoyed at the confirmation of Marie's capture, so much so, he didn't seem to care when Akikta shared the news that he brought another cephalopod along.

Either way, Sal's enthusiasm did not improve Akikta's mood, nor did the new coordinates. He didn't even question the marked location, which was in the middle of the ocean. He just had Inka direct the ship toward their new destination.

The voyage took two days. During those two days, Akikta felt miserable.

Inka used her squid phone to show him and Nakji the events that transpired during the Squid Sisters' performance went viral.

He couldn't read the headlines or articles, but according to Inka, everyone was talking about his brother, who they dubbed 'The Ink Demon.'

Akikta was adamant that Inka not refer to Chaska as a demon. When she was confused about why he cared, Nakji had to explain that Subject 7 was his brother. Inka was shocked, to say the least.

People were also now aware the Manta Maria and popstar idol Marie have gone missing, though information regarding what happened to them was scarce. At least they got the 'escaping with no witnesses' part right.

Still, the mere fact people died messed him up emotionally. And unfortunately, that caused Akikta the least amount of issues.

Occasionally, he'd go through a series of painful episodes: aches in his head and stomach, sharp pains in the chest, violent fits of coughing, and the horrifying vomiting of blood. Sometimes he would unexpectedly lose strength in his legs and fall.

Something was wrong with him, and he didn't know what. So, to avoid making Nakji and Inka worry, he'd make up an excuse to leave the two whenever he felt an episode coming on.

To keep himself from panicking, he convinced his conscious that Sal could treat him. His clan's technology was advanced. By proxy, so was their medicine. He'd be fine. He'd get out of this fine... hopefully.

During the second day's afternoon, Akikta moved down to the ship's lower deck and entered a large room. In the corner of the room was the jar containing Marie. The trio felt it was best to keep her out of sight, so they moved her to one of the many large rooms in the ship's interior.

He sat in a chair with wheels and positioned himself close to the jar, his face right next to the glass.

Akikta was a little worried they might've put Marie in a deep coma. She hadn't woken up at all. Not when they moved her, knocked on the jar, or at any point during their two-day voyage.

At any rate, they should almost be at their destination. Akikta's eyes trailed away from Marie and down to the radio. A small map blinked, showing them inching ever so closer to the coordinates marked by Sal.

"Can't we get there any faster?" Akikta groaned in annoyance and desperation. He felt himself getting weaker and weaker as the days passed, even with the canned food Inka brought along for the journey.

He sighed before turning his attention back to Marie, who was now standing with her gloved hands pressed against the glass of the jar.

"Fucking- Whoa!" Akikta yelped as he jumped, losing balance in the chair and crashing to the steel floor.

"Pansy." The green inkling noted as Akikta grunted in pain.

Had it not been for the fact he kidnapped her, he would've gotten angry at her comment. "So, you're awake..." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head as he stood up.

"Where am I?" Marie wasted no time in asking questions. He figured the least he could do was answer them.

"Aboard the Manta Maria," he said, propping the chair back up before sitting down.

"Where's Callie?"

"Not here." Akikta swiveled in his chair, his back now facing Marie. "You're the only one we want."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Relax." He waved his hand and rolled over to a desk on the side of the wall. "I have no intentions of doing anything to you."

"Right, because you totally squidnapped me, just to do nothing." Marie's tone sounded nonchalant rather than fearful.

Akikta looked over his shoulder to see her lips curled into a slight frown. She looked disappointed moreso than afraid. "You don't seem very concerned. Let me guess, not your first time?"

Marie tapped her chin, gazing absentmindedly. "You could put it like that." Her eyes focused back on Akikta.

He turned back to face the radio in his hand, having nothing to add to the conversation. Akikta hoped his silence made Marie stop talking.

It didn't. "Seriously, what are you going to do with me?"

Akikta placed the radio down, turning to Marie. "We're taking you somewhere so that you can pay for your crimes."

She sucked her teeth. "I know I'm diabolically hot, but I hardly think that by itself is a crime."

"Don't be so full of yourself."

"Why shouldn't I be? After all, I'm not full of anything else." A growl emitted from Marie's stomach. Then she tilted her head, causing her ears to sway. "Like, come on. I'm starving. This is no way to treat your favorite idol."

Akikta crossed his arms. "Not a fan."

"You're not? Could've fooled me."

The teen shot up from his chair and pointed at Marie. "What's your problem, huh?"

"What's my problem? So you're a liar and blind?"

"I'm not a liar or blind! I've been nothing but honest with you! I get it; you don't enjoy being stuck in a jar-"

"You can say that again. Now I know how Octavio feels..." she mumbled in between his sentence.

"But take your complaints up with the man who wants you!"

Marie's brows raised, visibly confused. It only took a moment for her expression to change to an enlightened one. "Oh, I see." She crossed her arms. "You're just the errand boy, about to deliver me to some freak fan of mine. Well, whatever he's paying you, I bet I could pay triple."

Akikta shook his head. "I'm not doing it for money."

Marie's nonchalant expression faltered. "Then what are you doing it for?"

Silence filled the room. Akikta didn't know how to respond to her question... no, it was more like he didn't want to.

He sat back down in his seat and turned towards the desk again. "You wouldn't understand."

Once his back was to Marie, he removed his mask and mouthpiece before dragging out a long, tired sigh. "What am I doing..." He questioned, resting his head on his hand.

Did he make the right call to do any of this? Of course, anything for his brother. But did he go about it the right way?

"That noise..." Marie said, giving off a tone of disbelief. Akikta almost turned to look at her. Her statement caught him off-guard. "I've heard it from before..."

Akikta placed his mask and mouthpiece back on before turning to stare back at the green inkling. She didn't have the usual unenthusiastic expression on her face. She looked perplexed, the same as Akikta.

Where had she heard him before if this was their first-time meeting?

"Who are you?" she asked, her sass completely disappearing from her tone.

Before Akikta could answer, a faint creaking noise startled both of them. They looked to the far end of the room where it came from, seeing nothing but darkness as the power wasn't working on that side of the ship, at least not for the interior lights.

Akikta swore he heard that creaking noise before.

His eyes squinted, and he noticed something dark on the floor. It was dried up. Some kind of liquid, maybe? Did someone spill something without realizing it?

Akikta got up, but before he could investigate, Inka suddenly barged into the room, making him jump. "Damn! What's the matter with you?!"

"We have a situation!" Inka announced, only to do a double-take on Marie. "Oh- she's awake?"

"Is everyone here blind?" Marie commented.

Akikta waved off Marie's response. "What's the situation?"

Inka's focus returned to whatever got her so jumpy. "C-come to the top deck!" She stuttered before running out.

She looked scared; whatever was going on must've been bad. He dearly hoped nothing was wrong with Nakji.

Akikta rushed to the desk and grabbed his radio before pointing to Marie. "Don't go anywhere."

"I could go somewhere?" He didn't even acknowledge her response as he left.

He came to the top deck and ran over to where Inka and Nakji were. Nakji looked physically ok, albeit nervous. She was using a pair of binoculars, looking out into the distance.

Akikta turned to see she was looking at two specks. He couldn't tell what they were. "What's going on?"

Nakji lowered the binoculars from her face before handing them to him. She said nothing. Her face was the definition of tense.

He hesitantly took the binoculars before putting them up to the eye sockets of his mask. It can't be that bad, right?

The first thing he saw was a large shark, ferociously swimming through the ocean like a raging tide. "What?" He said, confused. Why was there a giant ass shark heading straight for them? Wait, was it wearing a damn jetpack and sunglasses?

Akikta leaned in further, noticing this wasn't an ordinary shark. It had all sorts of things equipped on its body, as if it were some sort of cavalry unit. It even had a saddle! Wait... a saddle?

His brows furrowed, realizing three people were riding the shark. Three people he recognized, no less. It was the same three he had seen in that studio back at Splatsville. What on Earth were they doing here? And why did they suddenly share the same yellow hair color?

And weren't there two specks? The shark, even with those three on it, only made one.

Akikta looked up and saw what the other speck was: A big-ass helicopter that held a small platform. On the platform were familiar faces, all with yellow-colored hair. Now he could see why Nakji looked so nervous.

There was Metta, this time more geared up and ready for action, with her salmonid companion in a little canister strapped to her back. Beside her on the left was the agent he had thrown off the roof. And to her right was that octoling from the tunnels.

A new face he hadn't seen before was also there, probably another agent. They wore a pink suit, heavy pink-colored boots, a black visor, and a large black helmet. In their hands was a large oversized...paint roller? That's what it looked like.

There was also... "Oh, fuck."

It was Coral, still in that raggedy uniform from before. He knew better than to misjudge her again.

Her arms were crossed as she stared directly ahead; He would've thought she was staring at him if he didn't know any better. Her expression was serious...ly mad.

"I don't get it... How did they find us?!" By now, he was certain the three people from Splatsville were in cahoots with the platoon. But they never had a negative interaction. Metta didn't look like a tracker, nor did those other agents. Plus, they stripped Marie of anything valuable and tossed all her electronics into the ocean.

Akikta's eyes widened. "Inka!" She jumped at his shout. "Your phone!" She stared at him in confusion, then her face lost color.

Inka took her phone out, only to be met with a glitchy screen. On it were two black dots with white infinity symbols in each. That, combined with the curled lines above each 'eye,' made it look like a timid expression of a face.

"Shit," Akikta murmured, realizing they've been made. He should've thought about having Inka get rid of her phone when she showed them the news.

The general public may not have known or seen what happened, but that didn't mean the New Squidbeak Splatoon was in the same boat. At least now he knew there was a skilled technocrat amongst the platoon.

Akikta turned the radio on. "Sal?! Sal!" He shouted.

"Whoa, what's with all the yelling, A? You here yet?"

"No! We're close, but the whole platoon is on us!"

"What? What do you mean the whole platoon?!"

"Coral is here, Metta is here, that octoling is here- EVERYONE IS HERE! They'll be on us any minute now!"

"What? No! NO!" Sal roared in frustration, a loud banging noise crackling through the background.

"We're screwed..." Akikta mumbled, halfheartedly giving up.

"No, you're not! I'm sending help right now. Just hold them off, A!" Sal instructed, and the radio switched off before Akikta could question how.

He growled in annoyance. "Of course you'd leave in this situation too!" Sal's dismissive behavior started getting on Akikta's nerves. But now wasn't the time to address it.

"Inka, go move Marie! Keep her hidden!" Akikta ordered, knowing Inka would be of no use in a fight. She nodded before quickly leaving the scene.

Nakji unsheathed her katana as Akikta looked back at the two specs that drew closer to the ship. "We really kicked the hornet's nest now..."