That night, Marcos' men were cleaning up the damage to the base. Inside the command chamber, Marcos was giving orders to Naimo, Sting and Jake, showing them a map of his intended troop placements. "Tomorrow, all troop positions will remain as normal. I also want twenty troops from each unit to form a special unit and defend each and every entrance into the base. I want those Drylanders driven off before they get inside. Send a message to the Stingray King as well. Tell him that I want his unit to station themselves in the houses around this command chamber."

"Yes, Your Highness," the three said before Marcos sent them away.

Isa and Nico arrived at the base after Marcos had sent for them. Seeing the soldiers continuing to clean up the damage, Nico said, "The battle here today must have been intense."

Isa said nothing as she and Nico continued towards the command chamber. "Penguin Princess Isa, reporting to command!"

"Narwhal Prince Nico, reporting to command!"

"Come in," responded Marcos. Once Isa and Nico were inside, Marcos asked, "Now then, Princess Isa, what is the situation at the fuel store?"

"We received a minor attack by a small platoon of Drylanders. The fuel store remains safe."

"What's your take on the conflicts that happened today?"

"Your Highness, I believe that this is Fox Fonseca's diversion strategy. He is trying to lure our forces away from the fuel store, which remains their main target."

Marcos chuckled. "I agree. My thoughts exactly."

"Are your injuries severe, Your Highness?"

Marcos' head and arms were bandaged up. "Tis but a scratch. Now then, what do you think the Combo Rangers will do next?"

"Tomorrow will be their final chance to blow up the fuel store. King Giddeon and King Shai are currently at the base of the Serra do Mar mountain range. With the conditions of the terrain on the highways, they should arrive tomorrow afternoon. Once their tanks have refueled, the fuel store will be of no further use to us or the Drylanders."

"I'm already aware of that. Get to the point."

"As such, Your Highness, I believe Fox Fonseca, the Combo Rangers and the Drylander resistance will unleash a full-out assault on the fuel store tomorrow."

"Are you saying that the attack on my base today was a cover for the attack on the fuel store tomorrow?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Fox's plan is to make us mistake our judgement."

"Then what do you think of my troop placements, Princess Isa?" Marcos showed Isa a map of his intended troop placements, just as he showed Naimo, Sting and Jake earlier.

After looking at the map, Isa explained, "Your Highness, I see no fault or disadvantage with your placement, though I believe that King Stingray's unit should be placed around the outside of the fuel store, along with the special unit you're assigning to defend the command chamber. I believe the Drylanders will focus their efforts on the fuel store and not send their main force to attack this base. Besides, even if the Drylanders send out a platoon to provoke us, King Stingray can also get to the fuel store in a matter of minutes."

King Marcos' authority was starting to be questioned. "So are you saying that there isn't a need for me to increase the number of men defending the base?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Marcos stood up from his seat. "Then are you saying that my position as commander is redundant?"

Isa calmly replied, "Your presence remains paramount, Your Highness, but from a broader perspective, the defence of the fuel store is still a priority.

Marcos laughed as he went up to Isa. "Then why don't you sit in that chair and take command while I head over to defend the fuel store?"

"I would never dream of it, Your Highness. I swore before the goddess Salacia and the Shark King that I would defend the fuel store until the very end."

"Princess Isa!" Marcos waved his arms as he paced back and forth. "I, Swordfish King Marcos, am not a warrior who fears death! Have you thought with that penguin brain of yours what would happen if our chain of command were to be taken out? Our armies would enter a state of disorder and our defences would be disrupted! Can you guarantee that the fuel store will still be safe then?"

Isa closed her eyes to think for a moment. "Your Highness, Fox Fonseca isn't going to attack the base. He can't afford to waste any more time fooling around with you."

"If what you're saying is true and the Drylanders are focusing their efforts on the fuel store, I could get to you within 20 minutes. Can you really hold out for that long?"

"Fox and the Combo Rangers are cunning and formidable, not to mention the other generals of the Drylander resistance who are just as skilled as them. Our only course of action is a tight defence to guarantee the safety of the fuel store."

Marcos slammed his hand on the table. "Damn it, woman! Do you think he would attempt another attack on this base if it wasn't for your defences? I've taken great care to put this base and the fuel store in consideration when formulating my defence strategy and troop placement. There is no opening the Combo Rangers or the Drylanders can take advantage of. Now you listen here, Princess Isa, your duty is to defend the fuel store and leave everything else to me. Is that understood?"

"Understood, Your Highness."

"Now get out!"

With this, Isa and Nico left the command chamber. As they got into their vehicle, Isa remarked, "Some days, I could just kill him. Let's go." Their driver drove Isa and Nico back to the fuel store.

The next morning, Parker, Fabio and Fox met to discuss their strategy. Fabio reported, "King Marcos has brought Stingray King Rayzor's unit into his base. You guys must have scared him real good, because it's going to be tougher to take him down."

Fox replied, "That means it'll take longer for them to reinforce the fuel store. We may have brought ourselves some more time for that."

Parker remarked, "Those dogfucked seafuckers just don't know when to quit, do they? Then again, I shouldn't be surprised at this point. We're still gonna take out King Marcos, right?"

"Of course. Our plans haven't changed," replied Fox. "Unfortunately, with their strength, I don't know if you'll make it out to help us after."

"Don't worry. I'll do what I can to stop Marcos' armies from making it to the fuel store."

At the fuel store in Jardim Casqueiro, Isa and Nico were in their command chamber. Nico commented, "If Fox Fonseca is after the fuel store, then King Marcos will have to bear responsibility for his misjudgement."

"It doesn't matter who bears what," replied Isa. "What matters is that we defend the fuel store."

"Then what if Fox's target is King Marcos? Can we just leave him at the mercy of the Drylanders, like what happened to Prince Wagan? Disregarding our superiors is a bigger crime than letting the fuel store fall to the enemy."

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, Fox Fonseca is definitely after the fuel store. King Marcos' safety is irrelevant compared to that."

It was then that one of the Nokizaru unit leaders came in. "Your Highness, the Nokizaru task force has been assembled and are awaiting your orders."

At Marcos' base, explosions were shaking the command chamber as Naimo came in with a report. "Your Highness, the Unified Resistance Army is attacking the base!"

Marcos chuckled as he realised that his intuitions were right. "Just as I thought! Order all units to advance. I want the Drylanders eradicated before they can get inside!" Naimo went out as Marcos took up his sword, commenting to himself, "Fox Fonseca, I won't let you get away this time!"

Isa and Nico got onto one of the watchtowers as they saw the smoke coming out of Marcos' base. "So Fox and the Drylanders are really after King Marcos, then?" asked Nico.

"No. This is Fox pulling his diversion strategy again," replied Isa.

"But that much noise coming from there, that has to be their main unit."

"They're pulling the same trick they did yesterday. Order the troops to be on maximum alert."

The Kongming Army and the Combo Rangers led a charge on Marcos' base at Parque São Luiz again, with Kiko throwing grenades from the walls just as he did the day before and Sara taking out Salacian gunners from a distance. As the Drylanders charged into the base, they were met with gunfire and grenades from the Salacians.

"Alice! Viki! AJ!" Angelina cried as her friends went down, but she knew she had no other choice but to keep moving.

Jake led a number of units out from the base's gate as the Drylanders got closer. "Give no quarter! All units, attack!"

This time, Parker's friends were next. "Nathan! Matthew! Scooter!"

Sara managed to take Jake out with a shot to the head. Kiko threw some grenades from an obscenely long distance, clearing out the soldiers only for more of them to come out as they closed the gate to the courtyard. Parker and his men charged in and engaged the Salacians at the gate, both sides taking casualties.

"Kiko, head in. Everyone else, with me!" Fox and the Combo Rangers leapt in and took out the Salacians inside as Kiko leapt around throwing grenades into the base. Ken rebounded off the walls and took out a soldier, Fox made another derp out with a hit on the head before palming him to the wall, Tati slashed two soldiers with her blades, Sara hit one with a headshot and Lisa knocked out another with her palm.

The gates to the command chamber were blown open and the Kongming Army charged inside as the remaining Salacians fell back. "Parker, we're going ahead. I'm leaving the rest to you. Kiko, stay with Parker's army and cover their advance. We need to drive the Salacians further and further in. Rangers, it's Combo time!" Fox went off with Sara and the rest of the Rangers.

"All units, charge!" commanded Parker as he and Kiko continued on with the troops.

King Marcos and Naimo were inside the command chamber when Sting came in. "Report, Your Highness! The Drylanders have broken into the courtyard!"

Marcos ordered, "Press the attack! I want those Drylanders driven out!" Sting had some concerns about this order, but Marcos didn't allow him to voice them as he ordered Sting to carry out his order.

Naimo asked Marcos, "Y-Your Highness, should we call the Nokizaru task force over here? We might not be able to fight off the Combo Rangers."

Marcos just chuckled. "Wait and see, child. Let's just wait and see." Naimo was confused about Marcos' decision, but he was rebuked when he attempted to voice his concerns.

Sting stationed himself with units of Salacian troops in the courtyard, mowing down the Kongming Army with bullets and grenades as they came in. This time, Daniel Camielez's friends were among them. "Jason! Luke! Flamey!"

Above them, Kiko rejoined the other Combo Rangers. "Fox, there's more sea monsters behind the courtyard. Should I bomb them?"

"Not right now," replied Fox.

Meanwhile, Isa and Nico were continuing to watch the unfolding battle from the fuel store. "If King Marcos were to be captured, or even killed," asked Nico, "have you thought about how to explain it to the Shark King?"

Isa replied, "Two platoons should be enough for him to defend his base. I don't believe they won't be able to do it."

"But Fox Fonseca and the Combo Rangers are over there."

"At least the fuel store remains safe."

"Isa, you do know you'll get court-martialled for not helping Marcos?"

Isa turned to Nico. "I thought you said you would support me."

"Of course I do."

"Then let me ask you, what is our current mission?"

"To ensure the fuel store's safety," Nico reluctantly replied.

"Defending the fuel store remains our priority."

"But don't you see? The fuel store isn't in any danger right now."

"Just because it's safe now doesn't mean it always will be. Our mission will only be complete once King Giddeon and King Shai's tanks have refuelled. I won't give Fox Fonseca any chances."

Parker's troops continued engaging Sting's units in battle. Meanwhile, inside the command chamber, Marcos deduced something. "Fox Fonseca and the Combo Rangers are not here."

"Do you think they've gone to the fuel store?" asked Naimo.

"Yes. The fuel store is their ultimate target."

"Very perceptive, Your Highness. If we called the Nokizaru task force here now, then the fuel store will be in danger."

Marcos went up to Naimo and gave him an order to send. "I want all units to charge and regain control of the courtyard, then wipe those blasted Drylanders off the face of this world!" Sting commanded his troops to charge in response to King Marcos' order.

Meanwhile, Fox met up with Parker. "What's happening?"

"The enemy seems to be planning on taking back the courtyard. I'm planning on letting them in, then hitting them with all we've got."

"Good plan. I'm off."

Parker ordered his troops to fall back. As the Salacians began shooting into the rooms where some of Parker's troops had gone in, Parker and the rest of his army surrounded them from above while the troops inside shot their guns through the windows. Sting was killed in the crossfire.

At the same time, the Combo Rangers continued making their way towards the command chamber. Ken, Kiko, Tati and Lisa worked in pairs to take out Marcos' soldiers, Sara sniped a few with her pistol and Fox took out a few more by knocking the guns out of their hands with his Tai Chi. When Fox sent a Salacian soldier's gun flying in the air and knocked him out with his shoulder, he hit the gun with his palm as it came back down and impaled another soldier with it.

"The Combo Rangers are still here," Naimo reported to Marcos.

Marcos suddenly got impatient. "Quickly, get Isa on the phone and tell her to get over here!" Naimo began calling Isa, but Marcos soon pushed him away and took the phone as he called Isa himself.

Back at the fuel store, Nicole ran up to Isa and Nico with a message. "Isa! It's King Marcos. He wants you to reinforce his base immediately! The Combo Rangers have reached the command chamber!"

Nico was about to respond, but Isa signalled him not to. "So, it looks like Fox Fonseca is about to capture King Marcos."

"Even if they capture or kill him, what good will it do to the Drylanders?" Isa mused.

"Fox won't be thinking that way. What he's doing will deal a great blow to our forces."

"If we leave now, the Drylanders could gain the upper hand on us."

"King Giddeon and King Shai will be here in a matter of hours. If we reinforce Marcos' base now, we could take down the Combo Rangers over there."

Nicole noticed Isa not moving and spoke up. "If you haven't made up your mind yet, Isa, can you at least take King Marcos' call?"

Isa got off the watchtower and headed to her command chamber to pick up the phone. She was greeted by King Marcos yelling into her ear. "What the hell are you waiting for, Princess Isa? Get over here right now or I'll break you in half!" Isa was about to hang up but Nico took the phone. "Isa? Isa!"

"Your Highness, this is Narwhal Prince Nico."

"Get your asses here right now, do you hear me?"

Hearing this, Isa cut the line. "Leave him be."

As Marcos was desperately wondering what to do next, Ken broke into the command chamber and killed Naimo. Tati then rushed in and threw Marcos out, where he was greeted by the rest of the Combo Rangers.

"Good job, everyone," said Fox.

Sara caught up with them as Parker rushed in as well, having eliminated the Stingray King Rayzor and his troops outside. "Fox! Enemy reinforcements are incoming," said Parker.

"Then we'll have to do this quickly." Fox turned his attention to Marcos. "We'll spare your life if you do as I say. Get Isa on the phone now."