The first thing Octavio saw when he woke up was a very angry Marie, staring him in the face. He was tied to a chair in a dark room, and could hear heavy footsteps behind him, pacing.

"Gah!" He exclaimed. "What do you hipsters want?"

"We want answers, and we can do it the easy way or the hard way. The choice, is up to you. For now." Said Marie.

"You damn inkstains need to know your place! I'll kill you all here and now!" Octavio roared.

"That's cute, scumbag." Axel said behind him.

"What are you gonna do, you hunk of scrap? Scratch me?" Octavio replied, a little less defiant.

"Hmm... I haven't had fried octopod yet. I could change that real fast if you continue to be insolent." Said Axel.

Octavio was pretty sure he heard a long knife being drawn.

"You...you don't scare me!" Octavio yelled, his voice cracking.

"That's what the last interrogatee said before I removed her entire arm." Said Axel, not fooled.

"Now. Why did you take all of the inkling, octoling, and human captives?" Asked Marie.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sneered Octavio.

"I'm thinking medium rare." Said Axel. A pair of tongs clicked. "You thought I was kidding?"

If Octavio could change colors, he would be stark white by now.

"That's what I thought. Now, answer the questions, or your total amount of limbs will start falling fast." Said Axel.

"Never! I will not be broken!" Octavio shouted.

"Aight sure." Said Axel. "Lemme change your mind real quick here..." He chopped off both of Octavio's back tentacles. Sizzling could be heard.

Octavio roared on agony.

"What did I tell you?" Said Axel. "Now answer, scum."

Between wheezes, Octavio managed to get out "I... Would... Rather... Die..."

"Hmm. Maybe I'll pour concrete all over his head after I de-limb him. I'm sure the little Inklings would love a new toy to climb on." Said Axel.

Octavio was at his breaking point.

"Shame there's no one he loves. But maybe, I don't know, he can be a trophy or something to decorate the studio or this place?" Said Axel.

Octavio thought about this. The image was not appealing at all.

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you. The tentacles I took off can't grow back. I have acid on this knife, it cauterized your wounds already." Said Axel.

Octavio broke.

"Ok! Ok! I get it!" He shouted. "I'll talk for now..."

"You'll talk for as long as I want you too." Said Marie. "Now, why did you take the prisoners?"

"To build up an army and overrun your pathetic city." Octavio said.

"When is that not your plan..." Said Marie.

"Any accomplices? Because I'm pretty damn sure Inklings are just as defiant as you were a minute ago." Said Axel.

"N-no." Said Octavio.

"You lie." Said Axel. "And I know it."

"N-no I'm not!" Octavio protested.

"There's a pulse sensor somewhere on you. I know when you are lying." Said Axel. "And liers get their limbs cut off."

"Ok! There's this phone thing. Looked very waterlogged, but it talked to me. Told me 'I can help you.' It said it wanted revenge on this city as well..." Said Octavio.

"Strange phone? As if." Said Marie.

"No, that's the truth." Said Axel. "And I think agent 8 mentioned something about hating pay phones, because of one she ran into in the Deepsea Metro."

"What's it's name?" Asked Marie.

"Didn't say." Said Octavio.

"Tartar." Said Axel. "Some trash machine out to purge the world for an old scientist. He hates both races, and apparently does this thing called 'sanitazation' to Oceanics. And I think he wanted the hypnoshades for the humans."

"Well damn." Said Marie. "Can't say I expected that."

"Eh. Well, I know you have more questions, Marie." Said Axel.

"Yes. Next up, where were they taken?" Asked Marie.

"Hell if I know." Said Octavio. "The Inklings went to me, but I didn't know there were human and Octarian prisoners too..."

"Then we see a certain player on the field." Said Axel.

"I guess we need to ask agent 8 to help look." Said Marie.

"Where are the Inklings, at least?" Asked Axel.

"Octo canyon. Kettle 8." Said Octavio.

"Ok. I'll send agent 3 in to extract them." Said Marie. " You behaved well enough, so I won't let Axel barbeque you. You know the drill, into the snow globe." Said Marie.

"Some days I think you like him, but na." Smirked Axel.

"Sh-shut up! Or I'll put you in a snow globe too!" Marie said, with a mix of emotions.

"Sure ok." Said Axel. "I'm going to Deepsea with agent 8. Gotta check something."

He left.

Later, at the Deepsea Metro.

Agent 8 was scouting to find Tartar. Axel was talking to C.Q.Cumber

"Aight C.Q. are there any traces of sanitized ink I could get my hands on?" Axel asked.

"Well, there are a few sanitized octarians still in the way to the promised Land." Said C.Q.

"Guess I'm taking a hostage." Said Axel. "Gotta figure out a cure for it, for the worst case scenario."

"Good luck I guess." Said C.Q.

"And don't let 8 die down here, ok? None of that 'test failed' shit she handled before, she's on a mission. If she gets back and I hear you did that a few times, I may test out my barbeque on you, since I couldn't with Octavio." Said Axel as he left.

"Shame." C.Q.Cumber thought to himself. "I miss those 8-ball tests a little."

As if reading his mind, Agent 8 gave him a look that could kill.

"Point taken 10,008." C.Q. said hurriedly.

About 1 seconds later.

"That's 2 sanitized octotroopers bagged and tagged." Said Axel, leaving the Metro. The sanitized octarians in question were royally pissed off, but neither one could really do anything.

Axel arrived at inkopolis later, and went right to the hospital. He used his stealth cloak to avoid anyone seeing him with a couple of body bags slung over his shoulder. When he got to the hospital, he asked the clerk "hey, do you have a medical research facility here?"

"Yes, why?" Said the clerk.

"I've got a new sample, and I need it well understood. Damage control situation, there's a bunch of octarians with this condition, and a cure is needed." Said Axel.

"What do you mean?" Asked the clerk.

Axel just opened one bag slightly.

"Oh... That's... Not normal..." Said the clerk. "I'll fetch you the head scientist, just a moment..."

She called up the research lab, and explained what she could.

A few minutes later, the clerk directed Axel to the lab, giving him directions. He left with a nod, to prepare for the worst.