Princess Callie

Chapter 28: Back at the Palace

My head was throbbing. I couldn't see anything but it felt like I was laying in some kind of moving vehicle. The vehicle itself wasn't huge but there was room to walk around. Was I in a small truck? I tried to get up but some kind of sheet was preventing me from sitting upright.

"Marie, are you there?" I whispered.

"I'm here." Marie replied also keeping her voice down.

At least I knew Marie was with me. For some odd reason it was comforting having her nearby. "Do you know what happened?"

"Someone kidnapped us. I don't know they're taking us." I felt the vehicle coming to a halt and a door opening.

"We're here ladies!" Announced a feminine voice. I felt myself being pulled out of the vehicle and being forced to march somewhere.

"Is this them?" A familiar masculine voice asked.

"Yes it's the Squid Sisters alright. Just like you asked." Another voice answered.

The bag was taken off my head and I was shocked to see Kevin standing before me. Behind him were two octocommanders and four elite octolings whom I assumed were OIB agents. I also noticed an additional two octosnipers who kept their weapons pointed at us at all times. I wasn't sure if I should feel relieved to see my best friend or confused as to what he was doing here.

"So Callie. Welcome back to the palace. I trust my... ahem associates treated you decently." Kevin said.

Only one thing was on my mind. "Kevin? You had me kidnapped?" I cried out.

Kevin ignored what I said. "The Shogun would be happy to have you both here."

"Hold on. You still haven't paid us yet." One of the kidnappers cut in.

I had a look at the group. They were three very familiar octolings. Not sure where I've seen them before.

"Unfortunately for you Ashley, you're going to be a little disappointed." Kevin replied calmly.

"What do you mean?" Replied an older octoling.

"You see Amber. I am not authorized to give you anything. Now that both the Squid Sisters are in our custody. Your services will no longer be required." Kevin explained.

A younger octoling quickly stepped forward to negotiate. "Wait! We could just walk away."

"What Alice means is. We can keep a secret. We'll accept a lower payment. No need to kill us." Ashley said.

Amber shook her head and pulled out a luna blaster. "If you're not going to pay us, then you're not getting them. We'll take these two with us. I'm sure we'll find some other way to make a profit." Ashley and Alice pulled out weapons of their own to threaten Kevin. Ashley had a tri slosher while Alice wielded an undercover brella.

The Octarians prepared themselves for combat and Kevin pointed an octoshot at the three octoling kidnappers. "You just made a big mistake!"

I noticed Marie trying to back away from the standoff. Amber stood behind me and put one arm around my neck to use me as a shield.

I heard Marie shout "Callie!" She then threw herself at Amber causing both of them to fall over.

The stand off immediately erupted into a chaotic battle. The octocommanders began laying down suppressing fire while both sides ran cover. Amber pushed Marie away and ran behind the truck that was used to transport Marie and I.

I felt something bump into me. "Come on Callie we have to go!" Marie said trying to talk over the sounds of battle. Marie and I stood up and tried to run for a nearby door. The door probably went deeper into the palace but it had to be better than staying defenseless in a battlefield.

We ran straight there, avoiding any stray ink. I thought I heard someone get splatted but I didn't have time to see who. Marie got to the door first. She immediately turned her back to the door and attempted to open it. I could tell she was having trouble because she stood there for about a minute trying to get the door open. It must've been difficult with her hands tied behind her back.

I looked back at the ongoing battle. The Octarians were clearly winning despite having one octocommander get splatted. The octoling kidnappers were trying to use cover to avoid exposing themselves to the octosnipers. Kevin noticed Marie and I trying to escape and broke off from the engagement.

I looked at Marie, "They're coming!" I yelled hoping to be out of the room before Kevin arrives.

Then I felt something hard pressed into my back. "Hold it! Where do you two think you're going? Step away from the door." Kevin ordered.

Marie slowly took a few steps away from the door she had been desperately trying to open. "Wait don't hurt her!" Marie surrendered.

I noticed the sounds of battle were beginning to die out. One of the octolings had gotten around the truck and splatted the kidnappers. All that was left of them were three puddles next to their truck.

"Kevin... why are you doing this? I thought we were friends!" I yelled.

"We were never friends to begin with now lean against the wall!" Kevin shoved me forward.

With no other options, Marie and I pressed ourselves against the wall.

"You'll never get away with this. Agent 4 will find us and he will take you down." Marie hissed.

"He already knows where you two are. I made sure your friend Sheldon picked up Callie's tracking device signal. Octavio has something special in mind for him." Kevin replied. "You should be more worried about yourselves."

"Wait! There is a tracking device on me?" I asked.

"Quiet. Adults talking." Kevin replied.

"Hey! Don't talk to her like that!" Marie yelled.

Kevin smacked her with his octoshot. Then he pointed at a random octoling. "You! Tell the Shogun that we captured both the Squid Sisters!" He then pointed at another octoling. "And you! Take the princess back to her room and await further orders. The rest of you. Get to your positions and prepare our defenses for Agent 4's arrival."

One of the octolings violently grabbed me and forced me out the door. I knew she was taking me back to my room but what was going to happen to me afterwards? What is Kevin going to do to Marie? I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer.