Shadow in the Glass: a Splatoon 2 Fanfiction

Chapter 11

"So you're the Calvin Irvel I've heard so much about," Lyze said calmly, like he didn't care at all.

"Yes, yes I am. What does it mean to you?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see the madman himself."

One of the Charger users swivelled his weapon toward the Octoling. "President Irvel, is this fugitive of any use to you? Should we take care of him?"

Calvin lazily motioned with his hand. "Stand down. He won't try anything. Not unless he has a death wish." He turned to address Lyze. "And actually, there is something I want to know. My executives have been speaking about this... ah, mystical ability the terrorist has. Now that I have you in my grasp, what is this ability they speak of?"

Lyze held his gaze. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes. It could be beneficial to the company."

"You sick creatures," Jake snarled. "You only care about money, don't you?"

Calvin looked at Jake disdainfully. "What would you know about running a company?" He turned back to Lyze. "Now, show me."

"Okay, you asked for it." As Calvin's eyes donned the tiniest inch of fear, Lyze's eyes began to glow.

Mona tried to hold back her smile as the Kensa C.E.O. froze, his mouth twisted in that awful sneer. Lyze waved his hands in front of Calvin's face, but due to his inability to move a muscle, he didn't blink.

"Cool, isn't it?" Lyze said with an innocent tone, before he shoved the Kensa president.

Calvin toppled to the ground like a domino. The Chargers trained their sights on Lyze. "Mr. Cheshire, put your hands in the air!" One of the Chargers said bravely.

Lyze turned toward them. "Oh, right, you're still here."

"That's right! And we have masks on, so that... your... whatever you did to President Irvel won't work on us! So don't try it!"

"Yeah, yeah," Lyze said, as if this news didn't put him into a disadvantage at all. With no warning, he lunged at one of the snipers, who leapt back, terrified. He dropped his weapon in the process. Exactly what Lyze wanted.

He picked up the Charger and aimed it at the other sniper's chest. His calm expression sent chills down Mona's spine, even when it wasn't directed at her.

"You know I'll pull the trigger," Lyze calmly stated, "and you know you won't. In time, that is." He nodded toward the disarmed sniper, backing up with A.J. and Luna, and then the kettle. "So either leave, or die."

It wasn't a choice for the employees. The snipers left first, casting terrified glances at Lyze, who was in full don't-mess-with-me mode. A.J. and Luna tried to take the still-petrified Calvin Irvel with them, but Lyze had the laser pointed at him in an instant. "Leave now, or he dies along with you." The duo shot helpless looks back at their president as they dropped through the kettle.

As soon as they left, Lyze began to laugh. He dropped down, shaking from fits of laughter.

"What? What's so funny?" Jake asked.

Lyze wiped a tear from his eye. "Those idiots," he managed, "those idiots forgot they had a SPAWN point!"

Jake smiled at that. "Okay, that's pretty great."

"Um..." Mona hated to interrupt a bonding moment between the two, but this was important. "What do we do with him?" She motioned toward Calvin.

Lyze stopped laughing, though he maintained his evil smile. "Leave that to me."

...

Mona and Jake followed Lyze as he dragged Calvin toward the grate that led to Inkopolis. He dropped the Kensa president and managed to move the grate aside, leaving a gaping hole in the ground.

He looked at Mona and Jake. "You two go first. I'll go behind this excuse of a squid, shoving him outward."

Mona nodded mutely. Inwardly, she saw Buia hovering around, eyeing Calvin and the way Lyze was treating him with disgust.

Don't you see it? How bad we can be, even if we don't realize it?

"Be quiet," Mona muttered, concentrating on shoving Buia away.

"Uh... Mona?"

Lyze's worried voice pulled her out of her concentration. She turned to see Lyze staring at her with a concerned expression. "You're frowning. You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"If you say so. Jake already left. I'd imagine he's worried now; he thought you were right behind him."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

"Make sure to move the grate's cover aside when you resurface, to make room for our friend."

"Got it. See you soon, Cheshire."

Mona dove into the uncovered grate, rocketing through twists and turns until she saw the opening. She dove out, gracefully switching forms in midair, and landing on two feet. It was dusk, she noticed, but she didn't have time to watch the sunset. Quickly, she turned around and started pulling the grate off of the tube.

"Mona?" She heard Jake's voice from behind her. "Where were you?"

"Doesn't matter. Help me pull this grate away!"
Without hesitation, Jake hurried to Mona's side and helped her move the grate. A few moments after they uncovered the tunnel beneath, a stiff-looking Calvin and Lyze rocketed out.

"Alright," Lyze said, dusting himself off. "It's showtime."

Jake gave him a searching look, eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you planning?"

Lyze flashed his signature grin once again. "Oh, you'll just have to wait and see."