"Heralded by loud explosions, the Great Octoweapons quickly stormed the Inklings' central stronghold. Victory for the Octarians seemed all but certain, but due to a plug being carelessly pulled from its socket, their hopes were dashed."
—Sunken Scrolls 1:13 (3.4)

Sunday, 10:27 a.m.
Cuttlefish Cabin

The next morning, a truck pulled up outside the shack. Cole saw it on the live camera feed, a box truck painted black and green and covered in decals. It must have arrived before he woke up.

Marie sat at the table, checking her phone. She looked up at Cole as he walked into the central room. "You ready to go up?" she asked. "Our ride is here."

"Did you tell Cece?"

"Yup, she said she'll scout out the place for us and get us a report as soon as she can."

Cole grabbed his phone and the backpack of supplies, and they went outside. The driver stepped out of his truck to greet them. He was a short fellow, standing a full head shorter than Cole and clad in a faux military uniform. A red handkerchief was tied around his neck, and a set of thick goggles made his eyes look gigantic. A helmet, or maybe a shell or hair, even, sat on his head. He smiled at Cole, revealing buck teeth.

"Hello, hello! You must be the new guy!"

"This is Sheldon," said Marie. "He's not officially affiliated with the NSS, but he helps us out from time to time. Thanks for coming all the way out here, Sheldon."

Not officially affiliated? Cole wondered what being officially affiliated with the NSS even meant, given that all their operations were a secret in the first place. Who else was not officially affiliated with the NSS that he didn't know about? Why was Cole even needed if Marie had Cece, all the other informants out in Octarian country, and now Sheldon? Any of them could be helping her with this mess instead of him. He'd have to ask Marie about what affiliation actually entailed, later.

Marie tossed her bag into the back of the truck, and Cole followed suit. The cargo area was packed with boxes of ammunition and gun parts.

"Like what you see?" Sheldon asked, catching Cole looking at the boxes. "Wait until we get back to the shop." Okay, the thing on his head was a shell, then, Cole figured. Sheldon was a horseshoe crab.

The three of them squeezed into the two-seater cab, with Marie taking the passenger side and Cole sitting between her and the driver's seat. Sheldon took them off the back roads and put them on a route directly to Inkopolis.

"What's your name, new guy?" Sheldon asked.

"Uh, Agent 4."

"I mean your actual name."

"...Cole."

"Nice to meetcha, Cole. I'm Sheldon Shellendorf. I run a weapon store."

What a fitting name, Cole thought to himself but did not say aloud. The truck barreled down an empty highway as greens, yellows, and greys streaked by outside. Signs pointing toward the city hung overhead.

"Sheldon is a talented weapon designer," Marie chimed in. "He designed all our gear himself."

That got Cole's attention.

"Aw shucks, Marie!" The horseshoe crab gushed, pretending to be embarrassed.

Cole asked, "You mean you made the stuff back there? The gadgets and guns?"

"Well, I didn't make all of it, per se, but I designed it all, yes." came Sheldon's reply.

"Do you make any other guns that can go in either hand? Like, for, uh, left-handed folks?"

Sheldon beamed, keeping his eyes on the road. "You tried my bullpup SMG! That's one of my more recent designs."

"Yeah, with the top-mounted mag. Slickest thing I've ever fired."

"The one you used was an old prototype, actually," Sheldon exclaimed. "I've got a newer model in the store, along with other southpaw-friendly pieces you can try out."

"That'd be great!"

"Nerds," Marie said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, it's hard to find someone who understands everything I'm talking about!" Sheldon fired back. "Fellow gun nuts are one in a million."

Cole was starting to like the little guy. He peppered Sheldon with more questions, which Sheldon seemed all too eager to answer.

"Your rifles fire darts. How'd you make them convertible?"

"That trick took me a while to figure out, but it's easy after you've done it once."

"What do you think of oversized handguns?"

"Clunky, but everyone's got their thing."

"You related to Ammoses Shellendorf by any chance?"

"He was my Grandpappy! Bless his heart."

An hour flew by, at least for Cole. The trio arrived in the city proper before noon, working through light traffic and pedestrians to get closer to the ever-crowded Inkopolis Square. Sheldon parked his truck two blocks away and took the agents through the back entrance of his store.

Inside was the biggest indoor shooting range Cole had ever seen, complete with moving targets and a second story. He wondered if Natalie frequented this place, as she had always loved her target practice games. She and Cole used to spend hours every afternoon practicing at the range. Nat had a knack for setting new high scores almost every week, leaving Cole's personal records in the dust. Cole had solid aim, himself, but everyone in the Falls paled in comparison to the prodigious sharpshooter.

Nat's position in the NSS actually made some sense in hindsight, after he connected the dots.

Sheldon led them through a darkened corridor to the storefront area. He flipped a switch, turning on the lights and revealing shelves full of gun attachments, ammunition, and various accessories. Mounted weapons covered two entire walls. Further down, another door led to what Cole assumed to be a workshop. He could see a workbench inside, along with several hand tools.

"The lefty and ambidextrous guns are over there," Sheldon told Cole, pointing to one of the shelves. "Feel free to take any of them for a spin. We're closed on Sundays, so the whole place is yours today."

"Actually, we have word of an attack in The Reef tomorrow," Marie said. "Three Octolings are breaking into the shops during construction. Agent 4 and I need to prepare."

"Oh, then perfect!" Sheldon exclaimed. He dove through the doorway to his workshop, leaving the agents in the store. When he emerged, he was holding two guns. "Custom built for urban warfare! This one is for you, Marie," Sheldon announced, handing her a rifle. "I've increased the range and stability of the convertible rifle you like so much, and it still takes both tranq and standard ammo. It's what you're used to, but now even better! Perfect for your rooftop sniper style. And for you, Cole, the latest version of my bullpup."

Cole took a white and orange submachine gun from Sheldon. The new paint job was slick, that was for sure. The gun looked cleaner and more futuristic than the black and yellow prototype from yesterday. It had the same overall shape, but with another handle attached behind the existing trigger handle. Atop the magazine sat a reflex sight, and the back was fitted with a padded sling for carrying the gun around. The updated version felt heavier in Cole's hands. His fingers trembled with excitement—he really wanted to test it out.

"It's even sturdier than before," Sheldon explained, "And I've taken the liberty to add a fully automatic fire option." He pointed to a small switch located at the foot of the trigger. "The switch is centered here, so you can flick it with either hand. Go on, give it a try!"

Cole didn't need to be told twice. He turned around and went straight to the shooting range.

"Remember to use hearing protection!" Marie yelled after him.

"I'm sure this isn't his first rodeo," Sheldon said. "Cole looks like he knows how to use a gun. Besides, it sounds like you two were already shooting at Octarians yesterday."

Marie looked at her own gun, weighing it in her hands. "Speaking of which," she said, "You're giving us your unfinished prototypes again, aren't you? We're trying to stop a terrorist cell, here. This isn't really the time for experimenting."

Sheldon chuckled. "These works of art are not prototypes, trust me. I've tested them extensively. But I can always use some more practical battle data."

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