Infectious Love

Chapter 18: Secrets Exposed

"I can't believe you did something like this! I expect Becca to do something like this, but not you! You're the responsible one!"

3 sighed as she put a few shirts in her travel bag. Marie was chewing Cat out in 3's living room. Callie didn't want to get involved in that drama, so she was helping 3 pack and tidy up the messy bedroom. They still couldn't believe that Cat had been sneaking into Inkopolis Square; she wasn't known to be the rebellious one on the team. 

"How much should I pack?" 3 asked, putting a pair of cropped leggings into her bag. 

"Maybe pack for five days?" Callie answered while setting a few photos and a small plastic potted plant on 3's low bookcase. "We can always come back later. Plus, we have a washer and dryer." 

3 nodded. She was trying her best to focus on packing, but it wasn't easy since 8 was the reason she had to leave her home in the first place. She had a feeling they wouldn't return until all of this was over, and who knew how long that would be. 3 understood that the more people around her, the better, but she was more than capable of protecting herself. However, she did live alone and didn't have a security system or something of the sort to alert her if someone was trying to break in.

Zipping up the bag, 3 looped the strap over her shoulder. Sensing her movement, Callie shut the closet door and joined her fellow friend/Agent. 3 walked out of her bedroom, with Callie following close, as though to make sure 3 wouldn't try to pull the 'I think I forgot something' stunt. Walking into the living room, the pair found Cat sitting on the couch with a guilty look, with Marie standing in front of her and scolding her like a disappointed parent who had caught their child doing something terrible.

Noticing 3 and Callie, Marie sighed.

"Don't think you're out of the reef yet," Maire firmly stated. "You're coming with us to explain what happened." 

Cat's face brightened a little, having escaped more of Maire's lecturing for now. As they all filed out, 3 hung back, looking around her apartment. She had been living here since she moved to the central heart of Inkopolis, where her Agent career took off and where she met her new family. It felt a little wrong to up and leave it like this.

"I'll give this place a good clean when I come back." 3 promised herself before flicking off the lights and closing and locking the door behind her. 

"You're sure no one seen you?" Marie worriedly whispered to Cat as they passed by a squad of Inklings. They had made it back to the Square, but the place wasn't as crowded as it usually was because of the rain. Most likely, Turfwar being canceled due to the weather played another part in it.

"No," Cat answered for the third time, rolling her eyes at Maire. She gently pulled at the chest of her hoodie, trying to air herself. Though the rain was slowly starting up again, everything was wet and humid. 

3's eyes wandered over to the massive glass window on her left; then it caught her. Pearl and Marina's spots were vacated-in hindsight, it made sense. They were meeting up with them to discuss what to do next.

"They have a room where they hang out, and they even have these beanbag chairs in their signature colors!" Callie enthusiastically told Cat and 3.

"Yeah, Pearl's is a bit smaller than average," Marie added, a slight smile creeping on her face.

Callie led the gang through a set of glass doors by the side of "Off the Hook's" studio. Callie removed her sunglasses, and Marie lowered her mask as they passed by two light blue jellies sitting behind a circular desk, heads bent down towards their computer monitors. They glanced up as the gang rounded the corner. Marie gave a slight nod in greeting. The jellyfish's eyes flicked onto 3 and Cat. They only seemed to regard them briefly before looking back to their monitors. 3 noticed that Cat was tense, but as soon as their attention was off them, she finally relaxed.