The cavern that opened up before them was enormous. It dwarfed the plateaus they had been on and was so large that most ships could fit directly inside. That was exactly what the pirates had done. Their massive ship was stored within the cavernous grotto.
Red didn't even want to guess at the pains involved in getting the ship inside. It would have taken tremendous effort. However, it had worked out for the blasted pirates because no one had known they were here. Leaving their ship somewhere around the island would have been the equivalent of sending out a beacon.
Derrin hid in the branches of a tree above him, while he lay beneath a large bush. Climbing the tree with a bomb was not a good idea. They weren't able to get a clear view of the central depths of the massive cavern, but from what he saw, Red knew there were a lot of pirates stationed here.
He had no idea how Zara had managed to sneak the first bomb inside and hide it all without being seen. Even now, when there were clearly fewer pirates about, Red knew it was going to be a nightmare inside. The worst part was that no distractions would work in this situation. Anything they did out here would draw the pirates in the exact direction they didn't want them to go.
It was possible for them to swim beneath the waves. However, doing so with a bomb was not practical. Even if that worked out, he would have no way of properly blowing the damn thing. Right now, he was just planning on shooting it since they hadn't had the time to make a detonator.
Derrin dropped from the tree beside him, "This is going to be tricky."
"Yes, Derrin, I noticed," Red didn't move from his position beneath the plant.
If the pirates had discovered their first bomb, they likely thought the threat was neutralised. That improved their situation a little. With the attack on the other side of the island, these pirates would hopefully be off guard.
"Do you have any ideas on how we are going to sneak in there?" Red asked, finally pushing himself out of the bush.
"No. What we're doing is the sort of operation that often takes weeks to plan out. We're trying to do it in a matter of minutes. The chances of success for something like that are slim to none. Well, unless of course you're Zara. I would really like to know how she managed to get in here unseen the first time."
Red gave him a strange look, but knew he was correct. Overall, everything about their situation was bad. However, most of that could be resolved given time. That was their main issue at the moment. Time. They didn't have time to sit around and plan. At some point, they simply needed to make a move.
He told Derrin as much, but his friend only nodded his agreement. They were of the same mind at least. He did have a small semblance of an idea forming in his mind. They needed to cause a distraction. No matter how unlikely that seemed, that was simply the only way.
Derrin would need to be the distraction this time. Red was the only one able to detonate the bomb, while Derrin was clearly the only one who could survive against this many pirates.
If what the dead pirates had said was true, then the self-proclaimed pirate king wasn't here. Derrin would not need to worry about being caught or really being at risk from anyone here. He could likely escape even if someone stronger appeared.
"You need to be the distraction. That is the only way this will work unless we want to just set this bomb off here."
"No, that won't draw enough attention."
"That was exactly my thought as well. So, what if you simply attacked them?"
Derrin looked at him under raised brows, "You want me to attack them?"
"Sure, why not? That is bound to draw their attention away from me. Besides, I have already needed to bait once. It is your turn this time."
"I shouldn't have allowed you to be bait the first time. Of course, I will be a distraction. You can plant the bomb and leave without engaging in any fight at all."
Red wanted to object to this statement, but this really was their best idea. They didn't have time for any other plans. It had been far too long since the first explosion, and he was starting to fear the pirates would have the chaos under control.
This entire experience was one of the worst. He knew they were under a time crunch, and yet, he didn't know how much time they had. Rushing into something that got them killed wouldn't help anybody. Unfortunately, that was exactly what they planned to do.
"Let's do this then."
"Follow my lead. If we need to leave without properly planting the bomb, then we'll blow it wherever. It won't cause the level of chaos we want, but it is better than letting the pirates get their hands on it."
Red was in firm agreement. He hefted the bomb with his aching arms. By this point, he had finally got smart enough to begin cycling his mist. The aching was now more mental than physical.
Derrin crouched low and dashed forward. Red couldn't help but be reminded of the battle in the cave mouth. Derrin had moved similarly then, silent, but deadly. Now, they were in a far more precarious situation. They ducked between trees and other plants, drawing nearer to the massive grotto.
The cavern loomed before them as they paused right against the side of the hill. Red's heart was pounding, and he wiggled his toes as if preparing to spring. They moved slowly, trying to remain hidden. It was difficult but not impossible. The pirates weren't near this end of the cave anyway.
The jungle turned to sand as they neared the beach. This was the part where everything could potentially go wrong. While they were in the open, anything could. Derrin raised his hand, signalling for him to stop. He did so, watching his friend dash forward across the beach until he was standing practically in the sea.
He glanced into the cavern and paused there for a long moment. Then, he waved his hand, beckoning him forward. Red grimaced and tried to run as soundlessly as possible. This was not his sort of adventure. He preferred the loud, boisterous kind. The kind where you ran for your life aboard robot ships. Not dancing around the jungle in fear of being caught.