Red and Vizim reached the door to their quarters, and he hesitated. Zara didn't want him, or the others, for that matter, to know about the current events. He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad sign. Either way, it had been a long time since he actually got any concrete updates on the status of their fight.
Zara had clearly been perturbed about something beyond the current events. There was something going on as they stood there that none of them knew about. She had certainly kept to her word about keeping him out of direct combat.
Not that he thought that would last.
"What?" Vizim asked, "Are you alright?"
Red shook himself, "I wonder…"
"What?"
"You go ahead. I want to go check something."
"But Zara said…"
"Yes, Vizim, I know. But this is something important. We've been left out of the loop for long enough, I think."
Even in the darkness, Red could see his friend's eyes widen slightly, "You don't mean…"
"I think you know exactly what I mean. Aren't you sick of not knowing what's going on out there? We've made plenty of bombs so far, and there has still been no update. It's time that we found out what is going on."
"Alright," he replied sheepishly.
He nodded and didn't argue further. Red watched him enter their quarters and then turned back to the fort. He had a suspicion about Zara's sudden agitation that went beyond the missing man. Ducking behind a set of buildings, he slowly began making his way back towards the fort's entrance.
Zara could probably sense his approach, but he was counting on her being focused on the present circumstances. Something had happened, and he wanted to know what. He had been left in the dark long enough and needed answers. Reaching the fort wall, Red crouched down and waited in the darkness.
It wasn't long before Zara's figure stopped in front of the opening. She held a small orb of light in her palm and studied the wall carefully. With a shake of her head, she stepped forward, and the door began creaking open. However, she didn't move to head out into the gloomy night.
Instead, she waited.
Leaning against the building, Red steadied his breathing. It wouldn't do to give himself away so early.
The doors swung inwards, and the glowing orb cast light out into the jungle. In the shadows, he waited patiently. His mist began swirling within him, and he forced it upwards into his ears. It was less of forcing and more of simply asking nowadays.
They both wanted answers, it seemed.
"So you came alone," Zara cocked her head slightly, "I had thought you would take a risk for the fort with all my men gone."
Red flinched slightly. He already knew who was on the other side of the doors. A light chuckle reverberated in with his enhanced hearing.
The Pirate King took a leisurely step forward into the entranceway of the fort.
"You know this is the first time I have actually been in this fort. I must say it is rather underwhelming."
She scoffed, "Please. Underwhelming or not, it's still plenty enough to keep you out. That says more about you than me"
"And yet here I am," the man smiled darkly.
"Here you are indeed. What exactly do you want? I am surprised you didn't try to repeat your previous attempt at subterfuge. It certainly would have benefited you to have all of the civilians riled up."
"Oh, I think that they will be soon enough."
"You're kidnapping them straight from under our noses."
"Very direct as always," The Pirate King snorted, "I never said anything about kidnapping. It is your own fault if you lose track of your charges."
"Not going to admit to it then? No matter. Your own charges are disappearing from straight under your nose as well. Unfortunately for you, none of them are coming back… and they actually matter to your cause."
"My cause? What exactly do you think my cause is?"
"I thought you were here to talk, not ask questions. You're the one coming here with an offer, not me. I have half a mind to shoot you right now. That would certainly end this conflict rather quickly, don't you think?"
He waved his hand, "You're a smart young lady. You've certainly figured out at this point that nothing you do can harm me. I'll be gone before you can even raise that gun of yours…and that's assuming I don't kill you first."
"Don't make me laugh," Zara said without the slightest hint of humor.
"Only time will tell, I guess. But I still want to know what you think my cause is?"
"Do I need to spell it out for you, traitor?" Zara snarled.
Within his hiding spot, Red ducked deeper into the shadows. He had heard the word traitor before. However, it was never something casually thrown out there. The word "traitor" implied the act of betrayal. But it wasn't as simple as that. All of the pirates on the island had essentially betrayed Valencia. That still didn't mean they would be charged with betrayal, though.
"I always thought you were deserving of death, but this. How could you? Do your men even know who they're fighting for?"
"What are you gonna do if they don't? Tell them? Please, Zara. We all know what it means to have backers like mine. Regardless of what you think about them, you know they are powerful. Your fort and everyone here is doomed. You might hold out for a while or even manage to beat me, but it will be for nothing when they arrive."
"The fleet is hunting them. They won't even take the island."
"That's bluster, and you know it. The fleet has no idea they're coming here. By the time they hear of it, we will all be long gone. The robots will be back in their homesea and my crew will be back home safely as well. There's nothing you can do to stop it; that is why I came to you privately. I wanted to give you a chance to surrender. I can ensure you aren't going over to them if you do."
"The gearborn!" Red mouthed and nearly giving away his position in shock.
He was lucky that the Pirate King and Zara were so intently focused on each other. Speaking of the Pirate King, Red shook himself. Working for the gearborn… that was absurd on so many levels. The simple idea of that was…he didn't even know how to describe it. Actually, he did.
It was called being a traitor.
Zara stepped forward until the two of them were nearly touching, "Surrender. What makes you think I can't beat you all?"
"Because we control something you need," he replied calmly.
She clenched her fists, "The obelisk."
"Indeed. You probably have already guessed why the gearborn are coming here. But that isn't good enough for you. The obelisk could be dismantled or destroyed for all you know."
"You wouldn't dare!" She snarled.
"Who knows?"
Zara let out a long breath.
"I expected that you would not be open to surrender. Which Valencian would be? That's why I prepared my other offer. The first one is simply out of courtesy for you and your men…well, you in particular," He grinned wolfishly, "But the second offer is one that you can't ignore."
"I'm sure I can."
"Oh, no. I mean, the obelisk is rather important, don't you think? You certainly are going to want to keep an eye on it, isn't that right?"
"What are you saying?"
"It's simple, really. A trading of marks."
"You want me to willingly let you mark me? What a foolish proposition. I haven't the slightest idea of what your mark may do, while you already know what mine does."
"Perhaps. But you also don't know the state of the obelisk. You are going to want to know the state of that, don't you think…before our friends arrive."
"I've heard enough. Leave. Now."
The Pirate King turned and exited the fort.
Just as Red thought he had gone, the man called back, "I'll be back again soon. That will be your last chance, so think long and hard."
Zara grasped the trigger of her sniper, but didn't raise it. The sounds of the jungle faded away as the doors swung closed. She let out a long sigh of relief, and Red stepped further into the shadows. Zara turned to him and shook her head.
"I guess now you know what we're up against."