Chapter 87: Garret's Acting

As the sun dipped behind the mountains, casting long shadows over the Blackwood Bandit Gang's stronghold, Ruchir, Garret, and Alice finalized their plan. With Flippy's transformation technique, they disguised themselves as bandits, taking on the identities of the defeated ones. Their faces morphed seamlessly, and they donned the ragged clothes of the captured bandits.

Approaching the stronghold's entrance, the trio was met by a suspicious guard. "Sir Rion," the guard called out, eyeing Garret who was now disguised as the burly Rion, "why are there only three of you left?"

Garret, with a confident smirk, stepped forward and put on his best gruff voice. "We were ambushed, but we managed to fend them off. The others are... dealing with the aftermath."

The guard frowned but nodded, apparently buying the story. "Alright, get inside then. Be careful."

As soon as they were through the gate, Garret turned to Alice and Ruchir, beaming. "Did you see that? I deserve an award for that performance!"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Don't get too full of yourself, Garret. We still have to get to the heart of the stronghold."

Before Garret could retort, another guard approached them. "Sir Rion, Sir Jiro requests your presence in the basement camp, along with the other nine captains." He saluted and walked away briskly.

Ruchir sighed. "Now that's a problem."

Alice frowned. "Your acting might have fooled the entrance guards, but I doubt it will work in front of the other captains and the deputy leader. They'll know Rion's habits and behavior."

Garret's confident facade faltered. "Uh, yeah. That could be an issue."

Ruchir patted Garret on the back. "We'll figure something out. We always do."

Garret looked at Ruchir, hopeful. "What's the plan, then?"

Ruchir scratched his head. "First, we need to get past the deputy leader without raising suspicion."

Garret groaned. "That's not the only problem, you guys know that, right?"

Alice and Ruchir looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?" Alice asked.

Garret threw his hands up in exasperation. "Where's the basement camp?"

Alice's face turned red with frustration, and she looked like she was ready to strangle Garret. "You didn't think to ask where it is?"

Ruchir quickly stepped in, holding Alice back. "Easy, Alice. We can't afford to lose our cool now."

Garret shrugged sheepishly. "Well, I thought it was a given that someone would know."

Alice took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Alright, let's think. We need to find out where this basement camp is without arousing suspicion."

Garret's eyes lit up with an idea. "Why don't we ask one of the guards? I can act like Rion just forgot and is too proud to admit it."

Ruchir nodded. "It's worth a shot. Just don't overdo it."

They approached another guard stationed near a cluster of tents. Garret, still in character as Rion, swaggered up to the guard. "Hey, you there. Which way to the basement camp? My mind's a bit hazy after the fight."

The guard looked confused for a moment but then shrugged. "It's just past the central fire pit, down the stairs behind the large tent. You can't miss it."

Garret clapped the guard on the back. "Thanks, mate."

As they walked away, Garret grinned. "See? Easy peasy."

Alice shook her head. "We really need to work on your planning skills, Garret."

They made their way through the stronghold, avoiding eye contact and trying to blend in. They passed groups of bandits lounging around fires, sharpening weapons, and drinking. The atmosphere was tense but also strangely festive, as if they were celebrating recent successes.

Reaching the large tent, they found the stairs leading down to the basement camp. Garret hesitated for a moment before heading down, with Ruchir and Alice close behind.

The basement camp was dimly lit by torches and filled with the smell of damp earth and sweat. Bandits milled about, discussing plans and exchanging stories of their exploits. In the center, a group of men stood around a large table, with Jiro, the deputy leader, at the head.

Garret took a deep breath and approached the group, trying to exude the confidence of Rion. "Sir Jiro, we're here as requested."

Jiro looked up, his sharp eyes scanning the group. "Rion, you're late. And where are the others?"

Garret stammered slightly. "Uh, they... got held up. But we're here now."

Jiro's gaze lingered on Garret for a moment before he nodded. "Very well. We need to discuss our next raid. Pay attention."

"Our next target is the Sayy family's caravan," Jiro announced, his voice carrying a hint of menace. "They'll be passing through the Blackwood Pass in three days. This raid is of utmost importance because it involves something our leader wants personally. Failure is not an option."

Garret, disguised as Rion, listened intently, his nerves on edge. He could feel Ruchir and Alice's tension beside him as Jiro continued, laying out the details of the plan.

"The caravan will be heavily guarded, with elite warriors among them. However, we have the element of surprise. Here's how we'll do it," Jiro said, spreading a detailed map on the table. "We'll divide into three groups. The first group, led by me, will set up a blockade on the main road, forcing the caravan to take the narrow mountain path. The second group will be hidden along the path, ready to ambush. The third group, including you, Rion," he pointed at Garret, "will strike from the rear, cutting off their escape."

Jiro's eyes glinted with a ruthless cunning. "We'll use smoke bombs to disorient them and explosive traps to break their formation. Once they're in chaos, we move in for the kill. Remember, our primary target is not the goods, but a specific item the leader wants. Ensure you secure it at all costs."

He paused, his gaze sweeping the room. "If any of you fail, you'll answer to the leader personally. And trust me, you don't want that."

The threat hung heavily in the air as Jiro dismissed them. The room began to clear, the bandits murmuring amongst themselves as they headed to prepare for the raid. Ruchir, Garret, and Alice lingered, their minds racing.

Ruchir spoke first, his voice low and thoughtful. "What could be so important that the leader wants it personally? This isn't just about the loot. There's something bigger at play here."

Garret, uncharacteristically serious, nodded. "We need to find out what that item is and why it's so crucial. But we can't confront the leader directly. He's a fifth limiter. We'd be dead before we could blink."

Alice crossed her arms, her expression fierce. "The Sayy family, hmph. They must have something of significant value. We need to figure out a way to use this raid to our advantage."

Ruchir leaned in, his eyes narrowing. "During the raid, we have to be smart. We can't just follow the plan and hope for the best. We need to create an opportunity to find out what this item is and secure it ourselves."

Garret scratched his head, deep in thought. "What if we let the bandits do most of the fighting? We could use the chaos to slip into the caravan and get our hands on whatever the leader wants."

Alice nodded slowly. "It's risky, but it's our best shot. We'll have to stay close to the action without drawing too much attention to ourselves."

Ruchir agreed. "We'll need to be quick and precise. If we can get that item and escape, we might have leverage over the leader. It could be our ticket to taking down the stronghold from within."

The three of them huddled together, whispering their plans and refining their strategy. As they discussed, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on them. This raid wasn't just another mission; it was a pivotal moment that could change everything.

Ruchir's mind raced with possibilities. He knew they had to be cautious, but he also felt a flicker of hope. If they could pull this off, they could weaken the bandit stronghold and uncover the secrets that lay at the heart of their leader's obsession.

Garret broke the tense silence with a rare moment of sincerity. "No matter what happens, we stick together. We've gotten this far because we've looked out for each other. Let's make sure we get through this in one piece."

Alice placed a hand on Garret's shoulder. "Agreed. We've faced worse odds before. We can do this."

Ruchir looked at his friends, feeling a surge of determination. "Then let's prepare. We have three days to get ready and make sure this raid goes in our favor. We'll find out what the leader wants and use it to our advantage."