Chapter 19:

Raine stood with her arms crossed, eyes narrowed as she listened to Dr. Isaac explain his plan. Behind her, two village guards stood watch, their weapons ready in case things got out of hand. Ellie and James sat nearby, still tied up, and though James tried to hide it, the pain from his recent lashing was evident in the way he shifted uncomfortably. Ellie shot daggers at Isaac with her glare, clearly unimpressed.

Isaac, oblivious to—or perhaps purposefully ignoring—their disdain, paced back and forth as he spoke. His hands gestured wildly as if the grandiosity of his movements might somehow make up for the insanity of his words.

"So, here's the plan," Isaac began, stopping in front of Raine with a theatrical flourish. "We need to get Thomas back from Cane, right? But we can't just stroll in there and ask nicely—no, no, that would be too easy! And boring. So, we need a distraction. Something big, something... explosive!" He wiggled his fingers in the air, mimicking an explosion.

Raine raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly do you plan to make an explosion with nothing but your big mouth and empty hands?"

Isaac paused, scratching his chin. "Ah, well, you see, that's where you come in, my dear Raine. Your village must have something—barrels of gunpowder, perhaps? Or at least something flammable?"

Raine remained stone-faced. "And if we did?"

Isaac leaned in, lowering his voice as if sharing a great secret. "We create a diversion, something that will draw Cane and his men away from Thomas, giving us the perfect opportunity to swoop in and grab him. Simple, effective, and most importantly—fun!"

Ellie rolled her eyes. "This is your plan? Blow something up and hope for the best?"

Isaac turned to her with a grin. "Well, when you say it like that, it sounds a little reckless, doesn't it? But trust me, Ellie, this is the best way. Besides, the element of chaos is my specialty."

James, wincing as he shifted again, glared at Isaac. "You know, you could have just told them the plan without getting me lashed and burned. But no, you had to let them 'convince' you."

Isaac waved his hand dismissively. "Details, details! Look, the important thing is, we're all still alive, and we have a chance to get Thomas back. Plus, I've always believed that a bit of pain builds character. You're a better man for it, Captain."

James's jaw clenched. "I'm a one-armed man for it."

"Semantics!" Isaac said cheerfully, turning back to Raine. "So, what do you say? Are you in?"

Raine considered him for a moment, then sighed, clearly unimpressed but intrigued. "Fine. We'll help. But if this plan of yours goes south, I'm feeding you to the wolves myself."

Isaac clapped his hands together. "Perfect! Now, let's get to work. We've got an explosion to plan!"

Ellie shook her head as she muttered under her breath, "We're doomed."

James, still simmering, just muttered, "I hate you for this, Isaac."

Isaac simply smiled, unfazed, and began outlining his chaotic plan in greater detail. The guards behind Raine exchanged uneasy glances, clearly wondering what they had gotten themselves into.