Kassius and Kaizen go over to wake Arnold and Bonnie from their rest. All the officers gather together along with the group and Ayana.
Lucia: "Alright. We're going to be heading in right now. Our main objective is to save the Captain. If there are any others in need, we will attempt to save, but we also know where the base is now. Therefore in a dire situation, do not force the situation and simply retreat. Better not to risk the prisoners. Let us get going."
With Ayana leading, everyone starts heading towards the base. Lucia stops two officers behind the group.
Lucia: "You two will stay here and monitor. Try get in contact with Captain John. It's currently 7pm so if we don't come out by midnight, feel free to use this."
She hands them a flare.
Lucia: "Only when we don't come out. Understood?"
Officer 1 and 2: "Yes, Lieutenant."
Lucia catches up with the group as they walk towards the base.
Ayana: "Up ahead."
The group looks forward to see a big cave entrance.
Lucia: "Only two people guarding the entrance. Deal with them swiftly. Incapacitate, don't kill."
Lieutenant Michael: "Understood."
Lieutenant Michael and three other officers sneak near the entrance, hiding behind the rocks. The two bandits guarding remain clueless.
Bandit 1: "Oy, aren't we supposed to be switching?"
Bandit 2: "You heard the boss. We'll switch when Mr. Rafik arri-... uhh..."
Bandit 1: "What?"
Bandit 2: "Nevermind. I thought I heard something."
In that moment, both men are shot with darts.
Bandit 1: "What the?!"
Bandit 2: "Alarm-
In an instant, both bandits are rushed. Before they can even scream, they are grabbed and choked, mouth covered until both fall unconscious. They rush back to the rest of the group.
Lucia: "Good work. Looks like the black clothing is effective."
Lieutenant Michael: "Sedation effect will kick in in a few minutes. We'll need a small group to watch over the front."
Lucia: "Good idea. We'll need to be quick so it's best if we aren't too many going inside. You four will stay back. The other two behind will watch your back. Try hide to not get caught."
ACO officer 3 and 4: "Yes, Lieutenant."
Lucia: "Alright. Let's go."
The remaining 10 go into the cave slowly. As they walk in, Kaizen looks up at the entrance wall.
Kaizen: "Hmm..."
With only torch light leading them, they walk down the cave.
Kassius (in head): "This is one creepy place. Feels like anything can jump out on me."
Lucia: "Where do these other cave routes lead?"
Ayana: "Nowhere important. Just empty caves. Only two you need are up ahead, there."
The group reach the cut point.
Ayana: "The left is where the prisoners are held. The right path leads to the camp."
Lucia: "Alright. We'll head down the left path and free the-"
Slowly from the darkness of the cave, the entrance closes.
Kassius: "What the-"
In an instant, coming from the right path, a group of bandits come rushing forward, all holding weapons.
Bandit 1: "Ay! Hands! Show your hands!"
Everyone raises their hands.
Bandit 1: "Tie them."
The bandits tie up all of them by their hands. They are then escorted down the right path to camp. As they reach the end of the right tunnel, the group sees a huge underground space, tents and all set up. They walk down the path and onto the camp. Slowly, they walk through it, eyes staring at them as other bandits join the march up to the center of the camp. As they reach the center, they see some bandits, and with them are Sandworm, Dune, Henzo and the boss Sado Talman. Sandworm is a 23 year old, 6"5 dark skinned man. He is bald, with two stripe markings on it. Dune is also a 23 year old. She is a 5"6 tanned woman with long black hair and a black bandana on her forehead. She carries a katana.
The group are sat down in the center, as the whole camp looks on.
Sado: "Welcome to our base of operations. I hope my men didn't startle you. You see, we don't get visitors often."
Kassius and Sado lock eyes.
Sado: "Ahh. You must be Kassius Moore. The young wonder. The boy deceived by a believed comrade. And the boy beside you, Arnold Jenovise, correct?"
They all stare at him in silence.
Sado: "Although, truth be told, I do not recognise most of you. Perhaps, allies of Mr. Moore here-"
Arnold: "How did you know we were here?"
Sado: "How did I know? Well, because this was all planned."
Sado retells the moment when he remade the deal with Ayana,
Ayana: "Is it possible... that I bring him alive instead?"
Sado: "Oh? How do you plan to do that? If I hear correctly, you stole the diamond from him. So-"
Ayana: "If you're concerned about him no longer trusting me, then you've underestimated my ability. He thinks we're friends. A little convincing sob story and I'm sure to have him sold again."
Sado: "Hmm... I can't sit here and pretend you aren't one of the more competent thieves here. Look, I'll be generous enough to give you two deals. If you kill him, I'll free your friends immediately. Or you could bring him to me, and instead of three years, I'll half your time required to earn your friends' freedom again. However... if you fail to do both, then I'll continue with our original deal. Are we clear?"
Ayana: "... Yes."
The group surprised to here that, look on at Ayana.
Arnold: "We trusted you again... we trusted you again!"
Kassius: "Ayana... he's lying, right?"
Ayana looks down in shame.
Sado: "Hahaha! Isn't that something? Ayana, you continue to impress. Not once, but twice you fooled them. Ahahaha!"
The bandits start laughing.
Ayana (in head): "It's working."
Early on, when they were planning in the desert.
Ayana: "I do have a plan, but it'll be quite tricky to pull off."
Kassius: "Go on."
Ayana: "You see, they'll be expecting us at the base because it was supposed to be my job to bring you to him. But we can use that to our advantage. Simply put, we let him capture you. You're gonna have to sell it, make it more convincing. But once he locks you guys up, I'll sneak by to come free you, and we can free the other prisoners, including my friends."
Kaizen (in head): "Hmm..."
Ayana: "We'll have more numbers this way, so it'll be easier to steal the diamond and escape."
Bonnie: "Haha! That's a crazy plan."
Back in the base, the bandits quiet down from laughing.
Sado: "Free her."
Dune walks up to Ayana and cuts her binds. Ayana gets up on her feet and walks towards the boss, turning to face them all. Henzo leans over to the boss,
Henzo (whispering): "Boss, you need to leave soon. Hamza is almost here."
Sado (whispering): "Ahh. You're right."
Sado: "Well, I'd love to continue. However, I have appointments I must attend, so if you can esc-"
Kassius: "Fight me."
Everyone goes silent.
Sado: "Hmm?"
Arnold: "Kassius, what are you-"
Kassius: "I said fight me!"
Sandworm: "Have you grasped your situation? You are in no place to make demands."
Kassius: "You're right. I'm tied up. You won. It's unfortunate though. I mean, if you were really a threat everyone says you are, you wouldn't have needed to resort to these shallow tactics, right?"
Dune: "He sure runs his mouth. Don't let this piece of shit waste your time boss."
Henzo: "She's right. You have more im-"
Sado: "Very well."
The bandits get surprised.
Sado: "Just me and you. A simple fight. Move them back and untie him alone."
Henzo: "But sir-"
Sado: "Do you doubt me, Henzo?"
Henzo: "I don't."
Sado: "Then move them back and untie him."
Everyone is moved back to make enough space in the center. Kassius is untied and left in the center alone with Sado while everyone surrounds.
Sado: "Let us see if I really needed those shallow tactics, hmm?!"
Kassius closes ground immediately and tries to punch at Sado but he swiftly dodges to the side. Kassius lets off a combo of punches, but Sado manages to evade and block a lot of them. Kassius punches forward, and Sado leans to the side, punching Kassius in the side. Kassius pushes through and continues attacking. He throws two punches up at Sado but Sado dodges both.
Kassius (in head): "He's quick."
Sado tries to counter with a kick to the head but Kassius ducks just in the nick of time. As Kassius tries to get up, Sado spins and throws another kick at him. Kassius blocks as he could not get out in time and tumbles to the ground a bit. He winces in pain at his arm. Just as he looks up, he sees Sado jumping. Sado tries to stomp on Kassius but he rolls out in time. Sado continues to follow stomp him but Kassius rolls out. Sado tries to stomp once more but Kassius stops his foot, pushes it to the side and kicks Sado back. Kassius gets back on his feet.
Arnold (in head): "Nice kick."
Bonnie: "Get him, Kas!"
Sandworm: "Boss!"
Sado: "Ha! Not too bad. Anything else to show though?"
Kassius calmly breathes and starts walking slowly towards Sado.
Arnold (in head): "The level step? Already?"
In a flash, Kassius disappears. All the bandits look around surprised.
Sado: "Not to worry, this won't go on for much longer."
Kassius reappears behind him in the air.
Kassius (in head): "He's open."
As Kassius kicks Sado's head, he simply falls to the ground.
Arnold: "What the-"
Lucia: "Did he just-"
While the bandits all look amused, the group look in shock as Kassius falls to the ground.
Kassius (in head): "Did I miss? No, I'm certain I hit him."
Kassius tries to get back up on his feet, exhausted.
Sado: "Were you seeing things?"
Kassius in shock immediately swings as he turns around. Sado already expecting it, stops his hand and flips him over onto the ground. He then lifts Kassius by the throat off the ground. He punches Kassius straight in the gut a few times, making him cough out blood. As Kassius barely remains conscious, Sado stares at him directly in the eye, as he does back.
Sado: "Kassius Moore. What was it again? Send them all?"
The bandits start laughing.
Sado: "To beat the serpents, I was quite impressed. But seeing it in person, I'm disappointed."
Sado throws Kassius up and kicks him, sending him rolling onto the ground, grasping to stay awake, bloodied and beaten.
Arnold and Bonnie: "Kas!"
Sado: "Tie him up, and take them all to the prison. We'll be leaving soon. Make sure all preparations are ready!"
Bandits: "Yes, sir!"
The bandits round them all up and escort them towards the prison. Two other bandits lift Kassius by his hands and legs and carry him, following the group. They all walk back through the camp towards the cave paths. After some walking, they reach the end of the left path and walk down some stairs. Up ahead, is a door guarded by a bandit. He's seated on a chair and is reading a newspaper.
Bandit 1: "New prisoners."
The bandit guard opens the door, as the others are escorted in.
Bandit guard: "What happened to him?"
Bandit 1: "The boss messed him up. Watch them closely. These ones aren't hopeless yet."
The other bandits leave as the bandit guard closes the door and goes back on his chair. The prison, is a pretty wide, square space. Inside, are a lot of different prisoners.
Lucia: "There's quite a few people here."
Tobias: "Long time, Lieutenants."
They all look to the end and see Captain Tobias in the corner.