Chapter Thirteen

     "How could this be?" Cailen demanded of no one. "We weren't down there long enough that even if they planned to leave that they would!"

     "Maybe we went further off course than we thought?" Warren offered.

     "Can't be." Peter ran a hand through his hair, watching the ground with some hope that the answer would dig itself up. "The path didn't have a single defined corner. Even if it went off course at an indiscernible level, we would have been walking much longer to get far enough away for that to be the issue."

     "Well, then maybe they moved locations but are still here. Darius could've steered them off course in his anger?"

     Alex shook his head. "Jerry wouldn't've."

     "Then what's your explanation?"

     "I --" Alex cut himself off, unable to come up with a probable answer. "Just, Fabrice, Tye, get on the waves. See if you can get ahold of anyone."

     "Already on it, but..." Fabrice fiddled with the small device, cupping the earpiece in his ear. "All I'm getting is white noise. I --"

     "Just keep listening!" Alex yelled. "There's no way off this island without a ship. And if we stay much longer we're going to be driven mad by the winds."

     "Camp out in the underground tunnels, then? It'll protect us from the wind."

     "We don't have any food or water," Peter joined, "and Linus still needs to be looked at medically," he threw a wary glance at Linus. The boy had been rendered to lean against Vint, watching the ground with a dizzy expression. He hadn't spoken in awhile either, and if it wasn't for the way his jaw quivered as he breathed there would be a true fear for tetanus.

     "We could hike further down the trail then. There were two other paths. They may lead somewhere with what we need?"

     "No," Alex shook his head. "There's no telling that we'd find anything more than empty storage rooms. Besides, if we go back down we risk the chance that the team comes by and misses us."

     "So stay above ground, be driven' mad, and then what? Tear one another apart?"

     "We could split up, then. A team goes down one path, another down the other, and another stays up here to signal passing help?"

     "We should also send a group out to look around. See if we're missing anything from our position. Maybe there's a stranded ship down the banks." Peter agreed.

     Warren made to agree as well, but Nadar caught his attention. He had a look on his face that demanded the two talk. Warren made his way over to him with small, inconspicuous strides. "What?" He asked, low enough that the winds covered their conversation.

     "Splitting up? Is that really the best course of action in this situation? Even if someone it around what is the likelihood that they'd pick up a group of water pirates?"

     The others' conversation continued. "There's eleven of us here without Darius, meaning the groups travelling can take three and two can stay as look-out." Alex offered. "We only have two devices to communicate with one another on, though, so we won't be able to keep in touch."

     Fabrice nodded. "The group staying for look out and the group travelling above ground should keep wavers on hand. Those underground would be of less use if word came in of allies close by."

     Warren leaned back into Nadar. "We'll find a way to break up the groups so there's at least one sky pirate attending. Make sure that Linus is with the kid that found the tunnels. He seems to be the least likely to discard some one that is wounded if something tough comes up. And, keep Jim and Tim together. They're easily frightened, and quite honestly lacking in strength, but as long as the two stay together they should be able to keep level heads."

     "Send them below, then?" Nadar mused.

     Warren nodded.

     "We should leave Linus as a look-out," Vint called out as Nadar and Warren fell upon an agreement. "he can't walk very well."

     "N-No," Linus struggled to say. The adrenaline he had run on earlier was draining fast.

     "He's of no use if information comes in," Warren said. "If he can't even stand on his own. I say that he should travel with one of the groups underground. Keeps the stress of the winds off him, at least. That also may leave them open to us. Take advantage of the situation and find out as much information as you possibly can."

     Alex nodded, unknowingly participating in Nadar and Warren's plan. "In that case, those affected by the winds the most should go underground."

     "I'll lead one of the groups in the underpass," Cailen offered. "My head is priming to burst."

    "Jim and Tim, follow him," Warren said. "Keep a lookout for anything that may be useful to us. Vint, if you don't mind escorting Linus underneath."

     Vint grunted in agreement, bouncing his shoulders as to get a better handle of Linus.

     "Aye, and Pete, you go down to." Alex continued. "If there are any more secret tunnels you're our best chance of finding them."

     "Alright," Peter agreed.

     Warren wasn't sure if he felt comfortable with Linus's group having an absence of available strength, with Vint's energy being depleted by Linus's weight, but he couldn't worry about it.

     "I'll stay look out." Fabrice held up his waver. "I'm one of the best when it comes to working these."

     "Then I'll stay with you." Nadar moved towards him and crossed his arms. Tyrell seemed to want to speak up, but Alex clapped his hands together loudly.

     "Great, then Tye will be able to work it on the group travelling above. You," he pointed to Warren. "You'll be apart of the group as well then. Everyone had to move quickly and keep their eyes and ears open. Pete, if you find anything interesting down your path don't wait for the other two to run back. Rushing Linus could cause harm, but the same is potentially true if you are not able to get back up here fast enough."

     "I'll be sure to weigh my options," Peter muttered back. His tone almost honed in on his disagreement with Alex's statement.

     "Alright then," Alex clapped once more, "let's get moving."

     The group that was to travel upwards didn't wait. Tyrell, Alex, and Warren left the moment they had agreed which direction to travel in. Before dispatching, Warren turned his head and offered a sly nod to his group. He trusted that they knew what to do.

     Linus, Vint, Peter, Jim, Tim, and Cailen all headed down.

     "You guys take left, we'll take right?" Cailen offered as they came to the fork in their journey.

     "Sounds alright to me." Peter agreed. "From what I see, these two paths are leading to different places on the mountain, so we won't be able to call out for the other group if it's needed."

     "Not like the walls would allow us to in the first place." Cailen sighed, scratching his neck. "Any idea of what we could potentially find?"

     Peter shrugged. "There's not supposed to be anything down here, they were supposed to clean it up when they left." There was a long pause. 

     "But?" Cailen asked. 

     "But we're in Navarian territory. There's no promise that what was supposed to happen actually did." 

     Cailen groaned. "Fantastic. We'll I guess this is good-bye." 

     "Mhn, best of luck." 

     "To you as well." 

     And with that, the two groups separated down their respected pathways, neither particularly confident with their missions.