Get Him Back (Carlos)

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The pirates never should have taken Carlos.

It was a stupid move, really. Stupid to get Mal on their bad side, but even worse to kidnap Carlos. As if Mal wouldn't do anything in this world or the next to get her friend back. As if anyone who dared to stand in her way would not find themselves lost to the salt of the sea if they didn't immediately back down.

Uma didn't learn that lesson soon enough, but she will. It doesn't matter that she was a formidable foe, the moment she made the fight personal by kidnapping Carlos, it was all over. Mal's got an unsettling edge to her voice, the sort of dark and twisted tone that makes you follow her orders without question. Villain kids don't like doing what they're told, but in this case, you're all of the same mind. What matters the most is getting Carlos back. Your egos can wait until after your friend is back by your side.

Uma's ship came by in the dead of night and took Carlos when he was walking around unawares. They must have all attacked at once, half a dozen pirates against one boy, because there's no way Carlos would go down without a fight. There are clear signs of a scuffle on the roads where they took him away, obviously not the clean abduction Uma was hoping for, but the facts remain. Carlos is gone, and you need to get him back as soon as possible.

Mal has already drawn up a rescue plan. She's enchanted a small boat to be silent and almost invisible in the dark waters; once night falls, you'll sneak up to Uma's ship and get your boy back. One of you will sneak on board and find Carlos, then dodge the pirates meant to be guarding him and bring him back to your ship. You'll have to wait until the right time to make your escape, though, so you can immediately land at a local deck and make your getaway. Uma can beat you in water, but you're faster on land, so everything has to be timed perfectly.

You're the one who's been assigned to the difficult task of slipping onto Uma's ship. As the adoptive child of the Big Bad Wolf, you're well trained in the art of sneaking around and blending in. You're the perfect spy, so to speak, so you're the best bet the VKs have at going unnoticed by the pirates on that ship.

Even though you know the official reason for your selection is simply that you're the best among Mal's VKs at staying under the radar, you can't help a rush of pride at being the one selected for the task. When Carlos looks up to see his savior, you're glad it's going to be you. You want to be the one on his mind when he thinks of safety. You, not Evie or someone else. Just you.

The credit for this rescue, though, should rightly be shared among all members of your friend group. Right now, Mal, Ben, Jay, and Evie are on Mal's cloaked boat, drawing close to Uma's ship. It slides by before you, cresting the indigo waves, so close you could reach out and touch it with one hand. Right under it, you're struck by the size of the ship. Carlos could be anywhere. This might take longer than you thought.

Mal nods at you. "It's time."

You nod back, standing up carefully and reaching for the rope ladder one of the pirates forgot to pull up on the side of the ship. Tugging it quietly to test its strength, you pull yourself up slowly hand over hand, pausing just before you reach the top so you can survey the deck and see how many pirates are there.

Not expecting an attack this late at night, Uma's crew has left the deck mostly unmanned. Two pirates are idly chatting near the helm, keeping the ship on its course, and there's a guy up in the crow's nest, although he's nodded off instead of keeping a good watch on any possible intruders. You crawl over the railing as quietly as you dare, sticking to the shadows to avoid notice. Oil lamps cast pools of sticky yellow light on the ground, and you skirt them as best you can, all the while making for the stairs leading to the lower parts of the ship. Your steps are silent, each taken with the fear of causing a loose board to creak and alert the crew to your presence.

You've reached the end of published parts.

⏰ Last updated: May 02 ⏰

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