Irium 54 The Four

"Yes!" He answered with a serious and downcast expression, "I know I said I'll be with you all for an entire month but …"

He trailed off. He had promised to spend time with them, but he was going to break that promise and go on a 'business trip'.

"You are a liar!" The youngest sibling said and ran away, followed by the second youngest. Jason acted more mature and understanding but he too was disappointed after hearing that. Grimma remained silent, for many reasons.

"Well, I won't say that I am not sad hearing this," his wife told him with a bit of a smile, "But still, I get it. I won't try to stop you."

"…" with a bit of calmness returning on his face, he said, "I see. Thank you!"

*****

At that time, as I told them that I would need to go on a 'business trip', what I really had in mind was finding out the person who was learning magic, the person because of whom those two Remedy Corp. grunts had paid me a visit.

And as I looked at Grimma, the person I was going to search for, I couldn't understand the truth behind her troubled demeanor.

And so, I went my way the next morning. I went to a little place some kids may use as a hideout, if it was usable that is. I went to a shed in the city where ….

*****

"What's up, boss?" A man with orange hair and face like that of a street punk asked the man as he stepped into the shed.

"Well, something IS up actually, Trevor." The man said with his nerves tensing up. "I'll tell when everyone is here."

"Everyone is already here though." He said as he pointed in an opposite direction, to a curtain. From the curtain, a couple came out.

One of them is a 6 feet tall, golden-haired youth with a square face and other is a 5'8 tall brunette woman with a diamond face.

"Yo, boss! What's up?" the woman asked with a smile while waving at him.

"How's it going!?" the man asked with a smile while also waving at him.

Both of them were idiots who never ceased being cheerful unless something really serious was going on. And that, in itself, was good to witness.

"Well, it's good to see you, Grey." He told the man and then turned to the woman. "You too, Jessica."

And with that, all four of them were there.

"Now, as for what's going on," the man said with a serious expression, causing the other three to tense up, "There's someone in the neighborhood I live in who is practicing magic. However, he is not someone we know of, he's a rogue."

"Isn't that bad?" Jessica asked while turning to Grey.

"Yes, yes, that's very bad." he said while holding his chin and nodding.

"Could you two quit with your comedy routine already?" Trevor said with a disappointed gaze. "Anyway, this guy you are talking about – you want us to find him?"

"Yes!" the man nodded, "I want us to find him before Remedy Corp. does."

"We are competing?" Trevor asked with a disapproving look.

"No! We are trying to protect that person." He got his answer with a serious look, "If Remedy gets their hands on him, there's no telling how they'll want to exploit that guy."

"Ha! Isn't that bad?" Jessica asked while turning to Grey.

"Yes, yes indeed, that's very bad." he said while holding his chin and nodding.

That man nodded and continued, "But, if we find him, we can make him join our group and then Remedy will have no choice but to let him go, at least for the time-being."

"Hmm …" As Trevor heard all that, he asked, "So you basically want us to save a newbie in mage-craft from Remedy?"

The man nodded and Trevor said with a smirk, "I'm in."

Hearing that, the morons on the side raised their hands simultaneously and said, "We too!!!"

*****

That group of four morons – it was something else entirely. For years, I had been with them and even though it seemed like some ragtag group of people, there wasn't a single mission we had ever failed at. Somehow, a plain little toolmaker like me, a hot-head like Trevor and a couple of morons that were Jessica and Grey, somehow we worked so well together that even entire magic corporations like Remedy had acknowledged us as a force to be reckoned with.

And we, this team of four people, were out to find the magic-user who could go rogue if left as he was. If only I had paid a little attention to things and noticed that it could be Grimma. If only …

*****

With a map of the area laid out in front of us, Trevor asked as he folded his hands, "So how are we going to find him? Do you know anything other than the guy is in this area?"

"I don't." The man said with a calm expression, "So we'll have to use her help."

"Tsk!" Trevor clicked his tongue, "I really don't want to get any help from that b.i.t.c.h!"

"I understand you, Trevor." The man said, "But she is the only one who can help us with this kind of thing."

Trevor sighed. Seeing all that,

"Do you know who they are talking about?" Jessica asked while turning to Grey.

"Hmm, I think I might have a clue." Grey said while holding his chin and nodding.

"Really? That's so awesome." Jessica said as she clasped her hands together.

"Haha! Of course it is!" Grey said with a proud look.

Looking at all that, Trevor said with a violent look, "Shut up, morons! You're giving me a headache!"

Both of them jumped up in fright as they saw that look on his face. But,

"Eh, doesn't he always says that and then does nothing." Jessica asked while turning to Grey.

"Yes, yes indeed, that's how it always goes." Grey said while holding his chin and nodding.

"You two-" Trevor tried to retort but,

"Guys, we don't have time for this. Let's get going." The man said and cut-off their conversation, "We are going to see Dues ex machina."

*****