The Iron Hallway

Chapter 4

"Just look at him!" I exclaimed, "He hasn't relented from his selfish mentality in the least!" 

"Listen, Baird, what would happen if I slapped Jedrek upside his head?" 

I shrugged. 

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Because he wouldn't care!" 

I snorted. "That's true." 

Jedrek chuckled. "I love how you guys are speaking about me as if I'm not right here." 

"But are you though?" I retorted. "Are you really?" 

"Of course I am. As you can clearly see. And really, now that I think of it, I might as well accompany you, Khemera." 

The man raised a white eyebrow. "You just said you'd want to get paid. What changed?" 

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought, 'why the heck not?'. I don't need any further logic than that." 

I narrowed my eyes. "So you just...do stuff randomly. Got it." 

"Look, are you gonna continue to question my motives, or are you gonna be glad I decided to help you?" He paused dramatically for a few seconds. "Yeah, exactly." 

Khemera studied Jedrek for a few seconds, but said nothing in reply. 

"So," I began, breaking the quietude, "How're we gonna work this, exactly?" 

The old man coughed. "Elaborate, please." 

"Well, not all of us have our 'fighting gear' so to speak, on our persons currently. For example, Hannah, you don't happen to have your shotgun with you right now, do you?" 

"No, of course not. I'ma go git it before we set out." 

"Okay, Jedrek, do you have what you need?" 

"Always." 

I turned to Khemera. "And do you have what you need?" 

"I do. A true fighter is a weapon unto himself." 

"Yeah, well I know I've gotta go home before we set out. So I'll tell you what: How about we all meet up at my place after gathering whatever we need?" 

"Sure thang!" Hannah exclaimed, "What's your address?" 

"The apartment complex on S. Bullwhip Drive. I'm at #25." 

"Gotcha." Hannah replied, typing into her phone as she spoke. 

"And also, what about transportation to this Iron Hallway? I wasn't allowed to bring my car." 

"I don't have one, but we can walk." Khemera replied. 

I furrowed my brow. "Yeah...not happening. Do you realize how far Unterstat is from here? The princess could very well die by the time we got there, on foot!" 

The old man slowly nodded. "You have a point." 

I turned to Hannah. "And I'm assuming you don't have a car." 

"Nope." 

"Jedrek, what about you?" 

"I've got a truck. I'll bring it." He replied as he slipped his black hat on, "Hannah, could you move?" 

"Oh, right!" She answered as she scooted out of the booth to allow his exit. 

I chuckled. "I suppose I should get going too. I need to get the place in order for...visitors." 

With that, I left a tip on the table, and then Khemera moved so I could leave. I walked back to my apartment with my social needs mostly met, but many questions in return. Is this really the right choice? I pondered, And even if it is, are four people really enough to accomplish this mission of ours? Is Khemera planning on recruiting more? And again, are one elderly martial artist, a teenager with a shotgun, a boring treasure hunter, and some dude who writes fiction, enough to resist forces so great? With a shake of my head, I brushed the questions away and headed back home to do the one thing I was sure about: That apartment needed to be cleaned.