A Scripta

Grim awoke, moaned and moved, and the map lying on his chest slipped to the floor. He didn’t have to fall that much further, as he was still on the floor in the center of the magic room.

Maps were spread out everywhere, maps of cities of the world that he was able to scrounge in the library. Some were dated back to pre-Vietnam and still had the markings for East Germany. He looked at the world map that had fallen off his chest. It had three circles marked on the world map, and they were so far away from each other. He had at least found the spear – in Thailand. The arrow was in China, and he had found the Helm in Brazil just moments before passing out.

“I could use a coffee,” he moaned.

“I heard that,” said a voice, and Grim looked over to the door and saw Jack there with a tray in his hands. “You look like you need some.”

“Your coffee?” Grim gave him a look of mock horror. “Gimme.”

Jack chuckled and Grim got up, meeting Jack half way. “What’re you doing down here?” He took the milk and sugar and made it to his liking.

“Raina wanted breakfast.”

“Got anything left?”

He gave him a look. “This is Raina we’re talking about.”

Grim chuckled, “Ha, yeah, right.” He sipped the coffee. “Leaving soon?”

“Yeah, really soon.”

Grim nodded. “As soon as I find the shield, I’ll be off, too.”

“Alone?”

“I’ll be fine.” He looked at Jack. “I wouldn’t ask the team to get involved in my issues.”

“Mike, we’d help you, you know we would.”

Grim shook his head. “I don’t want to pull a LeBeau, you know?”

Jack tilted his head and regarded him. “This is different.”

“Yeah, these are gods, which makes it even worse.” He drank the coffee. “I know Raina is like, ‘Gods, pfft’ but I have a lot of respect for them. They do things for me, and I don’t want to see them angry at me. Besides, I work for one.”

Jack sighed. “Remember that there’s people who would help you. Pyre, Mareo, Mark and Petite, and even probably LeBeau and his motley crew.”

Grim suddenly went pale, and handed the coffee back to Jack. “Thanks for that, I need to get back to work.”

“What’s wrong?”

“On Judgment Day, Gabriel came over and quoted the Bible to me, Luke 17:3. ‘So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him.’ “

Jack said nothing, and Grim turned to the circle. “Hope you guys like roller coaster rides, because between them and me, this is going to be a doosy.”

“Mike, it doesn’t have to be that way.”

Grim walked down to the circle. “We’ll see. Thanks, Jack. I’ll let you know when I leave.”

Jack watched Grim sit down and then turned and left, closing the door behind him.