Ignite

Chapter Four: The Theft

In the end, the story was simple.

The mine in question happened to be a rather profitable, rather new business. The older mines in the town had begun to run dry and the business partners had spread out in hopes of locating a new deposit. In the end, they'd found it.

One of the main problems with the new mine laid in the fact that the location was much further inland than most of the ones owned by those who shipped through this particular port. As such, they would usually allow the day's stones- after being cleaned and cut on site- to build up and ship them out on a random day biweekly. The day and time would be randomly chosen to keep from risking the chance of a pattern upping their chances of robbery. Before sending the stones away from the mine, they'd be kept in a special location on site that neither partner felt the need to disclose.

The shipment that had them- and all of the miners in the bar- on edge apparently had more than a month's worth of stones as the island had only recently come out of a long period of relentless weather. The winds between the port and the mines had been so strong that every cart they'd begun to send out had been blown over. In concern for the cargo they'd made the executive decision to hold off until the weather stopped- which happened to have been the day before Irie and her crew had arrived on the island.

In all, the value of the cargo had amounted to several thousand, if not more, berries. Many of the more combat experienced miners had volunteered to escort the stones from the mine to the warehouse that they were usually stored in before the merchants that the partners had contracts with would set out to various markets and businesses across the Grand Line.

Somehow, the shipment had disappeared.

Isaac had apparently been waiting just outside of town for its arrival when a single miner showed up and spilled a frantic story about pirates and "crazy" weather before passing out from wound they'd sustained in the attack. Said miner had been instantly- and quietly- transported to a doctor and had yet to wake up. A search party (sworn to secrecy) had gone out and returned without a single stone. Following that and hours of crunching numbers, Isaac had set out to find his partner - who had been drinking at the very bar they were currently standing in- to tell him that if they didn't get the shipment back they had no chance of paying the miners, paying those who cleaned and cut the stones, compensating the sailors who waited days past the day they were supposed to leave, and covering all of their bills.

At the same time, the miners had already gone a month without pay given that they were paid on commission. Any longer and there would be a riot. However, when they had first struck out in hope of locating the new deposit, the duo had contracted a few... questionable individuals in request of funds- hence the bills. If they couldn't pay those, the anger of their employees would pale in comparison to the reactions of their... "friends."

It was a lose-lose situation.

"Kennit, go back to the ship and see if Myra has returned yet. If she has, leave a note for the other two and bring her here. If she hasn't, wait for her."

The man hesitated, glancing between the rather stressed-out businessmen, the miners who looked as if they were ready to jump the businessmen the moment that Irie had her back turned, and then Irie herself.

"Are you sure...?"

She narrowed her eyes, fingers tapping the table impatiently.

"Yes, I'm sure," she retorted coolly. "Now, go."

He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand- having long ago released the grip of his pistol- while turning his other palm up in the air.

"At least let me bring Isobel, too, then. Heard back at base that she has a mean hook and is near invisible when she wants to be. She'd be useful."