I stare at the ruddy faced man for almost a whole minute. The music blasting around the club is too much for me to hear anything else.
The man keeps staring at something in his phone. C'mon, where is Toshiro?
I had sent him a quick text so he would know the way. Assasins have such keen tracking sense. We always figure out where a target is located, even if it is in Antartica.
My information supplier was actually not so hard to find. I don't know him personally. I overheard him blabbing some nonsense about the creatures coming from another dimension at a coffee joint when the news was on display.
Growing up the way I have, I am open to the most insane possibilities - he might be telling us a clue.
Toshiro would have my balls if it turns out to be a wild goose chase.
He seems the broody and reserved type. Is it because he just lost his wife, or has he always been like this?
One of the waitresses dressed in lace lingerie and garters comes to serve us drinks. From the looks exchanged between her and the phone goofer, I can tell they know each other. Bother me.
Karim shoves his way to our table and takes a seat. He looks at me and back to the half- drunk red faced man across me.
I shrug.
He raises an eyebrow but I look away.
"Pablo, this is the man we were waiting for". I say.
Pablo looks up.
"I didn't care if he actually showed up. I only said we should wait for him so that you could keep buying me drinks".
I tighten my hands, but say nothing.
Toshiro lunges across the table and drags the man by the collar. His phone falls out of his hands.
" You better have something valuable to say in exchange for all that liquor".
I think he is overreacting, but I allow him because he is indignant on my behalf.
"The...monsters are...I see them in my dreams. They came through a bridge from another dimension - the demon realm".
Toshiro loosens his hold to contemplate what the man just said. The look on his face tells me that he is weighing what we just heard against what he already knows, which confirms my suspicions - he knows more than he lets on.
"How can they be killed?"
"They can't."
"What do you mean can't?"
"Humans have no power over them. Only sorcerers can banish them".
I want to laugh.
From demons to sorcerers? My brain can only take so much.
"You've got to be joking". I say and take a swig of my drink.
"Let's hear what he has to say". Toshiro says authoritatively.
In other words, shut the hell up!
I hold my peace, because I don't want to take on the arrogant asshole in a public place.
"Where can we find sorcerers?"
The man looks down.
"It's an academy. The world of sorcery is a very guarded secret. The only way to consult with a sorcerer would be to get into the academy".
Toshiro lets go of him.
"As a staff?"
"As students".
We exchange glances.
"Why haven't they tried to subdue the monsters?" Toshiro asks.
"They cannot risk exposing their society".
"So how do you know so much about them?"
There is a long pause.
I take to tapping the table with my index finger. Toshiro gives me a warning glance. I school myself to stop. I can tell that he is very sensitive to sounds from the way his free hand keeps twitching. As loud as the music around us is, he is still disturbed by my finger tapping. How did his wife even live with him?
"I was a student once." Another long pause.
I lean my cheek on my palm and wait.
Toshiro looks like he wants to cut the man to pieces just to get an answer, but is holding back by a thin string.
Does he ever like anyone? Much to my surprise, I find myself liking him. This is a journey I embarked on to find myself outside of the police force. I don't mind making a few friends and a whole load of enemies.
"I was expelled".
I thought as much, I itch to say.
Toshiro slowly sinks down and faces the man across the table.
I feel like a spectator.
"Why did you get expelled?"
"I broke into the restricted section of the library". The man says after an eternity.
I run my finger over the rim of my tumbler as I watch them.
"What were you looking for?"
"Curses. Powerful curses".
"And did you find them?"
I don't see the point to all Toshiro's questions, but I prefer to trust his judgement.
"I did."
The man is as confused by the questions as I am.
"What did you want with them?"
The man seals his lips and shakes his head. I look at Toshiro.
What is the drunkard hiding?
"Speak now, or never speak again". Toshiro threatens as he pulls out an expensive dagger. Probably to cut off the man's tongue. I doubt he is bluffing.
I admire him even more.
The man gulps and tosses a quick glance in my direction. I shrug at him.
He looks terrified out of his wit.
"I wanted to be the best in my class by cursing everyone else. The seal on the book of curses broke as I opened it. I am cursed down to my tenth generation".
"Bummer". I murmur.
"What do you mean by cursed?" Toshiro asks, grazing the tip of his glinting dagger along the man's neck.
"My powers are cursed to be dark. I can only do the opposite of what I actually want".
"So you have powers?"
"Yes."
Get to the point already!
I stir on my seat as my butt starts to become sore.
"What is the admission criteria of this school you mentionned?"
The man stares like he has just been revived from a hit by a train.
"You can't possibly qualify. Only purebloods are admitted".
"I hate repeating myself". Toshiro says in a very cold voice.
I roll my eyes. Sod off. I hate and admire the way he is so in control of the situation. I can barely communicate, I would much rather prefer torture. The police force made me give it up. I was forced to sit in interrogation rooms with its one-way screen and listen to murderers threaten me with boring talk about their lawyers and their rights. But, that part of me still remains.
I love torture. Bitter, ruthless torture. I can kill with anything, even a roll of toilet paper.
"They offer an exam during spring and fall. It consists of the theoretical and practical tests." I hear the man say.
"Furuno, what do you say we take the exam?"
Is he insane? Good, because I am way ahead of him.
"What's stopping us".
The man looks between us and shakes his head.
"You don't know the slightest thing about sorcery". He cries.
"That's where you come in".