Page 54 of Pragma
“How did you get in?” Aki takes a sip from his champagne glass, not looking surprised by his cousin’s presence. Breaking and entering is indeed part of Yuki’s job. He just points silently up to the ceiling. Did he find a way in through the hotel roof?
He’s what I’d call quirky. Five-foot-two, lean, and petite. He always wears all black, jacket, pants, shoes—a stark opposition to Aki’s red suit and yellow tie. His face is quite forgettable, but after seeing him in action, it’s impossible to erase it from one’s mind. His manual dexterity, body flexibility, and harmonious swiftness are incredible.
“Aunt Yumiko told my mother about the ceremony, so I decided to gate-crash…after checking the Museum of Natural History.” He frowns at the multitude of pictures of naked women on the ex-chief of police’s phone.
“How did you unlock the phone?” I question him, keeping an eye on the man in case he realizes the new lightness of his pocket.
“It wasn’t hard. Most people are predictable,” he states. “Do you want me to find out your password?”
I turn my stern look at him. He might be as slippery as an eel, but I bet I can land a couple of punches.
“Do mine! Do mine!” Masa exclaims, oddly excited about the prospect of having his privacy invaded.
“Cut the magician bullshit for another day, cuz,” Aki barks. “Got a souvenir for me?” He extends his hand, expecting something. His mood seems to have turned dark again.
Yuki nods. “I couldn’t come to you empty-handed.” He drops what looks like a large, serrated, prehistoric tooth.
“Is that real?” Masa sounds doubtful.
“Is that big-ass Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton on the fourth floor of the Museum of Natural History real?” Yuki replies with a question of his own, his eyes are glued to the phone.
“I…think so.”
“Then yes.”
“This is not the souvenir I was referring to.” Aki sighs, even though he seems quite taken by the tooth. “But thanks.”
Yuki stops playing Temple Run on the stolen phone and slides it back into the ex-cop’s pocket.
“I arrived ten minutes ago. I’ve been familiarizing myself with the fauna.”Familiarizingequals picking pockets.
Yuki’s pout reminds me of Aki’s. It’s probably the only scrap of resemblance between the two cousins.
“If you want to get paid, less familiarizing and more looting.”
It looks like he hired Clover to steal something from Ishida-san. Is that why he didn’t oppose coming to the ceremony as much as I expected?
“The looting is done. And the loot is in a safe place. Give me twenty to thirty minutes. I’ll find you, cuz.” I’m sure he will. Yuki has a way offinding…anything.
Before sliding away, he adds, addressing Masa, “Two-two-zero-six-seven-seven. Your phone password.”
“How the fuck…?” A wide-eyed Masa is still staring in his direction after he disappeared into the crowd, just as one of Ishida-san’s lieutenants join us to politely ask Aki to follow him. His boss would like a private chat.
“Dum, dum, dum,” I hear Aki humming ominously.
As we walk out of the banquet hall, we keep Aki between us. Masa sends a text to the others to let them know we are moving, just as I instructed him beforehand.
We reach the elevators and take one to the third floor. We go down a corridor and stop in front of the first door on the right. The guy opens it but remains outside. I tell Masa to do the same while I follow Aki in.
It looks like a conference room, with a long black table and a big screen hanging from the wall. Ishida-san is sitting at the head of the table. His walking stick, lying against his chair. I can see his round belly bulging from the open suit jacket. The yellowish tinted lenses of his glasses cover his eyes, but the downward curve of his lips is filled with bitterness.
“Oh, Hebikawa-san you are finally here.” Ishida-san’s words sound more scolding than welcoming.
“You called?” Aki responds sarcastically, as we both bow.
“You can keep your scarred dog outside.” The older mob boss waves a hand my way. I hate the dickhead, not because of the insults he always throws my way, but because he does it to provoke Aki into losing his control. He enjoys poking at his temper to prove how unfit Aki is to be the heir of the organization.
“You are the reason why there’re instructions on bottles of shampoo, fucking moron,” I hear Aki mutter under his breath before making his way to the table and taking a seat a couple of chairs from the man. I move near him, but I stay on my feet.
