Report latest by two, which means they didn't really give me any time to prepare at all. I had to head out almost immediately to the headquarters.
The headquarters being a shrine on the top of a mountain overseeing the city of Norves, at least a 2-hour drive away from where I am currently.
So I had my lunch in the car: a box of donuts. Fills the stomach, not that nutritious though.
It's a huge shrine with a huge parking lot behind it but very few people around, giving me privacy to change into my exorcist uniform in my car.
It's a hot day today, so I let my tie hang loose as I stepped out of the car and climbed the stairs to the shrine, past several intricate stone sculptures of beasts only the higher-ups will have knowledge of.
I walked past the main hall, past an old man meditating on top of a stone podium in its dead centre, an old man I'm familiar with.
"Anything interesting, Ear?" I asked.
Ear didn't spare me a glance, he needs his full attention for his work, but he did give me a dry verbal response of, "Shut up."
"New leads on the Driving Ghost then," I assumed, then continued my path upstairs.
Upstairs was another huge hall without walls. Statues of historical figures or mythical figures lined the room and every direction led out to a balcony, given you don't bump yourself into a pillar.
Walking straight on ahead down the crimson path, the woman who summoned me stood over the city, observing with mild interest on the balcony.
"Kobayashi-san."
"You're not Japanese. It's Ms. Kobayashi to you." Yuki replied without turning as I stepped into the balcony.
Yuki Kobayashi was my teacher in the world of exorcism. She taught me all there is to know about my second job as well as an unfairly effective skincare routine. She's pushing sixty, but you wouldn't even predict she's over thirty. Her hair's snow white but you'd expect she dyed it for how young and supple her face is.
Aside from my teacher, she's also the only monolid pal I have in this division. Now, she's my commanding superior.
"Chen Mo. Here to report." I slapped a clenched fist into an open palm, followed by a bow.
"You've been doing fine work recently." She finally turned around, her back against and her elbows resting above the balustrade. Her white hair danced in the wind, mine lost its hold.
"Thank you."
"13 ghosts for this month is impressive."
"My record is 15."
"There's still a week left to October. I summoned you today to discuss the Jumping Ghost." She got off the balustrade.
"What about it?" I asked as she walked past me and back into the room.
"She's been elusive, costing us manpower by jumping from one target to another," Yuki explained while pacing around pillars and statues. "But recently, we've received reports that she might've settled."
"So send your A team," I suggested.
"House and Khairul are still investigating the Ghost Ghost."
"I'm sure you have a B team too."
"Driving Ghost has been proving itself lately."
"C?"
"I think that should be you." She halted her steps in front of me, with a faint smile on her face.
I tilted my head with an exaggerated face, "Is this a promotion?"
"Without a pay raise."
"Job's without a pay in the first place." I gave another shallow bow with the same gesture, "It's an honour, I will do my best."
She grinned, satisfied. "Dealing with a Special might be a bit tricky. Thankfully, your assigned partner is experienced."
"Who is he?"
"She." Yuki pointed into a corner, where her finger landed on a woman sitting in a corner, sleeping like a baby.
"Would this be the eminent sleeping beauty?" I asked, and Yuki nodded.
We both approached Jennifer House, the sleeping beauty of the sixteenth division. Famous within the gals for her sleeping, famous within the guys for her beauty. Also the pre-eminent expert exorcist, Jonathan House's sister.
"Wake up." Yuki kicked her like trash bags, and Jennifer slowly rubbed her eyes open.
First thing within her sight: me, her new partner.
"No way..." She said half-awake with a grin, stretching her arms out, "I'm partnering with the talisman lover."
A thing in the sixteenth division, we love giving each other nicknames. I'm called the talisman lover because I spend the most yellow talisman paper than anyone.
"That reminds me." Yuki turned to me, "Cut down on your usage of yellow talisman paper."
I nodded, but that's a really difficult request unless I abandon my method of exorcism.
Jennifer rose slowly from the ground, clearly still drowsy, her movements weak and uncoordinated. She extended for a handshake, "You're so lucky. You're with the second best exorcist of the division."
"The only thing you're second in is most successful missions within a month. Nothing else because of your attitude." Yuki cleared it up, and Jennifer sighed exaggeratedly, hands adjusting her ponytail.
"What was the motivation?" I asked.
Yuki answered before Jennifer, "Her partner was her brother."
"Yeah, yeah. Jonathan this Jonathan that." Jennifer rolled her eyes, "Just tell us our mission."
But as Yuki opened her mouth, Jennifer went in with an index finger and shushed her, "No, let me guess, Jumping Ghost?"
Yuki shot an exasperated look before removing Jennifer's hand, "Yes. Someone has reported to have seen a figure similar to her for more than three days."
"She's finally found it..." Jennifer thrusted her arms in the air, "Yay..."
"I expect zero casualties."
———
After walking out of the shrine with my sleepy partner yawning beside me, I asked, "My car?"
"Of course." She didn't even hesitate, and I'm almost certain she wouldn't pay for gas money.
"How old are you again?"
"Twenty-eight." She answered while unwrapping bubblegum, "Young talent who exorcised thirty-one ghosts in a single month." She shot me a wry smirk with a peace sign.
"Impressive."
"What's your record?" She chewed the gum.
"Fifteen just last month."
"Rookie rookie rookie." She waved her hands like my record is so low it's unacceptable, "Don't worry, you're in good hands." She gave me another wry smirk.
She's really doing the 'beauty' in sleeping beauty justice with her smirk: mischievous yet precious.
She sunk into the passenger seat like I'm an Uber driver.
"How much do you know about the Jumping Ghost?" I asked.
"Lowest priority amongst the Specials in our division, so I don't know much at all."
I thought I was in good hands...
"It's a she." She continued with facts I already know, "And she jumps around targets before this one." She waved around her phone lazily; on the screen was the current victim.
"Why did she stop?"
"I don't know. Maybe this university chick's finally hot enough to meet her standards."
Jumping Ghost's current victim: a nerdy-looking, but rather conventionally attractive university student.
———
Matthew and his wife of fifteen years, Tracy Watkins, were driving home after lunch. Even after fifteen years of relationship, they still have not had a successful baby due to medical complications.
"I just realised," Tracy opened, "I hadn't asked you this and I've asked you this at least once every morning."
"What is it?"
"How's work?" Tracy shrugged with a warm grin, "Big policeman."
"It's... work. Worse yesterday though, another killer got off with a cheap bail. Lila Powell." Matthew explained thoroughly while still keeping his eyes on the road, "Skinned a nine-year-old alive."
"Jesus..."
"I know. And yet she walked."
"Your patience is golden," Tracy crossed her arms, "I would've just showed up at her house and shoved a knife down her throat. Better yet, skin her alive."
"That's... brutal. But yeah, she doesn't deserve air."
"How about that serial killer case?"
"The Janitor?"
"Yeah, that." Tracy tilted her head in curiosity, "It's been a month, any new leads, new kills?"
Matthew's face was especially bitter when this topic was brought up. He squeezed the steering wheel and his body tensed up, "No new kills thankfully, however, same goes with leads. The Janitor's a professional."
"Why is his nickname The Janitor anyways?"
"Janitors take out trash, The Janitor takes out scumbags. So far all of his victims have committed or at least have been accused of committing a severe felony." The longer Matthew explained, the more intense he became. He did try to remain calm as to not startle Tracy, but it was apparent, and Tracy noticed it.
They stopped by a traffic light.
Tracy massaged his tight shoulder, "I'm sorry for asking."
"No, no, it's uh..." Matthew whipped his head to face her, "It's good to get this stuff off my chest, you know?"
"He's been troubling you?" Tracy asked carefully.
"... Haunting me."