Class is in session

“Can you hear me, boy”

Where am I now? Where has she gone to?

“That was close, but I caught you in time. its fine now. Fine, indeed.”

A cracked voice, deep and always gasping for air talked to me tenderly. I hate that voice.

I could finally see, if just a little. But what am I seeing. The face of ma an covered completely in white bandages only his broken teeth clearly at display and glimpses of burned skin.

“¿Why? ¿Why did you come back now? His mouth smiled, very weakly.

“Because that´s what a hero does.”

“Nonsense, pure nonsense.” Irvin spoke without intending.

“Hey pal, ya talking to yourself now.” Dino found his friend talking at the lookout of their tree house, just as the sun was rising.

“Yes I tend to do that. Makes my ideas stick.” He answered back ceasing his rest and sitting straight in an instant

“Whatever. Let´s have some cereal, man.”

“Sure, breakfast is always essential. It is a scientific fact….” - Irving re adjusted his tie as he stared at the upcoming dawn, holding his tie with a lot of force.

“¿What´s the big plan?” Dino said as he jumped around the woods, with the guitar over his shoulders. “For now let´s go to class and meet our fellow deviants.” Irvin said as he struggled to climb a broken tree. “Ya´mean the other students. If ya can call them that they´ll do more than to just meet you.” Irvin fixed his sun glasses as he finally made it over the fallen tree.

“I’m not that clueless. You will soon be seeing my charisma in action….” Irvin slipped falling down into the mud. Dino couldn´t help, but laughed with his pointed teeth. “I’m concerned, people aren´t your forte man.” Dino said scratching his nose.

“¿Must we always take this road? It´s detestable” “Yup, this is the fastest way to school, besides you need to strengthen those weakly legs.” “That is simply evil” “That´s our school for you.” Irvin´s white coat was filled with mud, as did the briefcase he never seemed to let go off.

“Hahaha, ya know this brings me back, it´s just like my home.” “I can see it, is quite primal.” “You found it hard to visit me there, but you still came anyway.” Irvin smiled lightly “Our families got along, so it was inevitable.” “I miss those days.”

“Pointless. There was nothing of worth for my back then. Where are here to make our future, so don´t get distracted.”

“Well, I still love those days. It has been too lonely since then. It´s just no fun.” Irvin cleaned himself as best as he could. And then kept walking as if nothing had happened.

“It won´t matter, those concerns won´t have a place in our plan. Do remember that.” Dino didn´t answer back and left him walk on ahead. “Seriously, man. ¿What happen to you?” Dino mumbled quietly so Irvin could never hear him.

Both men reached their destination. With one of them drinking a whole both of water. The other one smile from tooth to tooth as he presented their new school grounds.

“¿So how about? ¿Isn´t it something?”

The school grounds of Salvatore´s School of villainy resembled a coliseum. That was Irvins first thought as he saw its entrance.

A long staircase displaying statues of horse riders of Spanish descent lead to an immense circular area standing far above without any ledges to stop one from falling. It was surrounded by a pitch black hole, which bottom one could never see. They both walked up stars till the center of the arena where all sorts of students were loitering around.

From there one could take tree bridges across the depth surrounding fall. Onwards to three white buildings. Each one featuring a different statue in front of it. “ You see the one with the statue of a Salvatore raising his blade.” Dino pointed to the northern building. “Kind of…” Irvin answered. “That´s the teacher’s castle, you go there without a date and you done for.” It was indeed a castle, with four grand towers. “I´ll remember it.”

“The one with the bull statue it’s the elite school grounds. Best students get assign there, as do the student council and white hound’s squads.” The building resembled a very elegant old fashioned institute with a Spanish baroque design. “¿Guessing we aren’t invited?” “The little miss Salvatore is the law in that place, so take it as you will.” “So then, the building with the…¿What even is that statue?” Irvin asked.

They passed the bridge to be meet whit a circular statue. “It’s a snake´s nest.” Irvin took a closer look, and what seemed like limbs. Where hundreds of snakes rushing to a pillar on the center. Biting each other as they struggled. “Not very subtle…” Irvin walked past it paying it no mind. “Still the school building itself is not what I had expected.” Irvin said.

The school building was just a simple three floor white building. Like any other nothing grandiose to it.

“Disappointedly common.”

“Well it sure drives home the point its only there to study.” Dino shrugged. The path to class was uninteresting to Irvin and he found that rather strange. “It seems fights weren´t as common in the school grounds as I expected unlike everywhere else on the island.” Irvin looked back at him from under his hood. “Teachers get pissed to, and no one wants to fight em´.” Still Irvin could see that the students around them stared at them with clear disdain. “It’s better this way, less distractions.” Irvin said as they ignored them and kept walking. “Still be careful, man, no one here is our friend.” They both arrived to class while keeping that thought well in mind.

“Welcome to class, so sit quietly now.” The teacher said.

Irvin was already siting. As he looked around his new class, the only face could recognize was Dinos sitting with both of his legs over the desk without any care, and one other. A young blond kid wearing a black cowboy outfit. It’s the unfortunate one from the opening. Irvin could see that the kid’s bandaged arm was in clear bad shape.

That arm is useless now. Irvin was taken from his thought by a loud screeching.

“Silence, this class is in session.” The teacher had passed his long nails thought the chalkboard to call our attention.

“I´m General Sheng Lí. I´m supposing that I have no need for any further introductions.” He spelled it with the chalk. “And these are the characters of my name in Chinese. Don´t dare to forget them either.” Irvin covered his mouth.

This man is… one of the tree great generals. I knew nothing of this.

The man in front of us was fit, but light in built with very emotionless expression behind his thick rimmed glasses, his head bolding. He wore a light green denim jacket with a formal shirt and a long black tie along with green suit pants and black business shoes. This man was famous as one of the worst villains in the world, even if he only looked like a simple middle-aged man; still there was one sign of his true self, the tattoo of a dragon’s claw at the back of his right hand which he used to hold a book and speak to us while reading it. Not seeing even one of us to the eyes.

“We have some new students, but no real reason to care for them yet. So let us begin our classes. We shall first start by checking out your knowledge of the basic subjects, Let´s see some math then.”

“How evil. And I pay for this. There is like no point to it then. I could get bored back home with this nonsense.” Behind us a girl taunted him while fixing her nails. She wore an extravagant black gothic dress, with white ribbons all over the place. Her long blond hair adorned with black tiara with a skull on its center. She seemed eccentric even for this school and its utter disregard for a dressing code. The professor started writing in the chalkboard very roughly.

“If you are ignorant, the path of a villain may not be for you. The path of a dispensable lackey or a mere thug will be more to your speed.” He kept writing without averting his eyes from his book.

“You don´t need any of that. If you have strength people will fear you far too much to care about your homework. Some of us like this things close and personal. It’s sweeter that way. - She sound quite sultry, but her words showcased such a great condescendence and her blue eyes only boredom.

¿Such boldness would this be worth your neck, miss? Irvin like most of the class looked at her in silence.

“If you have enough power you command the terms, that´s the way of the world.” She smiled.

The sudden sound of a book closing turned Irvin´s attention back to the chalkboard. But it was far more ferocious now. His hand had transformed into a green scaled claw. It´s tattoo burning red.

“If you intent to be a brute, so be it. This is my class and you all will do as told. ¡Period!” He quickly threw his chalk straight at her head. It was so sudden, yet she deflected it casually with her nail polish.

“Whatever. Carry on Mr. Lí…I´ll listen like a good girl for now.” She smiled back at him. He didn´t saw it thought as he never had turned back to see her at all.

“The arrogance of the young. Strength is made meaningless with ease. Survival of the fitness, another archaic fantasy. Is fine thought. To cull that arrogance and naiveté is my role as you tutor and it will be done, that is a promise.” His hand exhumed smoke and it began to return to normal. Shang Lí once more opened his book and went back to writing with a new chalk. No one interrupted him now.

Hehe you could almost pretend we are all good student isn´t this only the result of your strength. ¿General Shang Lí?

Class was finally over and everyone rushed out without a single goodbye. Dino and Irvin walked together to eat their lunches as far away as anyone else as possible.

“¿The blond girl, who is she?” Irvin asked as he calmly eats his salad.

“Beats me. She is totally new, so no one cares yet. Doesn´t seem too bright thought.” Dino said while stuffing his face with nachos.

“I disagree; I took a look at her performance in class. She didn´t struggle at all.” Irvin pressed his fork to his temple in thought. “What was she whining about then?” “It was all performance she wanted to look tough for her first day.” “¿With the teacher? See that isn’t very bright.” “Still the general is a kinder man than I had imagined.” “¿How so?” “Cause she isn´t dead yet, that was a kindness.” “hehehe if you say so.” Irvin finished his meal and remained staring at his empty lunch. “Dino, let us forget of her for now, and focus on the mission.” His friend didn´t stop from continuing eating huge meal of nachos and fat greasy tacos. “Yeah, sure.” Irvin looked at him wanting to say something, but let the thought to perish. “I need to know who the strongest students in this school are.”

Dino licked his lips while tasting his fingers. “I know their names, but nothing more.” “Any data would help.” Dino groaned and rushed to swallow his food.

“Oh, but I know just the person that can help you out. I´ll cost ya´ thought.” “Not an issue let us go.” He answered finally; Irvin cleaned his mouth with a handkerchief. Dino licked all the cheese remaining as fast as he could and jumped back to his feet.

“You better have your wallet full.” Dino licked his teeth cleans as best he could.

“ I don´t, but I have enough for one last big spend.” “¿Where did you did even get that money?” “I stole it.” Irvin spoke in a matter of fact. “Really? ¿Who was the poor zap?”

“Someone that no longer matters and will be forgotten when the money is spent.”

“You cold man. ¡Well let buy us some data!” Dino stretched both arms to the air.

“Let´s indeed.” Irvin took his briefcase and followed him in silence.

***

“ Help me a little here, Dino. ¿What are we even looking for in this…place.” The two of the found reach a dead-beat alley with nothing but trashcans baiting flies and a very poorly drawn graffiti depicting an eye on the center of a square. “An information broker, if she can´t help you. No one can.” Irvin kept a napkin to his nose to keep the unsanitary odor at bay. “¿And how are we finding her here?” “¡Hey whisperer we want to talk to ya!” Dino screamed suddenly. “¿Do you intent to just scream till she finally comes around?” “¡Yep!” Irvin remained quiet as he kept looking around him away from Dino, mostly to find a non-unpleasant corner to stare at. “This isn´t good for me. I can´t work like this.” Dino lighted. “How delicate… ¡Ey, I got ye´ a client here, Whispers!” Things remained the same for a while, but Dino didn´t seem to get bored from constantly screaming. I bet he´ll take any chance to be loud. Still this is dragging on”

“¿What sort of person is this whisperer?” Irvin asked looked inside one of the trashcans from a lack of any better ideas.

“She knows all the gossip at school. As to who she is, beats me. I don´t even think she´s a student. But she has been around for a while now almost like a part of the very island, hell evens the student council having a bounty for her head.” Someone not even Salvatore’s princess can catch. That´s an impossible thought, but a very interesting one.

“It seems she like her secrecy, Understandable. But I cannot believe someone hasn´t attempted to take her knowledge by force.”

“Dude, everyone already gave up on her. She disappears just as suddenly as she appears. “I suppose she takes on clients in a similar and just as sudden matter.

“Hello, friend.” A voice reached Irvin´s ear as he closed the trashcan again.

Irvin turned back like a scared cat and the first thing he saw was a paper bag with eye draws on its surface with a messy red. “You´re the new guy. Nice, I like making acquaintances fast.” It was a strange girl wearing a scraggy and old pink dress with black gloves and black rain boots. She also wore that paper bag on the head, hiding her face from anyone sight. That sure is a rather ghoulish look

“There you are. You sure took your time paper head.” Dino looked at the two of them an arrogant smirk on his lips.

“I was just getting ready, I like looking good for every new client. Also don’t call me paper head you meanie.” She rushed off to grab Dino by the neck and shake him playfully. “Ahem.” Irvin steeped in showing his hand for a handshake. “Good to meet you miss Whispers.” She shoved Dino off and grabbed his hand with both arms to shake it strongly. “Hello. Mr. Irvin Maximillian. I love the tie by the way, just like your mama. How cute.” Irvin backed away. “Never mind that.” He said fixing tie nervously, but returned to his usual aloof self just as fast. “So you know of me already.”

“Yep, I like knowing stuff. ¡And soon enough I’ll know all about youuu!.. Sir.” Irvin fixed his sunglasses. “Good I wouldn’t be here if you couldn’t figure that much.” The whisperer put both of her hands at her back and leaned closer. “I can tell much, but you have to tell me something nice, too.”

“Dino, what is this?” Dino s crossed his arms behind his back. “You´ll have to give her some info.” The whisperer raised her arms excitedly “It´s what keeps the business going. And I like to know a bit of the people I sell stuff to” I see, and I don´t get that luxury in return. She is not even pretending she won´t sell this info to whoever she pleases.

“Fine, but I have no intention of revealing anything about my arrival here to you.”

“That´s ok, those are easy to guess. ¿What I need to know is if your father is alive.” “My father?” “Yes that will make so happy. I may even give you a discount.” Irvin covered his mouth with his gloved hand and then turned around showing her his back. She wouldn’t have asked if she didn´t suspect already. This shouldn´t matter much… I will risk it.

“Alexander Maximilliam is alive.” Irvin said quietly. “Now that a sweet little fact. Makes all the puzzles become sweeter.” The girl pocked Irvin’s chest with her finger.

“So tell me little Irvin. ¿What whispers you need?” Irvin seemed happy for the change of subject. “I want to know what groups hold the most power in the school districts that held no ties to Salvatore.” “¿Just that? Boring” Irvin pullet his wallet out“ Let´s make that the start. Then I´ll tell you where to dig even deeper.”

“Yes sir, if you can pay the fee that is.” She gave a military salute. And sit down on top a trashcan. “Gather around little kids. It’s time for a little bit of gossip.” The two of them came closer, the two of them feeling rather awkward about it as she waved her finger like a grandma telling her children a fairytale.

“You must know already of the student council president, and the white hounds that dictated the “order” of our school. Believe me or not I can get much info out of those two, but they are hardly the rulers of this school´s die of the island. There are other forces that have refused to be bended down or consumed by those two nasty overwhelming groups.” Irvin remained quiet listening to her as she spun in place.

“There are tree little groups of friends that have spread their influence far and wide, way past the school grounds.” Dino yawned, as Irvin stared at her in complete silence his face unreadable.

“If I wish to mention one of them first I´ll be one of my most recurrent clients on Isla Franca; someone who believes to know the value of everything, someone that can put a price to anything or anyone.”

“That someone is the Beretta Family.”