Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Who to Turn to when You Seek Solace

Of course I've heard of the Caligula Club.Everyone in the Nightside has heard of it, as you've heard of rabies and leprosy and all the bad things.If you're tired of skydiving blindfolded from Everest, or flying naked over volcanic craters on a hang glider; if you've slept with everything that has a pulse and some that don't; You have experienced everything, you have seen everything, and there is nothing that can tempt you or corrupt you—the Caligula Club will welcome you very much and open up all kinds of new possibilities for you .If you die smiling or screaming because of it, don't say you weren't warned.

The Caligula Club is located in Uptown.All the best clubs, bars, restaurants and shows, all gathered in Uptown.Any untouchables without status are not welcome here.Only the richest, most powerful, and most connected people are eligible to experience the various rare services offered in Uptown.Private police forces patrol the streets in fancy uniforms, dedicated to deporting little people like you and me.But whenever I show up, these private cops always find a reason to be somewhere else, desperately. The Caligula Club is located in the most remote location in Uptown, and its existence seems to be an insult to the entire area.This is one of those clubs where the floor is full of horny young men and women having crazy sex, the live band is full of dead musicians, some of whom were dug from their graves the night of the show, and the management The club that has long recorded the phone number of the club's special exorcist on speed dial.Need I tell you this is a members-only club?And you have to receive an invitation to be eligible to become a member?They would never invite me into membership, so I'm always looking for a chance to go in and hang out.

Uptown - all the neon signs are bigger and brighter than anywhere else in the world, but no less tacky.The fast-paced music shook the chilly night sky, drawing people's attention with just a touch of menace.Club doors flung open, and touts shouted with masterful skill through the crowded streets.It's easy to get in, but not so easy to get out with your money, your sanity, and your soul.In Uptown, those who pay have to be extra careful.There are all kinds of entertainment here, all cannibalism. Men and women walk up and down the streets, wearing the latest fashion and revealing clothes, going out to see the world and express themselves at the same time.Everyone walks on the road glamorously, no matter how dangerous it is to be so ostentatious, just because if you are not ostentatious, you are not number one.High society has many advantages, but it also has many disadvantages, and the worst situation is being neglected.Gods and monsters, yesterday's dreams and tomorrow's nightmares, bright young rookies and brand-name hustlers with hidden knives, all take to the streets and uptown to play their diabolical tricks.The devil will punish those who do not take their chances.

No one would be happy to see me, but I'm used to this situation.Although it is not very obvious, everyone is deliberately staying away from me.I'm too vulgar for their refined taste. I stopped in front of the Caligula Club to observe the place carefully from a distance.The exterior walls of the entire high-tech building are covered with neon lights, and dazzling colorful graffiti are sprinkled on the background of metal and glass.Much of the graffiti depicts unique sexual positions and possibilities, some of which would make the Marquis de Sade spit out his lunch.Cruelty and passion are mixed and overflowing, and the result presented is definitely more than the sum of the two.The Caligula Club is not a place for fun, or even thrills.People come here only to satisfy needs and tastes that cannot be tolerated elsewhere.

And William Griffin, missing Melissa's father, is in this lair of salty wickedness and wild pleasure. Guarding the front door is a satyr with a traditional appearance.He is five feet tall, handsome, dark, with an untrustworthy look on his face. He is naked, revealing thick chest hair and hairy lamb legs, and a pair of crooked horns on his forehead.Half man, half goat, with genitals hanging between the thighs like a horse.He couldn't care less about exposing his genitals.I hate these half blood demons.You never see how dangerous they are until they show their strength in front of you, which is usually sudden and violent.I strode up to him as if I had the right to come and go freely.He grinned at me, showing his big teeth.

"Hello, sailor. Welcome to the Caligula Club. A little adventure, eh? But we're a members-only club, and membership is required to get in. Are you a member in good standing, sir?" " "Leave it alone," I said. "You know who I am." "Of course, my dear. Don't everyone know who you are? But I have my order, you must not be let in, even if you are the Queen of England. The management here is very strict, and most of the members hope so .I am Mr. Tuber, no one can pass me." "I'm John Taylor and I always end up in there," I said. "You know it, and I know it, so do we really have to make it that violent?"

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but I have my orders. Not even the Sanitation Bureau is as unwelcome as you are. Now be a good boy and go away and bother the others. I won't say anything Let you in. You don't want to see an old satyr on his knees begging you, do you?" "I'm here for Griffin," I said. "Get out of the way immediately or I'll tell him to buy this place and fire you." "It's no use threatening me, sailor. I've heard all threats." "I can walk over your body," I said. Mr. Tuber suddenly became bigger, and his body swelled so fast that I had to back up quickly so as not to be hit by him.In the blink of an eye, he grew to be ten feet tall, with broad shoulders, a thick chest, thick arms, and sharp claws. He exuded a smell of blood and musk from his whole body.Judging by the organs that were now swiveling right in front of my eyes, he was clearly very excited about the violence that was about to take place.He lowered his head and sneered at me, his voice thundering when he spoke.

"Do you still think you can pass my level, tiny human being?" I looked at the huge tree-trunk-like organ in front of me, reached into the pocket of my coat, took out the mousetrap that was there for a very legitimate reason, and clicked hard on the organ.He growled like a foghorn, grabbed his pride and joy in both hands, and collapsed onto the pavement in front of me.He quickly shrunk back to his normal size, and he couldn't concentrate on maintaining it because of the pain.So I showed mercy and kicked him on the head.He fell into a stupor with gratitude on his face, and I stepped over his trembling hooves into the Caligula Club.

Some guys just can't reason. The reception hall has a large space, and the speech echoes. The floor and ceiling are covered with white tiles, which should be because it is easier to wipe off the dirt and liquid on them.There is no furniture or decoration in the hall, only a simple reception counter and a bored young girl sitting in the back, she is engrossed in reading that week's "Unnatural Enquirer".This reception hall is obviously not a place for people to sit and wait.This is a place to stop by quickly on your way to your destination.I stood in front of the reception counter, but the reception lady ignored me.The newspaper headline read "Homage to Princess Diana who came to Nightside to perform".At the bottom of the front page, it was printed in relatively small font: "Please notify us if you see the Empress Dowager. We will pay for the photos!"

"Talk to me," I said to the receptionist. "Or I'll burn your newspaper with a fire." She slammed the newspaper on the counter and glared at me through the many ring holes in her eyelids.I think she must have been in terrible pain when she got the ring hole in the left eyeball. "Welcome to Caligula, sir. Try to humiliate me, that's what I'm sitting here for. I don't have to do this job, you know. I could have been a physician if I had a medical degree. Sir already Have you figured out what service you need, or is there something particularly horrific that sir wants me to recommend?"

I was slightly distracted, and found a door opened on the other side of the hall. A group of almost naked men and women walked past the reception counter without even looking at me.From the content of their lively conversation, it seemed that they had just left one party and were on their way to the next.Some people have skin implants of various colors, and I can't help but wonder what happened to the owners of those skins.Others have grafted fur or metal on their bodies.Some have animal eyeballs in their eye sockets, and some have camera lenses.Some people have three joints in their feet, some have four arms, and some have a face on the front and back of their head.Some people have two sets of genitals, some have no genitals at all, or have genitals that don't look like genitals.Basically, this is a group of people who love to show off.They walked briskly, disappearing behind a door on the other side of the hall.I looked at the receptionist. "I'm looking for someone," I said. "Who isn't looking for someone? When I find a good godfather, my little pink ass will never be seen in this damn place. Is the sir looking for someone in particular?" "William Griffin." "Oh, him!" The teenage girl reception lady stretched her face. "He stopped coming a long time ago and doesn't patronize us anymore. It seems that the service we provide is not exciting enough for him." I must admit that I was a bit surprised to hear that the Caligula club's extreme tastes still couldn't satisfy his needs.What entertainment was William Griffin seeking that even this place could not provide?Just as I was thinking, the last member who was going to the next banquet suddenly walked up to the counter and stood beside me.William's wife, Gloria, was wearing a blood-red tights studded with razor blades, thigh-length human leather boots, and a collar with steel spikes around her neck.An exaggeratedly thick giant snake wrapped around her shoulders, winding down a dark arm.When she stopped in front of me, the giant snake suddenly raised its head and looked at me meaningfully.I patted the snake's head lightly.I like snakes. "Forgive me for getting dressed," Gloria said in a calm and hoarse voice. "It's my turn to play the Queen of Sin again, and when you're the Queen of the Party, you're expected to dress for that role. It's all Diana Rigg's fault; I swear she's in the show Dressed to leave an ingrained impression on an entire generation. I've always wanted to have an opportunity to speak to you, Mr. Taylor." "Really?" I said. "That would be wonderful." "I know you'll come here for William. I think we have something... something in our mutual interest to share." "I'm not surprised at all," I said. "You speak first." "You can't say it here." Gloria said, looking at the receptionist. "Staff here can't be trusted. They'll sell gossip to the media." "As long as you can help me raise my salary." After the reception lady finished speaking, she disappeared behind the newspaper.Gloria ignored her and led me across the hall to a side door that couldn't be seen without walking in front of me.She opened the side door and took me into a room that looked like a dentist's office in hell.The whole room was filled with hideous metal utensils and drill bits hanging from a chaise longue with many bondage straps attached.The air was filled with the pungent disinfectant and the smell of fear.There are people of all kinds in the world, I thought.Gloria closed the door tightly, and then stood with her back against the door. "The security personnel have already heard of your arrival. I bribed the relevant personnel to gain some private time, but I can't guarantee how long it will be." "Tell me about William," I said. "And why he's here." "He brought me here when we first got married. My membership was his wedding present to me. I'm not surprised. I knew his taste well before we were married. I don't care. I'm always interested in power Deeply interested. William doesn't care to have his tastes known. He's been everywhere, fucked everyone, just for... well, pleasure, I think. Although 'satisfaction' would be more appropriate. He Came here as a masochist looking for the thrill of BDSM. Enslavement and punishment, whipping and branding, that sort of thing. The body of an immortal can take pain beyond imagination. He never confides in me , but I could see that he had a need to be punished. I never understood why. There were some things he kept quiet about. Finally, their services couldn't satisfy him anymore, so he left. But I Keep it up." She smiled slowly. "I like here." "You don't share William's taste?" I asked. "As I said, for me, power is more important than anything else, and there has never been a lack of men for me to drive, let me abuse and do whatever I want. Men with wealth and status, begging to satisfy my fantasies, eager to My own blood and pain won me a nod and a smile, and I worshiped me like a goddess. This change feels so good, much better than the treatment I received in the Griffin Hall. In Jeremiah and Maria In their eyes, I am just William's latest wife, and even the servants don't want to bother to write down my name. No one thought I could last so long." "But now you have eternal life," I said. "You are part of the Griffin family." "Everyone thinks that, don't you? But you're wrong. I've never had the right to intervene in the family business, even though I'm more capable than William, just because only people of the Griffin family can intervene in the family business. Not only that , I can't do anything that might interfere with or compete with Griffin's business and investment, and almost all the business in Night City is within this range. So I shop as much as I can, and come here to play when I'm tired... The queen she thought she could be when she married William." "Did you love him?" I asked bluntly. "He chose me. He wanted me. He gave me eternal life and wealth. I was very grateful to him and still am, I think. But love... I don't know. William is a difficult man. He won't let anyone To get in touch with his inner world. He never told me anything important, not even in the most private moments. I married him because... he was a great playmate and very generous, but also because I'm past runway age. The life of a supermodel is very short. I might have really fallen in love with him, if he had ever made me feel his love." "And what about your daughter, Melissa?" "I might love her too, given the chance. But William and I had barely brought her to Jeremiah when he took her. We had no right to an opinion. There was nothing I could do to stop him. William tried Stop it, bless him - he spoke to his father at the top of his voice, and uttered all the dirty words in the world since ancient times. That was the only time I ever saw William talk back to his father. But of course, there was nothing he could do to stop him… …Backing back isn't going to do him any good. No one can say no to Jeremiah Griffin." "Do you have any clues about Melissa's disappearance?" I asked. "I can keep it a secret. Griffin doesn't need to know everything I find out in my investigation." "He will find out." Gloria said coldly. "He always has a way of finding out. I'm amazed we were able to have Melissa without him finding out. Maybe it's because he couldn't believe his son would be so disobedient to him... you want to ask Ask anything, Mr. Taylor, and I'll give the best answers I can. Because... I don't care anymore. William doesn't care if I'm around, so I'm probably not going to be in this house anytime soon. Besides, I don't care at all. Don't know anything important. My daughter's disappearance is as much a mystery to me as it is to anyone else." "I must say that you don't seem particularly concerned about your daughter disappearing, perhaps being kidnapped, possibly even being killed," I said. "Don't you care what happened to her?" "Don't think so badly of me, Mr. Taylor. Melissa is only my daughter in name. Jeremiah raised her herself and deliberately kept me from having anything to do with her. Melissa has been refusing to Talked to me. And now... she seems ready to steal William's inheritance. And mine, of course." "Some people believe it," I said cautiously. "An adult grandson or granddaughter would result in Griffin's death." "It would be nice if that was the case," Gloria said. "That's just a legend. There are so many legends about Griffin, but no one can be sure if the legend is true or not." "Does William believe the legend?" "He believed it. That's why he wanted kids. A weapon to use against fathers." "William wants his father dead?" "Death, disappear forever. Only in this way can William truly live the life he wants. To be free...Although I don't know what he wants to do after freedom. Maybe even he himself doesn't know." "Do you want me to find your daughter?" I asked. "If I really bring her back safe and sound, you and William will lose their inheritance qualifications." "Find her," Gloria stared at me calmly. "It doesn't matter if she loves me or not. You can't love a stranger. But I gave birth to her, nursed her, held her in my arms...find her, Mr. Taylor. If anyone dares to hurt her, please be slow." Slowly torture them to death." "Anyone know where to find William?" I asked. Gloria smiled. "That's it, you don't need me anymore. I told all I knew, and you told me nothing. You're a very good private eye, Mr. Taylor." "You didn't ask me anything," I said. "No." Gloria said. "I didn't ask, did I? If you want William... try Project Arcadia." The big snake on her shoulder stared at me, as if silently giggling, as if it knew some secret that I didn't.
Like the Caligula Club, I've heard of the Arcadia Project; but everyone talks about what the Caligula Club has to offer, but no one knows what the Arcadia Project actually sells .The most private place in the Nightside, as some called it.Many people have entered this place, but not all of them make it out alive, so others describe it.Even where this place is located is a mystery known only to a trusted few, and Night City is a place where even cosmic mysteries are openly sold on street corners.However, I can find any location.This is my job. I activate my gift, and with my third eye, the eye of my mind, I gaze into the streets of Nightside.Terrifying and powerful entities roam the night, ancient unknown powers walk, but none of them notice a being as small as me.I focused my attention on a single target, and my eyes immediately rushed to the streets and alleys of Nightside, and finally gathered in a dark alleyway, an alleyway where most people would only go to take out garbage or occasionally dump corpses. It's not far from Uptown, but it seems like two completely different worlds.There are no private clubs, no fancy restaurants, just peeling-painted doors, grimy windows, and dim neon signs with peeling letters.Cold-eyed blockers stand on every street corner, selling their vintage wares.This is a place where everything that can be sold is taken from others, the pleasures that are provided will stink in the mouth, and even robbers will travel together for safety reasons. I quickly found the alley and looked at it from a distance away on a brightly lit street.The street lamps could not penetrate the shadows in the alley, and I heard very clearly the sound of animals scratching the ground in the dark.The air was hot and humid, filled with an air of ripe time.Of course the time is ripe for those who lurk in the dark.I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a plastic ball containing the fire salamander carcass.I shook it vigorously, and a dazzling silver light immediately burst out from the ball, illuminating the alley in front of me.Under this sudden light, many things in the alley fled in all directions, escaping into a darker and safer place.Raising my vigilance, I walked slowly into the alley, carefully choosing where to stay, and finally came to a green door on the left-hand wall.There's no sign on the door, not even a doorknob, but that's it.This is the only entrance to Project Arcadia.I looked at the door carefully without touching it, but no matter how you look at it, it is just an ordinary door.No locks, no traps, no curses—if there were any, there would be no escape from my genius.So I shrugged, put one hand against the door, and gently pushed forward. The gatehouse opened slightly, and a blinding glare poured out, which made me almost unable to restrain myself from screaming.I was alert and ready for any situation, but nothing happened.Just a ray of golden sunlight, warm and fresh and sweet as summer, full of trees and fields and pastures.I found myself still holding the dimly lit newt ball, and put it back in my coat pocket.Then I stepped into the sunlight, and the green door closed behind me slowly.
I stood beside a lush green hill, looking out at a vast expanse of countryside that took my breath away.Fields and pastures occupy all my eyes, stretching out endlessly.One side is covered with a towering forest, and at the foot of the hill there is a small, crystal-clear river happily flowing through the fields, and at intervals, a traditional stone bridge crosses the river.It is a dreamlike picture of old England, the beauty that should have been but never was, wandering happily and contently under the bright blue sky of a perfect summer day.Birds sing, insects chirp, everything is so beautiful.It was beautiful, and it felt so good to be out in the sun again after so long. This is the great secret that is not known to everyone, the secret that is strictly forbidden to share with those who are not qualified for fear of being abused - Arcadia. A path winds and unfolds in front of me, starting at my feet.The trail is composed of a series of square stones scattered among the grass, all the way down the mountainside.I tread carefully on the stones, as if using them as a springboard in a sea of ​​green.The trail curves around the edge of the hill and then along the river bed.Along the way, I watched the birds fly and dive, and the butterflies danced.Seeing many small forest animals walking around, not afraid of people at all, I couldn't help but smile on my face.The white swans roamed the river solemnly, nodding slightly to me as I passed by. Finally, I turned a corner and saw my father and my mother on the river in front of me, lying leisurely on the green grass, and the tablecloth beside them was filled with many picnic utensils taken out of the picnic basket.My father, Charles, sprawled on the ground in a white suit, had the same smile as my mother, Lilith.She was wearing a white dress and was throwing bread crumbs into the river to feed the ducks.I made a little noise, and my mother turned her head and smiled brightly at me. "Oh, Charles, look who's coming. John's coming to us at last!" My father stood up, put one hand on the ground, turned his head, and when he saw me, the smile on his face widened. "So glad you're here, son. We're having a picnic. There's ham, there's cheese, there's scotch eggs and sausage rolls, all your favourites." "Come and have a picnic, honey," my mother said. "We've been waiting for you for a long time." I hesitated slightly and went forward, and sat down between mother and father.My father gently squeezed my shoulder with an encouraging look, and my mother handed me a cup of hot tea.I know the tea has creamer and two sugars, just like my favorite way to drink tea.I sat where I was for a while, enjoying my time with them, and a part of me just wanted to stay here for the rest of my life.Too bad I was never good at listening to that part of me. "I have so much to tell you, Dad," I finally said. "But there's no time." "Here you have all the time in the world," my father said, lying back on the grass again, staring at the sky. "Despite all that has happened, I wish I could get to know you better, Mom," I said to Lilith. "Then stay here with us," she said. "We can be together and never be apart." "No," I said regretfully. "Because you only say what I want you to say. Because none of this is true, neither of you. My parents are gone and will never come back. This is Arcadia, a A dream come true resort, a place where happiness is available to all and good things happen every day. But I still have things to do and people to find because that's my life and that's who I am. Besides, My Suzie will be waiting for me at home. She may be a crazy killer, but she is my crazy killer. So, I must go now. My life may not be perfect, not as perfect as here, but at least it is enough reality." "And I've never disappointed any client." I stood up, turned away, and followed the diving board path.I didn't look back to see my parents disappear.Maybe it's because I want to pretend they're still standing there, having a picnic by the river and living happily ever after.
The trail took me along the river bed, then turned abruptly into a green hillside, and went straight into a woods with tall trees standing proudly against the sky.I could hear voices coming from ahead, high and cheerful, with occasional bursts of hearty laughter.It sounded like the sound of a child playing.After approaching a certain distance, I saw William Griffin, who was lying on a grass field with a relaxed expression, admiring the beautiful scenery in front of him.Around him, all his childhood playmates were laughing, playing, and running in the never-ending sun. I know some of them because they were also my childhood playmates.Mr. Brown Bear, a four-foot-tall teddy bear in his famous red jacket and trousers, with a sky blue scarf around his neck, is the best friend and brave playmate of all little boys.Standing beside the brown bear is his friend, Mr. Sea Sheep, wearing a large blue-gray coat and having the shape of a human, but with a sheep's head and two huge, curved horns.When I was a kid, all the kids had children's books featuring the two of them, and they'd all been on those exciting fantasy adventures with Mr. Brown Bear and Mr. Sea-Goat...there's the bunch-tailed squirrel, Barney the battery boy, and even There's Beep and Buster, a boy and his alien.And others—toys the size of children, clothed humanoids, and all the happy creatures we grow up to forget.It's just that we never really forgot them.They still exist somewhere deep inside of us that really matters.They played around William Griffin, happily bickering with each other, laughing and scolding, and chasing repeatedly.They are old playmates and sometimes the only true friends of a child. When I approached, they stopped at the same time and turned to look at me, the expressions on their faces were not fear, just curiosity.William sat up slowly and stared at me.I raised my hands to show that I was unarmed and not looking for trouble.William hugged his knees to his chest, watched me silently for a while, and finally sighed wearily. "You'd better leave," he said to the toys and animals beside him. "We're going to talk about grown-ups, and you're going to be impatient." They nodded and disappeared like a dream, only Mr. Brown Bear and Mr. Sea Sheep did not.They stood where they were, scrutinizing me with a calm, understanding look.Sea Goat took a swig from a bottle of vodka from his coat pocket. "That's right," he said inarticulately. "We're real, in a way. You'd better get used to us." "There are not many people in the world who still remember us." Brown Bear said. "Now we are legends, living in Shadow Falls, where all stories find their end. We come to Nightside from time to time to be with those who need us." "Yes, that's right." Haiyang said, belching a lot. "I'm just here for the beauty and the feeling of peace. And the free food. You're John Taylor, right? Maybe one day you'll be a legend too, after you're dead and forgotten. When the time comes You will come to Shadow Falls, whether you like it or not. I can tell you right now, you will not like Shadow Falls. I will not allow you to disturb William. He is with us. This wine bottle is stuffed up your asshole so deep that only a rectal specialist with spelunking gear can pull it out for you." "Don't pay attention to him." Mr. Brown Bear said kindly. "That's the way his sheep is." They walked toward the dark woods, arguing all the time.They are not the same as my impression.I went forward and sat down beside William. "So this is Project Arcadia," I said. "Very good. I really like the view here." "What do you want, Tyler?" William asked. "How do you know you want to come here to find me? This should be the only place in the world where no one can bother me." "It's a talent," I said. "Gloria showed me the way. I think she's worried about you." William snorted disdainfully. "It's fresh." "What are you doing here?" I asked, curious. "Why... choose this kind of place?" "Because I never had a childhood," William said.He didn't look at me.He stared at the scenery in front of him, maybe he was looking at other pictures in his mind, which belonged to the past. "For as long as I can remember, my dad just wanted to train me to be his successor, so he could make sure that what he built would live on after he was gone. He wanted me to be like him. But I and It's not my fault he's different, I'll never be like him. There's only one Jeremiah Griffin in the world, and that might be good for the world. But even as a kid, I didn't How much time to play and be myself. He won't let me make friends because friends are not to be trusted. They could be spies sent by my father's enemies. My life is work, work, work. Never ending Study as much as possible, understand the family business, and fulfill family obligations. The only way I escaped was to enter the world of books and comics. At that time, as long as I had the opportunity, I would live in my dreams, hiding in the innocent world I imagined. In a happy world. The only place that really belongs to me, the place that my father can't touch, can't take away." At this moment, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop him from continuing.These words have been in his heart for many years, and he is willing to pour them out to anyone who finds him here.Just because he has a strong desire to speak out... "That's why I started working out as a teenager," William Griffin said, still not facing me. "Just to be able to control a part of my life, even if it's just my own body. I knew at that point that I was absolutely incapable of running the family business. I knew it long before my father knew it. I was very Wanted to believe that... if he left me alone, I might be able to achieve something. If I had the opportunity to choose my own path, follow my own ideas. But Griffin couldn't bear to have a son who didn't have big ambitions." "These days, I'm just a flashy piece of shit, helping out with all the things my father can't leave off to anyone outside the family. We both pretend I'm someone important, but everyone knows... I'm just carrying out his命令，完全没有权力下达任何决定。我将文件从一个地方搬到另一个地方，在他人面前传达我父亲的旨意，每一天我的心都在慢慢死去。你知道对一个永生之人来说，这是一种什么样的感觉吗？一点一滴地死去，永远永远地死下去……” “有一段时间，我靠着追求感官刺激消磨时间……我曾经加入夜城里所有的私人俱乐部，尝试所有他们提供的娱乐以及女人。虽然这样能够令我分心，但始终无法满足我的空虚。” 他突然转头面对我，目光黑暗又愤怒，流露出危险的气息。“你不能向任何人提起我刚刚说的话，泰勒。不能让人知道我来过这里，和我的朋友在一起。人们不会了解的。他们会以为我是个懦夫，会想要占我便宜。而且我父亲……真的不会了解。我不认为他的一生曾经需要过任何东西。事实上，我很难想象权势滔天的杰若米亚·葛里芬也曾经历过像童年这么平凡却又宝贵的时光。这是唯一一样我曾拥有而他又无法染指的东西，唯一一个我可以脱离他的掌握的地方。” “不必担心。”我说。“你父亲不需要知道这件事。他雇用我是为了调查梅莉莎，不是调查你。我只对你的女儿以及她的失踪感兴趣。” “我想要尽一个父亲的责任。”威廉说，目光再度迷失在远方。“想要成为一个好父亲，和杰若米亚不同的父亲。我希望她拥有一个我不曾拥有的童年。但是他夺走了她，在那之后，我只有在杰若米亚允许时才见得到她。我想在梅莉莎看来，他才是她真正的父亲。她的爹地。我花了好多年的时间试图打入她的世界……但是就算我算准杰若米亚不在的机会前去探望她，梅莉莎也从来不会在家，她总是刚好出去了……霍伯斯是我父亲的手下，身心皆是。整个葛里芬殿堂都由他管理，没有人能够逃过他的法眼。到最后……我终于放弃了。” 他看着我，脸上流露一种彻底失败的神情。“我不恨我父亲，你知道。千万不要这么想。他所做的一切都是在为我着想。这么多年来……我所做的一切都是为了让他骄傲。” “每个儿子都是这样。”我说。 “你父亲如何？他为你感到骄傲吗？” “到最后，”我说。“我想是吧，没错。当时一切都太迟了，我们都没有机会弥补任何事。你知道我母亲……” 威廉终于面露微笑。“夜城里所有人都知道你的母亲。大家都在莉莉丝大战中失去亲密的人。” “你认为梅莉莎是遭人绑架吗？”我直接问了出来。 他立刻摇头，连想都不需要想。“在葛里芬殿堂里，各式各样的安全系统守护之下，她怎么可能被绑架？但她也不可能是逃家。她没有办法在不被发现的情况下离开葛里芬殿堂。再说，她能去哪里？有什么地方能够不被他们发现？一定会有人把她交出来的，不管是交给我们领赏，或是为了报复父亲而将她交给我们家的敌人。” “除非家族之中还有其他人涉及此事。”我小心暗示着。“不管是帮她逃家，还是解除安全系统让别人绑架她……” 威廉再度摇头。“她在家族之中没有朋友，或许除了保罗之外。而且没有人胆敢冒险关闭保护我们的安全系统。” “谁有胆子绑架梅莉莎·葛里芬？” “我不知道。但是我可以告诉你，约翰·泰勒，我会杀掉任何胆敢伤害她的人。葛里芬也会。” “即使这表示他会失去一切……让她安然无恙地活到十八岁？” 威廉笑了笑，不过笑声中不带任何笑意。“喔，你听说了那个传说，是不是？算了吧，那是鬼扯。都会传奇。如果真有这种事，我父亲早在知道保罗跟梅莉莎的存在时就会除掉他们了。他总是有能力做出困难、必要而又可怕的事，不管过程中会伤害到什么人，就算是他自己也无所谓。我父亲是个非常实际的人。我生下梅莉莎不是为了威胁他。我生下她只是为了拥有一样属于我的东西。我早该知道他不会让我如愿的。” “那么你永生不死的父亲为什么要立遗嘱？”我问。 “好问题。”威廉说。“我本来连第一份遗嘱的存在都不知情，更别提第二份了。我父亲不会死。他从来没干过如此平凡、象征懦弱的事。”他再度直视我的目光。“找出我的女儿，泰勒先生。用尽所有手段，不惜任何代价。” “不管过程中会伤害到谁？”我问。“即使是家人？” “特别是家人。”威廉·葛里芬说道。 “你们两个还没讲完吗？”海羊大声说道。“我和褐熊还很想去散步呢！” 威廉·葛里芬朝两个朋友微笑，转眼间仿佛变成另一个人。褐熊热情地拥抱他，海羊则递过他的伏特加酒瓶。威廉喝了一大口酒，递回酒瓶，然后深深地叹了口气。 “真不知道真正带给我温暖的是友情还是酒精。”他神色哀伤地说。 “你只需要痛快地拉个大便，清清肠胃。”海羊睿智地说道。“每个人在痛快地解放之后都会焕然一新。” “真是哪儿都不能带你去。”褐熊说道。