Chapter 6 Chapter Six It's All About Reputation

I found out many secrets about the most mysterious family in Night City, but it was of no help to find out Melissa's whereabouts and situation.Nobody wants to talk about her; they just want to talk about themselves.I've never noticed how much I've become reliant on natural talent to solve cases.It's been a long time since I've taken the traditional and difficult approach -- asking questions, tracking down answers -- to a case.But I feel like I'm starting to get closer to an answer, although I'm not sure what it is.The only thing I can do is keep digging and hope that after I ask enough embarrassing questions, someone will be tempted to spill some secrets I shouldn't know.I asked William where to find his sister Elena, and he shrugged and told me to check out the Hecate tearoom.I should have known.The Hecate Tea Room is the favorite tavern for all the ladies in the night city who need lunch.

I followed the same path away from the long green dreams of Project Arcadia and back to the nightmare streets of neon lights and cozy shadows.Not everyone yearns for sunshine.The Hecate Tearoom is the most expensive, exclusive, and luxurious bistro in the Nightside, located in the heart of Uptown.An elegant and opulent place for the upper-class to gather, gossip and vilify friends who weren't there that day.The waiting line outside the door is very long, and as long as there is a little indecent behavior, you will be blocked at the door.But no one ever complained, because this is the most important appearance in Nightside.Besides, all records of faux pas can be written off by check.

I stood at a safe distance to observe this place, from a dark alley, I watched the limousines parked in front of the heavily guarded gates, and the faces that were often seen on social pages and gossip tabloids calmly got out of the cars.They were the elite of the Nightside, dressed in glittering evening gowns, well-timed light makeup, and jewels too heavy to walk in. The neon sign above the gate is full of rococo style, the handwriting is almost unreadable, and the whole building reeks of the cubist art revival.The most popular fashion is retro.I used my talent to investigate the security measures. Obviously, there are layers of magical defenses here, ranging from transformation curses to spells that send you directly to hell.There are also guards of all kinds, cleverly hidden in the potency of invisibility magic.The two burly gentlemen standing at the gate may be well-dressed, but the tattoos on their foreheads clearly show that they are battle mages.From their appearance, they were probably former members of the British Airborne Task Force.Even the paparazzi dare not approach them.

So neither violent confrontation nor verbal intimidation will work, only bravado and rhetoric, both of which fortunately I am good at.My reputation has always been scarier than me, and that's because I've worked so hard to maintain it.I left the alley and strolled leisurely to the gate.Two gentlemen in tuxedos recognized me immediately and moved to stand in front of the gate.A bodyguard is a bodyguard, no matter how well-dressed he is, he is still a bodyguard.I stopped in front of them, showing a relaxed smile, as if I didn't pay attention to everything in the world. "Hello, you two. I'm here on Griffin's behalf, and I want to speak to his daughter Elena."

They didn't expect me to say that, so they exchanged looks, communicated silently in the unique way of bodyguards, and then turned to face me. "Have you any proof, sir?" "Do I have the guts to use Griffin's name as a bluff?" I asked rhetorically. They thought for a while, nodded, and made way for them.My name may not be scary enough, but Griffin's is extremely scary.I swaggered through the door and entered the tearoom as if visiting a slum.When it is necessary to put on a stance of looking down on people with the eyes of a dog, a pleasure of revenge will naturally emerge in my heart.The receptionist at the locker room is an affable-looking zombie, wearing a black tights and fishnet stockings to accentuate her pale, dead skin.The dead make the best servers - because they rarely talk back.She asked very politely if she would put my coat away and I said no.

But I did ask for her phone number.Ask for it for Dead Boy. I walked through a bead curtain and came to the main tea room. The noisy conversation didn't change at all because of my presence.Every day the ladies at lunch meet someone scarier and more important than me.I walked slowly among the crowded seats, not in a hurry.A few people got up and left, and hurried to the back door in a low-key manner.I'm used to this reaction.Decorated in steel and glass, the tea room has a decidedly cubist style, and one wall is lined with an entire row of high-tech coffee machines, the kind that make people wait forever for a frothy cup of coffee.I prefer tea to coffee, especially a strong tea that leaves marks on the spoon after stirring.

The waiters walked gracefully from table to table. They were all young and beautiful boys and girls, wearing nothing but bow ties and cuffs. Maybe this uniform was to make them be careful not to spill any drinks!Rich and powerful women gathered around the tables, caring about nothing but what they were talking about.They are constantly gesticulating to let others know that they have a better conversation than anyone else.There are a few private boxes at the back of the main tea room, reserved for more intimate gatherings, but they are rarely used.The biggest purpose of coming to the Hecate Tea Room is to prove that you have the wealth and status to appear in this kind of place.

(But when you're trying to come in after a divorce, dump, or disinheritance, you know how quickly they slam the door in your face.) All the ladies were all dressed up, drinking tea and coffee with their slender hands, talking like beautiful creatures in the urban jungle.They can do whatever they want to the waiters with tea and coffee, and these young and beautiful little things are always smiling, but never lingering.They all knew that a dame's caress could turn into a slap or a punch at any moment, for any reason or for no reason, and that the customer was always right.Every table was occupied, and the ladies were all crowded together. If it was in other places, they would absolutely not tolerate this situation.These are the legendary ladies who come to lunch, although no one here seems to actually eat lunch.If you want to maintain a slender and graceful figure, you must not eat when you are hungry.Soft music echoed, but in such a noisy environment, no melody could be heard at all.

It wasn't long before I saw Eleanor Griffin, sitting at a table in the very center of the tea room (of course), where everyone could see her.She wore an elegant emerald green gown adorned with flawless diamonds, and around her neck was a scarf studded with emeralds.Even among this group of professional beauties, she still stands out from the crowd.It's not just a matter of style of dress and good manners, all women have that, or something like that.Maybe it's because Elena doesn't need to spend so much energy on dressing up like other noble ladies, she doesn't have to.Eleanor Griffin was a born dame; that made ladies who had to work hard to play one feel intimidated.She is beautiful in appearance, generous in manner, and elegant in manner.In their social circles, these were three reasons for the deep loathing of her.But her table was the largest, and it was filled with a group of women who obviously needed half as much attention to grooming as Elena.A group of "friends" who often get together to chat, gossip, and see each other's signs.Apart from being in the same social circle, a lady who has no intersection in life at all.They get together because people think they should get together.

It is not easy to be friends with people who may disappear due to divorce or other reasons and never meet again.And when they disappear from your social circle, the only feeling in your heart is that you are glad that you didn't get shot because of this person... I knew several women who shared the table with Elena.Jess Belle Rickham, wife of Big Jack Rickham.Jess Belle was a tall, blond, busty beauty with a childlike look on her face.Big Jack is involved in all sex-related businesses in Nightside, big or small.Legend has it that Jess Belle was his most profitable cash cow before the marriage, and of course no one would dare to bring up that past publicly if they wanted to keep their knees.Jess Belle sat at the table, like a group of children among adults, listening to the conversations of others without saying a word, always paying attention to everyone's actions, afraid of missing the opportunity to laugh.

And Lucy Louise, sweet, petite and exotic, in a beautiful midnight dark evening gown that perfectly matched her jet-black eyes and hair.She was the wife of Uptown Taffy Lewis, nicknamed after the man who owned most of the Uptown land.This means that all famous clubs, bars and restaurants will depend on him to survive.Taffey never signed a lease for more than twelve months at a time, and he had never heard of rent control.Lucy is known for her gossip prowess and never cared who the gossip hurt, even if the hurt person was sitting next to her. Sally DeVore is the wife of Marty DeVore.Madi is called Brother Greed, but no one dares to call him that in person.No one knew what business Matty was up to, and it was said that anyone who knew would immediately want to hang himself from the nearest street lamp.Sally was bulky and tacky, talking loudly and laughing even louder.When people are scared, they speak louder.Sally was the fourth Mrs. DeVore, and no one thought she would last long. These were the women who had lunch with Eleanor.Honestly, I'd rather tie a dead cow around its neck and jump into the ocean to swim with sharks than eat with them. None of these women came alone, of course.Their significant other will never leave them alone, something will happen.They must protect them from any danger, including engaging in too much wrong entertainment.They must declare the ownership of their wives at any time and place.So all the bodyguards and escorts of the noble ladies sat at a row of tables next to them.They don't eat or drink, just sit indifferently, waiting for the situation that can make them hurt others.They occasionally whisper to each other to pass the time.Interestingly, Elena seems to have brought her latest boy toy with her, a handsome man named Ramon.Ramon was often featured in weekly magazines, each time in the arms of a different wealthy woman.None of the bodyguards and escorts were willing to speak to him.They are all professionals.But then again, in a way, Ramon is also a professional.He sat leisurely on the chair with a perfect posture, staring into the distance silently, perhaps already thinking about looking for the next meal ticket in the tea room.I felt faintly disappointed in my heart.Elena should hang out with a better man than Ramon. I walked straight towards Elena's table. Everyone along the way stopped talking when I passed by. The ladies were very curious about my purpose and who I came here to find.When I came to Elena's side, the whole tea room was silent, everyone turned their heads and waited for the show, and all the bodyguards were on alert.Only then did I finally hear clearly the classical music playing in the background, a hostile string quartet playing Mozart.I stopped behind Elena to say her name, and she turned to face me without haste. "Oh," she said. "It's you, Tyler." The annoyance in her voice is almost art.The notorious John Taylor.you again.boring... "We need to talk." My tone was inscrutable, trying to keep it low-key. "I don't think so." Elena said coldly and contemptuously. "I'm busy, next time, maybe." The people in the tearoom loved her tone of voice.The women at the same table as Elena were all on the verge of peeing their pants, their eyes wide open, silent, their bodies trembling with excitement, watching her deal with the extremely dangerous John Taylor with such a contemptuous attitude.Even if she shits and pulls out rubies, it won't make them more admired. "You know something I need to know." I began to throw myself into my role. "What a pity." Elena said, turning her back on me. "Your father told me some very interesting things," I said from behind her, and couldn't help smiling when I noticed her rigidity. "Talk to me, Elena. Or I'll share your secret with everyone." She turned around again and looked at me coldly.I was bluffing, she knew very well I was bluffing, but she dared not take the risk.The ladies who come to lunch are as animated as a piranha at the sight of raw meat when they hear the secret.Then again, I'm a lot more interesting than the men she brings.She should talk to me, find out how much I really know, and try not to reveal anything I want to know.I could see it all on her face...because she wanted me to. "Since we have to talk, let's talk!" She said in a tone that spoke to a servant.She smiled sweetly at the lady at the same table. "Forgive me, dear friend. A private family matter. You all know how it goes." The ladies smiled and nodded, saying all the words they had to say, but it was obvious they couldn't wait for us to leave and gossip.Throughout the tea room, every eye followed me leading Elena into a box at the back.The sound of conversation gradually resumed in the tea room.The bodyguards relaxed their tense expressions, obviously glad they didn't have to confront me head-on.Ramon stared at me with cold, deep eyes, no emotion on his face.I sat down on the seat opposite Elena. "Okay," I said. "Nice to meet you again." "We do need to talk." She leaned forward earnestly. "But you should understand that I have to make things difficult for you first." "Oh, of course," I said, not knowing what she wanted to talk about. "I don't want you to think I'm not afraid to talk to anyone." "I don't think so." "Look at them," she said, pointing to her desk. "They were so excited just because I dared to talk back to the notorious John Tyler. If I hadn't talked back to you, the gossip papers would have reported the two of us having sex tomorrow. Some papers would have reported it knowing it wasn't true, Just because the subject matter is so wonderful." "I don't think so," I said again.She stared at me seriously.I smiled, and suddenly she smiled back.She relaxed a little and leaned back in the chair. "Talking to you was easier than I thought, Mr. Taylor. And I really need someone to talk to." I pointed to Ramon, who was still sitting outside by himself. "Can't you talk to him?" "Ramon and I are not here to chat." She said coldly. "He's still a kid in many ways. He's handsome and fun to be around, but he doesn't have a lot of stuff in his head. I like this little boy. The best thing about a toy like this is that it's fun to play with. You can immediately find the next plaything." "Your husband doesn't care?" I asked. "I didn't marry Marcel for this." Elena said in a tone of fact. "Daddy wants me to get married because he still has some very traditional ideas. That's not surprising, I suppose, since he was born a long, long time ago. Immortals can step out of the past, but... Daddy believes that a woman needs a man's guidance after all. First it's the father, then it's the husband's turn. And since dear Daddy has more important things to worry about, I naturally have to find a husband to rely on. He never I found out that I married men who were willing to obey orders obediently. I didn't realize that I married only to stay away from the Griffin Palace. If it wasn't because I had to stay by Daddy's side if I didn't get married, I wouldn't have gotten married at all..." "I married Marcel because he made me laugh. He was charming, debonair, and a good companion...and he didn't ask me to do anything. He had his life, I had mine, ours Life doesn't need to be intersected. In the old days, Daddy's early days, they would call this kind of marriage a marriage with intentions. But now that the times have progressed, for me only my own intentions are the most important. You Want to talk to me about something, Mr. Taylor? Daddy doesn't know any secrets about me, because I've taken great care to make sure he doesn't know any secrets about me." "You won't believe how many secrets I know," I said, because something had to be said under the circumstances. "I'm still collecting the statements of the Griffin family members, and I want to use this to organize a set of arguments about who would kidnap Melissa for what reason." Elena shrugged. "We're really not that complicated. Daddy's mind is full of business, Mommy's goal in life is to be the social queen of high society, William will run and hide whenever he gets the chance, and Melissa is a little duplicity." Bastard, my dear little proud Paul won't leave the bedroom. It's as simple as that in the Griffin family." "What about you?" I asked. "What kind of person are you, Eleanor Griffin?" Just like her brother, Elena couldn't stop talking once she started, telling the whole story in an endless stream.Maybe it's because it's been a long, long time since she's been open and honest with someone she can trust...because her friends don't give a shit. "Daddy doesn't accompany me often." She said, although her eyes were looking directly at my face, her eyes had drifted away, back to the past. "He was very traditional. His sons could be heirs and be involved in the family business, but his daughters couldn't. So he cared far less about me than William. Mummy didn't care either. She had me and William just to follow the trend. So I Growing up with a bunch of nannies, governesses, and paid playmates all reporting back to my dad. I couldn't trust them. I grew up on my own, never dependent on anyone, putting my own interests first One. Just like Daddy." "Over the years, I've tried to indulge myself in all sorts of things... As an immortal, there's a lot of time to fill. I've tried politics, religion, shopping... but nothing has ever satisfied me How long have I been. So now I've decided to just enjoy my wealth and status and be a happy dude. Does that sound superficial?" "Why hang out with such a toy?" I asked, carefully avoiding a question that was unlikely to have a good answer. "It is rumored that none of them can stay by your side for long..." "As the years go by, although I will not grow old, I am more and more fascinated by youth." Elena said. "True youth, not a beautiful body like mine that will never age. Although I have been working hard to maintain my body, I am still afraid of aging, afraid of the impermanence of the world, so I can only cling to my own way...continuously Exposure to young ideas, ideas, and fashion trends to keep young at heart. I will never be like Daddy; after so many years and so many storms, he is still able to remain consistent, sticking to the nature of that medieval businessman; business It's business, no matter what century he is in. He may have cultivated an aristocratic temperament and demeanor, but his ideas are still old-fashioned. His values ​​​​are inflexible, and he is unwilling to change even though he knows they were formed centuries ago... I don't want to be like him at all." "So what do you want?" I asked. She smiled. "I wish I knew, Mr. Taylor. I'd love to inherit Daddy's fortune, but not his business. I'd sell my shares all at once if I could. I don't want to be like William." Debauched, in my own world. He thought I didn't know what he was doing at the Caligula Club, but everybody knew... I wanted to do something really meaningful, to be really useful But in everyone’s eyes, I’m still just Griffin’s daughter. You can’t imagine how limited it is to have absolute power and wealth.” "Poor rich daughter," I said seriously. "Having everything, but always lacking in happiness and peace of mind." She stares at me. "You're mocking me, Mr. Taylor. Everyone here will tell you that's a very dangerous move." I smile. "Dangerous is my job." "Oh, please . . . what do you want, Mr. Taylor?" "Well, first, I want you to call me John. Then... I'm going to find Melissa. Make sure she's safe and sound." "And take her home? Back to Griffin Hall?" "If she wants to," I said cautiously. Elena studied me carefully for a while. "You don't think she was kidnapped, do you? You think she ran away from home. I must say, it doesn't surprise me. But when you do find her, you don't force her against her will." Take her home because it's against your principles, isn't it?" "Yes." I said. She gave me a big smile. "I like you more and more, John. Are you really planning to disobey Griffin's will? He once killed people for smaller things. Maybe you are really as powerful as the legend." "No," I said. "No one can be as powerful as the legendary me." She smiled again. "You have no idea what a joy it is to be able to talk to people so... honestly. You really don't give a damn that I'm a Griffin, do you?" "I don't care." I said honestly. "I've faced scarier characters." "Yeah...you probably faced it. You didn't take this case for the money, did you? You really wanted to find Melissa." "Well..." I said honestly. "Money is also an issue." Then we turned our heads at the same time and looked at Ramon who appeared at the door of the box.He was tall, with a strong physique looming under the expensive suit, and he assumed a posture of occasionally fighting with people.He stared at me coldly, ignoring Elena. "Who do you think you are, Tyler? Walking in here swaggeringly, bossing people who are more noble than you? Elena, you don't need to talk to him. I know his kind of person--only bluffing, relying on reputation people." "Like what you want to be?" I said. "The kind of person you want to be before you realize how much work it takes to be that kind of person, and how easy it is to live on faces alone? Go sit in your seat and be a good boy. Elena is done. will pick you up." "That's right, Ramon." Elena said. "No one can force me to do anything. It's really sweet that you care so much about me, but..." "Shut up," Ramon said.Elena stared blankly at him as if she had been slapped.Ramon turned to stare at her. "This time it has nothing to do with you, it's my business. Do you know how embarrassing it is for me to make fun of this street gangster and completely ignore my existence?" "Ramon," I said, my tone a little more threatening, forcing him to turn his attention back to me. "I understand the need to be a hero to your woman and other potential clients, but really, don't take it too far." He yelled at me, and suddenly there was a shiny pointed drill in his hand.This drill has the stance of a professional weapon, perhaps hidden in a sheath inside the sleeve.He manipulated the point drill with skill, while I sat there motionless.Elena looked at Ramon as if she had never seen him before. "What do you think you're doing, Ramon? Don't be an idiot! Put that thing down now!" He ignored her, completely overwhelmed by the situation in front of him and filled with anger.The whole tea room was silent, everyone was looking at us and him, he knew it very well, and loved this feeling very much.He laughed loudly. "They say you have werewolf blood in you, Tyler. Come see how tough you were before the silver dagger! I guess when I cut off your testicles to feed you, you'll be bleeding like everyone else It's flowing." I stood up and he immediately started backing away.I stared into his face, caught his gaze, unable to look away no matter how hard he tried.When I walked out of the box, he stumbled back, still unable to look away.He began to choke, and blood came out from under his eyelids.Under my gaze, the silver drill slowly slipped from his numb fingers.Then a bodyguard suddenly appeared and threw his coffee mug in my face.I yelled as the scalding coffee scalded my face and obscured my vision.I frantically reached out to wipe my face, trying to see the situation around me.I heard several footsteps approaching me. Eleanor ran past me, out of the box, and got between me and Ramon.I heard her yelling at him and other opponents I couldn't see, the usual authority in her voice holding them back, but I wasn't sure how long it would last.I squeezed my tear-filled eyes with my knuckles, and finally regained my sight.My face was still stinging, but I completely ignored the pain.All the bodyguards had left their seats and stood in a row behind Ramon.They gather like sharks smelling blood, trying to seize this opportunity to defeat the notorious John Taylor.And, a chance to show their manliness to their women.If they can knock out John Taylor, they can make big bids later. They pushed each other, everyone was afraid of missing the opportunity to beat me, but no one dared to strike first.They were unarmed, but they were all eager to do it because of the chance, and wanted to teach the self-conscious megalomaniac a lesson.I straightened up and stared at them, and several of the bodyguards stepped back on the spot, avoiding my gaze.Ramon retreated slightly, the blood and tears on his face had turned into dry tears.He regained his self-confidence quickly, because he found that I could no longer conquer him with my eyes.Elena was still standing between me and my opponent, with her hands on her hips, her head up and her chest up, and she sternly lectured the bodyguards in front of her. "This man is my guest! He is protected by me and my father! I can talk to whoever I want, Ramon!" "He shouldn't be here," Ramon said, his voice full of violence. "He doesn't belong here." "You too." Elena said coldly. "But I brought you anyway. God knows what I like about you. Fuck off, Ramon. We're done. You'd better not get involved, or I won't write your recommendation." "That's it?" Ramon asked. "Just like everyone else? No... I don't think so. I think I want to leave a little memory of you." He slapped her across the face.Elena fell back, covering her flushed cheeks with one hand.Ramon smiled. "You don't know how much I want to do this. Get the hell out of here now. You don't want blood on your new gown." He turned his grim gaze back on me. "Come on, everyone, it's time to be happy." While he was still talking, I went forward and put a knee on his crotch.He made a muffled sound, then fell forward, and I put a knife on the back of his neck to help him fall to the ground.All the bodyguards rushed forward, yelling, and raised their fists for a good fight.Fists came from all directions at the same time, and the only thing I could do was to bear it hard, minimize the damage as much as possible, and try my best not to fall down.If I fall down, they'll start moving their feet, and then I won't be able to get up.I don't think they really wanted to kill me, because doing so would have drawn Griffin's wrath, but there's always the possibility of accidents when people are jealous. Fortunately, they are not used to fighting in groups.The task of bodyguards is to protect customers, and they often encounter situations of one-on-one confrontation.They are scrambling to get ahead of each other, hindering each other's movements, and there is no tacit understanding of cooperation at all.I tried to get my hands into my coat pockets.There are all kinds of useful props in there.The bodyguards kept punching and kicking, but I never fell down.People (among other things) have been trying to take my life since I was a kid, and I'm still standing. I took out a small cannon from my left pocket and threw it on the ground.The cannon exploded, emitting a dazzling light, and the bodyguards backed away immediately, yelling and blinking hard.I took the opportunity to take out a small brown human bone from my right pocket, and held it up in front of the bodyguard.Everyone didn't dare to take a breath, but I showed an ugly smile. "That's right, children, it's a pointing bone. I just say the spell, and with one finger, the person pointed to will go home in a coffin. So please lift Ramon up, and disappear immediately." "You're bluffing," said one of the bodyguards, but his tone was not very sure. "Don't be silly," said the man behind him. "He's John God damn Taylor. He doesn't need bluff." They lifted Ramon and carried him out of the tearoom.All the ladies looked at them in silence, and then turned their eyes back to me.Several of them seemed to want to clap.I turned my back to the main tea room, Elena helped me sit back in the private box again.I sat down heavily, gasping for breath, and there was pain almost everywhere in my body.The older I get, the more I can't stand beating.At least this time my teeth were not knocked out.I hate having my teeth knocked out.I put away the human bones and looked at Elena. "Thank you for standing up for me." "I hate this kind of machismo more than anything," she said. "But you were admirable just now. Is that a genuine primitive pointing bone? I thought real pointing bones were very rare!" "It's really rare," I said. "So you're bluffing?" "Perhaps," I said. "I won't tell you." "Your face was badly burned," she said, looking me over. "I saw it. But all the burn marks are gone now. And anyone beaten like this would need an ambulance, but you don't. Do you really have werewolf blood in you, Mr. Taylor?" "Almost." I said. "Also, call me John, remember? Now, where are we talking about... Ah, yes, Melissa. Tell me about Melissa, Elena." I'll never know what she was going to tell me because our conversation was interrupted again.This time we were interrupted by an overweight messenger in a gold-rimmed red uniform.Because the clothes were so ill-fitting, his movements were unnatural.He bowed to Elena, completely ignoring me.Then he respectfully held up a silver plate, and on top of it was a sealed envelope with no signature on it.Elena picked up the envelope and looked at the messenger. "The creditor is waiting," he said, in a harsh tone not expected of a messenger. "The car is parked outside." Elena tore open the envelope and read the contents on the letter paper.I leaned forward, but could only make out a few handwritten messages apparently written by someone who had never practiced handwriting. "Oh, how depressing!" she said, dropping the letter on the floor like a dead fish. "It seems that my dear Marcel is in trouble again. Do you know that he is addicted to gambling? Of course you do. Everyone knows. I don't know why he likes gambling so much. He is not very good at gambling. All the famous people these days All the casinos have blacklisted him, since Daddy publicly stated that he would not continue to pay his signings. I really thought he would learn to behave better because of this, but I should have known that there is no such good thing. It seems Marcel still figured out how to sneak into some little clubs and gamble, the kind of places where people come and go, and pile up debts again. And since these... guys are smart enough to understand that my father can't pay Marcel's bills, they I thought I could put pressure on me." "What do they want?" I asked, completely ignoring the messenger in front of me. "Obviously, if I don't go with the messenger now, and get into his crowded car, to discuss how to pay Marcel's gambling debts, they will slowly send some parts of my husband's body home. Give it to me until I'm willing to pay. He won't die. He's got immortality, like me, but that just means his suffering will never end... What a nuisance, so I'd better go trip." "It might not be wise to do that," I said cautiously. "They may have two hostages to hold your father to pay. Although he won't pay for Marcel, he may pay for you." "They dare not threaten me! Do they dare?" "Look at the messenger they sent," I said. "These guys are obviously not fancy stuff." “我非去不可。”爱莲娜说。“他是我丈夫。” “那我最好跟你一起去。”我说。“对付这种货色我很有经验。” “当然。”爱莲娜说。“他们来自你的世界，不是吗？非常好。跟紧一点，露出凶狠的模样，当我和人家谈判的时候不要妨碍我。” “想都不敢想。”我说。我将目光移到信差身上，他神色不安地变换站姿。“说，”我说。“你为谁做事？” “我不应该回答任何问题。债主在等，车在外面。我只应该说这两句话。” “但我是约翰·泰勒，而我想要知道。立刻告诉我，不然我就把你变成某种小小粘粘、喜欢跳上跳下的东西。” 信差吞了一大口口水，手足无措地说：“我的老板是赫伯特·利比。”他声音沙哑地说。“在摇骰子（Roll a Dice）俱乐部兼赌场，兼酒吧。那是一个高级场所。供应真正的餐点，而且禁止随地吐痰。” “没听说过。”我对爱莲娜说。“所有有名气的场所我都听说过。所以，我们去找利比先生谈谈，向他解释这是多么愚蠢的主意。”我看向信差。“带路。不要耍花招。我们不会觉得好笑的。”
我们在一大片八卦的声浪中离开黑卡蒂茶室。保镖们已经回到原先的座位，垂头丧气，默不作声，但是来午餐的贵妇们却个个欣喜若狂。她们已经很多年不曾经历如此刺激的场面了。茶室外确实有辆汽车在等。小型的黑色汽车，没有任何特征，在一整排等待贵妇用餐完毕、光鲜亮丽的大礼车队中，显得非常显眼而又不堪。一群轮流抽着一根手卷烟的制服司机突然停止交谈，不屑地看着身穿制服的信差。爱莲娜的司机迎上前来，露出询问的神色。爱莲娜交代他把礼车开回葛里芬殿堂，她会自己想办法回家。司机看了看信差，看了看我，显然并不喜欢这个安排，但是就跟往常一样，上面怎么说他就怎么做。爱莲娜昂首阔步地来到小黑车旁，站在后门前，冷冷看着信差，直到他急急忙忙地跑过来为她开门。她仪态优雅地滑入后座，我也跟着上了车。信差藉由用力摔上车门来发泄他的情绪，接着爬上驾驶座。 “摇骰子俱乐部。”爱莲娜冷冷说道。“快一点，我还有事要做。” 信差发出一下不爽的声响，我们随即驶入繁忙的车流中。 “我知道那一定是个空间狭小，地板上都是木屑，包厢中都是雪茄浓烟，牌全部都皱到不知道庄家怎么洗得动的地方。”爱莲娜说。“会出现在摇骰子这种地方就表示马赛尔真的没有地方可去了。” “嘿，”信差抗议着。“那是个很好的俱乐部。我们有音响以及所有该有的设备。” “看路。”我说。“再说，你们的店名根本拼错了。应该是摇一个骰子（Roll a Die），Dice是复数，Die才是单数。” "what?" “喔，闭嘴开车。”我说。 街道上的车辆呼啸而过，包括某些根本不是车的东西，上头的驾驶根本不是人类。夜城没有交通标志，也没有行车速限。在这种情况下，开车根本不是一种移动的方式，而是一种进化的过程。这是个以大欺小的街道，只有最强壮的生存者能够抵达目的地。值得注意的是，没有车辆攻击我们，这表示有人花了大笔钞票在这辆车上加持保护魔法。信差松开领结以及信差服上方的几颗钮扣，好让自己更专心驾驶。 我们很快就离开上城区，转入一条光线黯淡、车流稀少的街道，一个肮脏与腐败并非刻意营造的风格，而是一种生活方式的地方。夜城拥有自己的社会底层，而这些人可是比其他地方的底层人民更加凶狠。霓虹招牌逐渐消失，因为这不是一个让你想要宣传自己的地方。人们很可能会找你。这里的俱乐部和酒吧都是属于你只会听人提起，不会亲身前往的地方。这里并不禁止任何事物，因为根本没有人在乎。进去的后果自行负责，不要多管别人的闲事，除非真的走运，不然你绝不可能活着走出来。 车子终于在一排只比墙壁上的洞还要好一点的肮脏酒馆前停了下来。单调的店门，斑剥的窗户，除了俗不可耐的店名之外，根本不知道该如何向人推荐它们。罗西的安息地、粉红鹈鹕、摇骰子。信差下车，朝俱乐部走去，然后才突然想到，赶紧跑回来帮爱莲娜开门。他是绝对不会帮我开门的。爱莲娜大摇大摆地越过他的身边，朝俱乐部前进，丝毫没有屈就身份打量四周。信差急急忙忙抢先帮她开启俱乐部大门，留我一个人慢慢下车，然后自行关上车门。信差在门上敲了一连串秘密信号，接着大门突然开启，门后站着一只身穿燕尾服的大猩猩。那是一只货真价实的山地大猩猩，一只银背猩猩，额头上有一条长长的粉红刀疤，显然脑部植入物体就是从这个地方植入的。它神态亲密地朝信差点点头，然后仔细打量爱莲娜和我，最后还在我们身上嗅一嗅，接着突然转头，带领我们进入俱乐部。大门在无人碰触的情况下猛然关上，不过在这种地段，这种功能多半是标准配备。 眼前的房间阴暗无声，没有营业。椅子全都叠在桌上，幸运轮盘上盖着白布。吧台前方架有一道沉重的铁栅栏。地板是木板地，没有木屑。室内充满了汗水、烟味以及绝望的感觉。这里不是将赌博视为消遣的人们会来的地方，这里是专为嗜赌如命的赌鬼量身打造的场所。对他们而言，每一张牌，每一把骰子，每一次转轮都是生死交关的大事。 此时店内没有任何员工，就连清洁工都没有。老板一定是叫所有人都回家了。或许是因为赫伯特·利比先生不希望任何人看见葛里芬的女儿抵达后所发生的事。猩猩带领我们穿越主厅，走下位于后方的一道阶梯。信差殿后。我们走进一间石窖，屋内照明充足，墙壁光秃秃的，屋内满是叠在一起的木箱跟纸箱，还有一群男人围在一张捆了一个人的椅子四周，椅子附近的地板溅有许多血迹。椅子上的男人，想当然就是马赛尔，或者说是他仅存的残躯。 他缓缓抬起头来，看向爱莲娜和我。或许他很高兴看见我们，但是从他血肉模糊的脸上很难看出任何情绪。他的双眼肿到睁不开，鼻梁断裂，歪到一边，嘴唇龟裂，鲜血四溢。他们砍掉了他的左耳。左肩上方以及上衣左半部一片血红。马赛尔的呼吸缓慢而又沉重，透过凄惨的鼻子发出许多痛苦呻吟以及类似打呼的声音。爱莲娜惊呼一声，忍不住向前冲去，但是我一把抓住她的手臂，强迫她待在原地。没道理这么快就让这群垃圾称心如意。 一名男子自围在椅子后方的流氓之中率众而出，显然就是这群人的老大——赫伯特·利比。他身材魁梧，壮硕结实，肌肉带有些许脂肪，满脸横肉，为了掩饰越来越秃的脑袋而理了个大光头。他身穿一套仿佛在仓促间穿上的昂贵西装，大大的手上戴满金银戒指，脸上流露出一种喜欢花别人的钱来让自己爽的表情。他手上染有血迹，袖口一片血红。他朝爱莲娜露出轻松的微笑，不过是一种皮笑肉不笑的冰冷笑容。他忽略我的存在，看向身穿信差服的壮汉。 “查理，我叫你去带爱莲娜·葛里芬回来。为什么约翰·泰勒会在这里？我有叫你带约翰·泰勒回来吗？” 信差在老大的凝视之下显得十分不安。“这个，没有，利比先生，但是……” “那他到底来这里干嘛，查理？” “我不知道，利比先生！他是……自己邀请自己来的。” “我们晚点再谈，查理。”利比终于将目光移到我身上。他短短点了个头，脸上没有任何笑意。“约翰·泰勒先生。真是我们的荣幸。欢迎来到我个人的邪恶渊薮。恐怕你来得不是时候，平常这里不是这样的。我和我的手下在对马赛尔表达不满的时候玩得有点过火了。我自认是个喜欢亲力亲为的管理人……身为摇骰子俱乐部的老板，我对任何胆敢大摇大摆跑进来作弊的上流人士……” “我丈夫从不作弊。”爱莲娜冷冷说道。“他或许是世界上最烂的赌徒，但是他从不作弊。” “他没钱还敢进来赌，就表示他根本不打算还钱。”利比说。“在我看来就是作弊。没有人能在我面前作弊还活下来的。我很希望能够作一个愿意讲道理并且宽恕他人的人，但是我不能任由他人作弊。这样对生意和我个人的名声都有不好的影响。就是为了这个原因，我们才决定拿马赛尔来杀鸡儆猴。你到底是来干什么的，泰勒先生？” “我和爱莲娜一道。”我说。“她父亲交代我要将她安然无恙地带回家。” “葛里芬本人！能够晋升到如此顶级的社交圈一定非常刺激吧！”利比再度微笑，有如展现牙齿的鲨鱼。“你们两个在夜城都拥有超级危险份子的声望。但是你知道吗，泰勒先生。上城区的声望在这里不值一钱。在这里，只要不被抓到就可以为所欲为。这是个狗咬狗的世界，而我是站在顶端的大狗。” “早知道的话，我就会帮你带点狗饼干。”我开心地说。“喜欢的话，我还可以丢点东西让你去捡。” 其他流氓目瞪口呆。没有人会这样和利比先生说话。 “喜欢搞笑的人。”利比不为所动。“这种人我见多了。但是每次弄到最后，笑的人都是我。” 他抓起马赛尔血淋淋的下巴，让我看清楚他模糊凄惨的面孔。马赛尔喃喃呻吟，但是没有挣扎。他已经没有力气反抗了。 “这里什么人都有。”利比边说边前后摇晃马赛尔的脑袋，欣赏他的杰作。“他们不可一世地来到我的俱乐部，在扑克牌、骰子跟轮盘上输光筹码，等到该付帐的时候偏偏又没有带钱，还期待我向他们讲理。要知道，所谓的讲理就是采取合理的手段处理事情，泰勒先生。我给了马赛尔比一般人还高的信用额度，因为他向我保证他的岳父会帮他付帐。然而，当我采取合理的谨慎态度联络葛里芬先生确认此事时，他却完全不愿意付帐。事实上，他的态度非常恶劣。所以，如果马赛尔付不出帐，葛里芬又不肯付……我该上哪儿去找人付钱？” “别告诉我，”我说。“你都已经计划好了。” “当然。我总是计划好一切。这就是我能在这个粪坑中成为顶尖大狗的原因。我本来要让爱莲娜看看我如何款待她游手好闲的丈夫，然后请她带着丈夫的耳朵回去向爹地求情。父亲对待女儿总是比对待女婿心软；特别是当女儿泪眼汪汪的时候。” “我父亲会为此剥掉你的皮。”爱莲娜冷冷说道。“马赛尔是葛里芬家族的人。” 利比微微耸肩。“他喜欢的话随时可以派人来找我，我会把他们变成碎片送回去的。没有人能在我们的地盘上动我。现在，讲到哪里了……喔对了，改变计划。我会将你跟马赛尔留在这里，让泰勒先生回葛里芬殿堂去向你父亲要求赎款。泰勒先生最好有办法说服他付钱，因为我很确定只要切得够小块，即使是永生之人也无法活命……” “你真的以为你有办法对抗葛里芬？”我问。“他可能会派遣部队进攻这里。” “随便他。”利比说。“他跟他的同类，他们根本不清楚这里的状况。我们团结一致。对内狗咬狗，对外却同枝连气。要是葛里芬派人进攻此地，他会发现一支真正的军团在等着他，而且我们战斗的手法绝对肮脏。我向你保证，泰勒先生；如果葛里芬打算刁难，我就会把我的不满发泄在爱莲娜和马赛尔身上，到时就算待在葛里芬殿堂，也能听见他们的惨叫声。而且他一定不会想要回他们剩下的躯体。所以，他会付钱，为了避免一场他完全没有赢面的战争的开销。毕竟，他是个生意人。和我一样。” “我父亲跟你一点也不一样。”爱莲娜说，她的声音有如刀片一般刻划在他脸上。“马赛尔，你听得见我说话吗，亲爱的？” 马赛尔不知从何而来一股力气，下巴挣脱利比的手掌，转过血肉模糊的面孔看向爱莲娜。他的声音口齿不清，听起来十分痛苦。 “你不该来这里的，爱莲娜。服务太差了。” “你为什么要来这里？” “其他地方都不肯接受我下注。因为你父亲的关系。所以这一切都是他的错。” “别说话，亲爱的，”爱莲娜说。“泰勒先生和我会带你离开的。” “很好，”马赛尔说。“这里真的已经被狗占领了。” 利比反手甩了他一巴掌，力道沉重，鲜血飞溅。爱莲娜发出吃惊的声响。她不习惯如此随意的暴力行为。我看向利比。 “不准再打他了。” 利比立刻举起手掌打算再度殴打马赛尔，但是在我的凝视之下迟迟无法下手。他脸色微微一红，随即放下手掌。他不习惯遭人唱反调。他朝信差看去。 “查理，把女士带过来，让她仔细看看我们对她丈夫做了些什么。” 信差抓起爱莲娜的手臂。她突然取出一个小银罐，将里面的东西喷在信差脸上。他发出恐怖的叫声，整个人摔倒在地，双手在眼前乱抓。我看向爱莲娜，只见她脸上露出甜美的微笑。 “防狼喷雾剂，外带一点圣水。妈咪给我的。女孩子总得有备无患，她说。毕竟女孩子不是随时都想要被人调戏的。” “说得没错。”我说。 利比对着我们大吼大叫，就像一条失控的狗。“我见过你的身手，泰勒先生，在莉莉丝大战的时候。非常令人佩服。但是此一时彼一时，而且这里是我的地盘。由于生意本质的关系，我在这里安装了各式各样的防御魔法，只要钱买得到的这里都有。在这里，我不希望发生的事情绝对不会发生。在这里，在我的地盘上，我就是老大。” “一个满载魔法的赌窟？”我说。“我很震惊，我告诉你，非常震惊。接下来你就会告诉我你的机率游戏并非完全奠基在机率之上了。” “只有走投无路的赌徒才会来我这里。”利比说。“他们知道我在操弄赌局，但是他们不在乎。再说所有赌徒都自以为他们的赌术好到可以赢过受到操弄的赌局。不过聊天的时间已经结束了，泰勒先生。该谈论正事了。你管好爱莲娜，我要在马赛尔身上切个十几块肉下来让你带给葛里芬。你认为什么部位比较好认？手指还是眼珠？” “不要碰他，”我说。“不然……后果自行负责。” “在这里你什么也不是。”利比粗暴地说。“就冲你这句话，我想我也要在爱莲娜身上切点什么让你带回去给她父亲。” 他扬起右手，亮出一把解剖刀，面露微笑。其他流氓笑嘻嘻地以手肘顶撞彼此，显然等着好戏上场。我扬起我的手，亮出刚刚在黑卡蒂茶室亮过的人骨。所有人立刻停止动作。 “这个，”我说。“是一根原始指向骨。非常古老，非常基本的魔法。我这么一指，你就得死。所以，谁想先试试？” “这里是我的地盘。”利比笑容不减。“我有魔法保护，而你只是在唬人，泰勒。” 我将指向骨指向利比，轻轻念诵咒语，他立刻摔倒在地，当场暴毙身亡。 “我并非总是在唬人。”我说。 其他流氓看着他们前任老大的尸体，看看我，然后面面相觑。其中一人蹲在利比身边，伸手测量他的脉搏，接着抬起头来，摇摇头，其他流氓立刻蹲下来搜刮利比的口袋。他们对我们已经完全失去兴趣。我用指向骨指着众流氓，爱莲娜则是取出一把女用小刀，切断马赛尔身上的绳子。他试图站起身来，可惜腿一软，随即跌倒在爱莲娜的臂弯之中。她吃力地支撑住他，直到我走过来帮忙为止。接着我们一起半拖半抬地领着他离开地窖，回到摇骰子俱乐部大厅。没有人试图跟踪我们。 “所以你在茶室的时候并非虚张声势。”爱莲娜在前往大门的途中问道。 “算是，”我说。“我从不曾使用过那根骨头，所以也不确定它是不是我以为它是的东西。那是很多年前我从老皮欧那里偷来的。” 爱莲娜看着我。“要是没有用的话，你打算怎么办？” “随机应变。”我说。
爱莲娜驾着信差的汽车回到黑卡蒂茶室，接着召来一辆大礼车，将马赛尔载回葛里芬殿堂。我曾提议或许叫辆救护车比较恰当，但是爱莲娜不听。他在葛里芬殿堂比较安全，而安全才是当务之急。马赛尔拥有永生，绝不会死，而且在熟悉的环境中伤势会痊愈得比较快。 “再说，”爱莲娜说。“葛里芬家族的秘密绝不外泄。” 大礼车在几分钟内抵达，随即带着马赛尔离开。看到马赛尔的身体状况，制服司机连眼睛都没有眨一下。爱莲娜和我回到茶室私人包厢中坐定。看到我们再度出现，八卦的声浪简直震耳欲聋。 “谢谢你的帮忙。”爱莲娜说。“我是可以打个电话给爹地，但是每当家族受到威胁时，他就喜欢赶尽杀绝。而我还不打算放弃马赛尔。” "Well," I said. “和我谈谈梅莉莎。” 爱莲娜拉长了脸。“你还是不死心，是不是？我想我欠你一份人情……我和我亲爱的丈夫不一样，我是有债必还的。所以，梅莉莎……我没有办法提供太多细节，因为我对她认识不深。我不认为有任何人真的认识梅莉莎。梅莉莎……是个非常重视隐私，也非常沉默寡言的人。就是会花很多时间活在自己想象的世界里的人。她阅读很多书籍，一直都在学习……她会和杰若米亚交谈，不过别问我谈些什么。他们私底下花了很多时间共处。” “说实话，我从来不曾在乎过她。我总是比较关心我的保罗。我搬回葛里芬殿堂只是为了能够更接近他。我不打算就这样放弃我的儿子。我对梅莉莎之所以有所认识，是因为她和保罗走得很近。他们常常待在彼此的房里……因为他们在同一个屋檐下长大，所以他们自认是兄妹关系。但是我的保罗从来不曾像梅莉莎那样亲近杰若米亚。我不容许这种事情发生。我没有放弃我的孩子，不像威廉那样。”她露出忧伤的微笑。“保罗小时候和我十分亲密。如今他进入青春期了，我就连要叫他离开房间都很难。” “我没有见到他。”我说。“但是我曾透过房门跟他对话。他似乎……非常紧绷。” 爱莲娜愤怒地耸了耸肩。“他正值青春期。对我来说，青春期已经年代久远，根本不记得了。我尽量试着去了解他，但是……他会度过这个阶段的。我教导保罗要有自己的主张，不能让杰若米亚掌握他的人生。我只希望他愿意多和我聊聊……” “你认为梅莉莎是遭人绑架吗？”我突然问道。 “喔！是的。”爱莲娜想也不想就说。“但是要通过层层安全系统一定要有内应。不可能是家族里的人，我敢肯定。应该是仆人干的。” “霍伯斯呢？”我问。“他似乎对葛里芬殿堂的安全系统了若指掌。而且他有点……” “恐怖？”爱莲娜说。“一点也没错。我完全没有办法忍受那个家伙。他走到哪都偷偷摸摸的，你永远听不到他的脚步声。由于身为管家，他的态度令人无法恭维，但是不可能……霍伯斯是杰若米亚的人，身心皆是。一直以来都是如此。真正令我担心的是对方至今尚没有提出赎金要求。” “或许他们还在讨论应该提出多少金额。”我说。 “或许。又或许他们认为他们可以从梅莉莎口中套出葛里芬永生的秘密，或是藉由研究她的身体。那些蠢蛋。”她以恳求的神情看着我，接着将手放在我的手掌上。“约翰，或许我和梅莉莎不亲，但我还是不希望这种事发生在她身上。你帮我救过马赛尔。也请你救救我的侄女。不论任何代价。” “就算这样会令你丧失继承权？”我问。 “那只是爹地一时兴起的傻念头。”爱莲娜冷冷说道。她缩回放在我手上的手掌，但是目光依然坚定。“他在测试威廉和我，想要知道我们的反应。他会改变心意的。否则我会帮他改变心意。”她突然面露笑容，有如恶作剧的顽童。“威廉一向搞不清楚该如何与父亲应对。他老是跟他起正面冲突，但是跟爹地发生正面冲突绝对不会有好处。他有好几世纪的时间建立固执的个性。而威廉……一直不是个坚强的男人。我知道该如何说服爹地，如何在他完全没有发现的情况下达成我的目的。这就是为什么我可以过我自己的生活，远离家族成员以及家族生意，按照自己的意思抚养孩子，而威廉什么也没有的原因。” “我听过一则传说，”我小心说。“传说一个成年的孙子将会导致葛里芬的死亡……” “没有人相信那则老掉牙的传说！”爱莲娜甚至不想掩饰脸上那种轻蔑的表情。“或者至少，没有任何重要的人相信。如果我认为保罗会有危险的话，你认为我会让他待在葛里芬殿堂里吗？不，那则传说是数百年来伴随我的家族与父亲不断出现的众多传说之一。那些传说大都自相矛盾。我认为爹地刻意散播这些传说。传说越多，人们发现真相的机会就越低。不管真相究竟为何。我不知道。我认为除了爹地之外，世界上已经没有人知道真相了。” 她停了一会儿，若有深意地凝视着我。“我觉得我……深深为你着迷，约翰·泰勒。你是我长久以来所遇到第一个完全不在乎我家财富跟权力的人，第一个一点也不惧怕我父亲的人。你知道这种人有多稀有吗？我的每一任丈夫在第一次随我回家见我父亲时都吓昏了。是不是在经历这么多男孩之后，我终于找到了一个真正的男人呢……？” “要我害怕并不容易。”我说。“你没见过我母亲……还有你应该记住，我只是你生命中的过客，爱莲娜。我没有任何停驻的意图。我拥有自己的生活，还有一个和我分享生活的女人。我来此只是为了工作。” 爱莲娜再度将手放在我的手背上。我感受到一股压力，并非不好的压力，似乎她有办法强迫我留在这里。“你确定我没有办法诱惑你吗，约翰？” 我轻轻但是坚决地抽出我的手掌。“你没有见过我的苏西。你有没有想过，爱莲娜，你在找寻的其实不是男人，而是另一个爹地？” “我才没有那么平凡，”爱莲娜说，并没有遭受侮辱的感觉。“或是那么肤浅。” “我没时间搞这种事。”我说，不过语气并不严厉。“我必须找出梅莉莎，时间十分紧迫。我觉得一定有什么是我疏忽掉的……我已经和你们家族里所有人谈过了，除了保罗。你说他和梅莉莎非常亲近。如果我刚好要回葛里芬殿堂，你不会刚好有一把他卧房的备用钥匙吧？” “他现在不在葛里芬殿堂。”爱莲娜说，目光自我的脸上移开。“他有时……会去拜访一些朋友，在一间俱乐部……他以为我不知道。如果我告诉你要去哪里找他，约翰，你必须保证你不会对他太严厉。好好对待他。我很疼他。” “我会很有礼貌的。”我说。“必要的时候，我也可以当个文明人。只不过在我这一行里，很少会有这种必要性。” “你必须保证你不会告诉其他人。”爱莲娜坚持。“人们不会了解的。” 我换上一副最真诚的表情。爱莲娜显然认为这样还不够真诚，但她终究还是说出了俱乐部的店名，而我也立刻更加了解保罗·葛里芬这个人。我知道那间俱乐部。我曾经去过。 “能够跟人来段真正的交谈感觉真好。”爱莲娜略带忧伤地说。“真正言之有物的交谈……”她看向包厢外那些来午餐的贵妇，目光十分冷漠。“你一点都不了解身处和自己一点交集也没有的人群之中有多寂寞。有些时候，我真的很想背弃家人，抛下一切远走高飞，为自己创造一个崭新的生活。但是我不能把保罗留给我父亲抚养……再说，我不知道该怎么去过穷苦的日子。所以我想，我还是会继续去当一条鱼缸中的金鱼，永永远远地来回游着。很高兴能与你相遇，约翰·泰勒。你……与众不同。” “喔，是的，”我说。“真的。你不知道我有多与众不同。”