Sell you a Bridge chapter 261

June 4th 2016 The Nightside 5:00 PM EDT

Before  we figured out our next move, I wanted to know more about The Griffin.  Naturally, I asked our resident source for all things Nightside. Taylor  didn't disappoint. "The Griffin is Nightside royalty. His family is a  bit like our version of the Kennedys back in the US. Only evil." He  paused. "Or maybe they're exactly like the Kennedys. Regardless, he's  rich, and powerful, and he has influence with a capital I. There are  more than a few rumors about how he got his power, and the devil worship  angle was only the most popular, though I guess that's been confirmed  at this point."

I frowned. "Do you know where we could  find him? We need access to information he has, I should be able to get  it if I can get close enough. Between my ghost powers and my  psychometry, I can find out what we need to know without needing to  question him or even let him know we're there. I'll need to find his  location to get it done though. Does he have any special places he likes  to hang out?" I was honestly exhausted at the mere idea of more running  around, but we were on a deadline here. Kit needed our help, and I had  to find her before something bad happened.

Taylor  shrugged. "Who knows. The Griffin doesn't move in the same circles as  someone like me. Julian might have a better idea, but even he isn't in  the same tier as The Griffin. He has a mansion in the Nightside, Griffin  Hall, and rarely leaves it. The Griffin is the kind of person who is on  par with the Authorities themselves. Hell, he might actually BE part of  the Authorities, it's not like anyone knows enough about them to tell. I  can't think of a way to get you close enough to come into contact with  him."

To my surprise, Jim was the one who responded here.  My mentor had been unusually quiet on this trip, aware he didn't have  much to offer in the Nightside. i didn't necessarily agree with that,  but with everything going on with him reuniting with Julian I didn't  want to lean on him too much. He had enough going on. Still, his voice  was almost gleeful when he spoke. "Oh, I can. You said he lives in a  manor in the Nightside, yes? It just so happens you have the greatest  thief in the world, and his two brilliant apprentices sitting in this  very room with you."

John, who was sitting cuddled up with  Cathy, grinned suddenly. "Wait, is this gonna be a heist? Because I've  never been in on a heist before! I've always wanted to steal from some  rich tosser." Cathy smacked his chest lightly, and he jolted, looking  squirelly. "I mean...for justice. Or whatever. Good rightous moral  reasons and all that rot. Since we're the good guys, yeah?" His eyes  darted back and forth in an over the top manner that made it clear he  was playing up his nervousness for dramatic effect.

Sure  enough, Cathy giggled. "Right, that's enough out of you. He does have a  point though." She turned to us with a worried look. "Being a great  thief is all well and good, but this is the Nightside, not the regular  world. I'm not sure your expertise really applies to the kinds of  protections that are littering the houses here. I'm sure you're very  good, but that sounds like a pretty risky plan. Especially if this  Griffin guy is as powerful and wealthy as John said, that kind of money  buys quite a bit of security."

She had a point, but Jim  shook his head. "I understand your concern miss, but I assure you I am  more than qualified. I've stolen from more than petty land barons and  rich dullards. I've robbed kings and wizards, stolen the gold from a  dragons hoard, and even broken into the Tower of London without being  caught. I am qualified to perform a theft of this magnitude, and more  than that, with my apprentices in tow, I am perhaps one of the few  beings in the world that can make such a claim. I'm familiar with the  severity of this course of action, and of the Nightside itself. But I am  confident."

Taylor let out a loud, frustrated groan,  burying his face in his hands. "How am I having this conversation right  now? You want to rob The Griffin? Any other fun weekend plans? Maybe one  of us can punch out the sun, or curse out an active volcano. Griffin  Hall is one of the most heavily fortified buildings in the Nightside. We  have a better chance of breaking into the Vatican, and probably less to  worry about if we got caught there." He paused, looking up. "IF, and I  mean if, I agreed to this. What guarantees do you have that you would be  able to get past their defenses. Or even find them."

Before  Jim could answer, I cut in. "I can handle that." The others looked at  me, Artemis, Zee, and Dreamer all looking worried. Jim looked uncertain,  an expression of doubt creeping onto his currently visible face. They  knew what I meant, and knew that I'd been actively trying not to use  that ability. "I have a power that lets me see auras. It works  particularly well on active defenses. Between that and some other gifts I  should be able to outline the protective wards so Zee and Jim can crack  them more easily."

Aura sight was a dangerous thing to  use in the Nightside. I was absolutely sure I would be in danger if I  saw certain things here, but if my ability was needed I would use it.  Zee shot me a worried glance, mouthing a silent inquiry as to whether I  was ok. I shot her a reassuring smile and nodded. Jim, however, noticed  anyway, and didn't like it. "Aura sight may be a step too far. Mr.  Taylor, is there anyone in the Nightside who might be able to sell us  something to help us scout out a powerful security system?"

I  turned to look at Jim with a complicated expression. "I can handle it  boss. It's just a security system, some wards. I've seen worse I'm sure.  There's no need to go through the trouble of finding some powerful  scouting artifact or whatever. Just leave it all to me." This was what I  did. In terms of thieving, Jim had more experience than I did by far,  even with my skills and tricks, but my abilities like aura sight allowed  me to complement that experience rather than being overtaken by it.

My  mentor just shook his head. "You think I don't know my own apprentice?  Even if you're been gone a few years I still trained you. I spent more  than enough time with you to understand how you act. You haven't been  using your aura sight this whole time, and that's the power you lean on  most. There's something stopping you from opening your sight, and you're  trying to ignore it so we can find Kitrina. I'm not going to let you  risk yourself when I can tell you're worried what might happen."

I  sighed. "You aren't...wrong. I get a bad feeling about using my aura  sight here right now. I think I might see something that could seriously  damage me, but I can't let being afraid stop me from helping Kit. Not  to mention I have no actual reason for it. It's just a weird guess, it  would be ridiculous to let this fear that isn't even based on anything  keep me from doing what I need to do. Other than my aura sight, the only  other option we have on hand would be Taylor's gift, and that's  definitely out of the question based on what happened last time. I'm not  letting him take that risk for us."

Jim shook his head.  "Following your instincts isn't stupid. A thief's instincts are their  greatest strength. A vision and understanding you can't put into words,  based on the experiences you have and the things you've been through. If  something feels dangerous, you don't do it. End of story. This hell  hole is home to some of the most obscure magical artifacts the world  over. We can find something to bridge the gap."

He paused,  his voice becoming quieter as he continued. "She was under my  protection. Your father asked me to look after her, and I failed. You're  all children, and you aren't responsible for what happened. You weren't  expected to be able to find a solution to how she was feeling, to find a  way to make her fit in. I was. I was her teacher, and I didn't do my  job. I won't fail another of my students if I have a chance to avoid it.  I spent the last five years feeling exactly what that's like. You found  your own way back without me, but I can HELP Kitrina."

I  swallowed around a lump in my throat. "Boss...that's not on you. She  was MY cousin, and I even knew about what she was going through. I  passed the buck to Artemis and Zee because I didn't know how to help  her." Part of me wanted to blame my dad, but really, all he'd done was  take her in and be himself. He wasn't a particularly warm and  affectionate person, not even to me, and Kit just hadn't really been  able to tell how he felt about her.

He  definitely had his share of blame in all this, but really, the buck  stopped exactly where it should have. Alberto. My uncle was a terrible  father, and his insanity and recklessness had hurt our family in a way I  don't think any outsider could have. That was part of why I felt so bad  about what had happened with Kit. Because in the end, even Alberto had  picked me over her, and that just wasn't right. Not that I wanted to be  his weird serial killer heir, but it had to have hurt all the same.

Taylor  cut in. "Alright, the pity party and blame sharing isn't necessary. I  do know where we can buy something to map wards. Or rather, I know  someone we can buy it from. The Collector had pretty much anything you  can possibly imagine on hand, if anyone can get us something like that  it's him. But getting a meeting with him will take a few days." I opened  my mouth to argue and he cut me off. "No. You're pushing too hard.  We've been scurrying around non stop for days. You're going to burn out.  I'll set up the meeting, but you need to take a damn break, or you  won't be fit to help anyone."

That  was the opposite of what I wanted, I needed to find Kit, I needed to  make sure she was ok. Before I could speak though, Artemis put a hand on  my shoulder, cutting me off. "Morgan. He's right. I get the urgency,  the fear. More than anyone I get that, after Jade vanished when I was a  kid I spent months in the state you're in. But this place is dangerous.  We're going to be dealing with some awful stuff, and if you burn out  we're going to be doing it without you. It's not like you'll be doing  nothing. The meeting will take time to set up and there's nothing to be  done about that. Just let him arrange it."

I  hesitated for a second. Could I agree to this? Was it really alright to  just...screw around while I had so much to do? Zee reached down and  squeezed my hand, Drea took the other, and I felt the bonds between us  flare with concern and agreement. I sighed. "Alright." I looked at  Taylor. "Set it up. I can wait a few days. If we're having this much  trouble finding Neron they can't be doing that much better. I'll wait." I  slumped back into my chair bonelessly,suddenly exhausted. Then I smiled  at them sheepishly. "Well, if I'm supposed to relax I should probably  try to have some fun. What do you people do around here for a good  time?"