'...and that is why you have to find it, Mr.Taylor,' the little man finished.

I nodded, pretending I was pondering it. I have never heard of the Unholy Grail-that is, not in this context. I knew Judas had participated in the Last Supper, which obviously meant he must have drank from something, but I'd never thought said cup would gain power.

Although, I suppose...with a Holy Grail and so many knockoffs, a dark mirror must exist too.

'I'm honoured to be sought by the Vatican,' I lied. 'But...not to downplay myself, but do you not have any...specialists yourself?'

The man smiled humourlessly. 'We do, Mr. Taylor. But the Vatican cannot interfere directly in the Nightside. No agent of Good of Evil can. It would end poorly, for everyone involved.'

'There are Christian organisations in the Nightside, though,' I pointed out. "The Salvation Army Sisterhood, and lone operators, like Pew."

The man snorted. 'You will find the Sisters are hardly recognised outside the Nightside. Sending them here was a gambit that has hardly paid off. As for Pew...there are reasons the clergy regard him as a rogue.'

I nodded, pretending to understand. I've only ever known the blind vicar Pew as a teacher, in my younger days, then as a sometimes-ally, sometimes-enemy. Such things can change quickly, in the Nightside. I had no idea what his relationship with the greater Church was like, or how he was viewed by other priests.

'If you find the Unholy Grail, feel free to name your price to the Vatican,' the man continued. 'For a start, and as an incentive, we would offer you...'

'Would you, though?' I asked with a smile. 'Offer me anything to find bait?'

The man raised a dark eyebrow. 'I don't know what you're implying, Mr. Taylor.'

'I'm sure you don't. Just as I'm sure it's mere coincidence that an agent of the Vatican has entered the Nightside after two angels have been spotted inside it.' He didn't say anything, so I went on. 'Nothing travels faster than bad news, and two angels blundering about the Nightside, not working for or with God's representatives on Earth...well, that is horrendous news indeed. So horrendous, in fact, that the Vatican would dearly wish to remove them or put them under their thumb.'

'And if that were true, why would you be so concerned about these hypothetical angels, Mr. Taylor?' The man asked smoothly. I smiled.

'These "hypothetical" angels happen to be...acquaintances of mine.' While Chris was friendly and likable enough, I wouldn't call Stark a friend unless you put my balls in a vice, and he wouldn't want me to call him one either. So, I used a word that could work for both of them. 'We've worked together before, saved each other's hides. I'd rather not be sent on a wild cup chase while you try to catch and collar them.'

'You think I can capture two rogue angels by myself? I'm flattered, Mr. Taylor,' he said, sounding amused.

'And why not?' I shot back. 'As you said, agents of Good and Evil are weakened in the Nightside, and I don't even know what you can do.'

'And what makes you think I have some...special talent?'

'Why would the Church send you here otherwise? You'd need a trick or twelve just to protect yourself, especially if people noticed who you worked for.' I hesitated to open my third eye, my private eye, to try and find something, anything, about him. Even if my enemies didn't notice and send the Harrowing after me, who knew how this unassuming man could react? Watch out for the quiet ones, the meek shall inherit the Earth, et cetera.

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Besides, we were in Strangefellows. If the man reacted violently and we started scrapping, we'd wreck the bar, and I didn't want Alex yelling at me again. And I hadn't paid my tab yet. Don't ask me why. It's not like I didn't have money now-hell, Harry even offered to pay it for me, but that would have made me feel bad. I guess I just wasn't used to being able to pay my debts.

There's a metaphor in there, I'm sure.

The little man stood up with a sigh, but made no move of reaching for any weapon. I stood up too, and he looked up at me.

'Do not mistake our interest for greed, Mr. Taylor. There are monsters outside the Nightside, and innocents who would greatly benefit from two angels fighting for the Church.'

'I understand that,' I said, not unkindly. 'But that is their choice. Unlike the angels I've read and heard about, they very much have free will, and act human.' That, or God is acting through them and is far more humanlike than I thought. Though I'd be concerned if the way Stark acts is representative of God's personality.

'Also...' I felt the need to add. 'One of them is a student at the Dark Academie. The Detective Inspectre's personal pupil, in fact.'

The little man seemed to pale several shades, despite his dark skin. 'Ah,' he said, and his voice seemed just a little higher than before. 'That...is unexpected. But...good to know. Thank you...for informing me, Mr. Taylor.'

'It's my job to tell people the truth,' I said with a shit-eating grin.

In truth, the news had horrified the shit out of me, too, when I'd heard it.

During Harry's week-long trip to London proper, I wandered the Nightside, for lack of anything better to do. Cases were scarce, and I didn't have much to do in the office, so I walked. It was during such a walk that I heard this distressing new fact. Rumours made me investigate and twist a few arms. Eventually, I opened my private eye, to find the Dark Academie, and found myself staring down Hadleigh Oblivion.

'Your concern for your friend is commendable, John,' he had said, sounding bored and looking dead-eyed. 'But Stark is my student, and I know what is best for him. Besides, outsiders are not allowed to see the Deep School.'

I still don't know how the hell he could see me observing him, let alone communicate, and I don't want to know.

'That may be so,' I had said, trying to sound reasonable and not at all shaken. 'But I know what happens to your students. I've seen the failures, the drop-outs, in the gutters and Rats' Alley.'

'Stark is not going to fail,' Hadleigh had said in a tone like he was talking about things falling to the ground when dropped. 'Now, kindly leave, John. You can only see the world as it is for brief moments, and I know it hurts you. Do not look for the Deep School anymore, or you may find your third eye mysteriously forced open. Permanently.'

And he had shut off my gift so fast my head had spun. I didn't know if he could make good on his threat, but I wasn't not dumb enough to try and call his bluff, either.

Besides, Stark had gone out of his own volition. The Deep School may have been many things, but they would not force you to attend.

'Mr. Taylor?' The little man asked, cutting off my train of thought. 'Will you at least help me look for the two, so I can make my offer to them?'

Just then, a flash of purple and black filled the bar, somehow passing through the walls. Then came words that scarred your ears, followed by a sound like crystal bells shattering.

'I think anyone could find them after this,' I said drily.