What is the Alethiometer doing here?

[of_all_trades]

When the spell was cast Franklyn expected it to lead them to some sort of wilderness, maybe even the ocean if they are unlucky.

The spell pointed then to a city, and Franklyn was afraid that the Alethiometer had a owner, likely some rich dude that kept it a secret for any number of reasons.

But he and his sisters are approaching the Alethiometer location and it is very bad neighborhood, half the buildings are dark, either empty or without electricity.

It is too late to come turn around now, he is nervous to come forward, but they need to check.

What the Alethiometer is doing here?

Comments

[of_all_trades]

"We are still trespassing..." Franklyn comments.

[not_without_scars]

"Yes. We all are trespassing," Maeghan says "except Ada and it is for a good cause."

[sneak_thief]

"We're all trespassers here." Aaliyah laughs.

[of_all_trades]

"I promise not tell anyone if you don't," Franklyn chuckles.

[sneak_thief]

Aaliyah smiles and moves closer to Franklyn. "I suppose I could ask around for you. I'm not the first person to use this place. Someone could have seen it."

[of_all_trades]

"Aw, thanks!"

[not_without_scars]

"There can't be that many people around if you use this place to hide while unconscious."

[of_all_trades]

"Yeah... By the way, is that likely to happen again?" Franklyn asks "we could... dunno, give you a lift to somewhere else in the city."

[sneak_thief]

"Did I say I was hiding?"

[curiousbox]

"Maeghan misspoke," says the dove daemon from Maeghan's shoulder "she meant taking shelter."

Maeghan nods to this.

[sneak_thief]

Aaliyah hestitates and looks up at Franklyn. "Won't happen again if I can help it. I just trusted the wrong person, you know how it is."

[curiousbox]

"If that happens again," Zara says to Abu "you should go to the hospital... if you can reach it."

[curiousbox]

"Better than seeking shelter in a ruined house," the dove daemon says not sounding sarcastic at all.

[of_all_trades]

"I understand... just take care of yourself."

[sneak_thief]

Abu moves to Aaliyah's other shoulder and pulls a face at the dove. "No hospital. Too many people, too many questions."

[sneak_thief]

"That's no fun!" She moves around him and walks towards the door. "Now, really, I must dash. People to see, you know, investigations to start. When I've cracked the case of the missing thingamajig, where can I find you?"

[of_all_trades]

Franklyn number laughs and fishes out another card from his pocket, then he writes down something and gives it to her.

"Keystone Motel, Room 403" Franklyn says "we should stay a few more days, maybe a week, good luck finding the thingamajig, Detective."

[sneak_thief]

She smiles at him again and waves at Maeghan teasingly. "Don't have too much fun without me now."

And then she's off. Out the door and into the darkness of the night.

[fine_tuned]

There is another witch outside, but Aaliyah is forgiven for not noticing someone hanging in the air several stores above. The young witch observes the girl leaving the building but decides not to do anything about it.

[not_without_scars]

A few moments after the other girl is gone.

"Franklyn," Maeghan says "Just checking, you can tell what is really up with that girl?"

[of_all_trades]

Franklyn blinks, his mode of thought shifting gears.

"I wasn't thinking like that but... " Franklyn pauses "It is suspicious that we found her here and injured. Maybe she is honest, or maybe she stole an Alethiometer from someone and that is how she got hurt... she could have found the Alethiometer without stealing it and got hurt in another way, but that still means she lied to us about it."

[not_without_scars]

"She lied to us, I can tell," Maeghan says with certainty "we should try searching a bit more if we can't find it here we try scrying again." pause "If that bitch has it I will get Ada to knock her out and..."

[of_all_trades]

"We should talk to her first, make offers..." Before his sister could reply he adds "If we take it from her it will be stealing, it either belongs to her, or belongs to the person she stole from. If she stole it at all."

Then they continued to search the house.

They found nothing.