Authors Note: Technically Marcus Vincent is not my character. He was the brain child of my friend and I, and the character is also featured in Aniewun B. Utme's (my friend) story Elemental: Earth. Again, I give him half credit. (not really I'm just saying that so he would ease up off my back about it)

An eerie tapping echoed through out the small room. The culprit: the nervous shoe of Skulduggery Pleasant. He sat at the edge of the large conference table, deep in the heart of the Sanctuary. Across the long table from him, Tanith sat there. She had polished her sword so many times over the glare off of the ceiling light would have blinded Skulduggery, had he had eyes and the light wasn't a fading 40 watt bulb. Next to Tanith was the ever reluctant Valkrie. She sat there, her eyes lazily sweeping the room for the 9,385,583,744th time that hour.

"When is he going to be here?" Valkrie asked impatiently, followed by the soft sound of broken silence bouncing off the floor.

"Just wait," Skulduggery pleaded. Another silence crept over the room.

"I've waited," Valkrie said, with just barley a five second hesitation. Skulduggery lowered his sunglasses, peering at her with his empty eye-sockets.

"This Marcus dude doesn't seem to be much of a stickler for the time eh'?" Tanith commented, lightly chuckling to herself.

"He said he would be here at eight a-m, what time is it now?"

Valkrie rolled her eyes and checked her watch. "10:53," she said without looking up.

"What the f-?" he mumbled. Valkrie held up her hands to practice conjuring fire when a man burst through the wooden double doors. He was about as tall as Skulduggery, with tan skin and light brown hair that just covered his ears. His face was covered in stubble and his mouth was a brilliant smile. His hands were covered in small fingerless gloves looked like they had been sewed together from burnt leather. Most of his arms were concealed in his jacket sleeves, but you could just barely see a watch under the cuff. His jacket collar was popped and slightly worn. The zipper had been undone revealing a sleeveless undershirt that said 'been there, kicked ass, and came back. Now you want me to do it gracefully?" The line drew a clever smirk to Valkrie's face, but it quickly disappeared. His pants were covered in a light dusting of dirt and had a few holes in it. Nothing too unusual, except for his eyes; His pupils-if he had any-had fully dilated so they were too small to see. His brown eyes were so light they almost blended in the white. The man walked up to the chair, jumped over it, and landed with a 'thud!' that brought a smile to his grimy face.

"How goes it peoples?" he asked in a deep voice that was slurred with a combination between a Southern and an Australian accent. His head bobbed up and down like he was listening to music, and creepiest of all, he appeared to be "checking out" Tanith. He winked at her and Tanith rolled her eyes. Skulduggery flipped open a small manila portfolio in front of him and quickly scanned its contents.

"You would be Marcus Vincent?" He asked. The name sent a chill down Marcus's spine and he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again his pupils had expanded and his iris had turned into a normal dark brown.

"Please," he asked in a very proper English accent. "I would enjoy to be referred to as Vincent." Vincent sat up in his chair, dusted himself off, and folded his hands in his lap. His attention remained clearly focused on Skulduggery.

Valkrie was confused. That looked nothing like the man whom had just entered the room. This man was calm, orderly, and clean. The man whom walked through the door ten seconds ago was reckless, careless, and, creepy. Tanith was looking at her, like they were sharing the same idea. Tanith leaned closer to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Vincent turned around in his chair. When he saw Tanith his expression did not change, and his breathing stayed idle. Whoever this new personality was, he did not care for Tanith.

"I am in a state of well-being to my greatest ability. Is there something wrong?"

Tanith narrowed her gaze, but calmly allowed him to return to his business.

"Now, Mr. Vincent-" Skulduggery began, only to be interrupted by Vincent.

"Please, no Mr. My name is just Vincent."

Skulduggery shifted his gaze back to the portfolio. "Okay, Vincent; It says here you are a demolitions expert. Can you expand on that?"

Again Vincent's head twitched and his pupils dilated. "Ah geese what is there to say?" he said, his strange accent returning. "I blow stuff up! And oh-my-gosh is it not the most gosh darned coolest job in the planet!" He howled. Once he regained his composure he turned to Tanith."You should come to me next demolition. The female suits can be some what small but, I'm sure you can handle it."

Tanith gagged. Now even Skulduggery was concerned. "Vincent?" he asked. Vincent turned to him and smiled.

"Please," he asked. "Call me Marcus." If Skulduggery had eyebrows one would most definitely be raised. Then Marcus made a small joyous gasped like he had just learned that Becky had asked out Tyler. "Oh that's right! You don't know about the split personality thing." His head twitched again and he let out a deep sigh. "Sorry about that. Marcus was the side effect of a spell I cast on myself 18 years ago. He's narcotic, criminally insane, an avid yo-yoist-he probably got that from me-and above all else, very annoying. I'm sorry if he offended you." Vincent apologized, saying the last comment to Tanith. She blushed and turned back to her sword.

"Excuse me if this is too personal, but exactly what spell did you cast that caused that?" Valkrie asked. Vincent changed into Marcus.

"I may not be awake but I can still hear you." Valkrie frowned, making a mental note not to offend Marcus around Vincent. Vincent resurfaced. "What else?" he said playfully, a half smile inching across his face. "The ability to do this-"

Vincent raised his hand in the air and snapped, and the light bulb above us exploded.

_________

PLEASE! R&R!!!!