Chapter One

Author's Comments: I am seriously trying my best not to mess this up, but seeing as this series is not complete, I don't know what might happen. If the seventh book comes out and it's nothing like what I'm writing, then I'm terribly sorry. I am researching the characters of this series and I hope to do a good job. Read and review and tell me how I'm doing please. Thanks! On with the story! And by the way, this is my first attempt at writing something for the Skulduggery Pleasant series. Let's hope I don't mess up! ^^;

It was another uneventful day in Dublin, Ireland. Well, it would've been considered uneventful for any mortal who lived there. But for a duo of detectives, it was anything but. Valkyrie Cain and Skulduggery Pleasant were on another case, and this one was a bit harder than usual. Sure, they were used to their enemies throwing punches and fighting back, but the two men, Jogan Gray and Tosh Pistol, were putting up a good fight.

"Why won't they just surrender?" Valkyrie groaned. Skulduggery chuckled as they stood back to back, "They don't ever do what we tell them, do they?" Jogan, who was facing Valkyrie, aimed and thrust his fist forward, missing by half an inch before recoiling when he earned a kick from the female detective.

Tosh seemed to be having less luck than his partner in crime and couldn't even attempt to punch Skulduggery because before he could get that far, Skulduggery slammed into him, delivering a series of punches and kicks that eventually knocked the man out. Skulduggery got off Tosh's unconscious form and turned to his partner just as she slammed a foot into his stomach, finishing him off with an elbow to the head. He rocked back and fell. He didn't get up.

"Finally!" She sighed in annoyance. Skulduggery laughed softly and took out a pair of bound handcuffs. Valkyrie did the same and they both handcuffed their unconscious opponents and dragged them, Valkyrie with difficulty, to the Bentley. After pushing their unconscious forms into the backseat of the car, the detectives went to the front and got settled before Skulduggery put the car in gear and drove off.

They reached the Roarhaven Sanctuary after fifteen minutes and were greeted by Cleavers accompanying one of the Roarhaven Sanctuary Elders, Ghastly Bespoke, a personal friend of Skulduggery and Valkyrie. He smiled when they got out, "I assume you found them." Valkyrie nodded, "And they were hard to fight, let me tell you!" Skulduggery opened the door to the backseat where the prisoners were as he added, "But we managed."

Ghastly nodded, "Very good; I expected nothing less." And he nodded to the Cleavers next to him who grabbed the unconscious men and made their way inside the Sanctuary. They walked into the medical bay where the still slightly mad scientist Doctor Nye was at work with another one of its patients. Nye looked up and smiled disgustingly, "Ah, so you caught them! Am I allowed to torture them if they don't give you the information you want." Ghastly scowled, "We'll see." Doctor Nye seemed satisfied enough.

An hour later, the two men were awake and chained tightly to operation tables. Valkyrie and Skulduggery walked in and the two men turned to them, both the men's eyes were filled with anger and fear. "What are you planning to do?" Tosh asked, the fear present in his voice. "Well," Doctor Nye answered before anyone else could. "I'm going to open you up, take out your organs, and use them in my experiments." The two men gasped, trying to break free from their binds.

"Nye, shut up!" Skulduggery growled. He sighed and turned back to the men strapped to the operation tables. "Sorry about him. He's used to be back in a warehouse where he tortured his victims." He received two horrified looks from the men. "Anyways," he continued, "We were wondering if you could give us a little information that we believe you have." He paused, and then said, "We want to find our friend, Tanith Low."

Jogan's head popped up a little, as high as it could go with the restraints. "You mean the remnant girl?" Skulduggery nodded, "What do you know of her whereabouts?" Tosh answered this time, "She's in Dundalk, the last time I heard. That's what one of our mates said. He actually fought her and was nearly killed by her and her psycho boyfriend."

Valkyrie stepped forward, "Dundalk? Are you sure?" They nodded in unison. "That's what our mate said." Jogan said. "And who is this mate of yours?" Skulduggery asked. Tosh and Jogan looked at each other. Then Tosh said, "We keep the names of our mates a secret, Bone Man!" Skulduggery looked at Nye, "You have permission to torture them until they give us the name of their 'mate'." Nye looked happy as he pulled out a long, sharp instrument.

The men gasped. "Wait! Wait!" Tosh said. "Okay, his name is Blaze Dagger!" Skulduggery tilted his head, "Oh really?" He said thoughtfully, and then said, "I'm not at all surprised by this. Blaze is a very strong man, so of course he could hold his own against Tanith, even with the remnant in her." Valkyrie walked up to him, "You know this guy?" Skulduggery nodded, "But of course. He's one of the big bosses. Or he used to be. One of his slip ups caused him to lose that position. But he is no rookie when it comes to magic."

They walked out, Skulduggery telling Nye to leave them alone. Nye frowned angrily, but agreed nonetheless, knowing that if he acted without permission, he could very well get shot by the Skeleton Detective. Skulduggery and Valkyrie, on the other hand, were walking to Ghastly's office. They knocked and the door opened immediately. They walked in and found Ghastly at his desk.

"So?" He began, looking up from his papers. "Did you find out where she is?" Skulduggery answered, "The men said that their 'mate', Blaze Dagger fought her in Dundalk. We can only hope she's still there. We'll ask around, see if anyone's seen her." Ghastly nodded, "I'd come with you, but I have other Elder things to do. What I would give to go on adventures with you two again." Skulduggery bowed, "Well, we must be off." Ghastly nodded sadly, "Be careful." Valkyrie replied, "We always are."

They left the office and Skulduggery turned to his partner. "I think you meant to say that while I always am careful, you head straight into trouble." She scowled and slapped his arm. "I do not!" She hissed loudly. She could hear his amusement as he answered, "Oh yes you do. And everyone knows it." He paused. "And then I always come to the rescue. Aren't I great?" She slapped her forehead as they walked outside to the Bentley. "Let's just go." She mumbled as they got in. Skulduggery nodded, turning the car on and putting it into gear. Then, they sped off in the direction of Dundalk to get their lost friend back.

End Note: Sorry if it's short. I have another chapter, but I need to edit it. Please...feel free to critique me as long as it's constructive. I'm trying my best to make these characters STAY in character. More to come once I edit it! ;)