So I hope you guys liked the first chapter. this was all dedicated to a certain amazing Paparoni. Long live the Papa's!
Bloody Skullduggery. Why did he always do this? Not even giving an explanation as to why ghastly had to leave in the middle of filing evidence. Ghastly really wanted to think it had been so important that he had to file the files, but the escape was relieving. But something inside Ghastly had gone cold. Skullduggery had seem disturbed. The taunting jokes had not been there in the three word conversation. Conversation. Bit of an over statement. More like a command. The van pulled up outside Skullduggery's house, and Ghastly got out, ignoring the fact that three cleavers trailed behind him like grey dogs. When Ghastly raised his hand to knock, the door opened before he even touched it. He took a few steps in, seeing Skullduggery standing in the middle of the room. Then who opened…the door slammed shut behind him, locking the cleavers outside. Ghastly whirled to see the girl with a triumphant sneer on her face and standing near the door. Ghastly knew that the cleavers were about to break down the door if he didn't open it in about three seconds. He leaped for the door, the girl stepping away from him, trench coat moving as if it was in slow motion. Ghastly opened the door just in time. The cleavers were poised to break down the door, but stood up straight as Ghastly smiled at them.
"It's alright. Just a prank. Just guard out here." Ghastly said, and they nodded, positioning themselves in front of the house and facing the direction any threat might come from. Ghastly closed the door again and whirled on the girl.
"What was that stunt meant to do?" He growled, confusion and anger clouding his mind. It took a sneer from the girl, and a few good long seconds for him to realize who it was. "Sophia?" He could feel the tears prick his eyes. She grinned and said,
"I just wanted to give you a little shock is all."
"You gave me a little shock alright." Ghastly said in almost a whisper. He would have hugged her, but she wasn't one to be into that. "Where's Valkyrie?" He decided to ask, steering away from the shock. Bad move.
"Away from here, that's all that's important." Sophia said. Annoyance, jealousy, anger, all flashed in her eyes. Ghastly realized he'd said the wrong thing. Here Sophia was, after probably more than a hundred years and all Ghastly could do is ask where Valkyrie was. Ghastly could have face palmed.
"Valkyrie's in another study. Ghastly, Sophia had some very intriguing information I believe she wants to share with you." Skullduggery said.
"Naturally. After a hundred years, you just popped by to give me some news. And what's with Valkyrie being in another room." Ghastly said.
"Sophia doesn't like her." Skullduggery said.
"No, you misunderstood me. I absolutely love the selfish bitch." Sophia said, grinning and battering her eyelids, laughing a little. A big difference between Sophia and Valkyrie. Sophia actually laughed when she was being sarcastic. Ghastly sat on one of the chairs, listening to what Sophia had learned in her years of tracking people and information. The only thing Sophia had in common was quite a big thing. She could get information very easily. Ghastly couldn't stop staring. She was alive, almost unbelievably. Being friends with recklessness and having been influenced by Skullduggery years ago didn't do well for your health. Ghastly knew. He'd been an ornamental stature for two years straight after being caught in Skullduggery business, and not for the first or last time. But here Sophia was, sneering, laughing, pretty much her old self. But she was being careful. Not revealing too much of her old self, not letting her guard down.
"So how does Vince plan on doing this?" Ghastly asked.
"He's a big Faceless Fan, and there isn't a shortage of those around the place. Probably gonna get his church buddies to hook up all over the world." She said, sitting back comfortably and casually.
"Yeah, but how are they going to break down the walls?"
"My guess, that they let the prisoners do that themselves." There was a pause. She like this, playing the knowledgeable one.
"The magic bonds." Skullduggery said quietly, more to himself. Sophia nodded with a smirk.
"Took ya long enough."
Valkyrie tried to move as silently as possible as she crossed the room. She was sick of waiting. Sick of sitting back and knowing Skullduggery was probably either in trouble or having a great time without her. She reached the door she'd left the main room from, the other side was where voices filtered from. To her surprise, she heard Ghastly's voice among them. Valkyrie pressed her ear to the door and waited.
Sophia's eyes suddenly snapped to the door that Valkyrie had disappeared behind Her nose twitched, and her ears did as well. She saw the shadow beneath the door.
"Dear Valkyrie, don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop." Sophia said. Skullduggery and Ghastly stopped mid-conversation, and watched as Sophia flicked her hand, the door opening, and reveling Valkyrie standing there with a red face.
"How did you know I was there?" Valkyrie asked, walking in and glaring at the girl. The girl was just as cold as she'd ever been when she said,
"No one else in this room wears Rexona for women Deodorant." Valkyrie looked at Skullduggery.
"What does she want? Who is she? Why am I not allowed to know? And why does she hate me?"
"Which of those questions do you want answered first?" Skullduggery said.
"All of them!"
"She's not too bright, is she?" The girl said, examining a cut among her strong fingers.
"Sophia, please." Skullduggery said smoothly, raising his hand to the girl. "Valkyrie, this is Sophia, an old…"
"Enemy? Good. Can we beat her up now?" Valkyrie said, cutting him off.
"Friend." Ghastly stated. Awkward pause.
"Oh." Valkyrie blinked. Sophia was lounging in one of the small couches as if she belonged here. She did seem to belong here, by the way Ghastly and Skullduggery lounged just like her. All were people of minimal amount of stress. And that cold stare only seemed to be reserved for Valkyrie, who got the same look as Sophia looked at her now.
"Yes. Friend. What do I want? Skull alive. Who am I? I am who I am. Deal with it," Ghastly choked on a laugh, and Valkyrie glared, then turned it back onto Sophia, "Why are you not allowed to know? Because I don't like you. Why do I hate you? Because I can." Sophia said this all in a matter-of-fact manner, not faltering her cold stare from Valkyrie.
"Those aren't real answers." Valkyrie said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Yes they are. A simple answer of 'because' wouldn't be a real answer." Sophia said, clearly trying not to laugh. Valkyrie glared further, but the amusement that had been in Sophia's eyes for a moment, were gone, replaced by the ice again. Valkyrie had to look away.
"There you go." Skullduggery said. "Now, back to topic. You think they'll hit London first?" Skullduggery said, leaning an arm of the top of the couch. Valkyrie stayed standing, arms crossed now.
Sophia paid no attention to the agitated little agitation standing near her. I really was Skullduggery's only half decent partner.
"Of course they will. Vince will want Maurice out first."
"They have the combined power to destroy the city of London." Ghastly said in a strained voice.
"Ghastly, I don't need to be reminded of that right now." Sophia stated, and Ghastly hung his head.
"What we need to do is make sure that the binders of magic need an upgrade." Skullduggery said.
"I would have asked China myself, but unfortunately you're not on speaking terms with her exactly." Sophia said with a laugh.
"Not exactly." Skullduggery said, and there was a small amount of humor in his voice.
Valkyrie almost looked at him completely shocked. Every time she mentioned China, he went cold and silent.
"Well, the next best things are the twins." Ghastly said. Sophia grinned widely.
"Oh yeah. Them."
