The Bentley slowed at a tall grey building. Large words stood on the ceiling, shining bright red letters that read: CHARLES E. INC

"E?" Valkyrie asked Skulduggery as they stepped out of the car into the misty chill of evening.

"I'm sorry?" asked Skulduggery, looking down at her.

"Charles E. inc.," she read from the sign. "What does the E stand for?"

"Well," Skulduggery folded his arms, thinking. "Charles never had a middle name that started with an 'e'."

"Huh," Valkyrie breathed. Her eyes settled on the fine glass doors. "Well, standing in the bitter cold won't help us find out," she said as she started for the building entrance.

"Your voice is getting more and more sarcastic," muttered Skulduggery. "I'm so proud."

Valkyrie smiled as she opened the glass doors, Skulduggery behind her.

The receptionist at the front desk typed quickly on her large musty computer. She had an earpiece on and was murmuring rapidly into the small blue device.

At the sound of the door opening her beady black eyes shot upward, however, her fingers continued typing.

"Do you have an appointment?" she prompted the minute they made eye- contact. Her large red spectacles made her seem comical, in spite of her expression that seemed boring.

"N-" Valkyrie started but was cut of by Skulduggery.

"Yes! Yes, we do," Skulduggery stepped forward.

The receptionist regarded his skull naturally, and looked at him with a bored expression.

"Name?" she asked swiftly.

"The next appointment Charles has. That's me," he nodded.

For some reason, Skulduggery saying Charles felt odd. Like he was saying a funny word. It just didn't sound natural in his mouth.

The receptionist looked down at a list next to her and read, "Stacie Monroe?"

"Uh," Skulduggery was a bit taken aback by the female name. Being Skulduggery, however he recovered quickly.

"Yes, that is my friend right here." He grabbed Valkyrie's shoulders and shoved her forward lightly.

"Um, yeah," mumbled Valkyrie, playing along.

"A bit early... Alright then," she she opened a drawer and took out a small red card.

"Use this to use the elevator. Simply scan it and wait for the elevator to rise."

"Ok," Valkyrie nodded. "Thanks."

"Uh huh." The receptionist nodded, who had started typing on the computer again.

Valkyrie and Skulduggery walked over to the elevator and pressed a small green button.

"Hey, Skulduggery?" whispered Valkyrie.

"What?" He looked at her.

"Why did she let you go with me? You know, if I'm the one with the meeting?" she asked him.

"People need assistants, Valkyrie."

"I know, but how likely is it that your my assistant? I mean come on, I'm a teenager!"

"Some teenagers require agents and body guards. Perhaps she thinks you are important."

The elevator doors opened and they entered. Valkyrie scanned the red card in front of a tiny glass eye next to the glowing floor numbers. A mechanical voice from above said, Top floor. C.E.O. office.

"Huh," Valkyrie breathed. "Fancy."

The elevator sped to the top floor and stopped suddenly, making Valkyrie's stomach float in the air for a few seconds.

The elevator doors opened smoothly, letting in a soft smell of peppermint.

"This looks..." mumbled Valkyrie.

"Normal," completed Skulduggery looking around at the square office.

They stepped out of the elevator and onto the plain gray carpet.

There were rectangular lights on the ceiling and plain mint green walls.

"This is a magical building?" Valkyrie looked up at Skulduggery who seemed to be having a harder time imagining it.

"I suppose so." He continued to the semi-see- through doors that laid not too far ahead.

Valkyrie heard the elevator doors close behind her as she followed Skulduggery.

Then a though struck her. "Wait!" she whispered loudly.

"What?" Skulduggery tuned around, inches from the door.

"Are you sure you want to talk to Charles first?"

"That was the plan, yes."

"But think about it," Valkyrie explained. "If we go to him first, he'll lie to us and and send us out. You know we don't trust him yet."

Skulduggery nodded, stepping away from the doors. "Good point, yet flawed. If not Charles, who?"

Valkyrie shrugged. "I dunno, his secretary. She has to go to lunch at some point, right?"

Skulduggery nodded.

"C'mon then." She started to walked to the elevator doors again as a voice called out.

"Who are you?"

Skulduggery and Valkyrie whirled around at the sound.

A short woman with cropped red hair and light green eyes looked at them though square glasses. She wore a pencil skirt and a white shirt.

"Who is interrupting my break?" She had an accent that sounded French .

Her r's scratched the back of her throat.

"Break?" Valkyrie asked, noticing no one behind her.

"Yes. The boss is out for lunch at the moment."

"Lucky us," mumbled Valkyrie.

"Oui, well would you like to leave a message."

"Actually," said Skulduggery, taking advantage of the situation. "We'd like a word from you."

"Me?" she blinked.

"What does your boss do?"

"He runs the business of course."

Valkyrie sighed, "He means, what does the business do? And don't say it does business!"

"Oh," nodded the secretary. "We sell and buy magical weapons." She leaned in and whispered. "But if you ask me, I think Charles collects more warriors then weapons."

"You think he's building an army then?" Skulduggery leaned forward, eager to hear more.

"Well I can't jump to conclusions that fast, however..." and she whispered this. "He's had an eye on that teleporter. What's his name... ah yes! Fletcher Renn."

After a silent moment and many thank you's and excusez- mois, they left for the Bentley. This new information rang in Valkyrie's mind.

"Seems like he wants your boyfriend as a weapon," Skulduggery said after a while of silence.

"I know..." Valkyrie wondered but knew that it had to be true.

Charles was all over Fletcher the day they met. He was going to be a weapon...

but for what?