The Bentley pulled up in front of an old gated high-rise community and Valkyrie glanced around. The building was dark, and the street was dirty, and the Bentley and its inhabitants were the only sign of life.

"What are we doing here?"

Skulduggery donned his hat and wrapped his scarf around his jaw. "This is where the piano was located before it was stolen. Good detectives always start at the crime scene."

Valkyrie frowned. "This doesn't look much like a antique shop."

"No."

"Oh."

"Why do you sound so dissappointed?"

"Because I was expecting an old lean-to house with creepy magical things in it, not in a normal building. This is... this is boring."

"This antique shop does have creepy magical things in it. Did you really think that an enchanted piano would be located in a mortal strip?"

"So is it like Roarhaven?"

"Slightly. But much nicer."

He clicked open his door and a blast of freezing air hit Valkyrie in the face and she scowled, wrapping her coat around her. She hated the cold. They made their way up to the gate and Skulduggery stopped in front of a broken camera. Valkyrie tried to peer between the cracks, but gave up after a minute of searching.

Skulduggery grunted and Valkyrie turned. He fingered a small hole and rubbed away a layer of dirt before pressing his gloved thumb against a broken screen.

A buzzer went off, and then an annoying grating noise and Valkyrie stepped back, startled.

"What was that?"

Skulduggery fixed his hat. "The alarm system."

"And you're not worried?"

"I haven't visited in a long time."

A light blinked to life by the thumb pad and an old speaker cracked. "Don't do any sudden movements. Please place your finger on the pad for another scan." The voice was young and male, and Valkyrie could tell that he was bored. Skulduggery sighed and put his thumb back on the pad.

"There may be something blocking your fingerprint from reaching our computer," The voice droned, "Please place your bare finger on the pad."

"I cant exactly do that."

"Then come back when you can."

"Why can't I just give you my name?"

The voice sighed, the burst of air making the speaker crackle. "You can, but it won't make a difference. Name please."

"Skulduggery Pleasant."

"Right, there you go. Thank you. Now, if you could-"

The voice cut off and Skulduggery tilted his head back, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Give him a second." He whispered to Valkyrie.

Valkyrie blinked. The air was silent and heavy as they stood there. And then the gate clicked and swung open and Valkyrie gaped.

The inside was bright and warm and bustling. Sounds of vendors and bargainers escaped and Valkyrie frowned. This couldn't be right, she couldn't hear anything from the outside.

"The gate is a mirage." Skulduggery explained, "They use it to keep mortals and unwanted visitors out. It's actually quite a nice, peaceful neighborhood. If you like nice, peaceful neighborhoods."

Valkyrie nodded slowly.

"Well?" Skulduggery said from the entrance. "Are you coming?"

Valkyrie blinked again and nodded, following him into the bustle.

Shops lined the street and vendors shouted from every corner. Valkyrie walked past a booth that was selling necklaces while the one next to it had rare and magical items. Valkyrie bumbed into an old lady selling jaded neclaces

"This is a very secluded community." Skulduggery said. "They don't have much contact with the outside world, and no one comes in or out without being checked. Which is another reason why it this case is so perplexing."

They turned down a side road and the sounds of the market faded into the background.

"The community is surrounded by 24/7 computerized security, and protection sigils are posted at regular intervals as well as power binding, paralyzing and a host of other magical defenses."

Valkyrie nodded slowly. "Ok, so how did they do it?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. This sort of thing is nearly impossible to do."

"Alright then, so how did they do it?"

"Did you not hear a word I just said?"

"Yeah. You said 'nearly impossible.' So whats the nearly?"

Skulduggery sighed. "You can be very annoying sometimes. The only way that they could have accomplished a feat like this would be to have inside help. But that would mean shutting off defenses, and a select few have those codes, and in doing that they would arouse suspicion."

"So that's not really a possibility, then."

"Not really." Skulduggery stopped. "We're here."

Valkyrie looked up and grinned. The antique building looked like an old fashioned candy shoppe with its large, striped covering and the large open sign hanging in the window.

Valkyrie liked it. She liked it a lot.

The door tingled as they walked in, and a gentle scent of must, pine and age, not unlike Gordons house, wafted in Valkyries face.

The passed people milling around and made their way over to the front desk. A woman, about forty, stood helping the line of customers. She smiled and nodded at them and Skulduggery nudge her arm.

"We need to wait until she's done. Why don't you look around?"

"Why? For clues?"

"No. So you don't stand here and annoy me."

Valkyrie scowled and crossed her arms, glaring at him. "I'm not annoying."

"You can never stand quietly."

"I can too."

"I'd like to see that day."

"But I can." Valkyrie replyed hotly.

"Lets see it then."

Valkyrie huffed and turned her shoulder. A shopper passed by with a few bags, and then another, and Valkyrie peeked at the line. Two people left. She could do it.

Until another person got in line.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me. The line just got bigger. How much longer is this going to take?"

Valkyrie huffed and crossed her arms. "I hate waiting."

Someone made a noise and Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery. His arms were crossed and his shoulders were shakimg with silent laughter. She hit him. "Its not funny!"

Skulduggery shook his head and looked at her with his big, hollow eye sockets. "You know, there are things in life you're going to have to wait for."

Valkyrie scowled. "Yeah, but not this. We shouldn't have to wait. Don't they know who we are? Anyways, it's an official Sanctuary investigation. We should get first priority."

"Actually," Skulduggery said, "Its not."

"What?"

"I didn't get permission from the council to have this visit official. Right now, we're just regular customers."

"But making it official would have been so much easier!"

"While that my be true, I didnt think it would be a good idea right now. This community is very shut off from the world, and they would probably feel very threatened to have sanctuary officails come barging in. We might actually learn more this way, instead of forcing it from them."

"Oh. So what are we going to do?"

Skulduggery looked around. "I guess we can walk around town. Would you want to?"

Valkyrie shrugged. "Why not?"

Hello again, everyone! I am really sorry for the lack of updates, but I've just been... well... busy. So here is a new chapter for you.

Dont forget to comment, follow and favorite!