Skulduggery came out of his meditation to the ground shaking and the plaster of the roof raining down on him in a shower of dust that settled onto the caking muck of his ruined suit. He tilted his hat and looked up the corridor as a white coated doctor walked purposefully towards him and Skulduggery stood to receive him.

"I don't have the world's best news," he started sternly before the man could get his hopes up and they shook hands briefly. "He's still in ICU with massive bodily and head trauma. If he survives the night it'll be a miracle, but he seems young and fit, so only time can tell."

Skulduggery bowed his head. "That's all I can ask."

The doctor nodded, relieved that this wasn't another one of those blubbering people that screamed at him to 'do something' when he was already trying to do what he could. He studied the tall, bone thin man again. Noting the odd opacity of his facial skin, the tacky way the light shone off it, like a dull or worn plastic. His eyes narrowed as the ground shook again.

"You said you were a detective?"

"That's right."

"Any idea what's happening out there? People are saying it's the end of the world, but…"

"But?"

"I don't think so."

Skulduggery tilted his head. "Optimistic are we?"

The doctor shrugged. "I'm a surgeon, optimism is a luxury. I just figured you may have pieced something together, Detective."

"I don't think I know any more than what you may already know."

The surgeon frowned. "It's been a strange and scary day; strange and scary things have happened; and you are the most strange and scary person I have ever met."

"I'm flattered. But it's a strange and scary world out there, Doctor."

The man smiled thinly as they took hands again. "A moving skeleton would be a first for me."

Skulduggery hesitated mid-shake and made a face. "Ah."

"I'm sorry," the man gushed nervously, "I shouldn't be so nosey, I just saw your articulatio radiocarpea between your glove and sleeve…"

"That's…precise. And you're handling the reveal very well."

"I know. And I suppose that's amazingly good plastic surgery of some sort? Some kind of animated plasticine?"

"Well, sort of, yes."

"Do you have a skull under it?"

"Don't we all?"

The doctor laughed. "Good point! His face fell back to a serious gloom. "So tell me, Detective, outside; should I be scared?"

Skulduggery picked his hat from the waiting chair and placed it crooked on the crown of his head. "I don't know. There's a super powerful bad man out there, tearing everything apart, and a super powerful woman whose can't control herself…"

He paled. "Powerful as in…Superman strong?"

"Times a hundred, take away the weaknesses, and you'd be getting close."

He paled more. "Oh."

"Hmm, yes."

"I'm guessing you're the skeleton who saves us all?"

Skulduggery doffed the tip of his hat and raised his eyebrows. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"I'll do everything for your friend."

He smiled wearily. "Thank-you," he nodded and turned on his heels, leaving the doctor to watch him as he walked the white corridor with loud resonating clacks of his heels.

xD Hahaha, I don't know whether I should be flattered by my mass amount of threats I get for another chapter (for this story and others) or horrified! But here's to Anonymous Miki and NightcatMau for reviewing so promptly and making this story reach

ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS!

Oh and what the hell - have another chapter after this ;D I really wanna reach a certain part soon anyways! ENJOY!