This is England- part five

"So? Ya miss me?" Sanguine asked again with a cocky amount of arrogance.

"Not really, although we would like to have some more fun beating the crap out of you." Skulduggery responded walking forwards getting handcuffs ready.

"Sorry to disappoint but that ain't 'appening. Have you met my friends?" He said while stepping back slightly as Skulduggery came closer. Everyone turned to the shadows waiting for someone to jump out. Everyone prepared themselves to fight; Tanith unsheathed her sword and started taking a few practice swings to warm up and try to intimidate whoever the figures were. Ghastly took off his coat and threw it in the corner, cracking his knuckles. Skulduggery got out his gun and continued scaring Skulduggery while Declan and Valkyrie simply looked at each other and clicked their fingers. Skulduggery sighed.

"Really Valkyrie, is that the best you can do? We are meant to be making them intimidated and you just click your fingers, couldn't you have done something like make shadows take away all light from the room and tendrils of darkness crawl around, I'm disappointed, really." Skulduggery kept so still that Valkyrie thought he was being serious and she went red and looked at her boots.

"Just add some pizzazz, you know maybe some hip thrusting or something?" He had his usual charm again and she knew he was grinning, she felt at ease again. Chuckling, they turned back to the baddies who had suddenly gotten closer.

"Whoa! They should put a bell on you or something!" Valkyrie shouted in surprise making Tanith giggle and lose focus, she cursed Valkyrie's name playfully. They were being unprofessional because they were a small threat and Sanguine knew it. He stepped forward, blade in hand.

"This is ma army. They don't need no names or nothin', all they need to do is follow my orders. NOW FIGHT!" Sanguine roared and immediately they all pounced forward. One of the figures dressed completely in black to each of them. They all began attacking them. The 'things' started by clawing like mad things but then began to get tired. The Skul crew slashed, shot, punched and set fire to the unknown people. Making light work of them they all turned back to Sanguine who stood there looking sheepish.

"Oh hell." He murmured as Tanith walked towards him with a disturbing smile on her face.

Suddenly Fletcher appeared with a huge smile on his face, genuine, as he saw everyone. They all stopped to look at the sudden arrival.

"What are you doing here Fletcher?" Valkyrie asked, confused.

Sanguine used this distraction to reach forward and grab Valkyrie's hand and sink into the ground. She let out a cry of annoyance and took a deep breath, she knew how long they could be down there while Sanguine started panting and grimacing against the pain that had never been healed. Skulduggery dove forward and was centre metres away from her hand when she disappeared. He lay there silently. Declan had rushed to Valkyrie but also had been too slow. He too was silent.

"AHH DAMMIT!" Tanith shouted and put her sword away, annoyed that not only had she missed a chance of getting Sanguine but also that her sister was missing again. She saw Fletcher out of the corner of her eye, he looked confused. Tanith thought about giving him a piece of her mind but decided to let Skulduggery do it. She just held Ghastly's hand and they gave each other a look.

Declan pulled out his phone and immediately rang Valkyrie, it started dialling but was never answered. He was starting to panic but did his best to not show it too much. He just looked at Skulduggery, waiting for him to get up.

Half a minute later Skulduggery did. He flashed up, dusted himself and started walking towards the exit.

"Sanguine is obviously behind it, that is why he left so all we need to do is get him and we can finish this case. He has Valkyrie. He is still injured so a couple of miles are the most he can do for a couple hours. My guess is that he went to the first place in his mind. The old Sanctuary where he hid for weeks after you got remnantised Tanith. We go there, get Valkyrie back, kick Sanguine and then go see the London Eye. But first." He spun around and punched Fletcher so hard that he flew back to the other side of the room. Nodding to himself, he carried on walking.

The others followed, looking back at Fletcher then jumped into the back of the Bentley.

The car journey was quiet, Skulduggery didn't like it when it was boring without Valkyrie, but he couldn't stand thinking that she could be injured or worse. He forced the thoughts out of his mind and sped down the road. Skulduggery looked in the mirror, Tanith and Ghastly was next to each other occasionally making a comment about what had just happened. No-one sat in Valkyrie's seat. Then Skulduggery saw Declan sat quietly, pale. 'Maybe he does properly love her?' They did suit each other but what if they moved away and he was left alone. The confusing questions stalked him in his mind and filled the journey. He snapped awake as he braked outside the old Sanctuary.

"Let's go." He murmured silkily and slid out the Bentley.