Valkyrie felt excitement when Skulduggery picked her up. It felt like it had been years since that familiar engine had stopped outside her house, and even longer since he poked his hat-clad head through the window. Valkyrie grinned, telling him to turn as she changed then left, also through the window.
"So I am guessing we have a case." Valkyrie said slowly, quietly. This whole time and still Skulduggery had barely said anything. He nodded. Valkyrie paused in the hopes that he would continue. He didn't.
"Is this it now? Do you not talk anymore? I get that you're scared but this isn't going to work if we don't talk." She said gently. His hands visibly tightened on the steering wheel.
"I saw her fall. I saw her hit the ground. It might be the last conversation I ever have with her." He said calmly. Now it was Valkyrie's turn to be silent. Skulduggery did something of a snort. "It should have been me."
"Never say that again."
"I just need her to be okay."
"I know."
"She needs to be okay." He said, and a desperation had crept into his voice that she had never heard before. They lulled back into silence, this time more comfortable. A while later and Skulduggery said; "We need to find out who let the remnants out to begin with. They were strategically planted in people so it must be someone close." Valkyrie nodded.
"Where do we even start?"
"I'm thinking the sanctuary. They were all in the soul catchers then someone let exactly three out, and targeted three of the most powerful sorcerers."
"You think it was an inside job?"
"Hard to tell. No one really knows who is team Darquesse these days and for what reasons."
"Product of elimination?"
"Yes."
"So it wasn't you or me."
"Bright start, Cain."
"Ghastly and Erskine, no."
"Good shout."
"I don't think we should eliminate Dexter, Ezra or Anton."
"No?"
"One of them could have been possessed prior to the other two."
"Very good, Valkyrie."
"Mist?"
"We shouldn't rule her out, no." This continued the rest of the drive to the sanctuary, throwing names around and already known alibis. They arrived and Tipstaff began to lead them to the Elders, but Skulduggery wanted to check in on Ezra. The two walked into her room and luckily Nye wasn't there. She seemed so small and fragile with all the large pillows and blankets, chords and cables around her, enveloping her, engulfing her. No one said anything, just stared. Surgical scars traced her pale skin, disappearing into her clothes, into her hair. She seemed dry, like she would just disintegrate if someone touched her. Reverie gently laid a hand on Skulduggery's shoulder, smiling sadly, and gesturing to the door.
"I'm sorry Mr Pleasant, I have to work." She said quietly.
"You'll call-" He started.
"If anything changes, yes." She assured.
Valkyrie and Skulduggery walked into the hallway, where Tipstaff was respectfully waiting. They walked in silence. Ghastly and Erskine sat tiredly in their chair. Ghastly had undone his robe and it was hanging open at his sides, revealing his perfect suit, the first few buttons undone. Erskine had bags under his eyes and his hair looked like he had been pulling at it. Mist was poised and silent, as always.
"What do you need?" Ghastly asked, his voice sounded strained. He didn't see the point in pleasantries or formalities.
"Access to security footage." Valkyrie said. Erskine nodded and Ghastly agreed and that was that. There was nothing else to say. Tipstaff turned to follow the two, but Ghastly called him back to help him with the Supreme Council schedule.
"But shouldn't I assist them?" Tipstaff asked.
"They can find the way. We need to deal with this waste of time." Mist agreed.
"But- Okay." Tipstaff said hurriedly.
Valkyrie and Skulduggery went to the security room, thankful it had been updated to use mortal methods of CCTV cameras. A small woman was sat inside, doing a cross word. She had sharp features and short, sharp hair. She looked up as they entered.
"Can't you read the sign? Employees only." She said. Her voice did not match her appearance and was three octaves higher than anyone would have liked.
"We are employees." Valkyrie said, honestly for once.
"I don't recognize you." The woman said. Valkyrie frowned, looking at Skulduggery.
"He's a skeleton." She pointed out. The woman shrugged.
"But is he the only skeleton?" She asked.
"I really think I am." Skulduggery said. Valkyrie clocked the surprise in his voice and smirked. This had never happened before.
"Do you have ID badges or not?" She asked. Skulduggery sighed and pulled out his wallet and handed the thin, laminated card to her. She read and handed it back, nodding her approval. She stared at Valkyrie. Valkyrie stared back.
"What?" Valkyrie asked.
"Where's your's?" She asked. Valkyrie shrugged.
"I don't know, I didn't know we had them." Valkyrie admitted.
"I gave you one." Skulduggery pointed out.
"Did you?" Valkyrie asked.
"Yes, Valkyrie, I give you one every time it runs out. I leave it in your jacket pocket." Skulduggery said. Valkyrie frowned then checked all the pockets in her jacket. She withdrew four plastic cards from one.
"Oh." She said dumbly, then smiled and handed all four to the woman. She flicked through them all then handed them back.
"Can we have the room?" Skulduggery asked. The woman tutted but grabbed her crossword and pen and left.
"That was seven minutes of my life I'll never get back." Skulduggery muttered, sitting in the seat that the woman previously occupied. He starting typing on the keyboard, then rummaging through the drawers and taking a handful of tapes out that were around the time of possession. Valkyrie looked around the cramped room. Wasn't much to look at, just nine monitors all showing different parts of the sanctuary and one that Skulduggery was controlling, along with a large control panels with lots of fun, flashing buttons.
"Of course." Skulduggery tutted. Valkyrie leaned over his shoulder, staring at the screen.
"An hour is missing from one of the days." He explained. Valkyrie frowned.
"That's not helpful." She stated.
"No, no it is not." He said, spinning on the chair to face her.
"Old fashioned way it is then." He continued.
"What does that consist of?"
"Picking out who seems the most off and going from there."
"You know... No, never mind."
"What?"
"Tipstaff seems a bit... Odd." Valkyrie admitted.
"My thoughts exactly."
"But why would he do such a thing?"
"End times are near, people will do anything." Skulduggery explained.
They wordlessly passed the short-haired woman and went back to see the Elders.
"Find anything?" Ghastly asked, looking up from a handful of scattered papers on the table.
"It's so bizarre, an hour is missing from one of the tapes." Skulduggery said casually, having a seat in between Tipstaff and Erskine. Valkyrie sat on the other side of Tipstaff, absentmindedly gazing at the papers strewn across the table.
"Just one hour?" Mist asked coldly.
"Yep. Know anything about it?" Valkyrie asked. Erskine and Ghastly shook their heads, frowning. Mist pointedly said no.
"Do you know, Tipstaff? You know everything that happens around here." Ghastly asked earnestly.
"No, no. I wasn't in on that Wednesday." Tipstaff said coolly. Everyone had stopped looking at the papers to stare as Tipstaff.
"Valkyrie... Did you say it was a Wednesday?" Skulduggery asked.
"Why, no, Skulduggery. I didn't. Did you?" Valkyrie asked. Skulduggery shook his head, pulling a pair of shackles out.