Sanguine was having a conversation with Jack when his son, Vendetta and Cain came back. He started to smile and was about to call out a greeting when he saw the murderous look in Cain's eyes.

"SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT YOU ARE DEAD!"

Pleasant, who had been talking to Bespoke, looked over and saw his enraged partner. "Oh crap."

Cain lunged at him and Pleasant ran from the room, Cain right behind him. Sanguine frowned and looked around, seeing equally confused looks except on Vendetta and Dusk. Ray-Roy made his way over to Sanguine, Vendetta walked over to stand next to Dusk.

Bespoke sighed and shook his head. "Don't worry, they'll come back. Eventually. In the meantime I suppose we had better make sure everyone knows the other. I know that Jack, Dusk, Scapegrace, Thrasher and Sanguine have worked together on numerous occasions but I'm not so sure about the others."

Everyone looked over at Ray-Roy, Vendetta, Scratch and Shoe.

"Well," Ray-Roy said. "Me and Vendetta know those two over there." He jerked his head towards the other two.

Scratch nodded. "Yep. Me and my sis there worked with those guys for a short time." He had a high-pitched voice with an unusual accent like Jack. "Me. I'm Scratch and this is my sis Shoe."

Shoe scowled and crossed her arms. "I only have that ridiculous name because we made a bet and I lost."

Scratch nodded. "So I got to give you your taken name. Now, we know everyone else as well so what's next?"

Just at that moment, Cain walked back in. She had a skull in her hands. Everyone stared at her as they recognized the skull. Cain held it up proudly, smiling. "I got Skulduggery's head!"

Ghastly sighed. "Seriously? You had to take his head?"

"Yes. I still had to get back at him for burning all my CDs anyway. Plus, I've always wanted to do this."

With those words Cain drop-kicked the skull across the room. It hit Scapegrace in the head, knocking him into Thrasher, who fell flat on his face. Pleasant, now head-less staggered into the room, his hands groping for his missing head.

Cain picked up the skull and ran up to the skeleton, tapped him on the shoulder, then as he turned towards her, skipped out of range.

"Come on! Get the skull! Get the skull!" Cain waved the skull just out of his reach.

Mist grabbed the skull and crammed it back on Pleasant's body. "Stop it." She snarled. "You are making this Sanctuary look immature and childish."

Cain frowned. "But… I am immature. And childish."

Pleasant nodded his newly-attached head. "That's very true. Who else would think they were the tooth fairy while on a sugar rush?"

"Hey!" Cain snapped. "I wasn't on a sugar high, I had just gotten out of surgery and the anesthesia still had to wear off. Plus, I was fourteen."

Pleasant shrugged. "Still."

"Both of you." Mist interrupted. "Quit this right now. We have much more important things to do then watch you bicker."

Pleasant grunted then turned to Sanguine and the others. "As you all know," he began. "Everyone who is a guest in this room is an enemy to each other. I know that this is very odd indeed, being in the same room with your enemies and not trying to kill them. So, before you do try to do just that, we'll explain what is going on."

Ravel stepped forward now. "Grand Mage, Cothernus Ode has been kidnapped by an unknown person with left no clues to where he could be held."

"The Irish Sanctuary has been blamed for this, of course, but we need to find Strom within a month or we're going to war." Ghastly put in.

"And even our top detectives have hit a dead end." Ravel said.

Cain crossed her arms and scowled.

"So, as you can tell." Bespoke said. "We are at our last resorts."

"Us, you mean." Sanguine said.

Ravel shrugged. "We do what has to be done. Like in the war. And you know things we aren't aware of. Criminals are more likely to hear and know things that the Sanctuary doesn't know anything about. And we have all the things we need to get you on board."

Mist nodded. "I have taken the liberty to look into each of your rates and put together the money to double it. Each."

Sanguine grinned. That was definitely a good deal. There was murmuring as everyone discussed this among themselves. Dusk and Vendetta were the only ones who remained silent.

"And." Ravel spoke up. "Those that help, once this is all done, will get a full forty-eight hours to get out of the country before, once again, becoming a wanted criminal around the world."

"So." Pleasant said cheerfully. "Who's on board? Remember, those who don't agree, get put in jail."

There were immediately loud agreements heard from around the room.

"Raise your hand if you agree to these terms and conditions and agree to help us with this." Skulduggery said.

Everyone raised their hand.

"Great! Now, first things first, I suppose we need to give you some special passes. So Tipstaff will give those to you as you leave this room. We'll be going out into the city in just a bit; but first, we need to go grab some supplies. Ravel, myself and Ghastly will be enough people. Mist will go off to do some paperwork and we'll be on our way."

Cain frowned. "Wait. What about me?"

"Ah yes." Pleasant nodded. "You will be entertaining our guests here until we get back."

Cain stared. Her jaw had dropped and she was staring at her partner like he had turned into Dora the Explorer and started to dance the conga. "Are you crazy?"

"Sometimes. Now good-bye." With that, he and he others walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him and leaving his partner alone.

Cain turned slowly to them. A couple minutes passed. "Uh… hi. Um… I don't really know what to um… do, so I'll just um… go play with the dead possum in the vents."

With that, she turned, opened a large vent and crawled inside. Sanguine could hear her moving around in the ceiling. A second later, loud shrieking was heard.

"IT'S NOT DEAD! IT'S NOT DEAD!"

The ceiling broke and Cain fell out, a possum attached to her head. She rolled around, screaming and freaking out. Sanguine stepped forward, grabbed the possum by the tail and yanked it off her.

He dropped it on the cement floor and stomped its head in. Cain lay on the ground, gasping for air. She looked up at Sanguine incredulously. "You saved me."

Sanguine shrugged. "Guess I did."

"T-thanks. How'd you know what to do anyways?"

"I grew up in Texas, Lil' Darlin'. Dealing with possums is a way of life where I'm from."

Cain sat up and shook the plaster out of her hair. She stood and brushed her clothes off then looked around. "I'm bored. I'm going to go climb on the thrones."

She hopped up onto Ravel's throne and sat there until Pleasant and the others came back in.

"Okay." Pleasant said. "So, we'll be splitting into teams, which we have already decided on. Ravel will be reading them off. And to keep you all in check, we've paired each of you with one of us."

Ravel stepped forward with a paper. "Spring-heeled Jack, you'll be paired with me."

Jack shrugged. Not bad.

"Billy-Ray Sanguine, you'll be paired with Ghastly."

Sanguine and Ghastly snapped their heads around to look at each other.

"What!" They yelled together.

Ravel nodded. "Sorry guys. Dusk, you'll be paired with Skulduggery. Shoe, you'll be paired with Fletcher. Scratch, you'll be paired with Nicholas Rue. Ray-Roy, you'll be paired with Razor Vex. Valkyrie, you'll be paired with Dusk's acquaintance."

Sanguine saw Cain frown in confusion. Obviously, she didn't know who that was. Vendetta, however, was glaring at the dark haired girl. Cain noticed the glare and paled.

"You? You know Dusk?"

"Yes." Vendetta growled.

"Vendetta." Dusk said in a warning tone. Vendetta turned her glare on him and they looked at each other for a few seconds until Vendetta scowled and crossed her arms.

Cain swallowed.

"Scapegrace and Thrasher."

The two stood to attention.

"You'll be paired up with each other."

Thrasher beamed but Scapegrace's jaw dropped open.

"What! But why?"

"Because you are on our side already, you've worked together for years and there is no one who wants to pair up with you." Bespoke turned to the others. "Now that you have your pairs, let's head out. Look in places you know there might be something and we'll meet back up here tonight then go from there. Got it? No questions? Are you sure? Good. Let's go."

"Wait." Sanguine looked at Vendetta and frowned. She didn't usually speak at these things. Or at all.

"Yes?" Pleasant asked.

"Is it true Dr. Nye works here?" Vendetta asked.

Pleasant paused. "Yes."

"Can I speak with it now?"

"Um, sure. Valkyrie, please show….."

"You don't need to know my name."

"Er the vampire to Dr. Nye please."

"Sure." Cain gestured and Vendetta followed her out of the room.

And here is the newest chapter! :D

I know that you are all wondering how I am going to fit Caelan into this story. I am, just for this story since I am planning some very fun things for the vampire, just going to say that instead of him being killed at the end of Death Bringer, he was just very badly injured and, not wanting to risk being very badly injured again, watched Valkyrie from a safe distance and has been waiting for his chance to show himself again.

Please no flames about that, or anything. Please. But feel free to REVIEW! XD