Hello! I updated quickly, sort of :P I had a night off my busy schedule and rewarded myself by writing a new chapter :D Thanks for your SOOOOO encouraging reviews please keep them up because they are what motivates me to update as often as possible :D
I'm planning a big twist that I'm not quite sure if I'll live after I reveal it so please put in any requests and I'll think it through more :/
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Alexandar and the clock :)
ENJOY…
The three detectives and doctor stuck to the shadows as they crept around the outside of the court yard. Skulduggery counted the windows under his breath and Valkyrie kept an eye on the windows that were lit. Who knew how many guards were watching to catch them?
"Seventy seven. This is it." Skulduggery whispered to them. They came to a stop and looked up to the window above them.
"How do we get up there?" John asked.
"Very simple." Skulduggery told him. He pulled out a rope and hook from inside his jacket. Valkyrie suspected he'd been using the empty space inside him to hide it. "Stand back."
They complied and he silently tossed the hook perfectly. It stuck into the wooden pane deeply.
"You're impressed aren't you?" He asked smugly.
"Yes." John answered honestly.
"No." Valkyrie told him.
"I'm glad John knows how to answer truthfully." Skulduggery continued and began climbing the rope. He reached the window, slipped it open without a sound and climbed inside, signally them to follow.
Valkyrie climbed up and landed silently on the carpeted floor. The room was absolutely massive. The bed was huge and the mirror beautifully big and intricately carved. "I could easily live here."
"Valkyrie this room is the Queen's, not yours. You'd have to marry Prince William to even have a chance at sleeping here." Skulduggery rolled his eye at here.
"Nup, wouldn't work. He's already married." She cursed. Skulduggery huffed and opened the door to the corridor.
"Have you ever broken into the tower before?" John whispered in question to Valkyrie as they followed Skulduggery.
"No, I've never even been here. But I'm really enjoying it." She flashed a smile at him. "Can we go past the gift shop?" She asked their guide.
"Why would you want to see the gift shop?" Skulduggery asked genuinely confused.
"Because I always bring a souvenir back from every case and I didn't bring any money." She explained.
"Still so young." He sighed sadly. "If you're going to steal a souvenir it should at least be unique." He flicked something to her and she caught it.
It was a small round gold coin. It had a coat of arms on each side. It wasn't perfectly round though and it was slightly dirty meaning it was old.
"Where'd you get it?" She asked examining it closer.
"We passed through the royal mint. Did you know that Isaac Newton was the Master of the Royal Mint?"
"No I didn't."
"You can keep it." Skulduggery told her.
"No, you stole it you keep it. I'll find something else." She tried to give it back but he shook his head.
"I have an extra five." He smiled happily and tapped his pocket which clinked quietly.
"Stealing from the tower. Lovely." Sherlock muttered.
"Relax, they never notice these things." Skulduggery brushed off the worry.
"I'm just saying let's add it to the list." Sherlock said.
"Shhh, we're here." Skulduggery hissed and they all stopped.
The scene of the crime was big and it was completely destroyed. Whole bookshelves lay on their sides, their books scattered around the room. The glass display case and stand had been reduced to splinters on the ground. Other displays had been broken and the window at the end had been covered up with wooden planks.
"Wow." John exclaimed.
"Alexandar put up a good fight." Valkyrie muttered. She picked her way slowly through the damage and inspected the case. There were very light scratch marks on the wood. "Skulduggery."
She looked up just as he sprinkled powder into the air. The white powder didn't change colour, it just floated to the ground. He grunted and put the packet away. "What'd you find?"
"Scratch marks." She shrugged. "Nothing much."
"Sherlock, John. Anything?"
John shook his head but Sherlock just kept looking around. He knelt down, stroked the floor with his finger and licked it. He made a face and stood up again.
Valkyrie walked around the room once more but still didn't find anything. It was just a destroyed room with plaster and books everywhere.
"I guess it was a long shot." Skulduggery muttered. "Time to go."
"Wait." Sherlock called. He pushed a book aside and picked up a button. It was small and covered in plaster but otherwise was fine. He put it into his pocket. "Ready to go now?"
Skulduggery nodded and they walked back out into the dark corridors.
"What was wrong with that room?" He whispered in question to her so Sherlock and John couldn't hear.
"Umm, nothing." She frowned.
"What was wrong with that room where a man died?" He asked again.
"No blood." She realized suddenly. "In a fight teeth are broken, lips ripped, knuckles, head injuries."
"Exactly. What skin is so tough it does open and bleed easily?"
"Vampires."
"Which means that Alexandar was in animal form during the attack." Skulduggery pressed.
"And that means whoever killed him is stronger than a vamp." Valkyrie said uneasily. "That means that whoever it is, they're going to be hard to take down."
"Hey! HALT!" A shout went up and the four froze. Five guards had rounded the corner in front of them. One turned and ran the other way. They stared at the thieves with their guns half raised and frowns carved into their faces.
Skulduggery, John, Valkyrie and Sherlock just stared back.
"Ahh, this is a tad awkward." Skulduggery announced.
The guards raised their guns and fired. The dream state was broken and Valkyrie moved quickly. She turned while rushing forward. The bullets slammed into her jacket but it kept them out. She completed the turn and slammed her forehead into the guard's head. Pain register and she ducked in case he lashed out.
Valkyrie ripped the gun from his hands and slammed him into the wall. He slipped, fell to the ground and she punched him across the back of the head and he fell into unconsciousness.
She looked up and found the other guards had been subdued. She shook the bullets from her jacket and smiled sheepishly.
"I thought that would be more difficult." John admitted.
"It's pretty late. Some people like to sleep." Valkyrie suggested.
"Nobody move! Put your hands up or I'll open fire." A strong commanding voice yelled.
The group looked over their shoulders. Valkyrie coughed and began to move her hands up.
"What do we do?" John whispered.
"Run!" Skulduggery ordered.
"Split up!" Sherlock agreed and Valkyrie didn't need convincing.
She turned and ran down a corridor. She heard the guards open fire and she heard their feet slamming on the ground as they took chase.
She didn't know where she was going, she just kept running. She slammed into walls and forced open doors. All the while though there were people behind her, hot on her heels she ran faster.
She slammed her shoulder into a door and the flood disappeared from below her. She awkwardly ran down the first few steps, jarring her ankles painfully and then tripped. Her arm crunched underneath her, her head smashed against the wall, ankles were twisted and she couldn't stop the cry of protest and pain. She finally managed to tuck her head in and allow her clothes to take the impact about halfway down the long staircase.
Valkyrie finally rolled to a stop and moaned in pain. Every inch of her throbbed and she couldn't remember where she was. The door at the top of the stairs reopened and boots charged down towards her.
Oh no! Will Valkyrie be arrested, shot, or will she find the strength to get away? Please leave a review, I hope you liked it and I will update soon! :D