OH MY GOSH! Top gear comes on and guest star is Benedict Cumberbatch! Such a nice surprise :D
Okay, back to my story…..
The door at the top of the stairs reopened and boots charged down the stairs towards her.
Valkyrie moaned. Every inch of her throbbed with pain. Her head was foggy and her vision blurry. She shook her head and focused on the footsteps charging towards her.
"Get up, get up." She growled at herself. Her muscles strained and she forced herself to her hands and knees. She clenched her teeth and grabbed hold of the wooden table, rolling, rope thing next to her and pulled herself up.
Pain shot through her foot and she cursed. She was in a long low dungeon that looked more like a storage room it was so packed. Horrid looking, wooden and metal instruments filled the room. Some were attached to the walls, others standing in the middle. They looked particularly nasty and she shivered.
She realized she'd run right into a dead end. There was no way out.
"Damn." She cursed but took off towards the other side of the room and away from the staircase. Pain coursed through her right leg and she cried out. Tears filled her eyes and she sat heavily on the ground behind a massive wooden turning spiked instrument.
"Shit, shit, shit." She cursed. She'd have to jump them. She would just have to use air to sweep their feet from under them and she would have to run back up the stairs.
She growled, cursed some more and prepared herself. She tucked her legs under her and readied herself for a hard fight.
One, the footsteps thundered around her head, two, on the count of three,
"You do know there's a blood drain behind you." A voice whispered in her ear. Valkyrie nearly jumped out of her skin.
She spun but there was no one there.
"The blood from prisoners had to go somewhere. You won't get stuck, unless you want to face those guards." The voice was strong and mocking. It didn't stay in one place. It moved and slithered across the room.
She looked at the wall behind her and sure enough there was a drain. It was rusty and heavy but she was confident she could shift it. But the hole was small and what if the end was closed….. She'd be stuck in the dark.
"Who are you?" She demanded.
"That's a long story. If I was you I'd leave now." The voice continued like a snake hissing in her ear.
"What about you?"
He chuckled.
Valkyrie opened her mouth to say something else but the door to the dungeon slammed open and the tower guards reached the room.
She moved fast. She pulled open the drain, a massive groan filling the room, and she slipped inside feet first.
xXxXxXxXx
The drain was much smaller than she'd initially thought. Her arms were trapped above her head and she couldn't move. Her jacket kept her back and arms from scrapping on the ground but the buckles dug into her sides. She tried to look where she was going and ripped the skin off her forehead. She cried out and dropped her head, scraping the back of it.
The shoot ended and she fell through the air. She desperately pushed on the air to slow her fall but her aim was off. She landed hard and her legs collapsed under her.
She cursed over and over again as she pulled out her hair and fixed her fringe to hide the graze that was now on her forehead.
Valkyrie took a deep shuddering breath and stood up. Pain filled her head but she ignored it and started walking in the direction of their emergency meeting spot.
She'd fallen out into the moat and had to hurry away from the tower. The whole area was abuzz. Police were everywhere, along with tower guards. People were mulling about being stopped and questioned.
She kept her head down and walked past as quickly as she could.
"Halt!" Someone yelled and she paused cursing.
"Yes?" She turned and asked, a smile lighting up her face.
"What are you doing at the tower all by yourself at one in the morning?" The guard demanded.
"Well, it's a long story." She smiled wider.
"Liam she's fine." Another voice called and the guard from the gate hurried up. "You continue questioning others, I've got this."
Valkyrie smiled wider and batted her eyes at him. "Hello again."
"Did you find your friends?" He asked.
"It turns out I got the dates wrong and it's tomorrow not tonight." She said pretending to look sad.
"That really sucks." The guard frowned.
She shrugged. "It happens more than you'd think. I might just go home and have a big cup of tea."
"Yes, that's probably best." He agreed.
"Umm, what happened here?" She asked.
"I'm not in liberty to disclose that information." He answered.
"Oh, of course. Sorry. I'll go now before you get in trouble. Thanks again for all your help." She waved widely and began walking off.
"That's alright. Stay safe." He bid her farewell and she tried incredibly hard to walk away normally and not limp.
Three figures emerged standing next to the water casually. As she walked closer they turned around. All of them frowned deeply when she got close enough to recognize them.
"What happened?" John asked cautiously.
"I fell down a staircase." She muttered.
"Why did you fall down a staircase?" Skulduggery asked politely.
"Because I didn't know the stupid layout of the stupid tower of London." She snapped.
"Well, all is well that ends well." Skulduggery continued happily.
"I think I'm going to vomit and rip my skull open because it's pounding so hard." Valkyrie growled through clenched teeth. "Not to mention all my suffering was for nothing."
"Not completely." Sherlock interrupted.
"What do you mean?" Skulduggery asked.
Sherlock produced the button. "Professor Ryu was wearing buttons just like this."
"Ahh, I believe it's time I make a visit to the Professor." Skulduggery brushed invisible lint off his suit. "Who's coming?"
Valkyrie glared at him. "My ankle has been really badly sprained and I've ripped the skin off my forehead."
"I'd noticed that. Are you coming though?"
"No!" She snapped.
"Alright then, no need to get snappy." Skulduggery continued. "Sherlock and I will get a taxi to Oxford while Valkyrie and John go back to the hotel."
"I can live with that." Valkyrie said and began walking towards the parked car.
Skulduggery stopped John as he made to follow her. "Don't leave her alone for more than five minutes. If anything happens to her I'll punch you or kill you depending on what happens."
John blinked. "Ummm,"
"There's a good lad. We'll be a few hours." Skulduggery smiled and walked away leaving John standing there in confusion.
BEEEEEP
He jumped and looked back at Valkyrie in the car. She was raising an eyebrow at her and pointing to her watch. Would Skulduggery really kill him? Of course not, at least he hoped not.
Firstly thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed and read this story and these chapters. Please leave a nice review!
Secondly, there may be a slight break before the next chapter is written up. You think it's going to be a slow chapter but believe me IT'S GOING TO BE INTENSE! So it may take me longer to write :D but I'll try to update quickly
Bye for now, not forever!