Now that was just rude. Totally disrespectful. If you were gonna write somebody off, at least have the decency to do it to their face! Unless they really weren't worth anything, of course, but everyone knew that wasn't the case here. Everyone knew, because Billy-Ray was their only link to the Professor. They sorta had to deal with him no matter what, and that made Gabe's actions just now all the more intriguing.
Billy-Ray had to hide the grin as Gabe turned his back, because he wasn't completely sure it wouldn't give away what he was planning. That was the last thing he needed, getting shot right then and having the last of his magic drain away.
"Uh, sure," Renn was saying when he tuned back in. The kid looked anxiously from Gabe to Pleasant and back again, with just a short glance over at Billy-Ray in between. Billy-Ray gave him a little wave, but chose not to say anything. The tone of his voice might also give him away. Couldn't trust anything to get past Pleasant. Billy-Ray was taking a big risk here no matter what; if the detective didn't already suspect, then he would definitely stop at nothing to get Gabe back, never mind who was caught in the crossfire. Billy-Ray had heard enough stories of the skeleton's legendary anger to be wary, even though he had yet to see it in action. Not even after kidnapping Cain, for cryin' out loud. That was one of the things he'd been looking forward to.
Yep, it was a risk. But somehow, it was a risk Billy-Ray didn't mind taking. Optimistic, spontaneous, and successful, that was him. Spontaneously successful.
The instant the boy had Teleported, Billy-Ray cut off any other thought and threw himself forward. The ground already began to crack under his feet as his hand closed firmly around Gabe's shoulder, and the Texan couldn't help gasping out with the pain of even that small bit of effort before the pavement opened up and swallowed them both.
Every single agonisingly long moment of the lunge and the drop, he expected to feel the shattering impact of a bullet hitting its mark, but none came. And then there was nothing but the familiar darkness, with a loud noise overhead that may or may not have been a belated gunshot, unimportant now because Billy-Ray was already traveling down as quickly as he could. Down and lost to the sunlight and to Pleasant.
The darkness grew absolute, though Billy-Ray could still see perfectly. Even through his sunglasses. Especially through his sunglasses. He liked that he could still see, actually, because everything else seemed to be slowly rotting away. Burrowing used to be a relief for Billy-Ray, a safe haven, a place where he could be totally and completely safe from all the people who wanted him dead, and now... he'd lost more than just the ease of travel. He'd lost all the comforting little things his magic provided him without his knowledge. Dirt and mud and stones used to slide past him without a second thought; now he felt every last one, tumbling against his limbs and getting into his mouth, making him choke. The stuffiness, the downright damp and cold, all the things that never used to bother him... they now very much did. And all because of one little girl whose knife hand Billy-Ray hadn't been watching closely enough as it slashed across his stomach.
He could taste the bitter on his tongue, along with the damp and the dirt.
"Wouldn't recommend strugglin'," he warned Gabe, loudly enough to be heard over the roar in his ears while they moved. "Unless you think you can get back up by yourself. By all means, have a go. Be easier to do this without you."
The last was added with an audible grimace of pain. Could Billy-Ray make it all the way back to the castle? He seriously doubted it.
~~
Fletcher couldn't understand why Gabe wanted him to go back to the priest, aside from the obvious instantaneous travel. Maybe because the guy thought he was an angel? Obviously he'd prayed for something, but for what? Without a little more information, there was no way Fletcher would be able to bluff his way through this one. As a so-called 'angel,' shouldn't he know? Shouldn't he also be able to hear prayers? Even someone as religious as the priest was would start to realise something wasn't quite right, Fletcher was sure of it. There was only so far being able to appear out of thin air would get you.
Besides, Gabe made it sound a little like the priest was in the middle of a war zone. So in the split second before Fletcher Teleported, he decided to appear in that room with all the barrels of holy water he and Val were taken to last night, safe and out of the way. Just to be sure.
There weren't any loud sounds coming from the rest of the church, so Fletcher made his slow and careful way back up to the chapel. Still nothing. The chapel was about as empty as it had been the last time Fletcher and Valkyrie were here, judging from the limited view Fletcher had in the stairwell. Good. He'd be okay, then.
The priest - Father O'Reilly - came into view as Fletcher stepped into the room, and he almost gave what would have been an awkward little wave. Almost, but the memory of Sanguine's irritating wave at the cinema stopped him. So instead, Fletcher just cleared his throat in as authoritative a manner as he could manage and stepped closer. "Hey. Me again. Did you pray to Ga - uh, to Gabriel just now?"
Father O'Reilly shot to his feet as Fletcher finally became aware of Solomon Wreath sitting on the pew beside him.
Up until yesterday, Solomon had been a good guy. Val's teacher. Not exactly likeable, and none of them really trusted him, but at least someone on their side. Now, Fletcher had no idea what to think, let alone what to do. Skulduggery was obviously unhappy with the Necromancer, but... Gabe seemed to think he was alright. And what was he doing sitting in a church, anyway?
Fletcher voiced that last thought out loud before he could think it through. "What are you doing here?"
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Billy-Ray had to hide the grin as Gabe turned his back, because he wasn't completely sure it wouldn't give away what he was planning. That was the last thing he needed, getting shot right then and having the last of his magic drain away.
"Uh, sure," Renn was saying when he tuned back in. The kid looked anxiously from Gabe to Pleasant and back again, with just a short glance over at Billy-Ray in between. Billy-Ray gave him a little wave, but chose not to say anything. The tone of his voice might also give him away. Couldn't trust anything to get past Pleasant. Billy-Ray was taking a big risk here no matter what; if the detective didn't already suspect, then he would definitely stop at nothing to get Gabe back, never mind who was caught in the crossfire. Billy-Ray had heard enough stories of the skeleton's legendary anger to be wary, even though he had yet to see it in action. Not even after kidnapping Cain, for cryin' out loud. That was one of the things he'd been looking forward to.
Yep, it was a risk. But somehow, it was a risk Billy-Ray didn't mind taking. Optimistic, spontaneous, and successful, that was him. Spontaneously successful.
The instant the boy had Teleported, Billy-Ray cut off any other thought and threw himself forward. The ground already began to crack under his feet as his hand closed firmly around Gabe's shoulder, and the Texan couldn't help gasping out with the pain of even that small bit of effort before the pavement opened up and swallowed them both.
Every single agonisingly long moment of the lunge and the drop, he expected to feel the shattering impact of a bullet hitting its mark, but none came. And then there was nothing but the familiar darkness, with a loud noise overhead that may or may not have been a belated gunshot, unimportant now because Billy-Ray was already traveling down as quickly as he could. Down and lost to the sunlight and to Pleasant.
The darkness grew absolute, though Billy-Ray could still see perfectly. Even through his sunglasses. Especially through his sunglasses. He liked that he could still see, actually, because everything else seemed to be slowly rotting away. Burrowing used to be a relief for Billy-Ray, a safe haven, a place where he could be totally and completely safe from all the people who wanted him dead, and now... he'd lost more than just the ease of travel. He'd lost all the comforting little things his magic provided him without his knowledge. Dirt and mud and stones used to slide past him without a second thought; now he felt every last one, tumbling against his limbs and getting into his mouth, making him choke. The stuffiness, the downright damp and cold, all the things that never used to bother him... they now very much did. And all because of one little girl whose knife hand Billy-Ray hadn't been watching closely enough as it slashed across his stomach.
He could taste the bitter on his tongue, along with the damp and the dirt.
"Wouldn't recommend strugglin'," he warned Gabe, loudly enough to be heard over the roar in his ears while they moved. "Unless you think you can get back up by yourself. By all means, have a go. Be easier to do this without you."
The last was added with an audible grimace of pain. Could Billy-Ray make it all the way back to the castle? He seriously doubted it.
~~
Fletcher couldn't understand why Gabe wanted him to go back to the priest, aside from the obvious instantaneous travel. Maybe because the guy thought he was an angel? Obviously he'd prayed for something, but for what? Without a little more information, there was no way Fletcher would be able to bluff his way through this one. As a so-called 'angel,' shouldn't he know? Shouldn't he also be able to hear prayers? Even someone as religious as the priest was would start to realise something wasn't quite right, Fletcher was sure of it. There was only so far being able to appear out of thin air would get you.
Besides, Gabe made it sound a little like the priest was in the middle of a war zone. So in the split second before Fletcher Teleported, he decided to appear in that room with all the barrels of holy water he and Val were taken to last night, safe and out of the way. Just to be sure.
There weren't any loud sounds coming from the rest of the church, so Fletcher made his slow and careful way back up to the chapel. Still nothing. The chapel was about as empty as it had been the last time Fletcher and Valkyrie were here, judging from the limited view Fletcher had in the stairwell. Good. He'd be okay, then.
The priest - Father O'Reilly - came into view as Fletcher stepped into the room, and he almost gave what would have been an awkward little wave. Almost, but the memory of Sanguine's irritating wave at the cinema stopped him. So instead, Fletcher just cleared his throat in as authoritative a manner as he could manage and stepped closer. "Hey. Me again. Did you pray to Ga - uh, to Gabriel just now?"
Father O'Reilly shot to his feet as Fletcher finally became aware of Solomon Wreath sitting on the pew beside him.
Up until yesterday, Solomon had been a good guy. Val's teacher. Not exactly likeable, and none of them really trusted him, but at least someone on their side. Now, Fletcher had no idea what to think, let alone what to do. Skulduggery was obviously unhappy with the Necromancer, but... Gabe seemed to think he was alright. And what was he doing sitting in a church, anyway?
Fletcher voiced that last thought out loud before he could think it through. "What are you doing here?"