It took a lot to nonplus Anton, but Skulduggery's final comment did it. For a moment the sorcerer stared at the phone in his hand, his mind turning over those words and their implications. A stranger called Gabriel. A stranger in the same room as a Remnant, a Remnant who--given what Sanguine had said--been offered him as recompense for its service. A Remnant no longer in Professor Grouse, but certainly not anywhere in the room.

Anton turned to look at Gabe ... Gabriel. He could be possessed, Anton reasoned. It was a thought in his mind. Even if he had been, the best thing to do would be to get him somewhere else, somewhere they could contain the Remnant in question. Which was why Anton hadn't been opposed to Teleporting him out.

What surprised Anton, truly surprised Anton, was that Skulduggery hadn't even seemed to think of suggesting putting the man in quarantine of any kind. Maybe he was expecting the Remnant not to bother hiding its presence, and therefore Renn's actions were proof enough. Except that Skulduggery Pleasant never assumed anything.

Maybe he was insane and believed what he'd implied: that Gabe, Gabriel, was an Archangel of the Lord.

Or maybe it was just Anton who had misheard. Or was insane.

Definitely altruistic, but only sometimes benevolent.

Renn was focussed on supporting Gabe ... riel while he drank, but as if he felt Anton's gaze on him, the curly-haired man looked up into the sorcerer's face. The pain-lines looked more acute from this angle, Anton noted absently. Most of him was concerned with the look in the man's eyes. A knowing look. As if he'd heard every one of Anton's thoughts.

It wasn't a look Anton had never seen before. Occasionally, he'd seen the same look on Hopeless's face. Yet, this was different again somehow. Not just knowledge, but recognition. Understanding.

If he isn't possessed, and neither is Grouse, just where did the Remnant go? The soul-catcher wasn't in the room.

Abruptly Anton came aware of the fact that chills were running down his spine. The Gist stirring within him in response, an instinct replying to the adrenaline and sudden heightened awareness of potential danger nearby. As if he'd felt it too, Gabriel's face creased and he bite his lip, looking away.

Anton let out a slow breath and found his hands trembling minutely with adrenaline. He ignored it, tucking his phone away, and strode toward the pair. "Scarab got away with one of the Engines," he said without preamble. Gabe's shoulders slumped. "Skulduggery is remaining with the Sanctuary's forces to ensure the one we do have is taken care of. He'd like to be picked up from the main entrance in fifteen minutes, Renn."

It was rude, and it was less than the boy's courage deserved, but Anton found he wasn't quite able to take his gaze off Gabe long enough to look at the teen in the face while he spoke to him. "As for you," Anton continued, "he wants you to go to bed and get some rest. Frankly, you look as though you need it."

For a moment Gabe hesitated, his gaze flickering toward Grouse, but finally he nodded. He downed the rest of the glass and set it quietly aside, and then leaned on Renn to stand. It wasn't exactly instinct that made Anton reached forward to lend him a hand.

Gabe flinched and pulled away. "I can manage," he said automatically, and Anton let his hands drop. Not once had his gaze wavered.

This man, this ... this being, could see Anton's Gist. Or feel it. Or something similar, Anton wasn't sure what, and the details didn't matter. Gabriel could sense his Gist.

"I see," he said with astounding evenness. His Gist stirred. Gabe flinched.

Anton turned and walked deliberately away, and wasn't sure what to do with the way his gut had tightened.