Kenspeckle Grouse was not a man predisposed to showing affection. Not usually, at any rate. Oh, he was fond of Valkyrie, and yes, he'd told her so. And yet it didn't seem to make one whit of difference over her safety. It wasn't as if she had to get hurt to come visit him.
Valkyrie hadn't been very easily-seen this past year, for obvious reasons. It would have been a lie for Kenspeckle to say he was sorry Skulduggery Pleasant was no longer an influence on the girl's life; in fact, she had hardly been injured at all ever since the skeleton detective had been pulled through the portal by the Faceless Ones. As far as Kenspeckle was concerned, that was only an improvement. True, the doctor didn't see her as often, but if seeing her meant she was going to be in mortal danger every time he did, well, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
So to hear her voice, and actually have her sound somewhat happier than she had lately--well, he'd been pleased. He'd been less than pleased to hear that someone, once again, needed his considerable assistance. After they'd hung up the doctor let Valkyrie's voice go round and round in his head, analysing her tone before finally deciding that, on this occasion, it probably wasn't her and she wasn't just trying to pretend otherwise.
That didn't mean he stopped being annoyed. Of course not. It just meant the annoyance was balanced with intrigue. Valkyrie hadn't mentioned names, so it was someone Kenspeckle didn't know; if it had been Bespoke or Low, or Renn, she would surely have said so. As she hadn't, obviously it was someone to be secretive over.
"Probably another stray they want me to hide and protect," he complained as he stripped off his gloves and dumped them in the bin, scowling fiercely around the empty room. "This is a research lab, not a safehouse! Clarabelle! Where is that girl?"
Muttering to himself, Kenspeckle checked his watch and then strode out of the room down the hallway. It was about time for Valkyrie and her friends to arrive. Probably they'd run into some trouble or other while on that fool's mission to save Pleasant. That was likely who the patient was; an informant.
Despite himself Kenspeckle sighed. It was dangerous, this quest of Valkyrie's, but no matter what Kenspeckle had said, she had merely waited impassively for him to stop talking, thanked him, and then went on with her little errand. That girl--she just never listened.
Clarabelle sailed through the door before Kenspeckle could get there, humming, clad in a bright-orange hazmat suit and carrying a basin full of something piss-yellow. Kenspeckle didn't want to know whether is really was piss, or if it was apple juice. Or maybe something else. It was just better not to ask or touch. "Valkyrie and Father Pleasant are here, Professor," she said cheerfully, and tilted her head thoughtfully. "I didn't know the priesthood accepted skeletons."
Kenspeckle stared after her as she moved on. Either the thing in that pan had hallucinogenic properties, or something else did, or Valkyrie had succeeded and Skulduggery Pleasant was the patient. The comment about the priesthood, he decided after a moment, he would just have to ignore in the face of Pleasant's possible return. Stupid, stupid girl! What had she sacrificed to make that happen? The professor turned on his heel and hurried to the door, his expression falling easily into a scowl.
~~~
This was, Gabriel had to admit, a very good place to hide a laboratory. It was dark and dusty, but the Archangel still looked around with interest as Tanith and Ghastly helped him move through the cinema and explained how the secret entrance worked.
"You know, we could probably use something similar," he'd said thoughtfully just before moving out of the cinema and into the laboratory proper. Most of the time, those of the blood had their own communities, and it was for the better. But for those who couldn't or wouldn't leave the cities ... well, it was a possibility.
It hadn't taken long before they'd run into the girl wearing the hazmat suit and carrying a basin of something Gabriel couldn't identify from looks alone. She had taken one look at Skulduggery, congratulated him on his vows, and mused that at least his presence would be very encouraging for people to keep to the Commandments. And then she had ambled easily through another door.
Gabriel had made his own head throb wildly with laughing so hard, and needed to lean on Tanith and Ghastly just to stay upright. He was still chuckling when an older man burst through the door, glowering thunderously. His gaze fell on Valkyrie first, Skulduggery second, and then stayed there, the scowl evaporating to be replaced by still blankness.
"I had," he announced after a moment, "better be imagining Skulduggery Pleasant standing in my research centre wearing a cassock and a rosary, or I shall not be responsible for my reactions."
no subject
Valkyrie hadn't been very easily-seen this past year, for obvious reasons. It would have been a lie for Kenspeckle to say he was sorry Skulduggery Pleasant was no longer an influence on the girl's life; in fact, she had hardly been injured at all ever since the skeleton detective had been pulled through the portal by the Faceless Ones. As far as Kenspeckle was concerned, that was only an improvement. True, the doctor didn't see her as often, but if seeing her meant she was going to be in mortal danger every time he did, well, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
So to hear her voice, and actually have her sound somewhat happier than she had lately--well, he'd been pleased. He'd been less than pleased to hear that someone, once again, needed his considerable assistance. After they'd hung up the doctor let Valkyrie's voice go round and round in his head, analysing her tone before finally deciding that, on this occasion, it probably wasn't her and she wasn't just trying to pretend otherwise.
That didn't mean he stopped being annoyed. Of course not. It just meant the annoyance was balanced with intrigue. Valkyrie hadn't mentioned names, so it was someone Kenspeckle didn't know; if it had been Bespoke or Low, or Renn, she would surely have said so. As she hadn't, obviously it was someone to be secretive over.
"Probably another stray they want me to hide and protect," he complained as he stripped off his gloves and dumped them in the bin, scowling fiercely around the empty room. "This is a research lab, not a safehouse! Clarabelle! Where is that girl?"
Muttering to himself, Kenspeckle checked his watch and then strode out of the room down the hallway. It was about time for Valkyrie and her friends to arrive. Probably they'd run into some trouble or other while on that fool's mission to save Pleasant. That was likely who the patient was; an informant.
Despite himself Kenspeckle sighed. It was dangerous, this quest of Valkyrie's, but no matter what Kenspeckle had said, she had merely waited impassively for him to stop talking, thanked him, and then went on with her little errand. That girl--she just never listened.
Clarabelle sailed through the door before Kenspeckle could get there, humming, clad in a bright-orange hazmat suit and carrying a basin full of something piss-yellow. Kenspeckle didn't want to know whether is really was piss, or if it was apple juice. Or maybe something else. It was just better not to ask or touch. "Valkyrie and Father Pleasant are here, Professor," she said cheerfully, and tilted her head thoughtfully. "I didn't know the priesthood accepted skeletons."
Kenspeckle stared after her as she moved on. Either the thing in that pan had hallucinogenic properties, or something else did, or Valkyrie had succeeded and Skulduggery Pleasant was the patient. The comment about the priesthood, he decided after a moment, he would just have to ignore in the face of Pleasant's possible return. Stupid, stupid girl! What had she sacrificed to make that happen? The professor turned on his heel and hurried to the door, his expression falling easily into a scowl.
~~~
This was, Gabriel had to admit, a very good place to hide a laboratory. It was dark and dusty, but the Archangel still looked around with interest as Tanith and Ghastly helped him move through the cinema and explained how the secret entrance worked.
"You know, we could probably use something similar," he'd said thoughtfully just before moving out of the cinema and into the laboratory proper. Most of the time, those of the blood had their own communities, and it was for the better. But for those who couldn't or wouldn't leave the cities ... well, it was a possibility.
It hadn't taken long before they'd run into the girl wearing the hazmat suit and carrying a basin of something Gabriel couldn't identify from looks alone. She had taken one look at Skulduggery, congratulated him on his vows, and mused that at least his presence would be very encouraging for people to keep to the Commandments. And then she had ambled easily through another door.
Gabriel had made his own head throb wildly with laughing so hard, and needed to lean on Tanith and Ghastly just to stay upright. He was still chuckling when an older man burst through the door, glowering thunderously. His gaze fell on Valkyrie first, Skulduggery second, and then stayed there, the scowl evaporating to be replaced by still blankness.
"I had," he announced after a moment, "better be imagining Skulduggery Pleasant standing in my research centre wearing a cassock and a rosary, or I shall not be responsible for my reactions."