Skulduggery Pleasant: Darkness Inside (Fanfiction Story)

4: China

The ride to China's new house was awkward. Valkyrie wasn't sure about what Skulduggery was thinking, but she figured he was annoyed. Several times he gripped the steering wheel and his shoulders tensed, but he relaxed after a while. Valkyrie thought that, maybe, he was thinking about China and his family. Yes, that was probably it.

She thought about last year, when China's apartment and library got blown up. She was torn apart. She put all her strength into making them perfect. Then for them to just get destroyed? That must be harsh. She had no where to go. No one wanted to have anything to do with her once they found out what she was did. She was already hated strongly by lots of people, this was just the icing on the cake.

Finally, she found a house. It was nothing impressive, apparently. Just a few rooms, some tatted furniture inside four brick walls. Knowing China, though, she would have probably glammed it up. Of course, Valkyrie hadn't seen it. She just heard from some rumours going around.

When they arrived, China was sat outside reading a book. The weather was warm, but she wore a baggy t-shirt with shorts. Her hair rested on her shoulders, and Valkyrie forgot why she was mad with her. China Sorrows was the most beautiful women in the world. "No," Valkyrie thought. "You need to stay mad at her. For Skulduggery." They got out of the Bentley and walked over. China watched them through her sunglasses as they approached.

"Valkyrie, Skulduggery... How have you been?" China smiled, her teeth as white as pearls.

"Fine. We need your help." Valkyrie said.

"Why would you need my help? I am a... Traitor, as you said, am I correct?"

"That doesn't matter at the moment." Skulduggery snapped. He wasn't even looking at China. "What does matter is that the symbols you put on the cage we put the armour in is crackable!"

China frowned. "How is that possible? Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless someone has cracked it."

"Well, yes. We gathered that." Skulduggery sighed.

"If someone has cracked it, you have a mastermind on your hands. There is only one person alive capable of such work." China rose from her seat and ran inside. Valkyrie and Skulduggery followed. This house was breath taking. The furniture was exquisite, there was a glass chandelier on the ceiling holding around fifty candles, and music was playing softly in the background. China selected a book from the shelf and placed it on the coffee table. She flicked through the pages, landing on a page with a picture of an old man Valkyrie didn't recognise. "Albert French. He is 875 and lives..." She grabbed another book and went straight to the back. "London. He lives in London."

"That doesn't make sense. Whoever is behind the armour must be someone young and capable of the powers. A man that old would not be able to control this, it would be to strong for him."

"How do you know that he didn't do it for someone else?" Valkyrie asked.

"You're right, he must have done it for someone else. But who? Who would he do it for?" Skulduggery questioned.

"Why don't you two go and ask him? Go to London. Consider it a little holiday." China suggested.

"Yes. Let's do it. Thank you, China. Can we take the book with us?" 

"Of course." Valkyrie took the book and they walked to the front door. "Skulduggery, do you forgive me?"

"Of course not. See you soon." They entered the Bentley and drove off, leaving China standing there.