The Faceless Ones

Chapter Thirty-two. The Trade

The Liffey Bridge is a bridge with three names.

It is a pedestrian bridge a little over 130 feet long, spanning the river Liffey from Ormond Quay to Aston Quay. Steps on either side lead up onto the walkway, and there are three lamps--one at the center and two on either side--supported overhead by ironwork that curves out from the railings.

Its given name is the Wellington Bridge, its true name the Liffey Bridge, but it is by its taken name that it is most commonly known.

As a young girl, Tanith had been brought over to Dublin by her parents. The first time she crossed this bridge, her parents told her that the bridge used to have turnstiles, and the cost of traveling was one penny and one halfpenny. The turnstiles were done away with a few years later, around 1919 or so, but by then everyone knew the bridge as the Penny Ha'penny Bridge, which was eventually shortened to, simply, the Ha'Penny Bridge.

And it was at the Ha'penny Bridge, the bridge with three names, that they were expected to hand Fletcher Renn over to the enemy, giving them exactly what they needed to end the world.

"This is a really bad idea," Tanith said.

"I agree completely," Fletcher Renn murmured from beside her.

They had cordoned off the bridge on both sides, putting up signs that alerted passersby to delicate maintenance work. There was a red-and-white-striped tent at either end to shield workers from wind and rain. There wasn't much of a wind today, and while the dark clouds rolled threateningly, no rain had yet fallen.

Tanith and Fletcher stood in the tent on the north side of the Liffey. There was a rush of sound as Ghastly joined them, and then the flap fell again and muted the noise from the traffic at their backs.

"No one sneaking up behind us," Ghastly informed them. He shook his head as he pulled down the well-tailored hood of his coat, revealing his scars.

They looked to the middle of the bridge, where Skulduggery was taking a cloaking sphere from his coat. He twisted the hemispheres in opposite directions, and a bubble of haze erupted outward, enveloping him and the bridge. He put the sphere down at his feet.

"What was that? " Fletcher asked, stunned.

"It makes us invisible to everyone outside the bubble," Ghastly said. "They won't be able to see or hear anything that goes on."

"So if I die screaming in agony, I won't disturb anyone? Oh, that's comforting."

Skulduggery walked back into the tent.

"Any word from Valkyrie?" Ghastly asked.

"Still none," Skulduggery said darkly. "When we have Guild, we'll make him release her, and then let me in a room alone with Crux for five long and painful minutes. Until then, we concentrate on the job.»"So what's the plan?" Fletcher asked. "How does this trade thing work?"

"In theory," Ghastly said, "the two of you will start walking across the bridge at the same time, passing in the middle and walking on to the opposite side. In practice, however, that's not how it's going to work at all."

"Here's how it really works," Tanith told him. "Both sides start out playing fair. Then one side double-crosses the other. Then the other side springs their double-cross. Then the first side reacts accordingly."

Fletcher nodded. "So it's all about how many double-crosses you have?"

"Exactly, and the side with the most double-crosses wins."

"How many double-crosses do we have?"

Ghastly looked at Skulduggery.

"Two," Skulduggery said.

"That's ... that's not an awful lot."

"Sometimes simplicity is best."

"Is this one of those times?"

"Probably not," Ghastly admitted.

"We're restricted in what we can do," Tanith said. "This is a public place, in broad daylight. We can't have a hundred Cleavers ready to spring into action."

"Do you have a hundred Cleavers?"

"Well, no."

"This is an unofficial operation," Skulduggery said. "There is a spy in the Sanctuary, and until we find out who it is, we can't trust any of them."

"But if we are restricted in what we can do," Ghastly said, "then so are they."

"Right," Fletcher said. "All right. Okay. And they value this whole 'never in public' rule as much as you do, yeah?"

Ghastly hesitated. "Sure," he said, completely failing to sound convincing.

"They're here," said Tanith quietly.

They all peeked out. At the other end of the bridge a black van had pulled onto the side of the road, eliciting angry horn blaring from the cars in the lane behind. Gruesome Krav stepped out, and suddenly the blaring stopped. The cars behind flashed their turn signals politely and pulled into the other lane.

Murder Rose got out next, followed by Sanguine and then Gallow, pulling Thurid Guild with him. Guild's hands were handcuffed and his face was bruised. The sordid little group was attracting a lot of attention, but they quickly disappeared into the striped tent.

"What are our double-crosses?" Fletcher asked.

"If you're expecting them," Skulduggery said, "you'll give them away."

Fletcher was growing paler by the second. "I'm really not sure about this."

"They don't want to hurt you," said Tanith.

"No, they just want to use me to destroy the world, and seeing as how I'm in the world, that would still be a bad thing for me. I know you all think that I'm really confident and nothing can faze me--"

"None of us think that," Ghastly said.

"My point is, I'm not going to walk over there and risk being caught. And I'm not even sure why you'd want me to."

"Mr. Bliss wants Guild back," Skulduggery said, "and his argument is valid. Guild's death could have catastrophic consequences."

"Could have," Fletcher pointed out. "But if they get me to bring back the Faceless Ones, that will have catastrophic consequences! The first one's a possibility, the second is a certainty! Why am I the only one to be logical about this?»Skulduggery looked at him. "When you have lived as long as we have, you see things in the long term and you plan accordingly."

Sanguine emerged from the other tent and strolled happily across the bridge.

"It's starting," Tanith said. "Fletcher, I'm really sorry about this, but you're going to have to trust us."

"Oh, bloody hell..." Sanguine was a few steps away. "You'd better not let them take me," Fletcher whispered.

"Knock, knock," came Sanguine's slow, lazy drawl. He walked in, smiling, hands up and empty. "How ya'll doin' today? You don't mind me sayin', there are some serious faces lookin' back at me. A more sensitive fella than me might believe not everyone's excited about this. Come on people, it's a trade! It's meant to be fun!"

"You talk an awful lot," Tanith said, "and you say precious little."

"Sword lady." Sanguine's smile broadened. "I have missed you, y'know that? Many a night I have lain awake, thinkin' of all the different ways I could kill you. My favorite scenario, it's a silly little thing, but it's where I cut your throat and your head rolls back, and your eyes are wide open and really, y'know, pleading, and I grab your hair and just..." He stopped and laughed. "Listen to me, gettin' all sentimental when there's business to be done. I been sent over here to orchestrate this whole affair, so ... so I suppose let's get to orchestratin'."

"Send Guild over," said Skulduggery.

"Now that ain't how it's gonna be played, an' you know it. Rules of the game are fairly simple, but I'll go slow on account of the dumb-lookin' one-- and I'll let you decide among yourselves which one of you I'm referrin' to."

Moving slowly, he took a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. "I'm gonna latch these here cuffs onto Fletcher-boy's wrists," he continued, "just to make sure he don't do nothin' dumb like teleport away. Then he's gonna walk across to my friends there, as they send your boss man over here to you. It's fairly simple, all things considered. Even a child could understand it." He looked around. "Speakin' of children, where's the girl? I'm kinda missin' the scowl."

Skulduggery ignored the question. "You're staying this side of the bridge until the trade is complete."

Sanguine shook his head. "I got my orders. I gotta get back."

"We're not running the risk of you grabbing Fletcher and disappearing with him."

"It's a bridge, Bones. I travel through the ground, I travel through walls, I travel wherever I can fit. How am I supposed to fit beneath that little walkway?"

"All the same, you're staying here."

"All the same, no I ain't."

Tanith's sword slid from her coat and pressed against his neck.

Sanguine hesitated for just a moment. "You know what? I've just changed my mind. I'll stand over there and won't say a word."

Ghastly moved up behind him, twisting his arm into a lock that, if Sanguine moved, would result in excruciating pain and torn ligaments.

"I don't see why you just don't put me in handcuffs," Sanguine grunted.

"Because you said last summer that handcuffs don't affect you," Tanith told him.

"I said that?"

"Yes, you did.»'I was lyin'. Handcuffs render me powerless. I swear."

"Try not to talk so much," Ghastly warned. "It annoys me."

"Tanith," Skulduggery said, and stepped out of the tent. Tanith joined him, and together they walked slowly across the bridge. Gallow and Murder Rose came to meet them.

The Liffey was dark and dirty beneath them.

"Skulduggery," Gallow said when they reached the middle. "Have you come to beg, perhaps? To cry? Maybe you'd like to switch sides? It's too late, but it would be highly amusing to watch you try."

"Where's your master, Gallow?"

Gallow smiled. "I have no master. The Diablerie is a family of like-minded--"

"Batu is your master," Skulduggery interrupted. "He's the one giving you your orders, handing out your assignments, patting you on the head whenever you need it. So where is he? He's watching, isn't he?"

"He's around." Gallow smiled. Murder Rose whispered in his ear. "Oh yes, a very good point, Rose. Where is our Texan associate?»"He's staying with us for the moment, until the trade is complete."

"A wise move, I suppose. You wouldn't want us cheating you, after all. Send the boy out, with the cuffs on."

Gallow turned and walked back to the tent, Murder Rose behind him.

Tanith and Skulduggery returned to their tent.

"Are you ready?" Skulduggery asked Fletcher.

Fletcher looked at Tanith, and she saw that he wasn't bothering to hide it anymore--he was afraid. His eyes flickered back to Skulduggery, "You have a plan, right? "

"I do."

"Can you tell me what it is?"

"We save the world, we all go home."

"That's a good plan."

"I have my moments."

Raindrops started to tap lightly on the tarpaulin cover.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Skulduggery said.

"Do you think Valkyrie is all right?"

"Crux probably has her in one of the holding cells. To be honest, there's a fair chance that she's safer than any of us right now."

"Okay. Okay."

"They're not going to hurt you," Tanith said. "They need you."

Fletcher nodded. "After this, what say you and me go for a coffee or something? You'd really like me if you got to know me. I've known me for years and I love me."

She smiled. "Maybe."

"Really?"

"No."

He returned the smile with a shaky one of his own, and then he stepped into the bubble and vanished from sight. Tanith put her hand through, watching how it became instantly invisible, and then she took a step forward, and now she could see him leaving the tent. Skulduggery was beside her, and Ghastly dragged Sanguine up so that he could see what was going on.

Fletcher stepped onto the bridge. Across the way, the other tent opened, and Thurid Guild emerged. They walked toward each other in the rain.

Skulduggery looked at Sanguine. "What are they planning? "

"What're who plannin'?»Ghastly tightened his grip, and Sanguine spoke quickly. "They ain't plannin' nothin'! This is a straight trade!"

"Ghastly, break his arm."

"Ghastly, do not break my arm!"

"Do it."

"There's a bomb!"

Skulduggery leaned in. "Where?"

"Guild's jacket," Sanguine said through gritted teeth. "He doesn't even know it's there. Gallow has the detonator. It's a small bomb, but enough to kill everyone here. Me included. So if you could do me a favor and stop him from gettin' close, that'd be just swell."

Tanith looked back at the bridge. Fletcher and Guild had met in the middle and were passing each other without saying a word. Then Skulduggery was beside her, holding his gun out through the tent flap, pointed at Guild.

"What are you doing?" Tanith asked, alarmed.

"Stopping him from getting close," Skulduggery said, and fired.

The bullet hit Guild's leg and he went down, screaming. Fletcher jumped back.Horrified, Tanith grabbed Skulduggery's arm. "Are you insane? "

"Do not move!" Skulduggery shouted to Fletcher. "Stay beside him!" He shook Tanith's hand off. "Gallow won't detonate the bomb if Fletcher's going to be caught in the blast."

There was movement at the far tent, Gruesome Krav emerging with Murder Rose, but before they could run at Fletcher, Skulduggery clicked his fingers and sent a fireball into the air. It cleared the cloaking bubble and flared before dying out. It drew some curious looks from passersby, and Tanith saw three figures in black--two men and one woman-- converging on the enemy's tent from the other side of the bridge.

The Necromancers.

There was a burst of blackness in the far tent, and Gallow came hurtling out. He hit Murder Rose and they both went down. The Necromancers strode onto the bridge after him, shadows curling around them.

Gallow recovered quickly and pulled a gun from his jacket and fired. The nearest Necromancer used the shadows of her cloak to absorb the bullets, then spun, her cloak whirling and lengthening, slashing toward Gallow, who had to dive to avoid being cut in two.

Murder Rose ran at Solomon Wreath, who gathered darkness in his cane and whipped it. Shadows flew like spears, hit Rose's leg, and went right through. She shrieked and fell.

Tanith saw the third Necromancer firing the flintlock pistol at Krav, firing it without the need to reload. The bullets hit and Krav dropped to one knee, frantically trying to pull away the darkness that spread across his chest.

"Guess it's time," Sanguine said, and Tanith looked around. He'd been holding something in his hand the entire time and no one had checked, and now it was dropping to the ground....

It flashed white and Tanith stumbled back, blinded. She could hear the others cursing around her, and Sanguine laughed, for he didn't have any eyes to blind.

But then, neither did Skulduggery.

Sanguine's laugh was cut off in a strangled gurk, and Tanith heard a body crashing down. There was the thump of an impact, and then she heard a pained wheezing. Someone charged by her, out of the tent, and there were gunshots and shouts.

She blinked hard, images fading in, at first hazy and indistinct but rapidly taking solid form. She saw a figure in brown, Sanguine, curled up on the ground, but Ghastly was a mere shape to her.

"Skulduggery?" he called.

"He's gone after them," Tanith told him. His features were too blurred to make out, but she was starting to see his ridged scars.

"Typical," she heard him mutter. "Can you see anything? "

"Sure," she lied, and grabbed her sword and lunged out onto the bridge. Through the rain and the haze, she could just make out waves of darkness on the far side, where the Necromancers were doing their thing. Skulduggery was ahead of her--tall and thin and unmistakable--and his arm moved and a figure that could only have been Krav went flying back.

Her foot hit a step and she stumbled, but her vision was clearing fast. Ahead of her, Fletcher's blurred form was kneeling at Guild's side. Even with her eyes the way they were, she could see that Guild himself was pale and losing blood.

She ran to them, hearing Ghastly behind her.The Diablerie were being fought to a standstill, and the good guys were about to secure both Fletcher and Guild. The battle was over. They'd won.

And then the final part of Batu's plan made itself known.

Something surged up from the river and loomed over the railings, splashing them with water. The Sea Hag dipped, her bony hands closing around Fletcher's waist. Without even a snarl, she lifted him into the air. Guild tried to snatch him back, but it was no use. Tanith glimpsed Fletcher's terrified face as he disappeared over the side, and she heard a heavy splash and knew he was gone.

Gallow shouted an order and ran back through the far tent. He jumped into the black van, Murder Rose limping right behind him, and the van screeched away, chasing cars out of its path. Skulduggery went for Krav, but it was too late. Krav pulled himself over the railings and dropped into the Liffey.

Now, Tanith realized, the battle was over.

The Necromancers looked at Skulduggery, and Solomon Wreath turned and walked away, his coat billowing in the wind and rain.

Ghastly came up beside Tanith.

"Sanguine's gone," he said, but she'd already guessed that. Guild lay unconscious, his blood mixing with the rainwater. They watched Skulduggery as he stood there, his suit soaked and his fists clenched. His glistening skull was lowered, held in a way Tanith was unused to. It was something like defeat. And then he straightened.

"Okay," he said. "Looks like we have a fight on our hands.»