1.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Valkyrie whispered, as the two detectives broke into 221B Baker Street.

"He has my skull."

"Yes, but he did buy it. Can't you just ask for it back or something?"

"And you think he'll give it back, just like that?"

"Hey, it was worth a try."

Valkyrie followed Skulduggery up the stairs and into the small flat that the famed Sherlock Holmes and his companion, John Watson, shared.

"Are you sure that they'll be asleep?"

"Aren't most people asleep at this time?"

"I'm not."

"Yes, but you're with me, the wonderful Skulduggery Pleasant. Now shush, and help me find my skull."

Valkyrie rolled her eyes, and crept into what looked like the sitting room. She frowned. Something didn't feel right-

At that moment, there was a shout of triumph (Skulduggery, no doubt) and the sound of two gunshots. Valkyrie ran into the room next door, where Skulduggery was clutching his precious skull and a tall man in a robe was holding a gun.

The tall man spoke.

"Give me my skull back."

"Excuse me? This is mine." Skulduggery tightened his grip on the skull.

Valkyrie just stared.

"How are you not freaking out?"

"We've met before, Mr. Pleasant and I. Of course, he wasn't breaking into my flat at that time. Now, will you give me back my property, or will we have to do this the hard way?"

"This one has higher cheekbones."

Before the two detectives could get into a cat fight over a stupid bone of all things, John Watson stumbled into the room.

"Sherlock? I heard a gun and-" The doctor then realized exactly what Skulduggery was, and backed out of the room.

"You know what? I think that I've had too much to drink and that I should definitely go back to bed."

Valkyrie smiled at him sympathetically.

"It was a shock to me, too."

Valkyrie looked back at where Skulduggery and Sherlock were. Or, more accurately, where they had been. Valkyrie peeked out the window, then grabbed John by the arm.

"Sorry, it seems like we've got some detectives to go after. Come on, we don't want the whole street to get wrecked."

John sighed. So much for a quiet night.