Dodging the question. There could be any number of reasons for that, including ones that Skulduggery wouldn't have the background knowledge to understand. He would leave that point alone for now.

"Ah, a world traveler!" he said instead. "I haven't been to California very often, but I was in Damascus recently. I don't remember exactly when, but there were bombs. Lots of bombs." Was it an air raid of some sort? World War I, maybe. The city had gone through a very violent history, and Skulduggery hadn't really been there for the sightseeing, anyway. He paused. "Your family is scattered, then?"