Chapter 9.
Trouble carefully laid the unconscious dispatcher on the floor.
" Sorry my friend, " he murmured, setting the sprite in a comfortable position. " But it's very important for me and my friends to pass.
"Enough talking! " Root bellowed. " Our charming young ladies are waiting. Start the engine. On maximum speed."
" Yes, sir, " responded Trouble.
Illegally getting to the surface, the group consisting of fourteen officers, risen to the air. It's true that Holly and Nika were popular among there colleagues. So it wasn't hard for Root to find thirteen devoted officers, ready to risk there career and even there life for the sake of captain Short and senior lieutenant Medici.
Of course, nobody was surprised when Trouble Kelp was the first to volunteer. Every one knew that he had a friendship with Holly and Nika. Besides, he knew the last for a long time: they studied eleven years at the same school, and Trouble back then repeatedly went with her to the school dances until reaseving his diploma. However, dances proceeded even after school ended when Kelp already arrived to the police academy and Medici has passed to the senior classes.
Trouble shook his head, throwing out the unwanted ideas. Not that he really liked Medici, though it was impossible to tell, she wasn't usesing the success of young elves. He had simply got used to the fact that Nika was a bit different: played football with others, it is was easy talk about a girl that you liked with her and it was absolutely easy to discuses simulators of a real fight, instead of clothes and the height of heels. Trouble considered her as his young sister and at times really wished that she exchanged places with his brother.
Yes, by the way about his brother.
Grub that wasn't submitting any hopes too had managed to join the group. Mainly, owing to the moaning, every minute reminding of mum to his senior brother - that was a very important factor - to surprising patience of Root.
" All go down to four hundred feet! " Roots voice reached from the dynamics. " Foaly has sent the message, that in forty seconds there will be a plane!"
Thirteen people immediately executed his command. Trouble shuddered: once he nearly was brought down with an air bus and since that moment almost twenty years has passed, but still it was an unpleasant to him to recollect that moment.
" Take it more to the left! " The major ordered.
This order too has been executed.
Trouble closed all of the channels, having left only cleanliness of the chief, and asked:
" Do we have a plan?"
" Knock the brains out of Djuval before the council will find out about our intentions, " answered Root.
" I mean about a real plan."
The short pause followed. Then he said:
" We can only intercept the group conducted by Lizzi. It's forbidden to enter the private residence."
Trouble grinned.
" That's the reason we are flying on full speed?"
" Exactly, " Root confirmed.
" I hope Fowl didn't do anything to our officers."
" He isn't that monstrous. Besides I doubt, that he could cause any harm to Holly. He always looked at her like a love struck idiot."
" Is it because you are jealous, " the centaur had unexpectedly interfered.
" Shut up or I will reduce your salary! " the major of the LEP warned. "By the way, he still does not remember her."
Foaly snorted. Then the natural horse like laughter followed .
" We will see about that, " the centaur informed, after calming himself down.
" Are you telling me that you didn't erase his memory? " Root became angry.
"No. I really did erased it. But you see, the processes of erasing peoples memory isn't fully understood, we usually erase memory to people who never after that will see us again …"
" Long story short! " The major almost bellowed.
" Long story short, Fowl is looking at Holly in person. And if I correctly understand, his memory is solving pieces."
The unexpressed question hung in mid-air. And the first, who has ventured to invest his with words, was Trouble Kelp.
"And what if he already remembered her? " He asked with hope.
Fowl manor.
If Holly Short knew, what Trouble, Foaly and Root where thinking right now, and she had an opportunity to talk to them, she would undoubtedly disappoint them, having told that Artemis doesn't remember. She didn't know what was the reason. Probably, the dissimilarity of his brain was different from other people. And maybe, something else. Anyway, neither Holly nor Nika did not possess sufficient knowledge to answer this question.
With the same success she could explain why their filters were switched-off.
Holly still sat in an armchair, and Artemis still stayed on her armrest. However now they were joined by Nika, who chose her self a place opposite Fowl - the second armrest of a deep soft armchair - and Butler. They would look almost like a family if the elf girls weren't holding the Neutrino blasters, and if Butler wasn't covered from head to toe in weapons.
The change of his master's attitude towards the elf girls didn't surprise the bodyguard. He was used to trust his patron and he was also used to that Artemis didn't tell him everything. He was glad for one thing: his sister, Juliet, has left the private residence two hours ago and went to the airport.
" So, let's specify once again, " Artemis offered. " If we notice the time stop, we leave immediately. We have enough soporific for every one. If that doesn't happen and your Elizabeth with her team will still attack …
" We will take care of them, " Nika rapaciously grinned.
" Butler had installed the cameras, capable to get two thousand shots in a second. Now we can observe everything from the back entrance too."
" Our helmets are equipped by special filters, " added Holly. " They allow us to see through the shields."
" By the way, about the shields, " Artemis looked closely at her. " I hope yours still works."
The girls exchanged glances.
" I do not know, " Holly murmured. "They switched off at night for some reason. I didn't try it since then."
" Try now. And check your wings."
Holly executed his order: she attached the wings on her back and flied up in air switching her shield.
" You passed the test, " grinned Medici. " I can't see you."
Captain Short switched off her shield and smoothly lowered her self on the floor.
Artemis thought for a second then risen and walked towards the girl.
"Holly, you will take the helmet and the blaster and will fly around the manor, tell me if you find anything. Butler, check the cellar. Only be careful."
" You didn't tell me to be careful, " Holly said pretending to be upset but there still was a small smile playing on her lips.
Fowl looked at Butler and Medici from the corner of his eye, sighed deeply and gently stroked the girls cheek. And then he drawn her by the neck to him and whispered something to her ear. She instantly pulled back and Nike Medici thought that there was hostility flashed in her eyes and maybe a bit of fury.
With out saying a word Holly took off from the opened window. And Butler also didn't hesitate to execute his part of the task.
" What did you tell her? " Suddenly asked Medici.
" Whatever I said concerns only the two of us, " answered Artemis.
The elf set more comfortably on the armchair and looked at Fowl with her shrilling green eyes.
" Do you like her?"
Artemis blinked.
"Holly? " He asked slowly. Medidci nodded." It's possible."
But Nika wasn't satisfied with his answer.
"You don't have to be shy about it, " she told instructively." For your information, you are talking to a girl who nearly kissed her own brother. And, I shall dare to say that it wasn't a tiny peck on the cheek."
" Really?"Artemis was surprised. "You mean … I meant to say ... you have a brother?"
He wanted to kill himself. What on earth did he just say! Talking about something like this with a girl- not something a genius can do.
" Even two, - Nika smiled artfully. "But you didn't want to ask about that."
Artemis shook his head, but made it too fast the girl has noticed it.
" When I was younger," she stretched." And when i was barley eighty years old, I often went to the night clubs. And i still do. Sometimes. So I and Nick are almost the same age. He is younger than me on eight years. For humans it would be eight months. So we both went to a night club, you know what a night club is?"
Artemis didn't answer.
" I see, -the elf sighed. "Just for your information: there is always loud music and it's quiet dark. So there in the darkness I wanted to kiss this one hot elf - you don't know him, - and instead of the elf nearly kissed…
"I get it, - Artemis softly interrupted her. "You don't have to continue."
" On my luck, my heel chose to break at that moment, " finished lieutenant Medici. " But you don't have to worry: Holly doesn't have any brothers."
" I'm not...! " Artemis tried to protest.
But Nika dared to interrupt the genius.
" Yes you are!" She declared.
Artemis didn't feel like continuing this conversation. Especially after what he told Holly. And thank God, Medici understood. But the thought still bothered Fowl.
HollyluvsArty-thanks a bunch for the review and sorry that this chapter is a bit short:)
Sorry i haven't updated for so long, i have some family problems(and when that happens i don't really feel like writing). But i hope it won't take that long for the next chapter,i'll try my best guys!;)
