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Holly locked the door with barely contained patience. She would have slammed it if she was in her own house but since she is a guest under the Fowl household, she controlled her temper.
A lot had happened today and she is totally confused. No doubt, whoever this Timothy was, he is absolutely not human. Holly was sure Artemis knew that already, being the observant genius he is, but based on how he acted a while ago it was as if seeing things like that were normal. Then again, Fowls have a different description of normal and ordinary.
But to Holly, what she saw awhile ago was far from normal.
Yesterday evening she heard him mutter a string of Gnomish curses. She knew what she heard. No human can speak gnomish so fluently except for Artemis and Holly doubt Artemis would actually say gnomish curses aloud for a classmate of his to adopt and memorize.
However, Holly didn't expect for more of such incident.
Being able to cheat Fairy Mesmer, it will take the work of a pure genius and so far no one has ever cheated fairy Mesmer except for Artemis Fowl II. But to completely ignore Mesmer is impossible for a human being. One may be able to fight it for a period of time, like Butler did years back, but one can't totally ignore it.
Then there was this incident earlier while they were decorating the Christmas tree. She saw the whole thing. She saw how that thing pierced through his skin, leaving behind that one-inch wound but when Holly forced him so she can look at the wound, all that's left was an inch long pink line. No wound, though the blood stain is still in the sleeve of his polo.
No one can heal that fast.
Holly stopped on her tracks as the thought came up.
No one can do all those things not unless that person is a member of the People. But then again, Timothy looked human enough.
Then realization strikes, a half-blood.
A dozen of question swam in her head as she picked up her helmet and contracted the only person she knew that will somehow shed some light on all of this.
First call….
And someone picked up immediately.
"Foaly?"
"Obviously….who else could it be?" came the answer from the other end. Holly could even imagine him rolling his eyes in exasperation.
"Foaly something is not right. Did you do a background check on Timothy?" she asked straight to the point.
"I did a lot of test." came Foaly's answer, not sure whether she would continue or not.
"And?" Holly prompted
"There is no person, living or dead, named Timothy Korvstrim. I ran a scan on the picture as well, still no record,"
"No record? What do you mean?" Holly frowned. She didn't catch what he meant. How can someone have no record? This is the LEP's technical genius they are talking about.
"The person doesn't exist, Holly. There is no record of him being born." Foaly answered in a grave matter-of-fact tone.
"I don't understand."
Holly frowned. None of this is making sense.
How can someone not born even exist? Could he be a clone?
Then the worst assumptions came in her head, what if he is a spy or an assassin working for Opal to get her revenge?
That seems to be a fair enough assumption since all of those vexed Opal is under the same roof.
"I don't either but I'll find out. Can you give me a strand of his hair or something that I can use to trace his DNA?" Foaly asked sounding determined as ever. Holly can practically hear him typing on a keyboard
"Count on it."
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After that little accident, Temmy and Cerise went with Butler to the Manor's gym.
Be with a large group of people.
It was one way to avoid the watchful eyes of Holly Short, though they know, the former female captain will get the answers she wants soon. It's just a matter of delaying it.
She is determined after all, especially after the three mistakes Temmy did later that day.
Cerise watched as her best friend walked thro and fro, obviously thinking deeply. He always does that when he is worried about something or simply plotting a next move. However, at that moment. Temmy was doing both; worry was slightly visible in his mismatched eyes.
"You'll bore holes on the floor if you kept on doing that," Cerise said but Temmy didn't pay her any attention, Cerise groaned, "Would you stop that? You're making me tense too."
The tone of the last sentence came out an octave higher than Cerise intended it to be. At least that caught the young genius's attention. Temmy stopped for a moment to look at her, his eyes slightly confused as if he just realized she was even there
"Sorry." he said
After a few minutes, he began what he was doing awhile back.
"You're doing it again,"
Temmy stopped again giving a dejected sigh and sat on a bench. He placed his head on his hands and ran it through his hair as he groaned, making Cerise slightly worried.
"What is taking Riley so long?" he asked, mostly to himself though he didn't meant for it to be said aloud, the words escaped his lips before he could stop them.
"Temmy, we are only here for two days." Cerise reasoned out.
"Time differs," Temmy answered, waving one hand dismissively. Cerise was completely clueless of what he meant by that but before she could ask, Temmy continued talking, "I hope Riley is in a better situation than I am,"
"Let's just hope so," Cerise nodded in agreement then a mischievous smile flashed across her face.
"Temmy," she called in a sweet tone
"Wha -," Temmy glanced at her but whatever the question was it never came up as he rolled out of the way when Cerise wacked a practice sword to where was sitting at
"Cerise!"
"Combat Practice…" the Butler Girl said with a smile as she threw a practice sword to Temmy who caught it expertly with his left hand.
Cerise smiled. Temmy always favored his left hand than his right. With a sword now in hand, Cerise immediately lunge forward and swung her sword at her best friend, who immediately blocked it with his own weapon out of reflex; eyes wide in surprise.
Cerise smile grew.
"Cerise…I don't… think… this is the appropriate… time for this." Temmy said as he continued to block of Cerise's attacks. Even though Temmy knew that reasoning out an excuse is not that useful when Cerise is in the mood for something, it was worth a shot to try.
Cerise smirked as she continued the attacks adding some few kicks whenever there was an opportunity, which Temmy dodged all the time, "Scared that you'll lose this time?" she taunted
Temmy gave a small shrug as he continued to block all of Cerise attacks fluidly with slight boredom and irritation and an air of arrogance. But despite of his display of boredom, Cerise was still on full energy.
Temmy sighed, he was not fond of stuffs like this the way his brother did. He and Riley both have different view when it comes to combat, Riley is good in attacks, a useful tactic on combat while Temmy on the other hand, prefers defense than attacks - which is slightly similar to their personality.
After a few moments, Cerise successfully knocked the sword out of Temmy's hand, leaving the young genius no choice but to run after his fallen weapon. Cerise let out a small laugh as Temmy mentally groaned, he better end this now before he obtains any more injuries that will lead to further more suspicions from some of the members of the house.
After a series of running and chasing down the room, climbing and breaking through stuffs Temmy managed to disarmed the Butler girl and pinned her to a wall.
They stared at each other's eyes for a moment. That was until an unexpected applause echoed throughout the room. Juliet Butler was standing a few meters away from the door. Butler himself has stopped from his work out just to watch the teens' sword fight.
"Oh you guys are good," Juliet beamed, giving two thumbs up. Then, that happy face was replaced by a curious look, "Though how did you learn how to fight like that?"
"Mixed influences of you, Butler and my mother and mother insisted that we learn how to combat arts in case something terrible came up," Temmy answered casually as he placed the sword on a nearby bench then he looked at Cerise with an annoying smile.
"Let see…over all, counting the combat practice we did awhile back in the future," Temmy paused for a moment and grimaced at the irony of what he said but then continued anyway "that will be seven over six,"
Cerise frowned, "That was just a lucky move Fowl,"
"You really are Artemis' son. So formal and so arrogant," Juliet commented, shaking her head a little
"I'll take that as a compliment," Temmy answered dryly with a small smile.
"Care for another round?" Cerise asked though she already knew the answer to it.
"No, thanks." Temmy answered as he sat on a bench, "I'll just sit here for a while and think about things."
Cerise smiled a little at that.
Typical Artemis III.
"Well, you wouldn't be a Fowl if you stopped thinking, just don't overdo it." She answered as she went off to spar with Juliet.
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