A/N: Okay, readers, you are never gonna guess what I did. I read the second
two Artemis Fowl books. Whoopee! I gotta say, they're pretty good. And
looks like lots more opportunity for Butler/Holly sap 'n fluff, so I don't
understand why this pairing is a novel concept. There's all sorts of
matches that are entirely possible: Holly/Root, Holly/Butler, Holly/Foaly,
Holly/Artemis, etc. I suppose it comes with the territory of having limited
female characters. Anyways. On with the story!
Orange light chipped away at the blue. Time would soon be once again up and running in Fowl Manor. Please, thought Holly, please, please give him the gold. She was now reasonably certain that Butler and possibly Mud Men in general were thinking, feeling beings, but, measured on any scale, Artemis Fowl was definitely something else.
She knew it was useless. No way was the Council prepared to part with a grain of its precious gold.
Suddenly, Foaly's voice was in her ear. "Okay, Captain Short. The gold is on the way. Be ready to move."
This was not possible. "We don't bargain with kidnappers. What's going on here?"
"Nothing. Straightforward exchange. Gold goes in, you come out, send in missile, big blue bang, it's all over."
"Does Fowl know about the bio-bomb?"
"Yep. Claims he can escape the time field."
"Impossible."
"Correct."
"They'll all be killed!"
"Big deal," the centaur said, and he was gone.
Artemis Fowl's death would be no tragedy. He was a clear danger to the being of the People. But Juliet! She hadn't done anything. And Butler.
Butler would be killed. He'd be killed trusting his Master Artemis. He'd never know what happened.
Butler. She couldn't let this happen.
"Have you told them?" Holly asked Artemis, steel entering her voice.
"Told them what?"
"Don't play dumb, Fowl, you know what I'm talking about."
"Everything is proceeding according to plan."
There was no hope reasoning with this human. He was too wrapped up in himself, in his plan. He oozed confidence from every orifice. He had no concern for the significance of the lives he was putting in danger.
Holly turned to Butler, a pleading look on her face. "Listen to reason, for heaven's sake. You cannot escape the time-field. It has never been done.
"If Artemis says it can be done," he replied coolly, "then it can."
"Your sister! Are you willing to risk her life out of loyalty to a felon?"
She thought she saw his lips move a fraction of a millimeter, but the bodyguard was not swayed. "Artemis is no felon. He is a genius."
She could only look at him helplessly. He was like a big slobbering dog, loyal to his master to the very last. Where was the man who had talked to her, held her, kissed her? No trace of him was present in the calm eyes.
Well, then, fine. She didn't need them. It wasn't her backside on the line. She, if no one else, would come out of the Manor alive.
"You all are crazy," she announced from twenty feet in the air. She stole a glance at Butler, and willed herself not to cry. "In five minutes you'll all be dust. Dust! Don't you realize?"
Artemis impatiently checked his watch. "Butler, do we have any tranquilizers left?" he asked with a meaning glare at the hovering elf.
The giant manservant nodded, but didn't speak. At that precise moment, if the order came to sedate, he wasn't sure if he would, or could.
Orange light chipped away at the blue. Time would soon be once again up and running in Fowl Manor. Please, thought Holly, please, please give him the gold. She was now reasonably certain that Butler and possibly Mud Men in general were thinking, feeling beings, but, measured on any scale, Artemis Fowl was definitely something else.
She knew it was useless. No way was the Council prepared to part with a grain of its precious gold.
Suddenly, Foaly's voice was in her ear. "Okay, Captain Short. The gold is on the way. Be ready to move."
This was not possible. "We don't bargain with kidnappers. What's going on here?"
"Nothing. Straightforward exchange. Gold goes in, you come out, send in missile, big blue bang, it's all over."
"Does Fowl know about the bio-bomb?"
"Yep. Claims he can escape the time field."
"Impossible."
"Correct."
"They'll all be killed!"
"Big deal," the centaur said, and he was gone.
Artemis Fowl's death would be no tragedy. He was a clear danger to the being of the People. But Juliet! She hadn't done anything. And Butler.
Butler would be killed. He'd be killed trusting his Master Artemis. He'd never know what happened.
Butler. She couldn't let this happen.
"Have you told them?" Holly asked Artemis, steel entering her voice.
"Told them what?"
"Don't play dumb, Fowl, you know what I'm talking about."
"Everything is proceeding according to plan."
There was no hope reasoning with this human. He was too wrapped up in himself, in his plan. He oozed confidence from every orifice. He had no concern for the significance of the lives he was putting in danger.
Holly turned to Butler, a pleading look on her face. "Listen to reason, for heaven's sake. You cannot escape the time-field. It has never been done.
"If Artemis says it can be done," he replied coolly, "then it can."
"Your sister! Are you willing to risk her life out of loyalty to a felon?"
She thought she saw his lips move a fraction of a millimeter, but the bodyguard was not swayed. "Artemis is no felon. He is a genius."
She could only look at him helplessly. He was like a big slobbering dog, loyal to his master to the very last. Where was the man who had talked to her, held her, kissed her? No trace of him was present in the calm eyes.
Well, then, fine. She didn't need them. It wasn't her backside on the line. She, if no one else, would come out of the Manor alive.
"You all are crazy," she announced from twenty feet in the air. She stole a glance at Butler, and willed herself not to cry. "In five minutes you'll all be dust. Dust! Don't you realize?"
Artemis impatiently checked his watch. "Butler, do we have any tranquilizers left?" he asked with a meaning glare at the hovering elf.
The giant manservant nodded, but didn't speak. At that precise moment, if the order came to sedate, he wasn't sure if he would, or could.
