Chapter 5

A Breakthrough

Artemis was loaded into the ambulence with all speed when the vehicle arrived. He was moved to the Emergency Care Center within 10 minutes of the call from the nurse.

Artemis Sr. and Angeline burst into the waiting room while Butler parked the car. Juliet was going to stay home until they returned, which was just as well.

Making his way to the front desk, Artemis Sr. demanded that the small, rather unstable looking receptionist lead them to his son.

The receptionist looked up at them and squeaked. "Um, er, there'll be some problems with that, sir, as Artemis Fowl the Second is currently under respirators and any visitors-"

Then Butler strode in and leaned over the desk. "You must be mistaken. I've been in places much less civilized than this, and we've never had a problem with the people whose job is to let someone who may very well be on their deathbed see their family, for crying out loud!" Having said this all in one breath, the bodyguard glowered at the lady and, chest heaving, scowled at her some more as he went to sit down.

The poor lady gave a faint "meep" as she hit the intercom button and talked into her headset. "Hello, Doctor Landby? The Fowl boy's family is here to see him." She listened to the response, then said, "Yes, well, I told them, but they are quite desparate and seem to think that being withheld from their son on his deathbed is uncivilized and-" She paused, listening again. "Very well. I'll send them down."

She pressed off the intercom, and looked at the family. Butler sttod up and joined them again. "Well?" asked Angeline. "May we please see him?"

The tiny receptionist looked up at her, and in her eyes there was an apparent pity for the mother. "Yes, ma'am. The doctor said you may visit for a short time, provided that you all are in full health and have no viruses or bugs of any kind."

She looked the rather tall group up and down, debating whether or not she should stand up and appear even smaller than she really was. Deciding against it, she informed them which room was his and how to get there. Buzzing open the doors, she held her breath until the big troll-like human was gone. Then she wiped her forehead and greeted some new incomers.

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Angeline Fowl peeped her head around the door to her son's hospital room. She gasped sharply as she took in all the machinery surrounding him. Artemis was covered in icepacks, breathing regulators, tubes, pumps, and all other kinds of beeping technology. She shuddered. She never did like hospitals, and she had been in many more than was probably good for her. First her husband, now her son? At least she was in full health.

Artemis Sr. was just as depressed. This hospital room made him remember his own, and how desolate and isolated he had felt while there, regardless of all the visitors.

Butler came in last, stooping to fit through the doorway. So this was a modern hospital room. He couldn't help but think about his past employers, and the various hospital rooms where they had died. He tried not to think about Artemis' death, and wished that he could do something.

Artemis was sleeping, but only lightly, the doctor informed them. They had to wake him up at intervals, to keep him from falling into a coma. But as of yet, there was nothing more they could do. They had no doubt that he would, eventually, go into a coma, but they were trying their best to prevent it.

"And we think he may be delerious. The things he says, both when awake and asleep, don't make sense. Mutterings about fairies and magical healing powers." The doctor chuckled slightly. "But move aside, please, we need to wake him up again."

A nurse came in, and she assisted the doctor in sitting the patient up and patting his hand to make him stir. I could do that, thought Angeline, and after all, I am his mother.

Momentarily the boy's eyes fluttered open. He twisted slightly, trying to arrange himself comfortably. His parents were at his side in a flash.

"Artemis! Oh, Arty dear!" Angeline brushed some stray hairs off her son's face. "Oh, sweetie, talk to me! Say something!"

Artemis looked around. "Where's Butler?" He rasped.

Butler came on the opposite side of his the Fowls, and took his employer's hand. "Yes, Artemis?"

Artemis' eyes widened, trying to express the importance of his words. "Go underground. Tell Holly. You need to tell Holly. Go to E1 and wait. Remember Holly? Captain Holly Short? LEP, Butler. LEP and Recon. The Bwa' Kell. The Neutrino Blasters. Remember, Butler, the kidnapping? Go and get Holly, Root, Foaly. Go tell them..." And his head slumped, sleeping again.

The Fowls looked up incredulously at the doctor. The doctor shrugged. "I'm as baffled as you are. That's all we've managed to get out of him. Holly, kidnapping, fairy gold..." He shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't know what to tell you, other then prayers. We'll need to keep a close eye on him. My advice is to keep someone here at all times, at least in the waiting room. I don't know what we're waiting for, but wait."

Angeline insisted on staying with "her (sniff) poor little (sob) Arty (wail)" first. Artemis Sr. and Butler walked out, trying very hard to not show any expression.

Butler was very confused. Artemis' words were not the words of delerium- he knew delerium when he heard it, he'd seen it enough. But what was the meaning? Artemis would never talk in code in a time like this- so what was he playing at?

He kept mulling it over as he walked out the double doors, nearly knocking over the little receptionist. Her mild squeak brought his attention down to her. He looked down at her. She was very short. Three foot six, tops.

There was something gnawing at the back of his mind.

Interesting hair style, too. Very creative, totally hid the ears. But when she shook her head indignantly to look up and scowl at him, he caught glimpse of a pointed ear.

His head started to spin. Then, starting from the Spiro incident, it all came back.

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Butler nearly bashed in his head on the car door, he was so excited. He broke nearly every speeding law in existence (starting with #1: Don't go more than 20 over the speed limit) as he "cruised" home.

"Butler!" Angeline shrieked, clinging to her husband in desparate attempts to relieve her fright, "Aren't those mph signs provided to ensure public safety!?"

"50 miles per hour is no kind of speed for real people!" Butler swerved as an oldsmobile came, to him, out of nowhere. "Hey, watch it!"

The little old lady in the offending car loked positively terrified at the thought of getting on this scary guy's bad side.

The Bentley screamed into the Fowl Manor garage as Butler pulled a tight corner, stomped on the breaks and jumped out of the car, clutching his sde and gasping as he pelted into the house.

The parents of Artemis Fowl the Second where left to struggle out of the car, looking very windblown and confused.

"I don't know what's gotten into him," Artemis Sr. looked at the rapidly disappearing figure in disbelief. "He's usually so under control."

"Well, dear, he has been very attached to Arty- Arty-" Angeline stuttered, remembering her son's plight. "Oh, Timmy, what are we going to do?" She fell sobbing into her husband.

Artemis Sr. snapped back to reality. That breathtaking carride had effectively wiped all thoughts other than his own survival out of his head. But now it all came back. He looked down to his wfe, patting her head.

"I don't know. I just don't know."

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