Chapter Three: Crash
Artemis settled back in his seat. He and Jada were in his private jet, a hired pilot was flying and a note had been left for Butler and Juliet, should they return before Artemis and Jada, which Artemis found highly likely.
Jada had a pair of headphones on and was singing softly. "You make me feel like I can fly, so high, El-ev-ation!" Artemis rolled his eyes, and Jada, oblivious to the world, began to sing louder. Artemis booted up his laptop. This was going to be a long flight.
Artemis and Jada were woken by a large jolt. Jada shrugged and started singing again. Artemis was tempted to strangle her, at least she couldn't sing with his hands around her neck. "Jada." He said, in his lowest, most dangerous tones. "Yes, Arty?" Came the reply. "Stop singing, or I swear to whichever deity you believe in, I will throw that discman down the toilet." Jada stuck her tongue out at Artemis. He shook his head and turned back to the window.
A red light flashed on above the cockpit and the pilot's voice sounded through the intercom. "Would all passengers please put on their oxygen masks and draw their inflatable rafts and parachutes from under their seats. A mere precaution, a slight drop in cabin pressure has been detected.
Artemis and Jada followed his instructions.
"HOLY CRAP!" Screamed the pilot as a tattoo of bullets drummed into the Lear. Jada drew a nine millimetre pistol from inside her shirt and glanced around.
"Dropping to five hundred feet." Said the pilot, panic flooding his voice. Artemis unbuckled his seat belt. He had a feeling he wouldn't be needing it.
Something slammed into the Lear. Something black . A sleek fighter jet, missiles cradled menacingly under the wings.
"HOLY CRAP!" Echoed Jada. Artemis winced. Her language was disgusting.
"Bailin' out, coming, Artemis?"
Artemis waved her away. He could vaguely make out the pilot of the jet. He was huge, not Arno Blunt, some one else. Then the plane swung a little and Artemis caught a glance of a packet of chips sitting on the controls of the fighter.
The tiny jet swung away from the Lear and fell behind. Jada sighed. Artemis knew the plan, though."
"PARACHUTES!" He swung his pack over his shoulders and stepped toward the door. Jada pulled her parachute on and stepped up beside him. Then the rear of the plane exploded.
As the remains of the plane began to plummet, Artemis grasped Jada's hand, and leapt.
They fell for what seemed like an age, then Artemis pulled his parachute open. Jada followed suit and the two crashed into a pile of hay. Hay? Thought Artemis. He glanced around. He and Jada appeared to have fallen into the back of a hay cart, which, in turn, was travelling down a dusty and crowded street, chock full of street vendors.
He climbed slowly off the cart and pulled Jada down. She glanced around, looking slightly dizzy. "I feel witty, I feel pretty." Artemis shook his head. "Oh, God." Jada collapsed on the ground, grinning. "Look, Arty, my legs don't work." Artemis bent down and slapped her lightly.
She winced and slapped him back. He scowled at her and took out his mobile, dialling 999.
"Butt head." Swore Jada as she lay in a stark white hospital ward, one of her legs in a cast. "Chips?" Asked Artemis. "Yes, I'm afraid he is." "No, idiot features!" Glowered Jada. "YOU."
"Oh." "Oh yes." Artemis shook his head yet again. "Honestly, Jada. You act more and more like an average teenage girl every day.
Jada sighed. "Yes, I suppose I do. Must be the fairy magic. You said it changed your Father. Besides, I don't mind being normal. Much safer than crime. And a lot more fun." Artemis laughed. "Believe me, Jada. You are far from normal."
Artemis settled back in his seat. He and Jada were in his private jet, a hired pilot was flying and a note had been left for Butler and Juliet, should they return before Artemis and Jada, which Artemis found highly likely.
Jada had a pair of headphones on and was singing softly. "You make me feel like I can fly, so high, El-ev-ation!" Artemis rolled his eyes, and Jada, oblivious to the world, began to sing louder. Artemis booted up his laptop. This was going to be a long flight.
Artemis and Jada were woken by a large jolt. Jada shrugged and started singing again. Artemis was tempted to strangle her, at least she couldn't sing with his hands around her neck. "Jada." He said, in his lowest, most dangerous tones. "Yes, Arty?" Came the reply. "Stop singing, or I swear to whichever deity you believe in, I will throw that discman down the toilet." Jada stuck her tongue out at Artemis. He shook his head and turned back to the window.
A red light flashed on above the cockpit and the pilot's voice sounded through the intercom. "Would all passengers please put on their oxygen masks and draw their inflatable rafts and parachutes from under their seats. A mere precaution, a slight drop in cabin pressure has been detected.
Artemis and Jada followed his instructions.
"HOLY CRAP!" Screamed the pilot as a tattoo of bullets drummed into the Lear. Jada drew a nine millimetre pistol from inside her shirt and glanced around.
"Dropping to five hundred feet." Said the pilot, panic flooding his voice. Artemis unbuckled his seat belt. He had a feeling he wouldn't be needing it.
Something slammed into the Lear. Something black . A sleek fighter jet, missiles cradled menacingly under the wings.
"HOLY CRAP!" Echoed Jada. Artemis winced. Her language was disgusting.
"Bailin' out, coming, Artemis?"
Artemis waved her away. He could vaguely make out the pilot of the jet. He was huge, not Arno Blunt, some one else. Then the plane swung a little and Artemis caught a glance of a packet of chips sitting on the controls of the fighter.
The tiny jet swung away from the Lear and fell behind. Jada sighed. Artemis knew the plan, though."
"PARACHUTES!" He swung his pack over his shoulders and stepped toward the door. Jada pulled her parachute on and stepped up beside him. Then the rear of the plane exploded.
As the remains of the plane began to plummet, Artemis grasped Jada's hand, and leapt.
They fell for what seemed like an age, then Artemis pulled his parachute open. Jada followed suit and the two crashed into a pile of hay. Hay? Thought Artemis. He glanced around. He and Jada appeared to have fallen into the back of a hay cart, which, in turn, was travelling down a dusty and crowded street, chock full of street vendors.
He climbed slowly off the cart and pulled Jada down. She glanced around, looking slightly dizzy. "I feel witty, I feel pretty." Artemis shook his head. "Oh, God." Jada collapsed on the ground, grinning. "Look, Arty, my legs don't work." Artemis bent down and slapped her lightly.
She winced and slapped him back. He scowled at her and took out his mobile, dialling 999.
"Butt head." Swore Jada as she lay in a stark white hospital ward, one of her legs in a cast. "Chips?" Asked Artemis. "Yes, I'm afraid he is." "No, idiot features!" Glowered Jada. "YOU."
"Oh." "Oh yes." Artemis shook his head yet again. "Honestly, Jada. You act more and more like an average teenage girl every day.
Jada sighed. "Yes, I suppose I do. Must be the fairy magic. You said it changed your Father. Besides, I don't mind being normal. Much safer than crime. And a lot more fun." Artemis laughed. "Believe me, Jada. You are far from normal."
