Chapter Three: Awakening
~Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~
It took time to build the strength to open his eyes. Anthony tried to blink but it was painful, his limbs felt like lead weights. He lay on a barely cushioned table, his helmet, gloves and shoes were gone, and he was lucky to have his jumpsuit still on. He opened his eyes, white lights made him think again and he closed them, feeling the heat of the room against his sensitive skin. 'Ahhh.our friend has regained consciousness,' said a strange voice. Anthony tried to sit up but restraints had been strapped to his wrists and ankles. He felt the remnants of magic healing in his body, tingling sensations in his chest and arms; he began to remember what had happened.
A huge vehicle, a mud-man car, has hit him just as he unshielded to enter the shuttle port, which was concealed as a high-voltage junction. He had lost consciousness on impact and the rest was a blur of shadowy people.
'W.wha.?' Anthony tried to speak, his mouth was still dry, and he looked down and saw Artemis, sitting there in a metal chair, looking extremely smug. 'Fowl!' he spluttered, tongue like a brick. 'Lay still my fairy friend' Artemis said, a tint of concern in his eye, 'Are you feeling all right? You were rather hurt.' He stood up and carried a crystal flute of water toward the Sprite who winced as he poured the contents into Anthony's mouth. 'Now.' Artemis began, 'You are welcome in my house, Fairy, and I trust that if I undo these restraints,' He said, undoing one of the ankle-clips, 'That you will maintain your composure and not attack me.' Anthony laughed, 'I can't make that promise Fowl, for what you've done to-' Artemis cut him short. 'Yes. you are but a child,' He said, donning a pair of sunglasses and beckoning butler into the room. He continued to undo the restraints until Claws sat upright on the table, staring at Artemis with a cold hazel stare. 'So.. Fowl. what do you want, already?' Anthony asked, 'I'll give it to you and you can let me go.' He looked around the room.
A sterile, futuristic laboratory. Clean and shining in new chrome, it looked like the site for some kind of alien autopsy. Anthony looked at butler as he entered the room. A seven-foot tall mammoth, brandishing a porcelain Glock 4mm. Anthony gulped, Artemis smiled threateningly. 'So, you know who I am?' He asked 'Who doesn't?' Claws looked at the floor 'Good point, I hadn't thought of that.' Artemis gave him that one 'Yeah, right, of course you thought of it, nothing slips you mind, you're THE Artemis Fowl' Anthony said, almost in awe 'The Second, actually.' Butler snarled, he hated this part, messing around. 'What's you're name elf?' Artemis asked, gazing round the room at the equipment. Anthony saw it too and he got briskly to his fee. 'That's LEP equipment, you can't.' He stopped. You never really know how big a gun is until it's pointing at you. 'Uhh. okay.. Mud-monkey. those things are dangerous y'know, especially the end with the hole in it.' Anthony gulped, Butler was grinning. Artemis motioned for him to lower his weapon.
'Sorry, Sprite. We need to keep that, I hope you understand' Artemis said, walking over to the helmet and patting its top. 'Tell me, Fairy, what IS your name?' he asked again, he was determined to know. 'Anthony..' Claws breathed, hoping Commander Root wasn't watching this conversation somehow 'Anthony. what.?' He asked, knowing his full name will help when taking Root of his guard. Claws paused, Fowl wouldn't like his answer. brother to a friend, and he hoped did Fowl still have feelings of friendship for Holly? 'S-Short.' he mumbled, the look on Artemis' face was only there for a single moment in time but to the passer by, it looked like he was sucking a lemon. 'Any relation to..?' 'Brother.' Artemis' mind was skipping over endless possibilities. He could, under no circumstances, hurt this Sprite, not Holly's brother. Artemis decided, he couldn't not risk losing the friendship he had took so long accumulating. His only true friend who didn't have a diamond-shaped tattoo on his shoulder. 'Butler, make arrangements for Anthony's accommodation' Artemis ordered. Butler had still not quite got over the coincidence and was quickly trying to imagine what was going through his young master's mind. 'Sure. I mean. yes Artemis.' He walked over to Claws and grabbed him by the arm, escorting him to the solitary basement. 'Hey! Not so rough Mud-monkey' Anthony cried 'Yes, Butler. please look after Anthony.' Artemis said weakly "Please"? Artemis though, he was faltering under the strain of such a development, Butler's thoughts co-ordinated with Artemis'. Butler knew Artemis had a plan but he could not think of it.
Artemis collapsed in a thick leather chair, Anthony SHORT? How could this have happened? Was Root playing trick on him? No. no one could play tricks on Artemis Fowl the Second. Artemis picked up the helmet and placed his slowly over his head and activated the communications device on the side, he had plenty of experience with LEP technology now. Root's face flickered on-screen. 'SHORT!! WHERE ARE YOU??' He bellowed, his face in a drawer, looking for a Cigar, 'YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AGO!' Root lit up, smoke started dissipating everywhere. 'Hello, Commander Root, how are you today?' Artemis said casually, looking satisfied at the gawping stare on Root's deeply purple face. 'Fowl. you. you. you.' Root stuttered, as Foaly's face appeared on another screen. 'Hello there, Foaly, my friend, and how are you, too?' Artemis was dominant in this situation, their surprise had overwhelmed them. 'Looks like your mind-wipe technology isn't so good after all, Foaly.' Foaly was busy, his fingers a blur over his keyboard, the noise of typing faded as Foaly looked up. 'Okay, Fowl, so you got your memories back, big deal. you're defenceless so we can come wipe you again. Block-wipe this time.' Foaly threatened Artemis, this wasn't a good move. 'Ahhh, yes, I'm defenceless am I?' grinned Artemis, 'Then how come I can contact you?' he asked, the smile widening. 'It so happens the I have a small mound of fairy technology sitting right next to me. Artemis switched the camera to Point Of View mode and looked down at the collection of pieces.
Root sat there, gibbering, the fungus cigar threatening to set alight his desk of papers. Butler had put Anthony in the newly furbished basement, carpet, bed, books. It was comfortable for a genius human but not a young sprite. Anthony was lucky he was so tired, having no magic was an uncomfortable feeling. 'Hey, Butler' Anthony snickered, 'I need to get to some soil and plant a seed' he said, wondering if he could trick the mud-monkey. Anthony's fingers reached into his pocket but did not close around the item he was looking for, the vacuum sealed Acorn which Artemis was holding right that very moment. 'I have Anthony Short and I want to talk to Holly.' Artemis was planning, again. So much to do with a Fairy.
~Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~
It took time to build the strength to open his eyes. Anthony tried to blink but it was painful, his limbs felt like lead weights. He lay on a barely cushioned table, his helmet, gloves and shoes were gone, and he was lucky to have his jumpsuit still on. He opened his eyes, white lights made him think again and he closed them, feeling the heat of the room against his sensitive skin. 'Ahhh.our friend has regained consciousness,' said a strange voice. Anthony tried to sit up but restraints had been strapped to his wrists and ankles. He felt the remnants of magic healing in his body, tingling sensations in his chest and arms; he began to remember what had happened.
A huge vehicle, a mud-man car, has hit him just as he unshielded to enter the shuttle port, which was concealed as a high-voltage junction. He had lost consciousness on impact and the rest was a blur of shadowy people.
'W.wha.?' Anthony tried to speak, his mouth was still dry, and he looked down and saw Artemis, sitting there in a metal chair, looking extremely smug. 'Fowl!' he spluttered, tongue like a brick. 'Lay still my fairy friend' Artemis said, a tint of concern in his eye, 'Are you feeling all right? You were rather hurt.' He stood up and carried a crystal flute of water toward the Sprite who winced as he poured the contents into Anthony's mouth. 'Now.' Artemis began, 'You are welcome in my house, Fairy, and I trust that if I undo these restraints,' He said, undoing one of the ankle-clips, 'That you will maintain your composure and not attack me.' Anthony laughed, 'I can't make that promise Fowl, for what you've done to-' Artemis cut him short. 'Yes. you are but a child,' He said, donning a pair of sunglasses and beckoning butler into the room. He continued to undo the restraints until Claws sat upright on the table, staring at Artemis with a cold hazel stare. 'So.. Fowl. what do you want, already?' Anthony asked, 'I'll give it to you and you can let me go.' He looked around the room.
A sterile, futuristic laboratory. Clean and shining in new chrome, it looked like the site for some kind of alien autopsy. Anthony looked at butler as he entered the room. A seven-foot tall mammoth, brandishing a porcelain Glock 4mm. Anthony gulped, Artemis smiled threateningly. 'So, you know who I am?' He asked 'Who doesn't?' Claws looked at the floor 'Good point, I hadn't thought of that.' Artemis gave him that one 'Yeah, right, of course you thought of it, nothing slips you mind, you're THE Artemis Fowl' Anthony said, almost in awe 'The Second, actually.' Butler snarled, he hated this part, messing around. 'What's you're name elf?' Artemis asked, gazing round the room at the equipment. Anthony saw it too and he got briskly to his fee. 'That's LEP equipment, you can't.' He stopped. You never really know how big a gun is until it's pointing at you. 'Uhh. okay.. Mud-monkey. those things are dangerous y'know, especially the end with the hole in it.' Anthony gulped, Butler was grinning. Artemis motioned for him to lower his weapon.
'Sorry, Sprite. We need to keep that, I hope you understand' Artemis said, walking over to the helmet and patting its top. 'Tell me, Fairy, what IS your name?' he asked again, he was determined to know. 'Anthony..' Claws breathed, hoping Commander Root wasn't watching this conversation somehow 'Anthony. what.?' He asked, knowing his full name will help when taking Root of his guard. Claws paused, Fowl wouldn't like his answer. brother to a friend, and he hoped did Fowl still have feelings of friendship for Holly? 'S-Short.' he mumbled, the look on Artemis' face was only there for a single moment in time but to the passer by, it looked like he was sucking a lemon. 'Any relation to..?' 'Brother.' Artemis' mind was skipping over endless possibilities. He could, under no circumstances, hurt this Sprite, not Holly's brother. Artemis decided, he couldn't not risk losing the friendship he had took so long accumulating. His only true friend who didn't have a diamond-shaped tattoo on his shoulder. 'Butler, make arrangements for Anthony's accommodation' Artemis ordered. Butler had still not quite got over the coincidence and was quickly trying to imagine what was going through his young master's mind. 'Sure. I mean. yes Artemis.' He walked over to Claws and grabbed him by the arm, escorting him to the solitary basement. 'Hey! Not so rough Mud-monkey' Anthony cried 'Yes, Butler. please look after Anthony.' Artemis said weakly "Please"? Artemis though, he was faltering under the strain of such a development, Butler's thoughts co-ordinated with Artemis'. Butler knew Artemis had a plan but he could not think of it.
Artemis collapsed in a thick leather chair, Anthony SHORT? How could this have happened? Was Root playing trick on him? No. no one could play tricks on Artemis Fowl the Second. Artemis picked up the helmet and placed his slowly over his head and activated the communications device on the side, he had plenty of experience with LEP technology now. Root's face flickered on-screen. 'SHORT!! WHERE ARE YOU??' He bellowed, his face in a drawer, looking for a Cigar, 'YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AGO!' Root lit up, smoke started dissipating everywhere. 'Hello, Commander Root, how are you today?' Artemis said casually, looking satisfied at the gawping stare on Root's deeply purple face. 'Fowl. you. you. you.' Root stuttered, as Foaly's face appeared on another screen. 'Hello there, Foaly, my friend, and how are you, too?' Artemis was dominant in this situation, their surprise had overwhelmed them. 'Looks like your mind-wipe technology isn't so good after all, Foaly.' Foaly was busy, his fingers a blur over his keyboard, the noise of typing faded as Foaly looked up. 'Okay, Fowl, so you got your memories back, big deal. you're defenceless so we can come wipe you again. Block-wipe this time.' Foaly threatened Artemis, this wasn't a good move. 'Ahhh, yes, I'm defenceless am I?' grinned Artemis, 'Then how come I can contact you?' he asked, the smile widening. 'It so happens the I have a small mound of fairy technology sitting right next to me. Artemis switched the camera to Point Of View mode and looked down at the collection of pieces.
Root sat there, gibbering, the fungus cigar threatening to set alight his desk of papers. Butler had put Anthony in the newly furbished basement, carpet, bed, books. It was comfortable for a genius human but not a young sprite. Anthony was lucky he was so tired, having no magic was an uncomfortable feeling. 'Hey, Butler' Anthony snickered, 'I need to get to some soil and plant a seed' he said, wondering if he could trick the mud-monkey. Anthony's fingers reached into his pocket but did not close around the item he was looking for, the vacuum sealed Acorn which Artemis was holding right that very moment. 'I have Anthony Short and I want to talk to Holly.' Artemis was planning, again. So much to do with a Fairy.