Chapter Five: Gun watch
~Tara Chute, Ireland~
The sinking feeling in Claw's stomach wasn't because he hadn't eaten in at least four days, oh no, it was because he hadn't been in contact with Root for a long time. There was only one reason why an LEP agent wouldn't or couldn't report back and that was because they were dead- until now. Claw's helmet was deadweight; he was only carrying it with him because he had to prove that it was broken to Foaly and Root. As Claws reached the bottom of Tara chute, his shuttle gave a small shudder as the docking clamps hugged the exterior of the ship. Claws took off his seatbelt, stretched and walked slowly out of the shuttle door. He had commandeered a whole shuttle just for his trip; he was amused by the readiness of the Chute elves to follow his orders and made them get him a drink too. He broke into a run as he reached the main street of Haven, he had no car but it would only take him a few minutes to get back to LEP headquarters. As he entered the doors, a long line of complainants was battling to be first in line. He pushed past tourists and residents and kids and goblins (who oddly felt the need to throw a fireball at Claws, who, in turn, whacked the slow creature over the head with his buzz baton) to the 'Restricted' doors. He ran through the corridor and burst into Commander Root's office. 'I'm sorry sir, I-' he stopped dead, Foaly's face was hilarious, though, this wasn't the time to laugh. 'Wha? I don't get it.' Foaly said gingerly 'I couldn't report in, MY HELMET BROKE!' Claws roared, Foaly was now completely and utterly confused. 'We have to contact the Commander.' Foaly breathed, fumbling around for the controls on his keyboard. 'Yeah, where is Beetroot?' he said, taking Root's absence as a time to laugh at his expense, 'He's topside, rescuing you.' Foaly was deadly serious as Root's face appeared on screen, 'They have a whole assault team in Fowl's place.'
Root blinked, Foaly blinked, Claws looked stupid, 'What are you doing there??' Root asked, 'you're supposed to be here!' Foaly agreed, 'This is a huge cock-up.' Root was taking huge breaths, no cigar in sight, 'Okay. we. need. to. extract. the. forget it!' Root bellowed, 'D'ARVIT!!' Claws winced at hearing Root swear so loudly. Foaly nodded. 'Right, switching to may favourite channel,' he grinned, 'Holly-cam!' and with that, the frequency changed and Holly's Point Of View loomed on screen.
'HOLLY! STOP!' Foaly shouted, Holly was standing in front of Artemis Fowl, Foaly watched her take a cold-blooded shot from her Neutrino 2000 right at Artemis' heart.
~Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~ (thirty-seven minutes prior.)
The time it took Holly to open the locked front door of the Manor was depressingly slow. It took her Omni-pick 6 whole seconds to break the lock down and open it. "What a way to start a mission", she thought, "Slowly." The door opened, Butler, Mulch, Juliet and Artemis were all in the control room. Artemis' cameras had been changed and these new state-of-the-art digital pan-and-zoom cameras had the ability to play freeze-frames rapidly. This means shielded fairies weren't shielded. Butler had adopted a new tactic, twin Sauer's, his hands felt good when brandishing a lethal weapon again. Juliet's approach was a little more brutal, wielding a Japanese- style Katana sword, which she had 'borrowed' from Madame Ko. Mulch was smart, he was staying with Artemis, to, in his words, 'be the last line of defence, in case you two fall, I'll protect Arty.' this comforted Artemis none, having a weaponless Dwarf protect you was like carrying a smelly, talkative, annoying cinder block on a jog. Artemis had made another joke, no one laughed.
Four elves were still in the grounds, waiting for permission to enter, one was inside. Artemis deduced that the one inside MUST be Holly, she was the only one who had an invitation. Artemis sighed, would he have to hurt Holly? How could he let them know Anthony was safe? Would Holly hurt him? Butler made his way down to the main hall, pretending he did not know where Holly was. He took deep breaths, smelling her out and feeling the vibrations in the room. Holly was creeping round behind Butler, he knew it. A giant hand flashed out and caught the elf by the arm. Holly unshielded. 'You know I really don't want to hurt you, Holly, you're to much of a friend.' Butler whispered, concern swelling in his eyes, 'But I can't let you hurt Artemis.' 'I know Butler, but he has my brother and I want him back.' Holly said, anger beating in her throat. Butler tried to speak, 'But. He's go-' he stopped, Holly talked over him, 'Now. sleep.' she said, her voice thick and mysterious with the mesmer, Butler resisted but he knew that from under the helmet, Holly's eyes were peering into him. Butler flopped to the floor. Twin Sauer's resting against the ground, useless.
Juliet had gone into the grounds, seeking the fairies that waited out doors. One of them was raving furiously about the idea that Holly wanted to go this one alone, Juliet crept up on him and kicked him in the head, ouch.
The other sprites sprung into action and lunged at Juliet, whose weapon was quickly drawn and with Artemis' precise instructions, sliced the end off all their weapons. She grinned as thee unshielded fairies circled her with buzz batons. Juliet was going to enjoy this fight.
Inside, there wasn't much hope. With the youthful Butler gone, aged and sleeping, Artemis sighed to Mulch. 'You have no intention of protecting me, do you?' he asked the Dwarf who was looking eagerly for an escape route. 'Well. I would help you. mate. but. for aiding mud-men I could get more than twenty years!' he said, desperately when Holly opened the door, her Neutrino 2000 raised. Mulch whined, Holly took a shot right at Mulch's head, he ducked and scrambled over to a window, quickly diving out of it. 'Oh well, he wasn't much help to me, anyway.' Artemis sighed and turned to Holly, 'Its nice to see you again, Holly' he smiled hopingly. 'Yeah, we had better stop meeting like this,' she smiled too, though with a tinge of sadism. 'I don't know why you came, Anthony is gone.' Artemis smirked, 'You just came here for nothing?' Holly gulped, 'Y-you killed him?' she asked weakly, her mind going a mile-a- minute. Artemis Fowl had not stooped to such a low level, surely? A common murderer? Well, if he was a murderer, he wouldn't be a common one. Artemis shook his head but kept his cool, 'Oh no, I wouldn't do a thing like that, would I?' he laughed, clearly enjoying this game a little too much. Holly raised her weapon, her hand shaking and behind her helmet she was battling to stop tears falling down her cheek. She looked at Artemis and growled, 'Yes, you're just the type of common criminal to do that, I knew you just wanted to hurt me, you're just a stupid teenager!' she shouted, Artemis was taken aback. He couldn't bare to see her so angry, he cared about her too much. Her hand was shaking in front of him, her trigger finger was trembling. 'No.. No, Holly, he's fine, I sent him home a while ago, he should be back by now... just check. I don't want to hurt you, please.. believe me.' Artemis was trying to plead with her, Holly was beginning to believe him. 'Y-you. did?' she asked, her weapon still raised, her arm still trembling.
Foaly's face appeared quickly on screen, 'HOLLY! STOP!' he shouted, Foaly's voice surprised her, she blinked and squeezed, it was a reflex action.
Artemis lay on the floor of the control room, the shot had found its way directly to his heart, his clothing was burned and his skin was charred.
Holly sank to her knees and Foaly stared aghast.
~Tara Chute, Ireland~
The sinking feeling in Claw's stomach wasn't because he hadn't eaten in at least four days, oh no, it was because he hadn't been in contact with Root for a long time. There was only one reason why an LEP agent wouldn't or couldn't report back and that was because they were dead- until now. Claw's helmet was deadweight; he was only carrying it with him because he had to prove that it was broken to Foaly and Root. As Claws reached the bottom of Tara chute, his shuttle gave a small shudder as the docking clamps hugged the exterior of the ship. Claws took off his seatbelt, stretched and walked slowly out of the shuttle door. He had commandeered a whole shuttle just for his trip; he was amused by the readiness of the Chute elves to follow his orders and made them get him a drink too. He broke into a run as he reached the main street of Haven, he had no car but it would only take him a few minutes to get back to LEP headquarters. As he entered the doors, a long line of complainants was battling to be first in line. He pushed past tourists and residents and kids and goblins (who oddly felt the need to throw a fireball at Claws, who, in turn, whacked the slow creature over the head with his buzz baton) to the 'Restricted' doors. He ran through the corridor and burst into Commander Root's office. 'I'm sorry sir, I-' he stopped dead, Foaly's face was hilarious, though, this wasn't the time to laugh. 'Wha? I don't get it.' Foaly said gingerly 'I couldn't report in, MY HELMET BROKE!' Claws roared, Foaly was now completely and utterly confused. 'We have to contact the Commander.' Foaly breathed, fumbling around for the controls on his keyboard. 'Yeah, where is Beetroot?' he said, taking Root's absence as a time to laugh at his expense, 'He's topside, rescuing you.' Foaly was deadly serious as Root's face appeared on screen, 'They have a whole assault team in Fowl's place.'
Root blinked, Foaly blinked, Claws looked stupid, 'What are you doing there??' Root asked, 'you're supposed to be here!' Foaly agreed, 'This is a huge cock-up.' Root was taking huge breaths, no cigar in sight, 'Okay. we. need. to. extract. the. forget it!' Root bellowed, 'D'ARVIT!!' Claws winced at hearing Root swear so loudly. Foaly nodded. 'Right, switching to may favourite channel,' he grinned, 'Holly-cam!' and with that, the frequency changed and Holly's Point Of View loomed on screen.
'HOLLY! STOP!' Foaly shouted, Holly was standing in front of Artemis Fowl, Foaly watched her take a cold-blooded shot from her Neutrino 2000 right at Artemis' heart.
~Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~ (thirty-seven minutes prior.)
The time it took Holly to open the locked front door of the Manor was depressingly slow. It took her Omni-pick 6 whole seconds to break the lock down and open it. "What a way to start a mission", she thought, "Slowly." The door opened, Butler, Mulch, Juliet and Artemis were all in the control room. Artemis' cameras had been changed and these new state-of-the-art digital pan-and-zoom cameras had the ability to play freeze-frames rapidly. This means shielded fairies weren't shielded. Butler had adopted a new tactic, twin Sauer's, his hands felt good when brandishing a lethal weapon again. Juliet's approach was a little more brutal, wielding a Japanese- style Katana sword, which she had 'borrowed' from Madame Ko. Mulch was smart, he was staying with Artemis, to, in his words, 'be the last line of defence, in case you two fall, I'll protect Arty.' this comforted Artemis none, having a weaponless Dwarf protect you was like carrying a smelly, talkative, annoying cinder block on a jog. Artemis had made another joke, no one laughed.
Four elves were still in the grounds, waiting for permission to enter, one was inside. Artemis deduced that the one inside MUST be Holly, she was the only one who had an invitation. Artemis sighed, would he have to hurt Holly? How could he let them know Anthony was safe? Would Holly hurt him? Butler made his way down to the main hall, pretending he did not know where Holly was. He took deep breaths, smelling her out and feeling the vibrations in the room. Holly was creeping round behind Butler, he knew it. A giant hand flashed out and caught the elf by the arm. Holly unshielded. 'You know I really don't want to hurt you, Holly, you're to much of a friend.' Butler whispered, concern swelling in his eyes, 'But I can't let you hurt Artemis.' 'I know Butler, but he has my brother and I want him back.' Holly said, anger beating in her throat. Butler tried to speak, 'But. He's go-' he stopped, Holly talked over him, 'Now. sleep.' she said, her voice thick and mysterious with the mesmer, Butler resisted but he knew that from under the helmet, Holly's eyes were peering into him. Butler flopped to the floor. Twin Sauer's resting against the ground, useless.
Juliet had gone into the grounds, seeking the fairies that waited out doors. One of them was raving furiously about the idea that Holly wanted to go this one alone, Juliet crept up on him and kicked him in the head, ouch.
The other sprites sprung into action and lunged at Juliet, whose weapon was quickly drawn and with Artemis' precise instructions, sliced the end off all their weapons. She grinned as thee unshielded fairies circled her with buzz batons. Juliet was going to enjoy this fight.
Inside, there wasn't much hope. With the youthful Butler gone, aged and sleeping, Artemis sighed to Mulch. 'You have no intention of protecting me, do you?' he asked the Dwarf who was looking eagerly for an escape route. 'Well. I would help you. mate. but. for aiding mud-men I could get more than twenty years!' he said, desperately when Holly opened the door, her Neutrino 2000 raised. Mulch whined, Holly took a shot right at Mulch's head, he ducked and scrambled over to a window, quickly diving out of it. 'Oh well, he wasn't much help to me, anyway.' Artemis sighed and turned to Holly, 'Its nice to see you again, Holly' he smiled hopingly. 'Yeah, we had better stop meeting like this,' she smiled too, though with a tinge of sadism. 'I don't know why you came, Anthony is gone.' Artemis smirked, 'You just came here for nothing?' Holly gulped, 'Y-you killed him?' she asked weakly, her mind going a mile-a- minute. Artemis Fowl had not stooped to such a low level, surely? A common murderer? Well, if he was a murderer, he wouldn't be a common one. Artemis shook his head but kept his cool, 'Oh no, I wouldn't do a thing like that, would I?' he laughed, clearly enjoying this game a little too much. Holly raised her weapon, her hand shaking and behind her helmet she was battling to stop tears falling down her cheek. She looked at Artemis and growled, 'Yes, you're just the type of common criminal to do that, I knew you just wanted to hurt me, you're just a stupid teenager!' she shouted, Artemis was taken aback. He couldn't bare to see her so angry, he cared about her too much. Her hand was shaking in front of him, her trigger finger was trembling. 'No.. No, Holly, he's fine, I sent him home a while ago, he should be back by now... just check. I don't want to hurt you, please.. believe me.' Artemis was trying to plead with her, Holly was beginning to believe him. 'Y-you. did?' she asked, her weapon still raised, her arm still trembling.
Foaly's face appeared quickly on screen, 'HOLLY! STOP!' he shouted, Foaly's voice surprised her, she blinked and squeezed, it was a reflex action.
Artemis lay on the floor of the control room, the shot had found its way directly to his heart, his clothing was burned and his skin was charred.
Holly sank to her knees and Foaly stared aghast.