When they got out of the car Artemis explained they stilled had farther yet to walk. "I trust they wouldn't have chosen a very accessible place."
Holly grunted and turned on her Hummingbirds, there was no point in having to walk when she could fly.
Artemis listened closely, only the barest hint of noise came from Holly's wings. They seemed quite maneuverable too. If only the design could be copied it would be worth a fortune. Such a pity that the human technology was nowhere nearly caught up to the fairies'.
"How much farther, Mud Boy? We're burning moonlight."
"Nearly there, Captain." Artemis grunted, very uncharacteristic.
About ten minutes later they reached an old, abandoned well. It was damp and dirty. "We're here."
Holly looked around to see exactly where "here" was. The well looked like it was pretty old. It hadn't been used in many years. It looked like the perfect place for an imprisoned fairy to be kept. She leaned carefully over the edge of the well: for all she knew the goblin and his pals could be down there, even if they weren't, she didn't trust the Mud Men behind her any further than she could throw them.
She was alarmed at the scene below her. She activated her wings and the light her helmet.
Butler called, "What do you see down there?"
"Just a minute, human," she answered. Holly looked around. The captors sure didn't clean up well after their prisoners. There were hypodermic darts around that had possibly held a tranquilizing solution; there were crumbs of food; an empty bag of Squid Snaps; and a few empty water bottles. She called to the Mud Men, "They've been here! No telling where they are now."
A voice in Holly's ear said, "Not so loud, Holly. I can hear you."
"I know, Foaly, but the Mud Man and the Mud Boy can't."
"Who are you speaking to, Captain Short?" asked Artemis. "The centaur? Give him my regards and tell him I want the design for those wings you're wearing."
Foaly asked, "Is that Fowl? Tell him to drop dead."
Holly grinned. "He says you should drop dead."
"What did you find down there?"
"Plenty. Come take a look."
"And how do you expect me to get down there?"
Holly thought for a few seconds and jettisoned a piton from her belt. "Start climbing, Mud Boy."
Butler asked, "What about me?"
"You stay up there, big guy. If you try to come down we'll all get stuck, the well's pretty narrow."
Artemis wiped imaginary dust from his polo. "Stay here and keep watch." Artemis sighed and began to struggle to climb down the rope and to the bottom of the well. Manual labor was not Artemis's forte. His hands began to hurt before he was halfway down. He eventually reached the bottom. "Ugh. Why didn't you warn me? I'm ankle deep in.in.wet."
"Artemis." Holly tutted. "What is happening to your vocabulary? 'Ugh' isn't a word. And wet is an adjective, not a noun."
Artemis regained his composure, now he was getting grammar tips from a fairy. "So where is the astonishing evidence you've found, Captain Short."
Holly picked up the various items and showed him.
"We should take the darts back to the Manor. There may be residue inside that will tell us what your friends were shot with. Butler? Have you found anything up there that might tell us where they went?"
"They seem to have headed north."
"Good. Then maybe we can still catch them."
"But, Artemis, the sun's almost up. If I'm not mistaken, the Captain needs to be indoors before dawn."
"You're right, Butler." He gripped the rope firmly in both hands. "Pull me up."
Butler complied. Holly turned on the wings and rose until she was head-level with Butler. "Well? Open the car door. And give me back my piton, Artemis."
Holly sat in the backseat and rewound the piton for later use. Artemis soon fell asleep in the passenger's seat. What do you know? thought Holly. The Mud Boy looks almost innocent. Confident that Butler was in control at the wheel, Holly allowed herself to drift off to sleep. It had been a long day and a long night.