DISCLAIMER: Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, don't like this bit... *drones* I don't own Holly Short, Root, Foaly, or anything else to do with the Artemis Fowl books. They ain't mine *sob* they belong to Eoin Colfer. However, I do own Carmen Geum, Basil Kobalde and the All-Seeing-Eye. Yay for me. Humpf. Anyway, this will be the last disclaimer, 'cos I'm getting bored writing it every time. You all know the drill by now. I know you'll all miss it terribly, but you'll have to get over it! ^_~
A/N: Sorry about the capitals instead of italics in the last chapter - my computer was misbehaving (BAAAAAAD computer!) and when I uploaded the chap, it made it really wide, so I had to scroll across as well as down, and that's really annoying to read, so I just changed it to text only that time *gasp* Sorry about that. I'll hopefully get it fixed for this chapter (I'm writing this before I would know, you see...) *cracks whip threateningly at computer* hear that? BEHAVE!!! Ahem, anyway, the story...
*****
Holly downed a glass of champagne in a single gulp. The plan was to get as drunk as possible, so that, hopefully, she'd be too tipsy to notice what was happening around her. It didn't matter that she hated the stuff. The effects were worth it. She reached for the bottle to pour herself some more, but unfortunately, she was spotted. The commander excused himself, and, with a look of thunder on his face, strode towards her. Holly had barely registered his presence when he prized the flute from her reluctant fingers. Grasping her by the arm, he dragged her behind a statue, where they were hidden from view.
"What the hell are you doing?" he hissed angrily, nose a few centimetres from her own. "Are you trying to get kicked out of the LEP? Are you trying to disgrace us? You know as well as I do that intoxicating yourself is never the answer! It always makes things worse! I really can't believe you'd be so stupid!" He paused slightly for effect. "How much have you had?"
Holly swallowed nervously. 'Oops.' she thought. 'Really shouldn't have done that.' She briefly considered the pros and cons of arguing back, and finally decided that it wasn't at all wise. At least he was keeping his voice below fifty decibels, which was an uncommon occurrence. It was usually well over a hundred and ten. Trying to sound as innocent a possible, she answered the question. "I've only had three glasses. That was going to be the last one, I swear! I was just, um, really thirsty, that's all." She moistened her dry lips, and smiled in what she hoped was a charming, winning way. It was wasted on Root. He knew she was bluffing.
"Just don't drink any more. If I catch you near that alcohol again, you will be in a serious predicament. Now go and socialise. I don't want any more trouble out of you tonight." He peered round the ornamental stone gargoyle, and with a look that could easily have passed for revengeful triumph, bared his teeth sweetly at Holly. "Would you look at that! If it isn't Mr. Kobalde! He must have come over to our humble corner to treat himself to some culinary delights. Well? What are you waiting for? Go and say hello! This is no way to treat an old acquaintance!"
Holly muttered something not quite audible, and most definitely rude, and stepped cautiously from behind the statue. Luckily, Kobalde was facing the other way, so she wasn't seen emerging from her hiding place. Root came after her, and gave her a slight push in the elf's direction, hissing an order for her to be civil.
Holly's plans to slink off to the opposite corner of the hexagonal ballroom were interrupted as Kobalde turned around, and spotted her. She was just beginning to turn, when she heard her name.
"Holly? Holly... Short?"
The voice sent shivers shooting up and down her spine, but she didn't show it. Taking a deep breath, she plastered a big, fake smile across her features, and turned round to face him.
"Basil! How nice to see you again!" she said, not even trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. Kobalde pretended not to notice. He always had been good at backing out of arguments that would make him look bad.
"Likewise. So how are you? It must have been, what, ten years since we last saw each other!"
'Ten years, four months and twenty six days actually.' Holly's mind informed her smugly. She gave a mental start. How the hell did she know that? She took a deep breath. 'I'm over this!' she told herself firmly. 'All that's in the past now, and I am not going back there. Not ever. I got over what he did years ago. I'm fine now.
'The other part of her mind snorted contemptuously. 'Whatever. But you're just kidding yourself, and you know it. You'll have to face up to your feelings sometime you know.' Holly ignored the voice. She didn't have time for doubts now.
"Has it really been that long?" she asked, feigning interest. "Time has simply flown by me!"
'Liar.' whispered the dark, doubting part at the back of her mind. 'You know very well that for the first two years, every moment was hell. Then for the next five, it faded to a constant ache. Now it's almost gone. But not quite. Who knows? Maybe there will always be a slight...residue. Mind you, you still remember it as though it was yesterday, don't you? You still remember what it felt like when he held you in his arms, and when his lips touched –
'
Holly froze. 'Shut up!' she told herself angrily. 'This is not the time! We can continue this later, but not now. Just leave me alone!' Suddenly, she realised how ridiculous all this was. Talking to herself like a drunken gnome who'd taken a few too many knocks to the cranium! Honestly! Next she'd be wearing a fluorescent pink lump of rubber on her head, singing praises to the mushrooms, and drinking purple paint! It was a bit pathetic really. Holly shook herself mentally, and returned her mind to the matter at hand. She still had to get through the evening without murdering Kobalde.
The elf in question was looking at her strangely, and Holly suddenly realised how stupid she must look, standing there with a vacant expression on her face, while she struggled to keep a lid on her emotions. Root was giving her the evil eye over Kobalde's shoulder, so Holly decided that now might be the time to remember her manners. The commander's hands would be on her throat soon if she didn't watch it. She smiled apologetically, and attempted to explain herself.
"Sorry about that. Got lost in my own little world for a moment there. What were you saying?"
Basil flashed a grin at her. He always had known how to be chivalrous towards a girl, even if he had planned to break her heart later. Or had done so already, and was coming back to inflict more pain... Holly clenched an iron fist around the part of her mind that was responsible for this train of thought.
'I know you can't forget, but just try and forgive?' she asked of it tentatively. It ignored her request, and Holly could feel it stubbornly building up firepower for it's next campaign against Kobalde. She quickly retreated back to the real world before it could hit her with more painful memories. Talking to him now was better than reliving what had happened between them ten years ago...
Kobalde was talking to her again, so Holly quickly started paying attention. She'd made enough of a fool of herself for one night, thank you very much.
"So Holly...who are your friends here? I don't believe I've met either of them before." Basil inquired politely, seeing the need for a direction of conversation. Holly tried not to think about the idea of Root being her friend, and introduced the two of them.
"How rude of me! I'm so sorry. Basil, this is Commander Julius Root, from recon, and Chief Technical Consultant Foaly. Foaly, Commander, this is Basil Kobalde."
"Nice to meet you." said Root, shaking the hand that was offered to him, and smiling at its owner. Foaly simply shook it without even making eye contact with the elf. He thought he was beginning to understand just why Holly hated him so much.
"And Holly, my dear! I can't for the life of me work out why you would be here. Were you the..." He thought for a moment. "...secretary working in police plaza that day? Or perhaps you came to accompany an officer? The commander here, or maybe even... Foaly?"
Holly stiffened. She hadn't failed to miss the barb concealed in his words. He was implying that she couldn't be anything else. He'd always thought her ambition to be in the military was just a stupid phase she was going through. He'd never really considered the possibility that she would ever make it to be a serious one. And now, implying that she was the lady friend of someone who was who knows how many times her age; that was just degrading. He really did disgust her, this guy. He hadn't changed a bit.
She swallowed her angry retorts and smiled placidly. "No, I wasn't the secretary, and I'm not with one of the officers." She grinned in what could only be described as a barely contained smugness. " I am an officer."
Basil couldn't quite hide his astonishment. He had never fully believed her to be capable of anything much. And if she got her way, he would live to regret the day he had thought that she wouldn't ever do anything with her life. She would show him just how dangerous underestimating Holly Short could be. Her insides sang at the thought of an opportunity to pulverise him. She could hardly wait...
Kobalde was still looking stunned. This was clearly a complete shock to him. He rapidly pulled himself together, and said cheerfully, "So you finally made it into the military! You achieved your dreams. Congratulations. I'm so pleased for you." The last two sentences were laced subtly with sarcasm and bitterness. However, they weren't quite discreet enough to escape the commander's attention. Sensing a danger point, he jumped in to prevent Holly's temper from exploding in Kobalde's face. She really was being a right pain in the –
"Captain Short here was a member of the team that stormed Koboi labs a few months ago. She was one of the witnesses to Lieutenant Cudgeon's death." he said quickly, digging his nails into Holly's wrist from behind as a warning, so Basil wouldn't see. A strange look had passed over Kobalde's face when the commander had mentioned Cudgeon's name. It had been one of almost loathing, but with a hint of triumph behind it. Root dismissed it as just his mind playing tricks on him. Anyway, Mr. Kobalde's opinion of people was none of his business. It was his business, however, to ensure that Holly behaved herself.
Kobalde, meanwhile, had finally put two and two together. And discovered that they made four.
"So it was you in the paper! It was you that got yourself kidnapped by that mudboy! What was his name again? Was it... Achilles Fowl? But never mind that now... I knew the name sounded familiar, I just didn't ever believe it could be you! Well, I mean, the thought crossed my mind, but, let's be honest, no one ever thought you would be able to do it! I mean, I know you're a great person, but you just didn't have that, that... something, that... edge needed to be really successful in the LEP."
Holly's self control snapped as surely as though Kobalde had cut it with a pair of scissors. She fumed with silent fury. How dare he! Telling her she didn't have what it took to achieve her dreams, when she was standing here in front of him, having fulfilled the very one he'd told her she couldn't! And in front of her boss too! This man desperately needed putting in his place. The phrase: 'Don't get mad; get even' was exactly what Holly wanted to do. It was a bit too late for the first part; she was already there, but the last part was definitely a possibility. A must even. He deserved everything she could throw at him for his crimes, past and present.
She raised an eyebrow slightly, as an expression of her disapproval, but not enough to give him the satisfaction of seeing her react in the way he had been aiming for. She smirked at him, and delivered her attack.
"So... How on earth did you come by this place? Not by earning it, surely! What did you do; sleep with an estate agent? Seduce her, get the deal finalised, then break her heart? Or maybe even a millionaire's daughter? Daddy's little darling would be just to your taste! That's rather your style, isn't it, Baz. You're really quite excellent at that, aren't you! Your speciality, even!"
She stood still for a moment, watching his face with vindictive triumph. Root's fingers where digging into her wrist so hard that she felt sure her bones were about to snap like brittle glass. She tore her arm from his grasp, turned away, and walked off to the other end of the room. As she went, she didn't once look back. If she did, she knew she wouldn't be able to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
'What have you done?' she asked herself helplessly. 'Root warned you so many times, and you just went and did it! He's going to skin you alive!'
'Ah, but it was worth it wasn't it!' her mind replied dreamily. 'To finally exact some of your own sweet revenge! Didn't it feel great!'
Holly had to admit that it had felt pretty damn good. Better even than walloping Fowl over a year ago. Revenge really was just the best thing under the world...
She arrived shaking slightly at the other end of the room. Captain Kelp, seeing the look on her face, and the way in which she was standing, detached himself from his conversation with Corporal Frond, and came over to her. Taking her gently by the arm, he led her into a corner.
"Are you OK Holly? You look shaken up."
Holly forced a smile. "Oh, it's nothing. I only handed Root a loaded gun and made him point it at my head." she laughed grimly. "Would you make sure my body doesn't get left in the gutter somewhere?"
Trouble bit his lip. "That bad? What did you do? Point out to him that he was a bad-tempered control-freak?"
Holly shook her head, smiling. "Not exactly. I allowed my temper to be unleashed on the host. Usually, I would have kept my control, but this guy..." She gave an exasperated sigh. "... He just..." She trailed off, unable to find the words to describe Kobalde.
Trouble winced. "Ancient history? Yeah, I know that story. Worst kind. And the host as well? Ouch. Would you rather be buried or cremated?"
"Exactly." agreed Holly. "I reckon I'll probably have to take an extended break, and go to Atlantis until he's cooled down. I could really do with a long holiday. Mind you, he'll probably have thought of another excuse to have me hung, drawn and quartered by then. Maybe I should just go live in a hole in the ground somewhere under the South Pole. Nice and far away."
Trouble sniggered. Holly grinned. Problems were just so much better when you shared them, even if you didn't really know the person. It made you feel like you weren't completely on your own.
Meanwhile, the commander was busy trying to apologise to Kobalde for the unacceptable conduct of his officer. Basil merely brushed his words away, ensuring him that Holly always had had difficulty holding her tongue when she had something rude to say.
Against his will, Root began to harden towards him. The man's insolent attitude towards her, and the way that he obviously hated her, and wanted to destroy the life she had built for herself, was more than slightly disturbing. Whatever had happened ten years ago, he realised, must have been grim for the hate to have survived so long between them. He couldn't quite imagine what Kobalde had done to her, or she to him, but for some reason, he felt sure that Holly was in the right. Kobalde was a nasty piece of work. There was no doubt about that.
However, justified as it may have been, Holly could not be allowed to get away with disobeying his direct order. Discipline had to be maintained at all times. He made his excuses to Kobalde, and began to wander in the direction Holly had taken. Trouble, seeing him coming, quickly alerted her.
"Holly!" he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. "Angry, red-faced boss at one o'clock! Shift!" He shoved her behind a large flower arrangement, grabbing her arm to steady her as she almost tripped on the stand. She shot him a grateful look.
"Thanks." she whispered, peering through the petals to check how close the commander was. "I'd better make a run for it. Cover for me?"
Trouble nodded slightly, flapping his hand at her to try and persuade her to move. She checked Root's distance again, then crept stealthily round behind the tables, and other ornaments scattered around, ducking to avoid being seen. She reached the door to an antechamber, and slunk through it.
The commander, who had seen her talking to Trouble, headed straight for the elf, who was trying his best to look as innocent and uninformed as possible. It didn't really work.
"Where did she go?" he growled, wasting no time on niceties. Captain Kelp pretended to look surprised.
"I'm sorry; who?" he asked in mock puzzlement.
"Don't play dumb Kelp, you were just talking to her."
Understanding dawned on Trouble's face. "Oh! That her! Sorry, I wasn't sure who you were talking about."
Root resisted the urge to grab him by the collar and shake the information out of him. "Yes, her. Now where did she go?"
Trouble desperately tried to think of a cover story. He could only think of one, and there wasn't any more time…
"Er… she went to the, um, bathroom, to, er, fix her hair." Mentally he slapped himself. 'She went to the bathroom to fix her hair'? What kind of an excuse was that?
Root raised an eyebrow. "Was that the best you could up with? You and I both know that Holly wouldn't leave to mess around with her appearance. I'll ask you one more time. Where is she?" He articulated the last part slowly, so that the Captain couldn't pretend he hadn't understood.
Trouble bit his lip. "She said she was leaving to get a bit of peace and quiet." he said tonelessly. "I think she has a headache." he added, in an attempt to persuade him to go easy on her. The commander wasn't swayed an inch. He simply smiled at Kelp in an annoyingly smug way, and headed in the direction Holly had taken.
Foaly, who had watched all this, started to move as well. If he could just beat him to the door, and warn Holly… At least Trouble was holding Root up a bit, so he had a small head start. He got there just in time to not be spotted by the commander.
On the other side of the door, Holly was sitting nervously on a chair. As the door swung open, she jumped up, fear in her eyes for a split second. Seeing it was only Foaly, she sank back down into the cushion.
"Holly! Scram! Beetroot's onto you! He'll be here any second now!" Holly stood again, and looked wildly around her for a place to hide. Then she was stopped in her tracks.
"What was that you called me Foaly?" came the dangerously calm tones of the commander's voice. Cursing silently to herself, Holly attempted to sneak away while his back was turned. A hand gripped her shoulder firmly, and pulled her back.
"And where do you think you're going, Ms Short? I haven't said you can go anywhere."
The bottom dropped off Holly's stomach, and she closed her eyes for a second, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. 'So this will be what it's like to die.' she thought grimly. 'At least I'm not alone.'
The hand on her shoulder turned her round to face the man it was attached to. Holly looked up into the livid face of the commander, and swallowed nervously, smothering the fear that was rising in her throat. She opened her mouth to make her excuses and apologies, but he held up his hand.
"No." he said, and Holly could see that it was taking all he had to avoid yelling his head off. "Don't say anything. You have said enough already. Now I understand that you have a problem with Mr. Kobalde. Fine. Beat yourself up about it. However, it is not acceptable for you to behave that way towards our host, AND IT IS DEFINITELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR YOU TO DISOBEY A DIRECT ORDER!" his voice rose to a shout, as he got angrier and angrier. Holly winced as the sound waves traumatised her eardrums. D'Arvit, but this guy knew how to scream at a girl...
"HOW DARE YOU? I WARNED YOU, THEN I TOLD YOU NOT TO INVOLVE YOURSELF IN A CONFRONTATION WITH HIM, BUT YOU WENT AHEAD AND DID IT ANYWAY! DO YOU ACTUALLY GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO ANNOY ME? ARE YOU TRYING TO SEE HOW FAR YOU CAN PUSH ME BEFORE I KICK YOU OUT? BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, MADAM, YOU ARE VERY CLOSE!"
Holly gritted her teeth, preparing herself for a long period of exposure to the abuse on her hearing. At least the fairies in the ballroom escaped the noise. They had soundproofed walls between them and the commander's mouth. She had barely a few centimetres of empty air.
She braced herself for the next onslaught, but it never came. The commander had stopped, and was listening hard. Slowly, he crept towards a small door that led to a passage between the three antechambers adjoining the ballroom, a thoughtful expression resident in his features.
Then suddenly, he turned back, a nervous expression on his face. "Did anyone else hear that?" he hissed, walking carefully back to them. Holly and Foaly froze, listening intently. They all heard it this time.
"Sounds like we're not the only ones here. But we should be." Foaly whispered. The three exchanged glances, and wordlessly, moved closer. Together they crept towards the door.
******
... dun, dun DUUUUUN!!! Wow, I really am getting the hang of this cliff-hanger thing! Or maybe not… anyhoo, that was chapter 5! At last! I'm soooooooooo sorry I didn't update earlier, but I have had so much homework lately! God! I've been completely swamped! For instance, this weekend, I've got 4, yes 4 pieces of art homework, each one taking me about 1-2 hours, I've got to finish my whole great long massive English essay for Wednesday, and I have to do a whole science investigation for Monday! Stress!!! *Breaks down in tears* it's not fair, why, why, WHY???? Ahem… so I haven't had much time to write. I also have a bit of a problem with my computer…
CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME??? The problem is, when I write the chapters as HTML documents in word, when I upload them, they turn up really wide. Very annoying. Whole paragraphs fit onto one line. Ugh. No one else seems to have the same problem, so I can't ask them. I think it might be a setting on my computer, so if anyone knows how to change it so it works, or has had or is having the same problem, could you email me and tell me how to fix it? Or just have a good 'ole moan if you want… or just leave it in the review. I have something I can do for now, but it is but a mere torch in the long and unending tunnel of format problems, which leads to the light of no problem. I will be eternally grateful. I will also tell you what I did, if you're interested to know. Please help me. I'm desperate. (Later note: I have now fixed this problem and it's all fine. *grin* Joy!)
On a more positive note, I have something to celebrate… I have reached the epic, and wonderful milestone of…
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«´¨`·..¤ ~50 reviews!~ ¤..·´¨`»
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Yay! Wooooohooooooo! I'm so proud of myself. I should probably say that I nicked the design thingy from my friend Mei Leng. With permission, but still nicked. Thank you to all those who contributed to these stats! I love you all! And of course, I would just love it if you would review again! Please tell me what you think, 'cos it's helpful. I really am gonna go now.
Bye!
Luv slime xxxxx