AN: Another short chapter. Though at least we updated, you have to give us that.
ASN: Sorry, we know you want them to be longer, but they're doing so well in these small chunks. We'll see if we can get the others longer.
AN: Anyway, thank you for the amazing reviews, it's so nice to know we're loved!
ASN: It's also nice (in an odd sort of way) to know you'll kill us or threaten us-
AN: Or call us not so nice names in German, flamaria13.
ASN: -if we don't update.
AN: Although that would be sort of dumb. If we're dead, we'll never update.
ASN: Ooh. The ultimate threat.
Chapter 15 Loops and Lights
Butler frowned at the monitor in his study. It was a small room next to Mr. Fowl's own study, and contained all of the feeds from the Manor's surveillance equipment. It was a sophisticated line of real-time monitors from cameras and motion detectors all over the estate. And it was not working.
One of the cameras at the east wall of the Manor had suddenly shut down and rebooted. It had only been for a second and could easily be dismissed as a slight malfunction. After all, everything on the screen was exactly as it was before. All was quiet, and not even a leaf moved.
Something was definitely wrong.
Juliet came into the study with an elf trailing her. The two were talking animatedly. Juliet was fawning over some gnome wrestling disk Holly had brought with her. They stopped when they saw the annoyed puzzlement on Butler's face.
"What is it, brother dear?" Juliet said, dropping into the seat next to him. "You look a little more uptight than usual."
"That camera flickered for a second. I think it may have rebooted itself. And there's nothing there, just like before." He looked at the two girls. "Does anyone else sense something about this?"
Holly nodded. "Yep. It's possible someone's feeding a loop to your system. Anything could be out there."
"Like a troll?" Juliet said dryly. Holly winced.
"I'm going to go check it out." Butler stated, standing. Juliet stood as well.
"Let me, okay?" she chirped. A little too happily. Butler studied her.
"Why do you want to go?" he asked. Juliet twisted her hair around her little finger.
"Well, I can take of it really easily, whatever it is."
"Like a troll?" Butler commented. Juliet smiled sheepishly.
"Look, Dom, I just think you should stay in here. Seriously, it's probably nothing."
Butler was starting to look unhappy. Juliet's tone almost seemed to say, 'You should stay because I don't think you can handle it.'
"Juliet, I am not too old to do this. This is my job."
"Look," she snapped suddenly, "You could do this. But that was before Spiro. You are too old and you know it! You just won't accept it!"
Holly was trying her best to find a corner to stand quietly and unobtrusively in. Not much worried her, but two highly trained Butlers arguing did not bode well.
"I'm going, Juliet. We don't have time to stand here and argue!" Butler snapped. He strode toward the door.
"I'm coming with you, then!" his little sister said firmly, following him. They walked out, pointedly ignoring one another. Holly waved at their retreating backs.
"I'll just stay here." she commented under her breath. "It seems to be safer." The elf flew out into the hall. All was quiet, but she was starting to get nervous. Butler had been right; something was wrong…
She went down the corridor quietly. Her eyes scanned everything quickly and calmly. The LEPRecon officer was doing what she did best: Recon.
Everything seemed to be calm. However, Holly knew from experience that 'calm' did not necessarily mean 'in order'. Then, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.
There was a centaur at the end of the hallway.
Holly stared. No possible way…then she pulled herself together. She unshielded and headed toward the fairy.
"What are you doing here?!" she hissed.
The centaur turned to face her, and Holly realized two things: one, there was an unconscious Simone in her arms, and two, she knew this particular centaur.
"Defea?!?!"
Defea just smiled, not showing any of her apprehension. "Hello, dear." she said sweetly. Then she dropped a small ball on the floor and hoofed it down the hall.
Holly sealed her helmet immediately. LEP procedure stated that one should seal their helmet against any gases that may be released. But wouldn't Defea know that…?
The elf's puzzlement was forgotten by the bright flash of light that was emitted when the ball exploded.
Another LEP rule was that the ultraviolet filter should be down when faced with possible blinding lights. That's why this light took her by such surprise.
It was an ultraviolet flash that lasted for about 30 seconds. Holly gasped as it hit her eyes, blinding her from Defea's escape. Her only chance of catching the centaur would be from listening to her hooves.
That route was cut off by the deafening white noise that blasted her eardrums. It was apparently being transmitted from that infernal little ball. Holly couldn't contain a little shriek as decibels of static were poured into her sensitive ears. It was on all LEP frequencies; she couldn't turn it off. That left one choice…
She wrenched her helmet off, gasping as the light and noise were cut off simultaneously. Her ears rang, and she could almost see the headache coming her way. Her magic was healing the harmful effects of that noise, but at the moment, Holly was temporarily deaf.
A hand touched her shoulder. Instinctively she grabbed it, wrenching it around and ducking away. Artemis winced and backed up hurriedly. His eyes widened when he saw Holly's pale face and the blue sparks zipping around her head. He mouthed a question.
The elf shook her head slowly, unable to answer or even puzzle out what he said as her system recovered from the beating it took. If that sound had continued much longer, she would have lost consciousness.
Artemis waited until she looked up at him before he asked again. "Holly, what happened? I thought I heard you yell."
"I…Defea attacked me." Artemis looked a little confused at her sentence, but she repeated it anyway. "Defea attacked me…how dare she?!"
"Who is…Defea?" Artemis asked. "What do you mean?"
"Defea is Foaly's old girlfriend. We used to be friends. And she attacked me!"
"But why was she here?"
At that, Holly gulped. "D'Arvit, I forgot. Um, Artemis, you're not going to like this…well, actually, you might…"
He understood instantly. "She took Simone, didn't she?"
"Uh-huh."
Artemis was quiet for a moment. Then he looked at her. "And what are we going to do about it?"
***************
AN: Apparently, more people approved of the preview idea then my sister here.
ASN: *Makes face*
AN: So, here's a review sentence from the next chapter:
Over the communication line, Holly heard a sharp intake of breath. "Holly…" Foaly said slowly, "Tell me that's not who I think it is."
AN: Are you interested? I know I am!
ASN: And she wrote that part.
AN: *Sticks out tongue*