Chapter II- Abduction
Artemis hurried to the living room. There she lay, motionless, incapacitated by an unknown malady. Pale skin tinged with a grisly shade of blue. She was breathing, but only in fits and starts. Shallow, laboured breath; forced, as if life itself was departing her lungs. Artemis hurriedly examined her pulse, heartbeat, anything that might provide a clue as to the nature of the problem. He found none.
"Butler, she needs expert medical assistance!" Artemis intoned, in desperation. "Why didn't you just drive her to the hospital?"
Butler placed himself in a chair nearby, hands covering his face. "I can't," he said, speech choked up and barely audible, "The doctor prescribed pills. Took them before I went to bed. They impair judgement. There's no way I can drive under these conditions…."
"Pills? I know you've been putting on a few pounds lately, but…"
"No, it's for my anxiety attacks." Explained Butler, in an almost embarrassed tone.
"Anxiety attacks?" Artemis frowned. Butler had always been a pillar of strength, in more ways than one.
"Yes." Butler replied. "And regarding matters slightly more pressing, I've called an ambulance and they should be here any minute now…"
"They'd better be."
Artemis glanced at the stricken form of Juliet Butler. Her inhalation had stopped once again. Artemis was almost glad to be spared the ghastly gasping, but he knew that she had lapsed into a far more precarious condition. Moonlight's eerie glow illuminated her countenance, revealing an expression most serene. Blonde hair was strangely unruffled; Juliet's lifeless figure more akin to one peacefully slumbering.
Butler tried to turn his eyes away. Both he and Juliet lived lives were constantly fraught with danger, yet not once had Butler imagined seeing his sister in this condition. The feeling of powerlessness was overwhelming; difficult to face, for one used to being so powerful.
"Pretty isn't she?" Butler's calm façade finally eroded, as a single tear came streaming down his cheek.
"Yes, she is quite a looker. Still, I think I prefer her conscious." Artemis gritted his teeth and made another attempt to revive Juliet, to no avail. "How long has she been like this?"
"I don't know. She's just grown up so fast. I mean, one day you're helping with her diapers, and the next…." Butler choked up, attempting vainly to regain his composure. "I'd never thought we'd be close, with the age difference and all, but as the years went by, I--"
"Fascinating," Artemis interrupted. "But as absorbing as your maudlin rants are, I'd be more interested in procuring information that might save your sister's life." Artemis took a deep breath. "Now then, how long has she been incapacitated?"
"Think she woke up to get some water. Collapsed in corridors in front of my room with empty glass in hand. Brought her here, called the hospital, then got you. So ten minutes, tops. And no, this has never happened before. "
"There, that wasn't too hard, was it?" Artemis replied, dryly as he furrowed his brow. So it wasn't a case of choking; nor did it seem like anything else for that matter. Her heart rate was normal, so was her temperature and blood pressure. All her vital signs were going strong. She might have gotten a clean bill of health but for the small matter that her breathing had stopped. Flashes of red light shining through the paned windows interrupted Artemis' train of thought.
"It's here." Said Butler in a relieved voice. Ambulance staff came rushing out of the vehicle, stretcher in hand. Butler got up and opened the door. Artemis and Butler were ushered out of the way as the paramedic took charge.
"Wow" Artemis couldn't help but comment, "The health service is much more efficient than I thought. Almost makes me feel sorry for cheating on dad's taxes every year…"
Butler wasn't paying attention. He had made his way to the ambulance, trying to see if his sister was all right. Artemis followed him as the emergency staff frantically tried to load Juliet into the vehicle.
"Hey, grandpa, how 'bout getting your fat butt here and help out?" shouted the paramedic, none too politely.
Butler looked a little miffed "For your information, I'm only…"
"Yeah, yeah. Listen, we've got a life to save here, and I think we've got a better chance if blondie here makes it in the E ward before Hanukah. And this means no long-winded old geezer stories. Okay? Just get into the back and help us load her in."
Chastised, Butler opened the ambulance doors and stepped into the vehicle. Artemis couldn't help but feel that something was amiss, yet couldn't quite put his finger on it. Maybe it was the mood in which the emergency staff went about their business: they seemed almost too calm; almost uncaring in fact in the way they handled a life-or-death situation. Maybe it was due to the conspicuous absence of a siren's wail when the ambulance first arrived. Maybe it was the Azerbaijani licence plate. Or maybe that the doors slammed shut before they loaded the stretcher in, with Butler still inside. The fact that the paramedic was sneaking up on him with a chloroform-bleached rag seemed mighty suspicious as well….
Artemis hit the floor.
***
Artemis searched. Left, right, front back there was simply no way out. Embers reached out to him from every direction; searing pain at every touch. The foul scent of sulphur assaulted his senses as he made his way through nauseating billows of black smoke, eyes sore, lips burnt, and skin raw and aching. Unsettling, unearthly darkness all around him, save the eerie glow of hellfire. Artemis muddled through, fighting his way past daggers of pain at every step, blind and helpless. He heard cries. Shrill voices begging for mercy. Some calling his name in hope of rescue. But where? How? Artemis stumbled, as the haunting voices resounded in his head.
"Artemis" the distant voice seemed so familiar…
"Artemis?"
"Wake up!!"
Artemis opened his eyes, and there, staring straight back at him was Juliet.
"Good, you're awake." She said. "I was getting worried about you."
"Worried about me?" Artemis stammered "But you- but I-, but…" Artemis took a moment to take it all in. "Wait a minute. If this is the afterlife, it looks suspiciously like the back seat of a limo."
And indeed it did. Artemis and Juliet were seated on comfortable plush seats, with enough legroom to play twister in. There were heavily tinted glass windows on both sides, and a partition separated them from the front seats. Another set of tinted glass prevented them from looking at the driver; barely a silhouette could be seen. The limousine was moving at breakneck speed; unfortunately, the two occupants did not have much of a view.
"What's with the tinted bullet-proof glass?" Artemis muttered as he rapped the windows. "And the fancy car? And the fact that you're alive?"
"Huh?"
"You had serious respiratory problems. Your brother and I called an ambulance. I was drugged."
"Serious respiratory problems? No way! I was getting a glass of water, I sort of dozed off, and when I woke up, I was here with you asleep beside me."
Artemis scowled. Whoever planned this had gotten into a lot of trouble. He had annoyed many powerful people in his short lifetime, but surely none with the resources and expertise to pull off anything like this. And they had nothing to do but await a confrontation with an unknown foe. On the plus side, Juliet was alive.
"Artemis, I think we've been kidnapped!"
Then again… "Hmm, let me think: drugged by paramedics, forced into a specially designed car, being taken to an unknown location, possibly outside the country... why, yes Juliet. I believe we have been kidnapped. Good call!"
No response. Artemis was starting to get irritated at people ignoring his sarcasm. He looked over his shoulder.
"Juliet, are you… crying?" Artemis was taken aback, to say the least. He had been through sticky situations with Juliet before, and in far greater peril than this.
Juliet looked back, eyes red, tears flowing unabated. "No, I just have something in my eye."
"Yeah, right. What's in your eye? A freshwater spring?"
Once again, a moment of silence.
"Oh, Artemis, what have they done with my brother?" Juliet wailed.
Artemis sighed and shuffled over closer. "They've taken him too. Don't worry. You know as well as I do that he can take care of himself." Artemis said. "And Juliet?"
"Yes?"
"We'll get through this alive. I don't know who or what we're facing right now, but we'll find a way. We always have." Another tear streamed down Juliet's cheek. Artemis had never seen her like this. She could be many things, but never vulnerable.
Juliet flashed a weak smile. "Oh, all right then. " she said, finally. "You've not been like yourself lately, Artemis. I really think that's an improvement."
"I've not been like myself? Artemis wondered inwardly.
The limousine went along at a steady pace. Artemis could tell that the route they were going through had barely any traffic. Other than that, the sounds from outside betrayed absolutely nothing about their location. The three hours that passed seem almost like an eternity.
"We're slowing down." Juliet exclaimed. And indeed they were, and soon the vehicle stopped completely.
Clack! The doors on both sides became unlocked. Artemis and Juliet stared at each other.
"Should I try the handle?" Juliet asked.
"Let's just stay here and play another five rounds of 'Twenty Questions'." Artemis retorted. "Yes Juliet, try the handle."
She complied, and the door swung open.