Dreams
Chapter six, A pledge
Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl, or his fellow characters, or locations.
A/N: This chapter should be substantially longer. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks to everyone whose reviewed so far.
The Kelp Family Apartment, Haven city
Amber froze, Holly always shut her bedroom door, she never forgot. That meant someone had been here. But who? And how? Slowly she headed out of her room. Holly's keys were on the kitchen table. Holly had forgotten her keys. That explained the how, then. Anyone could've got in; the door would've been unlocked.
Her brain went into top gear. She grabbed her mother's keys, ran to the door and slammed it shut behind her. The electronic lock buzzed. No one would get in without a key; it wasn't possible, unless you broke the door down. She stuffed the keys deep in her jeans pocket, and then she took off, sprinting down the block to the thoroughfare, her auburn hair flying out behind her. The thoroughfare was, as usual, was packed tight. Amber didn't seem to notice, unlike her mother, she didn't bother with the polite approach; instead, she battled her way through with elbows and vocal power. For a 25-year-old elf, she sure was tough; but then again, she had Holly Short and Trouble Kelp for parents. The civilians didn't stand a chance.
Eventually, she arrived at the front steps of Police Plaza. Ascending them quickly, she pushed her way through the doors.
Amber wasn't quite sure where to go, she'd never set foot in the LEP HQ before, not that she could remember, anyway.
"Can I help you, miss?" asked Jennifer, the receptionist.
"No," replied Amber, hurriedly. She'd spotted a sign pointing up a flight of stairs, with 'recon cubicles, level four.' displayed on it. She ran up staircase after staircase, taking the steps two at a time, leaving Jennifer open mouthed.
When she reached the fourth floor, Amber sprinted past a door labelled, 'Commander Root of Recon.' and to the rows of cubicles.
"Rawlins, Vein, Pine, Short. Aha!" she recited the nameplates aloud as she passed them.
Not bothering to knock, she shoved open the door. Looking around all she saw was a desk, a chair and a pile of paperwork. Holly was nowhere to be seen.
"NO," any other elf her age would've given up then and there, but not Amber, she had the Short family determined streak. And anyway, all was not lost; Holly could easily be on a reconnaissance. She'd have to ask the commander, he would know where she was.
Running back down the corridor, she stopped outside the commander's office, knocking three times on the door. No answer.
"Where is everyone?" She asked a passing officer.
"The commanders at the memorial hospital…" replied the officer, but Amber was halfway down the stairs before he could say any more.
Haven's Memorial Hospital.
Holly couldn't move, but she knew the Commander was there. She could hear him talking, but she couldn't reply. She tried again to speak, but her jaw was stuck. She tried to smile, but her muscles wouldn't let. Immense pain was her only thought.
"Goodbye Holly," said the commander, swallowing he turned from the door.
Don't go, please don't go, thought Holly. But she heard the door click shut.
Amber was just giving up hope, when a large, red-faced man in an LEP uniform, emerged from a doorway, ahead of her.
She took a deep breath; this was it. "Excuse me, but are you the LEP Recon Commander Root?" Amber asked the stranger.
He nodded. "Yes, but listen girlie, I can't talk now, I've got work to do." Root was sure there was something familiar about the girl, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what.
"Wait!" Amber cried, "It's urgent. I wonder if you can tell me where I can find my mother."
Root eyed her suspiciously, "And how should I know where you're mother is?"
Amber sighed, catching her breath. "My name's Amber Kelp, my mother's Holly Short, your Recon officer."
The Commander went a deep shade of magenta, but Amber didn't notice.
"Ahh. Well I'm afraid I have some bad news. Come with me."
A feeling of dread filled Amber, as she followed the commander back to the door from which he had just come.
The warlock frowned. "Back so soon?" He asked sarcastically.
"Not me this time," Root pushed Amber forwards, "the little girl."
The warlock groaned. "Mrs Kelp is not an object in a laboratory. She needs to be left alone. Besides, I can't let under thirties into the ward. (A/N: Same as we have visitor age restrictions in hospitals.)"
Amber was about to explain, but Root spoke for her.
"Holly's her mother, she's family, and she has a right to see her."
The warlock considered it. "Ok, I'll make an exception." Then he turned, and spoke directly to Amber. "Are you sure you want to see her?"
Amber nodded, and the warlock opened the door.
She gasped. Surely that wasn't her mother lying there. She looked so fragile, so lifeless, so… broken. Her face was pale, drained of colour. Her hair was limp and her lips were dry. Surely this wasn't her mother?
"Holly?"
She rushed to the bed before the warlock could stop her. She grasped her mother's left hand as she could see the right was badly burnt. They looked like 2nd degree burns, maybe even three.
"Mum," her voice faltered, "Mum!?" She released Holly's hand from her grip. "Don't worry Holly, I'll find out who did this."
The Commander couldn't help overhearing her.
"Amber," he pounced on her when she left the room. "Do you think someone did this intentionally?" He asked, taking hold of her shoulders.
Amber shrugged his hands away. "Yes of course. Holly's not stupid enough to fall into the chutes, you should know that." Amber didn't let the commander say anything; "Anyway, I saw them, in my dream. It was dark, but I could make out a figure shrouded in shadow. They had pointed ears and were wearing a wing rig. I knew it was them, I could tell."
Root looked thoughtful.
"You do believe me, don't you?" Amber asked, worriedly.
He nodded, "Listen, I can't contact your father, he's away in London."
It was Amber's turn to nod.
"Have you got any other relatives you can stay with for the time being?" He asked.
She thought for a second, "Only my Gran."
Root looked puzzled, "But your mother's an orphan,"
"I know. My Gran on Dad's side. I can stay with her; she has an apartment near ours."
The commander knew she was safer with relatives than alone. "Ok, I'll get Foaly to contact her."
He slipped on his helmet and voiced instructions to Foaly.
"Foaly?" He barked into Com set.
"Yes commander."
"Send me down our best officer. I've got Amber with me; she's convinced Holly's accident was no accident. And I need an officer here round the clock. Oh and Foaly?"
"Yes?"
"Get Jennifer to contact Olivia Kelp, ask her if Amber can stay with her. Get her to explain the situation."
"Yep."
"Oh…" Root paused.
Foaly sighed, "Something else commander?"
"Yes, there is, scan for witnesses to the accident will you?"
Before Foaly had a chance to answer, Root had terminated the link.
"Typical!"
A/N: There, a longer chapter. Be prepared for a short one next though.
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