Chapter 9: Persuasion
Artemis was still thinking about Diana's words, partly because he simply loved to think, and partly because what Diana had just said struck him unlike any other thing he had ever heard. It was also surprising that he had never thought of a possibility that a teenager just his age had known long ago. He was naturally completely unaware that he was underneath the Earth's crust with a race of fairies, and that in front of him was a screen with an unknown name on it. To Artemis, he was merely pondering an issue. To others, Artemis Fowl was seriously slipping.
That's how it exactly looked when Holly Short unshielded herself and found Artemis sitting on a backless chair, eyes glazed. She stared blankly as Artemis fell over and dropped out of his trance. The Artemis she knew never made mistakes like that.
"Did you find out who the criminal was?" she said, still awed at the fact that Artemis Fowl could fall out of his chair like any other normal boy.
"Huh?" Using colloquialism like that – "huh" wasn't even a word! "Oh, yes. In fact, the imposter turned out to be -" he hesitated for a moment at the new name. "Keeth Gates. Another kleptomaniac like Mulch, I suppose?"
Holly's mouth went agape. "Who?"
"Keeth Gates." Artemis enunciated each word carefully.
Holly blinked. "My Frond!" she exclaimed. "Did you just say Keeth Gates? Don't tell me it's the Keeth Gates!"
"And who precisely is the Keeth Gates?" Artemis smirked as he imitated Holly mockingly.
Holly ignored him as she went to a drawer that held numerous disks and flipped out a small black one. She then stalked over to Artemis, pushed him (sending Artemis down to the floor with a thud for the second time in a few seconds), and placed the disk in its drive.
The disk whirred, finally showing a file that was encrypted. Holly deciphered it in an adept manner. The file was labeled "Top Secret" in Gnommish.
"Top secret." Artemis read, recognizing the language he had translated on his own two years ago. His eyes moved as a file came into view – another one – the title being "Keeth Gates."
Just then, Diana showed up. "Oh, hi, Holly, you're back. I was just in the restroom-" She realized that neither of the two was actually listening to her, and her eyes followed Artemis and Holly's gaze on the picture in the file. She suddenly yelled, "Eww! Who's that?"
"I don't believe it," said Holly, obviously frustrated. "Trouble Kelp reported him dead about a year ago. This can't be possible."
"Simple," Artemis replied, grinning in his usual know-it-all way. "He formed a hologram of an exact facsimile of himself. Then he killed it. Do you remember when Foaly made a replica of me at the Spiro Needle? This goblin – that is, Keeth Gates – has technology that is 50 years more advanced than that of the people. All according to this document."
Holly glared at him. She hated it when Artemis pointed out things she didn't realize, and hated it even more because of the fact that he was always correct.
"Wow," Diana said. "A lot of things happened while I was at the restroom!"
"All right, genius," Holly said. "I'm going to find this guy. Apparently, he's with Spiro, so that makes it much easier. They can't be far. Just inform Root and Foaly on the details. I'm off!"
Somewhere in Haven
"Here," Keeth said. "This is a copy of the LEP top secret files. Just don't ask me how I got it." He paused. "Hey, I found an interesting name in there. I think she might be able to help us."
"She?" Spiro cocked his eyebrow. "So she's a girl, isn't she? So, do you exactly know this girl?"
"Well, I'm kind of acquainted with her," Keeth replied. "Criminal thing, you know? She's a pixie."
"A pixie." Spiro grimaced. "How grotesque the creatures residing here are!"
"Well, you look the same way to us," Keeth retorted, and Spiro frowned at his glib repartee. "Anyway, this pixie's in the hospital. NLE, mental area. Room 501."
"Wait!" Spiro interrupted. "Are you saying this girl is not only a pixie – but mentally retarded?!"
"Thepoint is, she's not, all right?" Keeth said. "So what's your answer? Go see her or not?"
NLE Hospital, Lower Elements
"Hold on a second!" Keeth shouted as he held Spiro by his collar. "What are you thinking? Are you planning to just go inside that building – entirely visible? Good idea, Spiro. That is going to be very inconspicuous. Sure, it's just what happens every day around here."
Spiro was disgusted at Keeth's overdose of sarcasm, but did his best to look apologetic. "Sorry, Didn't think about that."
"Oh man," Keeth groaned. "Put on the shielding device, okay? And please, be quiet!"
Keeth watched Spiro silently shield himself and walk away. Then he collapsed to the floor, head held in both of his hands.
How arduous collaborating with a Mud Man can be, he thought. Even harder than working with a girl!
Speaking of a girl, Keeth thought. I can't ever forget the first one I had a crush on. She was a brunette…No, I think her hair was red…. I don't remember! But what I do remember were her intense hazel eyes. You could just gaze into them and never find a way out…
As Keeth let his thoughts wander (and he seldom did), from the corner of his eye, he could just see the girl of his dreams.
Keeth jerked his head to that direction and stared. This girl had auburn hair and hazel eyes. She looked angry, yet determined. A bit pretty, he noticed, but not what would be called beautiful or gorgeous. Hmmm, he thought. The girl I remember was quiet and soft. Oh, well, that girl is good enough. She looks fiery, too. I've got to talk to her.
Having forgotten all his schemes, he summoned all his brains and thought of an excuse to get to talk to this nubile fairy. As she came closer, Keeth began to become frantic. He desperately thought and thought… until this girl was….
Right. In. His. Face.
She looked shocked at first, but Keeth had no doubt he couldn't have looked more shocked if a gnome had just slapped him in the face. Whatever the girl was surprised at, though, she quickly pushed it away. She then flashed a dazzling smile. "Hi," she said. "Do I know you?"
"Uh…" Keeth couldn't utter a single word. "Uh… yeah! I think… um… I met you at the bar.. last week! Yeah, I'm sure." He was sure it was lame. She wouldn't fall for it. Couldn't.
"The bar…" An expression of something – what it was, Keeth was still not sure – flickered in her face. She again quickly brushed it away. "I see." She smiled again. "Um…"
Keeth was now delighted. This girl had to be stupid! "Yeah," he replied grinning. "Would you like to, uh, go somewhere for a drink?"
"Sure." She smiled. "How about the bar we met last week? It's across the street."
"Good idea." Although he held his composure, inwardly, Keeth bubbled with euphoria. He had just met the girl of his life.
The door of Room 501 was, if possible, more dull than the façade of the building. Making sure that no one was there, Spiro double-checked both sides of the hallway. No one. He quickly pushed the door open.
Inside, was a pixie – that looked kind of pretty, to human standards – biting her nails with deep rancor. She looked at the door that just opened, and sighed. "Holly, I do not have time for this. Unshield your self and ask me whatever you could possibly need to ask, but don't just stand there."
Spiro doffed the shelding device from his head. He smiled as Opal gaped at him. "Why," she gasped. "You're a – a – "
"A Mud Man, yes." Spiro said. "Opal Koboi. Nice to meet you." He locked the door and sat down next to her. "But not a nice day you've been having, I assume?"
"No," she looked down at her hands.
"Let me guess," Spiro said. "This has something to do with Holly Short, doesn't it?"
Opal's complexion cringed in anger. "How should you know!" she screamed. "And why are you here? If it's for another interrogation, then fire away!"
"No," Spiro replied. "Please do not be angry. And do be quiet. We don't want anyone knowing that a Mud Man is loose in the Lower Elements." He darted his eyes back and forth to make sure once again that no one was there. "I am here for one reason, and one reason only, and that is to hold hands with you."
"What?" Opal shouted. Then lowering her voice, she said, "But I don't even know who you are."
"Just trust me," Spiro said soothingly. "I'll tell you everything later."
"Trust," Opal spat that word as if it was something as repugnant as dwarf liver. "I got rid of that stuff a long time ago."
"All right," Spiro said, getting up. "Then you shall stay here, and rot in this hospital, and after that, you will go to jail, where you will rot some more in a cell, never to trust or be trusted by anybody. Or you can think about it again and come with me." Spiro paused. "What do you say?"
Opal sat up on her cot, silent, and the atmosphere was still completely devoid of trust. Then, her face filled with contempt and hostility softened, and she closed her eyes tightly. It was a sign of accepting.
"So tell me," Spiro said, trying his best to pacify the anger churning inside Opal. "Who is Holly Short? And where is she?"
