Artemis Fowl: Blue Eyes
Chapter 8- Trust Me
a/n- Have you ever had this really old story that you've had writer's block on for nearly three months, and then you just wake up one morning and it's like, "Hey! I'm gonna write a new chapter on that fic that's a hundred years old today!"? Well, there's my reason for finally updating.
"You're telling me that even though you have all this advanced technology, and even though you're supposed to be decades and decades older and,"(a slight cough here)"wiser, than myself- you have the gall to tell me that you - still - can't - find - her?"
Artemis was standing off to the side of an interesting shop stall in the Indian market place Trouble had instructed them to go to. The man was trying to sell him a silken dress. Idiot. He'd waited there for about half an hour before he started to get a bit impatient. Root had flew off somewhere, and Foaly had insisted that he stay with the jet. The only problem was that when Root returned, he had unpleasant news. Hence, Artemis gets angry.
"Well?" he asked impatiently, "Are you just going to hover over my head all day or are we going to find Captain Short?"
"We'll find her as soon as we know where to look, you little-" Root paused when he noticed the stern look Butler was giving him. Even though he was invisible to Butler and Artemis, the manservant still somehow managed to know exactly where he was. Scary. "Look- I don't know where she is, Trouble don't know where she is, and I'm pretty sure you don't know where she is either, so get off my case already! I'm trying to find her just as hard as you are!" He paused. "Hey! Artemis-? Are you listening to me?"
Artemis scratched his chin thoughtfully, ignoring Root. He'd already dubbed the fairy as an uninformative pawn even less useful than Foaly. The purple faced commander was just another annoying fly buzzing around his ear. What he was really fretting about was Holly. How did she possibly get mixed up in all this? More importantly, why did he care? Ice was a nobody to him- a useless fairy with an eye for women. Artemis winced as the thoughts sprung about his head. He still tried to convince himself that he did not like Holly.
For his plan to succeed, he needed to know where Ice was hiding. Bulter can snatch Mulch away while they're not expecting anything. Oh, Artemis knows better than to underestimate the little dwarf- he was the one who had helped Artemis regain his memories, after all- but if he were smart, he would've never done such a stupid thing.
Immediately his thoughts sprang up on a different course. Me working with Ice... Like two minds of that caliber could "get along." Tch. Once he had Mulch in his backpocket, he could propose a trade off. So Butler thought that was the entire plan, did he? He never did have an eye for deception or plot.
The raven haired boy hadn't realized he was pacing. Did he worry over the fairy as much as he thought he did? He didn't know which "fairy" he was talking about. Maybe both of them- Holly and Ice.
He forced himself to stop pacing and turned to Butler. With an ominous growl in his tone, he hummed softly, "A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go..."
Holly's breath was caught tight somewhere between her mouth and her lungs. She couldn't just stand there, waiting on someone who might never find her. That was stupid and most unlike her. Thus, with a frown creasing her brow, she used her last five minutes to form some sort of plan to get away from Ice.
First, she noticed a dim glow coming from several feet away- possibly another room or hallway with some illumination. The darkness was beginning to play tricks on her... Then, she realized the ground she was standing on was wet, like she was in a puddle a few inches deep or something. She leaned down and cupped her hands in the liquid, brought it back up to her nose, and found that it did not have a smell. She gently poked at it with her tongue; it did not taste either. It was cool, clear water.
The only two crucial pieces of information she could grasp were useless. How could a light she couldn't get to help her? What was such a small amount of water good for? She could listen to Ice's low chuckles for eternity and still not have enough time to think of a plan. She hung her head low and tried desperately to summon up some of her well-known courage and/or determination. She couldn't find it.
Mulch was loudly munching and crunching on something somewhere else in the room. When he spoke, Holly heard his voice echo: "Hey Ice... How long do you suppose we'll wait down here?"
There was a short pause as Ice contemplated the best answer. "As long as we must, my friend. Trust me."
Mulch mumbled about impatience or something of the like, but Holly could've cared less. She hurriedly put one and two together- water, small light, echo... Sewers? No... Maybe just an underground water reserve for the palace. Either way, she knew they were underground, and she knew they were in some sort of tunnel.
Frantic for an idea (anything!) Holly then heard what she'd been dreading; Ice's footsteps were splashing toward her. She didn't need him to send her off as bait for his silly little mind games. Whatever rivalry he had with Artemis was none of her concern. Holly did the only thing she could think of, hoping to catch Ice off guard and have the element of surprise on her side- she screamed.
And it worked. She could hear Ice stumble backwards by the quick splashes, and as soon as she heard that, she bolted straight for the light. With her last bit of fairy magic, she boosted her speed by maybe thirty seconds. Thirty seconds that were crucial to her escaping.
With all the echoing, there was no way she could've known that Mulch was sitting right there waiting for her, several feet away from the light. All of the pride that Holly had for making a near escape floated away. All of that effort into such little conditions with so little time... She'd failed. She'd failed and Artemis wasn't coming. Ice wasn't cackling now. He was growling. Holly could do nothing but stare down the darkness. The cold mask of defiance she wore on her face wasn't the same as the butterflies that were swarming in her stomach.
"You ungrateful little girl..." Holly felt a sharp pain across her face. She realized two seconds later Ice had smacked her, and she fell like a rag doll onto the moistened ground. "You diliberately did that, when I was the one who saved you from that Fowl character. Such shame you place on your hero."
"He's no hero," Holly said angrily to no one in particular, "and neither is Artemis. They're both jerks. All guys are nothing but jerks!"
"What was that?"
"I said you were a-"
Holly gasped as all of her breath was kicked out of her by Ice's boot. She lay there, staring at a ceiling who-knows how far up, gasping and crying silent tears that she refused to acknowledge. She could be strong... She had to be strong... She couldn't tell if the blackness around her was real or if she was unconscious. "My little peach- your dress!" Ice mumbled in mock shock. So she was conscious. "It's all wet! Here," she could tell when he was smiling in the way he talked, "Let me help you with that..."
Holly shrieked as loud as she could. Her cry was soon mixing with Ice's maniacal laughter, all of that making a strange chorus with the echoes off the walls. The only thing stopping her from drowning herself was the thought of Artemis' beautiful blue eyes. She all but bluntly refused to take Ice's outstretched hand.
In the midst of Holly's anguish- it was a completely irrelevant thought, really (you're said to think things like that when all hope is lost)- she remembered the goblins back at Haven, in the diamond mines... She remembered that fellow saying something about their leader calling himself "Blue Eyes." She thought she'd actually considered Artemis as the owner of that nickname. Thinking about his eyes was probably what triggered the memory, though that wasn't why she was slightly stunned. It was almost too coincidental; Ice had blue eyes. She could almost see them glowing there in the darkness. He was a genius mastermind who very well could've organized the whole thing, but her hope was nearly obliterated...
Holly spoke carefully at first, "You were the one who set up the goblins underground, weren't you?"
Ice stopped laughing abruptly. "What goblins?"
A new spark of victory bloomed in Holly's chest. "Don't play dumb with me, 'Blue Eyes'. Did you think I'd turn against my old rival just because his eyes are blue too? He's not the only one, you know."
If Holly could've seen Ice's glare, she probably would've scooted a few more feet back. He didn't say anything. He didn't do anything. He simply stood there and sneered at the girl who, indeed, was not broken and did not have all hope lost. On the other hand, Ice was a genius, and his plans would not be foiled so easily. If Holly wouldn't break, maybe she would bend...
The feeling of having a wall stuck between yourself and your goal was almost enough to make Artemis pack up, turn around, and head straight back to Fowl Manor. Almost. Knowing that Ice and Holly were so close, but not knowing exactly where they were was driving him mad. He was so close... He needed something. He felt like he was grasping thin air in a vain attempt to hold on to something while falling. He needed a turning point.
Neither did he know how soon he would get one.
The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up, alerting him to the prescence of someone standing behind him. When he turned, he saw no one, but when he looked closely he could see the slight blur where a fairy was hovering. At first, he thought it was Root, back with more information. A girl's voice told him differently. "Hello, Artemis Fowl." Butler tensed, hearing Artemis' name, poised to protect should the need arise.
Had Artemis not been a cool, collected, young genius, he would've stumbled backwards and openly gaped. Instead, he sneered at the voice with his teeth grating together, "What an unexpected surprise... Opal Kaboi!"
The fairy laughed and Artemis felt tiny fingers tickle his ear. "Yes, it is I- Opal Kaboi, back from the deep sleep and mental hospital they put me in."
"How?"
Opal's voice had a musical quality, so when she spoke, she chimmed. "'How' is not important, Arty."
Artemis knew she was only trying to throw him off guard with the nickname. He momentarily wondered how everyone seemed to know it. "Why, then? Why come back to me? Why now? I thought you hated me."
"I don't hate you. Sure, you ruined my life, my error-proof plots, and any hopes and dreams I had of becoming an evil, female superpower, but all that can be easily forgiven...for a small price. I believe that answers all your questions."
"A 'small price' is a pitiful excuse for a revenge plot, Opal."
"Who said anything about revenge?" She sounded sincerely shocked. "I've changed my ways, Arty. I'm free! Free from that accursed hospital! Would you not be grateful for that? Would you have the selfishness to ask for something more than freedom?"
Either Opal had really changed her ways and meant every word (which meant that she was completely psychotic,) or it was all just a ruse and she was lying through her teeth to obtain any temporary ally she could find. Temporary was an understatement. Artemis halfway expected her to be working with Ice. He couldn't trust her, or anyone, for that matter. "If you're so unselfish, why ask me to pay a price for your forgiveness?"
"Forgiveness? Did I say that? I meant the whereabouts of Holly Short."
Artemis could hear the grin form on her lips as the last sentence was spoken. She was one step ahead of him, and that angered him even more than not knowing where Ice and Holly were. Here he was, thinking he was finally back on track, when Opal Kaboi shows up and gets her tiny, insignificant bit of revenge by proving him how wrong he was. "What do you want?" Whatever her answer was could wait; he would sort it out later. All that mattered right then was getting Holly back to Haven safely.
There was a long silence as Opal reconsidered her answer for probably the hundredth time. Artemis wanted to pull out her wings one at a time. Slowly. He'd waited long enough.
"I want..." she started, only to hesitate once more. Butler had to put a hand on Artemis' shoulder. Opal smiled. "I want you to make out with Ice."
Artemis' face paled even more than it already had been. He couldn't help but ask "Surely you're joking?" before agreeing to something so... so blasphemous.
"Yes." The smile was back on her lips. "I am joking. The look you gave me was payment enough for the information you need. Holly is hidden in the top of the underground aqueducts. Go through the royal palace to get there fastest. When I last saw her, she was unharmed, but I can't say how long that will last."
Artemis couldn't believe what he was hearing. She could still be lying, even though she sounded sincere. She could very well be working with Ice. She did refuse to tell him how she escaped, and Ice did help Mulch get out of prison; what was to stop him from freeing Opal too?
But Opal was his only hope, now. Root, Trouble, Foaly- all useless to him. This was agood chance. If only he could take it; if only he could trust her... He was out of options. He had to trust her. She'd already proven that she could play his game with deft ease. He needed to show her that he could retaliate even better.
"I don't know where the palace is. Would you show me the way?" Artemis mentally crossed his fingers.
Opal paused, and for a moment the blur disappeared and her wings stopped moving. Artemis suspected she was considering the risks of getting even that close to Ice. Then she unveiled herself, appearing in front of Butler and eyeing him warily. She was humming softly. No one looked in their direction. In face, the entire market square seemed to be nearly deserted. Opal motioned for them to follow her as she made her way between stalls. They were soon walking toward the royal palace in India- toward Holly; toward Ice.
next time- Things start heating up when everything comes together. Artemis may find Holly, but time is the key to winning, and the more time that's wasted, the less likely Holly will be found alive.
Thank you all for reviewing. And I'm sorry for the long wait. I've really enjoyed writing this... eh... interesting bubble of thought that I just so happened to think good enough to make into a story.-insert big happy face here-
