Holly woke up with the feeling she was being stared at. The fact of it was, was that she was. Light flooded the room and she blinked furiously. Finally her eyes adjusted and she saw who it was.
Angeline.
She bit her lip as Angeline asked, "So was it you or him."
She tried not to laugh, really she did, but it came out anyway as a chuckle. Angeline put her hands on her hips as Artemis groaned. He started to sit up when he felt Holly on top of him. He smiled to himself and then noticed his mother.
He got up so fast Holly fell on the floor. Making his mother loose her stern composer momentarily. She then asked him in an angry whisper, "What do you think I'm thinking right now?"
"That you're glad you have such an amazingly smart son who isn't smart enough to do what your thinking," Artemis replied trying not to look directly at Holly.
"Good answer," She growled, giving him an angry look, "I'd also appreciate it if you would sleep in a bed next time. Upstairs."
She turned and went as Artemis let out his breath he didn't realize he was holding. He heard Holly shuffle on the floor and say, "That didn't go as bad as I thought it would."
"Oh well, that's the scariest my mom has ever been. Except the one time..." He shivered, "Don't ask."
"I won't," She laughed and got up from the floor to sit next to him, "Knowing you it's something lame."
"Thanks," Artemis nodded and sighed, "You have no idea how happy I am."
"Why are you so happy?" Holly asked.
"I'm just so happy that it was my mother... and not my father," He tried to keep a straight face but Holly smiled.
"That bad?" Holly asked.
"Oh, he doesn't get angry. No, he would just pester me for the rest of my life," Artemis laughed and Holly smiled, she liked it when he laughed. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He was just about lay his head on hers when Juliet ran into the room, communicator in hand.
"We have a serious problem," She said.
"I have no idea how this started," Foaly sighed, laying his head on the back of his chair, "Every hand we have right now is being sent out to stop this but, they just keep coming. I don't understand how they obtained so much power."
"Do you have any idea who's leading them or who supplied them?" Artemis asked. He was standing behind Holly, who was resting in the chair.
She leaned back and sighed, "I have a couple of guesses."
"I had a feeling you'd say that," Foaly sighed, "but, this isn't like last time. We caught a couple of them and none of them seemed to be controlled by any outside magic."
"No," Holly replied, sitting forward in though, "Not Basil. They wouldn't help him. He already used them to much. They were probably sent by Jason. Jason does have a way with words."
Artemis gave her a look that Foaly noticed but didn't say anything, "We need more hands to keep them at bay though. We just don't have enough."
"Let me see if Juliet and Butler are willing to help," Artemis told Foaly, turning to leave the room.
"He's mad..."Foaly started.
"I know," Holly muttured back softly.
"You should do something."
"I know."
"He doesn't know any..."
Holly cut him out, "If I come down there, I'm gonna hit you. Is that what you want?"
He shook his head no and she laid her head on the desk. Artemis walked into the doorway as she asked, "You he just wants to get me down there. If I come out of hiding, he can contact me or anything."
Foaly looked up at Artemis nervously but he just walked into the room as if he just came back, "They said they're up for a little fun or something like that."
Holly laughed with her head still on the table and he smiled. She lifted her head and looked at him, "Then let's go."
Artemis sat in the car and waited for Holly. She was the last one for some reason. Finally he saw her figure through the car window. She opened the car door and let the bag fall on the ground. She was still in her pajama's.
"Are you kidding me?" Artemis growled and Holly gave him a death glare.
"Don't give me that," She growled shutting the car door.
"Why would you pack all that stuff?" He asked.
"You wouldn't understand," Holly sighed and opened her bag, "Turn around."
"Why?" Artemis asked and she gave him another look, this time it read duh.
"So I can change!" She replied, "and don't peak."
He turned around and she took out her outfit. First, there was a black ruffled skirt. She tryed hard not to fall but did at least twice. She could tell Artemis was trying hard not to laugh. She then picked some kind of tank top, it tied behind her back and showed her stomach some. She didn't mind much.
She shoved the pajama's back in the bag and said, "Alright."
He turned around and raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"Are you really going to wear that?" He asked.
"I'm hot," Holly replied taking something's out of her bag. It looked like black bandages, which she wrapped around the palm of her hand and up her arm. It stopped before it touched her elbow. Then she pulled out a pair of black leather gloves and put those over her hands.
Artemis looked at her curiously and she bit her lip. She looked back down at her gloved hands and said softly, "I know how it happens."
When he didn't say anything, she went on, "or at least I think I do. When my nails brake the skin in my palm, it seems to, ignite? Like my blood is fuel, making my skin and nail the spark?"
Artemis wrapped his arm around her waist and replied, "So, why are you wearing gloves?"
"I can get angry at Jason or Basil very fast," Holly replied giving Artemis a smile, "I don't want to explode."
He chuckled and looked at her. Her hair fell into her eyes slightly and he moved it out of the way. He then moved his hand down to her neck and massaged it momentarilly, before kissing her softly on the lips. She kissed him back but they were stopped when the car stopped.
Artemis looked dissapointed and Holly smiled, 'He is such a baby.'
She opened the car door and waited for him to get out. Juliet and Butler were already halfway to the shuttle doors. As they started to get closer to them Holly felt something cold touch her cheek. She looked up to see a million, tiny, white objects fill the sky and she smiled. She had never actually seen it snow before.
Artemis smiled as he saw her reaction and whispered in her ear, "I'd make a snow machine if it meant making you that happy."
She blushed and kept walking. He followed beside her silently until they reached the shuttle. As they got in Butler had some trouble getting into a seat. Juliet laughed so hard seeing this for the first time. She finally calmed down and sat down in her own seat. Holly sat in the pilot chair as Artemis sat co-pilot.
She set the controls and he asked, "So what do you think will happen when we get down there?"
"I have no idea," She muttured, flipping the last control switch and putting on her helmet. She then put her mouth piece in. She slowly led the pod to the edge of the crater and let it fall in.
As they all climbed out of the shuttle they saw a black van, sitting across the shuttle space. Vinyaya was standing outside of it and waved to them. Holly grabbed her bag and they proceeded to the car. Once they got there they were forced inside.
Holly sat down next to Trouble with Artemis beside her. Butler and Juliet sat down by councilman with Vinyaya next to them. As the van pulled away the councilman asked, "So, what all can we expect from you little friends?"
"That they'd possibly do anything to get me over to where they are," Holly replied, "Leathal force or not."
"So they're dangerous?" He asked.
"You betcha," Foaly's voice came out of nowhere. Then a hologram square with Foaly on all four sides appeared, "Like it Mudboy?"
"You betcha," Artemis mimicked Foaly and smiled.
"These guys have just about everything they need," Foaly went on, away from the subject of himself, "Kobalde has the money and I'm guessing, in the light of things, this was Jason's idea. He was the one who promised to kill her when he got out."
There were nods around the van as it came to a slow stop and sped up again. Then it hit Holly, she didn't know exactly but it was something Foaly said. She had a gut feeling that something was wrong. She looked like she was going to be sick.
"Are you okay?" Artemis asked and everyone looked at her.
"Can you repeat that?" Holly asked, ignoring Artemis.
"Yeah, are you..." He started till he was cut off.
"No, not you," She interupted, "Foaly."
"Umm..." He thought, "Kobalde has the money and..."
"After that," Holly interupted again and Foaly sighed.
"Jason was the one who promised to kill you," Foaly stated as he had before.
"That's not true. I care about you! Why can't you just see that?" Basil asked frustrated.
"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO! Holly screamed and then went silent, "because I don't want to."
"So you do still love me then, somehow." Basil said hopefully, "Tell me what I can do to make it up to you. You know I'll do it."
She looked up at him and growled, "Then tell me you don't love me. Tell me it's all a lie, a con to get you out of a little bit of prison time. Tell me you hate me!"
He looked away, "I can't do that Holly. It's not true."
"THEN LIE TO ME!" She yelled to him.
"Holly," Artemis asked concerned as she came out of her space out, "Are you alright?"
"Something isn't right," She finally whispered out loud, what had been going through her mind for the past two days.
Once everyone was inside, Foaly shut the doors, "Here's what I have. A couple of knocked out goblins that should be awake in about five minutes and a guess."
"And the guess is?" Artemis asked, sitting down in a chair next to Holly.
Some of the councilmen were giving Holly looks, from the way she dressed. Though for other reasons to. Foaly sighed and said, "I told them Holly. They needed to know."
All she did was nod and he went on, some looking away and others..., "I'm sure that there is four hundred of these suckers running around but only a third of them have weapons. We already have half of them out and in cells. I'm guessing that once they're gone Kobalde or Jason will appear somehow."
Holly kept quiet and didn't reply, but everyone seemed to look at her, "The only thing we need to find out is where they would be. They weren't stupid enough to go to Kobalde's old place, we checked that."
Everything was directed at her but she was to afraid to say it. What if she was wrong? She took a deep breath and finally whispered, "Kobalde isn't involved."
They all looked at her like she was nuts and Foaly tried to sound like she was just not thinking right, "No, you were talking about your dreams. He was the one that controlled..."
"I know what I said!" She snapped at him angrily. She looked up knowing that her face showed how unsure she was, "Though I have a feeling I was wrong."
One of the councilmen seemed to growl or sigh in annoyance. Vinyaya smiled and asked, "Why do you think that Holly."
"Doesn't anyone remember what happened at Kobalde's Manor. He tried to kill me but then..." Holly stopped not wanting to say anymore. Maybe it was only her, Foaly, and the Commander that knew.
"You don't believe him...do you?" Foaly asked, looking more confused then ever. It was never mentioned in trial, or in questioning, just sitting around, or even when she visited him after the Hybra's adventure.
There was then a knock on the door. Foaly opened it to find his Warlock friends, "I was just thinking of you."
"We know," Qwan replied lazily, coming into the room with No1 and Qweffor. He then turned to Holly, "What are the dreams like?"
"I thought you knew everything," Holly laughed and then looked away. She thought about it for a minute. Why do I always have to spill my guts out in front of everyone? "Like he's just trying to upset me with thing that... well would upset me."
No1 laughed and stood next to Holly, "I think you need to open up more."
She laughed back, "Yeah, like that would ever happen."
"Alright," Qwan said, "Does it seem like something he would do?"
"Yes, and no," Holly shrugged, "He would do it to annoy me or get my attention but what the dreams are, aren't something he would do..."
"Well," Artemis started, "Jason could tell him what to put in a dream if you think about it."
"That's what I mean!" Holly tried, "Kobalde told me he loved me. He also wouldn't listen to Jason like that. He likes to do his own things when it comes to his powers."
"So you're saying that Jason is USING Kobalde," Foaly asked, then thinking about it, "Why didn't I think of that?"
He typed away on his computer as the rest of them discussed how they were going to approach the two. Holly and Artemis were silent though. Artemis reached across and took hold of Holly's hand. It comforted her and she smiled.
A hologram suddenly filled the room. It took the shape of Jason, "Hello everyone... Holly."
She glared at him and didn't say a word, "I know what you're thinking... Where is he? Well, no need to try and track me. I'll tell you where I am. You know that big abandoned factory outside of town. That's were."
"I'm not stupid," Holly growled, "I know it's a trap."
Jason smirked, "How else are you going to get me? Huh? What do you think you're all going to accomplish, sitting around here and disscussing it? Nothing. I will let you know one thing though. It's going to be a great party."
Holly smirked and said, "I'd just love to crash it."
"Then do it," He challenged before his face dissapeared.
Holly crossed her arms and asked, "Now what?"
Artemis, Holly, Butler, Juliet, and Trouble were in a group. Qwan, Qweffor, No1, Vinyaya, and Mulch. There were three other groups consisting of different LEP officers. The five groups were to take out all the goblins in their area. So far the had run into four groups. The first group had guns and the rest had nothing.
Holly started away from the group a little bit to think but she also wanted to check out around a corner. She was just about to look around it when she heard Artemis, "You know you aren't supposed to wander."
He was about 5 yards away from her and she nodded. Right as she was taking her first step back, someone grabbed her from behind knocking her out. Artemis ran for her but he was just in time to see a black van drive away in the dark.
The rest of the group ran over to where he stood but he was to angry to notice. They just got Holly and he didn't stop it. He had never remembered being so angry before. He punched the brick wall next to him and started to walk back to the meeting place of the five groups.
Trouble took the radio out of his pocket and said, "We have a problem. Meet us in The Spot, over."
"WHAT COULD BE SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE TO INTERUPT ME!" Jason yelled as he came out to where some of his elves associates were. They looked nervous but a little proud at the same time. He hated those cocky elves, "WELL!"
"We did it," One piped up nervously, his voice squeaked. He turned around to go back to what he was doing. He wasn't going to let them bug him because they did something right for a change, "We caught the girl."
That stopped him. He turned back to face the elf in question, "Which girl?"
He looked fearful but replied, "The red head sir."
He smiled and said, "I believe a reward is at hand. Go rest down in your chambers. You are not to do anything for the rest of the day."
They all smiled and ran out of the room before he could change his mind. He walked out the door and down the hall. 'Time to have a little chat with Miss Short,' He thought to himself.
Artemis was never fidgity...NEVER! He looked like he was having convultions now. Juliet layed a hand on his shoulder making him stop, "She'll be fine."
After that he seemed fine. So everyone gathered around the circle. Foaly spoke first, "So what kind of stratagy to do you want?"
"How about to find Holly," Artemis replied in anger and sadness. Juliet slammed her hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. He was starting to get on her nerves. She cared for Holly to but this boy didn't stop till he got what he wanted.
"All right," Foaly went on, "So do we just go in and get her or do we try to bring them out?"
"I think we should do both," Artemis said, finally tearing Juliet's hand away from his mouth.
She smiled and almost yelled, "FINALLY! Something smart comes out of your mouth."
In truth, even the councilmen couldn't help but laugh. Foaly looked at him and asked, "What do you mean both?"
"Talk to him. Try to get him to come out and then have the other people go in the back way. We can get Holly and leave," Artemis tried, crossing his arms and taking three steps away from Juliet.
"That's what he'd most likely be expecting if we tried to drag him out," Foaly replied, rubbing his hand on his head.
"That is why you aren't as smart as me," Artemis smirked, "You would put me, you, Domovoi, Vinyaya, Mulch, Qwan, Qwaffor, and No1 at the front. No offence to leave you last."
"Non taken," No1 noted.
"Then send everyone else we've got in the backway," Artemis finished. Foaly's mouth dropped open and the counilmen seemed even more confused.
"Everyone?" Foaly almost asked.
"Get every single person you've got and shove them through that back door. Knock out everyone in the building. Fast but silently, while we're distracting him," Artemis smiled, proving to Juliet that he could think without Holly there.
They were walking back to The Spot and Artemis was behind them. Juliet fell behind to be next to him and waited for the others to be out of earshot. Then turned to look at him. She rolled her eyes as he almost fell off the curb. She caught him.
"I swear you're disfunctional without Holly," Juliet laughed and he looked up at her blankly.
"I am perfectly fine. I don't need Holly to do things. I can think for myself," He sighed. He almost ran into a pole and she pulled him out of the way you can.
"You think about her so much that you can't even remember where you're going," Juilet replied sadly. He just rolled her eyes and she walked away.
"Alright," Vinyaya said, "Let me make some calls."
Holly felt herself twitch slightly. It was in her hand and it twitched again. She felt like she was being weighed down but knew there wasn't anything there. She just mentally couldn't do it, knowing what was going to come.
She twitched her hand again and then twitched the other one. She curled her hands into fists and opened her eyes. It was nothing of what she expected. The room was softly lit with candles that were placed around the room. There was only about five of them but it was enough to light the room.
The bed she was on was black with silky sheets. She was still and didn't move. It was to hard. She closed her eyes and forced herself up. No one was in the room and the door was wide open. Like a trap? She slowly walked to the door and went out.
No one was there still. So she walked down the hall. At the end of it, there were stairs. As she started down them, the lights came on and at the bottom of the stairs. Standing there was Jason.
"Good morning, Holly," Jason sweetly welcomed her with a smirk. She froze on the stairs and stared for what seemed the longest time. He finally spoke again, "What? Did you think I was going to kill you? The first chance I get to see you again. I'm not as stupid as you think."
He hands clentched into fist and she started to take a step back up the stairs. He smiled, "Where are you going to go, huh? I can go anywhere you go."
He started up the stairs towards her and she took a step back. She fell on the step as he got in front of her. He held out a hand and she just stared at it. He frowned, "Don't make me angry."
She swallowed and took it. He easily pulled her up so they were almost touching noses. She moved to the side to get away. He kept a hold on her hand and started down the stairs. She had no choice but to follow him.
She was biting her lip so hard it almost started bleeding, 'Where's Artemis...?'
She then noticed he was saying something and tried to pay attention, "I have a feeling you have some questions. So let me answer them."
She unconsiously nodded and he smiled, still leading her, "Your friends are fine, probably looking for a way to get you back. This is the factory... it's just been modified by my friends. Also, the biggest one... why am I acting the way I am?"
She stopped and his hand tugged hers. He turned to face her and she glared at him. He just smiled, "Did you really think I would kill you?"
She didn't say anything but she was surprised. He grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her along. She tried to protest but knew it was no use. She finally gave up and walked silenty. It seemed that he was trying to act like it was normal. You know a boyfriend and girlfriend thing... but it wasn't.
"You just don't understand, do you? I never really wanted to hurt you... well, maybe I do. Though I think we could work that out. I want you and I will do anything to keep you. I have something for you... and it might change your mind about me. Your friends were so busy trying to kill of my goblin friends... they haven't noticed the bigger things."
Her mouth had dropped open but she was still to speachless to say anthing, 'What is his deal? He wants to hurt me but he wants me to be with him. Does he want to hurt me because I don't want to be with him?'
Then it hit her, "This hall."
He looked at her suspiciously, "Does it look familier?"
She nodded and he frowned, "Does it now?"
He let go of her hand, big mistake. She turned and punched him in the face. He fell back into the wall and she ran. She tried to open a couple of doors on the way but non opened. She heard him behind her. She came to a door at the end of the hallway and opened it.
She heard a loud noise behind her and slammed the door shut behind her. She ran down the wooden stairs and heard the door slam open behind her. She turned to look back but tripped and fell down the stairs. She landed hard on the floor and couldn't breathe for a moment.
After a couple of seconds she felt the blood between her fingers. She conciously put her hand to her head but didn't feel a wound. She looked down at her hands and saw that the blood was not coming from her. She forced herself to look up and screamed at what she saw.
There was Basil, lying in his own blood. He had cuts and bruises on his body, but he was still breathing. She sat up on her knees and reached out her hand to touch him. She barely noticed as Jason grabbed her behind the neck and yanked her off the floor.
"And now you know," He almost whispered to her as he turned her to face him.