Chapter 6

Holly crouched by a tree near Richard Clifford's residence, training her helmet scanners on the house. Beside her Commander Root grunted and turned to Artemis.

"Listen, Mud Boy, this better be on the up-and-up. I don't even have official Council approval for this. They're turning a blind eye because we could be in a heap of trouble otherwise."

Artemis did not look at his fairy companions. "Trust me, Commander. I know what I'm doing," he said, sounding distracted. "Butler's contacts are completely reliable."

"Then why can't we go in yet? I don't mind saying that the whole thing sounds like a crock of gold to me."

Holly didn't know what to think. She was on guard for any behaviour of Artemis' that could spell trouble, but with the Irish genius how would she tell the difference? He had led them out here claiming that Clifford was in league with Gland and that there was a good chance Gland could be on the premises. Yet for some reason he claimed it wasn't safe to go in just yet.

Commander Root closed his visor and opened a line to Holly. "Captain, what do you think?"

She hesitated before replying. "Sir, I can't believe that Artemis would betray us. He seemed genuinely happy to see me again. I know how it looks, but..."

"It looks fishier than an Atlantean criminal, Short." He opened his visor again. "Artemis, I'm sending out Plank to do a reconnaissance. Any objections?"

The boy frowned but offered no other resistance. "None, Commander. I would caution you to watch your back, however. I cannot be sure that the situation is secured, which is why I requested that you wait."

"Well, request denied. Corporal, you have a go. Do a 360 sweep and hover middle point."

"Yessir," the tall elf said, firing up her wings and taking to the sky.

Holly watched the corporal carry out her orders. She felt tense and proud at the same time. Plank was the LEP's best bet for female officers, so every action had to be flawless, but Holly couldn't help feeling a tiny bias toward the corporal. Plank reminded Holly of herself. Okay, so maybe it was a bit more than a tiny bias.

The crackle of a transmission came over her helmet. Corporal Plank spoke, sounding grim. "Commander, I'm picking up something on my sensors approaching you from the north side of the house. I think it's a human."

"You think, Corporal? Think won't get you into the LEP, soldier."

Holly rolled her eyes. The commander may have accepted the presence of females in the force but his scare tactics would never change.

To Plank's credit she didn't back down. "Sir, whatever it is appears to be shielding, but it's too big for a fairy. Another one is approaching from the south."

"Captain, get up there," Root ordered. "Plank isn't licensed for combat. Take those things out!"

"Wait, Commander," Artemis interjected. "What if they mean no harm?"

"Then we'll ask them questions later," Root snapped. "Stun them, Captain. I've had enough of this circus."

At that exact moment, just as Holly was firing up her wings, something whizzed by from behind. Holly dropped instinctively, hugging the ground. "Commander! We're being fired upon!"

Root was already down with his gun out. "Artemis, what in the name of sanity is that?" he yelled, scanning the sky.

Artemis couldn't be heard from behind Butler, who had his gun out. "Stay low, Commander," Butler said, eyes piercing the empty field. "That was a dart."

"Holly, go," Root instructed. "Get up there with Plank. The last thing I need right now is some know-nothing corporal whining about a broken nail."

Another dart came, this time snagging Holly's uniform. She unhitched the dart from the material and tossed it at Butler. "Take a look," she said, and took to the skies.

She made it thirty feet into the air before the third dart caught her in the leg. She gasped and grabbed for the missile. It had buried itself deeply in her thigh, sticking out at an awkward angle. "Commander, I've been hit," she said, wondering how long it would take her to pass out. "I'm coming down."

Plank was still hovering above the house. She appeared to be looking at the south side. "More humans coming out," she said nervously. "Captain, I don't think you should land."

"I have no choice, Corporal," Holly said, feeling the air begin to spin in a mini cyclone. That dart must be pretty potent. "Commander, should I...um..."

She touched down, kneeling where she landed. Her head swirled. The whole thing felt reminiscent of her capture a couple of years ago. Maybe the commander was right. Maybe Artemis was turning against them. How else could their attackers have targeted them so precisely?

She struggled to look up. She saw, to her shock, Root and Butler in a stand-off. She groaned and held her head. Butler wouldn't allow Root to fire on Artemis, even with a Neutrino – there was no way that was going to happen if Holly knew the Eurasian bodyguard. But if Butler fired on Root the elf would be seriously injured, possibly killed. Holly could only hope that a dead Commander Root was something Butler couldn't live with.

As Holly was sluggishly going over their options and being knocked unconscious, Root was busy sweating it out facing Butler, guns drawn. Maybe pulling out his Neutrino had been a mistake; the bodyguard was totally committed to the Mud Scum, lead bullets and all. But the commander didn't need a slug in his side to know that this had been rigged by someone with inside information about fairies and this operation. Someone smart and tricky. Someone with no scruples.

Someone like Artemis Fowl.

Butler thumbed the hammer on his gun. "Commander, lower your weapon. I don't want to have to shoot."

"No chance, Butler," Root said, putting a load of bravado into his tone. "I know Artemis rigged this whole thing. We hacked the London tape. But you...I thought at least you would have a problem betraying us." He steadied his hand. "I guess not."

"Commander, this is not how it looks. Artemis can explain."

"Artemis better explain or you both go beddie-bye."

Holly's voice came in his ear. "Commander, I've been hit. I'm coming down."

Perfect. "Captain Short's been shot," Root said, feeling his ulcer begin to bubble. "I hope you're happy."

"I'm not happy, Commander, and if you will just lower your weapon I'll help." He paused, eyeing the unwavering Neutrino. "I can't kill you, sir, not even for Artemis. But I may have to incapacitate you."

It was at that precise moment that Root felt something he'd never felt before: the sharp sting of a dart entering his shoulder like an oversized hypodermic needle. He went down on one knee, finger hugging the trigger. "Looks like you did, traitor," he said, and then the world began to swirl. The last thing he saw was Butler and Artemis running.

Away.