Chapter Four: Kidnap!

HAZEL'S P.O.V

I sprint away from Fowl Manor, as fast as I can. I had to escape, that place was just plain creepy. Besides, who knew how long I would've been locked in that stuffy room? Artemis just scares me. I enjoy the feeling of freedom, letting the wind blow through my hair. I feel... invincible. Nobody can stop me now! I spot a glade in the woods near the manor, and sigh. I've been dying to have a good wash, dirt's creeping onto my skin, making me look like a street kid. The water from the pond in the glade is refreshing. I splash it all over my face, scrubbing every inch of dirt off my face. I'm too pre-occupied to see someone creeping up on me behind my back... Suddenly, hands cover my eyes, and everything goes black. I try to scream, but my screams are muffled. An itchy potato sack is stuffed over my head, and all I can do is struggle to breath and wonder what's going to happen to me.

ARTEMIS'S P.O.V

My eyelids flutter open. Ah. The interrogation room. How typical. I would have laughed, if Holly wasn't in the room. The centaur, Foaly, is starting up the mind wipe machine, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Holly is pacing back and forth impatiently. The cold metal of the operating table makes me shiver, but I don't reveal that.

"Fowl. Nice to see you again" Foaly says sarcastically.

Holly sighs. "Just mind wipe him and get it over with."

I sit up straight. Mind wipe? I need to stop this happening. But how? I open my mouth to speak, but I'm interrupted.

"Captain Short. What do you think you're doing?" Root spits out. He takes a long suck from his cigar, before continuing. "I sent you to check up on Artemis Fowl. Not mind wipe him!"

"Sir, Fowl is a threat to the people. We need to eliminate that threat, if we are to survive."

I can see Holly's struggling to stay calm.

"Captain Short, I will remove you from the LEP, if I have to. Stop this right now!"

I can't help but smile triumphantly. It's in my nature. Holly scowls, and signals to Foaly to shut the machine down.

"Now release this human and send him up to the surface. I have enough to worry about, already."

I jump off the operating table, taking a glance at Holly and Foaly. They don't look happy. Still, I have other things on my mind besides angry fairies and centaurs.

"Don't think this is over, Fowl. I will get you." Holly hisses at me, on my way out. I can't resist answering her threat.

"Holly, Holly, Holly. You can't seem to resist my charms, can you? I'm afraid to say I don't have time for a relationship. Maybe call me sometime?"

"I-I." Holly stutters, protesting. "I-I didn't... didn't.." Her face is bright red. I exit the room, leaving her to protest alone. I have business.

HAZEL'S P.O.V

The sack is lifted, and light floods in. I blink a few times, to adjust to the light. I squirm for a few seconds, realising my hands are tightly bound to a chair. A flimsy light bulb hangs from a damp ceiling. I appear to be in a basement. Except it has a stench of mould and dung.

"Where am I?" I whisper in amazement.

"You're in Haven. Underground." A figure steps out of the shadows.

"It's...you."

"Yes, Hazel. And soon, you're not going to be able to remember my face. Or anyone's. You'll be a slave, with a blank mind."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?!" I scream at her.

Irritatingly, she laughs. A laugh that sends shivers down my spine.

"I'd like to introduce you to my little friend." She pulls out a hairy spider the size of a fist, with 5 cm pincers long. It runs along her fingers. "He's going to help me."

My heart is thumping, and I want to run away from this place. But I won't give this girl the satisfaction of screaming. Hurry, Artemis. I think urgently.

ARTEMIS'S P.O.V

I rest my head on my knuckles. This situation is worse than I thought, I realise. Hazel's disappeared, possibly kidnapped, and Holly is out to mind wipe me. And for some reason, I still remain calm in my study.

"Butler?"

"Yes, Artemis?"

Despite his current encounter with Mesmer, the effect had worn off in a few hours. Amazing, thought Artemis. Holly said most victims take a whole day to recover.

"Get the keys for the Bentley. We're going for a drive."

Any other manservant would be surprised why they were driving at 12 am. But not Butler. He had come to accept strange events happening. After all, he and young master Artemis had battled fairies and met centaurs. I wonder what he's plotting this time, thought Butler. In time, Artemis would tell Butler. For now he would have to be patient.

I felt a shudder go through me. For some reason, I felt the need to visit Haven. This wasn't like me, I don't dash out at midnight on a hunch. It takes facts and careful research. It's the girl, I admit. Something's happened to Hazel. This girl's controlling my whole life. Just yesterday, I gave up the plan to steal the crown jewels. Whatever it was, some invisible force was pulling me towards Haven. I hoped once I'd rescue Hazel, I'd go back to my normal criminal self- plotting robberies and researching.

"Butler?"

"Yes, Artemis?"

"During puberty... does one feel attracted by another?"

Butler didn't know which side to turn to- mild surprise or mild amusement. Artemis Fowl talking to him about girls. That's a rare thing.

"Yes. It's perfectly normal, no need to worry."
"I'm not worried, Butler." There was a slight edge to his voice.

"Start the ignition. And head for Haven. It's time we gave our old friends a visit."

JULIUS'S P.O.V

I took a deep breath from my cigar. It'd been a long day, one which I never wish to experience again. To start with, an outbreak at the goblin prison, Howler's Peak had kept me preoccupied for a couple of hours. A few inmates had escaped and were wreaking havoc on the surface. It took one shuttle, three arrests, and five mind wipes for the human onlookers. One of them had been so petrified he had to be sent to an asylum. Oh well. It all works out in the end. On top of all that, I'm having new officers plague me for help. Back in the day, we did what we were told and didn't question orders. A lot of the officers we employ are wusses with no backbones. That's why I'm glad we have Holly.

I'd never tell her this, but I'm beginning to wish I had sent Holly on that mission to track down several trolls in Italy. She's one of my best officers, and I don't want to lose her. Plus, I remember what happened last time she dealt with a troll. If Butler hadn't been there; she would've been a tasty snack for that troll. That mud boy, Artemis Fowl is above creating trouble as usual. Last I heard he had taken in a thief; some girl called Hatel, or something. Human names are getting crazier, I thought as I took a drag from my cigar. Nowadays, cigars are the only thing that keeps me from having a heart attack out of frustration. They're also sweet relief from that irritating centaur; Foaly. And just when you thought his head couldn't get any bigger. I hear a ringing noise, and suspect I'm going crazy. Then I realise the mobile phone lying on the table made the noise. We stole a mobile phone from the humans; a primitive form of communication. Foaly's inspecting it, running tests on it, or whatever that bloated head centaur does in his spare time. For some reason, human technology fascinates him. I pick up the phone cautiously, you never know what tricks mud people have up their sleeves.

"Three days. We have the girl. Hazel Dunsworth. Bring a sack of gold." It's a husky voice. Then I hear a click, and the phone goes silent.

"Stupid thing," I mutter. "Foaly?"

The centaur sticks his head of his study.

"Yes?"

"Ring up Artemis. I think we have a problem, and he's involved."

"Yes sir, right away." The centaur's head pops back into his study.

"Oh, and Foaly?"

"Yes, commander?"

"Get that ridiculous tinfoil hat of your head."