The quiet in the car was broken only by the miniature jolts that were felt when the Land Rover drove over a pothole. It had been a very, very long time since someone's voice had been heard. Butler drove in silence, cruising at a hundred and fifty kilometres an hour, his hands gripping the steering wheel firmly, occasionally glancing into the mirror to check on his young charges. Artemis sat in the full glare of the sun, his pale skin turning red from the relentless rays of sun that were partially reflected off the peeling tint on the windows. Since the air-con's death an eternity ago, he had begun melting, a literal puddle forming around him.
Someone's going to turn into a lake soon, Sana thought, smirking at the sight of the pale Irish boy frowning uncomfortably. Not that she was in a better condition. Her arm, resting on the window sill, if cars have window sills, was slick with sweat. She shifted slightly. Her legs were sticking to the fake leather seat, light blue shorts damp with sweat. Sitting in the shade, a wind's breath blew over her from a hole somewhere, cooling her marginally down. She looked over at her brother. At least she wasn't the one in a suit. A dark blue one, at that.
She tapped Artemis on the shoulder. The shoulder of the blazer wilted, disintegrating into a pile of limp fabric. She tried again, this time poking him hard. Artemis turned around. He was uncomfortably aware of his hot face, of the incessant vibrations emphasised by the thin seats, of his suit, slowly disintegrating in the heat.
"What is it?" he asked irritably.
Sana shrugged her shoulders, imitating the way people took off their jackets. Artemis looked at her blankly, his eyes glassy. Sana sighed, and got her whiteboard out. Why don't you take your suit jacket off? That way, you'll be cooler, won't you? He read the question slowly.
"No. Fowls never give in to uncomfortable conditions. I don't know why it should begin with me." He turned back haughtily to the window.
Sana sighed. Artemis's pride was the only thing keeping his jacket on. She squeaked some words on to the whiteboard, tapping Artemis' shoulder again. At least put some sunscreen on. Your face is going to burn soon. You don't want to see what's-his-name with a lobster face.
"Fine." Even though his voice was resigned, Sana could tell the relief Artemis felt at her suggestion. Smiling, she opened her bag. Pikachu looked up at her with black button eyes as she rummaged for her sunscreen. Finding it, Sana handed Artemis a non-descript white bottle. He looked at it, puzzled. How does one use these objects? Sana, seeing his confusion, sighed again and reached over for the bottle. Sana pointed at herself, then at the bottle, moving her hands in a circular motion, ending it by pointing at Artemis. He nodded, realising what she wanted to do. Squeezing a small amount of sunscreen onto her palm, she began smoothing the cool lotion onto Artemis's flushed dry skin. Artemis felt the cream cool his face.
"Sunscreen isn't supposed to cool me down. It is supposed to prevent UV rays from harming my skin, thereby preventing sunburns."
Sana smiled, concentrating on rubbing the sunscreen evenly into the boy's face and neck with one hand. With the other, she began to write, uncapping her marker with her mouth. You know a lot about what makes sunscreen, Artemis, teased Sana, poking out her tongue. Even his neck was turning red. But you don't know how to open a bottle.
Artemis defended himself. "I have never needed to use any type of lotions, creams or sunscreens."
Sana grinned, giving Artemis' face a final rub. Fine, whatever. Anyway, I learnt it of my mum, who used to add moisturising cream into her sunscreen. It's supposed to do something or other. I just know that it feels better than normal sunscreen.
Artemis turned back to the window, muttering his thanks. Sana began staring out of her window, and silence, once again, conquered the space inside the vehicle.
Sana suddenly felt something poke her waist. Looking down, she noticed long black fingers poking out of large holes in the box next to her. The lemur! It must be hot too. She opened the box and scooped the lemur out. Feeling for her water bottle, she poured some water into a glowing blue cup and let the lemur drink. The lemur drank quickly, and after a while, its thirst quenched, it chattered quietly and patted her hand. Sana smiled sadly. Lifting it back into its box, its eyes gazing about curiously, she petted its head gently. Sana closed the lid of the box and looked at her hands. She could still feel the beat of his heart.
Jayjay's going to die. I don't want him to die! I wish I could save him… Mum, Dad, what should I do?
Sand drifted in thought for a while before remembering the strange conversation with the fairy. Casting her doubt aside, feeling a bit stupid, Sana closed her eyes and began to attempt reaching out with her mind…
Butler glanced yet again into the mirror, to see that the puddle under Artemis had increased in size. Artemis, seemingly oblivious to the contribution he was making to combat drought in Africa, was staring out of the window miserably. Shifting his gaze to Sana, who, the last time Butler looked, was giving the lemur some water, was now asleep, as opposed to her brother wallowing in misery and pessimism. Long brown hair straggled out of its bun, the pencil securing it leaning precariously on her shoulder. A small thin line of drool had formed, joining the corner of her mouth to the side of her face with a white crusty line. Butler smiled at the sight. The slightly tender smile disappeared as his concentration went back to the road. Butler drove on as the city of Fez, first a smudge on the horizon, gradually grew as the Land Rover approached as a small dot on a barren plain.
An electronic buzz shattered the silence in the car. Sana jolted awake just in time to see Artemis smile thinly, emotionlessly, at the text he was reading on his phone. The corner of her mouth felt tight and dry, and touching it, felt a thin dry crust trekking over her cheek. She got her water bottle out, and, pouring some into her hand, washed away the dried saliva.
Artemis cleared his throat and spoke. "Butler, the leather souq in two hours."
"Yes, Artemis."
"Do you have everything you need?"
"Yes, I am ready. Now all I need to know is the layout of the place."
"Very well. We'll head there now."
Artemis sank back into his seat. Now, he said silently, let's see just how resourceful those creatures from the Park are. He transferred the lemur from the box to a cage, and smiled, his incisors gleaming. Don't worry, little lemur, Artemis silently addressed the lemur, you won't die today. You are my bait. I've got bigger fish to catch.
Sana, on the other hand, was staring out the window, fascinated at the scenes presented to her as the car crawled through the throngs of people on the street. One minute, goat herders would be herding their goats with sticks in time to the music playing on their iPods and Walkmans, the next, a woman clad in an abaya and scarf would be fighting it out over the price of a chicken, Nike runners visible under the hem of her clothes. Dirty children played in the street while their parents watched satellite TV through open doors and the volume turned up as high as possible. As she was watching these scenes, a delicate tendril touched her mind. Immediately, she reacted, lashing out at the tendril.
Sana, it's me. Holly.
Sana stopped attacking.
Sorry.
That's okay. Have you ever attacked someone with your mind before?
Um… no? Why?
You're very strong. Did you just react without thinking?
Pretty much, yeah. Anyway, how do you reach out with your mind?
I think of my mind as a vine, reaching out one delicate tendril to reach the sun.
How nice.
Where are you?
I have no idea. Wait, I'll ask.
Sana scribbled out her question. Butler glanced at it, skimming over the text.
"We're about fifteen minutes away from the leather souq."
Fifteen minutes away from the –
I know. I saw your thought.
Oh. Where are you guys?
We're nearly there. Now, when you go there, what are you planning to do?
I'll ask, and you see.
Sana felt somewhat weird at the thought that Holly could see her thoughts.
Don't feel afraid. It's not like I'll be searching through your mind. I'll just stay here and wait for you to think what they say.
Sana made a face as Butler parked the Rover near the souq. All three of them got out of the car, any sweat instantly drying up in the dusty hot air. A faint smell of something horrible wafted from the souq.
Sana tugged on Artemis' sleeve, but he ignored her, and walked into the souq holding the cage. Sana followed, and the acrid smell of droppings cannonballed her in the face. She scrunched her nose up in disgust. Butler had disappeared. Looking around, Artemis nodded satisfactorily as Sana tugged on his sleeve yet again, holding her question in front of him. This time, he did answer, brilliant blue eyes blazing with… something.
"I will participate in the exchange, and Butler will stand in one of the five possible places that snipers use. I will plant decoys in the other four." Artemis turned away and moved to a vat where the light shined the strongest. The light will dazzle Kronski, the leader of the Extinctionists, as a petty revenge for the smell that occupied every space possible in the souq.
Did you get that?
Yeah. Thanks. I'll keep in touch.
Sure.
Sana felt Holly withdraw from her mind. A large man in an ugly camouflage suit caught her eye. She stared at the newcomer. Serene and smiling peacefully, he stood out from the desperate tourists, who took a few pictures before sprinting out of the souq, and the leather workers, dyed all colours of the rainbow. Sana took a quick look around, spotting Artemis standing in the corner holding the lemur's cage. Jayjay seemed to know something was going to happen, sitting in the middle of the cage quietly, a delicate paw covering his nose. Sana almost laughed aloud at Jayjay's posture.
Sana closed her eyes, and, concentrating hard to imagine her mind as a vine, slowly reached out and roamed over the minds of the people in the souq, aiming for the one mind that seemed to crackle with electricity.
Holly! Sana opened her eyes, triumph blazing in her eyes.
Sana, is that you?
Yeah. I did it! Anyway, what are you planning? How are you going to rescue Jayjay?
Did you just call him Jayjay?
Yeah. The name just floated into my mind earlier, so I kept it.
OK. I'm on the ground, planting small button bombs on different vats of dye. I will detonate once Jayjay is in Kronski's hands. Then Mulch, the other person with us, will come up from the tunnel he's dug and grab the lemur from Kronski's hands. He's a dwarf, and so that will happen in a few seconds. Then we all run for it and enter back into the future.
Good. A movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Artemis is moving, so hurry up!
All done. I'm safe and hidden, and while we've got time, I'll teach you how to disappear. Technically, it's called shielding, and it's a good skill to know as well as being one of the easiest skills to learn. First, reach into your magic.
Where would that be?
It's inside your mind somewhere. It should feel like blue electricity.
…I've got it. What do I do now?
You know hummingbirds and how their wings flap so fast you only see it as a slight shimmer? Well, concentrate on doing that.
Uh. Ok.
Sana did as she was told, and was immediately rewarded by the weird looks people gave in her general direction.
I think I've got it. Everyone's looking my way funny.
To prove it, bump into something.
Ow! I just did, and sparks came off.
That proves you've got it. Don't do it a lot though. Sparks and stuff coming from nowhere looks spooky.
Sure. I'll practise by myself for a while, and you can concentrate on the mission. Bye.
Sana withdrew from the contact, realising that the conversation was taking less and less time. In fact, while she had finished her lesson on shielding, Artemis had not even reached Kronski yet. She grinned and moved into the shadows, practising her new skill. Careful not to touch or bump into anything, Sana began to flicker in and out of sight. A sharp-eyed worker gave her a look, and Sana fizzed back into the visible spectrum, giving the person a wide grin. The worker shrugged and got on with her work.
Butler stood in his hiding spot, an infra-red scanner held in front of him. Keeping one eye on Artemis, who had just received the money, he turned the camera and scanned the readings. Noticing one abnormal reading, he began to move in that direction.
Artemis placed the money into the inner pocket of his blazer and placed the cage on the rock. Kronski lifted the lemur out, examining it from all angles. Artemis stepped back, and the vats began exploding. Kronski looked around, dazed, as dyes of all colours began to rain down, not believing what was happening. Artemis grinned mercilessly. I will have the biggest catch of my life soon.
Sana grinned with amusement at all the people's reactions as the impromptu show of fireworks and dyes began. Tourists and workers alike looked up in wonder, until the dyes began to rain down. Then chaos reigned as tourists ran for cover, slipping in puddles formed by the dye and over wet, coloured dirt. Workers hastily began to gather up their materials and tools, bumping and crashing into each other in their haste, except one. The one worker not reacting, moving purposefully, was a solidly built man in a shoulder blanket who turned around and headed for the north-west corner, presenting his profile to Sana. Understanding turned to horror as she realised what was happening, and she slammed into Holly's mind.
Holly! Move! Butler knows where you are and he's coming!
What?
Sana caught a thought about broken mikes and earpieces. She watched in dismay as Butler stood up straight, several heads taller than his previous size, and walked purposefully to an empty vat in the corner.
HOLLY! GET OUT OF THERE!
Butler reached in and covered Holly with his blanket. In ten seconds, Holly was hoisted over Butler's shoulder, hog-tied, in another few seconds, Butler had disappeared. Sana stared in shock at the crowds in which Butler had melted into, and then snapped her head in Artemis's direction.
Artemis slid his phone into his pocket. Butler's message filled him with euphoria. Grinning widely at Kronski, who was covered in rainbow splatters with a hardened gloop gauntlet, he offered the enraged Kronski a deal.
"A strong opening. I may be able to help you with that. For a price, naturally."
Kronski glared at Artemis, who gave him the most innocent smile he could muster. No one was fooled.
"We'll talk about this, this, offer of yours in my compound." Kronski turned and stalked away, Artemis following obediently, his mind speeding at a million miles an hour. Sana ran and caught up with him.
What are you doing? Where are you going? She jotted urgently.
Artemis brushed her off. The creature Butler had secured would be worth more than twenty times than the lemur. If he played this well, he would have more than five million sitting in his account this time tomorrow.
Sana noticed the look on Artemis's face. He was lost in his thoughts and calculations. Sana knew better than to interrupt him while he was thinking, and turned to another way of figuring this out. She reached out with her mind…
Artemis, is that you? She felt the startled Artemis look around, then smile and begin to concentrate.
Hello. Are you Sana?
Yep. Anyway, I think they're going to the Extinctionists' office, or whatever it's called.
Really? Why are you helping me?
Because I think what your younger self is doing is wrong, and I can't help Holly. Artemis knows I'm here, and if I disappear suddenly it'll look suss.
So you turned to me to help? And how did you know about Holly?
She started it.
Sana heard Kronski ask who she was, and Artemis answer. They got into a large Land Rover, much more comfortable than their last one. The plush seats were lined with soft, white fur, the air-con was working, but Sana didn't notice anything.
You know where the compound is?
It's did you know where the compound is, and my answer is no.
Then listen carefully. We are driving to the left down the street in front of the souq, turning right at the place with three palm trees. When you get to the big bush looking thing…
Thus, by describing their journey, Sana led Artemis Fowl the elder to the compound. On entering the compound, Sana broke connection with the older Artemis as Kronski led the two children through a magnificent looking chalet, where Kronski gestured to a sofa and left them. Artemis began observing the pictures on the wall while Sana flopped to the marble tiled floor, both of them refusing to sit on the monstrous sofa covered with the pelt of Falkland Island wolves. Sana observed this with some confusion. If he hates this place, why did he sell little Jayjay to them?
Kronski entered the room dressed in a kaftan, disturbing the thoughts of the children. He sat down in an office chair, ranting about his misfortunes until Artemis began to bargain with him.
"All is not lost, Doctor. I can provide you with something that will rejuvenate your society and make it globally relevant."
"What are you selling, Ah-temis?" His tone was sceptical, but Artemis still smiled at him confidently. Taking out his phone, Artemis showed Kronski something that made him even more sceptical. Both of them had forgotten Sana's presence.
"What is this? Photo manipulation?"
"No. Genuine. This creature is real."
"Come on, Ah-temis. What we've got here are latex and bone implants. Nothing more."
Artemis! I think your younger self is trying to sell Holly!
I have already predicted that outcome. However, how much is she going for?
Sana listened carefully. Five million euro in diamonds.
My memories have been hit-and-miss so far, and that can only mean that I have had my memories wiped.
Memories wiped?
Nothing. Thank you for telling me, and please keep me updated.
Sure.
Kronski was still talking. "That's mighty accommodating of you, Fowl. How do you know I won't double-cross you? After all, I'm pretty…"
Sana zoned out, thinking…
Butler stepped into the room with a Kevlar duffel bag. Kronski let out a ear-piercing squeal, and Sana decided to pay attention to what they saying. After Butler said his bit, and the zipper was finally open, everyone crowded around the duffel bag. Sana looked into it, and stared into a blue eye eerily like Artemis's and a very familiar hazel eye.
Hi, Holly. Sorry I couldn't save you.
No problem. Don't worry about it.
I think your Artemis is coming to save you somehow.
You contacted him?
Yeah. He said something about mind-wipes too…
Really? Glad to see someone sane in this group.
Sana shook with silent laughter. Everyone in the room turned to look at her. Immediately stopping her laughter, assuming the expression of someone at a funeral, she met Holly's eyes once more.
I'll think of something.
Thanks, Sana.
Hey people! Thank you to all the people who reviewed. Next chappie will be Holly's trial, so stick around for the stuff that's about to happen!
