Disclaimer: The characters, much of the dialogue, and sadly, even the plot are not mine; they all belong to Eoin Colfer.
Pages: 244 – 248
Chapter 21: Defending Vermin
Holly's eyes flew wildly this way and that. Dozens of glittering predatory eyes stared back at her, like the eyes of a hundred cold statues, made all the more dangerous and eerie by the lack of movement.
An enormous banqueting hall stretched out before here, just as she had guessed, the men and women dressed in neat, high-grade suits and elegant, sparkling gowns respectively, seated around round tables draped with white silk table cloths. Everything in the room appeared expensive and high-quality, with potted plants set just around the edge to contribute to the ambiance of fine taste and luxury. She could even just make out the sight of tiny stars winking down at her through the stunning glass ceiling high above their heads.
The setting was a highly impressive sight and could have almost passed for beautiful by Holly's standards, if not for the collection of disturbing decorations crafted from the part of some murdered animal spread throughout, reminding anyone who happened in just what organization was in charge here.
Holly's jumping eyes settled for a moment on the floor just in front of where the podiums were situated before her cage, and she noticed for the first time a water pit covered with a steel grid. Amidst chunks of ice, Holly caught sight of the body of one of the extinct yellowfins floating sadly on the surface, dead eyes blank.
Holly knew that the deceased fish probably couldn't care less whether it was a spectacle for these murderous, insane Mud Men or not, but all the same she found something unspeakably tragic about it, the way after a hundred years of having its body preserved in nature, it would be its fate to wind up in the end in a place like this.
Holly's LEP training made her eyes flickered upward next, automatically falling on the upper landings that went all the way around the edge of the hall, searching the high ground. All gazes were fixed on her of course, but, as she had expected, she noticed a few audience members that appeared especially attentive and unnaturally still. Some had their hands in their jackets, ready to draw something out, while in others' hands she thought she caught the metallic gleam of a weapon. She counted at least six.
Holly had been right – there was no way even Artemis would ever be able to get her out now. Even if Mulch could have tunneled under the compound again, which she doubted judging from the heavy, ornate tiling below, he wouldn't get within ten feet of her before he was riddled with bullets from every direction. Artemis would at the very least need assistance from either Butler or other fairies besides Mulch or both, and of course contacting the underground would just open up a whole new can of worms.
In addition, if Holly tried anything to escape herself, she didn't doubt they would gun her down too. She was trapped. It was really over.
However, the looks of glee and greedy blood-lust she expected to see on the Extinctionists' faces the moment they saw her did not initially come. Instead, for the most part, their expressions seemed colored with confusion. A titter went around the room as the guests exchanged bewildered look of mingled irritation and disappointment.
Apparently, they seemed to be under the impression that Kronski had brought them a young girl instead of a rare animal. Had Kronski lost his mind? Or so they seemed to be asking.
Perhaps even a group dedicated solely to the stamping out of other species of the planet had limits to their degeneracy. Or, Holly thought, maybe they found a little girl not a rare enough specimen to provide a sufficiently exciting show.
But the mistake wasn't to last long. Holly stared at the enormous screen at the back of the room, so large it completely obscured the entire double-heighted wall, where most of the Extinctionists' attention was currently directed. The image shown down on them, a several times larger-than-life visage of Holly sitting tied to the small plastic chair, her tense, defiant features magnified for the pleasure of this most hostile of audiences.
Holly could hear the babble of voices beginning to change tone. She could hear and feel in her chest the volume of the disjointed voices of the crowd rising in excitement now, the realization of what she was and wasn't sweeping through them like a scorching wind through the African desert. Oh my lord. Her ears. Look at her ears.
She's not human.
What is that? What is it?
Some of the figures in the crowd turned back to study her over their shoulders, and Holly stared back, her face like stone. Some of them had their eyebrows drawn in looks of clear skepticism, but those were far outnumbered by those of openly fascinated curiosity. As Holly watched, the curious mutterings seemed to twist unpleasantly, a pack of aroused jackals at last catching a particularly tantalizing scent on the wind.
Kronski stood at one of the podiums with his back to Holly, gazing out over the crowd and looking immensely pleased with himself. As he turned his head, Holly caught a glimpse of his wide smile. The smile only widened when one of the Extinctionists, a middle-aged man with a distinctive Texan drawl, got up and threatened loudly, "This'd better not be a hoax, Damon. Or we'll string you up."
Someone proving his prize was a hoax was one thing Damon Kronski didn't have to worry about, Holly thought, as she glared at the back of the large man's head and his thin hair, despising him. Somehow, the almost sickeningly intense revulsion coursing through here toward these people was managing to keep the fear at bay. For a moment, she honestly thought that her biggest regret at this point might be passing on without seeing this man get what he deserved, or at least doing her part to make things as hard on him as possible.
When the time comes, I won't be cowering for your enjoyment, Doctor.
Although, perhaps he should enjoy himself while he could. Holly had a feeling that if the Artemis of her time couldn't get back to the future, he would make it a point to destroy this organization, and would probably succeed in doing it before the doctor could even reap any of the potential benefits of this travesty of justice.
And for some reason, that thought gave her just a bit of comfort.
After issuing a few delicate returning threats of his own, Kronski offered the Texan Extinctionist "Tommy" a chance to see for himself if 'the fairy' was authentic or not.
The initial daze had almost completely worn off now. Everywhere Holly turned her head, she could now see nothing but a sea of rapacious faces, hungry for a show of brutality and absolute human control. She could hear them talking, whispering amongst themselves. The creature they said, over and over again.
A cold numbness was spreading through Holly's limbs now, only to be suddenly pierced by a hot stab of anger.
"Contributes positively to human existence on this planet..." It was so ludicrous she couldn't even laugh at it. How much, Holly wondered, would these depraved people succeed in destroying in their quest to plunder Mother Nature of all her resources? How could this even be allowed to happen?
Holly felt herself becoming almost dizzy with the monstrosity of all of it, the smell of her own sweat and fear somehow feeding her anger. It felt as though terror and fury had fused together inside her, the presence of each only making the other that much stronger of an emotion. This feeling of being so helpless, unable to escape made her want to hurt them, and the fact that she couldn't get at a single one made her want to get as far away as she could from these people with their insidious ideals. For a moment, the raging battle of emotion reared up inside her and it was almost unbearable.
When the Extinctionist 'Tommy' came up and reached slowly, cautiously through the bars of the cage, as though expecting her to snap her teeth at his outstretched fingers, her entire body went suddenly rigid, every muscle taut with tension.
The idea of any one of these people touching her was so revolting, as soon as she felt the man's hand against her ear, for one wild moment Holly thought that, had her mouth not been taped, she might have spat in his face and hissed, "Don't you ever touch me, Mud Slime."
It was probably just as well, as she doubted that would have helped her situation much.
Holly flinched away from him, but by the time she did the hand was already gone.
"My saints," said the Extinctionist, eyes wide, "it's no fake. This is the real deal." He stepped back from the cage, a slow smile spreading across his face, the expression as malignant and repulsive to Holly's eyes as a rancid infection. He said, almost breathless, "We got ourselves a fairy."
That was fast, thought Holly, distracted a moment. Not that she wasn't relieved not to be forced to endure a more extensive, no doubt humiliating examination with the Extinctionist's filthy, animal-murdering hands on her even more, but she had been expecting something a bit more thorough. He'd barely touched her ear and, though it was indeed real, that paltry test didn't seem like it would be enough to convince a true skeptic.
Holly eyed Kronski's back as "Tommy" went over to the podium and gave the doctor a congratulatory handshake and slap on the back.
This was all set up before-hand, she realized. In fact, it was almost painfully obvious. Had Artemis been orchestrating things to give his audience a certain impression, he would have been sure to plan out a far more believable exchange she was certain.
Thinking of Artemis gave Holly a slight pang. How she wished he was here, even if he didn't have any kind of plan to get her out. It would be nice not to have to die alone.
Holly corralled her thoughts, trying to direct them elsewhere by glancing around the room at the Extinctionists seated around the sophisticatedly adorned round tables once again. Surely they were not buying Kronski and the other man's little act either.
However, the Extinctionists must not have had as high a standard as Holly for pre-planned deceptions as, for the most part, they looked fairly satisfied with Tommy's assessment and subsequent conversion.
They were certainly an easy bunch to fool, judged Holly scathingly. Not that it mattered much how in-depth they wanted to go in their scrutiny in this case, as Holly was in fact a real fairy. Commander Root would probably pop a vein if he could see the situation she was in now. And, now that she thought about it, he probably would eventually see it if the Extinctionists were recording this and planning to distribute the footage to the world to let every Mud Man there was know of her existence. Holly mentally winced.
Smugness was radiating from Kronski's every pore, so much so that Holly didn't have to actually see his expression to feel it like deadly ultraviolet rays of light on her face. "I will prosecute the fairy," said Kronski to the crowd, "as is the tradition. But who will defend? What unlucky member will draw the black ball? Who will it be?" Kronski allowed a short, dramatic pause. "Bring the bag," he ordered.
And so, Holly supposed from this that her defense attorney would be chosen by lottery from among this crowd of gullible, greedy, high-society snobs whose faces at the moment were rather resembling a pack of wolves eying a piece of meat again. Very reassuring.
Just give in, and it will all be over soon, said a small voice in the back of her mind.
No! Never stop fighting, until your last breath. You're LEP. You're a professional.
Holly's heart was beating faster. No escape. No hope. But something inside her kept pushing her to sit up straighter, to keep her expression hard and apathetic to the end, to never show weakness. If she had to die, she would do it like an officer of the LEP.
However, while these thoughts passed in a flash through her mind, a single voice rose above the dull, anxious murmur of Extinctionists expressing their fervent desire not to be appointed so hard and humiliating a task as arguing "the creature's" usefulness to humanity. A male voice, relatively young, with just a hint of utter self-assurance that bordered on arrogance.
"No need for the bag. I will defend the creature."
Holly's heart shot into her throat and her eyes along with most of that of the Extinctionists in the hall shifted instantly straight to the source.
A slim figure dressed in a beige formal suit made of a lighter material to better accommodate him in the warmer climate, with long dark hair combed back from his face and a goatee on his chin stood near the back of the hall. He was a man who in every fiber exerted a presence that whispered he was a paragon within this crowd, the very picture of what an Extinctionist should be within this group of haughty, cruel, wealthy individuals.
"And you are?" said Kronski as Holly noticed him discreetly fiddle with the laptop.
The young man, who by now had the attention of everyone in the hall, stood calmly by his table, wearing an expression that was almost serene, except for the way his confident blue eyes seemed to flash a challenge from behind the tinted yellow lenses of the frameless glasses he wore. The corners of his mouth twisted up in a smile that held just a hint of mockery about it. "Why don't we give your identification software a moment to whisper the answer to you."
Kronski must have discovered something impressive on his database because as soon as he read what was on his screen, Holly noticed an immediate change come over him.
"Mr. Pasteur," said the doctor, suddenly all affability and warmth. "We are delighted to welcome you to Morocco." He added curiously, though his tone still polite, clearly meant to make certain Pasteur did indeed feel included in this exclusive group, "But tell me, why would you wish to defend this creature? Her fate is almost certainly sealed."
"Pasteur" approached the vacant podium with the practiced, confident stride of a highly regarded lawyer.
Holly's heart pounded as he drew closer, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on her self-appointed defense attorney.
He came, she thought. She should have known he would. And yet, somehow she couldn't believe he was actually here, brazenly standing so completely exposed and unprotected right in the heart of the hornets' nest.
"I enjoy a challenge," Artemis told Kronski dismissively. "It is a mental exercise."
Holly could feel a sort of buzz of excitement under her skin, seeing him. The combined effect of the suit, glasses, and fake beard made him look strangely more mature than she'd ever seen him, a sort of understated disguise. But mixed in with the excitement was fear as well, and she felt her eyes moving almost unwillingly to the second-level landings above once again, where she knew some of Kronski's men stood waiting should there be any kind of trouble.
Her eyes went back to Artemis. Was this really okay? If they suspected him of being the Extinctionist impostor he was, he would not be able to escape; there was no Butler to take drastic action should things go wrong. Holly was supposed to assist Artemis and keep him safe on this mission, but she was sitting here trapped and ineffectual in this cage. Somehow she very much doubted Mulch was anywhere near enough to be of help this time, and it wasn't as though there would be much he could do even if he had been.
Artemis did not even look at Holly as he stepped up to his podium, turning his back to her like Kronski to face the majority of the crowd.
"Defending vermin is an exercise?" said Kronski, still polite, but with just a hint of humorous incredulity. Holly stiffened convulsively at the use of the word, but then creased her eyebrows slightly, annoyed with herself that she was still being affected by things like that at this stage. Perhaps it was simply the strength of the disdain of the word which went beyond the other terms he had employed thus far.
"Especially vermin," Artemis replied as he opened the laptop on his podium stand. He turned partially toward Kronski, and Kronski was now turned slightly toward him, so Holly could now see at least part of their expressions.
"It is easy to defend a servile, useful animal like the common cow," Artemis continued. "But this?" There was just a hint of a sneer in his voice, a perfect replica of Kronski's own attitude toward 'the creature.' "This will be a hard-fought battle."
Holly felt her tense muscles relax ever so slightly. She supposed she shouldn't have worried about Artemis's true allegiances to non-human species being discovered; Artemis was able to fit right in with them.
"A pity to be crushed in battle so young," noted Kronski, pretending to look sorry. He was no longer bothering trying to sound polite, now only eager to make himself look good by disgracing his opponent.
Artemis however did not appear the least bit intimidated. In fact, he looked almost bored with Kronski's posturing. Amazing really how Artemis could project an image this convincing, with every word and tone further making himself one of them.
"I have always like your style, Dr. Kronski," Artemis began, ignoring Kronski's comment. "Your commitment to the ideals of Extinctionism."
Holly guessed she was probably the only one in the room inclined to want to laugh at that. Except maybe Artemis, though his voice didn't carry even the slightest hint of irony or humor. Did any of the Extinctionists actually consider themselves idealists?
Artemis continued, "For years I have followed your career, since I was a boy in Dublin, in fact. Lately, however, I feel that the organization has lost its way, and I am not the only one with this feeling."
There was a few seconds silence as the audience digested this or perhaps mentally agreed with him, while Holly tried to figure out what Artemis was trying to do. Everything he said must all have some purpose, the careful flattery, the interest in engaging in 'a mental exercise,' but she could not know what he meant by antagonizing Kronski.
Artemis was practically disputing Kronski's claim to the presidency of the organization, questioning whether he was the best man for the job, and the doctor would not take that lying down. Kronski was a dangerous man. If he was willing to do away with a clearly sentient being like Holly, he would certainly be willing to nullify another human if he got in the way, Holly was certain.
Did Artemis think being an Extinctionist would protect him? The way he'd phrased it, he had seemed to be putting himself on the side of the audience while simultaneously setting them all against Kronski, so perhaps that was the goal. But still, it was a risky move. It wouldn't take much to provoke Kronski to do something drastic.
Holly wished she could somehow warn Artemis to be cautious, but he didn't even glance at her.
Kronski was no longer smiling. "Be careful what you say, Pasteur," said the doctor coldly. "You tread on dangerous ground."
Artemis shot a meaningful glance at the yellowfin water pit just in front of the podiums. "You mean I could sleep with the fishes?" he said bluntly, unafraid to outright state what the doctor would only hint at. "You would kill me, Doctor? A mere boy?" A bit of a sneer crept into his tone again as he added, "I don't think that would bolster your credibility much."
Kronski was silent, thoughts no doubt churning behind those ridiculous violet sunglasses of his.
Holly could have grinned if not for the tape. There Artemis went, cornering his opponents with words alone as no one else could. Now she understood: Kronski was trapped now, with no choice but to play by Artemis's rules. Or, more accurately, the actual rules set by the Extinctionists themselves, or else risk losing face with his organization. And Artemis had been able to do it so easily.
Holly made up her mind to stop questioning Artemis's strategies for dealing with the Extinctionists and trust him to know what he was doing as he usually did. Certainly he hadn't been doing so well recently on this current trip, but he had been essentially battling against himself, and all along there had been various other uncertain factors there to trip him up, so she should cut him some slack. In contrast, right now Artemis was in his element, in an environment that he was not only comfortable in, but comfortable in dominating.
Watching him now after having known him for all these years, Holly found herself thinking, This is the Artemis I know.
A/N: Next chapter's the trial! At last! And it's only a five-parter. (;
...Just kidding. Don't worry, the actual trial is only one chapter, really. (Even I have limits.) To be honest, this chapter and the next one could have been combined as they really belong together, but I didn't want a 7,500-word chapter (at least not for this fanfiction). I wonder if I should try to post it sooner than my usual pace then? I'm anticipating this is going to be a busy week, but I don't think there's much that needs to be done to the next chapter, so I could try if anyone would like that.
Anyway, you have no idea how hard it was trying to work out the logistics of where everything was located and such in my mind in this scene... For one thing, I know in the book it clearly says when Holly's cage and the two podiums are brought out that the pit with the fish is covered over, but later it says Artemis threw the nu skin bandage (the supposed fake ear) into the watery pit (page 259). I think it's a discrepancy, and so I decided to leave the pit basically uncovered since it suited my purposes better.
Thanks for reading so far! As always, you know how much I love feedback; hope to hear from you! (:
Posted 1/20/12