Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer [75]
Holly was coming out. With the gold.
Retrieval was on her in half a second.
“Let’s get you out of the danger zone, Captain,” urged a sprite, catching Holly by the elbow.
Another ran a rad-sensor over her helmet.
“We’ve got a power source breach here, Captain. We need to get your head sprayed immediately.”
Holly opened her mouth to protest, and had it instantly filled with rad-suppressant foam.
“Can’t this wait?” she spluttered.
“Sorry, Captain. Time is of the essence. The commander wants a debriefing before we detonate.”
Holly was rushed toward the Mobile Ops unit, her feet barely touching the ground. All around her Retrieval Cleaners scanned the grounds for any trace of the siege. Techies dismantled the field dishes, making ready to pull the plug. Grunts steered the trolley toward the portal. It was imperative that everything be relocated to a safe distance before the bio-bomb went in.
Root was waiting on the steps.
“Holly,” he blurted. “I mean, Captain. You made it.”
“Yessir. Thank you, sir.”
“And the gold too. This is a real feather in your cap.”
“Well, not all, Commander. About half, I think.”
Root nodded. “No matter. We’ll have the rest soon enough.”
Holly wiped rad-foam from her brow.
“I’ve been thinking about that, sir. Fowl made a mistake. He never ordered me not to reenter the house, and seeing as he brought me in there in the first place, the invitation still stands. I could go in and mind-wipe the occupants. We could hide the gold in the walls and do another time-stop tomorrow night. . . .”
“No, Captain.”
“But, sir . . .”
Root’s features regained whatever tension they’d lost.
“No, Captain. The Council is not about to hold off for some kidnapping Mud Man. It’s just not going to happen. I have my orders, and believe me they’re written in stone.”
Holly trailed Root into the mobile.
“But the girl, sir. She’s an innocent!”
“Casualty of war. She threw her lot in with the wrong side. Nothing can be done for her now.”
Holly was incredulous. “A casualty of war? How can you say that? A life is a life.”
Root spun sharply, grasping her by the shoulders.
“You did what you could, Holly,” he said. “No one could have done more. You even retrieved most of the ransom. You’re suffering from what humans call Stockholm Syndrome: you have bonded with your captors. Don’t worry, it will pass. But those people in there, they know. About us. Nothing can save them now.”
Foaly looked up from his calculations.
“Not true. Technically. Welcome back, by the way.”
Holly couldn’t spare even a second to return the greeting.
“What do you mean not true?”
“I’m fine, seeing as you asked.”
“Foaly!” shouted Root and Holly in unison.
“Well, like the Book says: ‘If the Mud Man gold can gather, In spite of magick or fairy glamor, Then that gold is his to keep, Until he lies in eternal sleep.’ So if he lives, he wins. It’s that simple. Not even the Council will go against the Book.”
Root scratched his chin. “Should I be worried?”
Foaly laughed mirthlessly. “No. Those guys are as good as dead.”
“As good as isn’t good enough.”
“Is that an order?”
“Affirmative, soldier.”
“I’m not a soldier,” said Foaly, and pressed the button.
Butler was more than a little surprised.
“You gave it back?”
Artemis nodded. “About half. We still have quite a nest egg. About fifteen million dollars at today’s market prices.”
Butler usually wouldn’t ask. But this time he had to. “Why, Artemis? Can you tell me?”
“I suppose so.” The boy smiled. “I felt we owed the captain something. For services rendered.”
“Is that all?”
Artemis nodded. No need to talk about the wish. It could be perceived as weakness.
“Hmm,” said Butler, smarter than he looked.
“Now, we should celebrate,” enthused Artemis, deftly changing the subject. “Some champagne, I think.”
The boy strode to the kitchen before Butler’s gaze could dissect him.
By the time the others caught up, Artemis had already filled three glasses with Dom Perignon.
“I’m a minor, I know, but I’m sure Mother wouldn’t mind. Just this once.”
Butler felt that something was afoot.