The Artemis Fowl Files - Eoin Colfer [1]
The old elf pulled a steel object from the leather bag. The object was a mesh cage, and inside was a tiny silver spider with claws so sharp, the tips seemed to disappear. He held up the cage before Evergreen’s nose. Inside, the spider slashed its claws in a starving frenzy, an inch from the major’s nose.
“Sharp enough to cut air,” said the captain. And indeed the claws seemed to leave short-lived rents where they passed.
The mere act of revealing the spider seemed to change the old elf. He had power now and seemed taller. Twin red dots sparked in his eyes though there was no light source in the hut. The ruffles of an old-style LEP dress uniform poked from beneath his overcoat.
“Now, my young elf, I will ask but once. Answer promptly or bear my wrath.”
Major Evergreen shivered from fear and cold, but he kept his mouth tightly closed.
The captain caressed the major’s chin with his cage. “Now, here is your question: where is Commander Root’s next Recon initiation site?”
The major blinked sweat from his eyes. “Initiation site? Honestly, Captain, I don’t know. I’m new on the squad.”
The captain held the cage even closer to Evergreen’s face. The silver spider lunged forward, clawing the major’s cheek.
“Julius’s site!” roared the captain. “Out with it!”
“No,” said the major through gritted teeth. “You will not break me.”
The captain’s voice grew shrill with madness. “Do you see how I live? In the human world, I grow old.”
Poor Major Evergreen steeled himself for death. This entire assignment had been a trap. “Julius robbed me of Haven,” raved the captain. “Evicted me like a common traitor. Exiled me to this foul cesspool of the human world. When he brings the next corporal for initiation, I will be waiting—along with a few old friends. If we cannot have Haven, then we will have our revenge.”
The captain stopped his rant. He had said too much already and time was against him. He must finish this.
“You came here to search for a missing gnome: there was no gnome. We manipulated the satellite images to trap an LEP officer. I have waited two years for Julius to send a major.”
It made sense. Only a major would know the locations of LEP initiations.
“And now that I have you in my clutches, you will tell me what I need to know.”
The elderly elf pinched Major Evergreen’s nose until he was forced to draw breath through his mouth. In a flash the captain jammed the mesh cage between Evergreen’s teeth and flipped the gate. The silver spider was down the young elf’s gullet in a shining blur. The captain tossed the cage to one side. “Now, Major,” he said. “You are dead.”
Evergreen spasmed as the silver spider’s claws went to work on the lining of his stomach.
“That feels bad: internal injuries always hurt the most,” commented the old elf. “But your magic will heal you for a while. In minutes, however, your power will dry up, and then my little pet will claw her way out.”
Evergreen knew it was true. The spider was a Tunnel Blue. The creature actually used its claws as teeth, pulping its meat before sucking it between its gums. Its favorite method of destruction was from the inside. A nest of these little monsters could take down a troll. One was more than enough to kill an elf.
“I can help you,” said the captain. “If you agree to help me.”
Evergreen gasped in pain. Whenever the spider clawed him, the magic sealed the wound, but already the healing was slowing.
“No. You’ll get nothing from me.”
“Fine. You die, and I will ask the next officer they send. Of course, he may refuse to cooperate too. Ah well, I have plenty of spiders.”
Evergreen tried to think. He had to get out of this alive, to warn the commander. And there was only one way to do that.
“Very well. Kill the spider.”
The captain grabbed Evergreen’s chin. “First, my answer. Where is the next initiation? And do not