Artemis Fowl and the Master Experimentation

Chapter 3

When Foaly received the E-mail of the pictures, he studied them for a few moments, then sat back and contemplated what was going on here. The Operating theater was obviously filled with fairy technology, some of his own inventions were even there. The tools that were laid out suggested more than just a simple operation and looked like it involved some serious surgery. The large cylinder in the corner of the room with the ghostly thing floating in it was like nothing Foaly had seen under this world or on the surface. He whinnied in frustration and brought up the other image, the image of a tiara. He instantly knew what that was, all fairies knew what it was. When he'd been a colt, his mother had taken him to an exhibition at the museum after much insistence on his part, so he could see this legendary tiara. In this tiara was set one of the rarest stones on this planet, an iridescent blue that shone its own light. 

He tapped a reply to Artemis and sent it, setting down for an afternoon of human TV re-runs.

Holly opened the E-mail, filled with anticipation and she didn't feel disappointed. She instantly recognized the tiara, what fairy didn't? She pulled open her refrigerator and took out a bottle of nettle smoothie, drinking it deeply, she only had half an hour before she had to go out again. She typed up a message with her V-board application on her helmet and sent it off to Artemis. She smiled to herself thinking, What is this Mud-Man up to now?

On Artemis's laptop two message icons flashed up and so he flicked them open, looking eagerly at the replys.

Artemis,

This is Fairy Tech in the Operating Theater. No idea what the floating object is. The tiara is the Tiara of the Great Moon Princess, Luna. All fairies know it. I will inform the security that someone is after it imediatly. 

Foaly

Artemis stifled his disappointment and flicked open Holly's reply, hoping for a little more.

Artemis,

No idea about the operating room, but I do know about the tiara, the Great Moon Princess Luna wore it on her head at the time of the fairies downfall. The stone in it is among one of the rarest in or under this world. There have been only five others found. I have no idea why any one would want to steal it, other than for profit, but none would buy it because they know what it is. Except perhaps Mud-Men?

Holly

Artemis felt that Holly's held more information than Foaly's, even though Foaly was supposed to be the genius. Nothing compared to himself, of course. But then why, why could he not figure this out? Artemis thumped his fist onto the desk in frustration, a move very much unlike himself, and instantly regretted it. He shook his hand and grimaced in pain. He let out a huff and sat back in his chair, mindlessly spinning himself around. Only once, though. After a moment he stood and went to the foyer, where he collected his coat from the stand, waving once to Butler sitting in the security room, then stepping out into the fresh brisk air of the winter morning. Artemis sighed and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the feeling of foreboding that hung in the air about him. He walked onwards through the slightly damp grass in the grounds, making his way through the rose garden to the little used section of the grounds with the oak tree. It was a grand tree that twisted upwards towards the sky, its ancient roots twisting through the ground, one raising out of it to form a thick and sturdy perch, worn smooth by the generations of Fowl's that had sat there before Artemis.

Once he reached the oak, he walked around the huge trunk to get to the seat, hidden by the trunk on its other side. But someone had already beaten him to this place. Someone with long trailing golden-brown hair. 

"Faylinn?" said Artemis before he could stop himself. 

Faylinn turned to him, her blue eyes with golden rimed iris's locking onto his own haunting ones. She looked happy to see him, but her face was heavy and lined with sadness. Artemis came towards her further and she moved up on the root so he could sit beside her. Artemis sat and looked at her, still no visible signs she was a hologram. She shivered and put her hands over herself to protect her from the cold. Artemis took off his jacket and held it out to her, not thinking about it for a second. She took it in her fingers and wrapped it about herself, as though she was completely substantial. Artemis's brow furrowed and he reached out a hand to her arm, now covered by his jacket, but it went straight through both her and the jacket. Faylinn looked at his hand and her arm in astonishment.

"Can you talk, Faylinn?" asked Artemis.

She looked at him sideways and smiled, mouthing- Of course I can talk, don't be thick!

"But Faylinn, I can't hear you talking," said Artemis calmly.

Well I am- she mouthed- at least, I think I am?

"Faylinn, do you know why these people are holding you?" Artemis asked her, trying to find an answer before she was gone again.

She shook her head, mouthing- Not people, Fairies.

"You know about the People? The Fairies?"

Of course. They're the ones that kidnapped me- she mouthed- mum did always say I was away with the fairies.

She looked to the sky wistfully, like she was remembering something happy.

"Where are you, right now?" Artemis asked her gently.

Asleep- she replied- in the cell I showed you.

"But you're here," said Artemis forcefully, "and I am most certainly wide awake."

Faylinn shrugged, then her eyes clouded over for a moment, as though looking at a different place.

They are coming- she mouthed.

"Who is coming?"

Faylinn stood and removed Artemis's jacket, putting it carefully on the root beside him. She waved sadly at him, then her image flickered and was gone. Artemis, unsure of what just happened and shivering slightly from the cold, reached out to his jacket, which was now perfectly solid under his touch. He lifted it curiously and wrapped it about himself, catching a faint hint of Jasmine that wasn't there before, like Faylinn had been wearing perfume. He  sat there a while longer, as if hoping Faylinn would return, then stood and walked back to the manor. Thoughts skittered about his head as he sat in the library in his father's great leather chair by the fire place. No fire burnt in the grate, but he didn't care much, he still wore his jacket with the lingering hint of Jasmine. 

Artemis awoke with a jerk, not realising he'd fallen asleep until he'd felt his phone ringing. His phone was no ordinary phone, it had had so many upgrades and modifications it was probably the most valuable peice of phone technology that humans possesed. He answered the phone sleepily.

"Holly?" he said, stifling a yawn.

"Artemis, the tiara has been stolen!" shouted Holly down the phone.

Instantly Artemis was awake and on his feet.

"Is there any evidence or trace?" he demanded.

"Not as yet," said Holly grumpily, "we're working on it, but it's slow going. Do you know why these people wanted the tiara yet?"

"No," said Artemis softly, "but I think that their plan is beginning to come together. I think Faylinn is getting weaker."

"What are you on about?" demanded Holly.

"I'll explain latter," said Artemis, "for now I need to keep going, as do you."

Holly knew better than to question Artemis, he knew what was best for them all.

"Alright Artemis, but you better sort this out quickly, something feels wrong about this whole wretched thing."

"I know," said Artemis with a sigh, "I'll talk to you later, Holly, Goodbye."

"Bye, Artemis," said Holly softly.

Artemis hung up and stretched, shaking the sleep from his head. He began to walk from the room when he saw something in his pathway once again. Another blue envelope. He reached down and scooped it up, tearing its wrappings from the sketch inside. The lines on it were a little shaky, but still well done and still rather detailed. It showed a large stone from the tiara, but it was split in half and there were small fragments of it scattered about it. There was something else, on the edge of the paper, spots of what he rightly guessed was blood. Beneath, in very shaky writing, was Faylinn's usual note.

They have the stone. They have done something to me with it, in my arm. They put a shard of it in my fore arm. It burns. It keeps bleeding when I move it. Help. Please, Artemis, I beg you.

For Artemis, that was the last straw. He was going to find Faylinn, no matter how long it took. He didn't know why he felt he had to, but he knew it was right and she was suffering. 

Tell me what you think! <3