Chapter 6

843 18 15
                                    

There had been no time to get Faylinn to the far away hospital, so Artemis had gotten Butler to carry her inside into the meeting room, placing her delicately on the table top. 

"Butler," said Artemis with an air of calm, "go to the hospital. Get the paramedics."

"Artemis, I don't think I should leave you on your own," said Butler doubtfully.

"Butler!" said Artemis slightly angry, "Please, do as I have said! Your concern does you credit, but I will be fine, I promise you."

Butler was startled, Artemis never demanded anything of him. He just nodded and left his charge without another word. When he'd gone Artemis felt instantly guilty, but he had to stay and help Faylinn. He went down to the kitchen and boiled some water as quickly as he could, then sterilized several of the smallest, sharpest knives he could find and then washing his hands thoroughly several times. He couldn't let the doctors find a shard of the stone in her arm, they'd question it and he'd have no explanation. But if he removed it and left the cut open, he could say she had an accident in the kitchen. But that wouldn't explain the hospital gown. He'd have to come up with a very good lie to convince the paramedics. 

Artemis hurried back to Faylinn who was lying as still as if she were already dead. He scolded himself for thinking such a thing and bent over her arm. He cut a bit of the hospital gown and ripped off a long strip, then tied it around her upper arm to reduce the flow of blood a little. He took one of the knives and carefully began to cut through the carelessly done stitches, removing them swiftly. He swallowed back bile as with one hand he pulled  the flesh apart. The original incision had been rather deep into her arm and was not far off the bone. It had been a clean cut, he realised, as he pulled it open further. Faylinn moaned in her sleep as Artemis searched for the shard, then finally he saw it, glinting in the light now cast upon it. He reached in, teeth clenched, and pulled it out with a small sucking noise. He dropped it onto the table and pulled his hands back from the wound. He pressed the two sides of the incision together and applied plenty of pressure, hoping that the paramedics would be there soon.

Holly was finaly back at headquaters and had given the blood sample to Foaly. Foaly had been working away and whinnying with frustration for ten minutes until he came back from his laboratory into the situations room.

"You were right, Holly," he said, "she's not entirely human. She has something else in her blood."

"And what about where she's been for the last year?"

"Well, I assume she's been there, in that place," said Foaly with a shudder. 

"And the mother, Fee Hayze, the one who was being treated for shock?"

"She doesn't exist, there never has been a Fee Hayze."

"Foaly, check the school report, please, and the article. Now. I have a bad feeling about them," commanded Holly.

Foaly huffed, he didn't like taking orders, but this was important and Holly was his friend, Centaurs didn't have many of those and he was desperate to keep Holly close. He tapped away on his key board for a few moments then looked back up at Holly, his eyes wide.

"The school report on Faylinn is a fake, as is the newspaper report, I should've checked my sources! Some one's been laying a trail for us and we've just taken the bait."

"Get Artemis on the line, now! He's in serrious danger!"

Foaly called up the phone line and tried Artemis's mobile, but it went directly to answer phone. Holly looked to Foaly and the look she received back wasn't very comforting. Foaly tried the land line and his E-mail and video chat, but nothing was receiving.

Artemis Fowl and the Master ExperimentationWhere stories live. Discover now