The Heir Game

Chapter 17

    "So... Opal was planning on mashing pixie DNA with troll DNA?" Holly asked. Artemis sighed.
    "Holly, obviously you know that you just presented it in the least scientific way possible," he said, "But that is what they are claiming, yes."
    "I know something or the other about genes and DNA," Vinyaya said, "And we haven't been able to figure out the entire sequence of genetic code either. We're a lot farther than you humans, but -"
    "This is Opal we're talking about," Artemis said, "She probably figured it out in her lifetime - as a side project. Figuring out the sequence of her DNA was probably how Almeda even exists."
    "So, what?" Mulch said, "What do we do, brain boy?"
    "I think, first, we need to figure a way out," Butler announced. The two students had been cowering at the sight of him and they shrunk when he rose.
    "Artemis, you figure out what to do with Almeda - how to stop her animal mashing plan and manage to keep her from being killed. Use Foaly and the students. Butler, Vinyaya, Mulch, and I will see if there's a way to break out of this place," Holly ordered.
    Vinyaya smiles, "You know, Major, you'd be quite the commander."
    "And miss the feeling of warm sun on my face? No thank you," Holly said.
    "We won't be feeling warm sun anytime soon if we don't get to work," Butler said, "Let's outmaneuver Almeda yet again."
    Artemis smiled slightly. Oh, he had already outmaneuvered her. They just didn't know it yet.

    Holly watched as Artemis smiled that vampire grin of his. She knew he was up to something, knew he had already formulated a plan. But he wasn't telling them what the plan was - which meant one of two things.
    One, he still had details to work out.
    Two, ten more likely and worse option, it didn't agree with the team's morals so he was holding out until any other way was impossible.
    Holly really, truly hoped it wasn't the latter. If it was, they might all be screwed. Holly glanced at the blinking light in her helmet, then at the Butler, Vinyaya and Mulch searching the walls. Artemis was deep in his meditation and the college grads were not paying attention to her. She took the call.
    "Holly," Trouble's voice filtered into her ears, "Is everything going right?"
    "Everything's going just fine," Holly said, "I hope it stays that way."