Artemis Fowl: A Call for Help

Chapter 14

Outside Tara, Ireland
"Do you understand, Merval?" Opal asked.
"Yes, I understand." came the reply.
"Good. If you mess up, there will be consequences." Opal said, her tone full of warning.
Merval swallowed hard. He did not want to find out what the consequences were. "Yes, Miss Koboi." Merval stammered.
"Good." Opal said, smiling sweetly. "Run along now. Do exactly what I told you to do, there are to be no alterations to the plan."
Merval slipped out the door, shutting it behind him. She's a genius, he thought. She should have a better plan than this. He immediately regretted thinking that. Sometimes it seemed like Opal could read his mind. She probably has something better planned. She just hasn't told me yet, he assured himself.
Merval ran out into the lawn. He was shielded so the other fairies could see him, but not the mud men. His basic job was to distract the LEP officers. Opal had told him that he would probably be shot at and chased, if not fatally shot then he would be knocked out. That's encouraging. Less painful than the consequences of not doing it, though. So Merval ran, over the lawn. He ran to the spot Opal had told him the officers would be. They were ready for him. They ran out a few feet, pistols drawn.
"Stop right there." a female voice said.
That must be Holly Short, Merval thought. He stopped, a few feet away from them. Merval raised his hands to show he was not armed.
"I don't mean any harm." he said, true to his script.
"Sure." a male voice said sarcastically.
Trouble Kelp, Merval noted. Both accounted for, finally something was working out for him. "Honestly. I don't want to harm anybody."
"What are you doing here then?" Holly asked. "You don't appear to be a LEP officer. You need an above ground visa to be up here."
"Uh..." Merval was at a loss for words. Opal hadn't told him how to answer a question like this. "I..."
"How did you even get up here without a visa? I'll have to have a chat with security when we get back." Trouble said.
"Definitely." Holly agreed. "What are we gonna do with him?"
"Hmm. Let's tie him up and take him back with us."
"Alright." Holly said. "You had better stay still." Holly told Merval.
This is not a good idea, Merval thought. He took off, leaving Holly and Trouble behind him.
"D'Arvit." Trouble swore.
They both took off after him. Holly was the fastest, so she swerved out into position. Holly could block him from the side or front, and Trouble could catch him from behind. They had almost reached the end of the lawn when they caught up to him.
"Got him." Trouble grunted.
He had Merval pinned to the ground. Holly came and handcuffed his wrists. Holly put her boot down lightly on Merval's stomach, so he couldn't run away again. Trouble got up.
"He's pretty fast." Trouble remarked, looking down at Merval.
"Yep. He's no match for us though." Holly said.
Trouble pulled Merval off the ground.
"What's your name?" Holly asked.
"Merval."
"Alright, Merval, can you tell me what you're doing here?" Trouble asked.
Holly felt something vibrate, it was her fairy communicator. She answered the call, it was Artemis. Holly listened.
"D'Arvit." Holly said .
She began running at full speed across the lawn. This is bad. Very bad.