Of course, it is no mystery to me. Holly’s magic has overhauled my father’s entire being, with the exception of his left leg, which was lost when his ship went down off the coast of Murmansk. He has received an infusion of life, body and mind.
The effect of the magic on his body does not worry me, but I cannot help but wonder what effect this positive energy will have on my father’s mind. For my father, a change like this could be traumatic. He is the Fowl patriarch, and his life revolves around moneymaking.
For sixteen days we sat in my father’s hospital room, waiting for some sign of life. I had, by then, learned to read the instruments and noticed immediately the morning that my father’s brainwaves began spiking. My diagnosis was that he would soon regain consciousness, and so I called the nurse.
We were ushered from the room to admit a medical team of at least a dozen. Two heart specialists, an anaesthetist, a brain surgeon, a psychologist and several nurses.
In fact, my father had no need of medical attention. He simply sat up, rubbed his eyes and uttered one word: ‘Angeline’.
Mother was admitted. Butler, Juliet and I were forced to wait for several more agonizing minutes until she reappeared at the door.
‘Come in, everyone,’ she said. ‘He wants to see you.’
And suddenly I was afraid. My father, the man whose shoes I had been trying to fill for two years, was awake. Would he still live up to my expectations? Would I live up to his?
I entered hesitantly. Artemis Fowl the First was propped up by several pillows. The first thing that I noticed was his face. Not the scar traces – which were already almost completely healed, but the expression. My father’s brow, usually a thunderhead of moody contemplation, was smooth and carefree.
After such a long time apart, I didn’t know what to say.
My father had no such doubts.
‘Arty,’ he cried, stretching his arms towards me. ‘You’re a man now. A young man.’
I ran into his embrace, and while he held me close all plots and schemes were forgotten. I had a father again.
ICE AGE CRYOGENICS INSTITUTE, LONDON
Artemis’s memories were interrupted by a sly movement on the wall above. He peered out the rear window and fixed his gaze on the spot, watching through filtered eyes. There was a fairy crouching on a third-storey window sill: a Recon officer, complete with wings and helmet. After only fifteen minutes! His ruse had worked. Foaly had intercepted the call and sent someone to investigate. Now all that remained was to hope this particular fairy was full to the brim with magic and willing to help.
This had to be handled sensitively. The last thing he wanted to do was spook the Recon officer. One wrong move and he’d wake up in six hours, with absolutely no recollection of the day’s events. And that would be fatal for Butler.
Artemis opened the van door slowly, stepping down into the yard. The fairy cocked its head, following his movements. To his dismay, Artemis saw the creature draw a platinum handgun.
‘Don’t shoot,’ said Artemis, raising his hands. ‘I am unarmed. And I need your help.’
The fairy activated its wings, descending slowly until its visor was level with Artemis’s eyes.
‘Do not be alarmed,’ continued Artemis. ‘I am a friend to the People. I helped to defeat the B’wa Kell. My name is –’
The fairy unshielded, her opaque visor sliding up.
‘I know what your name is, Artemis,’ said Captain Holly Short.
‘Holly,’ said Artemis, grasping her by the shoulders. ‘It’s you.’
Holly shrugged off the human’s hands. ‘I know it’s me. What’s going on here? I presume you made the call?’
‘Yes, yes. No time for that now. I can explain later.’
Holly opened the throttle on her wings, rising to a height of four metres.
‘No, Artemis. I want an explanation now. If you needed help, why didn’t you call on your own phone?’
Artemis forced himself to answer the question.
‘You told me that Foaly had pulled surveillance on my communications, and anyway I wasn’t sure you’d come.’
Holly considered it.
‘OK. Maybe I wouldn’t have.’ Then she noticed. ‘Where’s Butler? Watching our backs as usual, I suppose.’
Artemis didn’t answer, but his expression told Holly exactly why the Mud Boy had summoned her.
Artemis pressed a button, and a pneumatic pump opened the cryo pod’s lid. Butler lay inside, encased in a centimetre of ice.
‘Oh no,’ sighed Holly. ‘What happened?’
‘He stopped a bullet that was meant for me,’ replied Artemis.
‘When are you going to learn, Mud Boy?’ snapped the fairy. ‘Your little schemes have a tendency to get people hurt. Usually the people who care about you.’
Artemis didn’t answer. The truth was the truth after all.
Holly peeled away a cold pack from the bodyguard’s chest.
‘How long?’
Artemis consulted the clock on his mobile phone.
‘Three hours. Give or take a few minutes.’
Captain Short wiped away the ice, laying her hand flat on Butler’s chest.
‘Three hours. I don’t know, Artemis. There’s nothing here. Not a flicker.’
Artemis faced her across the cryo pod.