‘You… you just…,’ he stuttered. ‘That’s impossible. No way.’
‘Way,’ said Juliet, pirouetting like a ballerina. The jade ring in her ponytail swung round, loaded with centrifugal force. It struck Chips between the eyeballs, like a stone from a sling. He staggered backwards, landing in a heap on a leatherette sofa.
Behind her, Pex’s breath was returning. His eyeballs stopped rolling wildly and focused on his assailant.
‘Hi,’ said Juliet, bending over him. ‘Guess what.’
‘What?’ said Pex.
‘You’re not supposed to deep-fry sushi,’ said the girl, clapping the assassin on both temples with the palms of her hands. Unconsciousness was immediate.
Mulch emerged from the bathroom, buttoning the bum-flap on his tunnelling trousers.
‘What did I miss?’ he asked.
*
Holly hovered one hundred and fifty feet above Chicago’s downtown district – known locally as the Loop after the curve of elevated track that enclosed the area. She was up there for two reasons. Firstly, they needed an X-ray scan of the Spiro Needle in order to construct 3D blueprints. And secondly, she wanted to talk to Foaly alone.
She spotted a stone eagle perched on the roof of an early twentieth-century apartment block, and alighted on its head. She would have to move perch after a few minutes, or her shield vibration would begin to pulverize the rock.
Juliet’s voice sounded in her earpiece.
‘Captain Short, we’re on.’
‘Understood,’ responded Holly. ‘How many hostiles?’
‘Two. Big and dumb.’
‘You need back-up?’
‘Negative. I’ll wrap these two. You can have a word on your return.’
‘OK. I’ll be down in five, as soon as I’ve had a talk with Foaly. And, Juliet, don’t mark them.’
‘Understood.’
Holly smiled. Juliet was a piece of work. A chip off the Butler block. But she was a wild card. Even on stakeout she couldn’t stop chattering for more than ten seconds. None of her brother’s discipline. She was a happy teenager. A kid. She should not be in this line of business. Artemis had no business dragging her into his crazy schemes. But there was something about the Irish boy that made you forget your reservations. In the past sixteen months she had fought a troll for him, healed his entire family, dived into the Arctic Ocean and now she was preparing to disobey a direct order from Commander Root.
She opened a channel to LEP Operations.
‘Foaly. Are you listening?
Nothing for several seconds, then the centaur’s voice burst through the helmet’s micro-speaker.
‘Holly. Hold on. You’re a bit fuzzy; I’m just going to fine-tune the wavelength. Talk to me. Say something.’
‘Testing. One two. One two. Trolls cause terrible trouble in a tantrum.’
‘OK. Gotcha. Crystal clear. How goes it in the Land of Mud?’
Holly gazed down at the city below her.
‘No mud here. Just glass, steel and computers. You’d like it.’
‘Oh no. Not me. Mud People are Mud People, no matter if they’re wearing suits or loincloths. The only good thing about humans is the television. All we get on PPTV is reruns. I’m almost sorry the goblin generals’ trial is over. Guilty on all counts, thanks to you. Sentencing is next month.’
Anxiety loosened its grip on Holly’s stomach. ‘Guilty. Thank heavens. Things can finally go back to normal.’
Foaly snickered. ‘Normal? You’re in the wrong job for normal. You can kiss normal goodbye if we don’t get Artemis’s gizmo back from Spiro.’
The centaur was right. Her life had not been normal since she’d been promoted to Recon from the vice squad. But did she really want a normal life? Wasn’t that the reason she transferred from vice in the first place?
‘So why the call?’ asked Foaly. ‘Feeling a bit homesick, are you?’
‘No,’ replied Holly. And it was true. She wasn’t. The elf captain had barely thought of Haven since Artemis embroiled her in his latest intrigue. ‘I need your advice.’
‘Advice? Oh, really? That wouldn’t be another way of asking for help now, would it? I believe Commander Root’s words were “You got what you got.” Rules are rules, Holly.’
Holly sighed. ‘Yes, Foaly. Rules are rules. Julius knows best.’
‘That’s right. Julius knows best,’ said Foaly, but he didn’t sound convinced.
‘You probably couldn’t help anyway. Spiro’s security is pretty advanced.’
Foaly snorted, and a centaur snorting is something to hear.
‘Yeah, sure. What has he got? A couple of tin cans and a dog? Ooh scary.’
‘I wish. There’s stuff in this building that I’ve never seen before. Smart stuff.’
A small liquid-crystal screen flickered into life in the corner of Holly’s visor. Foaly was broadcasting a visual from Police Plaza. Technically, not something he should be doing for an unofficial operation. The centaur was curious.
‘I know what you’re doing by the way,’ said Foaly, wagging a finger.