The Butler siblings sat up front, dressed in corresponding black designer suits. Juliet had jazzed hers up with a pink cravat and glitter makeup. The family resemblance was clear, the same narrow nose and full lips. The same eyes, jumping in their sockets like roulette balls in the wheel. Watching, always watching.
“You don’t need a traditional gun on this trip,” said Butler. “Use an LEP blaster. They don’t need reloading, they shoot in a straight line forever, and they’re nonlethal. I gave Holly a couple from my stash.”
“Got it, Dom.”
Butler took the airport exit. “Dom. I haven’t been called that in so long. Being a bodyguard becomes your world. You forget to have your own life. Are you sure that’s what you want, Juliet?”
Juliet was twining her hair in a tight braid, at the end of which she attached an ornamental jade ring. Ornamental and dangerous.
“Where else would I get to body-slam people? Bodyguarding fits the bill, for the moment.”
Butler lowered his voice. “Of course, it’s completely against protocol for you to have Artemis as your Principal. He already knows your first name, and truth be told I think he’s a little fond of you.”
Juliet slapped the jade ring against her palm. “This is just temporary. I’m not anybody’s bodyguard just yet. Madam Ko doesn’t like my style.”
“I’m not surprised,” said Butler, pointing to the jade ring. “Where did you get that?”
Juliet smiled. “My own idea. A nice little surprise for anyone who underestimates females.”
Butler pulled into the set-down area.
“Listen to me, Juliet,” he said, catching his sister’s hand. “Spiro is dangerous. Look what happened to me, and in all modesty, I was the best. If this mission weren’t so vital to humans and fairies, I wouldn’t let you go at all.”
Juliet touched her brother’s face. “I’ll be careful.”
They climbed onto the walkway. Holly hovered, shielded, several feet above the throngs of business travelers and holiday makers. Mulch had applied a fresh layer of sun block, and the stink repelled every human who was unfortunate enough to get within ten feet of him.
Butler touched Artemis’s shoulder.
“Are you going to be all right?”
Artemis shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. Without you by my side, I feel as though one of my limbs is missing.”
“Juliet will keep you safe. She has an unusual style, but she is a Butler, after all.”
“It’s one last mission, old friend. Then there will be no more need for bodyguards.”
“It’s a pity Holly couldn’t have simply mesmerized Spiro through the Cube.”
Artemis shook his head. “It wouldn’t have worked. Even if we could have set up a link, a fairy needs eye-to-eye contact to mesmerize a strong mind like Spiro’s. I don’t want to take any chances with this man. He needs to be put away. Even if the fairies relocated him, he could do some damage.”
“What about your plan?” Butler asked. “From what you told me, it’s quite convoluted. Are you sure it’s going to work?”
Artemis winked, a very unusual display of levity.
“I’m sure,” he said. “Trust me. I’m a genius.”
Juliet piloted the Lear jet across the Atlantic. Holly sat in he copilot’s chair, admiring the hardware.
“Nice bird,” she commented.
“Not bad, fairy girl,” said Juliet, switching to autopilot. “Not a patch on fairy craft, I’d bet?”
“The LEP doesn’t believe in comfort,” said Holly.
“There’s barely enough room in an LEP shuttle to swing a tink worm.”
“If you wanted to swing a stink worm.”
“True.” Holly studied the pilot. “You’ve grown a lot in two years. The last time I saw you, you were a little girl.”
Juliet smiled. “A lot can happen in two years. I spent most of that time wrestling big hairy men.”
“You should see fairy wrestling. Two pumped-up gnomes going at it in a zero-G chamber. Not a pretty sight. I’ll send you a video disk.”
“No, you won’t.”
Holly remembered the mind wipes.
“You’re right,” she said. “I won’t.”
In the passenger section of the Lear jet, Mulch was reliving his glory days.
“Hey, Artemis,” he said through a mouthful of caviar. “Remember the time I nearly blew Butler’s head off with a blast of gas?”
Artemis did not smile. “I remember, Mulch. You were the wrench in an otherwise perfect works.”
“To tell you the truth, it was an accident. I was just nervous. I didn’t even realize the big guy was there.”
“That makes me feel better. Done in by a bowel problem.”
“And do you remember the time I saved your neck in Koboi Laboratories? If it hadn’t been for me, you’d be locked up in Howler’s Peak right now. Can’t you do anything without me?”
Artemis sipped mineral water from a crystal flute. “Apparently not, though I live for the day.”
Holly made her way back through the aisle.
“We better get you ready, Artemis. We land in thirty minutes.”
“Good idea.”
Holly emptied her kit onto the central table.
“Okay, what do we need for now? The throat mike and an iris camera.”