“Do you have the money, Damon?” At least he could annoy the good doctor by neglecting his title.
Kronski did not seem annoyed. “Got it right here, Ahtemis,” he said, patting his breast pocket. “A hundred thousand is such a trifling amount, I managed to stuff every last note into my suit pocket.”
Artemis could not resist a jibe. “And what a lovely suit it is.”
Kronski’s violet-colored glasses flashed in the last rays of the sun. “Unlike your own, my boy, which appears to be losing its character in this heat.”
It was true, Artemis felt that the only thing holding him upright was the dried sweat on his spine. He was hungry, tired, and irritable.
Focus. The end justifies the sacrifices.
“Well, obviously I have the lemur, so can we please proceed.”
Kronski’s fingers twitched, and Artemis could guess what he was thinking: Take the lemur from the boy. Just grab it. No need to part with the hundred thousand.
Artemis decided to nip this kind of thinking in the bud. “In case you’re entertaining any rash notions of reneging on our agreement, let me just say one word to you: Butler.”
One word was enough. Kronski knew Butler’s reputation but not his whereabouts. His fingers twitched once more, and then were still.
“Very well, Ahtemis. Let’s get this business over with. I’m sure you appreciate that I need to inspect the merchandise.”
“Of course. And I’m sure that you appreciate that I will need to see a sample of your currency.”
“Why, of course.” Kronski wiggled his hand into a pocket and withdrew a fat envelope brimming with purple five hundred euro notes. He carelessly selected one and passed it across to Artemis.
“Gonna smell it, are you, Ahtemis?”
“Not exactly.” Artemis flipped open his cell phone and selected a UV and magnetic currency scanner from its augmented menu. He passed the note in front on the purple light, checking for the watermark and metal strip.
Kronski pressed a hand to his heart. “I am wounded, boy, injured, that you think I would cheat you. Why, it would cost more than a hundred thousand to forge a hundred thousand. A good set of plates cost twice that.”
Artemis closed the phone. “I am not a trusting person, Damon. You’ll learn that about me.” He placed the cage on the stone plinth. “Now, your turn.”
In that moment, Kronski’s entire attitude changed. His offhand nature vanished, to be replaced with a giddiness. He smiled and tittered, tiptoeing to the cage like a child to a Christmas tree.
Perhaps a normal child, thought Artemis sourly. Christmas morning held no surprises for me, thanks to the X-ray scanner on my cell phone.
Obviously the prospect of extinguishing the life’s spark of another species excited Kronski hugely. He leaned over the cage daintily, squinting through the airholes.
“Yes, yes. All appears to be in order. But I will need to take a closer look.”
“A hundred thousand euros buys you all the closer looks you need.”
Kronski tossed the envelope to Artemis. “Oh, take it, you tiresome boy. You really distress me, Ahtemis. A boy like you can’t have many friends.”
“I’ve got one friend,” retorted Artemis, pocketing the money. “And he’s bigger than you.”
Kronski opened the box just enough to grab the lemur by the scruff of the neck. He hoisted the animal aloft like a trophy, checking him from all angles.
Artemis took a step back, casting suspicious glances around the souk.
Perhaps nothing is going to happen, he thought. Perhaps those creatures were not as resourceful as I believed. I may have to be content with the hundred thousand for now.
And then the resourceful creatures arrived.
Holly did not have wings to fly, but that did not mean she couldn’t cause havoc. There had been no weapons in the LEP lockup beyond the single Neutrino, but there had been some mining equipment, including a few dozen blaster buttons, which Holly was now sprinkling into the unattended dye vats around the souk, with a double helping underneath Butler’s window.
Though she was invisible, Holly took extra care with her movements, as shielding without a suit was wild magic indeed. Any sudden gestures or collisions could cause her body to vent magical fireworks, which would look strange igniting out of thin air.
So—softly, softly was the way to move.
Holly dropped the last of the buttons, feeling totally vulnerable in spite of her invisibility.
I miss Foaly’s guidance, she thought. It’s nice to have an all-seeing eye.
As if he could read her mind, Artemis’s voice came from the mike-bud in her ear. Another gift from the lockup.
“Kronski is opening the cage. Get ready to blow the buttons.”
“All set. I’m at the northwest corner if Jayjay tries to run.”
“I see you on the filter. Detonate at will.”
Holly climbed into an empty vat and fixed her gaze on Kronski. He had the lemur out now, holding it away from his body. Perfect.