“You have no idea what it’s been like for me, Ah-temis. Hounded from country to country because of my beliefs, like some common criminal. And now that I have finally found somewhere to call home—now that I have persuaded the committee to meet here—I lose my trial animal. That lemur was the centerpiece of the entire conference.”
Kronski’s voice was steady and he seemed to have recovered himself since his breakdown at the leather souk.
“The Extinctionists’ committee are very powerful men, Ah-temis. They are accustomed to comfort and convenience. Morocco is hardly convenient. I had to build this compound to entice them down here, and promise a big opening to the conference. And now all I have to show is a shining hand.”
Kronski brandished his hand, which was largely slime-free, but it did seem to glow faintly.
“All is not lost, Doctor,” said Artemis soothingly. “I can provide you with something that will rejuvenate your society and make it globally relevant.”
Kronski’s frown was skeptical, but he leaned forward, arms slightly outstretched.
His face says no, thought Artemis. But his body language says yes.
“What are you selling, Ah-temis?”
Artemis opened the gallery on his phone and selected a photograph.
“This,” he said, passing the phone to Kronski.
The doctor studied the photograph, and the skepticism in his eyes grew more pronounced.
“What is this? Photo manipulation?”
“No. Genuine. This creature is real.”
“Come on, Ah-temis. What we’ve got here is latex and bone implants. Nothing more.”
Artemis nodded. “That’s a fair reaction. So you don’t pay until you’re satisfied.”
“I already paid.”
“You paid for a lemur,” Artemis countered. “This is an undiscovered species. Possibly a threat to mankind. This is what the Extinctionists are all about. Imagine how many members will clamor to donate to your church when you uncover this threat.”
Kronski nodded. “You put together a good argument for a ten-year-old. How much do I pay?”
“You pay five million euros. Nonnegotiable.”
“Cash?”
“Diamonds.”
Kronski pouted. “I won’t pay a single stone until I verify the authenticity of your product.”
“That’s fair.”
“That’s mighty accommodating of you, Fowl. How do you know I won’t double-cross you? After all, I’m pretty sure that you had a hand in whatever happened back at the souk. Payback is fair play where I come from.”
“You might double-cross me, Damon. But you won’t double-cross Butler. You are not a stupid man.”
Kronski grunted, impressed. “I got to hand it to you, boy. You’ve got all the angles figured. You present ’em well too.” He stared absently at his glowing hand. “You ever think it strange, Ah-temis, how a kid like you winds up going eyeball to eyeball with an old crook like me?”
“I don’t understand the question,” said Artemis truthfully.
Kronski clapped his hands and laughed. “It delights me, Ah-temis,” he said, “that a boy such as you exists. It makes my day.” The laughter stopped suddenly, as though cut off by a guillotine. “Now, how soon can I inspect the creature?”
“Immediately,” replied Artemis.
“Good. Well, text your man to come hither. Let’s say it takes him thirty minutes to get here, another ten to clear security. We can meet him in the grand lodge in one hour.”
“I said immediately,” said Artemis, clicking his fingers. Butler stepped out from behind a curtain, a Kevlar duffel bag under one arm.
Kronski squealed briefly, then rolled his eyes in frustration. “I can’t control that. . . . Ever since the koala in Cleveland. It’s so embarassing. . . .”
File and save, thought Artemis. Koala in Cleveland.
“Anyway,” continued the doctor, “how did he get in here?”
Butler shrugged. “I came in the same way you did, Doctor.”
“You were in the Land Rover,” breathed Kronski. “Very clever.”
“Not really. More lax on your part than clever on ours.”
“I will remember that. Do you have the merchandise with you?”
Butler’s mouth tightened, and Artemis knew that he was being pushed to the limits of his loyalty by this transaction. The lemur had been bad enough, but this female in the bag was some kind of person.
Wordlessly, the bodyguard placed the duffel on the desktop. Artemis tugged on the zipper, but Butler stopped him.
“She has some kind of hypnotizing skills. I once met a guy in Laos who could put the whammy on you, but nothing like this. She tried it outside the souk and I nearly ran into a camel, so I taped her mouth. Also, as we know, she can turn invisible. When I opened the bag first, she wasn’t there. I think her juice is running out, though. There could be more stunts; who knows what tricks she has hidden in those pointed ears. Are you prepared to take that risk?”
“Yes,” said Kronski, almost foaming at the mouth. “Absolutely yes. Open the bag.”
Butler removed his hand, and Artemis unzipped the duffel, exposing the figure inside.
Kronski stared into the mismatched eyes, ran a hand across the inhumanly wide brow, tugged one of the ears, then staggered to the office bar and poured himself a glass of water with shaky hands.