“It’s not that simple. . . .”
Kong began flipping his knife and catching it without so much as a glance at the blade. End over end it twirled, a silver fan in the air. Hypnotic.
“I’m making it simple. I think you can get me a demon, and I think you can do it in less than seventeen months. So here’s what I am going to do.” He leaned down and heaved Juan Soto’s chair upright. The security chief slumped forward onto the table.
“I am going to hurt Mr. Soto. Simple as that. There is nothing you can do to stop that from happening. This is a demonstration of my earnestness. It connects you with the reality of your situation. And then you know I mean business. So after that, you start talking. And if you don’t start talking, then we move on to lucky contestant number two.”
Minerva had no doubt that contestant number two was her father.
“Please, Mr. Kong, there is no need for any of this. I am telling you the truth.”
“Oh, it’s please now, is it?” said Kong in mock surprise.
“And Mr. Kong, too. What happened to idiot and moron?”
“Don’t kill him. He’s a nice man. He has a family.”
Kong grabbed a bunch of Soto’s hair and yanked his head back. The chief’s Adam’s apple stuck out like a plum.
“He’s an incompetent,” snarled Kong. “Look how easily your demon escaped. See how simple it was for me to take over.”
“Let him live,” pleaded Minerva. “My father has money.”
Kong sighed. “You’re just not getting it, are you? For a smart girl you can be pretty stupid a lot of the time. I don’t want money. I want a demon. Now stop talking and pay attention. There is no point in trying to negotiate.”
Minerva’s heart sank as she realized just how far out of her depth she actually was. In less than an hour she had crossed over to a world of darkness and cruelty. And her own arrogance had led her to it.
“Please,” she said. She struggled to maintain her composure. “Please.”
Kong adjusted his grip on the knife. “Don’t look away now, little girl. Watch and remember who’s boss.”
Minerva could not avert her eyes. Her gaze was trapped by this terrible tableau. It was like a scene from a scary movie, complete with its own sound track.
Minerva frowned. Real life did not have a sound track. There was music coming from somewhere.
The somewhere proved to be Kong’s trouser pocket. His polyphonic phone was playing the “Toreador Song” from Carmen. Kong pulled the phone from his pocket.
“Who is this?” he snapped.
“My name is not important,” said a youthful voice. “The important thing is that I have something you want.”
“How did you get this number?”
“I have a friend,” replied the mystery caller. “He knows all the numbers. Now, to business. I believe you’re in the market for a demon?”
Minutes earlier, Butler had pulled off the motorway at the airport exit and had crammed himself into the backseat beside Artemis and Holly. They had watched the drama unfold in Chateau Paradizo on their tiny laptop.
Artemis gripped his knees tight. “I can’t allow this. I won’t allow it.”
Holly placed a hand over his. “We have no choice, Artemis. We’re clear now. This is not our fight. I can’t risk exposing No1.”
Artemis’s frown cut a line from his furrow to the bridge of his nose.
“I know. Of course. But still, how can this not be my fight?” He glanced sharply at Butler. “Will Kong kill those men?”
“Without a doubt,” replied the bodyguard. “In his mind, it’s already done.”
Artemis rubbed his eyes, suddenly fatigued. “I am responsible, indirectly. I can’t have a man’s death on my conscience. Holly, you do what you have to do, but I need to save those people.”
“Conscience,”said No1.“What a lovely word. The sh in the middle.”
It was plain that the imp was not actually listening to the conversation, just picking up on certain words. The incongruity of this simple statement made Artemis look across toward the demon. His eyes rested for a moment on No1’s chest markings. And suddenly he knew where he had seen them before. A plan hit him like a bolt of lightning.
“Holly, do you trust me?”
Holly groaned. “Artemis, don’t ask me that. I just know one of your outrageous plans is coming.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” Holly sighed. “I do. More than anyone.”
“Well then, trust me to get us all out of this. I will explain later.”
Holly was torn. This decision could affect the rest of her life, and the imp’s too. And the effect could be to shorten them dramatically.
“Okay, Artemis. But I’ll be watching.”
Artemis spoke into his ring-phone. “Foaly, can you put me through to Mr. Kong’s cell phone?”
“Not a problem,” replied the centaur from Section 8 headquarters. “But it’s going to be the last thing I do for you. Sool has tracked my line out. In thirty seconds I’m going to be shut down, and you’ll be on your own.”
“I understand. Put me through.”
Butler gripped Artemis’s shoulder. “If you call him, then he has the upper hand. Kong will want to choose where to meet.”
“I know where we should meet. I just have to convince Mr. Kong that the rendezvous point is his idea.” Artemis closed his fist, covering the phone. “Quiet. It’s ringing.”
“Who is this?” snapped Kong.
“My name is not important,” said Artemis. “The important thing is that I have something you want.”
“How did you get this number?”
“I have a friend,” replied the mystery caller. “He knows all the numbers. Now, to business. I believe you’re in the market for a demon?”
“So, you must be the great Artemis Fowl. Minerva’s idol. I am so sick of you smart kids. Why can’t you just boost cars or steal stuff like normal kids?”
“We do steal stuff. Just bigger stuff. Now, are you interested in my demon or not?”
“I could be,” said Kong. “What do you have in mind?”
“A straight trade. I pick a public place, and we swap. My demon for your girl.”
“You’re not picking anything, kid. I pick the rendezvous point. You called me, remember? What do you want with this girl anyway?”
“Her life,” said Artemis simply. “I do not like murder, or murderers. You and your crew walk out of there with one hostage, and we do a swap. It’s a simple transaction. Don’t tell me you’ve never released a hostage before.”
“I’m an old hand, kid. I’ve been picking up ransoms for years.”
“Good. I’m glad we can do business. Now why don’t you name your preferred location. I’ll be wearing a burgundy tie. Pay attention to that. There are a hundred and one ways this could go wrong. If it does, the police could tie one of us up for a long time.”
In the getaway car, Holly frowned quizzically at Artemis. It wasn’t like him to chatter. He calmed her with a look and a wave of his hand.
“Okay,” said Kong. “I just thought of somewhere. You know Taipei 101?”
“In Taiwan?” said Artemis. “One of the world’s tallest buildings? You are not serious. That’s on the far side of the world.”
“I am deadly serious. Taipei is my second home. I know it well. You will have a tough enough time getting there by the deadline, so there will be no tricks. We will exchange on the observation deck at twelve noon, two days from now. If you don’t show, then the girl takes the express elevator down. If you see what I mean.”
“I see. I’ll be there.”