Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer Read Free Book Online Page A

dojo, Artemis,” Butler had rumbled. “You know the rules.”
    Artemis had delivered one more blow to the hand pad, a left jab that had little power and less accuracy, but at least his shots were landing on the pad now. Until recently, Artemis’s punches were so wide of the mark that in the event of actual combat a passerby would be in more danger than any assailant.
    “I know the rules, Butler,” said Artemis, taking several breaths to get the sentence out. “The phone is definitely off. I checked it five times.”
    Butler pulled off a pad, which in theory protected the wearer’s hand from punches, but in this case protected Artemis’s knuckles from Butler’s spadelike palm. “The phone is off, and yet it rings.”
    Artemis trapped a glove between his knees and tugged his hand free. “It’s set to emergency breakthrough. It would be irresponsible of me not to check it.”
    “Your speech seems strange,” noted Butler. “Stilted somehow . . . Are you counting your words?”
    “That is patently ridiculous . . . actually,” said Artemis, coloring. “I am simply choosing carefully.” He hurried to the phone, which was one of his own design with a dedicated operating platform based on an amalgamation of human and fairy technology. “The message is from Juliet,” he said, consulting the three-inch touch screen.
    Butler’s pique immediately evaporated. “Juliet sending an emergency message? What does it say?”
    Artemis wordlessly handed over the phone, which seemed to shrink as Butler’s massive hand enfolded it.
    The message was short and urgent. Five words only.
    In trouble, Domovoi. Come alone.
    Butler’s fingers squeezed the phone until its casing cracked. The first names of all Blue Diamond bodyguards were closely guarded secrets, and the mere fact that Juliet had invoked his name to summon him was an indicator of how much trouble she was in.
    “Naturally I’m coming with you,” said Artemis briskly. “My phone can trace that call to the nearest square centimeter and we can be anywhere in the world in just less than a day.”
    Butler’s features belied the struggle between big brother and detached professional that raged inside him.
    Finally the professional got the upper hand. “No, Artemis. I cannot put you in harm’s way.”
    “But . . .”
    “No. I must go, but you will return to school. If Juliet is in trouble, I need to move quickly, and caring for you will simply double my responsibility. Juliet knows how seriously I take my job, and she would never ask me to come alone unless the situation was dangerous.”
    Artemis coughed. “It’s probably not too dangerous. Perhaps Juliet is more inconvenienced than in any actual peril. But in any case you should go as soon as . . .”
    He plucked the phone from Butler’s grasp and tapped the screen.
    “Cancún, Mexico, that’s your destination.”
    Butler nodded. It made sense. Juliet was currently with a Mexican wrestling troupe, building a rep for her character, the Jade Princess, and praying for that magic call from the World Wrestling Entertainment group.
    “Cancún,” he repeated. “I’ve never been. There’s not much call for people like me there. Too safe.”
    “The jet is at your disposal, naturally,” said Artemis, who then frowned, unhappy with the sentence. “Hopefully this entire thing is nothing but a . . . goose chase.”
    Butler glanced sharply at his young charge. Something was wrong with the boy, he felt sure of it, but at the moment there was only room for Juliet in the concern for others corner of his brain.
    “This is no goose chase,” he said softly, then with considerably more force: “And whoever caused this message to be sent will regret it.” To drive this point home, Butler allowed his big-brother side to surface for a moment and punched a training mannequin so hard that its wooden head flew off and spun on the practice mat like a top.
    Artemis picked up the head and tapped the crown half a dozen times, or