Artemis Fowl: The Olympian Case

XXVI: Twisted Truth

"What are you playing at, Opal?" Holly spouted suspiciously, her gut tingling at the sight of the huge crowd gathered around a hastily constructed platform on the main plaza, stirring up quite a fuss in Haven. It was like all of Haven was present! But what's bothered Holly the most was a tall structure stationed on top of it, an ominous cloth covering it from view.

Just then, a gaunt looking official of a pixie took the platform, hushing the crowd with a glare. The anticipation hung in the air like a thick veil, and whatever is about to happen is surely something big; after all, pixies don't tend to group together in such clusters for just any event.

"People of Haven! The time has finally come!" The official cried out loud, making the gathering roar in unison and just as quickly as it came, it was dimmed down to allow the official to continue.

"It has been two hard years since the greatest catastrophe that have struck our people–families torn, structures lost; a thousand years of peace and prosperity all wiped and stained by a child from those pesky Mudmen–and escaped no less! But now...under the guidance of our dear Lady of High, Opal Koboi, the mediator of Order, the merciful of the Suffering, the..."

"...Stuck-up" Holly snorted under her breathe.

"I was wondering, Mrs. Kelp," Opal thought out loud, "What have you've been doing for the past two years?"

"Opal, what did I say?" Trouble glared, "It is my decision to interro–"

Holly then unexpectedly clasped a hand over Trouble's mouth, gesturing to where Opal's hand was resting–it was tapping lightly on a button to activate the speakers. At the moment, they were located in a soundproof room with reinforced glass high up from the plaza–Holly doubted they didn't come here just to watch.

"Smart girl" Opal smiled, "Now, would you kindly answer my questions? If you don't, I'm afraid I'll be the less of your concerns. After all, the crowd at the moment is quite agitated: I wonder what reaction will they imply when they hear of your survival"

"It is none of your concern!"

"Oh, it is my concern; and since our esteemed commander doesn't have the heart to press the matter seriously, I'm afraid I'll have to step in. This is my Haven, after all" Opal then took a sip from her cold martini then glared back, "How are you alive? I want a direct answer, simple as that. Trouble may let you off, but that's simply because he is soft and blind. You've been witnessed to be collaborating with the enemy, which is a charge enough to land you straight to death's row. Unless you don't want to end up the same way as your friend...well~"

"What have you done to her!?" Holly started, but Opal cut her off with a slashing motion of her hand. Instantly, two guards in black robes descended out of nowhere and aimed their charged Neutrinos right at Holly's head.

"Let me ask you something else then, Mrs. Kelp; do you know exactly what happened in the Ireland Incident?"

"I-I don't know! I don't remember...deaths–"

"Well, obviously people died–what was shocking were the group of people who died" Opal then narrowed her gaze at Trouble, who looked down on the floor and took the que to answer for her.

"What she meant, Holly, is that it was more than a loss of civilians...The Council was there too" Trouble mutters in a low and bitter voice,"They were holding an underground meeting, one out of the knowledge of the public and local enforcement. For what and why, even Opal doesn't know–Foaly even tried hacking into the mainframe and the best he could scratch up is that it was an on-paper meeting, so there aren't any digital data on it. Though, we managed to narrow down the various representatives, officials and administrators of high companies that had attended."