Chapter Seven: Blackouts.

"What are they?!" Lestrade turned furiously on Holly, her eyes blazing.

"How should I know? They look kinda like goblins but they’re too tall...." Holly jerked her head back behind the hedge. "What do you think, Artemis?...Artemis?!...ARTEMIS FOWL!"

"Okay, okay, I'm all right, I- uhhhh, carsick...um, no, I don't know what they are; call Foaly."

As Holly did as she was told, Watson turned to Lestrade. "Shouldn't you bury the acorn now, Inspector? Before the, um, things get any closer? I mean, magical powers would be slightly useful right about now, don't you think?"

"Oh! Right! Good point, Watson." Fumbling slightly with her haste, Lestrade brought out the small acorn and drove it into the ground.

All the sounds around her vanished for the briefest of seconds as power rushed up her fingers into her body. It felt like a million volts of electricity were running through her, giving her energy she'd never dreamed of. All the noise came back in a rush, loud and clearer than before. It was amazing; she could hear everything, feel everything and smell everything. However, the sudden enhancement of her senses was too big, and just as she was opening her eyes, she blacked out.

Catching the now-boneless Lestrade, Holmes listened, with mounting frustration, to what Holly was saying. She seemed very upset.

"He won't respond! Foaly, he always answers my calls! No matter what! He knows I'd only call for something important! This could mean..Oh, Tara! What if-" Her eyes grew wide, "What if-"

"Excuse me, please, for interrupting, but maybe we should finish this speculation elsewhere. Maybe a place where we aren't about to be blown up?" Holmes nodded in the direction of the burning laurel beside his head. "Come, Watson. I believe there is a manhole to the Underground at the edge of this park." Holmes walked off, carrying the still unconscious Inspector.

Holly pulled out her Neutrino 3000 (brand new!) and covered their retreat.

*******

"Wiggins! Tennyson! Did you guys 'ear that?" Deidre stopped her hoverboard and looked curiously down one of the hundreds of dark alleys in the New London Underground.

"No, didn't hear a thing. C'mON Deidre! We're going to be late for the boxing match!" Wiggins didn't bother to stop running as he called over his shoulder, "It was probably a rat! Hurry u- oof!" Wiggins landed unceremoniously on his backside. "Sorry! I wasn't watching where I was goi- erk!"

Deidre and Tennyson watched, wide-eyed, as a monster picked Wiggins up by the scruff of the neck.

"Beep wurrrr! Beep bleep!"

"That's right, Tennyson! Put 'im down, you creep! Or, or...we'll set Inspector Lestrade on you!" Deidre glared bravely at the Thing.

It laughed at her.

"Don't laugh at me, you freak of nature! I 'appen to know very important people! The Inspector is just one!" Deidre moved a little closer to Tennyson.

"Beep bleep!"

"Exactly! We'll get Sherlock 'Olmes after you as wel- what?" The Thing was looking at her curiously, like it recognised the names.

"Lestrade? Holmes? You know them? You their friend? Good! Master will be happy!" With that, the beast-thing let out a shrill whistle. From out of the gloom, two more Things appeared. One knocked Tennyson out, then deftly picked up his hoverchair.

Deidre's eyes widened. "You don't put 'em down right now-" Deidre didn't get to finish her threat because her world abruptly went black.