OPERATIONS' BOOTH, POLICE PLAZA1
FOALY was sitting in front of the LEP mainframe waiting for the results of his latest search. Extensive laser brushing of the goblin shuttle had revealed one complete and one partial thumbprint. The complete print was his own. Easily explicable as Foaly personally inspected all retired2 shuttle parts. The partial print could well belong to their traitor3. Not enough to identify the fairy who'd been running LEP technology to the B'wa Kell, but certainly enough to eliminate the innocent. Cross-reference the remaining names with everybody who had shuttle-part access, and the list got considerably4 shorter. Foaly switched his tail contentedly5. Genius. No point in being humble6 about it.
At the moment, the computer was crunching7 through personnel files with the partial print. All Foaly could do was twiddle his thumbs and wait for contact with the surface team. The magma flares8 were still up. Very unusual. Unusual and coincidental.
Foaly's suspicious train of thought was interrupted by a familiar voice.
'Search complete,' said the computer, in Foaly's own tones. A little vanity. 'Three hundred and forty-six eliminated. Forty possibles remaining.'
Forty. Not bad. They could easily be interviewed. An opportunity to use the Retimager once again. But there was another way to narrow the field.
'Computer. Cross-reference possibles with Level Three clearance9 personnel.' Level Three clearance would include everybody with access to the recycling smelters.
'Referencing.'
Of course, the computer would only accept commands from fairies whose voice patterns it was programmed to recognize. And as a further security precaution, Foaly had coded his personal log and other important files in a computer language he'd based on the ancient tongue of the centaurs11: Centaurian.
All centaurs were a touch paranoid, and with good reason, since there were less than a hundred left. The humans had managed to kill off their cousins, the unicorns12, altogether. There were probably six centaurs under the Earth who could read the language, and only one who could decipher the computer dialect.
Centaurian was possibly the oldest form of writing, dating back over ten millennia13 to when humans first began hunting fairies. The opening paragraph of The Scrolls14 of Capalla, the only surviving illuminated15 Centaurian manuscript, read:
Fairy creatures, heed16 this warning,
On Earth, the human era is dawning.
So hide, fairy, lest you be found,
And make a home beneath the ground.
Centaurs were known for their intellect, not their poetry. Still, Foaly felt the words were as relevant today as they had been all those centuries ago.
Cudgeon knocked on the booth's security glass. Now, technically17, Cudgeon shouldn't be allowed in Ops, but Foaly buzzed him through. He could never resist having a crack at the ex-commander. Cudgeon had been demoted to lieutenant18 following a disastrous19 attempt to replace Root as Recon head honcho. If it hadn't been for his family's considerable political clout20, he would have been booted off the force altogether. All in all, he might have been better off in some other line of work. At least he wouldn't have had to suffer Foaly's constant teasing.
‘I have some e-forms for you to initial,' said the lieutenant, avoiding eye-contact.
'No problem, Commander,' chuckled22 the centaur10. 'How's the plotting going? Any revolutions planned for this afternoon?'
'Just sign the forms please,' said Cudgeon holding out a digi-pen. His hand was shaking.
Amazing, thought Foaly. This broken-down shell of an elf was once on the LEP fast track.
'No, but seriously, Cudgeon. You're doing a bang-up job on the form-signing thing.'
Cudgeon's eyes narrowed in suspicion. 'Thank you, sir.'
A grin tugged23 at the corner of Foaly's mouth. 'You're welcome. No need to get a swelled24 head.'
Cudgeon's hand flew to his misshapen forehead. Still a touch of the old vanity left.
'Oops. Sore subject. Sorry about that.'
There was a spark in the corner of Cudgeon's eye. A spark that should have warned Foaly. But he was distracted by a beep from the computer.
'List complete.'
'Excuse me for a moment, Commander. Important business. Computer stuff, you wouldn't understand it.'
Foaly turned to the plasma25 screen. The lieutenant would just have to wait for his signature. It was probably just an order for shuttle parts anyway.
The penny dropped. A big penny with a clang louder than a dwarf's underpants hitting a wall. Shuttle parts. An inside job. Someone with a grudge26 to settle. A line of sweat filled each groove27 on Foaly's forehead. It was so obvious.
He looked at the plasma screen for confirmation28 of what he already knew. There were only two names. The first, Bom Arbles, could be eliminated immediately. The Retrieval officer had been killed in a core-diving accident. The second name pulsed gently. Lieutenant Briar Cudgeon. Demoted to recycling crew around the time Holly29 retired that starboard booster. It all made sense.
Foaly knew that if he didn't acknowledge the message in ten seconds, the computer would read the name aloud. He casually30 punched the delete button.
'You know, Briar,' he croaked31. 'All those jibes32 about your head problem. It's all in fun. My way of being sympathetic. Actually, I have some ointment33 ...'
Something cold and metallic34 pressed against the back of the centaur's head. Foaly had seen too many rock 'em sock 'em movies not to know what it was.
'Save your ointment, donkey boy,' said Cudgeon's voice in his ear. T have a feeling you'll be developing some head problems of your own.'
THE MAYAK CHEMICAL TRAIN, NORTHERN RUSSIA
The first thing Artemis felt was a rhythmical35 knocking, jarring along the length of his spine36. I'm at the spa in Blackrock, he thought. Irina is massaging37 my back. Just what my system needs, especially after all that horseplay on the train . . .The train!
Obviously they were still aboard the Mayak train. The jerking motion was actually the carriage jolting39 over the track joins. Artemis forced his eyes open, expecting gargantuan40 doses of stiffness and pain. But instead he realized he felt fine. More than fine. Great in fact. It must be magic. Holly must have healed his various cuts and bruises41 while he was unconscious.
Nobody else was feeling quite so chipper. Especially Captain Short, who was still unconscious. Root was draping a large coat over his fallen officer.
'Oh, you're awake, are you?' he said, without so much as a glance at Artemis. 'I don't know how you can sleep at all after what you've just done.'
'Done? But I saved you ... at least, I helped.'
'You helped all right, Fowl42. You helped yourself to the last of Holly's magic while she was unconscious.'
Artemis groaned43. It must have happened when they fell. Somehow her magic had been diverted. 'I see what must have happened. It was an ..."
Root raised a warning finger. 'Don't say it. The great Artemis Fowl doesn't do anything by accident.'
Artemis fought against the train's motion, climbing to his knees. 'It can't be anything serious. Just exhaustion44, surely?'
And suddenly Root's face was a centimetre from his own, his complexion45 rosy46 enough to generate heat. 'Nothing serious!' spluttered the commander, barely able to get the words out in his rage. 'Nothing serious! She lost her trigger finger! The door cut it clean off. Her career is over. And because of you, Holly barely had enough magic to stop the bleeding. She's drained of power now. Empty.'
'She lost a finger?' echoed Artemis numbly47.
'Not lost exactly,' said the commander, waving the severed48 digit49. 'It poked50 me in the eye on the way past.' His eye was already beginning to blacken.
'If we go back now, surely your surgeons can graft51 it on?'
Root shook his head. 'If we could go back now. I have a feeling that the situation below ground is a lot different from when we left. If the goblins sent a hit team to get us, you can bet something big is going on below ground.'
Artemis was shocked. Holly had saved all their lives, and this was how he had repaid her. While it was true that he was not directly to blame for the injury, it had been inflicted52 while trying to save his father. There was a debt to be paid here.
'How long?' he snapped.
'What?'
'How long ago did it happen?'
'I don't know. A minute.'
'Then there's still time.'
The commander sat up. 'Time for what?'
'We can still save the finger.'
Root rubbed a welt of fresh scar tissue on his shoulder, a reminder53 of his trip along the side of the train. 'With what? I barely have enough power left for the mesmer.'
Artemis closed his eyes. Concentrating. 'What about the Ritual? There must be a way.'
All the People's magic came from the Earth. In order to top up their powers, they had to periodically complete the Ritual.
'How can we complete the Ritual here?'
Artemis racked his brain. He had committed large sections of the Fairy Book to memory in preparation for the previous year's kidnapping operation.
'From the earth thine power flows,
Given through courtesy, so thanks are owed.
Pluck thou the magick seed,
Where full moon, ancient oak and twisted water meet.
And bury it far from where it was found,
So return your gift into the ground.'
Artemis scrambled55 across the flooring and began patting down Holly's jumpsuit.
Root's heart nearly shut down then and there. 'In heaven's name, Mud Boy, what are you doing?'
Artemis didn't even look up. 'Last year, Holly escaped because she had an acorn56.'
Through some miracle, the commander managed to restrain himself. 'Five seconds, Fowl. Talk fast.'
'An officer like Holly wouldn't forget something like that. I'd be willing to bet ..."
Root sighed. 'It's a good idea, Mud Boy. But the acorns57 have to be freshly picked. If it hadn't been for the time-stop, that seed mightn't have worked. You've got a couple of days, tops. I know Foaly and Holly put together some proposal for a sealed acorn unit, but the Council rejected it. Heresy58 apparently59.'
It was a long speech for the commander. He wasn't used to explaining himself. But a part of him was hoping. Maybe, just maybe. Holly had never been averse60 to bending a few rules.
Artemis unzipped Captain Short's tunic61. There were two tiny items on the gold chain around her neck. Her copy of the Book, the fairy bible. Artemis knew that it would combust if he tried to touch it without Holly's permission. But there was another item. A small plexiglass sphere filled with earth.
'That's against regulations,' said Root, not sounding too upset.
Holly stirred, half-emerging from her stupor62. 'Hey, Commander. What happened to your eye?'
Artemis ignored her, cracking the tiny sphere against the carriage floor. Earth and a small acorn tumbled into his palm. 'Now all we need to do is bury it.'
The commander slung63 Holly over his shoulder. Artemis tried not to look at the space where her index finger used to be.
'Then it's time to get off this train.'
Artemis glanced at the Arctic landscape whipping past outside the carriage. Getting off the train wasn't as easy as the commander made it sound.
Butler dropped nimbly through the overhead hatch, where he'd been keeping an eye on the goblin hit squad64.
'Nice to see you're so limber,' commented Artemis drily.
The manservant smiled. 'Good to see you too, Artemis.'
'Well? What did you see up there?' said Root, interrupting the reunion.
Butler placed a hand on his young master's shoulders. They could talk later. 'The goblins are gone. Funny thing. Two of them dropped low for reconnaissance, then the other one shot them in the back.'
Root nodded. 'Power play. Goblins are their own worst enemies. But right now, we've got to get off this train.'
'There's another bend coming up in about half a klick,' said Butler. 'That's our best chance.'
'So, how do we disembark?' asked Artemis.
Butler grinned. 'Disembark is a pretty gentle term for what I have in mind.'
Artemis groaned. More running and jumping.
OPERATIONS' BOOTH
Foaly's brain was bubbling like a sea slug in a deep-fat fryer. He still had options, providing Cudgeon didn't actually shoot him. One shot and it was all over. Centaurs didn't have magic. Not a drop. They got by on brains alone. That and their ability to trample65 their enemies underfoot. But Foaly had a feeling that Briar wouldn't plug him just yet. Too busy gloating.
'Hey, Foaly,' said the lieutenant. 'Why don't you go for the intercom? See what happens.'
Foaly could guess what would happen. 'Don't worry, Briar. No sudden moves.'
Cudgeon laughed, and he sounded genuinely happy. 'Briar? First name terms now, is it?You must realize how much trouble you're in.'
Foaly was starting to realize just that. Beyond the tinted66 glass, LEP techs were beavering away trying to track down the mole67, oblivious68 to the drama being played out not two metres away. He could see and hear them, but it was one-way surveillance.
The centaur had only himself to blame. He had insisted that the Operations' booth be constructed to his own paranoid standards. A titanium cube with blast-proof windows. The entire room was wireless69, not even a fibre-optic cable to connect Operations to the outside world.
Totally impregnable. Unless, of course, you opened the door to throw a few insults at an old enemy. Foaly groaned. His mother had always said that his smart mouth would get him into trouble. But all was not lost. He still had a few tricks up his sleeve. A plasma floor, for instance.
'So what's this all about, Cudgeon?' asked the centaur, raising his hooves just off the tiles. 'And please don't say world domination.'
Cudgeon continued to smile. This was his/moment.
'Not immediately. The Lower Elements will suffice for now.'
'But why?'
Cudgeon's eyes were tinged70 with madness. 'Why?You have the gall71 to ask me why? I was the the Council's golden boy! In fifty years I would have been chairman! And then along comes the Artemis Fowl Affair. In one short day all my hopes are dashed. I end up deformed72 and demoted! And it was all because of you, Foaly. You and Root! So the only way to get my life back on track is to discredit73 both of you. You will be blamed for the goblin attacks, and Julius will be dead and dishonoured74. And as an added bonus, I even get Artemis Fowl. It's as close to perfect as I could have hoped.'
Foaly snorted. 'Do you really think you can defeat the LEP with a handful of Softnose weapons?'
'Defeat the LEP? Why would I want to do that? I am the hero of the LEP. Or rather I will be. You will be the villain75 of this piece.'
'We'll see about that, baboon76 face,' said Foaly, activating77 a switch, sending an infra-red signal to a receiver in the floor. In five-tenths of a second, a secret membrane78 of plasma would warm up. Half a second later, a neutrino charge would spread across the plasma gel like wildfire, hopping79 anyone connected to the floor off at least three walls. In theory.
Cudgeon giggled80 delightedly. 'Don't tell me. Your plasma tiles aren't working.'
Foaly was flummoxed. Momentarily. Then he lowered his hooves gingerly and pressed another button. This one engaged a voice-activated laser. Basically, the next person to talk got plugged. The centaur held his breath.
'No plasma tiles,' continued Cudgeon. 'And no voice-activated laser. You really are slipping, Foaly. Not that I'm surprised. I always knew you'd be exposed for the donkey you are.'
The lieutenant settled into a swivel chair, propping81 his feet on the computer bank. 'So have you figured it out yet?'
Foaly thought. Who could it be? Who could beat him at his own game? Not Cudgeon, that was for sure. A techno fool if ever there was one. No, there was only one person with the ability to crack the Centaurian code and deactivate82 the booth's safety measures.
'Opal Koboi,' he breathed.
Cudgeon patted Foaly's head. 'That's right. Opal planted a few spy cams during the upgrading work. Once you were kind enough to translate a few documents for the camera, it was a simple matter to crack your code and do a little reprogramming. And the funny thing is, the Council footed the bill. She even charged for the spy cameras. Even now, the B'wa Kell is preparing to launch its attack on the cjty: LEP weapons and communications are down, and the best thing is that you, my horsy friend, will be held responsible. After all, you have locked yourself in the Operations' booth in the middle of a crisis.'
'Nobody will believe it!' protested Foaly.
'Oh yes they will, especially when you disengage the LEP security, including the DNA54 cannons83.'
'Which I won't be doing anytime soon.'
Cudgeon twirled a matt-black remote between his fingers. 'I'm afraid it's not up to you any more. Opal took your little operation apart and wired the whole lot into this little beauty.'
Foaly swallowed. 'You mean ...?'
'That's right,' said Cudgeon. 'Nothing works unless I press the button.'
He pressed the button. And even if Foaly had had the reactions of a sprite, he would never have had time to draw up all his hooves before the plasma shock blasted him right out of his specially38 modified swivel chair.
ARCTIC CIRCLE
Butler instructed everyone to attach themselves to the Moonbelt, one per link. Floating slightly in the buffeting84 wind, the group manoeuvred itself to the carriage doorway85 like a drunken crab86.
It's simple physics, Artemis told himself. Reduced gravity will prevent us being dashed against the Arctic ice. In spite of all his logic87, when Root launched the group into the night, Artemis couldn't hold back a single gasp88. Later, when he replayed the incident in his mind's eye, Artemis would edit out the breath.
The slipstream spun89 them beyond the railway sleepers90, into a drift. Butler turned off the anti-gravity belt a second before impact, otherwise they could have bounced away, like men on the moon.
Root was first to detach, scooping91 handfuls of snow from the surface until his fingers reached the compacted ice below.
'It's no use,' he said. 'I can't break through the ice.'
He heard a click behind his shoulder.
'Stand back,' advised Butler, taking aim with his handgun.
Root obliged, shielding his eyes with a forearm. Ice slivers93 could blind you just as efficiently94 as six-inch nails. Butler put a full clip into a narrow spread, blasting a shallow hollow in the frozen surface. Instant sleet95 drenched96 the already sodden97 group.
Root was checking the results before the smoke cleared. He brought Butler up to speed — they had seconds left before Holly's time ran out. They needed to complete the Ritual. After a certain time it mightn't be wise to attempt a graft. Even if they could.
The commander jumped into the dip, sweeping98 aside layers of loose ice. There was a disk of brown among the white.
'Yes!' he crowed. 'Earth!'
Butler lowered Holly's twitching99 form into the hole. She seemed like a doll in his powerful hands. Tiny and limp. Root curled Holly's fingers around the illegal acorn, thrusting her left hand deep into the shattered soil. He pulled a roll of tape from his belt, crudely securing the finger to roughly its original position. The elf and two humans gathered around and waited.
'It mightn't take,' muttered Root nervously100. 'This sealed acorn thing is new. Never been tested. Foaly and his ideas. But they usually work. They usually do.'
Artemis laid a hand on his shoulder. It was all he could think to do. Giving comfort was not one of his strong points.
Five seconds. Ten. Nothing.
Then . . .
'Look!' cried Artemis. 'A spark.'
A solitary101 blue spark travelled lazily along the length of Holly's arm, winding102 along the veins103. It crossed her chest, climbed her pointed104 chin and sank into the flesh right between the eyes.
'Stand-back,' advised Root. 'I saw a two-minute healing in Tulsa one night. Damn near destroyed an entire shuttle port. I've never even heard of a four-minuter.'
They back-pedalled to the lip of the crater105 and not a moment too soon. More sparks erupted from the Earth, targeting Holly's hand as the area most in need of assistance. They sank into her finger joint106 like plasma torpedoes107, melting the plastic tape.
Holly shot upright, arms swinging like a puppet. Her legs began to jerk, kicking invisible enemies. Then the vocal108 cords, a high-pitched keening that cracked the thinner sheets of ice.
'Is this normal?' whispered Artemis, as though Holly could hear.
'I think so,' answered the commander. 'The brain is running a systems check. It's not like fixing cuts and bruises, if you know what I mean.'
Every pore in Holly's body started to steam, venting109 trace radiation. She thrashed and kicked, sinking back down into a pool of slush. Not a pretty sight. The water evaporated, shrouding110 the LEP captain in mist. Only her left hand was visible, fingers a desperate blur111.
Holly suddenly stopped moving. Her hand froze, then dropped through the mist. The Arctic night rushed in to reclaim112 the silence.
They inched closer, leaning into the fog. Artemis wanted to see, but he was afraid to look.
Butler took a breath, batting aside sheets of mist. All was quiet below. Holly's frame lay still as the grave.
Artemis peered at the shape in the hole. 'I think she's awake ... '
He was cut short by Holly's sudden return to consciousness. She bolted upright, icicles coating her eyelashes and auburn hair. Her chest ballooned as she swallowed huge gulps113 of air.
Artemis grabbed her shoulders, for once abandoning his shell of icy composure. 'Holly. Holly, speak to me. Your finger. Is it OK?'
Holly wiggled her fingers, then curled them into a fist. 'I think so,' she said, and whacked114 Artemis right between the eyes. The surprised boy landed in a snowdrift for the fourth time that day.
Holly winked115 at an amazed Butler. 'Now, we're even,' she said.
Commander Root didn't have many treasured memories. But in future days, when things were at their grimmest, he would conjure116 up this moment and have a quiet chuckle21.
OPERATIONS' BOOTH
Foaly woke up sore, which was unusual for him. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd experienced actual pain. His feelings had been hurt a few times by Julius's barbed comments, but actual physical discomfort117 was not something he cared to endure when he could avoid it.
The centaur was lying on the Operations' Security-booth floor, tangled118 in the remains119 of his office chair.
'Cudgeon,' he growled120, and what followed was about two minutes' worth of unprintable obscenity.
When he had finally vented121 his anger, the centaur's brain kicked in, and he hauled himself up from the plasma tiles. His rump was singed122. He was going to have a couple of bald spots on his hind92 quarters. Very unattractive in a centaur. It was the first thing a prospective123 mate looked for in a nightclub. Not that Foaly had ever been much of a dancer. Four left hooves.
The booth was sealed. Tighter than a gnome's wallet, as the saying went. Foaly typed in his exit code. 'Foaly. Doors.'
The computer remained silent.
He tried verbal. 'Foaly. One two one override124. Doors.'
Not a peep. He was trapped. A prisoner of his own security devices. Even the windows were set to blackout, blocking his view of the Operations' room. Completely locked out, and locked in. Nothing worked.
Well, that wasn't completely accurate. Everything worked, but his precious computers wouldn't respond to his touch. And Foaly was only too well aware that there was no way out of the booth without access to the mainframe.
Foaly plucked the tin foil hat from his head, crunching it into a ball.
'A lot of good you did me!' he said, tossing it into the waste recycler. The recycler would analyse the chemical make-up of the item, then divert it to the appropriate tank.
A plasma monitor crackled into life on the wall. Opal Koboi's magnified face appeared, plastered with the widest grin the centaur had ever seen.
'Hello, Foaly. Long time no see.'
Foaly returned the grin, but his wasn't quite as wide. 'Opal. How nice to see you. How are the folks?' Everyone knew how Opal had bankrupted her father. It was a legend in the corporate125 world.
'Very well, thanks. Cumulus House is a lovely asylum126.'
Foaly decided127 he would try sincerity128. It was a tool he didn't use very often. But he would give it a go.
'Opal. Think about what you're doing. Cudgeon is insane, for pity's sake. Once he has what he wants, he will dispose of you in a heartbeat!'
The pixie shook a perfectly129 manicured finger. 'No, Foaly, you're wrong. Briar needs me. He really does. He'd be nothing without me and my gold.'
The centaur looked deep into Opal's eyes. The pixie actually believed what she was saying. How could someone so brilliant be so deluded130?
'I know what this is all about, Opal.'
'Oh, you do?'
'Yes. You're still sore because I won the science medal back in university.'
For a second, Koboi's composure slipped, and her features didn't seem quite so perfect.
'That medal was mine, you stupid centaur. My wing design was far superior to your ridiculous iris-cam. You won because you were a male. And that's the only reason.'
Foaly grinned, satisfied. Even with the odds131 so hugely against him, he hadn't lost the ability to be the most annoying creature under the world when he wanted to be.
'So what do you want, Opal? Or did you just call to chat about our schooldays?'
Opal took a long drink from a crystal glass. 'I just called, Foaly, to let you know I'm watching, so don't try anything. I also wanted to show you something from the security cameras downtown. This is live footage by the way, and Briar is with the Council right now, blaming you for it. Happy viewing.'
Opal's face disappeared to be replaced by a high-angle view of downtown Haven132. A tourist district, outside Spud's Spud Emporium. Generally, this area would be thronged133 with Atlantean couples taking photos of each other in front of the fountain. But not today, because today the square was a battleground. The B'wa Kell was waging open war with the LEP and, by the looks of things, it was a one-sided battle. The goblins were firing their Softnose weapons, but the police were not shooting back. They just huddled134 behind whatever shelter they could find. Completely helpless.
Foaly's jaw135 dropped. This was disastrous. And he was being blamed for everything. Of course, the thing about scapegoats136 was that they could not be left alive to protest their innocence137. He had to get a message to Holly, and fast, or they were all dead fairies.
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plaza
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retired
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traitor
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considerably
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contentedly
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humble
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crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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flares
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| n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开 | |
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clearance
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centaur
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centaurs
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unicorns
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| n.（传说中身体似马的）独角兽( unicorn的名词复数 )；一角鲸；独角兽标记 | |
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millennia
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scrolls
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| n.（常用于录写正式文件的）纸卷( scroll的名词复数 )；卷轴；涡卷形（装饰）；卷形花纹v.（电脑屏幕上）从上到下移动（资料等），卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 )；（似卷轴般）卷起；（像展开卷轴般地）将文字显示于屏幕 | |
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illuminated
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heed
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technically
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lieutenant
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disastrous
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clout
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chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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22
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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25
plasma
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| n.血浆，细胞质，乳清 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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groove
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| n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯 | |
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confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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29
holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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30
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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croaked
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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32
jibes
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| n.与…一致( jibe的名词复数 )；（与…）相符；相匹配v.与…一致( jibe的第三人称单数 )；（与…）相符；相匹配 | |
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33
ointment
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| n.药膏，油膏，软膏 | |
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34
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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35
rhythmical
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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36
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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37
massaging
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| 按摩，推拿( massage的现在分词 ) | |
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38
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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39
jolting
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| adj.令人震惊的 | |
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40
gargantuan
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| adj.巨大的，庞大的 | |
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41
bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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42
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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43
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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44
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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45
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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46
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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47
numbly
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| adv.失去知觉，麻木 | |
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48
severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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49
digit
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| n.零到九的阿拉伯数字，手指，脚趾 | |
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50
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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51
graft
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| n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接 | |
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52
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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54
DNA
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| (缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸 | |
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55
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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56
acorn
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| n.橡实，橡子 | |
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57
acorns
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| n.橡子，栎实( acorn的名词复数 ) | |
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58
heresy
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| n.异端邪说；异教 | |
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59
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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60
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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61
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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62
stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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63
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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64
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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66
tinted
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| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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67
mole
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| n.胎块；痣；克分子 | |
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68
oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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69
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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70
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
gall
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| v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难 | |
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72
deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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73
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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74
dishonoured
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| a.不光彩的，不名誉的 | |
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75
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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76
baboon
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| n.狒狒 | |
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77
activating
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| 活动的，活性的 | |
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78
membrane
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| n.薄膜，膜皮，羊皮纸 | |
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79
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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80
giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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81
propping
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| 支撑 | |
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82
deactivate
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| v.使无效；复员 | |
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83
cannons
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| n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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84
buffeting
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| 振动 | |
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85
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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86
crab
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| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
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87
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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88
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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89
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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90
sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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91
scooping
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| n.捞球v.抢先报道( scoop的现在分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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92
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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93
slivers
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| （切割或断裂下来的）薄长条，碎片( sliver的名词复数 ) | |
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94
efficiently
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| adv.高效率地，有能力地 | |
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95
sleet
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| n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹 | |
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96
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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97
sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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98
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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99
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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100
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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101
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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102
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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103
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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104
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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105
crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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106
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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107
torpedoes
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| 鱼雷( torpedo的名词复数 )； 油井爆破筒； 刺客； 掼炮 | |
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108
vocal
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| adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目 | |
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109
venting
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| 消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风 | |
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110
shrouding
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| n.覆盖v.隐瞒( shroud的现在分词 )；保密 | |
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111
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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112
reclaim
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| v.要求归还，收回；开垦 | |
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113
gulps
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| n.一大口（尤指液体）( gulp的名词复数 )v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的第三人称单数 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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114
whacked
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| a.精疲力尽的 | |
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115
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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116
conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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117
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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118
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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119
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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120
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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121
vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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122
singed
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿] | |
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123
prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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124
override
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| vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于 | |
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125
corporate
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| adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的 | |
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126
asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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127
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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128
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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129
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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130
deluded
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| v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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131
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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132
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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133
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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134
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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135
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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136
scapegoats
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| n.代人受过的人，替罪羊( scapegoat的名词复数 )v.使成为替罪羊( scapegoat的第三人称单数 ) | |
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137
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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