SPUD'S Spud Emporium was not a place you wanted to be on the best of days. The fries were greasy2, the meat was mysterious and the milkshakes had gristly lumps. Nevertheless, the Emporium did a roaring trade, especially during the solstice.
At this precise moment, Captain Trouble Kelp would almost have preferred to be inside the fast-food joint3, choking down a rubbery burger, than outside it dodging4 lasers. Almost.
With Root out of the picture, field command fell to Captain Kelp. Usually this was a responsibility he would have relished5. But then again, usually he would have had the benefit of transport and weapons. Thankfully they still had communications.
Trouble and his patrol had been rousting B'wa Kell hot spots when they were bushwhacked by a hundred members of the reptilian6 triad. The goblins had positioned themselves on the rooftops, catching7 the LEP squad8 in a deadly crossfire9 from Softnose lasers and fireballs. Pretty complex thinking for the B'wa Kell. The average goblin found simultaneous scratching and spitting a challenge. They had to be getting their orders from someone.
Trouble and one of his junior corporals were pinned down behind a photo booth, while the remaining officers had managed to take cover in Spud's Emporium.
For the moment, they were keeping the goblins at bay with tasers and buzz batons10. The tasers had a range of ten metres, and the buzz batons were only good for close quarters. Both ran on electric batteries and would run out eventually. After that they were down to rocks and bare fists. They didn't even have the advantage of shielding as the B'wa Kell was equipped with LEP combat helmets. Older models certainly, but still fitted with anti-shield filters.
A fireball arced over the booth, melting through the asphalt at their feet. The goblins were wising up. Relatively11 speaking. Instead of trying to blast through the booth, they were lobbing missiles over it. Time was short now.
Trouble tapped his mike. 'Kelp to base. Anything on weapons?'
'Not a thing, Cap,' came the reply. 'Plenty of officers with nuthin to shoot 'cept their fingers. We're charging up the old 'lectric guns, but that's gonna take eight hours minimum. There are a coupla body-armour12 suits over in Recon. I'm having 'em double-timed over to you right now. Five minutes. Tops.'
'D'ArvitF swore the cap tain. They were going to have to move. Any second now this booth would fall apart and they would be sitting ducks for goblin fire. Beside him the corporal was quivering in terror.
'For heaven's sake,' snapped Trouble. 'Pull yourself together.'
'You shut up, Trub,' retorted his brother, Grub, through wobbly lips. 'You were supposed to look out for me. Mummy said.'
Trouble waved a threatening finger. 'It's Captain Kelp while we're on duty, Corporal. And for your information, I am looking out for you.'
'Oh, this is looking out for me, is it?' whined13 Grub, pouting14.
Trouble didn't know who annoyed him more, his kid brother or the goblins.
'OK, Grub.This booth isn't going to last much longer. We've got to make a break for the Emporium. Understand?'
Grub's wobbling lip suddenly stiffened15 considerably16. 'No chance. I'm not moving. You can't make me. I don't mind if I stay here for the rest of my life.'
Trouble raised his visor. 'Listen to me. Listen. The rest of your life is going to be about thirty seconds. We have to go.’
'But the goblins, Trub.'
Captain Kelp grabbed his brother by the shoulders. 'Don't you worry about the goblins. You worry about my foot connecting with your behind if you slow down.'
Grub winced17. He'd had that experience before. 'We're going to be all right, aren't we, brother?'
Trouble winked18. 'Of course we are. I'm the captain, aren't I?'
His little brother nodded, lip losing its stiffness.
'Good. Now you point your nose at the door and go when I say. Got it?'
More nodding. Grub's chin was bobbing faster than a woodpecker's beak19.
'Right, Corporal. Standby. On my command ..."
Another fireball. Closer this time. Rising black smoke from Trouble's rubber soles. The captain poked20 his nose around the wall. A laser burst almost gave him a third nostril21. A steel sandwich board spun22 around the corner, dancing with the force of a dozen charges. Foto Finish the sign said. Or Fot Finish to be precise. The V had been blasted out of it. Not laserproof then. But it would have to do.
Trouble snared23 the revolving24 board, draping it over his shoulders. Armour, of sorts. The LEP suits were lined with micro-filaments25 that would dissipate neutrino blasts or even sonic bursts, but Softnoses hadn't been used below ground for decades, so the suits hadn't been designed to withstand them. A burst would tear through the LEP uniform like so much rice paper.
He poked his brother in the back. 'Ready?'
Grub may have nodded, or it may have been that his entire body was shaking.
Trouble gathered his legs beneath him, adjusting the sandwich board across his chest and back. It would withstand a couple of rounds. After that, his own body would be providing cover for Grub.
Another fireball. Directly between them and the Emporium. In a moment, the flame would sink a hole in the tarmac. They had to go now. Through the fire.
'Seal your helmet!'
'Why?'
'Just seal it, Corporal.'
Grub did. You could argue with a brother, but not a commanding officer.
Trouble placed a hand on Grub's back and pushed. Hard. 'Go, go, go!'
They went, straight through the white heart of the flame. Trouble heard the filaments in his suit pop as they tried to cope with the heat. Boiling tar26 sucked at his boots, melting the rubber soles.
Then they were through, stumbling towards the double doors. Trouble scrubbed the soot27 from his visor. His men were waiting, huddled28 behind riot shields. Two paramedic warlocks had their gloves off, ready to lay on hands.
Ten metres to go.
On they ran.
The goblins found range. A hail of charges sang through the air around them, pulverizing29 what was left of the Emporium's shop front. Trouble's crown lurched forward as a slug flattened30 itself against his helmet. More charges. Lower down. A tight grouping between his shoulder blades. The sandwich board held.
The impact lifted the captain like a kite, slapping him into his brother, and carrying them both through the decimated double doors. They were instantly hauled behind a wall of riot shields.
'Grub,' gasped31 Captain Kelp, through the pain and noise and soot. 'Is he OK?'
'Fine,' answered the senior warlock paramedic, rolling Trouble on to his stomach. 'Your back on the other hand, is going to have some lovely bruises32 in the morning.'
Captain Kelp waved the warlock away. 'Any word from the commander?'
The warlock shook his head. 'Nothing. Root is missing in action and Cudgeon has been reinstated as commander. Even worse, now they're saying Foaly is behind this whole thing.'
Trouble paled, and it wasn't from the pain in his back. 'Foaly! It can't be true.'
Trouble ground his teeth in frustration33. Foaly and the commander. He had no choice, he would have to do it. The one thing he had nightmares about.
Captain Kelp struggled up on to one elbow. The air above their heads was alive with the buzz of Softnose bursts. It was only a matter of time before they were completely overrun. It had to be done.
Trouble took a breath. 'OK, people. Listen up. Retreat to Police Plaza34.'
The troops froze. Even Grub caught himself in mid-sob. Retreat?
'You heard me!' snarled35 Trouble. 'Retreat. We can't hold the streets without arms. Now move it out.'
The LEP shuffled36 to the service entrance, unaccustomed to losing. Call it retreat, call it a tactical manoeuvre37. It was still running away. And who would have thought that order would ever come out of Trouble Kelp's mouth?
ARCTIC SHUTTLE PORT
Artemis and his fellow travellers took shelter in the shuttle port. Holly38 made the journey slung39 over Butler's shoulder. She protested loudly for several minutes until the commander ordered her to shut up.
'You've just had major magical surgery,' he pointed40 out. 'So just stay quiet and do your exercises.' It was vital that Holly manipulate her finger constantly for the next hour or so to ensure the right tendons got reconnected. It was very important she move her index finger the way she intended to use it later, especially as she would be firing a weapon.
They huddled around a glow cube in the deserted41 departure lounge.
'Any water?' asked Holly. 'I feel dehydrated after that healing.'
Root winked, something that didn't happen very often. 'Here's a little trick I learned in the field.' He popped a flat-nosed shell from a clip in his belt. It seemed to be made from perspex and filled with clear liquid.
'You won't get much of a drink from that,' commented Butler.
'More than you'd think. This is a Hydrosion shell: a miniature fire extinguisher. The water is compressed into a tiny space. You fire it into the heart of a fire and the impact reverses the compressor. Half a litre of water is blasted at the flames. More effective than a hundred litres poured. We call them Fizzers.'
'Very good,' said Artemis drily. 'If you could use your weapons.'
'Don't need 'em,' said Root, drawing a large knife. 'Manual works just as well.'
He pointed the shell's flat tip at the mouth of a canteen and popped the lid. A fizzing spray jetted into the container.
'There you are, Captain. Never let it be said I don't look after my officers.'
'Clever,' admitted Artemis.
'And the best thing is,' said the commander, pocketing I the empty Fizzer. 'These things are completely reusable. All I have to do is stick it in a pile of snow and the compressor will do the rest, so I won't even have Foaly on my case for wasting equipment.'
Holly took a long drink and soon the colour surged I back to her cheeks.
'So we were ambushed42 by a B'wa Kell hit team,' she mused43. 'What does that mean?'
'It means you have a leak,' said Artemis, holding his hands close to the cube's warmth. 'It was my impression I that this mission was top secret. Not even your Council I was informed. The only person who isn't here is that centaur44.'
Holly jumped to her feet. 'Foaly? It can't be.'
Artemis raised his palms. 'Logic45. That's all it is.'
'This is all very well,' interrupted the commander, 'but it's conjecture46. We need to assess our situation. What have we got, and what do we know for sure?'
Butler nodded. The commander was a being after his own heart. A soldier.
Root answered his own question. 'We've still got the shuttle, provided it's not wired. There's a locker47 full of provisions. Atlantean food mostly, so get used to fish and squid.'
'And what do we know?'
Artemis took over. 'We know that the goblins have a source in the LER We also know if they tried to take out the LEP's head, Commander Root, then they must be after the body. Their best chance of success would be to mount both operations simultaneously48.' Holly chewed her lip. 'So that means 'That means there is probably some kind of revolution going on below ground.'
'The B'wa Kell against the LEP?' scoffed49 Holly. 'No problem.'
'Generally, that may be true,' agreed Artemis. 'But if your weapons are out
'Then so are theirs,' completed Root, 'in theory.' Artemis moved closer to the glow cube. 'Worst-case scenario50: Haven has been taken by the B'wa Kell, and the Council members are either dead or imprisoned51. Quite honestly, things look grim.'
Neither fairy responded. Grim hardly did the situation justice. Disastrous52 was closer to the mark.
Even Artemis was slightly disheartened. None of this was helping53 his father.
'I suggest we rest here for a while, pack some provisions, and then proceed towards Murmansk as soon as we get some cloud cover. Butler can search this man Vassikin's apartment. Perhaps we will be lucky and my father will be there. I realize that we are at a slight disadvantage without weapons, but we still have surprise on our side.'
No one spoke54 for several moments. It was an uneasy silence. Everybody knew what should be said, but nobody wanted to say it.
'Artemis,' said Butler eventually, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. 'We're in no shape to go up against the Mafiya. We don't have any firepower, and our colleagues need to get below ground, so we don't have any magic. If we go in there now, we're not coming out. Any of us.'
Artemis stared deep into the heart of the glow cube. 'But my father is so close, Butler. I can't give up now.'
In spite of herself, Holly was touched by his unwillingness55 to give up, against all the odds56. She was certain that, for once, Artemis wasn't trying to manipulate anybody. He was simply a boy who missed his father. Maybe her defences were down, but she felt sorry for him.
'We're not giving up, Artemis,' she said softly. 'We're regrouping. There's a difference. We'll be back. Remember, it's always darkest before the dawn.'
Artemis looked at her. 'What dawn? We're in the Arctic, remember.'
OPERATIONS' BOOTH
Foaly was furious with himself. After all the security encryptions he'd built into his systems, Opal Koboi had simply strolled in here and hijacked57 the entire network. And what's more, the LEP had paid her for the job.
The centaur had to admire her nerve. It was a brilliantly simple plan. Apply for the upgrade contract, submit the lowest estimate. Get the LEP to give you an access-all-areas chip and then piggyback spy cams on the local systems. She had even billed the LEP for the surveillance equipment.
Foaly pushed a few buttons experimentally. No response. Not that he'd expected any. Doubtless, Opal Koboi had everything wired, down to the last fibre optic. Perhaps she was watching him at this very moment. He could just imagine her. Coiled up on a Koboi Hoverboy? giggling58 at the plasma59 screen. His greatest rival, gloating over his destruction.
Foaly growled60. She may have caught him off guard once, but it wouldn't happen again. He would not go to pieces for Opal Koboi's entertainment ... Then again, maybe he would.
The centaur cradled his head between his hands, the picture of a beaten fairy, and began to heave theatrical61 sobs62. He peeped out between his fingers ... Now, if I were a button camera, where would I hide? Somewhere the sweeper wouldn't check. Foaly glanced at the bug63 sweeper, a small, complex-looking mass of cables and chips attached to the roof. The only place the sweeper didn't check was inside the sweeper itself ...
So now he knew Opal's vantage point, for all the good it did him. If the camera was piggybacking inside the sweeper, there would be a small blindspot directly below the unit's titanium casing, but the pixie could still see everything of importance. He was still locked out of the computer and locked in the Operations' booth.
He began to scan the booth. What had come in since the last batch64 of Koboi upgrades? There must be some untainted equipment ...
But there was nothing except junk. A roll of fibre-optic cable. A few conductor clips and a few tools. Nothing useful. Then something winked at him from beneath a workstation. A green light.
Foaly's heart jumped ten beats per minute. He knew instantly what it was. Artemis Fowl65's laptop computer. Complete with modem66 and e-mail capability67. He willed himself to maintain calm. Opal Koboi couldn't possibly have bugged68 it. The device had only come in hours ago. He hadn't even got around to dismantling69 it yet.
The centaur clopped across to his toolbox and, in a fit of frustration, dumped the contents on to the plasma tiles. He was not so frustrated70 that he forgot to snag some cable and snips71. The next step in his faked breakdown72 was to flop73 on to the worktop, sobbing74 uncontrollably. Naturally he had to flop over the precise spot where Holly had left the laptop. With a casual kick, Foaly slid the computer into the space where the sweeper's blindspot should be. He then threw himself on to the floor, kicking his legs in a furious tantrum. From the button camera, Opal shouldn't be able to see more than his thrashing legs.
So far so good. Foaly popped the laptop's lid, quickly shutting off the speakers. Humans would insist on their machines beeping at the most inopportune moments. He allowed one hand to drag across the keyboard and moments later he was in the e-mail program.
Now for the problem. Wireless75 Internet access is one thing, but access from the centre of the Earth is quite another. Cradling his head in the crook76 of one arm, Foaly jimmied one end of a fibre-optic cable into a scope uplink port. The scopes were shrouded77 trackers concealed78 on American communications satellites. Now he had an aerial. Let's hope Mud Boy was switched on.
KOBOI LABORATORIES
Opal Koboi had never had so much fun. The underworld was literally79 her plaything. She stretched on her Koboi Hoverboy like a contented80 cat, eyes devouring81 the chaos82 on the plasma monitors. The LEP had no chance. It was only a matter of time before the B'wa Kell gained access to Police Plaza, then the city was theirs. Next came Atlantis, then the human world.
Opal floated between screens, soaking up every detail. In the city, goblins flowed from every centimetre of darkness, armed and thirsty for blood. Softnose slugs ripped chunks83 from historical edifices84. Ordinary fairies barricaded85 themselves in their houses, praying that the marauding gangs would pass them by. Businesses were looted and torched. Not too much torching, she hoped. Opal Koboi had no desire to be queen of a war zone.
A com screen opened on the main display. It was Cudgeon on their secure line. And he actually seemed happy. The cold happiness of revenge.
'Briar,' squealed86 Opal. 'This is wonderful. I wish you were here to see it.'
'Soon. I must remain with my troops. After all, because I was the one who unearthed87 Foaly's treachery, the Council has reinstated me as commander. How is our prisoner?'
Opal glanced at the Foaly screen. 'Disappointing, frankly88. I expected some plotting. An escape attempt, at least. But all he does is mope about and throw the odd tantrum.'
Cudgeon's smile widened. 'Suicidal, I expect. In fact, I'm certain of it.' Then the recently promoted commander was all business again. 'What of the LEP? Any unexpected brainwaves?'
'No. Exactly as you predicted. They are cowering89 in Police Plaza like tortoises in their shells. Shall I shut off local communications?'
Cudgeon shook his head. 'No. They broadcast their every move on their so-called secure channels. Keep them open. Just in case.'
Opal Koboi hovered90 closer to the screen. 'Tell me again, Briar. Tell me about the future.'
For a moment, annoyance91 flashed across Cudgeon's face. But today, of all days, his good humour could not be suppressed for long.
'The Council has been told that Foaly has orchestrated the sabotage92 from his locked Operations' booth. But you shall miraculously93 override94 the centaur's program and return control of Police Plaza's DNA95 cannons96 to the LEP. Those ridiculous goblins shall be overrun. I shall be the hero of the resistance, and you shall be my princess. Every military contract for the next five hundred years shall belong to Koboi Laboratories.'
Opal's breath caught in her throat. 'And then?' 'And then, together we will rid the Earth of these tiresome97 Mud People. That, my dear, is the future.'
ARCTIC SHUTTLE TERMINAL
Artemis's phone rang. Something even he hadn't anticipated. He stripped off a glove with his teeth, tearing the mobile phone from its Velcro strip.
'Text message,' he said, navigating98 through the mobile phone's menu. 'No one has this number except Butler.'
Holly folded her arms. 'Obviously someone has.'
Artemis ignored her tone. 'It must be Foaly. He's been monitoring my wireless communications for months. Either he's using my computer, or he's found a way to unify99 our platforms.'
'I see,' said Butler and Root together. Two big lies.
Holly was unimpressed by all the jargon100. 'So what does it say?'
Artemis tapped the tiny screen. 'See for yourself.'
Captain Short took the mobile phone, scrolling101 through the message and reading it aloud. Her face grew longer with each line ...
CMNDR ROOT. TRBLE BELOW. HAVN OVERRN BY GOBLNS. PLICE PLAZA SRROUNDED. CUDGEON + OPL KBOI BHND PLOT. NO WPONS OR CMMUNICATIONS. DNA CNONS CNTRLLED BY KBOI. I M TRPPED IN OP BTH. CNCLTHNKS IM 2 BLM. IF ALIVE PLSE HLP. IF NOT, WRNG NMBR.
Holly swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. 'This is not good.'
The commander jumped to his feet, grabbing the mobile phone to read the message for himself.
'No,' he declared moments later. 'It certainly isn't. Cudgeon! All the time it was Cudgeon. Why didn't I see it? Can we get a message to Foaly?'
Artemis considered it. 'No. There's no network here. I'm surprised we could even receive.'
'Couldn't you rig it somehow?'
'Certainly. Just give me six months, some specialized102 equipment and three kilometres of steel girder.'
Holly snorted. 'Some criminal mastermind you turned out to be.'
Butler placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. 'Shh,' he whispered. 'Artemis is thinking.'
Artemis stared deep into the glow cube's liquid-plasma heart. 'We have two options,' he began, after a moment. Nobody interrupted, not even Holly. After all, it had been Artemis Fowl who had devised a way to escape the time field.
'We could get some human aid. No doubt some of Butler's more dubious103 acquaintances could be persuaded to help, for a fee, of course.'
Root shook his head. 'No good.'
'They could be mind-wiped afterwards.'
'Sometimes wipes don't take. The last thing we need is mercenaries with residual104 memories. Option Two?'
'We break into Koboi Laboratories and return weapons control to the LEP.'
The commander guffawed105. 'Break into Koboi Laboratories? Are you serious? That entire compound is built on bedrock. There are no windows, totally blast-resistant walls and DNA stun106 cannons. Any unauthorized personnel that come within a hundred metres get blasted right between the pointy ears.'
Butler whistled. 'Seems like a whole lot of hardware for an engineering company.'
'I know,' sighed Root. 'Koboi Labs had special permits. I signed them myself.'
Butler considered it for several moments. 'Can't be done,' he pronounced eventually. 'Not without the blueprints107.'
'D'Arvit,' swore the commander. 'I never thought I'd say this, but there's only one fairy for a job like this ...'
Holly nodded. 'Mulch Diggums.'
'Diggums?'
'A dwarf108. Career criminal. The only fairy ever to break into Koboi Laboratories and live. Unfortunately, we lost him last year. Tunnelling out of your manor109 as it happens.'
'I remember him,' said Butler. 'Nearly took my head off. A slippery character.'
Root laughed softly. 'Eight times I nabbed old Mulch. The last one was for the Koboi Labs job. As I recall, Mulch and his cousin set up as building contractors110. A way to get plans for secure facilities. They got the Koboi contract. Mulch left himself a back door. Typical Diggums, he breaks into the most secure facility under the planet, then tries to sell an alchemy vat111 to one of my squeals112.'
Artemis sat up. 'Alchemy? You have alchemy vats113?'
'Stop drooling, Mud Boy. They're experimental. The ancient warlocks used to be able to turn lead into gold, according to the Book, but the secret was lost. Even Opal Koboi hasn't managed it yet.'
'Oh,' said Artemis, disappointed.
'Believe it or not, I almost miss that criminal. He had a way of insulting a person ..." Root glanced towards the heavens. 'I wonder if he's up there now, looking down on us.'
'In a manner of speaking,' said Holly guiltily. 'Actually, Commander, Mulch Diggums is in Los Angeles.'
1 haven | |
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所 | |
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2 greasy | |
adj. 多脂的,油脂的 | |
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3 joint | |
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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4 dodging | |
n.避开,闪过,音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 );回避 | |
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5 relished | |
v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 );从…获得乐趣;渴望 | |
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6 reptilian | |
adj.(像)爬行动物的;(像)爬虫的;卑躬屈节的;卑鄙的n.两栖动物;卑劣的人 | |
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7 catching | |
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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8 squad | |
n.班,小队,小团体;vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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9 crossfire | |
n.被卷进争端 | |
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10 batons | |
n.(警察武器)警棍( baton的名词复数 );(乐队指挥用的)指挥棒;接力棒 | |
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11 relatively | |
adv.比较...地,相对地 | |
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12 armour | |
(=armor)n.盔甲;装甲部队 | |
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13 whined | |
v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 );哀诉,诉怨 | |
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14 pouting | |
v.撅(嘴)( pout的现在分词 ) | |
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15 stiffened | |
加强的 | |
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16 considerably | |
adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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17 winced | |
赶紧避开,畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18 winked | |
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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19 beak | |
n.鸟嘴,茶壶嘴,钩形鼻 | |
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20 poked | |
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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21 nostril | |
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22 spun | |
v.纺,杜撰,急转身 | |
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23 snared | |
v.用罗网捕捉,诱陷,陷害( snare的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24 revolving | |
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想 | |
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25 filaments | |
n.(电灯泡的)灯丝( filament的名词复数 );丝极;细丝;丝状物 | |
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26 tar | |
n.柏油,焦油;vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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27 soot | |
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28 huddled | |
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29 pulverizing | |
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30 flattened | |
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31 gasped | |
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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32 bruises | |
n.瘀伤,伤痕,擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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33 frustration | |
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34 plaza | |
n.广场,市场 | |
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35 snarled | |
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说 | |
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36 shuffled | |
v.洗(纸牌)( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 );拖着脚步走;粗心地做;摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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37 manoeuvre | |
n.策略,调动;v.用策略,调动 | |
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38 holly | |
n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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39 slung | |
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 ); 吊挂; 遣送; 押往 | |
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40 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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41 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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42 ambushed | |
v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 );埋伏着 | |
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43 mused | |
v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
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44 centaur | |
n.人首马身的怪物 | |
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45 logic | |
n.逻辑(学);逻辑性 | |
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46 conjecture | |
n./v.推测,猜测 | |
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47 locker | |
n.更衣箱,储物柜,冷藏室,上锁的人 | |
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48 simultaneously | |
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地 | |
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49 scoffed | |
嘲笑,嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50 scenario | |
n.剧本,脚本;概要 | |
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51 imprisoned | |
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52 disastrous | |
adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的 | |
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53 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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54 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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55 unwillingness | |
n. 不愿意,不情愿 | |
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56 odds | |
n.让步,机率,可能性,比率;胜败优劣之别 | |
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57 hijacked | |
劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 ); 绑架; 拦路抢劫; 操纵(会议等,以推销自己的意图) | |
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58 giggling | |
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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59 plasma | |
n.血浆,细胞质,乳清 | |
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60 growled | |
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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61 theatrical | |
adj.剧场的,演戏的;做戏似的,做作的 | |
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62 sobs | |
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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63 bug | |
n.虫子;故障;窃听器;vt.纠缠;装窃听器 | |
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64 batch | |
n.一批(组,群);一批生产量 | |
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65 fowl | |
n.家禽,鸡,禽肉 | |
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66 modem | |
n.调制解调器 | |
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67 capability | |
n.能力;才能;(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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68 bugged | |
vt.在…装窃听器(bug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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69 dismantling | |
(枪支)分解 | |
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70 frustrated | |
adj.挫败的,失意的,泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧 | |
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71 snips | |
n.(剪金属板的)铁剪,铁铗;剪下之物( snip的名词复数 );一点点;零星v.剪( snip的第三人称单数 ) | |
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72 breakdown | |
n.垮,衰竭;损坏,故障,倒塌 | |
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73 flop | |
n.失败(者),扑通一声;vi.笨重地行动,沉重地落下 | |
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74 sobbing | |
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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75 wireless | |
adj.无线的;n.无线电 | |
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76 crook | |
v.使弯曲;n.小偷,骗子,贼;弯曲(处) | |
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77 shrouded | |
v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 );保密 | |
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78 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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79 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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80 contented | |
adj.满意的,安心的,知足的 | |
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81 devouring | |
吞没( devour的现在分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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82 chaos | |
n.混乱,无秩序 | |
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83 chunks | |
厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 ); (某物)相当大的数量或部分 | |
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84 edifices | |
n.大建筑物( edifice的名词复数 ) | |
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85 barricaded | |
设路障于,以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 ); 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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86 squealed | |
v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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87 unearthed | |
出土的(考古) | |
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88 frankly | |
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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89 cowering | |
v.畏缩,抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
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90 hovered | |
鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫 | |
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91 annoyance | |
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼 | |
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92 sabotage | |
n.怠工,破坏活动,破坏;v.从事破坏活动,妨害,破坏 | |
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93 miraculously | |
ad.奇迹般地 | |
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94 override | |
vt.不顾,不理睬,否决;压倒,优先于 | |
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95 DNA | |
(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸 | |
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96 cannons | |
n.加农炮,大炮,火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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97 tiresome | |
adj.令人疲劳的,令人厌倦的 | |
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98 navigating | |
v.给(船舶、飞机等)引航,导航( navigate的现在分词 );(从海上、空中等)横越;横渡;飞跃 | |
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99 unify | |
vt.使联合,统一;使相同,使一致 | |
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100 jargon | |
n.术语,行话 | |
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101 scrolling | |
n.卷[滚]动法,上下换行v.(电脑屏幕上)从上到下移动(资料等),卷页( scroll的现在分词 );(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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102 specialized | |
adj.专门的,专业化的 | |
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103 dubious | |
adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的 | |
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104 residual | |
adj.复播复映追加时间;存留下来的,剩余的 | |
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105 guffawed | |
v.大笑,狂笑( guffaw的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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106 stun | |
vt.打昏,使昏迷,使震惊,使惊叹 | |
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107 blueprints | |
n.蓝图,设计图( blueprint的名词复数 ) | |
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108 dwarf | |
n.矮子,侏儒,矮小的动植物;vt.使…矮小 | |
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109 manor | |
n.庄园,领地 | |
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110 contractors | |
n.(建筑、监造中的)承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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111 vat | |
n.(=value added tax)增值税,大桶 | |
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112 squeals | |
n.长而尖锐的叫声( squeal的名词复数 )v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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113 vats | |
varieties 变化,多样性,种类 | |
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