BELOW KOBOI LABORATORIES
AN LEP shuttle is shaped like a teardrop, bottom heavy with thrusters and a nose that could cut through steel. Of course our heroes weren't in an LEP shuttle, they were in the ambassador's luxury cruiser. Comfort was definitely favoured over speed. It had a nose like a gnome's behind. Bulky and expensive-looking, with a grill1 you could use to barbecue buffalo2.
'So, you're saying this fissure3 is going to open up for a couple of minutes and I have to fly through. And that's the entire plan?' said Holly4.
'It's the best we've got,' said Root glumly5. 'Well, at least we'll be in padded seats when we get squashed. This thing handles like a three-legged rhinoceros6.'
'How was I to know?' grumbled7 Root. 'This was supposed to be a routine run. This shuttle has an excellent stereo.'
Butler raised his hand. 'Listen. What's that sound?'
They listened. The noise came from below them, like a giant clearing its throat.
Holly consulted the keel cams.
'Flare9,' she announced. 'Big sucker. It'll be roasting our tail feathers any minute.'
The rock face before them cracked and groaned10 in constant expansion and retraction11. Fissures12 heaved like grinning mouths lined with black teeth.
'That's it. Let's go,' urged Mulch. 'That fissure is going to seal up faster than a stink13 worm's —'
'Not enough room yet,' snapped Holly. 'This is a shuttle, not one fat dwarf14 riding stolen wings.'
Mulch was too scared to be insulted. 'Just move it. It'll widen as we go.'
Generally Holly would have waited for Root to give the green light. But this was her area. No one was going to argue with Captain Holly Short at the controls of a shuttle.
The chasm15 shuddered17 open another metre.
Holly gritted18 her teeth. 'Hold on to your ears,' she said, ramming19 the thrusters to maximum.
The craft's occupants clutched their armrests, and more than one of them closed their eyes. But not Artemis. He couldn't. There was something morbidly20 fascinating about flying into an uncharted tunnel at a reckless speed, with only a kleptomaniac21 dwarf's word for what lay at the other end.
Holly concentrated on her instruments. Hull22 cameras and sensors23 fed information to various screens and speakers. Sonar was going crazy, beeping so fast it was almost a continuous whine24. Fixed25 halogen headlights fed frightening images to the monitors, and laser radar26 drew a green 3D line picture on a dark screen. Then, of course, there was the quartz27 windscreen. But with sheets of rock dust and larger debris28, the naked eye was next to useless.
'Temperature increasing,' she muttered, glancing at the rear-view monitor. An orange magma column blasted past the fissure mouth, spilling over into the tunnel.
They were in a desperate race. The fissure was closing behind them and expanding before the craft's prow29. The noise was terrific. Thunder in a bubble.
Mulch covered his ears. 'Next time, I'll take Howler's Peak.'
'Quiet, convict,' growled30 Root. 'This was all your idea.'
Their arguing was interrupted by a tremendous grating, sending sparks dancing across the windscreen.
'Sorry,' apologized Captain Short. 'There goes our communications array.'
She flipped31 the craft sideways, scraping between two shifting plates. The magma's heat coated the rock face, dragging the plates together. A jagged edge clipped the shuttle's rear as the plates crashed behind them. A giant's handclap. Butler held his Sig Sauer. It was a comfort thing.
Then they were through, spiralling into a cavern32 towards three enormous titanium rods.
'There,' gasped33 Mulch. 'The foundation rods.'
Holly rolled her eyes. 'You don't say,' she groaned, firing the docking clamps.
Mulch had drawn34 another diagram. This one looked like a bendy snake.
'We're being led by an idiot with a crayon,' said Root, with deceptive35 calmness.
'I got you this far, didn't I, Julius?' said Mulch, pouting36.
Holly was finishing the last bottle of mineral water. A good third of it went over her head.
'Don't you dare start sulking, dwarf,' she said. 'As far as I can see, we're stuck in the centre of the Earth, with no way out and no communications.'
Mulch backed up a step. 'I can see you're a bit tense after the flight. Let's all calm down now, shall we?'
Nobody looked very calm. Even Artemis seemed slightly shaken by the ordeal37. Butler still hadn't let go of the Sig Sauer.
'That's the hard bit over. We're in the foundations now. The only way is up.'
'Oh really, convict?' said Root. 'And how do you suggest we go up exactly?'
Mulch plucked a carrot from the cooler, waving it at his diagram. 'This here is ...'
'A snake?'
'No, Julius. It's one of the foundation rods.'
'The solid titanium foundation rods, sunk in impregnable bedrock?'
'The very ones. Except one isn't exactly solid.'
Artemis nodded. 'I thought so. You cut corners on this work, didn't you, Mulch?'
Mulch was unrepentant. 'You know what building regulations are like. Solid titanium pillars? Do you have any idea how expensive that is? Threw our estimate right off. So me 'n' cousin Nord decided38 to forget the titanium packing.'
'But you had to fill that column with something,' interrupted the commander. 'Koboi would have run scans.'
Mulch nodded guiltily.
'We hooked up the sewage pipes to it for a couple of days. The sonographs came up clean.'
Holly felt her throat clench39. 'Sewage. You mean ..."
'No. Not any more. That was a hundred years ago, it's just clay now. Very good clay as it happens.'
Root's face could have boiled a large cauldron of water.
'You expect us to climb through twenty metres of ... manure40?'
The dwarf shrugged41. 'Hey, do I care? Stay here forever if you want, I'm going up the pipe.'
Artemis did not like this sudden turn of events. Running, jumping, injury. OK. But sewage? 'This is your plan?' he managed to mutter.
'What's the matter, Mud Boy,' smirked42 Mulch. 'Afraid of getting your hands dirty?'
It was only a figure of speech, Artemis knew. But true nevertheless. He glanced at his slender fingers. Yesterday morning they were pianist's fingers with manicured nails. Today they could have belonged to a builder.
Holly clapped Artemis on the shoulder. 'OK,' she declared. 'Let's do it. As soon as we save the Lower Elements, we can get back to rescuing your father.'
Holly noticed a change in Artemis's face. Almost as if his features weren't sure how to arrange themselves. She paused, realizing what she had said. For her, the remark had been a casual encouragement, the kind of thing an officer said every day. But it seemed as though Artemis was not accustomed to being a member of a team.
'Don't think I'm getting chummy or anything. It's just that when I give my word, I stick to it.'
Artemis decided not to respond. He'd already been punched once today.
*
They descended43 from the shuttle on a folding stairway.
Artemis stepped on to the surface, picking his way through the jagged stones and construction debris abandoned by Mulch and his cousin a century earlier. The cavern was lit by the star-like twinkle of rock phosphorescence.
'This place is a geological marvel,' he exclaimed. 'The pressure at this depth should be crushing us, but it isn't.' He knelt to examine a fungus44 sprouting45 from a rusting46 paint tin. 'There's even life.'
Mulch wrenched47 the remains48 of a hammer from between two rocks.
'So that's where this got to. We overdid49 it a bit on the explosives, blasting the shaft50 for these columns. Some of our waste must have ... fallen down here.'
Holly was appalled51. Pollution is an abomination to the People.
'You've broken so many laws here, Mulch, I don't even have the fingers to count them. When you get that two-day head start, you better move fast, because I'm going to be the one chasing you.'
'Here we are,' said Mulch, ignoring the threat. When you'd heard as many as he had, they just rolled right off.
There was a hole bored into one of the columns. Mulch rubbed the edges fondly.
'Diamond laser cutter. Little nuclear battery.That baby could cut through anything.'
'I remember that cutter too,' said Root. 'You nearly decapitated me with it once.'
Mulch sighed. 'Happy days, eh, Julius?'
Root's reply was a swift kick in the behind. 'Less talk, more eating dirt, convict.'
Holly placed her hand into the hole. 'Air currents. The pressure field from the city must have equalized this cave over the years. That's why we're not flat as manta rays right now.'
'I see,' said Butler and Root simultaneously52. Another lie for the list.
'I'll tunnel up to the top and wait for you there. Clear as much of the debris as you can. I'll spread the recycled mud around, to avoid closing up the shaft.'
Artemis groaned. The idea of crawling through Mulch's recyclings was almost intolerable. Only the thought of his father kept him going.
Mulch stepped into the shaft. 'Stand back,' he warned, unhinging his jaw54.
Butler moved quickly — he was not about to get nailed by dwarf gas again.
Mulch disappeared up to his waist in the titanium column. In moments he had disappeared entirely55. The pipe began to shudder16 with strange, unappetizing sounds. Chunks56 of clay clattered57 against the metal walls. A constant stream of condensed air and debris spiralled from the hole.
'Amazing,' breathed Artemis. 'What I could do with ten like him. Fort Knox would be a pushover.'
'Don't even think about it,' warned Root. He turned to Butler. 'What have we got?'
The manservant drew his pistol. 'One Sig Sauer handgun with twelve rounds in the magazine. That's it. I'll take the gun, as I'm the only one who can lift it. You two pick up whatever you can on the run.'
'And what about me?' asked Artemis, even though he knew what was coming.
Butler looked his master straight in the eye. 'I want you to stay here. This is a military operation. All you can do is get yourself killed.'
'But...'
'My job is to protect you, Artemis, and this is quite possibly the safest spot on the planet.'
Artemis didn't argue. In truth, these facts had already occurred to him. Sometimes being a genius was a burden.
'Very well, Butler. I shall remain here. Unless ...'
Butler's eyes narrowed. 'Unless what?'
Artemis gave a dangerous smile. 'Unless I have an idea.'
In Police Plaza the situation was desperate. Captain Kelp had pulled the remaining forces into a circle behind overturned workstations. The goblins were taking pot shots through the doorway61, and none of the warlocks had a drop of magic left in them. Anyone who got injured from now on, stayed injured.
The Council was huddled62 behind a wall of troops. All except Wing Commander Vinyaya, who had demanded to be given one of the electric rifles. She hadn't missed yet.
The techs were crouched63 behind their desks, trying every code combination in the book to gain access to the Operations' booth. Trouble didn't hold out much hope on that front. If Foaly locked a door then it stayed locked.
Meanwhile, inside the booth, all the centaur64 could do was pound his fists in frustration65. It was a sign of Cudgeon's cruelty that he allowed Foaly to view the battle beyond the blast windows.
It seemed hopeless. Even if Julius and Holly had received his message, it was too late now to do anything. Foaly's lips and throat were dry. Everything had deserted66 him. His computer, his intellect, his glib67 sarcasm68. Everything.
BELOW KOBOI LABORATORIES
Something wet slapped Butler in the head.
'What was that?' he hissed69 at Holly, who was bringing up the rear.
'Don't ask,' croaked70 Captain Short. Even through her helmet filters the smell was foul71.
The contents of the column had had a century to ferment72, and smelled as toxic73 as the day it went in. Probably worse. At least, thought the bodyguard74, I don't have to eat this stuff.
Root was on point, his helmet lights cutting swathes through the darkness. The pillar was on a forty-degree angle, with regular grooves75 that were intended to anchor the titanium block filling.
Mulch had done a sterling76 job of breaking down the pipe's contents. But the recycling had to go somewhere. Mulch, in fairness to him, chewed every mouthful thoroughly77 to avoid too many lumps.
The raiding party struggled on grimly, trying not to think about what they were actually doing. By the time they caught up with the dwarf, he was clinging to a ridge78, face constricted79 in pain.
'What is it, Mulch?' asked Root, concern accidentally slipping into his tones.
'Geddup,' Mulch groaned. 'Geddup rih now.'
Root's eyes widened with something approaching panic. 'Up!' he hissed. 'Everybody up!'
They scrambled80 into the tight wedge of space above the dwarf. Not a second too soon. Mulch relaxed, releasing a burst of dwarf gas that could have inflated81 a circus tent. He rehinged his jaw.
'That's better,' he sighed. 'Lotta air in that soil. Now would you mind getting that beam out of my face. You know how I feel about light.'
The commander obliged, switching to infra-red.
'OK, now we're up here, how do we get out? You didn't bring your cutter, I seem to remember.'
The dwarf grinned. 'No problem. A good thief always plans on a return visit. See here.' Mulch was pointing to an area of titanium that seemed exactly like the rest of the pipe. 'I patched this up last time. It's just flexi-bond.'
Root had to smile. 'You are a cunning reprobate82. How did we ever catch you?'
'Luck,' replied the dwarf, elbowing a section of the pipe. A large circle popped out, revealing the hundred-year-old hole. 'Welcome to Koboi Labs.'
They clambered into a dimly lit corridor. Loaded hover59 trolleys84 were stacked four deep around the walls. Strip lighting85 operated with minimum illumination overhead.
'I know this place,' noted86 Root. 'I've been here before on inspection87 for the special-weapons permits. We're two corridors across from the computer centre. We have a real chance of making it.'
'What about these DNA88 stun89 cannons91?' enquired92 Butler.
'Tricky,' admitted the commander. 'If the cannon90's onboard doesn't recognize you, you're dead. They can be programmed to reject entire species.'
'Tricky,' agreed the manservant.
'I'm betting they're not active,' continued Root. 'First, if this place is crawling with goblins, they hardly came in through the front door. And second, if Foaly is being blamed for this little uprising, Koboi will want to pretend they had no weapons, just like the LEP.'
'Strategy?' asked Butler.
'Not much,' admitted the commander. 'Once we turn the corner, we're on camera. So down the corridor as fast as you can, hit anything that gets in your way. If it has a weapon, confiscate93 it. Mulch, you stay here and widen the tunnel, we may need to get out fast. Ready?'
Holly extended a hand. 'Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure.'
The commander and manservant laid their hands on hers. 'Likewise.'
They headed down the corridor. Two hundred goblins versus94 our three virtually unarmed heroes. It was going to be close.
INNER SANCTUM, KOBOI LABORATORIES
'Intruders,' squealed95 Opal Koboi delightedly. 'Inside the building.'
Cudgeon crossed to the surveillance plasma96 screen.
'I do believe it's Julius. Amazing. Obviously your hit team was exaggerating, General Sputa.'
Sputa licked his eyeballs furiously. Lieutenant97 Nyle would be losing his skin before shedding season.
Cudgeon whispered into Opal's ear. 'Can we activate98 the DNA cannons?'
The pixie shook her head. 'Not immediately. They've been reprogrammed to reject goblin DNA. It would take a few minutes.'
Cudgeon turned to the four goblin generals. 'Have an armoured squad99 come up behind and another one from the flank. We can trap them at the door. There will be no way out.'
Cudgeon stared raptly at the plasma screen. 'This is even better than I'd planned. Now, my old friend, Julius, it's my turn to humiliate100 you.'
Artemis was meditating101. This was a time for concentration. He sat cross-legged on a rock, visualizing102 the various rescue strategies that could be utilized103 when they returned to the Arctic. If the Mafiya managed to set up the drop before Artemis could reach them, then there was only one plan that could work. And it was a high-risk plan. Artemis searched deeper inside his brain. There must be another way.
He was disturbed by an orchestral noise emanating104 from the titanium column. It sounded like a sustained note on a bassoon. Dwarf gas, he reasoned. The column had decent acoustics105.
What he needed was a brainwave. One crystal thought that would slice through this mire106 he had become embroiled107 in, and save the day.
After eight minutes, he was interrupted again. Not gas this time. A cry for help. Mulch was in trouble, and in pain.
Artemis was about to suggest that Butler deal with it when he realized that his bodyguard wasn't there. Off on his mission to save the Lower Elements. It was up to him.
He poked109 his head into the column. It was black as the inside of an old boot, and twice as pungent110. Artemis decided that an LEP helmet was his first requirement. He quickly retrieved111 a spare from the shuttle and, after a moment's experimentation112, activated113 the lights and seals.
'Mulch? Are you up there?'
No reply. Could this be a trap? Was it possible that he, Artemis Fowl114, was about to fall for the oldest ruse115 in the book? Entirely possible, he decided. But in spite of that, he couldn't really afford to take chances with that hairy little creature's life. Somewhere since Los Angeles, and against his better judgement, he had bonded116 with Mister Diggums. Artemis shuddered. It was happening more and more since his mother's return to sanity117.
Artemis climbed into the tube, beginning his journey to the disc of light above. The smell was horrendous118. His shoes were ruined, and no amount of dry-cleaning could redeem119 the St Bartleby's blazer. Mulch had better be in a lot of pain.
When he reached the entrance, he found Mulch writhing120 on the floor, face contorted in genuine agony.
'What is it?' he asked, peeling off the helmet and kneeling by the dwarf's side.
'Blockage121 in my gut,' grunted122 the dwarf, beads123 of sweat sliding down his beard hairs. 'Something hard. Can't break it down.'
'What can I do?' Artemis asked, though he dreaded124 the possible replies.
'My left boot. Take it off.'
'Your boot? Did you say boot?'
'Yes,' howled the dwarf, pain stiffening125 his entire torso. 'Get it off!'
Artemis couldn't stifle126 a relieved sigh. He'd been fearing much worse. He hefted the dwarf's leg into his lap and pulled at the climbing boot.
'Nice boots,' he commented.
-'Rodeo Drive,' gasped Mulch. 'Now, if you wouldn't mind.'
' Sorry.'
The boot slid off, revealing a not-quite-so-designer sock, complete with toe holes and darn patches.
'Little toe,' said Mulch, eyes closed with pain.
'Little toe what?'
Squeeze the joint. Must be a reflexology thing. Every part of the body corresponds to an area of the foot. The body's keyboard, so to speak. Practised in the Orient for centuries.
'Very well. If you insist.'
Artemis placed his finger and thumb around Mulch's hairy toe. It could have been his imagination, but it seemed that the hairs parted to allow him access.
'Squeeze,' gasped the dwarf. 'Why aren't you squeezing?'
Artemis wasn't squeezing because his eyes were crossed, looking at the laser barrel in the middle of his forehead.
Lieutenant Nyle, who was holding the weapon, couldn't believe his luck. He'd single-handedly captured two intruders, plus he'd discovered their bolt hole. Who said hanging back to avoid the fighting didn't have advantages? This was turning out to be an exceptional revolution for him. He'd be colonel before shedding his third skin.
'On your feet,' he ordered, panting blue flames. Even through the translator it sounded reptilian128.
Artemis stood slowly, lifting Mulch's leg with him.The dwarf's bum-flap flopped129 open.
'What's wrong with him anyway?' asked Nyle, bending in for a closer look.
'Something he ate,' said Artemis, and squeezed the joint.
The resulting explosion knocked the goblin off his feet, sending him tumbling down the corridor. There was something you didn't see every day.
'Thanks, kid. I thought I was a goner there. Must've been something hard. Granite131 maybe, or diamond.'
Artemis nodded. Not ready for words.
'Those goblins are dumb. Did you see the look on his face?'
Artemis shook his head. Still not ready.
'Do you want to go look?'
The tactless humour snapped Artemis out of his daze132. 'That goblin. I doubt he was on his own.'
Mulch buttoned up his bum-flap. 'Nope. A whole squadron of 'em just went past. This guy must have been trying to avoid the action. Typical goblin.'
Artemis rubbed his temples. There must be something he could do to help his friends. He had the highest tested IQ in Europe, for heaven's sake.
'Mulch, I have an important question for you.'
'I suppose I owe you one, for saving my hide.'
Artemis draped an arm around the dwarf's shoulder. 'I know how you got into Koboi Labs. But you couldn't go back that way, the flare would get you. So, how did you get out?'
Mulch grinned. 'Simple. I activated the alarm, then left in the LEP uniform I came in.'
Artemis scowled133. 'No use, there must be another way. There has to be.'
The DNA cannons were obviously out of commission. Root was just starting to feel optimistic when he heard the thunder of approaching boots.
'D'Arvit. Rumbled8. You two keep going. I'll hold them here as long as I can.'
'No, Commander,' said Butler. 'With respect, we only have one weapon, and I can hit a lot more with it than you. I'll take them coming around the corner. You try to get the door open.'
Holly opened her mouth to argue. But who was going to argue with a man that size?
'OK. Good luck. If you're wounded, lie as still as you can until I get back. Four minutes, remember.'
Butler nodded. 'I remember.'
'And, Butler?'
'Yes, Captain?'
'That little misunderstanding last year. When you and Artemis kidnapped me.'
Butler gazed at the ceiling. He would have stared at his shoes, but Holly was in the way. 'Yes, that. I've been meaning to talk to ...'
'Just forget it. After this, all square.'
'Holly, move it out,' ordered Root. 'Butler, don't let them get too close.'
Butler wrapped his fingers around the gun's moulded grip. He looked like an armed bear. 'They better not. For their sake.'
Artemis climbed up on a hover trolley83, tapping one of the overhead conduits that ran the length of the corridor.
'This pipe appears to run along the entire ceiling structure. What is it, a ventilation system?'
Mulch snorted. 'I wish. It's the plasma supply for the DNA cannons.'
'So why didn't you come in this way?'
'Oh, a little matter of there being enough charge in every drop of plasma to fry a troll.'
Artemis placed his palm against the metal. 'What if the cannons weren't operational?'
'Once the cannons are deactivated134, the plasma is just so much radioactive slop.'
'Radioactive?'
Mulch tugged135 at his beard thoughtfully. 'Actually, Julius reckons the cannons have been turned off.'
'Any way to be certain?'
'We could open this unopenable panel.' Mulch ran his fingers along the curved surface. 'Ahh, see here. A micro-keyhole. To service the cannons. Even plasma needs recharging.' He pointed137 to a tiny hole in the metal. It could have been a speck138 of dirt. 'Now, observe a master at work.'
The dwarf fed one of his chin hairs into the hole. When the tip reappeared, Mulch plucked the hair out by the root. The hair died as soon as Mulch plucked it, stiffening in rigor139 mortis and retaining the precise shape of the lock's interior.
Mulch held his breath, twisting the makeshift key. The hatch dropped open.
'That, my boy, is talent.'
Inside the pipe, an orange jelly pulsed gently. Occasional sparks roiled108 in its depths. The plasma was too dense58 even to spill from the hatch, and hung on to its cylindrical140 shape.
Mulch squinted141 through the wobbling gel. 'Deactivated all right. If that stuff were live, our faces would be getting a nice tan about now.'
'What about those sparks?'
'Residual142 charge. They'd give you a bit of a tingle143, but nothing serious.'
Artemis nodded. 'Right,' he said, strapping144 on the helmet.
Mulch blanched145. 'You are not serious, MudWhelp? Do you have any idea what will happen if those cannons are activated?'
'I'm trying not to think about it.'
'It's probably just as well.' The dwarf shook his head, bewildered. 'OK. You've got thirty metres to go, and no more than ten minutes of air in that helmet. Keep the filters closed. The air may get a bit stale after a while, but it's better than sucking plasma. And here, take this.' He plucked the stiffened146 hair from the keyhole.
'What for?'
'I presume you will want to get out again at the other end. Or hadn't you thought of that, genius boy?'
Artemis swallowed. He hadn't. There was more to this heroism147 thing than rushing in blindly.
'Just feed it in gently. Remember, it's hair not metal.'
'Feed it in gently. Got it.'
'And don't use any lights. Halogen could reactivate the plasma.'
Artemis felt his head beginning to spin.
'And make sure you get foamed148 as soon as you can.The anti-rad canisters are blue. They're everywhere in this facility.'
'Blue canisters. Anything else, Mister Diggums?'
'Well, there are the plasma snakes
Artemis's knees almost collapsed150. 'You're not serious?'
'No,' Mulch conceded. 'I'm not. Now, your reach is about half a metre. So calculate for sixty pulls and then get out of there.'
'Slightly under half a metre I'd say. Perhaps sixty-three pulls.' He placed the dwarf hair inside his breast pocket.
Mulch shrugged. 'Whatever, kid. It's your skin. Now in you go.'
The dwarf interlaced his fingers and Artemis stepped into the makeshift stirrup. He was considering changing his mind when Mister Diggums heaved him into the pipe. The orange gel sucked him in, enveloping151 his body in a second.
The plasma coiled around him like a living being, popping bubbles of air trapped in his clothing. A residual spark brushed his leg, sending sharp pain spasming through his body. A bit of a tingle?
Artemis gazed out through the orange gel. Mulch was there giving him the thumbs up. Grinning like a loon152. Artemis decided that if he made it through this, then he would have to place the dwarf on the payroll153.
He began to crawl blindly. One pull, two pulls ...
Sixty-three seemed a long way off.
Butler cocked the Sig Sauer. The footsteps were ear-splitting now, bouncing off the metal walls. Shadows stretched around the corner, ahead of their owners. The manservant took approximate aim.
A head appeared. Froglike. Licking its own eyeballs. Butler pulled the trigger. The slug punched a melon-sized hole in the wall above the goblin's head. The head was hurriedly withdrawn154. Of course, Butler had missed on purpose. Scared was always better than dead. But it couldn't last forever. Twelve more shots to be precise.
The goblins grew braver, sneaking155 out further and further. Eventually, Butler knew he would be forced to shoot one.
The manservant decided that it was time to go close-quarters. He rose from his hunkers, making slightly less noise than a panther, and hurtled down the corridor towards the enemy.
There were only two men on the planet better educated in the various martial156 arts than Butler, and he was related to one of them. The other lived on an island in the South China Seas and spent his days meditating and beating up palm trees. You really had to feel sorry for those goblins.
The B'wa Kell had two guards on the sanctum door. Both armed to the teeth and both as thick as several short planks157. In spite of repeated warnings, they were both falling asleep inside their helmets when the elves came running around the corner.
'Look,' mumbled158 one. 'Elves.'
'Huh?' said the other, the denser159 of the two.
'Don't matter,' said number one. 'LEP don't got no guns.'
Number two gave his eyeballs a lick. 'Yeah, but they sure are irritable160.'
And that was when Holly's boot impacted with his chest, slamming him into the wall.
'Hey,' complained number one, bringing up his own gun. 'Not fair.'
Root didn't bother with fancy spinning kicks, preferring instead to body-slam the sentry161 against the titanium door.
'There,' panted Holly. 'Two down. That wasn't so hard.' A premature162 statement as it happened. Because that was when the rest of the two-hundred-strong B'wa Kell squadron thundered down the perpendicular163 corridor.
'That wasn't so hard,' mimicked164 the commander, curling his fingers into fists.
Artemis's concentration was failing him. There seemed to be more sparks now, and each shock disrupted his focus. He had lost count twice. He was at fifty-four now. Or fifty-six. The difference was life or death.
He trawled ahead, reaching out one arm and then the other, swimming through a turgid sea of gel. Vision was next to useless. Everything was orange. And the only confirmation165 he had that any progress was being made was when his knee sank into a recess166, where the plasma diverted into a cannon.
Artemis punched one last time through the gel, filling his lungs with stale air — sixty-three. That was it. Soon the air purifiers in his helmet would be useless and he would be breathing carbon dioxide.
He placed his fingertips against the pipe's inner curve, searching for a keyhole. Again his eyes were no help. He couldn't even activate the helmet lamps for fear of igniting a river of plasma.
Nothing. No indent167. He was going to die here alone. He would never be great. Artemis felt his brain going, spiralling off into a black tunnel. Concentrate, he told himself. Focus. There was a spark approaching. A silver star in the sunset. It coiled lazily along the tube, lighting each section it passed.
There! A hole. The hole. Revealed for a moment by the passing spark. Artemis reached into his pocket like a drunken swimmer, pulling out the dwarf hair. Would it work? There was no reason this access port should have a different locking mechanism168.
Artemis slid the hair into the keyhole. Gently. He squinted through the gel. Was it going in? He thought so. Perhaps sixty per cent sure. It would have to be enough.
Artemis twisted. The flap dropped open. He imagined Mulch's grin. That, my boy, is talent.
It was quite possible that every enemy he had in the underworld was waiting outside that hatch, big nasty guns pointed at his head. At that point, Artemis didn't much care. He couldn't bear one more of his own oxygen-depleted breaths or one more excruciating shock to his body.
So, Artemis Fowl poked his helmet through the plasma's surface. He flipped the visor, savouring what could very well be his last breath. Lucky for him, the room's occupants were looking at the view screen.
Watching his friends fight for their lives. Not so lucky for his friends.
There are too many, thought Butler as he rounded the corner and saw almost an entire army of B'wa Kell slotting fresh batteries into their weapons.
The goblins, when they noticed Butler, began to think things like, O gods, it's a troll in clothes; or, why didn't I listen to Mummy and stay out of the gangs?
Then Butler was above them and on the way down. He landed like the proverbial tonne of bricks, except with considerably169 more precision. Three goblins were out cold before they knew they'd been hit. One shot himself in the foot and several others lay down pretending to be unconscious.
Artemis watched it all on the control room's plasma screen. Along with all the other occupants of the inner sanctum. It was entertainment to them. TV. The goblin generals chuckled170 and winced171 as Butler decimated their men. It was all immaterial. There were hundreds of goblins in the building and no way into this room.
Artemis had seconds to decide on a course of action. Seconds. And he had no idea how to use any of this technology. He scanned the walls below him for something he could use. Anything.
There. On a small picture-in-picture screen, away from the main console, was Foaly. Trapped in the Operations' booth. The centaur would have a plan. He had certainly had time to come up with one. Artemis knew that as soon as he emerged from the conduit he was a target. They would kill him without hesitation172.
He dragged himself from within the tube, falling to Earth with a thick slap. His saturated173 clothes slowed his progress to the monitor bank. Heads were turning, he could see them out the corner of his eye. Figures came his way. He didn't know how many.
There was a reed mike below Foaly's image. Artemis pressed the button.
'Foaly!' he rasped, globs of gel splatting on to the console.'Can you hear me?'
The centaur reacted instantly. 'Fowl? What happened to you?'
'Five seconds, Foaly. I need a plan or we're all dead.'
Foaly nodded curtly174. 'I've got one ready. Put me on all screens.'
'What? How?'
'Press the conference button. Yellow. A circle with lines shooting out, like the sun. Do you see it?'
Artemis saw it. He pressed it. Then something pressed him. Very painfully.
General Scalene first noticed the creature flopping175 out of the plasma pipe. What was it? A pixie? No. No, by all the gods. It was human.
'Look!' he cackled. 'A Mud Man.'
The others were oblivious176, too interested in the spectacle on-screen.
But not Cudgeon. A human in the inner sanctum. How could this be? He seized Scalene by the shoulders. 'Kill him!'
All the generals were listening now. There was killing177 to be done. With no danger to themselves.They would do this the old-fashioned way: with claws and fireballs.
The human stumbled to one of the consoles and they surrounded him, tongues dangling178 excitedly. Sputa spun179 the human around to face his fate.
One by one, the generals conjured180 fireballs around their fists, closing in for the kill. But then something made them completely forget the injured human. Cudgeon's face had appeared on all the screens. And the B'wa Kell executive didn't like what it was saying:
'— Just when things are at their most desperate, I shall instruct Opal to return weapons control to the LEP. The B'wa Kell will be rendered unconscious, and you will be blamed for the entire affair, provided you survive, which I doubt -'
Sputa whirled on his ally. 'Cudgeon! What does this mean?'
The generals advanced, hissing181 and spitting. 'Treachery, Cudgeon! Treachery!'
Cudgeon was not unduly182 worried. 'OK,' he said. 'Treachery.'
It took Cudgeon a moment to figure out what had happened. It was Foaly. He must have recorded their conversation somehow. How tiresome183. Still, you had to hand it to the centaur. He was resourceful.
Cudgeon quickly crossed to the main console, shutting off the broadcast. It wouldn't do for Opal to hear the rest of it. Particularly the part concerning her tragic184 accident. He really would have to cut out this grandstanding. Still, no matter. Everything was on track.
'Treachery!' hissed Scalene.
'OK,' admitted Cudgeon. 'Treachery.' And directly after that he said, 'Computer, activate DNA cannons. Authorization185 Cudgeon B. Alpha alpha two two.'
On her hover chair, Opal spun with sheer joy, clapping her tiny hands in delight. Briar was sooo ugly, but he was sooo evil.
Throughout Koboi Labs, robot DNA cannons perked186 up in their cradles and ran swift self-diagnostics. Apart from a slight drain in the inner sanctum, everything was in order. And so, without further ado, they began to obey their program parameters187 and target anything with goblin DNA at a rate often blasts per second.
It was swift and, as with everything Koboi, efficient. In less than five seconds, the cannons settled back into their cradles. Mission accomplished188: two hundred unconscious goblins throughout the facility.
'Phew,' said Holly, stepping over rows of snoring goblins. 'Close one.'
'Tell me about it,' agreed Root.
Cudgeon kicked Sputa's sleeping body.
'You see, you haven't accomplished anything, Artemis Fowl,' he said, drawing his Redboy.
'Your friends are out there. You're in here. And the goblins are unconscious, soon to be mind-wiped with some particularly unstable189 chemicals. Just as I planned.' He smiled at Opal hovering190 above them. 'Just as we planned.'
Opal returned the smile.
At another time, Artemis would have been forced to pass a snide comment. But the possibility of imminent191 death was occupying his thoughts for the moment.
'Now, I simply reprogram the cannons to target your friends, return power to the LEP cannons, and take over the world. And nobody can get in here to stop me.'
Of course, you should never say something like that, especially when you're an arch-villain. It's just asking for trouble.
Butler hurried down the corridor, catching192 up with the others outside the inner sanctum. He could see Artemis's predicament through the door's quartz pane136. In spite of all his efforts, Master Artemis had still managed to place himself in mortal danger. How was a bodyguard supposed to do his job when his charge insisted on jumping into bear pits, so to speak?
Butler felt the testosterone building in his system. One door was all that separated him from Artemis. One little door, designed to withstand fairies with ray guns. He took several steps backwards193.
Holly could tell what he was thinking. 'Don't bother. That door is reinforced.'
The manservant didn't answer. He couldn't. The real Butler was submerged beneath layers of adrenalin and brute194 force.
With a roar, Butler charged the entrance, concentrating all of his considerable might in the triangular195 point of his shoulder. It was a blow that would have felled a medium-sized hippopotamus196. And while this door was tested for plasma dispersion and moderate physical resistance, it was certainly not Butler-proof. The metal portal crumpled197 like tin foil.
Butler's momentum198 took him halfway199 across the inner sanctum's rubber tiling. Holly and Root followed, pausing only to grab some Softnose lasers from the unconscious goblins.
Cudgeon moved fast, dragging Artemis upright. 'Don't move, any of you. Or I'll kill the Mud Boy.'
Butler kept right on going. His last rational thought had been to disable Cudgeon. Now this was his sole aim in life. He raced forward, arms outstretched.
Holly dived desperately200, latching201 on to Butler's belt. He dragged her like a string of cans behind a wedding car.
'Butler, stop,' she grunted.
The bodyguard ignored her.
Holly hung on, digging in her heels. 'Stop!' she repeated, this time layering her voice with the mesmer.
Butler seemed to wake up. He shook the cave man from his system.
'That's right, Mud Man,' said Cudgeon. 'Listen to Captain Short. Surely we can work something out here.'
'No deals, Briar,' said Root. 'It's all over, so just put the Mud Boy down.'
Cudgeon cocked the Redboy. ‘I’ll put him down all right.'
This was Butler's worst nightmare. His charge was in the hands of a psychopath with nothing to lose. And there was nothing he could do about it.
A phone rang.
'I think it's mine,' said Artemis automatically.
Another ring. Definitely his mobile phone. Amazing the thing worked at all really, considering what it had been through. Artemis ripped open the case.
'Yes?'
It was one of those frozen moments. Nobody knew what to expect.
Artemis tossed the handset at Opal Koboi. 'It's for
The pixie swooped202 low to catch the tiny mobile phone. Cudgeon's chest heaved. His body knew what was happening even if his brain hadn't figured it out yet.
Opal placed the tiny speaker to her pointed ear.
'— Really, Foaly,' said Cudgeon's voice. 'Do you think I'd go to all this trouble to share power? Oh no. As soon as this charade203 is over, Miss Koboi will have a tragic accident. Perhaps several tragic accidents — '
All colour drained from Opal's face. 'You!' she screeched204.
'It's a trick!' protested Cudgeon. 'They're trying to turn us against each other.'
But his eyes told the real story.
Pixies are feisty creatures, in spite of their size. They put up with so much and then explode. For Opal Koboi, it was explosion time. She manipulated the Hoverboy's controls, dropping in a steep dive.
Cudgeon didn't hesitate. He put two bursts into the chair, but the thick cushion protected its pilot.
Opal Koboi flew straight at her former partner. When the elf raised his arms to protect himself, Artemis slid to the floor. Briar Cudgeon was not so lucky. He became entangled205 in the Hoverboy's safety rail and was borne aloft by the wildcat pixie. They whirled around the chamber206 ricocheting off several walls before crashing straight through the open plasma panel in the cannon Pipe - Unfortunately for Cudgeon, the plasma was now active. He had activated it himself. But this irony207 did not occur to him as he was fried by a million radioactive tendrils.
Koboi was lucky. She was pitched from the hoverchair and lay moaning on the rubber tiles.
Butler was on the move before Cudgeon landed. He flipped Artemis over, checking his frame for wounds. A couple of scratches. Superficial. Nothing a shot of blue sparks wouldn't take care of.
Holly checked Opal Koboi's status.
'She conscious?' asked the commander.
Koboi's eyes flickered208 open. Holly shut them with a swift rabbit punch to the forehead. 'Nope,' she said innocently. 'Out cold.'
Root took one look at Cudgeon and realized there was no point checking for vitals. Maybe he was better off. The alternative would have been a couple of centuries in Howler's Peak.
Artemis noticed movement by the door. It was Mulch. He was grinning and waving. Waving goodbye, just in case Julius forgot about his two-day head start. The dwarf pointed to a blue canister mounted on a wall bracket and he was gone.
'Butler,' rasped Artemis, with the absolute last ounce of his strength. 'Could someone spray me down? And then could we please go to Murmansk?'
Butler was mystified. 'Spray? What spray?'
Holly unhooked the anti-rad foam149 canister, flipping209 the safety catch. 'Allow me,' she said, grinning. 'It would be my pleasure.'
She directed a jet of foul-smelling foam at Artemis. In seconds, he resembled a half-melted snowman. Holly laughed. Who said there were no perks210 in law enforcement?
OPERATIONS' BOOTH
Once the cannon plasma had short-circuited Cudgeon's remote control, power came rushing back to the Operations' booth. Foaly lost no time in activating211 the subcutaneous sleepers212 planted below goblin offenders213' skin. That put half of the B'wa Kell out of action straight away. Then he reprogrammed Police Plaza's own DNA cannons for non-lethal bursts. It was all over in seconds. Captain Kelp's first thought was for his subordinates. 'Sound off,' he shouted, his voice slicing through the chaos214. 'Did we lose anyone?'
The squadron leaders answered in sequence, confirming that there had been no fatalities215.
'We were lucky,' remarked a warlock medic. 'There's not a drop of magic left in the building. Not even a medi-pac. The next officer to go down would have stayed down.'
Trouble turned his attention to the Ops' booth. He did not look amused.
Foaly depolarized the quartz window and opened a channel. 'Hey, guys. I wasn't behind this. It was Cudgeon. I just saved everyone. I sent a sound recording216 to a mobile phone; that wasn't easy. You should be giving me a medal.'
Trouble clenched217 his fist. 'Yeah, Foaly, come on out here and let me give you your medal.'
Foaly may not have had many social skills, but he knew thinly veiled threats when he heard them.
'Oh no. Not me. I'm staying right here until Commander Root gets back. He can explain everything.'
The centaur blacked out the window and busied himself running a bug218 sweep. He would isolate219 every last trace of Opal Koboi and flush it out of the system. Paranoid was he? Who was the paranoid one now, Holly? Who was the paranoid one now?
收听单词发音 |
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grill
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| n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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fissure
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| n.裂缝；裂伤 | |
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holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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glumly
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| adv.忧郁地，闷闷不乐地；阴郁地 | |
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rhinoceros
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| n.犀牛 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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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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retraction
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| n.撤消；收回 | |
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fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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18
gritted
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| v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关 | |
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19
ramming
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| n.打结炉底v.夯实（土等）( ram的现在分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
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morbidly
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| adv.病态地 | |
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kleptomaniac
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| n.有偷窃狂的人 | |
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22
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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sensors
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| n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 ) | |
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24
whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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25
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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radar
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| n.雷达，无线电探测器 | |
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quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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prow
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| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
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30
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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31
flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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gasped
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| 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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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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deceptive
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| adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的 | |
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pouting
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的现在分词 ) | |
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ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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39
clench
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| vt.捏紧（拳头等），咬紧（牙齿等），紧紧握住 | |
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40
manure
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| n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥 | |
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41
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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42
smirked
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| v.傻笑( smirk的过去分词 ) | |
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43
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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44
fungus
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| n.真菌，真菌类植物 | |
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45
sprouting
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| v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出 | |
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46
rusting
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| n.生锈v.（使）生锈( rust的现在分词 ) | |
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47
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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48
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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49
overdid
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| v.做得过分( overdo的过去式 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度 | |
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50
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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51
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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52
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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53
Undid
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| v. 解开, 复原 | |
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54
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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55
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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56
chunks
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| 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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57
clattered
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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58
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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59
hover
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| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
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60
plaza
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| n.广场，市场 | |
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61
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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62
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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63
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
centaur
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| n.人首马身的怪物 | |
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65
frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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66
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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67
glib
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| adj.圆滑的，油嘴滑舌的 | |
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68
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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69
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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70
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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71
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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72
ferment
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| vt.使发酵；n./vt.（使）激动，（使）动乱 | |
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73
toxic
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| adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的 | |
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74
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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75
grooves
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| n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏 | |
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76
sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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78
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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79
constricted
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| adj.抑制的，约束的 | |
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80
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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81
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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82
reprobate
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| n.无赖汉；堕落的人 | |
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83
trolley
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| n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车 | |
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84
trolleys
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| n.（两轮或四轮的）手推车( trolley的名词复数 )；装有脚轮的小台车；电车 | |
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85
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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86
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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87
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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88
DNA
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| (缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸 | |
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89
stun
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| vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹 | |
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90
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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91
cannons
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| n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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92
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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93
confiscate
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| v.没收(私人财产)，把…充公 | |
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94
versus
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| prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下 | |
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95
squealed
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| 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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96
plasma
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| n.血浆，细胞质，乳清 | |
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97
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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98
activate
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| vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用 | |
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99
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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100
humiliate
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| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
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101
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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102
visualizing
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| 肉眼观察 | |
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103
utilized
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| v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
emanating
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的现在分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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105
acoustics
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| n.声学，(复)音响效果，音响装置 | |
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106
mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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107
embroiled
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| adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的 | |
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108
roiled
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| v.搅混（液体）( roil的过去式和过去分词 )；使烦恼；使不安；使生气 | |
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109
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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110
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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111
retrieved
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| v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息） | |
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112
experimentation
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| n.实验，试验，实验法 | |
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113
activated
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| adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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114
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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115
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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116
bonded
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| n.有担保的，保税的，粘合的 | |
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117
sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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118
horrendous
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| adj.可怕的，令人惊惧的 | |
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119
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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120
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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121
blockage
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| n.障碍物；封锁 | |
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122
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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123
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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124
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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125
stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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126
stifle
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| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
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127
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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128
reptilian
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| 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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129
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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130
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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131
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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132
daze
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| v.(使)茫然，(使)发昏 | |
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133
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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134
deactivated
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| v.解除动员( deactivate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；复员；使不活动 | |
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135
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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136
pane
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| n.窗格玻璃，长方块 | |
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137
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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138
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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139
rigor
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| n.严酷，严格，严厉 | |
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140
cylindrical
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| adj.圆筒形的 | |
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141
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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142
residual
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| adj.复播复映追加时间；存留下来的，剩余的 | |
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143
tingle
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| vi.感到刺痛，感到激动；n.刺痛，激动 | |
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144
strapping
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| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
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145
blanched
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| v.使变白( blanch的过去式 )；使（植物）不见阳光而变白；酸洗（金属）使有光泽；用沸水烫（杏仁等）以便去皮 | |
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146
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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147
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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148
foamed
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| 泡沫的 | |
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149
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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150
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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151
enveloping
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 ) | |
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152
loon
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| n.狂人 | |
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153
payroll
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| n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额 | |
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154
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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155
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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156
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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157
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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158
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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159
denser
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| adj. 不易看透的, 密集的, 浓厚的, 愚钝的 | |
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160
irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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161
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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162
premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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163
perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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164
mimicked
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 )；酷似 | |
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165
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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166
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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167
indent
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| n.订单，委托采购，国外商品订货单，代购订单 | |
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168
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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169
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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170
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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171
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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172
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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173
saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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174
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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175
flopping
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| n.贬调v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的现在分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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176
oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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177
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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178
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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179
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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180
conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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181
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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182
unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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183
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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184
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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185
authorization
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| n.授权，委任状 | |
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186
perked
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| （使）活跃( perk的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）增值； 使更有趣 | |
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187
parameters
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| 因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素 | |
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188
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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189
unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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190
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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191
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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192
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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193
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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194
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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195
triangular
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| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
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196
hippopotamus
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| n.河马 | |
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197
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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198
momentum
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| n.动力，冲力，势头；动量 | |
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199
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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200
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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201
latching
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| n.闭塞；闭锁；关闭；闭塞装置v.理解( latch的现在分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上） | |
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202
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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203
charade
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| n.用动作等表演文字意义的字谜游戏 | |
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204
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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205
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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206
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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207
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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208
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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209
flipping
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| 讨厌之极的 | |
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210
perks
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| 额外津贴，附带福利，外快( perk的名词复数 ) | |
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211
activating
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| 活动的，活性的 | |
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212
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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213
offenders
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| n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物） | |
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214
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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215
fatalities
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| n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运 | |
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216
recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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217
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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218
bug
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| n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器 | |
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219
isolate
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| vt.使孤立，隔离 | |
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