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Chapter 10 Fingers And Thumbs
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ARTEMIS FOWL1’S CELL, THE SPIRO HEEDLE

 

ARTEMIS was meditating2 when the first laser-stroke cut through the ceiling. He rose from the lotus position, pulled his sweater back on and arranged some pillows on the floor. Moments later, a square of metal fell to the floor, its impact silenced by the cushions. Holly3’s face appeared in the hole.

Artemis pointed4 at the pillows. ‘You anticipated me.’

The LEP captain nodded. ‘Only thirteen, and already predictable.’

‘I presume you used the air conditioner to vacuum the smoke?’

‘Exactly. I think we’re getting to know one another too well.’

Holly reeled a piton line from her belt, lowering it into the room.

‘Make a loop at the bottom with the clamp and hop5 aboard. I’ll reel you in.’

Artemis did as he was told and, in seconds, he was clambering through the hole.

‘Do we have Mister Foaly on our side?’ he asked.

Holly handed Artemis a small cylindrical6 earpiece. ‘Ask him yourself.’

Artemis inserted the miracle of nanotechnology.

‘Well, Foaly. Astound7 me.’

Below, in Haven8 City, the centaur9 rubbed his hands together. Artemis was the only one who actually understood his lectures.

‘You’re going to love this, Mud Boy. Not only have I wiped you from the video, not only did I erase10 the ceiling falling in, but I have created a simulated Artemis.’

Artemis was intrigued11. ‘A sim? Really? How exactly did you do that?’

‘Simple really,’ said Foaly modestly. ‘I have hundreds of human movies on file. I borrowed Steve McQueen’s solitary12 confinement13 scene from The Great Escape and altered his clothes.’

‘What about the face?’

‘I had some digital interrogation footage from your last visit to Haven. I put the two together and voil_. Our simulated Artemis can do whatever I tell him, whenever I say. At the moment, the sim is asleep, but in half an hour I may just instruct him to go to the bathroom.’

Holly reeled in her piton cord. ‘The miracle of modern science. The LEP pours millions into your department, Foaly, and all you can do is send Mud Boys to the toilet.’

‘You should be nice to me, Holly. I’m doing you a big favour. If Julius knew I was helping15 you, he’d be extremely angry.’

‘Which is exactly why you are doing it.’

Holly moved quietly to the door, opening it a crack. The corridor was clear and silent, but for the drone of panning cameras and the hum of fluorescent16 lighting17. One section of Holly’s visor displayed miniature transparent18 feeds from Spiro’s security cameras. There were six guards doing the rounds on the floor.

Holly closed the door.

‘OK. Let’s get going. We need to reach Spiro before the guards change.’

Artemis arranged the carpet over the hole in the floor. ‘Have you located his apartment?’

‘Directly above us. We need to get up there and scan his retina and thumb.’

An expression flashed across Artemis’s face. Just for a second.

‘The scans. Yes. The sooner the better.’

Holly had never seen that look on the human boy’s features before. Was it guilt19? Could it be?

‘Is there something you’re not telling me?’ she demanded.

The expression vanished, to be replaced by the customary lack of emotion.

‘No, Captain Short. Nothing. And do you really think that now is the time for an interrogation?’

Holly wagged a threatening finger. ‘Artemis. If you mess with me now, in the middle of an operation, I won’t forget it.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Artemis wryly20. ‘I will.’

 

Spiro’s apartment was two floors directly above Artemis’s cell. It made sense to reinforce the same block. Unfortunately, Jon Spiro did not like the idea of anyone spying on him, so there were no cameras in his section of the building.

‘Typical,’ muttered Foaly. ‘Power-crazed megalomaniacs never like anyone to see their own dirty secrets.’

‘I think someone’s in denial,’ said Holly, focusing a tight beam from her Neutrino at the ceiling.

A section of floating ceiling melted like ice in a kettle, revealing the steel above. Molten beads21 of metal ate into the carpet as the laser sliced through the flooring. When the hole was of sufficient diameter Holly shut down the beam and popped her helmet camera into the space.

Nothing appeared on the screen.

‘Switching to infrared22.’

A rack of suits sprang into focus. They might have been white.

‘The wardrobe. We’re in the wardrobe.’

‘Perfect,’ said Foaly. ‘Put him to sleep.’

‘He is asleep. It’s ten to five in the morning.’

‘Well, make sure he doesn’t wake up then.’

Holly replaced the camera in its groove23. She plucked a silver capsule from her belt and inserted it into the hole.

Foaly supplied the commentary for Artemis.

‘The capsule is a Sleeper24 Deeper, in case you’re wondering.’

‘Gaseous?’

‘No. Brainwaves.’

Artemis was intrigued. ‘Go on.’

‘Basically it scans for brainwave patterns, then replicates25 them. Anyone in the vicinity stays in the state they’re in until the capsule dissolves.

‘No trace?’

‘None. And no after-effects. Whatever they’re paying me, it isn’t enough.’

Holly counted off a minute on her visor clock.

‘OK. He’s out, providing he wasn’t awake when the Sleeper Deeper went in. Let’s go.’

Spiro’s bedroom was as white as his suits, except for the charred26 hole in the wardrobe. Holly and Artemis climbed through on to a white shag-pile carpet with whitewood slide wardrobes. They stepped through the doors into a room that glowed in the dark. Futuristic furniture — white, of course. White spotlights27 and white drapes.

Holly took a moment to study a painting that dominated one wall.

‘Oh, give me a break,’ she said.

The picture was in oils. Completely white. There was a brass28 plaque29 beneath. It read ‘Snow Ghost’.

Spiro lay in the centre of a huge futon, lost in the dunes30 of its silk sheets. Holly pulled back the covers, rolling him over on to his back. Even in sleep the man’s face was malevolent31, as though his dreams were every bit as despicable as his waking thoughts.

‘Nice guy,’ said Holly, using her thumb to raise Spiro’s left eyelid33. Her helmet camera scanned the eye, storing the information on chip. It would be a simple matter to project the file on to the vault34’s scanner and fool the security computer.

The thumb scan would not be so simple. Because the device was a gel scanner, the tiny sensors35 would be searching for the actual ridges37 and whorls of Spiro’s thumb. A projection38 would not do. It had to be 3D. Artemis had come up with the idea of using a memory-latex bandage, standard issue in any LEP first-aid kit39 — and the same latex used to glue the mike to his throat. All they had to do was wrap Spiro’s thumb in a bandage for a moment and they would have a mould of the digit14. Holly spooled40 a bandage from her belt, tearing off a fifteen-centimetre strip.

‘It won’t work,’ said Artemis.

Holly’s heart sank. This was it. The thing that Artemis hadn’t told her.

‘What won’t work?’

‘The memory latex. It won’t fool the gel scanner.’

Holly climbed off the futon. ‘I don’t have time for this, Artemis. We don’t have time for it. The memory latex will make a perfect copy, right down to the last molecule41.’

Artemis’s eyes were downcast. ‘A perfect model, true, but in reverse. Like a photo negative. Ridges where there should be grooves42.’

‘D’Arvit!’ swore Holly. The Mud Boy was right. Of course he was. The scanner would read the latex as a completely different thumbprint. Her cheeks glowed red behind the visor.

‘You knew this, Mud Boy. You knew it all along.’

Artemis didn’t bother denying it.

‘I’m amazed no one else spotted43 it.’

‘So why lie?’

Artemis walked round to the far side of the bed, grasping Spiro’s right hand.

‘Because there is no way to fool the gel scanner. It has to see the real thumb.’

Holly snorted. ‘What do you want me to do? Cut it off and take it with us?’

Artemis silence was response enough.

‘What? You want me to cut off his thumb? Are you insane?’

Artemis waited patiently for the outburst to pass.

‘Listen to me, Captain. It’s only a temporary measure. The thumb can be reattached. True?’

Holly raised her palms. ‘Just shut up, Artemis. Just close your mouth. And I thought you’d changed. The commander was right. There’s no changing human nature.’

‘Four minutes,’ persisted Artemis. ‘We have four minutes to crack the vault and get back. Spiro won’t feel a thing.’

Four minutes was the textbook healing deadline. After that there were no guarantees that the thumb would take. The skin would bind44, but the muscles and nerve endings could reject.

Holly felt as though her helmet were shrinking.

‘Artemis, I’ll stun45 you, so help me.’

‘Think, Holly. I had no choice but to lie about my plan. Would you have agreed if I had told you earlier?’

‘No. And I’m not agreeing now!’

Artemis’s face glowed as pale as the walls. ‘You have to, Captain. There is no other way.’

Holly waved Artemis aside as though he were a persistent46 fly and spoke47 into her helmet mike.

‘Foaly, are you listening to this insanity48?’

‘It sounds insane, Holly, but if you don’t get this technology back, we could lose a whole lot more than a thumb.’

‘I can’t believe it. Whose side are you on, Foaly? I don’t even want to think about the legal ramifications49 of this.’

The centaur snickered. ‘Legal ramifications? We’re a tad beyond the court systems here, Captain. This is a secret operation. No records and no clearance50. If this came out, we’d all be out of a job. A thumb here or there is not going to make any difference.’

Holly turned up the climate control in her helmet, directing a blast of cold air at her forehead.

‘Are you sure we can make it, Artemis?’

Artemis ran a few mental calculations. ‘Yes. I’m sure. And anyway, we have no option but to try.’

Holly crossed to the other side of the futon.

‘I can’t believe I’m even considering this.’ She lifted Spiro’s hand gently. He did not react, not so much as a sleep murmur51. Behind his eyelids52, Spiro’s eyes jittered53 in REM sleep.

Holly drew her weapon. Of course, in theory, it was perfectly54 feasible to remove a digit and then magically reattach it. There would be no harm done, and quite possibly the injection of magic would clear up a few of the liver spots on Spiro’s hand. But that wasn’t the point. This was not how magic was supposed to be used. Artemis was manipulating the People to his own ends, once again.

‘Fifteen-centimetre beam,’ said Foaly in her ear. ‘Very high frequency. We need a clean cut. And give him a shot of magic while you’re doing it. It might buy you a couple of minutes.’

For some reason, Artemis was checking behind Spiro’s ears.

‘Hmm,’ he said. ‘Clever.’

‘What?’ hissed55 Holly. ‘What now?’

Artemis stepped back. ‘Nothing important. Continue.’

A red glow reflected from Holly’s visor as a short, concentrated laser beam erupted from the nozzle of her Neutrino.

‘One cut,’ said Artemis. ‘Clean.’

Holly glared at him. ‘Don’t, Mud Boy. Not a word. Especially not advice.’

Artemis backed off. Certain battles were won by retreating.

Using her left thumb and forefinger58, Holly made a circle round Spiro’s thumb. She sent a gentle pulse of magic into the human’s hand. In seconds the skin tightened59, lines disappeared and muscle tone returned.

‘Filter,’ she said into her mike. ‘X-ray.’

The filter dropped and suddenly everything was transparent, including Spiro’s hand. The bones and joints61 were clearly visible below the skin. They only needed the print, so she would cut between the knuckles62. It would be difficult enough reattaching under pressure without adding a complex joint60 into the equation.

Holly took a breath and held it. The Sleeper Deeper would act more effectively than any anaesthetic. Spiro would not flinch63 or feel the smallest jolt64 of discomfort65. She made the cut. A smooth cut that sealed as it went. Not a drop of blood was spilt.

Artemis wrapped the thumb in a handkerchief from Spiro’s closet.

‘Nice work,’ he said. ‘Let’s go. The clock is ticking.’

 

Artemis and Holly climbed back down through the wardrobe to the eighty-fifth. There was almost a mile and a half of corridor on this floor and six guards patrolling it in pairs at any one time. Their routes were specially57 planned so that one pair could always have an eyeball-sighting of the vault door. The vault corridor was a hundred metres long and took eighty seconds to travel. At the end of that eighty seconds, the next pair of guards stepped round the corner. Luckily, two of the guards were seeing things in a different light this particular morning.

Foaly gave them their cue. ‘OK. Our boys are approaching their corner.’ ‘Are you sure it’s them? These gorillas66 all look the same. Small heads, no necks.’

 ‘I’m sure. Their targets are showing up bright and clear.’

Holly had painted Pex and Chips with a stamp generally used by customs and immigration for invisible visas. The stamps glowed orange when viewed through an infrared filter.

Holly pushed Artemis out the door in front of her. ‘OK. Go. And no sarcastic68 comments.’

There was no need for the warning. Even Artemis Fowl was not inclined to be sarcastic at such a dangerous stage of the operation.

He ran down the corridor straight towards the two mammoth69 security guards. Their jackets protruded70 angularly beneath their armpits. Guns, no doubt. Big ones, with lots of bullets.

‘Are you sure they’re mesmerized72?’ he asked Holly, who was hovering74 overhead.

‘Of course. Their minds are so blank it was like writing with chalk on a board. But I could stun them if you’d prefer.’

‘No,’ panted Artemis. ‘No trace. There must be no trace.’

Pex and Chips were closer now, discussing the merits of various fictional75 characters.

‘Captain Hook rocks,’ said Pex. ‘He would kick Barney’s purple butt76 ten times out often.’

Chips  sighed. ‘You’re missing the whole point of Barney.   It’s   a  values  thing.   Butt-kicking  is  not  the issue.’

They walked right past Artemis without seeing him. And why would they see him? Holly had mesmerized them not to notice anybody out of the ordinary on this floor, unless they were specifically pointed out to them.

The outer security booth lay before them. There were approximately forty seconds left before the next set of guards turned the corner. The unmesmerized set.

‘Just over half a minute, Holly. You know what to do.’

Holly turned up the thermo coils in her suit so they were exactly at room temperature. This would fool the lattice of lasers that criss-crossed the vault’s entrance. Next she set her wings to a gentle hover73. Any more downdraughts could activate77 the pressure pad underfoot. She pulled herself forward, finding purchase along the wall where her helmet told her no sensors were hidden. The pressure pad trembled from the air displacement78, but not enough to activate the sensor36.

Artemis watched her progress impatiently.

‘Hurry, Holly. Twenty seconds.’

Holly grunted79 something unprintable, dragging herself to within touching80 distance of the door.

‘Video File Spiro 3,’ she said, and her helmet computer ran the footage of Jon Spiro punching in the vault door code. She mimicked81 his actions and, inside the steel door, six reinforced pistons82 retracted83, allowing the counterweighted door to swing wide on its hinges. All external alarms were automatically shut off. The secondary door stood firm, three red lights burning on its panel. Only three barriers left now. The gel pad, the retina scan and voice activation84.

This kind of operation was too complicated for voice command. Foaly’s computers had been known to misinterpret orders, even though the centaur insisted it was fairy error. Holly ripped back the Velcro strap85 covering the helmet command-pad on her wrist.

First, she projected a 3D image of Spiro’s eyeball to a height of five foot six. The retina scanner sent out a revolving86 beam to read the virtual eyeball. Apparently87 satisfied, it disabled the first lock. A red light switched to green.

The next step was to call up the appropriate soundwave file to trick the voice check. The equipment was very sophisticated, and could not be fooled by a recording88. A human recording, that is. Foaly’s digital mikes made copies that were indistinguishable from the real thing. Even stink89 worms, whose entire bodies were covered with ears, could be attracted by a worm-mating hiss56 from Foaly’s recording equipment. He was currently in negotiation90 with a bug-collection agency for the patent.

Holly played the file through her helmet speakers. ‘Jon Spiro. I am the boss, so open up quick.’

Alarm number two disengaged. Another green light.

‘Excuse me, Captain,’ said Artemis, an undercurrent of apprehension92 creeping into his voice. ‘We’re almost out of time.’

He unwrapped the thumb and stepped past Holly, on to the red floor plate. Artemis pressed the thumb into the scanner. Green gel oozed93 into the severed94 digit’s whorls. The alarm display flashed green. It had worked. Of course it had. The thumb was genuine, after all.

But nothing else happened. The door did not open.

Holly punched Artemis in the shoulder.

‘Well? Are we in?’

‘Apparently not. The punching is not helping my concentration, by the way.’

Artemis glared at the console. What had he missed? Think, boy, think. Put those famed brain cells to work. He leaned closer to the secondary door, shifting his weight from his back leg. Beneath him, the red plate squeaked95.

‘Of course!’ exclaimed Artemis. He grabbed Holly, hugging her close.

‘It’s not just a red marker,’ he explained hurriedly. ‘It’s weight-sensitive.’

Artemis was right. Their combined mass was close enough to Spiro’s own to hoodwink the scales. Obviously a mechanical device, a computer would never have been fooled. The secondary door slid into its groove below their feet.

Artemis handed Holly the thumb.

‘Go,’ he said. ‘Spiro’s time is running out. I’m right behind you.’

Holly took the thumb. ‘And if you’re not?’

‘Then we go to Plan B.’

Holly nodded slowly. ‘Let’s hope we don’t have to.’

‘Let’s hope.’

Artemis strode into the vault. He ignored the fortune in jewels and bearer bonds, heading straight for the Cube’s perspex prison. There were two bullish security guards blocking the way. Both men had oxygen masks strapped96 over their faces and were unnaturally97 still.

‘Excuse me, gentlemen. Would either of you mind if I borrowed Mister Spiro’s Cube?’

Neither man responded. Not so much as a flicker98 of an eyebrow99. This was undoubtedly100 because of the paralytic101 gas in their oxygen tanks, concocted102 from the venom103 of a nest of Peruvian spiders. The gas was similar in chemical make-up to a salve used by South-American natives as an anaesthetic.

Artemis keyed in the code, which Foaly was reciting in his ear, and the four sides of the perspex box descended104 into the column on silent motors, leaving the C Cube unprotected. He reached out a hand for the box . . .

 

SPIRO’S BEDROOM

 

Holly climbed through the wardrobe into Spiro’s bedroom. The industrialist105 lay in the same position she had left him, his breathing regular and normal. The stopwatch on Holly’s visor read 4:57 a.m. and counting. Just in time.

Holly unwrapped the thumb gingerly, aligning106 it with the rest of the digit. Spiro’s hand felt cold and unhealthy to her touch. She used the magnification filter in her visor to zoom107 in on the severed thumb. As close as she could figure, the two halves were lined up.

‘Heal,’ she said, and the magical sparks erupted from the tips of her fingers, sinking into the two halves of Spiro’s thumb. Threads of blue light stitched the dermis108 and epidermis109 together, fresh skin breaking through the old to conceal110 the cut. The thumb began to vibrate and bubble. Steam vented111 from the pores forming a mist around Spiro’s hand. His arm shook violently, the shock travelling across his bony chest. Spiro’s back arched until Holly thought it would snap, then the industrialist collapsed112 back on to the bed. Throughout the entire process, his heart never skipped a beat.

A few stray sparks skipped along Spiro’s body like stones on a pond, targeting the areas behind both ears, exactly where Artemis had been looking earlier. Curious. Holly pulled back one ear to reveal a crescent-shaped scar, rapidly being erased113 by the magic. There was a matching scar behind the other ear.

Holly used her visor to zoom in on one of the scars.

‘Foaly. What do you make of these?’

‘Surgery,’ replied the centaur. ‘Maybe our friend Spiro got himself a facelift. Or maybe . . .’

‘Or maybe it’s not Spiro,’ completed Holly, switching to Artemis’s channel. ‘Artemis. It’s not Spiro. It’s a double. Do you hear me? Respond, Artemis.’

Artemis didn’t reply. Maybe because he wouldn’t; maybe because he couldn’t.

 

THE VAULT

 

Artemis reached out a hand for the box, and a false wall hissed back pneumatically. Behind it stood Jon Spiro and Arno Blunt. Spiro’s smile was so wide he could have swallowed a slice of watermelon.

He clapped his hands, jewellery jangling. ‘Bravo, Master Fowl. Some of us didn’t think you’d make it this far.’

Blunt took a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Spiro.

‘Thank you very much, Arno. I hope this teaches you not to bet against the house.’

Artemis nodded thoughtfully. ‘In the bedroom. That was a double.’

‘Yes. Costa, my cousin. We got the same shaped head. One or two cuts and we could be peas in a pod.’

‘So you set the gel scanner to accept his print.’

‘For one night only. I wanted to see how far you’d get. You’re an amazing kid, Arty. No one ever made it into the vault before, and you’d be amazed how many professionals have tried. There are obviously a few glitches114 in my system, something the security people will have to look at. How did you get in here anyway? You don’t appear to have Costa with you.’

‘Trade secret.’

Spiro stepped down from a low platform. ‘No matter. We’ll review the tapes. There are bound to be a couple of cameras you couldn’t rig. One thing is for sure; you didn’t do it without help. Check him for an earpiece, Arno.’

It took Blunt less than five seconds to find the earpiece. He plucked it out triumphantly115, crushing the tiny cylinder116 beneath his boot.

Spiro sighed. ‘I have no doubt, Arno, that that little electronic wonder was worth more than you will make in a lifetime. I don’t know why I keep you around. I really don’t.’

Blunt grimaced117. This set of teeth was perspex, half-filled with blue oil. A macabre118 wave machine.

‘Sorry, Mister Spiro.’

‘You will be sorrier still, my dentally challenged friend,’ said Artemis, ‘because Butler is coming.’

Blunt took an involuntary step backwards119.

‘Don’t think that mumbo jumbo is scaring me. Butler is dead. I saw him go down.’

‘Go down, perhaps. But did you see him die? If I remember the sequence of events correctly, after you shot Butler, he shot you.’

Blunt touched the sutures on his temple. ‘A lucky shot.’

‘Lucky? Butler is a proud marksman. I wouldn’t say that to his face.’

Spiro laughed delightedly. ‘The kid is messing with your mind, Arno. Thirteen years old and he’s playing you like a grand piano in Carnegie Hall. Get yourself a spine121, man; you’re supposed to be a professional.’

Blunt tried to pull himself together, but the ghost of Butler haunted his features.

Spiro plucked the C Cube from its cushion. ‘This is fun, Arty. All this tough talk and repartee122, but it doesn’t mean anything. I win again; you’ve been outflanked. This has all been a game to me. Amusement. Your little operation has been most educational, if pathetic. But you gotta realize that it’s over now. You’re on your own, and I don’t have time for any more games!’

Artemis sighed, the picture of defeat. ‘All of this has been a lesson, hasn’t it? Just to show me who’s boss.’

 ‘Exactly. It takes some people a while to learn. I find the smarter the enemy, the bigger the ego91. You had to realize that you were no match for me before you would do what I asked.’ Spiro placed a bony hand on the Irish boy’s shoulder. Artemis could feel the weight of his jewellery. ‘Now listen carefully, kid. I want you to unlock this Cube. No more blarney. I never met a computer nerd yet who didn’t leave himself a back door. You open this baby up now, or I’m gonna stop being amused, and, believe me, you don’t want that.’

Artemis took the red Cube in both hands, staring at its flat screen. This was the delicate phase of his plan. Spiro had to believe that once again he had outmanoeuvred Artemis Fowl.

‘Do it, Arty. Do it now.’

Artemis ran a hand across his dry lips.

‘Very well. I need a minute.’

Spiro patted his shoulder. ‘I’m a generous man. Take two.’ He nodded at Blunt. ‘Stay close, Arno. I don’t want our little friend setting any more booby traps.’

Artemis sat at the stainless-steel table, exposing the Cube’s inner workings. He quickly manipulated a complicated bunch of fibre optics, removing one strand123 altogether. The LEP blocker. After less than a minute he resealed the Cube.

Spiro’s eyes were wide with anticipation124, and dreams of unlimited125 wealth danced in his brain.

 ‘Good news, Arty. I want good news only.’

Artemis was more subdued126 now, as if the reality of his situation had finally eaten through his cockiness.

‘I rebooted it. It’s working. Except . . .’

Spiro waved his hands. Bracelets127 jingled128 like cat bells. ‘Except! This better be an itty bitty except kinda thing.’

‘It’s nothing. Hardly worth mentioning. I had to revert129 to version 1.0; version 1.2 was coded strictly130 to my voice patterns. 1.0 is less secure, if a bit more temperamental.’

‘Temperamental. You’re a box, not my grandmother, Cube.’

‘I am not a box!’ said Foaly, the Cube’s new voice, thanks to the removed blocker. ‘I am a marvel131 of artificial intelligence. I live therefore I learn.’

‘See what I mean?’ said Artemis weakly. The centaur was going to blow it. Spiro’s suspicions must not be aroused at this stage.

Spiro glared at the Cube, as though it were an underling.

‘Are you gonna give me attitude, mister?’

The Cube did not reply.

‘You have to address it by name,’ explained Artemis. ‘Otherwise it would answer every question within hearing distance of its sensors.’

‘And what is its name?’

Juliet often used the term ‘duh’. Artemis would not use such colloquialisms132 himself, but it would be apt at this particular moment.

‘Its name is Cube.’

‘OK, Cube. Are you going to give me attitude?’

‘I will give you whatever is in my processor’s capacity to give.’

Spiro rubbed his palms with childish glee, jewellery flashing like ripples133 in a sunset sea.

‘OK, let’s try this baby out. Cube, can you tell me -are there any satellites monitoring the building?’

Foaly was silent for a moment. Artemis could imagine him calling up his Sat-track information on a screen.

‘Just one at the moment, though, judging from the ion trails, this building has been hit with more rays than the Millennium134 Falcon135.’

Spiro shot Artemis a glance.

‘His personality chip is faulty,’ explained the boy. ‘That’s why I discontinued him, it. We can fix that at any time.’

Spiro nodded. He didn’t want his very own technological136 genie137 growing the personality of a gorilla67.

‘What about that group, the LEP, Cube?’ he asked. ‘They were monitoring me in London. Are they watching?’

‘The LEP? That’s a Lebanese satellite TV network,’ said Foaly, following Artemis’s instructions. ‘Game shows mostly. Their footprint doesn’t reach this far.’

‘OK, forget about them, Cube. I need to know that satellite’s serial138 number.’

Foaly consulted a screen.

‘Ah . . . Let me see. US, registered to the federal government. Number ST1147P.’

Spiro clenched139 both fists. ‘Yes! Correct. I happen to already have that information myself. Cube, you have passed my test.’

The billionaire danced around the laboratory, reduced to childish displays by his greed.

‘I’m telling you, Arty, this has taken years off me! I feel like putting on a tuxedo140 and going to the prom.’

‘Indeed.’

‘I don’t know where to start. Should I make my own money? Or should I rip off somebody else’s?’

Artemis forced a smile. ‘The world is your oyster141.’

Spiro patted the Cube gently. ‘Exactly. That’s exactly what it is. And I’m going to take every pearl it has to offer.’

Pex and Chips arrived at the vault door, guns drawn142.

‘Mister Spiro!’ stammered143 Pex. ‘Is this some kind of drill?’

Spiro laughed. ‘Oh, look. Here comes the cavalry144. An eternity145 too late. No, this is not a drill. And I would dearly love to know how little Artemis here got past you two!’

The hired muscle stared at Artemis as though he had just appeared from nowhere. Which, for their mesmerized brains, he had.

‘We don’t know, Mister Spiro. We never saw him. Do you want us to take him outside for a little accident?’

Spiro laughed, a short nasty bark. ‘I gotta new word for you two dumb-bells. Expendable . You are and he isn’t, just yet. Get it? So just stand there and look dangerous, otherwise I may replace you with two shaved gorillas.’

Spiro gazed into the Cube’s screen, as though there were nobody else in the room. ‘I reckon I’ve got twenty years left in me. After that the world can go to hell as far as I’m concerned. I don’t have any family, no heirs. There’s no need to build for the future. I’m going to suck this planet dry, and with this Cube I can do whatever I want to whoever I want.’

‘I know the first thing I’d do,’ said Pex. His eyes seemed surprised that the words were coming out of his mouth.

Spiro froze. He wasn’t used to being interrupted in mid-rant.

‘What would you do, dumb-bell?’ he said. ‘Buy yourself a booth at Merv’s Rib146 ‘n’ Roast?’

‘No,’ said Pex. ‘I’d stick it to those Phonetix guys. They’ve been rubbing Spiro Industries’ nose in it for years.’

It was an electric moment. Not only because Pex had actually had an idea, but because it was actually a good one.

The notion lit a thoughtful spark in Spiro’s eyes.

‘Phonetix. My biggest competitors. I hate those guys. Nothing would give me greater satisfaction than to destroy that bunch of second-rate phone freaks. But how?’

Now it was Chips’ turn. ‘I hear they’re working on a new top-secret communicator. Super-life battery, or something.’

Spiro did a double take. First Pex, now Chips? Next thing you knew they’d be learning to read. Nevertheless . . .

‘Cube,’ said Spiro, ‘I want you to access the Phonetix database. Copy the schematics for all their projects in development.’

‘No can do, boss man. Phonetix is operating on a closed system. No Internet connection whatsoever147 in its R & D department. I have to be on-site.’

Spiro’s euphoria disappeared. He rounded on Artemis.

‘What is he talking about?’

Artemis coughed, clearing his throat. ‘The Cube cannot scan a closed system unless the omni-sensor is actually touching the computer or, at least, close by. Phonetix is so paranoid about hackers149 that the research and development lab is completely contained, buried under several floors of solid rock. They don’t even have e-mail. I know because I’ve tried to hack148 it myself a few times.’

‘But the Cube scanned the satellite, didn’t it?’

‘The satellite is broadcasting. And if it’s broadcasting, the Cube can trace it.’

Spiro toyed with the links of his ID chain. ‘So, I’d have to go to Phonetix.’

‘I wouldn’t recommend it,’ said Artemis. ‘It’s a lot to risk for the sake of a personal vendetta150.’

Blunt stepped forward. ‘Let me go, Mister Spiro. I’ll get those plans.’

Spiro chewed on a handful of vitamin supplements from a dispenser on his belt.

‘It’s a nice idea, Arno. Good work. But I am reluctant to hand control of the Cube over to anyone else. Who knows what temptation they might yield to? Cube, can you disable the Phonetix alarm system?’

‘Can a dwarf151 blow a hole in his pants?’

‘What was that?’

‘Eh . . . Nothing. Technical term. You wouldn’t understand it. I have already disabled the Phonetix system.’

‘What about the guards, Cube? Can you disable them?’

‘No problemo. I could remote-activate the internal security measure.’

‘Which is?’

‘Tanks of vapour inside the air vents120. Sleeping gas. Illegal, by the way, according to Chicago State Law. But clever, no after-effects, untraceable. The intruder comes to in lock-up two hours later.’

Spiro cackled. ‘Those paranoid Phonetix boys. Go ahead, Cube, knock ‘em out.’

‘Night night,’ said Foaly, with a glee that seemed all too real.

‘Good. Now, Cube, all that stands between us and the Phonetix blueprints152 is an encrypted computer.’

‘Don’t make me laugh. They haven’t invented a unit of time short enough to measure how long it will take me to crack the Phonetix hard disk.’

Spiro clipped the Cube on to his belt. ‘You know something? I’m starting to like this guy.’

Artemis made one last sincere-sounding attempt to contain the situation. ‘Mister Spiro, I really don’t think that this is a good idea.’

‘Of course you don’t,’ laughed Jon Spiro, jangling towards the door. ‘That’s why I’m bringing you along.’

 

PHONETIX RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT LABORATORIES, CHICAGO’S INOUSTRIAL SECTOR153

 

Spiro selected a Lincoln Town Car from his extensive garage. It was a nineties model, with fake registration154. He often used it as a getaway vehicle. It was old enough to be unremarkable, and even if the police did get a shot of the plates, it wouldn’t lead them anywhere.

Blunt parked opposite the Phonetix R & D lab’s main entrance. A security guard was visible at his desk behind the glass revolving door. Arno pulled a pair of fold-up binoculars155 from the glove compartment156. He focused on the guard.

‘Sleeping like a baby,’ he announced.

Spiro clapped him on the shoulder.

‘Good. We have less than two hours. Can we do it?’

‘If this Cube is as good as it says it is, then we can be in and out in fifteen minutes.’

‘It’s a machine,’ said Artemis coldly. ‘Not one of your steroid-munching associates.’

Blunt glanced over his shoulder. Artemis sat in the back seat, squashed between Pex and Chips.

‘You’re very brave all of a sudden.’

Artemis shrugged157. ‘What have I got to lose? After all, things can hardly get worse.’

 

There was a normal door beside the revolving one. The Cube remote-activated the buzzer158, admitting the band of intruders to the lobby. No alarms sounded, and no platoon of security guards came rushing to detain them.

Spiro strode down the corridor, emboldened159 by his new-found technological friend and the thought of finally putting Phonetix out of business. The security lift put up no more resistance to the Cube than a picket160 fence would to a tank, and soon Spiro and Co. were riding the eight floors down to the sunken laboratory.

 ‘We’re going underground,’ chortled Pex. ‘Down where the dinosaur161 bones are. Did you know that after a million billion years dinosaur dung turns into diamonds?’

Usually a comment like that would have been a shootable offence, but Spiro was in a good mood.

‘No, I didn’t know that, Pex. Maybe I should pay your wages in dung.’

Pex decided162 that it would be better for his finances if he just kept his mouth shut from then on.

The lab itself was protected by a thumbprint scanner. Not even gel. It was a simple matter for the Cube to scan the fingerprint163 on the plate then project it back on to the sensor. There wasn’t even a key-code back-up.

‘Easy,’ crowed Spiro. ‘I should have done this years ago.’

‘A little credit would be nice,’ said Foaly, unable to hide his pique164. ‘After all, I did get us in here and disable the guards.’

Spiro held the box before him. ‘Not crushing you into scrap165 metal, Cube, is my way of saying thank you.’

‘You’re welcome,’ grumbled166 Foaly.

Arno Blunt checked the security monitor bank. Throughout the facility, guards lay unconscious, one with half a rye sandwich stuffed in his mouth.

‘I gotta admit it, Mister Spiro. This is beautiful. Phonetix is even gonna have to foot the bill for the sleeping gas.’

Spiro glanced towards the ceiling. Several camera lights winked167 red in the shadows.

‘Cube, are we gonna have to raid the video room on our way out?’

‘It ain’t gonna happen,’ said Foaly, the method actor. ‘I wiped your patterns from the video.’

Artemis was suspended by the armpits between Pex and Chips.

‘Traitor,’ he muttered. ‘I gave you life, Cube. I am your creator.’

‘Yeah, well, maybe you made me too much like you, Fowl, aurum potestas est. Gold is power. I’m just doing what you taught me.’

Spiro patted the Cube fondly. ‘I love this guy. He’s like the brother I never had.’

‘I thought you had a brother?’ said Chips, puzzled, which was not unusual for him.

‘OK,’ said Spiro. ‘He’s like a brother I actually like.’

The Phonetix server was located in the centre of the lab. A monolithic168 hard drive, with python-like cables rippling169 out to various workstations.

Spiro undipped his new best friend from his belt.

‘Where do you need to be, Cube?’

‘Just pop me down on the lid of the server, and my omni-sensor will do the rest.’

Spiro complied and, in seconds, schematics were flickering170 across the C Cube’s tiny screen.

‘I have them,’ crowed Spiro, his hands two fists of triumph. ‘That’s the last snide e-mail with stock prices I get from these guys.’

‘Download complete,’ said Foaly smugly. ‘We have every Phonetix project for the next decade.’

Spiro cradled the Cube against his chest.

‘Beautiful. I can launch our version of the Phonetix phone before they do, make myself a few extra million before I release the Cube.’

Arno’s attention was focused on the security monitors.

‘Eh, Mister Spiro. I think we have a situation here.’

‘A situation?’ growled171 Spiro. ‘What does that mean? You’re not a soldier any more, Blunt. Speak English.’

The New Zealander tapped a screen as if that would change what he was seeing.

‘I mean, we have a problem. A big problem.’

Spiro grabbed Artemis by the shoulders.

‘What have you done, Fowl? Is this some kind of . . .?’

The accusation172 died before it could be completed. Spiro had noticed something.

‘Your eyes. What’s wrong with your eyes? They don’t match.’

Artemis treated him to his best vampire173 smile.

‘All the better to see you with, Spiro.’

 

In  the   Phonetix  lobby,   the   sleeping  security  guard suddenly regained174 her senses. It was Juliet. She peeped out from under the brim of a borrowed cap to make sure Spiro had not left anyone in the corridor.

Following Artemis’s capture in Spiro’s vault, Holly had flown them both to Phonetix to initiate175 Plan B.

Of course, there had been no sleeping gas. For that matter there had only been two guards. One was taking a restroom break and the other was doing the rounds of the upper floors. Still, Spiro wasn’t to know that. He was busy watching Foaly’s family of sim security snoring all over the building, thanks to a video clip on the Phonetix system.

Juliet lifted the desk phone and dialled three numbers.

9 . . . 1 . . . 1

 

Spiro reached two fingers delicately into Artemis’s eye, plucking out the iris-cam. He studied it closely, noting the microcircuitry on the concave side.

‘This is electronic,’ he whispered. ‘Amazing. What is it?’

Artemis blinked a tear from his eye. ‘It’s nothing. It was never here. Just as I was never here.’

Spiro’s face twisted in sheer hatred176. ‘You were here all right, Fowl, and you’ll never leave here.’

Blunt tapped his employer on the shoulder. An act of unforgivable familiarity.

‘Boss, Mister Spiro. You really need to see this.’

 

*

 

Juliet stripped off her Phonetix Security jacket. Underneath177 she wore a Chicago PD SWAT uniform. Things could get hairy in the R & D Lab, and it was her job to make sure that Artemis did not get hurt. She hid behind a pillar in the lobby and waited for the sirens.

 

Spiro stared at the lab’s security monitors. The pictures had changed. There were no more guards slumbering178 around the facility. Instead, the screens played a tape of Spiro and his cronies breaking into Phonetix. With one crucial difference: there was no trace of Artemis on the screen.

‘What’s happening, Cube?’ spluttered Spiro. ‘You said that we’d all be wiped from the tapes.’

‘I lied. It must be the criminal personality I’m developing.’

Spiro smashed the Cube against the floor. It remained intact.

‘Tough polymer,’ said Artemis, picking up the microcomputer179. ‘Almost unbreakable.’

‘Unlike you,’ retorted Spiro.

Artemis looked like a doll between Pex and Chips. ‘Don’t you understand yet? You’re all on tape. The Cube was working for me.’

‘Big deal. So we’re on tape. All I have to do is pay the security booth a visit and take the recordings180.’

 ‘It’s not going to be that simple.’

Spiro still believed that there was a way out.

‘And why not? Who’s gonna stop me? Little old you?’

Artemis pointed to the screens. ‘No. Little old them.’

 

The Chicago PD brought everything they had, and a few things they had to borrow. Phonetix was the city’s biggest single employer, not to mention one of the top five subscribers to the Police Benevolent181 Fund. When the 911 call came in the duty sergeant182 put out a citywide summons.

In less than five minutes there were twenty uniforms and a full SWAT team beating on the Phonetix doors. Two choppers hovered183 overhead and eight snipers lined the roofs of the adjacent buildings. No one was leaving the area, unless they were invisible.

The Phonetix security guard had returned from his rounds and just noticed the intruders on the monitors. Shortly after that he noticed a group of Chicago PD uniforms tapping the door with their gun barrels.

He buzzed them in. ‘I was just about to call you guys,’ he said. ‘There’s a buncha intruders in the vault. They musta tunnelled in or somethin’, ‘cause they didn’t come past me.’

The security guard on a restroom break was even more surprised. He was just finishing off the sports section of the Herald184 Tribune when two very serious-looking men in body armour185 burst into the cubicle186.

 ‘ID?’ growled one, who apparently did not have the time for full sentences.

The security guard held up his laminated card with a shaking hand.

‘Stay put, sir,’ advised the other police officer. He didn’t have to say it twice.

Juliet slipped out from behind the pillar, joining the ranks of the SWAT team. She pointed her gun and roared with the best of them, and was instantly assimilated into the group. Their assault was cut short by a tiny problem. There was only one access-point to the lab. The lift shaft187.

Two officers prised open the lift door with crowbars.

‘Here’s our dilemma,’ said one. ‘We cut the power, then we can’t get the lift up here. If we call the lift up here first, then we tip off our intruders.’

Juliet shouldered herself to the front of the group.

‘Excuse me, sir. Let me go down on the cables. I blow the doors and you cut the power.’

The commander did not even consider it. ‘No. Too dangerous. The intruders would have plenty of time to put a hundred rounds into the lift. Who are you anyway?’

Juliet took a small gripper from her belt. She clipped it on to the lift cable and hopped188 into the shaft.

‘I’m new,’ she said, disappearing into the blackness.

 

*

 

In the laboratory, Spiro and Co. were hypnotized by the monitors. Foaly had allowed the screens to show what was actually happening on the upper levels.

‘SWAT,’ said Blunt. ‘Helicopters. Heavy armament. How did this happen?’

Spiro smacked189 his own forehead repeatedly.

‘A set-up. This entire thing. A set-up. I suppose Mo Digence was working for you too?’

‘Yes. Pex and Chips too, even if they didn’t know it. You would never have come here if I’d suggested it.’

 ‘But how? How did you do this? It’s not possible.’

Artemis glanced at the monitors. ‘Obviously it is. I knew you would be waiting for me in the Spiro Needle vault. After that, all I had to do was use your own hatred of Phonetix to lure190 you here, out of your environment.’

‘If I go down, so do you.’

‘Incorrect. I was never here. The tapes will prove it.’

‘But you are here!’ roared Spiro, his nerves shot. His whole body vibrated and spittle sprayed from his lips in a wide arc. ‘Your dead body will prove it. Give me the gun, Arno. I’m going to shoot him.’

Blunt could not hide his disappointment, but he did as he was told. Spiro pointed the weapon with shaky hands. Pex and Chips stepped rapidly to one side. The boss was not known for his marksmanship.

‘You have taken everything from me,’ he shouted. ‘Everything.’

Artemis was strangely calm. ‘You don’t understand, Jon. It’s like I told you. I am not here.’ He paused for breath. ‘And one more thing. About my name —Artemis -you were right. In London, it is generally a female name, after the Greek goddess of archery. But every now and then a male comes along with such a talent for hunting that he earns the right to use the name. I am that male. Artemis the hunter. I hunted you.’

And just like that, he disappeared.

 

Holly had been hovering above Spiro and Co. all the way from the Spiro Needle to the Phonetix building. She had got permission to enter the facility minutes earlier when Juliet had called to enquire191 about the public tours.

Juliet had put on her best cutesy voice for the security guide.

‘Hey, mister, is it OK if I bring my invisible friend?’

‘Sure it is, honey,’ replied the guide. ‘Bring your security blanket too, if it makes you happy.’

They were in.

Holly hovered at ceiling level, following Artemis’s progress below. The Mud Boy’s plan was fraught192 with risk. If Spiro decided to shoot him in the Needle, then it was all over.

But no, just as Artemis predicted, Spiro had opted193 to gloat for as long as possible, basking194 in the glow of his own demented genius. But, of course, it wasn’t his own genius. It was Artemis’s. The boy had orchestrated this whole operation from beginning to end. It had even been his idea to mesmerize71 Pex and Chips. It was crucial that they plant the idea to invade Phonetix.

Holly was ready when the lift door opened. She had her weapon charged and targets selected. But she couldn’t go. Wait for the signal.

Artemis dragged it out. Melodramatic to the end. And then, just when Holly was about to disregard her orders and start blasting, he spoke.

‘I am that male. Artemis the hunter. I hunted you.’

Artemis the hunter. The signal.

Holly squeezed the manual throttle195 on her wing rig and descended, stopping short a metre from the ground. She clipped Artemis on to a retractable196 cord on her Moonbelt, then dropped a sheet of cam foil in front of him. To everybody in the room, it would seem as though the boy had disappeared.

‘Up we go,’ she said, though Artemis could not hear her, and opened the throttle wide. In under a second they were nestled safely among the cables and ducts that ran along the ceiling.

Below them, Jon Spiro lost his mind.

 

Spiro blinked. The boy had gone! Just gone! It couldn’t be. He was Jon Spiro! Nobody outsmarted Jon Spiro!

He turned to Pex and Chips, gesticulating wildly with the gun.

‘Where is he?’

‘Huh?’ said the bodyguards198, in perfect unison199. Unrehearsed.

‘Where is Artemis Fowl? What did you do with him?’

‘Nothing, Mister Spiro. We were just standing200 here playing the shoulder game.’

‘Fowl said you were working for him. So hand him over.’

Pex’s brain was churning. This was an operation akin32 to a food blender mixing concrete.

‘Careful, Mister Spiro, guns are dangerous. Especially the end with the hole.’

‘This isn’t over, Artemis Fowl,’ Spiro roared at the ceiling. ‘I will find you. I will never give up. You’ve got Jon Spiro’s word on it. My word!’

He began to fire random201 shots, blowing holes in monitors, vents and conduits. One even came within a metre of Artemis.

Pex and Chips were not quite sure what was going on, but decided that it might be a good idea to join in the fun. They pulled out their weapons and began shooting up the lab.

Blunt did not get involved. He considered his employment contract terminated. There was no way out of this for Spiro — it was every man for himself. He crossed to the wall’s metal panelling and began to dismantle202 it with a power screwdriver203. A section dropped from its casing, behind it a five-centimetre cable space, then solid concrete. They were trapped. Behind him, the lift door dinged.

 

Juliet was crouched204 in the lift shaft.

‘We’re clear,’ said Holly in her earpiece. ‘But Spiro is shooting up the lab.’

Juliet frowned. Her principal was in danger. ‘Knock them out with the Neutrino.’

‘I can’t. If Spiro is unconscious when the police arrive, he could claim a frame-up.’

‘OK. I’m going in.’

‘Negative. Wait for SWAT.’

‘No. You take out the weapons. I’ll handle the rest.’

Mulch had given Juliet a bottle of dwarf rock polish. She poured a little puddle205 on the lift roof and it dissolved like fat on a pan. Juliet hopped into the carriage, crouching206 low in case Blunt decided to put a few rounds into the lift.

‘On three.’

‘Juliet.’

‘I’m going on three.’

‘OK.’

Juliet reached up to the door-open button. ‘One.’ Holly drew her Neutrino, locking all four targets into her visor’s targeting system.

 ‘Two.’ She unshielded for accuracy, the vibration207 would throw her aim right off. For a few seconds she would have to hide behind the foil with Artemis.

‘Three.’

Juliet pressed the button.

Holly squeezed off four shots.

 

Artemis had less than a minute to make his move. Less than a minute while Holly targeted and disarmed208 Spiro and Co. The circumstances were hardly ideal — screaming, gunfire and general mayhem. But then again, what better time to implement209 the final step in this stage of the plan? A very vital step.

The second Holly unshielded to fire, Artemis scrolled210 out a perspex keyboard from the C Cube’s base and began to type. In seconds, he had hacked211 into Spiro’s bank accounts — all thirty-seven of them, in institutions from the Isle212 of Man to the Cavmans. The various account numbers locked into place. He had access to each secret fund.

The Cube quickly ran a tot on the total funds: 2.8 billion US dollars, not counting the contents of various safety deposit boxes, which could not be touched over the Net. 2.8 billion dollars. Plenty to restore the Fowl’s status as one of the top five richest Irish families.

Just as he was about to complete the transaction Artemis remembered his father’s words. His father, returned to him by the fairy folk . . .

. . . And what about you, Arty? Will you make the journey with me? When the moment comes will you take your chance to be a hero? . . .’

Did he really need billions of dollars?

Of course I need it. aurum potestas est. Gold is power.

Really? Will you take your chance to be a hero? To make a difference?

Because he could not groan213 aloud, Artemis rolled his eyes and gritted214 his teeth. Well, if he was going to be a hero, he would be a well paid one. He quickly deducted215 a ten per cent finder’s fee from the 2.8 billion, then sent the rest to Amnesty International. He made the transaction irreversible, in case he weakened later on.

Artemis wasn’t finished yet. There was one more good deed to be attended to. The success of this venture depended on Foaly being too busy watching the show to notice Artemis hacking216 into his system.

He brought up the LEP site and set the code breaker working on a password. It took ten valuable seconds per character, but he was soon flying around LEP micro-sites. Artemis found what he needed on Perp Profiles. Mulch Diggums’s complete arrest record. From there, it was a simple matter to follow the electron trail back to the original search warrant for Mulch’s dwelling217. Artemis changed the date on the warrant to read the day after Mulch’s arrest. This meant that all subsequent arrests and convictions were null and void. A good lawyer would have him out of prison in a heartbeat.

‘I have not finished with you yet, Mulch Diggums,’ he whispered, logging out and clipping the Cube on Holly’s belt.

 

Juliet came through the door so fast her limbs were a blur218. The jade219 ring trailed behind her like a fishing lure on the end of a line.

Butler would never take chances like this, she knew. He would have some perfectly practical, safe plan — which was why he had his blue diamond tattoo220 and she didn’t. Well, maybe she didn’t want a tattoo. Maybe she wanted a life of her own.

She quickly assessed the situation. Holly’s aim was true. The two gorillas were rubbing their scorched221 hands and Spiro was stamping his feet like a spoiled child. Only Blunt was on the floor, going for his gun.

Even though the bodyguard197 was on his hands and knees, he was still almost at her eye level.

‘Aren’t you going to give me a chance to get up?’ he asked.

‘No,’ said Juliet, whipping the jade ring around like the stone that felled Goliath. It impacted on the bridge of Blunt’s nose, cracking it and effectively blinding him for a couple of minutes. Plenty of time for the Chicago Police to get down the shaft.

Blunt was now out of the game. Juliet had expected to feel some satisfaction, but all she felt was sadness. There was no joy in violence.

Pex and Chips felt they should do something. Perhaps disabling the girl would earn them a bonus from Mister Spiro? They circled Juliet, fists raised.

Juliet wagged a finger at them. ‘Sorry, boys. You have to go to sleep.’

The bodyguards ignored her, tightening222 the radius223 of their circle.

‘I said go to sleep.’

Still no response.

‘You have to use exactly the words that I mesmerized them to respond to,’ said Holly in her ear.

Juliet sighed. ‘If I must. OK, gentlemen; Barney says go to sleep.’

Pex and Chips were snoring before they hit the ground.

That just left Spiro, and he was too busy gibbering to be any threat. He was still gibbering when the SWAT team put the cuffs224 on him.

‘I’ll talk to you back at base,’ said the SWAT captain sternly to Juliet. ‘You’re a danger to your comrades and yourself.’

‘Yessir,’ said Juliet contritely225. ‘I don’t know what came over me, sir.’

She glanced upwards226. A slight heat haze227 seemed to be drifting towards the lift shaft. The principal was safe.

 

*

 

Holly holstered her weapon, buzzing up her shield.

‘Time to go,’ she said, the volume on her PA turned to minimum.

Holly wrapped the cam foil tightly round Artemis, making certain no limbs were peeking228 out. It was imperative229 they leave while the lift was empty. Once forensics and the press got there, even a slight shimmer230 in the air might be caught on film.

As they flew across the room, Spiro was being led from the lab. He had finally managed to calm down.

‘This is a set-up,’ he proclaimed in his best innocent voice. ‘My lawyers are gonna rip you guys apart.

Artemis could not resist speaking as they floated past his ear.

‘Farewell, Jon,’ he whispered. ‘Never mess with a boy genius.’

Spiro howled at the ceiling like a demented wolf.

 

Mulch was waiting across the street from the Phonetix lab, revving231 the van like a Grand Prix driver. He sat behind the wheel on an orange crate232, with a short plank233 taped to his foot. The other end of the plank was taped to the accelerator.

Juliet studied the system nervously234. ‘Shouldn’t you untie235 that foot in case you need to use the brakes?

‘Brakes?’ laughed Mulch. ‘Why would I use the breaks? I’m not doing my driving test here.’

In   the   back   of   the   van,   Artemis   and   Holly simultaneously236 reached for their seat belts.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 fowl fljy6     
n.家禽,鸡,禽肉
参考例句:
  • Fowl is not part of a traditional brunch.禽肉不是传统的早午餐的一部分。
  • Since my heart attack,I've eaten more fish and fowl and less red meat.自从我患了心脏病后,我就多吃鱼肉和禽肉,少吃红色肉类。
2 meditating hoKzDp     
a.沉思的,冥想的
参考例句:
  • They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
  • The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
3 holly hrdzTt     
n.[植]冬青属灌木
参考例句:
  • I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。
  • People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。
4 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
5 hop vdJzL     
n.单脚跳,跳跃;vi.单脚跳,跳跃;着手做某事;vt.跳跃,跃过
参考例句:
  • The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛,看谁单足跳跃最快。
  • How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远?
6 cylindrical CnMza     
adj.圆筒形的
参考例句:
  • huge cylindrical gas tanks 巨大的圆柱形贮气罐
  • Beer cans are cylindrical. 啤酒罐子是圆筒形的。
7 astound 1vqzS     
v.使震惊,使大吃一惊
参考例句:
  • His practical grasp of affairs and his energy still astound me.他对事物的实际掌握和他充沛的精力实在使我惊异。
  • He used to astound his friends with feats of physical endurance.过去,他表现出来的惊人耐力常让朋友们大吃一惊。
8 haven 8dhzp     
n.安全的地方,避难所,庇护所
参考例句:
  • It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后,这真是一个安乐窝。
  • The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。
9 centaur zraz4     
n.人首马身的怪物
参考例句:
  • His face reminded me somehow of a centaur.他的脸使我想起半人半马的怪物。
  • No wonder he had soon been hustled away to centaur school.也难怪父母匆匆忙忙就把他送到了半人马学校。
10 erase woMxN     
v.擦掉;消除某事物的痕迹
参考例句:
  • He tried to erase the idea from his mind.他试图从头脑中抹掉这个想法。
  • Please erase my name from the list.请把我的名字从名单上擦去。
11 intrigued 7acc2a75074482e2b408c60187e27c73     
adj.好奇的,被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式);激起…的兴趣或好奇心;“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧!
  • He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。
12 solitary 7FUyx     
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士
参考例句:
  • I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
  • The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际,显得十分壮美。
13 confinement qpOze     
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限
参考例句:
  • He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
  • The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。
14 digit avKxY     
n.零到九的阿拉伯数字,手指,脚趾
参考例句:
  • Her telephone number differs from mine by one digit.她的电话号码和我的只差一个数字。
  • Many animals have five digits.许多动物有5趾。
15 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
16 fluorescent Zz2y3     
adj.荧光的,发出荧光的
参考例句:
  • They observed the deflections of the particles by allowing them to fall on a fluorescent screen.他们让粒子落在荧光屏上以观察他们的偏移。
  • This fluorescent lighting certainly gives the food a peculiar color.这萤光灯当然增添了食物特别的色彩。
17 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
18 transparent Smhwx     
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的
参考例句:
  • The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明,可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
  • The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。
19 guilt 9e6xr     
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责
参考例句:
  • She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
  • Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。
20 wryly 510b39f91f2e11b414d09f4c1a9c5a1a     
adv. 挖苦地,嘲弄地
参考例句:
  • Molly smiled rather wryly and said nothing. 莫莉苦笑着,一句话也没说。
  • He smiled wryly, then closed his eyes and gnawed his lips. 他狞笑一声,就闭了眼睛,咬着嘴唇。 来自子夜部分
21 beads 894701f6859a9d5c3c045fd6f355dbf5     
n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链
参考例句:
  • a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
  • Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。
22 infrared dx0yp     
adj./n.红外线(的)
参考例句:
  • Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
  • Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。
23 groove JeqzD     
n.沟,槽;凹线,(刻出的)线条,习惯
参考例句:
  • They're happy to stay in the same old groove.他们乐于墨守成规。
  • The cupboard door slides open along the groove.食橱门沿槽移开。
24 sleeper gETyT     
n.睡眠者,卧车,卧铺
参考例句:
  • I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
  • But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。
25 replicates 2cb25c60b573b908924058afde2ecd5a     
复制( replicate的第三人称单数 ); 重复; 再造; 再生
参考例句:
  • The bluetongue virus replicates in the insect. 蓝舌病病毒在这种昆虫体内繁殖。
  • The chameleon's skin replicates the pattern of its surroundings. 变色龙的皮肤可随环境的模式而改变颜色。
26 charred 2d03ad55412d225c25ff6ea41516c90b     
v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式);烧焦
参考例句:
  • the charred remains of a burnt-out car 被烧焦的轿车残骸
  • The intensity of the explosion is recorded on the charred tree trunks. 那些烧焦的树干表明爆炸的强烈。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 spotlights c4053b79301cdb37721ff8e9049b61ef     
n.聚光灯(的光)( spotlight的名词复数 );公众注意的中心v.聚光照明( spotlight的第三人称单数 );使公众注意,使突出醒目
参考例句:
  • The room was lit by spotlights. 房间被聚光灯照亮。
  • The dazzle of the spotlights made him ill at ease. 聚光灯的耀眼强光使他局促不安。 来自辞典例句
28 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
29 plaque v25zB     
n.饰板,匾,(医)血小板
参考例句:
  • There is a commemorative plaque to the artist in the village hall.村公所里有一块纪念该艺术家的牌匾。
  • Some Latin words were engraved on the plaque. 牌匾上刻着些拉丁文。
30 dunes 8a48dcdac1abf28807833e2947184dd4     
沙丘( dune的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The boy galloped over the dunes barefoot. 那男孩光着脚在沙丘间飞跑。
  • Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat. 将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。
31 malevolent G8IzV     
adj.有恶意的,恶毒的
参考例句:
  • Why are they so malevolent to me?他们为什么对我如此恶毒?
  • We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。
32 akin uxbz2     
adj.同族的,类似的
参考例句:
  • She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
  • Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。
33 eyelid zlcxj     
n.眼睑,眼皮
参考例句:
  • She lifted one eyelid to see what he was doing.她抬起一只眼皮看看他在做什么。
  • My eyelid has been tumid since yesterday.从昨天起,我的眼皮就肿了。
34 vault 3K3zW     
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室
参考例句:
  • The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
  • The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。
35 sensors 029aee483db9ae244d7a5cb353e74602     
n.传感器,灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时,有很大变化。 来自辞典例句
36 sensor sz7we     
n.传感器,探测设备,感觉器(官)
参考例句:
  • The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
  • He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。
37 ridges 9198b24606843d31204907681f48436b     
n.脊( ridge的名词复数 );山脊;脊状突起;大气层的)高压脊
参考例句:
  • The path winds along mountain ridges. 峰回路转。
  • Perhaps that was the deepest truth in Ridges's nature. 在里奇斯的思想上,这大概可以算是天经地义第一条了。
38 projection 9Rzxu     
n.发射,计划,突出部分
参考例句:
  • Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
  • The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。
39 kit D2Rxp     
n.用具包,成套工具;随身携带物
参考例句:
  • The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
  • The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。
40 spooled 0c6ced7dc3ecd5645013e3b6853f520f     
adj.假脱机的v.把…绕到线轴上(或从线轴上绕下来)( spool的过去式和过去分词 );假脱机(输出或输入)
参考例句:
  • The film is spooled for use. 胶卷己装好待用。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The tin wire was spooled after it was used. 焊丝用完后已卷绕起来了。 来自互联网
41 molecule Y6Tzn     
n.分子,克分子
参考例句:
  • A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
  • This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。
42 grooves e2ee808c594bc87414652e71d74585a3     
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
参考例句:
  • Wheels leave grooves in a dirt road. 车轮在泥路上留下了凹痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Sliding doors move in grooves. 滑动门在槽沟中移动。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
43 spotted 7FEyj     
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的
参考例句:
  • The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
  • Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。
44 bind Vt8zi     
vt.捆,包扎;装订;约束;使凝固;vi.变硬
参考例句:
  • I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
  • He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。
45 stun FhMyT     
vt.打昏,使昏迷,使震惊,使惊叹
参考例句:
  • When they told me she had gone missing I was totally stunned.他们告诉我她不见了时,我当时完全惊呆了。
  • Sam stood his ground and got a blow that stunned him.萨姆站在原地,被一下打昏了。
46 persistent BSUzg     
adj.坚持不懈的,执意的;持续的
参考例句:
  • Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
  • She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤,使她很难为情。
47 spoke XryyC     
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
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
48 insanity H6xxf     
n.疯狂,精神错乱;极端的愚蠢,荒唐
参考例句:
  • In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱,为自己辩解。
  • He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里,这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。
49 ramifications 45f4d7d5a0d59c5d453474d22bf296ae     
n.结果,后果( ramification的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
  • What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢? 来自《简明英汉词典》
50 clearance swFzGa     
n.净空;许可(证);清算;清除,清理
参考例句:
  • There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。
  • The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。
51 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言
参考例句:
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
52 eyelids 86ece0ca18a95664f58bda5de252f4e7     
n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 );眼睛也不眨一下;不露声色;面不改色
参考例句:
  • She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了,眼睑开始往下垂。
  • Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
53 jittered e1b6aabff9c8d310a23d874f0cfb96ba     
v.紧张不安,战战兢兢( jitter的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I jittered when the headmaster came in. 当校长进来的时候,我一阵紧张。 来自辞典例句
54 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
55 hissed 2299e1729bbc7f56fc2559e409d6e8a7     
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句:
  • Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过?
  • The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。
56 hiss 2yJy9     
v.发出嘶嘶声;发嘘声表示不满
参考例句:
  • We can hear the hiss of air escaping from a tire.我们能听到一只轮胎的嘶嘶漏气声。
  • Don't hiss at the speaker.不要嘘演讲人。
57 specially Hviwq     
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地
参考例句:
  • They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
  • The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。
58 forefinger pihxt     
n.食指
参考例句:
  • He pinched the leaf between his thumb and forefinger.他将叶子捏在拇指和食指之间。
  • He held it between the tips of his thumb and forefinger.他用他大拇指和食指尖拿着它。
59 tightened bd3d8363419d9ff838bae0ba51722ee9     
收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)变紧; (使)绷紧; 加紧
参考例句:
  • The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
  • His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机,然后又松开了。
60 joint m3lx4     
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合
参考例句:
  • I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤,肩膀脫臼了。
  • We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。
61 joints d97dcffd67eca7255ca514e4084b746e     
接头( joint的名词复数 ); 关节; 公共场所(尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所) (非正式); 一块烤肉 (英式英语)
参考例句:
  • Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
  • Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。
62 knuckles c726698620762d88f738be4a294fae79     
n.(指人)指关节( knuckle的名词复数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝v.(指人)指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝
参考例句:
  • He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘,握得指关节都变白了。
  • Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》
63 flinch BgIz1     
v.畏缩,退缩
参考例句:
  • She won't flinch from speaking her mind.她不会讳言自己的想法。
  • We will never flinch from difficulties.我们面对困难决不退缩。
64 jolt ck1y2     
v.(使)摇动,(使)震动,(使)颠簸
参考例句:
  • We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
  • They were working frantically in the fear that an aftershock would jolt the house again.他们拼命地干着,担心余震可能会使房子再次受到震动。
65 discomfort cuvxN     
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便
参考例句:
  • One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
  • She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。
66 gorillas a04bd21e2b9b42b0d71bbb65c0c6d365     
n.大猩猩( gorilla的名词复数 );暴徒,打手
参考例句:
  • the similitude between humans and gorillas 人类和大猩猩的相像
  • Each family of gorillas is led by a great silverbacked patriarch. 每个大星星家族都由一个魁梧的、长着银色被毛的族长带领着。 来自《简明英汉词典》
67 gorilla 0yLyx     
n.大猩猩,暴徒,打手
参考例句:
  • I was awed by the huge gorilla.那只大猩猩使我惊惧。
  • A gorilla is just a speechless animal.猩猩只不过是一种不会说话的动物。
68 sarcastic jCIzJ     
adj.讥讽的,讽刺的,嘲弄的
参考例句:
  • I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。
  • She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。
69 mammoth u2wy8     
n.长毛象;adj.长毛象似的,巨大的
参考例句:
  • You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
  • Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。
70 protruded ebe69790c4eedce2f4fb12105fc9e9ac     
v.(使某物)伸出,(使某物)突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The child protruded his tongue. 那小孩伸出舌头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The creature's face seemed to be protruded, because of its bent carriage. 那人的脑袋似乎向前突出,那是因为身子佝偻的缘故。 来自英汉文学
71 mesmerize V7FzB     
vt.施催眠术;使入迷,迷住
参考例句:
  • He could mesmerize an audience by the sheer force of his presence.他只要一出场,观众就为之倾倒。
  • He was absolutely mesmerised by Pavarotti on television.他完全被电视上的帕瓦罗蒂迷住了。
72 mesmerized 3587e0bcaf3ae9f3190b1834c935883c     
v.使入迷( mesmerize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The country girl stood by the road, mesmerized at the speed of cars racing past. 村姑站在路旁被疾驶而过的一辆辆车迷住了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • My 14-year-old daughter was mesmerized by the movie Titanic. 我14岁的女儿完全被电影《泰坦尼克号》迷住了。 来自互联网
73 hover FQSzM     
vi.翱翔,盘旋;徘徊;彷徨,犹豫
参考例句:
  • You don't hover round the table.你不要围着桌子走来走去。
  • A plane is hover on our house.有一架飞机在我们的房子上盘旋。
74 hovering 99fdb695db3c202536060470c79b067f     
鸟( hover的现在分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫
参考例句:
  • The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
  • I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。
75 fictional ckEx0     
adj.小说的,虚构的
参考例句:
  • The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
  • The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。
76 butt uSjyM     
n.笑柄;烟蒂;枪托;臀部;v.用头撞或顶
参考例句:
  • The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
  • He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。
77 activate UJ2y0     
vt.使活动起来,使开始起作用
参考例句:
  • We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
  • These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。
78 displacement T98yU     
n.移置,取代,位移,排水量
参考例句:
  • They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
  • The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。
79 grunted f18a3a8ced1d857427f2252db2abbeaf     
(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
参考例句:
  • She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. 她只咕哝了一声,继续看书,不屑抬起头来看一眼。
  • She grunted some incomprehensible reply. 她咕噜着回答了些令人费解的话。
80 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
81 mimicked mimicked     
v.(尤指为了逗乐而)模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 );酷似
参考例句:
  • He mimicked her upper-class accent. 他模仿她那上流社会的腔调。 来自辞典例句
  • The boy mimicked his father's voice and set everyone off laughing. 男孩模仿他父亲的嗓音,使大家都大笑起来。 来自辞典例句
82 pistons c10621515a8dfd90d65ed99cc8c6e998     
活塞( piston的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Some pistons have seating rings of metal or leather. 有些活塞上有金属或皮革的密封环。
  • A pump uses valves and pistons. 泵使用阀和活塞。
83 retracted Xjdzyr     
v.撤回或撤消( retract的过去式和过去分词 );拒绝执行或遵守;缩回;拉回
参考例句:
  • He made a false confession which he later retracted. 他作了假供词,后来又翻供。
  • A caddy retracted his statement. 一个球童收回了他的话。 来自辞典例句
84 activation 24eed33ee38027d124839f0fcdf6adcb     
n. 激活,催化作用
参考例句:
  • A computer controls the activation of an air bag.电脑控制着气囊的启动。
85 strap 5GhzK     
n.皮带,带子;v.用带扣住,束牢;用绷带包扎
参考例句:
  • She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
  • The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。
86 revolving 3jbzvd     
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想
参考例句:
  • The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
  • The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。
87 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
88 recording UktzJj     
n.录音,记录
参考例句:
  • How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间?
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
89 stink ZG5zA     
vi.发出恶臭;糟透,招人厌恶;n.恶臭
参考例句:
  • The stink of the rotten fish turned my stomach.腐烂的鱼臭味使我恶心。
  • The room has awful stink.那个房间散发着难闻的臭气。
90 negotiation FGWxc     
n.谈判,协商
参考例句:
  • They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判,他们的食糖生意成交了。
  • The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。
91 ego 7jtzw     
n.自我,自己,自尊
参考例句:
  • He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
  • She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。
92 apprehension bNayw     
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑
参考例句:
  • There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑,于是她越来越担心。
  • She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。
93 oozed d11de42af8e0bb132bd10042ebefdf99     
v.(浓液等)慢慢地冒出,渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 );使(液体)缓缓流出;(浓液)渗出,慢慢流出
参考例句:
  • Blood oozed out of the wound. 血从伤口慢慢流出来。
  • Mud oozed from underground. 泥浆从地下冒出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
94 severed 832a75b146a8d9eacac9030fd16c0222     
v.切断,断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 );断,裂
参考例句:
  • The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》
95 squeaked edcf2299d227f1137981c7570482c7f7     
v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 );吱吱叫;告密;充当告密者
参考例句:
  • The radio squeaked five. 收音机里嘟嘟地发出五点钟报时讯号。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Amy's shoes squeaked on the tiles as she walked down the corridor. 埃米走过走廊时,鞋子踩在地砖上嘎吱作响。 来自辞典例句
96 strapped ec484d13545e19c0939d46e2d1eb24bc     
adj.用皮带捆住的,用皮带装饰的;身无分文的;缺钱;手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词);用皮带抽打;包扎;给…打绷带
参考例句:
  • Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
97 unnaturally 3ftzAP     
adv.违反习俗地;不自然地;勉强地;不近人情地
参考例句:
  • Her voice sounded unnaturally loud. 她的嗓音很响亮,但是有点反常。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Her eyes were unnaturally bright. 她的眼睛亮得不自然。 来自《简明英汉词典》
98 flicker Gjxxb     
vi./n.闪烁,摇曳,闪现
参考例句:
  • There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
  • At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时,光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现,几乎并不灿烂。
99 eyebrow vlOxk     
n.眉毛,眉
参考例句:
  • Her eyebrow is well penciled.她的眉毛画得很好。
  • With an eyebrow raised,he seemed divided between surprise and amusement.他一只眉毛扬了扬,似乎既感到吃惊,又觉有趣。
100 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
101 paralytic LmDzKM     
adj. 瘫痪的 n. 瘫痪病人
参考例句:
  • She was completely paralytic last night.她昨天晚上喝得酩酊大醉。
  • She rose and hobbled to me on her paralytic legs and kissed me.她站起来,拖着她那麻痹的双腿一瘸一拐地走到我身边,吻了吻我。
102 concocted 35ea2e5fba55c150ec3250ef12828dd2     
v.将(尤指通常不相配合的)成分混合成某物( concoct的过去式和过去分词 );调制;编造;捏造
参考例句:
  • The soup was concocted from up to a dozen different kinds of fish. 这种汤是用多达十几种不同的鱼熬制而成的。
  • Between them they concocted a letter. 他们共同策划写了一封信。 来自《简明英汉词典》
103 venom qLqzr     
n.毒液,恶毒,痛恨
参考例句:
  • The snake injects the venom immediately after biting its prey.毒蛇咬住猎物之后马上注入毒液。
  • In fact,some components of the venom may benefit human health.事实上,毒液的某些成分可能有益于人类健康。
104 descended guQzoy     
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
参考例句:
  • A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
  • The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
105 industrialist JqSz4Y     
n.工业家,实业家
参考例句:
  • The industrialist's son was kidnapped.这名实业家的儿子被绑架了。
  • Mr.Smith was a wealthy industrialist,but he was not satisfied with life.史密斯先生是位富有的企业家,可他对生活感到不满意。
106 aligning f24e40acf49c4786ebeaa4768c1e490c     
n. (直线)对准 动词align的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • There are signs that the prime minister is aligning himself with the liberals. 有迹象表明首相正在与自由党人结盟。
  • ToolTips provide textual hints that assist in drawing lines and aligning objects. 工具提示提供了协助画线和对象对齐的文本提示。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
107 zoom VenzWT     
n.急速上升;v.突然扩大,急速上升
参考例句:
  • The airplane's zoom carried it above the clouds.飞机的陡直上升使它飞到云层之上。
  • I live near an airport and the zoom of passing planes can be heard night and day.我住在一个飞机场附近,昼夜都能听到飞机飞过的嗡嗡声。
108 dermis xugzoW     
n.真皮
参考例句:
  • The dermis is composed of the connective tissue that supports the epidermis.真皮是由支撑表皮的结蒂组织构成的。
  • Althouth very thin,the epidermis serves to protect the underlying dermis.表皮虽然非常薄,却可用来保护下层的真皮。
109 epidermis AZhzW     
n.表皮
参考例句:
  • The external layer of skin is called the epidermis.皮的外层叫表皮。
  • There is a neoplasm originating in his leg's epidermis.他的腿上有个生长在表皮上的肿瘤。
110 conceal DpYzt     
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽
参考例句:
  • He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方,他只好隐瞒身份。
  • He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
111 vented 55ee938bf7df64d83f63bc9318ecb147     
表达,发泄(感情,尤指愤怒)( vent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He vented his frustration on his wife. 他受到挫折却把气发泄到妻子身上。
  • He vented his anger on his secretary. 他朝秘书发泄怒气。
112 collapsed cwWzSG     
adj.倒塌的
参考例句:
  • Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
  • The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。
113 erased f4adee3fff79c6ddad5b2e45f730006a     
v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 );抹去;清除
参考例句:
  • He erased the wrong answer and wrote in the right one. 他擦去了错误答案,写上了正确答案。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He removed the dogmatism from politics; he erased the party line. 他根除了政治中的教条主义,消除了政党界限。 来自《简明英汉词典》
114 glitches 31481b5bf9faeb6896293dd2946b8104     
n.小过失,差错( glitch的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Manufacturing glitches have limited the factory's output. 生产中的故障影响了该厂的产量。 来自辞典例句
  • Another kind of period variation,\"Glitches,\" are seen in several pulsars. 在几个脉冲星中还看到了周期的另一种变化,即“自转突快”现象。 来自辞典例句
115 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地
参考例句:
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
116 cylinder rngza     
n.圆筒,柱(面),汽缸
参考例句:
  • What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少?
  • The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。
117 grimaced 5f3f78dc835e71266975d0c281dceae8     
v.扮鬼相,做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He grimaced at the bitter taste. 他一尝那苦味,做了个怪相。
  • She grimaced at the sight of all the work. 她一看到这么多的工作就皱起了眉头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
118 macabre 42syo     
adj.骇人的,可怖的
参考例句:
  • He takes a macabre interest in graveyards.他那么留意墓地,令人毛骨悚然。
  • Mr Dahl was well-known for his macabre adult stories called 'Tales of the Unexpected'.达尔先生以成人恐怖小说集《意料之外的故事》闻名于世。
119 backwards BP9ya     
adv.往回地,向原处,倒,相反,前后倒置地
参考例句:
  • He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
  • All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。
120 vents 3fd48768f3da3e458d6b73926735d618     
(气体、液体等进出的)孔、口( vent的名词复数 ); (鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的)肛门; 大衣等的)衩口; 开衩
参考例句:
  • He always vents his anger on the dog. 他总是拿狗出气。
  • The Dandelion Patch is the least developed of the four active vents. “蒲公英区”在这四个活裂口中是发育最差的一个。
121 spine lFQzT     
n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊
参考例句:
  • He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
  • His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。
122 repartee usjyz     
n.机敏的应答
参考例句:
  • This diplomat possessed an excellent gift for repartee.这位外交官具有卓越的应对才能。
  • He was a brilliant debater and his gift of repartee was celebrated.他擅长辩论,以敏于应答著称。
123 strand 7GAzH     
vt.使(船)搁浅,使(某人)困于(某地)
参考例句:
  • She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
  • The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。
124 anticipation iMTyh     
n.预期,预料,期望
参考例句:
  • We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着,期待她的到来。
  • The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安,像是感到了地震即将发生。
125 unlimited MKbzB     
adj.无限的,不受控制的,无条件的
参考例句:
  • They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
  • There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。
126 subdued 76419335ce506a486af8913f13b8981d     
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
  • I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候,我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。
127 bracelets 58df124ddcdc646ef29c1c5054d8043d     
n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
128 jingled 1ab15437500a7437cb07e32cfc02d932     
喝醉的
参考例句:
  • The bells jingled all the way. 一路上铃儿叮当响。
  • Coins in his pocket jingled as he walked. 走路时,他衣袋里的钱币丁当作响。
129 revert OBwzV     
v.恢复,复归,回到
参考例句:
  • Let us revert to the earlier part of the chapter.让我们回到本章的前面部分。
  • Shall we revert to the matter we talked about yesterday?我们接着昨天谈过的问题谈,好吗?
130 strictly GtNwe     
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地
参考例句:
  • His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
  • The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。
131 marvel b2xyG     
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异;n.令人惊异的事
参考例句:
  • The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
  • The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。
132 colloquialisms 3686fccd90715169dd3cfc08dbbd3b1e     
n.俗话,白话,口语( colloquialism的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • There are as many colloquialisms in Japanese as are in Chinese. 中日文中存在着大量的四字熟语。 来自互联网
  • It is getting better, but It'still struggles with colloquialisms and idioms. 机器翻译的质量虽然有所改善,但翻译起口语体和习语来还是困难重重。 来自互联网
133 ripples 10e54c54305aebf3deca20a1472f4b96     
逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The moon danced on the ripples. 月亮在涟漪上舞动。
  • The sea leaves ripples on the sand. 海水在沙滩上留下了波痕。
134 millennium x7DzO     
n.一千年,千禧年;太平盛世
参考例句:
  • The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
  • We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。
135 falcon rhCzO     
n.隼,猎鹰
参考例句:
  • The falcon was twice his size with pouted feathers.鹰张开羽毛比两只鹰还大。
  • The boys went hunting with their falcon.男孩子们带着猎鹰出去打猎了。
136 technological gqiwY     
adj.技术的;工艺的
参考例句:
  • A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
  • Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今, 随着科技进步,生活节奏不断增快。
137 genie xstzLd     
n.妖怪,神怪
参考例句:
  • Now the genie of his darkest and weakest side was speaking.他心灵中最阴暗最软弱的部分有一个精灵在说话。
  • He had to turn to the Genie of the Ring for help.他不得不向戒指神求助。
138 serial 0zuw2     
n.连本影片,连本电视节目;adj.连续的
参考例句:
  • A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚电视开播一部新的电视连续剧。
  • Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment?你能解释我们实验屡屡失败的原因吗?
139 clenched clenched     
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
  • She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上,以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
140 tuxedo WKCzh     
n.礼服,无尾礼服
参考例句:
  • Well,you have your own tuxedo.噢,你有自己的燕尾服。
  • Have I told you how amazing you look in this tuxedo?我告诉过你穿这件燕尾服看起来很棒吗?
141 oyster w44z6     
n.牡蛎;沉默寡言的人
参考例句:
  • I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎,它味道真美。
  • I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时,我发现我相当喜欢吃。
142 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
143 stammered 76088bc9384c91d5745fd550a9d81721     
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠,结结巴巴地说,“你是什么意思?” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
144 cavalry Yr3zb     
n.骑兵;轻装甲部队
参考例句:
  • We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
  • The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。
145 eternity Aiwz7     
n.不朽,来世;永恒,无穷
参考例句:
  • The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
  • Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞,永世相随。
146 rib 6Xgxu     
n.肋骨,肋状物
参考例句:
  • He broke a rib when he fell off his horse.他从马上摔下来折断了一根肋骨。
  • He has broken a rib and the doctor has strapped it up.他断了一根肋骨,医生已包扎好了。
147 whatsoever Beqz8i     
adv.(用于否定句中以加强语气)任何;pron.无论什么
参考例句:
  • There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
  • All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样,你就怎样对人。
148 hack BQJz2     
n.劈,砍,出租马车;v.劈,砍,干咳
参考例句:
  • He made a hack at the log.他朝圆木上砍了一下。
  • Early settlers had to hack out a clearing in the forest where they could grow crops.早期移民不得不在森林里劈出空地种庄稼。
149 hackers dc5d6e5c0ffd6d1cd249286ced098382     
n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 );私自存取或篡改电脑资料者,电脑“黑客”
参考例句:
  • They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒,他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面,他们最终同意了。 来自互联网
150 vendetta IL5zx     
n.世仇,宿怨
参考例句:
  • For years he pursued a vendetta against the Morris family.多年来他一直在寻求向莫里斯家族报世仇。
  • She conducted a personal vendetta against me.她对我有宿仇。
151 dwarf EkjzH     
n.矮子,侏儒,矮小的动植物;vt.使…矮小
参考例句:
  • The dwarf's long arms were not proportional to his height.那侏儒的长臂与他的身高不成比例。
  • The dwarf shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. 矮子耸耸肩膀,摇摇头。
152 blueprints 79424f10e1e5af9aef7f20cca92465bc     
n.蓝图,设计图( blueprint的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Have the blueprints been worked out? 蓝图搞好了吗? 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • BluePrints description of a distributed component of the system design and best practice guidelines. BluePrints描述了一个分布式组件体系的最佳练习和设计指导方针。 来自互联网
153 sector yjczYn     
n.部门,部分;防御地段,防区;扇形
参考例句:
  • The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
  • The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。
154 registration ASKzO     
n.登记,注册,挂号
参考例句:
  • Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
  • What's your registration number?你挂的是几号?
155 binoculars IybzWh     
n.双筒望远镜
参考例句:
  • He watched the play through his binoculars.他用双筒望远镜看戏。
  • If I had binoculars,I could see that comet clearly.如果我有望远镜,我就可以清楚地看见那颗彗星。
156 compartment dOFz6     
n.卧车包房,隔间;分隔的空间
参考例句:
  • We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴,整个客车隔间由我们独享。
  • The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。
157 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
158 buzzer 2x7zGi     
n.蜂鸣器;汽笛
参考例句:
  • The buzzer went off at eight o'clock.蜂鸣器在8点钟时响了。
  • Press the buzzer when you want to talk.你想讲话的时候就按蜂鸣器。
159 emboldened 174550385d47060dbd95dd372c76aa22     
v.鼓励,使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Emboldened by the wine, he went over to introduce himself to her. 他借酒壮胆,走上前去向她作自我介绍。
  • His success emboldened him to expand his business. 他有了成就因而激发他进一步扩展业务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
160 picket B2kzl     
n.纠察队;警戒哨;v.设置纠察线;布置警卫
参考例句:
  • They marched to the factory and formed a picket.他们向工厂前进,并组成了纠察队。
  • Some of the union members did not want to picket.工会的一些会员不想担任罢工纠察员。
161 dinosaur xuSxp     
n.恐龙
参考例句:
  • Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击?
  • He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。
162 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
163 fingerprint 4kXxX     
n.指纹;vt.取...的指纹
参考例句:
  • The fingerprint expert was asked to testify at the trial.指纹专家应邀出庭作证。
  • The court heard evidence from a fingerprint expert.法院听取了指纹专家的证词。
164 pique i2Nz9     
v.伤害…的自尊心,使生气 n.不满,生气
参考例句:
  • She went off in a fit of pique.她一赌气就走了。
  • Tom finished the sentence with an air of pique.汤姆有些生气地说完这句话。
165 scrap JDFzf     
n.碎片;废料;v.废弃,报废
参考例句:
  • A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
  • Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。
166 grumbled ed735a7f7af37489d7db1a9ef3b64f91     
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 发牢骚; 咕哝; 发哼声
参考例句:
  • He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
  • The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏,水手们边干活边发着牢骚。
167 winked af6ada503978fa80fce7e5d109333278     
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
参考例句:
  • He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼,她便知道他的想法和她一样。
  • He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
168 monolithic 8wKyI     
adj.似独块巨石的;整体的
参考例句:
  • Don't think this gang is monolithic.不要以为这帮人是铁板一块。
  • Mathematics is not a single monolithic structure of absolute truth.数学并不是绝对真理的单一整体结构。
169 rippling b84b2d05914b2749622963c1ef058ed5     
起涟漪的,潺潺流水般声音的
参考例句:
  • I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
  • The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。
170 flickering wjLxa     
adj.闪烁的,摇曳的,一闪一闪的
参考例句:
  • The crisp autumn wind is flickering away. 清爽的秋风正在吹拂。
  • The lights keep flickering. 灯光忽明忽暗。
171 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
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
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
172 accusation GJpyf     
n.控告,指责,谴责
参考例句:
  • I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
  • She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。
173 vampire 8KMzR     
n.吸血鬼
参考例句:
  • It wasn't a wife waiting there for him but a blood sucking vampire!家里的不是个老婆,而是个吸人血的妖精!
  • Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many legends of vampire.由于听过许多有关吸血鬼的传说,孩子们晚上不敢去睡觉。
174 regained 51ada49e953b830c8bd8fddd6bcd03aa     
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地
参考例句:
  • The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
  • She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻,但很快恢复了镇静。
175 initiate z6hxz     
vt.开始,创始,发动;启蒙,使入门;引入
参考例句:
  • A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
  • They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。
176 hatred T5Gyg     
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨
参考例句:
  • He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
  • The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。
177 underneath VKRz2     
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面
参考例句:
  • Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
  • She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣,里面套着一条连衣裙。
178 slumbering 26398db8eca7bdd3e6b23ff7480b634e     
微睡,睡眠(slumber的现在分词形式)
参考例句:
  • It was quiet. All the other inhabitants of the slums were slumbering. 贫民窟里的人已经睡眠静了。
  • Then soft music filled the air and soothed the slumbering heroes. 接着,空中响起了柔和的乐声,抚慰着安睡的英雄。
179 microcomputer EDkxx     
n.微型计算机,微机
参考例句:
  • The main frame is the heart of a microcomputer system.主框架的核心是一个微机系统。
  • A microcomputer is a fast and accurate symbol processing system.微型计算机是一种快速、精确的符号处理系统。
180 recordings 22f9946cd05973582e73e4e3c0239bb7     
n.记录( recording的名词复数 );录音;录像;唱片
参考例句:
  • a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
  • old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐
181 benevolent Wtfzx     
adj.仁慈的,乐善好施的
参考例句:
  • His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
  • He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人,连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。
182 sergeant REQzz     
n.警官,中士
参考例句:
  • His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
  • How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹?
183 hovered d194b7e43467f867f4b4380809ba6b19     
鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫
参考例句:
  • A hawk hovered over the hill. 一只鹰在小山的上空翱翔。
  • A hawk hovered in the blue sky. 一只老鹰在蓝色的天空中翱翔。
184 herald qdCzd     
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎
参考例句:
  • In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
  • Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。
185 armour gySzuh     
(=armor)n.盔甲;装甲部队
参考例句:
  • His body was encased in shining armour.他全身披着明晃晃的甲胄。
  • Bulletproof cars sheathed in armour.防弹车护有装甲。
186 cubicle POGzN     
n.大房间中隔出的小室
参考例句:
  • She studies in a cubicle in the school library.她在学校图书馆的小自习室里学习。
  • A technical sergeant hunches in a cubicle.一位技术军士在一间小屋里弯腰坐着。
187 shaft YEtzp     
n.(工具的)柄,杆状物
参考例句:
  • He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
  • This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。
188 hopped 91b136feb9c3ae690a1c2672986faa1c     
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
参考例句:
  • He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
  • He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车,向市区开去。
189 smacked bb7869468e11f63a1506d730c1d2219e     
拍,打,掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He smacked his lips but did not utter a word. 他吧嗒两下嘴,一声也不言语。
  • She smacked a child's bottom. 她打孩子的屁股。
190 lure l8Gz2     
n.吸引人的东西,诱惑物;vt.引诱,吸引
参考例句:
  • Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
  • He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。
191 enquire 2j5zK     
v.打听,询问;调查,查问
参考例句:
  • She wrote to enquire the cause of the delay.她只得写信去询问拖延的理由。
  • We will enquire into the matter.我们将调查这事。
192 fraught gfpzp     
adj.充满…的,伴有(危险等)的;忧虑的
参考例句:
  • The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.未来数月将充满重大的决定。
  • There's no need to look so fraught!用不着那么愁眉苦脸的!
193 opted 9ec34da056d6601471a0808ebc89b126     
v.选择,挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
  • After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。
194 basking 7596d7e95e17619cf6e8285dc844d8be     
v.晒太阳,取暖( bask的现在分词 );对…感到乐趣;因他人的功绩而出名;仰仗…的余泽
参考例句:
  • We sat basking in the warm sunshine. 我们坐着享受温暖的阳光。
  • A colony of seals lay basking in the sun. 一群海豹躺着晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
195 throttle aIKzW     
n.节流阀,节气阀,喉咙;v.扼喉咙,使窒息,压
参考例句:
  • These government restrictions are going to throttle our trade.这些政府的限制将要扼杀我们的贸易。
  • High tariffs throttle trade between countries.高的关税抑制了国与国之间的贸易。
196 retractable lWLxK     
adj.可收回的;可撤消的;可缩回的;可缩进的
参考例句:
  • a knife with a retractable blade 弹簧刀
  • So, any thoughts of what you want for the retractable bed kid? 那么想为那个睡折叠床的小子做什么? 来自电影对白
197 bodyguard 0Rfy2     
n.护卫,保镖
参考例句:
  • She has to have an armed bodyguard wherever she goes.她不管到哪儿都得有带武器的保镖跟从。
  • The big guy standing at his side may be his bodyguard.站在他身旁的那个大个子可能是他的保镖。
198 bodyguards 3821fc3f6fca49a9cdaf6dca498d42dc     
n.保镖,卫士,警卫员( bodyguard的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Brooks came to Jim's office accompanied—like always—by his two bodyguards. 和往常一样,在两名保镖的陪同下,布鲁克斯去吉姆的办公室。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Three of his bodyguards were injured in the attack. 在这次袭击事件中,他有3名保镖受了伤。 来自辞典例句
199 unison gKCzB     
n.步调一致,行动一致
参考例句:
  • The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。
  • My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。
200 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
201 random HT9xd     
adj.随机的;任意的;n.偶然的(或随便的)行动
参考例句:
  • The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
  • On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查,发现肉变质了。
202 dismantle Vtlxa     
vt.拆开,拆卸;废除,取消
参考例句:
  • He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助,拆除这批弹头。
  • The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动,于是,我决定把它拆开。
203 screwdriver rDpza     
n.螺丝起子;伏特加橙汁鸡尾酒
参考例句:
  • He took a screwdriver and teased out the remaining screws.他拿出螺丝刀把其余的螺丝卸了下来。
  • The electric drill can also be used as a screwdriver.这把电钻也可用作螺丝刀。
204 crouched 62634c7e8c15b8a61068e36aaed563ab     
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
  • The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身,准备猛扑。
205 puddle otNy9     
n.(雨)水坑,泥潭
参考例句:
  • The boy hopped the mud puddle and ran down the walk.这个男孩跳过泥坑,沿着人行道跑了。
  • She tripped over and landed in a puddle.她绊了一下,跌在水坑里。
206 crouching crouching     
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • a hulking figure crouching in the darkness 黑暗中蹲伏着的一个庞大身影
  • A young man was crouching by the table, busily searching for something. 一个年轻人正蹲在桌边翻看什么。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译
207 vibration nLDza     
n.颤动,振动;摆动
参考例句:
  • There is so much vibration on a ship that one cannot write.船上的震动大得使人无法书写。
  • The vibration of the window woke me up.窗子的震动把我惊醒了。
208 disarmed f147d778a788fe8e4bf22a9bdb60a8ba     
v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 );使息怒
参考例句:
  • Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。
  • The swordsman disarmed his opponent and ran him through. 剑客缴了对手的械,并对其乱刺一气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
209 implement WcdzG     
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行
参考例句:
  • Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划,除非你能完成这项计划。
  • The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。
210 scrolled 313315b0796120af40f9657f89e85dc9     
adj.具有涡卷装饰的v.(电脑屏幕上)从上到下移动(资料等),卷页( scroll的过去式和过去分词 );(似卷轴般)卷起;(像展开卷轴般地)将文字显示于屏幕
参考例句:
  • Wherever the drop target can possibly be scrolled offscreen, the program needs to auto-scroll. 无论拖放的目标对象是否在屏幕之外,程序都需要自动滚动。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
  • If It'still is then you've not scrolled up enough lines. 如果还在说明你向上滚动的行数不够。 来自互联网
211 hacked FrgzgZ     
生气
参考例句:
  • I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
  • I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。
212 isle fatze     
n.小岛,岛
参考例句:
  • He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
  • The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。
213 groan LfXxU     
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音
参考例句:
  • The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
  • The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。
214 gritted 74cb239c0aa78b244d5279ebe4f72c2d     
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
参考例句:
  • He gritted his teeth and plunged into the cold weather. 他咬咬牙,冲向寒冷的天气。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The young policeman gritted his teeth and walked slowly towards the armed criminal. 年轻警官强忍住怒火,朝武装歹徒慢慢走过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
215 deducted 0dc984071646e559dd56c3bd5451fd72     
v.扣除,减去( deduct的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The cost of your uniform will be deducted from your wages. 制服费将从你的工资中扣除。
  • The cost of the breakages will be deducted from your pay. 损坏东西的费用将从你的工资中扣除。 来自《简明英汉词典》
216 hacking KrIzgm     
n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动
参考例句:
  • The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
  • We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。
217 dwelling auzzQk     
n.住宅,住所,寓所
参考例句:
  • Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
  • He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。
218 blur JtgzC     
n.模糊不清的事物;vt.使模糊,使看不清楚
参考例句:
  • The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。
  • If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了,图像就会变得模糊不清。
219 jade i3Pxo     
n.玉石;碧玉;翡翠
参考例句:
  • The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
  • He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。
220 tattoo LIDzk     
n.纹身,(皮肤上的)刺花纹;vt.刺花纹于
参考例句:
  • I've decided to get my tattoo removed.我已经决定去掉我身上的纹身。
  • He had a tattoo on the back of his hand.他手背上刺有花纹。
221 scorched a5fdd52977662c80951e2b41c31587a0     
烧焦,烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(植物)枯萎,把…晒枯; 高速行驶; 枯焦
参考例句:
  • I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
  • The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。
222 tightening 19aa014b47fbdfbc013e5abf18b64642     
上紧,固定,紧密
参考例句:
  • Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前,检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
  • It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。
223 radius LTKxp     
n.半径,半径范围;有效航程,范围,界限
参考例句:
  • He has visited every shop within a radius of two miles.周围两英里以内的店铺他都去过。
  • We are measuring the radius of the circle.我们正在测量圆的半径。
224 cuffs 4f67c64175ca73d89c78d4bd6a85e3ed     
n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打,拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • a collar and cuffs of white lace 带白色蕾丝花边的衣领和袖口
  • The cuffs of his shirt were fraying. 他衬衣的袖口磨破了。
225 contritely 3ab449eb7416f0b47d0891f1aca396c2     
参考例句:
226 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上,在更高处...以上
参考例句:
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
227 haze O5wyb     
n.霾,烟雾;懵懂,迷糊;vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句:
  • I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中,我看不见她。
  • He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。
228 peeking 055254fc0b0cbadaccd5778d3ae12b50     
v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 );偷看;窥视;微露出
参考例句:
  • I couldn't resist peeking in the drawer. 我不由得偷看了一下抽屉里面。
  • They caught him peeking in through the keyhole. 他们发现他从钥匙孔里向里窥视。 来自辞典例句
229 imperative BcdzC     
n.命令,需要;规则;祈使语气;adj.强制的;紧急的
参考例句:
  • He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
  • The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。
230 shimmer 7T8z7     
v./n.发微光,发闪光;微光
参考例句:
  • The room was dark,but there was a shimmer of moonlight at the window.屋子里很黑,但靠近窗户的地方有点微光。
  • Nor is there anything more virginal than the shimmer of young foliage.没有什么比新叶的微光更纯洁无瑕了。
231 revving bfb383654012624060e6af7a2c5dfba0     
v.(使)加速( rev的现在分词 );(数量、活动等)激增;(使发动机)快速旋转;(使)活跃起来
参考例句:
  • The team are revving up for next week's game. 这个队伍对下周的比赛跃跃欲试。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Since the introduction of new techniques, the production has been revving up. 自从新技术的引进,产量一直都在增加。 来自互联网
232 crate 6o1zH     
vt.(up)把…装入箱中;n.板条箱,装货箱
参考例句:
  • We broke open the crate with a blow from the chopper.我们用斧头一敲就打开了板条箱。
  • The workers tightly packed the goods in the crate.工人们把货物严紧地包装在箱子里。
233 plank p2CzA     
n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目
参考例句:
  • The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
  • They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。
234 nervously tn6zFp     
adv.神情激动地,不安地
参考例句:
  • He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇,努力忍着不哭出来。
  • He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
235 untie SjJw4     
vt.解开,松开;解放
参考例句:
  • It's just impossible to untie the knot.It's too tight.这个结根本解不开。太紧了。
  • Will you please untie the knot for me?请你替我解开这个结头,好吗?
236 simultaneously 4iBz1o     
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地
参考例句:
  • The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
  • The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。


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