Billy Kong rolled his eyes. 'No time for negotiations, Doctor.'
He twirled the blade between his fingertips, then snapped his wrist,
flicking the stiletto at Gaspard. The weapon's handle thunked against the doctor's forehead, and he fell away from Minerva like a discarded coat.
Minerva knelt, cradling her father's head.
'Papa? Wake up Papa.' For a moment she was a little girl, then her intellect kicked in. She checked her father's pulse and tapped the point of impact with her index and middle fingers.
'You are lucky, Mister Kong, not to be facing a murder charge.'
Kong shrugged. 'I've faced them before. It's amazing how easy it is to elude the authorities. It costs exactly ten thousand dollars. Three for the face job, two for new papers and five for a really good hacker to create a computer past for you.'
'Nevertheless, one more half-revolution of your blade and my father would be dead, and not merely unconscious.'
Kong pulled a second blade from his sleeve pocket. 'There's still time.
Now, tell me how we go about finding our little friend.'
Minerva stood facing Kong, her fists clenched defiantly.
'Listen to me, idiot. That demon is gone. I have no doubt that his benefactors plucked the silver bullet from his leg as soon as they had him in the car. He is back on his island. Forget about him.'
Kong frowned. 'It makes sense. That's what I would do. Well, OK then, when is the next materialization?'
Minerva should have been terrified. Her ability to do anything besides witter and sob should have deserted her. After all, her father was lying unconscious, and the man who had put him in that state was sitting on her patio table, brandishing a knife. But Minerva Paradizo was no ordinary twelve-year-old. She had always displayed remarkable composure in times of stress. So, even though she was scared, Minerva was more than capable of communicating her scorn to Billy Kong.
'Where have you been for the past thirty minutes?' she asked, then clicked her fingers. 'Of course — asleep. I believe you people call it neutralized. And by a tiny demoness too. Well let me fill you in on what's happened. Our entire operation has been neutralized. I have no research, no calculations and no subject. I am starting from scratch. In fact, I wish I was starting from scratch. Starting from scratch would be a dream come true. Last time I was handed the time-tunnel calculations; this time I have to work them out by myself. Now don't get me wrong, I could do it. I am a genius after all, but it will take at least seventeen months. At the very least. Comprenez-vous, Monsieur Kong?'
Billy Kong understood all right. He understood that this little pain in the rear was trying to blind him with science.
'Seventeen months, eh? How long if you had some incentive?'
'Incentive won't change the laws of science.'
Kong leaped down from the table, landing soundlessly on the balls of his feet. 'I thought that was your speciality — changing the laws of science. Wasn't this project all about proving how every other scientist in the world is a dummy, except you?'
'It's not that simple. .'
Kong began flipping his knife, catching it without so much as a glance at the blade. End over end it twirled, a silver fan in the air. Hypnotic.
'I'm making it simple. I think you can get me a demon, and I think you can do it in less than seventeen months. So, here's what I am going to do.' He leaned down and heaved Juan Soto's chair upright. The security chief slumped forward on to the table.
'I am going to hurt Mister Soto. Simple as that. There is nothing you can do to stop that happening. This is a demonstration of my earnestness. It connects you with the reality of your situation. And then you know I mean business. So, after that, you start talking. And if you don't start talking, then we move on to lucky contestant number two.'
Minerva had no doubt that contestant number two was her father.
'Please, Mister Kong, there is no need for any of this. I am telling you the truth.'
'Oh, it's please now, is it?' said Kong in mock surprise. 'And Mister Kong too. What happened to idiot and moron?'
'Don't kill him. He's a nice man. He has a family.'
Kong grabbed a bunch of Soto's hair, yanking his head back. The chief's Adam's apple stuck out like a plum.
'He's an incompetent,' snarled Kong. 'Look how easily your demon escaped. See how simple it was for me to take over.
'Let him live,' pleaded Minerva. 'My father has money.' Kong sighed.
'You're just not getting it, are you? For a smart girl you can be pretty stupid a lot of the time. I don't want money. I want a demon. Now stop talking and pay attention. There is no point in trying to negotiate.'
Minerva's heart sank as she realized just how far out of her depth she actually was. In less than an hour she had crossed over to a world of darkness and cruelty. And her own arrogance had led her to it.
'Please,' she said. She struggled to maintain her composure. 'Please.'
Kong adjusted his grip on the knife. 'Don't look away now, little girl. Watch and remember who's boss.'
Minerva could not avert her eyes. Her gaze was trapped by this terrible tableau. It was like a scene from a scary movie, complete with its own soundtrack.
Minerva frowned. Real life did not have a soundtrack. There was music coming from somewhere.
The somewhere proved to be Kong's trouser pocket. His polyphonic phone was playing 'TheToreador Song' from Carmen. Kong pulled the phone from his pocket.
'Who is this?' he snapped.
'My name is not important,' said a youthful voice. 'The important thing is that I have something you want.'
'How did you get this number?'
'I have a friend,' replied the mystery caller. 'He knows all the numbers. Now, to business. I believe you're in the market for a demon?'
Minutes earlier Butler had pulled off the motorway at the airport exit, and crammed himself into the back seat beside Artemis and Holly. They had watched the drama unfold in the Chateau Paradizo on their tiny laptop.
Artemis gripped his knees tight. 'I can't allow this. I won't allow it.'
Holly placed a hand over his. 'We have no choice, Artemis. We're clear now. This is not our fight. I can't risk exposing Number One.'
Artemis's frown cut a furrow from his hairline to the bridge of his nose.
'I know. Of course. But, still, how can this not be my fight?' He glanced sharply at Butler. 'Will Kong kill that man?'
'Without a doubt,' replied the bodyguard. 'In his mind, it's already done.'
Artemis rubbed his eyes, suddenly fatigued. 'I am responsible, indirectly. I can't have a man's death on my conscience. Holly, you do what you have to do, but I need to save those people.'
'Conscience,' said No.1. 'What a lovely word. The sh in the middle.'
It was plain that the imp was not actually listening to the conversation, just picking up on certain words. The incongruity of this simple statement made Artemis look across. His eyes rested for a moment on No.1 's chest markings. And suddenly he knew where he had seen them before. A plan hit him like a bolt of lightning.
'Holly, do you trust me?'
Holly groaned. 'Artemis, don't ask me that. I just know one of your outrageous plans is coming.'
'Do you trust me?'
'Yes,' Holly sighed. 'I do. More than anyone.'
'Well then, trust me to get us all out of this. I will explain later.'
Holly was torn. This decision could affect the rest of her life, and the imp's too. And the effect could be to shorten them dramatically.
