“What do you mean Opal Koboi II?” screamed Holly, she was still mad at Opal I for killing Root, “When I find her she’s going-” “He,” corrected Foaly. “He? This is getting too wierd for me! How does Opal have a decendant?” asked Trubs as he tried his best to settle Holly down on the sofa with the others. Artemis sat in silence right through the conversation, Butler could tell he was thinking, he always was except this time harder. “Why don’t we ask Artemis?” put in Butler, “He’s the smart one.” Foaly pulled a face like a human boy who had just been told he was bad at football. “Well my best sugestion that is actually possible at this moment in time is that we go and find him, at the Spirol building I presume,” said Artemis calmly. As they departed the only thing that was going through Holly’s mind was ‘He’s going to pay for what Opal did to Root’ She hadn’t forgotten how Julius’ last moments were spent; strapped to a bomb, most of his ribs broken and shouting at Holly to get out. ‘He is going to pay’

At the Spirol Building they met outside the back door. It was locked. “Well let’s use the All-Door key Foaly made” suggested Minerva. She had instisted she come even after Artemis’ persuasion. All of a sudden the ground disappeared from underneath their feet, a trap. They fell down into a dark room. Holly cursed very strongly when she saw who had fallen on Trubs. Butler prepared to be screamed at. He crawled off a nearly flat Trouble Kelp. A broken leg, great, one man down and we haden’t even started. “Welcome” bellowed a male’s voice over the speakers, “Please follow the lights” A corridor of lights flickered in the corner, they followed cautiously. Foaly was the first to enter the light room carrying a battered Trubs on his back. A boy about Artemis’ age sat in the tall black chair behind a black marble desk. “Opal Koboi the Second I think, you know you have a girl’s name” said Foaly, he couldn’t resist the remark. The rest entered the room and Artemis stepped forward. “I brought you here to finish what my Auntie started, she told me about all of you and how you came to be her enemy. She had one request that I am quite willing to do for her, she said: Kill Captain Holly Short first since I didn’t get the chance” Opal smiled, it was very girly and showed up like a sore thumb on his blank, pale face. A huge metal door slamed shut behind them, oh dear. Guards came from another opening and seized Holly by the arms, Trubs tried to climb off Foaly to help her but Butler held him still. Opal took a small revolver from his shirt pocket and pressed it to Holly’s temple. Holly’s eyes were a mixture of fear and ultimate anger, she was almost foaming at the mouth. ”Before you die Captain, Auntie Opal wanted me to tell you a secret about Root that no one knows. We all know you have no father, well that is not true.” He paused, thinking over what he was going to say, “Your father was the late Commander Julius Root. No suprise there.”

Some other stories by English-Minerva:

• Her Name Was Captain Holly Kelp
• I'll Have To Tell Her
• Hell Unleashed
• Opal Koboi II reveals secret about Root
• Letters