Butler gripped Artemis's shoulder. 'If you call him, then he has the upper hand. Kong will want to choose where to meet.'
'I know where we should meet. I just have to convince Mister Kong that the rendezvous point is his idea.' Artemis closed his fist, covering the phone. 'Quiet. It's ringing.'
'Who is this?' snapped Kong.
'My name is not important,' said Artemis. 'The important thing is that I have something you want.'
[...]
'A straight trade. I pick a public place, and we swap. My demon for your girl.'
'You're not picking anything, kid. I pick the rendezvous point. You called me, remember? What do you want with this girl anyway?'
'Her life,' said Artemis simply. 'I do not like murder, or murderers. You and your crew walk out of there with one hostage, and we do a swap. It's a simple transaction. Don't tell me you've never released a hostage before.'
'I'm an old hand, kid. I've been picking up ransoms for years.'
'Good. I'm glad we can do business. Now why don't you name your preferred location. I'll be wearing a burgundy tie. Pay attention to that. There are a hundred and one ways this could go wrong. If it does, the police could tie one of us up for a long time.'
In the getaway car, Holly frowned quizzically at Artemis. It wasn't like him to chatter. He calmed her with a look and a wave of his hand.
'OK,' said Kong. 'I just thought of somewhere. You know Taipei 101?'
'In Taiwan?' said Artemis. 'One of the world's tallest buildings? You are not serious. That's on the far side of the world.'
'I am deadly serious. Taipei is my second home. I know it well. You will have a tough enough time getting there by the deadline, so there will be no tricks. We will exchange on the observation deck at twelve noon, two days from now. If you don't show, then the girl takes the express elevator down. If you see what I mean.'
[...]
As Holly watched No.l drop the silver slug and disappear, she could not resist snapping a photo of Kong's face with her helmet camera. His reaction was priceless. They would have a good laugh over that later.
Then she activated her wings, rising above the giant silver ball, watching for signs.
Seconds later, a faint blue electrical rectangle began spinning at the silver ball's crown, exactly where Artemis had known it would. No.l was coming back. Just as Artemis had predicted.
Such a large mass of silver within three metres should interrupt No.1's journey home. It should cause a momentary materialization at the summit, where the damper's energy field is most concentrated. You, Holly, have to be there to make sure this momentary materialization becomes more permanent.
On the mass damper, No.1 's shape was visible inside the glowing rectangle. He seemed a little confused, as though half asleep. One arm
snaked through into this world, grasping at reality. It was enough for Holly. She darted down and clamped a silver bracelet round No.l's grey wrist. The ghostly fingers wiggled, then solidified. Solidity sped along No.l's arm like grey paint, rescuing him from Limbo. In seconds, where there had only been space, now crouched a shivering creature.
'Did I go?' asked the little imp. 'Am I back?'
[...]
'But how did you set this up?' the French girl wondered. 'The meeting site was Kong's idea. I heard him on the phone.'
Artemis smiled at his own cleverness. 'While he was thinking about it, I said "I'll be wearing a burgundy tie. Pay attention to that. There are a hundred and one ways this could go wrong. If it does, the police could tie one of us up for a long time." Do you see?'
Minerva plucked at a curl thoughtfully. 'Mon Dieu! You used the power of suggestion. Tie pay. A hundred and one. Tie one.'
'Or what Kong's subconscious heard: "Taipei 101. Taiwan."'
'Brilliant, Artemis. Extraordinary. And coming from me, that means something.'
'It was brilliant,' said Artemis, with characteristic lack of modesty. 'Allied to the fact that Kong's second home is Taiwan, I was reasonably confident that it would work.'

The Lost Colony, Chapter 10-12