This probably isn't a permanent project, I'll laugh if I finish it. But here you go, something interesting to occupy all those who are bored. I'll post for awhile, but if I get no reviews, I'll quit. Maybe...
FFN
Chapter One
She was sitting there, staring into nothing when he arrived at the café for their meeting. Artemis rolled his eyes, she was almost predictable. Almost. Her blue jeans, black leather jacket, red tank top and vibrant hair stuck out like a sore thumb. It always did. No matter where he asked to meet her, she was dressed the same way, and it was almost always inappropriate. Her expression was bored, airy, as if she was a tourist thinking of something to do that day. Artemis knew better. Butler knew better. She was as alert as a body guard, her eyes, routinely scanning the place, looking for signs of a set up. As if he would ever do that to her. Again.
He sat down at her table, her eyes glued to him since she had noticed his arrival. Those bright green eyes that seemed to penetrate his very soul.
"Good afternoon, Elizabeth. How have you been?" he asked after he ordered tea.
"Been better, been worse," she replied. This was her usual state of being. "To what do I owe this…honor?"
"We have another…case, Liz. I was hoping to get your help?" he asked, watching his wording.
"I'm not wired..ahem…again, Arty. No worries, eh?" He winced at her use of the nickname.
"I wish you wouldn't call me that," he said, doing his best to sound annoyed.
"I've asked you repeatedly not to call me Liz. If it wasn't for him-" she jerked her chin at Butler, "I would probably have done some serious bodily harm to you by now."
Artemis didn't know why that particular nickname bothered her so.
"I'll try to remember that, Elizabeth. Have you already ordered?"
"Not hungry, Artemis."
Code for the fact that she had no money. He realized that they hadn't had a job together for probably over a year, and money was hard to come by for her.
"My treat this time," he offered.
"I don't need your charity, Artemis. What's going on?" she asked, placing her folded arms on the table. It was suddenly painfully clear how thin she had gotten since he had last seen her. She was still eerily beautiful, but she looked tired and worn.
His tea came and the waiter turned to her. "Are you sure you don't want anything, miss?"
She sat there and thought, then felt her pocket. Finally, she answered. "A cup of joe, please."
The waiter looked confused. "Coffee, dude," she clarified.
"Right, it'll be right out, miss," he said, then he turned and left.
They were silent while they waited for her coffee and for only seconds after it was sat down infront of her.
"What's the job, Artemis?" she asked before she took a sip of the steaming acid.
"It's retrieval." It was their euphemism for breaking, entering and stealing.
"Oh, my favorite. Where?"
"The museum four blocks away. The item is rather valuable."
"How much?"
"Total? Or your cut?"
"Both."
"4.1 million. Your cut is 1.6."
She almost spit out her coffee but, like a good American, wouldn't dare lose even that much.
Elizabeth sat her cup down and smoothed out the napkin sitting at the table. Her eyes were on her hands. "That's a lot of money."
"The biggest pay you've ever gotten."
"What for?"
A series of mysterious stones marked with some gibberish. Would it be enough?"
She dodged the question, as he very well knew she would. "Enough for what, Artemis?"
"Your bills."
She stared at him, expressionless as she always was when the subject of her and her sister's problems. Finally, she answered. "Yes. Plenty."
"And to take care of yourself?"
Elizabeth sighed hard at that question. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she leaned across the table. Artemis noticed Butler put his hand on his weapon, just in case.
"Why do you care, Artemis?"
A piece of her hot pink hair was drifting infront of her left eye. Her sight was fierce, her face set. It was all a ruse, really. Artemis remembered that night years ago when she had broken that cool façade and into his arms at Fowl Manor. But that was in the past, and it wouldn't be prudent to mention that now.
"Despite what you may think, my dear Elizabeth, I care about your well-being and that of your family. I would be nothing without-"
"Bullshit, Artemis. You know you could find ten other people, just like me, who know how to do what I do."
"Yes, but how many of them have had the government knocking on their door asking them for help?"
Her gaze shifted, and she say down again, much to Butler's relief. He liked the girl, didn't want to shoot her, but if she threatened Artemis, he would have to. Butler also expected that his charge was a little more fond of Miss Elizabeth than he realized.
"When do we start the job?" she asked with a sigh.
"This afternoon, preferably," he suggested as she drank the last of her coffee.
"All right, let's go," she said. She set her money down under her mug on the table and stood up. Artemis did the same.
On their way out, Artemis put an arm around her small waist. It was procedure that they look like and innocent twenty-year old couple madly in love, but he still enjoyed feeling the heat of her under his hand.