PROLOGUE
Of the many place Artemis Fowl the Second had been, Zimbabwe was not one of them. Nor did the young heir feel inclined to ever go there. As a byproduct of the modern world, young Fowl considered even the idea of a lifestyle without sanitary water or a competent computer program as a ghastly concept. Besides, he wouldn't want to make the carrying of iodine tablets a necessity.
Imagine his horror, therefore, when his parents, Angeline and Artemis Fowl the First, announced that they were to take a family trip to the south African country in an independent charity effort.
After the initial shock of the announcement, Artemis Junior would spend a great deal of his time devising a means of backing out of the vacation. The actual diversion was planned weeks before the trip, but the real trick was to see if his parents would actually fall for it. Which was very likely.
One might find it hard to believe at first glance, but, among other things, Artemis was a fantastic actor. When one's lifestyle is based completely upon lies and deceit, it becomes necessary to know how to keep a straight face. As a seven-year-old child, Artemis would often spend idle afternoons reading and memorizing plays. By eight, he could act out everything from 'Macbeth' to 'Death of a Salesman' perfectly, and with all of the voices. Convincing his parents to let him stay in Ireland would be only too easy.
Bring on the show.
