A/N-I don't own Artemis Fowl or related characters! Credit for the books, characters, etc. goes to Eoin Colfer, author extraordinaire.

She was going insane. She could feel it in her bones, in every breath she took. Commander Root had been wrong. Or at least, he had been partially wrong. There was life underground, but it was boring.

After more than four years (although it had been little more than one to her), Holly was back with Recon. Unfortunately, the Council had felt so pressured after her return that she had been promoted to major almost immediately. That meant desk duty, and lots of it. There were perks to a higher rank, though…

An emergency transmission came to her office, flashing red. Foaly was growing ever more dramatic as time went on.

"Holly?" The voice she heard held an unmistakable tremor of panic. "I need your help."

She raised her eyebrows, despite the fact that he could not possibly see her through the miles of earth between them.

"What did you do, Mud Boy?" She asked, dreading the answer. There was a pause, and she heard the sound of china breaking.

"My parents left on an anniversary trip for two nights. I have to watch the twins overnight. Alone." Artemis whispered.

Holly's eyes widened. The twins under Artemis's care were a threat to the entire world.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." She promised, and then terminated the link.

Ignoring the stacks of paperwork that still needed to be done, she selected the few needed for an aboveground mission and quickly approved them.
A few minutes later, she was headed towards the door with a pair of Hummingbird wings.

"Short! Where are you going?" She almost made it to the door without getting caught by Vein. He took a few steps towards her.

"Don't you still have paperwork to do?" He questioned.

Holly looked at the door, and above, to where the surface was, even if she couldn't see it. Was this worth it?

"Sorry, Commander." She replied. "It's a matter of national security." She skipped the last few steps out the door.

A few hours later, as she soared into the Irish night, she knew it was worth it. Maybe this job wasn't so bad after all.