All characters and universe rightfully belongs to Eoin Colfer, the author of the Artemis Fowl Series.
Artemis Fowl: After Story
Entrance to Haven
"Okay, Holly, what've you got for me?" muttered LEPRecon Commander Root, rubbing his temple. LEPRecon Captain Holly Short, of the infamous Retrieval One squad, snapped a crisp salute.
"All security systems have been fully upgraded. Anti-hacking systems have been installed into all of our systems – as well as Foaly's: which he likes to note how aggravating it was to admit he needs to strengthen up his networking…"
"If he has a problem with all this ever since our experience with that nightmare of a human, tell him I'll literally march over their to give him my note of cutting his budget."
Holly stood at ease, giving the Commander a slight pause, "Sir, yes, sir." Foaly's going to love that, mentally hummed the female elf. She grimaced as well. She hated to see a good friend being upset, but Root was right…Her and her people must now tread with absolute caution.
Two months have passed since Holly was kidnapped by the wretched and devious human, Artemis Fowl. She was used to ransom the People's precious gold and as an exploit to the secrets of the Lower Elements…the Haven…her home. It was an serious event they have ever faced, which from then on they dubbed it: the Fowl Incident. To their greatest shock however, every secret of the People that have been kept well hidden from the reaches of the Mudmen, humans, the very ones that were sealed out of anyone's reach, despite whatever technology they created…were all bested by a 12 year old with the mind of an adult criminal master mind…Holly shivered, but mentally than physically.
Root grumbled under his breath, barely withstanding his own stress of the matter and the people's future. Artemis knew of their existence, but whether he was going to exploit them or not…was the scary part. For now, he got Foaly to keep tabs on every communication line that has anything regarding to the fairy-folk, as well as this Artemis child.
"12 years old…" he muttered.
Holly nodded, slightly crestfallen, "I know."
"12 years old…"
"Yes sir…"
Root instantly smashed a hand over his ashtray with a gnawed-to-a-pulp fungus-cigar, shattering it without flinching.
"ALL THE SECRETS OF OUR RACE? ALL THE TECHNOLOGY OF OUR ORGANIZATION? AND ALL THE WITS WE'VE PUT UP?! BEST BY A 12 YEAR OLD MUD BOY?!" Root clenched his glass-shattering hand, smashing another blow to his desk to create several fissures, "THIS JUST ISN'T POSSIBLE!"
Holly shamefully dropped her gaze, "I guess I'm the one at fault here…sir…"
"THAT'S RIGHT!" jabbed Root's finger towards Holly. The girl elf swallowed hard. She wish she was wearing her specialize LEPRecon helmet…at least she could mute out all sounds, including Root's thunder, from her hearing. Unfortunately… "YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS KIDNAPPED! YOU WERE THE ONE THEY TOOK AWAY!" He slammed the table, leaning way over it to get his face real-close with Holly's. On the other hand, she did not even flinch. "AND YOU'RE A RETRIEVAL! THE BEST AND THE ELITE! MAYBE I WAS WRONG TO HAVE A GIRL BE ON RETRIEVAL IN THE FIRST PLACE!"
Holly was silent, but all she answered was, "I'll get him…" Root raised an eyebrow as the girl locked eyes with the red-faced one, eyes determined, "I promise…That he won't have a second chance to stab a knife at us…Not now…not never." Root snorted, traces of green smoke flaring from his nostril. Leftovers from his last breath on his cigar. This time, Holly could not help but to wrinkle her nose.
"Make sure of it reaaaaal good…" growled Root. The Commander sat back down, the color of his face toning down. That was when a communicator across his decks blipped. He slapped it so hard, its keys almost cracked, and a familiar face appeared. "WHAT NOW FOALY?!"
The centaur gave the Commander a long and skeptic look, scratching the edge of his tinfoil hat.
'[Just checking to see if you died from a heart attack yet…]' replied Foaly. Holly stifled a laugh. '[Any-who, I've…]' He groaned, rolled his eyes, and pursed his lips. He took a moment to roughly bite a large chunk of his carrot, taking a moment to simmer down a hidden anger. After a gulp, he ended with, '[I ten-dupled my security systems – which, by the way, was already at its best – with the new countermeasures – even though its just special fluff and all – to prevent another hack in by the Mud Men – which should be impossible except for the Mud Boy – and EETHNNTBU…]'
"What's – Entboon?" grumbled Root.
'[EETHNNTBU, actually.]'
"Foaly…"
'[Haaaah…Everything else that has no need to be upgraded…]' The Centaur reared back a bit from his side of the screen, revealing his hands resting to his hip which connected to a horse's body and legs. '[Happy?]'
"Until another computer interception from any Mud Man, possibly…"
'[Tch…you're a tough nut to crack…]'
With that, Root clicked the communicator off. He growled a sigh, taking in one deep breath. Finally, he said…
"Holly…You are the only one in the entire Haven who has a first hand experience of what this Artemis Fowl boy is like…I want you to continue to be on his case…If anything happens…Make sure it does not become a second Fowl Incident…" Root then glanced a weary, but hard stare at the LEPRecon Captain. "Do I make myself clear?"
Holly snapped a salute, her aura burning with determination. She won't lose to this Artemis Fowl again. She will make sure of that.
"SIR, YES, SIR!"
[******]
"Haaaa…"
Artemis Fowl, the child prodigy of the whole Fowl family; the heir of the entire Fowl estate; criminal mastermind at the age of 12; was now stuck in a hole. Clad in his formerly pristine suit, with specially designed short suit pants and expensive shoes, he sat in the bottom of the hole in absolute boredom. How did he ended up like this? Thinking of it forced him to slap his hand to his face.
It has been two months since the incident with the ransom for Holly Short and the taking of the fairy-folk's gold. Using half of it was…well, something no one would have ever thought. It was put to good use, he could assure anyone, which was…both a good and troublesome thing…but nonetheless good.
His unstable-minded mother, Angeline Fowl, was now up and about and perfectly healthy. Deep down he was glad, glad to the point of regain his former innocence. But, to execute his secret plans to regain the Fowl's exquisite wealth…was the troublesome thing. For now, he had to lay low under his mother's presence until he could conveniently continue to pursue his next plan…But when he thought of laying low, it would not be…physically in a ditch.
Now it brings him to ponder how did he get in this hole in the first place. Oh right…
{****}
"Arty!"
Artemis turned to the voice. As well, his lifelong manservant, bodyguard, and guardian, all melded into one hulking yet elite soldier like entity, did the same as well; Butler. Artemis watched as his mother transcended the rich golden railing and red-carpeted staircase, a health smile beaming on her beautiful face.
"Yes mother?" he called back, hiding a gulp. He was about to leave the manor to begin the phases of his next criminal masterminded operations…until his mother hailed him. Angeline stepped down to the same floor as her son, gazing down at him like her prized possession.
"Today's a nice day, Arty…Why don't you go out and play with your friends?"
Artemis, pet-named Arty by his mother, raised a skeptic brow. If he could, he would have 'urked'. Butler, cleared his throat, his lips trembling not from fear.
"…I beg your pardon mother?"
"Why don't you go and play outside? It's a beautiful weather we're having. It would be a shame to waste it."
"I was planning to go out…somewhere, mother."
Angeline wagged a finger, "No, no, no! You should stop going out on your little 'business trips'…Be a child again and have fun. Don't lock yourself into your stuffy room any more."
Artemis, being the criminal master mind he was, tried to think of something fast, "…" Dear God, none came to mind. All he could retort was, "My friends are…busy…" Butler, being the constant statue he was with all his years of training, started to shuffle uncomfortably. Angeline giggled.
"Then why don't you and Juliet go out and tend the gardens?"
Artemis did let out an audible 'urk'
"What?!"
"WHAT?!"
SPLASH!
Everyone jumped, including Butler and they turned to the watery crash. The 16 year old Fowl maid, as well as the baby sister of Butler, Juliet Butler…was sprawled across the floor in a wet heap. A mop was cluttered next to her, a half empty bucket encasing her head like a weird knight. It seemed that she…slipped when she heard the 'breaking' news. Words echoed from the bucket, but they were too inaudible until the girl whipped it off and…
"ME WITH ARTEMIS?!"
Oblivious, Angeline nodded happily, "Will you show him how to tend the gardens? It would be good for his health."
"But—" chocked the 12 and 16 year olds together.
"Butler?" The said manservant snapped at attention. He would never have flinched if a sniper round nearly grazed his head, but he was sweating now as he saw the blissful grin of her employer's mother. "I would love it if you could teach me how to make that special pecan treacle you're so good at. I can't get enough of those!"
Butler glanced down at Artemis. Artemis glimpsed up at Butler. The two exchanged silent thoughts. What could have been just two seconds, felt like an eternity of a dilemma for the duo. Artemis gave a heavy swallow…and finally a soft nod.
"As you wish, Mistress Fowl," answered Butler instantly.
"Oh good!" giggled the bright woman, "Now, Juliet, take good care of my Arty." Before Juliet or Artemis could retort, Angeline gripped Butler by the sleeve and dragged the giant after her down the manor's corridor.
Silence. The two then exchanged unsteady glances. The two sighed.
"Come on, Master Artemis…let's do our best to make her happy…" said Juliet. She straightened the waist band of her skirt like pants and went for the door. Artemis, on the other hand…
"Don't you want to change into some…dryer clothing, Juliet?"
Butler's sister faltered to a halt. In silence, she turned about, raised up a hand, strode past her young employer, and up the stairs to her room.
{****}
"Come on, Artemis, give me a hand here…"
"…This is pointless…"
Clad in a dryer set of clothing for gardening, Juliet turned to look over her shoulder, "If you don't do anything, Mistress Fowl will figure out what you really want to do…"
Artemis, donned in his original clothing along with a summer hat and apron, was kneeling in front of a large flower bush, holding onto a tiny hand-shovel with a look of passive loathing. Juliet sighed and crawled up to her employer, looking at him straight in those lifeless and calculating eyes. There were times it made her dizzy at looking at them, knowing he was constantly devising several plans for the near future, but there was no choice now.
"Look, Arty…I know you don't want to do this, and possibly regretting about that wish to heal your mother…"
"I'm not…regretting."
"You knew the consequences if your mother were to recover…"
"…I do…"
Juliet sighed, shaking her head, "Like you mother say…be a kid again…Smile will you?"
"I am afraid you might not like it…"
"Oh come one what's not to – GAH! NO! DON'T SMILE!"
Artemis Fowl II relinquished his favourite – and frightening – vampire grin. Juliet rubbed her eyes, desperately trying to erase the horrid image in her eyes.
"Told you."
"Geez, Arty! Will you just act like a normal kid, without that Dracula smile?! It really creeps me out! And I'm the type of girl who loves wrestling." Juliet huffed, blinking her eyes of the image. No good, it was literally a photographed memory. She cursed her decision for asking Artemis to do the impossible.
Satisfied, at least, Artemis followed Juliet's advice and drove his small shovel into the dirt.
He struck air instead. Before he knew it, he slipped and fell into something deep.
"Hey, Arty?" wondered Juliet, "Can you pass me that rake…thing over there…Arty? Arty?" Juliet peered about. Artemis was missing. She snarled. "If you wanted to ditch the chore you should have given me a heads—"
"Juliet…" The girl snapped out of her thoughts. She looked about to find the voice of Artemis. It was not quiet, not afraid, but rather…calm. "In here." Following the voice, Juliet stumbled across something.
A hole.
"Artemis?" Juliet peered into its deep bowls, spotting a familiar figure sitting across the base with his chin on his right hand. "Artemis! What are you doing done there? This isn't the time to be playing? It's dangerous down there!"
"Juliet…" said Artemis, controlling the temper in his voice, "Do I look like the sort of person who would throw myself into danger without your brother by my side?"
"Uh…well…No?"
"Exactly."
"So…what do you want me to do?"
"…Your brother's charge has fallen into a deep hole. He cannot get out himself. He is alone in a very dangerous situation…What should you do?"
"…Artemis," muttered Juliet.
"Please get me Butler."
"Will do!" With that, Juliet the girl left the hole.
[******]
Back to the current situation, Artemis has been waiting for the hopeful rescue of Butler…or possibly the fire department if her mother knew about this. He checked his Rolex watch, watching its slow ticks cross over dashes and Roman numerals. It has been exactly 36 minutes and 34 seconds since Juliet went for help. Either his mother and Butler were really in depth with working on the pecan treacle…or in worst case scenario, Juliet got lost in the manor…again…Otherwise, everything should go well. The clap of distant thunder hummed into the 12 year old's ears. He blinked before he rubbed his face.
This was not what he had calculated…He was done for.
For once in his entire life, he vented his frustration by smashing a fist to the wall of the hole. Dirt rained down across his gelled head, ticking him off even more. He pulled his hand back, burning red with strange imprints in it, and growled…Wait, strange imprints?
Artemis took a closer look at his fist. It was clean, no dirt. It was all red and it had symmetrical lines that began to fade from his skin. He turned to the area of which he struck out at. Come to think of it…the contact made a dull noise…Like it was metal. He reached out to touch the spot.
His hand was swallowed into the dirt. Surprised, he withdrew it back whole again. After a quick flex of his hand, he tried again. This time, he sank it in deeper. His fingers touched a cold flat surface. Not hesitating, he poked his head through. His head slipped in like a ghost through a wall. He could not believe it.
It was an active hologram. Hiding behind it was some sort of chamber that could hold something the size of a 5 year old child. It was hallow and heavily plated in metal, but thick with dust. It looked like a loading platform or a terminal of some sorts. He crawled in deeper, fascinated with every second. He saw a sealed hatched way, enough to fit him through half by half. Words were hidden under a skin of dirt across the door's face and he wiped it off. It was a series of letters painted in scratched yellow.
DOCKING 05
It was strange though…for these words were not written in any language that anyone else knew. Only Artemis could identify it…for it was from a language he recently learned in his recent series of events…It was gnomish.
'[Artemis.]' called a deep and crisp voice in the boy's ear. It took Artemis a full ten second to remember that he had a special microphone and earpiece on him. He mentally slapped himself for not called Butler this way. '[Are you alright? Juliet told me you…fell down a rabbit's hole?]'
"Butler…" said Artemis. He reached for the circular hatchway handles, creaking it around to open it.
'[Stay calm, Artemis, I am on my way. Where's your position?]'
"Butler…" The door creaked back with whatever Artemis had for strength. Air started to get sucked into whatever was sealed behind it.
'[Wait for me for a second. I'm trying to find the ladder in the garage…]'
"Butler."
'[Yes?]'
Artemis heaved back the door, widening its maw. Behind it…he found a strange object. It was…like the shape of a shuttle, rather large but small in scale. Like the room, it felt like it was meant to carrying half a bus load of children. Wait…They looked familiar.
These looked like the same shuttles that appeared to set the siege the fairy-folk had placed around his manor…the same types that belonged to the LEP, as the policing force called themselves.
'[Something wrong, Artemis? How's your oxygen intake—]'
"There's no need to get the ladder, Butler…" Artemis' vampire grin stretched to new and exciting heights, but foreboding a lot more than what it stood for, "I've found a way in…"
'[……Say that again?]'
"Look's like we're going to be meeting some old friends of ours…"