"ARTEMIS FOWL THE SECOND! Get down here, NOW!"

Angeline Fowl's voice carried through the house as if she had a megaphone.

"You'd think that in a house this big you wouldn't even be able to hear her," Butler, Artemis' bodyguard, commented wryly. His charge was in his study, trying to work on his Ice Cube.

"Butler! Where is Arty?" Artemis Fowl the First burst into the room. His ears were ringing from his wife's shrieking downstairs.

"He's in his study. He refuses to come out, and learned last time that if he doesn't want to come out, you don't try to make him," Butler chuckled softly at the memory, "He has a defense set up. It is most unpleasant to have your eyebrows singed by a door."

"Arty! Please! I don't want to hear your mother's screams for the next half-hour. She just needs your help babysitting the twins this afternoon. Juliet and Butler will be busy helping decorate. Artemis! Are you even listening to me?" Artemis' father suddenly sounded anxious. That wasn't good.

Artemis' mother was a magnet for anxiety.

"ARTEMIS!" she screeched when she got to the room, "Are you ignoring me?" She then noticed her husband's and Butler's expressions. "Am I missing something here?"

"…Artemis?" Mr. Fowl asked softly. He tapped lightly on the door. It swung open at his touch.

Inside the study, the Fowls and their son's bodyguard saw the Ice Cube lying haphazardly on its side. The window was open a crack, letting in the crisp, cool autumn air. Notes were strewn about on the desk.

Artemis was nowhere to be seen.

3 hours earlier

Holly was aboveground when the call came in.

"Holly!" Foaly's voice came over through her helmet so loudly she temporarily lost control of her wings.

"D'arvit, Foaly! Are you trying to kill me?" she replied angrily.

He didn't bother with an apology, "Where are you? Never mind, you're at the Irish hotspot. That's good. Listen, I don't have much time. Past Opal just broke Present Opal out of jail." All color drained from Holly's face. She almost didn't notice what Foaly said next (emphasis on almost), "I need you to go to Fowl if it isn't already too late."

She didn't reply. She hung up with Foaly and pulled out the fairy communicator that connected her to Artemis. It rung for a few seconds until Artemis finally answered.

"She is back, isn't she?" he sighed when he was greeted by a confirming silence. "When do I get that call that says you'll be coming for a peaceful visit?"

"Artemis, you're still counting your words," was all she could say.

"I try not to," he deliberately made his reply have four words. Oh, that dreaded number four! He thought silently.

On the other end, Holly sighed. Poor Artemis. Stupid Opal. Stupid Atlantis Complex. Stupid… oh you get the picture! She finally reached Fowl Manor and found Artemis in his study.

"Hey," she said timidly.

He looked up, mumbled "hi," and got back to work with his Ice Cube.

She sat down and looked out the window. Artemis had left it open a crack to allow a breeze. She watched intently to make sure there was no immediate threat. She then turned to face Artemis.

He looked up, feeling her gaze. They made eye contact for a few seconds, one golden and one blue peering closely at her. Holly looked down and blushed.

"Do you want me to… stay here?" she asked awkwardly. "I just wanted to see for sure that you were okay."

"I'm sure Butler can watch over me," he replied softly. Then, he grinned, "Besides, when am I known to get in trouble?"

This broke the tension. Holly laughed. After a few moments hesitation, Artemis joined in. Holly had only heard him laugh on rare occasions. She guiltily loved the sound of it.

It was cut short when Foaly came to her speakers again, saying, "She's on the move! Holly! We've tracked her to the hotspot in Paris! Get over there stat!"

"Gotta go!" she called to Artemis.

"I'll try not to get into a life-threatening situation while you're gone."

"Now's not the time to joke about that, Mud boy," she said sternly.

"Of course not, Captain," he replied looking mischievous.

"Artemis…" she looked Artemis squarely in the eye, "Promise me you'll help us keep people safe."

"On my honor, Holly," he said looking stern, "I promise to keep as many people, fairy and mud men alike, safe from death as possible."

"I'll hold you to that, Arty."

"Good luck."

And with that, Holly flew off into the night.

Shortly after Captain Short left the building

Artemis had been expecting this for a long time. He knew the decoy had been sent to Paris to distract Holly. He also knew where the real Opal was. He noticed the shimmer before Holly had even cleared the building.

"Honestly, Koboi? You'd think that after all this you had at least learned patience!"

Opal just sneered.

"I expected you to come earlier," he said. "Do you agree with the terms?"

"I am not an idiot, Fowl! What trickery do you have up your sleeve?"

He sighed, "I have a yearning to go back to simpler days when crime wasn't so wrong to me."

"So now you've decided to do crime for a price. It's a hefty bargain, too. Very hard to resist, yet I question your motives."

"I have made promises I intend to keep, Koboi," he said softly. He then heard his mother screaming at him to go downstairs. "It is time we leave."

Opal smiled. This is going to be fun! she thought greedily as she and her own personal genius sod himself as her slave.