Captain Holly Short was no stranger to undercover work. In fact, she was often the officer Commander Kelp recruited for stealth missions. She was quick, quiet, and had the best shooting average in all of Police Plaza.
At this very moment Captain Short was preparing for one of said missions. A local goblin gang had recently been suspected to be fencing gold from a con elf in Atlantis. It was usually just small amounts, nothing large enough for the LEPRecon to step in. Just a few weeks ago, however, there was a theft of the famous Menis painting from the Royal Lower Elements Museum.
The local police did nothing about it. It was cut out of the canvas, they said. No alarms and the security cameras had all been looped. There's no way we can catch them.
Foaly knew better than to listen to the police. When he read the news the following morning, he snorted at their stupidity, and proceeded to check the gang for any suspicious activity, which he did.
The gang had just taken two million out of their private bank account, and that was just about how much the Menis was worth. There was no doubt they were fencing the painting.
After the situation was run by Trouble, Holly was cleared to run the mission, and thus, Holly spent her afternoon hiding out in an old abandoned warehouse a few miles from the Plaza.
The mission this time was quite simple: A shipment of gold coins was to be stored that afternoon in the old warehouse, and Foaly was to tip off the goblins, pretending to be the elusive con elf. The goblins would arrive, and Holly would neutralize them all and take them back to Police Plaza for questioning.
It was five minutes before the goblins were due to arrive. Holly checked her Neutrino one last time, making sure it was set on the right charge before sliding it back in her shoulder holster.
She looked around her one last time, surveying her surroundings. The warehouse was quite small, and dingy. The four windows on the flimsy metal walls were covered in grime, the sun barely peeking through. Holly could hear the whistle of the wind blowing through a crack on the door, and water was dripping from a pipe in the corner of the warehouse, the sounds echoing through the room.
Holly shivered. It was mid-March, and spring had yet to show. The suit she was currently wearing had no heating coils, as Foaly decided those suits were for extreme missions only. Holly checked her watch. They would be arriving right about now. She got into position, cocking her Neutrino and retreating to a shadowed corner.
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Holly began to doubt the goblins were ever going to show, when she heard a click from behind her head.
Holly froze, knowing all too well what that sound was, but hoping she was wrong. She turned slowly, barely breathing. Her gaze met the black barrel of a Mud Man gun, a Glock 17, to be exact.
Holly's first instinct was to raise her gun and shoot. She reached for her Neutrino, only to find her holster empty. Looking up again, past the Glock, there was a man, no older than 20, with startling black hair, fair complexion and deep blue eyes. In his hand was Holly's Neutrino, the barrel snapped in half.
"Artemis?" Holly's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, her hand dropping from her holster. "What are you doing here?"
"Kind, sweet, Holly," he drawled. "Isn't it obvious?" He gave a small chuckle, never lowering the gun from her face.
He was so close to her, Holly could feel his breath on her neck, the little warmth in the warehouse spreading to her toes.
"Artemis, I'm on a mission. Move the gun out of my face! And what's so obvious?"
He gave another low chuckle, one that sent shivers down Holly's spine, despite his warm breath. Keeping his eyes trained on Holly, he moved his finger to the trigger rather than dropping the weapon.
"I know all about your mission, Holly. You're looking for the brains behind the operations aren't you?"
"I – Yes. How – " Holly was more confused than ever. Maybe Foaly filled him in, she thought.
"Listen. There's a goblin gang that should be coming soon, to pick up the gold." She motioned towards the briefcase. "You need to get out of here. Goblins may not be very bright, but there's no way you could outrun a whole gang."
"Holly, the goblins aren't coming."
"How do you know that?"
"It's me Holly. I'm the one who stole the painting. I'm the con." He gave it a moment for the truth to sink in before continuing.
"It's not just about the money. It's much worse than that. You woke the dragon, Holly. It's too late." And with that, he raised the gun slightly, the barrel now trained on Holly's forehead.
This is all wrong, she thought. This can't be happening.
"I'm sorry Holly. But this is the only way." And he pulled the trigger.
The force of the blast should have knocked Holly off her feet, but she stood stock still, watching the blood from the wound run down her chest and Artemis' maniacal laugh ringing in her ears as the warehouse faded to black.
Holly was still in shock as she slid off her simulation visor. Turning around, she met those blue eyes for real, Artemis with a grin on his face and the visor held in front of his chest as a shield.
"I just wanted to have some fun, Holly." He dodged her punch, just barely. "I'm sorry!" He held his hands up in surrender, the visor hitting the ground with a resounding crack.
Holly stopped her second punch in mid-air, then laughed out loud. "Good luck avoiding Foaly's equipment lecture."
And with that, she stepped out of the simulation booth and flounced to the door.
Just as she was about to head out, Holly turned to him one last time.
"By the way, you do look sexy with a gun." Her laugh echoed through the hallway.
Artemis stood frozen, confused at the sudden change in mood.
Women, he thought. I'll never understand them.
He walked off in the opposite direction, a small smirk on his face at Holly's last words.