Mister Fist

Artemis Fowl wasn't one to be kept waiting. Especially when in front of The Smithsonian. He was just itching to go in there and prove wrong every single one of their facts. He turned to Butler and asked what the time was. Butler didn't answer. He was concentrating on this "supposed" materialization. Then again, there was no "supposed"s with Artemis. Bulter pushed back his right sleeve and glanced at the Rolex watch that barely managed to fit him.

"Nine twenty three."

"He should have materialized by now!"

"Relax, Artemis. There's always a second time to be wrong." Last year, Artemis had said that Butler would go to his study, during thier visit to the past, but he actually was on a checkup.

Artemis looked at him coldly and said, "This won't be mine." He turned towards the expected materialization point. This was all being recorded by an iris-cam from Artemis's pile of stolen fairy technology.

"There!" he yelled, making several people turn towards him and one in front of the musuem drop his corndog. He knew that if he showed this to Foaly, the centaur would probably laugh so much his tin-foil hat would fall off.

"Artemis, there's nothing there." Butler looked at his not-so-young charge. He was almost 16 now.

"I saw it."

Artemis was hallucinating. There was nothing there.

But the corndog man had seen it too. He silently got into an SUV and drove away. Butler marked the license plate.

"Artemis, we can deal with this when we go to our suite."

"Very well." Artemis tried to sound dignified, but the Eurasian bodygaurd saw right through it. They got into a limousine and drove to the suite. Suddenly butler noticed something. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw the same car. The one belonging to the corndog man. Coincidence meant nothing to a bodyguard. He shook his head and waited till they arrived at the suite. Butler looked in the rearview mirror again and saw the car. He thought he saw the glint of a weapon. Okay. This man was an assassin. Butler reached into his pocket and held his handgun tight. This was every bodyguards natural instinct.

Then, suddenly, the man rushed at him and lifted a pistol. Butler yelled. "Let's see how you like Mister Fist!"

The man was thrown against the fist, rendering a complete knockout. He was rather short, and thin. His face was unpleasant. And in his hand was a... Neutrino.

Fairy then. He yelled at Artemis, who was glaring at his laptop, unaware of the events that had taken place.

"Yes?"

"Just come here."

Artemis came and looked at the man. "Assassin, I presume?" Then his eyes strayed to the Neutrino. His eyes said it all. He rushed to the limo and brought his laptop.

"Take him to the suite."

When they arrived at the suite, Butler dumped the man on the floor. Artemis sat on the foor, cross-legged, and took a picture with his laptop.

Butler waited as the suspense ate at him. Artemis scowled. "What?" Artemis looked at him. Again, his eyes said it all. This was trouble. Artemis turned his laptop around and showed it to Butler. To the left side, there was a picture of the same man. To the right, there was the information in small text. But this time, the name on top said it all.

Ark Sool.