Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis OR Alex sigh But I'm going to write slash about them anyway!

A/N please read: Ahhh well after several months break from fanfiction, I return with my all-time favourite ship. Alex/Artemis came to me randomly one day, and weirdly enough several months later fics started to appear on this site. I finally got around to writing some of my own.

Although there is not much "slash" in this chapter, I assure you, it's getting there. This is more of an.. introduction. Yeah.


"Alex, there's somebody we'd like you to meet."

He continued to stare defiantly out of the window, determined to ignore every word Mrs Jones of MI6 was saying. He knew the routine too well by now. First he'd just have to meet them, suss them out, but all too soon…

"His name is Artemis Fowl- he's fourteen actually" she continued.

Alex could have laughed, it was obvious where this was going. He compromised by smiling inwardly, although he wasn't in anyway amused.

"He's a very interesting specimen, but we just don't seem to be able to get through to him… we thought maybe if someone his own age.."

"There are plenty of fourteen year olds in London," Alex said flatly.

Mrs Jones looked slightly surprised, it was the first time he had spoken.

"Well, yes... but we can't just pull anyone in off the street! The truth is we don't have anyone else. You're our youngest agent!"

"I'm not one of your agents," he reminded her.

Ignoring his last statement she glanced nervously at the clock and continued.

"We only want you to talk with him, Alex. That's all. No missions. No under-cover. No gadgets. Just conversation."

Alex sighed. "When?" he asked.

At that moment a tall, thin man with an expressionless face entered the room. He wore a cheap suit and was holding an ordinary-looking briefcase. He could have worked anywhere, Alex thought.

"Ah… Mr. Waters. Yes, we've finished, if you could escort Alex down to Artemis' Cell?"

"Cell?" Alex asked, frowning. Already he was aware there was more going on than he had been told.

"Safer than a hotel, you'll understand."

Several minutes later he found himself standing in a dull white corridor. Both sides were lined with metal doors and there was a low hum coming from somewhere. Alex found himself wondering if the cells were ever used. It seemed an obvious risk to lock criminals inside MI6 headquarters.

Mr.Waters gestured at one of the doors and then sped off again quickly. Alex watched him go for a moment and then knocked twice. No answer. He pushed on the metal handle and went inside.

The cell was small and dingy. The walls were an even duller shade of white than of the corridor and the only piece of furniture inside the room was an uncomfortable-looking bed. A boy sat on it, dark-haired and pale. He looked very tired and ill with the exception of his eyes, which were a brilliantly piercing blue and seemed to have life of their own.

"Did they send you with food?" he asked, frowning slightly. "Although, I didn't know MI6 would be desperate enough to employ under-age kitchen staff".

"You'd be surprised." Alex muttered, taking in the boy's Irish accent. "I'm Alex Rider".

"Ohh yes... one of the incompetent fools sent to make sure I hadn't starved mentioned you a few days ago. I'm Artemis Fowl the Second. You're going to help me escape."

"What?" Alex said, taken aback.

Artemis smiled nastily, putting vampire teeth on display.

"I'm sure you don't want to be here either, and personally I'm getting fed up of officer after officer trying to get information out of me. Not to mention the quality of living conditions…" he glanced distastefully down at the bed.

Alex smiled too. "This is MI6 headquarters, do you really think you can escape?"

"Quite easily with your help. We are talking about people who thought it would be a good idea to hold prisoners in the same building they file top-secret information"

Alex had to admit he had a point. "Why should I help you?"

"Because you detest MI6 and what they've done to you. You want to rebel against them. You want to show them they don't have you trained."

Alex stared. How did this boy know so much about him? He didn't. He couldn't. He was guessing, just an accurate guess. It was enough, he'd do it.

Artemis seemed to know what Alex was thinking. He smiled his vampire smile once more and held out his hand. Alex shook it, the uneasy feeling in his decision already welling.

"It's astonishing how much information you pick up just sitting in a cell. Workers are more then happy to tell you how much security is in place. They brag. They make mistakes," Artemis started. "For example, I know there are two important meetings taking place upstairs at this moment. One of them involves the prime minister." He saw the impressed look in the other boy's face and felt oddly satisfied.

"But what does that matter? How will it help?" Alex asked.

"If the prime minister is here, it means security will be alert. But it also means the more important guards and officials will be far too busy to watch what a fourteen year old prisoner will be doing. They will think they have nothing to worry about," Artemis continued. "The cell door may be open, but they wouldn't just let me wonder around, no. The end of the corridor has a DNA-activated door. That wasn't an option… until now. Now it is my escape".

"Why would-" Alex cut off. Suddenly he understood. Working for MI6, his DNA would be registered to the buildings security system.

"You're not as slow as I thought," Artemis replied. He had always enjoyed taunting.

Ok so like I said, not much actual slash to speak of, but for an introduction I thought that was ok.

But I may be wrong.

LET. ME. KNOW. REVIEWWW.