Disclaimer: Characters in this story from former Artemis Fowl stories are all property of Eoin Colfer, who created them.
This is my first story, so please enjoy and send me lots of input.
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Chapter 1: Many Meetings
Fowl Manor, Ireland
Artemis was growing tired of his father's new personality. After being reunited with him the year previous he had not been the same man he was once. Artemis Sr had turned his back on the Fowl motto. Aurum est Potestas, Gold is Power.
Artemis was sitting in his room researching on his laptop. The room seemed more like a cave than the room of multimillion dollar manor, being lit only by a single lamp on Artemis' desk. The clock in the hall chimed eerily in the halls, sending echoes throughout the vast manor. Midnight, thought Artemis. Since his father had come back, after dusk was the only time Artemis had any privacy.
The nights had grown long for winter was fast approaching and Artemis had been pooling his time into investigating who had placed the peculiar contacts in Juliet's, Butler's and even his own eyes one year earlier. He had been working on this till the current evening, when he received an untraceable e-mail from one, Mo Digence. Artemis almost never used his laptop in the day (at least not while his father was present) for fear that his father would notice something, but now in the depth of the night he had nothing to worry about. Artemis double clicked on the e-mail. It read:
Artmis Fowl,
I have a urgent busnes proposition four u involvin the People and their haven. U must meet with me at the Pot O' Gold Coffee Shop in xactly one weeks time at noon. I have something of u'rs. Be there.
Mo Digence
The e-mail was jam-packed with errors. This person obviously did not use a computer often or just couldn't spell at all.
Mo Digence, Artemis muttered to himself. Where have I heard that name before? Artemis searched the internet until dawn, when he decided to postpone his search on Mo Digence. After all, he had a long day ahead of him.
Artemis' plans had become more cunning and devilish for he had two parents to watch him now and now both would not approve of his wrong-doings. Artemis was ahead of his class (and most of his teachers) by many years, but even so his parents forcibly urged him to go to school. If Artemis refused to attend school Artemis Sr would, more than likely, drag him kicking and screaming before letting hims stay home and get into, god-only-knows, what kind of illegal trouble. Artemis Sr knew his son was smart, but with his reformed attitude he wanted his son to learn people skills.
St. Bartleby's, Ireland
These days Artemis had to conduct most of his research on his laptop at St. Bartleby's (his school). This was constantly complex seeing as he was, after all, in a school. Artemis managed though. Usually by paying off certain teachers to give him the period to do what he wished. He had to choose carefully though in case the teacher had principles. People these days.
Butler was off surveying the coffee shop as he usually did with any rendezvous area before an important meeting while Artemis was in advanced trigonometry (one of the many classes he was free in) researching on Mo Digence. So though far Artemis had come up with nothing.
Mo Digence, undoubtedly you are some crook, said Artemis to himself as he found Mo Digence had no files whatsoever. No birth certificate, no address, no bills, no nothing. Artemis easily deduced that this man did not want to be found. Nothing avalable to the public at least.
Artemis decided to check all major crime groups for Mr Digence. For a while Artemis still found nothing, but soon he stumbled accross a passworded file on a mafia run by a famous crime family, the Antonelli's ((sorry if this name is a misspelling)). Only passworded? thought Artemis. He was in after a few meager seconds. Mo Digence was listed in the former employee's list. Mr Digence didn't have a large file either. In fact it was quite miniscule. All it said was Mr Digence's name and that he was a former empleyee. At least Artemis now knew this man was a criminal.
Pot O' Gold Coffee Shop, Ireland
The week had passed by and Artemis had found nothing, but what was on the Antonelli's files, on Mo Digence. The man was a proffesional. That much Artemis was sure of. Butler had spent the week staked out at Pot O' Gold Coffee Shop for anything unusual but had come up with squat regardless of his efforts.
The coffee shop itself was nothing out of the ordinary. It a small building, only one floor with glass front so you could look outside from within of vise versa. Though a new coat of paint had been recently added it was clear the shop was old. There was a simple sign on it that was cracked and faded from age. It read Pot O' Gold Coffee Shop.' and even thought it was old the letters still shone gold. Surrounding the shining gold words were painted fairies in dancing poses. There were also tables out in front so Artemis and Butler seated themselves at one. More dangerous perhaps, but Artemis had no desire to enter such a shoddy little café.
Artemis, do you think it wise to be here? asked Butler. After all, we know next to nothing about this Mo Digence character.
It was not like Butler to question Artemis, so it took him a moment to compute this. He was about to reply when a short man seated himself at the table withou a introduction. Short was even being generous, thought Artemis to himself. The man was hairy and stunk of rotten compost. He had a body suit on which, strangely, had a flap at the rear which looked as if it could open. The man also wore a gold medallion around his neck which sent Artemis' mind whirling. He had seen it before,* but could not* recall where. What, Artemis thought, could this man possible offer me?
Mr. Digence I presume? said Artemis calmly.
The one and only. Its nice to see you again, Artemis, said Digence as if the two were old friends. You as well Butler. Butler grunted, his hands were ready if Mr Digence decided to try something funny.
What kind of proposition, prey tell, do you have for me Mr Digence? inquired Artemis after a long awkward silence.
Though you do not remember me, we have met before Artemis. Many times actually, replied Digence matter-of-factly.
Artemis was puzzled (which was extremely rare). Who was this man? Artemis thought him familiar when he first saw him but dismissed the thought for it couldn't be true, but now Artemis was not so sure (which happened less than he being puzzled). Something sparked in Artemis' mind.
Your name isn't Mo Digence, said Artemis, his mind straining to recall something more. Artemis knew more, he knew he did, but what? Artemis had to find out.
Mulch smiled revealing his tombstone-like teeth. He had many, many teeth. More than any normal person but Artemis had already conceived Mo Digence was no normal person. Then like water breaking through a dam, it all came back to him. Artemis remembered LEP, Holly Short, Foaly, the Haven, the arctic incident and especially the mind wipe. He remembered everything.
How could he have been so dim witted? He had spent the last year trying to find out who had put the lenses into the Butler's and his eyes only to find out it was himself.
Artemis glanced at Butler who seemed unfazed but Artemis could see in his eyes the dam of memories had broken for him as well. Artemis pulled his gaze from Butler and turned to Mo Digence, who he now recognized as Mulch Diggums.
Mulch Diggums, I questioned your trust when I first told you to return to me, said Artemis keeping his composure though his excitement was boiling over. Mulch's grin widened. You will have made no mistake returning. Together we will make unbelievable riches.
Fowl Bently, back roads to Fowl Manor
Artemis had retrieved his disc back from Mulch though was not eager to put it into his computer because Artemis Fowl did not overlook things. He and everyone knew he this.
Mulch, I have been oblivious to the fairy world for over a year. No doubt, much has happened. Inform me on the major events, ordered Artemis with a sly grin spreading across his face.
The fairy world is in turmoil. Trolls have been surfacing almost four times a month for the last three months. LEP is having trouble handling it. Rumours have got out that the troll surfacing are organized but LEP is completely denying it. Root is up to his neck in work. Everyone is. replied Mulch while rubbing his stomach. Mulch looked out the window at the scenery of Ireland quickly passing him by. Then he said in the tone of a starved goblin Hey Artemis, you got any food in this thing?
LEP Headquarters, Haven
Holly was having an exceptionally bad year. Exceptionally was putting it mildly. Twelve trolls had gone topside in the last three months. Root was about to blow a fuse and the public wasn't helping much either. There were rumours all throughout Haven about a corrupt fairy sending the trolls topside. LEP was denying everything, of course*, as to not send the fairies into a panic. Of course, though it was calm outside LEP HQ, it didn't prevent the inside from being more tense than a gassy dwarfs behind.
yelled Root. GET IN HERE!
Holly rolled her eyes. She hadn't had a moments peace for the three months. Holly shuffled into Root's office, resisting the urge to bolt down the out the door as far away from Root as she could get. Foaly was pacing back and forth with a frown on his face.
Uhh... Holly... I think we have a situation here... said Foaly, without his usual confidence.
YOU THINK?! roared Root his face turning purple with rage. WE HAVE A CORRUPT FAIRY ON THE LOOSE AND YOU THINK WE HAVE A SITUATION!
Corrupt fairy? asked Holly puzzled about the current situation. There hasn't been one of those since the beginning of the Haven.
Good to hear you know something corrupt fairies. I presume you know what they are capable of then. said Foaly gaining a bit more confidence.
Corrupt fairies are more powerful than any normal fairy. They are equipped with dark magic. They have lost the power of healing and mesmer but have gained other powers. Most of the powers are mysterious because all records have been wiped, replied Holly repeating right out of the handbook.
Not quite, Foaly said, sounding as though all his former audacity had returned. Not all the files have been wiped. Most are just completely locked away in the newest version of my computer.
WRONG, DONKEY! bellowed Root. If even possible, Holly swore Root had turned a shade deeper of the purple he already was. YOUR COMPUTER WAS WIPED! EVERY FILE ON CORRUPT FAIRIES... GONE!
Commander Root, sir. I still don't realize what this has to do with me. Holly was very confused about all of this. Foaly had been hiding files on corrupt fairies? Why would he hide them?
said Foaly sounding as if he was trying to be gentle, which was quite against his normal personality. You're the best and brightest LEP has to offer. Holly didn't know what to say. Foaly had never talked to her like this.
When you were young, VERY young, we found a fairy on the streets. Apparently her family was killed by a rogue troll. The troll was never found. As for the girl, her eyes were as black as coal. That was the first sign of a corrupt fairy. We had no choice but to isolate her from society. Foaly paused to let Holly take it all in. This was a lot of stress to put on a already stressed LEP officer. Foaly had to tell her though, so he continued, She was sixty nine at the time, still an adolescent. She wouldn't tell us what happened to her so we put the pieces together. Dead family, no other relatives to turn to. Her broken heart caused her soul to blacken, or at least that what I hypothesize. She was inserted into a foster family to try a lighten her soul. When we realized her family was afraid of her she was relocated to a more loving family and the information involving her was never told to another soul. She never warmed up to the family, or any other family for that matter. She was relocated fourteen times. He last relocation was over a hundred years ago. She escaped about three months ago.
Why didn't you tell me? whispered Holly. It was all she could muster. What else was there to say? Holly couldn't imagine all that happening to anyone. Losing everything, just like that.
No one thought it necessary, responded Foaly. There was none of his former self in his voice.
Holly, take the rest of the week off. We're going to need you at your best for your upcoming mission. The mud boy, Fowl, you remember him no doubt? Root said.
said Holly. She didn't exactly know what was going on but she did know something from Root's voice and expression. Artemis Fowl had outsmarted the People once again like the many times before.
Well, after we wiped his mind we hacked his surveillance cameras. Luckily he already had cameras in most of his rooms and they were easily hacked. He might as well have left them unprotected. All he had was a encryption, a password and voice recognition of himself and Butler, gloated Foaly. We found out he's regained his former memory and we would like you to check up on him. We can't take any chances with this mud boy. We've underestimated him too many times to do that.
Holly was unconvinced. She was starting to control her tears. What's the real reason you want me to see him? asked Holly.
Oh all right, said Foaly. We don't want you to check on him. The reason we want you up there is to bring Mulch back for us.
Anything else your just forgetting to tell me? Holly was still doubtful.
Get to the point pony! said Root loosing his patience.
No need to loose your cool Julius. Holly we want you up there to stop a rogue troll which is on the move. It will be at Fowl Manor in exactly four hours and seeing as you have first hand experience with trolls we're sending you up as captain of your own squad direct orders from Beetroot over here, said Foaly pointing to Root.
Holly wasn't sure what was happening. She didn't know if she should be flattered or angry at the two for not asking her about the mission. T-thank you, Commander Root, sir. She had to admit at times she missed Artemis' outlandish schemes but those moments passed quicker than Root turned purple.
Well his cameras went offline last month but before they did we got this much. Foaly flicked a switch and one of Root's pictures turned into a digital screen. Three figures appeared on it. Artemis, Butler and Mulch Diggums. Diggums was at fault for Artemis' memory. I'm going to ring his neck, thought Holly.
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