Author's Words: Thanks for clicking. Please, if you read this, review it as well. Thank you very much and I hope you like it. This is my first Fowl Fan-fic. Please not I am not Eoin Colfer, therefore I do not own Artemis Fowl and such.

Heist

Chapter One

It was a perfectly ordinary day – a day like any other. Paris was a hive of activity, which was usual for a sunny Saturday afternoon. Tourists and locals alike crowded the cobblestone streets shopping and taking in the lovely sights. Valerie Wright weaved through the throngs of pedestrians on Champs-Élysées, eager to reach her destination at the other end of the esteemed avenue. Only once was she stopped by a rather confused looking American tourist who asked her how to reach the top of L'Arc De Triomphe. An explanation took no more than three minutes and Valerie was on her way again – remembering that she had asked the same question when first visiting the famous monument. Finally, after passing the gorgeous fountains, the fairly new glass pyramids, and security, Valerie was inside the Louvre and making a beeline for her next target. It seemed as though that would be no easy task.

As Valerie neared the room in which her goal was located she saw that it was overflowing with bodies – all eager to see the same thing as she. Valerie sighed exasperatedly. Normally, she had no problem with tourists – as she was nearly one herself – but today was somewhat different. Valerie was an art student, and at age nineteen she was full of ideas. She had left her home in Whales at the age of seventeen to study in Paris. It wasn't exactly a struggle as her favourite cousins lived at the heart of the city. However, over the course of the last year, Valerie had grown bored with school and decided to drop out, painting only when she felt like it. Last night, as she was tossing and turning on the sofa-turned-bed, inspiration hit Valerie like a tonne of bricks. She had been waiting since the dead hours of the morning to visit the museum – to visit her muse. However, it looked as though that would not be the easiest of tasks to complete. As she approached the congested room, Valerie's mind raced with other works of Da Vinci that she could use as a focusing tool. There were quite a few scattered throughout the museum – Madonna of the Rocks, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, La Belle Ferronière. But those were different. Valerie would not deny that each of Da Vinci's paintings were beautiful, but there was nothing that could compare to the tiny masterpiece that was Mona Lisa. Valerie found that the painting helped her to focus, that work she did in the presence of La Giaconda was better than work she did away from the painting. It was strange, that much Valerie would agree to, but she could not explain what she chalked up to phenomenon.

Valerie removed her oval-shaped glasses and quickly used them as a mirror. After all, you could never be too sure who was watching the same painting as you and Valerie was quite eager to have coffee with a nice, attractive gentleman. She was nothing spectacular to look at – not a bad figure, but perhaps a bit short considering both her parents towered over six feet and she barely skimmed five foot six. Valerie pursed her pale lips at the sight of her tousled mess of light brown wavy locks. Inconspicuously, she placed the glasses back over her green eyes and pulled her hair back into an elastic.

It took twenty minutes before Valerie reached the front of the line to earn a quick glimpse at Mona Lisa. She was then pushed out of the way by a group of rowdy children – no doubt on a class trip. Valerie breathed out through her nose and padded away from the painting, sinking against the farthest possible wall and pulling her sketchbook from her khaki backpack. One look at Mona Lisa was enough. Valerie would now go on to spend a few hours – possibly until the museum closed – sketching ideas for what she hoped would be her latest masterpiece. Or at least that's what would have happened on any other day. But perhaps today was not as perfectly normal as Valerie expected.

Half an hour into her sketching, a cloud seemed to block the artificial light from her eyes, distracting her from her sketchbook. Of course, there was the issue that clouds did not exist inside museums. Valerie looked up at the stranger who was interrupting her and had to try very hard not to let her jaw fall to the floor. The young man standing in front of her was undeniably attractive dressed sharply in jeans and a dressy t-shirt. Valerie tried not to focus on the fact that her jeans were ripped and her shirt was paint-stained.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice never betraying her feelings. The man smiled and Valerie felt a slight tingle down her spine. She felt his blue eyes staring, but not at her – at the tiny book in her lap. Unconsciously, Valerie's hands travelled to cover the book. The raven-haired man let out a slight chuckle.

"I was just admiring your work," he said politely, "It's actually very well done." Valerie felt a flush going to her cheeks and worked hard to suppress it. She had received many compliments on her art before, but never from someone so good looking.

"Thanks," she smiled, slowly standing up. The young man extended his hand and Valerie took it. They shook.

"I'm Valerie," she introduced herself, "Nice to meet you…"

"Artemis," the man replied, flashing Valerie with a toothy smile, "The pleasure is all mine. So, do you study art?"

"I used to," Valerie answered, "I just paint for myself now. I like it better that way. It's more…"

"Personal?" Artemis interjected. Valerie chewed her bottom lip for a moment before answering with a small giggle.

"I was going to say relaxing, but that works too." The small talk continued on for a little while until Artemis received a call on his mobile. He hung up with a slight frown, informing Valerie he had to take his leave – which he did – but not before asking her out for coffee that evening - an invitation which the girl gladly accepted.

Artemis then waved a quick goodbye and, turning on his heel, left Valerie to soak in her bubbly happiness. Little did she know that Artemis Fowl had been well aware of her before today. And little did she know that he had his own little hidden agenda with her.

---Jacqueline---