I… have a daughter..?

Artemis rubs his forehead and sinks deeper in the chair.

This is all nonsense, he thinks. With who? Holly? He smirks as he thinks about that ridiculous idea. I haven't met her for years. And the fact that fairies can only reproduce once every twelve years—

Then it hits his head.

"It has been more than twelve years, huh?" he smiles dryly. "You—moron!"

CRASH! He swings his hand too hard until a fragile goblet broke to pieces. He had no time to draw his hand—and half of the pieces now are on his hand. He moans a little when someone knocks the door.

"Who's there?" he shouts.

"Arty—Artemis. I know you don't want me to be there, but—" Artemis can't stop himself from pouting when he hears Minerva's voice.

"Leave me alone!" shouts Artemis. "I don't need—" Then a big, deep, old but strong voice takeovers.

"Artemis," says Butler distinctly. "I don't care if you want to open the door or not. The fact is I will break the door if you don't want to. Open the door."

Artemis blinks but he wrinkles his forehead.

"One," counts Butler. "Two."

He sits still. He doesn't even think to move.

"Three. ARTEMIS; OPEN THE DOOR!"

Artemis rolls his eyes. Butler never changes—just like the perfect old days. He hides his bleeding hand on his back and walks to open the door.

"You never changes," murmurs Artemis. He sees people behind his door—Young Archimedes, Minerva, Myles and Becket, his father—but his sharp and cold eyesight stop everyone from moving except Butler. He locks up the door.

"I am still your master, Butler," says Artemis, folding his hands on his chest. He seems annoyed with Butler's order. "You can't just do that to me."

"Oh, I can," says Butler as he takes a peep at Artemis' blood. "You know you're gonna need another suit if you put your bleeding hand on it, right?" Artemis opens his mouth to say something sarcastic—but Butler pulls his hand and starts to take off the glass shards on Artemis' hands.

"Drinking too much wine, huh?" Butler grins. Artemis frowns.

"Ouch. Not funny. I am not drinking wine in the morning."

"Then let me know what's wrong."

Artemis bites his lips. Butler needs to know everything. Even if he didn't tell him, Butler will know by himself. They two are bonded perfectly more than master and his butler—they are more than just friends. They are family.

"I need to go to Haven," says Artemis. Butler finishes his last touch to bandage Artemis' hand.

"I thought you were finished with the Lower Elements."

"Not this time," says Artemis, as he takes out a pocket watch from his inner pocket. He opens the glass cover and takes the red sparkling marble in the middle which turns out to be a ring with red pebble. "I have an unfinished business there."

"We're done there, Artemis," says Butler. "It has been years."

"No!" Artemis wears the ring on his right middle finger. "We—have to go back. I have to go back."

"We are not going back. We're just too old—you're too old. I won't be there to save your neck if you're going to deal with the fairies' gold again."

"NO!" Artemis shouts desperately. "You don't understand." Butler shots him a cold look. "I—I have to meet someone."

"Holly?"

"Not at all—partially—look," he takes a deep breath. "I—I am a father, okay?"

"Well, you are," says Butler, folds his hands on his chest. Artemis sighs. He always able to tell Butler his secrets—but this time, secret doesn't seem to fit in anyone.

"I have a daughter. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Artemis. Archimedes is not—"

"Domovoi." He stares at his old friend's eyes. "I have a daughter. Fourteen or fifteen years ago, I spent a night alone—with Holly—at the place we met her for the first time. It was nothing; it used to be nothing. But then we realized that there was something, after all these years—"

"Don't tell me," says Butler. "You s—"

"Yes," he exhales deeply. "I slept with her. But it was years ago—"

"And you have this daughter," says Butler. "How old is she? Where is she now? Her name?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out. Close your mouth. I'm trying to contact the underground—keep the others away from this thing. And never let Minerva knows."

"Cross my heart, Sir," says Butler, as he closes the study's door behind him.

Holly yawns and rubs his eyes. Lights are coming through her window, and the smell of morning dews are everywhere—Trouble Kelp insisted to put plants in the master bedroom when they started to live together.

"Hey, Holly. Morning," says Trouble as he walks out from the bathroom in a full suit. "Sorry, emergency in LEP—"

"Uhh. What happens?" asks Holly as she kisses Trouble good morning.

"You know, things changed. Since Julius Root's death—"

"No," says Holly, gets out of the bed. "Since Ark Sool left and you are the commander; since Section 8 merged with LEP—" Trouble laughs.

"That means a lot time of work," he says. "I'm gonna leave in ten—"

"Don't leave without breakfast," says Holly. "Omelette in three. Take care of Dickens."

"You're the best, Holly," shouts Trouble as Holly waves her hand. She doesn't need Trouble to tell her that—she knows already.

She stops in front of the black door and knocks the door.

"Incoming!" yells a girl from the room. She opens the door quickly. "Hey, Mother. Morning. Need me?"

"I was just going to wake you up, Rei," she says. "But it looks like you're fine." The girl called as Rei laughs.

"I'm definitely fine, Mother. And I'm going to help Uncle Foaly in lab," she says. She takes a briefcase and a pair of shoes.

"You're leaving with Dad?" asks Holly. Rei shakes her head.

"Nope. I need to see someone before Foaly. I'll take breakfast later." She uses her jacket and Holly kisses her cheek.

"Don't forget to take a break," she says. "And give Caballine my greetings."

"I'll do it," says Rei as she leaves the house. "See you."

Holly sighs. She isn't a bad mother, she knows it—but Rei is just different. Black hair—wavy on the edge but straight on top—different colour for each eye, and her posture is too weird for an elf. And her smartness; her genius DNA is as great as a centaur. Holly knows the exact reason for all these things—but not everyone in the house knows about this. Trouble maybe; but Rei doesn't even have a clue. And she hopes she will never have a clue. Yes, people made mistakes. Even a fairy with flawless eyes like her made mistakes.

But she begins to worry that the mess she made will have a pity end.

"You WHAT?"

Foaly is standing in his lab coat, shouting at the big machine which turns to be broken. Rei's face comes out from the machine's side to take a peep and dive back to her work.

"I need to go up. And I need you to come."

"Why would you and I go to the sun?"

"Well," says Rei as she puts down her electric wrench and the machine turns on in a beep sound. "Because I know secret about someone—me." Foaly looks confused, but then he laughs.

"What kind of secret about you that I don't know?"

"You know," says Rei as she sits on one of Foaly's chairs. Foaly would never mind her act—even sometimes he seems annoyed—they've been uncle-cousin best friends since Rei was born.

"What I know?"

"My parents," she twists herself in the chair. "My real parents."

"Don't do that," says Foaly, as he kicks the chair to stop itself from spinning around. "You're reminding me of Opal Koboi. Trouble and Holly are your parents." Rei can't stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"You're just the same. Look," she sighs. "I don't look like Trouble Kelp, I never did. And I'm not a copy of Holly Short at all. I don't even look like an elf," she says, as she pinches her point of ears. "Yes, it's a little bit pointed—but I'm not green."

"There is something in your blood that makes you un-green," says Foaly. Rei smiles flatly.

"Good effort, Foaly; but that's not going to change anything." She opens her virtual book. "I've found Mother's old chat logs and letters—and I figured this man," she says. "I hacked your system—"

"You hacked my system?" Foaly seems horrified. "But how—"

"I only need forty seconds, Uncle," says Rei, grins widely. "Bad work. I hacked your system to find this man's DNA. I crossed my DNA with him, and—"

"Err," says Foaly; still a little bit horrified. "Who is this man, actually?"

"Oh, I know you're gonna ask," says Rei coldly. "Him. Public Enemy Number One, now Public Friend Number One. The only human my mother ever slept with. Artemis Fowl Second."

"Holly and Artemis?" says Foaly. He chuckles loudly. "That is the most impossible thing I've ever heard. You're dreaming, kiddo."

"Well it's up to you," says Rei, as she picks her briefcase. "I'm gona grab something at Spud's Spud Emporium—if you want to check, it's all in your computer, Foaly." She leaves the lab with a wave.

Foaly quickly opens the data in his computer after Rei left. He murmurs something like 'she's the one' and changes his system. He checks the matched DNA files and finds a folder named REI KELP and he reads it in less than two minutes.

"Oh no," he says, as he grabs his phone from his lab coat and press speed dial number 5. "Holly. Holly. We've got trouble. You're in trouble."

Rei opens her virtual book and slides a slot with her finger to open the keyboard. She starts typing something and the screen buzzes for a while.

"Okay," she murmurs, takes out her earpiece. "Let's see what it looks like."

She is sitting in the old building of Spud's Spud Emporium, and the gross cheeseburger stand has turned into a delicious pizza bar. Her virtual book is a gift from Foaly for her fifth birthday, hand made and the one and only virtual book in the whole world.

The resolution of the picture adjusts with the screen. It shows a picture—video—of a big house, maybe manor, than zooms into a room full with books. A man is sitting in there, thinking. His left hand is wrapped by bandages, his forehead knitted but his eyes look hesitates. Rei smiles cynically.

"Hello, Father Artemis. Can't wait to see you."

Minerva takes a tissue again from the dispenser. But she doesn't use it to wipe her eyes—she doesn't even crying. She tears it into pieces in her hand.

"He doesn't even want me to touch him," she murmurs. "Now he doesn't even want to talk, or see me. He's just locking himself in that room."

"Relax, Minerva," says Myles. Things like this happen a lot for him. "He's actually okay—maybe it's just something about Fowl Industries. Jon Spiro just got out a few months ago from jail, right?"

"Jon Spiro is nothing for your brother," says Minerva. "I don't—I don't know, Myles; Artemis seems—"

"He's going to be okay," says Myles. "Nothing will happen—I'm gonna talk to him if it's helping for you."

Minerva nods and starts to tear the tissues again. Myles stands from his chair in dining room, and moves straight to the study. He's a little bit afraid, actually. He never seen Artemis being this furious. And it's all because a single letter.

Myles knocks the door and hears a hum as a reply.

"This is Myles," he says. "Can I come in?" There is another hum, and a key is being turned. Before Myles could reply anything, Artemis pulls him in.

"Did Minerva send you?"

"Um—no," says Myles. "I'm pretty bit worried too, you know."

"I need your help," whispers Artemis. "You're the only one who knows about that night years ago—"

"Oh," says Myles. He nods. Yes, he knew about the night Artemis snatched out to see Holly; because he was the one who caught him. Artemis made him promise not to tell anyone, and he's zipping his mouth until now.

"Apparently—" Artemis inhales. "—something wrong happened. I—" Myles stares curiously at him, which makes Artemis can't continue his words. He takes out the letter and hands it to Myles. He reads it in less than three minutes.

"You have a daughter?" Myles seems horrified.

"Yes," says Artemis. "From this letter it seems like she's being watching me all the time—seems like she knows everything."

"She seems more dangerous than you are," says Myles, folds the paper again and hands it to Artemis. "What's your plan now?"

"After all she's a Fowl," says Artemis. "Maybe I need to go to Lower Elements."

"NO!" shouts Myles. "What if this letter is a fake one? You know there are some criminals from under to upper world which would be very glad to cut your head. This might be them."

"What should I do?" asks Artemis, frustrated. "I don't want to give this girl any reason to kill me—or anyone in the underworld."

"Then let me go," says Myles. Artemis raises an eyebrow. "If this girl were real, that means I'm her uncle, right? Let me go to underworld and try to figure out what should you do. I have nothing else to do, actually."

"Thanks," says Artemis. "I'm going to make some call—Butler will accompany you. They're going to pick you at Terminal E1 Tara, Butler knows where to go," says Artemis, as he reaches his phone.

"There are too much things in your head," says Myles, points at Artemis' forehead. "That's the least thing I could do for breaking your lab when I was toddler." Artemis smiles a little.

"You are Fowl, that's the point."

"Oh, and Artemis," says Myles as he walks away. "Don't break Minerva's heart. She's a Paradizo, she's not comfortable with reject words—you know what I mean."

"I know," says Artemis. He presses some numbers on it. "I promise I won't."

"Look, says Foaly on the fairy phone. "You're in trouble. That's the point."

"But Foaly," says Holly in a frustrated tone. "How could she find out about—"

"She told me," Foaly says. "She said she knew she was different since she was little. She opened your chat logs. She even hacked my system," says Foaly. Holly sighs.

"She's too young," says Holly. "And what would she do if she knows the fact about herself? What about Artemis? And—"

"Holly," Foaly sighs, but he can't stop his feet from stumping. "She knows everything. She's way too Artemis—you can't deny that—YOU have to let her!"

"I—I can't!" says Holly, with an almost crying voice. "I'm going to find out what I should do. By myself."

Myles closes the door and observes the place Butler has stopped. It looks like a normal farm—but Butler points at the small hill.

"There," says Butler. "They're waiting for us there."

After Artemis makes some phone calls, Myles and Butler move straight to the Terminal E1 Tara. Artemis says there won't be any problem—because Butler is a pretty bit famous—but Myles still feels some anxiety. His brother's powers seem too big; and it may cause violence. He knows he never been able to go Lower Elements before, but based on Artemis' open journal, the fairies seem totally ruthless.

"Hey look who's here," says a voice. "Old Friend Butler. How's Artemis, huh?" Butler laughs and pats the fairy's shoulder.

"He's fine. I'm doing his business—legal ones—with his brother, Myles," he says. The fairy smiles at Myles, which replies with a confused smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for a criminal from Atlantis," he says. "Now please, step in—"

"Your old friend?" asks Myles when they are already inside the shuttle. Butler nods. "Whoa," as he sees the inside of the shuttle.

"Yeah. Don't mess with him."

"Where actually—WHOAAAA!" shouts Myles as the shuttle blasts down, and he can't help himself from holding his breath.

"Down. That fairy's house."

"Excuse me?"

"Well he's Trouble Kelp," says Butler. "The guy we met out there? Holly's husband. The fairy girl Artemis slept with. And we've arrived."

Butler helps Myles to get out of the shuttle. Myles blinks a little—he looks dizzy. Butler punches his back.

"Don't puke," he says. "It makes the dizzy head worse."

"Okay," says Myles, as he straightens up his body. "Where do we go now?"

"First? LEP," says Butler, points at the big building with the words Lower Elements Police sparkles with blue on the top. "We gotta find Foaly first."

Fairies are looking at them curiously, especially when they walk into the Police Plaza with no guards around them. From the edge of his eyes, Myles can see that everyone are drawing their weapons at their back, but Butler looks perfectly calm—like they're just going inside a hotel and come to the receptionist.

"Butler," Myles whispers. "Everyone is looking at us right now, they're pulling out their guns—"

"Take it easy, Myles," says Butler. "I've been worst. Artemis said that I'll meet someone here—"

Butler sees a glimpse of someone he might know. He pats the fairy's shoulder.

"Excuse me. I need to see Foaly in lab—" The fairy turns around and you can imagine a nightmare which has just come alive in front of his head. A human, gigantic, and standing inside the Police Plaza.

"Human!" he screams, and draws his stick, even when his hands are shaking. "Human inside the Police Plaza! Emergency! Code Red, Code Red! Emergency! Everybody—"

"Whoa, stop!" shouts someone. "Relax, everybody. They're with me." Butler turns his head and grins.

"Foaly," he says. "A pretty dramatic timing, huh? Right when these fairies almost cut my head off."

"They won't," says Foaly, as he shots everyone in the room his arrogant eyes. In instant, they put off their guns—even when the still throw suspicious look at Butler and Myles. "Sorry for your inconvenience. These fairies just can't remember the fact that I've told them to call me when two humans have arrived. Luckily Trouble called me," he says. "We'd better talk about this in the lab."

"We can't," says Myles in instant. Butler eyes him—but he doesn't care.

"Sorry?"

"We can't," says Myles. "We've delayed this for too long—look what we've done in Police Plaza! We need to get to the bottom of things. Could we please just go to this girl's house?" says Myles. Foaly rolls his eyes.

"You must be Artemis' brother," he says. "Are you trying to be him? If you do, well, you've failed. But, if you think that's the best, let's go. But I won't be there if you screwed up."

"You've changed," says Butler in a low voice to Foaly, when Myles starts to figure out how to call taxi from fairy phone. Foaly giggles.

"No I don't. But if this girl we're talking about is a real Fowl—you'd better keep your energy later."

"I'm home," says Rei, as she steps inside. "Mother? Dickens? Is anybody home?"

"Where have you been, Young Lady?" says Holly, comes out of nowhere. She holds Dickens in her and, and another hand on her hips. She looks furious.

"Err… LEP?" says Rei, looks confused with her mother's anger.

"Get in your room," says Holly. "You're grounded!"

"What?" shouts Rei in disbelief. "But what have—I didn't do anything!"

"You didn't do anything?" shouts Holly. Dickens seems frightened out because of Holly's loud voice; he hides his face behind Holly's shoulder. "Digging into my personal chat logs is nothing?" she shouts. Rei raises an eyebrow.

"Uncle Foaly must've told you, then."

"Yes!" she said. "Now you—"

"So why are you angry at me?" she says. "I think I should be the one who throwing things at you—you've been hiding this for thirteen years!"

"Rei—"

"Why? Because you think I'm going to tell Father Kelp?" Rei shouts back at her mother. "You don't think you're going to keep this away from me forever, right?"

"Young Lady, I would—"

"WHAT?" shouts Rei. Her emotion rises, incontrollable. Dickens starts to cry. "You are not supposed to—"

"HUMAN!" shouts Holly. Rei gnashes her teeth—human is one of the worse curses for a fairy. "I have reasons for those. And I can tell you everything you should do. I am your mother. Now—"

"Err—Holly?" says a familiar voice from the back side of the door. "I've been knocking for years, and if you think it's not the best time, I'll go. But I have company."

Holly sighs as she tries to calm Dickens in her hand. She presses the lock button which scans her fingerprint.

"Get into your room," she says to Rei. Rei shakes her head.

"No."

"Rei—" Holly's voice seems threatening.

"No. I'll stay here," she glances at the door. "I think I know who the company is."