Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl

Artemis opened the door to his room and stepped inside, but looked up and let out a startled yelp. He hopped backwards and sloshed a portion of his tomato juice into his hair and on the side of his face. He quickly wiped it out of his eye and stared speechlessly in the direction of his desk, while the juice in his hair dripped down onto the floor and his brain registered the following:

There was a girl sitting in his comfy leather desk chair with her feet on his desk. She had a child's big blue, bell shaped eyes with long dark lashes and sparse fading freckles across her nose. She was fiddling with a little gold locket around her neck. The boots she had on his desk were like a cross between combat boots and sleek women's dress boots with an eight inch heel. They had laces all the way up to where they ended at about mid thigh and fastened to her black shorts, with buckles across the bridge of the foot and spaced artistically up the leg. The rest of her articles included a heavy midnight blue coat with tails that stood no more than two inches above the ground.

She smiled sweetly back at him and giggled slightly at the red liquid soaking into his black school uniform. Artemis seemed at a loss for words for a moment or two but then asked dully "Who are you? What do you want here?"

She smiled congenially as she spoke "You know, you were right when you said it would take eternity to crack that encryption code." She paused, then rose from her seat and started walking in Artemis's direction. It was odd, but the way she spoke, so clearly, gave you the sense that someone else was listening. She decided to answer his second question, "I need your help".

"And by that you mean information?"

"What makes you say that?" she replied almost amused.

" You said encryption code, implying some sort of encrypted technology as that is the only medium I work in. though you quoted me on something I myself do not remember saying. It would appear then that by "help" you mean help with operating said technology or revealing the purpose of the encrypted information. Perhaps in the past you had managed somehow to get part of that in formation from me, as I guess from your unwarranted, unnoticed access to my home and feigned familiarity, but once you thought you were done with me you realized I had concealed something further, and thus you have returned".

"I would think that you would remember if all that happened."

"There are many reasons why I would forget." His expression explained what he meant. "I am guessing that Butler is already dead."

"A corpse is evidence, Artemis. Especially one as big as Butler. Besides, Butler is almost as valuable to me as you are." She said nostalgically.

"Crippled then" Artemis ventured, becoming more and more annoyed by her familiar tone. "His mind would be what you are after, is it not. His body is hardly an asset anymore".

Artemis had evaluated the subject in front of him. It was obvious that she was a skilled Metal man…Woman…girl (she couldn't have been older than twelve) he noticed that there was a small slit at both the toe and the teal of her boots, obviously for a built in switch blade. And there were many other signs Artemis recognized from his long years and training sessions with Butler.

Whoever she was's mood changed slightly. She seemed troubled now and wore a forlorn expression. "I have no time for this. I came to request your help, Artemis. It is up to you if you assist me or not. You won't understand what I am talking about before you accept because what I need has been repressed from your memories. Though you must know that the circumstances were nothing like what you just described, and it was not I who repressed your memories. I can give you no viable reason to trust me. I could threaten you with your life and the lives of everyone you hold dear to help me, but the situation at hand is centered so exclusively around your conscious cooperation that any perversion would send everything crashing down." She paused and, for less than a second, looked lost, like a forgotten duckling who had strayed and been forgotten. Then however, her previous melancholy composure returned and she finished her monologue with a strong proposition. "Butler is fine, Artemis. The worst that could happen is he has a bump when he wakes up.

She smiled again, but this time it was different. She seemed to have a smile expected of Artemis Fowl. "You said that 'his body is hardly an asset any longer'. Have you no recollection why? Butler nearly dies saving your life. You freeze his body and bring him back to life. You destroy his future and you say that he is worthless. You killed Butler, Artemis Fowl! And you don't even remember it."

Artemis felt his head suddenly try to split in two. That was sometimes that case when repressed memories suddenly tried to resurface. The subjects mind would replace the repressed memories with new ones in order to fill in the gaps, and when the old memories start to come back, the conscious mind says "no, this is wrong!" and often emphasizes the point by associating the incoming information with pain. Artemis could hardly see strait, but was finally interested. He wanted to know what she was talking about because she was apparently telling the truth. What could the circumstances have been for that to have truly happened to Butler? But that would also explain his sudden aging.

"I'm sorry, that must be painful." She said, though Artemis didn't entirely hear her, and only regained his focus when he felt her applying pressure to key points on his head "At least now you know I'm telling the truth".

"What was it you were saying about Butler?" he asked, breaking indignantly from her grasp.

Whoever she was stepped back so that they could talk at a comfortable distance.

"Look at my eyes, Artemis. I can heal Butler. And I will. I will also give you back your memories, and as payment for your services, I will give you more gold than even you can spend in a lifetime."

She wasn't lying. "That would seem a very generous trade on your part for just information or a single piece of technology. What is it you truly want?"

"I- "At that moment, the girl seemed to feel something and pulled back her sleeve to look at her watch. Artemis could see a tiny red Butler rise from the floor and start making his way through the three dimensional blueprints of Fowl Manor. Whoever-she-was suddenly grabbed Artemis's wrist and found his pulse so fast Artemis hardly saw her move. "Artemis! Are you or are you not interested in my proposition" her eyes blazed up at Artemis.

"I am. I would, however, like an answer to my question when time allows."

"Understood," she said truly grateful, relaxing. Then motioned toward the door "But you'll never get it if I'm dead."

True enough. Artemis went to his door and waited outside the room for Butler to come racing up the stairs.

"Artemis!"

"I know, Butler."

"You're injured." Butler lamented, striding down the hall until he was close enough to see that it was only tomato juice.

"Not just yet." Artemis said amusedly, remembering that he was soaked in tomato juice. "Our guest has a proposition I think you should hear. Do you recall some time ago when we two and Juliet found those odd contact lenses in our eyes, that I had apparently ordered myself, but none of us could recall could remember for what purpose I had done so?"

"I do" Butler said glaring resentfully at the girl when he saw her.

"This girl has mentioned suppressed memories, and has described a scenario that would explain your sudden physical difficulty (Butler Winced). She has also offered to restore what we have lost in both cases in exchange for our services in-?" Artemis motioned for the girl to continue.

"I need your help to save my father."

Artemis was slightly confused. He had expected something different

"He is being kept in a place you would only recognize when I restore your memories." She explained "and I assure you, when I do, you will understand what the job entails and why I need you."

Artemis walked as he considered what she had said and stepped into his bathroom to wash the tomato juice out of his hair. "What do you think Butler?"

It was painfully obvious that Butler wanted nothing more than to be back to the way he was, but tried none the less to Fein indifference. "If a portion of our memories has been repressed, it would most likely be to our advantage to remember what it was they wanted us to forget."

"Very well." Artemis admitted, patting the side of his head with a white fluffy towel as he stepped out of the bathroom. "We accept. I am also interested in the gold you mentioned earlier." Considering the given arguments, and considering all possible outcomes, Artemis felt fairly safe in his decision. Though if he knew who he was dealing with he may have reconsidered. He may not have.

'Of course' thought Butler 'I knew there had to be some kind of money involved.' Though Butler still wasn't sure about this girl who reminded him so much of another certain someone. To coin a famous quote, Butler thought 'I don't know why, but the little --- scares me.'

Whoever-she-was's eyes glowed as she smiled triumphantly inside. "Excellent." She then pressed a concealed button somewhere on her person and Artemis and Butler both collapsed to the floor.