A/N: Well, here it is; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: CHAPTER FOUR!!!!!!!!!!! (Please ignore the months of no updates! That's all over! I SWEAR!!! crosses fingers behind back.) Enjoy! :D
When Holly came back from the wash room, still slightly dizzy with nausea, Artemis and Butler were sitting on a leather couch,-LEATHER!-and Trouble was standing stiffly in the corner, obviously ill at ease.
"Holly!" Trouble practically shouted as she stepped into the room. "Are you okay?"
"Fine she muttered, omitting the vomit. It would just worry him unduly.
Trouble looked concerned, but didn't question her: she would probably punch him if he tried.
"Okay Fowl," Trouble directed to Artemis, "What's this all about?" No time for niceties. Especially not for that infuriatingly smug mudboy.
"Very well," Artemis said, dragging out the words, "I was simply waiting for Major Short to return." He nodded imperiously towards Holly.
Major Short?! Thought Trouble incredulously. If that's how he talks to his friends, it's a small wonder that he has none...At least no human ones...
"Now I shall begin," continued Artemis, "With the most pressing matter: The secret of your peoples existence has been compromised."
Holly and Trouble both jumped to their feet simultaneously.
"What?!" Holly shrieked. "How did this happen?"
"I have no idea." Confessed Artemis. "I know only that whoever has this information also holds my parents hostage. You must assist me in retrieving them."
"Do you have a plan Fowl?" Asked Trouble, more gently then before.
"I always have a plan." Retorted Artemis testily. But it involves sacrificing you. He thought, his conscience heavy with guilt.
"Then what is it?" Asked Holly, slightly impatient: Showing weakness always made her angry.
"We go to the arranged meeting place," sighed Artemis, sounding as if this should have been glaringly obvious.
"Where the hell's that?" Demanded Holly, ignoring Artemis's wince at her grammar.
"The Canadian National Tower; Toronto, Ontario." Artemis stated with utter surety. "I will explain faze two of this operation when we arrive at our destination."
"I think we need to know the plan, in its entirety, right now." Said Trouble bluntly. "We need to be able to act spontaneously, not wait for you to order us around."
"Oh, but I disagree, Commander Kelp," Artemis's words were soft and venomous. "Did it ever occur to you that I am perhaps not divulging the entire plan at the present moment, simply because your mind isn't capable of comprehending it?"
Trouble's fists clenched, and he looked for a moment as if he were about to attack Artemis, but instead, he breathed in deeply, and held himself at Holly's side.
Holly, on the other hand, had no thought of restraint: She flew-literally, using her mechanical wings-across the room and punched Artemis squarely in the nose.
"Shut up Fowl!" She shouted furiously. "And don't insult Trouble OR me. We may not be geniuses-or genii or whatever-like you are, but you can't be stupid and last long in LEPRecon or LEPRetrieval, and Trouble's the best yet." She reversed fleetly, leaving Artemis lying on the floor, and landing agilely next to Trouble.
"Three-way!" Foaly, unable to resist himself, had hacked a nearby computer and put his face on screen.
"SHUT UP!!!!" Shouted Holly, baring her teeth ferociously.
Foaly had been planning to retort, but at the look on Holly's face he changed his mind: Her appearance was not that of a sane person: She looked like a psychopath. Is, sort of. He realized. But that was the point. Holly couldn't hurt him from where she was, but still, he shut up.
"Okay," said Trouble, calling on his threads of permanence-kindness, patience, compassion and love-to calm him. "Let's forget the argument and focus on saving the world."
"You're not coming." Said Artemis furiously. "Holly and I have done less then perfectly at that particular task, and I fail to remember inviting you."
"Look Fowl," Said Trouble, losing patience at last. "I'm coming, or you're going alone."
"Very well," Artemis pronounce snobbishly, "We will depart immediately in the Lears Jet."
"Okay," Barked Holly, still royally pissed of. "Let's get outta here, double time."
The company of four exited the room. As they climbed into the jet, however, Trouble felt anxious: He didn't trust the humans. Holly too, felt a twinge of fear: Throughout the meeting, Butler had not uttered a word.