Edited April 28 2013
After the long airplane ride, they rented a car. "It was an emergency," Beckett said.
"Do you know how long this trip will probably take? Renting a car is expensive," Myles said to him.
Beckett shrugged. "Hopefully, Mom and Dad won't mind."
Sweden at this time of the year was cold, the streets were icy and the residents were covered in coats and scarves, occasionally carrying some warm drink in their hands. But they were used to this weather, unlike Myles, who basically had his hands inside his coat. Myles still wonders why he agreed to the stupid idea of his stupid twin brother. Why he was risking himself was beyond him.
He speculated on this while looking out the car window, only to occasionally to wake from this dream-like state to listen to whatever stupidity Beckett had to say, then go back to thinking.
Beckett liked that Myles was with him. He was glad. Myles usually avoided him, or they would be fighting. He felt comfortable talking like Myles without insulting each other. But Myles still felt so distant. He hoped to fix this.
Ailward was driving. He knew the Fowl siblings were distant. All of them. Sure, Myles interacted more with Artemis, but they only talked once in a while. He felt sorry for Beckett. Ever since the boys started going to go to school, Beckett was the most isolated of the siblings, which is why Ailward trained him in kickboxing so he wouldn't feel so lonely at home. But he knew that Beckett wanted Artemis's attention, now he knew that he wanted both of his brothers attention, but the two were oblivious.
He asked Butler once, "Why does Artemis disappear so much? Not including those three years."
"He's lost in his own world," Butler had answered.
Something vibrated. The bug. Ailward looked at the boys. "Artemis and Butler are talking," he said, and they sat in silence.
There was slight static, but they heard Butler talk. "What did Holly say?"
"Holly. She seems to have a close relationship with Arty," Beckett said, only to receive a shush from Myles.
"Besides the scold? That she would arrive before the festival started. We will meet in the hotel room, so we have to leave the window open. She'll accompany us afterwards."
"Way to go Artemis," Beckett said, impressed.
"And did the Council find out?"
"Foaly and Captain Trouble are working on that, but no, not yet. Hopefully the news on Beckett's invention won't reach them."
Myles frowned. "Who are the Council, and what do they have to do with Beckett's invenvtion?"
"Yeah, hopefully is right. We don't want to put the fairy race in jeopardy again," Butler answered.
It was this part that made the three raise their eyebrows.
Beckett had a confused look on his face. "Is that a soldier term?"
Ailward shook his head, equally confused. "Not that I know of."
Far off in another rented car in front of them, Butler's sixth sense was telling him that someone was watching them. He had, of course, gave the car the usual check over, and there were no mics nor camera's hidden anywhere on the car.
He glanced at Artemis, who seemed to be normal. Normal doesn't really suit him though, but Butler can't stop to check him now, in mid-drive.
On the red light, Butler look around himself. His eye caught two buttons on his jacket pocket. He did a double take, and plucked the second "button" from his pocket.
Ailward heard some heavy static. "Oh shit," he thought. Butler found them.
Butler crushed the tiny mic. Artemis looked up from his smartphone. "What happened?"
"Someone's watching us."
Artemis frowned. "I wonder who they could be. My family's entire criminal record has been liquidated."
They were panicking. Mostly Beckett though. Ailward and Myles's stoic mask hid it well. Beckett was pulling on his curly blond locks. "Oh no, oh no. They caught us! We're seriously screwed, guys. Screwed!"
Myles shook his head. "I don't think they know it's us. I think Butler just found the bug. They have no reason to suspect it's us. We're supposed to be in school, remember?"
Beckett's shoulders relaxed, realizing his twin brother was right. "Yeah...what are we going to do though? We don't know where we're supposed to go now."
Beckett wasn't convinced. Fowls never relied on luck.
They got out of the car, and Myles stretched, shuddering as the cold Swedish air blew past his face. They entered the lobby, which smelled of cinnamon and burning logs from the chimney.
"Wait here," ordered Ailward. "I'll go check out a room."
Myles nodded and sat down. Beckett went walking around, mostly to the aquarium , staring at the fish. Myles took out a newspaper. He saw in big black print, "Science Fair on Friday!" or something like it. He's still on the basics of the Swedish language. He frowned.
Beckett glanced at Myles, who was reading the newspaper, then looked upwards, and saw Artemis and Butler enter the hotel. He blanched then ran to Myles.
"Myles, we have to go!" he said, shaking on Myles's arm furiously.
Myles looked at him. "What for?"
"Look!" he nudged his head over to Artemis's direction. Myles gasped and put the newspaper up, hiding both of their faces.
"What are we going to do?" Beckett whispered frantically.
Myles glanced at them quickly, then immediately put the newspaper up. "We're going to have to hide. If we're lucky Ailward will finish checking out early."
"But they're coming towards us!"
"Hide!" hissed Myles, and they ran to a nearby luggage cart. Beckett started pushing it away from Artemis and Butler.
"This reminds me of this show. It was on Disney, what was it called? It was ironically of two twins too, but they were both blond. You should dye your hair My-oow! What was that for?"
Myles had kicked him. "For the bad joke."
They were by the aquarium, and they crawled behind it. Myles glanced up from above. Artemis and Butler were in line to check out, and Ailward was just getting out. Myles pulled on Beckett's arm. "Come."
It was Myles's turn to push on the cart. He did so quickly, bumping by Ailward. Ailward looked at the luggage cart that seemed to be pushing itself.
Then he heard a slight "psst." He looked down and saw Becket and Myles hiding. He tilted his head to the side. "What's wrong with you two?"
Beckett pointed at Artemis and Butler. Ailward nodded then pushed them away, until they passed to the hallway, where Myles and Beckett stood.
"We have to go, now," Myles said, walking ahead.
"Room 36!"
"Is it a suite or room?" Beckett asked.
"Room."
"Aw. But I would've preferred a suite."
Myles glanced back at Beckett. "Are you crazy?"
Beckett shrugged. "I'm used to living the suite life!"
Another kick. "Stop with the bad jokes."
Artemis paced around his room. Who could be spying on him? It can't be the government anymore, he wasn't even doing criminal activities anymore. He stopped, considering that it could be Phonetix that was miffed because he took their glory away.
The room was quite cold. He was about to call Holly until it suddenly shut. "Holly?" Artemis called.
Suddenly small elfin girl with a black uniform popped out. "Artemis," Holly said.
