Reaper looked at his surroundings with almost a sense of awe. The manor was beautiful, well furbished, clean, essentially everything that he wasn't. Of course his response to any comments on that would be, "Screw you I work for a living." But it didn't hurt to admire his surroundings. He and Wraith followed Artemis to a room with a few chairs and glass table. They both sat down, the seat was surprisingly comfortable.

Artemis sat down across the table, Butler taking a seat next to him. A few silent moments passed, Reaper honestly didn't know what to say, and neither did Wraith evidently. Eventually Artemis broke the silence, "If you would please remove your masks in my company?"

Reaper shook his head, "I'm sorry Master Fowl we can't do that for fear that our identities will be made public. That puts us in a state of risk and thereby makes our jobs infinitely more complicated. I'm certain you understand?"

He saw Artemis sigh and looked at them both again, the same cold stare that his the file described him as having on his face, "Then you would do well to at least remove your hat and hood while in my house. Surely there's nothing against that is there?"

The two mercenaries looked at each other for a few seconds, they almost always wore their articles of clothing that covered their heads. Of course one look at the giant manservant was enough to put aside their hesitation and they quickly removed the previously stated articles of clothing. Reaper glanced at Wraith's head once he took off his hood, he didn't get to see the top of his head too often, and was almost surprised to see Wraith's head was completely bald. Reaper looked into the glass table, curious to see if he had such a symptom from wearing his hat for such a long time. He smiled under his mask when all of his hair was still there.

"How old are you exactly?" Artemis asked as Reaper saw him looking at his hair, which was pure white.

"I'm 25," Reaper responded, a little embarrassed that others were staring at his exposed hair.

"So then you dye your hair this color?" Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow.

Reaper shook his head, "No, unfortunately, it started graying around 10 years ago. I would dye it but I'm too lazy to bother and people don't usually see my hair."

Artemis sat back in his seat, he then placed his hands in his lap, "While that is very interesting I unfortunately don't care for the details. A simple yes or no would have sufficed for an answer. Now then, please introduce yourselves, I won't bother doing business with either of you unless I know what to call you."

Reaper felt his eye twitch for a second; he could already tell that dealing with Artemis Fowl would be difficult at best. He took a deep breath and said, "I'm Reaper, this is my colleague Wraith."

"And why exactly have you come here to my manor? I trust that this is a business meeting and not a couple of friendly people coming by to say a casual 'hello' and be on your merry way?"

"You'd be correct in assuming that me and my friend here have come for business purposes only. We've currently been sent by Foaly to see if you could examine the ins and outs of this device we confiscated by a group of goblins and demons working illegally." Reaper pulled out the jamming device from his pocket, putting it on the glass table.

"And why exactly should I help you, the one currently intruding upon my property, without seeing my consent first?"

Reaper paused for a second, "Would you allow me to contact Foaly for a minute?"

"Do what you must but I hardly see any point in that venture."

Reaper felt his eye twitch a little more, how the people managed to deal with the infamous Artemis Fowl was beyond him, he left the room. Once out of sight he pressed a button on the side of his mask, "Foaly," he started, "We made contact with Artemis but he's currently refusing to cooperate with us on examining the jamming device."

He heard Foaly sigh deeply on his mike, "Then try to find a way to get him to work with us. I don't care what it is we need that information."

"Well how exactly do you propose we do that?" Reaper asked, this conversation wasn't helping his agitation much.

"I don't know, try and make a deal with him or something. Find something he likes or dangle a shiny object in front of his face just do something."

"What exactly do we have to barter with Foaly? All we have is around 200 dollars in our collective pockets, the jamming device, and the mongocharger which, I'm fairly certain, is totally off limits for bartering."

There was silence on the microphone, Reaper was about to cut the connection, assuming that Foaly had canceled the call but then Reaper heard a few words that he knew he would regret later on. "There's always you."

"Wait, you're actually suggesting that we use ourselves as a bartering chip?"

"Well of course, you're mercenaries, you'll do anything for money so that essentially means that you have some value to other people."

"But what about the data that Artemis gets if he decides to help us? How will we get it to you?"
"Well, Artemis could really just send us the information meaning that your delivery would be unnecessary."

"And what about what we have to say in this matter?"

"Need I remind you that we are still covering up your mess on the job before this one? You're on thin enough ice as it is Reaper, I'm doing the best I can to just keep Commander Kelp from wiping your minds right now."

Reaper sighed, there was no point in arguing, "Alright, I'll make the offer but there's something I need to know before I cut the link."

"What?"

"When did you send Artemis the notification of our arrival?"

He almost heard Foaly laugh after he said this, "Right after he called me about your situation. Sorry Reaper but that's payback for the hell you're putting me through right now."

Growled, cutting off the link, he hated it when Foaly got a sense of humor because it usually involved Reaper receiving the business end of a stick, or rock, or gun, or any weapon capable of horribly maiming a face. Reaper composed himself, straightening up his dirty battle worn suit. He took a deep breath and walked back into the room, all three of the room's occupants looked at him expectantly. "So I assume you still want a reason to help us?"

He saw Artemis nod, "Please give me one, I'd love to hear what would make me want to assist you in any way possible."

"I'd like to propose a trade." Reaper said as deadpan as possible.

"Oh really? I'd like to see what you can actually barter with, as you can see money isn't an object so that's out of the question. You also look like you've traveled very lightly, meaning that device on the table, which I have no interest in I can assure you, is the only thing you brought with you. So you essentially have nothing to work with. If all you have to convince me is barter then I'd suggest you leave, or you would you prefer I save you the trouble and have Butler throw you out himself?"

Reaper looked at the manservant and shuttered when he cracked his knuckles, he averted his gaze from the giant man looking directly at Artemis, "I'd like to barter with our services as hired guns."

Artemis cocked his head to the side, "And what exactly do the 'hired guns' charge for their services?"

Reaper sighed, knowing he'd have to say it, but he didn't want to because that word was almost out of his personal dictionary, "We'll do it for f-…we'll do it for fr-…we'll do it for…"

"For free?" Artemis said, smiling his cold and dark smile.

Reaper merely nodded, not capable of saying anything else. But Wraith was, he stood up, "What!" he exclaimed, "Maybe we should think before we sell ourselves out without…selling ourselves!"

Reaper looked at Wraith, "I'm sorry, those are our orders from Foaly, Wraith. We're going to have to suck it up or our minds get wiped."

Wraith stood for a minute, his fists clenched. He calmed down after a few moments passed, "Alright, fine I'll cooperate, but only if you buy the next round of drinks next time we're at a bar."

"So basically I buy you a bottle of vodka and you'll do whatever Artemis tells us to? If he decides to help us that is." He saw Wraith nod and turned to Artemis, "So what do you say, we give you a…a freebie…and you analyze the jamming device for us?"

Artemis put his hand on his chin, after a few moments of silence he looked up, "Very well, I could have some use for you and your partner. I'll begin the analysis of the device immediately. Until then you might as well get yourself acquainted with Butler. I don't need my manservant breaking my new temporary workers spines in two."

Reaper looked at Butler, who didn't exactly seem friendly in any sense of the word, but Reaper didn't quite like the idea of having his spine snapped in two. He was about to start a conversation when butler stood up, "Artemis, if I may speak to you in private."

Artemis sighed, "If you must butler, but please make it quick. I'm assuming I have a lot of work to do." He grabbed the small mechanical ball off the table and walked out of the room along with Butler.

A few moments passed and Wraith looked at Reaper, saying, "What the hell just happened?"

Reaper shook his head, "I have no idea, but I feel like a part of my soul has been ripped out, torn to shreds, and put back in my body…freebies, I'm going to kill Foaly if he ever stops paying us."

"Artemis are you sure this is safe? They're soldiers for hire and would gladly betray us for the highest bidder." Butler was skeptical of these people working for Foaly, and he didn't like the idea of working with a pair cutthroat mercenaries.

"Oh relax Butler, they were willing to give us their services totally free of charge, and even more so they're hired by Foaly with a renewing contract. They're no threat to us."

"Artemis, I'm not sure if you've ever met these kinds of mercenaries. They're ruthless, soulless, and they'll do anything for money. They don't care about loyalty or any sentiments if you get in the way of their money they don't care who they have to step on to get it."

"Butler, I've encountered ruthless mob leaders, crazed megalomaniac pixies, rival geniuses, demons, pixies, faeries, trolls, and packs of goblins that couldn't tell the blade of a sword from the hilt. Believe me when I say I plan on taking every precaution possible but I'm not afraid. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

Butler sighed, rubbing his temples; Artemis had another scheme, which spelled trouble for him. But as always he would stay with his charge to the end. "Just try not to get us all killed."

Artemis smiled a gleam in his eye, looking at the manservant, "I wouldn't dream of it my friend." Butler looked at Artemis, just a few years ago it was all about the money and personal gain. He thought of when they had their first adventure so long ago; he thought of how much he had changed. The thought brought him some semblance of peace. That feeling was immediately lost when he remembered just who he was going to be working with for the next few days.

He sighed; turning to face the room the two mercenaries were in, "Just pray that I don't kill them before the first day."

"I'm certain you can control yourself."

"I doubt it," Butler replied, straightening his tie.