"There is no such thing as paranoia. Your worst fears can come true at any moment"- Hunter S. Thompson

Joe's Steakhouse wasn't somewhere you would expect a man like Artemis Fowl to frequent- it wasn't posh or fancy or reserved only for the rich and famous. It was just a Steakhouse. But it was somewhere that Butler had taken Artemis to many times during his childhood, because they did damn good food and the waiters weren't so afraid of Butler that they refused to serve them, which had happened in other places. But, as Artemis had become older, and he had begun more and more elaborate criminal schemes, the idea of taking him out for a casual meal had become something of a rarity. Infact it had become an almost non-existent option in the past year or so, which is what gave Butler the feeling they weren't just there for the food. Still, when Artemis had told him that he could choose the destination, there wasn't going to be any contest. Butler suspected Artemis had already known where he was going to choose before he had even chosen it.
"BUTLER!" Boomed a voice from the door. Butler smiled- something just as rare as them going out for dinner- when he realised it was Marco, son of owner Joe and the guy who practically ran the place these days.
"It's nice to see you Marco" Butler said.
"It's good to see you here" Marco said. "Artemis."
"Marco" Artemis said, nodding lightly.
"It's nice to see you haven't changed a bit, Artemis" Marco said, laughing quietly to himself.
"You'd be surprised" Butler said. Marco looked at Butler, then Artemis, then back at Butler, before leading them inside and to a table.
"What do we do now?" Butler asked.
"We order dinner, Butler" Artemis said. "That is, after all, why we're here."

Dinner actually passed fairly smoothly. They ordered, they ate, they drank. There was even the addition of a little bit of small talk, though nothing that could be considered overboard. Butler was beginning to wonder if this had actually just been an evening out to dinner after all, when 2 men in dark suits walked into the Steakhouse. Butler could instantly tell by the way they were eyeing everybody up and taking a long way round to the bar that they weren't just here for a drink. Butler, making sure not to make any eye contact with the new people, made a discreet signal to Artemis, but Artemis wasn't paying attention. No, Artemis was too busy making his own signals to the barman. Butler knew those signals, which meant that not only had Artemis noticed it too, but he knew that those people were going to arrive at some point. Butler smiled inwardly, knowing what was about to happen as the men took sips of their water. A few minutes passed where nothing in particular changed, but slowly the 2 mysterious guests began to rock and sway, until they both passed out at the bar.
"Time for us to go" Artemis said, grabbing his coat as he stood up.
"Who were they?" Butler asked.
"Just people. Scouts, I suppose I should call them. The first line of covert attack, although they weren't very good at being covert, I have to say. But it does prove my suspicion correct, which means that the main event is yet to come."
"Why do I not like where this is going?"
"Because, Butler, I'm afraid you're going to have to shoot some people so that they don't shoot you first."

As soon as Artemis got into the car, his phone began to ring. He motioned for Butler to step on it, before taking the call. He knew who it was immediately.
"Masek."
"Artemis" Masek's voice was hollow, empty. "He... He's back. I don't know how, but he is and-"
"I know" Artemis replied. "You were right when you thought somebody wanted you out of HQ, he did, because he was looking for something. He didn't get it, so now he's coming after me."
"Artemis" Masek said, having managed to calm himself down a little bit, "He killed Jenna. He killed her in cold blood, for nothing. Just so he could make the point to us that he was alive!"
"I know" Artemis said, again. "But you're wrong. He didn't kill her just to make a point, he killed her because she is the reason he doesn't have the Obelisk. She teleported it to me, and we were going to take it someplace secure, but he hijacked the teleport stream and took her before we could. He must have thought she still had the Obelisk, but now that he knows she didn't, he's coming after me."
There was a pause. Artemis could still hear Masek breathing, probably contemplating what he said.
"What do you want us to do?"
"Get back to HQ, and find out wherever Wyatt Munroe is based. I can send you the information I have on his teleportation path, the rest will be up to you. We have to stop Wyatt Munroe before he gets his hands on the Obelisk."
"Do you know what he wants to use the Obelisk for?"
"No" Artemis said bluntly. "But this is somebody who wants to bring nothing but death and destruction to the Lower Elements and any of its allies. Whatever he's planning, it isn't going to be good."

Butler and Artemis got back to Fowl Manor in what was close to record time. Artemis Sr. was out of the door and ready to greet them.
"Get everybody out of the Manor" Artemis said, without even bothering to greet his father.
"Artemis?"
"I said get everybody out, and that's a priority."
"Artemis" His father said, "What is going on?"
Artemis sighed. "Honestly, some people are coming to try and kill me, so if you wouldn't mind, I don't have much time to talk. Get everybody out of the house."
Artemis Sr. followed Artemis into the Manor, staying close behind.
"Nobody here is leaving until you tell me exactly what is going on."
"OK, fine" Artemis said, stopping to face his father. "Do you remember when I told you about The People? The fairies? The things I know, for me to know them is exceedingly dangerous. And now that danger is being realised, because I know something that somebody wants, and they want to get it out of me by any means necessary, and that puts you all in danger. So leave!"
Artemis had been watching his father's face closely as he had told him what was going on, and most of it had been masked by a wall of nothingness. But deep below, as he mentioned The People, there was one glimmer of emotion rising to the surface- realisation.
"If that is the case" Artemis Sr. said, "Then I am not leaving either. Nobody threatens my family and gets away with it."
"No" Artemis said. "You have to take mother and get to the safehouse. This is not your fight."
"Stevens can take her" Artemis Sr. said. "As luck would have it, I have a squadron here for a briefing. Now they can have a new mission, to help protect us. I am not going anywhere."
"I can see I'm not going to move you" Artemis conceded, "But we do not have much time. We have to get ready and I have to make a phone call."
"What do we need?"
"We need what every good man needs for a war. We need to win."

"Power is neither good nor evil, but its user makes it so"- Erin Hunter