Authoress' notes ~ Sorry about the really short chapters. I'm currently on
the run from our friends, the Russian mafiya, so I don't get too much
typing time. Internet's been out a lot too. Ah well.
Please review! I need criticism! Constructive criticism, though! I do not own anything but the Artemis Fowl trilogy, the Lord of the Rings DVDs, and a laptop! Don't sue me, cuz u wouldn't get any money! My lawyer kicks butt...And now, without further delay, Mystery and Mayhem! (((And there was great rejoicing))) ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
The figure surveyed the room before it. There were dark wood shelves filled with old and valuable-looking books around the walls, and several computers were displaying a screensaver. Only one was in use.
A pale, raven-haired teenager sat in front of one of the monitors, typing inhumanly fast. He didn't seem to notice that he wasn't alone, just kept typing, indigo eyes glued to the screen.
"One moment," he said suddenly, still not looking around or slowing down, "I have to finish this report."
The figure nodded and stood, dripping silently for another minute or so, when he finally stopped and looked up, leaning back in the comfortable leather office chair.
"How may I be of service?"
The figure hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "I seek Artemis Fowl the Second."
He blinked at the voice. He had been expecting sinister, gravelly tones. Instead: the pure, clear voice of a trained singer. "You're speaking to him."
The figure reached up and slowly pulled down the light-sucking black hood.
The pale, haunted face of a teenaged girl his own age stared out at him. There seemed to be something wrong with her eyes, they didn't look quite human. Waves of jet-black hair cascaded down her back, dripping onto the expensive plush carpet.
Artemis could tell he was gaping but he didn't care. He knew that face. "Wait, her ears... something's wrong with her ears... they're pointed... she must be an elf... how'd I know that? And her eyes..."
His muddled thoughts were interrupted by her voice.
"Confused?" she asked, smiling a little.
He blinked again. "Yes," was about all he could think of to say. For the first time in years, he was shocked almost speechless.
She sighed. "You would be. You were mind-wiped by Commander Root three years ago, after the C-Cube incident. Ringing any bells here?"
He thought. Yes, Commander Root seemed familiar, though he couldn't place it, but the C-Cube... that he knew. Suddenly thoughts and phrases went through his head in a stream, and though he certainly remembered some of them, others were completely foreign.
"Raise your game or send someone intelligent..." "I don't like lollipops..." "What would I have to do to buy a wish...?" "Captain Short, I presume..." "Forget it. I've been in Russia before. It didn't kill me..." "...deep behind those layers of deviousness, you have a spark of decency..." "It was a difficult healing, no way to predict the outcome..." "I never tell anybody exactly how clever I am. They would be too scared..." "...Yes, Artemis. This is goodbye, for the last time..."
The feeling of those memories slowly coming back almost overpowered Artemis. He rested his aching head in his hands, taking deep, shaky breaths.
When he finished composing himself, he looked directly into those inhuman eyes and croaked, "What do you want, fairy?"
Please review! I need criticism! Constructive criticism, though! I do not own anything but the Artemis Fowl trilogy, the Lord of the Rings DVDs, and a laptop! Don't sue me, cuz u wouldn't get any money! My lawyer kicks butt...And now, without further delay, Mystery and Mayhem! (((And there was great rejoicing))) ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
The figure surveyed the room before it. There were dark wood shelves filled with old and valuable-looking books around the walls, and several computers were displaying a screensaver. Only one was in use.
A pale, raven-haired teenager sat in front of one of the monitors, typing inhumanly fast. He didn't seem to notice that he wasn't alone, just kept typing, indigo eyes glued to the screen.
"One moment," he said suddenly, still not looking around or slowing down, "I have to finish this report."
The figure nodded and stood, dripping silently for another minute or so, when he finally stopped and looked up, leaning back in the comfortable leather office chair.
"How may I be of service?"
The figure hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "I seek Artemis Fowl the Second."
He blinked at the voice. He had been expecting sinister, gravelly tones. Instead: the pure, clear voice of a trained singer. "You're speaking to him."
The figure reached up and slowly pulled down the light-sucking black hood.
The pale, haunted face of a teenaged girl his own age stared out at him. There seemed to be something wrong with her eyes, they didn't look quite human. Waves of jet-black hair cascaded down her back, dripping onto the expensive plush carpet.
Artemis could tell he was gaping but he didn't care. He knew that face. "Wait, her ears... something's wrong with her ears... they're pointed... she must be an elf... how'd I know that? And her eyes..."
His muddled thoughts were interrupted by her voice.
"Confused?" she asked, smiling a little.
He blinked again. "Yes," was about all he could think of to say. For the first time in years, he was shocked almost speechless.
She sighed. "You would be. You were mind-wiped by Commander Root three years ago, after the C-Cube incident. Ringing any bells here?"
He thought. Yes, Commander Root seemed familiar, though he couldn't place it, but the C-Cube... that he knew. Suddenly thoughts and phrases went through his head in a stream, and though he certainly remembered some of them, others were completely foreign.
"Raise your game or send someone intelligent..." "I don't like lollipops..." "What would I have to do to buy a wish...?" "Captain Short, I presume..." "Forget it. I've been in Russia before. It didn't kill me..." "...deep behind those layers of deviousness, you have a spark of decency..." "It was a difficult healing, no way to predict the outcome..." "I never tell anybody exactly how clever I am. They would be too scared..." "...Yes, Artemis. This is goodbye, for the last time..."
The feeling of those memories slowly coming back almost overpowered Artemis. He rested his aching head in his hands, taking deep, shaky breaths.
When he finished composing himself, he looked directly into those inhuman eyes and croaked, "What do you want, fairy?"