Artemis woke up in the guest-room at Eva and Rod's house. He sat up and
looked around until he noticed the shadow that fell over him. He looked
up, "Butler?" he cried out disbelievingly.
The bodyguard looked up quickly, "Hello, Artemis."
"What are you doing here? I thought that Mother had instructed you to stay in Ireland! How did you find me?"
The faintest trace of amusement flickered across Butler's face; "Your father's orders take precedence over your mother's. He told me to come here to protect you because, as he pointed out, there are plenty of people who would not hesitate to kidnap you for revenge or ransom."
"Does my mother know you are here?"
Butler hesitated, "No. I- We thought it best if she wasn't aware of my departure. She might have stopped me when you needed me."
Artemis contemplated this for a moment, then nodded, "Yes. Very good, then. How did you find me?"
"Another of your father's foresights. He planted a minescule tracking device on your clothing. It took me a little bit to catch up to you because of your shopping day. I arrived just as those punks were attacking you."
Artemis thought for a little while in silence, then asked, "Do my Aunt and Uncle know who you are?"
Butler shook his head, "Not at the moment. All they know is that I am some kindly passerby who helped you out of a tight spot."
Eva walked in looking concerned, "Are you feeling all right, Artemis? Do you feel dizzy or anything?"
"I'm fine Aunt Eva."
"Are you sure? You might have had a concussion or somethin' horrible like that and then where would we be? Your parents would blame us and you'd never come to see us again, and."
"Calm down, Mom. He's fine, aren't ya, Art'?" said Danny, striding in swiftly.
Eva breathed deeply, trying to calm down.
Rod walked in and stood next to Butler, "I see that you got out of your walk with Pfeiffer after all." He winked.
"For now," muttered Danny.
Artemis suppressed a smile,
'So, some good came out of the punks anyway.'
The bodyguard looked up quickly, "Hello, Artemis."
"What are you doing here? I thought that Mother had instructed you to stay in Ireland! How did you find me?"
The faintest trace of amusement flickered across Butler's face; "Your father's orders take precedence over your mother's. He told me to come here to protect you because, as he pointed out, there are plenty of people who would not hesitate to kidnap you for revenge or ransom."
"Does my mother know you are here?"
Butler hesitated, "No. I- We thought it best if she wasn't aware of my departure. She might have stopped me when you needed me."
Artemis contemplated this for a moment, then nodded, "Yes. Very good, then. How did you find me?"
"Another of your father's foresights. He planted a minescule tracking device on your clothing. It took me a little bit to catch up to you because of your shopping day. I arrived just as those punks were attacking you."
Artemis thought for a little while in silence, then asked, "Do my Aunt and Uncle know who you are?"
Butler shook his head, "Not at the moment. All they know is that I am some kindly passerby who helped you out of a tight spot."
Eva walked in looking concerned, "Are you feeling all right, Artemis? Do you feel dizzy or anything?"
"I'm fine Aunt Eva."
"Are you sure? You might have had a concussion or somethin' horrible like that and then where would we be? Your parents would blame us and you'd never come to see us again, and."
"Calm down, Mom. He's fine, aren't ya, Art'?" said Danny, striding in swiftly.
Eva breathed deeply, trying to calm down.
Rod walked in and stood next to Butler, "I see that you got out of your walk with Pfeiffer after all." He winked.
"For now," muttered Danny.
Artemis suppressed a smile,
'So, some good came out of the punks anyway.'
