Chapter Four: Best Laid Plans
~LEP Headquarters, Haven City, Underground~
When she had got the call from Commander Root, Holly's heart skipped a few beats. Artemis had her brother and was planning to do something with him. The problem which now faced her, Foaly and Root was 'What?' Root was perusing the reports of the last Fowl cases, trying to determine his plan of action this time when Holly burst through the door, past several security Sprites who were hanging from her legs, demanding to see some ID. 'Let her in, boys, she's with me' said Foaly casually, Artemis' face flickered on screen. Holly ran past Foaly without so much of a 'thank you' and stood, staring into Artemis' cold blue eyes. 'Give him back, Artemis. just give him back.' Holly had issued Artemis an order. From anyone else a witty retort would have been sent back at her but Artemis had not planned for the capture of Holly's brother. 'I. Holly. no. its not.' words failed Artemis; emotions were beating back his better judgement. 'You don't understand. I didn't know.' he spluttered, Holly growled like a fully-grown male Troll. 'Give him his stuff, give him that Acorn and push him out the front door!' Holly shouted, Foaly jumped away from his earphones and threw them onto his desk. 'Really Holly, this is sensitive equipment.' Foaly pleaded Holly turned her head, Foaly could have swore her eyes had gone red.
~Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~
Artemis nodded, 'Y-yeah. I'll d-do that.' his plan had fallen apart. With this new development and Holly's anger in front of him, Artemis' mind drew a blank card. Butler stood behind Artemis, his jaw sagging at the idea of Artemis being stuck. 'Artemis. you can't just give him back, we spent a lot of money on this.' Butler said calmly, 'surely there's something we can do with the little pixie.' he pleaded, Artemis had never done anything like this before. Had the mind-wipe, time-stop, fairy friends and fatal wounds weakened Artemis Fowl the Second this much? Artemis was taking the helmet off, he had finished talking to Root and Holly. He stood up and pushed past Butler, moving quickly and determinedly. As he passed, Butler saw a single tear wind its way down Arty's cheek.
~Fowl Manor, Conference Room, Dublin, Ireland~
Juliet sat pinging elastic bands at Mulch who happily ate them, firing them into a wastebasket near the wall. Juliet pinged one into Mulch's eye and he winced, 'Oi, that 'urts!' he said then looked round at the closed door and laughed, 'Hey, don't'cha think it's a bit amusing, y'know, us picking up Holly's brother?' he winked at Juliet who started laughing too. 'Yeah, I mean, what were the odds of that happening? Two fairies from the same family?' Mulch was laughing so hard that he fell off his chair when Butler opened the door. 'We got a problem, its Artemis.' he said, Juliet jumped to her feet and made for the door, Butler grabbed his sister into a tight hug. 'No, not that sort of problem. Artemis is getting emotionally weak. years without his father, years without his mother and only me, you and Fairies for company. now he's losing the things he has grown to love and gaining things he knows nothing about.' Butler said, Juliet looked up at him, wide-eyed. '.Grown to love.?' she breathed to Butler, she knew what he meant, Butler looked down and smiled weakly.
Artemis was opening the door to the basement, his sweating hand slipping on the knob. Once the door was opened, he stood at the foot of the bed and saw Anthony sleeping silently. 'Wake up, Elf.' he said, assurance was vacant as he spoke. 'You need to go, now. Here's your equipment,' he said, placing the pile of LEP technology on the bed and stepping back. 'You're just going to let me go?' Claws asked, 'With all my stuff?' He quickly took up his equipment, putting on his helmet, thermal gloves and boots. 'Yes' replied Artemis, 'Go. and tell Holly. I. I-I'm sorry.' he looked away, Anthony passed him quickly and made for the front door of the Manor with light speedy steps. Artemis sat on the bed, his face in his hands, his eyes burning with tears but he pushed them back, feeling anger take their place.
Anthony headed for Tara as fast as his wings could go. His helmet was completely run out of durability apart from the backup, which could only be used to display his surroundings in digital enhancement. His magical power was fading with ever minute he spent shielded. His journey would take at least an hour.
~LEP Headquarters, Haven City, Underground~
Root grunted, 'From that last conversation, he didn't sound like he was going to let Claws go.' he said gruffly 'Anthony, Commander, he's not an agent now, he's a fairy in danger.' Holly said, looking away. She could feel every bit of remorse, friendship and guilt for Artemis fade away. He had wronged her too much, attacking her family. 'We need to mobilise a full LEPrecon team, Time Stop, warlocks, Retrieval, the whole thing.' Root sighed, this was going to cost him a lot of money from the Recon budget. 'I'll go, I'll head the team.' Holly said, she could feel the resentment for Artemis rising in her gut, she was going to go in there and get Anthony back herself, 'I know the place pretty well, I can get in and out quickly.' she said 'Alright, lets get moving, we don't have long until the daylight slips, we need to make a time stop as soon at the twighlight fades' Root nodded, 'Lets go, I'll call the team as we go. This time Fowl wont get away.'
~Tunnel 3A, Haven City~
This was a new chute, created after the first Artemis Fowl incident, which opened aboveground three miles from Fowl Manor. Holly and Commander Root took up seats in a shuttle alongside four other LEPrecon members. Root opened a box and threw Neutrino 2000 blasters to the team members. ' Here you go, take these. these have a slightly -higher- power output,' he coughed. Holly, who at first felt concern at the modifications on the Neutrino, then felt her anger for Artemis rise. Who cares if she blasted his head off? At least he would be dead and there would be no more trouble for her and no more danger for Haven.
After all they had been through, after pain, aguish, blood, sweat. Artemis had finally crossed the line. Holly was beginning to admire Artemis Fowl, his intellect, his wit, his charm and vigour, his brilliant blue eyes. Holly shook her head. Artemis was the one who was going to be hurt now. She owed him allot, she owed Artemis her job thanks to him ensuring her trigger finger was safely reattached, but he, Artemis, also owed his life to Holly, several times over. She had broken him out of his cocoon and showing him how life can be lived in a better way to help other people. Holly felt sure that Artemis was going to change, she knew he was going to be a better person with a family and new friends. Holly gulped hard, what new friends? Holly WAS his new friend. but no, he had taken her brother from her. she could imagine the voice of her beautiful, willowy mother, begging her to save her precious Anthony from the evil that was Artemis Fowl.
~The Grounds Of Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~(and hour and one bumpy magma ride later.)
The Warlocks had finished erecting the time-stop points and the light haze of the gardens turned slowly to a creepy blue. The LEPrecon team had surrounded Fowl Manor and Holly was heading in the front door. Artemis had no Fairy detecting technology left so this was going to be easy. Artemis was sitting, his head in his hands, still meditating. Ideas sifting through his head, he then remembered his conversation with Holly. 'Will you send him back, alive and well?' Holly had asked 'What if I don't? What if I choose to keep the technology and remain in contact with Haven?' Artemis retorted 'What if I come up there, AGAIN, and kick you ass, to get my brother back?' Holly threatened. At this, the helmet had broken and Holly, down in Haven, had taken this as a closed transmission.
The words echoed in Artemis' head. "What if I come up there?"
~LEP Headquarters, Haven City, Underground~
When she had got the call from Commander Root, Holly's heart skipped a few beats. Artemis had her brother and was planning to do something with him. The problem which now faced her, Foaly and Root was 'What?' Root was perusing the reports of the last Fowl cases, trying to determine his plan of action this time when Holly burst through the door, past several security Sprites who were hanging from her legs, demanding to see some ID. 'Let her in, boys, she's with me' said Foaly casually, Artemis' face flickered on screen. Holly ran past Foaly without so much of a 'thank you' and stood, staring into Artemis' cold blue eyes. 'Give him back, Artemis. just give him back.' Holly had issued Artemis an order. From anyone else a witty retort would have been sent back at her but Artemis had not planned for the capture of Holly's brother. 'I. Holly. no. its not.' words failed Artemis; emotions were beating back his better judgement. 'You don't understand. I didn't know.' he spluttered, Holly growled like a fully-grown male Troll. 'Give him his stuff, give him that Acorn and push him out the front door!' Holly shouted, Foaly jumped away from his earphones and threw them onto his desk. 'Really Holly, this is sensitive equipment.' Foaly pleaded Holly turned her head, Foaly could have swore her eyes had gone red.
~Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~
Artemis nodded, 'Y-yeah. I'll d-do that.' his plan had fallen apart. With this new development and Holly's anger in front of him, Artemis' mind drew a blank card. Butler stood behind Artemis, his jaw sagging at the idea of Artemis being stuck. 'Artemis. you can't just give him back, we spent a lot of money on this.' Butler said calmly, 'surely there's something we can do with the little pixie.' he pleaded, Artemis had never done anything like this before. Had the mind-wipe, time-stop, fairy friends and fatal wounds weakened Artemis Fowl the Second this much? Artemis was taking the helmet off, he had finished talking to Root and Holly. He stood up and pushed past Butler, moving quickly and determinedly. As he passed, Butler saw a single tear wind its way down Arty's cheek.
~Fowl Manor, Conference Room, Dublin, Ireland~
Juliet sat pinging elastic bands at Mulch who happily ate them, firing them into a wastebasket near the wall. Juliet pinged one into Mulch's eye and he winced, 'Oi, that 'urts!' he said then looked round at the closed door and laughed, 'Hey, don't'cha think it's a bit amusing, y'know, us picking up Holly's brother?' he winked at Juliet who started laughing too. 'Yeah, I mean, what were the odds of that happening? Two fairies from the same family?' Mulch was laughing so hard that he fell off his chair when Butler opened the door. 'We got a problem, its Artemis.' he said, Juliet jumped to her feet and made for the door, Butler grabbed his sister into a tight hug. 'No, not that sort of problem. Artemis is getting emotionally weak. years without his father, years without his mother and only me, you and Fairies for company. now he's losing the things he has grown to love and gaining things he knows nothing about.' Butler said, Juliet looked up at him, wide-eyed. '.Grown to love.?' she breathed to Butler, she knew what he meant, Butler looked down and smiled weakly.
Artemis was opening the door to the basement, his sweating hand slipping on the knob. Once the door was opened, he stood at the foot of the bed and saw Anthony sleeping silently. 'Wake up, Elf.' he said, assurance was vacant as he spoke. 'You need to go, now. Here's your equipment,' he said, placing the pile of LEP technology on the bed and stepping back. 'You're just going to let me go?' Claws asked, 'With all my stuff?' He quickly took up his equipment, putting on his helmet, thermal gloves and boots. 'Yes' replied Artemis, 'Go. and tell Holly. I. I-I'm sorry.' he looked away, Anthony passed him quickly and made for the front door of the Manor with light speedy steps. Artemis sat on the bed, his face in his hands, his eyes burning with tears but he pushed them back, feeling anger take their place.
Anthony headed for Tara as fast as his wings could go. His helmet was completely run out of durability apart from the backup, which could only be used to display his surroundings in digital enhancement. His magical power was fading with ever minute he spent shielded. His journey would take at least an hour.
~LEP Headquarters, Haven City, Underground~
Root grunted, 'From that last conversation, he didn't sound like he was going to let Claws go.' he said gruffly 'Anthony, Commander, he's not an agent now, he's a fairy in danger.' Holly said, looking away. She could feel every bit of remorse, friendship and guilt for Artemis fade away. He had wronged her too much, attacking her family. 'We need to mobilise a full LEPrecon team, Time Stop, warlocks, Retrieval, the whole thing.' Root sighed, this was going to cost him a lot of money from the Recon budget. 'I'll go, I'll head the team.' Holly said, she could feel the resentment for Artemis rising in her gut, she was going to go in there and get Anthony back herself, 'I know the place pretty well, I can get in and out quickly.' she said 'Alright, lets get moving, we don't have long until the daylight slips, we need to make a time stop as soon at the twighlight fades' Root nodded, 'Lets go, I'll call the team as we go. This time Fowl wont get away.'
~Tunnel 3A, Haven City~
This was a new chute, created after the first Artemis Fowl incident, which opened aboveground three miles from Fowl Manor. Holly and Commander Root took up seats in a shuttle alongside four other LEPrecon members. Root opened a box and threw Neutrino 2000 blasters to the team members. ' Here you go, take these. these have a slightly -higher- power output,' he coughed. Holly, who at first felt concern at the modifications on the Neutrino, then felt her anger for Artemis rise. Who cares if she blasted his head off? At least he would be dead and there would be no more trouble for her and no more danger for Haven.
After all they had been through, after pain, aguish, blood, sweat. Artemis had finally crossed the line. Holly was beginning to admire Artemis Fowl, his intellect, his wit, his charm and vigour, his brilliant blue eyes. Holly shook her head. Artemis was the one who was going to be hurt now. She owed him allot, she owed Artemis her job thanks to him ensuring her trigger finger was safely reattached, but he, Artemis, also owed his life to Holly, several times over. She had broken him out of his cocoon and showing him how life can be lived in a better way to help other people. Holly felt sure that Artemis was going to change, she knew he was going to be a better person with a family and new friends. Holly gulped hard, what new friends? Holly WAS his new friend. but no, he had taken her brother from her. she could imagine the voice of her beautiful, willowy mother, begging her to save her precious Anthony from the evil that was Artemis Fowl.
~The Grounds Of Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland~(and hour and one bumpy magma ride later.)
The Warlocks had finished erecting the time-stop points and the light haze of the gardens turned slowly to a creepy blue. The LEPrecon team had surrounded Fowl Manor and Holly was heading in the front door. Artemis had no Fairy detecting technology left so this was going to be easy. Artemis was sitting, his head in his hands, still meditating. Ideas sifting through his head, he then remembered his conversation with Holly. 'Will you send him back, alive and well?' Holly had asked 'What if I don't? What if I choose to keep the technology and remain in contact with Haven?' Artemis retorted 'What if I come up there, AGAIN, and kick you ass, to get my brother back?' Holly threatened. At this, the helmet had broken and Holly, down in Haven, had taken this as a closed transmission.
The words echoed in Artemis' head. "What if I come up there?"