I would like to thank all my reviewers!
Katie: ^_^ You were my first reviewer on this story! I'm really happy you like it!
Nameless_bulldog: Don't worry! Artemis is going to stay a criminal, but he's going to change . . . *drastically*! Mostly because of the Equal. ^_^
Shadowweaver: No it wasn't a mistake . . . but I'm happy someone noticed that! ^_^ It will be explained . . .
Hazel A.Fowl Birch: Thank you very much!!! ^_^
Jenni: Thanks! Your reviews are greatly appreciated! ^_^
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 3: Search and Discovery
The next morning was Saturday, and so Artemis did not have to find an excuse to stay home. He sat at the same table he had sat at the previous night with Mulch and Butler. Files and files, records of 'notorious' thieves and criminals now covered the table and were being looked at one by one by the young criminal mastermind, himself being carefully watched by Butler, who wanted to make sure he found someone able to be considered as an Equal to his master.
"I would like to find someone not too old who would accept following my orders," Artemis said smugly. "This one, Charles Fay, is not too bad. He's barely twenty nine, that's the problem, because at that age, they think they know everything."
They spent more than two hours looking through files, Artemis giving quotes such as 'brainless', or 'too old' as he threw the records one by one to the floor. Butler was starting to despair, knowing that he would have to let Artemis work alone if no one was found.
Having finished sleeping shortly after noon, Mulch jumped on one of the chairs and opened one of the files. He started reading.
"This one's not too bad," he said, handing it to Artemis who opened the folder and started reading the first few lines.
"Butler, I asked you if you to provide a picture," he said seeing that no photo was given.
"That's because no photograph was able to be taken," Butler said, taking a look at the folder.
Artemis smiled.
"Mulch, could you put the folders with no pictures in priority, please?" he asked.
Butler frowned, but didn't say anything. He saw that Artemis was now seriously shortening the list of candidates to those who were able to keep their faces masked by the world.
"For this job, a person who hasn't been identified is perfect," Artemis said, opening one of the records Mulch started to hand him.
Butler watched was the list shorten and shorten, and just as he was about to give up, Artemis chose three contestants. The first was an American named Robert Mitchell. He was twenty-eight, had successfully robbed four banks and the government had no clue he had did it. The second, a French going by the name of Pierre Duval was twenty-five and was a professional in thefts. The third was barely twenty-one and had a record that Artemis found quite amusing. He was a thief, not wanting to steal. He entered museums or homes, took something and placed a cheap thing at its place. A few days later, he returned the stolen object at its place, fooling all the new security that had been installed after the first robbery.
"Butler, trace down these three," he said. "I want to know everything about them from what place they live to what their favourite clothe line is."
~~~
Once he had found everything there was to know about these three gentlemen, Butler came back with three *other* files that he handed to his employer. Artemis read them rather quickly and made some sort of a face once his lecture was done.
"None of them are good enough," he said quietly.
Butler didn't say a word, looking at the floor, slightly ashamed of himself. He knew Artemis' eyes were locked on him. He thought, desperately trying to remember a name . . . any name.
" . . . fine . . . I . . . NO! I know who!" Butler exclaimed, making Artemis cock his eyebrows, tapping his fingers on the table. "I've heard about a thief . . . his name's famous among some people . . . its . . ."
"Yes?" Artemis said patiently.
"Carver," Butler said finally, sighing with relief. "Memphis Carver."
~~~
Artemis was sitting in front of a the gigantic plasma screen of the latest PC that wasn't even on the markets yet, flanked by Butler, and Mulch who had decided to join them again, seeing that they were finally on to something real.
"Nothing's written about him on the internet," Butler said softly to Artemis. "He's a professional, like you. He was never caught, and, well, not many people know that he exists."
"And how did you find out about him?" Artemis asked in a rather cold way, but seeming truly interested.
"His name runs around," Butler said vaguely. "I first heard of him by Harold Lubnertiz, another bodyguard. He referred to him after I talked to him about you, saying that you seemed very similar."
"And so this 'Harold', knew Carver personally?" Artemis asked.
"Yes," Butler answered. "He couldn't say much because he was strained to secrecy, but he did tell me some things."
Artemis and Mulch both looked at him in a somewhat avid way, waiting to hear more.
"He said that he was the best of the best," Butler continued. "Mainly in active robberies. He works alone, moves around a lot and has a bodyguard. He's said to be a total genius . . ."
"Butler, I hope you are taking in notice that I have absolutely no true information about this Memphis Carver and that I am trusting you on this," Artemis said ever so calmly. "Contact your friend Harold and try to get information out of him. Then try to contact him . . . Invite him over for an 'interview'."
Butler smiled and walked out of the room. Seeing that nothing else was happening, Mulch also left the room, leaving Artemis alone in his study. He stayed silent for a long while, pressing his fingers one against the other, breathing quietly. He didn't seem annoyed that Butler had found someone. He had no idea if it was a bright idea, but he always liked difficulties.
He stayed silent, but his mind was troubled. He pushed aside a pile of records and scrambled through papers, until he found what he was looking for, the tiny disk Mulch had brought in.
He inserted it in his computer and the screen was one again filled the words that had brought back his memory. He dragged the screen down with his mouse and found the line he wanted to reread, the word he had blacked on. It was a book title.
He rose from his seat and walked to the door, locking it. He vaguely brushed his Armani suit and walked to one of the shelves on the opposite wall. His eyes glided from volume to volume on the third shelf, until he stopped and smiled in front of a particularly dusty book. The title was 'Dictionary of England's most renown writers of the twelfth century'. Not a book you were likely to read. He took the book and passed his hand on the cover. Nothing was written on its black surface, but there were things on it the eye could not see. Artemis looked out into the vague, letting his fingers find what he was looking for: marks, bumps and lines, pressed onto the cover.
"Five one two three one," Artemis said, smirking as he recognized the marks as numbers.
Smiling, he walked back to his computer and shut down the program. He sighed and walked to another shelf, in the corner of the room. Once he reached it, he bent down to the floor and pressed on a button under the bookshelf's ledge. A sound was heard and Artemis made a step back, watching the shelf move sideways, revealing a passageway. He walked in, and found himself in a room, looking more like a command centre than anything else. He sat down in the only chair and pressed the numbers 51231 on the only keypad.
The whole command centre lit up and all the machines started working. The screen in front of him turned on and a face appeared on it, but not any sort a face. It was a fairy. It looked a little angry but submissive to what was happening. Its face was murky brown and had cropped black hair held back with a bandana, behind two severally pierced pointy ears, had yellow eyes and was wearing human kids' clothes, due to its size. Only the sky could be seen in background.
"Hello, Crystal," Artemis said, recognizing the fairy. "Flying again, are you?"
"Yes," she simply said. "Make it quick, I don't want LEP or anyone else tracking me down."
"Yes, of course," Artemis said. "There's a change of plan. I will not need you to mesmerize Butler or anyone else . . . for now."
"Would you just let me get off this engagement?" Crystal said, seeming more than a little annoyed. "Back then, you said you just needed to see The Book and that you would make me fly again. Now when you help me with my whisky addiction, *again* you want my magic at your disposition. Why do you keep blackmailing me?"
"A fairy is always useful," Artemis simply said. "And I know what you're thinking, *again*. You can't mesmerize me and go off like that. Remember your fairy rules of commitment."
The fairy grumbled.
"Fine," she said. "Only contact me once you've decided what you want."
The screen went blank and Artemis smiled again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The fairy, Crystal, is the fairy from the first book. She got more whisky problems and Artemis blackmailed her telling her that he would help her again if she used his power for him. They made a deal, and now Crystal can't get out of it because of the 'fairy rules' . . . and so she can't just mesmerize him and walk away. Was that . . . clear? Is it plausible?
Please review! I want to know what you think!
Katie: ^_^ You were my first reviewer on this story! I'm really happy you like it!
Nameless_bulldog: Don't worry! Artemis is going to stay a criminal, but he's going to change . . . *drastically*! Mostly because of the Equal. ^_^
Shadowweaver: No it wasn't a mistake . . . but I'm happy someone noticed that! ^_^ It will be explained . . .
Hazel A.Fowl Birch: Thank you very much!!! ^_^
Jenni: Thanks! Your reviews are greatly appreciated! ^_^
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 3: Search and Discovery
The next morning was Saturday, and so Artemis did not have to find an excuse to stay home. He sat at the same table he had sat at the previous night with Mulch and Butler. Files and files, records of 'notorious' thieves and criminals now covered the table and were being looked at one by one by the young criminal mastermind, himself being carefully watched by Butler, who wanted to make sure he found someone able to be considered as an Equal to his master.
"I would like to find someone not too old who would accept following my orders," Artemis said smugly. "This one, Charles Fay, is not too bad. He's barely twenty nine, that's the problem, because at that age, they think they know everything."
They spent more than two hours looking through files, Artemis giving quotes such as 'brainless', or 'too old' as he threw the records one by one to the floor. Butler was starting to despair, knowing that he would have to let Artemis work alone if no one was found.
Having finished sleeping shortly after noon, Mulch jumped on one of the chairs and opened one of the files. He started reading.
"This one's not too bad," he said, handing it to Artemis who opened the folder and started reading the first few lines.
"Butler, I asked you if you to provide a picture," he said seeing that no photo was given.
"That's because no photograph was able to be taken," Butler said, taking a look at the folder.
Artemis smiled.
"Mulch, could you put the folders with no pictures in priority, please?" he asked.
Butler frowned, but didn't say anything. He saw that Artemis was now seriously shortening the list of candidates to those who were able to keep their faces masked by the world.
"For this job, a person who hasn't been identified is perfect," Artemis said, opening one of the records Mulch started to hand him.
Butler watched was the list shorten and shorten, and just as he was about to give up, Artemis chose three contestants. The first was an American named Robert Mitchell. He was twenty-eight, had successfully robbed four banks and the government had no clue he had did it. The second, a French going by the name of Pierre Duval was twenty-five and was a professional in thefts. The third was barely twenty-one and had a record that Artemis found quite amusing. He was a thief, not wanting to steal. He entered museums or homes, took something and placed a cheap thing at its place. A few days later, he returned the stolen object at its place, fooling all the new security that had been installed after the first robbery.
"Butler, trace down these three," he said. "I want to know everything about them from what place they live to what their favourite clothe line is."
~~~
Once he had found everything there was to know about these three gentlemen, Butler came back with three *other* files that he handed to his employer. Artemis read them rather quickly and made some sort of a face once his lecture was done.
"None of them are good enough," he said quietly.
Butler didn't say a word, looking at the floor, slightly ashamed of himself. He knew Artemis' eyes were locked on him. He thought, desperately trying to remember a name . . . any name.
" . . . fine . . . I . . . NO! I know who!" Butler exclaimed, making Artemis cock his eyebrows, tapping his fingers on the table. "I've heard about a thief . . . his name's famous among some people . . . its . . ."
"Yes?" Artemis said patiently.
"Carver," Butler said finally, sighing with relief. "Memphis Carver."
~~~
Artemis was sitting in front of a the gigantic plasma screen of the latest PC that wasn't even on the markets yet, flanked by Butler, and Mulch who had decided to join them again, seeing that they were finally on to something real.
"Nothing's written about him on the internet," Butler said softly to Artemis. "He's a professional, like you. He was never caught, and, well, not many people know that he exists."
"And how did you find out about him?" Artemis asked in a rather cold way, but seeming truly interested.
"His name runs around," Butler said vaguely. "I first heard of him by Harold Lubnertiz, another bodyguard. He referred to him after I talked to him about you, saying that you seemed very similar."
"And so this 'Harold', knew Carver personally?" Artemis asked.
"Yes," Butler answered. "He couldn't say much because he was strained to secrecy, but he did tell me some things."
Artemis and Mulch both looked at him in a somewhat avid way, waiting to hear more.
"He said that he was the best of the best," Butler continued. "Mainly in active robberies. He works alone, moves around a lot and has a bodyguard. He's said to be a total genius . . ."
"Butler, I hope you are taking in notice that I have absolutely no true information about this Memphis Carver and that I am trusting you on this," Artemis said ever so calmly. "Contact your friend Harold and try to get information out of him. Then try to contact him . . . Invite him over for an 'interview'."
Butler smiled and walked out of the room. Seeing that nothing else was happening, Mulch also left the room, leaving Artemis alone in his study. He stayed silent for a long while, pressing his fingers one against the other, breathing quietly. He didn't seem annoyed that Butler had found someone. He had no idea if it was a bright idea, but he always liked difficulties.
He stayed silent, but his mind was troubled. He pushed aside a pile of records and scrambled through papers, until he found what he was looking for, the tiny disk Mulch had brought in.
He inserted it in his computer and the screen was one again filled the words that had brought back his memory. He dragged the screen down with his mouse and found the line he wanted to reread, the word he had blacked on. It was a book title.
He rose from his seat and walked to the door, locking it. He vaguely brushed his Armani suit and walked to one of the shelves on the opposite wall. His eyes glided from volume to volume on the third shelf, until he stopped and smiled in front of a particularly dusty book. The title was 'Dictionary of England's most renown writers of the twelfth century'. Not a book you were likely to read. He took the book and passed his hand on the cover. Nothing was written on its black surface, but there were things on it the eye could not see. Artemis looked out into the vague, letting his fingers find what he was looking for: marks, bumps and lines, pressed onto the cover.
"Five one two three one," Artemis said, smirking as he recognized the marks as numbers.
Smiling, he walked back to his computer and shut down the program. He sighed and walked to another shelf, in the corner of the room. Once he reached it, he bent down to the floor and pressed on a button under the bookshelf's ledge. A sound was heard and Artemis made a step back, watching the shelf move sideways, revealing a passageway. He walked in, and found himself in a room, looking more like a command centre than anything else. He sat down in the only chair and pressed the numbers 51231 on the only keypad.
The whole command centre lit up and all the machines started working. The screen in front of him turned on and a face appeared on it, but not any sort a face. It was a fairy. It looked a little angry but submissive to what was happening. Its face was murky brown and had cropped black hair held back with a bandana, behind two severally pierced pointy ears, had yellow eyes and was wearing human kids' clothes, due to its size. Only the sky could be seen in background.
"Hello, Crystal," Artemis said, recognizing the fairy. "Flying again, are you?"
"Yes," she simply said. "Make it quick, I don't want LEP or anyone else tracking me down."
"Yes, of course," Artemis said. "There's a change of plan. I will not need you to mesmerize Butler or anyone else . . . for now."
"Would you just let me get off this engagement?" Crystal said, seeming more than a little annoyed. "Back then, you said you just needed to see The Book and that you would make me fly again. Now when you help me with my whisky addiction, *again* you want my magic at your disposition. Why do you keep blackmailing me?"
"A fairy is always useful," Artemis simply said. "And I know what you're thinking, *again*. You can't mesmerize me and go off like that. Remember your fairy rules of commitment."
The fairy grumbled.
"Fine," she said. "Only contact me once you've decided what you want."
The screen went blank and Artemis smiled again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The fairy, Crystal, is the fairy from the first book. She got more whisky problems and Artemis blackmailed her telling her that he would help her again if she used his power for him. They made a deal, and now Crystal can't get out of it because of the 'fairy rules' . . . and so she can't just mesmerize him and walk away. Was that . . . clear? Is it plausible?
Please review! I want to know what you think!
