AN: Hmm. This isn't as short as I thought it would be. I wonder where I went wrong.
ASN: Right after you opened your mouth.
AN: Ooohh. That was uncalled for.
ASN: So is your nattering. Let them read the story.
Chapter 29 Home Just in Time
The girl immediately fell unconscious, and all the fairies breathed a slight sigh of relief. As the details of the last few days scrolled across Foaly's screen in Gnommish, he spun.
"Okay, who's next?" he asked brightly
Everyone in the room stared at him. Artemis and the Butlers did not look amused. Then the centaur realized what he said. "I didn't mean it like that." he said hurriedly, switching off the screen. "It was a joke."
Silence covered the room for a moment, making the tension very obvious. Just as the anxiety was getting uncomfortable, Mulch clapped his hands together.
"Now that that mess is taken care of, that leaves us with the slight, practically insignificant matter of my bill." he said with a huge grin on his face. "I think three bars of gold is fair for all the work I put into this enterprise, right?"
Again the room went silent, but this was more ominous than awkward. Root turned shades again and the LEP officers searched their brains for an excuse to leave the room.
"Um, Commander?" Trouble said quickly. "Permission to escort the Corporal back to quarters?"
Root didn't move his eyes from the irreverent dwarf. "Permission granted. Corporal Kelp, you will be summoned for debriefing tomorrow."
Grub nodded dejectedly. "Yessir." The two elves left.
"Now-" Root growled.
Foaly coughed. "I hate to interrupt, but when Simone wakes up, it should not be down here."
"We have to wait for the Council's decision on what to do with the other Mud Men." Root snapped.
"Don't you just love bureaucracy?" Juliet muttered under her breath. Butler placed a hand on her shoulder warningly, then spoke himself.
"Inspector Badeau is also scheduled to arrive sometime this evening. It would look suspicious if we were not there."
Root sighed in frustration. "Captain Short, take the humans back to the manor. We can always bring them back down later."
Holly saluted and left with her charges before Root could turn his attention back to the disrespectful dwarf. Foaly sat back in his chair and watched with a small grin.
"Now," Root said, advancing on the dwarf, "How much did you say?"
***********
The shuttle lifted off from Haven easily. Holly glanced out of the corner of her eye at the Mud Boy who had made himself at home in the copilot sit and frowned. He was staring at the rapidly disappearing city silently.
"Afraid you're never going to see it again?" she asked before she could stop herself. Artemis stiffened for a moment, then turned to face her.
"I am more concerned with what the leaders of that city are planning on doing to me and the Butlers." he answered calmly. Holly bit her lip.
"And if they do decide to mindwipe you?" she asked. He looked at her a little sharply, but she continued. "Will you try to hide triggers from us again?" There was a moment of silence.
"I am human. And as Simone demonstrated, one of the basic instincts of a human is the need to survive. And I intend to let my memories survive. So yes, I will try to retrieve my memories." Artemis said, not looking at Holly; his gaze was fixed on the chute walls.
"And you realize it is our job to make sure you are prevented from regaining your memories?" she pressed. Artemis nodded.
"Yes, Captain. I know."
They were silent for the rest of the trip.
After arriving at Fowl Manor, Butler carried Simone up to her room and put her in bed. Foaly had estimated another hour or two before she woke. Hopefully her father would not arrive before than.
The Fowls were a different story.
"Butler?" Angeline called as she stepped into the house. "Artemis? Is anyone home?"
Artemis was in his study, going through various files on his computer and trying to create a backup plan without Holly catching him. He glanced at Holly when he heard his mother call, and she immediately shielded.
"D'Arvit." A slight heat shimmer headed over to the computer seat Artemis had just abandoned. "What are you going to tell her?"
"That's for me to deal with. Stay up here." Artemis left the study and headed down the stairs, deliberately making the last step squeak. Angeline spun.
"Arty!" she said, sweeping him into a hug. "How have you been doing?" In a lower voice, she added, "You got along with Simone just fine, correct?"
"I hardly noticed she was here." Artemis replied calmly as his father stepped through the door with the bags. Artemis Sr. smiled.
"Glad to hear it son. I take it no more…incidents occurred?" When Artemis shook his head, his father nodded proudly. "Good. Where is Simone, by the way?"
"Sleeping." Artemis said promptly. "There wasn't much for her to do, so she spent a lot of time in her room."
"And that's all you did while we were gone?" Angeline asked, a little suspiciously. "You didn't go anywhere with the Butlers; you just stayed here?"
Artemis blinked. "Mother, do I seem to be the sort of person to go somewhere needlessly?"
"No," Artemis Sr. said, "You're the sort of person to go wherever you need to be. Where were you?"
"What do you mean?" Artemis asked, not betraying his nervousness.
"We tried to call when our plane arrived. No one answered the phone. Missing it once I understand, but after trying three times, we assumed you were out, and decided to stop for dinner. If you weren't out, why didn't you answer the telephone?" Angeline did not seem very pleased.
After a moment of frantic thought, Artemis fell back on the old standby. "I needed to finish that school project I told you about, and so I had to meet with Holly. Simone insisted on coming with me. Juliet drove us, and I assumed Butler stayed here to keep an eye on the house. Perhaps he was outside." A lame excuse, but an excuse nonetheless.
Angeline studied him for a moment, then smiled. "All right. I'm glad to hear you and Simone were able to get along. And how did she like this Holly?"
Artemis sighed. "They didn't kill each other, but somehow, I don't think Holly was too fond of her."
"Shame." Angeline remarked. "You do know I'd like to meet Holly at some point."
"Yes, Mother." Artemis replied, catching his father's gaze. Though Angeline seemed to have bought his story, Artemis Sr. was giving him a very unamused glare.
"Angeline," his father said, "Why don't you go in and tell Juliet we're back. Artemis and I will go find Butler." With that, he placed a hand on his son's shoulder and steered him toward the stairs. After they disappeared upstairs, Angeline shrugged.
"Oh, well. Tommy probably just wants to hear about Holly. I'm certain Arty will tell his father more than he would tell me." With that, she walked into the kitchen.
******************
AN: Now, how many people bet Artemis Sr. really does want to know about Holly? Ryn, how much do you bet?
ASN: Let me present Exhibit A: Ryn is broke. Exhibit B: Ryn helped write the story; she knows what's going to happen. And Exhibit C: It's quite obvious, Lessa.
AN: Yeah, well, I'm always trying to sucker fools out of their money.
ASN: *Rolls eyes* I know.
AN: Can I have five dollars for a Star Trek book?
ASN: *Hands Lessa money* Sure… Hey!!
AN: Hee, hee. *Squeals as Ryn swings her fist* You can't kill me until we finish the story!
ASN: Well then, put up the preview so I can rough you up a little!!
AN: Um…
"Holly…works for a government agency, Father. I did tell you she was a little too old for me, after all."
"So there's no school project?" Artemis Sr. asked, smiling slightly. His son, help a government employee?
"No. She and her superiors needed my technological expertise for a…rescue attempt." Artemis Jr. sighed inwardly. He doubted his father would believe this, but it was the only thing he could think of. Sometimes it was better to tell the truth. Especially when the truth sounded as believable as meeting a leprechaun and taking their gold.
The comparison brought a small smirk to the teen's face.
AN: And Arty spills all to his father. Well, sorta.
ASN: And there you have it. Enjoy, and see you soon. Well, talk to you soon, anyway.
AN: Write to you soon?
ASN: You know, we have to think up a snappy farewell saying.