AN: Hello, everyone.  You've all been so kind with reviews and everything, I decided out of the goodness of my heart to post another one early. 

ASN: Plus, she owed you one from Sunday. 

AN: Shh! 

Chapter 33

"So everyone keeps telling me." Artemis replied as he stopped in front of a door.

 Holly paused.  "Isn't that Simone's room?" 

He knocked, then glanced at the elf.  "You will probably want to leave, or shield."  She gave him a glare, but quickly switched on her shield as the door opened.

"What do you want?" Simone asked nastily.

Artemis leaned against the doorframe.  "I want to know the real reason why you're leaving.  I'm fairly certain it's not because you're homesick." 

"Two reasons." she said as she returned to packing.  "Number one:  If you all are doing something illegal, you've hidden it so well even the best of Interpol's hacking programs can't find it."  She smiled as Artemis frowned. 

"Hacking program?"

"Yes, I read through your entire hard drive." Simone bragged.  Her grin widened as she saw Artemis start.  "Your security system was very easy to get through, though I don't know why anyone would bother protecting such boring documents." 

"My…entire hard drive?" he repeated, his frown deepening. 

"Yes, your entire hard drive.  And your father's.  There was no evidence of illegal activities anywhere.  It was very unsatisfactory.  I was so looking forward to matching wits with the infamous Fowls.  But instead it appears you really have gone legitimate.  How very disappointing."

"I'm so sorry I did not live down to your expectations." Artemis replied.  "And the second reason?"

Simone walked right up to him, but the teen didn't flinch or move back.  He'd seen scarier things than an angry French girl.  "The second reason I told you when we first met.  I don't like you.  Or your little…friends…"  He voice trailed off as a look of confusion crossed her face.   Artemis heard Holly's quick intake of breath. 

"I have no friends, Simone." he said calmly, turning the girl's attention back to him. 

"And now I know why." Simone snapped, then slammed the door in his face.  Holly sighed deeply as Artemis just turned to go back down the hall. 

"I'm glad she's leaving.  You're going to trigger a total recall of her memories if you keep annoying her like that." 

He ignored her last sentence.  "I need to talk to Foaly." 

"What?  Why?"

"I have a question for him." 

Holly studied the Mud Boy, but when he didn't provide anymore information, she sighed.  "Okay.  Here."  She went into his study, and connected her helmet to one of the computers.  A minute later, Foaly pooped up on the screen. 

"What now, Holly?" he asked. 

"Did you do anything to Simone's memory when you mindwiped her?" Artemis asked right off the bat.  Foaly frowned, then pasted a hurt look in his face. 

"Me, mess with an innocent Mud Maid's mind?  Artemis, I'm so hurt.  How could you accuse me of such a thing?" 

"Simone is not what I would refer to as 'innocent.'" Artemis replied. 

"I'll agree with that." Foaly answered.  When he didn't say anything else, Artemis raised an eyebrow. 

"Well?" 

"All right." Foaly admitted.  "I might have planted a suggestion that she couldn't find anything incriminating and that she should go home.  Are you complaining?" 

"No.  But…" Artemis looked a little confused.  "Why would you do something like that?  The human brain makes up its own memories to fill the blank." 

"Well,"  Foaly leaned back in his chair,  "You see, it would be better to get Simone out of Fowl Manor as fast as possible.  There are many things around the manor, like you and your personality, that might cause a recall.  So, if she disappears off to Paris, we won't have to worry about that possibility.  And…"  he paused. 

"And…?" Holly prompted.

"And…Julius is refusing to pay either you or Mulch, but I figured you deserved something for services rendered, and that's all I could think of."  Foaly shrugged, and avoided looking at Artemis.  "Holly and Julius would have died if you hadn't been there." 

Artemis didn't say anything.  He just stared at the floor for a little while, thinking.  Finally Foaly broke the silence. 

"So, what are you going to do while the Council talks?" he asked.  When Artemis looked up sharply, he realized it was a bad idea to broach that subject.  "Um, I mean…" 

"I'm going to try and come up with a few emergency plans to implement should the Council decide to mindwipe us." Artemis said smoothly.  Foaly looked surprised, while Holly frowned. 

"And why do you think I'm here, Fowl?" she demanded.  "I have to keep an eye on you, after all." 

"Really." Artemis said, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yes, really." Holly was unamused. 
            "Holly," Foaly interrupted, "I hate to break this up, but you sort of need to perform the Ritual.  The full moon is tonight, and it's just rising.  You're going to have to hurry if you want to catch it." 

Holly opened her mouth, then closed it.  She fumed for a moment.  "I can wait a month, Foaly." 

"No, you can't!" a voice suddenly blared.  Holly winced as Root's red face appeared on the screen.  "You will go, and you will go now!!" 

"Sir," Holly protested, "I have to keep an eye on Fowl.  If I'm gone and he comes up with a plan, I won't be able to stop him." 

Artemis decided to speak up.  Holly looked too pale for comfort.  She did need the Ritual. "What if I promise you I won't do anything the Council would disapprove of while you're gone?" he asked. 

Holly glared at him.  "Then I'd make sure to get out of the way so the lightning didn't fry me too."

Foaly sighed.  "Come on, Holly, it'll take an hour or two at most.  Besides-"

"Besides," Butler's voice rang out suddenly, "Artemis needs to come downstairs and have dinner.  He'll be sufficiently occupied while you're gone." 

Both Artemis and Holly spun to see Butler standing in the doorway.  "Go ahead, Captain.  If I must, I'll watch him." 

Holly stared at the bodyguard for a moment, then smiled softly.  "I'll hold you to that promise, Butler." she said.  She fired up her wings.  "Open the window, Mud Boy." 

Artemis, looking slightly disgruntled, opened the window.  With a quiet buzz, Holly flew outside. 

"I'll be back, Arty." she called. 

"I look forward to it." he muttered sarcastically.  She laughed. 

AN: Thank you again for all the reviews.  It was very encouraging, all of you. 

ASN: It's nice to know you guys think so highly of us. 

AN: Again-

ASN: -Because we can't say it enough-

AN: Thank you, thank you, thank you!

"So, Artemis, I hear you are quite an artist." Badeau started, smiling a little too brightly at the teen.

"I do paint, Inspector, but I have very little talent." Artemis said shortly.

Badeau smiled again, moving in for the kill.  "So what do you paint?  Still life?  Portraits?  Modern?  Classical?  Renaissance?"

Artemis looked up.  "I paint whatever I can get my hands on." he said calmly.  "I have experimented in many genres."

Badeau looked hard at the boy.  "And what genre would copies of famous masterpieces be under?"

ASN: Arty's in trouble…

AN: How will he maneuver out of it?  Stay tuned for our next installment!

AN: Oh, BTW, I just got an AIM screenname.  It is soleta216.  So, should any of you been wandering around and see that name, come talk to me!  I'll be glad to talk back.

ASN: Okay, now we're really leaving. 

AN: Chow!