Hi again! I think I made this chapter longer... read it and see what you think. Should it be longer than this or is this alright or should I do it shorter? I'm going to France in 8 days so I'll try my best to get another chapter up by then. It might be a short one but at least it's an update!! Lol. Thanks all for your reviews; I'll answer them after the fic like last time.

I hope this chapters alright. Tell me what you think in a review.

Disclaimer:: All of the characters and places used in this are owned by Eoin Colfer except for Narela, Eaves and the weapon which I haven't named yet.

PS- When I put a character name like this - HOLLY or ARTEMIS it means that this part of the story is written in that persons point of view. I didn't know how else to get that point through...

CHAPTER 8!!!


Butler and Juliet rounded a corner and yet another empty street loomed ahead of them. The patter of the Goblins feet echoed from behind them making them seem closer than they were.

Butler pulled his gun from its holster at his waist and listened to the feet carefully. He guessed there was about ten behind them and he knew he had 12 bullets. He glanced at Juliet. If she wasn't here with him then he would stop right now and face the little bastards but he had his sister to think about and that might put her at risk so he kept running forwards.

They were coming to another fork in the road and this time Butler turned to the right, grabbed Juliet and pulled her quickly through a large broken window into the shadowy inside of a house. He kept a hold on Juliet and they quietly walked over to the other side of the room and opened the door into a dark hall. They shut the door behind them and backed away from it just as the noise of the Goblins stopped. They had reached the fork in the road...
HOLLY

Holly, Artemis and Mulch had dealt with their half of the Goblins already. Holly had shot half of them down on the run and the rest had been hit when they rounded a corner and hid behind a wall to ambush them.

She was now leading them towards LEP headquarters. She was eager to get there but was also dreading it. She didn't even know what state the rest of Haven was in. All she had seen so far had been destroyed or vandalized and she hadn't seen a single Fairy which was unheard of this far into Haven. She picked up her pace and called to the other two to hurry up.

"Do you expect Trouble to be here Holly?" Artemis asked from behind her.

Holly grimaced. "I hope so." She answered shortly.

"And if not?" Mulch asked.

"I don't know!" Holly snapped. She took a deep breath and said more calmly "If he isn't then it's out of my hands. The council will handle it then."

That seemed to work and there was silence again for a while until Mulch spoke up.

"Who do you think is helping the Goblins Holly?"

"I don't know. If I did then I wouldn't be here right now."

Artemis frowned in thought. "Where would you be?" he asked.

Holly grinned slyly. "I'd be right there with them kicking their butt." They both laughed.

Eventually Holly stopped and turned to Mulch.

"Mulch? Would you be able to go ahead, just to check that anyone is at Headquarters?"

Mulch nodded and immediately unbuttoned his bum flap. "See you two later" he said and then all that was left of him was a churn of dirt flying into the air.

After a moment Holly looked at Artemis and said "Come on. We'll be there soon," and began walking again. Artemis followed and walked by her side.

"What's Haven like normally?" he asked curiously. "Everything just seems so quiet and wrong. I've always wondered what it's like in the streets of Haven and I never imagined it to be like this."

Holly looked surprised at the question and thought for a moment before saying "It's not like this at all. The streets always have people in. The main streets are usually bustling with Fairies going to work, coming home from work, going out or shopping. It's very lively." She smiled sadly and sighed. Talking about Haven on a normal day but seeing it now being so empty and desolate made her really realize how much she loved it.

Artemis patted her arm awkwardly and she laughed at his feeble attempt to cheer her up.

"Shut up" Artemis said grinning.

Holly looked into his eyes and realized how much he had changed. He was better built, although still thin and even though his skin was still pale, it had a healthy tinge to it that suggested he had spent more time outside. His eyes were the same though. The same cold clear blue color as before. His personality had changed for although she had taken a liking to the old Artemis, the new one was both intelligent and social-able. The old Artemis would never have joked around with her like this. The years had been kind to Artemis and she knew she had missed him during the five years of his mind wipe. She had been so busy with the riots that she hadn't had much time to think but she knew something was missing from her life then. It just wasn't the same without Butler, Juliet and Artemis.

She smiled at him and he smiled back and looked away with a slightly red tinge to his cheeks. She suppressed a laugh. Artemis was blushing? Whatever next?
ARTEMIS

Artemis grinned and said "Shut up" in a joking voice.

He looked at Holly and their eyes met. Her hazel eyes looked into his blue ones and he felt a weight lift off his chest. It was so good to have his memory back and be with her again. It would be good to meet Foaly and Commander Root too. He realized he was still staring into her eyes and felt his cheeks heat as he looked away.

Holly started walking again and he stood there for a moment looking at her before catching up.
MULCH

Mulch kept tunneling towards the LEP building. He was almost there when he remembered that he had been the one to give Artemis his memory back. Root was probably going to skin him alive when he got there.

He groaned but kept going. He had told Holly he would do this so he couldn't go back now. He took a moment to check his location and then sped up. After a few minutes he drew close and he rose towards the surface slightly and stopped to see if he could sense any movements nearby. When he judged it was safe he tunneled to the surface right in front of the building.

The same eerie silence was hovering in this wide street and he glanced around cautiously and skipped up to the huge front doors after doing up his bum flap. He sighed. They were sealed. Typical!

He turned back around and was about to start heading back to Holly when a noise came from the door. A slit had been opened and a pair of eyes were staring at him.

"Mulch Diggums. What is your business here?" a deep voice asked.

Mulch climbed back up the stairs. "Holly is on her way and I came ahead for her to check if the LEP were inside this building."

The eyes narrowed and the man said "All LEP who are still alive and not fighting are inside this building including Captain Short's Commander. You may go and tell her that." The slit closed again.

Mulch poked his tongue out at the door. "Rude much?" he asked loudly and went back down the stairs and began the tunnel back.
Holly and Artemis had been moving and talking cheerfully for a while when Mulch tunneled up in front of them. He gasped and let out a huge loud of dwarf gas before shaking himself and buttoning up his bum flap.

Holly shook her head in dismay and asked hopefully "Was anyone there?"

Mulch nodded. "I didn't actually get invited inside but I was told – very rudely I might add - to tell you that all LEP who were alive or not out fighting were there."

Holly grimaced. "All LEP who are alive? That makes it sound like there are a lot of dead."

Mulch nodded grimly. "That's what I thought but don't get too worried yet Hol. The doorman was a moody bugger. I wouldn't put it past him to make it seem more dramatic than it is."

Holly nodded and sighed. "Okay then. We'll just keep going and see when we get there then." She said unhappily and started leading the way again.
"There she is," Foaly said and leant back in his new padded swivel chair with a satisfied sigh.

Commander Root nodded and watched on the large screen as Holly Artemis and Mulch approached the doors to LEP Headquarters. Holly hesitated next to the door before knocking a couple of times.

Foaly pressed a button near to him and said "Paitri you may let the three of them in and instruct them to come to the Ops Booth." He then turned to Root. "It seems that Holly didn't get there in time. Although perhaps it's for the best. We might actually benefit from Artemis' help."

Root shrugged. "It would be better if he was still oblivious to us. You can never be too sure that he won't try and trick us again for some extra wealth." He said but only in a half-hearted sort of voice. They had all missed the Fowl boy and him and Foaly both knew it.

"Oh come on Julius. We all know you're glad to have him back." Foaly said tauntingly.

Root snorted and muttered "In your dreams Centaur."

"Whatever you say Julius," Foaly said with a smirk.

"That's Commander Root to you and can you please just go back to your bloody carrots where you belong?" he asked with a slight strain to his voice. That and the veins popping out of his neck were enough to show that he was only just managing to control his anger. His face was slowly turning an unnatural shade of red and his hands were twitching as if he wanted to strangle someone.

Foaly noticed this and smirked again. "Ok then Commander Root"

Root glared at him and snarled "Listen Foaly. Haven is being overrun, many of my soldiers are missing or out of action and I am stuck in this goddamn Ops Booth with you so please do us both a favor and shut up! Is that clear?"

"Crystal," came the reply.

The next few minutes was made in silence as they waited for Holly and when eventually she appeared with Artemis and Mulch in the hallway leading to the Booth Root almost sighed in relief. At least now he would be in some better company.

Foaly pressed a button and the door slid open just as Holly reached the door. She walked in with Artemis and Mulch behind her and the door closed behind them.

"Welcome back Captain," Root said to Holly before turning to Artemis and Mulch. "So, we let you go convict and you immediately go and break the rules again? Technically I could haul your ass straight back to a cell right now." He grinned slyly and Mulch was starting to look increasingly worried.

"You wouldn't do that Julius would you? I helped you a lot a few years ago in some of the Fowl cases. I would have thought we were past all this by now." Mulch said with a seemingly calm tone.

Root snarled. "Don't... Call... Me... JULIUS!!!!" he yelled and made them all jump.

Holly took the time in the silence that followed to intervene. "Commander has trouble come back yet?" she asked quickly and Root grimaced.

"No not yet Short. I was actually hoping he would come back with you. What happened?" he asked.

Holly groaned and then took a deep breath and started. "Well I got to Fowl Manor and landed. I was about to start my search for Mulch when something hit my head from behind. Hard. It knocked me out even through my helmet." She stopped then to glare at Mulch who shifted slightly on the spot and did his best to look innocent. She continued telling the story with Artemis and Mulch adding bits in where she had been unconscious.

Afterwards Foaly let out a low whistle. "Looks like you found yourself an enemy there Holly." He said and then added "If Trouble had come here then I would know about it. We can only hope for the best I'm afraid. But now I have one question for you. Where are dear old Butler and Juliet now?"

"We split up when we were ambushed by goblins. They should be making their way here but they don't really know the way..." Holly answered.

Root stiffened. "Were the goblins carrying silver weapons with two thin red stripes going diagonally down the middle on either side?" he asked tensely.

Holly nodded. "I saw them and I was wondering what model they were." She said curiously.

Root's face seemed to go paler which was unusual for him and worrying for Holly. "They are a complete new model. Foaly's the genius here, he can tell you."

Foaly looked up from his computers and said "Yes well I looked into the weapons and I found out that they are quite probably the most dangerous weapon you could encounter. They have unlimited shots and anyone hit by the weapon will die. I have been searching for a cure to whatever it is that happens when you get shot but I cannot say for sure that I will find one anytime soon, if at all. All I really know is that it isn't the nicest of ways to die. It's painful."

Holly swallowed. "And Butler and Juliet are out there on their own? I know they can look after themselves but not against weapons like that! We have to go and help them."

Root shook her head. "Sorry Holly. It's just not possible. Haven is in serious danger. We need you here to help us fight this."

Holly looked distressed for a moment and suddenly Artemis who had been unusually quiet spoke up. "Can't you just spare Holly for a few hours? All we need to do is show them the way and make sure they aren't attacked while they come. Unless I am very much mistaken Foaly, you want me to help you in trying to find this remedy to the weapon and in thinking of plans?"

Foaly frowned. "Well I did think you could help me incase I needed it," he said awkwardly. He knew what this was leading to.

Artemis nodded. "Well I won't help unless I get something in return."

Foaly nodded. "I knew you would say that. Well Julius? What's the verdict?" he asked.

Root grimaced. "Fine! You have four hours at the most to find, direct and protect the mud men. Captain Short, I suggest that you fly ahead to find them quicker and Fowl can go on foot with another LEP officer to make sure he is not defenseless against any goblins that come his way."

Holly nodded. "Yessir. Which Officer will be coming with us?" she asked.

Root frowned thoughtfully. "I'll let Officer Eaves go along. He's fairly new and he's talented. Mulch, you're staying here. I need to discuss a certain matter of rule breaking with you." He turned away from them but then turned to Foaly. "Foaly have you got any leads on who is helping out the Goblins with their planning?" Foaly shook his head. "Then keep looking. Oh and Foaly. Check up on this Officer Jannie person will you?
Half an hour later they were standing outside the LEP building. Holly stuck her hand out to Officer Eaves. He had dark brown hair and deep brown eyes and was actually quite good looking.

"I don't think I've met you before. I'm Holly Short." She said.

He nodded and shook her hand. "I've seen you around. I'm Andrew Eaves."

Holly nodded and turned to Artemis. "Ok Fowl. I'll walk to the end of the street with you guys and then I'll go ahead to look from above. Come on then." She said and led the way down the steps.

At the end of the street they stopped and Holly turned to Artemis again. "Have this," she said holding out her Neutrino 2000. "I've got another one that I can use. It's just so you don't go undefended if you get attacked."

Artemis took it and smiled at her. "Alright Captain. Thank you." He said and Holly nodded at him.

She turned on her wings and hovered for a moment. "Watch your back Artemis." She cautioned and then rose higher and left Artemis with Officer Eaves.

Artemis looked at her small frame that was getting gradually smaller and then looked down at the Neutrino 200 in his hand. He smiled to himself and turned to Eaves who was patiently waiting for him to be ready.

They set off down the street keeping their eyes peeled for signs of Butler, Juliet or any Goblins.

Artemis felt slightly uncomfortable with Officer Eaves. They weren't speaking and there was just something about Eaves that seemed wrong.

After a while they reached a fork in the road and Artemis moved forward to look to the left and right. Both ways looked pretty much empty and he wasn't sure which way to go.

A noise behind him made him freeze. He turned his head to look back at Eaves and knew what he would find even before he saw a gun inches away from his face. He cursed himself. He should have seen this coming as soon as he had felt the wrongness around Eaves. He saw Eaves' hand tighten on the gun and knew he was about to fire.

At the last moment he moved quickly to the left just as Eaves pulled the trigger. A loud blast sounded but Artemis had moved just in time. He wasn't used to this sort of thing. Butler had always been there to do this for him and if not Butler then Holly or someone else. He bit his lip as he felt a plan come to his mind. In his mind he thanked Holly as he pulled out the Neutrino 2000 from his belt where he had clipped it.

The next few seconds went so quickly that he barely had time to register anything. The two of them glared at each other and eyed the other person's gun warily. They both had their guns aimed at each other's hearts but neither knew whether to fire or not.

"So mud man. What's going to happen now?" Eaves asked dryly with a smirk.

Artemis sighed. "Who knows? Either you drop your gun and walk away unharmed or we both shoot and one if not both of us will get wounded."

"I was sent to kill you mud man!" he growled. "I won't leave until I have done just that!"

Artemis nodded with outward calm but inside he was starting to worry. "I guess it's the second option then," he said.

Eaves glared and his hand tightened again on his gun. Artemis knew he had no choice but to try and he pulled the trigger just as Eaves did.

Eaves gun made another deafening noise and Artemis's sent a red hot beam towards Eaves. Artemis leapt away to try and dodge the shot he knew was coming but he was too slow. A jolt of pain came above his right hip bone. He fell over and lay there groaning. There was silence now over the street they were in. He hoped Eaves was too wounded to come and finish him off.
MESSAGES TO REVIWERS:-

Mad Sam- yup I know. But there's someone telling them what to do. It sounds sorta similar to the eternity code but it isn't. Believe me lol. You gotta wait and see though. Thanks for reviewing

WackedOutPet13- awww thanks so much! I like you kind reviewers!! Lol. Thanks for the review! Reviews are the only things that make me want to do more chapters! Sorry I didn't update very fast... I hope you're not crazy!!!!!! Lol. I did make it longer though! Thanks for the review!!!

Phire Phoenix- LOL! Arent we all... hehe. I'm the one who writes the violence. Mwahaha. Hehe thanks for reviewing!!!!

Kitty - I will!!!! I love writing this! The only other stuff I've written I was too embarrase to show anyone so I didn't know if it was good but I now have this site where people can review!! Its so handy! Lol. I wont stop until I finish this!!!! Thanks for the review!!

Asophagoose- Sorry I didn't do it REALLY soon but at least I got it up! Lol. Thanks for reviewing. Your review gave me a huge confidence boost!!! Lol. The A/H is coming along slow but I have NEVER written a romance before so I don't want to rush it and ruin it. I'm trying to keep it gradual. If it gets boring then tell me ok?? Lol Thank you for reviewing!!!!!!

NOTE TO PEOPLE BEFORE THEY REVIEW!!!! Hi. If your about to review then can you please answer these two questions in your review? 1. How is this for chapter length? Should it be longer or shorter or is this fine? 2. I'm clueless about what to name the Goblin's weapons.. If you have ANY idea's at all then please tell me. I'll really appreciate it soooo much.

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!!! It really inspires me lol. I'll update before I go to France hopefully. Love you all!!!