Chapter 7: Blunders

Artemis stared at the screens absently. So did Holly, Foaly, Root, Juliet, Butler, and Diana. Artemis knew what everyone was thinking. Now even he was starting to have doubts.

"Are you sure these are all the cameras installed in the LEP?" Artemis asked. "There could be another hidden screen somewhere other than this room."

Foaly sighed. "Diana and Commander asked me that, and Holly only asked me about, oh, 5 billion times. Yes, I am sure. I even checked all the other rooms."

Artemis sat back in his chair and folded his arms.

They waited. It's what they had done all along. And they kept on waiting, because nobody knew what else to do. For Artemis, not knowing what to do was a phenomenon that would most likely never happen during his life. But this time he had to admit it; he had no idea what would take place next, nor how to cope with it.

"I can't do this!" Holly suddenly exploded. "I mean, I know. I'm probably not what you'd call a patient person, but this is too much! That's it. This was just all my imagination. Artemis, go home. You too, Diana. Everybody! Let's go home!!"

"Calm down, Holly!" Root snapped. "He could be show up anytime. Shielded. Frond knows how, but he might."
"You know what?" Juliet said. "I think we should go home. I don't know what that Spiro guy has up his sleeve, but if he's not here now, then he won't be here anytime soon."

Butler looked down cautiously at his employer. "Artemis?"

Artemis looked up at him. "Very well. I suppose we have to go back above ground."

"Wait a minute!" Diana interrupted. "Please don't tell me that everybody's going?"

"Oh, but we have to." Juliet replied. "Nice working with you all. We had three girls. That's more than any superhero movie."

"This is not a superhero movie." Diana said stiffly. He looked back at Artemis. "Artemis, don't go. Please?"

Artemis looked back at her. "But we have to. Good bye, Diana."

Diana looked upset. "Fine," she mumbled. "Fine! Let's go, then." She picked up her stuff and stalked out the door.

Artemis, Butler, and Juliet followed after her. Foaly reached out to terminate all the screens, grumbling about how he wanted to have some fun, not hang out with his computers…

Then there came a small beep.

Foaly jerked. Where was this sound coming from?

On a small screen in the corner, there was a person toying with a small gun. It was undoubtedly Spiro. But… this room he was in… No! It couldn't be!

"EVERYBODY!" he bellowed. "Come BACK here!!" Foaly tried his best to quell down his fast heartbeat, but was unsuccessful.

Diana was the first to come. It was strange, because she was also the first to leave. She looked completely out of breath. "What is it!" she said, a little excited. "Is he finally here?"

Root's face had a tinge of pink. "What is that room? Where is it located?" But he already knew.

"It's…It's the D-room, sir." Foaly said gravely. "I-I didn't realize it until the alarm went off. He must have been invisible-"

"Oh my Frond, I do not have time for this!" Root and Holly both bolted for the door.

As they ran, they ran into Artemis and the Butler duo.

"What is it?" Artemis asked, annoyed. "Has he shown up?" He ended up being even more annoyed when they ran without coming to a halt for an answer, but simply ran by. And he was very annoyed when he ran into Diana again.
"Again, I must ask, what is the situation here?" Artemis snapped. "Is Spiro here? And why are those two fairies running like they have never run in their lives?"

Diana shrugged. "Have no idea. But I think you should follow, too."

Artemis ran, barely at the Butlers' heels. Running was a subject that Artemis was never fond of. Practically slick with perspiration when he arrived at his destination, he looked at the room to see a blue "door."

Figuring that Root had already unlocked the code or whatever was holding the blue light, he stepped right inside.

"Whoa!" Juliet exclaimed. "Now that's a lot of guns!"

"Whoa" was exactly how Artemis felt at the sight in front of him. He thought he had never seen so many weapons, all identical, in one room. In the shelves and drawers there were guns that were shining as if burnished with oil.

"WHAT THE HELL just happened in here?!" Root exploded. His face was magenta, and Artemis never knew that a living being could have that color of face..

"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED IN HERE?!"

"What happened?" Artemis asked placidly.

"What HAPPENED?!" Root grabbed Artemis by his collar, 'What HAPPENED? I'll tell you what happened!!"

"So tell me," Artemis said as calmly as ever, except now a bit red because of the firm grip on his neck. "What happened? And relax. Whatever the reason you are incensed now, I am certain that it is not related to my affairs."

"Artemis's right, Commander. We must calm down. I'll explain it to you Artemis." Root slackened his grasp, and Foaly began to explain.

After a brief explanation, Artemis was deep in thought. "What I don't get is how Spiro got through the lock. And how he managed to become invisible." Foaly said.

"Is the camera motion-sensitive?" Artemis asked suddenly.

"Well, actually, no." Foaly admitted.

"That explains it. That's how he managed it. He somehow was capable of shielding himself, but when he got through, he got unshielded again. Most likely due to his blunder."

"Plausible," Root said. "But if he was able to shield himself, then that means-"

"He was with a fairy, definitely. My assumption will be-"

"Opal Koboi," Holly said, eyes firmly closed.

"Exactly," Artemis replied.


"We are so screwed up. Do you understand?" Keeth glowered at Spiro, all dignity forgotten. They had hidden behind a shelf of guns, and managed extricate themselves to get out with Artemis and his group. Artemis hadglanced briefly where Keeth had actually been, and his cold blue eyes looked as if he could see through everything. Keeth shivered. "We are never going to get in there. Never again."

Although Spiro was more than a bit arrogant, he couldn't help being ashamed. "Oh, but we will. This time, we'll just get in there directly."

"Shut up," Keeth snorted. "You don't expect me to go in there, say hi, and take out all the weapons by myself, do you?" Spiro's silence was his answer. "YOU DO?"