Wow! It seems like a long time since I updated a new chapter! Yeah, I know, I was going to wait until I got eight reviews, but it seems like I don't care how many reviews I get anymore. I only got a few reviews last time presumably because everyone was so busy, and eventually I was pissed. But I really don't care about numbers, and that's probably the reason I hate math, and mathematics, and algebra, and geometry, and I'll probably hate calculus and trigonometry when I learn it.
Anyways, I'll start the review responses from the ones left two weeks ago.

neutralgal: Thank you! And I'm waiting for the next chapter in your fic: The Intruder of Haven.

Amy Shadows: I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I'd like you to keep on reading:)

buffyvh: You know what? You're right, it should be the other way around! How come you spot things that I don't though I read it a million times? Grrr. Keep it up with the critiques. I like critiques better than praises , you know.

TrunkZy: All righty, you are indeed my favorite reviewer.(Don't be upset, other reviewers, it's just that this girl just makes me crack up -pats everyone on the shoulder- )

cybergurl: You're back! I thought you forgot about me! -Cyberspace burst into tears in happiness- Update your story. What are you doing, why aren't you writing?!

Travithian Axile: Thank you, and I just love your one-shots. Update your Harry Potter story. You've only got one review from me, but if you update, I'm sure you'll get millions.

Princess Arwen Evenstar 77: Did I mention that you had a great plot as well? Oh yeah, I did. Keep reading!

suga CraZie: I agree indeed, revised is better. That's what revising is for, eh? hehe.


Chapter 11: Intrusion

"Are you sure that's all?" Artemis repeated to Keeth for the third time. "Isn't there anything else that you wish to tell me?"

Keeth sighed. "No, and this is my answer for the last time."

Artemis sighed back, but only inwardly – he had trained himself to obscure his emotions behind a façade of indifference since the age of five. Keeth was clever, but to no one's surprise, Artemis was far cleverer. In fact, he knew pretty much everything there was to know before he began questioning Keeth- thus he also knew that the goblin was hiding one last fact.

"Very well," Artemis smiled, trying to sound convinced. "You may stay in the next room. Juliet will be there to keep an eye on you. She is very brutal, and also physically strong, so do not attempt anything. Understood?"

Keeth's eyes widened in mock fright. "Oh, yes, sir," he replied sarcastically.

Keeth(still in his handcuffs) was led to the other room. Although no one knew it, Keeth had a safety detector connected to Spiro hidden safely in his foot. He waited until Artemis was gone, and in the short interval of time when Juliet was not there, he sent the universal sign for help in Morse code by stomping his foot. Three long stomps – three short stomps- three long again.

S.O.S


"What did he say?" Diana asked eagerly.

"As assumed." Artemis replied. "He informed me everything I needed to know – collaborating with Spiro, his attempt to embezzle the guns(Artemis was slightly alarmed, for Root's face turned crimson at that). Yet I believe he is hiding another fact."

"What is it?" Holly asked.

"I think-" Artemis thought of the reactions he would receive. Diana would understand, and Holly would scoff at the absurdity of the idea of her failing the mesmer once again. Root's face would turn a deep purple, and Foaly would start bragging about him winning the science fair with his iris-cams – and beating her. Arrogant quadruped animal he is, Artemis thought. "No, I am certain. I believe Spiro has formed a collusion with Opal Koboi."

Several seconds passed, and the four of them(excluding Artemis and Juliet) silently interpreted Artemis's words. Then, one by one, they showed a reaction exactly as Artemis had predicted.

"HER?" Root was shocked utterly. "I DON'T WANT HER AGAIN!"

Holly groaned. "No! The mesmer was perfect! I'm positive!"

Foaly shook his head, in grief or in pity, Artemis did not know. "She's still holding a grudge over the science fair in high school. I wish she'd get over it. After all, my invention was far more ingenious. Don't you think so? Don't you ever say that my iris-cams are somewhat below the level of Koboi's Double Dex."

Holly was now wailing, something she seldom did even as a child. Diana stood beside her, trying her best to console her. "Artemis, you're not making sense! You know perfectly well that I did the mesmer on Opal. She couldn't have resisted it! You know that."

"Relax, Holly," Artemis said firmly. "I am not questioning your ability. I'll explain. Do you remember when we were all in the D- Room?"

Holly nodded.

"I noticed a slight ripple in the air then. It was behind one of the shelves, vibrating madly. It suddenly moved toward the Demolisher on the floor. Noticing that I was observing, it didn't reach its hand out for it. That's when I picked up the gun.

"When we were out of that room, I stayed behind as the rest of you proceeded down the corridor. Barely audible, I could only hear a soft murmur. As I listened closer, I realized it as the voices of two men. They talked about how they wrecked their plan, but how they will not succumb to 'some fairy,' Then one man talked of an alternative, that is to steal the confidential files of the LEP. I naturally surmised that they were after Opal Koboi, for the rest of the people listed in the LEP top secret files are presumed dead."

"Observant little boy you are, Mud Boy," Holly glared. "Getting hold of the LEP files yourself before anyone knew it. How come you knew this all along but never told us? You knew it wasn't Opal. Yet you insisted that I go look for her."

"Because I was not 100 percent sure." Artemis retorted. "I never mention anything I am not certain of. Besides, it never hurts to make sure, don't you think so?"

"But if you're telling us now, that means you are sure now." Foaly said.

"Precisely." Artemis said. "Keeth gave me evidence that proved my hypothesis indubitable."

"What is that?" Root asked.

"He told me that the LEP files were incorrect." Artemis replied. "He said that Opal Koboi was not in the NLE Hospital, but now on the loose. I asked him, 'How did you know that?' and his response was a mere shrug and ' I have my ways.' He never introduced Opal as his other partner, although he admitted that he had copied the files."

"So he knows more than enough of Opal, and that is why you are certain?" Foaly asked. "Your argument seems cogent, but I have one question. Keeth could have just read through Opal's profile but never had gone to see her. What makes you so sure?"

"What does make him so sure all the time?" Holly muttered.

"I recognize a lie when I see one." Artemis said, trying to ignore Holly's taunts. After all, they had no time for bickering. " I, after all, do have a PhD in psychology. And you don't get a PhD for not noticing a fib."

"All right, we've completely scanned our foes' plans. We just need to make our own." Root said roughly.

Artemis smirked, already anticipating the fun. "I already have one."

Everybody groaned. Time for another Arty-scheme.


"Mud Men are so helpless." Opal said in disgust. "You walked back three miles because you couldn't get to Police Plaza?"

"Sorry," Spiro muttered back. "I couldn't borrow a car from anywhere, like you can. Did you think I haven't even thought of that possibility? I have no choice but to be helpless when I'm invisible and not supposed to be here."

Opal rolled her eyes. "Well, then, how about this? You could have asked me to come with you in the first place!" She parked in a deserted area with an annoying screech. "Get out. We're walking."

"I thought we chose a car for transportation because we didn't want to walk," Spiro said, shielding and getting out of the car.

"You ever notice one of those big signs saying WANTED?" Opal shot back. "Guess what. I'm all over them. Do you know what will happen if I just drive my car into the building?"

"I'm not so scrupulous back above ground myself." Spiro responded. It was true – he indeed had the Central Intelligence Agency searching for him with painstaking effort day and night.

"Then, good! So you know the reason why I have to hide like an outsider!" Opal snapped angrily,

Spiro ignored her because of the sudden vibration in his pocket. He reached inside and took out his detector. "It's a message from Keeth. My collaborator." Spiro tried with all his might to concentrate. "I think it's in Morse code."

"Give me that," Opal ordered. She snatched the detector away from Spiro, and calmly placed it between her fingers. "It says S.O.S, dimwit. He's asking for help. Hey, that's some partner you got, asking for assistance from a human."

"We've got to go then," Spiro then spotted a lid of a sewer, and hesitated at what he was about to do. He dreaded it just as much as Opal would have, if she were to be informed. Or just about as any person would have, if they were to jump in a sewage drain with him. He closed his eyes and opened them almost immediately. Grabbing Opal's arm firmly, which forced out a cry from the pixie's red lips, he lifted the lid and jumped inside.

"What?" Opal shouted, her sharp shriek echoing. "You've got a genius goblin partner to work with. You are one of the most successful entrepreneurs above the Earth's crust, and all you can think of is a sewage pipe? Surely there must be a better route."

"No, not really," Spiro replied. "This is our only safest recourse. Other than that, we could go straight in the doors of police Plaza, or dig a deep trench into the ground and literally make an 'underground railroad.' Do you remember that from Human History class? Or did you consider that subject as foul and refuse to learn it?"

"Foul," Opal said through clenched teeth. "Never say that word in front of me again."

"I'm not that fond of that infantile kid, either," Spiro said. "Anyway, as ironic as it may seem, this seems the most feasible way, does it not?"

Opal whined from behind him.

Spiro almost rolled his eyes. He felt like he was dealing with a juvenile delinquent – if possible, Opal was much harder to handle. "Come on. It's only for ten minutes."

With Opal's incessant groaning and moaning, Spiro's ten minutes seemed like ten trillion hours. However, eventually the duo persevered in perfectly good condition, except for Spiro who was emotionally disturbed, and Opal had a purple bruise the hue of Commander Beetroot's face on her shin.

"Ohh." Opal managed out a gasp. "It reeks in here! I can barely breathe."

"You're not the only one dying of suffocation," Spiro replied.

Spiro heaved himself out of the pipe, and Opal followed after him, complaining about Mud Men with no manners. Although Spiro's clothes were smeared with old excrement (he had no idea how Keeth had managed to come out clean in the first place), as he looked around, he could not help but beam with confidence. Around him were rows of doors with "LEP" printed on them in large letters. Wonderful, Spiro thought. The LEP officers think they are so ethical and heroic that they deserve to have their employer's names printed in bold letters on every door. That's the problem with the police; they think they're so great.

"Where are we?" Opal asked, trying her best to repair her marred clothes.

"I believe," Spiro announced to no one in particular. "We are in a fairy's loo." Then with an evil grin, he added, "The boy's loo."


Grr, I have the final examinations at school in two days and here I am, typing like crazy on my keyboard, updating, smiling while anticipating the reviewsI will receive... Wish me good luck on the tests, cuz I'll need it.

Roses are red, tulips are redder.

Reading is good, and reviews are better.

Excuse my so unpoetic mind; you know I don't have a knack in poetry, don't you?