Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me.
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Chapter Nine
Aftermath
London, England
Artemis watched as the politicians filed out of the room, some quite pale in the face and others somewhat intrigued. Some of the latter of the two attempted to wait for the crowd to disperse in an effort to reach the Master of Science, but most eventually turned away, when Artemis turned away from the podium and walked towards the back wall with one hand over his ear with the communicator in it.
"Good job Arty! I was getting kind of worried there for a moment or two," Foaly's voice quipped over the earpiece.
"Thanks Foaly, are the People happy now?" Artemis asked as he walked through the halls towards his London office.
"Of course not!" Foaly cried almost cheerfully. "But we'll deal, if you guys keep up your end of the pact."
"Well, I've done what I can," Artemis sighed as he sat down in his office chair for what would be the last time. He clicked open the Protectorate's main database and began typing away. He was almost sad that he had the passwords, it might have been interesting trying to hack it. He paused for a moment then shook his head, on the other hand, he was beginning to get tired of it all; having the passwords was good.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Foaly's suspicious voice came over the earpiece. "You better not be dying again," Foaly warned and a smile could not help but curl the edges of Artemis' lips in a small chuckle.
"No Foaly, I do believe that I am in perfect physical health, and will be for a rather long time, thanks to Holly," Artemis reassured as he quickly filled out some sort of online form. He posted it on the main database and sent it to the Protectorate officers. He then proceeded to delete every file related to him, or his works, from the entire database. A minute look of reluctance creased his fine brow as he looked at his officer computer. After that short pause, he went to work creating a fatal virus. Within seconds, the computer in front of him was whirring like a rusted motor and after an almost too-quick-to-see "blue screen of death" (as Artemis liked to call it as a child) the computer went blank.
"What are you doing?" Foaly called, while munching on yet another carrot.
"Quitting," Artemis stated flatly as he stood up from his chair. He winced involuntarily as Foaly choked on his carrot and coughed on the microphone.
"What?" Foaly cried.
"I am quitting Foaly," Artemis got out a briefcase from the small rosewood closet and began packing his security equipment, which had been well hidden.
"I got that much, but… you're quitting? Why?"
A dry laugh escaped the young scientist. "You have to ask? And here I thought you understood. I've had enough of politics. I've had enough developing W.M.D.'s. And I really don't feel like being anyone's servant anymore," he explained.
"You were a servant?" Foaly's confused voice quipped and Artemis sighed.
"Never mind," Artemis muttered. He closed the briefcase with a snap and brushed a few more annoying strands of hair from his forehead. "I'm going back to working for myself, and myself alone," Artemis stated resolutely as he closed the door to his office behind him. He nodded at the employees that he past, and studied the Protectorate's headquarters for one last time from behind his mirrored sunglasses. "Now that the People are involved with the human's governments, I'm sure things will work themselves out," he said as he walked past security.
"You really believe that?" Foaly asked incredulously. Artemis paused a moment as he shuffled down the stairs towards his waiting limo, complete with Protectorate guards.
"Well, that's what I hope happens," he muttered as he stepped into the sleek black automobile. One of the guards closed the door behind him and signaled to the driver and the guard in front. The limo pulled away from the Protectorate steps.
"And if it doesn't?" Foaly asked curiously.
"Then I am afraid that my vacation will be short lived," Artemis said with a sigh as he stared out the window at the quickly passing buildings. He was soon onboard a luxury jet, (much like the one he used to own, before it was blown up, although not quite as nice; it did not have the extra security upgrades, and he was quite appalled to realize that they only had Fiji water, and not Evian).
Protectorate Landing Strip; Dublin, Ireland
Artemis sighed as he proceeded to disembark from the jet. It was raining rather hard and the surplus of Protectorate Guards lined his short pathway from the jet to the newly awaiting limo. The jet door opened and the steps extended to the ground with a loud thump. The flight attendant opened an umbrella on the top of the stairs and handed it to Artemis as he stepped out into the rain. He grabbed it with an almost silent thank you, and proceeded directly to the open limo. He handed the umbrella to one of the guards as he tucked his briefcase in the vehicle and slid in himself.
He settled in as the guards closed the door behind him and the limo began to move. He noticed the dark shield between the passenger compartment and the driver's was already up. He was immediately wary, but relaxed as a tiny shifting movement caught the corner of his eye. He turned to face the far right corner, a smile lighting up his thin features.
"To what do I owe yet another visit? I hope I have not done anything that makes the People regret letting me go," Artemis called quietly in Fairy Language. Holly sat shielded in the dark corner.
"Well, I don't think they're too happy with you period, but that's not why I'm here," she stated.
"Then why are you here, Holly?" he asked. A toothy grin spread across her face.
"Just visiting to say hello," she replied and Artemis could not help but laugh.
"Finally," he added after his laughter died down. He leaned back in his seat and stared out the window at the falling rain drops. "So how is Haven fairing with the recent developments? Has the news been released to the public yet?" Artemis asked.
"Things are okay, I guess. The news was just released, so we aren't sure how the public is going to fully react. There haven't been any major crises but there has been enough mass hysteria that most of LEP is just out there trying to make fairies remain calm," Holly took a breath, "It's what we've dreaded for so long, you know? Getting exposed…" she muttered, and Artemis' eyebrows twitched.
"Well, you aren't totally exposed…" he attempted to lighten the situation. "Besides, now you've got a hand in what's going on up on the surface, perhaps, eventually, you can return to the surface," he added.
"I… don't think that's likely," Holly stated after a minute and Artemis shrugged. They sat in silence for a long time as the limo sped through the rain. "So, what are you going to do now?"
A small smile spread across his face as he looked out through the window, as the limo pulled up to Fowl Manor. "Isn't it obvious? Go home," he said almost cheerfully. He wanted to disregard the men in front and open his own door for once, to rush up the steps to the manor and run in to his family, but he held his composure. Holly shielded as one of the guards opened Artemis' door. Artemis said a quiet thank you, and did not wait for them to unload his baggage. Artemis clung absentmindedly to his briefcase that contained his computer as he walked up the steps to Fowl Manor.
Artemis pushed on the door, and was slightly amazed to find it unlocked. He unconsciously made a mental note in the back of his mind to talk to Butler about it, but quickly forgot as he entered the vacant hallway. He hurriedly walked into the parlor to find that too was empty, as was his study, the dining room, and the kitchen. His brow had begun to furrow in frustration when he stopped at the door to the back patio. His tense frame immediately relaxed, and the lines on his face disappeared when he saw his parents sitting patiently having tea out on the patio, his wife sitting on the marble bench not too far away, and Butler scanning the grounds. And it was Butler who first saw Artemis as his gaze turned towards the house. Artemis could have laughed at the look on his face. It was not often that something surprised the Butler.
Artemis' parents soon turned around themselves, alerted by Butler's sudden pause. Angeline clapped a hand to her mouth as her eyes already started to tear, and Artemis Senior's formerly grief-stricken face lit up in a smile. Artemis smiled as Butler regained enough of his senses.
"Madeline," Butler called almost quietly. The petite Welsh woman turned around.
"Yes?…" she started but froze when she saw Artemis. He could not restrain a small laugh then at her wide-eyed beauty. "Artemis!" she cried and jumped up from the bench. It was barely a moment before she reached him and flung her arms around his neck. Without a second's hesitation Artemis brought up his own arms to wrap them around his sobbing wife. And no one cared to notice he, for the first time in his life, dropped his briefcase, and his laptop within it.
THE END
Author's Note: I'M FINISHED! I really want to thank each and every one of my wonderful reviewers, and especially the ones that have been there since the beginning and gave me so many beautiful reviews. I could not have done it without all of you guys, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you!
