Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to A.F. Those belong to Eoin Colfer.
This is Artemis Fowl and the Encrypted Trouble. Arty is trying to be good but has recently been distracted. Tell me what you think!
Artemis Fowl and the Encrypted Trouble
Chapter 2: Transmission
Fowl Manor, Ireland
Artemis Fowl sat at his oak wood desk, his brilliant blue eyes searching over the documents spewed before him. It was a day that many students on summer holiday die for, a high and bright sun with a faint breeze. The pleasures of the outside world were of little interest to Artemis, and he kept his mind on the work before him. All the papers were written in the same strange language of Gnommish that Artemis knew quite well. The only problem with these papers was that they were hand written by a Dwarf named Mulch.
Mulch Diggums was a kleptomaniac that had been in fairy jail more than his fair share of times. At least, that was his claim. After an incident that resulted in the near exposure of the secret People, Artemis managed to free Mulch from a very long and unpleasant sentence. Now, Mulch was on the good side of the law and assisting Holly Short in a private eye service. Ex-con or not, thought Artemis, he needs to work on his penmanship.
As he started to decipher the message, Artemis heard a knock on the wall. Three knocks. That meant one of his parents was coming to his room. It was a simple code that his body guard Butler had devised, but it worked in a quick fix. Restacking the paper and unceremoniously tossing it all into a drawer Artemis grabbed a book and sat on the window sill, waiting for his mother or father to come in.
The door opened to reveal Angeline Fowl, wearing a short summer dress with strawberries; Artemis looked up in a casual manner, like a regular son whose mother had just invaded his privacy.
"Hi Arty. I just wanted to make sure that you're ready for the Vanderbelts. Apparently, it is a good thing I came. You aren't really going to wear black on the hottest day of the holiday?" Angeline asked, still with a smile on her face that was more and more common ever since his father had returned to his old self. Well, his new self. Artemis Fowl the First had once been a little disobedient of the law, and now he was a straight businessman. But that didn't stop Artemis Junior from his little skirmishes.
"Now Artemis, I want you to make a good impression. Next fall you'll be going to school with Alexis Vanderbelt, and I don't want you making enemies at school before you even go. Now change, at least put on shorts." With that closing remark, Angeline left, closing the door a bit harder than necessary to make her point.
He wasn't going to make enemies with the Vanderbelt girl. On a tour of the school he had been told to sit in a class and observe the students in life. Alexis had been at the front of the class with another student and a debate subject. To Artemis' surprise, the subject was whether the Zito probe had been a good idea. Miss Vanderbelt was the con side. He was very glad to hear her argue that humans should be less concerned about what was rather unchanging and already known territory beneath the crust than about the area above the crust. How were the humans supposed to continue to survive if resources, such as iron and hematite, were wasted on dumb probes? Sure, it was environmentally safe, but the iron could have been the key to creating some new fossil fuel that didn't hold the same effects as gasoline. After soundly winning the debate, Artemis couldn't help but applaud with the rest of the class. There just might be hope for the future after all.
Before Artemis had completely changed, he heard a buzzing from his desk. Pulling a white polo shirt over his head, Artemis crossed the room and pulled out a small radio from one of the secret compartments. On the tiny screen in the center was an Elf. She had a slight look of impatience on her sharp-featured face. Her cropped auburn hair glistened with sweat, and one of the shoulders on her jump-suite was singed.
"Why, hello Holly." Artemis said, hoping that she wasn't mad. He had accidentally neglected contacting her in a few days and she had a big case on her hands.
Unfortunately, she was very mad, and the firefight that she just finished hadn't helped out at all.
"Don't even start with me Fowl. Why haven't you called?" Holly yelled. Well, she was mad, very mad if she was on a last name basis with him. Luckily, Mulch entered the shot with a big grin on his face.
"Kid, ignore her. She's just ticked that I had to save her once again. You got my letter, right?"
"Yes. But I find I'm unable to read the penmanship." Artemis started, but before he could finish a car pulled up on the long driveway before his house. "Oh no. I'm going have to have to go. We have company over today."
"What? Fowl, don't you dare cut me off! I'll -" But Holly didn't get to finish her threat for Artemis turned off the sound. As soon as he was done playing host he would come back. He jogged out of his room, hoping that when he came back Holly would have calmed down.
Descending the stairway, Artemis caught a glimpse of two adults dressed casually, presumably Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbelt. Clinging tightly to Mrs. Vanderbelt was a little boy with sandy hair and a dirty face. The boy was looking around the hallway, taking in the tapestries and suits of armor, his grubby hands, Artemis now realized, covered in dirt. Artemis suppressed a shudder, imagining that the boy would run around and touch everything, ruin masterpieces. However, the little boy looked at him just in time to see Artemis scowling at him, and stuck out his tongue in response.
"Artemis! Come join us and I'll introduce you," his father called out. By the looks of the attire worn by both sets of parents, there would be a tennis match. He vaguely remembered his father saying something about having been partners with Mr. Vanderbelt in his college days.
"Hello Artemis, my name is Alexander Vanderbelt, and this is my wife Jacqueline," Mr. Vanderbelt explained. "And this is Alex, our youngest. Amazing that both our boys would be named after us, isn't it Artemis?"
With a slight laugh, Artemis Senior answered, "Well yes. It seems that once again you copied one of my brilliant ideas."
"Brilliant ideas? Since when have you had brilliant ideas? Let alone any ideas?"
Both of the men started laughing and started walking out the door to the tennis courts, leaving the two juniors and Angeline and Jacqueline shaking their heads.
"Nothing's changed, has it?" Jacqueline asked.
"Not much. But how have you been? Last time I saw you was when little Alex was born."
"I've been fine, and - Oh! I almost forgot," Jacqueline said, turning to face Artemis, "My daughter Alexis should be arriving shortly, she had to do some computer thing back at the car. If you could greet her maybe?"
As Artemis started to nod, Angeline added, "Maybe you could give Alexis and Alex a tour of the Manor? Jacqueline and I have to teach your father a lesson in tennis." Giggling, both Angeline and Jacqueline left, following the little trail immediately outside the doorway.
"We'll start the tour as soon as your sister gets here, okay?" But as Artemis turned to face Alex, he was surprised to see that the boy was already gone. "Great, just great. I get to play nanny to some runaway kid and -"
Artemis was unable to finish because at that moment a young girl walked through the doorway. She was dressed in a casual skirt and blouse, with a dubious look on her face. She obviously didn't want to be here. Catching sight of Artemis, her expression changed as she recognized him.
"Ah, you must be Artemis," she said, walking over to him and offering out her hand. Artemis went to shake it, but he couldn't keep his eyes off her face and nearly missed her hand. To cover the slip, he instead grasped the hand from the bottom and raised it to a kiss.
Looking up, he saw a small look of surprise on her face, but she quickly recovered. Very suave, Artemis thought. I just might have impressed her or freaked her out.
"Alexis, I'm supposed to give you and your brother a tour of the house, but Alex has gone missing."
"We'll leave him. Ever since he got that video camera he's been a little Quentin Tarentino. Besides, I'd rather get to know a future classmate without him bothering us."
Artemis nodded in agreement and led the way to his room. It was the only place that they could truly be safe from prying eyes.
When they reached his room, Artemis found that some drinks and snacks were left out for him and Alexis. He handed her a drink and for a moment both just stood, sipping through their straws. Alexis glanced around.
"You have a lot of books," she noted, obviously impressed. "I take it you're well educated in computers as well. Am I right?"
Thinking back, Artemis remembered her mother mentioning that Alexis was doing some computer thing in the car. Now he wondered what it was that she had been doing.
"Yeah, I'm pretty good with finding my way around the Web," he said cautiously. He didn't want to tell this girl too much in case she found a way to use it against him. Artemis watched as she sat down on his bed, looking at the various models he had built when he was younger.
"I know most of these, but what shuttle model is that," Alexis asked, pointing to one of the far corners. He sat down next to her to get a better look at what she was seeing. To his horror, it was his model of a fairy shuttle that he had constructed from his up close knowledge of the People's transportation.
"That was an early Russian model of the first commercial shuttle into space," he lied. "It was intended to launch three years ago, but it was created in the late sixties. Scientist had projected our present day knowledge of space to be advanced at this time enough for the model to be used. I guess you've realized that the project was scrapped because it isn't safe enough for untrained civilians to travel outside our atmosphere."
Artemis took a long drink from his glass, hoping that she would have believed the story that he told.
"Wow, that is pretty interesting. I always heard that there was supposed to have been commercial flights, but I never realized that the planning had started so early on."
"Yeah, it is odd how many expectations were placed upon the shoulders of generation X, and I think we've failed miserably. I hope to have a hover car by the time I'm eighty, though. "
Both Alexis and Artemis started laughing, and Artemis couldn't help but imagine that Alexis was very beautiful, smiling with the sun lighting her hair.
"It might happen with minds such as ours." Alexis said when they had both stopped laughing. "I've heard about you, your academic achievements are outstanding! I'm pretty smart, but I'm no genius."
"Intelligence isn't important for you. You're funny, and charming, and very beautiful-" Artemis started, but he stopped as soon as he realized what he was saying. An awkward silence followed both of the teens looked away from each other, trying to ignore their burning cheeks.
"Um, thanks. That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me, Artemis," Alexis said quietly.
"You're welcome," he glanced at her. "But it's true. I'm sure you have a boyfriend…"
"No, actually, I don't. The guys at our school are all like shaved monkeys." Artemis laughed a little, and then looked at her again. For the first time he realized how bright of a green her eyes were. Slowly, he started leaning forward, and so did Alexis. It was as if he couldn't control himself, and he felt as if he was watching from the other side of the room, as he kissed Alexis.
It was wonderful. Artemis had never wondered about girls much before, but now he wondered why he hadn't. He heard a knock on the wall, followed by four more knocks. The signal! His mind racing, he lifted one of the glasses and put a straw into Alexis' mouth. He grabbed his own drink, and started talking just as the door opened.
"And that is way the Russian shuttle never launched," he said. "Oh, hello Father."
"Hello Artemis," his father said, glancing around the room. "I just came to tell you that Alex and Jacqueline are leaving and would like their children." Artemis Senior turned and left, closing the door carefully behind him.
After waiting for the footsteps to fade, Alexis looked at Artemis. "Thanks, that would have been awkward."
"No problem," Artemis answered shakily. "Oh, wait, where is your brother?"
"I'm right here," came a voice from under the desk. "And I have my video camera."
Laughing, Artemis watched Alex run from the room, shrieking down the hallway.
"I have to go kill him, but I'll see you this fall. Promise?" Alexis asked.
"I-I promise." With that she left, most likely trying to get to her brother before he got to their parents. As she left, Butler came in.
"Well, it looks like Artemis is finally growing up." The big, Eurasian manservant said, a smile on his face. He had always been like a second father to Artemis, and he was glad whenever Artemis made a new friend.
"How did you know?" Artemis inquired. He was sure the door had been closed and there was no way Butler could have hidden in his room.
"When she left she touched her lips and smiled. Classic sign."
"Oh, I guess that makes sense… You weren't watching or anything, were you?"
"No, but it looks like our little friends were." Butler snickered.
With dread, Artemis turned to his desk, and saw Mulch on the little screen of the radio. Quickly he turned on the sound and heard hard laughter.
"Way to go Artemis!" Mulch cried. "I always knew you had it in you!" After the last statement Mulch started laughing harder. In the corner of the screen, Artemis spied Holly laughing as well.
"'Intelligence doesn't matter for you,'" Holly quoted, "You're beautiful!" She burst out laughing again and she doubled over next to Mulch. With a pang, Artemis realized that even though the sound on his side was off didn't mean that theirs was.
"You really know how to flatter a girl Artemis. But now we've got some serious business." Holly said, pulling herself together. "A new case came in, one that might be of interest to you in particular. A spy of some sort has been breaking into high security buildings all over Haven. Normally the boys in green would take care of it, but Foaly thought that we needed you."
"Why would Foaly want me? He has greater technology than me in Haven," Artemis asked, suddenly suspicious. Foaly would never request assistance if he could help it. The centaur had a sever ego issue.
"Damn right, I've got better technology. The problem is that I've been suspended for two weeks," Foaly said as he stepped in to the screen. He was wearing a new tin foil hat with colorful little swirls everywhere. Obviously Foaly was trying to gain attention while trying to repel brain waves. Such a shame that such a great mind was so egotistical and paranoid.
"What were you suspended for?" Butler asked.
"Personal differences with the Commander."
Well, that's it for this time. I really hope you enjoyed. I admit, it was a little forced. I plan on grabbing a few walnuts or a coconut in a minute… Anyway, the next chapter is better. Look for Chapter 3: Trouble in Paradise.
Review me please!