I think i owe you all an apology for taking so long in updating. As a matter of fact I'm pretty sure most of you wont return and so I'm saddened. I've been... gone for a long time due to a million and one different things. THere wasa musical I was in, my exams are this year, i'm in a small play and serving at a dinner theater, i'm in two choirs, a job and learning how to drive, so i've more than i should on my plate. Xx please forgive the absence. I hope you all return as i write more on this rather neglected fic.
Chapter: Five
The table was set with candles and china that looked as expensive as all of the house. Butler and Juliet were both lingering all around, but maids and a manservant served the food.
Crystal had been seated across from Artemis and beside her mother, who talked quietly with Angeline, almost ghostlike in both character and appearance.
Matthew had been seated beside Artemis himself and was quietly examining all those at the table. For the most part the adults kept the conversation at a steady flow. Mikkael and Artemis Senior having an easier time of it than anyone else. They talked loudly of politics, economics and their business, which was apperantly an invesment in communication technologies.
Quite obviously, Artemis and all other youth at the table found the conversation less than interesting. After picking at his food for half an hour he glanced up curiously to see Crystal pushing her carrots from one side of the plate to the other, gray eyes glazed in a daydream.
Matthew too stared at her thoughtfully then glanced at Artemis, meeting the boy's icy blue eyes knowingly. "Too familiar a scene, I figure." he muttered softly, earning little response from his host. Angeline glanced in their direction then thoughtfully, suddenly aware that they had been rather silent for a time.
"Come now, for a bunch of adolecents you're all awefully silent. If only you were all a bit more playful as Juliet is."
Slowly all three looked up to more or less stare at her. Artemis Senior caughed slightly and Mikkael smirked, moving his wine within it's silver cup.
"Now whatever did I say?" Angeline enquired, blinking back at their slightly offended stares. Juliet standing by the doorway grumbled something resembling "Idiots." and stormed out the door.
A maid slipped into the room then and enquired after most of their untouched meals. "Was there a problem with the dinner, Miss?" she asked, looking worried at Crystal who just shook her head, looking at the table in thought. "No... It's all right, I am not very hungry."
The ghost at the table suddenly turned to look at her and sighed. "Crystal I wish you would eat. Look at her Angeline, she's thin as a rail."
Artemis watched carefully as the heat began to flow into Crystal's cheeks. Like himself she obviously preffered the attention of everyone to be directed somewhere else, but mother's had a tendency of comparing with each other their children and so, as expected he sighed and heard his mother laugh.
"You and I struggle with the same thing, Marlene. Just look at my boy."
Mikkael laughed softly. "Ah, but boys can eat whole cellars and gain not an ounce at this age." Artermis Sr. nodded. "If only that were the case."
Artemis shifted under the sudden attention of all four adults and though he didn't blush as Crystal did he was obviously uncomfortable, something he had never really managed to hide. Smiling weakly Mrs. Lord sighed. "Oh now look, we've emberrassed them. I'm sorry, Crys, I'll leave you to your quiet conversation." she murmured turning away.
Crystal traced the design on the edge of the table cloth and muttered quietly. "Thank you, Mother."
"Ah, but they sound alike, don't they." Angeline mused, watching Crystal thoughtfully. The awkwardness turned up a notch at the moment and the youth in the group shifted mentally through possible escape routes.
"Yes they do, don't they?" Marlene muttered, and prodded her husband lightly. "Don't you think so, Mikkael, they act quite alike?"
Mr. Lord blinked mildly at the pair of them and chuckled before taking a sip of wine. "I would answer if I had some perception on their characters but I've only seen them shift awkwardly under our shrewd observation."
Artemis Sr. gave a chuckle. "My thoughts exactly, Mikkael."
"Mother." Artemis said suddenly, glancing at Angeline. "May I be excused, I've a few physics projects to work on and I-"
"Oh! Physics! I meant to tell you, Marlene here was telling me that Crystal has been having some struggles in that particular class. Don't you have the same one?"
Artemis looked at her a long moment and then sighed and sat back down having been halfway out of his seat already. "Yes."
"Excellent. Go do your homework together then. Matthew can tag along and help out when he can, I'm sure you know your grade eleven physics, Matt." She smiled.
Matthew only raised his eyebrows slightly and then nodded. "Well enough." he muttered. Feeling as though caged, Artemis stood and nodded towards Crystal who was looking pale and staring at Matthew as though asking for something.
Without a word in their direction Artemis started out the door, noting with slight triumph their hesitance to follow. Crystal had yet to move from her chair and was talking rapidly with her mother as he started out the door.
He thought perhaps he could disappear into the garden before she got up when his own mother suddenly called. "Oh, wait for Crystal, Arty. She'd have trouble finding you if you left."
There was silence a moment and then Crystal stood, looking slightly irritated. For a moment Artemis amused himself by comparing her to a watered kitten, but then the comparison died as her cold eyes turned to him, obviously defensive... if not, offensive. "Lead the way, Master Artemis."
Matthew, standing just behind her watched the two and realized that a rivalry was beginning. He didn't even understand why.
"Of course." Artemis muttered turning around. Butler and Juliet watched and silently Butler enquired whether or not to follow but Artemis gently shook his head as he left the dinning room and slipped into the foyer. He now knew the dangers she posed were not ones of bodily harm. Which meant that he was playing a game he knew.
Juliet however, had been eyeing Matthew with some interest for a time and as they began to start up the stairs she called from the doorway.
"Perhaps you should leave the two genuises to their work, Matthew. I think you and I both know if they need any help it must be solving the question of life itself. I've more interesting things you might want to see." she shrugged, nodding towards the weapon gallery. "Ever played with a 20th century katana?"
Crystal stopped midstep and turned to look at Juliet thoughtfully and then to Matthew who was looking at her instead of Juliet.
"Go if you like, I'm okay." Crystal murmured, nodding her head. Artemis watched her silently, noting the slight tightness around her mouth.
She was... under control, but okay wasn't the term.
"You're sure?" Matthew asked, eyes flickering to Artemis, who was offended to find warning in the look.
"Yes, I'm sure. Just... don't hurt anyone." she muttered, turning around to keep going. Juliet laughed from the foot of the stairs. "If anyone is getting hurt-"
"Do not begin a fight with boasts." Matthew muttered sullenly at her as he started down to floor. "It does nothing for your maturity level."
Juliet gaped at him as he slipped past her into the weapon's gallery, furious and obviously ready to pick a fight either way.
Artemis frowned slightly as the door slammed behind them. Perhaps leaving them alone wasn't such a good idea.
"Matthew will not hurt her, nor will he let her hurt him. He may have no blue diamond but he's reaching a level that is almost equivalent." Crystal assured him. "It's only their playtime either way."
Artemis highly doubted he was anywhere near Juliet's ability level but said nothing, studying instead Crytal's calm features. "I'm actually worried for the weapons. They are rather expensive."
The girl's features broke into a small smirk. "Ah, understandable, I suppose."
Artemis began to climb the stairs, pondering her sentence. "You suppose?"
"I shouldn't be surprised, but I figured someone with as much money as your family wouldn't worry over the expense of something." she replied, studying the persian rug they were walking all over.
"Things still hold value, even if you've the money to replace them." he retorted, frowning at her. It was as though she thought him materialistic.
His thoughts hit a brick wall then.
Was he materialistic?
He stopped at his bedroom door and opened it for her, suddenly irritated, remembering the incident with Holly and the Gold, and then Spiro and the Cube.
Crystal hesitated and he broke from his thoughts. "I dont want to invade your personal space, Artemis. I know what it's like to be forced into something. We needn't go in." she said suddenly, looking at the ground.
He stared at her, startled, having not seen this coming. For a moment he thought of actually taking her offer and closing the door... It was strange to have someone that wasn't Butler, Juliet or mother within... let alone a girl his age.
But then again, he had nothing to hide. Why should he care.
The moment of silence seemed to stretch on forever, then he almost sighed (only he didn't) and said. "I don't mind."
Again there was hesitance as if Crystal was the one who didn't feel comfortable but then she stepped in. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes he followed and closed the door behind him quietly. "I assume you actually aren't having trouble with your physics."
"... I could say yes."
He smirked as he tossed his supposed homework onto desk. "I dont know your IQ. But I know you have no trouble with physics."
There was quiet for a moment and he looked up to see Crystal frowning at him slightly. He looked back calmly. "Or am I wrong?"
She shook her head and sat at the edge of his bed, small enough to have her feet an inch off the ground. She swung them slightly, looking down.
"What is your IQ, Artemis?" she asked suddenly, making him frown and turn to look at her again. "Why would you ask that? You seem to know well enough." he retorted, suddenly ignoring the physics question in his textbook.
She looked up, eyebrows raised. "Well, you've done several tests and I've managed to get the results so I know what the rest of the world pretends to ignore, but you're a very mysterious person I highly doubt that you would publicy give everything you have on a test."
He stared at her then, for it was true. All tests had been written and carefully measured to show an above intelligence, however not one that would allow the world to put neon signs around him...
He looked at her in silence and then said. "I assume you've taken such tests yourself."
She laughed and shook her head. "No, I haven't. I don't know what my IQ is." She smirked. "So we can't make an exchange, even if I wanted to."
"You're obviously above average." he retorted, not amused by her witful ignorance. She shrugged in reply to his accusation. "If it's coming from you that must mean something." she smiled. "But I honestly don't know."
On purpose as well. She knew I would want to know. If she's taken no tests just to block my knowledge there has to be something... or is she just playing with me?
"Why would you take no tests? Are you not curious?" he asked calmly, leaning against his desk, watching her with cold blue eyes that weren't very friendly.
Crystal however seemed relatively immune. She was a good actress.
"Not particularly. Is that why you bothered to take the tests?"
He smirked. "It gave me a reputation, did it not?" Crystal stopped, as if she had not thought of that. "It did, you're right." she smirked right back. 'But I'm sure you're used to that."
Something like heat rushed to his neck and face at that comment and he turned around calmly to study the physics in front of him.
"And you're not?"
"I pretend not to be." He heard the sound of her shoes once more on the wood floor and turned to see her staring at the Da Vinci book on his dresser.
"...you like art...Master Artemis?"
The silence that followed was not as competative... and if he dare say, playful as before. This was something serious. There was an affect to her mood at the sight of the book. He frowned at her. "I like it well enough."
Her eyes scanned the room and suddenly he was aware of the carefully framed posters of famous painters, pianists and violinists around, each with a title. And yet to be put up, leaning against the wall was Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, beautiful and unsmiling in the corner, framed, but not up yet.
"The Mona Lisa... is she not good enough to be upon your wall?" Crystal asked, looking at it silently.
Artemis felt a buzzing at the back of his neck. This seemed a dangerous conversation. She had been looking at the same book, studying it the same way he had.
The Mona Lisa had no place upon his wall yet, because it had not been stolen and returned to a museum yet. Two months ago some high rate billionaire had dared to buy it from the museum, trading it not only for several paintings of other high class painters, but for a 'donation' of 12 million dollars to the museum.
It had not sat well with Artemis when he found out.
"She is good enough... I haven't...had the time to put her up yet." He lied carefully.
She began to walk quietly around his room then, studying each painting. "Irises...Garcon a la pipe...Monmartre, Massacre of the innocents...Les Noces de Pierette...Rideau..." she turned to look at him, her eyes a bit wider than before.
"These were all sold to private collectors."
He looked back at her calmly, realizing that she knew the art world as well as he did... she knew it and that meant.
"They were all stolen and put back." she frowned at him. "Lately anyway."
"You're certain? I did not know." he replied, blinking at her.
Her expression was surprisingly cold. "Of course."
The silence wore on for a time and he turned away to look at the physics, scribbling the answers to the questions rapidly, his mind going a few miles an hour. If she knew so much... and had been studying the Da Vinci book, that meant she might know he was the one stealing them back. But why would she act so surprised... so defensive.
Why would she be so hostile about it?
There was a knock at the door and without looking up Artemis called. "Come in."
The sound of Matthew calling Crystal through the door rang in his hears and then her footsteps as she headed out.
"Oh. Artemis..." she began and he fought furiously to cocentrate on the physics, trying to find an answer to what was going on.
"Where is the Mona Lisa now?'
He stopped. "New York... A collector by the name of Marque Anotel bought it two months ago."
He turned to look at her, and noted she didn't look surprised. "I know." she murmured, opening the door and slipping out.
Had he had less manners he would have allowed himself a bitter curse but instead he stood and moved rapidly towards his study, already coming up with a list of places to check if there had been any hacks into his system or those of Marque Anotel.
By midnight he knew that there had been two incidents when Marque Anotel's systems had been hacked. His were clear...
One incident had been him. He had left a backdoor. The other had been more careful, but not as effecient. It was a good hacker, but less expirienced.
Butler opened the door to the study and stood in the shadows, watching as his employer's pale face frowned at the computer screen looking pale and ill.
"Artemis... is something the matter?"
The boy looked up and then back at the screen, leaning his elbows on the desk. "Perhaps."
Butler frowned. Perhaps was not... very assuring.
"What is it?"
"I think... we have competition." He muttered, the frown coming over his features again. "Only, I don't understand why."
The weight of the sentence dropped on Butler's shoulders like a mountain. Artemis not understanding something was as strange as greek fire.
"Competition? In what?"
"The Mona Lisa." Artemis replied, pushing his chair back and standing. "We have to move fast. I somehow doubt it will be there for long."
Butler's eyes would have widened slightly. "The Mona Lisa?"
Artemis nodded and shut the computer down, leaving the room in darkness for a second before Butler flicked the light switch.
"When?" he enquired, knowing better than to try to talk Artemis out of it. The boy shrugged slightly. "In a week or so. Oh, how did Juliet and Matthew get along downstairs?"
Butler smirked. "Juliet beat him twice."
Artemis nodded. "I figured."
"But he let her." Butler added, watching Artemis look up questionably. "Oh?"
The manservant gave a definite nod. "They were only fooling around, but he's not as...amateur as I first thought."
"Well, Crystal was under the impression that Juliet had the blue diamond." Artemis muttered. "I'm guessing he was being very careful."
"Clever of him." Butler muttered, remembering the burn of Juliet's cheeks at the second allowed win.
"Yes." Artemis nodded. "They are smart... But enough of them for tonight, I've other things to think of." He sighed, rubbing his face slightly. "Good night, Butler."