Artemis Fowl- Fowl play

Chapter 1- a new face?

Artemis's POV

The normally crowded café was unusually quiet for a Saturday. About half a dozen people sat at small wooden tables, reading daily newspapers or surveying others over steaming cups of coffee. None of them looked my way though. Perhaps that was because of Butler, who was standing stiffly behind me, shielding me from possible bullets of a possible assassin. His hulking appearance and intimidating glare (not to mention the Sigsauer poking out from underneath his jacket), usually scares people.

I sighed and shook out some papers from my briefcase. Listed on there were some minor clues to our present client's problem. Holly, Mulch and I have got a private detective service and business is "booming", as they say. It has many benefits for me, as well. I get to use my ability to plan and my genius (cough, modest) by helping return stolen artefacts, Art and the like. Holly keeps me in check, to make sure I stay on the "Straight and narrow", as I quote. Its no good, I can't concentrate today.

I put the papers away and looked around. A young couple sat two tables away, gazing at each other in a very (I thought) sickening way. On another table, a harassed-looking mother was struggling with two screaming toddlers.

In the far corner, an adolesant girl sat, gazing at a notebook. Her hair was a hazelnut brown colour, and she was very pale, save for the rosy flushes on her cheeks. She looked familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I looked down at the table, only looking up to take a sip from my drink.

Ten minutes later

I am now on my way to Harrods. My mother has been hassling me all weekend to by a new Venus statue for the water feature (apparently, an intoxicated vagrant stole the old one, thinking it was his wife. How he got in, I'll never know.) The girl I mentioned earlier is following us, but if I give the word, I know Butler won't hesitate in shooting her. She has just dived into Topshop, but I know that's just a ploy to get me off my guard.

We turned a corner…and there she was again…and I was staring down the barrel of a gun…not just any gun…a Neutino 2000! Where on earth did she get that? Or should I say under earth? Butler and I stopped short. The first words out of my mouth were-

"Who are you?"

The girl smiled, a vampirish smile, that almost matched my own.

"I'm Megan Robbins, English criminal genius. And you need my help."

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