Chapter 5: Surprises, Surprises

Artemis spun around in his chair, contemplating his next move.

"What did you find out?" Butler asked from the doorway.

"Read it for yourself."

After a moment of speed reading, Butler looked at Artemis:

"So what does it mean? Why would she lie?"

"I'm not really sure. Nothing is really making much sense at the moment."

"I don't think we should go until we find out the truth. If we go at all. I already hated the idea of going to Atlantis in the first place. It's hard to protect you when I don't know what is going on. This place is totally beyond anything we know about the People and I don't want to be the one taking you into danger."

"I know."

Artemis got up out of the chair and started pacing. What would these people want with him if not his and Holly assistance in taking care of a few war strategies? And why would Zinnia lie about a simple story? There was a big piece of the puzzle that he was missing. He felt like the answer he needed was on the tip of his tongue. The annoyance of that feeling was unbearable. He hated it when his mind managed to outwit him.

"I'm going to go ask her about it," he stated finally.

He walked down the hallway, still thinking about everything. Tearing the pieces apart and putting them together repeatedly in hopes of figuring things out. Maybe Foaly had been wrong, but that story was so weird. The entire thing was weird and for no reason at all. For no reason, every one of his primal instincts was telling him that what would happen if he went to Atlantis could be possiblely dangerous.

He walked into Zinnias' room without bothering to knock. He didn't see her but he noticed that the bathroom light was on.

"Zinnia I need to talk to you about something."

"What about?"

"That story you told me. I found another version of it and I was wondering if maybe you forgot to mention a few things."

"Umm…" there was a long silence followed by a sheepish "maybe".

"What exactly did you forget?"

"Depends...what did you find out?"

Artemis felt his face get a little flushed, as his annoyance with the whole thing got a little more temperamental. He walked into the bathroom without thinking.

"I want the truth and I---."

Artemis' eyes widened as he looked in the bathroom and Zinnia just smiled at him unknowingly. She was in the bathtub. Bubbles overflowed from the top and water soaked the floor around it. She was sitting with her back against the side and one leg lazily hanging over the side. She acted as if it didn't matter that she was naked underneath all those bubbles. She just looked at him expectantly. Waiting for whatever she thought he was going to say. He turned around quickly.

"I'm really sorry," he chocked out, with an unusually squeaky voice.

"About what?"

"Walking in here."

"Oh…why?"

"Never mind…just…when you wake up tomorrow…come to my room. We need to talk."

"Alright."

Artemis practically ran back to his room. He sat down on his bed panting slightly. Butler looked up at him (he was cleaning his gun) and raised and eyebrow.

"Honestly…I don't think you really want to know," Artemis said as he let his head settle down onto the pillow. He rolled onto his back.

"What did she say Artemis? I need to know. I refuse to let you go down there without me knowing everything. Not this time. Not after everything that's happened."

Silence. An expecting silence, waiting to be filled. How was he to say it. Bluntly seemed to be the only way.

"She didn't say anything. I didn't get a chance to really ask."

"Well what's wrong then?"

"She was in the bath and I walked in on her. I didn't even knock, just barged in."

Butler chuckled and smiled at his young friend.

"I guess next time you'll remember wont you?"

"I guess so, but the thing is…she just looked at me. Like it didn't matter."

"Well there could be two possible explanations for that. Where she comes from, as I am sure you know by now, having no clothes on is a common thing," Butler said a matter-of-factually.

"True, but what is the second explanation?"

"She likes you."

Butlers grin widened as he said this. All Artemis could do was look at him like a pouting toddler. Why was it that all the sudden everyone though it okay to annoy him. Did he have something written on his forehead saying "hey everyone today is 'lets see who can manage to make Artemis go crazy first' day". Or did he have a sign on his back that read: I am finally starting to get the emotions of a normal teenager so please feel free to make this as had for me as possible.

Another bellowing chuckle erupted from Butler.

"Don't be so uptight Artemis. Everyone has to grow up. Even teenage super-geniuses. Did you think that you could get through your entire life without experiencing it?" he shook his head and smiled still as he got up and patted Artemis' shoulder. "Get some sleep. You'll need it."

Artemis woke up the next morning to the sound of familiar ringing. He got up and went to his desk and found the walkie-talkie that Holly had given him.

"Hello," he said as Holly's face appeared on the screen. "So what's the plan?"

"Well I was thinking we could meet up there tomorrow at around noon. It that good for you?"

"Yes, that's fine with me."

"Something wrong?"

"Not really," Artemis replied dryly not really bothering to hid his true emotions.

"Gosh, don't sound so happy. What's going on?"

"Zinnia is. She is rather intolerable."

"Do you really think so? I always though she was a sweet heart."

Artemis made an expression of severe doubt.

"Anyways, who is this mystery person who is staying with you?"

Holly bit her lip, undoubtedly debating on whether or not she should tell him. She glanced nervously to her right and then turned the screen so that he could see who it was. He nearly collapsed from shock.

"Foaly?"

"Hey," he replied sheepishly waving at Artemis' shocked expression.

"Well that explains a lot."

"Yeah," Holly said as she turned it back so he could only see her. "But I guess we will see each other tomorrow?"

"I guess so."

Artemis laid the object down thinking everyone had gone crazy.