Chapter 1

The New Commander and the Cause for Vacation

Haven, LEP HQ:
Commander Ark Sool, highest in command in the LEPrecon unit, sat in his luxury office chair and smoked one of Root's old fungus cigars. He imagined his old rival's face in the smoke and shook his finger at it saying, "See old Beetroot? I beat you eventually."

Revenge was so sweet to Sool. He had waited years for this promotion and, though true he himself had not finished off the old commander, he had been the one to sign all of Opal Koboi's requests for government financial backing for her work.

It was now time to clean out all of Root's trash. Those officers, council members, and average citizens devoted to that Root! Even after he was dead! They would pay dearly for keeping that old hot-head in power for so long.

As for his other enemies, Holly Short had already quit the force. There was one enemy out of his way. Perhaps, if she ever showed her face again he would have his spacial sniper squad take her out...permanently. Then there was this Fowl boy and his manservant. If they ever intervened with the People again, they could consider themselves history. In fact, they will be at the top of the endangered humans list when Sool made his move.
But as for the fairies Sool could get rid of now, there was always that cheeky centaur and the council member Vinyaya. They would shortly be recycled just as Root had been. Death would come shortly to all those who oppose the new Commander of the LEP. Soon, he would become the first Fairy King in 200,000 years. A king that would that back the above world from the humans. His plans were in motion.

Fowl Manor:
Artemis Fowl lay in bed think of the past year. In this time, Holly Short, a fairy private eye and close friend to the now 15-year-old boy, had called Artemis for help on her very first case: a mysterious disappearing painting. Artemis, Holly, Butler, and Mulch had banded together once again to solve a fairy mystery, albeit one on a less grand scale than they were used to. They had, of course, received help from their gifted centaur friend Foaly and caught the unfortunate villains: a mischievous rock sprite gang.

Rock sprites are unique. Their magic is from the deepest parts of the earth and so the rock sprites have been given the ability to sink through solid rock, much like a water sprite trough water. Rock sprites also have wings and so can fly, like giant mosquitoes. Not the most pleasant picture, but at least they don't suck blood. Perhaps the most unique fact about rock sprites is that there are only 20 known in existence. Being creatures of such little stature makes them band together in what scientists call "gangs."

This particular gang of rock sprites had 15 members, so most of their population was terrorizing Haven's art museums. BUt that's usual behavior for such a sprite. Scientists have discovered what they call a M-gene unique to rock sprite DNA. This M-gene creates a overly-powerful urge to cause mayhem and general mischievousness.

The sprites led Holly and her team on a merry little race around the world before Artemis and Foaly were able to devise a plan to stop these creatures-not easy because they can slip through or evade every sensor, net, and containment device.

However, finally, on the banks of the Mississippi, Artemis learned that rock sprites hate water and it burns their skin like high molarity acid. They prefer prison than getting wet. After that epiphany, Foaly designed a special containment device for the little buggers which, essentially, was just a glass jar suspended in water.

As for how the rock sprites were able to get away with their stolen objects, apparently, the sprites, when in large numbers, could actually extend their rock-sliding abilities to an object and effectively pull the object along with them through the rock molecules. Thier getaway would've been a quick and clean one, but the M-gene made them unable to resist leaving a riddle behind to tease their would-be captors.

Unfortunately for them, Artemis Fowl the Second and been up the challenge presented by the riddle and had quite easily deciphered it. After all, he was a genius.

After chasing these sprites through the London Underground, across the Appalachians, and through every layer of the earth's crust, Artemis and the gang dispersed once again. Artemis had not heard from Holly for eight month's after that until a week ago. The newly fifteen-year-old mastermind, manipulator, and overall genius had just recently had a birthday. He was now living pretty quietly, except for that other painting heist after The Fairy Thief(that's a whole other story). Artemis was now focusing solely on being a teenage boy, albeit a teenage boy with the IQ of a centaur and the natural gifts of forming plans and getting into trouble.

Butler had gone to America to watch his sister become a wrestling champion. He would never normally leave his charge alone, but Artemis wouldn't be alone. He would have Holly Short with him. She had finally been able to attain a visa (not easy work, let me assure you) and now had two whole weeks to spend above ground, however she pleased and with whomever she pleased. Foaly had been able to pull some strings for her there. Staying with Artemis wasn't exactly legal, but Holly manage to shrug that off:she deserved a break! She had been working hard for almost an entire year as a private eye. Now, she was staying with the Fowls, by invitation of course. Fairies were forbidden by their book to enter a human dwelling without permission.

Holly was camped out in one of the many guest bedrooms in Fowl Manor. Her room was on the same floor as Artemis' but on an opposite wing. Shortly, it was a big house.