Chapter Seven:
"Butler!" Artemis yelled as soon as Johan had opened the door. "Butler! Help!"
"What is it, Sir?" asked Johan, looking around. He was Butler's pubescent cousin, still in training. He accompanied Artemis, sometimes, on his many adventures but was mostly around for house work. Where Butler had known a hundred and one ways to kill with his bare hands, Johan, sadly, only knew fifteen he could implement successfully. But he was still dangerous.
Artemis turned on Johan. "Do you know how many times the Flash could run around the world in a day? Do you know if Superman could beat Bizarro if Bizarro were able to think on his own? Do you know why Wonder Woman hasn't 'hooked up' with Batman, yet? Do you know how to shut a nine year-old up? No. Butler!"
"Hello," said a voice at Johan's shoulder. Johan looked around but saw nothing.
"Artemis said he can't see me. Can you see me?" the voice asked. Nothing there.
"Dom!" yelled Johan. Butler finally appeared.
"Can you please take this child off my hands while I call Holly?" asked Artemis through gritted teeth. "I'm so close to…I'm about to…He's a child but…"
Unable to find the words, Artemis just growled and made violent gestures with his hands.
"What child?" asked Butler. He glanced at his cousin who stood to the side, his eyes wide and scared. He wondered if he was dreaming.
"Hello," said a voice at his side. "Can you see me?"
"No," said Butler calmly.
"He's a ghost," stated Artemis as he hurried down a hall towards his room. "A ghost in denial!"
"I'm not dead," screamed Aspen after Artemis. He turned to Butler. "Do you have any Caramel Butter potato chips? I could settle for Caesar Salad flavored or even Mapodoufu if you've got it. I'm hungry."
"Um…"