A/N: Guys, I really would like for you to review. I need ideas, for my muse seems to have abandoned me. It appears that the majority of the people who read my stories are not reviewing. I would be glad for some criticism, and I feel the need for an idea. You can PM me, if you have an account, or you can just review. If you don't want others to see your idea, post "please delete after reading" at the end, or PM. (I can only delete anonymous reviews, btw.)

Yeah, I know this was the same A/N that was at the beginning of the last chapter, but only, like, ONE PERSON has actually given me feedback and/or suggestions. Okay, two, but that's still not very much.

I'm sorry for taking so long. If you reviewed and gave me ideas, it would be faster.

The LEP Cafeteria; lunchtime

The headline topping Le Denna Vila Kronika, the daily Haven newspaper, that morning nearly knocked a certain elf out of her chair. It read:

LEP TECHNICAL CONSULTANT: TREASON'S THE REASON. That alone shocked Holly. The subtitle? CENTAUR TO ATLANTIS.

Holly looked around her lunch table to see if anyone else had noticed, but she was the only one not reading the sports section.

It was not that leaving the cafeteria to go to the bathroom was uncommon, but as Holly left, she tucked the newspaper up her LEP uniform sleeve. She strolled casually through the hall and passed a boarded-up closet. The elf turned and passed though it as easily as if it had been water. The passageway behind it was around two and a half feet tall, and very cramped. Holly crouched and walked forward for a few paces before the corridor opened into a slightly larger room, where a skeletal and deranged-looking elf lay in the corner, gouging out vague Gnommish curses on the drywall with his fingernails.

As she drew closer, Holly heard the faint click of a Neutrino 2000 being prepped for shooting. She leapt back against the far wall, which didn't seem very far, and watched as the elf's tattered clothing produced a full-fledged Neutrino, aimed at her.

"It's me, Holly," she stated, drawing nearer once more. "Where did you get that?" she inquired curiously, gesturing at the gun. The elf in the corner just kept his head turned away from her, looking at his handiwork, with the gun still aimed. He didn't answer. "Your brother has been a pain since you disappeared, you know. He keeps saying he'll tell your Mommy that you're 'dead, not missing, 'cause he saw that foul demon do it himself.' He is a pure cowpog and keeps lodging complaints about the stupidest things, worse than before, even." Holly said, quibbling on the things that might grab his attention; although she didn't show it, she was extremely annoyed.

The elf kept his position.

"Trouble Kelp, you listen here. I was going to tell you about Foaly and give you the newspaper, but you won't even do me the decency of looking at me. Look at me!" Holly finished, screaming. Trouble finally turned his head.

"Foaly?" he asked hollowly. "Did that demon finish him off too?" he shook his head dispairingly.

"No," said Holly. "Although he might be better off if he had been." She took Le Denna Vila Kronika out of her sleeve and held it up, displaying the headline.

"Atlantis..." Trouble breathed. A new fire appeared in his eyes. He stood up, energy suddenly renewed. "Holly, I can't stay here anymore." Holly didn't answer; she didn't know how to respond. "Holly. Thank you for keeping me safe, but I need to go. I need to help."

Holly snapped, "Help! You can't help! We're on our own. We don't even have Artemis."

Holly had piqued his curiosity. Trouble questioned indifferently, "So?"

Holly sighed tiredly. "I can't get in contact with him or either of the Butlers. Not even through the communicator I gave him."

"Wait..." Trouble thought for a minute. "Could he help?" asked Trouble.

"Yes. Most definitely. I think, that if we could convince him of the trouble down here, he would help. He-"

"No, He wouldn't!" exploded Trouble. "Why would he? He's stolen our technology, kidnapped you, brought Koboi through a time tunnel-"

"But he could help! I know he cares about us down here."

"He cares about you," grumbled Trouble.

"D'Arvit, Trouble!" Holly felt her temper rising. "Artemis has done more for the population than you have! You-"

"I would do more if you weren't trapping me here!" growled Trouble.

"It's for your own good! If you weren't here, then you would be dead! You would be out there, getting yourself killed by Belzle!"

"Belzle took the LEP by force! The cowpog demon doesn't have any loyalty from me!"

"He has it from those who value their lives." said Holly darkly. And with that, she marched herself composedly out of the tunnel.

The White House, USA

Opal Koboi paced her spacious bedroom. She bent her head as she walked, her bobbed black hair swinging in front of her face every time she took a step.

"77...89...91...103..." the pixie muttered as she counted. An onlooker would have wondered what and why she was counting. Opal was pacing the perimeter of her room, counting as she went. She paused as she passed her window. She opened it quietly, looked out briefly, and continued.

Her pacing was interrupted by a large, bald head appearing outside her now-open window. The head left as soon as it had come, but Opal was sure she had seen it. It had done what it had intended; she lost count. Oh, well, Opal thought. It was just a way to spend time while waiting for Brown to get back. Artemis Fowl! Opal jerked back involuntarily as the thought entered her head. She hated that boy so much. He's a foul, slimy [insert numerous Gnommish insults here] loathsome creature that has nothing better to do but ruin plans of world domination. Opal continued to amuse herself for some time with these insults, but a premonition struck her as quickly as the head had disappeared. He's in danger. And so am I.