Chapter 5: Frozen

Fowl Manor, Dublin

"Well to put it simply." said Artemis "Were stuck in the past."

"So I have to deal with you in the future too!" Shouted commander Root

"I suppose thats one way to put it."

"So I have a question do you have any technology in freezing people alive?" asked Artemis

"You would have to ask Foaly he is the tech wiz." said Julius"I would commander but I'm a little tied up right now."

Holly was surprised Artemis was actually making jokes but really this wasn't the time. "I'll get Foaly."

Holly volunteered She walked through the tents until she found Foaly submerged in his zone.

"Hey Foaly." "Hey Holly can you wait a moment I'm trying to save you." he turned around "Wait what?" he looked at me and back at the monitor "But your here and your there."

"Don't worry about it I'm just a illusion of your over stressed mind." Holly said rather mischievously, she continued "And your over stressed mind wants to know about freezing people alive."

"well hypothetically if you were real you wouldn't be asking something like that so I guess for now I'll believe you." he smiled unconvinced " But since you probably won't go away till I give you the answer, the people have been doing lots of research on the subject but the best and most satisfactory way, is a way I invented myself."

Here he goes into one of his bragging lectures thought Holly " and then I made it smaller so it comes pocket size." said Foaly holding up several small circles, "Thanks Foaly." Holly said and she snatched two out of his hand and ran out the door to another tent.

"Hypothetically." thought Foaly "That wouldn't have happened if she was a figment of my over stressed mind." he thought. Holly ran back into the other tent, and showed Artemis one of the mini freezers.

"Alright thats good now we just need to find somewhere where we won't be disturb for another seven years." Artemis thought "Maybe the shed at the back of the manor." he said.

"Wait a minute Fowl what are you planning?" said the commander "Well I'm planning a way to get forward in time with out the help of a demon warlock."

"If you stay in the shed you will get Bio bombed" said the commander "I'm afraid thats a risk will have to take." "I can't let you go it's to dangerous, I'm sorry." Artemis stared Root down with his blank emotionless face. "Commander with all do respects, if you don't let us go our future will be in danger. Oh and after were gone if you ever capture me and Holly erase their memories of us."

"I … don't know what to do." Root finally admitted "But I'll trust you for now." Holly untied his bonds and they both got up "Heres some cam foil you will probably need it to get across the grounds." Said the commander, handing it to them "Right." Said Holly and with that the two ran out the door.

Eventually they reached the shed on the far side of the estate Artemis unlocked the door with one of the many passwords and they went in. "Alright." he said locking the door after them it looks like we just have to set the date for when we want to unfreeze."

he said pressing some buttons in gnomish "Then you attach it to your chest and hit this button." He did so then he pressed the button and he fell asleep and frost particles slowly slipped up his already to pale skin. Until the frost was spread over his whole body. Holly did the same thing hoping Foaly's invention worked.

Artemis felt sunlight on his face he opened his eyes and looked around. Where was he again he thought it slowly came back to him he tried to walk but he fell over his legs were weak as if he hadn't walked on them for several years but in that case it was the truth.

"Holly?" He asked looking around "Hmm." Artemis looked behind him Holly was slowly waking up. Suddenly her eyes flew open "Oh it's just you ." she said she tried to walk then stumbled but Artemis caught her they both blushed.

Then straightened out "Well anyways we still have to stop Opal." said Artemis quickly a slight blush still on his face. "Yeah...right." said Holly, Artemis hurriedly unlocked the door and Holly walked out the door followed by Artemis. Well that was awkward thought Holly. Then she looked up and stopped.

Holly stopped and Artemis bumped into her "Sorr..." Artemis's mouth hung open he quickly brought it up. "T-The mansion." he stuttered "I'm sorry Artemis." said Holly, What stood in front of Artemis was a horrible sight in place of the mansion was a huge square of black charred remains of what used to be the mansion.

"My family..." he said then started again "I have to get a newspaper." He ran towards the street and to the nearest square. Holly followed but couldn't quite keep up she found him on a corner reading a newspaper. He put the paper down and sighed in relief and looked up "There on vacation. I forgot." "I can't believe Opal burned down your mansion." "It doesn't matter really as long as no one was in it when it burned down." said Artemis absentmindedly.

"But right now we have to find Opal." he said suddenly alert "lets see that or she will find us." said Holly blandly "Thats true. But what I need right now is a computer and I know where to find one." he said, Artemis called a taxi and they traveled to the main city of Dublin.

"You stay here." said Artemis, and he walked into a electronic store. Artemis looked around the store for a good laptop. He finally found a nice small one with everything he needed, he payed and checked it out.

He walked out of the store a man followed Artemis outside "Please go away." said Artemis as he typed on the computer. The man stopped and then followed him again. Artemis saw Holly on a street corner "Keep walking someones following me." he whispered Holly walked with him

"What are you looking for?" She asked casually well keeping a eye on the man behind them. Artemis caught on "I'm searching the police hot line." said Artemis smirking, he looked back the man was still following them. Artemis turned and kept walking, wrong move he walked right into a dead end. He turned around and shut down the laptop putting it in it's carrying case.

The man walked up to them Artemis tensed, he had always had Butler around for these things of course he had no idea where Butler was now. Artemis stood in front of Holly he knew Holly was a trained LEP officer, but even he knew she would be of no use against this six foot giant. "What do you want?" Artemis asked icily recalling his former scare tactics from when he was younger.

The man laughed "All I want is your money, the laptop, and the girl." Great thought Artemis a mugger and a creep. "And what if I said no." He said defiantly Artemis's face went emotionless and he smiled his vampire like smile at the man. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to take it by force."

The man moved forward, Artemis looked for any weakness he could hit maybe the shins he thought. Artemis ran toward the man and kicked him in the shins, the man flinched then picked him up my the shoulders "Was that suppose to hurt boy?" Artemis kept a blank face carefully. When he saw the right chance he swung the laptop to Holly

"Run Holly I will catch up with you." he said "But Artemis I can help you." "No I can't take the chance of you getting hurt." Artemis looked away as a sudden blush crept up his neck. Holly paused then ran with the laptop. The man watched her run past him "It doesn't matter boy I will still find them, after I finish off with you."

Artemis vainly tugged at the hands holding his shoulders even with his sudden growth spurt the man was still taller than him. Finally Artemis tried the last possible thing he could think of, he banged his head into the mans skull "Ow" Both said at the same time the mans grip loosened and Artemis pulled away and tried to run behind the man

"Not so fast you pest." Said the man "Your too much trouble." He banged Artemis against the brick wall. Artemis could feel blood rushing down his head, well at least he had bought Holly some time then he thought whats with people and banging me against walls?

Then Artemis fell into a slight sleep. The man Walked to his car and opened the trunk and threw Artemis in then closed it. He then walked off in the direction the girl had run off too. He walked faster until he heard light footsteps, Gotcha he thought. As he turned a corner and trapped the girl in a passage way.

Holly ran down several different passage ways until she reached a dead end. She heard footsteps behind her. Uh-oh she thought, She tried to turn around but before she could turn around a hand grabbed her and presses her temples. She felt a lot of pain then went limp. As easy as pie thought the mugger playfully he walked over to his car And got some rope and tied and gagged the girl and threw her in the back seat. He got in the drivers side and drove away, in to the Irish country side.

(Authors note)

Several people asked me to make the sentences separated so I did it for those readers. I'm Probably going to have another chapter up tomorrow because I'm on a roll today. I'm getting more into A/H now and I'm also getting closer to the end of the plot, but don't worry there's still plenty more of the story to go.