Artemis couldn't quite believe what was happening to him. He stared at the large man sitting next to him, undetected by his equally large bodyguard, Butler, who sat across from him scoping out the small coffee shop. The man had appeared as if from nowhere and was dressed in a white suit with a wispy white beard spilling down his front. The large man grinned at Artemis. Artemis didn't even try to return the smile but sat in his seat blinking at the man.
Artemis turned to his protector. "Er…Butler?"
Butler turned to his disturbed charge and frowned slightly. He didn't even glance at the chuckling man but focused instead on his charge's distressed expression.
"What's wrong, Artemis?" asked Butler. His hand was already creeping toward his inner pocket, the same pocket that held his Sig Sauer.
"Nothing, old friend," muttered Artemis. The man had stopped laughing and now graced Artemis with a smile. Artemis scowled.
"Artemis Fowl, seventeen year-old Irish genius and millionaire. I've been told that you've decided to walk a less…crooked path and help others instead of just yourself. Congrats for cleaning up your act. Let me introduce myself. I am Gabriel, God's right hand angel. And…I'm here to recruit, you." Gabriel snatched his hat off and did a little flourish with it during his pause.
Artemis couldn't help but scoff. Does this man really expect for me to believe that he's an angel?
The man snapped his fingers and the world seemed to stop as if someone had pressed the pause button. Butler had been reaching across the table to feel Artemis' forehead but was instead frozen over the table, arm outstretched. People were frozen in mid-step. A clumsy cashier who was about to spill soda all over a young woman stared in permanent shock at the soda frozen in mid-air that was about to splash all over the young woman's very expensive shirt. Artemis began getting up but an invisible force gently (although a bit firmly) pushed him back into his seat. The man stared deeply into Artemis' eyes and Artemis couldn't help but feel …imperfect, under his gaze.
"Artemis Fowl, you are needed elsewhere," breathed the angel. Then…nothing.
Quinn dragged herself to the corner store and grunted a 'hello' to the shop's owner, Abdul. Abdul smiled and said nothing. He knew when to speak and when not to speak. Judging from the wrinkled black sweats, messy hair and baggy eyes…it was not time to speak. Quinn picked up a large bag of potato chips, cookies, a pint of ice-cream and all six different kinds of Starburst (Original, Baja California Fruit, Tropical, Sour, Berries & Creme and Strawberry Mix). She handed Abdul a crumpled up ten dollar bill and didn't even bother to take the change.
She walked home at a snail's pace. People gave her a wide berth. No one wanted to get close to the obviously PMSing teen.
"Stupid Robert," muttered Quinn. She was already unraveling the wrapping of a strawberry Starburst. "Stupid mother. Stupid Artemis. He thinks he's so smart. All he is, is a big, fat, ugly, jerk-face with nothing better to do than to sit down and analyze stuff. 'Oh! You just use me to point out things you see yourself.' What a joke! I just want to take that head and…darn it!"
Quinn had crushed the cookie that was making its way to her mouth. "Dumb Artemis!"
Quinn felt a tap on her shoulder. She whirled around and stumbled backwards at the menacing scowl on the vampire boy's face. His skin was unusually pale and made even paler when compared to his glossy, black hair that fell neatly in swoops tucked behind his ears. He was in a suit, which was strange considering he didn't look any older than sixteen or seventeen and the uniform for that age group was a t-shirt and baggy jeans.
"I would appreciate it if you would stop insulting me within my hearing range, thank you," he said curtly. He fixed her with a piercing look. "You must be Quinn."
"Look, I don't have any money," said Quinn backing off. "So just leave me alone…okay?"
The boy rolled his eyes. "I need you to come with me…"
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Perverted Son O' Dracula! I may look small but I'm a black belt. If you touch me, I swear I'll go Xena Warrior Princess on you. Look, I've had a really rough day so if you try to drag me into any dark alleys…"
"Whoa!" Artemis held up a hand while using his other one to massage his temples. "Let's get one thing straight, I wouldn't want to do anything with you. Just the look of you would scare anyone away. I just want…"
Artemis hadn't even seen it coming. The large bag filled with miscellaneous junk food collided with his head, making lights go off and on. The pain didn't stop there but went even further when Quinn's sneaker connected with his knee. Artemis was on the floor looking up at a miffed red-head.
"And what exactly is wrong with me?" Quinn tossed her short braid of hair over her shoulder and glared at the boy. "Just because I'm a little chubby and don't look like a rip off of a Barbie doll, I'm instantly rejected. Even by creepy little perverts liek you…I'm out of here."
Artemis wanted to point out that the girl wasn't 'a little bit chubby' but thought it unwise to say so in his current position on the sidewalk. He groaned as he sat up to glare at the retreating back of the young girl.
"Instead of acting like an immature, paranoid little brat, just hear me out, Quinn!"
Quinn paused in mid-step, turned without putting her foot down and glared venomously at Artemis. "Fine, pervert. You've got five seconds and counting."
"Thank you," said Artemis, standing up and brushing himself off. He limped over to Quinn and said in a low voice, "My name's Artemis Fowl and this might sound a little crazy. I come from an entirely different universe than yours and I've been dragged here by some 'angel' or so he called himself and I can't leave until I help with some sort of problem. I was told to find you and figure out the rest on my own but…where are you going?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't deal with psychos," shot Quinn over her shoulder. And for a 'little chubby' girl, she sure could run fast.
Artemis began a mantra in his head as he followed the red-head. MustnotlosemytemperandImustremaincalm. MustnotlosemytemperandImustremaincalm. MustnotlosemytemperandImustremaincalm…
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