Author Notes:Gosh, I'm sorry for not posting this sooner. I had began writing it, and then forgot about it, and then soon forgot about the entire project. It was a couple reviews that reminded me that I was working on this, so thank you for that. Another short one. I'm exhausted of writing large chapters - it happens after you've begun your second novel...
Chapter 4: Phoning an Old Friend
Fowl Manor
"No, Myles, get back. He needs as much sleep as he can get." The distant voices of a concerned father numbly reached Artemis's ears. He could hear things... but he couldn't see them. He tried, desperately, to open his eyes, but it was of no use. The gas that Foaly had given Artemis was still in affect.
"Nor you, Beckett. Come, now. I expect he'll be better in the morning." Footsteps now. Three pairs of them, Artemis could tell, but one pair wasn't quite the same. It was his father's fake leg. The door shut. He was alone, with his thoughts. No one to keep him company but himself. But that didn't seem to bother him too much. Artemis had plenty of things on his mind. He should have had enough thoughts to keep him busy for a long while... and then. Voices again. This time, outside the door.
"Ship them off to bed, will you?" Artemis's mother whispered.
"Let them have their fun, Angeline."
There was no reply. Clearly, she was glaring at him.
"On second thought... I'll have Juliet look into it." Two more footsteps of his father. He was leaving, but then stopped at the sound of a horrid noise.
Angeline coughed, a most horrific cough. It sounded so horrible that one could imagine her lungs simply flying out of her own chest. Just the noise alone almost gave Artemis his strength back - just enough to be able to run outside and give her a large hug. But alas, it didn't, and Artemis was still confined to his bed.
"Ridiculous." Master Fowl muttered under his breath. "The doctors can't seem to tell what this is. A bunch of rubbish. They're just not trying, I'm sure."
"Shhh." Angeline whispered. Her voice was now raspy. "Let my little Arty sleep. I don't want him to wake up after his visit to New York."
New York? Artemis thought to himself. He hadn't visited New York in ages... Unless... The faeries must of had made it seem as if he had.
"He's been knocked out since his arrival. It was so kind of Butler to pick him up for us."
More coughing.
"Angeline, you need rest too."
"No, I'll be fine."
She coughed again, just as bad as the first one.
"No," replied Master Fowl, his voice tense and scared. "You're not okay. Nothing about this is okay! We're being threatened to be evicted from the house and now this..." His voice cracked. "I swear, I'm going to do what ever it takes to heal you. Even if the cost is my life."
"Artemis," Angeline's voice was rough and stern. "Do not talk like that! Myles and Beckett need you, and so does Artemis."
Master Fowl mumbled. Artemis heard the shuffle of their soft feet, and then they were gone.
A cold pit hit Artemis's stomach. He had known that his mother was sick, she had been for a few months. But whenever he addressed the matter, his parents simply brushed it aside as if it were no big deal. They had been lying to him! And they hadn't told him anything about being evicted from the house. But had how all of those details slipped past Artemis? He sighed again, realizing what it was. He had spent much too long with Minerva at the Chateau, and for what? She no longer remembered anything that had happened. To her, Artemis was still an enemy.
Artemis blinked. Colour suddenly filled his vision, and then his eyes began to ache. It passed, quickly, and when it was over, his sight was restored. A few more minutes passed, and he then gained control over his body. He sat upright in his bed.
He was full of questions, but e wouldn't be able to take them to his parents. They knew nothing about anything. But they had said that Butler had brought him home from New York. Could that have been true, or was it a false memory the LEP implanted into his parents' minds?
Artemis reached onto his night desk and hastily grabbed the phone, pressing down the familiar numbers. The other end rang and then...
"It's about time,"
"It's good to talk to you too, old friend." Artemis smiled.
"I know why you called," Butler sighed.
"Continue,"
Artemis
could hear the faint sounds of Butler shifting in his seat. "I
told you that I was done. I didn't want to hear of the
Fairies
again."
"Sorry, Butler, but you know me. I always have to get involved." Artemis smiled but then scowled. "Do you know anything about what's been happening to my family?"
Butler didn't reply.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"They only just told me when I dropped you off. I hardly know anything."
"Do you know that we're being threatened with eviction?"
"Yes,"
"Then you know more than I do." Artemis sighed and rubbed his temples with his two fingers. "How come this is happening?"
"I don't know too much about your mother, but I do know about the eviction. Your father was spending an awful lot of money on finding a cure for your mother. He didn't get near enough to go in debt, but it was certainly a large amount. Then, your stocks fell, and then, without warning, it was as if your money just vanished."
Artemis's face scrunched in anger. "Someone stole our money? That's impossible! It's nearly impossible to get past the bank's security!"
"No one know what happened, Artemis. All we know is that your family's now in debt."
Artemis threw himself back onto his bed, still confused. "Only one thing could get into that vault..."
"I doubt it Artemis. I met with Foaly when he called me up and told me to take you home. He was very clear that his kind doesn't want to mingle with you any further. What reason would a fairy have to steal your money?"
"I can think of five and a half reasons..."
"I don't think that's what it is, Artemis. It would be wise that you don't look too much into this." Butler warned.
"No, no, my old friend. I'm going to get to the bottom of this."
"Artemis..." Butler growled.
"I'll be as silent as I possibly can. I'll just phone up a few people..."
"And what if a fairy did steal your fortune? What are you going to do then? If you're going to pursue after all of this, you'll eventually shake the fairy community."
"Butler, my mother is dying, and we're being threatened out of our house. I'm not going to stand and watch everything crumble before my eyes!"
"Well then," Butler growled, reluctantly, "I guess you're going to need some help."
"My, my, Butler," Artemis mused, "I didn't even ask. I thought you were 'done.'"
"I thought I was too."
"You couldn't stay away from all of excitement, I take it?"
"Something like that."
"Perfect. And while we're at it, we might as well get Juliet on the case as well."
"Let me tell her," Butler requested. "She's been cranky lately."
"Of course,"
"I can't believe we're doing this." Butler groaned. "When do we start?"
"Right after I make a couple more phone calls..."
Additional Notes:Again, reviews and rating are always welcomed, and they are what reminds me about this and what keeps me motivated to continue. If no one cared, then I wouldn't. And sorry for the short chapters. I doubt any will be too long, but there should be a nice bit to keep the story strolling. So again, please review and rate. :D
