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Holly Stood before the massive desk, nervous. Though, for once, it wasn't over the room's other occupant. She was maybe nine centimeters taller than the desk. Being in Fowl Manor made her feels small, more so than in other human dwellings. It was just so big. Everything was oversized to emphasize the family's wealth and power. And over sizing to a fairy was different than over sizing to a human.

The master of the house (and desk) was tall too. Nothing like his manservant. Artemis was slim, and fairly fit in comparison to what he had been in his early teen years. He could hold his own. After declaring that there would be no more dangerous missions, Butler suggested he take some defense lessons. "Sometimes that big brain be of no help to you, except maybe as a shield." The mudboy still couldn't whip Holly, but that wasn't the objective.

Mudboy. It had been a while since the term really applied to him, but "Mudman" just didn't sound right. Artemis was still very much a boy, though he was aging rather quickly. Well, he was human. They were nearly the same age now, physically. He was nearing 24, and she was roughly 26, having just celebrated her 100th birthday two years ago. The years had flown. A decade ago Holly believed that humans were barely different than the dirty creatures they had spawned from, and the People would be able to hold them back from the ground for at least another millennia. How wrong she was.

"Artemis, I'm afraid I have some bad new." She began after the initial greetings subsided. "One of the sisters-"

"Is Tara. I know." The young man said, examining his fingernails, seemingly bored. His mouth pulled up on the corners. Obviously this was a great amusement to him. Ah, but tricking the People always was. "Old news, Major."

"Bu-wha-I…You!" She spluttered, sounding like Root for a brief moment. Artemis watched, pleased. Holly lost for words was a humorous sight, though not rare when she was in the presence of the Great Artemis Fowl II.

"How did you know? " She finally demanded. "Did you hack it again? Bug a helmet?" The returning smirk was the only reply she needed. " You knew all along, didn't you? It takes us months and here you had it! Was it before you met her, or when we came to you for help? Is that why she's here?"

"No, actually." He admitted. "I have known for a while. Though, not until after I met her, and shortly following your visit asking for aid.. She's here only because I want her to be. It has nothing to do with you."

"How did you know?"

"It was the fact they stole from De Beers, who is notorious for their diamonds. And their ruthless protection of them. About five years ago there was another theft, of one of the hardest diamond in the world. It was large, pricey, but not really expected to sell. When it occurred to me that the only thing sharp enough to cut through that glass was diamond I check for any stolen that night. The thieves could have created a power tool to saw through the case from one of De Beers's own stones. Nothing of that nature came up in the report, but a story about the Secret service agent we had found came up, talking about his knife, which had a device in the handle that acted as a motor to move the blade, causing friction-"

"I don't want the inner workings, just the summery." Holly interrupted.

Artemis glanced up, annoyed. He hated interruptions. "The device plans aren't easily found, his daughters have the only copies. I think they rebuilt the device, stole the diamond and waited to come back to De Beers. From what I've seen, most of their larcenies have been to companies with bad reputations, usually involving environmental things, unfair wages, or child slavery. It's seen as blackmail. De Beers would qualify with their requirements."

"Noble cause or not, they still have it. "

"Yes."

"Why haven't you stopped them? Contacted us?"

"I'm not done."

"What then?"

"The agent's, their father, was named Gavin Iver."

That rang a bell. Foaly had mentioned the spy. He was known for his brilliant work. But that wasn't what stopped Holly's breath.

"She's using her father's name?" Holly gasped. "Why? As-as revenge to you? What did you do Artemis?"

"Nothing, Holly. It's not the name, but whom she's related to. The famous spy. Foaly." The young man commanded. "Find the file containing the Iver information."

"Yessir." Came the centaur's quick reply, along with the clacking of keys coming from the speakers on Holly's helmet.

"Artemis." Holly said as they waited. "You're dating…I mean, this is so you. If anyone were to date the suspect…"

"She's not a bad person." Artemis said wearily. "They only take from the big operations who can more than spare it. They donate to good charities, most of the time over half of what they scored. They haven't hurt anyone. It was an accident. They didn't purposely get involved in the People like I did. It was a mistake."

Holly considered this. True, they were not dangerous in themselves, but with the topaz…

"Which one are you dating?"

"Sophia." The name was beautiful. Greek, meaning "wisdom". Perfect. It even went with his own name. The hunter and the wise one. A good combination, in his book.

"Yeah, I thought it was that one. She seemed your type." Holly murmured, still a bit sore that Artemis had beaten the LEP again in the information game.

Foaly spoke. "Gavin Iver. Killed in a mob he was trying to calm, though by a sniper in one of the surrounding buildings. That was nearly five years ago. Awarded with several million pounds by the Queen for service to the M15. He wasn't exclusively theirs, he hired himself out to both them and the CIA. Was in hiding for a while, then got back out, with only him and the kids, his wife died while they were still under. Left the girls a tidy sum, though that knife you were talking about disappeared when he hit the ground. His girls take after their father. They're very good at disguises. We have on record only 12 confirmed case, though about 20 more suspected. The gods know how many unexplained they've done as well."

Holly turned back to Artemis. "Yes. She's most certainly your type."

"Holly?" He said abruptly. "How do you ask someone to marry you?" Leaning back he retrieved the black box from his pocket flipping it open and eyeing its contents.

"How should I know?" Holly replied, distracted. "It was Trouble who asked. I didn't have the guts."

"You can stand to fly pieces of cheap tin on magma flares, yet you can't ask your boyfriend of a half decade to tie the knot?" He demanded.

"Yeah. Uh-huh."

"Holly?" Then he noticed her earpiece on and intent expression on her face, staring off into the distance, eyes wide. Lunging, he grabbed the second earpiece into time to hear Foaly say:

"Hey, Mudboy, I'll have you know those 'pieces of cheap tin' have saved your scrawny ass multiple times. Keep up the tech insults and I might not invite you to my wedding-"

"Not now Foaly! Focus on what you were saying—the thing about the force crew?"

Foaly must have switched on the speaker, thinking Artemis wasn't connected. The ego mantic centaur was now loud and clear.

"I was tellin' you that Birch sent a recon team up when he heard Sect 8 found the gem's keepers."

"Sophia." Artemis went pale.

"No, Mudboy, they're headed to the apartment."

"Are they on a no-fire order?"

"No, actually. They were told any means possible. Including mesmer."

"Idiot." Holly hissed. Birch was new blood, Arc Stool's nephew. Much like his uncle. New, inexperienced, an army-wannbe, all action no disciple, Holly was happy he wasn't anywhere near her, though he was Commander in Trouble's unit. Recon. Possibly the worst job the council could have given him. He took his Uncle's advice blindly, though there hadn't been any major issues. Yet.

Suddenly, the slam of a door broke her train of though. Holly's head snapped to the left, where the doors were, but nothing had changed. Meanwhile Artemis stood crossing to the niche to the right, what looked to be a reading space, blocked from Holly's view by bookcases.

She followed behind, and stopped abruptly at seeing the slim door, still reverberating from the force of the slam. Artemis flung it open with what must have been equal force, taking off down the stairs. He had seen a flash of orange hurrying down before him. Sophia.

"SOPHIA!" He yelled, but there was no answer and no return. She was gone to save Sasha. He wouldn't catch her. Turning back around he passed Holly without a sound, racing to the intercom, barking for Juliet.

"I don't care what you are doing, you need to stop her! Now! It's life or death, Juliet."

He swung back round to face the fairy before him. "Holly, do this for me, head them off. Or get Sophia out of the way, bring her here." Artemis ordered. "Vinyaya will approve. Please."

"Of course."

"Hell yeah, she hates Birch, something about being-" The centaur started, not know what had just taken place.

"Just find a way to help, Foaly. Holly will fill you in."

"Right, Mudboy."

"What are the chance of them opening lethal fire?"

"Ah…likely. He sent rookies. Trigger happy ones. She's also got a bad chance at being subjected to mesmer, they've just juices up and are high to use their magic. And there have been recent cases…. "

"What Foaly?!"

"Birch is a human hater. Like Abbot, only stupider." The centaur explained. "He would do anything to kill one of you. Lately, cases of human suicide on a lot of Recon cases involving his unit. No one has been blamed, but the rates are up so much…it's only a matter of time before he's sack, Artemis. But not tonight."

"Holly, go!" Artemis roared. "Foaly, try to delay the pod."

"Yes, Bossman." Foaly muttered. It was like the old day, working for Root. Temperamental bosses. Was the centaur ever lucky?

Artemis went for the door. Maybe he could reach Sasha before the fairies could, before even Sophia. He could lure Sophia back to the Manor with her sibling. Unless she was greedy enough to try and save the rock.

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I am soooooo sorry this took so long. I was gone, and my beta had some emergencies. Unfortuantly, she had to quit. So chapter 25 was the last chapter with good grammar. Sorry, my darlings.

On the bright side, I am nearly completely done. Everything besides 39 and 40 is done, typed…just not edited. That's what I'm doing tonight. Expect everything up to 39 this next week. But I must warn you, school is starting on the 14th. Ah, who knows, I might get this sucker done by then!!

Sorry again. Please review.

Dania