Still Fowl Manor

Sometime during the late afternoon

Artemis closed down his computer and stretched. After yawning he looked to his left. An old Italian painting was mounted on the wall. Getting up from the chair he was sitting he walked over to it. Making sure no one was around he grabbed the frame and removed it from the wall, behind the painting was a small safe. Rather cliché, Artemis would admit, but as the old saying went, 'if it wasn't broke, don't fix it' and the painting was definitely able to hide the safe successfully. The frame was led lined so scanners couldn't detect the safe behind it. Nobody knew about the safe except for Artemis and Butler. And only Artemis knew the value of what lay inside the safe.

Artemis quickly dialed in the combination to unlock the safe. There was a click as the safe opened. Artemis reached inside and pulled out the object the safe contained. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the object. He stayed standing in that spot for several minutes. Finally he nodded to himself as if confirming something. Hesitantly he replaced the object back into the safe. However his hand stayed locked onto the object. Artemis gritted his teeth and after a second his hand released the object. He quickly closed the safe and took a deep breath. That was when Butler came in.

"Artemis!?" He exclaimed. The genius was sweating lightly and was panting. Artemis took another deep breath and stood up straight.

"I'm fine Butler," He said after he had regained himself. Butler looked at him.

"You didn't…?"

"I had to," Artemis interrupted, "I know now I can't unlock it. At least, not by myself, I need magic," Butler nodded.

"So I guess it's time then," Artemis nodded his head and walked back over to his computer.

"It's time to make the call,"

Haven: LEP Headquarters

Holly spun around in the chair once more. As she slowed down she stifled a yawn. She was, for lack of anything better to do, once again hanging out in the operations booth. Crime underground had taken a dive lately so only a few officers were sent out on patrol. She wasn't the only one bored in LEP. As she had been walking to the Operations Booth she had seen a few officers asleep at their desks. Sighing she spun around in the chair again. Foaly glanced at her.

"What, Is Holly Short bored now that she doesn't have Goblins to shoot at, Crazy Pixies to chase, or Mud-boys to fawn over?" Holly glared at him.

"What was that last one?" She hissed.

"Nothing," Foaly said quickly as he turned back to the computers.

"That's what I thought," Holly grumbled behind him. Foaly smirked. A minute passed. Holly sighed again out of boredom. Foaly turned back around.

"If you're so bored why don't you go do something?" He said to her.

"Like what?" She asked tiredly.

"Well, instead of wearing down my chairs why don't you go to the shooting range, or call a friend even,"

"Call a friend?"

"Right," Foaly smirked, "Ms. Workaholic doesn't have many friends. Well, why don't you call Artemis, I'm sure he 'd be happy to hear from you,"

"Mud boy's been busy apparently, he hasn't answered my calls for the last three days, " She said.

"And exactly how many times have you tried to call him for the past three days?" Foaly said smirking. Holly glared at him.

"Woah, take it easy, just asking.," Foaly said.

Geez, she never got this angry when I teased her about this before…

"Well whatever, if you want to be all antisocial that's fine. Just don't break any of my AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" As Foaly had been talking he had turned back to his computers, which now held Artemis's face on it, much to Foaly's surprise.

"Hey," Artemis said, amusement on his face as he watched Foaly hyperventilate.

"D'arvit Fowl! Don't do that!" Foaly said. Artemis shrugged.

"Sorry, next time I'll knock first," He said sarcastically.

"What do you want," Foaly said, regaining himself.

"I was…wondering if you could send Holly up for a bit," Holly's boredom suddenly flew out the window but she didn't say anything. It seemed that Artemis hadn't noticed her yet. Foaly broke out in a huge grin.

"What Fowl, Are you asking her out on a date or something?" He smirked. If looks could kill, Foaly would be dead. Twice…Because Holly was giving him the same look Artemis was.

"No…"Artemis hissed, clearly struggling to hold back a retort, "I need a shot of magic," Foaly blinked.

"Magic?" he repeated, "Why?"

"If I wanted you to know, I would have told you," Now it was Foaly's turn to glare while Artemis smirked.

"Look, just know that I need Holly up here," Artemis said.

"You need me huh?" Holly said, stepping in view of the screen. She smirked, "How sweet," Artemis's eyes widened slightly as Holly appeared but he quickly regained himself.

"Oh, Holly, you're there,"

"So what's up Mud boy?" She asked, "Why do you need some magic?" Artemis opened his mouth but no words came out.

"I…"He trailed off, "…can't tell you yet," He finished.

"What?" Holly said, raising an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Several reasons," He replied. He raised a finger, "One, I don't want him to know about it yet," He said pointing at Foaly.

"Hey!" Foaly shouted angrily.

"And two," He said, raising another finger, "It involves the secrecy of The People," He said with a serious face. Holly and Foaly eye's widened slightly.

"I believe the Peoples secrecy may be in jeopardy," Artemis told them. Holly looked at him.

"Is…this about Opal?" She asked. Artemis shook his head.

"No, However, it may prove to be just as dangerous," He explained.

"What do you mean?" Foaly asked.

"Like I said, I can't tell you,"

"Look Fowl, if you know the People are in danger, you need to spit it out!" Holly said.

"That's the thing, I don't' know," Artemis replied, "and I won't until I get magic," Foaly and Holly just looked at him.

"What are you doing Fowl?" Holly asked, confused. Artemis sighed and muttered something like 'I can't believe I have to explain this'.

"LEP code requires you to report anything that may jeopardize the People's secrecy, immediately, no matter how insignificant," Holly nodded. The Peoples secrecy was taken very seriously. They could take no chances about being discovered.

Artemis continued, "The People might be in danger. Might, as it is I don't know. It's fifty-fifty either way, So there is a chance I'm wrong and the People will be fine, and I won't be responsible for causing panic in Haven just because I gave you a bad piece of information." Artemis said. Foaly nodded. It made since, if they reported false information and caused an uprising in Haven, well, that would be a good way to piss a lot of people off.

"So you work around the rules so you don't break them, that's new for you," Foaly said. Artemis ignored him.

"Holly, if you come up here I'll be able to find out for sure if the People are in danger, but I need your magic to do so," He said. Holly thought for a moment. After a second she nodded.

"Alright, I'll come up," She said, "But I'll have to talk to Trouble first," Artemis nodded.

"Good, see you soon," He cut the transmission. As Artemis's face disappeared from the screen Foaly turned to Holly.

"Well, it looks like you won't be bored anymore," Foaly said. Holly nodded.

"But since when is that ever a good thing?" She asked.