While I apologize for the really long wait…I had my reasons. *school* Anyway, hope his chapter makes up for it…*winces* On the bright side..I MET EOIN COLFER!

"It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important."
―Arthur Conan Doyle,The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

"Artemis, this better be good."

"Oh. I have no doubt that you will be able to convince your superiors that this is important. Drop the fact that Cayne facilities is involved and don't mention me, say that a..ah..person without a book is being held there. If they still don't give the green light, say Opal Koboi and I guarantee you will be on the first supersonic shuttle to Ireland."

John held Artemis's gaze. The teenager had been throwing cautious glances his way during the entirety of the phone call, as if he were skirting around something. With a start, John recalled the sixty-seven page packet of crimes that Interpol suspected him of.

He probably did have something to hide.

…..

John jumped slightly as the door opened while the car was moving. He glanced sharply at Artemis, whose only reaction was to briefly look up. He looked at Butler, who was driving. He had no reaction, except to re-lock the door after a small person climbed in. He wondered if he should just stop asking questions like "Are you sure that was vaguely safe," or anything at all along those lines.

Artemis merely looked up at the girl, and smiled. A soft smile, not the ones dripping with arrogance that had been sent John's way. "Holly," he greeted.

The individual who had pulled herself into the vehicle yanked off her helmet and shook out a bob of auburn hair. She was outfitted in a blue* jumpsuit that was plain, with the exception of an acorn insignia and a small gun. Small gun for a small person. She was tiny, a midget, but was clearly in shape. She turned to him after nodding in Artemis's direction. "So, this is the 'other captain' you mentioned on the phone." She held out her hand. "Captain Holly Short."

He took the hand. "Captain John Watson." He checked out her outft. "Very Star Trek. I like it."

She smiled at him. And looked at his outfit, trying to find something to say. "Nice sweater..very.."

"Fluffy oatmeal?" Artemis interjected.

She glared at him. "Comfy looking."

John didn't know whether to be offended or laugh.

Artemis cleared his throat. "Seems we are all acquainted." He turned his computer toward both of them as Holly reached for a chilled water. "Mr. Holmes is being held in Cayne facilities, about twenty minutes from here. If my hypothesis is correct, he is most likely posing as a relative of mine while being held by Opal Koboi." He sighed a not her again sigh. "She is trying to avoid using technology herself, so she cannot be picked up by any sensors. So, it is mostly her pet idiots working the tech for her. The only thing I found of Sherlock's that he left was this pip," at this he held his palm flat, displaying the melon seed.

John practically leapt out of his seat. "Why didn't you show this to me earlier?" There was only one word for how he felt. Pissed. Pissed about being purposely left in the dark by Artemis. "It would have been nice to know about this earlier. Do I have to give you a similar lecture to the one I gave Sherlock? Being smarter than everyone else does not give to the right to withhold these kinds of things. Because even if you meant no harm by not telling me about this, it could have very well cost us our lives if I had never found out about this, if we had stormed ahead thinking we were only dealing with this Koboi person." The usually mild-mannered Doctor spat out the next words. "This melon seed is something only I would have gotten. To quote Sherlock, this is about to get uglier than Anderson's face. It means Moriarty is involved too."

There was a beat of silence as the good doctor regained his breath.

There was another beat of silence as a look of mild horror arranged itself on Artemis's face.

The next few seconds were filled with everyone in the car straitening everything out because everything in the Bentley tilted when Butler slammed on the breaks.

Butler whipped his head around. "Are you sure," he said giving John the this-better-not-be-a-joke-because-if-it-is-every-c haracter-in -300-was-based-on-my-childhood-and-I-will-prove-it -with-your-body-look.

John nodded, glad that someone got the severity of the situation.

Holly spoke into a tiny headset. "Foaly, give me everything we have on someone named Moriarty."

The response came on via the car's speakers. "Searching…okaaay...let's see..Sending Artemis the relevant files. Wanted for…"

Holly watched Artemis download a particularly big file. "Wanted for what, Foaly?"

Foaly's voice was laced with horror. "Holly, if this isn't really important, get out NOW..I'm just skimming his record….Oh my God."

Before she even read the file, Foaly's lack of chatter spoke volumes.

Artemis passed her the laptop screen. Holly pursed her lips and started to scroll. For a long while, everyone was silent.

….

John jabbed a picture that Artemis presented. "Him. We just arrested him.."

Artemis brought up the stats that went with the picture, He had pulled up people that were known to work with Opal Koboi and Moriarty. In Opal's case, he just brought up accomplices that could pass as human.

John continued. "A woman was found dead, and the yard asked Sherlock what he thought happened. I remember, he was so frustrated because he never figured out the exact cause of death, except that whatever it was, the woman had signs of burns, but the burn was on the back of her head, and the woman had broken both of her arms. The angle made it look like a ten-foot person did it. Nevertheless, Sherlock found out who it was. One of Moriarty's right hand men, Sebastian Moran. He was taken away by Anderson though…funny, no one has made mention of an escape."

Holly frowned. "The records that Foaly gave me matching this photo are of the same person, but they have him listed as ex-LEP Major James Hayes. He was confirmed to be helping Opal Koboi, used to be a recon sharpshooter.

Artemis clapped his hands together. "There is the connection. James Hayes, or Sebastian Moran, whichever he wants to call himself. He works for both of them. Likely Sherlock recognized his kidnapper and dropped the seed before he was taken." He checked his phone, mind mentally thinking up their advantages. Then he groaned. "I forgot to send my school an excuse for my absence."

It suddenly occurred to John that Artemis was a teenager. A kid. Someone who grew up too fast.

For a moment, he wanted to know why he couldn't know normal, tall, people.

John adopted the look that adorned his face whenever Sherlock started talking. "Yeah, how did he disappea-"

Artemis brutally interrupted him, "Butler, are we at Cayne's yet?"

"About two more minutes."

"How many speed limits have you broken getting there?"

"…About ten."

"Not enough. Break more," said Artemis and Holly in unison.

…..

The four of them stood outside a steel warehouse-like building that seemed like it should be covered in the middle of summer. It was tall, grey, abandoned and ominous. Artemis regarded the building as a second home. He walked up, and pushed the door open, before he was shoved aside by Butler in case there were traps. John drew his pistol, as did Holly. After Butler gave the all-clear sign, all four inched forward. Artemis, weirdly, had his cell phone out, muttering something about tiles and pads. Butler automatically took point and John covered the back, while Holly covered Artemis in an unspoken agreement.

The two of them seemed to have an enormous amount of chemistry. John was curious how much Holly knew about Artemis and his criminal background, or how much her co-workers knew about Artemis. During the half-hour car ride- he had been aching to ask about the status of their relationship. They were perfectly balanced polar opposites.

A door appeared, that led into Opal's shuttle. Holly gave the shuttle an once-over. Big, gray. Like the warehouse. In fact, you might think it was part of the shuttle.

Butler tapped the door, and slid open without a whisper.

Opal was waiting for them. She was leaning across a couch in a large room. She grinned, catlike at Artemis.

He grinned confidently back.

Artemis's image flickered.

"Confidence is ignorance. If you're feeling cocky, it's because there's something you don't know."
―Eoin Colfer,Artemis Fowl

*Colfer keeps the LEP uniform green in all the books except for 5 and 7. So, since this is post AC, it is blue.