Hi everyone! Sorry once again for the delay. Been busy the past few days. Just to fill you all in briefly (in case you didn't already know), I found my wedding dress on Sunday, Monday I had to have my 19 year old cat put down, and today I finally got a job. So it's been a topsy turvy week, and I'm ready for my week long vacation in two weeks. Anyhow, with that job my time for writing will be cut shorter, so please be patient with me and my uploads. I hope you enjoy this chapter and it's 3 short POV changes. =P

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The Chicago skyline was lit up just like it was any other night. However, as Jon Spiro stared out over the city from his desk, he knew better. This was no ordinary night. This was the night all of his plan would come together. It was only a matter of time before Artemis showed up with the C Cube. Victory was so close, Spiro could almost taste it. This time, Artemis wasn't getting out of here so easy, at least not before giving Spiro what he wanted- if not more.

He glanced away from the window, instead taking a glimpse of the monitor on Diana's cell. The girl hadn't moved since she had gotten off the phone with Artemis. He wasn't quite sure what was said between the two of them, but whatever it was surely didn't get her hopes up. Spiro smirked. It made him glad to see her so depressed. Someone needed to know what it felt like to be defeated, to be humiliated. Even though Diana had nothing to do with the problems Spiro had had with Artemis, he knew somehow that Artemis was probably feeling rather foolish as well. The businessman snickered to himself. Everything was working in his favor for once.

Spiro turned away from the monitor, somewhat spinning in his chair so he could face his bodyguard who sat quietly on the other side of the room. "Isn't this just wonderful, Arno?" Spiro questioned, almost gleefully.

The large muscular man raised an eyebrow to his employer. "If you consider everything, I suppose so."

"You suppose?" Spiro hissed. "What could be better than getting revenge? Especially on someone like Fowl?" He paused for a moment before adding, "You can't possibly tell me that you're not looking forward to getting even with Butler." Spiro was sure that was going to set off a fire inside Arno. He remembered how Artemis' more professional and inconspicuous bodyguard had gotten the better of Arno on their last meeting.

"Butler," Arno spat, running one of his hands through his now much shorter hair. "He doesn't stand a chance this time. I promise you that."

"And as for Arty?" Spiro raised a questioning eyebrow at Arno.

Arno Blunt smirked, showing off one of his most recent sets of replacement teeth. He had several different sets made after he had all of his teeth shattered during a sonic blast during the last encounter with Artemis Fowl. "He'll get what's coming for him. And his little girlfriend too."

Spiro frowned slightly. "Now, now Arno. We mustn't lose our temper with Diana," he cautioned. "At least not until we have what we want from Fowl."

Arno rolled his eyes. "Well if that's the case, he should hurry up. Her lip is starting to annoy me."

That got Spiro curious. He hadn't exactly seen Diana say anything terribly smart since she had been there. What could she have possibly said to Arno that would make him so irritated with her? "Did she say something?" he inquired.

"Just that she hates her room, her bed, and the food," Arno muttered. "She should be lucky she has that much. In prison they don't give you half of that."

"Depends on where you go to prison, Arno," Spiro reminded. "Remember... most prisoners have it better than a lot of others in this country."

Arno didn't speak for several moments, as if he were debating how long it would take to dispose of Diana after this incident was all said and done. "Fowl should definitely speed up the process. It doesn't take long for someone to get from Flint to Chicago by plane."

Spiro glanced out the window again, looking towards the airport. "Considering everything, he should be here soon. His time is running out. Not that it will matter anyways."

Neither man spoke again for several minutes, a deathly silence fell upon them. Spiro tapped his fingers impatiently on his desk. The man was growing weary of waiting for Fowl to show up. He was taking his slow, sweet time in arriving, and that was irritating Spiro beyond belief. But, he had promised to deliver the C Cube, and if there was anything he knew about Artemis Fowl, it was that he was a keeper of promises.

Just as Spiro glanced at his phone, it started going off. Without a doubt, he knew who was calling him. He chuckled slightly before answering it. "Yes, Arty?" he asked.

"I'm on my way to your business now. I suggest you get Diana ready for our departure," Artemis' voice hissed. Spiro could tell the Irish boy was not happy, and that tickled him to death.

"Very well," Spiro answered. "I'll have Arno fetch her from her cell now. Do have the Cube ready as well if you want this to go smoothly."

"Believe me; it's been ready," Artemis assured in a spiteful tone. "See you in five minutes."

With that, the line died. Spiro sat down his phone on the desk, an evil smirk plastered to his face. "Arno... go fetch Diana from her cell. Artemis says he'll be here in five minutes to retrieve her," he explained.

Arno stood, cracking his knuckles a few times in the process. "Will do. Although neither one of them will be leaving here alive."

Before Spiro could add anything to that, his bodyguard left the room, leaving him there alone in his office. The businessman kicked his feet up on his desk as he leaned back in his chair. Everything was going according to plan.

*****

Diana kicked aimlessly at the floor again. This being captive thing was really starting to bug her. All she wanted was to go home, back to her own room and bed. This was single-handedly the most miserable time of her life. The girl was still in disbelief about the whole thing. This was something you only heard about in the movies; people didn't get kidnapped these days- at least not where she was from. In Flint, if you had a problem with someone that called for revenge, you shot them, and that was the end of it. But unfortunately, Chicago raised a different type of gangster than Flint did, and apparently she was facing the wrath of one of them, or at least that of someone closely tied to them.

Part of the girl was angry. Diana had nothing to do with what happened between Spiro and Artemis however many years ago it was. She hardly even knew Artemis, so how did she count as a good trade? Why was she selected when she was sure there were people on this planet much closer to him than she was? The girl shook her head. It was her own fault really; if she hadn't introduced herself to Artemis at the museum in the first place this wouldn't be happening. She somehow knew he was going to lead her to trouble, even though she still didn't want to believe it.

The girl sighed, feeling rather defeated by the whole situation. She hung her head, staring at the floor, trying her hardest to forget everything. She wanted everything to be normal again, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. Nothing was going to be normal for her ever again- not now. It was already going to be hard enough to shake the situation from her thoughts and memories, even without including Artemis in that mix as well. As much as she was fond of him, Diana couldn't see any promising relationship ever being formed with him. Disappointing as it was, Diana knew she couldn't dwell on it forever.

Diana was shaken from her thoughts when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. For a moment, her hopes rose, only to have them crushed when she saw the large, tattooed man that was Arno Blunt standing at her cell door.

"What do you want now?" she spat. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

"Get up," the man ordered. "Your little boyfriend is here to pick you up."

"Artemis isn't my boyfriend," Diana stated quietly. Although she tried to sound insulted, it backfired; she sounded more disappointed about it than anything.

Arno snickered as he unlocked her cell. "Yea, whatever." Once he had the door opened, he stepped inside, snatching Diana up by her arm, dragging her out of the barred room entirely.

Diana went to protest, but then thought better of it. This nightmare was going to be over for her soon enough...

*****

Artemis rested his head against the leather headrest of his chair. Sitting in the rented out car was doing nothing to improve his mood. He was doing his best to remain calm as Butler drove through downtown Chicago towards the Spiro Needle. Everything had to go according to plan while they were there. Artemis could not afford a screw up so late in the proceedings. The last thing he wanted was for Diana to be harmed in any way.

Someone cleared their throat, causing Artemis to look over towards the direction in which it came from. Holly was staring at him with an expectant look upon her face. "Yes?" Artemis sighed.

"You never explained how you were getting me in," Holly pointed out.

"I was sure you were going to ask about that," Artemis started. "Do you not remember how No1 lifted the magic that prevented you fairies from entering a human dwelling without permission?"

Holly smacked her forehead out of frustration. "I forgot about that. It just shows you how often I've had to go into a human dwelling since that incident."

"Indeed," Artemis mused. "So I don't need a plan to get you in, for one. Two, even if I did, I do believe that Spiro's somewhat permission from last time could still possibly hold. Luckily for the both of us, we don't have to worry about that."

Artemis directed his attention back out the window, avoiding Holly's gaze. He didn't want to show her exactly what was running through his mind; Holly was particularly good at picking through his mind, and now was not the time for that.

"Something is worrying you though," Holly pointed out.

As they pulled up outside the skyscraper, Artemis turned and looked Holly directly in the eyes and lied to her. "I'm not worried about anything."