Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!
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Artemis rubbed his temples as he tried to figure out how he was going to get them out of the mess he had helped create. His mind, for once, was struggling to stay focused on the task at hand, not that the others in his cell were making it any easier for him to think. Artemis thought best in silence, or with quiet classical music playing. Unfortunately for him, Holly, Mulch, and Sebastian were either bickering amongst themselves or yelling at him.

He sighed, trying to ignore the constant noise surrounding him. He glanced at his hands for a moment and took notice to the ring on his middle finger: his fairy communicator. He let out a sigh of relief as he realized what a useful tool he had at his disposal. He turned to Holly.

"Holly, my communicator should have reception here, correct?" he asked.

"I don't see why it wouldn't, Artemis," Holly muttered, still irritated with his lack of concentration that day. "Why does it matter?"

"I can contact Foaly, since they confiscated your gear," Artemis began. "He can send Butler or another team in to get us out of here. Simple."

"And it only took you twelve hours to think that up!" Holly snapped, resisting the urge to throw something at him. "Some genius you are!"

"You're slipping in your old age, Mud Boy," Mulch added, nonchalantly picking through his beard.

Sebastian smirked. "It's called love. His judgement is clouded."

Artemis rolled his eyes. "At least I'm not a creep like others in this cell." He looked away from his cellmates as he clicked a small button on his communicator. "Foaly? Can you hear me?"

At first only static rushed through the phone line, but then the centaur's voice echoed into the room. "Loud and clear, Fowl."

"Have you spoken to Butler?" was Artemis' next question.

"He's made it back to Haven," Foaly responded. "He mentioned he lost sight of you all after an equipment malfunction."

Artemis ignored that remark and pressed on like that wasn't the reason they were in this predicament. "Is there a way he can get to our location?"

Artemis heard some typing in the background, before Foaly responded, "I've locked onto your location. I can have a shuttle ready to head up to E18 in about a half hour tops. Next flare arrives in forty-five minutes. Butler can be there in less than an hour and a half."

Artemis contemplated the information Foaly had just told him. Would that be quick enough? He could only hope so, unless they figured out another plan of action. "Fine, as soon as possible. We're in grave danger."

"I never would've guessed. Without alerting the troops, and the media, this is all I can really do for you," Foaly sighed.

Artemis glanced around and noticed the cameras in the hallway and their cell. "What about the cameras? Can you hack into the system and disable them?"

"Let me see what I can do." Foaly resumed typing away and Artemis heard beeping and whirring noises of the computers Foaly was using. After a few moments, Foaly answered, "Okay. I'm in."

"The cameras?"

"Oh. Oh my, I'm definitely getting these off system!" Foaly screeched. "He's got them in the girls' cell. Even their bathroom!"

Artemis felt his blood boiling under his skin. Something that he hadn't experienced very often before. Ortherion was pressing his luck. You didn't toy with Artemis Fowl, and this sprite was starting to get under his skin. A camera being in his girlfriend's bathroom was not something he took kindly to, and when he saw Ortherion again he was going to make it well known.

"How are they? Diana and Alex, that is," Artemis asked.

"Sleeping at the moment," Foaly said. "Recovering from an incident that occurred earlier based upon the footage I have here, but okay other than that."

That scared Artemis. "An incident? What the hell do you mean? An incident?"

Foaly sighed and another rush of static was heard over the line. "Well it would seem that Ortherion has an infatuation with human females, and he thinks that your girlfriend is rather attractive."

Artemis felt his blood pressure increase and the adrenaline began to course throughout his body. He was going to kill Ortherion for touching Diana. "What did he do?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Attempted rape, but the girls didn't let it get that far," Foaly explained. "All he got was a mediocre kiss before Diana broke his ribs and Alex bashed him into a wall."

Artemis took a deep breath, trying to calm himself more than anything. Being worked up wasn't going to help them get out of this. No matter how badly he wanted to wring Ortherion's neck. Diana was safe for the moment, thanks to her quick thinking and that was all that mattered. "That's my girl."

"Alright, Fowl, the cameras are off network now," Foaly said. "I don't know if that helps you any, but..."

"Works fine," Artemis rushed. "Thank you; I'll contact you if anything else pops up."

"I'll be here," Foaly assured.

Artemis terminated the link. He turned to his companions. "Who has an idea for how we break out?"

The other three exchanged glances. "I thought this was your area of expertise?" Sebastian questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Artemis rolled his eyes again. It was becoming too common of an occurrence. "Very well then... Mulch, we brought you for a reason. Take a bite out of the door. One that's big enough for Sebastian and myself to fit through."

Mulch jumped off the cot he was sitting on and made his way to the door. "Fine, but you owe me a sandwich."

As he opened his mouth to begin hacking away at the door, it flung open, smacking him back into the wall. No one had to wonder who was entering the room for long; Ortherion and his cronies rushed into the room. Ortherion looked angry, and was glaring at Artemis.

"Planning to escape were we?" he questioned, menacingly.

"Maybe," Holly almost sung.

Ortherion ignored her remark and approached Artemis with single-minded determination. "Aren't you in for a surprise?"

Artemis balled his hands into fists, anger still coursing through his blood. "You keep your grubby little hands off of my girlfriend."

Holly's eyes grew wide at Artemis' boldness. She had seen him use his words before to get them out of difficult situations, but never his fists. This would be a first if he actually went to strike the fairy in front of him. Honestly, it was incredibly out of his usual character, but Holly was intrigued by it and hoped he finally lashed out. Ortherion would be more than deserving of it.

Ortherion smirked, seemingly proud of his actions. "I'm going to do whatever I want to her after I get rid of you." He paused. "And she's going to get to watch the show."

"You won't do a damn thing to her," Artemis hissed, almost vampire-like. "You're not getting away with this."

"That's where you're wrong, Fowl," Ortherion went on, his voice dripping with confidence. "I already have."

Artemis pulled back his fist, and threw a punch in Ortherion's direction. It landed on the bridge of the sprite's nose, breaking it almost instantly. Holly was admittedly impressed as the sprite fell back onto the floor. She didn't feel even remotely sorry as she started to laugh at the sprite. Of all people to break your nose, Artemis Fowl had to have been the most ridiculous choice.

"You're going to regret that, Fowl," Ortherion growled, picking himself off the floor and wiping away some blood. Blue sparks quickly danced around his nose, healing it with a few small cracks.

"I don't care what you do to me. You don't touch her and get away with it," Artemis shot back. "She has nothing to do with this. Besides, she's not yours to be fondled."

"Plus dating outside your species never works," Mulch added from the sidelines, shrugging.

"You'll find I have ways of getting what I want," Ortherion replied. He snapped his fingers and his cohorts immediately cuffed Artemis and the rest of the group. "And your precious girlfriend happens to be one of the things lying on the top of that list. I think she'll make a fine queen; don't you?" He looked to his cronies holding them. "You know where to take them. I have some business to attend to."

Ortherion turned on his heel and made his way out of the room, his minions following suit, dragging the four prisons along with them. Ortherion turned down one hall, but his lackeys went another way, leaving Artemis and the others to wonder exactly what was about to be in store for them and the girls.

Artemis only hoped Butler arrived before things really hit the fan.