Of course, Butler could have dealt with the problem. He could have slapped them so hard that they didn't remember their names anymore. Butler wouldn't have been comfortable with it, but he would have obeyed.
It had been his initial plan. When his hair was dripping wet, and everything around him tinted in blood-red vengeance. His fingers had hovered over the speed-dial key, ready to release his wrath. Artemis Fowl II, however, was more than that. So, instead, he locked himself in his room, and began to scheme.
One week later, he sat in the very back of his chemistry class, hacking away at his laptop’s keyboard. Ms Fraser kept shooting him nervous glances, but for once, he wasn't interested in pointing out her shortcomings.
Michael O'Shaughnessy turned around to him, a cocky smile on his lips.
"Hey, Fowl. Guess, who's gonna get dunked today?"
Artemis finally looked up, gracing him with his signature vampire smile.
"I don't know, O'Shaughnessy. But I can tell you, who will not be returning to this school next year."
Michael's grin dropped. He cracked his fingers. "You are dead, Fowl."
Artemis's smile widened, and he pressed a single button on his laptop before closing it. Then he put on his safety glasses and leaned back in his chair.
"Artemis, we aren't doing any experiments. You don't need your googles," Ms Fraser said with a nervous laugh.
"Don't mind me, Miss," Artemis said. "Just continue with your class."
Some of the more prudent boys snatched their own safety glasses from the workbenches and put them on.
"O-okay," Ms Fraser, completely spooked, nodded. "Please take out your books and go to page–"
Her command was interrupted by a load bang and a yellow cloud of smoke rising around Michael. A moment later, the pungent smell of rotten eggs spread across the room. Ms Fraser rushed to the howling and writhing boy on the floor.
"What happened?" she shrieked. Then her head snapped up to stare at Artemis in horror. "What have you done?!"
Artemis had an almost angelic look on his face.
"Nothing, Miss. I am just sitting here,” he said, his lips twitching. “If I had to guess, I'd say that there has been a minor sulphur explosion inside Michael's bag. Very unfortunate."
He stopped himself when his phone vibrated. "If you'd excuse me, Miss, I am getting a very important phone call in."
He flipped his phone open, and putting it to his ear, left the classroom.
"I take it, the takeover run smoothly, Butler?"
"Yes, Artemis," his bodyguard said, hesitant. "May I ask, why O'Shaughnessy Gym Equipment Corporation?"
"Why not?" Artemis asked innocently. "It's never too late to pick up a sport, no? Did Mr O'Shaughnessy get my message?"
"Yes, although, I am still not 100% sure, what you me–"
"Nevermind that, Butler. As long as he got it."
Artemis disconnected the call, smirking, as the message for Mr O'Shaughnessy flashed up on his phone screen.
The rumours of a takeover swirling around? I am afraid they weren't rumours.
