Artemis Fowl: The Olympian Case

XVI: Decisions

"Exactly why isn't it a good idea to just hand over what they want?"

Percy asked sourly as the chancellors and members of the Seven gather around the usual ping-pong table in the Big House, holding a very important meeting. Anyone could tell it was very serious due to the lack of chips and soft drinks being passed around (who in the Olympian gods name invented gluten free crackers!?)

"I'm with Percy on this one–why not?" Leo huffed, "All he brought to camp is nothing but disaster–and it's barely been 3 days!"

"I say we keep fighting!" Clarisse called out, turning all eyes to her. "What? I owe the punk for winning us bragging rights for beating the brain kids!"

"As much as I don't like him, I'm actually with Clarrise on this one" Annabeth purses her lips as gasps of horror rang throughout the table, "I don't see giving him up would guarantee that they'll withdraw from camp; they don't seem to have a good impression on us for harboring their hunted foe"

"Obviously" Nico snorted then scowled, "But what else could we do? The damage on camp had been great–and we've barely dented them! In terms of power, we are at a stalemate, but if this keeps up we may just slip up somewhere and gods knows what will happen by then"

"So what!? We just hand him over just like that?" Piper scolded the three teens, disbelief in her eyes, "How could you?"

"He's barely been here for three days" Percy shrugged, "And he hasn't left a very good impression in my opinion"

"But they want him!"

"That's the point!"

"I think what Piper is trying to point out, Seaweed Brain, is that Artemis Fowl...is more than just a 'foe-to-be-imprisoned' to these hooded people" Annabeth spoke calmly to explain, "There are in such bad terms...that I don't think they'll treat Artemis...properly" she emphasized the last word in such a way that it sent chills to all the members present.

An eerie stillness vibrated throughout the room as a cold feeling seems to sink down there gut, which probably was multiplied with Nico's presence.

"So...you're saying...no, they wouldn't go that far" Leo laughed nervously, "But are you implying...they plan to...kill...him?"

"Maybe they would" Annabeth paled at the thought, remembering the anger and the gloomy aura of the messenger she had negotiated with awhile ago, "But Artemis is a criminal through and through-who knows what he could've done to anger those hooded figures to the point of no mercy...they may not even kill him outright, and will turn first to torture"

"Wh-What makes you say that?" Percy whispered, apparently realizing that those hooded figures...may just as well be monsters in disguise.

"It means what it could mean" Piper waved her finger seriously, "I can't imagine the gravity of the crimes had he done that would merit such wrath fit for the gods–Erm, no offense..."

"So...wouldn't he deserve it?"

"Or maybe not" Piper argued as she stared at her Katropis, recalling when she first arrived at Camp Half-Blood with the plan to betray them due to her dad being locked up by giants, "We do not see the big picture...therefore we have no right to pass judgement without looking at it all in full"

"We deal with intelligent beings that wants us dead all the time, so it's understandable that we are now at times numb to such ideals" Nico philosophized, "But Artemis is a mortal...that changes things for you, doesn't it?"

"Wait–Artemis is mortal!?" Clarrise slammed her fist on the table. The other camp representatives suddenly registered that for a moment, then what followed was an uproar of yelling, curses, and tossing of gluten free condiments.

"Enough!" Chiron thundered while stomping down with a hoof, instilling order, "Circumstances had called for the cover, but I guess it must be told now in truth"

Annabeth glared at Nico as she quickly filled in the recent events encircling the mysterious mortal boy with an ego.

"Wow" Clarrise whistled, "So not only that Anniebell was beaten by a fourteen year old kid, but a mortal no less? Respect!!"

A small chuckle vibrated the room, and a groan escaped from Annabeth as she recalled another fact, "There is also the case of Artemis being favored by my mother" Annabeth bit her lip in thought, "So obviously, handing him over is impossible; he is as much as a demigod as we are, now that he is watched over by a goddess"

"Alright fine, but now what?" Leo scowled in surrender, "We keep on fighting? Go all Greek and shoot them down, Siege-of-Carthage style?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes on that, "Or we could just retreat to Bunker 9, giving us control of the battlefield–we'll force them to play by our rules and obtain a higher ground advantage"

"That's a no-go, Annabeth; I've gone ahead and scouted the perimeter and apparently those hooded guys set up some sort of personal barrier around camp grounds, keeping us in here like a locked cage" Butch reported.

"How about the underground tunnels and passageways?"

"The important ones caved in after the fiasco in the blacksmiths" Leo sighed in dismay then had a thought, "We could...um, risk the Labyrinth?"

"NO" the entire group answered in unison. Never again.

Suggestions were flung around; Build a wall, Right of equivalent exchange, Greek fire...
Annabeth sighed, "I guess we have no choice but to–"

"Leave"

Everyone jumped as Minerva Paradizo appeared out of thin air, Holly at her side with the unconscious Artemis on the captain's back. Since it didn't have good area to perch on the mortal boy's back, Atry the owl rested on Minerva's shoulder, giving little comfort to the lady in question.

"We've caused enough trouble, even when we don't know exactly the 'trouble we are in'" Minerva smiled bitterly, "But we have no wish of dragging you into this, so we'll just make our escape!"

"How? You're trapped here because of the barrier, remember?" Annabeth questioned.

"Easy; We give them what they want!" Minerva answered cheerfully.

=====🗣=====

Yes, yes–I'm late! But, at least I'm alive!

This is the chapter bonus for the 1.5k btw–double chapter release will be tomorrow, I promise! Then I'll release two more chapters on Wednesday and then a chapter on Friday, simply cuz I miss you all! That, and to make up for my writer's block 😛

And as always, thanks for reading! 🦉