The reporters were waiting with bated breath in front of the state-of-art LEP headquarters. With its futuristic design and the environmental friendly features, the brains behind the design of the building (the designers were one particular smug Mud Man and a certain paranoid centaur, really) had won many awards. Initially, the design of the building was rejected by the council, because it was too costly, but an anonymous sponsor (ah-hem) had partly funded the project, and within two years, it became the new LEP headquarters. Next to the majestic building, neighbouring buildings and skyscrapers, owned by some of the wealthiest elves running some of the most important businesses in Haven, looked like a joke.

Turbocharged was one of the latest shuttles available in Haven, very costly and rare. It was reported that there were only ten of these shuttles available, all snatched up and sold within three minutes after it was available for sale. The shuttle purred gently as it hovered outside the LEP headquarters, landing so quietly with strong suspension springs such that its passengers would hardly feel a jolt. The door slid open, and cameras began clicking and flashes illuminated the area as a tall man stepped out of the shuttle.

Once Ireland's most eligible bachelor and ranked second richest man in the world, Artemis Fowl II straightened, brushing non-existent dust from his white Armani suit with his long slender fingers. In one arm, he was holding his daughter, little Angela Fowl, who had only recently turned five. Artemis had two children from his marriage with Holly Short, a set of twins, to be more specific. Angela looked a lot like her father – fair, with brilliant blue eyes, but her hair was auburn, like her mother, with elegant curls, which fell past her shoulder. The other twin, named Artemis Fowl III, unfortunately for the grumbling mother (Holly had complained to Foaly about her husband's suspiciously dominant genes), was a younger version of Artemis Fowl II.

Artemis bent down to kiss Angela's clammy forehead, and stroked her curls as he made his way up the stairs, ignoring the many questions fired by the reporters. With the tight security around him, nobody could step any closer to him. After all, he had volunteered to join LEP as an intelligent consultant after his marriage to Holly.

Commander Trouble was clearly bristling, and his red face reminded Artemis strongly of good, old Julius Root. Other officers steered clear of their commander. Trouble's hatred for Artemis was well-known, and nobody could blame him for being mad at Artemis. After all, Artemis had married the elf he loved under his nose. In fact, it was rumoured that Trouble had nearly led a riot the day Artemis wedded Holly, to protest the elf-human marriage.

'You're late, Mud Man,' Trouble snapped at Artemis, as the genius sank down on one of the chairs, glaring furiously at his direction.

'Forgive me, Trouble,' said Artemis casually, as he allowed Angela to sit on his laps. 'My daughter is not feeling well.'

Trouble's attention turned towards the young girl, who was blinking innocently at his direction. She did seem paler than usual.

'Daddy, I'm afraid of the red-faced elf,' Angela pointed at Trouble, pouting. 'He is a flasher because he doesn't zip up his trousers.'

Trouble bristled as he tugged his zip of his trousers, while his subordinates tried their best to stifle their laughter. Angela had Artemis's intelligence, and the commander knew she was doing it on purpose, to humiliate him in front her beloved daddy. Little Angela certainly knew how to please her father, for Artemis was smirking.

'Don't look, Angela darling,' Artemis murmured, throwing Trouble his famous vampire smile. 'He must have forgotten.'

'YOU –'

Angela screamed, and allowed Artemis to hug her, murmuring gently into her ears, shooting Trouble an icy glare. Everybody knew Artemis doted on his children.

'Sit down, Commander,' Artemis ordered, sounding even more commanding than the commander himself. Trouble sank into his own seat, fuming, while little Angela Fowl giggled in his father's chest. 'We need to discuss.'

They spent the next hour discussing about LEP latest attempt to quell the goblins' uprising down south. Discussion might be too gentle a term to describe it. Lecturing and criticising a very angry Commander Trouble would be more appropriate. Artemis Fowl II, the genius, sounded like his superior as he snapped at Trouble for the mistakes he made, even when Artemis had 'beautifully' planned everything. It did not help that his daughter was giggling with every insult Artemis threw at the commander.

'While you sit back in your office and happily play with your toys in the lab, I have to do all the dirty work here,' Trouble had growled at Artemis after some time, once the genius was done talking.

Artemis inspected his manicured, pianist fingers lazily. 'I do not just sit back, Commander.' His startling blue eyes abruptly flashed up at the commander, and his smirk widened. 'My children are working on the latest Neutrino design and I have to help them.'

'Double barrel!' Angela squealed excitedly.

Trouble hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. Three devious young Fowls. Great. He simply could not understand how Holly could fall for a scrawny man like Artemis Fowl. And to add salt to his injury, Major Short simply had to storm into the discussion room at this moment, just when Artemis was just done embarrassing him.

The commander threw them his glare as Artemis intentionally stood up, carrying his daughter up in his arms as he did so, and kissed Holly Short right in front of his eyes. It was not a simple peck on the cheek, oh no. Artemis could not resist annoying Trouble and Trouble had to endure the torture of watching them sharing a long, passionate kiss. At this rate, the commander was bound to get high blood pressure.

'Why are you wearing my shirt again?' Artemis asked with a smile, arching one perfect eyebrow as he looked at his wife. Holly was dressed casually, pairing Artemis's white Armani dress shirt with skinny jeans and cowboy boots, which really highlighted her curvy, slim figure. Trouble had to swallow and look away, reminding himself that she was happily married.

'I like it, that's why,' Holly answered, sticking her tongue at him. She glanced at the rest of them. 'I thought you said you're done?'

Trouble's eyes bulged. 'WHAT?'

Artemis waved a hand lazily at Trouble's direction, but he winked at Holly. 'Yes, yes, I am done.'

'Come, there's this new romantic dining place I know,' said Holly with a teasing smile, pulling Artemis's tie towards the exit.

And poor Trouble could only watch them enviously, gritting his teeth together.