Endurance
Chapter OneDisclaimer: I do not own any Artemis Fowl related character or object in this story.
A/N: This is a re-write of the original fic. I re-read the other day, when I was browsing through my folders, and realised how badly written it was. Well here is the first chapter of the new improved version.
Introduction
It was just a typical day in Police Plaza for Captain Holly Short. Little did she know, that in a few hours time, she would yanked from her daily routine, and plonked down in the middle of nowhere, on a training exercise. I guess if she had known, she wouldn't have entered the Commander's office when he called to her, and would've carried on strolling down the corridor pretending to be momentarily deaf. However she wasn't psychic, and this is the story that fanned out form that short, rather one sided conversation with the commander.
Police Plaza, Haven City
"Short, get in here," yelled a rather maroon faced Commander Root, through the open door of his office.
Holly was jerked out of her daydream and back to the real world. She stuck her head around the door.
"Yes sir?" she answered, wondering and worrying about what she could have done wrong now. The only reaction she received was a beckoning wave of his hand. Groaning inwardly, she stepped into the office, and let the door hiss shut behind her.
"Yes sir, you wanted to see me," She stated, rather pointlessly.
"Yes, Short I did. The council have decided we're due an E.C." Root said, pausing expectantly.
"An E.C?" Holly questioned. Her mind drawing a blank when she tried to conjure up a definition of E.C. Emergency Coffee break perhaps? But maybe then it would be an E.C.B.
"Yes, Captain, an E.C." Root spoke slowly as if he was talking to a child. "An Endurance Challenge. You know, when a group of officers, chosen by me, renew their training. I seem to remember you went on one two years back. Am I right?" Root replied, answering Holly's query with another question.
Holly scanned her memory "Oh yes!" she said, trying to cover up the fact that she had no idea what her commander was talking about.
Root groaned, "You're a useless liar, Short." He let a small smile play around his lips. Holly gave a small grin. She was obviously worse at acting than she'd previously thought, but at least the commander didn't seem too bothered. Oops, she was wrong again.
Root's newly found supply of patience ran out. "WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE SHORT? GO PACK." He stopped mid flow, and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. After all, his doctor had said that all the shouting was not good for his health. The last thing he wanted was to be driven into an early grave because of his job. After all, what was the point? He wouldn't be around to collect the compensation.
Anyway, his little outburst had two major side effects; Firstly Holly jumped to attention, not even questioning her commander on why she in particular was being sent to her doom! She knew the answer anyway, because she was a girl. And secondly, the floor shook as if a minor earthquake was rippling through Haven.
Holly turned to leave,
"Oh Hol-I mean Captain, send in Chix Verbil, he's been selected to go with you," Root called after Holly, in a slightly calmer tone.
Holly groaned inwardly, for the second time in as many minutes, Chix Verbil. Great. Aloud she said a gloomy "Yes sir," and left the room. She was so mad she almost walked straight into Trouble as she turned the corner.
"Watch it, Captain!" said a surprised Captain Kelp as Holly walked into him, almost knocking him flying.
"Sorry, I had something on my mind." Holly said, truthfully.
"So I see," replied Trouble, raising his eyebrows in a friendly way. He knocked on the commanders door, and entered without waiting for permission.
Holly rolled her eyes at the now closed door. Why did Retrieval get special treatment? It wasn't fair. She got worse treatment than the other Recon officers as it was, just because she was female. "Pompous Git." She muttered under her breath. She wasn't one of Trouble's many adoring female fans, who were, in Holly's eyes; incredibly stupid and very shallow. They only saw the public face of Trouble, a mere mask on his real personality. In Holly's opinion, he was an arrogant show off, like many other retrieval officers.
She turned back to the situation in hand, her search for Chix Verbil.
She eventually found him by the coffee machine, taking one of his regular breaks.
"Hey Holls!" He said when he spotted her. Grrrr, another thing she couldn't stand, anyone shortening her name. It irritated her to no end.
"It's Captain Short to you, Private." Holly stated, then began relaying Root's message, using much shorter, sharper words than her superior.
Holly's apartment, Haven City
Holly had arrived back at her apartment later that evening to find a rather blunt message on her answer machine. It was from the commander. He obviously didn't trust her:
"Short, you'll be leaving tomorrow night. Promptly at 9:30, we will send a vehicle to pick you up. Be ready!"
She didn't like the way he emphasised the word 'promptly'. It wasn't as if she was always late. She got sidetracked sometimes. It wasn't what you could call lateness exactly.
A/N: I don't know how many people out there have decided to re-write a fic. It is unbelievably tiring hard work. And I never even finished this fic! Oh well, things can only better! Let me know what you think.