ARTEMIS FAUL was very pleased. His father would be discharged soon and would leave the Helsinki University Hospital. He, on the other hand, would enjoy a wonderful meal at An Fin, a London restaurant that served fish, while the person he had a meeting with would arrive any moment. Everything was going according to his plan. His butler, his bodyguard, was not so pleased. He never relaxed anyway. You don't become one of the deadliest people in the world by lowering your guard. The giant Eurasian man moved silently among the tables of the London restaurant and placed the familiar security devices to make their exit safe.

"Are you wearing your headphones, Artemis?" asked his employer. A deep sigh came from Artemis. "Yes, Butler. Although I don't think we're in danger here. But why are you so tense, anyway? It's just a legitimate business meeting in broad daylight." The headphones were actually foam sound filters stolen from the helmets of the Underworld Police (UP). Butler had "confiscated" the helmets — as well as many other treasures of elf technology — eighteen months ago, when Artemis's schemes brought him face to face with an Elf Collection Team. The foam filters had been manufactured in the UP laboratories and had fine porous membranes that automatically sealed when decibel levels exceeded safety thresholds.

"Maybe, Artemis. But the problem with killers is that they tend to catch you off guard." "Maybe," Artemis replied while reading the first dish on the menu. "And who would have a reason to kill us, I wonder?" Butler cast a sidelong glance at a regular customer, trying to imagine her as a murderer. The woman must have been over eighty. "They might not have us in their sights. Don't forget that John Spiro is very powerful. He has taken many operations out of commission. We might fall into crossfire..." Artemis nodded in agreement. Butler was right, as usual. Butler's foresight had kept them alive until now.