Fan Fiction ❯ Cupid's Mistake ❯ Chapter Four: Don't Call Me Arty ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four: Don't Call Me Arty

Artemis had made up her mind. She really couldn't stand this Dante rookie. It was official. Usually, Artemis gave people a chance first, and if they blew it, they blew it. Dante had really blown it. That one comment about her skirt stung, surprising Artemis. Being the only female agent on the top levels had its consequences. After being teased so many times by all her colleagues… well, she didn't think she had any feelings left to be hurt.

They were sitting on a fallen log on a break in the middle of the jungle. She had been checking her global positioning device quietly, as she always would have done, and trying her best to ignore the egocentric moron seated next to her, who was unremittingly swatting at the troublesome pestilent insects surrounding the pair.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Dante whined.

"Of course not," Artemis responded. "Besides, I thought you don't get lost."

"I wasn't the one in front!"

"Perhaps because you're too busy making friends with the Hairy-Legged Tarantulas to lead the way." She grinned inwardly.

"Hairy-Legged wha-" he jumped up and cursed loudly. When there was no such spider to be found, he grinned sheepishly and Artemis laughed, a sound he almost found himself liking.

"Well, fine; if we're not lost, then why do keep staring at the positioner?"

"For your information, rookie, it's in basic training to take precautions in situations like this to use these global positioning devices-"

"I call it a positioner."

"-to make sure we stay on track! You should've known that, or didn't you pay attention during that part of class?"

"I knew that; it's just that it doesn't seem like it'd need to be checked so often unless something was wrong." He laid back on the log as he said this.

"You need to be more cautious if you're ever going to improve your ranking."

"Yeah, well, you need to be just a little more easygoing if you're ever going to get a guy."

What the hell do I say to this? Artemis was always… touchy about her current status, but in reality she didn't really want a boyfriend any more than she wanted a thorn in her side. Instead of saying something back that she'd regret later, she turned back to her global positioning device.

Damn. How am I supposed to get her to like me if she takes offense to everything I say? It's like she takes offense to my very existence.

He inhaled the air to apologize right when Artemis heard the crack, the telltale crack in the earth they were trained for, a sound she almost always dreaded. She whipped her head to side to make sure. Yes- there it was again, and the soft padding of heel to soil.

Artemis nodded toward the nearest tree, a tall cacao that didn't branch until thirty meters towards the canopy. He understood what she meant, but didn't realize immediately that he couldn't do it. She swept up the supplies quickly as he stood under the tree, running a hand along the smooth bark.

"Didn't you bring your grappling hook?" She asked incredulously.

"Never got one; I-"

"Hold on to me; I don't think I could hold you," she said, swinging her own hook up and locking it into place.

He stepped forward hesitantly and put his arms around her small waist, holding her tightly. She grasped his shoulder and pushed a button on the sliding hook with her other thumb. It moved upwards quickly, raising them to the first branch in a matter of seconds. As soon as it was possible, Artemis pushed Dante away and pulled her sunglasses over her eyes.

"I don't get your fashion sense- didn't you know it'd be dark in the rainforest?"

Artemis ignored him. Doesn't he realize that I need them to see that far down? She flipped the safety on her sleek silver gun, waiting in the leaves and peering down below.

Artemis concentrated down below with not a bead of sweat forming on her brow. She's like that with everything; everything is her second nature. Nothing comes as a surprise. He watched her as she aimed, then glanced down to the ground. He tried to focus on something but just couldn't. Why does she have her gun out? There's no way some primitive weapon could hit us up this high. Just in case, though, he moved toward the trunk to try to ascend to a higher branch.

***

She knew he was watching her; she could feel his eyes on her face. She didn't look up. She was waiting for what she knew would occur. At least he's stepped back and letting me handle this one. It's quite possibly the most decent thing he's done since we began this mission.

Then it came.

A green-feathered arrow whizzed between the two, where Dante had been just before he moved. A deafening, almost animalistic, war shriek was heard. Two tribesmen with green paint on their faces and chests jumped out from behind the bushes. The shorter one pulled another arrow, aiming directly for Dante's face.

Artemis rolled her eyes. Why does everyone assume the male is more valuable? For Christ's sake, he's just a rookie! She saw it coming and shot it out of the air about halfway in its flight.

Dante raised an eyebrow. Waste of a bullet.

She focused back at the ground again. They were both holding their bows with their left hands. With two quick shots, she injured their right arms. They dropped their weapons in surprise, exchanged a few foreign words, and then retreated, staggering back the way they had come.

Dante let go of the tree mid-climb, relaxing. Artemis was still cautious, though. What if there were more of them? After a few moments, she too was comforted and put down her gun hand, looking up at Dante. He was muttering to himself.

"…and they told me she was good…"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Dante turned to look at her.

"You missed."

"You know we don't aim to kill here."

"Trying to justify yourself?"

There is probably nothing worse than to anger a girl like Artemis.

Her face became stony again as she lifted her gun and aimed it right between Dante's eyes. He just laughed.

"Oh, please… don't even bluff. We both know you're out of bullets now."

She raised an eyebrow, shifted her hand, and pulled the trigger, eyes locked with him. His eyes widened as the shot went off and the silver bullet whistled past his ear. Artemis switched back to her original position aiming at his head.

"How did you do that? They only gave us three bullets each!"

She lowered the gun as she calmed.

"I brought my own."

"That's against the rules; I know that much."

She gave a little twisted smile as she picked up the black grappling hook handle. She handed it to him, indicating for him to go first.

"I don't play by the rules."

Artemis jumped abruptly and without any aid, much to Dante's surprise. She held onto the trunk loosely as she slid down the tree and landed. She clapped her hands clean and waited for Dante.

He jumped off the branch and lowered himself slowly as more and more line was being fed out from the small handle he was holding. Stupid thing is jammed.

He gave it back to her at the bottom (purposely not telling her of its malfunction) and they proceeded on their journey.

It was after a few minutes of walking in silence that Dante remembered his own mission. She obviously still hates me; there's no way she'll trust me touching the crystal. He decided he'd better do something to up his status.

He stopped walking, and Artemis looked back, wondering what the holdup was.

"Hey, Arty… uh… I'm really sorry about those cracks about your aim. You're the best I've ever seen."

She was quiet for a moment, and then turned to keep walking.

"Don't call me Arty."