I Could Smell The Roses

A Plan

"Werewolves weakness is in their personality. If you can confuse them, they can be tame and you can easily defeat them." Reads Foaly from a folder from his bookcase. I balance on the edge of the couch fitted specially for centaurs and think.
"Ok. So the best idea I can think of creating some sort of noise to weaken them so we can get in and get Artemis. But we really don't know enough about them and their whereabouts to formulate a plan based on that." Foaly looks up at me.
"Holly, you know this thing with Artemis...you've changed." I look up sharply.
"In what way?"
"In a good way. You've gotten good at creating plans, you are taking a knowledgeable leadership role. You could almost be a Commander." I shake my head.
"I think I'm a Captain. It's what I've been in the past decade and it's an opportunity to the surface that I don't want to give up. So hang the pay." Foaly looks down again.
"Holly. What's happening between you and Artemis?"
"Nothing." I say too quickly.
"Oh, haha, nice try. The chemistry visible... The teamwork. Bonded through experience." I sigh. Maybe it is time to tell the truth.
"Artemis... He's nearly kissed me on three occasions. And earlier today... He did." Foaly stares at me with wide eyes.
"He kissed you?" I feel my face growing hot.
"Twice."
"Oh my Frond." Breathes Foaly.
"Holly, it's never been done in modern fairy history. This between you and Artemis."
"Foaly this is no time to discuss Artemis and I's relationship! We can talk about this when he's with us in the flesh!" Foaly grips my shoulders and looks searchingly in my eyes.
"Holly, are you in love with him?"
"I don't know!" I burst out nearly in tears.
"I honestly don't know." Foaly rubs my shoulder.
"Calm down."
"Foaly." I say, my voice wavering.
"Yes?"
"I think I might be." There's silence a moment, then Foaly breaks in.
"You're right. Let's discuss this later. When we have Artemis." And we leave it at that. To say that I'm relieved is an understatement. I'm almost glad that Artemis has been captured. It distracts me from a growing problem.
"Besides," says Foaly, business like again.
"Does Artemis have anything on him that you have communication with?"
"He has my ring." Foaly nods.
"Excellent. I can establish a feed." As he wires up his stuff in his office, I sip from a cup of water and mull over Foaly's interrogation of me. I really don't want him to be right. I'm shaken out my thoughts with a shout from Foaly. He's got us on camera. I run into the office and together we take in the pinkish feed from Artemis' ring. I notice he's wearing it on his ring finger. But I don't say anything. The feed doesn't tell us much, all I can see is jail bars and the glow of pink light from the corridor. But Foaly evidently sees something I don't and breathes in sharply.
"That's an LEP prison, abandoned, I'm sure." I take Foaly's word for it.
"Alright, that narrows it down, any ideas?" Foaly taps his chin.
"Most prisons were knocked down and the ones that are still standing are scattered around very populated areas of Haven. That leaves three. All of them are in the Suburbs of Haven. One is next to the city gates on the North side, mainly used for smugglers and common thieves. Two is a biggie, set in the very South, but actually inside the city. We held lots of dangerous criminals there. There was a classified high risk of escape. Three is one close to your home, just outside in the countryside, used for a variety of different fairies. We had pencil thieves to serial killers in there."
"My money is on two." I declare.
"Me too." Agrees Foaly.
"I'll get a reconnaissance mission out there ASAP. We'll formulate plan in mission control."
----
Thirty minutes later, we are sitting in a council meeting along with Trouble Kelp and the entire council, who we've managed to convince to let us do the mission.
"So what's the plan?" Demands Trouble. Foaly starts on what the weakness of the wolves and introducing all the information. I ready myself.
"And so..." Says Foaly and I pick up from him.
"And so we invade the place using white noise. But that's not until we've got ourselves inside. We need someone on the inside to get in and find out how they work. Once we figure them out, we can put in the white noise and get Artemis out of there. I propose Foaly stays outside while we feed him info. Since the werewolves have been in exile for so long, I don't think they'll suspect iris cams. Trouble and I will invade and offer a peace treaty with everything they want. Then we play the white noise and get through these wolves and bust Artemis out." Trouble nods approvingly.
"I like it." The council, to my relief, agrees with Trouble. And so we get down to the details of the plan.