Life.

What does it mean to be alive?

Does it mean having a fully functioning body?

A beating heart?

The ability to sense the world around you?

Possibly.

But I don't think so.

To me, being alive means to be free.

But that's not what I am.

Artemis Fowl II was taking a short stroll through the creamy white halls of his pride and joy. His company. Fowl Industries. His twenty-eighth birthday would be coming up in several weeks, also marking the ninth anniversary of the company. That was the day he finally decided to go legitimate. He created this company from scratch nine years ago, and now it was one of the most influential companies in the world.

The company was a scientific research facility, harboring multiple research buildings, their locations spanning across the seven continents. Each one specialized in a different field of science.

Artemis was currently patrolling the hallways of his biochemistry plant. As he passed scientists and other various employees of the building in the hallway, the each greeted him with a courteous wave. He responded with a slight nod of his head. They all knew him. He was famous in the scientific community as well as the business world. Over the past five years he had won several Nobel prizes. Why shouldn't he win? He is a genius after all.

He rounded the corner, coming to a dead end. A single elevator was built into the left wall. Artemis approached it silently. Only eight people had access to this elevator besides himself. He was about to enter a top secret area, and many security precautions had been installed.

Artemis inserted a small keycard into a slot next to the elevator. A small square space on the floor slid away, and likewise with the ceiling above, to reveal hidden panels. Artemis stepped gently onto the translucent silver panels. Bars of light ran horizontally across the panels, registering Artemis's body image, matching it with the 3D picture logged into the computer.

The computer registered the match, and proceeded to unlock and open a small chamber next to the elevator, above the keycard slot. It was just big enough for Artemis to slip his hand through. To the back of the chamber was a keypad. Artemis typed in his access code. The keys were completely silent.

The silent keys, and closed in chamber prevented any sound equipment or hidden cameras from detecting the code. After Artemis had removed his hand, the chamber closed, and the keys were misted with cleaning solution, erasing his fingerprints. He passed through several more complex security features before the elevator door opened.

Artemis stepped inside. The doors closed behind him and the elevator descended. He didn't need to press a button to choose the floor. This elevator only went one way.

It took several minutes to get below ground. The elevator doors glided open, and Artemis stepped out onto the carpeted floor. He was on a high balcony. In the middle of the balcony, a room was boxed in with plexi-glass. Artemis strolled casually over to the railing, and stared down at the scene below him through the plexi-glass.

A team of seven scientists in white lab coats were several floors below. They crowded around several cryogenic capsules positioned against the left wall. One scientist pressed several digits into a keypad next to a capsule, and the glass door slowly swung outward. White mist flooded the room. Three more scientists leaped in front of the chamber, catching a small form as it fell gently from the chamber.

Artemis could not define the exact features of the form, as it was hidden in the mist. The scientists balanced the small form between themselves, carrying it to an examining table in the middle of the room. They carefully stepped over the various cables splayed all over the floor in thick bunches. The scientists layed the form on the table.

Artemis was able see a full view of the small form. It was a young fourteen year old girl.

"Mr. Fowl! I see you have come in person to witness the results of our all our hours of hard labor. It is a pleasure to have you here!" A man rushed up to stand next to Artemis. He was dressed in the same stark white lab coat as the scientists below.

Artemis's face lit up in recognition. "Ah, Mr. Gato. The pleasure is all mine. I do have a few questions though about the results of our project." He gestured down at the girl.

"Well, yes, there were some complications with the DNA transfer. Al though, thankfully, it did not affect the state of our creation."

"Care to explain to me the white hair?"

Mr. Gato took a breath. "To successfully have the combined DNA be accepted by the test individual, we had to recreate a new genetic code from scratch. We have written most of it, but several items, such as the code for hair color, we left out. Since there was no set code, the hair was grown white. We also left out the codes for its growth and development; therefore it will never exceed the outward appearance of a fourteen year old girl. It was originally designed to have the same raven hair as you, Mr. Fowl. As you also may have noticed its eye color is identical to your own. Since we used your DNA in the transfer, it received a few of your genetic traits."

Artemis glanced at the huddle of scientists down below as he continued to question Mr. Gato. "Hmm…But that doesn't explain what happened to the left side of its body. What are those blue markings? They slightly resemble tiger stripes."

"Like I said earlier, there were some complications with the DNA transfer. Most were minor, but…uh…there was one serious problem. Just before its body had finished developing, we went through with the transfer, as you had instructed us to before you left. It seemed to accept the transferred DNA at first on both sides of its body. But…as the DNA began to take affect…there were some…complications. The nerves on the left side of its body just shut down, immediately it seemed. We had to attempt surgery on it, if the nerves failed in even one limb of the body failed, all those years of research would be for nothing. The team and I had to completely replace all its nerves with electronically engineered ones. Most of its outer appearance, thankfully, was not affected by the surgery. Al though all over the left side of its body patches of skin had died and blackened. It was imperative we remove all the dead skin. Since the patches had been removed, the electronic nerves are visible. It may cause others to stare when we take it out into public, but by removing the skin we are now able to directly access the nervous system freely."

"It seems you have handled this project very well while I was away. The creation of biogenetic weaponry is no easy matter. But I think it would be appropriate if we named out little project. Wouldn't you agree?"

Mr. Gato stepped back, bowing slightly. "The honor is all yours, Mr. Fowl."

Artemis considered it for a moment. He stared down at it. At that exact moment their eyes met. "Lao. It will be named Lao."

A/N: This chapter was so short. I think all of my first chapters are short. Oh well. Next chapter should be longer. I think I gave the girl a too masculine of a name. But I had to use that name. It goes along with the story.

I'm really, really, glad I was able to finally post this story. I like the whole concept of it, so I wanted to get it out as fast as I could. But…because I posted this story, I couldn't post chapter nine of Aves Series. I'm sorry to all the people who read it. I have such an awesome group of reviewers. They keep coming back week after week.

Thanks for reading the first chapter! Meow! Review!