Disclaimer: I am not Eoin Colfer so I do not own Artemis Fowl or its original characters, races, etc. My characters, however, are mine.
Police Plaza, Haven City
The Plaza was a busy as always, fairies of all kinds going to and fro carrying paperwork, training, or preparing for missions. Much had changed since the capture and sending back of the second Opal; common activities seemed to have a lighter mood about them. It was more organized too even with the new demon recruits. The lack of an imitate crisis everyday made everyone content, and several promotions had gone through that had been pending since Julius Root's death a few years earlier. Things were looking up, or so they seemed until you walked past the commander's office.
Commander Trouble Kelp rubbed his temples while reading the request in front of his eyes:
Dear Commander Kelp,
FWD: From Argon Psychiatric Hospital -
How does one explain a human genius? This is not an easy question that is to be answered. Artemis Fowl is certainly a genius, but he is also a criminal. So, are there any good geniuses of his caliber or is the realm of genius in the human world restrained to madness and criminal acts?
To answer this we must define what a genius in human terms is. A genius in human terms is a person with an IQ of over 185, but this doesn't regard social interaction or the ability to live by themselves. In this right there are only seven true human geniuses: Artemis Fowl II, Minerva Paradizo, Dimitri Martin, Yin Huang, Timothy MacArthur, Giovanni Caesar, and finally Eugene Mahon.
Only two of these geniuses use their knowledge for the betterment of human kind which are Minerva Paradizo and Eugene Mahon, and one of them has actually done several useful things to the human race which narrows it down to Dr. Mahon who is also the founder and CEO of the American company known as Tiberius Industries.
Making himself independent at the tender age of ten, which is extremely young for a human, after his parent's death with the registered IQ of then 199, and founding his company not more than a month later with the invention of the plasma-type vernier engine which he sold to NASA, he has become a beacon of hope for the human race and has made no militant weapons from his facilities despite his abilities to do so at a well placed margin of gain.
He also is a very noteworthy politician and has made leaps in the diplomatic community not seen in humans since Adolf Hitler of Germany, with much less malice hopefully, and has brought in bounds in nuclear, information, and transportation technologies.
In all of this however, he is rarely seen ever smiling or frowning, but rather always having a completely emotionless face even though he functions fairly well in society. Some think this is why he is so brilliant with at current IQ of 241. He at an early age traded his emotions for knowledge. Others rather suspect he restraints them heavily to keep his hardened public image as a vicious business man.
On the subject on his threat to the People's safety however, many say we should keep a close investigation on him in light of previous events of two other human geniuses finding the People on their own without any help from one another. More evidence of caution shows that Dr. Mahon was investigating our People around the same time as Artemis Fowl II, but stopped for unexplainable reasons. Recent studies, however, show a renewed interest in mythology mostly concerning the People.
In summary of this, I suggest we bring in a full specialist information force to study the knowledge behind TI's encryption codes, and wipe any information concerning the People on his databanks as well as go though the physical files kept at the headquarters. I also suggest going though Dr. Mahon's personal files and computer files at his residence as well.
Sincerely,
Lili Frond
Corporal,
Information Specialist
01 March, 2009
Lovely, another genius interested in the People, like there weren't enough already. He read it again sighing afterwards. He briefly wondered if this was anything like his predecessor, Julius Root, had felt after Artemis revealed himself. Trouble quickly shook his head, no this is nothing like a kidnapping, but this could prevent it if we're careful. Then, he noticed a figure standing in front of him, and he slowly looked up to see Major Holly Short of LEPrecon.
"You look a bit pale, Trouble," she spoke with a hint of worry in her voice, "What's on that sheet of paper?"
Trouble read it one more time then handed it to her staying silent.
Holly read the request slowly starting to turn pale herself. "Not again."
"Well, this could be worse than last time too. Unlike Artemis, this Dr. Mahon has an entire multinational company behind him and is just as smart."
Holly shudders as she remembers the twelve year old Artemis and his cold evil demeanor. At least Artemis isn't like that anymore, she thought quietly.
Trouble studies her carefully knowing he had just hit a sore spot and says slowly, "Let's see what Foaly has on him and maybe Artemis if we can get a hold of him. He would surely make files on perspective business rivals."
She nodded. As much as Holly didn't like his tone, she couldn't help but agree with him on Artemis's business mind aspect. "Alright, Commander, lead the way."
Trouble nods as he rises from his desk and leaves out the door to the Operations Room.
Fifteen minutes later, Trouble was carefully looking over all the information that Artemis and Foaly had gathered over Gene, his company, and his associates, but it struck him as odd. There were no mentions of any pursuit of the People other than just looking at random information, at least Artemis knew what he was looking for, but it seemed more like a hobby to this Dr. Mahon rather than an active quest. "I understand he could be a threat, but he seems too random with his information he has gathered and hasn't followed any of the pattern Artemis did while finding us."
Artemis's vampire grin appeared across his face which was only amplified two-fold by the screen. "Why would a man that is planning on building orbital elevators need to go so low as to meet his contacts personally? He seems to be doing this deliberately in order prevent your existence from being seen with his constant push for solar power and space colonization rather than underground cities and geothermal power. You should be thanking him."
Foaly shook his head. "It could be a ruse too. He hasn't mentioned anything in the press about it. He is a smart man. If I dare say, he is as smart as you are, and he has spent an awful lot of time on this study."
Trouble sighed in frustration. "Just get to the point already!"
"We suggest you have someone ghost him for a day or so and if he is... then destroy the information and mind wipe him if not: Foaly can place bugs in his home," explained Artemis slowly, "It would be an excellent opportunity for you to keep an eye on a potential enemy."
"I agree with Artemis, Trouble," said Holly as she walked up next to him, "It was bad enough with the last problem we had with the probe and all."
"Alright, I'll send the best ghost agent we have, Captain Rosa Frond," he announced decisively. Everyone turned to him with raised brows, well except from Foaly that is.
"You're not sending Recon?" inquired Holly with a hint of confusion.
Foaly sighed. "Of course not, we need experts in stealth in delicate situations not hunting Fairies or enemies. Rosa is the top of her class, and not because she is a Frond either. She has done over ninety-one successful Ghost missions and hasn't even been noticed, but once on her first mission."
"Has she ever faced anyone like me before though?" asked Artemis coolly but with an edge.
Trouble smirked. "She has kept tabs on Minerva for quite awhile now on and off since the 8th family incident... nearly exposed us."
"You don't say?" sneered Artemis, "She must of had quite the uneventful experience then since Minerva's interest in dealing with the People has lowered significantly. I wouldn't of been surprised if she knew that this Rosa was there and decided not to say or do anything about it."
"Actually, you would be surprised," commented Holly as she looked away to another screen with Minerva's laboratory on it, "She is actually trying to build a transporter from the wavelengths she was able to get during our roundabout with Hybras."
"With little success so far," added Foaly preoccupied.
Trouble banged his fist against the table. "We're getting off topic! We need to decide what to do with Dr. Mahon before he gets out of hand!"
"I'll brief her on the mission once she gets in here," grumbled Foaly as he pulled out a carrot from his desk and began slowly grinding it into a pulp not so unlike a certain commander of the LEP.
Rosa Frond Residence, Two Hours Ago
Rosa was tired. She was so tired she was literally falling asleep standing up and already had to catch herself several times in five minutes. "How much can a elf deal with?" she wondered briefly before tumbling onto her sofa and thought blurredly, how can those insensitive bastards send me one back to back missions like this? That last one would of been the seventh in two weeks. Then, she smells her own body odor and cringes. I really need a shower, she thought hastily as the last of her adrenaline pumps into her system.
She slowly stood and stumbled hastily though her garden to her bath area. Once she got in, however, the adrenaline had already ran out and she passed out.
"Why? Why did you have to leave me alone? Mother... Father... I will live and I will get my citizenship!" cried a young human boy with black hair and bloodshot gold eyes. The boy cried even harder. "I will prevail in this life! I swear it!"
Then, a sudden chirping broke the dream into little glass shards and Rosa shot up.
"D'Arvit! Who could be calling me at a time like this!" she swore as she lifted herself off the floor and to the phone. "Hello? Rosa Frond speaking."
"Where have you been captain? We have been trying to get into contact with you for the past fifteen minutes!" hollered Trouble on the other end.
Rosa came to attention immediately. "I'm sorry sir. I passed out from exhaustion."
Static hissed though the line as he sighed. "That is understandable, captain. We have been sending you on a lot of assignments, but we have an urgent for you. Report to the Ops Booth ASAP!"
Rosa inwardly groaned. Another mission already, she had just gotten home and even collapsed, but her dedicated side banished the thought quickly saying, "Yes sir!"
"Very well, See you soon," Trouble concluded before the line went dead.
Rosa sighed as she went to her room and put on a new uniform. It was black and had a lot of pockets. Usually, the uniform would be skin tight too, but Rosa had long ago made clear that she didn't like skin tight clothing unless it was necessity, like the LEPghost shimmer suit for instance, but she would gladly trade something uncomfortable for the surface trips and being able to strap on a set of wings.
"I really need to put in my app for a vacation," as she zipped it up the jacket and headed out the door. It was going to be a long, long day.
Then, a single feather floated down. She looked at it puzzled, because there hadn't birds in Haven in a long time due to being banned by Counsel. Picking it up she found the feather was black in the center and red on the edges with gold in between. Just like the little Mud-boy's crying eyes, she thought absently as stuck it in her chest pocket and started her trek to work wondering who that Mud-boy was.
The traffic had gotten even worse since majority of the demons decided to stay in Haven after the loss of their island, Hybras, but at six in the evening there was already crowds out since the People were nocturnal creatures and it would be comparative to six in the morning for a human. So, she had just beat rush hour, barely. She checked to make sure her buzz baton was charged just to make sure if anyone got funny ideas she could just zap them and keep on moving. Of course the swear toads were annoyance, but the numbers had gone down considerably with the demons using them as snacks quite frequently. This made the evening walk quite enjoyable overall even if she was dead tired.
It didn't last long though; as soon as she reached Police Plaza then she encountered the usual crowd of protesting mobs of goblin mothers for their children. It was a sad sight really. Even the average Mud-man was more intelligent than even the smartest goblin which, in her opinion, was saying something about the educational systems on both sides.
After pushing though the crowd, however, she made a bee-line to the coffee machine and filled a large thermos before starting some more brewing, and headed to the Operations Booth. When she got into the Booth, she was met with not two, but four pairs of eyes: Technological Consultant Foaly, Commander Kelp, Major Short, and the only person not actually in the room which was a young Mud-man with piercing blue and hazel eyes, raven hair, and pale skin. Rosa gulped slightly at the sight of the Mud-man.
"Captain Frond, this is Artemis Fowl II, and he will be helping us track down this other Mud-man who is," Foaly began and brought of a picture of Gene before continuing, "named Eugene Tiberius Mahon."
Everyone looked at the screen with a puzzled look. The man looked like Artemis.
Artemis was the first to speak. "Foaly, this is very flattering, but give us an actual photograph of our culprit."
Foaly pinched his nose and tried to think of an explanation. "This is Dr. Mahon. He is three-quarters Irish and one-quarter Native American. I know they look similar. I was quite put off by the picture myself until I searched the old newspaper logs from his home town."
"But he even has the same stare as Artemis," added in Holly.
Trouble looked at the young geniuses comparatively finally saying, "There might be a family resemblance, like third or fifth cousins at the most but they are not directly related. That is for sure."
Everyone looked at Trouble with an inquisitive glance.
Trouble scratched the back of his head. "Look, when you have as many relatives as I do you can tell."
"What is with the glowing gold eyes though?" asked Rosa thoughtfully until it struck her that this was the same boy from her dream and uncontrollably sputtered, "I've seen this Mud-man before!"
Everyone turned their gaze to her and she shrank a little.
"When?" asked Holly softly when she noticed that Rosa had paled considerably.
"I-I saw him in a dream I had when I collapsed from exhaustion earlier," started Rosa, "H-He was just a little Mud-boy though crying over the death of his parents and swearing to gain his independence and prosperity."
Artemis raised his brows as a flash of recognition hit him like a bulldozer. "Now I know why he looked so familiar. He was the boy I helped gain his citizenship when I was ten under my synonym Dr. F. Roy Dean Schlippe. If it wasn't for him and his research I wouldn't have ever gotten my hands on a copy of the Book."
Holly just stared at the digital image of Gene. "He strikes as a man hiding something. His face is too neutral as if he-"
"As if he is restraining his emotions," finished Artemis thoughtfully, "He has probably made that mask of his so well by now he doesn't even show pain."
"How can you not react to having a leg blown off?" asked Rosa skeptically and crossed her arms.
"I was just hypothesizing," answered Artemis as he shrugged.
Trouble shook his head getting tired of all the comparison chatter then cleared his throat. "We need to get ready everyone! This is going to be a delicate mission so no funny stuff!"
"Hot shot in thirty minutes in E105," reported Foaly smugly, "This is rare so we need to get prepped now."
"E105?" inquired Trouble, "I thought it collapsed when the Mississippi River changed course along the New Madrid Fault."
"No it was just the extension of the fort that collapsed the actual bay and port are still fully operational," corrected Foaly as he got up then added, "But the door is submerged underwater now so you're going to have to use the service exit and that is kinda cramped so I hope you don't have claustrophobia."
"How long will it take to get though this service exit?" inquired Rosa as she started to follow Foaly out of the Ops Booth to the car waiting outside.
"Well, it's about fourteen meters of going straight up via ladder since it's too narrow to fly," explained Foaly as the car started moving, "However you can take a few hours to rest once you get to the service room three meters below the ground."
Rosa relaxed a bit. She wasn't really sure she would be able to go anywhere after climbing fourteen meter straight up. She wasn't out of shape or anything, but she definitely would have to recover from the last three missions first. She was going to have a serious muscle build after this. Fifteen minutes passed in a calm silence as they came to a stop outside the old tunnel entrance to the service chute leading to the North American chute.
As they stepped into the old briefing room, Foaly pressed a few keys into a security pad and scanned his hand on the pad next to it on a large container. The container hissed and slid open to reveal the new LEPghost shimmer suit and a Neutrino 4000.
"All the equipment you can risk, consultant?" asked Rosa flatly.
"Well, the great thing is the wings are built into the suit. So, no more having to take them on and off in the tunnel," explained Foaly excited, "There is also a gravity reducer so you can go down to about half your weight, however, the suit is not built to protect you as so much as keep you stealthy. So, be careful."
Rosa nodded and put the suit on. "So how much time do we have until the hot shot?"
"Fifteen minutes."
Rosa nodded as she holstered her Neutrino and put her helmet under her arm. "Let's go."
Fairy Fort, Top of Chute E105
Rosa sighed as she climbed out of the egg-shaped titanium pod. That old chute wasn't even all that straight, she thought, there wasn't even a straight away I could go fast in. Then she saw the state of the fort.
An absolute mess of rubble everywhere; it was a small wonder it hadn't filled up with water yet. Half of the computer consoles were smashed beyond recognition and even the walls were crawling with mildew.
"Consultant, are you getting this?"
"Yeah," Foaly confirmed, "I didn't think it was this bad, but the service exit should be to your left after about thirty steps."
I have the tunnels beams on you know," she chastised him.
"Sorry force of habit," he apologized. He swore if she was any worse she would be his mother, and that says a lot.
"No problem, sorry I snapped I'm just tired."
"Yeah you should really take a break once you get to the service room," he agreed, "Your vitals are showing some real fatigue here. Honestly, I'm surprised that Trouble is not having Holly on this little escapade of his."
"Got that right! He needs to find someone that didn't just collapse from exhaustion a few hours ago! I'm not even running hot so what is he trying to prove?" she demanded rhetorically.
"He is putting you though the same test that Julius put Major Short though," answered Trouble on the other end, "You are Ghost's test subject for females. You have to show me your best, and by what it sounds like your best doesn't seem to be enough."
Rosa turned red, not embarrassed red, angry red — Julius Root red; she stared at an operational camera on the wall knowing they watching her though it and said very restrained, "With all due respect, commander, I am only mortal."
Trouble actually thought he was starring his former commander in the face for a moment as he saw her at the identical shade, then realizing that her heart might be in danger if he didn't do something fast to calm her down said, "Okay, okay, calm down. I'll make sure you get your application for a vacation put though immediately after you get back."
She lost a couple of shades with her temper starting to go down and nodded before she turned to the door with the ladder on the other side and kicked it off it's hinges and began her accent.
"I hope your happy, Trouble, because I'm not helping you on this one if she hunts you down," commented Foaly sourly.
"Shut it, pony boy, or I'll cut your pay," roared Trouble uncharacteristically.
Wow, now he now sounds like Julius, thought Foaly smugly, must be the stress finally catching up to him. "It not any carrot cake party here either."
"I agree with ,you consultant, but I'm now entering the radio silence area," declared Rosa as she slowly made her way up the old rust covered ladder as she tested each rung for its integrity before stepping on it. This is insane, thought Rosa morosely.
Her climb continued without more than a couple of slips due to fatigue and it was getting more and more frequent. She had to make it to the service room soon or she would not make it at all. "Left hand, right foot, right hand, then left foot," she began repeating to herself as exhaustion began eating away at the edges of her vision, "Left hand, right foot, right hand, then left foot. Come on."
Then she found the hatch to the storage to the storage room and pushed it open after Foaly released the seal and pulled herself inside and immediately was claimed by darkness.
Tiberius Industries HQ, Bloomington, IN in USA
A tan man with short ruffled black hair was sitting at his desk was sitting at his desk with his eyes shut. His untucked white dress shirt and tan slacks fit loosely. The man was thinking he was thinking hard, with all the while his face not showing a single hint; it was completely neutral. His name Eugene Tiberius Mahon.
"Gene," called a broad-shouldered Scandinavian man in a grey suit, "It's time for the financial meeting."
Gene opened his gold piercing eyes and stood saying, "Well, let's see if we can pass the idea of an orbital elevator then shall we, Greg?"
Greg smiled. "Can I make the introduction and—"
"— I present the plan on how too? That sounds—"
"— Brilliant," finished Greg and laughed.
Gene smirked and shrugged before his face returned to its neutral position and walked out of the room.
"You know you should sleep more," Greg pointed out as he followed.
"I can keep my own," Gene replied, "I didn't battle for my citizenship at the age of ten to become a nuisance to my company at the age of twenty-one."
Greg nodded satisfied with the answer. "You do have a point there. So what have you been doing late at night? I keep seeing you lights on at two in the morning and I know it doesn't take the brilliant Eugene that long to plan something as simple as an orbital elevator."
"Do you remember the research that we did for Dr. Schlippe what seems like a millennia ago?" he inquired as a yawn took hold.
"Yeah... kinda... why?" he answered warily in hope he didn't fall into one of Gene's elaborate jokes again.
"I've begun to track all of the events recently that have been going on in Europe, Chicago, and California. It seems like they all have one simple connection. A man named Artemis Fowl the Second of Ireland," replied Gene as if was an everyday event, "but there seems to be more."
Greg raised a brow. "Oh? Do tell."
He nodded. "Yes, he seems to be able to one side of the world to the other without any sort of known transportation, and then there was his three year disappearance of when he vanished off the planet entirely."
"I see," responded Greg as he tried to grasp the ideas that were just thrown at him, "and you think that these Fairy folk have some connection to this?"
"Yes," he spoke pointedly, "but this is just a hobby. Honestly, I have no intention of contacting or even physically looking for these beings; they seem to have enough problems with a notorious criminal mastermind in tow already."
"Hmmm, you have a point there."
"I hate to say it, but I always do, however, the meeting room is nine feet in front of us let us become mentally prepared," Gene pointed out as he tucked in his shirt and pulled a tie that was unwrinkled out of his back pocket."
How he does that I'll never know, thought Greg as they passed though the double doors and sat in their representative chairs across from each other in a US Cabinet style meeting.
A young man stood up at the end of the room with a revolver aimed at Gene and yelled, "Alright you bastard give me a reason not to shoot you! I have a family to feed and you won't even allow me to keep my job!"
Gene glared emotionlessly at the young man and shrugged. "I am giving you a six week compensation pay aren't I? It is not my fault you could not uphold your job properly after three tries. Honestly, most businesses would have done a lot less."
"I want my job back! Give it to me!" screamed the man and every person in the room except for Gene stood up and pulled out a pistol on him, but it was the gold eyes that terrified him the most. He couldn't take his gaze off them; it was like having all the fear in the world being poured though the gold, emotionless, still, unblinking eyes into him. The room started to feel heavy and he clinched his chest it was like ice exploding from the inside. He dropped the revolver and fell to the ground... he had a heart attack.
Gene stood and demanded, "Take that mans revolver away and revive him."
His secretary of the automobile division looked at him baffled. "But Dr. Mahon! That man just tried to kill you."
Gene nodded. "Your right, Mr. Wong, he did, but no one deserves to parish in such a meaningless death. I want him revived and taken to the hospital immediately."
Greg sighed and put his 9mm away as he walked over to the defibrillator and cleared the dying man three times before his heart started again. "You really should follow what the President says; you were closer and could of saved this man a few brain cells he'll need in court."
Gene clapped his hands twice. "Alright change of plans everyone, we will pursue a five minute intermission before beginning," he announced before scanning the room, "Unless, you want to start the meeting with high blood pressure that is and risk some of the less healthy ones here a coronary arrest as well."
Everyone put their guns away and shuffled out of the room quickly to probably drink some type of alcoholic beverage to calm their nerves.
"Well! That was enough excitement for one day!" loudly commented Greg as he watched the company paramedics put the young man on the stretcher and ran towards the state ambulance outside. "What happened anyway?"
Gene frowned and stated, "I was like him once, and so I gave him a taste of the fear I experienced when I lost my family; my life. Hopefully, that will reset his priorities."
Greg patted him on the back. "You have a good heart, man. Even if you can't show it most of the time."
Gene nodded silently as his face became neutral. "I just wish firing him wasn't necessary, but I can't have incompetence in my name; we both know that."
Then, they noticed the first council member had walked in.
"Well the combatants are coming back in the ring, let's get this round started."
Gene made something in between a chuckle and a grimace. "Agreed."
Fifteen minutes into the meeting, it was obvious that Gene had won with his final speech as he spoke smoothly, "We all know that this is a defining moment not in just our own technology but as the human race as a whole. My original goal was to bring human colonization into reality, but we were much farther behind on technology then I originally thought when I started this company eleven years ago. Now, we have the technology, have the ability, have the materials, and most appropriately have the financial backing of the whole of the United Nations in order to make the three preliminary orbital elevators that will act as massive solar plants to spread limitless power across the world in a completely environmentally friendly fashion. This brings us the chance to bring America back as the shinning world power it once was, and bring out the innovation that would allow NASA and the other space programs to begin to colonize the satellite Luna and eventually... Mars."
Greg nodded approvingly as he stood and decided to become the what-if person of the deal as he inquired, "So, how long will this take us to accomplish this feat, and how much money are we talking at what payback?"
"Ah, the Vice President Gustav always the Devil's Advocate," muttered Gene dryly, "This will be a standing amount of at least 700 billion '08 US dollars per orbital elevator with 30% of it being handled by the UN in total in exchange for a standing discount power contract for seven years, and the project will take at least ten years to complete. We will be helped by various other companies that will participate as well taking another 20% out of the cost. In estimate, about 105 billion '08 US dollars a year if not rushed and not counting for overrun expenses which I will help cover with my own currency."
They both take their seats outside of the table since they aren't allowed to vote due to company policy and wait.
Thirty minutes into the voting process, Gene rubbed his temples as a migraine hit him. This was happening more and more recently in accordance with how active the Earth's tectonics where. He didn't see the connection, but he was sure a bad earthquake had happened somewhere recently. The meeting hadn't helped either; he got the approval for the elevators but many other things were bound to fall through. Oh well, can't win every battle I suppose, he thought to himself airily as he stepped out the front doors, besides there will still be several more hours until they are finished talking and Greg would call him.
He smelled the late evening air. It was nice and cool just like early spring usually was, but it was also warmer than usual too, even so he wore his old WWII aviation jacket and had his goggles around his neck. Then he proceeded to undo his tie and untuck his shirt sighing. "This is a strange evening," he muttered out loud.
Bloomington had changed a lot since the coming of Tiberius Industries; it was cleaner now and had been given some much needed infrastructure upgrades like fiber optic systems, and state of the art power transmission system to carry the load of the new Generation V supercritical Chromium-cooled fission reactor that had been built by his company recently. Once again, Bloomington became the heart of art in Indiana it once was during the early years of Gene's life.
A TI electric car passed him followed by a Ford equivalent. It made him smile; competition was alive and well. "Well at least we can fight for the cake now." murmured Gene enjoyably finally letting his emotions slip while no one was around to be impacted. He decided to go around the town for some much needed relaxation and maybe go to the movies. He hadn't done that in awhile, but decided no to since there was a migraine emanate.
Then, one of his few friends walked up to him. Her name Isa Shimbell.
Greg nodded in acknowledgement returning to his neutral face. "Good evening Isa. It's been a measureable amount of time."
"You can drop the mask now, Gene. I already prepared myself when I walked up to you," she said lightly. She knew him so well that sometimes he forgot he needed the barrier at all.
"Your strong will precedes you," replied Gene and smiled happy to know Greg wasn't the only one he could be open with. "You sure know how to break the ice with your warmth."
Isa laughed. "It took you forever for you just to trust me enough to get a smile to crack though the mask even for a moment."
"I don't think it's a habit I would want to break on either account," said Gene with a proud smirk, "I've had my emotions toyed with enough when I was younger to know not everyone is a true friend, but I also know when a true friend is around."
Isa nodded in earnest. "You are very mature for a younger folk that's for sure. I just wish I was younger; I would date you."
Gene shrugged. "Speaking of, your ninety-second birthday is coming up what would you like?"
"Hmmm... I want you to hear you laugh just once before I die, and I mean a real good ol' laugh!" spoke Isa with the enthusiasm of his late mother once had. She had always been sort of a mother figure to him in a way, but she was also her mother's god mother too. So, she was kind of like his grandmother in a way too. It was a pity she couldn't take him in when he was younger, but being blind couldn't land you many jobs that had more than poverty pay after all.
"I'll see how I can make that happen, Isa. I'm sure Greg can think something up in that perverted brain of his."
They both laughed.
"Well it seemed like you didn't need Greg's help after all," commented Isa happily, "I just wish I could see how much you've grown up; You always were such a scrawny kid."
"But I like being scrawny it's easier to get though crowds," he whined trying to sound hurt, but he couldn't manage it to well.
Isa laughed again before she said, "Well, I better get back home. My nurse must be throwing an absolute fit right now."
Gene nodded solemnly. "Mind if I walk you home. I'm sure you're going to need someone to keep you company."
"Oh, I'll be fine. Being blind isn't all that bad I can still see with my hearing, and besides you're about to get a call."
A buzzing went off in his pocket and Gene smiled at her and said, "Goodnight, Isa, be safe," before answering his phone and walking back into the back inside with his headache forgotten.
"Such a good boy isn't he?" she asked the pick pocket behind her as she hit him over the head with her solid titanium cane, "He worries too much though."
"Yes mam," the man answered before collapsing onto the concrete.
"Oh poo, now I'll have to clean my cane," she sang as she walked back across the street.
Author's Note:
This is my first published fan fiction so I have no idea how to go about with an "Author's Note" but here goes nothing:
First: I hope I don't have to beg all of you, but please review. I don't know how good the story is unless you all tell me.
Second: If you have any constructive criticism go for it. I much appreciate it, and suggestion and corrections are welcome.
Third: I do have a plan and I am flexible with my characters.
Fourth: If I need to clarify just ask in the reviews and I will make footnotes.
Thank you and please review.
