THE NIGHT OF THE LITTLE MAN

By Andamogirl

WWW

ACT ONE

Much later

It was late when Artemus Gordon woke up. He moved his head from where it was resting on something, and grunted, gritting his teeth against the terrible waves of pain assaulting him.

He immediately contracted his muscles, trying to curl up as a reflex to protect himself against them. But soon he realized it was impossible for him to move.

He was lying on top of a bed, on his stomach, and was tied to bedposts with strong ropes, his arms and legs stretched out.

He noticed that the bedroom had been hollowed out of rock and everything except the dark gray rock was blue, the tapestries, the chairs, the tablecloth, the chandeliers, the candlesticks… etc.

He frowned as he didn't remember what had happened.

Someone had obviously captured him and he bet that Miguelito Loveless was behind his abduction. He loved comfortable hideouts hollowed underground.

He closed his eyes tight shut. His back, left shoulder and arm were burning him and the pain was just awful, abominable, and intolerable.

Moaning in pain, tightening his fists, he buried his face in the pillow and felt tears well up in his eyes and wet the blue silk.

There were footsteps in the corridor outside. He didn't see the door swing open and Loveless enter the blue bedroom followed by Belladonna, but he recognized his sniggering. He glared at Loveless when the little man sat on the edge of the bed and leaned toward him.

Frowning, Miguelito Loveless said, "Now, now, Mr. Gordon, you're crying. I'm disappointed in you. I thought super special agents like you could tolerate any type of pain without showing any emotion." He shook his head. "My fault, I always forget that you're not the composed Jim West, but the emotional one of your duo." He smiled wickedly and said. "Speaking about your partner, with the help of the sheriff and his deputies he's searching the whole city to find you – but he won't. You're actually in the sole place they won't think to search for you: the prison – well, in an underground hideout I built under the prison, and the camouflaged entrance is in a barber's shop the barber is working for me, of course."

The blond Belladonna pointed at the ceiling and added, "The prison is just up there, right above us. Brilliant isn't it? It was Miguelito's astute idea."

His ego pleased, Loveless smiled. "Thank you, my dear."

Lifting his head from the pillow Artie said, "Jim will find me," between two gasps.

Loveless shook his head. "I'm sorry to destroy your futile hope, but he won't. That's impossible. You'll be declared MIA in a few days and your precious Mr. West will have a new partner. Jeremy Pike perhaps, he's not bad, but he will never be as good as you, and that's a compliment. Poor Mr. West, he'll be completely devastated not to have been able to find you despite all his efforts: he'll consider that as a personal failure. And he'll be even more devastated when your body – or rather a body standing in for you – is found."

Clenching his jaws, Artie groaned. "He won't buy it, Loveless," he said. "He knows you can make duplicates of anyone."

Loveless nodded. "Yes, I know. But this one will be perfect, down to the smallest mole – the exact copy of Artemus Gordon, each tiny detail reproduced to perfection, even the most intimate." He smiled. "It will be easy, as I have the original here, at my disposal."

Artie shook his head. "He won't buy it," he repeated. "He will feel it in his heart. He and I share a special bond. He'll know that I'm not dead. He'll search for me."

Loveless nodded. "For a time, yes. It's normal. The two of you are very close, like brothers. But he will eventually face the fact."

Intrigued, Artemus asked, "What do you want to do with me?"

The diminutive man smiled. "I intend to keep you with me as my guest for a long time Mr. Gordon, as long as it takes for what I have in mind for you to be ready, and it could take at least three weeks. But as I am a genius, I'll bet on less time."

Swallowing hard, Artie's face paled and went grim. "Another machine…"

Loveless nodded beaming. "Oh, yes! Another machine. I think I'll challenge myself : this time it will be the pinnacle of my career of criminal genius."

Feeling new tears well up in his eyes, Artemus lowered his head to the pillow, wincing, and said, "Like all your previous plans, it will fail. Jim and I, we will see to it."

Miguelito chuckled. "You won't be able to do anything against me in your future state Mr. Gordon, believe me." He grinned. "After your transformation you'll be different… and I'm not going to transform you into a woman again, if that's what you're thinking. I never reuse any of my machines, because it is not creative! I love to create! You're going to love my new machine."

Artie lifted an eyebrow, both curious and worried. "What do you mean my transformation? You want to transform me into what? And Why? What do you plan to do to me?"

Loveless shook his head and tsk-tsked. "Don't be so impatient! You'll know everything in due time, Mr. Gordon, not before. We'll soon have a nice cell just for you. But as I want to punish you for what you did – ruining my latest plan and putting me in prison, I'm going to take revenge and I'm going to be severe with you. You'll be shackled, fed only once every other day, and not much, you'll have one glass of water per day, you won't have any blanket to keep you warm and no clothes except your underwear. You won't have anything to clean yourself up and shave yourself, and you will be allowed to use the toilet only once a day. Oh! And my men will rouse you every two hours at night to disrupt your sleep. But as I don't want you to die of boredom and as I am a considerate host, I will give you one book to read per day, to keep your mind entertained. I'm sure you'll appreciate that. Do you love mathematical treatises? I'm sure you do."

Lifting his head again, Artie just glared.

Loveless pulled out a tin box from the right pocket of his jacket. "But first, your burns need to heal, fast. I've prepared something, especially for you, Mr. Gordon; a moisturizing and antiseptic ointment." He lifted up the lid and smelled his preparation and wrinkled his nose. "It should be very effective, but it doesn't smell good." He gave the box to Belladonna and added, "Belladonna is an excellent nurse."

Shortly after, Artemus was panting, hissing through his teeth and crying again, as 'nurse' Belladonna was rubbing the ointment on his burns.

Loveless chuckled. "I told you, she's an excellent nurse."

WWW

In the Wanderer,

Two days later

Fatigued, depressed, anguished, James West slumped on the couch. Another day without finding Artie. It was as if he had vanished from the surface of the planet, he thought.

He removed his dusty hat and threw it on an empty armchair. He spotted Marmalade sitting on her hind legs on the other couch, staring at him.

Excited, she was waving her tail expectedly.

He sighed, disappointed. "I didn't find him. People searched for him, all the lawmen in the territory and even the army. He's somewhere… but I don't know where," he said to the cat. "I don't know if he's still in Kansas, even, but I will find him."

Distressed, worried, Marmie stopped her tail and let it drop, lifeless.

Meow?

He rubbed his tired face and, still looking at the distressed cat, added, "He's not dead. I would know if he was dead, in my heart."

He stood and sat on the edge of the other couch, beside the feline. He stroked the animal's chin, then its back, soothingly. "I'll find him. Loveless took him. He wanted revenge; he seized the opportunity to kidnap Artemus. He's probably his prisoner somewhere, in Loveless's hideout… I couldn't find any information on him. He has vanished too."

Marmie lowered her head, sad.

Suddenly the telegraph clicked alive. Jim moved toward the work table and opened the box of faux books hiding the key.

He acknowledged the reception and waited for the message.

He didn't like it.

Colonel Richmond wanted to see him in Washington as soon as possible. He wanted a full report. Colonel Crawford of Fort Callender would continue the search.

He hit the telegraph key to give his answer. 'Will depart within hour. Artemus is still missing. Will be in Washington as soon as possible.'

WWW

Five days later,

Washington D.C.

Colonel Richmond's office.

Colonel Richmond poured a cup of coffee and handed it to James West. "I don't have good news," he said, his face grim.

Jim tightened his fingers around the cup. "Colonel Crawford didn't find Artie."

Richmond shook his head. "No, he didn't. I read your report and the President too. Like you, we both think that Loveless has kidnapped Artemus."

Frowning Jim said, "I can hear a 'but' coming. Don't abandon the search for him, Sir. We can't leave him in Loveless's hands!"

The Colonel nodded. "But, he's not in danger. You and I both know Loveless very well now. If he had killed Artemus, he would have let us know, to gloat. He didn't, and Loveless wants to have both Artemus and you prisoners before killing you. So he will keep Artemus prisoner until he captures you too. He always proceeds that way." He paused. "I won't stop the search, but it will be led by the sheriff of Junction City and the federal marshals. They know Kansas better than the back of their right hands. Colonel Crawford and his men have other tasks to attend to." He sighed and added, "As for you, you won't be going back there, Jim… the President needs you at his side."

Furrowing his brow, very upset, Jim said, "With all due respect Sir, my place is not in Washington, but in Kansas, helping the others. I have to find Artie, Sir. He's counting on me…"

Richmond nodded. "And the President is counting on you to protect him during the coming weeks . He'll be traveling in his train throughout the country to meet the Governors of the different States and Territories, and he wants you at his side. He has received new menacing letters and, as you know, he has recently escaped two assassination attempts. He has every confidence in you to protect him."

Torn between disappointment and honor, Jim could barely squeeze out a smile. "It'll be an honor, Sir." He sighed inwardly. 'I'm not letting you down, Artie.' he thought. 'I'll find you. Hang on!'

Colonel Richmond repeated, "I repeat. Artemus is not in danger. Loveless will keep him prisoner until he captures you."

WWW

Three weeks later,

Washington D.C. Military Hospital, morgue

Colonel Richmond pulled the sheet over the legs of the corpse lying on one of the tables in the morgue, and looked at Jim. "I'm really sorry."

He very was surprised to find no emotion on the other man's face. He was staring at Artemus Gordon's corpse, unfazed. 'Maybe he's too shocked to react', he thought.

He said, "I received a message from Loveless, a week ago." He pulled it out from the pocket of his jacket and read it; "Dear Mr. West, Mr. Gordon escaped from the lovely blue bedroom he was prisoner in, but he didn't go far. My men brutally stopped him. Believing they did the right thing – to please me – they beat him and thrashed him and, unfortunately, Mr. Gordon died of his injuries one hour later, saying your first name with his last breath. He died, and I regret it. You know me; I had planned something else, something 'grandiose' to kill him and you. But, sadly, you'll be the only one to die that way. I won't have the pleasure of killing you both, myself. But that's life, or rather, it's death. We'll meet again, Mr. West. You will find Mr. Gordon's body in Kearney, Nebraska, in a resting place. Sincerely yours, M Q Loveless." He pocketed the message and continued, "The sheriff of Kearney found Artemus's body, in the cemetery. When I heard that he had been found, I immediately asked the sheriff to send the body here, for identification. Dr. Henderson examined him, and… and there's no doubt, it's Artemus. I'm really sorry Jim…"

Glancing at the body, his face neutral, Jim said, "Don't be, Colonel. There's no need. It's not Artemus." Shaking his head Jim added, "No! It's not him, he's not dead." He looked again at the body. "It's not him."

Colonel Richmond sighed. "I'm sorry Jim, but it's Artemus. I know that his face is unrecognizable, due to the hard beating and advanced putrefaction, but it's him.

Jim shook his head again. "No."

Richmond sighed again. "Dr. Henderson verified it with his medical record. Everything matches, his size, his scars, his teeth, his Comanche tattoo, even the smallest details recorded in his medical record – in case he had to be identified – like the location of his beauty spots and their unique shapes. Dr. Henderson even checked the scar Artemus has between his left upper thigh and his lower abdomen, in a sensitive and intimate place, where a dog bit him when he was a boy, just to be sure."

Sure of himself, Jim pointed at the cadaver. "That man there is not Artemus Gordon, Colonel. Loveless created a perfect duplicate, using Artie as a model. He's keeping him prisoner, somewhere, so it wasn't difficult for him to create a perfect duplicate. Loveless wants us to believe that Artie's dead, Colonel, but he's not. I don't know what Loveless wants to do with Artemus, but I intend to find out. I will continue searching for him. I will find Artemus because he needs to be rescued. He's counting on me." He touched his chest, right above his heart. "Artemus is like a brother to me, Sir, actually he's my blood brother. If he was dead I would feel it here… and my heart tells me that he's still alive."

Richmond nodded. "Jim, there's no evidence you're right." He pulled up the sheet, covering what was left of the corpse. "I'm sorry, Jim, but without actual evidence that Artemus is still alive, I consider this body here, as Artemus Gordon's body. I have no other choice but to declare him officially deceased. He died in the line of duty a week ago. I'm going to inform his family of his death and prepare his funeral. He'll be buried in Arlington with full military honors." He sighed. "You're off duty from now on, Jim. I understand that you can't accept his death; denial is a normal reaction after a terrible loss. I myself came to believe that Artemus was immortal, having escaped death so many times , and after being brought back among the living ... But ultimately, no one escapes death. You need time to accept Artemus's death; you need time to grieve…"

Frowning, Jim shook his head. "He's not dead. I'm not giving up on Artie. I'll find him. No, Loveless will find me, and then, I will find Artie."

Richmond shook his head. "I can't let you do that, Jim. Loveless could kill you too… and I can't lose you as well. It's too risky. We need you. You're the most experienced agent…"

Determination written on his face, Jim took out his identification card from his inside pocket and placed it on top of the body. "I'm resigning from the Secret Service. I'll send you and the President an official letter of resignation as soon as I can. Good-bye, Colonel. It has been an honor and a privilege and a pleasure to serve under your command."

Colonel Richmond shook his head. "I'm not accepting it, and the President won't accept it either. You are the best man in the Secret Service."

"Was," Jim corrected. "I've just resigned."

Richmond grabbed Jim's arm. "Jim! You can't leave like that!"

His green eyes resolute, Jim said, "Watch me!" Then he headed toward the door – resolved to find his partner at all costs.

Knowing that nothing and no one could stop James West when he had decided to do something, Richmond let him go.

He sighed imagining a terrible corollary to Artemus Gordon's death. Jim would meet Loveless again, would realize that Artemus was really dead and…it would end badly. Free of his commission, free to do what he wanted, he would avenge the death of his partner. Loveless would die and Jim would die too, wishing to be reunited with his companion.

He swallowed hard. "Goodbye, Jim."

WWW

Loveless's hideout, two days later

Artemus's cell

Miguelito Loveless opened the door of the weakly-lit cell and smiled broadly seeing Artemus rolled in a ball on his bunk, his ankles handcuffed. He appreciated his disheveled appearance and loss of weight. The lack of sleep had strained his features. He looked like a ghost.

Followed by an armed goon, the litlle man entered the small, cold, damp room. "Ah! Mr. Gordon you look terrible, good! Good! How are you today?"

Artemus kept reading not paying attention to the diminutive man. "Put the book on the table and leave. I don't like people watching me when I'm reading", Artie said in a fatigued voice."

Loveless complied by placing a book on the table but instead of leaving he sat down on a chair. He smirked. "I came here to tell you that you have been buried, yesterday afternoon in Arlington cemetery with full military honors, Mr. Gordon, and promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel posthumously. You had a nice funeral. Your parents were there… and your mother had a malaise and was transported to the hospital."

Artie blanched. "Oh dear God!" Then he glared at Loveless. "You hurt my family! I will make you pay dearly for that!"

Loveless smiled. "No you won't." He paused and continued, "President Grant was there too, to pay his last respects – it's an honor. I hope you appreciate his gesture. You were much appreciated. A lot of people attended the ceremony, officers, governors, senators, other agents, a lot of women – and no James West. I was very surprised when I heard that and I did some checking. It would seem that Mr. West has vanished. No one has seen him since your * body * was brought to the morgue."

Looking at Loveless, Artie smiled. "Of course he wasn't at my funeral, because he knew that wasn't me in the coffin, but a duplicate. I told you, he didn't buy your trick with that doppelganger. He has left Washington and he's searching for me. He'll find me. Your days are numbered until he finds you, Loveless. It's just a matter of time before he comes here."

Loveless nodded, unfazed. "I'll let your partner know where I am when I judge it necessary, and the two of you will be reunited. I came here, to tell you good news too. I've almost finished my new fantastic machine and I'm very proud of myself. It's my best machine so far. It should take a couple of days to finish it completely. Be patient. Soon you will leave this cell."

WWW

Two days later in Loveless's lab

Two bulky men pushed Artemus, in his underwear, into a chair and strapped him to it. Loveless's machine, the size of a crate, was stood beside him. Then the henchmen placed electrodes on his head, chest, arms and legs, connecting him to the device.

Belladonna smiled. "You're going to be electrocuted again… and then… Miguelito finally told me what he intends to do… and it was a big, big surprise! And I love it!"

Loveless verified the settings of his machine. "I'm glad you do, my dear. I told you it would be grandiose! My genius has no limits…" He pushed a red button. The low thrum of electricity started running through Artemus via the electrodes. Artie's whole body tensed, a tingling sensation spread to his whole body, turning rapidly into a burning sensation. His back arched, and his body shook and bucked. He let out strangled noises but he didn't scream.

He didn't want to please his torturer.

Loveless pushed the button again. "Good!" loveless said. "I'm sorry Mr. Gordon but I had to test my machine. Everything is ready."

His body lax, slumping against his restraints, head lolling, still twitching and shaking even after the current was gone, Artie took a few deep, shuddering breaths. "I see you're still fond of electricity, Doctor – but let me tell you that I'm not."

The little man smiled. "I thought you loved electricity after you threw yourself against that panel in the Communications Center and were electrocuted."

Resigned Artie sighed. "I'm not in the mood for futile conversation. Let's proceed with what you plan to do to me. Go ahead."

Loveless let out a frustrated huff. "Aren't you curious about my machine? My marvelous creation? What I'm going to do to you?"

With a bored expression, Artie let out, flatly, "Let me guess, electrocute me? Déjà fait! You did that the last time we met, remember? Suffering from a temporary drought of ideas?"

Loveless shook his head. "Me? Never. I'm not going to kill you Mr. Gordon, but it won't be pleasant. Electricity will only start the machine and activate the transformation; I mean activate your transformation. I surprised myself that I have managed to build this machine in only three weeks. I really am a genius! The greatest genius of all time! The way this machine works is very, very complex. I had to read a lot of books, I had to consult the best scientists in the whole world, I had to do many very difficult calculations, I had to buy very rare components and assemble them precisely… but now it's ready. Yes! It's ready!"

Feeling antsy Artie asked. "I'm going to be transformed into what? Tell me. Into what?"

Loveless chuckled. "Ah! You will have the surprise of discovering it for yourself. You won't be turned into a rabbit, be reassured. I'm a scientist, not a magician."

Miguelito pushed the red button again, activating the machine once more. Electricity started running through Artemus's body via the electrodes. "Machine activated."

Gritting his teeth together Artie grunted, as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably and, eyes tight shut, he bucked against his restraints.

Loveless pushed a green button then. There was a loud whirring sound and a violent current ran through the electrodes, making Artemus scream and convulse.

Suddenly there was a flash of intense bright, white light which enveloped Artemus, and he was blinded momentarily. "Transformation initiated," Loveless said.

His eyes veiled with big white dots, Loveless couldn't see anything, but he could hear Artemus frantic cries of immense pain and terror… then he heard whimpers and finally sobs.

Child-like sobs.

Loveless blinked the dots away from his eyes and lowered them to the crumpled form of a young boy curled on the chair, wearing underwear too big for him.

Miguelito Loveless grinned and clapped his hands in total glee. "It worked! It worked! My age-regression machine worked! I'm a genius!" He sobered up. "Yes, or course, I am," he said, before smiling broadly, very proud of himself. He moved closer to the de-aged Artemus Gordon. "You're not 2 years old, as I expected, but what… 8 years old?" He removed the electrodes and the now loose straps around the boy's shoulders and legs. He frowned, upset. "Something went wrong with my machine… it is not well-calibrated. " He snapped his fingers, twice.. "Artemus, look at me. Look at me, boy."

Sniffling, Artie opened his eyes blinking in disorientation and wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "I really, really hate you, you know that, Loveless!" he said with a high-pitched, childish voice and instantly froze. It wasn't his voice; this one was several octaves too high. "What?" he glanced at his hands, petite, child-like. Then totally stunned, wide-eyed and open-mouthed he did a rapid survey of his shrunken new body, or rather of the body he had a long time ago. He blinked a couple of times as he tried to process the situation, then… "No! No!" The color in his face drained away, leaving him ashen. Shocked, he let out a strangled cry before stammering. "Oh my God! This cannotbe happening! What-what did you do to me?" he asked. His lower lip was trembling and his eyes watered, overwhelmed by emotion.

Dr. Loveless smiled broadly and placed a hand on top of Artemus's head, now at eye level with the de-aged agent. "We are the same size now… What? Isn't it obvious? My machine de-aged you – it de-aged your body, at least, because your mind is still intact, obviously and regrettably. Something went wrong there too. You should have your 8 year old mind again. But your brain has been affected too, I'm sure." He looked up at Belladonna standing beside the table and asked, "Belladonna, my dear, can I have your pocket mirror?"

The blond woman opened her reticule and pulled out a round pocket mirror. She handed it to her boss. "Here, Miguelito."

Opening it, Loveless placed it in front of mini-Artemus's face. "Look at you! You're a boy again."

Boy-Artie looked at his reflection, mouth hanging agape with awe, slight tremors running through him. "That's incredible," he finally said.

Loveless grinned with glee. "Yes, it isn't it? My machine transformed one of the two best agents of the Secret Service into a helpless boy. My machine got rid of Artemus Gordon. I should have thought about building such a machine before." Standing, he pulled mini-Artie upright and added, "You're not a menace to me anymore, little man, and you won't be a menace for a long time, not before you are a young man, and by then I will have taken over the world, and you won't be able to do anything against the master of the world!" He frowned, upset, and added. "I have to check the parameters of my machine…"

Still deeply shocked, mini-Artemus tried to stand but couldn't, his legs trembled violently, and they were unable to support his weight. He whimpered like a scared boy. He gritted his teeth. 'Get a grip old boy!' he thought and let out of soft sob. 'No, rather young boy…' He faced Loveless, finally regaining control of himself. "What do you plan do to with me now?"

Loveless grinned. "I don't know, yet. You see, I had set the machine on 2 and once you were 2 again, I would have adopted you."

Artemus was stunned. "Wha-at?"

The diminutive man nodded. "Because I'm not sure to find a wife and have children in the future, my intention is to raise you, and later Mr West, like my own sons and get rid of two special agents at the same time - I hope you appreciate that honor. I would model you in my image, to follow in my footsteps and become formidable criminals."

Mini-Artie was sick at the idea. "Oh God!"

Miguelito Loveless continued, "But now, because of my machine malfunction, I have to change my plans. I could de-age you again, but it would be too dangerous and you could die. I don't kill children, I'm not a monster." He snapped his fingers twice. "I know what I'm going to do. But nothing is lost... instead of having two sons, I will have only one… to begin with. I can still transform Mr. West into a 2 year old boy and raise him to be my successor. As for you, I know now what I'm going to do with you, I'll keep you locked up. My son will need a friend to play with. Then, when you are older, and a potential threat, I will de-age you again, and my son – James – will have an adoptive brother. Au final, I will have two sons. I'm brilliant! Brilliant, isn't it?"

New tears rolled down the boy's cheeks. "No! Not Jim! Never!" He sniffled, wiping his nose against the back of his hand.

Child-like.

Loveless nodded. "Oh yes! And the plus is, that I'm going to the richest man in the world with that machine! People will pay me a fortune to be young again. I have just built an electrical fountain of youth!... " He grinned and added, "And I will have a son, called James, at my side…" He cackled. "James Loveless! It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Holding his adult underwear with one hand, mini-Artemus hit Loveless with the other, with all he had, pushing him backward. "Not Jim! Not Jim! NO! NOOO!" He choked out, his lower lip trembling, as new tears spilled out of his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. Then he kicked the machine, hard, hitting it with his fist too, till his knuckles bled, breaking the most fragile components.

Furious, Loveless grabbed mini Artemus by his shoulders, but it was too late; showers of sparks burst forth, flames also surgedforth. He growled in rage. "Bad boy!" he said. "Bad boy!" He turned toward the two henchmen standing next to the door. "You shouldn't have done that! That machine cost a fortune – and all those components you broke are very difficult to find! Bring back Mr. Gordon to his cell!"

But the boy managed to free himself from Loveless's grip and escaped the two brutes who wanted to catch him, sneaking between them agilely.

Mini Artie opened the door of the lab and ran down the long, long corridor until he found a staircase. He climbed the stairs as quickly as he could with his little legs, the two goons and Loveless pursuing him. He opened a new-looking door hidden behind a faux dresser, pushed it making it pivot and found himself in a barber shop. "I'm free!" he said as he ran toward the front door before the phony barber (but true Loveless henchman) could grab him. He opened the door and hurried into the street, crying, "Help me! Help me! Please help me!"

People in the street immediately gathered around the boy wanting to help him. Loveless and his henchmen stayed inside the house.

Miguelito Loveless groaned, stomping his feet, furious. "We need to abandon this place; Mr. Gordon will tell everything to the sheriff, and it will soon be cramped with lawmen. Fortunately for me, my machine is portable. Let's go, before it's too late!"

Belladonna frowned. "You should have killed him, Miguelito."

In the street, Artie looked behind him, antsy and seeing that Loveless and his two goons had not followed him he said to an old man, "I need to see the sheriff, lead me to him, now!"

WWW

Later

By a fortunate coincidence James West was back in Junction City that same day – where the whole story had begun – wanting to re-start his search for Artie from there.

The first place he went was the sheriff's office.

He had just entered the main room when he spotted a dark-haired boy sat on a chair beside the stove, his hands bandaged, red spots on them, and eating a yellow apple. His curls were a mess, his eyes were red and wet with tears and he was dressed in black underwear too big for him, tied at the waist with a belt. "Hello! Can you tell me where the sheriff is?"

The boy suddenly froze in total surprise, dropped his half-eaten apple to the floor and bolted toward him, bullet-like. "Jim! Jiiiiiiim!" he exclaimed.

Grinning, mini-Artemus wrapped his arms around Jim's legs. "Jim! Jim!" he said bouncing with intense joy and relief. "You found me! I knew it! I was sure of it!"

Puzzled, Jim knelt on the dusty floorboards and ruffled the boy's dark wavy hair. "Hi! How do you know my name, son?" he asked with a smile.

Mini-Artemus smiled broadly. "It's me, Jim, Artemus! You're not going to believe it! Loveless used a machine to de-age me! I'm 8, but I'm still me in my head! I mean the old me. We have to go back to his lab and force him to re-age me! He has built a de-aging machine, and he'll have to build a re-aging machine! I can't stay like this! I want to be me, the old me!" Seeing that Jim wasn't convinced, he turned around. "It's me, Jim! Look at my tattoo! At my Comanche tattoo!'

Blinking slowly, amazed, Jim was tempted to pinch his arm to check if he was awake. "Artie? That can't be… it's impossible…"

Mini-Artie rolled his eyes. "Impossible? With Loveless? Hardly!" He made a face and added, "And I'm not a child! I just look like one!"

Jim nodded, dumbfounded. "How old are you?"

Mini-Artemus held up 8 fingers, child-like. And Jim noticed it. "Eight, I think… that's what Loveless told me. I mean, my body is 8, but I still have my ol' noggin'…"

That was the adult Artie speaking, Jim observed. "Your brain was affected too, it would seem, buddy." He touched the smaller Comanche black tattoo the boy had on his lower back before turning the boy around. He took the boy by his bony shoulders, observing his freckled face. The lines were softer and rounder, but his chocolate eyes were the same, gentle and intelligent. That was Artemus Gordon alright. "It's really hard to believe… but it's the truth. My God! Artemus!"

In child-mode again, boy-Artie continued, "Yes, it's me," and he hugged Jim, burying his face in his best friend's shoulder. New tears, of joy this time, and not of distress, rolled down on his cheeks. "The sheriff didn't believe me. He thought I was telling stories, lying… But he's kind. He bandaged my cut hands, and as I was hungry he gave me an apple and a belt too. He went to the saloon to bring me some food. I'm famished!"

The much older agent smiled broadly and responded, pulling mini-Artie into his arms, hugging him in return. "I found you, buddy. But I wasn't expecting to have an 8 year-old partner back."

Mini Artemus took a step back, wiping his face with the back of his hand, like a boy would, wetting the bandage, and parting from Jim as his face grew somber. "I wasn't expecting that either, Jim. It's awful! Loveless wanted to turn me into a 2 year old boy, body and mind; but his machine didn't work properly and it turned me into an 8 year old boy instead and I still have my adult mind. He wanted to get rid of the special agent-me that way, but also he wanted to adopt me as his son. He wanted to model me, so that later I'd be a criminal genius like him. That's horrible!"

Jim was stunned. "What?"

Min-Artie continued, "He had planned to do that to you too. I damaged his infernal machine and then I managed to escape, and…"

Jim smiled. "Whoa! Artie, slow down," he said, cutting through the torrent of Artemus's words. "Just start at the beginning, okay?"

Mini-Artie nodded. Old Artie surfaced. "He kidnapped me and locked me in a cell, depriving me or almost of food, water and sleep to punish me, to take his revenge on me. Because his last scheme failed because of me. I was cold too… I looked like a ghost when they attached me to his machine. It could have killed me if I had stayed an adult, and I really thought I was going to die, for good this time… and I regressed to the body I had when I was 8… you can imagine my surprise… very bad surprise. I was totally shocked."

Jim nodded and showed a scoffing smile. "I can see that, I was expecting the mop of wild dark hair, but not the freckles, and I thought the 8 year boy-you would be taller, and not-bony. It looks like you never ate your mom's delicious cuisine."

Sighing Child-Artemus rolled his eyes. "I grew up in spurts, and for your information, I ate like a regiment when I was a boy, Jim, but I didn't gain weight. I was built like that – in those days. Now, it's another matter… I mean, was another matter, because I have my 8 year old body back. I was bony throughout my adolescence, and I was positively scrawny at 18… because I didn't eat much at that time… That was another time." He smiled. "I'm fine – and I'm very hungry."

Mentally, Jim cursed Loveless for what he had done to Artie. "We'll find Loveless, I promise. He'll build a new machine, a re-aging machine and you'll be the old you again." He took Artie's right hand in his and frowned seeing a few flecks of blood on the bandage. "What happened to your hands?"

8 year old Artemus smiled proudly. "I broke his machine… and cut myself. He was furious!" then, grabbing Jim's hand, he said, "Let's find Loveless!"

Sheriff Anderson entered the room at that instant, holding a plate with slices of meat covered with gravy and sautéed potatoes. There was a fork and a knife too. "Ah! Mr. West, you're back! That's a surprise! And it's quite a coincidence! That boy there wanted to see you desperately. He claims to be your lost partner, Artemus Gordon. He told me a fantastic story about a bad guy named Loveless, with a machine which can de-age a grown man…" he settled the plate on his desk. "He even asked me to send a telegram to a certain Colonel Richmond of the Treasury Department in Washington to tell him what happened to him, of course I refused." He smiled. "He has invented the whole story, boys do that. They love to lie. This little man here doesn't want to tell me his real name and who his parents are, and where they are."

Mini Artie glared at the old man and pursed his lips. "I'm not a liar, sheriff. I didn't invent that story! Tell him Jim, please."

Jim looked at the lawman. "He's telling the truth, sheriff."

Boy-Artie stuck out his tongue at the sheriff. "See? I told you the truth!"

Jim ignored the sheriff's more than stunned look and turned toward Artemus, automatically giving him a quick, disapproving look.

Embarrassed, Mini-Artie flushed pink. "Sorry. Like you said earlier, that machine affected my brain too, and sometimes I can act like a boy. It's not my fault. I can't help it."

The old Artemus was back.

Knowing that, Jim couldn't help ruffling his de-aged partner's already mussed hair. "Apology accepted, little man," he said with a grin. "Okay. Artie, do you remember where Loveless's hideout is?"

Mini-Artemus turned toward the door. "Let's go!"

He grabbed a handful of sautéed potatoes and shoved them in his mouth before running toward the door of the sheriff's office.

WWW

Later in Loveless's lab

Mini Artemus blanched when he saw that the de-aging machine had disappeared from the lab. He pointed at the armchair and said, "The machine was there, Jim."

That was the 'old' Artie speaking.

Jim looked around him. The place was obviously deserted; crates and trunks half filled with scientific equipment lay here and there on the floor. "Loveless left in a hurry taking his machine with him," he said. He placed a soothing hand on the boy's shoulder. "I told you, Artemus, we'll find him and he'll build a new machine to reverse the de-aging effects."

Mini Artie nodded. "I hope so, but when? What am I going to do in the meantime? Look at me; I'm just a boy, Jim. I can't do anything I did before, I'm useless…" He nibbled his lower lip nervously.

Kneeling Jim took the boy by his shoulders. "You're going to stay with me. I always wanted a little brother, and now I have one." He pushed Artie's fringe off his forehead in a comforting gesture. "We'll stay together, Artie, always."

Mini Artemus smiled. "Okay. What about now?"

Sighing Jim took the boy's hand. "We head back to Washington. But before we do I have to send a telegram to Colonel Richmond – and it will be a long one. I have a lot of things to tell him."

Mini Artemus looked at his feet in dismay, sniffling, on the verge of crying. "He's going to kick me out of the Secret Service… I don't want to lose you."

Seeing tears appear in the boy's eyes Jim said, "You won't lose me, Artie, never. We'll stay together, always, doing… doing I don't know what, right now."

Puzzled, child-Artie blinked. "What?"

Jim explained, "I resigned, Artie. I'm not a special agent anymore. What about buying a ranch in Mexico and taking up horse breeding, uh? You and I both love horses, right?"

Mini Artie blinked again, very surprised this time. "What? You resigned? Why?"

Standing up Jim said, "Because I wanted to be free to search for you, free to wander through the whole country, to have the time necessary to find you."

Boy-Artie nodded. "I knew you'd find me, Jim. I had no doubt about that. Now that you have found me, go see the President, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to reinstate you in the Secret Service. You're his number one agent, the best."

Jim smiled. "No, we, you and I are the best, Artie. We're a duo, we are inseparable. If the President wants me back, okay, I'll say yes, but on one condition only. You'll stay with me in the Wanderer until we find Loveless and re-age you. We're partners, buddy."

Child-Artie nodded. "Yes we are, Jim." Looking down at his big underwear, he asked, "Could you buy me some clothes Jim? I'm going to need them."

Jim nodded. "Later, first you're going to go to see Dr. Petersen, for your bleeding hands, then I will send a message to the sheriff of Green Hill. He has to tell your mother and Harry that you're still alive. They will be agreeably surprised. Overjoyed!"

Mini-Artie blanched. "Oh my God! I had completely forgotten them!"

Smiling, Jim pressed boy-Artie's shoulder soothingly. "It's okay. We won't tell them, alright? I had a wonderful idea. Do you think your mom will be happy to have a photograph of you?"

Tbc.