The cry of grief the girl gave as she plummeted toward the ground was heart stopping of all those who had the unfortune to hear it. Her sister's cry was also bad, worse even, for all agreed that Sasha Iver had wanted to die. Sophia ran to the edge, clutching at the brick where her other half had once stood, looking ready to jump herself.
"SASHA!" She screamed. Artemis was there in three steps, holding her back.
"No, Sophia."
"Let me go." She sobbed, pushing against him. He was surprisingly strong and steady. Had he been working out without her knowledge? "Please. I need—she—"
"Sophie." He said softly. "I'll take you. "
"No!" She threw herself from his arms at last, turning to the stairs. Relief flooded him; he had feared she wanted to jump. Silently, he followed her to the back garden, not noticing the incriminating evidence on the walls of the office they had to go through to reach the back door. Things that if he had noticed, he would have been very, very sad to see. Photos of him, obviously taken when he wasn't aware of it. Pictures of his family, Butler and Juliet, the house and grounds, floor plans, notes of points of entry…pictures of things under the Fowl fortune, antiques, artifacts, heirlooms, notes on where they were stored and how much they were worth. But Artemis didn't see any of this. His eyes stayed on his fiancé, and nothing more.
Sasha lay face down in a heap not to far from the garden shed. Sophia crouched down to the crumpled form. Turning it over gently she saw her sister still breathing. Barely, but she clung to life. Touching her chest carefully, Sasha suddenly cried out in pain. Broken ribs, collarbone, leg or two…one arm…three stories was a long, dangerous fall. Fatal. What she wanted.
"Sassy."
"Sophie." The girl smiled angelic, peaceful. "Sophie, love you." Her breath came out in rasps, slow and long.
Sophia pressed her sister's hand to her cheek. "I love you more than anything. I didn't lie." Her voice broke. "We'll go to America. I swear."
Screw Artemis. Screw the wedding. Screw the life she could have had, a happy one with him. Sasha mattered now. Why didn't she see that before?
Artemis' heart ripped in two. Nothing he could do now. His head throbbed. Nothing he could do now….
Sasha coughed up a shaky laugh." Don't swear, Soph." Their mother use to say that. "We both know it's too late for that. Scatter my ashes there, in Central Park."
"No." Sophia whispered. "No, it's never too late. Sass, don't give up. We can get through this. We've been through worse. This is nothing."
"Sophia. It's too late."
"No." Sophia said fiercely, holding back the stinging tears. Sasha didn't need to see that. Everything was fine.
Don't argue with me. Dream of me in New York." Sasha closed her eyes, smiling, then opened them again. "I love you Soph-"
The raspy, sallow breaths slowly faded. The hand on Sophia's face went limp and cold. Nothing came. Nothing went. Silence stayed.
Sophia dropped her head. A light defeated sound that echoed seemingly forever escaped. The tears freely fell, her sobs were silent, but her body shook violently. The pain filled her so much…so very, very much.
Hesitantly, Artemis stepped forward, placing his hand on her shoulder. Her own came over his, accepting the comfort. He sat down next to where she knelt. After a few minutes he gathered her into his arms where she cried, glad for the comfort. Her arms went around him, her head on his shoulder, and the rest curled in his lap. She needed this. Needed him now. It was the only thing left reliable. She had hurt him so much in the last hour. He must hate her, think her mad, believe she practically killed her own sister.
But nothing like that mattered. All she had was Artemis. In no way would she give that up too by asking questions, or talking at all. The moment mattered, nothing more.
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Horror. Utter horror. That was it.
Sure, sadness, grief, confusion and all the others that came with it, but horror, causing pure shock, was all that filled her. Nothing really registered. Not Artemis' brutal vocal thrashing of the little men he called LEP, not Juliet's embrace and gentle words, not the fear of Artemis seeing the house's interior.
Sasha had done one last thing to damn her sister. Disobeying Sophia's order to remove the photos of Artemis and company, the plans and details was a death sentence for Sophia. She wondered if maybe Sasha had done it on purpose. It clearly condemned both of them, but with one dead, there was only one to punish. The bait.
However, the point was reverberating in Sophia's head that moment was not the above, but the following: Sasha was dead. Sasha had killed herself. And it was her fault. She should have seen that it was her fault. She should have seen that it wasn't the LEP, but an episode. She should have foreseen, if she hadn't been occupied with her fiancée. The one who was to murder her shortly. It was all her fault. Her sister was dead.
She blamed Sasha for her own actions, sure. Sasha had been the one to jump. But still, she couldn't deny her own actions.
"Sasha is dead. Sasha is dead. Sassy died. Sasha killed herself…"
Everything was gone. Mother, father, sister…soon her own life. Sophia was all that was left. The last Iver. And it was all her fault.
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"Why didn't you back down?" Artemis demanded. The corporal was quaking in his boots. This mudman was no house like the human Butler, but he was still large. And able, if he held the mudgirl back from the edge.
"Orders, Sir." The small elf squeaked. "Commander Birch said if the human were to attack us we were to-"
"Did your 'Commander' also tell you that you were dealing with a mentally unstable human?" Artemis spat.
The elf murmured something to the effect of "Well-aren't-you-all?"
The raven-haired mudman glared. "She wasn't able to restrain herself. She was bound to lash out. Your 'Commander'," He sneered. "should have known this, it was in her file. He was setting you up for murder. Section 4, page 258 in the Book. Your kind is not suppose to attack mentally unbalanced humans. Nor should be attacking any humans at all. You started this, not her. Now a girl is dead."
"M-murder?!" the elf sputtered. "But we hadn't-"
"That's how it would have looked. The killing of a mentally unstable without having first trying to tranquilize them? You all look like human haters now. He was going to let you hang." Artemis said coldly. " I suggest you return to LEP headquarters with Major Short; if you beg her enough she might testify for you." With that he turned and left, leaving the elf close to fainting. What a mess.
The LEP should really exert more control over their petty officers. And interview their applicants more copious, restricting the human haters from any above-ground jaunts, particularly in Recon.
Juliet was with Tara, comforting her. They sat on the steps leading to the roof and upper floors. When he reached the landing above them, Juliet looked up. He motioned for her to follow him. Saying a few quick words to Tara, who nodded and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep the pieces together (Oh, his heart ached!), she left.
"What is it?" She wanted to get back to Tara. The poor thing needed help.
"Why haven't any of the neighbors heard anything?"
"Foaly said the Iver's already had their own sound barrier, a good one. And the LEP set up their own."
More things pointing to it being planned.
Artemis nodded. "How is she?"
"In shock. She hasn't cried in a while, but is still very …delicate. Is she really Sophia Iver?"
"Yes." Artemis glanced around. "Could you take her home? I'm going to send the rest of the LEP unit off and check out the house. See if I can locate the topaz. Just take her to her room, lock everything, even the door. I don't want her to hurt herself. Encourage her to sleep. Keep the camera on. I'll be there in an hour. I'll take a cab."
"Yes, Arty."
"Tell the LEP that are awake to follow you. Holly will take them down. It's a full moon, the others will get transport back soon. Tell Holly I'll call her later. And to be careful." He started toward the roof.
"Should I give her anything?"
He turned back to look at his fiancé.
"No. Wait until I talk to her, then we'll decide."
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