3.
The Mastermind
Who was responsible for this whole kidnapping mess? Why would they kidnap Brandon Fowl, son of Artemis Fowl? Did they think Brandon was Artemis? If so, why? What sort of mastermind would hate Artemis enough and not know that he aged? Who would do it?
The answer is Opal Kaboi. It's not that simple however. To understand her twisted mind's view of the situation we must dig into her past.
After the infamous Arctic Incident, Opal was placed in Howler's Peak. She was thrown in the same cell with some of the goblins that worked with her. They weren't too pleased with what had happened. They brutally attacked her, and when the guard opened the door to stop the ruckus the goblins set him on fire and escaped leaving Opal Kaboi in an insane, traumatized state. She did not know of this fact, and escaped a month pretending to be asleep when the guards came in to give her a required medication. She woke up and wrenched the needle from the guard's hand and jammed into his neck. He clawed at his throat but it was no use. He fell to the ground, dead. The door was wide open.
Of course, an empty cell with a dead guard would attract attention. She went into hiding and slowly built her own empire, or rebellion as an anonymous figure for Artemis frequently traveled underground to work on something with fairy technology. He apparently had made a deal with them to work alongside them. If the Pixie with the Golden Touch had revealed herself, or the grand scope of the rebellion with him underground it could be messy. Or, to be more accurate, messier. It was better for her to have her own secret.
Two of the already growing organization happened to be scientists, disgusted with the regulations of the LEP and decided to work for this strange figure.
They also had discovered something very odd and strange in the walls. It was a very thin hole, nothing more than a slice. They believed it was a portal to another dimension, or planet. When they reported it, the media crucified them.
Another reason why they joined the Rebellion.
Opal Kaboi allowed them to try opening the portal. The two scientists worked day and night trying to stretch it open, not break it open. If they just crashed the wall around it, it would be a sliver in thin air. Using small, plasma-type objects they worked day and night trying to open it. While they were doing this, Opal learned the name of the planet on the other side: Gyblick.
She read up on this strange place. Gyblick held many scientific geniuses. One, Dr. Peter Grenacle, was working on a strange serum that would give unlimited power.
The pixie ran down to the two scientists. They looked very proud.
"Ms. Kaboi, we have---" One began before Opal pushed him aside. "Can it." She looked into the hole. It was like a milky, clear liquid was dividing both planets. She put her finger in it. It quivered and opened.
"Oh, my gods." She gasped. "Look at this."
She stepped through the wall.
Gyblick was a metropolis crowded with strange creatures of all shapes and sizes. She was looking around while walking and bumped into some humanoid creature with the head of a dog.
"Watch it, lady." It snarled at her.
Not wanting to cause a ruckus, she apologized.
"Don't let it happen again." It said and walked off.
When he was out of speaking distance she muttered "Lousy mutt."
Finding Dr. Grenacle was going to be harder. She knew where to look, however. In the book, she read that he was in the top floor of a lab shaped like a giant tube. It was pretty easy to spot.
Inside the elevator, she stared at the clear glass wall. She could see various scientists working hard at new inventions. She was lost in her thoughts when a small *bing* interrupted her.
She stepped out and heard a curt voice say, "Yes?" She looked ahead, and sitting at the desk was a bizarre mix of the stereotypical Roswell alien and an octopus. It had the Roswell's head, but a body swarming with tentacles. The alien was a light shade of blue-green. He had a small goatee and spectacles.
"Ah, er, Dr. Grenacle. I would like to know of your, ah, serum."
"I'm still in the developing stages. I've included my DNA plus a growth serum and some other interesting chemicals. I'm testing it on enlarged forms of bacteria, but the results--"
"I'll take it."
"Excuse me?"
"I'll take it."
"You don't understand, ma'am. Its not ready for sale."
"Take some risks, then."
"I'm not a mad scientist. I can't, I won't tarnish my name because someone wants it."
"Trust me. I'll be far away so no one will ever know. What could go wrong?"
The scientist opened his mouth, but closed it when he realized it was rhetorical.
"If you insist." He sighed and took a large beaker. Opal took out a fizzer and poured the serum into it.
"This will be enough." She said and left the scientist alone. He rubbed his head.
"What have I done?" He stared at the beaker. The fizzer barely skimmed it. Next morning, he thought he must have dreamed the whole thing. There was no guilt on his hands anymore. He was no more involved in it than an eight- year-old is when he dreams of evil bunny rabbits.
Walking towards the portal, which somehow no one else noticed, she bumped into an insect-like humanoid. He opened his mouth when she snarled "Get out of the way, larvae." And he did.
Back to the Underground, Opal Kaboi headed toward her room. Turning to one of her in-commands, she said, "I don't want anyone to come in here. No matter what you or anyone else hears stay out. Do you hear?"
He nodded.
Inside the room, Opal sat on a chair. She held the fizzer in front of her face. "To power, immortality and to life, which up 'til now has been a real bitch." She held it to her lips and drank.
She dropped the fizzer on her desk and fell on the ground. Her face was sticky with sweat, her teeth gritted in total pain.
She reached for the door, but it was too late. The pain was too enormous.
Something bulged.
"EYAAAAAAAGH!"
Present
Ever since she stormed into her room, no one has seen Opal Kaboi in person. The tiny slot in the door allowed her to give orders and gave the viewer a glimpse of her eyes. She waged war on the LEP and its allies, but never revealed the true plan.
A tragedy occurred and Artemis and Butler retreated. As soon as they left, the Rebellion revealed its full potential. Members of the LEP turned against each other, as many of them were spies. Opal sent out a mix of trolls, goblins and other creatures. They were more in line and followed direct orders. They never squabbled nor fought among each other. They were a force to be reckoned with.
One particular night, Opal called in some goblins that had worked for her during the Arctic Incident despite the treachery on her part.
The slot on the door opened, revealing two beady little eyes. "You remember Artemis Fowl the Second, don't you?"
They nodded.
"Ever since the last encounter, he has never resurfaced. He's up to something. I can feel it."
"You want us to bring 'im to ya?" One of them said.
"Yes. In case you forgot, he's a 12-year-old with black hair and blue eyes. He's always guarded, so get him when he's asleep."
"Uh, forgive us for saying so ma'am but wouldn't he, er, aged or sumthin'?"
"You dare doubt me?" She snarled. Her eyes glowed with pure undiluted insanity.
"No, ma'am but humans mature when they get older. Don't they?"
"Have you ever spent time with humans?"
"No, I can't say I have."
"Then who are you to judge on human biology?"
The goblin looked at his comrades hopelessly. "Sure, boss. We'll, er, get him right away. Piece of, ah, cake."
The group parked their ship in front of the large mansion. Opal had slid in a device through the slot, saying that it could get you through Fowl Manor undetected.
The leader opened the door ever so quietly. "Some house." He muttered.
"Don't even think about stealing." Snarled one of the other goblins. "We just take 'Artemis' and be done with it."
He looked at the wall. A long row of pictures hung. One of the goblins grabbed it and looked at it. It showed the father with raven black hair, and the mother who had blonde hair. In the middle was a grinning child; presumably their son.
"Is that Artemis?" One of them asked. "Its been a while since we last encountered him."
"Probably."
"Looks pretty cheerful for someone who presumably is a criminal mastermind."
"I'm tellin' ya, the lady's off her rocker. But we're goin' to follow orders."
While he was speaking, one of the goblins fell back into the table. It fell to the floor with a crash.
They heard someone upstairs groan as if they were coming awake.
"Now you've done it, you clumsy ass!" Whispered one of the goblins. He carefully put it back up.
"Hello?" Inquired a voice. "Is anyone there?"
The goblins looked at each other. "He knows we're here!"
The figure walked down the stairs. It was dark, but the silhouetted figure looked like Artemis. Could it be? Was Opal Kaboi's ranting true?
One of them grabbed the boy and pulled him away. The boy jammed his elbow into the flesh, cutting into it.
"Geeyaargh!!" The goblin howled. "That hurt!" He quickly pulled out a knife to silence him.
"Be quiet, damn you." He threatened. "Or I'll be slittin' ye throat." Empty threats of course. Although Opal Kaboi never specified, he knew she wouldn't want a corpse. Of course, the boy didn't know that.
The boy kicked him in the belly, causing the knife to drop from his hands. Quick as a flash, he grabbed it and held it towards his attacker.
"Stay back." He warned, holding the bloody knife. "I don't want to do this, but if I have to, I will."
The goblin at first panicked, but then grinned when another goblin behind the boy pulled out a tranquilizer. He slowly snuck up, and jammed it up the boy's armpit.
The boy turned around and reached for it, perhaps to threaten the goblin with his own weapon as he had done to the previous one. It was a useless fight and he slumped to the floor temporarily knocked out.
"That was an easy one." The first goblin said. "Damn kid cut me skin."
"Lets bring him to the ship before he wakes up."
"Good idea," Said the second one and gestured towards the other goblins to go. Then, he dropped the tranquilizer absentmindedly. It hit the floor with a thump.
The boy woke up a couple of minutes after they tossed him in the cell. The Rebellion had obtained a section of the jail cells. All of them were empty except for this one.
The boy got up and headed toward the door. One of the goblins grabbed him and threw him back inside.
"Stay put if you know what's good for ya, mud kid." He snarled.
He watched him lie down on the cot, beaten. Walking away, he noticed two other members. A goblin and a dwarf. . "Are you sure it's Artemis we kidnapped?" He hissed. "He's not even scheming to get out or anything. We've got the wrong person."
"It doesn't matter. He was found in Fowl Manor. He has to know something of about The Weapon, but even if he didn't I'm sure that someone in the house does know. We might have the right bait to bring down the real Artemis."
"If we just got the real Artemis, we wouldn't have to deal with kidnappings and such."
"If we just got the real Artemis, Ms. Koboi would consider us failures. And you know what happens to failures."
The Mastermind
Who was responsible for this whole kidnapping mess? Why would they kidnap Brandon Fowl, son of Artemis Fowl? Did they think Brandon was Artemis? If so, why? What sort of mastermind would hate Artemis enough and not know that he aged? Who would do it?
The answer is Opal Kaboi. It's not that simple however. To understand her twisted mind's view of the situation we must dig into her past.
After the infamous Arctic Incident, Opal was placed in Howler's Peak. She was thrown in the same cell with some of the goblins that worked with her. They weren't too pleased with what had happened. They brutally attacked her, and when the guard opened the door to stop the ruckus the goblins set him on fire and escaped leaving Opal Kaboi in an insane, traumatized state. She did not know of this fact, and escaped a month pretending to be asleep when the guards came in to give her a required medication. She woke up and wrenched the needle from the guard's hand and jammed into his neck. He clawed at his throat but it was no use. He fell to the ground, dead. The door was wide open.
Of course, an empty cell with a dead guard would attract attention. She went into hiding and slowly built her own empire, or rebellion as an anonymous figure for Artemis frequently traveled underground to work on something with fairy technology. He apparently had made a deal with them to work alongside them. If the Pixie with the Golden Touch had revealed herself, or the grand scope of the rebellion with him underground it could be messy. Or, to be more accurate, messier. It was better for her to have her own secret.
Two of the already growing organization happened to be scientists, disgusted with the regulations of the LEP and decided to work for this strange figure.
They also had discovered something very odd and strange in the walls. It was a very thin hole, nothing more than a slice. They believed it was a portal to another dimension, or planet. When they reported it, the media crucified them.
Another reason why they joined the Rebellion.
Opal Kaboi allowed them to try opening the portal. The two scientists worked day and night trying to stretch it open, not break it open. If they just crashed the wall around it, it would be a sliver in thin air. Using small, plasma-type objects they worked day and night trying to open it. While they were doing this, Opal learned the name of the planet on the other side: Gyblick.
She read up on this strange place. Gyblick held many scientific geniuses. One, Dr. Peter Grenacle, was working on a strange serum that would give unlimited power.
The pixie ran down to the two scientists. They looked very proud.
"Ms. Kaboi, we have---" One began before Opal pushed him aside. "Can it." She looked into the hole. It was like a milky, clear liquid was dividing both planets. She put her finger in it. It quivered and opened.
"Oh, my gods." She gasped. "Look at this."
She stepped through the wall.
Gyblick was a metropolis crowded with strange creatures of all shapes and sizes. She was looking around while walking and bumped into some humanoid creature with the head of a dog.
"Watch it, lady." It snarled at her.
Not wanting to cause a ruckus, she apologized.
"Don't let it happen again." It said and walked off.
When he was out of speaking distance she muttered "Lousy mutt."
Finding Dr. Grenacle was going to be harder. She knew where to look, however. In the book, she read that he was in the top floor of a lab shaped like a giant tube. It was pretty easy to spot.
Inside the elevator, she stared at the clear glass wall. She could see various scientists working hard at new inventions. She was lost in her thoughts when a small *bing* interrupted her.
She stepped out and heard a curt voice say, "Yes?" She looked ahead, and sitting at the desk was a bizarre mix of the stereotypical Roswell alien and an octopus. It had the Roswell's head, but a body swarming with tentacles. The alien was a light shade of blue-green. He had a small goatee and spectacles.
"Ah, er, Dr. Grenacle. I would like to know of your, ah, serum."
"I'm still in the developing stages. I've included my DNA plus a growth serum and some other interesting chemicals. I'm testing it on enlarged forms of bacteria, but the results--"
"I'll take it."
"Excuse me?"
"I'll take it."
"You don't understand, ma'am. Its not ready for sale."
"Take some risks, then."
"I'm not a mad scientist. I can't, I won't tarnish my name because someone wants it."
"Trust me. I'll be far away so no one will ever know. What could go wrong?"
The scientist opened his mouth, but closed it when he realized it was rhetorical.
"If you insist." He sighed and took a large beaker. Opal took out a fizzer and poured the serum into it.
"This will be enough." She said and left the scientist alone. He rubbed his head.
"What have I done?" He stared at the beaker. The fizzer barely skimmed it. Next morning, he thought he must have dreamed the whole thing. There was no guilt on his hands anymore. He was no more involved in it than an eight- year-old is when he dreams of evil bunny rabbits.
Walking towards the portal, which somehow no one else noticed, she bumped into an insect-like humanoid. He opened his mouth when she snarled "Get out of the way, larvae." And he did.
Back to the Underground, Opal Kaboi headed toward her room. Turning to one of her in-commands, she said, "I don't want anyone to come in here. No matter what you or anyone else hears stay out. Do you hear?"
He nodded.
Inside the room, Opal sat on a chair. She held the fizzer in front of her face. "To power, immortality and to life, which up 'til now has been a real bitch." She held it to her lips and drank.
She dropped the fizzer on her desk and fell on the ground. Her face was sticky with sweat, her teeth gritted in total pain.
She reached for the door, but it was too late. The pain was too enormous.
Something bulged.
"EYAAAAAAAGH!"
Present
Ever since she stormed into her room, no one has seen Opal Kaboi in person. The tiny slot in the door allowed her to give orders and gave the viewer a glimpse of her eyes. She waged war on the LEP and its allies, but never revealed the true plan.
A tragedy occurred and Artemis and Butler retreated. As soon as they left, the Rebellion revealed its full potential. Members of the LEP turned against each other, as many of them were spies. Opal sent out a mix of trolls, goblins and other creatures. They were more in line and followed direct orders. They never squabbled nor fought among each other. They were a force to be reckoned with.
One particular night, Opal called in some goblins that had worked for her during the Arctic Incident despite the treachery on her part.
The slot on the door opened, revealing two beady little eyes. "You remember Artemis Fowl the Second, don't you?"
They nodded.
"Ever since the last encounter, he has never resurfaced. He's up to something. I can feel it."
"You want us to bring 'im to ya?" One of them said.
"Yes. In case you forgot, he's a 12-year-old with black hair and blue eyes. He's always guarded, so get him when he's asleep."
"Uh, forgive us for saying so ma'am but wouldn't he, er, aged or sumthin'?"
"You dare doubt me?" She snarled. Her eyes glowed with pure undiluted insanity.
"No, ma'am but humans mature when they get older. Don't they?"
"Have you ever spent time with humans?"
"No, I can't say I have."
"Then who are you to judge on human biology?"
The goblin looked at his comrades hopelessly. "Sure, boss. We'll, er, get him right away. Piece of, ah, cake."
The group parked their ship in front of the large mansion. Opal had slid in a device through the slot, saying that it could get you through Fowl Manor undetected.
The leader opened the door ever so quietly. "Some house." He muttered.
"Don't even think about stealing." Snarled one of the other goblins. "We just take 'Artemis' and be done with it."
He looked at the wall. A long row of pictures hung. One of the goblins grabbed it and looked at it. It showed the father with raven black hair, and the mother who had blonde hair. In the middle was a grinning child; presumably their son.
"Is that Artemis?" One of them asked. "Its been a while since we last encountered him."
"Probably."
"Looks pretty cheerful for someone who presumably is a criminal mastermind."
"I'm tellin' ya, the lady's off her rocker. But we're goin' to follow orders."
While he was speaking, one of the goblins fell back into the table. It fell to the floor with a crash.
They heard someone upstairs groan as if they were coming awake.
"Now you've done it, you clumsy ass!" Whispered one of the goblins. He carefully put it back up.
"Hello?" Inquired a voice. "Is anyone there?"
The goblins looked at each other. "He knows we're here!"
The figure walked down the stairs. It was dark, but the silhouetted figure looked like Artemis. Could it be? Was Opal Kaboi's ranting true?
One of them grabbed the boy and pulled him away. The boy jammed his elbow into the flesh, cutting into it.
"Geeyaargh!!" The goblin howled. "That hurt!" He quickly pulled out a knife to silence him.
"Be quiet, damn you." He threatened. "Or I'll be slittin' ye throat." Empty threats of course. Although Opal Kaboi never specified, he knew she wouldn't want a corpse. Of course, the boy didn't know that.
The boy kicked him in the belly, causing the knife to drop from his hands. Quick as a flash, he grabbed it and held it towards his attacker.
"Stay back." He warned, holding the bloody knife. "I don't want to do this, but if I have to, I will."
The goblin at first panicked, but then grinned when another goblin behind the boy pulled out a tranquilizer. He slowly snuck up, and jammed it up the boy's armpit.
The boy turned around and reached for it, perhaps to threaten the goblin with his own weapon as he had done to the previous one. It was a useless fight and he slumped to the floor temporarily knocked out.
"That was an easy one." The first goblin said. "Damn kid cut me skin."
"Lets bring him to the ship before he wakes up."
"Good idea," Said the second one and gestured towards the other goblins to go. Then, he dropped the tranquilizer absentmindedly. It hit the floor with a thump.
The boy woke up a couple of minutes after they tossed him in the cell. The Rebellion had obtained a section of the jail cells. All of them were empty except for this one.
The boy got up and headed toward the door. One of the goblins grabbed him and threw him back inside.
"Stay put if you know what's good for ya, mud kid." He snarled.
He watched him lie down on the cot, beaten. Walking away, he noticed two other members. A goblin and a dwarf. . "Are you sure it's Artemis we kidnapped?" He hissed. "He's not even scheming to get out or anything. We've got the wrong person."
"It doesn't matter. He was found in Fowl Manor. He has to know something of about The Weapon, but even if he didn't I'm sure that someone in the house does know. We might have the right bait to bring down the real Artemis."
"If we just got the real Artemis, we wouldn't have to deal with kidnappings and such."
"If we just got the real Artemis, Ms. Koboi would consider us failures. And you know what happens to failures."