So…Finally more of the plot is revealed. I supposed I should start doing a disclaimer, although I really don't see the use. I own nothing - duh - blah blah blah, etc, etc, etc.
Whatever.
Review if you read, and all that good stuff. Or else.
*growls menacingly*
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6 months earlier, The Huang He Complex - China
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It was an accident, the man thought. Just an unlucky accident.
John Chen, the lead scientist at the American-run Manson Technologies, was slumped over a cluttered computer terminal, a vial of translucent purple liquid clutched in his hand. Before him was a transparent glass panel. A bloody handprint was all that was visible, as the room behind was filling with clouds of poison gas.
John raised his head, and peered into the room, tears streaming down his face.
The room's inhabitant was John's best friend, a man named Pete Nolan.
* * * * *
They had discovered the substance together, stumbling upon it through a botched experiment. They contrived to synthesize the world's first non-addictive stimulant, but they discovered something much, much more. When injected into a nerve column, the substance would awaken a part of the mind they termed the Dementia Complex. Animal test subjects experienced exponentially increased strength and intelligence. In most cases, subjects appeared to have the ability to project their thoughts at will, and in a few cases, telekinetic power was observed. It didn't stop there, however. In all cases, strength and intelligence kept increasing even after dosages were halted. The potential of it was seemingly limitless.
There was but one side affect.
When awakened, the Dementia Complex would take control of the subject's brain after a few days, causing complete and total insanity. The subject's behavior ranged from suicidal to schizophrenic, from extreme aggression to complete mental breakdown. After many horrific failures, John pleaded with Pete to stop, but the pressure from Manson Technologies' higher ups was too great. They pushed the project ahead, and began human testing. Pete insisted on being the first test subject, and this was the result.
Upon insertion of the substance, Pete had experienced incredible strength, and displayed telepathic and telekinetic abilities. As an hour progressed, John tested him again, and Pete's strength and intelligence had increased yet again. Everything appeared to be going as planned
However, after a few hours, Pete had clapped his hands
to his head, and began screaming, both physically and mentally. It was at this
point that the part of his mind that was enabling him such abilities, the
Dementia Complex, began slowly seizing control of Pete's mind and body. There
were times in which he appeared to regain control, but they were brief, and the
Dementia Complex quickly took over again each time.
John could only watch in horror as his friend tore out handfuls of his own
hair, slamming and clawing at the walls in torment. He tried calling out to
him, even releasing a tranquilizing gas, but none of it had any affect. When
the creature that was once his best friend began slamming himself against the
plexiglass panel, John had only one choice.
He watched the room fill up with hydrogen cyanide, the deadliest gas known to mankind. There was enough gas in there to kill an entire room full of people. A hiss of escaping gas, and the room cleared.
John's eyes widened in horror. Pete was still crouched in the corner, his eyes inhuman and bestial. With a hoarse shout, the creature launched himself bodily at the plexiglass panel. Spiderweb cracks appeared in the supposedly unbreakable material, and John began frantically pawing around the lab for the emergency tranquilizer gun. His wildly searching hands brushed something cold and hard. He quickly grabbed it, and loaded a dart, there were enough chemicals in here to stop a charging bull elephant, but it was too late, the glass was broken, and Pete was leaping toward him his teeth bared in a feral snarl, his mutilated hands reaching –
A thunderous bang resounded in John's ears, and Pete's head exploded into bloody fragments. John whirled around, and beheld a two men clad in the uniform of US Marines. The weapons in their hands were definitely not regulation firearms. Each weapon's barrel was almost 2 inches in diameter, and sported laser sights in top. The men looked down grimly at John. One extended a hand. John misinterpreted it as an offer of assistance, and began to take the hand, but the marine batted his hand aside.
"The vial." He growled in a guttural voice. "Hand it over."
John looked at their guns, and then at the vial in his hand. Before he could make his decision, though, one of the men jabbed a needle into his carotid artery. His heart pumped the chemicals throughout his blood stream, shutting down nerve centers and heart activity.
Darkness followed.
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Present Day, File Room 24a - Police Plaza
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Foaly the centaur yawned hugely.
This was the fourth night in a row that Commander Root had assigned him to the gruntiest of all grunt work.
Hard copying.
Forced to wallow in primitive information storage systems, Foaly was in what could only be deemed technological hell. His finger itched for an ergonomic keyboard, a searchable database at his fingertips. He had appealed to the commander a few times, but each time, Root's face had run the entire gamut of the visible light spectrum, and Foaly had to run the other way.
The commander, recovering from his unprecedented cardiovascular breakdown a few days before, had ordered Foaly to build a case against Mulch Diggums, and hardcopy it and give it to him. When Foaly had told him this was impossible, the commander had roared inhumanly, performed what most of the LEP staff liked to call the 'The Crimson Tide', clutched his chest, and slumped over.
The medics chased him out of there, saying he was a hazard to Commander Root's health
The job had its perks.
He looked around, knee deep in papers.
This definitely wasn't one of them.
He thrust his hand into another pile of papers, then pulled it back, cursing.
Another paper cut for the collection. He cursed again, and shoved his finger into his mouth, sucking on it manfully.
He had better be receiving hazard pay for this.
He was interrupted from his grumbling by multiple alarms flashing on his palm-comp. He glanced tiredly at it, and his stomach lurched apprehensively. After he had wiped Artemis Fowl's memory, he had hidden specialized DNA proximity alarms all over the Fowl grounds. Whenever a fairy attempted to enter Fowl Manor, Foaly would know immediately.
He quickly entered access codes for a human satellite that was aimed in that area, and pulled up the display screen on his monitor. He magnified the view a few thousand times, and then peered closely. Foaly almost laughed when he saw who it was.
Root's going to need a heart transplant when he gets wind of this, Foaly thought wickedly.
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Christmas Day, Fowl Manor - Dublin, Ireland
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Butler awoke screaming.
An amused face hovered over him. It was Artemis.
"Well. That was rather undignified and girly."
Butler looked embarrassed. Fortunately, Artemis did not laugh openly. Unfortunately, the Juliet and Mulch had no such inhibitions. The laughter was loud, raucous and unnecessarily mocking. Butler saw red, and began kneading his hands mightily under the bed sheets. Nobody laughed at a Butler. Thankfully, the laughter stopped before anyone lost any vital organs or limbs, and Butler's vision cleared
His eyes focused on the squat figure near the end of the bed, and abruptly sat up.
"You! You're Mulch Diggums. I tried to stop you from stealing something, but you - ….never mind."
Artemis looked pleased. "Ah, so you remember everything now, do you? I was afraid we'd have to waste time trying to trigger your memories."
Butler started, as if he had just realized something, then attempted to hide it.
"I suppose you're wondering about my memories. You've been under for almost a day, Domovoi. Much has changed since then. Perhaps too much." Artemis fell silent, a faraway look in his eyes.
"I am…confused. My drive for riches - for gold - Aurum Est Potestas - is suddenly gone. I feel content. Able to make the journey my father speaks of…"
Artemis fell silent for a moment. He seemed sorrowful, yet hopeful at the same time. It was not a fitting look for features as sinister as his, and it passed quickly.
"But nonetheless, my moral state is unimportant at the moment. I need to test you for total recall…can you remember everything? Are there any blank spots?"
"No…I remember it all. Rescuing your father…this thing on my chest. The dirty thief over there blasting me full in the face with something I still don't know what is."
Mulch looked offended. "Come now, there's no need for name calling. It was just a bit of dwarf gas, no reason to get your feathers ruffled."
Artemis ignored him. "Very well…apparently Mulch's - ah - flatulence - was able to trigger total recall."
Juliet and Mulch burst into laugher again, Butler reddened, and Artemis reached for the tranquilizer hypodermics.
However, they were soon unnecessary, for at that moment, the door was blasted open, and Captain Holly Short of the Lower Elements police burst in, a smoking weapon in her hand. A moment later, multiple LEP Retrieval officers flew in through the windows, surrounding the group around the bed.
Holly brandished her Neutrino. "All of you are under - grab him, Trouble!"
Mulch was attempting to slip through a hole that had suddenly appeared at his feet. Trouble launched a glowing blue substance at Mulch, where it immediately adhered to his skin and spread, rendering him immobile.
Mulch forced a few words past the substance. "Mhwut iz thish schtuff?"
Trouble shrugged. "No idea. I asked Foaly, but when he tried to explain it, I woke up three days later with a splitting headache and a vague memory of bright colored lollipops."
"Well, it's effective," Juliet grinned as she watched Mulch's feeble attempts to escape. (Which mainly consisted of grunting inhumanly and whining)
"Welcome to Fowl Manor, Captain Short. You could have at least knocked," Artemis interrupted sarcastically.
"Ah, got your memory back, have you? No hard feelings, Artemis. There's been a Section Seven violation here, and this dwarf here is the culprit."
Mulch whined through the blue muck. "You're not even going to call me by name? That hurts, Holly. That really hurts."
"I hate a convict that gets off. Especially the way one like you did."
Mulch appeared to be trying to laugh through the blue substance, and Artemis hid a smile. After all, it had been him that had altered the records that enabled Mulch's lawyer to acquit him.
Holly seemed to be attempting restrain herself from blasting the dwarf, and growled incoherently. With a visible effort, she held her temper, and addressed the three humans.
"Come on, you three. You'll be needing another mind wipe."
Artemis smiled, the feral look of a powerful predator. "I don't think so, Holly."
He nodded to Butler. The manservant withdrew a tiny detonator from his pocket, extending its wire-thin antennae from a concealed berth.
"At my command, a device planted in the center of Fowl Manor will send forth three timed electromagnetic pulses, rendering all electrical devices within a one mile radius ineffective. I'm sure Butler, even in his reduced state, could handle a few fairies."
Holly looked unworried. "Foaly disabled all of your security systems before we got here," she said glibly. "You guys are completely helpless."
Artemis had always hated centaurs.
Globs of blue gel struck Butler and Juliet in the chest. Artemis waited, but felt nothing. Holly took his arm firmly.
"That stuff is expensive…no need to waste it on you, eh, Artemis?" Holly was grinning condescendingly, apparently remembering his less than masterful physical exploits during the Artic Incident. What she didn't know was that Artemis had been training in basic self-defense under Butler for almost two years now. His physical stature was, at fifteen years of age, not yet designed for power, but even Butler had been amazed by the strength in his lanky teenage arms.
He waited until Holly had leaned slightly away from him, then pulled with all his might. He followed this up with a quick chop to the throat, which produced an surprised "arghk" from Holly. Trouble immediately grabbed him in a bear hug. Artemis whipped his head back, and jammed it into Trouble's face. Trouble cursed foully, and fell back. Sprites had extremely limited healing ability. He was out for the rest of the fight. Holly was already up again, a multitude of blue sparks dancing around her throat. Artemis feinted right, darted in, and -
- found himself staring down the barrel of a Neutrino 2000. A burst of blue gel flew out, and struck him in the chest.
Artemis last self-satisfied feeling as he was born away was a perverse pleasure that he at least warranted the blue gel.
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The Operations Booth, Haven, The Lower Elements
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The glow from the plasma screen illuminated Foaly's pale skin, bleaching it to an even paler color than before. Private Chix Verbil had told him that with a carrot tied to his head, he could be mistaken for a unicorn. Foaly had laughed as if it was a particularly funny joke, then implanted a virus in Veribil's helmet system that displayed mpegs of Commander Root in a low cut latex dress instead of normal information programs.
Chix ran screaming from Police Plaza, was struck by three speeding vehicles, and immediately placed in intensive care at Haven Medical Center.
Right next to Commander Root's bed, as it turns out.
Foaly smiled at the memory. Chix wouldn't be back for a long time.
He ran a routine scan of his systems for bugs, then winced. A bruise was forming malevolently on his already less than attractive flanks. Foaly rubbed it ruefully, and winced again.
A few hours ago, he had told Commander Root the news of Mulch's illegal confrontation with Artemis Fowl. An amazing and bizarre series of events had led to Foaly's eventual injury.
Root had reared up in his bed, clutched his chest, and turned a rather attractive shade of red. He then proceeded to grunt "Send Retrieval! Kill! Tear! Rip! Now!", and throw anything that was within reach. Foaly managed to dodge these, but a beaker had struck a medic in the small of the back, who had in turn crashed into the wall, causing a monitor to plummet from its perch in the top corner, striking another medic on the head, causing this medic to spill the vial of green liquid she was carrying into a patient's eyes, causing him to scream in pain and kick out, striking Foaly in the rump.
He longed very much to gripe at something for giving him the bruise, but he wasn't sure whether to blame the monitor, Root, the medic, the wall, the other medic, the green liquid, the patient, or the beaker. He settled for griping at all eight of them, and ran another perimeter scan of the Lower Elements, typing commands extremely bad naturedly.
"FOALY!"
The centaur almost fell off his chair. An amazing feat, as the centaur had four feet with which to keep his balance. The voice belonged to Captain Spruce of the Tara element of the LEP. Spruce was part of Foaly's special patrol that flew among the Mud People and collected intelligence on Mud Men technology. They had been handpicked by Foaly to be the best, thus they hardly ever contacted him for help.
"There's been a capture of a LEPRecon officer."
Foaly frowned. "But we have Artemis Fowl in custody - Holly's bringing him back to base right now."
"It's not Fowl, Foaly. It's a different Mud Man. He saw right through our shield. Goldleaf is dead. They shot him in the head. They took Twig alive. I'm heading towards the shuttle port right now, but they're right behind me."
Foaly was struck senseless, his mind reeling with the news. An LEP officer - dead. Another - captured. Events were rapidly turning from desperate to catastrophic.. He spoke into the mike.
"They're behind you? Just fly faster!"
"Can't. They clipped a wingtip…I'm barely staring afloat as it is. D'arvit! They're close. I'm not going to make it, Foaly. Relay this message to the commander: The Mud People - a British billionaire - have some sort of intelligence enhancer drug that allows them to see through our shields. This one seemed to know - D'arvit!"
A gunshot sounded, and a sickening thud was relayed through the mike. "Spruce!"
"Tell…the commander…."
"Spruce! What did he know? Who is he? Does he know about us?"
A last gasp of pain was transmitted, and then the mike went silent.
Even though the situation was urgent, Foaly took a few minutes to say last rites for the fairy. Fairies live unusually long lives, and the passing of one so soon and so cruelly was a terrible fate for any fairy. His rites said, Foaly quickly spun into action. He ran a search on any new developments in the Mud People's scientific community, and came up empty. He then tried searching for a British billionaire, and came up with only one name. Charles Tyr. The name sent shivers of apprehension down his spine. This was a bad omen. Fairy intuition was never wrong.
His hearts turned over in his chest. This was a threat unlike any the LEP had faced before - even of more solemnity than the Fowl incident.
The Fairy people would need the help of all of their allies to defeat this new enemy. Especially that of a certain fifteen-year-old individual who was currently en route to a full mind wipe.
He thought quickly. Artemis was currently on a shuttle in the Tara chute. If Holly decided to perform the mind wipe early, everything would be lost. He couldn't contact anybody riding the flares, even with his communications gear. He would have disable the memory wipe technology in the shuttle, but that wasn't possible from here, either. He cursed inwardly. He would have to do this manually.
He sped off as quickly as his hooves would carry him.
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So! How was it? Any little quibble you can think of, tell me. Er…and that's about it.
Oh yeah, and what is everybody's favorite fic? I've been looking for some good AF fanfiction to read around here, but everything I've chosen seems to be mary sueish, or romance.(I've just got this thing against any romance with Artemis in it - he just isn't the type to be like that, you know?) But if it's good enough I'll read it. Any suggestions?
Oh, if Artemis's self defense training threw you off a bit, look at The Arctic Incident. He is nothing if not logical, and since he's going to be in these action situations, he actually said that he was going to 'buy one of the ridiculous home gyms they advertised on TV"…so yeah. Take that! Nyeah!
