I do not own any characters or ideas created by Eoin Colfer

A/N I'm pretty sure this will be my third last chapter… not even I'm sure! It's pretty long… Anyway… enjoy! Oh yeah, and another thing! I'm sorry if I've confused you with the Kannel thing. I meant to write Sotter, but I guess I forgot whom I killed off. So, pretend that all the times I've said Kannel after he got murdered, that it was Sotter. Thanks!

Chapter 17- The Last Encounter

Artemis made his way through the tunnel. He had been in it for two minutes already. Finally he reached a door that touched the ceiling. It opened from the middle to the sides. He walked out and stepped onto a metal landing. He was in a spacious dark room, full of other landings on the walls. The room was like the inside of a big cylinder and in the middle, a huge cube supported by a thick column. The boiler room. Artemis walked to the edge of the landing, and to his surprise, saw a little circle resting on the floor. He stepped on it, and it instantly illuminated. It flew off the floor, with him on it, right to the boiler room. He walked to the door and it automatically opened. Artemis walked in, unaware that his greatest enemy was waiting in the shadows.

Holly moved to the other side of the control room cautiously. The floor was littered with troops and trolls. She was bleeding from the cheek and leg. She didn't want to use any more of her magic. Holly had never been in such a ferocious battle. Sool barked orders at some surviving troops. Mulch was getting his lethal wounds treated by Sotter. Trouble was still attempting to save as many troops as he could in the other room, while trying to save himself as well. Lenz was searching the room, for no apparent reason. Butler and Juliet, however, had decided to go off and look for Artemis. Holly had wanted to go too, but "it was too dangerous for her." She decided to go help out Trouble. The battle had died out mostly to a fight, where there were ten troops and about thirteen trolls. The ground was a collage of blue uniformed troops and brown furred trolls. There were puddles of blood everywhere. A troll advanced on Trouble as he used his magic to try to close the wound on a shoulders whole chest. Holly jumped up and shot the troll's eyes out. Luckily, the blast had gone far enough into the skull to destroy its brain. A particularly violent troll instantly decapitated one troop. It slashed another one's whole face off. Holly stepped into the circle of troops.

"Alright all of you! Protect the commando and kick some troll ass! I'll take care of this one," she instructed. The troops looked at one another, and shrugging, made as much distance between themselves, and the angry troll. Finally. I get some action for myself. Holly circled the troll. It wasn't exactly the smallest one around. It bared its talon like fangs at her, and made sure that its claws were noticed. The troll charged, knocking Holly off her feet. She jumped up, and barely dodged a slash at the chest. Eventually, she jumped through a door. This room was crowded. It was full of a bunch of junk. Probably a big storage room. Holly jumped behind a box full of what looked like various microscopes. The troll slashed the box open, spilling the contents. She blasted the microscopes. A few shards of it fell into its eyes. The troll howled in rage. It jumped up and twisting its big hands, knocked the Neutrino out of her hands. She fell back and her hand flew to her utility belt. She pulled out a G5 100 automatic and cocked it. The troll pounced on the desk next to her, and then it jumped again. She ducked under a bunch of metal bars. It slashed at them to no avail. The troll then decided to jump on them. The bars were horizontal, supported by tables at either side. When it landed, the tables creaked. It pounced on the bars continually. Holly ran to the table in front of her. Luckily, the troll didn't notice. It pounced once more before the desks gave way, and the entire thing collapsed. Holly shot some support beams that jutted out of the wall. They were located over the troll. The beams led to a landing that was stacked with long metal pipes. Finally she burned through the beams and the entire thing went crashing down on it. The landing hit its head hard. And the metal pipes came down so fast, that they stabbed it to death. At the end, it was a troll with pipes going through. Holly jumped down and picked up her Neutrino. It was broken. Throwing it aside, she walked away from the troll, pistol in hand.

"All in a day's work."

After searching the whole room, Artemis found the computer terminal. It was in the very corner. He took off his helmet and he put down his briefcase. He saw a puddle of oil beside the computer. In it he saw his reflection. Something looked different. His blue eyes had become darker, richer. His dirty blonde hair was longer. Just seeing himself in a black battle suit made him look different. He was a child no more. Artemis Fowl Jr. was about to save a city… again. He had just survived probably one of his most dangerous missions ever…

"What's up, kid?" someone said behind him. The hairs on the back of Artemis' neck stood on end. He knew this voice all too well. And now he was in a room all alone with the man that had been attempting to murder him over this last week. Very slowly, he turned around. Damien Johnson walked out of the shadows, gun at hip level. He was smiling like the maniac he had become. His eyes had a scary red shade to them and his sneer was no longer of anger. It was one of a person thirsty for blood. He was furious in a very calm way. "You finally reach the end of the line? But this time, you're bodyguard isn't here to save you," he snarled, advancing on him. "I take it you've met Gordon?" Artemis looked him straight in the eye.

"What kind of bastard kills his friend?" Artemis asked.

"Gordon was a problem and problems have to be ERADICATED!" he spat. "He was going to jeopardize everything!"

"You make sick," Artemis said, anger swelling in his voice.

"You're going to die because you didn't sell me the thing that would make me rich. Instead, you ruined my whole corporation!" he growled.

"The bounty on you is probably higher than the cost of the diamond right now," Artemis sneered. Johnson stepped up and smacked him at the side of the head. Artemis' shoulder smacked the floor first, causing great pain. He got up shakily. Artemis knew that he would have to get out of there, away from the psycho killer. He had to look at all the possibilities and the facts.

Fact one: he no longer wore a helmet, exposing his head.

Fact two: he too had a gun hanging on his utility belt.

Fact three: the room was full of pipes that helped hot air get around the building.

Possibility one: Johnson had not coked his gun yet, not allowing him to shoot just yet. Johnson was tired and worn.

Seeing that there were many chances that he would die in here with Johnson, Artemis made a desperate plan. He began edging his way to a cluster of pipes.

"Where do you think you're going kid?" Johnson asked with a smile. "Don't you get that you're going to die?" Finally Artemis was close enough to the pipes for his desperate, crazy plan to go into action. He jumped behind the pipes. Johnson indeed had not yet cocked his weapon, but he did so quickly and fired. The shot hit a pipe next to Artemis. Quickly, he took out his own weapon. He felt awkward with it. But he knew hot to work it. He ran to the end of the hall of pipes and turned just as Johnson turned a corner and shot. Artemis peeked around the corner and fired. His shot was way off. Oh my. This thing is strong. The blast from his gun had driven his hand back. Artemis continued running. Unfortunately, Johnson put on a burst of speed and caught up to him. He kicked Artemis down and stepped on the gun. Seeing that that did not help, he kicked it under some pipes.

"You're dead!" he said angrily.

"Right back at you, you crazy son of a…" but Johnson punched him before he could finish. Artemis got up with a howl but was again taken to the ground.

For a couple of minutes Johnson did nothing but cause Artemis as much pain as possible. Finally, Artemis had enough. He crawled away.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" Johnson shouted hysterically. Artemis jumped up and ducked behind some pipes. He quickly, desperately, began to climb. Johnson grabbed his foot. Artemis couldn't kick him loose, so he threw his gun's ammo at him. It hit him in the eye and howling, backed off. Artemis continued up, badly beaten. He was bleeding and bruised. Upon reaching the top, he jumped down right in front of the computer terminal. He picked up his helmet and briefcase. He then typed quickly, loading everything into a disc. Artemis then ran, to a dark corner hidden by pipes. There, he put the disc into his laptop and began hacking.

"Where are you kid?" Johnson said somewhere nearby.

"I'm putting an end to your madness," he responded. Johnson stepped closer.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" he joked.

"A madman like yourself deserves the death penalty," Artemis sneered. He was almost done the hacking… done! The factory was his. In the same boiler room, there was the oil Johnson had been using to help his toxic plot. The oil was thick, providing protection. Instantly he formed a plan.

"Come on kid! No time for games! Time for you to die!" He was definitely closer.

"Come get me, you bastard!" Johnson then came into view, walking along with a gun in his hand. Next to him, a pipe. If his calculations were correct… yes, it would work. Artemis hacked into the Police Plaza messaging center. He sent an urgent message to Foaly. He answered almost instantly.

You know how to get rid of the firepower?

I sure do. Just send it to the pipes in the boiler room number six.

Okay…

He then cut the line. Finally, the firepower arrived. It ran through the pipes creating a great racket. Artemis, using the laptop, closed off one of the pipes allowing only hot air inside.

"What the hell?" Johnson began. The pipe began to fill with hot air. Maybe too much…

"Can't take the heat, Johnson?" Artemis laughed. At that moment Johnson spotted him. His blood shot eyes were full of hatred and victory. He aimed his gun at Artemis… the explosion was like thunder. The hot air escaped the pipe, crashing into Johnson. He yelled the pain. Backing away, he crashed into a big tub. The tub full of oil. Artemis opened the valve, pouring the oil on Johnson. When the tub was empty, Johnson was covered in oil. And he was furious. He began to step up, the oil protecting him from the hot air.

"Time for the finale!" Artemis yelled at him. He opened the pipe to let the firepower into it. Orange and red fire flew out of the pipe like a wave of death. And it was headed straight for Johnson. It hit him, and he howled in pain. The oil would protect him enough from death, but it wouldn't save him from unbearable pain. But the pipe couldn't handle the fire. It exploded. Artemis was thrown back, as other pipes began to open from the heat. The boiler room was now a room of death and fire. Artemis ran to the exit. He opened the door. But just then there was the sound of another explosion. This one louder than the last. Artemis was thrown right out of the boiler room. The room exploded in a hellish explosion. Artemis went flying, smashing his helmeted head onto the wall.