Author's Note : Hellow people ! :D
I made it ! Here's our Database 12 - and even before Saturday ! It may sound a bit pretentious but I'm super proud of myself :-3
As always, an enormous thank you to KiaSunrise, RivalArgentica, HartemisShipper and LN for their sweet reviews. I just can't express how happy I am to read your feedback :-)
I won't talk too much this time ; writing and proofreading this chapter was really intense, and I don't know what to say. I just hope you'll like it !
! HUGE TRIGGER WARNING ! This is the story's climax, which includes some REALLY SERIOUS scenes. Everyone be warned o/ ! HUGE TRIGGER WARNING !
Disclaimer : Eoin Colfer is the author of the Artemis Fowl series, therefore I do not own any of its characters. Many elements of this fanfiction (including its title ^^) are also inspired or directly drawn from the 1998 Japanese anime 'Serial Experiments Lain' (GO WATCH IT) even though it is NOT a crossover.
Author's Recommandation : I personally love writing and reading to music. If you're interested, I highly recommand listening to Neon Demon full OST by Cliff Martinez, from the eponymous movie by Nicolas Winding Refn (freakin aesthetical masterpiece if you ask me). This piece of music just really fits the mood of the fanfic !
Enjoy your reading ! :-)
Database #12 : Source Code
UNKNOWN LOCATION
Artemis remained in a state of semi-consciousness for what seemed like an eternity.
He had completely lost track of time, unable to tell when he had awoken – or if he was awake at all.
He laid there, his gaze moving erratically behind his closed eyelids, lost in a hazy, pitch dark sleepiness, every data about his surroundings – the sounds, the temperature, the texture of the surface he laid on – feeling blurred and distant, reaching his clouded mind at an atrocious snail's pace.
Slowly, the numbness in his body started to fade away. Immediately, an abominable migraine whiplashed through his skull, and he found himself so nauseous that he fell back into unconsciouness almost immediately. When he grudgingly, painfully came back to his senses, his stomach was hurting severely. It felt heavy, and pounding. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest, and breathing was difficult.
But Artemis, his eyes still closed in case someone was waiting for him to wake up, tried to ignore the pain, and scanned his surroundings.
He was laid down on a thin, cold mattress. The air felt dusty. There was a light bulb on the ceiling, switched on. It seemed that he was in a rather small room. He was shivering, but he couldn't tell if it was because of the cold air or him still being in a state of shock.
He tried listening, but he felt as if he was surrounded by troubled water. He heard some brumous echoes, but it could be anything from voices to a ventilation system.
Artemis gave up, and tried to remember how exactly he had ended up in this situation, when the plan was only going so well and smooth.
He fought with his mind, so it would finally run at his usual speed and efficiency ; but the reality and his nightmares kept on intertwining viciously, and he couldn't tell the truth apart from the delusions. He remembered his nose bleeding and bleeding, his mother plunging mirror shards into her heart, Butler's breathing against his cheek, red-eyed creatures devouring him, the fairy crying for help.
The fairy.
Where was she ? What happened to her ? Artemis' heart raced, but he could retrace the events only to the point when he had logged into the Wired, as Captain Short had tried to escape. Then, it was almost complete blackout – there were images flashing, but they were so atrocious that Artemis decided it was certainly another delusion. Certainly not something real.
Certainly not something he had done to her.
Yet, he remembered something else. Butler's voice. Warm, tender. Reassuring. And then…
Artemis felt his heart disappear, entirely swallowed in sheer pain. It was not a physical suffering ; it was much, much worse. He remembered Butler's voice, Butler's words ; and what the manservant had done afterwards.
The realization hit him. Brutal, and unforgiving.
He betrayed me. Butler betrayed me.
Artemis had imagined about thirty-seven scenarios where something might go wrong with his plan. He had imagined that Holly would try to attack him physically ; that the Fairy Council would try to ensnare the gold ransom with mortal chemical products ; that they would smuggle a biobomb in the shuttle ; that they would refuse to obey. None of that had happened – according to his predictions.
But out of any outcomes, Artemis had never imagined that Butler might turn against him.
That was just unnatural. Impossible.
Butler was his bodyguard. His loyal manservant. His truthful companion.
… His friend.
And just then, Artemis realized how childish and weak he had been.
His eyes started to burn, with tears of shame and humiliation. His father's warning stormed back in his mind, louder, deadlier than ever.
Don't trust anyone.
Anyone.
Artemis forgot everything about the Wired, about Captain Short, about his revenge. All he could think about was his failure. He wanted to curl up into a ball, and cry until he had entirely purged himself of this awful, overwhelming feeling, and disappeared of the surface of the Earth.
He had been so close. So close to the most absolute success ever achieved by a living being on the planet. And he had failed, miserably. His father had been right, all along. Artemis trusted Butler, entirely, without any question. And Butler had betrayed him.
Suddenly, Artemis realized that his perception of his surroundings was getting more precise. The distorted echoes from before became clearer – voices.
It took him some time to recognize who they belonged to ; and when he did, Artemis' heart sank only deeper.
" I've tried contacting the LEP, but I can't get a line. I guess the Wired is still maintaining the lockdown active. "
" Probably. I hoped that with Artemis out, it would unlock the procedures he had orchestrated, somehow ; but I guess it only happens in the movies. "
" He's still asleep ? For how long has he been unconscious ? "
" About a day now. He's been having nightmares all afternoon. I've never seen him like this. "
" Butler… you did the right thing. There was nothing else to do. Are you sure you don't want me to try and heal him ? I've just accomplished the Ritual. "
" That's not a good idea. Who knows what actual damage the Wired has done. Maybe your magic would only worsen it. Plus… I feel uncomfortable doing anything while he's not conscious. We'll ask him if he wants you to heal him. When he wakes up. "
Artemis felt nauseous. He was supposed to be the God of the Wired. But what kind of deity gets backstabbed so foolishly, so easily ?
Butler and Captain Short. He knows her. They've plotted my demise together.
First, Selene, and then Butler. His father had been right. All along.
I can't trust anyone. I'm weak. I'm pathetic. I failed.
But through the aching pain, something electric ran through Artemis' veins. His determination. His urge to fight back, and never give up.
He really couldn't see how he was still determined to do anything, nor what actually triggered his willpower.
But the fact was that nothing was lost yet.
He was held captive somewhere, but so were the fairies below ground. Foaly was behind bars, and deprived of any rights in the Wired. Artemis was the only one able to use the edit mode, and he would use that leverage without any hesitation. And even if Butler had betrayed him, Artemis still knew him well enough to know that the bodyguard was feeling extremely remorseful for incapacitating his own charge.
Manipulating and torturing him would be piece of cake.
Artemis felt no way near sad anymore. He didn't really felt at all. It seemed as if his heart had completely disappeared – replaced by a black hole of determined hatred.
The only thing Artemis needed to bring the situation back under his control was a mean to log into the Wired. Butler and Captain Short probably wouldn't let him – at least, not until they discovered his backup plan.
Nothing was lost yet. There was still something to be done.
I'll punish them, for getting in my way.
With an enormous effort, Artemis managed to open his eyes. At first, he was completely blinded, and his destroyed eyes watered. But he grew accustomed to the light, his eyelids fluttering, and scanned the room.
It was small, entirely white. The bed was old and rusty ; and the air was definitely filled with dust. Wherever they were, the place had been unused for a couple years at the very least. Artemis didn't recognize any of the hidden interrogation rooms from the Manor's basement ; it was possible that Butler and Captain Short had moved him somewhere else – a fairy fort, or someplace safe that the manservant had obtained with his contacts.
The two traitors were here – they stood by the door, whispering, probably trying not to wake him up. Butler had his arms crossed, and Artemis noticed that he didn't carry his Swiss electronic watch.
As for Captain Short, she had gotten ridden of her LEP suit, and she wore a t-shirt and jeans – Artemis recognized Juliet's old clothes.
On the upper corner of the opposite wall, torn wires – a security camera had been unplugged. Artemis didn't even check : he was certain that his phone, electronic watch and the old I-Pod he had stolen from Juliet's room had been removed.
That was rather interesting : the manservant and the elf proved smarter than what Artemis had first hoped.
He was in an entirely Wired-proof zone, with no technological device whatsoever within his reach.
Being deprived of his supernatural powers made him feel uneasy at first ; but it didn't last very long. Even though this time seemed very far away, Artemis hadn't always had the Wired with him ; and he had always figured a way out of seemingly impossible situations. His brains wasn't something his enemies would be able to take away from him.
They believed he was defenseless ; that woud be their last mistake.
With extreme caution, Artemis leaned on his forearms, and slowly shifted into a seated position. The bed creaked, and Butler and Captain Short immediately turned their head to him.
Artemis had plastered an expression of superiority and confidence on his face, but moving was painful and it was difficult to hide it. Instinctively, Butler rushed by his side to help him ; but Artemis violently backed up, his gaze murderous.
The manservant froze, not even trying to hide the pained expression on his face ; but he lowered his arms, and stepped back.
" Forgive me, Artemis ", he said, his grey eyes locked into his charge's. " I wish I had intervened sooner, so it didn't have to happen like this. … I'm so sorry… there was nothing else to do. "
Artemis confined his own emotions away, and stared back with only despise on his face.
" Oh, poor you. I guess you want a reward for your noble sacrifice ? Punching an unarmed and trusting thirteen-year-old child in the stomach, what a glorious move. Madame Ko would certainly be proud. Especially since said thirteen-year-old is your principal. "
The manservant coped with the blow as best as he could ; but Artemis was as precise with his words than Butler was with his fists. The bodyguard looked down, his shoulders weighted by guilt. He knew he had had every reason to do what he had done ; but he wouldn't be able to look at himself in a mirror ever again.
Captain Short, however, was outraged by the young Fowl's retort.
" You have quite some nerve, Artemis, calling yourself "unarmed" ! " she exclaimed menacingly. " You almost killed me. "
Artemis absolutely didn't flinch. His voice was even more threatening than Holly's.
" Don't call me Artemis, you elf. I'm not your friend. And you certainly aren't a friend of mine. "
The LEP officer clenched her fists, as if she was going to punch his face off his shoulders. Her temper was even easier to play with than Commander Root's.
But somehow, she calmed down, and brushed her hands on her jeans, breathing deeply.
" Alright, Mudboy. I'm not your friend, if that makes you happy. But I was, once. Not that long ago. "
Before Artemis could interrupt, she raised a hand, pursuing her plee.
" I know you don't remember. I know that. But… there might be a mean to fix this. "
The young Fowl couldn't help but frown. Holly buried her hand in the oversized jeans, and retrieved a medallion. A pierced golden coin.
Ever so briefly, something crossed Artemis' mind. A spark.
A spark of decency.
But it was long gone when Holly resumed talking.
" Does this medallion trigger anything in your head ? "
Artemis laid his back against the bed's headboard, and raised his chin defiantly.
" No, elf. It doesn't. But given its size and radius, I assume that this coin is actually a minidisk. Probably encrypted with my memories. Am I guessing correct ? "
Holly and Butler exchanged a look.
" I've shown the disk's content to Butler, before we arrived to the Manor ", the elfin Captain said. " This is how he remembered everything. And it's also precisely why he made the decision to stop you. "
She hesitated.
" Artem… Mudboy. I understand why you've felt the urge to take your revenge on the People ; but there's no need anymore. Everything can end now ; and that would be the best for everyone. Here's my offer : you get your memories back, and in exchange, you cancel Haven's lockdown procedure. It will all be fine, I promise. Is that a deal ? "
Artemis smiled, but there was a nasty look in his eyes.
" No. "
Holly's eyes widened. Apparently, that wasn't the answer she expected.
" What ?! But… "
Artemis coughed ostensibly.
" I'm not a moron, Captain Short. I'll be honest, I highly doubt your word ; but let's assume you're not lying. I may have been a friend to you and the People, once ; but lately, I've humiliated all of you in a way you had never been before. If I cancel the lockdown, I doubt that your fellow fairy folks with be very forgiving. I don't want to end up dead, or imprisoned. "
Holly sighed, exasperated. Unfortunately, that was a rather good point.
It was already a struggle for her to try and repeat to herself that there were still some parts of Artemis that could be saved ; the Fairy Council wouldn't even attempt to feel sorry for him. They would bomb the Manor until there was nothing left of it and Artemis Fowl, and never talk about him again.
But she refused to let that happen.
" I assure you I'm not trying to make a poisoned deal ", she said.
Unlike you, she mentally added, her throat acrid.
" Listen to me, Mudboy. I want to help you. Your memories are the very reason you started to attack us. I have them, right there. "
Artemis leaned forward.
" You listen to me, Captain Short. I don't want my memories back. I don't need them anymore. I know exactly how twisted and manipulative you fairies all are. You may have found a way to get to my feelings, once, but you've said that yourself before. I've changed. I won't let you weaken me with those so-called memories. They are probably falsificated, anyway. "
Holly looked at him with desolated, desperate eyes. But Artemis continued, pressing ruthlessly on every word.
" I. Won't. Cooperate. For one, very simple reason. I don't trust you. "
He turned his head to Butler. His reddened eyes were narrowed, dripping with poison.
" Any of you. "
The manservant closed his eyes. It looked as if his gigantic, muscular body was about to collapse.
Holly gripped the bed's rusty frame, her eyes pleading.
" Artem… Please. I'm not a liar. These are your memories, your real memories. Not some fake, paranoid assumptions you're holding for truth. Don't make me force you to watch this disk. "
Artemis shrugged.
" Try and force me all you want, Captain. I won't believe in anything that's on this disk, even if you put me under your fairy mesmer. But let's give it a shot : why don't you bring me my laptop, so I can watch your little video ? "
Holly threw the medallion on the mattress. She was about to burst in rage, when Butler put one of his hands on her shoulder. His fist was about the same size as her head.
" That's useless, Holly. Artemis is too stubborn. You won't convince him unless he wants to. "
" What else can we do, for Frond's sake ?! " the LEP officer yelled, furious. " He has to get his memories back ! This is our last chance ! "
Butler gently took the medallion laying on the mattress, at Artemis' feet. He didn't raise his eyes to his principal.
" Let's give him some time to think ", he said. " Alone. "
Artemis' heart squeezed, but nothing pierced through his cold, fierce facade.
The manservant put the medallion in his pocket, and turned around. Butler and the elf left, without any other word, sealing the door shut behind them.
Leaving Artemis behind.
.
At one point, he tried to stand up, even though he knew it was pointless to explore his cell. Save from the bed, the room was completely empty – Butler and Captain Short had removed any opportunity for him to do anything. As long as he didn't have a digital device, he couldn't escape.
But after two hours, Artemis was growing tired of waiting, and felt the urge to move. To do something.
Before he collapsed straight back onto the mattress, feeling as if his brain had been cut in half by a burning scalpel, Artemis noticed a spot, under one of the bed's feet. The cement had been somehow hammered down ; and there was soil underneath.
He laid on the bed, staring at the white ceiling, for a few minutes. At least, he knew where he was now ; he should have guessed earlier, but his mental abilities were still a bit weakened. The soil and his knowledge of the Fowl Siege file helped him connect the dots.
He was locked in Captain Holly Short's former cell. How poetic.
When he found himself able to move again without risking to throw up, the young boy curled up on the mattress, facing the opposite wall. Butler and Short probably believed that detaining him here might trigger some memories, or tickle his morality.
That was extremely sweet ; but it was clear that they were overestimating Artemis' conscience.
Since they took for granted that he still had one.
.
Artemis lost track of time, once again.
He knew he should use these spare hours to clear his mind, try to meditate or finally get some sleep. There was absolutely no need to be worried about anything : Butler wouldn't leave him here to starve, and sooner or later both him and the fairy would find out about his backup plan.
But right now, Artemis just couldn't rest.
There was something missing. The back of his brain itched, and it grew more and more severe as time passed. It had started as a mere annoyance, but it now spread in his entire brain, straight into his eyes.
Artemis' heart was pounding. He was scared.
There was something missing.
The Wired. I need the Wired.
Artemis was shivering heavily. He kept his eyelids closed as tightly as he could, but it felt as if his retinas were burning.
… The Wired…
The itching propagated through his entire body, creeping ruthlessly under his skin. He scratched his neck, his cheeks, his back, his arms. He scratched them until the skin grew red and warm ; until it bled. It soothed the pain, but it felt merely better. The itching reached his lungs ; and then his heart.
Artemis rolled, and rolled around on the bed, sweating, his eyes revulsed ; leaving a damp trace of perspiration, and blood from his scratching wounds, on the mattress.
Cold. He was so cold.
… I need… the Wired…
Artemis gasped. He swallowed, but his saliva was thick and his throat dry. He tried to picture the gorgeous, overwhelming feeling of logging into the Wired ; but it only worsened its aching absence.
He barely heard the door open, but he felt the presence near him. There was a warm, delicious smell – food. Then, he heard a noise – a tray, on the mattress.
Then, a voice.
" Artemis ? Can you hear me ? "
The cold, hateful side of Artemis didn't want to reply. But the young boy, crippled with fever, shuddering and scared, squinted his eyes open.
Butler, crouched next to the bed, smiled weakly.
On the tray, there was a plate of chestnut and truffles risotto, Artemis' favourite meal ; and a ramekin of crème brûlée.
For a brief second, the young Fowl felt the black hole in his heart warming up, and he urged to smile back ; but then, he remembered Butler's betrayal.
Artemis closed back his eyes, and rolled around, facing the wall.
He heard Butler sighing ; and he couldn't remember hearing him sounding so utterly sad ever before.
" I'd like Holly to heal you ", the manservant said softly. " I'm worried it might be dangerous, but you're bleeding. You're sick. … She really wants to help you, Artemis. And so do I. "
Artemis, his back to the bodyguard, curled up even more tighter.
" I don't want your help. "
" Artemis… "
" Go away. Now. "
Butler remained silent, for so long that Artemis started to wonder if the manservant's irruption had been an hallucination.
But eventually, Butler stood up, and left, closing the door gently behind him. When Artemis turned around, he noticed that the bodyguard had left a small bottle of painkillers on the tray, with only two pills in it – Butler had never approved Artemis' new habit of gobbling medecine as if it was Halloween candy. That would never be enough to soothe him, but that was still better than nothing.
The young Fowl took the pills, and swallowed them with a few mouthfuls of risotto. It was delicious, as always, but his throat was so strained that he almost threw everything up. He abandoned himself to the dizziness, and fell into a disturbed half-sleep, staring at the crème brûlée.
.
Artemis dreamt that he was eating the dessert ; to realize it tasted like iron, and discover that the ramekin was filled with fairy blood.
He woke up coughing and panting, feeling extremely sick.
Holly and Butler were there, standing at the bottom end of the bed and looking down at him with concern. Both of them seemed truly worried ; but Holly also looked angry.
" This is pure nonsense ", she said. " Let me heal you. I can't bear to see you like this. "
Artemis clenched his fists, weakly but firmly.
" Do I have to remind you, Captain Short, that you are in my house and therefore you must obey me ? "
Holly's jaw clenched. Artemis smiled, and his head fell back on the mattress.
" I don't want you to give me orders, elf. You are not to tell me what to do. "
" Fine ! " she yelled furiously. " I would highly and respectfully recommand you to stop being a D'Arviting Mudmoron, and allow me to heal you before you stupidly die out of stubbornness ! "
Artemis didn't reply immediately. He laid on the mattress, wheezing, his gaze unfocused, turned to the bright white ceiling.
" Does insulting me while I am at my weakest state somehow makes you more self-confident and temper your own insecurities ? "
" I don't freaking know, but it does make me feel better ", the elfin Captain groaned back.
Artemis chuckled. Holly, unable to take this any longer, leaned over the bed's footboard, and put her hand on the young Fowl's left ankle. He shivered at the sudden contact, but he didn't back himself away. There was a point at which even Artemis' Wired-inflated pride couldn't match rationality – he wouldn't ever be a true God if he happened to die because he was physically too weak.
That would be an interesting next step, he thought. Dematerializing myself, to truly become one with the Wired. No more body, no more weaknesses. Pure immaterial deity.
He sighed. That would be perfect. Holly's voice drew him back to reality.
" Heal. "
The blue sparks of magic flew down her arm, and penetrated Artemis' skin. It healed the scratching injuries, indeed ; the weight on his stomach lifted off, and he felt less sickly, more alert.
But his heart remained wounded. Probably because some things had to be too broken to be fixed, even by magic.
And when the little blue sparks tried to penetrate his temples, it seemed as if they were pushed away. Artemis' latent migraine worsened suddenly, and he grimaced, trying to conceal a shriek of pain.
Holly tightened her grip on Artemis' ankle, and the sparks attempted again to get to the young boy's brain, but it was just plain impossible. Somehow, it refused. No matter how hard Holly tried.
The young Fowl's fingers gripped into the sheets, and he whimpered, unable to contain the suffering inside. Eventually, he managed to unseal his lips, and speak.
" STOP THIS ! STOP THIS NOW ! "
He coughed, as blue sparks had tried to pass through his open mouth.
Reluctantly, Holly let him go, and stepped back. The young Fowl's muscles untensed as the last drop of magic vanished from his skin, and he backed away from the LEP Captain, as fast as he could, breathing loudly.
" … This is not normal ", Holly said, all anger having vanished from her tone, replaced by true fear. " The Wired isn't a poison, a disease or a conscious entity. It's a D'Arviting network. It shouldn't do that. It should affect people's mind like that… beyond repair. "
Butler buried his head in his hands, with a deep sigh.
" This has to end. This has to end before I shoot myself. I can't continue like this. "
Artemis, his head leaning against the cement wall, stared at the prematurely worn-out bodyguard.
" You want all this to end ? " he asked, his voice steadied by the magical healing. " That's simple. Give me back the Wired. "
" So you can kill us all ? " Holly cut, throwing her hands in the air. " No, thank you very much, Mudgenius. "
She punched the wall, making the bed shatter and spilling some risotto in the process.
" You've done enough harm to everyone already, including yourself ", the elfin officer continued. " I admire your determination, Artem… Mudboy ; but the game is over now. You're our prisoner, you've lost. If the Fairy Council lays its hands upon you, you'll be treated as the worst and most dangerous interspecies criminal the People has ever faced. "
Holly paused, closing her eyes.
" If they go through the trouble of putting you into trial, I can tell you that using the DNA cannons and depressurizing Haven will be considered as attempted genocide. If you're not publicly executed, then you'll be sent to live the rest of your human life in the most secure area of Deeps Maximum Security Prison. And maybe you'll be surprised, but I don't want that for you. "
She reopened her eyes. Artemis just stared back, his expression smug as usual but his gaze unreadable.
" I don't want that for you. " Holly repeated, more softly. " You've always been a criminal mastermind and a dangerous person ; but once, you've saved my career. You've helped the People. You became a friend. Kind of, at least. Maybe you don't ; but I remember it. "
Artemis gave her a crooked smile. Holly put her hands on the bed's footboard, and exhaled deeply.
" I can hardly make promises on behalf of the People ", she then said. " But I'm willing to forgive you, for what you've done. I'm willing to try, at least. And if you cooperate, you have my word, on the Book of the People, that I'll do everything I can to plead your case and save you from Atlantis. But I need you to stop being so obstinated. I need you to help me saving you. "
She waited. Artemis didn't seem extremely concerned at what she was saying, but he wasn't interrupting either. She decided to interpret it as a good sign.
" Here's the deal. You cancel the lockdown procedure and restore Haven City's security systems as they were before you messed them up. And then, we will make sure that you never come near the Wired ever again. "
Artemis had regained his unsufferable smirk, and Holly couldn't help but feel that this was the power balance slowly shifting back into his advantage. The young Fowl crossed his arms on his lap, and stared back at the elf very calmly.
" And what are the options, if I still refuse to cooperate ? " he asked, just as if he was quiring for more sugar in his tea.
Butler and Holly exchanged a worried look. This was bad. Really bad.
" … If you don't cooperate ", Holly answered, " then I'll have to mesmerize you, and probably cause even more brain damage than the Wired already has. And once you're done with the lockdown procedure, I'll have to incapacitate you. Maybe definitely. "
The young Fowl's grin widened.
" Well, that's a possibility, of course. But… there's another option. "
The elf and the bodyguard frowned, confused. Butler was the first of the two to understand.
His face decomposed itself, and he grew pale. He grabbed Holly's shoulder.
" A backup plan, Holly. He has a backup plan. "
The LEP Captain's eyes widened. Artemis clapped his hands, as if he was applauding a theatrical performance.
" Finally ! Wonderful ! I was starting to think you'll never figure it out. "
Butler pinched the tip of his nose with a dejected sigh.
" There's always a way out in case your plans go wrong. Always. I guess I should have known better. "
" Probably. " Artemis retorted cruelly. " But it seems like there are a lot of things that you should have known better about, lately. "
Butler tried not to react, but Artemis knew him like the back of his pocket, and he saw the manservant's chin trembling, even if extremely slightly. The young Fowl silenced the guilt rising in his gut, and joined his hands under his chin, his elbows resting on his crossed legs.
" I knew that the best – if not the only – option for my enemies to try and stop me was to keep me away from the Wired ", he explained with a smug smile. " So I've made sure that doing so was impossible. Well, to be precise, it's impossible only if you don't want a massive interspecies genocide. "
Holly and Butler stepped back, as if he had physically hit them. Artemis' lips straightened into his coldest vampiric smile.
" I've programmed a countdown. Every three days, I have to reset it with the Wired. If, for any reason, I can't access the countdown on time, then all the biobombs in Haven's military reserve will explode. As for the surface, a dormant virus will plague all the hospitals worldwide, cutting off the power and shutting down all the life-sustaining machines. In total, that would make… oh, about ten, twenty million deaths, fairy and human. At the very least ; and for the first few hours. "
He paused. Holly had gripped Butler's hand, her jaw clenched and her eyes wet. The gigantic man wasn't in a much better state. Both of them were completely distraught, incapable of saying anything.
Artemis spoke, softly.
" I am just like you. I don't want people to get hurt. I really don't. But if you won't let me access the Wired, then well… you'll leave me no other choice. Especially since last time I reseted the countdown was two days and seventeen hours ago. "
Holly's tears were now openly streaming down her face. She was an exhausted and sensitive field soldier, not a negociator. As for Butler, he usually was good at resisting mind games, but his defenses were completely shattered, and he was too tired emotionally to hold on for very long.
Artemis smirked. He held them both by the throat.
" I see that you've understood the idea. You can't kill me, because the countdown will go off ; since I'm the only one who can use it, you can't keep me away from the Wired – because then the countdown will go off. Now that everything is clear, just allow me to remind you what I said earlier. "
He paused.
" You want all this to end ? That's simple. "
His reddened eyes were glimmering.
" Give me back the Wired. "
.
Artemis waited, patiently, his eyes closed so he could focus on his breathing and the clearing of his mind.
Butler and Holly hadn't even tried to find a flaw in Artemis' backup plan. It was a good thing : there wasn't any flaw, so it would only have proven to be a waste of time. Something they certainly couldn't afford right now.
Artemis felt good. Everything was back under control.
Eventually, the cell's door creaked open, and the young Fowl straightened, his heart pounding, unable to hide his excitement.
Their expression grim and saddened, Holly and Butler stepped into the cell. The manservant carried Artemis' laptop, and Holly had fetched a tranquilizer gun from Butler's arsenal. She climbed on the bed, and went to stand right behind Artemis, putting the gun's cannon on the young Fowl's neck.
" You log in, reset the countdown, and log out ", she said coldly. " Attempt anything else, Fowl, and I'll knock you out instantly. "
Any hint of sympathy had completely vanished from her voice.
Grudgingly, Butler opened the laptop, switched it on and held it to his charge. Artemis pounced on it as if it was the first oasis he had run into after three days of walking into the desert.
The laptop on his knees, he typed so fast across the keyboard that his fingers were almost blurry. His gaze was ravenous, his breath short and his mouth half opened in expectation.
– Entering the Wired.
The young Fowl threw his head back, all his muscles contracting, moaning intensely in an almost obscene way. He chuckled, hysterically, his gaze frantic. Holly and Butler exchanged an horrified look, and the elf tightened her grip on the tranquilizer gun.
But Artemis, panting, slowly came back to his usual composed, mannered self, and resumed typing, though in a much calmer way.
Holly tried to watch over his shoulder, but to her the Wired was only a continued flow of numbers and code lines, streaming too fast for her to grasp anything ; much less understand what Artemis was actually doing. It scared her, and she punched his scapula with the tip of her gun.
" What are you doing ? "
" I'm reseting the countdown, just as planned ", Artemis retorted. " Why ? You don't trust me ? "
" Oddly enough, no, I don't ", Holly said. " … not anymore. "
The young Fowl ignored her.
But suddenly, as he finished typing his instructions and reached the Enter key, Butler's hand bolted out of nowhere, faster than lightning, and gripped his wrist in mid-air. Artemis raised his eyes, shocked at the bodyguard's sudden gesture. Yet, when he spoke, his tone was low and quiet.
" What on Earth do you think you're doing ? " he said. " I'm not finished. I have to validate the command, or else the countdown won't reset. "
Butler's gaze was sharp, and fierce.
" You are not going to reset the countdown, Artemis. You are going to delete it. Now. "
Artemis raised an eyebrow.
" And why would I obey you, exactly ? "
Butler raised his fist, and for a second, Artemis was truly frightened, for the manservant's eyes were completely merciless. But he controlled himself, and dropped his arm back.
" I've never asked you that question, Artemis ", he replied. " I've never asked you why I should obey you, even when you ordered me to do horrible things. You had me sell a lemur to a group of Extinctionnists. You had me shoot and abduct an innocent fairy for ransom. You had me almost killed, twice. You had me send your own mother to an asylum. "
The last remark hurt ; but Artemis wouldn't let him see how much. Yet, despite his enormous intellect, the young Fowl didn't understand where the manservant was going with this.
" You're my bodyguard, Butler. You are paid to follow my orders. "
" I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE, ARTEMIS ! "
Holly and Artemis backed up instinctively, startled by Butler's sudden outburst. He kept holding his charge's wrist above the keyboard, and Artemis felt the man's hand shaking.
Butler spoke again, almost in a whisper.
" I can't take this anymore. I've always done my absolute best to protect you, to be by your side no matter what, from the very day you were born. At first it was just a job, but then as time passed, it changed. I cared for you. I loved you, like a little brother. For all these years, I did everything you asked of me, because even when it was extreme, I understood you. I knew why you did all these things, and most of the time, it wasn't just because of the gold. But now, Artemis… I can't understand you anymore. I can't follow you. I can't. "
Butler's voice broke, and he paused.
" With the Wired, you went too far. This world domination nonsense isn't the Artemis I know. Can't you see how you've become severely addicted ? How you're not yourself anymore ? This has to stop, Artemis. Before there's just nothing left of you. You must deactivate the countdown, definitely. "
The manservant's gaze hardened.
" Before anyone else gets hurt… because of you. "
The remains of Artemis' heart were squinting. He tried, desperately, to keep his composure straight ; but deep within, he was torn in half.
He wanted to burst into tears, to run into Butler's embrace, ask for forgiveness, undo all those things he had done, because he couldn't recognize himself anymore. Because he could see the damages that the Wired had done to his sanity, to his body.
But there was another part of him, that couldn't forget the sensation of the bodyguard's punch on his stomach. That couldn't forget the betrayals – from the People, from Selene ; from Butler. A part of him that felt that the Wired was the only thing he really had left. The only thing that had never let him down.
Plus, the countdown was his life insurance. If he gave up on it, then nothing would keep Butler and Holly from betraying him again, and throw him into the next shuttle to be fed to Haven's inhabitants. The most spectacular plan Artemis had ever conceived would end with his pitiful capture.
If not with his death.
" No, Butler. I won't. "
The young Fowl clenched his fists, cuddling the laptop closer to his lap. The back of his brain had started itching again.
" The Wired is mine. I earned it. You have no right to take it away from me. "
Artemis' voice was slowly turning into a menacing growling. He felt the tip of Holly's gun pressing harder against his neck, but he paid zero attention to her.
" I don't care about these humans or fairies. They are pitiful, useless creatures. They are so infatuated with their cellphones and digital devices, carrying them everywhere, from their pockets to their beds, that I can do everything I want to them, at any time. I can watch them, I can hear them. I'm omniscient, and omnipotent. Can't you see ? I am the living God among a swarming crowd of powerless mortals. "
Butler had already fought and defeated an adult troll almost with his bare hands ; but he had never been more terrified than he was right now, as he looked into Artemis' eyes – or into the creature's that was speaking with his voice.
" Holly, something is terribly wrong ! " he screamed.
" Pull the trigger, elf, and I'll annihilate all life on Earth ! " Artemis cut, screaming even louder.
Holly backed away, her gun trembling in her hands. Butler grabbed his charge by the shoulders, and tried to shake him back into consciousness.
" Artemis, this isn't you ! This isn't you speaking right now ! "
The young Fowl turned into a fury, Wired-powered adrenaline running through his veins like boiling oil. He kicked around, hitting Holly's chin with his heel and throwing the food tray to crash on the ground loudly ; and he wavered his arms, clawing every surface coming across his nails, trying to reach the laptop that Butler had pushed away immediately.
" Holly, are you okay ?! " the manservant asked hurriedly.
The LEP Captain had been propelled to the floor by Artemis' hit, and she had dropped the tranquilizer gun, holding her chin with tears of pain in her eyes. Her head was surrounded with a blue halo of magic sparks.
Artemis was yelling, hysterically, his eyes widened in sheer madness.
" The Wired is mine ! It's MINE ! "
But despite all his efforts, Artemis still was a puny thirteen-year-old boy and Butler a highly-trained soldier with the muscular force of a polar bear. The manservant maintained him as still as he could without getting kicked or scratched in the face, and tried, desperately, to make eye contact.
" Artemis, listen to me. I know you're still here. You must fight this. You won't be alone, I promise you, I'll be here, but you must give up on the Wired, you must give up now. Please. "
Artemis roared furiously. His nose started bleeding.
" The Wired is MINE, you pathetic creature ! You and everyone else can go to DIE ! "
Butler backed away in shock. He was petrified with horror ; but not only because of the atrocity of his charge's words.
For a split second, the manservant was submerged by a cold, overwhelming dizziness, and his sight became dangerously blurry. He faltered, and felt his heart drop, in sheer despair.
This was just so wrong. This was just so horribly wrong.
He looked into his charge's eyes, he looked at the boy that he had seen growing from the very first day of his life. And he didn't recognize him.
Artemis… what are you ?
All of this happened in merely an instant. As soon as he was freed from the bodyguard's grip, Artemis tried to jump on the laptop ; but despite his internal turmoil, Butler was faster.
The young Fowl yelled, his face distorted in pure hatred, but the manservant backed away, the laptop in his hands, and pressed the Enter key. Code lines streamed down the machine's interface, and then a sentence appeared.
– Countdown reseted to 71:59:59.
For a split second, Butler faced the Wired directly.
It felt to him as if he was staring directly into the non-existing bottom end of a supermassive black hole.
And there were eyes staring back at him.
Instinctively, he dropped the laptop, and the device went to crash down on the hard cement ground. Artemis was instantly logged out of the Wired.
The boy screamed, splattering blood all over the white mattress ; uttering an atrocious cry, more heart-wrenching than a mother's to whom her baby had been ripped apart before her very eyes.
And then, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed on the bed.
.
When Artemis woke up, it felt as if his entire body was burning.
He laid still, trying not to panic, but his brain was scorching, and every inch of his skin seemed to rot only from the contact with ambient air. The pain was unbearable. Artemis initiated a move, to raise his hand and scratch his eyes ; but he realized he had been handcuffed on the bed's headboard.
His heartbeat increased, and Artemis inhaled several deep breaths, his eyes widened in fear. The mere act of breathing felt like a million shards of agony piercing through his throat. He gripped to the rusty bars of the headboard with a whimper of pain, his features distorted by the suffering.
A warm, massive hand passed before Artemis' eyes, bringing a damp cloth to his forehead and caressing it tenderly. Drops of cold water ran down on the boy's temples, to disappear in his already wet and tangled hair.
" Calm down ", Butler said. " Just breathe. "
The manservant was sitted on the floor, by the bed, so his face was at his charge's eyes level. Artemis turned his head, and stared at his bodyguard. All his usual smugness and confidence had disappeared from his eyes ; there was only terror, and confusion.
" … what happened to me… ? " he asked, in a croaking whisper.
Butler ran the cloth on the boy's face, with precision and gentleness. Artemis' gaze didn't stutter, his large blue, destroyed eyes locked into the manservant's.
" Don't think about it ", Butler replied, also in a whisper. " It's okay now. Just breathe. "
For a brief moment, the cold water soothed the itching ; but the burning sensation whiplashed back, and Artemis cringed in pain. He tried to inhale slowly and deeply, but he was getting short of breath, and he coughed violently, his eyes watering. He barely managed to stutter words, so weak and low that Butler had to lean closer to hear him.
" … I can't breathe… it hurts… Butler… it hurts… "
The young boy started to really panic. The manservant took his hand, and Artemis squeezed his fingers, his entire body contracted by another wave of pain. With his spare hand, Butler stroke his charge's cheek, neverminding the mix of sweat and water covering the boy's features.
Butler spoke again. His gestures were soft and reassuring – mostly out of habits – ; but his steel-gray stare was resigned. Jaded. If there was any worry or sadness in him, he had concealed it deeply.
" I know, Artemis. I know. But you have to keep on fighting. You can do it. I'm right here. "
Artemis swallowed, and had another coughing fit. At each spasm, the burning sensation would intensify. He cried, openly. It only worsened the suffering, the tears searing their path down his sunken cheeks like razor blades.
Butler ran the cloth on Artemis' face again. His determination faltered for an instant. He wasn't sure his charge could still hear him, but he kept on whispering, firmly but caringly, squeezing the boy's hand with gentleness.
" You can do it, Artemis. You're strong. Focus on my voice. I'm right by your side. Breathe. "
The young Fowl was utterly sobbing. His spine arched in pain, and he screamed, his head buried in the mattress. The bodyguard's heart was pounding with concern and anxiety, but despite the dire situation, he wasn't terrified anymore.
Butler was extremely calm.
" You can do it, Artemis. You can do it. "
The boy's eyes opened, and stared back at Butler's. They were so red, so pleading, that the manservant felt his heart shatter into pieces.
" … I can't do it… Butler… "
" Don't be afraid. I'm right here. "
" … I don't want… I don't want to… "
Artemis was cut in the middle of his sentence by another shockwave of pain, that had him screaming uncontrollably. It was becoming more and more difficult for Butler to maintain his comforting smile, and despite his soldier training, he wondered if he was really taking the right decision.
He heard hurried footsteps down the stairs, and Holly bursted into the room, completely panicked.
" Butler, I can hear him from the entrance hall ! That's enough, we must… "
" Shut up and close the door ! "
Holly blinked, but she was too surprised to ask any questions. She locked the door, and stood by the wall, unsure what to do. Butler felt a small sting of guilt crossing his conscience ; but if he told the elf, out loud, what he had decided, then he might just not be able to pursue it to the end.
And that was the last, only solution.
So he ignored her.
After the fairy's irruption, Artemis had calmed down. Holly's LEP handcuffs had left a red, puffy trace on his wrists. He was panting, eyes wide open, staring directly into Butler's.
" … Butler… I need the Wired… please… "
The manservant exhaled deeply, and shook his head, his gaze apologetic and remorseful.
" No, Artemis. I won't give it to you. "
" please Butler. I promise I won't do anything. I just need… I just need the Wired. "
The bodyguard tightened his grip on the boy's hand.
" No. The Wired is the last thing you need right now. "
He could still sense his charge shuddering, each time his addicted brain would send another range of agony signals through his body ; but Artemis' gaze had turn hard and focused, and he raised his head from the mattress.
" … Because you think I need you ? " he asked viciously, his lips twisted in loathing.
Butler nodded, never stopping to stroke the boy's cheek and holding his hand.
" Yes, Artemis, you need me. I'm sorry I didn't see it before. But I'm here now. "
Suddenly, the young Fowl bit the manservant's hand with all the strength he had left. It wasn't really much, but Butler was so surprised that he backed both his hands away.
But the effort had been so intense that Artemis' head fell back on the mattress, and he just glared at the bodyguard with all the hatred he could muster.
" You twisted, sadistic bastard ", he uttered. " You like it, don't you ? "
Butler knew that his charge was blinded by the pain, and the severe withdrawal syndrom caused by his addiction to the Wired ; but it was just so cruel and unfair, that despite his quiet personality, and all his soldier training, the retort hurt him. Deeply.
" I can't bear to see you like this, Artemis. You have no idea how painful it is to me. "
" Oh, really ? " the young Fowl spat heinously. " Then why are you doing this ? Why are you torturing me ? "
" I'm not torturing you. You wouldn't be in pain, if you hadn't got yourself addicted in the first place. "
Artemis chuckled meanly. He was shivering, severely, and his gaze became hazy.
" You're probably right ", he said matter-of-factly. " But that doesn't matter anymore, and you know it. You've lost. There's nothing you can do anymore to stop me. Why are you making me suffer, if not because you're enjoying this ? You know it's useless. You know you can't keep me away from the Wired indefinitely. "
He coughed. A few droplets of blood stained the mattress. But despite his miserable state, there was still something majestic, and utterly dangerous in his features.
He was a wretched teenager, crippled with insanity and addiction ; and yet, he was the most powerful person on the entire planet.
Artemis turned back to face Butler, and smiled.
" I've beat you, Butler. All of you. Whatever you do to me, to maintain the illusion that you still have some control… you can't erase that. You know the truth. I've won. "
Captain Short, of course, clenched her fists and looked down, her shoulders trembling. Too desperate to say anything.
Butler, however, did something that Artemis hadn't expected.
He nodded.
" Yes, Artemis. Yes. You've won. Of course you did. You left us no chance to help you, never. So yes, you've won. You've doomed the entire fairy and human civilizations to a life of fear and slavery, under the domination of a tyrannic, teenage control-freak. You've doomed yourself to a life of dependance, paranoia and suffering. A life of utter loneliness. "
Artemis swallowed. Something, in the resigned, final tone of the bodyguard was frightening him. Holly herself had raised her head, frowning at them with incomprehension.
Butler had paused. His eyes were watering ; but when he looked up at Artemis, there was nothing in them other than determination.
" You've won, Artemis. But as long as I'm alive… "
He pulled his Sig Sauer out.
" … I won't let that happen. "
For a few moments, the atmosphere in Holly Short's former cell was thick with an astonished, heavy silence.
Then, Artemis' eyelids fluttered, and he backed away from his bodyguard, slowly, shaking his head in disbelief.
" You… you can't be serious, Butler. This is a bluff. "
The manservant raised his gun, pointing it at his charge's head. All the weapon's components were purely and strictly mechanical. Even if he had the Wired, there was nothing Artemis could do.
" I'm just like you, Artemis ", Butler said. " I never bluff. "
The young Fowl's eyes widened. A cold, overwhelming feeling started to arise in his throat, fading all the Wired-induced pain away.
Pure, absolute terror.
Holly suddenly emerged from her incredulous state, and ran towards the bodyguard. Immediately, he pointed the Sig Sauer at her, and she froze, her arms up.
" Don't do that ! " she said, the most calmly as she could. " We need him alive to reset the countdown ! Butler… "
" Stay back, Holly ", the manservant cut with a tone that didn't appeal any discussion. " Stay back. I know what I'm doing. "
Holly looked at him with such incomprehension that he felt his determination drop. But he concealed the feelings away, and ignored her, turning back to face Artemis.
The boy's hands were shaking, any hint of complacency completely gone from his eyes.
" B-Butler… you can't d-do that. Everyone will die. "
The manservant reinforced his grip on the Sig Sauer. After all his years serving as an international spy for various intelligence services, he thought it would be okay. But the young Fowl's terrified expression just broke his heart.
" Everyone will die anyway, Artemis ", he replied, his tone caring but final. " Sooner or later. If it's not the countdown, then it will be something else. You are a time bomb waiting to go off, Artemis. My mission was to protect you… but I've already failed. "
Artemis shook his head desperately, struggling to get as far as possible from the Sig Sauer, but he was tied to the bed. He started to cry. More than ever, he looked weak and fragile, like the child he actually was.
" No… no… please… I don't want to die… "
" I can't save you from yourself, Artemis… " Butler said, softly. " I can't. … But if everyone has to die, then so be it. There's something I can do. I can protect you from witnessing it. I can protect you from becoming even more of a monster. "
He paused.
" But there's only one way. "
" Butler… please… that's nonsense… don't… "
Ignoring his principle's whimpers, silencing the horrified cries of his protective instinct and going against every single rule he had ever learned as a bodyguard, Butler pulled the gun's hammer and aimed at the boy's heart.
The shot would be clean, and the death, instantaneous.
" If I want to protect you ", he said, his voice merely wavering, " I must kill you. "
Artemis, sobbing and kicking around, started to panick completely. This wasn't real. This was another nightmare. This couldn't be real.
" Butler… please… please… "
The tip of Butler's Sig Sauer trembled. The manservant lost his entire composure, and spoke, softly, tenderly.
" Artemis… Artemis, listen to me. My name… "
The young boy froze, his eyes widened in horror.
" My name ", Butler said, with a true, warm smile, " is Domovoï. "
At this precise moment, Artemis realized two things.
One, his bodyguard and protector was named after a guardian spirit in Slavic folklore.
And two, if Butler was telling him his first name, going against the most basic rule from Madame Ko's Academy, then it meant that it didn't matter anymore if Artemis knew it or not.
Butler really was going to kill him.
Artemis started screaming, uncontrollably. The plan, the Wired and everything else had completely deserted his mind, and he was incapable of thinking about anything else than this horrible, irrevocable truth.
He was going to die.
Suddenly, something started to boil in his veins. An overwhelming wave engulfed his entire body, and he yelled, with all the force he had left.
" BUTLER, STOP ! I DON'T WANT TO DIE ! "
Simultaneously, several things happened.
The manservant started pulling the Sig Sauer's trigger ; but he never finished his move.
In Artemis' maddened, utterly terrified eyes, something appeared, distorting the round shape of his blue irises.
Glitches.
Butler was paralyzed. His eyes widened in fear and stupefaction, as his entire body started to Glitch hazardingly. He dropped the gun, and lowered his head to Artemis. Opened his mouth, to speak.
And then, within the blink of an eye, he was desintegrated.
A huge, dark blast stunned Artemis and Holly out, making them close their eyes instinctively. A thunderous tearing sound filled the room, making the Manor's fundations shatter. Then, a loud, heavy silence.
When Artemis and Holly opened their eyes, Butler was gone.
.
For a moment, they both stood still, completely unable to process what had happened.
Then, Holly's mouth opened, and a silent, disarticulate cry emerged from her lips. She fell on the ground, like a broken puppet.
Her voice eventually came back to her ; and she screamed, her gaze completely frantic. Her hands grasping the blood-soiled white floor.
Artemis didn't move. He didn't speak. He didn't cry.
He gathered his breath, slowly, his heart threatening to burst out of his chest. He ran his left hand across his face ; when he raised it before his eyes, his fingers were damp with blood.
Not just blood. Butler's blood, said a voice in the back of his head.
No, it's not, replied another voice. That's impossible. Butler can't die.
A terrifying warmth was pounding, rushing through Artemis' veins. He was feeling atrociously dizzy, but he forced himself to be focused, to clear his mind, so he could think.
So he could understand what the hell had just happened.
Holly got the same idea, apparently. Her entire body shaking, she bolted straight towards the bed, and gripped Artemis by the front of his shirt. She punched him, hard.
" What have you done ? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ?! " she yelled, tears streaming down her face, melting with the gore into a rosy, liquid mixture.
I don't know, Artemis thought, not even paying attention to the pain rising on his left cheek. I don't know. This wasn't supposed to happen. This isn't supposed to be possible. Unless…
And then.
Artemis understood.
The LEP handcuffs opened themselves with a soft click, and dropped on the mattress, Glitching lightly. Holly jumped in surprise, and stepped out of the bed, her mouth open in shock. Slowly, his head pounding with migraine, Artemis sat, and stood up.
His face was expressionless, but when he stared into Holly's eyes, it was with a strange mix of excitement and despair.
" I get it, Captain Short ", he whispered. " I finally get it. For all this time, I thought the Wired was just a network, that it only affected the digital world ; but… I was wrong. "
Holly blinked.
" Wha… what are you talking about ?! "
Artemis just stared back blankly.
" The Wired isn't a network, fairy. It's much, much bigger. It's the source code of Reality itself. "
Holly stood still, for half a second. Then she ran for the Sig Sauer laying on the floor. Well, at least, she tried to.
Artemis raised his hand, and Holly was projected onto the wall, an invisible, Glitching force pushing her body, maintaining her against the blood-splattered cement as if she was in a LEP titanium pod riding a magma flare.
" I don't even need a computer to access the Wired anymore. I have the ability to rewrite the entire reality as we know it ", Artemis said, wide-eyed, his hand still raised in the air. " This is true, absolute power. Can't you see ? I'm not just the God of the Wired. I am God. "
With a huge, tremendous effort, Holly slid her hand down the wall, and reached her pocket. Artemis dropped her, and turned around, haggard.
Holly, pulling the minidisk out of her jeans, crawled on the floor behind him, her voice pleading and desperate.
" … Artemis… please, wait… "
The young Fowl pressed his hands against his ears, and screamed.
" WON'T YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP ?! "
A shockwave of Glitching swallowed the room, passing through the walls and engulfing the entire Manor – then the whole British Isles. And then everything above and below the surface of the Earth, from the frozen coasts of Arctic straight down to the suburbs of Haven City.
Holly remained on the floor, the minidisk in her hand ; still and quiet. But she wasn't dead.
Artemis had paused her. Along with the entire planet.
He faltered for a second, nauseous, eyes half-closed ; submerged by an intense migraine. When he opened his eyes, he looked all around him, at the white cell speckled with blood, at the abandoned Sig Sauer on the ground, and at the immobilised elf on the floor, a gold minidisk in her palm.
Then, he opened the door, and left.
" … I need some time to think. "
...
WHAT HAVE I DONE é.è
...
Sorry. I hope you're all alive and you survived this read, because I'm not exactly sure I did e.e
I wouldn't say that this chapter was ''fun'' to write ; but it was really interesting to leave the digital, abstract and metaphorical stuff, and dig into something more corporeal, truly organic, close the body-horror movie genre - my major reference being Julia Ducourneau's 'Raw' (if you didn't see it, go watch it : amazing French horror movie from 2017).
I had this chapter in my mind from the very first words of the prologue. Butler's death was a tough piece to write ; but everything was leading, slowly then increasingly faster, to this culminating point. I hope I didn't loose you all with this, I realize how extreme the story turned out in the later chapters - but hey. I warned ya. No fluff story.
My movie's preparation is really beginning next week, and we're shooting in fourteen days. I don't think I'll be able to publish Database 13 and the epilogue before that, I'll be way too busy ; but I think I'll update both Database 13 and the epilogue at the same time, because the epilogue will probably be shorter and it might feel frustating for you to wait another week after Database 13 to have the final conclusion. Unless you prefer that I update both separately ?
Tell me what you'd like with this lovely review box just below ;-)
(Just don't ask me to bring Butler back. I want to as well. But... I won't tell you what I've planned :-P)
Enjoy your weekend, and Halloween ! As for me, I'm gonna write some sweet fluffy oneshots with little Artemis and Butler eating crème brûlée together to make me feel a little better T.T
Lots of love on you guys, and see you in two weeks ! :-)