Hi there! This is my first Artemis Fowl fanfict and I know this chapter is really (or relatively) short. And I am those kind of people who write without research or drafts so there might be some alterations of the story as we know. This is set after Lost Colony and before Time Paradox, and I'm not quite sure if Opal is in prison at the time but let's just stick to my story for the time being. Please review so I know if it really sucks and I can make some adjustments if I can to my other chapters to make the story less suck-ish. And about the title, I really had no idea what to name my story so I just picked random words pertaining to the story, and also because I happened to be listening to Girl Panic by Duran Duran (I love the 80s).
Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis, Opal, Holly or anyone. If I did, I would have known if Opal is in prison at this time and make the necessary changes.
Chapter 1: The golden touch
LEP Prison, Haven City
Opal Koboi sat hunched in her cell, thinking. In her hands were a set of wires, which she toyed and played with. Outside her cell were about six guards who made sure that the wires weren't used as a weapon. Opal had requested for some wires to keep her brain active so that she wouldn't become a slobbering moron in the end. Apart from the armed sprites, three cameras were observing her every move.
Of course, the wires were more than playthings. Opal needed them to keep track of time. She had calculated that by the time she had connected the wires in a complex way and dismantling them, it would have been an hour. If the Brill brothers had followed her directions, then Opal would need an accurate time source. The sprites were on strict orders not to talk to the pixie, so the only times she knew was when her meals came at 8am, 12pm and 6pm sharp. Opal was going to make use of that.
Breakfast came. 8am sharp. Opal did not touch the tray of food but began working on the wires. One chance was all she had. It had better work. During the second hour she had used the fork on the wires. To the camera and the sprites, she was using it to loosen a tight knot. What she was actually doing was to attach one wire to the metal fork.
Three hours before lunch, the time when Opal had called for a blackout. She inched her way towards a camera. When darkness came, she promptly climbed on her bed and jumped, the mattress giving her a boost, and plucked the camera from the wall. She felt around it and pulled out the nuclear battery. Attaching it to the wire and fork, she was careful to avoid direct contact with the metal fork.
"Glow sticks," one guard hissed to the rest. Opal was anticipating that. The moment she saw a glint of light, her hand shot forward and gave the unfortunate sprite a good buzz in the hand. At the same time, she had hit another sprite in the wing, which was a vital organ. Good luck with that, Opal thought and allowed a smile. Actually, I take that back. I'll need it.
Eventually she had managed to knock the guards out long enough to stick the fork into the security lock of her cell. The bars silently slid down. Opal nicked a glow stick from an officer and made her way out, fork, wire and nuclear battery in hand.
Opal was hauled onto a small shuttle by the Brill brothers in no time. "Good job, boys. Now let's see if you got it right," she said, walking over to a room. On the table were her plans, a small square chip and bits of loose wire. She examined the chip closely.
"Brilliant me," she purred. "Have you ever seen such a marvelous thing? Now, get a bird for me. Let's see if it really works."
Mervall came with a stray bird in a cage. Opal put the bead-sized chip in the bird feed and placed it in the cage. The bird pecked at it, eventually eating the chip as well. After a while, the bird stopped, straightened its neck as its eyes turned blood red. It blinked a few times, the red gone. Mervall stood, amazed. Of course, he knew Opal had many tricks up her sleeve, but this one was impressive.
"Hmm. That wasn't supposed to take that long. Never mind, I can fix that later. Now," Opal said with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Come to me, and let nothing stop you." This was it. The plan all depended on this. The LEP would not be suspecting her at all if this worked.
The bird's eyes flicked red and they rested on Opal's outstretched hand. It flew, slammed into the cage, and Opal was starting to feel disappointed and a tinge of panic. But what she was hoping for happened next.
The bird's claws gripped the cage and pulled it apart with unnatural strength. Opal threw a cloth at it. The bird struggled for a moment before tearing and ripping it into shreds using its not so blunt claws and beak. It finally rested on Opal's finger, eyes back to normal. Opal cackled and caught Mervall's surprised look.
"Mistress," he started, bowing his head. "You are full of surprises. I never knew the animals with the chips implanted in them could do such an incredible thing." He said this to compliment Opal, and also because he really meant it.
Opal stroked the bird and replied, "My dear Mervall, I do not blame you and many others for forgetting who I really am, because I have been out of action for so long. But that is about to change as I will remind them again that I, Opal Koboi, am, and still is, the pixie with the golden touch."