Shooting At Shadows
Fear of the Unknown.
Alex tried hard to focus on the blue and hazel eyes staring calmly at him. It was hard to; the sun was hot and bright, reflecting off everything and sending a harsh glare into his unprotected eyes. He could barely see the outline of the big man standing in the alley, something that made him feel vulnerable. He reached slowly into his jacket pocket and was slightly reassured by the presence of small, but heavy, ‘‘camera’’. One click and an electric stun wave would blind anyone twenty feet in front of the lens. The film compartment held a small grenade which could blast a hole in a metal wall and if you pressed the zoom a smoke bomb would detonate within fifteen seconds. Alex was a skilled fighter, but he knew the sheer bulk and strength of the man in the shadows was no match for him. If something happened, he was going to need a whole lot more than luck on his side. His adrenaline was pumping, involuntarily preparing his body for a sprint right the hell out of there. The young man in front of him slowly pulled his sunglasses down over his eyes. The black glass hiding his eyes, this was the one thing more unnerving then his unwavering gaze. The two young men had been in silence for a good three minutes and Artemis, obviously in control of the situation, was the first to break the silence.
‘Alex, a pleasure to finally meet you.’ He stuck out his hand, but Alex, unwilling to let go of his weapon, didn’t respond. Fowl withdrew his hand, slowly picking up a glass taking and taking a small sip of water. Alex shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
‘I have asked you to meet me here, because I have a proposition-’
‘You name,’ Alex said dryly, ‘what is your name?’
‘Oh, how rude of me, I, am Artemis Fowl the Second.’ He had decided there was no use in a fake name, and he watched bemusedly as a slight look of recognition replaced his company’s anxious one. Alex vaguely remembered the name; he had been the focus of few of the big names at M16 around five years ago, some big embezzlement was the story he had heard. Then for three years, there had been no word of him, it was like he had disappeared off the face of the earth. Even the most sophisticated M16 technology couldn’t find him or any information. The case had been concluded, until this point at least, and had blamed his fast paced life and many enemies for his supposed death. And now, here he was, very much alive and definitely up to something.
‘You might have heard of my father, Artemis Fowl Senior. His methods of getting money aren’t always, shall we say, law abiding.’
Alex nodded, trying to process this confession. He felt now to be on more equal ground, if worst came to worst he could always threaten with M16.
‘Like father like son?’ He asked, gaining some small confidence. If Artemis hadn’t been wearing glasses, Alex would have seen the dangerous glint in his eye.
‘I'm afraid so,’ he answered, sitting up a little straighter and brushing his suit casually.
He shifted uncomfortably again, his hand brushing the surface of the camera in his pocket. ‘You’re not afraid, are you Alex? Your father wasn’t the type to scare easily, much to his misfortune.’ Artemis looked casually down at his hand; inwardly wincing, this was the only part of the plan which relied completely on Alex’s reaction. The few seconds of time that followed the remark drawing out almost unbearably for the young criminal.
‘This meeting his over, I don’t want anything to do with your crime ridden family and blood money.’ Alex scoffed, pushing his chair away harshly, obviously upset. How did he know about his father, how did he even know him? He thought. His mind was racing; he was confused, trying to think of a plan through the foggy haze of questions. Alex knew he needed to get out, and fast.
‘Don’t be so hasty, Master Rider, it is in the best interest of your safety.’
‘Oh give it up, one scratch and M16 will be on you so fast.’ Artemis laughed, a short hearty chuckle.
‘You think that old chump Alan Blunt will do something? Oh, you are worse of than I thought.’ Alex was immensely frustrated, his brow splitting in two from coarse anger and concentration. He turned, biting his tongue and breathing deeply, trying to control himself from hitting the rude, weak boy. He had taken one step when he heard his voice again. ‘I’m sure you’ve spotted Butler, my bodyguard. Let me not bore you with his deadly qualifications. So, please, in the very best interest of your survival, let us finish our discussion.’ Alex kept walking, he was no coward and he wasn’t a fool. Fowl wasn’t about to send his giant bodyguard on him in the middle of a café. He kept his camera in hand as he took the steps away from the table, away from the strange boy that seemed to know everything about him. He turned the corner of the street, but his finely tuned senses had caught the sinister words ‘Butler, deal with it’. So when Alex Rider turned the corner, he began to run.
‘Alex, a pleasure to finally meet you.’ He stuck out his hand, but Alex, unwilling to let go of his weapon, didn’t respond. Fowl withdrew his hand, slowly picking up a glass taking and taking a small sip of water. Alex shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
‘I have asked you to meet me here, because I have a proposition-’
‘You name,’ Alex said dryly, ‘what is your name?’
‘Oh, how rude of me, I, am Artemis Fowl the Second.’ He had decided there was no use in a fake name, and he watched bemusedly as a slight look of recognition replaced his company’s anxious one. Alex vaguely remembered the name; he had been the focus of few of the big names at M16 around five years ago, some big embezzlement was the story he had heard. Then for three years, there had been no word of him, it was like he had disappeared off the face of the earth. Even the most sophisticated M16 technology couldn’t find him or any information. The case had been concluded, until this point at least, and had blamed his fast paced life and many enemies for his supposed death. And now, here he was, very much alive and definitely up to something.
‘You might have heard of my father, Artemis Fowl Senior. His methods of getting money aren’t always, shall we say, law abiding.’
Alex nodded, trying to process this confession. He felt now to be on more equal ground, if worst came to worst he could always threaten with M16.
‘Like father like son?’ He asked, gaining some small confidence. If Artemis hadn’t been wearing glasses, Alex would have seen the dangerous glint in his eye.
‘I'm afraid so,’ he answered, sitting up a little straighter and brushing his suit casually.
He shifted uncomfortably again, his hand brushing the surface of the camera in his pocket. ‘You’re not afraid, are you Alex? Your father wasn’t the type to scare easily, much to his misfortune.’ Artemis looked casually down at his hand; inwardly wincing, this was the only part of the plan which relied completely on Alex’s reaction. The few seconds of time that followed the remark drawing out almost unbearably for the young criminal.
‘This meeting his over, I don’t want anything to do with your crime ridden family and blood money.’ Alex scoffed, pushing his chair away harshly, obviously upset. How did he know about his father, how did he even know him? He thought. His mind was racing; he was confused, trying to think of a plan through the foggy haze of questions. Alex knew he needed to get out, and fast.
‘Don’t be so hasty, Master Rider, it is in the best interest of your safety.’
‘Oh give it up, one scratch and M16 will be on you so fast.’ Artemis laughed, a short hearty chuckle.
‘You think that old chump Alan Blunt will do something? Oh, you are worse of than I thought.’ Alex was immensely frustrated, his brow splitting in two from coarse anger and concentration. He turned, biting his tongue and breathing deeply, trying to control himself from hitting the rude, weak boy. He had taken one step when he heard his voice again. ‘I’m sure you’ve spotted Butler, my bodyguard. Let me not bore you with his deadly qualifications. So, please, in the very best interest of your survival, let us finish our discussion.’ Alex kept walking, he was no coward and he wasn’t a fool. Fowl wasn’t about to send his giant bodyguard on him in the middle of a café. He kept his camera in hand as he took the steps away from the table, away from the strange boy that seemed to know everything about him. He turned the corner of the street, but his finely tuned senses had caught the sinister words ‘Butler, deal with it’. So when Alex Rider turned the corner, he began to run.