The Alliance Archive

You Can't Touch A Ghost

While Artemis went to see Liz, I turned on his laptop and checked Wattpad. No messages. No anything. There was no activity for quite some time. I pulled up a writing section and felt an impulse to write about these events that were so new and foreign to me. Maybe someday, someone would read them and understand Liz and I. I began to write the first chapter on a new account, StellaSAndBirchL, our original fairy names. I only hope Artemis' associate doesn't find it on the world wide web.

I was right in the middle when I heard Artemis come back in to the room. Quickly, I saved, exited out, and turned off the computer. Just as I flicked off the light, Artemis flung the door open.

"Birch."

"Call me Syd. I'd rather you use my human name, since I'm human."

"Syd."

"Yeah?"

"I know a way to get to Stella-"

"Liz."

"Yes, fine, whatever! I know a way to get to Liz, but it's going to have to wait for a moment."

"What is it?"

"I have a question. Can you touch a ghost?"

I blinked. A ghost?

"No," I said. "Ghost's are intangible creatures that lack any sort of form or substance. They are simply mist in the shape of a person."

Artemis grinned. I sensed something not right about his smiling, since he never grinned.

"Actually, the answer is, you can touch a ghost. Especially if that ghost is a hologram."

"So, what you're saying is, you have special holograms that look like us."

"Yes, that's what I'm saying."

I looked at him.

"That's just creepy, dude."

"Do you have any other ideas?"

"Yeah. We capture Butler, I hold you hostage, we get Liz, we run away. End of final draft."

"I don't think that's a good plan. Butler will just capture you both next time."

I hissed. Maybe he was right. Nothing was set in stone, apparently. Butler was good.

"Listen, if we can get him to at least check the holograms out, he will go for it."

"Butler is way smarter than he is," I stated. Artemis shook his head.

"He has one or two weaknesses."

"Oh yeah?" I said, voice dripping with skepticism. "And what are they?"

"His sister and me," Artemis said bluntly, beginning for the door. "Are you coming?"

I just stood there for a moment, and blankly said, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere where the holograms can stir up trouble. Maybe we'll even get a hostage situation."

I followed him out the door. We had to sneak out of the lines of the cameras. Just in case Butler was watching.

                                                                               *

Artemis had set up the holograms as I watched from behind a potted fern. How cliche.  As he set up the range and the light boxes, it became apparent that he was an expert. He set the setting to hard light, and ran behind the fern to watch.

Instantly, the machines came to life. A tiny box sprouted a me, who was armed to the teeth. I ran down the hallways, and we watched on an electronic map as a tiny red blip, me, raced toward a tiny blue blip. Arty. And finally, we waited to see what the green blip, Butler's phone (On Butler's person and therefore tracking Butler), would do. The dots began to move together. I think I might have been yelling at Artemis or something. Butler raced down the halls to Arty, getting closer. When he got to his room, He stopped right before Artemis and I. The real Artemis pulled up the live footage of the camera looking at the door to his room, which was wide open. Inside, you saw the huge bulk of the bodyguard, and behind him you saw Artemis with the barrel of a gun pushed to his head. Other than that, you couldn't see me at all.

In a tiny, electronic voice I could hear Artemis pleading for his life. He sounded like a wimp. I sounded really great (Sarcasm), and through the soap opera sentences, I heard a noise like an engine. Butler heard it too. He looked up. The holograms flickered and then shut off. But that was nothing compared to the aircraft that had just left a gaping hole in Artemis's wall. The door to the vehicle slid open, and a man appeared. He had a big head and a red nose, like he had been sneezing for twenty minutes without stopping. He pulled a gun from a holster. It looked like an AK-47. He pointed it at Butler, pulled the trigger, and Butler went down.

"NO!" Artemis and I yelled at the same time. We watched as black-clad faeries dragged the Eurasian bodyguard on the the flying craft, closing the door and flying away. We just stood there like idiots, staring at the tablet screen. After a moment, I swallowed hard and tapped Artemis.

"Take me to Liz."

When I got into the grey concrete room, I bent down by Liz and took her pulse.

"She's fine. The concussion will take care of itself, and her fever will break break. Her leg will be fine in a week or so."

"What makes you say that?" Artemis said, looking skeptical.

"She's part fairy, remember? She'll heal quicker. And don't worry about infection; her immune system is stronger than a horse."

Liz stirred. "Syd?"

"Hey," I said, looking up at her. "How's it goin'?"

"I told you not to come..."

"Well, I came anyway."

"No... You don't understand. He's tracking you.... The man with the head..."

"With the head...?" I asked, but she was already asleep. Better to shut down with repairs than shut down vulnerable. I left the room.

That evening, pacing around a guest room, I puzzled and puzzled over the words. With the head.... The man with the head....

My subconcious triggered and a name rose to my lips.

Sanies.

Son of a buisnessman.