The Shrink Program

Chapter 108

On to plan B.

"I surrender!" I declared, raising my hand to draw Jack's attention.

Beside me, Artemis facepalmed, muttering something tiredly under his breath.

"Now now Maddison," Jack took the last few steps, standing over us so that I had to bend my head back all the way to see his patient expression.

"Surrendering implies that you actually have some sort of say in this."

My eye twitched in irritation.

I do so have something to say... But it kind involves a great deal of bad language...

"Fine. I formally take back my surrender." I pointed up at him. "Happy?"

Jack held his chin musingly. "I'm not bored or in pain... So something like that?"

Right... Creepy.

"Well, since I'm no longer giving up, let's make one thing clear. If you don't surrender right now, I'm going to officially start planning my revenge."

Jack's eyebrow raised slightly, speaking of the terror he must feel.

"Tell us how to save Garman, and kindly move away to Antarctica. Do that, and I'll let this whole thing slide." I held up a finger. "Just this once."

Without a word, Jack crouched down and plucked Artemis from my side.

The short boy yelped in surprise as he was suddenly abducted into the air, hanging onto Jack's fingers for dear life.

I took an involuntary step back.

"I-I'm warning you, My revenge is going to involve a rusty pair of bolt cutters, a box of lemons and a Justin Bieber CD...!"

I swear, when Jack yanked my tiny body from the ground, he did it with way more force than necessary.

"I think I will take my chances," Jack commented casually, standing up from his crouch. Opening his hand so that Artemis lay in his palm, Jack spared no time in dropping me to join my shrunken companion. Yelping, I fell on top of the short boy, ending up sprawled across his lap and knocking the air out of both of us.

"Ow." I moaned, dizzily pushing myself up.

"My sentiments exactly Love," Artemis muttered, patting me on the head once comfortingly before crawling out from underneath me with what little room he had.

"Now, it seems like the idiot has run off somewhere," Jack stated, sending his gaze searching across the floor. When he didn't spot Nigel, he sent me an accusatory glare.

Like it was my fault.

"What the hell do you want me to do about it?" I snarled defensively. "Shine the Bat-signal out my..."

"That won't be necessary." Jack's smile returned in for force, reassuring me that my help was not needed. "I'm sure that once he hears you screaming, he'll be out here before you can even start begging me to stop."

All I could do was stare at Jack blankly, trying to match the psychotic words with the flowery smile.

"....you seriously creep me out every time you talk, you know that right?"

"I try." Jack smiled, his empty hand reaching towards me.

"Nigel?!" I called nervously, backing away from the approaching fingers.

"Don't worry Maddison." Nigel's voice called faintly from somewhere in the room. "No matter what happens...I promise you, I won't forget to write about you in my memoir..."

Mem....?

"Get out here you traitorous little bug!" I screeched, almost leaping from Jack's hand in my need to strangle the idiotic jerk myself.

"...I'd really rather not..."

All I could do was sputtered indignantly. What the hell was that idiot doing?! We didn't have time for him too...

"Hey!" I screeched as I was painfully yanked up by a grip on my ankle. Even as I hung upside down in Jack's hand, I swung my fists at his giant smug face.

"Would you stop doing that!?"

"Come on out Joker." Jack addressed the room calmly, ignoring my struggles. "Don't make me wait. I can think of much better games to play than hide and seek...."

"Stop. I'm coming out." Nigel called, panic entering his voice. With a satisfied smile, Jack dumped me back down in his hand, making me swear profusely as I ended up on my back with my ankles in the same vicinity of my ears.

"Pity." Jack murmured, stalking calmly over to where Nigel had appeared from behind the desk.

"Looks like I'll just have to play with you later Maddison."

Don't hold your breath.