The Shrink Program

Chapter 133

As the crowd cheered and buzzed at the happy announcement, I stared numbly down at the newly restored Artemis.

He was dressed in what had to be the tamest outfit of the night like Dr Floid hadn't put the same effort into humiliating him like she had the rest of us. A long-tailed white penguin tux over a cream-coloured vest and a blue tie. Instead of a mask, white gold face paint climbed the left side of his neck and face to swirl around one eye in a baroque pattern.

"I can't believe this is happening....." My hands clenching painfully into the material of Apollo jacket.

"You can say that again," Alex muttered, glaring down at his flaunting mother in obvious contempt.

"The one guy..." I grieved. "The one damn person who was actually shorter than me.... gone, just like that..."

Goodbye... sweet superiority... It was fun while it lasted...

Alex sent me an exasperated look.

".... The whole world domination thing just went straight over your head, didn't it?"

"Don't be mean Alex." Alan admonished, shaking his head sadly. "It's not like there's much that doesn't these days...."

I levelled him a murderous glare.

"That better have been a jab at my intelligence and not my height, or so help me..."

"Let the fight begin!"

What?!

I jerked violently, panicked by the sudden announcement.

Wait! I'm not ready yet!

Dr Floid practically danced away, leaving Artemis and Nigel facing off alone in the centre of the floor.

"I'd get a move on if I were you!" She sang when both teenagers remained frozen, indecisive. "Before we seek our entertainment elsewhere."

Immediately, Artemis and Nigel both looked directly up to where Apollo and I stood.

Trapped between Alex and Alan.

And here I was, thinking that they just wanted to hang with me.... but no, just for something different, I'm the hostage.

On the bright side, Apollo's finally getting a taste of his own medicine... Courtesy of it being rammed down his throat.

"But...." Nigel begun, looking helplessly between Artemis and me. "I can't...."

It was easy to understand Nigel's dilemma. Even when it came to people he didn't like, Nigel wasn't one to attack needlessly. He was terrified of pain, of inflicting it on others.

The fool spent his whole life treating the people he cared about like glass.

"Nigel."

Surprisingly, the one to speak was Artemis, the unfamiliar soft voice speaking with the familiar, gentle tone.

He cleared his throat as he met Nigel gaze, as if unused to hearing the voice that had once belonged to him.

"You shouldn't worry. There is nothing you can do to me that will hurt more than watching these people hurt my brother." He glanced up at us, a small hesitant smile on his lips. "Besides, what sort of gentleman would I be if I let them hurt a lady."

Sure that my face had gone bright red, I sent him down the middle finger to tell him just what I thought of his chivalry.

"But... I can't..." Nigel whimpered again, looking guiltily at the floor.