22 Chapter 22 – Berlin

Time skip to November 1986

[Main POV]

Olivia and I were currently sipping tea in Berlin. East Berlin to be precise.

Emily was back in Apollonia running the company. She wanted to come, but I convinced her to stay so she could run the company and my cult. The Cult of Apollo was growing quite quickly, mostly because Emily refused to hire people she didn't believe would join.

While this was working in the short term (considering most of our hires consisted of desperate people) I knew this would have to change if the company was to grow. It wasn't like I could automate every other job. Or could I …

"Hello Apollo, who is this." It was her.

I stood up and introduced them. "Artemis, this is Olivia, Olivia, Artemis."

"Oh! So, you're Artemis! You're the girl who stole my boss's heart!" Oliva said with a grin.

"What?!" Artemis squeaked as I felt my face also growing red.

"Olivia, cut it out. I told you I'm not into her," I reminded her. "C'mon, we're leaving."

I grabbed Olivia and dragged her out of the café.

"See you for our match." I muttered before leaving.

[3rd POV]

After Apollo and Olivia left the café, Artemis counted to 10 to calm herself.

"You can come out now," she said in Russian.

Out of the kitchen of the café, two KGB agents snuck out. They had made bullshit excuses about 'checking the food.' These were the two KGB agents whose hands Apollo had broken the year before.

According to the doctor they met with in Japan, their hands would never be fully healed. In fear of losing their jobs, they wore gloves and never told anyone about the incident. They also started to rely on Artemis to cover for them. While mildly annoying, she knew she'd rather have the two of them around rather than other agents.

The KGB agents weren't there for her protection. They knew about some of her powers, and putting two ordinary men with handgun around her for protection was laughable.

No, they were there to put a bullet in her skull if she went rogue.

However, one thing the higher ups didn't anticipate was for an understanding to grow between the three of them. The agents depended on Artemis for their jobs, so they looked the other way for any activity she did that would be considered suspicious.

As Artemis looked back at the table Apollo had been sitting at, she saw a folded-up piece of paper in the booth. Opening it up she smiled.

[Main POV]

Once more, I found myself sitting at a table with a chess board set up and waiting for my opponent.

Five minutes before the scheduled start time, the doors opened, and a Russian man walked into the room. He was around 6 feet tall, and looked like an ordinary guy in a suit.

Expecting him to sit in the crowd, I looked away, only to look back and find him standing in front of me with his hand extended.

I said the first thing that came to mind.

"You're not Artemis."

After looking slightly offended, he brushed it off before smiling. "Artemis has decided to retire from playing chess. I am Garry Kasparov, and I will be your opponent."

I shook his hand, and we started to play. However, my mind was elsewhere.

Why was Artemis in Berlin? This question haunted my mind throughout the match.

Other than that, nothing notable occurred. Kasparov didn't stand a chance. He seemed to take it well. Losing to Artemis probably got him used to losing to 6-year-olds.

After we shook hands, he handed me a couple of tickets, "Artemis asked me to deliver these to you." Then he left. No further explanation given. Great.

Looking at the tickets, I shrugged. Guess I was going to a concert.

Time skip to 1 week later

[Main POV]

I sighed. Yeah, turns out it was concerto. Not a concert. I found this out 5 seconds after taking my seat. My disappointment was immeasurable, and my day ruined.

On a happy note, I was the World Chess Champion for the 3rd year in a row. After beating Garry 7 more times, it was over. I felt bad for him considering he was supposed to be the World Chess Champion from 1985 to 2000.

On a totally unrelated note, I decided to quit chess. Not only was it insufferably boring (especially when played with people who were not Artemis), but I would no longer be needing the half a million dollars grand prize. Starting next year, I'd be able to cash flow straight from Apollo Enterprises.

As for where I was now, I was currently in the audience of the concerto listening to the 15th sappy song with a violin. The first time: great. Second time: fine. After the fifth violin solo, I was starting to get sick of it.

However, I was still a decent person, so I clapped once it was over and audibly sighed when the emcee said, "Now for the final piece…"

"Finally," I sighed.

"Shhhh!" Olivia shushed me.

"… will be Love Dramatic by Artemis, dedicated to Apollo."

"WHAT?!" I shouted earning more shushes from the people around me. I furiously started searching my pockets only to find that I was missing a certain piece of paper.

"That bitch," I whispered. I got up and started making my way backstage. I was going to give her a piece of my mind.

Then I hear the piano playing along with someone singing.

♪Oh, love me, mister!

♪Oh, mister!

♪Can you make me believe this is not a dream?

♪Hey, mister!

♪Come on, mister!

♪Is it sad that my heart's beating frantically?

♪Just my feelings alone make me lose my breath

♪Then you give me that look, and I'm over the edge

♪You and I, my, we play quite a dangerous game

♪Love is war!

Okay, I had to admit that she wasn't bad with the poppy part of the song.

♪It's so dramatic

♪I feel the tension rising as we dance

♪I get a vision

♪A premonition of thrilling romance

♪All at oncе, I hear it calling me

♪And I feel a touch, a longing for destiny

♪I just wish that I could find thе chance

♪To set free these feelings of love

♪And break the walls that surround your heart!

Damn it. Her singing was beautiful. I collapsed on my knees as I finally made my way to the side of the stage. I saw Artemis playing the piano while singing, because of course she was.

She looked my way and made eye contact before she gave me a wink and continued singing.

♪Oh, love me, mister!

♪Oh, mister!

♪Can you make me believe this is not a dream?

♪Hey, mister!

♪Come on, mister!

♪Is it sad that my heart's beating frantically?

♪Just my feelings alone make me lose my breath

♪Then you give me that look, and I'm over the edge

♪You and I, my, we play quite a dangerous game

♪Love is war!

I wanted to go out onto that stage. I wanted to give her a piece of my mind. But god damn it! As the God of Music, I couldn't not appreciate such beautiful music I had only heard two lifetimes ago.

♪King of pretending

♪Acting so cool, you never give an inch

♪This game we're playing

♪Are you aware it's one that no one wins?

♪I don't need a fairy-tale ending

♪Only happy-ever-afters happen in movies

♪I won't waste my time rejecting lies

♪I wanna get lost in your love

♪So come and tease my heart a little more!

I wasn't in love. Nope. I was simply appreciating some good music.

♪Oh, love me, mister!

♪Oh, mister!

♪One thing I can't forget is your silhouette

♪Hey, mister!

♪Come on, mister!

♪But the chance of a kiss is one I won't get

♪If I break down your walls, I wonder if I'll find

♪Something hidden behind those pure, innocent eyes

♪You and I, my, we play quite a dangerous game

♪Love is war!

For the past few verses, Artemis had been singing and playing the piano with her eyes closed. But at this moment, she opened her eyes and looked straight at me.

♪Can you tell me the answer, please?

♪Can't you see I'm down on my knees?

♪I'm begging, please tell me the secret of

♪Obtaining your love!

I felt my heart skip a beat. Then it skipped another. Fuck.

♪Oh, love me!

♪Oh, love me, mister!

♪Oh, mister!

♪Can you make me believe this is not a dream?

♪Hey, mister!

♪Come on, mister!

♪With the sound of your voice put a spell on me

The God of Music, put under a spell by the sound of a maiden's voice. Oh, the irony.

♪Tried to hold back my love, but I no longer can

♪So I'll give you my heart, everything that I am

♪You and I, my, we play quite a dangerous game

♪Love is war!

AN: I like Power Stones, yes I do! I like Power Stones, so do you!

Also, I would appreciate it if you guys could give my story a rating.

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