"…Alix…"

She stood before him in a black shirt, shorts and sneakers, a large baseball cap over her pink hair. Her eyes were wide and fists were clenched. "…What did you just say about my father?"

She must have followed me. She knows the museum as well as Kubdel does.

Povas let his shoulders slump and his lungs once again take in air. This was possibly going to be the hardest part of the mission. He had been hoping to do it later, but… "I wanted to tell you but, with the price of my feathers-"

"Tell me what you said."

The fury in her voice took him back a step. "Alix-"

Her knuckles were white. Her arms were shaking with anger. She was giving him a glare as cold as ice. "Take it back. Take back what you just said about him! My father is not a criminal! You got it wrong!"

He tried to quiet her with a gentle hush.

"You want me to be quiet while you insult my family?!"

Thunder boomed overheard. Their conversation would be lost to any other ears. Povas cautiously stepped closer to her. "I know this seems unbelievable. Trust me when I say that there is no pleasure in finding out what I know. I would tell you more, but if I do…"

Alix looked away and grit her teeth. "I came up here so I could help, because the museum is like a second home to me. Instead I find you saying such…such stupid things about my dad. No one has ever been hurt by him!"

If this keeps up, the signal will be late…

Povas walked over to her and crouched so they were eye to eye, though she continued to look the other way. He reached out for her hands. It took a moment, but she reluctantly gave in and took them, looking back at him with a grimace.

"Do you want me to prove it?"

"Like I would believe you."

He almost had her and she knew it. "Alix…if I ever reveal what I've seen with my feathers, then I go blind."

"So?"

He had no smile left to muster as he looked her in the eye. "If I tell you what I know and my eyes lose their sight, you have to believe me, okay?"

Alix stared at him. "…What?"

He waited for the thunder to dissipate. "The minute my eyes glaze over, you will finally know the truth behind HawkMoth."

Ladybug and Chat Noir were getting anxious. The signal should have happened by now. There was little sky left behind the grand storm cloud. The moon was officially gone. Chat held tight to her hand as darkness fell over the entire city.

Come on, Povas – we need to get in there before HawkMoth gets out!

Finally there were signs of life from the rooftop. A pigeon call came through the thunder, and the lightning flashed over a silhouette above the windows. Only…there were two silhouettes. Chat could make out the figure as they leapt down and raced towards them.

"Come on," he pulled Ladybug along behind him, "Povas is meeting us at the base of the glass pyramid…and he has Alix with him."

Ladybug shook her head. That made no sense. "Alix should be back with the rest of the class. I made sure of it."

"We both did. I guess she decided to tag along before…" He brought them to a stop by the edge of the pyramid. Something was off. "Why are they holding hands?"

Alix guided Povas over to them. Her eyes were puffy as she let him go and took a few breaths. "Sorry I came along without telling you. I just…I wanted to help…I never thought…," then she broke down. Ladybug quickly swooped in and wrapped her in a hug as Chat stepped up beside Povas.

"What happened up there?"

Povas looked over at Chat – his sight completely intact. "I was about to tell Alix the truth, when we saw movement in the art hall."

Alix was sobbing into Ladybug's shoulder. "My dad…unconscious Jalil…the bodyguard…and a coffin…"

Ladybug comforted her as Povas pulled Chat aside. "Get inside while Alix and I start phase two of the plan."

"Um. I heard coffin. There was a coffin. Why is there a coffin?!"

Povas looked torn as he stepped back and helped Alix keep steady on her feet. "Forget about it for now. We need to focus on the plan. Meet up with Vixen and Queen Bee at the center of the museum and go from there."

Ladybug nodded to him and pat Alix on the back. "Whatever happens in there, remember, Alix – you have nothing to do with HawkMoth."

Alix said nothing as Povas ran off with her in his arms. Chat moved back to Ladybug and gave his ears a scratch. "What do you think it all means?"

"It means that we have even less time that we thought."

The duo raced to either side of the front entrance, out of range of the security cameras. There was little silence outside now that the storm was everywhere. Ladybug peeked in through the window above her. No one in the lobby. She gave Chat a thumbs up. He signalled back with a smirk.

It was time for phase two.

Jalil groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He had a terrible headache. He had no room to move his arms. There was only darkness around him. It took only seconds for him to realize the terrible truth.

He was tied up inside of a sarcophagus.

His scream caught on the gag stuffed into his mouth. He tried shaking the rope off but it was too tight. The last thing he remembered was someone large coming up behind him and swinging at his head. His worst fears were being realized.

The museum is being robbed – and father is too far away to help!

There was no way of calling the police. No way of warning Alix or his friends. No way of saving himself. The museum was on its own.

How can this get any worse?!

Oh, if only you knew the troubles that laid ahead, Jalil. Bet I got you guys with the roof scene, huh? Cuz it sure hurt to write ;-; Alix is one of my favourite classmates, so when I began writing the story and putting Mr. Kubdel in the role of HawkMoth, I knew this moment would eventually come. Of course, she isn't the only Kubdel who will have to learn the truth tonight...

Until the next chapter!