Chapter 54)
Adrien, aka 'Lynx' now, grabbed his shotgun and released safety catch. He pointed on older woman, same did other teenagers also, with the exception of Alya, aka 'Fox' now, who produced her phone and started making video footage. Half of them pointed shotguns for older woman, half on younger one.
"DROP THE KNIVES!" repeated 'Agent MickeyMouse'. "STEP BACK!"
Older woman made one stap FORWARD to girl on stone, with knife ready to stab.
'Agent Mickeymouse' produced his gun with silencer and shot her three times in old style, in sense two times into chest, third bullet into head. Younger woman did not surrender and tried to kill girl same way as her mother and was ended exactly same way as her mother was…
Operative collected all six cartidges from floor. Most of his partners moved to improvised altar, Alya stayed on her position to make better video footage and 'Agent Belmondo' was left as rear guard. 'Agent Valkyrie' checked girl's pulse.
"She's alive, but unconscious!"
"Good work!" said suddenly unknown man's voice, accompanied with handclap.
XXXXXXX
Rose and Juleka left Couffaines' houseboat. They walked only few hundred meters, till Juleka felt, like somebody followed them.
"Rose, do you have mirror, please?" asked Juleka loudly. "I think, I have eyelash in my eye." She smirked and whispered: "I think, Lila follows us."
Rose produced small mirror from her purse and both girls observed shadow, shaped like girl with really long hair.
"There's streetlight!" showed Rose. "If I can't find it there, we'll go to my place. We can finish our costumes too."
Lila followed both girls to Lavillants' place, where she waited some time, hidden in shadows.
"She's there, observing us," said Juleka, who observed through the window, staying several steps away, so being unobserved through closed curtains. "Let's ask your parents, whether they agree to let me stay here."
"It will be no problem, Juls!" Rose found somewhere her usual smile. "Just a pitty, she's such a bitch!"
Juleka stared on Rose, disbelieving her ears. Sweet Rose saying ugly words about somebody?
"Fine, let's find your mother…"
XXXXXXX
Operatives started to look around, WHO spoke to them?
"Here!" said voice with amusement and chuckle.
Man, who was there with them, was hard to describe. Or better to say, impossible to describe. He looked like an rough, maybe even evil version of Mr. Tau from old Czechoslovak fairytales, dressed in black stroller with glowing white rose carnation in the lapel and with dark black bowler hat. Double breasted waistcoat was pearl gray, white shirt with stand-up collard and black ascot tie with small white dots was fashionably 'in' last time probably in year 1900. Black and gray striped trousers and white spats on black patent shoes, he looked like an caricature of English businessman. But the strangest, his face was missing, there was something, none of obseervers was later able to describe it and Alya's video footage had only unclear smudge on place of his face. Walking stick umbrella, black off course, what a surprise, completed picture of strange odd bod individual…
"Who are you?!" demanded 'Agent Mickeymouse', pointring his gun on intruder.
Others did the same with shotguns.
"Don't dare aim on me, I don't like it!" said man annoyed tone. "And what I do not like, I do not tolerate," he added with unconcealed threat.
Man moved quicker, than they considered to be possible. With handle of his umbrela he smashed gun out of 'Agent Mickeymouse's' hand, caught it before falling on ground and pointed it on 'Mr. Armaund'. After this extemporization he shortly laughed, his left hand gripped gun barrel and man handed gun to 'Agent Valkyrie'.
"One and half minute ago Minister told me to quit my paperwork and gave me coordinates for teleportation. Your perimetr and rear guards should have something to detect invisible intruders, by the way."
"Who are you?" asked 'Mr. Armaund'. "And why are you here?"
"Well, Armaund, I believe, you know, that the world is a little bit bigger and Paris is not the nave of the world."
"Neither is London," repeated 'Mr. Armaund', it dawned to him. "So Ministry for Supernatural Affairs decided to pay a visit here. Why?"
"Droods," word sounded a bit sour. "Family of Droods informed Minister, that their oracles found attempt to open portal for demons."
"We already sent away one demon," said Adrien, aka 'Lynx'. "Her name was Lamia."
"Well, Mr. Agreste, Lamia is true pain in ass, excuse my non gentlemanic word. But your group of warriors should overpower her easily, even without using any magic. She's real serious danger only for children of for an unprepared unarmed lonely man. And coordinates I got aimed here, but time is in twenty seconds from now…"
Adrien did not know, whether he should be surprised, that unknown stranger knows his name and is able to recognize him in dark basement, with face hidden under balaclava. Magic could be sometimes real pain in ass…
XXXXXXX
Lila left the Lavillants' place, once she felt chill in her body. It was quite late at night and room, where Rose and Juleka were, was dark and silent. So she decided to finally have her beauty sleep too…
XXXXXXX
"She left," said Rose.
"Fine," murmured Juleka, being already in her pajama. "Marinette is probably sleeping. And if not sleeping, they are in their best moment with Adrien and she'd be not very happy seeing us right now, let's sleep on it…"
XXXXXXX
Luka preluded on his guitare silently, siting on his bed. He heard in his 'inner ears' Sia's 'Fire meet gasoline':
-So come on, I'll take you on, take you on, I ache for love, ache for us.
Why don't you come, don't you come a little closer
So come on now, strike the match, strike the match now
We're a perfect match, perfect somehow
We were meant for one another, come a little closer
Flame you came from me, fire meet gasoline
Fire meet gasoline, I'm burning alive
I can barely breathe, when you're here loving me
Fire meet gasoline… Fire meet gasoline…-
What was really strange, his 'inner eyes' gave him mixed pictures of Marinette's face and alternately whole figure of much taller Italian girl with so much longer hair. Maybe it was just side effect of love potion fumes…
XXXXXXX
Squelching noise drawed attention of everybody to place next to stone with girl. Blood spilled on floor moved to form a circle. Inner part of circle started to pulsate by red light.
The hole of approximately one meter diameter appeared in floor. From hole flames blazed, accompanied with smoke and fume, stinking by burned sulphur. Together with these effects first demon appeared. Monster looked like crossbreed between Alien and Octopus, being more, than two meters tall and every centimeter of it was simply horrifying…
Man in Mr. Tau costume produced something rounded from his breast pocket. He pulled something from it and Adrien was sure to hear silent words: "One, two, three!" After it he tossed it into hole.
Noise of explosion started being also a bit 'squelching', probably because of other demons being minced by said explosion. End of noise was shortened and mutted by floor, reappearing in the place of hole, but anyway the floor quaked a bit for a few seconds. Disoriented and thankfully lonesome scorched monster screeched in high-pitched tone.
"So once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!"*
(*William Shakespeare, Henry V)
Englishman opened his umbrella and pulled out the handle, obtaining flaming sword, much longer, than anybody could expect to be hidden there. Umbrella itself turned into targe, round shield, man wielded with his left hand. Bowler hat turned into Brittish Brodie, military 'Tommy' helmet, model used by footmen during both world wars. Man in such odd combination of clothes and wepon should look ludicrously, but surpirisingly it was not this case. Magic necessary for that had to be impressive, really high-tonnage…
Demon moved to girl, but faceless Englishman was faster and started with frightening butchery, carving demon with flaming sword into small trembling pieces of gunge. When he was satisfied with level of destruction, he blew out his flaming sword and returned it back into his umbrella. His clothes were absolutely clean, with no single droblet of demon's body fluids or burnt spot on it…
"From this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered," said with some irony in his voice 'Mr. Armaund'. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother."
"Funny, if you say so," uttered faceless Englishman. "It was Henry V of England, who said it before battle of Agincourt and with exception of Miss Tsurugi you all here are nothing better, but just the French."
"We are here, we finished both witches…" started 'Mr. Armaund', but was brutally interrupted.
"Your group of trippers would either die here, or fail, without my help," faceless Englishman sounded being pretty sure. "First thing you should do next time, is dusting of evil sorceresse's blood by salt and spilling with holy water," he produced from his 'bottomless' breast pocket bag with salt and PET bottle with liquid, probably holy water. "You should also add some silver to your ammo, at least in form of dried silver nitrate solution. Silver nitrate is corrosive, but in your case it would not be a problem, you'd shoot with handgun on a short distance only anyway."
Man shrugged his shoulders and as it was visible, his bowler hat turned left and right.
"You never know, whether some evil sorcery cannot use that blood to continue by itself, like here and now," Englishman shook his head. "And it's futile to say, you need better equipment and some drill in using it. And try to hire an magician, loyal to you."
"My money sources are limited," said 'Mr. Armaund almost beseeching. "And magician? Where could I find any here in France? What about local superheroes?"
"I see," the smudge on place of man's face moved, as he nodded. "Recruiting superheroes was wise move, but they ar only mechanists in magic. Meaning, they work with magic artifacts, but they are hardly able to work with magic on their own. Difference is similar, like between computer user or computer programmer. Maybe there is none magician in France, I don't know, after all those beheadings during your Revolution. But it's not important right now. Now YOU owe US. Do you understand, what I mean?!"
"You came here voluntarily, being uninvited," retorted 'Mr. Armaund'. "So about owing you, it's questionable…"
"There is one word not used by the French, if it concerns to another nation," said faceless Englishman grumpily. "It's gratitude. The French expect gratitude from all others, but never evince it to any of others. Thank's God for Brexit..."
"I though, it was because of Polish plumber, your voters decided to vote for Brexit," laughed 'Agent Mickeymouse'. "How will you be dealing with your agenda here, as agent of British Ministry after Brexit?"
"Same way, as I do it today," answered Englishman. "You have not enough resources to avoid our intervence in case Brittish interests would be threatened. My only regret in Brexit is fact, that there will be no more excellent Nigel Marven's speeches in EUlament. He always said to those grandiloquent Eurocrats, what medic exactly prescribes them and what they always refuse to hear."
"What was that thing you used against that Hell-Hole?" asked Adrien aka 'Lynx'.
"Holly hand grenade."
Hearing no answer, Englishman silently uttered:
"Stupid Frogs, they don't know basic Monty Python!"
"And the LORD spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it'," quoted Kagami aka 'Samurai' from 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'. "Did you count to three?"
"He did," said 'Lynx'. "I heard him."
"Like Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch?" asked Chloé, aka 'Vespa'. "Utterly ridiculous!"
"Well, Miss Burgeois, without it we would be now overflooded by demons," faceless man slowly loses his calmness. "Your friend 'Armaund' will soon get very special letter delivered. I don't think, he would down my boss same easy, as me."
"Does the commitment of reciprocal service, you mentioned, regard to you or to your Ministry?" asked 'Mr. Armaund'.
"To our Ministry," answered Englishman. "By the way, you should clean up the mess."
"What do you mean?" 'Mr. Armaund' was annoyed.
"Well, that girl needs quickly medical care and this place needs exorcism," voice tone was factual. "You have not enough staff to search everything, co it would be reasonable to ask somebody trustworthy in police to find, where books sold here ended. Each book could cause problem. This place should be arsoned to the ground and sowed with salt, but there could be some useful information and I unfortunately suspect, your Crime Sceene Investigators could find here remains of corpse or corpses."
"OK," said 'agent Valkyrie'. "Detective-Inspector Marion Barniere was my classmate in Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Police. I'll call her. I found this girl on list of missing."
Lynx thought, the World is small and various coincidences happen quite often there.
"Marion, it's me, Valérie," 'agent Valkyrie' used a cheep cellphone. "I need your help."
Adrien, well, Lynx now, though, that creator of noms-de-guerre is not the sharpest knife in a drawer…
"What's up Valérie?" Lynx heard conversation thanks his enhanced hearing.
"We found Celeste Darrieau," explained Secret Service agent. "She's alive, but in need of medical care. We're on Rue du Dr Roux, number…" she continued. "We'll explain everything, but come here alone."
"Don't you work for DGSI?" asked Inspector Barniere. "They can do it themselves."
"Come here and I'll explain everything…" In this moment 'Mr. Armaund' took her phone.
"I'm Armaund, 'Agent Valkyrie' works for me," he said simply. "We need your cooperation Inspector."
"You mean clean the mess you did," said Inspector Barniere.
"You can say it that way," agreed 'Mr. Armaund'. "You'll have score point for finding missing person. Seems to me, I hear car engine."
"Sure, I'm on my way. If it's an put-up job, you'd regret it. I'll hunt you and I'll get your grilled arse to my boss."
"No put-up job, upon my honour!"
In that moment connection went dead and 'Mr. Armaund' returned cellphone to 'Agent Valkyrie'.
"Greatest piece of fiction since vows of fidelity were included in the French marriage service," quoted Englishman silently Captain Edmund Blackadder. "Mr. Agreste, ask your little friend to destroy remnants of that demon. Better don't touch it yourelve, it could be unhealthy for your very soul. For your kwami, as for supernatural being, it should be less harming."
Plagg left his hiding place like jack-in-the-box.
"I hate to admit, but he's right," he said. "You!" angry kwami of Destruction moved to 'Mr. Armaund. "You owe me Camembert!"
To Adrien's surprise, man produced piece of stinky cheese from inner pocket.
"How did you…?" Adrien's question was interrupted.
"We tracked your shopping and from time, when Chat Noir appeared in Paris, you started purchase Camembert. It's possible, you got strange taste during puberty, but more proable was, that your kwami needs it."
"Nice!" grumpled Plagg and moved towards still moving remnants of demon. "Cataclysm!"
Remnants disappeard without trace, it was evident, there was no place for this to be here, it does not belong to this World...
"You probably have no akuma with you right now, Mr. Agreste, am I right?" asked faceless Englishman.
"No! Why do you need it?" Adrien was confused.
"Well, Adele likes butterflies better, than morio worms," said man and from another pocket he fished small box, opened it and produced from inside one Zophobas worm. Keeping it in two fingers he offered it to white rose blossom in his carnation in the lapel. The blossom moved, snapped the worm and with snacking masticated the insect larva. Same fate was of second and third worm, after third one blossom burped. Strange man caressed the blossom and it started shine more intensively.
"It was nice to meet you," he said, amusement hearable in his voice. "In the name of Great Britain authoritties I have pleasure to say, thank you for cooperation. In case, any of Paris superheroes come into troubles here in France, we can offer grant you a political asylum. Especially for you, Mr. Agreste, after your nice speech about Frenchmen, what all our Ministry really acknowledged. We can grant you at least freedom of speech…"
"What abou freedom AFTER speech?" asked 'Samurai'. "Do you grant also freedom after speech? Same as for Tommy Robinson or Kevin Crehan?"
"Well, official statement is – 'No comment!' And my personal attitude is only strictly my personal concern," man was a bit out of ballance. He made twin-fingers salute and disappeared in thin air. "See you later," they heard voice.
XXXXXXX
"Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti,*" said Père Thibault with both his hands on top of Pascal's head. When boy stayed silent, he added: "Now you should say – 'Amen'!"
(*Latin for "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.")
"Amen!" answered boy.
"Good," nodded priest. He felt unconvenient in balaclava with pair of sunglasses, but drill is drill. "You should go to your parish priest, tell him everything and enroll to Sunday school."
"But my father is atheist," protested Pascal.
"Maybe," agreed Père Thibault. "But as you yourself saw, demons are real. So better chose opposite side next time. I mean OUR side in this everlasting war. You injured your very soul and you should be much more protective tovards your own soul in future."
"I will, Père…" boy stammered.
"Maybe another time I'll tell you more, I believe, we'll meet later again," Père Thibault answered fatherly voice. "I'll ask them to drive you home, wait here for a moment."
The confessor was first one here, who was amiable to Pascal Vilerett. Boy understood, what he did was wrong, but this was in fact first time in his life, when he was made to pay for his wrongdoings. He still did not understand, that after crime there is always punishment, or at least should be, if society is not to be dominated by gangsters…
Out of room with boy still fastened to table Père Thibault met 'Agent Loutre'.
"Strange," agent seemed to be disagreeing. "Pascal Vilerett is still not reported as missing."
"Fine, maybe we'll return him to his parents before somebody observes his disappearance," smiled old priest.
"Well, YOU, Père, you should go to address 'Armaund' asked you to be," 'Agent Loutre' shook his head. "We have here scooter with same plates, fake plates off course… …as are on your scooter, so once you return home, just place them together and we'll remove our one to be prepared for another occasion."
"Thanks, son," Père Thibault blesses him and 'Agent Loutre' crossed himself.
Next person old priest needed to see was 'Consultant' Orlowski, sitting at table with mug of hot coffee and thermos flask, where Père Thibault hoped to find some coffee for himself.
"So Ernst," said priest, taking place next to old Stasi spy. "Would you wish to be granted by Sacrament of Reconciliation? I promise, I'll never tell anything to anybody."
"I know, Stasi tortured several catholic priests to death, asking to know seal of confession," old spy shook his head. "They were respectable opponents and no one said anything. But… Right now 'Armaund' needs you on another place," answered Orlowski. "And I don't think my confession would be for any good. I was baptized as Lutheran and my son, after changing his surname to my ex-wife's maiden name, he became even Lutheran pastor."
"I cane hear confession even from Wittenberg heretic's follower," smirked Père Thibault. "Even Wittenberg heretic's follower could seek for remission of sins…"
"Maybe another time, Père," smirked Orlowski back. "But right now, you'd better hurry to follow 'Armaund', as there could be the Evil more imminent. Not that I want to kick you out…"
"Sure," Père Thibault now openly laughed and blessed old spy. Orlowski cocked his head, gave priest an crooked smile and did nothing else…
XXXXXXX
Inspector Marion Barniere was used for many things, but girl shackled to a big stone was none of them. When strange Englishman disappeared, 'Agent Valkyrie' left the basement to wait for her. So 'Agent Valkyrie' observed unmarked van, other, than the one belonging to Secret Service, positioned itself near crossroad. Car with Inspector Barniere reached pavement and detective left her car.
"No tricks!" warned Barniere.
"Sure," nodded hooded figure and Inspector relaxed, hearing Valérie's voice. "Just follow me, please."
Downstairs Inspector observed scene.
"Who killed them?" asked, pointing to both bodies.
"They were executed on my order," said 'Mr. Armaund', who removed his balaclava. "I'm Armaund and I'm head of Department of Supernatural and Inexplicable Threats, DGSI. My operatives, other, than Valérie will stay unnamed and faceless for you."
"Do you REALLY expect me to help you with cover up this massacre?!" Inspector Barniere was mad.
"Fox, show her footage. But switch audio off," ordered ' '.
Inspector Barniere observed videofootage and shook her head.
"What was that monster?" she finally managed to recollect enough to as questions.
"Demon," said 'Mr. Armaund'.
"And that strange dandy in bowler hat?" Inspector shot another question.
"I'm working for Brittish Ministry for Supernatural Affairs," faceless Englishman reappeared out of blue again.
"Your name?!"
"My name is not important," said faceless man, activating flaming sword again for a short moment, just for show. "If you need name to call me, use 'Sir Humphrey'," amusement in his voice was again really almost palpable.
"Like Humphrey Appleby from 'Yes Minister'?" asked Inspector Barniere.
"Exactly," answered Englishman. "However, I'm not Permanent Secretary, just one of civil servants working for Ministry."
"Hahaha," faked Barniere laughter. "What should I write into report for my superordinate?"
"I'm far from giving you orders," answered faceless man. "My suggestion is – write as less, as it is possible. If you descript everything…" man produced another Zophobas worm and let Adele to chew it. Blossom burped again, it was probably owerfed. Englishman was a little bit too of theatrical. "You'd probably end in an secure unit of lunatic asylum. By the way, I suspect, your CSI coud find here some hidden remnants of dead bodies. I suspect, it was not their first murder here."
Detective's eys were wide like saucers.
"Inspector," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "I'll ask my superordinate to demand closing of this case and full cooperation of Police. But right now, we need to leave this place and you better write in your report, there was nobody here. Take care for girl please and wait here, Père Thibault is on his way here. I hope to meet you again in better moment and I'm looking forward for cooperation with you in future."
Inspector Barniere was not surprised a lot. All policemen up to last platfoot in Paris know and appreciate Père Thibault, one of few of priests, who cares most of crime victim instead of weeping tears over pitiful criminals. She nodded in agreement finally.
"OK, let's say, I accept, it was inevitable to kill them both," she said slowly. "If my superordinate refuses to close this case, I'd demand explanations. Good explanations. Now go!"
"If something bad appears, what would not react on gunfire, use this," said faceless Englishman, giving Inspector Barniere half-poured bag with salt and bottle with holy water. Later she asked CSI to check both for fingerprints and DNA, only her own traces were found. What a surprise…
"Once Père Thibault is here, ask him to bless you and also to bless your weapon," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "Now you're one of warriors of good against evil on a bit higher level."
"Are you crazy?" Inspector winced. "It's twenty first century by Jove!"
"If you think, it's important to point of today's date instead of fact, we have here two dead murderous witches, do as you decide to do," 'Mr. Armaund' pouted. "Have a nice evening," he added ironically.
Faceless Englishman gave two-fingers salute and disappeared in thin air again.
It was a moment, when three policemen came downstairs.
"Who are you?" asked one of them, gun in his hand.
"They are from DGSI François," said Inspector with pouting. "And they are not here, nobody sees them. At least not officially…"
"Ambulance is on its way," said one of uniformed policemen. "Père Thibault just arrived, he's with Laurence now."
"I'll go for him," answered detective. "Wait here, till I return. Be careful, those two hags succeeded to invocate true demon, so watch everything."
Three policemen observed her with mistrust.
"If you say so…" said policeman named François.
Group of DGSI agents climbed stairs together with Inspector Barniere.
"Père Thibault!" 'Mr. Armaund' greeted him.
"Armaund!" old priest waved his hand. "What was here?"
"Two witches tried to sacrifice young girl to demon." explained chef-spy. "It was necessary to kill them both. Demon was destroyed. Not by us. Girl is alive, but unconscious. Exorcism will be necessary, I believe."
Policeman, named Laurence by his colleagues stared on spy in horror. Old priest nodded his head in agreement.
"DGSI," said Inspector. "You never saw them."
Policeman shook his head, but all he said was just: "OK."
"Père Thibault, how did you come here?" asked Barniere.
"I use my scooter," priest pointed on his vehicle.
"I mean, HOW did you learn, you're needed here?" detective tried another question.
"The ways of the Lord are mysterious," said priest with forbearing smile. "Unfortunatelly this information is a part of seal of confession. So I can't tell you more…"
"OK, wait a moment Père," she made a gesticulation to group of DGSI agents. "I'll say goodbye to our friends here and I'll escort you to the place."
"Sure daughter," smirked Père Thibault.
Inspector was sure, when she turned to see over her shoulder, she observed Laurence to accept blessing from old priest. It remainded her, what 'Mr. Armaund' recommended her to do.
DGSI operatives got in their van, operative appointed to be perimeter guard as last one.
"So you recruited Paris superheroes to cowork with Secret Service," grimaced Inspector.
"What do you mean?" asked 'Mr. Armaund'.
Inspector Barniere was a little bit unsure. Black bulletproof wests, balaclavas and helmets were almost same good anonymizers, as superhero suits were. One could say, it is superhero suit in fact…
"She is definitively Tigresse," detective pointed on girl with sword on her back. "And remnants of that demon were destroyed by powers used by Chat Noir. I might not be able to prove it in court of justice, but I KNOW IT."
"DGSI is not going to confirm nor deny anything," answered 'Mr. Armaund'. "We're not your enemies, we're those good guys, if you ask."
"Just I cannot expect complete truth from you," retorted Inspector.
"What is the truth?" 'Mr. Armaund' gave her sad smile. "Have a nice night, Inspector."
With those words their van left the place. Second car with more policemen just arrived and they started spread well-known tape 'POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS!' everywhere around. Père Thibault avaited her near the entrance and his face did not reveal anything more, than polite concern and desire to help…
Inspector Barniere was quite sure, street lamps were switched off, when she arrived here. But right now, they all shined. After all she observed today, she was grateful for any light…
XXXXXXX
'Agent Loutre' drew second DGSI van close to Pascal Vilerett's address. He checked police frequention, but nothing indicated, that place was observed by police.
"Nobody here," he said to Orlowski.
"OK," consultant nodded and unlocked handcuffs from Pascal's hands. "So, do, as Père recommended you to do. If you wish, you can explain to platfusses, what you did in that theatre basement. Good night, kid!"
Boy left speechless ran to entrance door of his house. Nobody seemed to pay any attention to outgoing van…
"You're late," said Pascal's father Paul Vilerett. "Go make your homework, mum will heat up your dinner."
Pascal wordlessly nodded, everything looked, like this evening was just a strange nightmare in daydreaming…
DGSI van was parked in another defunct factory yard. 'Agent Loutre' and Consultant Orlowski together changed plates and removed dark grey plastic film from vehicle, so pea green color appeared, with picture of cockroach and inscription said 'ExTerminator Armaund'…
XXXXXXX
"Why that Brittish Ministry did not help us with Hawkmoth?" asked Adrien, aka 'Lynx'.
They were in van on way to Marinette's place.
"Our analysts evaluated Hawkmoth's threat as local," said Faceless Englishman, who reappered in their van, sitting on a free seat. "Open Gate to Hell is something much different."
That man had annoying habit to reappear without being invited. 'Agent Belmondo' yanked with steering wheel, but he quickly smoothed drive.
"YOU!" roared 'Mr. Armaund'.
"Yes, me," laughed Faceless Englishman.
"Fine, and what about those Droods?" Adrien laughed.
"We don't want Droods in Paris," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "Hawkmoth was pain in ass, but family of Droods is real living disaster on hellish steroids. It would be cure much worse than disease itself."
"Armaund is right," said Englishman. "Droods prefer scorchead-land strategy and tactics. They often kill first and ask no needless question. And they're totally careless about collateral damage. So if you meet an Drood, better be obliging to help."
"How could I recognize an Drood?" asked Alya, aka 'Fox'.
"If you see an human-sized moving statue made from gold, you probably met an Drood," said 'Agent Mickemouse'.
"They're humans, they just wear living armory, looking like being made from gold," was more specific Faceless Englishman. "It's activated by a though. Much quicker, than your supersuit granted by your kwami."
"Don't mess with Droods!" said Plagg. "They have the Oath Breaker, weapon able to break even the bond between kwami and Miraculous."
"OK," said Adrien. "No battle with Droods. That insect-eating rose, is it like an kwami?"
"No, that's just plant cultivated from magically modified rose seed," explained Faceless Englishman. "You can buy similar in the Mammon Emporium, biggest shopping mall in the Nightside."
"Nightside is not a place for you, kiddo!" Plagg was almost furious. "You could speak about being lucky, if you left that place alive. You could pay by your own soul. Or by soul of another person…"
"With John Taylor being new Walker of the Nightside it's not so bad anymore," said Faceless Englishman. "But it's still a place, where ALL dreams could come true and you can also meet ALL nightmares walking around alive. Not a place for any coward."
"Does have the Mammon Emporium delivery service?" asked Adrien.
"Maybe," agreed Englishman. "If you don't mind to pay twice more money without chance to choose goods before paying. It was nice to meet you all, see you later."
With a -PUFFF!- sound he disappeared.
"Is he REALLY away?" asked Marinette.
"I HOPE so," said 'Agent Mickeymouse'. "It was like teleportation from our car."
The rest of route was silent. They arrived to Marinette's place, where Marinette and Adrien left the van.
"Can we go to your place together, Kagami?" asked Chloé. "This evening I do not feel be strong enough to be alone."
"Sure, sister," agreed Kagami. "Let's go!"
It was shorter way to Nino's place, so both girls were last, who left DGSI van.
"Daddy," Chloé called her father. "I'll be this night with Kagami on her place."
"Sure princess," André Burgeois was unsure. "Is everything OK? You sound stirred."
"We had action with Secret Service. It was not nice. Thankfully, we are alive."
Major Burgeois thought, whether he could somehow force Secret Service to leave his daughter alone. But, as she agreed with agents on cooperation, maybe it would be easier not to fiddle into it…
XXXXXXX
Tom and Sabine were asleep, so Marinette and Adrien silently made evening hygiene.
"Are you hungry?" asked Marinette.
"I don't think I oculd eat anything now!" said Adrien. Horror of this evening started to weight on him right now.
"OK, Kitty, would you mind a lot, if we would have no sex right now?" girl looked shaken. "I don't feel now good for making love…"
"Sure," agreed Adrien. "But can I keep you in hug during night?"
"Yes please…"
Truth to be said, if they would keep each other more strongly, they would fuse into one being…
XXXXXXX
Nino and Alya collapsed together during attempt for round three. Different people deal with wrath, grief and dismay different way…
XXXXXXX
Kagami and Chloé explained to Tomoe Tsurugi everything, what happened this evening.
"Now, both of you, meditate that inside of your mind, how you could deal with that," ordered Tomoe. "I'm proud of both of you. After such a shock, you both should be better persons and better warriors."
Chloé and Kagami both stayed in Lotus position, but Chloé soon fel asleep. When Kagami recognized, she covered her adoptive sister with comforter. Different people deal with wrath, grief and dismay different way…
TO BE CONTINUED…