A/N: I've had this idea for a while. It's angst heavy, but if you've ever read my stuff, you probably already guessed that. The topic alone ought to be warning enough on it's own though. ;)

Chapter 4: Follow-Through

When Adrien is kidnapped and held for ransom, Gabriel Agreste takes matters into his own hands.

"No way, dude," Nino replied incredulously, nudging his friend lightly.

"I'm not kidding," Adrien said, grinning back. He dug into his shoulder bag, retrieving a small paper. "I asked her to sign it when I ran into her as we were being evacuated. Here."

Nino took the paper from Adrien and peered at it, scrutinizing the details. It appeared to be a genuine, short note signed by Ladybug. Nino waggled his eyebrows to tease him over his 'crush'. Adrien suppressed a blush and bashfully rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Yeah, it's pretty great," he smiled sheepishly.

"Ha, how 'bout that?!" Nino exclaimed. "Bro, Alya's gonna flip when she sees this. You gotta show it to her when we hang out this weekend."

Adrien chuckled, replacing the note inside his bag.

"Sure thing."

"Hey man," Nino patted him on the back. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

Adrien acknowledged him and waved his best friend off as they parted ways. He preceded down the staircase from the entrance of the school. It appeared the limo was running late, which was abnormal. Not that Adrien minded, but Gabriel liked to keep everything on a tight schedule, including pick up and drop off times. The limo eventually pulled up along the curb and a lanky and tall, unfamiliar man got out to open the door. It was then Adrien remembered the Gorilla had the day off. Nathalie had dropped him off that morning and had told him Gorilla's substitute would be around to pick him up after school let out. So that's why he was late. He was new and probably still learning the routes. The man opened the door ushering him inside. Adrien dropped his bag from his shoulder and ducked into the vehicle letting the door shut behind him.

Adrien propped his bag on his knees and started to rifle through it as he searched for his physics homework for the day. After the staff replacement had re-entered the vehicle, the limo started down the stretch for home. After a few minutes of organizing, Adrien located the homework and pulled it out when the doors on either side of him abruptly opened up and two men slid into the vehicle.

"Hey!" Adrien exclaimed. "What are you-?"

"Quiet, kid, and we'll make this nice and eas-"

Crunch.

Without thinking, Adrien punched the man square in the nose. He immediately rotated to respond to the other man on his right, but the man had wrapped his arm around his neck before Adrien could fully turn. Adrien threw his head back, bashing the back of his skull against the man's nose and lips. This caused the man to release his hold slightly so Adrien took the opportunity to pull his knees up to his chest, kicking the dazed man on his left with both feet. The man tumbled out of the ajar door, landing harshly on the pavement. Gasps of surprise from people on the sidewalks reached his ears when a large hand suddenly clamped down on his face, covering his mouth with a damp cloth. The boy thrashed madly, releasing himself from the hold only briefly, but long enough to yell for Plagg. He didn't finish the command, however, but the kwami responded by dashing out from his pocket, chomping down on the man's meaty forefinger.

The man yelled, swatting backward at the bite, shouting something about a weird cat. Adrien dropped forward from the man's grip onto the floor of the limo. A lightheaded sensation blurred his surroundings with a thick gray fog which he blinked furiously against as he tried to regain his senses. Plagg was knocked back against the window and dropped to the floor, his little form rolled beneath the front-most passenger seat out of sight. The teen scrambled clumsily toward the light at the open door, when he felt himself yanked back at the ankle. He flipped himself over and released a kick from his other leg but missed entirely when the man holding his ankle twisted it roughly, jerking his concentration away with a twinge of pain. The other man climbed through the open door, quickly closing it behind him and Adrien felt the limo move again. The assailant bent down, pinning Adrien to the floor of the vehicle at his shoulders as the other pressed the cloth against his face again. The smothering, gray fog darkened into a thick black, blanketing his vision as he felt his body go limp.

. . . . . . . . .

Adrien blinked the weight away from his eyes, slowly noticing the remainder of his body was still unresponsive. His head drooped to one side echoing his equally asymmetrical slouch. His body was held to the chair with what felt like a rope, that fed around the wooden structure interlacing itself around his wrists behind his back. Another rope or two that secured his ankles to the legs of the chair caused him a notable discomfort, but even if he wasn't tied down, he wasn't sure he'd be able to sit up properly anyway. He couldn't see much. What looked like a burlap sack covered his head. The tiny gaps between the woven material didn't provide much information, no matter how much he squinted. A dull ache started beating against his temple after a moment. . . Then it dawned on him. He muttered Plagg's name under his breath, attempting to shift in an effort to get the kwami's attention. After a trying a couple of times he finally realized he hadn't seen Plagg since he bit the man. He could still be in the vehicle for all he knew. Adrien froze when he suddenly noticed his stirring alerted someone nearby.

"Aww, lookit that, the kid's finally awake."

Adrien tensed further at the sound of the voice. He knew someone had to be watching him. However, being tethered was an effective means to make him feel vulnerable all by itself, but confirming one of his captors (or more) was close by made him feel all the more defenseless. A large figure approached him, yanking the sack from his head. Adrien squinted against the brightness emitted by the bare florescent lights above his head as the limo driver from earlier bent down to meet his eye level. The man grinned largely displaying a set of yellowed teeth accompanied by a single tooth capped in gold. Adrien looked up at him since he still couldn't raise his head. His expression remained flat and emotionless but his eyes burned with contempt.

"What are you doing?" Adrien asked. His voice was level, maintaining a stark contrast to the fear and concern that filled his gut near to overflowing.

"Well, Mr. Millionaire's Kid, I have it on good authority that you're a smart kid. Surely you can put two and two together."

Adrien's face remained deadpan.

"You're using me to extort money from my father."

"How about that, you're smart after all," the skinny man replied, condescendingly patting him on the cheek. Adrien quickly shoved the strong desire to scowl to the recesses of his mind. "And now that you're conscious again, let's get to business, shall we?"

The man pulled a cellphone from his pocket and swiped through the information. Adrien rolled his eyes discretely, looking around the room to the limits his head would move. They appeared to be in a large storage unit, and an old one from the looks of it. Dusty fabric covered many of the supplies and containers throughout the space. Weather worn paint chipped away from the walls. Peering at the corner of his eye, the roof appeared to have a incline and small, horizontal windows that let in the dim light of the setting sun. His observations told him the location was generic enough not even all of his patrols as Chat Noir could help him identify where he was. However, the light filtering through the windows was enough to tell him how late the day had grown. Plagg wasn't near him him, but Adrien felt a wave of Chat Noir's shrewd, mischievous nature surface within him. He could buy time. Adrien sneered at the man as he was finalizing his selection.

"You do realize how late it is, right?"

The man looked at him. "What of it?"

"If my father hasn't heard from me, or you- which I think it's safe to assume you haven't contacted him since this morning- then he's already assumed the worst and alerted the police force to look for me," Adrien said confidently. "This wouldn't be the first time I haven't conformed to his schedule, you know, and he has the tendency to overreact."

"Nobody will even think ta check this part of town until very late into the search, I can assure you," the yellow toothed man replied, frowning when he realized the phone screen had turned off due to inactivity. He swiped it and re-input his password.

"Except the last time my father requested police backup, Ladybug and Chat Noir ended up looking for me as well," he partly lied.

The man snorted. "You think a couple of teenagers in spandex will help your situation?"

"They travel much faster throughout the fact, I bet if I started yelling, Ladybug would-"

"You yell, you bleed," the man threatened, looking up from his phone, his voice steely.

"I know as well as you do that you need me alive," Adrien replied, still not backing down.

He was almost surprised at his boldness, but being Chat had given him more confidence as well as nerve. However, another man approached him from the side at a look from the skinny one and Adrien could feel his confidence wilt somewhat in response. The lanky man slipped his phone into his pocket casually as he stepped toward where Adrien sat. He bent toward the teen as he reached behind him.

"Then, let me alleviate you of that illusion," the man said, nonchalantly flicking a switch blade open between them.

He set broad side of the blade against the side of Adrien's face. Adrien swallowed hard against the lump that formed in his throat. He couldn't move much as it was, but that didn't stop him for trying to hold even more still. The man continued to look at him, his eyes as empty as a dead fish.

"You see, just because I need you alive, doesn't mean you can't be damaged."

He spoke quietly, poking the end of the knife into Adrien's cheek just deep enough to draw a small amount of blood. Adrien sucked in an involuntary sharp breath, his eyes growing as wide as saucers.

"In fact," he continued, "victims of blackmail often respond more effectively when they know someone is actually at risk." He spoke as he dragged the blade down to the boy's jaw.

Adrien flinched as the air bit at his newly torn flesh. His released a small shiver as the feeling of his blood running down his neck was disconcertingly warm. His attention jumped back to the man in front of him when he removed the blade, only to quickly replace it in another location.

"So tell me, boy," he said, poking the blade at Adrien's chin, "do you still want to scream?"

Adrien grit his teeth tightly as the knife applied just the right amount of pressure to keep him from hazarding a reply. Breaths of air shuddered into and from of his nose as fat drops of sweat rolled down his forehead. The man chuckled darkly as he pulled the blade away wiping it against Adrien's sleeve before folding it back. Adrien remained silent, directing his eyes to the floor as the man took a step away.

"Glad we were able ta clarify that," the man said, pulling his cellphone out once more.

He put the phone on speaker. Adrien listened anxiously at the ring back tone when it was then answered.

"This is Gabriel."

"Mr. Agreste, let me start by thanking you for taking the time out of your busy schedule ta answer your phone."

"Who are you? What is it you want?"

"Me?" the man asked innocently. "I was just calling ta inform you the whereabouts of your son."

"Adrien? Where is he?!"

"Why, right next to me."

"Where's your proof?"

The lanky man made a signal to one standing behind Adrien. A rough tug at Adrien's hair gave him all the information he needed to know it was his turn to speak. He grimaced.

"Ah-! Father! It's me. . ."

His father's voice came over the phone in response. "Adrien! Are you hurt? Where are you?"

"I- Agh!"

Another pull indicated he was done.

"Adrien! Adrien-"

"First, let's discuss the terms, Mr. Agreste."

Gabriel's scoff sounded over the speaker.

"You think I'll give into the desires of a madman? You don't know who you're dealing with."

The skinny man frowned.

"Like father, like son. No idea when ta take a situation seriously," he said.

Heaving a dramatic sigh, the man stepped toward Adrien who stared at him warily, struggling again to make himself as small as possible. Adrien could hear Gabriel's voice shouting demands over the speaker to which the man responded apathetically. He squatted when he got to Adrien, looking him in the eye as he pointed to him.

"I'm gonna need a nice scream from you now, kid, if you would be so kind. Humor me."

Adrien looked at him incredulously as his father's voice rose a decibel in the background.

"Seriously?"

"One more chance ta perform, without incentive," the man replied indifferently, punctuating his statement by pulling his knife out.

Adrien's eyes shot wide open and he thrashed in a mad attempt to free himself.

"N-no!" Adrien shouted. "Don't come any closer!"

"Needs ta be more convincing than that, I'm afraid."

The switchblade flipped open again, and before he could react, the man drove it downward into Adrien's leg a couple of inches above the knee. The teen let out a sharp yell as his pain receptors exploded from overload. A fiery burn surged from the point of entry into his lower back, causing his body to arch back in response. Gabriel's furious voice blasted over the speaker, spewing obscenities followed by threats, but Adrien was only vaguely aware of what he was actually saying. The pain muffled all awareness of anything else, a deafening ring blared at his ears and he felt himself slump awkwardly in the chair. All he knew for certain was he hurt. . . And his father had never been more pissed.

"-ou meet us there, alone, in one hour," the man's voice permeated the dull buzz blocking his ears. "We take the money, and you get the boy. It's as simple as that."

"So be it," Gabriel's voice responded irately.

The phone sounded a click, to which the man responded with a shrug as he put his phone back into his pocket. He then grabbed the handle of the blade and pulled it straight out of Adrien's thigh. It was the most merciful way to remove it, Adrien supposed, but it didn't stop him from inadvertently yelping as the angry sensation was renewed. He found himself wishing desperately that Plagg would somehow magically find and transform him so he could escape. It was probably the injuries talking, but he actually felt fear overtaking him. His Chat-like gumption had retreated, hiding somewhere in his subconscious, and he wasn't quite sure how to summon it back, or what he'd do it he managed to feel bold again. Without Plagg or the assistance of someone else, there was no way he'd be able to get out on his own.

Tears brimmed at his eyelids. Anytime he had sustained and injury as Chat, the suit severely dampened any and all pain associated. He had forgotten to what intensity fresh wounds actually felt like, and while he had never been stabbed up until that point, he was confident it hurt worse than anything he had experienced ever before. And here he was, captive and bleeding. . . but not even as a hero. Just some sorry excuse for a teenage victim who couldn't even help himself. He choked back a sniffle and looked down at the floor, accidentally noticing the messy hole in his thigh. His stomach churned violently and he repressed the urge to gag. He made a mental note to avoid looking anywhere near his leg in the near future.

"Prep him for transport," the skinny man said over his shoulder, gathering a handful of objects into a duffle bag. "I don't want him seein' any more than he has, just in case the cops ask him questions."

One of the men from the limo retrieved the sack that was on Adrien's head when he first woke up. Adrien glared bitterly as the man replaced the bag, cinching it slightly around his neck to keep him from wriggling out. With his face covered he blinked, allowing his tears to drop. At least there was one advantage to not being able to see; they wouldn't be able to see him cry. He felt someone behind him, fiddling with his restraints. The rope holding him to the chair was released, and he dropped limply to the side, his fall being stopped only by the crook of his elbow catching the back corner of the chair. After they untied his feet, one of the large men lifted and tossed him over a shoulder reminiscent to a sack of flour. Whomever had him didn't bother to be gentle when they tossed him into the back of what was likely a van. He flopped onto the floor and two doors closed loudly behind him. Rolling onto his side, he gingerly repositioned his leg before expelled a weak sigh as he wondered what would happen next.

Sudden shouts and loud banging noises startled him. Adrien quickly, though clumsily pulled himself against where the floor met the wall of the vehicle. He pushed himself into it as tightly as possible, jerking into a curl when he felt something big knock heavily against the outside of the van. He hated not being able to see. He strained his hearing for any hint of what was happening. Was it the police? Had they found him? But as he listened closer, he heard high pitched shrieks and screams of pain. The sound of something small and light, like leaves in a windstorm repeatedly beat against the vehicle. Occasionally, another loud impact interrupted the continual scraping sound, jarring Adrien into a wild state of anxiety. It could be an akuma. His inability to see what was happening around him was terrifying, and the vehicle shuddered against whatever pushed it. He would cry out and alert his presence if he knew it was a friend, but the haunting screams that resounded in his ears cautioned him to stay silent, to pray he would remain unseen by whatever force was outside.

Adrien froze when he heard someone rattling the driver's door handle. It clicked open. A distressed yelp immediately sounded, followed by a desperate clawing against the upholstery of the seats before metal scraped on metal, a key being forced into the ignition. The individual causing the noises started crying frantically for help- or mercy, when a rushing sound of beating wings overtook them, drowning their call for aid as something fleshy was ripped violently away with a loud, wet sound. Adrien held perfectly still, striving to mute the rattles of adrenaline flowing through his body, only to be thrown for a loop when the ripping pulled the vehicle slamming onto its side. The windows shattered, and it took everything he could muster to keep from yelling. Glass rained down on him and he curled into himself instinctively for protection, glass poking and jabbing into his skin as he moved. Shivers ran through the length of his body as the buzzing around him intensified, becoming deafening as it closed in on the vehicle.

. . . . .

It stopped.

The sounds dissipated almost as abruptly as they began, but the dead silence was nearly equally unsettling. His heart pulsated at a highly accelerated rate, his body almost dancing as it shook back and forth with the nonstandard amount of epinephrine saturating his blood stream. He tried to focus and bring his breathing rate back to normal but every little sound sent him further into fight or flight. His arms were still bound behind his back, he couldn't see, he was becoming more claustrophobic by the moment and it was getting all the more difficult to breathe. He couldn't panic. Not now. There was no telling when help would arrive. That's what he told himself, but his thoughts continued to spiral out of control sending him down the dizzying path along with them.

The approaching wail of a siren accompanied by flashing blue broke him out of his trance. It had to be the police now, right? He tried to yell, but only a broken whisper escaped him. He swallowed at the lump in his throat, but it didn't change how thick his tongue felt in his mouth. Multiple footsteps plodded across the debris ridden pavement. Someone mentioned something about the blood and the mess. His ears were ringing again, of which he could only assume was a result of his body going into shock. He had to get out of the van. So he called out again, to no avail. He dragged himself sloppily across the glass toward the direction of the voices when he came to a wall. He strained to reposition himself and proceeded to kick it with his good leg.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

"What was that?" Officer Roger Raincomprix said, looking to his backup before turning around.

"It sounded like it was coming from that- van," came the reply.

They tentatively approached the overturned vehicle, reaching for the handle. Officer Raincomprix pulled it back slowly, baton at the ready, only to find a boy clad in the same clothing Adrien was last seen in. He dropped the baton on sight, reaching out to him.

Adrien flinched as they touched him, merely whimpering at the contact.

"He- he's a mess!" an assistant replied.

"It's alright, kid. We've been looking for you.

"Officers," a voice called out to them from the street to the alcove they stood in.

"Mr. Agreste!" they exclaimed. "Your son!"

Gabriel ran at them, skidding to a halt as he watched them pull the unresponsive teen from the wreckage.

"Adrien!" he exclaimed, helping them lift him from the glass to place him onto a backboard.

He helped pull the bag from his head and the emergency response team began checking the boy's vitals. Adrien stared back at Gabriel blankly as he tried to process what was happening, his chest still rising and falling with erratic breaths. A long moment passed before his face tightened and a cry escaped him, tears gushing down his cheeks.

"Son. . . Son, it's okay now," Gabriel replied quietly, kneeling down near his head, brushing some hair from his face.

Adrien winced as the medical team continued wrapping his leg and badly scraped limbs. Looking back to his father, he sniffled as a respiratory mask was placed over his face. The boy pushed it away defensively, fear coursing through him again. The emergency personnel tried to reason with him, but he shook them off, forcing himself to sit up as they attempted to place restraints over his wrists. He immediately regretted it as his vision spun madly, his stomach threatening to regurgitate the last thing he ate. Gabriel spoke to him softly as he assisted the paramedics in laying him back down.

"It will be okay, Adrien. I won't let anything bad happen to you," he said calmly.

Adrien nodded obediently against the rattles that shook his core as tears started to fall again. Gabriel's heart ached as he watched Adrien shake and gasp for air. The blood that marred the boy's skin and clothing made him sick to his stomach. He clenched the hand at his side with fury as a dark cloud passed at the backs of his eyes that scanned the surrounding area. It was littered with bloodied remains of Adrien's captors smeared into the walls and pavement, occasional remnants of what appeared to be butterfly wings were scattered among them. He scowled knowingly before turning his attention back to Adrien. The team was readying to lift him onto a stretcher.

"I'll stay with you. It'll be okay," he reassured again, trying to smile a little as he placed his fingers in the boy's loose grip.

"I promise."

A/N: UPDATE: "Rehabilitation" is a sequel story to this chapter. It's a separate story of its own and is not contained in these shorts.

Despite the topic, hopefully you were still able to enjoy it. Thanks for all of your follows and comments. You guys rock. Lastly, if you need a lighter pick me up now, and you like MariChat fics, I posted a single short the other day as an experimental romance-humor fic. (Disclaimer: I usually only write mostly depressing crap, so I can't say if it's any good or not. . .) Feel free to check it out anyway, if you so desire.