Chapter 12

Miguel combed through his English notes again and again studying for his test the next day. He had been up for a while now and his eyes were starting to get dry and heavy. He rubbed his eyes but did not want to go to sleep, not yet any way. He got up and stretched just to wake himself up enough to continue studying. After another few minutes, he got Plagg up and transformed to go out and get some air. While he was at it, a patrol around the city wouldn't hurt anything right? He had only been out for barely even 10 minutes when he heard angry drivers shouting at something and he went to check it out. When he got on the scene, he saw that drivers were swerving to avoid hitting someone walking in the street. He got a good look at them and felt his heart jump in his throat, it was Angela. But what was she doing out at this hour in her pajamas walking through traffic.

Following her, she finally stopped at the northern bridge over-looking the Hudson river. As he got closer to her, he saw a man not far away watching her. As unusual as it might have seemed at the time, all his thoughts in that moment were on his friend walking across the bridge. He was shot with terror when he saw her climb up on to the railing and about to step off. He swung down and grabbed her before she could jump. She started screaming and fighting to get loose from him, but even with her squirming, he was able to get her down from the railing and safely back on the ground. As he held her and kept her from trying to get away, he saw the man start to run off. While he would have given chase any other time, right now he had to make sure Angela was safe.

"Angela!" He called out to her trying to wake her up.

Her eyes snapped open and but apparently she still couldn't see straight right away. She continued to thrash trying to get loose. When she finally stopped fighting, she saw that she was standing in front of Cat Negro with his hands holding her arms.

"Angela, it's okay! It's okay." He said gently shaking her.

"I saw them, I saw her, she wanted me to follow her" she spouted frightened, not thinking clearly.

"What? Saw who?" Cat Negro asked concerned.

"I kept seeing faces, so many faces." Angela said on the verge of tears laying her face against Cat Negro's chest.

Cat Negro gently yet firmly held her in a reassuring hug. "It's alright, it was only a nightmare. It's over now."

Angela didn't try to push him off right away. She stood there awhile while he held her, clearly still frightened by whatever it was she was dreaming about. When she finally broke the hug, she looked around and clearly had no idea where she was or what she was doing there.

"Where am I?" she asked seeing that she was standing in the middle of a bridge over-looking the Hudson river. "What am I doing here in my pajamas?" she said seeing that she was still in her night clothes.

"You were sleep walking, you were about to walk off the bridge before I caught you." Cat Negro said leading her to a safer spot off the bridge. "You were lucky I was out tonight, you would've been at the bottom of the river for sure if I hadn't seen you walking through the busy streets."

"Sorry, I didn't even know I was sleep walking." She apologized following him. "This has never happened to me before, why now?" she asked trying to make sense of what had just happened to her.

"We can figure that out later, right now we should get you home. Where do you live?" Cat Negro said putting his arm around her waist and hoisting them both up on his rod.

"2110 Concord. The third house on the right surrounded by a gate." She said sounding awkward, apparently uncomfortable with his hold on her.

But seeing how he had just saved her from a watery grave and how they were now up a hundred feet in the air, she couldn't complain.

"Got it. Hang on tight little lady." He said as he started leaping across roof tops with her in his arms.

Angela didn't say a word the entire time he carried her home. But seeing where she ended up and where she lived, she had gotten some distance from her house to the bridge. While they were traveling back, his thoughts returned to the man he saw and for some reason, he began to suspect that maybe he had something to do with happened to Angela tonight. When they made it to her house, the balcony door was open.

"You should be safe for now." Cat Negro said escorting her back in her room.

"Thanks for saving me tonight." Angela said pulling an afghan off her bed and pulling around her shoulders.

"It was no big deal. I better get going." Cat Negro said turning to leave.

"No wait," Angela said taking his wrist. "Please stay here a while." She said still sounding frightened.

Cat Negro looked at her surprised, but he could understand why she would still be shaken up by what happened and said he would stay a while longer. Angela laid back down in bed and Cat Negro asked about her dream. After telling him everything she could remember, Cat Negro asked her if maybe she thought that it couldn't have been just a dream.

"Are you thinking it could have been an akuma?" Angela asked now sounding even more concerned.

"It's not what I was going to say but it definitely seems like what happened to you would be an akuma attack." Cat Negro answered rubbing the back of his neck. "Have you had any run ins with anyone lately? Anyone who would want to see you hurt?"

"Only person I could name who would want to make me miserable would be Jezebel, but I sincerely doubt it could be her, not even she would go so far as to try and kill me." Angela answered.

"Okay, I've gotta go looking for whoever this new villain is before he hurts anyone else. But I won't be far if you ever need me again." He said winking at her before closing the door.

Cat Negro took a leap across the way and took one more look across to Angela's room. He heaved a sigh of relief that he had gotten to her in time. He would not be able to live with himself if he hadn't gotten to her before she jumped. She was one of the closest friends he had here in New York and right now she was a target of an akuma and he had to make sure that it didn't get another shot at her again. He made his way back to the bridge and then pulled out his communicator and prayed that Ladybug would be out.

"Cat Negro, where are you?" Ladybug answered when she picked up.

"Nice to see you too mi senora." He smiled at her. "I'm at the northern bridge over-looking the Hudson river."

"I'll be there in a minute." Ladybug said closing the communication.

"I heard you rescued a damsel in distress earlier tonight." She grinned.

"Yeah, she was just walking as if she was in a dream. Almost got hit by several cars and walked all the way out here to the bridge and would have jumped if I hadn't seen her walking out in traffic and followed her." Cat Negro said staring out at the water.

"So what are we hoping to find here?" Ladybug asked.

"I'm not sure, but after what she told me, I could only guess that whatever it was that made her sleep-walk all the way out here was another akuma." Cat Negro answered.

"Okay, so where do we start? We don't even know why this akuma would be after this girl."

"Maybe not, but we may have a clue." Cat Negro said holding up a feather.

"A feather?" Ladybug asked confused.

"A pheasant feather. Very decorative, and used for many crafts including dream-catchers." Cat Negro said handing it to her.

"A dream-catcher, you think this came from a dream-catcher." Ladybug asked looking at it.

"I know it did, I saw someone running from the bridge just before I stopped that girl from taking the plunge. I didn't think much of it at first, but after I heard about her dream and seeing her walking through traffic all the way here, I began to think that maybe the one I saw running from the bridge may have been the one who lured her out of her home and here. As for why I don't know, but we need to find this thing and stop it before it tries to do the same thing to anyone else." Cat Negro explained.

"Wow, that was very observant and vigilant coming from you." Ladybug said surprised.

"I had a different motivation this time." Cat Negro said developing a serious tone.

"And what motivation would that be?" Ladybug said curiously.

"The girl that I saved tonight was someone I care about, if this thing is after her, I have to stop it before it goes after her again." Cat Negro answered jumping down from the railing.

"The first thing we should do is track this guy down." Ladybug said looking for any sort of clue where the person Cat Negro saw running away might have run.

"I think I might have found something." Cat Negro said pointing to a faintly glowing pile sand.

"Good job gatito." Ladybug said scratching under Cat Negro's chin.

"Muchos gracias mi senora." He purred.

They followed the trail through the city over roof tops and through the darkest alleyways through the city until the trail stopped in an old warehouse that looked like it was on the verge of collapse.

"Stay close, this place looks like it could give any minute now." Ladybug said slowly slipping in through the window in the roof.

When they got in, a light came on and they saw something that made his heart skip a beat, an anti-shrine for someone she knew all too well. A man who seemed almost familiar to him, and whoever made it had a lot of rage. Whoever this new villain was had been following this guy for a long time and clearly had some dark vendetta that they needed to settle.

"I think we found who it was this new villain is after." Ladybug said nervously.

"I think so too, the question is, why go after that girl? Who is this?" Cat Negro asked.

"His name is Isaac Martinez. As for why whoever this person would be after him I don't know, but I think I do know why he would go after that girl too."

"Why?"

"That girl you saved is his daughter, Angela Martinez." Ladybug answered.

Cat Negro felt his heart skip a beat.. "But why go after her if it's Mr. Martinez he's after?"

"I can think of no better way to hurt someone than by going after the people close to them." Ladybug answered.

"Well if this akuma is after Mr. Martinez, then odds are he would be heading to his house. Which means our best chance to catch this thing would be to head over there now and make sure he doesn't find what he's looking for." Cat Negro said heading back out.

"Right." Ladybug said following him. "So, tell me, Cat Negro, what's this girl you care about like? Do you like her?"

"Whatever, she's just someone I know and she's great friend. I wouldn't want to see her hurt." Cat Negro explained as they made their way across the city for her house. "I do care about her, but everyone knows that you're my only senora." He grinned at her.

"Of course." Ladybug said trying not to laugh.

They finally made it back to Angela's house and despite what hour it was, the place was alive with activity. As they were about to knock, the door opened and they were grabbed and pulled in.

"Back to the scene of the crime." One of the guys said pointing a gun at Cat Negro. "And you, here to help him finish what he tried to start."

"What are you talking about?" Ladybug said holding her hands up.

"Ms. Angela has been missing since this morning and one of our guards saw him leaving her room around the time she disappeared." The hot head said pointing the gun at Cat Negro.

"What, I never hurt her, I was bringing her home. I saved from jumping off the northern bridge into the Hudson river. I brought her home and she was fine when I left." Cat Negro said trying not to lose his cool with a gun at his head.

"If she's missing again it means that whoever lured her out the first time must have come for her again after you left her alone." Ladybug said trying to get the guy to lower the gun. "Where is Mr. Martinez?"

"He's out on business." He answered.

"Sir, we have reason to believe that the one who took Angela was an akuma but she's not his target. We found his hideout, and we found that the one he's really after is Mr. Martinez." Ladybug explained clearly trying to keep a straight face. "Is there any reason why someone would want to hurt him by means of taking his daughter?"

"With what Mr. Martinez does for a living, I would be surprised if he didn't have any enemies. But if you can really help get Ms. Angela back, I will trust you. But I warn you now, if anything happens to her, if she gets hurt or worse, you will be held responsible too." The gun holder warned.

"Don't worry sir, we'll bring her back. You have my word." Cat Negro promised.

All at once, everyone around Ladybug and Cat Negro began to fall asleep.

"What's going on?" Cat Negro asked getting edgy

"I don't know." Ladybug answered.

They suddenly heard a sinister laugh ringing through the front hall. "I'd say sweet dreams, but soon they won't have any left." The voice said. All at once, in a whirl of sand, a man with a dream catcher in his hand. "I am Dream Snatcher and I will find Isaac Martinez."

"Why ae so intent on hurting him? Where's Angela?" Ladybug demanded.

"She's safe for now. Whether or not she remains that way depends on how well you're willing to cooperate." Dream Snatcher sneered. "Tell me where Isaac Martinez is and I'll return Angela unharmed."

"You're a real coward you know that, hiding behind a young woman like this." Cat Negro growled.

"I'm just playing the game, now where is Isaac Martinez. Don't leave Angela dangling." Dream Snatcher grinned showing them an image in the rim of his dream-catcher.

Cat Negro Felt his heart pound harder seeing this, how he could he have been so stupid? He never should've left Angela alone.

"You have until sunset tomorrow to bring him to me. You wouldn't want Angela to take the fall for it now would you? She's already deep enough in as it is." Dream Snatcher sneered before disappearing in a whirl of sand.

"We have to find her." Cat Negro said sounding worried for her.

"Cat Negro, it wasn't real." Ladybug said holding his shoulder.

"How do you know?" Cat Negro asked.

"Well think about it, if his power deals with dreams, who's to say that what he showed us was real and not just a dream he wanted us to see so that we would do his dirty work for him."

"You've got a point there, but right now I still think our best chance is to find Mr. Martinez and do as Dream Snatcher says." Cat Negro argued.

"You're right. Even if what he showed us wasn't real, we wouldn't know where to start looking for Angela." Ladybug agreed.

"Question is, what kind of business would he be away on?"

"I don't know where we can find him, but I think I know how he can find us." Ladybug answered realizing she was going to have to pull out another alter ego she hoped she wouldn't have to use again. "I just need a laptop."

Cat Negro was confused, but they found a computer she could use in the office across the hall. She asked Cat Negro to wait outside. Again he looked confused, but waited outside. She was in the office for a few minutes and all that time, Cat Negro kept thinking about how he never should have left Angela. Now she was being held somewhere, without a doubt scared for her life and it was all his fault. He could not fail her tonight. He had to stop Dream Snatcher before he hurt her or her father. At last, Ladybug came out of the office and told Cat Negro where they were going to meet with Mr. Martinez.

"So how did you manage to arrange this meeting with him?" Cat Negro asked.

"I had to pull some strings I had in my normal life a few years ago. It wasn't easy but he has agreed to meet."

"Now I'm really wishing I could know the smart senora under that mask." Cat Negro said winking at her.

"Later gatito." She winked back. "Right now we have a date with Mr. Martinez."

Rushing through dark alley ways, they met up with Mr. Martinez just as he was pulling into an alley way.

"What are you two doing here?" Mr. Martinez asked harshly. "I was told there was to be a trade here."

"We reached out to a friend for a favor to meet with you. We need to talk." Ladybug explained.

"I'm losing money." Mr. Martinez said turning to leave.

"Mr. Martinez, your daughter's life may be in danger if you don't cooperate." Cat Negro said expecting it would stop him.

"My daughter, what do you know of her?" he said all too calmly.

"Only that she's been kidnapped by an akuma and is probably scared for her life hoping that you're looking for her." Cat Negro said with that same tone.

"Angela is more than capable of taking care of herself. If she has been taken, she would know how to get herself out."

"Do you not care that your daughter's very life could be in danger? She could be killed and you will have done nothing about it." Cat Negro said almost yelling at him.

"If I were you I would let myself hold my tongue." Mr. Martinez growled.

"Look, I think we can all agree that this is a very stressful situation. Look, Mr. Martinez, we have reason to believe that your daughter was taken as bait to get your attention. The akuma's target may in fact. Now if you don't care if your daughter is in danger or not that's one thing, but if you want to preserve your life, you need to come with us." Ladybug said stepping between them.

"Take me to her." Came Mr. Martinez's answer.

"Sir we are not sure where she is being held. But the one who has her says he will set her free if you turn yourself in to him." Ladybug explained. "We can lead you there."

"Just do it." Mr. Martinez said getting back in his car.

"How can he not care for his own daughter?" Cat Negro asked with anger in his eyes.

"It was all an act. I could see it in his eye. He does love her, he just doesn't show it or even really express it." Ladybug said. "I've seen his kind before."

"Don't suppose you'll tell me where."

"Nope." Ladybug answered. "At least now we're on track to getting the girl back and de-akumatizing Dream Snatcher."

They lead Mr. Martinez to the warehouse they had found earlier that night. Once everyone was in, Mr. Martinez saw the anti-shrine and did seem taken aback, but none the less shaken.

"So, you held up your end of the deal and in, if I may say, excellent time." Dream Snatcher said coming out of nowhere.

"Don't think you're going to get away with this." Mr. Martinez said pulling out his gun. "Where's my daughter!" he shouted.

"She's safe for now." Dream Snatcher said as if unfazed. "But soon you won't be." with a wave, sand blew all around.

Ladybug and Cat Negro kept Mr. Martinez between them and thrust their weapons in circles to keep the sand back.

"If you really knew what this man had done you wouldn't be lifting a finger to protect him." Dream Snatcher said taking on a darker angrier tone. "This man took everything from me. My life, my dreams all of it because of him and what he's done to everyone he's ever come in contact with. Now, I'm about to return the favor."

"Look, Dream Snatcher, this isn't the answer." Ladybug tried to reason with him.

Cat Negro saw out of the corner of his eye, a sand blast coming and had to pull her down. "What?" the blast of sand blew past her. "Thanks partner." She smiled. "We've got to get to his dream catcher, that's gotta be where the akuma is."

"I'll get Mr. Martinez out of here." Cat Negro said helping her up.

"Good, I'll keep Dream Snatcher's attention, I can buy you probably only a minute. Be quick."

"Got it." Cat Negro took Mr. Martinez's arm and launched out of the roof and disappeared.

As soon as they were a safe distance away from the warehouse, Cat Negro instructed Mr. Martinez to go hide and stay put. When he got back, just as the water started to fall from the sprinkler systems, Cat Negro was pulled under a plastic sheet with Ladybug. Dream Snatcher tried again and again to throw his dream sand, but the water wouldn't allow his attack to materialize.

"I'd say he's all washed up." Cat Negro laughed.

Ladybug groaned. "Now let's free that akuma." Throwing her yo-yo, Ladybug was able to pull the dream catcher out of Dream Snatcher's hand and break it. Out came the little black moth.

"No more terrorizing for you moth." She said preparing her yo-yo. "Time to be purified." She said launching her yo-yo and capturing the akuma. "Be free little butterfly." She said releasing the purified butterfly. "Miraculous Ladybug!" she summoned as the damage all around the city from Dream Snatcher's attack was repaired and the people returned home and awakened.

Dream Snatcher's form then dissolved back to his true form.

"Olé!" Ladybug and Cat Negro exclaimed high-fiving.

"Are you doing okay?" she asked seeing that Cat Negro was uneasy about something..

"There's just one thing we still need to figure out, where's Angela?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"Everything's back to normal right, she should be safe at home." Ladybug answered.

"I should go check on her just to be sure."

"No it's okay I'll go." Ladybug said trying to stop him.

"No, she was my responsibility, I should be the one to see if she's okay." Cat Negro said launching himself in the direction of her house. When he got there, he heard the shower running.

"Angela, Angela?" He called for her. "Are you here? It's me, Cat Negro." He asked he knocked on the bathroom door.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just got up to get a shower is all." He heard her answer.

"Good, I just needed to see if you were okay."

"I'm good, thanks for saving me last night."

"You are very welcome senorita, I guess I'd better be going."

"See again sometime Cat Negro." She called through the door.

Cat Negro took one last look at her house when he left and then headed for his own house and got ready for school that morning. He was tired because he had not slept at all that night, but Miguel thought it was worth it to make sure that Angela was safe.

'Because after all,' he reasoned. 'What kind of friend would I be if I didn't save a friend in need.'

Miguel got showered and dressed and the grabbed his book bag and headed out to meet the bus. When they got off the bus, Miguel saw Angela starting up for the doors. At this moment, he thought he should ask her what she thought of Cat Negro. He rushed over and pulled her to the side.

"Hey." He said smiling pretty big.

"Olllo, no I mean, Hello." Angela stammered.

"I heard about your adventures with Cat Negro last night. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Angela answered.

"Were you scared?"

"Me? Scared? Please, it was a dream, I mean no, In your dreams." Angela stammered.

"Okay, so what did you think of Cat Negro? Was he cool?" Miguel asked.

"Yeah, he was cool but not as cool as you of course, I mean you're the coolest of cool." Angela blathered.

"So, yes then." Miguel said not following her babble.

He then walked off but not before patting Angela on the back and then headed for the main building. So, though she wasn't very clear in her answer she thought Cat Negro was cool. Which made him feel pretty confident with his chances with Ladybug. Because if he could get someone who would be a complete stranger to Cat Negro to like him, then it was only a matter of time before Ladybug fell for him too.