A/N: "You say peacock, and no one bats an eye. You say poopcock, and everyone loses their minds"
-The Joker, I think
The warm glow of the lamp spread across the penthouse, reflecting off of the silver walls and ceiling but stopping dead at the glass, granting the billionaire a perfect view overlooking the city of Paris as the sun began to set over the horizon. The room oozed wealth and luxury, with only the finest of wonderfully-crafted modern furniture scattered around the area, along with a massive stark-white velvet rug draped in the middle of the floor.
Slumped over in a large leather chair, Chad reached towards a small oak coffee table next to him and plucked a half-empty bottle of Scotch Whiskey towards him. His other hand held a small glass, which quivered slightly as the alcohol was dumped sloppily inside. Staring down at his beverage with lowered eyebrows, his gaze landed on an active Gramophone across the room, playing a peaceful tune that sent a familiar flood of comfort through the billionaire.
The song was Picnic for Two, by Frank Tapp. It was a favorite of Chads, fitting in well with the surplus of records stacked safely in cases in a cabinet nearby. Downing the drink with a swift flick of his wrist, leaning his head back to glance up at the ceiling as the music continued playing softly. His lips formed a thin line, and his right eye twitched warningly as he set his glass aside. A shrill ring echoed through his phone, breaking the billionaire from his reverie as he put the device to his ear. "Is this that loan shark who threatened to break my fingers if I didn't pay? Because if so…this is actually a pizza place."
Thankfully, it wasn't the person he expected. "It's Rosa, Chad. You know, the assistant that you once sent across the globe to get you a cup of coffee, and when I came back you said I took too long and decided to get some at the shop across the street.", she said dryly. "There's a visitor downstairs for you. A girl." Quirking his eyebrow up, he forced himself out of the chair and made his way to the Gramophone, taking the record off of the machine and ending the music abruptly. "What's her name?", he asked, beginning to make his way to the elevator, located in a hallway at the end of the room.
Rosa paused for a moment, as Chad typed in the floor number in the panel that would lead him to the lobby. "Lila Rossi.", she responded, hanging up the phone as the elevator door began to close. Horrible, cheesy pop began to play on the ride down, courtesy of the talentless musician XY, who'd demanded his music play in his personal elevator. The billionaire would've denied, but apparently, he wasn't allowed to because he 'assaulted his manager'. To be fair, Bob Roth was a slimy toad of a man, and was in no place to criticize Chads suit. Too bad the lawyers didn't see it that way.
Reapplying a layer of hair gel before the doors to the elevator opened once more, the billionaire ended up in the lobby of McClay Enterprises, watching as the workers nearby began to panic upon his arrival. Paying them no attention, Chad strolled down the hallways without a care in the world, before spotting Adrien across the room once he'd entered, busy mopping up a large puddle near the receptionists desk . "Ah, there you are.", he said, taking the boy by the shoulder and leading him away from his current task and heading towards the exit of the building. "We've got a visitor, Adrien. Do you remember what the rule for that is in the employee manual I gave you?"
The boy quirked up an eyebrow, unsure of what he was referring to. "You…didn't give me a manual.", he replied, causing the man's eyes to widen. "Oh. Well, good thing you're not an undercover cop then.", he chuckled. "Well, we have a thing called the 6-second rule. I give the visitor 6 seconds to tell me what they want, and then I decide whether or not to let them in. And most of the time, I don't let them in.", he explained, the look of confusion disappearing from Adriens face, though he was definitely still dumbfounded. "Do you know who the visitor is?"
Chad gave a small shrug, getting closer and closer to the entrance. "They said it was a girl, that's all I remember. I don't have much of a good memory when it comes to people who visit.", he replied, as Adrien nodded with agreement. "I feel you there. My dad used to bring different fashion designers from around the globe to visit. They all had the stare that sorta melted together with each visitor, you know, where it's like they're trying to guess how much a coat made out of your skin would cost.", he said casually, as Chad made it to the entrance. "I hate those stares.", he said evenly, wrapping his fingers around the door handle. "Oh, I remembered her name just now. Lila Rossi."
Ignoring Adriens mortified sputters, the billionaire threw the door open, being met with the sly stare of the girl as she stood right at the entrance. "Yes?', Chad questioned, tilting his head as he awaited the girls words. The 6 seconds had already started. "Yeah, I'm Lila Rossi. You may have heard of me, I'm totally good friends with Prince Ali, of the Kingdom of Achu. You know, him and I once went on a trip to save a bunch of helpless-"
She was promptly cut off by the billionaire, who was ready to slam the door in her face without a second thought. "Six seconds already up. Bye.", he said abruptly, before Adrien shot forward to grip Chads wrist and keep him from shutting her out. "Now hold on, maybe we can…let her in.", he suggested, beginning to pull on the door to do as he said. For a second or two, Adrien and Chad got in heated a pull-push scuffle, until the boy managed to yank the door free and allow Lila to pass. "Thanks, Adrien.", she said sweetly, shutting the entrance behind her.
The billionaire wasn't sure what to make of the girl, but judging on her catlike stare, something was definitely off about her. "So…are you two a thing?", he asked awkwardly, prompting a startled shout from Adrien, who waved his arms wildly to set the record straight. "No no no no no, she's…a friend.", he replied, glancing towards the unbothered girl, who held out a hand for Chad to shake. "It's so nice to meet you, Mr. McClay.", she grinned, her plastic tone acting like sandpaper on the mans ears. "Yeah yeah, likewise.", he responded, passing up the handshake without a second thought. "Adrien, why don't you head home for the night. I'll have a chat with the girl."
Trying not to breathe a sigh of relief, Adrien set off towards the exit and turned towards the billionaire once the door was cracked open. "I'll be here tomorrow, good night, Mr. McClay.", he said casually, before leaving the skyscraper as the sky began to reach a dark purple hue. That left Chad and Lila alone, leading an awkward silence to follow before the girl remembered why she was there. "Anyways, you might be wondering why I'm here.", she began, beginning to walk across the room as she spoke, forcing the man to follow reluctantly. "You see, I've always been a fan of yours, really. And I think I want to pursue a career in your company, because I really want to help the world like you do, with your brilliant inventions..."
Chad listened as she spoke, wearing a poker face as Lila rambled on and on about wanting to work at the building. "I've even researched the schedule of this skyscraper, I practically know it by heart. You know, I like to get an idea of where I'm working before I actually work there, it's part of why everyone considers me such a good employee.", she added, catching the billionaires attention enough for him to turn towards the girl and fold his arms lightly. "Really? So I guess you heard about the safety inspection last week, it was a pretty big deal. I'm sure I don't need to give you the details on what happened though.", he presumed, wiping the smile right from the girls face. "Oh, uh…yeah! I know about that, it's so great that your company cares about workplace safety. It's always been important to me since I witnessed the conditions of the Kingdom of Achu."
Narrowing his eyes, Chad folded his arms a little tighter and stood up straighter than before. "We haven't had a safety inspection in two months.", he said flatly, as Lilas breath caught in her throat. "You know, you seem to be spouting a LOT of lies. Because I happen to know a friend in the Kingdom of Achu, and he tells me all about the visitors there whenever we meet up, as he's NEVER mentioned a girl like you.", he continued. Like a rodent who'd been caught by a ravenous cat, Lila shrunk down where she stood, completely speechless as her lies crumbled to dust. "...There hasn't been a safety inspection in two months?", she asked, raising a concerned eyebrow.
Chad didn't reply, in case the girl had a wire on her. But she'd proven to be just what he'd suspected, yet another freeloader trying to scam him of his sweet cash. They were getting younger each year, it seemed. "Now I'm gonna ask you this, and I want you to be honest: why did you come here?", he questioned, allowing Lila to find her words and swallow, though her throat was drier than if had been when she entered. "I was being honest, I do want to work here. But I don't mean on the surface, with the people who clean the cases, and mop the grounds, and…do whatever he's doing.", she replied, pointing at Billy Bob, who had just climbed out of a large potted plant to retrieve a nickel, which he swiftly pocketed. "I want to be a part of the real operation. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Her slyness returned, but Chad stayed stone-faced, as the employees in the building began to leave through the front door. "Your approach needs work.", he said plainly, unamused by her attempt. "I'll tell you what, kid. I kinda already did this with the boy, and frankly, you have potential. Your lies are decent, they could manipulate any idiot who'd follow someone blindly.", he commented. "But you need to learn how to master that skill if you want a chance at joining my Team. Be here first thing in the morning, the lesson starts then."
Her eyes lit up, he was actually going to give her a chance. "Thanks, Mr. McClay.", she said sincerely, before turning towards the exit to leave the building. "I'm looking forward to this opportunity!", she cheerfully added, before exiting the skyscraper and beginning to make her way down the street. Her mom wouldn't be back for a while, though it wasn't like she'd…care, if Lila was gone. The girl pushed those thoughts to the back of her head, focusing on rubbing her hands together to battle the bitter cold.
Maybe Chads company motto made more sense than it was given credit for. She had something to pursue, definitely. And now, there would always be a place for her there.
…
The nightmares had returned that night, though she didn't expect them to subside. It was the same as the other night: with the bridge, the lights, and the binds preventing her from freely escaping. Or at least, attempting to. Marinette could dream somewhat lucidly, so once she was dropped into the freezing cold, pitch-black realm, she made a mental note to expect the consistent events that would follow.
Blindly stumbling forward in the darkness, the lights next to the bridge flicked on loudly, illuminating the bridge and once again presenting the path ahead. Sighing, the girl braced herself for the Enigma to appear, stalking towards her eerily like a lumbering shadow. Footsteps echoed across the wooden planks of the bridge, and the ropes holding the mass together swayed weakly as the figure approached her. The glowing green bulbs of the Enigmas goggles didn't appear, instead, a single scarlet sphere glared at her in the shadows.
Her breath hitched, this was different than before. And although she wasn't as petrified as she'd been in the other nightmares, a strong feeling of dread overcame Marinette, surpassing any that she'd felt in a dream before. Her knees gave in, buckling abruptly and causing her to drop to the floor, helpless as The Spectre came into the light. They stopped right at the edge, having tread further than the Enigma ever did, before stopping to stare the woman dead in her eyes.
A gust of wind rushed through the area, far more freezing than it had been previously, enough to burn her exposed skin and draw a pained grunt from Marinette. Foolishly, her eyes trailed up towards the Spectre, and soon enough, she was left unable to turn away. As each second went by, the air grew colder, and every bit of air was sucked straight from her lungs. The tendrils of dread constricted around her abdomen, beginning to squeeze the life straight from her body as the Spectre continued to stare all the while…
…until her eyes opened, and she was left in a cold sweat that had soaked through her sheets. Marinette didn't seem to mind this, instead forcing her arms to lock into lifting her up from the mattress, before opening her mouth to take a brief, yet ragged gasp for air. Instantly, Tikki fluttered up onto the girls mattress with a look of fear in her eyes, before letting out a sigh of relief once she saw Marinette was okay. "I thought you were hurt or something.", she said, as her Miraculous holder rested a hand gently on her forehead, trying to control her breathing. "I'm sorry, Tikki.", she mumbled, before glancing around for a moment, realizing just where she was.
The memory of the other day was clear in her mind, along with the throbbing headache that followed the recollection. Every detail was vivid to her: the choking smoke, the fearsome heat of the flames, and the chill up her spine that the Spectre brought her. Right, The Spectre. Marinette had no idea who they were, but it was painfully obvious that they were with Enigma, and took a liking to their element of mystery. It didn't amuse her, and now, she had another freak in a suit to be afraid of. "How did I get here?", Marinette inquired, as Tikki widened her knowing eyes. "Su-Han and Jabari came by, along with those two boys, Lucio and Adonis. They brought you here, saying you'd been wounded in a fight with someone working for Enigma.", she began.
That detail was foggy to Marinette, but she stayed silent to continue hearing of the previous day. "You regained consciousness once you were dropped off, but eventually fell asleep a few minutes later. They even gave you a note.", she added, motioning towards a yellow post-it stuck to the girls wrist. Plucking the paper free and squinting to read the handwriting, she was able to make out the message quite well, which was definitely a needed relief to her nigh-unbearable headache.
Training starts tomorrow at 7am. Be ready at that time.
-Jabari
Training? Marinette remembered the explicit denial to that the other day, why the sudden change of heart? She wasn't complaining, not really, but it was certainly a startling change. Quirking up an eyebrow and setting the note aside, she reached for her phone that laid nearby and pressed the button to turn the screen on, before grimacing to find that it was dead. "Tikki, you have the time?', she asked, before taking notice of the clock positioned on the wall below her, emitting a peaceful ambience that eased the throbbing in her skull. She shut her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to listen to the steady, rhythmic ticking as Tikki fluttered down towards it, taking in slow breaths to try and level herself out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
For a minute, time felt like it wasn't moving a mile a minute. The investment of her clock was worthwhile, it seemed, though the urge to break into a steady sprint outside was burning hot inside her. "7am.", the Kwami chirped; the reply not even registering during her sense of calm until her trapdoor was thrown open roughly, cursing her eyes with streams of golden sunlight. As she began to blink rapidly to spare her sight from any more anguish, Jabari poked her head through the entrance, briefly nodding at Tikki before returning her gaze to Marinette. "Training starts now. Follow us, and we'll take you to the place where it will begin."
Oddly enough, Lucio popped his head through the hole as well, to Jabaris dismay. "Yeah, we've been waiting here for 3 hours just to say that. In fact, some guy feeding the pigeons saw us and started freaking out, so I had to get behind him and give the guy the ol'-", he began, his voice light and humorous before a muscular arm seized him and dragged him out of the trapdoor. "Shut up, Lucio.", Adonis scolded, his voice sounding more blunt and gravely compared to Lucios. Jabari sighed with annoyance as Marinette tried to comprehend the amount of people on top of her roof. "Okay, see, I just woke up. And I haven't even had breakfast yet, or brushed my teeth, so maybe I need a second before then-"
Jabari handed her a wrapped-up croissant in one hand, the other hand containing a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste, with the smirking face of Mr. XY on the side. Marinette rolled her eyes, they really needed to choose their promoters better. "Su-Han will also be joining us shortly.", the woman added, as the girl took the offered objects into her hand. Tikki fluttered close to Marinette, turning her head towards the girl and giving her a knowing look. They both knew what was next. "Alright, alright.", Marinette sighed, beginning to unwrap the pastry. "Tikki, Spots On."
…
The night had been a particularly exciting one for Gabriel, though that wasn't saying much in comparison to the many sleepless nights he'd spent holed up in his office, or the Butterfly Room. He was a working man, or that's how he liked to consider himself, so it was difficult to lay his mind to rest for even a second, let alone a healthy eight hours of sleep. But this was different, the man had made the effort to rest well in his quarters once the sun set, intent on making the next step of his newly-formed plan known.
It was difficult, with the slight anxiousness that came with going over the conversation with Chad McClay. The man had backed him into a corner before Gabriel could even get the upper hand on him. Clearly, the man wasn't as stupid as the fashion designer once thought, though that wasn't saying very much. However, the mutual knowledge of each others double life made his plan easier, destroying any messy barriers that would only keep him away from success. It was clear that the ample technology Mr. McClay had at his disposal would prove useful, much more useful than any Akuma.
Gabriel knew when he needed to obtain an advantage, and went through every possible way to gain it as he went through his morning routine. The second he was in the shower, lathering his hair up with a lavender-scented shampoo, he'd figured it out. Enigma was the real brains behind the operation the billionaire were running, so a conversation with him was the proper opening that he needed. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be easy, but Gabriel wasn't one to get up.
Putting on a fresh white suit that parroted his previous outfits, he made his way into the massive kitchen located to the right of the main hall, where Nathalie was, removing a tray of croissants from the oven. "Good morning, Mr. Agreste.", she said politely, giving him a warm smile that the man returned faintly, before taking a seat at a small table sitting in the corner of the room.
It certainly aled in comparison to the larger one in the dining area, but it was really only used for formal dinners exclusively. "I prepared some breakfast for the two of us. I'm no Dupain-Cheng, but I think they came out okay." she explained, putting the tray to the side before strolling to the cupboard to grab some plates. "Thank you, Nathalie.", he said evenly, standing up instinctively to assist the woman in seizing the dishes. "I managed to form a plan regarding Chads technology. The Enigma is the one we're after, if we can speak to him, perhaps obtaining his technology will go more smoothly than we would have predicted."
Admittedly, she quirked up an eyebrow at his scheme, as she set down two plates and placed the fresh pastries onto them. "You want to…negotiate with The Enigma?", she repeated. "Would the leader of the Lurkers be willing to settle things peacefully?" The two sat down at the table, with only a foot of distance between them, but Nathalie certainly didn't mind the close-quarters. As she began to twirl a lock of hair around her finger, Gabriel took a bite of the pastry, savoring the wonderful buttery flavor. "It's more likely to get us what we want over speaking to Chad. He's impossible, and hopelessly annoying. Contacting the source is our only hope."
It was jarring how quickly he'd moved onto benefiting off of someone else, after years of being a supervillain on his own. A change did need to be made, however, and his daily routine wouldn't be enough to reach Ladybug and Cat Noirs miraculouses. "It's just a bit jarring, I suppose. Things are changing so quickly for us, it was only a short while ago that you had Akumatized a citizen yet again, as usual. Now we're going to speak with the leader of an operation we don't fully understand.", she commented.
He could feel her concern; almost reaching a hand across the table to rest on hers, but he decided against it. "I never took you to be the nervous type.", he replied, and the two shared a brief, yet mutual chuckle. "Everything will be fine, Nathalie. I won't let anything happen to you." The sudden sincerity nearly had her face heat up, but the woman had trained herself to hide that sort of thing, and her body soon cooperated to keep the emotions concealed. "Thank you, Mr. Agreste.", she said softly, a small smile on her face.
It was a nice moment they shared, until Gabriels eyes trailed over the watch strapped around his left wrist, before they widened upon realizing what time it was. "McClay Enterprises will open soon. We should get there early, and make sure Chad won't be able to keep us from The Enigma.", he said, standing up and taking one last bite of the croissant, before turning to leave the room with Nathalie not too far behind. "Maybe when we're done, we can share a nice drink from the liquor cabinet."
The woman froze, her smile fading once the man turned to meet her eyes. "Oh…there's not much left in the liquor cabinet.", she mumbled, remembering her time with Rosa. "...That's fine.", he replied evenly, before the two set off to leave the mansion, intent on getting what they needed from Chad McClay. He wouldn't be willing to cooperate with Gabriel, most likely.
But Shadowmoth certainly wouldn't give him an option otherwise.
…
The sunrise set the city under a dark orange hue, with streaks of purple that didn't go completely unnoticed. Most of the citizens remained asleep, but Lila had set off the second she opened her eyes, sprinting down the block as quickly as humanly possible. She didn't have much time for breakfast, and in the middle of her rapid trip across town, the girl attempted to gobble down a pastry she'd shoved in her mouth to save time.
The girl thought it looked somewhat cute, like in the anime she frequently dedicated time to watching, but she looked more like a Velociraptor running away with a fresh kill between their jaws. Appearances didn't matter, however, and Lila knew that arriving at McClay Enterprises the second it opened was her main priority. Her outfit wasn't the most flattering of the bunch she had in her closet, but she doubted someone like Chad would be so vain.
Stopping for a moment to take a heavy, yet brief breather, she casually took out her phone and turned the screen on, being met with a plethora of missed call notifications received within the last few hours. It was nice of her mom to act like she cared, and the gesture was soon rewarded by Lila turning off her phone, not bothering to reply back. She continued her less than relaxing run across the city, eventually making her way towards the skyscraper belonging to McClay Enterprises.
Across the block, Chad McClay reached the entrance of the building, alongside a man with graying hair and a maroon sweatshirt, wearing a bright red clown nose on his face as he chatted away to the billionaire. "I'm serious, Mr. McClay, you should really be in my new Super-Fry movie! I think you'd be good for the sidekick role, you know, if the great Chad McClay is willing to take a backseat in the movie. Honk!", he exclaimed, squeezing the red nose with utter delight.
The billionaire stared at him with narrowed eyes, not finding the man funny at all, with his obvious punchlines and talentless routines. How did he land a friendship with Gabriel Agreste? "Uh…right. Yeah, I'll get back to you on that.", he deadpanned, before glancing towards a detached manhole cover, leading to a gaping entrance to the putrid sewer tunnels below. "In fact, he even has a musical number!", Harry added. "It goes like this: 'La da da deeeeeee, I'm a French fryyyy-'"
He was cut off swiftly by the billionaire. "Yeah yeah that's great, HEY HARRY, can you take a look inside there?", Chad asked, motioning towards the open manhole, which wiped the smile off of Harry's face and replaced it with an expression of great confusion, prompting him to step towards it and bend over to get a closer look. "I mean…I guess I can. I don't really see anything out of the ordinary here though. It stinks though. Almost as bad as the breakfast I had this morning, the last thing I ate was my ex-wife…'s cooking. My ex wifes' cooking. Uh...honk!"
Chad casually punted the man in the rear, tossing him into the hole with ease as Harry screamed the whole trip down. A revolting splash noise echoed through the tunnels, as the billionaire whistled a cheery tune before grabbing a hold of the manhole cover nearby. Grunting as he pulled the heavy piece of metal towards him, he sealed off the manhole with little struggle, before smiling widely and dusting off his hands. "Now to start the day.", he said to himself, marching towards the entrance of the skyscraper.
It was at this moment that Lila ended up at the corner, separated by a few hundred feet between her and Chad McClay. "MR. MCCLAY!", she shouted, hoping to grab the man's attention as she began to sprint towards the building. The billionaire did notice, but it certainly wasn't a positive reaction. "Oh no, not HER again!", he said to himself, breaking into a mad dash to reach the door before she did. Ending up right in front of the building, Chad frantically dug into his pocket and yanked out a large key ring, with at least a hundred different keys of all shapes and sizes crammed lazily together.
Beginning to sort past every key with great time and care, he glanced to the left for a moment during his search, yelping loudly once he saw the girl was soon gaining on him. "MR. MCCLAYYYYY!", Lila repeated, her expression forming into one of great insult and frustration. Eventually, he gave up and tore a random key from the ring, sliding it into the keyhole and madly worming it inside the contraption, letting out a sigh of relief once the door popped open graciously.
Sliding past a small gap, the man entered the skyscraper right as Lila reached the entrance, getting about half of her body through the door while the other half was shut uncomfortably in it. A second or two of struggling was shared between the two, before Chad caved and pulled it open all the way, allowing the girl to stumble inside before the door was shut once and for all. "Are you crazy?!", she hissed, her hair tousled as sweat poured down her forehead.
Raising his eyebrows, the billionaire was at a true loss for words. "...Heyyyyy, Lila. I…I didn't see you!", he commented, a wide smile stretching on his face innocently, his eyes darting to the side to ignore her deathly glare. He needed to change the topic, before another teenager managed to beat him up. "I'm glad you're here. Today marks the day that you learn to be a member of my team. I'm gonna start off with some questions, and we'll be good to go."
That seemed to extinguish the flames behind Lilas expression, returning her face to the sly, catlike portrait that the girl continued to paint. "Question One: do you have any family or close friends that might get in the way of my operation?", he asked, walking her across the lobby as he spoke. Across from them, Billy Bob fell from an air vent located on the ceiling, landing on the ground gracefully with a feather duster in one hand, and a flashlight in the other. "Well…my mom counts, I guess. But she's on a business trip." she replied, her eyes softening as she glanced to the side. "She's busy a lot."
Chads eyebrows lowered, he hadn't expected that answer. He was able to return his expression to one of cold professionalism within a matter of seconds, though, so the brief slip-up hadn't left him too shaken. "Okay…uh…question two.", he said, pausing for a moment. "What are your special skills?" Lila was rather quick to answer, wearing a smile that curled up mischievously on her lips. "Oh, I have a ton, but I have great people skills above all. I even filled in for Jagged Stone once when he had a sore throat during an interview. He even gave me one of his cool guitar picks!"
Chad narrowed his eyes, staring deeply at the girl in a silent display of complete disbelief. Foolishly, her eyes met his, and after several seconds of intense eye contact, she palmed lightly at her chin and glanced to the side in hopes of escaping the tense situation. "You're lying again. You don't think my pizza guy lies to me enough? Like I wouldn't notice a line of ricin on a slab of pepperoni…", he grumbled, folding his arms. "Now give me a real answer."
The twinkle in her eye had been snuffed out brutally, leading to the girl hanging her head slightly as she was forced to answer truthfully. "I…I can work. And lie, as you just saw. You did say you could teach me to do it better, didn't you?", she inquired, glancing up at the man. "That I did. But you made one little error in that statement.", he retorted, doing a weird little twirl before pointing both fingers at her. "You can't lie."
Narrowing her eyebrows, Lila stood up a little straighter, balling her hands up into tight fists. "I can too.", she rebuked. "Everyone in my school believes my lies, it's almost comical how easy it is. Even the teachers give me special privileges. Well, there's this one girl, her name's Marinette. She's a massive bi-", she began, but the billionaire soon cut her off. "Lemme guess, Françoise Dupont High School?", he asked, receiving a nod from Lila. "Kid, that school is filled with some of the dumbest people that have ever lived. Even when you TRY to seem like a bad person, they'll still treat you well. It's like everyone there was exposed to something, like some sort of radiation from a nuclear power plant!"
Lila let out a giggle, it was all too accurate. "So trust me, manipulating idiots isn't the flex you think it is. You're gonna need to learn how to trick the smart people, and in fact, lessons start right now.", he grinned, as a flock of employees made their way into the building. "Lesson One: keep your face casual. Show me your casual face." She hadn't expected that cue, but obliged, letting her face so slack as she pursed her lips to try and look cool. "...Okay, not bad. Maybe you should look less like a stoned pufferfish, though. Here, copy me."
Chad let his face relax, looking like a…casual person. It really wasn't that complicated, so Lila managed to replicate his expression. "There we go. You see, if your face is casual, it draws less attention to the lie. You know, people are gonna think it's not a big deal, like you're simply telling them the truth instead of making up some big extravagant lie. This connects to not touching your face or glancing to the side. If you're casual, they'll have a better chance at believing you.", he advised.
From across the room, a man in a suit and tie entered the building, holding a large clipboard and wearing a cold stare, that soon landed on Chad McClay. The billionaire saw him as well, and nearly hid behind Lila once he saw who it was. "Aw, crap. That's the safety inspector…", he muttered. "What?! You said there hasn't been a safety inspector in two months!", Lila protested, as the man drew closer. "Mm…okay okay, this is good. Another lesson. Lesson 2: Sacrifice a smaller, or different crime, to distract from the bigger one.", he said abruptly, before the two men met a few feet away from Lila.
The girl watched him intently, the man kept the casual face he'd mentioned, though the safety inspector didn't seem to care. "Chad McClay, my name is Francis Francisison. I'm the safety inspector. It seems that you've missed a lot of inspections, so I'm here to take a look. Why don't you show me around?", the man said, his question sounding more like a statement that could not be refuted. "You see, I would.", Chad began. "But I've just been so worried about the situation across the street with the Italian restaurant. I heard some guy lost a finger, but I'm sure you already know about that."
On any other professional inspector, that wouldn't have worked, but Chad picked his victim well. "Uh…I gotta go.", the man said, before sprinting away from the man to leave the building. "See?", Chad said proudly, as Lila watched the inspector dash down the street outside. "Now, there's only one more lesson that you need to learn if you want to be an expert liar: emphasize the denial. Like this.", he began. "If someone asks you if you know who…robbed their wife, for example, you'll emphasize the denial. And you'll say 'No, I don't know about that."
Lila widened her eyes, it definitely was convincing that way. A loud boom echoed through the building, and the floor shook as if a massive earthquake had struck. Chad wasn't too shaken up, even as a group of employees rushed in with fire extinguishers, as a separate group covered in dark burn marks exited a corridor across the room. Rosa was one of them, and made her way towards the two breathlessly, not noticing a small fire that had blossomed in her hair. "Hello, Mr. McClay, and…you, little girl. The lab downstairs had a bit of an accident, we're working on fixing the problem.", she warned him. "Also, I have a feeling my hair is on fire. Is my hair on fire?"
Glancing towards Lila, Chad gave her the least subtle wink possible, but the girl definitely understood what to do next. "No, your hair is not on fire.", she said confidently, with a relaxed expression. "But you should probably change those clothes, Chad messed up the McClay Enterprises laundry room." Rosa appeared angry for a moment, but her rage melted away with a single deep sigh. "Thanks for the warning. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date later."
Strolling away as the fire continued to burn, the billionaire held out his hand silently, prompting the girl to slap her palm against his triumphantly. "You're hired, Lila. You get to work with the big leagues.", he said, watching as a rush of excitement ran through the girls face. "But one more thing, stop making up stupid unrealistic lies. If you're gonna do business with my people, you need to stay grounded. Understood?"
This time, her pride didn't take a hit, and she nodded politely at his request. "Good. Now come follow me, there's someone I'd like you to meet.", the billionaire smirked, leading her over towards an ominous painting down a narrow hallway ahead.
…
She had some heartburn from how quickly she scarfed down the croissant, and the sickening artificial flavor of the toothpaste lingered sickeningly in her mouth, but Ladybug was more than ready to partake in the training she had been promised. What would she even learn from them? She had a strict rule against killing, it was as natural to her as eating and breathing, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be needing to learn some new moves. For all she knew, they'd pull out some Kill Bill shit where she could beat someone with a one-inch punch. Her ex-boyfriend, Luka, had shown her both movies while they were still dating. It was odd how much she enjoyed them.
Leaping across rooftop after rooftop, she was surprised at how fluidly Jabari and her friends moved, bounding over points where even she'd need to slow down. She did fine keeping up with them from behind, and after a minute or two of traveling, they stopped abruptly right as the girl prepared to take another leap. "There it is.", Jabari stated, motioning towards a large structure that towered majestically over them. Ladybug had to widen her eyes at the sight, she would've never expected the building ahead to be the sight of her training. "Notre Dame? How are you gonna train me in one of the most famous landmarks in all of Paris."
None of the Cursed Miraculous wielders looked fazed by her remark, though maybe it was simply because their faces were concealed behind dark silk. "The church has been under construction for a while, but the process went on hiatus.", Adonis explained, before Lucio happily chimed in. "Meaning we can do what we want. You know, as long as it's family-friendly.", he added, doing an exaggerated flip off of the rooftop, with Adonis and Jabari following him a second later.
Ladybug wasn't entirely on board with entering a beloved landmark for the sake of training, but her body betrayed her guilt and bounded off of the building to follow the trio, with the group making their way towards the Church until they ended up right on the surface of the building. Following them up Notre Dame with a brisk wall run, they eventually stopped right at the edge of the building, under several Buttresses overlooking a surprisingly wide, open area to view the city at. "This area was once popular with tourists, but now, it is where we reside.", Jabari said, before Lucio and Adonis both removed their silk face coverings.
It was jarring to see how they looked without the ninja getup. They didn't look too old, not a year above their mid twenties, and each sported a rather noticeable stubble. Adonis' skin tone was a shade darker than Lucios, with black hair that had been cut short, though the work didn't look to have been done professionally. It wouldn't have mattered, because one of his features lingered even when his appearance was fully revealed: his tired, silver eyes, which had an underlying flame beneath his stare.
Lucio looked less threatening, with much longer, almost shoulder length brown hair and a far more lighthearted expression, though a thin, faded scar was stretched from his chin to the far side of his right cheek. "Don't be hypnotized by my looks, you're not at that age yet.", Lucio said jokingly, earning an exhausted facepalm from Adonis. "It's nice to see your faces, I almost thought you two didn't have any.", Ladybug remarked, chuckling lightly.
Rushing to put his mask back on, Adonis struggled frantically with the straps like a small, clumsy child. "Don't get used to it.", he replied flatly, before Jabari snapped her fingers, still wearing her concealing attire. "If you're going to be training with us, you have to understand what you're getting into. We are not going to pamper you, or grant you an easy ticket towards victory. One of Enigmas men nearly killed you, so you're not ready to face them without our help.", Jabari said sternly, beginning to pace around Ladybug as Lucio and Adonis wisely stepped to the side. "You wanted this, so there's no backing out after this. Are you still in?"
She didn't even need to ponder it, replying with a determined nod of affirmation towards the older woman. "You can count on me.", she said confidently, as the woman removed a weapon from her back: a long, golden longbow…which she carelessly threw aside. Across from her, Lucio and Adonis prepared their weapons. Lucio had two shimmering kama in his hands, while Adonis wore large, steel gauntlets over his fists.
Jabari raised an eyebrow at her response. "Good. Training begins now.", she said abruptly, leaping up into the air to deliver a spinning kick to Ladybugs jaw. Shouting in pain as she was thrown backwards, the girl sprung back to her feet, removing her Yoyo from its holster as Lucio and Adonis watched the fight. Throwing her Yoyo forward, Jabari raised her leg and allowed the tool to wrap around it, catching the heroine off-guard before she was yanked forward a moment later.
Throwing out her other leg, Jabari watched as Ladybug was struck in the stomach, flipping her over and causing her to land painfully on her back. "Man, this is getting good.", Lucio commented, crunching popcorn from a red and white-striped bag. "...Where did you get that?", Adonis questioned, dumbfounded. Grunting lightly as she struggled to stand up from the ground, Jabari didn't attack her, instead opting to watch her from a safer distance. That gave the heroine all the time she needed to regain her balance, followed by her breaking out into a sprint to reach the woman without wasting any time.
Ready to bound forward and attempt to take the woman down, she paused for a moment, noticing her opponents stone-cold stare. Within half a second, she was taken back to the night she'd seen the Enigma in city hall, with their goggles glowing menacingly in the darkness. She could almost feel every ounce of hatred beneath their mask, and in that moment, her mind was completely thrown off balance as her legs continued to propel her forward. It took a moment for her to remember where she was, but once she had regained her composure, she was greeted by a chokeslam that sent her back onto the floor.
Lucio tossed Jabari one of his Kamas; the weapon circling through the air before it was captured gracefully by her grip. The blade came down faster than Ladybug could react, boring itself about an inch from the side of her cheek, prompting the girl to stare at it with widened eyes and gritted teeth. "Your head wasn't clear. You were distracted.", Jabari scolded, standing up and removing the Kama from the ground, chucking it back towards its rightful owner as the heroine tried to comprehend what had happened. "You're so fast..how…how did you do that?"
Glancing towards Adonis and Lucio, Jabari stared back down at Ladybug with her hands on her hips. "We own three of the cursed Miraculouses that Abel had created prior to his death. Adonis wields the Miraculous of the Bear, Lucio uses the Scorpion miraculous.", she explained. "I own the Miraculous of the Cheetah. But that's not why I beat you." Extending a hand towards the downed heroine, she tilted her head to the side as she awaited the girl to accept it. "You have a lot to learn from us, Ladybug."
Sighing, she ignored the pain that exploded through her body and begrudgingly accepted her help, being pulled onto her feet as if she hadn't been slammed onto her back by the woman twice in a row. "I know…I know.", she mumbled, brushing dirt off of her suit.
…
Gabriel Agrestes limousine stopped at the front of the skyscraper, casting a massive shadow over the vehicle that seemed to stretch on for miles. Stepping out from the passenger seat, the man circled around the limo and opened up the door on the other side, allowing Nathalie to step out of the car and onto the sidewalk, her face turning a touch redder for a split second before the limo drove off. The bodyguard didn't want to come with them, it seemed. Perhaps it was because Billy Bob would be there.
The two glanced upward in unison, taking in just how large the McClay Enterprises building was. Maybe he's compensating for something.", Gabriel commented, earning a knowing smirk from Nathalie as they made their way towards the entrance. Pushing past the double doors, the two were hit by the bustling chatter of busy workers, as if they'd wandered inside of a beehive that had just been irritated by a hungry predator. "Let's just find Enigma, and we'll be out of here.", Nathalie said, before Rosa and Billy Bob approached the two, seemingly coming out of thin air.
Rosa wore a warm smile towards Nathalie, contrasting Billy Bobs much colder scowl. "I didn't expect you to visit me so soon, Nat.", the assistant greeted, while Billy Bob and Gabriel engaged in a silent stare down. "I wish that was what we were here for.", Nathalie replied, her lips curling up. "No, we're here to speak with Chad McClay. Do you know where we can find him?" Her smile instantly faded at the mention of the billionaire, followed by an eye roll as she signaled for the two to follow her. "Ugh, he's probably up in his penthouse right now monologuing to himself. I'll speak with him."
As the woman set off towards her desk, Billy Bob stayed silent, creating an unbreakable tension in the air that seemed dangerous to break. "Keep your eyes away from us, do you know who I am?"* Gabriel questioned, as Nathalie wisely stepped away from the confrontation. "I know exactly who you are. You're that bloody hermit who lives in his mansion across Paris. Mr. McClay won't be happy you showed your face here. We've both been through a lot as it is.", Billy Bob said calmly, straightening out the surface of his suit. "I suppose you're the bodyguard he hides behind, tossing scraps to you whenever it's convenient.", Gabriel rebuked.
It was like the room had dropped down to freezing temperatures, with the two men unbothered by the blistering coldness in their voices. "I doubt you two have been through half of what Nathalie and I have. Always looking so pampered and taken care of." Billy Bob paused, glancing to the side with slight discomfort. "Well…some hurts only show on the inside.", the man replied. Across from them, Rosa lifted a small intercom-like tool and pressed a bright red button below the speaker. "Mr. McClay, you have two visitors. It's Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie Sancoeur."
A loud groan was released from Chad, along with the sounds of rustling around that left Rosa with a rather uncomfortable audio situation. "Tell them I'm in conference.", the billionaire replied, before Rosa removed her finger from the button and made her way towards the three. "Head into the elevator and press the button for the highest floor.", she instructed, motioning towards the elevator several feet behind her. "Thanks, Rosa.", Nathalie smiled, walking alongside Gabriel to reach the enclosed space, pressing the button leading to the penthouse before the doors closed in front of them.
The music played on the ride up felt like an assault to their ears, but it didn't last long, thankfully. They reached the hallway leading into Chads penthouse, which was decorated with the finest of paintings, though half of them looked like sick ripoffs of famous pieces of art. Stepping around the corner next to a painting of a man with a watermelon covering his face, they spotted Chad ahead of them laying on a bright pink yoga mat, wearing a tight blue workout outfit with a Chi Machine positioned under his ankles.
He had a face plastered with pure relaxation, until he turned his head to the left and saw who had entered. Narrowing his eyebrows, he motioned to the Chi Machine like they'd committed a great offense. "...Can't you see I'm in conference?", he complained, groaning as he rolled onto his stomach and forced himself onto his feet. "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here. Ooh, let me guess, you want something." The accuracy was dead on, and Gabriel knew he couldn't afford to waste time. "I…apologize for my words the other day. We'd like to speak with your boss, the Enigma. Perhaps we can work something out."
Raising an eyebrow at the two, Chad picked up a baseball bat that was lying nearby, along with a snow globe which was next to it. "The Enigma? Why do you want to speak with him?", he inquired, casually throwing the snowglobe up and striking it with the bat, watching as it smashed into the wall ahead of them. "It's a transaction, Chad. His technology could assist us in our mission to obtain Ladybug and Cat Noirs miraculouses. Maybe a partnership can be arranged."
Silence filled the air for a moment, before the billionaire burst out into hysterical laughter, clutching his sides and rolling onto his back. "What's so funny?", Nathalie questioned, as Chad kicked his legs in the air rapidly, before standing up and wiping a tear from his eye. "Ohhh, man. Listen Gabriel, you might have a slim, and I mean super slim chance of getting their help to get Cat Noirs Miraculous. But you're NEVER gonna be able to convince Enigma to assist you with taking down Ladybug. She's special to them, you're not gonna rain on that parade."
Letting out one more brief line of chuckles, he ignored their deathly glares and strolled to the end of the room, tapping a hidden panel that lowered the wall in front of him to reveal a hidden entrance, as well as switching a large painting above a desk in the corner and replacing it with one of the Enigma. "But if you think you're that persuasive, you're gonna need some initiation before you can speak with them. Follow me. And don't touch the table in the corner, that's a power core Enigma is having me build."
Widening their eyes and glancing towards each other, Gabriel and Nathalie didn't stick around to question his change of heart and strolled inside, with the fashion designer transforming into his alter ego on the way into the room. "If he tries anything, I can take care of him.", he whispered, making his way inside. "Try and have some restraint, Mr. Agreste. We'll have what we came for shortly.", she reassured him, before Chad flicked on the lights.
The room was massive, mimicking the size of the display areas downstairs, though it had a far more drab gray to it than the visiting areas did. To continue that theme, around the room were different items and stations positioned in cases, and Chad swiftly led them to the first one. "Okay, I'm gonna have you go through some challenges, and you're gonna do them so I can get you to speak with Enigma."
It seemed a little odd, but the two simply nodded, prompting Chad to begin the initiation. "Challenge 1.", he announced, standing in front of a board littered with pictures of incredibly attractive male models. "Who is the sexiest man here?" The two had to do a double take once the question was asked, but while Shadowmoth was left utterly speechless, the woman moved forward and grabbed one of the photos. "Is it…this one?"
Chad shook his head plainly. "No.", he replied. Nathalie set the picture aside, before reaching for the one next to it. "How about this one?", she inquired. "No. And you just used your two tries. Challenge FAILED!", he screamed, before strolling over to the next station. "This is stupid.", Shadowmoth whispered, but Nathalie kept a fiery look of determination in her eyes as Chad strolled to the next station. "Alright, Challenge Two is Paris Trivia!", he announced.
The man did jazz hands for a solid three seconds before finally moving on to the actual challenge. "How many buildings are there in Paris?" The two were taken aback, and their mouths dropped open slightly at the question. "...How many tries do we get?", Nathalie asked, her words coming out slowly. "One. And you just used it. Challenge FAILED!", he repeated, before moving to the next display table, ignoring the mixture of shock and rage in both of their faces.
The next station had a single blue vase on it, and upon reaching it, Chad tied a blindfold over his eyes. "Watch this. HIII-YA!", he exclaimed, kicking the vase of of the table and causing it to shatter upon hitting the floor. "Eh? Ehhh? What'd you think?", he grinned, removing the blindfold. Shadowmoth paused, glancing towards Nathalie with a dumbfounded expression. "Was that one of the challenges?", he asked.
Chad carelessly brushed the shards aside with the tip of his shoe. "No, I just wanted to show you. Pretty cool, huh?", he responded. "Um…I guess.", Shadowmoth replied, before the billionaire did a massive jump and pointed his finger at the fashion designer. "Ha! Just kidding, it was one of the challenges! Challenge FAILED!"
Neither could explain how they ended up in the next station, where Shadowmoth was sent stumbling around with cardboard butterfly wings taped to his arms. "This is stupid…", he muttered, before Nathalie landed on him painfully, wearing cardboard peacock wings tied to her back. "CHALLENGE FAILED!", Chad screamed. And it went on like this for a while.
"CHALLENGE FAILED!"
"CHALLENGE FAILED!
"CHALLENGE FAILED!"
By the seemingly end of the challenges, Shadowmoth and Nathalie were left bruised, filthy, and more humiliated than they'd ever been. "Final Challenge.", Chad announced, leading them over to the station where the first Challenge had taken place. "Who is the sexiest man here?" Nathalie groaned, frustration prodding past her deadpan expression for the first time in a while. "We ALREADY DID THIS-"
She was cut off by a single raised finger by Shadowmoth, who was staring at the station intently. Glancing between the numerous photos on display, the answer came to him quicker than he imagined, and he moved forward to seize Chad by the forearm. "It's this one.", he confirmed. "That is CORRECT!", Chad shouted, watching the faces of the two shift into that of pure triumph, before he finished the second part of his sentence. "...But you took too long to answer it. Challenge FAILED!"
Nathalies lunged forward, wrapping both arms under Chads and putting him in a hold that sent the man into a panicked struggle. "Shadowmoth, go on! Hit him!", she hissed, before a slight smirk curled up on Gabriels lips. "Whatever happened to restraint?", he teased, liking the sight of the woman quite well. "SCREW empathy!"* she snapped, getting ready to piledrive Chad before he waved his arms madly and kicked like he was a kid being taken away from the park. "BILLY BOBBB!" The lights flickered, and within the blink of an eye, there was a Billy Bob-shaped hole in the wall, with the bodyguard standing in front of it menacingly.
Like they were two small kittens, Billy Bob grabbed them both by the back of their necks, surprising Shadowmoth and Nathalie with his astonishing strength. "You're never gonna meet Enigma, Gabriel. Never."* he said firmly, before they were led into the elevator by Billy Bob to be kicked out.
Sighing, Chad reached into his pocket to dial a number into his phone, waiting past the three rings before the person he was trying to reach picked up. "Mr. McClay? How'd you get this number?", Lila asked, her voice slow and groggy. "That doesn't matter, I need you to come in soon. There's someone I want you to meet. The person on top of this whole thing.", he said cryptically, his hand pawing wantingly at his workout pant pocket, where his flask was. "Be here in an hour."
He hung up promptly, before the ding of the elevator across the Penthouse startled the man into reaching for his gun, before he remembered the outfit he was wearing. "The drawbacks of tranquility.", he mumbled, running into his master bedroom, before emerging in a white suit a few seconds later. "Who's there? If it's you, Harry, I didn't mean to purposefully kick you into that manhole.", he called out, creeping towards the elevator before he saw who was standing there.
Adrien jumped back slightly, eyes widened once they took note of the man's gun. "Er…sorry to intrude, Mr. McClay.", the boy apologized, holding up his hands slightly. Sliding the gun into his suit, the billionaire let out a small sigh of relief, glad he didn't accidentally shoot the boy. "It's alright, kid. Did Rosa send you up here?, he asked, strolling into the kitchen, with the boy not too far behind him. "Sit down, I'll pour you some orange juice or whatever crap you kids drink nowadays."
He obliged, making his way to the counter nearby and climbing onto one of the tall stools up against it, before Chad slid a heaping glass of OJ towards him that nearly escaped his swift grift. "Good reflexes, maybe you have what it takes to work in customer service.", he commented, as Adrien hesitantly took a sip of his beverage. "Not my thing, I already get unpleasant attention from the paparazzi.", he replied, resting a head in his hand as Chad poured himself a glass of Orange Juice as well, before dumping half of his flask into it.
Sealing it shut, the boy decided not to comment on it and instead allowed the billionaire to speak once more. "You ever tried crowd control tasers? Billy Bob taught me a lot, but shooting a gun at them is apparently 'a crime'.", he said. "Why is a kid your age even dealing with the paparazzi? Shouldn't you be stealing pies off window sills or…playing kick the can?", he questioned, prompting a chuckle to escape the boys lips. "I think things are a little different nowadays from when you grew up."
Adrien eased up a bit, slacking his posture a bit and taking another sip of Orange Juice. "But my father doesn't let me go out to do anything fun that much anyways. It's always a photoshoot here, and a fashion gala there. I mean, I have friends, but I can't remember the last time he let me hang out with them." Chad paused, staring at the counter for a minute before gulping down his OJ in one go. "He doesn't let you go out? But you're a kid, you should be doing kid stuff. Your old man sounds like a real hardass."
He widened his eyes, Adrien hadn't expected the bluntness to his reply, but he had a hard time disagreeing with it. "I guess. You don't look like youl have much fun either, if you don't mind my saying, Mr. McClay." he said lightly. "Yeah, well, you'd be right, kinda. I get to do cool stuff everyday, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't make things…better.", he mumbled, reaching for his flask. "What…things, are you talking about?", Adrien inquired, but he didn't receive a legitimate answer, only a quick glance to the ceiling from Chad. "You know, just…things. Like I…still get knocks on the door from girl scouts, have to release the hounds on them when they show up."
He sensed the subtle change in tone, but didn't speak up on the matter as life returned to Chads voice. "So kid, you don't get to do fun stuff and your dad sucks. What else you got on your plate?", he asked casually. Adrien paused, freezing in the middle of sipping his Orange Juice to cautiously meet the mans eyes. He didn't want to give away too much, especially since he was in the middle of an investigation.
Besides, there were certain wounds that didn't need to be reopened, so he finished his glass in one sip before sliding it aside. "I don't know if I want to go too deep into my life. Some things just need to go unspoken, know what I mean?', he commented, before Chad reached needily to his flask once he had responded. "I do.", he mumbled, staying silently for what felt like an eternity before springing to his feet. "Well, you know the way out. Feel free to come up here anytime, just not around four to five pm. That's private time."
He wasn't really sure how to reply to that, so he opted to smile and wave, before leaving the kitchen to make his way towards the elevator. Upon hearing the faint dinging that signaled the boys drop downstairs, he let out a deep sigh, slumping deeper into his seat right as a shrill ringing went through his phone. "That better not be Harry Clown…", he grumbled, answering the call and placing the device against his ear.
The voice that he heard wasn't the one he'd expected, though that wasn't entirely a bad thing. "Mr. McClay! I hope you don't mind me calling.", Mayor Bourgeois chirped, his voice crackling over the phone. "Mr. Bourgeois, good to hear from you again!", he exclaimed, his eye twitching as he tried to match the mans annoying energy. "If you're not busy, I'd like you to come to my office in Hôtel de Ville. Don't worry, we're in no danger in comparison to that one night. I just have something I'd like to discuss with you."
Rolling his eyes in the most exaggerated way possible, Chad grit his teeth and kicked the nearest wall as hard as he could, before reeling back and letting out faint noises of pain that swiftly melted away his frustration. "...Yep, no problem.", he squeaked, wobbling slightly before dropping onto the floor like a sack of potatoes. "Wonderful, I'll be expecting you soon.", the Mayor said, before hanging up on the billionaire, who was writhing around on the floor. "Like I don't have enough to worry about with Enigma…", he muttered, standing up and marching to the elevator to make a trip downstairs.
Grumpily marching out once the doors opened, he didn't seem to notice Lila brush by a moment later, pressing the button in the elevator that led to his penthouse.
…
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Breathing had only gotten more difficult. Wheezing raspily around a constricting mask was torture, leaving the Enigma in a constant state of agony that spread through their body like wildfire. Briefly running a metallic gloved hand over the smooth surface of their goggles, the figure set their hands on a sturdy table in front of them, managing to find the piece of furniture while being shrouded in complete darkness.
The room wasn't large by any means, though the minimal space suited the Enigma just fine. Claustrophobia wasn't something they needed to worry about anymore, not since light had first been seen. It certainly wasn't missed, even a faint ray unleashed a hellish burn into their eyes, though their real eyes hadn't seen true light in what felt like millennia. Once again, they were forced to suck in a tight breath, gripping the edge of the table to steady themselves as the pattern repeated itself.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Reaching for a small phone-like device across from them, the Enigma thumbed at a button on the side to illuminate the screen, before footage of the city was displayed for them to watch. Similar to Chads secret room, there were several views from hundreds of cameras scattered across Paris, but only one granted them what they actually wanted to see. Shuffling through as many cameras as they needed, they briefly brushed over a scene of a local protest in favor of The Lurkers.
A plethora of angry citizens threw bricks and bottles at a crowd of police, who had begun to reach deep into their holsters for something that would…end the confrontation. One of the officers ventured too close to the crowd, and was floored by a baseball bat to the skull. Enigma winced, it wasn't supposed to be this way. Continuing to search the surveillances, they stopped their search at a special camera location: one under the Buttresses of Notre Dame. Three adults dressed in black stood beside Ladybug, who had only just managed to stand up straight.
Leaning forward, Enigmas breathing only grew heavier as aches and pains spread through their body. They stared at the screen intently, hit by waves of rage, shock, and…devastation, in that one moment. Their right hand reached down to a small compartment on their waist, pressing a small trigger on the side that prompted a sharp whizz to emit from it as the lid on it was removed. Dipping a finger inside, Enigma hooked a small object on the tip of their finger, managing to lift it into his palm to examine it further.
The Kwagatama wasn't as pretty as Marinettes, though it was thankfully still intact. Closing their fingers around the precious object, they raised their head back towards the screen once more, watching the girl with deep, powerful intent. Yes, they'd be meeting again shortly. Fate would see it done.
The click of a knob turning caused the Enigmas head to jerk towards the door across the room, flicking off the device immediately and safely pocketing the Kwagatama. A feminine figure stood in the doorway, in front of a wall of light that managed to shield her from the darkness. "Mr. McClay? You told me to come up here, is that you?", Lila called out, treading further until she was completely away from the light outside of the room.
The girl was in there with them. Once their identity had been known, the Enigma only tilted their head.
A/N: Finally done, so sorry it's been late, my life has been pretty crazy lately. I'll try and get the next chapter out soon, though I obviously can't write every second of the day, every day, so the next few chapters may also be over the deadline. However, I can safely say that it's an improvement over the release times of Dark Heroism, so that brings me some comfort. Hope you enjoyed reading this.
Until the next chapter…