The news that Adrien was possessed actually came as something of a relief for the group. The alternative was that the young man himself had committed the actions of his own freewill. Be it that he'd gone mad or was simply showing his true colours, neither were appealing options. Knowing that another force was to blame was a welcome release.

Of course, that brought new problems and questions. Chief of which was just how they were meant to liberate their friend from the fiend's control. Even the kwamis seemed to be stumped by the problem. Without the guardians, they were lost. Yet more terrible news. They had no Master Fu to guide them and Adrien was even less likely to be of assistance. So it left the group of youths planning in Luka's living-room. With his mother and sister away, the boat on the Seine had seemed like the safest place they could find. At least they wouldn't be endangering any others here.

They didn't question just how it was possible. In a world with kwamis and magic butterflies, it wasn't too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that there would be other artefacts out there with similar if not equal power. They only lingered on the subject for a brief moment, wondering if such an object existed, if they could potentially get their hands on it and use it to reverse what had been done. They didn't dismiss the notion as impossible but without knowing for sure what had happened, it was considered to be something which they would unfortunately be unlikely to be able to use. There were simply too many uncertainties involved.

"The main problem's going to be bringing him down."

It was an issue which was on all of their minds. It presented numerous complications, least of which was that if Adrien was indeed possessed, they didn't want to risk damaging his body. In all likelihood, the next time they saw him, he would be trying to kill them. They had to plan things carefully. For the time being, the group was favouring the idea of laying some kind of a trap. It would be easier and much less risky to them. Their supernatural partners couldn't quite seem to stress enough the fact that they most definitely DID NOT want to get into a fist fight with Kahn.

"He'd tear you all to shreds." Wayzz was adamant about that much. "If he has Kahn's mind then he has his knowledge and experience in fighting. He was a killer."

"Adrien's not a killer." Nino argued, desperately looking for a flaw in the kwami's logic.

"That training of his..." Marinette muttered, thinking back to how difficult it had been for the two of them to arrange a meeting and work around his schedule. "He's as strong as an ox. It's not like we've been keeping up with him. One on one, there's no way we could beat him. Even without his cataclysm."

"Which we'll want to avoid anyway." Alya reminded all of them.

Going up against the Avatar of destruction incarnated by a madman was a decidedly unappealing prospect. The challenge was only growing the more daunting by the moment.

Nathalie was also a worry. The description that Luka had provided them with was a grim one. He hadn't left out any of the details about the woman's current condition so as to ensure that they didn't take the situation lightly. Likely, he was also eager to motivate them to rescue a woman who in the past, hadn't always been an ally, far from it. Nathalie was in desperate need of help and as it stood, they were the only ones capable of freeing her.

"She'll be dead soon." Luka informed them grimly, when the matter was brought up. "He tore half of her face off. I don't know why he's keeping her alive but if the mood takes him, he'll kill her."

It was a grim thought but enough to spur them on and provide them with a sense of urgency. For the time being, they were focusing on somehow succeeding in immobilizing their foe. Queen Bee seemed like their greatest asset as far as that was concerned. At any rate, they would be forced to keep their enemy at arm's length. Thankfully, Cat Noir wasn't much of a long distance fighter. As far as they were aware, he didn't have any form of projectile. That would mean that he would have no choice but to close the distance and get up close and personal. Once he did however, most of his former allies were in agreement that he would have the advantage. Even if he only managed to touch one of them with his cataclysm, it would be too great a loss.

There was another issue: they were in the largest city in France. There were always people on the streets. Whereas Gabriel didn't particularly want to harm any of them, the same couldn't be said for Kahn. He would no doubt be only too willing to hide behind innocents. So they were going to have to lure him out to somewhere secluded, where he wouldn't pose a threat to the bulk of the population.

Then of course came the problem of just what they were going to do with him once they immobilized him. Removing his miraculous would certainly limit the danger that he posed but it wouldn't get rid of the source of the problem. He would still be possessed. They still had to find some way of drawing Kahn out of their friends' body. Somehow, she doubted that it was something a trip to the local hospital could fix.

"We'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it." Marinette declared glancing out of the window towards the darkness of the city. "For the time being, we've got to stop him before he can hurt anyone else."

"Yeah but Mari what are we going to do with him if you we catch him? We need to plan everything ahead." Luka remained grim since returning. "Even without his powers, he could easily kill someone. We don't exactly have a prison cell and it's not like we can hide him in one of our rooms. Someone will notice!"

"Not if we sedate him…" It was Alya's suggestion which earned some puzzled looks. "We go to the hospital, get some sedatives. If he's sleeping, he'll be harmless."

It's a start. They'll have to make the trip tomorrow morning. Ladybug will go. People shouldn't question her. Marinette was unlikely to be able to get her hands on anything. Not without a good amount of suspicion. After that… They would have to find some sort of solution for the current situation, some way of drawing out the poison which now flowed through his veins.

In short, there was an awful lot which needed to be done and not much time to do it. They were being hunted. There could be little doubt of that much. It was of critical importance that none of them were caught unprepared and alone. One touch was all that it would take to kill them. He could drop out of the sky and easily murder an unsuspecting victim. For that reason, they would remain in groups and stay hidden until they were ready to strike. No risks were to be taken. Not on any account.

"This isn't the first time that Cat Noir's been possessed." Alya couldn't help but remind her friend. "That time with Dark Cupid, you cured him with a kiss."

"I remember..." It was rather difficult to forget, still she hesitated. "I don't know if it would work."

"He'll rip you apart." Luka's voice was firm, it left little room for debate. He was not even remotely happy with the idea. "Just like he did with Nathalie. We don't mean anything to him any more."

A terrifying thought indeed but one which instinctively Marinette was rather inclined to agree with. If he'd been willing to injure Nathalie to the extent that Luka had described, then it would be foolish to assume that they would be any different. Adrien, if he was indeed still in there, likely had little to no say in what was going on. All that she could do was hope that her friend was indeed unaware of just what his body was doing, that he was in essence sleeping, locked away somewhere within his mind. The alternative she didn't even want to begin thinking about…

They would have to find a solution… Perhaps Plagg would know more given his connection to both Adrien and Kahn. As it grew late, the group needed their rest. They had spent the entire afternoon talking the matter over, only pausing briefly so as to eat. It had taken a fair amount out of them. No doubt stress was also having an effect. Whatever the case, the group of young adults soon found themselves eager to get some shut-eye.

Luka's home was thankfully just about large enough to accommodate the five of them. Alya and Nino could share. They were living together after all. Chloe took Juleka's room, although not without making a passing comment about the décor much to the girl's brother's irritation. A quick threat about getting put in the inflatable dingy which served as a lifeboat was enough to dissuade her from complaining any further.

Marinette made restless by the day's events struggled to find sleep and opted for staying awake just a while longer. Tikki snuggled up to her shoulder, no doubt attempting to provide some comfort. Luka brought them both some hot tea a moment later. He was shaken. She could tell that much. It was a rarity for the young man. For the most part, he was pretty sensible and stable, not the type to let things affect him greatly. This time however, he made no secret about just how much of an impact visiting the Agreste's manor had had on him.

Both were silent as they settled next to one another. The young woman had been here many a time before. She'd dated Luka on and off for many years. They'd never officially even broken up. Sometimes, they just went through periods of seeing a little bit less of one another. It was a situation which seemed to suit the two of them well enough and even right now, she felt both comfortable and at ease in his presence.

"This is some mess." The young man muttered eventually.

"Sure is..." Marinette was tired, she couldn't face going into much detail about the matter right now.

"We'll figure it out." Luka declared, trying to sound as confident as humanly possible. "We'll save Adrien."

"I hope you're right."

She fell asleep there on the couch. Luka was a comfort. She didn't feel quite so alone or scared, snuggled up there with her ex-boyfriend next to her and Tikki dozing nearby. Her parents had been told that she was simply spending some time at Alya's. Why? Well, no particular reason really. She just wanted to chill out with her friend for a bit. At some point, she became aware of the young man getting up so as to fetch a blanket for the two of them. She was only awake for a few, very brief instants however before promptly drifting off once more.

Something stirred next to her at 2.42 AM. Initially, the young woman was tempted to ignore it and go back to sleep. She passed it off as simply being her companion shifting in order to make himself more comfortable. Although that being said, had she been more awake then she might have found it strange given that Luka was a very sound sleeper. Exhaustion prevented her from questioning it however.

Once more, she found something shaking her. A little more violently this time. It was Tikki. The kwami was awake. Clutching a hold of her partner. She seemed determined to wake the young woman up but offered no explanation when Marinette's gaze met hers. Indeed, there was something else in the room which seemed to have captivated the entirety of her attention. A pair of green eyes glinted there, catching the moonlight. They were unblinking. The fact behind them seemed to be invisible, mask by the obscurity. Yet she knew just who it was and for that reason, found herself unable to breathe. Fear constricted her chest. It was a nightmare from which there was no escape.

There was something almost hypnotic about the orbs. She found it hard to tear her own gaze away from them. Like a deer staring into the headlights of an oncoming car, she found herself paralysed. Was this some new power or skill that he'd somehow succeeded in unlocking or was it just fear taking control? She must have done something to wake Luka. Either that or he had somehow sensed the change. It was as if the ambient temperature of the room had dropped many degrees in the space of a few seconds. The young man's attention drifted round the room before also spotting what was wrong. She felt him tense up next to her. The spell seemed to have affected the young man as well.

White teeth flashed in the night, forming into a monstrous grin. He stepped forwards into the light.

It was both Cat Noir and not Cat Noir. A part of her still thought of the fourteen-year-old she'd known a decade ago when she pictured him, even though she'd been in the company of the fully grown Adrien for some time now. Seeing him like this, something just screamed that there was something wrong. There was a brutal savagery behind his eyes, the sort of cruelty which was so evident that nobody, stranger or not would have crossed him. She didn't need to know what he had done to be aware that he was capable of all of the worst.

"Hey there Mari."

"Adri-" She shook her head. No, that wasn't the young man she cared for. "Kahn..."

"Oh good. You're up to date. Saves all the complicated explanations." He approached very slowly. "Where are the other miraculous?"

"Safe." She managed to summon some courage in order to defy him.

"Do you honestly think anything and anyone is safe from me?"

It was a challenge, clear as day, maybe a taunt. He was confident, that much was clear. The way that he approached spoke of the fact that he didn't view them as a threat. Maybe they weren't to him. It suddenly occurred to Marinette that the time it took her to transform, their enemy would already be upon them. In short, he would have slain her, perhaps both of them before she could do anything. The thought was an intimidating one.

Her gaze fell upon the doors which lead to Alya and Nino and Chloe's rooms respectively. His attention seemed to travel there also. When he looked back, he was still wearing the same old demented grin. It sent a shiver down her spine. For a few dreadful seconds, she found herself wondering if her friends might already have received a visit from their foe. Could they have been murdered whilst they slept? The thought was dismissed. He would have to have slipped past them to get to the others. Maybe he had…

Ironically, it was Cat Noir himself who more or less confirmed that they were indeed safe:

"Scream and I'll kill both of you."

Both instinctively drew closer to one another. She felt Luka pull her a little closer. Instict driving the two of them to stay close for protection. Her mind raced looking for a possible way out. The Miraculouses and book weren't far away. It was out of the question for them to leave them here. Although frankly, as it was, she would have been satisfied if she could see an escape route for the two of them. Kahn had them cornered, backed up as far as they could go. The only exit was through him. There was no way that both of them could survive that… The young woman reasoned that she could potentially transform or rather try to. The time it took for their enemy to kill her, her friend might be able to slip away.

For some reason however, he seemed to be holding back. Perhaps this all seemed a little too easy for him and he feared a surprise attack. Either that or he intended to toy with them a while:

"It didn't take all that long for you to replace me I see." His eyes rested on the form of the young man next to her, a cruel smirk still lingered on his lips. "It's been a while Luka."

Neither of them spoke. What could they possibly say? Terror continued to grip them, preventing either of the youths from uttering even the beginnings of a sentence. That only seemed to amuse their foe. He chuckled quietly. Aware that there were others sleeping nearby. It was his eyes, cruel and cold which did most of the taunting. He sat down on his haunches, tilting his head to one side as he flashed a wicked grin their direction.

"What is it? Cat got your tongue?"

"What do you want?" She finally managed to choke out.

"The Ladybug Miraculous..." Not exactly surprising.

"So you can make a wish." The young woman guessed, her courage returning slightly.

"There you go!" He spoke as if it was all a game. "Maybe you're a little smarter than I gave you credit for. Now hand them over. Believe me, you don't want me to come and get them."

Marinette held firm. Handing over the jewels would spell disaster. She had no idea what Kahn could possibly want to wish for but one thing which was certain was that it wouldn't be anything good for them. Unlike Gabriel, she found it unlikely that he would have a wife somewhere to resurrect. No… One quick glance confirmed that his intentions were anything but benevolent. There was no refuting that this man was pure malice. She felt herself tense up, ready to fight him should the need arise. Still, he seemed to be keeping his distance.

"You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?"

"Mari. You run and get the others." Luka, very steadily got to his feet. "I'll hold him off."

"Feel like being the hero, huh?" He met the slightly older man's cold gaze. "Okay… I'll play along."

Marinette could practically sense Luka's heartbeat increase. He braced himself, aware that he might be about to meet his end. Somehow, the young man still managed to maintain a seemingly calm demeanour. Compared to Adrien, who appeared to be manic, truly looking forwards to cut his teeth on yet another enemy. There could be no mistake as to just who would emerge victorious. Both of them were fully aware of what the outcome would be going into it. The only question was just how long their battle would last.

It all happened in a flash. The younger man flew forwards, he lashed out quickly and brutally. Luka only just had enough time to grab him. He made no attempts to dodge Cat Noir's claws and let out a shriek of pain as they penetrated his flesh. Despite his evident pain, the young man refused to let go. They rolled and crashed around. Smashing into the table. Her former boyfriend's cries echoed through the room. A miraculous holder would almost always be stronger than a regular human being. Each blow he was dealt must have felt like being kicked by a mule. Still, he held on tight. Desperate to buy her every second that he could.

There was blood.

It served to remind Marinette just what needed to be done. She acted quickly and shouted out:

"Tikki, spots on!"

The transformation took place quickly but not quite fast enough for her. Cat Noir was breaking away. Each of his blows was hitting his foe harder, grounding him into the dirt. The former hero's claws had dug into the bare skin of his arms, shredding them. Now, almost free, the miraculous holder was able to stand and decided to try and rid himself of the nuisance by stamping on him. The flash of light was just beginning to dim when she heard a crack.

There was a brief shriek of pain and Cat Noir was free.

He bounded away from Luka's body, eager to put some distance between himself and the young man. Apparently, her friend's show of strength and stubbornness had taken him by surprise. He seemed to be somewhat unnerved, wearier than he had initially been at any rate. The arrogant condescension which he seemed to have sported earlier was gone now, replaced instead by an irritation. More than that: a blind rage. He seemed to have forgotten about everything and everyone else and now, only had eyes for the one who had wronged him. He approached the other man slowly.

Suddenly, a yoyo shot out of nowhere, it wrapped itself around him. Trapping his arms against his body. His eyes widened. Ladybug gave the string a tug, causing her foe to fall to his knees and away from the downed Luka. The doors to the bedrooms had been flung open some time ago. Three heroes emerged. The commotion had no doubt woken them and automatically assuming the worst they had transformed. They contemplated the scene before them with a mixture of shock and horror. Unsure what to make of it.

Chloe was the first to move towards Luka. Since being kicked, he'd started to slowly move around once more. The way that he was gasping for breath and flailing slightly seemed to indicate however that he was indeed injured. Unable to take the risk of taking her eyes off of Cat Noir even for the briefest of moments, Marinette was forced to keep her distance. She looked over desperately, trusting her friends to be able to access the damage. It was difficult for her not to instinctively start panicking. A well-placed blow from a miraculous holder could easily prove to be fatal. A lump formed in her throat, as a single thought passed through her mind: was Luka dying?

She might have asked had her mouth not turned bone dry. She could hear her ex-boyfriend whimper and wheeze. He seemed to be terrifyingly weak.

Laughter brought her out of thoughts. It started quiet, more of a chuckle than anything else but was a little louder now. It almost sounded like someone was trying to muffle the sound, as if something was amusing but it was neither the time or the place. The giggling was coming from Cat Noir, who else? This whole thing seemed to be hilarious to him. Marinette only stared, unable to think of an appropriate response or even process what she was seeing. He wasn't even paying any attention to her. It was Luka and his suffering which seemed to be simply hilarious to the man. She wanted to demand that he shut up, each laugh seemed to be cutting into her, making everything worse.

Then he looked over his shoulder. He glanced at her through his peripheral vision, evidently checking her reaction. When he saw how distraught she looked. A smirk made it onto his face. It sickened her:

"You shut up!" It was as much of a warning as it was a request.

"Oh… What's the matter Bugaboo, aren't you having fun?" There it was, that same old taunt.

"You think this is fun?! You could have killed him!"

"Aw… There's still time yet."

She lost her patience, ensuring that the line stayed taught so that he was properly restrained. She moved forwards. She didn't know what had prompted Cat Noir to come here but he'd made a mistake. Maybe he'd intended to sneak in and take her miraculous whilst she slept and she'd been lucky enough to be woken or hadn't been expecting such ferocious resistance. In truth, she didn't question it. Now that he was here, there was some chance that this madness could end. They would be able to find a way to get Adrien back and Kahn, well he would never harm anyone ever again. She took a chance, standing a little closer to him.

She wanted him to feel crushed, anything to wipe that smug look off of his face. It was driving her mad being forced to look at him.

"No there isn't! You're beaten." This time, when he laughed, he through his head backwards to let it come out of his throat.

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" She frowned, confused, he was clearly referring to something… But what? "Oh, Marinette… Have you forgotten where we're standing?"

She didn't understand. None of this made any sense. He was still smiling, still one step ahead. She saw his lips move. They spoke a single word: Cataclysm.

Shifting backwards, he allowed his hand to touch the floor beneath him, the hull of the boat. Panicked, Ladybug turned, ready to scream and warn the others. Her scream was lost however as the wood and fibreglass turned to dust and they found themselves plunged into the freezing waters of the Seine.