They weren't supposed to be any trouble. A simple hostage situation, no magic, nothing that Ladybug and Chat Noir wouldn't be able to handle easily. It was supposed to be so simple...
Then the gun went off, and Mme Bustier was just lying there. Then the two heroes were ordered into a truck, and tied up, blindfolded. Then they were taken away, and when they tried to escape, their powers failed them... no akuma, no need for heroes.
They were thrown in the cage, and now, the man is laughing at them through his halloween mask.
"This was the easiest job I've had," he cackles. "Honestly, Hawkmoth's a great boss. And to think, all it took was one woman from the class he thought you two might be from!"
"Shut up!" Chat snaps, grabbing the bars of the cage. "You're not getting away with this!"
"Nah," the man smiles, setting up a camera feed. "This is a livestream, kitten. Any move you make, I see, along with the rest of Paris. Hey, guess that means your 'secret identities' are down the drain, hmm?" He lifts a pair of knives from the table, tilting his head. "And once that's done, and you two can't fight back, we'll get those 'Miraculous' off you. One way or another. See you!" He walks away, leaving the camera on them.
"You've got a plan, right my Lady?" Chat turns to her, expectation and no fear in his bright eyes. Slowly, she shakes her head. "Oh... well, don't worry, it's us! We'll think of some-"
"I... I'm scared," she admits quietly, cutting him off. "I don't know how to get out of this one. I can't use the cure. I have no idea how to fight when it's not an akuma."
He sighs, wrapping his arms around her. "I know. It feels... awful, being helpless. But these are just humans. The police will come save us, if we can't get out by ourselves."
"Not before we time out. Not before he uses those knives. Not before we..." she leans into him, closing her eyes. "We're going to detransform on camera, Chaton. And then, we're going to be mutilated on camera. That doesn't alarm you?"
"Ladybug," he rests his hands on her shoulders. "Calm down. Things have seemed bad before, right? I believe in you. We'll be okay."
She sighs, hugging him. "I'm about to time out."
"So am I."
She gets up on her tiptoes, whispering to him. Paris doesn't need to hear this. "Promise not to be disappointed in me?"
He nods. "I could never."
She sighs, and the light flashes over her. She hugs him tightly, taking her last few moments of anonymity, before pulling away, and looking up at him. "My name is Marinette. I'm sixteen years old, and... in my free time, and not-so-free time, I help save Paris."
The look on his face is not what she was expecting. It's almost blank. "I know who you are."
"You do?"
"You're in my class. That was established," he nods. "I just never expected... I mean, it's fine! I'm happy!" He offers a smile. "You're Marinette, that's... great."
She stares at him, worried. "Doesn't sound so great."
He times out, and feels the transformation release. She stares, and stumbles back, to the far edge of the cage. "Hey, Marinette..."
"Oh my GOD."
"Right. This happens."
"A-adrien, you're...?"
He sighs, looking incredibly tired. "Please stop, my Lady. It's just me. Don't do this..."
The man came in laughing. "Are you serious? Ladybug, reduced to a stammering mess, after Chat Noir decides she's worthless after all?"
She cringes against the bars, looking down. Adrien shakes his head, going to her, but she cringes away. "Don't," she says, biting her lip. "Please."
"My Lady, I didn't mean-"
"It doesn't matter," the man enters the cage, knife in hand. "Now. Will you hand them over? Or am I going to start cutting?"