"Haul him up lad, well be approaching Normadeir soon," called out Captain Andre from the ship's wheel.
"Aye Captain," Nino nodded, hauling up Adrien who had been scraping off some residue along the side of the ship.
"Come on bro," Nino offered Adrien a hand, which he accepted as he scrambled back onto the deck. Nino finished hauling up the rest of the seat while Adrien untangled himself from his harness.
"Why do people think it is safe to do that when out in the open clouds," Adrien groaned.
"The Glaciator has been traveling for several weeks without a decent clean, plus depending how things go in Normadeir, the Captain may lose two deck hands," answered Nino as he coiled the ropes.
"You don't know that for certain, nothing is set in stone until my Master decides what should become of the hostage," Ladybug approached the two boys.
Adrien met Ladybug's mask with a scowl. In the past week, Ladybug has been as cold to him as ever, but offered no downgrading remarks like before. She spoke only when necessary and to remind him he was still her prisoner.
"The Captain has agreed, against my better judgment, to do a circle around Normadeir before we dock. Once we submerge back into the cloud bank, I will need you to cooperate. The less trouble for both of us, the better."
Adrien huffed, but offered no rebuttal, considering her hand on the hilt of her sabre. Considering his silence an affirmation, she returned to the stern. Probably to brood, Adrien imagined as he helped Nino put away the cleaning supplies.
"Up and Away lads!" Andre called out.
"Come on Adrien," Nino pulled Adrien to the bow of the ship as the bowsprit began to peak out of the clouds. On the horizon ahead stood Normadeir.
While Neo-Paris was large in size, Normadeir made up for it in height as the buildings piled on each other, ships even docking a top buildings. The base of the buildings primarily began as stone, eventually leading into grandeur looking levels most likely for businesses and the wealthy.
"It's a amazing," Adrien called out to Nino as he took in the site, the Glaciator sailing above the normal line of ships, mingling with smaller ones flying above. Beneath them people went about their day, unobservant of the two boys waving from above. In the center of the city was an unfinished tower, workers walking along the scaffold as worked on the building
"That is Normadeir's pride and joy, the tallest tower, or planning to be the tallest tower known to man. With every new level of the city, the tower is always being added to," informed Nino. Adrien waved at the men working, a couple waving back at him as they passed.
"Down below lads!" the captain called out as the ship dipped back down towards the cloud level. Adrien remained watching until the clouds completely covered their view again.
"Turn about," ordered Ladybug from behind him, Adrien reluctantly turning to face the masked girl. Ladybug held a rope in her hands and proceed to tie his wrists with it. Nino scrambled away to help the Captain with the landing.
"They are mostly going to discuss the ransom demands that will be made and where you will be staying. If you keep your mouth shut, you'll stay with one of the captains, otherwise they have prison cells so small you can't lay straight in," Ladybug finished tightening her knot. She extended a bit of the remaining rope.
"You're considered valuable to my master, so I'll keep you safe until he says otherwise."
"Aw, you do care," Adrien teased. He was certain she was scowling under the mask.
"I'm just doing my job, no need to get sentimental."
The ship approached a large cave in the side of the city, almost hidden by the clouds until the last moment. Inside was filled with three large brigatines, and various smaller ships. People scrambled around, making way for the newest ships, and unloading cargo.
Adrien gulped at the sight, wondering how much cargo came from an Agreste ship.
Several workers directed their ship to a loading zone, Nino tossing ropes overboard for the men to catch as they secured the ship upon some elevated posts.
"She's secure captain!" called one of the men below. The captain locked the wheel as Nino positioned the stairs the workers brought for disembarkment.
"I'll see you soon bro," Nino whispered as Ladybug led Adrien off the ship. Adrien nodded before returning his gaze to the stairs as he tried not to trip going down.
"Send a runner to form an assembly of Hawkmoth's Captains who are present," Ladybug ordered one of the workers, who immediately ran off. With another tug, Adrien followed after Ladybug, paling as he did.
Hawkmoth was a legend used to keep children behaved on boats, a notorious pirate Captain, with a kill count higher than Ladybug's. His ship, Papillion was a relic before the islands were formed, called a zeppelin. Able to withstand the poisonous clouds, it was a fortress heralding death. The only problem Adrien had with this though was Hawkmoth hadn't been heard from in over a hundred years.
From the large cave, led into streets carved from the rock, houses and business carved along the side in vertical columns. Everyone was dirty, with their eyes down cast as Ladybug pulled him through. Adrien tried to remember the turns up stairs and down stairs they took, but he was getting dizzy and stopped trying. Neo-Paris was structured like a spiral, so if you followed the main street, you would land either at the edge where they were adding more to the city, or in the middle.
Adrien, for the first time since his first year in school, missed home.
Ladybug stopped at a door and knocked a few times, the door quickly opening for them. Ladybug led him inside a giant foyer decorated in dark earthy colors, while at the end was an elevator. The only other person in the room was a butler.
"Is Mr. Bourgeois in?"
"Yes Miss Ladybug, I will inform him of your arrival," the butler turned next to the elevator where a telephone was attached to the wall. Ladybug jerked on the rope as the butler made the phone call, bringing Adrien closer towards her. Adrien was about to nudge her in the back, when the elevator door opened.
"Mr. Bourgeois will see you now. The captain have all gathered at your request," The butler bowed as Ladybug pulled Adrien towards the elevator, the doors shutting behind them. Pressing a button, the elevator began to move upwards.
"We're going to the city?"
"Mr. Bourgeois is the Mayor of Normadier, as well as a front man for Hawkmoth dealings in the city. He'll be presiding over the meeting with the Captains," Ladybug answered.
"Are you going to take your gas mask off? We're in the city now."
"The gas mask isn't just for the clouds," came the short answer. He looked at the back of her head to see the mask was held a together by some leather straps and buckles. There was enough slack in the rope for him to pull it off.
What was so bad about her hiding her face? Unless she was ugly. That would explain why she was a pirate.
The elevator came to a halt, the doors opening to a conference room, with several adults sitting at an oval table. Portraits of Mayors and their families decorated the wood wall.
At the head of the table was a portly gentleman decorated in the finest suit and award ribbons, probably Mr. Bourgois. To his left was a older man in a brown leather coat and matching hat, his face bearing a strong resemblance to an owl Adrien had seen in the zoo. To his left was a woman in her thirties with maroon hair. And to her left was a slender man with dark skin and a calculative the right of the Mayor was an old woman with devious green eyes, dressed in ladybug colors. To her right was a man in his late twenties with curly brown hair and a top hat. To his right was a man with dreadlocks and a guitar, with a woman standing behind him with pink hair. These were the pirate Captains working under Hawkmoth.
"Ah, Ladybug, you are right on time," welcomed the mayor. Ladybug pulled Adrien forward and set him in the remaining seat.
"The ship marked was the Gorizilla. On board was nothing more than paper currency."
A few of the pirates grumbled, Mayor Bourgois looking momentarily surprised. "Given the cutter I was brought in, taking cargo would ruin the intimidation. In exchange for payment we have present here Adrien Agreste, Gabriel Agreste's only son and heir to the Agreste Trading Line."
The captains murmured amongst themselves. Adrien was certain he heard one of the women say, "so young."
"I left the terms of payment unclear other than 'of equal value'," Ladybug stepped back so she was out of Adrien's side view.
"I don't think Hawkmoth would settle for the boy being an equal payment," the older woman said.
"Although rumor on the winds said he was attending school, preparing to work on ship following graduation. He's young and would make a good pirate," responded the maroon haired woman.
"Lot's then for who will take him," offered the dreadlock pirate.
"Captains, Hawkmoth will not settle for the boy sufficing as payment. Only one person would reap the benefit, and with Papillion out of commission, the winner would not be him," responded the top hat pirate.
"Excellent point Captain Grimault, what we need to decide is how much his ransom should be on top of the overdue payment," directed Mr. Bourgois. The pirates stared at Adrien, Adrien wanting to avoid their gazes.
"How old are you boy," the older pirate asked.
"Eighteen, sir," responded Adrien, noticing how the old woman's eyes flicked up to something behind him at his answer.
"So marriageable age, would probably learn the company business in five years tops," the old man looked to Mayor Bourgeois, who shifted uncomfortably, glancing at a picture along the wall. Adrien looked up to the pick to see Mayor Bourgeois with two blond hair women, the younger looking around Adrien's age.
"$95,000.00 in gold coins," answered the dark skinned captain."One captain's yearly wage."
"A year's wage, I'll drink to that," the maroon haired Captain agreed.
"On top of what he already owes, isn't that much?" Asked the older woman.
"The boy's young, and his only successor. Any man would that money to have his son back," argued the dark skinned pirate.
"Wouldn't that take longer then for him to retrieve the boy if he has to come up with that large sum in gold," asked Captain Grimault, "updated societies are switching to the paper currency."
"And if he already is using paper currency on his ships, then he may have already cashed out of the gold coin system," reasoned the owl Captain.
"So it takes him awhile to cough of the gold, I'll just take the boy with me," offered the dreadlock irate.
"You'll do no such thing Jagged," scolded the old woman captain.
"Well if you aren't going to settle for $95,000 gold, what should we settle for?"
"If we could calculate the inflation," the owl Captain went on. The room became a shouting match over the ransom amount. Adrien felt flattered they thought he was worth a year's wage for a captain, but he would prefer to get back to Neo-Paris sooner than later. His father switched to the paper currency as soon as the banks stabilized. Who knew how long it would take for the banks to cough up the coins.
"Captains, Captains, Please," Mayor Bourgois knocked on the table, drawing everyone's attention.
"While Hawkmoth would be most pleased with the amount of $95,000, Captain Grimault and Captain Damocles are correct that most of society is switching to paper. I propose we agree to the amount of $95,000 but accept a deposit of $50,000 first to receive his son, and the remaining balanced added to his payments."
The pirates stared at each other.
"I'll agree," responded the dark skinned pirate as he sat back down.
"I second the agreement," echoed Captain Damocles. One by one, the pirates sat back down as they agreed, the old woman being the last to sit.
"Now that that is settle, there is the discussion of young Mr. Agreste's lodgings. I propose he stay here as the living areas are what the young man is use to."
"You're just saying that to fix him with your daughter," argued the old woman, Mr. Bourgeois looking appalled by the notion
"He should stay in a cell, same as any other hostage," argued Captain Damocles.
"He's soon young and we don't know how long he'll stay. It would be best he goes with someone," argued the maroon haired captain.
"And I suppose you are offering Captain Chamack," suggested Captain Grimault.
"Are you kidding, her kid would terrorize the boy worse that my ship would," argued Dreadlock Captain.
"The boy is not going on your ship Captain Stone," argued Mayor Bourgeois.
"Well he definitely not staying here," argued the old woman.
"He could stay with me," offered the dark skinned Captain, all eyes turning towards him.
"I have a young son, a young man like him staying in our home would be a good role model for him."
"I agreed with Captain Lahiffe," echoed Captain Chamack.
"I'll agree, but on one condition," the old woman stood from her seat.
"Ladybug will be staying with you as well. And has to report his activities to me and Captain Damocles."
"What about me," asked the mayor.
"So your daughter can have his whereabouts too. Unlikely."
"I'll agree to those conditions Captain Dupain," answered Principle Damocles.
"I'll agree as well," echoed Captain Stone.
Captain Lahiffe furrowed his brow as he stared at Captain Dupain, trying to determine her motives. The woman was unreadable as a stone wall.
"I'll concede, but I'm holding you responsible for her," was his final answer.
"Agreed. Mayor Bourgois, I believe this meeting concluded," Captain Dupain tapped the blunt of her pistol against the table, the Captains standing to retreat. Adrien waited as the Captains filed out, until Captain Lahiffe approached him.
"This way boy," the captain took the rope from Ladybug, leading Adrien after him, while Ladybug brought up the rear. In the elevator, they were met by Captain Dupain.
"I hope you know what you are doing Gina," Captain Lahiffe grumbled.
"Worry about your own family Youssef, and I'll worry about mine," the woman chided as the elevator came to a stop.
The doors opened, to reveal a different lobby than before, made of a lighter stone.
"Good Day Captain Dupain," Captain Lahiffe led Adrien and Ladybug away, leaving a brooding Gina Dupain.