World On Fire: No More Heroes

by DrTwit

Marinette never thought there'd come a time where her only ally was Hawkmoth, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Three years after his death, Gabriel Agreste awakens to a Paris ruled by akumas and no heroes left to defend it. To save his son, and perhaps even his soul, he must team up with his arch nemesis, Ladybug, to save a future built by their mistakes.

41. Optidrone

Present

The walk up to the Tvi Tower was as silent as it was tense. No one wanted to be there, and no one was eager to talk, especially not Marinette after Gabriel's outburst. As they'd trudged up the path, Gabriel was annoyed by how easily his mind noted that she was distancing herself from him. She was walking ahead, deliberately putting space between them, her head tilted just enough to avoid catching him in her peripheral vision.

It shouldn't bother him. He wanted her and others to be afraid of him, right? So why did it irk him that his efforts to push the girl away were actually successful?

He could only assume that it was brought on by all the bad memories brought up by Salvadore's mentions. Memories that she forced him to dig up. When you really think about it, this is all Marinette's fault once again. She pushed him to rip open wounds he'd allowed to settle for years in the name of some thin connection that served no purpose, and now she was miffed that he actually cried out in pain?

Stupid girl. Silly girl. He keeps telling her, keeps warning her about what he is; the image of Gabriel Agreste had lost subtleties long ago, and yet she keeps acting surprised to find out that he's exactly what it says on the tin, and he somehow keeps being disappointed.

He glanced at her again, at her stiff shoulders, at the way she kept her focus fixed stubbornly ahead. It wasn't guilt that prickled at his chest—of course not—but it was… something.

The sudden sound of a shoe squelching in the thick mud jolted him from his thoughts. Alec cursed under his breath, pulling his boot free and glaring down at the sticky purple sludge that clung to the ground. "Of course, this place couldn't just be ruined. It had to be disgusting too," he muttered.

Marinette didn't respond, but she let out a faint snort of amusement. Gabriel's lips twitched involuntarily, but he immediately smothered the impulse.

No. He wouldn't allow himself to care. Not now. Not here.

Soon enough, they reached the foot of the building. The TVi Tower loomed above them, its foundation twisted and sunken as though the earth itself had tried to swallow it whole but failed. The front doors, their once polished surface now tarnished with grime and decay, stood just legible enough to mark a point of entry.

The warped Parisian landscape had isolated the tower, turning it into a lone island surrounded by a sea of putrid, purple sludge. The only connection to the mainland was a collapsed structure that had crumbled in just the right way to act as a makeshift bridge. Jagged beams and fractured concrete jutted out from the ruin, forming a precarious path over the noxious mire below.

Alec grimaced, leaning over to inspect the "bridge" with a low whistle. "That's our way in? Great. Nothing screams 'safe passage' like a pile of rubble ready to collapse if you so much as breathe on it."

"Would you prefer swimming?" Juleka deadpanned, stepping past him and testing the first few steps.

"Not funny," Alec muttered, his eyes darting uneasily between the sludge and the precarious path.

Marinette hovered near the edge of the bridge; her arms crossed as she stared up at the towering structure. The entire thing seemed to tilt unnervingly to one side, as if at any moment it might collapse entirely. The air around them was thick with the acrid smell of the sludge, mixing with the faint rusted tang of corroding metal.

Juleka made it halfway across the makeshift bridge, testing the stability of each step before waving the others forward. "It's holding but move one at a time. Too much weight at once and this thing's going under."

Marinette didn't wait for Gabriel or Alec to go first, stepping onto the bridge and making her way across. Her balance wavered slightly as the rubble shifted beneath her weight, but she pressed on, her jaw set in determination.

Gabriel watched her go, frowning. His grip on the railing of the bridge tightened briefly before he exhaled sharply. "Foolish girl," he muttered under his breath.

"After you, Mr. Sunshine," Alec said, gesturing toward the bridge with a mocking bow.

Gabriel gave him a pointed glare before stepping onto the precarious path, his movements slow and deliberate. Behind him, Alec muttered something about preferring the sludge after all while Bertrum followed close behind.

By the time they reached the other side, the group was tense and silent once again. Marinette avoided looking at Gabriel entirely, keeping her focus on the half-collapsed doors of the tower ahead.

The group stepped into the ruined lobby of the TVi Tower. The once-bustling space, likely filled with camera crews, producers, and the chaotic energy of live television, now sat in eerie silence, ravaged by time and the warped mutations of the landscape. Broken furniture and scattered papers littered the floor, while strange, faintly glowing vines clung to the walls like veins of some long-dead beast.

The lights were dim and flickering, the sickly yellow glow giving the room an unnatural, haunted look. Despite their decrepit state, the fact that they still had power was unnerving, a reminder that Miraculous Paris operated on its own strange rules. Gabriel couldn't decide if it made him feel safe or even more on edge.

He turned his attention to Alec, his tone conversational but laced with his usual brand of condescension. "So, Alec—"

"We are not on a first-name basis," Alec cut in sharply.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Alright, Baldy," He said, enunciating the nickname with extra disdain. "What exactly are we looking for here?"

Alec ignored the jab, his focus on the task at hand. "Damocles thinks Jagged's idea has merit. Some of the community's tech-savvy types believe we could rig up a private broadcast system. Something to keep morale up and establish a good old communication network."

The group reached the end of the lobby, where the room split into various doors. At the center was a dusty reception desk, its surface scattered with shattered glass and grime. Alec and Bertrum dropped their bags onto the desk with practiced ease. Marinette and Juleka hung back, peering cautiously around the dark corners, while Gabriel wandered closer to the elevator doors, examining the ancient controls as though they might explode.

Bertrum leaned against the desk, his tone gruff as always. "We're still barely getting news from other communities. All we've got are letters and word of mouth, and those don't travel far or fast enough."

Marinette, cautiously, cracked open one of the side doors to peek inside. After a moment, she pushed it shut and locked it with a quiet click. "So, are we taking the building? Because I don't see you holding it without drawing attention."

Bertrum shook his head. "Nah. Half the stuff here is probably trashed anyway. We're just scavenging for parts—anything we can use to build our own equipment."

Juleka spoke up, her voice softer but no less certain. "And maybe grab some old recordings. Something to remind people of what the world used to be. Keep those memories alive."

Alec brightened, clearly more excited about the idea than the rest. "Oh, I hope we can find some of my old Live Your Childhood Dream reruns!"

The group collectively turned to him with flat expressions.

"What?" Alec asked defensively. "Seeing people have their dreams come true is the perfect morale booster!"

Marinette smirked. "I think it's a great idea, Alec."

Gabriel's derisive snort drew their attention. "Yes, let's spend valuable time and resources on feel-good fluff. Truly revolutionary."

Alec raised an eyebrow but let the comment slide.

Gabriel turned his attention back to the elevator, scrutinizing the panel with a critical eye. The tarnished buttons glinted faintly in the dim light, but Gabriel wasn't eager to trust them. "So, the elevator…"

"Too risky," Bertrum interjected.

Gabriel hated to agree, but he didn't trust the elevator either. It felt like a coffin waiting to drop into the abyss.

Bertrum's tone turned authoritative as he pointed toward the stairwell. "You lot take the stairs."

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow. "All while you…?"

Bertrum smirked. "Stand watch, obviously."

Marinette folded her arms. "Feels like we're getting sent into the lion's den while you sit back and relax."

Bertrum shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? Alec and Juleka will need meat shields."

Gabriel shot him a sardonic smile. "You know, Berty, I feel like we're really connecting here."

Bertrum's grin turned wicked. "I really hope there's something nasty up there waiting for you."

Before Gabriel could attempt to get the last word in, Marinette was already dragging him through the stairwell door. He grumbled about his tattered suit getting wrinkled by her grip, but he didn't stop her.

Of course, when he turned around, he had an entirely new problem when faced with a shattering revelation.

The TvI tower was composed of 35 floors.

He could already hear everybody's legs groaning.

He breathed in deeply, pondering on how much stamina his feeble body contained in the face of this treacherous climb. Maybe the elevator would be the better alternative. "And now for man's greatest enemy: Stairs."

There was silence for a moment, only for it to be broken by a restrain groan from Marinette as she rolled her eyes. "Are you going to be talking the entire way up?"

Gabriel would never admit it, but getting her to talk to him again did bring the smallest of smiles to his face.

"It's the only thing keeping me alive, Bug."

Ten floors later and everyone was already feeling the burn. Gabriel could swear that the further they ascended, the longer each individual step got. On the first flight his long legs were easily crossing multiple in stride, now he was making two footsteps per step; the math wasn't adding up in his head.

"I can't believe I let you drag me into this," he grumbled, glaring at the seemingly infinite steps ahead. "This is inhumane. I'm fairly certain stairs this tall qualify as a war crime."

Marinette rolled her eyes, gripping the railing for support as they reached yet another landing. "Keep talking, Hawky, and maybe I'll consider carrying you the rest of the way. Would that make you feel better?"

Gabriel placed a hand over his chest as though her words had physically wounded him. "What do you take me for, some feeble old man?"

"Yes."

He gasped in mock offense but quickly deflated, leaning heavily against the railing. "Fair enough."

By the time they reached the tenth floor, the group was noticeably flagging. Alec, who had started the climb with his usual snark and swagger, now lagged behind, his breaths heavy and labored. Juleka wasn't much better off, though she hid her exhaustion behind her perpetually cool demeanor. Marinette, to her credit, was determined not to show weakness, even as her legs screamed in protest.

Gabriel, however, was not so subtle. "These stairs…" he wheezed, dragging himself up another step. "I'm convinced they're cursed. The further we go, the longer each one becomes."

"Or maybe you're just out of shape," Marinette shot back, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Out of shape?" He scoffed, though it was clear he was struggling to maintain his usual air of superiority. "I'll have you know that I once scaled the cliffs of Mont Saint-Michel in a single afternoon."

"Yeah? And when was that, 50 years ago?"

"Fifteen, thank you very much."

Juleka chimed in from behind, her voice dry. "If you two don't save your energy for the top, I swear I'm leaving you both here."

The group reached a landing between floors, where Marinette slumped against the wall, catching her breath. Alec leaned casually against the railing, twirling the pistol in his hand like he was auditioning for an action movie.

"Central Apparatus Room and Production Control Room," Alec announced, his voice annoyingly chipper for someone who had climbed just as many stairs as the rest of them. "Those are our targets on the 30th floor."

Marinette groaned, pulling herself upright. "My legs are going to die before we get up there."

Gabriel straightened his tie, trying to regain some semblance of dignity after the grueling ascent. "So, was Berty joking back there, or should we be expecting something that can fight back?"

Juleka adjusted her jacket, her usual stoic expression showing a hint of unease. "Sometimes we get akumas around here, but they don't tend to stick around in places like this."

"What we really have to worry about," Alec added, slipping the pistol back into his coat, "are rogue sentis."

Marinette blinked, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Rogue?"

Alec nodded. "Mad Moth sent out a lot of monsters before she created the Knights. Many of them got left behind when she set up shop in the Cocoon. They're like… discarded tools with no instructions."

Juleka chimed in, her tone even but cautious. "We run into some every now and then. Without Mad Moth directing them, they're just beasts with no purpose. They don't usually attack unless you trigger their programming."

Marinette shivered, recalling the sentimonster they'd encountered back at the Agreste mansion. "Back at the mansion, we got attacked by a senti. Some multi-eyed lizard thing that unleashed bad memories."

Juleka frowned, glancing at Marinette. "Yeah, we've seen some of them. Think they were her attempt at pacifying the populace. Just led to a lot of rioting and emotional akumas."

Alec smirked, his hand drifting to his coat again as he proudly withdrew the gun. "Don't worry, if we run into one, I've got us covered."

Marinette crossed her arms, skeptical. "Is a gun gonna do that much against a senti?"

"They're much weaker than any of the monsters you fought in your heyday," Alec explained, inspecting the weapon like it was his prized possession. "Probably because of how many of them there are. Quantity over quality, you know?"

Gabriel sighed. "I'll take your word for it, Baldy. But just in case, let's leave direct confrontations as a last resort, hm?"

Alec narrowed his eyes at the nickname but didn't retort. "Sure, Agreste. Whatever you say."

Marinette glanced between the two men, the tension between them as sharp as ever. She rolled her eyes and turned to Juleka. "Let's just hope we don't run into anything. My legs are too tired to run, and I don't think Hawky's are much better."

Gabriel shot her a glare. "My legs are perfectly fine, thank you."

"Sure they are," Marinette quipped, gesturing for the group to continue up the stairs. "Come on, Supreme Leader. Let's get this over with."

Eventually the arduous ascent came to a merciful end, Gabriel's knees buckling on the final step and sending him on an undignified stumble into the door. Alec was generous enough to let Gabriel sit there, flattened against the door for a long, humiliating moment, before pushing the door open and stepping over the crumpled former terror of Paris.

"Just through here, come on." Alec beckoned them as Gabriel scrambled to his feet.

Marinette pushed her way past, grumbling as she stretched out her back. "If I don't have glutes of steel after this, I swear to god…"

Through the door, they found themselves in what Gabriel assumed was once the heart of the TVi Tower's operations. The space was cluttered with an array of tangled wires, long-abandoned computer consoles, and towering racks of equipment. The room reeked of mildew and disuse, and the dim, flickering lights above made the shadows seem alive, creeping at the edges of his vision. Gabriel assumed that this is where all the 'magic' was edited in to broadcasts.

"I have no idea what any of these things are." He casted an uneasy gaze towards Alec, a cynical part of him wondering how good a chance it was that the resistance would send them here without anyone actually knowing what they were doing.

"I got that covered…" Alec assured him in the most unconfident of tones, fiddling with his coat to retrieve a scrunched-up piece of paper. "They, uh, gave me some pictures and directions."

Gabriel's confidence sunk even more when he watched Alec's face drop with a heavy frown just from glancing at the paper in his hands. He nervously cleared his throat, listlessly wondering to the far corner of the room and vaguely gesturing in the direction of a little booth nestled on the other side "Marinette, can you go look over the CD storage?"

"On it," Marinette said, already moving. She ducked under a cluster of hanging cables and disappeared into the shadowy corner.

Gabriel turned back to Alec, his gaze narrowing. "And the rest of this?" He waved a hand at the mess of equipment. "Are we just going to take a guess at what's still functional, or do you actually have a plan?"

Alec glanced at him, annoyed. "I'm trying to cross-reference, alright? This isn't exactly my area of expertise."

Juleka, leaning against a nearby console, sighed. "You're not exactly filling us with confidence, Alec."

"Look," Alec snapped, holding up the crumpled paper like a shield. "I just need a few minutes to figure out what we're dealing with here. Unless one of you happens to be a secret tech genius, maybe cut me some slack?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes but didn't press further. He wandered over to one of the dusty consoles, idly inspecting the cracked monitor and rusting keyboard. He could almost hear the echoes of the room's past life—the hurried footsteps, the hum of machinery, the chatter of people who had long since vanished. It was unnerving, like standing in a graveyard full of ghosts.

"Find anything, Bug?" he called toward the booth Marinette had entered.

Marinette emerged from the booth, holding up a handful of dusty CD covers with an excited grin. "These look in pretty good condition!" she called, before ducking back inside, the sound of more rustling following as she rummaged through the collection.

Juleka leaned in, peeking through the door curiously. "Hey, I remember watching this broadcast when I was little," she said, pointing at one of the discs Marinette held. "A charity call-in event gets interrupted by a guy wielding a banana and swearing it was a gun."

Gabriel sighed wistfully, his expression momentarily softening. "Harry made an entire movie around that one. He was specifically really enthused about the banana." Memories of Emilie being horrified when little Adrien started mimicking the event with his own bananas flashed through his mind.

Marinette laughed as she sifted through more discs. "Some old Ladybug interviews… Some shipping discourse… Oh, and that week André declared war on chocolate because Audrey was jealous that other people were eating it during her diet."

Alec snorted as he slid a few components into his bag. "I remember the self-proclaimed 'chocolate baron' guy getting akumatized over that. Came out looking like a Candy Land villain."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "You say it like that's a bad thing."

Alec grinned. "You obviously should have gone for a Willy Wonka-inspired villain."

Before Gabriel could retort, Marinette chimed in. "No, no, Alec's right."

Gabriel huffed, crossing his arms. "Baldy doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm not taking this from the guy who decided a giant wig and a golden robe would be his signature look after rebranding."

"Adrien said you should have done Wonka too," Marinette added smugly.

Her attention was quickly diverted, however, as she pulled out a collection of CDs with Ladybug and Chat Noir on the covers. She let out an excited squeal, bouncing out of the booth. "Hey! They even have copies of the Ladybug and Chat Noir movies!"

Gabriel groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Ugh, Adrien made me sit down and watch every single one of those with him."

Juleka chuckled, taking one of the CDs and flipping it over. "Don't hate on an instant classic."

Gabriel shot her a flat look. "Classic? Please. They're mindless pap and entirely inaccurate. They didn't even get my powers right."

"You're just mad because they accurately made you a goober," Marinette teased, her grin widening.

"No," Gabriel said sharply, "I'm mad because they made me an Englishman named Sir Vile DeVil. I mean, really."

Marinette burst out laughing. "I've watched the scene where you have to hold an entire conversation with yourself to convince the police that Hawkmoth has taken you hostage like a hundred times."

Gabriel sighed deeply, shaking his head. Of course, she would adore a movie that glorified her while reducing him to a caricature. Yes, he was the bad guy, but he was a bad guy with pizzazz, damn it.

"Oh, oh, and the love ballad duet between you and Mayura?" Alec chimed in, barely containing his laughter. "Best song in the movie."

Gabriel's eye twitched. "You're just trying to piss me off now. Their interpretation of Mayura was utterly disgusting. They turned her into a love-sick, useless sidekick who throws her life away over some obsession with some idiot she's way too good for. All she does is faint and make innuendos!"

He started pacing, his hands gesturing wildly as he built up steam. "Have you even seen that woman in action? She's the smartest, strongest woman I know! I'd have been found out and ruined ten times over if it weren't for her. And she doesn't need to make sexual jokes to be sexy; that's just her—"

He froze mid-rant, realizing the room had gone silent. Everyone had stopped what they were doing to stare at him with wide, amused eyes. Marinette, especially, was grinning like a cat with a fresh bowl of cream.

"No, no, go on," she said, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands. "Tell us all about how amazing your girlfriend is."

Alec snickered. "Yeah, spill the tea, lover boy."

Gabriel's face turned an alarming shade of red. "Kill me now," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose and turning away, wishing he could rewind the last few minutes of his life.

He spent the next few minutes biting his lip against their constant chuckles and gossip, knowing that any remark he'd make would only serve as further fuel for their insipid assumptions and jabs. No, he did not pout like a child, and no he wasn't blushing- And no, he didn't give Nathalie any cute nick names, they were completely professional adults!

The only reason he tolerated all this slanderous, childish chatter was because the alternative—a tense, hateful silence—was far more unsettling. That, and the fact that he was keenly aware of how much they enjoyed seeing him squirm. Marinette, especially, seemed to thrive off the sight of him holding his tongue, the little gremlin.

He never had to worry about Nathalie pestering him with this immature, gossip-rag discussions. She would manage to get the job done whilst having a productive and illuminating discussion on how she got her archaeology degree. Honestly, she could be reading off a grocery list for hours on end and she'd still his prime pick for company over the rest of the population.

Unbidden, a memory of Nathalie surfaced in his mind—her voice cool and composed as she corrected his Latin pronunciation during one of their late-night research sessions. There had been no ridicule, no impatience, just that quietly commanding tone that made him want to rise to her level. And that one time when Emilie had teased him about how he relied on Nathalie for everything, and he'd… well, he'd brushed it off with a snide comment, but inside, he'd felt oddly defensive.

He caught himself mid-thought, blinking sharply as though shaking himself out of a stupor. What on earth are you doing, Gabriel? It wasn't like him to get lost in these frivolous musings. Focus. He was Gabriel Agreste, a man of action and precision, not some… Sentimental fool.

Just ignore why Hawkmoth was created in the first place.

"Done!" Alec's triumphant announcement snapped Gabriel out of his thoughts. Gabriel turned sharply, trying to mask his brief lapse in composure by stepping closer to the control console.

Alec held up the scrunched-up piece of paper with a satisfied grin. "I think I got all the components we need. Let's get the hell outta here before Bertrum starts claiming we took too long."

The bag of parts was unceremoniously shoved into Gabriel's arms, which Gabriel decided to take as a sign of trust and not laziness on Alec's part.

"Didn't think we'd be so quick." Juleka whistled as they shuffled back over to the doorway. "We'll be back at base before the weekly soccer match in the pit."

However, just as they reached the door, Gabriel found his free hand shooting out on pure instincts and yanking Juleka back.

Juleka stumbled into him and bounced off with a grunt. Immediately, she whirled on him with wide, alarmed eyes. Alec gave him an odd look too. Marinette was the only one who immediately took his actions as a bad omen and cautiously peered out of the doorway. "What are you-"

Silently, Marinette reached back and tapped Juleka's shoulder, motioning her and Alec to join her by the doorway. The group crept silently to Marinette's peeking spot, peering both around and over her to find the source of her caution. At the end of the hallway, barely visible with only lashes of the overhead light reaching it's form, was a shape far too mobile to be an object, and far too big to be human.

That's not to say it didn't almost look human enough to trick a first glance. The top half of it, the torso, the head, the arms, there was a human shape to them; albeit elongated, lanky and skeletal. The other half was a dome that hovered above the ground, with the upper half peeling open to let the rest of the body sink into, with thick wires feeding into the skeletal torso like metal veins.

It hovered down the hall, letting out not one sound, not so much as a grunt or scrape. It was as if the creature was entirely muted. And when the light hit it's face just right, Gabriel could glimpse just one massive eyeball that took up it's entire face.

Gabriel hissed, "You just had to go and jinx it, didn't you?"

The others ignored him, too focused on the abomination slowly approaching. Marinette's fingers twitched as if itching for her yo-yo. "What is that?" she whispered.

Everyone froze as a beam of sickly yellow light shot out from the creature's massive eye, illuminating the hallway in an eerie glow. The air seemed to thrum with tension, the faint buzz of the creature's cables vibrating through the walls.

"Don't move," Alec whispered, his voice barely audible. "A few of our guys have seen this thing before. They call it an Optidrone. It patrols areas like this, and it'll fire a big-ass laser at anything the spotlight touches that isn't Mad Moth-affiliated."

The group collectively shrunk further into the stairwell doorway, pressing themselves against the cold walls as the Optidrone glided closer. Its spotlight swept the hallway, but its mechanical movements showed no signs of detecting them—yet. Marinette stared at the creature, her eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and terror.

Alec continued, his voice tight. "On the plus side, I don't think it can hear us. But whatever you do, stay out of that light."

Marinette nodded, swallowing hard. "So, just avoid the spotlight? Easy." Her tone was an attempt at levity, but her grip on the doorframe betrayed her nerves.

Gabriel adjusted the bag of parts in his arms, his jaw tightening. He whispered, "Define 'big-ass laser.' Are we talking disintegration or just maiming?"

"Both," Alec deadpanned, his eyes fixed on the Optidrone.

"Lovely." Gabriel's tone attempted sarcasm, but his hands tightened around the bag, bracing himself for the worst.

Juleka leaned forward just enough to catch a better glimpse of the creature as it floated toward the far end of the hallway, its spotlight sweeping the floors and walls methodically. "It's moving away," she murmured. "Maybe we can wait it out?"

"Bad idea," Alec replied, shaking his head. "These things work in loops. We stay here too long, and it'll just come back. We need to get moving while it's distracted."

Marinette glanced back at Gabriel, her expression calculating. "You're the tallest. You'll block the most light."

Gabriel shot her a flat look. "Ah, yes, let's use the fragile, middle-aged man as a human shield. Brilliant strategy, Bug."

"Relax," she shot back. "It doesn't shoot unless the light touches you, right? So just… stay in the shadows and don't trip over your own ego."

Gabriel muttered something under his breath about insufferable teenagers but nodded. "Fine. Lead the way, Bug."

The group waited, holding their breath as the Optidrone drifted further down the hallway, its cables trailing behind it like the legs of some mechanical spider. The spotlight dimmed slightly as it turned a corner, leaving just enough of the hallway cloaked in shadow for them to move.

Alec took the lead, his gun drawn but lowered, signalling for them to follow. Marinette moved next, her movements surprisingly quiet for someone so tense. Gabriel followed closely behind, his long strides careful and deliberate as he hugged the wall. Juleka brought up the rear, her knife drawn just in case.

They moved as one, their footsteps barely audible against the tile floor. Marinette's heart pounded in her ears, the sound almost deafening in the silence. Every flicker of the dim overhead lights felt like a warning, a reminder of the danger that lurked just out of sight.

Halfway down the hallway, the spotlight suddenly brightened, sweeping back toward them as the Optidrone began to loop around.

"Move!" Alec hissed, picking up the pace as the group scrambled toward the nearest doorway.

Marinette reached it first, throwing herself against the wall to avoid the spotlight as it skimmed past. Gabriel was right behind her, his expression grim as he pressed himself into the shadows. Juleka barely made it in time, her back pressed against the wall as the beam of light swept just inches away from her boots.

The Optidrone paused, its cables twitching as if sensing something was amiss. For a terrifying moment, the group froze, their breath caught in their throats as the massive eye swivelled toward them.

Then, with an almost lazy motion, it turned and continued its patrol, drifting further down the hall.

The gang let out a sigh of relief.

And then it stopped.

But the spotlight wasn't on them, at least, not directly. It was on a broken window that, even in it's overgrown and shattered state, was just reflective enough to bounce the spotlight back onto the group's hunched over forms.

"That is such cheap bul-" Marinette didn't have time to finish as Alec yanked her to the side.

The group scattered in different directions as a far more aggressive beam of energy erupted from the Optidrone's massive eye, carving a scorching line of destruction along the wall where they had just been standing. Sparks rained down, and the acrid smell of burning material filled the hallway.

Gabriel stumbled, narrowly avoiding the edge of the beam as it carved into the floor near his feet. "You can start shooting any day now, Baldy!" He snarled, clutching the bag of parts to his chest as he dove for cover behind a toppled cabinet.

"Keep moving!" Marinette shouted, rolling into a crouch behind a pile of debris. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she peeked out to see the Optidrone recalibrating, its spotlight twitching erratically as it searched for its scattered targets.

Alec pressed his back against the crumbling wall, clutching his gun with a grip that made his knuckles turn white. "Can't get a clear shot," he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration.

Juleka ducked lower behind her cover, her eyes glinting faintly in the dim, flickering light. "Think we can sneak by?" She called out, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the Optidrone's mechanical whirring.

Gabriel peeked over his own hiding spot; his face twisted into a scowl as he surveyed the situation. The Optidrone hovered ominously near the staircase, its massive frame blocking their escape route entirely. "It's got the stairs on lockdown," he grumbled. "And unless one of you fancies becoming Swiss cheese, the elevator isn't an option either."

Alec bit his lip, his eyes darting between the group and the sentimonster. Then, with a sudden burst of determination—or sheer recklessness—he tore himself from his hiding spot and bolted across the hall.

"Alec, wait!" Marinette shouted, but it was too late.

The spotlight immediately locked onto Alec, its sickly yellow glow illuminating his path like a twisted mockery of a stage light. Alec squinted against the glare, stumbling sideways as the light stung his eyes. His shoulder slammed into a filing cabinet, the impact knocking the wind out of him and leaving him sprawled against the metal.

The Optidrone's cables twitched as its central eye began to charge, the crackling sound of energy building up filling the hallway. Alec stared down his fate, frozen like a deer in headlights as the seconds ticked by, each one a countdown to certain doom.

"Over here, you one-eyed creep!" Marinette's voice cut through the tension like a whip, and before anyone could react, she hurled a computer monitor straight at the Optidrone's head.

The monitor struck the sentimonster with a loud clang, causing the spotlight to flicker briefly. For a moment, the Optidrone seemed to hesitate, its massive eye swivelling to focus on Marinette. It almost looked… insulted. As if even a semi-sentient creature couldn't believe the audacity of her actions.

Then, its eye narrowed, and the hesitation vanished. With a sudden burst of speed, the Optidrone rocketed toward Marinette, its movements far quicker and more aggressive than before.

"Oh cr— It wasn't this fast before!" Marinette yelped, scrambling backwards as the sentimonster barrelled towards her.

---

The only saving grace in this moment was the realization that the Optidrone was almost as clumsy and unwieldy as Marinette herself, overshooting the sharp turn they took around the corner and smashing straight through the opposing wall. It was only pure adrenaline that allowed her to block out the echoes of their 30 floor journey from her aching legs.

She thought back to her time as Ladybug, and how she best shook off possible pursuers in the case of being flowed; even after the threat was vanquished. The best strategy was to take as many senseless turns as possible to hide your trail while you could, and she took that to heart, leading Alec and Juleka down several sharp turns, crossing through meeting rooms, stumble about more storage rooms, until she was confident that the Optidrone would be spending several minutes getting a headache.

And yet, before she could even bend over a breathe, Juleka was yanking on her shoulder and pointing out the yellow light dancing across the end of the hall just as they dived into an office room.

"This thing just does not give up." Alec grumbled, sliding down just under the window pane that separated the room from the hallway.

Juleka didn't dare look back, instead finding the nearest, darkest corner to huddle up in. "Do we have any plan other than run and hope for the best?"

"It's a giant eye, guys." Marinette huffed, trying and failing to sound even a little bit put together. "We just gotta… Find a way to blind it."

Juleka pointed to Alec's gun hanging loosely from his hand. "Can't you just unload into it?"

Alec scoffed, "Sure, let me stand right in its spotlight and fire into the part where the death laser comes out of. That's a great idea."

Strangely enough, there was no snarky comment from Gabriel encouraging Alec to-

Oh.

"Wait a sec, where's Hawky?" Marinette shot to her feet, feeling her heart rate jolt at the realization.

Juleka shrugged like she was bewildered by Marinette even asking such a dumb question. "We must have got separated in the blast."

"Can't worry about him at the moment." Alec added on, gesturing to the obvious threat outside the window.

Marinette shook her head, smacking her hand against her chest hoping to quell this irrational fear still rising in her heart. She shouldn't worry. What did she care if he was out there alone? He was probably trying to find the best way to abandon them. She'd only be lucky if he got himself hurt, or lost, or killed. One less headache to deal with.

But if he was alive and well, she could tolerate that.

It was the uncertainty. That was it. She could never be comfortable when she didn't know what terrible, backstabbing scheme Gabriel Agreste was getting up to.

Marinette redirected her efforts into coming up with a plan. The creature didn't seem to use its arms at all, in fact they hung by its side like limp, useless noodles. So, if they just blocked that eye, they'd be golden, right? "You know if there's any tarps or something around here?"

Juleka gave her the meanest side-eye. "You can't be serious."

Marinette held her hands up defensively. "What else can we cover the spotlight with?"

Alec shook his head, "We don't need to beat it, just avoid it."

"How's that worked out for us so far?" Juleka shot him down.

Marinette found herself sliding down the wall, deep in thought. Come on, she repeated herself, you were Ladybug, you can figure this out. She tapped the flashlight against her forehead, something about the metallic jingle of the components inside calming her racing thoughts and tugging on a nugget of inspiration. She had it. She knew she had something, a solution in her subconscious - she just needed to find it.

She hit the flashlight with harder taps as her frustration grew, literally and metaphorically trying to beat some sense into herself. The sound overpowered the chatter of Alec and Juleka, pushed away the thundering of her heartbeat, and muted the advance of the Optidrone.

She had the solution.

She practically had it in her hand.

She had it... In her...

Mid-blow her hand froze, allowing her eyes to fall upon the flashlight she was using as an idea bludgeoning tool.

That's it! All they needed was some light.

"Hey, Alec." Marinette piped up, her suddenly energized voice making the other two jump. "The staging area is on the floor below us, right?"

Alec scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, why?"

"Think we can get the flood lights working?" She asked innocently, twirling her flashlight around like an old school cowboy flourishing with their weapon. "Because I think what the Optidrone needs is a taste of his own medicine."

Alec scratched his chin thoughtfully, trading glances with Juleka before shrugging. "Worth a shot."

Just as they were about to get up, Juleka leaned in closer to Marinette, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Hey, where'd you find that flashlight?"

Marinette froze, looking down at the very item that just inspired her plan. Hadn't she always had this? "You guys didn't give it to me?"

There was only silence and shrugs in response, only leaving Marinette more confused as she stuffed the flashlight in her pocket.

"Huh, I must have just picked it up." She murmured.

In the dim lighting, nobody was able to pick up the distinguishing feature of the flashlight. Namely, the colour.

The flashlight was red, and spotted.

Alec positioned himself by the door, peering out to the Optidrone's back. "How are we gonna get down to the next floor anyway?"

Marinette gave out a mad grin that didn't sit right with either party. "Easy, we take the express route."

A minute later, a desperate, delusional Marinette, blinded by adrenaline and a new surge of confidence threw herself into the Optidrone's path. With no shame, she spun around, bent herself over and shook her butt at the creature, cackling like a gremlin and blowing raspberries. "Come and get us, Asshole!"

Incensed by the ruthless mooning, the Optidrone shot off in her direction, shattering anything in it's way like a wrecking ball until it had her cornered in the office. Marinette was left crouched down in the centre, defenceless against its killer stare and, like Alec before, just hopelessly waiting for the end to come.

However, the moment the beam reached its peak charge, that split second before the sentimonster unleashed oblivion on that cheeky little girl; Alec came barrelling in to grab and yank her out of the way. With no fleshy targe to get in the way, the full, pure blast of the beam instead hit the floor, tearing through two stories worth of structure like it was cutting through butter.

As the dust settled and the tremors subsided, the ground beneath them seemed to groan and shift. The gaping hole where the blast had torn through the floor sent a rush of air and debris, and before Marinette or Alec could process what was happening, the entire section of the floor gave way with a deafening crack.

"Crap, crap, crap, cra-" Marinette had barely enough time to gasp before the floor beneath them collapsed entirely. "Craaaaaaaap!"

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Marinette could feel the shock of the drop, the weightlessness that came before the inevitable impact. Alec's grip tightened around her as they plummeted down through the collapsing structure, the sudden descent sending them tumbling through a cascade of broken walls and jagged edges.

Then, with an unsettling thud, they hit the floor below.

Alec groaned beside her, his hand still clutching her arm to steady himself. "You okay, Mari?"

For a moment, Marinette just lay there, winded and dazed, her head spinning. The impact had knocked the wind from her lungs, and she struggled to push herself upright. Dust and debris from the destroyed floor settled around them like a blanket, and the air smelled of burnt wood and something metallic.

Fighting a cough, Marinette slurred out a response. "I've become… An expert… At falling down recently."

Marinette pushed herself up to her knees, wincing as she checked her surroundings. It had worked—just as she'd hoped, they had fallen to the next floor. But the landing... Not exactly as smooth as she imagined.

There was a pang of nostalgia as she took in the show floor, a room where she'd been many times as Ladybug with Chat by her side to repeatedly reject Paris' millions of shipping questions. It was funny to think back to how strongly she rejected the idea of anything going on between her and Chat Noir back then, knowing now that, for at least the end of it, she was rejecting Chat Noir just to go back home and shower 'Chat Noir' in kisses.

Of course, with the humour came that hollow feeling of a time she could no loner have. No matter where Adrien ended up in this new world, it was undeniable now that he knew everything she'd done, and perhaps speculated on even worse things. And Alec had only given her a taste of what he was forced to face alone and unprepared because of her lies, that he'd been made a scapegoat of her crimes against Paris.

If- When she found him, when she faced him and what she'd done to him, what would be left of them? Was it foolish, or even selfish, or imagine a vain hope that she could one day be allowed to wrap her arms around him again? Was it greedy to think that she could maybe get him to look at her again with anything more than pain and hate?

She could survive being rejected by Adrien. She could survive seeing someone else with Adrien. She could survive him never having anything to do with her again. But she didn't know if she could survive him hating her.

The thrum of energy backed by the debris shaking and giving way to the Optidrone's body underneath knocked Marinette back into the moment – she needed to focus.

"Alec," She huffed as she shakily got to her feet. "Think you can get the spotlight while we play chicken with the eyeball demon?"

The three stumbled away from their crash light and further into the studio, eyes raking over the selection of equipment and furniture that had been abandoned, rusted or smashed to pieces. Alex just needed to find one working light and give it enough juice to hurt, even if he had to turn off the only light source they had to do it.

"Just be careful, girls." Alec's voice was struggling to say it, stumbling over to Juleka with a sudden tenderness, as if his mind had just caught up with the severity of the situation. He shoved his gun into Juleka's hands, tightly folding her fingers over it. "Juleka, take this, okay? I don't need your dad shoving his guitar up my ass."

Juleka blinked down at the gun now in her hands, her mouth opening as if to protest, but Alec cut her off with a grim expression. "No arguments. Just in case."

Marinette staggered upright, brushing some debris off her suit. "You've got this, Alec. Just make it work before this thing decides it's done playing with us."

Alec gave a terse nod, already darting toward a cluster of rusted equipment. Marinette turned her attention to Juleka, who was still staring down at the weapon like it might explode in her hands.

"Hey," Marinette said softly, placing a steadying hand on Juleka's shoulder. "We've got this. He's just being dramatic."

Juleka snorted, her nerves easing just a fraction. "Says the girl who just tried to fight an Optidrone with her butt."

Marinette grinned despite herself, the tension between them loosening. "It worked, didn't it?"

The building gave another violent shake, the telltale hum of the Optidrone's energy beam building below them. Whatever Alec was going to do, it needed to happen fast.

"We need to buy him some time," Marinette said, already scanning the room for anything they could use to distract or slow the creature. Her eyes landed on a stack of old stage props in the corner: weathered chairs, dusty banners, and a few cracked but still reflective glass panels.

"Juleka, help me with these!" Marinette motioned to the props, and together they began dragging and stacking them into a haphazard barricade near the door. It wasn't much, but it might give Alec the precious seconds he needed.

A loud crash echoed through the building. The Optidrone's spotlight cut through the cracks in the walls, sweeping dangerously close to their position.

"Time's up!" Alec's voice rang out, frantic but determined. "I've got the light rigged, but I need someone to draw it out into the open!"

Marinette exchanged a quick glance with Juleka before stepping forward. "I'll do it."

Juleka grabbed her wrist, her grip firm. "You don't have to do this alone."

Marinette gave her a grateful smile, but there was a steeliness in her gaze. "I've got this. Trust me."

With that, she darted out of their cover and into the open, waving her arms like a madwoman. "Hey, Cyclops! Over here!"

The Optidrone whirled toward her, its massive eye narrowing as it charged its beam. Marinette didn't wait for it to fire. She took off running, weaving through the debris and drawing the creature closer to Alec's position.

She was doing good until something snapped against her ankle and sent floundering into the floor.

"Oh, come on, what did I even trip on!?" she shouted, body dropping just as the beam fired inches from her heels. "All that effort just to get wasted by a loose wire."

Fortunately for her, Optidrome wasn't given time to capitalize on her situation.

"Optidrome, it's your turn for the spot light!" With a triumphant yell, Alec flipped the switch, flooding the room with an intense, blinding light. The Optidrone recoiled, its massive eye twisting and sparking as it struggled to recalibrate. "Jules, unload on that freak!"

Juleka raised Alec's gun, aiming for the damaged eye. "Marinette, get clear!"

Marinette rolled behind a fallen beam, just as Juleka squeezed the trigger. The shot rang out, striking true and shattering the Optidrone's eye in a burst of sparks and shrapnel.

The creature let out a distorted, metallic screech before collapsing in a heap of tangled wires and metal. The room fell eerily silent, save for the sound of the group's labored breathing.

Marinette pushed herself to her feet, brushing off the dust and shooting Juleka and Alec a relieved grin. "Teamwork makes the dream work, right?"

Alec chuckled, though it was tinged with exhaustion. "Yeah, well, next time let's dream about something less deadly."

Juleka lowered the gun, her hands trembling slightly. "It's over, right?"

Optidrone's beam erupted from the floor, shattering the air around it with a violent, intense burst. It was an unsteady stream of unstable power, instead of a straight blast, it was more like a blinding geyser erupting from the ground.

Juleka stumbled back from the force of the blast, knocked to the ground with her gun sent spiralling out of reach. Before Alec could react, the sentimonster's body rose up with such force that the momentum turned it's limp arms into whips, spinning around and cracking Alec across the jaw and smacking him to the ground.

"How is it still going?!" Marinette cried out, forced to throw her arms over her eyes just to shield herself from the burning light that spluttered out of the creature's damaged gaze.

She couldn't see where she was going, she couldn't see what it was doing, all she could do was back away and hope to hell she stumbled into some cover before the Optidrone rounded on her once more.

Her back hit the edge of a broken table, and she ducked behind it instinctively, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. She heard Juleka scrambling nearby, coughing from the dust and debris.

But the Optidrone gave her no time to gather her bearings as, within seconds, her feeble cover was shattered and swallowed by a golden back. Her knees bucked under the force of the impact, launching her into the wall with a sickening crack she didn't even want to speculate on the source on. She had pissed off the sentimonster for the last time, and it was determined to finish her off before she could pull another trick out of her hat.

She could feel blood rushing down the back of her neck, though she didn't know from which wound it came from. With it, her energy was slowly drained as well, her hands refusing to respond to any attempt to get them to move. In her heart, she knew that there was nothing left for her to do. If she ran, she wouldn't be fast enough. If she tried to fight, she wouldn't be strong enough. She had her golden opportunity to take the creature down, and she'd squandered it.

The best she could do was shut her eyes, grit her teeth and hope for a miracle.

"Well, isn't this a sorry sight?"

To her, hearing Gabriel's voice was akin to hearing a doctor yell 'CLEAR' before they deliver a shock to restart your heart. Just one word delivered in that snivelling, condescending tone of unearned superiority was enough to send a jolt of energy through her body that cleared away all the drowsiness. She had been drowning under the waves only to break through the surface on spite alone.

All to find that bony little bastard standing above them all, standing all casual and smug on the edge of a hole the Optidrone's blast had made in the ceiling. He peered down at them with one hand over his eyebrows, pretending to shield his gaze from the glare of the sun as he tried to look up some simple curiosities that tickled his fancy.

They were getting slaughtered down here, and she may or may not have been worrying about his safety, and he has the gall to show up treating this like he was arriving fashionably late to a party?!

The only fortune he brought was that he'd managed to capture Optidrone's attention while Marinette's eyes were closed, the monster hovering back and forth at an unsteady pace as it craned it's neck to meet his gaze. Of course, Gabriel must have been lacking a brain cell or two, probably knocked out his remaining wits in the original attack, because the dumb ass was quite happy to stand there staring into the death-ray-producing-eyeball as Optidrone started to charge.

Against her better judgement, Marinette fruitlessly screamed at a man who'd clearly lost his mind. "Hawky, get the hell out of the way, it's gonna kill you!"

"Shut it, Bug." His lips curled in a snarl, like he was looking down at a particularly annoying audience member who was interrupting his show. "It's my time for some overdue screen time."

It was then, in time with a dramatic snap of Gabriel's fingers, that Marinette heard a familiar, shrill screech tear across the room. Before she could even stop to ponder it, the answer became crystal clear as a wall of crackling white energy erupted from over Gabriel's shoulder. It passed over him harmlessly, the man barely even registering it outside of a blink, before the wall narrowing into a fine point and shot down the hole, hitting the Optidrone dead on the eye.

That… That couldn't be…

The Optidrone howled in a surge of confusion, smoke and electricity exploding out of it's back in lashed of bright, painful light. It's form whipped around the room with no direction, no purpose, reduced to just a machine losing control as it blew every fuse and crumbled from within.

"Now, while the enemy mewls for mercy like the worthless slug it is!" But Gabriel wasn't ready to let up, striking the air with his hands in a dynamic pose, throwing back an imaginary cape and stepping aside as he closed both fists to point his thumb down at his enemy. And his voice, booming at the deepest, vile octave that would create echoes no matter the scenery – it was Hawkmoth's voice. "Finish it, Chaplin!"

He dove forward, dropping his body down the hole. And a split second later, Marinette's confirmation came – The Sentisentry came racing down after him.

'Chaplin's' weight naturally had him shooting past Gabriel at twice the speed, allowing him to grab hold of one of it's many spikes and pull himself atop it, all before he ended on a crash course with the Optidrone. Suffice to say, the confused, damaged and panicking sentimonster had no defence against the giant lizard monster slamming into it at full speed.

In a matter of seconds, the Optidrone was slammed into the floor with the full weight of Chaplin and Gabriel. Its screeches turned to pitiful, crackling whimpers as Chaplin's jaw unhinged, its razor-sharp teeth tearing through the Optidrone's core.

One final, deafening crunch echoed through the room as Chaplin devoured the Optidrone's head. The sparks stopped. The wailing ceased. The room was eerily, blissfully silent.

Gabriel slid off Chaplin's back, looking all too pleased with himself and, the moment he touched the ground, launched into a series of dramatic bows to the annoyed groans of his 'audience'.

"You know, sentimonsters are born from emotion." He chuckled, bringing his hand up to examine his nails. "So, I figured, something that disrupts emotions could disable a sentimonster."

Chaplin, after having fully swallowed his prize, came bounding up behind Gabriel. The creature that had, not long ago, relentlessly hunted them in the depths of the Agreste mansion was not sitting by Gabriel's leg, panting like a dog waiting for a treat.

Gabriel rolled his eyes at the creature, shoving Chaplin's snout away from him. "Oh, don't look so proud of yourself. They already did most of the work."

Alec gaped at the sentimonster looming behind Gabriel, his voice teetering between disbelief and horror. "Is that… Is that a sentisentry!?"

Gabriel, ever the picture of smugness, began idly stroking Chaplin's massive, scarred head. The sentimonster let out a low, rumbling sound that could almost be mistaken for a purr if it wasn't so guttural. "Yes, it turns out the little bugger can be quite agreeable after you've stabbed him with his own tail." He smirked, glancing around at the group's horrified expressions.

While the sight was undeniably unsettling, Marinette couldn't help but feel a small wave of relief wash over her. For all his many faults, Gabriel hadn't abandoned them. He must have used the portal gun to return to the mansion, retrieved Chaplin, and somehow managed to find them again. It was almost enough to make her grateful—almost.

Juleka pointed accusingly at the monstrous lizard-thing that now seemed disturbingly docile, despite its earlier rampage. "How did it get here?!"

It was also apparent to Marinette that this was going to be hard as hell to explain without revealing the existence of the portal gun.

Before Gabriel could open his mouth—probably to deliver some condescending, revealing remark—Marinette quickly stumbled toward him with an awkward laugh. "I-It must have followed us from the mansion!" she blurted, all but throwing herself into Gabriel's side as she reached into his back pocket. Her fingers brushed against the portal gun, and she swiped it in one swift motion before he could react. "Thing has the nose of a bloodhound!" She crouched down in front of Chaplin, grimacing as his slimy tongue lashed out to lick her cheek. "Don't you, boy?"

Alec and Juleka both gave her odd looks, but after a day like this, it seemed neither of them had the energy to question it. Instead, they nodded along, albeit warily. Marinette shot a glare over her shoulder at Gabriel, daring him to say anything. Thankfully, for once in his life, he kept his mouth shut.

Marinette turned her attention back to Chaplin, patting his snout with forced enthusiasm. Despite the creature's grotesque appearance and sheer size, there was something almost endearing about him. He was kind of like a giant puppy... A giant puppy that had been ran over. And stabbed. And had no fur. And could eat her. But it was still kind of a puppy. "Aww, aren't you the cutest ugly thing I've ever seen."

Alec crossed his arms, his skepticism still apparent. "Why 'Chaplin'?"

Gabriel waved a hand dismissively. "It's a fine name," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Anyway, it was something Harry was planning to call a dog before he found out he was allergic."

"Guess this is the part where I have to thank you guys for the save," Alec muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Marinette smiled tiredly. "Hey, we're all in this together here."

Gabriel, of course, couldn't resist adding, "Unfortunately. But as long as you don't shoot us, I suppose I can be satisfied without the praise I so richly deserved."

Alec threw his hands up. "This fucking guy…"

"Let's just get out of here," Juleka grumbled, already heading for the exit. "The truck's not going to drive itself."

It took a while to find their way, but they managed to navigate around the new holes in the building and retrace their steps back to stairwell. Gabriel peered through the doorway, wrinkling his nose as the prospect of another 30 floors down dawned upon him. "Dare we chance the elevator?"

Juleka gave him a flat look. "I don't exactly see us carrying all this down the stairs."

Gabriel shrugged and turned to Chaplin. "Well, then. Chaplin, take the stairs. We can't exactly fit you in the elevator."

The sentimonster let out a happy chirp and bounded off down the stairwell, the ground shaking with each of its thunderous steps. The rest of the group squeezed into the elevator, their arms loaded with equipment and CDs. Marinette hit the button for the ground floor, and the elevator groaned to life.

"And voila! We have lift-off," Gabriel announced with an exaggerated flourish.

Alec leaned against the wall, shaking his head. "Bert's gonna be disappointed you got out unscathed."

Gabriel smirked. "He's going to be terrified if Chaplin reaches the ground before us."

---

The elevator rattled slightly as it descended, but Gabriel was too preoccupied basking in his own glory to pay it much mind. He adjusted his tie with a self-satisfied smirk, feeling like the king of this little band of misfits. A battle won, a sentimonster tamed, and my enemies dazzled by my brilliance. Who said I couldn't multitask?

As the elevator dinged and the doors creaked open, he stepped out with all the poise and pomp of someone descending a grand staircase to applause. What greeted him, however, was not applause but Bertrum, lounging behind the reception desk with his feet propped up and a pair of headphones firmly planted over his ears, utterly unaware of the chaos that had just unfolded.

The audacity of it all made Gabriel's lip curl in disdain, but he was not about to let this opportunity for some mischief pass him by. Before anyone else could stop him, he surged forward with villainous glee and slammed his hand down on the desk with enough force to make a lesser man leap out of his skin. "Berty, you old bean; how has sitting on your ass been?"

Bertrum jolted upright with a strangled noise, his chair nearly toppling over as he ripped off his headphones. His eyes darted around frantically before landing on Gabriel, who was grinning like a cat that had caught the canary. "What the hell?!"

Gabriel's smirk widened as he clasped his hands behind his back, rocking on his heels. "Oh, you know me, Berty. Just thought I'd check on the stalwart guardian of the entrance while we risked life and limb upstairs."

Bertrum scowled but didn't shoot back with his usual sharp retort. Instead, he shifted in his chair, his shoulders stiff and his gaze flickering briefly to the others as they shuffled out of the elevator behind Gabriel. "You're… already done?"

That's when Gabriel noticed it—that faint ripple of tension in the air. Something prickled in the back of his mind, a mental note that something was off. Bertrum wasn't annoyed or surprised by the scare; he was nervous. It wasn't just the typical distain for Gabriel, it was restrained panic. As if something had gone wrong.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes, his amusement waning. "Yes, we're done. Why? Did you think we'd take longer?"

Bertrum's response came a beat too late, his grin too forced. "Nah, just surprised you didn't all get eaten by one of those sentis you're always whining about."

He's lying. Gabriel's gut told him so before his mind could even process the specifics.

"Yep, we ran into an Optidrone, but we took care of it." Alec laughed up a storm, taking Bertum by the shoulders and pumping his fist into the air. "Guess Marinette's ladybug luck is still helping us after all."

Bertrum chuckled along, but Gabriel couldn't hear any humour in it. "I didn't expect you back so soon…"

Alec slapped the man on the back. "I know, we're gonna get an early start on the journey back."

Marinette seemed to be the only one to notice Gabriel's suddenly focused gaze, just like she was the only one to realize his distraction before, peering up at him with a half-raised brow. "Uh, Hawky?"

"He's nervous." Gabriel stated simply.

"Who?"

"Bertrum." He nodded, "He's been nervous since we got here."

He could feel Marinette's scepticism rising, so he gave her the privilege of his full attention, leaning down towards her and speaking in a lower tone. "I can feel it. It's nothing like he was back at the base or when he left us earlier."

Marinette scoffed, "Of course he's nervous, he was in a creepy old building alone."

Gabriel sighed, he couldn't exactly prove her wrong, but that didn't stop that sensation from ringing in his mind. "I know, it's just I can't help but-"

His gaze snapped to the tower entrance.

"Hawky?"

Because several more sensations just made themselves known.

"It's an ambush, get down!"

Before Gabriel's warning could fully register, the front entrance exploded in a deafening roar, the shockwave ripping through the lobby and sending the group scrambling for cover. Chunks of debris rained down as a cloud of dust engulfed the room, blinding everyone for a moment.

"What's up, Losers? XY is in the house!"

The voice cut through the chaos like nails on a chalkboard, oozing unwarranted confidence. As the dust began to settle, Marinette peeked out from behind the overturned reception desk and spotted him: XY, Roth's bratty, immature son, standing in the gaping hole that had once been the front door.

The man-child was dressed in garish attire—complete with a neon jacket, spiked sneakers, and sunglasses far too large for his face. He held a microphone in one hand, striking a ridiculous pose like he was headlining a concert instead of leading an attack. Behind him, a motley mix of normal men armed with scavenged weapons and towering senti-knights marched in, their footsteps echoing ominously through the destroyed lobby.

Peering around cover, Gabriel spotted Marinette eyeing Alec's fallen gun which was now tantalizingly close to her. She shuffled forward, trying to make one desperate swipe for it-

Only to immediately snatch her hand back mere seconds before an acid blast splattered inches from where her hand was and melted the gun into scrap metal.

"Ah ah ah, Bug." Meltdown's muffled voice chided as he emerged from the crowd of misfit minions, his hand freshly smoking. "No last minute saves this time."

Marinette scrambled back, gritting her teeth. "Was it too much to hope that you blew yourself up?"

Meltdown pulled his burning hand up to his mask, drawing his fingers across his chin. "Oh, I needed a lie down after that little mishap." He mimicked wiping off a tear drop before turning his gesture into a finger gun, pure bile and spite breaking through his voice. "But now I'm back, and this time nothing's gonna stop me from turning you to slag."

And to ensure that this reunion was complete, Gabriel could instantly pick out two familiar sentti-knights marching to the front of the line up, their faceless plates trained on him and Marinette.

"I know that they don't have faces," Gabriel hissed, "But 95 and 96 look pissed."

XY snapped his fingers, gesturing for someone to come forward and place a box down for him to crouch jump onto as a makeshift stage. "Hey! Hey!" He cried into his mic, a sound box from somewhere or another repeating his voice in a distorted echo. "Listen up, Lame-o's! The kings of Paris are talkin' here."

Alec could barely speak, every word breathless and rushed. "I don't get it, why are you here? This place is useless to you."

"'Cus you're here? Duh." XY scoffed, one hand idly curling his hair upwards. "Guess I can't expect much brains from a dude who wore such an ugly wig."

"But… But how could you have possibly-"

"Bertrum's the rat." Gabriel spat loud and clear, "Aren't you, Berty? That's why you sent us up ahead, why you were hoping we'd take longer, why you've been so nervous."

While avoiding all eye contact, Bertrum had no choice but to rise to his feet and shuffle his way over to XY's side. Juleka couldn't contain her shock, while Alex couldn't decide between despair and bloodlust in the face of it.

"Bingo, Bongo, Boingo!" XY sung into his mic so high pitched that everyone had to instinctively over their ears, even the senti-knights who didn't have ears. "Heh, we thought sludge-for-brains was just going wacko on us."

Meltdown side-eyed XY, but didn't voice his offense, letting XY continue. "Then Butt-Dude came running on over to my dad's digs and with all the hot gossip." XY froze, eyes wide and pupils drooping as he drew out his harsh accent. "And we were like 'whoa'."

"And is the great Roth not going to grace us with his presence?" Gabriel growled. "Was there no car big enough to drag his immense figure down here?"

The sudden crackle of white noise playing over XY's soundbox cut through the tense air, silencing the group. Slowly, the distortion morphed into a booming, grating laugh, the kind only a man with delusions of grandeur could muster, before descending into a hacking cough.

"Gabriel," came a voice, deep and dripping with smugness, "you were always a kidder."

The scavengers and senti-knights parted like the Red Sea, making way for a senti-knight hauling a screen. It marched to the center of the room, placing the device beside XY. The screen flickered to life, displaying the unmistakable, grotesquely grinning face of Bob Roth, seated in what looked like a garish office chair, half reclined.

There was a long pause as everyone waited for him to speak again. Roth blinked once, twice, then groaned loudly, slamming his fist on the desk. "Why am I upside down?"

The senti-knights immediately began fumbling with the screen. 96 grabbed it first, muttering under his breath. "Hang on, hang on, I got it."

"No, you don't," 95 snapped, yanking it out of 96's grasp. "Give it here, you're making it worse."

"I can do it!" 96 whined, wrestling the screen back. In their squabble, the screen flipped, the image now upside-down and mirrored.

"You're ruining this," 95 growled, snatching it back and flipping it again, now pointing the camera toward 96's crotch.

"And now I'm staring at your crotch!" Roth bellowed, his voice booming through the lobby as he slammed his fist down again. "This is what I get for hiring non-humans who are technically only a few months old."

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose as the slapstick comedy unfolded in front of him. Marinette and Juleka exchanged incredulous glances while Alec muttered, "This is the great Bob Roth empire?"

After another minute of fumbling, the screen was eventually stabilized—balanced precariously on top of 96's head, with 95 holding him up by the legs like a circus act.

"There! Stop there," Roth barked, his face finally upright and properly framed. "Don't move, you fucking sentifreak pieces of junk."

Gabriel couldn't hold back his derision any longer. "If this is the best the Bob Roth Empire has to offer, I'm starting to think we've been overthinking this situation."

Roth leaned back in his chair, spreading his arms wide. "Heh heh heh. You know, I still can't believe my eyes. Gabriel Agreste, the great Hawkmoth, at my feet and on his knees." His grin turned cruel as he added, "I imagine your wife was in this position a lot."

And just like that, Gabriel knew that this man had to die.

He stepped forward, his voice dropping to a deadly calm. "A devil like yourself should avoid wetting your vile lips with the names of angels. It's terrible luck."

"Emilie Agreste?" Roth laughed, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand. "Angel? Ha! Take it from someone in her industry, Bud. She was no saint."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed dangerously, but Roth waved him off. "But we're not here to talk about the past! We're here to talk about all of your futures with me."

He gestured dramatically toward the group. "See, Mad Moth always knew little Marinette here was running around somewhere. But you?" He squinted, as though inspecting Gabriel for cracks in his armor. "My man, how are you still kicking? You're supposed to be six feet under."

Marinette, never one to let Roth have the last word, crossed her arms. "He has an age-defying skincare routine."

"Pardon my manners!" Roth exclaimed with mock sincerity, pivoting his attention toward her. "I can't ignore the crown jewel of Paris. Ladybug, how've you been? You like what I've done with my chunk of Paris? It's some impressive stuff, isn't it?"

Marinette didn't miss a beat. "It looks almost as ugly as you do, Roth."

Roth's grin faltered for a split second, but he recovered quickly. "You know, I'm feeling like we're falling back on a lot of cracks about my physical appearance. And that's just rude."

"Sorry," Marinette said sweetly. "I just get a little grumpy when I have a gun to my head."

"Yeah, funny that." Roth's tone darkened, and his grin twisted into something crueler. "Strip you of that super suit, put you back down on our level, and suddenly you're not so impressive anymore. You're just a stupid, loathsome little shit, ain't ya?"

Marinette's fists clenched, but Gabriel stepped in before she could retort. "That's the thing about people like you, Roth," he said coolly, his words like a blade hidden in silk. "You're too petty to see the difference between power and strength. Power can be stripped away. Strength, however…"

He took a deliberate step forward, his shadow looming over the screen. "Strength is what leaves people like you quaking in their seats when you know you're about to lose it all."

Roth shook his head with a dry chuckle, the sound of a man who believed he'd already won. "You think you're so much better than everyone else, don't you, Gabriel?" He gestured lazily toward his goons, and without hesitation, they surged forward.

Gabriel felt a hand clamp around the back of his neck and slam him hard into the ground, his head spinning as the cold floor bit into his cheek. He gritted his teeth, refusing to give Roth the satisfaction of seeing him wince. Beside him, Juleka was dragged to her feet by a senti-knight, her boots scraping against the floor as she fought the creature's hold. Alec and Marinette were cornered, scavengers' firearms raised inches from their heads.

Roth leaned back in his chair, his grin widening. "But you're not. You're just as slimy and ruthless as me. The only difference is you've had the power to pretend you're above it all."

Alec, to his credit, didn't flinch under the barrel of a gun. He glared up at the screen with a fire in his eyes that even the apocalypse hadn't extinguished. "Nobody's as rotten as you, Roth."

"Not a smart thing to say to your boss, Alec," Roth sneered, his tone almost playful. "I give you a future, I give you security, I give you a starring role in my greatest show. And this is how you repay me? By going behind my back and trashing me?"

Alec snapped, his voice seething with anger. "I should've spat in your face the first time you asked me to do your dirty work. But right now? I'll settle for flipping you off."

"You know I could kill you for that," Roth said, his grin sharpening into something predatory.

Alec squared his shoulders, even with the barrel of a gun pressed into his temple. "Go ahead. I'd rather die than spend another second helping you."

For a moment, Roth didn't say anything, his face unreadable. Then, he shifted his attention to Juleka, who struggled against the knight holding her. "And what about Jagged Stone's little one-night mishap over here?" Roth asked, his voice dripping with mockery.

Gabriel snarled, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Threats are pointless when we all know you're going to kill us no matter what."

"See, that's the kind of attitude I like!" Meltdown's distorted, delighted voice broke through, his burning hands flexing eagerly. "No games, no speeches. Just skip to the good part where I melt the lot of you into slag."

"Meltdown!" XY yelped, his voice cracking as he waved his hands frantically. "Cool it, dude! You're embarrassing us in front of my dad."

Meltdown ignored him entirely, his mask tilting toward Roth. "Come on, Roth. You said I could melt them."

"I said you could melt someone," Roth corrected, rubbing his temple in exasperation. "I don't care about my former host or the girl. But Mad Moth's gonna want her Ladybug property back. And Hawkmoth? Oh, I'll bet she'll be pleased as punch to add him to her collection."

Gabriel couldn't suppress the sneer that curled his lips. "A devil dealing in scraps for bigger devils. How utterly predictable."

Roth's grin stretched wider, his jowls quivering with twisted delight as he gestured lazily toward Bertrum. "And it's all thanks to our little tattletale here."

Alec's face fell, his fury overtaking the pain from his bruised jaw. "Bert, how could you?"

Bertrum stiffened, his gaze darting nervously between Alec and the looming knights. "I had no choice, Alec." His voice trembled, and his face was a mask of desperation. "You idiots were going to get us all killed, keeping these two menaces under our roof. I had to take action."

"Action?!" Juleka's shout came sharp and venomous. "You sold us out to Roth for what? A luxury apartment and some pocket change?"

XY giggled into his microphone, his tinny voice ringing out over the chaos. "And some swanky digs at the Golden Record. Loyalty pays, baby!"

Juleka's fists clenched, her voice trembling with rage. "You sold us out for an apartment?!"

Bertrum turned on her, his desperation spilling over into anger. "Not you, just the traitors!" His voice cracked, panic edging every word. "The ones who got us here in the first place! Roth doesn't care about the resistance!"

Roth chuckled, leaning back in his chair as the senti-knights balanced his screen precariously on their heads. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. You lot give my businesses a certain...charm. Your shitholes make the Golden Record look even shinier in comparison."

Gabriel seized the moment, tilting his head toward Roth with a disarming calmness that belied his disgust. "If we're all you want, and you don't care about these two, why not let Alec and Juleka go? Surely they're not worth the trouble."

Marinette shot Gabriel a wide-eyed glance, her shock palpable. He ignored it, keeping his eyes fixed on the screen.

Roth tapped his chin theatrically. "Tempting, but no dice. I don't care about them, but I do need to send a message. Can't have the resistance thinking they can pull stunts like this and get away with it."

Bertrum's head whipped toward Roth, a flash of panic overtaking his features. "W-Wait, you were only supposed to take Ladybug and Hawkmoth! The others weren't part of the deal!"

Gabriel chuckled coldly. "Your first mistake, Bert, was expecting a tyrant to keep his word."

"I-I'm sorry!" Bertrum stammered, his voice cracking as he looked wildly between the captives and Roth's image. "This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I just wanted to make sure we didn't all go down defending traitors."

Alec's glare could have melted steel. "There's only one traitor here, Bert. I hope your king-sized bed is enough to drown out your conscience."

Roth's grin returned, more feral this time. "Yeah, about that... Meltdown."

With a snap of his fingers, Meltdown stepped forward, his frame practically shoving the scavengers and knights aside. His acid-slicked hands flexed, and the hiss of steam escaping his gloves filled the room as he advanced on Bertrum, cornering him by the elevator.

Bertrum's back hit the wall, his legs buckling as he fell to his knees. "W-Wait! What are you doing?! We had a deal!"

Roth's laugh crackled through the speakers. "See, Bert, the thing is… Maybe recruiting a traitor wasn't such a smart move after all. If you're willing to betray your friends and family, why would I trust you to be loyal to me?"

"No! Please!" Bertrum wailed, his hands clasped together as he begged. "I'll do anything! Please!"

Meltdown chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating through the room as a stream of acid hissed to life in his palm. "Oh, you'll do something, all right."

Acid shot out of Meltdown's palm in one consistent stream, dowsing the poor man in liquid fire that seeped into his flesh in one loud hiss. In an instant, his skin was reduced to a bubbling, boiling sludge that melted off of him to reveal the raw muscles underneath. It was only when bone started to show that his body allowed him to scream, which only lasted for a short while before devolving into bloody gurgles. His throat collapsed, his jaw broke away away and his head sunk down to become one with his chest.

Gabriel couldn't look away, his mind racing with the horrifying realization of how close he'd come to meeting the same fate. His semi-empathic abilities could still feel the terror radiating from Bertrum even as the man's form crumbled into unrecognizable sludge, every last terrified thought and painful sensation beamed right into Gabriel's senses, it was enough to leave him dizzy and bordering on unconscious.

The only thing that kept him awake was the thought of how quickly Juleka and Alec would follow if he didn't act.

"I-I'm gonna be sick…" He heard Marinette whimper.

"God, the guy was a piece of shit, but…" Gabriel grimaced, "He didn't deserve that."

"B-Brother…" 96 murmured to 95, a tremble to his voice. "What did they just do to that human?"

"Recycled him, probably." 95 tried to look at anything else but the remains. "Hey, don't worry, that'll never happen to us. Besides, it probably wasn't as bad as it looks."

96 nodded fiercely. "Oh, I get it. He'll put himself back together in a minute."

The scavenger holding Gabriel down yanked him up to his feet, making sure to be as rough as possible as they threw Gabriel around between them. They had no hesitation in forcing him to walk through what remained of Bertrum just to add an extra layer of disrespect.

Gabriel only focused on one thing, one tiny opening that he could cling to as hope. He glanced towards the stairwell where the door stood ajar ever so slightly, where the darkness had descended just enough to cover all but the glimmer of multiple eyes watching him from the shadows.

The biggest advantage of his empathic abilities is that it allowed him to communicate with a sentimonster like Chaplin through his emotions alone, projecting a weary aura towards his companion, hoping the creature would take it as a command to not jump in just yet. There was only one chance to do this, and he needed Marinette to be ready to roll.

Roth cackled over Bertrum's corpse; his eyes pressed up close to the screen until the very end. Eventually, he sunk back into his chair, wearing a tired expression and fighting back a yawn. "Alright, finish off the other two and bring in my two VIPs."

Meltdown laughed, "With pleasure."

Alec lunged forward as the senti-knight pinned Juleka to the ground. "Don't you touch her!" He didn't get far before the butt of a rifle smacked him back down with a violent crack.

"Alec!" Juleka screamed, "Stop, please stop!"

Gabriel was dragged closer to the group, purposely falling limp in their hold, both to force them to carry him and to lower himself to Marinette's level as they passed.

"Bug…" He whispered, barely audible to anyone but her. "You still have the portal gun, right?"

She could barely bring herself to look up at him, her voice shaken. "Y-Yeah…"

He started to lose his voice, a painful blur throbbing at the edge of his vision, numbing the rest of his senses. "When I give the signal… Take the others and go…"

"What are you-"

"Chaplin!"

The sound of thundering footsteps filled the stairwell, growing louder and louder until Chaplin exploded through the door with a bone-shaking roar. The sentimonster slammed into the nearest scavenger, sending the man flying into a pile of crates, before whirling on the senti-knights restraining Alec and Juleka.

The room erupted into chaos. Gabriel was thrown to the floor in the confusion, scavengers scrambling for cover or firing wildly at the rampaging Chaplin. Juleka rolled to avoid being crushed as Chaplin swiped at her captor, tossing the knight like a toy.

"What the fuck is that!?" XY cried out, scrambling away from the chaos.

Roth's voice roared, "I don't care what it is. Shoot it!"

"Go! Go!" Gabriel barked, locking eyes with Marinette.

Gabriel's command had spurred Marinette into action, her trembling legs finding strength as she grabbed Alec by the arm and hauled him toward the sentimonster.

"Come on!" she yelled, adrenaline driving her as Alec stumbled beside her, clutching his head where the rifle butt had hit him. They reached Chaplin just as he swung his massive tail, sending another knight crashing into a wall. Marinette grabbed one of Chaplin's spikes, pulling herself onto his back.

"Get up here!" she screamed to Alec.

Alec, still dazed, hesitated for a moment before Marinette grabbed his arm and yanked him upward. "Move, Alec!" she growled, using every ounce of strength she had to get him atop Chaplin's back.

But just as Juleka reached out for Marinette's hand, a searing blast of acid hit the ground beside her, forcing her to stumble back. Marinette watched in horror as Meltdown loomed over Juleka. "You're not going anywhere," he snarled, grabbing Juleka's arm and yanking her to the ground.

"Juleka!" Marinette screamed, panic flooding her voice. She tried to reach out, but Chaplin, sensing her movement, shifted to protect her and Alec from incoming fire.

"Go!" Juleka shouted, her voice breaking as Meltdown's grip tightened around her arm. "Get Alec out of here!"

"No! I'm not leaving you!" Marinette cried, her voice cracking, but her protests were drowned out by a roar from Chaplin, who instinctively began bounding toward the exit with Marinette and Alec clinging to his back.

Gabriel, still pinned by scavengers, watched as Marinette turned back, her eyes locking onto his for one desperate, fleeting moment. He could see the agony in her expression, the conflict tearing her apart.

"Go, Bug!" he shouted, his voice weak but firm. "You can't save us both—Save yourself!"

Marinette hesitated, tears streaming down her face. "I'll come back for you!" she screamed, her voice raw and broken.

Gabriel managed a faint smirk, a shred of pride in his voice. "I know," He muttered, barely audible.

And with that, Chaplin crashed through the entrance of the building, scattering scavengers as he leaped into the open air, Marinette clutching Alec tightly. Gabriel watched as they disappeared into the night, the sound of Chaplin's thunderous steps fading into the distance.

But the relief was short-lived. The scavengers around him turned their attention back to Gabriel, dragging him upright and slamming him against the wall. His vision blurred, the world spinning as pain and exhaustion overtook him.

The last thing he heard was Roth's mocking laughter. "Looks like the big bad moth got clipped."

And then, darkness.

When Gabriel opened his eyes, he wasn't in the shattered remains of the TVi Tower. The air was cold and heavy, carrying the scent of damp stone and old wood. Shadows danced along the walls, cast by flickering candlelight.

He was no longer Gabriel Agreste, the fallen villain of Paris. He was younger, his body lithe and unscarred, dressed in a sharp black coat that hugged his frame. His breath hitched as he took in his surroundings—the ornate carvings on the walls, the heavy wooden doors, the oppressive silence that seemed to press down on him.

He remembered this place.

He remembered this night.

The mansion stood before him like a monolith, its towering facade illuminated by the dim light of a crescent moon. The air around him was thick with foreboding, each step toward the grand entrance feeling like a march toward an unseen abyss.

This was the night he had met Salvadore. The night his life had changed forever.

---

Next Time: Salvadore

Gabriel was about to press for more details when he noticed Colt stiffen beside him. His posture shifted; his normally cocky demeanour replaced with something more cautious. "Wait here," Colt muttered, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Try not to look too out of place. I'll talk you up to Sal."

"Sal?" Gabriel echoed, raising an eyebrow.

Colt inclined his head toward the balcony. Beyond the railings sat a small group of men engaged in casual conversation, their body language far more relaxed than that of the tightly wound crowd below.

In the centre of it all, one man made himself known. An older Asian gentleman, silver hair flowing down his back, striking a tall, foreboding figure. His crimson robes covered him entirely, disguising the shape of his body, even his limbs, so that every movement looked like a shuddering form of smoke slinking into place. Gabriel would compare the figure to that of a classical vampire – refined, yet an edge of withheld savagery – broken up by a deep, black burn mark that disfigured the left side of the man's face, leaving his left eye a blind white void.

One look at the man and you immediately knew that he was the ruler of this domain.

"That's Giorno Salvadore," Colt said quietly. "It's his roof you're standing under."