My Boss is Felix: Alternative Miraculous Ladybug Tale

Ch18: Urgency

Marinette's POV

I opened the heavy supply door in Felix's office to find a room cloaked in darkness, permeating with the smell of paper, sharpies, and sanitizing solutions. I couldn't see a thing. No wonder I barely noticed this door before - it blended into the wall and was positioned behind the 'kitchen area.'

Usually, I wouldn't dare take anything from Felix's office, but I figured he wouldn't mind if I borrowed a power charger. It didn't impact him. And besides, he said we were flesh and blood. If that was the case, then this was basically like my office and everything was mine...in a way. Plus, Lila recommenced it, and she'd been here way longer than me. So, it was fine.

As I hesitantly entered the closet, I was suddenly jerked forward as two hands dug into my shoulders and pulled me in, causing me to collide into what felt like a man's chest. The door slammed shut and my world went black, except for the sliver of yellow light filtering through the hinges. The man peeled me away and thrust me against the wall, pinning me by my arms. Panic surged as I drowned in the scent of spiced cedarwood.

Felix.

"We only have ten minutes," Felix whispered, his words ringing with urgency and his fingers moving back to my shoulders as he dug deeply into my tendons. It was painless, yet had a strange paralyzing effect causing me to feel as if I were a puppet on strings.

His breath stung the side of my ear and neck. I couldn't see him, but I could tell we were inches apart. My mind went to the worst possible interpretation. Alya was right! Everything she said about his intentions. I felt sick to my stomach as my head spun with dizziness and sparkles danced across my vision.

"Felix, please don't..." I exclaimed. Before I had a chance to finish, he shoved his ice-cold hand over my lips, a few of his fingers slipping into my mouth.

"Be silent," he said firmly. I could feel his hand trembling over my lips "The walls have ears," he said quickly, "It's worse than I thought."

I let out a muffled yelp, as his fingers tightened on my neck's sensitive pressure points. He loosened his grip to where it no longer hurt but was still very tight.

"Eight minutes left, so listen closely. When I let you go, take the stairwell down to the seventh floor. Do not get on the elevator."

I was so confused and could barely hear him due to my ear's pounding pulse. At least, he wasn't going to do what I thought he would. Now I felt foolish for thinking it and accusing him in my mind. Regardless, something bad was still going to happen - it was bad enough that Felix was frazzled. Never before had I seen him so unpolished and almost frantic.

"Don't talk to anyone. Don't look anyone in the eye. Stay at your desk unless there's an immediate threat. Do you understand?"

When he removed his hand from my lips, I took a desperate breath and asked, "What are you even talking about? You're scaring me!"

"Listen. No time to explain. Just follow the instructions I gave you and leave."

I felt so jittery that my teeth started chattering. My lord, was a bomb going to go off or something?

"Is there going to be an Akuma attack?" I asked, trying to get an idea as to what I should be expecting.

He ignored my question and continued his rapid speaking, "I forget to mention. Don't come back here until an hour has passed. If I'm still unconscious..."

"Wait, unconscious? Why are you going to be..."

"- Keep my body in the closet, and if I don't wake up by the end of the day, I'm dead. Even if I'm still breathing, my mind will already be gone."

"What? You're going to die!" I exclaimed.

"Maybe. We'll see. So, unless you want to die with me, better start running," he said in a gruff voice.

"Okay, Okay! I'm going!" I exclaimed, with the intention of transforming into Ladybug to save him from whatever threat he was referring to.

Just then, I heard a strange noise. Like wings whooshing through the air.

He cursed under his breath, "It's here. My calculations were off," he muttered.

Could it be an Akuma? No. Normal Akuma butterflies had speckles of purple magic that always glowed in the dark. But there was nothing here.

Then what on earth could it be? Unless Hawk Moth was using a Silver Akuma - but those were so rare that I wouldn't know if it would glow in the dark or not.

"Leave now!" He said, his voice a deep roar.

Before I had a chance to open the door, Felix forcibly shoved me as if pushing me out of the way of an invisible bullet. I lost balance and fell against the door. It hurt. I think I'd even hit my head. But there was no time to waste. Something was obviously here and It (whatever that was) had almost gotten me if not for Felix.

That's it. I was just going to transform into Ladybug now! Anything to keep Felix alive. Screw my secret identity (if it was even a secret anymore).

"Spots..." before I had a chance to finish my transformation words, a sharp pain suddenly pierced my skull causing me to collapse to the ground. I opened my mouth but I couldn't speak!

The light shining under the door blinded my eyes. I turned to locate Felix. What was happening?

To my horror, I saw the outline of his body laying on his side, with his hand extended towards me. From what I could tell, his eyes were closed. Had he been taken out by the Akuma? This shouldn't happen. If he really was akumatized he should be under Hawk Moth's control to steal the Miraculous. Which led to an even worse problem: if (hypothetically) Felix already knew I was Ladybug he should be trying to rip them out of my ears. Then why was he unconscious?

I needed to check on him. To see what was happening. More than anything I needed to turn into Ladybug so I could cleanse him from an Akuma.

My body felt heavy and it took all my strength to lift my arm and reach for him. All the while, I tried to speak. No words would come. I was trying over and over again, but it was like the speech center of my brain had shut down.

Just as I was about to grasp his hand, my body went limp and the dark closet was now completely black. I felt my consciousness fading.

Is this death?

There's no light. It's dark. And cold. And very, very lonely.