The Algorithm

Chapter seven - Broken Hearts and Shattered Glass

"They're taking you home?" Adrien repeated slowly, more to himself, trying to make sense of it. Marinette nodded while trying to avoid eye contact with the blonde boy. "Where is your home?" His question was innocent, but his words felt like a swift punch in the stomach. Marinette dropped her head and looked to the ground before answering.

"Akuma raised me." She mumbled just loud enough for her words to be audible. Adrien seemed taken aback by her response, but Marinette continued despite his astonishment. "They stole me away from wherever it is that I came from, erased my memories and gave me my powers." Adrien looked confused, as though he had more questions than answers, but he kept his mouth shut, not wanting to pry on what was obviously a touchy subject for her.

Marinette kept her head down and focused on the bends in the road. She could feel the gravel path underneath them and the way the tires sank as they went over potholes. The vehicle's weight shifted back and forth over the uneven terrain. She had no idea where they were, Akuma had bunkers and underground facilities all over the world, they could be in Asia for all she knew. Over the past three years Marinette had seized many of Akuma's bunkers but there were still bases and fortifications that GUARD had no record of.

Akuma had powerful allies. Crime syndicates, corrupt politicians, and arms dealers all ran deep with Akuma. They helped fund the murderous organizations' rise to power. Marinette had captured and imprisoned quite a few of Akuma's major partners as well as some minor supporters but despite her greatest efforts, she had only made a small dent in the steel armor that protected the head of the murderous syndicate.

Marinette knew of a leader, his name was unknown and she only ever heard whispers about his existence. But she knew if she could cut off the head of the beast, it would die and Akuma would fall. The loss of their kingpin would leave them vulnerable and give GUARD the perfect opportunity to strike all the bunkers they knew of.

GUARD knew about dozens of Akuma facilities but refused to lead an attack. They had little to no information on what weapons of army's may be inside the compound bunker and the resources and manpower they needed in order to subdue the facility would take months to acquire. So Marinette's missions usually consisted of collecting information on Akuma or assisting in other government projects. Working as a protective escort for valuable people and information or doing what spies do. She would go undercover, sometimes for months, trying to gain knowledge on gangs, crime rings, and Akuma until she completed her mission or was discovered as a fake, which didn't happen all that often.

Marinette soon gave up on trying to figure out their location and focused her attention on the binders around her wrists. The bulky metal was tightly wrapped around her forearms and had glowing blue lights lining the edges. She tugged at the steel, trying to loosen its grip but her attempts had little to no effect. Marinette continued to pull and tug at the metal shackles hoping it would come loose just enough to slide her hand free from the metal shackles.

She attempted to use her telekinesis to break them but suddenly the blue lights started glowing red, sending a burning sensation through her nerves. The fiery pain shot through her arms until it met her heart. Marinette cried out in pain sending Adrien into a panic. She toppled over in agony as she tried to scream, crying out in pain, but it was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. It felt as if her lungs had been filled with sand and her heart set on fire.

She could hear the two-armed men in the drivers and passenger seat snickering at her pain. Marinette gasped for air as Adrien tried to comfort her, he had scrambled to her side and was asking her what was wrong, but she was too focused on finding air to answer. She was coughing so violently that the sour, citric taste of stomach acid began filling her mouth. With every raspy hack Marinette let out caused a sharp, fiery anguish to ripe through her vein until it tore through her arteries and into her heart. Eventually the vinegar-like flavor of stomach acid was replaced with the metallic taste of blood.