Chasing Chat Noir

Chapter 26

"What if we're wrong?" Nino kept swinging back and forth in his chair, nervously moving about.

"If we're wrong, then we go back to the drawing board." Master Fu looked at Nino with knowing eyes, "But sometimes we must trust in the instincts of our friends. Chloe has known the Agreste family all her life and she has been in their house more than any of us combined. If instincts are telling her this, we should listen to them."

The rush of the waterfall was the only noise that sounded for a few moments.

Chloe looked to the group, took a deep breath, and then looked back to the map, "if anyone has the means for this type of operation... it's the Agreste Mansion."

"Could it really have been right in front of us this entire time?" Luka ran a hand through his hair and looked as disheveled as Mari felt.

"They're everywhere and nowhere. They could watch over all of us without really being seen. If it's them, it makes total sense that that's where they would build the mansion and whatever lies beneath it." Alya fiddled with her glasses. She was running the numbers and working the dimensions Lady Bug had provided from her "encounter".

"And it doesn't hurt that the calculations approximately match Lady Bug's description of the place." Nino chimed in, the numbers speaking for him.

The group, while not having been together long, was seeming to work like a well-oiled machine. It was nice to have partners to lean on and have different sets of eyes for missions. Mari hadn't realized how lonely it had been to work on her own, having to keep so many extra secrets from Chat.

"...so we're really doing this?" Chloe looked to the rest of them for confirmation.

It was time to vote.

"This is everyone's last chance to back out. Your lives could be at stake with this mission, and it's a lot to ask. But once you agree, we can't turn back, less more of us get hurt." Master Fu spoke with a conviction that demanded eye contact from the entire team.

Luka was the first to raise his hand, "count me in." He gave a smile as he said it, like he was ready for anything. Mari supposed he really might be.

Chloe followed suit, "I'm in."

Then, Alya, "me too."

Nino turned to Mari for a long moment, read something on her face that she didn't quite understand, and raised his hand. "I'm doing this. To hopefully prove you all wrong... but also to help save Paris."

They all looked to Mari, who was standing tall and sure. She looked like-

She looked like a warrior. A hero.

And then, she smiled.

A smile that sent chills down Master Fu's spine- with a hint of pride.

"How soon can we leave?"

It was decided, then.

They would rescue Chat tonight.

•••

Paris was normally well-lit throughout the night. There were street lights and apartments, normally with music filling the streets and soft chatter to be heard from the windows. One would only need to open them to hear the melodies of Paris.

Tonight was different.

The team stayed just beneath the surface, holding camp near the Agreste mansion.

Mari had been using the underground passage ways a lot recently, so navigating was easy for her.

For others, however, traveling underground was... less than optimal.

"If we ever get out of this, Mari, you owe me a pedicure." Chloe whispered under her breath behind Mari as they turned another corner.

Despite the tension of the night, Mari found herself chuckling.

Master Fu gave Mari an incredulous look.

"What is it, Master?" She turned to him concerned.

He studied her for a breath before responding, "Never mind, Marinette, let's continue."

What he couldn't say, in front of an audience, is that was the first time he'd heard Mari laugh in a very, very long time.

Things had to go well for them tonight. Because they had taken too many losses lately.

As the group kept their pace the the Agreste mansion, Luka fell into step with Chloe; they walked in silence, with only the sound of their feet moving forward for a while.

Luka was the first to break the silence. "That was pretty brilliant back there, you know." He kept it as a whisper, like the compliment was for her ears alone. Like he knew that'd be the only way she'd accept it.

Chloe shrugged it off, but there was a smile she was struggling to hide. She had spent a long time resenting Luka- for his obvious feelings for Marinette and for his unwavering kindness and patience.

So she'd done what any normal person would do... bottle up her feelings and shove them to the lowest depths of herself and deny deny deny.

The irony is, Luka had had feelings for Marinette. But late night training sessions and conversations with Chloe had left him feeling...

He didn't know what he was feeling.

Luka didn't really like to do feelings, anyway. Feelings left people hurt. Feelings let people get disappointed. So he decided to deny deny deny.

It was working out great for the two of them thus far.

"Thanks for supporting me- even if it's crazy. Even if it makes me sound crazy." She whispered back to him. The chill underground was starting to get to her, and she involuntarily started shivering.

"Here, take my jacket." Luka had a signature worn leather jacket that has seen quite a lot. He hardly went anywhere without it.

"I'm fine, thanks." She said through her gritted teeth. She wouldn't accept help from him if she could prevent it. She'd dealt with worse than a little cold before.

Luka's face was unreadable as he still took his jacket off. He pushed it towards her, negating her protests, "can't you ever just accept some help?"

Luka never got mad. He was definition of cool, but when Chloe was involved it tested all of Lukas patience. She rolled her eyes but took hits jacket anyway.

They carried on in silence.

Mari finally stopped and checked on the surface again.

They had arrived.

The team circled up, and master Fu looked to every one of them.

"Remember our positions?"

They all nodded and Alya spoke, "Chloe and I take the back entrance, Luka and Nino climb to the roof. Mari stands guard and signals for Lady Bug, who will get inside and by proxy get us inside. No one proceeds without her say."

"Why can't lady bug join us now, why wait?" Nino seemed skeptical.

Luka, surprisingly, spoke up, "if Hawkmoth really is taking residence here, he may have insiders on the lookout for her. It's safer for her to join separately."

Mari silently thanked Luka from having to explain herself.

"Enough chit chatter everyone, it's time."

And with that, they took to the surface.