The Algorithm

Chapter seven - Broken Hearts and Shattered Glass

Suddenly, she saw the shadow of the guard cast over her. She stopped pounding on the glass for a moment. Marinette glared at him through the cracked window hoping he would gather up the courage to unlock the door and battle with her himself. It didn't matter if she had her powers or if her hands were bound, she would make him beg for mercy and she would grant him none. He didn't deserve her compassion or pity.

"Sit. Down." He commanded. Marinette said nothing, standing firm in her persistence. He was taller than she expected, Marinette had to crick her neck to make eye contact, even though she could not see his face. All she was able to make out though the dark helmet was her own distorted reflection that shined across the mask. Silence hung in the air as the man waited for Marinette to back down, but she stood her ground. They may have been able to control her as a kid, but she wasn't a child anymore. "I said "Sit"." He repeated. Again, Marinette said nothing. "Sit!"

"I'm not some mutt you can give orders to!" She shouted back at him through the cracked window, her throat burned with each syllable, but she didn't care anymore.

The door swung open towards Marinette, causing her to stubble away from it. The metal frame scraped against the floor making an awful sound that sent an itch down her spine. Following the screeching noise of metal on metal was the echoing of the man's footsteps as he grew closer to Marinette. The door locked behind them and the armored guard stood in front of her. Again, Marinette stood her ground with her head high. "Sit." He repeated.

"No."

But before Marinette could say anything else, she saw his hand cock back and felt a hard slap against her right cheek, causing her to stumble for balance. The pain was numbing at first but then grew into a thousand needles prickling her skin until it erupted into a sharp stinging in her jaw. The man grabbed her by her throat and lifted a bit of the ground, enough that only her toes rested on the floor. He applied just enough pressure to prove his point. Marinette pulled at his wrist but with her hands still cuffed together, her efforts had little effect and his grip only grew tighter as she struggled. "Sit." He growled as his thumb and pointer finger dug into her throat.

With Marinette's cheek still stinging, and breathing becoming more and more difficult, she spat on his helmet. She knew it was a bold move, he had the power to end her life in a second if he so wished, but Marinette had been their puppet for far too long. With a blind fury burning behind her eyes, she held her ground.

Using his free hand, the soldier wiped the saliva from his helmet and pushed her down by her throat. She fell to her ground, the skin on her neck was slightly red where he had pressed his fingertips but she wasn't in any residual pain. Marinette quickly scrambled to get up, but the van was shaking and jerking around the road making it difficult to balance. When she finally stood up, she saw the man holding something. A small box type thing with buttons and switches. A remote of some kind. He held it up as some type of threat. Marinette scoffed.

"Go ahead, there is nothing more you can do to me." The soldier laughed. He pressed a few buttons and Marinette tensed up, awaiting the pain that would soon engulf her, but none came. Instead, she heard Adrien scream from the corner of the small van.

He was toppled over on the floor. His limbs tense. The metal shackles around his wrists were glowing a crimson red. Marinette couldn't hear a thing over his inhumane shrieking. She began to panic. Marinette ran over to his side and tried to hold him still. Adrien was shaking, his entire body convulsing. Blood spilling from his nose and mouth.

"Stop!" Marinette cried but the sound of her screams was drowned out by Adrien's howling. He sounded like a rabid animal fighting to stay sane. "Please!" Marinette begged. "Leave him alone!" She cried out for them to stop over and over. Whatever they were doing to Adrien was killing him. Tears formed in Marinette's eyes, but she choked down her sobs and continued begging.