Chasing Chat Noir

Chapter 25

Chloe lifted her hand shakily, "these are the two potential places they could be holding Chat in all of Paris. These two Facilities-" she pointed to them both, "are warehouses on opposite ends of the city. If we accommodate the travel time it would take to get from either ends of the city to the most common locations of Akumatizations..."

She looked to Mari, "and accounting for Mari's attack..." she marked that on the board as well, noting all the recent akumatinzations and other attacks documented in the last few weeks in Paris.

"If we're taking all of this into account, there's no way the attacks could be coming from either ends of the city. The timing and the locations don't add up-"

"Those are the only underground facilities we could find on any maps of the city, any that would logistically match what... what Lady Bug saw when she had her vision of Chat." Master Fu gave his input, but wasn't telling Chloe she was wrong.

He was begging her to continue.

"That's exactly right, Master Fu. These are the only locations shown on any map or any device that we actively have on the City that support what we know about where Chat is being held."

"What are you saying?" Nino spoke for all of them as he gave the question.

"She's saying," Alya stepped forward and looked at the board, "that the place we're looking for won't be on any map or blueprints of the city- even if we have access to the confidential ones."

Alya looked to Chloe, as if asking if what she had said was indeed correct. Chloe nodded and returned to the board. "I'm saying the place we're looking for wasn't created in a manner anyone in Paris would know about. It wouldn't have been documented in city records or blue prints, because no one knows it exists."

"Except you?" Luka challenged.

"I know it sounds crazy... and I'm not even sure if I'm right. I've never seen this place that you have described to me..." Chloe looked at Mari now, begging for her to understand.

Mari knew what it felt like to question everything. To know when you were on the verge of having your world rocked with information you weren't quite ready for. She understood, and for that reason, she nodded to Chloe and finally spoke:

"You know. You know where it is. Your instincts knew before your mind had the time to catch up, but you know. You wouldn't be saying this if you didn't." Mari thought she might be sick.

"The space you described... it's familiar to me. It's not but it is at the same time... I know I sound crazy-"

That's what I had thought when I... "that's how Lady Bug described it. When she had been there."

"I think the place we're looking for has been right in front of us this entire time. I think we've all been to this place before, but I'm not sure what it means."

"Chloe, you have to say it. Please, spell it out for the rest of us." Nino begged.

"I don't know for sure, but I think the place we're looking for could be under Adrien Agreste's house."

Silence.

Then, laughter.

Nino started laughing so hard tears formed in his eyes, and Alya even gave a little chuckle.

"I'm sorry- but Adrien? As in my best friends house? You think Adrien is behind this?"

Chloe looked exactly how Mari felt. Confused and defeated. "I know it doesn't make sense, but I've been there since I was a little girl. I grew up in this house. The location checks out with the time stamps and the records that you gave me- I just don't know." Chloe sat back down at the table and put her head in her hands. Luka reached to put his arm on her shoulder, but thought better of it and lowered it.

Mari stared at the map of Paris and realized Chloe might be onto something. It had felt familiar when she'd been in her subconscious mind to visit Chat. The dimensions would work under a mansion that size, and Mr. Agreste had the means to secretly fund such an expensive project, and to keep it hidden from the public eye.

"No, you might be onto something here, Chloe." Mari took a red marker and circled the mansion. Secluded enough that no one would hear him. Close enough to be in on all of the action in the city.

"I'll be damned" Luka whispered under his breath as they all took in Chloe's realization.

"No way. My boy is not in on this-" Nino stood to leave.

"He might not be, Nino. We don't know. But his father very well could be."

Adrien had been hurt badly when they'd gone to explore the museum together. He'd hidden it after she'd gotten hurt too- when he'd confronted her in the closet all that time ago.

Had his own father done that to him?

Chloe shook her head, "what does this mean?"

Silence spread amongst the group as they tried to rationalize what this meant for them.

Master Fu was the one who found the courage to speak, "This means everything we thought we knew, everything, changes."