30: Chat and the Labyrinth

Adrien was not exactly sure what he was doing. His body instinctively brought himself out transformed into Chat Noir, leaping from one building to another, carefully keeping out of sight. This was not his first time cutting classes, but that was not his number one concern. The message he received kept rallying in his mind and the next thing he knew, he was on his way to a telecommunication company east of the city. As he was flying off from chimney to chimney, Ladybug's crying face flashed in his head. He thought that maybe if he could find a lead to this whole game of tag, then Ladybug won't have to shoulder everything on her own. Chat balled his fists, put his full force on his limbs and his body floated higher throwing him further away.

A few blocks later, Chat finds himself staring up to a high rise building, probably higher than the TV station downtown. The walls were in full glass but the sun was bouncing off from it. He figured those were the new green building types these days that had a more environmentally friendly feature. Aside from that, he noticed his cat senses were starting to kick in as he caught himself staring at the windows and murmuring 'shiny' to himself. He pinches his cheek and immediately made his way to the revolving doors leading to the lobby.

The building was as amazing as it looked outside. White walls, high ceilings, a 10 feet chandelier and exquisite lounge furniture. Everything was either silver or made out f marble which gave the lobby a brighter aura that compliments the natural light coming from the windows. Despite being a telecommunications company, the management sure made it look like a five star hotel instead of a building for business of landlines and other communication devices. Chat then glanced to the front desk that had a grey and brown swirled design. He knew his business here but then wondered what kind of excuse he's going to have to come up so he won't get found out. But, the boy was confident enough he will not be found out.

The lady manning the front desk gasped in the sight of Chat Noir coming in. She made a few fumbling noises as he walks towards her. She gave herself a slap on her thigh then finally gave him a nervous smile as she asked the usual 'how may I help you?' to a customer but obviously trying to hold in a squeal.

Chat chuckled and told her that he needed to meet D'Angelo from Department 06. The lady's eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost apparated in broad daylight. She nodded sternly and quickly pulled the telephone to her side, putting the wired gadget against her ear and pushed a quick dial from the side tab. The phone rang a few dial tones then there was a click of picking up. The lady explained the situation and Chat heard an "Alright." before the call was cut.

"Mr. D'Angelo said to meet him at the VVIP room." she said putting down the phone. She rummaged through a few things behind her desk then pulled out to what looked like a keycard, stepping herself out of the marbled counter.

"Follow me." she said walking towards the elevator that was visible from across the huge hall. The lady slipped the key card in to the key card dial beside the elevator button and the door to the silver lift opened wide. Chat walked after her popping a grin into his face. He mumbled a "thanks" on the way, thinking it was the right thing to do, but unexpectedly, when the door of the elevator closed, it made the lady lose the composure she's been trying to hold on and finally squealed.

Chat was taken to the topmost floor of the building. Apparently, the silver door elevator they were riding on was the VVIP cubicle specially designed and only rode in by high profiled personalities to avoid the bustling crowd that might crush the celebrity upon sight.

The route to the VVIP room was quiet. Otherworldly, but quiet. The top floor looked a little different from the rest of the building. Apart from almost all walls were made of glass, these were stained glass ornamented with different glass flowers making the hall look like a preserved garden. The two stopped at a huge two-door entryway made of forged roses all over the door. The front desk lady walked forward to an intercom that was located at the right hand side of the wall, pressing the button, talking into it.

"Master D'Angelo, the guest has arrived."

There was no reply from D'Angelo but the lady turned to Chat with an assured look.

"Once you hear the door click, it means he's already opened it for you to enter. He's very weary when it comes to his guests." she smiled.

Chat popped an eyebrow, "Quick question, have you met with D'Angelo?"

The lady shook her head and gave him a quick smile before walking away. He watched her disappear to the corner of the hall that they've turned from earlier, then faced the door reaching for the right vertical handle.

"He's also extra cautious of his employees, huh?" he mumbled.

Chat did not wait too long for the door to unlock. It only took a split second after he touched, he heard a sharp click and it was loose enough to push the metal blockage and slip in. As soon as Chat got in, the door clicked to a lock behind him.

"Sheesh, talk about sneaky." he frowned.

In front of him was a walkway of flowers and vines that extended upward forming an elegant arch at the beginning of the path. As he glanced up he noticed how the roof was also made of glass surrounded by smaller tainted glasses similar to what he saw at the hallway.

Although Chat Noir had been aware of D'Angelo's whereabouts, there he was standing steadily, amused of what he's viewing.

"I am glad you like it, but I'd want you to start walking now." a voice echoed startling the poor cat. He frantically looked around searching for the source of the voice until he noticed how not all the flowers were real ones. Some roses were wired speakers disguised among the petals and secret cameras embedded inside tulips.

Chat frowned, "Where exactly are you D'Angelo?" in a tone if mockery mentioning his name.

D'Angelo chuckled, "Follow the path. It will spiral in then you'll see a path of daisies. Take that, and I am no more than twenty feet away."

Chat groaned, "Is this how you welcome your guests? Make them listen to your riddles then drive them into your maze?"

"No. Just you. Now, move along."

And the reception was heard cut.

Chat wanted to yell and complain, but he knew he did not have time to argue with the unseen voice. He kept in mind the instruction to the path, sucked it up and made his way into D'Angelo's labyrinth of plants.

With a few twists and turns, Chat arrives at the center of the maze and is now facing the trail of daisies D'Angelo mentioned earlier. Despite feeling extremely annoyed by the tricks he had to advance into, he somehow managed to enjoy the walk of fresh air and fragrant flowers. He shuffled his way into the path of daisies, three right turns and two lefts, he reached the end of the path welcomed by a circular path with a huge fountain in the middle, that was spewing water from a marble elephant's spout of about 7 feet tall. Chat decides to take the right curb seeing how either way could lead to the same end. There not so far from him was a small covered porch made from white Greek collumns and a white elevated ground. At first he felt exasperated of the architecture, but then he glanced to the boy sitting on the silver molded chair in front of a marble garden table, sipping tea. A figure that looked somewhere around his early twenties and was wearing a dark grey waist coat over a long sleeve that was of a lighter shade matched with a black tie. Black socks were showing from his slightly pulled up slacks as he was sitting forward for the tray of sweets. His blonde hair was pulled back but had the ends groomed down at his nape. But those were not his most prominent features. His sharp eyes of jade and sharp chin is what makes him the famous mysterious and smart boy of his age.

The boy catches Chat's unamused stare, making him put back the macaron he had just snatched from the tray. He cleared his throat, fixed his tie, then stood up to greet his guest.

"I see you have arrived at my banquet." he bitterly stared at him.

"And I see you still like making people's lives miserable." Chat grinned with arms crossed.

His eyes narrowed at the cat but shrugged it off, offering him a seat in front of him then pouring him a cup of tea.

"And here I thought you were living in a mansion up here." Chat said glancing around, "But you turned it into a garden?"

"Greenhouse." he corrected, "But yes. After I graduated high school earlier than expected, my father decided that I was smart enough to choose what I should do with my life."

"So you decided to become a gardener."

D'Angelo grimaced at him and Chat innocently took the cup sipping his tea.

"If I was a gardener, I don't think I would be in this line of business." he said, taking a bite of the macaron he picked up.

"Right. Of course." Chat replied, setting down his cup.

"Enough of this. What brings the infamous Chat Noir in my sanctuary?"

Chat rummages at his side pulling out his stick that was currently in phone mode. He quickly shuffled for his notes, then shows D'Angelo the saved unknown number who had called him earlier back when he was Adrien.

"Can you trace who this is?"

D'Angelo popped out a pad and a pen from his pocket, quickly scribbling down the number offered to him. He studied the structure of the numbers analyzing the root and the possible area of origin basing from the set. He made a few hums and head shaking then glanced back up to Chat.

"I can assure you that this is within Paris, but the origin is not far from where we are now."

Chat's eyes widened, "Woah. You've memorized the areas where phone numbers could come from?"

"Not memorize. There's a pattern. A code. I would know being the special case intel of this company."

"But can you tell who is behind that?"

"I can. But it will take me at least a day or two to scan through the security system."

Chat exhales in relief which made D'Angelo curious.

"Is the caller threatening your life?" he asked in a soft tone.

Chat perks up holding his hands up, "No, no..it's just," his eyes loomed, "If I can figure out who this caller is, I might be able to finally help her."

"Her? As in Ladybug?"

Chat nodded, "She's been having so much pressure lately and she's shouldering everything."

D'Angelo laughed, "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. It's just, compared to her previous avatar, the current one seems to be a lot more serious and dedicated in the job."

Chat chuckled, "I can't believe you'd actually say that."

"It is true." he chuckles back at him.

Chat's face softens realizing how many days he hasn't been able to laugh sincerely. Finally talking to someone about his worries other than Plagg slightly lifted the heavy feeling and he can finally think better even with such a short exchange of words so far.

"Stubborn she may be, I'm not giving up on her."

D'Angelo whistles, "Quite the romancer aren't we?"

Chat felt his cheeks heat up. But then Kagami's face flashed in his mind and felt a tinge of guilt curling up

his throat.

"Actually..I have a girlfriend already." he slips in which made D'Angelo pause from drinking his tea.

He puts down the cup with a "What?" then proceeds to roast Chat with a judgemental stare.

"Yeah." he nervously replied, "As my civilian self of course."

D'Angelo pursed his lips lacing his fingers at his lap. He glanced up and down at the table trying to comprehend then pointing at Chat Noir with both his index fingers stretched out like a gun saying, "Again, what?"

Chat rolled his eyes, "You're acting like the unthinkable has happened."

"The unthinkable did happen!" D'Angelo exclaimed gesturing at him with open palms.

"You just gestured at me."

"Oh yes I did." he said narrowing his gaze.

The two scowled at each other with tension sharper than a knife. A few seconds later the silence broke up at D'Angelo's disappointed moaning and arm flailing.

"It's not a bad thing!" Chat yells.

"What do you know about it being not a bad thing then?"

"It's safe. She doesn't know my superhero identity."

"Oh yeah? Say that to Batman."

The two groaned in unison leaning back to their seats in despair.

"I hate it when you don't understand me." mumbled Chat.

"I hate how you don't even try but we always end up arguing on mundane things." D'Angelo responds.

Chat sighs sitting right back up then knocking at the table to make D'Angelo sit back up which he did.

Chat lowered his gaze, "Is it really that bad?"

D'Angelo sighed, "As your predecessor, I can attest to it. A heart is a fragile thing that can either bring you to justice or your demise my friend."

Hearing that pierced something inside of Chat Noir. "Is this why you decided to carry a different persona after all these years?"

D'Angelo nodded sternly, "It was hard enough being Chat Noir, performing all the duties as a protector of mankind. But the truth is, it was a lot harder when I was being me. When it was just being Felix."