Marinette didn't bother texting Alya. She figured she could walk home and organize her thoughts in the meantime. She was disappointed—she really liked Alex.

Oh, well.

She decided there would be no more fooling around. With distractions out of the way, she was fully committing to her job. She owed that much to Detective Kim and the entire community which is still very much shaken up about the fact that there's a killer on the loose.

As if right out of a movie, clouds rolled in and it began sprinkling on her as she walked down the sidewalk towards her apartment.

How fitting, Marinette thought, almost laughing.

She approached the first of 3 intersections she would have to cross in order to reach home. Her hand pressed down on the pedestrian signal button and she waited patiently, occasionally glancing at her phone for a hopeful text from Alex.

Nothing.

The walk signal flashed on and Marinette began to cross when suddenly, she noticed a large black object come barreling in her direction from the right.

She jumped back onto the curb, startled to the core. The object that nearly hit her was a black SUV racing through a red light. Her heart beat out of her chest as she watched the vehicle make a sharp left turn down another street.

She wanted to yell a variety of expletives, when something sparked her memory; the black SUV. Didn't she and Detective Luka see a black vehicle similar to that in the surveillance footage of the accident?

Given this may be her only chance to uncover the truth of what happened that day, Marinette slipped off her high heel shoes and began racing after the speeding vehicle.

*

Her legs were burning.

Marinette stopped running and bent over to huff in exhaustion. She shouldn't have skipped gym class all those times in high school.

While catching her breath, Marinette realized how ridiculous she looked. Hunting people in a short skimpy black dress. That's comical.

At least she was wearing spanks underneath.

She technically lost track of the SUV. So now she was on some side street. But, if there was commotion nearby, she'd surely hear it and follow the noise.

She walked with her hands on her hips, letting the cool night air replenish her lungs. Her feet ached and were burned. The whole idea of her chasing after a speeding vehicle sounded way cooler in her head.

She reached for her phone to finally call Alya, but realized her battery died. Greatttt.

So the prospect of her calling her friend AND the police were out of the question. Looks like she was dealing with this herself.

"Why do these things only happen to ME?" Marinette wailed, waving her arms around.

She continued walking, until she was tired again and decided to just sit on the curb. "Ugh," she mumbled, head in her hands. "Wonderful."

In the dead on night, nobody around, Marinette was helpless. She looked to the left and spotted a gas station. There! She could use a phone and get help!

Marinette stood up, making her way over to her new destination with hope once again. She walked in pain over to the gas station, and entered. The only person was the clerk at the counter.

The man looked like he was 40ish years old with stubble and dark brown hair that was glued to his head. Had a gnarly scar on his right cheek. Looked a little sketchy... but he was the only one around with a phone.

"Hi, could I use your phone really quick?" Marinette asked, tapping nervously on the counter.

He looked down and then around. Socially awkward, much? "Uh, yeah," the man finally spoke, his voice raspy. "Be right back."

Marinette whistled casually, teetering back and forth.

The man came back up with a phone in his hand. His gaze lingered on Marinette a little longer than she wanted it too as he handed the phone to her...

Uh oh. Marinette's stomach turned to mush as she recognized that look. It was disgusting and dastardly. She immediately knew she made a bad decision coming to this gas station.

Given her clothes, well, it was pretty obvious why the man looked at her in such a fiendish way.

She pushed the phone away and shook her head. "Nevermind. I'm gonna go-"

The man suddenly used the phone and swung it at Marinette's head. She tried to react but it was too late. The force shocked her skull, and she stumbled to the floor.

"The boys are gonna love you," the clerk laughed, coming out from behind the counter.

Marinette scootched away frantically, a warm liquid oozing from her head. Her vision went in and out, but she refused to succumb to unconsciousness. Her life was on the line!

"Leave me alone!" she screamed, backing into the door and cracking it open. "Help!"

"No ones gonna help you," he smirked, leaning down and wrapping his hands around her neck. He squeezed and squeezed until the remaining life was drained out of Marinette, and her world went dark.

*

I got a new side piece.

Yeah, who?

Some skimpy whore at the gas station. Wearing a little tight dress.

What a dumb bitch.

Marinette thought she had died. So when she heard the voices of 2 males nearby, she was shocked. Either she was alive, or the angels in heaven were harshly mocking her stupidity.

Her eyes opened and her head immediately radiated with pain. "Fuck," she cursed, reaching to touch her head but her hands were tied.

She was definitely in some storage room. There were boxes and other supplies near her.

Let's go see if she's awake.

Oh god. Here they come.

The door opened and light escaped in. A tall husky man's sillouhette was in the doorway.

"Who are you?" Marinette asked. Even though she knew who they probably were; the killers that murdered Detective Lee.

And she was probably going to experience the same fate.

The man snickered at her question, kneeling down in front of her. "The last person you see before you die." He hastily yanked her up by grabbing her restrained hands, and the force sent waves of pain down her body.

She wobbled on her feet. Boy, if she ever survived this, they were gonna pay. Through the justice system of course.

He led her through the doorway and out into a more open room. She looked around, trying to tell where the hell she was at. Shelves full of boxes. The walls looked like she was in a warehouse of some sort; small, rectangular windows were at the very top of the walls. Wimpy, circular lights lined the perimeter of the room, illuminating the 3 or so men that waited in a circle. They grinned sickeningly at her arrival.

Marinette felt her heart drop.

*

"There!" Adrien pointed from the passenger seat, gripping his GPS firmly in his other hand. Lila veered into a parking lot of the warehouse Gabriel had told them about, slamming on the brakes and putting the SUV into park.

Adrien jumped out, shutting the door. He slipped a black ski mask on over his ruffled blonde hair. Lila followed suit, putting a mask over her face as well. She pulled out a gun from her waistband.

Adrien made his way over to a back entrance, pressing his entire body up against the wall. Lila knelt down beside him, checking to make sure she had enough bullets.

"Ya know, I don't know how many bastards are hiding behind that door," Lila bit her lip. "Maybe we should've done a little more preparing."

"This isn't a gang we're talking about," Adrien whispered back. "At least I hope not. Just a couple of lowlifes. How hard could it be?"

"We'll see," Lila grumbled, standing up. "You first or me?"

Adrien smiled, before jiggling the door handle and the door creaked open. Unlocked. That was easy.

"Dipshits. They deserve what's coming for em," Lila smirked.

Adrien let out one last breath. He remembered why he was doing this. "Yes they do."

And with one quick movement, Adrien disappeared inside the warehouse.

Lila waited outside for a few seconds, checking both directions, before following him in.

There were numerous rows of tall shelves of boxes and shipping containers that served as excellent cover against the perpetrators. Adrien tried to look in between them to see if he could spot anything. They were too far on the outside of the literal maze of boxes. They needed to get closer to the inside.

"There should be some sort of clearing in the middle," Adrien whispered. "That's where they must be."

"Shhh," Lila hissed. Her eyes went wide and Adrien almost imagined invisible ears perking up as it looked like she was highly intent on listening to something.

He silenced and tried to listen as well.

The faint sound of footsteps. And then, a voice.

"So, what are we gonna do with her?" a man with a strange accent chuckled.

"Well obviously kill her," another man laughed. Strangely familiar. Adrien tensed up at the familiar laugh. "But first we need to get our reward. Cant let a young one like her go to waste."

"They've got a hostage," Adrien whispered so harshly it could cut metal.

"Clearly," Lila shot back.

Adrien snuck around the shelf and attempted to get closer in order to see. He wouldn't let that sick bastard do any more harm to innocent people after today.

The man clicked his tongue. "And she's wearing a pretty dress for us to rip off. It's like a gift."

"Fuck you," Adrien heard a young woman's voice yell. He ducked down, once again looking in between the shelves. Finally, he spotted 3 pairs of legs, as well as the bare, bruised legs of what had to have been the victim.

He slid to the right, and up a few more rows, so his vision was now almost clear. And he nearly shit himself when he saw who was captured.

Tied to a chair, Marinette was the girl they were after.

Adrien's eyes widened and a small croak escaped his throat. Lila grabbed his arm. She widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Isn't that the girl that works for the police department?"

Unfortunately, Adrien thought. He began to feel increasingly nervous for Marinette's safety. If they hurt her...

"Looks like it was a false alarm," Lila laughed softly. She continued whispering. "Let them kill her. Makes our job easier."

"No," Adrien shot back. He wanted to punch Lila so hard. "We have a mission, remember?" Before she could even answer, Adrien raced out from behind his hiding spot and slid over to one of the men.

He yanked out his knife and jabbed it into the man with the strange accent's leg.

The man yelped in pain, falling over. That's when the chaos began. Lila brought out her gun and aimed it at another of the men. She aimed at the one closest to Marinette and shot at him but missed as he leaped to the side.

Adrien glanced up in the midst of the chaos, as men yelled and began pulling weapons, just so he could see if Marinette was okay. She was staring, eyes wide in bewilderment at Adrien and Lila. Luckily they were wearing masks.

He tore his gaze away as he focused his attention on another man racing for him with a knife. Adrien jerked back, dodging the blade by a mere inch. He grabbed the oncoming attacker by his shirt and forcefully flung him to the ground.

Marinette's heart increasingly quickened as she tried to wiggle free her bound hands. Still, she was distracted by the chaos. Between her kidnappers and supposed rescuers, who were these people?

Adrien slashed a mans arm and then dove over to Marinette. "It's gonna be okay." He spoke hurriedly. He cut the rope that restrained her hands and feet and pointed to the exit. "Get out of here!"

Marinette blinked, looking at those green eyes that were filled with so much panic. Could it be...?

BANG!

A bullet whizzed right over Marinette's head and pierced into the wall behind her. She screamed, startled by it.

"Go!" Adrien yelled again, pushing her away.

Marinette finally jumped into action, and scrambled to her feet. She raced and hid behind some boxes.

Meanwhile, Lila executed the man that Adrien stabbed with his knife and was currently busy with the other man. She dodged each of his unsuccessful stab attempts, finally slamming the butt of her gun on his temple.

Adrien located the source of the bullet that practically grazed his and Marinette's head and found who he was looking for.

The other accomplice to his mother's murder. He was behind the gun.

The man cackled, his hand trembling with the gun aimed at Adrien. "What, don't tell me you're here to save that slut!"

"You don't remember me?" Adrien asked. "All those years ago, you and your fucked up friend killed my mother."

The recognition appeared on the mans face and it darkened his expression.

Adrien grinned. "Your friend's dead now. I killed him. Slit his throat, watched the life drain away. Just like how you did to my mother."

The man gulped. He cocked his gun and held it up high. "I- I don't give two shits!"

"You should," Adrien said, clenching his blood soaked knife tightly.

Marinette held her breath, looking around for the exit. She needed to contact help. Her eyes whizzed around the dimly lit surroundings until she finally spotted it. It wasn't far from her current location, but far enough where she still felt uncomfortable being out in the open.

"You will never have the chance to hurt anyone ever again," Adrien threatened, his eyes dark and ominous.

"Silly boy, don't you know it's foolish to bring a knife to a gun fight?" the man mocked, shaking.

"That depends. You have to know how to use one first," Adrien replied, ducking down and attacking like a predator chasing its prey.

The killer screamed and aimed his gun at Adrien. He fired a shot, but missed. Then again. And again. Adrien stealthily dodged each shot, like a ninja in an action movie until he was nose to nose with the man.

And with one swift movement, Adrien sliced the man's neck. Dark red liquid oozed from the fresh cut and his eyes bulged. He sputtered and choked, dropping the gun and instead clawing at his neck which was losing precious blood with each passing second.

"Told you," Adrien whispered, specks of blood garnishing his olive skin.

The man finally collapsed, succumbing in a pool of his own blood. He twitched for a few moments before finally laying still.

"Damn," Lila softly commented, blood covered. "That was impressive."

Adrien let out a breath of relief as he lay his eyes upon his final victim. The one who caused him so much pain and suffering early on in his life. Revenge was so, so sweet.

His henchmen lay dead around the warehouse, bullet casings and blood brandishing the cold floor.

"It's done," Adrien nodded. He sheathed his knife in his waste-band, and turned around. "The cop's will take care of this tomorrow."

"Uh, Adrien?" Lila spoke out ahead of him.

"What?"

She pointed to a petite body laying near the exit. A small black puddle was beginning to form underneath her torso.

Adrien's entire body froze as he looked upon the victim.

It was Marinette.