"I'm starting to wonder whether this is a valid case or not, Alya." Marinette said as the two were walking down the sidewalk on a cool, brisk morning to a nearby café for breakfast. Oddly enough, Alya hadn't been in the mood to cook any food that morning.

Marinette suggested that they head to the cafe instead.

Thankfully, Alya didn't offer to pay for her meal.

"Why would you have that idea?" Alya questioned carefully.

Marinette shrugged her shoulders idly. "I feel like we're missing something super important, and it's right under our noses!"

The small bell dinged, indicating that customers had just entered the place. Alya and Marinette both took their seats at a small table by the window, and only seconds later did a waitress approach them, "Hello, I'm Stefanie, I'll be serving you this morning." She greeted happily and politely, "What can I get you both to drink?"

"I'll have a coffee," Alya went first before directing her eyes over for Marinette to order.

"Same here," was Mairnette's reply.

Stefanie scribbled down their orders on her notepad before adding, "I'll get those right for ya,"

She walked away to fetch their drinks, giving Alya and Marinette enough time to take a look at their menus, "So, what do you plan to order?" Alya questioned.

Marinette shrugged her shoulders and sighed; right now, the only thing that seemed to be holding her attention was the case that had her in a dead end.

"Ahem yello? Mairnette!" Alya broke Marinette's concentration with a glare. Pointing her thumb up at the waitress who was waiting patiently to take their order, Stefanie added, "I'm ready to take your order ma'am."

"Oh, I'm fine. I won't be eating anything." Marinette replied. The woman simply shrugged and took both of their menus. Alya watched with bewilderment at Marinette's knew found behavior, "What is going on with you?" She asked, once she made sure the waitress was out of earshot.

"Not hungry," Marinette offered.

"Clearly it's more than that," Alya scoffed, "Give the case a break for one second and enjoy yourself. Besides, you need to eat something for breakfast."

"I told you Alya, I'm not-" the bluenette was soon interrupted when a fit of screams echoed throughout the entire café. A gunshot was soon heard afterwards and everyone at their table fell to their knees in fear. Alya quickly got down to the floor as well, but Marinette stayed up in her seating position to glare at the commotion.

Three men stood at the doorway, each of them holding a shotgun. Her eyes quickly locked on the most familiar face there.

It was Chat Noir.

When their eyes connected, Chat Noir almost seemed embarrassed that she was there. But Marinette just shook her head blankly at him, a sign of disapproval and slight betrayal in his actions.

He pretended as if she was a stranger to him, averting his eyes from her gaze. His cold eyes bore into the souls of the innocent people he was about to rob, "Hand us all your wallets!" He commanded, stepping more into the café with his gun clutched tightly in his leather palms.

His other two men stepped to the side, masks hiding their faces to hide their true appearance; taunting the people with their guns to throw their wallets into the middle of the room. One by one, the petrified people tossed their money into the middle of the floor for the thieves to claim.

The cashier quickly emptied the cash register, adding whatever had been earned that day for business into the pile of soon to be lost items. All customers kept their heads low towards the floor, avoiding all eye contact.

Except Marientte.

She had stood proudly from her seat, watching everything unfold in anger and disappointment. When Alya noticed a certain bluenette missing her spot on the floor, she looked up in complete fear, "Marinette," she whimpered, "Get down here, now."

Marinette simply shook her head as she kept her eyes locked on the man she had just helped the pervious night. No way would she cower at his presence and no way would she give up her money out of fear.

She did not fear this feline.

After everyone had obeyed the orders of the thieves, Chat's eyes somehow landed back on the officer who had helped him mend his wound. Although he knew her, his eyes hardened on her figure, "Add your wallet to the pile," he dare to spat at her, "Or this will be the last you ever see another human being."

He dared to try and treat we that way?

At his threat, anyone fearful for their life would have obeyed him immediately, but not Mairnette. She stood her ground, returning his glare, "I dare you," she spat back with just as much venom, "Shoot me, oh feared Chat Noir; steal my life away just as you will steal all this money."

Chat's angry expression immediately fell upon listening to her words. Both of the men beside him aimed their guns directly to her head, yet she dared to continue, "Take away my prize possession just as you take away what all these innocent people have worked so hard for." She then moved away from her table and stood directly in front of his view. Spreading her arms out wide from her sides, she added, "Do it. Shoot me like you threaten. I dare you."

Silence filled the entire café. No one dares to make a sound while Chat Noir still stood in their presence. He scowled at her words, shooting her his deadliest glare before he said, "Let's go men," he turned to his two sidekicks, "Take what you can; we're leaving."

The two man opened their sacks and filled them with the money they had collected.. No quicker than a heartbeat were they out the door, disappearing where no one knew.

Alya was the first to stand to her feet and stare at the bluenette in complete awe and bewilderment, "Marinette! Are you insane?! What were you thinking?! Oh my god you could've been killed!!"

Marinette wasn't as phased from the events that had just taken place, and she simply shrugged her shoulders in response, "He wasn't going to shoot me."

"But he could've!" Alya scolded, "You should've gotten to the ground and given him your money! You could be dead right now!"

"Can you relax, Alya?" Marinette held her hands up in defense, a small smile forming to the side of her lips, "You can't constantly fear the ones who want power. Look, I still have my wallet, and I'm perfectly alive."

Alya frowned at her friend, the fury of her anger evident in all her actions, "He may not have killed you now, but mark my words Marinette, you officially are on Chat Noir's radar. And he will do whatever it takes to make sure he pays you back for what you did today."

__________________________

Not really much to say except hope your enjoying this book!!

{ votes, comments, and shares are highly appreciated }

Thanks!
-Dippy