MARINETTE

You had one job...

You had one job.

You had one job!

"You had one job!" Monarch storms in the room and slams the door behind him.

"I knew you were going to say that," I sigh heavily. I lean on one of the file cabinets lining one of the walls in the room. Monarch paces back and forth restlessly as I watch him, biting the inside of my cheek out of nervousness. I knew this was going to happen; I knew that he was going to be mad. "Monarch-"

"Mari, I told you and the others about what was going to happen- what was supposed to happen." Monarch stops pacing to face me. With a hand resting on his hip, he throws his other one in the air out of frustration. "You had one job, just to drug them. But what did you do? You tell them everything! It would have been easier if you did not say anything at all!" He then turns his back to me out of frustration.

"Monarch, it was only supposed to be for Adrien-"

"Adrien?" He interrupts, his voice sounding like he was trying to not believe what I was saying. I could see how disappointed he is- the creases forming on his forehead and the way he would repeatedly clench his fists.

Monarch did tell me of the plan during the morning and I had to call an emergency meeting with all the soldiers secretly working as spies for the government. We all studied and examined the whole plan. And what helped us a lot was the list that Adrien left behind in the front seat of one of the open trucks. The whole reason why I checked on him was to actually get a hold of the list and the arrangement Adrien had made for the 'dispatch'. Everything could have been easy for my part if it were not for...i-if it were not for-

"Tell me, Marinette, " Monarch stops my train of thought. His voice, tired and worn-out from obviously reasoning out with the higher officials as to why the plan was not done properly. "Be honest just for once!...please," He begs exasperatedly.

"I thought it was going to backfire..." I confess in a whisper. This time, I turn my head away since I cannot bear to even look at him.

"Backfire...?" He spits in disbelief, "B-Backfire?!" He swiftly turns to me and marches toward me in frustration, "Marinette! Do you or do you not trust your fellow comrades?!"

I face him in anger as I shout, "I do!"

"Then how did it go wrong? Or why did it go wrong?!"

Why?

I...I don't know, or I refuse to acknowledge the real reason that keeps me uneasy and my heart unsteady. With sweaty palms, I dare to keep my mouth shut and bite my bottom lip anxiously.

"Just...ah," Monarch ruffles his hair in frustration, "Marinette...are you forgetting your place in this operation? We are here to bring equity before equality! Don't forget that this all started with the decision to close the mine- one of the primary sources of income for those who lost their jobs due to the closing and are now starting a rebellion this very instant."

"Well then, I'm sorry for not even having any fault in the closing down of the mine!" I spit as I could not hold back my tongue.

"Marinette-"

"And why must our past leader have to decide to do that out of selfish reasons then leave us to clean up for his mistakes?"

"Mari-"

"And he does not stop there," I continue my rant, my face turning solemn in grief, "he commits suicide, leaving nothing behind. Until now we do not know why and until now, we do not have anyone courageous enough to step up and stop the misunderstanding that is making everyone go against each other-"

"Marinette, my love!" Monarch exclaims, grabbing my shoulders at the same time and looking into my eyes out of desperation. My mouth stays open in shock- it has been a long time since I have heard him call me that. "I'm sorry," he apologizes, "I could not find any other way to keep you quiet...We both know that this very thing is going haywire. I know you are mad too, maybe frustrated and very tired. I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

"Monarch, it is not your fault." I whisper, slowly my rage from a while ago disappears. I softly grab onto his right wrist.

"Yes, it is." He lets go of his hold on my shoulders and walks to the other side of the room. "When we were still together I promised you that you would not be part of this mess. Even if circumstance had make us break up, that promise was still there. I kept it there for you."

I take slow strides to him, and even with his back facing me I hug him from behind. "And I thank you for that," I let go from the hug and continue, "but with everything that is evolving into something bigger than before let's try to keep our anger towards each other at bay? And make more promises for ourselves and less for others," Monarch turns and lets out a heavy breath. He brings up his hand and slowly runs down my cheek with the back of his hand. "I believe that it is best for us and our friendship." I continue.

"Yeah...friendship." He drops his hand, "That is what's left of us, isn't it?" I divert my attention to the ground and Monarch clears his throat, taking a step back from me. "Nino Lahiffe is awake again," he informs, "the first time he woke up, he was groggy and very lost. In just a few minutes, he went back to sleep...I couldn't get him to talk properly."

"What are you planning to do with him now?" I ask.

"I'm going to try to get him to talk again," he answers, shrugging his shoulders. "Nothing else."

I grab his elbow, "Just do not hurt any of them, please."

"Specifically, who?" he retaliates causing me to let go of his elbow. "Maybe you should come with me," he suggests, "in order for me to keep your word."

I follow Monarch out of the room and he leads the way through one of the long corridors of our main base that would lead us to the private interrogation rooms where we keep those we have captured for questioning. We walk fast beside each other in a quiet environment. It still is the start of a new day and our other comrades are still fast asleep in their assigned bunkers. I know that Monarch is also exhausted too. That's why he easily gets frustrated.

"The army uniform suits you," he says out of nowhere as we walk. Out of instinct, I look at what I'm wearing. I guess I have gotten used to wearing this uniform instead of the one for nurses.

"You think so?" I ask. Instead of replying normally, he grunts and fixes his gaze straight ahead. Yes, easily frustrated.

"Monarch, why again do we have this dispute, this war that is starting?" This time, I ask him with all seriousness and sincerity.

He sighs, "Who said that democracy was a good idea and that communism was a bad one?" He starts. "Who has so much authority to claim such statements are true? Who creates such norms and how would one know when one deviates from them? If you look at it in another perspective, no one is to blame for this war."

"But don't you think some of their ideas are too...idealistic, unpractical? Or rather, unethical?"

"Do they think that way?" We stop in front of a door that would lead us to one of the base's interrogation rooms. "Given their circumstances, I doubt that." Monarch continues and pushes the door open. In the lone room with draining gray walls only has a chair in the middle of it and a man sitting on it, his back facing us. The man's hands are cuffed together behind the chair and each foot of his are cuffed to the legs of the chair. He visibly sits up straight once he heard the door opening. Monarch walks in first and I follow closely. He stops in front of Nino while I stay behind, I can't let him know that it's me who is here and not someone else.

Nino scoffs, "It's you again, scrawny."

Monarch bends closer to Nino, "It's good that you remember me," he sneers.

"Don't get too excited there, buddy," Nino says, not feeling threatened at all. "I knew all about you way before you even became a general...oh, wait. We all did."

"And who's we? Care to share what you know?"

"Oh, I am terribly sorry, General Monarch. Just like you, I am also trained to keep my mouth shut during interrogations like this. Where is the torture? Why aren't you torturing me like how they left those miners to suffer and die in that mine years ago?" Nino spits, his voice turning into something of rage.

"First Lieutenant Nino Lahiffe-"

"Kill me if you want!" Nino interrupts, shouting, "With whatever you choose to do unto me, I will never tell you and give you what you want!"

"He's a lost cause. You won't get any help from him." I hear Nino audibly gasp once I speak. Monarch moves aside as I walk to stand beside him. Nino's mouth is agape and he stays in shock as I continue, "Because Adrien knows more since he joined before Nino, he would know the plans only when they are thoroughly prepared by Adrien and uncle." I state, jutting my chin towards Nino.

"M-Marinette?" Nino finally speaks but only through a whisper. His whole demeanor changing in an instant.

"In our eyes, Nino Lahiffe is the First Lieutenant of one of the troops back in their garrison," I say in a monotonous voice. "but for the rebellion he is Captain Nino, a person who is of a low rank than Adrien Agreste who seems to act like their general...alongside my uncle."

Nino keeps his mouth shut but I could notice it trembling- maybe out of fear or sadness. Monarch smirks with the sudden change of character from the man in front of us.

"I see," Monarch comments, "I guess my time here for today is done. I don't even need to do the speaking here. I will see you later, Marinette." Then he goes out of the room leaving only me and Nino. I keep my cold front and stare down at Nino who struggles to find the words to say.

"How...how could you? How could I have not known this whole time?" Nino utters, refusing to believe that this was happening.

I scoff, "I have been trained too, Nino. Don't tell me that you saw me as a newbie nurse entering the garrison for the first time. I've been living in one ever since I was born."

"But those trucks! Those b-bombs how could you have kno-"

"Frankly, that was a mistake of mine to tell you," I cut him off keeping a straight face, "you would have all still lived even if you never knew about those bombs at all."

Nino shakes his head in disbelief and as much as possible I keep this cold front until I finally get to leave this room and Nino vulnerable. "Marinette, what has gotten into you? Working with those bastards and being brainwashed by them!"

"Hey! Those bastards you speak of are my family!" I retort.

"And those people in the garrison who think I am dead are mine!" he retaliates. His eyes then widen in realization, "Oh my God. What about Alya?" I face away from him. "How will she know that I am still alive? H-How is she right now?"

"And what about Adrien?" he continues, his voice turning more into of concern than rage. "When he finds out, he's...he's going to be in so much pain."

----------------

I close the door behind me and exhale a shaky breath.

Now I just have Adrien left to interrogate for the day.

This...this is going to be hard for me, but surely more for him.

"Did you get anything out of him?" Monarch approaches me once I am outside.

"Just a lot of worry," I answer. And guilt from me.

"That's enough for today. Surely he will eventually let it all out."

"General Thaddeus!" A voice at the end of the corridor calls out to Monarch. We both see a man in uniform running to us while slightly panting.

"Yes, comrade?" Monarch faces the man as he stops and salutes at him. "At ease. Why is one in a hurry?"

"Sir, Adrien Agreste has just woken up, sir!"

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Hello! The vid on top was created by user20142928 ! Kamsahamnida, gurl! Follow her YT Channel, guys: Snow Agreste (Thank you soooo much!)

Okay, okay. I need to put my trashy K-pop self away first. Oh my goodness, after how many months, I finally got to update the book. Sorry for the short chapter. Hopefully it will be somewhat longer in the next one. Thank you for really waiting and hopefully you enjoyed the chapter. You guys are seriously the best.

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