A.N. Sorry for making you wait!!!

MARINETTE

“We have a clear view of stage-right. Over.”

“Copy, stage-right,” I speak into the earpiece. “Stage-left? How are things there?”

“Stage-left, clear as well, over,” Alya’s voice spoke, “Good luck to us, girl.”

“Copy, stage-left.” I breathe out slowly through my mouth to calm my nerves for a bit. “Best of luck to all of us,” I murmur.

I stop in my tracks in the middle area of the audience seats and look at the grand stage before me. Two empty podiums are placed on top of the stage and the wide LED screen displays the public poster of the event – all ready for the final presidential debate.

The event that will either make or break the chances of Nordic winning this election.

I take another few deep breaths from where I am. I close my eyes and count a few seconds as I breathe in and out. We all have worked hard for this day. I can’t see our efforts going down the drain. Failing this plan would be failing the citizens of this country.

Watching other people rushing to do their tasks around me made me realize how only a few of us here know what the real plan is. Some are in charge of the perfect sound system, others are ensuring the smooth television and radio broadcast of the event. I see the security team preparing themselves for the arrival of guests. And some of the backstage crew have been practicing their cues and blocking.

A lot are here because it is their job. I can’t tell them upfront that we're preparing something else for this event. I hope they will understand eventually and none of them will get hurt in the end.

Amidst the busy groups of people, I spot Adrien at the bottom of the stage. He's busy speaking with one of the sound-tech team members, maybe giving him a few instructions to take note of. As always, he wears his disguise especially since we're around people with Byvael too. But I find there is no need to hide anymore. This is the last major thing before the voting day and even if Byvael's team does anything to him, what difference would it make to the results? It basically is all up to the people by then.

Though, as Adrien told me the night before, "Better safe than sorry."

I continue to watch him from where I'm standing. My gaze on him softens as I recall what Mister Nordic told me the night of Nath and Chloé's wedding.

Of course, I was surprised when Nordic wanted me to visit his home office in the middle of the wedding reception. I thought he didn't want to have any kind of meeting regarding the elections at that time since we were celebrating something else.

But he called to talk to me about something entirely different.

"Adrien is planning to leave the country after the elections."

I found myself desisting from breathing the moment he uttered those words.

"W-What?" I murmured at length. I blink at Mister Nordic who sat behind his desk, his elbows resting on top of it with his hands clasped together. He regards me with a mix of seriousness and concern.

"My question is, do you wish to go with him?" He asked.

Thank God I am sitting or else I would have dropped to my knees out of shock. My hand flies to hold the edge of his desk. It was the first I could grab to steel myself.

"Wait." I squeeze my eyes shut. My mind goes all hazy. "I'm sorry. I-I don't understand."

"I'm sorry that I'm telling you this out of the blue, Marinette. Adrien wants to leave the country after the elections. He feels that he isn’t safe here. It is sad to think that I agree with him. Truth be told, he did not want you to know at all."

My eyes fly open and I throw him a confused look. "He didn't want me to know…?"

He nods. "Well,” he clarifies, “not until the end of the debate, but for your sake, I can’t find it in me to hold such information from you. I'm sorry…" His voice was laced with regret. Just by the look he is giving me, I’m sure he wanted to say more – explain more. But he gave a promise to Adrien. I couldn't be mad at him or Adrien.

This is all sudden, I admit. But I completely understand Adrien.

In some way or another, I really do.

I feel my eyes begin to water and I have to stop myself before it gets out of hand.

He suddenly looks my way and I could see him flash a smile in my direction despite his disguise. I smile back at him and even wave at him halfway. I won’t show that I know, I won’t make him worry over me more. He juts his head toward the direction of the right backstage. I nod, instantly understanding his non-verbal message that he wants to see me perhaps for something important.

In 15 minutes the doors will be opened and soon people from various walks of life will be filling in and occupying each and every seat in the gymnasium. This might be the only time that we’ll be able to talk to each other before we become busy with our tasks.

I leave my spot and walk to the side of the stage after Adrien leaves to the back as well. Backstage, he waits for me by the end of the corridor, near the public bathroom. Again, he smiles at me when he spots me near him.

"You wanted to see me?" I ask.

"Yes."

"Do you need help with anything–" I stop as he embraces me.

"I just wanted to see you," he whispers.

In no time, find myself melting into his embrace and I wrap my arms around his waist. "And I thought you wanted to see me for something serious."

"This is something serious."

"Are you nervous…?"

"Very," he breathes out.

I shift in the hug to move my mouth near his ear. "You shouldn't be," I murmur into it. "We have everyone in our team helping out, along with the help of others from outside–"

Adrien pulls away slightly to ask me in a serious tone, "How sure are you that we can trust that woman you've been having meetings with?"

"Adrien," I start, "she has been giving us good information about the underground wrongdoings of the man we're against. If it were not for her, we wouldn't have been able to plan this whole exposure that could bring him down."

"And if it were not for her, you would have never been able to bring yourself to that dangerous meeting at that hotel way back." His tone was pointed, but I could see in his eyes that he was still worried about that incident.

"I know. Yet you were there when it happened."

"And what if I wasn't there?" He replies, "It scared me then and it scares me now. I don't want anything to happen to you and I mean it."

"And I won't have anything happen to me," I instantly assure him. "I mean it. A lot."

“I know you do,” he weakly murmured. No matter how much I continue to assure him, I know that he will stay worried about me. “I just can’t help it.”

I move my hand to raise it and cup his cheek. I feel him slightly lean into my hand and a pleasant smile spreads across his face. The information Mister Nordic told me plays through my head again and I know that I have to be strong for both Adrien and me. “We’re going to make it through this, Adrien. I feel it in my heart that something big will happen and it will change the course of the elections.”

“And our lives too?”

I nod. “Hopefully for the better,” I finish in a whisper.

—---------

The gates of the gymnasium were opened a few minutes ago and it did not take long for it to reach its maximum capacity. It wasn’t helping with my nerves that a lot of people have been looking forward to this event. Our plan really has to work if we want to turn this whole election around.

When the audience members filed into the area and took their seats, everyone only had to wait another 15 minutes before the introduction of presidential candidates started.

Nath and Chloé were the ones who stayed with Mister Nordic and his wife in one of the dressing rooms backstage to make sure that he looked presentable in front of the audience. The rest of us, his team, made sure to disperse and head to our assigned stations around the gymnasium. I also noticed that some of Byvael’s team members are also around the gymnasium. Adrien told me a few moments before that Luka was able to get in touch with him to give information about their team’s preparations. And speaking of Adrien, I could see him standing near the dark side of the stage, having enough space to view the debate and also staying hidden from Byvael’s point of view.

“It is with great pleasure that I am here before all of you today as your emcee whether you are here physically or tuning in through our live broadcasts for this year’s final presidential debate!” The formidable woman standing in the middle of the stage flashes a wide and welcoming smile to the audience and cameras surrounding her. “Ladies and gentlemen, help me welcome this year’s presidential candidates – Aaron Byvael and Rustan Nordic!”

A resounding round of applause fills the whole gymnasium as Mister Nordic and Byvael step onto the stage and wave at the audience with bright and confident smiles on their faces while heading to their respective podiums.

I feel a surge of pride to see Mister Nordic hold himself well. He looks presentable, as always, but I make a mental note to thank Nath and Chloé later. I know I’ll be seeing them here among the crowd in a while. When my gaze shifts to Byvael’s direction, a scowl immediately forms on my face. I make no attempt to hide it. His smirk is apparent from where I'm standing and watching him makes my blood boil. My hands ball into tight fists and the urge to chuck something at him is so strong that I need to steel myself by breathing in and out slowly. God, I despise that man.

And I can't wait to expose all his wrongdoings in a few moments.

Just a little more, Marinette. Just a little more.

The emcee begins to speak again, “Before we head to the main event proper, I would like to ask our dear candidates to introduce themselves to the whole country.”

“I shall go first, then,” Byvael says into the microphone bolted on the podium before him. His smile never disappears and he continues, “I’m sure all of you know me, a man of truth and integrity, I am Aaron Byvael. It is a huge pleasure to be with all of you today.”

The voices of the audience cheering and clapping their hands for him grow loud in the background and it makes me sick to my stomach knowing that none of these people know what that wicked man has done to others for his own greed and benefit. The roaring from the audience still has not stopped and it is making it hard for Mister Nordic to speak after Byvael.

I speak into the earpiece, “Chloé, inform Nordic to not speak yet. Wait for the audience to die down.”

“Copy that.”

Suddenly, a pall of white smoke hung over the stage, throwing the people on and near it into a sheer state of confusion. The white smoke begins to climb over the audience seats and people begin to voice out their confusion.

“W-what’s happening?” I hear the emcee ask, her voice somewhat caught by the microphone she is still holding.

Then Nino’s voice declares into my earpiece, and also to the rest of our team members, “Added the smoke machine under the stage as a final touch. If we are about to expose someone, we must do it with a bit of presentation.”

“What is going on?!” Aaron Byvael says into the microphone.

Nino must have infiltrated the sound booth earlier than we expected. I thought that we were going to expose Byvael after a few more minutes, but this is better.

“Nino,” Adrien’s voice chimes in, “you’re an absolute genius.”

“I try.” I could envision Nino smirking from the sound booth.

“We should not waste any more time,” I say, “Alya, switch off the main stage lights.”

“Got that, girl.”

In no time, the lights above the stage turn off, leaving only the ones near the bottom. Security guards begin to fill in the gymnasium and Byvael shouts into the microphone, “Everyone, stay where you are!”

“There is a lot that I had to hide just to stay alive…” A disembodied voice of a woman fills the entire gymnasium, causing people to look in different directions and each other to find the person who is speaking through the speakers. “But I’m tired of hiding. I’m ready to say that Aaron Byvael is the man who took away my dignity.”

“Where is that coming from?”
“Did she just say Byvael?!”
“Who’s talking?”

The audience was speaking among themselves just as another voice comes playing, this time a man’s voice, “I was innocent; I didn’t know what the job entailed. I thought I had to serve food and drink to other people and that was it. Byvael welcomed me and introduced me to another group of people. They…They had different plans. People with a lot of money are scary…and if they have connections with Aaron, they can manipulate those below them in any way.”

I dash towards the front of the stage as another recording plays, detailing how they were used by Byvael. The adrenaline rushes through my veins and I could even hear my own heartbeat. Now, all we need to do is bring Mister Nordic to the side, make sure Byvael stays onstage, and address the audience.

A spate of different voices fills the gymnasium and even most of the audience has grown silent to listen to the recordings.

“Stop this instant!” Byvael shouts, fuming with anger. “Security, check the sound booth or whoever is manning this!”

I begin to give out instructions in the earpiece, “Don’t let anyone out of the gymnasium. I repeat, don’t let anyone out–”

A loud terrifying pop sounds through the air and people scream and shout as they get to the ground. In front of me, I see one of Byvael’s men fall to the ground with a loud thud, blood begins to seep out of him.

“What the–” I mutter, feeling my whole body turn rigid. Another loud pop goes out and another man groans in pain and falls to the ground.

“We’re taking Nordic out of here now!” Nath shouts.

“I’ll make sure to switch on all lights again!” Nino announces.

“Marinette,” I hear Alya call out my name in panic. “Who the hell is shooting?!”

“We never planned on guns!” I utter in haste. “Scratch what I said a while ago, escort the audience out!”

People begin to scream more as more gunshots ring through the air. I stay rooted on the ground, trying to find who’s shooting Byvael’s team. Some of his men try to retaliate but they are shot before they could do so. I bring my hands to my head, as some form of defense, and scan through the audience. How in the world were they able to bring guns inside the gymnasium?!

And that’s when I see one of the audience members on the far right of the gymnasium. The figure covered in black saunters down the stairs, going against the crowd who is running out of the gymnasium. I push myself off the floor and run through the rows of seats, shielding myself in times when a gunshot would go off.

Suddenly, a hand stops me from behind and tugs me to the ground. “Marinette!” I turn to see Adrien behind me. In worry, he frantically eyes me from head to toe as he holds me in a steady manner.

“Adrien,” I breathe out, “Oh, God, you’re okay.”

“I’m glad to see you okay too. Did you know this was going to happen?”

I shake my head vehemently. “I had no idea at all.” I steel my crouched form against the back of a chair and stay in that position as another wave of pops rings through the air. The sound is deafening and there are still a lot of people left in the gymnasium – all are definitely afraid. “Adrien, we need to get out of here–”

“Marinette, Byvael was shot.”

I feel my blood turn cold. “...What?” I said at length.

“I-I don’t know what’s going on,” Adrien utters shakily, “But this isn’t our plan. No one was supposed to get hurt, Marinette.”

“So you think Byvael doesn’t deserve to die?” A new voice speaks from behind us and we turn to see the figure I was following moments ago towering over us. Even if the figure’s face is covered by a black face mask and the rest of her body hides behind a greatcoat, I could instantly tell who the person is. Her voice and posture were enough to deduce that she was the woman I’d been meeting for the past few nights.

Adrien and I get to our feet and I hold Adrien behind me, making sure that he doesn’t move from his place. “You,” I spit out. “You planned all this?”

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, did you really think that playing the recordings could change the minds of voters? You are a fool to think that way!” She seethed out. Adrien and I take a few wary steps backward but the woman still follows us.

“We didn’t want anyone to get hurt, including Byvael.”

“That man deserves to die! How naive could you be? Did you also think that I’m the only one who wants him dead? Did you really think that all those people who spoke against him just wanted to talk?! Of course not! We all want him dead, Marinette!”

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

Mister Nordic warned us of becoming a monster like Byvael…

But I was looking at the other monster this whole time.

“I’m glad I never told you,” the woman continues, “If I did, your hero complex would have done anything to stop me.” A cold tear runs down her face and a laugh bubbles out of her. “All of us are beyond repair, Marinette. There is nothing else for us but to kill.”

Adrien suddenly speaks from behind me, “It doesn’t always have to be that way.”

“Adrien,” I hiss out.

The woman’s ears perked up as I mentioned Adrien’s name. “Adrien…” she murmurs. “Adrien Agreste. So you’re he?” She moves closer and we move backward. She laughs again and my anxiety shoots through the roof. “You’re the proud campaign manager of Byvael.”

“Not anymore!” I defend him.

“Still…it’s because of you that Byvael gained popularity among the public. You fabricated his good deeds and made him look like a savior for everyone. You made people trust Byvael. If it weren’t for you, Byvael would have never run as president! You witnessed Byvael’s turn of fate through your own eyes. You deserve the same too!” All of a sudden, the woman pulls a pistol from her coat and aims it at Adrien before pulling the trigger.

Adrien shifts and shoves me aside. “Move Marinette!”

Yet I do the same thing he did. “Adrien, no!!”

“I understand where Adrien is coming from.”

Mister Nordic looks at me with confusion. “How so?” He asks with genuine curiosity.

“I still have a lot of my loved ones with me,” I begin. “He has friends…and I. I would be selfish if I wanted to keep him in a place that brings nothing but misery to him. I don’t have to go with him. Instead, I would do anything to make sure he leaves.”

“You both have done a lot for each other. In fact, you are placing your lives at risk for this election period. The last thing I want for you two is to lose each other.” Mister Nordic breathes out a sigh. “I can try to fix something for you–”

“I would do anything to make sure he leaves,” I repeat.

“...Are you alright with that, Marinette?”

Surprisingly enough, I am able to let out a genuine smile despite the tears continuously falling down my face. “When the time comes, we’ll find each other again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This story is nearing its end :') I hope you enjoyed this chapter (it's an INTENSE one)

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