"Faceless Future" Book 2 of "Secrets Unraveled" Trilogy |COMPLETED|

Chpt 15: And, Of Course, Gabriel Will Be Helpful, Too, Right?

"Adrien," said his father, seemingly unsurprised by his son bursting into his office, "to what do I owe this pleasure of seeing you?"  He paused for a moment before adding "finally."  Gabriel rose his eyebrows slightly in question. He was standing in front of his computer screen at the far side of the room.

Adrien had stopped just inside the room. His heart was racing and he was so mad he couldn't think clearly.  He knew that was always a bad thing when talking to his father.  Letting his emotions control him could lead to him telling his father things that he never meant to.

I need to calm down, Adrien thought. He brought up the image of Marinette and reminded himself that he needed to get control of himself so he could continue to protect her secret from his father.  His father didn't know she was Ladybug and Adrien was determined to keep that information from him. While his father didn't seem to be doing anything to get revenge on them for ruining his plan to use Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses, Adrien didn't trust him.

Adrien walked across the room to stand a few feet from his father. "I'm here for answers," Adrien said, trying to convey how serious he was by looking his father directly in the eyes.

Gabriel was annoyed that Adrien hadn't been to see him since the day after Adrien had confronted him when he was Hawk Moth and Adrien had left with the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses.   Adrien had come to the house with Marinette and he had told him what he was going to do- stop doing photo shoots and worst of all, moving in with Marinette's family.  Gabriel had told Adrien that he wouldn't allow it, but Adrien had disobeyed him!  And Adrien hadn't been in the house since.  Adding to his roiling emotions was Gabriel's frustration about not being able to save his wife.  It had all been building since that night, with much of his anger now aimed at his son, who he could still hardly believe was also Cat Noir!  If only Adrien hadn't interfered, maybe Emilie would be sitting here beside him tonight!

Gabriel felt the need to punish his son for disobeying him and ruining all of his plans. He conveniently chose to forget that he had willingly handed the Miraculouses over to Adrien in hopes that the someone Adrien knew would be able to fix the Peacock Miraculous and save his wife.

"Answers.  Hmm.  Exactly what answers are you hoping for?  I also have many questions that you have not answered for me.  I may be willing to share in exchange for information.  Since you have told me plainly that you are not interested in being protected as my child any longer, we will bargain as adults.  For each question of mine that you answer, I will answer one of yours.  If you refuse, I have the option of also refusing to answer.  Is that a deal?" Gabriel asked, holding out his hand to shake on the bargain.

Adrien had the feeling that his father was laying some kind of trap, but he couldn't refuse to at least try if he could learn something.  He reached out his hand and shook with his father.

"Wonderful!" Gabriel said, removing his hand from his son's.  "My first question, one that I have been wondering about for some time . . . who. . . is . . . Ladybug?" He spoke the last three words slowly to give them emphasis.

Adrien felt his eyes widen involuntarily. Stupidly, Adrien had not been expecting that to be his father's first question and was unprepared for how to answer.  He scrambled for a convincing lie.

"I don't know," said Adrien, trying to keep all emotion out of his voice so his father wouldn't know he was lying.

Gabriel sneered at him.  "Really?  I am supposed to believe that?"

"You've heard of secret identities, right?" Adrien retorted.  "We aren't supposed to reveal our identities to anyone.  It's too dangerous."  He couldn't keep from adding "as we saw when the world witnessed Chloe transform into Queen Bee and then some supervillains went after her when they knew she had no powers to protect her to try to steal her Miraculous when we came to give it to her."

Gabriel stared coldly at Adrien for a moment before saying "Since you were unable to answer the first question to my satisfaction, I will ask another.  Who is currently in possession of the other Miraculouses?"

Adrien stared coldly back at his father. "There was no part of our bargain that stated that the questions needed to be answered to either of our satisfactions, but I will answer you because you already know I can't possibly tell you or anyone else that.  Keeping that secret is the only way to keep the Miraculouses safe and out of the hands of those who would use them for evil," said Adrien, getting more annoyed with his father for asking questions he knew there was no way that Adrien would ever answer.

"Are you even going to ask any questions besides those you know I can't or won't be able to answer?" asked Adrien.

"Those were my most pressing questions.  I may have to think if I have others," Gabriel said with a smirk.

"So, basically, you had no intention of asking any questions I could answer as you are unwilling to tell me the answers to any of the questions you know I have about Nathalie or Mother?"

Gabriel gave a slight smile, giving Adrien the answer to his question in his silence.

"Fine.  But, I want to see Mother," Adrien said forcefully.

Gabriel studied him, trying to decide whether he had punished Adrien enough for one day. Whether he had made the point to Adrien that he couldn't control his own father. He decided the point should have gotten through to Adrien.

"Very well.  You can see your mother," said Gabriel.  He walked over to the Klimt-style painting of Emilie, Adrien's mother, and pressed six of the triangles on the painted dress.  A circle in the floor opened and Gabriel gestured that Adrien get on.

"I will follow in a minute," Gabriel said to Adrien. Adrien stepped onto the circle and it descended into the floor.  When the circle Adrien was on stopped moving, he found himself back in the gloomy, cavernous room where he had confronted his father as Hawk Moth.  He stepped off the circle and headed toward the metal walkway that led to the glass casket that was somehow keeping his mom alive, but where she seemed to be in some kind of coma.  He wished he could get answers!

He walked over to the casket and peered inside.  His mother looked just the same as she did before- she looked alive and just as if she were sleeping.  Her blonde hair was even perfectly styled.  He noticed that she had her hands clasped in a natural pose that was so like his mother.  Adrien placed his hands on the glass above her hands, imagining that he was holding hands with her now.  It had been over a year since he had seen her.  He really missed her.  Things hadn't been perfect, but they had been better.

Adrien wondered just what exactly his mother had been doing with the Peacock Miraculous.  And, how long had she been using it?  She had obviously had it for quite awhile without Adrien knowing anything about it. And, his mother and father hadn't seemed to be committing crimes with them, or at least not overtly acting like villains, or Master Fu would have needed to choose a Ladybug and Cat Noir before he and Marinette were given the Miraculouses.  There was so much he didn't understand.  What had they been doing and why?

Adrien heard footsteps behind him.  He removed his hands from the casket and took a step back, but didn't look at his father.

"Why won't you tell me anything?  The information that you are keeping secret may be important to save her.  And Nathalie!"

"Will you make a bargain to come home if I tell you?" asked Gabriel, curious as to how desperate Adrien was to find out the answers to his questions.

"Those two things have nothing to do with each other!" cried Adrien, feeling like everything was out of control.

"Never the less, those are my terms," Gabriel replied calmly.

"Then, no, I don't agree to those terms!  There are too many secrets in this house and you want too much control over me.  I am doing fine figuring out how to live my life!" said Adrien loudly.

Adrien took one last look at his mother and then strode back to the other side of the room, ready to leave his father behind.