"Future Rewoven" Book 3 of "Secrets Unraveled" Trilogy |COMPLETED|

Chpt 11: Maya's and Gabriel's Diverging Plans.

"Argh!" yelled Maya, throwing her screwdriver onto the bench where she was working.  "This isn't right!  Why can't I remember how I did it!" she cried, frustrated that she still couldn't remember exactly how everything for the portal went together.  Admittedly, she had had to change her design from a wearable portal creator to a stand-alone one after realizing some of the materials she used in the future for the wearable one weren't available yet, though the basic principles should be the same. But, something was still off!  She never imagined that she would be stuck in the past and need her detailed plans so she could rebuild a version of her portal to take her back to the future, or her present.  Whatever!  I wish I had thought to put the plans in my pocket to carry with me at all times!  This would be so simple then!

"Maya?" asked Max tentatively.  He set down the notebook he was doing some calculations in about the expected power requirements for the portal and looked over at her from his desk.  "Is something wrong?  What can't you remember?" he asked, wondering what she meant.

Maya's cheeks turned red as she tried to think up a good lie to cover her mistake at blurting out how she was relying on her memory to reconstruct everything, not creating it all for the first time now.  "Oh, well, it's just . . . um, I had this dream.  And in it I swear I had all of the components for the portal all put together so it would finally work.  But, what I constructed today doesn't seem quite right.  It's frustrating!"  She paused before adding "I suppose that sounds stupid.  About the dream, I mean."

Max shook his head.  "No, I have also had dreams that solved my research problems and questions.  Our brains are amazing and we should never discount what they are trying to tell us in our dreams!  I'm sorry that you can't remember, though.  I try to keep a notebook by my bed to write down what I remember as soon as I wake up.  I don't want to miss any of my big discoveries!"

Maya smiled.  She remembered her grandfather- well, Max- doing that.  He had bookshelves full of these dream notebooks that he would index in case he was ever working on a problem that he thought had been solved in a dream.

"That's a good idea, thanks.  I'll try that.  Maybe I'll be lucky enough for it to come back to me one of these nights," said Maya giving him a slight smile.

"And if not, I'm sure we'll be able to solve your problem.  Want to talk it through?" asked Max.  His phone beeped and he went to check it for messages.  "Oh no!  I missed getting together with my friends tonight!  I forgot all about Kitty Section's rehearsal."  He looked at the time.  It was definitely too late to go now!  He frowned.  He had been worried that this would happen.  Max was determined to set a reminder timer next time.

"I'm sorry, Max.  I'd forgotten that you meant to go to that tonight.  I don't want you to miss seeing your friends," she said.  Maybe if he kept more of his friends and didn't become so isolated, he would be a kinder, more pleasant grandfather in the future.  She could hope something good would come out of her living in the past with her teenage grandparents.

"I guess I better get home.  It's pretty late.  Anyway, I'm sure that together we can solve the problem you are having.  See you tomorrow!"  Max grabbed his bag, put his phone inside, and slung it over his shoulder.  He gave a little wave and headed out the door.

Maya watched him go.  What if I can't remember? I did this all myself before without anyone's help!  So, why can't I remember? What if it's to do with me living out of my timeline? I need a back-up plan.  Maya thought about what she could do, before the obvious thing came into her mind.  She would get the Miraculouses first so if she was desperate, she could use their wishing power to get back to her own time.  Who knew whether their wishing power could be used more than once?  What if Gabriel used it and she couldn't figure out how to build the portal and then she also couldn't use the Miraculouses because they had already been depleted by Gabriel?  Okay, that's the plan. I need to get to them first!  Lila probably won't approve, so I'll have to keep it a secret from her and from Max.  But, how to get the Miraculouses away from Ladybug and Cat Noir?  What can I possibly do?

Maya got out a notebook and started to brainstorm some ideas.  The stakes were really high now!

- - -

The hole in the floor opened and Gabriel stepped out into his office.  He had just come from talking with Emilie in his lair.  He was certain that even though she was unresponsive, she could hear everything that he told her, so he reassured her that it wouldn't be long until she was back with him.  His plans wouldn't fail this time.  Gabriel refrained from telling Emilie exactly what his plans were as he didn't want to worry her.  He saved those confessions for his office.

Gabriel walked over to the mirror.  "The plans seem to be coming together more slowly than I expected.  The photographer I had hired had been unable to find Adrien in any potentially compromising situations when he wasn't with Marinette.  He tried to crop Marinette out of that one photo where Adrien was surrounded by a gaggle of girls, posting it online, pretending it was what he was hired to do.  However, I had already seen a very similar photo on that 'Adrienette' blog."  Gabriel said the moniker with distaste.  How had Adrien gotten involved with such a girl and her family?  And they were trying to turn him into a baker, making their macarons?  Unacceptable!  The sooner I can separate them, the sooner Adrien will be back home!

"Needless to say, I fired that incompetent photographer and have found another one who is not above staging scenes to get the shots he needs.  We will see how he does.  If that plan doesn't break them up, I may have to resort to more extreme measures.  I won't worry you with the details unless it comes to pass.  I need to return to my work now as I have another important meeting tomorrow morning."  Gabriel turned away from the mirror and walked up the small flight of glass stairs to his computer and brought up the latest designs to review.