Lost Kitten

Chapter 20: Max

The next day at school the group sat down together, each one a bit antsy about the day's coming events.

"Are you guys nervous too?" Chloé broke into their thoughts. There was a collective nod as they all confirmed what Chloé was thinking. "Good." She let out a soft chuckle, "It's going to be hard to tell another person, but we have to do it. We'll ask him after class." Everyone nodded again.

The rest of the students filed into the room, with the lesson beginning shortly afterward.

After the Literature lesson, which had been on Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert, the young hero team gathered in the courtyard.

"I say we split up and try to find him." Marinette stated, logically. "A group of two, and a group

of three."

"Hey Chloé. Why don't we let these two lovebirds go off together, and you come with me and Nino." Alya quickly said, making Marinette and Adrien's faces go completely red with embarrassment.

"An excellent idea!" Chloé said between giggles.

Chloé went up to Alya and Nino, grabbing them both by the arm, they walked off together, giggling at their scheme.

"Well they weren't being obvious about their plans at all." Adrien broke the silence with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes.

"Did you not want to be alone with me?" Marinette questioned, slightly hurt.

"No, that's not it at all." Adrien waved his hands in front of himself to emphasize his point. "We've just very clearly been set up, but there's no one else I'd rather be alone with." Adrien pulled out his Chat Noir charm and winked at Marinette.

Adrien grabbed Marinette's hand and led her upstairs so they could look for Max. They went from classroom to classroom to find him until Marinette had an idea.

"Isn't the robotics lab on the other side of the school? I bet he'll be there."

"You're right, it's room 256 I think. Let's go!"

The pair walked hand in hand until they reached the robotics lab. Marinette let go of Adrien's hand and opened the door to an almost empty classroom. Almost empty, because Max was sitting on a stool at one of the high-top science tables. He seemed to be working on Markov, who was turned off and face down, a small piece of his metal body removed so Max could work.

"Bonjour Max!" Marinette said, grabbing Max's attention.

"Oh! Bonjour Marinette. What brings you here?" Over the years, Max's social skills had really improved.

All of a sudden the door opened up behind us and Chloé, Alya, and Nino walked in and stood next to me and Adrien.

"We all wanted to talk to you about something. It is really important. We were hoping we could trust you with a major secret."

"Of course you can, I've known it for four years after all." Max said, glancing back down at Markov with a slightly puzzled look.

""You've known what for four years?" Chloé chimed in nervously.

"Your secret identities of course." He stated matter-of-factly.

Adrien looked around bug-eyed at the others, they all looked flabbergasted. A fitting reaction to the situation. How could Max have possibly known? Did he know all that time that Adrien was away? How quickly had he figured them all out?

"It was easy enough," Max began, not needing prodding, "I began with facial recognition software, I didn't realize why it wouldn't work until I myself was the bearer of a Miraculous. I believe that since they are magical forces,that makes them unrecognizable to technology. I decided, after several failed attempts with the software, that the only thing that could be trusted were my eyes. I watched closely during akuma attacks. Watching for the people who ran from the danger with everyone else, and seeing the few who always strayed from the herd. Only ever our classmates did that consistently, and oddly enough, Juleka's brother, Luka. Adrien and Marinette always went as far away from others as possible, and I wouldn't see them leave those places. I of course, soon after, realized that they were Ladybug and Chat Noir. Eventually I figured out everyone else's identities through deductive reasoning."

"Why did you never tell anyone?" Nino was the first to say anything. "You could've gotten loads of money for finding all of that out."

"I knew what that information would mean to Hawkmoth. I never wanted to figure it out to hurt anyone. I'm a scientist, I'm supposed to be curious, but I would never do anything at the expense of my friends and protectors." Max looked at the group warmly.

"Thank you, Max. Now, since you know all of this, it means a lot less explaining on our part." Marinette took a step forward. "We are coming to the end. We need your help in the final battle with Hawkmoth. We think there might be a security system in place in Hawkmoth's lair that could be detrimental to us in the fight."

"I was unable to discover Hawkmoth's or his sidekick's identities, but if there is technology in there, I can get you access to that."

"Perfect, and we know their identities." Adrien took a step forward and grabbed Marinette's hand again, giving it a small squeeze. "Hawkmoth and Mayura are my father, and Nathalie Sancoeur, his assistant. Here is the address to the building that holds his lair."

"My condolences, Adrien. I truly hope we can stop him." Max said in a softer tone.

"Me too."