Smooth Operator.

10. Lights Out

CHAPTER TEN
LIGHTS OUT

———

EYES DOWN ON HIS PHONE SCREEN, TANGERINE CONTINUED TO DIRECT ESTELA FROM BEHIND HER. "Just a little bit further, love," he stated, tone calm yet firm. "He's not moved. We've got the bastard now, I know."

"I swear to all the gods, if he's not there, I might shoot you and then shoot myself."

At this retort, Tangerine let out a short snort and rolled his eyes, the corners of his mouth quirked up in a small smile. "Alright then, if that happens, I would've surrendered myself to you, so no arguing."

Ahead of him, Estela sighed. "But if he's there, I might just shoot him point-blank. He's caused us enough suffering already."

"Try to refrain, yeah?"

For another train compartment trek, the pair was quiet, both just eager and yearning to have this mission over with. Ladybug had caused them so much grief and pain – and, to think, ladybugs are supposed to be small.

Abruptly, Tangerine placed a large hand on the woman's shoulder, stopping her in her tracks, just as they made their way to the end of the carriage. Her head craned around.

"Tread carefully now, he's just past these doors."

At this, Black Cat's eyes widened, the thought of pouncing on her prey sounding like music to her ears. Half of her felt compelled to absolutely not "tread carefully."

The duo stepped through the automatic doors, passing an expensive-looking Japanese woman on their way through, who let out a scoff and a roll of her eyes as she strutted down the middle of the aisle.

As she passed, both Tangerine and Black Cat glanced down at the phone screen, where the lemon emoji lingered just a few centimetres before the tangerine emoji, and they both knew the woman's exasperated reaction could've been the product of one hidden Ladybug.

Tangerine glanced back down at his phone screen again as he emerged into the purgatory between train carriages, where the luggage compartments sat, and a bathroom presented itself. According to his mobile, Ladybug, with lemon's phone, was right inside that restroom.

From beside him, Estela took a small step forward and knocked curtly on the door. Time for The Ladybug to reveal himself, after hours of searching.

"Lady, I'm so—"

The door slid open, revealing a man much closer to Estela's height than Tangerine's, his familiar shaggy, fawn hair falling over his ears. Atop his nose bridge, an angry-looking red scar sunk into his aging skin. How many fights had this guy gotten in today?

His muted blue eyes widened at the sight of both assassins, and Tangerine turned his phone around to show him the "Find My Phone" app that had shown them the way to his location.

"Oh..." The man muttered, looking down at his own phone, as if to think to himself how bad his luck was, yet how interesting this plot twist had been. "That's quite cool."

Whilst he was distracted, both fruit and cat lunged for the insect. Who'd've imagined it? Cat and orange, fighting a bug.

But Ladybug was quick, thrusting the sliding bathroom door to the side, trapping their arms in a painful gap.