“You’re late,” Selina said, arms crossed and fingers tapping her elbows.
“I was out with friends,” Felicia lied, avoiding Selina’s eyes.
“Doesn’t explain the bruises on your face.”
Felicia paused. Robin did manage to land a few good punches in. She took a few small steps to her mirror and noticed small bruises on her face…
“I can…”
“Zip it,” Selina said, uncrossing her arms. “Come to the kitchen. I’ll patch you up.”
Felicia sat right next to Selina as she dabbed a cotton swab over her bruises, causing her to hiss in pain.
“How are you so good with this?” Felicia asked.
“I’ve had some experience with bruises,” Selina said. Felicia almost wanted to sigh. Another vague statement she wouldn’t elaborate on.
“Now tell me,” Selina said. “Where have you been? Where’d you get the bruises?”
“I was out,” Felicia said. “With friends.”
“And you didn’t think to call and tell me you’re late?” Selina asked.
“I…” Felicia said and realising she was running out of excuses, stopped and sighed. “I’m sorry. I forgot.”
“And what about the bruises?”
“Some drunk guy in a colourful outfit,” Felicia said. “He got a few punches in. I dealt with him.”
Selina sighed. “You know how dangerous this city gets at night. You shouldn’t…”
“I know,” Felicia said. “But I can handle myself. You taught me how to…”
“I’m not mad that you went out,” Selina said. “I’m mad that you didn’t tell me. You can go out with friends and go drinking or whatever but what if something happens to you and I’m not there to help? I tell you when I’ll be out, don’t I?”
Felicia nodded. “Yeah.”
“No more secrets okay?” Selina said, placing a plaster on a scratch on her face. “Promise.”
Felicia smiled. “Promise.”
“Good,” Selina said. “Now get some rest, Kitten. Don’t forget you have school tomorrow.”
Felicia groaned. “You had to remind me, didn’t you?”
…
“You let them get away!” Bruce growled.
“They were crafty,” Jason said. “I saw their tricks coming from a mile away but he…”
Peter flicked him behind the ear. “Don’t put the blame on me or did you forget that girl stole your grappling hook?”
“She what?” Bruce turned to Jason. Jason looked away. “Jason is that true.”
“It is but…”
“No buts,” Bruce said. “It seemed I made the wrong decision. Making you Robin.”
“It’s not my fault I…”
“All that training and you guys couldn’t even catch two petty thieves,” Bruce said.
“We managed to round up most of them,” Peter said. He jumped down and stared Bruce in his eyes. “Besides, Mr. Perfect stop acting as if you haven’t let criminals get away too.”
Bruce grumbled, glowering at Peter.
Bruce stepped down. “Either way, I contacted Gordon and there’s no information about those thieves’ you guys caught. You said they were…”
“They were teenagers,” Peter said. “Most of them around my age.”
“None of the precincts around Gotham recorded an arrest of any minors involved in the Egg incident,” Bruce said. “And no Juvenile Detention Centre has any inmates recorded.”
“But we rounded them up,” Jason said. “I was there with him. Me and Peter…”
Bruce raised a hand to stop him. “I’m not doubting you. So, unless they managed to escape…”
“That’s impossible,” Peter said. “Your giant computer would have heard something by now.”
“So, unless those kids are really good at hiding,” Bruce said. “And judging by the fact that they were captured by the both of you, I doubt that. That must mean…”
“Someone’s trying to hide something,” Peter said.
Bruce nodded. “Yes. And it’s up to the both of you to find out.”
“Why don’t you do it?” Jason said with a sulking voice. “Since you regret making me Robin so much?”
“Because the both of you have been very disappointing,” Bruce said. “And I expect you to make amends for your bad performance.”
…
She got the text at lunch time.
I found it.
Holly started typing something down, a few seconds later Holly sent her the co-ordinates location of their next meeting with the Cat.
We’ll meet after school. Felicia texted back. I’ll see you at the bus station.
Holly sent back a thumbs up emoji. Felicia put her phone back and walked towards the lunch line when she was stopped by Peter.
“Hey Felicity,” Peter said. “Sorry to stop you like this.”
Felicia put on her best smile. “What’s up?”
“Well, you see,” Peter said. “Yesterday something of mine went missing in my locker. I think it was stolen. I was wondering if you saw anybody by the locker when you were there.”
“Nope,” Felicia said. She looked over at the lunch line, feigning concern. “The potato salad is almost done and…”
“Yeah sorry to keep you,” Peter said. “Just let me know if you find out anything.”
Felicia smiled. “I will.”
She let out a sigh of relief when Peter went back to his lunch table, cursing herself for being clumsy.
…
The subway train rumbled through the track. A thin line cutting through densely packed buildings. Only the rich and powerful had access to the subway trains that loomed over the city and Catwoman could see them through the window, all wearing their expensive clothes and jewellery, preoccupied with the newspapers and phones in front of them while the city rot beneath them.
He was late. Catwoman had had her fair share of run-ins with the Batman like every idiot who decided to wear a wacky costume in this city. She didn’t know the guy very well but she figured he wasn’t the type to keep a girl waiting. She figured wrong.
She twirled her nails, looking over the city beneath her when she heard the wind rustle behind her.
“You’re late.”
She got up, turning around and walking towards him, running her fingers through the symbol on his chest.
“You shouldn’t keep a girl waiting, you know?”
Batman grabbed her wrist with a firm grip. Catwoman slipped her hand through his grip.
“I’m not here to play games.”
Catwoman pouted. “You’re no fun, are you?”
“We’re here for business only,” Batman said. “Not for fun.”
“No wonder you don’t have a Bat-Girlfriend,” Catwoman said.
Batman showed her a photo of a man with dark skin, curly hair and a crafty grin on his face.
“Turk Barret,” Batman said. “Small-time gangster and two-bit thug working in Crime Alley. A while back he was just some no-name trying to make a name for himself. Now…”
Batman showed her another photo of weapons she’d only seen in news stories last year.
“Gordon and his crew found a stash of these last night,” Batman said. “They managed to haul most of the people involved in the deal, small time gangs around town but Turk managed to escape.”
“Vibranium Weapons.”
Batman nodded. “Yes. These ones are more subtle. Less of a spectacle like the ones from last year but still dangerous. We assumed Penguin had stashes hidden all over the city but before we could interrogate him, he escaped.”
“So, what do you need me for?”
“Turk’s been supplying weapons everywhere,” Batman said. “Weapons a thug like him shouldn’t have access to, let alone afford. When we met the other night I went through the books you left behind, apparently Falcone money has been laundered to Turk to buy weapons from the Penguin.”
“Hold on,” Catwoman said. “That doesn’t make sense. Falcone hated the Penguin. He hates all these ‘freaks’ as he likes to call them. There’s no way he’d make deals with him.”
“Exactly,” Batman said. “Things are changing and I don’t like it.”
“So, what do you need me for?”
“Turk has evaded mine and police capture for so long,” Batman said. “Until now.”
Batman cast a holographic image at the centre of the building. It was an old apartment building that Catwoman was somewhat familiar with.
“I saw a few mercenaries go into this building,” Batman said. “Turk has been keeping his activity down after the recent bust but a few of my sources traced him over here. We just have to find him and squeeze the answers out of him.”
“That’s great and all,” Catwoman said. “But what does this have to do with Falcone? I was promised answers not a job as your part-time sidekick.”
“Turk is dealing on behalf of the Falconies,” Batman said. “If we can find the weapon stashes and destroy them…”
Stolen story; please report.
Catwoman realised where Batman was getting at. “We can get the big guy’s attention.”
Batman nodded. “Now let’s move out. We have no time to waste.”
“Already on it,” Catwoman said.
They leaped together atop the buildings they both knew with efficiency and grace, almost as if they were dancing in the moonlight.
…
Holly and Felicia met at the bus station. Soon they were a few kilometres away from Gotham. The bus stopped at the station and Holly and Felicia trekked through the woods to the co-ordinates written on the card, passing through mansions spaced apart by large acres of wood. This was where the rich and powerful of Gotham stayed, far away, removed from the problems going on in the city below them.
Holly and Felicia could barely believe their eyes when they stood by the place the coordinates indicated.
It was a mansion, two storeys and bright white. Felicia and Holly stepped in front of the silver gates with a large oval in the middle. The oval shined a red light on them and the gate opened.
A cobblestone pathway surrounded by lush greenery led to the manor. Fancy trimmed hedges lined the pathway and standing by the door was none other than the Cat.
He was still wearing a white suit but he didn’t have a hat on revealing peppermint hair.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” the Cat said as they made their way to the door. “Make yourself at home.”
…
The apartment was an inconspicuous run off the mill apartment amidst a series of inconspicuous run off the mill apartments. There was nothing to set it apart from the rest, the colour, the windows and even the doors were the same.
That made it the perfect hideout for a criminal.
They noticed men walking in and out of the apartment wearing casual clothing. T-Shirts, jeans, hell even sweatpants. They’d be the normal people you see every day walking through the street without giving them a single glance. However, if they were so normal why was everyone coming out of the apartment so well built? Did everybody in that apartment go to the same personal fitness trainer?
“They upped the security this time,” Batman said, holding a binocular up to his eyes. “Falcone must realise the noose is tightening around Turk’s neck.”
“Why don’t we just bust in?” Catwoman asked, laying down on her chest with her hands dangling on the edge. “Waiting around here is boring.”
“Turk isn’t good at many things,” Batman said. “But he is good at running away. We bust in and Turk would have already disappeared. We have to be subtle.”
Catwoman yawned. “Whatever you say.”
They watched the men walk back and forth, Catwoman’s head perking up whenever she saw someone walk past. Batman was as still as a stone, peering at the apartment with a steady eye that never wavered.
“Let’s go,” Batman said.
“Good,” Catwoman said, getting up and stretching. “I was just about to fall off to sleep.”
They prowled through the streets silently, taking positions at the main entrance. Two guards appeared through the door, they both grabbed one each, holding each of them in a chokehold until they were knocked out. They entered the building, footsteps barely heard in the empty reception room. They heard another pair of guards walk down the stairs, Batman grappled up to the beams on the roof, Catwoman stuck to the walls.
The guards walked past them, one of them was under Batman. A rope yanked him upwards.
“These jeans are really uncomfortable,” said the second mercenary. “But at least it isn’t like those awful military clothes that we wear isn’t that…”
Catwoman leapt at him from the wall, wrapping her legs around his waist and glove on her mouth and the other on his throat. The man’s body was tight, he resisted but Catwoman was stronger and soon the man crumpled to the floor.
They descended from the beams and walked up the stairs.
“We make a good team, don’t we?” Catwoman said as they went up through the flight of stairs.
“Stop talking,” Batman said. “Focus on the mission.”
“Fine, fine,” Catwoman said, rolling her eyes. “You’re not a great conversationist, are you?”
They climbed up the stairs and turned the corner to see a man talking into his walkie talkie.
“Holy shit, it’s Bat…”
Before she could even blink, Batman threw a Batarang, the walkie-talkie clattered on the floor.
“IT’S BATMAN,” the mercenary screamed. “Batman is…”
Catwoman pounced from the walls and kicked him across his face, silencing him.
But the damage had already been done. They heard footsteps rumbling atop them like thunder and guns being reloaded.
“So much for being quiet,” Catwoman said.
…
“There’s a swimming pool!” Holly exclaimed as they walked past a rooftop swimming pool where a few kids their age were splashing about in swimsuits.
The Cat smiled. “The changing room is over there,” he said gesturing at a corner at the end of the large red hallway. “Make yourself comfortable.” The corridors in this house were painted a deep red, Felicia noticed. Holly ran towards the changing room, making sure not to tip over the bright vases and ornaments that lined the hallways and were probably stolen. They were also paintings that Felicia had or hadn’t seen before all plastered on the walls in golden frames.
Felicia walked ahead. “I’ll be joining her.”
“Wait,” the Cat said placing a hand on her shoulder. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Felicia smiled. “That can wait. I really want to take a swim.”
“It’s something to do concerning Ms. Selina Kyle and your parents,” the Cat said. At that, Felicia paused, a sinking feeling in her chest.
“How do you…”
“You’ll get your answers soon enough,” the Cat said with a gentle smile. “Come, follow me.”
As she followed the Cat through the endless red hallways, Felicia thought about her parents. Felicia didn’t know her parents. Selina was and still is enough, she’d given her the love and lessons she needed but there was always that small piece of Felicia, a tiny little emptiness that gnawed at her heart as to who her parents were. Selina was always vague about it and refused to answer her question. Felicia never really thought about it much until now.
They stepped outside onto a veranda looking over a bright green lawn lined with hedges. The Cat held out a seat for her. She hesitantly took a seat as the Cat took his seat across a fancy small white table.
“What do you know about my sis…” Felicia paused, not wanting to give too much away. “Selina. You know what, I should be asking how you know about her in the first place?”
“The Syndicate carries out extensive research on potential members,” the Cat said. “We know everything there is to know about you, your family relations, your residence. Whatever it is you know about yourself, we know it too.”
“And that isn’t creepy at all,” Felicia said.
“It is to ensure our security,” the Cat said. “And yours as well.”
“I somehow doubt that,” Felicia said.
“Either way,” the Cat said. “We’re not here to talk about your privacy, we’re here to talk about Ms. Selina Kyle.”
Felicia wanted nothing more but to leave. The fact that they knew this much about her freaked her out but there was this tiny voice in the corner of her mind, this voice that wanted her answers. She didn’t want to give anything away to the Cat but internally she took a deep breath and told him to go on.
“Let’s get the appetiser out of the way,” the Cat said. “Do you know the Catwoman.”
Felicia frowned. “The cat burglar? I’ve seen a few newspapers about her.”
“Well, the woman behind the mask is someone you’re very familiar with,” the Cat said. “It’s your friend, Selina Kyle.”
…
They were swinging through Gotham, Spider-Man and Robin, the not-so dynamic duo looking for leads. They followed the museum road looking for any lead, any indication as to where the egg could be.
“Thanks for standing up for me,” Robin said, through the intercom. “Bruce can be…”
“Yeah no problem, kiddo,” Spider-Man said.
“Don’t call me kiddo,” Robin said.
“Whatever you say, kiddo,” Spider-Man said. “Did you find anything on the rooftops?”
“Nothing,” Robin said.
“I sent a signal to the Batcomputer to cross reference the security images with the footage and…” Spider-Man tapped the side of his mask and a holographic image projected out in front. “The security guards who hauled up the kids don’t match up with the faces on the museum’s database.”
“Peter I found something,” Robin said.
“Can we not say our first names?” Spider-Man asked. “Please, Jason.”
Spider-Man swung towards Jason atop an empty rooftop.
“There’s traces of blood down there,” Robin said. “Judging by the splatter it looks like it’s from a knife wound… no a gunshot.”
Spider-Man and Robin descended down on the rooftop, they started looking around for any clues.
“Judging from the blood splatter,” Robin said. “The gunfire should be somewhere around here.”
Robin indicated a clear spot in the middle of the rooftop. “But there’s nothing here. No blood, nothing. Unless…”
Robin knelt down, squinting his eyes. “There’s some blood traces here and…”
“I see some by the door,” Spider-Man said. “Somebody was killed here and they had to drag him downstairs.”
“But who?” Robin asked.
“We’ll take the blood sample to the cave,” Spider-Man said. “Take some photos of the crime scene. We’ll test the blood samples in the cave but we’ll need Bruce’s help. Great detective work by the way.”
“Thanks,” Robin said with a proud smirk. “I learned from the best.”
…
“Selina,” Felicia said with. She snorted out in an attempt to feign confidence but deep down she had a sneaking suspicion. The long nights, the bruises. Sure, she used to brush it off, saying that a girl needs to learn self-defence around these parts but it never made sense for her to be hurt almost every single night. “There’s no way it could be here. Catwoman steals and Selina she tells me not to. There’s no…”
The Cat saw through her false bravado. “Look at the signs, you know what I’m saying to be true.”
“But if that’s the case,” Felicia said. “How do you know? Selina wouldn’t tell me anything, I doubt she’d trust someone like you.”
“Why that’s simple,” The Cat said. “She used to work here.”
…
Batman and Catwoman fought through the men. Batman throwing his gadgets around and yanking weapons away with his Batclaw and Catwoman bounding of walls and weaving through the bullets.
“Turk should be escaping by now,” Batman said.
A thug turned around with a gun pointed at Selina, she dodged and kicked him across the face. At that point around 4 thugs had appeared holding machine guns.
“I’m kind of occupied at the moment,” Catwoman said.
“Duck,” Batman said.
Before the thugs could fire their weapons, four circle objects attached themselves to the guns and a burst of electricity ran through the weapons, jamming them. Catwoman used this opportunity to finish them off.
“Go after Turk,” Batman said. “I’ll handle things here.”
Catwoman nodded, she ran through the building, fighting through the thugs that stood in her way. She burst into Turk’s office but it was empty. Everything was scattered, the carpet was a mess. Turk was in a hurry.
She looked out the window and sure enough Turk was practically shoving himself into a car, being guarded by two men with machine guns.
The car doors slammed shut and the engine started up. Selina knew if he got away now, he’d get away forever. Which is why she had a trick up her sleeve.
Attached on her belt was the grappling hook she stole from Batman on the ship. She leaned out the window and fired.
…
“Work here,” Felicia said. “What do you mean… work here?”
“Exactly what I said,” The Cat said. “Your friend, Ms. Kyle at around the age of 15 worked for us, stealing. She was damn good at it too. Our boss at that time was adamant to promote her to the head of the syndicate once he passed on. Everything was going very well for her.”
“What happened?”
There was a dark shadow to the Cat’s voice as it took on a grimmer tone. “Like I said she was a good thief. So much so that she stole the Boss’s greatest treasure. His daughter.”
The Cat turned to face her. “You.”
…
“I didn’t sign up for this,” Turk said, looking back at the empty streets behind. He clutched his head. “I didn’t sign up for this. I didn’t sign up…”
“Can you shut up?” growled the driver. “I’ve had it with your whining.”
“But Batman,” Turk said, crying. “I don’t want to deal with the Batman. Do you want to deal with the Batman, Josh?”
The man sitting next to him grumbled and said “If you don’t shut up about him, we’ll throw you out for him to catch.”
The car screeched through the streets taking harsh turns that made Turk and his men bounce around like they were in a rattle.
“Think I saw something,” Josh said. “Something up on the roof.”
“He’s gonna get us,” Turk whimpered. “He’s gonna get us.”
“Will you shut up?” the drive snapped. “You sure it ain’t the wind or something?”
“Could be,” Josh said. “Or something on the billboards, you never know…”
With a thunk, Catwoman landed on the hood, her claws digging into the metal surface.
“Hello boys.”
“Fire!”
The thug sitting up front pulled out his gun and shot through the windscreen, glass shattered all over. Catwoman removed her claws from the hood of the car, dodging each bullet by a narrow margin.
The thug ran out of ammo. Catwoman reached for him…
“JOSH!”
Everybody ducked as Josh fired the machine gun through the empty windshield. The car swerved violently as the bullets mowed through what was left of the windshield.
“Is she dead?” Turk asked, the ringing from the gunfire still drumming in his ears.
“No,” Catwoman said.
Behind them the glass cracked, Josh was pulled out of the car. The man in the passenger seat fired but Catwoman dodged landing on a roof.
“You’re all so predictable,” Catwoman said. Bullets fired upwards, the roof looked like cheese.
The guy in the passenger seat reloaded his gun but before he did, Catwoman was on the hood. She dodged the bullet and pulled out the driver, tossing him out of the car. Catwoman smiled and waved at Turk before she pulled out a grappling hook and left flew out of the vehicle.
The car swerved violently. Turk and the man up front lurched and bounded around the car like they were rubber balls until they crashed into a building.
Turk had to pull himself out of the car, pistol in hand. He stumbled as he tried to get up trying to think of how he was going to explain how he screwed up to Falcone. But it seems he wouldn’t have to explain.
“Hello, Turk,” Catwoman said.
Turk fired his gun at her but Catwoman dodged. Before he could even fire again Catwoman had him pinned to the floor with her hands around his throat. In normal circumstances Turk might’ve liked that. This wasn’t normal circumstances.
Catwoman smiled. “You’re going to have to do a lot of explaining to me and my friend here.”
Turk saw a pair of heavy black boots to his right and almost started to cry.
…
Hearing about her father made whatever defences Felicia had up go down. “What happened to my father? Where is he?”
The Cat was silent.
“Tell me,” Felicia shouted, getting up from her chair.
The Cat took out his hat. “He searched everywhere for you. You were the light of his life and when he couldn’t find you…”
The Cat sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We found him hanging from a rope in his room.”
Felicia’s legs felt weak, she found herself stumbling onto her chair.
“I…” Felicia could feel tears in her eyes. “What was… What was his name?”
The Cat sighed. “Walter Hardy was a good man and an excellent thief, much like his daughter.”
Felicia felt the tears fall down her cheeks. She didn’t know what she was crying for. Was it her dead father or the life that was stolen away from her?
“I need to go,” Felicia said. “I…”
“I know,” The Cat said. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”
She walked through the hallways of the manor, her entire body feeling like lead. She thought about her childhood being stolen away, she thought about her mixed feelings about Selina. Crappy Italian food for lunch and sometimes dinner, watching shitty TV shows late at night with the cats. Going clothes shopping at fancy stores with whatever money they could scrap by. It made her wonder why? Why was her childhood stolen away? Was it really stolen away when they had such happy memories together?
She bumped into Holly wearing a swimsuit in the hallways. “Felicia you should check out the pool its…” she stopped when she saw the expression on Felicia’s face. Water was dripping down her hair. “What’s wrong? Did that asshole do something to you?”
Felicia sighed. “No. No. It’s just…”
(Why would she steal her away from her father?)
“I have to have a talk with my sister.”