Tensions were high in the establishment for scoundrels, as patrons looked on at the heated encounter between Tombstone and the guy wearing a black mask with a spider on it.

“Look at that guy.” Said a man with boomerangs on his back, aptly named Boomerang. “You think he’s brave or just stupid?”

“Stupid.” The man next to him, known as Speed Demon, responded unenthused as he took another drink of his whisky.

“You know who he is?”

“Nope.”

“Me neither, but he’s working with Black Cat. What a lucky guy.”

“He’s practically a dead man after what he just said to Tombstone, I wouldn’t call him lucky.”

“To each their own guy. To each their own.”

Boomerang watched Black Cat and the masked criminal follow Chameleon into a private room to talk. “Huh.”

——

Chameleon led Scott and Cat into a private room, there were four of them in The Bar With No Name and they all were identical. The walls were sound proofed, and in the center of the room was a table with office chairs surrounding it. It reminded Scott of the kind of room gangsters would play Poker in, and maybe it was used for that purpose too but today it was used for a meeting.

“It is good you did not start a fight back there.” Chameleon spoke.

“I know the rules of this place.” Scott answered back defensively. “I don’t need a lecture.”

“I have no intention of lecturing you. I just want to make it clear that I was prepared to intervene and have you step aside if the conflict went any further.”

“You have that kind of pull here?” Scott asked.

“Information is a precious commodity.” Chameleon pulled out a chair and sat facing the door. “Until this job is finished, we are working partners. Even the leader of a Maggia family would understand that means losing my services if they go against me.”

Scott couldn’t help but notice how strange Chameleon was. He walked in a stiff, awkward manner and his hands were fidgety. When he talked, Chameleon's voice was quiet and raspy - almost a whisper but not quite. Scott noticed that Chameleon never met anyone’s gaze, when Cat and him sat down Chameleon’s eyes were looking past the two of them at the door.

“I see.” Scott muttered to himself. “Well, what is it you need done?”

“Yes yes.” Chameleon gathered his thoughts. “There is a woman, a working partner - one who I care deeply about - who was apprehended by the authorities last week and is imprisoned in Ryker’s Island.” Chameleon explained to the two. “She will be sentenced to life in prison, or worse, on account of conspiracy against the government. I plan on breaking her out but I cannot do it alone. My abilities will be invaluable, but I need backup. I want you two to help me.”

“Who is this woman?” Cat asked.

“A shield agent and a mentor figure of mine. She goes by Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine.”

“That name is a mouthful.” Scott remarked.

“She is a woman worthy of that name.” Chameleon responded with admiration.

“You fancy her?”

“She is very important to me.”

“Ryker’s Island huh?” Scott thought to himself. “That’ll put me on the most wanted list real quick. Is this a good idea? I do owe him, without his help Jamie would be dead right now. Besides, I need to challenge myself right? I’m more than some crook.”

“Okay.” Scott responded, “I’ll help you.”

Chameleon looked over to Black Cat, who was quietly analyzing the situation as the other two discussed. “And you?”

“Yeah, I’m in.”

“Very good. Here is my number, I suggest you call it on a burner phone.” Chameleon advised as he slid two cards across the table with a phone number printed on them. “Call me tomorrow at eight PM.”

“I will.”

“Very well. I will see you two tomorrow and I will show you my plans.”

“I’ll talk to you then.” Scott stood up and walked out of the door, Black Cat got up and followed closely behind him.

“Spider.” Cat spoke in a low hush. “I need to talk to you outside.”

“Meet me on the roof then.”

——

Scott waited for her on top of the Bar With No Name building, and sure enough she zipped up to the rooftop using her grappling hook. He watched her gracefully dance through the air and land on her feet effortlessly, and he understood why they named her after a cat.

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Well first, are you okay?”

“Yeah, of course I am.”

“You looked rattled, Spider.”

“I wasn’t rattled.” Scott’s voice raised defensively. “Nobody frightened me. When those men came to your apartment looking to hurt you, I killed them myself. So what do I have to be scared of?”

“Yourself maybe? You talk like you feel guilty.”

Scott felt his guard go down. She could see through whatever facade he was putting up, so what’s the point. He sat down with his arms resting on his knees. “Tombstone threatened to kill my friends, including you, because one of them at that apartment died from his injuries. I didn’t mean to kill him, but it was me or him. I don’t regret it, but now this gangster is gunning for you cause of me.”

Black Cat sat next to him, “I got myself in his crosshairs when I tried to steal that gadget from Vincent. It’s not on you.”

The dread of the situation had taken over him, Scott imagined Tombstone’s men visiting the apartment and killing Darren in cold blood. He pictured the gang being beaten and murdered by The Wrecking Crew. It was all too much for him, it got hard to breathe so he took his mask off and inhaled deeply.

Caught up in the moment, for a second Scott forgot that someone was next to him. His eyes widened and his face blushed when he realized Cat could see his actual face.

“Finally I get to see you under the mask. I was wondering when it’d be your turn.” Cat remarked sarcastically. “You're cuter than I thought you’d be.”

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“What?” Scott chuckled, her joke distracting him from the panic. “Why’d you think that?”

“I don’t know, I figured you wore the mask all the time to hide being ugly. Guess I was wrong.”

Scott smiled. It was nice to know he wasn’t the only one who felt something between the two of them. “Are we at the point where we can exchange names?”

“That depends. Do you want to tell me yours?”

“I’m Scott.”

“Felicia.”

“Felicia Hardy?”

“Yeah, you were right about him being my father. That’s actually what I wanted to talk about.”

“Oh?”

“My dad is locked in Ryker’s Island too. That’s why I’m here, my whole plan has been to break him out of jail.”

“He taught you what you know?”

“Yeah. Well, most of it. I’ve learned a few tricks since then. But here’s the thing, I want to break my dad out as well. If I’m there, I’m not leaving without my dad. I don’t know if Chameleon will be okay with that but -”

“Felicia.” Scott cut her off. “You can get your dad. I’ll help Chameleon with freeing this lady.”

“He might object to that.”

“Well, I can’t say I care too much what he thinks.”

Felicia grinned at Scott’s comment. “This means a lot to me. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow Spider… or, Scott.”

“Hey, Spider works too.”

——

Phineas packed his belongings and was getting ready to head home for the night after spending an eight hour work shift working on the Particle Ray. He whistled to himself as he walked outside and fumbled with his keys to lock the door. Unbeknownst to him, somebody was behind him.

“Hey Phineas.” Scott greeted him.

Phineas’ shoulders jumped and he shouted gibberish, his glasses nearly left his nose but he managed to catch them.

“Jesus, Scott!” Phineas exclaimed. “You startled me. Can’t be sneaking up on an old man like that!”

“Sorry Phineas, I didn’t realize.”

“You’re alright son. I got everything on your shopping list by the way.”

“Actually I came here to talk to you.”

“Oh?” Phineas checked his watch. “It’s two in the morning, can this wait?”

“Please? I swung all the way here!”

“That’s not going to get you sympathy Scott, you’re just bragging.”

“Okay fine, but this is serious.”

Phineas groaned. “Fine. Let’s head inside.”

The two walked back into the building and sat on some chairs near the exit.

“What’s on your mind Scott?”

“Um, a lot of things.”

“Do tell.”

“Okay.” Scott let out a sigh and cracked his knuckles. “When I left Jamie to investigate Tombstone, I got information from a guy named The Chameleon.”

“Adrian’s mentioned the name before.”

“Yeah. He gave me information, it’s what let me save Jamie’s life. Thing is, he wants me to do a job for him. To uh, to help him break someone out of prison.”

“Scott. That’s a bad idea.”

“I know, but I got myself into this mess. I need to get myself out.”

“You don’t have to do what Chameleon wants.”

“Okay but, the woman who I tracked down she’s helping me. I want her to join our group, she’s an amazing thief she’d fit right in.”

“Scott, Scott, this a ton of stuff you’re hitting me with.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you asking for our help with the prison break? Or our permission to do it?”

“I can do it myself. If things go south, I’ll deal with it. I just want to bring it up with you before I do it.”

“At the end of the day you can do whatever you want, just think about what you’re doing carefully. Don’t let this Chameleon guy try and f**k with you.”

“I won’t.”

“And about the girl. I’ll talk to Adrian, it’s ultimately his choice if she joins or not.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Is that everything you wanted to talk about?”

Scott considered telling Phineas about the man he killed, it almost left his mouth when he hit his tongue. Fear came over him, fear that a man he saw like a grandfather to him would turn his back. He wasn’t going to say anything to him that would lead to another rejection.

“Nope. That’s everything.”

Phineas looked at Scott for a moment, trying to read his body language, then he shrugged. “Good. Before I lock up the place again, grab your shiny new toys. It sounds like you’re going to need them.”

——

An unmarked police car was parked outside the John F. Kennedy International Airport waiting for an arrival. Gabriel Hunt, a fresh face on the police force, sat in the driver’s seat. He was a black man in his mid twenties, with curly hair that he kept short. He had a five o’clock shadow and wore a tired look on his face. The time in the car said ‘6:31 AM’, he had only had a short nap before he was back on the job. The last couple of months had been hectic, and Gabriel was working a lot recently. It was a struggle not to fall asleep in the quiet vehicle. Then he heard a knock on the passenger side window, which snapped him out of his dazed state.

Philip Chen, a Chinese American detective with short black hair and a clean shaven face approached the car with a cardboard tray holding drinks and a bag filled with food. He had his hands full and couldn’t open the door. Gabriel leaned over and let his partner in.

“Thanks buddy.” Philip said with a grunt as he plopped down on the seat. “This coffee should wake you up.”

“Yeah I hope so.” Gabriel responded.

“How’s your brother by the way? He still wants to join the force?”

“Thomas? Yeah, he does.

“Even after seeing how raggedy you look?”

“Shut up.” Gabriel chuckled. “He’s hit a growth spurt recently. He’s bigger than me now.”

“Oh really? He’ll put the fear of god in criminals then.”

“You think so? With all these supers and mutants running around I don’t think a cop is scary anymore.”

“Hey Gabe, don’t lose faith.”

“I still have faith.” Gabriel flashed a cross around his neck that was tucked under his button up shirt. “What I lack is confidence.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’re with me.”

“So, do you think she's the real deal?” Gabriel asked.

“Well, if the Chief wanted her help with all this, then yeah? She supposedly does detective work all over the US.”

“Well lord knows we could use the help.”

Just then an African American woman in her thirties waved to the car, she wore a black blazer, dress pants and flats. Her afro was a light shade of brown, she wore sunglasses and carried a suitcase and luggage with her. Gabriel rolled down the window.

“Misty Knight?” He asked.

“In the flesh.” She smiled back at him. “Open the trunk for me? My arm hurts from carrying all this.”

Gabriel unlocked the trunk, making a CLICK sound. Misty tossed her stuff in and slammed it shut. Gabriel and Philip saw a glare from the rear view mirror and looked, that’s when the noticed that her right arm was a silver prosthetic.

“How’d she get that through TSA?” Philip jokingly commented to Gabriel.

Misty opened the back door and sat down.

“Jean tells me you have a superhuman crime problem.” Misty remarked.

“You can say that.” Gabriel answered.

“You know Deputy Chief DeWolff personally?” Philip asked.

“I worked with her back when she was captain. When I moved onto international crime work, FBI and the like, I promised if she ever called I would show. I know she’s a tough woman though, she would only call me if the situation was bad. So tell me detectives, what is happening in New York?”