|
#1
SEP 12 |
 |
“The Cat's Meow” Part One
There was always a small thrill that accompanied sliding up a window and slinking into somewhere new.
Even if the place was your own.
Selina Kyle could have used the front door, but in her tight grey and black costume there was little room for keys, and the satchel over her shoulder was heavy with something far more valuable than a key ring. Plus, this was her place and she could come and go exactly as she pleased. It was the dead of night and Catwoman, one of the world's most renown thieves, wasn't about to advertise to her new neighbors the kind of hours she preferred to keep.
It cost a pretty penny and it had been an impulse buy, only the third place her realtor had shown her, but the instant Selina had been inside she had loved it. She loved it now as she strode away from the window after closing it, striding across the length of the large open studio-style living room.
Catwoman had finally left the East End and Selina couldn't have been happier to be out of there. This was still Gotham City but this place was in the middle of 'Old Gotham'. Her brick townhouse apartment was one of many in this part of the city, indistinguishable from others and surrounded by so many elder and posher establishments that she didn't have far to travel for a good night's prowling. Her hefty satchel was proof of that.
First the long gloves came off, claws and all, and Selina just let them fall where they would. She hated those things and stopped to make a face at them, realizing she had a habit of taking them off before her mask. She should redo her outfit, she suddenly thought, and be done with those cursed things forever.
She pushed her mask back and used her bare fingers to ruffle out her sweaty hair. ”Ah,” she sighed but then tensed as she heard a murmur and then some shuffling from the sofa. Having a roommate was something she was going to have to get used to, especially after having lived alone for so long.
Selina approached the sofa to find Holly curled up there, determined to wait up for her to come back no doubt. She was scruffy, tomboyish, but stubborn enough that Selina hadn't abandoned her somewhere. Yet. Plus, she had her reasons for keeping the fifteen-year-old around and maybe one day she would share those reasons with Holly.
In her life, Selina had coincidentally known two Holly Robinsons. This one had been all but given to her, and the other was now married with brats, somewhere in Idaho. She'd stopped getting Christmas cards several years ago, around the same time she'd stopped sending that Holly gifts.
She drew up the fluffy blanket over the sleeping girl's shoulders and placed a new sparkling diamond necklace from the satchel around Holly's neck. The girl would be thrilled to wake and find it there. No doubt Holly would then reward her with breakfast in bed, or so Selina counted on.
Selina yawned and turned away, but stooped to pull off her long boots. She slid her whip from where it wound around her waist and left it on the kitchen counter as she padded into the kitchen. That was when the pure white cat with green eyes leaped onto her shoulders. ”Good evening, Isaac,” Selina whispered, amused. She hadn't even reached the fridge yet but the cat licked at her ear. Before she opened the door, two more were skittering and curling around her feet, respectively. “Pookie, Roadrash,” she acknowledged each. ”Hungry?”
She knew the answer and closed the fridge, having abandoned notions of something refreshing after her nocturnal activities as she went to the cabinet to fetch six cans. Appletart was resting near to where she normally fed them, and the fat tabby didn't even get up but just used a paw to scoot his can close enough to snack on sleepily. Isaac leaped down to tend to his and, as Selina slid out of the kitchen, Matilda pranced in past her right over to her own can.
She hung the satchel on a corner of her four poster bed, where Karen was curled up on Selina’s pillow. With her was Wisp, the skinny Siamese, who looked up at Selina with those piercing blue eyes, but then lowered them a moment later as he went back to watching Karen sleep. The oldest cat barely stirred as Selina entered, still favoring her tender left side that was covered with some uncomfortable but fluffy bandages. Some dog, no doubt, had nearly chewed the old girl in half and from the sound she made in her sleep Selina thought she'd be taking Karen back to the vet tomorrow. Or Holly would.
She peeled away the last of her costume and discarded it on the bedroom floor. Selina yawned and stretched her way into the master bath to find the tub already full. The water was barely warm and all the bubble bath had become a layer of white atop the surface. With silent gratitude to her roommate for the thought, however, Selina welcomed the bath.
Suddenly Isaac leaped up onto the edge of the tub, the very edge of his tail dipping into the water as he began to groom.
Selina sighed in agreement, “Yes Isaac, it is definitely good to be home.”
“I hope you weren't waiting long,” Selina smiled as she briskly walked up, knowing she was over an hour late. She lowered her shades enough to show the pudgy man her eyes, to compliment her knowing smirk. He was nearly twice her age and, despite his reputation; he had always been good to her as he had been her best fence for years. “Hope it doesn't put a damper on our date, sport,” she practically purred as she slipped in to his side with practiced ease.
“Well, considering the movie I thought we'd see starts in an hour...”
“Ah, you're learning,” she had to smile, this time genuinely. ”However, I can't stay. I have a prior engagement.”
“A more handsome one?”
“Now don't say that, sport.” She reached out to tap his flat nose. “Rugged is all the rage.”
Once again he wasn't going to get anywhere so he just chuckled. Besides, one movie was getting out and another was going to be starting soon, so the multiplex suddenly seemed very busy as people hurried past them in all directions. ”Maybe next time,” he resigned with a smile.
“There's the Vinnie I like,” she winked.
A faint blush came to his cheeks. However, since there was to be no pleasure, that left business. ”Did you bring–?”
Selina brought a finger to her lip. ”Already in your pocket,” she promised with a winning smile.
Vinnie shook his head. ”Same account as last time?” The two exchanged silent nods, which should have indicated a conclusion to their business. ”You take care of yourself,” he lingered.
“Like no other,” Selina vowed. To help shoo Vinnie on his way she offered, “Trust me, there's nothing Gotham can toss at me that I haven't already survived.” She smiled and then added another, “Maybe next time.” Before he could reply someone stepped behind her. The squat man assumed the newcomer her previous engagement and made his exit.
The man behind her, tall, blond and exceptionally well-dressed stood still as a statue as an unnerved Selina turned to face him. ”Excuse me, but can I help you?”
“Yes,” the man replied calmly as he reached into his jacket to produce a card. ”Of course you have helped me a great deal already, Ms. Kitt.” When her brow arched at him using her name, he gave a blindingly white smile. ”No need for alarm,” and he chuckled at his own little quip. ”We've been in contact, you and me, many times over the past couple of months though never face-to-face. I've been your biggest client as of late,” which as he said that seemed to settle Selina. ”You've been the most remarkable of security consultants, Ms. Kitt.”
“Ertha, please,” Selina offered as she held out a hand.
He took it and then bent quickly to kiss it. ”Ertha,” he gave. ”So far we have only known each other through runners or messengers, with little consultations here-or-there. The museum on eighth, that warehouse in the Narrows, well... they were tests, I'll admit, as I need only the best for something.” As Selina glanced away from him to the passersby, he drew her attention back with, “I am Crispin Rothgard, and perhaps you have heard of me.”
“Oh yes, founder and such of Rothgard Immunity, the bodyguard people. I've seen your ads on TV.” Selina smiled and slipped in closer, as if impressed.
“Oh, we're much more than just that,” he assured her, especially as she pressed in. With her closer, it was far easier to whisper his offer to her than to speak aloud. ”Personal and corporate security is our business, and we're aiming to be known as the best in the world. We're currently in charge of some very precious valuables at the First National City Bank of Gotham, that if you would be so kind as to point out any flaws in our care of...”
“...you'd be most grateful,” Selina completed. ”I'll have to check my schedule, to see what my availability is like. How can I get in touch with you, Mr. Rothgard?” she smiled and slipped back.
“Crispin, please. My number is on the card in my wallet which,” he smiled charmingly, “you can keep. The money inside is, well, a down payment to secure your services.” With that he gave a little bow and 'Ertha' slipped her hand into the pocket of her slacks. Crispin turned back and left into the dwindling crowd as Selina watched him go.
After he left, Selina found herself in the alleyway behind the theater when the backdoor bumped, thudded and then a second later creaked open. She wore her baseball cap low and her cat-eared hood was up, which always managed to make Selina smile every time she saw it.
“C'mon!” Holly looked nervous and Selina calmed her as she slunk inside through the narrow crack that the younger girl had made for her. ”I don't want to miss the credits this time.”
“Which one are we seeing again?” Selina yawned and followed the skittish teenager into the theater proper.
“You know, the one I've been telling you about for weeks. 'The Lunar Exchange', the one about the girl who trades places with the man in the moon and discovers the kingdom of –” but she stopped short when she noticed Selina looked lost, despite knowing this theater well. So Holly explained, “The animated one. You know I'm a sucker for Imgar films.”
Ah—yes, Selina nodded. “You go find us seats. The popcorn,” she beamed and patted her pocket, “is on me.”
“So, you going to call him?”
It was an innocent question, and a reasonable one, Selina thought. She considered her answer as she once again played with the card from Rothgard Immunity, the one with Crispin's number handwritten on the back. It had been a six days since the introduction and every night before bed she had done the same thing. Finally she decided and held the card out to the fuzzy gray kitten on the counter. Pookie had been batting around a well-chewed toy, but once the card was offered a swipe of his paw claimed it.
Selina lazily reached up to stroke Isaac's chin as he curled about her shoulder. ”What do we have on the First National anyway?”
She tried to contain her smile as Holly leaped to her feet in a sudden flurry to a milk crate full of binders under the table next to the sofa she had been on. Holly moved so quickly she had startled Matilda who lightly slept at the other end, eliciting an ungrateful feline snort. Holly rummaged through the binders while Selina waited, but then there was an 'ahah' and the teenager joined her at the small dining table. Holly thought about shooing Wisp from the other seat, but the Siamese gave a hiss so she backed up after dropping the now-open binder before Selina, and hovered at her benefactor's shoulder.
“From the looks of it, we've both looked at it recently,” Holly pointed to the corresponding notes. “At least a dozen guards during the day and half that at night, all the motion sensors and everything else you'd expect.” She pointed to another note. ”Johnny, our... er, your…friend in the contractor business said that something was added to the basement, a net of moving laser sensors meant to guard from invasions from underneath.”
“I don't really do the whole digging in thing,” Selina noted as she watched Pookie push and chase the now half-shredded card to the floor and then across it.
“Right, well...remember, the roof has the monitoring system. Cameras from all the surrounding buildings, each with a different source and on separate servers, meaning even if you access or try to fool one of them, there's still over a dozen others. There’s also the vibration and integrity monitors on every bit of glass. The constant patrols, the site visit drive-bys by the GCPD every twenty-to-thirty minutes, the ordinance to keep all vehicles at least fifty meters away at all times, the regulations about all janitorial work being done during normal business hours...”
Holly paused here and rubbed the back of her neck. Selina was thinking and so was she. Appletart made a rare appearance, having left Karen as he mewed at Holly's feet. She knelt to collect him, as he liked her, which was somewhat of a surprise as out of all those living here he was the only one to favor Holly to Selina. Holly tugged at his ears, thought about it and then went on to point out more bad news.
“They monitor all the employees with ID badges that alert them when one is in an inappropriate area or there outside of normal hours. There are bars on all the windows, embedded in the glass, too close together even for you to slip through, and the doors have armor plating that seals from the inside as soon as the place closes, so nothing gets out. The overnight crew is there for the night.”
“Hrm,” Selina said leaned forward to look at the notes. ”Where are the notes on the employees? You took photos, right?”
“As best as I could,” Holly beamed as she pulled out her smart phone and fiddled with it a moment to find what she was looking for. She handed it over and Selina slid through them. ”What are you thinking?”
“They're nervous, obviously. They should be. How many times has any bank been robbed in Gotham, let alone the biggest and baddest of them? They have every right to be nervous and prepare for anything to try and break in...ah,” Selina purred as she found something in Holly's photos.
Just then there was a pawing at the window as Roadrash was seeking to get in. Holly quickly did that and returned to see Selina setting down her phone, and there was a picture of a pretty woman, a teller, with short black hair on her lunch break outside the bank. ”Heh, they're so busy looking out...”
Selina breezed to her feet, Isaac not even disturbed and she tapped Holly on the nose. “Let's see what her name is and then I'll go shopping tonight, through her closet,” she winked.
“So, you're going to call Mr. Rothgard to let him know you've accepted?”
“Oh Holly,” Selina nearly laughed, “what’s the fun in him knowing I'm coming?”
It proved to be rather easy for Selina to enter Tanya Cosgrove's meager apartment, go through her closet and take stock of what was there. She'd return the night before to ensure she wore the same thing. Catwoman even noted Tanya's horrible taste in cosmetics and would do her best to match those as well.
After a week of tailing Tanya, Selina was pretty sure she could mimic the woman's mannerisms enough to make it through half a shift.
Holly proved useful and came through with obtaining some chloroform.
She even made the reservation at the Revlon Towers hotel in Tanya's name.
Tanya Cosgrove never finished her lunch on the Tuesday of the following week and woke up in the hotel room she was stashed in sometime the next day. When Selina replaced her no one seemed to notice. It was very busy, so when the ratty-haired blonde teenager came in to open an account at the last moment, it was easy enough to slip Holly the identity badge. By the time the guards were locking up for the night and the ID badge scan was done, 'Tanya' had indeed left.
Pookie managed to shred the last of Crispin Rothgard's card after finding the remains under the sofa.
Selina found the office of the senior accountant she had visited the house of last night and the substance she'd laced his morning coffee with kept him home sick that day. Mitchell Lloyd's office had a convenient adjoining private restroom complete with shower. Before she changed into her Catwoman suit she washed off the uncomfortable scent of Tanya Cosgrove's terrible perfume and make-up.
She had selected Mr. Lloyd as it was under his purview to select and set the passwords for the next day which, sure enough, he had written down and decided upon at home. Eavesdropping on that phone conversation to the bank's security manager proved easy enough, before Catwoman had slipped down to the kitchen to lace Mitchell's morning coffee. That had made the work as teller Tanya possible.
Like most businesses crunched for space, the First National City Bank of Gotham stored its old personnel files off-site, which proved to be far easier to break into. Review of those files lead Selina to a disgruntled former employee, ex-teller Henrietta Jones, who was more than willing to part with how the bank processed transactions. Thus, Selina was able to pay for some training on how pull off poising as Tanya.
Showered, changed and ready, now all Catwoman had to do was wait an hour for the last shift change and she'd only have the night-time six guards to worry about. She amused herself by going through Lloyd's things and found nothing of interest.
The guards proved easy to avoid. All the security had bred laziness as Catwoman had predicted, yet not so much so that they only littered the break room and played cards as she had hoped. However, they all chatted constantly which was good because they made so much noise that she didn't really need to sneak around. But it was also bad because they were virtually in constant contact with pretty much open radios the entire time, meaning if she took out any of them...
Catwoman kept out of the way by staying up, yet out of the ventilation system, which had its own bevy of monitoring systems meant for anyone foolish enough to get trapped in there. One of the first lessons she had been taught as a thief was to not scurry into a hole she couldn't easily get out of. Crawling through a maze of smelly metal tunnels while attempting to somehow be quiet...well, Selina was almost thankful for the micro-sensors and cameras stuck in there.
There was an art to being out in the open she knew, as she leaped from one shelf to another behind the back of one guard, well out of sight of his swinging flashlight, and staying soundless. There was a grace to it, which she proved by vaulting off a staircase as another guard unlocked a door and peered into an office, and she landed soundlessly several stories below. Few in the world were good enough to operate so freely within such a guarded space, which is why so little security was directed there and why Catwoman was good enough to claim that space as hers.
Wearing her sleek, gray bodysuit and black mask, all gloved and booted, she made her way from manager Lloyd's office down to the lobby and then lower, to the deposit boxes that were down a level from the main safe. Like most banks, First National had the big flashy vault behind the tellers with its whole myriad of security systems, but the real wealth was often well out of view, behind closed doors and held in tiny little boxes.
The same day she had broken into the off-site storage facility for the personnel files she had also 'visited' the actual manager's office. Selina had come in to seek a loan, under another alias of course, and while she waited for the loan officer to come back had asked to be shown where the rest rooms were. It took eight minutes to get to the office and back, which proved to be a minute more than she had, though fortunately the loan officer was male and forgetful with a couple well-aimed flirts, despite being married.
Anyway, the manager's office visit yielded what she wanted – that he had a deposit box here himself. Not that the deposit boxes were easy to get into, not at all. They were within their own sealed room at the bottom of a narrow stair, with a door laden with a number of sensors. Fortunately, Catwoman's first visit outside Lloyd's office had been to the security central operating room, where she had angled the camera away just enough to allow her space just out of frame to pick the locks and slip inside the narrow crack she dared open the door to. She had also been smart enough to flick off the monitors on the door. The key from the manager's key opened the deposit box, which indeed had what Selina wanted.
Then she darted back to the security office to rearrange the camera and reactivate the sensors.
And she waited.
The trouble that many an amateur would-be thief ran into was succumbing to the sense of urgency.
Catwoman moved from the top of shelves, hung from railings and generally played an unseen and unsaid game of cat-and-mouse with the guards over the next three hours. It wasn't that it was amusing, but necessary, so that even small suspicions might be overlooked in the mundane of nothing happening.
Finally at a little past 3 AM the wait was over. Two of the guards were on break and the routes the others were on would take them off the ground floor, leaving Selina alone with the vault. At last.
Catwoman approached the vault and withdrew her pilfered abbra-kadabbra: the bank manager's electronic vault key-pass. In case of an emergency he'd need one to unlock his vault, and where was a safer place than his own bank, in deposit box #0001 no less.
However, she only got as far as placing her hand on the vault when she shivered with a strange sensation, like someone had stepped on her grave. She whirled to see Crispin Rothgard standing there, smiling.
Catwoman hissed and reached for her whip. Before she reached it however, a pole struck out at her from that side and at the end of it was a strong loop went that slid around her wrist. Before she could use her other hand, another did the same from that side and she found herself with her arms held fast as Crispin was flanked on either side by well armored men of Rothgard Immunity.
“Good evening, Catwoman,” Crispin’s white teeth gleamed, and he very much looked the cat that got the canary. ”You've made me a millionaire tonight. Why, just think what your apprehension will do for my agency. Gotham's premier thief and we got her! With how insane this city is for all the high-stakes situations, why your capture by our hands will have them lining up to be protected by Rothgard Immunity!”
“Aw, but that is a shame,” Catwoman purred. “You haven't caught me yet.”
Crispin snorted. ”You won't be getting out of those cuffs, m'dear. They've been tested against men capable of lifting well over five hundred pounds. No, you're ours.” He snapped and the two men that held her lifted their poles, which yanked her off her feet and held her aloft, supported by her outstretched hands.
Catwoman howled, gritted her teeth and calmed herself. ”How did you know I'd be here,” she hissed, less of a question and more a demand to know.
“Why, a little birdie told me,” Crispin sounded pleased. ”She told me what you'd do down to the moment. It was somewhat of a tease to let you go through it all, but in truth, I wanted to see if she was right.”
Holly.
“So all of this then was a set-up. There's nothing of yours in that safe is there? This was all just an attempt to catch me, to...well, serve better than an ad on some billboard. Well, I'm flattered by all of the trouble you went to, so I'm sorry this is going to end in nothing but tears for you.”
Crispin laughed but he wasn't buying her bold talk. “No, there was some use in the ploy. Why, your little consultations have been rather helpful, Ms. Kitt.”
“You're welcome,” Catwoman purred again, still held feet off the ground.
“Well, enough of this. It's late, or early, as you will, and we do have a press conference to prepare for.”
Catwoman tsked sharply. ”Maybe if you asked nicely but I'm going to have to decline.” She swung her legs back and then forward, her legs going wide as she planted them on the poles. With all of her weight suddenly shifted atop them, the men struggled to hold on and she lowered, which is just when she flexed her fingers. Her claws came out and shredded the plastic bands around each wrist.
Now free, her hand went to her waist as she unfurled her whip in a split second, which proved to be useful as Crispin reached into his jacket, intent on drawing a pistol. *CRACK* went the whip and away went the gun, snapped out of Rothgard's hand. *CRACK* went the whip again and Crispin yelped in pain, his hands quickly going to his split cheek.
“Don’t just stand there, get her! Don't let her get away!”
Both men rushed Catwoman but she rushed them, which caused them to stop mid-charge, startled. She leaped and kicked one man in the armored chest to send him backwards and her whip went *CRACK* again as she lashed out to snag his leg. She landed and yanked, which took that man off his feet. Both men were down and Catwoman was moving forward again as she ran right up to Crispin Rothgard, who cringed, but she quickly kissed his unmarred cheek. ”Sorry darling, it’s getting rather late and I should run.” She bolted for the front door.
That's when the guards showed up and their first shot missed her, hitting the interior of that door. She had to dive to her left to avoid a second shot and then flip backwards to miss taking the third. “Why can't a girl catch a break?” she sighed as she flicked her whip at the closest bank guard to her, taking his weapon from his hand. Catwoman then jumped over another as she sprinted back toward Crispin and his downed men.
There was really only one place to go, one safe place where she could have time to think of how to get out of here.
“I just couldn't stay away,” she purred as she pounced on Crispin, slamming him to the ground as he had gone and retrieved his gun. Catwoman spun out of reach of one of the Rothgard Immunity guys and then slammed an elbow to the chin of the next as both tried to grab her once more. ”Sorry boys, but I need some alone time.”
Catwoman ran for the vault as she pressed the key on the key-pass from the bank manager, which caused the door to *hiss* and open. She slipped inside as it opened just enough to allow her to dive through before she pressed the button again, which caused the vault to seal shut behind her.
Holly yawned. It sucked to stay up this late and Selina had told her not to stay up as she wouldn't be back until morning. However, Holly just couldn't sleep. According to the plan, Selina should have popped the vault like ten minutes ago, meaning she'd be home soon enough. She'd start the water in the tub soon, but for now she shuffled in to the kitchen with her overly fluffy bunny slippers and tightened her robe with a yawn. She wasn't at all surprised to find Pookie chasing her and the kitten darted and batted at the ears of her slippers as she went. She swore that thing never slept.
The cats were nervous too, but they always were when Selina was out. Roadrash was out for the night, no doubt looking for her, and Wisp still sat by the front door yowling non-stop. Fortunately Holly was attuned to the Siamese enough to tune it out. Isaac kept watch by the window next to Selina's bedroom, and Holly was sure that of all of them he'd find her first.
She started the coffee and then returned to the sofa to find Matilda asleep in a ball on the blanket she had been using and, rather than disturbing her, Holly sank into the chair opposite the TV. It was already on, though muted and playing some reruns of some old show from well before her time. ”Meh,” she said aloud and once more got to her feet, to slip something far more familiar into the DVD player: Lunar Guard, her favorite anime series.
Just as she returned to her seat there was a knock at the door. isp went crazy and yowled even louder. Holly got to her feet, but in all her time she had only known Selina to use the front door once and that was the very first time they moved in here when she had led the movers in and pointed out where things were to go.
“Shh,” Holly hushed Pookie who appeared ears up. Appletart even appeared at the kitchen doorway, though didn't leave the portal. ”I got it,” she whispered to the fat cat, shook her head and got out of her seat.
Holly grabbed the baseball bat from the umbrella stand before she scooted Wisp back out of the way with a sweeping of her foot. It only opened as far as the chain would allow it, and there through the crack Holly saw a very pretty woman, Selina's age, with long dark hair, a pretty face and a pleasant smile.
“Yes?”
“Sorry,” the woman said immediately and looked down, away from Holly but to the collection of cats that now peered out as well. ”However, I think I have found the right place.”
“Something I can do for you?”
“You could let me in, for a start.” Holly wasn't ready to do any such thing, so the woman went on. ”I'm an old friend of Selina's.” The townhouse was in Ertha Kitt's name, Holly knew. ”Perhaps she has mentioned me? I was like a sister to her, just as you are now? A little sister,” she smiled sweetly. “My name is Sylvia, Sylvia Saint, and I have some information that Selina will find most interesting. And profitable.”
Holly stared at her.
Pookie did too. And Appletart looked bored. Wisp yowled.
Sylvia continued to smile sweetly.
Holly undid the chain and let her in.
|
|
|
To Be Continued...
Next: In Catwoman #2: Locked in the vault of Gotham's premier bank, how can things get worse for Selina? Perhaps when Catwoman steals Crispin's money but only lands in worse trouble for it!
Previous Issue | Next Issue