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#3
MAY 13 |
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“The Cat's Meow” Part Three
When the elevator doors opened, the armed guards found only a pool of blood.
Steal a purse, rob a bank, those were things that Catwoman could do. Hotwiring a car? That was beyond her abilities. Carjacking a cab, however, was something she managed surprisingly well. Considering the day she was having, her mood had helped yank the cabbie out of his running vehicle. If she was going to be followed, she wanted to be in something that would be easy to lose. Cabs went everywhere at any time, but right now Selina wanted to get home.
She had revenge to plot, and her seeing red helped to focus past the pain in her lower back.
The bleeding, however, did little to help her driving. She didn't have great practice with it to begin with and the reoccurring black spots was a little unsettling. On the up side, she was in a speeding cab so it was easily overlooked.
Selina thought back on it as she drove, about how the job at The Ladyfinger had gone wrong. She knew it was wrong to dwell but trapped in the cab, even speeding, she had her thoughts. Originally she had proposed sneaking in by herself and Syvlia providing the distraction, but Syvlia had gone on about how good it would be to make a statement to Crispin Rothgard. About how good it would feel to deal the mobs this blow. To show what Catwoman could get away with.
She had played her, Selina realized…Syvlia had used her pride against her. She had changed her plan to a much showier one, still effective but also far more dangerous. That knowledge stung deeper than the gashes in her back.
What Catwoman wasn't expecting when she rounded the corner of the street for her townhouse was the fire.
Selina slowed down as she approached, stunned by the intensity of the blaze before her. There was a roaring in the air and she felt the heat through the windshield. Somewhere behind her she was dimly aware of sirens but she knew they’d never reach here in any kind of time to be of use. It was already too late. The cab slowed almost to a stop as she tried to take in what was happening.
It was then that she was aware of the car before her, a big black SUV, and the three men that were hurrying to get into it. One of them was struggling with something – no, someone – and that someone was fighting with the much larger man to get away. She broke away once and bolted towards the fire, but was nabbed after having gone no more than a couple of fleeting steps and struck across the back of the head to jar her into compliance. The blow knocked off the girl’s cat-eared cap, revealing a mop of shaggy blonde hair.
Holly.
They stuffed her in the back of the SUV and one man rounded the vehicle to get into the passenger’s seat, and Catwoman noticed the assault rifle slung over his shoulder. She recognized him too. He was Tyrone, a flunky in Black Mask’s gang who would buy the jewelry that her fences would pass over as being too cheap for his assortment of girlfriends spread all over Gotham. There was a scream from the SUV and that shook Selina out of her daze and she floored the gas pedal.
Catwoman braced herself for the impact yet, despite being prepared for it, she was still tossed about enough to make her cry out. Her scream of pain was lost in the loud *CRUNCH* of the cab ramming into the side of the SUV. Selina willed herself to movement so that she was out of the car the instant after it came to a complete stop and sought to seize upon the element of surprise. She was aware of Tyrone pinned in his seat as he howled in pain, but she was up and over the smashed hood of the cab in a heartbeat. The driver’s door opened as that man attempted to get out, but Selina kept moving and stepped forward onto his back as soon as his shoulders cleared the doorway.
The driver was pushed down yet still was able to spin as he tried to grab for her, but Catwoman pushed off and landed on her feet. He fumbled for his weapon, dangling half in and out of the SUV, but didn’t get beyond that. Selina roared in frustration and kicked the rifle from his hand and then grabbed the door and slammed it back into him.
A gunshot shattered the window of the door Catwoman was repeatedly pounding on the unconscious driver and it just narrowly missed her. She turned and stared into the back seat where there was Holly, dazed and limp, but clinging to the chest of the man who had hauled her into the vehicle. A silence hung there as he pointed his pistol at her, cut only by the pitiful groans of Tyrone as he clutched at his pinned leg.
“D-don’t! I’ll shoot you!”
“Then you better not miss,” Catwoman snarled. She lunged. There was a flash and a searing of heat and things in the SUV got loud. The gunman had missed but now screamed as Catwoman used her claws to shred his wrist to meat. She shut him up with a palm to his jaw.
Moments later, Selina found herself outside on the street and cradling Holly. Her back felt hot and wet, especially with the heat behind her. She saw that Holly’s hands were raw and red, quite clearly burned and her brow slick with seat, her face flushed. Holly was still very woozy, unable to focus as her eyes fluttered open but as they did, she recoiled back almost in fear.
“I tried to go back! I tried, I tried,” she wailed uncontrollably. Holly held up her burned hands as testament to what she was fumbling to say. Her eyes were wide and she seemed scared of what Selina would say to her. “I couldn’t get to them…I had to save them, all of them…oh god…they wouldn’t let me, wouldn’t let me! Too strong…I still hear…Oh god, Selina, I tried, I tried!”
Once more, Selina cradled Holly to her and the young girl held on with her arms, her hands held out and away. “I did, I did, I did, I did,” Holly sobbed over and over.
Catwoman got to her feet. It took everything in her to get away from that fire. It took more to carry Holly there. What was left behind was something she knew she’d never get back.
“She’ll be asleep for the next couple of hours,” Leslie Thompkins said as she closed the door behind her and left Holly in the side room she was resting in. “She’s burned pretty bad, though fortunately not bad enough. She’ll recover full use of her hands and her face is just singed. She’s going to need some ointment and some meds, as well as time to recover somewhere safe,” the doctor left off with a not-so-subtle warning.
“Don’t worry, she’s not coming with me,” Selina gave though she remained where she had been left. She had insisted that the doctor treat Holly before her, so she had been still for the past couple of hours. Face down on a bed, her bloodied back up and only quickly treated, she was laid out awaiting Dr. Thompkins to stitch her back up. She held up a piece of paper. “When she comes around, can you please give this to her?”
A quick glance to the table beside the table let Leslie where Selina had gotten her paper, with the pad on the floor, but had to ask. “Where did you get a pen?”
Selina strained and looked to Leslie and gave a little nod to her doctor’s jacket, which Leslie patted and noted that the pocket at the breast was empty. Selina held out Leslie’s pen for her to reclaim.
“I still don’t know why I let you talk me into letting you into my clinic,” the doctor sighed as she leaned over to examine Catwoman’s back.
“I think all of the blood did most of the convincing.”
Leslie snorted, as that was indeed true. “You’ve lost a lot and you’re going to need some more. Also, stitches, lots of stitches, and…”
“Whatever you need to do, please, just do it. I need to get back on my feet quickly.”
“So you can rush off and get yourself killed?”
“Maybe.”
Leslie was quiet for a moment as she started swapping Selina’s back, to clean it off to get a better look at what she had to deal with. “I’m not sure I can ethically support propping you up so you can just get yourself hurt even worse.”
“If it helps any, I don’t intend to be the one getting hurt.” Was that even possible anymore? Or did she mean her body?
“As a doctor, I support murder even less,” Leslie scowled.
“I’m not the one that said anything about killing anyone,” Selina coolly answered. She knew, she felt, “There are things worse than death.”
“I’m not sure I like your tone, young lady. Or you coming here.”
“You already said that,” Selina continued. “But you know I’m good for it. It might not be tomorrow, but you’ll get a nice anonymous check down the road from an 'unknown' donor who will send a very generous 'thank you'. You know I’m good for it.”
“Stolen money you mean?”
“That’s rich,” Selina purred, “a doctor giving me a lecture about stealing. Just ring me up for four thousand extra x-rays or something.”
Leslie gave her shoulders a swat at that, sharp and quick, and when Selina turned to give her an angry, hurt stare, Dr. Thompkins shook her head. “You came to me. You asked me to help you; I’m helping. You don't have to agree with my bedside manner, but you are going to have to tolerate it regardless. I’m not your enemy, Catwoman.” When that was met with silence, Leslie went on, “There’s more than just a wounded back and a burned girl to this, isn’t there?”
Selina laid back down again. She stirred but remained still for long moment. “I’m sorry,” she finally said.
Leslie pressed. “What happened?”
Catwoman stayed quiet and muscles tensed as she tried to not think about it.
“I’m sorry,” Leslie said softly, sorry that she asked. Sorry for whatever had been done to her patient, but she wasn't going to ask any further.
Selina laid there as her chosen doctor put her back together again. All that she had left now was parts of her costume – her gloves and mask – as even her boots were mostly trashed. In her haste to rescue and then flee the scene with Holly, she had forgotten her whip in the cab. She also had the flash drive Syvlia left her with. She had Holly. And nothing else now. No more Is-...
She stopped herself before she cried.
She did have something left. She had her rage.
She also had a hefty dose of medication from Dr. Thompkins that promptly knocked her out not long after that last thought. Leslie had even gone so far as to strap her down to the table, no doubt to keep her from rushing off too soon, to allow Selina time to heal.
She hated to leave Holly at a time like this, but Selina had things to do. People to see.
The straps were too easy to get out of. It was the middle of the night when she woke and Dr. Thompkins wasn't around, but there was a change of clothes, enough in the doctor's desk for cab fare, and nice pair of combat/hiking boots that she helped herself to.
Selina did check in on Holly before she left. Poor thing had mittens of gauze around her hands and her face was slick in the dim light with something that smelled of unnatural mint. Selina touched her singed hair and that was enough. Her resolve was set and she was gone.
Sylvia had been right, that stealing the 'bank' from The Ladyfinger hadn't done anything to slow mob or gang business in Gotham, not one bit. It had been amusing to read in the papers that Rothgard Immunity had suddenly filed for bankruptcy.
In a greasy diner just outside the city, Selina poked at her coffee as she flipped through the Gazette that she had lifted from the trucker's table on the way in. Considering the lateness of the hour and tiredness of the patrons, such a place was great for picking up all kinds of necessities, especially information as it was easy enough to overhear while one pretended to drink the sludge that passed as coffee. However, there was nothing of importance to be overheard.
There were, however, trucks taking goods all over the city parked here, and if one knew how and where to look for the signs of where goods were *really* destined for, you could piggyback a ride into all kinds of interesting places.
Selina 'hitched' a ride with food services truck meant for The Ladyfinger. She couldn't think of a better place to start.
It took three days to find out where the meeting was being held.
She had made the rounds of The Ladyfinger for days, passing from staff to patrons alike, in a variety of disguises as she attempted to learn what she could. In the end, she took to hanging out in the parking garage around the mob cars she had marked. There was generally less security here, and people tended to not look around in such places, which made it easy to spy - if you were patient enough. Selina had to be.
A couple of Junior Galante's men had talked about the upcoming meet as they stood guard outside their boss' car. It would be at one of the Roman warehouses along the docks. Selina had a clear schedule and silently planned to be there.
Catwoman arrived before everyone else, while legitimate business went on inside the warehouse, and a lot of it. It was well-guarded but not as much as she suspected it should be. No doubt this was a 'normal' warehouse for the Sionis shipping business, and the haste at which the meet was being put together could only be facilitated by somewhere accessible, secure and unfamiliar…somewhere that a lot of traffic could come and go without it being too suspicious. Thus, shortly after six, the warehouse began to empty out and heavily armed men from various mob families and criminal organizations began to arrive. Not long after than the vehicles carrying the heads of those began to arrive.
Since Roman had called the meeting and made the arrangements, he'd be the last to arrive. All Catwoman had to do now was wait for the Roman Sionis to show his Black Mask.
She had her grey-and-black mask. She had her clawed gloves. She had Leslie's boots. She had a black hoodie and black jeans. Anything else Catwoman needed was coiled in each tensed muscle, just waiting to strike.
To do this, she was going to have to be quick. Fortunately, she was quick. She would also have to be patient. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long.
The black SUV pulled in, as she suspected it would, last. The speed in which Roman's men rushed out to flank the vehicle told her that it was indeed him. Catwoman waited until one of them reached for the door and then leaped, as she had to time it just right. The door opened fully and she landed on the goon, which squashed him flat to the ground with a muttered grunt. She didn't stop there as she sprinted forward, through the open door and pulled it shut behind her. She locked it and kicked out to snap shut the lock for the opposite door, before she then brought that foot back and jammed her boot in Black Mask's throat. He looked just as stunned as his companion, his fiancee, Syvlia Saint.
Black Mask grabbed her ankle and made to twist it, but Catwoman shoved sharply and drove more of Dr. Thompkin's boot into his neck, to which he could only choke. “No more of that,” she hissed, her warning deathly and she gave a push to emphasis her seriousness. “Anything like that and I crush your windpipe.”
He got the point and relaxed, though his hands stayed around her ankle. His lipless grin turned sinister and he thought to ask what she wanted, but Catwoman met his glare and gave him a choking push of the boot to remind him she was in control her.
“Stop it!” Syvlia reached for Catwoman's leg, but she got Selina's icy stare and backed off. “You're hurting him...”
“That's the idea,” Catwoman rasped.
On either side of the SUV, the doors were tugged, but since they were locked from the inside, neither opened. With tinted windows, the guards outside couldn't look in, and the protective divide between the backseat and the driver also kept prying eyes at bay. There were shouts from outside, but all those in the back ignored them for now.
“Stop, please,” Syvlia begged. “Don't do this to him, don't hurt him, please.”
Perhaps Syvlia genuinely loved this man, Selina thought, but then she remembered who she'd lost. Catwoman snarled her reply to Ms. Saint's request. “He took everything from me.”
“Think of what you took from him,” Syvlia whispered, wide-eyed.
Selina was so stunned that she didn't contradict that right away. “So, Roman's money went missing too, did it?” Catwoman could only smile as she knew the answer already. There was a pause to Syvlia, and by the time she opened her mouth to respond, Selina had already heard enough.
She lunged for Syvlia and her boot left Black Mask's throat. She raked her claws down Syvlia's face and she shrieked in pain. Catwoman was about to rip at her face again when Black Mask's hands closed around her neck. Catwoman didn't get a chance to twist and strike back before he drove her head into the car door, which combined with the choke hold of his hand around her neck left her dazed.
“You was stupid to steal from me, kitty-cat,” he spat, his voice both muffled and raw, but Black Mask was sure to get out each angry word. “But t'hurt my girl, that was plain dumb. You'd been better off t'ave run away.”
Beside him Syvlia clutched her face and howled in pain, but for the moment Black Mask had something else to take care of. He unlocked and opened the door and dragged Catwoman out by the scruff of the neck as he stepped out. His men backed up to give him space but had their weapons drawn and pointed at her. Black Mask stopped mid-step and looked at his men incredulously as from the SUV there was the piercing wail of his fiancee. “Get Syl' some help, will ya'?” He shook his head. “'Fer cryin' out loud...help her! Me, I got some business t'fix first.”
He yanked the door to the warehouse hard and strode inside. There, at a makeshift table of crates, were gathered the representatives of the major crime families and organizations from across Gotham; maybe not necessarily the heads of each, but a suitable spokesperson. They all snapped to attention as the door was opened and then looked surprised as Black Mask lifted up his captive to hold out before them.
“Here she is, boys…the one that took our money. I doubt she came here t'bring it all back, so take it outta' her hide, why don'tcha.” He then tossed her towards the crates they were gathered around, intent to let them tear her to pieces, while he watched.
In mid-air she twisted and Catwoman landed on her hands and feet.
“Get her!”
“Grab her!”
“Quick, someone ...!”
Already Catwoman had moved. She bolted from her landing spot and dashed forward. Before her, Black Mask reached into his coat and drew a pistol. The first gunshot of the night erupted and she narrowly dodged the shot, as someone behind her screamed as his leg took the bullet.
Someone grabbed at her and managed to get hold of her baggy hoodie, so she rolled backwards and came free of it, and the bewildered man stood there holding the empty thing. Catwoman took out his knee with a kick and then shoved him into someone else that had charged towards her. Black Mask fired again, and once more she spun out of the way as someone else took the blast to the shoulder.
Catwoman turned and grabbed the shoulder of another man and used him as leverage as she sprang upwards. She flipped in her vault and came down with a kick to the chest of someone else, at the edge of the ring that she'd been tossed into. With him down she was off as she made a break for cover. There were no snappy words, no clever banter, as she had no time for it as Black Mask's gun followed her path and the twanging ricochet of each shot announced how he'd just missed her along the way.
She scurried behind some crates but whatever was inside did nothing to slow the shower of bullets that tore them apart. Fortunately, she had already moved as she sprinted for a door she spotted ahead. Yet, that burst open and several men stormed in with automatic rifles at the ready. Catwoman was able to cartwheel to the side just in time to avoid their sudden blaze of gunfire.
Behind her she heard Black Mask as he roared at these men. He must have just rounded the corner to chase her when those shots were fired. By the way he yelled he was still in one piece, unfortunately, but so far Selina was too, but having had so many narrow misses already she knew she couldn't keep up that string of luck for long. She had to get away.
With her back to the wall, Catwoman faced men that closed in on her, and from them Black Mask shoved his way forward. “Outta' places to go now, kitty-cat. I ain't so sure this is gonna' skin her,” he waved his pistol above, “but it sure should shred 'er t'pi-...!”
Catwoman didn't wait for him to finish. She jumped up and sank her claws into the ledge of the window that was high above her, as desperate strength helped her to reach a height greater than someone should reasonably been able to reach otherwise. Her legs kicked out and she swung up and her feet went through the glass first as the rest of her followed. The spray of bullets came a hair behind that.
She landed in a shower of glass and window framing but she hit the ground running. Catwoman sprinted toward the nearby bay. She hated to swim but the thought of escaping into the water was far more appealing than being shot to death. However, something tore at the ground right at her feet and she spared a glance behind her, where there was a flash from the rooftop and then the space between her feet was struck. “I'm not going to catch any breaks tonight,” she said to herself aloud, mostly to ensure that she was indeed still alive…for the moment.
Catwoman broke back for the warehouse, to get out of the view of the man, or men, above her. That brought her back towards the building however, which was filled with easily fifty or more armed men who all wanted to kill her dead. They thought that she had stolen from them and come here to gloat about it, no doubt. If any of them got a clear shot she knew they'd take it.
The side door started to swing open just as Catwoman reached it. She lowered her shoulder and tossed herself into it. She didn't weigh much, but then surprise of the unseen impact was enough to cause the man that had started to open it to stumble back into all those behind him – and to make her shoulder throb with pain.
She continued on and made it down the side of the warehouse before the door opened again. Catwoman turned the corner as a pair of shots clipped the edge of the building she ducked around. There she found six men waiting for her.
She went low as the lead man brought his gun up and she rammed him in the gut with her already aching shoulder. She was vaguely aware of her cry of pain as she darted to the side as that front man fell back into another. Another man came around her and she saw that it was Tyrone, who limped badly. Catwoman kept low and kicked out, hard, for that knee that had smashed by her cab earlier. Tyrone went down screaming and held his truly broken knee.
“I'm done playing,” Catwoman gave as she charged the next man. She said that more for herself than for the angry brute that faced her. She was in a fight for her life here, she knew it; a fight to flee. He came at her all fists and she met that with claws, which left him with gashes and she just rushed past him to the next one. That one foolishly dove for her legs and she went over him with an easy leap. As she landed, Catwoman spun a kick for the last man and her boot took him squarely in the temple. Before others could join her, she was off.
She reached the fence and was over it an instant later. If she couldn't get to the waters of the bay, her chances of survival only increased if she could get among some buildings and try to lose her pursuers. Already, Catwoman heard the roar of engines behind her and the squealing of tires helped to hurry her pace away from the Sionis Shipping warehouse.
Catwoman sprinted across the street and made it to the rows of buildings next to the harbor as the cars that carried armed men screeched behind her, while others peeled off. There were too many and they had the advantage of speed as they rushed to box her in. If she had her whip she would have swung up to the rooftops already, but since she didn't she ran on. The alley she raced down was too narrow for their big cars, which was something, but behind her were shouts as they gave chase on foot.
She exited the alley to face a row of storefronts but from either end of the street came the screech of tires and she doubled back the way she had just come. Catwoman turned left as there was an opening behind one building and headed in that direction. A black SUV came to a halt at the end and Selina knew she couldn't keep running forever. Plus, it was Black Mask's vehicle.
In fact, he jumped out from the passenger side and once more brought his gun up to her. He fired and fired again but missed both times as she twisted out of the way and then leaped. Catwoman was on top of the SUV and then down before Sionis could even bring his pistol around. She slashed and her claws raked over the back of his hand. He didn't cry out but he did drop the weapon, and his other hand came around to give Catwoman a jaw-staggering backhand. Men poured out of the back seat and made a ring around them.
“You like hitting women, do you?”
“Don't flatter yerself, babe. I like punchin' anything mada' meat.” Black Mask grabbed her by the arm and tossed her back against the SUV and she cried out as her back hit the side of the vehicle. “That's right. Syl told me you was hurt robbin' The 'Finger, 'nd where. Don't think I'll go easy on ya' none. In fact, I'm only goin' t'hit you harder.”
She tried to slash at him with a claw but he caught her wrist and yanked; already off balance due to the cascading pain in her back, Catwoman fell forward. Black Mask met her with his other hand, balled to a fist, which he planted in her stomach.
She doubled around it but grabbed for it. She held on as she brought a foot up and kicked him in the jaw. Black Mask's head snapped back but then he drove it down as he meant to headbut her. Catwoman pushed away as his forehead shattered the passenger side window and she took the opportunity to kick him again, her shin pounding across his back.
Still, his men just watched and quickly other SUVs pulled up, with men getting out to deepen the wall that surrounded her. For the moment though she only had to deal with Black Mask, but she took her eyes off him momentarily to size up the increasing crowd, which was enough for him. Black Mask had hit the SUV when kicked, but he turned from his position on his knees and punched Selina in the thigh, which caused her to cry out and fall back a step. This allowed him room to get back to his feet.
“You can give up now and walk away. I won't have have to hurt you anymore,” Catwoman offered as she brought up her claws.
Black Mask just laughed.
She faked a lunge to the left and then struck out to his right, but he blocked her swipe with his forearm. He punched for her, missed her face but clipped her shoulder. Catwoman spun, but used the momentum to kick out and her foot took him in the face. He backpedaled and she backflipped towards him, however Sionis was able to gather himself quickly and charged her in turn. He caught her mid-spin and grabbed her in a fierce bearhug.
Catwoman hissed and bit at his face, but with no nose to clamp onto, he just laughed again, right in her face. She brought her knees up and wedged them into his stomach, which ended his laughter with an 'Omph!' so that he let her go. Catwoman kicked, having aimed for his neck, but he swatted her leg aside and then punched her with his other fist right in the gut.
Catwoman collapsed to her knees and coughed, far rougher than she liked. He kicked at her but she rolled, avoided it and aimed a palm for his crotch. She wasn't afraid to get dirty. It hit but Roman was unphased, or if he felt it he didn't react. Instead he boxed her ears. “You don't get it, do ya', ya' dumb broad. No, you ain't gonna' die, not before I make sure you *hurt*.” He hissed this through his teeth as he kicked again, this time he landed it, his boot firmly into her stomach and once more she felt like she exploded with pain. She was dimy aware that she was on her knees as the world seemed to be only colored in grays for the moment and she had to fight the urge to close her eyes.
It was then that the wail of a siren interrupted the scene as behind them a police car screeched to a halt. An officer on either side of the car was out, weapons drawn and both yelled, “Freeze!” at different times.
Catwoman hurried to her feet and jumped. She kicked out once more and planted a boot in Black Mask's face, and used him to push herself forward. She sailed up and over the ring of men, who dared not raise their weapons against the cops, to land before the driver's side
She held out her hands. “I'm Catwoman and I want you to arrest me.”
Holly woke to find Dr. Thompkins hovering over her, as though the doctor had expected the exact moment she'd come back to consciousness. She let Leslie check her over and the pair of them kept silent the whole time. What were they supposed to say to one another?
Before she left, Dr. Thompkins drew an envelope from her coat pocket and handed out to her, which at first Holly thought must be the bill? She had no insurance, she never had any insurance, so how would she pay for t... and that's when she recognized Selina's handwriting which addressed it to her. Holly feared what was inside it and dared not open it but, then, her hands were also bound in thick layers of gauze.
Leslie seemed to realize that about an hour later when she came back to check on Holly and change the saline drip bag, thus she opened the letter and returned it to Holly's lap.
Selina must hate her. She hated herself. She still remembered...how they...she didn't save any of them.
She cried.
She awoke several hours later, maybe a day. It was impossible to tell how much she had lost, not when it was so easy to think of everything else that was now gone to her. Even...Selina?
Holly knew she might as well get it open with. Clumsily she thumbed the letter out of the envelope and read:
Go back home.
I found you there once; I'll come for you again.
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To Be Continued...
Next: In Catwoman #4: Goodbye.
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