A Cat's Distress

[CHICAGO - 27 July 2009 - 06:24 Pm]

In the upstairs guest bedroom of her Aunt's house, Felicia is lying in bed gazing blankly at the ceiling while petting her cat. There is a knock and then the opening of the door which she doesn't pay any mind to. "Felicia..." A voice calls her softly from the door. "Felicia," The voice says a little bit louder finally getting her attention. Felicia blinks and then looks over at her mom who is leaning against the closed door giving her a concerned look. "You okay kitten?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Felicia says blandly turning her gaze to her black cat laying on her chest and purring contently at being pet. "No, you're not kitten..." Her mom sighs and comes to lie down beside her after she moves over making space for her mom on the bed. "...It's nothing mom," She sighs closing her eyes. "Felicia...You've been having this remorseful and almost dazed look on you for the past few days now. You're usually very good at not letting your true emotions show on her face but it's like ever since we got to Chicago it's almost as if cracks are forming on the mask that for some reason you always wear even around me," Her mom says sadly.

"Mom..." She starts softly but is cut off by her mom. "I know there are times when you let me see the real you under the mask when we're having fun together or just vegging out on the couch on the weekends...I know you're hiding stuff from me, I know that you sneak out on some nights and then come back before the sun is up,"

Her mom feels her stiffen beside her for a moment and then relaxes. She turns to Felicia gazing softly at her somewhat tense expression and places a hand on her cheek and turns her to look at her. "I'm not going to pry, we all have secrets kitten. As long as you come home every night and do not get pregnant while still in high school then we're all good," She grins teasingly at her daughter's blushing face.

"Moooom really?" Felicia groans in embarrassment turns away from her mom and buries her face in a pillow. The startled cat cries in alarm and claws her way out from under Felicia and hisses angrily at her before jumping off the bed to go sleep by the open window. "What? You're at that age Fee-Fee it's nothing to be embarrassed about," Her mom says innocently grinning at her daughter.

"Back when I was your age, I was already giving blowjobs--," She is cut off by Felicia making a sound of disgust, "Ew I do not want to hear about my mom giving blowjobs, thank you very much," Felicia says lifting her head and looking at her mom with a disgusted grimace. "Fine, you prude,"

"Whatever," Felicia rolls her eyes turning on her back to stare at the ceiling with a genuine smile on her face. "There's that smile," Her mom teases with a wide grin. "You're so annoying," Felicia laughs shaking her head. "Aw, Fee-Fee I didn't know you felt that way," Her mom cooes sweetly and then smothers her into a hug. "Unhand woman," She protests all the while laughing happily. After a few minutes of smothering her daughter with affection, she releases her and gets up from the bed, and looks down at her daughters' disheveled look.

"All better," She says smiling triumphantly. "I'll get you back for this," Felicia threatens after getting her breathing under control. "I'll be waiting kitten," Her mom laughs sweetly as she walks out of the room. Felicia shakes her head and laughs while looking at the closed door.

She turns her gaze to her black cat who seems to feel her gaze on her. "Come on Paws," She says motioning for the cat to come to her. Paws looks at her owner for a moment and notices that same look she has on her face whenever she wants to mess with the cat and then proceeds to jump out the window to safety away from the crazy human lady. "Can't run away forever kitty," She chuckles darkly.

[CHICAGO - 29 July 2009 - 12:32 Pm]

In Lolas' apartment, Felicia is sitting with her knees to her chest on the kitchen counter dressed in her Black Cat suit but without her eye mask, gloves, and boots. "So this is the ugly horse painting?" Lola asks curling her lips in distaste looking at the painting. Felicia although she usually steals under the cover of darkness had decided to steal the painting during the day so the Russians can notice immediately instead of finding out later. "Yes," She answers watching the cats lazying around not really paying attention to Lola.

"You found out anything useful from the target?" Lola asks looking closely at her somewhat blank and dazed expression. "Yes," She answers frowning. "You alright Felicia?" Lola asks worried by her strange behavior. "...No," She answers softly staring at the horse painting. "Am I a bad person?" She asks after a moment of silence still keeping her eyes fixed on the painting.

"Where's this coming from?" Lola asks confused and surprised by the question. "Am I a bad person?" She asks again this time forcefully. "No Felicia you're not a bad person," Lola answers resolutely. "I steal, beat, and...Kill people how does that not make me a bad person?" She asks turning her head away from the painting and watching a cat lick himself. "You are a good person Felicia it's just that you do bad things for good reasons," Lola says coming to stand in front of her and moving her head to look at her.

"The things you steal are just 'things', you're not hurting anyone by stealing 'things'. I know 90% of the money you make, you give to all sorts of charities through an anonymous account. The assholes you beat deserve it, they need to be taken down a peg... And I'm not gonna lie to you Felicia I hate it when you kill someone..." Lola sighs. "I know I can't stop you from going after this guy...But you got to ask yourself, is what you're putting yourself through really worth it?" Lola asks slowly rubbing her cheek with her thumb to give some comfort to the upset young woman.

"...Yes. He hurt someone I love and I just can't let him get away with that," Felicia says resolutely. Lola looks at her for a moment and then nods, "Fine...Just be careful okay?" She asks softly giving her a hug. "Always," Felicia says hugging her back. They stay hugging each other until their interrupted by Felicia's phone ringing.

"Hey Red,"

"Hey, Cat. How's my sexy kitten doing this fine Afternoon?"

"I'm fine, just hanging out with Lola,"

"Oh say to her for me will you?"

"I'll do that. So what are you up to?"

"Well, nothing much just plotting how to take over the world. You know normal people stuff,"

"Sounds fun...What about the rest of the gang?"

"Well, Max seems to have found a lead on Jakal pointing to Seattle..."

"Seattle? What's that bastard doing all the way over there?"

"Jakal was responsible for most of the human trafficking in Queens, it was how he made most of his money besides selling drugs and pimping out hoes...After he killed the kids parents he started laying low, because the kids uncle was on him like stink-on shit, and then Apollo emerges in Queens turning gangsters into involuntary porcupines looking for him,"

"So he cuts he loses and goes dark, while still making sure his men are working in Queens. He's crazy but smart I guess,"

"Yeah. So now he's gone and Apollo is tearing Queens criminal underground a new asshole looking for him but comes up empty and frustrated every time. So I started to do some cross-referencing of abnormal spikes in kidnappings and abductions throughout the U.S.A and guess what came up?"

"Seattle?"

"Yep turns out that during the time Jakal went looking for milk, Seattle had a spike of people getting put on the back of milk cartons. Coincidence I think not!"

"So I'm guessing the kid wants to go after him?"

"...Yes,"

"And you're just going to let him go to Seattle alone?"

"I'll have Enyo go with him to make sure he doesn't get himself killed,"

"Matter of fact how is he gonna get to Seattle? His uncle is going to be asking a lot of questions,"

"...His uncle may have won a month-long cruise to the Bahamas with paid leave, and his uncle trusts him enough to leave him home alone,"

"So he's going to use that time to go to Seattle with Enyo and look for Jakal,"

"Yeah pretty much,"

"That's okay then I guess....Speaking of Enyo how's she holding with her new job?"

"Turns out she actually likes it and might continue being a Curator when she has found her precious bow,"

"And Andrew?"

"He's okay spends most of his time in his lab when he's not at work... He and Enyo spent a lot of time together when he's not in his lab,"

"That's good and good for them,"

"Yep...."

"Yeah..."

"Hey Cat?"

"Yes,"

"You doing okay?"

"...We'll talk when I get back to New York, Okay?"

"Well..."

"What is it?"

"Stark invited Bruce Wayne to a charity event his hosting in Chicago...Sooo,"

"When?"

"Friday,"

"I'll come as you're date and then we can talk then Okay?"

"Sure...Anyway, I gotta go, Enyo is glaring at me,"

"Why?"

"Something about refusing to babysit Max,"

"Good luck with that. See you Friday. Love you,"

"Bye Love you too.... Now Enyo we can talk abou--"

Felicia smirks looking at her phone after hearing the crashing sound that ended the call. "Hey what do you say we go and get something to eat, I'm starving," Lola says coming back into the kitchen after leaving her to talk in private. "Yeah...You still got some of my clothes here?" Felicia asks hopping off the kitchen counter. "Yep, they're in the guest room," Lola nods in the direction of the guest room. "Thanks," Felicia says giving her a quick hug and then walking to the room. Lola just smile softly while watching her walk away.