She sniffed the air and sighed. Old artifacts dated back to even the year where this evolution began, she loved that smell. It was way better than sniffing those cheesy perfumes those other girls went for just to flirt with other guys. No this wasn't your typical run of the mill girl who adored old museums just to flirt with the hunky tour guides, this girl had a different interests.
Her name is Black Spade, a young rookie thief who had an eye for the "priceless" jewelry. They say that she creeps through the shadows with a stone cold look… no one has ever seen her expressions change and she associated with her advisors, Red Diamond and Red Heart. She had no interests in finding… her true love like any other girl. But that one night… and another night… her life changed.
She slinked through the shadows as she spray-painted all of the video cameras. She adjusted her hat and flipped her hair… another night… another heist.
"Spade of Aces to Diamond of Aces, give me the down low now! What the hell am I stealing?" she hissed into her blue tooth.
"AWWWW!!! You said HELL, I'm telling!!!!" a voice of a little boy mocked her.
"Shut up Ranger and tell me what I am stealing!!!"
"Fine… geez, Ana don't get so uptight. Red Heart, help me widen the visual," Diamond grumbled. A small bark and a growl followed. To this thief, this was more like a work out than a heist.
"Okay, Spade, you got a tailer coming at the west wing , fourth floor and descending, aerial type, ancient artifact located on his back. Sending the info now," Red Diamond said, the sound of keys clicking kept in tune to his voice. Black Spade flipped out a small compatible computer. The screen blinked on as little sounds beeped here and there.
"Blue Beetle, rookie hero, info and background: unknown, location: unknown, second host of the Blue Scarab, third Blue Beetle, Mentor Batman." She read.
"Huh… he's a amateur, found himself a few months back. Why would Gotham send a rookie after me? Or maybe he wants to be a hero and catch me… hmmm… should I be sweet and be easy on him or is he like the rest of these uptight heroes… all talk and showoff? Eh… it's all the same with all of the above."
Red Diamond gave her the info on her next heist. The Tiffany Yellow Diamond , new in town and extremely rare gem worn in breakfast at Tiffany's, that was only there for a short time… well… call it a very short time. It was just about to make a unexpected exit and it's escort… a girl dressed in a teenaged witch outfit of a black and magenta corset and mini skirt was sort of ragged, her leggings and arm socks were matching and she held a black witch hat with card charms dangling from the tip.
She grabbed her number two card of hearts and carefully slipped through the red lasers guarding the prize she craved. Her past, locked away was not only a horrid dream but also a helpful assessment to her. Gymnastics, dancing, this girl knew it all and used it to her advantage.
"Such a pretty little birdie," she cooed as she eyed the small golden bird perched on the gem. She traced a circle in the glass and slowly took the bird from its display case. It glimmered in the light and … then she saw him…
His red eyes stared directly at her behind through the reflection. Blue Beetle… the hero who decided to step in and stop her. She hid her left eye as she examined her "stalker". He looked like … a bug. She wondered if he noticed that inside she was laughing at him and his getup. She couldn't see him well because she was farsighted which really did suck. Yet she could clearly make out his description.
The hero looked to be her age, at least four months older and held his height about 6"2. He wasn't so muscular and buff as Wildcat or Aquaman nor did he look that bright as the Atom or Red Tornado.
"So you must be Blue Beetle… nice to meet you…" her voice was all girly and sugary, ick.
"So you're Black Spade… thief that has the copperes hopping mad, it's an honor to come face to face with you… though I thought you'd be older," he returned the stupid greeting.
"Same here. So face off or the usual cat and mouse?" she chewed on a tip of a Jack of hearts and batted her eyelashes.
"Is that a threat or a question?"
"Cat and mouse it is. Five second start for me, pretty boy," she giggled as she noticed a slight blush slowly dissolving into view on his face. She flicked the Jack card at his nose and watched as the card exploded in his face before bounding off into the civil war exhibit, listening to his desperate cough behind her.
"Oh my god, Diamond, did you see him? Isn't his outfit so hilarious?" she snorted as she seated herself underneath a canon. Ranger sighed.
"Black Spade, honestly, don't you think that he is dangerous? After all, he's Batman's pupil!" he cried.
"Not really. I'm not impressed by his timing, besides Batman must have had a hard time with this guy. He barely can control that thing on his back."
"Haven't you even read the full bio? This guy is the third generation of Blue Beetles! Not to mention he's loaded with cannons and blasters, Ana!"
Black Spade chuckled and muted him. Blue Beetle was just like all the others, easy to beat and nothing else well except Batman but she never encountered him before and pray to god it would stay that way. At least he wasn't that Plastic Man or the Elongated man, though it was pretty funny watching them fight over who was better while they were tangled with a watermill during her heist on a precious emerald.
"Come on out Black Spade! I know you're in here!" Blue Beetle cried into the darkness.
The thief let out another laughter at the threat. "Come out? Honestly B.B! You so can do better than that!" she giggled as she sauntered out. Suddenly Blue Beetle drew himself in a fighting stance as she came closer. His hands became two huge blasters. Black Spade smirked.
"Nice suit, who's your techi?" she asked as she stared at her reflection through a glass case and brushed on a dark shade of violet eye shadow and dark red lipstick.
"Uh I don't have one…unless you consider the Scarab," he replied, struggling to keep his composure.
"Really? So it is true that the Scarab is an ancient artifact? And the answer for your next question is No, I'm not interested in it. Shiny gems and crisp dollar bills suit my taste but my brother and Tech crew, Red Diamond would be thrilled to meet you, he's harmless BTW," Black Spade flipped her pony tail back and batted her eyelashes at him.
"Yea… and but my real question is are you really the Black Spade, the one who is all cold and everything? The one whom not even Green Arrow can catch?"
"Maaaaaaaybe. Does this answer your question?" She took out a deck of cards and blew them at him. One by one, the cards circled around him then closed in like a strong rope and became...
"METAL?!" Blue Beetle cried, falling backwards. The weak cardboard like paper became cold chains of rectangles pressing against his body. He struggled against them as his scarab beeped wildly.
"Yea I know! I know! I didn't see that coming!" he replied. He stopped struggling and looked up at his innocent looking foe.
"It talks and has a snappy personality to match with? Well that impressive, never seen that before in the movies. Its usually a computer talking to you in a stoic like voice, like the one in the Batmobile I heard so much about," Spade laid on top of a canon and stared at him, kicking her legs as she grinned like a Cheshire Cat. He blushed at the comment as she got up and dragged her finger around his shoulders.
"D-do you always flirt with y-your foes?" he stuttered as she held him by his chin and looked at him with her sparkling chocolate brown eyes.
"Only the ones I like and I think are super cute," she answered.
"And those you hate?"
"And the ones I don't like… well I throw explosive cards and kick'em in the can. Mostly other villains that think they can snatch what's mine but some heroes as well. I tied up that stuck up Green Lantern, whatshisface… ah yea…that jerk Guy Gardener. I hung him upside-down over a pool of sharks and Red Diamond blocked his ring. He's a good lantern but he such a hot shot. A very dumb one at that. So you're on my good side, BB," she added, placing a finger on his lips and kissed his cheek. He groaned in response, trembling at her touch.
She let go of him and he flopped over to his side, a frozen expression laid on his face.
"Aw! You are soooo cute, B.B!" she squealed. She stood up brushed herself of the dust and gently dragged Blue Beetle over to the Union soldier display and laid him on top of the cannon and instantly he was tightly tied to it.
"Wish I could stay, sweetie, but I have to bolt," Black Spade waved as she skipped down the hall with her prize. She wouldn't admit it but she enjoyed meeting him and hoped that their paths would cross again soon. She mistaken him as one of the others but he was just so funny with his stumbling over words and
Meanwhile, the scarab complained about Blue Beetle lack of resistance towards her advances. The boy stared absent-mindedly at the stars, ignoring his scarab's nagging.
"God… she is so… cute…evil but so cute," he whispered to himself as he touched her lipstick mark that still laid visible on his cheek.