Cats Throw Dark Shadows part 2.
Zack Martin stood face-to-face with an eerily-sinister woman named Monique.
"You look familiar," Zack asked, "Didn't I see you earlier in the lobby?"
"I get that a lot," Monique said, "that's quite a compliment coming from the Tipton's resident player."
"Hey, I used to be a player," Zack said, "I have a girlfriend now, and I'm very happy."
"I know," Monique said, "I've amassed quite the dossier on you. Mr. Blanket was very helpful. Maya must be a very special girl."
"She is," Zack said, "we broke up, but we've since reunited."
"How wonderful," Monique said.
"Are you sure you don't have a twin?" Zack asked. "Trust me, I know twins. I happen to be one."
"I know," Monique said, "you and your brother Cody are very close, but you don't feel you can measure up. You have an inferiority complex, Zack. And by the way, whoever you're referring to is not my twin. They say every person has a double. Perhaps your true personality can be found in Cody."
"What do you mean?" Zack asked, "I don't have an inferiority complex! Cody is successful, but I'm just as successful! I may not be a college student, but I have a job and a girl who loves me."
"Is that all you want, Zack?" Monique asked. "Or are you looking for something more? I can open you up to your full potential. Just give me a chance."
Meanwhile, downstairs in the lobby…
"What's taking Zack so long?" Maya asked.
"Maybe Zack has a lot to talk about," Monica said.
"Who are you?" Maya asked.
"I'm Monica." Monica said, "I'm an assistant to Mr. Wayne."
"I'm Maya," she said, "Zack's girlfriend. Somehow, he found me in Chad, so I decided it was time to come back."
"And you haven't looked back?" Monica asked.
"No," Maya said.
"Something tells me Chad made an impact on you." Monica said.
"I can't talk about what happened there," Maya said, "with you, Zack, or anyone."
"But maybe once you open yourself up about it," Monica said, "and expose the truth, you'll feel relieved."
"Sorry, Monica," Maya said, "some burdens are meant to be carried. It's better this way."
"So," Gold said, coming up to Batman, "have you found any leads on your Felonious Feline, Detective?"
"Not quite yet," Batman said, "I'm going to patrol the city and track her down. Something is bound to turn up!"
"Happy hunting!" Gold called, as Batman ran out the door.
Regina and Ren came in just as Batman ran out.
"What was that about?" Regina asked.
"The Caped Crusader has gone off to fight crime," Rumple said.
"Oh really?" Regina said, "Well, Mr. Gold, if you'll excuse me, I best be on my way."
"Please stay, dearie." Rumple said.
Regina stopped, dead in her tracks.
"Regina, come on!" Ren said.
"Would you look at that," Rumple chuckled, "We've never both been outside Storybrooke together, and since magic has returned, and we've got our memories back, you thought you were free from my power forever, didn't you? Looks like you were wrong, dearie!"
"What's he talking about?" Ren asked.
"Go on, your majesty," Rumple said, "do enlighten your aspiring assistant to your true nature."
Monica came up to Rumple.
"That's enough, Rumple," she whispered.
Regina could move once again.
"C'mon, Ren," Regina said, "we'll talk over coffee upstairs."
Coffee! Monica thought. Oh, how she wished she could join them, but remembered the instructions Tess had given her from the Father: Regina was not to come into contact with her until the time was right.
They went up the elevator.
Meanwhile, Zack continued to talk with Monique.
"How do you know so much about me?" Zack asked.
"I told you," Monique said, "I have it all on file. Such as the fact you were born at St. Joseph's Hospital in Seattle in 1992, at 6:30 am, ten minutes prior to your brother, Cody. You ran for class president of your school, you worked at the juice bar aboard the SS Tipton, you published an advice column in your school newspaper under the pen name, Shirley, and you used to be deathly afraid of bananas."
"Well, what do you want from me, lady?" Zack asked.
"Simple," Monique said, "You want to win Maya's heart and love back. You want to be successful, like your brother. I can help, for a price, of course."
"Why does everything have to come at a cost?" Zack asked.
"There's a cost to everything, Zack," Monique said, "but, if you don't want my help I can take my services elsewhere."
"Fine," Zack said, "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, how 'bout a game of poker?" Monique said, "the stakes are if you win, you get to have Maya and a successful job. If I win, I get your soul."
"My soul?" Zack asked, as he laughed in amusement.
"Yes," Monique said, "One human soul, intact, with no lingering spiritual affiliations, to become exclusive property of the Underside."
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Zack said in astonishment, "Are you for real? My soul?"
"I have a flair for the eccentric," Monique laughed, as she sipped some fine wine. "You don't have anything to lose."
"Sure I do!" Zack said, "if I give my soul to you, don't I become your loyal slave for all eternity or something?"
"Ah, I see you've read the fine print," Monique said, "let's not trifle in technicalities."
"Listen," Zack said, "I need to think this over. Let me talk this over with—"
"No," Monique said, "I need your answer now. My employer likes to get things done quickly."
"Yeah?" Zack said, "Well your employer, whoever he is, can say goodbye. I'm not giving you my soul!"
"Are you sure you want to walk out of here, now, Zack?" Monique asked.
"This is me walking out," Zack said, as he got up and walked out the door.
"You'll regret this decision, Zack Martin!" Monique declared, as her eyes glowed red.
Meanwhile, out on the streets, the Caped Crusader was on the hunt for his Feline quarry.
He was elated to be back in his youth, fighting crime once again. He didn't know how he regained his youth. Rumplestiltskin didn't have magic in this part of the world. Did someone else have magic or greater powers he didn't know about? And how did Selina regain her youth? By similar means? She looked as lovely as ever. He remembered how she used to cause curious stirrings in his utility belt. What was the Catwoman doing here, and what did she want? He had to find the answers.
Batman slowly inched his way around the corner of a nearby warehouse. This had to be Catwoman's lair! An abandoned cat food factory was the purrfect set-up for her cat-lair.
Batman tossed his batrope and climbed up the building.
If only Dick were here! Batman thought, but it looks like I'll have to go it alone!
Suddenly, a curious citizen popped her head out the window.
"Hey y'all," an older woman with a Southern accent said, "I'm in town to promote my new cooking show, "Butter recipes for you!"
"Good luck with that, ma'am," Batman said, "I'm off to stop a nefarious criminal!"
Batman arrived through the window of the cat-lair.
"Glad you could make it, Batman," Catwoman purred.
"Catwoman, give up your criminal ways!" Batman said.
"Leopards don't change their spots that easily, Batman," Catwoman said. "However, you might say I've had improvements made as of late."
"I see you're in your youth," Batman said, "and looking as radiant as ever."
"I could say the same about you, Batman," Catwoman said, "I had to make a bargain with someone."
"Who?" Batman asked.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Catwoman said, "if you survive that long."
"Tell me who it is," Batman said, "I can see to it they're stopped, and we're returned to our rightful time, place, and forms."
"What if I don't want them stopped?" Catwoman asked, "Besides, you've got problems of your own to contend with."
A trap door opened underneath the Caped Crusader's feet, and he fell into a dark room.
Suddenly, the grown felt as if it was sinking beneath his feet.
"You feline devil!" Batman said with contempt.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Batman," Catwoman said, "I'm through pussyfooting around! When the cat litter rises, you'll be immersed in it. It's already taken your belt. You don't have a prayer."
"There's always hope, you contemptible cat-burglar!" Batman shouted.
"We'll see," Catwoman said, "meantime, I'm off to pay a visit to a friend at the Tipton Hotel. Farewell, my lovely!"
BATMAN TO PERISH IN KITTY LITTER?
WILL THE CAPED CRUSADER MAKE IT OUT?
WHO IS CATWOMAN MEETING?
STAY TUNED…
Meanwhile, at the Tipton…
Regina and Ren were talking over coffee in Regina's suite…
"So what was Mr. Gold talking about, if you don't mind me asking?" Ren inquired.
"Well," Regina said, "it's quite the tale. I'm not really from this world."
"So…you're an alien?" Ren asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Not in the spacey way," Regina said, "I come from a land of magic, where I rule as Queen."
"Life must be pretty easy for you," Ren said.
"Not as easy as you might think," Regina said, "I've been…feuding with someone for decades. I cursed the land and sent all the residents to Storybrooke. Storybrooke has magic, now, but unfortunately there's no magic in this part of the world, so I am currently powerless. Now that I've shared my secrets, what are yours?"
"I don't have anything quite that fantastic," Ren said, "I moved up in school. I was an excellent student and went from junior high, to one year of high school, to college. I'm majoring in business administration."
"A very admirable goal," Regina said, "I can see why a smart woman you makes a great secretary and personal assistant. By the way, Mr. Gold and I have a very…turbulent relationship with each other, so please don't engage him unless I tell you."
"Got it," Ren said, "Just one thing: so you're saying when you adopted Henry 10 or so years ago, he was being handed over to some power-hungry magical, megalomaniacal monarch?"
"Pretty much," Regina said sheepishly, "but I can assure you I've changed."
"I'm gonna need a little more than your word, your majesty." Ren said, as she stood up and headed for the door.
"Please don't leave," Regina said, as she followed after her, "I like the company. Believe it or not, I get rather lonely."
"I can't imagine why." Ren said scornfully.
Ren got on an elevator and followed after her as the elevator went down to the lobby.
Back in the catlair of Catwoman…
Batman was struggling to get free from the cat litter.
Catwoman thought she took all my weapons, Batman thought, but she didn't count on the bat-kitty litter disposal button I kept hidden in my cowl!
He pressed the button with his teeth. Suddenly all the cat litter evaporated into dust and Batman was free.
He grabbed his belt, which lay at his feet, and ran off.
Meanwhile, in the lobby, Maya was sitting with Monica, when Zack came over.
"Zack, you're back!" Maya said joyfully.
"Yes, I am." Zack said, "Great to see you too, baby!"
They kissed.
"Wait a minute," Zack said, as he eyed Monica, "I knew she looked familiar."
"Don't tell me," Maya said, "you've hit on her back when you used to live here? Kinda old for you, don't you think? No offense, ma'am."
"None taken." Monica said.
"No," Zack said, "She looks familiar because I just talked with her twin upstairs."
"Monique!" Monica gasped.
"Ah-ha!" Zack exclaimed, "you do know her!"
"I have to go," Monica said.
Suddenly Catwoman ran in the main entrance.
"Nobody move, or I'll shoot!" Catwoman shouted, brandishing her golden cat-gun.
"You don't want to do this, Selina!" Monica cried.
"Of course I do!" Catwoman said, "starting with that lovely boy over there!"
She aimed her gun at Zack, but Maya dove in front as Catwoman fired.
"Maya!" Zack shouted, as Maya was hit directly in the stomach.
"Well, accidents happen!" Catwoman said, "hate to run, but I've got a date with destiny!"
"I'll call 9-1-1!" Monica shouted.
"Already done," Gold confirmed.
"Stay strong, Zack," Monica said, "God is with you."
"Catwoman," Zack said, "she's gonna pay for this!"
Monica saw the new angel of death, Amos, walk into the lobby with a sorrowful look on his face.
*Amos is an original character of mine. Read my Touched by an Angel fanfic to find out more.