The Stray Chapter 4: Cats don't Talk, an ultimate spider-man fanfic

The door came open, revealing their devil.

Their devil was nothing like what they were taught a devil looked like. Their devil wore black. A black leather jacket to match the black loose pants tucked into black combat boots. A black that would match the proudly standing cat ears and swishing tail behind the seat. The black that made those golden amber eyes glow in the dimly illuminated room, silently judging from the shadows as they always did.

"I must say this is quite inconvenient. Our game was getting rather fun." The voice was undeniably hers. Everything about her, however, was different. The posture, the cruelly twisted grin and the threatening aura about her. Nothing about this creature resembled the dorky, lovable and kindhearted girl they had met before. Everything about the Cat was completely different from Allison, but at the same time, everything about the Cat was unmistakably, irrevocably Allison.

"A-Allie? You're The Cat?" Nova dropped from the air, not being able to hover any longer. The others stared wide eyed and paralyzed. Each one of them had shared a bit of themselves with her, departed with something they would only trust with someone they cared about. They knew her. They liked having her around. Why was the world so awful, that this was happening?

"Well, that seems quite obvious, doesn't it? Though if it makes you feel better, I'll admit it. Allison Zane is Alley Cat. Quite clever, right?" She toyed with the chains cuffing her to the table, a lazy smirk spreading across her face. She was so proud of it. So proud that she fooled them all. So proud to be what she was.

"Come on, you're supposed to be 'interrogating' me. I'm tied up here, least you can do is entertain me."

Coulson was ready to step in from the other room, but Fury prevented him by placing himself in the way. "Give them a few more minutes. They need to handle this themselves." Reluctantly, Coulson stepped back, turning to face the window from which they were observing.

"Why? Why would you do this? You - you're our friend! We trusted you!" White Tiger snarled, only eliciting a humorless laugh from the Cat.

"Why what? Why did I become Alley Cat? Why am I a merc? You have to be more specific, Tiger - you don't even know what you're asking. Though I assume you're wondering why I betrayed you? I'm not quite sure that' possible - I mean, I was the one who let Doc Oc escape that one time and that was before meeting you personally. And then all those other defeats of yours were my fault so… I think we were never friends to begin with." The smirk turned cruel, pointed fangs peeking out of pink lips.

"You played us." Nova's voice neared a shout. He sounded broken with the way his voice wavered.

She remained composed. "Like dolls."

He took a step forward, then another, and another until his hips touched the cold metal of the table. His arms shot out, picking her by the collar of her jacket.

"You played us and you're not even sorry?! We were partners! Friends! Does that mean nothing to you?"

"Put her down, Bucket Head. That won't help."

Nova let her fall. He receded back into the group.

"He's not sorry he didn't tell you about Scorpion, about being the future king. Hell, he's not sorry he hasn't told you he has to leave in less than a year. You all hide secrets from each other and you still think that I betrayed you?I played you, yes; but you betrayed yourselves."

All eyes went back to Iron Fist as she spoke those harsh words. The negative feelings started to surface. The secrets, the lies, cover ups, mistakes, Danny leaving, being compared to Scorpion, failing, not being able to handle the Cat -

"That business is ours, so stay out of it," Spider Man commanded, stepping in to prevent a major rift from tearing his team apart. "You're the one being interrogated, so I suggest you answer our questions."

"I would, but you haven't asked me anything yet," Allison answered cheekily.

"What is your involvement with Scorpion and the other villains you have worked for?" Iron Fist stepped forward, placing his hands palms down on the table as he demanded - just like María had told them to do. He was imposing, and Allison thought it was mildly impressive. Though, because of the content of his rather pathetic question she let out another heavy, displeased sigh; seemingly disappointed by something. She leaned back on her chair, turning sideways so as to prop her feet on the table.

"That's a stupid question. I worked for them, or couldn't you at least deduce that?" She kept twirling the chains on the cuffs, " Wasted time is wasted gain. If you're going to waste my time, don't do it by asking pointless things."

"Then why did you pose as one of Stark's interns? To what purpose?" Her ears perked up to acknowledge she had heard Spider Man, yet made no motion to respond.

"Answer me."

"Only Cheshires talk. I'm Alley Cat."

Power Man came through, "Don't be difficult. Answer him or -"

"Or what? You are not normal interrogators, you are heroes. I think you wouldn't have a moral compass pointing north if you reduced yourselves to violence when I haven't attacked. Torture is also out of the question."

…

"We'll expose you to the other villains and mercenaries - you'd lose all your credibility."

An excited grin morphed from her previous disappointment. "Now we're getting somewhere, that is a real threat. Great job, White Tiger," She mocked, "But you're all still certainly, dreadfully dull. The question's an easy one. Why would anyone - especially a mercenary- ever pose as an intern with access to Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. Files, I wonder. You're asking another stupid question."

As no one said anything, Allison rolled her eyes.

"Do I have to teach you how to do your job? Ask me something interesting, something that only I could tell you. Ask me about what I've stolen, to whom I've sold. Go on, don't make this boring."

"Sir -"

"Go ahead, Coulson."

"Fine then. The pendant you and Scorpion stole from the Rand Building. Where is it?" Everyone else stepped back, making Iron Fist the centerpiece of their formation. With him there and the others behind, it should make him look more threatening. Allison took it as a challenge, tucking her feet underneath her and facing forward once more.

"With Scorpion."

"That wasn't my question," He stood straight and unwavering. He emanated power. "I asked where it was, not who had it."

"I don't know where it is. I just know Scorpion has it."

"Where is Scorpion now?" To which she rolled her eyes. "How the fuck am I supposed to know? The heist is over, he has what he wants and -"

"He still hasn't paid you. Where will you be meeting him for that?"

"Oh, someone's learning fast, you're getting good. Too bad for you this isn't one of those deals. I got paid in advance."

Then it occurred to him that Scorpion, coming from K'un Lun and not having a job in this plane, couldn't possibly have any money in which he could pay her. She sensed where his mind was headed, a cheshire grin on her face.

"Oh there are far more different ways of payment other than money. The thrill was only part of it."

Before anyone could respond, the door banged open, Coulson ordering them to move aside. In the distraction, Allison freed her hands from the cuffs, leaping over the teens, making sure to stomp over Nova's helmet, and sliding past Coulson before they could react. She shot down the hall, disappearing through a corner as the team barreled past Coulson, who reached the agents in charge of the camera feeds, asking for their escaped subject's location. They found that she'd taken a turn that headed to the training facilities before jumping into an air duct and therefore out of sight. The agent's estimate was that she would be looking to escape via the jets they had prepared in the landing site. Communicating all this to the team, Coulson let them handle it from now on. This was the part they were good at.

When the team showed up empty handed, Coulson and Fury had to admit they were not surprised. Alas, the unfortunate situation had to be put on hold and the team was dispatched to go look for Iron Fist's pendant.

The team was sitting in the break room around a table, having found nothing after hours of searching. Neither Scorpion nor the Heart of Shou Lao showed up, forcing unconcealable dread into Iron Fist's unmasked face. Everything was awkwardly quiet and strained between them. Not even when they first started working together was it this bad.

"So, Scorpion and you are brothers?"

"Sam! Don't be insensitive!" White Tiger snapped at him, hitting him over the head.

"What? I'm just asking what everyone's thinking. We're talking about this anyway, might as well get it going with. And about the whole thing about you and a kingdom and leaving indefinitely in less than a year. I'm sick of being confused."

"It's a valid question, Ava. I do owe you an explanation for all those things," he shifted in his seat, staring at his mask as if drawing courage and strength from the fabric. Allison hadn't finished any of their new tech by then.

"Scorpion is my brother in arms. We grew up together in K'un Lun. Him and I didn't always get along, but we were brothers until I came here. I was supposed to stay for a year, before heading back and taking the mantle of King and Champion in the Tournament of the Heart of Heaven. When -"

"Wait! It's been more than a year by now. What happened?" Normally, she wasn't one to interrupt. Normally, Ava was level-headed about any situation surrounding her. Normally, she analyzed everything and made sure to fill any gaps in the reports and stories. So when all those normal behaviours are challenged, one is bound to lose against the much stronger will of the others.

"I know. The Monks came for me when I was training with Spider Man. I left for K'un Lun but ultimately was given one more year, seeing that there was still much to learn from this world."

Nova thrust back his chair as he stood. Grit teeth and fisted hands spoke volumes of his displeasure. "If you think that we're going to stand here after a lie like that then I don't know who you think we are because -"

"Speak for yourself! You have your secrets, too! We have respected that, so -"

"Shut up, Luke! You're like his brother, you're obviously taking his side -"

"Boys, that's enough! We all have something to keep to ourselves -"

"That doesn't mean it's right to hide stuff from your team!"

"So what, we can't have a private life now? Who made you leader to decide?"

"Guys, be quiet!" Peter's voice resonated in the small room. His frustration seeped into his tone with an unusual fury. "It doesn't matter at the moment. What matters is that Danny is our friend and that he needs our help. Now is not the time to -"

"Now is exactly the time, Parker," Sam seethed, standing as he did. "We are a team, we should know things like this! Or what," he turns to Daniel, "don't you trust us?"

Scorpion said you betrayed him, maybe that's why he was angry. Maybe he grew tired of his brother keeping secrets. You had a brother that you didn't tell us about. You're supposed to be King in less than a year and you didn't tell us. Fine I can deal with that. But you leaving? And not telling us anything? Were you even going to say good-bye?"

He accused, tears prickling at his eyes.

"I trust you. All of you with my life. At first I didn't know you - I didn't want you to treat me differently. After that, I - it slipped my mind, that I was leaving. I had felt so at home here that I thought I wouldn't leave. I held onto the truth for too long, and thus have caused you grief. I'm sorry my friends. It wasn't right of me to keep it from you."

"Yeah well, it's going to take more than that for me." Sam placed his chair back in its place, turning around and leaving the room.

"He's actually right for once. You should've told us something so important like that. It'll be a while before we've gotten back to normal, but I understand you." Ava stood, yet kept herself unmoving, focusing her eyes on Luke. "We're your team, Danny. You're our partner and friend. It hurt that you didn't say anything, but as long as you realize it, we'll be alright." Luke stood up, going over to where Daniel was sitting and wrapping an arm around him. "We're not like Scorpion, we won't turn our back on you."

Peter and Ava joined in. It felt lacking, without Sam - the annoying little brother.

"We've all been stressed out and Allison played us good. We're the ultimate team, we'll be fine." Peter reassured them. "I'll go talk to Sam. We'll be fine."

Everyone believed him.

Nova left the Tri-Carrier, intending to get fresh air and to clear his head before facing his words.

He did not expect to get more than what he bargained for.

Allison entered the building through the rooftop. She usually aimed for a window or back door; not this time. All of those were locked and she wasn't in the mood for dealing with them. A butler waited by the door of where she would've entered, gave her a questioning glance, shrugged it off before she could come up with something and proceeded to guide her into an office with a view to the ocean - a lovely sight at this time of the night. Sitting down, she waited for her client, a man of twenty three, quite young for the position he held.

"Alley Cat, glad you could make it, love. Care for a cup of tea?" He came from the doors behind her, holding an envelope in hand. He placed it on the desk, taking her hand in greeting. "Mr. Felix Ackerman, glad to be here," they both took a seat; Allison fiddling with a flash drive in her jacket's pocket and the man with his watch, "And no, thank you, sir. This has to be a quick visit, I'm afraid."

"Right then, down to business. The files that I asked for are valued at precisely $9,890. Including your fees and the fact that you brought them here so quickly on such a very short notice, I suppose I can afford to invest $10,000. How does that agree with you?"

"It agrees exceedingly well, sir."

"Then allow me a minute to fetch your payment. In cash, I presume?" She nodded, thanking him. He walked over to the doors, where a cabinet hid the safe. Felix made light comments about the weather, hoping to distract her from hearing the combination to the safe. Not that he didn't know that wouldn't work.

"Are you sure you cannot stay for a little longer?" His hand came to rest on her shoulder, slowly sliding down to her back while the other presented her with her pay. "I know your company would be greatly… appreciated."

While she appreciated the man's lean physique and low voice with the accent, what he was proposing was not something she was willing to be part of. "I'm afraid I have business to attend to in Salamanca. My boss doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"I'm sure he'd understand if you were busy fulfilling a business agreement." His hand went lower, the other setting the money on the desk and making its way onto her ears. She flicked them away.

"Is that what we're calling this?" Her own slid up his arms, trailing them slowly.

"If I have to."

Her hands finished their trail around his neck, bringing him closer to her. She toyed with his hair, worried her lip with her teeth, having them flash in the moonlight.

"Are you sure about that, love?"

Unable to speak, he nodded - his mind somewhere in the gutters of an extremely detailed fantasy.

"Then pay someone else!"

She pushed him off her, kicking his ribs for good measure before leaping over the desk, grabbing the money and throwing herself at the window, smashing the glass into tiny fragments flying away and finally disappearing into the night.

In retrospect, it could have ended better for her - as it usually did. But messing with the balance of the team must have made the universe think she needed to be corrected and this was its hilarious way of doing it. That or it was that she was a black cat and black cats were the perfect lover for bad luck. Then she'd have to blame her rotten luck. Which then again, might be because the universe hated her. Also Murphy, for creating that law based on her life. And she was going on a wild tangent now - focus Allison, what went wrong?

The deal went fine - her escape wasn't as daring as she had thought. Now she was stuck in Myrtle Beach with no way of getting to New York to pass the payment in time. Not to mention that she had nowhere to stay. There were thunderclouds forming. It was cold. She had cuts all over. She was in unfamiliar territory. And her phone was dead. Of course, bad luck for the black cat.

"Oh Allie dear~ How are you? I didn't expect to see you here at this hour - after a deal no less."

Groaning, Allison admitted that in retrospect, she should've kept her mouth shut. Cats don't talk after all. The Merc with the Mouth would be doing all the talking that night.

"You've been such a bad kitty, have I taught you nothing?"

Shit, this would be a long ride home.