Part IV of The Claws of Redemption
One of the many problems with Felicia Hardy was that she was just not used to being around people. Yes, she went to school with everyone else, but she walked to class, ate lunch, and did her homework all alone. After high school ended, she found herself even more secluded, with Liz Allen being the only person she interacted with on a regular basis. In short, it was a major culture shock for Felicia to find herself becoming a part of the Parker/Stacy clan.
Gwen and Felicia would sometimes travel together to the university campus, Felicia could go and visit Peter at his work for lunch, and the three of them even spent hours sitting on the living room floor doing homework together. It was the family Felicia never had, or even knew she wanted. Honestly it was the happiest she had ever been, and therefore it was easy for her to put off her revenge scheme.
The Chameleon was put on the backburner, her plans dwindled, and the weight of some invisible, imminent danger did not feel nearly as heavy when she was with her new friends. Her father was safe behind bars for the time being, she hadn't told anyone about her new living situation, and nobody had tried to blow her up. In the weeks that followed the night of her attempted murder, Felicia made one of the biggest mistakes of her life: she got comfortable.
It all finally came to a head one night when she was heading home from the university. She had a new backpack slung over her shoulder. Peter had bought it for her, despite her initial refusal. Despite nearly all of her earthly possessions being blown to smithereens, Felicia was far from destitute. Safe house thirteen was not only a good source for information, it also was home to a good amount of cash, not to mention some valuable equipment that could be sold to the underground if need be.
It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to buy a cell phone. She mused. I can definitely afford to pay for one and it'll keep me in touch with Peter and Gwen.
She jogged across the street and ducked into an alley, getting away from the evening traffic.
Like right now, it would be nice if I could call and ask if they have eaten-
A rustling noise above her head distracted her from her thoughts. She stopped and looked upwards to the surrounding roof tops, her ears pricked. After a moment of silence, Felicia took another step forward. Abruptly, something very sharp was wrapped around her ankle, jerking her leg upwards and pulling her off balance. The tug was so strong and sudden that she wasn't able to catch herself, she tumbled backwards, slamming the back of her head into the concrete. She looked up, or was it down, as her backpack and the ground fell away from her and she was hoisted quickly into the air.
Her ascension stopped with a jarring halt and Felicia hung there for a split second, not really sure what she was seeing. A tall, thin woman was standing before her, clothed in a silver, tactical suit and pointing a gun directly a Felicia's upturned head.
"Hello there, sweetie." The woman smiled, her mane of silver hair floating softly in the wind. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."
Felicia wrapped her body upwards, grabbing at the cord around her ankle and making herself a smaller target in the process. The mystery woman fired a shot, missing Felicia's head by mere inches. The wire holding the cat burglar captive was fastened to an odd metal contraption set up over the alley like a small bridge.
A trap, just for me.
Grabbing onto one of the metal bars of the trap, Felicia pulled hard and kicked at the same time. The cord loosened only slightly, being originally held taut by Felicia's weight, but it was enough for her to wriggle free, losing her shoe in the process.
The gun fired again and Felicia felt a searing hot pain graze her shoulder, as she swung herself onto the rooftop next to the silver woman. Landing in a crouch, Felicia spun and lashed out with her foot, sweeping the legs out from under her attacker.
The woman rolled with her impact against the roof and popped up again, gun at the ready. Felicia had to move quickly, she rushed forward and brought her elbow down hard on the top of the gun, effectively knocking it from the woman's grasp.
Now that her opponent was disarmed, Felicia lashed out with a swift left hook that connected with the other woman's temple. Instead of rendering the silver assassin unconscious, like Felicia had hoped, this only served to apparently infuriate her.
The response to Felicia's strike was an absolute barrage of punches, kicks and jabs the Felicia barley managed to block, let alone form some kind of counter attack. She deflected a high kick with her forearm, before ducking under another punch and spinning away. She needed to create some distance between the two.
The assassin advanced again, this time dashing forward and catching Felicia in the stomach with a fierce kick, knocking the air out of her and sending her to the ground. The assassin was quick to pin Felicia down and deliver a few swift punches to the younger woman's face and chest, discouraging any thoughts Felicia had of rising again.
Felicia's breath was ragged from the weight pushing down on her. She could taste the blood in her mouth and feel the hot sticky liquid pouring from her nose. This was too much, whoever this assassin was, she was older than Felicia and much more experienced. Not to mention the metal studded knuckles of the mystery woman's gloves that pounded Felicia into submission.
Blackness began to appear at the edges of her vision, slowly closing inward and suffocating all light. The soft curtain of silver hair tickled Felicia's face as the assassin leaned close and whispered in her ear.
"This is what happens when you don't finish the job." The assassin sat back up, but did not remove herself from Felicia. A knife glinted in the moonlight. "Take a good look, sister. The Silver Sable always catches her mark."
"You know, I've heard cat-fights are fun, but this might be taking it a little too far." A third voice called from somewhere beyond Felicia's limited vision.
With a final effort, she slowly turned her head to see who the newcomer was.
"Why did you help me?" He asked quietly. "I thought you hated me or whatever."
She didn't answer right away, but thought for a moment.
"My father was a good man and you really screwed him over," She moved closer to him. "But then again, he taught me to never hold a grudge."
Felicia passed out.
It was very windy. The whistling noise was deafening in her ears and she could feel the tug of g-force on the skin of her face and in the pit of her stomach. Felicia opened her eyes, or at least she tried to. Her left one was swollen up in an ugly bruise and the other instantly began to water on contact with the flowing air.
It all came back to Felicia, the trap, the fight, the voice. Everything about her current situation fell into place all at once.
"Put me down." She croaked, unsure if she could be heard over the wind.
Apparently the person carrying her noticed her stirrings, because Felicia soon felt the powerful pull of gravity followed by a surprisingly soft landing. Felicia was relieved when the roaring sound of the air ceased.
God, my head is killing me.
Although their vertical movement had stopped, they continued forward as soon as they touched down, moving across what Felicia assumed was a roof top. She blinked the tears from her vision and noticed a familiar looking hatch set into the roof.
Looks like someone has been keeping tabs on me. Can't a girl have any secrets?
Felicia was lowered down into the safe house and deposited on the small cot. To her, the piece of canvas now supporting her seemed like the softest thing in the world. She was drifting out of consciousness again when her rescuer spoke.
"Where do you keep your medical supplies?" This was followed by a loud shifting of papers and other materials.
Felicia grunted and pointed lazily towards the workbench, where she had set the first aid kit after removing it from the trunk. There was more rustling and some clicking, then the sound of footsteps.
"Can you sit up?"
Felicia grunted again, not really in the mood to verbalize anything. A second later, strong hands gripped her arms and shoulders, gently pulling her up and propping her against the wall.
"This is probably going to sting." The voice warned.
Sure enough, when the alcohol-soaked rag was applied to her various wounds, Felicia cried out in as much shock as pain. She twisted her face away from him, only for long and thin fingers to grab her by her chin and face her forward again. She opened her good eye and looked up at him.
It had probably been about a month since she'd seen him. Felicia had almost lost track of time in the weeks she spent at Peter and Gwen's apartment. The red and black suit was the same, its contrasting colors almost as powerful as the muscles that rippled beneath the material. The eyes bore into her, like they did the first time she looked into them, like they always did. Seemingly enormous white lenses, that slightly reflected Felicia's own battered face back at her. She felt like she was falling into them.
"It's cold." Felicia muttered.
"What?"
"The alcohol." She clarified. "It's cold."
"Oh," He laughed. "Well I think that's the least of your worries." There was a light prod at her shoulder and Felicia could feel a sharp pain that caused her to hiss. "I'm going to have to take off your shirt."
"That's a little bit forward, don't you think, Spider?" Felicia grinned, causing a cut in her lip to start bleeding again.
"It's either this or I take you to the hospital. And I'm thinking the fewer questions asked of you, the better for everyone."
"I agree. Not to mention, this is infinitely more fun."
"Stop." He chided.
"Make me." She teased.
He sighed and began lightly tugging on the sleeve of her jacket.
"I liked you better when you were unconscious."
Felicia ground her teeth to prevent crying out again as the fabric of her coat rubbed over her wounded shoulder.
"So did you get her?" She asked quickly, fearing that if she opened her mouth for too long she would scream.
"Who?" The jacket came off and was tossed somewhere towards the far side of the room.
"Who the hell do you think?"
There was a pause
"She got away."
He was tugging at the bottom of her shirt now.
"How's that possible. I've seen you take down a rhino… literally."
"Well it was either let her go," He tapped at her arms and she groaned, raising them and allowing him to also remove her shirt. "Or let you bleed to death."
"I'm starting to think that you like me as more than just a frenemy."
"A what?"
Felicia chuckled and shivered from the cold, despite the warm feeling that was forming in her chest.
"A frenemy is a half-friend, half-enemy." She explained.
"Sorry if I'm not exactly up to date with the new hip lingo." He disappeared for a second a came back with the first aid kit. Laying it on the cot next to Felicia, he pulled out a wad of gauze and some bandages.
"You're lucky. The bulled only grazed you. I'll patch you up but-"
"It's gonna hurt." She finished. "Save your breath, Spider. I've been in worse shape than this before."
"Whatever." He set about wrapping her wound. There was more silence as he worked and Felicia squeezed her fists from the pressure being steadily applied to her injury. Eventually he asked: "Are you going to explain to me what that was all about back there?"
"As soon as you explain what you've been doing following me?" She shot back.
"Who says I've been following you?"
"You know where my safe house is, and you showed up exactly where I needed you to be."
"You needed me?" He asked. Felicia would bet money he was smirking at her under the mask.
"That's not what I meant. You know what I mean." Felicia waved her hand dismissively. The movement drew attention back to her state of undress and he faltered for a moment, his eyes settling in the general area below her slender neck. She cleared her throat, resisting a smile and failing utterly. "I'd like my shirt back please."
He retrieved it quickly, without a word, and deposited it in her outstretched hand. She would easily bet more money that his face was currently the same shade of red as the rest of his costume. He coughed awkwardly, putting his fist in front of his covered mouth.
"It's kind of my job to keep track of things that happen in this city. Someone has tried to kill you, twice. I think that warrants my attention."
"I'm flattered that you care, but really I can take care of myself." She tenderly slid back into her shirt, wincing at the movement.
"Oh yeah, well what do you call that back there? Was that 'taking care of yourself'?" He made air quotes with his fingers.
Felicia wrinkled her eyebrows, instantly regretting it as it aggravated her swollen eye.
"Don't lecture me okay- just don't. I don't need you looking after me, I'm doing just fine on my own."
"You are so stubborn." He straightened up and moved away from her, examining her small accommodations with its spartan furnishings. "Where are you living now?"
"With some friends."
"Are you safe there?"
"Does it matter?" She spat at him, suddenly feeling annoyed by his questions. "You still haven't really told me why you're doing all of this. Why did you patch me up?"
"I owe you one. I couldn't have defeated Doctor Octopus without you and… I don't know." He paused for a second and scrutinized her. Felicia resisted the urge to squirm under his unblinking gaze. "Maybe I'm delusional enough to think that maybe one day you'd do the same thing for me."
"I guess so. I mean, us freaks have to stay together right?" She tried to lighten the mood. This was in serious danger of becoming some twisted heart to heart conversation, one that Felicia had no desire to participate in.
"Between the two of us, I'm more of a freak then you'll ever be. Now," He crossed his arms. "Tell me who that woman was."
"I honestly don't know." Felicia scratched at her nose. "She called herself 'The Silver Sable' I think. I've never heard that name before, does it ring any bells for you?"
"No, I can't say that it does." He patted at his waist and produced a small black radio. He examined the small screen on the device, before looking back up at her. "It's pretty late now, can I take you home, Felicia?"
"Are you asking?"
"Yes, I am."
"Then yes." She smiled at him, looking as seductive as possible with a busted face.
"Wait," He faltered. "Did you think I was asking if I can take you home, or asking you to come home with me?"
"Yes." She answered simply.
"No," He rubbed the back of his neck. "But was that yes, or yes?"
"Yes."
"You know what, Felicia, screw you."
She laughed hard then, holding her battered ribs as they shook at his expense.
He is just too easy.
He dropped her off outside of the apartment building, and slipped a piece of paper into her hand. He didn't wait for her response before zipping off into the night sky, not even offering a goodbye.
How rude. She thought. He didn't even walk me to the door. Chivalry really is dead.
Felicia examined the paper, it appeared to be a radio frequency, and underneath it, scrawled in messy writing read: "If you ever need me – Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man."
It was simple and to the point, Felicia resolved to never contact him directly.
When she finally got upstairs, it was Gwen who answered the door, clothed once again in her over-sized t-shirt. She was still half asleep and rubbed at her eyes in that sickeningly-cute way that reminded Felicia of a kitten or some other equally adorable animal.
"Felicia," The blonde-haired girl gave her guest a once over. "What the hell?"
"I was mugged," Felicia sank onto her futon. "I'm fine though, it's worse than it looks."
"What are you talking about? It is most definitely not fine! Felicia, you need to go to a hospital," Gwen moved towards her bedroom. "I'm going to call the cops."
"No, Gwen" Felicia lashed out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. "Really I'm okay. It's honestly…" Felicia thought for a moment. "kind of embarrassing."
Gwen seemed unsure, but slowly moved back towards the victim.
"Well at least let me look at you-"
"No, seriously, I don't want you hovering over me right now, okay? I told you that I'm fine, so just accept it and leave me alone." Felicia snapped at her.
Gwen opened and closed her mouth a few times, before finally standing up, resigned.
"You have friends, Felicia, so don't push us away." With that, the girl retreated back to the bedroom and disappeared.
Felicia sighed and sank even deeper into the lumpy futon.
You are not my mother, and I'm sure as hell not your daughter.
As she started to drift off for the final time, not even bothering to remove a stitch of clothing, she thought of how Peter must be quite the heavy sleeper.
He hadn't even come to see what was going on. I'll need to think of a better excuse for him, he's not as easily bullied as Blondie.
She was wrong actually. When she would wake up the next morning, Peter would surprise her by accepting her story without question. Felicia would be half-pleased and honestly half-disappointed, at how little concern he showed.
Her final thought before she fell asleep:
I've wasted enough time. Tonight was a big wake-up call. It's time to pay The Chameleon a visit.
