The Cat's Meow
Chapter Four, Unlikely allies
"Remind me again why we're up this early?" Nova said zooming above the skyscrapers of New York City. The winter air was bitter and the wind harsh. All were bundled accordingly to the weather. The sky was overcast but it wasn't quite dark.
"Because the boss man said so." Heat Strike said somewhat matter-of-factly. She zipped up her leather jacket and continued on her motorcycle.
"Spidey said this was where he planned to meet Black Cat." White Tiger looked up at the sky, as if expecting both to fall out of it. She placed a hand on her hip expectantly.
"I get that, but why does he need us? Why not just meet Black Cat here himself and then help her with whatever she needs?" Nova continued as the group huddled as close together as they could.
"Because I need you to help me help Cat, that's why." Said the familiar voice of the team's leader. All members looked around and saw Spider-Man and Black Cat near the edge of the rooftop. Black Cat wore a black mask over her eyes and a cat suit that covered most of her body. Around her neck was the same colored necklace and around her neck a white, furry collar. The dark clad vigilante was chuckling about something.
"What's there to plan? We get her mom out plus all of the stolen S.H.I.E.L.D equipment and go. Sounds pretty simple to me." Luke said crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's not that simple," Black Cat said stepping into the circle of heroes," He has the Cosmic Cube."
"Yeah does anybody want to explain to me what that is? 'Cause otherwise I have no idea what you're talking about." Nova asked putting a hand on his hip.
Spidey sighed and began scratching the back of his neck. Holding up his wrist a hologram appeared of the Cosmic Cube. The blue and square object glowed in the early New York morning light.
"The Cosmic Cube is a device made of entirely cosmic powers. S.H.I.E.L.D acquired it from Loki, who retrieved it from Asgard." Black Cat informed them with a hand on her hip.
"I think it's safe to say the possession of this object didn't stay hidden for very long." White Tiger piped up and Black Cat nodded.
"Shortly after S.H.I.E.L.D acquired possession of this object, news spread," Cat shrugged," I guess Octavius heard about it shortly after that because he kidnapped my mother and that's when he hired me to steal things for him."
"Ok so what's the plan here?" White Tiger asked and both of the other two shared a look.
"Ok so here's what we're going to do," Spidey instructed as a hologram of Doc Ock's base appeared on screen. There was a flashing red and green circles on what looked like a small area. Spidey pointed at the red blip first," This is where the stolen S.H.I.E.L.D weapons are being kept," he moved his finger to the green blip," And this is where Cat's mom and the S.H.I.E.L.D weapons are being kept. I want White Tiger, Heat Strike, and Iron Fist to distract Ock. Luke, Nova, and I will rescue Cat's mom and get the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D weapons out."
"Don't worry about Ock, he's mine," Cat interjected as the hologram disappeared," Just get the weapons and my mother out of there."
Everyone raised an eyebrow at Spidey. The blue and red clad hero turned to look at Cat. The dark feline's eyes squinted in ire. Eventually she just shook her head and jumped onto the next rooftop. Spidey shrugged and got back on his Spider Cycle.
"I guess Cat takes Ock and everyone else, just focus on the stolen weapons and Cat's mom. I've programmed the location of the base into my watch and everyone should be getting it via whatever technology you have." He instructed and drove away just as the wind picked up.
The group followed Spidey and Black Cat toward the New York harbor. From there they would take two submarines to Doc Ock's hideout. Riding on Heat Strike's motorcycle White Tiger spoke out over the wind.
"So does anyone else find it suspicious that Cat wants to handle Ock by herself?" She said as Luke's Power Bike caught up with Heat Strike's motorcycle.
Nova shrugged, "She wants to get revenge on the person who kidnapped her mom. Makes perfect sense." Everyone looked toward Spidey and Black Cat and then back at Nova again.
"Perhaps." Iron Fist spoke holding on tightly to Luke as they reached the dock. Once there the team split into their respective groups.
Waiting near the docks for them were large S.H.I.E.L.D submarines. Once everyone was buckled up and ready to go the subs split up. White Tiger, Iron Fist, Heat Strike, and Black Cat took one. Spider-Man, Nova, and Power Man took the other.
"We'll cover more ground if we go separately," Spider-Man told the team as the first sub sped ahead, "Just try to cover us."
As the subs swam toward their destination Spidey noticed his team was unusually quiet. Maybe it was because he had put Bucket Head on lookout duty. Or maybe it really was because they didn't trust Black Cat.
"Why are you guys all quiet? Did I forget to shower this morning or something?" He quipped putting his nose up to his armpits for emphasis.
Power Man and Nova both stopped what they were doing to stare at each other. Power Man's brow was raised and Nova pretended his boots needed tying. The waters outside continued to be dark and filled with seaweed.
"Man if you really can't see what's happening, then you are seriously blind." Power Man said shaking his head and giving a large sigh from the driver's seat.
Spider-Man was about to ask the reason behind the sigh when he felt something tingle. His eyes went to the window of the sub and saw something red. The alarms immediately began to blare.
"Team, to your battle stations. Right now!" Spidey said as the lasers honed in on the location of the subs.
Power Man took the controls and moved the sub to the left. Spidey turned and saw the other sub dodging the lasers to the right. Pressing his right finger to his ear he spoke into his com link.
"Team Two, try to take care of those lasers. We're going to go inside. Good luck." He said and Power Man swerved out of the way of another laser.
"We are?" Nova asked with his brow raised as the ship tried to avoid a third red beam of destruction.
"What's the matter, kitty, a little turbulence bother you?" Heat Strike said leering in Black Cat's direction. The said cat burglar was holding on tightly to her seat of the sub and looking more than a little green.
"I don't think now is the time for taunts, Heat Strike." White Tiger yelled over the noise of more lasers firing at them.
Iron Fist was steering the ship with White Tiger's assistance. Black Cat was desperately trying to hold onto her seat. Heat Strike was continuing to shoot at the base, all the while ignorant of another laser heading for the sub.
"Hey all I'm saying is, at least we made it inside. I'm not so sure Team Two was that lucky. Last I saw they were still weaving through the lasers and looking for a way in." Nova said jabbing his thumb behind them.
Team One had managed to make it inside Doctor Octopus' underwater base. Their sub was more or less unscathed. The trio walked down a long narrow hall to reach what looked like a massive laboratory.
The lab itself was mostly empty. The room was filled with counters and half-finished weapons. The lights were flickering on and off, as if the place had just recently been built. Or rebuilt. Ahead of them were two large doors.
"Let's not advertise that in case the bad guy is here Nova." Power Man said his eyes scanning the room in case the said villain was present.
"Little late for that, aren't we boys?" Said a voice from the shadows and following the voice were four long gray arms.
"Well that was a little more trouble than it should've been." Said White Tiger as Iron Fist, Heat Strike, and Black Cat emerged from the submarine. Placing a finger to her ear piece she relayed the group's position and status.
"You're telling me." Heat Strike turned from left and right which emitted pop-ing sounds throughout the mostly silent hangar.
White Tiger pressed her wrist, where a white watch appeared. Touching the screen again with her fingers popped up a blue, holographic map of the base. On the map there were eight green dots, two yellow dots, and one red dot.
"Ok guys since I don't see or hear Spidey we're splitting up. Iron Fist and I will secure the stolen S.H.I.E.L.D loot while Black Cat and Heat Strike square off against Doc Ock and get Cat's mom back." White Tiger said as the four continued their way into the base.
"What about Spiderman and the others? Aren't you supposed to be part of the team that goes in to recapture the S.H.I.E.L.D goods and my mom?" Black Cat said crossing her arms over her chest.
Heat Strike pointed at the pouting kitty, "Hate to agree with her, but she's right. What happened to the original plan?"
White Tiger shrugged, "Well I would've stuck with the original plan if Spidey had bothered to answer, but he didn't. So we're going it alone."
"Or, maybe the Spider does not have his communication device and as such wasn't able to hear you." Iron Fist said and received odd looks from the rest of his comrades.
The four continued on down the dark hallway. Heat Strike pointed a finger upward and fire danced from its tip. As soon as the hallway converged with a laboratory the flame on Heat Strike's finger diminished. The four looked on at the scene before them.
Doctor Octopus was alive and holding two of the three other teammates hostage. One of Doctor Octopus' arms had Nova and was spinning him around in the air. Another arm held Spiderman against the wall and one of its claws was very near his abdomen. A third was attempting to push Luke against the wall next to Spiderman. Luke spotted them immediately.
"Little help here!" He said with his arms exerting pressure on the three claws of Doc Ock's arm.
