"These are claws from the diamond material we have been using in the bullets." Penguin was giving her a run down on the weapons she would now being using on others, harming others. "They retract, when you don't need them and they will resurface when you need them."
Selina held up the paw like gloves, placing them on her hand, she felt around and the claws came out. A smile lit her face as they withdrew from sight. Moving on to the next item, she held it up.
"The body suit is extremely flexible for any movement you may need." He left the suggestion open, but kept the meeting very professional at the same time. "It will keep you from the harm of bullets, but a straight shot, and tear resistant."
"The zipper is on the front and it stops very low." A brow lifted. "How is that going to keep me from harm?"
"Kitten, I don't think that the police will try to shoot at you." His hand quickly grazed her cheek. "I wouldn't be too worried."
"What's next?"
"The whip." Penguin held it up and handed it to her. "The ends have shards of sharply edged diamonds. The rope itself is the strongest I could find. I think you will be very happy with this one."
"I bet I will." Marveling at it one more time, she put it down, and then picked up the next item.
"This is your mask." He informed her. "It has a radio system to keep in contact and to hear out of reach conversations."
"So this is what I am to become?" Examining it a bit further, she placed it back, her eyes not leaving it. "A woman in a cat suit."
"It fits you, kitten." Penguin nodded. "Although I guess you're not really a kitten any more but a fully grown cat."
"I guess so." She sighed.
"We have plans to instigate something at the hospital benefit." Two Face stepped in, from the darkness of the room. Though she should have jumped, she didn't. "Think of it as an introduction to Gotham's new villain."
"It's short term." Selina answered him. "And I'm only killing Batman. I refuse to do anything else. I will stand by as the rest of you do what you feel you need to do, I've done it my whole life."
"But this time, they're fighting back, kitten." Penguin said. "You may need to."
"Fight yes, kill no." Giving a deep sigh, she crossed her arms gracefully. "We've been over this…"
"Fine." Two Face was sick of this arguing.
"Why the hospital benefit?"
"We've gotten word that the Diamond might be in close proximity to the place where they're having their little party." He said. "Actually in the building itself, so we're going on a little treasure hunt."
"You know that the benefit is going to be in the Wayne Building, right?" She informed the two men around her. "You know that security will be heightened, police are going to be surrounding this place."
"That's why you have me." The Joker came out and smiled. "Distractions, one of life's little pleasures."
"What kind of distractions?" Her eyes looked over each man, as if she were trying to pull the idea right from their heads.
"We have this little heist you see." Joker's speech was like a child, a very dangerous, demented child. "A bank robbery, nothing too fancy, don't want to look like we're working too hard."
"So what do you want me to do?" Selina inquired. "Sing and dance?"
"You're the more flexible, smaller one." Two Face's smile was visible on only one side, and the other stood grim and steadfast in its ugliness. "You can get pass the lasers and other equipment in the area."
"You, kitten, are going to steal the Diamond if we find it." Penguin finished the rest.
"This is insane." She laughed. "You want me to steal a priceless object from one of the most top security places in the world? I don't even know where the bathrooms are in the place! Plus I have a date to that fundraiser, who I really want to go with, so I don't think this is working out for me."
"I'm sure a threat to lover boy would change your mind." Joker crackled.
Pausing, the insides of her stomach curled and the whole being regretted the fact that they knew who she was. She hated that she had put Bruce in this danger, which she had refused to back out and accept what had been done. But at the same time, the thrill elated her, and knowing that her father would do the same thing if put in this position for her, and he had been in this position. He would die for her, and now she would have to risk everything for him. However, these people could not see her weakness.
"He'll be fine, I'm sure." Shrugging it off, she turned to view her equipment again. "Will I be caught?"
"No." Penguin reassured her. "And if you are, I have ways to get you out, and ways for them to never know who you are."
"If I'm caught," Selina started to walk out. "I'm going after you next."
--
"You could at least look a little happier; our money is going toward saving people's lives." Selina chided Bruce as he let out another sigh from talking to an additional person who wanted to invest in something. "Or you could try and have fun."
"I support saving people's lives and I'm very happy in doing that." He lowered his head to whisper. "I could think of other ways in having fun, that wouldn't include your low cut dress."
"Wow," She let out a small laugh. "I knew you used lines, but this one, this one is something else."
"How about, I can't stop thinking about you?" They began walking towards the glass windows, where less people were.
"Bruce, really." Her laughter started up again.
"You complete me."
"This is worse than listening to that business talk, five minutes ago."
"What if I had been serious?" He faked being solemn.
"If you were being serious," She moved in closer to him. "Then I would refuse to do this." Their lips touched for a brief moment.
"Well it's good that I wasn't being serious then." His hand felt her long, blonde locks.
"I would have to agree." They were about to kiss again, but a blast from across the street alerted the whole company that all was not well. Chaos was back in session. Bruce had covered Selina, hoping none of the glass had in anyway cut her. It hadn't.
"Stay here." He turned to see Fox and his wife standing around in the commotion, and even though he had been briefly introduced to her, he stirred Selina over to him, knowing that she would be safer with him than anyone else in the room. "Mr. and Mrs. Fox, this is Selina Kyle."
"Dr. Kyle so glad to finally meet you." Fox shook her hand. "I have heard so much about you."
When Selina turned to look at Bruce, he was gone. She quickly turned back to the Foxes, excusing herself for the bathroom.
--
Selina had memorized this place with the map that had given her, every little floor, the cracks, the secrets. So she moved swiftly through the usual maze of Wayne Enterprises. Her suit had earned her much more flexibility and stealth as she moved through the darkness of the rooms. The guards had all rushed upstairs to look after all the people, still shrieking from the blast. She had known that it would be close, just not across the street, where all the police had to do is simply run over and capture her.
"Hey you!"
She had been wrong, not all the guards had rushed upstairs. Steadying herself, she saw the four had stopped when they noticed her, or rather that she was a woman.
"Hello boys." She purred. This was a moment to retrace her steps and become her other-self that had gotten her to this point. "Want to play?"
--
Batman couldn't believe that Joker had so easily escaped. Nothing had been stolen; therefore it was a distraction for something else. He held the inane man against the wall, and began to question him.
"Why are you here?" Batman's deep voice demanded.
"Well that's an easy question." He rolled his eyes, only to receive a punch.
"Why are you here?"
"To have some fun." The Joker began his grotesque, disturbing laugh. It didn't bode so well for him. Batman only brought him closer to pound him against the wall."You know violence is not the answer."
"You didn't steal anything, what's the motive?"
"I have no motive. I fly by the root of my wings, or rather your wings."
"Tell me!"
"I don't think I will." This earned him a thrust across the room into the brick wall. He struggled to get his footing. "You know, you don't have to do this." His hand slipped across the wall, making him fall over again. Batman watched him steadily. "Politeness works, even with criminals." No response. "The strong silent type. Well, I for one am not attracted to that. I like a little bit of fight, keeps things interesting. Take for instance, a woman stealing something out of Wayne Tower. Now she's small, delicate little thing, but can surely give you a good bruise or two in the morning. But she's willing to go in there, and take what we want."
It didn't take two seconds until Batman easily knocked him out, stopping his cruel laughter before it had fully begun. Quickly he made his way to Wayne Tower, dodging the police and SWAT. Taking the back way, there wasn't anyone there to show him that there was truly someone there. He made his way quietly through the building he knew so well.
Hearing a noise behind him, Batman slid into the shadows. He watched as ten guards and a few police ran towards the basement. Stealthily he followed them, not wanting to create an upset among them, although they already looked not entirely settled. They took the stairs and opened the basement door.
Darkness and an aftermath of a blast filled the room. Batman stayed behind, assessing the situation. What were these people after? The rest of Bruce's documents, jewels, and other family heirlooms were settled here, as well as a few other high security items.
"Ma'am!" One of the police shouted, while the others held a flashlight up to the dust receiving no help from the gadget whatsoever. "We need you to come out with your hands above your head!"
"Well isn't that suggestive, officer?" An entirely feminine voice reached their ears. "My hands above my head, well, only if you insist, but I got whip." She chuckled, seductively. "Why don't you come and play in here?"
The tail end of the whip cracked right by the officer's foot, he backed away. The large group looked at each other.
"Ma'am!" He tried again. "Please release the other officers in the room with you!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that." She sighed. "You see, they're keeping me company, I wouldn't want to be a bad hostess and kick them out."
"We can't go in there." One of the other police officers whispered.
"That woman is crazy!" Another voiced. "She'll kill us."
"I can hear you." Her sing song voice said. "Trust me I don't want to kill you. I'm not that kind of gal."
"I'll take care of it." Batman stepped out of the shadows and frightened the group of people standing there.
"You can't go in there by yourself!" One looked at him. "She'll kill you!"
Without another word, Batman stepped into the darker room, filled to the brim with fragments of left over wall. He strode carefully as not to disturb anyone that could be on the floor or give any more notice than necessary. A crack of the whip, told him that she was well aware of his presence.
"Ah," She purred. "The man that I've wanted to meet." This time the whip was at feet, a few centimeters away from him. "Tell me, where does Mr. Wayne keep his diamonds?"
"Who are you?" He demanded. Suddenly he was against a wall, the length of a female body stretched lazily across his.
"Your new enemy." Her lips were all that was visible; that, and a considerable amount of her chest was pushed up. He pushed her away and rearranged them, so he was the one that was against her. "Likes to be in charge, I see." She struggled against him for a moment, before he regained control. "And strong, I'll be sure to remember that."
The woman ducked down, unexpectedly, and kicked him off balance. She fell with him on the ground, holding him in place once again.
"Against the wall, on the floor, I'm not picky, but we should pick one."
Batman, punched her, making her roll away back into the dust, which was now beginning to settle. She couldn't hide any more. He stood and saw her standing across from him, a few feet away. She reared back her whip and released it towards him. He caught it on his arm, and yanked, only to have her yank it back. He heard something in the suit, and noticed the whip had broken through the suit. She retracted it, and a smile came slowly across her face.
"You should tell me where those diamonds are." She purred.
"The Blood Diamond isn't here." He growled, the dust had finally settled, he noticed officer strewn about the floor, still alive, she hadn't killed any of them. The police by the door, did not move, only had their guns poised and ready. "You're wasting your time."
"Actually you're wasting my time." The woman he saw, resembled a cat, started to back away to a hole he noticed in the ceiling. Taking the whip she went for another go at him, but he jumped away, closer to her, only to be hit by the whip's retraction in the middle, it tightened around him, and she gave it a pull to bring him to his knees.
"I love it when men are on their knees." She came forward and caressed his masked face. Her hands moved to his shoulders. "So well built." A sound of a knife coming out of its case, perked Batman's ears, but her claws dug into his shoulders and around to the front.
Batman felt the claws drag across his biceps and cringed, not wanting to reveal the pain it caused him, the cuts were deep, very deep. Catching her by surprise he stood and threw her across the room. Recovering quickly, she aimed her whip towards the ceiling hole, looked him over one last time, and disappeared before he could reach her. The hole lasted many floors before stopping, but she had vanished before he could spot her. Pulling out the grapple, he shot it upwards and flew to find a trace of where she had gone.
She made it to the floor, where the holes had stopped. It was the lobby of Wayne Tower, and she wasn't anywhere in sight, only police now lined the doorway.
"Police!" One came forward. "You're under arrest!"
Batman ran towards the fire stairs, and shot the grabble upwards again, to make it to the roof. His arms pained him, but he must see through the pain, he had to make it back to the party to find Selina.
--
Selina was thankful that the bat hadn't given her too many visible bruises. They were just barely showing, but thankfully, she was not the only one at the party with bruises and cuts. A few had gotten some from the second blast, as the windows had shattered and people began to run about wildly. The police had told them to stay put and no one move. She was again thankful for listening to the hysterical people repeating the same happenings.
"Are you alright?" Bruce appeared at her side, holding her elbow.
"Where did you go?" She asked, turning to grab on to his forearm.
"I could ask you the same question." He pointed out.
"People just started going crazy after the second one, I couldn't find you." Selina sighed. "Well I guess that's the end of the party."
"We should get going." Bruce nodded, and she quickly agreed.
The couple made it to the elevator without being stopped until they arrived in the decorated lobby and then were surrounded by police and press. Then Gordon stepped forward.
"It's alright! I'll take care of them!" He ushered them towards a secluded area. "I know you two have nothin' to do with this, but do you know anything?"
"I had gone to the bathroom and then come out in the commotion in the room." Selina answered. "Then the second one went off, I was standing where Bruce left me, and I received a few cuts and bruises."
"Do you want to get those checked, Dr. Kyle?" He questioned.
"I'm fine, nothing major."
"I was looking for Dr. Kyle, but only found her a few minutes ago." Bruce quickly explained his side.
"Do you know what they were looking for, Mister Wayne?"
"No idea." He couldn't shrug, otherwise it would loosen the unsteady bandages he had around his arms to stop the bleeding.
"They were in your security basement, does that mean anything to you?" Gordon watched him carefully.
"Your guess is as good as mine." The young billionaire answered. "Probably just wanted some money."
"Do you know of a Cat Woman?" A year ago this would have made him laugh asking this question. "She was in the secure area, apparently wanting a diamond. A Blood Diamond."
"A Cat Woman?" Bruce laughed. "A Batman and a Catwoman? Maybe those two should meet, probably made for each other." He touched the commissioner's shoulder. "Just let me know if there is anything else going on with my building tonight, it would be greatly appreciated."
Gordon watched the couple walk away and as the man known as the world's greatest playboy put an arm around the museum director. He had seen the famous young man before, but there was something different about him, maybe he was trying to act strong for the woman next to him for she seemed a bit shakier than he did. Sighing he just thought to himself of how he had done the same thing in front of his wife and kids.
Hello everyone!! Thank you all so much for the reviews! I feel like its Christmas when I see one pop up on the screen! I love to know what you think of the story, so please keep them coming!
EV