Peter read the assignment that was given to him by JJJ yesterday while his costume was on the dry spin in the washer. It seemed JJJ wanted Peter to get the scoop on the mysterious cat burglar referred to as the Black Cat. The washer buzzed and Peter pulled his damp costume out and stuck it in the dryer. He began to think what this assignment could do for his reputation as a nerd and what it would mean towards a profession in the field of journalism if he chose it. Robbie had said that Peter was their youngest working freelancer. That meant he could rise up the corporate ladder and be a top-notch reporter or photographer by the time he's well into his twenties. These thoughts brought a smile to his face. It didn't occur to him to check what setting he put the dryer on so when a half an hour passed by he was shocked to find his costume had shrunk.
"Oh man! How am I supposed to go out like this?"
"Peter? Is everything okay down there?" Aunt May asked.
"Yes Aunt May," Peter replied. "But not in the terms of my crime fighting career."
Peter groaned as he realized he would have to sew up another uniform to wear. He dumped the shrunken costume into the garbage bag that had all the other old clothes in it and headed upstairs.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #20 "The Cat, The Hunter, and The Spider Part II"
Ben looked at his assignment and his eyes widened. He couldn't believe that JJJ was serious. He picked up the phone and dialed the Bugle's office number catching the secretary Betty Brant's desk.
"Hello?" Betty said in a bored tone.
"Betty? Let me speak to JJJ now!"
"Who may I say is calling?"
"Ben Urich you half-wit!"
Betty snorted and hung up the phone on Ben. A minute later, he called back and she rolled her eyes listening to him prattle on.
"Listen Ben just because you're a star reporter for the Bugle doesn't mean you can talk to me like that."
"Either you put me in contact with JJJ now or I will see you FIRED!"
Betty pressed the button on her phone that connected her with JJJ's office. "Hello Mister Jameson. I know you're busy, but Ben Urich would like to speak to you."
"What the hell for woman? Didn't you tell him I'm busy?"
"I was about to, but he said it was important."
JJJ rolled his cigar around his teeth from one side of his mouth to the other while he pondered what Urich could want. He waited a moment and answered Betty. "All right put him on, but hold all my calls. I am very busy."
"Yes Mister Jameson." Betty switched back to Ben. "He'll talk to you now."
Jameson heard the phone click and Ben Urich's voice came on, "Jameson what is the meaning of this…ridiculous idea of an assignment? Do you take me for a fool?"
"What are you babbling about Urich? That assignment is right up your alley. I don't see why you have a problem with it."
"You call covering the new botanical laboratory at the New York Botanical Garden an assignment? I'm an investigative journalist. Not some science nerd."
"That's not the assignment I gave you!" JJJ said as his face flushed red. "PARK-ER!"
---
A man with short dark hair, onyx eyes, and wearing an unusual get-up leapt from building to building sniffing out his prey. His nose curled as he caught wind of something else. It was sweet fragrant scent of a woman's perfume and it wafted heavily in the cold air. The man smiled and followed the scent to its source with a rising hope of a challenge.
---
Nearby Spider-Man swung through the air on his amazing web-lines. He wore a sleeker version of his costume that was so insulated for the cold weather. He swung up onto a ledge across the street from an apartment building and looked around to see if he could spot anything. So far, the mysterious cat burglar had yet to show his or her face. Without warning Spidey felt strong sensations of impending danger from behind him. He turned around to catch the bottom of a black-heeled boot across his jaw, which sent him over the edge. Spidey shook the cobwebs out and fired a quick web line onto the under side of the ledge and started to pull himself back up quickly when that forewarning of danger became more intense. Some one jumped on his back and locked him in a chokehold. Spider-Man drove his head back causing his unseen opponent to let go, reached behind him grabbing his foe, and tossed the assailant up onto the ledge. Spider-Man whipped his web line sending himself high into the air where he fired a zip line onto the ledge and pulled himself toward the ledge. When he landed, he swiveled his head around in search for his attacker, but it seemed his aggressor was long gone, but not forgotten.
---
"That was close," Black Cat thought to herself. "He nearly caught me. But at least I gave him something to remember me by."
Black Cat started to walk off when she heard a noise. She peered around and didn't see anyone, but she still felt that some one was there. Feeling that she might be in danger she tied the bag containing the diamonds she stole to her belt and walked slowly to the other end of the roof. She spun around a few times as she walked making sure that no one was following her yet she could feel something was wrong in the pit of her stomach. Whatever or whoever was watching her was making damn sure that they couldn't be seen. Black Cat continued to the end of the roof with her back turned pretending that she felt it was safe and when a hand reached for her shoulder, she twirled around and sent a kick toward the face of old lady. Seeing who it was Black Cat paused in mid-motion holding her kick mere inches away from the elderly woman's face. She brought her foot down and looked over the old lady.
"What is such a fine woman like yourself doin' up here?" the old lady asked.
"Just passing through," Black Cat said. "Shouldn't you be inside?"
The old lady nodded her head. "I should, but it gets lonely down there."
Black Cat took her eyes away from the old lady to roof across from the one she was on. She then cast a glance back to the old lady. "I have to go."
"Won't you stay a while?"
"I wish I could, but I can't."
Black Cat jumped off the end off the roof shooting a cat cable and swing above the street below rising higher and higher until the cable rewound all the way to the top of the far away roof top of the Daily Bugle. Black Cat stood there for a few moments thinking about her past and how lonely she was growing up when she saw Spider-Man swinging by and seeing him brought a grin to her face. It looked like he was heading down the next street. Black Cat leaped off, fired her cat cable, and swung right beside him.
"Hey handsome!" Black Cat said.
"Uh hi. Who are you supposed to be?"
"The Black Cat," Black Cat purred.
"Wait, your that cat burglar aren't you?"
"So you do have a brain beneath that mask. Catch me if you can."
Black Cat dropped from her line toward the semi running underneath. She crouched into a ball and rolled along the top until she came onto her feet in a crouched position. She peered upwards and saw that Spider-Man was giving chase just like she expected. The semi unexpectedly turned the corner with Spider-Man following behind and Black Cat felt adrenaline running through as the excitement from the chase took her over. She jumped off the semi and swung on the bottom off a fire escape ladder setting her heels down firmly on the steps. She turned around and climbed up the ladder quickly as Spider-Man had finally caught up. They both raced up the steps to the top of the building where Black Cat stayed in the lead, but Spider-Man changed that by vaulting ahead of her and blocking off her path.
"Hold it. Your going to jail for everything you stole," Spider-Man said.
"You'd send pretty little me to jail?" Black Cat said batting her eyelashes and walking up to Spider-Man seductively.
"Well – I – I…"
Spider-Man didn't get to finish as she pulled up his mask and kissed him on the lips. For a moment, he was in bliss until he felt the blow to his crotch that had him on his back in agony.
"You should never let your guard down especially against a woman."
Black Cat started to strut off when a web line snatched her ankle and jerked her off her feet. She turned to see Spider-Man getting back to a vertical base and slowly dragged her toward him. She cut the web line and made a break for it. Spider-Man ran and sprung into an acrobatic flip in front of her cutting off her escape route again. She ran the other way only to be snared by webbing. Spider-Man yanked her toward him and glared at her as he webbed her up like prized catch of the day.
"Y'know you really shouldn't have kicked me there."
"Oh c'mon Spider. Don't tell me you haven't heard of foreplay."
Spider-Man's eyes widened, "It doesn't matter now. Your going to jail and the police are going to get back everything you have stolen."
Black Cat snickered. "Fat chance Spider. They have enough problems as it catching random muggers. Besides everything I stole has long been parted with."
"I want you to tell me where everything you stole is and how we can get it back."
"Or what?"
Spider-Man thought long and hard for a moment, as he stared deep into Black Cat's blue eyes. It was hard enough dealing with super powered criminals, but dealing with females was something that he hadn't much experience in. He knew that he didn't have the heart to interrogate her, but if there was any way to get that stuff back, he had to try. He lowered Black Cat on a line over the edge.
"You're a little small for the catch of the day. I guess I should let you go."
"Oh please. You wouldn't hurt a fly Spider. I know you too well."
Spider-Man started to feel some guilt building up for even doing this, but he reminded himself of all the people who lost items that belonged to them that perhaps had some significant importance. He let her drop rapidly letting her scream before he pulled the line taut. He heard her stuttering in disbelief and his resolve started to become weaker.
"Y-you can't do this Spider. You wouldn't kill me over some stolen items would you?"
Spider-Man could tell she was really scared by the tone in her voice. His mind told him to push her more, but his heart told him to let it go and bring her up. It almost seemed like Spider-Man was in a daze from Black Cat's point of view. She couldn't believe that he had done this. The voice of Uncle Ben echoed in Peter's mind. "With great power comes great responsibility. Never forget that Peter."
Spider-Man brought her back up and set her on the roof. He brushed a hair from her face trying to think of something soothing to say to her. But ultimately the words never came. Spider-Man's spider-sense flared and he turned to see a man in an uncommon get up walking out of the shadows. He smirked as he came toward the hero with his sight focused on Spider-Man. The eyes that reflected off the lens of Spider-Man's mask were onyx colored and laced with madness.
"Spider-Man. We finally meet and how fitting that is on the day that will be known as your ultimate end."