Now the REAL action starts.

After picking up groceries, Lita stopped by the bank, as per her father's request.

Mortgage due soon, he had texted. Withdraw $100,000 cash.

Funny, she'd thought. I don't remember our next mortgage payment being that high. Do we even have that much in our savings?

Who could really tell? With all the times they'd had to take a mortgage on the house and pay up the piling bills. Lita had insisted that they move into someplace more affordable, like a small apartment just for the two of them. But her father didn't want to leave the house he'd lived in for so long. With her mother.

It was the house they'd met in after all. Back when he was a cat burglar doing a routine home invasion, and she was a simple young woman waking to someone breaking into her home. Poor Ricardo hadn't expected the owner of the home to be a black belt in judo.

It had been love at first fight.

As much as Lita also missed her mother, she knew they couldn't hold onto that place forever. If they had the money, they'd leave Hatville entirely. To some place where one didn't have to take such drastic measures to make it through the day.

As she waited in line for the teller, Lita couldn't help but wonder about her father's request. Not only the amount, but that it had to be in cash. Didn't they usually send their mortgage payments electronically? Taking out that many pesos in cash…it was going to be a long walk back home.

Just then, a trio of masked people burst through the door, each of them carrying machine guns.

"Everyone, get down!" the man in the middle shouted. "Put your hands on your heads!"

There were a few screams as everyone in the bank lobby dropped to the ground and put their hands on their heads. With an annoyed sigh, Lita followed them.

She watched as the robbers threatened the tellers, demanding they give all their money. Seeing the medium builds of their bodies, Lita figured she could take them down. However, the machine guns complicated things. As the old saying goes: never bring a knife to a gun fight.

How can they even expect to carry the money out if they're carrying those heavy guns? she couldn't help but think. This is why I always worked after hours.

Outnumbered and out-armed, Lita had no choice but to stay still and quiet until the thieves were done. These hold-ups were usually over within five minutes, so long as no one ever did anything stupid like take out their cellphone or try to run.

So much for that withdrawal.

Ricardo craned his neck towards the door as the bell was rung. "Mija? Is that you? Did you lose your key?"

The bell rang again. With an exhausted sigh, Ricardo struggled to get up from his seat. He'd been sitting so long that his thighs were aching and his right foot had fallen sleep. Then came a hard, impatient knock.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he called, his walk slow and tired.

Unbolting the latch and turning the lock, he opened the door up. "Did you get the shaving—?"

He stiffened when he saw the visitor. The figure peered down at him, his minty-green fangs smiling sinisterly.

"Hello, Ricardo," Black Hat said.

Ricardo quickly attempted to shut the door, but Black Hat stopped it with his cane.

"Tsk, tsk," he said, pushing the door open all the way as he stepped inside. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

Utterly speechless at the villain's overpowering presence, Ricardo backed away into the living room. Black Hat's one eye wandered around, his grin becoming a disapproving frown.

"My, my, Ricardo," he said, using his cane to sweep aside a pile of beer cans. "You've really let yourself go, haven't you?" He poked the cowering man's large beer belly. "To think you once stole a priceless Fabergé egg." He reached down and picked up the family photo off the coffee table. "I told you that family of yours would make you soft," he said, tossing the frame over his shoulder, shattering the glass, "but I never imagined they'd make you a slob."

"P-Please…" Ricardo said, holding up his hands. "I-I know I'm behind on my payments…"

"Three months overdue," Black Hat said, his grin returning as he held up three fingers. "Not to mention fifteen years of interest."

He shocked Ricardo as fifteen fingers sprouted up on his two hands.

"I'm starting to believe," Black Hat said, leaning onto his cane, "that you have no intention of ever paying me back in full."

"I do, I do!" Ricardo insisted. "M-My daughter…she's at the bank right now! She'll be here any minute with the money I owe you! E-Enough to p-pay off the last three months! And more!"

Black Hat glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was nearly six p.m. "I haven't got all night."

Ricardo's cell phone buzzed from the coffee table. Black Hat glanced down to read the caller ID.

"Who's Lita?"

"My daughter!" Ricardo exclaimed, sighing in relief. "Probably calling to say she got the money! P-Please, if I don't answer, she'll think something's wrong!"

Black Hat narrowed his eye at him. "Give her any indication that I'm here, or show any sign of distress," he pointed his cane at the phone, "and I smash this blasted thing!"

He used his cane to click the green button, and then the speaker.

"Papi?" Lita said on the other end.

Ricardo glanced up at Black Hat nervously, who nodded for him to reply. "Lita? Mija? Did you get the money?

There was a sigh. "That's what I'm calling you about. The bank…it was just robbed."

Ricardo stiffened. "Are you alright, mija?"

"I'm fine." She huffed. "I would've fought them off if they didn't have guns."

Black Hat cocked his head upon hearing the girl's voice. This was an…odd reaction to a bank robbery. What should've been a traumatic event was being rubbed off as an everyday occurrence. I suppose robberies are frequent around here, he thought with a smirk.

Still, the girl's voice didn't sound the least bit shaken up. Not even when she mentioned the guns.

"And the money?" Ricardo said, the realization sinking in. "Did they…did they take—?"

"Yes, Papi," Lita said with a sigh. "But not all of it. We've got about ten thousand left."

Ricardo winced. "It's…alright, mija. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Should I still make a withdrawal? I'm sure the bank will give us an extension due to the recent robbery—"

"No! Just…get home as soon as you can, princesa."

There was a groan. "Papi, how many times have I told you not to call me—"

She was cut off, as Black Hat had hung up. Ricardo finally got up the courage to open his eyes and face the villain. His grin was wide, his one eye fixated on the stout man.

"You don't have the money, do you, Ricardo?" Black Hat said.

With a gulp, Ricardo stepped backward, his hands searching for something he could use as a weapon.

"Pathetic," Black Hat said with a huff. "And here I was hoping you'd agree to steal for me one last time. But, seeing as you are in no condition to do anything productive," he raised his hand, showing his middle finger and thumb pressed together, "you'll just have to pay me back…another way."

He snapped his fingers and two buff Hatbots came rolling through the open front door. Before Ricardo could even take a step, he was in one of the menacing robots' mechanical clutches! The other Hatbot placed a sack over his head, muffling his screams.

"You know, Ricardo," Black Hat said, walking casually towards the door, "in all the years we've known each other, you've never once visited my estate!" The Hatbots followed him out, hauling the prisoner between them. "I think we should rectify that. Don't you agree?"

He completely ignored the cellphone buzzing on the coffee table.

On the way home, Lita called her father's cell for what felt like the tenth time. It had been weird for her father to suddenly cut her off like that. When the call went to voicemail again, she shoved her phone into her hoodie pocket in exasperation.

"Come on, Papi! You're really starting to worry me here!"

What if something had happened to him? What if he'd passed out from alcohol again? What if he'd had a heart attack? What if…what if someone had broken into their home and knocked him out? Or…or worse?

She shook her head. Many people in the neighborhood knew her father was a retired thief. Although he didn't come out a lot, they knew better than to break into another thief's home. But…not every thief on Hat Island knew better.

That's why she was eager to get home, her plastic bag of groceries in hand. She needed to make sure if he was alright. And if he was, she'd ask about the mortgage.

After the robbery had taken place, Lita had asked the teller if there was a possibility for an extension, given the circumstances. But then after checking their account status, the teller had said this month's payment had already been made.

So…if those one-hundred-thousand pesos weren't for the mortgage, what were they for? Lita loved her father, but she hated it when he kept secrets from her. She needed to get home fast, as it was already getting dark.

Just then, a long, black car came around the corner ahead of her, causing Lita to stop dead in her tracks. It wasn't just any car. It was a hearse with red stripes painted around the wheels, bearing a silver hood ornament in the shape of a top hat.

Black Hat's car.

Lita's first instincts were to run and hide, but she was nowhere near an alleyway, and running would only attract his attention. Rumor had it he could literally smell fear, and he would go where the scent was rampant.

She didn't want to be noticed. Not by him. They said he picked wandering citizens off the streets just for the mere fun of it, and those who were dragged into his car were rarely seen again.

The only thing to do was act natural. If she wasn't afraid, he would ignore her. So, taking a deep breath, she shoved her free hand into her hoodie pocket and continued walking towards the car driving her way.

The car was going slow. Black Hat clearly wasn't in a hurry, otherwise he'd be breaking traffic laws. He must want to make his presence known to the neighborhoods' residence, give them a scare. Not wanting to give him that pleasure, she tried not to look through the windows as it drove by.

Just keep walking. Just keep walking.

Finally, the hearse had passed her entirely. Letting out a sigh of relief, Lita quickened her pace and rounded the next corner. That had been close.

Even though she'd lived on Hat Island all her life, she'd only seen Black Hat once—not counting his commercials and PEAs (Public Evil Announcements) that would air on television. It'd been around fifteen years ago, not long after her mother had passed away. Lita had been ten years old.

She'd been up in her room, crying over pictures of her mother, when she'd heard voices downstairs. Someone had seemed to be arguing with her father. Not recognizing the second voice, she had decided to investigate.

Even at ten, she'd made the habit to step quietly as she crept down the stairs.

"P-P-Please, Mr. Black Hat, sir!" her father had said, sounding desperate. "Have mercy! My wife just died!"

"I don't care if your goldfish just died!"

The second voice was low and raspy. It had a semblance of a British accent, though so growly it was almost hard to make out. Lita had imagined an English Chupacabra.

"You will give what is owed to me," said the monstrous voice, "or else—"

"Please! I just need a little time, that's all!"

When little Lita had peered into the living room, her father—at this time, he'd been much thinner and had had a beautiful head of black hair—had had his back pressed against the far wall, slipping downward as the stranger loomed over him. From the back, Lita could see that he had been wearing a black trench coat and top hat.

"You're already overdue as it is!" the being had shouted raising a black hand that resembled a claw. "I don't care if you once sold me a Fabergé egg! My patience can only last so—"

"Papi?" she had said.

And then he had turned to face her. Lita would never forget that terrifying image. He'd been so tall, at least two meters. Twice her size, towering over her like a mountain to a hill. His clothes had been fine. Beneath his trench coat was a light gray waistcoat, a black tie over a red shirt. His black top hat sported a maroon band, matching his shirt. His black trousers were a tight fit around his slender legs. She remembered his shoes being huge and covered by somethings she now knew were called spats.

But despite his fancy clothes, his face was anything but dignified. His skin…it wasn't natural. It was gray. And he had no ears! Only one eye showed, and it held no color. Just one single pupil that at that time, had been directed at her. His left eye was covered by a shiny, rimless monocle. She hadn't been able to see through it, leaving her to assume that there was nothing to see but the back of his skull.

His black-gloved hand had been closed tightly around a cane. Her ten-year-old self had been so sure he was going to strike her with it, especially as he had stepped closer to her. Unsure of what to do, she had stayed frozen in place, staring up at the demon.

Then he had grinned, showing his teeth—no, fangs—which had a greenish tint.

"Well, well, well," he had said, placing his cane behind his back as he had leaned down to her level. "Hello there, little one."

"Leave her alone!" her father had shouted. "Mija, go upstairs!"

Black Hat had then done something she hadn't expected. He'd made a big red lollipop appear in his hand, causing her to gasp in amazement. At that moment, she had been less afraid and more…curious.

"Care for a lolly?" Black Hat had asked, moving the tempting lollipop towards her.

"How'd you do that?" she'd said.

"Don't take that, Lita!" her father had exclaimed.

She'd looked over at him. "Is he a stranger?"

Ricardo had hesitated. "Well, uh…he's certainly…strange…"

"Oh," she'd said simply.

Then, facing the villain again, she'd slapped the lollipop out of his hand. He'd looked at her in surprise, but that had quickly changed to fury as he'd clenched his teeth together.

"Why, you little…"

He'd had his claws out to her, but she'd kicked him hard in the shin. Yowling in pain, he'd been distracted enough for her to run out of the room and upstairs. Her father must have said something to calm him down, for he hadn't pursued her.

She'd been lucky to have gotten away with something like that. From what she'd heard, Black Hat had quite a temper and rarely went easy on anyone. Not even children.

She hadn't quite understood what Black Hat had been doing in her house, until her father had explained it. Ricardo was a member of Black Hat Organization—an inactive one, though he got discounts on protection fees—and they'd merely been talking business. Shortly afterwards, he had asked how she would feel about following in her father's footsteps.

Boy, was she glad her father had retired from thievery. Otherwise, Black Hat might've paid more visits to their house. If she were to meet him again—she hoped not—she wouldn't dare anger him again. She had a feeling he wouldn't be so forgiving a second time. Dealing with a random rapist or pickpocket on the street was one thing, but Black Hat…was not a being you wanted to cross. Ever.

A few minutes later, she finally reached home. Only something was off. The front door was wide open. She stopped a moment. They always kept the door locked and bolted, in case someone should break in. Suspecting something was up, Lita took out her switchblade as she slowly approached the open door.

Peering inside, she couldn't tell if a struggle had taken place, for the living room was always in disarray. Except, her father wasn't in his chair. And his phone sat on the coffee table.

She stepped further into the room, her knife aimed ahead of her.

"Papi?" she called. "Papi, are you here?"

Something broke beneath her foot. She glanced down to see the old family photo, cracks over her mom's and dad's faces. That shouldn't have been on the floor.

Then she spotted something else a short distance away. A small, rectangular piece of paper. It looked like a business card of some sort. Crouching down, Lita picked up the card between her pointer and thumb. When she saw the symbol on it, she gasped in horror.

Printed on the card was a black top hat within a circle. She didn't need to turn the card over to know whose it was.

Black Hat Organization.

"Papi," she murmured, dropping the card.

He had her papi.

She pulled out her cell, but then paused. Who could she call? They had no relatives. Her mother had been disowned by her family long before Lita was born, and her father had grown up an orphan. She certainly couldn't call the police or the Hero Organization. Even if they cared enough to help a retired thief, none of them stood a chance against Black Hat! If he had a nickel for every hero he'd vaporized and or butchered, he'd be…well, richer than he already was.

Putting her hands on either side of her head, she paced around the room in a frenzy. What could she do? There was no one to call! No one to help! Her father was in the clutches of the most dangerous being alive and there was no one to save him!

"No, no, no, no!" she exclaimed, her eyes watering. "He can't be gone! He can't!"

Her father was all she had left in this world. Since her mother died, they'd pulled through their grief together! For fifteen years, they'd been taking care of each other! True, lately, she'd been doing most of the caring, but hey, what father-daughter relationship was perfect? He'd been the only one to support her, believe in her capabilities. He was the only reason she'd done anything worthwhile in her life! She couldn't bear the thought of being without him.

She glanced down at the business card on the floor. At the black hat symbol.

Soon, those tears of sadness turned into hot tears of rage. Lita inhaled deeply as she tried to keep her fury at bay, but it was no use. That bastard of a villain had taken away the most important thing in her life. She knew where he lived. She knew what she had to do. It was the only thing she could do.

"That asshole," she said, wiping her tears on her sleeve, "is going to pay."

I decided to go with pesos as the currency on Hat Island. As the creator is Mexican, and the episodes were originally aired in Spanish, I imagine Black Hat's island is somewhere off the coast of Mexico. In this fic, the citizens of Hat Island are also bilingual, proficient in Spanish and English, in tribute to how the creator voices Black Hat in the Spanish AND English versions.

I imagine Black Hat would drive/ride a hearse. It's black and it's related to death. What more is there to say?