AN: And another one up. Celgress, Highlander, NeoTyson, Akira-Hayama, Godspeed, Jakeros, you guys are awesome.
Chapter 5
Felicia typed away at her keyboard looking over insurance reports from the rest of the island of Manhattan and other major areas. She was doing so in an excited manner. The first thing that she tried to focus on was art theft of greater than average value. The first image that came to her screen sent a shudder down her spine. Mysterio was the last really high-profile art theft in NYC. The memories of that night no longer had any effect on Felicia, but the man's outfit was ghastly her. The other big results were a jewel theft in Dubai, and a armored car robbery at a gallery in Los Angeles. Felicia decided that she need to change the focus of the search.
She decided to look next into art thefts with military style equipment and execution. The first result was a slash and grab from a museum in Chicago. The thief used a tactical knife to cut the canvas of some painting out of their frames and walked off with them. The next result was two guys used an AR-15 style rifle and a shotgun to rob a pawn shop in Miami. The last result was the Dubai heist again. A team of guys rappelled down the side of a building outside their target, and broke in through the glass and made off with the take. Felicia was impressed with the skill, Dubai targets were always tough.
The last variable she looked at was items themselves that were stolen. Felicia looked at other items that were stolen in each of the lefts she had uncovered. Mysterio stole a dark ages manuscript, the armored car in LA had American post-modern paintings, the slash and grab was a European portrait, and the pawn shop robbery was over a Mayan mating totem. The Dubai heist didn't describe the exact jewels that were taken, just labeled the value. Felicia figured that whoever owned what was taken had the money to keep it secret, but it was likely something that was embarrassing, like stolen jewels from the middle east.
Felicia needed more information from that particular heist. She pulled out her phone and hit the call button. The dial tone rang three times before the person on the other end picked up.
"Horizon, this is Peter Parker's lab. Karin speaking." Came the gleeful voice of the AI.
"This is Felicia. Could you put Peter on please?" Felicia asked sweetly. She knew Peter well enough to know that he would probably use the AI for all of the things that frequently slipped his mind, his schedule, dates, meeting times, workflow tasks. The same ways that Tony Stark used JARVIS.
"Unfortunately I am unable to do that. Peter was called into a meeting with Max Modell. Something about a 'PR dumpster fire he just created'." Karin explained.
"Ah well, you have to admit that you are a bit of a hot topic issue." Felicia said.
"No. Not me. Peter started a dumpster fire in the Physical Research Lab." Karin stated. "Though I am concerned why would consider me a 'PR dumpster fire'."
"I'm somewhat concerned that as an AI, you don't understand why you wouldn't." Felicia countered.
Karen remained silent for a moment. "A fair point. Is there a possibility that I may be able to assist you with your request for Peter? He has instructed me to assist you in personal and professional matters."
Felicia sighed. "Not unless you can tell me about a diamond heist that no one seems to know very much about."
"Please provide the known information. I will search for supplementary data." Karin said.
The insurance investigator shrugged her shoulders. Why not try she figured. She gave the date, location, and the item and value of the claim to the computer.
"One moment please." Karin requested.
Elevator music started to play to through the speaker of Felicia cell phone. Felicia pulled the phone away and looked at the screen for a moment with a look of shock. She didn't know weather that was programmed by her boyfriend, or if the computer came up with that. Either way, the sense of humor was unexpected.
"Felicia?" Karin said when she was finished processing.
"Yes. What did you find?"
"The jewels that were stolen were a pair of emeralds that are known as the Cats Emerald Eyes. They were originally in the eye sockets of one of a pair of statues that were known a The Tomb's Guardians. The statues are Egyptian in origin, but were last known to be together in Iran, where they disappeared during the revolution." Karin explained.
Felicia processed the information. The statues were clearly valuable for more than just their materials. They had history attached to them. Separate they were worth millions. Together, vastly more.
"Anything else about the statue that is of note?"
"Legend has is that they were blessed by the gods of Egypt." Karin stated.
"Just for clarification, did the other statue have ruby eyes?"
"Yes they did."
"Who do the police suspect stole the emeralds?"
"Dubai police suspect that the owner is complicit in insurance fraud. INTERPOL and SHIELD suspect that a crew call the Jade Syndicate stole the jewels." Karin answered.
"Those guys. Great." Felicia groaned.
Back in her days as the criminal Black Cat, the Jade Syndicate offered Felicia a job. She was becoming known as one of the best Monkeys in the theft world. The problem she had with them is they were a surprisingly corporate bunch who were into diverse theft. The Jade syndicate just didn't steal priceless art for resale, but guns, drugs, and even performed the odd kidnapping for ransom. Felicia just liked shiny stuff, and didn't want to get into something that would get someone to send a man with a gun after her.
"What can you tell me about any Jade Syndicate goons in Manhattan?" Felicia asked.
"Nothing. The Jade Syndicate operates in a cell format. A local contract broker for the region provides information to individuals in the area to perform heists. The contract broker takes control of the stolen goods and contacts the main cabal of the Syndicate. The main cabal then orchestrates the sale of the merchandise." Karin explained. "All of this insures that there is extremely limited contact between operatives, and even less that would be considered suspicious."
"Well that's just great. So I won't be able to find these guys through criminal association." Felicia muttered.
"How else do you think that you might be able to track the Syndicate operatives?" Karin asked.
"Gonna have to use some people skills." Felicia said.
Felicia rode a taxi to the art gallery. She needed a to meet with a guy who knew the art scene. Who knew people with money, and secrets. More importantly, she needed a guy who would share those secrets with her with the appropriate motivation. She needed to talk to her old boss, Stanley.
Felicia stepped out of the taxi onto the sidewalk. The entryway to the front of the gallery was noticeably lacking in foot traffic. The dead giveaway to the reason why was the sign on the door explaining that the gallery was closed for a private viewing. That didn't bother Felicia though. She was going in there.
Felicia walked through the door to the sight that surprised her the least. A room full of young women oogling the artwork. Stanley stood amongst them, in a tailored tan suit, balding silver hair, and tinted sunglasses. He was chatting up three women who looked to be about a third of his age, making them laugh. Felicia knew that he was trying to charm them to see his personal collection at his apartment.
She took a long exhale, and put on a big smile. "Stanley," she said brightly as she walked up to the conversation. "What do you have going on here?"
"Oh just helping a local sorority chapter with a fine art credit." The aging man said with a big smile.
"Are you young ladies enjoying it?" Felica asked.
"We are." Said the first woman, a blonde with a blue tank top, and blue daisy duke jean shorts that we stylishly ripped.
"Wonderful. I hate to get in the way of education, but I need Stanley's help in stopping an international theft ring." Felicia said. "I'll give him right back. I promise."
"If you promise." The collage girl said.
Felicia took Stanley by the shoulder and led him to a back office. Stanley was looking back the whole time until the door shut.
"Well Felicia, international heist ring. If that was your line to get me away to take up my offer for drinks, it was unneeded. I would have closed the gallery right away to make that happen." He said cheerfully while wiggling his eyebrows.
"Stanley…I just helped you guarantee that at least one of those women would go back to your place to look at your 'rare Da Vinci' sketches." Felica said using fingers as air quotes. "The least you can do is humor me."
"Hey. They exist." Stanley said.
Felicia crossed her arms. "They might, but you might have also made them up as a weak attempt to sleep with me."
"Hey, you're worth lying to." Stanley said "But are you seriously here to ask me about stopping a theft ring."
"Yes. What do you know about the Jade Syndicate?"
Stanley moved around to sit at his desk. "I know that they have been behind a few high-end art thefts. Museums. Private collections. Similar stuff." He explained. "Why?"
"I have reason to believe that they are in Manhattan. Going after a statue set called The Tomb's Guardians. Do you know anyone with a cat statue from the middle east with hollowed out eyes that might have had emeralds in them at one point?" Felicia asked.
Stanley sucked in his lips, and just stared at her.
"Stanley. Crime. Possible injury. Loss of valuable art. Trying to stop." She said sternly.
"I just don't want to reveal who has what in their private collection. You know how this business works. Once someone find out you dealt in criminal trades, your reputation is shot and no one will buy from you, or worse, think you're a fraud" Stanley said.
"Stanley. I'm not looking to have anyone arrested for what they own, only the Syndicate for what they plan to steal." Felicia said. "But if you want those girls out there to think that you're a fraud in love, all I have to do is yell out to stop trying to grab me."
"Seriously?" Stanley groaned.
"Hey. I gave you the easy in, making you look like a part time international crime fighter, and I can take it away." Felicia said with sinister sweetness.
"Fine." Stanley said. He pulled out a pen and paper and wrote down an address in the east village. "Just don't let them know that this was from me."
"Stanley. I'm just going to be giving a tip that maybe the police should surveil the area for thieves." Felicia said nicely. And turned to leave the office.
Felicia dialed her phone outside the gallery waiting for another taxi.
"Peter Parker. How can I help?" He said.
"Hey babe. You up to have a late-night stakeout?"
"Actually…I'm kinda stuck at work." Peter said.
"Why?" She asked smirking.
"Well, my friction activating lubricant made a mess." Peter said with a groan.
"You made a mess with lube?" she asked with a grin. "Hot."
"Not what it's…I didn't… it's for machine parts." Peter explained in a frazzled manner. "Anyway. I made the mess, so Max said I have to clean it up. Can you handle yourself tonight?"
Felicia was a little sad about the matter. She rarely had to deal with situations by herself. And even then, it was just run of the mill thugs with street weapons and the occasional gun. This was the most difficult threat that she had dealt with up at this point by herself. She knew it was safer to go with a partner.
"Don't worry about it. I've got a plan. See you later tonight babe." Felicia said.
"Love you." Peter said and hung up.
Felicia hung up and dialed another number. The phone dialed.
"Hello?" came the voice of Emma Frost.
"Emma, you doing anything tonight?"
AN: And we see the return of Stanley. Flirty old bastard. And the White Queen is gonna help the Black Cat, and some...interesting stuff is gonna start to happen.
