CHAPTER 33
"The voice of parents are the voice of gods, for to their children they are heaven's lieutenants."
Selina Kyle sat on the curb outside of the alleyway watching. People passed her to and fro, all, much to her disappointment, with wallets tucked safely away in pockets and secure purses, out of reach of her hungry claws. She heard her stomach rumble and sighed. Since Clyde had been kicked out, no one had really stepped up to take his job, so the Flea had been suffering a bit of a food shortage due to lack of grocery shopping. Not that she really took from that pile much anyway. She had always been more self-sufficient than most.
Just then, she saw a sight that made her tired eyes glitter. On the other side of the street a woman in an expensive dress had just sat down outside of a café, placing her leather and expensive looking purse down next to her expensive looking shoes under the table. Sucker.
Selena walked a ways down the sidewalk before crossing making her way back up to where the woman sat. The purse was under the table, partially hidden by a table cloth. This wasn't going to be a typical snatch and run. She would need a plan.
As she contemplated the best course of action she was annoyed to find her thoughts interrupted by the sound of a ball bouncing on the sidewalk. A little boy sat on the stoop, bouncing a tennis ball against a parking meter on the street and catching it as it ricocheted back to his hand. A lightbulb went off in Selina's head.
As the ball bounced toward the parking meter, she snatched it out of the air. The boy protested but the older and taller girl in the leather jacket made a menacing stomp in his direction and hissed and he whimpered and ran inside.
Smiling to herself, Cat bounced the ball off the sidewalk a couple times, eyeing it with a satisfied smirk. Then she began making her way up the sidewalk, bouncing it along in front of her as she went.
Bounce. Catch. Bounce. Catch.
She approached the lady at the table, never looking at her but constantly watching out of her peripherals.
Bounce. Catch. Bounce. Catch.
The lady spared a glance her way, one of distaste, and then turned back to her overpriced cup of coffee.
Bounce. Catch. Bounce. Catch.
Selena was only a foot away from the table now. She made sure the lady wasn't paying attention.
Bounce. Catch. Bounce.
Selena sent the ball sideways toward the table.
"Sorry! Sorry!" She shouted to the ladies squeal of surprise. Selena chased after the ball as it rolled right underneath of the table. Perfect.
"Just got away from me," Selena added as she dropped down to reach under the table for the ball. The woman looked very unnerved, but moved her legs for the girl, muttering about street urchins and absent parents.
And then Selena grabbed her purse.
In one swift motion, she had slung the shoulder strap around her body and was beating it up the street, as fast as her legs would go. She heard the woman screaming, yelling for help and for her to "come back or else", and Selena laughed to herself. But then she heard something that cut her amusement short.
A whistle and a deep man's voice shouted, "Stop!"
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that the voice was, in fact, wearing a GCPD uniform. Selena groaned and tried to run faster, but she could hear long strides and heavy footsteps gaining on her.
She cut a corner, saw an alley, and made a mad dash for it, hoping beyond hope that there was something climbable in it.
As she rounded the wall into the alley, two things happened. One, she became aware of the fact that it was a dead end with no climbable objects whatsoever, and two, that didn't matter because she was already caught.
The breath left Selena's lungs as something snagged the strap of the purse from behind, holding her in place and causing her feet to leave from under body. She fell to her behind with a thump and a groan and turned just in time to see the cop rounding the corner as well. He was also stopped short, but for a different reason. That being, the click of a gun being cocked.
"Thank you officer," a hollow voice said. "But I'll take it from here"
Selina looked up to see the man standing over her, his hand still grasping the purse strap. Victor Zsaz.
It's an odd feeling, to be relieved and terrified at the same time, but that was exactly how Selina felt. She knew she was in the clear now, but the bald man still sent a cold shiver up her spine that had little to do with the wet pavement she was sitting on.
The cop, however, was not conflicted. With a quick nod, he held up his hands and backed out of the alley before taking off as fast as his wobbly knees would carry him. Victor smirked.
"I had everything under control," Selena said, haughtily, hopping back up on her feet and jerking the purse strap out of his hand. Victor quirked an amused eyebrow. He didn't keep track of most of the street kids, their faces blurring in his mind, but this one had always stuck out to him. She was a brave little thing with an attitude. What was her name again? Sally? Serena?
He decided that it didn't really matter. "A thank you," he said flatly, "would be nice."
"I said, I had it under control," she said again, crossing her arms. Victor let his face go cold. He could see her tense a little, but she kept her face in a steely scowl. She was scared, of course, but she'd be hard pressed to show it. He could respect that. He could make most grown men grovel with a look, but this little girl, she had moxy. Still, it was important to keep up appearances.
"Manners." He said it without inflection or emotion but the meaning was clear. It wasn't a reminder, it was a demand.
She stayed silent for a moment, but then muttered, "Thanks." He grinned a cheshire cat grin and gave a small bark of a laugh. She seemed to relax a little, or at least take on a more relaxed façade. "Why are you even in this quarter? It's not mob territory."
Victor felt the corner of his mouth twitch upward at her gumption. It wasn't often any of the street kids did more than scuttle off when he was around them. He leaned backwards, propping himself against the brick wall behind him and crossing his arms. "I'm waiting on my sister," he said slowly. "You're just lucky you picked my alley to run into."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Nicki's coming?"
He could tell that she was fighting to keep the excitement out of her voice. This girl always wanted to play it cool. He could see why she was Nicki's favorite.
"Sure am," a voice answered from the street. Both Victor and Selena's heads turned to see Nicki coming into the alley. She had on a black coat that came down to her knees and large floppy black hat hid most of her face in shadows. She tilted up the brim to meet the two.
"What's new pussycat?" Nicki asked, giving Selena's shoulder a playful shove. Selena tried to look indignant but couldn't keep from smiling a little.
"Your little pet almost got herself into some trouble," Victor said smoothly. Nicki's eyes widened and Selena shot him daggers from her eyes. He chuckled at her bravery.
"I was fine," Selena huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't need the big show you put on kicking Clyde out or anything, ok?"
Nicki said nothing for a moment, a conflicted look on her face. Finally she sighed and shook her head. "Fine then. You talk instead. Tell me what happened."
"I just stole some rich ladies purse!"
"It was actually kind of clever how she-" Victor chimed in.
"Not. Helping." Nicki said cooly. Then to Selena she added, "Why?"
Selena shuffled her feet and looked away. "I dunno…Clyde was always the one that "bought the groceries" at the Flea and now the food isn't coming in as often. I figured since I could take care of myself I'd just leave the Flea food to the other kids…" She started playing with the zipper on her jacket. "I mean…they're just too…you know…dumb to do it on their own so…" She finally looked up to see that Nicki's face had softened.
"Ok." She said simply.
"I'm not in trouble?" Selena tried to keep the shock from her voice, keep it nonchalant, but it was difficult.
Nicki shrugged. "Vic and I have too much to do without me having to worry about you too."
Victor gave her a confused look and she winked at him. Selina smiled.
"Don't. Get. Into. Trouble." Nicki said firmly to her, causing the smile to slip. Selina nodded, wordlessly.
And with that the two siblings turned on their heels and began to exit the alley. Just before they left though, she couldn't help but catch their conversation, mostly because they were saying it so loudly that she almost felt like she was supposed to be hearing it.
"Hey, Nick, do you remember our old thieving days?"
"Yeah Vic, we always went to the theatre district. Less cops and more rich types."
She could almost swear that they both even turned to give her a pointed look as well, just before they turned the corner.
SORRY SORRY SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE! Those of you still reading...I LOVE YOU!