Tom's peaceful slumber was abruptly interrupted by the sound of his bedroom door opening and closing. He was immediately on edge, as he knew he had locked the front door and lived alone. Squinting in the darkness, he saw the silhouette of a woman standing at the foot of his bed. She was dressed in a skin-tight, black suit with knee-high boots and a goggled cowl that resembled a pair of feline ears.
'Fuck, not only did I get a visit from Robin but now Catwoman too.' He thought to himself. As she began to snoop around, rifling through his belongings, Tom pretended to be asleep. But then he couldn't resist the opportunity to mess with her.
"You know it's quite rude to wake up a man in the middle of the night, right?" he said, startling her and causing her to jump into a defensive stance. Upon hearing his voice, she immediately jumped into a defensive stance.
"Hello Selina," Tom greeted as he sat up in bed, now facing the night prowler.
"Great, Tommy, you're awake," Selina replied with a hint of disappointment in her voice. She had probably hoped to slip in and out of the house unnoticed. She relaxed her posture slightly, but still kept her guard up, unsure of what Tom might try to do.
He stood up, put on his flip-flops, and walked to the kitchen. Selina followed him at a slow pace.
He began preparing coffee and gestured for her to take a seat. He knew it was going to be a long night, so it was better to catch up over a cup of coffee. "Coffee?" he offered..
"Sure, why not." She said in an exasperated and sarcastic manner as she took off her cowl.
Tom filled two mugs with hot coffee and extended one over to her, she kept her gaze on Tom as she slowly took it from his hand.
"So, what brings you to my humble home this time of the night." He asked as he took a seat on the couch and drew a sip from his mug.
"I wanted to get more information on you, at least know the real you and not the one who comes over at the bar. You haven't stayed in this city for up to two months and you knew I was Catwoman, I want to know how you knew who I was."
Tom raised an eyebrow, "You want to know how I knew who you were? That's quite an interesting question coming from a woman who wears a skin-tight suit and prowls the city at night."
Selina rolled her eyes, "Cut the crap, Tom. I'm serious."
Tom let out a sigh and took another sip of his coffee.
"Um…well what can I say? I know a few things and yet I know nothing."
"What a messed up thing to say." She said with a raised eyebrow. Tom chuckled, "I know, it's a bit cryptic. But honestly, I don't know everything about you or your life as Catwoman. I just have a good sense of observation and intuition."
Selina nodded, "Fair enough. But I still find it intriguing that you were able to figure out my true identity so quickly."
Tom shrugged, "I suppose it's just one of my many talents." He took another sip of his coffee as he awaited her next question.
"So tell me, why are you in Gotham?" Tom leaned back on the chair, taking a deep breath before responding."I'm just trying to figure things out, you know? I needed a change of scenery and Gotham seemed like a good place to start. Plus, there are some interesting characters around here."
Selina raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Interesting characters? Like who?"
Tom chuckled. "Like you, for starters. And there are others, people with secrets, people with a past. I'm just trying to piece everything together."
Selina leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "And what about me? What have you pieced together about me?"
Tom took another sip of his coffee before responding. "I know that you're more than just a cat burglar. I know that you have a code, that you only steal from those who can afford it. And I know that there's more to your story than meets the eye."
Selina was silent for a moment, considering his words. "You're an interesting one, Tom. I'll give you that."
Taking another sip from her coffee, Selina went ahead to ask another question. "So what's the deal with your powers anyway?" She casually asked Tom.
"Hold up, that's way too many questions from you for one night. Now it's my turn to ask questions of my own." He suddenly had a serious look on his face as the atmosphere became tense.
"Sure, what would you like to know?" She dropped her mug on the table and prepared to carefully answer the questions he had for her.
He gazed at her intently for a few moments before breaking into a fake smile. "Don't worry, I'll save those questions for another time." Tom appeared to hold back his inquiries, as if contemplating the consequences.
"Come on, Tommy, you can ask me anything," she pressed on flirtatiously, eager to discover what he might be curious about.
"Don't worry, cupcake, everything in due time," he teased with a grin." "That's no fun, you're killing the mood, Tommy," She sighed in relief, the tension that had been building suddenly evaporating. She was uncertain of what Tom knew and what he didn't. His mind was an enigma to her, a puzzle she tried to solve.
Selina had been wondering why Tom spent so much time at a bar frequented by Gotham's seedier types. She hoped to find some answers when she snuck into his house that night, but all she got were evasive responses and a half-hearted lie. Or so she thought. Him changing the topic the moment she asked about his powers made her question if he was actually telling the truth.
"Well, I didn't find what I was looking for and it'll be morning soon. I should be going now, Tommy. Let's just forget about the fact that I snuck into your house in the middle of the night."
"I don't know if I can forget about that so easily," Tom said with a mischievous grin. "You do look pretty hot in that outfit of yours. I might have to thank you for the view." Selina rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but feel a thrill at Tom's playful banter.
"Um... I knew you were a bit of a flirt, but I had no idea you had such a naughty streak," Selina remarked with a sly smile.
"What can I say? I like to keep things interesting," Tom replied with a playful wink.
Selina laughed, but quickly composed herself. "As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I should probably get going. Thanks for the coffee."
"Fair enough. Just one thing, though," Tom said as Selina stood up to leave. "Next time, could you maybe knock before you break into my place?" Selina smirked. "No promises." She turned the doorknob and stepped out into the night.
Tom smiled as he remembered the look she had on her face before leaving. She always put up a confident and sexy front, but he had caught a glimpse of something new in her. For a brief moment, he had seen a blush on her cheeks before she left his place.
As he poured himself another cup of steaming coffee, he couldn't help but relish the aroma that filled his senses. With the caffeine coursing through his veins, he decided to seize the day and grab his laptop. After all, if he couldn't go back to sleep, he might as well make some progress on his work.
He checked on his website and he noticed the growing absurdity of the requests being made. Some were innocuous enough, but others were creating scientific gadgets that could have been lifted straight from a villain's origin story. He couldn't help but smirk at the thought. Was he inadvertently helping to create future menaces to society?
The idea was both amusing and disturbing. On the one hand, he was proud of the innovative ideas that were being generated. On the other hand, he couldn't shake the feeling that some of these creations might ultimately do more harm than good. But it won't affect him in any way, so he wasn't bothered.
Other requests might render a lot of people jobless, while it might eventually help some people earn a couple bucks. If they were smart enough, they'll make millions off it. All they needed to do was ask the right questions for each idea they had.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." He muttered. Some requests seemed risky, which might potentially result in job loss for certain individuals or industries. But what if the risk is worth the reward? What if asking the right questions could lead to millions in profit?
In a world where opportunity is abundant and success is often found by those who take bold chances, it's crucial to weigh the potential benefits against the potential consequences. After all, the greatest achievements often come from the greatest risks. "So go ahead, ask those tough questions and take that leap of faith. Who knows? You may just find yourself on the path to unimaginable success." He chuckled before taking a sip from his steaming coffee.
Currently I've been running maintenance on my app 'The Architect', and I was finally done with it. I did a full security sweep on it, checking if there's been any breach or if anyone was even close enough to break through my firewall. But there was none and everything was working perfectly.
With a satisfied grin, I leaned back in my chair and surveyed my computer screen. 'The Architect' was running at peak performance after weeks of consecutive maintenance. I'd left no stone unturned in my pursuit of perfection, poring over every line of code and conducting a rigorous security sweep to ensure there were no weak points in my firewall. And it had all paid off - my app was bulletproof beyond reason.
The app had been dealing with crazy requests and I had to constantly upgrade it within a particular time period. At this point there's almost no difference between it and an AI, oh there is. It isn't like that AI iron had that seemed like his Alfred, his butler I mean.
With every upgrade, I felt like I was molding it into an AI-like masterpiece. I was constantly bombarded with requests for maintenance, but after conducting a thorough security sweep, I breathed a sigh of relief - no breaches or loopholes were found.
Maybe I should get it to that level, it'll be nice to get my personal security and prevent something like what happened the night when Selina infiltrated my place without my knowledge. It's weird talking with someone who isn't real, might even end up becoming the thing I talk to the most.
Either way, it isn't a bad idea and I don't mind getting my personal butler. It'll be like a glimpse from old times, but this time it'll be mobile and follow me everywhere I go, a full time job.
While I thought about it, an idea came to mind. There was a new software a tech-company had been developing for a while now, and it was a software that would greatly add to the creation of my AI.
Seated at my desk, I stared intently at the illuminated screen of my laptop, conducting a thorough investigation on the target company - Palmer Technologies. To my surprise, they had a branch in the bustling city of Gotham, but alas, the branch was located on the other side of town. This news was somewhat disheartening as it was about half an hour ride time and effort to make the journey to their location. Nonetheless, I remained resolute in my pursuit of the valuable data that awaited me at Palmer Technologies.
The thought of breaking into Palmer Technologies' server filled me with a sense of excitement and apprehension. It was clear that I would need to undertake this operation alone, without any pawns. I carefully studied the blueprints of the building, mentally planning each step of the heist.
Unfortunately, the building was situated in Bludhaven, a considerable distance from my location in Gotham. A thirty-minute drive would be required, and the thought of such a long journey left me feeling somewhat frustrated. I contemplated booking a flight to the location, but that could potentially leave a trail of my activities. In the end, I decided that it would be best to make the journey on my bike, ensuring that there would be no clear evidence of my presence at the scene of the crime. With a deep breath, I set my plan into motion, ready to execute it flawlessly.
With intense focus, I delved deep into Palmer Technologies' security system, analyzing every potential entry point and scrutinizing their defense measures. Despite my expertise, it became clear that extracting the file would require a direct transfer from the server. This was going to be a tough nut to crack, but I was determined to succeed.
Luckily, I managed to obtain the complete security detail and blueprints of the building, providing me with the necessary information to plan my every move. If all went according to plan, I would be in and out of Bludhaven in less than two days, my mission accomplished without leaving a trace of my presence.
After completing my preparations, I made my way to Bludhaven on my trusty bike. I relished every moment of the long-distance drive, feeling the wind whipping through my hair and the cool night air bringing a sense of calmness to my mind.
As soon as I arrived, I checked into a nearby motel and settled in for the night. Come morning, I ordered the necessary equipment to complete my disguise, as well as a few other items. With my shopping done, I returned to my motel room and added the final touches to my disguise, ensuring that every detail was perfect.
Before embarking on the mission, I created a fake ID, which I would input into the system at just the right moment. With my plan in place, I was ready to execute the heist flawlessly and with as minimum effort as it could be.
With my preparations complete, I donned my black hoodie and set out to survey the surroundings of the Palmer Technologies branch. I needed to figure out a way to conceal the necessary equipment for the operation, either by hiding it in a vehicle or stashing it somewhere nearby until the designated hour.
As I scouted the area, my eyes landed on a dumpster located in a deserted alleyway, a reasonable distance from the building. A plan started to form in my mind. I wrapped up the equipment carefully and hid it inside the dumpster, knowing that I would return for it later that evening. With everything in place, I felt confident that I could pull off the heist without a hitch.
*Grawl… *
My stomach grumbled, reminding me that I had neglected my body in my single-minded focus on the operation. I knew that I would need all the energy I could get later that night, so I stopped at a restaurant to grab a quick meal. Once I was sated, I drove back to the motel and rested up until it was time to make my move. I had exactly an hour and a half to infiltrate the building and get out before any alarms were raised.
On getting to the dumpster where I stashed my equipment, I made sure there was no one in the area before I bought out the bag and was ready to infiltrate the building.
With a deep breath, I focused my energy at the base of my feet, building up momentum for the daring feat I was about to attempt. I adjusted the bag on my shoulder, ensuring it was secure before looking up at the towering building in front of me.
I took a few quick steps back, assessing the distance and calculating the amount of force I would need to reach the roof undetected. With a sudden burst of energy, I propelled myself forward and soared into the air, my heart pounding with exhilaration.
For a moment, I felt weightless as I soared through the sky, my body a blur of motion against the backdrop of the city skyline. Then, with a swift and precise motion, I landed on the rooftop with a soft thud, my feet absorbing the impact with ease.
Looking around me, I felt a sense of triumph and excitement as I gazed out over the city below. It was a breathtaking sight, and for a moment, I felt like I was on top of the world. As I took a deep breath and savored the moment, I knew that this was just the beginning of my adventure.
I brought out my gas mask and navigated my way through the ventilation system of the lab, careful to avoid any dangerous air that might be extracted from the various labs.
As I crawled through the air vents, I made my way towards the restroom, knowing it would be the perfect place to take a moment and regroup. With a sense of relief, I dropped silently into the restroom, making sure it was empty before continuing on my mission.
I slipped on the ill-fitting janitor's uniform, hoping it would be enough to fool anyone who might be watching. The polyester fabric clinged to my skin, making me sweat despite the chill in the air. I adjusted the cap on my head which sat on a blond wig while I tugged at the sleeves,trying to make it look as natural as possible as I adjusted my fake mustache which seemed like I really grew them.
I stepped out of the restroom and into the bustling hallway of the high-security laboratory. My heart raced a little as I tried to blend in with the crowd of scientists and researchers, all rushing to their next appointment. I keep my head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone who might recognize my presence as that of an intruder.
As I made my way to the elevator, a group of suited guards approached. My stomach dropped as I realized they were headed straight towards me and I was ready for whatever the outcome might be.
Please kindly visit my to read over 10 chapters ahead./Maverick_DaSupreme