July 17, 2009

Felicia and Sable split in opposite directions, narrowly dodging as razor-sharp appendages sliced through the space where they had stood a second earlier. The screech of metal on concrete echoed through the facility as the machine recalibrated, its multiple red optics locking onto them with inhuman precision.

"You're running out of places to run!" Smythe's voice crackled over the intercom, laced with cold amusement. From his vantage point above, he watched as his prized creation pushed them further and further into a corner.

Felicia barely had time to roll as the Spider-Slayer's plasma cannon charged with a high-pitched whine—then BOOM! The blast obliterated the catwalk just behind her, sending a rain of shrapnel and fire scattering into the air.

She flipped onto an overhead pipe, momentum carrying her forward as she spotted Sable below, ducking under another serrated limb before countering with a well-placed explosive disc.

BOOM!

The detonation forced the Spider-Slayer to stagger—but it didn't fall. It just adapted, its cybernetic limbs snapping back into place like a monstrous puppet.

Sable snarled. "It's learning."

Felicia leaped down beside her. "Then we don't give it the time to figure us out!"

The Slayer whirred, its legs digging into the ground, preparing to charge.

Felicia's eyes darted around, scanning the crumbling industrial room. "That hatch over there—" She pointed toward a rusted bulkhead at the far end of the room.

Sable followed her gaze. "We don't know what's down there."

Felicia smirked. "Better than what's up here."

The Spider-Slayer lurched forward, metal claws raised.

Sable didn't hesitate. She fired a grappling hook at the bulkhead, yanking it open. Below was a dark vertical shaft leading into the unknown.

Felicia bolted first, sprinting toward the opening, dodging another blast as the Slayer's plasma cannon obliterated a wall beside her.

Sable followed, unloading a smoke grenade behind her for cover. The instant it burst, Felicia grabbed her wrist—

And the two dived into the darkness.

The world spun as they plunged downward, barely catching the rusted ladder rungs to break their fall.

Above them, the smoke cleared— and the Spider-Slayer followed.

Its mechanical form squeezed into the shaft, limbs scraping against the narrow walls, tearing through debris as it pursued.

From the upper catwalk, Smythe smirked. He knew exactly where they were heading.

He stepped forward, slowly adjusting his cybernetic arm, the weaponized plating sliding into place.

"Nowhere left to run."

Felicia landed with a graceful roll, barely avoiding a plasma shot that sizzled against the floor behind her.

Silver Sable, crouched low, scanned their surroundings. The hum of machinery filled the room, and rows of massive server towers stretched upward like metal monoliths. The main control node.

"This is it." Sable's eyes flicked across the blinking interfaces, wires snaking into the ground like veins feeding the entire operation. She didn't need a second guess—this was the heart of the Iron Web's control system.

Felicia adjusted her stance, panting slightly. "Great. So how do we break it?"

Sable's mind was already racing. If she could plant charges at key infrastructure points, it wouldn't just disrupt the Iron Web—it would cripple it. But she needed time. And a distraction.

"You handle Smythe," she said, standing up. "I'll provide long-distance support."

Felicia narrowed her eyes. "You're ditching me, aren't you?"

Sable didn't answer. She was already moving, sliding between the server racks, marking structural weak points.

Felicia groaned. "Figures." She turned just in time to see a glint of metal from above—

BOOM!

The catwalk exploded as Smythe landed, his cybernetic eye glowing red, the Spider-Slayer crawling down the walls behind him like a mechanical nightmare.

"You're a persistent little thief, aren't you?" Smythe sneered, leveling his arm cannon.

Felicia grinned. "And you're a guy who overcompensates with big, ugly toys."

She dodged as he fired, flipping behind a console as the impact sent sparks flying.

Meanwhile, Silver Sable worked quickly. She placed her first detonation charge behind a core processor, moving swiftly through the shadows.

She reached for her communicator. "One down."

Then she froze.

The temperature shifted, the hum of the servers interrupted by heavy mechanical footsteps.

A shadow loomed over her.

Sable turned, guns drawn—

CLANK.

A massive metal fist grabbed her by the throat.

She gasped, kicking against the reinforced exosuit holding her aloft.

A voice, smooth and dripping with control, echoed through the helmet's external speakers.

"You didn't think I'd let you just waltz in here, did you?"

Sunset Bain stepped into the light, her exosuit gleaming in gold and gunmetal, a sleek, cutting-edge design pulsing with energy.

Sable thrashed, reaching for a concealed knife—only for Bain's grip to tighten.

"Nice try," Bain mused, tossing Sable across the room like a ragdoll. Sable hit the ground hard, skidding against the metal floor.

She coughed, trying to push herself up. "Damn it—"

Meanwhile, Felicia ducked another plasma shot, flipping off a console as the Spider-Slayer's legs shattered metal behind her.

Smythe fired again. Felicia barely twisted away as the shot scorched a line across her shoulder.

She hissed. "Okay—ow!"

The Spider-Slayer lunged. Felicia had only seconds to react—

And outside the server racks, Sable realized her problem had just doubled.

Felicia's breath came in sharp bursts as she vaulted over a server console, an energy blast scorching the air where she'd just been. Sparks erupted behind her, the impact rattling through the room like a thunderclap. She landed in a crouch, heart pounding, eyes darting toward her opponent.

Across the chaos, Silver Sable fought to hold her ground against Sunset Bain. The woman's exosuit moved with crushing force, every swing leaving trails of destruction—concrete crumbling, metal warping under the sheer power of her strikes. Sable barely ducked in time, rolling under a devastating punch that embedded Bain's fist deep into the floor.

"You're slower than I expected, Sable," Bain taunted, her voice crackling through her helmet. "Age catching up?"

Sable's lips pressed into a thin line. "You're still over-reliant on tech."

The battle raged—a storm of metal, energy, and agility colliding in relentless bursts. Felicia twisted, flipping backward as another blast from Smythe's gauntlet seared past her. Sable lunged, slamming a knee into Bain's ribs, only for the exosuit to absorb the impact. The fight was spiraling, both of them forced onto the defensive.

Then, instinct took over. Felicia and Sable found themselves back-to-back—panting, bruised, cornered.

Felicia smirked despite the sting in her ribs. "So… we're losing."

"Temporarily," Sable corrected, adjusting her stance. Her sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for an opening. "We need a shift."

They both saw it at the same time.

Smythe had his sights locked on Felicia, favoring precision over brute force. He wasn't expecting raw aggression. Bain, on the other hand, was all muscle, but her exosuit had a weakness—exposed wiring on the back joints. Delicate. Vulnerable.

Felicia's eyes gleamed. "Switch?"

Sable was already moving. "Switch."

The fight exploded into motion.

Felicia sprinted toward Bain, baiting the exosuit's strike. At the last second, she flipped upward, landing nimbly on Bain's shoulders. Before Bain could react, Felicia's claws dug into the exosuit's vulnerable wiring, tearing at the delicate circuits.

"Get off, you little—!" Bain thrashed, struggling to shake her loose. Sparks flew. The exosuit shuddered.

Meanwhile, Sable darted past the wreckage of a Spider-Slayer, eyes locking onto its severed mechanical limb. Vaulting over a shattered console, she grabbed a plasma blaster still attached to the ruined bot. Smythe turned, confusion flashing across his face—just in time for Sable to whip around, weapon raised.

Felicia yanked one final wire—Bain's exosuit froze mid-punch, power draining in an instant.

Sable pulled the trigger.

The plasma shot slammed into Smythe, hurling him backward into a collapsing server tower. The room crackled with dying energy, the air thick with the scent of scorched metal.

As the dust settled, Bain struggled within her deadweight armor, while Smythe groaned amidst the wreckage of his own devices. Felicia and Sable stood above them, breathing hard, taking in the chaos they'd left behind.

Felicia tilted her head. "You know, we almost looked like a team there."

Sable reloaded the plasma blaster without looking at her. "Don't get used to it."

Felicia grinned. "Too late."

The once-chaotic server room had fallen into an eerie silence, broken only by the hum of flickering screens and the occasional crackle of exposed wires. Felicia Hardy and Silver Sable stood amidst the wreckage, their breathing heavy, their muscles taut from the fight. Smythe and Bain were gone—for now—leaving them with a rare moment to take stock of what came next.

Felicia wiped a trickle of blood from her lip, rolling her shoulders with a smirk. "So. We actually made it this far."

Sable, ever composed, methodically reloaded her plasma blaster. "For now."

Felicia's gaze drifted past the debris, settling on the massive core of the Iron Web system just beyond the destruction. It pulsed ominously, a sleeping giant waiting to be awakened. "We both know why we're here," she said, tilting her head. "You want this thing destroyed. I… have other plans."

Sable exhaled sharply. "You still think you can control it? It's a weapon, Felicia. It doesn't belong in anyone's hands."

Felicia stepped closer, a slow, confident prowl. "That's the difference between us, Silver. You break things. I use them."

The tension between them crackled like static in the charged air. And then—without hesitation—they moved.

Sable fired first. Felicia dodged in a blur, weaving through the wreckage as plasma blasts seared past her. Sable pivoted, using a console as cover, then drew a blade from her belt in a fluid motion.

Felicia flipped onto a ruined server tower, launching herself forward in a controlled dive. Claws slashed.

Sable twisted, blade flashing as it caught the strike—sparks flying where metal met metal. She countered with a swift roundhouse kick, barely missing as Felicia twisted away.

They were perfectly matched—grace versus precision, speed versus tactics.

Then—BOOM.

A massive energy blast ripped through the floor between them. The shockwave sent both women flying.

Felicia skidded across the cold steel, coughing as dust filled the air. Her limbs screamed in protest, but she forced herself upright. Across the room, Sable barely caught herself, her fingers gripping a pipe—dangling above a seemingly bottomless pit.

From the shadows, Sunset Bain strode forward, her exosuit now pulsing with fresh energy, its power amplified. A slow, smug smile curled her lips as she raised her arm cannon, mockingly blowing away imaginary smoke.

"Now, now, ladies," Bain cooed, stepping over the wreckage. "If you really wanted the Iron Web, Felicia, you only had to say yes."

Felicia groaned, pushing herself to her feet. "Yeah, well… I'm allergic to megalomania."

Across the battlefield, another figure emerged from the debris—Alistair Smythe, battered but far from finished. His gaze locked onto Silver Sable, hanging precariously over the void. A sneer twisted his face.

"I should have ended you long ago, Sable," he spat, advancing with lethal intent. "I won't make that mistake now."

Sable gritted her teeth. Her grip tightened on the pipe. One chance.

She glanced down—saw the exposed wiring sparking just beneath her.

A slow smirk tugged at her lips. "Come and get me, Smythe."

Hanging by one arm, Silver Sable watched as Alistair Smythe advanced, his cybernetic enhancements humming with each calculated step. His cold, mechanical eyes locked onto her, a predator ready to strike. She had seconds.

Her free hand darted toward the exposed wiring beside her, fingers curling around a loose conduit. Without hesitation, she yanked it free.

BOOM.

The surge of energy ripped through the floor, sending a cascade of sparks erupting around Smythe. His cybernetics flickered, his body convulsing in a violent, twitching spasm. He cursed through gritted teeth, struggling against the brief system failure that locked his limbs in place.

That was all Sable needed.

With a powerful swing, she hoisted herself upward, flipping onto solid ground in a fluid motion. The second her boots touched down, she pivoted, already assessing the battlefield.

Black Cat rolled into position beside her, narrowly avoiding a searing blast from Sunset Bain's exosuit. Felicia came up on one knee, panting, her usual smirk tempered by exhaustion. "That was dramatic."

Sable reloaded her weapon with practiced efficiency. "That was tactical."

Sunset Bain remained unfazed. The hum of her exosuit intensified as she took aim, energy crackling along her fingertips. Her expression was pure, calculated menace. "Enough games."

Felicia and Sable exchanged a glance. No words needed.

Then—they moved.

Sable's gun fired first—not at Bain, but at the row of explosives she had planted along the main server node earlier.

Felicia pivoted mid-dodge, launching a sharp kick straight into Smythe's chest. His stunned, half-frozen body lurched backward, toppling over the edge of the pit Sable had just escaped.

Sunset fired—too late.

The bullet struck the charges.

For an instant, time stretched, Bain's smug confidence melting into a mask of sheer horror.

Then—everything erupted.

BOOOOOOOM!

The server node ignited in a surge of blue fire, tendrils of energy ripping through the room. Control systems overloaded, alarms blaring in a deafening crescendo. Sparks rained down like embers from a dying star as the Iron Web's structure shuddered under its own collapse.

Sunset Bain staggered back, eyes wild as her hands flew to her wrist console. Desperation crept into her voice. "No… NO!" Frantically, she typed command after command. "Not my network!"

The Iron Web was dying.

Flames crawled hungrily up the walls, their glow casting wild shadows through the collapsing facility. Columns groaned, buckling under their own weight, while the alarms wailed in a discordant symphony of failure. The floor beneath Silver Sable and Black Cat trembled, the destruction of the main server node unraveling everything Sunset Bain had built.

"We need to move—NOW!" Sable's voice cut through the chaos.

Felicia barely dodged a collapsing support beam, flipping over it with effortless agility. She landed in stride, panting. "No kidding!"

But behind them, Sunset Bain wasn't giving up.

Chunks of debris crashed down, forcing them forward. Sable vaulted over a shattered console while Felicia used a falling slab of metal as a springboard, gaining ground.

Energy blasts from Bain's exosuit tore past them, scorching the walls, the floor—mere inches from their heads. "You're not getting away!" she snarled, her suit crackling with overclocked power. "I will drag you down with me!"

Ahead, a window—its glass shattered by the explosions—revealed their only way out.

Beyond it, the dark waters below churned with waves.

Felicia and Sable skidded to a stop. The fire behind them roared, heat licking at their backs. Sunset was closing in fast.

"Water or Bain?" Felicia quipped, glancing at Sable.

Sable didn't hesitate. "Dive."

They leaped.

The rush of air screamed past their ears as they plummeted through the broken window.

Behind them, Sunset Bain, consumed by rage, launched herself forward—her desperation overriding all sense. She reached for them, fingers outstretched.

But fate had other plans.

A massive chunk of debris, wrenched free by the collapsing structure, crashed into Bain mid-air. The impact sent her spiraling back into the burning ruins, her scream lost in the inferno.

Felicia and Sable hit the water hard, the cold shock swallowing them whole.

Above, the facility gave one final, agonized groan before the entire structure crumbled. Steel beams snapped like brittle bones, walls folded in on themselves, and the Iron Web collapsed in a thunderous roar. A plume of smoke and rubble billowed into the sky as the remains of Sunset Bain's empire were buried beneath the waves.

Silence followed.

Then, from the depths, two figures surfaced—gasping, alive.

Black Cat coughed, pushing wet hair from her face. "Well," she muttered between breaths, "that was dramatic."

Sable, treading water beside her, simply exhaled. "That was tactical."

And with that, they swam for shore.

July 18, 2009

The next day, New York buzzed with the latest breaking news.

"This is Mary Jane Watson, reporting live from the site of what authorities are calling a major criminal takedown." The camera panned over the wreckage of Sunset Bain's facility, now nothing more than a smoldering heap of twisted metal and collapsed concrete. Excavators and police drones hovered over the ruins, scanning for any remaining evidence.

MJ, standing in front of the destruction, kept her tone professional but firm. "Late last night, an underground facility linked to Baintronics suffered a catastrophic collapse. Authorities investigating the site uncovered evidence pointing to an illegal cybernetic weapons operation, allegedly led by none other than the CEO of Baintronics herself—Sunset Bain."

The screen cut to footage of Bain being escorted out of a high-security transport, her exosuit damaged beyond repair. She was flanked by heavily armed guards, her usually calculated demeanor replaced by a look of pure venom.

"Get those cameras out of my face!" she hissed, struggling against the cuffs around her wrists.

MJ's voiceover continued. "Sunset Bain, also known as the elusive tech mogul 'Madame Menace,' is facing multiple charges, including illegal arms manufacturing, conspiracy, and cyberterrorism. Investigators are still sifting through the wreckage, but sources indicate Bain had been developing a highly advanced neural weapon system—one that, had it been completed, could have had devastating consequences."

The footage cut back to MJ, her red hair catching the morning light as she looked into the camera. "With Bain in custody and her operation exposed, officials are calling this a major victory against the city's growing black-market technology trade. However, questions remain about who, if anyone, was responsible for the facility's destruction—and whether this was an inside job or something more."

She paused, a knowing glint in her eye. "For now, what we do know is that one of the most dangerous figures in the tech industry has finally been brought to justice."

"Reporting live, I'm Mary Jane Watson. Back to you."

The hiss of the espresso machine filled the quiet hum of the coffee shop, blending with the soft murmur of conversations and the occasional clatter of cups against saucers. The air smelled of roasted beans and fresh pastries—a far cry from the burning metal and crumbling concrete of the night before.

At a small corner table, two women sat incognito, their appearances altered just enough to avoid unwanted attention. Felicia Hardy, the infamous Black Cat, had traded her signature sleek catsuit for a simple leather jacket, dark jeans, and oversized sunglasses that concealed her striking features. Across from her, Silver Sablinova, known to the world as Silver Sable, had tied her platinum hair into a loose braid and donned a dark hoodie, blending into the morning crowd.

They sat in relative silence, their hands wrapped around cups of coffee, watching the small TV mounted behind the counter.

"With Bain in custody and her operation exposed, officials are calling this a major victory against the city's growing black-market technology trade..."

Felicia let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "Well, at least someone got the credit for bringing down Madame Menace. And, surprise, it wasn't us."

Silver Sable took a sip of her coffee, her sharp eyes still fixed on the screen. "Better this way. Less scrutiny."

Felicia smirked, stirring her drink absentmindedly. "Yeah, well, I wouldn't mind a little appreciation. Maybe a statue or, I don't know, a key to the city."

Silver Sable arched a brow. "The city would rather lock us up than give us a key."

Felicia laughed lightly at that, but her expression softened as she leaned back in her chair, gazing out the window. The world kept turning, completely unaware of how close things had come to something far worse.

She swirled the last remnants of her coffee before speaking again, quieter this time. "You know… I never really did this before."

Silver Sable glanced at her. "Did what?"

Felicia gestured around them. "Sit down. Take a break. Just… enjoy a cup of coffee with someone after a job like this." She tapped her fingers against her cup, her tone almost wistful. "Not since… well, since him."

Silver Sable narrowed her eyes slightly, studying Felicia's expression. She knew that look—a ghost of something unspoken, someone significant. There were very few people Felicia Hardy had let in.

After a beat, she offered a guess. "The man in red and blue?"

Felicia smiled faintly, but didn't confirm or deny it. "Let's just say… back then, I was too busy running circles around him to ever stop and grab a coffee." She exhaled, letting her gaze drift. "Guess some things change."

Silver Sable didn't press further. She simply took another sip of her drink, letting the moment settle.

Outside, the city bustled on—clueless to the two women who had saved it the night before, and to the small, fleeting moment of peace they had stolen for themselves.

The last remnants of their coffee sat half-finished on the table, the warmth fading as the conversation drifted into something less urgent, less tense. Outside, the city buzzed with its usual rhythm—cars honking, people moving with purpose, completely unaware of the high-stakes battle that had unfolded just the night before.

Silver Sable exhaled, stretching slightly as she leaned back in her chair. She looked over at Felicia, her sharp eyes studying the woman she had spent the past chaotic hours fighting beside—and, for a brief moment, against.

"You weren't the worst patient I've ever worked with," she admitted at last, her voice carrying a rare trace of amusement.

Felicia smirked, swirling the last bit of coffee in her cup. "Oh? That almost sounds like a compliment. Who takes the crown, then? Some merc who thought bullet wounds were just scratches?"

Silver Sable let out a dry chuckle. "Something like that." She regarded Felicia for a long moment before adding, "More than anything, I'm relieved you're not upset over the Iron Web."

Felicia shrugged and leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms behind her head. "Eh. Just a missed opportunity. Sure, it could've been useful, but I'm not exactly mourning it. And hey—at least I don't have Bain's personal army breathing down my neck anymore." She flashed a grin. "I'll take that as a win."

Before Silver Sable could respond, her phone buzzed. She glanced down, her expression turning serious as she saw the number flashing on the screen. It was time.

Felicia arched a brow. "That the big boss?"

Silver Sable didn't answer right away, instead tapping her fingers lightly against the table. Finally, she spoke. "It's time for me to check in with my benefactor."

Felicia leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Mysterious. But I guess that's your thing." She paused for a beat, then smirked. "You know… I wouldn't be upset if we ever worked together again."

Silver Sable gave her a look, as if considering the idea. Then, with a small shake of her head, she responded, "Only if the situation is as desperate as last time."

Felicia let out a mock sigh, placing a hand over her heart. "You wound me, Silver. But I'll take that as a 'maybe.'"

Silver Sable smirked slightly before standing up, picking up her phone as she prepared to leave.

Felicia watched her go, then called out, "Keep in touch, alright?"

Silver Sable hesitated just long enough for Felicia to notice, then simply replied, "We'll see."

With that, she disappeared into the morning crowd, leaving Felicia alone at the table, a smirk still playing on her lips.

Felicia stepped out of the coffee shop, the bell above the door jingling softly as she blended into the morning crowd. The city was alive, humming with its usual energy, but she moved through it effortlessly, like a shadow slipping between the cracks.

Turning down a quieter alley, she finally stopped and leaned against a brick wall, away from prying eyes. She reached into the pocket of her jacket and flipped out a small, sleek piece of tech—a compact data module, its edges gleaming under the morning light.

A slow, satisfied smirk spread across her lips.

"Like I was gonna leave empty-handed."

She ran her thumb across the surface, watching as a faint glow flickered to life. Even without plugging it in, she could tell—this wasn't just some scrap from the wreckage. This was something important.

Sunset Bain might have lost everything when her empire collapsed under the rubble, but Felicia? She'd made sure to walk away with a prize.

Author's Note: Hello everyone, so this officially completes the Silver and Black story that I created as a spinoff for Earth-12127 featuring Black Cat and Silver Sable. I hope you all enjoyed the action and the newly formed bit of respect that developed between the two of them. I don't have any current plans to revisit this pair but given the nature of the ending, I wouldn't this team up from not happening again. Until then, I'll be starting up Web of X again and making sure to update it for all to enjoy. I hope you enjoyed this story though and you can expect future spinoffs to come and I really look forward to hearing from you all in the future.