Loki Laufeyson (son_of_laufey) wrote in newalliance, @ 2012-05-30 17:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | black cat, loki |
Who: Loki and Felicia Hardy (Black Cat)
Where: Gotham City
When: Wednesday, Mar 30 - evening
What: Loki, looking for his precious Norn Stone, finally locates Black Cat
Rating: PG-13
Status: Complete in gdoc
Moving product on the black market was not always a quick process. Felicia’s safe house had begun to take on the appearance of a museum storehouse, filled with paintings, statues, jewels and miscellaneous. There was barely enough room for her to even prepare a meal or sleep, but she couldn’t resist when she’d heard the Cartier’s in the heart of downtown Gotham had received a new shipment of rare jewels from overseas. Still unweighted and carved, they were to be appraised and prepared for market.
Well, they were never going to get there.
It was while she’d been breaking into the mobster Caesar Cicero’s house, and a few of his organization’s holdings, that’ she’d found out about this little piece of extra credit. She had a lead on all of these untraceable gems, but also on a Bialyan terrorist the Kingpin had tasked her with locating. The gems weren’t here for long... the wanted man was staying put a bit longer than that, and she prioritized by going after them first. Once they were hers, she would confirm the lead on the Bialyan and contact Kingpin accordingly.
At first, the story seemed like bait... and she had begun to make a name for herself in the underworld, so it wasn’t like the local bats would be unaware of her existence... but the Black Cat did her due diligence. Taking on her first big client by working for Kingpin in New York City (to whom the Hardy’s had owed a debt), and of course, her favorite... heists of the self-employed variety. Felicia had been avoiding Cartier’s... because it was such a prestigious, high-profile target, she’d wanted to save it until she’d had more practice... and as something of a treat after a string of successes.
Selina, bless her heart, had even been kind enough to leave blueprints for the jeweler’s building. After studying the plans, Felicia decided on an approach that was... less her style. Taking the sewers beneath the block, and accessing the place through its very old - and very vulnerable - basement.
As luck would have it, their vault was less than ten paces away from the basement door, and Felicia deftly slipped past the laser security system, not even disrupting her breathing in the process.
The vault used a pressure release system, but her tools were more than enough for the job. Unfortunate for Cartier’s that their system was three years old. Technology did not stand still for anyone. Within minutes, she was inside, feet pressed closely against the inner walls of the vault. When she lifted the ten pound bag, Felicia grinned, “Come to kitty.”
“I was told I’d find you here.”
Loki had appeared from behind, his magic disabling the security cameras in such a way that he was not even perceived by the electronics. He immediately remembered her as the woman whose life Hardy had begged to save... his daughter.
“You possess something that is mine and I have come to retrieve it.” He made his statement sound very much like a threat.
“That’s funny,” she said, looking him over. “You don’t look like a jeweler.” He was dressed in gold and green clothing, wearing the most peculiar horned ornate helmet, and standing in the room as if untouchable. And maybe he was. The alarms hadn’t been tripped, and his presence, though very real to her, did not register with the laser grid at the floor. Felicia recognized him immediately. The Kingpin had given her a security photograph from the facility where she’d been changed... and where she’d lost her father.
The Black Cat shifted the bag of jewels in her hands. “Perhaps we can take this conversation outside?” She started to move expertly toward him and the vault door.
From her statement, it sounded as though she was willing to cooperate, and so Loki stretched out his arm, waiting for her to come close before taking her hand. There was a blinding flash of light that enveloped them both, and in an instant, they were gone.
When they reappeared, it was high upon a rooftop, overlooking the city. The wind whipped Loki’s cape like a flag, and he held his spear aloft in a threatening manner. “Give me back the Norn Stone,” he demanded. He would’ve killed her now, if he was sure that she carried it with her and could pluck it from her lifeless corpse. However, if she died before revealing the Norn Stone’s location, it would remain lost.
That was new. Felicia delicately pulled her hand back from the man and offered a gracious smile. “I’ve stolen quite a few objects, but I’m pretty sure none of them were from you. In fact,” she said, carefully eyeing the edge of the roof, in case a quick exit was needed, “I believe you have something I need. Answers. About your attack on that laboratory, and the location of my father.” She could tell he was dangerous, but Felicia expected him to respond like any man might, and stepped closer, putting her hands on his chest, careful to keep her glove’s claws from extending as her fingers traced the armor’s edges. “I’m Black Cat. A gentleman would introduce himself before making demands, would he not?”
I really hope you’re not gay. Or otherwise disinclined. Felicia made sure to continue breathing.
Perhaps if Loki was in a better mood, he might’ve toyed with this mortal woman, taken advantage of her friendly behavior, but his patience had run thin. Loki lifted his hand to stroke Felicia’s hair, or so it seemed. In reality, he was positioning himself to grab a fistful of her hair and tug down, causing her to arch away from him.
“I have no time for games, pathetic mortal,” he snarled. “Know that I am Loki! And I am a god! I have given you rebirth when you were on the brink of death at your father’s plea, and do believe you have something that is rightfully mine! A stone that your simpering thief of a father had stolen from me. I want it back, now!”
He then threw Felicia down by the hair like a ragdoll.
Her scalp screamed, but Felicia was more angry than wounded, and her face showed it. The claws on her gloves extended, scraping into the stone roof. If she hadn’t seen the destruction he’d caused in the laboratory, she would have been on her feet and whooping his ass. But she had seen what he was capable of, and consciously retracted the blades, standing up slowly. “That pebble with the rune on it? Obviously it’s valuable to you, but if you think I’m going to just hand it over, not knowing if my father is dead or alive or what you’ve done to him, then you’ve got another thing coming, Gargamel.”
A god. As if. Superman could hand this guy his ass, and he’s no god... what did he say?
Felicia’s voice lowered, and she pulled off her face mask, stepping toward Loki, frowning at him, “Wait, you...? I felt myself die. You saved me?” The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, like she was standing over her own grave. Felicia was not one to simply take a person’s words at face value, and this man didn’t strike her as the honest sort, but the words touched on memory and sensation, buried inside her, and she felt the truth in his claim.
Not so much the god thing, though.
So it was confirmed, she did have the Norn Stone. Now he only needed to get it back. Loki stood tall and looked down at her, regally, his voice becoming peaceful. “Your father begged me to save your life in exchange for the stones he’d stolen, and so I did. It was I who also marked you, by blanching the color of your hair.” He made a sweeping gesture to indicate her long, white locks. Once you were healed, your father was unable to produce all of the stones, so in exchange, he offered himself. He has been with me ever since.”
He turned at his waist and made another gesture, and there appeared a glowing shadow of Walter Hardy, standing with his head hanging down, ashamed. Weary, but not beaten.
“He was held as a servant in my hall, but once the stone is returned to me, I shall consider his debt paid and shall be released. However... that step is up to you to decide.”
Daddy. Felicia looked at him, concern written on her face. He seemed okay. And this Loki clearly valued these stones enough to make what seemed like a fair bargain. She wondered what exactly they were supposed to do. Wondered, but didn’t really care. If she could get her father back...
Felicia turned to face Loki, and with the quickest sleight of hand she produced the stone and held it out for him. “I knew it was important. It never left my side. Take it.”
Loki froze, staring at the stone in Felicia’s hand. She had decided to give it to him so quickly and freely that he was surprised. Kingpin had given such a fight during his negotiations, he thought he might have to do the same with her. But there it was. A thrill ran down Loki’s spine, realizing the significance of the occasion. His hand reached out slowly and hovered over the stone for but a moment before his fingers closed in upon it, finally taking it into his possession. Grinning wide, he held the stone to his heart and expanded his chest with delight. All seven of the Norn Stones were now his to wield, and though the import of this was lost on Felicia, Loki was well aware of what this meant: with them, his full power was restored, as it was before being cast out of Asgard. His joy knew no bounds, and he laughed. What had he to fear?
Concern fell on her face when he laughed, and very quietly, she asked, “You’ll free him?” The strength and confidence she normally exuded was gone, replaced with a weakness that she didn’t care for.
Proudly looking down at the mortal, Loki said in sly tone of voice, “Your father has been placed in the custody of your employer, the one known as Kingpin, as per the agreement we made when I asked him where to locate you. I told you that your father would be released, but I did not say to whom. You may speak to Kingpin about your father’s condition. Our paths may cross again, Black Cat, but as for now, I have more pressing matters to attend.”
There was a bright flash of light, and then Loki was gone, leaving Felicia plunged into darkness.
The breath that Felicia had been holding released in a long sigh. She did not like him. But considering that man had allegedly saved her life, Felicia chose not to harbor any ill will toward Loki. She stood still as the sounds of the city came back into focus, then placed her mask back on and picked up the bag of jewels. Hefting it thoughtfully, she leapt off the rooftop and ziplined through the city. She now had an appointment to make with the Kingpin, and a father to reunite with.