SEL Chapter 32

Selina Kyle hums to herself as she pulls on her gray Catwoman costume. She situates her golden belt and tugs on her black boots before donning her long gloves. She’s holding her mask when there is a tap from the front room.

She is not alarmed. There is only one category of people who use the balcony instead of the door, and the ones she might need to worry about would not be polite enough to knock.

It’s a clear night, and the visitor isn’t trying to avoid the yellow glow of Selina’s balcony lights. Spoiler doesn’t look like much. Her costume is closer to cute than intimidating. That’s only one of her problems.

Selina opens the door and leans. “What do you want?”

“Going out?” Spoiler is fully masked up under that purple hood. Selina can only see her eyes and some blond hair.

“We don’t have nearly enough history for you to ask me that. But you see what I’m wearing.”

“I want your help.”

Selina takes a breath for patience. “Go on.”

“That’s it.”

“What? You’re just here, asking nicely?”

“Yup. I mean, do you want me to dangle you off a building? I guess I can.”

Selina snorts. “I’d like to see you try. What do you need stolen?”

“Nothing. I need a line on the Spider.”

Selina’s mouth drops open. “Really?”

Spoiler shrugs. “Isn’t she your competition?”

Selina smiles and examines the claws on her glove. “Not really. What do you want with her? She isn’t bothering anyone.”

“She’s stolen a lot of high-value stuff.”

“But nobody’s complaining.”

“I know. I still have to look into it.” Spoiler folds her arms. “What’s your problem? Are you the president of her fan club?”

Selina meets Spoiler’s gaze. “Maybe.”

“I don’t believe this. What am I missing here? Are you the Spider?”

“Of course not.”

“What’s it gonna take?”

“For me to give her up?” Selina sighs. She doesn’t want to snitch, but opportunities to make demands of the Bat-Family don’t come along often. And some things are more important. “I want him back.”

“Who?”

“You know who. If anyone can find him, it’s you people.”

“Come on, Selina. Have you met me?”

“This is the love of my life, kid. You people are supposed to be the best. You make this your problem, and I’ll give you the Spider.”

“And if I can’t make that promise?”

“Then you’ll leave here with some nasty scratches.”

“God.” Spoiler rolls her eyes. “Maybe it is time. I guess I kept thinking he’d just come back on his own.”

“Maybe he is dead. Then find me a body. Get the boy wonder in on it. Get Batgirl. The real one. The one in gray. What happened to her?”

“She sprained her ankle.”

“Then she can still do detective stuff,” Selina snaps.

“OK. OK.” Spoiler shakes her head and sticks out a purple-gloved hand. “Give me the Spider. And I’ll do everything I can.”

Selina grumpily shakes Spoiler’s hand. “You better be good for this. I hold grudges.”

“I figured.”

Selina pulls her mask on. “Keep up,” she says, then darts past. She leaps from the balcony into the night.

“Oh, jeez.” Spoiler pulls her grapple gun and goes after her.

SEL

Faye Darcy checks her reflection one last time before leaving her bathroom. The short, stout redhead paces her spacious penthouse restlessly, wearing black lingerie that was handmade in Italy. She’s working so hard to look perfect, but that only makes her more self-conscious. It’s hard not to be turned on, and she’s already starting to sweat.

The doorbell rings and she jumps. Her heart races as she makes her way barefoot across polished floors to answer her door. She’s so nervous that she shakes as she opens it.

Before her stands a woman in a pale trench coat. One of her gloved hands holds the handle of a rolling suitcase. Her face is hidden by a mask that looks like a peach.

Faye hurriedly gets down on her knees.

SEL

“Oh my god.” Steph leans on the railing beside Selina. Both of them gaze through binoculars at the penthouse across the wide boulevard. “What is that mask?”

“It’s a peach. They call her Madame Momoko. There are a few of them. They operate out of one of Ozzie’s stables, although he’s nowhere near the operation. He gets his cut, but he probably doesn’t know that they exist,” Selina says. “They wear those masks to protect their identities, but you can tell them apart by their bodies.”

“So the Spider is several people?”

“No. Just one. She has some kind of in with the crew, and she replaces one of the girls when they have a date that she wants.”

Steph watches the Spider tightly bind the redhead’s wrists to her bed. “What about this girl? Who is she?”

“Petite bourgeoisie. She’s nobody. Her mother’s rich, I think. Her name’s Faye. She’s been ordering in as often as she can for about a month. Can’t get enough.”

“The Spider is a dominatrix?”

“Is that uncomfortable for you?”

“I don’t know. Help me understand how this works.”

“It’s simple. A good mistress will make her client want to do anything to please her. These people get off on being demeaned and abused. She makes them insecure and grooms them to want to show off their wealth. They bring in the good stuff to decorate their bedrooms or to wear and try to impress her. When she’s ready, she gives them the night of their life and takes it all. Then she threatens them.”

“What?” Steph snorts. “She says that if they talk, she’ll come back?”

“No. If they talk, she won’t come back.”

“Jesus.” Steph watches the bound, blindfolded Faye wiggle around helplessly as the Spider ignores her and strolls casually around the penthouse, examining things. The trench coat is off, revealing a magnificently sexy black dom ensemble with lots of straps and mesh. This woman has a nice figure, but it’s nothing special. Those are some serious shoes, though. The tall spikes do wonders for her butt. Or maybe that’s the way she struts around. Steph tries to focus. “You’re sure this is her?”

“Absolutely,” Selina replies. “I know those legs.”

“Sex work is illegal, but I’m not getting her for that. I guess I need her to steal something before I can make a move.”

“Whatever you say, kid. I did my part.”

“You aren’t her friend?”

“Never spoken to her. I just enjoy watching her work.”

“Gosh,” Steph replies. The Spider now holds a wooden paddle, which she trails along Faye’s soft thigh. Faye must be a Seed survivor; the bulge in her panties is getting urgent. Steph winces as the Spider strikes it with the paddle. She looks over to see Selina wearing a big grin as she watches.

She notices Steph. “What? I have to amuse myself somehow out here on my own these days.”

Steph takes that in, then goes back to looking.

The Spider crawls onto the bed and plants her knee squarely on Faye’s package. Steph can’t hear whatever the Spider is whispering to the quivering redhead, but her full weight is crushing her cock. More distractingly, being on all fours makes the Spider herself interesting to look at in that outfit. Steph’s costume is not meant to accommodate an erection.

She clears her throat. She has to stay on task.

Moving in for a closer look might be helpful in gathering intel and setting up for a takedown, but all Steph has is Selina’s word on any of this.

Should she keep watching from here? (Focus on Selina)

Or get closer? (Focus on the situation in the penthouse)