Chapter 88: The Cat and the Diamond
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art transformed at night. By day, it was a monument to human achievement. By night, a playground for the elite.
Chandeliers cast honeyed light over marble floors where New York's wealthiest mingled like exotic birds, their plumage consisting of designer gowns and custom tuxedos that cost more than most people's monthly rent.
I tugged at my bow tie for the fifth time in as many minutes.
The rented tuxedo pinched across my shoulders whenever I moved my arms, as if a constant reminder that I was an imposter in this world. The fabric felt quite stiff and unnatural compared to my usual baggy pants and tee-shirt, but at least the black sleeves mostly concealed the Omnitrix. Some still noticed, and tell you what, rich people were watch freaks. I'd explained it away as a "custom smartwatch" to the few curious glances it had drawn.
"Stop fidgeting," Jessica murmured, appearing at my side with two flutes of champagne. "You look like you're planning a heist."
"Well, if- uhm…" The words died in my throat when I fully took her in. Jessica Jones had traded her usual leather jacket and jeans for a sleek black dress that hugged every curve before falling gracefully to the floor. A subtle slit revealed just enough leg to be dangerous. Her dark hair was swept up, exposing the elegant column of her neck and the simple diamond pendant I'd never seen before.
[Image Here]
"That good, huh?" She smirked, handing me a champagne flute.
I smiled, regaining my composure. "You clean up nice, Ms Jones."
"You don't look half bad yourself, Mr Tennyson." Her eyes traveled appreciatively down my frame. "Though that rental is fighting a losing battle with your shoulders."
I suddenly felt a little poor. Dammit, I need to earn some money. It's embarrassing to come to a gala date with a beautiful girl wearing a rented tuxedo. What way could I make big, fast money? With my aliens, it shouldn't be too difficult. I'd considered selling Diamondhead's crystals, but Grandpa let me know that they are worthless. [1]
"Occupational hazard." I cleared my mind and took a sip of champagne, grimacing slightly at the taste. "I told you right? That Werewolf transformation changed my baseline. My body's different, the muscles are too tight."
Jessica's eyes glistened momentarily. "It's alright, the girls love it…"
"And it's useful. Stronger. Faster." I shrugged. "Ahh, but all the attention I'm getting from married 40-year-old aunties with busy husbands is insane. Don't you notice them looking?"
"Aw, poor baby," she teased, stepping closer. "Now I feel guilty that we're here to catch a thief instead of actually enjoying this… You could have at least gone with Grey Matter and adjusted this thing."
I laughed, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly. "And miss the chance to see you pretend you're not checking out the security instead of the art? Someone with superhuman senses will be really suspicious of you."
Jessica glanced guiltily away from the CCTV cameras she'd been assessing. "Professional hazard."
We circulated through the crowd, maintaining our cover as just another wealthy couple attending the gala. Jessica slipped seamlessly into the role despite her obvious discomfort with the setting. I admired her adaptability, the way she could transform from streetwise PI to sophisticated socialite with nothing but a change of clothes and posture.
"You're staring a lot, Mr Tennyson," she whispered after catching me watching her charm information out of a museum board member.
"Just appreciating the view, Mrs Tennyson," I guided her toward a quieter corner by the champagne table. "The dress is Trish's?"
"How'd you guess, dear husband?"
"Because my wife would never willingly spend that much on fabric."
She snorted, an endearingly inelegant sound amid the cultured murmurs around us. "It was going to waste in her closet. She wore it once for some award show."
As the crowd shifted around us, I caught a glimpse of the entrance to the Egyptian wing where the Twilight Star would be displayed. Security was tight. Four visible guards, undoubtedly more concealed, plus the electronic systems I'd studied in preparation.
Jessica followed my gaze. "Think our cat burglar will show?"
"The question isn't if, but when." I kept my voice low. "Based on the pattern, she'll make her move during peak crowd hours. Maximum confusion."
Jessica nodded, taking another sip of champagne. "So we mingle, watch the diamond, and wait for her to show her claws."
"That's the plan."
A lull fell between us, comfortable in its silence. Jessica fidgeted with her glass, clearly working up to something.
"So," she began casually. "Earlier you mentioned something with Xavier and the Mutant island of Genosha? Is that still happening?"
I raised an eyebrow, surprised she remembered that detail from our brief conversation after midnight cardio. "Yeah. The invitation still stands. The opening ceremony is in two weeks."
Her expression remained carefully neutral. "Sounds interesting."
"It's a diplomatic mission to a potentially hostile mutant nation led by a man who can control magnetism on a planetary scale," I pointed out, whispering even lower now. "Interesting is one word for it."
"I want to go with you."
The directness of her statement caught me off guard. "...It sounds fun, Jessica, but I have a feeling it'll turn real dangerous."
"Will it? Before you say no," she cut in, "remember I've handled all kinds of weird shit at this point. Aliens, mutants, interdimensional threats..."
I set my glass down, suddenly serious. As I recalled the destruction of Genosha from the comics and show, I imagined my mishap and seeing Jessica die.
Gwen would be fine, she's an Anodite, as would Charmcaster. I can protect Grandpa, plus he was capable himself. But if both my hands were occupied by bringing Jessica? That'd be troublesome.
Just to be clear. I obviously planned to warn all the mutants about the coming attack rather than pretending to be some last-minute hero. I planned to report about the Sentinels to Xavier after finishing this jewellery job.
Being with Jessica brought benefits. I can use the excuse that with Greymatter's help and Jessica's investigation, I learned that Genosha might be attacked. But even so, I don't think Magneto would cancel the ceremony. So the danger remained.
"It's not about whether you can handle it. Magneto is unpredictable. Xavier thinks it'll be peaceful, but we don't know what game he's playing. And SHIELD will be watching everything. Plus you've seen the news, Xavier's school was attacked by weird robots. Who's to say the same ones wouldn't attack Genosha?" I trailed off, remembering the destruction from the Hulk and Abomination's battle.
Jessica's expression shifted to something I recognized. Stubborn determination with a hint of hurt pride. "So you're saying I'm a liability? I guess this must be what Trish was feeling that day."
"Jessica, I'm saying it's complicated."
"Or are you ashamed to bring me?" Her eyes flashed. "Is that it?"
"It's not that, and you know it." I stepped closer, lowering my voice despite the privacy our corner afforded. "This isn't even hard to understand, why are you being difficult? I just can't put you in danger's face when I know I can avoid it."
Her features softened slightly. "Yes, but you said that Charmcaster will come. She can come but I can't? Ben, I've handled worse than diplomatic tension. I'm not some fragile-"
She began and I held back a sigh. Ugh, blame my stupid ass for telling her about that. We were just in the moment after some warm up time, and I ended up telling her more than necessary. Now she was jealous.
"Attention, distinguished guests!" A resonant voice cut through the ambient chatter. "The Egyptian Antiquities exhibition is officially opening in five minutes. Please make your way to the east wing for the unveiling of our centerpiece, the legendary Twilight Star diamond!"
The crowd began to shift, conversation bubbling with anticipation. Jessica's lips pressed into a thin line, clearly annoyed at the interruption. I knew this conversation wasn't over, just postponed.
"We'll finish this later, Jess," I promised, offering my arm. "Right now, we've got a job to do."
She took my arm with a sigh. "Fine. But this isn't over, remember that."
As we moved with the crowd toward the exhibition, something caught my eye. A flash of white near a service entrance. A woman with platinum blonde hair slipped through a door marked "Staff Only."
Uh oh.
Something about her movement, too fluid and purposeful, triggered my instincts.
I squeezed Jessica's hand, leaning close to her ear. "I think I just saw someone. I'll check it out. Keep your eyes on the diamond."
Her eyes narrowed. "You sure?"
"Trust me," I whispered. "I've got this."
Before she could protest further, I slipped away, moving against the flow of the crowd toward the service entrance. The Black Cat had arrived, right on schedule.
As I slipped away, I caught Jessica's expression, concerned and sharp. I knew she'd keep her eyes on the diamond, but I couldn't shake a nagging worry. Black Cat's reputation preceded her – if this was indeed Felicia Hardy, her "bad luck" powers could create complications even for someone as capable as Jessica.
What I didn't know yet was that the naughty cat had already planned for this. Multiple distractions were about to trigger across the museum, designed to pull security and even the most vigilant PI away from her true target.
Regardless, this time around, she was the one being hunted.
****
The service corridor stretched before me, sterile and silent compared to the opulence of the main hall. I loosened my bow tie, listening intently for any sound beyond the distant murmur of the crowd. A faint click echoed from around the corner.
The sound of a door closing.
I moved quietly, thankful for the plush carpet that muffled my footsteps. The corridor branched left toward what I assumed were offices. That's when I heard it, the delicate sound of glass being cut. My pace quickened, but caution kept me from rushing blindly forward.
A crash from another wing of the museum shattered the silence. An alarm blared, followed by another, then another in rapid succession.
My phone buzzed. A text from Jessica. [Emergency in the north wing. Multiple injuries. Nothing fatal, I think? Anyway, security pulled away from diamond. Heading back now.]
Clever cat. She'd created a diversion serious enough that even Jessica couldn't ignore it - not when innocent people might be hurt. By the time anyone realized it was an elaborate false alarm, the diamond would be long gone.
"Distraction," I muttered. Classic tactic. Trigger alarms far from your actual target to draw security away. I slipped into an alcove, away from any potential cameras, and activated the Omnitrix.
"Let's go, Ghostfreak!" The familiar green light washed over me as my DNA rewrote itself.
Bones cracked and reformed. Muscles stretched and bulked. Gray fur erupted across my skin as my face elongated into a lupine snout.
The transformation completed in seconds, leaving me in the towering form of a werewolf. Blitzwolfer.
"Oh man…"
I tried not to be too disappointed. With my enhanced wolf senses, tracking our thief was child's play.
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[1] Do you guys remember that one Alien Force episode where Kevin got forced into a mine generator, whole body covered in crystal? I always thought it was a piece of Diamondhead, turns out it's not. Crazy things.
> From Wiki: Taydenite is the rarest and most precious living gem in the Milky Way Galaxy. It is also practically indestructible and used as currency commonly throughout the galaxy in the form of rectangular coins called "Taydens". Despite them looking identical, Petrosapiens (Diamondhead species) are not made of Taydenite and Taydenite does not come from Petropia. Furthermore, Petrosapien crystals have no real value.
ANYWAYS GUYS. A little sad announcement, the burnout caught up to me. I can't force myself to write as that'll compromise the quality. I'll vanish for this week 😫 I'll see you guys on Sunday, sorry guys!