Chapter 10: The Cat and the System: A Power to Steal
The moon hung like a polished coin in the New York sky, casting long, inky shadows across the city's labyrinthine alleys and rooftops. This was Felicia Hardy's domain, the shadowy playground of the Black Cat, a world of glittering jewels and intricate security systems. Adam had tracked her to a lavish penthouse apartment in Midtown, a monument to excess and a veritable vault of priceless artifacts, which she was currently in the process of "relieving" of its rather extensive art collection. His Haki pulsed with a vibrant energy as he felt her nimble movements, her playful, arrogant confidence, like a predator stalking its prey. She was good, exceptionally so, leaving behind only a faint, almost imperceptible trace of her passage – a subtle shift in the air, a whisper of a broken lock – and usually, a string of "bad luck" for her victims, a bizarre array of minor mishaps and frustrating coincidences. Her modus operandi was a perfect fit for the System's ethos: calculated, self-serving, and just ambiguous enough to be considered "grey." She was not a villain, but she certainly wasn't a hero.
Adam had landed silently on the adjacent rooftop, a silent, almost invisible blur. Ghost and Frank, their Haki presences a steady hum in his mind, were a few blocks away, providing remote overwatch and ensuring no unwanted interruptions. He observed Felicia through the penthouse window, her lithe figure, clad in form-fitting black leather, dancing gracefully around laser grids, her fingers light as air as she disarmed alarms with a surgeon's precision. She was a master of her craft, and it was clear she enjoyed every moment of it, a genuine thrill in the challenge. He allowed a small, System-bought, non-lethal distraction device to trigger a minor alarm downstairs, just to watch her reaction, to test her reflexes. She cursed softly under her breath, a guttural growl that was surprisingly feline, her body coiling like a spring. She froze, her senses instantly alert, her head cocked, listening. Her eyes, sharp and intelligent, darted around the room before she melted back into the deeper shadows, a ghost within the confines of her own heist. This was the kind of challenge she relished, the dance between hunter and hunted.
"Felicia Hardy," Adam's voice, amplified subtly by a System vocalizer, echoed softly through a hidden speaker he'd placed earlier in the ventilation system. His tone was casual, almost conversational, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere of the heist, designed to disarm and intrigue. "You're good. Very good. But you could be better."
Felicia froze mid-stride, her body coiled like a spring, every muscle tense. She hadn't expected anyone. Her Haki, while strong in its own right, attuned to the subtle vibrations of luck and misfortune, hadn't detected him. Her eyes, emeralds glinting in the dim light, scanned the room, searching frantically for the source of the disembodied voice. "Who's there?" she demanded, her voice cool and controlled, betraying no fear, only a rising irritation. Her "bad luck" powers, usually an unconscious hum around her, flared defensively, trying to trip up whatever unknown entity dared to challenge her. A crystal chandelier above Adam's position began to creak ominously.
Adam stepped out from behind a large potted plant, revealing himself, a casual figure in the opulent setting. He offered her a small, confident smile, unfazed by the creaking chandelier. "Someone who can offer you a power beyond your wildest dreams. A power to steal anything in an area without touching it. Imagine, no more laser grids. No more pressure plates. No more security cameras to painstakingly disable. Just… pure acquisition. A true master thief, unbound by physical limitations."
He activated the recruitment interface, the holographic projection shimmering into existence between them, a translucent blue screen, visible only to her. The words glowed, promising untold potential, a thief's ultimate fantasy. Felicia's eyes widened, a flicker of genuine shock and incredulity in them. Her "bad luck" powers, which usually caused minor mishaps for her opponents, tried to subtly trip Adam. A stray marble rolled under his foot. A security camera above him suddenly tilted downwards. But his System-enhanced agility and Haki easily countered them. He side-stepped the marble with nonchalant ease, a graceful pivot, and the precariously balanced painting she'd been working on merely swayed before settling back into place, defying gravity. The chandelier stopped creaking.
"My luck seems to be holding out," Adam quipped, a sarcastic remark about the thief's "luck" before she joined. He allowed a small, knowing smirk to play on his lips. "Perhaps your touch is a little… off today, Black Cat."
Felicia's brow furrowed, a mix of intrigue and genuine annoyance on her face. No one had ever countered her luck like that, her signature ability. She was a master of evasion, a phantom, yet this man had not only found her but seemed entirely unfazed by her unique abilities. She was intrigued by the promise, the sheer audacity of it, the tantalizing glimpse of a power that would elevate her beyond mere mortal thievery. "Steal without touching? That's… impossible. A parlor trick."
"Not for the System," Adam countered, his voice firm, unwavering. He then launched into his well-rehearsed explanation of the System's rules, the "morally grey" ethos, and the "no pure good" and "no pure evil" penalties. He explained the concept of coins, the store, and the occasional "zap" for stray altruistic thoughts or unchecked malevolence, a little price for absolute power. He even demonstrated a minor prank involving a disappearing item during their meeting, just to seal the deal. With a flick of his wrist, a small, incredibly expensive antique watch from the art collection she was pilfering, currently resting on a velvet stand, vanished from its pedestal, only to reappear a moment later nestled safely in her coat pocket, right beside her own lock-picking tools.
Felicia stared at her pocket, then back at Adam, a slow, predatory grin spreading across her face. Her eyes, initially wary and defensive, now shone with a greedy, almost childlike wonder, reflecting the soft glow of the System's offer. "You… you can really do that?" Her voice was a purr, laced with a new kind of hunger. The idea of such effortless theft, of bypassing every security system with a thought, of acquiring treasures without ever risking a single scratch, was intoxicating, a dream made real.
"The System can," Adam confirmed, matching her predatory smile. "Imagine the possibilities, Felicia. No more bruised knees from scaling walls. No more broken nails from picking locks. No more risking capture. Just pure, unadulterated acquisition. The world's vaults laid bare. All you have to do is join. And keep it grey. No heroics, no villainy, just profitable, satisfying theft."
Felicia considered him, her gaze sharp and assessing, a calculating glint in her eyes. She was a creature of instinct and self-interest, a thrill-seeker who valued freedom and luxury above all else. This wasn't about morality for her; it was about power, about the ultimate score, about never being caught. The System offered her exactly that. The thrill of the chase, yes, but now, the thrill of unchallenged success. The offer was too tempting to resist. The promise of her greatest desire, absolute theft, combined with Adam's baffling ability to counter her luck and make objects disappear, sealed the deal. She extended a gloved hand, a silent acceptance. Adam, matching her gesture, shook it firmly. Another piece fell into place.
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