Chapter 11: A Purr-fect Partnership and a Prank on Stark
The New York skyline, a glittering tapestry of steel and glass, shimmered in the twilight. Adam watched it, a possessive gleam in his eyes. This was his stage, and his ensemble was growing. Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, stood beside him on a windswept rooftop, her lithe form silhouetted against the nascent glow of the city lights. A subtle, almost imperceptible hum resonated through the air, the System acknowledging her presence, binding her to its purpose. The wish was granted. The power to steal anything in an area without touching it. It was a thief's ultimate dream, a frictionless acquisition, a ghost in the vault. The System had delivered.
Felicia, ever the pragmatist, immediately put it to the test. A small, high-stakes heist, just to confirm its veracity. A private collection, rumored to contain a priceless, untouched diamond necklace, secured by a labyrinth of laser grids and pressure plates that even she, with all her skill and a dash of "bad luck," would have found challenging. From the comfort of their rooftop perch, with Adam observing, she simply willed it. A faint shimmer, a whisper of displaced air, and a moment later, the diamond necklace, cold and perfect, lay nestled in her gloved palm. The vault alarm, a frantic, echoing shriek, sounded a full five minutes later, a bewildered protest against a theft it hadn't even registered. Her eyes, wide with a giddy mixture of disbelief and triumphant glee, met Adam's. "It... it actually worked," she breathed, a purr in her voice, a genuine wonder that momentarily stripped away her usual cool exterior. "I just... thought it."
The experience solidified her loyalty, not in an emotional way, but in a deeply pragmatic one. The System delivered. It gave her the ultimate tool for her chosen profession, a power that transcended physical limitations. This wasn't about good or evil; it was about the thrill of the impossible, made effortlessly achievable. She was an artist, and the System had just given her a brush dipped in pure, frictionless success.
As she savored her new power, Adam's HUD chimed softly.
[NEW TEAM MEMBER ACTIVATED: FELICIA HARDY (BLACK CAT)][RECEIVED: RECRUITMENT GIFT (2000 Coins)]
The System valued her particular brand of chaotic neutrality, her knack for disruption and acquisition. She was a natural. Just as he was appreciating the new influx of coins, Felicia let out a small, sharp yelp. Her normally sleek, perfectly coiffed silver hair suddenly stood on end, crackling with static electricity, as if she'd just stuck her finger in a light socket. Her eyes widened in alarm, darting around.
[PENALTY: PURE GOOD THOUGHT DETECTED. DO NOT REPEAT.][PENALTY RECIPIENT: FELICIA HARDY]
Adam stifled a laugh. He knew exactly what had happened. She had probably, in the flush of her success, considered donating the diamond to a charity, or maybe even returning a portion of it to the original, presumably less corrupt, owner. That brief flicker of genuine altruism, that pure good intent, had been enough to trigger the System's punitive response. It was a running gag now, Ava's exasperated sighs, Frank's gritted jaw, and now Felicia's comically electrified hair.
"Ah, the initiation," Adam said, a dry amusement in his voice. "Welcome to the club, Felicia. The System's got a strict 'no pure good, no pure evil' policy. Even fleeting thoughts of altruism will get you zapped. Consider it a cosmic reminder to always look out for number one... and the System's profit margin, of course."
Felicia ran a hand through her still-standing hair, grimacing. "My hair... it's ruined!" she groaned, a mixture of exasperation and annoyance. "So, no spontaneous acts of kindness, got it. Or cruelty, I suppose." She then fixed him with a challenging gaze. "What about pranks? Is the System okay with a little chaos, just for fun?"
Adam grinned, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Oh, the System adores chaos, as long as it's profitable or serves a larger 'grey' objective. And pranking? It's practically a hobby for me. Especially when it involves... certain armored billionaires."
He had been planning this for a while, a subtle, humorous jab at Tony Stark. The man's ego was a monument, and his tech, while brilliant, was also a tempting target for a little System-enhanced mischief. Tony Stark was currently at a private, high-profile charity gala, surrounded by his latest inventions and an army of adoring fans. The perfect opportunity.
"Here's the plan," Adam began, a conspiratorial glint in his eye as he looked at Felicia, then connected to Ghost and Frank through their private comms. "Our newest member needs a proper introduction to the art of the 'morally grey' prank. And our target... Mr. Stark."
Later that evening, as Tony Stark, mid-speech at the glittering gala, attempted to demonstrate his latest innovation—a miniature, voice-activated holographic projector displaying intricate blueprints of a new sustainable energy solution—something peculiar happened. Instead of the elegant schematics, the projector flickered, then displayed a crudely drawn cartoon cat, complete with oversized, mischievous eyes and a triumphant smirk. The cat then proceeded to meow loudly, a comically amplified sound that echoed through the stunned ballroom. Tony, his brow furrowed in utter bewilderment, tapped the projector, then his earpiece, muttering, "JARVIS, what in the name of...?"
As the cartoon cat continued its bizarre, triumphant meow, a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer of light caused a small, exquisite prototype Arc Reactor, on display in a nearby security case, to vanish. It reappeared a moment later, not in the case, but carefully placed inside Tony's martini glass, bobbing gently among the olives. Tony, distracted by the meowing cat, only noticed it when he went to take a sip, his eyes widening in comical disbelief as he stared at the miniature, glowing device.
"What in the... JARVIS! Report!" Tony roared, his voice laced with bewildered frustration, as the cartoon cat on the projector finally winked out, replaced by a single, glowing message: "MEOW. – F.H."
Back on the rooftop, Felicia Hardy was practically convulsing with silent laughter, her earlier annoyance about her hair forgotten. Her head was thrown back, her shoulders shaking, tears streaming down her face. It was the perfect introduction to her new life, a demonstration of power and a collective prank that felt deliciously, perfectly grey. Adam watched Tony's bewildered face on a small, System-streamed feed, a smug satisfaction spreading across his own features. "A purr-fect partnership indeed," he mused, leaning back, the city lights twinkling below like appreciative audience members. The System hummed contentedly in his mind. This was going to be fun.
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