ACQUISITIONS

Part I: Like Mother, Like Daughter

By Justin Santos

Manhattan, New York

Everyone’s favorite platinum blond thief and occasional hero Felicia Hardy sat at a table in her favorite café and instead of drinking her coffee she just looked at her cell phone in disbelief after hearing a message left for her. She just sat there. People walked around not acknowledging her frozen in place with her phone held up to her face. It really was gonna take a moment to sink in. This could mean a big change in her life.

“Pregnant?” She finally let out a word.

It was extremely shocking to her but she knew what led to this. She had recently went on a trip to Los Angeles, California with Peter Parker and Flash Thompson, the latter being a former lover of hers. They were seemingly at odds with each other throughout their drive from east coast to west. But when they reached Las Vegas and were hypnotized by the song of the Hypno-Hustler, one thing led to another and they eventually ended up going back to their hotel together. It was an experience Felicia regretted but there wasn’t anything that could be done. Neither her nor Flash could resist the words of the hypnotic thief.

She knew this could mean the end of her career as the infamous Black Cat. This was gonna change her whole life. Was she ready to be a mother? And what of Flash? She really didn’t want to tell him but knew in her heart that would be wrong. Looking at her coffee she realized she probably shouldn’t be drinking it if this was really happening, which it was. She got up from her table, leaving the coffee, and left the café.

Outside she walked with one hand putting her cell phone in her back pocket. She walked down the sidewalk lost in thought. She was unaware of who was walking in front of her and accidentally bumped into someone. It was a jarring experience as she was already overwhelmed by the news. She turned to apologize to the person she walked into. The person before her was a shady looking figure whose face was concealed by a hood.

“Watch where you going!” exclaimed the hooded person.

A red flag went off in Felicia’s head but she didn’t want any trouble. “I’m sorry. Just move along and we’ll forget this ever happened.”

“Hmph.” The individual grunted before walking off.

Felicia was annoyed by how rude the person was. She shrugged it off and continued to walk to her new destination. One step forward and a glint of light that caught her eye stopped her. She looked down to see a clear green orb resting within the crack of the sidewalk. The hooded person must of dropped it in their collison. Felicia looked at it almost entranced. Something about it was making it quite alluring. She picked it up and examined it. It fit perfectly in her hand. Looking back to see if the person who dropped this was still in sight she found that they were long gone.

“Well, I’d hate to leave this thing to waste,” she said before putting it in her purse.

She continued on her way without looking back once. Thirty minutes later she was sitting in her mother’s penthouse. Her mother was laughing relentlessly. Felicia wasn’t amused.

“You a mother?” Lydia Hardy started laughing again. “I’m sorry dear but you just don’t seem the type to have children.”

“Yeah, that’s real funny.” Felicia was being sarcastic. “I’m really getting a kick out of this.”

Lydia was Felicia’s only living parent. Her father Walter passed away due to illness, but before than he was an accomplished cat burglar. Of her family Lydia was really the only one she kept in contact with, well until recently when she learned her father had another child by the name of Riley. That’s why she joined Peter and Flash on their trip to California to find her long lost brother who had something she wanted. Felicia clearly took after her father who earned money by stealing pricey items and selling them for profit. Her mother on the other hand was a successful businesswoman. She didn’t agree with Felicia’s lifestyle nor did she like it when Walter was doing it but she respected their choices.

“So who’s the father?” asked Lydia. “Hopefully it wasn’t someone you were trying to rob.”

“No mother it wasn’t someone I was trying to rob.” Felicia was annoyed by her mother’s comment. “I hate the way you make it sound when you say it like that. Anyway, you wouldn’t know the person. He’s a close friend of Peter’s.”

“A friend of Parker’s, aye?” smiled her mother. “Was it the former high school jock? That would seem about right.”

“I knew it was too early to tell you. You’re gonna drive me crazy with this.”

“Might as well start getting used to it.” Lydia smirked. “You’re gonna have a child now. As he or she grows up they’re gonna do stuff that drives you absolutely mad. Which is what they’re supposed to do as the kids. A loving mother learns to deal with it so they may guide their child toward the right path in adulthood. I don’t like that you go out there and steal from people. I know the stuff you take are from people who deserve to have it taken from them. Like criminals, but I worry about the day you may come across the wrong one and never return from it. Now that you’re a mother to be you can’t keep this up. You’ll have to think of the wellbeing of, I’m gonna take a guess and say daugther. The Black Cat needs to come to an end here.”

Felicia didn’t say a word. All she said was true. If she had this child she would have to try and set up a normal life. She wondered what a normal life was even like. It was probably boring. She stayed a little while longer with her mother and talked. As the day started getting close to an end she left to head home to her own apartment.

Later that evening…

A young woman very similar in appearance to Felicia was walking down a dark street alone. She looked eerily similar to Felicia. The only difference was that her hair wasn’t platinum it was just blonde. The reason for this is simple. She is Felicia’s very own daughter.*

*She first appears in Araña #13- Justin Santos

Felicity is her name. Eighteen years in the future she along with other heroes fought a time travelling villain known as Chronok. He merely was there to test their strength. When Felicity went to save someone she was accidentally pushed back in time. A time where two gangs were at war. She popped up in the wrong place at the wrong time and was shot. Thankfully she has since healed her wounds.

For the moment she was staying with the family that saved her. It was Anya Corazon that found her but since she was living with her boyfriend’s family that’s where Felicity ended up. She told her story to them and they believed her considering all the things they’ve seen over the past year. Like a girl from another earth that existed on the opposite side of the sun. Felicity was reluctant to tell them too much. For all she knows the little she had told them could have drastically altered the future. There was one thing that she didn’t mention. She didn’t come from the future alone. The person she saved came with her and was now missing.

“She could be anywhere,” she thought to herself. “If I didn’t get shot I would have been able to keep an eye on her. The others are gonna be really mad with me if they even figure out where we were sent. What should I do?”

Suddenly out of nowhere she was ambushed. A hooded person sprung up and pushed her into a dark corner so no one could see her. The person examined the girl. Felicity couldn’t make out anything about her attacker but she would occasionally see a spark of electricity surge from her eyes. This stranger then insisted on frisking her.

“What is the meaning of this?” asked Felicity.

With a bit of a robotic voice her attacker replied, “I want what you’ve taken from me! Now!”

“I’ve taken nothing from you!” Felicity yelled back. “I haven’t even been here long enough to take anything.”

“Quit your lying!” demanded the person. “You’re the one I bumped into earlier. The same towering height of a woman who must almost be six feet tall. The same shameless apparel that show’s off too much cleavage that you have an overabundance of.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault that the girl’s clothes I’m borrowing is a little too revealing,” defended Felicity. “I’m not too keen on showing my girls off for anyone to see. That’s more like my mother’s thing to do.”

“Enough of this! Return the orb to me!”

“I don’t have it!” Felicity pushed the person away.

Her attacker threw her arms out and fired electricity at her. Felicity being an excellent gymnast dodged by flipping sideways. This time she would throw her arms out in front of her. Under her long sleeves her web-shooters were hidden. She shot webbing at the person and pulled them toward her for a clothesline. The strike made the hooded person fall back and land on their head.

“So which one are you?” asked Felicity as she walked around the fallen figure. “Electro? No you’re too small for that. It’s more like you have the shape of a woman. So Aftershock then?”

“How about neither?” replied the robot voice of a possible woman. “I just want the orb back. Give it to me.”

“And I don’t have it,” Felicity started to show frustration. “Because you attacked the wrong woman. Maybe you’ll learn that from that bump to your head you just took. Have fun walking that off.”

Felicity turned away from the woman and left without a second thought. Slowly the woman pulled herself from the ground and sat up against a wall. The hood fell off her head revealing the face of a young blonde-headed woman. Her bright blue eyes began to tear up. Putting her hands to her face she began crying into them. While up a sleeve slid down revealing a medical bracelet. On it was a name that read Brianna Blunt. When she removed her hands from her eyes their entirety were charged with electricity.

Felicia’s Apartment

Felicia sat at a table in the dimly lit dining room wearing only a low cut shirt and pajama bottoms. She was working on her laptop. Next to it sat the green orb she picked off the street. She was attempting to research what it could possibly be. Her searches proved to be fruitless. She had no idea what to search for in the first place. For all she knew it could be a magical item from some ancient society or some ball of glass that had no purpose at all. But if it had no purpose why couldn’t she take her eyes off it. It still had her entranced.

There was no telling what it was. And there was no chance she was gonna learn at this moment. She started yawning. It was late after all. Instead of heading to her bedroom she decided to rest on the couch. She didn’t even turn off her laptop. Laying down she grabbed a pillow and rested her head on it. Moments went by as she tried to drift to sleep. Just before it happened she moved her hand over her abdomen.

Her laptop sat on the table. It was still on Google with her last attempted search. The screen then changed on its own. At the top right corner was a picture of the orb. The page was filled with information.

In the morning Felicia sprung up from the couch and ran for the bathroom. It was a sudden rush of morning sickness. After her stomach settled and she brushed her teeth, she walked into the kitchen to grab her cell phone that was ringing. It was her mother. Felicia rolled her eyes after something her mother said. They talked for a bit and then she sat down in front of her computer. She had forgotten that it was still on. She looked at the screen and was instantly confused by what she saw.

“The Krellack Orb?” She said out loud.

The picture was completely identical to the object resting on her table. She went on to read about what the Krellack Orb was. It had immense power according to the information laid before her. One line caught her attention. It mentioned something about the ability to grant its owner one wish. They could wish for anything.

“One wish?” Felicia was intrigued. “With such power if this fell in the hands of the wrong person it could be disastrous. Is this why I can’t keep my eyes off it?”

She glanced at it one more time. Finally she got up and started undressing so that she may take a shower. She felt she had a lot to think about but couldn’t do it confined to her apartment.

Local Store

Felicia went to a convenience store in hopes of finding something that would settle her stomach for when she would experience morning sickness again. She would find something but wasn’t sure if it was what she wanted. While walking down an aisle she bumped into Felicity who had been exploring the city. Felicity became nervous. She was concerned that her yet to be mother would recognize their similarities.

“Funny you remind me of me when I was your age,” smiled Felicia. “How I would love to go back and rethink some choices I’ve made.”

“Uhh…” Felicity was speechless.

It was a younger version of her mother. A version that appeared a little more cheerful than she remembered. In the future Felicity had an odd relationship with her. It was mostly because of the falling out Felicia had with her father Flash. She always felt like she was in the middle of their fighting. And then there was the superhero thing. Felicia forbid Felicity from becoming a superhero, something she did anyway without permission.

“Oh, how rude of me.” Felicia realized something. “I didn’t introduce myself. Felicia Hardy.”

“Felicity…” She clearly didn’t want to say the last name. “Felicia’s a nice name. Close spelling to my name. Heh.”

“I don’t typically go casually talking to teenagers I don’t know.” Felicia looked around the shelf that was in front of her. “But something about you compelled me to talk.”

“Yeah, that’s interesting.” Felicity tried not to let out a nervous laugh.

“So are you from here?” Felicia continued her small talk.

“I, um, am actually staying with some friends in Brooklyn.” Felicity grinned oddly. “I’m from out of town. Just visiting for now. I, uhh, was here for a gymnastics competition.”

“Gymnastics!” cheered Felicia. “I actually have a knack for gymnastics. You know I don’t know why but for some reason I feel the need to offer buying a drink. Coffee I mean. It’s like my future depends on it.”

Felicity had never really known her mother to be this way. She wondered if seeing her altered her personality in some way. However, it didn’t make sense to her because she didn’t know anything about her. Felicity agreed. If anything this would allow her to see a side of her mother she hadn’t.

Meanwhile…

A handgun was lifted up by a single hand. In front of the barrel was the hooded woman. Her eyes were still surging with electricity. The owner of the gun was a man dressed in a suit. He looked like your ordinary gangster. The woman put her hands out appearing to plead with him.

“Dad, it’s me,” she claimed. “It’s Brianna. I’m your daughter. Danielle did this to me. That madman you were telling me about brainwashed her into believing her name is Allison Dillon and that she’s the daughter of Electro. I tried to confront her.”

We enter a flashback. The girl named Brianna stood before the girl who was her sister but had forgotten. Her true name was Danielle Blunt, but the Jackal altered her memories making her think she was Allison Dillon. Like most of his Bastards of Evil, she thought a well known supervillain was her father. In this case Electro, an old enemy of Spider-Man.

“Dani.” Brianna gestured to her sister that everything was okay. “Remember me. My name is Brianna Blunt. I’m your sister. You’re Danielle Blunt not whatever the Jackal has called you.”

“I have no sister,” said Danielle or in this case Allison. “Now be gone.”

Aftershock, an easier name to go by, pressed her hand into her sister’s torso and electrocuted her. Brianna was sent flying quite a distance. Aftershock didn’t even bother to check to see if she was still alive. She went about her business. Brianna laid motionless. Her body was smoldering. But suddenly her body jerked from a jolt of electricity. She got up examined her hands that left off small charges. The power in her gradually climbed until it was too much. It all shot out at once lighting up the sky. The immense overload even knocked out power for the area near her.

Now in the present, she stood before her own father who was holding a gun out to her. He knew it was her but was scared of what she had become. He was a gangster that worked for the Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk. Fisk was still warring with the Jackal.

“Dad, put the gun away.” Brianna’s voice switched back and forth between her normal voice and a robotic voice that was caused by her electrokinetic powers. “I know it’s been rough lately. You’ve been sent to kill men aligned with the Jackal and was nearly hurt when two heroes intervened.”

“I’m tired of all these damn superpowers,” said her father. “As far as I’m concerned you and Danielle are not my daughters anymore. You’re not the girls I brought from that rundown town in Colorado to make something of ourselves in New York. Now get away from me!”

Her father pulled the trigger. As an act of instinct she created an electrical blast that altered the bullet’s course. The blast hit her father, dropping him instantly. The power to her home also went out. She looked at the fallen body of her father. It wasn’t certain to her if he was alive. She was saddened that she may have killed him but she knew to survive she had to do what she had to do.

“Fine then I won’t be Brianna Blunt anymore if that’s what you want.” She turned away from her father. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this. I must find the Krellack Orb. I need it’s power. So I can ask for a wish I do want.”

Manhattan Café

Felicia and Felicity sat at a table. Felicia bought her a coffee while she herself only had water. Felicity was nervous to say the least. She knew that if she would have to stay in what she considered the past she would eventually have to meet up with her mother but she at least hoped it wouldn’t be too soon. Now here she was and it’s only been a week since she landed in the 2010s.

“So how long have you been doing gymnastics?” asked Felicia.

“Ever since I was a kid.” Felicity took a sip of her coffee and hid her face behind her cup for her next response. “My mother taught me. So why aren’t you drinking coffee?”

Felicia grabbed her water. “I just found out I’m expecting a baby. Much to my surprise. So coffee is off limits for the time being.”

Felicity lifted her head up. It was very coincidental that she arrived at a time where she was just recently conceived. She wondered if it was fate that brought her here.

“That’s sound exciting, congratulations,” said Felicity. “Had you and your husband been trying for a baby?”

“He’s not my husband and no.” Felicia thought back to the moment in Las Vegas. “It was completely unexpected. Me and the baby’s father had been at odds for sometime and then Las Vegas happened. Let’s just leave it at that. We’re still not on good terms. I was considering not even bringing it up to him.”

“What?” Felicity couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

This meant her birth was an accident. She retreated back behind her cup. Now she felt even more uncomfortable than before. What could she possibly say to that? The conversation took a wrong turn leading them to remain silent. Felicity thought maybe it would be good to leave and go back to where she was staying in Brooklyn. It was just then when they were approached by another woman.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation,” said the woman directly looking at Felicia. “But I just wanted to say that I adore your outfit. Where did you get it from?”

“I believe it was from my last trip to Paris.” Felicia wasn’t entirely sure. “At least that’s what I think.”

“Well, it’s lovely,” continued the woman as she looked at Felicity. “I must say you two look very much alike. You must be sisters.”

Felicia smiled. “That’s what I thought. We’re just meeting for the first time today. I couldn’t help but be fascinated by our similarities. For all I know she may be my sister. Wouldn’t be the first time I found I had a sibling my father neglected to mention.”

“Well, it’s nice meeting you miss?” the woman looked back at Felicia.

“Felicia Hardy,” replied Felicia just as the woman turned to Felicity.

“Felicity, umm, Felicity Reilly.”

The woman shook both their hands and walked off never formally introducing herself. Felicity felt suspicious about it but her mother didn’t seem to think the same. The woman left the café and walked down a sidewalk until she would turn down an alleyway a short distance away. There she approached the hooded woman known as Brianna Blunt. She was holding a young boy captive behind a wall of electricity.

“The older one’s name is Felicia Hardy,” said the woman. “The younger one said hers was Felicity Reilly. Now I got your information. Please give me my son back.”

“Felicia Hardy, that name sounds familiar,” stated Brianna. “Take the boy and get out of here. I have some business to attend to.”

Back in the café. Felicity mentioned to Felicia that it was strange that she didn’t introduce herself. Felicia just shrugged it off as something else came to mind.

“Reilly.” Felicia stroked her chin. “That’s funny I know someone with the last name Reilly. Maybe you’re from an alternate dimension where me and that person have a child. It’s not the wildest of ideas I’ve ever heard.”

Felicity nervously laughed. “Heh.”

“I’m only kidding.” Felicia pulled her phone out of her purse. “Maybe you’re just a much younger cloned version of me. That wouldn’t surprise me either. Hold on I gotta take this. It’s my mother. She probably wants to continue the fun conversation we had about me being pregnant. Yeah, mom? Oh, I’m sorry, how are you doing today mother? Look I’m fine. Yeah. Okay, I’ll come over. Actually I’m here with someone you might be interested in meeting.”

“Grandmother!” Felicity thought. “This day couldn’t get any worse.”

“I know I said just a cup of coffee.” Felicia put her phone back in her purse. “But I can’t let you off the hook that easy. There’s something about you that connects us. I know it. Come with me to meet my mother. She’ll get a kick out of how much we look alike.”

Felicity knew she shouldn’t continue on with her mother, but she couldn’t say no. She was afraid of what could happen if Felicia found out the truth but at the same time her curiosity was too high. She had never seen this side of her mother before. She nodded her head in agreement.

Later

Felicia brought Felicity to where her mother lived. When they arrived they found the front door to her penthouse open. Felicia peered in and saw a mess. She quickly put her back to the wall and told Felicity to do the same. They looked in to see what was going on. It was silent. Felicia decided to cautiously move in. The door was pushed open the rest of the way as she walked in. Felicity followed. Upon searching the place they found no one to be there.

“Who would do this?” asked Felicity. “It’s been ransacked.”

Felicia was uncertain. Was it an enemy of hers? Or was it an enemy of her mother’s? Did her mother actually have enemies? Walking around she looked for answers but found nothing until she reached the kitchen. Laying on the counter facing the dining area was a note that Felicia picked up. She read it and then crumbled the paper.

To be continued…