❛ chasing you ❜ | peter parker

1- New beginnings

LICIA GROANED as she punched her alarm clock, stopping it from screeching through her room, "Why 5am Licia?" She asked herself as she rubbed her head and stood up groggily from her unmade bed.

She walked to her wardrobe and swung open the door, moving her fur coats out of the way she reached further in, pushing open another secret door. Licia reached in and pulled out a small black leather suit which had silver stitching all across it, along with the suit was a thin mask, which seemed a bit pointless for a mask considering it hid barely anything. She swiftly slipped the suit on and attached the mask to her face carefully, not bothering to tie her long, platinum blonde hair back so it was out of the way.

She grabbed a backpack lying around and quickly began stuffing it with essentials: a handheld CO2 laser , a handful of compact bombs, a can of black spray paint, a couple of knives and a handful of other things. Once the bag was packed, she threw it over her shoulder, rushed downstairs, and out of her family's hotel, the New York Peninsula. The Peninsula Hotels are one of the world's most famous, most luxurious hotels to stay in, and her family were lucky enough to run the New York division. The rest of the hotels were run by her family's close friends; it was like a little club, Licia always thought.

Her bike was conveniently unlocked so she hopped on it and pedalled toward the center of New York, heading for the bank which as just down the street from the restaurant where her family would be dining at that very night.

There was an alley next to the bank where she planned to leave both the bike and the backpack, keeping them within easy reach. It was still early, and barely anyone was around. She wouldn't risk being spotted near the future crime scene, keeping everything discreet to avoid any connection to the scene later on. Getting the job done was crucial—after all, she had been chosen for this.

Tomorrow was the first day of her new school—something Felicia definitely didn't want to face. Who in their right mind would choose public school over being homeschooled by literal scholars? Certainly not her.

Up next on her to-do list: figure out an excuse to leave the restaurant. She had two options. Option one: fake really bad period cramps. Option two: throw up. She'd go with the first. She wasn't exactly a fan of vomiting on command—or in general. Tonight was her birthday dinner, and most of her family would be there, including Gillian, her cousin who was already attending Midtown and was a year ahead of her. He was a senior now, and Felicia wasn't too keen on him—or his friends, for that matter. Her parents had insisted she meet them so she could at least know a few people when she started school. One of them was a boy named Flash, who had the most ridiculous pedo-tache Felicia had ever seen, paired with an ego that was far bigger than he was.

Felicia figured getting out of the meal would be the easy part. There was something—or rather, someone—else she had to deal with: Spider-Man. She'd never crossed paths with him before, managing to stay off his and the Avengers' radar up until now. But since she'd started taking on theft jobs for a man she only knew through the internet, Spider-Man was bound to figure out who the Black Cat was sooner or later.

.

It was almost time to leave for the restaurant, and Licia was finishing up her preparations. So she opened her nightstand drawer and grabbed her trap phone—or, as she liked to call it, her set-up phone. She used it when she suspected her regular phone might be compromised, knowing it could easily be hacked or tracked. After each use, she wiped the phone of all fingerprints and data, then ditched it somewhere—preferably in an alleyway, or for some fun, in a random person's backpack or purse.

"No, I don't care!" Mr. Hardy's loud voice echoed from the lobby. "Nick Fury and his little agents are watching me and my family 24/7. If you can't find the right security team for us, you'll be on his watch list too. Danny, listen. It's a dangerous world. You know that. Your men keep us safe, and we'll keep you safe. Got that?"

"Felicia!" Lydia, her mother called. "Your father's home, come downstairs!"

Upon hearing this, Licia ran out of her room and towards the grand marble staircase, propping herself up onto the bannister, then proceeding to slide down it and hop off at the bottom.

"What have I said about doing that! It's so unladylike" Lydia raised her voice, craning her neck to look at her daughter.

Licia laughed awkwardly, "My bad, are you guys ready to go?" She asked, grabbing her bag and slipping her shoes on.

Lydia exchanged a glance with her husband, then slung her arm around his as he lead them through the main entrance.

The streets of New York were bustling, filled with late-night revelers and drunks. Perfect. Cops would be everywhere. As the family arrived at the restaurant, a couple of drunk men ran up to the limo, banging on the windows and trying to get a response. Mr. Hardy, his bodyguard, and the driver all quickly exited the car to hush them away, careful to keep things low-key and avoid attracting attention—or the police.

Inside the restaurant, the air was thick with the smell of food and body heat. The host greeted them and led them to a large table where the rest of the party had already gathered. Name tags were placed by each setting to indicate where everyone was supposed to sit.

It was nearing 9:30 PM, and everyone was on their second round of drinks. This was Licia's chance. Standing up, she quietly asked her mother if they could talk.

Lydia stood up and followed Licia to a quiet corner. "What's up?" she asked.

Licia gave a small wince, holding her stomach. "Can I go home? I've got the worst cramps, and I don't think I can last the rest of the night without passing out."

Lydia raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Lic, this is our family's special dinner. You can't miss it. How do you think this would make Nana feel?"

Licia grimaced, then suddenly lurched forward, clutching her mouth and hiccuping to sell the act. "Mom, I really think I'm—"

"No," Lydia interrupted, frowning. "Go sit down."

"Mom, at least can I grab my jacket and head downtown for some paracetamol? I'll be back in no time."

Lydia paused, thinking it over. She knew how much cramps could affect Licia, and she didn't want to say no outright. And with the police swarming New York, she figured if Licia got into any trouble, it would get sorted out.

"You can go outside for some fresh air, but do not think about leaving my sight," she warned.

"Thanks, Mom!" Licia grinned, relieved.

But just before Licia turned to leave, her mother called out after her. "If you get into any trouble, don't put those martial arts lessons your father gave you to waste."

Licia grabbed her jacket and set-up phone, then swiftly exited the restaurant, her mind already shifting to the next phase of her plan.