Bab 61: CHAPTER 60
Tom's peaceful slumber was abruptly interrupted by the sound of his bedroom door opening and closing. He was immediately on edge, as he knew he had locked the front door and lived alone. Squinting in the darkness, he saw the silhouette of a woman standing at the foot of his bed. She was dressed in a skin-tight, black suit with knee-high boots and a goggled cowl that resembled a pair of feline ears.
'Fuck, not only did I get a visit from Robin but now Catwoman too.' He thought to himself. As she began to snoop around, rifling through his belongings, Tom pretended to be asleep. But then he couldn't resist the opportunity to mess with her.
"You know it's quite rude to wake up a man in the middle of the night, right?" he said, startling her and causing her to jump into a defensive stance. Upon hearing his voice, she immediately jumped into a defensive stance.
"Hello Selina," Tom greeted as he sat up in bed, now facing the night prowler.
"Great, Tommy, you're awake," Selina replied with a hint of disappointment in her voice. She had probably hoped to slip in and out of the house unnoticed. She relaxed her posture slightly, but still kept her guard up, unsure of what Tom might try to do.
He stood up, put on his flip-flops, and walked to the kitchen. Selina followed him at a slow pace.
He began preparing coffee and gestured for her to take a seat. He knew it was going to be a long night, so it was better to catch up over a cup of coffee. "Coffee?" he offered..
"Sure, why not." She said in an exasperated and sarcastic manner as she took off her cowl.
Tom filled two mugs with hot coffee and extended one over to her, she kept her gaze on Tom as she slowly took it from his hand.
"So, what brings you to my humble home this time of the night." He asked as he took a seat on the couch and drew a sip from his mug.
"I wanted to get more information on you, at least know the real you and not the one who comes over at the bar. You haven't stayed in this city for up to two months and you knew I was Catwoman, I want to know how you knew who I was."
Tom raised an eyebrow, "You want to know how I knew who you were? That's quite an interesting question coming from a woman who wears a skin-tight suit and prowls the city at night."
Selina rolled her eyes, "Cut the crap, Tom. I'm serious."
Tom let out a sigh and took another sip of his coffee.
"Um…well what can I say? I know a few things and yet I know nothing."
"What a messed up thing to say." She said with a raised eyebrow. Tom chuckled, "I know, it's a bit cryptic. But honestly, I don't know everything about you or your life as Catwoman. I just have a good sense of observation and intuition."
Selina nodded, "Fair enough. But I still find it intriguing that you were able to figure out my true identity so quickly."
Tom shrugged, "I suppose it's just one of my many talents." He took another sip of his coffee as he awaited her next question.
"So tell me, why are you in Gotham?" Tom leaned back on the chair, taking a deep breath before responding."I'm just trying to figure things out, you know? I needed a change of scenery and Gotham seemed like a good place to start. Plus, there are some interesting characters around here."
Selina raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Interesting characters? Like who?"
Tom chuckled. "Like you, for starters. And there are others, people with secrets, people with a past. I'm just trying to piece everything together."
Selina leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "And what about me? What have you pieced together about me?"
Tom took another sip of his coffee before responding. "I know that you're more than just a cat burglar. I know that you have a code, that you only steal from those who can afford it. And I know that there's more to your story than meets the eye."
Selina was silent for a moment, considering his words. "You're an interesting one, Tom. I'll give you that."
Taking another sip from her coffee, Selina went ahead to ask another question. "So what's the deal with your powers anyway?" She casually asked Tom.
"Hold up, that's way too many questions from you for one night. Now it's my turn to ask questions of my own." He suddenly had a serious look on his face as the atmosphere became tense.
"Sure, what would you like to know?" She dropped her mug on the table and prepared to carefully answer the questions he had for her.
He gazed at her intently for a few moments before breaking into a fake smile. "Don't worry, I'll save those questions for another time." Tom appeared to hold back his inquiries, as if contemplating the consequences.
"Come on, Tommy, you can ask me anything," she pressed on flirtatiously, eager to discover what he might be curious about.
"Don't worry, cupcake, everything in due time," he teased with a grin." "That's no fun, you're killing the mood, Tommy," She sighed in relief, the tension that had been building suddenly evaporating. She was uncertain of what Tom knew and what he didn't. His mind was an enigma to her, a puzzle she tried to solve.
Selina had been wondering why Tom spent so much time at a bar frequented by Gotham's seedier types. She hoped to find some answers when she snuck into his house that night, but all she got were evasive responses and a half-hearted lie. Or so she thought. Him changing the topic the moment she asked about his powers made her question if he was actually telling the truth.
"Well, I didn't find what I was looking for and it'll be morning soon. I should be going now, Tommy. Let's just forget about the fact that I snuck into your house in the middle of the night."
"I don't know if I can forget about that so easily," Tom said with a mischievous grin. "You do look pretty hot in that outfit of yours. I might have to thank you for the view." Selina rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but feel a thrill at Tom's playful banter.
"Um... I knew you were a bit of a flirt, but I had no idea you had such a naughty streak," Selina remarked with a sly smile.
"What can I say? I like to keep things interesting," Tom replied with a playful wink.
Selina laughed, but quickly composed herself. "As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I should probably get going. Thanks for the coffee."
"Fair enough. Just one thing, though," Tom said as Selina stood up to leave. "Next time, could you maybe knock before you break into my place?" Selina smirked. "No promises." She turned the doorknob and stepped out into the night.
Tom smiled as he remembered the look she had on her face before leaving. She always put up a confident and sexy front, but he had caught a glimpse of something new in her. For a brief moment, he had seen a blush on her cheeks before she left his place.
As he poured himself another cup of steaming coffee, he couldn't help but relish the aroma that filled his senses. With the caffeine coursing through his veins, he decided to seize the day and grab his laptop. After all, if he couldn't go back to sleep, he might as well make some progress on his work.
He checked on his website and he noticed the growing absurdity of the requests being made. Some were innocuous enough, but others were creating scientific gadgets that could have been lifted straight from a villain's origin story. He couldn't help but smirk at the thought. Was he inadvertently helping to create future menaces to society?
The idea was both amusing and disturbing. On the one hand, he was proud of the innovative ideas that were being generated. On the other hand, he couldn't shake the feeling that some of these creations might ultimately do more harm than good. But it won't affect him in any way, so he wasn't bothered.
Other requests might render a lot of people jobless, while it might eventually help some people earn a couple bucks. If they were smart enough, they'll make millions off it. All they needed to do was ask the right questions for each idea they had.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." He muttered. Some requests seemed risky, which might potentially result in job loss for certain individuals or industries. But what if the risk is worth the reward? What if asking the right questions could lead to millions in profit?
In a world where opportunity is abundant and success is often found by those who take bold chances, it's crucial to weigh the potential benefits against the potential consequences. After all, the greatest achievements often come from the greatest risks. "So go ahead, ask those tough questions and take that leap of faith. Who knows? You may just find yourself on the path to unimaginable success." He chuckled before taking a sip from his steaming coffee.
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