go tell that long tongue liar,

Through rose colored goggles, Gotham’s night sky looked like red velvet. The stars were dulled but at least they were present. Sometimes she wondered if they had any left. But tonight the smog and clouds had cleared and the sky looked littered with jewels, all twinkling and calling her name. Tempting her. Giving her a greedy, lusty fuel that powered her lean legs over rooftops and fire escapes. Her chest flexed and heaved with breath that gleamed with tight leather that looked painted onto her skin. She shimmered in the night, a whip circled at her hip, a pointed cowl looked ghoulish in the shadows. The wind pushed at her as she crouched at the end of an outcrop. Jade eyes followed the skyline. Gotham glittered, the night sky shimmered on the glass windows of the skyscrapers.

Gotham had always been kind to her. It was a tough love growing up of course, but the city never just handed anyone anything. It nurtured all sorts though. It festered greed, lust, blood thirst, power, sickness and money. And all one had to do was find the right places and the right people and the city opened up like a black stinking flower. Though, Selina liked to think she resided in some special place of the city’s heart -it piled jewels in her hand, gave her conquests and adventure that only a cat’s curiosity could yearn for. And over the years the heists just got bigger, the people richer and the crime rate climbed steadily enough so she could slip under the radar more often than not. It was the perfect marriage. An anti-heroine and a city sick enough to let her slip right in between its little cracks. Selina had never had so much fun.

Of course, Selina would never be the kind of criminal she knew existed here. She would never be malicious nor bloodthirsty. Just mischievous. Like a kitten playing with something she shouldn’t. Evil was not in her nature. And Gotham had more than enough petty crime to offer up to her as well and mostly on a whim she’d do her civic duty and break a rapists nose, tie him up and leave him for the police. Tonight however, Catwoman was in no mood to be a good citizen. Which was the beauty of her position, really. She didn’t bow to anyone and acted to her own wild drum. Perched on the rooftop of a prestigious upscale apartment complex, she could almost smell the diamonds underneath her feet. Only the wealthiest names in the city spent their time here. And they put their blind faith in the top floors and multitudes of locks and safes. Selina was doing them a favor -she’d rob them blind and simultaneously prove that nothing is safe in Gotham. Not jewels, not innocence, not anything. No matter how many walls one put up.

Black gloved hands gripped the edge of the roof and in one swift movement, with the grace of a seasoned acrobat, she flipped herself over. She plummeted a story before hooking her hands on the stone work and swinging up onto the balcony of the suite. She stood there for a moment, looking at the glass sliding doors. The curtains were drawn but she could smell the wealth leaking out. She reveled in it for a moment, let herself be disgusted, jealous and excited, and then wasted no more time. The claw on her index finger worked the lock of the door and it clicked. With ease it slid open for her and she stepped in to the quiet room with the grace of a butterfly. Her slender body fit inside and the curtains billowed gently at her ankles. Her eyes adjusted to the new darkness.

Now, if she were a high security safe, where would she be? Her leather clad body tip toed with soft elegance into the adjoining living room. And there it all was. The jackpot. A feline smile curled her red lips and she went to the first case. It was all spread out -numerous safes, glass cases and suitcases. The rubies in the case called to her first. She crouched down to level with it, her body poised like a lioness. With a clawed hand she sliced a perfect circle in the glass and slid it onto the carpet. Her hand reached in and piled the scarlet jems in her palm. She spilled the various gems and necklaces into a small purse clutched at her side before moving onto the suitcases. Less exciting, but shiny and wonderful all the same. The shine of them passed over her goggles and lit up her eyes like fire.

The biggest safe she saved for last. The prize was in there, she could feel it with every marrow of her bone. Her bag grew heavy at her side but she still had room for whatever beauty made its home in there. She met an obstacle within seconds though -it was not merely a lock to crack, it was a thumbprint recognition tool. Just how rich were these people? She tried a trick she’d seen in a movie, she bent down and cupped her hands around the pad and blew hot air onto it. To no avail. The safe stayed silent. Desperate and short on time, she took a claw to the security system. She cut down along a few buttons to the side of the pad and nearly jumped out of her skin at the alarm that started to blare at her.

She jumped to her feet and started at a sprint for the balcony window. The alarm grew louder until she was sure everyone in the streets below could hear it. Someone in the bed cried out and threw the covers off but she was out the glass doors before she could identify them. Or more importantly, before they could identify her. Clutching the bag close to her she scaled the rooftop once more. Sirens roared a few blocks down. She flipped back over the outcrop and ran across the cement. Her whip smacked out from her side and aided her as she swung from one rooftop to the next. Her breath felt like fire in her lungs but she smiled as she ran. And a wicked bout of laughter emptied from her throat and swirled around her in the night.