"Please," Felina answered as she presented her glass. "Milk was always one of my favorite drinks."
"Mine too." Helena re-filled both of their glasses before replacing the carton in the refrigerator. "In the short time that you've been here, I've noticed many things we have in common." She held up her glass and stared at it. "This is another one."
Felina flashed a motherly grin. "We're alike in some ways, yet different in others. You have many traits that your father possessed as well. Truly, you are the sum of your parents."
"I've always strived to be like dad. Perhaps too much," Helena added quietly.
"I'm very grateful to you for giving me the chance to be a part of your life again. You have no idea how much it means to me."
"Like I said, we seem to have a great deal in common. We both love gymnastics, are fond of milk, and have this need for excitement in our lives. It may not be much, but it's at least something to build on. But before we get too far, perhaps we should discuss some ground rules."
Felina wiped away a milk mustache with her napkin. "That seems sensible. First let me state that the Estate and Kirby fortune are yours. I make no claim whatsoever towards them. I've accumulated enough wealth to live the rest of my life in comfort."
"That's not exactly what I was getting at," Helena answered, mildly surprised. She hadn't considered that her mother might wish to lay claim to her father's estate. Thankfully, it was not going to be an issue. "Actually, I was referring to your activities as 'the Cat'."
"Oh," Felina mouthed. "I suppose I should have realized that was going to come up. After all, you are now the daughter your father wanted you to be."
"Thanks, but you have to understand that this is a sticking point for me. I won't put up with stealing under my roof."
"I've mellowed a bit as I've grown older," Felina explained. "The 'urges' that dominated my youth are no longer what they once were. I've kept in practice, but I have not stolen anything for at least a year now."
"That's good to know."
"I won't lie to you, Helena. I'm not perfect. I can't promise that I won't ever steal anything again. But I will do my best to not embarrass or disappoint you. I don't want to lose you again."
Helena gave an understanding smile and took her mother's hand. "And I have no desire to kick you out. I never realized how much I missed having you around. Someone I can talk to, someone I can share my dreams with."
"I would love to hear everything you want to tell me about yourself, Helena, as any mother would. There's no way I can make up to you the years we lost, but I hope we can make the most of the time we now have."
"I think I would like that."
Felina rose from the table and started to collect the dishes. Helena assisted her. "What would you like me to do to around here?", Felina inquired. "I don't expect to stay here without helping you out in some manner. Unfortunately, I never learned how to cook very well."
"I don't expect you to be my servant, mother. We can share the day to day housekeeping. I didn't plan on hiring any servants when I moved back home."
"They would just complicate your dual life," Felina noted as she washed a plate. "That's fine with me. I just want to do my fair share."
Accepting the washed plate from her mother, Helena proceeded to dry it. "Maybe you could help me out with my training?"
"That's a wonderful idea! I'm sure there are lots of things I could help you with there. After all, there are many skills that a cat burglar and a superheroine share. Knowing your father, he probably trained you like a man."
"What's that supposed to mean?", Helena wondered.
"Well, your weight lifting is an example of this. Lane probably had you build up your muscles and strengthen your stamina as he preferred to take a direct and physical approach. Whereas I would tend to lean towards agility, maneuverability, stealth-- basically the sneaky stuff. I avoided fights instead of charging headlong into them."
"Cross-training is always a good thing," Helena said in agreement. "And if it helps me increase my agility, I'm all for it."
"Great. We can start this afternoon if you like. Show me your regular exercise routine and I'll see if I can improve upon it." Finished with the dishes, Felina handed the last glass to Helena. As she began to dry it, a buzzer went off. "What's that?"
"There's someone at the front gate," Helena explained. Setting the glass down, she walked to the control panel near the back door and activated the intercom. "Hello? Can I help you?"
"Got a delivery for a 'Helena Kirby'," a man's voice said over the speaker.
"I'll be right down," Helena answered before turning off the intercom. "Wonder what this is all about."
"You're not expecting anything?"
"No. No, I'm not."
"Let's go find out what it's all about then." Felina gestured towards the door.
Moments later, the two women casually walked up the driveway, returning from their jaunt to the main gate. Helena carried a large bouquet of red roses. "They're lovely," she observed.
"Who are they from?" Felina accepted the bouquet while Helena looked for the card. She took in the pleasant aroma of the flowers.
Upon finding the envelope, Helena withdrew the card and let out a deep sigh after reading it. "I should have known."
"Should have known what, dear?"
"It's from Gary Simmons." The card related how sorry he was for how he acted and wished for them to reconcile.
"Your boyfriend?", Felina asked with a smile.
Helena desperately tried to suppress an annoyed look. "That's what he thinks. Gary is a nice guy-- he just doesn't interest me romantically. I can't seem to get that through his thick head, however."
"I understand. So, you're not dating then?"
"Not really," Helena admitted. "I've spent so much of my life in preparation for becoming the Huntress that some normal parts of growing up were sacrificed."
"Like romance?" Felina had expected as much. Helena seemed to be as obsessive about fighting crime as her father had been. She had hoped that maybe she could talk Helena out of being the Huntress, but those hopes were fading fast. Perhaps Felina would be more successful in curbing these obsessions than she had been with her late husband.
"Like romance," Helena repeated with another sigh. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I've been on my share of dates. I've just never had any deep feelings towards any of the men I've been with. Plus you have to remember, I was younger than everyone else in school. My work schedule was always so heavy I just never had the time."
The two walked on in silence for a time, enjoying the spring day. "So, what about you, mom? Have there been other men in your life?"
Felina actually seemed embarrassed by the question. "I'm not sure that's the kind of things we should be sharing, dear."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."
"Do not concern yourself. It's been a long time since I've been this open with anyone."
"I know what you mean," Helena echoed in sympathy.
Taking a deep breath, Felina began her explanation. "I was deeply in love with your father and we never did divorce. I believed in the sanctity of marriage, but there were times when I needed the company of a gentleman. So, I've been with other men, but none of them could fill that special place in my heart like your father."
Helena decided to not press her mother any further on that particular line of questioning. Her answer was sufficient and not surprising in the least.
"So, what do you think?" The pair were now in the Hunter's Lair, the secret sub-basement underneath the Mansion. Helena had donned her Huntress costume and was now showing it off to Felina.
"Not what I was expecting," Felina noted, as she circled her daughter. "I imagined something more along the lines of your father's costume."
"That was my first thought as well, but it just wasn't for me. It took a long time before I settled on this design."
"As long as you're happy with it, dear, that's all that matters."
"Is there a problem with it?", Helena asked, detecting a trace of disapproval in her mothers voice.
"I've always been fond of basic black myself, but then again, I was usually trying to not be noticed. I just have a different perspective on things." And having her only daughter risk her life fighting crime didn't sit well with Felina either.
"Gaining insight into how the criminal mind works can only help me," Helena noted.
"Now, Helena, I'm not sure how to take that," Felina stated with a grin. Without Helena noticing, she picked up a pair of handcuffs from a nearby workbench. They were probably used to practice lock picking, Felina surmised. "Was it a compliment or an insult?"
"I'm sorry, mother. I didn't quite mean that the way it came out."
Felina casually walked behind the Huntress as she continued her examination. "Looks like you've loaded up on tools and gadgets. Let's see how well you put them to use."
Before Helena realized what was going on, Felina had grabbed both of her wrists and locked them behind her back in the handcuffs. "What are you doing?!" The Huntress spun about angrily and faced Felina. "Is this a joke, mother?" Panic begin to grow inside Helena. Had she been mislead by Felina all along? Been lulled into a false sense of security? Betrayed by her own mother?
"Not at all, dear," Felina calmly explained. "I'm assuming that your father taught you how to pick locks and escape from things like handcuffs. If I'm going to help you train, I need to find out how advanced your skills really are."
"How's this?" Helena sighed in relief as she held up the now empty cuffs. She had retrieved a pick and opened the handcuffs while Felina was speaking. "I've practiced picking these many times before."
"Very good," Felina stated, beaming with pride. "I'm impressed. As Lane probably told you: Expect..."
"...the unexpected," Helena interrupted, finishing the familiar quote. "You didn't have to scare me like that."
"Yes, I did. Helena, I know I can't talk you out of being the Huntress. It's what you've trained for all your life. I may have lost my husband to crime fighting, but I'll be damned if I'm going to lose my daughter as well. If you're going to carry on your father's work, you need to hone your skills to a razor's edge. Be prepared for trouble at all times. Never relax. Expect the unexpected."
"You mean like this?" With a mischievous grin, Helena played the same trick on her mother. She closed one side of the handcuffs around one wrist, and using her superior strength, forced Felina to spin around allowing Helena to secure the cuff to other wrist behind her back.
"I can see that you're going to be a temperamental student," Felina noted as she turned back around to face Helena. "But, don't forget who the teacher is here."
"That depends on how fast you can get free...," Helena started to say when Felina handed her back the handcuffs.
"What's the matter, dear?", Felina joked seeing the surprised look on her daughter's face. "Cat got your tongue?"
"How did you do that? I mean, I've got picks hidden in my costume, but you're wearing normal clothing! Unless you carry picks on your person at all times."
"Not anymore," Felina conceded. "But the explanation is a simple one. I had a hunch you might try something like that, so I palmed the key when I picked up the handcuffs. It's what I would have done, had our roles been reversed."
"Pretty tricky, mother."
"Getting back to what I was saying, I'll help you in your training, but I'm also going to help you keep yourself on guard. So be expecting some surprises in your life."
"At least it won't be dull," Helena noted. "Does this mean you're going to be launching sneak attacks like Kato does to Inspector Clouseau?"
"Now that would be silly, dear," Felina answered with a coy smile. "I plan to be more intelligent about it. Now, why don't you show me all the gear you've got on you and I'll see if you missed anything?"
"Okay, dear, give it a try." Felina stepped back to give Helena room. Upon learning that the Huntress was using her crossbow to fire a climbing line and grappling hook combination, Felina had set out to rectify this problem. She started with a spare line launcher used by her late husband. By reworking the support harness, Felina had completed the adjustments needed to make it fit to Helena's body frame. All that now remained was to test the device.
To do so, the pair had ventured out to a heavily wooded area of the estate past the garden and the guest house. Helena wore the line-launching harness over her Huntress costume for the purposes of this test. The bulk of the device consisted of a webbing of straps that would evenly distribute the stress of climbing and swinging across Helena's body. The launching mechanism itself was secured to the back of Helena's right forearm. The whole arrangement would have to be incorporated into her costume later.
When activated, the device would fire a small three-pronged grapple that would attach itself to whatever it hit. A thin, but strong line was attached to this grapple and was stored in the launcher itself.
"Here goes nothing." Raising her right arm, Helena aimed for one of the upper branches of a huge oak tree and pressed the firing button. Thanks to the hours spent practicing with her crossbow, the Huntress had a good eye at hitting targets. The line fed out perfectly and the grapple wrapped itself around the branch. The Huntress tested the line and found it to be secured. Taking the line into her gloved hands, Helena began to climb. "So far, so good."
"You don't have to climb manually if you don't want," Felina advised as she watched Helena shimmy up the line. Gathering herself, Felina leaped nearly twenty feet into the air and landed on a large, lower branch with feline grace. "In addition to the firing button, there are three other buttons on the line feeder," she advised, "one on the top of the unit, the other two spaced out along the backside. They are spaced like that so you can't accidentally press them."
"Which one's which," Helena asked as she continued her climb. Pity that she didn't have the leaping ability of her mother. It sure made tasks like this all that much easier.
"The one on top retracts the line. Go ahead and try it." Felina continued to watch as Helena climbed higher and higher. She kept pace, jumping from branch to branch. Halting her climb, Helena used her right hand to hold the climbing line while her left hand worked the controls. Upon pressing the top button, Helena started to rise up the line but then jerked to a stop. "Hold the button down, Helena."
"I get it." Pressing the button once more, Helena began to rise higher into the air without any effort on her part. The stress on her arm was minimal as well. "I like this a lot better. Since the other buttons are placed so as to not be accidentally pressed, I can only assume that they cause the grapple to release?"
"That's correct. Unless you want to fall, don't press them until you're safely on the limb."
Upon reaching the branch, Helena pulled herself on top of the large limb. She stood up while keeping one hand on the tree itself for balance. Felina joined her a moment later. "Now, press both bottom buttons at the same time. Then hold the top one."
Doing as her mother instructed, Helena triggered the grapple release. Her line became slack. Pressing and holding the top button caused the line to completely retract the grapple all the way back to her wrist launcher. "That's pretty easy. All ready to use again." Taking the time to catch her breath, Helena looked about. Here, some seventy feet above the ground, the view of the estate was breathtaking.
"Why don't you try it out, Helena?", Felina advised. "Get accustomed to using it."
Raising her arm once more, Helena aimed for a branch in a neighboring tree. Once secured, the Huntress leaped from the branch and swung to a spot in a third tree. The release and retract the grapple routine was time consuming, but quickness would come with more practice.
Felina watched Helena as she practiced using the line and swinging from tree to tree. The swings became more precise as the Huntress brought her gymnastic skills into play. She started to release and retract the line a split second before reaching her target, giving her a faster turnaround time. The sight of her daughter filled Felina was pride. "You would have made a great thief," she thought to herself.
"This is terrible," Helena noted with concern. The afternoon workouts had left her with a hearty appetite. Together, the women had put together a quick dinner of shrimp stir fry and salad. Helena looked over the Times while she ate.
"What's wrong?"
"A mob informant was found dead early this morning. He was supposed to be turning states evidence and under protective custody. His body was found at the foot of the Four Seasons Hotel. Supposedly, he took a dive from the penthouse and his guards are now missing."
"Sounds very suspicious," Felina noted. "I take it this means you're going to investigate?"
"Possibly. Although, I'd need to gather more information first."
"Then you're going out as the Huntress tonight?"
"I had planned on it..." Plans that Helena had made before Felina had reentered her life. "There were a couple of things I wanted to do. I don't expect to be gone long as I didn't exactly get much sleep last night. Did you have something else in mind?"
"Oh, I thought we might do something together. It's been along time since I've been in New York. Maybe catch a show, hit couple night clubs, or possibly some shopping had crossed my mind."
"Those all sound interesting," Helena stated in agreement.
"Dear, I know you're not going to agree with me, but there is more to life than crimefighting. Don't forget to spend time with your friends and family as well. Go out and do normal things instead of putting on a costume every night."
"I do go out... some. I was at a party thrown by the Madigans just last weekend. I've been out with Lydia a couple of times over the last few days."
"That's good. I was just worried that you're throwing far too much of your life into being the Huntress. As the saying goes, 'stop and smell the roses once and a while'."
"You're starting to sound like a parent," Helena noted with a grin.
"I just don't want to see you make the same mistakes your parents made. So tell me about Lydia and your other friends."
"Not much to tell, really. My closest friends are pretty much 'in the business' as well."
"Ah, I see," Felina responded, catching what Helena was getting at. "I have an idea: why not have your friends over for a party? I see you've got the pool operational-- how about a combination pool party/barbecue? An informal affair."
Helena thought about it for a few moments. Her father had hosted such get-togethers in the past, but it had been years since the last. It would be a great way to introduce her mother to her small circle of friends. "Sure, why not? It sounds like a lot of fun. Say next weekend?"
"Great," Felina smiled. "It should be a good time."
The two ate in silence for several minutes until Helena finally spoke up. "Mom, can I ask you to do something for me?"
"Of course, dear. Ask me anything. What did you have in mind?"
"I've been doing some training at the Avengers Mansion, in addition to what I do at home. In doing so, they've measured my abilities. Dad's scores have been recorded as well. I guess what I'm trying to ask is if you would mind having some tests run on you?"
"I see. This has something to do with what you mentioned last night? You being less agile than Lane and I?"
"Sort of," Helena admitted sheepishly. "I'm just interested in how all three of us compare."
"I don't see a problem with your request. I have to admit I'm a little curious as well."
"Wonderful. I'll give Di a call and get it set up. Would tonight be okay for you?"
"I don't really have any plans, but I thought you did?", Felina answered.
"Like I said, nothing major. You could even tag along if you want. I don't expect to see any excitement."
"It would give me a chance to see how well you do out in the field and it would break up the evening," Felina rationalized. "Sure, I guess we could run these tests tonight."
"Okay!" Having finished dinner, Helena started to collect the plates and carry them to the sink. "Can you be ready in, say, half-an-hour?"
"I'll be ready."
A short time later, Helena had returned the Hunter's Lair and donned her Huntress costume. She placed the line-launcher harness under her costume this time. Placing a call to the Avenger's Mansion, she had alerted Black Diamond to their impending arrival. All she had to do was wait for her mother to arrive. Unexpectedly, she felt a light tap on her shoulder.
"Boo," Felina softly whispered.
"Geez, don't do that, mother! You startled me. I never heard you come down the stairs."
"So I noticed. I did tell you to expect the unexpected."
"I know, I know..." Turning, Helena found Felina to be wearing a dull black body suit from the neck down. Numerous pockets lined her arms, torso, and legs. A line-launcher similar to the one Helena wore was on Felina's right forearm. "This is your 'Catsuit', I assume?"
"That's right. I've been to many an interesting place wearing this outfit. I figured I should conceal my identity as well if you're going out as the Huntress." Reaching back, Felina pulled the hood into place. All that was left uncovered was her eyes. "There. I'm all ready to go."
"Follow me." The Huntress gestured towards one of the passages branching off from the main workshop. In short order, the two women reached the underground garage where Hunter stored his vehicle.
"I like it," Felina stated appreciatively as she ran her hand along the black corvette. "This would've suited Lane perfectly."
"Seems you both had a fondness for black. Climb on in," the Huntress directed as she slid into the driver's seat. "Wait until you see this baby in action."
Felina complied and buckled herself in. Helena started up the vehicle and revved the engine. The garage door opened at the press of a button. In reality, this door was located in a storage shed along the back of the Estate. It led down a small driveway before merging onto a side street. In short order, the pair were en route to New York City.
"There's one thing I'm curious about," the Huntress casually stated. The pair had reached the city and were moments away from the Avenger's Mansion.
"Just one, dear?"
"Okay, quite a few things, but only one at this moment. Why did Grandma Jenny name you Felina? You have to admit, it's a pretty unusual name."
Felina chuckled slightly. "It was my idea, actually. Felicia is my given name. As I came to learn my catlike abilities, I decided to take on a more catlike name. I just combined feline with Felicia and came up with Felina. It sounded exotic."
"That it does." Gesturing ahead, the Huntress pointed out the Avengers Mansion. Activating the control for the rear gate, the heroine pulled into the mansion. "Here we are."
Felina silently eyed the building as the car came to a stop. Memories from her childhood, from happier times, filled her mind. "It's changed a great deal since the last time I was here."
"It was extensively remodeled when the Avengers took it over, and then everything above ground was rebuilt after the explosion." Shutting the engine off, the Huntress exited the vehicle. Circling around the car, she opened the car door for her mother. "You okay, mom?"
"Just experiencing a few memories. I'll be all right."
"Come on, I'll show you around."
"Hello, Helena", Black Diamond stated as she watched the new arrivals enter via the kitchen entrance. She had noted the rear gate opening on the computer up in her office and came down to greet Helena and her mother. "You must be Felina."
"And you can only be, Black Diamond," Felina noted as she shook the Avengers leader's hand. She was even taller and more attractive in person. Television simply did not do her justice.
"Yes, I am. Please come on in. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Helena tells me that you and Lane were close friends."
"More like he was my mentor," Diamond explained. "A role I've tried to perform for Helena."
Felina accepted the explanation without comment. Lane would have surely been attracted to the heroine. She couldn't help but wonder if they had been more than 'just friends'. Felina tried to put those thoughts out of her mind. Lane was an honorable man. It was doubtful that he would strike up a serious relationship with another woman while they were still married. Still, she couldn't blame him if he had. Nineteen years was a very long time.
Felina looked around as the women walked through the Avengers Mansion. Superficially, it resembled the home she had grown up in, but was unfamiliar in many other ways. "You really can't go home again," Felina lamented to herself.
Black Diamond led a quick tour through the mansion, but only the above ground floors. The majority of the lower-levels were off limits to all but team members.
"Where is everyone?", the Huntress inquired. "I thought the others came back from LA this afternoon?"
"They did,' Diamond explained. "Ben organized a boy's night out to welcome Ranger into the group. As far as I know, only Firestar and I are on base. You mentioned something about testing on the phone?"
"Yes. I want to run mom through the tests you ran on me earlier. From what she's been telling me, she should score even higher than dad."
"That would be impressive," Diamond noted.
"Actually, Lane found it to be rather annoying," Felina added with a smile.
In short order, the trio were in the Combat Simulator. Black Diamond and the Huntress sat up in the control booth while Felina stood patiently in the training area. "The exercise is called 'Strike and Evade'," Diamond explained over the loudspeaker. "The computer will randomly send attacks at you. Your job is to avoid the attacks and strike the target controlling the attack. Hit your target and the attack stops."
"Sounds simple enough," Felina stated. "Ready when you are."
"Go!" Black Diamond activated the program and sat back and watched.
Felina flipped away from a ramrod and struck its associated target with ease. The next half-dozen attacks were evaded and deactivated with incredible precision. "Didn't even break a sweat," Felina noted. "I thought this was supposed to be difficult?"
"Wow...," was all Diamond could say. "I know that was the lowest skill level, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone breeze through the exercise like that." The only person Black Diamond found to be as agile as Felina was Spinnerette of the Guardians.
"Mom said she was quick and agile, faster than Hunter."
"She may very well be right. Her very first attempt placed her in the top five scores for this skill level. I have to say, I'm impressed." Speaking into the microphone, Diamond stated, "I'm going to increase the difficulty level. Go!"
The next hour passed quickly as Felina assaulted all the records for Strike and Evade. She bounced around the exercise area, a whirling-dervish of movement. Using her superior quickness and leaping skills, she kept ahead of the attacks by using the entire exercise area to her advantage. She bounded off the walls and even the ceiling in controlled leaps and dives. The Cat had spent her life refining her skills at avoiding attacks. She almost had a sixth sense when it came to avoiding the obstacles. All Black Diamond and the Huntress could do was watch in awe. The last target was struck and the program deactivated.
Felina bent over, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "I take back what I said," she panted. "That was one of the most intense workouts I've ever had in my life. So how did I do?"
"Mrs. Kirby, not only have you broken every record for this exercise, you actually managed to complete three levels that no one else ever has. You maxed out the program. Currently, there are no levels more difficult than the one you just completed. Your performance was simply incredible."
"Looks like you were right, mom. You blew dad's numbers away."
Felina smiled and bowed deeply towards the observation booth. "Thank you, thank you." She casually exited the exercise area. Reaching a bench, she toweled her face off and emptied her water bottle.
"This pretty much confirms my theory," the Huntress told Black Diamond. Without using the loudspeaker, Felina couldn't hear their words.
"I can see where you're going with this, Helena. You're wondering why you're rating significantly lower than your parents."
"Yes. I'm beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with me."
Diamond could only sympathize with the young heroine. Helena had always strived to be so much like her father, but was falling well short in raw physical ability. "The results are coming in now. Your mother has a power rating of 1.3. Nothing exceptional there."
"That's about what I would have guessed," the Huntress noted. "Agility is the big one as far as I'm concerned."
The agility rating come up on the screen and even Black Diamond did a double take. "13.5! That's unheard of!"
"Unreal," was all the Huntress could say. She had rated a mere 5.25 while her father a 8.1. If her father's agility was superhuman, then her mother's was positively ungodly.
After a time, Black Diamond spoke. "I have a suggestion, provided you are willing."
"I'm listening."
"I know about your dislike of Sanctuary, but all the Avengers have had medical examinations performed there. The primary purpose is to build a medical record in case of emergency treatment. As a member of the team, you are required to do this. I'll probably have Muskateer take you and Ranger there next week."
"I think I see what you're getting at," Helena interrupted. "They already have a medical profile for dad, so they would be able to compare my results to his."
"Exactly. And if you can talk her into it, your mother as well. Perhaps Dr. Marin can figure out what's going by comparing all three of you?"
"It seems like a logical course of action," the Huntress conceded. From a legal standpoint, she was leery of Sanctuary. After all, they were considered to be their own sovereign nation, answerable to no single authority. Should the people in charge become too caught up in their own power, Sanctuary could be an accident waiting to happen.
With a heavy sigh, the Huntress rose from her seat and departed the control booth. Getting her mother to agree shouldn't be a problem. It would give Felina the opportunity to visit with her own mother, who had retired to Sanctuary when Helena left for college. Perhaps the doctors on Sanctuary would be able to figure out what was wrong with Helena. If they didn't, then the Huntress was only going to be a second-rate super when compared to her own parents. It was not a pleasant prospect for Helena to face...
