The Ishioka Museum of Costume Design in Queens: it's nighttime as the Black Cat and two of her Black Cats, Jin and Lina stand with Bailey, who is now dressed in one of the Black Cat’s jackets. Black Cat has some strange green jewels over three of her claws, and remarks 'So, my pretties... what do you think? You had over my girls and I give you back your friend here, safe as houses. Fair deal, n'est-ce-pas?'
'I don't like this, Pats' Jubilee tells Patsy Walker a.k.a. Hellcat, who agrees. She thinks that something is up. 'Magic?' Ian, sporting his new costume, suggests. 'Possibly' Hellcat agrees, while Ari and Zoe of the Black Cats stand nearby. 'Sorry. Did we miss something? What magic?' the aggressive Zoe snaps. 'Watch and learn, kittens' Felicia Hardy a.k.a. the Black Cat smirks, before she whispers something into Bailey's ear. 'You got it, boss' Bailey replies.
'Bailey, whatever she's done to you, I can -' Hellcat calls out, but Bailey leaps towards Hellcat and tells her to save her breath, as she will need it for whimpering. 'Cut it out! We're your friends!' Hellcat cries, while Ian puts Bailey into a telekinetic hold, letting her hover over them. 'Nuh-uh, y'all. I'm out!' Ari exclaims as she rushes away. 'Wait for me!' Zoe calls out as she runs alongside her. 'Jin?' Black Cat asks. 'I'm on it!' Jin replies. She opens her jacket and sees several knives stashed inside it. 'Ladies first' Jin declares, while Ian calls out to Bailey, asking her to listen to him. 'It's Attache!' Bailey calls back, referencing her codename. 'Fine! Attache, since when do you play for the dark side?' Ian asks. 'Maybe I wanted to be on the winning team for once!' Bailey exclaims, breaking through Ian's telekinetic hold and kicking him in the face, knocking him backwards.
Hellcat leaps onto Bailey and forces her to the ground, telling her that they are trying to help her. 'And look how well you're doing' Bailey snarls. 'Catch!' Jin calls out as she throws two knives towards Jubilee and Hellcat. 'Yowza!' Jubilee utters as she switches to a cloud form, allowing the knife to pass through her. 'Hey, be careful with those – things' Bailey exclaims, when suddenly, 'Oh' Hellcat utters, realizing that one of the knifes has lodged into her right shoulder.
'That was rude' Hellcat remarks, dropping to her knees. Jubilee and Ian both call out to their friend, then look at each other. 'You wanna?' Jubilee asks. 'Yes, let's' Ian agrees, as they start to fight the Black Cats, with Jubilee knocking Jin back, and Ian using his telekinesis to push Bailey and Lina backwards. Jin tries to kick Jubilee, but she switches into her cloud form once again, while the Black Cat walks over to Hellcat and asks her if she is having fun yet.
'Five by five, Felicia. Wait til I'm warmed up' Patsy responds. 'Ah, so you do remember me' Felicia remarks. 'You're not the same person I knew' Patsy points out. 'Time makes strangers of us all, doesn't it?' Black Cat declares, before offering to help Patsy up – which she does so by grabbing on the knife and pulling Patsy to her feet. Patsy cries out in pain, but puts on a brave face, before asking Felicia why she is here. 'Why not flit around Europe holding up quaint little galleries or moon over Spider-Man?' she asks. 'I do not moon' the Black Cat frowns. 'You, however...' she begins, before holding up one of her clawed fingers covered by the green jewels, and lunges towards Patsy, who ducks, then leaps behind the Black Cat, and wraps her arm around the Black Cat's neck. Black Cat struggles to break free, but Patsy pulls the knife from her shoulder and, forcing Black Cat to the ground, holds the knife to her face. 'Give it up, BC. Whatever you're doing to them, call it off' Hellcat instructs her.
Suddenly, Bailey grabs her magical bag and shouts 'Keep your claws away from my friends!!!!' as she opens the bag, and Hellcat is sucked inside. 'Where did...' the Black Cat asks as she walks over to Bailey, Jin and Lina. 'We took care of 'em, boss' Jin announces. 'Just like you asked. Nice and tidy' Bailey adds. 'Well, aren't you three industrious' Black Cat smiles.
There is darkness all around, but Patsy's voice can be heard: 'Where am I? I swear, if I'm in Hell again, I'm going to be so ticked!' There is a faint light as Ian uses his cellphone and announces 'We must be, 'cause I've got no reception in here. I bet Hell has terrible wifi!' Ian exclaims. Hellcat is pleased to see Ian, and Jubilee makes herself known. 'And vampy makes three. Looks like they got all of us' she points out. They stand up and look at several objects floating around them – a hat, tools, an old computer, a car, a chair and so on. Hellcat holds her wound with one hand and the knife with the other as she remarks 'Bailey did this, didn't she?' 'Sucked us into her carry-on!' Ian exclaims. Jubilee remarks that the vampire thing can be kind of a bust, but that the night vision sure comes in handy.
'Speaking of...' Jubilee begins, as she picks up the smell of Hellcat's blood. 'You're injured' Jubilee points out. 'Oh, yeah. I got stabbed' Patsy replies. 'Oy my God, you did. Oh my God, are you okay?' Ian asks. Jubilee asks Ian to see if he can find any lights that work. 'I'm pretty clear in here, but -' Jubilee begins. 'I'm on it' the slightly frantic Ian replies as he rushes off to find some lights. 'It's okay' Hellcat tells her friends. Jubilee smiles as she examines Hellcat's wound and tells her that she is all “bleedy” everywhere. 'An unfortunate side effect of throwing knives, if you can believe it' Hellcat points out. Jubilee asks to have a closer look, but as she moves in closer, Hellcat smacks her away: 'Hey! No biting!' she tells her. 'Ah! Sorry! I'm hungry!' Jubilee declares. Ian returns, using his telekinesis to hold two lanterns which make the area much brighter. 'I swear, I leave you both alone for two seconds and you're playing Louis and Lestat' he remarks. 'She started it!' Hellcat and Jubilee declare in unison, both pointing at each other.
Ian asks Patsy if she is going to be okay and suggests they get her wound bandaged up. 'Yes, I'm fine! I've got it under control!' Jubilee claims, turning away from the others. She dives into a pile of objects nearby and tells the others they should try and get out of here before dinnertime. Ian asks Patsy if Jubilee hurt her, to which Patsy tells him that the girl working for Black Cat did, caught her off guard. She adds that she didn't figure they would have weapons. Ian remarks that it is not their style and adds that he knew those girls, as Zoe always brought them around, and they talked a big game, liked to cause trouble and mess around, but they didn't hurt people – not like that anyway. 'That tracks' Hellcat replies, explaining that she sensed something, right when they all showed up – Black Cat has some kind of mind control. 'Guess she didn't trust the help' Hellcat supposes.
Jubilee returns with some equipment, including a first aid kit: 'Nurse Jubes to the rescue' she grins. 'No sampling the product' Hellcat warns her. 'Scout's honor' Jubilee assures Hellcat as she puts a mask on over her mouth. Patsy sits on a reclining chair and Jubilee and Ian are on either side of her. Ian asks 'How bad is it?' Patsy tells him that it doesn't tickle, and that she has had worse. Jubilee points out that Patsy is lucky, as she could have severed a tendon. Hellcat watches as Jubilee starts to patch up her wound and asks her if she has done this before. 'I lived in the X-Mansion and I've got a toddler – not much I can't patch up' Jubilee replies, before asking Patsy if she can change out of the costume. Hellcat attempts to have her costume vanish but it doesn't work in this realm. 'Too bad. Guess I'll just have to stare at all that blood' Jubilee replies. Patsy asks her to hurry.
Jubilee asks Hellcat and Ian if they think Black Cat has got her groupies and Bailey under a spell. 'How'd she swing that?' she wonders as she starts to bandage Patsy's shoulder. 'Not sure' Patsy replies, adding that she knows it is powerful. She wonders if it is borrowed magic, or some allegiance they don't know about. 'Or she's just paying them really well' Jubilee suggests. 'I don't think so' Patsy announces as she gets to her feet once Jubilee completes bandaging her shoulder. 'Kidding' Jubilee remarks, adding that she trusts Patsy's cat-sense, before asking what they do. 'We're not much good in here' she points out. Ian looks around and tells the others that he wished he had a sense of how this place works, as it doesn't make sense. Hellcat informs the others that she thinks Bailey is the only person who can control it, revealing to them that the first time she and Bailey fought, Bailey disappeared inside the bag and used it to teleport. 'What? You never told me that! That's so cool!' Ian exclaims. 'It was a royal pain when it happened' Patsy replies.
'So, what, we gotta wait until she needs a cough drop?' Jubilee asks. Hellcat points out that Bailey has to open it again at some point, as she uses it for everything, and when she does, they will find a way out. Jubilee suggests that she can do the mist thing, and Ian declares that he can fly. 'Man, you two have the best powers' Hellcat tells her friends. Ian holds up some popcorn and bags of potato chips, grinning, he tells the others that their girl Bailey may be playing for the black hats right now, but that she keeps some quality snacks in here, so they won't starve. Jubilee looks down at her stomach as it grumbles, 'Yeah... about that. You don't suppose she keeps a fridge full of blood anywhere in here, do you?' she asks the others. 'Umfh, no' Ian replies. 'Whuf-ohf' Patsy adds as they both shove food into their mouths. Jubilee hangs her head as she explains that she keeps a supply at home, and she rushed her son to the babysitter without grabbing dinner. Her eyes glow and she bares her sharp teeth as she tells Hellcat and Ian that they won't like her when she is hungry.
In the Black Cat's lair, Felicia sits on her throne while Bailey, Jin and Lina stand around it, all with their arms folded, eyes covered by masks and looking very unhappy. 'Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in' Black Cat remarks as Zoe and Ari stand before her. 'Hoo boy. I, uh, bet you never get tired of that one' Zoe tells her. 'Cool it, would you?' Ari whispers to her friend as she nudges her elbow into her. Black Cat remarks that Zoe and Ari found their way back to her, and that she is glad to see it. Somewhat nervously, Zoe explains that they took off, as things looked a little hairy. 'That is to say, you were handling it. Um, what's the hostage doing here?' Zoe adds. 'You run away, show up late and ask so many questions. That's all right, though – you've caught me in a very forgiving mood' the Black Cat tells the girls as she holds up her jewel-covered fingers. 'What are those?' Ari asks. Black Cat answers by slashing Ari with the green jewels, causing her to drop to the floor.
'Ari!' Zoe calls out to her friend. 'I was so hoping you'd bring her to me. She's brilliant, you know' Black Cat remarks. Zoe rushes over and holds Ari, while Black Cat declares that, all the same, she is a completist, and needs the whole set. 'Air, come on! Get up!' Zoe calls out, but gets no response. She suddenly goes wide-eyed as the Black Cat rakes her claws across Zoe's own back. Zoe falls forward as the Black Cat announces that she is going to need all of them to finish the next step, and reveals that they are going to track down all of Patsy's little lackeys. 'Think of those powerful young people like yourselves, doing menial labor... when they could be working for me' Black Cat remarks, as Zoe looks over her shoulder and sees the shredded back of her jacket.
Back inside the bag:
'Is this really necessary?' Jubilee asks, a motorcycle helmet covering her head. 'In a perfect world, no' Hellcat replies, while Ian tells Jubilee not to be upset, and explains that they just like their blood in their bodies. 'And these?' Jubilee asks, holding up large oven mittens which cover her hands. 'When we get out of here, I'll show you a photo of my eighth-grade haircut' Patsy replies. Jubilee accepts these terms. Hellcat tells her friends that they know they are stuck in here until the bag reopens, which could be at any minute, so the second they see light, Ian needs to try and levitate them out of here – or at least block the entrance. 'No problem' Ian smiles. Jubilee points out that it would be easier if they were closer to the top, so to speak. Patsy agrees, and and tells her friends 'Let's go!' as they start to stack objects on top of other objects.
As they do so, Jubilee asks Hellcat what she thinks the Black Cat is after. 'Normally I'd say money or material goods, but this time I just don't know' Hellcat replies. 'Magic, entrapment, espionage... not her usual wheelhouse?' Jubilee asks. 'Stealing and seducing are generally her go-tos' Hellcat explains, wondering if Felicia got bored and is having a midlife crisis. 'Don't be catty – wait. Nope. I did not just say that' Ian exclaims. The trio climb higher on more and more objects, 'Hey, that's my good pen!' Patsy calls out as she discovers her pen. 'Theft's back on the menu, then?' Jubilee asks. Patsy tells Jubilee that she thinks Bailey took this, and declares that she is in so much trouble. 'After I save her life' Patsy adds. Struggling to climb the tower made from the objects while wearing the mitts, Jubilee switches to her cloud form: 'Meet you at the top!' she exclaims. 'Hey, that's cheating! Those are for your protection! And mine!' Hellcat calls out. 'Last one there's a rotten Skrull!' Ian jokes as he flies past Patsy. 'You guys!' Patsy calls out.
Meanwhile, at 68 Jay Street, Black Cat, Bailey and the other girls stand outside Jubilee's “office” - the storage room – and Bailey explains that Patsy has all the records and contracts. Black Cat asks if they are encrypted, to which Bailey reveals that Patsy can barely use emoji, and suggests they try “Password123”. Zoe announces that she will double-check Hellcat's office, in case they missed anything the first time. 'Good thinking' Black Cat tells her, instructing her to be quick. Black Cat, Lina, Jin and Ari enter the storage room, and Bailey is about to follow them, when suddenly: 'Bailey? It's Bailey, right?' a voice calls out. Bailey puts her back to the wall and removes her mask, turning to see Tom Hale, she responds 'You're Ian's... boss' she remarks. 'And then some' Tom tells her, adding that Tom and Patsy are why he is here – he can't get hold of either of them. 'Have you tried texting? I know I hate making actual phone calls' Bailey suggests. Zoe peers around a corner and watches as Tom tells Bailey that nothing goes through, and that he went around to their place and nobody was there. He adds that Ian was supposed to meet him hours ago – they had a date.
'Well, why don't you come in and grab a coffee? See if they've left a message?' Bailey suggests. Tom smiles, 'Yeah, sure, thanks!' he replies as he enters the storage room. 'A date?' Zoe asks, troubled. Suddenly, 'What are you doing?' Tom gasps as the Black Cat lunges at him with her jeweled claws, but misses him. Bailey and Lina grab Tom and try to push him back towards the Black Cat. 'Come now, Tom! We can help you find what you're looking for!' Lina tells him. 'Grab his legs!' Ari calls out, while Tom asks them to get off of him, and tells them that they are nuts. Jin goes over and grabs Tom as the Black Cat remarks 'My, my. So many people in Patsy's life' before telling Tom that she could really use a man of his stature. 'I'm sure you don't get this much, but you're not my type' Tom tells the Black Cat. 'No? Bet I could change your mind' Black Cat smirks. 'It doesn't work that way, honey. Believe me' Tom tells her. 'Au contraire' Black Cat utters as she holds up her jeweled fingers, then swipes them across Tom's chest.
'No!' Zoe exclaims from where she is watching at the corner of the hall. 'Excuse me?' the Black Cat frowns as she and the other girls quickly turn to Zoe and frown. 'Uh... there's... um... nothing in the office. We got it all last time' Zoe claims. 'Not to worry. We got more than we came for' Black Cat remarks, before asking Attache if she has anything they can use as a weapon. 'Certainly. I've got -' Bailey begins as she opens her bag – but an instant later, Hellcat, Ian and Jubilee leap from it. 'The pun feels a little obvious, so I'll just ask – miss me?' Hellcat grins. 'And people say you can never find what you're looking for in a purse that size' Hellcat jokes, while Jubilee covers her eyes and tells everyone that it is bright out here, before Ian asks 'What are they doing at the office?' Suddenly, Tom wraps his arms around Ian. 'Hello, lover' he smiles. 'I missed you!' Tom suddenly shouts, under Black Cat's influence as he pushes Ian towards Hellcat. Jubilee has switched to her cloud form and darts away as Tom, Black Cat and the girls loom over Hellcat and Ian. '...Tom?' Ian calls out.
Black Cat laughs as she and the girls start to walk away. Black Cat announces that they needn't concern themselves with them, as they have bigger fish to fry. 'Catch you later, peaches. Don't wait up' Tom calls out to Ian as he walks behind the Black Cat. 'Tom! Wait!' Ian calls out, leaping to his feet. Hellcat holds her friend back, telling him that there are too many of them, and Black Cat has Tom under whatever spell got Bailey. 'We need a plan' Hellcat points out. 'It's the claws' Zoe announces as she steps out from behind the corner. 'Zoe? I swear, I'll -' Ian begins, but Patsy holds him back. She goes over to Zoe and realizes that there is no magic here. 'She didn't get you' Patsy declares. Zoe seems genuine as she tells Hellcat that they can fight, if she wants, or she can tell her what the Black Cat took and where she is going with it. Looking at Ian, Zoe adds that she knows how to break the spell. 'Jubes? Can we use your espresso machine? I have a feeling it's going to be a long night' Hellcat calls out, as Jubilee is in her office, drinking some blood, and, elsewhere, Black Cat puts a jacket on a masked Tom Hale.
