Catwoman #62 (1998)

Catwoman is in her fence Starkey's office, but the man behind his desk isn't Starkey, though he appears to be. She has worked with Starkey for a year, and in that time, he's never been this polite. The man agrees and reveals himself to be Nemesis. Starkey is drugged but safe. Oracle told Nemesis to contact Catwoman through Starkey and to use her name to smooth his way. Nemesis and Oracle worked together in the Suicide Squad. This has nothing to do with the Squad, however. Nemesis is here on personal business. Nemesis's acquaintance Benton went missing while on C.B.I. business, and he thinks he's gone too deep undercover. The mark was an international jewel fence named Mr. Stone, so Nemesis wants to go undercover as a jewel thief. He knows he can only pull that off with help from the best. Catwoman is unwilling until Nemesis bets her that they can complete the mission in two days. If they can't, he'll impersonate anyone she wants for a goal of her specification, but if they can, he wants her real name. Catwoman asks what's to keep her from lying, and he replies, "Not a thing." They shake hands. Catwoman teaches Nemesis breaking and entering as well as safecracking, then quizzes him on gems. She takes off her mask during the last lesson, and Nemesis says it takes an impressive woman to let her guard down. Catwoman pulls her mask back up and angrily tells him she never lets her guard down. She tells him the bet is off and storms out, but when she goes to buy a ticket back to Gotham, she learns that she can't because the Gotham airport is only semi-operational. She decides to stay the extra day in London anyway. She decides to go check on Nemesis, who is disguised as "Mr. Tress." Stone challenges him to open a safe as Catwoman watches with binoculars from a distance. Nemesis appears to struggle, but he quickly manages the task. Stone goes upstairs to get a set of blueprints with his henchmen Nick and Simon, and Nemesis approaches Benton and reveals his identity to assure him that he really is with the C.B.I. Nemesis then learns that Benton left the C.B.I. deliberately when Benton pulls his gun on him and declares he isn't going back. Their standoff ends when Stone and his henchmen return, and Nemesis goes to fight his way out. Catwoman jumps in to help. Nemesis is killed, however, and as he dies, Catwoman confides that her name is Selina. Stone demands to know what is going on, and Catwoman tells him that Benton is a C.B.I. double agent who only pretended to defect while continuing to report in. Catwoman adds that "Tom Tress" was a former C.B.I. agent who came to warn him about Benton. Benton denies it. Stone is somewhat suspicious of Catwoman's involvement until she says she came as a surprise. Tress thought she could help Stone out after Benton was exposed, but she isn't interested now that she's seen how he runs his operation. She leaves. Three gunshots ring out once she's on the grounds, and she tearfully notes that crime had a nemesis and she had a friend.