The Heist-

"Framed for a crime they didn’t commit, Maj General Kawallis, Mari, Nico and Sir Percival are forced to steal sensitive information to clear their names.  However, Lt. General Morelli is determined to put them all in prison."

The Heist is the 3rd Story Arc of the revived 2021 version of Mari Solinski and The Wonder Kitty taking place after the events of The Prisoner Agenda. It was co-written by J.L. Barrera who helped with the premise and helped plot out the story.

Original Run 2021
The Heist was originally ran beginning on 6 August 2021 in the Academy High School LION GAZETTE as the first story arc of the 2021-2022 School and is, thus, the first totally new story since 2016. It takes place a few months after The Prisoner Agenda at a point where Mari and Niko are are more settled into their work but are still seeing the emergence of new powers.

The Heist was announced in the 30 July 2021 issue of THE LION GAZETTE.

Plot
The story opens at the offices of THE LION GAZETTE where Security Chief Charlie Murphy is assisting Zandra Marie Niko and Mari Ashley Solinski with a particularly large volume of mail resulting from a three-day weekend. Mari calls out Niko for brazenly flirting with Charlie leading Niko to realize she actually was doing so and seems to have developed some feelings for him citing Charlie's more regular visits to the mailroom. Mari disapproves because she feels it is interfering with their work. Niko laments the relationship to which Mari recommends they go to a new restaurant, Boo's Bistro to get he mind off her overthinking. Niko is, however, not cheered up citing that they only have a 30 minute lunch. This prompts a strange reaction from Mari who, after noting Mr. Larkin said they could do "reporter stuff" and go to lunch when they finished, seemingly delivers the mail so swiftly that it is completely delivered by the end of Niko's sentence causing some shock. The agree that Major General Kawallis should be informed.

Meanwhile, Major General Kawallis was receiving a morning briefing from his new British Exchange Officer, Flight Lieutenant Percival Forbes-Smyth who was attached to LION SQUAD after their recent adventure in Europe. Major General Kawallis offered Forbes-Smyth command of Wrangler Squadron to which Forbes-Smyth initially had concerns. In the end Forbes-Smyth accepted the commander after discussing some personal issues with the General.

As Mari and Niko excited entered the General's office, the morning briefing indicated several items of interest including the fact that Major General Kawallis was being sent to inspect an installation at the South Pole and that Organization ORKO was collecting artifacts from the time of the Bronze Age. This, however, was interrupted by the exchange of insults and words between Mari and Niko and Flight Lieutenant Forbes-Smyth.

Major General Kawallis admonished the trio for their behaviors and pointed out that Lt. General Morelli had called for Mari and Niko to receive more training and that Dr. Harvey Lemmeck, of the South Polar facility had recommend that they take their findings about Mari and Niko's powers to a Dr. Willoway Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs is an old aquantience of Major General Kawallis from his days with the F.D.I. Dr. Jacobs is initially unwilling to entertain Major General Kawallis' requests, however, Dr. Jacobs relents when he realizes that Mari, Niko and the General will not leave until he hears them out. Jacobs agrees to help once he discovers that the three have months worth of data his supercomputer, Odysseus van process. As they leave, Dr. Jacobs and Odysseus decide to make a copy of the data for their own purposes.

Upon leaving Texas A&M University's Manning Hall, they are confronted by General Morelli who learned of his whereabouts from CMSgt Barker. Morelli is pushing for Mari and Niko to get more training, Major General Kawallis explains that the two had been rated as Public Affairs Technicians, however, Niko notices a butterfly and begins to try to catch it as it lands on Major General Kawallis' service cap. Embarrassed by Niko's unmilitary behavior, Major General Kawallis agrees to having them trained in military protocol while he is in Antarctica inspecting a research installation.

Major General Kawallis informs the trio of Mari, Percy and Niko that he is leaving for Antarctica and that he will be out of communication with them for the duration. Percy will be left in command of the base and indicates that her would look after the two girls.

The next week unfolds with Mari and Niko going to their jobs at The Lion Gazette in the mornings and attending training at Seeligson A.F.B. in the evenings. On the Wednesday of that week Dr. Lola Alotta informs the girls that there is a major journalism opportunity at the KINGSVILLE Museum of Science and History. The girls will get an exclusive look at a rare artifact, the Idrissa Stone, before any other reporters provided that can visit the museum on the Friday. This plan is put into jeopardy as Mari and Niko are forced into some training activity which would interfere with the museum visit. Mari is confident that they can do both.

When Friday arrives, Mari and Niko, who are ordered to purchase some ABU Battle Dress Uniforms, arrive at Texas A&M University Kingsville to receive some special training. This training consists of a dress down from a a former US Army Drill Instructor which General Morelli has transferred to the US Air Force and promoted to the rank of Major, Major Hardcastle. Percy, who is relishing in the girls misfortune, is flabbergasted when Mari and Niko use their powers to mitigate the the behaviors Major Hardcastle was using against them. This prompts Percy to further investigate Mari and Niko via the official files that Major General Kawallis left him.

Mari and Niko, with little time to spare, finally make it to the museum minutes before closing time. There they interact with the museum's curator who agrees to show them the mystical stone. Mari is unimpressed as Niko remains focused on gathering materials for her news story. For a brief minute, Mari enters a trance and begins speaking in a strange manner causing Niko to ask if she is ok. The Curator also begins to behave strangely and pulls out a device with causes Mari and Niko to call instantly unconscious.

The Curator turns out to be an agent of Organization ORKO, Roger Ratnik who is a noted thief. He makes off with the Idrissa Stone and leaves Mari and Niko behind to take the blame. Ratnick tips off the Military Authorities about the heist implicating Mari and Niko. Thus, when they awake the next day, Lt. General and a small unit of Military Police arrest the two and take them to Seeligson Air Force Base for questioning.

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Charlie Murphy
 * Mari Solinski
 * Zandra Marie Niko
 * Flight Lieutenant Percival Forbes-Smyth
 * Major General Joseph E. Kawallis, USAF
 * CMSgt Lewis Barker
 * Dr. Willoway Jacobs
 * Odysseus
 * Lt. General John F. Morelli, USA
 * Dr. Lola Alotta
 * Peggy O'Shea