Quinn
entered the office to find the principal busy with paperwork.
“Ms.
Morgendorffer?” she asked.
Quinn
placed a copy of the Lowdown on her desk. “I’m sure you’re aware of the
article quoting me saying something about Kevin Thompson.”
“I
knew you would come here today, once I read the Lowdown.”
“I’d
like you to allow Ted to print a retraction.”
“That
is a massive step, Ms. Morgendorffer. Are you sure?” Li asked.
“Of
course I’m sure.”
“Give
me a reason why?”
Quinn
leaned forwards. “Because there are likely false rumors spreading and Daria and
I might tell our mother that you’re allowing libelous articles to be
published.”
The
Principal looked annoyed. “Fine! I will allow Mr. Dewit-Clinton to print a
retraction. As far as I know, the Lowdown has never printed a retraction
before!”
“There’s
a first time for everything,” Quinn said as she turned to leave.
Angela
thought after Quinn left, and grabbed the Lowdown. She re-read the
article. ‘I can see how that can be misinterpreted,’ she thought and switched
on the PA system. “Ted Dewit-Clinton, please report to the Principal’s office.”
Daria
heard the principal call Ted to her office as she got her food. ‘I guess Quinn
managed to get her to print a retraction,’ she thought.
She
approached the usual table to find Jane Lane and Sandi starring daggers at each
other. ‘But what else is new,’ she thought. Harry wasn’t there yet and she saw
that Tania Ashworth was sitting with her usual friends on the other side of the
cafeteria.
“Hey,
Daria,” Jane said.
Daria
sat down next to Jane and across from Sandi. “A lot of interesting things
today.”
“Do
tell,” Jane prompted.
“Oh,
you know, the attention that SpiderGirl is getting in the media.”
“I
was out for a run when Anders made her announcement, but Trent told me later,”
Jane responded.
“It
seems that you have running at night a lot lately,” Sandi commented.
“What’s
that supposed to mean?” Jane asked with an annoyed tone.
“That,
like, it’s dangerous,” Sandi responded.
“There
hasn’t been that much crime in my neighborhood,” Jane said with a shrug.
“Besides, it helps keep my mind off recent experiences.”
“I
suppose,” Sandi said.
“Anyway,”
Daria said. “And then there is the Sun-Herald questioning her
motivation.”
“I
read it,” Sandi said. “Why they are focusing on her, I don’t know.”
“The
article did mention her partnership with Ninja Talon,” Jane said.
“That’s
a good point. But it only mentioned the remaining three in passing, which I
suppose is just as well,” Daria said.
“Good,”
Jane said.
“I
agree,” Sandi said.
‘I’m
sure that the Enigma will remain the ‘fourth vigilante’ to most for now,’ Daria
thought with a brief glance at Sandi. ‘But still, all this attention on
SpiderGirl isn’t good.’
Harry
arrived at the table to see the three discussing the media attention SpiderGirl
was getting. ‘That’s not surprising,’ he thought as he sat next to Sandi and
across from Jane.
“I
heard about Quinn and Kevin.”
“Quinn
was about to talk to Ted about that when I left the Lowdown office
earlier,” Daria said. “I’m sure she has already talked to Li about it.”
“But
I’ve already heard many rumors,” Harry said.
“Like,
I’m sure Tori is already hard at work quashing them,” Sandi said.
“Of
course.”
At
the same time, Ted arrived at the principal’s office.
“I’m
sure you know why I called you here.”
“Yes.
I messed up a little and didn’t read Jamie’s article thoroughly,” Ted admitted.
“I
thought it was something like that, Mr. Dewit-Clinton. That is part of the
reason why I’m allowing you to print a retraction as Ms. Morgendorffer
requested. But I expect you to have due diligence in future. Do I make myself
clear?”
“Absolutely
Ms. Li.”
“Good.
That is all.”
Kevin
entered the cafeteria as he heard Ms. Li call Jamie to his office. ‘I wonder
what that’s about,’ he thought as he looked around for Quinn.
“Uh
oh!” Tori said. “Kevin at Three O’clock.”
Quinn
looked and saw him coming over. “But you’ve been countering the rumors, right?”
“Of
course,” Tori answered.
“Hey,
Quinn?” Kevin said.
“No!
Kevin!” Quinn said, as she stood up. “Whatever you might have read, or heard, I
don’t think you’re cute.”
“But
didn’t Jamie say in the Lowdown that…” Kevin began, but Quinn
interrupted.
“He
did say something, but he got it wrong,” Quinn said.
“Wrong?”
Kevin asked in his usual dumbfounded manner.
“I’m
not interested in you that way,” Quinn answered.
“But
why would it be in the paper if it’s wrong?” Kevin asked.
“Because
Jamie wasn’t careful and neither was Ted,” Tori answered.
“I
guess so, but Quinn, you want to go to Chez Pierre tomorrow night?” Kevin
asked, with his stupid grin.
“What
did I just say?” Quinn asked.
“But
you go to Chez Pierre with a lot of guys,” Kevin insisted.
“Not
recently,” Quinn said.
“Oh.”
“So,
no,” Quinn said. “See you later.”
“Sure,”
Kevin said as he turned away.
Stacy
watched Kevin walk away. “I’m not sure that you convinced him, Quinn,” she
said.
Quinn
sighed. “I know.”
“I’ll
keep saying that you don’t like him that way,” Tori added.
“Thanks.”
“Looks
like, Kevin just tried to ask her out,” Sandi commented.
“I’m
not sure that he got the message,” Daria said.
Jane
shrugged. “Maybe she needs to be more forceful.
“Probably,”
Daria said.
Jamie
arrived at the Principal’s office.
“Come
in, Mr. White.”
“Am
I in trouble?”
“You
could say that. I just have had to allow a retraction for the Lowdown
for the first time in Lawndale High’s history, as far as I know.”
“Oh.”
“You
misattributed Ms. Morgendorffer, Mr. White.”
“I
know that now.”
“And
I also hear that you want to do an interview with SpiderGirl,” the principal
said.
Jamie
nodded.
The
principal lowered her voice. “That is something I will allow, if you can pull
it off.”
“Really?”
Jamie asked in surprise.
“Yes.
Think of the honor and glory for Lawnda-ale High.”
‘Of
course,’ Jamie thought.
After
school, Quinn entered the library to find Angie Zammit waiting.
“I
heard that Kevin asked you out,” Angie said as she opened her history textbook.
“I
said that I don’t want to go out with him,” Quinn responded as she sat at the
table.
“But
did he get that message?”
“I’m
not sure,” Quinn said with uncertainty. She knew that she had her work cut out
for her there. ‘But what else is new?’
“Where
were we?” Angie asked.
“Up
to the early ‘70’s, with the Watergate scandal.”
“Got
it.”
“You
may see some relevance there,” Quinn said.
“Persistence
of investigative journalism,” Angie considered.
“But
this is different. If Mayor Lawson is taking bribes from Osborn I’d want to
know about it.”
“But?”
“I
wouldn’t want the Shadow, or Dafoanairi to be unmasked by a journalist,” Quinn
said.
“I’m
still not sure that the additional vigilantes are a good thing,” Angie said as
she turned to the relevant page.
At
the same time, Daria and Sandi changed to Dafoanairi and the Enigma on the
school roof. “A long day,” Dafoanairi commented.
“Like,
I did my part in quashing the rumors, but I didn’t expect to be doing so,” the
Engima said.
“I
thank you for that, although I know you still don’t like Quinn.”
“Quinn
doesn’t deserve that hanging over her head. Besides, Brittany just broke up
with him. It’s too soon for him to be chasing after others.”
“That’s
true,” Dafoanairi said.
“But
anyway, we need to focus on what Anders might do to try to get an interview
with SpiderGirl.”
Dafoanairi
looked out over the town. “Knowing her stunts, she would probably try to stage
something to draw SpiderGirl out.”
“And
therefore us out too?”
“Exactly.
And that is what we’re going to look out for this afternoon.”
“You’ll
be at the Historia this evening?” the Engima asked.
“Yes.
Another rehearsal before tomorrow nights performance of Tempest. I have
to figure out how to work with Brittany’s sprain.”
“I’m
sure you will figure it out.’
“Thanks,”
Dafoanairi said. “But if Anders was to pull off a stunt, where in town would it
be?” She looked around, from the Giant Strawberry, to the Historia, to one of
the apartment complexes in Lawndale Flats, and then back to the Lawndale Mall.
‘Either there or Cranberry Commons.’
“I’ll
try downtown.”
“And
I’ll try the Lawndale Mall.”
“Why
there?” the Enigma asked.
“Easier
to keep cover as one approaches.”
“Good
point.”
The
Enigma reached the Historia first. She took out her portable radio and waited.
“Now, where would Lynn Anders be?”
She
then looked down on the street, and saw Lynn Anders enter the Historia. ‘Too
bad Dafoanairi headed to the Mall,’ she thought. ‘But maybe she’ll be needed
there.’
“Lynn
Anders?” Stacy asked as she saw the TV host approach the counter.
“That’s
me. I’m sure you heard about my announcement last night, about SpiderGirl?”
“Yes,
but why ask here?”
“Because,
SpiderGirl is often seen here, including last week when that girl, Jane, was
abducted,” Anders answered.
“Actually,
it was Ninja Talon, Dafoanairi and the fourth.”
“Maybe,
but SpiderGirl comes here. In fact, I’m certain that her secret identity is a
regular.”
“I’m
certain she would be. But I have no idea who she might be,” Stacy said, trying
to not let her usual anxiety show.
“Maybe
you don’t. But I could use this place to observe.”
Sandi
entered the café and heard Anders say that she could use the Historia to
observe. ‘Then I’ll keep an eye on you,’ she thought. ‘Another reason Daria and
I need two way radios.’ She sighed and went up to the counter behind Anders.
“Are
you going to order anything?” Stacy asked Anders as she saw Sandi line up
behind her.
“Just
an ordinary coffee,” Anders said. “I’d like to know how an anxious girl became
a barista.”
“I
may be anxious, but I’m capable,” Stacy retorted as she input Anders’ order
into the register.
“Or
it’s nepotism.”
Stacy
ignored that and just gave Anders the price of her order.
“You
handled that well, Stacy,” Sandi said.
“Amazing
what one can do when they’re not in an oppressive club!” Stacy said with
annoyance. “Now, can I take your order?”
“A
latte. What do you think Anders is up to? Trying to get an interview with
SpiderGirl?”
“Just
as well I know you’re working with Daria to solve the mysteries.”
“Yes.
And?” Sandi prompted.
“I’m
not sure, and it’s the same with Jamie.”
“Don’t
get me started about Jamie.”
“I
did hear that you were trying to quash the rumors,” Stacy said, before giving
Sandi the price of her order.
Dafoanairi
arrived at the Lawndale Mall, which seemed rather normal. ‘Of course it does,’
she thought as she looked through one of the skylights. However, she then saw
something. Some of the shoppers were running from something. She looked and saw
that it was some kind of robotic pterodactyl. ‘More weird things in Lawndale!’
she thought as she went to the closest door downwards.
Sandi
was waiting for her order, and occasionally looking at Anders, when she heard
the news on the radio. “A robot pterodactyl is causing havoc in the Lawndale
Mall. Dafoanairi has responded.”
‘Robot
pterodactyl!’ Sandi thought. ‘But I’m sure that Daria would find who’s
responsible before I could get there, even if a I jack a car.’ She didn’t want
to resort to that.
“Here’s
your latte, Sandi,” Stacy said.
“Thanks.”
“What
was that about a pterodactyl?”
“Something
Dafoanairi is fighting,” Sandi answered.
“More
things…”
Dafoanairi
looked at the robotic pterodactyl as it flew around the food court. ‘I can do
something about this. I don’t need the Engima to knock it out with one of her
projections, or SpiderGirl to catch it in a web.’ She looked at her
quarterstaff. ‘I could damage it that way, but there is another way.’ She
looked at one of her ropes. ‘I can use that. But it would be better to find
whoever it is controlling it remotely. They would have to be nearby.’ She
approached the area carefully and looked around.
The
robot swooped over her.
“I
wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she said as she twirled the quarterstaff. “It
looks like I can damage it if I get a hit in.”
She
looked around. There were many tables from where she could get a good swing
from. ‘But I’ll try to lasso it first. I’ll see if I can get the attention of
the controller that way.’
Dafoanairi
clambered up on to a table as the pterodactyl turned around and came back in
her direction. She prepared her rope. She then threw her lasso at nearly the
last second.
Ninja
Talon hadn’t expected to be active that day, as she was still recovering from
the injury she had sustained two days earlier. She had been shopping as the
usual, but recovering, Brittany when she had seen the robot pterodactyl causing
chaos. She knew that Quinn was tutoring Angie, and so went to the bathroom to
change.
She
emerged into the food court and saw Dafoanairi expertly lasso the robot
pterodactyl. ‘But she probably will need help,’ she thought.
Indeed,
Dafoanairi was struggling. The robot was trying to get loose and dragging her
along. ‘But then it was probably designed with SpiderGirl in mind, to draw her
attention. Yet another person trying to draw her out.’ Her thoughts were then
interrupted as a couple of shuriken struck the side of the robot. She looked
and saw Ninja Talon approaching with a limp. “Ninja Talon?” she asked.
“Hey,
Dafoanairi, mind if I help?”
“Not
at all. But I notice that you’re limping.”
“I’ll
tell you later,” Ninja Talon said as she fired a zip line.
It
whipped around one of the pterodactyl’s wings.
“Now
to stop it!” Dafoanairi said.
“If
we go in opposite directions,” Ninja Talon suggested.
“That
should work,” Dafoanairi said and jumped to another table.
The
robot jerked from side to side as it tried to break free, but smoke soon rose
from it as servo motors burnt out. Dafoanairi and Ninja Talon kept the zip line
and rope taut as they walked back together.
“Now,
let’s see if we can turn this thing off before it catches alight,” Dafoanairi
said.
“If
not, I have a small extinguisher.”
“We
may need it.”
