Spider Quinn 13 Aftermath and Investigations Part 2

 

True to her word, Sandi pulled up into the Giant Strawberry’s parking lot with screeching rubber just over four minutes later. Daria stopped trembling and got out of the car. ‘How did she manage to drift around those corners?’ she wondered. Were teens in Lawndale secretly street racing? ‘If so, I hope Quinn isn’t involved.’ It was another thing for her to look into.

 

“What are you looking for?” Sandi asked as she locked the car.

 

“You’re staying?”

 

“I get the feeling you will want to go elsewhere shortly, just as you did at the Historia.”

 

“A wild goose chase across Lawndale,” Daria commented. “Probably.”

 

“Again…”

 

“The vigilantes.”

 

“Only one time, SpiderGirl was mentioned being here,” Sandi said.

 

“When was that?”

 

“Around the time the Fashion Club ended.”

 

“There may still be something,” Daria responded, “Come on.”

 

 

Daria and Sandi cooperated in their search of the Strawberry and then climbed to the top and looked out over Lawndale. “Where to next?” Sandi asked.

 

“Probably back to Jane’s,” Daria responded as she looked through a telescope at High Hills Park.

 

“Not that much of a wild goose chase if it’s only two places.”

 

“Good point,” Daria said as she moved the telescope southwards. “The Mall.”

 

“Which one?” Sandi asked.

 

“The Lawndale Mall, but that would take the rest of the afternoon and I’m sure my sister told you I hate shopping, even window shopping. The parking lot looks as full as ever. I guess the term ‘retail therapy’ is accurate.”

 

 

Sandi looked through another telescope. “These are powerful enough to see individual people halfway across town. Maybe we could sight SpiderGirl in the distance,” she suggested. ‘But how to change to the Enigma without Daria noticing?’ she shook her head. She wanted to see where the wild goose chase went.

 

“Just as likely to see that fourth vigilante and not recognise her,” Daria said as she looked at another spot.

 

‘How right you are, Daria,’ Sandi thought with an inward chuckle.

 

“We will go to High Hills Park. Then to Jane’s,” Daria decided.

 

“And if you find something there?”

 

“It’s getting late.”

 

 

It was another high speed run to High Hills Park. ‘I suppose I could get used to Sandi’s use of nitrous, if she did it on the Interstate. Maybe that is where the racing is happening.’ She shook her head, if it was happening, it was certainly happening on Lawndale’s streets.

 

 

Sandi watched as Daria walked around the park, looking on the ground and in the bushes. ‘She’s certainly after something,’ she thought.

 

 

‘This has been a wild goose chase,’ Daria thought as she came back to Mrs. Griffin’s car. ‘But how am I going to explain to Quinn that I spent part of the afternoon with Sandi? It’s best that she hears about it from me rather than on the grapevine!’

 

“So, Jane’s?” Sandi asked.

 

“Yes. I’m sure you know where it is.”

 

Sandi nodded. “Howard Drive.”

 

 

Sandi pulled up outside Casa Lane as the sun began to set. “This has been an interesting afternoon,” she said.

 

“Yes. Thanks for the ride, even if you went fast,” Daria said as she got out.

 

“Like, see you another time,” Sandi said before speeding off.

 

 

“What? Sandi?” Jane asked.

 

“It was either her, or Kevin.”

 

“I would have picked Kevin.”

 

“I’m sure Quinn will say the same thing,” Daria said. “It was, interesting, crossing Lawndale with her. But I probably won’t do it again.”

 

“Probably.”

 

“If I do a wild goose chase across town again, I’ll probably do it with you or Quinn.”

 

“Probably?” Jane asked.

 

“I think I’m going to investigate what is happening in Lawndale, including the person who attacked last night, and the vigilantes.”

 

“I’ll help you then.”

 

“But first, I need to get home,” Daria said.

 

 

As Daria walked off, Jane thought about what she said. ‘She won’t find out that I’m the Shadow easily,’ she thought.

 

 

In the kitchen, Quinn heard Daria explain what had happened that afternoon. She wasn’t disappointed, annoyed or angry that Daria had hung out with Sandi. Daria knew how to handle herself.

 

“… I didn’t want to betray your trust by not being honest,” Daria concluded.

 

“Daria, it’s fine,” Quinn responded. “I would have done the same in your place. But what were you worried about to begin with?”

 

“I saw that Jane had marked an appearance of the fourth vigilante at the Historia and I wanted to check it over. I guess last night’s events have me a little spooked.”

 

“They would spook anyone. I heard many people talk about that this morning.”

 

“Then I went up on the roof and looked at the roof and at the town, including the Giant Strawberry,” Daria added.

 

“And then you wanted to check it out.”

 

“Did you know Sandi is involved in street racing?”

 

“Yes,” Quinn answered.

 

“Right. But are you?”

 

“No, but Stacy is, as surprising as that may seem.”

 

“Stacy,” Daria considered. “Anyway. Sandi asked me if I wanted to get to the Strawberry in less than five minutes…”

 

 

“…and so I am going to investigate what’s happening in town.”

 

“It comes back to what you said in Freemont, doesn’t it?” Quinn asked.

 

“If you want to,” Daria said.

 

“Then yes, Daria, of course I’ll help solve crime with you. As well as with Jane. But probably not alongside Sandi.”

 

Daria could hear the stress in her sister’s tone. “I wouldn’t ask you to.”

 

 

Quinn went back up to her room. ‘Another thing, on top of everything else. Helping Daria investigate without her finding out I’m SpiderGirl or that Brittany is Ninja Talon.’ She looked out the window and down the street. ‘I can do it,’ she thought with determination. ‘But I will tell Brittany what is happening.’

 

 

After dinner, Sandi went up to her room, ready for another search. But first, she reflected on the time spent with Daria. ‘I’ll probably join her again on those wild goose chases, and if they’re not, it would probably be another way Lawndale can be helped.’ She opened the yearbook. “Kerrie-lea Bayliss,” she considered.

 

She downed one of the energy drinks she had bought at the Historia earlier. “Finddu mann sem heiter: Kerrie-lea Bayliss!”

 

She found Kerrie-lea Bayliss at the Historia, where more people were present in the café than when she was there with Daria.

 

“Six down.”

 

 

Quinn felt the tingle again. She took out the notebook. ‘Saturday night: Low tingle again. Whoever it is is keeping it up. Last night’s events haven’t changed it. Also, Daria wants to investigate crime.’ She then continued her designs for a resilient suit.

 

 

Shortly before bed, Daria emerged into the backyard. She went into the middle of the yard and looked back at the house as she shone her flashlight on the roof. ‘The vigilantes certainly can use it to watch the neighborhood while remaining unobserved from the street,’ she thought. ‘But I need sleep.’

 

 

The Enigma left home at the now usual time. She decided to head toward the Historia and then re-trace the journey she had with Daria across Lawndale. ‘Maybe I’ll find what we missed earlier.’

 

 

Linda was still awake. She had had nightmares the night before, and she knew that Sandi had used the nitrous that day. She also was not unaware of the street racing that Sandi had partaken in in the past. ‘Just as well she doesn’t have her own car yet.’

 

 

The Enigma climbed the Historia and then looked out over the town much as Daria had over nine hours earlier. She looked at the Giant Strawberry first. ‘It probably would be difficult to see if the Moon wasn’t up,’ she thought. She then looked around at the town. ‘Nothing unusual,’ she thought as she glanced towards Lawndale Flats. ‘I won’t go there yet.’ She looked towards High Hills Park, but saw it was hidden by a rise covered in houses and trees. ‘I’ll look at it from the Strawberry.’

She saw that the downtown was deserted. ‘The Shadow isn’t here. I can’t see SpiderGirl. So, to the Strawberry it is!’

 

 

As the Enigma headed across Lawndale from the Historia, an Oscorp satellite passed overhead and took images of the town…

 

 

Ninja Talon had kept to the shadows beneath the trees as she headed to Glen Oaks Lane from Crewe Neck. She approached the Morgendorffers from the laneway and saw that Daria’s light was out and that SpiderGirl was waiting for her on the roof.

 

 

SpiderGirl saw Ninja Talon arrive. “How was this afternoon?” the latter asked.

 

“It was fine. The usual, but something else has come up.”

 

“What?”

 

“Daria is going to investigate the situation. And by situation, I mean everything, including us and the other heroes,” SpiderGirl answered.

 

“Because of last night?”

 

“Yes. I think she was going to anyway, but it was like an accelerant.”

 

“Oh,” Ninja Talon commented.

 

“And she had a wild goose chase across town with Sandi. It seems she was on the top of the Historia not long after we were.”

 

“So, we need to be more careful there.”

 

“Yes,” SpiderGirl added, before explaining what Daria had done with Sandi.

 

 

“So, we make sure she doesn’t find out,” Ninja Talon said when SpiderGirl had concluded. “Shouldn’t be too hard.”

 

“I agree, but we will have to be even more careful.”

 

Ninja Talon nodded. “And I haven’t heard anything about the attacker. It’s like he just vanished.”

 

“Or biding his time, while he repairs that glider.”

 

“Good point.”

 

 

The Enigma arrived at the Giant Strawberry and looked around much as she did earlier. ‘Nothing that I didn’t notice earlier,’ she thought as she climbed up again. She looked through the telescopes, hoping to find SpiderGirl as she had suggested to Daria earlier. ‘She would stick out like a sore thumb, much more than I would.’

 

 

After talking to Ninja Talon, SpiderGirl had patrolled between the Morgendorffers’ neighborhood and the downtown, rescuing one person in Dega Street from a mugger. She was out of sight from the vantage point of the Giant Strawberry.

 

 

The Enigma spent fifteen minutes looking through the telescope before deciding to head towards High Hills Park.

 

 

At High Hills Park, she found nothing other than a few Wiccans performing a ritual. She watched them from the distance before wandering the rest of the park, before heading towards Howard Drive.

 

 

She looked at the Lanes’ place. ‘What exactly, is Jane up to? What is Daria refusing to see?’ She was sure that the Lanes were up to something. ‘Is Jane one of the other vigilantes?’ she asked herself once again. ‘I could keep an eye on the house, but that would be boring.’ She decided to head home.

 

 

Lawndale Sun-Herald

Sunday February 4, 2001

What does the Groundhog Day Attack Mean For Lawndale?

 

Lawndale collectively was still in a state of shock following the Groundhog Day Attack. As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise that it was a common topic at the various church communities in the town.

 

 

After breakfast Daria was ready to start her investigation. ‘But Quinn is sleeping in,’ she thought as she finished her tea and put the cup in the dishwasher. ‘I guess I’ll start without her.’

 

 

She went to the ruins of the Lawndale Center first. Armed with a notebook, she spent about an hour taking observations.

 

 

“Daria?”

 

“Brittany?”

 

“I see you’re looking into the attack too?” Brittany asked while twirling her hair.

 

“Yes. What has been happening in Lawndale. It’s unusual, what with the vigilantes and all.”

 

“Especially SpiderGirl?”

 

“Including SpiderGirl,” Daria said. “That was the start of the unusual events. When she appeared.”

 

“I see,” Brittany said. ‘It is going to be difficult to protect Quinn’s secret, but not impossible,’ she thought. “What about the others?”

 

“Of course,” Daria said. “There is a connection with Ninja Talon. The Shadow, not so much. The fourth, even less so.”

 

‘At least she’s unaware of the name,’ Brittany thought. “So, you’re starting with the attack?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“By yourself?”

 

“Probably not. With Quinn, sometimes. Also using Jane’s art project,” Daria answered. “In which she’s been inspired by Lawndale’s streetscape.”

 

“Oooh!”

 

“And I spent part of yesterday racing across town with Sandi. Did you know…”

 

“Street racing,” Brittany interrupted. “I know she is into it.”

 

“Right. Is there anyone who doesn’t know?”

 

“Kevin doesn’t.”

 

“I stepped into that one,” Daria admitted. “Besides Kevin.”

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

“So, what do you know of the vigilantes?”

 

“Nothing,” Brittany lied.

 

“You do know something.”

 

“I have met SpiderGirl, the Shadow and the fourth.”

 

“When were these?”

 

“Last year, just after DeMartino was arrested, for SpiderGirl. Two weeks ago for the Shadow. A few days ago for the fourth.”

 

 

Daria considered Brittany’s answer. ‘Doesn’t seem like she’s lying,’ she thought. “Would you like to help me as well as the others?”

 

“Sure!” Brittany said enthusiastically. “But what have you found this morning?”

 

“Not much,” Daria admitted. “I have just written down what I found here. I haven’t analysed it yet.”

 

“You could make a copy,” Brittany suggested.

 

“Sure. Maybe you’ll have an insight I wouldn’t.”

 

 

Daria took out a spare sheet of paper and a clipboard, and copied what she had written down, before giving it to Brittany. “Maybe we can talk about it at school tomorrow.”

 

“I’ll see you then.”

 

“I’m going to Jane’s now.”

 

“To contribute to the project?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Those clips look good by the way.”

 

 

Brittany watched Daria leave, remembering the discussion with Quinn the previous night. Once she had gone some distance, she went to the amenities block and changed to Ninja Talon.

 

 

Jane yawned as she answered the door. “Daria, it’s still early.”

 

“I have spent most of the morning at the ruins and talking to Brittany afterwards,” Daria said as she entered.

 

“What did Brittany want?” Jane asked.

 

 

“So, she’s helping you to?” Jane asked as she poured the coffee in the kitchen.

 

“Yes,” Daria answered.

 

“Let me get this straight. You’re looking over my project, racing on wild goose chases with Sandi, investigating with Quinn and now getting help from Brittany. That is a lot, Daria.”

 

“I know, but I will be able to manage it.”

 

“Just not all in one day,” Jane said.

 

“Obviously, not with all four on school days. Today might be an exception, if I run into Sandi again.”

 

“It might be unlikely.”

 

“I will go to the Historia for lunch. I’ll see if she’s there or not.”

 

“Still unlikely.”

 

 

Over the next couple of hours, Daria analysed what she had found at the ruins, while also looking at Jane’s sketch. At the same time, Jane made more sketches from her existing ones and marked more spots on the maps of Lawndale.

 

 

Ninja Talon watched the house in Howard Drive for a short while, before heading back downtown.

 

 

SpiderGirl came along a short while later. ‘But is Daria there now?’ she asked herself. She wasn’t sure. She decided to retrace Daria and Sandi’s wild goose chase in reverse, so she headed towards High Hills Park.

 

 

SpiderGirl looked around the park and saw that it was mostly deserted. ‘People are probably afraid to be out after the attack. I will find that attacker. Or at least take out that glider craft somehow.’ She already had some ideas about that, mostly involving alleys. ‘But how, without causing more destruction.’

 

She then headed to the Giant Strawberry.