Spider Quinn 16 Tempest and Change Part 1

 

16 Tempest and Change Part 1

Quentin Beck got off the bus. He looked at the terminal in front of him. “Lawndale,” he considered. Two weeks before he hadn’t heard of the place. Then the Groundhog Day Attack made national news. Some sort of crazed villain had attacked the place. But that wasn’t why he was there. He was there because there was a job offer at some sort of community theater.

 

 

After picking up his luggage in the terminal, he found a copy of the local newspaper, the Sun-Herald.

 

Lawndale Sun-Herald

Saturday, February 17, 2001

Brownouts resolved a second time

SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon and an apparent fifth vigilante responded and disconnected the problematic electric furnace in the Elders Solarium.

 

“Five vigilantes,” he considered. There were only three when the Groundhog Day Attack occurred, he was sure.

 

 

Quinn Morgendorffer entered the theatre area of the Historia. She looked at the time. 5:30. “Is the guy here yet?” she asked.

 

“Not yet, Quinn.” Robert Allen responded.

 

Quinn sighed. “How hard is it to find a special effects person?”

 

“He’s probably a little late.”

 

“I know, but I don’t want to wait too long.”

 

 

Quentin found the Historia and went inside. He took out the note he had made. “Interview will be in the theater, not the café or bookstore,” he reminded himself as he looked around. He saw that the café was to the right of the lobby and the bookstore to the left. The theater doors were straight ahead.

 

 

“There he is,” Robert said.

 

“Finally,” Quinn said.

 

The man looked around. “I’m looking for a Quinn Morgendorffer?” he asked. “About a special effects position.”

 

“You have found her,” Quinn said. “Quentin Beck is it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

 

Quentin looked at the girl. For girl she was. Short brown hair in pigtails and the curves of adolescence he was definitely ignoring. “Is there an adult I can talk to?” he asked.

 

“I am in charge here,” Quinn said.

 

Quentin was dubious. “Yeah right.”

 

“I run the Historia’s theater. That is the people side. That means I do the interviews.”

 

“So, there is someone else?”

 

“There is my sister, but she’s not much of a people person,” Quinn answered. “She makes the decisions about what plays to put on because she knows that stuff. She’s also only a year and half older. There is also Robert here. He’s my age. So’s the other partner.”

 

Quentin couldn’t quite believe it. “Four young teens running a theater bookshop café?”

 

“Young? Not that young, I turn 16 later this month!” Quinn said. “Besides, there is an adult working for us who manages the café, but it’s her day off.”

 

Quentin took that in. “Let’s get started then.”

 

“I have looked at your CV, it’s quite impressive…” Quinn began.

 

 

Quinn felt that there wasn’t much choice. Other applicants had been willing to look past their young age, or hadn’t even mentioned it. But none of them had had Beck’s level of experience. In Hollywood no less. (Which made her a little suspicious about why he would come to some troubled town in Pennsylvania.) She was willing to put up with his condescending attitude, and she knew that Daria and the others trusted her to make the right decision. “You’re hired.”

 

“Right away?” Beck asked.

 

“Yes. I like what I see.”

 

“Thanks. When do I start?”

 

“Tomorrow, rehearsals are starting for one of our first plays,” Quinn answered.

 

“Rehearsals on a Sunday? And how long have you been running?” Beck asked.

 

“Three weeks. Six weeks if we count the refurbishment period,” Quinn answered, “The place has really proven popular amongst Lawndale’s teens, so we want to keep that up. Many of the actors are also teens, so it’s best that we start on the weekend.”

 

 

Daria saw Quinn come back backstage. “How did it go?” she asked.

 

“A little touchy,” Quinn answered.

 

“Touchy?” Daria asked.

 

“He was incredulous that a teen like myself was running the theatre.”

 

“I would have been incredulous myself if I wasn’t one of them.”

 

“That’s true,” Quinn considered. “But he’s hired. His credentials are peccable.”

 

“You mean, impeccable.”

 

Quinn giggled. “Impeccable, right. But he was condescending.”

 

“Then why hire him?”

 

“Because the other applicants had little or no experience. We need someone experienced.”

 

“I can’t argue with that,” Daria responded.

 

 

After the interview, Quentin left the Historia to find the hotel he would be staying in until he could find a rental.

 

 

SpiderGirl looked out over Lawndale from the top of the Historia as the stars came out. She hoped that the upcoming play would go on without too many troubles. ‘Lawndale has been through a lot. Increasing crime. Groundhog Day. Brownouts. Teens and their families need something to enjoy that’s not the usual.’ She heard sirens somewhere to the south. ‘Responsibility calls.’

 

 

When Daria got home, she found that Jane Lane was waiting for her in her room.

 

“Your Mom said I could wait up here,” Jane said, as she looked at the wall where she had been putting various newspaper articles on.

 

“That’s fine,” Daria said. “Quinn and I have found a special effects person for the theater.”

 

“Took long enough,” Jane said as she turned away from the wall.

 

“And so, our productions will have extra flair.”

 

“And not just my contributions to the set design.”

 

“Of course,” Daria said.

 

Jane turned back to the wall. “Wait! It says here you know who the fourth vigilante is? Since when?”

 

“Last night, but I’m keeping that to myself.”

 

“So, you can continue to take advantage of her powers to investigate Oscorp? I get it.”

 

“It’s not just that,” Daria said. “Let’s get back on topic.”

 

“Right.” Jane went over to the bed and sat on it. “So, you think Lawndale is ready for your take on Shakespeare?”

 

“It may be cynical, but it also points to hope in the face of change.”

 

 

Quinn emerged from her closet. “Still needs work,” she said, referring to the pully mechanisms hiding her SpiderGirl gear. ‘Oiling the chains and bearings didn’t work,’ she thought, as it was still a little noisy. She clapped on her desk lamp and grabbed her sketchbook. ‘How to make it quieter?’

 

 

Shortly afterwards, dinner was ready, and Jane joined the Morgendorffers for it, as their mother had asked her to it.

 

“Jane, how have you and Trent been holding up, given what’s going on in town?”

 

“Quite fine, Mrs. Morgendorffer,” Jane answered. “Groundhog Day was the big shock of course. But the brownouts didn’t affect our part of town.”

 

“Good to hear,” Helen said. She turned to Quinn. “So, you found a special effects person?”

 

“Yes,” Quinn answered, and she launched into a description of how Beck was condescending and her decision to hire him anyway.

 

 

“Remember that usually, teens aren’t usually heavily involved in running things as you are,” Helen said.

 

“It’s not that heavy,” Quinn said.

 

“I know it’s still part time,” Helen said. “But between that and school, you’re working more than full time.”

 

Quinn nodded.

 

“And the same for you, Daria,” Helen said. “Even if you aren’t working in the bookshop as much as Quinn is in the café.”

 

“True,” Daria said.

 

“That along with your investigation. I saw that note,” Helen said.

 

“What note?” Quinn asked.

 

“I know the identity of the fourth vigilante,” Daria confessed.

 

“Oh, and you’re keeping it to yourself?” Quinn asked, curiously.

 

Daria nodded. “I promised her I would.”

 

“I can’t argue with that,” Quinn said in an intrigued tone.

 

“And you, Jane?” Helen asked.

 

“I haven’t done that much with the set design yet.”

 

 

Quinn thought about what Daria had revealed. ‘It makes sense that she would protect the Enigma’s identity if she’s working with her. But is it reciprocal? Should I tell Brittany?’ She ate a piece of lasagne. She decided that she would tell Brittany.

 

 

After the dinner, Jane headed home. She wanted to talk to Trent about what Daria had revealed, before he would go to play at the Zon/Zen with the rest of Mystik Spiral.

 

 

Not far across Lawndale, Sandi Griffin had had dinner and was ready to search for another person. ‘Philippa Bynon two nights ago,’ she thought as she opened the yearbook. After Phillipa was Natalia Charles. She downed the energy drink. “Findu mann sem heiter: Natalia Charles.”

 

She found Natalia in Crew Necke, near the Taylor’s. ‘I guess it’s not her.’

 

She then turned back to what she was doing before dinner. Looking at the Historia’s list of upcoming plays online.

 

“Tempest, by Daria Morgendorffer, based on The Tempest by William Shakespeare.”

 

Sandi had looked over The Tempest, she had found the plot intriguing, and she was curious as to what Daria’s take on it would be.

 

 

Trent was getting ready to leave when Jane got home. “How was dinner?” he asked.

 

“The usual Morgendorffer fair. The one thing I don’t miss about Mr. Morgendorffer is his overuse of spices.”

 

“Daria had told me.”

 

“And the Historia has found a special effects person,” Jane said.

 

“That’s still strange. That Daria and Quinn are running a theatre.”

 

“It still seems strange to me too. As strange as two of Lawndale’s now five hero vigilantes actually having powers.”

 

“What do you know of this apparent fifth?” Trent asked.

 

“Nothing, other than that she helped SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon resolve the brownouts. Speaking of., Daria knows the identity of the fourth vigilante.”

 

“Really?” Trent asked.

 

“She said that she promised her that she would keep the secret.”

 

“I guess she also knows the hero name too.”

 

“I’d think that would be obvious,” Jane said.

 

Shortly before midnight. The Shadow returned to Glen Oaks Lane. She took up a position in a tree in a yard a few lots to the east of the Morgendorffers, where she could clearly see the side of the Morgendorffers’ house and that Daria and Quinn’s lights were still on. ‘Let’s see if the fourth vigilante would show up.’

 

 

Sandi approached the Morgendorffers house from the backyard as was now usual. ‘It doesn’t matter that we know that we’re both vigilantes,’ she thought, to reassure herself as she looked at Daria’s room.

 

 

The Shadow saw Sandi climb in through the side window. ‘Sneaking in, Sandi?’ she asked herself. She had thought that Sandi was still going through the front door when she investigated at night with Daria. ‘I guess that’s one way of avoiding Quinn.’

 

 

“What are we doing tonight?” Sandi asked as she looked at the wall.

 

“Oscorp again,” Daria answered.

 

“Sure, but in what way?” Sandi asked. She glanced at the note. “Do others know?”

 

“All I have said is that I know and that I promised to keep the secret.”

 

Sandi nodded. “Then it’s reciprocal.”

 

“We will look at the offices in Main Street. See if we can hear anything going on after hours.”

 

“And you can fill me in on what’s happening at the theatre.”

 

“Of course,” Daria said as she reached for her staff.

 

“You’re taking that?”

 

“So, I have the option. I’m sure it’s the same for you.”

 

Sandi nodded.

 

 

The Shadow saw Daria and Sandi leave through the window. ‘I guess I could follow them, make sure they are safe.’ She then heard someone nearby.

 

“Who are you? Why are you in my yard?”

 

She rappelled down the tree. She recognised the girl as Phillipa Bynon, a grade below hers. “I’m the Shadow.”

 

 

Philippa looked at the Shadow. Why was one of the vigilantes in her yard? She had seen SpiderGirl swing by sometimes, but her neighborhood was still one of the quietest in Lawndale. “Again, why are you in my yard? Is it because you saw me toilet paper that Oscorp building?”

 

“No, that ‘s not it,” the Shadow said. “You can toilet paper any Oscorp buildings you want, apart from the Historia of course.”

 

“That’s not really an Oscorp building. And you deflected the question!”

 

“Fine! I was observing a few houses over. Strange comings and goings.”

 

“A few houses,” Philippa considered. “The Morgendorffers? What do you mean by strange comings and goings. Daria is reclusive, but otherwise there’s nothing strange there.”

 

“So, you haven’t seen the fourth vigilante?”

 

“No. I haven’t. I haven’t even seen Ninja Talon.”

 

“I believe you, but now I have to follow Daria and Sandi,” the Shadow said.

 

“Then I’m coming with you,” Philippa decided.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because they were with me when I toilet papered that building.”

 

“Fine!” the Shadow said. “As long as you are OK with going along rooftops once we’re downtown.”

 

 

“So, Tempest?” Sandi asked, after they had crossed a street.

 

“Yes, the Bard wrote a play based on the changes of the time, so I went on the same theme, regarding changes in a contemporary setting,” Daria answered.

 

“Small town, suburban, America, like Lawndale?”

 

Daria nodded.

 

“Maybe I’ll come to a performance.”

 

“You are welcome to.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

The Shadow and Phillipa weren’t far behind. “Wait,” Philippa said. “Were you saying that Daria is the fourth vigilante?”

 

“No.”

 

“Or that Daria is working with the fourth vigilante.”

 

“Yes,” the Shadow said. “As a way of investigating what is going on in Lawndale these past several months since SpiderGirl appeared.”

 

“And Oscorp it seems.”

 

“That too, although SpiderGirl seems to be involved in that too.”

 

 

Daria and Sandi arrived on Main Street, close to the Historia. “Which side?” Sandi asked.

 

“The south side,” Daria decided. “There are less there, so it won’t take too long.”

 

“You want to be rested for the rehearsals,” Sandi surmised.

 

“Exactly,” Daria said.

 

“No problem.”

 

 

Philippa was getting used to the exertions of clambering over rooftops. Then, they reached the Historia, which was a story taller than the other buildings. The Shadow fired the grapple gun again. “The Historia? Why?”

 

“It’s a good vantage point,” the Shadow answered, “we’ll be able to see up and down the street.”

 

“It’s just that my muscles are sore.”

 

“No problem. I can hold you if you want.”

 

“Maybe,” Philippa considered. “You can.”