Mysteries of Aurora - 950

 

Spider Quinn 17 Tempestuous Origin of Mysterio

17 Tempestuous Origin Of Mysterio

The figure had light. SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon also had flashlights. The first pipe was easy, as it was mostly dry, but they noticed that there was more water as they continued towards the creek.

 

“Is he trying to lose us at the Creek?” Ninja Talon asked.

 

“Probably,” SpiderGirl considered.

 

 

‘That makes sense,’ the Shadow thought as she followed along. Just as well her shoes were waterproof. But she wasn’t so sure of SpiderGirl’s suit.

 

 

But SpiderGirl had planned for that. She had used waterproof materials in that particular suit. Ten minutes after leaving the vicinity of the WSBC studio, they approached the Creek.

 

The water was waist deep in the last pipe before the Creek, which made it difficult for them to move quickly.

 

When they emerged from the pipe into the creek, they saw that the figure had a speedboat waiting. “Quickly!” SpiderGirl told the other two. She shot a web to the boat as it started up.

 

Ninja Talon and the Shadow both fired their grapple guns. Both lines held as the boat speed off.

 

 

“Is this a good idea?” the Shadow asked as the figure went downstream, towards the lake.

 

“Not really,” SpiderGirl admitted. “But we’re coming up to the Jefferson Bridge.”

 

“You’re going to web the bridge?” the Shadow asked.

 

“Yes!” SpiderGirl said.

 

“Good idea,” Ninja Talon said.

 

 

They approached the bridge a half minute later. SpiderGirl shot webs to the road deck and to two of the pylons as they approached. “Be ready to hold on!” she said.

 

The other two nodded.

 

 

As they passed beneath the bridge, SpiderGirl shot more webs and signalled the other two. They retracted their grapples and held onto their superpowered team member. She then swung up onto the bridge. She shot more webs at the boat once they were on the bridge. That happened in less than five seconds. The boat stopped on the water, although the engines were still running at full throttle.

 

“Did it work?” Ninja Talon asked.

 

A green mist appeared on the boat.

 

“What?” SpiderGirl asked. “Get down!”

 

They hit the pavement of the walkway, with the Shadow holding a camera out over the edge. “He’s gone,” she said.

 

“What?” SpiderGirl asked. “Wait… I heard him go as we got down.”

 

“An illusion?” Ninja Talon asked.

 

“Most likely,” the Shadow said. She looked downstream. “He could be anywhere.”

 

 

SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon waited until several minutes after the Shadow had gone before swinging below the bridge to their spot and unmasking.

 

“So, you think it’s Beck, given the illusion?” Brittany asked.

 

“It certainly makes him a suspect, but I haven’t seen his special effects yet,” Quinn answered.

 

“I guess we will have to wait until Friday.”

 

“I doubt we have that long.”

 

“Tomorrow night is the dress rehearsal. Maybe Daria will want to see the effects that he has come up with then,” Brittany said.

 

“Maybe.”

 

“But in the meantime, all we know is that he might be holding the critics between here and the lake.”

 

“That’s still not much to go on,” Quinn said.

 

Brittany nodded.

 

They stood there in silence for a while before Quinn headed off to the Historia for her shift in the café and Brittany began a patrol before dinner.

 

 

Sandi came down after reading through the list of extracurricular activities again. She still didn’t know what to do. ‘Maybe I’ll ask Harry and Daria about it,’ she thought. She paused halfway down the stairs. That was one thing she didn’t usually do. Ask advice, especially of other students. ‘Another way I’m changing.’

 

“Sandi!”

 

“Coming, Mother.”

 

 

Sandi listened as her mother told her what had happened as she was finishing work.

 

“So, you think something happened?” Sandi asked.

 

“Yes,” her mother said.

 

“And you want me to investigate it somehow?”

 

Her mother nodded.

 

“I will, but I will do it my way.”

 

“I know you will, Sandi, but I want you to be careful.”

 

“Of course,” Sandi said.

 

“And the same applies to Daria.”

 

“She is being careful.”

 

“I don’t want to have to deal with Helen if something happens,” her mother said.

 

“You won’t have to.”

 

 

Brittany thought about the situation as she came downstairs.

 

“How is the tutoring coming?” Ashley-Amber asked.

 

“Going well, but Algebra is still, difficult.”

 

“I still find that difficult myself.”

 

“I guess so, but I want to do well, even in Math,” Brittany said.

 

“It’s good that you want to do well.”

 

“But, also, the critics being missing.”

 

“You think that everyone involved the play might be suspects?” Ashley-Amber asked.

 

“It’s a possibility.”

 

“I’m sure you have alibis.”

 

Brittany nodded. ‘I’m not sure what Quinn would say about this afternoon, but I’m sure she would come up with something.’

 

“Then you shouldn’t worry.”

 

 

Sandi was ready for another search. “Freya Daniels last night,” she murmured as she opened the yearbook. After Freya was Janice Dennison, with long brown hair. She grabbed the energy drink. “Findu mann sem heiter: Janice Dennison!”

 

She found that Janice was approaching the Historia with her family.

 

‘Maybe they’re buying tickets,’ Sandi considered.

 

 

Quinn felt yet another tingle as she served Freya Daniels her dinner. “Here you go, Freya.”

 

“Thanks, Quinn,” Freya said.

 

Quinn turned to go.

 

“Wait, Quinn.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I was sceptical of Jamie’s claims when he started making them,” Freya said.

 

“He apologised,” Quinn said with a shrug. “Besides, anyone could have found that the solarium was the cause.”

 

“I mean, I tried to tell Elly that he was just trying to impress her.”

 

“That probably got through. Got to go!”

 

“Oh!” Freya said. “Sorry for holding you up.”

 

 

At the same time, Daria arrived at Casa Lane. “Hey, Daria,” Trent said. “Janie’s up in her room.”

 

“Thanks, Trent.”

 

“I managed to scrounge up some cash. I’ll see the play on Saturday.”

 

“That’s encouraging, Thanks,” Daria responded as she went to the stairs.

 

“I hope those critics will be found.”

 

 

Daria entered Jane’s room to find many maps of Lawndale scattered about, and many more sketches of various places around town placed on the wall. ‘Almost like my wall. She then saw one of Dafoanairi. ‘Huh? I don’t think I have been seen by a camera.’

 

“Hey, Daria.”

 

“The snarky fifth,” she said. “I guess you have seen her?”

 

“At a distance. I do go out at night to think.”

 

‘I guess I need to keep an eye out for her. I probably won’t tell Sandi,’ she thought. “I guess so,” she said.

 

“Anyway…” Jane said awkwardly.

 

“I’m sorry that the lunchtimes have been busy lately.”

 

“It was fine with Harry and Sandi, I suppose, even with Sandi’s past.”

 

“I remember what you told me, and what she tried to do several weeks ago,” Daria said. “But she’s also changing, trying not to be who her mother tried to mould her into.”

 

“I see that. She’s been quiet, not asserting herself as much as I thought she would.”

 

“She’s listening to what others have to say. I guess she recognises that her iron fisted rule of the Fashion Club contributed to its demise.”

 

Jane nodded. “And Harry befriended her when he started at school.”

 

“That’s true, and so, with Sandi at the table, he’s there too.”

 

 

‘No surprise there,’ Jane thought. The next was probably her fault. “Then it was Tania.”

 

“It was probably me, there. I wanted to investigate High Hills Park during that wild goose chase just after Groundhog Day. Then we continued to investigate it and ran into the Wiccans, including Tania.”

 

“And now she want to be more than just the ‘Wiccan student’ and that’s part of why she’s in the play.”

 

Daria nodded. “Now, Brittany?”

 

“Because she’s in the play? As well as your tutoring her?”

 

“And because we investigated the brownouts together last week. We seemed to have ‘clicked’ then.”

 

“I suppose so. And now Kevin and Donna,” Jane said.

 

“They were there, because Brittany is there, and because Kevin wanted to know about the play.”

 

“And that he’s only seeing it because Brittany’s in it.”

 

“At least he’s seeing it,” Daria said. “And Donna is too. It seems she has as much interest in Shakespeare as Brittany.”

 

“I must have missed that too.”

 

 

They were then silent for a while, as Daria looked at Jane’s sketches and Jane painted.

 

“I do have an idea, but it’s risky,” Jane said.

 

“What is that?” Daria asked.

 

“I could mention the play on Lawndale State’s station and then attend tomorrow night’s rehearsal.”

 

“That’s risky.”

 

“I know it is. But we know that two critics have gone missing because they mentioned it on radio,” Jane said.

 

“It’s still rather risky.”

 

“And we have Peterson there, ready to intervene. For all we know, any of the vigilantes may show up, especially if they’re already there as their secret identities.”

 

‘Dafoanairi for one,’ Daria thought. ‘I better put a cloak and staff in the apartment.’

 

“What do you say?”

 

“It’s still risky, but I don’t have any other idea at present. But how are you going to get a spot on WLDS?”

 

“A bandmate of Monique’s is a disk jockey there,” Jane answered, referring to Trent’s on again, off again girlfriend. “She does the afternoon shifts. I’ll visit tomorrow morning before school and see if I’ll be able to get on.”

 

“I see.”

 

“And I’m sure you’ll be able to line up Peterson.”

 

“I’ll see what I can do,” Daria responded. ‘I guess Dafoanairi is patrolling tonight. But Peterson may be at the Historia in the morning.’ She decided that she would be at the Historia before school, despite the lack of sleep.

 

“And we hope for the best.”

 

Daria sighed.

 

 

After her shift, SpiderGirl stayed on the roof looking out over Lawndale for a while, thinking about what had happened earlier. ‘If the abductor is using the storm water system, it makes it rather difficult to stop them. But we have to try.’ She looked to the south and wondered where the critics were being held for a while before swinging away.

 

 

Jane told Trent what she had decided. “Sounds dangerous. I don’t like it,” he said. “You’ll be yourself, not the Shadow.”

 

“I know that, but Mom also gave me some inconspicuous gadgets, not just the artistic ones. I’ll be able to handle myself.”

 

“I guess I can be at the Historia, just in case. Jesse too.”

 

“Good idea.”

 

“And I can use some gadgets too,” Trent said. “I have been practicing, in case something like when we went to Middlebury comes up again.”

 

“Thanks, Trent.”

 

 

Shortly before midnight, Daria approached the Griffin’s place along the laneway. She was still not sure why Jane wanted to put herself in danger like that. ‘I still don’t have any other ideas.’ She then saw Sandi emerged from the rear gate.

 

“Oh,” Sandi said. “I didn’t think you would come here.”

 

“There’s something I need to talk about,” Daria said.

 

“Same here, but you first.”

 

“Sure,” Daria said, before telling Sandi about Jane’s plan.

 

 

Sandi listened to the plan. It was audacious. It was pure Jane Lane. ‘Of course she would do something like that,’ she thought. “Interesting,” she said when Daria was finished.

 

“I suppose you could watch the Historia in case something happens?” Daria asked.

 

“I suppose I could, given what I have to say,” Sandi said, before telling Daria about what her mother had told her about what happened at work.

 

 

Daria took what Sandi said in.

 

“So, something happened there,” she concluded. “But whether it’s related or not is an open question.”

 

“True, but I think it is.”

 

“Then that’s where we’ll go first.”

 

 

“There is something else,” Sandi said as they crossed a street.

 

“What is that?” Daria asked.

 

“I’m looking for another extracurricular activity at school.”

 

“And?”

 

“Ms. Li has given me a list, but I can’t decide,” Sandi said quietly.

 

“Take your time to choose something that you would like to do, not what others would like to do.”

 

“I guess so, because the list is long.”

 

“That’s not surprising,” Daria said.

 

 

Fifteen minutes later, they were at the WSBC studio. “Nothing seems out of the ordinary,” Sandi said.

 

“Not at first glance, anyway,” Daria pointed out.

 

“That’s true,” Sandi said as she switched on a flashlight.

 

“This will take a while.”

 

 

They examined the surrounds of the studio, as well as the outside walls and the rooftop. “No clues,” the Enigma said, as they looked out over the town towards the Giant Strawberry from the rooftop.

 

“There might be something we missed,” Dafoanairi said.

 

“Where?”

 

“I noticed that a manhole cover in the parking lot isn’t as tight as it should be.”

 

The Enigma looked down and shone the flashlight on the manhole cover. “You’re right.” She then telekinetically lifted it out of the ground and put it aside. “Let’s go then,” she said as she threw a rope down.

 

 

Dafoanairi followed the Enigma down into the stormwater system. “It certainly looks big enough for a getaway, but It would be impossible to search all of it in one night.”

 

“That’s a good point. I also doubt that they would stay down here if there was a place they had prepared above ground.”

 

“But I will tell Peterson when I meet her next.”

 

The Enigma nodded.

 

 

They emerged back above ground and the Enigma replaced the manhole cover. “Something happened,” the Enigma said.

 

“So, another critic?”

 

“Probably.”

 

“Then Jane is even more danger!” Dafoanairi groused.

 

“I will be ready.”

 

“Good.”

 

 

Lawndale Sun-Herald

Thursday, February 22, 2001

Another Critic Missing

Oliver Langford of WLND has also gone missing after Kalina Ondrovick went missing on Monday

Daria read the article after arriving at the Historia as it opened for the day. She knew that Mrs. Rowe wouldn’t be in until later. She looked at where Angie was behind the counter. ‘She’s taken to it,’ she thought before going up to order breakfast.

 

 

At same time, Jane arrived at one of the Lawndale State dorms. ‘I hope she’s up, otherwise she probably won’t give me the spot.’

 

 

Sarah Roberts was surprised when she opened the dorm room door to find Jane Lane. “Jane? What brings you here so early?”

 

“A long story,” Jane said. “But It’s to do with recent events.”

 

“Which recent events. There are surely others you can talk to about Groundhog Day.”

 

“This isn’t about Groundhog Day, more the missing critics,” Jane said.

 

 

Sarah listened as Jane told her the plan. “You want to draw out this person, and trap them?”

 

“Yes,” Jane said. “Because, I want Daria’s play and the Historia to succeed.”

 

“Quite audacious,” Sarah commented. “To run a theatre as teenagers.”

 

“Yes. But I want Daria and the others to succeed.”

 

“Alright. I will let you on my show, but I want to be at the Historia tonight, to see what the play is like, and to help you if things go south.”

 

“Deal!” Jane said.

Church notes - 25th May 2025

 25th

Acts 13:13 - 49

A Hard Sell

Romans 3:20 - 26

The answer of justification

We are saved for it.

Grace is unearned.

This is the why of what Paul is doing.

Revealing

The Kingdom of God.

So why do we find it so hard to evangelise?

Is it because we

- Are fearful?

- Lack confidence?

- Are terrified by possible rejection?

Compromise or Confrontation

A safe passage to mediocrity, or a dangerous route to getting the job done.

Paul was talking about radical transformation.

But there is no advance for the Gospel without confrontation.

There is no compromise, for Paul is

- Bold

- Prepared

- Equipped

- Assured

- And takes the Gospel further.

Revealing God's story through Scripture.

vs 17 - A chosen people

vs 19 - A promised land

vs 22 - A faithful king

Raised from the dead

Psalm 2

A plan for justification and redemption was not recognised.

By some

But what about...

A plan for both Jews and Gentiles

We must hear more!

Aurora in 940

 

The Engineer and the Time Lady: Mystery

 Alpha gives Oneenejpenlumbra (now calling herself Nina) a field commission, so she can help retrace the Baffin's journey.

fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14436084/4/The-Engineer-and-the-Time-Lady

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65632969/chapters/169437688

Spider Quinn 16 Tempest and Change Part 6

 

Peterson then entered the café in plain clothes and saw the partners. “Just the people I want to see,” she said.

 

“Have you heard more about the critic?” Quinn asked.

 

“I’m afraid not,” Peterson said. “In fact, another of Lawndale’s radio personalities has gone missing.”

 

“That isn’t good news,” Daria responded.

 

“And who was this?” Joey asked.

 

“Oliver Langford. He’s Z93’s general critic,” Peterson said.

 

“So, he disparaged the play to?” Daria asked.

 

“Actually, he praised it,” Peterson said.

 

“But he mentioned it,” Quinn pointed out.

 

“More than once,” Peterson said.

 

“So, it may be someone who doesn’t like the fact that the Historia is being run by teens,” Daria said.

 

“So, Beck isn’t out of the woods yet,” Quinn said.

 

“Or it might be a competing theatre,” Daria said.

 

“That has been proposed,” Peterson said. “Not only the others in Lawndale, but also in Oakwood, Middlebury, and Cumberland. I’ll reach out to my friends in the departments there.”

 

 

“Probably need a private investigator to check out the other towns,” Daria said after Peterson had left.

 

“That would be expensive too,” Quinn said.

 

“I’ll talk to Mom about it tonight,” Daria decided.

 

“You mean, Peters, the guy who found Jenna’s mother?” Quinn asked.

 

“Yes,” Daria answered.

 

“I’d say, go for it, Daria,” Robert said.

 

“Normally I’d say wait,” Joey said. “But there’s a lot riding on this. Go for it.”

 

 

“Daria for you, Helen,” Marianne said. “Calling from the Historia.”

 

“I’ll take it,” Helen said. “Daria? Aren’t you heading to school?”

 

“It’s not that late, Mom,” Daria said. “We’re about to head there now. You remember when Jenna was here and you brought in the PI?”

 

“Yes. You want me or the firm to hire Peters to find the critic?” Helen asked. “That will be expensive.”

 

“But not as expensive if it were the Historia to hire him. And it’s not just the critic, but who might be out to get the Historia because it is taking business away from them.” Daria then explained what she and the others had talked about.

 

“I see,” Helen said. “I will talk to him and see what he says first.”

 

“Thanks, Mom,” Daria said.

 

 

‘I hope that was the right decision,’ Quinn thought as she left the Historia with the other three. ‘I hope that problems won’t come of it.’

 

 

“Sandi Griffin, please report to the Principal’s Office.”

 

‘Right after homeroom?’ Sandi asked herself. She was close to the Principal’s Office anyway.

 

She entered the Office.

 

“Good Morning, Ms. Griffin, I have compiled a list of extracurricular activities as you asked,” the principal said.

 

Sandi took the sheet of paper and gave it a quick look over. It was a long list. “Thanks, Ms. Li.”

 

“I’m happy for you to contribute to the honor and glory of Lawndale High in a better way than your previous activities.”

 

“Of course,” Sandi said as she took the hall pass as well. ‘I knew she considered the Fashion Club to be frivolous.’

 

 

Peters entered Helen’s office. “Mrs. Morgendorffer?”

 

“Good morning,” Helen said. “I’m sure you have heard about Kalina Ondrovick and Oliver Langford.”

 

“The missing critics? I’m sure the police are searching for them,” Peters said as he took a seat.

 

“They are, but my daughter is concerned that one of the Historia’s rivals anywhere in Lawndale County might be responsible.”

 

“Is that Daria or Quinn?”

 

“I’m not going to answer that,” Helen responded.

 

“That doesn’t matter anyway. I shall do it, and charge the firm my usual amount.”

 

“Thank you. I hope my daughter is wrong about this.”

 

“I also should say that I disapprove of nepotism, Mrs. Morgendorffer.”

 

“I would have brought you in if it was Mr. Green or Mr. Allen who asked me to,” Helen said.

 

“I suppose so, but I think they are in over their heads,” Peters said as he left.

 

‘You don’t know Daria and Quinn. They are very determined.’

 

 

At lunch time, Quinn entered the cafeteria to find Ted Dewit-Clinton waiting for her. “Hi, Quinn.”

 

“Hi, Ted.”

 

“I just wanted to tell you something.”

 

“Which is?” Quinn asked.

 

“I thought I give you a heads up that you have been voted most popular in the yearbook,” Ted said. “I know you’ve changed since, you know.”

 

Quinn nodded. “True, I don’t really care about that anymore, but I suspect that my changes have something to do with it.”

 

“Probably,” Ted said.

 

 

Sandi had overheard them as she had entered the cafeteria soon after Quinn did. ‘Of course she’s the most popular,’ she groused to herself. ‘My ‘Linda’s mini me’ behaviour definitely turned people off!’ But how much of it was herself, and how much was the ‘Linda’s mini me’ persona, she still wasn’t sure.

 

Quinn had got her food when she saw Wolfgang Shuhardt approach her with a bouquet of flowers. ‘Really?’ she asked herself.

 

“Hi, Quinn,” Wolfgang said.

 

“What is this?”

 

“What does it look like?”

 

“Not interested,” Quinn said.

 

“Really?”

 

“No,” Quinn answered as she went way, towards the line.

 

 

Jane came to the table and saw two more students sitting there, Kevin Thompson, sitting next to Brittany, and Donna Bolton, another cheerleader. ‘This is getting out of hand,’ she thought. She sat at the end of the table, next to Daria.

 

“Something up, Jane?” Daria asked.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Clearly it’s something.”

 

“It used to be just the two of us,” Jane groused.

 

“I can come over tonight. I don’t have to be at the Historia.”

 

Jane nodded.

 

 

Kevin saw Daria finish talking to Jane. “Hey, Daria, what’s the play about.”

 

“I told you, Kevie,” Brittany said.

 

“I’d like her to tell me, you know I’m only seeing it because you’re in it.”

 

Brittany sighed.

 

“It’s about a lot of things. But to put it in terms you can understand, it’s about change,” Daria answered.

 

“Change,” Kevin said, in thought. “Like, how many people are changing. Like, Brit doesn’t seem to be around anymore, Quinn changing her hair and you wearing those clips?”

 

“Exactly,” Daria said.

 

“Although, many more people seem to be changing. Like, I’m fine being the QB!”

 

“Not everyone is changing,” Jane said. “But most.”

 

 

“Of course, not everyone,” Daria said. “But there is something else. Another critic is missing.”

 

“Another critic?” Sandi asked.

 

“Yes. Oliver Langford, from Z93. He had praised the play, but he went missing yesterday.”

 

“So, the play is the connection?” Donna asked.

 

“Possibly, I asked my mother to hire a private investigator to look into the other theaters in the County.”

 

“Not just in Lawndale?” Tania asked.

 

“No, I’m sure that you’re aware, that Oakwood isn’t that far. Middlebury and Cumberland aren’t much further,” Daria answered.

 

 

“That’s a good point,” Tania responded. ‘It’s not just Lawndale. It could be the whole County,’ she thought.  ‘It’s like that I didn’t expect to be solving a mystery while starring in a play. But I have to see this through.’

 

 

“If your mother, or the law firm, doesn’t, I could hire one,” Harry offered.

 

“I’ll catch up with Mom at dinner,” Daria said. “But thanks.”

 

‘I’ll probably ask him to anyway,’ Sandi decided.

 

 

After school, Quinn and Brittany arrived in the library first.

 

“So, Daria told you that another critic is missing,” Brittany said.

 

“Yes, Peterson told us this morning,” Quinn said.

 

“And that your mom is hiring a PI.”

 

“Yes. We have our hands full with Lawndale, it would take too much time to investigate the other towns.”

 

“I agree,” Brittany said.

 

“And it would distract from the play.”

 

Brittany nodded.

 

 

Anna met Daria as they both entered the library. “Daria.”

 

“Hi, Anna.”

 

“So, what happened with Beck?” she asked.

 

“It’s complicated,” Daria answered.

 

“Isn’t everything?”

 

“That’s true. He gave us plans for his effects, but we’re yet to go through them.”

 

“Also, Ben and I met SpiderGirl on the roof after we saw what Beck was up to,” Anna said.

 

“She is often up there,” Daria said as they came up to where Quinn and Brittany were waiting.

 

“….And so, that is how that works?” Brittany asked.

 

“Yes,” Daria said patiently. “That’s the formula for a parabola.”

 

“The x is like left and right and the y is up and down?”

 

“That is one way of looking at it.”

 

“And changing the x also changes the y?” Brittany asked.

 

Daria nodded. “You’re getting the hang of it.”

 

Brittany grabbed her pigtails in an annoyed fashion. “But those more complicated formulas.”

 

“One thing at a time.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

“But, you’re doing better than I thought you would,” Daria said.

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

Quinn also noted that the elocution lessons that Gerald had had so far were good for him. ‘But it is slow going.’

 

Gerald finished reading out the information on Io. “And that is how Io’s surface is so young.”

 

“Because of all the volcanic activity?” Anna asked.

 

“Yes,” Gerald answered.

 

“That’s interesting,” Quinn commented.

 

“It definitely is,” Gerald said as he closed the book. “I’m also considering seeing the play.”

 

“That’s great!” Quinn said.

 

“But probably not this week,” Gerald added. “I’m also concerned that the missing critics are just the start of something.”

 

“I hope not,” Anna said.

 

“Same here,” Quinn said.

 

 

After the tutoring sessions, Anna and Ben came up to Daria as they left the library. “You want to come to the Historia again?” Daria asked. “It’s not that far.”

 

“That’s not the reason,” Ben said.

 

“You want to know more about what’s going on?” Daria asked.

 

“Yes,” Anna answered.

 

“Come on then,” Daria said.

 

 

“So, what do you want to know?” Daria asked as she pulled out of the school’s parking lot.

 

“Is Beck still suspicious?” Anna asked.

 

“Yes,” Daria answered. “But whether he has something to do with the missing critics, I have no idea. It might be a rival theatre somewhere in the county.”

 

“I guess so,” Ben said.

 

“Like in Oakwood,” Anna said.

 

“Yes, and trying to investigate ourselves would take up too much time,” Daria said.

 

“Maybe if you had help?” Anna asked.

 

“And it might be dangerous,” Daria added as she turned a corner.

 

“I agree,” Ben said.

 

“I guess so,” Anna said.

 

“And SpiderGirl and the others undoubtedly have their hands full with Lawndale.”

 

 

At the same time, SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon left the school grounds. “The question is, how are we going to search for the critics?” SpiderGirl asked, once they were on the top the strip mall across the street.

 

Ninja Talon looked around at what could be seen of Lawndale from that position. “They could be anywhere. It would be like a needle in a haystack.”

 

“And we can’t just search various places.”

 

“People would get suspicious of us.”

 

“Definitely. But we can search the outdoor areas,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“And listen to the radio,” Ninja Talon added as she took hers out.

 

“Of course.”

 

“WSBC.”

 

 

They listened for a few minutes before a critic on that station mentioned the play. “Tempest. A modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ at the Historia from Friday night. What do you think?”

 

“For a teenager, this Daria Morgendorffer seems very adept at reworking Shakespeare for the modern age…”

 

“WSBC, the studio isn’t far from the Historia,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“But the other critics didn’t go missing from the studios, did they?”

 

“Kalina was at the Historia, but Peterson didn’t say where Oliver was before he disappeared.”

 

“It’s the best clue…” Ninja Talon said. “Let’s go.”

 

 

They weren’t the only ones. Jane had gone home after school, and was sketching as she listened to the radio.

 

‘Of course, Daria’s adept at it. She’s Daria!’ Jane thought. ‘But is merely mentioning the play the actual trigger for the kidnapping?’ She couldn’t rule it out, so she then changed to the Shadow and headed towards the studio herself.

 

 

Linda was finishing work for the day when she heard a commotion in the break room. ‘What is that?’ she thought. She focused, allowing her enhanced senses to work. There were two people there. She rushed there, ready to raise a forcefield if she needed to. She then found it empty. Both people had slipped out. ‘I guess I’m not past it as I thought. But the Purple Avenger won’t appear in Lawndale publicly.’ She had promised herself that those days were in her past. ‘I will tell Sandi later.’  Even if she disapproved, she could tell that her daughter wanted to help.

 

 

SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon saw that the Shadow was already across the street from the studio when they got there. “I see you had the same idea,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“That mentioning the play is the cause?” the Shadow asked.

 

“Yes,” SpiderGirl answered.

 

“Then we do agree,” the Shadow said. “But the question would be, why?”

 

“We have some ideas,” Ninja Talon said carefully.

 

“So do I,” the Shadow said. But then they saw something. A figure wearing some kind of fishbowl helmet emerged from the studio, carrying someone.

 

SpiderGirl swung into the studio’s parking lot. “Stop right there!”

 

“SpiderGirl! Don’t interfere!”

 

“Stop what you are doing!” Ninja Talon said.

 

The figure ignored her and then opened a manhole cover. He then jumped into it.

 

“We need to follow him!” SpiderGirl decided.

 

“Right behind you,” Ninja Talon said, although she sounded a little uncertain.

 

 

‘A little crazy,’ the Shadow thought. She looked around, but she didn’t see the Enigma or Dafoanairi nearby. ‘Just as well. Not much choice.’ She then followed the figure, SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon through the manhole and into Lawndale’s stormwater system.