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.