Spider Quinn 19 Making the News Amidst the Storms Part 3

 

However, Dafoanairi found a panel that had been displaced and found the power switch beneath it. The powerless pterodactyl was then placed on a table as Ninja Talon and Dafoanairi both looked for the controller.

 

“We know you’re there,” Ninja Talon called out.

 

There was no answer.

 

“They’re probably making a get away as we stand here talking about it,” Dafoanairi commented.

 

“Right, we can go to a couple of the entrances.”

 

“But there are more than two, aren’t there, not counting the emergency exits.”

 

“True, but I’ll go to the main entrance, it’s closer. And I’ll try to get security footage sometime over the next couple of days,” Ninja Talon said.

 

“You’ve done that before?”

 

“I know someone.”

 

“I see,” Dafoanairi said.

 

 

Ninja Talon made her away to the front entrance after borrowing a scooter from one of the Mall security guards. She saw that people were still leaving the Mall and that the Police had responded.

 

“What happened?” Officer Xanthe Peterson asked as she came up to the entrance.

 

“I saw something…” she began.

 

 

In the meantime, Dafoanairi rushed to one of the side entrances. “Maybe I should have talked to Ninja Talon about Anders,” she murmured. “But there wasn’t time.”

 

 

Peterson took in what Ninja Talon said. “So, the person may have escaped.”

 

“Yes, but the robot pterodactyl itself might be useful.”

 

“Certainly, but the LDPDs forensics unit isn’t set up to examine such things,” Peterson groused.

 

“It isn’t?”

 

“Unfortunately not. But I’ll see if I can involve the FBI.”

 

 

Dafoanairi arrived at the side entrance. She looked at the people leaving the building, but none of them looked like they were hiding a large remote control. ‘Or am I thinking of those for RC cars, rather than for televisions or the like?’ But she knew that it was quite a distance if neither she nor Ninja Talon could see who was controlling it. ‘I guess it would be quite large, so they probably left another way.’

 

 

“The situation at the Lawndale Mall has been resolved, with the robot pterodactyl having been put out of action by Ninja Talon and Dafoanairi. Police have secured it as evidence.”

 

“At least that’s over,” Sandi said.

 

“I missed it!” Anders groused, clearly annoyed with herself.

 

“It might not be long before another thing happens,” Sandi said.

 

 

“But not today!” Anders said. She turned to the girl behind her. “You clearly know who I am.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And you are.”

 

“Sandi Griffin.”

 

“Sandi,” Anders considered. “While Lawndale has been having weird stuff happening and villains coming out of the woodwork, it all started with SpiderGirl.”

 

“But it was, like, Ninja Talon and Dafoanairi who responded.”

 

“While that is the case, I still would have liked to cover it. I want to get to the bottom of those things as well, not just interview SpiderGirl.”

 

“I see,” Sandi said. “But what about the others?”

 

“SpiderGirl first, and maybe Ninja Talon,” Anders stood up and walked over. “Eventually, the Shadow, the nameless fourth, Dafoanairi and any sixth that might show up any day now.”

 

“I doubt it,” Sandi said with a snort.

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Just a feeling.’

 

‘Or does she know something?’ Anders wondered. She finished her drink. “I’m heading out now.”

 

 

‘What is she up to?’ Sandi wondered as she watched Anders leave.

 

 

After half an hour, Dafoanairi was sure that the person had got away. ‘Better fill the Enigma in at the Historia. I’m sure she knows about it already.’ She then went back into the Mall to find her way back to the roof.

 

 

After the mentoring session, SpiderGirl switched on her radio before swinging away from the Library roof. She then listened to an update on the situation at the Mall. ‘I thought Talon was taking it easy,’ she thought. ‘But maybe she thought she was the only one there and Dafoanairi was there second?’ She pondered as she looked towards the Mall. She then swung away.

 

 

She approached the Historia, but found that the Enigma was there, thus she swung down into the alleyway behind it and then changed to the ordinary Quinn in one of the back stage rooms.

 

 

“I’ll have the usual, Stacy,” Quinn said as she came up to the counter.

 

“You just missed something,” Stacy said.

 

“What was that?”

 

“Lynn Anders, talking to Sandi.”

 

“Really?” Quinn asked. She wondered whether Sandi was trying to find out more about why Anders wanted an interview with her alter ego. ‘I’ll find out more from Daria later.’

 

“Yes, mostly talking about a robot pterodactyl in the Mall, but also whether she would interview the other vigilantes, from what I heard.”

 

“And would she?”

 

“Yes, after SpiderGirl,” Stacy answered.

 

‘That doesn’t really surprise me. I will tell Brit later,’ Quinn thought as Stacy started on her order.

 

 

Dafoanairi arrived on the Historia’s roof to find the Enigma waiting for her.

 

“Anders was here,” the Enigma said.

 

“She was?”

 

“Yes, and she was annoyed that she wasn’t at the Mall.”

 

“She would have just got in the way,” Dafoanairi said. “I’m certain that whoever made that pterodactyl thing meant to draw out SpiderGirl, but what else did she say?”

 

“That she wouldn’t stop with SpiderGirl and would continue with the others, including us.”

 

“That’s not reassuring at all.”

 

“Definitely not,” the Enigma said. “We need to continue to lie low.”

 

“No problem there.”

 

 

Quinn sipped her drink and thought about the events of the previous 24 hours. ‘It didn’t just come out of nowhere. Events in Lawndale have reached a tipping point.’

 

 

Lynn Anders arrived back at the studio. “There is someone waiting for you in your office,” an assistant said.

 

“Who?”

 

“No idea, other than that they may be from Oscorp.”

 

“Oscorp?” Anders asked in surprise.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then I’ll meet them.”

 

 

Anders entered her office and saw a young woman with short hair waiting. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier,” she said. “I was at the Historia trying to chase up SpiderGirl.”

 

“That’s what Mr. Osborn wants to talk to you about.”

 

“Mr. Osborn? You mean he is getting better?”

 

“He may have regained consciousness two days ago, but it appears that he is fully himself,” the assistant answered.

 

‘That didn’t really answer the question,’ Anders considered. “I’ll see him, then.”

 

“He wants to see you as soon as possible.”

 

“Then I’ll go right now.”

 

 

Daria entered the café after having changed from Dafoanairi on the roof. She saw Quinn and Tori sitting by one of the windows.

 

“Hey, Daria,” Quinn said.

 

“And Interesting day,” Daria commented as she sat.

 

“You mean the situation with Jamie, or what happened after school?” Tori asked.

 

“Both. That more strange things are happening in Lawndale, in the case of the latter. Like robot versions of extinct reptiles are definitely strange.”

 

“I agree,” Quinn said. “Like who would build such things and then let them loose in a mall?”

 

“That’s a good question, and do they also have Oscorp backing?”

 

“I hope not, but we need to be open to that possibility.”

 

“Definitely. I’ll bring it up with the fourth vigilante later tonight,” Daria said.

 

“You haven’t really told me how that started,” Tori said.

 

“She sought me out, as she had heard that I was investigating what’s going on in Lawndale, and offered her help,” Daria answered carefully.

 

“But why is it that her hero name isn’t known?” Tori asked.

 

“I’m not answering that,” Daria answered.

 

 

Quinn saw Daria’s point. ‘The Enigma wants to be private for some reason, to do her thing for Lawndale in the background. Just as I do mine.’

 

 

Tori thought about Daria’s response. ‘I probably crossed a line. Either that, or Daria doesn’t know.’

 

 

Norman Osborn saw the young assistant lead Lynn Anders into the hospital room. “Welcome, Ms. Anders.”

 

“Mr. Osborn,” Ander said. “Why am I here?”

 

“Because of your desire for an interview with SpiderGIrl.”

 

“I’m sure there is another reason.”

 

“Because she and the others are meddlers. They are out to try to mould Lawndale the way that they want it to be,” Osborn said.

 

Anders raised an eyebrow. “The same could be said of you.”

 

“Touche, Ms. Anders, but I want to improve the town, the vigilantes are just adding to the chaos caused by the rising crime.”

 

“What about Groundhog Day?”

 

Norman supressed the memories of being behind that attack. “Reports from that night are contradictory. There’s no proof that SpiderGirl and the others did anything.”

 

“I admit that it was chaotic, but it’s obvious that SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon saved lives that night.”

 

“That’s one way of looking at it.”

 

“You want me to do something for you, don’t you?” Anders asked in a wary tone.

 

“I know that you’re not as brave as your public persona would suggest. That your stunts are staged.”

 

Anders sighed. “Maybe.”

 

“And that your producers are growing weary of them.”

 

“Not yet, I wouldn’t think.”

 

“But I have some suggestions that will improve your ratings,” Norman said.

 

 

Lynn looked warily at Osborn. She knew that he had been pulling strings at the station. ‘He thinks that he knows enough to bring me down, does he?’ she thought. ‘But maybe I can find more on Oscorp in the process?’

 

“What is your answer?” Osborn asked.

 

“I will help you,” she said.

 

“Very good, Ms. Anders. See me again tomorrow morning at 8:30.”

 

“8:30?” Lynn asked.

 

“Yes, see you then.”

 

 

Back at the Historia, Brittany found Daria having dinner in the café. She had rested after that encounter with the robotic pterodactyl, but her leg was still aching. She saw that Quinn had already left on her evening patrol. ‘I’ll catch up with her later,’ she thought.

 

“Hi, Brittany,” Daria said as she sat down.

 

“A long day,” she said.

 

“It definitely was, but I have managed to change the set directions, so that you won’t have to move too much,” Daria said as she handed over a modified script.

 

“Thanks,” Brittany said as she looked at the first page. ‘Ariel just walks in and talks to Prospero, rather than dancing in…’

 

 

Daria waited while eating as Brittany read through the script.

 

“This is great! It doesn’t impact the play much at all,” Brittany said.

 

“Exactly. I wanted the experience of this week’s performances to be as close as possible to last weeks.”

 

“I will do my best.”

 

“I know you will.”

 

 

Jane arrived at the Historia after parking the Plymouth down the street. She put the thoughts about the news of a robotic pterodactyl out of her mind as she entered the café. She saw Daria and Brittany eating at a table. “Yo!” she said as she came up to them.

 

“Hi, Jane!” Brittany said.

 

“I see that you’re still recovering, from whatever it was SpiderGirl rescued you from,” Jane said as she said.

 

“I was running and I slipped,” Brittany said matter-of-factly.

 

“In any case, the play goes ahead, just with Ariel not moving as much,” Daria explained.

 

“Very true,” Jane said.

 

“I will be back to my normal self soon,” Brittany said with determination.

 

 

At the Griffin’s, Sandi had finished writing down her thoughts about the robot pterodactyl when her mother called her down to dinner. “Coming.”

 

 

When she entered the dining room, her brothers were talking about what happened at the Mall. ‘I guess I’m going to keep hearing about it,’ she thought.

 

“If I had a robot pterodactyl, I wouldn’t use it in a crowded mall,” Chris said.

 

“I would have a robot T-rex,” Sam interjected.

 

“But a T-rex doesn’t fly,” Chris said.

 

Sandi rolled her eyes as she sat down next to her mother.

 

“Did you find anything?” her mother asked.

 

“No. I wasn’t anywhere near there.”

 

“Just Ninja Talon and Dafoanairi, wasn’t it?” her mother asked, with emphasis on the latter name.

 

“Yes,” Sandi answered. ‘Has Mother figured out that Daria’s Dafoanairi?’ she wondered. But dinner time wasn’t the time to clarify.

 

“It is something that we need to keep an eye on,” her mother added.

 

“I agree.”

 

 

After dinner she was ready for another search. She looked in the yearbook. “Dani Donaldson last night,” she murmured. Next was Teri Eden. She down the energy drink. “Findu mann sem heiter: Teri Eden!”

 

She found Teri at home, watching Lynn Anders talk about what happened at the Mall.

 

“Twenty six down,” she said. “But, like, what is Lynn Anders saying?”

 

She switched on her television.

 

“…And so, SpiderGirl was apparently unavailable and a clearly injured Ninja Talon and Dafoanairi, who still seems inexperienced, had responded.”

 

‘Clearly, it seems that she is trying to provoke SpiderGirl,’ she thought. ‘But why do I care? I want to confront her and be her rival, afterall.’ But she was sure there was more to it. ‘Probably Daria’s influence, as well as that discussion with Officer Peterson.’ She shook her head. The fact that she wanted to be SpiderGirl’s rival had nothing to do with it. She recalled the conversation she had with Anders at the Historia. That she would continue and get interviews with all of the vigilantes. ‘This is how she’s starting.’

 

“So, SpiderGirl, Lawndale wants to know, why did Ninja Talon have to respond in her state?”

 

“Like, only part of Lawndale wants to know,” she groused as she took out her journal again.

 

 

Tori had put leftovers in the microwave when the phone rang. She picked it up. “Mom?” she asked.

 

“Sorry that I’m late tonight. Daniels wanted me to do the article on the robot pterodactyl in the Mall,” her mother said.

 

“It’s OK, Mom, really,” Tori said as she set the time on the microwave.

 

“I thought I’d spend more time with you, but with everything happening… I’m sorry.”

 

“Thanks, Mom.”

 

“I’ll see you later.”