Spider Quinn 22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 8

 

Daria was trying to ignore Kevin’s stupid story when she saw Sandi as the Enigma outside. ‘I guess she’s concerned about what Kevin may do too.’

 

She looked at the just as bored Marta. ‘Not sure why she’s listening to Kevin.’

 

“…And so, I made the goal! And unlike Tommy Sherman, I didn’t hit the goal post.”

 

“That’s a low bar,” Jane commented from where she was sketching.

 

“At least Kevin isn’t anywhere near the jerk Tommy was,” Daria commented.

 

“Is it true that he was hitting on students just before his death?” Marta asked.

 

“I saw him proposition every girl he came across,” Daria answered.

 

“Except Daria.”

 

Daria was uncomfortable. The moniker that Tommy had given her hit uncomfortably close to home now, after what happened to her father. “Let’s change the subject.”

 

“Of course,” Jane said.

 

 

The Enigma retreated, as she didn’t want to be noticed. Not yet. ‘Wait until Kevin is actually doing something.’ She went around the back of the Historia and changed to the usual Sandi before entering the theater from one of the back doors.

 

 

“Uh oh!” Daria said as she grabbed her now empty plate.

 

“Uh oh?” Jane asked.

 

“Sandi’s here.”

“It’s not likely she’ll cause problems for Quinn while she’s working, right?”

 

“No. But she might have news from the fourth vigilante,” Daria obfuscated.

 

“So, she knows her identity too?”

 

Daria sighed. “Yes.”

 

 

Jane noted that down.

 

Sandi also knows fourth vigilante’s identity.

 

 

“You’re also keeping an eye on Kevin?” Daria asked.

 

“Yes. But I also located Marta,” Sandi answered quietly. “And she was looking at Kevin when I did so.”

 

“So, you think she might be SpiderGIrl?”

 

“I didn’t want to ignore the possibility.”

 

Daria considered that. Sandi’s quest to find SpiderGirl’s identity was starting to make things more complex.

 

“So, I’ll stay until closing,” Sandi concluded.

 

 

The phone rang in the office and Quinn picked it up,

 

“Hi, Quinn,” her mother said. “I’m just checking that Daria is there.”

 

“She is, Mom. She was having dinner with Jane.”

 

“Thanks. I was a little worried, although she knows how to look after herself.”

 

“That isn’t all, is it?”

 

“For the moment it is. I need to get back to work.”

 

Quinn sighed. Her mother had been taking work home in the evenings before her father died, but it seemed that the tendency had increased in the four months since his passing. “OK. I’ll see you later.”

 

“Bye, sweetie.”

 

 

When the café closed for the evening, Daria saw Kevin and Marta hanging around in the foyer. “Are you waiting for someone?” she asked Marta.

 

“My mother said she’d pick me up, as we’re in Newridge,” Marta responded.

 

‘That makes sense,’ Daria thought, as Newridge lay on the southwestern edge of Lawndale’s sprawl. She looked to where Sandi and Jane were standing with their backs to each other to either side of the double doors to the café. “Looks like we’re all waiting around.”

 

“I’m going up now,” Kevin said as he approached the stairs.

 

“Wait, Kevin,” Daria said.

 

“No!”

 

Daria paused. She could get another staff from the apartment instead of the one on the roof. ‘Dafoanairi and the the Enigma instead of SpiderGirl? I’m sure that he would be disappointed.’

 

Kevin went up the stairs.

 

“Fine, let him,” Jane said in exasperation. “Trent will be here soon.”

 

 

Sandi watched Daria leave as she headed backstage to change to Dafoanairi. ‘Marta may not be SpiderGirl, but she’s drawn my attention.’

 

“So, you know who the fourth vigilante is?” Jane asked.

 

Sandi glared at the experimenting artist, ignoring her more conventional look. “Did Daria say that?” she asked, trying not to sound too defensive.

 

“She did. So I guess you found out yourself given that Daria promised to keep her secret.”

 

“You, like, surmise correctly.”

 

“But, how? Why?” Jane asked.

 

“Like, how Daria knows.”

 

“I think there’s more to it,” Jane saiid.

 

 

Jane was about to prod Sandi more when she saw Trent enter the building.

 

“Evening, Janie,” he said.

 

“Just in time, Trent. You might witness a quarterback try to ask a superhero out,” Jane said.

 

“Here in the theater?” Trent asked.

 

“Like, up on the roof,” Sandi interjected.

 

“Hmm. This I’d like to see.”

 

“Really?” Jane asked.

 

 

Quinn emerged from the café with Stacy to find everyone gone, including Kevin. “He must have gone up to the roof,” she told Stacy.

 

“Do you want me to come up to?” Stacy asked.

 

“I can handle it,” Quinn said.

 

Stacy breathed deeply. “I know Quinn,” she said seriously.

 

“You know what?” Quinn asked, trying not to be defensive.

 

“That you’re one of the heroes. Not which one, although I have some idea.”

 

“Stacy, I hope you haven’t told anyone.”

 

“No one!” Stacy said in an assured tone.

 

Quinn breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks Stacy.”

 

 

Quinn and Stacy emerged onto the roof to find Jane and Trent waiting just outside the door. Kevin was pacing near the northern edge, with Dafoanairi sitting unimpressed on the edge.

 

‘Can’t change to SpiderGirl here,’ Quinn thought. ‘But I expected that, especially with Stacy here. But can Daria as Dafoanairi cope with Kevin?’ she wondered, as she was more sure that Dafoanairi was Daria. ‘An anagram of her given names. Daria Fiona. Dafoanairi.’

 

“Right. Dafoanairi, but no SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon, Shadow or fourth vigilante,” Stacy murmured. She looked to Quinn. “But maybe one of them may be here.’”

 

‘Great, she’s narrowed down that I’m not Dafoanairi. But Brit is at home, or patrolling somewhere in the south. I’ll catch up with her later.’

 

“Quinn!” Kevin said. “SpiderGirl’s not here yet.”

 

“She’s not always here,” Quinn responded.

 

“Although the Wednesday nights are consistent,” Dafoanairi pointed out.

 

‘I’ll be here as Spidey after this is resolved,’ Quinn thought. “I guess so, but you’re not going to wait for her.”

 

“I’m not?” Kevin asked as he stepped closer to the edge while looking around.

 

 

Trent noticed the tension rise after Quinn and Stacy stepped on the rooftop. Kevin was being obstinate, Dafoanairi looked more tense, like she was ready to jump if she thought she needed to intervene and Janie was sketching the moment, but also ready to change to the Shadow in an instant if she needed to. He looked out over Lawndale. Fog was coming in. ‘Maybe Janie wouldn’t need her usual fog,’ he thought as Kevin stepped closer to the edge.

 

 

Dafoanairi’s heart rate rose, as she looked over the edge herself. The Enigma was down in the rear car park, but she wasn’t sure whether she’d would be able to catch Kevin telekinetically if she fell.

 

“SPIDERGIRL! I’m here!” Kevin called out.

 

“This is enough. Just because you chose this for Mr. O’Neill….” Jane said.

 

“I don’t want to fail!” Kevin said.

 

“You failed at meeting SpiderGirl. But that means that Mr. O’Neill will say that you succeeded at failing,” Jane said.

 

“I guess so,” Kevin said.

 

 

Kevin sat down.

 

Quinn got a text message. She looked at her cell phone and saw that it was from Brittany’s burner number.

 

Reports of the Goblin Glider appearing again. I know you might be dealing with Kevin, but we need to meet at the Bridge.

 

Quinn typed a response.

 

I’ll be there within ten minutes. Others are dealing with Kevin.

 

“Quinn?” Stacy asked.

 

“Something has come up. I have to go,” Quinn said.

 

“Is it Anna? Or Angie?”

 

“Someone else. I’ll see you later.”

 

“But!” Stacy objected.

 

“You can help them handle Kevin if need be.”

 

“I suppose.”

 

 

Quinn headed to the apartment before changing to SpiderGIrl, but then she saw that the Enigma was in the rear car park. ‘Can’t head out that way,’ she thought. But she could use the windows on the western side of the Historia.

 

 

Stacy stepped forwards toward Jane and Trent after Quinn had dashed back down the stairs. “You may need to dash towards Kevin in case Dafoanairi can’t stop him falling,” she said.

 

“You seem confident this evening,” Jane commented.

 

“Oh, I’m still anxious, but working downstairs has helped me, even in just over a month.”

 

“That’s great, Stacy,” Jane said. She then looked towards Kevin.

 

 

Kevin barely noticed Quinn leaving. He was still thinking about what Jane had said regarding Mr. O’Neil. “So, I succeeded at failing to meet SpiderGirl. Btu I still have a crush on her.”

 

“It’s probably still a rebound from Brittany,” Stacy pointed out.

 

“Exactly,” Dafoanairi said.

 

“Um, maybe, but less so than with Quinn.”

 

Kevin then jumped and stumbled next to Dafoanairi. “Uh oh!”

 

Dafoanairi steadied him. “She’s not coming,” she said. “You’re just making a fool of yourself.”

 

Kevin sighed. “Maybe next week. But I’ll have to tell Mr. O’Niel something.”

 

 

SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon arrived at the spot below the Jefferson Bridge where they had revealed their secret identities to each other and unmasked. “How was it with Kevin?” Brittany asked.

 

“It was still touch and go, but I’m sure Stacy, Jane and Dafoanairi handled it.”

 

“That’s good. I may have broken up with him, but I don’t want him to hurt himself in some ill advised quest!”

 

“So, the sighting of the Goblin Glider?” Quinn asked.

 

“Some reports from the southern areas of town this evening, most of them around Osborn’s mansion.”

 

“Was it from Andrea? Or just forums?”

 

“Both,” Brittany responded.

 

“Right. Then we’ll swing up to the Bridge lights and look in that direction.”

 

 

Upon swinging up onto one of the bridge streetlights, SpiderGirl sighted the glider low in the distance to the southwest. “There,” she said, pointing.

 

Ninja Talon looked. “Now we need to find out what Osborn is up to.”

 

“Easier said then done. Andrea’s?”

 

Ninja Talon nodded and they started swinging in that direction.

 

 

Back at the Historia, Kevin, Jane and Trent waited as Stacy locked the front door.

 

“I know how you feel, man,” Trent said to Kevin.

 

“No you don’t!” Kevin said.

 

“I mean I haven’t tried to date a superhero,” Trent said.

 

“I seriously doubt Monique would be one of the heroes,” Jane said, referring to Trent’s on again off again girlfriend.”

 

“You still don’t,” Kevin said.

 

“Done!” Stacy said as she came back to the two.

 

“So, you want a lift home?” Jane asked.

 

“Of course. I was going to call Mom when I was ready,” Stacy said.

 

“Sure!” Kevin said. “I don’t want what happened with that Anders lady to happen again.”

 

“Sure,” Trent said.

 

“Being with people is no certainty of safety,” Jane commented.

Convergence on Lawndale - Part 17

 

Stacy saw the column in the middle of the console go up and down, but it was the sound of the engines and the shaking of the floor that nearly overwhelmed her. But there was something else she felt, as if someone was trying to reassure her.

 

The Doctor turned to Stacy. “Relax. We’ll be there shortly.”

 

“There’s something, nice,” Stacy said.

 

“That would be the TARDIS herself. She doesn’t want you to think she’s overwhelming in a bad way. I mean it’s always overwhelming when people see that she’s bigger inside than out and that she exists…”

 

Stacy interrupted. “She’s alive?”

 

“Yes,” Quinn answered. “In a way.”

 

 

The TARDIS landed in Middleton not far from the portal, a minute after departure from the Morgendorffers from the perspective of Lawndale on the other side of the poral. The Doctor ran the scan immediately.

 

The results were similar to those in Lawndale. “It’s also a flower,” Jane said.

 

“I’ll also zoom out to Upperton and Lowerton,” the Doctor said.

 

The scanner then showed that both Upperton and Lowerton had similar coverage to Oakwood.

 

“No real difference,” Quinn commented.

 

“True, and I think the reverse scan will be similar, the Doctor responded. He ran that scan and saw that the progression was the same as in Lawndale.

 

 

The Doctor, Quinn, Daria and Kaelyn stepped out of the TARDIS into the early morning Middleton.

 

“Kim and Ron should still be asleep,” Kaelyn commented. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t find out what’s happening here.”

 

“But maybe what we need to deal with is back in Lawndale,” Quinn suggested.

 

“Or maybe those who Kim fights against are aware of the portal in Middelton and will try to take advantage of the fact Lawndale wouldn’t know about them yet,” Daria added.

 

“But we can’t really guard the portal,” Kaelyn pointed out.

 

“No,” the Doctor mused. “But the TARDIS can monitor it for me.”

 

“Or UNIT?” Peter asked from the door.

 

“UNiT is already involved in Lawndale’s time. It would increase the possibility of temporal complications if we involve them in this time. Besides, they would be aware of that.”

 

“So, we’re on our own. No pressure,” Daria added.

 

“We will get to the bottom of this,” the Doctor said.

 

“I have no doubt of that,” Quinn said as she looked out at Middleton.

 

 

Stacy watched as Jane sketched the map of the Middleton that the scanner was showing. She then looked to where Brittany was pacing near the door. “All this is overwhelming,” she said to Jane.

 

“But you’re not alone in this,” Jane said.

 

“I know, but Quinn is used to this. Brittany too. You seem to be taking this in stride.”

 

“Well, Daria actually told me about the Doctor. That, and there are many things my older siblings have got involved in.”

 

“The ones who wander?” Stacy said.

 

“Yes. Although my brother’s band has also seen things.”

 

“Is Mystik Spiral as bad as they say?”

 

“That depends on what you’ve heard,” Jane responded. She looked at the Scanner again. “I wonder if I can compare Middleton and Lawndale side by side.”

 

The TARDIS beeped and the screen changed to show the scan results of the two towns as Jane suggested.

 

“Oh, thanks, TARDIS.”

 

“I feel that reassurance again,” Stacy commented.

 

“She’s trying to help, in her way.”

 

“You understand what the Doctor said?”

 

“In a way,” Jane answered. “All this Time Lord stuff is beyond all of us.”

 

Stacy glanced at the two maps on the screen. Lawndale and Middleton had different layouts. ‘It’s the different landscapes,’ she thought. But the layout of the energy readings looked the same. The same flower pattern. “They look the same.”

 

“They are identical.”

 

 

Jane emerged from the TARDIS.

 

“Something up?” Daria asked.

 

“I compared the maps of Lawndale and Middleton,” Jane answered.

 

“And?” the Doctor asked.

 

“They’re identical.”

 

“Oh.”

 

 

The Doctor re-entered the TARDIS. He quickly saw that Jane was right.

 

“But what does it mean?” Stacy asked.

 

“We’re going to have to looking at each of those places, in both towns,” the Doctor said. “And we may not be able to wait for Kim and Ron.”

 

“It will take long enough for them to wake,” Daria said.

 

“Quite likely,” the Doctor said. “But we can’t just focus on Middleton or Lawndale.”

 

“Obviously,” Jane responded.

 

“But we’ll go to the closest energy source here in Middleton,” the Doctor said.

 

“Isn’t that the portal?” Stacy asked.

 

“No, it’s the one corresponding to the Coulthards,” the Doctor answered.

 

“Let’s do it,” Quinn decided.

 

 

“So where is it?” Kaelyn asked.

 

“In a neighbourhood to the south of here,” the Doctor answered.

 

“Then let’s get going,” Daria said.

 

 

While they were travelling to the location, Kim awoke to Wade’s call on the Kimmunicator. “Wade, it’s only been an hour and a half.”

 

“I know, but you have to see this,” Wade said. “The TARDIS has materialised here in Middleton.”

 

“So, what did happen in Lawndale is also happening in Middleton?”

 

“That seems likely. I tried contacting UNIT but they’re not saying anything.”

 

“We’re on our own then,” Kim said. “Call Ron, have him meet me in the park.”

Spider Quinn 22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 7

 

“Jane?” O’Neill asked. “What about you?”

 

“Being conventional.”

 

“And how is that going?”

 

“I have just started. It’s difficult to tell,” Jane responded.

 

“Excellent!”

 

 

O’Neill then turned to Brittany. “How about you?”

 

“I have started studying it.”

 

“So you’ve just started?”

 

“Yes.”

 

He then turned to Daria.

 

 

 

He also asked the Junior class. “Quinn?” he asked.

 

“I have started reading a Charles Dickens novel.”

 

“A Christmas Carol?” O’Neill asked.

 

“No. One of the other much longer ones,” Quinn responded. “I finished one chapter last night.”

 

“Another long term one if she’s persistent,” O’Neill noted. “Sandi?”

 

“I’m still deciding,” Sandi stated.

 

“But what are you trying to decide on?”

 

 

Sandi sighed. “An extracurricular activity,” she answered, although she was sure that anything O’Neill would suggest wouldn’t be helpful.

 

“Too many too choose from?” he asked unhelpfully.

 

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

 

“See, you’ve succeeded at failing to choose something.”

 

‘Great!’ Sandi thought.

 

 

Despite the continuing fad and the murmurs related to the assignment it was mostly an ordinary day at Lawndale High.

 

Daria considered this as she waited for Brittany in the Library after school let out. ‘The students are resilient,’ she thought. ‘They have taken these changes in stride.’ She took out the Math textbook and opened it. Brittany was making progress. She wanted to continue with the Math first, then Science.

 

Brittany entered with her enthusiastic bounciness “So, we’re starting with Math as usual?”

 

“Yes, consistency is key.”

 

Brittany nodded. “I agree. Science can be later,” she said as she twirled a pigtail.

 

 

At the same time, Fields entered Osborn’s office. “One of the engineers is here,” she said.

 

“Send him in.”

 

The engineer entered quickly and placed a folded blueprint on the desk. “Does she know?” he asked, referring to Fields.

 

“I trust her, as much as I trust any of my close colleagues,” Osborn answered.

 

“It is ready for testing as you requested,” the engineer said.

 

“Good to hear,” Osborn said as he unfurled the blueprint.

 

The engineer turned to leave. “I guess you know what that is?” he asked Fields.

 

“Yes,” Fields answered as he left.

 

 

Osborn looked over the glider blueprints again. ‘It should prove more effective against SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon and the Shadow now.’ He paused. It was still vulnerable to Linda and Sandi’s powers, but he had to be sure to tie them up elsewhere in Lawndale while he dealt with the Country Club.

 

“Are you going to use it for something?” Fields asked boldly.

 

“You are being bold,” Osborn commented. “I intend to use it for observation.”

 

‘Observation of the vigilantes no doubt,’ she thought.

 

“Reports of Oscorp involvement on Groundhog Day are false.”

 

“I wasn’t thinking otherwise.”

 

“Good. I have been looking over your rooftop maps. When do you think you’ll get to the whole town?”

 

“A few weeks, given it’s not the only thing I’m working on,” Fields answered.

 

“Of course.”

 

 

At the same time, Jane’s brother Trent saw Jane arrive home. “Janie? What are you wearing?”

 

“Something conventional,” Jane answered.

 

“Why? Is it something to do with being the Shadow? Or when you were abducted?”

 

“I don’t think it has to do with either. It’s more to do with this assignment that O’Neill assigned.”

 

“I don’t see how being conventional would have much to do with Language Arts,” Trent said.

 

“I don’t either.”

 

 

In her room, Jane looked at her maps of Lawndale. More specifically, at the various schools in town. “Is the fad present at all of them?”

 

Lawndale Schools

Lawndale High

Glenfield Middle

Lawndale Middle

Lawndale East Middle

Lawndale West Middle

Lawndale Elementary

Glenfield Elementary

Lawndale East Elementary

Lawndale West Elementary

Fielding Private School

St. Agnes Catholic

St. Augustine Catholic College

 

 

“That is a lot,” Jane said to herself. She had gone to Lawndale Elementary and Glenfield Middle before starting Lawndale High. ‘But the Shadow just showing up to the Elementary and Middle schools out of the blue might not be the way to go. SpiderGirl might be the only one who could pull that off. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote that down. ‘It’s Wednesday. SpiderGirl might well be at the Historia. I could ask her and If Kevin is there too, I could probably stop him from doing something stupid.

 

She then heard Trent knock on the door. “Come in.”

 

“I was thinking,” Trent said. “Is this assignment something I need to worry about?”

 

“I don’t think so.”

 

“I mean, you being conventional.”

 

“Maybe it means that being the Shadow has changed me more than I thought,” Jane responded.

 

“Or it could be your experience with Beck.”

 

“Could be, Trent. Could be.”

 

Trent sat on her bed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

 

“Not at the moment. But you’ll know when I want to.”

 

“Have you been talking to Daria about it?”

 

“Not yet either,” Jane answered as she turned to her easel.

 

 

Daria and Brittany finished their session, with Daria going over the various sub fields of science.

 

“Maybe more on biology, or zoology, or botany?” Brittany asked herself as she twirled a pigtail.

 

“You don’t have to choose straight away,” Daria said in a reassuring tone.

 

“Good point. We can do all of them!” Brittany decided. She grabbed her backpack. “I’m heading off.”

 

“Where?”

 

“The Pizza Place. I have mostly being going to the Historia, but I don’t want the pizza place to close either.”

 

“I don’t think it’s suffering. We’re not competing with it directly,” Daria pointed out. “We don’t make pizzas.”

 

“Good point.”

 

 

Daria waited until Brittany had left before heading up the library’s roof, and changing to Dafoanairi there. She looked out over Lawndale before heading off. First, to the Historia to the south, and to where the strip mall that contained the pizza place hidden behind some houses to the southwest. ‘But where first,’ as she glanced towards the Zon, partially hidden behind some of the other establishments in Dega Street. ‘Haven’t patrolled Daga Street for a while.’

 

 

Quinn entered the Historia shortly before her shift. The café was nearly full with the now usual early evening crowd. Stacy was already working and quickly came over to Quinn. “Something up, Stacy?” she asked.

 

“Oh, just our classmates still talking about the fad. They’re mostly laughing about it. Like most of them think it’s funny,” Stacy said.

 

“I can see how favorite animals could be seen as funny,” Quinn mused.

 

“But it’s now old, even though it’s only been two days.”

 

Quinn knew when Stacy’s thoughts were swirling due to her anxiety, even when she wasn’t hyperventilating. “Let’s focus on work for now, OK.”

 

“That’s what Mom said,” Stacy said, referring to her mother, who managed the café. “Easier said then done.” Even so, Stacy calmed.

 

 

Dafoanairi arrived on the Historia’s roof as the sun was setting. She briefly looked at the sunset as it made patterns though the trees and buildings in Lawndale Flats. She then looked at the door downwards. ‘But would Kevin be waiting for SpiderGirl now, or later.’ He was sure that he would be at the Historia at some point. She placed her staff next to the door, changed to the ordinary Daria and headed down.

 

 

Jane entered the Historia and saw Daria emerge from the door to the stairs. “You were watching the sunset?” she asked.

 

“You’re still wearing conventional clothes?”

 

“That’s what Trent asked; more or less. So, we’re going to observe our peers at dinner?”

 

“They’d be less guarded than at school,” Daria answered. “That, and Kevin’s determination to try to meet SpiderGirl.”

 

“I doubt we’d be able to dissuade him.”

 

 

“You’re having dinner here?” Quinn asked Daria when she and Jane had come up to the counter.

 

Daria nodded. “I’ll have the usual.”

 

“Sure, and you, Jane?”

 

“Why not?” Jane responded rhetorically. “I’m sticking around here tonight anyway.”

 

“Got it.”

 

 

“Sticking around?” Daria asked when they had sat.

 

“I thought, why not be conventional while hanging around the Historia.”

 

“There’s more, isn’t there?”

 

“And try to stop Kevin from being stupid with SpiderGirl if I happen to be in the same place at the same time,” Jane answered.

 

“Wouldn’t want the quarterback to be webbed to the roof.”

 

 

As she opened her yearbook, Sandi reflected on the day. ‘The fad is very much present,’ she thought as she grabbed her yearbook.

 

After Emma King was Marta Lamaris. ‘She’s another who keeps to herself,’ she thought as she grabbed her energy drink. “Findu mann sem heiter: Marta Lamaris!”

 

She found Marta at the Historia, where she was watching Kevin being his usual goofy self.

 

“Right, Kevin wanting to ask SpiderGirl out,” she mused with her usual post search fatigue. “That’s why he’s waiting there.” But did that mean Marta was SpiderGirl? ‘Unlikely.’ But she couldn’t ignore the concidence of Marta watching Kevin while Kevin was intending to meet SpiderGirl. She then noticed something in the memory of the perception. That Daria was there too. ‘I won’t tell her about the possibility, but I can still be there shortly, if I can give Mother an excuse.’

 

 

“And why are you patrolling as the fourth vigilante at this hour?” Linda Griffin asked. She knew Sandi was up to something, probably related to her intention to confront SpiderGirl.

 

“Criminals have seen through our patterns,” Sandi answered. “Not just Osborn either.”

 

“I concede that, and I have heard that the Shadow often patrols at this time.”

 

“I haven’t heard that.”

 

“I keep my ear on the ground,” Linda responded. “Or is it due to Kevin Thompson? You’re using him as bait?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“A bad idea, Sandi.”

 

“I don’t doubt you used similar tactics in Boston,” Sandi said as she tied her hair back before putting on her mask.

 

‘You may not intend to be my ‘mini me’ but you still take after me in many ways.’

 

 

By the time the Enigma arrived on the Historia’s roof and had abseiled down the eastern side next to the café, Kevin was being more annoying than usual. Her attention was drawn to the quarterback who was trying to regale Marta and a rather annoyed Daria with a story. Jane was sketching something near the counter, where Quinn and Stacy were serving some other customers.

Spider Quinn 22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 6

 

“No,” the Enigma answered. “It’s Sam Griffin.”

 

“Why would Sam Griffin be here?” Tania asked as she looked out the window.

 

“He probably followed us here,” Dafoanairi said, “as we were going along the ground.””

 

“I can think of one reason,” Tania said.

 

‘That she’s guessing that either of us is Sandi,’ Dafoanairi thought. ‘It was going to happen sooner or later.’

 

“That’s probably not it,” the Enigma responded, although her voice wavered a bit.

 

“We’ll let’s see what he’s up to,” Tania said.

 

 

Sam saw Sandi and Daria as their vigilante alter egos come down from the roof with Tania. “You’re recruiting Tania?” he asked.

 

“No,” Dafoanairi answered. “She’s an ally.”

 

“I don’t want to be a vigilante,” Tania said. “I just investigate with them sometimes.”

 

“Sounds like you’re into it,” Sam said.

 

“I’m not into it. If I was, I would have been wearing a disguise on the roof as well,” Tania said.

 

“She isn’t a seventh vigilante,” the Enigma said.

 

“Oh yeah, the Violet Force is the sixth,” Sam murmured, barely remembering to use his mother’s moniker.

 

“Why are you here?” Dafoanairi asked.

 

“I wanted to ask something,” Sam answered.

 

“What about?” Dafoanairi asked.

 

“What’s going on. The middle school has the favorite animal fad too,” Sam replied.

 

“Is that all?” the Enigma responded in an irritated tone.

 

“My sister didn’t help much,” Sam said.

 

 

‘I didn’t,’ the Enigma thought. ‘I was still being selfish. I’m still ‘Linda’s mini me’ in that respect.’

 

“I’m sure she’ll make it up somehow,” Dafoanairi said with a quick glance in the Enigma’s direction.

 

 

Tania caught the glance Dafoanairi made. ‘That narrows it down.’ That the Enigma was Sandi, not one of the Morgendorffers as she originally thought, made sense. But she still wasn’t entirely sure.

That the fad was present at the middle school also made sense. “I was saying to these two that I was annoyed by it too,” she said to Sam.

 

“But what to do about it?” Sam asked.

 

“That, I have been thinking about, but I’m still not sure,” Dafoanairi answered.

 

“Is that all?” the Enigma asked.

 

“Not really,” Sam said.

 

“No, you can’t come along with us on a patrol. I’m sure you saw our confrontation with that Oscorp agent?” Dafoanairi said.

 

“Not even to the Historia roof?” Sam asked.

 

“No,” the Enigma said. “Oscorp could be watching there.”

 

“Unlikely,” Sam shot back.

 

“Very likely,” Dafoanairi responded.

 

“Go home,” the Enigma said.

 

 

Sam sighed. He didn’t want to accidentally reveal his sister and Daria’s identities to Tania. He turned around dramatically. “But what if there are more of those agents?”

 

“It’s not far to your place,” Dafoanairi said.

 

“Or he could stay here,” Tania suggested.

 

“Up on the roof?” Sam asked.

 

“Of course not,” Tania responded. “You can wait in the rumpus room. Just don’t make any noise.”

 

“Fine,” Sam said.

 

 

Soon, Tania, the Enigma and Dafoanairi headed downtown. “What are we looking for?” Tania asked as they soon as they were in the laneway.

 

“The usual,” Dafoanairi responded. “We find crimes in progress and intervene.”

 

“Rescuing people from muggers,” Tania commented.

 

“And stopping robberies,” the Enigma said.

 

“And helping the other vigilantes if Oscorp agents are confronting them,” Dafoanairi added with a twirl of her staff. Tania was sure that she was showing off.

 

 

They scaled the Historia to find that they weren’t alone on the roof. The Shadow, the third vigilante, was already there.

 

 

The Shadow hadn’t expected any of the other vigilantes to show up. She turned and saw the Enigma, Dafoanairi and Tania come towards her. “I should have known.”

 

“Known what?” Dafoanairi asked.

 

“That other vigilantes would come here while I was here,” the Shadow responded.

 

“You wanted to be alone?” Tania asked.

 

“I’m sure you’re aware of what’s happening at Lawndale High,” the Shadow groused. “Not something that one can battle with gadgets or superpowers.”

 

“No, it’s something we investigate,” Dafoanairi said.

 

“I know that. It’s that I don’t know where to start. Other than that the fad probably came from either Middlebury or the internet, and that Mr. O’Neill might have got the idea for the failure assignment from a professional development seminar.”

 

“How did you find that out?” the Enigma asked.

 

“I snooped as my secret identity.”

 

 

Earlier

Shortly after school let out, Jane approached the Language Arts Faculty Office. She hoped Mr. O’Neil would still be in. She knocked on the door. But there was no response. ‘Maybe he isn’t there,’ she thought. But that was unlikely. She took out a lock picking tool her mother had given her and quickly opened the door.

 

Once inside, she carefully closed the door and went towards Mr. O’Neill’s desk. She found a binder with the name of the professional development conference he and the other teachers had been attending on Monday. “Maybe there’s something in here,” she murmured before opening it.

 

She quickly found a piece of paper with Mr. O’Neill’s neat handwriting.

 

Failure is the signpost that points the way to success!

 

What if there is an Edison in one of my classes waiting to be encouraged.

 

Succeed at failing.

 

There were several more aphorisms written down.

 

“I guess that answers that question,” she murmured as she closed the binder and placed it exactly where she had found it.

 

 

On the Historia rooftop

“That makes a lot of sense,” Dafoanairi commented.

 

“So, that’s how,” the Enigma said. “But there’s no way to dissuade him.”

 

“I suppose he would listen to DeMartino or Barch, for different reasons,” Tania said.

 

The Shadow didn’t want to think of the reason O’Neill would listen to Barch, but then she realized something. Both Tania and the Enigma were there. “Oh.”

 

“Oh, what?” the Enigma asked.

 

“You’re here, and Tania is here. Therefore, Tania is not your secret identity,” the Shadow said.

 

“We have all leapt to conclusions regarding the others’ secret identities,” Dafoanairi said.

 

 

A while later, Dafoanairi thought about the encounter as they headed back to the Ashworth’s. That the Shadow had suspected Tania as the Enigma didn’t surprise her that much. It was more what she had revealed. “I suppose someone could go to Ms. Li about it,” she said.

 

“But wouldn’t she then know that someone broke into the faculty office?” Tania asked.

 

“She wouldn’t know who did so,” Dafoanairi argued.

 

 

The Shadow had remained watching Lawndale from the Historia rooftop. ‘There’s something about Dafoanairi,’ she thought. She took out her sketchbook and quickly sketched the staff wielding vigilante after turning the page from where she had sketched the conflicted Kevin at the Strawberry.

 

“I know who she is not,” she murmured when she was finished.

 

Who Dafoanairi isn’t

-          Tania Ashworth

 

“But still many at school.”

 

 

Sam was playing chess against himself when Tania led the two vigilantes into the room.

 

“Finally,” he said.

 

“We just talked to the Shadow,” the Engima said.

 

“The third vigilante,” Sam asked.

 

“Yes,” Dafoanairi answered.

 

“Right,” Sam said, disappointed.

 

 

Lawndale Sun-Herald

Wednesday, March 14, 2001

Rumors of potential hostile takeovers of local companies by Oscorp

 

SpiderGirl put the paper aside. ‘So, what Jodie said to Talon may be true,’ she thought. She still didn’t want to think much of the implications of an Oscorp takeover of Landon Engineering. She looked towards the Oscorp tower in the distance. ‘I will expose what you’re up to, Osborn!’

 

 

As the school day started, the students were less involved in the favorite animal fad than the day before. Mostly because they had found out their friends’ favorities then and it was starting to become old hat. Even so, many were asking those they didn’t hang out with all that often.

 

Daria saw that Jane was dressing more conventionally. “Is that your response to Mr. O’Neill’s assignment?” she asked.

 

“Yes. To see if I would fail at being conventional or not.”

 

The old Daria, before everything that had happened since her father passed away, would have hated it. The new, still changing, Daria was merely uncertain. “Really?” she asked.

 

“You really have changed, haven’t you?”

 

“I’m still a sarcastic cynic.”

 

“Yeah, but your cynicism has changed,” Jane said.

 

“If it’s change, it’s because it has been redirected.”

 

“To Osborn.”

 

“Not just him,” Daria responded, as they came to a door.

 

“To those not holding him to account as well.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

 

On the roof, Sandi sighed after changing from the Enigma. She still hadn’t chosen an extracurricular activity after looking at the list before breakfast. “I’ll ask Harry about it,” she decided as she headed down.

 

 

Down on the ground floor, she found two of her classmates arguing. “What’s going on?” she asked.

 

“What is it to you, Sandi?”

 

“I’m curious as to why you would be close to fighting in the corridors.”

 

Freya Daniels relaxed. “We were talking about Mr. O’Neill’s assignment.”

 

“Oh. I’m struggling with that myself,” Sandi said.

 

“And Freya was saying it has nothing to do with the fad,” Erin Archer said.

 

“And you think it does?” Sandi asked.

 

“It can’t be a coincidence,” Erin said.

 

‘I can’t tell them what the Shadow said without potentially revealing that I’m the Enigma,’ Sandi thought, as she pondered telling them that. “I’m sure it is,” she said before the bell rang.

 

 

The juniors had Language Arts before Lunch.

 

“First I’d like to ask how your assignments are going?” Mr. O”Neill said.

 

“I haven’t found SpiderGirl,” Kevin answered. “Although I went to the Historia and the Giant Strawberry.”

 

“Did you wait?” O’Neill asked.

 

“At the Strawberry I did.”

 

“Maybe you can wait longer at the Historia tonight. I have heard that she’s often there after the café closes on Wednesdays.”

 

 

Brittany tensed. She had to tell Quinn!

 

“Are you OK?” Jane asked nearby.

 

“Just annoyed at Kevin for choosing that for his assignment,” Brittany obfuscated.

 

“Uh huh,” Jane said.