Quinn
and Daria arrived at the theatre in the Lexus. “Why did you come again?” Daria
asked.
“I
want to help Joey and Robert too,” Quinn answered.
“I
suppose so,” Daria said.
“He’s
here,” Quinn said, referring to Osborn.
“SpiderGirl
told me what happened with those people,” Quinn said to Osborn.
“They
were blackmailing me. I went there to make a drop. They stole a computer disk
that contains confidential information.”
“What
was on it?” Daria asked.
“Nothing
illegal, but it's not something I want in the public domain,” Osborn said in a
tense tone.
“And
that’s why you didn’t want the police involved,” Daria said.
“Yes.
Back to the topic at hand,” Osborn said. “You say that you’re helping Mr. Green
and Mr. Allen with their business proposal?”
“Yes,”
Daria answered as she handed her preliminary business plan over.
Osborn
looked it over. “I will get back to you three tomorrow.”
Quinn
cleared her throat.
“You
four then.”
Lawndale
Sun-Herald
Monday,
January 11, 2000
More
mysterious break-ins.
Before
school Quinn entered Ted’s hospital room to find that Stacy was also there. “I
thought we were going to meet at school.”
“Ted
called and I told him what we will be doing.”
“Quinn,
I need to do this. I can’t just rest,” Ted said.
“I
know,” Quinn said.
“So,
I did some research. There’s a lot more circumstantial evidence that Wade and
Matthew are involved in more ‘sketchy’ stuff,” Ted added.
“But
what can we do for Angie?” Stacy asked.
“I
have some ideas,” Quinn said. “But I’ll need that information, and to be able
to talk to her at school today. But I will stop by at the theatre on the way
there.”
“But
you might be late,” Stacy said.
“If
I’m late, I’ll call Ms. Li,” Quinn said. “I also told Daria that it might
happen.”
“What
did she say?” Stacy asked.
“She
said that I shouldn’t be too late,” Quinn answered.
SpiderGirl
saw that Robert and Angie were there when she arrived at the theatre. She heard
Angie talking to Robert.
“I’m
in trouble, Robert, I messed up,” Angie said. “I trusted the wrong guys. I'm
sorry. I let you down. I just don't know what to do.”
Robert
hugged Angie. “It's okay, it's okay.”
SpiderGirl
entered.
“And
so, after they get the money, they’re going to kill Norman Osborn, and probably
me for betraying them,” Angie finished.
“You’re
doing the right thing,” Robert said.
“Too
little…” Angie whimpered.
“Where
are they now?” SpiderGirl asked.
“Back
at the apartment, sleeping.” Angie answered.
“Did
you see the disk that was stolen from Osborn?” SpiderGirl asked.
“No.
But it's gotta be there. I could sneak in and get it,” Angie said.
“It's
too dangerous. We should call the police,” Robert said.
“No
cops,” Angie said. “I’m already in enough trouble.”
“Tell
me where they are,” SpiderGirl said.
“I
can’t let you go alone,” Angie said. “I got myself into this mess. I got to try
and get myself out of it.”
“How
are you with heights?” SpiderGirl asked.
“You
can carry me, like Brittany and that other girl,” Angie said.
‘Of
course Brittany would tell her,’ SpiderGirl thought.
SpiderGirl
knew where they were going once Angie directed her over the Creek via the
Lawndale Bridge. Lawndale Flats, the subdivision where most of the crime was
occurring.
“It’s
empty,” Angie said, as they entered the apartment. “They must be out looking
for me.”
“Then,
let’s find it before they come back,” SpiderGirl suggested.
That
didn’t take long. However, Wade and the others returned just after SpiderGirl
found the disk. Wade went up to Angie. “You really screwed up, rookie,” she
said before seeing the disk in SpiderGirl’s hand. “I don’t know how you found
that!” Wade said.
SpiderGirl
then snapped the disk, twice.
“Bad
idea!” Wade said. All three of them attacked the superhero girl, knocking her
out.
It
wasn’t long before she came to, but SpiderGirl saw that Angie, Wade and the
third person had gone, with Matthew guarding her.
“You
can’t keep doing this. You’re going to get caught,” SpiderGirl said.
“If
you hadn't screwed up our retirement plan, we wouldn't have to. But now, you're
gonna pay.”
However,
before he could hit SpiderGirl another time, he collapsed. She then saw that
Norman Osborn was there with a taser.
“How
did you find us?” SpiderGirl asked.
“Robert
called and told me what you were doing.”
“I
have to find Angie,” SpiderGirl responded.
“I
have called the police,” Osborn responded.
Wade
had taken Angie to a wrecked car lot nearby. SpiderGirl arrived and took in the
situation in an instant. After leaving that apartment, her enhanced healing had
taken effect and her headache had faded. “Let her go!” she called out as she
swung in. “The cops are on their way!”
Wade
pulled a gun on Angie as the other guy pressed a button, releasing a car from a
magnet.
SpiderGirl
managed to web Angie out of the way, but not Wade, who got crushed.
Peterson
looked around at the scene. She turned to SpiderGirl and Norman Osborn. “So,
this Angie Zammit was in the wrong place at the wrong time?” she asked.
“Yes,”
SpiderGirl said.
“Exactly,”
Osborn said. “She was more of a hostage than a co-conspirator.”
“I
see,” Peterson considered. “But she will still need to come down to the
station.”
Quinn
entered Ms. Li’s office, ten minutes after Homeroom ended. “Sorry I’m tardy,
but I was delayed.”
“I
see,” Li said. “What was the cause of the delay?”
“I
was heading over to the Playhouse to meet someone, but they weren’t there.”
“I
see. Next time, give enough time to be at school before Homeroom ends.”
“I
make sure of it,” Quinn said.
Li
noted Quinn’s tardiness and Angie’s absence.
Lawndale
Sun-Herald
Thursday
January 14th, 2000
Robbers
not talking.
After
school, Quinn, Daria, Robert and Joey met Osborn at the Playhouse. “How is Mr.
Dewit-Clinton?” he asked.
“He
was released from the hospital this morning,” Quinn answered.
“That’s
good,’ Osborn said.
Quinn
didn’t mention that he was looking further into how Wade and her two friends
had been able to pull off what they had been able to. (Indeed, she was curious
about that herself.)
Daria
handed Osborn a folder.
“Is
this your proposal?” Osborn asked as he opened it.
“Yes,”
Daria answered. “Small towns across the country have revitalised their downtown
areas. But they didn’t do it by building bland malls or parking garages, but by
restoring the old buildings that were already there, turning them into cafes,
bookstores and restaurants.”
“You
want to turn the Playhouse into a café-bookstore?” Osborn asked.
“Yes.
It could be a venue for local bands and art house movies,” Quinn answered.
“I
heard about that other coffee house, a year ago.”
“I
have included that as a case study in how not to do it,” Daria said.
“Very
good,” Osborn said. “I shall look over it. But who’s going to run it?”
“Our
aunt,” Joey said.
“Also
our friend, Stacy’s mother said she’s interested, and I would like to learn how
to run a business, outside school hours, of course,” Quinn added “It will be a
challenge, but I can take it on.”
“You
four have certainly risen to the challenge,” Osborn said. “I shall look over
the proposal and get back to you.”
“That’s
all we can ask,” Joey said.
SpiderGirl
thought on the matter as she left the vicinity of the Playhouse. It would
certainly be a challenge to balance working at the café-bookshop on top of
everything else, but she was certain she would be able to handle it.
That
evening, Norman Osborn finished a preliminary read of the proposal. It all
seemed on the level. Daria Morgendorffer was certainly one to keep an eye on.
‘But there is something else that will have a more immediate impact,’ he
thought.
He
turned to his computer and brought up a diagram that one of his engineers had
sent to him that morning. A small airborne platform capable of excellent
manoeuvrability in an urban or suburban environment, along with a flight suit
that made the pilot look like some creature out of legend or myth. “Oh yes,
just wait SpiderGirl! I’ll be able to do what you seem to be incapable of.”
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