Spider Quinn 15 The New Challenges Part 4

 

Quinn arrived at school not long after. She began hearing rumors of Jamie’s claim as she headed to Homeroom. ‘What is Jamie doing?’ she groused to herself. ‘He wouldn’t have found the off switch or the Solarium itself if he hadn’t joined me on the search!’ She wasn’t sure what to do about his bragging other than to insist on the truth.

 

 

Conflicting claims would spread through the school as the day went on.

 

 

At lunch, Jamie was eating with Elly and Freya. Joey saw that and turned to Jeffy Brown-Mercer. “We need to do something about this?”

 

“But how?” Jeffy asked.

 

“We’ll go to Quinn,” Joey said.

 

“Or Daria?” Jeffy asked.

 

“Quinn first,” Joey decided.

 

“Sure.”

 

 

“And so, it’s annoying,” Quinn said. “But I have been insisting on the truth. That I was there at the Solarium and he wouldn’t have been there if he hadn’t come with me.”

 

“That’s all you can do,” Tori Jericho said.

 

“I know,” Quinn said.

 

“Quinn?” Joey said as he approached.

 

“Jeffy?” Stacy Rowe asked.

 

“It’s about Jamie,” Joey said.

 

“He’s bragging that he was the teen investigator that stopped the brownouts,” Jeffy said.

 

“I know,” Quinn said with annoyance.

 

“But what can we do about it?” Joey asked.

 

“Also, it seems he’s going after Elly,” Jeffy said.

 

“I’d say let him,” Stacy said.

 

“What?” Tiffany Blum-Deckler asked.

 

“So, he wouldn’t annoy Quinn,” Stacy said.

 

“He hasn’t been doing that lately,” Quinn pointed out.

 

“Nor have I,” Joey said. “I mean we have gone on dates, but it’s been more as friends, especially given we’re partners in the Historia.”

 

“That’s a good point,” Stacy said.

 

“But Jamie?” Jeffy asked.

 

“I guess you can ask Daria,” Quinn said. “I’m at a wits end.”

 

 

Daria was slightly annoyed that Tania Ashworth seemed to be joining her and Jane, along with Harry and Sandi, for lunch more often. ‘What about her friends?’ she wondered.

 

“….And so, we toilet papered the building,” Sandi concluded, having told Harry, Jane and Tania the previous night’s activities with Philippa.

 

Harry Osborn shrugged. “It’s fine that you did that,” he said. “But I would be annoyed if you did it to the mansion.”

 

“I wouldn’t,” Sandi said. “But I doubt it would stop Philippa.”

 

“But was it Quinn or Jamie who actually stopped the brownouts?” Tania asked.

 

“Both,” Daria answered. “But it was Quinn who was investigating, and Jamie was tagging along.”

 

“Is that right?” Jeffy asked as he and Joey came up.

 

“Hi, Jeffy,” Daria said. “Yes. It was mostly Quinn.”

 

“But Jamie is bragging that he is the one who did it,” Joey said.

 

Daria sighed. “Of course he is. I’m sure Quinn said she doesn’t know what to do?”

 

“Other than insisting on the truth,” Joey said.

 

“Then I would wait for the truth to come out,” Daria said.

 

“But he’s also trying to impress Elly Aitkin,” Jeffy said.

 

“Then let him. I’m sure she’ll find out the truth at some point,” Daria said.

 

 

It was 2PM when Sam returned to the Solarium after college classes and lunch.

 

“You’re here early,” his grandfather said, when he entered.

 

“I thought I would be here early,” Sam responded.

 

“That’s fine, but I know you were here this morning.”

 

“I may have been.”

 

“I know that you’re up to something,” Mr. Elders said.

 

 

At 2:20, Sam saw that his grandfather was in the office. He then locked him in there, and blocked the door.

 

 

“There it is,” he said as he found the switch to the furnace. He switched it on and then turned the thermostat up to maximum.

 

 

The brownouts started again almost immediately.

 

 

“…Here,” Elisabeth said as she served a customer. Then the lights started flickering again. “Uh oh!”

 

“The brownouts?” the customer asked.

 

“Yes, they’re back!”

 

 

“The brownout problem has returned in downtown Lawndale, but they are worse than before…”

 

 

At 2:30, Lawndale High was hit by the new brownouts.

 

“Oh no!” Li said as her office blacked out.

 

 

Quinn noticed straight away, as did Stacy. “Not again!” Stacy said.

 

“I guess It’s the owner’s grandson,” Quinn said.

 

“What makes you say that?” Stacy asked.

 

“Attention students! Due to power disruptions, school will end early today!” Ms. Li announced. “Please leave carefully.”

 

 

“I didn’t tell you something. Jamie compared the Solarium to a lair,” Quinn said, answering Stacy’s question, as they left the Language Arts classroom.

 

“Why did he do that?” Stacy asked.

 

“You didn’t see inside that building. It was old. The owner brushed it aside, but the grandson may have overheard.”

 

“So, what do we do now?”

 

“You go to the Historia. I’ll go to the Solarium, see what I can do,” Quinn answered.

 

 

Daria and Jane left the History classroom. “Do you know where the Solarium is?” Jane asked.

 

“I think jumping to conclusions is a bad idea,” Daria said. “But I have no other idea what’s going on.”

 

“But…”

 

“It’s on Third Street,” Daria answered. “But what are you going to do?”

 

“At least sketch the situation,” Jane answered.

 

Daria smirked. ‘But what can I do as Dafaonairi if one of the other vigilantes doesn’t respond first.’

 

“What are you going to do?” Jane asked.

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

 

Brittany wasn’t far behind. “I’ll have a look at the Solarium myself,” she said quietly.

 

“What Solarium?” Kevin asked. “You want a tan?”

 

“No, I mean the Solarium behind the brownouts,” Brittany clarified. “See you later, Kevie.”

 

“Oh.”

 

 

Sandi changed to the Enigma on the school roof and looked in the direction of the Solarium. ‘I will do whatever it takes to end this disruption to Lawndale!’

 

 

SpiderGirl arrived at the Solarium and saw that Peterson and a few other officers were on the scene. She swung down.

 

“We just got here,” Peterson said. “The traffic signals are also messed up.”

 

“Another thing,” SpiderGirl groused. “I’m going to try to find the power box.”

 

Peterson nodded. “Go ahead. We haven’t been able to get through to the power company.”

 

“Incompetence again.”

 

“Yes.”

 

 

However, it wasn’t as easy as that. SpiderGirl soon found that the power box was somewhere inside. “Inside?” Peterson asked rhetorically. “That’s risky. We don’t know what’s in there. All that we know is that the owner is stuck in his office.”

 

“Got it,” SpiderGirl said. “I’ll try to find Ninja Talon, we’ll be back.” She swung away, heading towards the Jefferson Bridge.

 

 

Peterson picked the bullhorn again. “This is the Lawndale Police Department. Come out with your hands up! If this continues we may be forced to storm the building.”

 

 

Sam heard the announcement. He was sure that they would eventually do that, but he had plans to escape.

 

 

The Enigma arrived on the roof of the Solarium and saw the police presence in front. ‘Peterson is there,’ she thought. ‘Could we both infiltrate from up here?’ she wondered.

 

 

Peterson saw the Enigma emerge from an alley next to the Solarium. “SpiderGirl found that the power box is inside,” she said.

 

“I see,” the Enigma said with an annoyed tone. “Where is she now?”

 

“She went somewhere, but she’ll be back.”

 

“I see. I thought that we could infiltrate from the roof.”

 

“This isn’t like when we rescued Beresfield. It’s a completely different situation,” Peterson said.

 

“It is the same. We can rescue the owner first.”

 

“We have talked to him. He’s safe for now.”

 

“Then I guess I have to go in on my own,” the Enigma said, with a determined look in her eyes.

 

“I’m not going to stop you, but you’ll be on your own until SpiderGirl gets back. I know you want to be her rival…”

 

“I’ll try to solve it before she gets here.”

 

 

The Enigma went back up to the roof and opened a vent.

 

 

Ninja Talon found that SpiderGirl was already at the Bridge. “So, you came here first?” she asked.

 

“No, I couldn’t find the power box on the outside of the building. It has to be somewhere inside.”

 

“So, you wanted backup?”

 

“Yes, and a better plan than just going in and finding out that Sam has trapped the place,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“That’s his name?”

 

“Yes. He might be at Lawndale State, although I didn’t ask.”

 

“Right. But we just have to risk it,” Ninja Talon said. “We won’t know until we get in there.”

 

“I knew it would be something like that. Let’s go.”

 

 

The Enigma emerged from the ventilation system in the office and saw that the owner was shocked. “You’re not SpiderGirl,” he said.

 

“No, I’m the Enigma, the fourth vigilante who’s more than a rumor.”

 

“Got it. I admit I was sceptical of there being superheroes in a town like this, but after Groundhog Day…”

 

“We have to get moving, your grandson may be listening,” the Enigma said.

 

“Of course.”

 

 

SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon arrived at the Solarium.

 

“The Enigma is in there,” Peterson said.

 

“I’ll be careful,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“I’ll keep an eye out for her,” Ninja Talon added.

 

“She went in by the roof,” Peterson explained.

 

“Then we’ll go in a side window,” SpiderGirl decided.

 

 

The Enigma and Mr. Elders climbed out of a vent onto the roof. “That was difficult,” Mr. Elders said.

 

“Not that difficult,” the Enigma said. “But then I’m, like, still a teen.”

 

“Not just that, your power, what ever it is, makes it easier.”

 

“Telekinesis.”

 

“Whatever,” Elders said. “But how are we going to get down.”

 

“How are you with ropes?”

 

“Maybe tell the cops to call the fire department?”

 

“Give it a try first,” the Enigma said.

 

“Why did it have to be a three story building?”

 

 

SpiderGirl found a window ajar on the second story. “Here we go,” she said as she webbed it open.

 

Ninja Talon shone a flashlight through it. “No one in that room,” she said.

 

“So far, so good.”

 

 

Dafoanairi emerged from the rear of the Historia, having changed from the usual Daria in her apartment. ‘I didn’t think I would use it for that.’

 

 

The Enigma and Mr. Elders made it to the ground. “Finally!” he said.

 

“Very good,” Peterson said, with evident relief in her voice.

 

“Now, I’ll go back in,” the Enigma said.

 

“SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon showed up,” Peterson said.

 

“I see,” the Enigma responded.

 

“They entered through a side window,” Peterson added.

 

“Then I’ll go back through the roof.”

 

 

Elders watched the Enigma climb back up. “What was that about?” he asked.

 

“Let’s just say that the Enigma doesn’t like SpiderGirl for some reason,” Peterson explained.

 

“I hope they won’t fight in there.”

 

“SpiderGirl knows how to handle herself.”

 

 

SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon emerged into a corridor. “Looks like this floor was apartments,” SpiderGirl commented.

 

“What about the lower levels?”

 

“Those were the areas Jamie thought was a lair.”

 

“You did say that,” Ninja Talon said.

 

“I should have realised that Sam overheard him.”

 

“You can’t blame yourself for that.”

 

“I know,” SpiderGirl responded. They then found the stairs down.

 

They crept down the stairs…

 

 

Peterson saw a cloaked figure approach. “Who’s there?” she asked.

 

“Dafoanairi, you know my secret identity,” she said quietly but with sarcasm.

 

‘Oh, Daria! What are you doing?’ Peterson thought. “Why are you here?”

 

“I’m going in and restoring the power.”

 

“But SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon are already doing that. And the Enigma has gone back in after rescuing the owner.”

 

“Oh. But maybe I can do something they can’t. And maybe I can stop the Enigma from fighting SpiderGirl,” Dafoanairi responded.

 

“I suppose so,” Peterson allowed.

 

“So, I’ll look for an open window.”

 

“That would probably be the way SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon entered.”

 

“Got it,” Dafoanairi responded.

 

 

SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon emerged onto the ground floor. “Uh oh!” the former said.

 

“Something wrong?”

 

“He has done something. He has put up screens or something.”

 

“Good guess, SpiderGirl!”

 

The two heroes went back to back and looked around. “We know you’re there,” Ninja Talon said.

 

“And Ninja Talon too, of course. It seems you now team up whenever something major happens,” Sam said.

 

“Can’t quite pick where you are,” SpiderGirl said. “Are you throwing your voice?”

 

“Very perceptive,” Sam commented.

 

“We have to keep moving,” Ninja Talon whispered.

 

SpiderGirl nodded and pointed right past the screen.

 

“A good talent for a theatre student to have. Wouldn’t you agree? Also, I wouldn’t bother going to the basement. There are traps there.”

 

“We can outwit those,” Ninja Talon said.

 

 

The Enigma entered the ducts above the first floor and overheard Sam’s conversation with SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon. ‘He doesn’t know I’m here, but the problem is, I don’t think this goes to the basement.’

 

Dafoanairi found an open window on the second story. Once she had clambered in, she looked around and saw that the room was unused. “I guess the Solarium is just on the first floor.” She then carefully left the room.

 

 

SpiderGirl carefully looked around the screen. She didn’t see Sam anywhere, but she saw that he had moved some of the tanning beds around. ‘I bet he remembers me saying that I burn easily,’ she thought. ‘But I designed this suit for winter conditions, so that shouldn’t be a problem.’ But the problem was that with the furnace up to maximum it was getting hot inside.

 

“Is it getting hotter?” Ninja Talon.

 

“He must have turned up the furnace. That is why the brownouts are worse.”

 

“We have to do this quicky, then.”

 

“What else is new,” SpiderGirl commented.

 

 

Dafoanairi also noticed the heat. ‘This isn’t good.’ She ran along the corridor.

 

 

The Enigma noticed it too as she climbed out of the ducts into an empty room. ‘This isn’t good. But I can’t just tear at wires telekinetically. I don’t know what that would cause.’ And she was sure that the locate ability only worked on people, rather than objects, given its limitations. ‘But where is Sam? I’ll forgo searching for SpiderGirl’s identity tonight, like when I searched for Beresfield.’ She didn’t have an energy drink on her, but that was fine. She took a few deep breaths. “Findu mann sem heiter: Sam Elders!”

 

 

She found Sam, but not without perceiving the rest of the inside of the Solarium. She knew where the power box, and the furnace switch, were. The Enigma then took a deep breath and opened the door.

 

 

“Spidey?” Ninja Talon asked as her friend seemed slightly out of it for a few seconds.

 

“Another of those tingles,” SpiderGirl explained.

 

“Now?”

 

“It might be the Enigma, somehow. But I’m not sure.”

 

“Now’s not the time…” Ninja Talon said.

 

“I know.”

 

 

“Something distracted you,” Sam said, from somewhere nearby. “But what?”

 

“Something you don’t understand,” SpiderGirl said. She shot a web somewhere nearby and pulled, knocking one of the screens over. “Lawndale is complex.”

 

“That’s obvious,” Sam said. “Any town is complex.”

 

“I wasn’t finished. The vigilantes aren’t united. We all have different origin stories,” SpiderGirl said.

 

“This isn’t a comic book either,” Sam said

 

“Meaning, we aren’t all working together! The fourth vigilante is an antihero who wants to be my rival!”

 

“There!” Ninja Talon said. “The fourth vigilante!”

 

SpiderGirl ducked, just in case.

 

 

The Enigma heard Ninja Talon, but didn’t look.

 

She continued to go towards where the power box was.