Spider Quinn 22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 1

 22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 1

It was still in the early hours when SpiderGirl responded to alarms at the facility on Lawndale’s northern edge, not far from the Interstate.

 

She saw that a window had been smashed. “Subtle, aren’t they?” she quipped as she swung onto the roof, where she found an open vent and crawled inside.

 

On the ground floor, she found a mess. “You must be new. There usually isn’t much of a mess,” she quipped as she crawled on the ceiling.

 

 

She soon found the thief and was surprised. “Sam Elders?” she asked.

 

The would-be thief turned from where he was upending some materials. “SpiderGirl?” he asked in surprise. “I thought it would be one of the others.”

 

“You knew you would get caught by one of Lawndale’s heroes, and yet you’re here.”

 

“It was worth the risk,” Sam responded.

 

SpiderGirl swung down. “It totally wasn’t,” she said as she tried to web him up.

 

 

He avoided the webs by ducking behind equipment.

 

“Uh!” SpideGirl said. “You know that will just make me make more of a mess, right?”

 

“And get arrested by Officer Peterson again?” No thanks.”

 

“Well, duh! How did you get out anyway?”

 

“How else? Bail!” Sam answered as he was cornered and got caught by a web. “Crap.”

 

“Of course,” SpiderGirl groused as she webbed Sam up securely.

 

 

Half an hour later, as the Sun rose, Officer Xanthe Peterson found Sam webbed up in the facility foyer. She sighed. “Yes, SpiderGirl called it in,” she said as she took out her cuffs. “Sam Elders, you’re under arrest for breaking and entering.”

 

“What about SpiderGirl?”

 

“It’s the same as at the Solarium,” Peterson answered.

 

Sam was silent as she led him away. Of course it was.

 

 

Lawndale Sun-Herald

Tuesday, March 13, 2001

Oscorp Interference with Mound Site Unconfirmed

Melinda Parris

 

 

SpiderGirl arrived on the school roof a half hour before homeroom. She then changed to her usual persona of Quinn Morgendorffer, slowly improving, involved, sophomore student. ‘Brit should be here shortly,’ she thought.

 

 

Indeed, it was only a few minutes before another vigilante hero arrived on the rooftop and changed to her student persona; Ninja Talon, or rather, Brittany Taylor. “You said something happened in that message,” she said.

 

“Yes,” Quinn answered and explained about finding Sam in that facility.

 

“You think he’ll get out again?” Brittany asked.

 

“Most likely,” Quinn said as she opened the door to the stairs down. “But the next question would be, who?”

 

Brittany twirled a pigtail. “No real idea, other than maybe Osborn.”

 

“That’s only one possibility,” Quinn said as she opened the door.

 

 

On the ground floor after she and Brittany had gone in different directions, Quinn ran into Jamie White.

 

“Morning, Quinn.”

 

“Morning, Jamie. Something up?”

 

“It’s that most people are talking about their favorite animals,” Jamie answered.

 

“It’s probably just a fad,” Quinn responded. “As a way to distract from what’s going on.”

 

“I guess so. But some advice? You're about to embark on a journey that will change your life. What snacks would you bring along?”

 

“My life has already been changed, but my snack preferences haven’t.”

 

“So, carrot sticks?” Jamie asked as they walked along.

 

“But what does that tell you about my favorite animal?”

 

“A rabbit?”

 

“Not really,” Quinn responded. Her actual favorite animal was a small mammal, but Rabbits and Hares weren’t it.

 

 

The junior grade had Language Arts first period. Brittany wondered what Mr. O’Neill would be talking about as she entered the classroom. She was sure to arrive early, to make sure that she and her ex-boyfriend, Kevin Thompson, wouldn’t be sitting near each other. As she entered the classroom, she saw that Jodie Landon was already there. “Good Morning, Jodie.”

 

“Morning, Brittany,” Jodie said, with an undertone of sadness.

 

“Is something up?”

 

“Oh, it’s just that Oscorp is trying to make moves on my father’s company. But you didn’t hear that from me.”

 

“I won’t spread it,” Brittany responded. ‘I’d tell at least Quinn, maybe Daria.’

 

“Thanks, Brittany.”

 

 

Then Mr. O’Neill arrived. “Oh! Only you two,” he said.

 

“Yes, Mr. O’Neill,” Brittany said.

 

“I don’t understand why the homerooms are scattered about the school,” O’Neill murmured.

 

“Probably the best that Ms. Li could do,” Jodie murmured, before more students entered the classroom.

 

 

“So class, your assignment is to pick something you know you'll fail at. To prove that failing isn't the end of the world,” O’Neill said to the class.

 

“There goes my motivation,” Quinn’s older sister, Daria, commented.

 

“Relax,” Jane Lane said. “At least he’s not making us guess people’s identities by feeling their hands.”

 

“Again?” Daria asked rhetorically.

 

“Brittany, what is something you’re sure you’d fail at?” O’Neill asked.

 

Brittany twirled a pigtail. “I suppose, learning something really complicated.”

 

“Excellent! Although it depends on what that is.”

 

“Some science thing.”

 

‘That will have to do, although Janet won’t be pleased, ’O’Neill thought, thinking of the Science teacher he was involved with despite the principal’s anti fraternization policy. “Brittany! You’ll fail at the science thing.”

 

 

‘I hope not, because I’m sure she’ll bring it up at the next tutoring session,’ Daria thought.

 

“Who else wants to pick what they are going to fail at? Kevin, what about you?”

 

“Me?” Kevin asked. “I’m the QB. But I’m going to ask SpiderGirl out.”

 

 

Brittany heard Kevin. ‘Quinn told me about that. That he got a crush on her as Spidey after she rescued him.’

 

“So, you’re going to fail at trying to get a date with Lawndale’s first superhero? Isn’t that a bit much?” O’Neill asked.

 

“No!” Kevin said. “I’ll find her.”

 

“She may say no,” O’Neill said.

 

“Probably. But I’ll ask again.”

 

‘I’ll have to tell Quinn later,’ Brittany thought.

 

 

O’Neill turned to Jodie. “My parents make me spend my entire summer doing volunteer work that'll look good on my college application. I'd never be able to get the summer off.”

 

“Perfect. Mack?” O’Neill responded.

 

 

After the class, Jane Lane and Daria talked about it as they headed to their next class. “This is the most stupid idea he’s had,” Daria said. “If not for everything else happening in Lawndale these days, it would have been one of the strangest.”

 

“Especially with there being two superheroes with strange powers.”

 

“Especially that. Speaking of, what do you think of Kevin’s quest?”

 

“He’s wasting his time,” Jane said. “SpiderGirl appears where she wants to.”

 

“Then there is the fact that people are asking each other about their favorite animal.”

 

“I don’t know how that started.”

 

“I guess I could ask Tori,” Daria responding, referring to one of Quinn’s friends.

 

“But that probably won’t be until lunch,” Jane responded.

 

“I know, but we can ask others if we run into them.”

 

 

Elsewhere in Lawndale, Norman Osborn entered the Main Office of Grace, Sloane and Page, a so called ‘class firm’. He went up to the reception desk.

 

“How may I help you?” the impeccably put together receptionist asked.

 

He handed over a business card. “Osborn to see Sloane at 10:00.”

 

“Mr. Sloane is ready now, sir.”

 

 

Angier Sloane didn’t really want to meet Norman Osborn. But circumstances had brought the meeting about, and he couldn’t put it off any longer. He saw Osborn enter. “Welcome to Grace, Sloane and Page, Mr. Osborn.”

 

“Lets get to the point shall we,” Osborn said.

 

“Of course,” Angier said as he grabbed a printout. “Your request to join Winged Tree Country Club is denied.”

 

“I knew that,” Osborn said with annoyance.

 

“I was getting to the reason. That recent news regarding Oscorp has brought up concerns about your influence on Lawndale.”

 

“But that’s hearsay!”

 

“Nonetheless, that is the truth,” Angier responded.

 

“That isn’t all is it?”

 

“I am aware of your manipulations of the City Council, and of what really happened to Lynn Anders.”

 

“All just malicious rumors,” Norman said.

 

“I know there’s no real proof, but whatever you’re going to say is not going to change my mind.”

 

“You’re going to regret this.”

 

“And that’s another reason,” Angier added.

 

 

The refusal stung. ‘Just because the Sloanes retained their wealth, and Angier went to Bromwell!’ Norman groused as he stepped out of Grace, Sloane and Page a few minutes later. He had to work to get himself through Empire State, work to establish and grow Oscorp. He turned and looked at the old-style building. He had done his research, and knew that the Sloanes had been in Lawndale since it’s founding. ‘I will bring you down, Angier!’ But that was a long-term project.

 

But he had another idea.

 

 

Shorty after the beginning of lunch, Daria entered the cafeteria and heard the students already in there discussing the ‘favorite animals’ fad, as well as participating in it. ‘But is Tori here?’ she wondered as she looked around. She found that Tori Jericho wasn’t there yet, but she saw Jane sitting across from Sandi Griffin, with the two glaring at each other the way they usually did, as well as Harry Osborn.

 

 

“Daria!” Jane called when Daria arrived with her meal. “Harry has heard something.”

 

“What is that?” Daria asked. “Is it something to do with this fad? Or is it something else?”

 

“Something else,” Harry answered.

 

“He’s been talking about the vigilantes again,” Sandi guessed.

 

“Not this time,” Harry said. “He was saying something about the Country Club refusing him.”

 

“They probably resent that he is trying to take over Lawndale,” Sandi suggested.

 

“I can see how they would think that,” Harry said in a thoughtful tone.

 

‘Thing is, Harry, your father is trying to take over Lawndale,’ Jane thought. She kept that to herself, as she was sure that no one at school still knew that she was the Shadow, the third of Lawndale’s hero vigilantes to appear, after SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon.

 

“Still, it’s probably a good thing that they refused him,” Daria said.

 

“But he’s going to be complaining about it,” Harry said.

 

“And probably plotting,” Sandi added.

 

“Of course,” Daria said. “But we can probably do more about the favorite animal thing.”

 

“It’s harmless, isn’t it?” Harry asked.