Dafoanairi
reflected on what happened as she and the Enigma stepped into Dega Street from
the laneway.
“You,
like, think it could have gone another way?” the Enigma asked.
“You
know how Kevin is,” Dafoanairi responded.
“I do.
And I can see why he’s crushing on SpiderGIrl rather than myself.”
“I do
too.”
Stacy
looked out as Trent drove towards Kevin’s place. “You know, street racing is
starting again soon.”
“I still
don’t know why you’re into that,” Jane said.
“When
I’m racing, I’m not anxious. I’m focused on the driving.”
“There
have to be better coping mechanisms.”
“There
are other ways I cope,” Stacy said defensively.
“It’s
the thrill, isn’t it?” Trent asked.
“That’s
a part of it,” Stacy admitted.
“But
there are more reasons to be careful. You don’t know how the vigilantes will
react,” Trent said.
“I have
thought about that.”
Jane
took in what Trent had said. ‘I know I won’t interfere unless there is more
going on than just racing.’ But she didn’t know about the others, particularly
SpiderGirl.
They
stopped at Kevin’s place first, as it was closer to the downtown than Stacy’s
house.
“Remember
what everyone said,” Jane said as Kevin got out.
“Um,
that SpiderGirl wasn’t coming and I need to talk to Mr. O’Neill?” Kevin asked.
“That’s,
sort of the gist,’ Jane said. “But remember too, that asking SpiderGirl out is
a bad idea.”
“Of
course,” Kevin said in a tone that implied that he would forget.
Andrea
let Ninja Talon and SpiderGirl into her room again. “Twice in two nights,” she
said.
“So,
there are reports of a new Goblin Glider?” SpiderGirl asked.
Andrea
brought up the forum she had got the information from. “Not in so many words of
course. But that description is rather apt, from the reports on Groundhog Day.
But anyway, just from the past hour or so, in the southern area of Lawndale.”
She then grabbed a map of the town which lay nearby. “And guess what’s in the
area?” she asked rhetorically.
Ninja
Talon saw that Andrea had marked it. “Osborn’s mansion.”
“We’re
on it,” SpiderGirl said.
“But can
you stop it again by yourselves? That is, given that the Shadow and the fourth vigilante
helped you last time.”
“We have
to try,” SpiderGirl responded.
“I knew
you would say that,” Andrea said as she grabbed the map. “You see that it seems
to heading in a particular direction.”
“But
this doesn’t make sense,” Ninja Talon said.
“Yeah,
why would he be approaching the Winged Tree Country Club?” SpiderGirl asked.
“There wouldn’t be anyone there in the middle of the night.”
“Or
maybe something’s being hidden there?” Ninja Talon speculated.
“But It
doubt it would be something of Andrew Landon’s,” SpiderGirl mused.
“It
could be someone else’s,” Ninja Talon said.
“Any one
of the upper crust in Lawndale,” SpiderGirl said.
“The
Sloanes,” Andrea said.
“I have
heard of them,” SpiderGirl responded. “But why bring them up?”
“Because
it has been reported that Osborn had a meeting with Angier Sloane yesterday,”
Andrea responded. “At Grace, Sloane and Page. According to the leak, it had
something to do with the Country Club.”
“In any
case, we’re on it,” SpiderGirl said.
“Did the
leak say much more?” Ninja Talon asked.
“Unfortunately
not. Whoever it is, is being very careful.”
‘Reminds
me of Fields,’ SpiderGirl thought, as Fields had leaked maps of Lawndale’s
rooftops she had been working on to herself and Ninja Talon several days
earlier.
Up on
the Hecuba-Croft’s roof, SpiderGirl looked out in the direction of the Country
Club. “It could be anything.”
“Even
him not being allowed to join,” Ninja Talon said. “Tom may be in the play, but
he hasn’t said much about his family.”
“I have
wondered why he was interested in playing Prospero at a community theater, but
we probably can’t wait until tomorrow night to investigate.”
“No, we
can’t.”
SpiderGirl
shot a web to a nearby tree. “Let’s go.”
After
dropping Stacy off, Trent drove back towards Howard Drive. “You’re doing it
again,” he said.
“Doing
what?” Jane asked.
“Following
people. You followed Kevin last night.”
“Protecting
him from his own stupidity.”
“I know
you’re still investigating who the other vigilantes are occasionally,” Trent
said.
“That’s
true, but not often, especially with the Oscorp agents hanging around now.”
“Of
course, but I don’t think confronting Osborn would be a good idea either.”
“There
are some rumors that the fourth vigilante did,” Jane said.
“Probably
didn’t achieve much.”
SpiderGirl
and Ninja Talon approached the Country Club, where they could see the Goblin
Glider hovering nearby.
“It
looks like he’s just scouting it out,” Ninja Talon said after a few minutes.
“But
what for?” SpiderGirl asked. “Hopefully not for a repeat of Groundhog Day!”
“There’s
nothing coming up, not until the autumn.”
“Sorry,
just jumping to an extreme there.”
Ninja
Talon shrugged. She knew SpiderGirl’s proclivity to think of the worst outcomes
by know. Her father’s death still affecting her.
Daria
got home around forty five minutes after leaving the Historia.
“Daria,
you didn’t say that you would be out this evening,” her mother said.
“Oh, it
was spur of the moment.”
“Are
some things going on?”
Daria
went and sat on one of the lounges. “Plenty, but I’m not sure where to start.”
“Quinn
told me about the assignment and the fad.”
“The fad
may have started to fade.”
“You’re
worried about the assignment,” her mother said.
“Yes,
its causing some people to act crazier than usual.”
“Like?”
“Kevin
is convinced he has a crush on SpiderGirl after he was rescued and is now
trying to ask her out,” Daria answered.
“Oh my!”
“Jane
and Trent stayed to make sure he didn’t cause trouble,” Daria said as she
stood.
“You
were also doing your investigations.”
“Yes.”
“Have
you found out a lot?” Her mother asked.
“Quite a
lot,” Daria said carefully. She didn’t want her mother to connect the dots that
she was Dafoanairi.
“It’s
just that you haven’t shared much since we dealt with that fake interview.”
“That’s
true, but I’m still analyzing what is happening.”
Helen
thought about Daria’s answer as her daughter headed upstairs. It made sense,
but she was sure that she was hiding something. ‘But that’s something about her
that Jakey’s passing hasn’t changed.’
The
Spider Talon team watched as the glider moved to and fro over the Country Club.
Not only the Clubhouse but also the golf course. After an hour, it withdrew,
going back in the direction it had come.
“That’s
weird,” SpiderGirl said after she had swung onto the clubhouse roof. “It’s like
he’s planning something.”
“It
could be something to do with what Andrea said.”
“The
meeting with Angier Sloane?”
“Yes,”
Ninja Talon answered. “Tom could still be up.”
“You
want to go there now? He would be wondering why Lawndale’s first two
superheroes are visiting him.”
“I’ll
show up as the cheerleader actress.”
“And
I’ll wait on the roof,” SpiderGirl agreed.
Tom
Sloane was surprised when he opened the back door to see Brittany.
“Brittany?
Why are you here, late on a school night?”
“I
thought I would come by and hang out with my cast mate, given that the play is
about to finish its run,” Brittany replied as she twirled one of her pigtails.
(An affectation he found a little annoying.)
“I see,”
Tom responded. He sighed. “Come in then.”
“Thanks.”
Tom lead
Brittany to the library. “My parents are still up, although Elsie should be in
bed,” he said, as he sat, referring to his sister.
“Actually,
I heard a rumor that Norman Osborn met with your father about something.”
“You
came over just to ask about that?”
Brittany
twirled her hair again. “Of course not.”
“I
admit, being part of Tempest has been a nice change of pace.”
“It has
allowed me to be more than a cheerleader.”
“I’m
sure there was more to you than that,” Tom said.
“Of
course, but It was my focus. I have always been athletic.”
“That
makes sense.”
“But
with what has been happening, I thought I could, like, branch out,” Brittany
said.
“I
certainly think you have a great understanding of Ariel’s role. I thought it
had resonated with you in some way.”
“I would
say that it’s the same with Prospero.”
“He
focused on his arts rather than his responsibility as Duke,” Tom mused. “As my
father’s son, I feel the responsibility already placed upon me. Thus when the
role was advertised, I knew I couldn’t pass it by.”
“And you
have done very well too.”
Tom
sighed. “I know you’re here for more than reminiscing about the play. Why are
you really here?”
Brittany
looked more serious. “I have not only been involved with Daria’s play, but I
have been helping her investigate what’s going on in Lawndale.”
“So you
want to know what my father and Osborn talked about?”
“And
whether the favorite animal fad is also at Fielding?”
“Oh
don’t remind me of that!” Tom said with annoyance. “Yes, it is. It’s spread
across the county.”
“That
doesn’t sound good, but it seemed to be fading at school today.”
“The
same at Fielding. Anyway, All I know is that Osborn was seen at Grace, Sloane
and Page yesterday. That is all I know. He didn’t say anything to me,” Tom
said. “He doesn’t usually.”
Brittany
was thinking about what Tom had said when Tom’s mother entered the room. She
had seen her at the Historia occasionally.
“Tom, you
didn’t tell me you had a visitor.”
“Mom,
this is Brittany. She’s also in the play.”
“Hi,
Mrs. Sloane.”
“Please,
call me Kay.”
“I was
about to go,” Brittany asked.
“Didn’t
you just get here?” Kay asked.
“Brittany
wanted to ask me something,” Tom said.
Kay
Sloane was a little suspicious. “And she didn’t call instead?”
“It was
spur of the moment. I was at the Historia for dinner,” Brittany said.
“Oh.
Would you like some cocoa? It’s still cold out.” Kay said.
“Um,
sure.”
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