Non Trek Fic: Spider Quinn (Spider-Man/Daria)

[USS Fardell]

Part 2
Quinn was designing something when her door was flung open. “Tania Ashworth?” she asked. “What are you doing here?”

“I know your secret,” Tania said.

‘That I’m SpiderGirl? I don’t think so!’ Quinn thought. She stood up. “What secret would that be?” she asked.

“That you’re the fourth vigilante!” Tania said as she pulled the door closed behind her. “I just saw her enter this house.”

“If the fourth vigilante is here, she’s visiting Daria,” Quinn said. “Besides, it’s not a good idea to be showing up at other people’s houses and saying that they’re one of Lawndale’s heroes.

“So, you’re saying you’re not the fourth vigilante and that Daria isn’t either?”

“Exactly,” Quinn said. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because the Shadow accused me of being the fourth vigilante last night.”

‘It’s like Sunday night,’ Quinn groused, remembering that the Shadow had thought Daria was the fourth vigilante. ‘Obviously she changed her mind.’ “So why chase the fourth vigilante here?”

“I was thinking that either of you were the Shadow.”

‘I know Daria isn’t,’ Quinn thought.


Back in Daria’s room, she agreed to help the Enigma. “But I’ll tell Mom I’m going somewhere first,” she said.

“Sure.”


“Neither of us are the Shadow,” Quinn said. “Now I’m busy.”

“Busy with what?”

“Designing stuff.”

Tania looked at Quinn’s desk and saw drawings of various things. “Clothes?” she asked.

“Not just clothes.”


“Out somewhere?” Helen asked.

“More of my investigations,” Daria explained.

“On a Friday night?”

“I can look after myself.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Helen responded. “Just be careful, OK?”


Daria closed her mother’s bedroom door and then heard quiet arguing near her and Quinn’s rooms.

“There you are!” Tania said as she came out of Quinn’s room.

The Enigma retreated back to Daria’s room. She didn’t want to see Quinn.

“Tania Ashworth?” Daria asked as she entered the hallway at the other end. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh!” Tania said. “Quinn’s in there, and you are there. Neither of you are the fourth vigilante.”

“Obviously not,” the Enigma said. “I am, obviously.”

“Neither of us are, beyond what I have said at school,” Daria said, with annoyance as she came up alongside Quinn’s door.

“What was that, exactly?” Quinn asked from inside the room.

“About our involvement in the Historia and my investigations,” Daria answered. “That’s all.”

“A misunderstanding then,” Quinn said.

Daria nodded.


“I’ll go to the Lanes then,” Tania said.

“Go ahead,” the fourth vigilante said from Daria’s room.

“No, leave Jane alone,” Daria said.

“I’ll go to Howard Drive, but probably not inside their house,” Tania decided before walking back to the window. “See you at school or at the Historia.”


Daria and Quinn watched Tania climb down. “What now?” the latter asked.

“Just be alert. Other than her being a Wiccan, I don’t know anything about her,” Daria said “But the fourth vigilante and I are heading out now.”

“Just be careful,” Quinn said as she went back into her room.

“I will,” Daria said.


Daria grabbed an old broom from the hall closet and took the head off it. “This should work as a staff for now,” she said as she re-entered her room. “Let’s go.”

“Sure.”


The Enigma and Daria rappelled down from one of bedroom side windows to the patio outside the kitchen door. “But which way did Tania go?” the former asked.

“I’m not sure,” Daria answered. “But lead the way to where Beresfield is being held.”

“It’s on Second Street, we can take the laneways,” the Enigma said.


Quinn lent out from one of her side bedroom windows and watched Tania go along the street and Daria and the Enigma go to the laneway. ‘I’ll wait a few minutes before following Tania as SpiderGirl,’ she decided. She then told her mother she was heading out to an investigation date.


With the bedroom light still on, SpiderGirl left the house via the backyard hatch and swung off to the west to follow Tania towards Howard Drive.


Officer Xanthe Peterson looked at the Oscorp building that the anonymous tip had said someone was being held against their will. It looked like any other office building in Lawndale. ‘But has whoever took this Verity Beresfield planned for police involvement?’ she asked herself. All she knew was that the Enigma was on her way.


Back at the Osborn mansion, a part of the roof retracted, and the glider flew out. The pilot gained altitude and looked over Lawndale.


Tania approached Casa Lane. “So, should I case it, or go in?’ she wondered. ‘I’ll go in.’


SpiderGirl saw Tania wander around the Lane’s house. She soon followed.


Jane was in the kitchen when Tania entered. “Tania! What are you doing here?”

“The Morgendorffers are in cahoots with the fourth vigilante,” Tania said.

“I already knew Daria is investigating what is going on alongside the fourth vigilante.”

“And I still suspect that one of them might be the Shadow.”

“I don’t think the Shadow has been reported alongside the fourth vigilante yet. Just alongside SpiderGirl or Ninja Talon,” Jane said. ‘I hope that throws her off the trail.’

“That doesn’t matter. There’s a lot that goes on that isn’t reported.”


SpiderGirl sat on the Casa Lane roof and listened to what Jane and Tania were saying. ‘Tania is paranoid,’ she thought.


“Look! You can’t go around like you have been,” Jane said. “Are you going to go to the Griffins next? It was lucky that Mrs. Morgendorffer didn’t know you were there.”

“I’m sure I can handle Mrs. Griffin.”

“Then you don’t know her.”

“I guess meeting the Shadow last night has me jittery,” Tania said quietly.

“Too jittery, if you ask me,” Jane said. “You want to talk about it?”

“Not really,” Tania admitted. “I have been talking to the other Wiccans.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Jane admitted. “But I either talk to family members who listen, mostly Trent, and now Daria.”


SpiderGirl thought about it. The effect of the Groundhog Day Attack on Lawndale and the people in it was ongoing. She climbed up to the top of the roof and looked out over the town from there. ‘Looks peaceful, sounds peaceful,’ as she glanced at what could be seen of the Giant Strawberry. It was what she couldn’t see…


Ninja Talon saw the glider low over the rooftops as she did her usual patrol of the southern area of town. ‘Uh oh!’ she thought. ‘I need to tell Spidey!’


Helen answered the phone. “Hello, Eric?”

“It’s Brittany, is Quinn there?”

“Sorry, she’s out on an investigation date.”

“Oh, I’ll see her later then.”


Ninja Talon left the phone booth and followed the gilder at a distance. She remembered when she and Quinn were planning over the blueprints earlier.

Earlier
“So, we find a street, with Oscorp buildings in it,” Quinn said. “And then force it to crash by breaking it.”

“I guess you’re going to web up the street?” Brittany asked.

“Yes, but we also have to plan for his new bombs. From what happened on Monday night, those can cause a lot of damage.”

“True. We have to disarm him somehow.”

“I could try swinging over him and webbing the bombs out that way,” Quinn suggested. “Try to explode them in mid air.”

“A bit risky.”

“Better than having them explode all at once when it crashes.”


Present
‘We’re still not sure what to do about that,’ Ninja Talon thought.


Tania decided to leave. “I’ll try the Griffins,” she said.

“I don’t think Sandi will react the same way as Quinn, Daria and I,” Jane said.

“I know,” Tania said as she went back to the door.


As Tania left, SpiderGirl entered the house.

“SpiderGirl?” Jane asked, trying not to sound as she usually sounded as the Shadow.

“I followed Tania here from the Morgendorffers,” SpiderGirl said.

“You were listening, huh?” Jane asked rhetorically. “How often does Lawndale’s first superhero eavesdrop?”

“Not very often. I was in Glen Oaks Lane when she showed up, but the fourth vigilante didn’t see me. She left with Daria into the backyard.”

“So, you know that the fourth and Daria have teamed up.”

“I heard about it,” SpiderGirl responded in a slightly defensive tone. “But Tania’s getting away. I want to make sure she doesn’t cause problems at the Griffins.”

“See you another time.”


“There it is,” The Enigma said.

“And the police have arrived,” Daria said. She looked closer. “Including the officer who told us Dad died.”

“We can avoid them if you want.”

“No, we need to talk to them. See what they know.”


Xanthe looked as the Enigma and Daria Morgendorffer came onto the scene. ‘Why is Daria with the Enigma? Does she know her sister’s secret?’ she wondered. She was still uncertain that Quinn was SpiderGirl, but she didn’t want to dismiss it either. “Why are you here?”

“It was my mentor who called 911,” the Enigma said.

“There’s a mentor now?” Xanthe asked herself. ‘Even more people with powers in Lawndale!’

“Yes, but she’s a former hero. It was time for the new blood to step up,” the Enigma said.

Xanthe turned to Daria. “Why are you here?”

“I have sort of become the fourth vigilante’s sidekick,” Daria explained.

“The Enigma you mean. Ninja Talon told me the name,” Xanthe said. “As well as SpiderGirl.”

“That’s fine,” the Enigma said. “Beresfield is being held on the second floor.”

“And you know that how?” Xanthe asked.

“My powers,” the purple clad antihero said enigmatically.

“Right,” Xanthe said. ‘Web slinging is one thing, but energy projections and mental powers are another!’

“We’re going to go in,” the Enigma said.

“Wait!” Xanthe said. “I’m coming with you. Three is better than two. Especially when one of the two is an inexperienced teenager with a staff.”

“Sure,” Daria said. “I admit that I’m inexperienced, but I have been practicing.”

“Probably not for long though.”


They entered the building after a locksmith picked the lock. “What about the alarm?” Peterson asked.

“It’s silent,” the locksmith said.

“Of course. And we haven’t been able to get in touch with Osborn.”

“I suspect that he’s indisposed,” the Enigma said.

“What does that mean?” Daria asked.

“You heard what Sandi and Harry have been saying,” the Enigma said, trying not to give anything away.

“Yes,” Daria said, clearly thinking. “I do wonder how that dinner went earlier.”

‘Later, Daria,’ the Enigma thought. ‘Later tonight, after this.’


They came to a stair well without any opposition. “It seems too easy,” Peterson said as she followed the Enigma.

“You’re right,” Daria said, who was grasping her staff tightly.

“Listen,” the Enigma said. “I’m sure there are guards on the next floor.”

“You’re right,” Peterson said. “I’ll go first.”

“I’ll go first. I can do this,” the Enigma said as a forcefield appeared around her.

“But how effective would that be against bullets?” Peterson asked.

“Not sure,” the Enigma said as she lowered it.

“I will still go first, but you can come right behind.”

The Enigma and Daria both nodded.


Officer Peterson came up onto the first floor. She saw some guards responding. She raised her sidearm. “LDPD! Hands where I can see them!”

The guards raised their hands. “Do you have a warrant?” One of them asked.

“There has been a report of kidnapping,” Peterson responded.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the guard said.

“A 911 call was made that said there was someone being held against their will in this building.”

“There are more of us, than there are of you.”

“That’s true,” Peterson said warily.

The guards started to lower their hands.

“Keep going,” she said to the other two.

The Enigma raised one of her hands and two of the guards got pushed over telekinetically.

All three of them hoofed it up the stairs.


“I don’t think that was a good idea,” Daria said as they came up to the second floor.

“It delayed them a bit,” the Enigma commented.

Peterson looked ahead. “It looks clear, which means it might be a trap. Do you know where she might be.”

“At the far corner,” the Enigma answered. “But the guards below are now following.”

“We can close the fire doors,” Daria suggested. “That may help.”

“Good thinking,” Peterson said.


They carefully entered the corridor. “I’ll trip the electromagnets telekinetically,” the Enigma said. “If there is a trap there, it won’t be as risky.”

“Quickly!” Peterson said, as she heard the guards coming up the stairs.

The Enigma tripped the electromagnets and the fire doors swung closed quicky.

Daria took a fire axe and pushed it between the handles and the doors. “That should hold for a while,” she said.


They quickly walked down the corridor.

They came to main cubicle area. “There could be anything in those cubicles,” Peterson said.

“Definitely,” Daria commented.

The Enigma breathed deeply and raised a forcefield around them again. “Let’s be quick about this.”

They walked quickly as they heard the guards behind trying to break through the fire doors.

Suddenly, a mechanism launched from one of the cubicles and clashed against the Enigma’s forcefield. It rebounded back into the cubicle.

“Some sort of robot arm,” Daria commented. “It could have knocked us over.”

“Yes,” Peterson said. “It means that whoever took Beresfield was prepared.”

 

[USS Fardell]

Part 3
They came to a corner office, after evading another of those robot arms. “She’s in there,” the Enigma said.

“The door could be trapped,” Daria pointed out.

The heard the ding of the elevator somewhere behind them.

“Uh oh!” Daria said. She turned around and put her staff in a ready position “Whatever you’re going to do…”

“Got it,” the Enigma said.


The Enigma telekinetically pushed the door open and smoke came from the lock mechanism.

“Now, Daria,” Peterson said.

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Daria said.


They entered the room and found Verity tied beneath a desk. Peterson took out a pocket knife and cut her ties.

“Thanks,” Beresfield said. “I didn’t see who it was, but I suspect it was Osborn.”

“We have to get out of here first,” the Enigma said.

“And I can see them coming,” Daria said from the door.

“The ventilation system,” the Enigma said as she pulled a vent off.

“Better than the window,” Daria quipped. “Get her up first.”

“Sure,” Peterson said. “But I don’t want to have to come back for you.”

“You won’t need to,” Daria said.


Verity climbed up the rope into the ventilation shaft, followed by Peterson.


Daria saw one of the guards coming and used her staff to trip him and then knocked back his partner before the Enigma grabbed her hand and pulled her to the rope.

“Let’s go.”


“That was close,” Daria said.

“Do you know the way out?” Verity asked.

“We’ll find the way,” the Enigma said.

“And you are?” Verity asked. “I heard about the new heroes in Lawndale.”

“The Enigma. I’m the newest one. Or maybe Daria is.”

“Maybe,” Daria allowed.

“The Enigma. I’ll just say that I was rescued.”

“That would be best,” Peterson said.


Less than ten minutes later they emerged onto the roof. “We have to get you somewhere safe. But the station is on the other side of town,” Peterson said.

“I always thought it was a strange location for it,” Daria said. “But there is somewhere.”

“Where?” Peterson asked.

“There!” Daria said pointing.

“The Historia? How is it safe?” Peterson said.

“It’s that new café bookshop, right?” Verity asked.

“Yes,” the Enigma said.

“There are apartments at the rear that were used by the actors in the old days,” Daria explained. “I can put Verity up in one of them for tonight.”

“Could you explain that?” Peterson asked.

“When we get there,” Daria said.


Meanwhile, Tania (and SpiderGirl) had arrived at the Griffins.

Linda had come to the door. “Sandi has gone out,” she said to Tania.

“Oh,” Tania said. “Is that the truth.”

“If Sandi was here, she would be at the door right now,” Linda said. “Why are you here.”

“Like, I was checking something and you might have confirmed it,” Tania said.

“And what might that be?” Linda asked warily.

“That Sandi might be the Shadow.”

Linda sighed. ‘No Tania,’ she thought. ‘Sandi is the fourth vigilante.’ She didn’t say that of course. “I would know if Sandi was the Shadow. The same if she were Ninja Talon. She’s gone out after our tense dinner at the Osborns earlier tonight.”

“Sandi did say something about that at school,” Tania responded. “But I see that you believe that Sandi isn’t the Shadow. It’s like the Morgendorffer sisters aren’t the fourth vigilante.”

‘She thought Daria or Quinn was the fourth vigilante?’ Linda thought. ‘I doubt either of them are the Shadow, Ninja Talon or SpiderGirl.’ The latter of whom she had sensed sitting on the top of the roof. “You’re not going to get any more answers by going around accusing people, Ms. Ashworth! I suggest you go home.”

“Sandi was last on the list, Mrs. Griffin. I may as well go home. It’s still too early to go to the Park,” Tania said. She then turned around and left.

“What is Lawndale coming to?” Linda asked herself, once again. “What do you think of this, SpiderGirl? I know you’re there.”

SpiderGirl swung down. “How did you know I was there?”

“I just knew,” Linda answered carefully. She didn’t know who SpiderGirl was, and thus didn’t want to give anything away.

“Right,” SpiderGirl said. “She was at the Morgendorffers and the Lanes earlier…” she began and explained what happened, starting by repeating what she had said to Jane.


“I see,” Mrs. Griffin said when she had finished.

“Anyway, I’ll be off, I’ll see if Tania actually goes home.”


SpiderGirl followed Tania down the street and saw her go into her house. She swung onto the Ashworth’s roof and breathed a sigh of relief. She decided to wait there awhile and observe Lawndale from that position.


Five minutes later, she saw the glider in the distance to the southwest. “Uh oh!” she said. ‘Uh oh! Time for our plan, but where is Talon?’


Ashley-Amber Taylor answered the phone. “Hello?” she asked.

“It’s Quinn, is Brittany there?”

“I’m sorry,” Ashley-Amber said. “Brittany has gone out. Can I take a message?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll see her another time.”


Daria, the Enigma, Beresfield and Peterson arrived on the Historia’s roof. “So, we’re going to go down to the café and talk to Mrs. Rowe first. She’ll be finishing up for the day,” Daria said.

“OK,” Peterson said. “Is that Elisabeth Rowe?”

“Yes,” Daria answered. “Is that a problem?”

“None at all,” Peterson said.


Elisabeth had finished closing the café when Daria appeared. “Daria? Why are you here?”

Daria then explained.

“You know the way then,” she said. “But the fourth vigilante? Wasn’t that what you were worried about on Saturday?”

“I was, but it was the attack that had me spooked more than I thought,” Daria explained.

“Stacy told me that you’re investigating everything now.”

“Yes, and that’s part of it.”

“OK,” Elisabeth said.


Daria lead them through the theater to the backstage area. “As you can see it was a theater, before it became a cinema later in the century.”

“Interesting,” Verity said. “But where?”

Daria lead them to a door, which she unlocked. “This is one of the apartments. The one assigned to Quinn and I, as you can see our name emblazoned on it.”

“Morgendorffer,” Verity read. “What a name.”

“Of German origin,” Daria said.


Daria unlocked one of the rooms. “That’s mine, although I don’t know what I’m using it for. I suspect, Quinn, Joey and Robert aren’t using theirs either. You can use it for tonight.”

“Thanks, Daria,” Verity said as Daria went to the kitchenette.

“There is coffee, long-life milk and canned food here, and a microwave.”

“But first…” The Enigma said.

“What can you tell us?” Peterson asked.

“There isn’t much I can say without violating Doctor-Patient Confidentiality,” Verity said. “But I believe Norman Osborn is very dangerous. But I can say that he is responsible for the event that occurred a week ago,” she dropped her voice. “And that it was the result of a mental break.”


‘That explains Harry’s concerns,’ the Enigma thought.

“How many people know, is hard to say. I couldn’t say anything to his son. Now he has to take on the responsibility, as he is his heir,” Verity said. “But others within Oscorp are certainly involved.”

“I will stay here,” Peterson said.

Daria nodded. “That’s fine. There is an additional sleeping pad in the closet. But I will be going home and will be back in the morning.”

“You have done enough,” Peterson said. “But we will have to talk about what you are doing tomorrow.”

Daria nodded.


The Enigma and Daria exited the Historia. “Heading home?” the Enigma asked.

“It’s been a long week,” Daria explained.

“It been a long year.”


Ninja Talon and SpiderGirl met on a rooftop near the Jefferson Bridge. “…I agree Tania could be an issue,” the former said after SpiderGirl had explained what happened. “But the glider…”

SpiderGirl looked at where the glider was. “It is close to that area of town. It won’t take much to lead it there, even though it’s risky.”

“Right.”

The Spider Talon team then headed northwest.


The Enigma also saw the glider as she and Daria headed back to the Morgendorffers. “Uh oh!” she said.

“I’ll get home myself,” Daria said.

“Are you sure?” the Enigma asked.

“Yes. An inexperienced teen with a staff may be effective against Oscorp goons, but they would be definitely be a liability against that,” Daria said.

“Good point. See you later.”


SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon stopped on a rooftop of an abandoned building that had been purchased by Oscorp. “If this building is damaged, or falls down, the damage should be minimal,” SpiderGirl said.

“Then we call the Fire Department quickly,” Ninja Talon added.

“Yes,” SpiderGirl said with a nod as she saw the glider approach. She knew it was a tall order.


The Enigma approached the area. ‘It could be it has been modified,’ she thought. ‘And I need to bring it down without killing the pilot. I don’t want Harry to lose his father, even if he’s quite dangerous.’


SpiderGirl started webbing up the street as Ninja Talon ran in the shadows along the buildings.


Ninja Talon ran behind the glider. She then started climbing up one of the buildings.


The Enigma came to the area and saw SpiderGirl close by. ‘The glider first, then SpiderGirl.’


“SpiderGirl!” the pilot called out. “I know you and your ninja friend have a plan.”

“But you don’t know what it is,” SpiderGirl said.

“That’s true, but I have a plan of my own.”

“Of course you do. But we’re a team, you’re just one person.”

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with,” the pilot said.

“A crazed Norman Osborn?”

“Osborn, yes. But not crazed. Reborn, as the Green Goblin!”

“Green Goblin, sounds terrible,” SpiderGirl quipped as she then swung over the glider.

“Take that, SpiderGirl!” the Green Goblin responded.


SpiderGirl avoided the bomb that was thrown, as the Spider Sense blared. She webbed some of his remaining bombs and threw them into the air, where most of them detonated, although some of them exploded on the street below. ‘Oops.’

“You can’t win that way, SpiderGirl!” the Goblin taunted.


Ninja Talon had climbed up nearby. She then fired a zipline onto the side of the glider, where there was an aileron. She pulled.

The Goblin reacted and paused the glider in mid air.

‘Uh oh!’ Ninja Talon thought.

“Itsy Bitsy Spider! Along came the Goblin to take the Spider and her ally out!”

Ninja Talon glared and extended a set of her talons, and unsheathed her katana. She then leapt.


‘That’s audacious,’ the Enigma thought as she approached the area. She raised a forcefield and telekinetically lifted some nearby debris…


Ninja Talon racked the glider’s bodywork with her talons and hacked at one of the stabilizers with her katana. She then was webbed out of range of the Goblin’s punch by SpiderGirl.

“That was close,” SpiderGirl said.

“Yes!” Ninja Talon said as she threw a shuriken towards the Goblin.


The shuriken missed, but it hit the instrument panel, causing sparks.

“You think a little damage is going to stop me?” the Goblin asked.

“Probably not,” SpiderGirl responded. “But a lot more will.” She swung below the glider and Ninja Talon racked the underside with her katana.

The Goblin accelerated.

“It’s been reinforced,” Ninja Talon said.

“We can still damage it,” SpiderGirl said as they swung to a rooftop.


The Enigma then telekinetically flung the debris at the glider at high speed.

The Goblin almost fell out. “That telekinetic metahuman again. The fourth vigilante!”

“I am the Enigma! I will do whatever it takes to protect Lawndale! Even make a lonely teenager an orphan, but I don’t want to do that. And telekinesis isn’t my only power.” Several projections then it the glider, exacerbating the damage SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon had made earlier.


“You won’t kill me, Enigma. Your compassion is your weakness,” the Goblin said as he stabilized the glider. “Bye Bye Enigma!” Another missile was fired, but the glider was pulled aside.

SpiderGirl had webbed it again and pulled down hard from ground level. The missile passed the Enigma and exploded on a nearby rooftop, causing damage.

“We have to work together,” SpiderGirl said to the Enigma.

“Of course. And with other villains too. But confrontation and rivalry will still happen,” the Enigma said.

“And we’re going to have a conversation after that confrontation,” SpiderGirl said.

“We’re still in a battle here,” Ninja Talon said.


“True,” SpiderGirl said. She then grabbed Talon and swung to a rooftop.

“I don’t think she wants to talk to you,” Talon said.

“I know,” SpiderGirl admitted. “But I just gave her something to think about.”


The Enigma focused on the glider again. The Goblin was trying to gain altitude but the damage was making that difficult. ‘Let’s make that more difficult,’ she thought. She fired more projections.


“Where is it going to fall?” Ninja Talon asked.

“Just onto the street,” SpiderGirl answered. “But how long can she keep it up?”

“Probably not long.”


Indeed, the Enigma was tiring. It had been a long day at school, and the tense dinner didn’t help either. The search for Beresfield and the rescue mission had also taken something out of her. ‘But I need to do this,’ she thought.

 

[USS Fardell]

Part 4
At Casa Lane, Jane was still thinking about what was happening with Tania when a report came on the radio. “SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon and the fourth vigilante are in a battle against an aircraft similar to the one responsible for the Groundhog Day Attack…”

“Uh oh!” Jane said. “The Shadow is on it!” she said.

Less than a minute later, the Shadowcar left Casa Lane.


The Enigma had retreated to recuperate. ‘Did Mother experience this in Boston?’ she wondered.


As SpiderGirl swung in again she could see that the glider was rather battered, and the Goblin’s suit was torn in places. She webbed up part of it and as several of Ninja Talon’s shuriken hit home at damaged areas.

“The Enigma was a tough opponent, SpiderGirl,” the Goblin said in a taunting tone.

“I’m tougher,” SpiderGirl said. “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility and I have the responsibility to protect the people of Lawndale from your plans, whatever they are.”

“You’re deluded!” the Goblin said. He threw a bomb in SpiderGirl’s direction.

She threw it aside with a web, with it exploding in midair. She then signaled Talon.


Ninja Talon leapt off a rooftop onto the glider.

“Think you can defeat me this way?” the Goblin asked.

“Yes!” Ninja Talon said as she grabbed him and tried to flip him off the glider.

The Goblin reacted. “I am also experienced in martial arts and this is a very dangerous environment to spar.”

“I know, but Spidey has my back.”

“You’re rather familiar with her, aren’t you?”

Ninja Talon was silent as she danced aside from one of the Green Goblin’s strikes.


The Enigma regained her strength. ‘Is it a second wind?’ she wondered. She saw that Ninja Talon and the Goblin were sparring on the glider. ‘They are both very good,’ she thought. She thought about shooting the glider again, but she didn’t want to risk hitting Ninja Talon.


The Shadow arrived on the street as Ninja Talon flipped off the glider onto a fire escape. She saw SpiderGirl attempting to web the glider again. “Let’s see, dramatic fog and paint missile.” A targeting crosshair came up onto the heads-up display and the Shadow targeted the glider with a touchpad on the horn button. She then flipped another switch and a fog was released.


The paint missile hit the glider, causing further damage. The Goblin, tired from his sparring, only barely managed to hang on.


“Paint…” SpiderGirl mused. “Is it the Shadow?”

“Probably,” Ninja Talon said.

“And the Goblin is distracted,” SpiderGirl said, as she swung off.


The Enigma watched as the Shadow used a grapple gun to get onto a rooftop. ‘I’ll help,’ she decided.


“The Shadow. You didn’t do much last time,” the Goblin said.

“I did plenty,” the Shadow said. “My fogs and those of my mentor helped defeat you.”

“But your mentor isn’t here.”

“No, she isn’t, but she doesn’t need to be!”

“You think you’re good enough?” the Green Goblin asked.

“Not by myself, but SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon are still here.”


SpiderGirl swung over the glider and webbed out more of the bombs.


“Distracting me, is that it?” the Goblin asked.

“That’s part of it!” Ninja Talon said as she flipped onto the glider again. Another sparring session began.

“I was fighting fair last time,” the Goblin said.

“So was I!” Ninja Talon said as she unsheathed her katana and swiped the control panel, causing more damage.

“No!” the Goblin cried out as the glider began to fall.

“Yes!” Ninja Talon said as she extended her talons. She swiped them across the Goblin’s torso and leapt off the glider to another fire escape.

“Ow!” the Goblin grumbled. The glider was still falling. He tried to pull it up. “Oh no!”


The Goblin ejected from the glider and activated a jetpack. He watched it explode on the street. “You have won this battle, so called heroes of Lawndale! But I will have the last laugh.”

“I can still catch you!” the Enigma said from a nearby rooftop. She pointed her arms downwards; palms open as her hands glowed with her powers.

“What?” the Goblin asked.


The Enigma pushed downwards telekinetically at the same time as firing projections and thus launched into the air, towards where the Green Goblin was hovering.

“I’m not defenseless,” the Goblin said as he raised a firearm.

With a flick, the Enigma disarmed him and then the two collided in midair.


“What is she doing?” Ninja Talon asked.

“Be ready to catch either of them,” SpiderGirl said.

“I am,” the Shadow said. “If you’re not.”


The Enigma grappled with the Goblin. “This is for kidnapping Beresfield!” she said. “And for trying to take over Lawndale!”

“Beresfield? She was getting too close. As for Lawndale, I have plans,” the Goblin then lowered his voice. “You don’t understand, Sandi!”

“What?” the Enigma asked.

“I just figured it out. Who else would bring up Beresfield?”

“Oops!” the Enigma said as she pulled off the Goblin’s helmet with a burst of strength.

There was a crazed look in his eyes. “And I know about your mother’s past.”

“She was a superhero, and now I am,” the Enigma said as one of her hands started to glow.

“She was an antihero, who did things,” the Goblin said.

“What else is new? So what? So am I and I do things!” the Enigma shot back. She then shot a projection at the jetpack. She then telekinetically pushed it and the Goblin in separate directions.

“Ugh!” the Goblin said.


SpiderGirl grabbed the Enigma as she fell.

“Truce,” the Enigma said. “I need to rest.”

“Good,” SpiderGirl responded. “But what did he say to you?”

“He knows my secret identity.”

“That’s not good,” SpiderGirl considered. “But I don’t want to know it.”

“I may want to know yours, but I don’t want to find out this way.”

“Right.”


The Shadow caught the Green Goblin. “Got you!”

“Oh no! The Enigma did something!” the Goblin said.

“She clearly did,” the Shadow said. “We all did. We defeated you.”

“I don’t know who you are.”

“That’s good! You can’t come after me.”

“She definitely did something. There’s tingling in my legs,” the Goblin said.

“I’ll get you to the Hospital,” the Shadow said.

“You are?” Ninja Talon asked as she walked up.

“Yes. It’s the least I can do.”

The ninja nodded.


SpiderGirl placed the Enigma on the ground. “Why do you want to be my rival?” she asked.

“Because I think your methods aren’t what Lawndale needs. Too simplistic for a complicated town of today.”

“Simplistic? Taking responsibility isn’t simplistic!”

“At least think about what I said,” the Enigma said as she turned and left.


The Shadow placed the Goblin on the back seat. She pressed a button and he was secured with seat belts. “You didn’t need to do that!” he said.

“I will be driving fast,” the Shadow responded. “I want to get you to the hospital quickly.”


Ninja Talon watched the Shadow drive away. SpiderGirl then joined her. “We better get going,” she said.

“Of course.”


They turned a corner, heading towards the Historia, which they could see in the distance. “That was intense,” Ninja Talon said. “Almost as much as last week.”

“I agree. It’s a good thing the Enigma and the Shadow showed up, otherwise there would have been more damage and you might have been injured.”

“I haven’t been yet.”

“Good, but I have,” SpiderGirl said. “But I have enhanced healing.”

“I have thought about that. But what did the Enigma say to you then?”

“That the Goblin knows her secret identity.”

Ninja Talon shook her head. “That’s not good.”

“It isn’t. I don’t want to know hers…”

“What?”

“She said that she wants to know mine,” SpiderGirl admitted.

“Then I hope she doesn’t find out.”

“She won’t. I’m certain about it.”

‘There’s something she isn’t saying,’ Ninja Talon thought. ‘But she will tell me when she’s ready.’

“But that battle. Is that what the future holds for us? Protecting Lawndale from villains like him, who cause destruction?”

“Probably. But Oscorp is still here too.”

“That’s a good point. Oscorp is bigger than just Norman Osborn,” SpiderGirl said.


The Shadow pulled up as close to the Emergency Room at Cedars of Lawndale as she could get.

“We’re here,” she said, as she opened the back door. She saw that the Goblin was worse than at the scene of the battle. ‘Fortunately, Mom was prepared,’ she thought as she pressed a button and the seat extended out from the car and became a wheelchair with a platform on the back.


“Coming through,” the Shadow said as she and Osborn entered the ER.

“Is that Norman Osborn?” one of the nurses asked.

“Yes. I found him on a street downtown. It looks like something happened to him.”

“I’ll get a chair and a doctor,” the nurse said.


It wasn’t long before a doctor and a team of nurses came and took Osborn away. The Shadow then zipped back to the car on the seat.


At the Morgendorffers, Daria arrived back after the rescue and climbed back in through the window. She placed the staff in her room and went to her mother’s room.


Helen heard knocking at the door. “Come in.”

Daria opened the door. “I’m back,” she said quietly.

“What did you find out?”

“Not much.”

Helen could tell her daughter was hiding something. ‘But that’s Daria all over. She hasn’t gotten any more secretive since Jakey passed.’ Whatever it was, she would tell her when she was ready. “Not much?” she asked anyway.

“I need to think about it,” Daria said and sighed. “Have you seen anything about Oscorp at work?”

“Of course, Daria,” Helen said. “But nothing that is any different from other corporations. Is it about what you said about their presence in Lawndale?”

“That’s part of it,” Daria admitted. “But there’s more. I’ll say more another time,” she said before leaving.

Helen sighed.


Daria went back to her room and started writing in her journal about the rescue of Beresfield. ‘But what to tell Peterson about my possible hero identity? I can’t form one from the meanings of either of my given names. Not on their own anyway.’


“Is that you, Sandi?” Linda asked.

“Yes,” Sandi said as she came down the stairs.

“Did you and Daria rescue Beresfield?”

“Yes,” Sandi began and explained about the rescue and the following battle.


Sandi had left out the fact that Osborn had figured out her secret identity. ‘I don’t want to worry her too much,’ she thought.

“And then there is Tania Ashworth,” her mother said. “She came around saying that you’re the Shadow.”

“I know, she was at the Morgendorffers at the same time as I was, assuming the same of either of them.”

“Still, you need to be more careful. If Tania is going around trying to figure out the identities of the other vigilantes…”

“I have been careful,” Sandi said, despite the fact she wasn’t when talking to Osborn as the Goblin earlier.

Her mother sighed.


Quinn got home not long after Daria. She knocked on her door. “How did it go, earlier?” she asked.

“It was a success,” Daria answered.

“That’s good news.”

“But it’s a lot to take in. More about Oscorp.”

“What else is new?” Quinn asked rhetorically.


Ashley-Amber saw Brittany enter the kitchen. “There was a call for you earlier,” she said.

“Who?”

“Quinn.”

“I caught up with her,” Brittany responded enigmatically.

“Good to hear.”


Trent got home from a gig to see Jane waiting in the kitchen. “What’s up, Janie?” he asked.

“An eventful evening,” Jane answered.

“In what way?” Trent asked.

“Where to start? Tania Ashworth, and then a battle against the Green Goblin.”

“I thought we weren’t going to call him that? And what about Tania?”

“He called himself that. He’s actually Norman Osborn. I took him to the hospital afterwards,” Jane answered.

“Hmm, you better start from the beginning.”

Jane then explained, starting from Tania’s arrival.


Trent thought on it when Jane had concluded with her dropping Osborn off at the hospital. “The destruction of the glider, is good, right?”

“I’m sure it was a prototype. If it’s gone, they might not make more right away. It would be probably be a while before another is made,” Jane said. “Tania is more of a threat.”

“But what are you going do to do about that?”

“I’m not sure, other than be more careful when accusing people as the Shadow.”

“At least you know where you went wrong,” Trent said.

Jane nodded and then went up to her room to take solace in her art before bed.