fardell24

16 Tempest and Change
Quentin Beck got off the bus. He looked at the terminal in front of him. “Lawndale,” he considered. Two weeks before he hadn’t heard of the place. Then the Groundhog Day Attack made national news. Some sort of crazed villain had attacked the place. But that wasn’t why he was there. He was there because there was a job offer at some sort of community theater.


After picking up his luggage in the terminal, he found a copy of the local newspaper, the Sun-Herald.

Lawndale Sun-Herald
Saturday, February 17, 2001
Brownouts resolved a second time
SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon and an apparent fifth vigilante responded and disconnected the problematic electric furnace in the Elders Solarium.

“Five vigilantes,” he considered. There were only three when the Groundhog Day Attack occurred, he was sure.


Quinn Morgendorffer entered the theatre area of the Historia. She looked at the time. 5:30. “Is the guy here yet?” she asked.

“Not yet, Quinn.” Robert Allen responded.

Quinn sighed. “How hard is it to find a special effects person?”

“He’s probably a little late.”

“I know, but I don’t want to wait too long.”


Quentin found the Historia and went inside. He took out the note he had made. “Interview will be in the theater, not the café or bookstore,” he reminded himself as he looked around. He saw that the café was to the right of the lobby and the bookstore to the left. The theater doors were straight ahead.

( Read More )

The Mystery Club investigates when a local cybercafe is broken into.

fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14417932/3/Mysteries-of-Lawndale

Archive Of Our Own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/64334602/chapters/165150523

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 signalled Talon.

( Read More )

Verity had held sessions with various clients over the phone (although one had taken the trouble to drive to and from Lawndale) as she waited for Osborn to be ready for another session. She thought about Harry’s worries. ‘Is he sharing them with at least one friend?’ she wondered. Norman had told her that he had made at least one. She knocked on the mansion door, and Bernard opened it.

“He is waiting for you.”


“It happened again,” Norman said. “The glider is out of commission again, mostly due to Ninja Talon, although SpiderGirl and some metahuman with telekinetic powers were there too.”

“I would be remiss if I didn’t say that you probably need more help than I can give. I wasn’t able to help you last night! And I lied to Harry!” Verity said.

“Then stay here, in Lawndale! I need to be here!”

“Tell me why? Is it New York? Or some Oscorp project?”

“Both, besides, Harry has made a friend. I can’t take him away from her,” Norman said.

“But I insist that you need more than what I can provide.”

“Oscorp has developed something that may help.”

“Oh no! I don’t approve of you taking any medication that hasn’t been approved by the FDA!” Verity exclaimed.

“It’s in the process now.”

( Read More )

The Enigma arrived at the Strawberry and started using the telescopes. Soon, she saw something. She recognised it straight away. ‘It’s the attacker, who destroyed the Lawndale Center on Friday night!’ The glider craft was moving slowly over the rooftops, looking for something. ‘Or someone, probably SpiderGirl as he seemed to be focused on her.’

She watched the glider move around for a while longer.


Ninja Talon also saw the glider in the distance, as she looked westwards from the Historia. ‘What can I do alone? I’d need SpiderGirl. But how to get to Glen Oaks Lane without drawing its attention?’ She decided to try anyway.’


The Enigma saw that it was closer to the downtown, rather than over a mainly residential area. ‘But that’s not really helpful, and I can’t get there quickly without a car.’ Was there one nearby? The parking lot had been empty, but that didn’t matter. She quickly ran down the stairs.


Once off the Historia, Ninja Talon quickly ran through the various alleyways that ran through the downtown area.


The Enigma broke into the first car she found parked on a street near the Strawberry, hotwired it and sped off.


SpiderGirl awoke. She found that it was a little early. ‘Does that matter?’ she wondered before getting out of bed.

Up on the roof, she heard something near the downtown. She also heard a racing car somewhere to the northwest. ‘Street racing starting again?’ she wondered, before refocusing downtown. Her eyes widened as she realised what it was; the craft from Groundhog Day! She swung off in that direction.


The Enigma pulled up in an older street, close to where she had seen the glider craft. She leapt out of the car, leaving the engine running. She saw it down the street. She reached out with her powers and tried to grab it….

( Read More )

The Shadow parked as close as she could to the devastated Hall as she could, given the traffic of people trying to leave the vicinity. She saw a large concentration of fires in that direction as she got out of the car. “OK, SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon, backup is here.” She then opened the trunk to see that there was more gear. “Good.”


Ninja Talon urged people to run as she saw SpiderGirl try to fight the aircraft. “I have to get up there!” she said to Peterson, who was nearby.

“Go!”


The Moretti’s arrived on the scene after having similar trouble to the Shadow in finding a place to park. The older one looked at where Ninja Talon was scaling the wall of the Hall. “I will go over there, and discretely use a forcefield to hold the roof up. You can look out for that aircraft and try to disable it. Our powers also have a disruptive effect on electronics.”

“Got it!”


Ninja Talon shot her grapple gun, hoping that it wouldn’t make things worse by dislodging something. It held. She then climbed up.

SpiderGirl was still attempting to web up the aircraft, which was hovering nearby. ‘He’s too elusive,’ she thought. She saw Ninja Talon climbing up. ‘I’ll give her some time.’ She then attempted to web up the pilot’s helmet, but she still missed.


The older Moretti walked up to the building unnoticed. She closed her eyes and perceived the inside of the building where people were still waiting to get out. She then focused on the ceiling where it was threatening to fall in and generated a forcefield to hold it in place. She was thankful that she had found the time to continue to develop her powers in the midst of the busyness of motherhood and work.


The Shadow ran up to the scene. ‘There’s lots I can do. But what first,’ she wondered quickly. ‘Help SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon fight the aircraft? Or help with the evacuation.’ She decided to do the former.


Anna and Ben huddled in a phone booth down the street. “Are you OK?” Anna asked as she dialled home.

“With you here, I’m better than I could have been,” Ben answered. “It’s a good thing SpiderGirl showed up when she did.”

“Yes.”

“Feli, is that you? Are you OK?” her mother asked.

“I’m fine, Ben and I got out quickly,” Anna Felicia answered.

“I’m glad to hear that, with what is happening. It looks like SpiderGirl is having the fight of her life.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“Ninja Talon and the Shadow are there with her.”


The Enigma (since she was on her own) found a spot beneath a tree near the devastated building and saw the situation with the other vigilantes. SpiderGirl was leaping from side to side, trying to web up the craft, with the Shadow using her clouds to try to hide her. She then started shooting energy projections at the craft.


Amanda arrived on the scene and saw that SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon and her daughter needed help. She also saw that there were energy projections being shot at the craft from somewhere nearby. ‘All of Lawndale’s protectors are here tonight. I hope it’s enough.’


The Enigma continued firing at the craft. ‘It’s has to succumb at some point,’ she thought.

( SpiderGirl was running on adrenaline )

( 6th )

Total: 1216

Secrets of Lawndale
Prologue
Quinn Morgendorffer walked through the streets of Lawndale. She didn’t believe that Tiffany Blum-Deckler had thrown her out. She didn’t know why Tiffany thought she might be fat and was asking that question all the time. She turned a corner and saw her destination, Stacy Rowe’s house, half a block ahead. She was sure that they would get along better.


“So, you were supposed to stay with Sandi but she threw you out?” Elisabeth Rowe asked.

“Yes.”

“Looks like your mother is going to tell Mrs. Griffin off about it.”

“That wouldn’t be surprising,” Quinn said as she went towards the stairs.


“I'm so glad you're staying here, Quinn,” Stacy said.

“Yeah, me too,” Quinn responded.

“Don't tell anybody this, but I like you best out of everyone in the Fashion Club.”

Quinn wasn’t sure what to think about that. She supposed that Sandi wouldn’t be high on Stacy’s list for some reason. “Um, that's nice, Stacy.” She turned her attention back to the magazine. “Look at Bridgett in that slip dress.”

“Slip dress?” Stacy asked. “In fact, I'd say you're my first-best friend. And Tiffany's my second-best friend. Sandi's my third-best friend. Although sometimes Tiffany's third and Sandi's second. But you're always first.”

‘I thought so,” Quinn thought. “Um, okay, whatever.” She wanted to focus on what she was reading. At least she was trying to.

“Quinn, who do you like best?”

“Stacy! I'm trying to read this article on eyelashes.” She wasn’t sure that increasing their density was a good idea.

“Oh, right, sorry,” Stacy apologised.

She turned her attention back to the other article. “Ugh! I can't believe she's wearing it! Slip dresses are so over!”

“Yeah, slip dresses are so over,” Stacy said with a nervous giggle.

“So, Quinn, want to go to a movie?” Stacy asked, having changed into an outfit identical to Quinn’s, which she hadn’t worn yet.

“Sure. What do you want to see?” Quinn asked.

“I don't know, whatever you want to see?”

“What are you wearing?” Quinn asked nervously.

“What do you want me to wear?” Stacy asked as she grabbed some hair dye that she had bought sometime that week.

“And what's that?” Quinn asked.

( Read More )

Mayor Lawson was on edge. He read through the Sun-Herald’s article again. “Pure speculation!” he groused to himself. ‘There’s no proof there’s an actual fourth costumed vigilante.’

There was a buzz.

“What?”

“Norman Osborn is here demanding to see you.”

“Send him in!” he said.

“I see you’re aware of the news.” Osborn said.

“Are you behind this rumor?” Lawson asked. “Lawndale doesn’t need more people taking the law into their own hands!”

“I am not,” Osborn responded. “But this is exactly the sort of thing my proposal is designed to deter.”

“I doubt it. They will find a way to hide. And I know you’re out to get SpiderGirl. I may not like that she’s taking the law into her own hands, but she’s giving this city hope.”

“But what about the other two?”

“SpiderGirl vouches for Ninja Talon, it seems. The Shadow is more elusive. I doubt that whatever you’re planning will work,” Lawson answered.

“And if there is an actual fourth?”

“Then whoever they are will make themselves known at some point.”

“With my proposal we’ll catch them quicker,” Osborn argued.

“I will think about it!”

“And don’t forget that the Council approved it. You can’t drag your heels too much.”

“And I know you influenced the vote!” Lawson shot back. “Now get out.”

( Read More )