Allison hated rumours. There was no worse way to spread misinformation than through someone’s wild idea, planted into the heads of the general public. It’s why she often ignored them. Like the one about her being a secret lizard, concocted on the darkest corners of the internet, trying to explain her success on the track. Or that other one about her apparent true identity as JFK Junior, in disguise, and planning to save the world by keeping women from being in video games and saving the truly oppressed gamers of the world. Or something, perhaps she was confusing multiple theories. The thought occurred to her.

This time, though, there was a rumour too difficult to ignore. A vigilante, this time not her alter ego Dark Falcon, finding herself trouble. The weirdest part were the corroborated stories of people wrapped up by thousands of tiny spiders. Whatever trouble this costumed girl found for herself, these spiders were always there in some way. And the only reason Allison chose to believe this rumour was she spotted her. The girl in the costume. Araneae, or something. That’s the name she chose to go by.

Guess Arachnid’s been taken Allison thought.

Dark Falcon often took up a patrol, usually up high on a rooftop, hacking police scanners and watching the ground below. That’s when she saw the girl. Araneae could fight, and fight well, but she lacked... experience. Throwing herself full force into everything. And, from the sounds of it, she was new at this, not quite used to it, and rather nervous. But Dark Falcon respected anyone willing to put themselves out to better the world instead of just sitting idly by.

Of course, the girl often found herself captured by those she pursued, but that was nothing new in this town. Dark Falcon practically found herself untying some captive snoop, or PI, or reporter, every other week. That sort of trouble was just commonplace.

Hell, even found it myself once. Damn Cult of Flames... she thought.

The spider-themed super heroine charged headlong into trouble, however, and started beating up several would-be bank robbers. Dark Falcon had gotten wind of the plan and was likely about to do the same but this girl had beaten her to the punch, so to speak.

Allison watched the girl for a while. She was definitely raw, and new to this, but handled the group quite well. But the most startling thing she saw was what happened with the last of the group, the leader. She was a well-known former mob enforcer, quite strong, much taller than the girl in the strange, grey outfit, and clearly more than a match in a fight with Araneae. The girl seemed to know this and Allison watched from across the street, hidden in the shadows.

The girl did... something. She was moving, to be sure, but her movements were odd. She wasn’t trying to fight this bank robber, she kept backing up and stayed as far away as possible. But the woman screamed and even Dark Falcon jumped a bit when an ungodly swarm of spiders appeared as though from nowhere and crawled all over the woman, who started swatting at them desperately.

But in moments, there was sturdy web wrapping up her wrists, pinning them to her waist behind her back. A tight wrapping held her arms to her sides, and yet more wrapped her up at the thighs and ankles. Once she was completely bound, the spiders all scattered at once and simply disappeared when they reached Araneae. The vigilante said nothing and picked up a nearby roll of duct tape to wrap over her captive’s mouth again and again, stepping back and watching the strong, bound woman writhe and thrash on the floor. Nodding once, she left the scene and disappeared down the street.

Dark Falcon followed in secret, fascinated by the girl’s power, having given the police an anonymous tip about the robbers’ hideout.

Never seen someone summon spiders before she thought to herself. Let’s see if she knows about Walker Street Gang.

It was the other major meeting happening that night. A weapons deal going down with especially corrupt members of the police force selling the gang some of their tactical, high powered weapons. Allison had known about it for a while. If Araneae had similar sources, she would know too. But, for the time being, Dark Falcon decided to bide her time. Maybe see what else this rookie vigilante could do.

...

The shadows hid her movements. The rookie heroine ducked behind a dumpster, near the empty parking lot of the gang’s hideout, a re-purposed clinic, long since abandoned. Several unmarked police cars pulled up and Araneae ducked further behind the dumpster, waiting for the exchange to happen.

She took a look and counted heads. Six cops got out of the car. There were four members of the street gang. Street gang first she thought. And they’re unarmed. Have to be quick.

All the assembled people headed inside the old clinic as a shrouded shape landed on the building’s roof. Dark Falcon pressed a button on the side of her red visor, and held a hand on the roof, keeping one ear open for the rookie vigilante. Her glove picked up sound vibrations from inside, travelling up to an earpiece within her cowl.

“Ah, now that’s what I’m talking about,” a voice said, distinctly male. “Beretta?”

“Chief bought ‘em from some Sicilian company in town. They brought ‘em over,” another voice, female, said.

“AR-70?” the man asked.

“Painted ‘em to look old. But nah. REC7.”

“Oooh...” Dark Falcon heard a sort of rattling sound. “Sleek. Modern. Real nice.”

“Fits M16 parts too. Heard you’ve already got those,” the woman said.

“Damn, you guys are good.”

“You’re payin’ us enough for ‘em.”

“How many rounds?”

“30 a magazine,” the woman said.

“Don’t you mean clip?”

Dark Falcon heard an audible sigh from her. “No. I don’t.”

She could hear some slight shuffling, as though they were passing the gun around the room.

“I think we should take a look at them first,” the man said.

“Go ahead. They’re mint, but play around, take ‘em apart, whatever,” the woman said. “We’ll be over here while you check ‘em out.”

Several footsteps moved from one room to the next. Then silence, followed my clicking, metallic sounds. Based on the conversations, the cops had moved to another room. The street gang were by themselves.

After several minutes, Dark Falcon heard a door slam open, followed by shouting, and grunts of pain. She looked up to her left and noticed Araneae was no longer hiding.

She’s moved in Allison thought. “See how she handles this.”

Several screams of pain, breaking furniture, shouts of anger, they all sounded within Dark Falcon’s cowl. But soon, they stopped. She listened in closer, and heard the sound of breathing, and someone swearing softly. It was a woman’s voice, one she recognized from earlier.

“I’ll be damned...” Allison said. “She did it.”

But she knew the cops in the building would still need to be dealt with. Which could spell trouble for an unarmed woman who seemed to only have mild control over a colony of spiders.

And, indeed, as another door burst open, Allison heard several distinct clicks. “Hand up!” the woman from before barked.

Another woman spoke. “Looks like a criminal trespass to me.”

“Not to mention loitering...” the first woman said. There was a pause. “The mask, idiots. It’s a law, do some research, for Christ’s sake!”

“Four counts of assault too,” the second woman said. “Not a good girl at all.”

“O-okay, I get it!’ Dark Falcon heard Araneae say. “Just.... you think we can settle this without the guns?”

“Sure, if you do exactly what I tell ya to,” the first woman said.

Araneae kept her hands raised as the woman approached her. From above, Dark Falcon could hear some shuffling movements, and then the click of handcuffs.

“Hey! Do you have to make it so tight??” Araneae said.

“Shut up and walk,” the woman said, leading her handcuffed prisoner forward to a waiting chair. She sat the rookie heroine down and looked at the other gathered cops.

“You all have anything to restrain her with?”

“Cuffs, mostly,” a large man at the back of the room said.

“Anything besides that?”

Silence answered her back.

“Cuffs it is then.”

Another pair went on around her biceps, locked on tight. “Ow!”

They ignored her grunts of pain, clapping leg irons on her ankles and wrapping the chain through a support under the chair. Another pair of leg irons wrapped around her waist, shackled around her wrists as well, while another pair of handcuffs was used to attach her wrists to the back of the chair. Firmly secured, the tight metal pinching and biting her cruelly, she began thrashing around in the chair.

“You pricks!” she said. “We’re supposed to be on the same side!”

The woman, obviously the highest ranked of them, simply laughed. “What a cute little idealist you are...”

Araneae blushed slightly, then thrashed again, angry at herself for getting embarrassed by

such words. “Let me out of this and let’s settle this with honour, cowards!”

“I’m tired of her voice,” the other woman said. She reached behind her and held up a ball gag.

The leader chuckled.

“What would ya ever need that for?” she asked.

“Coming in handy now, isn’t it?”

The leader took it in her hands. “Suppose so.” She stepped behind Araneae and pulled down the mask covering her nose. Araneae forced her jaw shut.

“Hard way, huh? Not making this easy?”

Araneae still said nothing.

“Have it your way.” The woman put a strong hand on the rookie crime fighter’s lower jaw, squeezing slightly. Araneae gasped at the sudden pressure and her captor seized the opportunity, shoving the rubber ball into her mouth and strapping it on as tight as it would go.

“Mmmff!” Araneae grunted once the strap was pulled tight.

“A little better. But hey, you look cute in the mask so, maybe it’ll help us out?” The woman smirked and pulled the mask back up over Araneae’s nose. The captured heroine shook her head and thrashed about again, now further silenced by her mask.

“Mmm mmmpphh!”

“Perfect,” she stood up again and addressed the others. “Take her someplace quiet to mull things over. I’ll be paying her a visit shortly.”

Up on the roof, Dark Falcon was still listening. Have to see where they scurry off to she thought. Sorry, girl, but I need you to lead me further.

She heard the chair scraping against the floor and the angry, muffled protests of the crime fighter shackled to it. Her ears followed the sound and she heard a gate shut and some machinery come to life.

Elevator. More to this place than first glance. Dark Falcon moved toward the sound and placed her hand on the roof again. Headed down. More voices... these cops have been here before.

She listened closely and recalled the leader of this street gang’s voice. Allison had heard him before. He frequented a bar she had gone to a few days prior. The man bragged about something that would “Make Walker Street someplace to be feared.” Which lead her and, apparently, this spider-themed woman in what seemed to be a deliberately provocative design for her costume.

Not that Dark Falcon wasn’t impressed by her, she just noticed the fishnet around her upper body, the small crop top on her chest, her bared midriff, and realized that something about her outfit had to be designed in such away.

In the cacophony below, she picked out his voice.

Could take out the whole gang right here Dark Falcon thought. Time for a plan of attack.

She left the rooftop, looked over the building, and began picturing the floor plan she had studied, and began planning her every move.

...

She had been left alone in a tiny room. An emptied closet, it seemed like. The rest of the Walker Street Gang below had seen her being dragged away by the group of cops, a chorus of laughing and jeering at the latest capture meeting her as she was dragged off.

Araneae remained firmly stuck to the chair, unable to make any progress on the tight cuffs restraining her, beginning to numb the feeling in her limbs, biting into her. The ball gag, combined with her mask, didn’t help matters. In desperation, she cried out.

“Hllmmff! Mmm mmmpphh! Hllmmp mm!” But, in that moment, there was nothing she could do but stare at the single light bulb hanging above her.

The door opened slowly and in walked her captor, the leader of the group of cops that had taken her prisoner. She closed the door and loomed over her captive.

“I got questions for ya. Yes and no questions. I don’t need to hear any words outta you,” she said.

“Mmmff! Fmmkk ymm! Lmmt mm gmm!” Araneae swore, and growled, fruitlessly struggling with her cuffs.

“And that’s what I’m talkin’ about.” She slipped something onto her hand. Araneae recognized the knuckle duster immediately, her eyes going wide.

“Ya don’t want to make me use this,” she said. “And I won’t, long as you don’t give me trouble, understand?”

Araneae nodded.

“Good. First, you’re not a cop, are ya?”

Araneae shook her head. “Didn’t think so. Just makin’ sure. Don’t want any rats tryin’ to spoil the game...”

“Mmmrrghhh...” Araneae growled.

“Next then... about how you found us. You workin’ with that Falcon?”

Araneae furrowed her brow and shook her head. “Whmmff thmmt?”

Her captor smirked and chuckled. “Best not play dumb, girl,” she said, punching an open palm with the knuckle duster. “Everybody in this town knows about the Falcon. You workin’ with her or what?”

“Mm nmmt!” Araneae repeated, shaking her head more vehemently this time. Her captor got close, straddling the chair, until she was practically sitting in the crime fighter’s lap.

“And now you’re lyin’ to me? I thought we had a deal, girl...”

“Mmff! Dmmt!”

She used her bare hand and threw a short punch to Araneae’s midsection. She grunted from the sudden pain and tried to double over, the cuffs stopping her short.

“I use this hand next time,” the cop said, holding up the one decorated with the knuckle duster. “Tell me. Now. Are you working with the Falcon?”

“Nmmmmm!!” Araneae practically screamed, shaking her head back and forth.

“Shame...” she said. “That I gotta hit that pretty face...”

Araneae scrunched her eyes shut, awaiting the blow, as the cop wound up to swing...

And a strange noise surrounded them, as though everything was powering down. The lights went out, even the bulb above the prisoner. The cop got up from her place and hurried to the door.

“The fuck is going on here??”

Araneae opened her eyes to pitch darkness. But she could faintly make out the outline of her captor. “Hello?” she called out into the hallway. She stepped out... and Araneae jumped when a blur rushed past, taking her captor with it. The woman shrieked as she was practically carried off. Araneae struggled with her chains, but still couldn’t escape. There was nothing to stop... whatever that was, from getting to her.

Eyes wide with fear, she heard someone come in the room and quietly shut the door. A red glow, like eyes, came from the person’s head. Araneae was frozen solid from the sudden fear and studied the person in front of her. Long, pale purple hair flowed around a black cowl that covered the upper half of the person’s face revealing a strong, feminine jawline beneath it.

The person was all in black. Her suit, held snug to her entire body, was well armoured and a cape flowed at her back. She walked toward Araneae and the rookie heroine bucked in her chains.

“Relax,” an almost robotic, distorted voice said to her. The voice remained feminine in sound, to her ears.

Araneae’s eyes were still wide as the person approached her.

“Mmmff!”

“Quiet,” the voice commanded. Araneae started feeling slightly at ease and stopped making a sound, though the fear bubbling in her stomach remained.

“I’ll loosen these.”

The figure did as she said, releasing some of the tension on the cuffs. But Araneae couldn’t help but notice she hadn’t freed her.

“Mmff?”

“You need to stay here. This is easier,” the person said.

By now, Araneae could see the dark grey falcon splayed across the woman’s suit, wings outstretched and reaching her shoulders.

“Thmm Fmmllcmmnn!!” she said.

“Sorry you got caught up in this,” Dark Falcon said. “But I need you to stay here. I’ll free you when I’m done.”

“Bmm... mm cmnn hllmpp ymm!” Araneae tried to say. Dark Falcon understood her words.

“Help? No,” she said. “Next time, stick to your own turf. This is mine. And I don’t work with partners.”

Araneae slumped down, disappointed. She heard an audible sigh from whatever distortions the cowl put on Dark Falcon’s voice.

“Look, you have some skills. But leave this town to me. You’re still too green for this.”

“Bmmt... mm cmmn hllmmp...” Araneae said, shifting slightly in place, as the feeling came back into her limbs from the loosened, yet still secure, cuffs.

“You want to help? Then stay here, out of the way. I don’t want to have to rescue you again,” Dark Falcon said.

“Wmmld ymm?” Araneae asked.

Again, Dark Falcon understood the question. “Of course.”

Araneae blushed slightly and lowered her head. She settled into her chair and seemed... content.

“Mmmkmm...” she said, nodding.

“Then keep quiet while I do my work.”

She did as the Falcon asked and, in a blink, the woman was gone. Araneae was by herself in the room again. But at least, now, she wasn’t alone.

...

Walker Street Gang members and cops alike scrambled to try and get the power back on and scoured the building, looking for what could have possibly knocked it out.

Two men stood by a breaker, one with a flashlight, trying to understand what went wrong.

“I don’t understand, it didn’t even trip!” one of them said.

“What? You idiot, it had to have tripped! Gimme that damn light!” He took it and pushed his partner aside, shining the light on it.

As he did, the man behind him was swept away, a metallic thud against his head knocking him out cold. The second man turned around and noticed his partner was missing.

“E-Ernie?” he asked. “You there?”

He took a step forward, heard something move, and shined his light on it. He screamed at the sight of the red-eyed, humanoid monster that had suddenly appeared before his vision, but then his vision went black as another metallic thud sounded out.

Dark Falcon twirled her telescopic staff and heard several clicks behind her.

“Here she is...” a voice said. “We knew it was you!”

She turned her head and noticed the leader of the Walker Street Gang there, along with the cops making the arms deal, all holding her at gunpoint.

“Hands in the air, Falcon! It’s over!” One of the cops shouted. “And tell us where Justine is!”

Dark Falcon didn’t move. She was frozen still. Another click sounded off.

“D-Didn’t you hear me?? Hands up! Now!”

Still she refused to move. She noticed the cops had gotten their hands on night vision goggles. And had passed them out to the gang members. Have to use that.

A gun shot rang out, a bullet hitting the wall beside her.

“Next one goes in your skull! Hands! Up!”

Dark Falcon clenched her open fist. Contained within, another clever device. A programmable remote, capable of cutting off and reconnecting any building from the power grid. An invention she felt quite proud of, once it had finally worked. Interweaved into the glove on her left hand, buttons in the palm, activated with a spoken code word. ‘Lights out’ to cut the power off. ‘Lights on’ to reconnect. Then, at the press of a button in her palm, the signal would fire.

The cop who had fired chambered another bullet.

“I’m not warning you again!”

Dark Falcon twitched, her thumb hovering over the button on her palm.

“Lights on,” she said, pressing the button.

The basement lights all came back on at once and the light blinded all of them in their night vision, several scrambling to take the goggles off.

One of them managed it, trying to get his eyes to adjust, but a dark shape blocked his vision and a metallic thud made him a crumpled heap on the ground.

Several started firing blindly where Dark Falcon stood, but the guns were knocked from their hands one by one. A few tried to throw a punch, still unable to get the goggles off fast enough. A fist met each of their foreheads, taking them low.

Finally, with several already writhing on the ground, the fight began in earnest. A cop came at her, gun raised, but her electrified staff knocked it from her grasp, a kick to the stomach sending her flying backward. Another cop dropped his gun and ran to tackle her from the back but she ran into him, ducking low, her shoulder meeting his stomach. He tumbled right over top of her, landing hard on the ground on his back.

Still another came at her but was dealt away with a heavy shot from Dark Falcon’s metallic staff. The gang members rushed in at once, but she was untouchable. Hands grasped at air. Punches connected, but only with each other. Kicks flew, all missing their intended target. And Dark Falcon struck back. Staff, clenched fist, and heavy boot all met the assembled combatants, taking them to the floor with the rest of them.

Finally, the leader was the last one standing. His nose bloodied by one of his own, a tooth knocked out by Dark Falcon, slumped against the wall. She approached him and grabbed the scruff of his neck, lifting him from the ground. In his dazed, injured state, he couldn’t fight back.

“F-Falcon...” he said. “Wait, just hang on a-”

A fist slammed into the wall beside his head. “Don’t,” she said. “You’re finished.”

“Can’t we... talk about- ugh!” One punch to the forehead knocked him out cold. Dark Falcon let him slump to the floor with his goons and the cops she’d battled. She tapped the side of her cowl once. A voice spoke in her ear.

“This is Tripp.”

“Detective,” Dark Falcon answered.

“Falcon. News on the Walkers?”

“Stopped the deal. It was with some of yours.”

Silence answered her back for a long time. Danielle Tripp cursed. “And here we thought it was some new crew stealing from us...”

“Play this one quiet,” Dark Falcon said. “And be careful.”

“Yeah, got that much... fuck...” she said. “So you uh... you ‘met’ some cops, did you?”

“I did.”

“Shit... we’ll have to do things discreet from now on then.”

“I can handle that.”

“Yeah. I just don’t need the heat. Last time I did something like this, I found dead rats on the hood of my fucking car.”

“Threats never stopped you before,” Dark Falcon said.

“I know but... look, it’s hard to do your job when everyone brands you a rat. I’ve only just managed to blend back in while not being... you know...”

Falcon breathed out through her nose, a long breath all that was needed to voice her displeasure. “I know.”

“But our people will be after you now.”

“I know,” Dark Falcon said.

“Look, you need... just, try not to draw too much attention, all right? A lot of the more trigger happy ones will, well... they’ll do what cops do.”

“I’ll be fine,” Dark Falcon replied. “Just make sure the thugs here are off the street.”

“And the cops?”

“Anonymous report will come in to the chief. I’ll make it obvious it’s from outside. Keep your name off it.”

A heavy breath answered her through her communicator. “Thanks, Falcon.”

“Don’t mention it.”

She let go and ended the call, walking back to the closet where she left a bound and gagged Araneae. The rookie vigilante was still there, squirming a bit and... was that a smile in her eyes she saw?

“Mmmph!” Araneae quickly stopped moving, blushing furiously. Dark Falcon plucked a handcuff key from her belt and got to work undoing the various cuffs and leg irons. When she was done, Araneae reached under her mask and unbuckled the ball gag, letting it drop to the floor.

“Um... thanks,” she said.

“It’s nothing,” Dark Falcon said, turning away from her.

“So how’d it go?”

“Job’s done. Everything else will be handled. You should head home. Or someplace else safe.”

“Y-yeah... I will. But maybe, do you think, I could maybe help you ag-”

“No,” Dark Falcon said. “Not with something like this. Step off and stick to your own lane. You’ve got potential.”

Araneae blushed at the statement. “R-really?”

“Really. Just work on that... whatever power it is you’ve got. And don’t go charging in like that. Have a plan next time. And start smaller.”

“Okay... sure. Thanks for the tips.”

“It’s-”

“Nothing? Not really. It’s helpful. So... thank you.”

Dark Falcon grunted and turned away from her. “Get to safety and clear out before anyone shows up. If people think you’re with me, they won’t hold back. Like you saw.”

“Y-yeah... thanks for, you know, saving me and all-”

“Just get to safety,” Dark Falcon said.

“Okay...”

With those words, Dark Falcon disappeared again. Araneae watched her go, admiring after her.

“That was... kinda fun,” she said to herself. “I’d love to be like her one day...”

The rookie heroine quickly left the scene, as Dark Falcon instructed, her mind racing with everything that had happened. All in all, she couldn’t wait to try this out again.