"Big City"
"It looks like any other regular city. Big skyscrapers, public parks, museums, and many chain fast food restaurants. But one detail sets this city apart from any other city. Me." Jennifer monologues to herself, enjoying the view from the roof of a building. She has just moved to Big City to attend the local college to get a degree in bioengineering. She has also decided that Big City is the perfect place to begin her superhero career. It has an average crime rate and the TPA believes that the city is a TRUST hotspot.
While finishing her inner monolog, her new earpiece design to pick up police feeds just activated. "Calling all cars, we have a 207 in progress. Be on the lookout for a White van with tinted windows." Jennifer knew what a 207 is, kidnapping.
"Well, this will be fun." She said to herself as she jumped off the roof, shooting webs from her gauntlets. "Where can I find a white van in a city full of white vans?" She asked herself. Soon, she came across a white van with tinted windows parked in an alleyway next to an abandoned warehouse. "If this isn't the kidnappers, I'm going home and ordering a pizza."
Meanwhile, inside the building.
"It looks like the cops don't know we're here." A buff man said to a skinny man. Both were wearing black jackets and pants with burglar masks.
"Of course not bro, they would never look for us at this dump. Did you see the girl we caught, she has quite the rack. I might sneak in and have a feel."
"I wouldn't do that bro, if you value your life. The boss man says she's too important to mess around with. Remember the last guy who messed with a "no touch" hostage?"
"Oh yea, poor Frankie. He owed me twenty bucks" As he hung his head in mourning, he heard a noise from outside.
"You hear that? Cops?" The buff man asked as he got up.
"Doubt it. Probably a cat or something, but we better check to be safe." The skinny one said as he got up, pulled out his gun and walked towards the door. He opened the door to the alleyway and they found nothing.
"Told you it was just a cat."
"You said probably, and I don't see a.. OW!!" He yelped as he felt a sting in the back of his head. His partner also swatted his neck. "Bro, what was tha..zzzzz." He said as he fell asleep with his friend joining him. As they both drifted off, Jennifer dropped to the ground, reloading her tranq gun.
"Well, they are armed, so they either are the kidnapers or they're doing some other illegal work." She said as she walked into the building. It was run down, with some tools and weapons lying around, no doubt from the crooks.
As she wandered, she heard a moan from a room. As she opened the door, she found the hostage. She was in her mid-late twenties, blonde hair and was tied to a pole with a ball gag in her mouth. "Mmmph!" She moaned through her gag. "Don't worry mam, I'll get you out of here." She whispered to the woman, reassuring her.
"For shame." A voice said in the room. Jennifer quickly turned around just as an object was thrown at her. It just missed her, embedded into the wall, as she looked at it she saw it was a hand held scythe. She then hears footsteps walking towards her.
"Didn't your parents tell you not to lie? Or to cosplay outside of conventions?" The voice continued, she could tell it was a man's voice. "Who are you? Why are you critiquing my wardrobe and who uses a scythe these days?"
"Well, I suppose it would be rude to kill you and not tell you who I am." The lights flicked on and she saw a man with a pumpkin mask on his head. "My friends call me Jack, but you can call me the guy who's going to kill you." He said as the mask caught on fire, not affecting him.
"Really? Pumpkin mask, Jack as in "Jack-o-lantern? That's a little on the nose, don't you think?" Jennifer asked.
"Hey, it's good branding." Jack said as he pulled out 2 more scythes and charged at her. He was good with the scythes, but Jennifer was faster and dogged his attacks. She shot a web at his leg, causing him to trip.
"Well, to think I took you as a cosplayer. You must be that mysterious vigilantly the news won't shut up about. What should I call you, spider-slut?" He joked.
"Big talk for a guy who's getting his ass kicked." Jennifer taunted him, not noticing his hand pressing a button on his belt. "Sorry to disappoint you spider-slut, but I was waiting for my ride." Suddenly, a board came flying into the room, hitting Jennifer in the abdomen, knocking her over.
"Now here's the deal, Spider-slut." Jack said as he hopped on the hoverboard. "You can chase after me and most likely not catch me, or you can save your bound friend over there. Btw, that ball gag is not just for decoration." He pressed a button and the ball gag in the hostage mouth now flashed a timer counting down. She started to scream in panic. "Sounds like you have 1 minute and 10 seconds to make up your mind. Ciao." He said flying out an open window.
Jennifer rushed to the woman, who was now screaming and thrashing in her bonds. "MMMPH!!!"
"Hold still, I need to remove your ball gag." Jennifer said, but the ball gag had a padlock on it. Jennifer tried to rip it off, but it didn't budge.
45 seconds…
She quickly looked around the room, looking for anything to help her. Then she saw the scythe Jack tossed at her embedded in the wall. She quickly grabbed it and started to cut the gag off.
25 seconds…
The material was thick, but she was able to cut through it. She removed the ball from the woman's mouth and raced towards the window.
7 seconds…
She tossed it into the air and ducked down.
3...2...1… BOOM!!!
Regaining her senses, Jennifer walked towards the hostage, removing the rope from her.
"Oh thank you, I was terrified of what those psychos we're going to do to me. How can I thank you?"
"No thanks is need madam." Jennifer said in an inspiring hero voice. "I am only here to help."
"Well, at least take this." The woman grabbed Jennifer and kissed her on the lips. When she released herself from the kiss, Jennifer was still in shock. "What didn't know I'm a lesbian?"
"Um, should I have?" Jennifer asked.
"Probably since I'm on tv. Amy Iverns, reporter of Big City News. Before you leave, can I at least know your name, so I can tell the people what happened?"
Jennifer quickly considered some names she had brainstormed. "Call me…. Shadow Spider." She said as she jumped out the window, swinging from the buildings. Amy simply watched in wonder.
"Alright Shadow Spider, see you on tomorrow morning's news."
Next morning
"We are coming to you now with details of our beloved reporter who was kidnapped the other day, she is ready to make a statement on what happened and who saved her." The camera switched over to Amy.
"Thank you, last night was the most terrifying night of my life. I was kidnapped by strangers who were going to do lord knows to me, but I was saved by our city's very own superhero, Shadow Spider. She managed to fight off my assailants and rescue me from possible death. Now, my new personal friend is off fighting crime, protecting the innocent of our fair city. I will continue to broadcast more about Shadow Spider as she continues to male herself more well known."
Jennifer was watching the news in her pajamas eating cereal. "Personal friend? I never heard of you until last night! Now more villains are going to kidnap you thinking we're friends or something!" She argued with the tv. She laid back in her chair and sighed. "Well, I guess there's no such thing as bad publicity."
Meanwhile…
An abandoned waterfront warehouse, the perfect place for a criminal. Especially one with a hoverboard and a flaming pumpkin head.
Jack was also watching the news. "So they're good friends, I'll have to write that down in my to do list." He wrote down Amy and Shadow Spider on a notepad when a phone started to ring.
"Heyo boss man. Listen, I knew I said we'll take care of that snooping reporter, but that Spider slut showed up and ruined everything. I didn't even get to place a ransom call."
"Don't worry about it." A voice said on the line. "I have a new job for you. I have a strong feeling this new hero is going to be bad for business." Jack's phone received a text that read "Shadow Spider. Wanted alive. $1,000,000.
"Well now, consider yourself lucky I'll do anything for money."
To be continued...