Crawlin' on the Walls

When did it happen? When did I, the spider-powered teenage daughter who hasn't really gotten along with her mother since the moment she became the spider-powered teenage daughter become her mother's messenger? When? Why was I standing in front of the precinct, about to walk inside and tell my dad that Mom was angry with him for staying at work late, when I knew exactly why he was staying late, and so did she, if she would just read a freaking newspaper every once in awhile. If for no other reason than to congratulate her daughter on the excellent pictures she was taking for the Brigade!

But, alas, there I was, about to walk in the door when, lo and behold, Dad walks out anyway. Behind him are Detective Montoya, Frank's a-hole cousin Colin, and the girl who bumped into me at school the other day, Quake herself. I didn't let on like I knew it at the time, but even with the haircut and dye, I could still tell it was her. She hadn't done anything wrong in the past three weeks, so I assumed she was on the straight and narrow, now.

I folded my arms under my breasts. "Mom's pissed at you again, Dad," I said to my bewildered father.

He walked up to me and set his hands on my shoulders, in a reassuring sort of I'll comfort ya, kid way, despite the fact that I didn't really need comforting. "What is it this time? Did I leave my aftershave in the shower again?"

I shook my head. "Something about working late for the third night in a row."

He sighed. "Look, kiddo, I'll duke it out with your mother when I get home tonight. Right now, I have to get going."

I looked back over at the group he walked out with. "Where are you going?" I asked.

"Sorry, sweetie." He tapped my press badge, already hanging from around neck for work. "Not something I can tell a distinguished member of the Brigade."

I sighed. "Just because I've helped out on a few stories doesn't mean I'm a reporter, I'm still just a photographer."

"Still. I can't tell you, it's offical police business."

"Including your old partner, Frank's cousin, and Quake?"

"Look, snookums, just get to work, okay? I'm sure this'll end up in the news at some point. Whatever the hell it is we're gonna find at where ever we're going is likely to come out to the press or something. Just be patient, okay?"

I noticed that Quake looked over at Detective Montoya, and then Detective Montoya looked away from her. I wondered what that was all about. Were they related? They looked kind of similar, like they could be aunt and niece, or maybe cousins. Still, I wondered what that look/look away thing was about.

I sighed, then said, "Okay, Dad. See ya when you get home." I gave him a hug, and noticed once again that Quake looked very uncomfortable. After that, I turned, walked away, and ducked into an alley. I pulled out my phone and called Ms. Adamsen. "Hey, Ms. Adamsen, is it okay if I skip work today? I'm feeling a little crampy."

"Okay, Charlie. I can get Timmy to help me. If it's that bad that you've gotta skip work, you should stay somewhere cool, though. This heat probably makes that period pain feel like torture."

I nervously laughed. "Yeah. I hope I'm feeling better tomorrow. Bye." I hung up, after that. It wasn't a total lie. This was my first period, but it wasn't as horrible as Cindy and Frank were trying to lead me to believe it was. I'm sure they were joking about it. I reached into my backpack and slipped into my costume. Time to follow the coppers.

The majority of their trip to where ever the hell they were going was in the city, and near some of the taller buildings. It was pretty easy to stay out of their sight. When we got into the more countryside-like roads, it started getting trickier. Thankfully, there were plenty of trees to hide behind, otherwise I would've had to turn back and actually wait for Dad to tell me some other time. That just wasn't happening.

They arrived, and then I arrived, at this big creppy house on Westmoreland Avenue. I waited until they each entered the house before I hopped onto the walls and looked for a window that overlooked where they were. It didn't take long, but long enough for me to see that a woman confined to a wheelchair and the decent-looking guy that pushed her around had entered the room. I stuck my ear to the window to listen to what they were saying.

The woman spoke in a weird Stephen Hawking-like voice. "Welcome, all of you. I apologize for not getting up or shaking hands."

Dad was the first to talk to her: "I assume you're the woman who called the kids to you?"

Called the kids? How? This woman didn't seem to be capable of moving a pinky, how did she call them? Telepathy? Actually, now that there are people with super powers out there, that actually could be how she called them. Wait, why didn't she call me?! I'm a teenager with super powers, too!

The woman answered, "Yes, I am. My name is Erica Morris. You are Captain Henry Harkins, your daughter is Charlotte Harkins, who calls herself Arachnya."

Oh, hey, she knows me. Granted, cameramen catch glimpses of me for TV news all the time, plus people my 'name' is getting spread around pretty quickly. Then there's that possibility that she could have telepathy, so, why not? She may have read my mind when I was asleep. Okay, that seems pretty damn creepy.

Dad nodded to her. "I am. Gotta tell you, though, the voice thing is a little creepy."

Good work, Dad. Glad to know my apple didn't fall far from your tree.

The woman's voice synthesizer let out the most disturbing approximation of laughter that I hope I never, ever hear again. "I understand, Captain. It has taken me all three weeks since the Event to get used to it."

Quake spoke up, this time, "You mean, you weren't like this before you were a Chosen?"

Mr. Handsome (I'm not ashamed to admit I'm starting to get attracted to guys; granted, I'm mainly sticking to Tim, because he's actually a pretty nice guy, but this is a story for another place and time) answered, "Ms. Morris' gift left her this way. She almost instantly reached out to me so that she could have a sort-of liason with everyone else."

"Thank you, Brandon. Do not be alarmed, Monica. It is something very easy to get used to."

Monica. So that was Quake's real name. Monica. Monica, Monica, Monica... Oh, yeah! She's in my calculus class. Monica Montoya. So she's probably Detective Montoya's niece, since I know she doesn't have any kids.

Frank's dumbass cousin, Colin asked, "Why'd you call us here, anyway?"

Mr. Handsome Brandon turned the woman's chair toward Colin slightly. "I prefer to explain that when everyone is here. I do not wish to repeat myself too often. You can understand why." After that, she looked up, toward me. I ducked out of sight, but still did my best to listen in. "There are still two more on the way."

Two more? Who could the two more be, if I wasn't one of them? Great, I'm a third wheel before the other two even show up. Or is that fifth wheel? I always get those so confused.

***

I waited, and I waited, and I waited, and nothing happened. Well, at least until Dad walked out of the house and answered his phone. After that, he burst back into the house shouting something about a bank robbery, and then he and Detective Montoya rushed out to the car. Neither Colin or Quake followed them, but I didn't want to wait around forever to see what was going on. I followed my dad.

It didn't take long to find the bank once I made it back into the city. There were dozens of cops around it, and smoke billowing out of an opening in the wall. I decided to open up a vent shaft and slip in that way.

I spotted Guardian beating up on a guy in the bank vault and decided not to help. He looked like he had everything under control. Instead, I moved on a little further and found myself in the middle of a weird situation. Angel was standing there watching this man in white and a woman in a black dress and cape, who were standing over a woman in skin-tight black leather. I don't know how she wore that without feeling extremely uncomfortable. Granted, I've been female for three weeks, this woman could have been female her whole life.

The man in white walked up to the woman in black, who was kneeling over the woman in leather. "Terror," he said, "let her go. She's had it. Guardian's taking care of the other one, we've done our job."

The woman - Terror, apparently - stood up. "Alright. She's not much fun, anyway." She then waved her hand, and, well, nothing happened. Nothing that I could see, anyway. Maybe something did happen, I don't know. Either way, the man and the woman walked into the vault to help Guardian.

The woman in leather stood up and looked over at Angel, That was when I found out that Leather Woman was, in fact, Ms. Nasty Russian-American Bitch! She bamfed over to Angel and, of course, a fight ensued. Angel did quite a good job dodging Ms. NRAB's attacks, then decided to throw it in her face by saying, "I'm not much of a fighter, but I can hold my own." Then, almost annoyingly, Ms. NRAB decided to get the drop on her and drop her, by leg sweeping her.

I lowered myself on a webline while Ms. NRAB bamfed over to a gun lying on the floor, picked it up, and then bamfed back over to Angel. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, I shot a web at the gun and yanked it out of her hand. She turned to me and I imagine she scowled under that ski mask she was wearing.

"Aw, did you miss me?" I asked, my tone playful. "Oh, and silly me, I forgot to bring a chew toy!" I made a small ball out of webbing and threw it at Ms. NRAB's face. She went down like I'd thrown a rock at her head.  "My God, didn't your master teach you any good tricks? Fetch was the first thing I ever taught my dogs!"

Guardian, White Suit Man and Black Dress Woman all brought out whoever the hell it was that Guardian was beating up. Angel had picked herself back up at some point, and didn't look too hurt, just a little scuffed up. Guardian picked up Ms. NRAB and we all walked out of the bank and were greeted by the not-so-smiling face of my dad.

"So," he said, "everything settled?" He jerked his thumb to the mass of cops running around doing things. "Ever think to let the uniformed police officers do their jobs?"

I slid back behind everybody else, away from the accusing eyes of Dad. He was damn good at that. Guardian was the first to speak, "I'm sorry, Captain Harkins. The police hadn't arrived by the time I did, so I took it upon myself to help."

Dad acknowledged White Suit Man and Black Dress Woman. "And what about Penn and Teller over there?"

White Suit Man answered, "Sorry, officer. You can call me Blackhole, and this," he waved his hand toward Black Dress Woman, "is Terror. We're a team act."

"Uh-huh." He turned to me, now. Oooooh, boy. "And you?"

I stammered, "I'm... um..." and then I jumped up, shot out a webline and said, "Late for something important!" as I swung away from the scene. I needed to get away from Dad, otherwise I might accidentally out myself as Captain Harkins' teenage daughter. Not his fault, I was just really frickin' nervous.

***

I swapped out my Arachnya outfit for my normal clothes, and grateful for it, too. It was kinda hot in that costume. I pulled my camera and my press badge out of my backpack and walked into the Brigade to head to work, like I told Dad I was doing a while ago. Good work, Charlie, you lied to your dad, screwed up a police operation and now -

"Charlie! C'mon!" Ms. Adamsen said, grabbing me by the arm, "You're late for work, and we need to get out to a crime scene and interview people right now!"

I sighed. Great. Right back to where I really needed to be away from. Thanks, boss. Actually, why the hell did I show up at work? I told Ms. Adamsen that I was cramping, why did I even go to the Brigade anyway?

***

I walked home in silence, not even talking to Timmy, despite the fact that he walked me home. I thanked him when we got my apartment building, but other than that, no words. Good work treating your boyfriend like crap, Charlie. You're doing everything right today.

Mom was the only one in the living room when I got up to the seventh floor. She wasn't exactly happy with me. Guess she saw it on the news. I just sighed, didn't say anything, and walked into my bedroom. I didn't even wait for Dad to get home, I just got ready for bed and laid down with the lights off. I was feeling really down.

So, of course, Dad just walked into my room and sat down beside my bed. Didn't even turn the lights on. I just laid there, didn't say anything to him.

"I know you're awake, Charlie, you don't have to pretend to be asleep," he said. He still didn't turn the lights on. I didn't mind. "Okay, don't talk. Just listen." He propped his feet up on my bed. "When I set off for that house on Westmoreland, I told you to get to work. I didn't tell you to follow us and listen in on a conversation you weren't invited to."

I turned to face him, even in the dark. Still didn't say anything.

"I understand why you showed up at the bank, that's just the choice you made when you decided to be Arachnya, I'm not mad at you about that, even though your mother is. I just want to know why you disobeyed me and follwed me to that mansion."

I sighed. "I... was curious."

"Curious?"

"Yeah. Curious. I didn't understand why a bunch of kids my age with super powers were being called to that house when I wasn't."

"Look, sweetie, sometimes, it's not about you."

I rolled my eyes. "I know that, Dad. When I saw Quake, I thought it was some sort of rehabilitation thing, but then I saw Colin, and I knew he hadn't robbed a bank since this all started, so I wanted to know what those specific kids were being called for."

He leaned back. "It's... well... Sweetie, I'm starting to get grateful for all those comic movies you dragged me to, it's an X-Men sort of thing."

I sat up. "Wait, Stephen Hawking's wife is a telepath?"

He nodded. "Stephen Hawking...? um... Yeah, she's a telepath. Obviously, there's something you've got that those kids don't, and she wants to help them find it." He patted me on the head. "Be happy, honey, you're a more complete Chosen than they are." He stood up and walked to the door. "Oh, and next time I tell you to go to work, Go. To. Work."

I smiled. "Okay, Daddy." He smiled back at me, then he left the room. Y'know, now that I think of it, I don't know how the hell we each saw that, the lights were off the whole time.

Either way, after a crappy afternoon and an evening of crap, I went to sleep a much happier person.