Orb Weaver: Wrath of God: 1

As the first chapter, I decided to make this one free, the next chapters will all be released a day or so earlier.

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It started on Monday. That was what I forever remembered most. A normal Monday, Truce ended, the newest West Coast story about a parahuman bank robbery pushing the aftermath of Leviathan’s attack off the front page. Better yet, the Asian kids had stopped bowing and holding doors for me, and the number of people trying to get a shot of me were… going down. Fortunately, even most paparazzi were smart enough to not try and ambush even semi-open capes at their homes, and Carol Dallon had offered me her services if anyone needed a legal reminder of the fact that I, technically, was not an open parahuman, even though in this case “technically” meant that a blind, deaf, man might not realize it.

Well, I had created the identity to distract from Orb Weaver, and that had worked, if not in the way I had originally thought.

Sitting in homeroom in Arcadia, I was idly paging through all the online blogs and newspapers in the Bay, along with a selection of other, state and national sources. Twenty buried phones and tablets, all within my range, feeding me information for my morning briefing.

Time management was very important.

And I saw it, a small note in the crime and medical blotter section of one of the online papers.

Sheila Cho had been admitted to the hospital after a stroke.

Sheila? A stroke? Granted strokes hit all ages but…

Other bugs windowed into other pages, I started looking. There was little direct information available to the public. She was in intensive care, and beyond that, the hospital would only release information to close family members.

Fine. Start with what I could do. Medically, I was a gifted amateur with information but far to little experience. And the Investigator had little or no contact with someone who would, if she had been targeted due to anyone, was targeted due to Orb Weaver.

But…

Orb Weaver had been in contact with Glory Girl.

Who was at home, regrowing her leg. Damn. It. Given their history, Orb Weaver showing up at any of New Wave’s homes would be… not received well.

But…

I nodded. I had a solution to that.

Bugs followed my command.

“Okay, class,” Mr. Gills said, “The Truce is over, and while we don’t have the typical selection of Bay Lemmings at Arcadia, remember if you see parahuman crimes, even if it’s just Uber and Leet, walk away.”

“If it’s Uber and Leet, run, don’t walk away,” Chris said.

And if that’s an invitation, I’ve never heard of a better one.

“Very wise advice, for fools are often more dangerous than the malicious, and malicious fools…” The entire class went dead silent as Orb Weaver spoke from the walls. “Forgive the interruption, good sir, but I have need of the Little Detective’s services.”

I sighed. “I have no idea who you’re talking about, but isn’t that the Investigator?”

“I have no interest in playing the fool, Little Detective. Do not presume upon my patience.”

“I… Will help you get in touch with her,” I said. “I met her, once or twice.” Responding to that was a rumbling, as if something far larger than humans was losing its patience.

If The Investigator was nearly an open identity, I could still make use of it. Orb Weaver ignoring the unwritten customs of the Bay would be remarked upon, but equally since my other identity was more or less… open, people would wonder if this really counted as breaking the rules.

“I—“

“Hey, Taylor,” Chris said as he glanced at Carlos. “Want us to come with you? You know, for moral support?”

Wait, what?

“Yeah,” Aisha commented. “Just in case you need some help. Did I tell you Bro showed me some new moves?” Suddenly there were three shadowy forms by her.

Wait, no, that’s not what I want! Why are they doing this?! The plan was for Orb Weaver to appear, be ominous and give me a reason to quickly leave, while also covering for the Investigator’s involvement. Not to have the Wards risk their identities by throwing down with the most terrifying “cape” in the Bay!

“Your bravery does you credit,” the voice said while I furiously thought. “But tell me, has Orb Weaver ever been accused of lying? Aisha, do you think I would bring the Little Detective to harm?”

Aisha rolled her head back, working out a kink, coming across like she was talking to a friend rather than Orb Weaver and then shook her head. “Figure you know that dropping into school like this, especially with the Great and Powerful Krewe, is gonna get people interested. You would wait until after school, unless it was dangerous.”

Well, actually I was doing this to give everyone a reason to understand why the Investigator would poke her head into the affairs of a woman she technically didn’t know, but given what Aisha knew, it made sense.

“Very well, I offer you my surety. Should the Little Detective come to harm, it is only because I myself am no longer in any position to assist her.” And that was perfectly true. Aisha frowned…

“Sure, I can go with that. You gonna scare anyone else shitless?”

“Ms. Laborn!”

Orb Weaver chuckled. “Well, that depends upon what I find…” Right, and time to make use of something I’d overheard earlier, from someone who didn’t realize how good I was at picking up casual conversations. “Speaking of that, Ms. Chan?” An Asian girl behind Aisha squeaked and huddled behind her books. “While it is true that Darcy may be grounded forever if she flunks today’s math exam, I would suggest providing her with tutoring, rather than just feeding her the answers, you obtained by taking the test before her. You do her no favors by assisting her in cheating.”

A tiny, squeaked ‘Yessir,’ was the only response I got.

I looked up at Mr. Gills. “May I be excused?” I sighed. “I have to try and find the Investigator.”

Mr. Gills, bless him, went along with the claim without batting an eye. “I’ll call the office Ms. Hebert, and when you do find The Investigator, please tell her, And Orb Weaver, that Arcadia is not a place to drop messages and she should find an alternate method of communication.”

“Believe me, she would prefer that, but Orb Weaver…” I waited, as if expecting a comment, but nothing was said. “I’ll be off, now.”

And with that, I gathered my things and left class.