Issue 19: Mysterious Mystery

As the hero of Gravesfield City swung, the ooze only spread across her cloak until it was completely black. It then latched onto her back, enveloping more and more of Spider-Witch's costume.

And she didn't even notice until she fired another web, only to suddenly become blinded by the ooze. She screamed in surprise and quickly landed on the side of a skyscraper, sticking to its glass.

"What the heck is going on!? I-" She said before miraculously gaining her vision again moments later. But now, she could see herself in the reflection of the glass.

Her regular and rather bright suit was now black, almost entirely. Even her cloak was now black with the inside of it being blue. Her mask's eyes were now blue as well and glowing. And finally, the shape of the spider on her chest was now much bigger and overall...not normal. It was almost demonic.

Spider-Witch stared at her own reflection in shock and confusion, even putting a hand on the spider symbol and then her face. She then pulled off her mask to make sure her real face hadn't changed, and thankfully, it didn't.

She then quickly slipped the mask back on and kept looking at herself. "What...what happened to my suit? It's all...dark and edgy. Did...did this happen because of how I'm feeling? Does my suit respond to my emotions?"

She then looked at her own hand before suddenly clenching her fist. The more she looked at the strange dark suit, the more a sudden sense of adrenaline began to kick in.

"I don't know why, but I...I feel like I could take on the whole universe!" Spider-Witch exclaimed with a laugh before she grinned and then effortlessly hopped off the skyscraper and shot out a web, which was now a bright blue instead of gold.

She swung through the city, cheering to herself as she practically glided across the air, shooting web after web. The sounds of traffic and people walking only seemed to energize her even more!

Spider-Witch spun around in the air and shot a web, swinging herself higher and higher into the air. She could see so much and she was feeling so much. Suddenly, her depressive mood was just gone in an instant.

After a while of swinging, she then dove downwards before firing a web and swinging up again. She then actually let herself fall for a while before shooting a web-line against a lamppost and then landing right on top of a parked car.

"And she sticks the landing! The crowd goes wild!!!" Spider-Witch laughed. "Man, I can't even remember what was bothering-"

"Spider-Witch...?" A familiar voice asked.

Spider-Witch's eyes widened and she whipped around to see none other than Officer Blight, but he looked to be wearing normal clothes instead of his usual policeman outfit.

"...what's with the new outfit?" Darius asked, looking at her in confusion.

Spider-Witch realized it was his car that she landed on and got off. "What's with the lack of yours?"

Darius sighed. "I'm off-duty. What's your excuse?"

"Oh, I'm just...in mourning. Of my buried reputation." She quipped as she actually started remembering what was bothering her in the first place. "Apparently there's a new superhero in town and he's, uhh, not very nice."

"Neither of you were here to suddenly swoop in and save the day when that bank robbery happened." Darius suddenly said. "You're lucky that the man who got shot is in stable condition."

Spider-Witch suddenly sighed in relief before looking at him. "I would've been there if I hadn't thought that Maestro or whatever he calls himself would've shown up before I could even hope to do anything..."

"Maestro." Darius said with a roll of his eyes. "Another costumed vigilante operating outside of the law."

Spider-Witch crossed her arms. "Hey, you were the one who let me go when you could have arrested me alongside Hunter Wittebane."

Darius was about to speak before his mouth closed, as if he was actually trying to think of what to say. He then sighed. "...consider it a 'thank you' for saving my daughter when Mr. Wittebane first attacked. And a ton of other people that we wouldn't be able to reach."

Spider-Witch then gently stepped forward. "How...is Hunter Wittebane? Do you have any idea what's going on with him?"

"Classified information. Even to us." Darius said. "What I can tell you is that he's no longer in police custody."

Spider-Witch's eyes widened. "Did...did he break out?"

"No. He was transferred. The chief and Caleb Wittebane decided that imprisonment would only be a temporary solution, especially since whatever made him into what he was is unnatural...but that's about all I know." Darius replied. "You were really concerned. You spoke to him like you knew him."

Spider-Witch looked down. "You know I can't tell you if I do."

"Because you hide your face and secret identity, I know. What I can tell from your height and overall attitude is that you're still a kid." Darius said.

Spider-Witch suddenly chuckled. "Or I could just be an immature midget still kicking at 35."

Darius was silent before suddenly having a small smile on his face, clearly holding in something.

"Hey! You thought that was funny!" Spider-Witch laughed.

Darius shook his head before clearing his throat, trying to be serious. He then headed towards his car, but as he opened the door, he just placed the food he had bought on the passenger seat, and then reached into the back. "I may not approve of your methods, but you get results."

"Awww, you flatter me." Spider-Witch giggled.

Darius then grabbed something and got out, showing some kind of strange silver device with a lense in the middle. "And since you get results, can you tell me what this is?"

Spider-Witch's eyes widened and she gently took the device into her hands as she examined it. "Uhh...no clue. What the heck is this?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. During the last monster attack-" Darius then blinked in surprise before sighing as if he was annoyed or tired. "I can't believe I just said that. Anyways, during Maestro's fight, this suddenly landed near me shortly after the fight was ending. I have no idea what it is or if it's connected, but something in my gut is telling me this is no coincidence."

Spider-Witch hummed before looking at the lense. "This...looks like some kind of...camera lense."

"Wait, what?" Darius asked. "So, was someone recording the fight? Or something else?"

"Maybe." Spider-Witch said. "But, I doubt it was the news. It looks way too high tech...you said this just landed near you?"

Darius nodded. "Don't remember where exactly. I was too busy making sure everyone was being evacuated safely."

Spider-Witch hummed to herself again. "Maybe I could give this to a friend of mine. They're pretty smart and might know more about this than-"

Suddenly, Spider-Witch's head began ringing and she suddenly tackled Darius down. "GET DOWN!!!"

Then, the window of Darius' car was suddenly riddled with bullet holes, the glass shattering in mere seconds.

Spider-Witch then shot out a web and it landed on something that didn't even seem to be there. She then yanked at her web and slammed the mysterious shooter down.

The cause was revealed, no longer invisible and now...broken. It was a drone.

"What the...?" Spider-Witch breathed as she walked over and picked up the drone. "The heck is this?"

"That...that's a military drone of some kind. That explains the guns." Darius said, still in surprise by how he could've nearly died a few moments ago if Spider-Witch hadn't tackled him down.

Spider-Witch looked over the drone, silently wondering to herself if Vee would even know what this is. But then, she noticed something and her eyes widened. "...Officer Blight? Can you give me that device again?"

Darius blinked before shrugging and then handing the device over. "Why-"

But then, he saw it. An exact replica of the device was on the drone. In fact, the lense was suppose to serve as a face of some kind.

"...someone didn't want us finding this out." Spider-Witch realized.

Darius ran his hand through his hair before turning to her. "Any theories...?"

"Other than that whoever owns this camera sent the drone? Not really." Spider-Witch sighed. "The lengths someone will go to protect their search history, eh?"

Darius' eyes narrowed. "Really?"

"Hey, you laughed earlier! No takebacks!" Spider-Witch quipped as she kept looking at the drone. "But who owns these...? And how would they get their hands on something like-"

"Ummm...turn it to the bottom." Darius said suddenly.

Spider-Witch looked a bit confused before turning it to the bottom...and then seeing numbers written on it. A bunch of 1's and 0's.

"Binary code." Darius realized before he hummed and quickly took out his phone. "Hang on. I want to try something. Set the drone down."

Spider-Witch set the drone down before leaning against the car, before wincing at the shot down window. "Sorry about the car..."

"Better it than myself. My husband would kill me a second time if I died." Darius said as he started typing in the binary code into his phone.

And after a while, he grinned. "Ohhh, whoever made these is an idiot."

Spider-Witch walked closer. "What's up?"

"The binary code has been translated to...a return address." Darius grinned. "We may have a lead."

Spider-Witch smirked and punched her palm. "Time for a special delivery then..."


Spider-Witch was now wearing an earpiece so she could keep in contact with Darius, and was now swinging to the return address. "So, does this make us friends? Allies? Work acquaintances?"

"You do know I'm a cop, right?" Darius asked.

Spider-Witch grinned before she suddenly deepened her voice as she swung through the air. "Then, you can call me...Spider-Cop."

"...no. Just no."

"Spider-Cop swings through the city. This disgusting and crime-ridden mess she calls home. But the only thing keeping her going is the strongest sense of Justice." She narrated.

Darius groaned, rubbing the brink of his nose. "Please...please stop."

Spider-Witch then twirled around in the air before landing on the top of the building with the very same address. "Spider-Cop is now on a new case...take down Drone Man."

"Drone Ma- NO. WE ARE NOT CALLING THEM THAT." Darius groaned. "Look, be quiet! Someone could still be there!"

Spider-Witch then went silent as she walked around the roof for a while before seeing a door, one that likely led to stairs that would lead her inside. She cracked her neck before quietly and swiftly entering.

But once she made it inside, she saw that it was completely empty, and dimly lit. Spider-Witch slowly stepped out into the brightest spot, looking around. "This seems to be either a really large workshop...or an abandoned warehouse. This is totally a supervillain lair."

"Do you see anything?" Darius asked.

Spider-Witch kept looking around before she spotted a table with several replicas of the same drone from earlier, all with cameras. She walked over. "We're definitely in the right place..."

"At the wrong time..." A familiar voice suddenly sneered.

Spider-Witch's eyes widened and she whipped around, only to quickly step back at what was behind her.

Four people who were not only the same height as her, but wearing a suit that anyone would easily recognize as herself. Standing face to face with her were several Spider-Witches, in her original costume before the mysterious black one.

"...that's not good." Spider-Witch mumbled to herself as she raised her fist.

The Spider-Witches all got into a stance before lunging forward at their original.

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