Spider-Luz

Ch. 3: Limbs

Eda and Luz walked around the city, trying to get Luz used to it.

"Remember Luz, if you get lost, just head to the World Trade Center and head south, the Café and apartment are across from Zuccotti Park." Eda said.

"Aunt Eda, how do I get lost if all the streets are numbered?" Luz asked.

"You'd be surprised." Eda said, "They don't call it the concrete jungle for nothing. It's hard to navigate this place."

"Well, maybe if we could travel above the buildings it would be easier." Luz said.

Eda smiled, but then got memories of when she was the Prowler. Jumping from building to building, attacking criminals... her family getting in the way... her dad getting hurt because of her. Eda shook her head and sent that thought back into the dark corners of her mind.

"Yeah, maybe." Eda said, "Maybe one day you'll know."

"Yeah, like that would ever happen." Luz said.

"Hey, don't be so sure." Eda said, "I mean, it was always your dream to fly if I remember."

"Dreams change." Luz said, "Now I just want to find the person that kill my mom."

"Really?" Eda asked, "And what would you do if you did find them?"

"I'd drop them off the top of the Empire State Building." Luz said.

That made Eda stop. This wasn't her niece, her niece was a kindhearted person, someone that didn't have a violent bone in her body.

'She's... too much like me.' Eda thought.

Eda put a hand on Luz's shoulder.

"Listen kid, you can't let those thoughts take over your mind." Eda said, "I miss her too, but going after revenge won't lead to anything but people you care about getting hurt."

Eda closed her eyes as the memory returned.

'Damn, twice in one day.' Eda thought.

Eda was knocked out of her thoughts when Luz shook her a little.

"Hey, Aunt Eda, what's that?"

Eda looked at what Luz was pointing at. A large building that towered over some of the neighboring ones

"Oh, that building? It's Blight Industries." Eda said, "Owned and ran by the Blight family. I knew them in school. Alador has a good heart and a brilliant mind, used to make prosthetics for people that lost their own limbs, high end for low price. He started Blight Industries with the money he got from the sales. Hard to believe that his little passion project he started in his basement led to this. As to why he married that stuck up broad, Odalia, makes me question that 'Genius'."

Inside the tower, Odalia walked to a door labeled 'Keep Out'. She entered and saw Alador, working hard on his latest project. Odalia was fairly certain he has been working for days, as his lab coat was covered in sweat and slightly burnt from welding the central shaft for the arms.

"Alador, you may want to take a break." Odalia said.

Alador put the blow torch down and removed his welding mask. He held his wrist in pain before standing up.

"I can't afford to take a break." Alador said, "You heard the doctor, I have a very little time before the Arthritis makes me lose the use of my limbs. If I don't finish the arms by then, then I lose everything."

Odalia walked up to Alador and held him. She leaned up and gave him a kiss.

"Please, I care about you too much to watch you stress yourself." Odalia said, "Please, just a five minute break... for me?"

Alador smiled.

"Okay... for you."

Alador left as Odalia smiled. Her smile left after he left, and she went over to the arms. Four large metal tentacles contacted to a thin central shaft to fit on the back for balance and a fast way for the control center to reach the brain. Odalia looked at the control center at the top of the shaft, a small pod that was filled with electronics that she didn't dare attempt to understand. She only knew about what she needed to know about it. She tapped it, opening it up and revealing the chip that helps control it. She took out the chip and replaced it with a near identical chip, with only one small change. But that was only incase their new employer/funder need Alador's new limbs.