The Heroes of Little Springs

"Thanks," Quiver said as she rubbed her wrists. She then walked over towards the snake head and gently picked it up.

Quiver first ran upstairs to where the two boys were. Carefully, she used the snake's fang to eject the venom. Immediately, the venom began to take effect as the boys' were slowly showing signs of flesh.

Without waiting for the transformation to continue, Quiver quickly ran back downstairs and did the same for the statues around. However, nothing happened. Puzzled, Quiver looked from the snake to the statues.

Watching Quiver run to the basement and first floor a few times, Jet followed in a normal human pace. He watched as the boys were recovering almost, a weak smile cracked, as a job was well done.

Maybe they didn't catch that creep, but at least the boys were safe. However when he followed her to the basement and nothing happened to the other statues he was just as confused. However he shrugged it off as he walked up to Quiver.

"Maybe some of them are just statues?" He suggest with a shrug.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Quiver said as she still looked at the statues. She then looked towards Jet and handed him the snake's head. "I need you to try the snake venom on all the statues you can find. I want to check something out."

Without another word, Quiver ran upstairs again and began her work.

While Jet was made to try whatever statues he could find, most of them would be unable to transform into their original forms. The mouse that had been turned to stone earlier was restored, along with anything that had been turned to stone most recently. However, the rest of the statues were unable to change whether because they were simply statues or because they had possibly been statues for too long.

Quiver eventually came back from Ms. Gollard's office. She held papers in her hands as she walked down the stairs. The boys were nearly fully human again by this time but were very tired. With the boys now conscious, Quiver decided to wait and tell Jet her findings until after they brought the boys home.

With the very friendly mouse perched on his shoulder, Jet stood by the two boys sides, making sure they were fine. Despite their dizzy and tired state, everything checked out and they were still rather healthy, or so that's what Jet determined with a quick observation. "You sure know how to pick your school reports kid," Jet cracked a joke, as he smiled.

Despite being drained due to recent events, the boys looked at Jet with a bewildered expression. It wasn't as if they were able to see a superhero everyday. However, unknowing what to say or do in this situation, they both stared at him and merely nodded.

"We'll never try to sneak into a house ever again!" Timmy suddenly blurted, unable to handle the pressure of being in the presence of authority.

With his smile remaining Jet slowly removed his folded arms. "Well we should really get you back to your parents now."

After Quiver carefully secured the snake's venom and placed the paperwork she had found in a secure bag.

The boys were shortly taken home to relieved parents. There was much embrace and many thanks from both sets of parents. When pressed for questions as to where their boys had been, Quiver answered any questions directed to her with as little information as possible.

After leaving the Timmy's house (who was the last one to be dropped off), Quiver waited for them to be far enough away from the house before speaking.

"You were right," Quiver said. "The statues in the basement were all made by Ms. Gollard." She motioned to the papers that were in the bag. Her voice suggested a hint of worry.

Jet stayed with Quiver throughout the whole returning the boys to their mothers ordeal, and every other little tidbit they had to do. However it wasn't his type of thing and he found it too boring for his tastes at time.

Once they were finished though, he was relieved. Finally he could rest up and take the rest of the day off for some much needed relaxation and food. Quiver seemed to have other things on her mind, which seemed to involve work. Hearing what she had to say, Jet just shrugged.

"So, what's the big deal? They're just statues like I said." He spoke his mind, honestly he didn't see the problem. In fact it made him feel better about all the ones he destroyed, at least now he wasn't breaking people who were once alive.

"Think about it," Quiver began after hearing Jet's words. "Those statues weren't just statues: they moved. Somehow, Ms. Gollard made them move."

Quiver then looked around as if she were looking to see if they were being watched.

"She's probably been making statues for hundreds of years. Any statue could be hers."

"Oh, I guess I never really stopped to consider that." Jet said taking it into consideration. However that was short lasted, as he smiled care freely. "Even if she has a bunch of statues, we can always smash them up nice and easy."

Realizing Jet's carefree attitude would not be subdued regarding the situation, Quiver let the subject go.

"I suppose you're right," she said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. She then looked over towards the direction of the sun as if she were determining the time. "I should probably get going before I become a missing person. But first--"

Quiver held out her hand towards Jet.

"I believe you have my flash drive."

Before Quiver left, she asked for her flash drive. Awkwardly Jet rubbed his head, "Oh...um I kind of left that at some electronics store..."

Although Jet couldn't see her full expression due to her mask, it was clear Quiver was not very happy about this news. Her mouth nearly fell open upon hearing this.

"Oh...," she said awkwardly, trying to hide the unsettling feelings, "...you don't happen to remember the store, do you?" She was trying to sound as casual as possible, as if it was not a big deal that the flash drive was gone. In a way, it wasn't because she had the files elsewhere but the thought of someone being able to access those files as well disturbed her.

"Um...it's back at Little Springs, I'm sure of that." Jet delved into his thoughts, as he scratched his head. "That much I do know and that it's on Wally Street, some electronic store there, but there were a bunch of them."

Quickly Jet shook his head, "Why does it matter?" He asked curiously, "Are you embarrassed about all the cat pictures you took, they were actually cute. I loved the one with the tiny kitten playing with a yarn ball."

Quiver felt her face turn red upon hearing Jet's last remark.

"Those are just cover ups for the important information on there," Quiver said, trying to hide her embarrassment. However, she then quickly became serious again. "Well...I guess I better get started," she said though this was mostly herself.

"Thanks again. I owe you big time."

Nodding, Jet smiled. "Hey don't worry about it, that's what super heroes do." He said, before slightly getting full of himself. "Yup,...a super heroes job is never done."

Quiver smiled, allowing Jet to relish in his victory for a little while longer.

"Well, I'll be seeing you," Quiver said as went to leave. "Until next time." She didn't expect Jet to fully understand what she meant, that she was attempting to suggest they rely on one another rather than bumping into each other randomly. A team of sorts. But there was no other way she felt she could suggest it without feeling she was below Jet or asking for yet another request. She already owed him after all.

"Sure thing!" Jet said, waving back friendly. "We'll partner up for our next assignment some time." Jet exclaimed to her, before yawning loudly. "Oh boy I sure am tired...I need to eat a burger or two at Greasy Franks and then hit the hay." He said to himself, before zooming off.

The two parted, each going their separate ways. It took Quiver a good amount of time before she finally managed to reach Little Springs. Perhaps it wouldn't have been such a bad thing to ask Jet to get it for her. But what was done was done.

However, as she walked amongst the city streets, she couldn't help but to feel the worry she felt before when speaking to Jet about the statues. It was what she had decided not to continue with Jet because she felt it would take too much explaining before he would finally understand her worry. The fact that any of the statues that now decorated the buildings could have at one point been built by Ms. Gollard. Which meant any one of these statues could be alive right now, watching and waiting.

Because now people were watching them. But what would happen when no one was watching? What would happen when someone blinked?

By nightfall, Ms. Gollard hissed in pain in a dark, unknown place. Angry tears were starting to fill her eyes as she carefully continued trying to remove the body of the snake Quiver had killed. That snake had been a part of her for hundreds of years and with one shot it was gone. As the snake's body fell to the ground, Ms. Gollard became even more angry.

"You underestimated them," a voice called which only infuriated Ms. Gollard even more. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me." The voice, which was another woman who possessed features similar to Ms. Gollard, stepped closer to her. She bent down and helped dispose of the snake. "We can't lose another one of us."

"They'll pay for what they did," Ms. Gollard said and the other woman, though she did not say anything, appeared to agree.

Late at night, as the city slept peacefully, with but a few lights still flickering for the busy business or late night resident, a group of shady men were in an alleyway.

Wearing dark brown or black rippled snow hats, and thick brown jackets, one of the men began to slowly back up their cargo truck. Once in position, they didn't open the back, but instead exited the truck to regroup with the others huddled behind the truck.

They stood behind a well fortified and metal gate, impenetrable. Quickly one of the shady men wheeled over a large gas tank, which another twisted the gas valve, before igniting the torch.

With a quiet hiss, the torch blew its red flames, which the shady man slowly brought to the gate. It hissed even more loudly, as sparks and heated metal blew everywhere.

"Steady and slow Six." Another shady man said advancing towards all the others. "Don't make too much noise. The rest of you, get yourselves ready." He said, apparently the leader from all the shots he called.

While the man was trying to melt away the gate, an arrow suddenly zipped by, knocking the torch out of the man's hands.

Quiver stood on the roof of a building as she shot a series of arrows towards some of the men. She purposely didn't hit them but aimed them close enough to hopefully scare them off. And, so they couldn't get away in the truck, she knocked out one of the tires with her arrow.

Yelping from the sudden clang and arrow that forced the torch out of his hand, the man quickly fell on his rear. The torch sputtered out, as a few flames sparked to a smoky halt.

Confused some other of the men quickly ran behind the truck, where the long trailer was, with their backs pushed up against it. Rushing to the driver side, one of the men lunged into the front seat, slid across, quickly opening the glove department to arm himself with a standard pistol. From where they all took their positions, Quiver would not be able to attack from the roof, she would need to advance onto them.

Seeing the men start to run towards the truck, Quiver jumped from the roof to the nearest fire escape. From there, she quickly climbed down and when she hit the ground, her bow arrows were up in the air once again, ready to defend herself from oncoming attacks.

Quiver saw the one man reaching towards the front of the truck and immediately aimed an arrow at his head.

"Drop your weapon," she ordered while she still had her eye on the rest of the group.

Threatening and trapping the shady men, the armed man dropped his pistol as he slowly rose his arms.

The butt of the gun dropped onto the asphalt, before clanking and toppling fully over. With the others in check, it seemed their shady operation was put to an end. But what were they doing exactly?

However as Quiver paid attention to the man with the pistol, who now had his arms in the air, his intimidated expression quickly changed into a devilish smirk.

Before Quiver could catch it completely or realize what was amiss, a huge bright reddish beam of light and laser smacked her in the back. It sent her flying into a group of trashcans, which clanged and tumbled from her sheer force and weight.

Once the beam of light had faded, the leader who Quiver had forgotten about reemerged into the alleyway, from within the truck's trailer. Holding a large gun, which needed both hands, and was operated by a battery backpack, he smiled wickedly to.

"Well well, we were wondering when you would show up." The leader said, also wearing a peculiar gas mask, which was hooked up to the battery and gun.

Being taken off guard, Quiver had little fight left in her, and remained slumped over in the trash and cans. "You and your friend have been quite the thorn in our side."

As Quiver's vision began to blur, another shady man, seemingly wearing more business clothes walked into the mix. He stared at her casually, before looking back at the others.

"Remember the deal." He said, to which the leader of the shady group smiled crookedly. "You get the money after your job is finished. We can't have super heroes waltzing in and ruining everything we've worked for."

"Believe me I know." The leader said, "We'll make sure of it that she doesn't interfere anymore."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvjMnVi3XZI :P

Suddenly, Quiver felt a powerful source lunging her forward. Before she even had time to realize what was going on, her body slammed into the trashcans. It happened so fast, she had little time to even react to her predicament.

Her body ached as she lay in the garbage but she desperately tried to stay awake. However, she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. She tried to shake it off and weakly tried to reach for one of her arrows. But she could barely move a muscle in her body.