Prologue

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Esmerelda slunk through the shadows of Newark's rooftops in her alter identity, pausing to survey the area every once in awhile.

She shot a web, fixing to a high vantage point before swinging through the buildings, soaring into the sky before releasing the silk thread, spinning another one and continuing the motion like clockwork.

Even behind her mask she could feel the wind rush against her skin, the warm night air pressing against her. It never got old, even after a year of practice.

She landed on a building overlooking the Passaic river, sighing as she crouched at the edge. Today marked the day she gained new powers while simultaneously losing everything she had. Everyone that she had.

Esme shook her head. She couldn't think about that right now. She needed to focus on moving quick and fast. She swung from another web, flying through the air.

"Suspect sighted east of the Grayson building, seems to be having mechanical issues with his glider, over." She heard the static voice echo through her watch, tuned in to overhear the transmissions on the police force's radio.

She smirked. Looked like she had a bird to catch.

Esme spun through the array of skyscrapers and dazzling holographic signs that flickered in the night, neon colors streaking across the skyline.

One sign that read "Welcome to New York City, 2063" fluctuated, before sparks popped from the neon letters, the sign shutting off all together into a blackboard.

A form crashed into the sign in a blur of dark burgundy and red, the board bent with a deep impression left by the man. He groaned, fidgeting with a setting on his right wing. Esme smirked beneath her mask. It seemed crime never slept, and neither did she.

As he tried to pull himself up with a taloned hand, a ball of web splattered onto him, pinning his hand to the metal. She noticed the backpack he carried, filled to the brim with unknown contents. The weight must have been what caused him to collide with the billboard.

"Come on Halcón, I bet you were shocked by that one." His aviator goggles reflected the figure of Esmerelda's alter ego, dressed in a brown and orange suit, her boot colliding with the glass within seconds.

He cried out, his back landing on the billboard's platform. She towered over him, her hands resting on her hips. "Get it? Shocking? You know, since you just caused a power outage? Save the applause, I don't deserve it."

Halcón growled, breaking the webs around his hand and swiping at air as she dodged it with ease.

"You're done Fire-Weaver! You might think you're funny but your quips won't save you once I get my talons on you!" He yelled, flexing his gauntlet hands and the sharp talons at his fingertips.

She landed lightly on the rooftop below, aiming her wrists at him. Silk webs shot towards him, but he ducked just as it hit the black screen behind him. He leaped off, his iron glider expanding and lifting him into the night sky.

He dived towards her, his gauntlets lifted and releasing a spray of bullets in her direction. She grit her teeth and arced her body, twisting in unnatural ways to avoid the onslaught of lead.

When she landed back down he soared past her head, gaining altitude and heading past buildings.

"Are you seriously running away?" Fire-Weaver called out, shooting a web and swinging towards him. Her head was pounding, her mind racing to figure out how she could stop the villain before he caused more damage.

Fire-Weaver had grown accustomed with the same sequence of events that seemed to occur at least once a week. The villain, Andres Sanchez, was a part time mechanical engineer turned criminal, going from small petty theft of auto parts to making his own gadgets and stealing from well known corporations, selling the gear and other spare parts to the highest bidder.

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