Disclaimer: I own NOTHING having to do with Spiderman. I only own the characters I make up myself. OK, so read on.

Auther: Ok, here is chapter two. I will like to take this time to say thanks to my reviewers:

Repto-- Well, here is some more and thanx for the review.

SoaringWings-- Thanks for that nice review.

Ok... now enjoy.

Chapter 2: Bullet Wound

It was a dull rainy Monday morning and for Lotus, there was nothing to do. It had been two days since her encounter with Spiderman and it still hadn't lifted from her mind.

Currently, Lotus was lying in her room, listening to the rainfall outside. She was keeping her door open to let air flow into her fairly warm room. Her air conditioner was broken.

"Hay, Lotus," said a voice at the door. Lotus looked over and saw a girl looking in. This girl was from a room down the hall, she was the youngest girl on that floor.

"Hello Jenna," responded Lotus. "What do you want?" she looked at the ceiling.

The 12-year-old girl smiled. "Is it true that you were saved by Spiderman?"

Lotus looked back at her. "That was two days ago," she replied. Jenna was the biggest fan of Spiderman and at points it could get pretty annoying. "Couldn't you have asked me earlier?"

Jenna shook her head. "No, I wasn't able to."

Lotus sat up. "I've been in the building for these past days. They haven't let me out."

"So, it's a big building," stated Jenna. "Anyway, were you?"

Lotus rolled her eyes. Man, it's hopeless trying to explain anything to her. Oh well. She thought, and then looked at Jenna. "Yes."

Jenna's eyes lit up and she smiled. "Really? Can I shake the hand that Spiderman touched?"

Lotus looked at her awkwardly then sighed. What ever makes her go away. Then lifted her hand. "Fine."

The 12-year-old ran into the room and grabbed the hand with both of hers. She squeaked as she shook Lotus's hand, who in return just shook her head.

Jenna let go and smiled at Lotus. "Thanks Lotus," she said then ran out of the room.

Lotus looked after her. "If only she knew what I do," then she laid back down. "Man I'm bored."

She then sat up again, getting off her bad and walking over to her dresser. She opened one of the drawers and pulled out a packet of pictures.

"I haven't looked at these yet," she stated closing the drawer. "These are from that old disposable I found when I was gathering stuff up from the apartment," she went back to her bad and sat down, opening the packet.

She smiled as she looked at the pictures. Some were from her 14th birthday party two Aprils ago. Others were from the trip she and her non-related aunt and uncle had taken down to Florida last summer. Then she flipped to a picture she didn't recognize a first soon it came to her. This and the following eight pictures were of the mechanical arms that Otto had made.

"I remember taking these," said Lotus. "But I don't remember why," she then started to rummage through her memories.

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The moon shined through the windows into her room. Using this light, Lotus opened a drawer and took out a disposable camera. She put on her PJ pants and slippers and walked to the door, opening it slowly. Stinking her head out, the 14-year-old girl looked around for any signs of activity.

"They're both asleep," she smirked and stepped out of her room, closing the door behind her. The full moon made walking down the stairs easy. She turned into the kitchen, grabbing a flashlight as she walked through. She got to the den and through it to the opposite wall. There was a steel door on that wall with heavy locks and a keypad next to it.

This door was to the safe room, in which was where non-related uncle was keeping those arms he'd been working on. She went over to the keypad and punched in a code, which opened to door. She had seen Otto punch in the code, though he had told her the close her eyes.

Lotus slowly walked in, turning on the flashlight. The walls of the room where metal with no windows and the floor was concrete. In the middle of the room were the arms.

She put down the flashlight and took out the camera. She started to take pictures and smiled as she did. "This is going to help me a lot. With the detail that these pictures will provide, I'll be able to create own set to help with everyday things," she continued to take the pictures.

Suddenly she heard two voices coming from the kitchen. Oh no, she thought. She grabbed her flashlight and ran behind some nearby shelves.

Soon she heard the two voices come into the room and saw the light of two flashlights.

"Yo Greg, come look at these," said a deep male voice.

She heard footsteps and then heard a higher male voice. "Whow, those are weird," he looked at the other man. "You know, Butch, if we take this scrap metal, it would probably get us a lot of money."

Lotus's eyes widened, Otto's hard work taken and destroyed by these morons? She wouldn't allow it. "No," she said stepping in between the arms and the thieves. "You're not taking anything."

The two men were surprised that a little girl was risking her life for this piece of junk. Finally man named Greg smirked.

"Ok, little girl, move aside and we won't hurt you," he said.

"No," exclaimed Lotus, standing her ground.

"Move aside," demanded the one called Butch, pulling out a gun.

Lotus looked around the room. The light from the flashlights reflected off the metal walls and lit the room. She noticed a wrench nearby on the floor and grabbed it, throwing it that the man holding the gun. It hit him in the head, making him drop the firearm. Lotus smiled at her accomplishment, until she saw the other man pick up the gun and point it at her.

"Get out of the way you brat," commanded the thief.

"Make me," she shouted.

The man narrowed his eyes. "Fine," he said and shot the gun. Having terrible aim, the shot didn't go where he wanted, but it did hit her. The bullet sculpted a hole right through her left hand.

Lotus collapsed on the floor, grasping her hand tightly. Blood seeped through the cracks in her fingers, making small puddles on the floor. Not lifting her eyes, she knew that both of the men were standing over her.

"Ow, my head," said Butch. "Hay, Greg, lets go. Someone must have heard that gun shot."

"No," exclaimed Greg. Still pointing the gun at her head, he bent down to her. "Now, I'm going to kill you and take the scrap anyway."

Lotus closed her eyes, fearing her impending doom. I'm sorry, she thought. Suddenly something clicked in her mind, like a switch had been turned to 'on'. Her eyes shot open and she looked at Greg, who gasped in what seemed like fear.

Lotus slowly stood up, still tightly holding her hand, and glared at the men. Both of them were surprised and seemed to have a hint of fear in their expressions.

Lotus's eyes were glowing pure white. "You two should have left," she stated. "Because now you're going to die."

The moment after she said that something started to form above her head. It too was glowing; it took the shape and appearance of a dragon. The men wanted to run, but fear kept them in one place. Using what seemed to be a tail, the dragon figure hit the men, throwing them against the wall, and then rendering them unconscious.

The dragon figure roared then slowly faded away. Once it had vanished, Lotus's eyes started to do the same, turning back into their natural brown. She swerved, on the verge of collapsing herself, then did so. She fell toward the concrete floor but before she hit it something caught her. This thing lowered her slowly to the ground, so as not to let her head get ignored. Lotus tried to open her eyes to see what had caught her, but before she could, she blacked out.

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Lotus slowly returned to the present after her trip into her memories. She smiled. "I was lucky no one found that camera or else Otto would have been suspicious of me," she paused and looked at her left hand. In her palm was the scar from the hole that he bullet had carved. She sighed.

Looking back at the pictures, Lotus thought of something. "I really haven't been doing much with my illusions this past month." She put down the pictures and focused her eyes on her right hand. Soon, something started to from her palm. This thing took on the appearance of a cat. This cat was the size of a small statuette; it walked around her palm, then sat and started to like itself.

"I seem to be getting better with my mental illusions, even though I haven't been practicing. She looked at the cat, which slowly faded away. Lotus stood up and started to walk around her room.

"I doubt that's the same with my physical illusions, since it takes a lot more control, focus and detail," she paused as she continued to think. "I mean of course it would. Physical illusions can interact with their surroundings, once all the detail is in place. All mental illusions do is stand there and look real."

Lotus took a breath, since she had no more air left to talk with. Suddenly she heard something and looked down at her belly.

"Hay, girl, I didn't know your stomach could sing," said a familiar voice from the door. Lotus looked up and saw Ayo.

"Ayo," Lotus said surprised. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked, worried that she had heard her talk about her illusions.

"No more than half a second," responded Ayo. "All I heard was you stomachs solo performance."

Lotus sighed in relief then looked at her friend. "So, what brings you to floor 19?" she asked.

Ayo stood up from her leaning against the doorframe and walked into the room. "I was wonder' in if you were hungry, but your stomach answered that for me.

Lotus looked slightly embarrassed, then looked over at her clock. "Well, it's about lunch time," she looked back at Ayo. "And I need some food."

"Then lets go, girl," said Ayo. "The food is not come' in to you," Lotus smiled and, putting on her shoes, fallowed her friend out of the room.

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Lotus stood on the roof, looking out at the city lights. The chairs were still wet from the rain that had stopped only a few hours earlier. The light from the waning moon was shinning dimly through the temporary brakes in the clouds.

She looked down at the street just as a figure swung over the cars toward the flashing lights in the distance. Her eyes narrowed. "Off to catch the spot light again," she sneered.

She turned and walked to the middle of the roof. "How I long for revenge. Revenge for taking away the last person whom was dear to me," she looked at the ground.

Suddenly, she thought of something. "Of course," she said. "My physical illusions, the ones that can interact… even destroy their surroundings," she smirked and looked in the direction that Spiderman had gone. "He will never see this coming."

She then realized something. "I have to leave The Residence. Perfecting my illusions to the point of battle is going to take a while and if I stay here, they will get suspicious," she said, thinking. "Now that I think of it, the only way to leave is by illusion. That's the only way to get through the new security system they installed those few weeks ago. And none of my physical illusions are ready to do such a thing," she sighed. "Oh well, school doesn't start for another few months, if I really work I can be out of here before then."

She looked back at the city. "I must be patient, for I will get my revenge, no matter how long it takes," she then turned and walked toward the stairs.

Ok, that is that.... I mean that is the end of chapter 2. Ok... the next chapter is going to have jump in time. So to see how long of a jump... tune in next time for CHAPTER 3!!! Until then, please review. Thanx.