The Shadow Life (Completed)

✨Chapter 13 - The Net That Caught the Spider

The night air was thick and electric as the team rode in silence toward the target. Zane's hands gripped the wheel like a hawk's talons, eyes sharp and scanning every shadow. Nova sat beside him, quietly prepping her gear and tracking the creature. In the backseat, Ethan and Cybella exchanged no words, but Cybella's heart thundered in her chest, every beat loud in the stillness.

When they reached the clearing, darkness seemed to pulse like a living thing.

Then a voice cut through the night - smooth, eerie, unmistakably female.

"Took you long enough," it purred. "What happened? Did you miss me?"

The laugh that followed sent a chill down Cybella's spine.

Ethan stepped forward, eyes blazing into the shadows. "Show yourself!"

From the darkness, the creature emerged - part woman, part spider, her long, sharp legs scraping the earth, eyes gleaming cold in the moonlight.

"Let's dance," she hissed, launching into attack.

Nova moved fast, flipping backward and yelling to draw the creature's attention. Zane roared through the trees, headlights slicing the dark, forcing the creature back with harsh light.

Ethan closed in from behind. "Now, Cybella!"

Her hands shook, but she reached deep into her pocket, fingers closing around the improved gadget - the reinforced ball, upgraded and primed.

"Please let this work," she whispered under her breath, then threw.

Time stretched thin.

The ball landed near the creature and burst open, releasing a glowing net that shot out and wrapped tight around her.

The spider-woman screamed and thrashed violently, but the net held - unbreakable.

It worked.

For a moment, stunned silence filled the clearing. Then Zane whooped loudly, breaking the tension. "She's down!"

Cybella's legs felt weak. She couldn't move. She had actually caught her.

They called in the agents, who arrived swiftly and secured the creature, whisking her away to High Lad - the government's secretive lab where the president's top agents worked.

One agent approached Cybella with a nod. "You did this? Impressive."

In the lab, the creature refused to speak at first. But eventually, her voice came - soft and almost sad.

"I always wanted to be a demolition agent," she muttered. "The kind they pay to tear down old buildings to make room for new ones. But no one believed in me. No matter how hard I trained... they said I wasn't fit."

Questions about her transformation went unanswered. The silence hung heavy.

Finally, the agents used a memory suppression machine, wiping away the dangerous fragments of her mind and restoring her humanity. Soon, she would be free - a citizen again.

Back at their secret base, the team celebrated - laughter bubbled up, snacks were shared, and music filled the room. For the first time in weeks, everything felt... right.

Before leaving, Cybella caught Ethan's eye and smirked. "So... my plan worked."

Ethan rolled his eyes but cracked a small smile. "Yeah, yeah. So, smart girl, what's next?"

Cybella laughed. "No idea yet. But when I do, you'll be the first to know."

They exchanged real numbers this time - a small but meaningful step.

That night, as Cybella climbed back through her bedroom window, she smiled softly.

She was happy.

And this time... she slept like a baby.