Witnesses (Open to Independents)
After another long day of classes, Ben Parker is enjoying a milkshake at The Dot with his two best friends in the world, Sidonie and Jake. Sidonie asked Ben if she could interview him for their final paper in Journalism. Ben was still looking for someone to interview, but he tried to put the upcoming deadline out of his mind and focus on the State Championship game in three weeks.

"Ben, do you think you'll see court time in the State Championships against Stuyvesant? The so called 'Sticky Fingers' are last year's State Champs and Midtown is the big underdog. You're the team's star point-guard. Are you nervous?" asks Sidonie Henderson, pressing the "Record" button on her new digital tape recorder. She really wanted her first story for the school-paper to be good, but Ben still wanted to do the story on him, of all people. Sidonie wanted to work for the New York Times someday, and always talked about how she was going to be the "real-life Lois Lane", complete with her own personal superhero.

Ben shook his head at the thought of reporters with their own superheroes and answered the question.

"Coach Thompson says my game is solid and that I'll get minutes, especially since...I'm starting. " Ben grins. Coach T told him this afternoon during lunch and Ben's day had been made from then on. He had to tell Mom and May as soon as possible so that they'd know to come. Of course, he'd also have to tell Dad, but he already knew how that would go.

"Careful or we might need another table for Parker's ego." Jake Brant says with a grin as Sidonie hits "Stop" with an exasperated look at Jake. Ben playfully rolls his eyes at his other best friend, before looking back to Sidonie. She rewinds until just before Jake's comment, then hits the "Record" button again. She continues the rest of the interview and Ben answers the questions, some playfully, others more seriously.

His favorite New York superhero? Spider-Girl, of course.

Favorite place to hang out? The Dot...of course.

Favorite Member of X-Factor? Fantasia. Yes, he really wants to know what she's thinking.

One hour later, the interview ends and Ben finishes his milkshake and the trio walks out of The Dot, saying their goodbyes as they prepare to head home.  Jake and Ben turn to leave and Sidonie is a few steps away when Ben remembers that he still has her Science notes.

"Hey, Sid! Wait. I've got your notes." he says, going through his backpack. Nearby, a car crawls around a corner, starting to speed up as it nears The Dot.

"HEY!" a voice calls out. Ben's still digging through his back, and Sidonie stops fifteen feet from Ben, looking in the direction of the voice.

"Ben, Sid, get down!" Jake screams, diving at Ben. Only now does Ben look up, seeing the black Lincoln Town Car coming toward the restaurant. He barely notes the barrels of several guns pointing at him and his friends as Jake falls on him like a ton of bricks. Multiple gunshots along with screams and the shattering of glass as Ben and Jake hit the ground. Ben dimly notes that Sidonie got down, too, and he covers his head as the windows of his favorite hangout come crashing down around him.

As soon as it begins, it's over. The car speeds off toward the North, and Ben uncovers himself, pushing Jake off of him.

"You okay?" he asks.

"Yeah,  you?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Sid, you all right?" Ben asks, turning toward their friend. Sidonie Henderson hasn't gotten up off the ground yet. Ben moved a little closer. He called her name again, but his friend hadn't gotten up; five feet away, he sees why.

Sidonie lays in a spreading pool of her own lifeblood, her eyes still open. Ben blinked his own eyes once, then again, and again, as if somehow the image might change if he blinked hard enough.

When it didn't, Ben Parker did the first thing anyone in trouble in New York does.

He screamed for help.