MAELSTROM [femPercy x DC]

Chapter 38 - Secrets Start to Unfold, All but One

-

Thankfully, Percy and Talia had managed to wake Damian and Jason before anybody had arrived, and only nearly left the warehouse before the masses came after their asses. 

It wasn't easy, of course, since all the security cameras meant that the Scarecrow knew they overcame the toxin and were currently on their way back to base. Which meant he could do anything to the three hostages he had. 

Percy was anxious. 

-

The group had met the reinforcements a little while later- about fifteen minutes out of Arkham island and back inland towards Gotham City. That was Mr. Freeze, Batman, Red Robin, Batwoman and Nightwing.

"What happened?" Batman asked, grimly, "Your comms went out, so we assumed you were in danger."

"We were in danger. It was a ruse. I'm afraid, Mr. Freeze, that your alliance trusts you no more than us. The location was fake. We were doused in fear toxin. Took a while to shake it off, but I woke the others soon after and left the building before anybody came to exterminate us." Talia supplied, crossing her arms. 

"Fear toxin?" batman asked, looking at the group, "That has made many lose their sanity. Is everybody ok?"

"yeah. Just some past trauma." Percy said, tight lipped, while Jason nodded as well.

"Just some of my zombie moments."

"Robin?" Batman asked, fearing the answer. Damian was his son, after all, and the child had little to no childhood. Especially after everything with the court of owls, a fear toxin could make him fragile. And that was not wanted. Not as a vigilante, nor as a son.

"I'm alright. It was... surprising, that's all. I did not expect such a fear to be what I saw."

"And that was..." Dick trailed off, waiting in anticipation

"Quite literally none of your business, Gr-Nightwing." Still as snooty as ever. That had to mean something. While Percy was worried for her cousin, she had more pressing matters at hand.

"So that was a fake location. Then where are the hostages really being kept. Now that Scarecrow knows we're after him, he has two options. One would be waiting for us- and commencing a final battle between me and him," Percy said, growling, "Or running away, moving the hostages to another location and playing yet another game of cat and mouse."

"Yes. Which is why we must identify the true location quickly." Mr. Freeze said, "Nora is with him, and her condition must be getting worse by the minute- I'm sure he's not quite caring enough to keep her in a stable location where there would be no threat to the Cryo-chamber."

"Exactly. Red Robin has been working on that. RR, got any leads?"

"Give me five minutes, Bats, just let me input a function to check for all locations with suspicious behavior in Gotham, since it's clear that they wouldn't set up base in the same area as their ruse. Also checking all traffic cameras and Security cameras around the shady districts in Gotham city." Tim said, clacking away at his portable computer-hologram screen thing.

Percy trusted Tim to find the location. He wasn't the world's second greatest detective for nothing, after all.

"Maelstrom. I must speak with you- in private, RR will notify me when he gets a location."

"Alright then. I'm not going to lie, I was perhaps expecting this."