Legend Of The Blue Bird-Percy Jackson Batman Crossover-The Olympian Heroes book5

24. Annabeth

As much as the lack of sleep, injuries, and ridiculous amounts of muggers I had to deal with being Paladin as soon as the suit was back on I felt a little exhilarated especially with a non life threatening mission. I'd had more than my share of those the past few months.
Another part of me wanted to run home and curl up into a ball in my cabin at camp. The last time I wore the suit a bomb was strapped to it and it felt as if there still was one. The invisible weight set me shuttering the second i activated my gray laurel wreath adorn suit. Barbara had stitched it up for me and even offered to design a new suit but I declined. If I couldn't push through putting this one on then I didn't deserve to have one in the first place.
"The Brown's sure like their car chases." Percy said as we hurtled over an alleyway.
"What?" I asked
"Arthur Brown. He hijacked that truck?" Percy reminded me of our first meeting with Steph's dad, Cluemaster. "And now Steph is-"
"Robin" I snapped "Do not say she's following in dad's footsteps."
"I wasn't going to!" He said looking to his wrist "the car should be just around-"
I grabbed his hood and pulled him back from the ledge he was about to run right off. "Rooftop. Pay attention." I reminded him
"Oh uh" he cleared his throat "yeah. She should be around this corner."
From the street he pointed out I heard a prolonged honk and a shout. I assumed that would be our charge. "Perfect." I snatched my grapple and aimed for a sign: Doctor Melvins! I knew from plenty of criminal conversations Melvins was a bar. Sort of a lower end Iceburg Lounge. Percy was right behind me. The second I rounded the building I knew what car we were supposed to be stopping. A red beetle, speeding through Gotham in a turn lane.
"Gods what got her this wound up?" Percy asked
I squinted at the car. I had talked to Steph not even two days ago. I knew what it was like to have a non-attentive parent and encouraged her to 'get your energy and anger out' but I had meant a rage room or boxing lessons. Not steal a car and speed through downtown.
"We can find out." I told him grappling again so I came parallel to vehicle.
I continued my stalking by rushing across the rooftops.
"Uh Paladin?" Percy called behind me "what are the odds she stops for that light?"
I frowned. Ahead of Steph was a red light and she didn't show any signs of slowing down. Behind her was a Gotham City police car. Siren whaling and lights flashing. She either stopped and got caught or kept going. Steph wasn't one to give up. "Not high." I said "I'll get ahead and spike the tires."
"No time." Percy lept from the building before I had time to stop him. I watched as my friend fell. If I didn't know him so well I would've been concerned but at the last second I saw him shoot his grapple. Considering he was falling from a building I'd expect him to aim for a higher point. One that would pull him up from the ground, instead he shot the grapple right at the speeding car.
"Robin!" I shouted now launching myself from the building. I aimed a shot at the traffic light just as the car skidded. I watched as the grapple Percy shot hit the front wheel and wrapped its self around the moving tire. For a second nothing happened, even Percy seemed suspended in the air. Then a loud pop set the world moving again. Percy lurched and I thought his arms would be torn from his sockets as the car skidded, spinning violently to the right and slamming into the waiting cars at the light. My friend spun with it, slamming hard into the pavement before skidding to a stop by the car.
"Robin!" I dropped from the traffic light "Robin are you-"
Percy groaned "not my best idea. Check on her."
I nodded and switched my path from Percy laying on the ground for the now smoking red bug.
"Oracle." I muttered "Or Batman, can you keep the police back for a few minutes? And get a paramedic down here."
"So you want the paramedics but not the police?" Bruce sounded as if I was crazy
"You've done it before." I told him. Peaking through the somehow barely harmed car. Inside was Steph, blonde hair flying in all directions and struggling to unbuckle her seatbelt. She glanced behind her and said something, face red. There was someone in the car? Then she noticed me. Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "Hey I'm here to get you out." I told her through the half shattered window
"Well your friend caused the wreck so that's a little counter productive." She told me, pulling at her belt again.
"You were going to speed into a busy intersection." I offered. She seemed terrified of me and I couldn't very well rip off my mask and announce I was Paladin to the world. "Want to tell me what's going on?"
Steph glanced behind her again and I strained to look over her shoulder as well. "No! I was just uhhh..." she trailed off and her eyes hardened on me "Why would I tell you?"
"I'm trying to help." I repeated "are you okay?"
"Well thank you. But I'm f-fine." Her voice wavered
"Then let me help you get out?" I asked an idea dawning on me. I couldn't take my mask off but I could give her an identifying object. I pulled at my dagger in my belt and held it out to her. The celestial bronze was unmistakable. "Here. Use this."
She frowned at me and slowly reached for it "How did you-"
Before she could finish I caught sight of what she seemed so worried about. Tucked behind her and rather uncomfortable looking, was a man. His blonde hair was pulled back, a bandana covered half his face, and more importantly he had a gun pointed through the seat, right at Steph. His eyes however were on me.
"Hello again Cluemaster." I said nodding to his weapon "Want to put that down and we can talk?"
He snorted "Want to back away from the car?"
Steph pulled the weapon from my hands softly and tucked it against her seatbelt slicing through in one go.
"What is that?" He squinted through the smoke at the knife but hopefully it resembled more of a rolling pin to him.
"The car is wrecked." I told him "police are on the way. Holding your daughter hostage won't help you."
"Letting her go leaves you a chance to jump me"
Steph glared at her dad but remained silent.
"Let her out of the car." I told him "And I'll let you run off."
"But your parrot won't." He looked behind me, towards where I could hear Percy directing people out of the square
"He will." I said "If he even notices. As far as he's concerned Stephanie took this car on her own."
Arthur's gun wavered.
"Paladin you only have a minute longer." Bruce spoke over my earpiece "Gordon is on his way."
I winced Commissioner Gordon was a little too good at his job for me. He and Bruce had a relationship, maybe even friendship you could call it but I had no doubt I would be arrested by the man. As a more independent vigilante the police didn't view me with the same respect as Batman.
"I'll give you two more seconds to decide." I told him "The police are almost here and I don't have time to wait around."
"Or I could just use her against the police and-"
"And get them to hold off for a few minutes longer?" I asked "You're a decently smart guy. Take my offer and run before I change my mind."
Brown considered my offer for about another second before he said "Stephanie, get out of the car."

I sat on the fire escape overlooking the city wearing my school clothes again. Steph sat beside me oozing questions.
"So you know Robin?" She asked, a whimsical tone in her voice.
"Yes." I answered, holding back a laugh. I'd never stopped to think about what the young girls of Gotham would think about Percy as Robin. "He's a pain."
"And Batman?"
"Also a pain." I said though in the past two weeks Bruce and I had avoided any arguments. One more and we'd set a record. "Steph." I said seriously "You cannot tell anyone. Not even your mom."
"Oh I know that." And she sounded like she did "I knew dad was Cluemaster wayyy before the public did. Even before mom."
"And you kept it a secret?"
She nodded, more somberly than she'd been all night "I did. He was...well yeah."
"So he just showed up at your school and what?" I asked "checked you out at the front office."
Steph shrugged "I'd assume so. I was called up there and then forced to the car. You're going to find him right?"
"Yes. Robin is working on it right now." I assured her. "I was worried when I got the call." I admitted "I thought you took my advice and stole a car."
"I almost wish I would've." She said "Mom is going to be so mad when she hears. If she didn't already, any clue what hospital the victims were sent to?"
I frowned "no. But I could find out."
Steph shook her head, looking much older than she was. "I'll find out."
"You promise to call if your dad comes again?" I told her
"As long as I can."
"And you promise to not tell anyone?" I repeated "About the vigilante and the knife?"
I hadn't explained to Steph completely. I told her it was magic and that most Mortals couldn't even see my weapon. The word Mortals led to her asking more questions than I wanted. So I just swore her to secrecy, promising to explain another time.
"What knife?" She asked
I smiled "thank you. I'm betting after all that you wouldn't want to go back to class?"
She shook her head "But you know what I would like to go do?"
"What?" I asked glancing at her. Somehow the tone in her voice scared me more than what happened earlier today.
"A rage room."
Now I shared her smile "I think there's one on fourth and center."
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Short chapter today but I hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you think. I will be finished this book and potentially writing short stories about the Heroes of Olympus crew in this universe. I don't think I would be able to do all the books but maybe little moments or one shots. Let me know what you guys want! Hope you've all had a great holiday season.