The Bat Cave was cold. It was seemingly always cold. Melissa shuddered pulling her jacket tighter and zipping it up. Careful not to move around too much or the machines would start beeping at her again. She glanced at her green-tinted skin before returning to the Rubix Cube in her lap.
"Almost done, Bats?" she asked the ever stoic hero.
"Almost, stay still,"
"How else am I gonna solve this then?" she asked, holding up the half-finished cube.
"After the testing is done,"
Not far away, Nightwing was reviewing the files of criminals still at large when he came across the file for Carmen Sandiego. He stopped, staring intently at the picture of the master thief. He could have sworn she looked like Melissa. He glanced over his shoulder to where his girlfriend sat, head bent over her cube while Batman finished his tests. He looked back at the picture only to see his girlfriend's face smiling up at him. He blinked and looked at Melissa again. She met his gaze with her signature smirk. Heart hammering in his chest Nightwing grabbed the photo and held it beside Melissa who now looked at him with a questioning glance.
The smile.
The eyes.
He gasped, dropping the photo.
"Dick, what's-" Batman started only to have the photo shoved in his face.
"You see it too, right?" Nightwing cried.
"See wha-"
"Look!" he interrupted, pointing wildly at Melissa and then at the photo.
"What's eatin' at ya, Bird Boy?" Melissa asked.
Nightwing did not respond, only thundering into the manor to get Alfred's opinion followed by Tim's.
"My word," Alfred gasped.
"Freaky," Tim said.
Meanwhile, Melissa was growing increasingly annoyed by the lack of answers as everyone stared at her.
"WHAT?"
The machines beeping grew increasingly loud in her ears but everyone else seemed immune to it. They all just stared at her like she'd grown another head.
"Hey, everybody, what did I miss?" Batgirl asked as she swung into the cave.
In response, Nightwing shoved the photo into her hands.
"OMG, No way,"
Batman stepped away from the group of geeking teens to investigate. Sitting down at the Bat Computer he brought up Melissa's file, taken from the foster system. DNA proving John was her father, her birth certificate listing her as Carly Vanessa Brown. Not much else except a few recorded rantings of her father and Melissa's DNA.
He could work with that.
In a few keystrokes he ran her DNA through the master database.
"Seriously guys? I want answers here!" Melissa grumbled.
"Melissa", Batman called, breaking the geek-out session. "What do you know about your mother?"
"My mother? Nothing. I never knew her. Just that my dad always ranted about her and her broken promises whenever he beat me, whining that I looked and acted just like her. I always thought she was dead."
"She's not dead", the Dark Knight said. Melissa was shocked silent by his words. If her mom was alive, then why did her dad raise her? Did she not want her own daughter?
"All right! THAT'S IT!", Melissa shouted once she found her voice again. "ANSWERS! NOW! Who is my mother, and where on Earth is she?!
Tim burst into laughter, "Your mother-Your mother is Carmen Sandiego,"
"What?" Melissa growled, turning to the Bat Computer which showed the match, "That's not possible!"
"It is,"
"No, it isn't," Melissa snapped.
Nightwing knew where this was going. Melissa's face was clouded with anger as she clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly. Denying what was on the screen before her.
"There is no way on earth that my mother is Carmen Sandiego. I was Gotham born and raised and she's only in Gotham once a year. She can't be my mother!"
"But, Melissa, you look just like her," Tim replied.
"You're crazy. You're all crazy!" Melissa shouted.
"Firecracker, please-"
"DON'T" Melissa cut in.
Her shoulders were heaving. Her green eyes raged with fire. Nightwing had to do something. He knew Melissa was seething but he also knew most of her anger boiled down to confusion. The confusion that needed to be cleared before she let any rational thoughts back in. slowly, carefully with hands raised in surrender, he approached her.
"What do we need to do?" he asked quietly.
So many emotions danced across her face it was hard to name them all as she replied, "We need to see my father,"
"I thought he was dead,"
"I did too but Robert lied,"
"He is in prison though, right?"
"Yeah, Stonegate,"
"Are you sure you wanna do this?"
"I don't want to, I HAVE to,"
"Very well then," Nightwing relented, "Let me get changed and I'll take you,"
…...
John was surprised when they informed him he had a visitor. He never got visitors, not since Robert's arrest and Abigail's death. When he got to the visitors' window he snarled. There stood Carly a scowl on her face as she sat down to speak with him.
"Oh, it's YOU. What do you want? I'm already rotting in here. Come to gloat like your mother would?"
"Shut up, Dad!", she snarled. "I'm here for the truth, NOT one of your vicious rants! You were always spouting of the worst kind of bile about my mother, but you never once told who she was, or why she wasn't with us. Tell me!"
"She was just a deceitful bit...!"
"DON'T LIE TO ME! DID YOU STEAL ME FROM HER?! DID SHE REALLY WANT ME?!"
"You wouldn't be here asking these questions if you didn't already know the truth", he chuckled wickedly. "Found out on your own, did you? Or did Carmen finally find you? Oh, the look on your face is PRICELESS! You didn't want to believe it, did you? How are you gonna live your new, perfect little life now, knowing that your birth-mother is the greatest thief in the world? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
She stood up, turned on her heel and stormed out. Her plaything following yelling for Melissa to stop.
John laughed all the while.
…...
"Melissa! Melissa! Slow down! Please?" Dick yelled racing after his very distressed girlfriend. Her boiling rage had seemingly become an inferno.
"Take me home, NOW!" Melissa demanded when he finally caught up to her.
"Okay, okay but, you need to calm down,"
But he knew she couldn't. He knew she was on the verge of a breakdown. He knew that home was the only safe place for her right now so being the good boyfriend he was Dick took her straight home. No stops for ice cream. No walks through the park like usual. They just went straight home. Once there, Melissa stomped to her room and locked the door while Dick's given explanation was they went to visit her father for reasons that were Melissa's to explain. Jenny nodded, knowing that pressing Melissa for answers in her current state was a very, very bad idea.
In her room, Melissa screamed as she balled her fists and let loose on a punching bag hanging beside her shelf.
Give me a reason I shouldn't shoot you right now, Carly.
Brat.
Worthless.
I should sell you.
Choking.
Tears.
Fire.
Pain.
Scars.
All those nights with a gun pressed to her head. All those nights with a belt. The gagging, gasping for air as he choked her for not eating her peas. The burns her back from the cigarettes. The smell of burning plastic as he threw her Barbie dolls into the fire. The bruises on her face. The bloody glass as he cut open her legs and let her bleed. Sleeping outside in the dead of winter. It all came crashing down on her as she hit the punching bag. In the three years, she lived with her father he had done it all and so much more
So. Much. More.
She screamed again, falling to the floor as sobs racked her body. Angry hot tears pouring down her face. Time was lost to her as she cried endlessly.
No.
no.
No.
This, this couldn't be happening to her.
It just couldn't be!
Laying on the floor in a ball with her hair over her face is how Jenny found her an hour or so later. She was still, quiet, totally drained. Jenny quietly pulled her to her feet and guided her to the kitchen where her favorite meal, chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream, awaited her.
Jenny watched as her daughter quietly ate her meal. A few tears slipping down her cheeks which were red from so much crying.
It was then that Jenny decided Melissa could stay home the next day.
…...
Meanwhile back at the Bat Cave.
Dick returned, not uttering more than a word when asked how it had gone.
"Bad,"
"It was a shock to her, Dick she just needs time to cope,"
"I don't think she will. I know Melissa she's going to shove it down and try to ignore it,"
"Then you've got to help her cope,"
"I'm not sure how,"
"You'll think of something," Batman replied, turning to face the Bat Computer where Carmen's picture was still displayed.
He stared up at the smirking thief knowing it wasn't long now. In a few weeks, she would strike Gotham yet again and he would stop her just like every time before. He had almost caught her quite a few times but Carmen was slippery like an eel. You could never assume you won. She always escaped such was her legacy.
…...
A few weeks later,
Her calling card had been left.
Carmen was coming.
This time for the giant of Lady Justice outside the Gotham courthouse. Batman planned to stop her as always but this time he sent her a message in reply over the dark web.
"The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but it can be picked up and carried away, can't it?"
The very next day a note was left for him on the steps of the GCPD Headquarters. After nearly giving Commissioner Gordon a heart attack upon his entrance he was handed the note which simply read:
Parlay. Neutral Ground. Our first date.
The observatory tower where he had first met Carmen while stopping her from stealing the telescope. When Batman arrived at the top of the tower Carmen was already there.
"What do you know?" she asked with a smirk.
"Just that you have a daughter, her father likely stole her away from you to punish you for betraying him", Batman said.
Carmen arched an eyebrow.
"Decided you needed an heir, didn't you? So you did what you had to do, but you underestimated the anger of the father, didn't you?"
"He WAS one of my best agents", she replied. "My physical equal. Clever enough to think quickly on his feet, but his temper was a flaw he was too stubborn to control, making him a poor choice to make an equal partner. However, he feared my intellect. Likely why he went into hiding when he stole her from me before I even recovered from childbirth. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you found her when I couldn't all these years, Batman. You always were my only true equal. Is he taking good care of her?"
"He abused her, brutally, for years", he told her solemnly, making her eyes narrow with a flash of anger. "He used her as a proxy for you until she ran away from home. She was then found and raised by Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy off-and-on until recently. She made friends and turned her life around and is making something of herself. I only learned of her connection to you a few weeks ago."
"Where is she?" Carmen asked.
Batman gave no response.
"Where is she?" Carmen repeated.
"For what it's worth, she's grown into a fine young woman with your love of art, sarcastic wit, and knack for puzzles", Batman said as he turned to leave. "A bit reckless, though. She took on the Joker and lived to tell the tale."
"And her father?"
"Prison. And he won't be getting out until he's a VERY old man."
Carmen realized something. The reason Batman was withholding the information she wanted.
"You know who she is personally, don't you, Batman", Carmen's smirk widened, arching an eyebrow. "Does she know I'm her mother?"
"Don't, Carmen", he warned.
"I only want to see her, Batman", she grinned 'innocently'. "My daughter has the right to know that I have been searching for her all her life; that I didn't abandon her. What she decides after that is up to her."
"I won't allow you to ruin the life she's building by tempting her into yours", Batman said bluntly.
"See you around, Batman", Carmen grinned, tipping the wide brim of her hat in her signature style. She then turned and jumped off the Observatory tower, activating her hidden hang-glider as she called, "This year's game just got much more interesting!"
…...
Melissa was NOT happy. She was unresponsive when the gang tried to speak with her. It was like she had reverted back to the brooding, violent, reckless girl she had been when she started school. And try as they might they couldn't get anything out of her.
"I just wanna be alone right now, okay?" Melissa snapped before scampering up her tree as the gang had started to refer to it.
Once she was safely nestled in the branches of the tree Melissa pulled out her journal and began to write.
Ugh! I can't think! As much as I love the gang now it gets on my nerves how much they hang over my shoulder and ask me if I'm okay. What's wrong with being quiet? I mean, being quiet is better than ya know, hitting someone like Jason or Bradly or Red. I can't go a day without one of those freaking jerks trying to fight me. Ya think they'd take a hint. 'cause if I really gave it all I got they'd be on their way to the ICU. But as effective as beatin' the snot out of em is it ain't going to help my problem.
My current problem at least.
The one that wears a red coat and fedora.
Carmen Sandiego is my mother?
NOPE.
NOT POSSIBLE.
There's no way that-
"Melissa, like, I'm coming up there!"
"GO AWAY SHAGGY!" Melissa screamed in response.
Shaggy did not listen and was soon seated on the branch next to a fuming Melissa.
"Like, what's going on?"
"Nothing you need to be concerned about, Shaggy," Melissa replied.
She turned away from him just as Scooby scrambled up the tree.
"Like, will you tell us for a 'Melissa Snack'?", Shaggy asked with a smile, pulling out the giant Kit Kat bar they had stored away for such an occasion.
"Gimme!", she chirped, snatching it with a smile. She just can't stay mad around these two. Taking a bite, she sighed with yummy pleasure.
"Well?"
"I blame Bird Boy,"
"What did he do?"
"Found out who my real mother is although I don't believe him or the fancy Bat Computer,"
"Like is she a serial killer or something?"
"No, apparently she's the worlds greatest thief,"
"You don't mean-"
"Yeah,"
Shaggy's response was to fall out of the tree, thankfully he only scraped his arm. Melissa stood up and jumped down from the tree while Scooby wormed his way down the trunk.
"Like, your mother is-"
"Shush, not here, not right now," Melissa ordered sternly.
"Later?"
"Later,"
…...
Whether Batman had realized it or not he had given Carmen the tools she needed to find her daughter. Being the head of an international crime organization had its benefits. All it had taken was a quick internet search and Carmen had found the arrest record, trial papers, and prison. John Tyler Brown was serving his time in Stonegate. It was time Carmen paid him a visit.
Arriving at the prison, Carmen stepped out of the car pleased at her disguise. Anyone who looked her way would see a sharply dressed blonde in business attire, NOT a world-famous thief. She wasn't even wearing red to be safe. They let her through after seeing her press pass.
Way too easy she thought to herself as she sat in front of the glass and waited for John's arrival. His eyes widened when he saw her. He had always been able to see through her disguises.
"YOU!" he hissed through clenched teeth.
"Hello, John," she greeted with cold, hard anger that was downright chilling.
"Pffft! I knew you'd be here sooner or later after our 'precious' daughter came here demanding answers about you."
"Don't even pretend, Johnny", Carmen told him coldly. "You are NOT the wronged party here. You stole her from me while I was recovering from a childbirth that nearly killed me. You hid her from me for years. That was bad enough. But you abused her, brutally. Why?"
"Hah! Why do you think? You betrayed me, Carmen. I thought you loved me, that we were going to be partners. You lied to me! You just wanted me in your bed long enough to give you an heir! Someone to pass your empire on to one day!" John seethed. "I punished her to punish YOU! She looked like you! Talked like you! As I beat her, I saw YOUR face full of pain and anguish! But it was more, too", he smirked. "I knew you might find us or her one day, so I made sure to BREAK her, make her USELESS to you as an heir! 'The Great Carmen Sandiego! Most Brilliant Thief in the World!' But I stole your LEGACY! Ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"And yet, you DIDN'T break her, did you?", she smirked darkly. "She not only proved stronger than you and put in here, but she's made a new life for herself."
"I still stole her from YOU!", he hissed. "She'll NEVER follow in your footsteps now!"
"Perhaps", she smiled. "We'll see."
"And what's to stop me from just telling the guards who you are right now?", he smirked.
"Oh, Dr. Bellum has already arranged for my safe passage out of here", Carmen grinned wickedly. "You remember Sarah, don't you? Brilliant scientist, hacker, and my personal doctor? The one you knocked out to steal our daughter that night? She remotely opened all the cells in the cell-block furthest from here, and now there's a riot down there. That's where all the guards are right now. While my exit from here is wide open and unguarded. Good-bye, John."
She stood to leave. She turned to look back with her customary smirk from the door.
"As you remember, I have friends in nearly every Prison in the world. Including this one", she said, her smile widening as he paled. "I'll be sure to have them take 'good care' of you for your entire, long stay. I'm sure Sarah can arrange for plenty of 'social visits' for you with them."
…...
"YOUR MOTHER IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?" the gang cried
"THIS is why I didn't want to tell you guys. You overreact," Melissa huffed.
"BUT BUT BUT How?" Velma asked.
"Do I need to explain how babies are made, Velma?" Melissa snarked, grabbing her Spiderman comic off the coffee table.
"Melissa you gotta tell us m-"
DING DONG.
Melissa got up to answer the door. Surprised to see Dick waiting on the doorstep.
Was he shaking with nervousness?"
As soon as she opened the door a thousand apologies came tumbling out of his mouth. Melissa laughed. For one of the calmest people, she knew Dick had a tendency to apologize more than necessary.
"You wanna go visit Harley and Ivy?" he asked once he finally calmed down.
"Sure thing, just let me grab my shoes,"
Unable to find her combat boots Melissa settled on a pair of red flip flops instead.
"Let's go!" she said charging out the door before Velma could demand any more answers out of her.
…...
"LISSA!" Harley cried excitedly.
"Hey, Harl," Melissa laughed as she embraced her sisters in a hug.
"Did you bring your sketchbook?"
"Of course I did! Have a look!" Melissa said, passing Harley the very full sketchbook.
Harley and Ivy eagerly flipped through the sketchbook. Each excited to see what Melissa had drawn, what she had written. Melissa had always expressed herself through art. It was through these sketches that the two were able to see what she was thinking, how she was feeling. Just like every other time she had visited them, the pages were filled with happy yet exciting pictures showcasing what Melissa had been up to.
What the two did not know,, however, was that Melissa was holding back. Hiding a secret this time around. She hardly wanted to tell the gang let alone her sisters. Saying it out loud just made it too real for her to handle. So she kept quiet. Choosing instead to fill Harley and Ivy in on her latest adventures. It was far too soon when the guard informed her that her time was up.
"Why? I have another thirty minutes," Melissa reminded him.
"Sorry Melissa, someone from the press wants to interview them,"
"Okay, fine,"
…...
Carmen smiled. This disguise worked wonders. No one questioned her when she informed the front desk she wished to speak to some of the inmates and with Dr. Bellum looping the security feed and creating a diversion no one would get in between her and the answers she sought as she entered the room someone was leaving. Carmen's breath hitched. Was that her daughter.? Carmen watched as the girl retreated down the hall her flip flops smacking the floors as she marched,
sure enough, there was the telltale birthmark.
The star on her heel.
The mark that Carmen had caught the tiniest glimpse of before passing out from exhaustion.
After regaining her composure, Carmen strode into the room with a purpose. As soon as the guard was gone to help the riot happening several floors down Carmen spoke.
"Tell me about the girl who was just here,"
"Why? What importance is she to you?" Ivy demanded, feeling fiercely protective just like she always did when someone asked about Melissa.
"I'm her mother,"
"Not likely," Ivy replied, straining against the cuffs on her seat.
"You aren't from the press, are ya lady?" Harley asked.
Carmen peeled off her mask. Took off her wig and shook out her hair. There was no one around to see so she placed her hat back on her head.
"You're-You're Carmen Sandiego," Harley exclaimed.
"Well", Ivy said thoughtfully. "That WOULD explain how gifted Melissa is."
"But it don't explain everything!", Harley shouted, then turned to Carmen. "If you're really her mom, why did you abandon her?! Why'd'ja leave her with that despicable, abusive jerk?! She had ta run away into the streets of Gotham ta getaway! When we found her, she was half-starved, dirty, and covered with bruises from him! WHERE THE HECK WERE YOU?! Too busy runnin' yer empire?!"
"He stole her from me. She was born early, a breech baby. I nearly died giving birth to her. I passed out and when I woke up he and the baby were long gone,"
Harley and Ivy remained tight-lipped. There was no way they were telling Carmen anything. Regardless of who she was. She didn't deserve to know anything about Melissa, not one thing. However, Carmen was insistent.
"Tell me about her," Carmen prompted, "And I can break you out of here,"
the duo looked at each other. That was appealing. Still, they remained quiet. Melissa would want them to stay put. To finish their time in Arkham so that they'd be free and then she'd be able to spend even more time with them.
"I can get you both certified sane,,"
Okay, that was VERY appealing!
But it was also cheating. Melissa wouldn't want that either. The duo shook their heads discussing Carmen's very appealing offer
"No, Lissa would be disappointed," Harley said.
"This is why we told her to go back, so she wouldn't end up like us," Ivy muttered.
"Back? Back where?" Carmen asked.
"Home. To her new life. To her better life," Ivy curtly replied.
From then on the two remained quiet. Oh well, Carmen had all the answers she needed anyway. Slipping back into her disguise she quickly left the building as if she had never been there at all.
…...
the police were baffled. It had been nearly a week since Carmen left her calling card and she had yet to come for the statue. Only Batman knew the reason. Carmen's target had changed. She was no longer interested in the statue. She wanted to find Melissa.
What Batman didn't know, however, was that Carmen had already found her.
By using what limited footage Arkham had to offer Carmen had run a computer scan and found everything she needed. All the local newspaper articles, all her information from her time in the foster system including her adoption and current whereabouts. Her school records, her original 'birth certificate' and the updated one with her name change. The gym she went to, her therapist.
All of it.
Carmen had access to all of it and now she planned to use it.