"Like, anyone heard from Melissa lately. She's like been radio silent since our last case,"

"Can you really blame her?" Fred asked.

"I hope she hasn't run off again," Velma shook her head.

"What do you think she's up to?"

…...


"Melissa, I'm going to the store do you want to come? We could stop at the art store on the way,"

"No thanks, Jenny," Melissa sighed, her eyes never leaving the laptop screen.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just doing school work,"

"Alright text me if you need anything,"

"Will do,"

Melissa stared at the screen until her eyes crossed. Shutting down the laptop she went to let her dogs inside. They had been barking a few minutes earlier but she figured it was a squirrel they were chasing or something like that. She glanced at her art studio as she whistled for her pets. She hadn't been inside it since her life turned upside down. She shrugged maybe later. As Marley and Jesse bounded inside she shut the door without a second glance herding them toward her room where they sprawled out on her fluffy red rug and were soon sleeping soundly.

If she had bothered to go to the art studio she would have discovered the real reason for the dogs barking.

…...


Carmen had noticed the building during her first visit but had neglected to think much about it. Now that she had, however, her curiosity was piqued and she wanted to know what was inside. So, even though her daughter was home and very much awake Carmen decided to take her chances and have a look around. When she dropped stealthily into the yard she was taken aback to find dogs. Border Collies. One red and white the other black and white. She recalled seeing a picture of them in Melissa's room the last time she had visited. She knew these two were no trouble. All it took was a scratch behind the ears and they were content and let her pass without an issue. Stepping inside the moderately sized shed Carmen was surprised yet again.

This was no storage shed it appeared to be an art studio. Her daughter's by the looks of it. Every wall was a mural depicting a symbol related to certain heroes and Villains. The wall she was currently facing depicted Harley's diamonds encircled by Ivy's leaves. Superman's crest was on the next wall. Wonder Woman's lasso of truth on the wall after that. A cat silhouette. Carmen frowned. Meant to represent Selina no doubt. The wall behind her was dedicated to Nightwing. All of them beautifully done. Carmen moved on. There was a desk filled with art supplies and full sketchbooks most of which had her daughter's new name embroidered on the cover along with the date presented. Overhead shelves displayed prizes won in art competitions. A closet revealed storage bins full of paintings. In the armchair opposite the Nightwing wall, Carmen discovered an album full of newspaper clippings. Her daughter's mystery solving exploits.

ART SWINDLERS CAPTURED.

DRUG RING EXPOSED.

POACHERS PUT BEHIND BARS.

GROUP OF TEENS HELPS BLUE FALCON AND DYNOMUTT RESTORE ORDER.

PARIS SAVED.

JOKER CAUGHT.

Carmen found her successes most impressive indeed. Pleased by her findings Carmen left as if she were never there, to begin with.

…...


Melissa aimlessly wandered her house. She would have gone out but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Her life was never going to go back to normal as much as she might have wanted it to. Her phone beeped informing her of a text. She rolled her eyes as she fished her phone from her pocket.

U okay Firecracker?

Fine.

Sure?

Yes.

Come over?

Sure.

Well, she couldn't hide forever now could she?

After sending Jenny a text she was off.

…...


This place looks gloomy even in broad daylight Melissa laughed to herself upon her arrival at the manor.

As she was being let inside Melissa found herself nearly crushed to death by an over-excited Dick who wasted no time in demanding why she had been ghosting him and everyone else.

"Chill, Bird Boy. I'm fine,"

"You are clearly NOT fine. Answers answers now,"

"And here I thought you just wanted to visit with me,"

"well, of course, I do but I'm worried about you,"

"Aren't you always worried about me?"

"Yeah,"

"How about a game of checkers and a movie?" Melissa asked in hopes of changing the subject.

"Okay but don't think I'll forget about needing answers,"

Melissa rolled her eyes as she followed her boyfriend.

What's wrong with wanting some time to myself?

They were soon seated in the living room a movie chosen at random playing in the background as they played game after game of checkers then Clue then Go Fish. Game after game until the shadows stretched long across the room.

"So, tell me Firecracker," Dick prompted as they picked up the game pieces.

"I just needed some time to myself so sue me," Melissa huffed.

"I understand where you're coming from but you have to understand that where you're concerned it's alarming when you go quiet like this,"

"Okay, I guess I can understand that,"

"You wanna stay for dinner?"

"I'd love to but I can't Jenny will be wanting me home shortly," Melissa replied as she checked her phone.

"Okay, if you really have to,"

"I do,"

"See you tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow,"

…...


Why couldn't she throw it out? Why? Melissa didn't understand. Something was keeping her from throwing out the piece of plastic that was the doll Carmen had left for her. Instead, she sat in her beanbag staring at the always smiling Barbie still in its box. She hated Barbies! Hated them with a passion and for very good reason. Namely her father. He'd buy them to get her to shut up only to toss them into the fireplace when he was angry with her. Locking her in the room to watch them melt and not letting her out despite her screams. If he didn't want to hear her screams he'd come after her with a belt. Whipping her back until it bled.

So, when Harley and Ivy bought her barbies she tossed them to the hyenas without a second glance.

So why couldn't she throw this one out?

It puzzled her to no end.

I must be losing it.

Just throw it out. Give it to the dogs/ they'll get more use out of it than I will.

However, she simply tossed it into her closet as opposed to the dogs. Melissa stood up with a yawn lazily climbing into her bed. She'd think better in the morning.

…...


Blood poured from her leg as her father dragged by her hair into the bathroom. No matter how much she begged, pleaded and cried the very intoxicated John refused to listen. Throwing her into the full tub with force. Her lungs started to burn and her vision started to go black as she struggled for air. No matter how hard she tried, John kept her head below the water until she passed out. It was only after she went completely limp did he pull her from the scalding hot water admiring his handiwork before locking her in the broom closet for the night.

When the young girl woke, coughing up water she screamed. Wailed, screeched because of the searing out pain all over her body. The burns that water had left all over her skin. She had no choice but to strip down as her clothing was uncomfortable now. She bit her tongue as she peeled the bloodied wet clothing off her charred body with a grimace. There wasn't a piece of clothing she owned without a blood stain. Slowly and in excruciating pain, she reached under the door pushing the chair away from it. She cracked open the door to see the house completely empty and freezing cold. Making her way back to her room she fell onto the floor a bloodied and burnt heap. When she woke next she crawled into a dirty dress for the sake of modesty although she didn't know what that meant.

The door to her room swung open with such force it terrified her. Her father's figure standing in the doorway, belt in hand terrified her even more. She scrambled to get away but she wasn't fast enough. He grabbed her by her leg pulling her back slamming her into a wall. She closed her eyes.

"Daddy, please-"

"Shut it, Brat!" he yelled as the belt collided with her back, "You, You're so much like your mother. Your lying, good for nothing mother and all her empty promises."

The belt came down again.

"She said we were going to be partners,"

again.

"She said she loved me"

Again.

"She lied and left me with you. You, her lookalike"

"You are the sole reason she was interested in me and I'll punish you for it for as long as I live"

"STOP," the young girl begged.

She didn't understand anything her daddy said. She didn't look like her mommy. Her mommy was right there crying in the doorway yelling for her Daddy to stop but he wouldn't stop. He whipped her back until the skin was bleeding raw. He continued to berate her despite her tearful apologies.

"You talk like her,"

"You walk like her,"

"DADDY, STOP,"

She had no idea how long she laid there. Suffering at the hands of her father. The colors in her vision ran together and blurred before it all went black

…...


"NO" Melissa cried as she woke with a start.

Afternoon sunlight poured into her room as she fell out of bed in a tangle of sheets which she struggled to get out of, still not quite awake she was convinced her father was choking her. Cutting off her airway. With much effort she finally freed herself grimacing at the phantom pain that danced across her scar-covered body. Short of breath, she stumbled her way to the closet and got dressed for the day. Choosing a black top and faded jeans and her red leather jacket.

She took her laptop to the kitchen after letting her pets outside. As it powered on Melissa's phone rang. Lazily she answered it and was surprised when Chief popped up on her screen.

"Melissa, Melissa, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? You're needed at Headquarters Pronto!"

"Why?"

"Do you need a reason?" Chief countered before blowing a whistle, "Get moving!"

"Yes, Sir!" Melissa laughed before jumping into the C5.

After being dropped into Headquarters Melissa walked really slowly to the debriefing so she'd have time to collect her thoughts Andean banish the awful memories from her mind.

"What the...?!" a girls voice gasped somewhere behind her.

"Hold it right there!" a boy's voice shouted, just before Melissa was tackled and pinned to the ground.

"Look Chief we caught Carmen!" the girl said excitedly.

"Yeah, thought you could break in again?" the boy laughed.

"Hate to burst your bubble wise guy but I ain't Carmen," Melissa growled, bucking the boy off of her.

"Whoa, sorry, you just look a lot like her,"

"Zack, Ivy, this is Melissa. She's part of the Paranormal Investigations Department" Chief explained as the brother and sister duo followed Melissa to where the gang was anxiously awaiting the return of their newly modified Mystery Machine, "Zack's right though you do look a lot like Carmen,"

"She should because she's-OWW," Shaggy cried as Melissa jabbed him in the ribs to shut him up.

"Not the time or the place!" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Sorry,"

"What was he going to say?" Zack asked, "I'm curious,"

"Melissa," Daphne remarked, "Tell them,"

"But-"

"It's going to come out sooner or later,"

Melissa rolled her eyes before sighing in frustration. She really didn't want to say it. Saying made it real and Melissa just wanted to ignore it like an ugly sweater in the back of one's closet. However, everyone was looking at her expectantly so...

"My mother is Carmen Sandiego," she growled.

"What!" Ivy cried.

"How?" Zack asked.

"Uh, let's worry about that later," Melissa replied pointing to where Chief was having one major reaction that involved bells whistles and every it's not over until.. trope that you could think of.

"CARMEN? CARMEN HAS A DAUGHTER!" he cried as pigs flew across the screen, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US SOONER?"

"Um, because I don't like having to talk about it?" Melissa deadpanned.

"So, Carmen raised you?"

"Nope,"

Melissa then went on to slowly and begrudgingly explain everything she knew thus far much to the shock of Zack, Ivy, and, The chief who declared he needed to have a word with Batman.

"You mind filling us in on our case now?" Velma asked once the chief had calmed down.

…...


Melissa had to admit the Mystery Machines upgrades were awesome. The van had been modified into a C5 unit allowing them to travel all over the world in mere seconds with their signature vehicle. And that wasn't the only upgrade the van had received. There was now a mini-lab for Velma (and her!) plenty of top of the line trap equipment and for Shaggy and Scooby a Scooby Snack maker which was really just a modified microwave. Either way, the two were enjoying it as they shoveled handfuls of their favorite treat in their mouths while watching a movie on the pull-down TV.

Their case had brought them to Egypt as a 'group of mummies' had been stealing priceless treasure from every museum they could get into at night. As the van drove along bringing them to the most recent crime scene Melissa was silently hoping that this wasn't going to be like the last case. She wanted to solve mysteries not have constant run-ins with Carmen Sandiego. To distract herself she pulled up past case files on her phone trying to get a basic understanding of what these mummy-themed cases usually involved. No matter what she tried, however, her mind kept wandering. By the time they pulled up at the museum she had scarcely gathered enough information so, she decided to ask Velma about it.

This turned out to be a good call as Velma happily recounted all their past cases similar to this one even telling her the story of discovering Cleopatra's hidden tomb as they walked to the crime scene.

Then Shaggy screamed.

Melissa and the others turned to find Shaggy pinned to the ground by what they had thought was a wax figure. Obviously not as the enraged stranger held a sword over their fallen friend with a sadistic grin.

"Finally, one of you I can kill," he laughed coldly.

Melissa to her credit tried to jump him and snatch his weapon only to be forcibly thrown into a glass case. The feeling of glass cutting into her flesh triggered a full-blown freak out rendering her unable to help. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even breathe as horrible flashbacks of abuse assaulted her.

The others though tried to help only to be met with the same results. Laughing the stranger slowly brought the blade to Shaggy's neck as he ranted and raved about how he'd finally have his princess.

CRASH.

The stranger was blasted away from Shaggy by a purple lightning bolt. The gang turned toward the skylight as an unidentified figure swooped through it.

"GET BEHIND ME!" she ordered as they gasped again.

This, this creature was no human. Pale-skinned, glinting white fangs, eyes that burned a deep ruby red. A vampire? Only partially it seemed as glimmering wings the color of dark crystal fluttered angrily lifting her off the ground.

And she had horns.

Dark curved horns.

"You can't stop me, Princess!"

"Oh, yes I can Drew!"

"Come at me then,"

She ran leaping mid-air with the intent to kick only to be grabbed by the ankle and tossed to the ground, Drew was laughing, "Face it, Christina-"

Pow!

Christina uppercut Drew with a growl before launching a string of magic at him which he dodged, "I won't let you kill Shaggy!"

"Why not? Your Shaggy rejected you, remember? Left you in the pouring rain like a sappy movie cliche! All you had to do is be with me!"

"I'd NEVER be with you! Not if you were the last person on earth!" Christina growled, firing her magic with force.

"And that is why I have to do this!" Drew returned, as he grabbed her and pulled her to the floor, "You'll understand in time, Princess,"

Christina reached behind her and raked her nails down Drew's face causing him to his in pain as Christina sent him flying into the corner. She advanced on him eyes blazing with fire as she pressed the tip of her wand against his throat. With her other hand, she grabbed the glowing pendant around his neck breaking it from its chain and crushing it in her palm. Now, Drew would be unable to leave this world.

"Jeepers! Freddy, Melissa's hurt!"

"Like, ZOINKS!"

"Jinkies! We've got to get help or she'll bleed out!"

"I'm trying, but I can't stop the bleeding!"

"Your choice, Princess", Drew sneered. "Catch me or save that innocent girl?"

"This isn't finished, Scum-wad," Christina hissed as she turned on her heel.

"No, it isn't. I'll be back,"

Then drew was gone out the skylight.

Christina hesitantly approached the group who looked at her in fear, "I can help her if you'll let me,"

They parted allowing Christina to kneel in the puddle of blood and glass. Slowly she laid her hands on the girl's body and concentrated. She could feel the open wounds closing up beneath her fingers once the last one had closed up she removed her hands and backed away as the girl woke, tears streaming down her face as she blabbered incoherently.

Melissa had blacked out from so much blood loss, pain and trauma. She was sore but no longer on fire. Still, she struggled to speak tears blurring her vision she stood and ran from the bloody glass-filled puddle.

"Deep breaths, Melissa," Daphne prompted.

But Melissa couldn't seem to catch her breath. She could feel the pain shooting across her body in waves. She could feel her father's hands around her neck, forcing the air out of her lungs. His cruel ravings ringing madly in her ears.

Then through the haze of panic, she started to recall a session with her counselor. She'd dropped a glass and it shattered sending Melissa into a whirlwind of panic. She taught her breathing exercises.

"Focus on one spot and take deep breaths until you're calm,"

Sinking to the floor Melissa tried to do as she'd been told. She hyper-focused on the first thing that caught her attention, in this case, it was Scooby's dog tag. She stared at it until she could actually breathe again Once she felt better she got to her feet and joined Shaggy, ignoring the broken glass behind her.

"Who are you?" she asked the stranger, "What are you?"

"Let's start at the beginning. My name's Christina and I'm from a different world,"

"What?"

"So, the multiverse theory-"

"Is true. You see, in my world Shaggy and I were best friends. We grew up together and then somewhere along the line I uh...fell in love with him but he didn't return my feelings. That was a sad day"

"But I've, like, never seen you before."

"Different world, like I said", she repeated with a sigh. "I can only assume we either never met in this world, or I was never born here. I've been chasing Drew across the multiverse to keep him from killing ANY Shaggy."

"Zoinks! But like, why is he after ME?"

"No way", Velma breathed in awe, just as the stranger was about to reply. "The theory of 'Overlapping links' is true too, isn't it?"

"Yes", Christina replied dejectedly. "Shaggy is one of those links. That's why Drew has been trying to kill any Shaggy he can."

"Like, what's he got against them, er me, er...?"

"He's obsessed with me, and will do ANYTHING to make me his", she explained. "But in almost every universe, their versions of you and me were drawn together and...fell in love. That realization drove THIS Drew over the edge. But then an evil old four-armed witch revealed to him that Shaggy is one of the overlapping links of the multiverse."

"But what does that mean?", Daphne asked.

"It means that if this 'Drew' from another universe were to somehow kill ANY Shaggy from any universe not his own, then ALL the Shaggy's across the multiverse would die and Drew would take his place as the link", Velma explained, to which Christina nodded.

THUD. Shaggy and Scooby fainted. Christina smiled wistfully. This Shaggy was every bit as adorable as hers. She pulled a box of Scooby Snacks from her satchel and gave it a shake, waking them right up.

"This Drew believes that if all the Shaggys are gone then all the 'me's will be with all the versions of him", Christina continued. "So far, all attempts he's made failed for various reasons. A few were due to versions of himself who were a friend rather than an obsessed psycho. He couldn't believe there were versions of himself who didn't want 'me' for himself!", she chuckled. But I've got him this time."

"How so?", Fred asked.

"When I was struggling with him just now, I managed to crush the talisman he's been using to travel the multiverse. He's stuck here now and as soon as I catch him he's going away for a long time,"

"Like, will he come after me again?"

"Undoubtedly, but not any time soon. He knows he can't leave this world or kill you. Knowing Drew he'll take time to plan," Christina explained as she turned to leave and find a place to settle so she could learn about this world.

"Wait. You're just going to LEAVE? After someone tried to MURDER Shaggy?" Velma cried.

"Like I said, Drew will go into hiding and plan his next move I'll be there to stop him,"

"But how will you know?"

"Trust me, I have my ways. Just consider me a guardian angel,"

"Where will you stay?"

"I'll find a place and if I don't I'll simply make one,"

"One more thing," Velma said before Christina could fly away, "Monsters are..unheard of here how will you-"

Christina snapped her fingers. In a shower of purple sparkles, any trace of her being a monster disappeared. The horns, wings, fangs, red eyes and pointed ears vanished. Christina then turned to the mess of glass on the floor and used her magic to correct everything that Drew had disrupted.

"Better now?"

Velma nodded.

"Well, then, goodbye for now and good luck on your mystery,"

…...


Melissa was quiet for most of their case. She couldn't help it shattered glass just triggered whatever it was. Jenny suspected PTSD and was in the process of trying to get her diagnosed. In the meantime, Melissa went to counseling and took mood-stabilizer pills to curb her violent breakdowns.

"Melissa, you okay?" Daphne asked as they scanned through the security footage.

"Fine,"

Not really. Not even close.

…...


She could smell the beer on her father before her door even opened. She tried to hide in the closet but it was no use as her daddy just drove his fist through the door. When he finally pulled her out and started ranting about her mommy she reminded her daddy that she looked nothing like mommy. Mommy had bright red hair and blue eyes. She didn't. She found herself pinned to a wall by her throat as he cruelly told her that the woman wasn't her mommy.

Her mommy was long gone.

Mommy's dead?

Would she be next?

She paled with fear as her father broke his beer bottle on her bedpost. The neck of the bottle shattered into razor sharp pieces. Selecting the largest of then he wrenched her arm forward before slicing open her flesh.

Every single time her father got drunk he would do this. Cut her open. Let her bleed. Avoiding the major blood vessels so that his personal punching bag wouldn't bleed out. After that, he either whipped her with a belt, burnt her back with cigarettes, or the worst throw her in the tub filled with scalding hot water until she passed out only to wake up in the broom closet and let the cycle repeat itself

…...


Melissa was in stealth mode as she roamed the halls of the museum. The mummies hadn't left this place alone. Picking piece after piece of art every other night while somehow evading security and the police. Scanning through camera footage earlier she and Daphne had discovered that the mummies were nowhere to be found as if they were never there. Melissa scoffed. There were ways to get around security cameras and alarms. Especially ones like the outdated equipment the museum used.

Still, how were they getting the priceless artifacts and other treasures out? What were they doing with them? Melissa pondered these things as she wandered into the next room. A limited display on some ancient ruler Melissa couldn't remember the name of. This would be where the two thieves would strike next. There were statues of pure gold in cases around the room and in the center was a golden sarcophagus adorned with precious stones and lined with hieroglyphics. But out of all these treasures which one would they take? A door began to creak open and Melissa dove for cover. Peering over one of the statues she watched the security guard sweep the room with his flashlight before retreating down the hall to do who knows what. Definitely not keep an eye on the camera footage. Melissa had caught him sleeping earlier.

As Melissa slunk out of her hiding place she was ambushed by the very things they were there to catch. She whirled around on her heel, sending a high flying kick to one's stomach before clocking the other one who slumped to the ground his bandages catching the wall in the process. The mummies moaned and groaned with anger prompting Melissa to make a break for it.

As she ran she happened to collide with Fred and Daphne as they were headed in her direction.

"Melissa, what's wrong?" Daphne asked.

"The bandage brothers are after me," Melissa replied calmly jerking her thumb in the direction of the mummies who were indeed following her.

"Run for it!"

The trio ran, thundering down the steps into the basement of the building and slamming the door behind themselves.

"Hey, I think I just found their entrance," Melissa announced, pointing to the large hole of dirt and busted concrete.

Daphne snapped pictures with her phone before saying they should show the others. A quick stealthy search of the building found Velma in the curator's office going through financial records while Shaggy and Scooby were chilling in the break room. After they'd found the others they showed them the makeshift entrance.

"Like, but not all the buildings have basements," Shaggy pointed out, "So like, how did they get past everything elsewhere?"

"We can answer that," Fred smirked.

"Enlighten me then,"

"Later," Melissa cut in, "Velma we need to run some tests,"

"Tests?"

"One of the mummies tore their wrappings I snagged it as I ran past and let me tell you this doesn't look like centuries-old wrapping to me,"

"Let's go back to the van and test it then,"

"G-guys we have a problem!"

"What is it, Shaggy?"

"THEM!"

The mummies were at the top of the stairs now. Moaning and groaning like zombies which Melissa found weird. Oh well, she could ponder the monster mix-up later. For now, they had to run again. Dashing past the mummies so fast they were left spinning the gang ran down the halls of the museum looking for a place to hide. It seemed, however, that they just couldn't lose the monsters. As they ran past the guard's office Melissa did a double take the guard was nowhere to be seen.

Hmmm. Lazy or a criminal?

They ran back and forth in circles dashing through the halls like a frenzied mob. Out one door and into the next at least four times. One mummy chased Scooby around a support column until they were nothing but a blur. Eventually, though they finally managed to lose the duo.

"Great," Melissa panted, "Now we can test the wrappings,"

"I don't think we have to, Melissa," Velma remarked.

"Why not?"

"It's medical tape,"

…...


"Here we go again," Shaggy gulped as he Scooby and, Melissa roamed the halls.

Oh, hush" Melissa ordered, "All we have to do is run when we find them,"

"Like, with our luck we'll be the ones caught in the trap,"

"That's what I'm here for,"

They found the two monsters trying and utterly failing to steal the sarcophagus. It seemed it was too heavy for the duo. After drawing the mummies attention the three took off running toward where Fred lay in wait with a steel enforced net and the police. Melissa jumped over the trap but Shaggy and Scooby weren't so lucky. As Shaggy had feared they were the ones to get caught and not the mummies. Rolling her eyes, Melissa clocked them both in the face with her mallet. Fred pulled off the masks to reveal the security guards who weren't really guards at all but treasure theives.

Mystery solved.

…...


So, the mystery is over now. Melissa wrote that night. I had another freakout. Man, it put me on edge afterward. Mary wants me to write about my "breakdowns" whenever I have one. I just, I just can't really deal with it. Cutting me was his favorite form of "punishment" and he'd do it the same way every single time. He'd break the bottle then, then-

Melissa slammed her journal shut, tossed it aside and let loose on her punching bag. Several minutes later she didn't feel any better. In fact, she felt worse. She looked around her room and started filling her backpack with art supplies. Once it was full she marched from the house having left Jenny a note reading:

Gone for a drive.

Tossing her bag into the passenger seat of her car she climbed in, started the car, put the top down and peeled out of there. With no real destination in mind, she took many side roads twists and turns as she left the lights of town behind her.

But where she went, Carmen followed.

…...


Unbeknownst to Melissa, Carmen had been keeping tabs on her. Wanting to learn about her. Carmen flew above the car in one of her smaller hovercrafts. This one made to blend in with the sky. She and some of her better henchmen had followed the case Melissa had just returned from and Carmen was very pleased.

She's more like me then she thinks she is.

The thought made Carmen smile.

…...

Batman was typing away at the computer per usual when the Chief popped up unannounced as always.

"You could at least 'ping' me before you just pop-in, 'Chief'", Batman said evenly. "I could have been busy with something urgent."

"Listen B man we need to have a chat,"

"Found out who Melissa's mother is?"

"You knew!"

"Not until recently," Batman replied, "What's this really about Chief?"

"She could be a spy!"

Batman wasn't amused even when the chief dawned a fedora and a pair of sunglasses.

"I've known her longer than you have. She didn't know who her mother was until I found out. Now, stop stalling and spit it out,"

"I'm...worried,"

"That she'll turn out like her mother?"

"Yeah,"

"I don't think you have to worry about that,"

"What makes you so sure?"

"Just trust me,"

Dick burst into the cave at that moment. He didn't even acknowledge Chief as he started pacing.

"Nightwing?"

"Melissa went for a drive THREE HOURS AGO and hasn't come home! The gang haven't seen her, she's nowhere in Gotham-"

"She left a note which means she's planning on coming back," Batman pointed out.

"Jenny's panicking because Melissa had a breakdown on the case apparently,"

"Shattered glass?"

"How'd you?"

"I dropped a beaker once. She had flashbacks and burst into tears,"

"Why was I never told?"

Batman glared and Nightwing went back to panicking.

Where are you, Firecracker?


Can anyone match the newspaper headlines with their stories? Also, what do you think Melissa's doing?

Review!