Chapter 3: We take down a thief

I slipped into a comfortable routine over the next month. Terry and I would ride into school together, I'd sit with Max in all our classes, eat lunch with Max, Dana, Terry, and whoever else decided to join us. Then go to robotics with Sharon and make some awesome mechs. Ride back home with Terry, go work out in the gym before doing homework. Eat dinner and make futile attempts at conversation with Bruce. Have my nightly chat with Anni and then Dad. Go to bed. Then I'd wake up and do it all over. My life had become so boring. The only thing I had to look forward to was going home the weekend of my birthday which was at the end of September.

"I told you I can't go. I'm going home that weekend. Why do you even want me there? You have Terry." I complained at lunch one Monday. Dana had pestered me for the past week to go to the dance next weekend. Which happened to be on my birthday. There was no way I was going to miss seeing my best friends just to go to a dance.

"I know, but chances are Mr. Wayne will call him before the dance is over and he'll have to leave early."

"What about Mr. Wayne?" Terry asked, as he sat next to Dana.

"Oh nothing other than the fact Bruce relies on you, a lot," I said, giving Terry a pointed look. I was still trying to figure out what they were up to. I'd had no luck so far and Terry was still trying to convince me I was wrong. I'd probably would have had a clue by now if I knew where the hell they disappeared to every evening. I had searched the whole manor and couldn't find them at all. I didn't even find Ace. I was on the verge of just asking Bruce what was going on. I was getting very frustrated.

"I can't help that he's elderly and needs help. But he did give me the night of the dance off, so no worries about that." Terry said, putting an arm around Dana.

"Gasp! Bruce Wayne, who you say needs your constant help, is letting you free for a night?" I mocked. Dana laughed when Terry threw a piece of his lunch at me.

"Ow!" Terry exclaimed when Max hit him upside the head. "What was that for?" He glared at her as she sat next to me.

"You're 16. Don't throw your food." She scolded. Me and Dana laughed.

"So has she tried to get you to go to the dance yet?" Max asked me, pointing a fork at Dana.

"Yep. You were right. But why aren't you going?" I asked.

"My mom will be home for once and wants to spend some time with me and my sister." Max explained. Glad I wasn't the only one with parent issues. Actually all of us at the table had parent issues. Weird.

"Well at least you two could come dress shopping with me this Friday." Dana said.

"If I agree to go shopping with you will you shop asking me to go to the dance?" I asked her.

"I guess I can always get you to come to another one later. Max?" Dana asked.

"I can't. I'm working on a computer project with my group that night."

"What about me?" Terry asked, in mock offense. The three of us gave him a look.

"I thought you were so desperate to help my elderly grandfather?"

"And I don't want you to see the dress before the dance." Dana added.

"I thought that was only for weddings?" Max spoke up. We had a good laugh when Terry and Dana's faces reddened.

Every Friday for our lab in robotics, we had a building competition. Mr. Stauffer said it would help us in our careers because we'll be on timed schedules. He picked teams of two at random each week to build a robot based on a given topic and then class takes a vote on the best idea. We could only use the materials in the lab and had an hour to draft and build it. This week was police gadgets.

I was paired with Alec, the one kid who signed up for robotics as a joke. He thought it would be easy. He learned quickly that wasn't the case and had no idea what he was doing. So that gave me creative freedom for our device. He did give a few helpful ideas though. I'd tell him what I needed and he'd go get it. It was like I had a lab assistant. My idea was simple and quick to create, so I ended up making two.

"Okay! Time's up, tools down" Mr. Stauffer announced. "Zak and Drake, you can go first."

Zak and Drake's gadget idea was an inhibitor built into handcuffs, which cut off meta-criminals powers. It was great idea, but once they started building they realized the lab didn't have inhibitor tech, they didn't get to finish.

My idea was enhanced bolas (those weighted balls on a string that people throw). I had Alec stand on the other side of the room to demonstrate. I spun them over my head once and threw the bolas weakly. A few of the guys laughed at the pathetic throw but stopped when the bolas continued straight for Alec and wrapped around him. Then the bolas released steam.

"Very interesting, Jamie and Alec. Could you explain what you used and how it works?" Mr. Stauffer asked.

"Well, the bolas worked even though I purposefully threw them weakly." I emphasized. "They have hover tech and heat locking sensors that activate when swung in a circle. As you can see," I pointed to Alec, who struggled to remove himself, I came over to help him, "They're pretty tight." I removed them and walked back to my original spot. "But if I put some effort into the throw," I threw them with more force, "They get tighter. The harder they're thrown, the tighter they'll make themselves. The sensors in the metal balls detect the speed and calculate how tight to pull themselves." Alec couldn't move his arms at all.

"What about the stuff sprayed once it wrapped him up?" someone asked us. I nodded to Alec since that was his idea. I may be fine with talking to crowds, but this was both of our project.

"Um, well, the magnets inside set off knock-out gas to knock out the person, but we used steam instead," Alec said nervously, as I removed the bolas again. Not the most technical terms for it, but he got the point across.

"Very interesting. Now how would this be helpful for the Gotham police force?" Stauffer asked. Alec answered. He actually knew this one better.

"Its more for one on one chases, like with drug dealers and thieves." He said confidently.

"Alright, any more questions?" Stauffer asked the class.

"Yes. I have one," a voice from the back called out. I inwardly cringed. It belonged to Rupert Jennings, the kid I was battling for the top grade in robotics.

"If it uses heat to find a target, how would it work in a crowd?" He asked. I hated that he pointed out a flaw in my design. Probably payback for when I did it to him last week.

"This is more for a secluded incidence in non crowded areas." I explained. Hey, I only had so much time to make it. At least I had made two.

"So why should the police even use it?" Rupert shot back at me.

"Because its cool and catches criminals on the run!" Alec exclaimed. Bless his little non nerd heart.

"Alright that's enough. Since Zak and Drake didn't finish, Jamie and Alec win by default. Congrats!" Alec gave me a high five. "Class is dismissed. Have a good weekend! Teams, hand me your prototypes and any draft papers," Stauffer announced. Everyone rushed out. I told Alec I would take care of it and he left.

"Jamie, very well done today. But I have to ask, how did you get heat sensors? We don't have any in the lab." Mr. Stauffer asked me.

"I might have rewired some circuitry to be a heat sensor," I smiled sheepishly. Stauffer looked impressed.

"Wow. That's really advanced Jamie. Where did you learn that?"

"I taught myself. I had a lot of free time this summer."

"Very impressive. Keep it up and you'll have a very nice job at a place like Wayne-Powers one day," Mr. Stauffer complimented. I laughed at that.

"Well, I think I pretty much already do have a job there, considering my grandfather owns half of it."

"That's right! I forgot about that. I actually went to school with Damian Wayne. Interesting kid."

"Still is," I commented. I hadn't seen Uncle Damian or Tim since Alfred died five years ago so I didn't actually know.

"Is it possible if I can get that back before next Thursday? I'm going home and want to show my Dad." I knew it was a long shot because Mr. Stauffer liked keep partnered stuff to stop fights from happening.

"Sorry Jamie, you know my rule." He gave me an apologetic smile.

"I get it." I said, dejected, but then I remembered the second one.

"Have a good weekend!" I called as I left.

Dana was waiting with Terry by the car when I got out there.

"Ready to go?" She asked me.

"Now? I thought we'd go later. Like after dinner."

"Oh come on Jamie, I'll take you to dinner. My treat!" Dana said as she stated pulling me towards her car.

"I'll tell Bruce where you went," Terry called after us.

"Not like he'll care. He'd be more worried if you didn't show," I called back and he laughed.

A few hours later, we were in what seemed like the 50th store of the night.

"What do you think?" Dana asked for the hundredth time. I didn't hate shopping, but it isn't as fun if you aren't shopping for yourself.

"I like that one the best so far." I told her. It was a red dress with black accents. It truly was the best. She had tried on some really strange dresses. I never understood fashion. I'll just stick to my vintage t-shirts and jeans.

"I like it too. This is the one!"

"Finally! I'm so hungry. Can we go get some food?" I whined.

"Sure," She laughed.

The shop was in a rough part of Gotham but Dana had insisted on looking there. I didn't really care because Dad had been teaching me judo and aikido since I was six so if anyone tried to attack, I could take them. Gotham still made me a little uneasy though. It was already dark out so we hurried to the car.

"So, do you want to eat anywhere in particular?" Dana asked.

"Um, I don't really know any places."

"You mean Bruce hasn't taken you anywhere?" She seemed surprised by that. Why were people shocked when I revealed that Bruce was an introvert? The only reason he leaves the Manor is for board meetings at Wayne-Powers.

"We're not exactly close. Him and Terry have a better relationship."

"I noticed," She said, bitterly.

"Hello ladies," A skinny, sleazy looking guy came out of an ally we had just passed. "Do you have any spear change for a poor hungry man?" He tried to play pitiful, but came off as creepy.

"Not for you. You'd probably just use it to get your next fix of whatever," Dana spat. I didn't know she could be so vicious. I liked it.

I noticed his eyes darted to her purse a half a second before he moved to take it. I had his arms twisted behind his back before he could touch her. He cried in pain but manged to get a good kick to my knee. I fell in shock and pain. He started to run off with Dana's purse, and I was in no condition to chase him. Then I remembered the second set of bolas in my own purse. I quickly pulled them out and threw them as best I could from my spot on the ground. They worked beautifully and the thief fell with a thud. He was wet from the steam it sprayed. Dana and I walked up to him, and Dana grabbed her purse from his greasy hands.

"What was that!?" She asked me.

"Just a little something I made in robotics." I said cockily. Not so useless now, huh Rupert?

"Not the gadget, your moves. You had his arms behind him faster than he could blink. Where did you learn that?"

"Ah that. My Dad is a detective and has made a lot of enemies over the years. He wanted me to be able to protect myself if one of them ever tried to come after me. Although I'm out of practice with real people. Practice dummies don't exactly fight back," I said, embarrassed the thief got the better of me. Dana laughed.

"Hey! Would you two quit yakin' and untie me!" our thief shouted from the ground.

"I don't know. What do you think, Jamie?" Dana gave me a mischievous look. I really liked Dana's dark side.

"I think our friends at the GCPD would love to meet this little twip. Wouldn't you agree?" I said overly cheerful. We were playing the sarcasm a bit thick, but it was fun. I hadn't been able to do that with anyone since Anni and Kohana.

"Good idea!" Dana already had her phone out and called the police. I dragged him over to a light post and used the extra cable attached to the bolas to tie him to it.

"Next time, think twice before you try to steal from someone." I whispered darkly to him.

The police were there in minutes, got our statements and took the thief away. To our surprise, Commissioner Gordon showed up. Apparently our thief was a big player in Gotham's drug trade. So Dana wasn't to far off in her guess of why he wanted money. The Commissioner wanted to know how two high school girls took down a major criminal.

"It was all Jamie. All I did was call you guys," Dana told her. Commissioner Gordon looked to me.

"I did what anyone would do," I said. Yes I know that's the most cliché answer, but what else was I supposed to say? I was no Batman.

"Don't be so modest. She stopped the guy with one move. And then tied him up with gadget she invented," Dana gushed. At least someone was impressed, because the Commissioner kept a neutral expression on her face.

"Well congratulations girls. You stopped one of Gotham's worst. That's something I would've expected from Batman. What were your names?"

"Dana Tan."

"Jamie Grayson." She looked at me for an uncomfortably long moment.

"Dana do you have a ride home?" She asked, still looking at me. I resisted the urge to squirm.

"My car is a few blocks away. Jamie and I were headed to eat."

"I suggest you just head home, get some food and sleep. I'll have one of my officers escort you to your car."

"But what about Jamie?" Dana asked what I was thinking.

"Don't worry. I'll take her home." The Commissioner said. Dana and I looked at each other, confused.

"Okay. I'll see you Monday, Jamie." Dana said, still confused. I gave a small wave.

The Commissioner motioned for me to follow her to her cruiser, and I did as a feeling of dread came over me. I followed silently towards what was most likely going to be the most uncomfortable car ride of my life.

So this chapter became a lot longer than I intended so I had to split it and didn't end where I wanted it to. Sorry about that. I promise that Jamie will discover who Batman is really soon.

On another note, I'm home from school for the next two weeks, so I should get far enough ahead in my writing to start posting twice a week.

Fun fact: I changed the name 3 times before I decided on Jamie. And there's a specific reason for that, but you'll find out why later.