| abstract | - Robin: "Do I have to remind you that a warehouse full of killers is looking for us right now?" Stephanie Brown: "Isn't it romantic?" Robin: "NOT EXACTLY." After her rescue at the hands of Robin, the Spoiler reveals to Batman what's really going on between Gully and the Cluemaster. It's up to Stephanie and Robin to take down the thieves once and for all. Summary of Stephness: Steph has been held captive for a couple weeks by the Gully Carson gang working with her father. Tim comes to rescue her, but she's handcuffed to the bed. They use that as a shield and weapon to dispatch the thugs . When Tim gets Steph loose from the bed, she suggests thanking him for saving her life the way he thanked her when she did the same for him, and grabs him and kisses him. She actually pins him down on the ground in her enthusiasm and when Tim angrily points out they're being pursued by gunmen she replies, "I know. Isn't it romantic?" However, she does make a break for it with Tim, who calls up the Redbird for them to get in via remote control. She teases him for naming his car and Tim notes she's extremely perky for someone who's been held hostage, and she quips, "Well, if it's what a girl has to do to meet a guy like you..." to which he replies with the usual "Steph..." Stephanie continues her perkiness by insisting on getting into costume and accompanying Tim, to his chagrin. They meet up with Batman, who is less than impressed and lets the surprised duo know her Dad orchestrated the kidnapping. She jumps off the roof and Tim follows her, expressing shock at the revelation. Stephanie scoffs and tells him to get a problem, and Tim sputters that he had problems, citing school and girl trouble. Stephanie guesses he has a girlfriend and is having problems with her due to his vocation. Tim is upset he's revealed so much and that Stephanie can always get him talking. Steph glibly replies it's okay if he hates her and takes off her mask saying, "You know what they say about love and hate..." Tim sighs and tells her to put her mask back on and that it isn't a date. She replies sarcastically. After a computer search on something Steph overheard (She also implies her kidnappers made sexually suggestive comments to her while she was captive) they figure out Carson is headed to steal some diamonds. Tim and Steph make it to the location in time to see Gully shoot his partner, and Tim says they should wait for Batman, but Steph scoffs once more and goes ahead, nailing Carson with a kick to the head. However, the guy grabs his gun, but Tim dives in front of Stephanie and takes the bullet for her. She screams his name and Gully starts to get away, but Steph grabs the diamond he dropped and throws it at his head, nailing him and knocking him unconscious. After making sure he's really out, she quips, "Huh. Diamonds are a girl's best friend." Then, hearing a groan, she remembers Robin has been shot. However, due to his Kevlar vest, he is alive, but apparently very badly bruised. He says, "See why we're 'way too serious?'" and Steph replies, caressing his face, "I can see your girlfriend's a real jerk if she's walking out on you." She helps him up, and he compliments her aim, to which she responds, "And they laughed when I stepped onto the pitcher's mound." The book ends with the Cluemaster getting a visitor in jail. We see Carson there too, with his head bandaged. However, Arthur sees the visitor is his daughter and tries to pacify her, but she replies by punching him in the face. He calls for help from the guard while she continues to beat on him. The prison guard, sitting outside the door with a magazine, informs him he still has ten minutes of visiting time to go, and he deserves every second of it.
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