The Lone Knight (Under The Cowl Book #1)

CHAPTER 3

Waking up to the sound of sirens in the distance and a splitting headache, the world around Stephanie spun with seemly no end in sight.

Stephanie felt her seatbelt pinched her shoulder and collarbone, quickly forcing her to regain whatever bearings she could muster where she found her world upside down and not at all how she remembered.

An epic collision will tend to give that effect.

Smoke filled the air around her and skewed her vision. She scrapped her fingers across the rim of her boot reaching for the smooth blunted knob that would likely guarantee her freedom if she could get her hands on it.

Reliable and the only tool Stephanie's never gone without, freed her trusty switchblade tucked inside her boot.

A gift from her father the first time he came home from prison many years ago. It's gotten her out of more jams and protected her more times out on the streets of Gotham after she gave up caring whether or not her mother, too high on drugs, wondered if she ever had a balanced meal. And a father too busy calling his 6x8 cell home to wonder if she had a roof over her head at night to call home.

With the push of a button Stephanie cut her seatbelt strap and released herself from the passenger seat.

She dropped down onto the roof of the car and crawled her way through the shattered windshield.

Ignoring the aches and pains throughout her body, Stephanie pulled her way to freedom and onto the cold and rough pavement.

Despite every limp that made her want to fall in the middle of the street, and every car she wanted to lean against in the hopes to catch her breath, Stephanie powered through the pain and made her way out of sight and into a desolate alley before dropping back down onto the cold and wet cement ground.

Better to settle in the darkness in order to remain hidden, she said to herself wondering if this was how Batman thought? Hiding in the darkest recess normally seen during the light of the day oddly kept people away. Perhaps discovering what many were too afraid to stare into what could change so drastically was what made his vanishing acts seem so effortless?

The sudden downpour definitely made it easier to believe the average passerby will not find her here. The night owls and streetwalkers are either waiting for the rain to end or racing to get home and out of the rain to even notice a wounded vigilante.

But if drawn to this area anyway, at least the wrecked car smoking from the engine and sirens echoing in the distance will keep their attention occupied.

The flashing red and blue light above the black and white police vehicle stopped behind and in front of the demolished getaway car driven by the criminals they were pursuing.

The cops circled the overturned vehicle with their guns drawn. They moved in cautiously and shouted for the thief who remained to come out with his hands up.

Aggressive warnings were standard by the police. But it might take them a minute to realize they will have to drag the unconscious criminal from the driver's seat.

"Another win for Gotham's finest I suppose."

Stephanie climbed up off the ground and made her way to her feet, proud of her accomplishment.

With her back against the wall in order to hold herself up, she removed her mask and began to head into the darkness that coated the alley.

"Hey, I'm going need to stand there sir!" the startled voice of a cop shouted.