The topic of discussion in school that day is the classic behavioral pattern of "fight or flight." Moreover, what makes a person choose one over the other? And never has there been a more apropos topic for Stephanie Brown's life. Just like the people still living in Gotham's Western Quadrant (nicknamed "Thunderdome"), the site of last night's riot. She has every opportunity to leave behind this life of risk and danger, so why doesn't she?

That night at the urging of her hunky classmate Francisco, Stephanie decides to attend the Gotham Harvest Festival. You know, like normal people do. But she can't shake the feeling of being a fish out of water. Everyone is so happy and jovial. All she can seem to think is "What does Gotham harvest anyway?" But something is wrong. Someone has spiked the punch bowl with a new street hallucinogenic called "Thrill." Her bitchy classmate Jordanna isn't usually the nicest of people but to Stephanie's knowledge she isn't the type to growl and hurl punch bowls at people's heads!

Calling for a medic for Jordanna, Stephanie takes off in search of the dealers who spiked the punch. Thanks to the technology left behind in Cass's old suit, Oracle is able to patch into Steph's location and help her fight off the thugs. But they still manage to make an escape. However it turns out that the "Thrill" drug these gangbangers had been trying to sling was also found in the blood of the boy whose death sparked off the riots last night making this case a high priority.

Unfortunately, when her server overheats trying get the ID on the drug dealers Barbara realizes that her modest set up inside her downtown Gotham apartment isn't going to cut it. She needs a system with a little bit more kick. And luckily she knows the location of a recently vacated super-hero hideout with plenty of computing power at its disposal. Most call it the 'Bat Cave.'

Harnessing the power of the Bat Computer, Barbara forms a composite 3D image of the Harvest Festival attendees from which Steph is able to pick out the head gang member. And fortunately it just so happens that 'Gangbanger Steve' is in the back of Det. Nick Gage's squadcar on his way to booking. Barbara makes it very clear that this is the end of the line for Stephanie. But Steph is determined. She's made her choice. And whether Barbara likes it or not, she's going to see this case through.

Things however are about to get far more complicated than either lady could anticipate when Detective Gage's squadcar is ambushed. Enveloped in a thick red cloud of toxic gas, Steve is pulled from the back of the car and taken elsewhere. Gage's partner is found face down in the alley, an electrified batarang sticking out of his back. And the person orchestrating it all? The Scarecrow.