[JUST OUTSIDE GOTHAM]

[confound]

It's another lovely, sunny day in the suburbs outside Gotham. The people visiting State Bank & Trust go about their usual routines, rushing in and out only to wait impatiently in the teller queue. It's all very boring, very dull.

New bank teller Amy is manning the spot closest to the door, and she's grateful for it. The a/c is on the fritz again and the occasional waft of air from the better-cooled entryway is an all-too-brief relief. The heat isn't helping her concentration any, either; it's like thinking through a fog. So when her latest customer slips her a green note marked with a yellow question mark, she doesn't think much of it. She unfolds it on autopilot and stares blankly at it's contents.

It lifts but it doesn't carry. What is it?

"I... I don't understand." She mumbles quietly, and when she looks up there's a gun in her face.

"It's a holdup." The man grins, and that's when she notices his suit is green. His tie has a question mark on it, too, and he's wearing a mask under that bowler hat that she didn't notice at first. Oh, god.

It's perhaps not the Riddler's best work but he's statisfied enough. Besides, why bother effort on the teller? The real fun puzzle is elsewhere. All he wants here is the goddamn money already.

Behind him, Benny and Trigger are already starting crowd control. Batman's nowhere in sight. It's a lovely day.

Comments

[confound]

The Riddler closes the distance between him and the riddle-solver, stepping over one hostage then actually just walking on the next because he looked rather sturdy. He stops just short and sets the end of his cane on the ground just shy of her hands.

"Well, well, well," He chuckles and leans forward on his cane. There's a moment where the barrel of the pistol is level with her face, then the hostage next to him moves in a way the Riddler doesn't appreciate. It's the construction worker, and he ends up with the gun against his head. "Excuse you."

And then he goes back to talking to the interesting woman as if he hadn't been interrupted. "Now, for something a little different, a bonus round... What's in my pocket? You get three guesses, miss."

[sweet_caroline]

Oh shit that was definitely the wrong thing to say, that is a gun in her face-- and now it's not. Uh. Well. The cane is still way too close to her hands, and the Riddler is now way too close in general.

Caroline squints up at that last "riddle." Of course, there's no getting this one right. That might be all for the better, really. Once she gets it wrong she can be a boring hostage again.

"String or nothing," she says after a moment. Might as well play along properly.

[confound]

The Riddler rests his chin on the hand on his cane. He's mostly crouching now, but he can tell from the sounds of Trigger across the bank that the tellers are still not done. And the manager has not yet returned, either.

"String or nothing. Alas, miss, your winning streak has ended. However... Is that one guess?" His mouth turns down in a thoughtful sort of frown. "Or was that perhaps two? It was a singular statement, but two objects. My, this is tricky."

[sweet_caroline]

"If Gollum gets it as one, then so should I. It's only fair." Caroline's blurted that out before she can stop herself. Don't tell a guy with a gun what is or isn't fair. Jesus, Caroline.

Well either way, she's due at least one more guess. "Would it be the One Ring then?" She blinks up at him. Look, I'm tiny and harmless, please don't decide to shoot me.

[confound]

The Riddler presses his lips into a very thin line and inclines his head, eyebrows raised. It's a Look. He's giving her a Look. His tone of voice is nothing if not amused, however. "I suppose I should at least abide by precedent."

He slowly shakes his head. "Unfortunately, no. One last guess."

The construction worker has ceased whatever it was he was doing that bothered Riddler so, so he has the relief of no longer having a gun against his skull. It's relief tinged with the knowledge the Riddler still might shoot him, but that applies to everyone, really. Especially the little red-haired riddle solver.

[sweet_caroline]

Well, that was close. Fuck, and she's all out of Tolkien-related guesses. Uh, well. Hopefully, she won't get a bullet to the brain when she inevitably gets it wrong. And for fuck's sake, Caroline, don't sass him again.

"Keys?" She knows it's wrong. It really doesn't matter. There's no getting this one right. She can only try to keep both the gun and the Riddler properly in her view, and hope she doesn't get shot.

[confound]

The Riddler considers that guess for a good long moment. "Mmmmm... no. Not even lukewarm, miss. You've missed by quite a long ways, in fact."

It's perfect timing that he hears a familiar voice shout, "Boss! We're good to go!"

He glances over his shoulder to see Benny and Trigger, bags slung over their shoulders and in their arms. Full bags. And not a moment too soon.

He stands, tucking his cane under his arm so he can reach into his suit pocket. He retrieves a small book and tosses it at her. It lands a few inches shy of her hands. Pocket Sudoku, 27th Edition. Then he tips his bowler hat to her before meandering away through (and occasionally over) the other hostages. He scoops the last bag of cash up, slings it over his shoulder, and leads his two henchmen right out the front door.

[sweet_caroline]

Caroline stares blankly at the puzzle book that lands in front of her. She's not dead, but he did throw the book at her. She lets out a quiet hysterical giggle.

Fortunately, the Riddler is swooping out the door with his ill-gotten money. For lack of anything better to do, she reaches for the book and pulls it to her. She expects crosswords, but gets... Sudoku.

She doesn't even like sudoku.