Batman #26

MAR 2004 - #26

created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Riddle Me This . . .
by Dave Sopko

It was an overcast day in Gotham City.

Edward Nigma was sitting in the warehouse he had decided to use looking out a window. He had to have the girls plant the clue soon. The only way that the crime was worth attempting was if he could outsmart the police and the Batman.

"Quiz . . . Query," he called out. "come over here please."

A blond and a brunette sauntered over to where he was sitting. "Yes Riddler?" they said in unison.

"Girls, I want you to go plant the riddle now. Be careful not to be seen . . . okay?"

"Of course Riddler," Quiz said as she gave Edward a peck on the cheek.

"Wouldn't think of being spotted," Query said as she took the envelope from his hand and kissed his other cheek.

"Good, good," he boomed as he stood up. "Boys . . . let's go distract the Bat!"

Seven burly men stood up and gave a bizarre cheer at the thought of some action.

A motorcycle came zipping into a downtown parking lot.

"That'll be ten bucks for da day," the heavyset man in the booth said.

"What's the charge for a week?" the rider asked.

"Fifty bucks gets ya till next Sunday." The man said with heavy breaths.

"Fifty . . . six days . . . " the young man on the motorcycle mumbled to himself. "Might as well . . . not sure how long I'll be in town." He reached into his pocket and gave the attendant 50 dollars for a week's parking.

The man handed him a sticker with a date scribbled on it. "Put dis on yer windshield. You can park the bike under that awning over in da back."

After putting the bike in the back of the lot, the young man stepped into the shadows and took off his helmet. He flipped up the hood of his sweatshirt, and pulled it down so that it covered his forehead. He put on some sunglasses, and walked toward the street.

The Riddler drove the van through the streets of Gotham. Dropping off his henchman at a variety of spots downtown. Their mission was to keep the Bat busy throughout the day, and not get caught. The Riddler had instructed them to do things, but to not stay in one place too long.

Shilo had just finished up a training session with Batman. He was getting ready to go change clothes and get a bite to eat, since Alfred was no doubt making another grand spread for their lunch, when Alfred's voice came over the intercom. "Master Bruce. Lunch is ready."

Bruce hit the intercom, "Thank you, Alfred."

While eating lunch, Bruce turned on the news.

" . . . where the Riddler's henchmen have been causing the police problems all morning. Several of them are in custody already, but it seems that there is something bigger planned for tonight."

Bruce looked at Shilo. The boy was sitting staring intently at the television.

"Shilo. I want you to go out and look for the Riddler tonight. Observe only. No contact unless absolutely necessary. Understand?"

"Yes," Shilo said with smile on his face.

"I just want you to follow him and find out where he is based out of. I have another thing I need to attend to first. Then I will join up with you, so keep in contact."

Andrew Nolan was walking the streets of Gotham looking for the warehouse district. He had an address that he got from going through some of the papers that Doc 30 had left behind at the last building he was using.

He had to find the warehouse soon. It was starting to get dark, and he didn't want to be on the street to late. He could handle himself in a fight if he had to, but he hated fighting. He was too afraid of hurting someone.

He was also hungry. He saw a fast food burger place on the next corner, and decided to get something to calm his stomach.

Later that evening, Robin was on patrol.

He was under orders from the Batman to trail the Riddler and find out where he was holding up.

He had found the Riddler's assistants, Quiz and Query, a little earlier in the evening, and had followed them until they met up with the Riddler.

He listened from a rooftop, just out of their sight.

"Okay girls, here's the deal. The boys are gone. The gig's up. Gotham City was too prepared," the Riddler babbled. He was talking so fast, Shilo could hardly understand him.

"What are we going to do Eddie?" Quiz asked him.

"Get outta town as fast as possible," the Riddler said as he reached into a pouch on his belt. "Here, take some cash and get to the safe house in the city. I'll get some things and meet you there. I gotta think things through."

The two women took off out of the alley, and were gone.

The Riddler turned and started walking the other way. "How did I forget about the Super-Unit Police? I was so wrapped up in outwitting the Bat, I outwitted myself."

Nigma unlocked the warehouse door and slipped inside.

Andrew Nolan came around the corner and slunk into the alley. He had gotten an address of an abandoned building that the Doctor was supposedly using.

He was peering into the windows of the warehouse. He saw nothing that resembled the Doctor's equipment.

Andrew hung his head in disappointment. He was always two steps behind the Doctor, and was never any closer to finding his brother.

Robin saw the Riddler enter into the building.

Then he saw a young boy, who couldn't be much older than him, enter the alley and start looking around in the windows.

Who is this now? Robin thought to himself.

Andrew was sitting across from a freight door of the warehouse. His head in his hands. "I'm sorry Doug. I keep screwing this up . . . "

His apology to the brother that wasn't there was cut off by the sound of a motor revving in the warehouse.

The Riddler was peering out of the window. He saw a young boy sitting outside of the doors.

"Stupid kid's gonna get himself hurt. I'll scare him outta the way real quick. Teach him to snoop around where he shouldn't be."

Nigma got into and started up the truck. He reached over and put on his seatbelt. "Gotta be safe . . . " he said, and then broke out in hysterical laughter.

He put the truck into gear, and pressed the gas to the floor.

The truck lurched toward the door with amazing speed. "Goodbye Gotham!" he said as he crashed through the door.

Robin was already moving when he heard the truck hit the door.

He was swinging towards, and yelling for the person that was standing right where the Riddler was going to get out of the way.

Andrew Nolan saw the doors explode outward, and noticed that there was a costumed person behind the wheel of the truck. Maybe he knew where the doctor had gone.

A smile came over Andrew's face as he concentrated. If the Riddler, or Robin for that matter, could have seen better in the dusky light, he would have seen the flesh color on the youth's face give way to a steely hue.

Robin knew that he wasn't going to get to the boy in time, and that the boy was not moving. He did however notice that the boys posture had changed. He seemed more rigid, more solid, and was actually stepping into the truck as it sped towards him.

"LOOK OUT!!!" the Riddler cried as he hit the youth straight on. The last thing Edward Nigma remembered was being hit in the face with an airbag, and being pinned into his seat by his seatbelt.

Andrew Nolan put his hands out in front of him, and the truck hit him full force. The hood crumpled, and Andrew found himself standing about a foot into the engine compartment when the truck gave out.

Robin landed safely to the side of the truck. He could hear the Riddler moaning, and the boy screaming about his brother.

The Riddler fumbled with the seatbelt, and finally got it off as the door to the truck was ripped off its hinges by the boy that had stood in front of him.

"Who's yer brudder?" the Riddler mumbled. "Whosa Doctor . . . is there one near? Cause I think I need one."

Andrew was holding the Riddler in his hands now. Holding him up by his lapels.

"Where is Doctor 30?" Andrew cried. "Where is my brother?"

Robin came up behind the young man that had just stopped the Riddler in his literal tracks.

"Just put him down," Robin said. "He's in no shape to answer anything right now."

Andrew dropped the Riddler, who hit the pavement and went unconscious.

"I'm sorry," Andrew said as he turned towards Robin. "I thought he might know."

"Know what?" Robin asked. "Where your brother is?"

"Yeah. The Doc used this building for a while. I found notes that had this address on it. I gotta keep looking."

Robin looked at him. "What's your name?"

"I gotta go."

"Wait," Robin said putting his hand on his arm. "Maybe I can help."

Robin felt like he was grabbing a metal pipe when he grabbed Andrew's arm.

Andrew turned to him. "Please leave me alone," he said as he moved his head forward very fast to head-butt Robin. He never hit him though, Robin was already moving backwards to avoid the impact. It merely caused him to loose balance, and the shifting Andrew did back to flesh and blood caused his grip on his arm to loosen.

By the time Robin regained his balance, Andrew was running out of the alley and turning the corner, and The Riddler was waking up.

Robin looked down, and shook his head. "So much for just observing," he said as he called Batman to see what to do next.

A short time later, Batman came down over the buildings ledge. As he descended, he saw a truck that looked like it had hit a telephone pole sitting in the middle of the alley.

The Riddler was sitting, secured, with his back against the truck mumbling something about the SUP, a boy of steel, and being stupid.

Batman and Robin searched the warehouse quickly, but came up with nothing to lead them to the Riddler's other safe houses in the area. They left the Riddler for the Super-Unit Police, and made an anonymous call to the police.

Once out of sight, Batman lifted his arm. "Rotors here in two," he spoke into his glove.

Batman then turned to his young partner. "What was the name the boy said? Doctor 30?"

Robin nodded. "He said something about finding his brother as well. Doug . . . I think."

The Bat-Copter appeared overhead.

"I want you to go looking for this Iron kid," Batman said as he climbed into the copter. "I'll check into this Dr. 30."

Andrew Nolan walked towards the hotel that he had rented earlier in the day. "Maybe tomorrow Doug . . . maybe tomorrow."

Next: Andrew's story.