Getting the Scoop [Nina]

[Deleted]

Vicki Vale entered Gotham City Central with her camera bag strapped firmly to her shoulder. She was there to see Doctor Nina Stenet, the latest stabbing victim of the Riddler. Her source at the hospital had confirmed that Dr. Stenet had come out of her coma, despite other media reports that the good doctor was still unconscious, in critical condition in ICU, and was not expected to live.

It had been five days since Dr. Stenet had been admitted. Vicki had gotten to the hospital as soon as the story broke, but she grew tired very quickly of the vague answers she received from staff doctors and nurses on duty. Now, after waiting a few days, she was back, ready to get an exclusive interview with Dr. Stenet while the competition was off covering the massive manhunt being conducted to find the Riddler. Vicki wasn’t about to waste her time with that, knowing full well that the criminal mastermind had gone into hiding and was nowhere to be found.

Vicki already knew what floor and the room number she was looking for. Even if she hadn’t, the security guard standing in front of the door was a dead giveaway.

Taking a deep breath, Vicki sashayed her way to the door and tried to enter without saying anything, but the large pollceman stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

“Name please?” he asked.

“I’m a friend of Dr. Stenet,” Vicki replied. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to stay anonymous. She knows me.”

The guard frowned. “No, it’s not all right with me,” he said, pointing to his clipboard. “If your name isn’t on the list, you need to leave.”

Despite the security guard’s protests, Vicki kept insisting on seeing Dr. Stenet. “I know I’m not on the list of allowed people,” she agreed, waving her press badge in his face. “Do you know who I am? I’m Vicki Vale with The Gotham Gazette!”

“I don’t care if you’re the daughter of frickin’ God, lady,” the officer grumbled. “You’re not getting past me! Now move along, or I’ll see to it that you’re confined to your own private hospital room. Understand?”

A determined woman, Vicki wasn’t about to admit defeat and started arguing with the policeman. Their voices carried all the way down the long hallway, and Vicki was certain that Dr. Stenet could hear them through the private room door.

[Nina Stenet]

Indeed, the commotion outside is loud enough to hear in Nina's room. Though at first it's ignored - there's a reason, after all, why this room is being guarded - it keeps out the idly curious. It does not, as some might assume, do much to protect against anyone who might wish to do harm to Nina as those individuals are hardly going to be stopped by a lone police officer. But that's why there's other elements at play her to help ensure her safety.

And when whomever the owner of the female voice exchanging words with the police officer is refuses to quickly back down, another one of the elements decides to intervene. Someone who is just idly curious would give up before raising that big of a fuss, and anyone truly dangerous would have a better plan - drawing that much attention to yourself is generally a bad idea if you're doing something nefarious. Still, that doesn't mean that Nina would just invite them in.

Shawty, who lives up to her nickname by standing at a mere 4'9", is a young, blond woman who knows how to pull off a professional, business casual look even when she's practically living in Dr. Stenet's hospital room and has been spending the past several days functioning more in her bodyguard duties than her many others as Dr. Stenet's assistant. And she's the one who opens the door only wide enough to get a clear view of who the officer is talking to. Sizing up the reporter, she asks, "Do you have I.D.?" When shown the press badge, Shawty takes it and says, "Wait." The door closes behind her as she goes to consult with her boss.

Several minutes pass - probably long enough for Vicki to start asking just how long she's supposed to be waiting and what exactly is going on in there that would take so long. But finally Shawty reappears at the door and hands back the badge. "Dr. Stenet will agree to talk to you if you'll agree to let me search you first," she says with an overly serious expression.

[Deleted]

Vicki was startled when the door opened just enough for Shawty to peer out. At first, Vicki thought Shawty was a small child, but it only took her a few seconds to realize that the little person was actually a grown woman of small stature. The reporter sighed heavily when she was asked to produce identification, frustrated by the fact that no one seemed to know who she was or even recognized her, despite her well-known reputation. Such was the consequence for choosing to work behind the camera instead of in front of it.

After handing over her press badge to Shawty, Vicki had no choice but to wait patiently in the hallway. Her anxiety grew as she pondered how many more hoops she’d have to jump through before she was allowed inside that room, but she refused to let it get the best of her. To pass the time, she made mental notes of the questions she wanted to ask Dr. Stenet. She tried putting herself in the doctor’s shoes and tried to imagine being betrayed by someone who was supposed to be a good friend -- her best friend. The only person who came to mind was one man: Bruce Wayne.

“Like that’s a far stretch,” Vicki laughed to herself, thinking about her on-again/off-again dating relationship with the billionaire playboy. Bruce was no Riddler, but he knew how to press her buttons and jerk her chain like no one else could. Intentional or not, it hurt like hell every time.

Finally, the door opened again, and Vicki focused on the task at hand. She was a little shocked when Shawty asked her to agree to a pat-down.

"Be my guest,” Vicki laughed nervously as she assumed the position against the wall. "Just don’t have too much fun.”

[Nina Stenet]

Contrary to what Vicki might believe, even if it had been Summer Gleeson at the door - who is easier to recognize since she's on television all the time instead of writing more for the newspaper - Shawty would have still asked for identification. Considering where and why they're in the hospital, that should be understandable - Dr. Stenet's personal security is being taken very seriously right now.

Partly due to the nature of the possible threats against her. Edward isn't the only person to be somewhat concerned about, but he's the first to come to mind for obvious reasons, and he probably knows full well that showing up here only disguised by the fact that he's in not in costume - a favorite trick of his - just wouldn't cut it. So he and possibly anyone else who may wish Dr. Stenet harm could very well send in someone less instantly recognized as a threat. Someone from the media seems less likely to be one, as they have an obvious other reason to want to see Dr. Stenet, but then again it's not like everyone doesn't know that.

All of which may make her seem absolutely paranoid, but then again she'd had the opportunity to get to know a lot about Edward and his methods - paranoia is a survival tool with him. Thankfully, all signs of just how deep their former relationship went have been kept from public knowledge. Oh, there's definite hints - the police report showing her as a witness to the museum robbery, the faked murder with the Ventriloquist and Edward having been seen on the scene only for her to reappear unharmed a month later, the FBI's arrest and her escape from custody - though the police also have on record that she was shot in the knee twice while she was being questioned by them so the escape was perfectly justified, really. Perhaps someone nosy enough could even find out that she visited with Edward once in the asylum after the FBI left.

But that was months ago, and the the fact that she was stabbed by the man certainly indicates that if her relationship with him had ever been positive, it certainly isn't now. The only thing she's really been involved with lately is her medical research - which, though impressive, doesn't make for very interesting news. No, it's really only the fact that she's been stabbed by the Riddler that's put the spotlight back on her, though the tactic of convincing the hospital staff to be vague about exactly how she's doing seems to have largely worked. But not completely, apparently, if someone is still trying to get that part of the story this long afterward.

The joke causes Shawty to crack half a smile, and she comments, "Maybe if you were Chris Hemsworth, that would be fun." But no, searching people is hardly a favorite job of hers. It is, however, very necessary if they're going to maintain the level of security that they want while Dr. Stenet is recovering. Her boss, after all, can't get out of bed right now - and that fact weighs heavily on Shawty. It means that if something bad happens they can't run away, even a short distance. So it's better to be safe than sorry and in spite of the fact that she doesn't enjoy the task she does a thorough enough job that one might wonder if she was trained by the TSA.

Fortunately, she finds nothing alarming, though she does give all the woman's electronic devices a careful lookover before she returns them - just to make sure that nothing looks weird about them. But, satisfied, she steps away again and says, "Thanks for putting up with that - we can't be too careful." Actually, Shawty is still skeptical about this, but it had been Dr. Stenet who had decided that meeting with Ms. Vale would be a good idea and not her. Heading back into the room, she motions for her to follow her inside.

The room itself is pretty standard for a hospital, from the sterile scent of antiseptic cleaners to the quiet beeps of the heart monitor. Nina is laying in her bed, sitting up thanks to a combination of the back being adjusted upwards and being propped up by pillows - she has a long ways to go before she'll regain her strength. But in spite of her physical weakness, she appears to be quite alert as she watches Ms. Vale coming in. "I see that I've been caught being alive," she comments dryly, just a hint of humor in her voice. She's not in the best of shape - she's rather pale and nobody looks their best two days after waking up from a brief coma. But for someone who could have easily bled to death on her kitchen floor five days ago, she looks very good.

[Deleted]

Vicki glared at the security guard as she passed by him and followed Shawty into the hospital room. Despite his best efforts to send her on her way, she had managed to get herself inside without having her name on the A-list. Accomplishing that objective made her feel really good, but she didn’t have time to gloat about her success. She had a deadline to meet.

Stepping inside the room, Vicki made sure the door closed all the way behind her before she turned and faced Dr. Stenet. The lighting was dim, but she could see the doctor’s face clearly. Vicki was glad she was sitting up in the bed, but the woman looked like hell. With everything that the doctor had been through in the past several days, Vicki understood totally though and decided not to bring attention to it.

Vicki didn’t like hospitals. She hated seeing hurting people, especially helpless victims of violent crimes who were suffering with the consequences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What upset Vicki the most though was that Nina Stenet hadn’t put herself in this situation; the Riddler was the culprit, and that very thought made Vicki’s blood boil. She wanted to find a scalpel and go and castrate the son of a bitch.

Vicki could tell by the way Dr. Stenet was positioned in the hospital bed that she was alert, but still very weak. It was evident that there was a long road to recovery ahead of her. Vicki wanted to spare Dr. Stenet that journey, but she knew the experience was necessary for complete healing – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sometimes the emotional scars never healed. Vicki hoped that wouldn’t be the case in this situation.

“Yes, you’re alive, thank goodness,” Vicki commented concerning the doctor’s dry and humorous statement about being caught being alive. “I wonder if I should call you ‘Ms. Lazarus’ instead of ‘Dr. Stenet’! You’re very lucky to be alive, Doctor. At one point, we didn’t think you were going to make it. It’s good to see that you pulled through this.”

Vicki watched and waited for her words to register with the woman.

“Look, I didn’t come here to upset you,” she continued. “I’m here to get your story. Others need to hear the truth about what really happened to you. You’re a survivor, Dr. Stenet, and I know your story will inspire my readers, if you give me the opportunity to interview you. I understand if you’d rather rest right now. I can come back in a few days when it’s more convenient for you. Just promise me that you won’t talk to any other reporters and that I can have this exclusive.” Turning to Shawty, she added with a smile, “Make sure my name’s on the A-list.”

[Nina Stenet]

When Vicki gushes a bit about how amazing it is that she's alive, Nina simply comments, "I'm very lucky." Not as lucky as she seems to be - well, perhaps her gift was a part of her good fortune in this situation, but it's not quite as miraculous as it appears to be. Or maybe it is? She still has to wonder to herself why Edward hadn't done what he'd actually needed to in order to ensure that she didn't survive - perhaps the fact that he underestimated her was a part of her luck? Though in any event, no matter what part of what happened you count as blind luck, she'd had more than her fair share of it that evening. Even with her gift involved, so much could have gone wrong.

As Ms. Vale pleads her case for an interview, Shawty walks along the far wall then stops where she can observe the conversation without being intrusive, leaning against it in a casual way. It just so happens to be the right angle for her to be able to shoot the reporter without worrying that she'll hit Dr. Stenet if she has to - because while she's doubtful anything like that will end up happening, it's still better to be safe than sorry. She frowns slightly though when she's spoken to, and she quietly responds by stating, "I work for Dr. Stenet, not for you." See, she has this thing about being told what to do by anyone who isn't paying her for the privilege.

Though Nina thinks that her assistant didn't have to say it that way, and gives her a long glance before turning her attention to the reporter and frowning in thought for a moment as she tries to figure out how to respond. "I can talk just fine - that's not an issue," she starts, a bit more humor playing across her features as she adds, "But if you want me to get up at all, then we'll have problems." Hmm, but how to phrase the rest of it? "I don't think that others need to hear the 'truth', and I don't care to inspire anyone," she says with a somewhat stronger frown, "In fact, the longer people assume that I died, the more time it will take for the Riddler to realize that I survived, and the more time I'll have before I need to worry about him coming back to fix that." Indeed, there are more stakes here than Ms. Vale is probably aware of.

"But..." Nina continues, "He's going to find out eventually anyway. And I have, well, things in place to help keep him away from me. And you being here is proof that I can only keep news of my survival from getting out to everyone else for so long too - and I suspect that many of them won't be nearly as polite about wanting to report the story. And as I'm far from interested in being mobbed by reporters, I insist on giving you an exclusive - they'll leave me alone that way. And I looked over some of your recent work, and it's not bad." Which, given just how little Nina cares for the news media, is actually quite decent praise. "I will say, though, that it would be helpful if you took your time in getting it published."

[Deleted]

Vicki concluded from Shawty’s comment about being in Dr. Stenet’s employ that the tiny woman was hired help. Vicki didn’t blame Dr. Stenet for having a bodyguard. She would, too, if some lunatic like Riddler was out to kill her. Because he hadn’t succeeded the first time, there was always the possibility that Riddler would return to make a second attempt on the good doctor’s life. Vicki hoped that Dr. Stenet wasn’t all book sense and had the common sense not to let Riddler close to her ever again. Unfortunately, Dr. Stenet most likely would always be looking over her shoulder from now on, wherever she went, whether Riddler was arrested or not.

“You’d better keep a tight rein on Thumbelina,” Vicki warned Dr. Stenet, giving Shawty a stern look. “I may not be a Charlie’s Angel, but I assure you that I can take care of myself.”

When Dr. Stenet shot Shawty a long glance, Vicki relaxed. Then she waited patiently as Dr. Stenet focused and responded to what had been shared and requested. Vicki was glad to hear that the doctor had taken precautionary measures to keep herself safe, and she could hardly suppress her joy when she was given the exclusive.

“You won’t be sorry, I promise!” Vicki exclaimed, bouncing with delight. “As far as the reporting goes, I can talk to my editor about running the story in segments. We won’t be able to wait forever, but we can give you a couple of weeks to get back on your feet and get out of this place before we go to press. As long as you don’t talk to any other reporters, everything should work out just fine.”

With that, Vicki looked around and studied the layout of the room. “Do you mind if I take some photos?” she asked, planning some dramatic shots in her mind’s eye. “I like to get that out of the way first. Then I can sit down and conduct the interview. Depending on how long we go, we may have to continue it tomorrow. Is that okay with you?”

[Nina Stenet]

An irritated frown crosses Shawty's features as she says, "It's gotta be terrible being that tall, birds always trying to build nests in your hair like that... Oh! Sorry, that is your hair... my mistake..."

This time Nina frowns a Shawty, not pleased by that remark. She turns back to Vicki with an apologetic smile as she introduces, "This is my assistant, Sh-"

"Shannon Morrison," Shawty interrupts. She lets pretty much anyone call her by her nickname, but after the 'Thumbelina' crack, Ms. Vale is off that list.

Nina gives an exasperated sigh and, trying to gather up as much dignity as possible she tries to continue with, "Now if we can refrain from offending each other..."

"She started it," Shawty again interrupts, folding her arms in front of her as she continues to frown at Ms. Vale.

At that, Nina doesn't really know what to say. It's true, but then again, Vicki is a reporter and her guest, technically. What's the etiquette for this situation? She's hardly going to tell Shawty that she needs to leave if she's not going to be nice, and she doesn't really want to dismiss Vicki either. So instead she simply sits there for a moment with an awkward expression on her face.

Fortunately, there's other things to think about, and she seems to relax somewhat as Vicki explains that it won't be a problem to delay the story somewhat. Given the time-frame that she's talking about, Nina is guessing that Edward will learn of her survival by other means first and that means that talking to Ms. Vale will put her at no greater risk than she already is. "That sounds great to me!" She's not opposed to telling much of her story, after all (or at least not the 'official' version), it's just that her personal safety comes first.

Though the moment that Vicki asks about pictures, Shawty's attention is immediately grabbed and she firmly says, "No pictures." Nina glances at her assistant and says, "Hmm, apparently I do mind." She pauses for a moment to consider before she asks, "Perhaps if you want photos we can do that later? When I'm out of the hospital?" But rather than looking at Vicki, she's looking at Shawty to see if there are any objections, but though her assistant frowns for a moment she eventually nods her agreement to that idea.

[Deleted]

Vicki didn’t acknowledge Shawty’s comment about her hair. Actually, she liked the fact that the woman had a sense of humor. At least, she hoped it was humor.

Dr. Stenet’s hesitation when introducing Shawty triggered a red flag in Vicki’s mind. Either “Shannon Morrison” was her assistant’s real name or an alias. It was obvious the good doctor was hiding something; Vicki just didn’t know what and decided not to press it.

“That’s a lovely name, Ms. Morrison,” Vicki complimented, looking over at Shawnty who had a frown on her face and her arms folded in a defensive stance. If looks could kill, Vicki would be dead and in the freezer of the basement morgue, thanks to that death stare.

Vicki was surprised when Shawty came to life and broke her silence at the mention of taking photographs. As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Vicki grimaced. What was she thinking? Nina looked like hell, and she was going to take pictures? Of course, Vicki was thinking about the “sympathy angle” with readers. It had everything to do with supply and demand - - the more vulnerable Nina appeared in the photos, the more papers that would sell. Vicki hated losing the dramatic effect of Dr. Stenet’s current condition, but she didn’t want to exploit her either.

“I apologize,” Vicki said to both ladies. “That was very insensitive of me. Yes, we can schedule a photo shoot on another day. No problem.”

She was relieved when both ladies agreed to that.

Retrieving a chair from the opposite corner of the hospital room, Vicki positioned it near the bed and got comfortable. With her recorder in hand, she settled into to her seat and prepared to conduct the interview.

"Let's get started, shall we? First set of questions: How did you get involved with Edward Nigma? Why did he attack you? Did you have any reservations that he might do something like this to you one day? There are some people who would argue that having a relationship with a man like Mr. Nigma was tempting fate."

[Nina Stenet]

Actually, that was part humor and part extremely sincere insult, phrased in such a way that it could be passed off as a joke of somewhat poor taste - just in case Shawty needs to pretend that she didn't mean any offense. Even though she really did. But working with such subtleties is Shawty's bread and butter, at least when she's in a somewhat poor mood. She doesn't acknowledge the compliment about her name, partly because she's now severely annoyed with this reporter and partly because she really can't agree - 'Shannon Morrison' is a very plain name that doesn't really mean anything to her, never mind that it's the one on her birth certificate.

But, quick to want to move past all this awkwardness, Nina is quick to say, "Oh, no need to apologize - I wouldn't mind, but it's a security issue." Apparently, anyway - she personally doesn't see any reason why the woman can't take some pictures, as she's hardly vain about her appearance even though she knows that she must look terrible. But Shawty's main job right now is simply keeping her safe, so she can only assume that would be why her assistant would object even though she's not sure why photos aren't harmless. Yet she trusts her assistant's judgment on such matters, and she'd be stupid not to listen.

As Vicki settles herself, Nina finds herself getting mentally prepared for this. She suspects that the reporter will be thorough, and she still has a lot of secrets to keep as well as a lot of other things that aren't exactly secret but she wouldn't like to become public knowledge anyway. And you can never be sure with reporters just how hard they'll push for the story over what you'd prefer, even if they say that they'll be sensitive about how they use your words. Better to not say them to begin with and avoid that entirely.

"Well, I first met him when I happened to be at a museum at the same time and place that he intended to rob it. He pointed a gun at my head and asked me a riddle - wonderful man," is her first answer, her last two words absolutely drenched in sarcasm. "I have no idea why he attacked me this time, honestly. I hadn't seen anything or heard anything from him for months, until five days ago. And I've certainly never done anything to provoke him to do anything like this. But what else can you expect from the man? He's a terrible person! I don't think that he can help but hurt everyone he interacts with eventually," she continues, speaking quite easily. She could rant about him like this for hours without repeating herself, actually, but she figures that she should stop there since she's answered the questions.

[Deleted]

As Dr. Stenet answered the first round of questions, Vicki took notes on a stenopad with a ballpoint pen. Although she was recording the conversation, she jotted things down to remember them.

Vicki’s eyes widened when Nina revealed that she’d met Riddler with a gun in her face. “He threatened to blow your head off - - that’s a great first impression," Vicki said humorously with a hint of sarcasm, trying her best not to offend Nina or Shawty. “Do you remember the riddle, Doctor Stenet? Most importantly, did you know the answer? I guess you did, or we wouldn’t be talking face to face.”

Although the words seemed to flow freely from Dr. Stenet’s mouth, Vicki could sense tension in her voice. There was something she wasn’t saying. It was time to pry a little bit.

“I need some clarification. You said you didn’t know why Riddler attacked you ‘this time.’ What does that mean? What happened between your first and last encounter with him? Did you see each other at all in the interim? If so, how many times did you get together? Did you try to develop a friendship - - maybe a relationship - - with him?”

She waited for a moment to see if Nina would get defensive and object to this line of questioning.

"You're telling me that you hadn't seen the Riddler for the past several months. Forgive me, but I'm not seeing a motive for the crime. Could you have done something that upset him? Did he approach you for something? Money? Sex?"

Although she felt she was being a little hard-nosed with Dr. Stenet, Vicki didn’t think she was as intimidating as Batman or The Question would be in this situation.

While waiting for Dr. Stenet’s response, Vicki's thoughts drifted to The Question. She didn't know how the mystery man had known she was going to press for this interview, but he had met her two days ago and revealed that Dr. Nina Stenet was a decent person, just another pawn in the "conspiracy", he'd called it. He had told Vicki that he'd investigated Dr. Stenet, and that she was not the Riddler's lackey.

Vicki was eager to hear Nina’s answers; she was curious to see if The Question’s assessment was credible or not.

[Nina Stenet]

"What quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck, but isn’t a duck?" Nina recites instantly, not having to pause for even half a moment to remember it. Only after she's said it does she pause for a moment, looking somewhat lost in thought before she adds, "And yes, I knew. It's not a very hard one, after all." Yet there are so many memories tied to that riddle - in a way it was the beginning of everything. The first time that Edward had ever threatened her...

But the questions that Vicki asks after that cause her to snap out of that memory somewhat - not all the way since they're connected to it - but she's now attempting to poke into things that Nina would rather not talk about. Or, to be more precise, she'd rather not think about them and - while talking about them would probably actually be kind of healthy - it would be stupid of her to talk about it with a reporter instead of a close personal friend or a therapist.

But after grappling with the questions in her mind for a moment, a frown develops on her face as she eventually sighs and comments, "It was very complicated. And very messy. And I'm not sure how I feel about any of it anymore." She shakes her head, knowing how incredibly vague and unhelpful that is. But it's not as if she's going to tell just anyone about the true nature of the relationship she'd had with Edward. She's not even sure how to define it anymore anyway. Sighing again, she adds, "And that's the only answer I have to give - sorry." Fortunately for Vicki, she's not one to get defensive, but she is very much in the habit of avoiding unwanted questions by completely refusing to answer them - that she's actually giving an answer at all should be counted as her at least trying to say what she can. Even if it's not really a decent answer.

At least the next set of questions are a lot easier to answer. "I have no idea what his reasoning was," she replies, her distant, thoughtful frown very quickly being replaced by an angry one. "I don't recall doing anything at all recently that he'd care about. He didn't ask for anything at all either. As far as I can tell, the only reason why he was there was to kill me - nothing more or less," she replies, her fingertips subconsciously digging a little into the blanket covering her. It's all so... senseless. He should have simply left her alone! Or if some issue had come up, he should have talked to her about it. But then again, since when has Edward ever seen the sense of talking to her about anything? Well, he'll just have to pay the price for forgetting that she's not just another piece on the chessboard.

[Deleted]

Vicki watched the doctor’s eyes as she recited the riddle verbatim and without a moment's hesitation. She seemed to be in a faraway place, mentally lost in the nostalgia of memories that would haunt her forever. Vicki could tell the thoughts were cherished and loathed simultaneously, reflecting the love-hate relationship Dr. Stenet shared with Riddler.

Dr. Stenet’s vague answers didn’t bother Vicki at all. In fact, she was paying more attention to what the doctor wasn’t saying.

“Okay, so you don’t recall saying or doing anything to instigate the attempted murder,” she summarized, reviewing her notes. “Then let me ask you about details. Where exactly did Riddler stab you? I know you were unconscious for five days, but what is the last thing you remember before you went comatose? Were you alert when the ambulance arrived, or did you pass out right away? How deep was the wound? How much blood did you lose? Did you need a transfusion? If so, how many did you have?”

[Nina Stenet]

While the questions about her past with Edward are extremely difficult for Nina to answer, not only because she doesn't want to say too much but also because she just doesn't know what to do with all the mixed emotions that the memories case, there are certain questions that are beyond easy for her. Explaining where she was stabbed is one of them. "He stabbed me in the upper back: through the lower trapezius and upper latisimus dorsi muscles - in the space between the scapula, spinal column, and the sixth and seventh rib - and into the back of the right ventricle of the heart," she explains without having to think twice about it, perhaps causing Vicki to regret asking Nina for the exact location - she happens to know her back the same way most people know the back of their hand.

"And - to correct you - I was unconscious for three days: I've been awake for two, so it's been five days since it happened," she states, simply trying to help the woman keep her facts straight. It's probably hard keeping track of the details though - so many facts to keep straight. Nina knows that she would never make a good reporter. Then again, her own memory for things like the differences between two strains of bacteria is probably better than Vicki's would ever be, so she figures that people just learn to retain what they have to.

Her expression grows more firm as she continues on to her memories of the actual incident they're talking about. Unlike the others, these are far less mixed emotionally - she's just plain angry about the whole thing. Some of that anger is directed toward herself for not having handled it all better, but most of it is firmly against Edward. "The last thing I remember is pain - I don't even remember hitting the floor, just the pain," she says with a frown, "I must have passed out quickly though, from what I've been told - my assistant can probably give you better details, since she was there and I just don't remember." And most of what she does remember is not something she'd tell a reporter.

"But I was told the wound was almost five inches deep. I don't believe they tried to calculate how much blood I lost..." Nina starts on the last few answers, but is interrupted by Shawty saying, "Too much." She casts her assistant a reassuring smile - she did survive, after all, before she turns back to Vicki and finishes by saying, "I believe we're up to 12 RBC units - they keep saying I might benefit from another, but I don't think I want it." She frowns slightly as she briefly remembers that minor argument with her doctor before she adds, "But that would mean that between the stabbing, the surgery, post op, etc. I probably lost about two-thirds to three-quarters of my blood."

[Deleted]

Although Dr. Stenet spoke with medical jargon she didn’t understand, Vicki continued to take notes, grateful that the conversation was being recorded. She would play it back later for exact wording and research purposes.

When Doctor Stenet corrected her about the time frame, Vicki nodded. “Okay, three days. Thank you for that clarification. I want to be accurate in my reporting. For the record though, your condition has been kept confidential by the medical staff here. The press assumes you’re still comatose.”

Vicki evaded telling her about her source at the hospital who had phoned her immediately after Nina had regained consciousness.

“Five days ago, I came to the hospital and found out you were sequestered in ICU,” Vicki revealed. “With nowhere else to turn, I ended up interviewing some of the personnel here. An emergency room technician informed me that one out of every ten people entering a hospital needs blood. From what you’re telling me, you lost most of your blood. You’re lucky to be alive.”

Vicki squinted and wrinkled her nose as she tried to imagine the five-inch gash in Nina’s upper back. It frightened her to think the wound had been inflicted upon the woman deliberately. Although the sharp, steel blade had been lodged so deeply that it had pierced the heart, she thanked God it hadn’t caused a fatal injury, assuming that was Riddler’s intended purpose.

Vicki went down her mental list of basic questioning etiquette. “Let’s see . . . who, what when where, why, and how. We know WHO was involved: you and Riddler. We know WHAT happened: an attempted murder. We know WHEN it happened: five days ago, and we know HOW it happened: a malicious stabbing. As for WHY, I guess we’ll have to wait and get that answer straight from Riddler himself someday. It looks like all that’s left to answer is WHERE it happened.”

Although Nina had said she didn’t know the motive for Riddler’s actions, Vicki’s reporter instincts were telling her differently. Vicki tried her best not to come across accusatory, but she had a strong intuitive feeling that the doctor had more insight concerning the incident than what she was actually sharing. Too bad it was just a hunch; she’d have to keep those thoughts and feelings to herself, in spite of the fact that past experiences had taught Vicki that she was usually right about these things, in most cases. She hoped Nina was planning on pressing charges, once Riddler was caught.

“So, where were you when Riddler attacked you?” she inquired.