Nina Stenet
"Great acts are made up of small deeds." - Lao Tzu
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Player: Avalikia ~
Registered On: Nov 4, 2010 0:01:40 GMT -5 ~
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Post by Nina Stenet on Feb 16, 2011 1:01:40 GMT -5
Ah, details... So tedious sometimes, and yet so ultimately important. But then, Nina's profession, gift, and in some ways her whole identity was wrapped up in seemingly small but important things. All it takes is one slightly misshapen protein to kill a person, and she knows this better than anyone. It would seem to her that precision of words between her and someone potentially dangerous to her could have even more drastic consequences.
Once she's given her answer, Nina becomes calmer again. She's not one to agonize over a decision that's already been made, and she'd rather not waste mental energy on such an issue anyway, not when she's just agreed to play game she's very interested in winning if she can.
She remains silent until she's spoken to again, but her eyes are clearly amused after the comment about the King being placed into check. Whatever lies between her and the freedom to go elsewhere, she's fairly confident it's not something she can't deal with. Would it intimidate him if she were to back out of this now and show exactly what she's capable of as she made a grand escape, or would that only intrigue him more? As tempting as the former is, she doesn't want to risk the latter. No, she's staying right where she is because, for the moment at least, it seems like a better alternative than gratuitous use of her gift, and there may yet be a better opportunity.
She looks mildly surprised and actually just a bit more interested in what's going on when she's asked so forcefully what she wants to drink. The demanding way he says it seems to hint that it's a part of the game, and if so she's sensing that he's making yet another mistake not unlike the one that allows him to sit so confidently in her presence. "Water is fine," she replies for more than one reason.
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Last Edit: Feb 16, 2011 20:31:35 GMT -5 by Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2011 20:31:10 GMT -5
He couldn’t help but enjoy the surprise look that danced on her face for few seconds. It was the same enjoyment he got when he saw Batman’s mask crack with bewilderment, and just like the Batman she quickly hid her surprise with a deductive expression.
While he studied the woman’s thoughts, Edward lifted a finger towards Robby and waved it to the kitchen. Robby nodded and whipped his body in that direction like a high-class butler. “The game is simple,” he continued as he reached into his pocket feeling around for what he was looking for. “Who ever loses consciousness loses the game,” he stated grabbing hold of the white tablet. Robby had appeared with the Brita water pitcher from the refrigerator. He pulled the tablet out of his pocket as Robby filled the two glasses three quarters of the way full. Edward didn’t take note to the boy; his focus was entirely on the woman. He held the tablet up between his fingers so she could see it. “This,” he twisted it between his fingers, “is an intense sleeping pill I was able to obtain from Oswald Cobblepot. It dissolves at the first contact of liquid. When consumed the person will lose consciousness in exactly 3 minutes and 37 seconds.” He slowly dropped the white tablet into the cup nearest to him. He watched as the white tablet dissolved in a matter of seconds and became as clear as the water it sat in. “You and I will change the cups location on the table until we are uncertain where the tablet is. Then we drink. Simple, or must I explain it again for your dim witted mind?” He smiled broadly at his insult before leaning back against the couch.
The game really was quite simple, but he knew she would over think it. She had over thought every one of his actions since she stepped into her apartment. He couldn’t blame her though, since he constantly did the same thing. At this point, he almost expected her to take back her agreement to play. It would be unfortunate, but if she decided not to play then he wouldn’t have to keep the promise. He could still put in effect his other plan. He tilted his head to the side causing his bowler cap to shift on his forehead giving him a mischievous look. Your move Nina, he silently taunted.
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Nina Stenet
"Great acts are made up of small deeds." - Lao Tzu
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Player: Avalikia ~
Registered On: Nov 4, 2010 0:01:40 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 696
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Post by Nina Stenet on Feb 16, 2011 21:56:50 GMT -5
The moment that The Riddler starts explaining about the tablet, Nina's hand goes to her forehead and starts slowly rubbing it as if easing a headache. But she's silent until he finishes explaining, though the offensive question at the end prompts a disbelieving laugh that dies after the first sound. "No, I got that, thank you," she answers immediately, though her thoughtful tone indicates that there's more for her to say... but she's not immediately sure what. While it's blatantly obvious what she should do in this situation, what she should do and what seems right to her are different. Cue the internal debate...
"Unfortunately, I'm going to have to forfeit because I'm incapable of following the rules," she says simply once she's made up her mind. Since when has she ever chosen to do what she should? And for once this isn't a refusal out of defiance, but simply out of a sense of fair play. Sure she could go through the motions of such a game, take the guaranteed victory, but if she ever said that she was uncertain which glass contained the big, obvious, sleep-inducing molecules that would be a lie. And while she could try to simply not use her gift to win the game, she wasn't sure that she could help herself in a situation that seems this important.
Her eyes grow a bit curious as she glances from the glasses to The Riddler, wondering how he'll take her answer. Will he connect that statement to what few facts he knows about her secret, and if so what will he make of it? So long as she's being so careful to reveal as little as possible, the connecting thread between her various abilities - especially without knowing any details besides the fact of them - is still probably impossible for even someone like him to figure out.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2011 2:16:54 GMT -5
Her response was unexpected to say the least. Most would jump at the opportunities to play such an easy game. It was not a difficult task to keep your eyes on the drug-induced cup. He had already been planning on drinking the sleeping pill. He had also expected the woman to drink from her glass. The very glasses he had switched out with his own specially made ones to look exactly like hers...except for one added measure. Unnoticed to anyone unless they worked particularly with molding glass, but even then would be difficult to find. Once a person’s lips made contact with the clear object they were quickly knocked out. The point of the game was not the pill, but merely to stay conscious longer then the other. It was a point any average person would easily miss. He planned on being unconscious and his henchmen taking them both to where his real riddle was set up, but instead….
Instead she forfeited.
Had she determined the true riddle in this game? No, he marked off that idea as soon as it popped up. If she knew the true meaning of the game, she would have inaccurately accused him of cheating. Instead, she merely states she can’t follow the rules. The only rule he described was the mixture of the glasses. Did she believe following the glass with ones eye was cheating or was there something more? Maybe…maybe she knew where the drug was without even following….no. If she could determine drugs in a simple water cup, she could determine the chemical in the glass and the drug outside in the hallway. Her suspicions would be confirmed meaning she would not be so causal about the whole matter. Her form would be much more tense. She wouldn’t be looking at him with those big curious eyes, she would be subjecting him to distrustful glances. Instead, her eyes were full of a small amount of worry and interest. The worry look he recognized from the museum. It was the look she gave him when she thought she might connect the pieces. She had given him a clue, but a clue he didn’t understand.
How does knowing the placement of drug relate to the surviving of a gun?
He couldn’t connect a path between the two. He mentally scolded himself for the failure, but the riddle wasn’t over yet. “Forfeit? I feel the need to remind you that by forfeiting you lose. So I believe by that definition you have an obligation to answer my riddle,” he stated with small smirk as he rubbed his hands together. He was being forced into plan B, but by gaining the valuable puzzle piece made it worth the hassle.
(OOC: I'm assuming that Nina can only determine particles that one, she is paying attention to, and two different from the normal chemical make up. So unlike the disruption of water, the drug in the glass is actually part of the make up, and therefore does not show up uniquely in comparison to the other glass particles. lol you're statement through me off so i had to work around it.)
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Nina Stenet
"Great acts are made up of small deeds." - Lao Tzu
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Player: Avalikia ~
Registered On: Nov 4, 2010 0:01:40 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 696
~ Relationship Status: Single
~ Character Profile
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Post by Nina Stenet on Feb 19, 2011 5:35:33 GMT -5
Seeing no sign that that tiny hint helped him (and she's sure that if it did he would have gleefully rubbed it in her face), Nina is at least able to comfort herself in knowing that her secret remains safe. "Yes, I know," she responds to the reminder, sounding weary. But even as The Riddler finds that he doesn't have enough pieces to solve his puzzle, Nina realizes that she has enough to solve hers. "Unconsciousness - the point of the game, the reason you're here. Which means that you intend to kill, kidnap, or rape me with less risk to yourself. And since you also seem so interested in asking me this riddle of yours, and it takes place after the game, I assume it's the second one," she says in a rush as that realization falls into place. "And it can't be an ordinary riddle if you can't ask it here... De calcaria in carbonarium pervenire," she adds in a mutter. That conclusion feels her with a cold feeling of trepidation that shows easily as perhaps the first example of real fear to cross Nina's features the entire time he's been in her apartment. Thus far he hasn't presented her with anything that she sees as a challenge or a threat, but an unknown something concocted by this man will do it all right. However, the fear eases just slightly as she reminds herself just how many advantages she has - and they don't stop at her gift. Still, this gamble with her personal safety seems to be giving her more and more uncertain odds, and she doesn't like that at all. But a look of determination gradually wins out as she says, "If I'm right, I'm willing promise my full cooperation if I can keep my consciousness." Because if she doesn't cooperate, the only alternative is to fight back, and she rather suspects that she has more to gain if she saves that as her own Plan B. And if she's going to cooperate, she might as well do so in a way that allows her a better margin of safety - who in their right mind would trust their unconscious selves to someone they don't trust at all? (OOC: Partially correct, if I understand what you're asking correctly. Nina does have to be paying attention to sense something - in fact she'd have to check the exact right part of it - so unless she checked the glasses themselves she wouldn't know anything was amiss. Her inability to play the game without 'cheating' is more because it'd be for her like trying to drink a glass of water that might have bugs in it without looking to see for sure one way or the other first. So she does not know about the switched glasses. However, it's quite likely that if she did check that she would notice something; since her gift allows her to feel things at the molecular level, she wouldn't be feeling a solid glass but the molecules it's made out of. Given that working with things that interact with cells is her specialty, she's also quite likely to recognize a molecule meant to do that, though she'd be hit or miss on being able to identify what it does if it's not one she'd be familiar with. Does that make sense? It's mostly academic at this point anyhow. Also, what she said is Latin and directly translates into 'out of the kiln into the coal furnace' which is, naturally, equivalent to 'out of the frying pan and into the fire'. ;D)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2011 0:12:35 GMT -5
His fingers tapped along the edge of his jean-covered knee as he chewed over her words. She had first deduced his true reasoning of coming here. He couldn’t say he was surprise. He hadn’t tried to hide his intentions from her, especially at this point in the game when the promise had already been made. Her request is unsettling. It would be pleasurable to not lug around dead weight and enjoy challenging conversation, but her being conscious would ruin other things in his organize structured plan. The comment in Latin surprises and humors him. Latin was almost a forgotten language, and yet it slipped off her tongue easily.
His fingers stopped moving as he focused his eyes on her. Her figure had tensed only slightly and the breathing had picked up just barely. The way her lip was almost frowning as if she was lost in her own thoughts was the true clue to him. She was scared. Not enough to obviously show it, but enough that it unsettled her thoughts. The emotions almost made her look cute, like a stray dog stuck in the rain type of cute…or pity. “I don’t believe you can call it kidnapping then if you are willingly coming,” he remarked causally at her logic, “I will have to inform the GCPD to take that horrible offense off my record.”
He found himself smirking as he reached out for his cane and pushed himself off the couch. He pulled out his phone from his pocket with his other hand. As he walked to the door he sent off a quick text before gracefully putting the blackberry in its place. When he reached the door and turned to see Nina still sitting on the couch he stated dryly, “Stare decisis?” He slowly opened the door. He then waved a hand dramatically to the exit like a theatrical performer bowing at his performance.
(Translate: Stare decisis means in latin to stand by the decided thing. In other words to uphold your commitment or the previous ruling.)
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Nina Stenet
"Great acts are made up of small deeds." - Lao Tzu
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Player: Avalikia ~
Registered On: Nov 4, 2010 0:01:40 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 696
~ Relationship Status: Single
~ Character Profile
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Post by Nina Stenet on Feb 23, 2011 6:25:43 GMT -5
Having made that bold offer, Nina can only hope that The Riddler will go along with it. The other possibilities are... a lot less pleasant for her at least. But why wouldn't he? If she cooperates, that would make this whole thing a lot easier for both of them, wouldn't it? And she has to breathe a small sigh of relief to herself when his words seems to indicate his acceptance; at the very least she can rest assured that she's probably safe until they go wherever he wants to take her - and she'll gladly take that sense of security, however temporary it may be.
And once Nina feels that small window of opportunity to relax, his complaint about the definition of what's happening strikes her as funny in a dark sort of way. "Hmm, you're probably right," she agrees with obvious humor in her voice, "I should try not to throw around such accusations so easily; I wouldn't want to risk accidentally tarnishing your good name."
When The Riddler gets up, she remains put, merely because she doesn't want to give him cause to worry about her by acting without direction. But when he does, she's quick enough to comply, answering his question with: "Fides servanda est." A noble sentiment that she tries to follow whenever she can. Standing, she calmly walks through the door as requested.
(OOC: Fides servanda est is Latin and means that faith (as in a promise or a trust) must be kept.)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2011 17:06:02 GMT -5
As she walked by he kept his devious smirk hidden on his face. Finally, she had actually overlooked one of his actions. He almost started to believe her deductive skills were as talented as his own, but she took his actions as an acceptance instead of an avoidance of the question.
His posture straightened as she walked into the hallway. Before he left, his eyes locked with the small boy still waiting in the apartment. He nodded for him to follow, and as always, similar to a dog, he obeyed. Edward then turned to the woman waiting for him and walked right up to her. He couldn’t help the humorous smile playing on his face. This situation was very different from most. He didn’t usually have woman waiting for him…so calmly…especially when they are about to face a riddle. Yet there Nina stood with a small smile on her own face. He couldn’t help but enjoy it.
Like a man taking a woman on a date, he gently placed his free hand lightly on her lower back. “I must admit I never planed on you walking out with me. Most are quick to stupidly run from the unavoidable,” he said slightly louder then usual as he led her pass the stairwell and towards the elevator. “I have another fun childish riddle for you though to pass the time,” he commented as he reached out with his cane and pressed the down button. His grip on her back only tightened for a moment so he could keep his balance off his leg. “A man went 20 days without sleep, yet he didn’t feel the slightest bit tired. How did he managed to do that?” he asked not at all effected when Allen’s big hand quickly covered Nina’s mouth with a chloroform rag.
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Nina Stenet
"Great acts are made up of small deeds." - Lao Tzu
~
Player: Avalikia ~
Registered On: Nov 4, 2010 0:01:40 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 696
~ Relationship Status: Single
~ Character Profile
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Post by Nina Stenet on Feb 23, 2011 18:54:21 GMT -5
Even someone as strong in power and will as Nina has their faults, and one of them is a tendency to be a bit more trusting than she really ought to be. She's only human, after all, though as faults go it's one that she doesn't mind having. It's not in her nature to expect deviousness, though that's something she's quite likely to learn very quickly in The Riddler's case. In fact, if she'd known about the true nature of the glasses used in the game she didn't play, she might have anticipated what happens next.
Instead she allows herself to be led like the proverbial dragon held by a thread. And his comment reminds her why: while she's she's almost completely confident that she can run from this situation, she's unwilling to do what she'd need to in order to hide effectively. And it doesn't seem very likely to her that by simply getting away now she'll convince him not to try again. So in that way, this situation is unavoidable so she might as well deal with it now.
"Running away from the unavoidable just makes you tired," she maxims. Plus it reveals several truly helpful hints about her abilities, and of course she doesn't want to give him that if there's a way to avoid doing so. And while the odds are good that she'll be forced to give him more 'hints' before this is all over with, if she's lucky they'll be less blatantly obvious than the ones that would occur in a dramatic exit. In her experience, the more complex the thing you're trying to affect is, the more options you have. And the more likely that one of those options will produce completely baffling results.
When he asks her another riddle, it proves to be sufficiently distracting. She has some medical knowledge on the subject of sleep and the lack thereof, so she could easily come up with several perfectly logical answers that nevertheless are probably not the answer. Of course, she can hardly begin to try and work it out before the rag is abruptly forced onto her face.
Her first reaction is purely reflexive: the rag muffles a cry of alarm, and her body tenses in preparation of a struggle. She knows what chloroform smells like, and automatically holds her breath after only enough of a whiff to make her feel somewhat light-headed. But that only delays things a little because she hadn't been prepared to hold her breath and so she's now unable to do so for more than a few moments. And the thought of fighting back only flares up briefly before it's discarded; hadn't she just reminded herself of why that was a bad idea?
Instead her eyes shift over to The Riddler, and they hold no more fear than usual. And not anger either - that will come when she has a bit more time to appreciate the situation. No, she's feeling very, very disappointed. When she breathes again its in the steady pattern of someone doing so deliberately rather than the gasp of someone forced to do so by the need for air, and she blacks out quickly after that.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2011 20:11:22 GMT -5
His eyes focused on hers as she took in a natural breath. He couldn’t quite place the reason the look bothered him. Instead of smirking like he naturally would when he got what he wanted he found himself frowning. His ability to easily read a face told him she was disappointed.
Disappointed…
Disappointed in what? He naturally thought it was another attack on his pride. Had she expected more from him? Had she thought this plan rather cliché and predictable? Admittedly to himself, his plan B was not creative, but she was still manipulated into the situation. It couldn’t be that predictable. Maybe, she was disappointed in herself for trusting him…yes. If he had been in her place he would be greatly disappointed in himself for missing the most obvious clues to his intentions.
As he watched her lids close and her body go limp in the large man’s arms, he pushed his thoughts away. It didn’t matter. He had won this part in the game, and he would win the next. Edward smiled confidently at that thought as he leaned towards the unconscious woman. He jokingly patted her check softly with his gloved hand as he answered his riddle, “He sleeps during the night, dear. Simple, but I believe it has been too much of a challenge for you that your brain shut down. That’s okay. Rest up for the next one.”
He straightened his form to look at Allen who just finished rolling his eyes. The big man took the rag and stuffed it into his pocket before swinging the woman over his shoulders. “Ya should just take the gal to the pictures,” the big guy mumbled in annoyance.
Edward decided to ignore the stupid comment and head back to the apartment. He reached into his jacket’s inside pocket and pulled out a card that had a green question mark on the back. On the front of the card written in typewriter font read, “ED WEEPIER OGLE PHOTO.” As he passed Robby he commented off handedly, “Hold the elevator.” The blond boy furiously nodded his head before running off towards the elevator where Allen and Nina were.
Edward opened the door to Nina’s apartment as the elevator let out a ding to its arrival. He took in the apartment once more before walking over to the two cups full of water. He placed the riddle right beside the cups. Are you playing the game Batman or have your skills at chess become rusty? he thought as he went back to the exit. The man in a pen stripe green jacket and bowler cap smirked, shutting the door behind him.
“Checkmate.”
-All the glasses have been switched with the specially made drug induced glasses. The real glasses are hidden in the bottom cabinets. -The Riddle is an anagram that actually states Where do people go to die? (If you need more help with it pm me.)
-There will be no sign of struggle
-The front desk men will be dead
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