Obfuscation (Lex Luthor and The Riddler)

[alexanderluthor]

The Iceberg lounge; one would be unable to find a more centralized location of corruption and villainy.

A restaurant for the wealthy, a night-club for the hip, or a meeting place for the most dangerous individuals in the United States? One of the few locations that managed to pull off all three. Alexander Luthor had visited the restaurant on more than one occasion, for meetings and dealings of every kind.

From the lucrative business sort to the under-handed, legally ambiguous sort. Ironically, the latter had been documented, and Lex was forced to return for another such negotiation to rectify the situation. It truly was lamentable; the depths which human beings were forced to sink to in the name of protecting their way of life.

Lex arrived at the Iceberg lounge in a shockingly white limousine. Armored, reinforced, and driven by his most trusted associate, Lex had dismissed the possibility that his opponent planned to ambush him en-route. His opponent was renowned for his intelligence, not his zeal.

The entrance to the Iceberg lounge was nothing short of glamorous. The Penguin had certainly made sure that the wealthy and the powerful felt right at home. Lex noted the decor, but paid it no further heed. He was here to match wits with one of Gotham's best and brightest, not enjoy the scenery.

Lex exited the limousine, and was soon accompanied by his trusted associate, Mercedes Graves. Lex strode purposefully into the restaurant, undaunted by either the aesthetic attempt to impress patrons, or by the task that lay beneath. He requested a table near the back wall, and as if by magic, such a table was made available.

Once Lex and his companion were seated, he left a note with the front to direct Mr. Edward Nigma, or whatever anagram he used, to Luthor's table. After spending a maddening minute explaining what an anagram was, Lex took a moment to inventory his options. Of which, there were few.

Edward Nigma was a brilliant man, obsessed with riddles. That was his first weakness. He was also negligibly handicapped, and forced to use a cane. Another weakness. He was associated in some way or another with Doctor Nina Stenet, and she was dead. If he reacted emotionally to her death in any way, Lex could take advantage of that and use it as another weakness.

He was also behaving illogically. His attempt to outright blackmail Lex with records of illegal transactions, and to insert Stenet into his company, bespoke a level of uncharacteristic irrationality. He had to know that associating himself with Stenet in any way after blackmailing Lex would result in her death. Not to mention that Lex was acquainted with several of the worlds most remarkable assassins, and the only reason he had not contacted one for Edward was because of sheer morbid curiosity.

Unfortunately, Edward had a number of strengths that gave Lex pause. Firstly, he was one of the most intelligent men in Gotham City. This meant that Lex would have to be extremely careful in his dealings with the man; any sign of weakness would be detected, and later used against him. Furthermore, it seemed that Edward was in possession of evidence that Lex had sold weapons to known criminals, such as the Penguin, and Black Mask.

And so it all came down to this. A face-to-face meeting with the man. Lex' first-stage effort to resolve the problem without having the man killed. After all, men of the Riddler's intelligence were incredibly useful, provided they could be controlled. And Lex had every intention of using the Riddler in the future, which meant that he had to remove the man's influence immediately.

Lex sipped the glass of scotch that appeared on the table, allowing the chilled liquor to linger on his tongue before swallowing. That would be something to enjoy about the evening; the Penguin spared no expense in his collection of beverages.

[Deleted]

A man in a full green suit walked up to the hostess. He was in full costume for this meeting. It had been a few years since he wore his entire get up, but he felt the flare might remind Lex who exactly he had decided to challenge. He wasn’t some mobster with a few extra dollars. He was the Riddler; the only intelligent man in Gotham who managed to manipulate and bend the city to his ways. He also hoped by some unlucky faith on Lex’s part someone important might catch the billionaire associating with a criminal. It would be another piece of evidence proving how truly dirty Lex Luthor’s business was, and if someone important didn’t catch the occurrence, Edward was certain he could find a way to document it.

His big black henchmen was trapped in a black suit behind him with the AK-47 hidden underneath his big coat that looked like it belonged on a rapper not Allen. The hostess, of course, gave a weary look at the man, but recognized Edward immediately. With how often he had been coming to this place in the last few weeks, he only assumed they would know him personally. “I have a reservation with Lex Luther,” he stated with a smile, loving to drop the man’s name at any opportunity. He knew the man was a genius. He rivaled his own IQ, but his main weakness was the status he attempted to keep up….and Superman. The man had jealousy issues that could rival Leviathan himself. Unfortunately for Lex, Edward knew these weaknesses and planned to use them all against him. He had planned to solve all of this tonight, and get the man out of his life. He had multiple plans…actually, which explains why Robby wasn’t currently with them. He hadn’t liked the idea of leaving Nina alone, but he needed both of his men if this event were to travel smoothly.

The lady nodded and led him to a booth in the far back. He had expected as much. As he slowly got closer he noticed a man professionally dressed sipping on a glass of scotch. The intimidation seemed to roll off of him the same way the sea breeze rolled off the ocean. Edward only frowned for a moment. He hated the arrogance that Lex possessed, but he had to respect it at the same time. Lex had managed to force him into this unwanted predicament. Edward would much rather been gathering Crane’s toxins instead of dealing with this mistake, yet he didn’t have a choice. At least this would be...interesting to say the least…like a game of Stratego. He was battling with a man who had challenged Superman on many occasion….while that wasn’t a great accomplishment by his standards, he understood to the people Metropolis it meant something. Edward was more impressed by Lex’s climb in the business world then some battle with an overgrown child in tights. Lex wasn’t like Wayne who had inherited all of his fortune. Lex had made it.

Yes, if anything this night would be interesting.

He walked over to the man in the booth, taking note to the woman standing at his side. He controlled the inward grimace.

Mercy; Luthor’s personal bodyguard and woman who found the Ventriloquist.

He almost wanted to pull out his gun and shot her on the spot. Instead it stayed on his side ready for use. He smiled as he stopped at the table. “I would say it is a pleasure Lex, but I can’t say I enjoy being threatened,” he stated as he held out his hand. His eyes danced to every detail of his outfit and features then to the table and the near by area. He caught their waiter’s shaggy hair coming in their direction ready to get his drink. He didn’t see any hidden tricks from Luthor though. He wouldn’t be surprised if there were none. While the man danced across the lines of right and wrong, he still was honest…for the most part. “Maybe next time you wish for my attention we play a game of chess where no one gets hurt and you still lose,” he added the insult.

My pieces are set, it’s your move, he thought as he shook the man’s hand with a firm grip.

(OOC: Btw I love the title.)

[mercy]

One thing about being Lex Luthor's personal body guard slash assistant slash chauffeur; the work was almost never ending. From the moment that he'd gotten word from an Edward Nigma concerning some scientist in Gotham City getting a job at Lex's company, she had her orders to make sure that didn't happen. Not that the late Ms. Stenet would be a bad asset to the company, but because of the fact that the Riddler though it'd be that easy to play Lex. For such an intelligent man, he acted very idiotic in this particular scheme. No one blackmailed Lex Luthor and got away with it. Not even geniuses. Intelligence may have won over many other traits, but power was always superior. Fortunately, Lex was a world power, and a genius to boot.

For the most part, Mercy kept relatively quiet about the operation concerning the doctor. It was an easy enough task. Stenet wasn't hard to place a hit on unlike Superman or Batman or others that Lex didn't particularly care for. At the end of the day, Dr. Stenet was only recognizable by those that followed up with her work. Famous, but not famous. When Lex ordered that she be taken out, it only took Mercy a few days to actually go through with the plan. A night long trip to Gotham City, a meeting with an inmate at Arkham, a few promises here and there, and she was confident her plan would go through without a hitch. Though to put all of her faith into a schizophrenic puppet wielding man was .. risky.

Not long after her meeting with Arnold Wesker, she received note that Dr. Stenet was in fact dead. The news was delivered to Lex right away, but as usual he had another duty to perform. Meet with the man who started all of this to begin with. Edward Nigma, the Riddler. In Gotham City; the Iceberg Lounge.

Frankly, upon hearing the news that they'd be going to that particular spot for their meeting did have Mercy at least somewhat excited. It wasn't as if they couldn't get in the place if they wanted to on a whim, but she'd never been there, and it was far more easy to impress Mercy with elaborate decorations than it was for Lex.

The drive from Metropolis to Gotham City wasn't a ridiculously long one. Boring, but interesting at the same time. Though her mind was kept on the task at hand, she did shift her eyes around to take in the sights of Gotham while she had the chance.

Arriving at the lounge, Mercy pulled up to the half circular driveway and got out of the car, walking around to the other side and opening the door for Lex. Normally, a chauffeur would park the car for the event as well, but being that she was also his body guard, she called one of the valets over, and let them take care of it.

Walking inside the lounge, Mercy grinned and took a look at all the ice sculptures and other arctic themed decor of the place. "Hmm. Nice place." She said absentmindedly, keeping her pace even with Lex's until they got to the table he'd requested for himself, to which she waited until he was seated, and then sat down next to him after allowing a moment to survey the place for any immediate threats. There weren't any at the moment, until her eyes caught a glimpse of bright green against the icey blue and white hues of the Iceberg.

"There's our man." Mercy said dully, as if she was unimpressed with the man's choice in costume. Standing back up, she stood protectively by the booth area and narrowed her eyes at the Riddler, mentally making note that she did have a hand gun at her side in case things got heated.

When the Riddler sat down, she did as well, and while she wanted to make some sort of snappy comeback, she wasn't about to try to take over the meeting. Lex was more than capable of putting up with stupid half-threats. Smirking at the Riddler's apparent frustration, she fell quiet and observed the exchange between the two.

[alexanderluthor]

"There's our man."

Mercy's intonation alerted Lex to the Riddler's presence, his eyes tracking the man in green from the entrance to the main floor. Lex smirked at the man's attire, and shook his head. A grand irony; the attempt to remind Lex of who he was dealing with only served to accentuate the man's mental instability.

Lex was unconcerned about the man as a physical threat; in addition to his physical disability, the Riddler would have to be a faster draw than Mercy Graves, one of the only people to whom Lex entrusted his safety. And, assuming the engagement was not finished in the first shot, which was highly unlikely, Lex was armed himself.

This left the matter almost entirely to the human mind.

As the Riddler sauntered up, Lex schooled his features to neutrality, suppressing the urge to make a witty quip regarding the man's outfit. Did he really style himself the smartest criminal in Gotham, while wearing that? Honestly, sometimes Lex wondered if he was the only sane person left.

The prospect that he could be witnessed meeting with the Riddler had occurred to him. And unwilling to give him any more ammunition, Lex had bought out the restaurant for the night, and while several patrons were present, none of them were of the, shall we say, reputable type. Furthermore, as per Lex' specific request, a sizable magnetic device had been place at the door. Electronic storage devices were wiped clean when passing through.

The Riddler stopped in front of the table, and delivered his opening remarks. If the man's attempt at scathing humor was prototypical, Lex would stop looking forward to such meetings entirely. Not that he looked forward to much, these days.

“I would say it is a pleasure Lex, but I can’t say I enjoy being threatened,”

Lex did not respond immediately, instead watching the Riddler as he sat down. He would have to remove any emotional responses from the equation to begin with. The Riddler was a skilled manipulator, and if he managed to upset Lex, there would be no possible outcome favorable to either party.

"Maybe next time you wish for my attention we play a game of chess where no one gets hurt and you still lose."

Lex allowed a polite smile, leaned forward, and waited a beat before replying, "If you're looking to play a game, I would recommend Gotham City Funland. I do business; games are for those who haven't the drive to fill their time with worthwhile efforts."

Lex kept the smile, but the intention behind his eyes was anything but pleasant. He leaned back more slowly, his face gradually resuming the neutrality he had worn since the Riddler arrived. Opening remarks over, now began what Lex assumed the Riddler would attempt to turn into a mind-trap. Deceptions, insinuations, sub-conscious manipulations and the like.

The gentleman's way of scrambling for superior footing before delivering the first blow.

But Lex hoped to cut through that quickly. He had more than four dozen important demands on his time, and the meeting with the Riddler was only the most immediate of them. Folding his hands together on the table, Lex asked, "How's business?"

Not really a pleasantry, more like a diversion. If Lex could keep the preface relegated to the Riddler's dealings, he could gain an initial control over the course of the conversation. Eventually useful, especially if the Riddler tried to pull some trick. Lex had to be prepared; with these costumed psychos, no matter how intelligent, they were all irrational.

[Deleted]

As always, Lex Luthor was straight to the point. Edward silently wondered if the man believed time would run off without him. His insulting comment only caused a twitch in Edward’s hand as he leaned his cane against the booth. He wasn’t the Joker. He had more class then that chaotic clown, and to be associated with such a place was degrading. He held his smile tight though. “Or for those who realize society is created through tedious idiotic routines that tend to waste more time then produce any meaningful output. But I guess you prefer to be controlled by the masses' rules…” he paused purposefully for a moment as he reached in his pocket for his candy, “Is that why you’re in this current predicament?” He smirked as he waved the blond boy waiter to their table. “Answer: Yes, that is the reason,” he added only pointing out to Lex that he currently held most of the cards. Lex was not in the position to be barking orders at him in any form. While Edward realized Lex overall power, he also knew when the dog’s bark was worst then it bite. If by some means Lex stupidly decided to kill him, Nina was told to release all of Lexcorp's criminal transactions.

Who would invest in Lexcorp when they realized the majority of funding went to Lex’s little pet projects? Lexcorp would fall, and what would the man have left? Nothing, but his wounded pride. Of course, that was only one insurance he had for tonight…

The boy came over and Edward quickly ordered his green apple martini. The boy, as always, nodded quickly and ran back to the bar. Edward then unwrapped his tootsie pop barely taking note to Lex’s next statement. “Business was going quite well. I’m actually about to become very rich,” off of your money, “…well richer then I already am. However, someone stupidly felt the need to take something important away from me and has dreadfully slowed down my schedule,” he stated popping the lollipop in his mouth before finally looking back up at Lex, the scotch, Mercy, and their prideful set of authority. Lex sorely underestimated him, and it would be his undoing…unless Edward got something in return of course.

“I’m curious though,” he said leaning over the table slightly as the boy put down his martini glass. “What did you expect to gain by killing Dr. Stenet? It’s been a riddle puzzling me for sometime now.” He ignored Mercy at this point, even though anger was slowly traveling over him. If she dared tried something Allen would handle her. Another puzzle was how she thought she could draw her gun fast enough in the seated position. For that very reason, Allen always stood, but maybe Lex treated her more as an equal then just a bodyguard. He always wondered if Lex too had a weakness of heart. One of the easiest weaknesses to take advantage…Edward unfortunately had first hand experience with it. Women….

If they could be taught to clean and never speak, he might appreciate them more. He took a sip of his drink.

[mercy]

The Riddler's smart ass remarks might have amused Lex to some extent, but already Mercy's patience with the so-called intellectual was wearing thin. She didn't know how much of this guy she could stand before she let one of her own snarky comments slipped out. Granted how serious the situation was for both parties however, she managed to hold her tongue for the time being, and instead cast a glance over at the Riddler's own what she could assume was his bodyguard. A large hulking man who probably took the job not because he was capable at it, but because of compensating for something else. In fact, Mr. Nigma probably hired him for the exact same reason. At least, that's what she could gather.

Eventually the smirk that'd formed devolved into a sort of scowl, her arms crossing over her chest as she listened quietly to what the lunatic of a man had to say. Not that his opinion really mattered in the end. No one used Lex and got away with it. No one threatened Lex and got away with it. With the place bought out and the security measures tapped into, Mercy figured that Lex would have her put a bullet in the Riddler's head without a moment's hesitation if it came down to really needing that. Him and his would-be impressive body guard.

For the most part, Mercy didn't bother to pay attention to the words about their business. Although she was paying attention, there was a filter that all of Edward's words passed through in her mind. That filter was basically things she should react to, and things she should leave the reactions up to Lex to. Interestingly enough, she found it'd be appropriate to react subtly to his comments about becoming richer than he already was. A simple raise of her brows, and a light mix between a scoff and a chuckle, tapping her fingers against the opposite arm.

"I'm curious though, what did you expect to gain by killing Dr. Stenet?"

Now, that got her attention. Since she was in fact the one responsible for it, mostly. Oh, it was Lex's idea, but she was the one in charge of carrying it out.

"It got your attention, didn't it?"

[alexanderluthor]

“Or for those who realize society is created through tedious idiotic routines that tend to waste more time then produce any meaningful output. But I guess you prefer to be controlled by the masses' rules…”

Lex was sorely tempted to smirk and shake his head all over again. Was the Riddler attempting to suggest that Lex was a slave to social conventions? Only Lex knew how often he had broken laws, violated society's views of right and wrong, to achieve his goals. He had ruined lives, ended lives, and even taken lives.

Lex Luthor was a slave to no one, least of all to the moronic masses.

To think otherwise was to grossly underestimate one of the most powerful men in the world. But Lex did not say any of this. If the Riddler was stupid enough to make mistakes like that, he could suffer their consequences.

“Business was going quite well. I’m actually about to become very rich … well richer then I already am. However, someone stupidly felt the need to take something important away from me and has dreadfully slowed down my schedule.”

Lex again suppressed the urge to smile. The Riddler was a small-time crook. At least, he was compared to the likes of whom Lex was accustomed to dealing with. Trying to blackmail Lex must have been one of his most ambitious plans to date. And for such a small-time criminal, the loss of any associate was felt strongly. Especially one with the irreplaceable skills of Doctor Nina Stenet.

"I'm curious though, what did you expect to gain by killing Dr. Stenet?"

"It got your attention, didn't it?"

Lex' eyes didn't waver from the Riddler's. He made a slight gesture with his hand, as though to say 'tone it down.' Lex trusted Mercy implicitly, so much so that she was granted a number of liberties no other employees enjoyed. For example, she called him 'Lex' instead of 'Mr. Luthor,' and she was allowed to sit with him instead of stand behind him. But he also valued her opinions, and so she spoke freely. In most cases.

But rather than allow the Riddler to think that their goal had been so petty, Lex amended, "Mr. Nigma, you had to expect it. You made a critical mistake in trying to blackmail me, making an enemy of powerful people out of your league. The late doctor had the misfortune of being associated with you. No matter how untouchable you mistake yourself as being, you have forced me to pacify you."

Lex sipped his scotch, and then added, "Of course, it doesn't have to end like that. You have something in your possession that I want. I'm sure that we can work out a deal."

[Deleted]

Edward had to bite down on the candy to contain his agitation. Edward might have left the Wall Street arena for a life of a crime, but that did not mean he was easily pushed aside by a businessman. He now realized what Lex Luthor thought of this meeting. It was tedious to him, only being done to prove a point to him and any other criminal he deemed less worthy not to blackmail or manipulate someone of his stature. Edward might have been a genius but he didn’t take kindly to other’s lessons. Why would he? They lacked any respectable brain activity. So he ignored Luthor’s arrogant statement until…

Out of your league

Those four words burned across his skin. Insulting. Completely insulting. He had expected more from Lex, yet the man only provided him with annoying arrogance. Edward tried to take the rest of his insulting words with a smile. Lex didn’t realize the very trap he was walking into, he reminded himself. He might have owned Metropolis, but Gotham was the Riddler’s city. He knew everything about everyone. He wasn’t as insane as the Joker who literally spied on the entire city through video cameras, but Edward kept his contacts and information sources close at hand. Lex’s first mistake was meeting in Gotham. His second was assuming he would come out on top.

“You are right. I do have something that you want, but what exactly do you have that I want,” he said with a smirk, “And please do not bore me with a threat upon my life. If I wanted to hear such rambles I would go to Killer Croc.” Edward felt a mere curiosity to Lex’s potential offer.

Riddle me this, what could a man offer to a man who has everything?

He inwardly assessed his own riddle. Lex had machines, kryptonite, money, and influence. The only thing Edward would have slight interest in would be the influence, but even that is useless. He need no influence with Lex’s connections….unless….another plan started to form in his head. He hadn’t considered it before. He didn’t need it, but it could make things easier. It would involve actually trusting Lex Luthor…no. Never.

Edward would wait then and hear out Lex’s thoughts, but the possible plan toyed in the back of his mind.

[mercy]

The gesture from Lex was all that Mercy needed to silence her. Even though it didn't seem like he was particularly irritated with her just yet, she knew better to push it. She didn't push his buttons very often when they weren't in serious situations, so she was damn well smart enough not to keep on when they were in a serious situation. Though she hated to admit it, dealing with this Gotham trash was a serious situation.

Other than leaning back in the seat a little bit, Mercy didn't have much of a reaction to Edward's.. plea. If that's what it could be called. It was more or less a challenge if she read it correctly in terms of how she felt Lex might handle it. Bore the Riddler with a threat against his life, hmm?

Well, with Lex, those threats weren't very 'boring' at all. Turning to glance at Lex, her amused smirk disappeared, a rather serious look taking it's place. She didn't say anything, but anyone, especially him, could tell that she certainly didn't favor Mr. Nigma at all. At least, not without a few bullets in his head.

[alexanderluthor]

The intelligent criminal known to all as the Riddler should have begun immediately by determining the importance of the information to Lex. Unfortunately for Mr. Nigma, he failed to confirm that Lex needed the information at all. Lex allowed a slight smile to creep over his face.

“You are right. I do have something that you want, but what exactly do you have that I want. And please do not bore me with a threat upon my life. If I wanted to hear such rambles I would go to Killer Croc.”

Lex smirked, and replied, "Threaten you? Mr. Nigma, if I intended for you to die," Lex leaned an inch closer, "You would be dead."

Lex leaned back, and his smirk dissipated. He could not waste time bantering. Not when he was so close to laying his cards on the table, and finding out who had the better hand.

Lex shook his head gently, and said, "Riddle me this, Mr. Nigma. A wanted criminal befriends a world-renowned microbiologist slash chemist with a range of medical knowledge. Why?"

Lex paused, giving the Riddler a moment to see where he was going with this. If he really was as smart as he thought himself to be, he would see the point immediately. But Lex' expectations of Mr. Nigma were less than optimal.

Lex answered a few beats later. "Answer: To obtain a biological weapon."

He allowed a pause before plunging ahead. "It really is a tragedy, the GCPD finding those plans for a new lethal bacterium in Dr. Stenet's office. And a variety of samples. The irony is that Commissioner Gordon and his people have no idea what the plans mean."

Lex smirked. "And to imagine that they would have dismissed it all as harmless without the assistance of two LuthorCorp scientists, who will independently verify the danger of these bacterium. They're waiting at the GCPD right now, and in..." Lex checked his watch, "Five minutes, they'll submit their findings officially, which will posthumously mark Dr. Nina Stenet as one of the most dangerous bio-terrorists of all time."

Lex motioned dismissively, as though they were talking about the weather. "Of course, the letters picked up in her apartment as evidence will be examined, and it will be found that the first letters of every line form the name 'Nigma.' And once an anonymous tip is submitted, pointing out that the arrangement of the blood splatter and the chair in Nina's apartment form a question mark, there will be no question that you killed her."

Lex shrugged. "And the most ironic bit of all? You would be a hero for stopping her. Except that it will come out that the protein chains in the bacterium form question marks, indicating that you had a hand in their creation."

Lex smiled faintly. "And to think, without the assistance of LuthorCorp scientists, and an anonymous tip, the Police would mark this whole murder down as a simple robbery gone bad." Lex stared intently at the Riddler for a few moments, before adding, "Being the cold individual that you are, the ruining of your associates name, and being accused of conspiracy to release biological weapons, will not affect you. But the attention it garners you from Homeland Security and the NSA will mean that you will spend the rest of your life hounded, dodging searchlights. And if they ever catch you, well, they don't consign bio-terrorists to Arkham, or to Blackgate. If they don't shoot you on sight, you'll be locked up in Guantanamo Bay for the rest of your life."

Lex folded his hands on the table-top.

"A phone call. One, single phone call, and those reports are never filed; that tip is never received." Lex waited a beat, then brought his cell phone from his lap to the table-top. "I think I have something that you want very much."

[Deleted]

His smirk faltered for only a moment at Lex’s first comment. He knew there was some truth in Luthor’s statement. Few men were able to escape the man’s wrath and still be speaking….or better yet not hiding with an alias under a rock somewhere. Edward knew the man was powerful and should be weary, but a larger part of him took it as a challenge. The Riddler rarely stepped down from a challenge.

He watched carefully as Lex leaned back into his seat. He noticed the collective expression that was forming on his face. Luthor had a plan, and the Riddler was certain he wasn’t going to like it. When he stated a riddle, Edward pouted for a moment, similar to a small child set in front of vegetables. He hated when people gave him riddles not because he didn’t love riddles but more because the people did it out of spite. The pout only deepened as he realized what Lex meant. He was going to connect him and Nina to a terrorist plot. He had no need for the answer when Lex spoke it, but he was baffled by the slight genius of it. The pout left his face for a disbelieving smile. It was ridiculous to think that he, the Riddler, would ever succumb to a pathetic plot involving large weapons and probably a city ransoms. He left such simple plans to the other rogues. The Riddler’s plans always unmasked something more in the process, but the GCPD were incompetent fools. With the false evidence that Lex was putting together there would be no debate. Edward probably wouldn’t even see the inside of a courtroom before he was hauled off to some unknown prison never to be heard of again. Another unfortunate factor was Nina’s reputation. While Lex thought her dead, Edward did plan on bringing her back to life. If the NSA got a hold of her too all because of his stupid mistake he would be…a negative emotion he didn’t want to describe at the moment.

Oh what a game you’ve set up, Lex….

The man had determined his riddle, had come up with falsified evidence, and backed him into a corner to make the only technical way out begging. Now if Edward was a normal man, he would have been doing just that, but Edward was far from normal. He trusted no one, and therefore prepared for these exact types of circumstances. He had a choice though. He could either let Lex Luthor believe he won and give the man what he wanted. He would walk away with Luthor no longer in his life. He could say goodbye to this mistake and move on with his other plans. He would lose his evidence against the man, but he was certain he could fine more. It was the logical decision, but a choice he probably wasn’t going to make. Edward couldn’t let someone believe they have outwitted him. He couldn’t! It was a factor against his pride. He justified it differently though. Didn’t Lex Luthor deserve to see Edward Nigma at his best because the man had spent so much time on his own little plan? It was only respectful. He mulled over these two choices moving his lollipop from one cheek to another. No matter the choice he would still have to give him the antidote…which would make him mad….which would led Edward down a road with more interactions from LexCorp…which would be more time consuming…but…so maybe there wasn't a choice. Well he could present it in a kind wa-no just no.

He had been thinking this over during the middle of his speech slowly taking in the rest of his words filing them for future reference. If he was going to go down this path, he needed to realize how Luthor thought and planning was obviously a large part of that.

Impressive. He smirked as the last statement left his mouth. He had actually met someone who played a more entertaining game of chess than Batman. Laughter, it left Edward’s mouth in almost a disbelieving fashion as he clapped his gloved hands together. “Very impressive, if I knew that was where they kept the intelligent people, I would have visited Metropolisis more,” he stated with a smirk locking eyes with Lex. He saw the phone and knew half a minute had past. He quickly turned and found their waiter. “Robby get over here,” he ordered. The small boy’s back straightened immediately as he ran up to the table. “Can you answer a riddle for me, what happens to people who ingest biocide that particularly focus on the white blood cells?” he asked looking up at the boy.

Edward knew he didn’t have to explain the situation to Lex, the man was smart and understood. His scotch had been drugged. He had to thank the fact that Kindle had a crush on Robby. It was easy to put pressure on her and suggest for Robby to work there for a night to help out with her tables. Her tables that were always seated with Gotham’s finest or worst all depending on how you perceive them. He wasn’t certain how Lex would feel being drugged, but Edward did not go into any meeting without eliminating the risk.

“B-boss, I know you told me, but,” he started which only caused the Riddler to frown for a moment.

Leave it to a henchman to ruin the moment. “Well maybe Lex knows the answer,” he stated looking back at the man still holding his phone, “If not, I can help. It slowly eats away at your white blood cells until destroying your immune system. As you mentioned earlier I had been spending quite a bit of time with a micro biochemist. It’s amazing the tidbits you can pick up…the unique new poisons you can create. Now, I’m certain you could come up with an antidote in your lab, but once the antibodies are destroyed they can never be recreated. There is the possibility of supplements of some sort…you would always be reliant on a pill…a new obvious weakness for others to take advantage of....taking one to four a day just to avoid the common cold that could now kill you." He paused for a moment to let it sink in before continuing, "I suppose the riddle I am presenting you with is, how long are you willing to wait for the antidote?” He moved his elbows to the table, as he looked straight at Lex Luthor.

He heard Allen behind him shift his gun to the front of his chest. The only intelligent decision when the tension around their table seemed to be increasing like a hot summer day. They were in a stalemate, similar to Kennedy and Khrushchev during the missile crisis. The knot is in the middle, and they both keep pulling from opposite sides only making it tighter. He knew keeping the antidote from Lex would only create more aggression, but Edward wouldn’t lose. He hated losing.

Letting Lex win does not necessarily mean you lose, a small logical thought reminded him, but instead of considering it he pushed it aside. Edward Nigma would not be trampled upon like a pawn.

[mercy]

Again, Mercy said not a word. There wasn't anything for her to add. Lex had the situation completely under control, she was only here for his protection and to drive him around, as usual. Fine with her. For a while there, she had nearly completely tuned out of the conversation. She was aware of Lex's plan to frame the Riddler for the murder of Dr. Stenet. It was a genius plan, as usual. Nearly fool proof; it seemed there was always something, though. Some constituant that he hadn't thought through, something that could be used to folly a plan. However, she couldn't think of anything this time. Not that she was up to his intellectual level, anyway.

As Lex continued on with his explanation of just what was going to happen to the Riddler if he didn't comply with his demands, Mercy put her thoughts elsewhere. Looking around the lounge again, admiring the scenery. It didn't take long for her eyes to wander over to the center pool, watching some of the seals and whatnot swim around under the water. It was actually almost hypnotizing, and it took her a minute to snap out of it and pay attention to the conversation again.

What drew her back to reality was Lex folding his hands on the table, and then getting the cell phone out. It was the opportune time to pay attention; right when the negotiations would start, she figured. But Riddler's response was not what either of them wanted to hear.

A stupid riddle.

Stupid, but telling. And that boy. As soon as the riddle made sense in her head, which was nearly instantly, she sent a sharp glare toward the boy given the fact that he referred to Nigma as 'boss.' She partly wanted to retrieve a gun instantly and end that boy's miserable life right then and there, but there were other factors to consider. Nigma had an antidote. He said he did. Plus, that other 'guard.' Dead weight as far as she was concerned, but still a factor to consider.

Standing up immediately, she pulled one of her handguns from it's holster on her leg, and pointed it directly at the guard, cocking it back and readying herself to shoot if he made one false move. Still though, she said nothing. Nothing important anyway. A few muttered words to herself, but her job wasn't to insult, or to offer a way out. That was between Lex and the Riddler, and she was confident enough in Lex's ability to think and talk his way out of this that she instead just provided the muscle that she was paid to do.

[alexanderluthor]

Lex regarded the Riddler's faltering smirk, and the contemplating expression, but did not think for a second that it was over. Nigma was an intelligent man, and while it seemed that his time in Gotham had worn on him the same way it had worn on all the other masked criminals, he was still very much in possession of a deadly intellect. To say otherwise was to dangerously underestimate the man.

Nevertheless, Lex was confident in his plan. Almost all of Nigma's past endeavors involved complicated plots, strategic maneuvering, and very little of that could be done from Arkham or Blackgate, let alone America's dreaded hell-holes. And the Riddler was nowhere near done. No, his recent actions indicated that he had another scheme in the works, Whatever it was, it had involved Nina Stenet, and now that Lex had caused her death, he had interfered in this scheme.

Had someone done something like that to a plan of Lex' making, he would have poisoned the individual in a cruel, yet still cold, manner. Possibly inducing an incurable, life-long wasting disease in the unlucky man. But the Riddler had no chance of doing this to Lex. He had the greatest security in the world. Indeed, in Metropolis, he had every food item tested for toxins before he consumed it.

And while Lex was thinking this over, holding the phone in his hands, Nigma began laughing. Laughing! What on Earth did that man have to be pleased about? Lex was not at all comfortable with the sound. But he did not budge.

“Very impressive, if I knew that was where they kept the intelligent people, I would have visited Metropolisis more.”

Lex' eyes narrowed. Was the man offering a pretense of flattery, so that he could convince himself he was surrendering to a superior opponent he could never have hoped to match? While that was true, Lex was not expecting it.

And then the riddle.

Lex slowly set the phone back in his lap. and his gaze slowly, infinitesimally slowly, dropped to his glass. Of course. Edward Nigma was a regular patron. He must have friends among the staff. Lex had looked for threats in the other patrons, but he had assumed that the Penguin paid the help more than Nimga could hope to.

And he had been wrong.

Nigma's bodyguard shifted, adjusting his weapon, at around the same time Mercy stood, and withdrew hers. The tension around the table became a tangible thing. Lex had to think fast. He had to come up with a way to pacify the situation, or there would be blood.

Not that Lex was concerned for his life. But he still intended to use Riddler in the future. To do that, he had to be alive.

Lex allowed a smile of his own to appear, and kept it, just for a moment. "It seems you are still at a disadvantage, Mr. Nigma. Your plan has me taking supplements daily. My plan has you rotting in a hell hole forever. But I digress; Hand me the antidote, and the records, and I will make the call. You have four minutes and fifteen seconds to decide.

[Deleted]

Edward enjoyed Luthor’s eyes slow gaze towards his drink as understanding came. The businessman hadn’t expected such a move from him, but did he truly believe the Riddler would come to a meeting with one of the most powerful men in the United States without being prepared? He underestimated him. Greatly underestimated him, his point was only further proven when Luthor smiled and spoke calmly.

It seems you are still at a disadvantage, Mr. Nigma. Your plan has me taking supplements daily. My plan has you rotting in a hell hole forever. But I digress; Hand me the antidote, and the records, and I will make the call. You have four minutes and fifteen seconds to decide.

His gloved hand turned into a fist on top of the table. Edward was starting to get frustrated by Luthor’s assumption of the Riddler's defeat. At least Edward had commented on the brilliance of Luthor’s own plan, didn’t Edward deserve the same respect? No, of course not. To Lex Luthor he was merely a criminal wasting his time. He wondered if Luthor held respect for anyone other then himself.

While Edward understood the card faced up on the table, he believed Luthor’s perception of them was faulty. Edward’s eyes fell to his gloves looking at the detailed stitching of putting them together. He ran through the calculations of being labeled a terrorist. He would have the DOD, DHS, and the NSA on his trail, but all of these governmental databases were easily hacked. He had done so before to get contracting information about Ras Al Ghul. He had never gone into the wanted section; he had no reason to. He assumed though it would be a few more firewalls but still possible. He could stay one step ahead of the government and avoid ever being captured until Batman cleared his name. Because even though the Riddler and Batman’s relationship was nothing friendly, the man who dresses as a Bat would never let injustice prevail. The detective was probably already analyzing the crime and connecting the pieces. The Bat would then probably contact Luthor to determine his involvement. While the Riddler was certain he, himself, would never be able to convince the US government of his innocence the Batman could and would. His true problem was Nina. Her name would be tarnished and he would be spending most of his time protecting her. It would probably be half a year before he could even think of clearing her death status. He didn’t want to waste his and her time with such pathetic nonsense all because of mistake. He did get pleasure out of the fact that if Luthor continued with his plan he would become drastically weakened. However…if he could come to some solution where they could both walk away that would probably be best.

“Lex for that plan to work I would have to be captured, wouldn’t I?” he asked as he lifted his eyes to face him again, “While my track record proves I’ve had a few mishaps that have landed me in Arkham, it still has been close to a year since I’ve been confounded to that horrible place. But I deviate, I would prefer not to have such a risk looming over my head just as I’m sure you would rather be healthy,” he purposefully coughed bringing his hand up to his mouth to cover it. “Sorry a bit of a cold,” he taunted with a smirk, reminding him of the current risk the man was in. “I have no problem handing over the records and the antidote, but I need something for insurance…something that will prevent you from ever interrupting my life again. I do not trust a man with your power, even after I’ve made this deal and handed over my cards, to merely walk away, and if you cannot provide that security then you may as well put up your phone and I shall bid you farewell,” he stated calmly waving his hand in the air as if this truly was a waste of time. There was no insurance that Luthor would make the call once he had the antidote so there was no reason for Edward to hand it over.

And Edward wasn’t bluffing; he would walk away if Lex Luthor was unable to provide it. So his mind immediately started going over the possibility of having to avoid the government. He would have to contact Batman first….oh such fun (sarcasm). It put all of his other plans on hold, unfortunately. By the end of it, he would probably be sent back to Arkham. You can’t seek assistance from the Bat without a one-way ticket to Arkham…unless…well he would debate it later.

[mercy]

At a complete loss for words at the actions of Mr. Nigma, Mercy stood alertly at Luthor's side still, her pistol loaded and ready to shoot out the body guard behind the lunatic. If need be, of course. As trigger happy as she could be, Mercy wasn't about to just go on a shooting spree; without Lex's orders, anyway. She half wished that he'd let his anger out this time though, since at the moment there was little more she wished to do than to put a bullet through the smug man's head. He did have guts.. she'd give him that.

As for concern over Lex, there was only little to be found showing on Mercy's face. Occasionally her eyes would drift over toward him to make sure he wasn't gagging and dying from whatever Nigma had poisoned him with, but she always had her full attention on the other man with the gun. Always.

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ooc - Short, short post. Mercy's kind of just chillin like a villain. With a gun.