TWO:

Frankly, Eddie believed that genius deserved a certain level of respect. He therefore did not appreciate being manhandled by brutish philistines. However, his entire life was beginning to seem like one big manhandling session interspersed with breif interludes.

Today's philistines came courtesy of Arkham Asylum. They half-marched, half-dragged him down the dingy hall, passing cell after cell of degenerates and psychopaths. Although he was, at least, grouped in with the so-called 'super-criminals' rather than the usual chattel.

After what seemed like hours, the brutish guards finally haulted. The door took more time than he would've personally preferred to unlock and spring open with the usual mechanical buzzing noise.

And he certainly did not appreciate being shoved inside with such force that he came devilishly close to falling over. He shouted as much-or something to that effect-through the door's wide, reinforced glass pane as the imbiciles retreated back up the hall.

"Taunting them from this distance is quite futile."

Where have I heard that voice before? Eddie turned slowly to face his cellmate, seated on the bunk to his left. The other man's brows drew ever so slightly closer together.

"You." The word was cool, with only the faintest trace of accusation behind it.

"Me," Eddie replied, equally cooly. "Have we met?"

The man studied him for a moment, and Eddie studied him. He was into his fourties, tall and stick-thin, with an ocean of freckles strewn across his pale skin and rather horsey face. Ice-blue eyes glittered coldly from behind wire-rimmed glasses and a scraggly mop of dark hair threaded with gray. I know those eyes, too.

"You crashed through my roof." Oh. Eddie felt himself beginning to grin. Finally, someone interesting.

"Scarecrow, I presume? Jonathan Crane?" The other man nodded serenely.

"And you are Edward Nigma. I believe you've been calling yourself the Riddler."

He extended a long-fingered hand. Eddie took it. But he hadn't missed the slight air of mocking with which Crane had said 'the Riddler'.

"I am pleased to meet you under less...Heated circumstances." His fingers tightened slightly around Eddie's. Icy eyes bored into his. "I trust that I will not be pestered at all hours by your little riddles."

Eddie wasn't that easy to cow. "And I trust that I won't recieve the same treatment as your last three cellmates."

A tiny, cold smile twisted Crane's thin mouth.

"Then we understand each other."

"Perfectly."