Chapter 4: A Game of Time (Riddler's Narrative)
I got ready for today. I dress in a black shirt that has a symbol of a nobody from Kingdom Hearts, a white and red Assassin's Creed jacket, khaki pants, and white converse. I fix up my hair to look a little spiky and went out of my room to go downstairs. Before I headed out Butch caught me as he said, "Where are you going Enigma?"
"To the E3 Convention with a friend. You can let Oswald know right?"
"Yes I can, just be careful."
"Never."
I walked out of the house and headed towards the coffee shop that's a few blocks away. I order a mocha and listen to music on my phone while I wait for Edward's text. It was only 20 minutes later that he texted me. I texted him the place to pick me up and I didn't have to wait too long. When I got in the passenger side he said, "How're doing, Enigma?"
"Good, and you?" I said with a cheerful smile of delight.
"I'm doing great. I'm really excited that I'm not going alone to the E3 convention."
He start up the car as we got on the road to the convention. He said, "I told Kristen about you. She almost sounded a little jealous that I said I was going to the convention with you."
"That's funny." Even though I know it's only an act. Unless she doesn't want to lose her chance on recruiting Edward to their messed up side job.
"Funny?" He said.
"Girlfriends being so attach to their boys. Whatever reason they need to be jealous for, I guess they don't have any trust in them."
"Huh, right that's something I didn't think about."
I just wish you never fell in love with her. When she can't even give the same love back.
...
No matter what convention we go to there's always a lot of people cosplaying. I wonder if there's going to be a cosplay contest here?
"Look!" pointed Edward, at a gaming stand, "They finally have Kingdom Hearts 3 here!"
"No way! Come on then let's play!"
We hopped into the gaming seats and took up a controller as we fought against each other as the characters from game series. He chose to play as Ventus but possessed by Vanitas. I chose to play as Xion. When the battle began we were getting into it. I remember the last time we've played games together. I wish I took a picture of that moment too. Well hey I brought my camera so maybe I can take a picture afterwards.
We were both low on health but I was the one who won the battle. "Ha ha, got ya!" I said in victory.
"No way! No one has ever beaten me in a game!" he said but he express honor from it, "Looks like I've finally met my match."
"Hey if you don't mind?" I said, "Can I take a picture of us? I take pictures when I'm at events like these."
"Oh sure definitely! If so is it possible I can have a copy?"
"Yeah, no problem."
I asked someone to take a picture of us smiling. I had my arm around his waist and he had his around my shoulders. Of course to make it cheesy I made the peace sign for the picture. "Wow this is a pretty good camera." said Edward, "The picture is perfect."
Yeah thank goodness that stranger was good at taking the shot. We went to the cafe area to get a Nuke-Cola based from the new game that came out, Fallout 4. Also some small cakes.
"So you pretty much do gigs for a living?" said Edward.
"Pretty much even before I met the villains." I said.
"How long were you playing the violin?"
"Since I was 13."
"Wow that's really amazing. Did you know that the violin is the Devil's main instrument? Because his choice of music needs to be seductive to get a soul?"
"Yes, that I know for sure. Do you play any instruments Edward?"
"I've played the piano. It's been a while but it's a skill I've never lost."
"What made you want to be in forensics instead of music then?"
"I solve mysteries for a living way before I played the piano. Puzzles are my greatest talent. In all honesty I'm really happy that we have villain who's intelligent in committing crimes."
"Villain? What villain?" Even though I have a good idea who he's talking about.
"The Riddler of course. Today we've gotten a riddle from her which turned out to be a red herring. It was meant for Detective Gordon and Harvey to be led away from the station. I of course didn't realize it until the last minute... If only I've realized sooner. Maybe Captain Essen wouldn't have suffered before she died."
"She was tortured?" I said.
"Oh, I'm sorry I know she was close to you. Forgive me I didn't mean to-,"
"It's fine Edward."
I don't mean to be insensitive but I only say that to cover up the fact that I went to GCPD for him. I wanted to make sure that he was okay. I'm sorry for the fact that Captain Essen was tortured before she died.
Before I could continue speaking all of a sudden we heard gunshots and people started screaming. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" shouted a familiar voice, isn't it that-? "WE ARE THE MANIAXS! SOME OF YOU WILL DIE, AND SOME OF YOU WILL LIVE! BUT ONLY IF YOUR FAST ENOUGH!"
Edward grab my arm and we started running. We didn't get far though. That guy name Jerome spotted us and fired a shotgun. I pushed Edward just before and I got hit in the stomach, and wow that fucking hurt like hell! But all of a sudden, time rewinded... And not by my hand.
I found myself sitting back in the cafe area with Edward, and he looked really freaked. Holy shit, don't tell me. If this is true then? "It's fine Edward..." I said while putting on a fake mask of a calming expression, "Hey are you okay? You look a little pale."
"...We need to get out of here." He said.
So he does have it. But why?! I thought I was the only one who has it?! I didn't will my power to him!"
"What do you-,"
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"
Suddenly time was rewinded again except right in the beginning of our conversation after we ordered our stuff. "I'll be right back watch my food okay?" He said as he stand up and went out of sight real quick. I paused time when he was out of sight. I quickly run out of the building real quick and place some gadget on the outside of the doors.
... (Edward's Narrative)
Okay this is really really really bizarre, but I was able to save Enigma by... rewinding time? That's impossible but a miracle that this gift came to me when she got shot. I'm shaking but I need to call Detective Gordon to come here and stop the shooting from happening.
"I'll be right back watch my food okay?" I said to Enigma as I stand up from my stool and walked out of sight from her so I can make the call. When Gordon answered I said, "Detective Gordon listen to me it's Ed. Remember that E3 convention I've talked about? Well it's about to be fired with shotguns by the Maniaxs."
"What?! Are you sure?!"
"Yes now please hurry and stop them before they commence."
"On our way. Stay safe Ed."
"Will do."
Now that I have this out of nowhere time power. I hope my sudden change in expression didn't freaked out Enigma. I don't even know how to explain this power to her. For one she'll only think I'm crazy if I even tried. When I walked back she was on her phone listening to music I'm assuming.
"I'm back." I said with a much more calmer smile. She didn't hear me nor do I think she noticed that I sat down.
I rip a piece from a napkin, rolled it into a ball and toss it where it crosses her vision. That's when she noticed my presence. "Oh sorry about that." she said as she took off her headphones and put her phone away. "Did you have to use the bathroom or something?" she asked.
"Yeah, I had to go." Thanks for saving me the trouble coming up with a lie. That's always a reasonable excuse also it's an old one.
Now that I'm back what shall I start the conversation with? I don't know if I want to go everything word for word.
"So what game have you been desperately waiting for?" She asked.
"In all honesty Kingdom Hearts 3." Thank you again Enigma. Either she can read my emotions or I'm giving myself away that I was freaking out earlier. "I've been waiting for a real long time for it to come out."
"So Kristen? What do you two have in common?"
"Uh well..." Now that I think about it what do we have in common? "We play some games-,"
"Objection!" she suddenly shouted and point with her finger which startled me for a second.
"O-Objection? What do you mean?"
"Oh, sorry about that." she said as he drop her hand, "I do that when I spot a contradiction. If she even played some games with you. You would've take her to this convention instead of me. So in other words, and not trying to be rude here, but neither of you have anything in common whatsoever."
I really don't feel insulted by this. I simply smiled as I said, "I must say you sure do pay attention to what I talk about. You are correct we really don't have anything in common. I think it's her sweet nature that I like. She does have some beautiful features."
... (Riddler's Narrative)
I had to freeze time when he said it's probably her sweet nature. Luckily I know that freezing time he doesn't even notice. I went behind the counter where they were selling the nuke-colas. I took a bottle, open it up and drank it. When it was gone I made my decision as I threw it away.
I walked up to Edward and slap him across the face as I shouted, "SNAP OUT OF IT!" I sat back down and let time flow again.
...(Edward's Narrative)
"I mean- Ow!" my right cheek suddenly hurt all of a sudden. It felt like someone slapped it.
"You okay?" asked Enigma.
"Uh, yeah. it's just my cheek hurt all of sudden."
"Oh, weird." she chuckled about it.
It was strange that the Maniaxs didn't come in by now. It didn't take long for them to come in so why is it taking a while now? Then suddenly we heard shot coming from the outside. I couldn't help but run towards it, and find that all the doors are locked. Wait but how? These doors shouldn't be locked especially at a convention!
"Yo Edward!" followed Enigma, "Why did you take off like that?"
"You can hear gunshots right?"
"Well yeah but when that happens people run away from it not towards it."
"Yes but it seems even if we try to run away we can't escape. These doors are locked by something from the outside." Question is how did they become locked? Did I do something that altered this change in time?
Suddenly my phone ranged and I answered it, "Hello?"
"Edward it's Gordon! Is everyone inside the convention alright?"
"Yes, but the doors are lock and we can't get out. What's happening outside?"
"One of the Maniaxs are killed, and the rest split. As for the doors they have this trick-locks attach to them from the Riddler."
No way! Riddler was here?! Is she inside the the building? If so that could somewhat explain that she might have heard me made the phone call. But why lock the doors? To keep GCPD out, or the Maniaxs?
"Edward?" said Gordon, "You've worked on these trick-locks before right?"
"Yes I have detective. I'm going to walk you through it to get them off. The little squares on the front of them are a puzzle. They're design to act like a Chinese puzzle box so there should be one square missing. But once you start you have to keep going until the picture of the dragon is complete, or else it will explode if you stop even for a second."
"Right, no pressure. Okay Ed it might take a while for us to get this open. Make sure everyone is calm during the wait."
"Sure, that shouldn't be too hard."
At least I hope. Then again most of us here are gamers. There are games everywhere so everyone should be distracted... Speaking of distracted. Enigma is no where to be seen. "Enigma?!" I called out to her.
Where could she have gone?
"EDWARD!" I heard her shouted and finally spotted her standing on a diving board 10 feet up? She smiled bright at me as she jumped!
"ENIGMA!" I sprint to get to her. When I got there she was nowhere to be seen. There was just an area where this Assassin Creed stuff is. Wait is that a wagon full of hay?
"HA HA!" laughed Enigma as she pop out of the hay. "Leap of faith accomplished!" she said, "Now all I have to do is cut off my wedding ring finger and I'm set to become an assassin!"
"Enigma you nearly gave me a heart attack!" I said but in ways this is impressive, so I laugh it off.
"Yeah you seemed to be busy talking to a someone right?" she said as she climbed out of the hay wagon. But she missed a step and fell to her side.
"Are you okay?" I said as I was about to help her but she got up quickly on her own. She smiled and simply said, "Yeah I'm awesome."
"Okay, but you were correct. I was talking to Detective Gordon. Right now the doors are closed and they're trying to get it open."
"Oh by the way those gunshots you've mentioned." she said, "I've just realized we're still in a game convention. There are gun shots everywhere because of the shooting action games. You sure you weren't just hearing those? Because no one is freaking out."
Oh... Yeah no one is. Okay so I don't have to really worry about the people here.
"So, once the police get the doors open does that mean the convention has to end?" she asked, "I mean I hope not I was having so much fun here."
"I could ask Gordon if they can let the convention keep on going. I mean no one got hurt so I don't see why not."
"Awesome! Hey you wanna try the leap of faith?"
"Uhhh, I think I'll pass."