Waller.

Of the many, many amounts of people that Edward Nigma had managed to annoy, one of the most dangerous that he enjoyed playing games with almost as much as Batman - was Amanda Waller.

Of course it was Waller. She had an ego and a temper much like his own - she was arrogant and self-inflated and like a bad habit he couldn't resist poking the bear. The problem was, that while Waller was government, she had virtually no rules - she'd tried once to get them to play nice in some kind of Suicide Squad. That had gone about as well as expected.

Ever since, Waller seemed to have a kill order on their backs. She kept out of Gotham - mostly because of Batman - but she had not forgotten the times that Edward had made a fool of her.

Not at all.

'Where is he, Dead Switch?'

Despite the beating Deborah Scott had taken at the hands of the US' finest, she laughed. Pain had never really been her breaking point. Clowns - now clowns were the way to go, not that she'd help Waller. 'Why would I tell you?'

'Because if you don't, I'll kill you.' Waller replied coldly. 'I thought that would have been clear.'

'I'm not a snitch. If I talk - which you've got fuck of a chance of me doing - you'll kill me anyway and you still won't find Riddler.' She mocked and tensed up as a jackboot connected with her stomach.

'I won't keep asking. I'll just ship your corpse somewhere he'll find it.'

She laughed, mostly at the fact that he wouldn't need her corpse to know what Waller had done - Edward kept very detailed tabs on Amanda Waller, despite her fastidious and compulsive need to stay in the shadows. Riddler was very good at dragging those kind of people into the light.

'I know you two are involved.' Waller warned her. 'He's not likely to ignore this, now, is he?'

So, she knew about their affection. More fool her, really for trying to beat Edward's location out of her - or using her to try and get an advantage over him. 'You don't know Edward Nigma, do you?' Deborah asked softly. 'Let me give you some advice. Edward is not stupid enough or sentimental enough and he certainly doesn't care enough to be in this with me.' She breathed. 'And really, all you killing me will do is piss him off.'

As if on cue, the jackboot who had kicked her paused and said 'Ma'am, something's wrong with our radios.'

Waller's head snapped to him. 'What do you mean?'

'Oh!' Said a familiar voice as it crooned from the radio. 'That would be me. Terribly sorry. You don't really get good reception down here. Hello sweetie.'

'Riddler!' Waller hissed as Deborah's head came down and she started snort-laughing - mostly at his showman theatrics, but there was relief mixed into there. As much as she hated to admit it - hearing his voice relaxed her. She wasn't quite safe yet, but she would be. Edward did not blindly react to a situation. Now they were in trouble. Waller just didn't know how much.

'It has come to my attention that you have one of my personnel and you're attempting to torture her for information.' Edward sounded smug as he said that. 'You won't get anything out of her.'

'Your personnel?' Waller mocked. 'Is that all she is? Fine. Kill her and we'll move on.'

'Oh, I wouldn't do that, either.' Edward sing-songed.

Waller marched over and snatched the radio from her soldier to hiss into it 'I know you two have a relationship, Riddler. We'll kill your girlfriend if you don't turn yourself in.'

She had to laugh. 'Edward, you know they'll kill me regardless.'

'Yes, thank you, Deborah, I know.' He replied irritably. 'I wasn't about to turn myself in on the off-chance they follow through on that threat.'

'Thanks.' She remarked sarcastically.

'You think you've outmaneuvered me, don't you Amanda?' Edward crooned from the radio. 'You want me to walk into your little trap to save her. If I don't - well, you get to hurt me and my operations. Perhaps then I will make a mistake. Is that your logic? You think you can use my emotions against me?'

'Turn yourself in, Nigma. Don't make this worse. I'll make you listen while we pull off her fingers one by one.' Waller warned him.

'Do it.' He bluffed. Waller turned and nodded at the jackboot who pulled out a pair of field pliers. If they expected her to beg or plead or even move, she surprised them, because she was still smiling. The pliers were getting closer to her fingers when - 'Ah, but she needs those fingers. You can't make bombs with stumps.'

'Nigma, you had better make up your mind.' Waller snarled unhappily.

'All of life is a series of decisions, Amanda.' He scolded her amusedly. 'I simply want time to consider my options.'

'Your options are - listen to your girlfriend be tortured and hand yourself in, or hand yourself in.' Waller snarled into the radio. 'I know you're close, so why don't we just end this now?'

'You know there's always a third option, don't you, Amanda?' Edward asked and she could swear she could see him bent over his keyboard, fingers interlaced and smiling his biggest "gotcha" smirk.

'There's no third option here.' Waller replied.

'Of course there is!' Edward admonished her. 'There's Batman.'

The chain that was holding Deborah upright was cut expertly. A batarang buried itself into the concrete wall behind her as Waller spun around.

Dead Switch landed awkwardly on the floor but recovered enough to high-kick her in the face - hard as Batman put down the jackboot.

Waller stumbled back angrily as the radio crooned on. 'It's so easy to keep you talking, Amanda. Haven't you learned by now to never let me talk?!' If there's one thing you should not do - it was let Riddler talk. Edward's tone was teasing and mocking in one stroke.

Switch hunched over, her ribs and abdomen ached from the hard beating she'd been given. Her arms felt like dead weights after being held aloft for so long. But she wasn't done with Waller. The nice thing about being insane was that she could override the pain when she wanted to. She staggered over to hurl a punch but was intercepted by Batman. 'No.' He growled at her as Waller backed off.

'She tried to kill me!' Deborah snarled.

'Trying to kill her will not make it better.' He warned her. 'I'm getting you out of here, now.'

She turned and snapped 'Not until she's paid for thinking she can hurt me!' When Deborah turned back - Waller was already gone. She let out another curse.

One arm over his shoulders, the other clutched her ribs, Batman walked Dead Switch out of the room and into the corridor. There were several sets of stairs between them and freedom. She let him drag her up the stairs.

'He called you in?' She gasped against the ache.

'Yes.' Batman returned bluntly.

'I'm surprised.' She mused as he half-walked, half-dragged her further up the winding staircase.

'He cares for you, Dead Switch. In a lot of ways.' Batman growled lowly.

It bemused her to hear it from Batman. She knew Edward cared - if that was the right word - but hadn't reckoned on the extent. It must've taken a lot for him to swallow his pride and ask Batman of all people for help.

They burst out into darkness and heat.

Outside of the bunker, there was a road. A bright green car, idling on the hard shoulder and Edward in a full suit, leant against the car bonnet. On the dusty floor in front of the car's headlights, a soldier lay unconscious. In one of Edward's hands dangled a radio he'd obviously tampered with.

Batman let go of her and she fell against the bonnet of the car. Edward stared at her for a second before he turned and addressed her saviour. 'So, what happens now, Batman?'

'Now, you two go back to Gotham and you stay there.' Batman growled. 'I'll deal with Waller and her team.'

'She kidnapped Deborah and was going to kill her.' Edward pointed out angrily.

'Eventually.' Batman agreed. 'But you called me in, Riddler. I don't kill.'

Edward didn't seem to agree, but another glance at his favourite not so useless lackey breathing slowly through the pain seemed to make up his mind. 'There's always another time.' He growled. 'Thank you for your help, Batman.'

The dark knight nodded and walked away. By now, Waller had probably cleaned house and gone, but he compulsively still needed to check.

Painfully, Switch slid into the passenger seat of the car and breathed as Edward started the engine. It was clear he was angry - probably not at her. Perhaps at Batman for not killing that woman when he had the chance, or Waller for targeting her in the first place. Waller must've known she wouldn't have given him up. This whole charade was probably just to hurt him - to remind him that she was still after him.

After a few minutes of silence she whispered 'You called in Batman.'

'I saw no other way.' He replied. She glanced at him. He looked tired, drained. 'How bad is it?' He asked and glanced at her with his tired blue eyes.

'I'll live.' She shifted uncomfortably, had almost forgotten the throbbing ache that was her torso. 'You came to get me.'

'Of course I did!' He snarled and then said lowly 'You told her nothing?'

'Of course.' She replied.

They drove in silence, perhaps each aware of the sacrifices the other had made. Perhaps aware of the unspoken feelings of relief and pain they shared. Waller had very nearly succeeded. That this relationship they had being in the open was far more dangerous than they had anticipated. Riddler and Dead Switch only relaxed when they crossed fully into Gotham. They were home and safe - but definitely not none the worse for the ordeal. There were questions that needed to be asked and answered in light of this. Hard ones.

A/N: Spot the Doctor Who reference! It's like, my favourite scene. Shut up, I'm a sap.

Everybody seems to be looking for Edward. Can't imagine that's good. Alright, down to it - I wasn't going to release this so soon since I still find plenty of things wrong with it - buuuut it's all I have genuinely finished since I'm ill with Flu (might be Aussie Flu). I hate Amanda Waller with all the flaming passion I reserve for Umbridge of Harry Potter. She's more evil than Darkseid. Yes, Edward went to someone he swore he would never ask for help because Amanda knows every one of his tricks. She was expecting them. She wasn't expecting Batman. Anyway, G'day mates!