"Batman, do you really think that we can find Barbara?" Robin asked tentatively as they waited for the results of the test on the box in the Batcave.
"Don't worry, Dick. I'm sure we will find her." A high pitched BEEP told them that the Bat-computer was finished analyzing the box. A small printout slowly came from the machine.
"HmmmÉ" Batman said as he pondered the results.
"No fingerprintsÉ no traces of any foreign substance... absolutely no convenient leads that we usually get to go from." He crumpled up the sheet and threw it in the bin marked "Bat-trash."
"Holy swish, Batman!"
Batman looked at Robin a few moments before saying, "Not your best, huh Dick?"
Lucas squinted in the light that suddenly erupted into the room. The Riddler held a newspaper in his evil hand like a trophy.
"So," he began in his high pitched voice, "You're Lucas Walenczak." Of course, he butchered the pronunciation of the name.
Lucas gulped.
"The same name of the famous scientist who just signed a deal with Wayne Industries!"
Lucas gulped.
The Riddler continued his rant. "The same Walenczak that I used to work for a few years ago."
Lucas gulped. His father and his employees were usually not on good terms, especially ex-employees.
"I was one of his top scientists, until he fired me!"
Lucas gulped. Here comes the sob story...
"I was in the middle of a huge breakthrough in my pet project. Then he ripped my moment of greatness from me! He took away all of my funding, my equipment, my life away from me. He threw me out into the vicious, cold, cruel world!"
Lucas gulped.
Barbara turned sharply at Lucas. "Stop that!"
"Sorry."
"Well, Robin, this leaves us with one option."
"What's that, Batman?"
"The note." Batman grabbed the Riddler's note and read it out loud to Robin. "Now, there are five words that are underlined: roses, violets, baby, and wind up."
"What could it mean, Batman?" Robin was doing his best to sound like the ever-helpful sidekick.
"A flower shop, a baby store, and a toy store!" Batman declared. "Get me a map of Gotham City." The youth quickly obliged. "Thank you," Batman said as Robin handed him the map. "Now, if I remember back to eighth grade trigonometry, I can find out where the Riddler is keeping those poor citizens."
"How's that, Batman?"
"The three locations form a triangle. I'll bet in the center of that triangle lies the Riddler's hideout."
"Gee golly, Batman. I'll never neglect my math again! But there's one thing I don't understand. Why a triangle?"
"Shut up, Robin."