Riddled With Bullets

Chapter Four

"All Bets Are Off!"
BLAM!BLAM!BLAM!BLAM! BLAM!BLAM!BLAM!BLAM!

A rattle of bullets hit the upper deck and for a moment the whole casino froze.

"Ladies and Gentleman!" A figure in green announced, "all bets are off!"

The Riddler jumped up onto the nearest gaming table amid a horde of screams. He wore wraparound shades a long leather trench coat, khaki pants and matching top, all finished off with a pair of steel toe capped boots. He had clearly taken some fashion advice during his time off! The obligatory black question marks were still peppered all over his clothes, which were an entirely matching, set of pale green.

There was a reload click from his question mark cane and someone yelled for security.

"Good idea!" Riddler smiled.

Security guards were placed at every exit, and at almost every gaming table, they were all armed and every single weapon was pointing at The Riddler.

From their vantage point at the edge of the room Helena and Reese held back to let security handle it. It had been a long night on The Princess Rouge, and they had both been convinced that The Riddler was going to be a no show.

They had arrived two hours earlier at Miller Harbour; Alfred had chauffeured them in the old Wayne limo and like movie stars Helena and Reese had walked down a red carpet shielding their faces from the clicking papparazi. Who not knowing them from Adam had concentrated their lenses on a glamour model, and her wealthy fiancé in front. So they ascended the steps to the awaiting ship in relative anonymity.

The ship in question, The Princess Rouge was a retired cruise liner, whose long haul days were far behind it. Rather than see it go to waste the cruise ship had been brought to New Gotham where it remained moored at Miller Harbour most of the year round.

Back in the day when hosting any kind of fundraiser in a city as crime ridden as New Gotham was considered a large risk, the turnout to such events had gradually dwindled away, it was safer to stay at home and write a check than risk death at the hands of Two-Face, Joker, or any of the other assorted costumed loons that regularly held the city to ransom, and nabbed the proceeds.

So it was no surprise that the proposal of a cruise out of town was considered by all to be a wonderful alternative, guests by invitation only and staff alike were thoroughly screened, and the evenings became both a great success and a must on the social calendar for the wealthiest of all New Gothamites.

The trip would last five hours, with dinner, dancing, and of course gambling as the rouge made its way north towards Bludhaven and beyond. In spite of it's consignment to this comparatively mediocre chore, The Princess Rouge which had regularly in its day toured the globe could still get up to twenty knots,

".440 feet long and 68 feet wide, with five decks eight escalators, and a public area of seventy five thousand feet!" The tannoy announcer cooed to anyone that cared to listen.

Helena and Reese were definitely amongst the "not cares" to them the tannoy was just noise, they had already been over the schematics with Barbara at least a dozen times.

"So does this count as a first date?" Reese smiled, whilst security searched the small bag Helena had brought with her.

Helena looked at him admiring once again the cut of his tux, almost as much as Reese returned the compliment on the small figure hugging designer black dress she had chosen for the evening. Needless to say the all essential Huntress necklace and earrings were also in vogue this season!

"Don't get distracted guys!" Oracle's voice boomed into their online coms.

"Complete with virtual chaperone!" Helena smirked. The security guard motioned for them to pass through and they entered the lavishly decorated casino.

Reese glanced around; he didn't like just going in to a situation with no backup. He had called in sick tonight, and was regretting his decision not to involve the department. Still as yet there was no sign of anything sinister, "just people waiting to be shown to their tables." He muttered.

"Good," Helena sighed, "I'm starving!"

Reese shook his head in disbelief, how could she think of food at a time like this? When any moment a madman was going to spring up and do god knows what.

"Aren't you the least bit worried?"

"No," Helena shrugged, "if I don't like it I'll just send it back to the Chef!"

*****
Even Barbara smirked upon hearing that one, Alfred whom it seemed was finding more and more excuses to hang around the Clock Tower was glad to see a sign that Barbara was gradually returning to something resembling her former self. He nodded approval to Dinah who had also caught it, and an unspoken expression of relief passed between them.

Barbara looked up as if noticing them for the first time.

"Dinah I'm sorry you couldn't go."

"That's okay," Dinah shrugged.

"But I may have something for you!"

"Okay," Dinah came over to the monitor where a picture of a well dressed conceited looking man at what appeared to be a press conference dominated the screen.

"This is Roland Cameron," Barbara explained, "He's a defence attorney whose services are currently being employed by Dr Quinzel."

Dinah nodded.

"The name rang bells with me, I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or not but Mr Cameron also represents one Edward Nygma!"

"You think Nygma's working for Dr Quinzel?"

"It's possible," Barbara confirmed, "you know, with her connections at Arkham Asylum who knows how many people she has loyal to her there? Either working or incarcerated." She paused, "you know I think she was responsible for letting Clayface out, and a lot of other thing besides."

"Such as?" Dinah pressed.

"I don't know yet, but I'll keep digging, in the meantime I want you to check Mr Cameron out, he works late," She handed Dinah the address. "Get talking to him, see if you can read anything off him, I'm just not comfortable with the coincidence."

*****

The dinner had been just fine, even Reese managed to find a little of his appetite as they both tucked into steamed lobster. The gaming tables had opened an hour after into the cruise, and people were gradually finishing up their meals and making their way over towards the fun.

Helena and Reese had decided to take a casual walk around the Casino's perimeter, even trying their luck at the tables. Agreeing beforehand to donate any winnings to the charity. They needn't have worried they were both lousy gamblers and soon decided to call it quits. Besides, Alfred had already written a sizeable bankers draft donation from The Wayne family funds, which they had handed over earlier.

Relaxing in each other's company for the first time since they had met, and even forgetting that Oracle might be listening, they began to chat about music they both liked and movies they had seen. The lounge singer sang old ballads at a grand piano and they even joined the old folks on the floor and danced.

The evening was perfect, they smiled at each other slowly their faces came together as with eyes closed they searched for each others lips.

The mark of a true villain is in knowing how to ruin a good moment, and so it was at this point that the figure in green strode into the room and began shooting at the ceiling. Helena stared in disbelief, could it really be Uncle Edward? Could Alfred have been right after all? She broke away from Reese and headed over to get a better look. Reese followed close and stopped her from going any further.

"Let security handle it for now," Barbara ordered.

Peering intently at the green clad figure Helena noted that the hairline and what could be seen of the face beneath those wraparound shades, resembled Uncle Edward, yet this Riddler seemed younger somehow.

The Security guards covering the tables were advancing towards The Riddler. One of them asked him to drop his weapon.

"You mean this?" Riddler enquired twirling his cane like Fred Astaire. "I don't think so."

In his other hand he produced a remote.

"This is a detonator, I suggest that YOU drop your weapons, or we all go boom-boom!"

The security guards complied.

"Good now if you could just wait while my lovely assistants Query and Echo pick up the pieces, then we shall begin the nights festivities."

From the end of the room two blonde girls in green lycra appeared carrying trashbags which they filled with the downed weapons.

"Is this part of the entertainment?" Said a guy propping up the bar.

"No but this is!" Replied The Riddler and promptly shot him.

This was followed by more screams and The Riddler had to shoot the deck above again to get things quiet.

"You're giving me a headache!" He moaned.

Query and Echo finished gathering up the guns and joined Riddler at his table.

"Okay folks, it's question time!" The Riddler boomed, "And my first question tonight is;

Lovely and round,

I shine with pale light,

grown in the darkness,

A lady's delight. What am I?"

The Riddler paused and jumped off the table.

Helena and Reese discreetly moved a little further forward.

"And that question," The Riddler continued, "goes to the lovely lady over there!"

And so saying he pointed into the crowd at an older lady decorated in expensive jewellery.

The lady gasped as The Riddler advanced towards her.

"The clocks ticking lady," The Riddler raised his cane, "What is your answer?"

"I-I d-don't know," The lady stammered.

"Confused?" The Riddler said, "Head feeling cloudy perhaps? Well don't worry I have just the thing to clear your head." And he aimed the cane at her forehead.

"The answer is a pearl!" Came a voice from the other end of the room, it was Helena.

The Riddler turned to face her giving no hint of recognition.

"Correct!" He confirmed, "but I asked her not you!"

He twirled the cane and stuck it through some loops at the back of his trench coat. The question mark at the hilt of the cane now loomed over his left shoulder.

With one hand now free he grabbed a string of pearls from around the lady's neck.

"The answer is indeed a pearl!"

With that he pulled at the necklace, the chain snapped, the lady screamed, and the pearls scattered everywhere onto the floor.

"What do you want Riddler?" Helena asked.

"I ask the questions round here!" The Riddler barked, "nice dress by the way," he commented, "here's a question for you, what's black and red and full of lead?"
Helena saw it coming, the shape of her eyes shifted taking on a more feline appearance and as The Riddler pulled out his cane she was already flipping backwards before the first of his deadly bullets let rip.

Pandemoniums ensued and as the crowd tried to run many were hit by the stray shots. Security tried desperately to calm everyone down but to no avail. The panic reached a crescendo when the crowd realised that all exits had been sealed.

The rip of bullets continued as Helena flipped away always inches ahead of the cane's deadly spray. Reese was running towards The Riddler desperately trying to make his way through the crowd. He was unarmed, and would never have got on the boat otherwise.

Helena on the other hand was armed to the teeth, her weapons more subtly disguised. The make up and accessory container in her bag was a fully equipped arsenal. When The Riddler's spray of bullets finally came to an end, Helena landing effortlessly on her feet, reached into the make up compact and pressed a release switch.

On close examination of the smooth round metal container that appeared to carry make up, one could see it was decorated on both sides with the crest of a hawks head. On pressing the release switch these pieces both came away to reveal two customised "rangs". Helena let rip and sent one straight for the detonator in Riddler's hand. The device no bigger than a small cell phone went sailing across everybody's heads to the other side of the room.

The Riddler screamed in frustration shaking his hand in pain. Reese who was almost upon The Riddler by this time instantly changed track and went for the detonator. He heard the sharp reload click of Riddler's cane and prayed that Helena had too.

The second "rang" hit Riddler's other hand and the cane fell to the floor. Helena had leapt into the air flipped midway and landed both feet into The Riddler's chest.

Reese was meanwhile was too late, one of The Riddler's blonde assistants had managed to retrieve the detonator.

Oblivious to this Helena ripped the shades from The Riddler's eyes.

"You're not The Riddler who are you?" She screamed.

The figure in green smiled back at her, "now thereby lies a riddle."

Helena slapped him, "yeah? Well come on then, what's your story?" She banged his head against the floor, "not clever enough to come up with something original? Is that it? Huh? Answer me you."

"That's enough Helena you'll kill him!" Barbara screamed down the com.

"And your point is?" Helena retorted.

"Lady your seriously nuts!" It was the other blonde assistant she was holding the cane to Helena's head. "Get off him now!"

Helena reluctantly complied.

"Okay!" The blonde shouted addressing the room, "me and my friend are going to come round with some sacks and I want everyone to throw their cash, jewels, and other valuables inside."

The "Riddler" was back on his feet and the blonde handed the cane back to him.

"Interesting little toys you have," he muttered, as Query and Echo began relieving the guests of their valuables.

"If you were the real Riddler you would know what they were!" Helena replied. She subtly acknowledged Reese and a look of understanding passed between them.

What Helena silently communicated was "stay put I have this under control."

"Oh I'm for real alright," The Riddler hissed.

"Well your not Edward Nygma," Helena laughed, "I met the real Riddler the other night!"

"That fake!" The Riddler spat, "let me tell you something little miss do gooder I'm the Riddler, the one and only, and don't you ever forget it!"

"Yeah whatever, it's your fantasy!"

"And who might I ask are you trying to be?" The Riddler retorted, "you're no Batman!"

"Okay Riddler we're done!" One of the girls called.

The Riddler smiled at Helena, "To be continued!" He shoved her back towards Reese, "Well ladies and gentlemen that concludes our business for tonight! But I shall leave you with one more question, what lies at the bottom of the sea and shakes?"

He looked around, "anyone?"

"The answer is a nervous wreck!" Helena replied.

The Riddler smiled, "I knew there was a reason I didn't kill you."

He was heading towards the kitchen along with his two companions.

"Once again the lady is correct! A nervous wreck is what you all shall be, in a few in a while from now, hit it Query!" He nodded towards the girl with the detonator.

"I thought I was supposed to be Echo!" She protested.

"Yeah whatever," Riddler acknowledged sarcastically, "just blow the hull plese?"

And with that, they were out the kitchen; Helena caught the sound of an outside engine in the direction of the starboard, just before the hull blew.

The ship lurched to one side and once again there were screams.

"Help me get the fire exit open!" Helena shouted to Reese as they fought their way through the panic stricken crowd to the doors.

"They're electronically sealed," explained a security guard.

But Helena and Reese already knew this. It was a precaution taken when the ship moored back at New Gotham, the doors remained time locked sealing in the guests until the night's proceeds had been safely taken off the ship and placed in an armoured security van. Clearly The Riddler had overridden the system. Helena took out some plastique from her compact and placed it on the doors.

"Get everyone to stay back and lie on the floor," she told the guards, "this is going to blow!"

The ship lurched again and suddenly everyone was on the floor anyway. The doors blew open and Helena grabbed Reese, mindful of the inevitable stampede and got him out the door before anyone else had a chance to react.

"Starboard side!" she called dashing off, "They've got a speedboat waiting!"

Reese shrugged feeling pretty much like a spare part, "if you say so!"

But by the time they got to the starboard side all that remained was a steady stream of white water where the boat had cut it's path back in the direction of New Gotham.

"What now?" Reese asked.

"I guess we better get to the lifeboats." Helena replied.

"I've alerted the coast guard," Oracle's voice came over their coms, "don't fell bad," she added, "you did well both of you."

"I did better than you think!" Helena said triumphantly, "I planted a tracer on The Riddler's coat."

*****