Chapter 10: Riddles in the Night

The trial of the Joker took place three days after his second encounter with Batman. From the moment he was carted off to the detention center at Gotham P.D. headquarters, the clownish villain proved to be more than a threat. He was a maniac with a very twisted idea of fun. He made the most ludicrous puns to the officers who sent him to his cell, pretended to have a fit over being given calming medicine, and when he was served breakfast before he would go to the courthouse, Joker said, "I know you're all trying to give me a chance to come clean, coppers. But anytime I blow a perfect crime opportunity… IT'S ENOUGH TO KILL A MAN'S APPETITE!"

Because of this, Joker showed up at his trial in a straitjacket, and he proved to be trouble before the judge; he disputed the charges of robbery, assault, and gang activity that were laid at his feet with every pun he could dish out, laughingly threatened to smack the prosecutor with a fish, and mockingly asked Judge Harkness if he was about to "throw the book at him" before he banged his head on the prosecutor's lawbook. After thirty minutes of nonstop lunacy, the Joker was declared legally insane. However, Judge Harkness also realized that to some degree, Joker had broken the law in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, and so he sentenced him to ten years in the most frightful prison in Gotham: Arkham Asylum, Gotham's rehabilitation center for the criminally insane.

It was two days afterward that Bruce saw Vicki Vale appear on the headlined news yet again with the story of Joker's capture and imprisonment in Arkham. She was saying, "Still making headlines across Gotham's news channels, the mysterious Batman has been at it again, proving instrumental in the capture of the sinister clown-themed criminal going by the nom de crime of 'The Joker'. Following his insane antics in the courthouse, the Joker was sentenced to do time at Arkham Asylum without parole unless merited. In related news, Gotham's most celebrated philanthropist Bruce Wayne has donated over ten million dollars to the police department to pay for more advanced equipment and creating job offers to make Gotham City a safer place to live…"

As he turned off the TV, Bruce smiled for gladness. It was Saturday, September 18th, and he was having his dinner date prepared there at the mansion. At the moment, the table was set, and Alfred was busily engaged in dusting the furniture while the cooks of Wayne Manor prepared the meal for the evening: duck a l'orange with a side of asparagus and potatoes with white wine.

When Bruce entered the living room half an hour later, Alfred saluted and said, "All is in readiness, Master Bruce. The duck is nearly cooked to perfection, the potatoes are practically singing in the cookpot, and all we need is our dinner guest."

The sounding of the doorbell was all Bruce needed to hear, and he capped Alfred's statement. "I'd say Vicki's arrival couldn't have come sooner."

Alfred went to the front door of the mansion and greeted Vicki with a gentle smile and said, "Ah, Miss Vale. Master Bruce has been waiting for you. Do come in."

Vicki entered the mansion and followed Alfred through the foyer and into the dining room, where Bruce was waiting for her. He stood up and offered her seat directly across from him, and said, "Good evening, Vicki."

"Hi, Bruce. I'd like to thank you for having me over," replied Vicki. "It's not often I get to enjoy a dinner date in the home of Gotham's most famous philanthropist."

"It's always a pleasure to have you over," answered Bruce.

In a moment, Alfred served Bruce and Vicki a glass of white wine. Then after an appetizer of rye bread, the main course was served, and Bruce and Vicki dined and conversed together warmly. After a serving of blueberry pie as a dessert course, the two were sitting together on the couch and Bruce had his left arm around Vicki's shoulders.

"I could swear this dinner is going to make me go up a dress size," the redhead beauty said with a humorous grin.

"I find it highly unlikely that one dinner would be enough for that, especially considering the action-packed life of a reporter to keep you on your toes," replied Bruce. Then he said to her, "I would consider this dinner date an opportunity to thank you, Vicki."

"Oh, really? And what for?"

"I know that I was away from Gotham for seven years since we left high school, but after my mother and father were killed in Crime Alley, you were one of the few people I could count on most to ease my suffering. I guess what I want to say is… thank you for everything."

Vicki Vale gave Bruce a warm smile, one that he was sure was love. Then before either of them knew what was happening, they shared their first kiss as the moon and stars shone through the windows of Wayne Manor.

SEPTEMBER 20, 10:05 EDT

On Monday, Bruce was in his office going over a number of business deals and partnerships that could benefit Wayne Enterprises, and he was shocked to find out that John Daggett had apparently started his own business company as a rival to him. Daggett's business company: Daggett Industries, was in the process of designing a new computer system that could check security systems and document stability five times faster than a normal computer. However, Bruce had no intention of allying with Daggett after his unlawful attempt to take control of Wayne Enterprises. Besides, he had a new project in the works following the Joker's crime spree: he had to discover an antidote to the Joker's laughter-inducing toxin.

While Bruce was conversing with Lucius Fox over signing a million-dollar deal to move a computer programming company to Gotham with which to rival Daggett, dozens of electronic billboards flashed a curious message all over the business district. It read: "A RIDDLE FOR JOHN DAGGETT: I HAVE BRANCHES, BUT NOT LEAVES. I HAVE STORAGE, BUT NOT A TRUNK. I BEAR NO FRUIT, BUT CAN FILL YOUR POCKETS. WHAT AM I?"

Bruce and Lucius read the message and scratched their heads in confusion. Lucius wondered, "Who would send a message to Daggett with riddles about branches without leaves?"

Bruce set his face into a grim, brooding expression. "Someone with a penchant for crime."

...

In the Batcave, Bruce had suited up as Batman and was now working to solve the riddle while Alfred was looking over the recent developments at the newly-built Daggett Industries. After several minutes of searching, Alfred said, "Master Bruce, I believe I have found something of value in the employee files at Daggett Industries. There's one file here that describes an individual who was removed from his job for a complaint against Mr. Daggett."

Batman read over the file and looked with curiosity on the ex-employee's name. "Edward Nigma," he read. "He won a school puzzle-solving contest at age ten, but was fired from a carnival job for cheating customers with a rigged riddle game at age twenty. While trying to work for John Daggett, Mr. Nigma offered a riddle-like method of confusing cybercriminals with his security system. Instead of letting him have a try, Daggett refused to pay his salary, and after Nigma lodged a wage complaint, Daggett fired him and claimed Nigma's ideas for himself."

Alfred's eyes widened in surprise and he said, "My word! I always knew John Daggett had a heart of ice, but I never pegged him for a Dickensian employer. But what does this have to do with that riddle this morning?"

"Think of it, Alfred. What has branches but is not a tree?" asked Batman.

"A bush, sir?"

A bank," explained Batman. "And unless I miss my guess, Daggett is walking into a trap. I'd better start my nightly patrol if I'm going to find him."

...

Batman took the Batmobile for a drive to the private bank of Daggett Industries, where he found that Daggett's private vault had not been opened. He found that this place was not at all as grandiose as his headquarters for Wayne Enterprises; the building had been an old office building and it was rusting in a number of locations that had been shoddily remedied. It needed new paint indoors, and it was only worked by around five hundred employees from what the glove-top computer in Batman's right glove told him about the structure of each office.

But Batman had no time to worry about the office conditions of John Daggett's employees. He had to find Daggett himself before anything went wrong. However, when he got to the fourth floor, he was greeted by a tall, fair, and thin man dressed in a dapper purple dress shirt with a green vest and dress pants, purple gloves and black shoes, and a bowler hat sporting a question mark. Moreover, the stranger had a purple domino mask over his face, but Batman could easily guess who he was.

"Well, well. Batman, the new hero in town, is it?" the green-clad man said with a smirk that bordered on becoming a scowl. "You should've known when to keep your pointed ears where they don't belong, but I'm afraid I cannot let you leave. As of now, you must match your wits against me, the Riddler."

"Leaving criminals to break the law is a fool's action, Nigma," retorted Batman, daring to use his opponent's real name. And instead of being angry, the Riddler only grinned with amusement.

"My, my, my. Can it be that a sharp mind lurks under that cowl? Well, let's see if you have the strength to match it."

He snapped his fingers and then several thugs dressed in green sweaters sporting question marks entered the large hall and charged Batman with baseball bats, crowbars, and brass knuckles. They attacked the Dark Knight on all sides, but were easily overpowered, for Batman hit them with knuckle jabs to the stomach, jumping kicks to the chin, judo throws or sweeps, and a handful of nerve strikes at the neck and under the ribs. In only minutes, the Riddler's goons were on the ground either groaning in pain or stiffened all over from being hit in the nerves.

"Enough games, Nigma! Where's John Daggett?!" growled Batman.

The Riddler only grinned and then hauled Daggett out of the shadows, apparently bound in metal wires that could be unlinked if one did them in order. The Riddler said, "You like it, Batman? It's my own variation on the metal wire puzzle. But enough chit-chat. I've got plans for Mr. Daggett and I mustn't be late."

With that, he grabbed Daggett by his collar and then ran for the roof while his goons picked themselves up and followed. Batman went after them and then saw Riddler's goons stuff Daggett into a seat on a helicopter. Then before he boarded the chopper, Riddler said, "A riddle for you, Batman: Wind is my friend, but water my foe. I grow fastest on wood, but slower on earth. What am I?"

Batman gave no reply, but as the Riddler climbed onto his escape copter, he could have sworn he saw a trigger device in his hand. The green-clad villain pressed the trigger as the helicopter took off, and then before Batman knew what was happening, there came a huge explosion and the lower levels of Daggett's bank quickly went up in flames.

There was no time to waste running down the stairs, but Batman was prepared for this sort of emergency. He swung through a window on the fourth floor using his Bat-grapple and then set an airbag the size of a truck at the base of the building, and then he managed to get the Riddler's remaining goons out of the burning building and safely to the ground.

A short while later, while the fire department put out the blaze and some citizens who had witnessed the abduction gave statements to the police, Batman returned to the Batmobile and began his search for the Riddler. He had no doubt that the villain was threatening Daggett with a grim fate, and he had to move fast to prevent another tragedy.

A/N: I hope Chapter 10 here was suitable, my readers. And don't you worry about Chapter 11, 'cause Batman isn't done with Riddler yet. Keep an eye out for more of this fanfiction and feel free to enjoy my others if you like.