Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls! Here is the next chapter of the story. I wanted to have this out sooner for you all to read but life got busy and I just got over COVID so that was fun. Anyway, just wanted to answer a few reviews and then let you guys do some chapter reading...
Batrenz: Yeah I've been liking how this story is turning out so far and I love some plot twists and storylines I'm adding in and currently developing. And as for the Batman thing, I wanted Red Robin/Nathan to turn out that way and it's something that I will most likely be building on.
Guest: So there are two guest reviews not sure if its the same person or not but here it goes...
To the guest who told me Red Robin is a lame name: I honestly don't care. To quote the only rapper I like 'Don't care if you're feeling it, I'm feeling it. You don't like it then deal with it and if God ain't real, real isn't' - NF Real. Also you posted that on Chapter 2 and I'm now posting chapter 13 so its a little late to change the name. Also me saying that it's what inspired sure doesn't make it any better, but I'm just saying why I used it. Sorry for the rant, but it just boils down to this... You're entitled to your opinion and I respect it and thank you for sharing it with me, but if you don't like it you don't have to read it.
To the other guest review that I got: Thank you
Well, I don't own DC or anything related. Just doing my thang... Now onto the story...
YOUNG JUSTICE
RIDDLED
GORDON RESIDENCE
September 11, 20:19 EDT
Barbara sat at the kitchen table across from her dad as they ate dinner.
"So the dating thing is going well?" her father asked.
"Yeah, he's adorable when he's shy… which is most of the time," she quipped as they talked about her dating life again. Since starting to date her best friend, Nathan Bowen, her dating life was a hot topic of discussion at the dinner table.
James Gordon smiled at his daughter as she described Nathan, but was interrupted by his work phone, "Give me a sec," he told Barbara seconds before putting the phone to his ear, "Gordon," he answered, "Joker? At the docs? Yeah, I'll be right there."
Barbara frowned slightly, but nodded when her father gave her that 'sorry, but I got to go' look. The Commish quickly dawned his gear and left the house and Barbara got to cleaning up dinner. After she was done, she pulled out her phone and texted Nathan about going to GCPD to look at some case files, to which she got an almost immediate reply, which she was sure had something to do with her rant about him not responding on their third first date? She couldn't remember how many times they tried or what date it was anymore, but she just smiled, not really caring.
She rushed up to her room and grabbed a backpack with her costume in it and was about to leave when a device that she had been meaning to ask Red Robin about that she had on her night stand caught her attention. It was a small rectangular box that she knew was a communications device, but so far was unable to get it working properly. She decided to take it with her just in case. After gearing up, she left her house and headed to meet her boyfriend at GCPD.
GCPD
September 11, 20:45 EDT
Barbara as usual arrived first to GCPD and made her usual way back to the case file room, which was towards the back end of the building. She made her way through the lobby and the rows of desks that belonged to police officers and detectives, each row stacked with papers and computers.
Once she made it to the room where the files were kept, she blinked as the door was already cracked open and a faint green light came from inside the room. She slowly crept up to the door and not seeing any movement at all from the inside, made her way in and immediately noticed stacked on the back wall was several containers each glowing green on the inside, with some kind of liquid inside as well. She rushed over and knelt down by a screen that was connected to one of the canisters.
The screen had multiple wires coming off it and each one probably led to the other canisters Barbara figured as she studied the device. Once finding no clear, quick way to defuse the device or at least disconnect the wires, she looked at the screen, where green letters appeared.
As she looked up and saw a giant hourglass with sand ticking down the time, she whipped her head back behind her, thinking she heard someone, but shook her head and went back to trying to figure out the bomb she had just found.
Nathan walked through the front doors of GCPD and not finding Barbara in the lobby where he usually finds her waiting for him after she set up the case room for them, he continued on and walked towards row after row of desks where the officers and detectives worked. Though what caught his eye were the cabinets lined on the back wall, one filing cabinet was opened and papers littered the floor. Sure, it was common to find this place a mess when people were working, but when they came here after hours, or when the officers were all called away for the 'all hands on deck' missions, the place was usually cleaner than this.
He walked over to the cabinets and knelt down and picked up one of the papers, but before he could read it, he heard Barbara's voice come from down the hall, "Damn it!" he heard.
He quietly got back up and crept down the hall till he reached the case file room and peaked from behind the corner of the doorway and if not for his training would have had to blink and do a double take.
He saw Barbara knelt down over a screen in front of several glowing green canisters that looked rigged to blow. He also found that the canisters were placed around a giant hourglass that had sand pouring inside it. Most of it piled up on the bottom. He quickly made to move back behind the door frame, as he noticed Barbara was about to look behind her and managed to duck back out of the room, just in time.
He quickly, but stealthily made his way to a nearby room and took off his backpack and changed into his Red Robin costume and found a vent above him he could use to enter the room Barbara was in trouble in.
Quietly taking the vent cover off, he entered the vent and made his way over to the case file room and loosened the vent cover just enough so the cover would easily fall when he decided to drop down.
"When you do not know what I am, I am something, but when you know what I am, I am nothing. What am I?" Barbara asked aloud.
Barbara, trying to rack her brain for the answer, 'This is part of being a crime fighter,' she told herself in her mind as she tried to think, stood back up on her feet, a thoughtful look plastered on her face, "I am a…," she paused as she thought it over, "Riddle!" she exclaimed, but jumped and spun around as she heard a second voice from behind her answer, "a riddle."
She spun around just in time, to see Red Robin drop from an air vent in the ceiling, "I figured it out, thanks," she said as she turned around and typed the answer onto the screen and hit enter. Red Robin saw the green hew that all the canisters gave off flicker out, as Barbara looked up and saw in the hourglass the last bit of sand drop to the bottom and took several steps back so she was standing by Red Robin, who then moved so that he stood between the canisters and her protectively.
When nothing happened for several seconds, the two teens let out a sigh of relief, before a hologram fizzled into existence inside the hourglass, causing both teens to take several steps back. Appearing inside the hourglass was someone both teens knew very well, Red Robin tangled with him before, but for Barbara this was the first time she actually witnessed the man on the job.
"Someone is very bright, step into the light," he spoke as he pointed with one figure above him and a camera that then shined a spotlight on the floor appeared on top the hourglass, "So The Riddler can see you."
Red Robin, not taking his eyes off the hologram in the hourglass, reached behind him to try and grab Barbara to stop her from doing so, but as he reached back, she was already stepping in front of him to take her spot in the light.
"I was expecting my worthy opponent to be... taller," Riddler spoke, as his hologram knelt forward to make it look like it was resting his forearms on the hourglass, "Introduce yourself," The Riddler ordered.
"Gordon, Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Gordon," she said sternly, looking back at Riddler.
"Well, Miss Gordon, you just proven yourself qualified to play," The Riddler spoke. Red Robin hid behind one of the case file shelves watching and listening in.
"Play? Play what?" Barbara asked.
"A battle of wits, a duel of intellects, a night of riddles scattered throughout Gotham for you to solve and you… alone," The Riddler explained, emphasizing the last word.
Barbara's phone then rang in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked at the number, but it was blocked. She answered it anyway, not saying a word as she put the phone to her ear.
"You'll never know when I'll be watching or listening," the Riddler's voice spoke through the hourglass, but also Barbara's phone. Barbara hung up her phone and put it back in her pocket, putting her attention back on the hologram in the hourglass.
"And if I hear anyone help with answers, or see any uniforms anywhere near you… Gotham loses, big time." he said, giving out his rules for the game.
"What's your deal? Why are you doing this?" Barbara asked intently.
Riddler wagged a finger in her direction, "Ah ah, little girl. I'm the one posing the riddles here and I have another just for you…" he paused momentarily before giving it to her, "To cross the water I am the way, for water I'm above. I touch it not and truth to say I neither swim nor move." Riddler spoke. After finishing the riddle, the hologram faded as the spotlight shut off and the camera from above the hourglass retracted.
Red Robin reappeared in front of Barbara, "You shouldn't have done that," he scolded.
"Gotham Bay Bridge," Barbara quickly gritted out, looking at him in a way that said 'I dare you to stop me'.
Red Robin sighed, "Fine, but you better keep in touch with that communicator I gave you the other night," he said, looking at her with a straight face.
"The what?" she asked, trying to brush off his last comment.
"I am the sidekick to the World's Greatest Detective, and if I have anything to say about it, I'm the second." he said, giving her a smirk.
"How does it even work?" she asked, pulling out the device.
Red Robin took several steps closer and had to calm himself, being so close to Barbara as his alternate persona. He reached his hand out and turned the device on.
"Yeah, I got that far," Barbara spoke sarcastically, but she went quiet when Red Robin then moved his hand so it shadowed hers and moved her one finger over a button she never saw before and a compartment slid out from the bottom of the device, revealing a small ear piece.
"It's untraceable so Riddler shouldn't be able to detect it on you if he tries something, though I'm pretty sure he's just expecting that you'll do this alone."
"You're coming with me?" Barbara asked, "You know what he said."
"I know," Red Robin acknowledged. "I'm not coming with you," he continued, which made Barbara's eyebrows raise in surprise, "I'm heading up to the roof to track you and I'll follow you with this," he added as he reached behind his belt and pulled out a batarang that he then threw up in the air and then pulled his logo off his belt and then hit a button, causing the batarang to then open up fully and come down and hover by Barbara.
"Why don't I have one of those?" she asked.
"Are you kidding?" Red Robin asked, brow raised, but a smile on his face, "you're lucky I was able to get you what you got."
"Thanks," Barbara said sincerely as she turned to leave.
"Oh, one more thing," Red Robin said, stopping her in her tracks and causing her to turn around, "take this," he said, handing her a small device, "its for my bike," he continued, "when you get outside hit this button." he explained to a shocked Barbara, who could only nod in response before leaving.
GOTHAM BRIDGE
September 11, 21:47 EDT
Barbara sped down the streets and arrived at the bridge, "Can you hear me?" Red Robin asked through the communicator they shared.
"Yeah I got you, but we can't let Riddler see us talking either," Batgirl responded back, looking up at the remote control batarang that followed her.
As she started her trek across the bridge with Red Robin's motorcycle, she didn't have to go very far to find where she needed to stop. Parked off to the side of the road was a green van, with a black spray painted on question mark.
"Think I found the next riddle," Barbara spoke through the earpiece.
"Yeah I'd say so," came Red Robin's reply. She could tell he had a smirk on his face, even though she couldn't see it.
Just then the back doors of the van opened revealing a computer screen set up in the back. A camera appeared on top of the computer, a camera focused on her and then the screen turned on, revealing The Riddler.
"Ah, you made it Miss Gordon," the Riddler said, "pity about your hard drive over here, but the bridge is set to blow and only you can prevent it… good luck," the Riddler said, his voice getting menacing towards the end. His face disappeared and left on the screen was a rectangular gray box, made up of 6X6 smaller squares. A timer also appeared on the bottom of the computer screen, showing thirty seconds and started ticking down.
Barbara stared at the screen and was at a loss, "Um he didn't give any instructions" She said.
"Oh I know this game, it's called Lights Out, the goal is to get all the squares to go black, or in this case I'm guessing green." She heard Red Robin say in her ear. "If the rows are Labeled A through F and the columns are 1 through 6, you'll want to press C3, F6, E3..."
"WHOAH hold on, let's go one step at a time please! or DO YOU WANT ME TO BLOW UP!" yelled Barbara, irritated that she wasn't understanding and how easily this was to him.
"Center square," Red Robin spoke, giving her the first answer. Barbara then proceeded to follow his direction.
"Blow up?" came a voice from behind her.
Barbara spun around and saw Robin approaching the van, "Yeah, explosives, under the bridge. Now please get back," she tried to warn quietly.
"Ah ah, bird boy," came a voice from the van. Robin looked in the direction of the computer to see a camera pointed right at him. Barbara's puzzle faded away revealing The Riddler, "Time to learn a lesson about following the rules," Riddler spoke, looking at the hero and his challenger.
The van sped off just as a remote control batarang whizzed past Robin's head and went inside the van, just before the back doors of the van shut.
Robin jumped on his bike and sped off chasing the van down the bridge.
Barbara was tossed around in the back of the van as she tried to figure out her riddle, or more accurately her puzzle this time.
"F6," Red Robin said. Barbara could tell there was some irritation in his voice, but assumed it was directed towards his partner who just showed up and made everything worse.
As Barbara went to hit the square, the van veered right, sending her left and causing her to lose her balance and fall face first to the floor of the van. She hoisted her self up and turned to look at the computer and hit her square before another shake of the van caused her to hit the side of the van once again.
"Column 4, Row 3," Red Robin said, giving her her next answer.
"Wait… what happened to the letters?" she asked, irritated at him for switching up his grid on her.
"Just hit the square please," Red Robin retorted to her.
Barbara looked at the screen and finally figured out how the puzzle worked just in time to realize she only had one square left. The van swerved several more times but Barbara held steady this time.
"A-," Red Robin spoke, trying to give her the next and final answer to solve the puzzle.
"I got it, I got it," Barbara interrupted him.
Barbara hit the button, with two seconds left on her timer, and the explosive canisters that lined the under side of Gotham Bridge shut down. Once the puzzle faded and nothing happened immediately in the sound of an explosion, she sighed in relief.
The Riddler reappeared once again on her screen, "Well done Miss Gordon, the bridge survives," Riddler congratulated her, "but do you? And only you can answer that riddle." he spoke before fading off the screen.
The van made a hard right and crashed through the iron barricade and headed towards the water below. Barbara was thrown back to the back doors of the van as it headed down towards the rocky shore of the Gotham River that flowed under the bridge.
Robin, who had been following the van as it sped down the bridge, stopped his bike and made his way over to the ledge and jumped after the van. He threw a birdarang at the doors of the van and it wedged itself between the two doors. After the birdarang embedded itself in between the back doors of the van, a small explosion followed suit blowing the van doors open, Barbara flew out of the open doors, due to the less mass and wind resistance compared to the van and Robin was able to catch her, using his grappling hook to get down to her level and slow their momentum to the ground.
After landing, Barbara made her way over to the van and peered inside and the computer screen, though cracked, hummed to life revealing a distorted Riddler.
"Miss Gordon," Riddler said, sounding surprised, "You must have a guardian angel watching over you."
"Enough of the games, you maniac! You lost!" Barbara shot back.
"I prefer brainiac. As you been learning, knowledge is power. The game is still very much on my dear," Riddler said with a smile on his face, "I'm the one who is orchestrating this event, not you. Here's your next riddle…"
Red Robin groaned in frustration at his spot on the roof of GCPD thanks to his teammate and best friend, "What the hell were you doing?" he asked angrily, touching his hand to his cowl before talking, "I had everything under control."
"Saving your girlfriend," his partner answered, frustrated with Red Robin's attitude, "So Barbara plummeting to her death was a part of your plan?"
"She wouldn't have needed saving if you didn't mess things up to begin with," Red Robin rebutted his teammate.
"I don't even know what's going on! Batman's at the docks dealing with Joker, so he assigned me for patrol, since it's supposed to be your night off! I get a call about a reckless cyclist, check the camera feeds and see YOUR bike being driven with someone who was definitely not you, so I came to investigate!" Robin said into his communicator as he waited for Barbara to exit the van.
"Fine, I'm sorry and thank you! The Riddler had bombs rigged to well a Riddle at GCPD, but since Joker is being a menace, Barbara was the one who found it and solved it, now the Riddler has her running through the city, she isn't allowed any backup, and you showing up broke that rule, that is why the van took off when you got close.
"Well I'm sorry then," Robin apologized as well, "didn't mean to flip everything on its head."
"No prob. Sorry for losing my cool. Just trying to keep Barbara safe." Red Robin replied, forgiving his partner.
"I'll wait for Barbara and take her back to your bike then I'll be on my way." Robin explained to Red Robin.
"Thanks," Red Robin answered sincerely, "I'll let you know what's going on so you can better operate in case you get involved again."
Barbara climbed back onto Red Robin's bike and went to look back at Robin to thank him but found him already gone. She just shook her head and sped off to her next destination to solve yet another riddle.
"So?" Barbara asked through the communicator.
"So what?" Red Robin asked who just finished talking to Robin and didn't hear anything that Barbara had just said.
"The Gotham Opera House, that's my answer to the last riddle, do you agree?" she asked again.
"Yeah, I agree." Red Robin responded.
"You're just agreeing with me aren't you?" she asked, smirk on her face, "Too busy talking with Robin you ignored me didn't you?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
'No," answered Red Robin.
"Then what was the riddle?" Barbara asked.
"We're here," Red Robin spoke, avoiding the question as Barbara arrived at the opera house, followed by the remote control batarang.
Barbara smirked at Red Robin's deflection of her question before walking inside and quickly finding her answer. In the orchestra pit was more of Riddler's canisters and on the stage was an organ and a computer screen that gave her the next riddle.
"Some big, some smaller, this truly is the most average body of water." Barbara read aloud. "Most average body of water? What does that have to do with a piano?"
"Middle Sea, Sea's are between Oceans and Lakes, and middle is well in the middle, press the white key on the left of the center double black keys." explained Red Robin.
Barbara reached for a key on the organ and took a deep breath as she pressed her finger down on the key. The note played but the sound of a rope breaking overhead got her attention. She quickly dived out of the way as a piano came crashing down from the ceiling.
"That's not middle c," Red Robin chuckled as he spoke, "it's on your other left."
"Shut up," Barbara quipped back as she stood up and brushed herself off, this time hitting the correct note, shutting off the canisters in the orchestra pit.
"Congratulations again Miss Gordon," Riddle spoke, appearing on the screen that was propped up against the organ, "On to the next riddle," he challenged, "Everything in me is ancient, what am I?" he asked, before fading out again.
"It can't be that easy can it?" Barbara asked, "The museum?" she asked her partner.
"Makes sense," Red Robin answered, "His riddles have been relatively easy tonight, which makes me feel like we are nowhere close to really getting at his end game."
"Off to the museum then," mumbled Barbara making her way back to Red Robin's bike and speeding off to her next destination.
Barbara walked through the museum looking for the green canisters as Riddler hadn't given her an answer as to where in the museum he would be, probably giving the countdown on his canisters a chance to make things interesting for Barbara.
Barbara, being followed by the remote batarang, made her way to the Neanderthal Exhibit and found what she was looking for. Riddler already appeared on the screen and motioned her over with his finger.
"Your getting warm Miss Gordon, yet your ice cold," spoke Riddler, as Barbara made her way closer to the screen and the canister bombs, "but if you don't solve the next riddle soon, the entire city block will be blown back to the Ice Age," he informed her.
"You better hope not," growled Barbara, "The GCPD is gonna bring you in for this."
"Now that's more like it," Riddler smiled, "You're boring me, but you're getting warmer. Onto the final riddle… A man builds a house with all four sides facing north, a bear walks past the house, what color is the bear?" Riddle asked, before he vanished from the screen and a timer took his place.
Barbara paced back and forth, "All four sides facing north. The house is in the South Pole so the bear is a polar bear so the answer is white!" she thought allowed, mostly to help herself think, but to also keep Red Robin informed.
"Hate to burst your bubble, but that's not right," Red Robin informed her.
"What?" Barbara asked, "That has to be it."
"There are no bears in the South Pole," he elaborated, starting his own train of thought as he talked to Barbara, going over all the Riddle's and what Riddle said throughout the night.
"Riddler cheated?" Barbara asked, she thought she knew Riddler on paper at least pretty well, but being a cheater at his own games, was definitely not on the list.
"Riddler quit," corrected the teen hero over comms, "He's done playing."
"Then what's his deal?" she asked, stumped.
It was now Red Robin's turn to pace and think, trying to remember what Riddler had said over the night.
"Knowledge is power."
"Pity about your hard drive over here."
"Your ice cold."
"You couldn't be further from the truth."
"You're boring me."
"Boring," he started to explain through comms to Barbara, "but boring as in a drill. Riddler can't resist leaving riddles, even ones he shouldn't." he explained further.
Barbara, listening to Red Robin's explanation, decided to grab the wires that were connected to the computer screen and yanked, causing the green liquid to spill out onto the floor and ooze around her feet.
"It's gelatin, like the desert." she explained, "the liquid inside the canisters. He played us!" she yelled frustratingly.
"Riddler has been leading us away from the main course, further from the truth all night long." he continued to explain.
"Which is?" Barbara asked.
"Beneath the last place we would never think to look… again," he finished, emphasizing the last word.
"GCPD cold case room!" Barbara exclaimed, reaching the conclusion Red Robin already had drawn, "Wait for me, I'll be right over."
"Red?"
"Red Robin?"
"Damn it, answer me! You're almost as bad as my boyfriend!"
Red Robin ignored her as made his way down from the GCPD rooftop and back to the Cold Case Files room. Once he entered it was obvious he was correct. A giant hole that went underground was right in front of the first bomb that Barbara had defused this night, err fake bomb he guessed now.
Going against Barbara's wishes he jumped down into the hole and made his way towards the sound of voice he heard up ahead.
"How much longer?" came The Riddler's voice.
"A few more gigabytes sir." a goon answered.
Red Robin made his way through the smoke that filled most of the hallway from the pipes that must have gotten damaged as Riddler and his group bore through to get to the city's mainframe.
"That's enough Riddler," Red Robin ordered, stepping through the smoke and towards Riddler and his goons in the room that they had set up shop, "Knowledge is power huh? Riddler."
"A fitting heist for a brainiac wouldn't you say Bat-" Riddler stopped as he turned and came face to face with Red Robin, "You!" Riddler shouted outraged, "This night has been nothing but disastrous! A teen goes around town solving my riddles, with the help of Batman! Or at least that is what I had thought after seeing Robin on the video camera. But NO! She received help from you! Another sidekick!" Riddler shouted frustrated.
Red Robin arched an eyebrow at the villain as Riddler went on a rant.
"Still," Riddler sighed, calming down, "A fitting heist for one with my I.Q. If I want money, BOOM! Instant access to Gotham's bank account numbers!" he explained, gesturing to the massive computer behind him, "If I want to shut down Gotham's transportation grid, BOOM! Instant access to the technical specs." he explained further, "IN-FOR-MATION! It's all here in the city's mainframe, soon to be uploaded into mine!"
"Even with that I.Q. I don't think your brain is big enough for all this. Shut it down now Riddler" Red Robin ordered the villain.
"Aren't you a smart detective to see the riddles within my riddles?" Riddler asked.
"I am the second greatest detective in Gotham," Red Robin responded, "I'd trade I.Q. scores with you once you're in Arkham, but I'm pretty sure mine's higher."
"Did Batman teach you to be a smartass?" Riddler groaned, holding his staff out in front of him, and running a hand over his forehead, "Guess I'll teach you some manners."
Red Robin watched as Riddler hit a button on his staff and realized it was too late to react. Riddler's staff erupted a green light and disoriented Red Robin, who staggered backwards. Next thing he knew he was being tackled to the ground by the four Riddler goons who were also in the room with him and Riddler. He did manage to kick one off, but Riddler walked up to him and the other three goons were able to hold him down. Riddler put his staff right in front of Red Robin's face and pressed a button releasing a smoke-like substance that made Red Robin drowsy and start to fall asleep.
Riddler then quickly looked up as someone gasped, "Well, well, well," Riddler introduced his newest guest, "Miss Gordon," he acknowledged as he walked up to her too, she tried to throw a punch at him, but he blocked it easily and then grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, and also released the gas on her as well.
"Tell me Miss Gordon since you can apparently answer my riddles, what question can you never answer yes to?" he asked. Barbara tried to keep her eyes open, but was fighting a losing battle, "Are you asleep?" Riddler said, right before Barbara went completely out.
SOMEWHERE UNDER GOTHAM CITY
September 11, 22:33 EDT
Red Robin and Barbara both came too and realized they were in some spherical room with The Riddler standing between them. Both Red Robin and Barbara were on opposite ends of the room both strapped to devices that held them up. Red Robin noticed he also had a device around his neck and that Barbara did not.
"Well look who decided to wake up," The Riddler spoke, watching as both Barbara's and Red Robin's vision became more clear, "Welcome to my lair!" The Riddler exclaimed to the pair.
"Where are we, Riddler?" Barbara demanded.
"Why the same place you've been all night Miss Gordon," Riddler then paused for dramatic flare before continuing, "inside my brain."
"Would you for once stop speaking in riddles!" Red Robin shouted, growing irritated by the wordplay from Riddler, "Why are we here?" he demanded himself.
"There's a living riddle walking amongst Gotham that everyone wants answered. The one that you!" Riddler exclaimed angrily, pointing his staff at Red Robin, "denied me! Who is The Batman?" Riddler asked, "You want to know, don't you Miss Gordon, so you can run on home and tell your daddy." Riddler then paused again, "Well there is someone in this room that can answer that riddle for us isn't there?" Riddler asked, looking at Red Robin.
Barbara though she hated herself for it, did lean forward in her restraints with interest.
"I could just force it out of you," Riddler said, putting his question-marked staff to Red Robin's neck, "But where is the fun in that?" he asked, "Instead, we'll play a game."
"Ugh!" Barbara groaned loudly with annoyance, "You're gonna love playing chess with Joker in Arkham!" she shouted.
"Shhh," was all Riddler said before facing Red Robin again, "Twenty questions is the game. Twenty yes or no questions after which my brilliant mind will deduce the identity of The Batman."
Riddler then hit a button on his staff that he had pointed towards Red Robin and the ceiling of the spherical room opened up and dropping down into the room was a massive laser, "Now, see the lie detector?" Riddler asked.
"That's a lie detector?" Red Robin asked, looking at the massive weapon that just dropped from the ceiling, "isn't that a bit much?"
"Quiet!" Riddler snapped, "while I explain the rules," he said, pointing his staff closer to the neck of the teen sidekick. The bottom of the gun then rotated toward Barbara and sparked with electricity, that made both Red Robin and Barbara flinch and try and look away from the initial light show, "Answer falsely Red Robin and Barbara here gets more than the shock of learning Batman's identity." Riddler chuckled.
"Ok ok," Red Robin said, as if it could take away his snarky comment, "Impressed with the lie detector gun, but not so much with the pun."
"Don't tell him anything Red Robin," Barbara said, looking at him sternly not flinching as electricity arched around her.
"Question number one," Riddler began, "does Batman have blond hair?" he asked.
"He's got no hair," Barbara quipped, "he's bald." she said, sending a smirk towards Red Robin's way.
"Blond hair, yes or no?" Riddler asked again, slight irritation showing.
"Yes," Red Robin answered, looking into Riddler's eyes directly, not wavering from the presence of the big villain. However a buzzer was heard signaling he lied and a blast of electricity hit the restraint mechanism that held Barbara. It took everything he had not to look at Barbara in concern or call out to her as she screamed from the pain.
"Consider that a warning," Riddler advised the teen, "with every false answer the voltage spikes." he finished.
"Question two about your brunette boss," Riddler spoke with a smirk, "Was he born here in Gotham City?"
Red Robin glared at the villain, but sighed and looked down to the floor, "Yes."
"Does he have a day job?" Riddler asked next.
"Yes," sighed Red Robin, as he continued to stall to formulate a plan.
"Interesting," Riddler puzzled. He quickly spun around and pointed his staff towards Red Robin, "Is he a policeman?" he asked.
"Enough of this game," Barbara groaned, "Do you want to know who Batman is, Riddler?" Barbara asked, looking the villain straight on, anger plastered all over her face.
"You don't know," Riddler shot back, trying to keep her quiet as he continued his game with Red Robin.
"I'll tell you," Barbara threw at him, "It's -"
"No no no!" Riddler screamed, rushing over and putting a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet and not give him the answer, "You'll ruin the game!"
"Riddler," Red Robin spoke, getting his attention, but Riddler did not dare chance uncovering Barbara's mouth so that she could spoil his game, so he stayed where he was and looked over, "The answer to is he a policeman? Yes.." Red Robin said with a smirk.
The buzzer went off again and the gun charged up. Barbara, since the mechanism restraining her left her feet and legs free, kicked Riddler out in front of her just as the gun went off, sending a bolt of energy right at Riddler.
Riddler screamed as the bolt hit him and doubled over and fell on the ground in pain, causing him to drop his staff as he did so. The staff rolled towards Red Robin but stopped still out of reach and not far from Riddler.
Red Robin stretched his pointer finger towards the logo on his belt and was thankful when his finger was long enough to reach and hit the logo. The remote control batarang sprang to life from its spot on his belt and flew through the air towards the staff hitting just right so that the restraints holding him and Barbara released both of them.
"No one outsmarts The Riddler!" The villain shouted grabbing his staff, he quickly hit a button and where he was standing started to descend, revealing a secret elevator. Once he descended low enough the floor closed back up just before Red Robin and Barbara could get to it, sealing them where they were.
Not saying a word or looking at Barbara, Red Robin took out a small black pellet and slammed it into the ground where the elevator shaft once was, causing a small explosion and the two teens to look away. Red Robin then produced a flashlight and descended down into the elevator shaft, using his grappling gun to lower himself down. Barbara however had to descend down the old fashioned way, eventually finding a ladder part way down and used that to reach the bottom, where Red Robin already stood surveying the lair of Riddler.
"We are in Riddler's brain," Red Robin spoke, shining his flashlight towards the ceiling. Green pipes that ran across the lair, pulsing lines of yellow traveled down the pipe as well.
"His men must be uploading the stolen data," Barbara said, looking at the pulsing green pipes as well.
"You find them and I'll take Riddler," Red Robin ordered, glancing over his shoulder to her.
"But -" but she stopped her complaint with the glare that she received in response, "Fine." she said and the two went their separate ways.
Red Robin continued down the hall in front of him, which led him to another room, but this room was full of pipes and had all kinds of cords running across the floor, making it challenging to move swiftly without tripping for him.
As he moved across the floor, Riddler jumped out from his hiding spot, "Agh!" he yelled as he swung his cane and hit Red Robin across the face.
Barbara took off in a different direction, but looked back to watch Red Robin disappear around a corner in his hunt for Riddler. She continued down the path following the pulsing yellow lines, eventually coming to double doors that sealed off the next room, where the pipes disappeared into.
She tried to pry the doors apart but to no avail and groaned in frustration, "Come on Barb think," she chastised herself.
She looked up and smiled, finding her way in. She pried off a vent cover and proceeded to hoist herself up and into the vent and proceeded to go down the vent shaft finding her way into the next room.
She made it to the end of the vent and saw four of Riddler's goons, "Drive online, begin upload," one said to the others as he just finished typing commands into his laptop.
"Sorry fellas," Barbara spoke from the vent, before kicking off the cover and dropping down behind the four goons, but quickly realized there was one more behind her, "You have a virus." she continued, getting into a fighting position, "and since I can't fight Riddler, you'll have to do."
Barbara stood surrounded by five goons and waited for one of them to make the first move and she didn't have to wait long. One of the goons behind her, dove for her back and she instinctively rolled out of the way. She then turned to see another goon with his hands clasped together, falling through the air to land his blow and she rolled back the way she dove earlier. Another goon then charged toward her and Barbara instead of dodging, kept low and swept the legs out from under the charging goon, then launched into the goon who tried to hit her with clasped hands, putting her hands on his shoulders and gave him a knee to the stomach, dropping him.
She then stopped and turned towards the goons that were left, "Riddle for you," she said, taking this moment to catch her breath, "Who's next?"
Red Robin stumbled back from the blow from Riddler, but before he could readjust his vision Riddler was nowhere in sight.
"Is he single?"
"Is he a celebrity?"
"Is he wealthy?" Red Robin continued to hear Riddler ask questions, but couldn't spot him in the dark.
"Is he wise?!" This time a blinding light came from above him and as he looked up Riddler came down with an oversized power cord and struck Red Robin in the chest, making him stagger further back.
As he staggered back, keeping his fists up, Riddler came in with another blow to his stomach, this time with his staff, sending Red Robin through a door and into another hallway. Riddler loomed over the downed Red Robin, who kept himself from laying on the floor by his hands and knees. Riddler spun his staff in the air like a coin before catching it and raising it above his head to finish off the teen sidekick.
"You're not even gonna let me answer your questions?" Red Robin asked, pausing Riddler just enough for him to get an opening he wanted.
After the slight pause, Riddler tried to quickly bring his staff down on his opponent only for Red Robin to reach out and stop the staff with his hand.
"Stop me if you heard this one before," Red Robin spoke, smirking, "What's black and blue and green all over?" he asked before connecting his fist to Riddler's face, this time knocking the villain to the ground.
As Red Robin walked over to Riddler, Riddler picked up his staff, "The game's not yours yet bird brat," Riddler informed his foe, then pressed a button on his staff.
The doors that were several feet from the dueling hero and villain opened up and Red Robin just smirked at what he saw. Barbara stood over five unconscious Riddler goons.
"Black and blue and green all over?" Barbara asked, raising an eyebrow, "that's what you go with?"
Red Robin then looked over at Riddler and walked towards him, "Checkmate," he spoke matter-of-factly and cuffed the villain.
OUTSIDE GCPD
September 11, 23:09 EDT
Barbara sat at the back of an ambulance with the doors open, a blanket draped over her, sipping on coffee when she noticed a teen running towards her.
"Barbara!" exclaimed the teen, "You ok?" Nathan asked as he made his way over. Barbara placed her drink down and hugged her boyfriend tightly.
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it in time. Got held up with The Joker business that just wrapped up in town a little bit ago." he said combing her hair back and looking her over for injuries.
"It's fine," Barbara said calming him, "I'm fine." she reassured him after getting a look, "Thanks to Red Robin."
"You'll have to tell me about…" but he stopped when he saw some officers hauling Riddler in cuffs to a police van for transport.
"Did you…?" he asked, unable to find the words.
"Mmhmm" Barbara nodded, "Red Robin did it mostly, but I had to run all over the area answering riddles…" but someone spoke, making her stop her story.
"Oh really?" came Commissioner Gordon's voice, "You're going to be telling me this story too young lady once we get home," he chastised, as he closed the door to his car and made his way over to his daughter. He smiled when his only response was a groan from Barbara and a snicker from Nathan, who then got punched by his girlfriend for his reaction.
There you go folks, another chapter in the books. Hope you all enjoyed and feel free to leave me a review to ask me any questions you want me to answer and to let me know what you thought of this chapter. Hope to hear from everyone again and see you all next chapter.