The riddle was easy; this was hard.

The suit, the bowler, the cane. The henchmen, the crime, the riddle, the police sirens. The smile, the teasing, the touching, the affection. Always the same.

Batman had a good idea what the Riddler was planning this time. He had solved three of the riddles throughout the city, and together they formed clues that pointed towards Riddler's plan - kidnap the mayor at his speech at the opening of the new Gotham Library just overlooking Grant Park.

Batman sped up the Batmobile.

Batman knew that a lot of inhabitants of Arkham, current or former, had an obsession with him. Last time Joker even gave him flowers.

But the Riddler was different.

The Batmobile just passed the GCPD headquarters. It was just a few blocks until Batman got to Grant park, and he hoped he wouldn't be too late. He could almost see Nigma's smirk in his mind's eye.

Easing up on the gas (though technically the Batmobile was electric), Batman slowed down. He could see the small crowd of people, and the podium. It occurred to him that if the Riddler hadn't sent the clues, he'd probably be there already, as Bruce Wayne.

Stopping now, and getting out, almost as if it were one movement. A movement that came so naturally to the Bat now get out of the car (it automatically locks and armors up), go fight crime.

The police cars told him he was already too late.

Gordon turned and spotted him. Batman walked quickly up to him.

"The Riddler took the mayor."

Gordon nodded. 展e got your message but he wanted to do the speech anyway. Riddler and his mooks were hiding under the podium we think they bribed security to ignore them."

"Which direction did they head?"

Gordon pointed. 摘ast. It was a very nice black Rolls Royce."

"Rolls Royce?"

Gordon shrugged. 撤robably stolen."

"License plate?"

Gordon shook his head. 的 didn't catch it. I'll get my boys to ask around then text you it."

"Thanks, Jim."

Gordon turned to motion to one of the new officers to get on that. He wasn't surprised when he turned back and Batman was gone. He sighed. It was going to be a long night. Again.

Eddie Nigma tapped his cane against the mayor's cage, if it could be called that. 的t's very simple, Mayor."

"It's not ******* simple, you lunatic."

Riddler chuckled coldly. 哲ow, now, no need to swear. What would your voters say?"

Riddler paced the machine that caged the politician, tapping parts of it. 的t's a puzzle, solvable from the outside or the inside. You can escape at any time if you can figure out what levers to pull, which buttons to push, which wires to pull in which order. I even labeled them with clues!"

A voice, now, behind him. 迭iddler. Get him out."

Eddie grinned, spinning dramatically. 的'm sure you could get him out yourself, Batman."

The thugs Riddler hired didn't wait for his instructions, just bumbled forward with fists and kicks, dropping like flies as Batman threw them into walls and benches.

Query and Echo had the good sense to wait until the Bat was distracted before attacking him from both sides.

After those two were groaning on the ground, trying to pick themselves up, Batman walked up to the Riddler.

Eddie hadn't taken his eyes off Batman from the moment he had arrived. While violence wasn't really his thing, he appreciated Batman's combat tactics the clinical dispatching of enemies and calculated defenses that also worked as offensive attacks.

Now the man was in front of him, and Eddie had to remind himself that the Batman didn't have superhearing and no, he couldn't hear the speed of his heartbeat.

"Are you going to save the mayor now, Batman?"

There. The movement of the deltoid. Batman was resisting striking him. Very interesting.

Batman moved forward to examine the machine. Riddler grinned and glanced at his watch. Let's see how long it took him.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

The Bat knew him well. 鄭lways."

Eddie could hear sirens now. Gordon, late to the party, as always. The sirens were a little far away, it would be another couple of minutes.

Click.

The door to the cage opened and the mayor stumbled out. Eddie spared a glance at his watch (two minutes, a good score, Eddie would have to make it harder next time, although he had dumbed it down for the mayor), before striking out with his cane, quick as a flash.

Batman blocked the blow effortlessly. Eddie ducked under the inevitable punch and struck toward Batman's gut, an attack that was also thwarted. He was buying time. Time to play with the Batman before he was dragged off to Arkham again.

Batman struck his arm now, causing Eddie to drop his cane. Now the gloved hand grasped his tie.

"Batman!"

"Gordon. Get the mayor and the henchmen."

Eddie glanced at Gordon, who still had his gun on him while the other officers did what Batman had suggested.

Gordon motioned with his gun. 展hat about the Riddler?"

"I'll take him to Arkham personally."

Batman tried to concentrate on his driving. Riddler was in the passenger's seat, cuffed and calm. Nigma seemed more concerned with the mechanics of the Batmobile than his captivity.

Riddler broke the silence. 添ou didn't punch me before."

"I had to get the mayor first."

Riddler sniffed. 徹h please, and not even try to threaten me to get the answer?"

"It was faster to solve it."

Batman looked at Nigma through the corner of his eye. The man was looking amused. He looked away.

Bruce was convinced that if he just tried harder, he could get the Riddler to reform. Bruce always thought criminals could be reformed, no matter how far gone, but he felt he was closest to achieving that with the Riddler. Nigma wasn't really violent. If Bruce could just get him to focus his intelligence toward something like solving crime rather than committing crime he could go far.

He wanted Nigma to reform.

He needed Nigma to reform.

If Nigma reformed, he wouldn't feel so wrong liking the man. He wouldn't have to feel bad for liking, sometimes even wanting the attention Nigma gave him.

It was a villain thing. They always obsessed over the capes.

But Riddler was different.

Batman tried to concentrate on his driving.

"You took a wrong turn."

"No."

Riddler pointed at the Batmobile's GPS. 典his route is slower. To get to Arkham? You turned to fast. Distracted, are we?"

"Why do you say that?"

Riddler snorted. 添ou probably know this city better than anyone. Why the GPS? You don't need it, you haven't glanced at it once. If you made a mistake, it's because you're distracted."

Batman tried not to smile. With Riddler he felt oddly exposed, and had to make sure not to leave a single clue to his identity or his thoughts, because he couldn't underestimate Nigma.

Riddler tried again. 展hat are you pondering?"

"Nothing."

"You're always thinking about something. What is it?"

"You're smart, Nigma. Why do you waste your time with crime when you could help? You might make a tidy sum as a private detective."

Riddler was silent. Batman glanced over and was surprised to see the man was blushing. Riddler quickly looked away, embarrassed.

Riddler didn't say another word on their way to Arkham.

The glass closed behind him. Locked inside this awful place again. Though Eddie wouldn't deny that it felt more like home than any other place he had been. Those had been temporary; Arkham was constant.

"Good game, Batman. I can't wait until our rematch."

The Bat frowned at him. Batman was always frowning.

"Think about what I said."

As he left in a swish of black and a whiff of sweat, Eddie chuckled. Oh he was thinking about what Batman said.

He said he was smart.