Meaning of the Question Mark

[Harleen Quinzel]

"Age 27, former consultant and designer of Griffin Video games..." Harleen read out loud from the file of one Edward E. Nigma. He was an interesting fellow, very smart maybe too smart for his own good. Someone with that kind of intelligence can cause great deal of problems, which, from what she read, was very good at doing.

Glancing down at her watch, she knew her session with Mr. Nigma was in about 10 mins. She continued on to read his file preparing herself for the one on one. Her notebook filled with her messy writing of information she contained from the paper work. Satisfied with her notes, Harleen decided to check the room for the third time before they brought her patient. She needed to kill time. Because she was dealing with an dangerous person, the room really didn't have anything in it. Just two chairs and a light that hung above them.

A bored sigh left Harley's mouth as she took a seat in her place. She begin to chew her bottom lip, a habit she has had since she could remember. The knock at the door slightly made Harleen jump, she shook her uneasy feeling and opened the door.

"Seat him right there." Harleen ordered pointing at one of the empty seats.

She watched the two men rather roughly pushed Nigma into one of the chairs. The three mumbled words to one and other low enough so Harleen was unable to catch them. Probably threats trying to prove how tough each other was. Harleen rolled her eyes and waited for the guards to make their exit. Once they left the room, Harleen finally took her seat across from Nigma.

"Hello Mr. Nigma, sleep well I hope."

[The Riddler]

"Like the dead, Dr. Quinzel." He said pleasantly.

He'd managed to keep himself neat. His clothes had few wrinkles and his hair had been combed back. He sat up straighted in his chair and eyed the doctor with his baby blues. God she was number. He tried to keep himself from examining all of her curves.

"How are you today, Doctor?" He'd already nicknamed her legs in his mind.

He chuckled to himself. This could turn into a cliche soap drama...

[Harleen Quinzel]

"Thats good to hear..." Harleen shifted in her chair as she brought one leg over the other. She quickly summed up her notes as she left Nigma waiting patiently.

"First off, are you comfortable, well as comfortable to be expected? Anyone causing you problems?" Harleen asked.

[The Riddler]

An increase in blood pressure. Watching that well formed leg wrap around the other sent shock waves through Nigma. He nearly missed the questions.

"Uh...Fine, I supposed. The guards are rather rude." He said rather distant. His head was already filled with such thoughts. He cracked a small smile. He was hoping for a much more personal line of questioning.

[Harleen Quinzel]

"I'll have a talk with the guards." Harleen said bringing her eyes up to his level noticing the smug smile on his face.

"Lets start with your thoughts on being here at Arkham, do you feel you belong here?" She asked leaning more comfortably in the chair. The session had just begone, and she was hoping to make some kind of progress with Nigma today. Maybe that was asking too much, it being their first official conversation, but she was still going to try.

[The Riddler]

He was coming back. No longer a dud, out of his coma, that twisted charm, Ed Nigma was once again embracing his darker nature.

[glow=red,2,300]Who


What



Where


Why[/glow]

"I should be here." he said slyly."For the sake of thousands." He liked his doctor. She was breathing life back into a broken man.

[Harleen Quinzel]

Harley nodded her head in some what of a understanding to Nigma as she quickly jotted down his response. He knew he was a dangerous person and was willing to attempt it. At least he was allowing them to discuss his crime, it usually took her some time to get her patients to admit they did any wrong doing.

"When you say, 'For the sake of thousands.' That leads me to believe you still have the urge to kill. Why do you find it necessary to kill innocent people?" Harleen asked with a slight raised eyebrow.

[The Riddler]

"Innocent people? You call them innocent people. Why? Because a great deal of them haven't committed a felony or spent a sentence in stonegate...or merely haven't been convicted. Everyone is guilty..of something that falls in the category of "breaking the law." Just because you over look it as menial carelessness such as chucking that candy bar wrapper on the pavement rather in the can where it belongs, doesn't mean it isn't wrong or punishable. It does not absolve them." He paused, a tickle forming in his throat.

"I'd be interested in finding out your own crimes. You'll say their minescule...nothing compared my acts of cruielty..." He leaned closer, "But if thats so, why not tell Gotham's Finest..I'm sure they'd share that view...wouldn't they?"

He leaned back again. "Sorry, for that, doctor. I know you don't want your question to be answered with a question..." He paused.

A question...

A Riddle....

"Ahem. No I don't have the urge to kill. Merely to keep Gothamites on their toes...They want challenges in their average lives..I just want to help them get it...for keeps...since the smaller level wasn't good enough..."too nerdish" my late employer put it...and my father before him."

Dad...

He shook the thought. Better for his health not to dig up the ghosts of the past.

"Don't you see...Its all fun and games..all a game. Only if you lose..you don't get to press the reset button."

[Harleen Quinzel]

He had quite an view of things, Harley found it interesting how he could sum something important as life down to a simple game.

"You mentioned your father. How about we talk about him." Harleen said more as a demand then a suggestion.

She wanted to learn more about his past, try to see what had made him the way he is today. Starting with his father could give her the insight she was searching for.

[The Riddler]

"I'd rather we didn't." Was his simple, matter of fact answer.

He couldn't dig up that old hurt. That was the past. Daddy didn't matter. What mattered is that he proved him wrong. He proved them all wrong. He made Headlines. He was the first arch villain to appear since Ra's Algul tried to destroy the city a year ago.

The Riddler.

The First. His title and no one Else's.

"Doctor." he cocked an eyebrow. "Why don't we move on to a more stimulating conversation."

She seemed puzzled.

"Why don't I hear about you..."

A sly smile formed. "Could you Humor a poor madman?"

[Harleen Quinzel]

"Me?" Harley asked rather surprised, "I don't think..."

Harley paused for a moment, she could take a different approach to Nigma. Maybe if she opens herself up little to him, he would return the favor. Earning trust could go a long way...

"Okay Mr. Nigma, we'll try it your way...for now." Harley smiled, "What would you like to know?"

[The Riddler]

"Tell me about who you are. What makes you tick. I want to hear your dreams hopes and aspirations. Normal girl/guy talk."

Of course that wasn't all. He'd get to the more personal questions later. Now was the time for small talk. He'd dive into the ocean that was Dr. Quinzel. He'd see just how far he could take it before she'd stop him. Would she want to?

"Take your time before answering. I want to know all I can. Be specific."