Riddle 020: Calling All Crooks

[questionauthority]

A. [At Mayfield High, Edward is taking to his new job as Ethics teacher with very little enthusiasm. Any kids in his class? Your first assignment is being written on the board in a neat, tidy scrawl:

"How far would you be willing to go to escape this place?"]

Discuss.

B. [Later on that afternoon, Edward makes a public phone call, filtered away from drones, Grady, the Mayor, the Smiths, and the like.]

Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield. You know what I like to do every Sunday night when I'm not scheming a daring escape? I like to think up riddles. Like this one, for example: "What is the one question you can ask at any point in the day, and still get a different answer?" Give up? Hmm?

Answer: "What time is it?" See? Simple. I could say "7:26" just as easily as I can say the time is 9 o'clock PM. Or this one---actually, my old college roommate, Andrew, was instrumental in helping me think this one up.

"Brothers and sisters have I none, but that man's father is my father's son!" I'll let you figure out the answer to that one on your own.

Hmm. Perhaps this Sunday night, I'll think up another good riddle. Or perhaps I'll finally find a way for all of you to get out of here. Who knows? Maybe I already have. Interested? Well---you already know where to find me. I've practically given you all the answers, regardless.

[He chuckles obnoxiously.]

Comments

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[So much teeth gnashing right now.]

...well, that's a given. What, pray tell, does it depend on?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Technically, you have every right to throw him out of class since he's not even old enough to be in attendance. But to do so would be at your own risk.]

How much of what I lost is given back.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[It's a matter of pride, really.]

Explain.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

All I want is what was taken from me. The more I get back, the less my own escape matters.

[This revelation comes in light of his latest regain.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Mayfield has, indeed, taken a good deal of things from all of us.

All right, then. For the sake of this discussion, let's say that if you manage to escape, you'll be able to reclaim everything that was taken from you. Powers, possessions, memories, organs, everything. What then?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

What do I have to do to escape?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Who knows? The challenges they toss at you could be insurmountable. But how much would you be willing to condone before drawing the line?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[He shrugs. Really, he's just here to give you a hard time, Professor Nigma.]

How much would you condone?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

That, ah... that wasn't what I asked you.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Mid-shrug, he gives Edward a stymied look.]

...It wasn't?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

No. I asked what you would condone. Not what I would.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

Right. What you would condone. [This straight face is totally convincing.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

...Slugger.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Okay, for the sake of humoring himself he'll play along. At least, for a moment, he actually looks quite thoughtful. Honestly, he doesn't know how to answer this question yet.]

...

I won't know until it happens.