questionauthority: (Are you pondering what I'm pondering?)
Edward Nigma | The Riddler ([personal profile] questionauthority) wrote2011-05-06 04:55 pm

Riddle 026: Raining on Prom Night

[A: 726 Anderson Lane - BACKDATED TO THE DAY AFTER PROM.

Riddle me this: Who's as green as his suit and just woke up with the worst hangover ever? Answer: Edward Nigma, of course. Family members and unexpected visitors will find the Riddler downstairs at the breakfast table, dressed in a green bathrobe, half-heartedly fumbling with his daily crossword while he picks at a plate of eggs. He looks incredibly groggy, tired, and somewhat foul-tempered.]


[B: Mayfield High School - TODAY. It appears as though your favorite Ethics teacher is looking a little bit better after a long weekend and some time to recover. On the chalkboard, there appears to be a hastily drawn picture of a man with a long face and a garish smile.]

A dangerous criminal has been apprehended. Caught red-handed. He's responsible for the deaths of countless innocents. Question: How do you proceed? Do you take an eye for an eye and serve him a death penalty? It only makes sense, doesn't it? Especially if you consider the possibility that he may escape from his prison. And it's true. He could certainly escape and kill again. And again.

For the safety of these innocents, and for the good of the people, it may be worthwhile to consider a utilitarian approach. That is to say, you would subscribe to a system of ethics in which you would seek to increase the safety, happiness, and well-being of all mankind to maximum levels. But...

[He draws up another picture on the chalkboard of a cloaked figure, shrouded in a long, flowing cape.]

...there are those who might disagree with you. Those self-righteous radicals who feel as though they should follow the rules. Whose rules, exactly? Their rules. Their morals are absolute. They simply can't be compromised. Even if executing a murderer and a madman will maximize our well-being, murder is still murder to them. Nothing changes that. This is a deontological approach, class. And the ends never justify the means to them.

...so riddle me this. What would you do, if you had a say in this criminal's fate?

[Around Town:

There's a good chance that, after school, you'll find the Riddler on an investigation. He'll be found in one of three locations---

C: Sniffing around the Zemekis Corps Office Building, trying to get a grasp on what exactly it is that people do here.

D: In the Downtown area, glancing into windows and occasionally taking notes on a small notepad.

E: At the Mayfield Hospital, to answer some questions. A hospital in Mayfield seems rather arbitrary, doesn't it? Especially considering that death isn't even permanent. Why would one even be here, then, if that's the case?]

[identity profile] strike-you-out.livejournal.com 2011-05-07 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
The telepath...?

[identity profile] flameyedhunter.livejournal.com 2011-05-07 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
If the prison is what the criminal is escaping from, reform the prison system. If the courts are letting him get off due to poor prosecution, improve the prosecution. If there's a case of reasonable doubt, then the argument that it is better that 10 guilty men go free rather than one innocent being convicted must come into play, because one innocents start being jailed the system has broken, and there is no incentive for acting in a moral manner.

[identity profile] lunawolves10th.livejournal.com 2011-05-07 06:34 pm (UTC)(link)
L'deplaisant, actually. I find it is a good place to get intelligence and talk with people as I work.

[Nevermind the fact he also actively enjoys being a waiter.]
commentboxtroll: (☓ nothing wrong with a little distanc)

[personal profile] commentboxtroll 2011-05-07 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[Riiight.]

Do we know the motives behind what the dangerous criminal is doing? Or is he just a madman without any?

D

[identity profile] freakinblur.livejournal.com 2011-05-07 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[Why look! It's Officer McCann. He walks up to Edward while he's peering into a window taking notes. He's twirling his nightstick around and does his best attempt at a Grady impersonation. It's better than you'd expect.]

Well well, what have we here, creepin' around?

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
[It's enough to make Edward flinch a little bit, before turning around to find Scout. Still, even considering how much of an ass he made of himself the other night, he attempts a bit of levity.]

Didn't see you there, Officer. You startled me.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:13 am (UTC)(link)
[Edward should have figured that it wouldn't take very long before Schuldig approached him. It was bound to happen sooner or later, considering the things that he'd seen that night. The things that he'd heard.

The bit of deja vu that surges through him just now doesn't help matters much either.]


C-calm down.

[identity profile] freakinblur.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:16 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh man it totally worked! Be treated to some snickering and a smug smirk.]

Gotta know how ta creep ta sneak up on a creeper.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
For the sake of this discussion, let's say that there's no real motive. Let's say that he's killing innocents simply because he can.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a moment of quiet before Edward looks away, taking another bite of his eggs before focusing his attention back on the puzzle.]

No more questions, Slugger.

[identity profile] strike-you-out.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
...

[What he says next isn't a question, just a warning.]

Susan knows.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
...knows what?

[identity profile] strike-you-out.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
That you killed him.
commentboxtroll: (☓ even quiet words ech)

[personal profile] commentboxtroll 2011-05-08 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
Then the right step would be to have the criminal executed. If the justice system allows for a death penalty, it shouldn't be held in vain.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
...wonderful.

[identity profile] brotherseyes.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
We have a mutual friend who works here. I'm sorry if he said anything to you.

[She doesn't directly answer the question of whether or not that means he was there with her, though the alarm hovering just behind her sad eyes might speak for her.

Not that you're getting off so easily, Eddie.]


Wasn't what?
Edited 2011-05-08 00:52 (UTC)

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
Is that so? Tell me---what sort of intelligence have you been able to acquire so far? If you don't mind my asking.

[identity profile] strike-you-out.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
[He thought you'd like to know, Edward.

And now he'll continue turning the pages of this comic book while looking progressively confused.]

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
[His eyes narrow a little bit, and Edward crosses his arms.]

I see Grady was kind enough to let you keep your badge, after all this time.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
[So, the Major's up to an investigation as well? ...that furthers his resolve a little bit.]

You never know with this town.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
I would, if I had anything to share.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
Possibly. Maybe. Considering all that happened leading up to April 1st, it's hard to tell what the answers could even be, at this point.

[identity profile] freakinblur.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
Oh yeah. What a freakin' prince he is. Still better than the office, I guess.

[identity profile] puzzlerprince.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a bit of an awkward silence.]

...look. About the other night.

Retroactively backdating this so that it happened the day after prom~ Otherwise, no change!

[identity profile] have-your-lives.livejournal.com 2011-05-08 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
Give me one good reason why I should. [He's smiling in theory, but not in practice.] First you kill me, and now you're trying to get dirt on me. I don't feel much call to be even-tempered with you.

It seems that somehow I've been denied the capacity to telepathically wipe your mind clean of whatever you think you gleaned last night, so I'm forced to handle this the old-fashioned way. You never saw that boy. He never existed. And if you don't induce yourself to forget everything you think you know about him, I will rip your brain apart from the inside out.

[There's no subtlety to Schuldig today, no mockery or smugness. This is all pure, wild fury.]

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