What A Conundrum Chapter One

Jim Gordan was tired. He'd been police commisioner for a year, and it had gone from bad to worse. It had started with the Joker, then his escape from the holding cells and Harvey Dent's subsequent descent into madness. Now, Gotham had a new menace. Calling himself the Riddler. Edward Nigma's reign of thefts and robberies had left their mark upon the city. The riddles were genius in there complexity yet frustratingly simple once they'd been given the answer. Coupled with the Joker's recent escape and the Scarecrows reign of chemical induced terror in the narrows Gotham was a city close to breaking point.

However. The commissioner smiled to himself tiredly. With the Riddler there was at least a possible solution on the horizon. He'd hired a cryptographer. Joanne Dirrin, she had also won a few crossword competitions. She seemed like the best choice to help solve the Riddlers riddles. But Gordan had his doubts. She was so YOUNG. Only twenty-five. But more experienced cryptographers were mostly working more high profile jobs. Dirrin was young, she hadn't yet gained any great reknown. And the excitement of working on one of Gothams most famous criminals was very enticing to her. It could be her ticket to the big time. The girl who out-riddled the Riddler. The commissioner knew that was at least part of her motivation. He tried to assuage his irrational fears. It was unlikely anything would happen to her. The Riddler wasn't especially violent. Not like the Joker. It was unlikely he'd even notice the addition to the GCPD. Let alone pay any attention to her. She'd be fine. Probable write a book about her experience. With this thought in mind that Gordan left his office and began to head home. It had been a long day.

Jo was thrilled to recieve the job offer from Gotham. She was doing ok jobwise. She had a decent job solving codes for a big corporation. But the Riddler was something else entirely. It was with this reasoning that Jo had said goodbye to her family and friends and hopped on the first plane to Gotham. She'd sorted out accomodation over the phone. It wasn't much. A one bedroomed flat a few blocks from the police headquarters. She surveyed it with a critical eye. it was small. But honestly she didn't need a lot of space. It could use a fresh coat of paint but she had that more or less covered. She started work in three days and was confident she'd have the place feeling like home by then. She rolled up her sleeves and reached for the pots of paint she'd bought that day. Emerald green. She dipped a brush in and began to paint the wall. Humming tunelessly as she did so. Three days to turn what was a bit of a dump into a domestic haven. She had work to do.

Three days later Jo was late for work. She rushed about her apartment frantically. This was what she got for spending half the night rearranging furniture. She'd overslept, and now she was running late. She snatched a few biscuits from the tin. Right that was breakfast done. She ran towards the door. Smoothing out her green v-neck and black pencil skirt as she went. She practically lept into her car and sped to work. Probably breaking a few laws. She punched in five minutes late. Then went straight to the ladies toilets and fixed her hair. Securing it in a tight bun. With two thick strands loose and framing her face. She glanced in the mirror and started applying her makeup. A little eyeshadow, bareley noticeable, and pale pink lipstick. She considered smoothing a little foundation over her freckles but decided against it. She rarely wore make-up. And she wasn't that desperate to impress. She gave herself a once over. Dark green cashmere v-neck, knee-length black pencil skirt. Dark red hair pulled neatly back into a bun with two strands that contrasted her pale complexion. Perfect. She stepped out of the bathroom. Acutely aware how small and delicate she was compared to the hardened police officers that towered over her.

She headed to Gordans office confidently. She might be late but that was done. No use crying over spilt milk and all that. She knocked on the door.

"Come in." A tired voice called from within.

She entered and looked over the tired looking man behind the desk. He was middle aged, With brown hair and a small beard. His warm brown eyes looked at her through glasses. This was Jim Gordan.

"Commissioner Gordan, I'm Joanne Derrin, the new cryptographer." she said calmly. Acting like she wasn't even late.

"Mrs Derrin, glad you accepted my offer." he replied.

"Oh call me Jo. Everyone does." She laughed. "And how could I not accept this job. The Riddler's a genius I'd love to work on him."

The commissioner smiled. "Well Jo. Welcome to Gotham, I'll show you to your cubicle."

He led her out of the office and into a room filled with various people working at terminals. A few people were standing around a coffee machine. Gordan showed Jo into a small cubicle against the wall. He wished her luck and left. The Riddler had left a riddle behind at the scene of his last crime. Jo studied it interestedly. This wasn't going to be easy.

A few hours later Jo had it figured out. The answer was; time. He was going to attack the unveiling of the new clock. It was a bold move she'd give him that. The mayor was making a huge deal out of the new clock on Gotham square. But that was the answer to the riddle. She emailed Gordan the news. Then grabbed her jacket and left. She was done for the day.

The Riddler was certainly surprised to see the police at the clock unveiling. They rarely figured out his riddles. They even arrived before Batman. Not that he was unduly concerned about this as he ducked down a side alley. The cops would no doubt round up his hired thugs, but he'd get away. It would take more than some mediocre cop to capture the Riddler. He walked brazenly through the streets. This was a poor neighbourhood. No-one was going to mess with the Riddler. As he neared the 'respectable' areas. He slipped out of his bright green suit jacket. His paler green shirt and green trousers were still noticeable, but a great deal less conspicuous than his full Riddler ensemble. He pulled his tie off. It would be just like some concerned citizen to call the police because they'd spotted the Riddler. He slipped his mask from his face and slipped it into his pocket. He sauntered into the middle class neighbourhood. Jacket over one arm. So he'd suffered one setback. It was a one-off. Some cop had pobably has a moment of inspiration while halfway through a doughnut or something. It was unlikely to happen again. He was the Riddler after all. A genius, the brightest the world had to offer. The police would not get lucky again. They would be out-riddled and out-classed. His heists would not be interupted again.

Jo turned out to be very good at her job. She managed to solve most of the Riddlers riddles. She enjoyed them. The challenge the joy in working them out. In proving her intelligence was close to that of the Riddler. She knew she wasn't as smart as he was. The man was a genius. A fact she often pointed out to her co-workers, it never failed to annoy her when they labled him an idiot simply because they didn't like the idea of an intelligent criminal. She denied it when they called her smarter than him. She wasn't, she knew that, end of.

Her apartment was finally the way she liked it. She'd painted it blue for the most part. The only exception being her bedroom which she'd painted an deep emerald green. She'd furnished it less than elegantly. The furniture wasn't a set. But it didn't clash horribly so it was ok. And it gave off more of a cosy homey aura rather than sophisticated. She liked it that way. She sighed and flopped down onto her squashy green couch. She yanked off her heels and began to massage her aching feet. Why had she worn heels to work. She groaned and reached for the tv remote. She flicked it on. The news was playing. Some fluff story about runaway kittens or something. How like Gotham city to pretend that there wasn't anything wrong. The anchorman cut to another story. One that was actually relevent for once. It was about her. Sort of. Actually it was about the increase in the number of riddler crimes the GCPD had managed to prevent. She smiled and stretched out on the sofa. Luxuriating in the motion. She knew that the sudden rise in riddle crimes foiled was really down to her. She'd been the one solving all the riddles. To bad she wasn'r getting any of the credit. She would have liked a bit of thanks. Some acknowledgement. It didn't really matter though. She was helping people that was enough.

The Riddler was furious. It had been three months. THREE MONTHS and so far the moronic police force had managed to solve every single riddle he'd sent them. Dozens of plans ruined because the idiotic cops failed to comprehend the beauty of his game. WHO WAS DOING IT? Who was solving his riddles. It couldn't just be some officer. They must have brought in an expert. He felt a little smug at that. Yes the police must finally had a decent idea and brought in someone especially to deal with him. Well he'd have to find out a little more about this expert. The Riddler sat down to plan.

Officer Darren Vemmer was a twenty year man. He'd seen all kinds of horrors in this city. Junkies and prostitutes who couldn't be more than twelve. Serial killers, rapists, dead bodies. The horrors of the night the Scarecrow sent the narrows to hell and the chaotic explosive reign of the Joker. None of that prevented him from nearly having a heart attack when he was dragged down an alley held by two thugs and had a question marked cane waved in his face by the green suited puzzle obsessed menace known as the Riddler.

"Riddle me this, Who keeps solving my riddles?" He hissed.

Darren stared at him in shock. "I d-d-d-don't know." he stuttered nervously.

Riddler smirked. "Your department is tasked with my arrest. You'll know about anyone brought in to solve my riddles. Who is it?"

Darren,realising that lying was getting him nowhere. Decided to attempt defiance. "I'm not telling you, freak. Jo's my pal I'm not telling you nothing."

Oh God he'd said her name. Maybe he wouldn't notice.

The Riddler smiled. "Jo? Interesting. And that was a double negative you cretin. Tell me about this Jo."

Darren sighed. He'd get the information one way or another. 'Sorry Jo' he prayed internally.

"Her names Joanne Derrin. She's a cryptographer. Gordan dragged her over from the otherside of the country to deal with you." he said in a dull flat monotone. Defeated.

The Riddler suddenly yanked his cane away from the restrained mans face.

"Excellent. Now boys," he turned to his henchmen. "Make sure the good officer doesn't remember this." he walked away.

He'd let his boys do the cleanup. He wasn't Jonathan Crane, but he could obtain chemicals that would make the last few hours nothing but a blur for the cop. He had the information he required. He sat in front of his computer at the warehouse where he'd set up his temporary home. The batman had found his last one. the winged rat was such an annoyance. Nigma typed the name of this new cryptographer into the google searchbar. Most people had personal information on the internet. Facebook was a prime example of this. He'd start with the basics. If the woman continued to intruige him. He'd hack into the police databank and pull up her file. The Riddler settled down to search through the hundreds of results 'Joanna Derrin' had given. He had an interesting night ahead.