DUPLICITY: IC INBOX

[theansweris]

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[cryfrustration]

[It's not Vrenille's place to speak for Oswald, but if he had to characterise it, he'd peg the event as half way between the two. Though also...hello, now that he's met Oswald he can actually picture the serving tongs down someone's throat as literal reaction and not just hyperbole, and that's...sort of a shock to realise that we're all living in that reality where a reaction like that would really possibly happen...

Anyway, right. He's focused. What were they saying? Oh yeah...]

He phoned me in the middle of the night, and if I tell you why you gotta promise you're not gonna go off all half cocked 'bout it. You or Riddler, k?

[theansweris]

[ Ed's worked forensics on a number of Oswald's victims. He's familiar with his hallmarks.

There's a long silence. ]

Fine. We promise.

[ Yeah, that's Riddler come to handle it. ]

[cryfrustration]

Someone attacked him.

Security in that place is a joke anyway, but they were in his room while he slept, put a knife to his throat.

[And as soon as he says that, he's hastening to add,] He's okay. Had a bit of a shock 'n I think it rattled his cage pretty well, but he's not hurt, 'n he's safe here.

[theansweris]

[ There's another protracted silence, and then Ed's softer voice. ]

He won't thank you for telling me that. Is there a body I need to get rid of?

[cryfrustration]

Yeah, I kinda got that. You're not exactly an easy bunch, you guys. But if I gotta choose 'tween lying to you to keep his secrets 'n being straight up with you but wounding his pride a little...

Well, I'm willing to take him being pissed at me for it. Maybe he won't get over it, but I've saved his ass twice now, so far as I'm concerned he can pull his pants up 'n deal. [Ultimately, that's the bottom line for him right now. What he's offering to Oswald is an extension of the loyalty and bond he's built with Ed, and for that he'll go quite a long way. But Ed is still the one who came first for him, and Vrenille isn't going to do anything that feels like betraying him, even if Ed himself would accept being betrayed for the sake of his own best friend.]

And no. Far as I know there's not. Guy made his threat 'n then backed off. Oswald high tailed it outta there.

[Which, on the one hand, means there's no body...and on the other means that the guy in question is still out there.]

[theansweris]

[ Ed gives a weak chuckle. ]

That's probably the best stance with Oswald. Honest and consistent.

[ It's really all Ed did. And he's glad that Vrenille is getting that while Oswald isn't easy to get on with, that doesn't make it not worth the effort. ]

That's... probably best for now. Especially if this... individual is unmarked. That would be hard to cover up.

[cryfrustration]

[If it wasn't for you, Ed, he's honestly not sure whether he would be making the effort. But this is where we are, and the effort is there without showing any signs of ending any time soon.

That does not, however, make this next bit any less complicated, because when Ed says that about them being unmarked, it actually brings him up short.]

I...

Shit.

Ed, maybe I shouldn't say anything 'cause it's not my place, but I don't wanna see you get blindsided or caught out so I'm gonna: it was Victor Zsasz. That's who attacked him. Only not the one we know. 'Cording to Oswald he didn't even look the same. There's another one here now, 'n it sounds like he's pretty different from the first.

[theansweris]

[ Vrenille. It's almost certainly not worth the effort. But Ed's a little biased and thinks it is.

There's more silence. ]

I see.

No running off half cocked for revenge.

I promise.

[ Riddler purrs it. Means it. Revenge will not be some half cocked affair. It will be slow, methodical and exacting. ]

[cryfrustration]

[Without understanding just what Riddler intends, Vrenille does understand it. He understands, first, that it's him--Riddler, and not Ed--speaking now. And he understands that the promise...the promise isn't a promise of nothing. It's not a promise about the absence of a reprisal.

He understands something else, too, which is that he's the one who's set this in motion. Not alone, of course, and Ed would surely have learned it all sooner or later. But for it to happen just this way? It took his hand--what he began with the gesture of picking up his phone. He could feign or front innocence, ignorance, but it would be a lie.

Wisdom, now, would probably be on the side of letting this all run its course, extricating himself, standing back at safe distance. Whatever Riddler's going to do, Vrenille's pretty sure it will be quite the dangerous game. But where, when it came to dealing with Tim, he tried to reel him in, keep a modicum of civility about the whole thing, this time he attempts no such thing. Maybe he's playing with quite a bit of fire in what he says, after a pause.]

If you need anything, you know where to find me.

voice; un; PuddinJ 1/2

[pathofvigilante]

Eddie, Riddleman! Just wanted to check in, see how you guys are doing!

I bumped into Oswald! Like, the real one! Those baby blues are just as pretty in person, I gotta say. First thing I asked was if YOU knew he was here, and he said yeah!

I'm so happy someone so special to you showed up! I mean, not in a your-friend-is-trapped-in-a-sex-city way, but in a you-get-to-be-with-your-person way

We can have a game night, and invite Vrenilla too! Ooohh we have to!

... Please?

2/2

[pathofvigilante]

Oh, and one last thing I wanted to mention

Someone else I know showed up in the city, too! Isn't that a crazy co-inky-dink?

[theansweris]

I most certainly do.

Thank you, Vrenille. I don't say that often enough, though undoubtedly Ed says it enough for both of us and then some.

text | un: mister_e [private]

[theansweris]

I met him as he got out from arrivals, brought him back here for a clean up and some hot food. He's been avoiding me since.

And we can have a game night, but if it's you and Riddler's type games, I think you shouldn't invite Oswald. And if it's more my games, Oswald doesn't really like those, either, actually.

Who did you know among the arrivals?

[permaprivate]

[pathofvigilante]

Really? That's... kinda weird. Maybe he knows something you don't? Timelines Eddie, they mess everything up. But still-- I'm sure you guys can work out whatever's going on. You obviously care about the guy-- people don't hallucinate just any ol' person, you know?

I meant, like... board games, or something? Cards? I know a few good ones! Maybe some kind of game of chance... since we're all such smart cookies, heeeheeeheee~

[ There's a pause here, not quite heavy. Why is John nervous about disclosing this? E & R are his friends, right? So it's stupid to be nervous!]

Not the one I knew... but I also ran into Harley Quinn [ it's pretty much impossible for him to keep all the romantic swooning out of his voice when he says her name ]

Oh, I should bring HER to our game night, don't you think?

[theansweris]

He's from five or six months ahead of me and apparently things- I don't want to talk about it over the phone. It's not great.

I don't really play card games. I card count. I can't stop myself doing it.

[ Ed pauses as well, processes. ]

Maybe you should, yeah. If she likes games. I'm sure we can invent something at the worst.

[pathofvigilante]

Oh, is that so? Huh... I hope it's nothing to worry about... Aw, would you tell me if I came over? I wanna know! If something concerns my friends I gotta do my best to be there for them. Them being you guys.

Yes! She was a psychiatrist and all-- probably fit right in with us brainy types~ And that's why I said a game of chance, hard to fix one of those. What about a game where you can't look at the cards in your hand?

[theansweris]

I don't really like psychiatrists. I'm sure you understand why. And yes, you can come over if you want. No one else is home.

I don't like games of pure chance and luck either. There's no skill, nothing. It's... I don't get the point.

[pathofvigilante]

[ It's not like he thinks he's being lied to; of course his buddies have reasons enough to dislike psychiatrists. He likes to imagine the prickliness is because of him though; he loses some time floating in that fantasy fever dream. Ah, if only. ]

Too many bad ones, not enough good ones. I totally get it. Some of em are real jerks too.

Ohho, you sayin' we'd have the place all to ourselves? [ a few devious snickers ] That does sound like fun...

The point is to see who wins [ Hello, Joker ] ... Or, you know, whatever the actual mechanic of the game is. Winner gets the last sandwich, loser loses his pants, blah-blah, blah-blah, blah-blah

[ he's just fiddling with his phone as he prepares to leave. Clean clean clothes, hair styled, plus he's gotta find his sunglasses and brush his teeth. Not like it's a big deal or anything. ]

[theansweris]

[ John's experiences haven't improved the opinion over here. ]

I'm saying I'm here on my lonesome if you want to come and keep me company.

[pathofvigilante]

[ John reads the succinct reply and willingly loses himself in whimsical, feverish imagining. Having just put on something clean to wear he flops onto his back on his bed, holding his phone against his chest with a hazy grin.

He imagines Riddler is jealous.

He imagines the straight-forward nature of the reply is meant to lure him.

He imagines, briefly sliding his fingers beneath the hem of his pants to touch the green symbol on his hip, that Riddler feels he has some claim to stake.

He doesn't believe that any of that is true.

But he happily gets buzzed on the fantasy ]

You sure you don't want me to take you somewhere nice for once? [ his eerie chuckles skitter across the line ]

Can I bring ya anything, best-Duplicity-friend o' mine?~

[theansweris]

[ The long silence is mildly annoying, but Riddler's used to John trailing off to thinking and then coming back to the conversation when he's done. ]

Are you particularly committed to taking me somewhere? Or is there somewhere you're thinking of?

[pathofvigilante]

Hm

...

How about the roof? You know, The roof? I'll catch you if you fall off, promise! [ he dissolves into devious giggles ]

Some fresh air couldn't kill you, either. Oh! I'll bring a picnic blanket, and games! Who do think can solve a rubix cube faster, you or me? [ an absolutely loaded question and he knows it ]

[theansweris]

[ Riddler thinks about it. For about half a second. ]

Yeah, I'll meet you there.

And it will be me.

[ It might not be at first, but he's competitive. ]

Action---->

[pathofvigilante]

Great, GREAT! It's always so good to see you!

Maybe, but you know I'll give you a run for your money buddy~

---

To say John Doe is happy would be a grandiose understatement. In all likelihood something someone knows that recent events ( arrivals ) could throw things into absolute disarray, but that's not what he's choosing to dwell on, actively. What's there to be worried about anyway? Nothing's better than more and more friends!

He's waiting on the ledge of the roof, his comical picnic basket tucked safely aside. He's in his civi clothes but he does have his grappling hook, because that's so much fancier than stairs.

He's not quite buzzing, having already made his way through an iced capachino, he meticulously scans the surrounding streets in near to giddy anticipation for his buddy's ( buddies ) arrival. He's also gonna have to make a conscious effort to quit rolling his shiny new tongue ring against his lip, because it seems way more fun to see how long it'll take his dear pals to notice.

He perks up like a damn meerkat when he thinks he sees a familiar silhouette, wringing his hands together in a tick of restless delight.

"There you are! Heya guys! Up here!! I've been waiting!" the intensity of that grin is more than enough to unnerve most people, but these guys are not most people at all. His smile is completely manic as he waves excitedly from his spot.

"Can I give ya a hand up? All the good stuff is up here with me!"

[theansweris]

Riddler heads out with his emerald green coat and his modified cane. He doesn't rush, because he never rushes with John, never lets that fragment of Ed that wants and craves attention take over and hurry things. If he's ever too eager, he knows John's attention will wane.

When he reaches the building, he looks up, already expecting that he'll be offered a lift up to the roof. How else would they do this?

"Of course." He offers up the hand not holding the cane.