Long Weekend, and a Long Week Ahead Sleep To Prepare

I woke in the night, when Kianna’s alarm went off. She was working a night shift and headed out, taking my car, to maintain the cover of her car being broken. Fortunately, she returned it, full of gas before I had to car pool into work.

I walked out in the early morning, and headed for the car, only to be caught by some random old lady. In a perfect world, she’d have been hot, but instead she, well, looked like a stereotypical little old gossiping neighbor, the type who watches her neighbors with a telescope, then complains that she was able to spot a bit of flesh through the windows.

“I say, young man, what are you doing here this early in the morning? You don’t live around here!”

“Nope, I was just visiting.”

“Sleeping over at Kianna’s place? She’s old enough to be your mother!”

“Yeah, and she is my girlfriend’s mom,” I said with a faux confused smile.

“Then where’s Asa?”

“At home,” I acted even more confused.

“Then why are you here?”

“Oh, I let Kianna borrow my car as she’s having some car trouble.”

“Then why did you sleep over?”

“Because Kianna had a night shift and I need to get to work early in the morning, so she took the car and went to work and I took it in the morning...and I got a nice home cooked dinner out of it and for acting as chauffeur all day. I’m sorry, I’ve got to get to work and you...are being really weird. Excuse me,” I walked off, leaving her fuming behind me, but with no actionable gossip.

I did text Kianna to let her know about it, but she said she could handle the old lady. Well, when she woke up later in the day. I did get lucky on the imbuing Blackgate guards trick, but again, it was a low level criminal who wouldn’t be any use, so I deleted them. And as I was pulling into the parking lot, I got a text message.

Mr. Cain, Given your clear expertise in matters of fashion, I would appreciate it if you would give me your insight on which outfit is best for work going forward.

Three images followed.

The third one made her look like a fucking schoolgirl, which was hot, but not exactly what would help with other matters. The second was clearly the right answer, and after a moment, that’s what I gave, but I saved the images and the chat chain before heading into work. Given she’d asked, I wasn’t surprised by the lack of SP from her presumed obedience, but it was still annoying.

Today was the Riddler’s movie night and I was somehow unsurprised that despite not telling him, somehow there were five votes for Memento, blowing anything else out of the water. If I’d cared, that might have been a problem, but I didn’t. Instead, I used it as an excuse to go see Penelope and see how her new traits were treating her. And her new outfit.

She looked great, as always, and smiled at me, “Hello, Mr. Cain, thanks for your help Friday, it was...much appreciated. I hope you had a good weekend?”

“I did and no supervillain bullshit, for once!” I joked. A little laugh. “But really, Jasmine did most of it and compared to Dr. Sinner, you looked great.”

She gave me a curious look and I just shook my head, there wasn’t any real news on the ‘investigation’ into Alyce’s weird behavior, given the lack of audits or information on the budget, or her. And Rapetoy had turned up empty too. The only other route might be to try Skin, on either Alyce, or her secretary, but if she was smart, it wouldn’t be anywhere linked to anything external. None of Arkham’s systems were, of course, but it also wouldn’t be on that system, probably. Or maybe she just kept it in her office, super confident. That would explain how she’d ‘wronged’ me.

Or maybe she was in league with a supervillain, like all my other bosses. Regardless, Penelope shook it off and asked, “What brings you down here?

“So...I think Riddler probably found out who else was in his group, as about half of them voted for the same film, Memento. Except for one, which was a riddle, with the answer, Memento.”

I passed over the votes and she read Riddler’s out loud. She had to hold it up close as the print was tiny to fit in on a piece of paper intended for like three or four words.

“I’m not a story, though I tell one true,

A tiny artifact that stays with you.

I’m kept with care, sometimes in a chest,

A reminder of memories, at your request.

What am I, that links the past and present,

A precious relic, a gift, or a present?

Indeed, a memento and the Riddler’s work.”

“So, doc, what should we do about it?”

AN: Thanks to ChatGPT for the recommendation of Riddler’s favorite movie and a riddle with the answer Memento, which otherwise I would have found quite annoying.