Started With a Riddle (Under Some Major Construction)

Chapter 9: In the Bushes

WEDNESDAY 3:31 PM

"Since you're familiar with this place why don't ya tell me where we're at now?", Harley asked digging through her bag.

"We're in the Urban Jungle, which means we're not that far from the hyena exhibit." Harleys face lit up like a kids at a toy store and she threw her bag at me before running off towards where they keep the rhinos. She had a damn saw in that bag and she was trying to free the Rhinos! This is bad!

"Hey kid ya might wanna move, as soon as they're free we can make a run for the hyenas."

"Why do you need to free them!?", I questioned moving to a bench that was nearby.

"We need a distraction! They're onto me!" I wasn't going to let her kill the innocent people of the zoo so easily! Plus those poor rhinos will hurt themselves as well!

"Help! Is nobody seeing this? This woman is freeing the rhinos for god's sake!", I tried my best to get peoples attention but they all just ran trying to flee the zoo as quickly as possible. She worked pretty fast already having one side of the fence loose.

"Quit playing the dame in distress! Do ya think I'm an idiot or something? I've seen ya on the tv with the Riddler!", she said finishing her quest to free the rhinos. The rhinos turned to see the open gate and started running out. "Let's get outta here!"

Harley dragged me all the way to the restrooms. We both watched as the stampede ran off making the ground shake and dust fly everywhere.

"Off we go to free my babies!", she said pulling me in the opposite direction. "Lead the way blondie!" I sighed and lead her around to the other side which was where they kept the hyenas, bears, and monkeys. Once we reached the exhibit I was relieved to find out they kept the hyenas safely behind some I'd assume unbreakable glass. There's no way she could free these human eating creatures now!

"Good luck getting through that glass.", I laughed. And then she pulled out a meat tenderizer from her bag. A meat tenderizer! Who just walks around with that? She started banging on the glass but couldn't even put a dent in it.

"Alright! If this glass ain't gonna break then I'll just go with plan B!", she huffed tossing her meat tenderizer onto the floor. She dug through her bag again and pulled out a small pouch. I stood there watching this insane woman walk to the door, which the staff probably used to feed the hyenas and get down on her knees. I looked at her for a moment then over at the hyenas confused at what she was doing. Then I took a few steps closer finally coming to the realization that she was using a lock picking kit to open the door. I pulled my phone out and checked if I had any missed calls from Richard and as I expected I had twelve missed calls all from him. I dialed him back and waited for an answer.

"Hello? L are you okay?!"

"Yes. I'm fine. Where are you?"

"I'm at the entrance of the zoo. Where are you? I'll go find you!", he asked like some sort of parent. I hesitated to answer knowing something bad might happen if Harley knew I was planning on ditching her, plus Richard would probably be coming along with zoo security or something.

"I'm at the hyena exhibit. Turns out all Harley wanted was her pets back.", I said turning to see Harley now inside with the hyenas. My jaw almost fell to the floor when two of the hyenas tackled her onto the ground. "Oh my god! Harley!"

"L? L don't do anything stupid! L!" I hung up and sprinted to the door of the exhibit.

"Harley!", I yelled. I know this lady was crazy and all but I would still feel really bad if she was injured in any way or even devoured. I stopped in place right at the door when I believed it was too late. The hyenas had Harley surrounded on the ground and I was ready to cry my heart out. But then a burst of laughter came from the hoard...and it wasn't the hyenas.

"You shoulda seen the look on your face when my babies jumped onto me! It was almost as funny as the joke Mistah J told me about Green Lantern's ring!", Harley said trying to contain herself, she was basically a bomb ready to explode. I rolled my eyes and turned back around looking for Richard. I almost peed myself when Harley walked passed me and her hyenas gave me a look. "Well?"

"Well, what?", I asked confused.

"Was that not the most fun day of your entire life?"

"Not really. That was a whole lot of unnecessary walking and my feet were already in pain before you even kidnapped me.", I shrugged. Harleys grin quickly turned into a frown and back to a grin. She shrugged like I previously had. "So am I free now?", I asked.

"Well since I got what I came for I guess so. Well, it was nice meeting ya! Hopefully next time we run into each other you'll have joined the right side of Gotham.", she bowed. I stared at her as she walked off questioning what she meant. But she'd spoken too soon turning back around to look at me once more. "Oh! I almost forgot to tell ya! Your secret admirer has been following you around since I showed up or at least I think so. He's hiding right over there!" She pointed behind me and I turned around to lock eyes with someone hiding in the bushes about ten feet away. I made my way over watching as the eyes never lost contact with mine until disappearing once I was about a foot away.

"I know you're in there Nygma.", I sighed. I stood there waiting for Edward to step out but he never did. "Fine, keep hiding like a coward in the bushes. I'm leaving." As I walked away the bushes started rustling and out popped Edward with his crappy Riddler getup.

"So..."

"Let's not discuss why I was in these hedges.", he said stepping out of bushes and dusting his pants.

"I don't need to discuss it. I already know why."

"Care to tell me then?", he asked leaning against his cane.

"You're obviously so obsessed with me that you have to stalk me.", I stated.

"Yes, I'm sure someone of your intellectual level would see it that way. Really I'm just here coincidentally at the zoo hunting down that one.", he smirked as he pointed at Harley without even breaking eye contact with me.

"Hiya!", Harley waved from afar.

"Sure you are...", I said.

"But you know...since I've run into you why don't we catch up?", he asked.

"Fat chance. I'm leaving before this turns into a kidnapping.", I said walking away from him yet again. I walked past Harley and her 'babies' to see Richard in the distance. "Bye, you sorry excuse for a villain," I yelled at Edward before running off to Richard. I could just feel his eyes glued to me. I bet he was even fuming because of that last comment.

"Oh my god! L are you alright? I hope Harley did nothing to you!", Richard said pulling me into a warm embrace. His arms wrapped around me tightly not even leaving a tiny space between the both of us.

"No, she didn't do anything at all. It was actually sort of fun, but uncomfortable at the same time."

"That seems strange but I'm just glad she didn't kill you! Where is she anyway? The police arrived to take her into custody.", he said. Can he not see her behind me? I turned around to check and she was gone, as well as Edward. They must have pulled a Batman.

"I don't know. Can't we just go home?", I asked.

"Sure. The zoo was closing anyway.", he said releasing me from his embrace. We walked off together leaving the zoo. I never got to see those penguins. Hopefully, we'll return soon.

"By the way, what's with the outfit change?", he asked. I laughed and plopped my safari hat onto his head.

WEDNESDAY 7:34 PM

"I'm fine. Really! Please, I just want to get some sleep so that I'll be ready to go back to school tomorrow.", I said sheepishly. Richard got the memo and left the room. I looked through all of his drawers and found myself an oversized T-shirt to sleep in. I quickly changed into it and climbed into his bed. I cuddled up with a pillow and shut my eyes. The day must have been really tiresome because almost immediately fell asleep but not before seeing Richard come into the room.

Alright, so I basically half-assed half of this chapter because it got boring to write but I promise I'll make it up to all of you in the next chapter. I've been putting more effort into that one honestly.