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The Riddler Speaks - Casefile #0171
🕑 Added 2017-12-07 06:36:56 +0000 UTC TRS - Casefile #0171 (En Passant)(footsteps)
EDWARD: YOU.
TETCH: Ah, Edward. Come to -
(EDWARD sweeps the cups onto the floor, shattering them all; he grabs TETCH)
EDWARD: No more games. No more nonsense. This time - you talk. I get nothing out of you being dead - but I can make living such a burden, Jervis.
TETCH: I don’t know what -
(EDWARD hits TETCH)
EDWARD: You have NO idea what I’ve been through today. If you don’t start talking - I’ll string you up by the toenails until you’re begging me to spill your guts.
TETCH: But -
(EDWARD hits TETCH again)
EDWARD: Do you have ANY Idea what you’ve done? Do you?
TETCH: N-no.
EDWARD: No? NO? I don’t know how you did it yet - but that was not Ichabod in the cage. It was a damn rook - is that supposed to be one of your twisted little jokes? Is it?
TETCH: I -
EDWARD: A fucking rook! You’re so transparent that I’m surprised you didn’t throw in a raven and a writing desk! Now where is she?
TETCH: I don’t know.
EDWARD: Not good enough.
(EDWARD hits TETCH again)
EDWARD: Jervis. What. Happened. To the bird.
TETCH: Wouldn’t know! This idea, not mine to have!
EDWARD: Well! That much is blindingly obvious. Who took her?
TETCH: Bolton. A Bolton on strings. Dancing for dark fingers. He bid me find a crow… a counter-crow to sleep instead of Ichabod, but the plan was foul, terrible, cantankerous. I played the pawn, but did not give a queen!
EDWARD: WHY?
TETCH: What choice did I have, Edward? When Bolton tells one to leap, you don’t look down. Closed eyes. Held noses.
EDWARD: Enough!
(EDWARD hits TETCH again)
EDWARD: Is she alive?
TETCH: She is. She has to be. Whispers. Bolton whispered “death” and then He whispered “life”. He says “this is a bell you can only ring once”. Death is not twice the end. Without a ring. Rung.
EDWARD: You mean Scarecrow was going to kill us all in this deranged mouse trap and that was the plan?
TETCH: Light the match, set the head aflame, burn away the flesh of Crane, leave only the straw within.
EDWARD: This is too clever for you - and far too clever for Bolton. Whose idea was it?
TETCH: I don’t know!
(EDWARD snarls)
TETCH: I swear! Glare! A glare to hide a glare. I saw a handed glove. Nothing more. This fault is not mine to bear!
EDWARD: (incredulous laugh) You… you have the gall to suggest this isn’t your fault? Bolton’s dead - so this is all on you. If I don’t kill you first - you wait and see what Jonathan does to you, you abbreviated buffoon!
TETCH: Pieces moved! Illegal moves! This was not to be the play!
EDWARD: (hits him) You’re playing chess with boxing gloves, Tetch! What the hell are you talking about?
TETCH: Promises were made, Edward! There was no harm to be had! He promised! I tried. Tried to bring her back, but it was going too well.
EDWARD: Promised? … oh my god... When we first found you. You weren’t talking about Alice. For once in your wretched life, you weren’t talking about Alice. You were trying to get Ichabod back.
TETCH: Crane was supposed to see. He SHOULD have seen.
EDWARD: … See that it wasn’t the right bird? Yes, he should have.
TETCH: Scarecrow’s hands had covered eyes. He could not see the feathered fib.
EDWARD: (sighs) You tried to stop this, didn’t you? In your cowardly way, you did the only thing you could do to prevent it.
TETCH: What else could I have done? We are all animals in cages, and Jervis’ neck could break just as easily. I tried, but he did not see. He could not see.
EDWARD: He assumed it was her, same as me - dropped the sheet since he couldn’t face the thought of it. That north-facing office is always dark in the afternoon. (sad chuckle) That idiot must have left his door unlocked during that last Group Therapy session. Bolton just sauntered in and took her, right under his nose. I bet he thought he was being real fucking clever... but he was just cribbing notes. Pamela was right - on the face of things, it was just a pissing contest, with a body count.
TETCH: Tell Crane of broken promises! Tell him the blame does not lie with Jervis!
EDWARD: I will do no such thing. There is a colossal mess to clean up here, no thanks to you. Don’t think you’ve gotten away with anything, yet. If by some miracle I can get Jon back into Gotham City a free man, he will know what you did.
(TETCH squeaks)
Now if you’ll excuse me… I have to report to the Mayor.
Comments
dang, intense
