"ELEANOR RIFFORD IN GOTHAM CITY"
"The world-renowned Detective Eleanor Rifford arrived in Gotham early this morning in order to help improve the now-appalling crime rates within the city. The Brit is well-known for her travels across the World, ranging from Paris to Austrailia, and is creditedâŠ
Eleanor Rifford was busy in her office at the GCPD Headquarters, making sure that everything was where it shouldâve been and that sheâd finally settled in properly. She hadnât been in Gotham twenty four hours yet but she had immediately began to work, not wanting to waste valuable time.
She shouldâve been used to doing this - after all, she had travelled to a lot of places in her time, but unpacking her things never ceased to tire her. She was looking forward to leaving and going to her new apartment.
She has her back to her computer when Edward appeared on the screen. Hearing his voice made Eleanor jump a little and spin round in surprise, and it was at this point that she saw Edwardâs shadowed silhouette. âCan I help you?â She asked calmly, not bothering to ask how the man had managed to hack into her computer. She knew who he was.
âA shadowed face, a tendency to hack into other peopleâs computers and a particular liking for Riddles and Puzzlesâ she recalled, having read his file, âHello there Enigma. I must say I wasnât expecting to be acquainted with you so soon.â
Edward stared at Eleanor as she talked. He didnât know what to expect when he had managed to get in contact with her, but he certainly wasnât expectingâŠwell, THIS. Her brown hair fell in soft, feather-like waves around her face and past her shoulders, her skin seemed to glow with a warm radiancy despite the lack of proper lighting in the room, and her eyes, her bright yet deep Sapphire-blue eyesâŠthey were perfect. He soon began to lose himself in them and it was only the occurrence of complete silence which brought him back to reality.
He cleared his throat, and replied with, âYes, well, I have a tendency to surprise people too. Unfortunately they missed that out when they wrote up my record. With regards to my motive for seeing you, I received word of your arrival and I wanted to find out if it were true. Oh, and Iâm glad you know how much I enjoy Riddles. May I test you with one?â
"What is written the same forwards, backwards and upside down?"
Eleanor stared at the dark figure with a curious look. Was she suspicious of him? Definitely. Did she want to turn him in? Honestly, she didnât know. In theory she had to, but hey - she had broken the law before, so she could easily do it again.
When she was presented with the Riddle she was silent for a minute as she tried to figure it out. When she thought of the answer she said, âThatâs easy - the word is ânoonâ.â
Edward watched Eleanor as she thought. He liked the way she put her hand under her chin and rolled her eyes to the side in concentration, and his heart began to pound against his chest.
"Well done!" He beamed when he heard her answer, "That was an easy one but you managed to figure out the answer very quickly, so maybe you are as intelligent as they make you out to be."
âI seeâŠâ Eleanor murmured. She walked over to her desk, sat down and stared at her computer with a look of curiosity. She brushed some of her hair behind her ears and folded her arms. âTell me, Mr Enigmaâ she posed, âWhat are your ambitions in life? What would you like to see happen in the future?â
Edward felt his cheeks go pink at the mention of his alias, and he was glad that his face was obscured.
"Thatâs a brilliant question, Miss Rifford" he replied, chuckling in order to distract himself, "You see, Gotham City is full of simpletons. Uneducated beings who insist on being treated the same way as intelligent people, like myself, when in fact they donât deserve it. So, I plan to do away with the stupid and create a new, better Gotham, a Gotham solely populated by civilised individuals."
"Oh, and donât worry, Miss Rifford" he added in an almost flirtatious tone, "Youâll definitely be one of the lucky ones."
âOne of the lucky ones?â She repeated with a suspicious tone to her voice, âTell me - how do you plan to âdo away withâ the unlucky ones?â
Before she could give him time to answer though, she heard footsteps from behind her office door. She immediately whispered, âShh!â and turned off her monitor so that he couldnât be seen. The office door opened and in stepped Commisioner Gordon. âHey, Miss Riffordâ he said with a smile, âIâve just stopped by to see how youâre settling in before I leave.â âGood evening, Jimâ Eleanor acknowledged with a smile of her own, in her upper class English accent, âIâm settling in nicely, thank you - Iâve just got to finish reading up on those records you delivered to me and then Iâll be leaving myself.â âAlright then - oh, before I forget, here are the details of what youâre going to be doing while youâre hereâ Jim murmured, reaching into his bag. He pulled out a file and gave it to her, before finishing with, âSee you tomorrow.â âThank you, Jim, and goodbyeâ Eleanor replied, keeping her warm smile. Gordon closed the door behind him and Eleanor switched the monitor back on.
âSorry about thatâ she muttered, glancing at the file in front of her.
Edward watched everything that went on and glared at Commissioner Gordon when he came into view. However he noticed Eleanor smile and his attention immediately went back to her. He observed her rosy cheeks and her perfect teeth and he unknowingly uttered a grin. Eleanorâs smile seemed to lighten up her entire face and it suited her perfectly. Her smile was perfectâŠSHE was perfect.
Edward immediately stopped himself, and as Eleanor and the Commissioner talked he started to think - was this all what he thought it was? Was he, one of Gothamâs most wanted criminals, in love with the woman that had the power to bring about his downfall and throw him into Blackgate prison, given the chance?
Of course he was; there was no denying it, but he had to be careful. She was dangerous. One slip up and that would be it. However it was at this point that Edward realised exactly what she had done.
"Why did you switch the monitor off when Gordon entered the room?" He asked her once they were alone again, "You had the potential to get me caught - not to mention the fact that youâre supposed to let Gordon know if any of us contact you - and yet you kept quiet. Why?"
Eleanor gave Edward an assertive look. She didnât like it when people asked her questions like that, trying to make out that she was something she wasnât. âBecause you intrigue me, Mr Enigmaâ She replied, leaning forwards in her chair, âAnd also because I wouldnât do that. Youâre not the only mystery in Gotham anymore, Mr Enigma - there are things that you would never be able to deduce from me no-matter how hard you tried. I enjoy a challenge too, and I have a feeling that youâre going to be my biggest challenge yet.â
Edward shifted a little in his chair and uttered a trembling breath. He didnât know why, but he loved it when Eleanor talked like that. She just seemed so alluring when really she wasnât even trying to be alluring at all. His palms began to feel sweaty and he wiped his forehead before speaking:
"Well, it looks as if weâll get along very well then, doesnât it? Although thisâŠfriendshipâŠof ours will have to be kept a secret, for obvious reasonsâŠnevertheless, Iâm rather looking forward to finding out what lies under that innocent, pure exterior of yours."
Eleanor conceded the smallest of smiles. She stared at the dark figure and wondered whether sheâd ever get to meet him in person, to see his face and to hear his voice properly.
"Likewise" she merely replied, "In the meantime, Mr Enigma, I suggest you keep out of trouble for now. Please donât give me a reason to arrest you. Iâve only just arrived. Good evening to you."
She immediately switched the computer off, packed her things and left the building.
Edward seemed a little surprised at Eleanorâs sudden exit. The least she couldâve done was to let him say goodbye, surely? He felt a twinge of sadness in his heart - his love was hopeless and he knew it. It was at this point that he realised - the reason why Eleanor was so cautious with him, besides the obvious, was because she couldnât see his face. This was understandable, and he was determined to sort this out.
He was going to meet her. Face to face.
The next morning, he left his Hideout early in the hopes of catching her on her way to work. When this failed, he decided to sneak into the GCPD building itself, and consequently climbed in through a nearby window. He hurried down the corridors, scanning around for a sign of Eleanorâs office, picking up a pile of folders on the way in an attempt to look more like an employee. He eventually found it and stood in the doorway, and when he finally looked at Eleanor in person he stood stock still, his eyes wide.
Eleanor had gotten out of bed at 6am that morning and was already in her office by 8:30. Last nightâs conversation with the mysterious Enigma still stuck in her mind but she couldnât allow herself to be distracted by it too much. Not while she was working. She sat down at her desk and opened the file that Gordon had given her last night.
It was at this point that she noticed the tall, young man standing in the doorway and she stared at him for a moment. She saw the folders in his hand and she nodded her head. "Gordon sent you to deliver them, did he?" She asked politely, "If you could put them over there then that would be brilliant, thank you."
She pointed to a table nearby and resumed reading the folder.
Edward didnât know what to say. He couldnât move. Just looking at her was enough to make him melt, and the fact that she was sitting just a couple of metres away from him didnât help things either.
He finally gathered the courage and the control to walk over to the table in which Eleanor gestured to and quietly place the folders on top of it. He then turned to look at Eleanor again and was silent for a moment.
"Well Iâm surprised at you, Miss Rifford" he remarked with a sly smile, "I wouldâve thought that you of all people wouldâve recognised me - I was going to let you know about my visit beforehand, but then again, I have a tendency to surprise peopleâŠ"
At the sound of the man's words Eleanor slowly lifted her head up to look at him. She studied his face and her eyes widened in shock. He had pleasant features - thick dark brown hair, high cheekbones and pale blue eyes slightly obscured by glasses - but it was his voice more than anything. She recognised that voice.
"What are you doing here?!" She hissed, angry and nervous at the same time, "You're going to get arrested if you're not careful!"
