Riddle 020: Calling All Crooks

[puzzlerprince]

A. [At Mayfield High, Edward is taking to his new job as Ethics teacher with very little enthusiasm. Any kids in his class? Your first assignment is being written on the board in a neat, tidy scrawl:

"How far would you be willing to go to escape this place?"]

Discuss.

B. [Later on that afternoon, Edward makes a public phone call, filtered away from

Comments

A

[strike_you_out]

[There is but one day out of the entire school year in which Slugger sits in a front row desk, dead-center. Today is that day and Edward is that lucky teacher who must deal with it.

He raises his hand before Edward can even finish speaking.]

[puzzlerprince]

[Edward's eyes narrow and he does his best to ignore the little terror that sits before him.]

Anyone?

[His eyes scan the room.]

[strike_you_out]

[Utter silence and stillness.

Slugger continues to hold up his hand, patiently waiting to be called on like a most well-behaved student.]

[puzzlerprince]

[Siiiiiiiigh.]

Slugger.

[strike_you_out]

[He lowers his hand, smirking.]

It depends.

[puzzlerprince]

[So much teeth gnashing right now.]

...well, that's a given. What, pray tell, does it depend on?

[strike_you_out]

[Technically, you have every right to throw him out of class since he's not even old enough to be in attendance. But to do so would be at your own risk.]

How much of what I lost is given back.

[puzzlerprince]

[It's a matter of pride, really.]

Explain.

[strike_you_out]

All I want is what was taken from me. The more I get back, the less my own escape matters.

[This revelation comes in light of his latest regain.]

[puzzlerprince]

Mayfield has, indeed, taken a good deal of things from all of us.

All right, then. For the sake of this discussion, let's say that if you manage to escape, you'll be able to reclaim everything that was taken from you. Powers, possessions, memories, organs, everything. What then?

[strike_you_out]

What do I have to do to escape?

[puzzlerprince]

Who knows? The challenges they toss at you could be insurmountable. But how much would you be willing to condone before drawing the line?

[strike_you_out]

[He shrugs. Really, he's just here to give you a hard time, Professor Nigma.]

How much would you condone?

[puzzlerprince]

That, ah... that wasn't what I asked you.

[strike_you_out]

[Mid-shrug, he gives Edward a stymied look.]

...It wasn't?

[puzzlerprince]

No. I asked what you would condone. Not what I would.