The Enigma's Anomaly

Equalizing Leverage

"You're smart, aren't you, Iero?"

"You have no idea who I am, Banks. You have no idea what player you've introduced to your little game, and it was all an accident," I say. The car races along the road, and I find myself turning sharply, doing a pretty good job of finding the right way back to the hotel.

"Do you know who you're dealing with though? That's the real question."

"I'm dealing with a coward. A cheat. A Liar. A scumbag. You're a child in a world too complex for your understanding. You're not the kid who sat back during monopoly and kindly let your opponent win, when they've clearly won, you were the kid who threw the board in the air and refused to respect that you were outmatched. You're an abomination, Banks."

"And what are you, Iero? What are you? A journalist? A queer who couldn't make it in the real world so you attached himself to someone more successful than him. If you think I'm the loser then you're wrong."

I roll my eyes. He's really reaching, because he knows he's inferior. I know he's inferior.

"Sometimes I get really stuck on the psychology of villainy. When we're little kids we're always told the stories about good versus bad. You remember them, I'm sure. Tall tales about bad people and good guys, and when we're little we always root on the good guys, because we know to. We're only little kids but we're smart enough to realize that the good guys are who you should be egging on. We all understand that the bad guys, they are bad, they shouldn't be doing what they're doing. Even as little kids we oppose the ideals of the wicked. So when we're all brought up that way it's hard to believe there's bad. It's hard to believe anyone can ever grow into a villain. Surely they know that they're a bad person, and surely it eats them up because of the abominable nature of their ethics, and yet they persevere with their awful ways and blows my mind. We all grow up knowing what's right and what's wrong, so how can we ever trick ourselves into thinking we have the right to be bad? How do we even have bad people? If every kid is told what's bad and what's good then how can someone ever grow without realizing that they've become a villain?

"I want you to know that that's what you are Banks. You are a villain. You're a bad person, and there is no way to deny that. I don't care how godly you may think of yourself as, you are wrong. I grew up being taught that people like you were wrong. You grew up being taught that people like you were wrong. Any child knows and can state without hesitation that you are a villain and that villainy is bad. So I guess the psychology of a bad guy is that they've lost what makes them human. No human could ever take away another's life, it's not in our nature. I just want you to think about that Banks. I want you to think about that when you go to sleep tonight. I want you to think about that when you're eating your breakfast. I want you to think about that when I find you, and when I save my friends' life. I just want you to remember that you're the one everyone roots against. You're Voldemort. You're Sauron. You're the Joker, and you're Count Dracula. Most of all though, you're a monster."

"Well it's great to know what you think of me, but I am not offended, nor am I all that humbled. I do not think you understand the position I am in," Banks says.

"Every villain thinks himself the hero of his own story, I suppose. Surely you have to know, somewhere deep inside, that you're very existence is a contradiction to morality. To peace."

"I think you're forgetting one key thing," Banks says chillingly, "I don't care."

"You don't care? You have no value for human life?"

"It's not my life, why should I worry about it. I am not a sentimental man, Mr. Iero. I don't care what you think of me, and the integrity of my childhood wonder is not something I wish to sustain. I am a businessman, not a putz."

"You have no remorse for those people you've killed, Banks? None whatsoever?"

"Why should I? We all die, all I did was ensure their quick demise, they should be thanking me, really."

"How many people have you killed Banks? How many people have you killed just because they got in your way? How many more lives would you be willing to end, just so that you could get ahead?" I ask.

"You must think of yourself and your friend as special, mustn't you? Must think I've reserved a special punishment for being opposed by you two. I do not put value to human life, we've discussed that, but you don't understand just how little I care. The number of people I've killed, Mr. Iero, would blow your mind. Dozens. Several dozen. I don't care if I add three more to that growing list. It would actually be an honor to see you dead."

"If you are content in your power-hungry filth then know that I am content in knowing myself above you. I will win in the end, Banks. Surely you know that."

"Do you actually believe yourself to have the upper hand?" Banks asks.

"I do. I'm sure Mikey is safe right now, and if he isn't then I do hope you have a firm grip, because we wouldn't want you dropping any soap where you're headed."

"You've got a lot of balls to say something like that to me," Banks says.

"Not necessarily. What I do have is leverage of my own though. We'll speak soon Banks. Anticipate contact from a colleague of mine," I say, looking down at my own phone, "because this has been a rather interesting conversation."

"How so?" Banks asks, with a pompous chuckle.

"It's the twenty-first century, Banks. Don't you know that you can record cell phone conversations?" I answer, and then hang up.

I carefully press in the right number on my phone, while also watching the road in front of me. I hear a click when the recipient immediately picks up on the other end.

"Conte, hey. Did'ya get it?"

"Oh yes. I got all of that," he says, "I didn't know people were stupid enough to actually do the whole monologuing thing."

"Neither did I, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth," I answer, smiling widely. "I was right though. This will all be over soon."