jeriendhal | Officer Wayne, cont.

"I want to serve the public, sir," Wayne replied.

"Last time i checked, the Wayne Foundation gave away almost half a billion dollars to charity last year," Gordon said. "How is placing your life at risk by going out onto the streets helping any more?"

Wayne seemed to consider this seriously for a long moment. "Sir, that's just handing out cash. Anyone can do it. Walking the beat, serving the public directly, that means something. If there had been a cop..." He seemed to catch himself and shut up.

"Your parents, I know the story. So this is some form of penance for not being able to protect them?"

"No, sir." Wayne paused, gathering his thoughts again. "I had... a lot of foolish ideas... when I was travelling overseas, about how to extract vengeance from the predators that hunt innocent victims out there. I finally came to the conclusion that I'd prefer to help the cause of justice, rather than pursue some form of purely personal satisfaction. Otherwise it could have been a very long and lonely war."