"Yeah, Lieutenant Barker, just shot him! I was right there; it would be funny if it wasn't so tragic. I mean, I really don't blame him, considering what the kid's been through."

"Me neither, but we gotta bring him in." The detective took a sip of his coffee cup, grimacing as its bitter taste stuck in his mouth. "Ten years. It's amazing the kid lasted that long without getting' killed or caught. At least, no one found his body yet. Prob'bly joined the mob to get protection."

"Sad, really," Lieutenant Barker kicked a piece of trash off of the sidewalk as he and his partner walked through the seedy neighborhood, on the lookout for informants. "I mean the kid has his whole life ahead of him and then—boom, it's gone. Makes you think, don't it?"

"Yeah, in a way," the detective took another gulp of the strong brew.

"I feel really sorry for him. I mean the guy did kill his parents, if this was some kinda…I dunno, the middle ages, nobody would care that Wayne offed him."

"Yeah, that is weird. But this ain't the middle ages, after all. Vendettas are frowned upon nowadays. What can you do?"

"Chill had it comin' to him anyway. Remember Carmine Falcone? He had a hit out for Chill that very day. The chick that was supposed to do it had it like…missed the bus or somethin' and was half a minute late."

The lieutenant laughed. "Ah well. That's life, ain't it? I can't believe we still haven't found ol' Wayne yet. He ran like the wind back there, I was really surprised. I woulda thought th' city woulda ate him up and spat him back out by now. Kid had resources, that's fer sure, and I don't mean the money kind."

The two police officers laughed and continued their patrol down the dirty street, not noticing the dark figure near the telephone booth, listening in on their conversation. A hand reached out and grabbed the heftier lieutenant's neck, and a swift kick to the back of the detective's legs brought them both down. The coffee cup went flying, black liquid splashing against the cracked sidewalk. He dragged them into a putrid alleyway, and a growling voice addressed them.

"What did you say about Chill?"

The policemen's eyes opened up wide. They had heard of the legend, but had never seen it with their own eyes. A dark figure that often preyed on those who preyed on the innocent, someone who saved the lives of everyday citizens and gave hope to a Gotham that needed it.

"Batman!" They both said in unison.

"Tell me!" He was often rough even with his own allies, and they knew not to wait another second.

"Falcone…the old mob boss…remember Chill was in the joint with him, he was gonna rat him out or somethin', and Falcone put out a hit for him. But Wayne finished the job first. Falcone shouda thanked the kid, if you asked me…"

They winced in the darkness, trying to see the figure, but it was nearly impossible. The streetlights were all out, they hadn't been in use for years.

The growl came again. "You lie."

The detective shook his head.

"No man, he ain't lyin," Lieutenant Barker finally spoke up. "It's just not in any of the city records…they could never really prove it, but all us cops know the truth…" The man's voice was cut off as a hand gripped his throat.

"You're lying."

"Noo!" A gasp came out, strangled. "Nooo—"

He was released, and he fell back against the ground.

"If I find out both of you were deceiving me, I'll be back to finish it," came the strange deep voice, out of the shadows in front of them.

The detective and the lieutenant looked at each other once, and then found the courage to draw their weapons. But there was no one in front of them to fire at. The Batman had simply disappeared.

They didn't notice the dark figure swinging across the rooftops above them, contemplating the fact that if he had just waited…just waited a moment more, he might have the kind of life that he had now. He would be free of this burden…he would not be Batman.

Or was that his destiny? Was there no escaping something like that?

"Well, that's a story to tell to the grandkids," Barker whistled as he got up from the ground. "You know, once I have kids to have grandkids. Too bad we didn't get a good look at him, some say he looks like a real bat and all…"

"Wonder why he was so obsessed over Chill?" The detective raised an eyebrow, as he placed his weapon back in its holster. He felt a bit sheepish, they were both armed and yet they had let themselves be bullied by an urban legend. He had to be a man, right? "You know, they never ever found Bruce Wayne, he's presumed dead. I never believed it."

"You don't think that idiot kid could become that scary figure of vengeance that we just saw?" Barker looked almost nervous. "Could he?"

"Nah," they both laughed.