Heroes Don't Exist |Barry Allen|

Central City's Finest

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: 

it goes on."

― Robert Frost

"So...Gotham?"

"Yup." Go away.

"And now, Central City?"

"Yup." Duh.

"Why?"

Let me make you a list. "Rent control." 

"Oh." 

Yeah. Oh

The young woman flipped the Central City newspaper over, seeming to rest on a new story. The Central City Police Department was bustling with noise all around them, phones shrieked and officers laughed. Despite the department's relaxed atmosphere, she found herself straining her muscles, too tense to actually read any of the words on the page. She analyzed the world around her -- her new world and everyone in it. Yet, she made no direct acknowledgement of her badgerer, a young cop, bored and feeling...curious.

"Did you ever meet the Batman?" Not just him.

She blew a piece of hair out of her face, breathing out in a sharp tone, "yes." 

"What's his real name?" Bruce Wayne.

The newspaper was folded in half with a smooth reply, "if we knew that, there wouldn't be a Batman, now would there?" Real genius over here.

"What? Why not?"

"He'd be in jail." 

"What! Why?" 

Rose Wolfe slammed the newspaper down on her lap and lifted her eyes to glare at the cop. He sat a little taller as her tone shifted and his eyes widened, perhaps realizing his mistake. "Were you dropped on your head as a child or did you just skim the training manual when you joined the academy?"

"Uh..."

"The Batman that you seem to so idolize, is a vigilante. He is dangerous and thinks himself above the law, lacking restraint and —"

"But, he's a hero." Rose narrowed her eyes and turned away. The poor rookie seemed genuinely confused, struggling with the negative view on someone he looked up to with a golden candle. She held in a breath, reminding herself to keep her cool.

"Sorry. I don't believe in heroes." At least, not anymore.

The door beside them swung open and a dark haired man stepped outside the office. A Central City police badge was clipped to his belt, which was revealed as he placed his fists on his hips, drawing his suit jacket back like a cape. His stance gave off a practiced aura of control and dominance, a useful tactic seeing as he was slightly on the shorter side. Rose tilted her head to the side, wondering what else he felt the need to compensate for.  Whatever it was, it seemed he had everyone fooled judging by the cop's response to his boss's new attention. The Captain trained his eyes on the cop who had previously been quizzing her, narrowing his gaze.

"Officer Jefferson, unless you'd like to stay on desk duty for another week—." 

Eyes wide, Jefferson nodded obediently and swirled his chair back to his desk. "Yes, sir."

The man turned to face Rose, a polite smile appearing on his face. "You must be Rose." He raised a hand and she accepted, mirroring his demeanor.

"That I am."