"Jay, I think... Bob was right. Don't worry. Given all the evidence we have, they can't do anything to you."
In the Forensics Division office, Nygma studied the crime scene report and told Li Jie earnestly, "Identify a problem, solve it. Barnes became a threat, so he needed to be dealt with. Who did it and how doesn't matter. Don't clutter your mind with too many conflicting moral principles. They'll compromise the purity of your thinking."
"If you're saying that too... then I guess it's fine."
Li Jie let out a long breath. "I just felt like I couldn't wrap my head around it. I needed someone smart enough to help me work through it."
"Even if you'd done nothing, Chief Barnes probably would have met the same end. It just would have cost a few more officers their lives along the way." Nygma couldn't help smiling. "You also said that Cobblepot set you up?"
"Yeah, he... did follow the plan, but based on what Gordon told me, I think he fanned the flames and pushed it out of control." Li Jie nodded. "Once..."
Beep, beep, beep, beep...
His ringing phone interrupted the conversation. He glanced at the caller's name and gestured to Nygma.
"Hi, boss... I'm at... Okay, I'll be right over."
"Bob says we've got an operation. I'd better go. We'll talk later." Li Jie hung up, gestured to Nygma, and hurried out.
"No problem. See you later," Nygma said with a smile as Li Jie left. He pulled up Cobblepot's file on the internal network, studied it for a while, then picked up the phone.
"Hello, is this the IRS...?"
Li Jie rushed upstairs two steps at a time and pushed open the door to the Chief's office.
"Boss, what happened?"
"How are you holding up?"