Status quo

"Isn't it strange, Taylor?"

They watched from their tower as flames licked the walls of an orphanage downtown, the aftermath of another night of vigilante justice.

"Isn't what strange?" Taylor turned to the man he affectionately called his partner in crime. Ironically, of course.

"Ya know, just that all the charitable organizations in this city are funded by evil deeds? It'd be one thing if a couple of them were fronts, but I think we've investigated and shut down about half of them by now. "

Taylor sighed, glancing over at his partner. " Remember the first one? When we crashed that food bank funding gala?"

"Ooh, boy. I still get nightmares about that one. They was spiking the food with fancy chemicals, wasn't they? Made the homeless they was feeding all sorts of smart and dangerous?"

"Yup. When we cornered the mastermind, he tried to claim that he was helping them. Instant education, and an ultimate solution to homelessness! You remember what actually happened?"

His partner's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to remember events from nearly 10 years ago. "It was a bit complicated, right? Something about economics and the greater good?"

"Yup, if everyone had the equivalent of a PhD education, it would completely upend the economy. Nobody would be willing to attend the gas pumps, the retail stores, or take part in politics. Everything you know and hold dear would change. Terrible right? It's an unfortunate reality that destroying the status quo will cause a large amount of harm."

"Wait, but what if things could be better? Sure, there might be some short-term disruption, but people frequently are willing to accept some pain in the present for future gain."

"Sure, but we certainly wouldn't benefit. Here, have some more juice- you're looking a little peaky, and we both know what happens when your blood sugar gets low."

Taylor handed his partner the flask, filled with glowing green liquid, and observed as the man chugged it without a second thought. His partner's expression cleared. "Huh, I guess you're right. Say, what's next?"

"There's an upcoming conference on crime reduction through social assistance programs. It's very important that we make it clear that such ideas would be harmful to our wonderful city. You in?"

The light slowly went out in his partner's eyes, and he nodded. "Sure thing, partner. You always know best."