Blanders

A Heroine Is Born
“So you won’t even consider it?” he asked sullenly

“Sorry, Johnny. Do you know the headache it would be to get it approved? Plus, I’d be putting my career on the line, which I’m rather attached to.” She shrugged apologetically, and went inside.

He stood outside for another minute, staring at the wall.
It would work! Damn this crosstesting taboo. Bright can throw every scp we have at a lizard, but you want to show a storybook to a little girl and out comes the red tape.
He started pacing.
She could be an asset. She could use her power for good. She could help the Foundation, help the world! We’d just have to help her see people not as toys to be used and discarded, but as living beings.
He took another drag.
If only the Foundation wasn’t so obsessed with paperwork and risk management. If we just did things. Someone should just-
His breath came up short.
Then he threw down his cigarette and rushed inside.

The library was empty. He made his way to the safe behind the desk. Sturdy, but just steel. No memetic defenses, no anomalous materials. There was a prominent “DO NOT REMOVE” sign on the safe. 1-2-3-0 was the combination. Stupid code. Bad security. Inside was an unlabeled book, bound in plain blue. He grabbed the book, stepped out of the library, and walked briskly down the hall.

Caroline looked at her watch. The kid should have been back by now. He’d been getting more and more worked up lately. She sighed. She could see how it would go. The kid would spout off to the wrong person and end up amnesticized back in the real world. Good assistant, bad employee. She paged him, and when he didn’t answer, went off to find him..

The guard outside her room asked to see his credentials. He presented them. Just checking her vitals, need a sample for a test. He was waved in.

He took a deep breath. I hear the Rubicon is nice this time of year.

Of her three IVs, only one kept her knocked out. He cut it, and opened the book in her face.

Alarms began to blare, and the lights plunged into deep red. She groaned, and rocked her head side to side.

The guard rushed in and ordered him onto the ground. The young woman’s eyes opened a crack.

The guard opened fire. The doctors rushed in

Johnny's blood pooled around the book. "A hero is born" was written on the first page.