Under Supervision

Alcatraz

The sun crested the horizon in the Golden State. Birds sang their morning song, and the wind drifted by lightly. Everything felt calm, untouched. It could be described in one word, peaceful. And the SDN would make sure it remained that way.

High above the clouds soared one of SDN's finest. When you needed a fire put out, you called a fireman. When you needed help, you called your local hero. But when the day itself needed saving, you called Blonde Blazer.

She soared through the sky, her yellow cape snapping in the wind. The bright fabric contrasted sharply with her blue leotard, layered over a gray bodysuit. At the center of her chest glowed a red crystal. A domino mask framed her eyes, leaving only the lower half of her face visible. Even with half her face hidden, one could still see how beautiful she was.

She was headed to Alcatraz Island. Once decommissioned, the prison had been reborn and modernized to cage the worst of the worst, beings who could never be allowed to see freedom again. Villain wasn't the right word for those imprisoned there. Monsters, Abominations, and Hell Spawn. This was a more fitting title for these individuals.

Blonde Blazer descended through the clouds, boots touching concrete as her cape settled behind her.

-

Blonde Blazer

January 8th

I finally made it to Alcatraz after my flight and waited at the gate, anticipation twisting into unease. The rest of California basked in warmth and light, but this place was cold, dark, and unwelcoming. Even the sun's warmth seemed hesitant, as if afraid to touch this place.

This place is so fucking creepy, I thought to myself. The gates finally opened, and the guards ushered me in. The walls were a dull, lifeless grey. The only sounds were the echo of my footsteps, heavy against the hard floor, and the low hum of the fluorescent bulbs overhead.

The guards felt like a human mirror of the wall. Their uniforms were stiff and grey, blending almost seamlessly with the drab walls, and the clatter of their boots was sharp and deliberate. They never spoke unless necessary, their eyes scanning constantly.

I followed one through the winding corridors of the prison until we reached a checkpoint, where we were told to wait. After the green light, we moved forward only to stop again at the next checkpoint. The process repeated, each delay building the tension. I might have been annoyed at the wasted time if I didn't already know exactly what was locked behind these walls.

Passing through, I finally met him face to face. The air seemed heavier in his presence, like the room itself was paying attention.

"Blonde Blazer, it is an honor to meet a hero such as yourself," the Warden said, his voice rough and coarse.

The Warden was a short man, around 5'1", but somehow still taller than Punch Up. He wore a black buttoned uniform, and around his waist was a utility belt holding only two remotes. Silent, unassuming, yet clearly important.

I extended my hand, but he merely looked at it, then back at me, a crooked smile playing across his lips. He didn't move.

After a second, I retracted it. I'll just shake my own hand.

The smile lingered a moment longer than necessary.

"Warden, why am I here?" I asked. "The higher-ups said I needed to come and discuss something with you."

"Yes, we have much to discuss. Follow me." He gestured down the hall. "It's better if we walk and talk."

Greeeeat. Back into the creepy hallways. Lucky me.