A Banner Achievement (Original Short Fiction)

in #story8 years ago

Radioactivity


Johnson looked over the research notes carefully.

"This is idiotic," he said as he lowered the papers and removed his glasses.

Blake gave him a smirk.

"Trust me, Johnson," he said as he prepped the machine. "I've spent literally minutes going over it. I'm completely confident that my hypothesis is correct."

Johnson shook his head as Blake strapped himself in.

"Look, can't you test the damn thing on a mouse or something first?"

Blake paused to give Johnson a sideways glance, then continued messing with his harness.

"You read the notes. Any animal testing would mean absolutely nothing. DNA modification is what I'm going for here, and so any modification induced in one animal would be completely different from what would be induced in another. Look, I've tested it on cultured cells already and it's very promising. I just need to take the final step and bring it full-scale. Go step behind the lead shielding and activate the machine when I give you the signal."

Johnson sighed and walked into the safe room, turning on the intercom as he positioned himself behind the control panel.

"Okay, I'm at the console."

Blake nodded towards him and took a sharp breath.

"Alright, turn it on."

Johnson moved his hand to the control panel, then stopped.

"Look, Blake, before I do this, I really have to protest one last time. Pumping yourself full of radiation is going to kill you."

Blake smiled.

"No it won't."

It did.


Superhero origins are kind of stupid, aren't they?