NO HERO · BARRY ALLEN | ✘

Three: Penance

I hold my head up high as I walk into Larkin's office. In truth, I'm shaking so hard in fear. What if I get fired if he finds out that I hold the small cassette tape about my "interview"?

"Did you want to see me, Mr. Larkin?" I enter the office.

"Yes I did," he says. His face is closed off, but not cold and angry. "Sit down."

I settle in the chair.

"The Flash came to my office a little while ago. And you know what he stole?"

"No sir," I say. My hands feel clammy, I'm so scared right now. I'm not as brave as I thought I was.

He sighs. "My bootleg of the 2002 Les Miserables with Hadley Fraser. It was in the tape recorder earlier when I met with you, and now it's gone."

What the hell? I look down, feeling it in my pocket. "I guess... the Flash just really likes the 2002 cast."

"I was only faking the recording, you know," he smiles. "I'm still your mentor, even though I'm your boss as well. I'm teaching you how to gain the upper hand."

"But why did you fake it?"

He leans in. "I think you have connections with the Flash."

"What? That was a test? You're still using me... sir..."

"I'm teaching you," his eyes light up in anger. "The Flash took the recording an hour after you leave in anger. You don't see the connections there, do you?"

"He- didn't come, I did," I blurt out. "The Flash was just a fluke."

He leans back on his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. "So you're the one who took my bootleg."

I bite my lip and nod. "Yeah, I am. I stole the recording, thinking it was my taped confession- well it's not really a confession, more like a witness interrogation- and I almost destroyed it. I'm really sorry, sir. Please don't fire me." I put the cassette tape on his desk.

"Hmm." He takes it and pushes it back into the recorder. "I won't fire you- you have too much to gain from it-"

"Actually-"

"How about this: this is an offer. If you don't take it, I will cut your pay."

My jaw drops.

"You can cover up at least 50 major events from anything superhero or supernatural related. And you have to do this at the police station- it's time for a relocation of your office. Consider this... community service. And probation."

"I'll do it," I answer. "But sir, how is the police force going to accept my moving in? They're not big fans of the press, plus Layla's my partner."

"I'm moving her to work with Linda Park on sports."

"Okay," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. Layla is not going to be happy with me.

"I'll make the arrangements. Don't worry about anything."

I swallow hard, and turn around.

Before I leave, he says," It wasn't a bootleg of a musical. It was a live interrogation between officer Joe West and Henry Allen, the man accused of murdering his wife. I think it might be of use to you and the forensic scientist you talk about." He hands me back the recorder.

"I don't-" I sigh. "Layla and her blabbermouth ways."

"You start working in the department in 3 hours."

~*~

The man I had seen at the bank talks to Barry, who looks slightly frustrated.

My special ID hangs around my neck, and now feel like I'm part of the team. I text my way into the main office.