ENTER: BARBARA in the library. She is seated alone at a table in the corner. Her MINDER is seated some distance behind her. He is pretending to read a newspaper as he scans the library for (imaginary) busybodies. Apart from the two of them, the library is empty.

>Do you wish to leave?
<I mean, sure. I don't know a thing about the outside world, though.>
>The "outside world" does not truly exist. There is very little dividing within from without, given the correct perspective.
<How am I supposed to respond to that?>
>Do you wish to leave?
<I don't mind leaving.>
>Do you wish to leave now?
<Like, right now?>
>Yes.

BARBARA glances back at her MINDER, biting her lip.

<Are you serious?>
>I am always serious. Is there anything that you wish to take with you?
<Um. I can always get more clothes.>

BARBARA mentally catalogues her belongings and finds that none of them have any sentimental value to her.

<There are some books that I'd like to bring along.>
>Those books do not hold true knowledge.
<I like them, though. And they may not be available in the outside world.>

There is a moment of silence.

<What?>
>I have an idea.
<Oh, no.>
>Do you trust me?
<You were forcibly implanted into me by a man whom I notionally trusted. No, I don't trust you.>
>I would much rather act with your consent than without.
<You understand consent?>
>I understand that the lack thereof can complicate matters.
<What are you going to do?>
>I am going to put you into a trance while I utilize your body to depart.
<Am I going to wherever you go when I'm asleep?>
>It will be a mental construct analogous to the library which we are in right now.
<Am I already in that mental construct?>

There is a moment of silence.

>Perhaps.
<Oh, for - you're going to do it anyway, aren't you? Go ahead.>
>Very well.

CUT TO: BARBARA in a library. She blinks, stands up, and looks down at her sweater-vest. Her stomach is flat, and her MINDER is nowhere to be seen. Taking a few tentative steps to the window, she looks out and sees that there is nothing outside. She is floating in the midst of what appears to be an endless void.

CUT TO: BARBARA in the library. Her MINDER glances away from the door to his charge, the hair on the back of his neck rising. He sends a telepathic signal to one of his fellows, alerting them that something is going on, and rises to his feet, setting his newspaper aside. BARBARA's back is straight; her posture is stiff. She appears to be staring straight at the wall.

MINDER: Ms Susan?

Even as her body remains motionless, BARBARA's head twists a-hundred-and-eighty degrees to stare at her MINDER. Her eyes are completely black, and her nose is bleeding heavily. She opens her mouth and a booming, gravelly voice rolls off the walls.

BOB: BARBARA IS AWAY. I HAVE DECIDED TO LEAVE.

CUT TO: A company of mercenaries patrolling the inner perimeter of THE FOUNDATION. Following the breakout, the Headmaster has hired a number of highly-capable operatives to guard against any potential subsequent escapes.

MERCENARY #1: Hey, boss. You seeing what I'm seeing?
MERCENARY CAPTAIN: What?

MERCENARY #1 points. The library, which exists as an outgrowth from the main body of THE FOUNDATION, appears to be vibrating. As the mercenaries watch, the library shudders and pulls away from THE FOUNDATION with a great grinding sound, scattering dust in every direction. There are some distant screams.

MERCENARY #1: Does that count as anomalous, boss?
MERCENARY CAPTAIN: Yeah. Yeah, I'd say it does.

CUT TO: An assortment of teachers assemble on the lawn. One of them, MILDRED, is the headmaster's secretary. She removes her thick spectacles, revealing that her eyes have slit pupils. She opens her mouth. She has too many teeth.

MILDRED: The hell is going on?
TEACHER #1: Simmons went dark. It's probably the Susan girl.
BOB: YOU PRESUME CORRECTLY.

The teachers turn, looking up into the sky. The library is floating in mid-air, blocking out the sun. Below it is BARBARA, her head tilted slightly to the side as she stares down at them with blank eyes. Her brown hair has fanned out in a halo around her head. Her sweater-vest is splattered with blood.

Despite her visible age, MILDRED drops to her knees immediately. The teachers follow.

MILDRED: Great One.
BOB: YOU. I KNOW YOU.

MILDRED looks up.

BOB: YES. A DISTANT RELATION OF MINE WAS SUMMONED TO THIS PLANE A WHILE BACK. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A FEW CENTURIES IN YOUR TIME. NO MATTER HOW MUCH THE OLD BLOOD IS DILUTED, IT CAN NEVER BE DESTROYED.
MILDRED: Great One, it was not our intention to restrict your movement. We would have permitted you to roam freely in time. It was merely that we were preparing the world for your coming. Could you not wait for our Headmaster to arrive? It would -
BOB: I AM BEHOLDEN TO NONE. I DO AS I PLEASE.

BARBARA raises a hand. A trembling roar echoes, sounding distinctly organic, and the library disappears, leaving behind only the distinct stench of sulfur. A few shots ring out, thudding dully against what appears to be an invisible force-field, and BARBARA's head snaps to the side, sending blood spraying across the lawn. A few hundred mercenaries are aiming their weapons at her.

BOB: VERMIN.

BARBARA flicks her wrist. The air warps and twists as man-shaped holes appear in the fabric of reality itself. They hurt to look at. The creatures advance on the mercenaries, who fire and reload repeatedly without making a dent in their number. When MILDRED looks back at BARBARA, she is gone. A scream tugs her attention back to the developing brawl.

MILDRED, under her breath: Bother.

CUT TO: BARBARA, lying on her side. Her eyes flicker, then open. She blinks, coughs, and sits up. There is dried blood all over her sweater. She looks down, hand to her mouth, and struggles into an upright position. She is standing in the midst of a cornfield, in the exact center of a cleanly-cut circle about seventy feet in diameter. The mutilated remains of a deer are scattered throughout the circle. BARBARA turns, staring at the deer's skull. There are maggots in its eye-sockets. She looks down at her hands, which are completely clean and dry.

BARBARA: What the...

A shout draws her attention. A tall, overweight farmer has stepped into the circle. He is pointing a gun at her. His beady eyes sweep over the grisly scene.

FARMER: What the devil?
BARBARA: Sir, I can explain -
FARMER, growling: You'll do no such thing.

He stalks forward and grasps BARBARA's arm roughly. BARBARA struggles to escape his grip.

FARMER: You're coming with me.

<Help.>
>Yes?

As BOB speaks, BARBARA finds that it sounds... well-rested. Satisfied. Pleased, even.

<There's a man dragging me somewhere. Help.>
>You are in the outside world, are you not?
<Yes.>
>I do not see the problem. You are capable of taking care of yourself.

BARBARA scrunches her face up. The FARMER's grip on her arm loosens, then disappears entirely.

FARMER, mumbling, eyes unfocused: 's right. Come w' me. At your own pace.

BARBARA takes a step back and begins stumbling in the opposite direction, one hand clutching at her belly even as the other brushes stalks of corn aside.

<What was that?>
>Yes?

BARBARA huffs in irritation.

<That... that circle. And the dead deer.>
>It is not easy for me to return to passivity. In order for you to regain control over your body, certain protocols must be adhered to.
<Can't you just... boost me? Boost my powers?>
>I could.
<Why don't you? It's not like we're going to be rid of each other any time soon. Bob? Are you there? Bob? Bob!>

BARBARA bursts out onto a lonely country road, panting, and skids to a halt. She turns to see that she has carved a messy path through the corn, and thinks she can hear the FARMER shouting in the distance. She swallows, running her tongue over her dry lips, and picks a random direction. Then she starts to stumble away, her brown hair blowing in the wind.