The Uncanny Flash

Chapter 1: Secret Files and Origins- Part 1

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to DC Comics.

The Flash Museum, Keystone City-

A group of school children on a field trip were being shown around the Flash Museum in keystone City, the hometown of the Scarlet Speedster. Their tour guide was no ordinary man however, it was the World's Fastest Man himself! The Flash took pride in showing people around the museum.

The Flash led the kids into a room with statues of some of his most famous enemies. It was known as the Room of Rogues. He stopped beside a statue of a speedster dressed in yellow.

'Every hero has their own archenemy…' The Flash began. 'Batman has the Joker, and Superman has Lex Luthor. This guy is Zoom, the Reverse-Flash.'

'My dad says there's been more than one Reverse-Flash.' One of the kids piped up.

'Yeah, Zoom is the third Reverse-Flash.' The Flash replied. 'Good memory, Timmy.'

'My name's Ricky.' The kid pointed out. The Flash just shrugged in response.

'Whatever. Now, who want's to hear a story?' The kids all yelled out their approval. 'Now, gather around, kids and I'll tell you the origin of Zoom: The Reverse-Flash…'

Iron Heights, a few years previous-

Iron Heights Penitentiary was a maximum security prison a few miles north of Keystone City that housed the Flash's Rogues and any other superhuman criminals from Keystone City as well as those from Central City. All the guards were extra vigilant today for there was a prisoner transfer scheduled. Iron Heights had a reputation for its brutal treatment of its inmates, but nothing could ever be proven. When criminals found out that they were heading for Iron Heights, they would do anything to try to escape.

The prisoner being transferred today was the super villains known as Girder. Tony Woodward was a worker at a steal plant who was thrown into a vat of molten steel after he assaulted a female co-worker. The vat of molten steel contained scraps from S.T.A.R. Labs experiments. These scraps bonded to Woodward's body, converting his body into living steel, and imbuing him with superhuman strength and invulnerability to harm. He had been defeated by Green Arrow in Star City and was being shipped back home.

Hunter Zolomon was the guard in charge of the transfer. Zolomon was a former profiler for the FBI who left after his partner was killed in action. After drifting through a series of dead-end jobs he ended up in Keystone City where he became one of the only honest guards in Iron Heights where he befriended the Flash. He was one of the only people to know the Flash's real name, that of Wally West.

Zolomon was riding in the cab of the vehicle carrying Girder to Iron Heights with the driver, a young rookie known as Morillo.

'How are the energy-cuffs coping, Morillo?' Zolomon asked the rookie.

'They're holding up just fine, sir.' Morillo answered. 'Are the stories about Iron Heights true? Do the guards really beat the prisoners?'

'It's best not to think about it, kid.' Zolomon shook his head. 'Just keep your mind on the job at hand, okay?'

'Yes sir.' Morillo nodded. 'Say, are married, sir?'

Zolomon rolled his eyes at the chatty rookie. He would rather get the transfer over with a minimum of chatter.

'Sir, are you okay?' Morillo asked.

'Sorry, kid.' Zolomon apologised. 'My last partner wasn't much for chatter.'

'Are you married sir?' Morillo asked, not taking the hit. 'Girlfriend? Male life partner?'

'Separated.' Zolomon told the rookie. 'Back when I was an Agent with the FBI.'

'I got a fiancée.' Morillo told the elder guard. 'We were hoping to get married as soon as I graduated from the academy. That's why I took a job at Iron Heights, so we could afford a sweet honeymoon.'

Zolomon was about to make a crack about the likelihood of affording a decent honeymoon and a guard's pay when something on the instruments before him caught his eye.

'Problem sir?' Morillo asked.

'It must be a glitch.' Zolomon frowned as he tapped the instrument panel. 'I told the techs that would should have upgraded the energy-cuffs.'

'I'm sure they'll be fine, sir.' Morillo reassured his associate. 'Those things were made in Keystone City. They're made to last.'

Fate seemed to disagree with the rookie, as rusty iron hand punched through the wall between the cab and the prisoner and dragged Morillo inside. Zolomon went for his electro-truncheon that all guards carried to subdue unruly prisoners, but without a driver the vehicle soon went out of control. It hit a bank and flipped onto its side. Zolomon struggled to climb out of the crashed vehicle and rolled onto his side to see Girder tear his way out through the side of the vehicle.

'Man, that rookie sure squished good.' The metallic villain sneered. 'Don't you losers teach them anything? Never mention that they're straight out of the academy. You're asking for trouble!'

Zolomon pulled out his gun and aimed it at the advancing Girder.

'Get straight back in the vehicle!' Zolomon ordered the villain. 'I'm not going to ask you again!'

Girder threw his head back and laughed at the thought.

'You actually think that you're gonna hurt me with that peashooter?' The villain laughed. 'You aughtta be a comedian, go on the comedy circuit or something!' With alarming speed for somebody his size, Girder grabbed Zolomon and held him above his head. 'You're funny buddy, so I'm not gonna kill ya.' The metallic villain brought Zolomon down upon his knee, shattering his spine in an instant. He tossed the crippled guard to the ground with s disdainful sniff. 'To think I used to pay taxes to pay their wages.'

Keystone General Hospital-

It was now several weeks later and Hunter Zolomon had lost the use of his legs and was confined to a wheelchair. He had lost his job as a guard and had hit rock bottom. The Flash had met up with his friend in his apartment in an attempt to cheer him up.

'I don't even know why you bothered to come here, Wally.' Zolomon groused. 'Nothing's going to cheer me up. I used to have a pretty decent job and now I'm useless!'

'Hey, don't be like that.' The Flash said as he put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. 'Plenty of people in wheelchairs have gone on to great success. Just look at all those medal-winning athletes!'

'Don't patronise me!' Zolomon snapped, slapping away his friend's hand. 'God, I wish I could turn back time to stop this from all happening.' An idea dawned in Zolomon's mind. 'You have to let me use that Cosmic Treadmill thing! I can use that to go back and make sure none of this crap ever happens!'

'Whoa! Not so fast, buddy.' The Flash shook his head. 'The Cosmic Treadmill isn't a toy. I only ever use it in emergencies.'

'You're supposed to be my friend, Wally!' Zolomon yelled. 'How many times have I helped you out against the Rogues? Remember that time when Captain Cold teamed up with Chillblaine? Who saved you then? I did! You owe me, Wally! Let me use the Cosmic Treadmill, please!'

'I'm really sorry, but I can't.' The Flash shook his head. 'I can't let you risk damaging the timestream.'

'I can't believe you, Wally!' Zolomon snapped. 'This isn't some movie! This is your friend asking for your help.' The Flash simply shook his head. 'Fine! If that's the way it is, I'll have to fix this myself!'

The Flash Museum-

Zolomon had thrown the Flash out of his apartment after the argument. Later that night, once he was sure that nobody was looking he snuck into the Flash Museum and made his way to the area where the Cosmic Treadmill was kept.

'What an idiot, keeping something like this in plain sight.' Zolomon muttered to himself as he hefted himself up onto the treadmill. 'Some bad guy could just walk up and use this any time he wanted!'

Unknown to Zolomon, the Flash was on the case. The Scarlet Speedster was on the way home after a patrol of the city when he noticed shadows moving in the Flash Museum.

'Hey, you do know how opening times work, right?' The Flash worked. The Scarlet Speedster's words didn't get a response as there was a bright light followed by a colossal explosion. One the smoke had cleared, the Flash noticed a man standing before him dressed just as he was but in yellow. The man's form seemed to be blurry, as if he was an image on a badly-tuned television.

'Don't yooou recognise meee, Flash?' The yellow-clad speedster chuckled. 'It's meee, your old friend Hunterrr.'

'Hunter? What happened?' The Flash asked, barely believing his eyes.

'Call me Zoom, Flaaash.' Zolomon responded. 'I haaave been derailed frrrom time, Flaaash. I haaave been made betterrr. I understaaand why you refused to help me, Flaaash. You haven't experienced tragedyyy, so you have no idea whaaat it is like for meee. I am going to help you, Flaaash. I am going to make you betterrr. Only a great tragedyyy will make you betterrr like meee.'

TBC…

Next: Secret Files and Origins- Part 2

How will Zoom make the Flash better? By targeting his loved ones!