Harrison Wells. To say the man was a genius was an understatement. Prophet was the word better suited to the man that had proven every scientific claim he ever made. Tonight was the night that he was about to cement his legacy in stone, or more appropriate, in science.
Barry Allen's lungs heaved as he ran to the crime scene on the corner of Harvey and Cullney. His evidence kit bounced on his hip, straining against the shoulder strap across his chest. As he slowed he could see Captain Singh and Detective West glaring at him for while his foster brother, Eddie Thawne, looked on with a look that said he was tired of covering for him. "Allen, what kept you this time"?
"Well, Captain, what happened was I missed my alarm, which caused me to..."
"Allen, that was rhetorical. Do your job before you lose it".
"Yes sir". With that Barry stepped under the police tape and approached a body riddled with bullet holes. Already his mind was running through the crime scene, cataloguing and comparing the side of the wounds and the exit patterns and what kind of damage was done to the known caliber of bullets available to the public. Not much was on the body to point to a suspect. Except for loose skin under the vicime fingernails. Collecting a sample he noticed, over his shoulder, Eddie approach. "Okay, what do we have"?
"Possible suspect DNA under the victims right-hand fingernails".
"Or a very passionate lover". Barry rolled his eyes. He loved Eddie, but his and Barry's humor were not compatible. "All right, the rest is up to the M.E."
"Hey, where do you think you're going"?
"I've got to get ready for tonight, you know, the particle accelerator, my role model's life work is being turned on"?
"No your not. Too pull your fanny outta the fire, AGAIN, I told Singh and West that you were researching new evidence to pin down the Marden brothers, so we have to work over tonight".
"No, we don't". With that Barry reached into his bag and pulled out a photo copied satellite image with four yellow dots. "After last week's robbery I found cow manure in the tire treads".
"Don't remind me pen stealer".
"Debatable. Anyways I did some analyzing, found the kind of feed the cow ate, cross referenced with feed sellers in the area and pinned down four possible locations. I'm going".
"I'm serious Bare, you're in enough trouble with Singh as it is. You can't keep doing this". Barry knew what he meant. And he felt himself chesting up. "Eddie, I'm seriously close this time. A fee more months and my dad is a free man".
"Look Barry, you know I believe you, but this has got to stop. There is no evidence that you can find that will exonerate your dad. I'm sorry". The brothers stood there in silence. They may as well have been blood related. Both men sported blonde hair, Eddie's slightly darker than Barry's both had slim features, but Eddie was more muscular and toned while Barry could have stood substitute for a rail. Eddie's Hazel eyes could see tears welling up in Barry's blue. "I'm sorry Bare,' Eddie felt Barry return his hug, no matter what they knew they had each other, 'look, I'll take you to see your science thing okay"? Barry smiled against his brother and said, "okay". It wasn't as half-hearted as he meant for it to sound. Eddie always knew how to cheer him up.
"Hey Bare, change of plans, Iris isn't able to get away from work Friday". Barry's high fell as far as it had been aloft. "You're taking her out tonight instead aren't you"?
"I'm sorry Barry, but I...well, I'm going to ask her to marry me. I had planned for Friday, and honestly that was too long of a wait, and I just want to ask her". Barry's assaulting hug toppled Eddie and dragged himself down with him. "Geez Bare, exited much"?
"I am when my brother's about to get married".
"Yeah well, she hasn't said yes".
"Because you haven't asked, which begs the question, how will you ask"?
"Don't know". Barry shook his head. He pulled out his phone and accessed the camera. "Well, here's my phone, practice on video and playback to get it right. I have to get ready for tonight". With that Barry stood and headed upstairs. "But what do I say"?
"Just ask her to marry you". Just ask her to marry me. Great, that's all he needs. Actually, simple could be better. So with that in mind Eddie sets up the camera and begins. "Hey Iris..."
Having finished the video Barry smiled. His brother and his best friend were getting married. It was hard to believe that fifteen years had gone by since that fateful night when his home had been invaded and his mother killed. To this day he still remembered each moment, each detail burned into his mind:. Barry Allen had never believed in monsters under his bed. He knew that the real monsters chased him home from school. For so long he was afraid of them, until the day an older boy stopped them. Well, Eddie wasn't older than the bullies but he was four years older then Barry. Since then Barry was awestruck by his hero and shadowed him. Eddie didn't mind, until Barry's friend started coming over too. The little girl's incessant questions about, what does this do, how does this work, if I touch this will my hand fall off? Barry loved his life, friends and family. But one day, or one night actually, it all came crashing down. It was a warm spring night. A commotion woke him up, and what he saw froze him where he sat. The water in his fish tank was levetating out of it and he could see flashes of yellow and red. Curious, he slipped on his house slippers and climbed down the stairs. His living room was full of what he could only describe as a lightning storm of yellow and red. Periodically he would see his mom, her beautiful, loving face so terrified with tears streaming down. Suddenly there was a loud boom, a rush of wind and he was in Eddie's yard. He saw a light on in his garage and ran inside. Eddie was jamming to his favorite rock band and pounding on a new punching bag. He ran to Eddie and begged him to take him home, barely explaining the phenomenon that was occurring there. Grabbing his parents car keys, jacket and phone he drove Barry back and what he saw defied definition. Inside he found Dr. Allen and his wife, only Henry Allen was holding the handle of a knife that stuck out of his wife. The living room walls were scorched in a circular pattern that had distinct shadows that defied all reason. "Get him out of here Eddie, now". Heny Allen's voice shook Eddie out of his shock. He quickly grabbed a protesting Barry and carried him outside while the song of police sirens drew closer. : Barry's was life was not all happy memories, but they were dominant. Ava Thawne was not his mother, but she did her best and Barry felt that she was his mom. She loved and cared for him as if he was her own, and she had never get away with anything. She treated him like she treated Eddie, as if he was hers. And he was. He was glad that he still had a mom.
Harrison Wells, genius physicist, billionaire philanthropist and legend. Tonight was the culmination of fifteen years of work, but it had taken him a lifetime of dreaming to get here. His smile was not painted on. It had grown there naturally and he couldn't wait. True, it should have been a longer wait to build and activate the particle accelerator, but this day and age calls for speed. And he was just the man to do it. "Ladies and gentlemen, journalists and politicians, tonight is the culmination of a lifetime of dreams. Not only mine, but everyone involved, my personal staff included. They have worked to the bone to make this dream a reality. A reality that in just a few minutes will change our own. Welcome to S.T.A.R. Labs. Welcome, to the Future".
Barry couldn't believe he was here. His hero had just delivered what was probably a generic speech, but his passion had said more than he ever could. S.T.A.R. Labs was more than he ever dreamed. As he wondered around he saw something that made him smile. Eddie had made it after all. Beside him was Iris with her notepad and professional looking skirt, button up and jacket. As it turns out Iris had been assigned the activation of the particle accelerator as her first assignment. Barry caught Eddie's attention and smiled a wicked smile that said he was enjoying his pain. Eddie only sent back a message that made Barry laugh all the more. Eventually Iris caught on to the boy's silent conversation and saw what Eddie had done. "Eddie Thawne, you appologiz this moment".
"Iris were just kidding around". His smile and chuckle were halted as he looked into the dissaproving brown eyes of his, hopefully, soon to be fiancee. "I don't care, go apologize".
"Well, I don't have to go, he's coming to us". Barry's trek was halted as he crashed into a beautiful woman with brown hair and the most charming brown eyes he had ever seen. He couldn't have stopped his stare even if he wanted. If Aphrodite herself we're on earth this was definitely her. And then his world suddenly crashed when he saw a dark haired man about his age come to help the woman. "Caitlin, are you okay"?
"Yes Ronnie, I just wasn't watching where I was going and I bumped into...". For a moment Barry forgot his name. Was it Harry, Perry, Gary? "Barry, get over here". Iris's voice brought him back to reality and, thankfully, sanity. "Barry. Yep, my name is Barry". Caitlin smiled warmly and brushed her hair behind her ear. "Well, Barry, I hope to see you again". With that she hurried off with a stack of papers and folios hadn't noticed she was carrying.
"Barry I don't get it. Why wouldn't she tell me about this"?
"Because she knew you wouldn't have come otherwise".
"Touché. But still. I'm her boyfriend, she needs to know I'll be there for her".
"She does. And there's no better way to let her know than...", Reaching into Eddie's coat pocket he pulled out the engagement ring. "Okay. I can do this. Proposing at the most sciency of all sciency places of all time. Very romantic". *Beep beep beep* Barry's phone went off. Detective West had sent in some evidence for analyzing and needed feed back. There went his night.
After Eddie had seemingly ditched him for his girlfriend the only bright spot of the day had been running into Caitlin. Even her name was beautiful. But who was the man with her. Clearly some boyfriend or...wait, she had a ring on her ring finger, and the man didn't. He was her fiancee. Whywhywhy did it always have to be some complication. No. It was not a complication, how could he even think that? He didn't know her and had no right to think of her like that, especially when she is engaged to be married.
It was raining when he made it to the forensics lab at the CCPD. Walking in he immediately noticed that the sun window had been left open and there was a giant puddle on the floor. The chain was stuck. The pulley, rusty as it was, was now frozen. Shucking his jacket he grabbed a can of oil from the supply closet, pulled up a chair and climbed up to free the rusty wheel. As he sprayed the wheel's axle he saw a bright light in his peripheral vision. S.T.A.R. Labs was erupting in a cloud of multi-colored smoke and fire. Right before his eyes a lightning storm lit up the sky. As far away as he was he could see every detail every bolt of lightning. Including the one that struck his chest.