"An alarm was tripped at the Theatrics Theatre." Cisco's voice crackled over the comms. "It's a hostage situation. They're streaming live and have demanded that the Flash come pay them a visit."
"The where now?" Barry asked, voice conveying his confusion.
"I know!" Cisco exclaimed. "You'd think they'd have a better name than that!"
"It's opposite the Big Belly Burger, down the road from S.T.A.R Labs." Caitlin informed him, having pushed Cisco away from the mic.
"Got it!" Barry called, racing off.
"You know," Cisco started, turning towards Caitlin. "It's almost like they want to be publicly humiliated as they're caught by the Flash."
"People will do crazy things for their five minutes of fame." Caitlin clicked her tongue in agreement, eyes rolling in exasperation.
Barry sped into the theatre, a lightning blur sliding to a stop in front of the stage where five gunmen held a group of people hostage. "I heard you were looking for me!" He called out, voice mockingly cheerful. "Here I am." He bowed, smile stretching across his lips.
A sixth and seventh person stepped out from behind the curtains. One held a gun, the other a camera. "This is live streaming, all over Central City." The sixth gunman said, indicating the seventh person.
"You want me to catch you on camera?" Barry asked, voice coated in humour.
The apparent leader of the group chuckled. "No." He shook his head. "I want you to take off the mask."
"On a live stream?" Barry ascertained sarcastically. "You know, I think I'm gonna have to pass."
"If you do, I'll let everyone go. But if you don't, you have to choose who dies." At his words, five people from the group were yanked up and guns were held to their temples, the rest of the group crying out.
"Woah!" Barry cautioned raising his hands. It was only then that Barry took in who it was, eyes widening in recognition. The five held at gun point were Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez, Noah Puckerman, Marley Rose and Ryder Lynn. All five were, at one point or another, members of the New Directions. The rest of the New Directions medley were cramped together on the stage, between the gunmen and hostages.
"I figure, you're fast." The leader says. "But at this close a range, at least three of these wonderful people, are going to drop dead with a bullet to the head. What do you say? Huh, Flash?"
Barry swallowed, eyes swivelling wildly between all five hostages, and then the ones trapped on stage, his eyes falling, and lingering, on Blaine Anderson. "I-" Barry choked. The leader noticed his line of sight and grabbed Blaine himself. Blaine cried out as he was yanked up. "Don't!" Barry yelled.
"Do you know this guy?" The leader asked, voice amused. "You looked like you do." He mused, putting his gun to Blaine's head. "So, what are you gonna do? Are you going to reveal your identity to the City, or are people going to start dying? Starting with this one!" He yanked Blaine's head back aggressively, causing Blaine to grunt in pain.
"Okay!" Barry shouted. "Okay… I'll do it, just, stop!" He cried.
"I've blocked the live feed!" Cisco's voice ghosted into his ear. "The City won't see you, but these guys will."
Barry nodded. "Okay." He repeated, raising his hands to his mask. "I'm taking it off. Just don't hurt them."
"I'm a man of my word." He assured, tipping his head back.
"I'll only believe that if you're actually Snart under that hood." Barry grumbled, gripping the edges of his hooded mask and pulling it off his skin.
Peeling the hood off had never caused him so much panic before. He kept his head ducked down as he pushed it back.
"Lift your head!" The leader ordered.
Barry lifted his head. He saw as many members of the New Directions eyes widened as they recognised him. "Sebastian..?" Blaine whispered in shock.
"Sebastian?" The leader laughed. "That's your name?"
"One of them." Barry shrugged. "I go by Barry Allen here. I'm a CSI down at CCPD."
"Huh." The leader huffed. "So that's how you know about crimes in process."
"I'm fast," Barry said. "Not psychic." He stared at the gunmen. "Now let them all go."
"You heard him boys." The leader called. "Let them go." The five who were originally held a gun point were pushed away from the gunmen and shoved towards the side exit. Various voices yelled for the others on the stage to leave too. They did reluctantly, not wanting to leave Blaine, who was still being held, but the guns were incentive enough to urge them on.
"Blaine too." Barry said
"Nope." The leader said. "I need him for something."
"What!?" Barry yelled, desperation in his voice. "What could you possibly need him for!?"
"He's going to make sure you stay still." He informed Barry.
"What?" Barry frowned.
"You're going to stay still, and my men are going to shoot you." He smiled. "And if you don't, I'll shoot him."
"No, don't!" Blaine yelped.
"Blaine, shut up!" Barry said. "Don't give him cause!"
"So, do we have a deal?" The captor asked.
The theatre was quiet for a time, before Barry released a shaky breath. "Deal." He nodded.
At once, the sound of five gunshots went off, and a single voice screaming the name of his teenage years echoed around the hall. Blaine's screams and the calling of his name by Cisco and Caitlin were the last things he heard before it all went dark.