Disclaimer: I don't read comics and don't actually have any idea how A.R.G.U.S. works or what it's like or what Amanda Waller is really like either other than some very limited and probably incorrect information from Arrow so...just keep that in mind and try to suspend your imagination for a little bit I guess? Basically I apologize if I'm totally off the mark but I kind of just did my own thing with it anyway
More Disclaimers: So I'm super awful with deadlines and I had a lot more planned for this story that I ended up not having time to include; if it feels rushed that's probably because it really, really is, so I apologize for that in advance...Still, I hope you enjoy it at least a little!
xXx
Working all day, researching and writing and putting things together for one article or the next, was exhausting. The kind of exhausting that would leave anyone looking forward to getting home, slipping into their pajamas, curling up on the couch to watch TV before retiring to a warm, inviting bed, maybe a nice, hot shower thrown in there somewhere. Iris would probably feel the same, if she was actually going home, or ever really slept. But as it stood, her day was really only just beginning.
"Linda, I'm heading out," she said, drumming her fingers against her friend's desk to get her attention. "We still on for breakfast tomorrow morning?"
"Yeah, aren't we always?" Linda nodded, taking the pen out of her mouth and tucking it behind her ear. She propped her head up with her elbow against her desk, looking up at Iris with a determined glint in her eye. "I'm going out tonight, by the way. That karaoke bar on Fifth Street. Should be fun. I'll probably meet lots of new people, and all."
Iris kept her face impassive, knowing exactly what Linda was getting at. This was a common routine between the two of them, these days. "Sounds great, Linda. Have fun."
"Iris," Linda heaved a long-suffering sigh, pushing herself away from her desk to take Iris's hands in her own. "Come on. Come with me, please? It'll be a good time, really. And you never go out anymore."
"Linda," Iris matched her exasperated tone, "we've been over this already. I'm tired. I just don't feel up to it, okay? I'm just...not much of a going out person anymore."
"Oh, I beg to differ, miss social butterfly," Linda huffed in irritation, as per usual not buying the act. "Are you forgetting that we roomed together for three years in college? I know you, Iris, and somehow I find that really hard to believe."
"People are capable of change, you know."
"Yeah, I know, I'm not denying that. I mean, I know I probably have. But this is different. Because whenever I mention it, I can tell that you still want to. You get that look in your eye like you're regretting missing out on something, the same one you always used to get. You might have changed, but you haven't changed that much."
If only you knew, Iris thought grimly. "Just drop it, Linda. Please."
"But—"
"Linda..." She warned. Linda rolled her eyes and gave Iris's arm a playful shove.
"Fine, whatever. Go home and go to sleep, be boring. It's just...I'm worried about you."
Iris felt a twinge of guilt at the concern in her friend's eyes. It was always times like these where lying to Linda, to her father, to everyone she cared about, were the hardest. And it was also times like these where she was so close to telling them, to thinking screw it all, and blowing her cover, and yet...she couldn't. She wouldn't, and ultimately she didn't want to, no matter how hard or complicated it made things.
"I'm fine, really," she forced a laugh. "Just tired. And boring, apparently. Maybe I'm just getting too old."
"You're twenty-five, Iris," Linda scoffed, raising an eyebrow at her, giving her a look that was equal parts amusement and irritated disbelief. "But alright, fine. If you say so. I'll see you tomorrow morning, then. And I'll probably have lots of ridiculously scandalous things to tell you about—if your poor little old heart can handle it, that is."
Iris's lips quirked up into a smile. Classic Linda. Really, she'd be lying to herself if she tried to claim she didn't miss being a part of those scandalous things, too—just like the good old days. Not that these days were bad, just not quite as…simple.
"I think I'll live. There's really nothing you can tell me that could beat summer of our junior year at CCU. I've heard it all. Actually, I've seen it all, thanks to you. And Becky."
"No," Linda corrected her. "You've done it all."
"Okay, listen, I was—"
"Save it," Linda waved her off, laughter in her eyes. "Go home. Get your beauty sleep, or whatever, and I'll try to have enough fun for the both of us."
Iris shook her head fondly, pulling on her favorite green coat. "Bye, Linda. Be safe."
"Of course; you know I always am," she winked at her, giving a jaunty little wave as Iris made her way out the door. "Night, grandma."
Iris laughed and discreetly gave Linda the finger, careful to shield it from the prying eyes of her other co-workers, before finally pulling the door to CCPN headquarters closed behind her. Half past 8:00, her phone read, and she tucked it back into her coat pocket with a sigh.
Central City bustled around her: cars sped past, people hurried by this way or that, and the night was rich and teeming with life. People going out, people going home, people getting ready for a night of fun, or else a night of relaxation. Not for her, she thought, as she climbed into her car and put her keys in the ignition. No—for her, it was back to work.
It was strange, calling it that, but that's really what it was, wasn't it? Her second job, her second life, the one that no one, save for her fellow agents, knew a thing about. It was unconventional work, sure, but it was still work. More than that, it was dangerous. It was spontaneous, it was ever-changing, it was important. It was exactly the kind of thing her dad had tried to keep her out of when he hadn't let her join the police force and attend the academy, when she'd expressed the desire to follow in his footsteps. Which had been why she'd accepted Amanda Waller's offer to begin with: partly out of spite, sure, but it hadn't been the reason she'd stayed.
Because as much as she loved journalism, as much as she valued her job at CCPN, this was her calling. This was where she was meant to be. And so even though it hurt to hide this part of herself from her friends, from her family, at the end of the day, knowing she was making a difference, living in the thrill of her work, was worth it.
She parked her car in a familiar parking lot, one that was mostly empty, this time of night. All the while, she was constantly looking over her shoulder, constantly checking to make sure she wasn't being followed. She had learned her lesson the hard way with that, when she'd first joined ARGUS, back in her rookie days. Now, of course, she knew better.
The cool thing about working for a secret, underground organization, Iris found, as she carefully scaled the side of the building, was that the location was actually hidden: secret, and wouldn't you know it—underground. There was more than one location, obviously, but the entrance to Central City's headquarters that she used was, coincidentally, on top of the building of her old workplace. Well, her old old workplace. Before her job at CCPN, after college and somewhere in the middle of grad school, around the time that she'd been approached by the woman who would change her life forever, she'd worked part-time at Jitters.
It felt like a lifetime ago she'd been just a struggling student, living at home with her dad and serving coffee, whipping up frappuccinos and cappuccinos and ending her days smelling of coffee beans and cronuts. And here she was now, on Jitter's rooftop, looking over her shoulder to make sure she was alone before dropping her hand discreetly into the generic potted plant to her left and locating the hidden button to grant her entrance. She watched as the plant seemed to move on its own accord, as the ground underneath it opened up in a small person-sized hole, one that she carefully climbed into, the lights inside the glass tube flickering on at her presence.
She punched in the code of the week into the little control panel imbedded in the glass and then looked straight up, marveling at the night sky above her. This would never get old, really—the stars winking at her and the air cool and crisp, the soft glow of moonlight against her skin. As always she stood there, gazing up at the moon, until the ground overhead closed up again, the ceiling sliding shut and swallowing the outside world with it, the potted plant returning discreetly to its post as though it had never moved.
It was strange, she reflected, the things she'd gotten used to. Like traveling through the wall and then through the ground to reach hear destination was just a part of her daily routine, and no longer even phased her. She leaned against the glass as she felt it slide into motion, letting her eyes slip shut as it carried her swiftly through a channel she'd long since memorized. Left, right, left, left again, and—there.
The doors to the glass pod slid open, and she stepped out into the corridor, in front of a large, formidable metal door. She stood patiently in front of the scanner, allowing it to get a reading on her, until that familiar, mechanical voice filled the chamber, and the door slid open to grant her access. "Good evening, Agent West."
She opened her mouth to respond with her usual "Hello"—a habit born out of a childhood being taught good manners, really, since she knew the machine didn't actually care whether she responded or not (although it did know how to hold a simple small-talk conversation)—but the greeting died on her lips as her gaze landed on a figure down towards the end of the corridor, standing close to the entrance of the main cortex, and slightly obscured by all the people shuffling by.
"Felicity?" Iris squinted, noticing the tell-tale blonde ponytail, trying to get a better look before making any concrete assumptions. Felicity wasn't the only skinny blonde girl in the world, after all, and she'd admittedly made this mistake before, tackling the wrong person to the ground in one particularly memorable, mortifying occasion a little while back. (Poor Patty Spivot, really—it had been the girl's first day on the job, and she'd ended up with an armful of a total stranger. That couldn't have been fun). Wanting to be sure, Iris took a few steps forward, staring hard at the woman's back. Suddenly, the woman turned her head to the side, just enough so that Iris could make out her profile, the distinctive pink frames of her glasses. Yep, Iris thought with a smile, it was her alright.
"Felicity!" she all but squealed, running up and throwing her arms around her from behind, squeezing her so tight she nearly lifted her off the ground with all her 5'4" glory. In all her enthusiasm, she nearly knocked Felicity's glasses right off her face.
"Good to see you too, Iris," Felicity laughed a little breathlessly at having the wind knocked right out of her. When Iris pulled back and Felicity turned around to face her, her smile was wide, expression bright.
"When did you get in?" Iris grinned, unable to keep the smile off her face. God, she'd missed her. "I thought you were still working that mission in Starling!"
"I was, but we caught the guy. Courtesy of the Arrow—or with his help, at least," she smirked. "Having him on our side is definitely a plus."
"And—" came a voice from behind Iris. She whipped around to find Laurel walking towards them, eyes all for Felicity, "—it gives her more time to spend with her girlfriend, which of course is the biggest plus of all."
"Very true," Felicity's grin widened, her eyes going soft, as Laurel slipped an arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her cheek.
Iris groaned at the gesture, feigning annoyance. In reality, it was great seeing her friends so happy, looking so whole, especially after everything Laurel had been through since she'd known her. With Tommy, and then her sister…but still. "Do you guys have to be so disgustingly cute right in front of me? Rub it in the perpetually single girl's face, why don't you."
"Sorry," Laurel laughed, stepping away from Felicity's side. "But you know you're only really single by choice, Iris. You've got people falling at your feet, like, all the time. Besides, for all intents and purposes, you're technically not going to be anymore, if all goes according to plan. Well, you'll bepretending not to be single, more like. I still vote that it counts."
Iris frowned, looking back and forth between Laurel and Felicity in bemusement, taking in their matching grins. "Um. What are you talking about?"
"You know, because of…because of the—" Laurel snapped her mouth shut as she took in the sheer confusion in Iris's expression. She gave her a searching look, but it was clear she wasn't catching on. "You didn't...you really don't know? About the mission Waller selected you for?"
"No," Iris blinked, letting that sink in. Mission? That was news. "Waller selected me for a mission?"
"Yeah, it's a pretty big deal," Felicity cut in. Her face suddenly went pale, her eyes going wide, as something seemed to occur to her. "Which if she hasn't told you yet, we probably shouldn't be talking about right now. Oh God. Laurel, were we not supposed to talk about it yet? Shit, what if—"
"Relax, Felicity," Iris held up a hand to calm her down. "Waller sent me a message earlier, while I was still at Picture News, calling me down to her office. Told me she did have something important to tell me. Whatever it is you're talking about, that's probably it."
Laurel shared a look with Felicity and opened her mouth, about to say something, but before she could get out another word their little group meeting was abruptly interrupted.
"Agent West," Patty, still a relatively new addition to their team, called out, approaching them with purposeful strides. "Mrs. Waller would like to speak with you. Immediately, that is. She sent me down to get you, says it's urgent."
Speak of the devil, Iris thought, wondering not for the first time if Waller had some kind of sixth-sense as to everything the people around her talked about. Or maybe she just had them all bugged, which…she honestly wouldn't be surprised if that were the case, either. It could just be that Patty had strangely perfect and weirdly coincidental timing, and after all, Iris had been on her way to Waller's office anyway, having gotten her message from earlier, but to show up right as they'd been talking about it? Well, it didn't matter, she supposed, giving Laurel and Felicity a look that said I told you so before smiling gratefully at Patty and bidding them all goodbye. When Amanda Waller said that something was urgent, you did not keep her waiting.
Iris resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she turned the corner and made her way down a dark, narrow hallway that people seldom went down unless called for. Leave it to Waller, really, to make sure her office was in as formidable a place as possible, she thought, pressing her thumb against the pad on the wall and waiting for it to scan, the wall sliding open as it processed her fingerprint and gave her access to yet another dark, intimidating corridor. She was sure that the woman must do this on purpose—although why she bothered, really, was a mystery to Iris. People were already afraid of her enough as it was. Which, unfortunately, although she was loath to admit it, included her.
She took a deep, shaky breath before stopping in front of a large wooden door, the dim light filtering through the bottom and casting shadows at her feet only heightening her unease. Curling her fingers into a fist and wrapping her knuckles gently on the door, she tensed, a thrill of fear and anticipation shooting up her spine at the clipped "Come in" she heard from inside.
"You wanted to see me, ma'am?" Iris kept her expression neutral as she walked through the door, trying hard not to seem too out of place as she hovered uncertainly in the doorway, although on the inside she was crawling with nerves.
"Agent West. Please, have a seat. And close the door behind you." Without looking up from what she was writing, Waller gestured to the lone chair situated in front of her desk. Iris followed her orders, closing the door with a soft click and making her way over to the seat on somewhat shaky legs, feeling an ominous sense of foreboding as she sat down. Her chest felt tight as she contemplated what exactly it was she'd been called in here for, and even with what Felicity and Laurel had told her, sitting here, feeling like a criminal awaiting trial, it was hard to believe that the reasons for her being here could be anything positive.
Finally, after what felt like ages of sitting in tense, uncomfortable silence, waiting with baited breath and increasingly frayed nerves for Waller to speak, she put down her pen and looked at Iris with interest, folding her hands on her desk before her.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I called you in here, Agent."
Iris merely nodded, mouth too dry to form a proper response. She felt on edge, more nervous than she'd been in a while. Her hands trembled slightly and she balled them into fists, hiding them behind her back, determined not to show it.
"As I'm sure you know, since the unfortunate explosion and resulting damage of S.T.A.R. Lab's particle accelerator, ARGUS has been keeping tabs on the seemingly unexplainable events that have been occurring in its wake. These people with strange and impossible abilities, including, of course, Central City's very own vigilante—more commonly known as The Flash."
"The Flash?" Her eyebrows shot up, her mouth falling open a bit in shock and confusion. This hadn't been the kind of conversation she'd been expecting, not at all, and really, the Flash—? What did that have to do with anything?
"Yes, the Flash. The red streak that's been running around stopping crimes all over the city. He's been all over the news; I'm sure you've heard of him. Especially considering what you do."
"Oh, no, I've heard of him. I just…what does The Flash have to do with me?" Almost as an afterthought, she added, genuinely curious, "And how do you know he…it's…a man?"
"Well, Agent West, that's precisely where you come in." Waller leaned back in her chair, regarding Iris with sharp eyes, like she was carefully cataloguing her reaction. Iris swallowed past the lump in her throat and tried to ask how, but her instead she just came up empty, staring at a point just past Waller's head and waiting with baited breath for her to go on. "You see, we know who the Flash is. We know his identity, where he works, his past, his history, his family, his friends. What we don't know, and what I need you to find out, are his weaknesses. How to take him down, bring him to us, once and for all."
"Take him down?" Iris squeaked, her eyes going wide in disbelief. She supposed now wouldn't be the time to mention that she'd very nearly started a blog detailing the Flash's pursuits around the city. Although she supposed Waller must already know that she was sort of the go-to journalist when it came to news reports regarding the impossible in Central City. "But why? I thought the Flash was…good. You know, a hero, even, and—"
"The news," a muscle was working in Waller's jaw, her eyes steely with anger, "can be misleading, Agent West. We have ample reason to believe that the Flash, no matter how helpful or heroic he appears to be to the public, is dangerous. What he can do…that kind of power, those abilities, cannot be trusted in the hands of one man. We also have sources that suggest his involvement in the murder of Mason Bridge—"
"My mentor? The Mason Bridge who is supposedly on vacation in Brazil? Who I just spoke with last week?"
"The very same. Mason Bridge's disappearance was no accident—he was killed, and we have recovered evidence to show that whatever killed him had to have been able to move at impossible speeds. The same goes for the murders at Mercury Labs a few months ago. All of the victims were killed by the force from a high-speed collision, one that could only be the work of someone—"
"—with super speed," Iris finished the sentence for her, her thoughts a jumbled mess, slowly processing all of the information Waller was throwing at her. It just didn't make sense. The Flash had brought hope to the city, had seemed like such a beacon of light for so many. People believed in him—she believed in him. She'd read articles about some of the amazing things that he'd done, the people that he'd helped. Hell, she'd written some of those articles. Hearing this was…unsettling. Because a part of her couldn't…well, it wasn't even that she didn't want to believe it. It was that she was genuinely having a hard time wrapping her head around the possibility.
It took her a moment to realize the heavy silence that had fallen between them, to notice that Waller was watching her: cool, calculating, and curious. Another more pressing concern suddenly occurred to her, and it slipped off her tongue before she could stop it.
"Why me?"
Waller didn't even bat an eyelash, and dully Iris wondered whether the woman ever even blinked. It seemed to her that she'd been staring at her with that same, probing look for some time now. "In addition to Agent Lance," Waller began, drumming her fingers against her desk, her nails making an ominous clicking noise, "you are one of our finest agents, and one of the only people who I trust to handle such a sensitive—such an important mission. Lance will be otherwise occupied with a case she's been assigned to take care of in Starling regarding the League of Assassins, working alongside her sister, and you are my next top choice. So. Tell me honestly, Agent: do you think you can handle this assignment?"
"I—Yes. Yes, I can. I will." Iris said firmly, sounding far more sure than she felt, before she could even think of changing her mind. It was unheard of to say no to Waller, anyway, even if being saddled with such a huge responsibility was incredibly nerve-wracking. It wasn't really a matter of whether or not she thought she could do it or not; if Waller wanted her to, she would do it. Besides, a part of her felt a thrill of excitement at the fact that she was being selected for something like this, out of everyone she worked with, people who had been here for years and years and had far more experience under their belt than she did. It was oddly flattering, as much as it was terrifying. And confusing. "I mean, of course, ma'am. I'd be honored. And I am more than up for the challenge."
"Excellent, Agent West." Waller flashed her one of her rare smiles, and Iris tried not to let her shock show in her expression. She'd only heard about it in conversation and rumors—she really hadn't been sure it even existed. And yet here she was, smiling at Iris in approval, in a way that was vaguely threatening and didn't really reach her eyes but that was a smile, nonetheless. "That's what I was hoping, and just the kind of thing I like to hear. Now, you'll be given an earpiece to connect you with Ms. Smoak that you are to wear when engaging with the Flash, and you are to pass along any relevant information you uncover in the course of your engagement with him, especially anything that might help us catch him. It is also imperative that he trust you—this way, you can lure him into a false sense of security, and when he's least expecting it, we'll set a trap, and you will be instrumental in getting him to walk right into it. I've always believed that the quickest way to exposing someone is through the heart. Love makes people weak. Vulnerable. Reckless, even, and far more likely to trust. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal," Iris nodded, thinking back to her conversation with Laurel and Felicity. She bit her lip in thought. "Ma'am…you said you knew who he was? What's his name? Should I read up about him, or—"
"His name is Bartholomew Allen, although he goes by Barry, and he works as the head of the Central City Police Department's CSI Division." Waller slid a thick file across the desk towards Iris, and gestured to it expectantly. Iris dutifully picked it up, opening the file in her lap and staring down at a man who couldn't be any older than her, with a young-looking face and an easy smile that made something in her chest tighten. It was hard to believe that such an ordinary looking guy, such a young guy, and with those boyish and soft features, could be capable of so much. Try as she might, she just couldn't picture him in that suit, zipping around the city, with fucking superpowers.
But then she flipped the page, and attached to a document detailing his previous medical history there was a grainy photo of him that Iris suspected must've been pulled from some security camera, probably after some bank robbery he'd stopped. Although the picture was blurry it was just clear enough to make out that it was definitely him. Actually in the suit. Which should've been all she needed to accept it, but she was still finding it hard to wrap her head around the concept. The words on the pages blurred in Iris's vision, and she stared at them in vain, her mind reeling and thoughts spinning too wildly to really focus.
"All the information we have on Mr. Allen is in that folder." Waller's voice brought her back to reality, and she looked up from the file, a dull ache settling in between her temples. "As you'll notice, there are a lot of gaps that need filling, and again, that's where you come in. Find out as much as you can about his abilities—how he got them, where his power comes from, and most importantly, what his limitations are. I want you to study this information, to know your target, before engaging. You will check back with me regularly to track your progress, and when you manage a breakthrough, we will begin the next step. That's all for now, Agent West. Good luck."
Waller gave her the barest hint of a smile again, although it was more intimidating than comforting—almost as though she was silently communicating 'you're going to need it'—and Iris understood herself to be dismissed. Once out of sight of Waller's office, as soon as she'd rounded the corner away from that long, dark corridor, she slumped against the wall, the file clutched tight in her hand, her heart racing like she'd just run a marathon. She took a deep breath to steady herself, her mind still reeling, and set off again to find Laurel and Felicity.
xXx
It was great, really, that Felicity and Laurel weren't only fellow agents but also close friends, because it made nights like these, nights that would probably otherwise be dull and tedious, genuinely enjoyable. They'd spent the better part of the evening meticulously poring over the information in the file that Waller had given her, cataloguing and memorizing and figuring out where and how Iris should go about starting this whole thing. And then once they'd finished with that, they'd all curled up together on the couch to watch cheap romantic comedies and forget about work for a bit.
"Alright, Felicity," Iris set her glass of wine to the side, pausing the movie they were watching. She ignored the indignant 'hey!' that action produced and turned to Felicity with a serious expression on her face. "You gotta help me out here. You're good at this kind of thing. What's my meet-cute gonna be?"
Felicity scrunched up her nose and shared a look with Laurel, who only grinned back at her and pulled her closer, her own glass of water balanced precariously in her lap.
"Iris," she sighed, like she was explaining something incredibly obvious, "you can't just make a meet-cute happen. Like, it's not something you can plan for, it just has to happen on its own."
"Felicityyy," Iris whined, honest-to-god stomping her foot—not an easy task, considering her position on the couch, and the fact that her feet barely reached the ground. "Come on, the entire premise of this mission is all about planning. You have to have something."
"Nope," Felicity said, popping the 'p' and frowning into her cup of wine. "No can do."
"Laurel?" Iris turned to her with her best puppy-eyes, but she should've known better to think that Laurel would be on her side on this, especially considering who she was up against.
"Sorry, Iris, but I'm with Felicity on this one," Laurel laughed, and Iris stuck out her tongue at her. Of course she was. "It can't feel forced, you know? Otherwise it won't work as well."
"Oh, come on," Iris pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You guys got to have your meet-cute. In fact, you had the cutest meet-cute of them all. That's no fair."
Laurel blinked at her, stunned silent for a moment, before bursting out into laughter, burying her head into Felicity's shoulder to muffle it. It took her a few tries, but she finally managed to stop laughing long enough to get a full sentence out, determinedly avoiding Felicity's gaze, who was very clearly trying to get her to laugh again.
"Iris, oh my God," she hiccupped, wiping underneath her eyes, "in what world do you call almost getting blown up a meet-cute? Felicity was, like, real close to not making it out of that building."
"Well, yeah, but you saved her, and look at you two now," Iris pressed her lips together, determined to hold her ground. And not laugh. Which was really hard, because now that she thought about it, it did sound ridiculous. She still wasn't going to give it up, though.
"My hero," Felicity grinned, leaning her head against Laurel's shoulder and giving her the sappiest, most tooth-rotting-ly adorable look Iris had ever seen. Ugh.
"See! That's what I mean!" Iris huffed, gesturing to the two of them. "You guys are adorable. It's not fair. What if I want that, too?"
She clamped a hand over her mouth as soon as the words left her mouth, kicking herself for letting that slip and glaring at the wine glass sitting innocently to the side, blaming it for making her tongue loose. Felicity was giving her a funny look, and Laurel a soft, understanding little smile, and she realized they were about to get into very secret, very personal territory here. Not the point of tonight, and certainly not anything she was ready to discuss, not even with Linda, although she probably should.
"Anyway!" she coughed, just as Laurel opened her mouth to speak, "We're getting off topic here, I think. I get it—no meet-cute. I'll drop the idea. For now. So let's…change the subject, maybe. Like, we probably shouldn't have left such an important file laying on the ground like that. I'd love to see the look on Waller's face if she could see it. Actually—scratch that. I totally wouldn't. Talk about nightmares."
"Yeah, we should probably pick it up," Laurel nodded, but she was still looking at Iris in that way that said she was letting the other matter drop for now, the discussion about feelings, but the conversation clearly wasn't over for good.
"We probably should," Iris agreed, staring at the ground. She looked back up to Laurel, and then to Laurel looked to Felicity, and then Felicity back to Iris. They all looked at each other expectantly, but no one made any move to get off the couch and get it, and it didn't take much for them to dissolve into laughter again.
"You know," Felicity said slowly, sobering up, her eyes flicking over to the file still lying open on the floor in front of them, the papers bent and crinkled from the sheer amount of times they'd been over them in the past few hours. "He really doesn't look dangerous at all. Actually, he's kind of…cute."
"Excuse me?" Laurel huffed, pulling her arm away from its spot around Felicity's shoulders and putting a hand over her heart like she was actually offended.
"Oh, shush, you," Felicity rolled her eyes, leaning over to place a sloppy kiss on Laurel's cheek that left her grinning ear-to-ear. "You know I think you're the cutest. I didn't mean it like that—I was just thinking that he just…I don't know. Doesn't look like a killer to me. It's in the eyes, you know? Although I guess looks can be deceiving."
Iris pursed her lips in thought. She didn't respond, just sat back and started the movie again, but she couldn't help the growing feeling of unease that Felicity was right.
xXx
"Where are you going?" Linda asked her the next day at work, as Iris hastily checked her watch and pulled on her coat. Her eyes were full of curiosity, the corners of her mouth tugging into a frown. "And why are you in such a hurry? Iris, I know there's no way you could've finished that story on Central's crime rate already. Larkin will have your head if he finds out you're cutting out early."
"I'm not cutting out early; I'm taking a lunch break," Iris insisted, but Linda continued to eye her dubiously. "And, okay, I know you saw me eat lunch like an hour ago but—I really have to visit my dad about something. It's, uh, urgent. Actually, it's a question related to this article, you know. CCPD, crime and all that jazz. Kind of go hand in hand."
"Okay, but…couldn't you just call him? Cell phones are a thing, you know."
"Well, yeah," Iris bit her lip, mind working furiously, whipping out the first excuse that she could think of. "But he never answers his phone at work. And I already tried, you know, so—so I think it's best if I just head over there."
"Are you sure you really want to face Larkin's wrath, later? Is it really worth it?"
"I mean…you could cover for me? Pretty, pretty please, since you're such a good friend, and you love me and want me to be happy, and I'll totally owe you for, like, ever?" Iris ventured hopefully, giving Linda a sheepish grin, and batting her eyelashes innocently. In truth, she really didn't care much about what Larkin had to say right now—and she'd much rather face his wrath than Waller's. Compared to her, his anger was like drizzle going up against a hurricane.
It was easy to prioritize, in this case. She needed information for Larkin, but she needed information for Waller more, and she had to get going on her mission. Waller had made it very clear that she shouldn't take her sweet old time with this, and besides, it'd kind of be like killing two birds with one stone. There were definitely some things she could find out for her article while at the CCPD, after all.
"Ugh, well when you say it like that…fine," Linda sighed, exasperated, crinkling her nose at Iris to express her disapproval. "But this is the last time, 'kay? I sort of value my job here, you know. And Larkin doesn't have the same soft spot for me that he has for you, so I'm not really as safe in the first place."
"You're a life-saver, seriously, just the best," Iris said, blowing Linda a kiss, already half-way out the door. "And I owe you! So much!"
"Mmm, flattery will get you nowhere, West!" Linda shouted at her back, and Iris grinned to herself the whole drive over to the police station, vowing to pay for her coffee every day for the next week.
xXx
"Detective…Detective Thawne…Eddie!" Iris called out, finally catching up to him as he was just making his way up the stairs. She remembered his name from all the times she'd heard her dad referring to him as such, and the use of it seemed to do the trick. He whirled around, just as she came shuffling to a stop in front of him.
"What—? Oh. You're Joe West's daughter, right? I've seen you around here before."
"Yeah, I am, but that doesn't matter," she waved it off briskly, eager to get down to the point. "Listen, what's this I heard about a task force to take down the Flash?"
Instantly, she saw his face harden, his gaze cut left and right in apprehension.
"I'm not supposed to talk about that."
"Oh, come on, please? I'm a just a poor, desperate reporter, here. And, need I remind you, your partner's daughter. You've gotta give me something. I don't need details—well, yet. I'm just…curious." She laid a hand on his arm, batting her eyelashes and turning her charm on full throttle. Or attempting to, at least. God, Linda was right, she was rusty with this—but it seemed to work, anyway, because he swallowed hard and, with another cautionary glance from side to side, opened his mouth, leaning in and speaking in a hushed voice.
"Okay, yes, the CCPD is issuing a task force to capture and take in the Flash. I'm one of the lead detectives heading it. I'll give you that, but that's all I can really say, Miss West."
"Please, call me Iris," she winked, laying it on thick. In truth, this guy was rather attractive, so it wasn't too hard to pretend. "That's interesting, really interesting…but a lot of people out there think what the Flash is doing is a good thing. That he's a hero, even. Why is the CCPD so intent on stopping him?"
Eddie's expression darkened, anger clouding his eyes. It was obvious that this was something of a sensitive subject for him. "The Flash is dangerous. One man running around like that with all that power, playing vigilante, treating crime in this city like it's some sort of game? Like he's above the law? Please, I don't think so. It's just not right. It's not normal. And sooner or later, it's not going to be safe. Hell, it already isn't."
Iris felt a strange sense of déjà vu as Eddie talked—his reasoning sounded remarkably similar to Waller's, but coming from someone else, someone who wasn't her boss…the words didn't sit right with her. Like she was on the cusp of being aware of something she didn't want to be aware of, didn't want to question. She hastily pushed away her unease, returning to the task at hand. Keep a cool head, gather the information you need, and leave.
"What, you think he's some great big hero or something?" Detective Thawne snapped when she didn't respond right away, mistaking, not altogether without reason, her silence for disapproval. "I swear, he's got this whole damn city under his spell."
Iris shook her head, reminding herself what side she was supposed to be on. But the truth, she realized with a sinking feeling in her stomach, was that it was honestly hard not to be, if some of the stories she'd heard—that she'd written about, even scoring a front-page article a couple of times in the process—were anything to go on. Rescuing people from burning buildings, stopping armed robberies, taking down other people with strange and unexplainable abilities who seemed intent on hurting others, but…no. Amanda Waller's warning echoed in her head, assuring her that stories were merely that—stories. Twist and spun and woven this way and that, they could be made to seem like anything, even heroic.
"No, not at all. I quite agree, actually. That he needs be stopped, I mean—there's no way he can be allowed to carry on with this whole little shtick of his."
"You do?" he blinked at her, mouth slightly agape, like he clearly hadn't expected her to be agreeing with him. It wasn't an unreasonable reaction—after all, even though she was supposed to be doing the same exact thing, have about the same mindset, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was wrong. That she didn't agree with him. Which was bad, because the Flash was not a hero—not to her. The Flash was her target. Her mission. So she pushed those thoughts away too, and nodded in response to Eddie's question, forcing an indulgent little smile.
"Yeah, of course. Now that I think about it, though, I also imagine the police aren't too fond of him for taking over their jobs…?"
He opened his mouth to protest, closed it, opened it again, and finally deflated a bit, conceding defeat, knowing she'd see right through it if he tried to deny it.
"That's…well, you're not wrong," he sighed, shaking his head, a bitter look on his face. "It was nice to meet you Iris, but I really do need to get back to work, and—"
"Oh, no, of course—I'm sorry for holding you up. Thank you so much for indulging me with this, you know, answering my questions. I appreciate it, detective."
"Eddie," he corrected her with a smile that was just a little too friendly. Remember who you're here for, Iris, she reminded herself. This might be a problem, if he actually thought he was interested in her. He wasn't the guy she was after, and she couldn't have him getting in the way of things. "It's Eddie, if I'm calling you Iris. Well, I'm sure I'll be seeing you around, then."
"I'm counting on it." She responded absently, only half paying attention to what he was saying, while still distantly aware of the fact that she might need to keep this man as an ally—or at least keep him close. Yes, she thought, Amanda Waller's instructions ringing in her ears. She'd have to keep an eye on him, make sure he and his task force didn't get in the way of her own mission. She sorted through the information she'd just acquired, thinking, cataloging, planning.
So the CCPD really was assembling an entire task force to take down the Flash, huh? She smirked to herself as she watched Eddie hurry away up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time and throwing an occasional glance or two over his shoulder at her, to which she responded with a friendly little wave. Oh, but this was going to be fun. After all, she didn't need a task force. She was going to take down the Flash all by herself.