AN: please forgive typos, I'm writing all this on mobile. Just a little something I thought up, figure I may as well write it up and put it out there. If you like it: reviews get me to prioritize updating certain works. Since I kinda bounce between multiple projects. Heads up if you decide to branch into other stuff of mine: my other works tend to be more dark. This one should be reading as a general episode or Flash plot line. :)

—-

"Alright team, what's the update?" Barry Allen had his usual etching of concern strewn across his face, ruffling his short hair with thinly veiled frustration.

"Cisco, how are we coming with our analysis?"

"Well I've been scanning the city for any breaches or meta human activity. Nothing has come up."

"Nothing? Are you sure?"

"I'm telling you, nothing is registering on my scans."

"So, no way to scan for this...it could be ordinary people responsible." Wells never did shy away from harsher possibilities.

"What, like a cult or something?" Barry didn't like the idea of that.

"Or...human trafficking." Caitlin liked that idea less.

"Usually for trafficking you're looking at people no one will miss. This is too high profile to fit the bill. CCPD noticed something was wrong three weeks ago, when the first batch went missing."

"Okay, so what do we have then?" Cisco brought it back with a sip of his slurpee big gulp, earning a face from Barry. Caitlin jumped in,

"I've been collecting what I can. All of the disappearances have happened either at night or first thing in the morning. Most of the victims were last spotted in a variety of locations. A kareoke bar, an art gallery, the botanical gardens, the park. The only things that remain constant is that the victims are healthy, attractive, and all of them have some kind of skill set. They have all disappeared without a trace. Who ever is taking people, they might not be taking our best, but they're still being picky." Barry looked back over the pictures pinned up to their board. Looking over a sea of beautiful faces from all walks of life.

"Different ethnicities, social circles, backgrounds...there has to be something more connecting all of these people."

A silence fell over the room, drifted between them and pressed on their shoulders. A team of brilliant minds, each working a puzzle from a different angle. They didn't have all the pieces.

"We can visit the last known locations again. See if we missed anything?" Caitlin suggested.

"I don't think this is location based."

"Well, do you have a better idea, Cisco?"

"Gee, I don't know, because we haven't established a pattern here yet! What are we supposed to do, monitor the entire city at once?"

"Okay, I think we need a break-"

"That's not a bad idea." The team turned to Barry. Go on.

"Well, the places didn't have security footage. The ones that did showed the individual leaving the area, but not where they went. Maybe one of the satelites caught something? Or a street camera or something around the art gallery? We've been so focused on thinking this is a meta, we forgot about more mundane options."

"...I'll see what I can find."

"And I'll go get us some refreshments."

"I'll join you, Caitlin. We need to restock our coffee supply." Wells went through at least five pots a day, given there was no coffee on his Earth.

"I guess I can check the locations again. Just in case we did overlook something." It would be much faster work for the Flash.

—

Barry came to a quick stop in central city park, no one around to spot his sudden arrival. The area was a well-kept landscape, allowing him to easily sweep his eyes across grass and scattered trees. The concrete running path dipped and curved across the expanse, passing by a series of man made ponds and lakes, and dotted with occasional benches and water fountains. This was the last place one of the first victims were seen. Brandon Williamson, a former gymnast out for his morning jog. There had been no sign of a struggle, nothing had been dropped or left behind, no footprints off the trail even. One moment he was there, and then he was gone. As far as anyone could tell.

Barry took a moment to breath in the air, scanning over the area again. They couldn't have missed anything. They had combed the entire area several times. It had to be a meta. Or maybe a way-ward breach. What else could it possibly be? He had been wracking his brains for weeks, visiting each location with the hopes he might find something new. How was he going to stop this? How was he going to bring everyone back? Could it even be done? With a weary sigh, he moved over to the bench overlooking the water. The ducks were out, drifting over the lake with scarcely a ripple, their webbed feet padding furiously below the surface.

He leaned back, glancing up at the fluffy clouds that hovered in one place. Those refused to move today.

"Where are you?"

"Where's who?" The voice startled him, he hadn't noticed the jogger approaching on his right. She wore a sports-bra and fitness leggings, clean sneakers, and had her blonde hair pulled back into a tight poneytail that ended in light curls. She paused to lean on the bench in question and stretch her hamstrings. A thick Scottish accent colored her words.

"I seen ye around a lot lately. Ye always waitin' on someain? Ur havin' an affair?" The last was a playful jab with a wink, she clearly didn't actually think he was.

"Happily married, actually."

"Mores the pity." Now that he thought about it, had he seen her around here before? He felt like he should have remembered, at the very least that accent. Maybe he only caught the tail end of her as she continued her run?

"Actually, I've been looking for my friend. Brandon was last seen here."

"Oh. Pure tragic."

"If you're a usual, maybe you saw him? Tall guy, dark hair cut short, tattoo of a Phoenix on one arm?"

"Cannae say, sorry. Ma-"

"Nooooooooo." The startle of a third voice, as an old man came rushing towards them as best he could. Barry was on his feet, the dirty vagabond moving right for the woman. Shaggy hair and beard in white tumbled over an old worn coat, his balled fists swinging for the woman in wide arches that she was able to duck under without difficulty.

"Whit's yer problem?!" He kept trying to hit her with a wild desperation, startling when Barry put a hand on the slow old man's shoulder.

"Hey, calm down!" The old guy wasn't an incredible danger, this was a job for Barry Allen police contact, not Flash the Superhero. He still prepared to get walloped in the face, but the old man turned sad eyes back to him, tensed but didn't strike. The woman was already running away.

"Wait, ma'am!" She didn't slow down, and the man in front of him gripped onto Barry's shirt.

"You can't trust...you can't trust..."

"What?"

"Can't trust...theif! Theif! It's all a lie!" He broke down, sinking to the ground with tears leaving a trail in the dirt coating his face.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. It's going to be alright. I work with the CCPD. Do you know about us?" The old man began to rock back and forth, sobbing to himself.

"It's going to be okay. Let's get you somewhere where you can get a warm meal. Does that sound good?" Barry didn't know what this guys deal was. He was clearly unstable, a danger if he was left alone. That didn't make him a bad guy, not one of the villains Barry fought as the Flash. He was another citizen, who clearly needed help.

"Will you come with me? Please? I'd like to help you." The old man crawled backwards away from him, terror in his eyes.

"No. Nonononono. Don't trust!" He pulled himself to his feet and began to hobble away, leaving Barry to sigh.

"Sorry." In blinding speed, he used his speed force to pick up the man and drop him off at the police station. He ducked around a corner, and the poor guy made as much of a scene there as he did the park. The officers handled it, eventually calming him down and bringing him inside. It wasn't a permanent solution, but for now it would give him a warm place to sleep and keep him from attacking anyone else.

"Hey guys," checking in on his com, "still didn't find anything new. Just an old guy who needs some help. He's in holding for now."

"Yikes. Everything okay?"

"Yeah. No one was hurt."

"That's good at least."

"Anything on your end?"

"I think I might have found something, actually. Not sure what yet.""Alright Cisco, see you in a flash."