Mason Bridge sat at his desk looking over his research. He was the last one in the building, the last person having left a few minutes before. He needed to work late so he could put his full effort into his article, this one especially, he felt that this time he was really close to getting somewhere with all of the research he had done on Harrison Wells. As he was scanning over the various articles and blueprints that littered his computer screen, he began to wonder, what's been going on STAR Labs ever since the explosion? He knew that their staff had decreased dramatically and now only two people worked there other than Wells himself. So he knew they couldn't be doing what they were doing before, so what are they doing now? He did a bit of research on it. He found that a man named Barry Allen was a former coma patient there after being struck by lightning, having woken up a few months before. Curious, Mason found that Barry's dad was sent to prison for the mirder of his wife when Barry was 10. The West family took him in. West as in Iris West. As in his new coworker Iris West. He decided she would be a good source of information. If Barry was still in contact with STAR Labs, he might know more about Wells. Therefore Iris probably knew about him.

The next day, as soon as Mason saw Iris walk through the doors of the CCPN, he called her over.

"So, the article I've been working on recently has something to do with STAR Labs and I found out that a few months ago, they had a coma patient whose name was Barry Allen who woke up recently. I did a little digging and found out that he went to live with you when he was 10 so I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about him."

"Um, sure. I guess. What questions do you want to ask?"

"Well, first of all, is he still in contact with STAR Labs?"

"Yeah, he's best friends with the people who work there. Caitlin and Cisco. And Dr. Wells."

"Do you know what they've been doing there? As you said, there are only 2 people left other than Wells and that's not nearly enough to keep the place going the way it was before the explosion."

"...No actually. I don't know what they're doing. My guess would be that they're still working on things just not on a larger scale."

Then where do they get the money to do that? He nodded. "Do you think there'd be a way I could talk to him?"

"Yeah, I think I could tell him and get you in contact with him."

...

Once it was her lunch break, Iris pulled out her phone and called Barry.

"Hey Iris." He said when he picked up.

"Hey, so Mason Bridge was talking to me today. Yeah, actually talking. Not just criticizing me about everything I do. Anyway, he was asking me about you and he said he wants to talk to you."

"Really? About what. Well, he said he was writing an article about STAR Labs and he found out about you and your coma and he wanted to ask you some questions about it."

Barry hesitated. Mason Bridge was an award winning reporter. If he found out about him being the Flash, that was it. No more secret identity. But it's not like he could say no, one he had no excuse, and two, he or Iris might suspect something. He would just have to be extra careful not to reveal anything important. "Sure, what time does he want to meet?"

...

Barry sat waiting anxiously at Joe's house for Mason Bridge to arrive. He didn't exactly know what the man was going to ask. He decided that if it came to it he would lie, and he just hoped that he could pull it off. He also hoped that it wouldn't have to come to that. Iris said that he was researching STAR Labs and Barry just happened to have been in a come there for a little more than eight months. He was probably just going to ask him some things like how he was recovering or things like that. He really had no reason o worry as long as the reporter had no reason to suspect him of his secret identity. Right? He heard a knock on the door and went over to open it. Mason Bridge stood at the door.

"Hi, uh I'm Barry Allen, you must be Mason Bridge." Barry stuck out his hand for a handshake. Bridge took it and stepped into the house. They sat down on the couch.

"So I have some questions for you about STAR Labs. First thing's first, what's your connection with STAR Labs?"

"Well, ever since I woke up there from my coma, I've been in contact with them."

"Iris told me you were friends with them. How true is this?"

"Well, Caitlin is my doctor and Cisco is a friend."

"What have they been doing at STAR Labs ever since the explosion?"

"...What they were doing before, just with the decrease in staff they've had to make the projects smaller."

Mason Bridge nodded, not quite believing these words. "Well I think that's all I'll be needing for now. I'll call you if I need anything else but thank you for your time." He then quickly left the house.