We see the outside of a fair inconspicuous warehouse building.
CENTRAL CITY
OCTOBER 2017
Cut to inside:
A group of people huddled together.
They are in a well-lit room, a room that resembles an office space or a laboratory.
Iris West is holding a bottle of champagne and is standing next to a plain wall.
On the wall is a is a picture of TEAM FLASH, all together in better times. Barry at the center.
Next to the photo tucked away in display case is Barry Allen's Flash suite.
Iris looks at it with a mixture of a smile and a far away sadness.
"Thank you everyone for coming tonight, and making this a special moment. I know the last six months have been strange, and it has been very hard for any of us to find closure. So, with that said, I want to officially dedicate this space the New STAR LABS."
She opens the champagne and pours a glass, motioning for Julian Desmond to come by her side.
She hands him the glass, pours herself one and clinks hers to his.
Julian seems a little embarrassed by the attention.
He says to their small group, "I hope one day this place can be a place that helps make the world a better place. I know we don't have the particle accelerator or the multimillion dollar equipment that TEAM FLASH had the privilege to use in the past, but we will make due with it."
Iris places her arm around his shoulder and playfully gives him a jab, saying to the others "he is being much too modest. Julian bought this space, and graciously put a lot of his own personal savings into this place. We are so thankful for him and this city will benefit so much from it."
"It was the least I could do. You are all my friends and have given me a place in this country and this world. There was a time when my family was regarded as a loathsome burden on society. I wanted to give back, and I appreciate the fact you all have accepted me your friend. It is I who is truly blessed."
Light applause.
Julian heads back into the crowd, Iris picks up another glass from the table under the photo on the wall, pours, motions for another to come forward.
"Oliver, here," handing the glass over.
Mayor Oliver Queen of Star City, dressed casually in a leather jacket and sweater takes the glass and gives Iris a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you Iris… What can I say? I miss him. Barry was an amazing friend, always there at the right moment," he turns and raises his glass to the FLASH suit on display.
"I know this was a hard day for you, Iris."
"Oliver is here because he so graciously leant us the funds that we needed, and Felicity the tech know-how," she winks at Felicity who is also present, "to help us get TEAM FLASH back and running."
"Most importantly, all of you were Barry's friends, and this is his legacy. We will keep it going. We will keep the peace in our city."
Iris poured and handed out glasses to everyone present including Cisco, Harry, Joe, but handed Wally a water bottle.
"Seriously? I can't get drunk anyway."
"Rules are rules, kid."
He takes the bottle, concerned look comes on his face, "are you okay? I know today was extra hard, making Barry… you know…"
"Legally dead? It would have been a lot easier if I was his wife. He has nobody living that could help. I'm okay, to me it isn't real. I know he is alive still, and I know our world simply needs an explanation for where he is. Until we get him back, they can believe whatever they want about Barry Allen."
"I know how you feel, and I want him to come back too, Iris. I just don't know-"
"We are going to get him back. You are going to get him back."
"I'm not saying we aren't Iris,"
"You're not sounding very optimistic. He's been trapped in that place for far too long. There has to be a way, Wally," she walked away and left Wally lost for words.
"Wall."
It was Joe coming up to his son, giving him a squeeze on the shoulder.
"I'm worried about her dad,"
"We all are."
"She has this… this… hatred inside her whenever she talks about that place. The Speedforce."
"Can you blame her?"
"It's not that I don't understand, I mean I was stuck in there once too and it was terrible."
"She hates The Speedforce because she considers it the villain. And I'm not sure she is too far off from that, Wally. Are we any close to figuring out where… how… ?"
"Nah, Tracie has been working with Dr. Wells night and day and Cisco, but they've gotten nowhere… I just hope if the reality is that he will never come back that she doesn't lose her will to live."
-FLASH-
Break.
-FLASH-
Cisco is holding something in his hand, it's a sock.
Harry enters the room, "anything?"
Cisco opens his eyes and throws the sock on the ground, shaking his head no.
"I take it Barry's sock yielded the same result as everything else."
"Only thing that would benefit from that sock would be a house elf. I got nothing, Harry."
"Maybe we need to reset. Take a day off and just clear our heads a little."
"Another day that passes is another day Barry is trapped… want some coffee?"
"No I can't stand coffee."
Cisco stops pouring and looks up, a little sad.
"Cisco, can we talk real here, man to man?"
"I know what you're going to say, I don't want to think about it."
"We have to start looking at this realistically. The Speedforce seems to have a mind of its own. You saw what happened when their prison was empty. It nearly burned the city to the ground. How do you convince a power like to see your side?"
"We need to understand The Speed Force, maybe there is a reason they need Barry and if we can fulfill whatever stupid need it has, it will let Barry go."
"It, him, her, we don't know what this thing is Cisco."
A loud beep began to come from the computer behind them. It was the Meta Detector.
Cisco sent a text to Wally.
A yellow streak fills the room as Wally appears in full Kid Flash uniform.
"What's up?"
Cisco replies, "looks like our Meta Detector has picked up a Meta causing a problem at… Central Bank."
"How many times is that bank going to get hit this year?" Wally said.
"Definitely a Meta, yikes…"
Live feed shows a typical looking robber in a ski mask and black outfit. He seems to be blending with an ATM machine.
"Is he… phasing through that ATM?"
"I don't know… That is weird."
Wally takes off for the bank in a blur of yellow.
Cisco and Wells watch as the man in the ski mask appears to be reaching into the ATM machine through the side and pulling out bails of cash. People around are staring in amazement.
The robber is not blurry, you can in fact see him clearly. He is maybe six foot, thin, white. He heads for the teller and pulls out a gun and demands money.
Wally appears, "not so fast!"
"Did he just say that?" Cisco says watching the feed, Wells shushes him.
"Get lost, Flash, I'm not here to hurt anyone, except maybe this teller who is taking to long!"
She quickly starts loading a bag with cash.
"Hey! Back off and leave now before I take you into custody."
"The man laughs."
Wally shrugs, "okay then."
Wally lunges forward and slams right into the wall on the other side of the man.
"Oh my what?" Cisco just saw Kid Flash fall right through the guy.
"Wally, are you alright?"
The robber laughs but turns his attention back at the teller.
Police sirens sound outside, but he doesn't seem too scared of that.
Wally jumps up and lunges again but goes right through the robber.
He then starts punching at the robber but it was like punching through air.
He even tried fast punching but nothing.
The robber laughs and goes right up to Wally, pulls back his fist and gives Wally a full on right hook knocking him straight down to the ground.
Wally sits up, presses the side of his mask to speak closer, "what the hell is going on?"
"Retreat, you're not helping matters," Wells says.
Wally makes a face of disgust and blurs out of there.
-CUT TO-
There is a knock on a door, its Iris knocking.
Tracie Brand opens the door to her apartment.
"Iris, I'm sorry but I'm on my way out, can this wait?"
"No, it can't but I'm only going to be a second. I can walk with you if you like?"
"Come in, its fine. Coffee?"
"No thank you. I'm sorry for coming over like this unexpected its just… you don't answer my calls or my texts."
"Yeah sorry about that. Very busy."
"So about that. I've been told you and Dr. Wells have been working around the clock to figure out this Speed Force thing and I just recently found out its not really both of you working around the clock but just Harry. Is something wrong?"
"Is something wrong? Yes there is a lot wrong, Iris. I'm sorry, for your lost, I really am. In fact, I know exactly what you are feeling. Or what you should be feeling. HR is gone, I have accepted that."
"Tracie…"
"You should really just accept that this might be the case for Barry. I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this but I don't think I'm the only one who thinks this way."
"How can you talk like this?"
"Because someone must! At first I tried helping that man, Wells, but I can't stand looking at him. At first it was easy focusing on the task of getting Barry out of there but as I got deeper and deeper into it I just… Iris it isn't looking possible. I don't know a whole lot about this Speed Force but it basically looks like if it doesn't have its sights on you and you can't run super fast, it doesn't exist. I just can't any more Iris, I'm sorry."
Tracie actually got up and left her own apartment, with Iris inside looking helpless.
-CUT TO-
Joe West and Julian Desmond are at the scene of the Central Bank robbery. They are huddled together talking about the situation.
The new CSI on the job is going about trying to collect evidence, Joe is distracted by the new face.
"Joe?"
"Say that again Julian?"
"All the eye-witnesses say the same thing. All of them are freaked out. There is not one piece of evidence, not one fingerprint or fiber. This is impossible to link to anyone."
"Dad?"
Wally shouts from behind the yellow tape, one of the officer rolling his eyes and giving the kid a dirty look until he realized his dad is Joe West so he moves on.
Julian, Wally and Joe go off to the side to talk.
"What did you see, Wally?"
"I saw a stereotypical bank robber, and I couldn't touch him. I went right through him like a ghost."
"Is it a hologram?" Julian asks.
"Nah, can't be. He was able to touch things, but I could touch him. And he sure as hell was able to touch me," he said pointing at a cut on his face.
"Same report everyone else makes."
"And of course the news will point out how Kid Flash is useless," Wally says.
"Not your fault. We are obviously dealing with a Meta that has the ability to somehow be transparent in reality whenever he feels like it," says Julian.
"Why would it take all this time for him to surface?" Joe asked, "you would think someone with that ability would have been having a lot of successful heists over the years."
"Maybe he just figured out his powers?" Julian replied.
"Whatever it is, this is a dangerous."
-CUT TO-
NEW STAR LABS
Cisco says, "Transparent Man?"
"He's not invisible, Cisco," Dr. Wells replies with a sigh.
"This is getting harder every time."
"Dammit," Dr. Wells says, roughly putting down the goggles he had been fiddling with.
"Hey! Those are my Vibe Specs, man be careful."
"Harry, could we talk?" It was Iris entering the room.
Harry got up and followed her to the back of the room.
"I went to see Tracie Brand, it didn't go well."
"Well, to be honest she just kind of gets in the way."
"It's just… I need to know that we are doing everything we can."
"Iris, I promised Barry I would stay here and help the team. Jesse was the only thing tying me to my world and she has moved on to apprentice with Jay Garrick on earth 3. Nothing is tying me to my world right now. This is my world now. You are my family now. This is not a bother for me to go at it alone. In fact, I work best alone."
"Harry… I am so thankful for you, I am. I just don't like the fact you are alone at this."
"I'm not, I have to some extent Cisco who, yes is more of an annoyance but he means well. And from time to time Desmond is helpful."
"But it's not fair. I think we need to bring someone else on the team. Someone else with the mind that can go toe to toe with you."
"You have someone in mind?"
"No not really, not yet. Would you be open to a partner?"
"I… I mean… I don't know if its wise to bring someone into the team from the outside right now."
"But if it's the right fit?"
"Iris, I don't… I…"
"We can't let him rot there…"
"…Yeah, yeah I can work with someone. One condition!"
"Sure."
"No alternate earth versions of me. I can't stand me."
Iris breaks into laughter and hugs him.
-BREAK-
"Guys, I think I found something," Julian called over to Cisco, Wells and Wally.
"About what?" Cisco asked, coming closer.
"I think I might have figured out how to track down Intangible."
"Intag-?" Wally begins, but is interrupted by Cisco.
"Intangible! Julian you magnificent bastard I told you not to name them but day-um that is good!"
"Cisco focus here. He isn't transparent. That's what the news suggested. Being transparent means you're see through. This guy isn't see through we can clearly see him, right Wally?"
"Yes."
"The dictionary describes the word "intangible" to mean 'unable to be touched or grasped; not having physical essence.' That is exactly what this man is. But he has the ability to seemingly switch between intangible and tangible while we cannot touch him at all. This would have to be something at a molecular level. Perhaps he is able to switch between matter and anti-matter on a molecular level…"
"Sort of like… like a black hole!"
"Right, Cisco!"
"So," Dr. Wells added, "if you had a satellite that could detect on the ground the formation of a black hole, which never happens, you would effectively be detecting the presence of Mr. Intangible whenever he uses his powers… Damn fine science, Julian!"
Cisco runs to an office chair and wheels himself over to the main computer display, saying, "Felicity linked us directly into ARGUS satellites that Team Arrow uses. They have this tech, believe me. I just need to reprogram one of the algorithms and we should be able to reverse engineer this jerk right onto the map."
Wally: "But there's just one problem…"
"What?" they all ask at once.
"It's all fine to know where he is but how do you capture someone that can't be touched?"
Everyone just looked at each other, and Cisco added, "well we start by knowing where one can be touched… That sounded weird…"
-CUT TO-
Next day, out on the streets of Central City we follow a young kid, maybe 19, as he walks through the crowd heading to some destination.
The kid is wearing a hoody, as it is cold out.
He has his earbuds in, connected to his phone.
As he is walking down the busy streets trying to pay attention to where he is going and not run into anyone, he pulls out his phone because it buzzes.
He looks and sees a notification that there is a new update for his "META FINDER" app which alerts users to the presence of Meta Humans in Central City.
A controversial program because of how invasive it can be, using your every location 24/7. Some in the mayor's office called it just another way for Big Brother to keep an eye on us.
This young man, who goes by Jake, rather liked the app. Helps him keep up with things. He reads the update details, while just missing running into a guy on a bike.
"Update includes: inclusion of new known Meta Humans, including Intangible."
Intangible. Hmm.
He stops to authorize the update, in haste.
Something about that title concerned him to the point he didn't realize he was standing in the middle of a cross walk.
A loud horn blares, but it is distant to Luke. He is too focused on the progress bar to notice.
Horn blares.
Horn.
People start screaming.
Horn.
He looks up sees headlights to a giant bus literally three inches from him when…
The bus passes safely right through him. He turns to watch the tail lights. The bus ends up crashing into the car in front of it…
Silence.
Suddenly everyone around starts pulling out their phone, bringing up the app, and reporting a sighting of Intangible.
-CUT TO-
"Wally!"
"Yeah, Cisco?"
"Like a thousand percent positive sighting of Intangible on the corner of Landry and Parker."
"…On it," Wally turns and in a blur is out of there.
From overhead we see the yellow streak flowing through the streets of Central City.
"Guys, what do I do when I get there?"
"I don't-" Cisco begins, but Dr. Wells takes over.
"Wally, it's a theory but… Since you cannot touch him, but you can still see him, it might be a matter of light refraction…"
"Huh?"
"Try to overshadow him. If you can surround him with enough light to prevent him from being seen you may be able to bring him into tangibility… Make a lightning storm around him!"
Wally arrives on the corner, but there is a lot of people running and screaming.
"Which one is he? I can't tell!"
"Wally," Wells begins, "You need to run faster. The more circles you run around him the more light you produce. You have to disorientate him enough that he cannot phase in and out of intangibility!"
"Got it!"
Kid Flash starts running around and around the block, looking for anyone that stands out among the crowd. He is now running fast than he ever has run before, and he is starting to actually feel like he might trip but focuses.
Everyone around the block is overcome and are now no longer moving, but Wally spots one figure in a dark hoody that is not only not moving but is seemingly beginning to solidify and stand out.
"I see him!"
Kid Flash dashes toward the figure and reaches out grabbing him by the collar.
He feels him.
Everything comes to a stop.
"I got him!"
Intangible's eyes widen, he doesn't seem to know what just happened.
"You have to knock him out, Wally!" Cisco says.
"Gladly," Kid Flash says and head butts him.
-BREAK-
"Con-grad-u-lations," Cisco says fist bumping Wally, who is now out of uniform and in plain clothes.
Julian and Joe arrive.
"How are you going to keep him from escaping?" Joe asks.
"So," Cisco begins, "Intangible's ability is solely based on his ability to essentially phase through reality, is connected with both his ability to focus and his ability to manipulate light. He can turn all of his cells into dark matter and uses light to reflect enough of himself to be able to remain in this dimension and therefore hold on to things. Its hard to describe. But it is really easy to counter…"
He points over to the corner where the kid is sitting tied up and blindfolded.
"As long as he can't see or focus, he's useless."
Wally walks up to him. The heap moans a little.
"He's young."
"Probably 18 or 19, yeah."
Since he is blindfolded he didn't see any harm in talking to him.
"Hey, kid, you ok?"
"No… feel like a bus hit me."
Cisco raises an eyebrow.
"Why do you do bad things with your ability?" Wally asked.
"Huh?"
"What's your name?"
"Grant."
"Okay Grant, you know you have some amazing powers, right? You're a Metahuman."
"Yeah, I've known for a few years. I kept it quiet. I just want to be normal, you know? Go to school, have friends, I don't use my powers for bad or nothing."
"Grant, you've been terrorizing the city for several days. You robbed the largest bank in the city, we think you're connected to several other crimes. You're going to have to pay for this."
"No! I've not done anything bad, man. I mean… Yeah that one time in senior year I snuck into the girls locker room. I felt bad about that."
Wally backs up, turns to Cisco, "Vibe, this is the same guy isn't it?"
"Matched race, height, and you saw what he did on the street. Yeah it's the same guy."
"I haven't done any crimes!" Grant says.
"You didn't rob a bank yesterday?"
"I… I mean… I don't really remember any of the last 3 days. Not until the Flash grabbed me."
"Kid Flash."
"I love Kid Flash! I love the Flash. Where is the Flash? Sir I'm not a bank robber!"
Cisco: "Come on over here for a second."
Wally tells Grant to hang tight.
Wells, Wally and Cisco huddle together.
Wally: "What is going on?"
Wells: "Probably a trick."
Cisco: "Maybe you knocked him out too hard?"
Wells: "There's only one way to find out and its take his blind fold off. I don't think we want to try that right now."
Joe entering the room, "ARGUS is here to take the prisoner."
Two men in suits, deployed by Lila Diggle, to bring the latest Metahuman criminal to ARGUS.
"Hold on a second," Wally says, and heads over the Grant.
"Grant, what is your last name?"
"George. What is going to happen to me?"
"Look, you have done some bad things and you need to pay for them."
"I didn't!"
"If you really didn't it will be okay but, man, we have video."
The ARGUS agents come in and gentle raise up the prisoner.
"Please! Help me! I can pay. I can pay you back. I'm getting a good pay day soon."
Everyone makes way for the agents leading the prisoner out.
"Wait," Cisco says, "what do you mean a good pay day soon?"
"The tall dude said if I worked for him he would pay me."
"Tall dude?"
"He wouldn't tell me his name but he was really tall and weird like he had a mask or something on I couldn't see his face. He said he would pay me."
"Pay you if you did what?"
"I don't know… I can't remember. I just saw his eyes and then I was here."
The agents lead him out.
-CUT TO-
Iris pulls her car into a parking spot outside a rural neighborhood home.
"Destination reach: 67 Elm St, Fallville, Iowa."
While everything in Central City was working against Iris, she decided to use her journalistic skills to follow a lead that has bothered her ever since she lost Barry.
When she had gone to the central city Town Office-
FLASH BACK
"Miss West?" called the woman behind the counter. She didn't seem to have any desire to be there anymore than Iris did. It was the other day, at Central City Town Hall, where she was bringing the information to officially declare Barry Allen among the dead.
"It's been several months since my fiancé has shown up. We haven't seen him since the night of the sky quakes."
"You say you are his fiancé, does he have any next of kin?"
"Yes, Joseph West, his legal guardian."
Joe had just shown up and cut in line to get behind her and present the women with papers.
"Your fiancé is your… brother?"
Joe cut off Iris and said, "this is a hard time for our family, I would appreciate it if you would just help us process this claim."
The woman took the old weathered paperwork.
"What happened to Mr. Allen?"
"Um," Iris spoke up with a lump in her throat, "he died, trying to save my life. Protecting me from the lightning."
"Okay…"
"Okay?" Joe interrupted feeling like he would love to smash through the glass.
"I'm sorry, Mister and Miss West, I mean no disrespect. I just see a problem with the paperwork here."
Joe and Iris at the same time: "What problem?"
"Well Mr. West, you adopted Bartholomew Allen at the age of ten. You never presented his original birth certificate."
"Of course I did! I gave the officials the birth certificate that his father had provided me."
"Henry Allen? The man who spent a better part of a decade behind bars for the murder of his wife?"
"He was exonerated!" Iris says getting very upset.
"Yes, Miss West, he was, but the document that was provided at the time of the adoption was not the original document of birth. It was just a statement of residence when Bartholomew was two years old. His original birth certificate states he was born in Fallville, Iowa, not Central City…"
-CUT BACK TO TODAY-
Iris had a sheet she printed out, a copy of Barry's original birth certificate. Did he not know about this? Or had he and just not mentioned to her he was born in another state and on another day?
She had to follow through with this.
-CUT TO-
Again, Dr. Wells is seen tinkering with Cisco's glasses, and is frustrated with his progress.
A knock behind him.
It's Tracie Brand.
"Come in."
"I don't have a lot of time, I just wanted to say something. I'm sorry for how I've been acted and you can tell Iris that. I just need a little time and I'll help some more. Just right now it's…"
"It's fine. I've got more than enough time for both of us. Cooped up here and all."
"Why do you do it?"
"They're my friends."
"They're not even from your world."
"They've done a lot for me. I owe them that at least."
"I'm not really that good at what I do, the only reason I got involved is because of something I was going to do. Now that is gone. That timeline where I become an award winning scientist and inventor? That's all gone now. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Iris is alive, but you have to understand that is very hard to understand and diegest so fast."
"Like I said, take your time… you lost someone too."
-CUT TO-
It was a journalistic hunch, but Iris decided she was going to follow through on this fast. She took the name of the doctor off the birth certificate, "Dr. Jeremiah Gilmore."
Dr. Gilmore, she found out, is no longer alive, but his daughter is, and she runs a bed and breakfast in Fallville, at the family home.
Iris had booked a quick flight and rented a car and was approaching the quaint farm house bed and breakfast.
Business was most likely very slow for Iris to be able to book a night in the Bed and Breakfast. She portrayed herself as a journalist on assignment in the small town (not far from the truth).
It was almost too good to be true, the setup. She wasn't sure what she was going to find, but she wasn't prepared for what was about to become reality to her.
Ms. Gilmore was a nice middle aged woman, and very open about her family and her history. She had presumed Iris was telling a story about the history of their town.
Her father, Dr. Gilmore, was the only birthing doctor in the small county.
"Unfortunately, pa had a terrible fight with alcohol. It nearly ruined his life. Until one terrible night that he never told us about until after he passed."
"After?"
"He left a journal, a confessional if you will."
Iris, figuring it would have nothing of any real value to her, found herself without thinking, saying, "could I read?"
Ms. Gilmore was struck with an odd look but then smiled and said, "yes you may. I believe he would have no shame in telling his story. Could I ask though that you not publish anything about it?"
"Yeah! Yes of course."
Ms. Gilmore left the room and came back carrying a very plain looking journal.
"Take it to bed with you for light reading if you like. I think he would want any young person to learn from his mistakes."
"Thank you."
This was the moment Iris was waiting for, for Ms. Gilmore to retire to her quarters. She was not feeling proud of it, but she had been planning to sneak into files and see if there was any old birthing records. A lot of these small town doctors, she knew, kept them at home. Especially in basements.
To pass the time, Iris remained in the dim light kitchen, a candle burning enough for her to read the entry.
It played out in her mind like a black and white movie as she read.
-FLASHBACK-
I begin my journal with a confession.
I am a terrible human being. I will forever be tormented by the events of May 13, 1989.
I had been drinking.
What else?
But I was on call, I shouldn't have been. I never drank when I was on call. But I was bored, I was selfish. And unscheduled births were rare in our small town. Maybe 1 or 2 every three months.
Not that night…
Three.
I made it to the office somehow, without crashing my car. Along the way I stuck my head out the window, slapped my face, gulped coffee.
It was all I could do.
The nurses were lazy, one of them too old to pay attention the other too young to know what was going on. You didn't see clinics like this except rural America. Shame.
"Dr. Gilmore! Malcom and Charlene are here! They're ready!"
Malcom and Charlene, the first to be victims of my selfishness, little did they know.
They were beloved by the town, natives, in fact I delivered Malcom myself.
I learned in another room was a couple traveling through, babies were 2 weeks late and they thought they could squeeze in one last road trip? I don't know. Key word babies. The travelers were expecting twin boys.
They could wait, because the woman's contractions were nothing to be concerned with. Charlene was ready.
A relatively smooth birth, their son fell into my arms and before I could realize what was happening, the baby wasn't moving, or breathing for that matter. The cord was around his neck.
I stared, but I could focus… I forgot what to do.
The young nurse seemed confused.
"Doctor?" Malcom asked, maybe sensing something was wrong.
I was too damn drunk to do a damn thing. I told them that it was nothing to worry about, I just needed to take the baby into the other room I sent the nurse to go check on the other couple, which was outside of protocol but she didn't question me.
I brought the baby into the other clinic room and removed the cord, I tried reviving him. I was fumbling all over.
I tripped and fell, leaving the baby on the table… I might have even blacked out. When I came to, he was dead.
There was a knock, I said to leave me alone I was working.
My office was in the corner of this room through a door. I went in there and I opened my desk drawer and pulled out a gun. Now, now was a good time to end my pitiful life. I wish I had… Because what I did next was another layer of evil.
I put the gun down, I took a long drag off a bottle of whiskey in the other drawer, and I formed a plan.
Malcom and Charlene were darlings in this town, they would have a long lasting Legacy.
I couldn't let them down.
"Nurse, go in and tell Malcom and Charlene there is nothing to worry about and they can see their baby boy in just a little while once I am done helping the other couple."
"But sir, the baby?"
"He's fine, nurse Hilda is with him," that was a lie.
I went into the other room, like a monster that I was. I helped this young couple give birth to 2 beautiful baby boys. Twins, but not identical. The one with the lighter hair, he reminded me of Malcom when he was a baby. I was with nurse Hilda who was considerably older and absent minded.
The mother was given the other boy, while I still held the other and I screwed up my face in concern.
"What's wrong?" called out the father.
"I'm afraid this one might have a complication, it was the cord… Please I will do everything I can."
I ran out of the room with the healthy boy, there was no problem. It was all I could do to keep him quiet. I heard the couple break down in tears.
I cleaned the boy up, and I brought him to Malcom and Charlene.
"I am so sorry to cause any alarm, your baby boy is just fine, here he is."
They joyfully took this boy into their arms, never knowing the terrible thing I did.
Meanwhile, I entered sadly and broke the news to the stranger couple that their boy had passed. It's a situation I have been through many times, but never like this.
The guilt has destroyed me, and I never touched alcohol again.
But at what price?
I never saw the couple again, but I'll always remember their names.
HENRY and NORA ALLEN. They were from Central City. They never knew how I took from them.
Malcom and Charlene THAWNE likewise will never know what I took from them, nor what I gave them. Last I heard, young Eddie was doing well in school.
God, forgive me.Iris held her hand over her mouth, sobbing, shaking… and dropped the journal on the floor.
-FLASH-
END
-CUT TO-
Back at central city, Dr. Wells shouts, "finally! Ramon! Get in here quick!"
Cisco came in with a concerned look on his face.
"What's up, Harry?"
"I finally upgraded your goggles… When you put them on, if it works, if I'm right, you should be able to vibe into The Speed Force."
Cisco takes the goggles, and slowly placed them on his face.
Suddenly everything goes dark and with a blue glow.
All around him he could see nothing but buzzing, popping white light and a swirl like a tornado.
Screaming from behind him.
"STOP!"
He looks and sees two time wraiths seemingly zapping a man with strange lightning the man screaming.
The man was wild looking, burnt and wild hair wild eyed… It was Barry Allen.
"Barry!"
"Cisco! Help me!"
Barry tried reaching out but his hand went right throw him, much like Intangible."
"Cisco! COLLLLLLLLLLD!"
The vision ended and Cisco ripped the goggles off.
"Cisco?"
"Harry… Harry he's in trouble. He's not in some loving restful place. He's being tortured… The Speedforce is a bad guy!"
-END-