"Hello?" I call into the lobby, which is now crumbling and deserted. The lights that aren't burnt out flicker sadly. "Hello?" I try again. I'm at STAR labs having finally worked up the courage to search for answers. I know the place isn't completely deserted because I've seen movement on the satellite images. Maybe I happened to come on a day everyone is out.
But, no one stops me, and there aren't any signs warning of danger, so I head deeper into the lab, exploring hallways and peeking into darkened laboratories and offices. This place seems even bigger on the inside. I wonder where everyone went - what were the fates of everyone who worked here? How did they pick up their lives after the accident? How did they live with their mistakes?
"Hello there," a mans voice calls out. I was so deep in thought, I start with surprise, whirling around to face the speaker - none other than Dr. Harrison wells.
"Hi, Dr. Wells," I say a little breathlessly. He's waiting at the end of a corridor. I walk over to lessen the distance between us.
"Hello. I don't believe we've met."
"No, we haven't. I just know of you from, well," I gesture to the empty lab around us.
"Ah, yes," he says with a small sigh. It's a gesture he seems familiar with.
"I'm Mika," I introduce myself, finally remembering my manners.
"Pleased to meet you." He's much more charming than I thought he would be. He has so much presence and spirit that the wheelchair seems to disappear. "But I doubt you came all this way for pleasantries."
"You're right, I didn't. And I don't want to waste your time, so I'll get right to the point." I swallow and take a deep breath. If I'm wrong about this, I might be locked in an asylum. And if I'm right, I might be locked up as a science experiment. "I know you've been working to fight super humans, and I need your help." His eyebrows shoot up for a split second before he regains control over his expression. His eyes narrow slightly as he speaks, his silky voice sending a shiver down my spine.
"I believe you are operating under some misinformation, Mika. I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about." He answers calmly, coolly. Almost too composed. If I had just been accused of working with super humans, I'd be blustering. Granted, he doesn't seem like the blustering type, but… I tap into my power, feeling a surge of energy in my veins, and then I focus on Dr. Wells. I get nothing more than a stiff block, a true wall of unreadability. But that reveals something and of itself. This is a man with secrets.
"Really? I don't believe you," I tell him softly, leaning forward to lessen the distance between us. "You don't seem like the type of man to run from your problems," I say, realizing too late what I said. "Sorry, poor choice of words," I add.
"Don't worry about it," he brushes it off.
"My point is, you're still here. There must be a reason for that. Your life's work, this lab, it's still in ruins. But you're still here. And satellite imaging shows that there's considerable activity in this facility. And yet, no repairs, no great public pronouncements of scientific breakthroughs. You brilliant scientists must be working on something in this giant, state of the art facility. Something...important," I add. I can feel him growing more interested in me by the second. He crosses his arms and leans back, the gesture of man accustomed to power.
"And why does that concern you, Ms. Mika?" I shrug and my tongue darts out to moisten my lips.
"Like I said. I need your help." He peers at me, taking off his glasses in a thoughtful gesture. All I can focus on is how his eyes seem startlingly more blue without his glasses.
"Very well. Why don't you come in, and we can talk more comfortably."
"Thank you," I answer, following him deeper into the facility. We travel in silence until we reach a gently curving hallway that leads into the only room I've seen that's been illuminated.
"Gang, meet Mika. Mika, meet my team, Or, what's left of it, rather." The three young people in the room - all about my age - greet me with a mix of confusion and wariness, but upon a look from Dr. Wells, immediately shift their behavior to be more warm. I suspected the man had a commanding presence, but the respect and trust of his employees still surprises me. He's quite the alpha male, I'm realizing.
"Cisco Ramon, nice to meet you," a cute-ish young man introduces himself. With each introduction, Dr. Wells explains their background and expertise.
"Mr. Ramon came to work for me on the particle accelerator project. He's a very brilliant young man. This is Doctor Snow, biochemist and a gifted doctor."
"Dr. Wells is too kind," a beautiful woman greets me. She looks awfully young to be a doctor, but that just impresses me more.
"Pleased to meet you," I tell her.
"And this is Barry Allen," Dr. Wells introduces me to a handsome, tall young man.
"Hi, Barry," I say.
"Barry was struck by lighting from the storm the particle accelerator generated. We took him to STAR labs after the incident to help nurse him back to health."
"I see," I answer, figuring some response is required of me. I examine the man before me with my gift. He is nervous, on edge, uncertain. Nothing I couldn't have assumed. But I wonder why he is so nervous. If Barry was affected by the blast as well, maybe he too has powers.
"Dr. Snow, if you could join Ms. Mika and I in the examination room," Wells asks.
"Certainly," she answers immediately. It seems there is a deep connection between these two. I wonder if they were ever romantically involved...I stop that thought before it can distract me. In the medical side room, I take a seat on the table.
"Ms. Mika, why don't you tell us a little more about what brought you here," Wells says. I nod and begin my tale.
"Since the night of the particle accelerator explosion, I have been...different." I tread slowly, testing their reactions before proceeding with more details. So far, they're unphased, increasing the likelihood I was right about them working to battle the other super humans. "I can...do things that I couldn't before."
"What sort of things?" Dr. Snow asks gently.
"I can...sense things." I planned my speech out so carefully, but now that I'm here, with Dr. Wells peering at me so closely with his sharp blue eyes, I seem to have forgotten it all. "Things about people that I have no business knowing and no way of knowing."
"Are you saying you're a psychic, Ms. Mika?" Dr. Wells says. Hearing it outloud from him makes me realize how crazy I must sound.
"Not exactly," I am quick to correct. "It's not anything so precise. But I get these feelings, these strong intuitions, for lack of a better word. For example, I was in a store the other day, and I just got this feeling, this strong alarm, that something bad was going to happen. I hurried out, and, I found out later, a few minutes after I left, the store was held up at gun point. Or, I went on a date with this guy, who I had never met before, but I just knew all this personal information about him before we started talking, like when his last relationship had ended, what he was looking for, even what he thought of my shoes, for godsake. And I understand that this may sound crazy, but if I'm right about what it is you all have been doing here, you've probably heard a lot crazier things lately." Dr. Wells and Dr. Snow seem to exchange a glance, wordlessly reaching an agreement.
"You're right - we have heard crazier. It is possible that you were affected by the blast. We have developed ways to test if this is the case. We will need a blood and DNA sample from you," Dr. Snow answers. I feel a wave of relief wash over me. Not only am I not insane, but I might finally get some answers about what is happening to me.
"Alright, thank you." I tell them both. I'm sure they have higher priorities to deal with, so I appreciate them helping me even though I just walked off the street. I lean back on the medical cot while Dr. Snow gets to work. Dr. Wells leaves us to chat with the others.
"How long will the results take?" I ask as Dr. Snow prepares a tissue and blood sampling kit.
"Not too long - about fifteen minutes from preliminary results, an hour to analyze fully...if nothing of a higher priority comes up," she adds, somewhat mysteriously. I raise an eyebrow at her, but she just gives me a shy smile and focuses on her work. No doubt, they are seeing if I can be trusted before revealing too much information.
"Have you met many people like me since the explosion?" I ask, mostly as a means to distract myself from the blood about to be drawn.
"A few," she answers somewhat cryptically. "Make a fist," she tells me while feeling for my vein. I take deep breaths and close my eyes, looking past her to distract myself. My eyes land on Dr. Wells, who is talking in low tones with Barry. I know immediately that they are talking about me - I don't need this gift to tell me that. I hope they will trust me, will help me find answers. I am dying to tell someone about this, someone who will understand and be able to help me control this.
"All done," Dr. Snow says, breaking into my thoughts. I sigh with relief and press the bandaid to my arm.
"Great. Can I leave you my contact information so you can let me know if you find what you're looking for?"
"Sure. You're welcome to stay as well, it really won't take long."
"Oh." Her offer catches me off guard - everyone has seemed secretive since I got here, I didn't think they'd want me sticking around. "Are you sure?" She shrugs.
"Yeah, nothing big is going on right now. And, if your results come back the way we think they will, it would be good to have you nearby, so we can get started learning more about these changes right away." I nod, swallowing hard. I remember that I have much more to fear from them than they do of me, but I haven't had any indication of danger since I've been here.
"Well, I'm not going to turn down the chance to fangirl at STAR labs," I joke.
"We don't have too many fangirls left, these days," she says with a smile while carrying my blood sample to a machine.
"Yeah, I guess I'm a little more forgiving than most. And the stuff you guys were working on...so cool," I add.
"It really was," Cisco says, joining the conversation. "If you'd like, I can show you around." There's something decidedly flirty in his manner, but I ignore it for now.
"That'd be awesome, thanks." We head out of the main room and down the curving hallway.
"How long have you been with STAR labs?" I ask him while he shows me their different labs and specs for what were planned projects.
"About 4 years now," he answers. "Why such an interest in STAR labs? Are you a scientist?" he asks.
"Not really - but I try to keep up with the latest breakthroughs," I answer while peering into one of their (now empty) state of the art laboratories.
"'Not really?'" he repeats. "How can someone be 'not really' a scientist?" he asks, friendly. I laugh at myself.
"I guess that doesn't make much sense. I technically graduated with a science degree - in ecology - but it wasn't science like you do here."
"Science is science - don't sell yourself short," he tells me seriously.
"Thanks, Cisco." I'm touched by how sincere he was. He nods once and then keeps walking, his jovial manner back. He's about to show me their electromagnetic isolation room, but we are interrupted by Dr. Snow making an announcement on their intercom system.
"Mika and Cisco, could you join us back in the cortex?"
"Sounds like we've got some results. Ready to see if you're a meta human?" he asks excitedly.
"Meta human?" I question while we head to the elevator.
"It's just what we're calling them - those people with powers."
"Hm. I like it," I decide.
"Sweet," he answers under his breath. I get the feeling this was a term Cisco invented - and that he's very proud to have outside approval.