Central City: 12p; six hours prior to the dimensional instability in Middleton.
I man wearing what appears to be heavy winter clothes, casually walks through the doors to Central City bank and immediately blasts the security guard with his cold gun, freezing the guard instantly.
Captain Cold: Nobody move! If you do, you'll end up like this guard. (Pointing his gun at the teller) You there, take me to the vault.
Bank teller: (Hands on her head) I'll take you to the vault, but please don't freeze me (while whimpering and on the verge of tears)!
Captain Cold: Very well. Because you were so quick to cooperate, I'll allow you to live, but if you try anything that will change very quickly. As for the rest of you, you're all coming to the vault with us.
Captain Cold presses his gun against the teller's back as they and the hostages move toward the vault.
Bank teller: (In a frightened tone) You're going to need a key code to open it.
Captain Cold: Key codes are a waste of time (while freezing the vault entrance).
Captain Cold then reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a small charge that has an ice pick attached to it, and jams it into the icy vault entrance.
Captain Cold: Unless you want shards of ice imbedded into you, I suggest taking cover behind that wall.
As everyone moves to cover, the charge detonates fifteen seconds later, blowing the ice wall into nothing but a hole. Captain Cold walks into the vault and quickly fills two bags with unmarked bills.
Captain Cold: (Walking out of the vault with gun held high), Now, everyone into the vault! (With the hostages inside), It's been a pleasure working with you! (Fills in the hole with a new ice wall, sealing everyone in.)
One hour later back at S.T.A.R. Labs, with the help of Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco, Barry has been able to master the ability to pass through solid objects by rapidly vibrating his body.
Dr. Wells: Barry, I can't begin to tell you how proud I am. The progress you've made is astounding.
Barry: I still think it's a little weird that I can walk through walls. If you had told me a year ago, that I'd be able to do that, I wouldn't have believed you. (Takes his ringing phone out of his pocket and answers it.)
Dr. Wells: I take it that was Joe just now?
Barry: Yeah, and unfortunately my day job beckons.
Dr. Wells: Don't worry Barry, with this new ability, we now have the information we need to determine whether or not you can pass through dimensions in the same manner.
Barry: I want to see what you all come up with, but I've got to run.
Barry dashes out of S.T.A.R. Labs so fast that all the papers on Cisco's desk fly off.
Cisco: We should really get some paper weights.
Back at Central City bank, Barry arrives with his forensics kit.
Barry: Sorry I'm late Joe. After I got my kit, I needed to get something to eat.
Joe: (Glaring at Barry, while squinting his eyes) How is it that you're the fastest man alive and still get to work late?
Barry: I said I was sorry! It's not like I'm trying to be late. (Looks around the lobby) So what are we looking at?
Joe: Armed robbery but get this, the first officer on the scene reported that the bank's security guard had been frozen solid.
Barry: (Eyes widening) Cold's back?! I haven't seen him in a year. Besides, after our last encounter, we took the cold gun from him.
Joe: Get back to S.T.A.R. Labs and make damn sure that gun is still locked up.
Faster than Joe can blink, Barry makes his way to S.T.A.R. Labs.
Barry: Guys! Cold's back! Is the cold gun still locked up?!
With a surprised look on his face, Cisco quickly opens the closet where he keeps his most dangerous weapons and pulls out the lock box containing the cold gun.
Cisco: (While opening the lock box) There's no way that Captain Cold could have taken this without us noticing. (Spinning the box around, showing Barry that the gun is still there.)
Barry: He has to have a second gun then!
Cisco: That's not possible. I only made the one.
Dr. Wells: (Looking up at Cisco from his wheel chair) Actually, Cisco… it is possible. While the gun was still in Cold's possession, he most likely was able to find someone who was capable of replicating the specifications and design.
Caitlin: If he was able to find who could do that, there's the possibility he may have more than one!
Dr. Wells: That's precisely my point Dr. Snow! (Turning to face Barry) This time, when he's captured, he's going straight to the pipeline with the other Metahumans!
Barry: When Cold makes his next move, I will find him!
Dr. Wells: You better get going then. There's no telling when exactly that'll be.
Faster than the blink of an eye, Barry dons his suit with the lightning bolt emblem on the chest, becoming his alter ego, "The Flash." For the next three hours, "The Flash" raced all around Central City, looking for Captain Cold, while simultaneously rescuing people from car accidents, fires, and other small crimes along the way. Finally, while in the street, "The Flash" starts screaming in agony as he gets hit in the back by what he feels like are thousands of knives, instantly dropping him to one knee.
Captain Cold: I hear you've been looking for me, Flash!
Flash: (Struggling to stand up) This time Cold, I'm taking you to S.T.A.R. Labs, where you won't escape. (Turning to face Cold.)
Captain Cold: (While Flash is turning to face him, Cold freezes his feet to the ground) You've been busy Flash, but I've been busy too, studying you to learn your weaknesses. Now that I know them, I'm going to turn you into an ice sculpture. (Using two guns, he starts encasing "The Flash" in a block of ice.)
Flash: This won't end well for you! (Now fully encased in the ice.)
Captain Cold: (Holstering his guns and smirking) I win.
Captain Cold turns away and walks toward a car that has been parked along a curb. Unknown to him, "The Flash" has started vibrating his body to melt the ice. As Cold moves to open the car door, he was suddenly slammed and pinned against the car, shattering the glass.
Flash: (Holding on to Captain Cold with all his might,) I told you this wouldn't end well for you! You're going somewhere you'll never escape! (Calling Cisco on the comm system,) Get a cell in the pipeline ready. I've got Cold.
"The Flash" races to S.T.A.R. Labs with Cold in his grip and within one minute, Captain Cold is unarmed and locked up in an eight by ten cubical, staring out at "The Flash," Cisco and Dr. Wells.
Captain Cold: (Eyes wide,) How did you get out of the ice?!
Flash: I'll let you figure that out on your own. After all, you're going to be in here for a long time.
Cisco: Get comfortable Captain Cold. You've been put on ice.
Captain Cold: Leave the ice puns to me. I will get out of here, and when I do, you better hope you're not around.
Cisco closes the entrance to the pipeline and turns to face Barry.
Cisco: (Hugging Barry,) We finally got him!
Barry: (Pushing away from Cisco.) And now that he is locked away, I'm going to do a lot of eating. Does anyone want to join me?
Everyone starts laughing hysterically while talking about how much they could eat, and as they make it back upstairs to the main room, the entire building starts to shake violently as though by an earthquake. Equipment that isn't secured to the floor is either falling over or flying across the room. Lights are blowing out, and sparks are emanating from most of the electrical equipment. Cisco runs to the main console as fast as he can.
Dr. Wells: (Yelling as loudly as he can over the noise,) Cisco, what's going on?! This doesn't feel like an ordinary earthquake.
Cisco: (Also yelling loudly,) that's because it isn't an earthquake! It's some kind of energy build up, but I can't pinpoint where it's coming from! Not only do we have to wait this out, we're trapped in here because the building's on lockdown!
Caitlin: (Yelling,) Everyone, find cover! There's no telling how long this will last!
The console blows, knocking Cisco unconscious and sending him back toward the wall with Barry catching him in mid-air. While the ceiling above Dr. Wells collapses, Barry moves him out of the way but without his wheelchair. Looking for cover, Caitlin falls and hit her head on the floor, knocking her out. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light, blinding both Dr. Wells and Barry. The next thing he knows, Barry finds himself outside, staring at the S.T.A.R. Labs building.
Barry looks around the immediate area in search of his friends but what he finds instead are three people he didn't know. Each of them were lying face down on the ground next to separate trees. (Two girls and one boy.)
Attempting to wake them up, Barry sees a small blue device next to one of the girls and goes to pick it up.
?: Who are you?!
Barry: I'll explain later, but right now, your friends need our help.
To be continued…