Hi Guys, I'm here again.
Janto4eva, thank youuu...
Chapter 3- Blast Radius
Central City, December 11th, 2013
"I think that the Mardon brothers are hiding on a farm," Barry said to Joe and Iris. "The faecal matter I found on the street was cow manure which contained traces of Oxytetracycline. It's an antibiotic."
Joe nodded and Barry continued clicking on his computer's keyboard. On the screen was a map with four illuminated dots, scattered around the city. "There's only four farms in the area that still use it in their feed. Bet you'll find a really sweet Shelby parked at one of them." Barry smiled, giving Joe a paper with the addresses.
"God, you really are a nerd," Sebastian said nonchalantly, leaning on the door frame.
"I prefer geek to nerd," Barry objected looking to his brother.
"They're the same thing," Sebastian replied, approaching them with his usual swagger.
"Not if you met a real nerd," Barry defended himself.
"Dad, seeing as how Barry solved your poop problem, how about letting him go to Star Labs?" Iris tried.
Joe looked serious but soon smiled seeing that he would be outnumbered three against one. "Okay go... But that doesn't mean I forgot about your little... mischief. The three of us will still have a conversation about this," he said, pointing to each twin in turn.
"Okay, Joe," Barry sighed while Sebastian just rolled his eyes and nodded, unbothered.
"Now go before I change my mind." Iris gave her dad a peck on his cheek before the trio left.
"Thank you, Joe," Barry replied.
Sebastian drove both Barry and Iris to Star Labs. He wasn't really interested in going, but he could see how excited Barry was, and he would be damned if he spoiled it for his brother. However, it didn't mean that he had to like it… besides he knew that Barry was going to finally tell Iris how he felt about her, so he didn't want to be around for that.
"I'll see if I can find us some drinks in here," he said, leaving the other two alone.
"So Barry… how was your trip? Did you find proof of the impossible in Starling City? Or did you just make my dad mad for no reason?" Iris asked while they continued to walk closer and closer to the pulpit.
"Actually, while I was away, I had a chance to think about, you know... relationships," he began, a little unsure. "Well, I'm not in one... and you are not in one, either. And you are my best friend, Iris..."
"You're mine too. Why else would I be here?" She joked good-naturedly, smiling at her friend.
"That's not what I meant. I meant... "
"I know what you're gonna say, Barry."
"I'm not sure you do..."
"Even though we pretty much grew up in the same house together and were kinda like brother and sister, because we're not brother and sister, it can get really... weird and awkward to talk to me about girls. But I want you to know, it shouldn't be awkward. There's nothing I want more than for you to meet the right person that totally loves and adores you for the amazing guy that you are."
Barry looked at her a little disappointed but smiled anyway. "Took the words right out of my mouth."
"Aren't you glad I know you so well?" 'You have no idea' Barry thought 'one more opportunity missed. Maybe I'll try again after the event.'
In that moment the CEO of Star Labs, Harrison Wells, stepped onto the pulpit and started his speech about the future. Iris and Barry only managed to listen to part of at as from somewhere in the crowd a man, more like a teenager, yanked Iris' laptop bag from her and began running.
"Hey, my laptop! It's got my dissertation!" she cried, panicking.
Barry didn't think twice before going after him. He ran until he lost track of the boy. Suddenly, something hit him hard in the face, and he fell back onto the hard ground. He got up and looked to the boy, raising his hands in front of him to prove he wouldn't do anything.
"Okay kid, you don't have to do this, alright," Barry began, trying to coax the teen into giving up the tech." Just give me back my friend's bag and we'll call it even. Okay?"
The boy seemed to considerer it, but quickly thought twice and hit Barry in the stomach, before starting to run again.
"Barry? Are you okay?" Iris asked, helping him to stand straight.
"Yeah," Barry sighed, a little embarrassed by the situation.
Just a few meters away from where they were both standing, a policeman had managed to apprehend the teen and was going through the motions of arresting him. Barry called Sebastian, and the trio made their way to the Station. Once they were there,T Sebastian pulled Barry aside to talk.
"So did you tell her?" Sebastian asked when they were out of earshot or their friend. Barry just sighed as he continued to press a tissue to his bloody nose.
"No, she started to talk about friendship things and I lost the chance. I thought I would have another shot tonight after the particle accelerator goes on but I can see that I've lost that chance too."
"Well the night hasn't ended yet." Sebastian smirked.
"Who is that guy? And what's he so proud of? So what if he stopped a mugger?" Iris said, sitting next to Barry.
"Transfer from Keystone… Started a few weeks ago… Name's Eddie Thawne..." Barry answered.
"Oh, that's Detective Pretty boy." Seeing the confusion on Barry and Sebastian's faces she soon added. "That's what my dad calls him. Says he actually keeps score when it comes to arrests…" She rolled her eyes." He's pretty though."
This time Barry rolled his eyes. Seeing that his brother had already lost a lot of opportunities Sebastian decided to make his move.
"So Iris, I was thinking, is it ok if Barry and I spend the night at your place? I mean you know that since I moved back to Central I'm living in that thing Barry calls an apartment, but I don't know if the place will survive tonight after this storm."
Everyone loved to annoy Barry about his apartment, but no one more so than Sebastian. After all, what are brothers for if not to make jokes at their siblings' expense?
"Ha-ha, very funny," Barry said sarcastically, although when he looked out the window at the bad weather he soon added, "But I think that it's not a bad idea."
"See, I told you." Iris and Sebastian laughed and Barry couldn't help but laugh too.
"I've no problem with you staying. Besides, Dad will love have you both there," Iris said smiling.
"I just need to do some stuff in my lab first. Five, maybe ten minutes max, I promise."
"Okay, I'll wait here," Iris said, sitting in a chair.
"I'll go with you," Sebastian decided, following his twin to the stairs.
"Thanks, Bas."
"Anytime Bar, you know that I ship you two since forever." Barry laughed and opened the door of his lab. "Besides I wanted to tell you something."
"What?" Barry asked taking off his jacket.
"I know this guy, and we are, you know... dating." Sebastian said a little unsure.
"For real? And you didn't tell me before because...?"
"Well, because you heard about him already." Seeing the questioning look on Barry's face he continued, "It's Hunter Clarington."
"The guy you dated in High School?" he asked, and Sebastian knew that Barry didn't like the idea.
"Yeah, but before you say anything, I want to say that he's changed. He also came out to his parents and now we don't need to date in secret. Actually, it's because of that I am telling you, 'cos I want to introduce him to my family." Sebastian blurted out as fast as he could. He was so nervous.
Barry walked up to Sebastian and put both of his hands on his brother's shoulders. "I have my reservations about him, but I would love to meet him. You deserve to be happy, and if he makes you happy that's all that matters. Besides, if he makes you suffer again I will have a little conversation with him."
"Barry, we both know that you are the least threatening person we both know." Sebastian laughed.
"Well, it worked on France."
"One day you will have to tell me what you said to him. God, how I wish to know."
Both were laughing when Barry turned on his computer.
"PARTICLE ACCELERATOR ON!"
"I'm sorry Barry. I know how much you wanted to see this thing be turned on."
"Don't worry, Bas. It's the story of my life after all." He pulled up a large map on the side of the lab. Underneath the map he had a board with everything he could find about their mother's case pinned onto it. He admired it for a few second before he added one more article to the board.
"I still don't believe you spent all these years doing this," Sebastian commented after analysing the board.
"I know you don't believe in me but please don't judge me," Barry said, seeming tired.
"I'm not going to do that. Barry, I..." Sebastian took a deep breath and sat on the corner of Barry's desk. "You know why the Smythe's adopted me. They didn't believe in you and thought that if I stayed with you, you would corrupt me. They didn't like when I told them I would be coming to live with you, but I made myself clear to them that you are my brother and that I wanted to be close to you."
"I never said that I don't believe you. I actually don't know what to think. I never visit Dad because I don't know what I will say to him. I can't tell him that I know he's innocent because I wasn't there like you were, but I also can't hate him for the same reason." Sebastian had tears in his eyes when he stopped talking.
Barry wanted to hug him, but suddenly the reporter on the screen was talking about a malfunction and that Star Labs were trying to shut down the particle accelerator. At that moment the power cut out.
Both Sebastian and Barry looked to the window in time to see a big explosion at Star Labs. It wasn't a normal explosion though. A really intense and bright light was coming out of the Lab and going straight to the sky. Suddenly, all the other lights in the city were off too.
Barry, being a scientist, knew that whatever that was being released into the atmosphere shouldn't be in contact with people. He didn't know what it would cause, but he knew that it was the wisest thing to do. Instantly, he rushed to the chain and closed the skylight, hoping that would protect both them and the rest of the Department.
"Barry!" Sebastian called, pointing to the shelves of chemicals around the lab. All the liquids were flowing like the water in his aquarium on the day his mother died.
Sebastian decided that the smartest thing to do was to get the hell way from there, but it was too late. The last thing Sebastian knew was some kind of force throwing him around the lab and making him collide with a shelf of Barry's chemicals.
Please, share your thoughts with me. I want to know if you like it, so please send me a review. Till next week guys.
