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Chapter 4 - Unsafe

Caitlin came back up to the cortex with a pained expression. Joe, Wells, Cisco, and Iris looked at her as she angrily sat back down.

"All of our handcuffs are accounted for..."

Joe looked confused.

"Why is that a bad thing?"

Cisco let out a frustrated sigh.

"Two reasons. One, we still don't know why Barry hasn't escaped. Two, If he really did lose his powers, now we don't know why. Not to mention the fact that the handcuffs we make only suppress the powers of who they're on. If Barry lost his powers from something other than the cuffs..."

"It could be permanent." Iris finished his sentence as she stared off into space.

"Do you think maybe DeVoe took his powers?" Joe asked. Wells shook his head.

"He had every opportunity to take Barry's powers. He wanted only the bus metas and he's got them all. It has to be something else."

"What else could it be?"

"It could be anything. A drug, a place, some other kind of tech. DeVoe could have found a way to replicate our cuffs..." Caitlin started rattling off options.

"Wait." Wells interrupted her. "If it's some kind of tech, maybe its the same kind of tech we use in the cuffs. The same kind we use in our cells to keep metas inside, except it targets the speed force and not the dark matter. If it is then maybe we can track it. See if there is anywhere else someone is using that kind of technology to suppress the effects of the speed force."

"How can you track something like that?" Joe asked, excitement building in his voice.

"It's not really the technology you track. You'd be tracking the suppression of the speed force. For example, anytime Barry tried to use his speed, whatever technology was stopping it would give off an energy. We could track that energy. If we could track it, we can find Barry."

Joe nodded.

"Let's do it."

Cisco and Iris nodded before Caitlin passed a look to Wells, who returned her gaze. Iris stopped to look at them when he realized they weren't moving.

"Something wrong?"

Caitlin hesitated before talking.

"We have to save Barry... but what about the enlightenment? That's going to happen in 18 hours now."

Iris laughed. She couldn't help it. The team looked at her, obviously confused. She looked back at them, her fake laugh turning into real anger.

"It's just hard to ignore the irony. Last time Barry was kidnapped by DeVoe, we had to choose between him and Caitlin. Now here we are again... choosing between the enlightenment and Barry. I'm not making this call again."

"Dammit... we don't have a choice. We need to stop DeVoe before we save Barry. It's what he would want." Wells said, putting his head down.

"No! No.. not again. You worry about DeVoe.. I'm tracking Barry." Cisco said, desperation wrapped around his words. Joe nodded in agreement.

"I'm with Cisco. I want my son safe...".

Iris nodded, feeling better about the situation already. With all of her heart, she wanted to work on finding Barry, but she knew deep down that saving the world was what Barry would want the team to be doing. Unfortunately, she was the tie breaker and knew the majority really should be on stopping the enlightenment from happening.

"Okay, me, Wells, and Caitlin will work on stopping DeVoe. You and Cisco work on tracking Barry down."

Everyone nodded and got to work.

Barry was thinking of a way out of this for hours now. He had been keeping track of how long he'd been here and knew the enlightenment was drawing closer with each second. He walked up to the door and put his hand on the knob, attempting to vibrate his hand enough to break the lock.

"C'mon..." Barry said to himself. Barry kept trying but nothing was working.

"Dammit!" Barry yelled as he slammed his fist against the door in frustration. Barry rubbed his hand through his hair and ripped his gloves off. His heart was pounding and his sweat was running down his face. He felt so defeated.

He took another look around the room, looking for anything useful, but the room was bare. Suddenly, he felt footsteps approaching the door and found himself taking a step back. The voice on the other side surprised him.

"Mr. Allen." The voice of Marlize DeVoe sounded. Barry just listened intently. Even though he heard only her voice and not DeVoe's, he was sure he was probably watching from a distance.

"Allen... I know you require about 10,000 calories per day. I've got your... Big Belly Burger trash here."

Barry rolled his eyes.

"Are you forgetting you took my powers from me? I don't need that amount of food anymore."

"Back up from the door... go sit on the mattress."

Barry shook his head from behind the door.

"I'm actually over the hourly visits so I'm gonna pass. Besides.. I'm not hungry."

From the other side of the door, Marlize heard a sadness in Barry's voice. She felt a ping of sympathy for him as she looked back at her husband. DeVoe gave her a reassuring smile as he urged her to continue. She smiled back before turning her attention back to the closed door separating her and Barry.

"Sit on the mattress or my husband will make you. I will not ask again."

Barry let out a frustrated sigh and knew he was going to lose this one either way. Still, he was going to lose with his dignity in tact.

"Guess he's going to have to come in and make me."

Barry suddenly felt himself thrown against the bed, stuck in a seated position. Barry tried to get up, but, not surprisingly, it didn't work. Barry let out a shaky breath as Marlize opened the door and walked in with a bag of food.

"He actually doesn't need to come in here to use his gifts." Marlize said, walking a bit closer to Barry while maintaining some distance.

Barry let out a light laugh.

"Gifts? Gifts are given... DeVoe stole his powers."

Marlize smiled.

"I suppose you're right." Marlize lifted the bag of food and shook it. "Eat up." She said, as she tossed the bag at Barry's feet.

Barry just looked away from her and stared at the wall in front of him.

"Told you I'm not hungry."

"You're lying."

"Oh, so you can read minds now? Seems like anyone can just go out and get some powers these days." Barry scoffed, sarcasm lacing his voice.

Marlize walked closer to him as Barry shifted uncomfortably.

"Actually.. I don't need to read your mind to know you're lying. Your body is still moving at the pace it always moves, your metabolism moving just as quickly. What I've built only suppresses your powers, it doesn't erase them. You're caloric requirement remains the same."

Barry just passed her an annoyed glance before going to readjust himself. He realized once again that he couldn't move and looked up. He saw Marlize smiling at him.

"It will be easier for you if you do what you're told. It's not necessary for you to fight anymore."

"Are you going to tell me what you want from me? You have everything you need, the enlightenment is only hours away. If you want me out of the way you don't have to keep me alive.. you can just kill me."

Marlize walked closer and bent down, an almost sympathetic look in her eyes as she looked at Barry. Barry noticed there was just as much madness as there was sympathy, a complex mix that made Barry's hair stand on end.

"You'll live. Your mind will be protected. You should consider yourself-"

"Lucky? You kidnapped me and are about to wipe everyone's brains so no one remembers me! You killed Ralph, you're about destroy the minds of everyone on earth and I can't do a thing to stop you. Lucky isn't the word I'd use."

Marlize put a gentle hand on Barry's, who would have given anything to speed away right then, he'd even settle for being able to move his hand away. He tried.. over and over, but he just sat there.

"You will see how much better life will be when the world is enlightened. You will be grateful. Now... it's rude to refuse a gift. Eat your food." Marlize started as she quickly turned Barry's hand around, revealing a vein on his arm. Barry winced slightly at the force before the two locked eyes.

"Eat... or I'll strap you down and force TPN through your veins."

Marlize grabbed Barry by his hair and forced his head back. Barry winced in return and did his best to recoil as Marlize whispered in his ear.

"The life you knew is over, Mr. Allen. Let it go."

PLEASE R AND R THANK YOU OH MY GAH WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?!