Hey everybody! Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter. They really meant a lot to me. I was glad you all liked it as it was a challenge for me to write. As was this chapter, btw! I'm having surgery soon, so the next update might take a while. Just wanted to let you know! But in the meantime I'm working on an Earth-2 one shot (Silver Clouds with Grey linings) to go with chapter 3. Just a little fun thing that I hope you will check out when I post it either today to tomorrow.

And I'm not sure if I ever said this so: I own nothing but the plot and Kane!

Sorry for the long note! -Lex

Of one thing I was sure, I had been drugged. My senses felt hazy and weak, like coming freshly out of surgery. Whatever I had been hit with wasn't nearly as strong as the tranquilizer A.R.G.U.S. put on me when I got out of control. Pulling myself partially out of the stupor, the unfamiliar surroundings made my heart pound. I could feel the panic rising up the back of my neck and making those tiny hairs stand on end. It was like hospital room with half of a glass wall and almost double the equipment necessary. Beyond the glass windows were…some type of computer lab? With a groan, I made to force myself off the cot but grew distracted by my heavy limbs…and the clunky metal bracelets donning my slender wrist.

I didn't need to guess as I had seen this type of tech before, just in a different form. If my captors were clever then they would try to suspend my powers. No one needed to tell me that the bracelets served that purpose. Indeed, these captors were clever but underestimating wasn't too smart. The bracelets were secured but I wasn't restrained whatsoever. Poor judgement on their part. I had no idea where the hell I was but I needed to leave. Now. Gathering my sapped strength, I managed to lift myself into a sitting position just as quick footsteps approached from the hallway.

A captor rounded the corner and I didn't recognize the strangled noise of surprised escaped my throat. My captor was the bar hopper the other night. The cute guy that spoke Spanish with the smooth roll of his R's. The one I saved from the teenage mugger. Cautiously, he advanced into the room and his dark eyes never broke gaze with mine. Pearly white teeth shot out to bother his plump bottom lip before taking the breath to calm his nerves. I was holding a similar breath, still posed for a fight yet not quite shaking the haze of drugs in my system.

"Nobody is going to hurt you." He finally spoke in that smooth tenor voice that I remembered. "I'm Cisco Ramon."

Just five hours ago

Much to my disappointment, locating a key was significantly harder than finding a Drive. My mark, Nick Fortune, carried three different sets of key rings. Three! And every single key had been painted black and was about the same size. Very much undistinguishable to anyone who wasn't privy to his complicated system. Originally, I approached this job much like the previous one…with a healthy amount of stalking.

Again, not something I would list on my already colorful resume.

However, after a full business week of trailing Fortune I gathered that watching alone would not be enough. Begrudgingly, I went to the shipping yard that I had tracked him to once the sun set beyond the city. For a security guard, Fortune spent a majority of his time in the splatter of warehouses that lined the area. Warehouse 52 was apparently his favorite. The plan was to ask nicely for the key Abe wanted so badly. Shocker, I would know the key by the Hydrate inscription on the face. If Fortune didn't oblige to the 'please'…I would do some convincing.

Creeping through the wide door, I breathed in the stale air of the warehouse. The place was shady as hell and looked like it housed a metric shit-ton of weapons and tools. I kept my steps quiet, allowing Fortune's deep voice to lead me straight to him. The olive skinned man chattered into a cell phone as he twisted in the computer chair, completely oblivious to my presence. Flicking my Oversized hood in place…

"Nick Fortune."

"What!" He almost flipped out of the seat, rushing to his feet to face me. "Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?"

"Through the door. Some security guard you are." I scoffed, stepping up onto an overturned metal crate. "Speaking of security, you took something that doesn't really belong to you. They sent me to collect."

"You…" Nick started but in a blur of red and yellow and a strong gust of wind, he disappeared.

Damn it Flash.

"Not that I don't enjoy gazing into your equally green eyes and all…" I sneered as he slid back into my line of sight. "Didn't we already run through this?"

"You told me that you were just doing favors. That you didn't want to hurt anybody." He called from across the space. "You don't need to hurt that man, Kane."

"Actually, the plan was to say please. Now let Fortune come out to play." I growled, hopping down off of the crate and beginning to cross the yards between us. I had warned him about the consequences of getting in my way for a second time. I was a lot of things and 'woman of my word' topped the list.

"Kane, I know about Tajsa. I know that she's sick and you…" Flash appealed but halted his speech as a snarl ripped through my chest.

"You will not use her against me!"

Quicker than I ever had, I hurled thick balls of smoke at the speedster. The impact knocked him off balance just enough for my strong wind current to send him tumbling into a wooden barrel. I didn't stop there, rushing another current to topple the self of various tools onto his head like a waterfall. Before I could continue this particular assault, Flash zipped right to my side so swiftly that I couldn't react. In the second I took gathering my senses, the speedster kicked my legs from under me while simultaneously shoving me in the opposite direction. I ended up twenty feet from my original position with my chest banging against the ground and my jaw sliced by smacking into a metal pole.

Flash hovered over me, giving me the opportunity to kick him in the ribs with the toe of my steel boots. He gripped his side as the air was knocked out of him and I knew better than to stop. Flipping up to my feet, I sent a full force left hook to his hardly flushed cheek. He wobbled slightly before- once again- rocketing out of my sight.

"Do you treat all your girls like this?" I asked, wiping the blood away from my jaw. "Had you pegged for more of a gentleman."

"We don't have to do this, Kane." Flash's voice echoed off of the walls of the large room. "I can help you!"

"We do have to do this. I told you not to interfere!" I saw the electric red of his suit half hidden behind some steel shelfing. I blasted him with another ball of fog that barely clipped his chest. "And stop yelling my name, will you?"

Seconds ticked on as I tracked his movement in the room. I could sense the interruption of a smooth current, permitting me to know not only the number of people in the room but also their position. Usually, such a trick took an intense focus and I had never quite learned to do it while fighting. However, tracking the Flash was significantly easier. The man created a separate current. He zipped from my right to my left, as if attempting to get a better angle on me. His movements, though swift, became calculated and predictable. After his fourth change, I was able to guess his next position and target the speedster with a gust of furious wind.

Not allowing himself to be toppled, Flash ran right into me. Strong hands gripped my upper arms and lifted me clean off the ground. With his face just inches from mine, Flash ran so fast that I couldn't truly make out my surrounds and everything passed in a mess of colors. But… I could see the sparks of yellow that bounced off his suit. Roughly, I snatched out of his grasp and reached for the lightening. Flash was ready with a countermove, catching my arm and wrenching it behind my back before shoving my face into the…gravel? When in the hell did we get outside?

"Fool me once." He uttered, twisting my arm further up my spine. The pain hardly registered as I collected myself and noted that Flash had ran us out of that particular warehouse and into the dark alleyways that linked shipping yard.

"Got you twice." I grumbled back.

Using all my might, I ran the strongest current I possibly could down my arm. The man yelped in pain before sinking to the ground somewhere behind me. Effectively Electrocuted. I looked over the superhero before pushing to my own feet. If his face wasn't twisted in pain, he would be looking to be taking an uncomfortable nap.

The damn mission was scrubbed, the key lost along with the element of surprise. It was in my best interest to go back to the figurative drawing board and begin a brand new plan. Just as I made to step over the unconscious speedster the patter of approaching feet stopped me. Three new players had just joined the party. I pivoted to see the masked covered faces. Specifically three card themed masks: An Ace, Queen, and Jack. Acting as the leader, the Ace began an exaggerated clap that sharply bounced off the steel walls of the shipping vessels.

"Looks like our intruder brought us a little present." The man grumbled through his mask. "We've been looking for a way to capture the Flash and we finally have him."

"What's your beef with him?" I watched as the three mask spread out to create a small triangle formation. "Don't like the hand he dealt?"

"You're funny!" The Ace snorted. "Out of professional courtesy… I'm gonna let you walk out of here. Right after you turn over the Flash."

I made to agree to the deal but no sound came out as I opened my mouth. The smarter part of me knew that it was in my best interest to keep my head down and walk out of this entire thing. The Royall Flush Gang was an organization with a far reach and wouldn't waste any time finding out who I was. Although he was unconscious-my fault- Flash was a superhero. He knew the dangers of the job. The other half of me-which I refused to label- was worked up in a frenzy. Kicking his ass into next week was one thing. Especially if it meant not being captured and thrown in jail. This side of me knew that if I left then the Gang was going to kill him. Kill the man who saved Central City. The man who indirectly protected my only family while I hid out in Hub City.

This isn't your fight, Kane. I assured. Just kick him awake and walk away.

"Don't be stupid." Queen chided, seeing my indecision. "The enemy of your enemy is your friend."

Sucking in a deep breath, I used all my inhuman strength to blast the Ace with fog rather than to throw it. This doubled the strength of the usual smoke and set him smashing into one of the steel vessels. As the other cards looked on I kicked Flash in his side, earning I gasp of awareness as he woke.

"Flash and I aren't labeling our relationship yet." I stepped over him and crouched into a fighting stance protectively in front. "It's still too early."

Queen and Jack didn't respond to my joke, choosing to attack me from opposite sides. I jumped into Jack, neatly dodging his sloppy punch and landing two of my own right on his nose. He lunged for me, grabbing my slender shoulders and attempting to lift me from the ground. I allowed his momentum to spin my body and give me a perfect angle to roundhouse kick Queen in her temple before my feet found purchase on the gravel. Reaching back to Jack, I was able to tumble forward and throw the masked man over my head. We both ended up face down in the grey rocks, his grunt of pain muffled because of them. Just as I climbed to all four limbs, Queen returned the kick with a heel to the ribcage. The force rolled me to my back and the masked woman was attacking again just as I hurried to my feet. There was a series of blows landed and dodged on both sides, the experience reminded me of training with Cutter.

I backed away slightly, looking for an opening to gain the upper hand but in doing so I allowed Queen enough time to pull a blade from the back pouch of her outfit. A-big-ass-blade. She swiped a few times at me, cutting me rather shallow once across the abdomen before a counterattack forced the blade from her grip and broke her arm in the process.

Her scream of pain was lost in the wind as she was swept away in another haze of red and yellow. I grabbed the cut, honestly surprised at the amount of blood covering my fingers. I had been cut deeper than that dozen of times and never lost as much blood. Not to mention the pain that was spreading over my entire abdomen and radiating to my back. It was a biting, burning sensation that usually reserved for being hit with bullets or a grenade. The pain turned into fire and I wasn't sure if the snarl of agony was coming from me or not. My knees buckled, sending me roughly to the ground.

"Kane…" A voice called but I couldn't quite make out their words. Judging by the gust of wind that knocked my hood back, Flash was somewhere in the distance. I glanced up, surprised to find him significantly closer than I expected but I couldn't focus on him. The entire area was shaking as if Central City was on the verge of an Earthquake.

I attempted to speak but my lips wouldn't form the words and blood whooshed loudly in my ears. Flash crouched down, sliding his hands under my back and legs before hauling me up his chest. Colors produced by the city spun around above me but the seemed so far away. Everything seemed so far away.

Currently, back in S.T.A.R. Labs

I regarded Cisco Ramon cautiously. Nothing about him seemed dangerous…actually he was rather…disarming. Cisco's onyx eyes were endlessly deep, sincere and warm. His body language reinforced his words as he wasn't aggressive or guarded. A frustrated breath ripped its way out my nostrils and I sat back on the soft mattress and willed my fluttering heart to stop.

Down girl, I chided. We aren't out of the woods yet.

"Where am I?"

"S.T.A.R. labs." He answered plainly

"Why am I here?"

"Tonight during your fight with the Royal Flush Gang the Queen stabbed you. The blade was laced with some kind of poison that knocked you out, sky rocked your blood pressure and temporarily impaired your motor functions." Cisco inched closer to the bed. "You could have died, if you weren't a metahuman."

"Damn." I groaned, lifting my shirt-which was now an S.T.A.R Labs sweater- I inspected that damage. The gash had been covered with a packing of white gauze and tapped down. They had taken care of me? "I'm gonna kick her ass."

"It'll be a better rematch than Alein vs Predator 2. That's for damn sure." Cisco joked, cracking a small smile.

I sucked down another breath, sliding my eye lids shut and blocking out his cute grin. "What do you want?"

"We want to know what you're after, Kane." He breathed my name. "These 'favors' you're doing…"

"Like I told Flash, I'm a hand for hire." I cracked my eyes back open to look at him. So Cisco knew that Flash and the Flash was working with S.T.A.R. Labs. "I'm no hero and I don't know anything."

"I don't believe either of those things. If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a nerd." He reminded me gesturing to his graphic t-shirt. Star Wars this time. "So I do my homework. You excelled at Central Private…"

"Got expelled from Central Private." I added.

"Perfect four point oh GPA the two years you were enrolled at Central University," Cisco continued.

"Put my advisors' daughter in the hospital." I shot back.

"Hey from the police report I read, it looked like she ordered that can of whoop ass." He told me seriously.

Despite myself, I let out a laugh. A solid laugh, a tinkling sound that was foreign to my ears. Cisco smiled almost smugly.

"I got you to smile." He pointed out, banging his first together nervously. "My point is that you're smart. And as far as being a hero…you saved me from a bullet in the face. And it didn't look like the first time you had done that."

"Actually, it was. I'm not the saving type."

"Uh, see now that's just straight up not true." Cisco drew closer and the traitor butterflies in my gut fluttered under his onyx gaze. He was just an arm's length away. "You could have easily let the Flash die tonight but you didn't. You protected him and that right there tells me that there is more to you than you're willing to let on."

"I wasn't trying to be a hero by saving Flash and I wasn't being you're hero either." I allowed my gaze to wander all over the med bay, just anywhere but on him. "I was just trying to even the score."

"What do you mea…" He started but was cut off by a burst of wind and one agitated speedster.

The two men were standing just on the other side of the medical room's walls, catching their breaths. Rushing in from the hall, two more men joined the party and much to my surprise I recognized both of them. The older dark skinned gentleman had been one of the three guys that admired my Camaro outside of Jitters. Beside him stood none other than Dr. Harrison Wells…a man I thought to be dead.

Well, technically, I was supposed to be dead too.

"Cisco have you lost your mind?" Flash questioned his partner. "We talked about this. Just because she saved my life doesn't mean we can trust her."

"Bar-uh-Flash. You brought her here, dude. That means…" Cisco defended but the black gentlemen stepped in.

"Why is she not restrained?" He asked over the argument. "Criminals just allowed to run all over S.T.A.R Labs now?"

"The Bracelets Ramon designed should suspend her powers while in contact with her skin and sedative Snow concocted should have kept her knocked out significantly longer. Restraints would have been redundant." Wells explained in one long huff. "That being said this woman is still dangerous to us all."

During the little spat between the partners, I shook off the last bit of the haze and climbed off of the bed. On slightly shaky legs, I made my way over to prop against the doorway and get in my two cents.

"They are right." I told the four men that spun around at the sound of my voice. "Restraints would have been smart for your own safety. For future reference, I don't need my powers if I wanted to hurt any of you. I could snap your neck without breaking a sweat."

No sooner than the words came out of my mouth the chocolate skinned man whipped back the tail of his coat revealing a badge and a gun. A gun that was now pointed at my chest.

"Relax Cop." I glared at the gentleman. "I said IF I WANTED. And I don't want to hurt any of you."

The four men exchanged glances, before the cop lowered his weapon but did not holster it. Moving cautiously, Flash stepped onto the ramp and put himself between me and the other men. My eyes automatically flicked to Cisco and the traitorous butterflies beat their wings against my ribcage once again.

The way he was looking at me was…unsettling. Cisco's black eyes were deep with secrets that I didn't know, seeing me through a lens that I didn't understand. There was something about his gaze that made me want to fidget and look away. God, how could someone's eyes make you feel naked? Like he was seeing my lies, my truth and my secrets all at once.

"What's going on?" A woman asked from the doorway that led to the main room. Her chestnut hair fell in her face but did nothing to hide her anxious expression. "My sedative should have lasted a lot longer."

My mind's eyes flashback to the night that I stopped the mugging of Cisco Ramon. Before I had gone outside I had seen him at a pool table with this same chestnut haired woman and another porcelain skinned man. I could barely recall his face but I knew without a doubt that I had seen the porcelain man with the cop the other day. My green eyes shifted between them all as I calculated.

Cisco Ramon.

Leggy, Chestnut haired woman that was apparently 'Snow'.

The Cop.

Flash.

Oh…Oh! I couldn't help the smirk that spilt my full lips as I looked to the Flash. His Green eyes, that strong jaw, porcelain skin and lanky build.

I all but purred the following words. "I know who you are, Hero."