Chapter 7 [STAR Labs—Ten minutes later]
Caitlin worked feverishly at the control console; her fingers dancing frenetically across the keys. Since Cisco had peeled away in a dead panic over Barry's text, she'd barreled through equation after equation while trying to come up with something to stop Zoom…
…something to save Barry from another beat down….
…something to save Jay's life after his beat down….
She ground her teeth and gulped anxiously from her coffee cup. Granted she didn't need the boost to her already heightened pulse rate but she would not make a stupid mistake due to an ambush of the drowsies….
…not with her guys needing her….
She almost jumped when a reassuring hand rubbed her shoulder. Her eyes darted slightly in that direction to find Jay standing there with a hopeful smile on his face. "Damn! You scared me."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to. Any word yet?" he queried expectantly. He knew he should've been at her side dealing with the issue at hand. He would've been. That is if he wasn't dealing with his own case of it.
"None." She squeezed his hand tightly feeling his reassuring presence. "And I know you're dealing with your own trauma, Jay. You're doing what you can."
He sighed. "Caitlin, I should be doing more. Because of that, Barry may pay with his life. Zoom will kill him." He frowned. "Where is Harrison anyhow? We need him here."
"Who knows? He probably went back to his world since the portal's open," she supposed while motioning to the glowing cobalt energy suspended in mid-air to their right. She downed another coffee shot and rubbed her temples. "I don't want Barry going down the same road as you, Jay." She turned to him with sad eyes. "Bad enough you're dying."
He set his jaw. "I didn't have Cisco or you to support me on Earth-2. Barry has you both. He has the Wests and Patty. I didn't have the Hood in my corner either."
"Excuse me? The Hood?" she queried.
"Our world's version of Green Arrow. There it was Robert Queen. Here you all deal with his son, Oliver," he explained.
She put that point on the back burner for the moment not wanting to get lost considering yet another point of divergence between the two worlds. "He's quite the guy. So are his team members." Her fingers pitter-pattered a nervous Morse code on the keyboard metallic surface. "Is the containment area secure?"
"The alarms and cameras are back on. I've also rigged up a dampening field." Seeing her questioning glance, he shrugged. "Harrison didn't erase everything." He held up a vial of blood. "I managed to isolate the dampening element in the Turtle's blood."
"How? He's dead and…." She stared at the vial in disbelief.
"It's not perfect but it may be all we can get for now. I've synthesized the frequency. In addition Cisco and I have been working on a set of restraints should we get Zoom. We have a special area set up for Zoom if we should take him down," he informed her. "We will do this, Caitlin. Count on that."
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed at her. She glanced at it and noted, "It's Cisco!" She answered it, "What's going on?"
"Hey! I'm on the way back. Prep the treatment area like stat. Barry just got the crap kicked out of him," Cisco reported.
"And everyone else? How are Joe, Iris and Patty, Cisco? Are you okay?" Caitlin demanded. Then she selected the speaker function. "You're on with Jay and me. What's happening?"
"Everyone else is okay. Zoom though isn't." Cisco grinned at Patty approvingly. "Patty went like all commando on his ass! We've got him! Zoom's in the back."
"You got him?" Caitlin restrained the urge to pump her fist given the circumstances.
"Yeah. ETA's about ten minutes. I'll let you talk to Patty. She's right here," Cisco noted before handing the phone to the detective. "It's Caitlin."
Patty nodded while recalling the conversations from a couple of days earlier at the Christmas party. "Caitlin? Hi, umm…it's Patty." She grimaced. "Sorry. That sounded so dumb." She sighed.
"It's okay, Patty. Are you okay? Zoom didn't hurt you, did he?" Caitlin queried.
"No….well other than giving me a case of the frights after kicking Barry's ass again. Please tell me we have a way to end this mess." Patty wiped a tear away from her eyes. She looked at her moaning boyfriend in the back seat. "Barry's not good. I want to get us both past this, Caitlin."
"We all want that, Patty. So what happened with Zoom?" Caitlin informed her.
Patty heaved several breaths. Now that the adrenaline rush had subsided, she trembled with fear and anxiety. "I…I saw him holding Barry in the air. It…was…was like that night again…at the precinct….Damn!" She wiped the sweat from her forehead before making herself press on. "I was…petrified…that Barry was going to die, Caitlin! Then that creep insulted Barry calling him unworthy or something like that. I guess I was pissed enough that I fired my revolver. I blew out both of his knees. Joe…Joe…put another one in his spine. We crippled him so he won't be able to hurt anyone else."
Cisco rubbed her arm supportively. Despite keeping his eyes on the rapidly progressing asphalt passing under their wheels, he wanted her to know she wasn't alone at that moment. He frowned and pressed down even harder on the gas. His concern for Barry overriding his need for safety at the moment.
"As long as you're okay, Patty." Caitlin turned to Jay. "Get the containment area ready. They've got Zoom."
They did it? Astounding! Rather than puzzle through that point and lose precious time, he kissed her cheek and rushed off toward their personal cell block to prep for the incoming prisoner.
"Caitlin? You still there?" Patty asked desperately.
"I'm here, Patty. I was just telling Jay to get our containment area ready for Zoom. Sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you," Caitlin apologized.
"That's okay. I have…so…many questions. Sorry. Barry dumped the truth on me about all of the stuff you all deal with. After we get through this, would you mind if…we…all talk? Since he and I are together, I want to be part of this too," Patty requested. "Just don't shut me out."
Cisco nodded and smirked at her. "After tonight? Lady, you've definitely got my vote."
"And mine too. Thanks for bailing Barry out of that mess, Patty. I appreciate it," Caitlin expressed.
Patty nodded. Granted Barry's condition still terrified her. However, with the Wests and now the STAR Labs folks accepting her role, she no longer felt alone. "No…problem. Like I told Barry, he's not alone anymore."
While she wanted to tell Patty that Barry was never alone, Caitlin understood the other's intent. She glanced down the corner where Jay had turned toward his task. "Nobody's judging you here, Patty. Just get here in one piece. I'm going to prep our medical area for Barry. Hang in there. We'll talk in a few minutes. Okay?"
Patty nodded. "Okay. Do what you have to make sure he's going to be all right. Thanks, Caitlin."
"My pleasure. See you in a few minutes," Caitlin concluded before hanging up. She saved her previous efforts on that particular computer's hard drive. Then she hustled across the room toward the infirmary. With a practiced eye, she inspected the bed making sure that the mattress and sheets were all right. She reached under the metal bed frame and yanked out a bagged comforter. After almost tearing open that container, she whipped it over the white sheets underneath. Finally she primped the pillows making sure they were ultra-comfy for the resident speedster's head.
Jay rushed to her side. "Everything's set with the cell. Just give the word and I'll turn on the containment field." He sighed. "Sorry that I'm thinking this right now but I'm hoping we can still take back my speed. I should be more focused with Barry's condition but…."
Caitlin shook her head. "Jay, if you weren't thinking that, you wouldn't be human. It's okay. I know you're pushing as hard as any of us to help Barry." She squeezed his hand to reassure him and let her eyes sparkle into his. "We will find a way to save you. I'm not letting you go. Ever."
Jay nodded with gratitude. "I know. Thank you."
"You're very welcome." Caitlin managed a smile for his benefit. "They should be here." She rushed back across the room and grabbed the stretcher waiting there for use. "Come on!" She led him out of the area and toward the front door. She pointed toward the slowing van careening around the corner and screeching on its brakes. "There!"
As soon as the vehicle snapped to an abrupt stop, Cisco and Patty jumped out. As she opened the door to Barry's seat, he did the same thing with the rear doors.
Caitlin almost felt her heart sinking again. She grimaced at the sight of Barry's bruised face and bloodied features. "Patty, help me with Barry please! Guys, get Zoom into the cell." With a desperate burst of strength, she tugged the unconscious hero off of the seat, guiding his shoulders and upper body onto the stretcher.
Patty supported Barry's legs while finishing the task. "Got him!" She slammed the door shut before pushing with Caitlin to get him into the facility. Come on, Barry! You've got to make it! Despite the curiosities and questions surrounding them, she ignored them all for the present. Her mind instead focusing on her scientist….her hero. "Where are we going?"
"Not much further!" Caitlin guided them through the facility and into the infirmary where the healing equipment awaited them. "Help me get him on here." After they lifted him onto the bed, she immediately began scanning him for vitals and other readings.
Patty backed away allowing Caitin her space. She trembled at the sight of Barry's broken form. Once more she relived that awful night before….
…before and now it seemed…..
She bit her lip. Her eyes watered. She felt numb all over. She folded her hands and muttered a silent prayer for him.
And so it went…..
