A/N: Thanks for these reviews once more, they gave me lots of motivation for this chapter. Had way too much fun writing this chapter, not sure what it say about me... *evil laugh*

''Barry, please son, listen to what you're saying. You're not yourself. ''

For a moment, the contemptuous laugh was the only answer they got.

''Oh….it's me. It's finally me, the real me. You couldn't see the real Hunter and the real Eobard when they were right under your nose and yet you really think you could see who I really was?'' The speedster took a pause to chuckle. ''It's hilarious. ''

''No! I won't believe this. '' Cisco's emotions erupted unexpectedly.

''Do you really think I care what you all believe? That I even care about any of you? That I ever did? It's adorable.'' The disdain was clear in every word. ''You're all so gullible. It's going to be the end of you. ''

''Barry, we've been through enough to know what you stand for, who you really are. No matter what's going on with you, we'll fix it. '' Caitlin tried calmly.

The speedster scoffed. ''Like you're such a good judge of character. You can't even kiss a serial killer without knowing it. This IS the real me. '' Barry's gaze moved over to Oliver. ''Should've killed you last time, I won't make that mistake again. ''

''You're not getting out of here.'' Firmly said Oliver, walking straight to the control panel and closing the door, efficiently cutting their view to the speedster and getting everyone out of the trance Barry had sent them into, shock was a more accurate description. They knew something was wrong, was off, with their friend, but nothing could've prepared them for the way he had just acted, the words he had just said.

''I think we need to talk about this.'' Added Oliver, moving away from the cell.

Everyone was numb and in total silence the whole time it took to get back to the cortex and to treat Oliver's wounds. Not a single word was spoken for what felt like forever. No matter how hard it was believing the criminal that had been hurting and taking people was Barry, what they witnessed was a whole different thing. Everything felt like a dream. Well, more like a nightmare really.

''I….it can't be him. '' Stuttered Cisco, looking straight into nothing, even if his face was pointing toward the cortex. ''He's not himself. He's just…..''

Cisco paused mid-sentence, desperate to find anything, any rational explanation would do. Anything rather than Barry's explanation. There was no way the guy who's been his best friend for years now was just a mask, a façade, a lie.

''He's just afraid.'' He finally completed, even if his brain knew it wasn't making any sense and nobody was buying it either.

''No…'' replied Caitlin, stopping for a moment to treat the injured vigilante. ''It wasn't fear in his eyes, it was rage.''

''Rage? Do you guys think it's possible that Bivolo is back? Or any other Meta having the same power that he has?'' Asked Joe, hopefully jumping on the first logical conclusion he could think of.

''I'm sorry, Joe, but I doubt it.'' Answered the doctor. ''I have yet to see his eyes change colors like they did when Barry was affected. ''

''Ok…'' The detective scrubbed his hands together as if this would help him think. ''Maybe…mi…''

''Mind control!'' Completed Cisco, struck by the same thought. It has to be. The person who took him just has to be controlling him.

''Maybe, but there's just one problem with that.'' Answered back Caitlin, prompting Joe to sigh.

''Of course there is…''

''When Grodd had mind control over Eiling's mind, his brain's activity was off the chart, which wasn't the case with Barry's brain scan I took.''

''But you only scanned Barry when he came back, days after he was found on the beach, days from the last time his captor had his last chance to influence him. '' Counter-argued Joe.

''How about you help us find what's going on instead of destroying all our ideas? '' Added Cisco, annoyed to see all their theories being crushed just as fast as they were getting out, without any consideration.

'' Maybe that's why he refused to do anymore test, he knew you could figure it out. '' Continue Joe, clinging to his idea.

''I…don't know.'' Replied the doctor, shaking her head. ''There's one possibility we haven't consider yet…. '' Grimly stated Caitlin, not looking anyone in the eyes.

During all of the discussion going backward and forward between the main members of Team Flash, Oliver and Felicity just stayed silent, observing and listening to everything, unsure what they could add to the conversation. Iris was also on the side, having already called her brother and waiting for him to join the group in complete silence. She felt like her whole universe just collapsed under her. The initial shock still haven't left her. She knew what Caitlin was about to say, the only possibility that nobody seem to be ready to face or think about. What if everything had been a lie? What if everything they thought they knew about Barry was just a trick? It couldn't be, she had known him for almost her whole life, almost his whole life. Something was wrong, they just needed to figure out what. Barry needed their help.

It took a moment for the rest of the group to catch up and understand what Caitlin meant.

''No…No! You can't be serious. '' Suddenly shouted Cisco. ''You can't seriously consider that Barry, our Barry, our friend, is and has always been playing us.''

''Cisco, I don't like to consider it either, just the thought of it makes me sick, but we have to think about it. Jay played us, so did Wells. We didn't see them coming ''

''Barry's not evil! He's a hero''

''So was Jay, he was considered a hero, a symbol of hope on his Earth.''

'' I can't believe we're talking about this while our friend need our help to fight whatever is affecting him!''

''Cisco…'' Caitlin tried reaching for his friend, but Cisco was already gone, rushing outside the med lab and going straight for the cortex's exit.

It barely took him a moment to get down, desperately needing an explanation, desperately hoping that the friendship he came to know had been real and could still come back. As soon as he unblocked the view to the cell, his eyes got to meet his friend's intense glare as the Flash's been staring at the glass none-stop since the group left.

''Well, well, what do we have here?'' Smirked the fallen hero. ''Getting ready to let me go, aren't you?''

''Barry, we can help you. I can help you. Whatever is going on with you, you need to tell me.'' Almost begged the young engineer.

''Wow…'' Scoffed Barry, shaking his head in an almost imperceptible manner. ''And here I thought you guys had the capacity to understand what I said the first time around.''

It was really hard for Cisco to keep it cool, determined not to let any of the lies go to his mind.

''Just tell me what happened to you. You're my friend.''

The only answer he got was vicious, malicious laugh until Barry decided to speak again. ''Why come down here if you're not ready to listen to the truth?''

''Because I know you, you're not yourself''

Barry snorted, walking away from the cell door ''Keep telling yourself that, you'll feel so stupid when it finally sinks in. I knew you weren't smart enough to figure it out on your own, but I thought even your weak mind could grasp the fact that we...'' as the speedster was speaking, his body turned around, facing the glass again, before hitting the glass as hard as he could, causing Cisco to jump in surprise and fear. ''We were never friends.''

Cisco didn't miss the smirk in the speedster's face the moment he noticed the fear in the engineer's life. ''You're learning fast.''

''No, I won't believe that, I can't. If it was true, why save me from Reverse Flash when you sent him back to his timeline months ago? You told me you couldn't let him take someone else you cared about!''

''You're so naive, of course I would've say anything to keep you under my control, I knew your powers would come useful eventually. I was right. ''

The young man clenched his fists, he couldn't keep it anymore, nothing he was saying was getting anywhere. He was so concentrated in the talk that he didn't notice Caitlin walking behind him, striding between him and the wall and reaching for the control panel, effectively closing the door again, cutting the sound, without giving any glance to their prisoner.

''You don't have to listen to any of this. '' She gently said, extending her arms when her friend slightly turned his head, letting the girl see the tears appearing in the corner of his eyes. Taking the invitation, Cisco reached for his friend, taking her in his arms just as she was going the same.

''It's not him….we have to save him.'' He said, sobbing.

''I know, Cisco. We will. Come on.'' Walking away a couple of feet, waiting for Cisco to follow her, and he did.

They walked just outside, joining the rest of the group in the hallway. Everyone from Team Flash was there, waiting for them, just like Felicity and Oliver, supporting himself on the wall to release the pressure off his newly treated injuries and broken ribs.

''Felicity might have found something'' Stated Oliver, prompting Cisco and the rest of the gang to turn toward the hacker.

''It's something, but it's not really that much of a something.'' She quickly added, stumbling on her words.

''Get to the point.'' Interrupted Joe, not really in the mood to wait or play guessing games.

''I'm not sure how that's going to help us with Barry…'' She paused for a couple of seconds, before hurrying to tell what she was about to, sensing the looks of everyone on her. ''Looking back at the archives of the victims who had the same burned marks, I noticed something interesting. The first case is from 1924 but the second isn't before 1943, then 1958, 1972, 1983, 1992, 1999, 2003…. ''

''What does it matter?'' Interrupted again Joe.

''It's closer and closer.'' Concluded Iris.

''And it was always one case every time until 2 victims were found back in 2008 and since 2010, there's new victims every year. Their numbers growing up every single year, the only exception being now. No victims were taken and marked between the time Barry's kidnapping and the first Ghost attack.''

Everyone took a moment to take the information in before Cisco spoke up.

''No offence, but I don't see how's that helping us with Barry.''

''We don't know yet.'' Answered Oliver. ''But it's another piece of the puzzle that we need to consider. ''

''Maybe I go try and talk to him?'' Nervously tempted Felicity.

''Nothing we say is going to work.'' Quickly answered Cisco, shaking his head. ''It's like he's possessed or something. ''

Cisco paused at that word, possessed, as a genius idea just struck him. ''That's it!''

Caitlin smiled sadly, as much as it pleased her to see her friend's spirit was still there despite what was happening, she needed him, and the whole team, to be as focused as they could be right now.

'' Come on Cisco, possession is not real...''

''Caitlin's right.'' Added Joe.

''Maybe we should just grab our salt guns? Or splash him with holy water?''

''...what?'' Answered Iris for all of them, looking as confused as the whole gang.

''What? Supernatural anyone? You guys never seen that show? On the CW? Come on!'' His attempted joke failed badly, only getting confused looks in return.

During the whole exchange, they all missed the intense glare of Oliver, frowning in concentration.

''Well…'' He slowly started, making everyone's attention turned on him, realizing how seriously he seemed to consider Cisco's intervention.

''You can't be serious!'' Exclaimed Caitlin.

''Seriously? You guys have multiple universes, time travel and magical friends and you draw the line at demons? '' Replied the Green Arrow.

''Maybe…but, magic is one thing, but actual demons? Come on! Possessions is not real!''

''I know a guy... ''

***FLASHFLASHFLASH***

Everyone had been waiting for hours now in the cortex, waiting for Oliver to come back with his friend who could possibly help them finally figure out what was wrong with Barry and bring the real hero back. There wasn't much that could be done other than look every once in a while at the computers' screen where they could see live footage of Barry walking none-stop in his cell, only stopping to blow some steam by screaming at the camera or hitting the walls, rage overtaking him.

''I hope this friend of Oliver's will heal him.'' Said Wally, breaking the silence.

His sister closed on him, putting a comforting hand on Wally's shoulder. ''Me too. Barry's strong, he'll pull through ''

It was at that moment that Oliver decided to make his entrance, closely followed by a man almost as tall as Oliver with messed up, short, blond hair and wearing a beige trenchcoat over a clean suit and red tie. Oliver wasted no time making presentation.

''Everyone, this is my friend I've been telling you. This is John Constantine. John, this is….''

The second the man opened his mouth, right after Oliver finished presenting who everyone was to his friend, his heavy British accent could be heard.

''Hey mates, heard you needed some help around these parts.''

As he spoke, he handed over his business card to anyone interested to take it.

''Exorcist, Demonologist and….Master of the Dark Art? Really?'' Read Iris out loud before handing the card to her dad, turning to Star City Vigilante. ''Are you serious? Where did you find that guy?'' Oliver just shrugged to answer.

''That guy, love, is the one who's gonna help you figure everything out. Now, where's your problem friend?''

''He's downstairs, locked up.'' Answered Oliver, showing the computer screen of the angry young man.

They turned on the mic of the cell as they witnessed Barry's lips moving. ''….out! I'll consider giving you a quick, merciful death if you let me out, NOW!''

All eyes turned to the new-comer.

''Can you help him?'' Added Oliver.

''Well, there's one way to find out, isn't there?''

Leave a comment!

Due to a writer block and me getting caught up in the crossover this week, barely had time to write, so it will take at least 2 weeks before the new chapter...BUT, get ready for a lot of answers in Chapter 11! Like, a *lot*!