Chapter Twenty-Nine:

The crowd gathers along at a very prominent museum in Central City. Barry is among then, along with Iris. There's many people there, and outside, it's a bright and sunny day. Iris turns to Barry with a smile on her face.

"I'm just glad I was able to get here in time. When Doctor Helena Sandsmark comes back from a trip and brings with her a mysterious artifact, you know it's going to be a big deal."

"I can tell."

The last few months since the incident involving Grodd and AMAZO have been very quiet for Barry as the Flash and as himself. He's settled into a nice and calm routine, but he was just gearing up for the next challenge, which was to come.

An attractive and professionally dressed brunette woman approaches the top of the stage. It can only be Doctor Helena Sandsmark, who smiles and turns her neck to address the crowd.

"Thank you for all coming out here. I really appreciate that you're here."

Everyone applauds and Iris turns to get a prime spot in the crowd. Barry languishes a bit in the crowd. He's just here as an observer, not a reporter after all. His hands clamp together when he watches.

"As you know, it's been a long time since I've been back in the States. And it's been a long time since I've been back into Central City. I forgot how rabid the press is for information."

Everyone buzzes and nods knowingly at these words. Doctor Sandsmark breaks out into a soft smile when her eyes flicker all over the people in the crowd.

"And I've unearthed something which can shine some new, fresh light on an ancient civilization. Something which might be able to answer the questions of the unknown."

Two of Doctor Sandsmark's assistance crack open the box. They pull out a necklace with a thick gold chang. The pendant swings back and forth in a hypnotic way and Barry finds himself a bit intrigued as them.

"What ancient civilization is it from, Doctor Sandsmark?"

"Well, that's the thing we're hoping to find with extensive study. It may be some lost relic of the Aztecs and the Mayans. Every now and then again it does…."

The artifact clicks to life as if almost on cue. The members of the press lean in to watch the artifact engulf the area with a very solid and amazing hum. The hum only gets louder the more the artifact sways back and forth and even Barry finds it interesting to view this artifact in such a position.

Perhaps it's just him though, but hearing an artifact hum like this, it's a slight bit unsettling. He does not know what, but it just is. Barry gets those goosebumps up the back of his neck.

"And as you can see, this gives off power. I'm sure every scientist in the city would like to study it, but myself and my team have the rights."

Everyone applauds and moves over to ask questions. Barry notices a gruff looking gentleman moving in. At first, Barry does not pay him any attention, he seems like to be some kind of security guard. But now, he's moving in a bit further over.

The lights in the room go out for a second. Everyone screams at the top of their lungs for the one minute the light is out.

"There's no need for alarm people."

The lights come back on and Helena Sandsmark's eyes widen when she realizes the artifact is gone. The members of the press mutter amongst themselves.

Barry slips through the confusion, noticing the guard making his way towards the side entrance. Barry walks back and then disappears before reappearing around the corner to face him as the Flash.

"What you got. It doesn't belong to you!"

"Out of my way, speedster."

Flash grabs him by the arms in a blink of an eye.

"I'm afraid, I can't let you do that."

"I SAID OUT OF MY WAY!"

The man shifts slightly and a large spiked wrecking ball shoots out of his chest, knocking Flash backwards. Flash bounces up like a pinpong ball striking the edge of the wall. He charges towards the man only for him have to shift into mud and ooze down the sewers.

Several photographers are outside, taking pictures of the Flash, just as the thief literally slips through his fingers. The only thing left behind is the large clump of mud in Barry's hand, leaving him with so many questions, and not enough answers to go along with those questions.

X-X-X

The only thing is to bring the mud back to Star Labs and analyze it. Jesse and Caitlin view the mud wiggling around with their mouths open. Jesse prods the mud which wiggles and almost shoots a long rope of it out before retracting. It tries to shoot off of the table, but Caitlin pulls it back into position.

"Remarkable, it's almost trying to return to its master copy."

"The thief. I didn't know we had any shape-shifting metas that can turn into mud."

"No, not mud, clay."

Caitlin takes a second to analyze it and run a background check in the computer.

"And it turns out that there's DNA on the mud and I've been able to find a match in Oracle's criminal database."

"So lay it out me."

Caitlin smiles and brings up a picture of a dark-haired pretty boy wearing a tomb raider costume.

"The guy's name is Matthew Hagen. He's a down on his luck actor, who decided to try and get himself back into the spotlight with a series of Video Blogs where he went to mysterious and exotic caves and tombs."

Jesse snorts when seeing this guy.

"Doesn't look like a guy who would be up for much exploring?"

Caitlin shrugs and responds with a smile.

"Yeah, well he's what you get if you cross Indiana Jones with Edward Cullen. Not exactly the best combination. I half expect him to sparkle."

Caitlin catches a look at Jesse's confused face.

"There are some things that you're better off not knowing."

"Okay, I gotcha."

Caitlin frowns while going over the information.

"It's very odd how he just ended up stoppping posting online. Given how much of a social media whore he was. His last post was six months ago, until he struck at a museum in Bludhaven. And then in Coast City. And then in Metropolis. And now in Central City."

"Seems like he's after something."

Caitlin takes Barry's suggestion carefully and nods. She suspects he's on the money as usual.

"Yes, but what? We don't know much of anything about the necklace."

X-X-X

After the accident, Hagen can barely hold himself together, both mentally and physically. The chemicals he took only helps stabilize a very messy process, and after a time, they stop holding him together. Science does not solve his problems.

"All of these trinkets are useless. They said they would cure me. They have no idea what I'm going through."

Hagen punches the wall and grunts. He punches the wall a couple more times and his fist puffs up. Blood oozes from it and then it heals over.

The artifact in the palm of his hands is the latest object that they want him to steal. What they hope to accomplish with such an object, Hagen does not know. However, only he yearns for a cure to fix him.

"I'm sick of taking pretty little trinkets. I want my cure!"

The loud voice echoes and Hagen holds the necklace into the palm of his hand. Something happens, when it starts to glow. The former actor and explorer keeps his eye on the necklace.

"What's this? What the hell is going on?"

The hum of the necklace gets louder. The voices start echoing him the back of his head and there's something in the necklace just calling for him. There's just something chanting for him, calling his name.

"Well, this is interesting."

Hagen holds the necklace into his hand and it absorbs into his body. The mystical power changes him on a cellular level. The man made of Clay turns back into Matt Hagen with a glow added to his body. Once he gains further control, the glow subsides and he takes a deep breath.

"Fascinating. This is fascinating."

He grows in size and shifts into a more buff version of himself. He makes his hair shinier and sleeker. Hagen takes a good look at himself in the mirror, breaking out into a wide ear to ear grin.

"Hello, handsome. You're looking perfectly find today."

He can fight anyone. He can take on the entire world just like that. Matt Hagen finds himself ready to go out there and take his new body for a spin.

X-X-X

There's most certainly something weird going on the moment Flash returns outside. He has to get Hagen, find out what he's up to.

He makes his way downtown and finds a man who looks like a buffer version of Hagen exiting a coffee shop. Flash shows up to face him.

"So, taking your new toy out for a spin?"

Hagen's attention turns to Flash. A wicked grin passes over the face of the actor while taking in the speedster. This was going to be the true test of his newfound abilities.

"Oh, look, it's Central City's favorite son. Trying to come here and stop me. You have no idea what it's like to be me. You have no idea what it's like to go through hard times. You've never had any adversity in your life. You think you're privileged...stepping on the little guy…."

Hagen's arms extend to large clay hammers. Barry's quick to dodge them and then he raises his hand to shoot a lightening bolt at Hagen. Hagen flies ass over tea kettle and lands on the ground with a splat. He bounced up like a super ball.

"You absorbed it didn't you?"

Six clay arms shoot out as the people scream. Barry dodges them and punches off Hagen's arms to snap them back.

"Yeah, I absorbed them, I can be more powerful than any before. I can change the world. I can do whatever I want and it's not like anyone out there can stop me!"

Hagen's booming voice echoes for everyone to hear. He blocks Flash from lowering the boom down onto him. Flash vibrates out and sends Hagen staggering back a couple of steps. Flash bombards him with punch after punch, hitting him with a rapid fire flurry.

"I can turn into anyone."

Hagen shifts into an exact duplicate of Flash.

"Especially you."

Flash charges Hagen. Hagen dodges and is at the other end of the street.

"We have a problem. Not only can he duplicate people, but he can duplicate powers that…."

Hagen punches Flash in the stomach at a super fast speed. Flash rockets off of the ground. Hagen grabs him by the scruff of the neck and tosses him on the ground. A series of rapid fire punches rock him before Hagen knocks him around.

"I guess I'm now the fastest man alive Flash.

He whips Flash from wall to wall, the speed rippling through the street when the two engaged in battle.

The power of the artifact allows Hagen to tap into the same elements which powered Flash and he feels like a god. He feels like nothing can stop him.

"Evil speedster. Been there, done that."

Despite his bravado, Flash's mouth oozes with blood. His injuries cannot heal fast enough before Hagen inflicts more on them with super speed.

"My cells are changing at a deep level. I am a god. Do you hear me?"

Hagen's eyes glow and he rapidly fires clay balls at Barry at super speed. The super fast projectiles hurt, with Barry dodging some of them, but they come so fast that he inadvertently directs himself into the path of others while dodging some. He coughs from the impact. One massive clay fist comes down on Barry's face and folds him up like a cheap shoot dropping down to the ground.

Suddenly, from the corner, a lasso wraps around one of Hagen's arms. Hagen finds himself unable to move from the lasso.

A flying kick sends Hagen flying backwards. He drops down onto the ground. Every muscle inside of his body is burning.

Hagen vibrates the ground and vibrates through it, vanishing in a blink of an eye.

Barry coughs, gagging, and feeling the pain in his internal organs when he staggers around. A figure comes towards him and offers a hand.

"We need to get you back for medical attention."

Barry looks up with a smile and comes face to face with a wonderous woman.

"Hello Diana….just give me a minute. I can get us back quick."

"Of course."

X-X-X
"You're Wonder Woman!"

This is the tone of voice which comes out of Caitlin Snow when she comes face to face with the Amazon Amazon. Iris and Jesse are also looking on at awe. Iris turns her attention towards Barry.

"You know her?"

"Yes, I do."

Iris gives Barry the eye and Barry just shrugged with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, then you could have hooked me up with an interview with her, this entire time, do you realize...she's just...she's really amazing...an inspiration for anyone, really, not just women, but seriously...she's Wonder Woman."

Diana takes Iris's statement in stride.

"Pleased to meet you as well, Iris. And I'm just another woman, helping out where I can."

"She says she's just another woman. She's not just another women, she's the pinnacle of all women, the women that all women wishes she could be...and she's here...with us at Star Labs."

Barry chuckles at Iris's excited tone and stretches his hand to rest it on her shoulder. Iris only calms down ever so slightly and gets back into the conversation.

"Yes, she's here, and you really are meeting her. Why don't you take a deep breath and just relax for a minute?"

Iris shakes her head in response. How does anyone expect her to relax with this.

Jesse clears her throat. She has to be the mature one despite being the youngest of the three women here. There's something very much wrong with that, at least in Jesse's mind.

"Could we focus on the fact that some deranged madman who can shapeshift can now duplicate someone's powers?"

Caitlin's mood grows as frosty as that of that super powered alter ego.

"Yes...we should do that. Especially given that he knocked Barry around like a superball."

"Good thing Diana showed up when she did."

Diana just smiles. The moment she saw Helena's press conference, she knew she would have to be there. She turns to the rest of the crew at Star Labs and responds in a somber voice.

"I know exactly what the necklace is. It belongs to a sorcerer who my mother defeated centuries back. I don't know how it ended up in South America when it did. There's voices inside of it, voices which have driven all of the occupants mad."

Barry leans back, rubbing the top of his skull.

"And given Hagen's not the most stable person in the world right now, that's really not good at all."

"We have to find it."

"Do you have any idea to track it?"

Diana leans in and looks pretty thoughtful with a idea sinking into her mind.

"If your satellites can find large spikes of energy, then we can find him."

"Right."

Barry steps out into the main hallway. Iris follows behind him, concern swimming through her eyes.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, physically I'm fine."

"But, your ego's bruised."

"Yes, kind of. It's just I thought I was done dealing with evil speedsters."

"Well, technically he just used the artifact to duplicate your powers."

Barry peers out of the corner of his eye at Iris who responds with a very casual shrug.

"I know this doesn't make things any better. It is what is. But, you're going to stop this. I'm going to see if I can dig up anything. Let's just hope Hagen doesn't get the bright idea to ruin your reputation."

Barry groans, because he knows there's a high chance of that happening. A few seconds pass before he takes out the cell phone.

"Oracle."

"What can I do for you?"

"I need you to see if you can find something on a criminal that I'm dealing with…."

"Matthew Hagen? Better known as Clayface?"

"How did you know?"

"Well, I did see you accessing his file. So, I did some more digging and found his final expedition. You might find it interesting."

"Lay it on me."

X-X-X

Caitlin realizes the one fundamental flaw in their plan.

"And I don't think that I can track him without him using his powers."

Jesse puts a hand on the back of the chair and gets Caitlin's attention.

"Or, the artifact managed to...you know what, I don't think I'll ever understand magic."

Diana gives the younger woman a sympathetic smile. The number of magical artifacts she's encountered, well she knows that magic defies pretty much all logical comprehension and explanation.

"Barbara found something. I don't know if it means anything, but it's a video file of Hagen's last expedition. It was uploaded to the Internet, but it was never posted to anywhere."

Diana smiles in a reassuring way at Barry.

"We should look at it there."

They see the image on Hagen moving through the cave. He looks at the camera with a smile as he hovers over a pit. Caitlin's eyes widen and Diana looks a bit forlorn as well the second what Hagen's looking for comes into full view. It's no mistaken what it is in fact.

"Lazarus Pit."

Sara mentioned the Pit to Barry before, but this wasn't the one on Nanda Parbat that Nyssa destroyed. Instead, it's something else. There's some more data coming in from Barbara.

"And apparently, this was an experiment form HIVE that gone wrong. They found a Pit to use, but Darhk decided to enhance the pit. They tried to replicate Mirakuru…."

Caitlin groans at that thought. After she has a good long groan, Barry presses on with more information.

"Of course, it just corrupted the pit, and the three HIVE agents in sent down there to test it, they melted when entering the pit."

The ledge gives away before their eyes and Hagen plummets off of it to the pit. Despite being a grade A asshole, Hagen does not deserve a fate. They watch the images flash on the screen of Hagen literally falling apart, before becoming one with the pit.

Nothing, nothing other than silence. Barry waits for what to happen next. There's a bit in the footage when something shoots out of the pit and everything fades to black.

"I found Hagen."

Caitlin finally thinks that there's some headway. Barry's about to move to the door, but Caitlin grabs him.

"If you're going to take on Hagen and he steals your speed again, you better take this."

Caitlin hands Barry a large metallic box shaped like an audio speaker.

"What's this?"

"Speed dampener."

Barry cannot resist and make a comment about this object.

"And you just happened to have this lying around."

Caitlin shoots in a raised eyebrow and intends to elaborate on this bit.

"Well, the number of evil speedsters you encounter, we figured we should work on something. And...well in case you ever got brainwashed….you never know...just to be on the safe side."

Barry agrees with this, although there's a part of him who hates how this is news to him. Caitlin does not relinquish the grip on his hand, rather she reinforces it.

"There's just one tiny problem. It shuts off the speed of anyone near it. And that includes you, Barry."

"I've been training with Sara. I'm not the best, but I think I can handle myself without my speed."

"I'm coming with."

Barry's not going to turn down Diana helping out. And Cailtin raises to her feet. She closes her eyes and shifts into Frost mode. She gives them a smile.

"Let's go."

In case her speed dampener doesn't work, they need an extra trump card.

X-X-X

Hagen sits in his lab. The rush of the speed still pumps through his veins. Getting to play the hero is something that Hagen wanted to do for a long time. In one of his movies, but his agent told him that the producers thought he was too small time to play the lead hero. That just burns Hagen's ass and not in a good way. He drums his fingers against the wall.

He shows them, being the Flash better than the Flash. He even stopped a couple of bank robberies on his way back to the hideout. Granted, he pocketed some of the money, but should not he be compensated for his hard work?

"I can be anything that I want to be. All thanks to this beautiful little trinket. They want to see power, they want to disregard Matthew Hagen as a nobody. Well, I'll show them. I'll show them all. There's nothing that I can do. Soon, everyone will no my name."

The television screen in his apartment comes to life. Shadowy figures appear and Hagen turns his attention to them.

"It's about time I heard from you guys. But, I guess I didn't need you after all…."

"Yes, I agree, the artifact is everything we thought of, isn't it? You literally became the Flash in both body and power."

"Yeah, and that was something sweet. I'll tell you something else, the rush of the power. I know why he does it now. I know why he does it and I'm going to be a better Flash. Once, I kill him, I'll take over his life. I'm now the Fastest Man Alive."

The shadowy figure chuckles at Hagen's smugness.

"You don't really know the full power of the artifact, do you? It's best not to be put in the hands of some child."

"I'm not a child. I'm a man, and I have power now. Do you understand me? I have power. I'm the Fastest Man Alive!"

He zips around the room as the Flash.

"And yet, the Amazon's lasso turned you into putty."

"She got a lucky shot. It won't happen again!"

The voices in his head start chanting for him to rise up and gain more power. Hagen presses his hands down onto the top of his head and grunts a couple of times. Hagen rocks back and forth, digging into his scalp.

"And there's a problem. You're beginning to hear the voices because you aren't mentally stable enough to handle the true power."

"Shut up. That's not true. You know something else, I don't need you. I don't need any of you chumps. Do you hear me? I don't need any of you."

Hagen whips his hand out and them sends a blast of lightning into the television screen, shattering it.

"They said that Matthew Hagen is washed up. They said, he's not anything anymore. They say he's B-List. Well, no, I'm A-List. I'm the top of the heap and I'm going to prove it! There's nothing anyone can do now! I'm going to be the Fastest Man Alive."

The doors blast open and Hagen makes his way outside. The war drums of power beat in his hand.

"POWER!"

X-X-X

Flash, Frost, and Wonder Woman stand outside, and sure enough, a duplicate of Flash turns up right next to them. Several criminals fly onto the ground, crashing. The sickening sound of bones breaking.

The bystanders notice two Flashes facing against each other.

"It's over, Hagen."

"Yes, there can only be one, Flash. And it's not going to be you. It's going to me...because I'm the fastest man alive…."

The speed dampener slows him down. Flash trips him up and sends Hagen onto the ground. Hagen bounces up and he matches Flash's attacks. They go shot for shot with each other, with Hagen becoming Flash's exact mirror. It's like some kind of duplicating loop.

"You're going to bow at my feet Flash…."

A stream of cold energy hits Hagen in the back of the leg. Killer Frost gives him one of those soft smiles as she approaches him.

"You talk too much."

Hagen rolls over, groaning in agony. He turns over and tries to break himself free. Getting a look at Killer Frost, he shifts into her and is able to manipulate the ice.

"It's a good thing I'm gender fluid."

Hagen raises to his feet, putting a wicked grin on the face of Killer Frost which he stole.

"It's much more fun being the bad girl."

He speaks in an exact duplicate of Caitlin's voice and Killer Frost and Killer Frost come face to face, before sending beams of cold ice at each other.

Thankfully, one of them is glowing dark energy and it makes it easy to take out the real one. Diana puts her hand on Barry's shoulder.

"Get him in position. I have an idea."

"Hey, Hagen, I'm over here! I'm the one you want."

The second Killer Frost turns her attention towards Barry. Once again, Diana wraps the Lasso around him to secure him.

"Now!"

Barry vibrates his hand through Hagen's chest. Hagen shifts to Flash to Killer Frost and through several other people before the artifact breaks from his chest. He turns into a hardened statue, before shattering in response.

The artifact flies into the air, with Diana catching it. The smoke clears, and they stand over the fallen body of Clayface, as the smoke clears. All that's left of him is a few crumbled pieces of clay and a lot of unanswered questions.

X-X-X

Helena Sandsmark leans back in the chair of her office and rubs her temples in frustration. She gave all of the information she could, but the robbery was baffling. It's even more baffling the news coming out since that the Flash of all people, fought a man made of clay and then fought an exact evil duplicate of himself.

A soft knock on the door causes Helena to look up from her work.

"It's unlocked."

Helena's expression turns to one of wonderment for the briefest of brief seconds.

"Diana?"

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Helena responds with a nod. It has been a long time since she came face to face with Diana, and the Amazon Princess lights up the room with a smile.

"I reclaimed the artifact with help from Flash and Killer Frost."

Helena really thinks Killer Frost should have a different name in her own personal opinion, because that doesn't seem like a very heroic name. But, who was she to judge?

"Thank you but…."

"The artifact is too dangerous to have out in the general public. I know you put in a lot of hard work in finding it. Your benefactor will not be pleased…."

"Doctor Jason Burr, he seemed very pleased when I got my hands on the artifact. But, if it's dangerous, I think that someone more worthy of holding such an item should hold onto it."

"So, you want me to…."

"If you would, that would be great."

Diana smiles back at the good doctor. She's hoping Helena would say so. She sits down on the chair in front of the desk after Helena invites her to do so.

"I don't understand why this Clayface was after it."

"It's of great power. I don't think he was working alone. I think someone hired him."

Helena figures just about as much. She just gets so caught up in digging up these ancient treasures, she often forgets how there are some real life consequences to deal with them. That was one thing that rang home at her today.

"Take care of it. I'll take any heat necessary for having to give it up."

Diana just smiles and puts a hand on the shoulder of her colleague.

"Mom, I need help with my m…."

A thirteen year old blonde girl dressed in blue jeans and a tank top enters the room. Her blue eyes go wide the very second she comes face to face.

"Mom, Wonder Woman's in your office!"

She squeals like a fangirl and Diana chuckles in response at her engentic antics.

"And you must be Cassandra."

"Wonder Woman knows my name!"

She pumps her fist into the air. Helena chuckles at her daughter's output.

"Cassie, what did I tell you about barging into my office without knocking?"

The young girl looks down at her shoes with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Um, don't?"

"Exactly."

Cassie takes a second to realize how lucky she is to come face to face with her hero. She had about ten million questions for her, naturally.

"I have so many questions for you, just so many questions. Did you really fight a minotaur? Is it true that you fought both world wars? Is Zeus really a great big dick?"

"Cassie!"

Diana chuckles at the interplay between mother and daughter.

"Yes, yes, and...absolutely."

Cassie no doubt has many more questions, but Helena giving her the mom look stifles the questions in the moment.

X-X-X

Barry stands on a rooftop overlooking Central City just as Diana appears at his shoulder. She smiled at him.

"Beautiful view up here."

"Yeah, especially now the city's quiet."

Diana slips a little bit closer to Barry.

"Did you give any thought to the matter we talked about? The last time we met."

"Yeah, I gave it some thought...and I think that it's a great idea to have a league of heroes consolidated, working together. Helping project the world."

Barry smiles and glad for Diana's feedback. Laurel and Kara both were all in, despite Kara being on a different Earth right now. Barry thinks that their lives might be easier sometimes if all of the Earths merged.

"When you get it off of the ground, you know how to get into touch with me...and if Iris wants that interview with me, tell her that I'll be more than happy."

"She'll be thrilled."

Diana smiles and wraps her arm around Barry to pull him in tight.

"Take care of yourself."

The Princess of the Amazons pause at the edge of the roof.

"And send Sara my regards if you see her before I do."

Barry smiles and waits for Diana to leave. He knows that there's going to be a lot of questions. And the most important one is who hired Hagen. There's someone who is causing him to bounce across city to city, in search of that artifact.

He heads back to meet with Iris for dinner and to pass her the good news. He got her an interview with Wonder Woman, something that many reporters would give their right arm to have.

It helps to have connections.

X-X-X

A temple with snake statues lining the wall is where several cloaked figures line up. A figure dressed in robes makes his way to the edge of the platform. He takes down the hood to reveal another hood, shaped like a cobra head.

"The League of Assassins and HIVE, their time will be at an end. Soon, we will rule over all and take back what is ours. All will bow before Kobra!"

To Be Continued on 9/19/2018.

Thanks for the support and I'll see you for the next chapter.