Chapter Five: Wally West

A revolving blown-up diagram of Wally's suit stared back at him from his laptop screen. The full-body suit had the upper half in dark yellow, right up to the connected helmet which had 2 com links at ear level. The yellow was only interrupted by the red palm-sized lightning bolt inside of a white circle in the middle of his chest.

The costume's red gloves were just halfway up his elbows. He read the list of labels pointing to various sections of the suit.

Resistant to extreme heat, cold and will absorb excessive force, sensor alerts to danger, waterproof and has camouflage mode. Suit able to activate a concentrated shockwave: to activate, place right thumb on lightning bolt and extend arm outwards.

"Cool!" Wally jumped up from his computer desk.

"Don't get any wild ideas Wall."
Wally turned around to see his Father standing in the doorway of his bedroom and his sister Iris in front of him. A couple days ago, he'd told them about the meeting with Jeff and Lynn Pierce.

"I don't intend to Dad." Wally walked over to his closet and opened the door reaching for the flashsuit. "Suit up!" In a flash he had his suit on and his clothes folded back into his drawers.

"Be safe out there and REMEMBER you're not going out there to fight him," Iris intoned stepping forward.

"I know," Wally sat down on his bed. He was silent for a couple of minutes. "If Ma could see me now, applying the good she taught me to show others, she'd be proud." His Mom had passed away just last year and once in a while her absence would just hit him. He'd feel as if he was drowning in pain. Except, he couldn't swim out of it. Frustrated. Alone. Helpless.

"She would be," Jeff agreed his eyes unfocused. "That dear woman would be."

Moments later, Wally burst out the front door at full tilt. The suit was just perfect on him. Wally's com link beeped and he reached his ear to double tap it.

"Jeff here, do you hear me?" came Jeff's voice.

"I hear you crystal clear,"

"Ok, perfect and… I've just activated your camera and the Flash sensor,"

"Got it," Wally nodded.

He felt a rush of euphoria course through his entire body. Passing by his neighbourhood without anyone really being able to see him always made him smirk. Kelsey, his next door neighbour and her friends walking down the sidewalk, Mrs. Marie on her porch watering her plants—anyone he sped by, looked up in alarm.

And who wouldn't, seeing a yellowish-reddish blur fly past you? In less than 5 seconds, Wally had sprinted through multiple intersections until he got to Queen's Quay West and Simcoe St.

"You're right on schedule Wally," Jeff informed. "Why don't you hang around the harbourfront?"

Wally obliged, turning on camo mode before arriving there. He was on the beach side of the harbourfront, where people were relaxing in beach chairs underneath yellow overhangs. And others had just laid down their towels soaking in the sun.

Two Black children they looked like siblings, laughed passing a soccer ball back and forth between each other. To the other side of the harbourfront there was a bit more action. He could hear rap music from a concert stage and the audience chanting along to the lyrics.

Lake Ontario was a beautiful electric blue with miniature ripples going through it. Yachts, boats and some water taxis were on the water, while a few cruise ships were docked.

All in all, no sign of a metahuman. Wally waited for half an hour and was beginning to get restless. He'd heard one too many Dad jokes from Jeff and now the anticipation was really building up.

"I guess you came to see if I'd show up. Well, I'm here."

Wally slowly turned around. A man with a medium build, a couple inches shorter than Wally, stood 20 feet away. His black hair was shoulder-length, and he wore a black mask covering his nose and mouth. Red ski goggles shielded his eyes.

Except Wally knew they weren't an ordinary pair of goggles if they could see through his camo mode.

"Change of plans now that he noticed you," Jeff decided. "See what he wants and if he begins doing anything that will endanger people's lives, move them to safety."

"No duh," Wally muttered.

"Kid watch your—"

"What do you want?" Wally demanded, cutting off Jeff's retort.