I don't own the CW show The Flash or any DC characters found in this story. I only own my OCs.
Central City
October 5, 2014
Dante's Inferno said that there were nine circles of Hell, each level increasing in the atrocity of deeds. Melody had never been one for religion, preferring what she could see with her eyes and touch with her hands, but nevertheless knowing that there was more in the universe than just their planet. Her family line was too old, too different for her to not acknowledge that there was some higher form of something pulling strings. Whether or not that translated into an afterlife, she wasn't sure. What she was sure of, was if Hell did exist, there was a deep pit waiting for Clyde Mardon to be delivered.
Turning away from the carnage, Melody took a shaky breath, never more glad for the mirrored lenses that hid her eyes than right now. Footsteps at her back made her straighten, casually swiping at her cheeks before glancing over her shoulder. "Anything?"
Janet shook her head, Jace a hulking shadow behind her. "Any physical proof we could have used was washed away by the rain."
Plum lips curled into a sneer, nails biting into the palms of her hands. "What does he want? This is the third massacre and we're no closer to figuring out the purpose now then we were before." Dragging a hand through her hair, the singer began to pace, arms waving as she thought through the situation.
"He's been here for almost three days but instead of robbing a bank as is his MO, he's wasting time on senseless slaughter that only brings further attention to him. He must know that he's been pronounced dead by the CCPD, so why challenge that belief by slinging bodies around? There's no point, no re-" Melody screeched to a stop, eyes going wide.
"Boss?" Jace rumbled, exchanging a concerned look with his partner.
Melody ignored him, whipping out her phone and hitting number three on speed dial. It rung twice before an old, English voice answered.
"Wayne Manor, this is Alfred Pennyworth, how may I assist you?"
"Alfred, it's Melody."
"Ah, Miss Piper, so good to hear from you. Master Wayne is in his office, allow me to get him for you."
"I'm not calling for Bruce. I need to talk with you." Melody resumed her pacing as the older gentleman gave a surprised 'oh?'
"Well then, what can I help you with?"
"I recall you telling Bruce a story about your younger days, when you were searching for a jewel thief."
"Yes, in Burma. The forest north of Rangoon. Why the interest?" There was a thread of worry in the man's voice that Melody quickly waved off.
"I may be working with a similar situation here. How did the story go again?" Pulling the phone away from her ear, Melody set it to speaker, gesturing Janet and Jace closer so they could listen.
"The government was attempting to buy tribe loyalty with precious stones. But the thief kept attacking the caravans and stealing all the gems. My friends and I were searching for both the thief and the gems. But in six months we couldn't find anyone who had traded with the man."
"He was outsourcing them?" Jace suggested.
"A good guess, but incorrect." Alfred denied.
"Then what was he doing with them?" Janet asked, brow furrowed.
"One day, when I was walking through a village, I found a little girl playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. It seemed the bandit had been throwing the stones away."
The three exchanged looks, the same suspicion growing in their minds.
"Then why bother stealing them in the first place?" Jace wondered.
"To that, I shall tell you the same thing I did Master Wayne. Because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical like money. They can't be bought, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men, just want to watch the world burn."
There was a long silence as they took the words in, Jace clenching and relaxing his fists, Janet fingering her gun, and Melody mussing up her hair.
"How did you stop him?" Melody whispered.
Alfred's voice was grave and slightly remorseful, knowing the impact his words had. "We burned the forest down."
It was a somber group that gathered in Melody's office that afternoon, consisting of everyone that knew her secret, a number that now included Jace. They sat in silence, each person casting the occasional worried glance in Melody's direction. The woman sat in her chair, a full glass of schnaps in her hands. Not a single sip had been taken since the glass had been filled, but the fact that she filled it at all was making them all feel on edge.
Melody didn't drink. An ironic thought considering she owned a nightclub with a full bar, but despite that, Melody had never once in her life drunk alcohol. There were too many memories associated with the action. So while her guests were free to drink to their content, her glass was always strictly apple juice to blend in.
Mike in particular was watching his sister's every move, fully prepared to launch himself across the desk and slap the glass from her hands if she went to take a sip. Melody was bad enough on a normal day. He had nightmares about her drunk. It was for very good reason she abstained.
"So. What's our game plan?" Jace finally broke the silence, looking at Melody expectantly. The others followed suite, waiting for orders.
Slowly, the woman set her glass down on a coaster and pushed it away. Mike sighed, relaxing in his seat for the first time since they had convened.
Rising to her feet, Melody cast her eyes across the room, taking in the expressions of her most trusted. Of its own volition, her hand twitched, reaching to her left for someone who wasn't there. Gritting her teeth against the fresh wave of pain, she shoved it to the side and into a small box to deal with later.
"I think," She began, picking over her words before letting them escape. "That it's high time Joseph fully appreciates the gravity of the situation."
"Do you trust him enough for that?" There was no challenge in the words, just a simple desire for information. Melody kind of adored Jace for his steady presence and unwavering loyalty. The man would follow her into a hurricane, and if Clyde was as powerful as they feared, he very well could end up doing just that.
"I may have to, regardless of my concerns on the matter. We'll need the backing of CCPD on this and most everyone else hates me."
"That's not true, Singh adores you." Mike offered a cheeky grin and Melody waved her hand dismissively.
"He tolerates me because I offer a safe date night location. I doubt he adores me."
"But he would at least hear you out." Janet pointed out.
"And so would Joseph. His children live here, he has a vested interest in seeing the city remain on the map." Staring down the other woman, Melody made it clear that the conversation was over. "We leave in five minutes. Mike, stay here and watch the club, Janet stay with him. Jace, Angie, you're with me."
Several voices rose in protest at Angie's involvement. A high pitched whine cut them all off, everyone but Angie and Melody clapping their hands over their ears.
"If you think I'm letting her out of my sight for even a second, you're wrong. No one will touch her while I'm around. She'll be safe." Melody stressed, lowering her hand, the sound dying out with the motion.
"Rude." Mike grumbled, rubbing his ears.
The trio made an odd sight as they entered the lobby; Jace with his mammoth form, Melody with her shades and Angie practically attached to her hip. They passed reception with little difficulty, riding the elevator up to the third floor where Joe's desk was. Melody double checked that Angie's hand was firmly clasped in her own as the doors opened to the bustle of CCPD's Bullpen.
Exiting the elevator, Melody quickly scanned the room, picking out the dark skinned man with ease. Starting toward him, she paused, a sliver of surprise shooting through her as she caught sight of a slender, brown haired man who bounced excitedly around the older man.
"Barry." She called out, crossing the room toward him.
Barry turned on reflex, completely glancing over the woman before snapping back to her as she drew closer.
"Melody?" He blinked, smiling as she chuckled at him.
"Hey beanpole. When did you wake up?" She asked, stretching her hands out expectantly. Stepping into her embrace, Barry gave his own laugh.
"Just this morning actually. I thought nothing got past you?" He teased, moving back and grinning down at her.
Melody frowned, hand coming to rest on Angie's head. "I've been rather busy this week. Can't do everything."
"Busy with what?" Joe inquired, shooting a smile down at Angie before frowning at Melody.
"You know what." Melody retorted, cocking an eyebrow.
"Not this again. Look, I don't have time for this right now." Grabbing his coat, Joe tried to brush past the group. Jace took a step to the right, effectively blocking the detective's path.
"I'm sure you're in a terrible rush Joseph, but Jace took the precious time away from his family to escort Angie and I here. I'd hate to belittle that sacrifice because you couldn't be bothered to hear us out." Melody smiled politely as Jace gave a rumbling growl, grey eyes boring into the darker man's skull.
"Technically that's a threat against an officer." Joe warned, eyeing the taller man with a healthy amount of apprehension.
"What threat? Just an observation." Melody waved off the warning, hopping onto the detective's desk and pulling Angie onto her lap. "Been to the west side recently, Joe?"
"No, why?" Sighing, Joe leaned back against a desk, accepting that he wasn't going to be leaving any time soon.
Turning Angie's head so her gaze was averted, Melody nodded to Jace who fished out a file of photos. Taking the stack, Joe started to flip through, Barry peeking over his shoulder.
"Jesus." The older man breathed, eyes going wide. "What is this?"
"Over the past three days, seven people have gone missing in the east side. There are no connections between them beyond their location, they were selected indiscriminately. They all equally ended up dead and dumped in various warehouses along the coast. These are the ones my people have found. The ones that we know of."
"Why hasn't the CCPD heard about this?" Barry asked, taking one of the photos and studying it.
Melody smiled at the CSI, tempted to reach over and pinch his cheeks. "Bless. Because the're all from the run down part of town, Allen. You don't call the pigs down there, that's just common sense. The only reason I know about it is because I was looking."
"Looking for what?" Barry glanced up at the woman, then over at Joe when she pointedly stared at the detective.
Joe sighed. "Miss Piper seems to be under the impression that the Mardon brothers didn't perish in a fiery plane crash the night the Accelerator exploded. Despite the fact that I saw the plane go down."
"Mm, correction, you saw the plane get hit and start to fall. Not the actual impact." Melody pointed out.
"It was struck by lightning-"
"And so was Barry. Yet here he is, still the same lovable dork he was before."
Joe pointed at the woman, unable to refute that.
"Should I be insulted?" Barry wondered, shoving the pictures back in the file and handing it to Jace.
"No, it's a compliment." Melody waved him off, staring down the detective.
"I know what I'm talking about, Joe. At least three people have seen Clyde Mardon's face, all of them sources I trust."
"Who?" He challenged.
"Well, first of all, it's rude to question my sources. Second of all-"
"I saw him." Angie interrupted, drawing all attention to the previously forgotten little girl. As she told the others of her encounter with Clyde Mardon, Melody took the opportunity to give Barry a full look over. Oddly enough, for someone who had just gotten out of a nine month coma, the man looked remarkably fit. She had only been out for a third of that time and it had taken her three weeks to get back to her previous fitness level. But it was more then that, she realized, scrutinizing the man closer. There was something off, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
It was his heartbeat.
Normally she tuned those sounds out unless she was flexing her new lie detector muscles but they still hovered on the edge of her hearing. Like when you're at a party but the music is just low enough to be forgotten. That is until the song changes and you can't help but tune in. Barry's heartbeat was a changing song, one that drew the singer's attention.
It was too damn fast.
Jace's was a steady, soothing beat that didn't waver even in the face of danger. Angie's was light and quick, nerves at being in the CCPD headquarters and under watch of one of its most prestigious detectives running wild. Joe's was starting to pick up as he grew more exasperated with the situation. Melody couldn't hear her own heartbeat but she imagined it was pounding as she trained her attention to the younger man's wildly, impossibly, fast beating heart.
"Mels?" A hand tugged on her sleeve and she snapped out of her trance.
Smiling down at Angie, she smoothed the girl's hair. "Sorry. Got caught up in my thoughts."
Looking up at the men, she carefully avoided Barry's eyes, focusing on Joe.
"Well?"
"Well what? You don't honestly expect me to believe that Clyde Mardon has not only come back from the dead but is now able to control the weather?" Shaking his head, Joe pointed a finger at the group. "You have come through for us in the past, I won't deny that. But every time it was in pursuit of your own interests. Never have you helped out for purely altruistic reasons and I doubt you're going to start now."
Melody blinked, lips pursed tight. "I have always sought to keep this city safe." She said, voice low and dangerous, a tone that made the two members of CCPD tense.
"I have devoted time into this city, resources that even the mayor would hesitate to promise. I keep the underbelly of this golden city, the scum and filth, from overwhelming the light. I do all of it, because I love the city. Because it's my home, the only place I have felt I belonged. If you feel all of these actions are for less then selfless reasons, then that is your own prerogative and you are welcome to it. I had thought that you shared the same desire to protect our home and the people who live in it." Here she tilted her head toward Barry, reminding the man of what he had to lose.
"However, I see I was wrong in that aspect. Very well, I won't take up any more of your time, detective." Dipping her head, Melody slid off the desk, carefully depositing Angie on the ground and taking firm hold of her hand. Gesturing in Jace's direction, the man stepped aside to allow the two to pass.
Melody paused, looking back at the detective who stared after them with conflicted eyes. "But keep this in mind, Joseph. My brother lives in this city. He walks these streets, the same as your children. I would not lie about his safety. Never about his safety." Keeping eye contact as much was possible, Melody made sure the man fully grasped how serious she was.
At last, he nodded. "I'll keep it in mind."
"See that you do. It may just save your life." She warned, turning away as Iris West appeared from the hallway that led to the bathrooms, wiping her hands on her pants.
"Iris." Melody offered the other woman a courteous nod before sweeping past, leading the way to the elevator. Behind her she could hear Iris ask about their conversation and Joe dismiss her worries out of hand.
'Still coddling, I see.' Melody thought wryly, turning to look at Jace as his phone buzzed. Fishing the device out of his coat, the man glanced down at the screen before accepting the call, mouthing 'Janet' at her. Nodding, Melody pushed the call button for the elevator, waiting patiently. Closing her eyes, she let the sounds of the CCPD wash over her. Phone's rang, voices clattered, criminals shouting their empty threats, cops yelling for obedience over the former. Another officer came up the Joe, telling him of a commotion on the south side, Eddie Thawne rushed down the main stairs, casting her group an odd glance before joining his partner.
Even from half a room away, Melody could hear Iris' heartbeat kick up a notch and she smiled.
Jace swore and Melody reached down to cover Angie's ears, giving the man a reproachful look. Shoving his phone back in his pocket, Jace muttered a phrase in Italian that made her blood run cold.
"Mardon's been sighted on the south side."
Sorry for the late update. The other assistants at my job quit, so I'm the only one there. Took up more of my time then it used to.
Next chapter should have a confrontation between Clyde and Melody.
-ThawneEnthusiast