Slow Burn Part 4

In response to the flashing strobe light and ringing alarm bell, the robot slowly came to life. Floating through the Antarctic stronghold, joints making loud snapping sounds, it raised the ambient temperature of its surroundings to accommodate the soon-arriving guests. Somehow, the robot felt excited about seeing guests again. The idea that it felt excited confused it, and the idea that it felt confused frightened it. Quickly, the floating machine ceased the flow of consideration of this subject, and began its chore of readying for visitors.

*****

Under the wreckage of the flaming tanker, BJ struggled to his feet. In the process, he managed to lift the wreckage effortlessly, almost without realizing what he was doing. Shocked, he tossed the tanker out of the way, and rushed to Jesse's side. She looked dead - that vitality that every person has was just gone. Tears welled up in BJ's eyes as he checked for any signs of life.

"BJ? Is she okay?" Johnny's voice cracked with fear as he approached. "Please tell me she's okay."

Standing, BJ slowly shook his head, and walked over the older man. "I'm sorry, Johnny."

"What are you?" Johnny came back, an anger blazing in his voice. "Why should you live but she doesn't? Why is that fair?" He dropped to his knees in front of Jesse's prone figure. "You were all I had left, Jesse. All I cared about."

BJ looked away, trying to give a grieving father his privacy. Something made him turn around, just in time to see Johnny kiss Jesse's forehead, and look at BJ with a haunted look.

"BJ, tell your dad it had to be this way. Tell him it's not his fault." With that remark, Johnny vibrated his fingers as fast he could, and before BJ could even react, he phased them into his own head.

"NO!" BJ screamed, the resulting soundwaves echoing throughout the area.

*****

The robot noticed on the radar screen that a figure was approaching quickly. "Aah, Master BJ," it trilled, as the blip drew closer to the front door, and BJ quickly entered the room. "The rest of the family should be arriving soon, in response to your father's priority alarm." The robot headed towards the dining area, snapping and cracking as it went. "I imagine you will want some nourishment?"

"Who am I?" BJ asked, more to himself than to the robot.

"Who are you? Why, Master BJ, you are Barry Allen, Junior, adopted son of Barry and Iris Allen."

"Adopted? Who are my real parents, Snapper?"

"We do not know your real parents. They came from far away."

"Where am I from?"

"You are from the planet Krypton."

"What?"

"You are from the planet Krypton." Since the last time he gave this answer there seemed to be confusion, Snapper tried to clarify. "The ship that you came to Earth in is in our museum here in the Fortress."

BJ disappeared in a blur.

"Boys will never learn patience." Snapper said to himself as he floated to the kitchen.

*****

Ten minutes later, Linda walked in the door, covered in dust and debris from head to toe, and sobbing disconsolately. Snapper floated up to her. "Where is Master Wallace, Ms. West?"

Linda sighed. "Wally's . . ."

"Right here!" A grinning Wally West, looking disheveled, appeared behind them. His clothes were torn, and blood was running slowly down the side of his head.

Linda hugged him tightly, squeezing so hard that tears filled his eyes. He held still, though, and let her embrace him. "Linda, I'm okay. When the building exploded, I was able to run out of there by going through the walls. That explosion added to the building's explosion and knocked me out for a few minutes. I'm sorry I scared you."

Snapper used the scanner equipped behind his cyclopic glass eye to scan Wally from head to toe. "Other than some mild cuts and bruises, you will be fine, Master Wallace." Wally frowned as he stared in the reflection of Snapper's shiny gold body. There was a figure behind them. Quickly, he whirled around, happy to have an enemy to hurt, only to find Barry standing the doorway.

"Barry?" Wally rushed to his side, as Barry staggered in.

"I killed them. I killed them. I did it. I didn't mean to." Barry sobbed, clutching pieces from the twins' costumes.

As realization dawned on Wally, he stepped back in shock. "How?"

"Someone twisted my mind. I couldn't see them. All I saw were creatures attacking me. I had no idea. I killed them, Wally!"

"It wasn't your fault, Barry," Linda said, stepping in and taking charge of the situation. "Someone is obviously trying to hurt or kill each of us. We discovered that most of the heroes around the world have been quitting or have been killed over the last several months. Snapper!" The robot swiveled towards Linda. "Have you heard from Jay or Joan?"

"Since Master Barry sounded the priority alarm, I have tried to contact all members of the Flash Family. Ms. Garrick has not heard from Master Richard nor Master Jay in several hours. Neither Master Jonathan or Ms. Quick have been reachable. Ms. Allen has been waiting in one of the guest rooms since she received the alarm. Master Ray has initiated lockdown at his own laboratories and is currently safe."

"What about BJ?" Barry asked, hoarse from crying. "Is BJ okay?"

"Why yes, sir!" Snapper beamed, happy to give positive news. "Master BJ is currently in the museum inspecting his spaceship. He was oddly curious about his origin, and I'm afraid I had to tell him the truth."

With that, Barry stood. His demeanor changed immediately. The entire room could sense the fear and trepidation leave him. In an instant, Barry re- asserted himself as the mentor and champion of the Flash Family. "Let's go to him."

*****

The three of them, followed by a snapping and popping Snapper, entered the museum wing of the fortress. The museum housed many of the artifacts and items that had been collected throughout the years, as the Flash Family had emerged triumphant from yet another conflict.

Some of the items included black diamonds from the month that Eclipso held the world hostage, a fiddle and flute from the Fiddler and the Pied Piper, the guns that Captain Cold and Heat Wave used to freeze and incinerate each other, respectively, and Johnny Sorrow's mask. The centerpiece, however, was the ship.

Shaped like a large Tylenol with wings, the body of the ship appeared to be made out of a material that kept shifting and change, like a pool of mercury. It was solid to the touch, and except for the time that Barry and Jay had taken the child from its opening, the ship had never responded to anyone. Until now.

BJ stood with his right hand on the ship, frozen almost in mid-gesture. A beam of light - light with substance - flowed from the entire ship into his eyes. A barely discernible chatter could be heard as the living light was drawn into him. The group - Linda, Wally, Barry, and Snapper - stood quietly to one side, watching the exchange.

"Do you think it's safe for him?" Linda whispered to Wally.

"It's fine, Linda." BJ said, clearly. "I'm just learning about my original home. I'm learning why I came to Earth in the first place."

"BJ, I . . " Barry started.

"I know, Dad." Slowly, the flow ceased, and the remaining energies trickled into BJ's eyes. "I know that you didn't want to tell me because you wanted me to feel a part of your family. And I still am. You will always be my father. But I was destined to be something else . . . something more."

"Like what?" Wally asked.

"My birth father, Jor El, sent me to Earth to walk among man because he knew I would become more than a man . . . a superman. Strength . . . and this speed are only some of my abilities, apparently, although I don't really know what else I can do. I guess I'll learn as time goes on." BJ turned to face them, and they could tell that something was different. He had aged, mostly around his eyes, and finally looked like a man.

Barry rushed over to BJ and embraced him. "I'm so glad you're okay. What happened?" BJ recounted the events, including Jesse and Johnny's deaths. "So, this is all that remains of the Flash Family?"

"Don't forget me," a voice came from the entrance to the museum. Iris Allen, looking as stately as ever, walked over and put her arms around her husband and son. "Barry, you are their hero and our leader. The entire world sees you as a champion of their rights. We can grieve and talk after this is over."

"You're right." Barry turned around and faced the group. "Snapper, please keep trying to find Jay and Dick. Tell Joan to join Ray at his labs, or she can take the transporter here. We need to mount an immediate offensive. Some person or persons is trying to dismantle the Flash Family. They know who we are. They know our strengths and weaknesses. By hitting us individually and from afar, they have kept us acting like defenseless children. But we are a family, and together, we are completely unstoppable. So let's find out who is behind these atrocities!"

A large BOOM echoed throughout the hall, accompanied by a flash of light. The entire family shielded their eyes. Before they can react, a dark, gravely voice whispered in each of their ears.

"Darkseid is."