Wally West followed Dick Grayson into the Jump City Academy student center smiling at his pal's cheery mood. But they were just a few steps inside the door before they could see those looks again. The seniors looked at them with smirking expressions, gleams in their eyes and whispers passed between them. Dick picked up on it immediately. Precursor to a fight or something. He spun around and stopped his pal Wally in his tracks. He gave the slightest shake of his head. Wally sighed. It was so nice and toasty warm in there. It was upper 40's and breezy outside.
Dick walked out and Wally followed, long athletic strides in tandem. Both boys were wearing their official JCA winter coats, thigh lengthe and black with the JCA crest, unbuttoned and with ties on underneath, dress pants and shoes as required. Dick nodded toward a church pew style bench off to one side of the JCA quadrangle. He didn't need to bother. It was their usual routine. Seniors hadn't given up the idea of hazing the orange haired kid and the black haired kid always seen together. But it was very difficult for Wally to fight effectively without giving away who he was. And if Dick Grayson reflexively went jeet kune do ninja on their sorry asses and knocked out 6 or 8 of 'em in a few seconds it might create some curiosity about him, too. So, Kid Flash and Robin avoided a potential fight with opponents that either could have wiped out twenty of without breaking a sweat.
Wally slid over to the end of the bench. Dick slid over next to him, by rote. He put his right foot against Wally's left, his left calf, thigh and hip against Wally's and leaned his shoulder against his pal. Both boys stayed warm this way. They stared out at the quadrangle. Students weren't out there on this unpleasant day. No pretty girls to watch. They fell into their private thoughts. At first, both thought of the extra hard problem the teacher had gone over in calculus class. Wally and Dick and a Korean boy had gotten it right. All the others had botched it. From there, Dick thought of Starfire. He yawned, not because the subject didn't interest him. Nothing was more interesting but he was tired. And the timing of the yawn was fitting because making out with Starfire in his quarters had kept him up late at night before she said her bashful little smile and left. God! Cutest smile in the world. He exhaled deeply. Batman. He sniffed at the logic of it. He didn't want to admit it, but it was true, wasn't it? Getting the emotional boost of some acknowledgment from Batman had made him feel confident enough to ask her out. It was just going to his room at the Central City Ritz the night of the wake for Wally's Aunt Iris. She'd looked just as uncertain about being alone with him. But she'd kissed just as enthusiastically. And what was that taste? Was that her? That wasn't something she'd had to drink? It was like-like strawberry champagne, kissing her. That was her, wasn't it? She'd tried a beer, hadn't she? There wasn't anything like strawberry champagne being served. That was her. Holy crap that hour went fast. "I must go dear friend, Robin. It is already 2 a.m." No way! But there was the clock. 2 a.m. He was surprised, himself at where his hands had gone. And, since, they'd kissed a few times. Now? He glanced sidewise at his pal Wally. He debated asking and let several more minutes pass till they'd been about twenty minutes on the bench without a word. A recollection came to him.
"Bad night last night? Cyborg said you ran out of his place ."
Wally sighed. It'd been a week since the funeral. And Robin's words on the morning of it had been so completely right. There were episodes where suddenly he felt the pain of her loss as freshly and powerfully as when he'd first found out. They were fewer and farther between as time went on but they were still happening. And it was hard to figure what the trigger would be. Last night he'd been talking and joking with Cy, he and Beast Boy both. Robin was off somewhere with Starfire. Raven was in her quarters and the three of them were just laughing and enjoying the company in Cyborg's room while he did some computer systems checks, something about corrupted files and viruses. There wasn't even a hint of melancholy in his thoughts. And in the rare moment of quiet when Beast Boy wasn't making some joke, Cy's radio, set to the classic rock station so that Cy had the best chance of hearing the Philly International songs his mom had played growing up, had started playing a song Wally'd heard before. That treacly falsetto voice and acoustic guitar. What were they called? Bread. That was it. Bread. He'd thought all their songs were wimpy ass love songs. He'd heard that one before, too and hated it. He thought it was another lame love song with the lyrics even more over the top than their others. But this one time, he heard the lyrics and in his present circumstance he realized what they'd actually been.
I would give everything I own, just to have you back again, just to touch you once again. Crash! It wasn't a song to his girl. It was about his dad or someone, wasnt it? Damn! So quick. One moment laughing and joking with pals. The next, crushed, just obliterated by this fucking classic rock station tune tears flowing almost instantaneously.
"Yeah, I had to run out. It was a bad night after that."
"What happened?"
"A song made me think about her all of a sudden, made me feel it deep down just like that," said Wally snapping his fingers.
"It happens. You're only a week out, so I'm not surprised."
"I was just surprised at how quick the change was. I was feeling good, laughing with Gar and Cy, then bam!"
"You could've called me. Star then R."
"Well, yeah, Star."
"Hey, if we were . . uninterruptable, I'd just turn it off."
Wally smiled at Dick's new term.
Dick could just tell that he was smiling without even looking.
"It's not that bad a word," he laughed.
"Uh huh."
The immediately fell into a laughing shoving match, that, as always, ended up in a draw with 135 pound Dick the aggressor but unable to overpower 143 pound Wally.
They sat back down against each other's side and mulled over their respective thoughts for another ten minutes, both watching the wind whip leaves around in little whirlwinds all over the JCA quadrangle.
"How'd you know when it was right for you and Jinx to be . . uninterruptable?"
"I didn't. We didn't. I was a virgin. I had no idea. It just. I mean I'd wanted to before that but it just felt right that time, to her too."
Wally thought of asking a question, too, but most of what he might ask he could read between the lines.
"It's hard to know. I mean, she's from another fricking planet for god's sake!"
"And, Jinx is the girl next door," chuckled Wally.
"Yeah, I suppose there was no blueprint there either."
Another ten minutes passed in silence.
"Seriously. Star then R next time you have a really bad grief episode, dude."
"You're so touchy feely since Batman praised you," said Wally joked.
"I am not," protested Dick, not seeing that it was a joke. "I-I'm just being a good team leader. You're a valuable fighter. We need you in your best fighting frame of mind."
Wally smirked. "You're such a liar."
Dick laughed in return. "It could be true."
"Except it's not. Don't worry though. You haven't turned into a total ball of mush yet. But Gar and Cy both remarked about how cool it was the way you seem this last week."
"They did?"
"What? You don't think your minions notice how their leader's doing?"
"Did you tell 'em?"
"Yeah."
"Aw jeez! Wally!"
"If I didn't, they'd think the only difference was making out with Star!"
"Oh . . . hmmm . . . okay then."
Ten more minutes passed with the two teen hero boys in civilian clothes pressed silently against each other's side.
"Jinx is back tomorrow?" asked Dick.
"Yeah. She's visiting her mother at her farm."
"How 'bout doing a-a double date? You and Jinx and me and Star?"
Wally shrugged. "Sure. What'd you have in mind?"
"I don't know. I just don't want our next time together to be just us in the Tower again."
"I'm cool with that. I'll ask Jinx."
"You won't be popping any other questions, will you?"
"No! Don't be ridiculous. I'm 15, Dick! I-I have to have my parents permission in this state."
"So . . you checked on it?" grinned Dick.
Wally was silent. Damn! Shouldn't have said that!
"You checked on it!" repeated Dick.
"Alright. Maybe I did. So what? Shouldn't I wonder? I mean, things are going so well. I don't see why not."
They fell into another laughing shoving match and then went off to biochemistry class.
Afterward, they ran back to the T-Car and rode it back to the Tower. Because he hadn't worked out in the early morning that day, Robin was anxious to have some kind of workout now. So, Kid Flash went out with Robin to an unused airfield outside Jump City to practice coordinating some tactics. Robin wanted to be able to call out a number or code word and direct KF to attack an opponent from a particular direction or use his ability to create whirlwinds. They set up a dummy and Robin practiced running toward its left then calling out one number. KF would steam toward it from the opposite side. He'd run toward its right and call out another number. KF Air, of course, was a call for a super speed generated whirlwind.
They got back to the Tower, Kid Flash running across the bay, Robin flying across in the T-car. "Message for you," said Beast Boy to KF. "Low enough priority that we didn't buzz you. Your mom I think."
Wally raised an eyebrow. First call since the funeral. Kid Flash returned to his quarters and pulled his Titans communicator out from under his glove. He pressed a certain sequence of buttons to access his phone voice mail messages. The display on the communicator said there was only one. He hit another button.
"Wally? Wally West? This is your mother. The-the message said Kid Flash. I-I want you and-and especially Jinx to know that I didn't give your name out to anyone. I didn't tell anyone anything! I swear. I swear! You've got to tell her that. Please! She's . . ! Anyway. This-this guy calls out of the blue. He wants to talk to Wallace West, not Wally, Wallace. I asked who he was and at first he didn't want to give his name but finally he says he's Pater that's the man's name, Pater, not Peter but Pater. I asked his first name and he just said to tell you Pater called. He didn't leave his first name and he left a phone number, too, 555-6602 He asked that you please call him as soon as you can because he says he won't be in town for long. And-and remember to tell Jinx that I didn't reveal anything. -click-"
Wally tossed the communicator aside and then flopped down on his bed. Pater? That's father. That's father in latin. He sniffed. Mom didn't realize what the guy was saying. So, someone wants to talk to me and he's hinting that he's . . . Wally sighed and let his body go limp.
In extreme moments of frustration growing up, he'd sometimes wished to find that he'd been an adopted orphan. He rememberd as a little kid feeling isolated and neglected and wishing that he somehow had a real father who would take him away from all this emptiness. In a way, becoming Kid Flash and getting to spend time learning about using his super speed from Uncle Barry had been almost that sort of thing. Then he was back on his own patrolling solo and too mature, by that age, to believe in silly fantasies of a billionaire 'real' father. But this wasn't some idle wish in response to his parents' neglect and enmity. Someguy'scalling himself 'Pater', huh? Only in town a couple days huh? Well, alright. Wally sighed imagining the scam bullseye being placed on him. For just a one time genealogical research fee of $250 I can determine whether or not you're the descendant of the king of France. Or maybe it'll be the Romanovs. Or maybe it'll be scien-freaking-tology. I think I'd believe I came from the Tsar's family before I swallowed that load of crap. Getting that Titans stipend and making a couple purchases with plastic must've made him a target for marketers and scammers. Another deep breath. He admitted his curiosity to himself and picked up the phone. Every call out of Titans Tower was untraceable, so he didn't worry about Mr. "Pater" figuring out where Wally was and who he was.
The line rang once, twice and was picked up on the third one.
"Hello," answered a voice with a slight, hard to place accent.
"Is this . . Pater?"
"Wallace! Is that you, Wallace?" the voice answered excitedly. Wally was a bit put off by the guy's tremendous enthusiasm. Kind of an over the top sales technique, guy.
"This is Wally West."
"So, you go by Wally and not Wallace?"
"That's right. And what do you go by, may I ask?"
"Just E. E will do."
"E Pater? Really?"
"Wallace! I mean, Wally. I'd like to meet you tomorrow and discuss some very important information."
"Okay. It, um, it has to be after three o'clock. I attend Jump City Academy."
"Okay, Wall-Wally. How about at the Jump City Diner diner at three thirty. It's only a couple blocks-"
"I know where it is. How will I know you?"
"I'll be wearing a hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants. Didn't bring enough suits on this trip, I guess, hehe. And you'll be the one with orange hair, right?"
Wally sighed. How does this guy know anything about me? "Yeah."
"See you there, Wally, the Diner at 3:30."
Wally hung up and immediately reproached himself. You IDIOT! You didn't put a single real question to him. What is this about? What's your real name? Etc etc. If I'd done that four years ago, Flash would tell me I was being a silly little kid and that lack of focus like that can get a hero killed. And he'd be right. What the hell?
Wally was distracted the next day at JCA, but Dick didn't think anything of it. Wally was still getting over Aunt Iris. To stare off into the distance lost in thought was no big deal and a sidewise glance from up against him on the bench at the JCA quadrangle revealed that Wally's eyes weren't even watery. He's slowly getting some perspective on things and not just feeling the hurt. Good.
But Wally was thinking of other things. He couldn't stop thinking of this-this 'Pater'. His mind ran wild thinking of possibilities, everything but what actually resulted when he sprinted to an alley near the Jump City Diner and changed into dress pants and shoes, white shirt, tie, and JCA blazer. He walked to the little rectangular restaurant and stepped inside. He looked around. A man at the far end, just 35 feet away, in sweatpants and hooded sweatshirt jumped to his feet. "Wallace! I mean, Wally!" He waved for Wally to come over. Wally took a deep breath anddid. The man never removed his hood. He stuck out his hand for Wally to shake but once he had Wally's hand, didn't stop at that and hugged him about the shoulders.
"Oh, Wallace.Damn. Wally! I'm sorry. Wally. Look at you. Look at you!" he said with a smile beneath his hood. He motioned for Wally to take the seat opposite his cup of coffee in the booth on the end.
"And you're'E'?"
"My real name, well, it's not so good. Even 'E' is better."
Wally nodded. The guy was maybemid to late 20's, slender athletic build, fair skin, what of it that he could see under the hood. And he didn't seem to have anything with him. No sales pitch brochures or anything. Hmm.
"Wally. I'm so happy to get to talk to you. Look at you! Sometimes you make mistakes and never get the chance to do anything about them. But, well, that's not fair to you,living breathing perfection. I-I know a lot about you Wally. I-I should have known before this. I-I realize that."
"What is this about?" demanded Wally. "You talk about knowing me but I don't know anything about you, whoever you are and how the hell would you know anything about-"
The waitress came by. Wally orderdtwo large orange juices and three blueberry muffins. He didn't want to let the guy pay for him and immediately withdrew a ten dollar bill from the inside pocket of his JCA blazer.
"Back to the issue here. What's all this about and how do you know anything about me?"
"I know the core of things about you, Wallace," said the guy and he groaned at his failure to stop calling him that. "But what I want to say to you is so big that I want you to promise to give me an hour before leaving, before making any kind of decision."
Core of things about me? Wally bristled. "I can't promise that. And I doubt that you know much about the real me."
"Jump City Academy, huh?" said the hooded man sipping his coffee then pointing atthe patch on Wally's blazer.
"Yeah, that's, uh, where I go to school," said Wally.
"Uh huh. Do you like wearing that blazer better than your tight suit?"
"My . . tight suit, what're you talking about? I don't take uh ballet classes or dance classes or anything."
The man chuckled. "I know what you are. I know about you in your skin tight red and yellow suit"
Wally's eyes went wide. "Alright. Let's take this out of here, mister, whoever you are-"
"I told you! I'm your father," he said reaching across the table to the side of Wally's orange haired head but getting his hand swatted away. And with that swat, Wally's anxiety about this mysterious man turned to complete fury.
Wally saw just a bit of the yellow uniform the guy was wearing beneath his hooded sweatshirt. The waitress looked over where the fire haired kid and the other guy had been and saw only two still steaming coffees and a couple dollars on the table. They hadn't walked out, not that she'd seen but they were gone. What the . . ? Actually, they were at the end of an L shaped alley a quarter mile away because the fire haired kid had yanked the other guy up by his collar and vibrated them both through two brick buildings. He angrily tossed the formerly mysterious guy against a wall by a dumpster and instantaneously shed his JCA clothes in favor of his Kid Flash uniform. He advanced on Professor Zoom, who'd shed his sweatshirt and pants and was now wearing his yellow uniform, the color scheme the exact opposite of Flash's. Kid Flash grabbed him by the collar with his left hand, surprised that this villain wasn't fighting or resisting.
"Had to come up with some kind of trick to attack someone who can defend himself, huh?" Wally shouted. "This is for Aunt Iris!" he growled angrily starting to vibrate his red gloved right hand to pass it through Zoom's brain in a certain way such that all the kinetic energy would be transferred to Zoom and kill him, the same way Flash said Zoom had killed Aunt Iris.
"I didn't do it!" Zoom pleaded. "I didn't kill her!"
"Liar!" Wally shouted. "Flash told me all about it! You killed her at a costume party! You killed her, you fucking lowlife! The most wonderful woman in the world and the only person who'd loved me and you murdered her!"
"I swear it wasn't me! At least, it hasn't been me. It hasn't been me!" he pleaded. Kid Flash stopped vibrating and brandishing his right hand. He still looked at Zoom furiously but couldn't, in good conscience kill a man without hearing his explanation. "I-I should just do it," he said with a shake of his head. "This better be good," he added gesturing to Zoom to speak his piece.
"I didn't kill her. But I can't say that I won't."
Kid Flash's expression, that had been moderating, became angrier. "What! She's already dead you scumbag. And you did it!"
"Wait! Listen to me. I came to your time through time travel. But I've come here three times before this and I have no recollection of hurting Iris West."
"You murdered her! You murdered her! Flash told me! He said it was you! There was no doubt! It was you!"
"That may be true but it may be a 'me' that doesn't exist yet."
"What!"
"I traveled here from twenty eight seventy three, the year 2873 for the third time. And I know I didn't do what you're accusing me of but if you say that I did it, I-I might have done it in a future trip, leaving from, say, 2874 or 2875 perhaps. But I didn't come here for that . . I came here for-for you . . for . . my son," said Zoom in what ended as a tender tone and he reached to put his hand on Kid Flash's shoulder. Kid Flash slapped it away. This was too bizarre. He kills Aunt Iris and now acts like this with me!
"Cut the shit with that 'son' stuff. I'm a West. I'm Wally West. That's who I am. Wally West. Why do you keep saying that crap?"
Zoom chuckled. "Look at you! So handsome. Athletic as you could possibly be. Smart. High character, too. Didn't it seem odd to you that you don't look like anyone in your family?"
Kid Flash opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. That had been part of the adoption fantasy. Mom and dad are both medium complected with black hair but I'm fair skinned with orange hair. How? He'd always wondered. Now . . . No! No! This psycho killed Aunt Iris! I'm not part him. Impossible!
"I-I didn't want to be Flash's enemy when I first decided to time travel here. I just wanted to sort of challenge him. I really meant to put back all the things I stole. But I . . well, it's-it's my fault that I'm not . . on your side. I was . . so . . angry with Flash after my first trip back to this time. I thought that if he'd just stopped for a minute we could've been friends instead of enemies. I was so mad afterward, I wanted to get back at him. What would be the greatest way to strike at a man, the greatest joke to play on him? What do you think?"
"I-I have no idea," said Kid Flash, bewildered by the question.
"You are" said Zoom, quietly.
"What! What are you talking about?"
"The second time I visited this era, the machine was set for 16 years before this. You just had your fifteenth birthday a few months back, didn't you?"
Kid Flash gulped. "Um . . yeah"
"I had just read of a certain bird which tricks another bird into sitting on and protecting its eggs. Even the ornithologist writer had laughed about the incredible stupidity of the sitter species to fall for this and to unknowingly help out a competitor. It seemed like the greatest possible joke, to make Flash . . . ," He gestured to Kid Flash. You get it, right? Kid Flash stared back in shock.
"So, I traveled to this era perhaps just over 16 years ago. Records were incomplete so I only knew the name of Flash's wife but not what she looked like. I-I should have been more patient and been certain who she was. But-"
"Oh, you murdered the woman you intended to murder!"
"No! I didn't! Quite the opposite. I found the apartment where she lived and I waited outside the building in the street. A woman emerged with a suitcase with the initials 'I.W.', so I was sure that was her. I bumped into her on the street corner and struck up a conversation with Miss West. We sort of hit it off-"
"Ha! That's a lie! That's a complete and total lie! Aunt Iris would never go for the likes of you! And she'd never betray Flash!"
Zoom groaned. "Listen to me boy! I know you're very smart. I know you are. I bet you were the smartest in your class, weren't you?"
Kid Flash sighed with exasperation. This-this guy wants to set a trap with compliments, doesn't he? But-but, it was true. Even before being able to read at super speed, school had been sooooo ridiculously easy. It'd been hard to understand how other kids didn't see it that way too. He stared at Zoom a moment then sighed and nodded slightly.
"Of course," Zoom smiled. "Of course you're smarter than 20th century boys. And you were a better athlete than all the 20th century boys, weren't you? Long limbed but with better muscle and in just the right shape. You were faster than them, weren't you, even before you got super speed?. Stronger than them, pound for pound. And never sick. Isn't that true?"
More exasperation. It was all true. Fastest in the class from the first day of first grade till becoming Kid Flash which precluded ever running against other kids in school. Never sick. Another sigh and another slight nod.
"Look at you. You're a 29th century boy version of the roman god Mercury. I'm so proud to-"
"Shut up!" growled Kid Flash shoving the larger man back against a wall with both hands. "Just shut up about me! You're not going to flatter your way out of a murder rap. Tell your story and be done with it! I haven't heard anything exonerating yet."
Zoom nodded. "The woman and I hit it off. My plans for seduction went just as planned. She and I spent that evening in a hotel room. I was almost laughing when I left. It had all gone so perfectly. A special little medical device I'd brought with me told me immediately that you were already gestating within her. Oh, there were worries. What if she miscarried, a 20th century woman bearing a 29th century child? What if Flash suspected that you were not his. What if-"
"Ha! You've got the whole thing wrong! You've got the whole thing wrong and that proves it! I'm not Flash's son!" Kid Flash interrupted angrily. "I thought you knew that?"
"No, you're mine. Flash was supposed to be tricked into thinking you were his when you're actually mine. But I-I impregnated the wrong woman. Your mother is only the sister in law of Iris West. I realized that on the way out of the hotel room. Her wallet was there on the floor with her identification. Emily West. Emily! She'd answered to Ms. West but she was the wrong one. It must have been her sister in law's case with the initials I.W. that she'd had in her hand. She was the wrong one! I was irate. I walked out and never looked back. I returned to the 29th century angry at myself for botching my giant joke-"
"A-a . . . joke? That's what I am?" shouted Kid Flash through gritted teeth and grabbing Zoom and slamming him against the wall. "That's what I am, a joke!"
"Well, initially," he saw Kid Flash's furious reaction. "No! I was-I was stupid. You're-you're my son! That's why I came here I'm so proud of what you are . . son"
Kid Flash slowly removed the pressure of his elbow from Zoom's neck. He stepped back, mouth open, staring, aghast. Finally he shook his head back and forth. "No. No. No, it's not true. I'm not you . . . I'm not anything like you . . . no!"
"Who do you resemble more? Me or that man you thought was your father?"
Kid Flash wanted to answer angrily but there had always been those wisps of doubt, doubt that he'd wished was founded in truth, about his father. No. No! This guy killed Aunt Iris! He murdered Aunt Iris! I can't be . . ! But he looked at Zoom's face, bright blue eyed and with a similar shape, strong cheekbones too, and strawberry blond hair not so far off from his own orange. And he had the same wide shouldered very small waisted athletic physique, not the stocky build of his father.
"They treated you poorly didn't they? They knew. Didn't they?"
Kid Flash gasped. They. All of a sudden his parents felt like they were in a different category. They. They. Did they treat me poorly? All of a sudden, shockingly, it all made sense. The neglect, the disregard. Not my father's and the living proof of mom's cheating. Disliked by both for what I meant. That's why they . . didn't . . love me. Oh my god. And here, with the rosetta stone to his life, the magical key to understanding his life was an insane murderer, a villain and somehow . . his father. He was overpowered. He staggered a half step back. He couldn't form words. All the insanity of how he was treated. All the neglect, the disregard, the almost open dislike. Never being complimented. Never being given any attention. Never being given any time. All star in every sport but the only kid whose father never attended a game or meet ever. Never being hugged or held or shown affection. It was all . .
"So, it's true. I could tell from the way your mother answered the phone. She made it seem like any concern for you was something she shouldn't have to bother with."
Kid Flash said nothing. He stared at the ground. "They should still have loved me," he finally muttered to himself. Zoom waited. He had been hurt. These backward missing links hurt my son. And the boy still felt that hurt. He waited for Kid Flash to seem to get further in digesting the news.
"You're not a West," he said softly. "You're a-a Thawne. I'll prove it to you. I believe they can test whether DNA matches in this time, can't they?"
Kid Flash was too shellshocked to answer. Professor Zoom withdrew a syringe and vial from the pocket of his sweatshirt on the ground beside him. He took off his yellow glove, rolled up the tight yellow sleeve of his uniform and plunged the syringe into the vein at the inside of his elbow. Dark red blood gushed into the vial, quickly filling it.
"Here is the proof," he said to Kid Flash offering the filled vial and pulling back on his glove. But Kid Flash didn't take it. He stared angrily at Zoom, his fury getting deeper with each breath he took.
"You-you create a human life as a-as a . . joke and then you ignore that life for 15 years and you kill the only person who looked out for it! Are you fucking nuts! You killed Aunt Iris! She loved me without caring what I was. She loved me to make up for all the-the neglect that you started, asshole! She was the only parent I ever had! And . . and you killed her, you worthless sack of shit!"
Kid Flash swung and nailed Professor Zoom with a right and then a left and then a score more of each. Zoom barely defended himself at all, only trying to backpedal away from his 15 year old attacker but not striking back and barely blocking any of the blows. In seconds, he was a bloody, bruised mess. He started to run for it. He was a full grown man and Kid Flash was only 15, but Kid Flash was powered by pure anger and somewhere within Zoom he felt deserving of that anger. He couldn't get away and was knocked down 10 miles outside the City among some warehouses where Kid Flash administered another beating. Zoom finally got free and sprinted away with Kid Flash close behind but Zoom got away by vibrating through a mazelike series of small buildings and making a turn that Kid Flash didn't see then bolting away at this top speed.
Kid Flash circled the complex of buildings 10 times, vibrating through the interiors to see every single room. But he understood about super speed. A moment's gap was like an hour's head start between any other predator and prey. He ran back to the alley where his JCA clothes were, his thoughts swirling.
No! It's not true. It can't be true. Even if it was, it doesn't matter. I'm Wally West. I'm Kid Flash. I'm a-a hero. I'm not some villain's boy, some villain's son. I'm not some . . Thawne. Christ, it even sounds sick and twisted. Thawne. Ugh. Like a compound fracture or pus from an infection. Thawne. I'm not some psycho's son. I'm a hero. I've never done anything to hurt anyone, ever. Never. It can't be true. No.
He located his clothes in the alley in a nice safe bundle. As he quickly changed into them, a realization struck him. I could've killed him but didn't. I could've . . . how many times did I punch him. Any one of them could've been a hand vibrating through his brain the way that gives all the kinetic energy to whatever I pass through. I must've punched him 80 or 100 times. Why didn't I . . .
He wouldn't say to himself why he hadn't though, in the form of unacknowledged suspicions, he knew. He zipped up his pants and knotted his tie and saw something out of the corner of his eye amid the trash in the alley. He stared at it. Moments passed. He still stared. A little glossy reflection of light from its surface and crimson underneath. It represented so much. A minute passed then another. Still he stared. He new it was a fork in the road and knowing what it meant was taking one fork. Not knowing meant another. In the end, he could not choose ignorance. Finally, Wally reached down and picked up the vial of blood and put it in the inside pocket of his Jump City Academy blazer and started back to the Tower.
