"Check the math." Caitlin insisted. "Your dispersal models don't correlate." The STAR Labs team, minus Barry, walked towards the Cortex.

"Uh, they do if you factor in the seasonal fluctuations in reproduction cycles." Cisco argued.

"What exactly are we debating?" Wells wondered. Cisco smiled sheepishly.

"The average number of bugs Barry swallows in a day of running." Hayley snorted loudly.

"Why?" she asked. Cisco and Caitlin thought for a minute, then shrugged. Wells and Hayley shared a bemused look.

"I look forward to seeing you accept your nobel." Wells said sarcastically. The laughing stopped when the four reached the Cortex. Barry lay unmoving on the floor.

"Barry?" Hayley cried, running over.

"Barry?" Caitlin asked. "Are you okay?" Hayley turned him over and three audible gasps rang out.

〰️〰️〰️

"13 fractures." Caitlin stated, tightening the hand brace thingy Hayley didn't know the name of. "That's a new record, and that's just in your hand. You also have a concussion, three cracked ribs, and a bruised spleen. Even with your powers, you'll need a few hours to heal."

"What exactly did you hit?" Wells voiced everyone's thoughts.

"A man." Hayley snickered. "A big, bad man." Barry continued, frowning at his partner. "His skin changed when I hit him. Like, it turned to metal." Hayley stopped laughing.

"Interesting." Wells mused. "A man of steel."

"Bar, you met the evil version of Superman!" Hayley said excitedly. "So you went after a meta-human, alone?" Cisco frowned. "Dude, why didn't you call us?"

"I didn't know what he was." Barry explained. "Besides, I was off-duty."

"Hmm." Cait hummed her disapproval.

"You're lucky he didn't knock out your teeth. Those puppies don't grow back." Hayley nodded in agreement with Cisco.

"The strange thing is I feel like I knew him." Hayley rose from her chair.

"What do you mean?" she asked slowly.

"He said something that was familiar, but he's gonna hurt someone if we don't stop him." Barry brushed off. "So how do I fight a guy that's made of steel?" Hayley grinned ferally.

"I could train you." she offered. Barry actually felt terrified at the suggestion. He shook his head violently.

"We will find another way." Wells inserted. "Tonight, you heal."

Barry nodded, lying back on the bed.

〰️〰️〰️

The next morning, Barry walked into the precinct feeling like he'd taken on an angry Oliver. The sight of Hayley laughing hysterically at him didn't help much.

"Hey, Joe."

"What happened to you last night?" the detective asked.

"Got beat up by a steel-plated sociopath." Barry and Joe turned to frown at the still snickering CSI.

"Good times." she chuckled.

"So he is a meta-human?" Joe asked.

"Yeah."

"That particle accelerator's the gift that keeps on giving." Joe said. "You okay?"

"Relatively."

"Any idea who he is?" Barry shook his head. "Eddie's taking point while I run down a lead. I need you to work with him until I get back." "Wait, why me?"

"Because he saw something impossible that he's got questions about, questions that I can't answer." Joe pointed out. "And do you really think Hayley is the best option there?" Both stared at the other CSI. She waved.

"In other words, make up some science-y stuff to throw him off?" "Exactly."

Barry scoffed.

〰️〰️〰️

"He stole the Humvee and evaded capture." Singh was saying when Hayley and Barry walked in. "So pleased you could join us, Mr. Allen, Ms. Parker. Rough night?"

"Uh, just a little beat, sir." Barry answered, taking the file.

"As I was saying, our perp yanked three ATMs after he boosted the vehicle. Atm security cameras caught him on video. We got a hit in the database. Tony Woodward." Barry's eyes widened and he flipped through the file. "He's got a history of violence, petty theft, assault, going way back to juvie. Dropped off the radar ten months ago. Looks like he's back." Hayley watched, concerned, as Barry stared down at the picture of Tony.

〰️〰️〰️

"Increased pressure produces increased heat, and if you don't release it, you get combustion." eleven year old Barry explained to Iris.

"I don't know how you remember all this stuff, Barry." Iris said doubtfully. A locker slammed. "Because he's a little freak, just like his old man." Tony Woodward insulted.

"Don't talk about my dad." Barry tried to act tough and intimidating.

"Or what?" Tony asked mockingly. "Is he gonna murder me, too?" He shoved Barry into the lockers. "Looks like you were born to take a beating, Allen."

〰️〰️〰️

"Allen?" Eddie.

"Barry?" Hayley.

"Hey Allen!"

"Sorry Eddie." Barry replied. Eddie patted his shoulder.

"It's fine." The trio started out of Singh's office. "Listen, guys. I saw something last night I just can't get my head around."

"Shoot," Hayley invited.

"I fired a dozen rounds at our car thief last night, and it was like they sparked off him." Barry shrugged.

"He must have been wearing some kind of body armor." he tried miserably to explain. Hayley covered her eyes at his pitiful attempt.

"On his face?" Eddie doubted. Barry was saved from explaining by the arrival of Iris. Distracting him from their conversation, Hayley leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"We need to work on your lying capabilities." Barry tried in vain to hide his shiver at her closeness. He was doomed.

〰️〰️〰️

"Your childhood nemesis is now an unstoppable meta-human." Cisco said. "That is seriously messed up." "I had a childhood nemesis. Lexi La Roche." Caitlin said, making a face. "She used to put gum in my hair."

"Jake Puckett." Cisco added. "If I didn't let him copy my homework he'd give me a swirly." They both looked to Hayley.

"My childhood nemesis was the teachers at my school." She shrugged at their astonished looks.

"Now that we've established that we're all uber-nerds," Barry rolled his eyes. "What are we gonna do about Tony?"

"Glad you asked." Cisco said gleefully. "We're gonna train you, man. Karate Kid style." They'd reached the training room. "Behold! I call him Girder." A huge metal robot stood in the middle of the room.

"For the record, not my idea." Caitlin reassured.

"Fighting is physics." Cisco continued. "It's not about strength. It's not about size. It's about energy and power. Channel your speed the right way and you can totally take this bad boy down." Barry nodded along. "Now obviously your Girder is a moving target. So..." And then Cisco made the thing move.

"It's a death machine!" Hayley gaped. "Barry's going to die."

"I have ice and bandages standing by." Caitlin reassured the fretting assassin.

Less than five minutes later, Barry lay on the floor groaning.

"I'm pretty sure I just dislocated my shoulder." Hayley clicked her tongue.

"I did offer to train you."

"I'd like to keep my ability to walk, thank you." He groaned as his partner not-so-gently helped him into a chair.

"Okay, not gonna lie." Caitlin admitted. "This is gonna be quick but extremely painful." Barry's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID.

"Oh, speaking of pain." he complained. "Eddie, hey."

"Allen, we found the stolen Humvee in the alley at Fremont and Lawrence. Need you down here to do your thing."

"Great. I'll see you in a sec."

"Okay." Barry hung up, and looked up at Caitlin.

"Okay. Let's do this."

"So Barry, when you said you were off-duty last night, you weren't visiting Iris again." Caitlin started nonchalantly. "You know, in disguise?"

"Cause that would be reckless and a little creepy." Hayley finished.

"No." He squirmed under Caitlin's scrutiny

"Good." With no warning, she popped his shoulder back in place.

Barry screamed.

〰️〰️〰️

Fifteen minutes later, Barry was walking up to Eddie.

"Allen, you really need a car." Eddie told the CSI.

"I usually manage on foot okay." Barry replied. "What do we got?"

"The rig Tony Woodward boosted last night. No sign of the stolen ATM's. Probably got those where he's holed up, though he's gonna have one hell of a time breaking 'em open." Eddie rattled off.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Barry mumbled. Eddie changed the topic.

"So, about you and Iris..." Barry sighed.

"Look, Eddie, we had a fight, and I just don't really feel comfortable talking about it with you."

"I get that, and I get that you two go way back. To be honest, I was a little threatened by you at first."

"You were threatened by me?" Barry asked incredulously. "Sure. I mean, I've seen how close you two are, but you seem like a good guy, and Iris, I just want her to be happy." Eddie explained. "From my experience, good friends are hard to find."

Eddie got called away and Barry was left to wonder what Eddie had meant by that.

"So what do you think?" Eddie asked a few minutes later. Barry looked up. "Judging by the mud and kegs I'd say he got hammered, stole a big-ass truck, and went joyriding." Eddie nodded.

"I bet the kegs are stolen, too." he added.

"Rusty Iron Ale, it's a micro brewed right over in..." Barry started.

"Keystone," Eddie cut him off. "I know the place. Let's check it out."

"Yeah." Barry agreed, packing up his stuff.

〰️〰️〰️

While Barry was gone, Hayley was in their lab. Barry seemed to be rubbing off on her. She was nearly a week behind on paperwork and Singh was ready for her head. She focused

on yet another meta case. Bette's.

She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face.

"Hard case?"

She looked up at Joe. "Yeah. It's Bette's."

Joe nodded in understanding. "Why don't you head home?" He offered. "We all know how hard this week has been for everyone."

Hayley shook her head ruefully. "I can't. Barry and I both are way backed up. I wouldn't feel right leaving it for him to do."

Joe sighed. "If you insist on working..."

"I do."

He raised his hands in defeat. "I tried."

Hayley smiled slightly, turning back to the report in front of her, wondering how Barry was doing.