Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.
Barry, with Cisco's assistance, had helped stop an arson in an apartment complex before Caitlin called out but suddenly he felt dizzy and tired for a moment before he returned to S.T.A.R. Labs.
"Have you both lost your minds? Who do you think you are?" Caitlin demanded angrily.
"Well, I'm the eyes and ears, and he's the feet." Cisco said.
"This isn't funny. You could have gotten yourself killed. You can't be running around the city like some supersonic fireman." Caitlin snapped.
"Why not? This is what we talked about. Me using my speed to do good." Barry protested.
"We talked about you helping us contain other people, who might have been affected by the particle accelerator explosion. Metahumans. And asides from Clyde Mardon, we haven't found any." Caitlin shot back.
"People in the city still need help." Barry said and Caitlin sighed in frustration. "And I can help them."
"We can help them." Cisco corrected.
"Will you please say something?" Caitlin turned to Wells.
"I think what Caitlin is saying, in her own spectacularly angry way, is we're just beginning to understand what your body is capable of." Wells said. "Not to sound like a broken record, Mr. Allen, I do caution restraint."
"Dr. Wells, I doubt restraint is how you got to be the man you are today." Barry said.
"In a wheelchair and a pariah. Lack of restraint is what made me these things." Wells pointed out, seeming bitter at becoming a cripple. Know your limits."
Caitlin faced Barry, glaring as Wells drove off. "Don't expect me to patch you up every time you break something." Caitlin glared.
"Hey, uh, anything happened out there today?" Cisco asked, dragging Barry aside. "The sensors in the suit were kicking back weird telemetry. Your vitals spiked for a few seconds."
"Never felt better." Barry said.
Cisco nodded before handing Barry's his phone as it went off and he answered the call.
"Hey, Joe, everything all right?" Barry said.
"Great. I got a fresh crime scene, a dead body, detectives interviewing witnesses. Yellow tape stretched over everything. I'm missing one thing. Can you guess what that is?" Joe deadpanned.
"I'll be right there." Barry hung up. "My day job beckons."
He sped off as Wells, Caitlin and Cisco stared.
"When do you think he'll realize he didn't take his clothes?" Wells said.
Later, Central City
After "borrowing" some clothes from a nearby shop, Barry entered the crime scene, nearing Patty, Joe and Singh.
"Hey, sorry I'm late." Barry said.
"Doing a little Fall shopping, Mr. Allen?" Singh pointed out, as he, Joe and Patty noticed the price tag on Barry's jacket.
"Oh, heh, I was going so fast this morning, I didn't even notice." Barry said awkwardly as Patty did "hmpf."
Eddie showed Joe, Singh and Patty the footage on the tablet. "I downloaded surveillance footage off the video camera. Looks like only one perp."
"Footage may only show one, but it was six guys." Barry said as he was examining the footprints as the detectives and captain stared at him. "Look, the tracks. They're all crossing each other. Six sets of footprints. Six guns stolen. We should be looking for a crew." He then took a closer look, frowning. "Huh. Weird. The shoes. Looks like they're all the same size. Men's 10s, I'd guess. Just like you, captain." Barry turned to Singh. "Not that you're a suspect, sir."
The detectives shook their heads in annoyance.
Later, CCPD
"You may be the fastest man alive but you're still a dummy." Patty said as they were processing the evidence.
"I'm dealing with a lot right now, Patty." Barry said and she sighed.
"I know. It's just that… promise me you'll be careful. You almost died trying to stop Mardon." Patty said before Barry's phone rang and he answered the call.
"Hey, Iris. A suit?" Barry then sighed. "Crap, I forgot. Simon Stagg and your article, it's all coming back to me now. Yeah, I'll find a suit quickly." He hung up as he turned to Patty. "Patty, I'm sorry I'm putting this on your plate again but—"
Patty sighed. "Yeah. Fine."
Later, Stagg Industries
Barry and Iris watched Stagg receiving the prize and saying his speech as they applauded before Barry and Iris walked down the hall.
"OK, alright, first things first. Simon Stagg's work in cellular cloning has led to huge advancements in organ replacement." Barry said as Iris picked two glasses of champagne.
"Are journalists allowed to drink on the job?" Iris asked before Barry put down the glasses.
"OK, if you are bored, wait until we get to the science behind cellular regeneration." Barry said.
"I have missed this, Barry. We haven't spent time together since you woke up from the coma." Iris said.
"Yeah, I've had a crazy few weeks. I know." Barry said.
"How are things between you and Patty at work?" Iris asked.
"What do you mean? We're good." Barry said.
"Is that it? You're good?" Iris raised her brows and Barry flushed. "Come on, I've seen how you two keeping looking at each other but neither of you would make a move."
"I… have no idea what you're talking about." Barry denied.
"Barry, she likes you. A lot. Not as a friend. I can tell. She visited you quite often when you were out, maybe even more than me or that other blonde woman. What was her name? Fe…"
"Felicity." Barry said and Iris remembered.
"Yeah, her." Iris nodded before noticing Stagg. "Oh. Oh. Mr. Stagg, I was wondering if I could get a quote from you." She called out to Stagg.
"Not now, miss." Stagg said as he left.
"I'll just make something up." Iris said before turning to Barry. "So, what were you gonna tell me? You were about to say something."
Barry was about to open his mouth, when gunshots rang out and people panicked as masked men entered with guns.
"Quiet down, all of you! Quiet!" The man yelled as Iris held Barry's arm, terrified as the thief eyed them. "How considerate. You're all wearing your finest jewelry. Almost like you knew we were coming to rob you. Now everybody line up."
The people got in line, handing the thieves their valuables into bags. Barry was about to intervene as Iris held him.
"Don't." Iris said.
"Freeze!" A guard yelled, nearing the thieves, aiming a gun at them. "Drop your weapons."
The thieves fired as Barry in superspeed tackled the guard out of the way and into the hallway. Barry ran into an alley was about to chase the van into which the thieves entered but suddenly, in an alley, he fell down, feeling exhausted as he passed out.
"Barry. Barry. Barry." Iris shook him as Barry came to in the alley "I turned around and you were gone. What happened? Are you OK?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I went after them to try to get the plates. I fainted." Barry said.
Joe, Patty and Eddie were interviewing the witnesses as Joe and Patty eyed Barry.
"Where were you?" Joe asked.
"Dad, go easy." Iris said.
"Fainted? Are you OK, Barry?" Patty asked, concerned.
"You want me to get you a paramedic, Allen?" Eddie offered.
"No, I'm fine. Thanks, Eddie." Barry said.
"I thought I was dead. I saw the gun go off and then boom. Suddenly, I'm outside. I have no idea how I got there." The guard said.
"Let me talk to you for a second." Joe said as Patty and Barry followed him.
"Yeah." Barry said.
"You chased those gunmen?" Joe asked.
"Was it the same people who broke into the gun shop earlier today?" Patty deduced and Barry nodded.
"What were you going to do, when you caught them, huh?" Joe questioned. "Ask them nicely to pull over? You're not bulletproof. Wait, are you?"
"No." Barry said.
"OK. No more heroics." Joe said. "Chasing bad guys is not your job. It's ours. You're not a cop. Promise me."
"Joe, come on. You saw what happened last week with Mardon. What if there are more people like him, out there and we can't stop them?" Patty protested.
"Patty, don't." Barry turned to her before turning to Joe. "Promise."
"And you know Iris is not stupid. Start making better excuses than 'I fainted.'" Joe cautioned.
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
Barry was in the Cortex as Cisco and Caitlin were checking in on him.
"You lied to us." Caitlin said. "How could you not tell us you're experiencing dizzy spells? We're your doctors. God knows what's going on inside your body. Your cells are in a constant state of flux. You could be experiencing cardiopulmonary failure, or a transient ischemic attack."
Barry looked confused as he turned to Wells.
"Mini-stroke. Probably not." Wells explained.
"You, of all people, should know that in science, we share. We do not keep secrets." Caitlin said firmly as she waltzed off.
"Wow, I haven't seen anyone make her that angry since Ronnie." Cisco noted as he left.
"Ronnie was Caitlin's fiancé?" Barry asked as he turned to Wells. "The one that died the night of the accelerator explosion?"
"Yeah, he is missed." Wells nodded. "Now, let's figure out why this is happening to you."
Cisco prepared a pile of boxes. "We're all set. A little padding. Just in case."
"Yeah." Barry nodded before getting on the treadmill. "You sure about this, Cisco?"
"Most home treadmills have a maximum speed of about 12 miles per hour. This one has been Cisco-ed. Trust me, it can handle your speed." Cisco said.
"OK." Barry said as he started running on the treadmill, while Wells, Caitlin and Cisco were monitoring his vitals.
"Heart rate, blood pressure, nerve conduction all normal." Caitlin said.
"For Barry." Wells noted.
"Brainwave function within standard limits." Caitlin said.
"Told you the treadmill could take it." Cisco chuckled.
"Caitlin, look at the glucose levels." Wells said as he and Caitlin looked closely.
"Oh, my God. Of course." Caitlin sighed.
"Right?"
"It was so obvious."
"Glucose. Barry, we think we know why you keep..." Suddenly, Barry fainted as he crashed into the boxes. "…passing out." Wells finished awkwardly.
CCPD
"Patty, have you seen Barry?" Joe asked as he neared her at her desk.
"He's not here?" Patty asked before it hit them both.
S.T.A.R. Labs
Barry came to on a stretcher as he noticed that he had been attached to an IV. "I passed out again?"
"Total metabolic failure brought on by acute hypoglycemia." Caitlin explained as she and Cisco helped Barry get up.
"I'm not eating enough." Barry realized. "So an IV bag and I'm good to go."
"Try forty." Wells said, while drinking as Barry noticed the pile of IV bags on the stand. "Guess you were thirsty."
"We're gonna need to fashion you a diet based on your metabolic changes." Caitlin said.
"I've done a few calculations. You need to consume an amount equal to roughly 850 tacos. Unless we're talking cheese and guac, which is like a whole other set of equations." Cisco said.
"For Mexican, I recommend Tito's on Bruckner Avenue." Joe said as he entered with Patty. "Best burrito in the city."
"Detective West, Detective Spivot, what brings you to S.T.A.R. Labs?" Wells asked.
"When I couldn't find you at your lab, I started doing a little research." Joe said.
"And I kind of… had to tell him. Sorry." Patty said nervously.
"Turns out, there's been reports of a red streak around the city. Stopping muggers. Rescuing people from burning buildings." Joe said, glaring.
"You... didn't tell him we were working together?" Wells asked, turning to Barry.
"Joe, I can explain." Barry said.
"You already have a job in law enforcement, Barry. I suggest you get back to it." Joe said.
"Uh-huh." Caitlin nodded as he turned to her. "Don't look at me. I'm on your side."
"Detective, we all want what's best for Barry." Wells said.
"If you wanted what was best for Barry, you'd talk him out of this, instead of encouraging him going out there risking his life." Joe snapped.
"Joe, how are we supposed to stop a guy controlling weather?" Patty pointed out. "Look, I may not like this anymore than you do but Barry seems to be the only person capable of stopping people like Clyde Mardon."
"Since the accelerator explosion, we suspect there may more like him." Barry supplied.
"And you're gonna do what? Catch them? Are you insane?" Joe demanded, crossing his arms. "You think because you can run real fast that you're invincible? You're not. You're just a kid. My kid."
"I'm not your kid, Joe." Barry shot back as he got up. "And you're not my father. My father is sitting in Iron Heights. Wrongfully convicted. You were wrong about him. And you're wrong about this. Now, I may not be able to help him but if I can save someone from a burning building or stop some armed thieves, I'm gonna do it. And you can't stop me. So don't try."
"You think you're so smart. All of you." Joe said, eying them all. "But you don't know what you don't know. And I hope that you're clever enough to figure it out before somebody gets killed."
The next day, CCPD
"Barry." Patty called out as she entered with Joe into Barry's lab.
"Come to yell at me again?" Barry sighed in frustration.
"Simon Stagg's head of security was murdered last night. The coroner took some skin samples. Hopefully they belong to the killer. See if you can find a match." Joe ordered, handing Barry a sample. "Can't be a coincidence Stagg's benefit was attacked. Going to interview Stagg now."
"I'll come with you." Barry said.
"Your job is in here. Stay in here and do it." Joe said, leaving as Iris entered.
"I'll help." Patty said.
"Hi, Dad. Hi, Patty." Iris said.
"Hey." Patty said.
"Hey, baby." Joe said. "Gotta go."
"Why is my dad mad at you?" Iris demanded.
"Things got a bit more complicated than we had thought." Patty explained.
"Why are you mad at me?" Barry asked.
"You were supposed to meet me at Jitters to give me scientific background for my article." Iris reminded.
"And I didn't show up." Barry groaned, remembering.
"It's not his fault, we got a lot on our plate last night." Patty said.
"What exactly?" Iris asked.
"Well…" Barry sighed, trying to come up with an excuse before the computer bleeped and they looked at the results. "That's impossible. There was a murder."
"These skin cells belong to the murderer, but these are naive." Patty explained "Stem cells. Basically, they can copy and become any cell the body needs. They only come from babies."
"This means your killer is what, a newborn?" Iris wondered.
Stagg Industries
Joe and Eddie were interviewing Simon Stagg as they realized that the most likely suspect was Danton Black, a former employee, who sued Stagg until a group of thieves who had entered the gala last night, started to shoot at Stagg as they took cover.
CCPD
"Captain, what's going on?" Barry asked as Singh and the detectives were gearing up.
"Not now, Barry. An armed gunman's shooting up Stagg Industries." Singh said.
"Joe's there." Patty realized before turning to Barry, who nodded as he approached his locker and picked his suit.
Stagg Industries
Eddie helped Stagg run as the thief put down his mask, revealing the face of Danton Black and Joe stared as he saw Black replicate himself. Joe took cover as the Blacks fired at him before Barry sped in and disarmed them.
"Go." Barry ordered.
"No." Joe protested but Barry sped him out before facing Black's duplicates.
"Whoever you are, give yourself up."
"Sorry. We're not going anywhere."
"Until Simon Stagg is dead." The duplicates said in unison.
Barry engaged the duplicates but there were too many of them to take on as they started beating him up. They aimed their guns at Barry, who sped out, again feeling exhausted.
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
"Sorry. The abrasions are already rapidly healing." Caitlin said, tending to Barry's wounds.
"Yeah, I got my ass handed to me." Barry said.
"You got blood on my suit." Cisco noted, examining his suit.
"I think some of it belongs to him. Another not-so-friendly metahuman." Barry said as Wells analyzed the DNA and pulled out a profile.
"Danton Black." Wells said. "A bio-geneticist. Specialized in therapeutic cloning. Growing new organs to replace failing ones."
"Apparently, Stagg stole his research and then fired him." Caitlin said.
"I saw Black create duplicates from his own body." Barry said.
"That's pretty ironic. The guy specialized in cloning." Cisco noted. "And now he can make Xeroxes of himself."
"If he was experimenting on himself, when exposed to the dark matter wave released by the accelerator explosion..." Wells said.
"Meet Captain Clone." Cisco joked as they all stared at him and he felt awkward. "Don't worry. I'll come up with something cooler.
"Where are you going?" Caitlin asked as Barry was about to leave.
"Joe was right. I'm in way over my head. Yeah, I'm fast, but I am no warrior. I could barely fight one metahuman, let alone six." Barry said.
"Barry, I understand. Today was a setback. But any grand enterprise has them. And we can never learn to fly without crashing a few times."
"This wasn't a grand enterprise, Dr. Wells. This was a mistake." Barry said as he left.
CC Jitters
"Detective, was the gunman apprehended?" The reporter asked Eddie on TV.
"The shooter's whereabouts are unknown at this time. We consider him armed and extremely dangerous. Thank you. No more questions." Eddie said on TV as Iris turned it off.
"Nice work, Eddie." Barry said.
"Yeah. Right place. Right time." Eddie said.
"No, you were a hero today." Barry said.
"CCPD still has a killer on the loose. I should get back to the precinct." Eddie said before kissing Iris as he left.
"So did you come here for caffeine or are you gonna tell me what's going on with you?" Iris asked.
CCPD
"Barry quit? Why?" Patty asked as she and Joe were talking with Wells.
"I'm sure it's only temporary." Wells said. "From what I know of Barry, when he sets his mind to something, no one's gonna talk him out of it, but the next time he suits up, runs headlong into danger, he will fail. Why? He doesn't think he's capable. Doubt is his real enemy, Joe. Not whatever's lurking out there. And as long as you continue to doubt him, he'll keep doubting himself."
"He's right, Joe." Patty said. "I may not approve of it but Barry's the only one, who can stop people like Clyde Mardon or Danton Black."
Wells was about to leave before facing Joe again. "And for the record, I care about him too."
CC Jitters
Barry and Iris were talking about the red streak saving people before his phone rang, noticing that Caitlin was calling.
"Look, I told you. I'm through." Barry said.
"I know, but you need to get to S.T.A.R. Labs right now." Caitlin ordered.
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
Barry sped in as he saw Black and glared, about to attack him.
"Barry, it's OK." Caitlin said.
"It is not OK." Barry snapped. "Black is here and he's... just standing there." He then realized something. "That's not him, is it?"
"It's one of his replicates." Wells said.
"How did you get it?" Barry inquired.
"I grew him." Caitlin explained as she showed him the simulation on the computer. "I isolated a sample of Black's blood from your suit to see if I could trigger the in vitro cultivation process and learn how Black multiplies. So I exposed the target cells to a protein gel and they began replicating into that."
Barry waved in front of Black's duplicate, who just stared and stood there frozen like a statue.
"Why doesn't he... It doing anything?"
"We did a brain scan. Involuntary motor functions are active. Little else." Wells explained.
"We think it's acting as a receiver." Cisco said.
"The clones are an empty shell without Black." Caitlin supplied. "Shut down the real Black and you might shut them all down."
"How do we know which one's the real Danton Black?" Barry pointed out.
"That occurred to me given your passing out." Caitlin explained. "Black has limits, just like you. Controlling all of those clones must require a tremendous amount of physical strength. So, look for the one showing signs of weakness or fatigue. He's the prime."
"Just a theory, but one you might want to put to the test, Mr. Allen." Wells said.
"Plus, I whipped up these high calorie protein bars for you to keep your metabolism up." Cisco handed Barry some kind of a candy bar.
Suddenly, the clone moved as Caitlin screamed before Joe entered and shot the clone as Patty followed him.
"Any more of them?" Joe asked.
"Nope." Caitlin said.
"Why did it start moving?" Barry demanded.
"The prime. The prime is on the move. This heard the summons." Wells deduced.
"And we might know where are they going. Stagg Industries." Patty said.
"You should call it in." Barry said.
"Police can't fight this. What Black's become, like Mardon... beyond us. Maybe way beyond them too. The only person it's not beyond is you. You gotta do this. I get it. So for once in your life, do what I tell you to do. Go stop him." Joe ordered as Barry nodded as he put on his suit.
Stagg Industries
Black and his clones took out the guards and entered Stagg's office, about to shoot him before Barry sped him to safety.
"Stay here." Barry ordered before returning to face Black's clones. "I know Stagg stole your research, but that doesn't give you the right to murder."
One of the clones fired as Barry dodged the bullet before knocking down the clones.
"You think this is about my job?" Black said before Barry pinned him to the wall. "This is about Elizabeth. She was my wife."
Barry dodged another bullet as another clone fired.
"She had a degenerative coronary disease. She'd been on the transplant list for years, but time was running out. So if I couldn't get her a new heart..."
"…you were gonna grow her one." Barry realized before dodging again as another clone shot at him.
"I was so close until Stagg stole my research so he could reap the glory. And I got to bury my best friend. Now... I'm alone." Black said as Barry knocked down another clone before Black multiplied himself, restraining Barry and beating him up before Barry shook them off.
"Remember, Barry. Find the prime." Caitlin said.
"There's too many of them to fight." Barry protested.
"Barry, you need to isolate the prime." Wells ordered.
"I can't." Barry said. "It's impossible."
"Nothing's impossible, Barry. You taught me that. You can do this." Joe assured him.
"Barry. We believe in you. You just need to believe in yourself. I know who you are. The man, who doesn't give up, even when he has countless of reasons to. So don't give up, Barry, come on!" Patty called out.
Barry faced the army of clones as he sped through them, knocking them down as he saw one of them sweating and then slammed him to a pillar, knocking him out as the clones passed out.
"Barry. Barry, are you alright?" Joe called out.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. It's done." Barry said, much to their relief.
The original Black came to and rushed at Barry but Barry dodged as Black fell through the window before Barry caught him by his hand.
"Hang on." Barry said.
"No." Black said as he duplicated his hand.
"Don't." Barry said but Black let go as he fell to his demise and Barry stared.
The next day, S.T.A.R. Labs
"I tried to save him." Barry said as they were watching the news report about Black's death.
"Doesn't sound like he wanted to be saved." Wells said. "Some people, when they break, they can't be put together again."
"Some people heal even stronger." Barry said.
"I hope so." Wells noted as Cisco and Caitlin looked solemn.
"Well, at least Multiplex won't be able to hurt anyone else." Cisco noted as they stared at him. "Told you I'd come up with a cool name."
"I may be the one in the suit doing all the running but when I'm out there helping people, making a difference… you're all out there with me. Finally realized something. We were all struck by that lightning." Barry said as he left, while they chuckled.
Later, CCPD
Joe entered with three boxes of pizza as Barry and Patty looked at the evidence Barry had collected regarding his mother's death.
"We're gonna find the man who killed your mother. I promise." Patty said.
"We are." Joe said. "We're gonna figure out who or what killed your mother that night. And then we're gonna get your father out of prison. Together."
They sat down and ate as they laughed.
"No matter what happens, from now on, we're with you in this together." Patty promised as she held Barry's hand. The atmosphere started to feel different between them and they were tempted to make a move at each other before Joe opened the box of pizza.
"Hey, I can't eat three pizzas on my own." Joe said as Barry and Patty chuckled before they started to eat.
Later, Stagg Industries
Stagg was in his office before noticing Wells entering his office.
"Wells. Who the hell let you in here?" Stagg demanded.
"You been having a party out there?" Wells asked.
"Oh, I'm sure you saw on TV. Former employee of mine tried to kill me." Stagg said.
"Former employee with the ability to replicate... faced off against a man who could move at superspeed." Wells said.
"You've seen him too, haven't you?" Stagg asked, smirking.
"Indeed, I have." Wells nodded.
"Extraordinary." Stagg said as he got up. "The power he possesses. It's like the... it's like the gods of old. Like Mercury on Earth. Can you imagine if you could control his power, if you could harness it... you could change what it means to be human. The man in the red mask is the key. And I'm gonna get him."
"The man in the red mask… he's called the Flash." Wells said as he got up, much to Stagg's shock. "Or at least... he will be, one day."
"What the hell?" Stagg demanded.
Wells pulled out a knife and stabbed Stagg in the heart.
"Forgive me, Simon. I'm worried you'll think this is personal. It's not. It's just that the man in the red mask, the fastest man alive, he must be kept... safe." Wells said coldly, pulling the knife out as Stagg fell down, dead.
So, what do you guys think?
Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.