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.
"Where's Barry?" Eddie asked as they were in the Wests' house.
"He should be here any second. I sent him out for..."
"…pizza." Barry finished for Joe as he entered with boxes of pizza.
"What?" Cisco laughed as Patty chuckled and Caitlin stared.
"From Coast City?" Eddie asked.
"Supposedly the best in the west." Barry said, putting down his jacket.
"Why did I not think of this before? Come to papa." Cisco quipped.
"Caitlin?" Joe turned to her, as she was sitting at the stairs.
"I'm not hungry." Caitlin declined but it was obvious she was still processing the fact that Wells might be the Reverse-Flash.
"OK. Six months of investigating Harrison Wells has led us nowhere. So we're going back to the beginning to see what we can find out." Joe said.
"What does that mean?" Eddie asked.
"Road trip, baby." Cisco smirked, as he and Joe tapped their bottles of beer.
"Joe and Cisco are gonna go to Starling City." Barry explained.
"Starling City? What for?" Caitlin asked.
"To investigate the car accident that Dr. Wells was in with Tess Morgan 15 years ago." Joe said.
"I don't understand. Why?" Caitlin asked.
"Because Dr. McGee said that after the accident, Wells became a complete stranger." Patty explained.
"Just a different person entirely." Barry added.
"Because the love of his life died?" Caitlin argued. "You two, of all people, can understand how grief can change a person."
"Caitlin, we believe that Dr. Wells is the Reverse-Flash and killed Barry's mother. And he may have done the same thing to Tess Morgan." Joe pointed out.
"We need to find out everything there is to find out about what happened that night. It might tell us what we need to know." Patty said.
"Oh, um, can you cover for me? With Dr. Wells?" Cisco asked.
"You mean lie?" Caitlin stared.
"Yeah…" Cisco said awkwardly.
Caitlin sighed and shook her head. "I need some air."
She walked to the door as Barry and Eddie got up. "Caitlin."
Caitlin closed the door as they seemed disappointed. "Doesn't look like Caitlin's with us." Joe noted.
"No. She's with us. I'll talk to her." Barry assured.
"What are we gonna do here in the meantime?" Patty asked.
"Business as usual while we're gone." Joe said as they nodded.
"Copy that." Eddie nodded.
"Come on." Barry turned to Joe. "I wanna wish you good luck, but I'm also scared of what you might find."
"Scared is a good thing. Scared keeps us alive." Joe said.
Later, CCPD
Eddie was interrogating a woman, who had been working at Gold City Bank and seemed to steal from the vault according to the footage, but the woman denied ever stealing it, claiming she had been at home the whole time.
"No priors. No arrests. Not even a speeding ticket." Eddie said as he walked down with Barry and Patty. "Everyone who knows this woman, co-workers, neighbors, say she's the kindest, nicest, most honest woman they've ever met."
Barry sighed. "So unless she woke up this morning and out of nowhere, decided to become a criminal…"
"…we could be dealing with a metahuman." Patty nodded.
"Yeah." Barry sighed, nodding.
"One that can control people's minds. Coerce them into becoming thieves. Is that possible?" Eddie wondered.
Barry and Patty raised their brows. "Is that a real question?"
The elevator dinged as Iris went out. "Hey, guys."
"Hi, Iris." Patty smiled.
"Hey." Barry greeted.
Iris turned to Eddie. "Have you, um, seen my dad? Captain Singh says he took a couple days off, and he hasn't been home."
They all tried to keep a straight face. "I didn't ask. Apparently, he's taking a couple of personal days. Like father, like daughter, I guess." Eddie said as she shot him a look. "I'm sorry." He smiled. "When are you coming home?"
Iris sneered. "When it starts to feel like a home again." She left as Eddie looked heartbroken.
"Sorry, Eddie." Patty held him by his shoulder.
"You better pray Joe and Cisco find something on Wells at that accident site, guys because I am just about done lying to Iris. About all of this." Eddie grumbled.
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
"Good morning." Barry smiled as he entered the Cortex with Patty.
"Hey." Caitlin said, obviously still annoyed about what had happened the previous night.
"Look, about last night—" Patty started.
"There's nothing to talk about." Caitlin snapped as she got up.
"There is, actually... Caitlin, look. I know after everything Dr. Wells has done for all of us, it's hard to wrap your head around this, but we need you to see the truth." Barry pleaded.
"The truth? The truth is that he saved your life multiple times." Caitlin said.
"Look, we know, but if we're right about this—"
"If. And before I can believe any of this, I'm gonna need to see some proof." Caitlin interrupted Patty.
"Proof? Proof of what?" Wells asked as they turned around and they tried to keep a straight face.
"It's possible we're dealing with another metahuman." Patty lied quickly.
"Ah." Wells nodded. "We are always happy to help, as you know." He then frowned. "Have you heard from Cisco? He hasn't arrived yet."
"Uh, he has to help Dante, his brother. He might need a few days off." Caitlin lied.
Wells nodded as he left before Barry got a call. "Eddie."
Central City
"Hey. I got a call about a guy selling jewelry stolen from the bank last night. Could be the teller's partner." Eddie said before he saw someone go out, acting nervously. "I think he's made me. I could use the Flash's help."
"Be right there." Barry said as he sped off.
Eddie chased the thief as they struggled for a moment but the thief managed to overpower him before the Flash caught up with him. "You can't outrun me."
"I won't have to." The thief taunted before touching a woman in punk outfit and blending in with the crowd, with the Flash unable to find him.
"Well, that was new." Barry mused.
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
"A shapeshifter?" Caitlin asked scowling.
"Yeah." Barry nodded. "I literally saw a grown man, like morph into a teenage girl."
"That's fascinating." Wells mused. "Today's physicists have always regarded programmable matter as nothing more than a theory but I guess your shapeshifter proves it can be done."
"You're telling us that he… she…whoever that was can turn into anyone they touch?" Patty asked.
"Yes, it appears so." Wells said as he turned to Barry. "That includes you Mr. Allen."
"Dr. Wells is right. If you're touched while you're the Flash and he transforms into you, we run the risk of him exposing that Barry Allen is the man behind the mask." Caitlin said.
"Because at this moment we don't know if the shapeshifter is capable of absorbing more than just physical characteristics." Wells said.
"Like he might be able to copy my speed." Barry realized.
"That would be bad." Wells said.
"Got it. Hands off the metahuman." Barry said.
"Hands off the metahuman." Wells nodded.
"How are we supposed to find someone, who can transform into anyone?" Patty questioned.
"Well, I guess like any problem, just go back to the beginning." Wells said. "In this case, finding the first person the shapeshifter morphed into when they discovered their powers."
"Yeah, can you pull up the CCPD records of cases where the perpetrator plead innocent even though they were on camera committing the crime?" Barry suggested.
"You're good, Barry Allen. You're very good." Wells said, typing away before pulling up the results.
"I've heard there might be such cases but… wow." Patty stared.
"Look at this. Multiple crimes of this manner. All dating back to a month after the particle-accelerator explosion." Wells said.
"And the first one was?" Barry inquired.
"Jacob Fisher, a teller at the federal credit union. Claims he was innocent and was framed by his best friend, a Hannibal Bates." Wells said.
"Barry and I'll head back to the precinct. See, if we can with Eddie track this Bates somehow." Patty said, putting on her coat.
"Good." Wells nodded.
"Thank you, Dr. Wells." Barry said.
"Always here to help." Wells assured as Caitlin eyed them both in suspicion.
Central City
Later at night, Caitlin decided to visit Wells at his house, trying to get some answers as she rang the doorbell before Barry sped her away as they ended up on the road.
"Wha… Are you spying on me now?" Caitlin demanded.
"Caitlin, what were you doing at Wells's house?" Barry demanded.
"I was gonna talk to him and get some answers of my own." Caitlin said.
"You can't. You cannot talk to him." Barry said, visibly frightened.
"Oh, so I'm just supposed to stand by and watch all of you ruin this man's life? Ruin my life?" Caitlin shot back.
Barry breathed out, looking confused. "What are you talking about, "your life"?"
"Those nine months that you were in a coma were the worst of my life. I lost my reputation, my fiancé and through all of that, Harrison Wells stood by my side." Caitlin said, hurt as Barry sighed. "He told me everything was gonna be OK. If Dr. Wells is who you say he is, everything I've done since the minute I stepped foot in S.T.A.R. Labs has been a lie."
"Caitlin." Barry gave her an imploring look. "If I am right about all of this and you tell him what's been going on, I'll never be able to get my dad out of prison."
Caitlin shook her head. "Barry—"
"Look, if not for me, just do it for him." Barry begged.
Caitlin scoffed, glaring. "I can't believe you're pulling the "dad" card." Barry sighed in frustration. "It's dirty pool, Barry."
"Just until Joe and Cisco get back. Please." Barry insisted.
Caitlin sighed, giving in as Barry nodded.
Later at night, Eddie drove Barry and Patty to Bates's grandmother.
"Turns out Hannibal Bates hasn't been seen in well over a year. The only remaining relative is his grandmother." Eddie said. "She took out a missing-persons report a couple of days after the Jacob Fisher arrest. I figured we could ask her a few questions." Eddie said.
"Like why anyone in their family thought that naming a kid "Hannibal" wouldn't mean he'd grow up to be a criminal." Barry quipped.
"Let's hope he's not secretly a cannibal too. That would be just over the top." Patty said.
"Have you heard from your grandson Hannibal recently, Mrs. Bates?" Barry asked Mrs. Bates as they entered her house.
"Recently? No. Why do you ask?" Mrs. Bates said before offering them to sit on the couch. "Oh, please."
"Um... because you filed a missing-persons report over a year ago." Eddie said.
"Oh, yes. I certainly did. You'll have to forgive me, detective." Mrs. Bates nodded as she sat down. "My memory is not quite as it used to be."
"Of course." Eddie nodded.
"And neither apparently are my manners. May I get you something? Coffee? Tea?" Mrs. Bates offered as she got up.
"No, thank you." Patty declined.
"Oh, please. It'll only take a minute." Mrs. Bates insisted. "It's nice to have visitors."
"Coffee would be nice." Eddie said as she nodded, leaving. "Thanks."
Barry and Patty examined the family photos. "Mrs. Bates, you won't mind showing us a recent photograph of Hannibal, if you have one?" Patty called out.
"Mrs. Bates?" Barry called out as they looked around.
"She's gone." Eddie said.
"I'll take the front." Barry said, realizing it was Bates as he picked up his phone and ran out. "Hey, we located Bates. He was impersonating his grandma."
"Barry, do not let him touch you." Wells warned.
"Or let him see you use your superspeed." Caitlin added.
"How am I supposed to catch him?" Barry demanded.
"The old-fashioned way. Run like a normal person." Wells said.
"OK, all right. Oh, man." Barry ran down the street as Eddie and Patty continued chasing Bates down the alley.
In another alley, a cruiser stopped as Patty faced them.
"What do you want us to do, Spivot?" One of the officers asked.
"Die." Bates, impersonating Patty, pulled out a gun and shot the officers before running off.
"Barry, call 911." Eddie said upon finding the officers.
Later, CCPD
"I know what this looks like, Cecile." Singh said as he, Barry and District Attorney Cecile Horton were watching from the traffic cam footage in the cruiser Patty shooting the officers.
"It looks like one of your detectives shot two of your cops. Both of whom are now fighting for their lives." Cecile said.
"That's not what happened." Singh shook his head.
Cecile sighed. "David, I am the District Attorney. I can't ignore what I just watched because you want me to."
"We both know there are things going on in this city that can't be explained." Singh pleaded.
"Come on, David." Cecile whirled on him. "Until you show me something incontrovertible, the best I can do is promise to keep her out of gen pop at Iron Heights."
She left as Barry and Singh stared.
"Do you have any way of explaining this, Allen?" Singh asked.
"I'm working on it." Barry nodded.
"We'll get that bastard and clear Patty's name." Eddie promised, holding Barry by his shoulder.
Iris entered, looking worried. "Eddie."
"Hey." Eddie smiled.
"Iris." Barry greeted.
"What is going on? Someone called on voicemail, saying Patty shot two cops. How is that possible?" Iris demanded.
"We're not sure yet." Barry said.
"You don't think she did this?" Iris asked.
"Of course she didn't. She's being set up." Eddie said.
"We're gonna do everything we can to help her." Barry vowed.
"I know how this looks like but I didn't shoot the officers." Patty pleaded, while in the interrogation room.
"The captain certainly pled your case." Cecile said before Barry burst in with a sheet of paper.
"The results of the GSR swab. Detective Spivot's hands are free of lead, barium, and antimony." Barry said as Cecile read.
"Yet no one can seem to explain how the surveillance video clearly Spivot firing her weapon." Cecile argued.
"It only looked like Detective Spivot." Barry insisted.
"You know that there are things in this city that can't be explained, like the Flash." Patty added.
"No." Cecile shook her head before glaring at Barry. "Mr. Allen, aren't you supposed to be the scientist around here?" She walked off as Patty sighed.
"It's not like you can blame her. That footage is quite compelling evidence." She wiped her face.
Barry shook his head. "No, no, we just have to convince her."
"How exactly are you going to refute this?" Patty wiped her face. "I'm done, Barry." She shook her head, looking beaten.
Barry sped her away and outside into the alley. "OK, look. Get to S.T.A.R. Labs. They'll set you with a burner phone. I'll contact you—"
"Barry, no." Patty protested. "If I run, that's definitive proof of guilt."
Barry held her by her shoulders. "Look, you said it yourself. If we don't find Hannibal Bates, you go to prison. For a crime you didn't commit. I'm not gonna let that happen, not again!"
"Barry, this is different." Patty shook her head before holding Barry's shoulders. "Listen, when your Mom was murdered by the Reverse-Flash, you were a little kid, there was nothing you could do. But you're a CSI. You're the Flash. And I believe in you. Now, find Bates and get me out of here, the right way. Please." She gave him a pleading look as Barry nodded before he returned her back into the interrogation room.
Later, Central City
Barry was in Patty's apartment, looking for any evidence he could to clear her name before she entered.
"Patty? What in the world? How did you get out?" He hugged her tightly, kissing her.
"Captain Singh called in a favor. A judge managed to sign my release." Patty explained.
"You should've told me or Joe. Hold on, I'm gonna call—"
Bates, revealing to be disguised as Patty, hit Barry in the face, knocking him out. "I have no idea who he is."
Bates left Barry restrained in Patty's apartment as he entered the Wests' house, using Barry's ID and keys, looking around before Caitlin entered, oblivious of that it was Bates in disguise, revealing that she had a way of finding out how to stop Bates as Bates followed her.
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
Caitlin was making a concoction to negate Bates's powers as Bates was flirting with her.
"Barry… what are you doing?" Caitlin asked.
Bates smirked. "Something I should've done a long time—"
"You're with Patty. Are you seriously going to cheat on her?" Caitlin asked.
Bates scowled before smiling. "Oh, Patty is old news. I've always liked you more."
Caitlin clearly had more to say before Eddie entered. "Hey, guys, I think I know how to clear Patty's name." He showed them the footage of Patty shooting the cops before noticing how awkward they were acting. "Is everything OK?"
"Yeah, yeah." Caitlin said.
"I don't know. Seems pretty convincing to me." "Barry" said.
"You sure?" Eddie raised his brows before turning on the footage again. "Patty's right-handed. That should convince Horton to let her go." He growled in anger. "I swear, two people that Barry cared about, got framed, when I get that son of a bitch…"
Bates slowly reached for his gun before he spasmed and fell down as they turned around to see Wells tasing him.
"Wells, what the hell?" Eddie demanded.
"Your observations about the shooter were spot-on, Detective. He was indeed left-handed." Wells gestured at Bates. "As is this man. Our Barry... is right-handed."
Caitlin sighed in relief. "Oh, I knew it." Wells stared as she shook her head. "Never mind."
"We should lock him in the Pipeline and make sure he doesn't get out." Eddie said. "If this is Bates, where's the real Barry?"
Later, Wests house
Later, Eddie and Caitlin found Barry restrained and gagged in the locker, unconscious before they woke him up.
Later, CCPD
Barry and Singh showed Cecile the footage of the Flash and Eddie chasing Bates, who had shapeshifted into someone else as Cecile stared in shock.
"Detective Spivot has been released." Singh said.
"I have to admit, this is new territory for me." Cecile said.
"This is new territory for all of us." Singh nodded.
"I certainly don't think the law is prepared to deal with this kind of criminal. Hopefully, we can catch up fast." Cecile said as they were leaving Singh's office. "It's hard to believe we live in a world where this kind of impossible even exists."
"Luckily, it's also a world where the Flash exists." Singh said.
"Uh, speaking of..." Eddie showed Cecile the pile of files in his hand. "…I compiled a list of all the robberies that Hannibal Bates was involved in."
"That's a long list." Cecile said.
"With just as many innocent people whose names need to be cleared." Barry said.
Cecile nodded before looking around as she turned to Barry. "You know, I saw the Flash once."
Barry blinked. "Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah." Cecile nodded. "I was on my way to the courthouse. He blew past me. It was just a blur of red and a gust of wind. But it was pretty damn cool."
Barry chuckled before Patty entered, hugging him tightly and kissing him. "Thank you." She could barely keep her tears at bay. "Thank you, Barry."
Barry patted Patty on her back. "I'm always here for you, Patty. Always."
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
Bates was later locked up in the Pipeline as he banged on the door, disguised as Patty. "Let me out of here!" He then turned into Caitlin. "Hey, cutie. Wanna let me out of here?"
"Like anyone would be dumb enough to fall for that. Heh." Caitlin snorted.
Wells neared Bates's cell. "I've seen a lot of things that you can become, but... who are you, Hannibal Bates?"
Bates then turned into, much to their shock, a bald man with no eyes. "I… uh… I can't remember." He seemed confused. "I can't remember."
"Well, let's lock up shop. Good night, everyone." Wells drove off as Barry closed the door to the Pipeline.
"What about Dr. Wells?" Caitlin questioned.
"Come here." Barry held her by her arm, dragging her out.
"There's something that you need to see." Patty said.
Later, CCPD
"This isn't possible." Caitlin stared in disbelief as they were in Barry's lab, staring at the corpse that Joe and Cisco had found outside Starling City.
"Caitlin... I ran the DNA test twice. It's a perfect match." Cisco said.
"This body is the real Harrison Wells." Joe said.
"If this is Dr. Wells, then who have we been working for this whole time?" Caitlin wondered.
"Dr. McGee said that after the accident Wells became a completely different person." Barry said.
"It's because he isn't Harrison Wells at all." Patty added as they stared at the corpse.
Joe went downstairs, facing Wells at the elevator. "Dr. Wells. You here on business?" He smiled politely.
"Business? No." Wells shook his head. "I came to give my regards to Patty. I'm glad it all worked out."
Joe nodded. "Yeah. A crazy day for her."
"Yeah. Crazy day for us all." Wells said as he drove off before turning around to face Joe. "Oh. Detective, did you enjoy your time in Starling City?"
Joe shook his head. "Not much time for sightseeing. I was working on a case. You used to live there?"
"I did." Wells nodded.
"You ever go back?" Joe inquired.
"No." Wells shook his head as Joe's eyes narrowed. "Too many memories of Tess."
"That's right. I'm sorry." Joe nodded, looking sympathetic.
"You, detective, are one of the few people I know that truly understands that kind of loss." Wells said as Joe scowled. "Iris's mother. You never talk about her, do you?"
Joe frowned before shaking his head. "No. I don't."
"No." Wells sighed. "You and I, detective... are members of a rather exclusive club, I suppose. One whose membership is too expensive." Joe stared. If not for the fact that the man in front of him was an impostor, who had murdered Wells, he might have felt some sympathies for him. "Maybe we should have another drink sometime. Talk about it."
"Yeah." Joe nodded. "Yeah. We should do that."
The elevator dinged and opened as Wells entered and left.
Later, S.T.A.R. Labs
"What are you doing?" Caitlin asked as Cisco was in the Cortex going over the blueprints of S.T.A.R. Labs.
"After the accelerator exploded, I built a 3D model of S.T.A.R. Labs, so I could pinpoint exactly what caused the malfunction." Cisco said.
"And you never ran this test?" Barry inquired.
Cisco looked offended. "Of course I did. I just never had a reason to look at any areas outside of the Pipeline or the Cortex. It's a big building. Lots of places for Wells to hide something."
Suddenly, the computer beeped and one of the areas flashed red as they leaned forward. "What is that?" Barry asked.
"That shouldn't be there." Cisco said as they all looked completely puzzled.
They walked down the corridor with Cisco holding in his hand some kind of a detector. "I'm picking up more activity… around here." The detector beeped at the wall as Cisco pointed to it. "Tachyons. There." Barry placed his hand on the wall as it opened, revealing something that should not be there at all.
They entered as light turned on, revealing the Reverse-Flash's suit in some glass case on a mannequin.
"Oh, my God." Caitlin breathed out.
"I guess we now know for certain. Wells is the Reverse-Flash." Patty said as Barry neared it before the lights turned on, revealing white room made of some kind of steel but then Barry looked shocked as he turned to the pedestal.
"Guys."
Everyone turned to the holographic newspaper article, headlined "FLASH MISSING: VANISHES IN CRISIS", dated April 25, 2024.
"What the frak?" Cisco whispered.
Did you know that Hannibal Bates was originally on the List in Arrow? Huh. I find it kind of weird they used him later in The Flash.
Plus, I cut it shorter and before you start thinking that, I'm not saying Iris is at fault for what happened later with Bates getting away, since considering the circumstances, it was understandable from Iris's part and it's not like Caitlin and Wellsobard could tell her who Barry was but frankly, if handled properly, Bates could've been taken down much easier.
So, what do you guys think?
Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.