Half an hour passes before Barry feels the car jolt to a stop. Looking out the window he sees a familiar empty parking lot surrounding an old wear house. "Come on Bare." Hal calls as he lights up his ring and forms a motorcycle. "So how are we going to test my speed?" Barry says hopping out of the car. "We're going to have one of our old races, once around the building the finish line is the car." "Oh you think you can out run me?" Barry smiles. "Oh hell no, I'm not running you are. I'm using this beautiful motorcycle which is the fastest motel to date." Hal pats the glowing vehicle much to Barry's dismay. "There's no way I'm faster than that." "Want to bet? How about I give ya fifty to motivate ya." Hal places a fifty dollar bill on the hood of his car. "Fifty bucks to beat you?" "Fifty's a fifty." Barry glares at the money debating, until he finally relents. "Fine."
The two line up at the edge of Hal's car, Hal starts revving his engine as he begins the count down. "Five!" Barry can feel his anxiety curl uncomfortably in his stomach. "Four!" The cool evening breeze makes Barry shiver. "Three, two, one! Go!" Hal zooms forwarder before he ends the count down. Barry glares at Hal but doesn't let the cheap trick distract him. Barry closes his eyes and takes a short breath before his feet move. He opens his eyes to see electricity coming off him as he rounds the edge of the wear house. He notices Hal just before he passes him and rounds the next corner. Barry can feel the sparks coming off him specifically around his new lightning scares that cover his body like tattoos. Two more quick turns and he see the car, he snatches the fifty dollars off the hood but doesn't stop. Barry laps Hal around twenty times before Hal get to the finish lines and when Barry stops he gives the most devilish smile as he waves the money.
Hal lays down on his bike giving a warm smile to Barry before burying his head in his arms. "I'm never going to beat you in a race am I?" "Hey don't be a sore loser after all you're the one that wanted to race, not to mention that head start." Barry pats Hal's head as he pouts over his loss. Barry then notices the slight whiff of smoke and a small burning sensation. It doesn't take long to see his clothes are burning, he quickly pats them down to kill the flames but that doesn't stop Hal's thundering laugher. "Oh shut up, how did they even catch on fire?" "Probably friction or something, so maybe running with clothes is a bad idea." Hal jokes as Barry glares at him. "You'd like that wouldn't you but that's not happening." A quiet chime sounds from Hal's wrist watch, bringing their attention to it. "Alarm?" Barry asks only to have his friend shake his head no.
Hal motions for Barry to be quiet as he presses a button on the watch and a holographic screen appears. "Hey Crow, I'm kinda with a friend right now so can you call back later?" Hal asks the screen which turns into an image of a crow. "I don't have time to call you back later lantern, I'm busy enough as it is, so tell me how the biosuit I gave you is doing." Whoever's on the other side of the call sounds irritated. "It hugs a bit too tight in a few places but other than that it's fine." "Ok need to adjust the fitting, that's all I needed bye." With that the call ends. "He couldn't wait for that?" Barry ask. "He's used to getting his way instantly, but he pays well so I can't complain." "So you work for him?" Barry asks now curious of this mysterious man. "With! I work with him, he's a prick half the time and tries to boss everyone around." "Whatever if he gives you jobs see if he'd be willing to get me some." Hal's face contorts into a mix of concern and fear. "Trust me, you don't want to meet him let alone work for or with him." "I need money and living with a cop isn't all that appealing to me." Hal hangs his head not wanting to fight. "Fine I'll take you to him tomorrow but I warned you."
They decide to do a few more races around the wear house before dropping Barry off at Lenny's house. Barry unlocks the door to Lenny's house after saying good night to Hal. Before falling asleep he raids the kitchen for something to eat. Once he's eaten he crashes out on the sofa despite having a bed just down the hall. Barry wakes to the delicious smell of bacon and eggs, he finds Lenny in the kitchen cooking the delicious meal. "Morning." Barry grumbles rubbing his eyes. "Ya know I gave you a bed to sleep in so I could have the sofa in the mornings." Lenny huffs angrily. "Sorry I was really tired when I got back." "Whatever, just don't stay here all day and make a mess." Lenny tells Barry as he makes two plates worth of food. "Don't worry, I'm seeing about a job today so I'll be gone whenever Hal gets here." Barry reassures as he starts chomping down his food. "That's good, but be careful you just got out of the hospital, and I don't need you going back there this soon." Barry gives him an "ok" sign before returning to the sofa.
Lenny leaves for work after a bit, leaving Barry alone. The peace and quiet doesn't last though not long into his solace he hears a knock at the door. Opening it reveals Hal. "You still want to meet him? Cus this is your only chance to back out." "Yep, if he got money I got to meet him." Barry skips passed Hal and jumps into his truck excited to see the mystery man. "Ok, some ground rules, don't steal, don't be a dick, and just stay by me. Okay?" "Ya ya I got it." Hal doesn't drive long and parks the car at the old wear house, before stepping out and activating his ring. "We're going to Gotham but it'll take forever with the car and traffic." "Oh so what do I have to run there or..." "No last time you ran your clothes burned plus you don't even know where to go." Hal's ring glows bright before it makes a plane. "Get in." Hal directs as he prepares for takeoff. Once Barry jumps in Hal takes off.
Even in a plane it takes about half an hour to get into Gotham. "We there yet?" Barry nags. "I will drop you out of the sky, don't tempt me." Hal lands in front of a gigantic mansion and quickly turns off his ring. "Sure you got the right place?" Barry jokes only to have have Hal glare at him. "Just don't do anything stupid." Hal commands as he goes to ring the door bell. Before Hal presses the button a older man opens the door. "Hello Mr. Jordan, this must be your friend?" Barry smiles and shakes the man's hand trying to be polite. "Ya this is him, now where's Crow?" Hal answers pushing past the old man. "In his nest, please follow me." The man leads them down a dark stairwell and into a spacious cave lined with technology, metal and many other things. A man sits in a chair facing a large computer. "Master Bruce, Mr. Jordan brought his friend." The old man says.
"Huh, oh yes thanks Alfred." He waves his hand signaling for Alfred to leave, but Bruce didn't pay Hal or Barry any mind. "Uh hello?" Barry tries, but Bruce has his eyes fixed on the screen in front of him. "Crow!" Hal shouts making Bruce spin around in annoyance. "What!?" "I got the new meta you wanted." Hal points at Barry gaining a look of confusion from his friend. "Oh really Lantern, and what makes him a meta?" Bruce glares at Hal not even glancing at Barry. "He's super fast." "You have to be more specific." Bruce grumbles in annoyance. "Barry go get something expensive from up stairs and come back." Hal orders. Barry runs up stairs looking for anything expensive he eventually finds a bedroom with expensive looking suits much like the one Bruce was wearing. He grabs a red one that's close to his size as well as a truly expensive watch in a dresser then runs back to the basement changing into them on the way.
"Red is definitely my color." Barry jokes looking at the suit and showing off the watch he sole. Bruce and Hal jump as to them he left just a second ago. It takes them a moment to compose themselves, Hal just smiles triumphantly at seeing Bruce's amazements for his friend. "Wow, you weren't lying, is that one of my suits?" Barry shrugs. "Ya, do you want it back?" "No no keep it, after all it fits you better than it ever fit me." Bruce says admiring Barry new look. "See he even dresses up nice what more could you ask for in a meta?" Hal asks Bruce. "Well we'll definitely need to test his speed but if he's willing to work with me, I won't complain. I can help you get faster and harness the power if that's what you're looking for, all you have to do is help me with a few things when I ask, ok?" Barry thinks for a second. "How much will I get payed?" Bruce laughs at that before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a stack of hundred dollar bills. "This is just my pocket money, so I'd say about thirty to fifty times this, depending on the job and how well you did it." Bruce hands Barry the money with little care for it. Barry gladly snatches and counts the money.
"What do you need done first?" Barry asks gaining a chuckle from Bruce. "Eager, I like that. We'll start by testing just how fast you are, so we need a training ground, thankfully I already have one." Bruce leads them to his back yard it's beautiful full of plants, a small hedge garden hiding a lounging area, and two grave stones adorned with flowers. Alfred appears beside Bruce holding some gym cloths. "Here you are master Bruce." "Thank you Alfred, Barry put these on and do a few laps around the house." Barry eagerly does as he's told and rushes around the house leaving Bruce and Hal alone. "He not your pet, so don't treat him like one." Hal says finally allowing his anger to show. "Relax Hal, I don't have any intention of harming him." "You better not or else I will murder you, and don't even think of giving him one of your bullshit contacts." Bruce and Hal glare at each other. "Fine, but watch how you threaten Hal or you might find a bullet in your head." Hal glares before turn to watch his friend run and Bruce does the same.