A breach opened in the middle of the cortex and Oliver and Cisco jumped through. Oliver was the first to speak.
"We need to find everything there is to know about Arthur Knowles, now!"
"Already on it!" Caitlyn called, she was already furiously typing away at the computer. Cisco jumped into the chair next to her and began typing on his own computer. Iris stood behind the desk, eyes fierce, hands placed firmly on her hips.
"Where is Barry?" She asked, a hint of worry breaking through her stern façade, "What the hell happened out there?"
"He took Barry," Oliver answered, pulling his hood down and taking his mask off. "Drug him through a breach; we've no idea where he went. So a better question would be who the hell is this guy and what does he want?"
Iris glared at him a few moments, and then she let whatever anger or frustration melt away. She turned to her team, game face on.
"Cisco. Anything?" She asked.
"Yeah, a few arrests for a string of thefts going way back…" Cisco answered, flashing Arthur Knowles mugshot on all the screens throughout the cortex. "He's got a degree in mechanical engineering and seems to put it to use pulling off elaborate bank and jewel heists."
A flurry of beeps sounded from the desk, as all the screens in the cortex went black. Iris turned to Cisco for an answer.
"Uh… we're being asked to join a video chat…"
"Ransom?" Ralph offered. Iris jumped into action.
"Answer it."
"Masks on everyone," Cisco said as he clicked the accept button and every screen in the cortex lit up with Arthur Knowles' face, still masked.
"Good Evening Team Flash, so nice of you to join me."
"Where is the Flash?" Iris demanded, wasting no time. Knowles smiled wickedly.
"Easy there Iris, no need to worry… Barry's right here with me."
"What are you talking about?" Iris countered, a little too quickly. Arthur let out a small chuckle.
"Listen, guys, we can cut the secret identity crap." He said, leaning towards the camera. "I know Barry Allen is the Flash. I know Cisco Ramon is Vibe. I know Oliver Queen is The Green Arrow. I know everything there is to know about what's going on at Star Labs. So let's just cut the crap and get right to it, shall we?"
"How the hell could you possibly know that?" Cisco said through gritted teeth.
"I'm so glad you asked Cisco," Knowles said excitedly. "You see ever since the Flash showed up committing a crime in Central City got exponentially harder. Perfect jobs were foiled because The Flash would swoop in and take the tires off your getaway. It was getting so… frustrating."
Knowles clenched his fists angrily, and then slowly let his frustration dissipate with his next thought.
"So I figured I'd do something about it. I started tracking The Flash's movements, trying to find his weakness or something to stop him, and soon enough I noticed that whenever the Flash was finished with a crime scene he'd always run in the same direction. I was soon able to narrow the field and found that every time The Flash appeared he was running to or from… drum roll please… the one and only Star Labs!"
Knowles smiled, clearly pleased with his discovery.
"It didn't take me long to hack into your systems and boy I found some nifty stuff: plans for new Flash suits, cold guns, extrapolators and Meta-cuffs. Not to mention a load of medical records on a Mr. Bartholomew Henry Allen." Knowles put a finger up to his temple, "That's when I thought 'Now why would Star Labs, the HQ of the Flash, have records for Mr. Allen. It didn't take me long to figure it out after that."
"God, we need better security…" Cisco mumbled under his breath. Iris set her jaw.
"Bravo. You figured it out. Now, where is he?" She demanded.
"Don't worry. You'll get to see your precious Barry…" Knowles said, sneaking a quick look behind him. He turned back with a sneer on his face. "Along with the entirety of Central City…"
"What are you talking about?" Oliver demanded, even though they all knew exactly what he meant.
"Please," Caitlyn tried to reason. "Don't do this."
"Too late." Knowles spat. "I can't take down The Flash by myself, but luckily I have my fellow Central City citizens. You see, Barry will be too busy with other Metas and the press coming after him and his family, he won't even have time to be The Flash. And then I can finally get back to work.
"You are not going to get away with this." Iris threatened. Knowles laughed.
"I hate to be cliché Iris, but I'm afraid I already have."
The screen went black and the team stared in shock. A second later every TV in the cortex lit up and Arthur Knowles' voice sneered from the speakers.
"Good Evening Central City!"
"Cisco?" Iris demanded.
"He's streaming live to all of Central City… every screen, every –"
"Can you get a lock on his location?" Oliver interrupted.
"I'm on it!" Cisco exclaimed, hands clattering over the keyboard. Knowles' face sneered on every screen.
"You may not know who I am but I have a very special treat for you this evening. A real live Meta-human, but not just any Meta... I present to you: The Flash!"
Knowles stepped aside theatrically to reveal Barry cuffed to a chair, his head lolled against his chest and his hood pulled back.
"Oliver, we have to do something," Iris said, panic seeping into her voice.
"Cisco?" Oliver pressed.
"I've almost... got it..." Cisco said through gritted teeth, typing furiously.
"Now, I know you're all wondering... who is the man behind the red mask? Who is the mysterious Scarlet Speedster?" Knowles smiled mischievously. "Well Central City, tonight's your lucky night." He stepped towards Barry.
"Cisco!" Oliver demanded.
Too late. On the screen Knowles grabbed hold of Barry's hair and yanked his head up, revealing his bloody, beaten face to the world. He was obviously unconscious, had a black eye and a split lip, but there was no denying... it was Barry Allen. Iris gasped clasping her hand to her mouth. Cisco stopped typing. Oliver's heart sank.
"Bartholomew Henry Allen," Knowles said, pronouncing every syllable crisp and clear and lacing every word with disgust and hatred. "Known to his friends and family as Barry… awe…"
Knowles gave a little pouty face, clearly enjoying every minute of this torture. "Barry works as a CSI at CCPD but secretly he runs our streets, stops crime and saves lives as The Flash!" Knowles let Barry's head drop back onto his chest.
"Oh, Barry..." Oliver said under his breath. His heart ached for his friend. After everything The Flash did for this city, he did not deserve this.
A flurry of beeps came from Cisco's computer. Everyone's attention shot to the sound.
"I've got it! I've got the location." Cisco said, grabbing for his Vibe gear.
"Let's go." Oliver said without hesitation.
"Wait!" Iris said and everyone turned to her, shocked.
"What do you mean wait?" Ralph said. Iris swallowed hard, holding back tears.
"If Vibe and The Green Arrow show up to rescue Barry... there'll be no denying that he's The Flash." Iris said, "They haven't seen him use his powers yet... we could still fight this."
The team was silent for a second.
"Is that what you want Iris?" Oliver asked, mask already on. Iris stared at him for a moment, tears running down her cheeks.
"No." She said, her voice breaking. "Go."
Everyone turned back to the screen as Cisco and Oliver disappeared into a breach.
"His centre of operations is Star Labs, and if you dig deep enough into their staff I'm sure you'll find the identities of Vibe, Kid Flash, Killer Frost and Elongated Man." Knowles leaned closer to the camera. "Have at 'em, Central City."
A breach suddenly opened behind Barry and two figures jumped out as an arrow was shot straight into the camera and the feed went black.
"Hands in the air, Knowles." The Green Arrow commanded, an arrow pointed directly at his chest.
Knowles smiled.
"The damage is done, Mr. Queen. Even if I let Barry Allen go, there are hundreds of criminals and metas who are dying to get their hands on the Flash and everyone he loves. He'll never be safe, not at home, or at CCPD or even at Star Labs. He will spend his whole life running. Which is kind of… ironic, don't you think?" Knowles smirked, leaning towards Oliver jeeringly, "Without their secret identities Central City's precious super heroes are nothing."
"No." Oliver said, glaring down the shaft of his arrow. "Barry Allen will never be nothing. You on the other hand..."
"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Knowles taunted.
"Don't tempt him." Cisco replied.
"No, I'm not going to shoot you; I'm going to do much worse." Oliver said as he let his arrow fly straight through Knowles shoulder, pinning him to the wall. Oliver strode over to the man squirming in pain as Cisco rushed to Barry's side.
"Well… maybe I am going to shoot you," Oliver said coolly, grabbing Knowles by the chin as he cried out in pain. "Either way, you're going to be sorry you ever touched Barry Allen. Arthur Knowles… You have failed this city."
Oliver drew his fist back and punched Knowles, hard, knocking him out cold. Before he could do anything else his friend called from behind him.
"Oliver!" Cisco called. Oliver turned around and moved quickly to his friends' side. Cisco was fiddling with the cuffs locking Barry's arms behind the chair.
"Barry?" Oliver gently lifted the younger man's chin off his chest. "Barry!" There was no response. "What's wrong with him, why won't he wake up?"
Cisco continued to fiddle with the cuffs.
"He must've given him a sedative, which wouldn't be a problem if he wasn't wearing these sad excuses for Meta-cuffs. His metabolism would have already burned through it by now, but without his speed…"
"Barry?" Oliver tried again, shaking his shoulders lightly. Barry's eyes opened just slightly and he grimaced slightly.
"O... Ollie..?" He asked quietly "wha's… going on…"
"Barry!" Oliver exclaimed, "Hey... Barry, you're going to be fine, kid."
Barry's eyes closed again and his head slumped back on his chest.
"Barry? Barry!"
"Finally!" Cisco got the cuffs off and Barry's body slumped forward into Oliver's arms.
"Let's get him back to Star Labs." Oliver said, picking the younger man up, and slinging his arm over his shoulder.
"What about him?" Cisco asked, nodding towards Knowles. As much as Oliver wanted to shoot an arrow straight through that guys chest, he knew Barry would hate him for it.
"Can you send this location to CCPD?" Oliver asked.
"Already done."
"Then let's go."
Cisco nodded, created a breach and they jumped through together, supporting Barry between them.