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"Okay," Winn went through the instructions one more time, "just open the breach and I'll send it through," he held a small video recording device in his hands.
"I'm not too good at this," Cox looked at him nervously.
"I saw you do it in the med bay," Henshaw encouraged, "you can do it."
"All right," he stammered, then closed his eyes.
Nothing happened for a moment.
"That's it?" Mon-El looked at him.
"No, no, it's just everyone is watching-"
"Forget about it," Kara stepped forward, "I got all the awkward stares and glares when I first started displaying my powers. You can do it, just rise above it. No one here is judging you, we all accept your abilities."
He nodded with a little more confidence and spread his hands apart. The breach opened, a small one, but enough. Winn quickly chucked the little recording device through right before it closed.
"Guys," Julian looked at the beeping monitors in the cortex, "look here, there's a breach."
"Breach? Really?" Iris came running forward to his side.
"I'm on it," Wally sped out of the room.
"Let us know what you see," Julian spoke through his intercom, "anything at all, another meta-human or-"
"It's a recording device."
"What?" Joe knitted his eyebrows.
"J-just bring it back, Wally," Julian instructed, "we'll take a look at it together."
Wally came speeding back into Star Labs, looking down at the device in his hands in confusion. Iris took it from his hands and turned it round and round.
"There's a button and a blinking light," she said excitedly, "like a voicemail machine. It's a message."
"Or a bomb," Joe cautioned, "we've got to test the thing first."
"No," she countered, "we don't have time."
"She's right," Harry chipped in, "B.A. is losing time as we speak."
"Exactly."
"Fine," he conceded, "but it needs to be in a controlled environment, something safe."
"Pipeline?" Wally offered.
"Perfect," Julian nodded, "that's place is nearly impenetrable, only a particle accelerator explosion could tear it apart."
They gathered into the pipeline, only HR controlling a robotic arm to slowly test the machine. He slowly approached it with the arm and clicked the button.
A moment of tense anticipation passed.
Then a voice started to speak over the recording.
"Hello? Star Labs? Cisco? This is Winn Schott from the DEO…or Supergirl's Earth. Look, this is going to sound crazy, but Barry is here on our Earth."
At the sound of that, Iris gasped. Joe faltered and held onto the wall as HR, Wally, and Julian listened intently with slight relief on their faces.
"He's not doing too great," Winn's voice continued grimly, "we found him, but trust me nobody knows his identity. However, his powers seem to be…off."
"Off?" Joe looked at the team frantically, "What does he mean off?"
"The speed force cells are subdued, therefore he can't heal…and it doesn't look good. He's got serious injuries and we're doing all we can to help him. He's definitely got a clock, so we need to find a way to get him back to your Earth so we can help him, but we don't know how. I know Cisco Ramon is a breacher, if he can open a breach now that Barry's location is known, it'll save him. Long story of how we opened the breach to get this here, but I don't think we can open another one. We're tracking the movement in the city so if a breach opens, we'll be able to locate it and send Barry back home. Thank you."
The message ended.
Iris walked out of the room, sobbing silently to herself in relief and worry.
"Caitlin is still with Cisco," Julian shook his head, "they haven't woken up."
"There are medicines that can do that," Joe suggested, "Is it safe to administer?"
"I don't think they exactly cover meta-human anatomy in medical school, Dad," Wally sighed, "We don't even know what happened to him."
"I guess we could try it…" Harry shrugged.
"Let's go talk to Caitlin," Julian concluded, all of them walking out, but Joe following his daughter to comfort her.
"Do you think they got it?" Kara paced, looking at Winn hopefully.
"No way to tell," he shrugged, "we'll just have to wait and see."
"Hopefully it did," Henshaw huffed, "it's our last hope."
Cox wrung his hands together nervously.
"We've got to do it," Joe pushed, "it's our only chance."
"I don't know how it'll affect him," Caitlin doubted, looking down at the unconscious Cisco in the bed, "I can't be sure."
"Caitlin, what are possible side effects of the drug if we wake him up?" Julian asked.
"It differs with every person, nothing too serious, but his mind is fragile."
"Can we try it on the meta-human first?" HR quipped.
"No," Caitlin gave him a stern look, "that's unethical."
"No one would have to know," he grumbled.
"Look, we've got to take the shot. Cisco would agree to save Barry if he was awake," Joe acted too rationally.
"You're not thinking about his well-being," Julian contradicted, "Cisco could be affected permanently."
"Who's his medical proxy?" Joe asked.
"Dante, his brother."
"But he's…"
"Yeah."
"Okay," Joe fished for ideas, "what then? You heard Winn, they can't open another breach and Cisco is the only one on this Earth who has the capability and is willing. Fat chance you get the meta to do it."
"Someone has to be fast enough to make another breach, right?" Wally suggested, "Barry did it and ended up on their Earth?"
"Barry only did it with the Tacheon device and he couldn't control his destination. You could end up on any Earth and we can't get to you."
"What about gypsy on Earth-19?" HR asked, "I"m not her biggest fan, but it's a shot."
"There's no way to contact her either…"
"We're out of time!" Joe erupted, "Please, Caitlin, we need to do something!"
"Okay…" Caitlin took a long sigh, "I'll need to test it first. Administer small amounts, see how his body reacts."
"Good idea," Julian nodded, "I'll help."
After they tried it a few times with minuscule doses, Caitlin finally deemed it safe for them to wake up Cisco.
"I don't know how he'll be when he wakes up," she warned, "but someone be ready to hold him down or catch him if necessary."
H.R. and Julian were poised for action at her words, watching intently as Dr. Snow slowly injected the medicine into Cisco's IV.
A few moments passed, all of them watching in silence as Cisco slowly scrunched his eyes and his eyelids fluttered open.
"W-woah…" he croaked, bringing a fumbling hand up to his eyes and rubbing them, "What the-?
"Cisco, it's Caitlin," she started, a hand on his shoulder, "how are you feeling?"
"A little d-dizzy," he took a moment, his words slightly slurred.
"Yes," she smiled lightly, "these are common symptoms, that means you're gonna be fine."
Iris breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her dad while Julian and H.R. high fived.
"W-what's going on?" the young engineer looked at the Flash team around him, "last thing I remember I was in the breacher's head and then…" his eyes lit up, "Wait! Caitlin, I know where Barry is!"
He reacted too fast, sitting up too quickly and a fresh bout of dizziness seized him.
"Easy now," Caitlin eased him back down, "luckily, we do too."
"Supergirl's Earth," Cisco confirmed, "but how did you-?"
"We got a message from Winn," Iris answered, "via breach."
"They opened a breach? How?"
"We don't know yet," Joe's shoulders sagged, "but Barry is there and fading fast."
"So I need to get him," Cisco nodded, "right. I need a water, a Big Belly Burger, and an episode of Star Trek and I'm ready to go."
"A little rest before-" Caitlin persisted.
"No," Cisco shook his head, "I appreciate it, Cait, but Barry needs the attention. I'll be fine, I'm feeling better already, " he lied. Truth was he still felt like his brain had been microwaved, then deep-fried, then frozen.
This headache is gonna last me till next year.
"Okay," she conceded hesitantly, "but, we need to do this quick so you don't get too exhausted or drained."
"Simple," he nodded, trying to put up a smile. Usually, one little breach was nothing compared to what he could do, but right now a small breach seemed like a four mile sprint.
"Let's head down to your lab," Julian stepped forward, "I'll get the equipment."
Julian, H.R., Wally, and Joe headed down to clear the space and be ready to get the breach opened. Caitlin did a few more cognitive tests, still not fully appeased that Cisco was ready to do this. Heck, he wasn't even himself, but this was Barry they were talking about. That guy would sprint to the end of the Earth even without his powers for anyone of them, and he was prepared to do the same.
Even though Caitlin let him do their mission, she was adamant upon him being in a wheelchair. He conceded to her demands because she let him do his job, but it made him feel ridiculous. Iris had a small, sympathetic smile as she walked with them, and her eyes held a little hope to find Barry.
"Thank you," she leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I thought I lost him."
"Don't worry," he looked back at her, "I'm going to bring him back."
She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it lightly.
"In here!" Julian called, "We're all set up!"
"Great," Cisco examined the equipment briefly, but couldn't really register any of it. The letters and shapes all jumbled in his head, but he finally poured enough concentration to focus on the job at hand. It exhausted him once he cleared it, and he was ready to sleep for the rest of the day.
Think of Barry, think of Barry…
"All right, Cisco," Joe nodded to him in support, "ready when you are."
"You got this," Wally encouraged, a crooked smile on his face.
Cisco nodded, closing his eyes. He went through his usual routine, prepared to delve into the universes and find Barry through the infinite dimensions and breaches he could open. He pictured Supergirl's world and the people there like Winn, Henshaw, and Kara.
A flash of white-hot pain erupted in his skull and he cringed.
"Vitals just spiked," Caitlin reported, "Cisco, are you okay?"
Her voice sounded different to him, but he gulped and nodded, "Yeah…yeah, I'm okay."
"Come on, Cisco, hang in there," H.R. paced, real worry etched into the lines on his forehead.
He tried again, but it was like he was trying to pry off the lid of a boiling teapot with bare hands. He pulled away at the last second, feeling the heat and pain as it scalded him. Cisco gritted his teeth and forced his way through the vibe, hissing in pain as he clenched his fists to stop him from crying out.
"O-okay, I think I've located it," Cisco puffed between heavy breaths, "I'm envisioning it."
"So what?" Julian pressed, "Does he just create a breach?"
"We need to hurry," Caitlin warned, "He can't keep this up for long."
"Guys! Guys, wait!" Winn came bounding into the room, excitement in his eyes, "We've got a hit! We've got the makings of a breach! I'm seeing the signs!"
"What?" Kara perked up, her body filling with newfound hope, "You're kidding."
"No!" he laughed triumphantly, "I think they got our message!"
"Great job!" Mon-El smiled wide and clapped Cox on the shoulder who reddened under the attention.
"Where is it?" Alex could hardly keep the relief from her voice.
"It's on the outskirts of town," Winn looked down at his tablet and rattled off coordinates.
"But how do we get him there?" Henshaw nodded at Barry's still form in the bed.
"Let's put him in the van," Alex suggested.
"But that won't get him there on time, will it? If I fly him there, it's faster," Kara argued.
"Yes, but you could injure him further," Henshaw shook his head, "that means we need to go now. Winn, what's the time frame?"
"Um.." he looked down at the tablet again, "for some reason the breach is slow forming, so I give it about a 6 minute frame before it's fully developed."
"We won't make it," Mon-El shook his head, biting his nails in worry.
"I need to fly him," Kara pressed, "it's his only shot."
"Or we can fly him a different way," Alex made eye contact with Henshaw, "chopper?"
Henshaw's lips broke into a smile, "Perfect."
"W-wait," Winn questioned, "like a helicopter?"
"I'll get the keys," Alex raced to her office.
"Do you think he's all right?" Julian whispered to Caitlin as the team watched Cisco slowly and steadily trying to form a proper breach.
"I know it's hurting him," Caitlin responded in a hushed tone, "but he's pushing himself for Barry."
"What's the worse that can happen?" he felt his heart skip. He actually didn't want to know the answer.
"Death, or worse…"
The fact that there was a "worse" after death didn't sound good to him.
"Cisco?" he called, "Anything you need, mate?"
"No, no. I-I'm okay."
That wasn't too reassuring.
"How's it going on the other side?" Julian walked to the control panels where HR was sitting diligently behind it.
"Cisco taught me a thing or two about this," HR scanned the monitors, "it's slow-forming, so should take a little over five minutes to completely form on the other side. That is, if he can take it…"
Julian glared at him, HR's bedside manners obviously needing a little work.
"Listen," Joe came up to them with Wally behind him, "what's the plan once the breach is open?"
"I'll run in," Wally suggested, "it shouldn't take me too long to find him if I can locate their facility."
"Maybe they know where you'll be?" Julian shrugged hopefully, "They could be on the lookout for breaches."
"Yes," Joe nodded, "but we can't put Cisco through anymore of this," he glanced at the engineer who had Caitlin hovering by him.
"What are you saying?" Wally looked at him.
"He means," HR rephrased, "that Cisco is putting all his energy and might to open the breach, but can he keep it open is the real question."
Julian looked at Cisco and he felt a weight fall on his shoulders-guilt. He couldn't bear to see his friend go through anymore of this, and to put up a facade that he was all right. He obviously wasn't: his white knuckles gripped the chair so hard that he was cracking the fabric. But he thought about Winn's message from the parallel Earth, that Barry didn't have much time left, that this was their only chance and he had to make a hard decision.
"He's going to need all the help we can give him," Julian sighed, "we have got to bring Barry home or we lose him forever," he glanced at Joe who looked at Iris pacing in the corner.
"Get ready, Wallace," HR clapped Wally on the shoulder, "you're up."
Chapter 7 coming soon!