Here we go, the next installment! Hope you guys like it! The story will start reaching its peak next chapter and get ready for some more dark Barry, but there'll be a little twist! Anyways, thanks to my reviewers/followers/favorites, much appreciated!
"Make a right!" Cisco's body tilted to the right as Dr. Wells swerved the wheel with force, "and maybe let loose on the brakes, Harry!"
"Ramon, not now," the scientist said under his breath as he focused on the road ahead of him.
"Where now, Cisco?!" Iris shouted above the screeching tires.
"Straight down, to the docks!" he looked at the tablet in his hands. There was a small red dot indicating Barry's location with the upgraded tracer.
"Cisco, it's fenced off," Harry looked ahead to see the chain link fences surrounding the perimeter of the docks.
"We climb," Iris unbuckled her belt and opened the door as Harry skidded to a rough halt. She already alerted her dad to meet her and Cisco was delivering the coordinates. He would be coming with Jay; they couldn't risk Barry's identity with any other cops on the force. It was an idea to call Oliver Queen and John Diggle to come help but they decided the smaller this operation was the better, it would attract more negative attention they didn't need.
Harrison had the large gun strapped across his shoulder, his long trench coat reached his knees and he looked like a bounty hunter from the future. He gripped the fenced with his fingers tightly and climbed it skillfully. He jumped over with ease, his trendy glasses didn't even move from their perched position on his nose.
Cisco was next. He was a little clumsier and his foot slipped halfway up on the fence. The small tablet was placed in between his teeth and the rifle with the tranquilizer was also across his back as he roughly climbed down the other side of the chain link fence; Harry offered no help.
Iris wasn't used to these conditions where they were "roughing it" but she used her nimble and athletic form to climb to the top of the fence. She jumped down and Harrison straightened her as she fell. It must be fatherly instinct with his alienated daughter that Cisco learned was captured by Zoom.
"Thanks," she mumbled under breath as she dusted off her shirt and they all went running towards the docks. They kept low profiles, their bodies were pressed to the ground and they followed one another stealthily.
"Iris, how far is your father?" Harry whispered.
"He said he'd be here in 10, but he was picking up Jay," she answered.
"Great," Dr. Wells cocked the large gun in his hands and it whirred to life, "call it a party then."
They needed to be quick and fast, the CCPD would eventually find Barry; I mean he wasn't exactly hiding. They heard him before they saw him. His lightning crackling off his body, his usually happy light voice was deep and menacing. They heard the cries of the captured officers forced to drive the armored vehicles in fear of harming their families.
"We need a plan," Cisco pulled Harry back before he moved any further, "we can't charge right in, he'll disarm us easily."
"I'll go in first," Iris volunteered, "he'll be caught off guard."
"No, Iris, that's too dangerous," Cisco shook his head, "you don't know if Barry will hurt you."
"Trust me, Cisco, Barry would never hurt me," she lied.
"She's right, Ramon, otherwise we'll be on the hunt for Barry again and the tracer battery life won't last for that long."
"Alright," he sighed in forfeit, "but be careful, Iris," he pressed a can of pepper spray in her hands, "this is all I've got with me."
"It's okay," from her pack, she produced a small handgun with low caliber. It only fired one bullet but it was powerful and would hurt like hell.
"Whoa, whoa!" Cisco's eyes widened, "where the heck did you get a gun?!"
"After him," she nodded her head at Harrison, "well not him, exactly, the other one."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Let's please try to focus here, we're wasting time."
"Damn, girl, remind me not to get you angry," Cisco's voice was in shock, "but if anything goes wrong you shoot him in the leg, he can't run then."
"I've got one of the boots with me," Harrison patted his coat, "if his leg is injured he'll be temporarily disarmed and it would give me enough time to secure him to the asphalt before he can run away again."
"Okay," Iris agreed, "Cisco, do you have anymore of those meta-bullets you gave to my dad?"
"There should be some in the car," he nodded, "I'll go get one."
He ran off and left the rifle and tablet on the floor next to Harrison and Iris.
This was awkward for her, this was the man who killed her fiancee. Well, it looked enough like him. Her and Harry never had time to…bond really. He was a quiet and reserved guy, like a shadow. One second he was there and the next he wasn't. You wouldn't be able to tell if he was in or out of a room, if he was standing right next to you.
"Harry, do you think we'll be able to stop Barry?" she cleared the air of awkwardness.
"I'm not sure," he glanced at her with his sharp and alert blue eyes, "but we'll try all we can to do so."
"And if Barry gets killed in the process?" she gulped shakily.
"That's not going to happen."
"Got it!" Cisco came sprinting back in his sneakers. He handed Iris one small black bullet with an orange ring going around the base of the metal casing.
"Good," Harrison nodded, "once Iris has distracted him, Cisco you hit him with the dart. Iris, I'll come in and try to talk to him, you go and free those officers. Get them away from here, we don't want them to know anything that's happening, they already will know too much. I'll shoot The Boot at him and Cisco you bring around the van so we can get him in. Call Caitlin and tell her to get something ready for Barry to be put in safely without getting out. Jay and Joe should be here, and they could help us get Allen inside the van. Now, let's move!"
They split up quickly, each moving to their respected positions. It was time to get to work, to save Barry.
Iris was ready from her hiding place. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Barry standing tall in his fitted burgundy suit and ordering those bound and terrified cops around. The three armored cars were parked next to one another in front of an old warehouse, one that seemed like it hadn't been inhabited in years. She tried to listen in on the conversation:
"Hey, you!" Barry pointed to a female officer cowering in front of him, "over there! I need you all in a straight line, come on, people, you are the upstanding members of the community! This can't be that hard!
"What's he doing?" she whispered to herself under her breath. There were bright lights illuminating the whole perimeter and in the center stood Barry and his five hostages. Helicopter blades cut through the air in the distance and search lights roamed the streets, but they sounded far off. There wasn't going to be much help from the CCPD force other than Detective Joe West and his daughter, a journalist.
So far, all of the five cops were standing on their knees in the gravel and some had tear-streaked faces and others were hardened masks of pride desperate not to give in.
"Barry, no," she wish he could hear her as she mumbled to herself once more.
"There we go, finally!" Barry clapped and his voice was filled with bitter sarcasm, "nice work, team! Now for the big finale!"
The Flash, hero of Central City, went over to one of the armored cars and pulled out something from a leather bag. Iris saw what was in his hand and she immediately gasped. No! It was a weapon, it was a gun.
He walked over and examined the handgun in his grip. He looked at it up, down, front, back, and smiled. To her, this Barry was meant to carry a gun-meant to kill people.
"Who wants to go first?" Barry rattled the weapon in his hand and laughed maniacally as all of the cops sobbed in their places.
He won't do it, Iris thought as tears started to sting her eyes and make her throat burn as she choked up, he's not going to do it, he never would.
Barry walked up to the first cop in the line, all of his movements heavily illuminated by the luminescent lights that brightened the lot.
"Sorry, buddy," Barry shrugged. He pressed the barrel of the gun to the side of the officer's shaking head, "you drew the short stick."
The speedster chuckled satisfyingly as he heard the cock of the gun in his fingers.
"Wait!"
He froze. Barry stopped all he was doing as he heard the voice-her voice.
"No," he murmured to himself with annoyance, "not now, not now!"
"Hey, Flash!"
He couldn't ignore it any longer. Barry turned around slowly, the gun still in his hands but pointed to the floor. The cop behind the Scarlet Speedster looked up to the heavens and murmured a silent prayer.
'Don't move," he waved the gun down the line of officers. His voice was tense, like a cobra ready for attack, "or else."
"Flash!" Iris called, "stop what you're doing right now, put down the weapon!"
"Why, Iris West?" Barry smiled at her smugly, "You gonna report me? Right a cover of it in the paper? Trust me, there'll be lots to tell for tomorrow's scoop, so why not a first hand statement, right?"
"This isn't about newspapers or publishings, Flash," Iris said calmly. Barry could go off at any moment without careful syntax of her words, "this is about you and me."
"What could this possibly have to do with you, Iris?" Barry sneered, "you just like to be the center of it all, don't you? You always must have the cameras pointed at you, whether it's with your job, your personal life, or your string of failed boyfriends!"
He saw her stiffen. Her eyes reflected pain and hurt. Something deep within him stirred, but he pushed it away. She's been messing me up too much already.
Iris didn't move, however, she stayed rooted in place. Both hands were gripping the small handgun in her fingers and she raised it up slowly, so the barrel was pointing directly at his chest, "I don't want to have to do this."
"You won't," he laughed and took a step closer to her.
"Stop, right there," her finger shook against the trigger, "put down the weapon."
He chuckled lowly and stooped to the floor. Behind him, Iris saw Cisco start to peak from behind some of the shipping crates. She wanted him to meet her gaze, Not now, Cisco!
Barry kept his eyes glued to her the whole time, but his face was amused. To him, this was child's play. Regardless, he released the gun and it clanked against the gravel. For one moment-just one second-Iris let her eyes off of Barry and towards Cisco. The engineer was trying to reach the officers as stealthily as he could. The speedster, however, was watching Iris' every movement. He was waiting for her to slip up, waiting for her to signal someone or something.
With a snarl, Barry turned around to see Cisco untying the captured officers' ropes. Electricity sparked in his eyes and he began to burst forward, tearing up the ground behind him.
Iris shut her eyes and pressed the trigger down. She felt the vibrations move from the metal, to her fingers, to her hands, to her arms, all the way to her brain. The meta-bullet sailed through the air as it moved towards its target. She felt her body move back from the force of the small yet powerful gun in her hands.
Barry could hear the shot fired from the weapon. His focus was all towards Cisco Ramon who was foiling his plan when his instincts became interrupted from the fired weapon. In mid-run, Barry tried to twist his body to see the bullet-to dodge it-but with all his power, strength, and energy heading one way, he didn't have enough time to veer off course.
He felt the impact of the meta-bullet rip through his calf.
Barry yelled as the enhanced effect of the bullet secured itself in his leg. He felt himself start to fall and he dropped to all fours, his right leg extended a little due to the injury.
"Ah!" he panted as Iris moved closer to him, "how could you?!"
"This isn't you, Bar," her voice was shaky and her skin seemed clammy. Even she couldn't believe what she just did.
"Move, move, move!" Cisco was ushering the now freed officers out of the lot so they'd no longer be in harm's way.
Iris looked down at her adopted brother Barry on the floor in pain. He was groaning and trying to move away from her. Blood poured from the wound in his leg and she felt a tear slide down her cheek. She did this to him, she didn't think she was capable of doing anything like this to anyone-especially not to her Barry. But this wasn't her Barry, and the only way to save him was this.
"Barry, don't fight it," her voice was calm and regretful, "I'm sorry, I had to."
The red speedster suddenly gripped his head with his fingers tightly, "Ah!"
"Hey, what's going on?!" she kneeled next to him, "what is it?!"
"My head! It's killing me!" he was writhing on the floor as his nails dug into his scalp hard enough to draw some blood.
"Dr. Wells! Cisco! Quick, Barry needs-"
She felt strong hands grab her and push her to the ground hard. Her head smacked against the concrete and she saw stars in her eyes for a moment. Iris moaned in pain as she saw Barry try to stand, his injured leg dragging behind him. But he was still persistent, his eyes felt like they were on fire and his head was ringing like a church bell but he kept moving. He groaned and growled as he finally got himself to stand upright and he breathed heavily as he looked down at Iris.
"You brought this upon yourself," he said with effort, but his tone was sharp and cold.
"Ow," Iris brought a hand to the back of her head and rubbed it, "Barry, no…"
"It's too late," he gathered his shoulders back, it looked like he was ready to lunge again.
"Barry, stop!" the speedster whipped his head around as he heard the voice of his adopted father call out to him.
"Oh, come on!" he rolled his eyes, "can't I just get one moment of peace!"
"Bar, step away from her!" Joe had his gun pointed at his son as he saw Iris laying on the floor trying to scramble away with some difficulty.
"You really shouldn't be here, Joe," he snarled.
"Allen, step away," Jay held his hands out calmly but he on high alert.
"Jay, you too?" the speedster laughed, "you're all sucked into this whole righteous crap. Can't you see that it's infected you? It's poisoned you!"
"Step away, Barry!"
"You will never understand," he shook his head and sighed, "the only option I have left is to show you," the CSI looked to Iris clambering away from him on the floor.
"Barry, stop!" his gun was cocked, but he knew he could never shoot his son. Joe heard a weapon fire and for a second he thought it was his own gun. He was mortified until he saw that the weapon in his hands was still cool and waiting. Barry whipped his head around and narrowed his eyes amusingly. He caught the tranquilizer dart before it would pierce his neck. Cisco looked at him with wide, shell-shocked eyes as he cracked the vial in between his gloved fingers and a green liquid spilled to the ground.
"Oh, shoot!" Cisco said as Barry swiveled around and began to charge his way.
Harrison looked through the scope of his weapon and pressed the trigger hard. Barry heard the fire in mid-run but didn't have enough time to dodge. The boot used to keep speedsters chained to the ground clamped around his leg painfully and wires extended from the bars and attached themselves to the cement.
He yelled as his hyperextended thigh pulled his weight back and he heard a few ligaments tear in his leg. The speedster looked down at his leg in panic, how was he supposed to get out of this one. The blood stopped flowing from his calf down as the clamp was pressing too tightly against it. The blood from the wound in his leg was spilling out faster and the swelling muscle sent jolts of pain throughout his whole body. His shoulder blade ached too, it was where Singh shot him a few hours before. This wasn't good. With the meta bullets his healing factor would be slowed down considerably and now he was chained to the ground my the boot.
Get up, Barry! He's counting on you! The speedster looked over at the three armored cars still parked safely a few hundred feet away.
He tugged against the cords binding him to the ground, "Come on, come on!" he whispered under his breath harshly. He saw Harrison reveal himself from the shadows carrying the cross-bow like contraption that fired the boot at his leg. Slung across his shoulder was his big gun that Barry sure didn't want to be familiar with. Cisco came behind him, carrying the empty rifle he failed to make contact with. Joe handed his gun to Jay and ran over to Iris. She kept a hand resting upon her forehead as her father helped her stand up and whispered some words softly to her. She looked at the speedster like he was some completely different person-which he was.
Barry saw as Cisco, Jay, and Harrison, all armed, started to beset him. They were closing on him, surrounding him in a circle with weapons aimed. The Flash was trying to think of a plan to get him out of this jam. He glanced at the growing pool of blood surrounding his leg on the floor and he knew that due to blood loss his face would take on a sickly pallor. The CSI smiled with amusement as he made a large, histrionic performance of floundering about. He made a big show of flailing about, groaning in "agony," and pulling at the cords like chains restraining him to the ground. For the big finale, Barry gave one last tug before he collapsed to the floor motionless.
"Dr. Wells!" Cisco called with alarm.
"What's happening, Wells!?" Barry heard Jay's gruff and deep voice as footsteps came pounding towards his body. The ground vibrated with heavy stomps.
"I don't know," the scientist said under his breath. The speedster felt fingers search his body, lifting his arms and neck for any other accidental entry wounds, "there's nothing other than his leg-wait, his shoulder."
"Oh, Jesus," he could hear the disgust in Cisco's voice. The bullet hadn't been pulled out by Barry, he was too concentrated on taking the cars before he was so rudely interrupted. The skin was starting to grow over again and the meta bullet was securely lodged in his shoulder blade.
"We'll Snow to check this out," he felt careful and gentle fingers touch his shoulder examining the bullet, "Garrick, go help Detective West get his daughter to the van and bring it close so we get Barry inside. Cisco, I need another tranquilizer dart, who knows how long Barry will be out for."
Not long, I can tell you that, the acting Scarlet Speedster thought to himself slyly.
"Got it," Cisco answered and he heard the engineer begin to walk away. Jay's footsteps also started to recede as he supported Iris along with Joe.
Barry was waiting for his moment. Harrison posed the biggest danger to him of all the team. Jay no longer had his speed, Iris was injured, Cisco was weak, and Joe would never hurt him. His love clouded his common sense.
"It's okay, Allen," he heard Harrison whisper lowly. It was so quiet he almost couldn't hear the scientists, "we're going to help you, I'll make sure you'll get better."
How sentimental, Harry, Barry thought bitterly, but there's nothing to cure me of.
Barry opened his eyes wide and attacked. Harrison was too stunned to react in time as the speedster's high speed reflexes outmatched him. He grabbed Dr. Wells by the chest with one hand and got to his feet as fast as he could. For a moment, his leg gave out and pain engulfed his body. He shrugged it off and kept a vibrating hand right in front of Harry's heart.
Harrison was too astonished to react when one second he was leaning over Barry's body and the next he was upright with a hand ready to move in and stop his heart. Cisco almost dropped his gun, Jay left Iris' side to run over, and Joe looked on with horror as he tried to get his daughter to safety.
"Barry," Cisco said with extreme caution. Barry was completely off the hinges now, who knew what he would do next, "Dude, let Harry go."
"You really think I'm gonna do that," the speedster smiled evilly.
"What do you want, Barry?" Jay stood tall and his fists were clenched. Inside he was applauding the young speedster, he was conforming to Zoom's desired image of him more and more.
"Take this thing off me," he growled as Harry was still and calm in his arms.
"Bar-" Cisco began.
"NOW!" he snarled as he moved his hand so it was barely resting against scientist's chest.
"Okay, okay," Cisco nodded, "I'll get it, right now."
He began to walk forward but then Joe spoke, "Cisco, wait."
Cisco hesitated but did as told. He looked at Harry but there was no emotion in his eyes, no fear or worry.
"Barry," Joe said cautiously but firmly, "he is not going to take that boot off your leg until you let Dr. Wells go."
Barry stiffened and placed one vibrating finger against Harrison's chest. The scientist gasped lightly but composed himself again, just staring down at the hand that could end his life in a moment.
"Cisco," the speedster shook his head, "if you don't take this off in three seconds, Dr. Harrison Wells will die."
Yes, Barry, yes, Hunter was watching silently from the crowd. His face was a mask of seriousness but on the inside he was applauding the young Flash.
Dr. Wells, throughout it all, hadn't uttered one word from his mouth, but now he spoke up, "Cisco, don't do it."
"Harrison-"
"Don't do it-"
"Enough!" Barry yelled over the clamor, "Decide, Ramon! Or Dr. Wells gets it!"
"Uh-um!" Cisco was tearing his hair out but finally he reached in his back pocket and got out a tool.
"No!" Joe lunged forward but Barry pressed his fingers more into Harrison's chest. The scientist groaned, Joe stayed put.
"Hurry up, Cisco," he said harshly to the engineer who was crouching by his knee, "get it off."
"I-I'm trying."
He saw Cisco fumble with the screwdriver in his fingertips before finally getting a grip and loosen one of the bolts. Barry watched for any surprise attacks by any other members of the team. Joe had thrown his gun off to the side per Barry's orders, Jay looked like he was poised for attack but there was a malicious twinkle in his dark eyes, Iris watched wearily from the van door she was helplessly leaning upon. Dots danced across her vision and the noise was too much for her, she had a severe concussion from her head connecting with the bare concrete.
"I got it!" Cisco exclaimed and Barry felt the pressure release itself from his calf. He sighed in relief as blood flow was restored to his leg but the burgundy fluid was dripping out of his leg profusely. Cisco looked at the injury with pity as he lay crouched a few feet away from the Flash. Barry flexed his leg a little and cursed. The torn ligaments were still tender but running was going to hurt like hell.
"Now," Jay's deep baritone voice echoed throughout the lots, "hand over the doctor."
"You see, Jay," Barry laughed cruelly, "I need Dr. Wells with me," he rubbed Harry's shoulder affectionately-like they were father and son. To Harrison, Barry had become that to him-a son.
"Release him, Bar," Joe's voice was cold and disapproving, "you promised me."
"I'm not the same 13 year old Barry you can order around, Joe, so no, I need someone to help me move the armored-AH!"
When Cisco got whiff of Harrison running away with Barry the Psycho Speedster, he made a move. With screwdriver in hand, the engineer lunged and dug the sharp end of the tool deep in the Scarlet Speedster's knee. It stuck out like a branch on a tree and Barry yelled in agony. Fresh blood poured from the right leg as the hilt of the screwdriver was extending from the joints.
That's got to hurt, Cisco thought queasily as Barry grabbed the edge with both hands and pulled with effort. The metal tool slid out sickeningly and clattered against the floor as Barry pushed Harrison away and gripped his knee. Jay and Joe were toppled over by a Dr. Wells as they tried to rush Barry. The speedster saw the circumstance. In any second, the detective and Garrick would regroup and threaten him again and they would't be falling for anymore tricks. Iris was no harm, but she was no help either, and Cisco's little stunt cost him. He looked longingly at the armored trucks sitting there neatly and the Stranger who would be extremely disappointed in him. It was better than getting caught.
He gave Cisco one last murderous glare and bolted.
Chapter 6 will be released soon! Leave a comment and give me some ideas!
