5 years ago – Central City

The day is late as children play in the streets as the neon lights of near by business hum in the days shadow, their windows and doors locked and barricaded. A mother comes out the front door screaming for her kids to get inside the house, threatening to punish them as she looks up and down the deserted street for any signs of danger.

The homeless hiding themselves down the back of alleys, crawling into dumpsters if they could, praying to go unseen if they couldn't. The roaring sound of a motorcycles engine begins to fill the air before being joined by chorus of other machines, all humming in unison. What follows is the maniacal laughter and jeers of their riders as they throw small glowing orbs at various vehicles causing them to erupt into flames.

A young family cowers in their doorway as they watch their car explode, the husband shielding his wife and young baby from the light and heat. The baby cries in fear, as the woman gently sobs thankful that they were not scene. The man on the other hand feels outrage at how bad things have become in the city he grew up in, "Someone has to do something about this" he says with vindication but he knows nothing will happen, the police have failed to capture these anarchists on numerous occasions, he tries to comfort himself by saying that at least things aren't as bad as New Gotham.

Several blocks away, a lone police cars sirens scream through the night as they lay chase to the bikers, only for the two at the rear to come to a stop before launching several more explosives, setting the car and its occupants alight as their skin melts from the heat of the flames their agonised screams replace the sirens.

Central City – Brookfield Heights

In one of the residential areas of the town away from the City Centre, a family celebrates the birth of the eldest child Rob Carter, named after a family friend. In attendance there is Robs wife Elle, with their son Jay, his brother Barry, his girlfriend Iris and their father Joe Their mother Ellen walks in carrying a large chocolate fudge cake with several candles alight as the others sing happy birthday.

Rob closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "Wait Rob, you've got to make a wish" injected his father, Rob jokingly looks at the others before suddenly blowing out the candles much to his father annoyance as he takes another drink of his whiskey.

"So what did you wish for?" asked Iris as she leaned her head on Barry's shoulder, rubbing his left bicep with her hand.

"Oh I just wished for a bit of my baby brother brains" answered Rob as he took the candles out of the cake and began to cut it into several pieces and handed them out to the gathered guests.

"Hey, I think you're doing pretty well for yourself as it stands" objected Barry as he handed a piece of cake over to Iris before accepting his own.

"30 years old and already head of the motorcycle unit, I would say you're doing really great!" came Joe beaming with pride at his sons accomplishments. Barry made an awkward smile as he shifted in his seat. "So tell me how did you guys find that bunch of gun runners?" he asked.

"Well actually it was Barry and the rest of the crime lab who managed to find out where they were hiding" answered Rob as he felt that his brothers work should be appreciated.

"Yeah yeah, the lab guys have their job to do but there is nothing like being a police officer, on the street facing the scum of the world with nothing but a gun..."

"A shield and prayer" finished Rob and Barry in unison having heard their fathers passionate speech many times over the years as they grew up.

As everyone laughed a high pitched beeping cut through the room, "Rob, not tonight please" pleaded Elle as she looked at her husbands bewildered face.

"Actually that's me" injected Barry as he looked at his phone before walking into the other room to return the call. A few minutes later he came back, "Sorry guys but I've to go, crime scene down town looks like the Crimson Riders have struck again"

"OK, just let me get my coat" came Rob as he place down his piece of cake on the dining room table.

"Easy cowboy, they are long gone. Nothing left to do but clean up and process the evidence. Sit down and enjoy your night." invited Barry as turned his brothers attention back to their family, afterwards he went to Iris and said his goodbyes promising that he won't be long.

Central City Crime Lab

Barry and Nick had collected all the evidence they could from the scene of the crime, though a few minutes after they had arrived mother nature had begun to brew a large storm. They had been working for the past few hours processing the evidence hoping that it would lead them to a clue as to where the Crimson Riders were hiding. People lie, but the evidence leads to the truth. Barry told himself as he rubbed his weary eyes as he walked back into the lab after making an extra strong pot of coffee to fuel his late night endeavours only to find Nick face down at the desk snoring like a buzz-saw.

"Hey wake up!" called Barry as he slammed a large hard back book on the desk scarring Nick out of his skin.

"What-what?! I am awake" he protested as he rubbed his eyes yawning as they adjusted to bright florescent lights over head.

"Uh-huh, sure you are. Look Nick, if your tired just go home" insisted Barry as he walked over to his own desk to see if the chemical residence found at the scene match the samples collected at the other arson sights.

"No-no, there's work to do" objected Nick as he stretched out with piece of paper hanging from his mouth due to the drool his right eye still closed.

"Look Nick its late, just go home and we'll hit it again tomorrow" countered Barry as he read over the analysis which confirmed that the chemical composition was the same. While taking another mouthful of coffee.

"OK man, see you tomorrow" and with that Nick gathered his things and was out the door to make his way home to warm inviting bed.

Barry on the other hand had moved himself over to one of the other work stations as he began to break down the composition of the mud samples gathered from the tire tracks, the could be from anywhere the riders had been, but he hoped that there maybe some distinctive characteristics that would lead to the base of operations.

Outside the storm continued to rage as rain pelted the windows, the wind howled like an angry caged beast and thunder and lightning danced in the night sky. It was then that a bolt of lightning struck the building through the window closest to Barry, striking him and a series of chemicals which were close proximity. The lightning causing an explosive reaction throwing him 5 feet back, dosing Barry in the chemical mix as the electricity flows throughout his body as the chemical burn his skin.

Seconds later the sprinkler system activates as the alarm begins to ring, but it is within those seconds that Barry feels his life flash before his eyes, as he feels that time is slowing down and that his life is leaving his body. He closes his eyes for what he feels maybe the final time as the quietly says his goodbyes.

Three Weeks Later – Central City Hospital – Chubback

Three weeks have passed yet Barry remains in a coma, his body bandaged as the chemical and electrical burns heal. His family comes to visit him, at first its everyone but eventually the numbers dwindle. Trapped in his own body he hears the news that his brother Rob has been killed in action, mowed down by one of the Blood Riders biker gang, he wants to scream, to cry, to hug his mother and tell his father that they will get the ones responsible but he can't. His legs don't move and eyes wont open. At nights when the hospital is quiet he enjoys the sound of the heart monitors rhythmic beep to sooth him to sleep, but with sleep comes the nightmares. The same ones he's been having since his brothers death.

I must be dead... and this hell he thinks as lies there, my life flashing before me, all those times with my brother..I can see him smiling.. then the bullets pierce his body as he lies in a puddle of his blood as the crimson liquid stains the streets. My mother cries, and I can smell the alcohol on my father mixed with his bitter anger.. His right hand begins to clench into the quilt, as the tears stream down his face, above the light fixtures begin to pulse with power.

Run.. run... faster.. faster... if I am fast enough I can save Rob... he thinks as he races against the bullets in his dream, he directs them down, up, too far left and too far right... but there is always one more than he can't catch and with that Rob is dead. The frustration in him grows as the light above his bed bursts from a surge in power. The electricity flowing like a bolt of lightning into Barry as his eyes suddenly pop open, crackling with electricity as he stands from his bed, he begins to walk, which is soon followed by running.

The hospital corridors are dark, only the emergency lighting is active, Barry can see the nurses, doctors and orderlies scramble before him but they move in slow motion. But he can't stop, he legs continue to move one in front of the other propelling him forward and soon outward as he leaves the hospital, the cool night air caressing his skin as he speeds onwards through the city, overtaking the joggers, motorcycles, cars, buses and soon he leaves the city limits along the winding roads, passed the mountains and forest before finally coming to a stop in a unknown place.