So, I know I said next chapter would be the last chapter, but it's looking like there will be two or three more chapters before this is wrapped up.
Star Labs
Afternoon
"If it makes you feel any better, it took you a little longer than I expected to decide," Thawne said smugly.
"So how does this work? Your grand plan?" Barry demanded.
"It's actually rather simple, we use the particle accelerator," Thawne said and was met with several incredulous looks.
"The last time that happened, you caused an explosion that hurt a lot of people!" Barry snapped.
"All part of the plan. This time, the accelerator will work as it was intended to. Except instead of two particles, moving at the speed of light in the inner rig, we're only going to inject one particle into the accelerator," Thawne explained.
"And I'm what it collides with," Barry realized and Thawne nodded.
"If you can hit that particle with enough speed, you will punch a whole right through the fabric of reality. And you will create a portal connecting this time to infinite times," Thawne explained.
"And what about the Metahumans currently held prisoner in the accelerator?" Stein demanded and Thawne smiled unpleasantly.
"I believe Mr. Queen has an answer to that," Thawne said as everyone looked over at Oliver.
"You want to move them to Lian Yu," Oliver said and Thawne nodded.
"Lian Yu?" Henry questioned.
"It's where I was stranded for the better part of five years. It also has a super-max prison on it where an organization called Argus places criminals too dangerous to be held in ordinary prisons. It's where I sent Slade Wilson after The Siege," Oliver explained.
"Great, so we move them from one illegal black site to another," Joe said sarcastically.
"Hardly Detective West. That prison is under the jurisdiction of Argus, which has the authority of the US government. Which makes it a hell of a lot more legal than what's been going on here," Oliver snapped and Joe had no response to that.
"If we do this, they cannot get loose," Barry ordered and Thawne smirked.
"I believe I can take care of that. Mr. Queen, I think you have a call to make," Thawne said mockingly.
Oliver glowered at Thawne but stalked off, pulling out his phone.
"Was it something I said?" Thawne asked cheekily as everyone glared at him.
"Just get to work. And don't talk to anyone," Barry ordered before walking off, Henry following after him.
"What about Eddie?" Joe demanded as he whirled on Thawne, who smirked.
"As I already told Barry, I will give you the location of Detective Thawne the moment I get what I want," Thawne said smugly.
"Barry," Henry called out as he followed his son out into the hall.
"Dad, I can't talk about this right now," Barry said annoyed.
"Well you're going to!" Henry snapped and Barry sighed as he turned around to face his father. "Barry, this-this isn't you. Working with The Arrow-"
"He's my friend dad. And you don't even know him!" Barry snapped in defense of Oliver.
"But I do know what he's done. And even him aside, working with the man who killed your mother, changing the course of time, this isn't you Barry," Henry told him.
"Well this isn't about me dad. It's about mom and Cisco and everyone else Thawne or Wells or whoever he is has killed since he's been in this time. And I will do whatever it takes to save their lives," Barry snapped before he walked off.
"Well, I almost miss the days when we were still working on the accelerator," Ronnie told Caitlin as they watched Thawne walked into Cisco's work shop, Joe and Stein following after him to watch him.
"Things certainly were a lot simpler back then," Caitlin muttered and Ronnie nodded.
"You know…a Particle Accelerator ago, I asked you to marry me," Ronnie pointed out and she gave a jerky nod.
"You did," Caitlin said and Ronnie frowned, picking up a lot of anxiety from his one-time fiancé.
"Cait, are you okay?" He asked and she sighed.
"Ronnie…we need to talk," Caitlin said.
"Nothing good has ever come from a woman saying those words," Ronnie said, only half joking.
"Ronnie…you died. And then when you came back, you left almost immediately," Caitlin started.
"I know. But I'm back now Cait," Ronnie said but Caitlin shook her head.
"It doesn't change the fact that, for almost a year and a half, you were gone Ronnie. And I know it wasn't your fault, but things changed Ronnie…I changed. You love the woman I was before, not the one I am now," Caitlin said and Ronnie stared at her, what she was trying to say sinking in.
"And the woman you are now, she doesn't love me," Ronnie realized and Caitlin smiled sadly.
"I will always love you Ronnie, just not like that. Not anymore," Caitlin told him softly.
"Because you love someone else now," Ronnie said and she tensed. "I know what it looks like when you're in love Cait. I just didn't realize that love wasn't directed at me anymore."
"I didn't mean for it to happen Ronnie, it-he just sort of snuck up on me when I wasn't looking," Caitlin attempted to explain but Ronnie waved her off.
"It's not your fault. I guess I was just hoping…I shouldn't have expected you to wait for me all this time. That wasn't fair to you. And if you love him, then he's a lucky guy. I hope he realizes that," Ronnie said with a sad smile.
Barry walked down the hall as Oliver got off the phone.
"You look mad," Barry noted.
"Talking to Amanda Waller will do that to you. She gave us the Argus transport plane; we just have to be at Ferris Airfield by eight tonight," Oliver explained and Barry sighed in relief.
"Good, that's good," Barry said and Oliver looked at Barry carefully.
"Are you sure about this Barry?" Oliver inquired.
"You're the one who told me you'd do whatever it took to save your parents if given the chance," Barry pointed out.
"And I still would," Oliver told him. "Look Barry, whatever play you want to make here, I've got your back. I just want to make sure you know what you're doing."
"I'm not sure any of us know what we're doing in this situation Oliver. But I have to try," Barry said grimly.