Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.
"This Mercer guy seems like quite a creep from what you're telling us." Mari said as Barry and Patty filled her and Tim in.
"Lyla said that he's a hired gun, which means that someone paid him to get to me." Barry said. "And whoever it was, they obviously know who I am and who are the people I care about."
"Don't worry, Barry, we'll stop this guy before anything can happen to them." Tim assured him.
"Let's see what we can find on him." Mari said as Barry handed her the hologram that Mercer had left to him and Patty.
"I tried tracing the signal off this thing but there's nothing. Mercer seems to be ahead of us." Barry said. "And there's nothing we can trace back to the manufacturer."
"Well, maybe there's something else we could do." Mari said as she sniffed it. "Maybe we could try another method, rather than scientific one."
"What is she doing?" Patty asked, confused.
"She's a hero in Detroit they call Vixen." Barry explained.
"And I might be able to get a lead from the device." Mari said. "It's a long story but this totem helps me channel the ashe or spirit of any animal." She sniffed the device.
"Any luck?" Barry asked.
Later
"Barry, I don't like this. Look, I know that you and your friends can take care of yourselves but—"
"Patty, trust me." The Flash assured her, holding her by her shoulder as they were outside a building. "Don't worry, I got this."
The Flash sped away as Red Robin and Vixen took off and Patty was praying that Barry would be alright before a shadow snuck up on her and she turned around and pulled out her gun…
The Flash quickly scoured the area before rushing in as Red Robin and Vixen flew in, seeing blueprints and a computer and Barry's photo and of the Flash.
"Looks like someone did their homework on you." Vixen noted.
The Flash and Red Robin then checked the laptop as they saw some equations on the screen and a vial of lightning.
"What is that?" Red Robin asked.
"Speed Force." The Flash realized. "He's studying the Speed Force. Why?"
"Look." Red Robin said as he checked the mail and some bank transactions. "It seems someone hired Mercer to… test you. Make you fast."
"But who? And why?" Vixen wondered before she sniffed. "Uh, guys, I think we need to get out of here."
"Why?" The Flash asked before they all heard beeping.
"It's a trap!" Red Robin realized before the Flash sped him and Vixen out of the building as it exploded.
But then, the Flash looked around. "Patty? Patty?"
"Hook, line and sinker, Barry. Got my bait now. Want her? Come and get me." Mercer smirked as he hacked into the Flash's comms.
The Flash clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "I swear, if you hurt her—"
"Oh, spare me those threats. She will be fine, I promise." Mercer said. "But… we're not done playing my game. You want to find Patty and make sure she's safe? She'll be fine as long as you play along. Now, listen very carefully…"
Later
"We have a hostage situation in Solomon Avenue!" One of the officers said as the cruisers were surrounding the building.
Charles and other policemen were entering the building but they were being incapacitated by turrets and other traps before the Flash sped them out.
The Flash and Vixen and Red Robin then flew in as there were traps, such as turrets, spikes and flamethrowers waiting for them but the Flash sped away and dodged and avoided as Red Robin flew up and fired small wing-dings, destroying the turrets, while Vixen used the strength of gorilla and smashed the traps.
"Called in some friends?" Mercer laughed through the P.A. system. "Clever. Let's see you deal with this." Some blasters went out from the ceiling as Vixen, Red Robin and the Flash dodged but the blast suddenly curved and hit the Flash in his chest. "Run, Barry, run!"
The Flash got up and started to run as the blasts were chasing him around, just like with the Plunder's weapon and the Flash phased through a wall as the blasts impacted before Vixen used the Ashe of gorilla and threw a boulder, smashing the turrets.
Patty was in a cage, hanging above a pit as the Flash tried to rush towards her before the door behind him slammed shut and suddenly, the Flash lost his speed.
"Flash!" Patty exclaimed.
"No speed, no edge." Mercer smirked as he showed up and the lights turned on and suddenly, the Flash and Mercer were in some kind of a fighting ring. "You and me, one-on-one, no one else around, Barry. I win, you die. You win, I let her go. What are you without your speed, hero?"
"Let me show you." Barry put down his mask and took off his gloves as Mercer cracked his neck.
Barry's training with Oliver and the Justice League significantly improved his hand-to-hand combat skills as he and Mercer rushed at each other. Mercer threw a punch at Barry's face but Barry dodged, hitting Mercer in the chest with his fists and then in the hip before trying to hit him in the face but Mercer blocked and hit Barry in the jaw and then in the stomach, making Barry stumble. Mercer jumped and kicked Barry, knocking him down on the floor.
Barry got up and decided to be more strategic in the fight. He couldn't beat Mercer with speed or strength, so it was time to be more tactical and precise.
As Mercer attacked again, Barry dodged and hit Mercer in the neck, causing for him to choke out before Barry sent a barrage of fists to his chest, limiting his breathing. Barry then grabbed Mercer and slammed him to the ground before stomping on his chest and hitting him in the face, finishing him off.
Barry sighed. This enemy was smart… but Barry outsmarted him. He was lucky that the training with Oliver and Bruce and the Justice League had paid off, otherwise he'd be in a significant disadvantage without his speed. Barry approached the controls as he let Patty out of her cell as she hugged him and kissed him before she laughed.
"Just like old times, is it?" Patty quipped.
"Yeah." Barry laughed but to their surprise, Mercer laughed too, while lying on the floor and beaten up.
"I guess I underestimated you, Barry. You won. The girl is yours. But… I got everything I wanted. We'll play another game soon." Mercer said, smirking.
Barry's blood boiled as he grabbed Mercer by his shirt and neared him. "Enough of your games. Who hired you?"
Mercer reached for his belt as Patty widened her eyes and pulled Barry away from Mercer. "Barry, get back!"
A small explosion followed at the spot, where Mercer was and when the smoke lifted, Mercer was gone.
So, what do you guys think? The next chapter will be a concluding epilogue to this story, since I mentioned in the beginning that it would be much shorter than other stories.
Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.