Rocky Raymond//Book Three\\ COMPLETED

Chapter 9- Shade

MacKenzie's POV

I'm sitting on my table in the work room, Cisco is at his desk and Caitlin is at another table when HR wheels a board with a sheet over it in.

"We have a problem." HR says.

"Yeah, we do. He's still here." Cisco says.

"Cisco, comedy of the obvious." HR says, laughing. "I made a pact to justify my presence on your Earth and I think I got something."

"We're all ears." Cisco says.

"Okay. I read every news report I can get my hands on." HR says. "And I have come to the conclusion that this very operation is a ticking time-bomb."

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask, jumping off the table and walking over to where Cisco is sitting. Caitlin wheels her chair over.

"What do you mean?" Caitlin asks.

"You can't spend all your time working on... working on whatever... whatever this is." HR says, picking up the cuffs Cisco's been working on.

"This... this is a very delicate set of power-dampening cuffs." Cisco says, grabbing the cuffs from him. "We need them to stop the meta-humans."

"My point exactly." HR says. "It's not gonna be long before people start putting the pieces together and figure out what you're doing here. You're working with The Flash."

"Okay, so what's your idea?" Caitlin asks.

"The perfect disguise." HR says. "We reopen this laboratory and I become the face of the new S.T.A.R. Labs Museum." HR rips the sheet off the board to show the blueprints of the museum.

"Cisco." I say. "His face."

Cisco nods and HR looks between me and him.

"What is she talking about?" HR asks.

"There's a problem with your plan." I say.

"It's your face." Cisco says. "You're kind of a known murderer around these parts. You see, the evil Wells, not to be confused with the dick-ish but not evil Wells, he confessed to killing Barry's mother."

"So basically, if you step foot outside this lab, you'll be arrested." Caitlin says.

"What... you're just telling me this now, you three rascals?" HR asks. "What about the cryptogram? What about the message? Come to this Earth. Get a fresh start."

"Well, what about your résumé as a world-renowned genius scientist?" Cisco asks.

"That's a good point." HR says. "I guess we're even. If a string is in a knot, patience will untie it. Patience can do lots of things. Have you ever tried it?"

"What. Even." I say.

"My dear ma used to say that to me all the time any time I had a problem. Now I have a problem. I guess I'm gonna use that adage to figure it out." HR says. "S.T.A.R. Labs Museum, think about it." He walks out.

"You think everyone on Earth-19 is missing crayons in the box, or just him?" Cisco asks Caitlin.

Cisco and I turn around to see a very zoned out Caitlin. We share a confused look with each other.

"Paging Dr. Snow." Cisco says, waving his hand in front of her face. She snaps out of it. "Wow, you are out of it."

"Sorry." Caitlin says.

"This have anything to do with your recent visit with mom?" Cisco asks.

"I just... I haven't been sleeping well, but I'm okay." Caitlin says.