Enemy's Embrace

Ch. 8

Ayana was left alone in the room with the digital echo of her brother’s departure. She turned her gaze back to the screen that displayed the faces of Leonard Snart and Mick Rory. The rush of adrenaline was giving way to a deep-seated dread that began to settle in the pit of her stomach.

She knew that she should tell the them about her past with Leonard, about their shared history. But the thought of exposing her past, of revealing her lingering feelings for Leonard, filled her with a fear she couldn't explain. She was afraid of what they might think of her, afraid of what it might do to her relationship with her brother, and most of all, afraid of what it meant for her own heart.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to keep her secret for now. She would face Leonard when the time came, and she would deal with her feelings then. Right now, she had to focus on the crisis at hand.

"You guys need any help?" she asked, turning to face Dr. Harrison Wells, Caitlin Snow, and Cisco Ramon.

Dr. Wells gave her a measured look, "We need to figure out where Snart and Rory are heading. They are unpredictable, but not without patterns. Any contribution would be helpful."

Ayana nodded, taking a seat next to Caitlin at the computer. She began to help with the search, trying to predict where Snart and Rory might strike next.

As she worked, the room was filled with tension. The team was on edge, the threat of Captain Cold and Heat Wave looming over them. Ayana felt her heart racing, not just from the tension, but also from the secret she was keeping. She glanced up at the screen again, her gaze lingering on Leonard Snart's face.

She had to push down her feelings, to focus on the task at hand. She told herself that she was doing this for Barry, for the safety of Central City. But in the back of her mind, the truth lingered – she was doing this for Leonard too, in the hope of saving him from himself.

"Leo- er Leonard," She quickly corrected herself, "is a world class thief, but he has standards, we need to look for things with high value."

Caitlin nodded, leaning in close to see the screen better. "Any leads?"

Ayana searched through her list of sources, sifting through information and compiling data.

"Its Tuesday, isn't Central City Bank supposed to get its deposits today?" She questioned, referring to the one located near Lander Street.

Caitlin nodded, confirming her suspicions. "That's right. That's definitely a possibility."

Ayana knew you couldn't predict Leoanrd movements, not unless you knew him. And it just so happened that she knew him better than anyone. "Tell Barry to go to Central City Bank."

"But we aren't even sure-" Caitlin started.

"Trust me." Ayana interjected firmly.

She saw the hesitation on Caitlin's face, "Tell Barry to go there, you'll see I'm right."

Caitlin sighed, obviously irritated, "Fine."

After Caitlin gave Barry the orders, she continued helping her colleagues analyze the data.

She had been distracted by the screen, only half paying attention to her colleagues when she heard someone clearing their throat. She looked up, seeing Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco all staring at her expectantly.

"So?" Dr. Wells prompted.

"Huh?" She asked innocently, not understanding why they were asking her for an explanation.

They seemed frustrated, annoyed, and confused.

Ayana was taken aback, "Did I do something wrong?"

Dr. Wells rolled his eyes, "How did you know they'd be going there?"

Cisco butt in, "And how did you know Central City Bank gets their deposits on Tuesdays?"

To her luck, Barry burst into the room, "Heatwave got away, but I got Snart."

"Always a pleasure Barry." Leo drawled, a smirk on his face until his eyes landed on the all too familiar brunette.